Well, this is a fun one! Today on the Love Your Neighbor Challenge you get to play with a neighbor. Enjoying a walk together or playing a game in the park are more than mindless ways to pass the time: play is actually a sign of peace, safety and strength in your community. This prophetic and playful Old Testament passage describes God’s ideal vision of community— A Message from God-of-the-Angel-Armies: “Old men and old women will come back to Jerusalem, sit on benches on the streets and spin...

Today's Love Your Neighbor Challenge is to write a letter or card and send it to a neighbor. All you need is a piece of paper and a pen to send a lasting note with words of encouragement, gratitude, or kindness. This easy gesture shows your neighbor they are noticed, cared for, and thought of by someone close by. Pick up a card at a local store, or see what you can create at home. Bonus points if your kids help! Online designs  American Greetings: Share printable encouragement cards that are...

When women weren’t lining up at my door to be my friend, I realized I was going to have to go to theirs. After a lot of internal debate and downright disobedience, I finally invited 89 neighbors over for coffee. Yep. 89. Please hear me: You don’t have to do that! You can invite one single person over for a cookie. The point is quality, not quantity. I host an Open House once or twice a year, usually in fall and winter, and I enjoy the efficiency of meeting many neighbors at once. I serve...

God has a soft spot for moms. “He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.” Isaiah 40:11 I don't have to look any further than this photo of me and my mother to imagine God tenderly carrying a baby lamb in His arms. Not only did my mom spend countless hours making me this beautiful album, but she and my father gave me a picture-perfect life.  Now that I've raised my own...

So. Much. Work. All this work to pray for your neighbors, map your 'hood, learn people's names, serve your community, give cute gifts, call a friend, help someone out, post nice things, eat a meal, offer a bit of praise, play together, write a note, host in your home, and love on moms during the Love Your Neighbor Challenge. It's for a purpose.  We're creating natural connections that can lead to spiritual conversations. Are you prepared to share your faith with your neighbor?  Here’s how to...