Scrap Of Faith

Welcome back everyone :-)

We've been having a bit of a 'tidy up' behind the scenes here at Scrap of Faith, the DT at SoF HQ has been brainstorming and praying over the the last few months over the direction of the site, and we've decided to start up our monthly challenges again!!! With the retreat on our horizon in February, we're going to explore Jesus' teachings, and really delve into the directions He has very clearly given to us in His word.

'Jesus said....' is our theme, and each month we'll be looking at a piece of scripture that shows us how Christ directs us to live, for His glory and as the guide we are to follow to live our lives in Him.

Without any further ado, let's begin!!! Our challenge for this month is 'Jesus said....love one another'

³⁴"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ³⁵By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
(John 13:34-35)

Seems so easy, doesn't it? This idea of loving each other seems so simple, such a no brainer, but when we read scripture like this, and others like us, we are challenged to really explore just what love is, what it means to truly love someone. Love isn't just a feeling, it's an action, a verb, a noun, a conscious decision, a choice we make. If we are guided just by feelings, we can be easily decieved, but with clear direction from Christ like this, we are encouraged and challenged to put Christ's definition of love into action.

Challenge 1:

'A new command I give you: Love one another'

Create a LO, canvas, mini book, about loving someone - family, friend, stranger. My LO below is about a couple of very special girls in my life, we've all gone through some health issues in the last couple of years, and knowing they love me through my journey make it somewhat easier, even when life seems just plain hard.





Challenge 2:

'By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another'

Make something for someone as an act of of love. Again, family, friend, stranger. Seeks God's direction in this, He may surprise you where He takes you! I knitted a cap for a child in our community who is currently undergoing treatment for an illness. I don't actually know them or their family personally, but I know their story, and God really laid it on my heart to use the talents He has given me to create something for someone else in their time of trial.



Challenge 3:

'As I have loved you, so you must love one another'

This one defines the challenge in 'challenge'!!! 'So you must love one another' - according to this directive from Jesus, regardless of how we may feel about someone, we are to love them. This is where the conscious decision part of love comes in to play!!!
Journal about someone you are challenged to love as Christ has commanded. Explore what this means for you in your thoughts, your actions, and how you actually do that. This can certainly be kept private, between you and God in your journal, or you can journal on a LO or the like. The idea of this challenge is to explore the scripture and Christ's teachings, to sit with God and ask Him to speak to you about this, to be in prayer and seeking His direction.

Challenge 4:
Create a journal for this journey of 'Jesus said'. Creating with our hands is how God made us, but our intention with these challenges isn't jsut to make pretty things, but to really explore Christ's teaching and apply them to our own lives. Journalling is a wonderful way of recording how God is working in you life, so create a place for you to record this journey we're about to start. I plan to make a stitched cover for mine, pictures will follow soon.

So theres a start, this challenge will continue for July, and the DT will upload their progress along the way. E-mail your creations to sally@scrapoffaith.com and we'll put them up here. Come and chat with us at the forum about your journey, so we can share and encourage each other along the way!

Ali xx