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AHW MINISTRIES NEWSLETTER
About His Work with Janet February 2015
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It's Your Job to be a Titus 2 Woman!
The media promotion of the book and movie, 50 Shades of Grey, has launched a surprising dialogue among women in the church. You might think that all Christian women would oppose both the movie and the book and try to persuade women not to become enticed by the erotica,
BDSM, and abuse storyline. Sadly, that's not the discussion always taking place. What I saw on Facebook, and heard from women messaging me, went like this:
- As I stand against this, I'm being told it's just my fanatical Christian rigidness. Even women I believed to have a strong biblical foundation for their life are reading and planning to see this movie. HELP!
- The book is being passed around in our Bible study groups and the women can't stop talking and giggling about it. They don't see anything wrong with it.
- The church just needs to catch up with pop culture.
- It's just fiction.
- It's a redemption story.
I'm sure you've heard many similar justifications. They remind me of the Serpent in the Garden of Eden asking, "Did God really say don't eat the forbidden fruit?"
- Did God really say Christians should be in the world, but not of the world?
- Did God really say don't be influenced by culture, but be the influencer of culture?
- Did God really say don't let immorality or sexual sins fill your mind, heart, and actions?
- Did God really say think on things that are pure, lovely, and holy?
- Did God really say lusts of the eyes are as bad as committing the sin?
- Did God really say Christians are to be Christ-like in all they do and say?
- Did God really say you're to let your light shine in a dark and corrupt world?
- Did God really say beware of Satan who prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour?
- Did God really say that sex outside of marriage is a sin?
- Did God really say that marriage is only between a man and a woman?
- Did God really say renew your mind and feed on His Word and don't partake of the sins of this world?
If anyone reading this thinks that it's rigid, legalistic, or fanatical to be a Christian who tries to live by what God says in the Bible, or you're not sure that the answers to all of the above questions is a resounding "Yes" from the Bible, I beg you to find a Bible-believing Christian woman to mentor you.
If you're a Bible-believing Christian woman, then it's your job to help the women God puts in your path who are struggling with the Christian way of life:
Titus 2 1-6, The Message: Your job is to speak out on the things that make for solid doctrine. Guide older men into lives of temperance, dignity, and wisdom, into healthy faith, love, and endurance. Guide older women into lives of reverence so they end up as neither gossips nor drunks, but models of goodness. By looking at them, the younger women will know how to love their husbands and children, be virtuous and pure, keep a good house, be good wives. We don't want anyone looking down on God's Message because of their behavior. Also, guide the young men to live disciplined lives.
Amen!
About His Work,
Janet
PS: Know how God wants us to live by spending time with Him. My Valentine's blog was How to Have a Date with Jesus. (BTW Jesus wouldn't go on a date with you to see 50 Shades of Grey).
PSS: Don't miss Pam Christian's Blog on Love Your Body with a Healthy Happy Heart.
PSSS: I'll be speaking in Colorado in April and staying a few extra days so contact me me about speaking at your church.
PSSSS: Read the Author Interview with Julie B. Cosgrove about her book, Legitimate Lies, and a chance to win a free copy.
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FEATURED BOOK OF THE MONTH
Dear God, He's Home
A Woman's Guide to Her Stay-at-Home Man
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.
Now that hubby Dave is home, he serves with me in About His Work Ministries, travels with me when I speak and runs my book tables, maintains my website, prepares my Power Point presentations, and handles the techy issues. I'm so blessed to have a stay-at-home man!
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I Would Love to Speak at Your Event!
To contact Janet
about your event
call or email to discuss availability.
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Video of Janet's Keynote at The M.O.M. Initiative Conference August 2, 2014
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 Janet speaking last month at the Women's Winter Conference at Evangelical Free Church in McCook, NE
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now exclusively available and personalized from our website shop. |
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Mentoring Moment
Sin produces a moment of gratification
and an eternity of remorse.
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 Two About His Work 
Book Janet and her daughter Kim for your event. For details about topics.
Would you like to reach a broader age range in the audience? My daughter, Kimberly Mancini, and I would love to talk with you about bringing Two About His Work to your church.
 | | Kim leading workshop at Ontario Nazarene Church Retreat |
Are you looking for a fresh approach to your women's retreat or conference? How about offering a workout class to your breakout workshops!
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"GRAMMIE'S CORNER"
Coaches, players, and referees praying before Katelyn's basketball game!
My three Idaho grandchildren participate in a Christian sports program called UPWARDS. I love UPWARDS! The teams, coaches, and refs all get on their knees and pray together before every game. Then at halftime, they have a short message for the kids and all the parents and grandparents cheering on the kids.
The season ends with an awards celebration and a Christian entertainer who engages the kids and shares the gospel message. It's always first class with lots of worship music and fun. My grandkids have played soccer, basketball, and the girls did cheerleading for flag football for the past four years.
They practice during the week and only play games on Saturdays, leaving Sunday as the Lord's Day! as it should be in all children's sports programs! It teaches the children to put sports in the proper perspective.
The children learn good sportsmanship from the coaches and the referees. For example, if someone has made a few hoops or goals, he or she is encouraged to pass the ball to a teammate who hasn't had a chance to score. My six-year old granddaughter, Sienna, said that when she made a "hoop," the girl who was guarding her from the opposing team told her "Good job!" That made an impression on Sienna.
After each game, the coach meets with his/her team and gives the kids star stickers based on how they played in areas like: offense, defense, good attitude, good sportsmanship, and most Christ-like.
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Meet An Author
I am reading Legitimate Lies now and it is an intriguing page turner!
Why do you write both fiction and non-fiction?
I love writing devotionals and inspirational articles, but at heart I am a storyteller. I feel blessed to be in the process of publishing five fictional works, with two more in the wings for 2016. All my writing centers around one common theme - God is ever present in our lives. We just need to seek Him.
Tell us an interesting fact, trial or triumph about your writing.
A short time after I became a freelance writer for income, and while I was composing my first novel, a pinched nerve in my neck caused me to slowly lose the use of my dominant hand. For six months I typed one-handed. Even three years after surgery, my strength of grip is lousy and I still can't type with my ring finger and pinkie on my right hand. So I have basically re-taught myself how to use a keyboard.
How do you write? Are you a plotter or a "write until you stop" type of author?
I really do pray about a novel before I begin to write it. Each one must have a message. I have a basic idea about the main characters and the plot, but the journey from page one to the end is unknown until my fingers hit the keyboard. Often, I'd catch myself asking, "Lord, where is this leading? Why are you telling me to write this scene?"
In each of my novels, I want the reader, through my characters, to experience a deeper knowledge of God's redemptive love, and to become aware of a social issue of our times in the process. I strive for them to be visually real, so the reader virtually walks with the characters though the plot, as well as page turning and fast-paced.
With Legitimate Lies, my publisher requested that I write it as a sequel to Hush in the Storm. I stalled after the first three chapters. I put it away, prayed about it, and then let God tell me what message and social issue He wanted me to cover. As soon as I received that answer, and began to research that topic, it flowed very quickly out of my brain onto the computer screen.
What is the premise of your new novel?
Legitimate Lies continues the story of Jen Westlaw who, in the first novel Hush in the Storm, discovers her marriage has been a lie, and in the process of learning the truth encounters the horrors of human trafficking. However, she also learns to stand on her own two feet, despite being a grieving widow, unless her husband is not as dead as everyone tells her he is. In Legitimate Lies, she is forced into witness protection, but still harbors a hidden secret that may hinder her one chance for happiness. As she uncovers more and more lies about the people around her, will she decide to live the lie herself in order to be with the man she loves, or does she dare reveal the truth about her past and risk driving him away?
Julie B. Cosgrove is a freelance writer, professional inspirational speaker and workshop leader, and a multi-published novelist. You can preview all of her works and follow her devotional blog "Where Did You Find God Today" on her website. All her books are available on Amazon in both Kindle and paperback, and in Nook format at BarnesandNoble.
If you would like to enter a drawing to win a copy of Julie's book, contact me.
Congratulations to Debbie Verplancke, last month's winner of Never Ever Be The Same by Kathy Collard Miller and Larry Miller .
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