Chicktime March News

Reach out to her. "Who?" you say. Look around. There is a generation right behind you, and a generation right in front of you. They offer two very unique opportunities. One, the women just ahead of you have already learned so many things you need to know. If only you could spend some time with her soaking up her wisdom... you would most definitely avoid major pitfalls in the road ahead by learning what to look for and how to better navigate. Two, just behind you is a generation that would benefit from your wisdom! The interesting thing is that whether you are 15 or 75... there is a generation right in front of you ready to pass the baton of knowledge, and a generation right behind you that will readily accept it! And to truly make our world a better place we need to keep that baton of knowledge moving.

For the generation right behind you, find a couple of women (maybe even just one) and take her hand. Begin to listen to her dreams and aspirations and then advise her how to get there. Encourage her. She needs you. It is your job to find her because chances are she won't find you... to her, you look too busy and much too important to take time to invest in her life. How wonderful it will be for her to have someone who has walked a similar path show her the potholes and how to avoid them, to help her navigate the steep hills and hairpin curves. She needs you! And look at the immediate benefit, she will actually enjoy hearing you talk (unlike many of our children/teens who already think they know everything!)

Now, look to the generation right in front of you. Find one woman who has already been where you are going. Study her. Approach her and tell her you would love to spend some time with her hearing her stories. Find pockets of time by thinking outside of the box, like offering to come help her weed her garden and as you work alongside each other... her wisdom will tumble out and you will have a one on one opportunity to soak it up. Find out where she likes to serve and ask if you can join her. If she has young children ask her if you can join her in the park sometime. Approaching someone may seem intimidating... but you NEED her! And you might be surprised, call her and ask her to meet you for coffee and she might just say, "This afternoon would be perfect!" Just remember, when soaking up the wisdom of the generation right in front of you, your job is to listen!

Joyfully,

Lori Rhodes

Chicktime Founder

Each generation goes further than the generation preceding it because it stands on the shoulders of that generation. You will have opportunities beyond anything we've ever known.

Ronald Reagan

New Chapter: Chicktime Joliet!

Chicktime Joliet Founder

Gabby Smart

gabriellesmart90@yahoo.com

Joliet, Illinois a little better today as Gabby Smart is leading the way to bring hope and healing to the the broken and the abused in her local community. Gabby is gathering the troops and laying the groundwork to organize the women of Joliet to bring their passions and gifts to many children of abuse. If you live in or around Joliet, please click here to join Gabby. To read more about Gabby's story and why she was moved to start this chapter, click here.

Current Chicktime leaders, let's reach out to Gabby and give her a big Chicktime welcome!

30 + New Chapters in the Works

We have MANY new chapters in the works! Women from across the country have found us... from the east coast to the west coast. We have 30+ new emerging chapters. Many of these new chapters have committed leaders in the process of building the chapter and some have women on the roster standing by waiting for a leader. There were too many to list here... so please visit the www.chicktime.com website and check out the Chapters in the Works page (under the Local Chapters tab).

Please forward this newsletter to your friends living in these areas and ask them to join the Chicktime movement. There are women across the nation ready to move their feet and the children of abuse in their local communities know they matter... and that they are loved.

Click here to join one of the new chapters in the works!

Featured Article: The Truth

The dark side of the work we do is probably the one thing that keeps many women away. Many women think they can't handle the pain of the children we encounter month after month as we enter the children's homes and shower love on the broken and the shattered. But a remarkable phenomenon happens in these homes... the darkness that once defined the children becomes broken and shattered by the light that is entering their world. That light comes from the love that is showered upon them, and the children crave it.

Enter Chicktime. An army of women desending on the children's homes armed with warm hugs, genuine smiles, a relaxed pace, no agenda, no anger, and pure hearts. The children come to trust us, to anticipate our arrival, and glow in the warmth of our time together.

There are many poems written by children about the abuse they suffer. This poetry is real, it is raw, and it is dark. We found a poem written by a young girl who suffered the worst kind of abuse. She has been removed from the abusive home, but is far from being okay. It is our prayer and our hope that the women in her community find her, love on her, and let her feel their warmth... for if they don't... this little girl may never know the beauty and light of love.

If you have ever wondered if you have what it takes to start a Chicktme chapter, let me assure you that you do. What you don't have is time. There are children right now who need you. Find them.

To read a few of the poems, please click here...

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