Monday, January 28, 2012 WOW-Zine

Hello, ladies. Good to get to talk to you again today. I know your lives are all very busy and I appreciate the time you take each week to read the WOW-Zine and find out what's going on. We also need to take the time to pray for each other, as I know we have several women who are facing a lot of problems, whether it's health, family, or finances. One of the best ways we can love each other is by praying for each other. 

Both our women's Bible studies will be meeting this week as usual. Common Grounds is on Wednesdays at 6:30 PM, and The Perk meets Thursday morning at 9:30. (Childcare is provided for the morning study.) Both groups meet at the church and are a great place to bring friends who may not know much about the Bible, but are curious about how it could apply to their lives. Boy, are we ever learning how much it applies to day to day life as we go through Beth Moore's study of Jesus The One And Only. Remember, there's no book to buy or homework to do--just show up with your Bible and an open heart. We glean so much from each other each week. This week we'll continue our study in Luke 8, verses 22 through the end of the chapter. 

And speaking of Beth Moore, have you heard that she'll be LIVE in Eugene two weekends after our retreat? Yep, join a group of us as we head down to Eugene on Friday, April 26th for her teaching that evening and the next morning. Please register on-line by going to  http://www.lifeway.com/livingproof.
When you've done so, let me know, and I'll get motel rooms for us, which will probably cost around $25-$30 each if we put four ladies to a room. The registration fee for the conference is $69. We're going to have such a good time!!

But we don't have to wait that long to have a good time! Oh, no, not us!! Our annual women's retreat will be at Lincoln City the weekend of April 12th-14th. YOU DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS! Our theme this year is Doing the Impossible, led by myself and my daughter, Christina, and based on the book of Nehemiah. There are times in our lives when God asks us to trust Him and simply obey, even though the situation looks impossible. How to do that? Come and find out. Cost is only $80 for the weekend, and you can check out our accommodations by following this link:
 http://www.vrbo.com/309670.
Because of the interest already being generated among you gals, I think I'm going to open registration up a few weeks early. Remember, you must pay in full to be considered registered. And when you give me that money, I'll be able to point you to the room reservation notebook that Amy is making up, like she did last year.We have one room for those who like to go to bed relatively early, and another room for those who like to stay up much of the night talking and/or playing games. And then we have lots of rooms for those who fall somewhere in between! So when Amy completes the Book of Rooms, I'll open registration for those who attend Wapato. Checks should be made out to Wapato Valley Church, with "retreat" in the memo section. But please give them to me so I can keep up on who is going.

Have you heard the news? The Wapato Valentine's Dinner and Dance has been moved back a week, to Saturday, Feb. 16th, due to ascheduling conflict. Tickets are only $20 per couple, or $12 for a single one. Childcare and dinner if available for $2 a child. This is another event you don't want to miss. It's so much fun to dress up a bit and celebrate this special day with wonderful food, music, and company. You can start practicing those dance moves now!

Today I'd like to leave you with a thought from Susie Larson, who is a writer and radio personality I met a few years ago. She writes:

Susie Larson Ministries
January ~ 2013 Your Beautiful Purpose...
In This Issue Message Called & Blessed! Ministry Updates BIG Radio News! He's Doing a NEW Thing! I don't know what kind of winter it's been for you so far. It's been a stretching and challenging one for me. One thing I noticed is that when hardships befall us, our self-life shows in ways we don't appreciate. Just this morning I read from Galatians 2:20 ~ I've been crucified with Christ, and it's no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me... What a treasure, no? We are works in progress, appointed and anointed to live an other-worldly life. Spring is around the corner. Right now, the changes in us are mostly invisible. But soon, very soon, we'll see the beautiful us Jesus has pictured all along!    Quick Links Website Facebook Twitter Radio Quick Links Register Now News Related Topics More About Us	You're Called & Blessed! Dear Friends, I pray this note finds you well. With all my heart, I pray you're able to take a moment today, exhale your frustrations, and remember once again that God is good, He is for you, and HE wants to do beautiful things in and through you. The enemy's consistent ploy is to derail us from the best of what God has for us. If he can get us to forget about our divine value in Christ, and about our open invitation to have an audience with our King every moment of every day, well, then we'll live like we have no hope, no purpose. But we do have hope and we're called to a beautiful purpose! Here's an excerpt from my new book, 'Your Beautiful Purpose'  Our enemy sees potential in us before we ever see it in ourselves. Think about it. Do you know why a thief robs a home? Because there's good stuff in that home. Scripture calls the devil a thief because he steals, kills, and destroys; he's after all of the good stuff in us (see John 10:10). His worst fear is that you and I will realize our capacity for God's Kingdom to flow in and through us. If we come to understand our value, identity, and life-purpose in Christ, the enemy's schemes to diminish our influence and dismantle our call will come to nothing... Nothing is more beautiful than a strong, humble, God-fearing woman who knows who she is and Whose she is. If we walk closely with God, we must expect Him to change us, heal us, and transform us. As we spend time with Jesus and do what He says, our capacity for His influence in our lives supernaturally increases. May we not only grow more assured that our journey with Christ involves personal transformation, but may we also believe in faith that even at this very moment, God's redemptive purposes are at work in us! I pray those words bless, challenge, and encourage you! You have everything you need for a life of influence, power, and godliness. May the Lord Himself hold you close, make you strong, and when the time is right, lift you up and bless you before a watching world.

Blessings on you all,

Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com    971-285-6699

Monday, January 21, 2013 WOW-Zine

 Good sunny morning to you! I don't know what's it's like where you are, but sitting here at Ashberry Lane I'm enjoying the second day in a row of blue skies and sun. It's still below freezing, but since I'm inside, I really don't care.

Let me just say that if you weren't at the bowling party Saturday morning, you sure missed out on a good time. What makes it so much fun is that no one is an exceptional bowler. If we'd all been good, it might have ended up as more competition and less fun. (Though there did seem to be a bit of competing going on as to who could break 50 and who could bust through 100. Talk about good humor and joy, we had it in abundance there! 

Both Bible studies are on for this week--Common Grounds at 6:30 Wednesday night (hi, Neva!) and The Perk at 9:30 Thursday morning (childcare provided). It was fun to see some new faces at both groups last week, so always remember you can invite your friends. If you'd like to, read Luke 8:1-39 before coming, even though I'm not sure how far we'll get. I know we'll at least go through verse 25. 
 
It will be here before you know it!! Wapato's Valentine Dinner is Saturday, February 9th, with doors opening at 6:30 and dinner beginning around 7. Make sure you take note that this is BEFORE Valentine's Day, not after. And guess what? Child care, including a meal, is available at the annex for only $2 per child. What a deal! So you have no excuse not to put on some kind of fancy duds and come out and spend a delightful evening with your Wapato family. Tickets are on sale now for $20/couple, or $12 per person. Instead of the proceeds being used for a special Wapato youth event as has been done in the past, the monies will be given to the Gaston school for needs they might have. Isn't that a wonderful way to reach out to our community?

Are you socking money away for Doing the Impossible, our women's retreat coming up April 12th-14th? If not, now's the time to start. We'll be at that beautiful beach house again, with up to 40 women present. Cost is only $80 for the weekend, which is much lower than any other retreat I've heard about recently. And for that $80, you get quality! This year's retreat is one we're designing ourselves, and my daughter, Christina Berry Tarabochia, will be co-leading with me. We can promise you it won't be boring! Based on the book of Nehemiah, we'll be discovering what happens when God asks us to do something we think is impossible. We'll have our own music team back this year with songs of their choosing, so you just know it's going to be a wonderful experience! Registration will begin next month. 

A couple weeks after our retreat is an opportunity of a life time--the chance to hear Beth Moore in person! She'll be in Eugene on Friday evening, April 26, and speaking again the next morning until lunch time. There's a group of us that are planning on going, and we'd love for you to join us. I'm asking everyone to register on their own, and then let me know when you've done so. The registration link is  www.lifeway.com/livingproof. Just click on the Eugene event and enter your information. I will reserve however many motel rooms we need, with four ladies to a room. I imagine both the tickets ($69) and the rooms will go quickly, so please get back to me on this as soon as you can. At this point, Debbie, Janet, Kathy, Cindy, and myself are planning on going. So you see we have plenty of room for more.
The schedule is that doors open Friday night at 5:30, with the program going from 7-9:30. The next morning doors open at 7:30, and it runs from 8:30-12:15.

Well, I think that's enough good things to tell you about today! 

Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com    971-285-6699

Monday, January 12, 2013 WOW-Zine

It's been a busy, but very good day, so I'm just now getting around to talk to you at 5 PM. I'm not usually that late, but some days just turn out like that, don't they? Anyway, I'm glad you're here and I hope you'll all take a few minutes to read through this.

Common Grounds and The Perk both will be meeting this week as usual. Okay, you Common Grounds gals, you need to show some gumption and get back in the routine. I know the Lord is always present no matter how few or many ladies show up, but it's usually more fun when there's more of you there!We'll be continuing with our study in Luke 7, hopefully covering verses 18-50, though we may not get through all of that. I know it's a struggle to leave your home after being busy all day, or working at your job, but it's really important for us to meet together for encouragement and study. Hope I see you this week!! And The Perk? Continue your good work!! (A little competition, anyone?!)

This coming Saturday, the 19th, is our WOW Bowling Party for women and girls, age 8 and above. Someone let me know about a Groupon that was available, so I purchased two of them and got a great deal. Follow me here: Two games of bowling with shoe rentals for up to five people, and it was only $18! So I have enough to cover 10 of you. (Well nine of you actually, cuz I get dibs on one!) So depending on how many people show up, the cost might be very low for you. I'm not all that great at math, but even I know if that five of us use the $18 coupon, that works out to ... hmm .. five goes into eighteen three times, three times five is fifteen, subtracted from eighteen is three, carry a zero, makes ... $3.60  for shoe rental and two games!! You just can't beat that. That deal will be available on a first come, fist served basis, so be prepared to pay a bit more if necessary. I'll limit it to one person per family at first, and if there's room you can use it for your daughter too. Meet behind the church at 10AM if you want to carpool, or at Four Seasons in Hillsboro at 10:30 when the event starts. Their address is 322 SE Washington St.  And don't forget, we'll do lunch together afterward at their restaurant. 

Later that afternoon, from 3:30 to 5, is the baby shower for TiffanyKrautscheid. She's well prepared and has this mothering thing down pat, but could really use diapers and wipes. So between bowling and a shower (and we may all need one after bowling!) we should have a super day together!

Several of you have been asking about the theme for our retreat April 12th-14th, and we are organized enough to be able to share that with you now. Our retreat is titled, Doing The Impossible, and my very own, as well as your used-to-be very own, Christina Berry Tarabochia will be co-leading it with me. We're soooo excited! There will be a lot of humor, depth, and challenge as we lead this study based on the book of Nehemiah. There are times when God asks us to do what seems utterly impossible, and that's what we'll be looking at during that weekend in April. I can promise you that you don't want to miss this, so like I said last week, start stashing that money away now! It's $80. Wish I could do a Groupon for you on it, but that's just not possible. (But since the theme is about doing the impossible, maybe I shouldn't have said that!!) Registration opens February 24th for women who attend Wapato, and at that time you'll also be able to select what room you'd like too. You must pay in full to be considered registered. 

Be watching for up-coming announcements about the Wapato Valentine Dinner and Dance that will be held Saturday night, February 9th.  If you've been here in the past, you know it's a wonderful evening of fun and romance, held at the church, with childcare available in the annex.

If you ever struggle with finding yourself in the midst of a difficult conversation, here's some good advice from Christian blogger Holly Gerth:

What to Do When a Conversation Drags You Down by Ann Voskamp {click to get a free printable} We can all find ourselves pulled into negative conversations from everything from the weather to politics to what great aunt so-and-so did last week. The start of a new year always feels like the blank page of a new journal so guarding our words and helping others around us do the same is perhaps more important now than ever. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Eph. 4:29 So if you find yourself in the middle of gossip or a gripe fest, what can you do? Here’s my go-to list of three kinds of questions to ask to help the conversation get back on track (and if you’re the one doing the gossiping and griping, ask yourself these. ha!) If you find yourself stuck in a negative conversation, ask a question that’s: Personal – ex: What do you think will help? {Use when someone is saying, “The whole world/office/family is a mess.”} Positive – ex: What’s going well in the middle of all of that? {Use when someone is saying, “Here are the ten reasons why the whole world/office/family is a mess.”} Pointed – ex: What’s a small step you could take? {Use when someone is saying, “And if everyone else would just get their act together the world/office/family would no longer be a mess.”} And, yes, the world/office/family is likely to be a mess–probably always has been, always will be. So while negative talk makes it feel like we’re doing something about that, we’re actually just wasting valuable time, words, and energy that could be used for encouraging others and acting on solutions {the little bit we really can do} instead. Researcher John Gottman has shown that healthy marriages have a ratio of five positive comments for every negative one. I tend to think the same is true of all our other relationships too. So give Jesus the gift of your words this new year–and you’ll be giving a powerful gift to those around you too. Let’s only speak words that make souls stronger. What are your tips for conversations, especially this time of year? Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com    971-285-6699

  


 

Monday, January 7, 2013 WOW-Zine

Good morning, ladies, and welcome to the first WOW-Zine of 2013! I was so proud of myself for typing the correct year on my first try! I just got back from a quick trip to southern California for a family wedding, and now it's time for all of us to jump into the new year with a renewed sense of calling and enthusiasm. So let me tell you about all the events that will be available to you.

Both Common Grounds and The Perk resume this week. If you haven't attended either of our women's Bible studies, now would be an awesome time to start. Whether you come to Common Grounds (6:30-8 PM Wednesdays) or The Perk (9:30-11 AM Thursdays) you'll find the same thing--a wonderful group of women who genuinely care about each other, a safe place to be "real", and a challenging Bible study every week. If one of your goals this year is to grow in the Lord, this is a great way to facilitate that. Both groups are studying the same material, and this week we'll be focusing on Luke 7:1-17. Childcare is provided for the Thursday morning group. 

This Wednesday, January 9th, the Christian Women's Fellowship will be meeting for a no-host lunch at Jake's Deli in McMinnville at noon. (You're welcome to come a bit early and get your lunch order in before noon.) This month's speaker will be talking about "New Beginnings", which we're all thinking about at this time of year. I'll be attending, so let me know if you'd like to ride with me. It only lasts for about an hour, and is a good way to meet Christian women from other churches. I'll especially be "pushing" this event next month (February 13th) when my daughter, Christina Tarabochia, will be the featured speaker. Those of you who already know Christina will also know you don't want to miss out on that!!

Not this Saturday, but the following one, January 19th, is what has become our annual bowling party. This is a chance for women and girls (age 8 or older) to meet at Four Seasons Bowling in Hillsboro for a couple games of bowling, followed by lunch in their restaurant. We'll start at 10:30 AM, but if you'd like to carpool, meet behind the church at 10.

Our annual Women's Retreat will be here in just a few months--April 12th-14th, a Friday evening through Sunday morning. This is always one of the high points of our year, and pretty soon I'll be announcing our theme. Your Women's Ministry Team works very hard to provide a special time for you. We'll be meeting at "our" beach house in Lincoln City. If you've never been there, you are in for a treat! When we get a little closer I'll give you the VRBO # so you can take a look at it. It sleeps up to 40 women, so that's the cap we put on the number of ladies that can attend. Unfortunately, we're not able to accommodate your sweet little babies, so if you'd like to attend you'll have to plan to leave them them home for some special bonding time with daddy! The cost is only $80 for the retreat, which includes your beautiful lodgings plus most of your meals. So start stashing those $5 and $10 bills away in your undie drawer so you have the money on hand when we open up registration. 

Right on the heels of retreat is another great opportunity for us! You know who Beth Moore is, right? A couple of years ago we used one of her video teachings as the basis for our retreat. And that summer we went through a follow-up book based on the same thing, called Loving Well. And this year in our Bible studies we're using her study on Jesus, the One and Only as our guide. Well, how would you like to go hear Beth Moore in person?? (Yes, I can see you jumping up and down, waving your hands back and forth like a fool to get my attention!) She will be speaking in Eugene on Friday night, April 26th and Saturday morning, the 27th. I think it would be great fun to get a bunch of us to head down there, spend the night in a motel, and get to hear her teach in person. And Travis, her music guy, will be leading the worship. What fun! So let me know if that's something you'd like to do, and we can make it happen. (Thanks, Heidi, for letting me know about this!)

Well, I think this is probably enough information for you to try to absorb this week. Take out those fresh 2013 calendars and put in all these dates right away so that you don't miss out on any of the fun! 

Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@yahoo.com    971-285-6699