Setting the Example

About a month ago this was my personal post on social media:

As I have scrolled through social media today, I have seen post after post with pictures and/or quotes of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Myself included.

And don't get me wrong, I love it.
But what happens the next 364 days?

Do his words still resonate with you?
Does the dream still feel reachable?

Let me encourage you today...yes, let's quote Dr. King today, but may we also determine in our hearts that we want to see the change he so bravely fought for and do our part to make it happen!

Let us not reduce his dream to a once a year post on social media.
But rather choose to show love.
Every day.
To speak out.
To build bridges.
To seek justice. Justice for all. Not just those you are comfortable with.
To not turn our eyes and ears away from what has become passive.
But rather turn our eyes and ears to Jesus...and the words and direction he provided us that Dr. King would later emphasize.

We need to be emphasizing His words and direction!!

As mentioned in the video I shared earlier, "I may not look like Dr. King, but I believe like Dr King."

And though I have a small voice and small platform, I will continue to show, in as many ways that I can, that we ARE Better Together!

I am currently reading Letters To Birmingham Jail: A Response To The Words And Dreams Of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It's a collection of essays written by men of various ethnicities and ages and addresses the passivity of the issues that were close to Dr. King's heart.

As I am just into the first essay, I cannot speak to what I am taking in just yet, but I do know this:

Jenny Harsin wants to be known for what she stood for, not against. Friends, so often we look for what we want to see and listen for what we want to hear that I fear we are missing what is happening right in front of us.

May our eyes and ears be open to the injustices within our own communities and may we be brave enough to stand up for what is right.

Dr. King is quoted saying, "In the end, we will not remember the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."

Sheeeww....So. Much. Truth.

I am going to continuously choose love.
And love like Jesus does...without deciding for myself whether or not a person is worthy.

What are you doing today to be remembered for tomorrow?

So, I want to ask, in the midst of a week yet again filled with senseless tragedy - what are we doing to make a better tomorrow?

As I was listening to my 9 year old daughter and her best friend play this afternoon, I am reminded that we have to do our part to make their future better.  

And even more so, we need to continue to set the example for them.

I've shared this photo before, but want to share it again - it will always be my favorite of them.

These girls really are the best of friends.  

They really act more like sisters.

Why?

Because they love each other.  They spend time together.  They bring out the best (and sometimes worst) in each other.

I have SO many pictures of them TOGETHER!  Added bonus is that we only live a few houses from each other so they are together a lot, and they have learned that I am "THAT" mom and will always want a photo...but it's more than that.

As I watch and listen to them play it really just makes my heart happy.

I believe as parents, we get a lot wrong sometimes, but I can honestly say - we're getting this right.  

I love that their family is "our family," too.  And I can say, with confidence, her family feels the same way. 

Can I pinpoint when this happened? No.

I truly believe that it's because we both are setting the example to LOVE!  And love with no boundaries.

These girls are going to be world changers, I do believe!

This past fall, our families served together at our church's Trunk or Treat - that's right, they "served" together.  They did go through and grab a bag of candy, I mean, you're only little once, right?!  But we reiterated the importance of giving back to the community we live in.  To show LOVE!

It was cold, y'all!  But they stuck it out with us!

This Saturday, we'll be serving together with Adopt-A-Block!

I don't know what the answer is to much of what is going on anymore.

I do have hope though.

I look at these strong girls we are raising and know that this is our future.  

And if we can set the example for them, in all things, maybe we will start to see a change.  

One of the examples we are setting for our girls is our relationship with Jesus.  

In fact, as I was sitting down to post tonight, I was asked what I was going to write about and when I said, what do you think I should write about, the first answers that came were, "How about how much you love us and how much you love Jesus."

If we can get this right, friends, I truly believe that we will start to see change.

Jesus LOVED.

While He was on this Earth, He LOVED!

I mean it's as simple as that.

He didn't argue with people who believed different than him, He LOVED.

He didn't tell others they were unworthy, He LOVED.

He didn't talk about people behind their back, He LOVED.

He called people out, but used grace.

He was a teacher and if you read his stories you will find he taught in LOVE.

It didn't matter if you were the sinner or the saint.

He LOVED.

Don't you think it's possible for us to do the same?

I do!!

When is the last time you invited someone different from you to eat at your table at lunch, much less invite them into your home?

When is the last time you reached out and helped someone in need just because?

When is the last time you stepped out of your comfort zone because you are ready to see change?

Let's not just post about having a dream of a better world one day...let's make it happen!

We are better together and we need to start the ripple effect!

xox,

Jenny

Love In Any Language

Ok, friends...I know I've mentioned before about the Adopt-A-Block ministry that is led by our church, Emmanuel Wesleyan Church.  And I shared on Saturday a little from my personal experience on our Facebook page.  But I still feel this stirring in my soul and felt it deserved a blog post.  So if some of this sounds redundant, I am apologizing up front! :)

The Adopt-a-Block ministry is where we go into an area of our city that needs love and we show it.  
It's really that simple. 
The motto is, "Find a need and fill it.  Find a hurt and heal it."  

Yes, this is a church ministry.
No, there are no strings attached.
In fact, the only time you hear 'Emmanuel Wesleyan Church' is when we're knocking on the door, identifying ourselves to let them know who is there.  
It's truly just about serving our community and showing and sharing love.

We mostly give food.  And food that is primarily donated from the Maryland Food Bank.
This past Saturday we were also able to give toothbrushes and toiletries.
At Thanksgiving time, other organizations join with us and we're able to provide a "traditional" box of all things Thanksgiving including a fresh turkey!
At Christmas, we help provide gifts for the children.
We help with needed items such as clothes, school supplies, and furniture.
It's truly about helping to meet basic needs.

There is laughter and some time tears.
There are hugs!
There is prayer if the need arises.  In fact, just this week, we stopped and prayed for a policeman who was patrolling the area we were in as well as the mailman out on his walking delivery route, and a few of the tenants. 

To be totally transparent, the few times I've been able to actually help with the food delivery, I find myself praying and observing the others throughout the walk around the blocks.
Why?
Because I truly believe change begins with us!!!  And I have a dream of seeing our city united!  And I believe it starts with us, but more so - our churches.  And churches willing to not just discuss what is wrong and what "should" be done, but churches that actually get out there and do the work, build the relationships.  With no strings attached.
That is what this ministry is doing.  It is truly showing love in a tangible way.  We have this team of people who are dedicating hours on Saturday mornings to reach out to a community that is, for the most part, not the "norm."  It's the sections of our city that most people avoid.

As we started back this week I found it so fitting that as I got in my vehicle the words that were streaming though my radio were, "Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders, let me walk upon the waters, wherever You would call me..."
This was after all the food had been packed up, teams were set and ready to go, and Pastor Mark Thompson had shared with everyone a reminder about what the purpose of this ministry is and we had joined in a huge circle for prayer before heading out for the morning on our routes!

Friends!!  Let me encourage you today to look right in your city to see how you can help make a difference.  How YOU can show LOVE!  You don't always need to go across the continent, sometimes, you just need to open your eyes to the people and situations right around you!

I hesitated before taking any photos this past week because I feel like mission work...serving God... has become about the photos - because if we don't have the photos - did we even do it?  
HOWEVER, I had such a memorable moment that I thought, no - you know what?!  I want social media to see that GREAT things are happening locally and I truly believe greater things are yet to come!

We are so much BETTER TOGETHER!!!

Keeping it real moment - this precious girl and the interaction my team had with her family was a reminder for me that love has no language...it is universal.

This little 3 year old and I played as some of my teammates were providing education for her mom; along with a few other younger gals on my team we simply played ball and tag.  The laughter that came from her little self just filled my soul.

You see, her family just recently moved from out of the country and speak and understand no English.  At all.  They are fluent in Portuguese.  While my teammates were using Google translator to communicate with the mom, we played.  Simple as that.  Nothing extravagant, no fancy toys, just a squishy ball she had laying in the backyard.  The mom was able to "talk" with our teammates and they were able to set up time to come back with an interpreter to see how we can come alongside and help her family.  We probably spent a total of less than 10 minutes with them and as we were leaving we were hugging on them and saying Thank You, hoping they understood what we were implying, and that sweet girl waved and smiled so big and said, clearly, Thank You!

She may not have understood a word we said the entire time we were there, but I can guarantee she felt the love.  
Love, in any language, is universal.

So I opened my arms and she ran back.  
And I did; I grabbed a quick photo because I want social media to see there are needs right here, too.  That we have people living in poverty here, too.  That there are people, right here in our community, that need to be shown love, unconditional love.

Not that we shouldn't be going to other areas in our world, but more so of getting it right, right here where we live first.

And then start the ripple effect outwards.  

We were able to connect with that precious family who didn't understand much, if any, of what we were physically speaking to them, but they understood we were there in love, and it was truly a God moment.

Friends, yes - we were in the not so good section of our city, but we showed up.

With food.  With resources to help.  And most importantly, with love.  

And that is what it's about - pouring out and loving on the people right in our community.  

My heart is still full and that is just one of the amazing things that happened that morning.
I also made two friends!  Friends I am so excited to serve alongside again next week.  

I have a shirt my hubby recently gave me that says, THE LAMPS ARE DIFFERENT BUT THE LIGHT IS THE SAME!

And as I looked around at the circle I was a part of - holding hands, united, standing shoulder to shoulder - it is so very true.

We are ALL so different.
Different ages.
Different sizes.
Different colors.
Different educations.
Different backgrounds.
Even representing different churches.

But the LIGHT inside of us is the same!  
And, on a gloomy, dreary Saturday morning, I can tell you - the LIGHT was shining bright!

I want to encourage those of you who live locally to join me next Saturday!!!

And I want to introduce you to Pastor Mark Thompson and his lovely wife, Felicia:

I simply love them.
And once you get to know them, I think you'll find yourself loving them, too.
They are the driving force behind this ministry and have formed a team, that's still growing, that have the same mindset of reaching out and serving and loving our local community.  

I wanted to share a follow up email we received today from Pastor Mark in response to Saturday to reinforce what a difference this ministry is making in one small area of our city:

I want to give a great big THANK YOU hug to everyone that came out on this past Saturday for our opening Adopt-A-Block for 2018!

This was another incredible God filled day.  Because you came out in good numbers, we are able to expand to add more blocks we serve. 

In fact, during this past Saturday, we meet a family who moved here from Portugal. This single mom had three little children who needed to be enrolled in school.  God sent the supervisor from the Wicomico County Judy Center with us and they made contact with this family, now these children can start a formal education!!  

Also, we went to a house of a family who had moved into the are last month, but during this entire time they 
have been sleeping on the floor (children are in Pre-K, Kindergarten and 1st grade.  I was able to give them more food today and let the mother find more clothes and blankets in our "Clothes Closet" in the Miracle Building.  We will be delivering a bed to her on Saturday. ( If you have or know of someone giving away a kitchen table and chairs, please let me know).
  
This is our mission for Adopt-A-Block, Find a Need, Fill It...Find a Hurt, Heal It!!  

Thanks to each of you, we are able to turn our Mission into Motion!
You will be able to see our pictures on Sunday at our Adopt-A-Block table.

God bless and get ready for Saturday, February 24, 2018 at 8:30am 

Pastor Mark Thompson 

I may be a tiny person, but I have big dreams!
And I truly believe that it is through the hearts of people that I joined with on Saturday, that recognize that we are better together, that is going to help those dreams come to life!  
That it's not about the color of our skin, what kind of car we drive, our jobs, how "good" our kids are - it's simply about showing love that has so freely been given to us!

Great things are happening.
Greater things are yet to come!

xoxo,

Jenny