Hey everyone, I'm Dr. Allison. Today's scripture offers us a wiser way of being human as we step into the day.

As we close out this week, we come back to something simple, but easy to forget. We are not meant to do this life alone. And yet so often we start to live as though we are.

We carry things inside of us. We process internally. We tell ourselves, I should be able to handle this.

Sometimes that self-reliance is necessary. Sometimes it's even a strength. But over time,

it can become a form of isolation, especially if you've been hurt,

if you've been disappointed, or if connection has felt complicated or unreliable. It can start to feel

safer to stay contained, to manage on your own to lower expectations. But scripture gently

reminds us, this is not in our design, not the design of our soul,

not the design of our lives. Today's scripture is First Thessalonians 511. Therefore,

encourage one another and build each other up just as in fact you are doing.

It's a simple verse, but there's something really grounding about this instruction.

Encourage one another. Build each other up.

And this doesn't have to be grand or dramatic.

Instead, it's the small, steady, consistent ways we show up for one another.

And notice the context here. This isn't written to individuals trying to figure out life on their own.

It's written to a community, a group of people learning imperfectly how to live connected to God

and to one another. Because often when we think about

connection, we think about one other person, the person who will meet all our needs, a person

who will complete the picture, a relationship that will finally make everything feel secure.

But scripture paints a different vision. It's a network of connection, a web of relationships,

moments of mutual encouragement woven throughout the rhythms of our ordinary lives.

And research in psychology actually supports this. Studies have found that people who regularly

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