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WomensMinistry.Net eNewsletter

ISSUE 297 - JANUARY 19, 2006

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WomensMinistry.NET WEEKLY ...your source for women's ministry tips, events, resources and people
#297, sent to over 20,000 wm leaders & friends

Dear Philip,

We had some great feedback from last week's Hot Topic article! It is clear that many of us are facing challenging situations in our churches, and we would like to encourage you to pray for each other. We don't know each other by name, but God does! So... take a minute to stop and pray for your sisters-in-ministry, their churches and ministries.

Enjoy Jennifer's awsome article on hope and the ministry ideas included in this issue. Also, take some time to visit our sponsors -- they allow this eNewsletter to come to you free of charge.

Jennifer Rothschild, Founder & Publisher JR@jenniferrothschild.com

Robyne Beaubien, Editor
robyne@womensministry.net

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  • Event Theme Idea
  • Team Building Activity
  • Please Visit Our Sponsors
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  • 2006 WM Directory Now Accepting New Listings & Renewals
  • Booking Jennifer Rothschild for 2007


    •  

    From Jennifer

    Time for Hope

    Before Christmas, I purchased a new Braille watch. Unfortunately, its black leather band was too big. So I set out to get it adjusted. My mission began at the jewelry counter at the largest department store in the mall.

    After an hour of waiting at the counter, the salesman handed me back the watch in its original condition and informed me that my band wasn’t adjustable, I would need another band—and his store didn’t have one that would fit.

    So my friend Pat and I left the store and ambled through the mall. We popped in a jewelry store and asked if they sold black leather bands with silver clasps. “None here,” a disinterested clerk mumbled. In the next jewelry store, a salesman examined my watch and told me he thought it was fixable. “No way,” a gruff female voice interrupted. “Can’t be done.”

    Ignoring his snippy comrade, the first salesman still held out hope. “But you will have to wait thirty minutes for my manager to return,” he said.

    When we got back to the store half an hour later, the brusque saleswoman who had discouraged me earlier yelped “The manager isn’t back yet!”

    “We can’t wait,” I replied. Just as we turned to leave... the manager arrived. Hope at last!

    The manager stretched and twisted my watch, peered at it, unbuckled it, and then announced. “Can’t be adjusted and can’t be replaced. You should go to the leather repair shop. Maybe they can cut it down.”

    So, with fading optimism and growing frustration, we trouped into the leather repair shop. By that time, I had my speech down, and handed the repairman my troublesome timepiece. Still barely hanging on to hope, I waited for him to emerge with a well fitting watch. Instead, he held out the watch and exclaimed, “I’m not touching this!” Pat gasped at the now dangling buckle which the repairman had broken. He said it would have broken anyway and there was nothing he could do. “Take it back to the jeweler,” he suggested.

    Fully irritated, we searched out the last jewelry store in the mall in hopes of finding a new band. And again, no black bands with silver clasps were available. Finally the Zale’s salesman told us to try the department store around the corner.

    “Okay Pat,” I sighed. “Let’s try one last time.” So we entered the department store and found the watch bands. Pat told the sales girl, who sounded like she was about twelve, that we needed a black band with a silver buckle, size 14. After educating the young sales woman as to what band sizes meant and why they were important, I finally bought the only black, size 14 watch band with a silver clasp in the store. It was on clearance and cost three dollars. It was plastic and very tacky, but at least I could wear my watch. I asked if the salesgirl could please attach it. “No,” she answered with breathy bewilderment. “I don’t know how. You should try the Watch Doctor.”

    By the time I arrived at the Watch Doctor’s clinic with my tacky band, I had lost all decorum. I was spent. And so like a crazed, worn out, hopeless woman, I whined loudly all in one breath. “Help me! I just needed a new band, or an adjustment on my old one, or at least I need this tacky one attached to my watch! No one can help me. It’s taken three hours and this is my last hope!” Somewhere in my hapless account I must have mentioned the watch was Braille.

    “Braille?” the good doctor gasped. “Are you blind? Can I pray for you?”

    “Yes,” I moaned, “but sir, I really want you to fix my watch first!”

    As gently as I could, I tried to refocus him on the watch. He asked me if I knew Jesus.

    “Yes,” I replied. “Know Him and love Him!”

    “Hallelujah!” he shouted. “I love people who love my Lord!”

    “Me, too,” I said. But what I was thinking was, now, brother, fix the watch!

    When he finished, I paid him, buckled the watch and then he grasped my hands. In the middle of the mall, the watch doctor prayed for me. I told him how he was my last hope and that he redeemed the whole day for me, and he just laughed as if he knew exactly what I meant.

    In Romans 5:5, Paul tells us that hope will not disappoint us. What the apostle doesn’t say in that verse, however, is that hope may take you down some interesting paths. Hope most certainly will require perseverance, but it will also help you remain focused on the prize.

    There are times in our lives when even a simple mission can become a test of character, when dead ends come at every turn, and when little mole hills seem to grow into impassible mountains. When that happens, my friend, don’t lose hope. Remember the character that is developed is far more important than the mission that is accomplished. Remember that, just like Joseph, what seems like a dead end may really be a thoroughfare to greater blessing. And never forget, that if you can climb a molehill, you can climb a mountain... it just might take longer!

    Oh, my friend, Hope is worth hanging on to. Never let it go. It will help you persevere, develop character and never disappoint you.

    Ps 71:14 But as for me, I will hope continually, and will praise Thee yet more and more.

    Jennifer Rothschild, Author of Lessons I Learned in the Dark, and Founder of WomensMinistry.NET http://www.jenniferrothschild.com JR@jenniferrothschild.com

     


     

    Event Theme Idea
    A Hope Chest of Treasures

    Based on: 2 Corinthians 4:7

    Description: The thought behind this luncheon, event or retreat theme is twofold: Jesus is our Treasure (based on our scripture theme); and we, as His daughters, are treasures. We opened with a lyrical ballet performance/dramatization to the song "Alabaster Box," which went perfectly with our theme. Our speaker reminded us about the godly attributes of Christian women, using the "treasures" in a hope chest as her visual aids.

    Decoration: Stage decorations included large wooden chests filled with "treasures" such as quilts, china, vintage jewelry and other keepsakes. Tabletop decorations included various decorative colored jars and bottles, candles, and small, beautifully decorated boxes.

    We also had a separate break-out session for the teenaged girls who attended with a fun skit about true beauty... inside and out. We talked about why a young woman would prepare a hope chest, what items they would include and the importance of preparing for the future physically and spiritually.

    Favors: small trinket boxes (Limoges), embroidered tea towels, vintage embroidery patterns, etc.

    Submitted by:Allora Leonhardt of Forsyth, Illinois

    Email: allora89@insightbb.com

     


     

    Team Building Activity
    Bon Appetite

    Objectives: working together

    Materials: Cut Recipes (Separate the Title, Ingredients, Instructions, Etc.)

    This is a great team building/communication exercise that can be used at an event or retreat, especially if the overall theme involves food.

    Procedure: Divide the women into small groups and then give them the following instructions:

    Your family (group) just inherited a successful restaurant from, Chef Charlie, a long lost relative. The only problem is, Charlie was very disorganized. The only recipes you have found are on torn strips of paper. You have to make sense of it all and quickly! The restaurant is opening tonight and you have to have the food ready.

    1. Each member of the group will be given part of recipe (an ingredient, instruction, etc.).

    2. Your job is to put yourselves in order as quickly as possible. Your recipe must make sense.

    3. When your group is done, loudly announce “bon appetite” to signal the end of the game.

    Allow 10-12 minutes for the game. Once a team calls, “bon appetite,” have them introduce themselves read their recipe in order.

    For an added challenge, this game can be made considerably more difficult if groups are not pre-designated before the recipe pieces are distributed. Participants must then not only find the correct order but the correct recipe as well. (These groups can also be used to define prayer groups or small groups for a retreat.)

     


     

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