| AHW MINISTRIES NEWSLETTER About His Work with Janet April 2015  |
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SAY SOMETHING!
I did make my April 1st deadline for submitting my new book so thank you to all who prayed for me. I appreciated all the positive responses I received from the excerpt I shared in last month's newsletter from How Good is God? I Can't Remember .... I also received even more unsubscribes. That's what happens when you speak up for what you believe, not everyone is going to like it or you. But as Christians, we're not here to please man; we're here to please our Great God. I hope I hear a resounding "Amen!"
Our news is full of liberal propaganda trying to make everyone ... even Christians ... believe that we're now in the minority, but we're not. However, the only voice I hear speaking out is Franklin Graham. Where is the outrage from all the conservative Christians who are talking to each other about how bad things are getting, but are not speaking out publically?
Here is a quote from Franklin Graham:
Now Who's the Moral Majority? This headline was plastered across CNN's website yesterday. Claiming victory in the attempt to bully the American people into fully embracing the homosexual lifestyle, the op-ed says Bible-believing Christians and traditional Americans "had better adjust to a new reality." Last year the Centers for Disease Control determined that less than 2% of the U.S. population identifies as homosexual. Where is the majority in that? But they are intent on trying to force the true majority into silence-they want us to just sit down and be quiet. Even if the majority of Americans did support gay marriage, God's Word doesn't need a majority vote. God's Word is true regardless of the winds of moral change, and we must stand up for biblical truth in the midst of a depraved society."
Here's what Elijah asked the people of his day:
"Elijah went before the people and said, 'How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.' But the people said nothing." 1 Kings 18:21
This is The Message translation of those verses: "Elijah challenged the people: 'How long are you going to sit on the fence? If God is the real God, follow him; if it's Baal, follow him. Make up your minds!' Nobody said a word; nobody made a move."
Friends, it's time for Christians to speak up ... there's been too much of saying nothing and not making a move! It's God's way or Satan's way ... pick today who you will follow ... there's no middle ground or sitting on the fence. If the Lord is your God and you follow Him and believe in the Bible, then for the sake of the next generation ... SAY SOMETHING!
About His Work,
Janet
PS: Read the latest blog posts:
Keys to Overcome the Troubles of this World
What's Your Story? Please send me your story of being a Mentor, or Mentee.
Seeking Community During Infertility
Love Your Body ~ Drink Tea for Your Health
When You're Mom #2
PSS: Hear and see Janet in a live interview
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FEATURED BOOK OF THE MONTH
Face-To-Face with Mary and Martha
Sisters In Christ
Through the story of Mary and Martha of Bethany, women will learn to embrace their diversity as sisters-in-Christ. With relevance for life today, Face-to-Face With Mary And Martha: Sisters in Christ guides women to apply biblical principles in their relationships. There is so much to learn from the Lord's relationship with these two sisters. This book will give you a renewed heart for serving joyfully and a godly perspective of your priorities as you learn to choose the "better way."
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I Would Love to Speak at Your Event!
To contact Janet
about your event
call or email to discuss availability.
Janet having fun with the Women's Ministry Team at
EV Free Church McCook, NE. Their theme: Walking Together Through Seasons of Life
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now exclusively available
and personalized from our website shop.
TALK TO US
 Share what's happening in your ministry. Starting a Mentoring Ministry
At the end of last year, I prayed about what goals God wanted me to implement in my life in 2015. As I took time to listen to His voice, one of the three goals He gave me was to start a Mentoring Ministry at my church. I attempted the year before to recruit mentors and train women to mentor. However, I did not go by "the book" of what Janet Thompson had written in Woman to Woman How to Start, Grow, and Maintain a Mentoring Ministry. I cut a few corners. We trained the mentors but not the mentees. The program didn't flourish like I hoped it would. Very few of the matches were still meeting after a few weeks. God urged me to read the entire WTWM Ministry Coordinator's Guide and start over. I did. The first step was to connect with our Women's Ministries Director. When I pitched the idea of a new mentoring program and showed her the WTWM resources, she was enthused and supportive. Because our church was small (300 attendees), we decided to send out an invitation to all the women about the new mentoring program. Then we had an interest sign-up sheet at the Women's Ministry table four weeks prior to our first Orientation Coffee. I also talked to women I knew to hand out flyers after the church services. I recruited several women who were involved before as mentors before to help with the different job responsibilities at the Coffee and Prayer Day. We were ready to begin! About twenty women attended our first Coffee. They filled out the Profile Cards and were anxious to get involved. When we asked the attendees to share about themselves, one older lady could only say, "She was a mess and really needed a mentor." When I heard her comment, I shook my head wondering who would be her best match. The next day our Prayer Team met and prayed over all the women who filled out Profile Cards. One of the unexpected happenings was that God urged me strongly to be a mentor for the woman who called herself "a mess." I wasn't planning to mentor since coordinating the ministry was adding more to my already full plate. Yet God had other plans. Who was I to argue with God or say "No.?" We ended up with ten matches. Everyone attended the Kickoff Night, received their Mentor and Mentee Handbooks and training, It was awesome! The Mentoring Ministry is now official! During my quiet time this week, I've been praying, journaling, and asking the Lord to guide me on what goals to set for my mentee and myself. I need God's help on how to respond and work well with my mentee. We meet for the first time this week. I am excited about the blessings God has in store for both of us. Thanks so much for the material you wrote for Mentoring Women. You spelled everything out and covered all bases. Rosalie Campbell Eagle Ridge Church, Menifee, CA
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Mentoring Moment
"The kingdom that will prevail in this world is the kingdom that is not of this world."
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Two About His Work
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"GRAMMIE'S CORNER"
Katelyn and Grammie
Several months ago, I talked about Google Hangout being a great way to keep in touch with our grandkids. I'm always so excited when I hear the sound on my phone telling me that one of my grandchildren wants to "Hangout" with me. Last Sunday night, it was Katelyn wanting to interview me via Hangout. She needed to ask a "missionary" some questions. When I told her I wasn't exactly a missionary, she said, "Mommy said you are because you go around sharing the Gospel!" Wow! Did that ever put my writing and speaking ministry into perspective and I'm so blessed that the next generations in our family sees Grammie as a missionary spreading the Gospel. What better legacy could I leave? After Katelyn asked me her missionary questions, she said, "Grammie, could my Easter present be one of your books please." Wow again! She's only 9 years-old, and she wants to read my books! So I suggested Face-to-Face with Mary and Martha and she wasn't sure she knew that story so then she said, "Well tell me where it is in the Bible and I can read it in my Bible." I thought my heart would leap out of my chest with joy. This has now given me the idea to do the study with her. Even though I wrote it for adults, I can help her understand the concepts. Have you thought of doing a Bible study with your grandchildren? I'll keep you posted on how ours goes.
Do your grandkids know Scripture? If no, how about helping them find fun ways to learn. You'll brush up on the Scriptures too!
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Meet An Author
Why did you write the book?
Over the course of our mothering journey, we experienced isolation, guilt and shame as were desperately trying to do the best we could as moms. When we became friends, we realized we weren't alone in these feelings. We kept running into mothers who felt the same way we did. God used our friendship to help heal these things in each other and to pursue the mothering recipe that worked best for us.
Mothering From Scratch isn't a "how to be a good mom book." It's a "how to be the mom God created you to be" book.
You both talk about the insecurity and inadequacy you felt as moms. Why do you think so many moms feel this way?
Isolation and a lack of connection to other moms is certainly part of the reason. Our tendency to compare ourselves to other moms, as well as our tendency to blame ourselves when they don't think or behave the way we think they should, make many of feel like we're always doing something wrong. We only find freedom when we embrace God's grace in mothering and His unique plan for each of us.
The heart of your book is showing moms how to "mother the way they're made." What do you mean by this?
God's design is perfect. He created us. Does it make us perfect? In a sense, yes. We're who He uniquely chose to mother our kids. We can't improve on God's design. So why do we think that we can follow the same mothering mold as someone else? It only results in frustration and anxiety. However, when we embrace who God made us, we find a great level of joy and security and a deeper relationship with our Creator.
What do you think is the most important thing a mom can do to find the wisdom and courage she needs to mother effectively?
We believe that the most important thing a mom can do is to make a plan to grow more deeply in love with Jesus through a disciplined approach to knowing Him. Why is this so important? How we live out what we say we believe - in our habits, our choices and how we spend our time - is being intently observed by little eyes and ears. We can't do this without God's help.
Between the two of them, Kathy Helgemo and Melinda Means have been mothering six kids for almost 40 years! They blog over at Mothering From Scratch where they encourage and support mothers in finding their unique mothering style.
Their book Mothering From Scratch: Finding the Best Parenting Style for You and Your Family is available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Christian Book Distributors, as well as bookstores nationwide.
If you would like to enter a drawing to win a copy of Melinda and Kathy's book, contact me.
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