- Prayer – committing to know our neighbors and pray for them regularly.
- Care – committing to sense and observe practical tangible needs within the life of our neighbors and demonstrate God’s love by meeting those needs.
- Share – as we build relationships with our neighbors, their spiritual curiosities sometimes surface and doors to sharing our faith in Christ open. We listen to the story of our neighbors, share our story when given the opportunity, and then share God’s story when it feels natural and invited.
We are so encouraged that many CVCers have responded! Here’s a story from our church family.
I was out in the yard with my puppy. I was rushing around trying to get stuff done and trying to get the dog back in the house. My other neighbor and her daughter rode by on their bikes. In my heart I was saying, “Please don’t stop! I don’t have time ‘to chat.’” The Holy Spirit gently tugged at my heart and reminded me to be ready for any opportunity. I waved and asked her how her day was. She told her daughter to go home and began to tell me how frustrated she is with life circumstances. As I battled my own mental to do list, I silently prayed that God would take care of things so I could genuinely listen to my neighbor. We talked. I listened a lot, shared with her similar experiences, and prayed for her. She told me how thankful she was that I listened, that since she’s with kids all day, no one listens to her. I got to invite her to CVC’s sports camp. 🙂 It’s nothing dramatic or life changing but I’m doing my best to be Christ hands, feet and heart. 🙂
