Fear insists that life is a zero-sum game. Love knows that there is enough, and to spare. Fear both proclaims and begets scarcity. Love invites and welcomes abundance.

So I became increasingly concerned during the 2016 election cycle when a man who built his candidacy on a platform of fear — of immigrants, Muslims, refugees and others — inexplicably became not only the nominee of the party I had belonged to my entire life, but also president. This was a man who proclaimed, “Real power is, I don’t even want to use the word, fear.”

With Donald Trump’s election, I knew I could not remain silent. I in no way considered myself an activist. But in January 2017, just after the inauguration, I opened my computer and worked late into the night setting up a nonpartisan Facebook group for myself and a few like-minded friends. I wanted to create a space where we could discuss ways in which we might join forces to counterbalance the fear and to call for decency, compassion and ethics in our government. We called ourselves Mormon Women for Ethical Government.

Immediately, friends began adding friends who added friends who added friends. Within just a few weeks, we had over 4,000 members, women from all across the political spectrum, Mormons and non-Mormons alike. Clearly, we had hit a nerve. There were thousands of other women of faith, like myself, who felt compelled to act — to push back against fear and hate and take a stand for love.

And so, our little group continued to grow. We incorporated as a 501(c)4 nonprofit organization, established chapters in nearly every state, lobbied for the marginalized in Washington and state capitals, organized rallies at the southern border and helped register over 20,000 voters.

Our motto: We will not be complicit by being complacent. We believe that Jesus really meant it when he said that we should love our neighbors — meaning everyone, as the parable of the good Samaritan makes clear — and care for the poor, the sick, the homeless, the vulnerable. This is the calling of all Christians. We have been called to love.

We have our work cut out for us. In fact, the ante has just been raised in this conflict between fear and love.