FAITH, CHRISTMAS, SERVING OTHERS:
At Christmas, front and center for me is faith and serving others. This week, our family served at St Mary’s Hospital and their NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) and also at Quantum House next to St Mary’s where families stay while their children endure their many great challenges, surgeries, and treatments in the hospital.
Two of our four daughters were born at St Mary’s and both stayed in the NICU for many, many weeks until they were healthy enough, big enough and strong enough to bring home.
The doctors, nurses, volunteers, and families that serve others in hospitals, particularly in the NICU are real life heroes. The stakes are incredibly high, with the smallest lives hanging in the balance. The impact of their care ripples beyond the immediate moment. These tiny patients, many of whom are fighting for their lives, are surrounded by a team of professionals who offer not just medical expertise, but a deeper level of emotional and spiritual support.
Whenever I walk back into the NICU, I am reminded of the fragile nature of life. I flashback to 2018 and 2020 and the pain and struggle of our own daughters, and my wife who nearly died having our third daughter. It is still surreal to me now.
To now watch our healthy six-year-old daughter (who was one of those oh so tiny babies in that unit) smiling and spreading joy and words of hope and encouragement to families brings me to tears.
At Quantum House, there are families from all over the world coming for surgeries and treatment. We were blessed to spend time with so many amazing families from Spain, Greece, Pakistan, Wisconsin, Texas and more…
The act of serving others in these difficult moments is not just about providing care—it’s about providing hope, faith, and a sense of peace to those who need it most.
“Faith is knowing that when we serve others, we make the world a little brighter. And sometimes, that faith helps us in ways we can’t even see.”
When we serve others, we do so with the belief that our presence, however small, can help lighten the burden of someone else’s hardship. We may never fully understand the extent of our influence, but the small acts of kindness and care can ripple through a family, a hospital, and even the wider world.
In serving, we often find our own strength and resilience. The faith we have in the power of our service not only helps those in need, but it also nourishes our own spirit. The connection we form with others is an invisible thread that binds us to something greater, offering us both comfort and purpose in a challenging world.
To all of you, I pray you have a healthy and joyous holiday.
Merry Christmas!
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