Love Like Jesus

“Love Like Jesus.”

It’s a phrase we see everywhere—on shirts, hats, reels, and posts. It sounds simple. Inspiring. Something we nod along to without really stopping to consider what it means.

But this morning, as I walked and prayed, that phrase hit differently.

At the beginning of my prayers, I try to thank Jesus for everything—my family, my friends, my home, my job, and all the daily provisions I often take for granted. And then I thank Him for the ultimate gift: His sacrifice on the cross. Because of Him, my sins are forgiven. Because of Him, I have the hope of heaven—not just for me, but for my family, my friends, and even strangers.

But today, a question settled heavily on my heart:

Am I willing to love like Jesus loves?

Am I willing to give that much?

To suffer that much?

To lay everything down…for others?

If I’m honest—the answer is no.

I thought about what Jesus endured. Not just the idea of the cross, but the physical reality of it. The pain. The tearing. The suffering beyond what we can fully comprehend. A love so deep that He chose it. For us.

That kind of love feels unimaginable.

And yet…He did it.

For me.

For you.

So when I hear “Love Like Jesus,” I pause. Because I know—I can’t love perfectly like that. Not in my own strength. Not in my humanity.

Maybe the phrase should be, “Try to love like Jesus.”

Or maybe it’s not about getting it perfectly right—but about keeping our hearts pointed in that direction.

I remember I used to have a shirt that said “Jesus & Football.” With a son playing college football, it caught my attention immediately. It felt relatable. Personal.

But after wearing it a few times, something didn’t sit right.

How can football even compare to Jesus?

Maybe it should say, “Jesus > Football.

”Or “Jesus over everything.”

I don’t know. I’m not sure I even love slogans anymore.

But if they get us talking about Jesus—maybe they serve a purpose.

Because the truth is this:

We may never fully love like Jesus.

But that shouldn’t stop us from trying.

Trying to be more patient.

Trying to forgive when it’s hard.

Trying to choose kindness when it’s inconvenient.

Trying to love people who don’t love us back.

Not perfectly. But intentionally.

And maybe that’s where it begins.

Scripture reminds us of the depth of His love:

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”— John 15:13

That’s the standard.

And while we may never reach it fully, we can take steps toward it every single day.

So maybe “Love Like Jesus” isn’t a statement of arrival.

Maybe it’s an invitation.

To grow.

To surrender.

To love a little more like Him today than we did yesterday.

God Cares About the “Small” Things Too

We’ve been working on our coffee trailer for a while now—and like any project, it’s had its fair share of ups and downs.

For weeks, I’ve been saying, “We’re one week away from being ready for inspection. ”But somehow… that one week keeps turning into another week.

This time, the issue was a refrigerator.

I had found the perfect one. The dimensions were just right, it fit exactly how I needed it to… and then it stopped cooling properly. Of course.

So I shifted into problem-solving mode.“I’ll just grab something used real quick to get us going,” I told myself.

But that turned into another challenge—because finding the right size in a used refrigerator? Not as easy as you’d think.

That morning, I was doing what I often do—walking laps inside my house.

Yes, inside. Sometimes I want to stay in my pajamas a little longer (working from home perks), sometimes the weather isn’t great… but honestly, I’ve come to love it.

Because while I walk, I pray.

It’s where I talk to Jesus.

It's where I think.

It's where I reset.

And as I was walking and praying that morning, I caught myself saying:

“Lord, I’ve been trying to fix this refrigerator issue on my own.I keep trying to figure everything out myself.Even the small things… I forget to come to You first.

But I know You care about all of it—not just the big things, but the little, frustrating, everyday things too.”

And then… God showed up.

The one perfect refrigerator I had found earlier—the one with the exact dimensions and right price—the seller finally messaged me back.

I had reached out days before and never heard anything, so I assumed it just wasn’t meant to be.

But the message had actually come through two hours earlier that morning… I just hadn’t seen it yet.

Before I even finished asking God to help me with that specific situation—He had already set the answer in motion.

How good is He?

And that wasn’t all.

Later that same day, my dad—who is incredibly skilled in just about every trade—helped me troubleshoot and fix issues with the refrigerator I already had.

So God didn’t answer my prayer once…

He answered it twice.

It was such a clear reminder for me:

I don’t have to “muscle” everything on my own.

God isn’t just waiting for the big, life-altering prayers.

He’s right there, ready for the everyday conversations.

The small frustrations.

The little details that matter to us.

He cares about it all.

So here I am—learning (again) to slow down, to ask first, and to trust Him in every step.

And as for the coffee trailer?

We’re getting closer every single day.

This time, I really mean it.

God’s got it.

Day 31 - Conclusion & Recap

Jesus really is the answer to everything, if we will just put Him first in our lives. Let's reflect back on all the ways we can focus more on Christ and let's continue our focus on all the days ahead.

Day 1 – Pray

Day 2 – Read the Bible

Day 3 – Christian Friends

Day 4 – Move

Day 5 – Have Faith

Day 6 – Thank Him

Day 7 – Let Go & Let God

Day 8 – Recap

Day 9 – Church

Day 10 – Positive Words

Day 11 – Gifts

Day 12 – Forgiveness

Day 13 – Fasting

Day 14 – Worship

Day 15 – Recap

Day 16 – Serve One Another

Day 17 – Listen & Be Obedient

Day 18 – Eliminate Distractions

Day 19 – Call a Friend & Ask How You Can Pray for Them Today

Day 20 – Schedule Time with Jesus

Day 21 – Recap

Day 22 – Know Who You Are

Day 23 – Have Joy

Day 24 – Peace & Presence

Day 25 – Merry Christmas -Thank you Jesus

Day 26 – Scripture Memorization

Day 27 – Seek Him Big and Small

Day 28 – Start a Gratitude Journal

Day 29 – Start Something New

Day 30 – Find Freedom with Jesus