Welcome to a beautiful day, at least in my neighborhood! It's all I can do to make myself stay inside and get some work done. 

Both The Perk and Common Grounds will be meeting this Thursday.  I still don't have anyone who has volunteered to bring treats for either of them, so be sure you eat at home first! This week we'll be doing something a bit different at both studies, so come and find out what's going on. (It's not scary, I promise!) The Perk meets at 9:30 AM, with Common Grounds meeting at 6:30 PM. I hope you'll be there!

EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT!
It happened--someone had a change of plans and won't be going to retreat after all. So that means there is one open spot for retreat. Let me know if you want it!

Just a heads up that you won't see me at church for the next four weeks, but I don't want you to think I'm sick or dead! I've got two retreats and two weddings in the month of April, and they all involve the weekends. (Kind of reminds me of the title of an old movie!) 

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

Tuesday, March 22, 2016 WOW-Zine

Happy spring break! Hopefully the rain will stop sometime this week and we'll be able to enjoy some spring-like weather. 

Due to spring break, we do not have Bible study this week, but will get back together the following week--Thursday, March 31st. I don't have anyone signed up for treats that week, so if you'd like to bring something to The Perk (9:30 AM Thursday) or to
 Common Grounds (6:30 PM Thursday) please let me know. 

Dessert Night with Francine Rivers
Thursday, April 21st
6-9 PM
Vancouver
You can purchase your ticket ($15) at www.Options360Events.com.
Seating is limited and tickets are going quickly! So if you're interested in attending, get yours now. We will arrange carpooling as the date nears. 

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

Tuesday, March 15, 2016 WOW-Zine

Remember the following changes to our weekly Bible studies for the months of March and April:

~March 17th (this week)--We meet

~March 24th--No studies (Spring Break)

~March 31st--We meet

~April 7th--No studies (Retreat Week)

~April 14th--We meet

~April 21st-- No study (Event with author Francine Rivers)

~April 28th--We meet

This is why I'm cancelling Bible studies on April 21st--

You may have read some of the wonderful books written by Francine Rivers--Redeeming Love; The Scarlet Thread; Mark of the Lion series; The Last Sin Eater; The Atonement Child; and more. We have the opportunity to participate in a fund raiser for Options360, a pregnancy clinic in Vancouver. I met Francine in person years ago, and have heard her speak several times. She has a message she shares from her heart, and you'll find it it will enrich your life. You can purchase your ticket ($15) at www.Options360Events.com.
Seating is limited and tickets are going quickly! So if you're interested in attending, get yours now. We will arrange carpooling as the date nears. 

Speaking of "as the date nears", retreat is just a few weeks away. If you're attending, look for a letter from me sometime next week concerning carpooling, what to bring, etc. At this point we still have a full house.

Remember at retreat last year, when we brought items to help with the startup of Saving Grace Maternity Home? Well they are getting very close to having the funding to buy the house, and have a thank-you dessert event they'd like to invite you to. I'll be out of town, but I'm hoping some of you can represent the Women of Wapato at this event. 


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

Tuesday, March 8, 2016 WOW-Zine

Pull out your calendar and make the following changes to our weekly Bible studies for the months of March and April:

~March 10th--No studies

~March 17th--We meet

~March 24th--No studies (Spring Break)

~March 31st--We meet

~April 7th--No studies (Retreat Week)

~April 14th--We meet

~April 21st-- No study (Event with author Francine Rivers)

~April 28th--We meet

This is why I'm cancelling Bible studies on April 21st--

You may have read some of the wonderful books written by Francine Rivers--Redeeming Love; The Scarlet Thread; Mark of the Lion series; The Last Sin Eater; The Atonement Child; and more. We have the opportunity to participate in a fund raiser for Options360, a pregnancy clinic in Vancouver. I met Francine in person years ago, and have heard her speak several times. She has a message she shares from her heart, and you'll find it it will enrich your life. You can purchase your ticket ($15) at www.Options360Events.com.
Seating is limited and tickets are going quickly! So if you're interested in attending, get yours now. We will arrange carpooling as the date nears. 

I was remiss last week in including the Scripture writing guide for the month of March, so here it is. swtblessings.com and scroll down to the March page.

RETREAT--As you know, we are filled to capacity. But I'll be happy to put your name on a waiting list in case someone has to back out at the last moment. Just let me know.

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

March 1, 2016 Wow-Zine

 

Happy first of March to each of you. It looks like our spring flowers are getting well-watered, doesn't it?           






 SATURDAY, MARCH 5TH
WOW BOWLING PARTY
10:30 AM
Four Seasons Bowling Center
Hillsboro 

If you love to roll heavy balls down a slick floor and knock things over, this is the event for you! Or if you just like to watch other people do that, this is the event for you! I will be unable to attend, but I hope a lot of the rest of you can make it. Gaston-area people can meet at The Hub parking lot at 10 AM to carpool. Feel free to bring your daughters (4th grade and older) with you, and stay for lunch afterward. 


You still have a couple opportunities to bless new parents Kaitlyn and Bryan Marsh with some meals. Head over to http://www.takethemameal.com/meals.php?t=LQLW6615 to sign up for either this Friday or next Monday.


RETREAT: APRIL 8-10TH
WHO'S YOUR DADDY?--Redefined by His Love
With Guest Speaker Joy Roberts                          
Yes, you're reading that right. Never before have all the spaces been filled so early, but at this point we are completely booked! If you'd like to be put on a waiting list, let me know. Not that you would pray for someone to get sick at the last minute, but ... you never know! It's still five weeks until retreat, but we will start working out the carpooling in a few weeks. And I will send a letter to attendees letting you know what to bring and what to expect. Your Women's Ministry Team is really excited to have you joining us!

We're continuing our study through the Book of Colossians, beginning at 3:11. (That's the chapter, not the time!) Nathalie is providing treats for The Perk (Thursday morning from 9:30-11. Childcare provided.) That evening for Common Grounds (6:30-8) Lauren will bring our snack. 

Pull out your calendar and make the following changes to our weekly Bible studies for the month of March/April:

~March 3rd--We meet as usual

~March 10th--No studies

~March 17th--We meet

~March 24th--No studies (Spring Break)

~March 31st--We meet

~April 7th--No studies (Retreat Week)

We will resume our weekly studies on April 14th!

Until next time,

Sherrie Ashcraft, Women's Ministry Director

sherrieashcraft@gmail.com     971-285-6699

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