It’s the middle of May, our family calendar is full, and I’m barely a step ahead—I need cash for graduation cards, end-of-year gifts for teachers, and an idea for dinner tonight. My oldest needs an internship opportunity, the landscaping is full of weeds, and my younger son is writing a paper and doing a final class project in a 15-passenger van on the way back from a rowing competition. Why didn’t I ask if he had homework before he left? 

The title of Bethany Broderick’s piece is “What (Not) to Say When a Friend Feels Inadequate,” but it also works if you’re “asking for a friend.”

“God sets his love on his people not because of our merit but because of his mercy,” Bethany writes. What a sweet reminder for those of us who can’t see the end of our to-do list.

“Reminding them of God’s power made perfect in their weakness (2 Cor. 12:9) frees them to rest in the good boundaries God has put around their body, mind, and soul,” she writes. “Instead of denying or bemoaning limits, we can encourage our friends that their weaknesses deepen their dependence on God’s grace.”

Lord, please deepen my dependence—and my friends’ dependence—on your grace today.

Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra
Senior Writer

P. S. Speaking of friendship, our women’s conference in 2026 is now open for registration at the early access rate of just $199. It’s always been a special time for me to catch up with old friends and make new ones!