“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
1 Corinthians 13:13

Thirty-one days ago, we began with five words.

Grace.
Mercy.
Love.
Peace.
Hope.

They were familiar words.

Perhaps they still are.

But hopefully, after carrying them with us through this month, they mean something a little more now.

Grace reminded us that we don’t have to earn everything.

Mercy met us in the places where we got things wrong.

Love reminded us that before anything is asked of us, we are loved.

Peace invited us to breathe, to trust, and then to carry something gentler into the world.

And hope whispered that even when we cannot see what comes next, God is not finished.

But these aren’t simply five words for October.

They are words for the journey.

Tomorrow will bring another month.

There will be ordinary days and unexpected ones.

There will be things that make us laugh and things that make us worry.

There will be people who need us.

And there will be days when we need someone else.

So perhaps we finish where we began.

With five words.

Only now, let’s carry them with us.

Receive grace.
Show mercy.
Choose love.
Carry peace.
Hold onto hope.

And wherever tomorrow takes you, remember this:

God goes with you.

Carry this today

Receive grace. Show mercy. Choose love. Carry peace. Hold onto hope.

Prayer

God of grace, mercy, love, peace and hope,
thank you for walking with me through this month.
Let these be more than words I know.
Let them shape the way I live,
the way I see others,
and the way I face whatever comes next.

And as one month ends
and another begins,
help me to keep walking with you.
Amen.