Intentional Christmas Love

December can be a whirlwind of activities, leaving little room to pause and remember what is truly important. That’s why we’re inviting you to join us for “Intentional Christmas Love” to focus on what matters most: loving God, yourself, and others with intention during this special season of giving.

How Our Challenge Works

Every Wednesday in December, follow along on Facebook, Instagram, or our website as we share a new weekly challenge. You’ll find ideas to inspire you, encouragement from others, and a space to reflect on how God’s love moves through you.

Let’s make this Christmas a time to turn our hearts and minds toward love as we remember:

“We love because He first loved us.” – 1 John 4:19 (NIV)

A Personal Reflection

Christmas has always been a challenging time for me to spread love. The hustle and bustle of the season tend to drain my energy, and the sorrow of unmet expectations can resonate loudly. Sometimes, Jesus is unintentionally relegated to the background when the season is supposed to be about Him. Does this ever happen to you?

As December approaches, I often consider moving this love challenge to February, when life tends to slow down. However, I recognize the crucial need for God’s love this month for us and those around us. After all, a little love can make a significant difference in the world.

What Jesus Emphasized

Jesus was clear when asked about the greatest commandment by his disciples.

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

(Matthew 22:37-40 NIV)

This December, let’s focus on what matters most: love. Join us each week for a new challenge as we turn our hearts toward God, ourselves, and others. Together, we can celebrate the true meaning of the season.

Please Share Intentional Christmas Love

We encourage you to share our challenge with your friends. The share buttons are at the bottom of this page. Hearing the experiences of others is a fantastic way to inspire us all to love more like Jesus.

We eagerly await hearing about your intentional acts of love throughout December.

Our Intentional Christmas Love Challenges

Each week’s challenges provide a mix of spiritual, emotional, and practical actions to help us focus on love during Christmas. ❤️ Feel free to do all seven challenge ideas or pick and choose. Please keep checking back as we update our page.

Week One: Love the Lord

This week, let’s intentionally prioritize our love for God and Love Him first. Amid the busyness, we can refocus our hearts on the One who gave us the ultimate gift of Jesus.

We know Jesus is the season’s core, but keeping Him at the forefront in a busy month can be difficult. Life’s hurdles seem more formidable, and the to-do lists appear endless. A well-thought-out plan can help us ensure that we don’t overlook the precious gift of Jesus. Do you encounter challenges in demonstrating love to God during December? Why?

Bible Verse for the Week

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” – Psalm 107:1 (NIV)

💕Challenge Ideas

• Create a gratitude list of how God has shown His love to you this year. ⁣
• Write a love letter to God.
• Spend some extra time in prayer.
• Read the Christmas story.
• Memorize our weekly scripture.
• Share one scripture that speaks to you about God’s Love.
• Turn the worship music up and dance with God.

What new way can you show your love for God this week? Let’s deliberately nurture our love for God this week.

Week Two: Love Others

God calls us to love others as He has loved us. This week, let’s focus on sharing small acts of kindness and love with those around us.

Bible Verse for the Week

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” – (John 13:34 NIV)

💕Challenge Ideas

• Bake or buy cookies and deliver them to a neighbor with a kind note.
• Write a handwritten note of encouragement to a friend.
• Pay for the coffee or meal of the person behind you in line.
• Call a family member you haven’t talked to in a while.
• Volunteer at a food bank or church event.
• Help someone with a task they find difficult.
• Donate warm clothes or blankets to those in need.

Share your favorite way to show kindness during the holidays. Identify one way you will show Christ-like love to someone who may need it most this week.

Week Three: Love Yourself as God Loves You

I know we are a week away from Christmas, and I’m giving you a tough but not impossible challenge to spend a little time loving yourself this week. It might help to remember that taking good care of yourself honors the life God has given you. Plus, we are better equipped to love others when we care for our spiritual, emotional, and physical well-being.

Bible Verse of the Week

“I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” – (Psalm 139:14 NIV)

💕Challenge Ideas

• Spend time doing a hobby or activity you love.
• Treat yourself to an hour doing something you love.
• Take a bubble bath with your favorite relaxing music.
• Go for a walk in nature and breathe deeply.
• Spend 10 minutes journaling about God’s love for you
• Unplug from technology for an evening
• Create a gratitude list of things you appreciate about yourself.

Share one way you will practice self-care this week. What fills you up so you can pour out God’s love?

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