I'm Granting You Three Wishes... |
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Do you remember your birthday as a child? |
Having all your friends gather around, bringing you presents, dressing up, playing games, and blowing candles out on a cake? For a child, the presents are often the very best part! And, who doesn’t like presents? |
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I just celebrated a milestone birthday. Just even outing my age is difficult for me to do! For I always thought that at this age, I would be putting my feet up and retiring. I didn’t have a big party (no one is these days). It was a quiet celebration of high tea with my family bubble that I live with. Hitting this milestone has caused me to step back and reflect on my life, my career, my acts of service, my family, and my friends. It has caused me to also consider what the next chapter of my life will look like. I have taken a step back to consider how best I want to love and be loved during the next few decades if I am granted those years. |
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For me, I want to be remembered as
someone who is deeply grateful, generous, and inspiring. I want to inspire people to be empowered to do what they have been called and created to do. I do not want to slow down, I want to continue to resource
people with the tools, the training, and the courage to care deeply for others and raise the bar on protection and abuse prevention. I want organizations and ministries to thrive, in order for them to meet the needs of those that are hurting, whether that be physically, spiritually, emotionally, or mentally. We have a world of hurting people who daily face depression, abuse, harm, addictions, loneliness and need. I want to discover creative and bold ways to show my love and appreciation for those around me in ways that are meaningful. I want to keep reading and growing, for I am committed to be a lifelong learner.
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In the best-selling book, The 5 Love Languages®, Dr. Gary Chapman presents a simple truth: relationships grow better when we understand each other. Everyone gives and receives love differently, but with a little insight into these differences, we can be confidently equipped to communicate love well. This is true for all forms of relationships – for married or dating couples, for children and teenagers, for friends and coworkers, for long-distance relationships, for those brand-new loves and for the romances that are older than the hills. |
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A few years ago, our staff had a one-day retreat where we learned each other’s language of appreciation. Similar as in family relationships, at work, people express and receive appreciation in different ways. If you try to express appreciation in ways that aren’t meaningful to your co-workers, they may not feel valued at all. This is because you and your co-workers are speaking different languages. In The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace, Dr. Chapman and Dr. White help you identify the five languages of appreciation in order to: |
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- Express genuine appreciation to co-workers and staff — even on a tight budget.
- Increase loyalty with the employees and volunteers in your organization.
- Reduce cynicism and create a more positive work environment.
- Improve your ability to show appreciation for difficult colleagues.
- Convey the language of physical touch in appropriate ways.
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We found the exercise very helpful, and I would encourage you to do the same. As I reflected on my life and career, I could not help but think about you, our friends of Plan to Protect® who entrust us with your safeguarding needs, training, and screening, and so, I would like you to humor me if you would... |
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Instead of me blowing out my own birthday cake candles and making a wish for myself, I would like to hear from you as to what are your three wishes for 2021, as we continue to fight COVID-19!
Please take a moment and complete this 3-4 question survey. CLICK HERE
Just so you know, I will be selecting three of the responses and will be extending appreciation in ways that are meaningful to you.
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Have You Met Melodie Yet? |
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Melodie Bissell, is our President at Plan to Protect®. She is one of the co-authors of Plan to Protect®: A Protection Manual for Children and Youth and those that serve among them. She started Plan to Protect® the organization fifteen years ago. She has spoken internationally advocating for the safety and protection of the vulnerable and has most recently served on an Expert Panel to establish International Standards for Child Protection.
Melodie is a D. Min. Candidate at the University of Toronto in the process of defending her thesis, The Experience of Spiritual Healing Among Adult Victim-Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse: A Phenomenological Study.
When Melodie isn’t working, she is enjoying her first grandchild, reading a good book, baking bread or walking.
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Listen in to Melodie weekly on her podcast,
Plan to Protect ® with Melodie Bissell, the Safest Podcast on the Internet, which is available on YouTube and Apple Podcast.
SUBSCRIBE TODAY!
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What is Melodie Reading this Quarter? |
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Win at Work and Succeed at Life by Michael Hyatt
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The Unhurried Leader by Alan Fadling
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Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? And Other Conversations About Race by Beverly Daniel Tatum
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Fly Home Little Bird by Beverly Shellrude Thompson
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Did you know that our membership fees begin as low as $225? For this low annual fee, you will receive:
- Access to Plan to Protect® updates
- Plan to Protect® manual
- Email and phone support
- Special Interest Webinars
- Training registrations for our school
- Access to our library of recorded webinars
- Use of our Plan to Protect® member logo
- Networking opportunities
- Discounts on our services
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Upcoming conferences you can attend in person or virtually: |
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May 6 – 7, 2021
Canadian Sexual Exploitation Summit: Disrupt Demand.
May 22, 2021
De[LIVE]red sponsored by Naomi Wright Ministries, Finding Freedom From Religious Abuse.
June 7-11, 2021
ISPCAN Milan 2021 (International Society of the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect) Conference.
June 17, 2021
ECAP (Evangelical Council of Abuse Prevention) National Conference. CLICK HERE to register!
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Check out our training in May: |
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Special Interest Webinar - Critical Incident Series: Responding in a Critical Incident - How to Prioritize, Communicate and Act
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May 13, 2021 @ 12:00pm - 1:00pm
Eastern Time
The worst is happening. When it's time to act, you need a plan to set priorities, communicate expectations clearly, and take meaningful actions.
In this Special Interest Webinar, Charlie Smith-Brake, Plan to Protect® Director of Policy, Consulting and Communications will walk through the stages of an incident, and tools for leading, communicating, and working as a team during a critical incident.
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May 13, 2021 @ 8:00pm - 9:30pm Eastern Time
This webinar is great for individuals and groups who need to be refreshed in Plan to Protect® policies and procedures.
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May 15, 2021 @ 1:00pm - 3:30pm Eastern Time
Join us for this 2 hour orientation training covering awareness of abuse and so much more!
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May 18, 2021 @ 12:30pm - 1:00pm Eastern Time
This is a complimentary webinar. Register to participate LIVE with Q&A time, or to receive access to an instant replay.
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Please note we have postponed our Plan to Protect® Masterclass: Serious About Safety Workshop
to August 23rd!
Register Here for our upcoming Serious About Safety MasterClass that will be held in August.
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Do you need screening and training for summer camps and programs?
Purchase two bundles of training and receive one bundle free! CLICK HERE
Screen three people during the month of May and receive the fourth one free!
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