1. God and love
The idea:
God created and loves the whole world, including nature and all people - loving them no matter who they are, what they think or how they behave.
What this means for you:
You can always feel loved just as you are. We all make mistakes, but you don’t have to live up to other people’s expectations to be accepted. You also try to love other people in the same way, not judging them.
2. God and life
The idea:
God’s love is powerful and can live within us, to help us experience a full and amazing life.
What this means for you:
You can feel peace in an anxious world, and joy even when things are hard. Rather than just love you from afar, God wants to be close, to encourage you and help you every day to grow and change. God even loves using our mistakes and failures to bring about positive things.
3. God and hope/purpose
The idea:
God is powerful and working to make things better. We’re moving toward a time when there will be no tears and no more suffering - when everything will feel right.
What this means for you:
There is hope for your future and the future of the world but there are no quick fixes or easy answers, and you are part of the change. Your life is significant, you have a purpose - to help God make this world a more loving, whole, and beautiful place.
4. God and community
The idea:
There is a story that has been passed down through generations, about God and the world. It makes sense of our lives and why we’re here. The story is still being lived today.
What this means for you:
You can be part of that story, belong to a family that is not perfect but are working together to make the world a better place. You know you can’t do it alone, and it’s not all down to you to fix things.
5. God and justice/suffering
The idea:
God became a man to be with us. But his love was so generous and powerful some people were afraid of it, and they killed him. He came back to life and showed us that love wins in the end.
What this means for us:
God suffered, so knows what we go through. God cares when people cause harm or abuse their power and will hold them responsible. But it is love that really changes people. So even when we’re part of the problem, God stays close and doesn’t give up on us.