NCouraging Affirmations

Because I’m so in love with my husband, and I believe in the sanctity of marriage…I decided to wear my marriage cross today.

The inscription reads:

We are a cord of three strands that is not easily broken. You were designed for me and I for you.
As your husband, I promise to love you as Christ loves the church and gave Himself up for her.
As your wife, I promise to respect you and be a helper fit for you. We have become one flesh. I am your beloved and you are mine and what God has joined together, no man can separate.

There are so many phrases that I could use to express who God is to me…but I’ll start with:
He is my Healer!!!

Please join us for the Grand Opening of our third Sanctuary Girl store located in Twelve Oaks Mall this Saturday, February 5 at 11am!

We will have giveaways, music, fun, and much more! Get there early! It’s going to be AMAZING!

We are located on the first floor next to the MDen (the University of Michigan Store) and our hours are from 11-7. Bring your friends and come have a grand opening with us!

Let’s see…what would you use this for? School, work???

Hey y’all, Hey!!!
I’m asking for 3 people…just 3, to help me out

When I was single, I prayed for my husband. I asked the Lord, “Give me a mate that would help me to stay close to you. Someone that would push me to grow in the things of God!” And HE did just that.

I’ve been married for 21 years. Has it always been easy? Of course not. All relationships have their hiccups, but the thing is, to work past them…TOGETHER!!! We make it a point to communicate about everything. Even the hard stuff! And in the midst of all that, we pray for each other! We pray God’s will for our lives individually and as a couple. Our lives don’t belong to us, but they belong to God. And because HE is the third strand of our three strand cord…we will not, CAN NOT be easily broken! And that’s on God!!! 🥰♥️🥰

You too can have one of these blankets…

As we take time to spend with Family and Friends, be sure that you are celebrating the real reason for the season…

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah‬ ‭9:6‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.””
‭‭(Luke‬ ‭2:11-14‬ ‭NIV‬‬)

From our Family to yours…Thanks you for your support this year. Merry CHRISTmas!!!

It’s Cyber Monday!!! Go to Livencouraged.com and enter the discount code: CYBER25 for 25% off! Happy Shopping!

Look what just came in…Our God’s not done collection!!!
These are Limited Edition! Once they’re gone…they’re gone!!! Which one screams YOU??

See mine in the comments…

Look what we have!!!!

WAR ROOM!!! En español!!!

Get some Christmas shopping done for those you love! Something that holds meaning and gives encouragement! Let’s them know how much you really care! Take a look at livencouraged.com! This ends today!

Day 3: Stay
I’ve thought many times about how different my life would be if I’d given up when I wanted to. My story could’ve become something like, “Yeah, I used to think I was supposed to be a pastor, but I gave it a shot and things didn’t work out. That’s just how it goes.”

I’m certain you’ll have to wrestle with occasional challenges in different seasons of your life: a boss you don’t think you can stand another day, a relationship that’s suddenly hurting, a dream that’s running out of resources, a move that’s failed your expectations. When you face difficulties, it’s natural to reconsider your huge, life-altering decisions. You might ask questions like these.

Should I take my chances, quit this job, and look for something else?
After my spouse’s affair—is it time to move on?
Am I really cut out to run a business? Should I cut my losses before things get any worse?
In each of these examples—and with most major life choices—you’re at a crucial fork in the road, and it’s time to decide: should I stay or walk away?

Am I choosing to give up because it’s the right thing or because it seems like leaving would be easier?

Often the best and most rewarding decision you can make is to stay the course even when it would be simpler to turn and walk away. I’m not saying you will never need to walk away. But before you decide, ask yourself, “Am I choosing to give up because it’s the right thing or because it seems like leaving would be easier?” Sometimes the greatest act of faith is faithfulness, staying where you are planted. Years from now you may look back and thank God that you decided to stay when it would have been easier to go.

Remember, God made you in His image and He is the author and finisher of your story. You are not a quitter. You are a finisher.

Pray: God, is there anything I’m trying to walk away from that You want me to stay and finish? Will You give me Your strength to press on? Amen.

Scripture Readings:
Ruth 1:16
Isaiah 40:30-31
James 5:7-8
Galatians 6:9

Here we …
Day 2: Stop

One of the best decisions you can make when you’re feeling an impulse or facing a high-stakes dilemma is the decision to stop. Take a time-out. Pray for guidance. Sleep on it. Get some godly wisdom from people you trust and picture the possible outcomes. Then, ask yourself, “Is this something I should stop completely?”

Most of us have good intentions or at least some kind of justification for the things we do. And yet so many of us seem surprised when we find ourselves a long way from the direction we want to go. The big changes in our lives—both negative and positive—rarely happen without a series of decisions piling on top of each other like never-ending dominoes.

Do you see how stopping can be one of the most productive things we do? When you stop to take stock of where you are and where you want to go, then you can decide how to move toward your destination.

What can you stop in order to move you closer to God’s divine direction?

Are you doing anything that’s taking you in a direction you don’t want to go (or that God doesn’t want you to go)? What do you need to stop completely? An addiction to social media, alcohol, p**n, approval, or work? An unhealthy relationship? A judgmental attitude? What can you stop in order to move you closer to God’s divine direction? Treat each choice like it’s the next stepping-stone toward your destination.

When a behavior or relationship takes us in a direction we know is moving farther away from the story we want to tell, we need to pause not only to consider the consequences but also to choose to stop traveling in the wrong direction. You’ve probably heard the word “repent.” One of its literal meanings is to turn around. When you repent, you stop heading in one direction and return to God and His path for you.

In this sense, stopping actually means stepping in a new direction. You might need to step toward accountability, forgiveness, the right friends, or a new place to live.

Ask yourself:

1. If I make the choice I’m considering, where could it take me?

2. What can I stop in order to move closer to God’s divine direction?

Scripture Readings:
Hebrews 12:1-2
Acts 3:19-20
Proverbs 28:13
John 8:3-11

This week I’ll be sharing the devotional I’m reading, “Divine Direction.”
Here we …

Day 1: Start
Every day we make choices that shape our life story. What would your life look like if you let godly principles guide those choices?

If someone asked you to tell your life’s story, what would you say?

You might start with where you were born and how you were raised. You might mention your first love. Maybe you’d talk about the big move your family made or when you left for college. If you’re married, you might describe how you met your spouse. If you’re not married, you might describe why. If you’re a parent, you might scroll through some photos on your phone and show off your family. Or maybe you’d describe your career path. What’s in your story?

Most of us have chapters we’d rather not share with anyone. Maybe you’ve ended up somewhere you never wanted to be. You didn’t mean to blow it, but you did. You made decisions that took you farther than you ever intended to go. You did some things that cost you more than you ever thought you’d have to pay. You hurt people. You compromised your values. You broke promises. You did things you feel like you can’t undo.

Your story is not over. It’s not too late to change the story you’ll tell one day.

There’s good news: your story is not over. It’s not too late to change the story you’ll tell one day. Regardless of what you’ve done (or haven’t done), your future is unwritten. You have more victories to win, more friends to meet, more of a difference to make, more of God’s goodness to experience. Whether or not you like the plot so far, with God’s help, you can transform your story into one you’re proud to share.

Here’s one way to change your story: start something new.

No matter how uncertain, afraid, or stuck you may feel right now, your story continues today. What will you start today? Praying daily with your spouse? Reading a YouVersion Bible Plan every day? Going to counseling to deal with an unresolved issue? Living with greater generosity? Serving at your church or in your community? Now is a good time to jot it down. Open your notes and record your thoughts. Don’t overthink this. But do take a moment to get it on paper. Just a sentence or two.

Ask yourself: What do I need to start doing to move in the direction of the life story I want to tell?

😔We have reached the final day of this devotional. Thank you for being with me on this journey. I pray that you received something that has helped you to draw closer to God and do some things differently. Join me tomorrow as we start a new devotional , “Devine Direction.”

Day 7: Do

There is a popular saying that goes like this; “Vision Without Action is a Daydream, Action Without Vision is a Nightmare” Just too many people are stuck in the valley of decision. They want to do great things but one thing keeps them behind and that is ‘action’. Psalm 90:12 says “teach us to number our days O Lord that we may get a heart of wisdom” If we begin to count, we have just a few days in this life and we’ve got to make every day count. It is only when we push hard in action that we can achieve the impossible. It is estimated that F***y Crosby, a popular hymn writer of the yesteryear's wrote anywhere between 5500 to 9000 hymns. Many of these hymns are still sung in churches. You could not have probably missed Blessed Assurance. F***y made her impact. She made everyday count. What might surprise you about her was that she was blind since her early childhood due to a doctor’s mistake. She could have lived her life in constant complaining and bitterness against God. Instead, she decided that she would make every day count. Every day, she wrote a new song to God, sometimes, several songs a day. Somewhere down the years, she realized that her purpose was to sing to God and thereby be a blessing to so many others. F***y’s purpose prompted her to constant, swift and consistent action. The grace of God was there to back her up but it took her sincere efforts to try and make that happen as a blind organ player and composer.

What are you waiting for? Now that you have planned what you want to do and laid it before the Lord, it is now time to work hard, to go after it with all your might and strength. This coming year, may it be more fruitful than before as you pursue your purpose with clear goals and strong and committed action.

Exercise

1. Enlist a task that is most close to your heart and that you can do everyday thus piling up a grand success story in a few years. This could be writing new songs like F***y Crosby or sharing the gospel with someone on a daily basis.

2. Set a time and and action plan

3. Dig out any unfinished task, probably a graduation to be finished, a relationship to be patched up etc. Success begets greater success and sometimes, a failure tag begets more failure and hindrances. Depend on God’s grace, you can do it and you’ll see how better a person you become with that effort.

-Taken from “Restart” a 7 day devotional by Sheldon Bangera

Day 6: Commit

Jesus said in John 15 that if anyone abides in Him, he will bear much fruit. Planning is good but many take their plans too seriously and then work really hard to make them happen. Now there is nothing wrong with that. But if we only focus on making our plans happen, there is a tendency that we might slip into a self-effort rather than a God-empowered effort. We actually need God's strength to execute our daily plans. So it is important to commit our plans to the Lord. Too often, people are not fully committed to what they are supposed to do. Many gymnasiums make the most amount of money in the first week of the start of the new year. That is because people are very enthusiastic with a new year resolution but after a while, their commitments fades. Many times, even God is unable to send heavenly help because people are so quick to give up what they started rather than being committed. Committing your plans to the Lord requires persistence and calls for a commitment that goes beyond deterring forces. God loves it when we see a vision or dream a dream under His submission and be committed to it. It is in fact God who gives us the dream and helps us achieve it when we are committed.

Committing your plans to the Lord includes three steps:

1. Praying through and over your plans

2. Seeking godly counsel and having others pray over them

3. Abiding in Jesus and keeping Him the center not the plan!



Exercise

1. Have a mentor or godly expert comment over your plans or critique your work. You'll be surprised at the outcome

2. Have your prayer list on your wall so that you can spend time praying everyday.

-Taken from “Restart” a 7 day devotional by Sheldon Bangera

Day 5: Plan

I have often met followers of Jesus who don't believe in planning. They feel like planning is a worldly thing and believers should be just led by Holy Spirit. Hence, you sometimes see church services don't start on time and even if they do, they don't end on time. Sermons get dragged, the worship goes on forever under the pretext of being 'led by the spirit'. However these same people have no problem reporting to work on time, and you'll never see them late for a staff meeting. I struggle to understand this double standard.

I am a firm believer in planning and structure. I believe that people fail but systems and processes do not. The more there is system and structure, the more indicative it is of the glory of God. I believe God is a God of order and things don't just happen. It takes Holy Spirit-filled, intelligible godly people to make things happen. That reflects the wisdom of God. The Bible does not discourage planning. It in fact encourages detailed planning. Before Joseph became the Prime minister of Egypt, he had a plan. He didn't just dream dreams or interpret Pharaoh's dreams but he depended on the wisdom of God to give him a plan. That plan saved Egypt from a large crisis. Pharaoh didn't appoint Joseph to the post based on his interpretation of the dreams, but based on the plan he had to tackle the famine situation.

I believe God's kingdom needs great strategists and planners who can build and execute planning with excellence. This new season, now that you've prayed, had your vision spelled out, it is important to plan. And lastly, after you've done all you can to plan, leave it for the Lord for His purposes to prevail.

Exercise

1. Spell out what you want to see happen this year. Break it down into half yearly, quarterly and monthly goals.

2. Draw up a plan on how you are going to achieve your progress on a weekly basis.

3. Things you can plan better this year: Your own personal spiritual disciplines, your family financial budget, your vacations, your team, hospitality and gifts.

-Taken from “Restart” a 7 day devotional by Sheldon Bangera

Day 4: Vision

Some people live very random lives. They are unintentional and hence they just go by the flow. It is frequently said that if you don’t stand up for something, you will fall for just anything. People who lack vision are like that. They are indecisive and so they just go with the flow. It is easy for Satan to deviate such people and de-route them. Sometimes what also happens is that due to a lack of clarity and spelling out the vision clearly, people start in a certain direction and then end up in another. Pilots would tell you how a one degree drift on an airplane could land you up way too far away beyond point of return. A one degree drift from navigation in a ship could lead to a possible shipwreck.

It is very important to have a clear goal and vision on things. Now that you feel like you have heard God through prayer in the previous chapter, it is important to make the vision very clear. Most companies and large organizations have a strong vision statement that governs and guides all that they do. We need to have a vision for our lives and organization or church too. It is only when we sum up what we feel like God has called us to do, can that vision clearly direct our lives and keep bringing us back on track.

The scripture urges us to make the vision clear and write it down.

Exercise

1. Write down your vision statement for life / church / organization. Keep it a single statement

2. Evaluate your current activities and relationships. Do they all align with your vision? List the ones that don’t

3. Discuss these with a mentor or a leader who can help you sharpen your vision statement

-Taken from “Restart” a 7 day devotional by Sheldon Bangera

You’re worth far more than you know!!!

A father said to his daughter “You graduated with honors, here is a car I acquired many years ago. It is several years old. But before I give it to you, take it to the used car lot downtown and tell them I want to sell it and see how much they offer you. The daughter went to the used car lot, returned to her father, and said, “They offered me $1,000 because it looks very worn out.” The father said,” Take him to the pawnshop.” The daughter went to the pawnshop, returned to her father, and said,” The pawnshop offered $100 because it was a very old car.” The father asked his daughter to go to a car club and show them the car. The daughter took the car to the club, returned, and told her father,” Some people in the club offered $100,000 for it since it’s a Nissan Skyline R34, an iconic car and sought out after by many.” The father said to his daughter,” The right place values you the right way,” If you are not valued, do not be angry, it means you are in the wrong place. Those who know your value are those who appreciate you. Never stay in a place where no one sees your value.

I had to repost this from a friend.

Day 3: Prayer

Prayer is not for God. Prayer is for us. God does not change. It is we who change through prayer. Many times our prayers are carnal. It is more of a selfish demand rather than choosing to know the Father’s will. When we pray out of a place of surrender, we let God direct our vision, plans and commitments. The secret to Jesus’ ministry was His life of prayer. Very often He went into the presence of the Father to be alone with Him. In those moments, He prayed a surrender of His will. We hear Him say many times, “I did not come to do my will but the will of the One who sent me”

In this scripture verse for our meditation today, Jesus gives us His very own secret. The method in which He prayed. He taught us to get rid of our selfish carnal I, me, myself prayers and get into a place of prayer that glorifies God. Two main aspects of this are God’s Name to be Hallowed. Our prayers need to be for God’s Name to be glorified. Many times our prayers are so that we are lifted up, we become rich, we get our needs. But the Jesus kind of prayer centers around God’s Name being Hallowed. It is only when God is glorified can we receive true joy and meaning in life. The second important aspect is for His kingdom and will to be done in our lives. This means that God should have His dominion in our every thought, decision and action and His purposes must come to pass, not ours. The greatest tragedy for humanity is when we have our way and not God’s. That’s where all the world’s problems come from. Man’s will over God’s will.

In the garden of Gethsemane, during Jesus’ most difficult time, He prayed a prayer of surrender to the Father’s will. May we pray like that today and experience God’s best.

Exercise

1. Set aside a time to fast because fasting helps you rid your flesh and hear God better

2. Identify areas where you’ve been on your own trip. Confess your sins to God and if possible even a fellow confidant brother / sister / mentor and have them pray with you

Pray for God’s Name, Kingdom and Will in your life. Try to repeat this cycle of fasting and prayer for a few more days.

-Taken from “Restart” a 7 day devotional by Sheldon Bangera

No matter how old your children get, you never stop being a parent! Give your son(s) or daughter(s) their very own reminder of how much they mean to you.

Taking pre-orders at livencouraged.com.

Day 2: Surrender

Many of us want to do our own thing. It is like spiritual agnosticism. We want Jesus to be our Savior but not our Lord because if He is Lord over our lives, He will tell us what to do and what not to. He will guide us through Holy Spirit. Romans 8:17 says “for as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are sons of God.” We need to walk with God, not ahead or behind him. And we certainly need to be led by Holy Spirit; only then will we bear fruit that brings God glory. That means sometimes, we need to say no to all our good ideas only to allow God to give us His great idea. The only hindrance to the ‘great’ is the ‘good.’

What we see unique about Mary in this scripture verse is her surrender. God did speak to her through the angel and she welcomed it. It would have messed up her plans, it would certainly have brought her shame and put her in a place to answer so many questions. A virgin birth? How? It would have put her in a place of defiance of logic. But when God speaks sometimes, He does intervene and defy logic. This day, we need to simply surrender to God. For once, think clearly. Let’s throw out all the good ideas we have and simply surrender to the will of God. Let’s tell God that we are willing for Him to jeopardize our plans. Surrender means to put yourself in a position to download God’s plan. In Galatians 2:20, Paul wrote, “I have been crucified with Christ, so now, it is no longer I that lives but Christ lives in me” He was so one with God. Let’s try and be able to say that about our own lives today.

Exercise

1. What is your best idea currently? Is it God’s idea?

2. Pray and ask God to change it, disrupt it and even trash it if He feels like.

3. What is God’s great idea for you? Pray and ask God to download His great blueprint like He did to Moses or Noah.

-Taken from “Restart” a 7 day devotional by Sheldon Bangera

Day 1: Retrospect

As we’ve just started a new month, it is also begins another chapter in our lives. At a time like this, it is good to look back. You can see only as much forward as you can look behind. Behind us lie our failures, shortcomings and challenges. It’s the things that didn’t get done. It is filled with our mistakes and regrets. If you missed killing some of your Goliaths in the past, be sure, they will pop up with a greater force in the future. All of this in mind, we must try and look back.

My dad always used to say, “You can either learn by making your own mistakes or be wise and learn from somebody else’s mistakes. In 1 Corinthians 10:11, that’s precisely what the scripture is saying to us. The children of Israel were rebellious, ungrateful and constantly whiny. They weren’t just ungrateful but they blamed God constantly for their situation. Despite God giving them His best, they chose not to see it but rather complain. That definitely attracted God’s judgment and hindered their forward progress. Having an attitude like them can hinder our forward progress in a similar way. It blinds us to what God is doing in our lives and makes us selfish and self-centered. The Holy Spirit urges us to learn from the mistakes of the children of Israel rather than committing them ourselves. It is a good place to start by looking back at someone else’s mistakes, not being judgmental, but to learn from them, and also our own.

Exercise:

1. Make a list of where you need to see your attitude change with God. Identify and list areas of sin, fear, rebellion, distrust and replace that with faith, promise, hope and gratitude through prayer. (This may be a real eye opener for some of us!)

2. Make a list of major mistakes or shortcomings in the past year that you do not want to see repeated.

3. Talk to your spouse, parents, friends and Pastors to find out what they see about you that you do not see.

-Taken from “Restart” a 7 day devotional by Sheldon Bangera

Our END OF SUMMER SALE is happening right now! We are clearing out the old to make room for the new NEW!! Stock up on some of your favorites at 50-70% off. Shop online at livencouraged.com, use coupon code RAINA

Please note that all sales are final and WHILE SUPPLIES LAST! Once it’s gone… IT’S GONE!! Happy shopping!! 🤩🤩🤩

It’s been a while, but I have some great news!!!
I need 10 likes, so I know you’re here and I’ll share…LET’s GO!!!

People will try to tell you that you’re not...

Sometimes we just need the reminder that we are...

Wear it proudly!!!

Day 7 of 7: YOU have a story to share
Here We ...

Okay, girl. It’s time to celebrate! Today is your last day of completing this Bible plan. Over the course of these past seven days, you’ve prioritized time in God’s Word and embraced your multi-faceted brilliance. You’ve turned to truth found in Scripture to unlock your potential. You’ve received love and made strong decisions to help you navigate your season with confidence, grace, and power. You’ve owned your capacity to shine and taken significant steps forward to live the life you were destined to live.

As this Bible plan draws to a close, it’s only fitting to end with this last challenge: Phenomenal woman, share your story.

Your experiences, insights, lessons learned, and unique perspectives carry great weight. Maybe in the past you’ve questioned the significance of your own voice. Perhaps fear, insecurity, heartache, and disappointment have muffled or silenced you. Good news––today’s a new day and you have something powerful to bring to the world! So, girl, bring it!

When we choose to share our testimony and experiences openly and honestly with others, we quickly discover that vulnerability is not a weakness. In fact, it’s a great strength that the Holy Spirit uses to bring God glory.

As soon as a person declares, “This is how I am feeling”, “This is what Jesus did for me”, or “This is how I overcame that”, there will inevitably be someone else that says, “Me too!” Suddenly empowerment is spread, and in the process shame loses its power to keep us hidden, isolated and overlooked.

The world needs you to speak up. Women today need your unique encouragement and support. A high school girl may need you to share your story of overcoming depression to give her hope. A new mom may need you to tell her that you felt overwhelmed the first few months of becoming a mother, too. The business meeting you are attending needs your fresh and anointed ideas. That friend needs to know she’s not alone in her struggle to love her body, and that she can experience breakthroughs.

You have something to say. You have tried and true wisdom to give. You have messages of hope to bring. You have encouragement to share. You have truth that can cut past the highlight reels we have grown accustomed to and remind the world that authenticity brings freedom.

Remember, friend, YOU are brilliant––uniquely formed and divinely woven together, with the ability to light up this world through goodness and kindness, bravery and resilience. Your shimmer is multi-faceted and potential uncontainable. Created with purpose, you were destined to shine.
. .So shine on! Use your voice to spread the Good News of Jesus and bring hope to others!

TODAY’S CHALLENGE: What’s one aspect of your story or a life lesson that can provide encouragement, inspiration, and support to someone else? Write it down, and ask God to show you how He wants to use your testimony to bless and encourage others.

Scripture Readings:
John 4:1-30
John 4:39-42
Luke 8:26-39
Acts 1:8

Day 6 of 7: YOU bring light to darkness
Here We ...

We live full lives. In our busyness, we could fail to see the needs of those around us. But what if we paid a little closer attention? What if we saw beyond the titles they carried and the styles they wore and first impressions they gave and even the words they said to see the needs they have?

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus saw and responded to the needs of others. Jesus saw people not as threats, inconveniences or regrets. He saw them not just as they were, but also as they could be. He saw their flaws and welcomed them anyway. He saw people not as problems to be avoided, but mysteries to be explored. He saw people not as a means to His own agenda, but recipients of His compassionate love.

His example is a constant reminder that no one is just another face in a crowd. The person sitting next to you on the subway, the co-worker two cubicles down from you, the neighbor across the street, the barista on the other side of the counter, the orphan on the other side of the world, the individual posting questionable comments on their page, the political candidate trying to improve their rating at the polls, or the celebrity whose marital woes are featured on the cover of most magazines... is never just a face in the crowd. When we choose to see people with dignity and worth, we begin to seize everyday moments to do good that comes our way.

Embracing the way of Christ means we become restorers of dignity to whomever we come in contact with. We seek to know people as spectacularly and scandalously saved by grace children of God, to see the intricately and divinely designed masterpieces they are, to recognize not just the temporal exterior but the eternal within, to understand both their triumphs and their tribulations, to welcome them as they are while believing wholeheartedly in who they could be, and to bestow upon them the same value that was forever set by the precious blood of Jesus on the cross.

So today, why not actively venture to face the world with eyes wide open? Seek to really see those around you. Dare to open up your personal space to the needs of others. May your elbows get bumped and your ego a bit bruised if need be. May your plans get messed with by humanity in the best of ways.

You have something wonderful to give to this world, and when you commit to lending a helping hand you bring hope and healing where it is needed most.

TODAY’S CHALLENGE: How can you actively pay more attention to the needs of others today and respond with compassion? And what is one need in your community that you want to lend a helping hand to? How can you explore opportunities to begin serving your neighborhood? Give yourself a timeline to reach out and start making a difference!

Scripture Reading:
Luke 10:25-37
Matthew 25:31-46
James 1:27