Today's podcast is a departure from the usual Holy Ghost Stories playbook. For one, this is the first

time you've ever heard my voice. Hi, I'm Justin's wife, J.L. I'm the manuscript editor for

Holy Ghost Stories and Justin's partner at Haysfire Studios, Holy Ghost Stories nonprofit home.

And Justin's allowed me to step in and write the story you're about to hear.

So that's one difference. For another, we're going to break a cardinal holy ghost story's rule

today. We're not just telling the story. We're also going to do a little practical application

slash invitation. Don't worry, we will not make this a habit. And just so you don't feel bamboozled,

I'll tell you at the start, this story ends with an invitation for you to consider financial

partnership with Holy Ghost Stories. Why? Because this story in particular is about the power and

blessing available when we all join together to do the

everyday work of faithful sacrifice for the glory of Yahweh. There are things we can do together

that we can't do alone. And they're the most important things. Today we're asking you to join

with Holy Ghost stories

to proclaim the story of Yahweh's love for his people.

More on that in a bit.

A quick word of prayer before we start.

Yahweh, speak to us through this story.

Open our eyes, hearts, and hands. Amen.

Independence, self-reliance, meeting our own needs. It seems like a virtue, a gift to the people around us, freedom for us, freedom for them.

But what if independence is actually a vice, a curse to the people who need us, and a barrier to accomplishing the big things we can't do alone.

This is a story about teamwork, about bodies, eyes and ears and legs and

knuckles and tendons and cones and rods, about the way each member depends on the others

...