Tuesday, February 23, 2016 WOW-Zine

I feel like Mr. Rogers, as it's definitely a beautiful day in the neighborhood! Makes me want to get outside and do something fun. But even if the weather isn't quite reliable enough to plan a hike or camping trip yet, we've got some fun events coming your way.

If you like to bowl, you'll want to take part in our annual WOW Bowling Party at the Four Seasons Bowling Center in Hillsboro. The date is Saturday, March 5th, at 10:30. You certainly don't have to be a good bowler to participate. In fact, it's more fun if you're not! Feel free to bring daughters who are in fourth grade or higher. We usually bowl a couple of games, then have a leisurely lunch at the good restaurant that is there. If anyone wants to carpool from Gaston, meet at The Hub at 10 AM and see who shows up! As an added bonus, here's a good coupon to use: 
 https://www.groupon.com/deals/four-seasons-bowling-center-3-portland

Congratulations to Bryan and Kaitlyn Marsh on the birth of beautiful little Avenlea Elizabeth last night! We'll be helping out with meals when Kaitlyn gets home, so keep an eye out for a Takethemameal notice in the near future.

This week in both our Bible studies we'll be continuing in Colossians 3. What great discussions we've been having!! Feel free to join us at The Perk, Thursday from 9:30-11 AM, or at Common Grounds, Thursday evening from 6:30-8. This week Jody is bringing snacks in the morning, and Helen in the evening.

If you already know all about retreat, you can skip this next part! If not, read on.

We already have 33 women signed up, with a cap of 40. To hold your spot and select your bed just give me $90 and fill out a little slip of paper. I will have the forms and the Book of Rooms (pictures of the rooms and beds) with me at both Bible studies and again at church on Sunday. You can check out the beautiful house we stay at: 
https://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p290753

Retreat Date: April 8-10th 
Location: Lincoln City
Theme: Who's Your Daddy ?(Re-defined by His Love)
Cost: $90
Friday Night Fun: Talent Show!

On February 28th registration will expand beyond you Wapatonians to include those who don't attend here but have been to one of our retreats in the past. And if there's still room, it opens to brand new ladies on March 13th. As the event gets closer I will be sending out informational letters to those of you who are going, so you'll know how the carpooling works, schedule, etc. At this point, all you need to know is that you'll have a fantastic time!!

I'll close with this recent post from blogger Holley Gerth:

I settle into a comfy chair in a counselor’s office and begin to share the lies that sometimes swirl around in my mind. Like a tornado they threaten to destroy everything in their path. My peace. My joy. My belief that I’m loved. When I lean into the wind I hear things like…

You’re not good enough.

You need to try harder.

You should have it all together by now.

I say to the counselor, “I know these words aren’t true. But in the hard moments they feel true. And that’s where I’m stuck.” Can you relate? I hope by hearing me confess that it reassures you none of us are immune. I also want to reassure you it’s possible to beat those lies. Yes, it’s not only possible it’s your right as a daughter of the King.

For years when I heard lies my default response was “try harder.” In other words, if I heard “you’re not a good Christian” I would just try harder to be one. But after months of counseling, conversations with friends and time with Jesus I’ve learned a new way. These days my response is no longer “try harder” instead it’s “fight back.”

The accusations toward our souls aren’t proof of our inadequacy; they’re proof that we have an adversary.

And the enemy is not me. There’s a reason we use the phrase “beating ourselves up.” When we think the problem is us we become harsh toward our own hearts. But lean in and listen to this above the wind instead…

Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Eph. 6:12

Our primary battle isn’t against any person—including ourselves. And the lies we hear have the same source as the first lie spoken to Eve in the Garden. If you are a woman in this world, you are at war. It is not optional. And while you may not go roaring into battle, at the very least you need to know basic spiritual self-defense.

That’s what I lacked. Even after writing books, even after encouraging thousands of women, I didn’t know how to defend my own heart. My husband and I recently watched a TV show in which the hero faces a powerful opponent. At one point the hero becomes weary and takes punch after punch. With tears in my eyes I said over and over, “Fight back. Please fight back.”

It’s the same feeling I get when I look at my sisters in Christ. It’s the same one I get when I think about how I let my own soul be treated. And it makes me want to shout: NO MORE. It’s time to fight back. It’s time to guard our hearts. It’s time to protect our minds. It’s time to stop taking the punches and instead take the victory in Jesus’ name.

If you’re too tired to even think about this, too weary to even imagine being a warrior, too busy to feel like you can even bother then that’s just fine. It’s the same place I started, too. And that’s why I’m here. I’m starting a new series called “What’s True About Us” that will remind you of the truth of who you are and start helping you learn the art of spiritual self-defense. All I’m asking you to do is show up, read one post a week and perhaps pass it along. {If you haven’t subscribed by email yet, I hope you will so that you don’t miss anything.}

Here’s the truth about us this week no matter what we may hear: We are overcomers. We are more than conquerors. We are stronger than we know, braver than we feel and loved more than we can even imagine…

Until next time,

Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director

sherrieashcraft@gmail.com     971-285-6699

Happy Tuesday, ladies. Some of you newer women may be puzzled by why I refer to this as the WOW-Zine. WOW stands for Women of Wapato, and is the "umbrella" (which we definitely need here in Oregon!) for our Women's Ministries. Keeping nice and dry under that umbrella are our two Bible studies--The Perk (Thursday mornings from 9:30 to 11; childcare available), and Common Grounds (Thursday evenings from 6:30 to 8.) We meet at the church and I teach the same lesson at both studies, so you can attend whichever one is the most convenient for you. No homework, no book to buy, and you can jump in at any time. This week Karen is providing something to go along with our coffee and tea in the morning, and Cherie is bringing a goodie for our evening group. 

RETREAT

We already have 30 women signed up, with a cap of 40. To hold your spot and select your bed just give me $90 and fill out a little slip of paper. I will have the forms and the Book of Rooms (pictures of the rooms and beds) with me at both Bible studies and again at church on Sunday. You can check out the beautiful house we stay at: 
https://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p290753

Retreat Date: April 8-10th 
Location: Lincoln City
Theme: Who's Your Daddy ?(Re-defined by His Love)
Cost: $90
Friday Night Fun: Talent Show!

On February 28th registration will expand beyond you Wapatonians to include those who don't attend here but have been to one of our retreats in the past. And if there's still room, it opens to brand new ladies on March 13th. As the event gets closer I will be sending out informational letters to those of you who are going, so you'll know how the carpooling works, schedule, etc. At this point, all you need to know is that you'll have a fantastic time!!

BOWLING

Coming up on Saturday, March 5th, is our WOW Bowling Party at Four Seasons in Hillsboro. We meet there at 10:30 and bowl a couple of games before having lunch together. Those of you in the Gaston area can meet at 10 AM at The Hub and we can carpool.Thanks to Viv's sharp eye, here's a Groupon for the bowling. You may want to get together with a friend and take advantage of this:  https://www.groupon.com/deals/four-seasons-bowling-center-3-portland


Our speaker for retreat is Joy Roberts, part of the For the Joy of It team in Lake Oswego. 

  Here's a beautiful picture of this vibrant woman.

  And here's another! Take a look at what she wrote this week: 

DEALING WITH OUR DARK SIDE

I have the gift of YELLING.

It’s true. I’m pretty awesome at it. It’s what made me a great track coach. At track meets my runners could hear me bellowing from across the field. Saying things like, “USE YOUR ARM, DIG DEEP, 100%, RUN TIGHT ON THE INSIDE LINE”…etc. I also have a reputation as an “amazing cheerleader” on my boys’ sports teams and at random athletic events.

Just sharing this redeems a piece of my childhood. I was a TERRIBLE cheerleader in the 8th grade. During an assembly I asked the school to repeat after me as I happened to misspell a complicated word: “E A G L E S” (our school mascot). Now that I’m in my mid-40s I’ve got a new reputation…I can YELL (and spell so much better)!

On the flip side, my YELLING is not awesome.

My boys might (ok, probably would) appreciate it if I toned down the YELLING (AKA cheering). The lady who sat down next me only to quickly move away once the basketball game began might also think my YELLING is an obnoxious gift. My neighbors who I’ve been praying for and who, thankfully, have not moved in yet definitely would have noticed my early morning YELLING the other day.

Last week while attempting to get my boys to school on time for finals (one of them overslept) I was yelling, “hustle-up, busta move, shake a leg” and other things like “you’re going to fail math.” I wanted to motivate them so they would not flunk out of high school, never make it to college and live unproductive lives (yes, I was dramatic…my boys are good students and actually responsible). The positive was, they made it to school on time with a few minutes to spare. The negative was, my throat was a tad raw from all the YELLING, and I felt like a complete failure as a mom.

I both appreciate my ability to YELL and despise it.

Why are our greatest strengths also our greatest weaknesses?

If we are being real with each other, we all have little Darth Vader in us. Darth Vader (if you don’t know who he is go see the new Star Wars Movie!!!), once was a really awesome, amazing guy. He was this heroic Jedi Knight who ended up seduced to the dark side.

We all have dark sides. We have hormones, meltdowns, rants, self-absorbed seasons and/or “fall off the wagon” moments. It’s amazing, scripture tells us exactly why this happens. James points out that we are our own problem (ugh!). He says “…each one of us is tempted when our own desires entice us and drag us away.”

Our desires, emotions and feelings seduce us down sin’s slippery slope…to the dark side (James 1:14-15).

I so wish my dark side stopped with YELLING in the bleachers. Over the past few weeks I’ve seen it show up in the presence of teenagers who act like teenagers… and in large crowds, long lines, and a messy kitchen. It’s ugly. I try my best to hide it. But it’s still there.

• I’m joyful AND I’m irritated
• I’m patient AND I’ve got ZERO patience
• I’m confident AND I’m immobilized by fear
• I’m nice AND sometimes I’m mean (Today I was told to park somewhere else. This required 100 feet more of walking and this former IRONMAN…smiled AND thought really mean things.)

Age, life and Jesus have taught me to not get stuck in my dark and ugly moments.The way I am today does not need to define the way I will be tomorrow… or even 5 minutes from now. I can embrace the process of being changed. Jesus said it clear as day, “whoever follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”(Jn 8:12).

Here is what this really means for me…

I don’t have to wallow in my dark side because I’ve got His light! His light shines in my darkest places. I can choose to overwhelm my dark side with His light.

Jesus has given us everything we need to push back the darkness.

BUT…I’ve got to deal with my dark side.

WHY? So it does not diminish all that is good in me. It’s so important to deal with our darkness because it taints our testimony of the reality of who Jesus is.

So here’s how I’m dealing with my dark side, the ugly part that steals from all my good parts…I’m recognizing my dark sides. If my yelling goes from good to ugly, I recognize it and invite Jesus to overwhelm it with His light.

I recognize my dark side by asking myself…

• Are you doing anything that you would not want your closest friends or neighbors to know (or hear)?”
• Are you pretending to be someone you’re not? Our nature is to hide what is ugly.
• Do you like who you see when you look in the mirror…when the dust settles at the day’s end do you like who you are, how you spoke (or YELLED), acted and responded?

Expose your dark side. We can look perfectly good on the outside and still be decompensating on the inside. We can do a really good job of covering up our dark sides but darkness flourishes when we leave it in the dark. Jesus is in the business of transforming our imperfect lives.

So Let’s invite Him to shine His light in our dark places so we can shine for Him.

Thanks for being willing to be real with me and deal with our dark stuff.  Real is always better than fake.  Real is freedom to be who you were created to be and fake is…fake.

See what you have to look forward to at retreat??

Until next time,

Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director

sherrieashcraft@gmail.com     971-285-6699

Ladies, here it is late Tuesday afternoon and I'm just getting around to writing this. I had a great morning with a friend, then decided I needed to make hay (or at least trim some bushes) while the sun was shining. So now that I'm hot and sweaty, not to mention sore, it's time to remind you of what's going on in Women's Ministries.

As most of you know by now, registration for retreat is up and running. We already have 22 women signed up, with a cap of 40. To hold your spot and select your bed just give me $90 and fill out a little slip of paper. I will have the forms and the Book of Rooms with me at both Bible studies and again at church on Sunday. 

Retreat Date: April 8-10th 
Location: Lincoln City
Theme: Who's Your Daddy ?(Re-defined by His Love)
Cost: $90
Friday Night Fun: Talent Show!

On February 28th registration will expand beyond you Wapatonians to include those who don't attend here but have been to one of our retreats in the past. And then if there's still room, it opens to brand new ladies on March 13th. As the event gets closer I will be sending out informational letters to those of you who are going, so you'll know how the carpooling works, schedule, etc. At this point, all you need to know is that you'll have a fantastic time!!

Coming up on Saturday, March 5th, is our WOW Bowling Party at Four Seasons in Hillsboro. We meet there at 10:30 and bowl a couple of games before having lunch together. Those of you in the Gaston area can meet at 10 AM at The Hub and we can carpool. Keep your eyes out for discounted prices via Groupon, as they often have bowling specials this time of year.

As we continue our journey through the Book of Colossians this week at both women's Bible studies, Kristen S. is providing goodies for The Perk (Thursday from 9:30-11 AM) and Janet is bringing a snack for Common Grounds (Thursday evening from 6:30-8.) Both groups meet at the church and you are welcome to join us at any time.

Until next time,
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@gmail.com     971-285-6699

Tuesday, February 2, 2016 WOW-Zine

Hello friends! Wow, already one month under our belt. And I saw on Facebook that the ground hog predicts an early spring. I'm all for that, and I'll bet you are too. It will be nice when the ground dries out a bit and we can get outdoors and enjoy it without feeling like we're in a Warrior Mud Dash! Don't you think it would be fun to plan a couple hikes as a group?

This week at The Perk, as well as at Common Grounds, we'll be finishing up Colossians Chapter 2 and getting in to the first few verses of Chapter 3. This is where things really start to get practical, so I know we'll have great discussions. Carol G. is bringing snacks (I almost wrote "sneaks") to The Perk, which is our study that meets at the church from 9:30-11 on Thursday mornings. (Childcare is available.) Then I teach the same lesson on Thursday evenings at Common Grounds (6:30-8), where Lauren is bringing something to go along with our coffee or tea. It's been great to have new women showing up at these nearly every week. There's no book to buy or homework to do. Just come with an open heart and bring your Bible and a notebook. If you're looking for deep friendships, this is a great place to find them.

I'm excited to remind you that registration opens this Sunday for our retreat April 8-10th. Guest speaker, Joy Roberts, will be joining us at "our" house in Lincoln City to share on the theme Who's Your Daddy? I know many women have not grown up in a household where their dad was all he should have been, and that experience can color a woman's concept of God. So please join us as Joy helps us discover who our daddy really is. The cost is $90, which includes four meals cooked by our own Janet and her team. (Start dieting now so you can enjoy one of her famous cinnamon rolls!) When you register by paying the $90 (if a check, make it out to Wapato Valley Church, but give it to me) you'll be able to select your bed on a first-come, first-served basis. Here are a few of your choices:





I had the privilege of spending nearly two hours visiting with Joy last week. You gals are going to love her! Spunky, vivacious, curious, insightful, and deep.  And the best thing?? She already knew how to correctly pronounce Wapato!!



When I woke up this morning and saw the fog, it reminded me of something I'd written waaaay back in January of 2009. But the truth is still the truth, and I close with this: 

Around the Bend

I awoke to beautiful sunshine Friday morning. Such a nice change from the arctic blast and snow of the previous month. When I opened the blinds and took a closer look outside, I saw the trees and driveway were covered with frost.

A little later I jumped in the car and headed to town to do errands. As I pulled onto the highway I noted the countryside was covered with white, but it wasn't snow. It's what we call pogonip, a Native American word for the icy fog that sometimes forms and encases the trees and each individual blade of grass with a frozen grip. Two curves later I entered a fog bank. Where was the sun? It had been streaming in my eyes just moments before.

For the next 16 miles I drove through the thick cloud, unable to see more than a few yards ahead of me. I got to town and did some errands, then headed to the grocery store. About two blocks from the store the weather changed yet again, and snow covered the ground. It fell against my face as I walked into the store, covered my windshield by the time I returned to my car. I retraced my way home, my headlights straining against the dense fog. Suddenly I burst out into sunshine and blue sky, but with the pogonip still painting the countryside ice-crystal white. The contrast of the icy trees against the azure sky was phenomenal. 

My simple journey made me think of my life. I wake up in the morning having no clue (no, don't stop the sentence there!) of what will happen that day. Of what will be around the next bend in my life. I may be walking in sunshine one moment, then suddenly halted by dark circumstances that surround me, making it hard to see more than a few steps ahead. And when I think it can't get any worse, it does! Then there are those times when the pogonip and blue skies come together, the harsh realities of life mixed with the hope of more luminous days ahead.


I'm reminded of the verses from Isaiah 42 where the Lord says,"I will lead the blind along a way they never knew; I will guide them along paths they have not known. I will make the darkness become light for them, and the rough ground smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not leave my people." What a great promise to hold on to, no matter what the weather in my life.

Until next time,
Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director
sherrieashcraft@gmail.com     971-285-6699