Heart for Christmas – A Big Thank You from Revive

I realise this blog is fashionably late. We’re somehow eight weeks into the new year already, and it’s been one of those starts where the days move fast and the to-do list moves faster. Every time I meant to sit down and write this, something else seemed to jump the queue — so here we are, slightly behind schedule but no less grateful.

Christmas now feels a long way off. The decorations are boxed up, the last of the chocolate has been eaten, and even the “New Year, New You” energy has quietly returned to normal life.

But before the pace of the year carries us off completely, I want to pause with you… breathe… and celebrate what God did among us through Heart for Christmas, because it was beautiful.

Looking back now, it’s still so encouraging to remember the challenge our Revive team shared across all our sites in the lead-up to Christmas:

Love someone. Serve someone. Meet a need.

It was simple. Biblical. And beautifully aligned with what we were teaching in December — that real faith isn’t just something we talk about, it’s something we live. No fuss. No spotlight. Just ordinary people quietly showing up with the love of Jesus in their everyday lives.

Across all of our sites — Bracknell, Farnborough, Windsor and the Isle of Wight — so many of you stepped forward with practical compassion and genuine kindness. We saw people delivering meals, doing food shops, baking cakes, mowing lawns, helping with bills, supporting local charities, visiting hospitals and care homes, buying coffees, stopping to chat with those who are often overlooked, and lending a hand in moments when it mattered most.

Some of you met strangers on the street and took time to listen.
Some of you walked with friends facing illness.
Some of you packed boxes for children you’ll never meet.
Some of you helped neighbours, colleagues, shop workers, parents juggling kids, people who just needed a lift or a prayer or a friendly face.

And this year, our children joined in too — tidying rooms, helping parents, caring for grandparents. Little hands doing big kingdom work.

None of these moments were dramatic. None required a stage or a spotlight. But every one of them was an act of worship. Every one whispered the heart of Jesus: “I see you. You matter. You’re loved.”

Across our sites, we recorded more than 120 hearts — that’s over 100 acts of kindness offered in Jesus’ name. And we’re fully aware that this only scratches the surface — so many more moments of kindness happened quietly, unreported, but seen and treasured by God.

So church, thank you 💛
Thank you for your creativity.
Thank you for your compassion.
Thank you for the way you gave your time, your energy, your courage, your prayers.
Thank you for every small, faithful step. You’ve been a living, breathing picture of Jesus to our communities, and the impact is real.

But here’s the thing: Christmas might be behind us… but the heart of it doesn’t need to be.

Kindness is simple. It’s powerful. And it doesn’t belong to December.

Let’s keep looking for the ones on the edges.
Let’s keep offering help before it’s even asked for.
Let’s keep loving with intention and sharing hope wherever we go.

Whatever we do for the least of these, we do it for Him.

So, as we move through this year, let’s make kindness our rhythm — not a seasonal project, but a way of life. Small acts. Great love. Jesus at the centre.

Let’s keep being the church our communities feel before they ever step through the doors.

With all my thanks and encouragement,
Sarah – Revive Lead 💛