Love In Action

This past week our women's ministry participated in a Love in Action week - we planned specific events each day where we would be intentional about showing love to the people around us while also meeting some of the needs in our local community.

Not only was this a week of love in action, but it was a call to action.
A call to look outside our own self and our comfort zone to see how God wants to use us.
A spurring to remind us that we don't need a special week set aside - that this truly becomes a way of life.

Each day I went to bed with a full heart.
And not because of anything I had done, but rather in response to our team and the interactions we had each day.

My mind, my heart is still processing so much from last week.

Church friends, we can become stagnant.
We can become SO complacent with what we have, with thinking someone else will fill the needs, do the work...
That we forget there are people right beside us who need help.

When Sara, our Shoulder to Shoulder leader, started this ministry it was part of her vision that we would SERVE each other standing together.  And I do think we've done a good job of that within our church over the past almost 2 years.  However, we recognized that we needed to step OUTSIDE the four walls of the church. Our church is good about that in general...and it's humbling to be a part of a church body that isn't about making it about you having to come to us to receive any kind of blessing.
Do we want you to join us when we gather together at Emmanuel - Salisbury?!  Absolutely!
Is how we treat you or what we give you dependent on you coming to Emmanuel - Salisbury?  Absolutely NOT!

I was reminded this week that when our S2S sisters gather together, it really is like a small army preparing for battle.
We have some fierce ladies.
And that is the truth.
We have women from ALL walks of life and ages and let me just tell you - these women are willing to show up.
Some times, many times - that's all it takes.
God will do the rest.

One of my prayers this week was simply for God to open my eyes to the people around me and how I could show them love in a tangible way.  I try to truly live this out in my daily life, but, keeping it real, sometimes we get caught up in life and we walk right on by the people God is putting in our paths.

I wanted to recap our week for you and encourage YOU to find a way to start to show Love In Action this week!!!

Monday - we hosted a women's fellowship at our local Christian Shelter.  And we came in there like a pack!!!  Over 50 of our S2S ladies showed up!!!  It was amazing!  There were 17 women there and we had time to sing a few worship songs with them, shared a devotion, and then simply spent time talking with these ladies and hearing their stories while enjoying desserts.  And friends, their stories will blow you away.  I saw my S2S sisters just loving so well that night; snuggling babies, chasing toddlers, simply listening to and then praying boldly over these women.

I had gotten home from work and was in a rush to get back out to church and grabbed one of my shirts and, of course, it was all wrinkly...and then I was feeling some kind of way because I was just feeling like a hot mess...but guess what friends, Jesus still uses this hot mess.

One of our S2S sisters donated some MaryKay hand lotion and gloves for the ladies and even some of the hubbies got in on the baking of desserts...those mini sweet potato pies were DELICIOUS!!!

I think many of us walked away that night being reminded that any of us could find ourselves in that same situation at any given time.  And it's very easy to "stereotype" the people you think will be at a shelter...do yourself a favor and ask to volunteer there one evening...I think your perspective will change and your heart will want to help however you can.

Tuesday - Pay It Forward Day

This was a day that was an "on your own" event!  And yes - we DID encourage hash tagging #s2sloveinaction on social media.  This was in no way to bring attention on ourselves but more so that we wanted to show ALL the ways that we can share the love of God with the people around us and know that our S2S sisters were doing this TOGETHER!!

Some just simply posted #s2sloveinaction and we knew you were joining in with us.

Other shared some of the ways they were paying it forward - it was things like sending in ice cream money with their children to share with a friend at school...to bringing in donuts for teachers...to paying for coffee...to someone sharing that they decided that day, while sitting at the MVA, that they would become an organ donor!

God knows our hearts and our intentions.

And it was just an amazing day to know we had fellow sisters in the community being intentional about showing love in action.

Wednesday - Laundry Love

Oh goodness! 

The month leading up to this week, we encouraged Emmanuel to donate quarters, laundry detergent and dryer sheets for this nights outreach.

Once again, we were reminded how generous our church is!

We ended up having a little over $800 in quarter donations!!!  And more than 60 laundry detergents and 60 boxes of dryer sheets.

We met at the church and gathered in one huge circle to pray over the laundromats we'd be going to as well as the interactions we would have once we got there.  We divided into 5 teams and sent each team with enough products to bless 10 people at their designated laundromat.  

Some of the people just couldn't believe that we were 1 - giving them $10 in quarters towards their laundry and then 2 - that we then offered detergent and dryer sheets for them...for FREE.  And once they realized we were being for real - the smiles and the hugs and the conversations just followed.  We included our church's information in the baggies of quarters because it's bound to come up in conversation why we were there and, while it wasn't our goal to seek church attendees, we DID want the people we interacted with to know there is a church in their local community that cares about meeting needs.

We simply reminded them that we recognize that laundry is never ending...and neither is God's love for them!

Side note:  I put on yet another wrinkled shirt that night, but felt confident by the time I got home, the steam from the heat at the laundromats had it looking nice and fresh!

Also - I need to learn to understand AND speak the Spanish language...thank goodness for a little girl who couldn't have been older than 8 who helped interpret my intentions to some of those in one of the laundromats.

Thursday - Pack to Give Back

In addition to our Adopt A Block program, where we go out into the community on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays each month and give food to over 300 homes, we also have a program that provides food on the weekends for elementary ages students who have been recognized as having food insecurity - meaning, they do not know where their next meals are coming from.

Our church packs backpacks on Thursday evenings that are sent home with these children on Friday to help sustain them through the weekend.

We pack 232 bags for designated schools in our county!!!

This night we again gathered in a large circle and prayed over the food, the back packs, and the children and families they would be going to.  We added a little treat bag for them just as a reminder that there is a group of women praying for them!

Friday - Wrap Up Fellowship

This was yet another special evening as we simply gathered together, with food of course, to share about how each of us saw God at work this week.

I was brought to tears listening to the ladies share their experiences...and how some of them had times in their own life where they found their self living at a shelter, or having to use a laundromat and hoping they had enough money that week and finding the time TO do the laundry to not knowing where their next meals were coming from.

One young woman shared that she wished that during her time at the shelter she would have known there was a group of women such as S2S that would have just shown up one night and she would have made some connections with women who would be there for her.

Many of them simply shared what a blessing it was to be on the GIVING end this time.

Sara shared a scripture passage from Luke 16 and we focused on verses 19-21:

“There once was a rich man, expensively dressed in the latest fashions, wasting his days in conspicuous consumption. A poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, had been dumped on his doorstep. All he lived for was to get a meal from scraps off the rich man’s table. His best friends were the dogs who came and licked his sores."

This was a reminder that there are people we pass by every day that are, essentially, at our doorsteps, and we never take notice of them.  The dogs became his friends, licking at his wounds, but those that could help - simply walked on by.

May we wake up every day with expectation that there WILL be someone on our "doorstep" that we can show love to.

Allow God to use YOU!
Offer a smile.
And be a light shiner in this often dark world.

We are Better Together and we CAN make a difference in the lives of the people in our paths!

Chosen

A few months ago, we were notified that Tatum was eligible for an academic program next year and were thrilled since Ryleigh was able to be in a similar program in middle school and we wanted Tatum to have that same opportunity.

We go to the interest meeting, submit our intent and then wait as only 50 students (out of roughly 300 who are eligible) are actually selected due to the program capacity. We knew this going in - they refer to it as luck of the draw.

Fast forward a few weeks later when we receive the letter in the mail!!! I opened it and my heart dropped for a minute...it was informing us that, unfortunately, Tatum was not one of the 50 selected.

Keeping it real.
I was upset.
And I dreaded telling Tatum...how was she going to take the news?

So I waited until the next day when we were driving home and basically said, "Remember they told us that we would be notified if you were selected for the program...well, we received the letter and your name wasn't pulled..." and as I began to prepare to remind her that it had nothing to do with "her," she simply said, "It's really ok - I knew there was a bigger chance I wasn't going to be selected, mom...I mean - there was a lot of names to pull from."

And that was that.

Talk about getting schooled from my 10 (now 11) year old.

She was chosen!
And even though she wasn't selected, she still knew her worth.

Oh, friends...we have been chosen, too!!
And the great news is you are in control of the selection process!

Scripture reminds us:

You did not choose me, but [I chose you] and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.
- John 15:16

But you are a [chosen] people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
- 1 Peter 2:9

A few weeks passed and I was still upset (keeping it real) and was simply trusting God and praying that ultimately, this was in His hands, He knew where her little light might need to shine the most. And finally coming to terms that all would be well. I actually had peace about it.

Not even kidding, within days of "me" letting it go and giving it to God I recieved an email stating they had an opening for Tatum. :)

As I was driving by myself today, I was singing along to I Am Who You Say I Am and was reminded of what I just shared...we are not what program we are or are not selected to be a part of, or a circle of certain people, or a certain job, or "whatever."

Friends - we are already chosen!!!
By a God who loves us...just the way we are.

I am chosen!
[[You are chosen!]]
Not forsaken.
I am who You say I am!
[[You are who He says you are!]]
You are for me, not against me...
[[He is for you, not against you]]
I AM WHO YOU SAY I AM!
[[YOU ARE WHO HE SAYS YOU ARE!]]

Oh, to be like children.
The quiet confidence my daughter has reminded me of this truth.

YOU are chosen!

Love. Just Love.

I heard something on the radio this week that more or less stated not everyone is your friend, but everyone is your neighbor ... and that scripture reminds us to love our neighbor as we love our self.

Which got me to thinking ... how can we love our neighbor as we love our self when so many of us (myself included) don't always love our self?

And for those of us who struggle to be confident in who we are, no matter the truth we know deep inside, I've come to realize the greater scripture to call out is John 13:34 - - - “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."

"As I have loved YOU, so you must love one another. "

Ok...sheww!
That one is much easier, right?!

Because friends, God loves us the BEST!

And as soon as we recognize that love, a love that is greater than anything we have ever known, it's then that we will be able to love others so well; and even more so - love ourselves.

I don't like to give the devil any credit, but I do believe he tries real hard to get in where he for sure don't fit in...and for me, personally, it's my mind.

As I mentioned before, I KNOW the truth about who God says I am, and I have to constantly remind myself those lies that creep in and tell me anything different are NOT of God. And quickly tell that devil where he belongs - under my feet.

One of those truths is that God loves me the MOST! And He tells me to share that same love with others...my neighbors. The people I don't know...yet!!!

I want to encourage us today to be women who show love to our neighbors, and not just those who live on each side of us. Our neighbors are the people God has placed in our life; our coworkers, the checkout person, teachers, servers, the homeless, the stranger that makes us look the other way, the ones that often frustrate us. You know who they are when you stop to think about it.

Friends - God has entrusted people to US!
To show them LOVE!
To share HIS love!

Meditate on this scripture and then find one "neighbor" every day this coming week to intentionally love - - - I dare you!

I promise you, you won't regret it!

xox,

Jenny

Stay in Your Lane

It's me again, Friends!
Happy Friday to You! ☀️

I recently read this from one of my favorite authors/speakers, Christine Caine, and wanted to share:

Stay in YOUR lane.
Run YOUR race.
Finish YOUR course.

You can be inspired by others
You can learn from others
You can admire others
You can appreciate others
You can be encouraged by others

BUT - - - only imitate others to the degree they imitate Christ. 

1 Corinthians 11:1  (NIV)
Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

•▪•▪•▪•▪•

So here's what I want to encourage you to think about today:

1 - Who are you imitating?
I don't know if you realize this but our life, in itself, is a ministry to others...people are watching us whether we see them or not.

What are you showing others about Jesus in the way that you talk? In the way you serve? In the interactions you have with others?

2 - Are you staying in YOUR lane? Running YOUR race? Finishing YOUR course?

Look, y'all - I get it.
The comparison trap is real.
I think especially so for us women, right?!

Here's the deal -
I am inspired by athletes and those who find enjoyment in exercise...but it doesn't make me want to get out and start training for a marathon or let me keep it real, join a gym 😂...because that's not "my lane."

I love learning from those more experienced than me, whether it be at work, small group, family, friends...but it doesn't take away from what I'm able to share with them...because I know what "lane" I'm rolling through.

I admire public speakers and those who are at ease in front of large crowds...but it doesn't take away from what I'm able to accomplish in smaller group settings or having one on one conversations...because I know the course God has ME on.

I appreciate those who are able to reach others in ways I may not, who can connect via past experiences that they have in common...and know that comes from the course God has chosen for them.

I am encouraged by those who imitate Christ and if there's anyone I want to be like, it would be those shining lights!

Let's work on staying in our lanes and running our best race and finishing the course God has prepared for us...it's going to be a unique path for each of us and that's what's so exciting about us doing life together!

As we stand shoulder to shoulder, He is going to bring others onto our "course" who will need our direction from time to time!

Imitate Christ!
May we stay strong on our course while setting the example for others so that they may get back on track on theirs!

💛
Jenny

#shouldertoshoulder #imitatechrist #stayinyourlane #runyourrace #finishyourcourse

V Formation

Have you ever taken notice of geese flying? They fly in a V!! And it's truly amazing why!!

What I learned when looking into this is that  scientists have determined that the V-shaped formation that geese use when migrating does, in fact, have two purposes:

First, it conserves their energy. Each bird flies slightly above the bird in front of him, resulting in a reduction of wind resistance. The birds take turns being in the front, falling back when they get tired. In this way, the geese can fly for a long time before they must stop for rest. It has been noted that those that fly alone beat their wings more frequently and have higher heart rates than those that fly in formation. Those that fly in formation glide more often.

The second benefit to the V formation is that it is easy to keep track of every bird in the group. Flying in formation may assist with the communication and coordination within the group. I found it interesting that fighter pilots often use this formation for the same reason.

Oh, friends!
What a lesson we can learn from these birds!

The birds take turns being in the front.
Did you catch that?!
Not one is consistently the leader.

I just love this idea that these birds are confident enough to know that when they need a rest, they can step back into formation, into the comfort of their fellow birds, and allow them to continue to "glide" as they take time to rest.

And the communication aspect...keeping track of everyone in the group...
Wow!!
I mean, just think about how far birds travel and how much "talking" takes place as they do so.

Sometimes our journey may seem long and overwhelming,  but I feel confident that if we are surrounding ourselves with those who are for us, have a "team" of friends who will not only allow us to lead when needed, but slip back and just glide while we catch our breath, we will find ourselves reaching our destination!

Jesus is ultimately our true leader, yes!
However, look around you!!! He has placed significant people in your life for a reason!!!
Gather your flock and communicate!
Learn to lead and learn to recognize when you need rest and allow another to help navigate and push through the wind for a while!

I don't know about you, but today I'm just thankful for my "V" team.
I'm thankful that God has surrounded me with women I can trust, that I can lead, but also those I can follow!

If you are finding you need that today, please reach out to one of us...we would love to help you on your journey!

Happy Friday, Friends!!

💛
Jenny

#shouldertoshoulder #wearebettertogether #vformation

Be like the Ocean

In case you didn't know this about me...I LOVE the beach!

Especially in the summer time! Because if you do know me, you know I don't "do" cold! ;)

I love going with my family, with my friends,  and even by myself...give me some sunscreen and a book and I'm good to go!

I do love all aspects of "being at the beach" - there is nothing quite like the sounds; the constant cadence of the waves, the seagulls, the children's laughter. The smells; the salty air mixed with sunscreen...maybe a bonfire in the evenings. Let's not forget about the feel of the sand under your feet or the sun radiating its warmth. And maybe it's me, but doesn't food just taste better at the beach? Come on now, I have been known to tear up a cold cut as I stare out at the ocean. Which brings me to everything we see at the beach, but it's the water that always draws me to a deeper place.

And here's the funny thing...I'm not much of an "ocean swimmer," rather a "bring my chair to the waters edge and let the water gently come to my feet" kind of girl!

But...isn't there just something about the ocean water?

It mesmerizes me.
I could stare at it all day.
It's where I can think my best, where my thoughts come together...where I can hope and dream and pray.

There's something about the water.
That is for sure!

And I want to encourage you to be like the ocean's water...think about it.

• breathtaking to look at while understanding true beauty comes from within. Have you ever noticed when the ocean sparkles...it's when the sun shines on it! Allow the Son to shine on you!

• strong enough to not be destroyed and yet gentle enough that others find comfort in your presence.

• faithful - just as the waves continue to come to shore day in and out, without fail...continue to come to Jesus.

• diverse - the ocean is HUGE and divided into several parts and each part has its own characteristics.  Yet each living being learns to adapt to an environment they find comfort in.  Get in where you fit in, friends! You may stand out at first, but give yourself time to adapt. Don't be afraid of diversity!

• melodic - as I mentioned the consistency of the sounds of the waves crashing to the shore that becomes a soothing balm...choose your words, your voice to be the same.

• salty - BUT in a good way! Salt is often used to help cleanse and heal. Be that for others!

Listen to what we read in Genesis 1:9 -10 ... And God said, "Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let the dry ground appear."  And it was so.  God called the dry ground "land," and the gathered waters he called "seas."  And God saw that it was good.

Oh, Friends!!
I can't wait to get to heaven and tell God it was so much more than "good!"

Take time to take in all the "good" God has created for YOU! And let's enjoy a beach day together this summer! ☀️

💛
Jenny

#shouldertoshoulder #beliketheocean #butnottoosalty

You Have Potential

Rounding out the week with God's truth!

And a reminder that we ARE better together!!!

Happy Friday, Friends!☀️

This is your reminder that YOU have potential and you need to know it! God has created us each unique with various gifts and talents and it's when we come together as one that we are at our best!

Let's take a look at scripture:

1 Corinthians 12 (MSG)

What I want to talk about now is the various ways God’s Spirit gets worked into our lives. This is complex and often misunderstood, but I want you to be informed and knowledgeable. Remember how you were when you didn’t know God, led from one phony god to another, never knowing what you were doing, just doing it because everybody else did it? It’s different in this life. God wants us to use our intelligence, to seek to understand as well as we can. For instance, by using your heads, you know perfectly well that the Spirit of God would never prompt anyone to say “Jesus be damned!” Nor would anyone be inclined to say “Jesus is Master!” without the insight of the Holy Spirit.

God’s various gifts are handed out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various ministries are carried out everywhere; but they all originate in God’s Spirit. God’s various expressions of power are in action everywhere; but God himself is behind it all. Each person is given something to do that shows who God is: Everyone gets in on it, everyone benefits. All kinds of things are handed out by the Spirit, and to all kinds of people! The variety is wonderful:

wise counsel

clear understanding

simple trust

healing the sick

miraculous acts

proclamation

distinguishing between spirits

tongues

interpretation of tongues.

All these gifts have a common origin, but are handed out one by one by the one Spirit of God. He decides who gets what, and when.

You can easily enough see how this kind of thing works by looking no further than your own body. Your body has many parts—limbs, organs, cells—but no matter how many parts you can name, you’re still one body. It’s exactly the same with Christ. By means of his one Spirit, we all said good-bye to our partial and piecemeal lives. We each used to independently call our own shots, but then we entered into a large and integrated life in which he has the final say in everything. (This is what we proclaimed in word and action when we were baptized.) Each of us is now a part of his resurrection body, refreshed and sustained at one fountain—his Spirit—where we all come to drink. The old labels we once used to identify ourselves—labels like Jew or Greek, slave or free—are no longer useful. We need something larger, more comprehensive.

I want you to think about how all this makes you more significant, not less. A body isn’t just a single part blown up into something huge. It’s all the different-but-similar parts arranged and functioning together. If Foot said, “I’m not elegant like Hand, embellished with rings; I guess I don’t belong to this body,” would that make it so? If Ear said, “I’m not beautiful like Eye, limpid and expressive; I don’t deserve a place on the head,” would you want to remove it from the body? If the body was all eye, how could it hear? If all ear, how could it smell? As it is, we see that God has carefully placed each part of the body right where he wanted it.

But I also want you to think about how this keeps your significance from getting blown up into self-importance. For no matter how significant you are, it is only because of what you are a part of. An enormous eye or a gigantic hand wouldn’t be a body, but a monster. What we have is one body with many parts, each its proper size and in its proper place. No part is important on its own. Can you imagine Eye telling Hand, “Get lost; I don’t need you”? Or, Head telling Foot, “You’re fired; your job has been phased out”? As a matter of fact, in practice it works the other way—the “lower” the part, the more basic, and therefore necessary. You can live without an eye, for instance, but not without a stomach. When it’s a part of your own body you are concerned with, it makes no difference whether the part is visible or clothed, higher or lower. You give it dignity and honor just as it is, without comparisons. If anything, you have more concern for the lower parts than the higher. If you had to choose, wouldn’t you prefer good digestion to full-bodied hair?

The way God designed our bodies is a model for understanding our lives together as a church: every part dependent on every other part, the parts we mention and the parts we don’t, the parts we see and the parts we don’t. If one part hurts, every other part is involved in the hurt, and in the healing. If one part flourishes, every other part enters into the exuberance.

You are Christ’s body—that’s who you are! You must never forget this. Only as you accept your part of that body does your “part” mean anything. You’re familiar with some of the parts that God has formed in his church, which is his “body”:

apostles

prophets

teachers

miracle workers

healers

helpers

organizers

those who pray in tongues.

But it’s obvious by now, isn’t it, that Christ’s church is a complete Body and not a gigantic, unidimensional Part? It’s not all Apostle, not all Prophet, not all Miracle Worker, not all Healer, not all Prayer in Tongues, not all Interpreter of Tongues. And yet some of you keep competing for so-called “important” parts.

But now I want to lay out a far better way for you.

▪▪▪

That's a real good word!!

And what we need to read, and re-read, when we find our selves doubting what God has called us to do, wondering how we can use these gifts and talents He has given us!

It's easy to "see" what others have and if we're keeping it real, it can be intimidating to watch others, especially women, walking confidently in their calling, their gifting. 

But like Jess mentioned the other day, that's just when we have to dig a little deeper and keep it real with God and ask Him to help us grow into our gifts, our calling, WHILE also using it in alignment with our sisters in Christ!

And as Sara reminded us earlier this week, this is when it's extremely important to make sure we have the right people in the room with us! The ones encouraging us to grow into our gifts, our calling, and not deterring us...we need the ones bringing us closer to Jesus!

Oh, friends!

God wants to use each one of us to further His kingdom!

We can't do it alone!

Even scripture reminds us that no matter how significant you are, it is only because of what you are a part of. 

Let's be woman who are not intimated by each other but rather recognize our potential as well as the potential of others. 

Let's be women who stop doubting how God will use us, and know that He will!

💛

Jenny

#shouldertoshoulder #wearebettertogether #youhavepotential #useyourgifts