I’ve heard my pastor say that we have spheres of dominion in our lives. That is, we have God-given relationships to which we have specific responsibilities. We don’t often realize how heavy and amazing this truth is. Are we caring for our closest neighbors? Are we serving our church family? Are we witnessing to our coworkers and fellow students?

God blessed me with a very full 2023. I started dating, I went to Japan for a month on a short-term mission trip, and I watched my dad battle and heal from cancer. These were hard and good experiences, but I became so distracted by everything new that was happening around me that I started spending less time with friends and family and had trouble focusing at church gatherings.

Ultimately, God used each of these experiences to root me deeper in His love. In turn, I learned to love God and people in new ways. I was exhausted by the end of the year and quite ready to start a new one! Looking back, however, I am thankful for the year that God used to teach me so much.

Mark 12:30–31 lists the two greatest commandments: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength; and love your neighbor as yourself. To love our neighbor, we need to start by asking, “Who is my closest neighbor?”

My closest neighbor is my sister, with whom I share a room and go to church. My first duty is to her and my family. I realized this year how much more I needed to invest in them. Spending more time with my sister is becoming increasingly special to me, and watching Dad go through cancer reminded me to be grateful for and support him instead of taking him for granted.

Our second sphere of dominion is the church. The church is the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27). If we are members of Him, then we are members of one another. Therefore, we are to be serving the church as active members of Christ’s body. Eastvale (Beaver Falls, Pa.) RPC has loved me in so many ways, especially this past year; and this has taught me to love my church in return, even in small ways like joining members of the congregation for street evangelism or helping put on a church dinner. Going to Japan also helped me develop a more global mindset as my team worked with the churches there to encourage the bride of Christ.

After the church, we turn our attention to the rest of the world. This world is not our true home, but we are to be the light of the world (Heb. 13:14, Matt. 5:14, 16). We should think of it less as countries on a map, and more as the people we meet every day when we step outside. While training to go to Japan, I learned the importance of recognizing my mission field. My world starts right here in Western Pennsylvania. I realized I needed to be a witness at work just as much as I needed to be a witness in Japan. So I began seeking more opportunities to shine the light of Christ, both in the United States and overseas.

I’ve found that each person, whether they are from Japan or my little town of Koppel, Pa., has their own story that we can learn from and be a part of. Every interaction we have is an opportunity for growth for us and for those we interact with.

We are not perfect, and love is hard. Look to Christ as your example and seek to honor your relationships in humble reliance on His grace. Pray for Him to fill you with His love so that you may pour it out to others. Remember also to gratefully receive love from the family of God. We cannot take anything from this earth to heaven, so instead we should be laying up our treasures in heaven, as Matthew 6:20 says, by investing in the people God gives us.