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WEEK 1
Caring for People in Need “Praise God . . . who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).
FA M I L I A R FAC E S As you read the following stories, see if any of them remind you of family members or friends you know. Kim was in a women’s Bible study with Candace. After class one day, Kim noticed that Candace looked discouraged, and in fact, she had seemed to be having a hard time concentrating. Kim approached her and asked, “Candace, is there something going on? You seem kind of down today.” Candace sensed she could trust Kim, so she asked if they could find a place to talk privately. There, after only a moment of hesitation, a torrent of words began to flow. She explained that her husband was harsh and mean to her and her two young sons, but then her expression changed. She spoke in a voice full of sadness and tinged with guilt, “I guess I’m just a bad wife. I guess I deserve the husband I’ve got.” Over the next several weeks, Kim met with Candace several times to talk. In those conversations, more of Candace’s story unfolded: a lifetime of
