In John 13, Jesus commands his disciples: “Love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (verses 34-35 ESV). This passage stirs me each time I read it because it does not simply refer to the Christians we see face to face; it includes those who are persecuted, those whom we have not met. The way we love those whom we have not seen is through prayer.

You have been fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139Genesis 1:26). But you have not been made in a vacuum. Whether or not you’re aware of it, who you are is intricately and uniquely linked to the communities you’ve been a part of (your family, your church, etc.). The worship style that resonates with you most deeply—your worship story—comes out of these communities.