When you visualize your neighborhood, Jesus’ ginormous command to love the whole, wide world becomes local again.   Your second challenge of the Love Your Neighbor Challenge is to draw a map of your neighborhood. This begs the question, "How can a piece of paper help me love my neighbor?" Before we answer that, let's ask another age old question: "Who is my neighbor?" In the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus defined neighbor as anyone and everyone with whom we live or whom we have the...

Harry & Sherry were great neighbors - friendly, thoughtful and kind. We talked across the fence often. That’s why I was horrified when they signed the guest list at our last block party as “Harry and Beth.” Had I been calling her by the wrong name all these years? "Ummmm... is your name Sherry or Beth?” I asked awkwardly. “Yes!” she answered. Turns out, she goes by Sherry but her family calls her Beth. Whew! Your next challenge in the Love Your Neighbor Challenge is to learn the name of...

Your next Love Your Neighbor Challenge is to serve your neighbors. Intentionally serve outside your usual church circles to meet people from a variety of backgrounds and interests... kinda like Jesus did when He left heaven to come serve us. Choose a local organization or cause that aligns with your passion and experience, and spend some time learning about the people they serve and how they are structured. Here are some tips to help you get started!Serve with your hands Invest some elbow...

Your challenge on the next Love Your Neighbor Challenge is to give a gift to a neighbor. If you don't know your neighbor well (or at all!), having a little gift for them gives you something to talk about as soon as the door is opened. It's an instant ice breaker. How did you feel the last time someone gave you an unexpected gift? Donna recently gave me a vintage dish towel that matches my kitchen, Bettie gave me a pair of socks to go with a new sweater, and Michelle gave me a bowl of soup made...

In 1949, Hank Williams, Sr. wrote a song called I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry. When this song first hit the airwaves, less than 10 percent of homes contained only one person. But today? On your street? One in four of the homes on your street is occupied by one person living alone. Of course, being alone is not the same as loneliness... but throw in a pandemic and some lockdowns, and loneliness is on the rise on your block and around the world.   That's why your next Love Your Neighbor Challenge...