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“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” -John 13:34-35
A 28-Day Journey of Faith, Love and Generosity
IntroductionJesus was once asked which commandment mattered most. His answer was beautifully simple:Love God with all that you are, and love your neighbor as yourself. Everything begins there. For the next 28 days, we are going to spend time asking what it looks like to live those words, not simply as something we believe, but as the way we live. The Christian life is a journey. None of us has arrived, and none of us is finished. God is continually working in us through grace, inviting us to grow, trust, serve, give, and love more deeply. The question is not whether we have done enough. The question is: What is my next faithful step? As we strive to grow in our faith and follow Jesus, we have a very clear guide to how we are to live our lives in our families, our schools or workplaces, our community and our world. Jesus has shown us what a next faithful step might look like. They will not all be the same, but they will all involve a call to action. For one person, that step might be spending a few minutes with God in prayer each morning. For another, it might be returning to worship or becoming more deeply connected to the church. It might mean serving someone in our community, offering our gifts and abilities, becoming more generous, sharing our faith, forgiving someone, or simply noticing a neighbor who needs to know that somebody cares.3
Your next step may not look like anyone else's, and that is okay. What matters is our willingness to listen when God calls. Over these 28 days, we will reflect on four movements of the Christian life: receiving God's love, loving God, loving generously, and loving one another. Each day includes Scripture, a short reflection, a question, a prayer, and one practical next step. Don't worry about taking every step at once. Listen. Pray. Trust. And ask: God, what is my next faithful step? Imagine what could happen if, for the next 28 days, each of us took one faithful step closer to God and one faithful step toward our neighbor. Imagine a church increasingly known not simply for what we believe, but for how we love. Imagine that love moving beyond the walls of our church, into our homes, schools, workplaces, neighborhoods, and community. Jesus said, "Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another." (John 13:34) That is where our journey begins. We have been loved by God. We are learning to love God. We are being formed to love one another. And together, we are taking our next faithful step. There are no rules here except this one: show up every day and let love lead you. Let's discover where that next step might lead. 4
GOD’S LOVERECIEVINGWEEK 15
Next Step: Open Your Hands to GraceLove Received Becomes Love Given Before we talk about what we will give, how we will serve, or what we will do, we begin with what God has already done. God loves us. Our first faithful step is simply learning to receive.6
GOD LOVED US FIRSTThe Christian life begins with God. Before you prayed, God loved you. Before you worshiped, God loved you. Before you served, gave, believed, or even recognized your need for God, grace was already reaching toward you. This is especially important when we talk about stewardship of what God has given us. Stewardship doesn't begin with what God wants from us. It begins with recognizing what God has already given us. Life. Grace. Forgiveness. People to love. Abilities to use. Resources to manage. Opportunities to serve. And above everything else, Jesus. We easily turn Christianity into a list: Pray more. Give more. Serve more. Try harder. But grace comes first. Our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness aren't attempts to earn God's love. They are responses to it. So don't begin these 28 days asking: “What should I do?” Or “What does God want?” Begin here: I am loved by God. Receive that truth. Rest in it. Then ask: What is my next faithful step in responding to that love?“ We love each other because God loved us first.” -1 John 4:19DAY 17
REFLECT How would your life change if you truly lived each day knowing you are loved by God?Say aloud three times today: “I am loved by God.” NEXT FAITHFUL STEPPRAY Loving God, help me receive the love You have already given me. Let everything I do become a response to Your grace. Amen.8
DAY 2COUNT THE GIFTSHave you ever noticed that we human beings tend to notice what we're missing? Something breaks. A bill arrives. Someone else has something we want. Plans don't work out. Suddenly our attention becomes fixed on what we don't have or haven’t done. Add to that a fear of missing out, and it is pretty easy to see why we miss what is right in front of us. Gratitude redirects our vision. James reminds us that every good gift ultimately points us toward the Giver, God. Consider what you've already received today. You woke up. There was air to breathe. Perhaps there was coffee to drink, food to eat, someone to talk with, work to do, a home to live in, a church family, a friend, or a memory that made you smile. Not every day is easy. Gratitude doesn't require pretending that it is. Gratitude simply refuses to let difficulty erase goodness. Stewardship begins when we recognize that life itself is a gift. And once we begin noticing God's gifts, the question changes. Instead of: “Why don't I have more?” we begin asking: “God, what can I do with what You've already given me?” Maybe your next faithful step is simply noticing.“Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father,” -James 1: 17a9
REFLECT What gift from God have you recently taken for granted?Write down five things for which you are thankful today. Share your answers with someone else or maybe do this together as a family. NEXT FAITHFUL STEPPRAY God, open my eyes to Your goodness. Give me a grateful heart that notices Your gifts. Amen.10
OPEN HANDSFear is real. It slips in and robs us of trust, joy, peace, and often prevents us from even enjoying the present moment. Fear says: “There won't be enough, so start worrying.” Grace says: “Trust God.” Jesus isn't telling us to ignore responsibilities, budgets, bills, or wise planning. He is reminding us that worry makes a terrible master. When fear and worry control us, our hands naturally close. We hold tightly to our money. Our time. Our possessions. Our plans. Sometimes even our relationships. Jesus invites us to live differently. Open hands acknowledge that everything ultimately belongs to God. Open hands receive God's provision. And open hands can share God's provision with others. Trust doesn't mean believing we'll always have everything we want. It means believing God remains faithful regardless of our circumstances. Maybe today's next faithful step isn't solving tomorrow. Maybe it is trusting God with today so that we can live fully in today.“So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God[a] above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Matthew 6: 31-33DAY 311
REFLECT What fear makes it difficult for you to trust God?Physically open your hands and name one worry as you pray: “God, I place this in Your hands.” You may want to pray this prayer more than once today and place your worries into God’s hands. NEXT FAITHFUL STEPPRAY God, when fear closes my hands, teach me to trust Your goodness and faithfulness. Amen.12
REMEMBERSometimes faith needs a good memory. When we're standing in today's difficulty, it's easy to forget yesterday's faithfulness. That's why Scripture repeatedly tells God's people: Remember. Over and over in the Scriptures, God’s Word reminds us to remember. Remember when God provided. Remember when God carried you. Remember the prayer that was answered. Remember the person who appeared at exactly the right time. Remember the door that opened. Remember the strength you somehow found. Remember the grace that met you after failure. Remember the season you thought you would never survive, and yet here you are. Remembering doesn't mean everything happened exactly as we wanted. It means looking backward and recognizing that God was present even when life was difficult. When we remember this way, we can see how God acted even when we were not aware of it at the moment. And memory creates gratitude. Gratitude creates trust. And trust gives us courage to take another step. A step rooted in trusting God.“But then I recall all you have done, O Lord; I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago.” -Psalm 77:11DAY 413
REFLECT When have you experienced God's faithfulness during a difficult season? How does that allow you to trust God today?Tell someone one story of God's faithfulness from your life. Write it down to remind yourself of it the future. NEXT FAITHFUL STEPPRAY Faithful God, help me remember the ways You have carried me so that I can trust You with my next step. Amen.14
LEARNING CONTENTMENTNotice Paul's words: “I have learned.” Contentment isn't automatic. We learn it. Sometimes, we don’t learn something the first time. It takes a bit. We may even learn it one small step or one small piece at a time. Our culture constantly teaches another lesson: More will make you happier. There is nothing inherently wrong with enjoying good things or enjoying things we have worked hard to obtain. The danger comes when we expect possessions to give us what only God can provide. Contentment says: “What I have does not determine who I am.” Our identity isn't found in possessions. We belong to Christ. When we know who we are and whose we are, contentment brings us peace and takes away anxiety. Contentment in Christ doesn't destroy generosity; it makes generosity possible. When we discover Christ is enough, our hands begin to open. We are freed from guilt and worry about the amount and release what God has nudged us to do, not what someone else is doing, but what we can do.“Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.” - Philippians 4:11–13DAY 515
REFLECT Where does comparison make contentment difficult for you?Go one day without purchasing anything unnecessary. Not just the big stuff. It may even be that piece of candy or cup of coffee you are craving! NEXT FAITHFUL STEPPRAY Jesus, teach me to find my deepest satisfaction and security in You. Amen.16
THANK YOUTwo simple words can change the direction of a heart: Thank you. Think how hearing those words makes you feel. Think how saying them changes the way you see and feel about another. Gratitude moves our attention from what is missing or what is difficult toward what has been given. Thank You for today. Thank You for food. Thank You for people. Thank You for grace. Thank You for forgiveness. Thank You for opportunities. Thank You for Jesus. Christian gratitude isn't pretending life is perfect. It is directing our hearts toward seeing life, seeing grace, seeing relationships as a gift. Sometimes thanksgiving is spoken through tears. Sometimes our prayer is: “God, I don't understand what is happening, but thank You for staying with me.” Gratitude doesn't deny pain. It remembers grace. And when gratitude takes root, our hearts begin to change.“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.” - Psalm 107:1DAY 617
REFLECT What is one unexpected blessing you can thank God for today? How does that shape the way you experience God today?Thank one person for something specific they have brought into your life. You might do this in person or write a note. Make it more than just saying the words, thank you. NEXT FAITHFUL STEPPRAY Thank You, God. Open my eyes to Your goodness and make gratitude the rhythm of my life. Amen.18
RECEIVE AND RELEASELook at your hands. Clench them tightly. Now open them. Which posture looks more like grace? Just like we read earlier about holding on too tightly, fear closes our hands. Fear closes our hearts and minds to what is possible and to opportunities that are around us. Gratitude opens our hands, our hearts and our lives to others and to the possibilities of what God can do. The open hand is a beautiful picture of faith because it represents both giving and receiving. It also provides a picture of what faithful stewardship is because it represents both receiving and giving. We receive grace with open hands. Then we share grace with open hands. Everything we have eventually passes through our hands and hearts, money, possessions, opportunities, relationships, even life itself. Stewardship means learning to hold God's gifts faithfully without pretending they belong to us forever. Stewardship challenges our understanding of ownership. We can easily find ourselves becoming three again and saying, “That’s mine.” God's generosity toward and with us becomes the model for our lives toward God and God’s people.“When you open your hand, you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.” - Psalm 145:16DAY 719
REFLECT What are you holding too tightly? Are there things or places in your life where you find yourself saying, “That’s mine”.Give something generously today - your time, money, energy, or attention – in a way that feels slightly beyond comfortable. Let it cost you something. Give it to someone who will benefit from it. NEXT FAITHFUL STEPPRAY Generous God, give me open hands to receive Your gifts gratefully and share them generously. Help me realize every good gift comes from you. Amen.20
GODLOVINGWEEK 221
Next Step: Move Closer to GodLove Received Becomes Love Returned God's love invites a response. Not repayment. Relationship. This week asks: What is my next faithful step toward God? We cannot truly love others fully until we are in a loving relationship with God who loves us deeply.22
GOD LOVED US FIRSTJesus doesn't ask for a small corner of our lives. He says: All your heart. All your soul. All your mind. All your strength. All your work and rest. All your relationships and resources. All your calendars and decisions. All your hopes and fears. Loving One Another ultimately asks: “God, what am I doing with the life You've given me? How am I becoming more loving.” We often divide life into “God stuff ” and “everything else.” Jesus refuses that division. Following Him encompasses Monday morning as much as Sunday morning. No compartmentalizing. Our entire lives can become worship.“ And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.” - Mark 12:30DAY 823
REFLECT What part of your life is hardest to surrender fully to God? Is it work? Free time? Family? Or maybe me time?Begin today by praying: “God, this day belongs to You. Show me what you want me to do with it.” Once you pray that, make yourself available to follow the nudges of the Holy Spirit. Notice that the Spirit does not ask you to give what you do not have. Show up with what you do have. NEXT FAITHFUL STEPPRAY God, I offer You my heart, soul, mind, and strength. Teach me to love You with my whole life. Amen.24
MAKE ROOM FOR PRAYERJesus was busy. There was plenty to do. Everywhere He went, everywhere He looked, people needed healing. There were crowds who wanted teaching. There were disciples who needed guidance. Yet Jesus made room for prayer. He made time to intentionally be with the Father. If Jesus intentionally made time with the Father, perhaps we shouldn't be surprised that we need to as well. Prayer isn't another religious task to squeeze into an overcrowded schedule. Prayer is relationship. Listening. Speaking. Surrendering. Confessing. Giving thanks. Simply being with God. Prayer isn’t even about the length of time we spend with God. Five intentional minutes with God are better than the imaginary hour we never actually take. Don't wait until you're less busy. Begin small. Five minutes in quiet. Then expand to 10. As you begin to hunger for more, set more time aside. Your next faithful step can begin today.“But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.”- Luke 5:16DAY 925
REFLECT What regularly crowds prayer out of your life? Where could you begin to insert five minutes with God each day?Spend five uninterrupted minutes in prayer. Or spend time praying together as a family. If you don’t know how to pray, begin searching for different ways to pray. Sometimes the next step in our prayer lives is finding the rhythm that fits us best. NEXT FAITHFUL STEPPRAY God, quiet my heart and help me make room to be with You. Amen.26
REMAINJesus doesn't say: “Try harder so I'll love you.” He says: “I have loved you. Remain in my love.” That difference changes everything. Sometimes we feel like there is no way God could love us or forgive us, let alone use us. We pray more, read more Scripture, worship more fully, share in communion and in Christian fellowship, hoping we will place ourselves in God’s good graces. Yet none of these are ways of earning grace. Grace can’t be earned. Blessings can’t be earned. These practices are, however, ways of remaining attentive and available to grace. John Wesley called practices like these means of grace, ordinary ways through which God forms us. As we practice them, we can often turn them into a checklist. The goal isn't religious accomplishment. The goal is relationships. Stay close to Jesus. Abiding in me is Jesus' invitation. Because the closer we remain to Jesus, the more His love begins shaping how we live. The easier it becomes to hear His voice. We discover that life with Jesus is better.“I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.” -John 15:9DAY 1027
REFLECT What practice helps you remain aware of Christ's presence? What are you doing when you are consistently aware of His presence?Pause three times today and pray: “Jesus, help me remain in Your love.” NEXT FAITHFUL STEPPRAY Jesus, help me remain in Your love today and allow Your love to shape me. Amen.28
SHOW UPWorship reminds us who God is, and who we are. God is Creator. We are creation. God is Savior. We need grace. God is generous. We are recipients. God is Lord. We are disciples. Worship reorders our lives. That's one reason presence matters. Remember how you felt when someone showed up for a program at school or a game? Maybe it was when someone showed up when you were going through a difficult time, or when someone showed up to help you celebrate a graduation or wedding. If we feel that way, when someone shows up for us, imagine the joy God experiences when we gather and show up for worship and show up for each other. We gather because none of us was designed to follow Jesus entirely alone. And your presence matters. Someone notices your smile. Someone hears your voice singing. Someone is encouraged because you showed up. Sometimes simply being present becomes an act of love. It becomes one of the primary ways we love God and love our neighbor.“Come, let us worship and bow down. Let us kneel before the Lord our maker.” - Psalm 95:6DAY 1129
REFLECT Why do you worship? What does worship say about your relationship with God? With others? How does regular worship help reorder your priorities?Make a deliberate plan to be fully present in worship this week. If you are a regular worship attender, how might you incorporate a daily act of worship in your life? As a family? NEXT FAITHFUL STEPPRAY God, make worship more than something I attend. Make my whole life an offering of praise. Amen.30
ENOUGH LIGHT FOR THE NEXT STEPWe live surrounded by voices. News. Social media. Advertising. Friends. Commentators. Entertainment. Algorithms constantly decide what should capture our attention. Scripture gives us another voice. God's Word reminds us who God is, who we are, and what kind of people we're called to become. God’s Word is an illuminating lamp. A lamp doesn't always illuminate the entire house or the entire road. Sometimes it gives enough light for the next step. That's often how Scripture works. God may not show you the next ten years. God may not answer every question. But God can give you enough light to take your next faithful step.“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.”- Psalm 119:105DAY 1231
REFLECT Which voices currently have the greatest influence on your thinking?Read one chapter from a Gospel (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John) slowly today. What did God show you in His Word? NEXT FAITHFUL STEPPRAY God, speak through Your Word and give me enough light to take my next faithful step. Amen.32
REST IS TRUSTSometimes the next faithful step is not moving at all. Sometimes the faithful step is stopping. Sabbath not only says, God, I also want to spend time with you today, " but it also says: “The world can keep turning without me.” That's humbling. We often live life as if everything depends upon us. We may think, no one else can do it better. On the other hand, we may think, if we don’t do it, no one else will. Either way, stop for a moment and look at who is in the center of the doing. Yep, you guess it. What happens if we are not the center of our universe? What happens if the world doesn’t revolve around us, but around the Creator? It's freeing. Our culture often treats exhaustion as evidence of importance. We wear busyness like a badge. God offers another rhythm. Work. Rest. Receive. Trust. Sabbath reminds us that our value isn't measured by productivity. We are beloved children of God even when we aren't accomplishing anything. Sometimes stopping is one of the most faithful things we can do.“Remember to observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.” -Exodus 20:8DAY 1333
REFLECT What makes it difficult for you to rest?Set aside at least 30 minutes for genuine rest without work OR screens. NEXT FAITHFUL STEPPRAY God, teach me to trust You enough to stop, rest, and receive Your grace. Amen.34
GOD LOVED US FIRSTA living sacrifice isn't something placed on the altar once. We keep offering ourselves. Monday. Tuesday. Wednesday. Again and again. Our prayer becomes: “God, here I am.” Take my time. My abilities. My relationships. My resources. My work. My retirement. My plans. My prayers. My presence. My gifts. My service. My witness. This isn't payment for grace. It is a response to grace. Love received becomes love returned.“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice, the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.” -Romans 12:1DAY 1435
REFLECT What part of your life is God inviting you to offer more fully?Write down one area of your life you want to intentionally offer to God. NEXT FAITHFUL STEPPRAY God, You have given Yourself completely to me. Help me offer my whole life to You. Amen.36
GENEROUSLYLOVINGWEEK 337
Next Step: Open Your HandsLove Received Becomes Love Shared Generosity isn't a competition. God isn't asking us to compare ourselves with anyone else. The question is: “God, what is my next faithful step?”38
39FOLLOW THE TREASUREJesus says something surprising. He doesn't simply say our money reveals what our hearts love. He says our hearts follow our treasure. Invest in something and you'll begin caring about it. Give your time and your heart follows. Give your energy and your heart follows. Give financially and your heart follows. That's why generosity is a spiritual practice. Giving doesn't merely fund ministry. Giving forms disciples. Every time we give, we practice putting God's kingdom ahead of ourselves. Sometimes we can get caught up in the thought that being generous is about the amount and we can even feel guilty when what we have doesn’t seem to be enough of a gift. But notice, generosity is the spiritual practice of being generous with what you do have. In Mark’s gospel we hear a story of a woman who pours out a jar of expensive perfume on Jesus’s feet (Mark 14). Jesus says simply to those who were indignant, “She did what she could.” That phrase is both humbling and liberating to us as we think about giving. The woman didn’t do everything. She didn’t fix everything. She did what she could, with what she had, in the moment given. We often talk ourselves out of giving because we can’t give enough or do enough. But love doesn’t require perfection; it requires presence and willingness.“Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” - Matthew 6:21DAY 15
40REFLECT What do you have right now that could be given?Review what you have today. Think about what could be given out of what you have. NEXT FAITHFUL STEPPRAY Jesus, direct my treasure toward the things that matter to You so my heart will follow. Amen.
TRUSTGenerosity requires trust. Whenever we release something we possess, a little voice may whisper: “What if you need that later?” Wise planning matters. Responsible stewardship matters. But fear shouldn't be our master. Generosity becomes a declaration: “God, I trust You more than I trust what I can hold in my hands.” That's why giving can deepen faith. We loosen our grip and discover again that God remains faithful. In Luke 9, Jesus fed the 5,000 with a few fish and a little bread, all because a little brought what he had, and shared what he would rather have eaten himself. It cost him something. But what he got in return was an opportunity to be part of something miraculous. It was worth it.“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.” - Proverbs 3:5DAY 1641
42REFLECT Where does fear influence your financial (or any) decisions?Give something today that requires a small but genuine act of trust. NEXT FAITHFUL STEPPRAY God, replace fear with wisdom and trust. Teach me to depend upon You. Amen.
43SIMPLIFYMore isn't always better. Sometimes more possessions mean more storage. More maintenance. More bills. More worry. More comparison. More clutter. Jesus reminds us that possessions are terrible measures of a person's life. Simplicity creates space. Space for God. Space for people. Space for generosity. Space to notice what actually matters. Space for seeing and loving others. Why does that matter? Because before we can love our neighbors, we have to be able to see them. See them for who they are, where they are. See that their worth lies in who they are to God and not what they have or don’t have. With less stuff in our own lives, less stuff to maintain, we have more time and space to see and be with others. We have more of ourselves and more of our resources to give to others. The goal isn't deprivation. It's freedom. God has given us life to enjoy fully. But putting Jesus first is the better way to enjoy and live life fully. We want to own our possessions without allowing our possessions to own us.“Then he said, 'Beware! Guard against every kind of greed. Life is not measured by how much you own.” - Luke 12:15DAY 17
44REFLECT What could you simplify to create more room for what matters?Choose five usable items you don't need and give them away. NEXT FAITHFUL STEPPRAY Jesus, free me from believing that more things will give me a better life. Amen.
45ENOUGHOne of the most dangerous words in our culture may be: More. Because “more” never tells us when we've arrived. Contentment introduces another word: Enough. Enough doesn't mean we stop dreaming, working, saving, or improving. It means we refuse to make happiness dependent upon constantly acquiring more. When we can say: “I have enough,” something wonderful happens. We begin noticing that perhaps we have something to share. Contentment and generosity are close friends. Both are fruits we experience as we learn to love one another. One of the greatest spiritual practices to help us learn to be content is tithing. It teaches us that no matter how much or how little we have, God always gives us enough. By putting God first, we are relieved to live in the freedom of what remains and be content because our lives are now ordered in the way that brings peace, joy and contentment.“Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth. After all, we brought nothing with us when we came into the world, and we can’t take anything with us when we leave it. So if we have enough food and clothing, let us be content.” -1 Timothy 6:6–8DAY 18
46REFLECT What would “enough” look like in your life? What keeps me from trusting God enough to begin tithing or to begin to move towards tithing?When tempted to make an unnecessary purchase today, pause and say: “I have enough.” If you are not making any purchases today, look at what you already have and ask, “God how can you use this today?” NEXT FAITHFUL STEPPRAY God, teach me to recognize Your provision and know when enough is enough. Amen.
47JOYFUL GENEROSITYGod isn't looking for reluctant generosity squeezed from guilty people. Paul says giving shouldn't happen “under compulsion.” Christian generosity grows from grace. We remember what God has done. Gratitude also anticipates what God will do. Go back to Jesus feeding the 5,000. Before the miracle ever happened, Jesus gave thanks (Luke 19). In our culture, we tend to give thanks when we have enough. Jesus gave thanks when he didn’t, and that's when the multiplication happened. Gratitude rises. Our hands open. Giving becomes joy. This doesn't mean every financial decision is easy. Sometimes generosity requires sacrifice. But underneath the sacrifice is gratitude: “God has been good to me, and I want someone else to experience that goodness.” That's very different from guilt.“You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” -2 Corinthians 9:7DAY 19
48REFLECT Does your giving feel more like obligation or gratitude? Why?Today, practice gratitude for what seems insufficient. Write down three things you’re tempted to complain about and find one genuine thing to be grateful for within each one of them. Share that gratitude with someone. NEXT FAITHFUL STEPPRAY Generous God, make my giving joyful, grateful, and free. Amen.
49PARTICIPATEWhen you give through the Church, you become part of stories you may never personally see. A child learns Jesus loves them. Someone grieving hears resurrection hope. A hungry person receives food. A lonely person discovers community. A young person finds adults who believe in them. Someone hears the Gospel. You may never know their name. But you were part of that. That's one of the beautiful things about Christian generosity. God gathers ordinary gifts from ordinary people and uses them together to accomplish things none of us could accomplish alone.“And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.” - 2 Corinthians 9:8DAY 20
50REFLECT What ministry are you grateful to participate in through your giving?Pray specifically for one ministry supported by our church and pray for one ministry you hope God will begin. NEXT FAITHFUL STEPPRAY God, use what I give to bring hope and grace into lives I may never see. Amen.
51YOUR NEXT FAITHFUL STEPGenerosity isn't a competition. God isn't comparing your gift with someone else's. Our circumstances differ. Our starting places differ. So ask a better question: “God, what is my next faithful step?” Maybe you've never given regularly. Begin. Maybe your giving is occasional. Become consistent. Maybe you've given the same amount for years. Consider growing. Perhaps God is leading you toward the biblical practice of tithing. Perhaps God is inviting you into generosity beyond what you previously imagined. Think about giving as: Planned. Proportional. Growing. Not guilt. Grace. Not comparison. Faithfulness. Your next step doesn't have to be monumental; it simply needs to be faithful.“ Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.” -2 Corinthians 9:6DAY 21
52REFLECT What is your next faithful step in generosity?Prayerfully consider your financial commitment for the coming year. NEXT FAITHFUL STEPPRAY God, show me how You are inviting me to grow and give me courage to take the next step. Amen.
53ONE ANOTHERLOVINGWEEK 3
54Next Step: Move Toward Your NeighborGrace Received Becomes Love Extended God's love doesn't stop with us. Grace moves. Into our homes. Our church. Our neighborhoods. Our schools. Our workplaces. Our community. Our world. This week asks: Who is God inviting me to move toward in love?
55MAKE ROOMHospitality is more than entertaining friends. Christian hospitality makes room. Room at the table. Room in the conversation. Room in the pew. Room in our schedules. Room in our lives. Jesus continually made room for people others overlooked. Children. Outcasts. Sinners. The sick. The poor. The lonely. What if our homes and churches became places where people consistently discovered: “There is room for me here.” Hospitality makes God's welcome visible.“When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality.” -Romans 12:13DAY 22
56REFLECT Who might need you to make room for them? As you look around your neighborhood or in worship, who is missing?Invite someone into a meal, conversation, cup of coffee, or shared moment. Consider at some point today greeting and introducing yourself to someone you don’t know well. Learn their name and one thing about their life. NEXT FAITHFUL STEPPRAY Jesus, because You welcomed me, teach me to welcome others. Amen.
57SERVEJesus measured greatness differently. The world often says greatness means having people serve you. Jesus picked up a towel. He washed feet. He touched people. He fed people. He gave Himself. Service doesn't require a platform. Usually it looks remarkably ordinary. Cook. Drive. Visit. Teach. Clean. Listen. Repair. Encourage. Carry. Help. Show up. When ordinary acts are offered in love, they become holy.“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.”-Mark 10:45DAY 23
58REFLECT What ability has God given you that could bless someone else?Do one helpful thing today without being asked. NEXT FAITHFUL STEPPRAY Jesus, give me the heart of a servant and show me where I can help. Amen.
59NOTICECompassion begins by noticing. It's difficult to love people we never really see. Jesus noticed people. The person in the crowd. The person beside the road. The grieving parent. The hungry multitude. The person everyone else avoided. Our schedules can make us move so quickly that people become background scenery. Compassion slows down long enough to ask: “What might this person be carrying?” Sometimes we can solve a problem. Sometimes we can't. But we can almost always offer kindness. Perhaps your next faithful step is simply seeing someone you have previously walked past.“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” -Colossians 3:12DAY 24
60REFLECT Who around you might be carrying a burden you haven't noticed?Ask one person sincerely: “How are you doing?” Then listen. Don’t offer advice. Just listen. A big challenge might be to think of someone whose politics, lifestyle, or personality puts you off. Do one small kind thing for them today – a compliment, a favor, a moment of patience. NEXT FAITHFUL STEPPRAY Jesus, give me Your eyes today. Help me see people with compassion. Amen.
61GOD LOVED US FIRSTForgiveness is one of the hardest ways love becomes visible. Forgiveness doesn't pretend harm didn't happen. It doesn't automatically restore trust. It doesn't require remaining in unsafe situations. Forgiveness means refusing to allow resentment and revenge to have the final word. Why forgive? Paul gives the reason: “As God in Christ has forgiven you.” Grace received becomes grace extended. Sometimes forgiveness happens in a moment. Sometimes it takes a long journey. But every journey begins somewhere. You don't have to finish the entire journey today. Perhaps your next faithful step is simply becoming willing to begin.“Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.” -Ephesians 4:32DAY 25
62REFLECT Is there resentment you need to begin placing into God's hands?Pray God's blessing for someone you find difficult to forgive. NEXT FAITHFUL STEPPRAY God, as You have forgiven me, give me grace to begin releasing the hurts I carry. Amen.
63TELL YOUR STORYSharing your faith doesn't require knowing every theological answer. Sometimes sharing your faith simply means telling your story. “I was afraid, and God gave me peace.” “I was grieving, and my church walked beside me.” “I made mistakes, and I discovered grace.” “I felt alone, and Jesus met me.” “I don't have everything figured out, but I know God has been faithful.” Your story doesn't have to be dramatic. It simply needs to be yours. Maybe your next faithful step is finding the courage to tell someone what Jesus means to you. Maybe it is just taking a moment to reflect on the difference following Jesus makes in your life.“Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.” -1 Peter 3:15DAY 26
64REFLECT If someone asked why Jesus matters to you, what would you say?Write three sentences describing one way Jesus has made a difference in your life. NEXT FAITHFUL STEPPRAY Jesus, give me courage and humility to share the hope I have found in You. Amen.
65GOD LOVED US FIRSTChristianity is personal. It was never meant to be private. We need one another. We need people who pray when we can't find words. People who remind us of grace. People who challenge us. People who celebrate with us. People who sit beside us when life falls apart. That's the Church at its best. Your presence matters because someone else needs what God has placed in you. And you need what God has placed in them. Church isn't merely something we attend. We belong to one another.“And let us consider each other carefully for the purpose of sparking love and good deeds. Don’t stop meeting together with other believers, which some people have gotten into the habit of doing. Instead, encourage each other, especially as you see the day drawing near.” -Hebrews 10:24–25DAY 27
66REFLECT Who has helped you grow in faith?Contact someone from your church family and tell them why you're thankful for them. Consider doing it in person or with a handwritten note rather than a text or an email. NEXT FAITHFUL STEPPRAY God, thank You for the people who have carried, challenged, encouraged, and loved me. Help me do the same for others. Amen.
67LOVE IN TRUTH AND ACTIONFor 28 days we've followed one movement: God loves us. We receive. We respond to God. We return. God's generosity changes us. We share. God's love flows through us. We go. We began with grace. God loved us first. We responded by loving God with our whole lives. We considered how generosity shapes our hearts and allows us to participate in God's mission. And now John reminds us that love must eventually become visible. Not only with words. Action. Our prayers become love. Our presence becomes love. Our gifts become love. Our service becomes love. Our witness becomes love. The commitment you make today isn't a contract with God. It isn't a spiritual report card. It certainly isn't a way to earn God's love. You already have God's love. Your commitment is simply a response: “Thank You, God. Here I am. Use me.” So today we ask one final question, but it is really the question that begins the next part of our journey: What is my next faithful step? Where is God asking you to grow in prayer? What is your next step in worship and presence? What is your next step in generosity? Where is God calling you to serve? Who needs to hear the story of God's grace through you? Who is God asking you to love? Don't worry about taking every step today. Take the next one. The next step that will allow you to take another, then another, and another. Until, by God's grace, our lives increasingly answer Jesus' command: “Love one another.”“Little children, let’s not love with words or speech but with action and truth.”-1 John 3:18DAY 28
68REFLECT How will God's love become visible through your life this year?Prayerfully complete your commitment card as an act of gratitude and dedication. Then take the step you have written down. NEXT FAITHFUL STEPPRAY God, You have loved me first. Receive my life and use my prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness so others may experience Your love. Show me my next faithful step and give me courage to take it. Amen.
69Generous and loving God, Thank You for loving us first. Thank You for every gift, every grace, every opportunity, and every person You have placed into our lives. Teach us to respond to Your love with our whole lives. May our prayers draw us closer to You and lift others before You. May our presence remind people they are not alone. May our gifts become instruments of generosity and hope. May our service meet real needs with compassion. May our witness point others toward the grace we have discovered in Jesus. Give us grateful hearts and open hands. May we never give from guilt, serve merely from obligation, worship merely from habit, or pray merely from duty. Instead, may everything we offer flow from grace. You loved us first. So teach us to love You. And because You love us, send us to love one another. When the road ahead seems long, give us enough light for the next step.A FINAL PRAYER
70When we are afraid, give us courage for the next step. When we become comfortable, invite us toward the next step. When we compare ourselves with others, remind us that You are simply asking us to be faithful with the step before us. Love received becomes love given. Love received becomes love returned. Love received becomes love shared. Grace received becomes love extended. May Your love become visible through us. And by Your grace, help us take our next faithful step. In the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
IN ACTIONLOVEHarrisonvilleUnited Methodist Church