How is your love quotient? Do you feel loved? Do you find it easy to love others?

This year, with our faith based groups (Activ8 for Years 7-9 and Gener8 for Years 10-12), we have begun the “ABIGYEAR” program which challenges us to become more intentional in living like Jesus. The program provides a theme for the month and then gives practical challenges ranging from easy to very challenging. Last month we were privileged to examine Jesus’ challenge on “Loving our neighbours.”

I am sure that you and I have always tried to live out this in life, yet sometimes what we say or do doesn’t come across in love. I personally have always desired to impact youth, families and communities with the love of God over the last 30+ years, but I have noticed that the reality is “more is caught than taught.” John Maxwell once said, “people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Some may even feel that our actions speak so loud that they don’t get what we are trying to say and therefore do not want to hear. Let’s check out and learn from the example of our “ABIGYEAR” crew.

This very essence of what it means to be a follower of Jesus produced a hunger in our students last month causing them to sacrifice some of their time and money to bake cookies for the staff at our school. They wanted the teachers to know that we all truly appreciate them. Staff members received two cookies with a label saying, “We give thanks to God always for all of you constantly mentioning you in our prayers” – 1 Thessalonians 1:2. The Big Year Crew.  It honestly was something powerful to behold as the students delivered them to the teachers. The teachers were so grateful and the response has been unbelievable. I received numerous emails and words of encouragement from the teachers. One teacher wrote “…they were a blessing for my day. It was lovely to see their smiling faces and their caring message and gift when I opened the door.” Some mentioned how it was perfect timing and it lifted their spirit immensely. Wow! Such a simple yet powerful action of love.

Let’s continue to impact each other and take time to consider how to make a difference in someone’s life by serving them, even just baking a simple cookie for a neighbour, a friend, a relative or random person.

Hebrews 10:24 says, “Let us consider how we can spur one another onto love and good deeds.”

Serving in love has a way of opening a heart to listen to the message of love we desire to share. The extra blessing of servanthood is that our love tanks will also overflow with joy and fulfil the opening questions to this message.

Pastor Rob Wolsley

P.S. Why not consider checking out “abigyear.net”, download the free app on your phone and join us in discovering this amazing life that Jesus lived.