AHW MINISTRIES NEWSLETTER 

About His Work with Janet                      August 2014  


   

 

Balancing Life and Ministry! 

 

One of the workshops I taught at The M.O.M. Initiative Better Together Conference this month was on Balancing Life and Ministry, which is the subtitle of my Face-to-Face with Priscilla and Aquila Bible study. I talked about how we often feel like we're juggling more than balancing the many roles we play as women. Inevitably, one or more of the areas we're trying to juggle suffers when it slips out of our grasp.

 

The only way I am able to keep balance in my life is to prioritize the things that are the most important to me: serving God and my family. At this time in my life, serving God takes the form of writing and speaking, which often requires hours of solitude and lots of travel. But I also make sure to schedule in dates with my hubby and sometimes he can travel and serve with me now that he's retired. We also serve in ministry together by leading a prodigal's support group and couples Bible study. And when I'm spending time with my children and grandchildren, I set aside "work" and focus on them.   

 

That doesn't leave much time in my schedule for "extra" activities, and so I've had to learn to say no to some good things. Before I say "yes, I'm trying to remember to do two things:

 

1. Pray and ask God if it's something He wants me to do.

2. Assess if I have the time and energy to add this activity to my calendar.

 

 

If I sense God telling me to go for it, I know I must remove something from my calendar or I'll become unbalanced.  

 

I always say about mentoring that you can't add mentoring to an already over-crowded schedule. You'll be juggling and something else is going to fall through the cracks. This is something I've had to learn over the years. The old adage that you can do it all and be everything to everyone is a lie of the enemy. He knows that if he can keep you "busy," you'll soon feel you're too busy to be involved in ministry or serving the Lord. Busy is: B-eing U-nder S-atan's Y-oke!

 

Summer's almost over and often the craziness begins when the kids are back in school and all the fall activities seem to roll right into the holidays. Now is the time to take a look at your calendar and highlight in yellow time spent with God--things like daily quiet time, attending church, serving in a ministry or outreach, going to Bible study or small group, mentoring or being mentored, reading your Bible, Bible study with the kids/grandkids, praying with your children ....   

 

If there's not at least one yellow highlight on every day, what do you need to give up to add time with God in your day?

 

About His Work,

Janet

 

PS: California here I come-I'm excited to be back in Southern California speaking at YOU Lead in San Diego October 9-10. Hope to see many of my So Cal peeps there. 

 

PSS:Please send me your mentoring stories, and those of you with mentoring ministries please ask the M&M's if they would like to share their story with me for my upcoming book. Feel free to give them my email address.  

 

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

       

PSSSS: Read the Author Interview with Arlene Pellicane about her book, 31 Days to Becoming a Happy Wife and a chance to win a free copy. 

   

FEATURED BOOK OF THE MONTH

 Dear God He's Home
A Woman's Guide To Her Stay-at-Home Man
  
$14.99   $11.00  To Purchase from our shop 
or
Download to your Kindle or Nook
  

 

A BOOK FOR WOMEN whose husbands are home for whatever reason-layoffs, out-of-work, retirement, home office, illness/disability, or military deployment. Except for military deployment, my husband and I have experienced-and survived-each of these scenarios.

 

With masses of baby boomers entering retirement and younger workers still reeling from economic recession, increasing numbers of women are suddenly finding themselves living with a "stay-at-home man." Further, situations like re-entry from military deployment, working from home, illness, or other life changes bring even more men home. Offering practical and emotional support for wives, New Hope Publishers announces the release of Dear God, He's Home!: A Woman's Guide to Her Stay-at-Home Man by Janet Thompson.

 

Each chapter has discussion questions for support groups or book clubs to use with a Leader's Guide included and Sanity Tools offer walk-along-beside you encouraging, and sometimes humorous, tips to help make this season of life of blessing and not a burden.

 

 

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 Woman To Woman Mentoring Ministry is at our website shop!

**********************************
Featured Woman To Woman
Mentoring Ministry Testimony  
Janet,
I have enjoyed your publications on mentoring and will have my first coffee tomorrow, June 21st. I have read your materials and I am unclear about only two things:

When a match has been made and the 2 decide to continue another 6 months do they need to attend the next Coffee and Kick off and if not, do they attend the second (now 12 months for them) 6 month potluck?

Second, after someone has been in a relationship and decides to continue with a new mentor or mentee do they need to go to the next Coffee? I am unsure because they would have reviewed this material so wondering if it is mandatory (I anticipate that question in the future) I know they will have to be at the new Kick off to meet their new partner.

Thanks you so much for your time.
I appreciate the clarity of your work.
In Christ,
Leslie

Answer: I'll answer her first question this month and her second question next month:

At the end of 6 months we let them bring closure with the Potluck Celebration. Those who want to continue are welcome to on their own.
   
 
************************************ 
 
TALK TO US
   

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

  

************************************************* 

 

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

  

 

 

               Mentoring Moment              
     "I have found that it is very difficult to have real spiritual breakthrough in your Christian life if you don't commit to regular time with Christ each day. You have to realize you just absolutely can't live without it, no matter what your circumstances are." -- Mentor Lynn Moll
TwoTwo About His Work
    
 
Book Janet and her daughter Kim
for your event. For details about topics.
 
 
  
grammie
Janet on Deck 2
 
   "GRAMMIE'S CORNER"    
          

Our "Mansion"

 

I had to laugh when 8 year-old Katelyn announced that Grammie and Grampa lived in a mansion! I said that I thought our house was about the same size as theirs and had the same number of bedrooms. She had to think about that for a moment and then she said, "But you have two kitchens." She had me there. We have a finished basement that was an apartment before we bought the house, and makes our house have three floors.

 

Our house is definitely not a "mansion," but to a little girl it seems like one. I wonder if when she's a big girl and Grammie and Grampa are in our heavenly mansion, if she'll remember us living in an earthly mansion.

 

Have you ever gone back as an adult to see a building that seemed so big to you as a kid but looks so small now? As seen through Katelyn's eyes, I'm looking at our house with a completely new perspective!  

 

 

  author2Meet An Author
                                                                                 
31 Days to Becoming a Happy Wife
by Arlene Pellicane    

I met Arlene in June at our Advanced Writer's and Speakers Association(AWSA) Conference. Everyone at the Conference was talking about her new book and I knew I had to find our more about it ....

 

What inspired you to write 31 Days to Becoming a Happy Wife?

 

Two reasons come to mind: There are so many wives who seem unhappy with their spouses and they tend to complain about their men. I wanted to help these women find an out - not through divorce - but through gratitude, being thankful for their marriages instead of letting resentment rob them. The second reason is to give young people the hope that marriage is something wonderful to experience, instead of something to be avoided. Children, teens and twenty-somethings need to see healthy marriages modeled all around them.

 

The book is divided into five "becoming" areas. What are they and why is each of them important?

 

I've taken the word HAPPY and used it to express skills in marriage that we can improve to become more joy-filled:

 

H - Becoming Hopeful - this acts as the foundation for transformation

 

A - Becoming Adaptable - you've got to be able to roll with life

 

P - Becoming Positive - optimism has many benefits

 

P - Becoming Purposeful - keep growing as a spouse so you feel alive

 

Y - Becoming Yielded - allow God to take control of your heart and home

 

You introduce this idea of turning bothers into blessings. What does this mean and how is it helpful in the day-to-day of marriage?

 

Every day, your spouse will do something to get on your nerves and believe it or not, you will do the same to him! If you focus on the things your husband is doing wrong (or not doing at all), these weaknesses will grow large in your mind, leaving very little room for respect or admiration. So don't think about the "bothers" (Why doesn't he talk to me? Why does he leave his laundry on the floor? Why does he watch so much football?). Instead, focus on the blessings. What does your husband do right? What do you appreciate about him? My husband makes our family a green smoothie every morning. Some days it tastes good, other days, we're just drinking to our health. But that green "bother" is really a "blessing" if I can remember to see it that way.

 

What does it mean to be a "professional wife"?

 

We have goals in different areas of our lives. At work, there are new skills to learn, sales numbers to hit. As a parent, you have certain things you want your child to master. But when it comes to being a wife, sometimes we are direction-less. If we can think of being a wife as our profession, we can ask some good questions: How am I doing as a wife? What are a few areas of improvement for me to work on this year? What is working really well (ask your husband for feedback)? What's a new skill I want to learn as a wife (it could be cooking, giving massages, or joining your husband on a morning run)?  

 

As you were writing, did you find yourself convicted and freshly motivated in certain areas of your own marriage? If so, can you share one example?


Yes, I have positive peer pressure to be happy - no matter what is happening! The other day, James had the kids out later than I would have liked on a school night. When they got home, I was not very happy about it and that was plain by the look on my face. But then, I walked myself through the acronym HAPPY and asked myself, "Am I putting my hope in God? Am I being adaptable with how the evening turned out? What's something positive I could think of about tonight? How can I be purposefully gracious to James? Am I yielded to God and James' leadership?" I honestly run those questions in my mind whenever I am feeling unhappy, and it helps me focus on how to redeem a situation and make the best of things.

 

Arlene Pellicane is an author, speaker, and has been featured on The Hour of Power, The 700 Club, The Better Show, Turning Point with Dr. David Jeremiah and Family Life Today Radio. Before becoming a stay-at-home mom, Arlene worked as the Associate Producer for Turning Point Television. Arlene earned her BA from Biola University and her Masters in Journalism from Regent University.  

 

For a chance to win a free copy of Arlene's book 31 Days to Becoming a Happy Wife 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
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

*********************
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 
  
Like me on Facebook 
 
Follow me on Twitter 

SpeakSpeaking 2014
     
Plan to Attend the LifeWay lead"YOU Lead" - Training Women in Ministry Conference 
  
"YOU Lead" Conferences where I'm speaking  
 

October 9-10 
October 23-24 
 
  
Janet will teach on "Mentoring" and "The Team That Jesus Built"  


************************

 

 

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

Dec 12
Crouch Community Church
Garden Valley, ID 
Women's Christmas Dinner
Janet will be speaking on "What Gift Are You Giving Jesus This Year?
Contact: Merrily Mosman 
208-462-2206

**********************

Speaking 2015

 

Jan 30-31

Evangelical Free Church

McCook, NE

Women's Winter Conference
Contact: Marilyn Gaster

October 3
Antioch Baptist Church
Fairfax Station, VA
Women's Event
Janet will be speaking on "A Cup For Encouragement"

 

   
Follow Me on Twitter
 

 Stay connected between newsletters let's tweet!

 Follow us on Twitter
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

 

 
Book Trailers