AHW MINISTRIES NEWSLETTER 

About His Work with Janet                          April 2014   

THE "IDOL" OF CONTROL! 

 

Have you ever thought of control as an "idol"?

 

Sarah Young in Jesus Calling puts it like this: "I [Jesus] died to set you free, and that includes freedom from compulsive planning. A mind pre-occupied with planning pays homage to the idol of control. Turn from this idolatry back to me. Listen to Me and live abundantly."

 

Jesus died to free us from our sins . . . and idolatry is a sin. I wonder how much copious planning went on during Easter? How many tried to control the family who would attend church, brunch, Easter activities . . .decorating the Easter table, worrying about what everyone would bring for the Easter meal? Would everyone like what was on the menu?

 

We're only fooling ourselves when we think we're in control of our lives. Right? Many Christians who know that God is in control still are compulsive planners trying to keep everything "under our control."

 

I am a recovering controller. I thought I needed to be sure everything and everyone stayed on track. Then when I married Dave Thompson and we blended a family, I realized how little I could control family gatherings. Then the kids married and brought in other family traditions and I had no control.

 

Early on, Dave and I decided to turn family events over to God. We would pray for His will to be done and that we would be flexible and let go of our expectations for how things "should go." And just like Sarah Young wrote, it's so freeing. Often we find that things turn out even better than we anticipated.

 

When I train leaders on how to start a Woman to Woman Mentoring Ministry, one of the hardest concepts for them to grasp is not knowing who God is going to bring to the Orientation Coffees to be mentors and mentees, and not knowing who He wants matched together until prayer day. The last point on the training handout I give them is: "Let go and let God!"

  

How hard is that for you? Or are you experiencing the freedom of letting go of the idol of control?

  

You can make many plans,

 but the Lord's purpose will prevail. Proverbs 19:21 NLT

 

About His Work,
Janet

  

PS: Don't forget to sign up for my Monday Morning Blogs. The last Monday of the month is a Love Your Body series.  

 

PSS: Register for The M.O.M. Initiative Conference  July 31st-Aug 2. 18 speakers and 40 Workshops for only $49.00! I'll be speaking 5 times and would love to see you there.

Bring a group from your church.                        

 

 

PSSS: My first You Lead training this year is in Wheat Ridge, CO. Hope to see many of you there.

 

PSSSS: Join me at First Baptist Church Tulsa, OK. Woman to Woman Mentoring Orientation May 4, contact  Cynthia Sublett.

   
PSSSSS: Read the Author Interview with Carol McLeod about her book, No More Ordinary and a chance to win a free copy. 

   

FEATURED
BOOK OF THE MONTH
 

Dear God, Why Can't I Have a Baby 
A Companion Guide for Couples on the Infertility Journey

  
   

  

April 20-26 is National Infertility Awareness Week.  

Hug an Infertile Couple this week.  

 

  
I Would Love to Speak at Your Event!

To contact Janet
 about your event  call or email to discuss availability.

 

                           
       
  
      

 

      

Woman To Woman Mentoring


       

Everything you need for starting your Women's Mentoring Ministry

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Featured Woman To Woman Mentoring Ministry  

 

We attended the last You Lead Conference and have been overjoyed with the Lord's putting in our hearts to start a mentoring ministry at our church.  We have already been through the Information Meeting and the Coffee and the Prayer Day for Matching.  

 

I just had to write and tell you how wonderfully God worked out all the matches!!  Oh course, you knew He would?   I really did see that those "hard" matches were the ones God wanted matched most of all!

 

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your wisdom and sharing your heart with me!  I am so grateful that God led our ladies ministry visionary director to start this ministry!

 

Love
Judi
Mentoring S
hepherd Coach
 
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TALK TO US
   

 Share what's happening in your ministry.   Each month we feature a Woman to Woman Mentoring Ministry.    

  

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I'm Training Ministry Leaders and Teams on Mentoring and Team Building

  

 

 

                 Mentoring Moment              

"Jesus Christ will be Lord of all or  

He will not be Lord at all."--Augustine



 

Now Available for your Kindle or Nook    

 

 It's time to think about Spring and Summer Bible studies. Help the women of your church learn God's plan for mentoring in the Face-to-Face Bible study series, or study on your own, or with a friend. Leader's Guide in the back of each book.  

 

SAMPLER PACKAGE 

Can't pick just one! Save on all 7 with our Sampler Package   

   

TwoTwo About His Work
    
 
Book Janet and her daughter Kim
for your event. For details about topics.
 
 
  
grammie 
   "GRAMMIE'S CORNER"    
        

Brandon is the one on the left

 

Leaving a Legacy

In my Bible study Face-to-Face with Lois and Eunice: Nurturing Faith in Your Family, I make the comment that I want my family to remember me as "A woman who loved Jesus and lived what she believed." Our grandchildren will remember the special relationship we have with them. I remember my Granny Reed teaching my cousins and me about the Bible. When she wasn't in her own kitchen, she was in the church kitchen.

 

I don't think my grandkids will remember me for being in the kitchen, but I'm pretty sure they will remember my ministry. Last week, I got a phone call from 9-year-old Brandon. He had an AWANA's project to interview a missionary and he thought of me! You can imagine my delight as I answered his sweet questions. I had never thought of myself as a missionary, but I do now!


How will your grandchildr
en remember you? You're creating your legacy every time you're with them. 

 


 

  author2Meet An Author
                                                                                 
NO MORE ORDINARY
living the life you were made for
by Carol McLeod 

 

Is this just another book about abundant life?

Well ... it is a book about "abundant life" but it is definitely NOT just another book. No More Ordinary is a challenge, taken straight from the pages of the greatest book ever written, to live the life of God's dreams!  You know, Jesus said, in John 10:10, "I have come that you might have life!  And that you might have it in its fullest measure!"

The life that Jesus was talking about in this familiar passage of Scripture is not eternal life.  He was referencing the extraordinary, ordinary life that we are empowered to live this side of eternity. Jesus came so that we could tap into all that He is before we ever meet Him face to face.

Jesus came so that our ordinary lives would not be ordinary at all ... but that our lives would be filled to overflowing with joy, with purpose and with Him!

Details!  We want some details about this book!!
 
Woven through every chapter of No More Ordinary is the life story of a man or a woman who lived incredibly well inspite of horrific circumstances or events.  I want the readers to know that circumstances are not an excuse to refuse a life that reeks of heaven's atmosphere and abounds with strength and peace.

In every generation, at every moment of history, the people of God have chosen to live a miraculous story even when their world was falling apart.  This is part of the abundance ... that circumstances don't dictate the type of life we live!

Also - at the end of every chapter there is a Scripture to memorize, a declaration to make and a prayer to pray.

Do you have a favorite chapter, Carol?
 
I think that my favorite chapter is "The Greatest Love Story Ever Told".  Did you know that you are the main character in the grandest romance of all time?  What makes your life so incredible is that you are the object of God's undying love and eternal affection!  From the Garden of Eden to the Book of Revelation, God's love has been chasing you down.  You are the pursued of God's eternal love ... and that, my friend, is what makes your life sizzle with hope and goodness.

Who Should Read This Book?
 
Truthfully ... I wrote this book for men and women who want to know the secret of life.  I wrote this book because my heart aches for people who are settling for half a life ... when a life of miracles and sustenance is offered.  This is not a self-help book nor is it for the faint of heart but it is for ordinary people who long to wring the extraordinary out of life.

So Carol ... is your middle name Pollyanna or Mary Poppins?!
 
I am just a girl who is head over heals in love with Jesus and is hopefully addicted to His Word.  My story, in a very small nutshell, is that I have 5 children on earth and 5 children in heaven.  During the darkest days of my life, I developed an addiction.  The addiction that I developed is to the Word of God.  The Bible delivered me from emotional and circumstantial pain and now my passion in life is to convince women that they can live well ... they can live with gusto and with joy regardless of their circumstances!

 

Visit Carol's website Just Joy Ministries to learn more about her ministry.

Congratulations to Richard Holmes, winner of last month's book Tea on The Titanic.

For a chance to win a free copy of Carol's book No More Ordinary
email me.
   
About His Work,
Janet
 
  
AHW Ministries
www.womantowomanmentoring.com 
In This Issue
Featured Book of the Month
Do You Need a Speaker?
Woman To Woman Mentoring
Mentoring Moment
Face-To-Face Bible Studies
Two About His Work
Grammie's Corner
Meet an Author
Janet's Publications

Featured Article

 Janet Thompson's book, "Dear God, He's Home" is like a visit with your best friend over a cup of tea
...read more

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Read Crosswalk article

 



 "I still write in my book. There seems to be no space, but when I start to write the space appears.  Seven years is perfection, my body is whole, looking good, my mind is anchored in the Lord, and I will not allow any evil thing to come near me." 

More Books

Janet, I met you at the Leadership Conference in October 2013 in Springfield, IL. I bought Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter which has touched me to tears
...
read more


Ministry Team Building
The Team That Jesus Built Cover


 


God's Best For Your Life Cover


Quick Links  
            
Visit our blog 
  
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SpeakSpeaking 2014
     
Plan to Attend the LifeWay lead"YOU Lead" - Training Women in Ministry Conference 
  
"YOU Lead" Conferences where I'm speaking 
July 24-25 
Wheat Ridge CO

October 9-10
San Diego, CA

October 23-24
Billings, MN 
  
I'll teach on "Mentoring" and "The Team That Jesus Built"  


 
YOU Lead is a 2-day  

Women's Leadership Training event preceding

Living Proof Live  

with Beth Moore. Attend both and get a discount.

 

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Retreats and Events 

 

tulsaMay 3

First Baptist Church

Tulsa, OK

Woman To Woman Mentoring Event
Contact: Cynthia Sublett

 

momJuly 31 - Aug 2

Trinity Baptist Church

Jacksonville, FL

The M.O.M. Initiative

 

     

Better Together Conference

Register Now!

 

Nov 21-22  

Two About His Work 
Church of the Nazarene Ontario, Oregon
Janet and her daughter Kim will be speaking on "Our Story" and "Forever Friends"
Contact: Carolyn Kniefel

 

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Speaking 2015

 

Jan 30-31

Evangelical Free Church

McCook, NE

Women's Winter Conference
Contact: Marilyn Gaster

 

   
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Coaching and Consulting Services

 

1. Review and Critiquing for new and Seasoned Writers

2. Manuscript Editing for new and Seasoned Writers.  

3. Coaching and Team Building for Ministry Leaders and their Teams
 
Let Janet help you: 
  • Build a new ministry team 
  • Rebuild a current team,  
  • Take your team to the next level.
4. Freelance Writing 

Contact Janet

 

 
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