When Your Role Changes - by @emilylaney

 

fromcollettewithlove (creative commons)

It took about two and a half weeks for me to get my ‘feelings hurt’ for the first time in 2014. Just two and a half weeks, pretty sad, but true. It was one of those moments that makes you flash back to that one time in fifth grade where you’re picked last for kickball, or that awkward 8^th grade dance where  you seem to be the only one without a date. Anyone with me? Remember those moments? I really thought we’d outgrow them but they just take different forms in adulthood.  

I’ll explain the situation a little bit so you can get an idea of where I’m coming from but not to the point where I’m gossiping about a situation in hopes of making myself feel good. I am involved in a ministry where I get to have a leadership role. I love my role in this ministry and am always eager to serve. Well, two and a half weeks into 2014 I was at this ministry position and learned at the last minute that I didn’t get to do my ‘role’. I wasn’t sure if I was forgotten or deliberately left off the list, but I felt embarrassed and just plain bad about myself. Have you ever had one of those moments?  

I put on my happy face, blinked back tears and went about my day, but I struggled with my attitude and my own feelings of insecurity. Why wasn’t I good enough? Did I make my leader mad? Have they been talking about me? Am I failure? 

But before I really went full force into wallowing, I heard the still small voice of the Lord remind me of His truth. “Child, you belong to me. I have placed you here for a reason. All things work for the good of those who are love me and are called according to my purpose (Rom 8:28). Before you were in the womb I knew you and set you apart. (Jer 1:5). And you are my precious child. (1 John 3:2, Rom 8:17) (NOTE- scripture quotes are paraphrased in this paragraph) 

I am so thankful for the word of God and the way that the Lord communicates his truth to us. I rested in his truth and actually ended up having an incredible conversation about the Lord with a woman who was not part of this ministry. I realized after our conversation that she and I were supposed to talk that day. And if I had been busy doing the role I thought I ‘deserved’ I probably wouldn’t have been able to talk to her. I probably wouldn’t have even noticed her.  

 

God has orchestrated your steps for this New Year. Even during situations that are painful or don't make sense, He’s got a plan laid out for you. Even when we can’t see the path in front of us, it’s there and he’s guiding us. When your ‘role’ changes in a relationship, job or ministry, actively seek out God’s voice. Cling to the truth of scripture and seize the moments that God places in front of you. My experience a couple weeks ago was frustrating and disappointing, but in hindsight I can clearly see what God was up to. My prayer for myself is that I can trust God from the beginning that He knows what he’s doing. I’ll pray that for you too.

 

 

Emily Laney is a social worker, educator and justice seeker. She has worked with vulnerable populations in the United States and abroad and loves to help startup nonprofits reach their goals. She is a Passion City Church door holder and leads a team of abolitionists at Not for Sale Georgia.  She loves her husband Brent and their rescue pup Biscuit. Sunsets and Sushi make her happy. 

You can connect with Emily on twitter @emilylaney or on her blog www.emilylaney.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Living on Purpose in the New Year - by @emilylaney

Sally Mahoney (creative commons)

 

 

Happy New Year and happy January Church4Chicks friends! I hope you had a wonderful holiday season.  

I love the start of a new year. Out with the old, in with the new. January is an opportunity to start fresh and jump into new adventures for a new year. But January is also a pretty polarizing month full of conflicting emotions as well. For some of you, the cold weather and credit card bill from Christmas are really stressful. Some of you may still not be able to shake the struggles of 2013. Others may have experienced a rough start to the new year, we’re only a few days in but maybe you’re ready for a ‘do over’.  

January can also be a month where we put unnecessary pressure on ourselves. Maybe you looked back at your goals for 2013 and didn’t feel like you accomplished much. I had 13 goals in 2013 and only fully accomplished 8 of them. There were a few that I didn’t accomplish because of my own lack of discipline, so there was temptation to beat myself up about my lack of progress. But our motto at Church4Chicks is Purpose…without the pressure. We need to live on purpose for the Lord but we have got to take the pressure off ourselves.  

I thought about a few ‘resolutions’ we can all make for the new year to help us live on purpose without the pressure. Here are things I’m going to practice in my life this year:  

1. Celebrate your victories – this one is huge. Maybe your goal was to lose 20 pounds but you only lost 10. Maybe you wanted to read 20 books last year and you only got 15 finished. Yeah, you were a little short of the goal. But you know what? You took steps towards accomplishing your goal. Celebrate the fact that you got closer to where you want to be. Don’t beat yourself up over small shortcomings. Stand up tall, smile, and move forward.  

2. Build others up – Jealousy, insecurities and hurt feelings can lead us to tear others down in order to build ourselves up. We women can be mean to each other sometimes! I’m striving to put aside much of my own self promotion and try to build others up.  

3. Cultivate your passion – God gifted you in unique ways and He instilled unique passion in your heart. Find what you are passionate about and cultivate it. Don’t apologize for it. I spent several years in stagnation because I felt like no one cared about my passion for social justice. But when I stopped worrying about what others thought I became alive as I cultivated my passion for justice. Living on purpose without the pressure requires you to find your passion and pursue it for God’s glory.  

4. Engage in a Community – It can be so easy to live life virtually now with little face to face interaction. It’s also easy to keep friends and family at arms length. But community brings rich accountability and meaningful relationships. Enter into real community with others this year.  

5. Spend time resting – Spend time in prayer, meditate on God’s word, rest in His grace. We all need time to refuel. My childhood pastor once said “Sometimes when you want to give up, all you need is a nap!” Isn’t that the truth? Take time to relax and don’t feel pressured to be the energizer bunny.  And spend some time resting in God’s presence and in His word.  

You are so precious and valued my sister. Take this new year as an opportunity to live in the moment and allow God to use you in amazing ways.  

 

I’d love to hear any goals you have for 2014. Share in the comments below.

 

Emily Laney is a social worker, educator and justice seeker. She has worked with vulnerable populations in the United States and abroad and loves to help startup nonprofits reach their goals. She is a Passion City Church door holder and leads a team of abolitionists at Not for Sale Georgia.  She loves her husband Brent and their rescue pup Biscuit. Sunsets and Sushi make her happy. 

You can connect with Emily on twitter @emilylaney or on her blog www.emilylaney.com

 

 

 

 

Sit and Remember by-@emilylaney

Nativity Images

Sit and Remember

 

Christmas is almost here. The day we commemorate and remember the coming of our Lord is just a couple short days away. It’s impossible to miss it around here. Music, decorations, ads for last minute sales, presents, parties, and busyness- just a few words to describe the American Christmas experience. We spend quality time with family and the people we care about. We buy gifts for people we love. There’s baking, entertaining, caroling, and a myriad of traditions. It’s a beautiful time of year, but it’s also a hectic time of year.  

Your to-do list may be a mile long today, but I want to challenge you to do something with me. Take a few minutes today, two days before Christmas, to be still and remember. Think about this time years ago. Think about what Mary must have felt as she and Joseph travelled to Bethlehem. Think about that holy night, when a tiny baby came into the world.  

Think about what Christmas means for the Christian. Jesus came, he lived, he died. He was born in a dirty stable. He wasn’t ‘too good’ for anything. He came as a servant to save us. Just sit in that for a few minutes today. 

Read the scriptures that foretold the coming of his birth. Read the account of his coming:  

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.” – Isaiah 9:6-7 

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David.  He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.  While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,  and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.  And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.  An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.  But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.  This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."  Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying,  "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."  When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about."  So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger.  When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child,  and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.  But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.  The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told.- Luke 2:2-20

 

Sit and remember my friends. For a few moments, forget about the presents, the to-do list, the baking, and the entertaining. Sit and think about HIM. Think about our Jesus, the savior, the spotless lamb. There is so much beauty in His coming and in the events we commemorate at Christmas.  

Merry Christmas! Jesus has come! Rejoice!


Emily Laney is a social worker, educator and justice seeker. She has worked with vulnerable populations in the United States and abroad and loves to help startup nonprofits reach their goals. She is a Passion City Church door holder and leads a team of abolitionists at Not for Sale Georgia.  She loves her husband Brent and their rescue pup Biscuit. Sunsets and Sushi make her happy. 

You can connect with Emily on twitter @emilylaney or on her blog www.emilylaney.com

 

 

 

Grace in the Waiting by - @emilylaney

John-Morgan (creative commons)

 

Grace in the Waiting

 

I love the Advent season. It’s such a beautiful time of reflection as we remember the coming of Jesus two thousand years ago.  I love to remember the birth of Jesus. I love to think about that night so long ago. It probably wasn’t nearly as shiny and pretty as our nativity scenes. It probably wasn’t very silent, but it was perfect. It was the perfect picture of grace.  

Advent is also about waiting. It’s a few weeks of observing that period of anticipation of the coming of Jesus. Jesus came as a baby, and he’s coming again soon. He completed the story that God crafted from the beginning of time. The Christmas season, the season of Advent, is a beautiful time to remember and to wait.  

Anticipation and waiting are truly part of the Christian journey. We wait for the completion of God’s promises. We wait for God to come through and show us why we went through our trials. We wait for our trials to end. We wait on good or bad news, jobs, spouses, and children. We have desires in our hearts but sometimes life seems like it’s mostly times of waiting. And many of those seasons of waiting can also be categorized as trials or storms. We may feel like we are alone in the storm, wondering if God has turned his back on us or has fallen asleep (See Mark 4:35-41). But as my pastor Louie said this morning:  

“Life is full of storms, but storms are full of Jesus.” 

Advent is a time of anticipation and waiting, but this season can also bring pain as we wait for times of peace or remember loved ones who are no longer with us. Or maybe money is tight and you don’t know how to explain to the kids about the lack of presents this year. Maybe you are far from home and feel alone. Maybe you’re struggling with a diagnosis or a deep loss. Just remember that in this season, there is grace. There’s grace in the waiting. God has given so much grace to us and loves YOU so very deeply. He is there in the storm, and he’s there in the quiet season of waiting.  

“But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.” – 2 Cor 12:9 

Rest in the grace of God this season. Take quiet pauses to remember the coming of our Lord. And if you are going through a storm this season, remember that Jesus is right there with you. The tiny baby in a manger that we will celebrate in a couple short weeks is the creator of the universe, died for you, and is now walking this journey with you.  

(Author’s Note: This post was inspired by a recent talk by Louie Giglio, pastor of Passion City Church. A video of his message can be found at www.passioncitychurch.com)

 

 

Emily Laney is a social worker, educator and justice seeker. She has worked with vulnerable populations in the United States and abroad and loves to help startup nonprofits reach their goals. She is a Passion City Church door holder and leads a team of abolitionists at Not for Sale Georgia.  She loves her husband Brent and their rescue pup Biscuit. Sunsets and Sushi make her happy. 

You can connect with Emily on twitter @emilylaney or on her blog www.emilylaney.com

 

 

 

 

"The Quiet Place" by Emily Laney

Photo by Creative Commons

We are entering a very exciting and very busy season in our society - the “Holiday Season”.  Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, New Years, etc. are many occasions to celebrate, eat, and go, go, go, but for many of us, this time of year, while joyous and fun, also brings a whole lot of this little, but yet big, word:  Stress.

Sometimes I feel that I attract stress like a magnet. Today was just crazy, and now it’s just before midnight while I write this post.  I’m headed out of town tomorrow for work but haven’t packed yet.  I feel so thankful in where God has me right now, but while my cup runs over with blessings, my plate is also completely full.  With the holidays coming up, all I can think about are the deadlines looming and how my husband and I will juggle the social gatherings we have to attend.

There are many things in play here that result in stress, but I don’t want to get into a lengthy discussion about boundaries, saying no, and over commitment. Those are certainly aspects of my life that I need to work on.  I imagine I’m not the only one.  I could also talk about society, how we’ve created a culture that is completely nonstop.  It’s a culture that applauds the woman who can ‘do it all’ while still looking perfect 24/7.  I feel like we have conversations about society and boundaries a good bit.  We know the deep cultural ideals that lead to stress being our norm, and we know that healthy boundaries can decrease our stress.

What we don’t talk about very often is this term in my profession (social work) that we call “self care”.  Self care is essentially what it sounds like, taking care of yourself.  It’s taking time to relax, unwind, and refuel.  It’s something that we all should do, but very few of us consciously take the time to practice.  It’s practical, simple, and even Biblical.

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. – Mark 1:35

He that dwells in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. – Psalm 91:1

By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing, so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. – Gen 2:2

God rested, Jesus went away to a quiet place, and if we dwell in the secret place, we will be under the shadow of God.  These are just a few verses that come to mind when I think about “self care”.  Many of us bustle around like Martha when we should be resting at the feet of Jesus like Mary (see Luke 10:38-42).  We think that we are supposed to be busy, busy, busy, which usually means we are also stressed, stressed, stressed. When I am constantly on the go, I can miss out on ministry opportunities and just miss out on the simple beauties of our world.  I know God didn’t intend for us to live in that way.

My sweet sisters, take some time each day to go to your "quiet place".  Even if it’s only for 15 minutes and you have to sneak away, find things that help you relax and do them.  Take time to read your Bible and pray, but don’t put pressure on yourself to do your devotional a certain way.  Just sit in the presence of God.  Take deep breaths and visualize your stress going away. Go on a walk outside and breathe fresh air.  Do a favorite hobby just for the fun of it.  For a few minutes each day, take care of you.  God cherishes you greatly and loves you so much.  He doesn’t want you to stress yourself out to burnout.  You were worth Him sending His son, and He wants you to be healthy and resting in his presence.

Photo caption:  Stress balls may work for a short period of time, but self care and resting in God’s presence are better bets. 

 

Emily Laney is a social worker, educator and justice seeker.  She has worked with vulnerable populations in the United States and abroad and loves to help startup nonprofits reach their goals.  She is a Passion City Church door holder and leads a team of abolitionists at Not for Sale Georgia.  She loves her husband Brent and their rescue pup Biscuit.  Sunsets and Sushi make her happy. 

You can connect with Emily on twitter @emilylaney or on her blog www.emilylaney.com

Enjoy this video of "Rest" by Kari Jobe

Kari Jobe - Here (Official Acoustic Video) from kari-jobe on GodTube.

970 Square Feet - by @emilylaney

Photo by Daggerquill (creative commons)

 My generation is growing up.  We’re buying houses, starting families, and furthering our careers in our grown up jobs.  It’s scary and exciting at the same time.  There are so many new developments, new challenges, and wonderful changes that come along with young adulthood.  Most of our friends are experiencing these changes.  They’re having children, embarking on new adventures, and adding stability to their lives.  It’s wonderful to see, but with these exciting developments and new experiences, I’ve found a risk that seems to rear it’s ugly head on occasion:

The risk of comparison.

It’s very easy for me to fixate on where I am in life, and to compare it to where others are.  I’ll use homes as an example.  Our little apartment in Sandy Springs is 970 square feet, and most of the time I love it.  I love that there is no more room for anything - No more furniture, no more clothes, no more random decorative things I don’t need.  If I buy more clothes, I need to get rid of clothes.  If I buy new books, I need to get rid of books.  It’s a fantastic sense of equilibrium.  It’s not terribly grown up apartment either.  Unframed paintings from Haiti and the Dominican Republic adorn our ‘dining room’.  The cheap apartment carpet is horribly stained (we have a dog, and there’s nothing I can do about it).  We have a three-foot wooden camel and a six-foot wooden giraffe. There is also a three-foot giraffe in the bedroom.  Their names are Bill, Kajo, and Keji.  Empty beverage bottles, knick-knacks,  and collector Starbucks mugs haphazardly add dimension above our 1980′s era kitchen cabinets, and my linen closet is a 20-dollar shelf from Target.  I’m not a terribly fancy person with fabulous taste, so I’ll probably always have my wooden animals and paintings that I bought off the side of the road in developing countries.

Even though I love our apartment and where we are, in my seasons of doubt I have found myself wondering what others think about our small simple space.  I have sneaked into comparison-land, thinking that maybe I’m not as ‘good’ as others.  We have friends who have big beautiful houses with gorgeous decor and updated features.  About 99% of the time I feel no iota of insecurity or comparison, but every once in awhile, I allow myself to slip into that pattern.  Am I good enough?  What do people think?  Should I do things differently to get approval?

Ultimately life is about embracing who you are and who God made you to be.  It’s okay if it doesn’t include cherry cabinets and immaculately decorated homes; it’s okay if it DOES include that.  Maybe your ‘thing’ isn’t a house.  Maybe it’s relationship status.  Maybe it’s where you are vocationally.  Ultimately, we have to stop comparing ourselves to others.  

You are where you are for a reason.  Whether you are 22 and buying your first house or 45 and living in a one bedroom apartment, we all need to embrace where we are.  Whether your career is going perfectly and you’re climbing the ladder to your dream job, or if you’ve just been laid off and have no idea what’s next, trust that God is leading you and that HE is your identity.

Comparison causes us to be envious and to take our eyes off of what God has for us, and where we are going next.  It’s a great way to completely derail yourself from the amazing path you’re on.  I’m choosing to be content in my 970 square feet, embracing where we are, striving to be a good neighbor, and practicing Biblical hospitality the best I can.  By focusing on the here and now, I can leverage the amazing place God has me for HIS glory.

What do you focus on?  
How have you compared yourself to others?  
What do you do when self doubt and seeds of envy sneak in?

¹⁰ Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings or of God, or am I trying to 

please people?  If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ."  

Galatians 1:10

Emily Laney is a social worker, educator and justice seeker. She has worked with vulnerable populations in the United States and abroad and loves to help startup nonprofits reach their goals. She is a Passion City Church door holder and leads a team of abolitionists at Not for Sale Georgia.  She loves her husband Brent and their rescue pup Biscuit. Sunsets and Sushi make her happy. 


You can connect with Emily on twitter @emilylaney or on her blog www.emilylaney.com

Battling it Out - by @emilylaney

Photo credit: snow0810 (creative commons)

Battling It Out

By

Emily Walters Laney

Have you ever gotten in a fight? Fist fight, fight with words, cold war with the silent treatment? I think you would have to be living under a rock if you could honestly tell me you’ve never experienced any sort of conflict. It’s part of the human condition. We don’t always get along. We are people- conflict is just part of the story. And sometimes conflict results in growth and positive changes. Sometimes you have to be refined in the fire in order to really be transformed.

Sometimes our conflicts are with people, and sometimes our conflicts are with life itself. Maybe the struggle came from an interpersonal issue, or maybe it’s just from life circumstances that have resulted in a situation that is less than ideal. Maybe I’m not making sense, but essentially the question is this: have you ever felt like you were battling life? No matter what you do, the overall circumstances just feel like a fight? You’re in the ring, you have the boxing gloves on, and you are trying to ward off the circumstances, doubt, and struggles that seem to be attacking you from all sides.

I’ll be the first to say that I’ve led a very blessed life, and my periods of trial have been minimal compared to other people. I’ve always had food to eat, a place to sleep, and clothes to wear. My problems have always been ‘first world problems’. But there have still been periods of trial, periods of a battle, where I felt weary and tired from the struggles around me. Right now things are calm, but I usually find myself staring at my boxing gloves, wondering if I’ll need to put them on soon. The lessons that God has taught me over the years are fresh in my mind, but the enemy is trying to make me forget God’s faithfulness. In my mind I’m touching the gloves that symbolize that battle, wondering what is going to happen in three weeks, six weeks, three months, six months. Will I have to put the gloves on and enter the ring once again?

But as I touch the gloves, wondering if they still fit and what’s going to happen in the future, a verse comes to mind.

The Lord will fight for you, you only need to be still. – Exodus 14:14.

Wait what? God will fight for me? Seems too good to be true. Isn’t there a verse that says “God helps those who help themselves?” I need to fight for myself! (actually, there isn’t a verse that says that, just wanted to throw that in there because I know we’ve all thought that before or had a well intentioned friend/relative/boss/acquaintance tell us that)

The Lord will fight for me. I know that. He’s done it before. He’s won many huge battles for me and my family over the years. Things have happened that I can only attribute to God’s incredible ability to fight for me. He loves us, and he’s there.

So, if you’re like me, always staring at those boxing gloves, walk away. Or better yet, hand them to God. If you’re in the ring, struggling to make it through the fight, step out of the ring and let God take your place. He wants to fight for us, we only need to be still. Rest in that today. I know I’m trying to.

 
Emily Laney is a social worker, educator and justice seeker. She has worked with vulnerable populations in the United States and abroad and loves to help startup nonprofits reach their goals. She is a Passion City Church door holder and leads a team of abolitionists at Not for Sale Georgia.  She loves her husband Brent and their rescue pup Biscuit. Sunsets and Sushi make her happy. 

You can connect with Emily on twitter @emilylaney or on her blog www.emilylaney.com

Letting Go ~ by @emilylaney

Photo credit: Artotem (creative commons)

LETTING GO 

By Emily Walters Laney

“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, “Plans to prosper you, and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”  
Proverbs 3:5-6

I’m going to start this post out today by confessing something to you all:  I’m a planner.  Okay, if I’m being honest, I’m a bit of a control freak, too.  I am really good at planning out my life, my family’s life, my career, my year, my day.  If you name it, I’ve probably got a plan.  Twenty-year plan, ten-year plan, five-year plan, yearly goals, daily to-do list - Yep, got those.  I really enjoy task lists, plans, schedules, and agendas. 

It’s not bad to be a planner.  It’s not sinful to be organized and task oriented.  In fact, planners help make things happen.  Organizations with strategy and mapped-out plans tend to reach their goals.  Many successful people have goal lists and a personal mission statement and plan.  It’s important to have purpose and goals for your life.

There’s a catch.  When we get engrossed and obsessed with our own plans, we can miss the powerful plan God has for our lives.  I know that I have the tendency to go to God with my plans clenched tightly in both fists.  I pray, asking God to reveal His plan and His purpose, but I refuse to open my hands and drop my ideas at His feet.  They stay clenched at my side, a death grip on the "perfect’" plans that I have.

You’d think that after years and years of God rocking my world with crazy awesome twists and turns that I’d have figured out by now that His plan is so much better than mine.  I’ve gotten better at surrendering, but sometimes it’s easier to stick with what I think is the ‘best’ option.  The irony of this mindset is that usually our plans are not the best.  I’ve just ended a season in my life where I really thought I had a perfect plan figured out.  That plan didn’t work out the way I thought.  I was left wondering what on earth God was up to, and I was disappointed.  

“Lord,” I said, “I really thought I had this figured out.  Why am I sitting idly?  Are you going to come through?” I felt in my heart the Spirit say, “Wait.” 

Well, I waited, and waited, and waited.  I almost lost hope, but in the end, God came through in ways that I wouldn’t have even imagined.  So on the date of this post’s publishing I will be starting a new adventure at a new job, and it is better than I ever would have thought.  It’s perfect really, and God knew all along.  He used that season of waiting to mold and shape me, to show me His provision, and to remind me of the amazing people around me who care about me.  It was stretching, but it was oh so beautiful.

God is so powerful, and the Holy Spirit does amazing works through God’s children.  When we understand God’s power and the power of Christ in our lives, we will fully understand our potential to change the world for the glory of Jesus.  If your hands are clenched right now, loosen your grip, drop your worries, plans, and burdens at the feet of Jesus, and let Him lead you down the path towards a surrendered and powerful life.

Emily Laney is a social worker, educator, and justice seeker.  She has worked with vulnerable populations in the United States and abroad and loves to help startup nonprofits reach their goals.  She is a Passion City Church door holder and leads a team of abolitionists at Not for Sale Georgia.  She loves her husband Brent and their rescue pup Biscuit.  Sunsets and Sushi make her happy.  

You can connect with Emily on twitter @emilylaney or on her blog www.emilylaney.com.

Click here to enjoy Jamie Grace's "You Lead"

Jamie Grace - You Lead (Lyric Video) from goteerecords on GodTube.

The Power of Forgiveness - By @Emily Laney

Photo credit: Keoni Cabral 
(creative commons)

The Power of Forgiveness
 

By 
Emily Walters Laney

I love this month’s theme on the Church 4 Chicks blog: “The Power of Christ IN us”.  It’s a simple statement, but it really packs a punch, and honestly, I didn’t know where to start with this post at first.  I mean, how do you encompass such a powerful statement in 500 words?  

Over breakfast at our favorite local spot one Saturday, I explained the theme to my husband. “What should I write about?” I asked him as I took a bite of my cinnamon roll French toast (FYI, best breakfast ever, so good.) 

He didn’t even hesitate with his answer, “Forgiveness.” 

At first I was hesitant, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized that he is absolutely right.  What demonstrates the power of Christ in us more than our ability to forgive?  I think about the cross, and as Christ was suffering immense pain that most of us can’t even fathom, he spoke truth over the whole world.  

“Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.'" – Luke 23:34a. 

The humility, the restraint, the power that Jesus demonstrated with those words are hard for me to comprehend sometimes.  The Creator of the Universe came to walk with us, to dwell with us, and then He suffered and died for us, and he forgave us!  I know in my own life I betray Christ and deny Him in many ways.  I don’t stand up for my faith like I should.  I am quiet when I should speak up more for His truth.  I am silent about injustice when I should tirelessly advocate.  I am prideful and look out for my own interests over those of others.  I’m a mess y’all, and even though I have plenty of things to ask forgiveness for, sometimes I can be slow to forgive others. 

I wear my heart on my sleeve, so I can be pretty sensitive.  I also really love to be in close community with others, so when I feel left out, betrayed, or ignored, it hurts.  Even though I have been forgiven for so many things (see above), I still struggle to forgive others.  I was reminded of this recently as I ruminated over a situation for days.  It got to a point where I knew that my lack of forgiveness was going to hurt me more than it would hurt the person by whom I felt betrayed.

Forgiveness isn’t easy.  Life is hard, and the source of our pain is usually from people close to us. We are all human, and we all have been on the giving and receiving sides of pain.  Some of the pain that we experience in this life feels unbearable.  Sometimes the hurts committed against us feels so crippling and so intense that we don’t think we could possibly offer forgiveness. 

That’s where the power of Christ comes in.  Christ dwells in us, and it’s with His power that we can forgive.  It’s not always easy, but with Him all things are possible.  If you are holding on to hurts, know that Christ wants to take that burden.  My prayer is that all of us can encourage and lift each other up to fully embrace the power that comes when we forgive.  

Emily Laney Bio:

Emily Laney is a social worker, educator, and justice seeker.  She has worked with vulnerable populations in the United States and abroad and loves to help startup nonprofits reach their goals.  She is a Passion City Church door holder and leads a team of abolitionists at Not for Sale Georgia.  She loves her husband Brent and their rescue pup Biscuit.  Sunsets and Sushi make her happy.  

You can connect with Emily on twitter @emilylaney or on her blog www.emilylaney.com

Matthew West - Forgiveness (Official Lyric Video) from matthew-west on GodTube.

The Lowly Things

Photo Credit La Melodie (creative commons)

The Lowly Things 

By

Emily Walters Laney

²⁷ But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ²⁸ God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, ²⁹ so that no one may boast before him. ³⁰ It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. ³¹ Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”” – 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I feel like a loser. I messed up again, I didn’t do something right, I can’t find a good job. I’m not smart enough, pretty enough, or perfect enough to actually be used by God to make a difference in the world. Mind you, I don’t always feel this way, but I definitely have my moments where I don’t feel like I measure up. Sometimes it comes from other people, like that one friend who always makes me feel bad about myself. But most of the time, it comes from me. It comes from that seed of insecurity that I keep buried inside, just waiting to rear its ugly head when something mildly frustrating happens. And sometimes it comes from the images and the ideals the world puts forth that seem to bombard us from every side.

Take away those wrinkles! Shrink those love handles! Make yourself look sexier, more desirable! Lose 15 pounds in two weeks….. the list of messages could go on and on, but I’m sure I’m not the only one who has seen these messages plastered everywhere. We are obsessed with perfection, even if that perfection is fake. And it doesn’t have to be physical either. It could be that voice that says that you are never supposed to show weakness, especially to your friends at church. Or how you are supposed to have a perfectly clean house and happy, well-rested children along with a from scratch, organic home cooked meal waiting when your husband gets home from work. Or maybe you’re supposed to do all of the above while holding down a full time job (or two!) just to make ends meet. The possibilities are endless, and the stress we put on ourselves is ridiculous. And at the end of the day, if we mess up one time or feel like we don’t measure up in anyway, a small voice in the back of our heads tells us that we aren’t good enough, that God could never use us.

But guess what? None of that really matters. God doesn’t expect perfection from us. He doesn’t expect us to have it all together. I really needed to read the passage at the beginning of this post the other day. I needed to be reminded that God chooses the lowly, the weak, he wants to use us, even if we aren’t perfect by the standards of the world. God wants our strength to come from Him; he wants our boasting to be in Him, not in our own strength.  All throughout history you can see the thread of this truth. God uses people from all walks of life to change the world. On those days where you feel like you can’t continue for much longer, you can rely on His strength. When someone in your life makes you feel like you don’t measure up, remember that in the eyes of God, you are his precious child. And on the good days, when you’ve accomplished something great, remember that your boasting is in the Lord, because He held you up on those days where you didn’t think you could go on.

Christ is our cornerstone, our foundation. God uses us even if we feel like we aren’t “good enough”. Rejoice in HIS strength sister! He’s got this, and He’s got you.

 



Emily Laney is a social worker, educator and justice seeker. She has worked with vulnerable populations in the United States and abroad and loves to help startup nonprofits reach their goals. She is a Passion City Church door holder and leads a team of abolitionists at Not for Sale Georgia.  She loves her husband Brent and their rescue pup Biscuit. Sunsets and Sushi make her happy.
  
You can connect with Emily on twitter @emilylaney or on her blog www.emilylaney.com

I Will Boast Sing Along from zapdogyo on GodTube.