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I get weekly encouraging e-mails, as a Southern Batptist Theological Seminary Student, from Brian Renshaw. They are all very well written and gospel centered. I thought the one that he sent today would make a great post for Thanksgiving!  In it, we are encouraged to give thanks to the "Sams" in our lives - those who come alongside us and encourage us in our lives and ministries!

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As I reflected on how this journey can feel heavy or lonely, my mind kept returning to The Lord of the Rings. Tolkien understood something important about calling. Frodo may have been chosen to carry the Ring, but the task is never borne in isolation. The story moves forward because others quietly step beside him, strengthening him in ways he cannot supply for himself.

One of the most striking moments comes early in The Fellowship of the Ring, when Frodo begins to consider whether he should break away from his friends and continue the journey alone. He fears the danger he is placing on others. Sam will have none of it. His response captures what loyal presence looks like:

“If you don’t come back, sir, then I shan’t, that’s certain,” Sam says. “‘Don’t you leave him!’ they said to me. ‘Leave him!’ I said. ‘I never mean to. I am going with him, if he climbs to the Moon; and if any of those Black Riders try to stop him, they’ll have Sam Gamgee to reckon with,’ I said. They laughed.”

The power of that moment is not in dramatic heroism but in the clarity of devotion. Frodo carries the Ring, yet Sam carries Frodo. Frodo fears being a burden, yet Sam’s presence is the very thing that makes Frodo’s calling possible.

Tolkien gives us a picture of what most of us only learn through experience. A calling may rest on one pair of shoulders, but the endurance to pursue it comes through the faithfulness and support of others.

Your life, ministry, and work often mirrors that truth. You shoulder the responsibilities of reading, praying, deadlines, parenting, schedules, minutae, and ministry. Yet the people around you make your faithfulness sustainable.

Your spouse handles the evening routine so you can study. Your friend sends a check-in text at the exact moment you feel stretched thin. Your colleague steps in so you can finish a paper. Your son or daughter leaves their toys by your door because they know you need a quiet study hour.

These small decisions rarely draw attention to themselves, yet they are the scaffolding that supports your learning.