Grow. Serve. Love.
"Grow. Serve. Love." is the motto of Grace Ottumwa and the foundation for this collection. It encapsulates key aspects of nurturing a relationship with Christ. Throughout this narrative I wanted to emphasize how we grow, serve, and love on our journey with Christ.
Grow
Personal spiritual growth and development encompasses deepening your understanding of the teachings of Jesus, growing in faith and knowledge of God, and cultivating a closer relationship with Him through prayer, study of Scripture, and engagement with spiritual practices. Growing in Christ means continually striving to become more like Him in character, attitudes, and actions.
Serve
Serving others is central to the teachings of Jesus. He emphasized the importance of selfless love and sacrificial service. In the context of a relationship with Christ, serving others means following His example by reaching out to those in need, caring for the marginalized and vulnerable, and actively contributing to the well-being of your community and beyond. Through acts of service, you embody the love of Christ and fulfill His call to love your neighbor as yourself.
Love
Love lies at the heart of our Christian faith. Jesus taught that love for God and love for others are the greatest commandments. In a relationship with Christ, love is both a response to God's love for us and an expression of that love to others. It involves loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and loving your neighbor as yourself. Love motivates and informs both personal growth and service, guiding every aspect of your relationship with Christ and your interactions with others.
Grace
In essence, "Grow. Serve. Love." reflects our journey of discipleship and the holistic nature of a relationship with Christ, encompassing personal spiritual growth, active service to others, and the transformative power of love. At Grace, we believe these are the fundamental elements for building a community in Christ and so we are devoted to fostering these elements in ourselves and our community.
Throughout this journey, reflect on how you’ve grown, served, and loved in your life and the effects that you’ve seen ripple through others as a consequence. That positive ripple is Jesus reverberating through us and the relationships we make along the way.
Go in peace,