Theme: Present with OUR COMMUNITY

Scripture: Matthew 10:16
“Look, I am sending you out as sheep among wolves. So be as shrewd as snakes and harmless as doves.”

Observation:
We aren’t meant to keep our faith to ourselves. I love this verse where Jesus is sending out the disciples. And he is honest. It might not be easy so they are encouraged to be sheep among wolves. To be gentle and teachable even if they encounter hard times. Even if they encounter scary things (like wolves). Sometimes simply doing the right thing can be hard, depending on what we are doing or who we are with.

Prayer:
Jesus, thank you for encouraging us to go out into the world. Thank you that you don’t sugar coat the truth but acknowledging that it won’t always be easy. Thank you that you are with us through it all.

Application:
Have you been avoiding a hard conversation? Is there someone you don’t want to run into at Walmart? A family member you need to reconcile with? This week, ask Jesus to give you an opportunity to connect, to repent, to make amends. Maybe its a meet up. Maybe its a text. Ask Jesus to go before the conversation and surrender the rest to God.

Theme: Present with OUR COMMUNITY

Scripture: Proverbs 27:17
 “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.”

Observation:
Community is more than simply being around other people, it’s choosing to be present, engaged, and open. This proverb reminds us that real growth happens in relationships. Iron can only sharpen iron when they make contact and in the same way, we are shaped when we allow others close enough to speak truth, offer encouragement, and challenge us. God designed us to refine one another by strengthening each other’s faith, and to become better through intentional connection.

Prayer:
Lord, thank You for the people You’ve placed in my life. Help me to show up fully for them with honesty, patience, and love. Teach me to welcome the sharpening that comes from community and to offer the same grace/ strength to others. Make me mindful of how You work through relationships to shape my heart. Amen.

Application:
Today, take one simple step to be more present in your community. Reach out to a friend who encourages your walk with God, send a message of support, or meet someone face-to-face and truly listen. Look for opportunities to sharpen and be sharpened. Whether it's through sharing wisdom, receiving feedback, or simply spending intentional time together. Choose engagement over isolation and let God use your presence to strengthen others.

Theme: Present with OUR COMMUNITY

Scripture: Galatians 6:2
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Observation:
God never intended for us to walk alone. Being present with our community means showing up — not just physically, but with our hearts and attention. It’s easy to get distracted, to scroll past people’s needs, or to keep our struggles hidden. But when we slow down and truly notice one another, we reflect Christ’s love. Jesus was always present with people. Whether He was healing, teaching, or simply eating a meal. He saw the overlooked, touched the untouchable, and listened to the hurting.

Prayer:
Lord, thank You for placing me in a community. Help me to be present with the people around me; to listen, to care, and to carry their burdens as You carried mine. Amen.

Application:
We are meant to both support others and be supported. Today, practice both: reach out to one person and tell them, “I’m here for you” or “I’m praying for you”, then share one place where you’re hurting and ask for what you need.

Theme: Present with OUR COMMUNITY

Scripture: John 20:21
…As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.

Observation:
In all reality, we, as Christians, would have no reason to take on a mission in the name of Jesus if he had not risen from the dead. Yet, the reality of the resurrection makes the mission of Jesus absolutely compelling. As Jesus was sent by the Father to share his words, perform his works and sacrifice his life to pave the way of salvation, so we-as his followers-are to share his words with others (Jn 15:27), perform his works (Jn 14:12) and lay down our lives in sacrificial service for him (Mt 10:38-39).1

I do not know a better way to carry out this mission than to be present with our community; to talk with our neighbors and those God has put right around us. For it is when we are present with those God has put in our midst, that we will have ample opportunities to share his words, perform his works and lay our lives down sacrificially. May we do this all for the One who gave everything for us; the One who is alive and intercedes for us (Heb 7:24-25).

Prayer:
Jesus, please give me an awareness that out of the wondrous work you have done for me, I would be aware of those you have put within my midst to share your words, perform your works and lay down my life.

Application:
Please take some time to read John 20 and be willing to take action when Jesus impresses upon you, “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”

Theme: Present with OUR COMMUNITY

Scripture: Jeremiah 29:7
Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.

Observation:
I find it fascinating that this directive was given to the Israelites (God’s chosen people) who had been exiled to a foreign land. They were in the middle of enemy territory, yet God commanded them to bless their captors. The Bible speaks of believers as exiles, or strangers, here on earth (1 Peter 1:1, 17; Hebrews 11:13). As followers of Jesus, we have full assurance that “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). We know where our true and better home is, but God has not left us to sit back and wait for heaven to come. Our prayer is “your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:10, emphasis mine). Our Father is still directing us to be a blessing in our exile, to be present in our community and to seek the peace and prosperity of the place He has planted us.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we long for our true and better home. Yet in the time You’ve given us, teach us to make the most of every opportunity—seeking the peace and flourishing of our communities. Thank You that in Christ You have blessed us with every spiritual blessing (Ephesians 1:3). By Your Spirit, empower us to be a blessing to our neighborhoods and to the nations.

Application: One of Hope’s values is being “Prayer Dependent.” Identify one specific person, place, or issue in your community and commit to praying for its peace and flourishing this week. Feel free to share in the comments below so we can be praying with you!

Theme: Present with OUR COMMUNITY

Scripture: Hebrews 10:24-25
And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another - and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Observation:
The writer of Hebrews reminds us that community isn’t accidental- it’s intentional. We are called to consider how to encourage one another, meaning we think about it, plan for it, and make room for it. Being present with one another isn’t just showing up, it’s showing up with purpose.
 
Meeting together fuels encouragement. Encouragement fuels perseverance. And perseverance keeps our hearts anchored in hope. When we withdraw, we weaken, when we gather, we strengthen one another. Community presence is one of God’s primary ways of sustaining His people.

Prayer:
Jesus, thank you for community. Help us to encourage one another, so that we may persevere and stay anchored to truth. Help us to lean into our community when we want to hide. Lord, may our community grow because of a simple, faithful presence. Amen.

Application:
Don’t isolate yourself when you are feeling tired, stressed or discouraged. Reach out to someone and take a step toward community.

Theme: Present with Others

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,  looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Observation: We aren’t meant to do any of this alone. Go back and reread the verses. You have probably heard it said that there is no “I” in team. There is also no “I” in these verses. This is written with the expectation that “we” are surrounded by people, so let “us” (together) lay aside every weight… and let “us” run with endurance the race that is before “us.”

One of the phrases you might hear said is that we are “better together.” This isn’t just a cute phrase, it is the truth. We need each other. We need each other to celebrate with, and we need each other to weep with. Recently, I heard an incredible challenge: never cry alone. A group of friends agreed to it, and it has changed them. Letting people into our lives, especially the hard parts, matters. It helps people know how to pray and love, and care for us. And that, that can in many ways keep our eyes focused on Jesus.

Prayer: Jesus, help us to be brave and always be willing to pull another chair up to the table. Help us walk into rooms looking for the lost, the one that needs a friend. Help us surround others as your great cloud of witnesses. Give us eyes to see the ones you want us to serve and love today. Amen.

Application: Never cry alone. It’s an incredible challenge to all of us. When you need and want to cry, be brave enough to invite someone else into that. The prayers of His people can change everything. We'd love to know what you think of this idea in the comments.

Theme: Present with Others

Scripture:
Galatians 6:2 Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.
 
Observation:
 
Within today’s culture, to include the rise of A.I., we can quickly be led to believe that we don’t need other people. When a problem arises, we often (myself included), find ourselves not turning to others, but rather turning to our phones. Yet, “the myth of self-sufficiency is not a mark of bravery but rather a sign of pride.”1 Within the body of Christ, we will never stop needing one another. Walking alongside another brother or sister in Christ during a difficult time will never become a thing of the past for, in Christ, we are a family “supernaturally knit together by the Holy Spirit in a common fellowship of mutual edification and love.”2 The question is: Do we let others in to help carry our burdens and are we present enough with others to recognize the burdens they are carrying?
 
Prayer:
 
Jesus, please give me the humility to let my guard down and allow fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to help carry my burdens. Additionally, help me to be present with others in such a way that I become aware of their burdens and am willing to carry those burdens with them.
 
Application:  
 
Please take some time to read and meditate on Galatians 6:1-3. As you do that, please ask the Lord to show you where you may need to let others in on your life and where you can help carry the burdens of someone else.

     1Timothy George, Galatians, Vol. 30, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1994), 413-414, Logos.
    2George, Galatians, 414, Logos.  

Theme: Present with Others

Scripture: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.


Observation: If you know me, you know that I prefer the heat of summer over the cold winter months. On top of the frigid temperatures, this season can be especially hard for those with heavy hearts. I am reminded that there are people we come in contact with on a daily basis who have walked – or are currently walking – through seasons of grief or pain. As followers of Christ, we know that this world will bring trouble, but Jesus promises peace beyond understanding for those who trust in Him (John 16:33). I have felt overwhelmed by death’s shadow, and I have walked through some dark valleys. Yet, in the midst of it all, I have also received comfort from the Good Shepherd (Psalm 23:1, 4). I’ve witnessed the light of Christ “melt the clouds of sin and sadness.” How do I respond to this blessing? By comforting others in their time of trouble with the same comfort I freely received. 

Prayer: Father of compassion and God of all comfort, You are the Good Shepherd. As Your presence has comforted us, may our presence comfort others and reflect Your love and compassion. We ask that Your light would “drive the dark of doubt away.” 

Application: Who do you know that needs comfort this season? How can you reach out to them in a practical way? Think of a specific way God has comforted you (scripture, prayer, community, encouragement), and share in the comments below. 

Theme: Present with Others

Scripture: John 4:7
When the Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?”

Observation:
I love everything about the story of the Samaritan woman or also known as the woman at the well. But what is this simple verse saying about being present with one another? The woman came to the well in the middle of the day, expecting to be alone. It is an ordinary day for this woman. However, Jesus initiated a conversation with her. He didn’t dismiss her. In a culture where this woman was overlooked and avoided, Jesus’ presence said, You matter.I see you. I am here with you. What was meant as an ordinary mid-day moment for this woman, Jesus had turned  into a moment where there was value, dignity and attention.
Presence often begins with something small- an opening line, a question, a willingness to pause. Jesus shows us that being present with someone isn’t always dramatic, it’s choosing to slow down long enough to enter their everyday life. 

Prayer: 
Jesus thank you for showing us what true presence looks like. Help me to slow down and see the people You place in my path. Give me the courage to initiate, the compassion to listen, and  the patience to enter someone’s story with love. Use my presence to bring hope, dignity and attention to those around me. Amen

Application: 
Practice being interruptible like Jesus, willing to let ordinary moments become opportunities. Let us know in the comments: is it easy or hard for you to be interrupted? 

Theme: Present with Others

Scripture: 1 John 3:11
“For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.”

Observation:
John brings us back to the heart of God’s message which is love. It’s not a new command or a complicated one; it’s the foundation of our faith. From the beginning, God has called His people to reflect His character by loving others. This love isn’t merely emotion but action and choosing patience, kindness, forgiveness, and compassion even when it’s costly. When we love one another, we reveal God’s presence and make His message visible to the world.

Prayer:
Father, fill my heart with Your love. Help me see others the way You see them. Responding in a way with grace, patience, and kindness. Remove anything in me that obstructs love when I'm being  prideful, angry, or indifferent. Teach me to love as You have loved me. Amen.

Application:
Today, I will intentionally show love to someone through an encouraging word, a small act of service, or choosing forgiveness. I’ll look for opportunities to put love into action, remembering that loving others is how I reflect Jesus.

Theme: Present with Others

Scripture: Colossians 2:2
That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; ESV

Observation:
I love the way Paul expressed his desire for believers to encourage one another and be united in love.  The word comforted means to encourage and Paul wanted them to encourage one another so that they would not be vulnerable to false teachings.

The word knit is very visual and I see how yarn is woven together to create beauty and so when we are knit together in love, it expresses the beauty of friendship and love for one another and creates a bond and unity which is what Paul was seeking for the church.

To reach all the riches of full understanding speaks to really knowing who our personal Savior is and how much He loves us and wants to have a personal relationship with us. The use of the word riches emphasizes the magnitude or importance of that revelation. Extending that love in friendship is an extension of God’s love He freely gives us every day.

Prayer:
Jesus, help us remember the gift you have given us through your son.  Help us to spend time with one another. Help us to encourage and be truly present with one another. Remind us to slow down and learn how to have a personal relationship with You and extend that love and time to others.  

Application: 
Read Colossians 2:2 today and reach out to someone you haven’t talked to in a while and check in to see how they are doing and just listen. Truly listen and just relax and be present in the moment and see how you can make their day.  Pay attention to those around you and be aware of a moment God may give you to speak into their lives.  

Theme: Present with God

Scripture: Psalm 62:7-8
 
On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before him; God is a refuge for us.
 
Observation: Psalm 62, along with Psalms 11, 16 and 23, “is a song of confidence by one who knows from personal experience that only in God, and always in God, are assurance and security to be found.”1 As followers of Christ, our assurance and security are only and always to be found in God. Within this context, it makes perfect sense that we, out of our trust in God, are to pour out our heart before him. Literally, we are to “confide in him all that is bothering you.”2 I cannot tell you how many times this verse has been a comfort to me on a hard day or in a difficult season. To know that my God has given me the freedom to come before him and, without any reservation, gives me the freedom to confide in him is a great comfort. I have had, and will continue to have, many tear-filled moments where I lay out my raw emotions before my heavenly Father. Each time I am willing to be present with God in this way, the Holy Spirit solidifies within me: “He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken.” (Ps 62:8)
 
Prayer: Father, in the midst of my day and all that I battle, please always remind me that I have the freedom to come you and pour out my heart before you. In moments of frustration, sadness and celebration help me to escape with you and confide all that is within my heart.
 
Application: Please take some time today to read Psalm 62 and escape somewhere quiet to be present with God and confide in him all that is on your heart.

     1Robert G. Bratcher and William David Reyburn, A Translator’s Handbook on the Book of Psalms (New York: United Bible Societies, 1991), 541, Logos.
     2Bratcher and Reyburn, A Translator’s Handbook on the Book of Psalms, 544, Logos.

Theme: Present with God

Scripture: John 15:4
 “Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.”

Observation:
Jesus reminds us that spiritual fruit doesn’t come from our effort alone; it actually flows from our connection to Him. Just as a branch has no life apart from the vine, we can’t thrive when we drift into self-reliance. Remaining in Christ means choosing daily closeness. By allowing His presence to shape our thoughts, decisions, and pace of life. When we stay present with God, His strength becomes our strength, His peace becomes our peace, and His life flows through every part of ours.

Prayer: Lord, help me stay present with You today. Keep me close to Your heart, being aware of Your voice, and dependent on Your strength. Remind me that I don’t have to produce fruit on my own. Amen.

Application:
Today, I will slow down and intentionally acknowledge God’s presence. Whether it's before a meeting, in a moment of stress, or during a quiet pause. I will choose one simple practice to stay connected: a short prayer, a Scripture reminder, or a moment of stillness.

Theme: Present with God

Scripture: Joshua 1:8 (NLT)

“Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.”

Observation:
The rhythm of opening God’s Word each day is a beautiful discipline, and like any meaningful habit, it asks something of us. It asks for moments of our time, pieces of our attention, and sometimes even the courage to keep going when we don’t feel like we “understand it all.” (I’m right there with you!)

But just like anything else we’ve grown disciplined in, waking up early to work out, sitting quietly in a deer stand for hours, or showing up consistently for something we love, we didn’t get there overnight. We grew into it by choosing to prioritize it, by deciding it mattered, and by trusting the process.

And the sweetest part? We’re not doing any of this alone. The Holy Spirit is faithful to teach, to illuminate, and to help us remember God’s Word. He equips us with everything we need to take the next step.

This isn’t about perfection; it’s about drawing near. And every time we show up, even in small ways, God meets us.

Prayer: Father, show us the areas in our lives that deserve our priority. Help us long to draw nearer to You and remember that You are always with us. Grow in us a desire to meditate on Your Word day and night, so that in moments of need Your Holy Spirit will bring the encouragement and truth we need. Thank You for Jesus, who died to set us free.

Application:
Choose one verse to memorize this month.

Bonus: Pick up the book The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence.
“Think often on God, by day, by night, in your business and even in your diversions. He is always near you and with you; leave him not alone.”
 — Brother Lawrence

Theme: Present with God

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:31
“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” 

Observation:
We often think of God’s presence in big spiritual moments; worship, prayer, or church gatherings. But Paul reminds us that God is present in the ordinary too. Eating, drinking, studying, hanging out with friends, family, or even our pets. All of it can be done for His glory. He is seen in all things. Being present with God means noticing Him in the everyday rhythms of life and inviting Him into even the smallest details.

Prayer:
“Lord, help me see You in the ordinary. Do not let me dismiss my tasks, actions, or thoughts as mundane. Teach me to glorify You in all I do, whether big or small. Amen.”

Application: Take some time on this glorious day to slow down and focus on God being present in your commute, waiting, or time that you take for granted.

Theme: Present with God

Scripture: Matthew 28:18-20
Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

Observation: Matthew begins and ends his Gospel account with the good news that God is present with us. In the first chapter, Matthew explains that Jesus was the promised “Immanuel” (which means “God with us”) (Matthew 1:23; Isaiah 7:14). After His death, burial and resurrection, Matthew records Jesus’s final words to His disciples before His ascension as “I am with you always.” God’s presence with His people bookends the Gospel of Matthew AND the whole Bible. As God dwelt with His creation in the Garden of Eden, the Bible ends with God once again dwelling with His people in the new creation (Revelation 21:3).

God has been with us, He currently is with us and He will continue to be with us to the very end. This is good news! 

Prayer: Father, Son, Holy Spirit – we praise You for your presence. Thank you for Your promise to never leave or forsake us. Help us to confidently go wherever you lead knowing that You are with us. 

Application: Just as Jesus was sent by the Father, Jesus is sending us as His ambassadors into a broken world (John 20:21). The promise of Jesus’s presence empowers us to live out this “Great Commission” (Matthew 28:18-20). Encourage someone this week by reminding them that God is with them, and consider ways to invite them into discipleship or a closer walk with Christ.

Theme: Present with God

Scripture: Psalm 139:1–2
You have searched me, Lord,
and you know me.
You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.

Observation:
When I was reading these verses, it struck me that the opening line sounds like past tense. But as I looked into it, I realized the verb isn’t simply past tense, it’s the Hebrew perfect tense, which conveys something completed in full. It isn’t just that God searched you once in the past; it’s that He has perfectly and completely searched you.

He knows you.

He knows you up close…  so much so that He knows when you sit.

And He knows you from afar…nothing about you is hidden or out of reach.

So often we think we have to do something special to “be present with God.” But Psalm 139 reminds us that His presence doesn’t begin with us. God is already here. He is already attentive. We simply get to respond by being present with Him.

Prayer:
Jesus, help us become more aware of Your presence. You are everywhere, all the time. Your ways are higher than our ways, and Your thoughts greater than our thoughts. Remind me that I don’t need the perfect cup of coffee, the perfect journal, or two hours of quiet to enjoy Your presence. Help me simply be with You.

Application:
Read Psalm 139 today and share your favorite verse in the comments and why it speaks to you.

As we step into 2026, our focus word as a church is PRESENT.  

Over the next three weeks, we’ll be leaning into what it looks like to be present with God, present with others, and present in our community. In a world full of noise and distraction, this season is an invitation to slow down, pay attention, and intentionally live where God has placed us.

We kick off this journey together in corporate worship at church, grounding this season in God’s presence among us. You can also watch or listen to the first message of the series here if you missed it.

As part of this focus, we’re committing to 21 days of daily reading and prayer as a church family. This blog will be your daily landing place throughout the journey. Each day, a new reading and prayer prompt will be posted here for you to engage with—whether on your own, with your family, or alongside others in our community.

Bookmark this page and return daily as we practice living PRESENT in 2026.