Spend Yourself Week 2020

2020 was quite the year. No one could have predicted what these long months would hold, but it is our hope and prayer that you have tasted and seen God’s faithfulness throughout. Our hearts are broken with our family and friends who have lost loved ones, endured illness, experienced financial stress, or felt the pain of job insecurity. In addition to Covid, a contentious political season, and numerous natural disasters, we have also suffered the sting of distance in our relationships. Maybe we couldn’t see the people we love most. Or maybe we found ourselves on opposite sides of an ethical debate. The distance can feel insurmountable—and God can feel very far away.

When the One Body One Hope board was able to meet face-to-face (socially distanced in a backyard) for the first time late this summer, we talked about the impact that Covid and the hard months of 2020 has had on us. We mourned the trips that were canceled, and the economic effect of the coronavirus on our Liberian friends. And we also talked about God’s provision in such an unprecedented time. Someone brought up the song Waymaker, by Leeland, and many of us blinked back tears as we thought of how the Lord has carried us through this hard season. The chorus is especially powerful:

You are
Way maker, miracle worker, promise keeper
Light in the darkness
My God, that is who You are

We decided to fashion Spend Yourself Week this year around the chorus of Waymaker, focusing specifically on the five titles of God used in this song: Waymaker, Miracle Worker, Promise Keeper, Light in the Darkness, My God. We invite you to journey with us this week as we remember and testify to who God is and proclaim the truth that even when we can’t see it, He’s working, and even when we can’t feel it, He’s working. We claim this promise in the midst of all the pain and uncertainty, division and sorrow.

This year, we invite you to spend yourself simply by resting in God’s loving presence. Enjoy these devotionals alone or with your family, and take some time to reflect on the past year. If you feel led to contribute to the ministry of One Body One Hope at the end of the week, we have many opportunities to do so. You can participate in our Homes & Health Christmas Giving Drive, donate to the ongoing needs of the farm, or give to our general fund where the money will go where it is needed most. We depend on the generous support of our partners, but we hope that you also feel blessed to simply soak in the stories and proclaim with us: God is good, all the time.