I come to this space today with a soft heart and open hands. There is so much being said in the faith community right now, and I want to begin by saying this: my intention is not to tear down the church or speak against leadership. Instead, I simply want to share what God has been gently teaching me. A quiet moment on social media recently became an unexpected lesson. I felt the pull to respond, to explain, to understand—a comment under a post, but instead, I sensed the Lord inviting me to be still. In choosing not to engage, I learned something sacred: not every voice needs our reply, and not every moment is meant for debate. Sometimes love looks like restraint. Sometimes it looks like silence. And sometimes it looks like trusting God to tend to hearts in ways we cannot. In this season, I’m learning to filter everything through one simple question: Am I loving my neighbor well? It doesn’t always look the same, and it doesn’t always feel easy—but I believe it’s the invitation Jesus places before us. If you’re willing, walk with me for a few more moments as we lean into this together. Let me invite you into a gentle question to consider: why do we sometimes expect loving our neighbor to look or sound a certain way? Why do we feel it must fit into our own definition of what love should be? When it doesn’t, we can be quick to pull away—to cancel relationships, churches, organizations, even people—because their expression of love doesn’t match what we believe is God-honoring. But is that truly the heart of Jesus? The truth is, loving our neighbor takes many forms. Sometimes it looks like speaking up. Sometimes it looks like listening. Sometimes it looks like bringing a meal, sending a scripture, offering encouragement, or simply sitting quietly with someone in their pain. And sometimes love is expressed in unseen ways—through prayer, through private conversations, through gentle advocacy where we have influence. We can’t create a single standard for how everyone else should love, but we can take responsibility for how we do. Some of us love loudly—through posts, podcasts, writing, or public advocacy. Others love quietly—through prayer, meals, texts, presence, and faithful consistency. Neither is more holy than the other. As people of God, it isn’t our role to judge the heart behind someone else’s obedience or silence. Our calling is simpler—and deeper: to listen for God’s voice and follow where He leads us personally. I often remind my children to tend to their own hearts first, so they can see clearly how to care for others. Perhaps that invitation is for all of us—to begin within, and from that place, learn to love our neighbors well.
Love your neighbor does not come with a checklist or a script. Scripture simply tells us to love others the same way we love ourselves. And if we’re honest, there are seasons when we struggle to show up for ourselves at all. There are moments when we don’t speak kindly to our own hearts, when we can’t find the words to encourage our own dreams, when we sit quietly with disappointment, exhaustion, or doubt. If this is true, then perhaps loving our neighbor begins with learning how to love ourselves well—tenderly, truthfully, and in the presence of Jesus. So much is happening in our world, and even within the body of Christ there is tension, division, and noise. Somewhere along the way, the clamor of culture has found its way into sacred spaces, and we risk losing sight of the main thing. We say we are letting our light shine for Jesus, but it’s worth pausing to ask: Is it still about Him? Or have we become more concerned with being seen, being heard, or being on the “right side” of history? What if, for a moment, Jesus invited you to be still? What if He asked you to sit quietly with Him—no fixing, no explaining, no performing—just sitting with all that rises within you? Sometimes our busyness becomes a way of avoiding what God is gently trying to heal. Sometimes action keeps us from tending to the deeper work happening in our own hearts.
It’s easy to measure love by what we do for others. It’s harder—and holier—to examine how love lives within us.
So take a moment. Let the emotions, beliefs, and assumptions you carry about loving your neighbor come to the surface. Hold them with grace. Explore them with honesty. Bring them before Jesus. Allow Him to meet you there. Let the transformation begin not from the outside in, but from the inside out.
May we learn to love more deeply, listen more gently, and walk more humbly—starting within our own hearts. And may that inner healing become the overflow that touches everyone around us. I am so glad you are here with me in this space. My heart for you is that you would feel safe enough, to stop all of your striving and just let yourself be if only for a moment. My prayer is that you will stay a while, take your shoes off, kick your feet up, and relax in the light.
I am a wife, a mother a believer in Jesus Christ and a person who lives with a mental health condition. My desire is to come alongside of those like me who need support. I will write my real, raw, honest journey through this in hopes that you and I can find strength through it together. Your comments are welcomed and honored here. All I ask is that you be respectful with your words because my journey might not look like yours but it is mine. Looking forward to walking alongside you here in this safe space.
P.S
If your looking for perfect grammar and words placed perfect….you won’t find that here. You will find words that come from my heart and the heart of Jesus, hopefully in that you will find hope. I believe with hope comes the courage to step into the safety of the light.
Uplift 
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