"You're only as good as the people around you." It's a cool little quote, that's for sure. But...is it true? Short answer, YES! Put yourself around great people, you're going to naturally move in that direction. Put yourself around questionable people, and slowly (or maybe even quickly) you're going to begin to exude questionable-ness. This is a story of a man named David Bosarge, who made the wise decision to surround himself with some pretty stellar folks.

When David found out his mom had cancer, he was floored, as anyone would be. Then when he found out he and his bride were expecting, he was ecstatic, as anyone else would be. Then as the months rolled on, and carrying the weight of two opposing situations, he found himself faced with the fact that the current reality was not only something he couldn't handle, but something that NOBODY could handle on their own, or even should try to handle.

Enter a guy named Jon. Stationed in the same area, Jon was aware of what was going on in David's life and sought out to do something to help him out. The goodness of Jon's heart could not stand the idea of David having to pay for his dying mother's funeral, especially with the arrival of his son only weeks away. Not only was Jon advocating on behalf of David, but he was also paving the way for their friendship to grow. He stepped in, not sure what to do, not sure what was needed. He stepped IN. He was THERE. And when David's mom passed, he connected with us here at Every Warrior and helped raise some of the funds needed to help David pay for the funeral.

Can we stop people from hurting? No. Can we protect them from life as it happens? Also no. But...what CAN we do? What is the solution when your friend's mom is dying and they are just praying that she will live long enough to meet her grandson? What helps when that doesn't happen? Well, David's story is proof that one of the things that helps is PRESENCE.

Today, when the arrival of their son is expected any day at the time of this writing, David will tell you that one of the things that helped him navigate the blur of the past few months was the presence of people who pressed in when they didn't even know the words to say. Their presence was enough. Their position at his side was enough. He would also tell you that, because of that consistent presence, when the needs ultimately presented themselves, the people who were present were able to move into action. And not just flippant action to make them feel like they were doing something...no, they were able to do what actually needed to be done to help the situation at hand.