Welcome!

God has a history of pioneering new things. 

He spoke and when He did stars and planets existed for the very first time.  

God exhaled and the first human lungs filled with air. 

Face it, this whole thing started because God decided to do something new.  

New Light. New Life.

Isaiah 43:19 reminds us that God is still in the business of pioneering new things:

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.

See, I am doing a new thing!

Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?

I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”

Having spent the past year involved with the ministry of Global Sharing, I can assure you that God’s pioneering spirit is alive and well! 

Over the past 12 months we’ve watched as God has established new ministries - like the Esther Movement (Global Sharing’s women’s development track). We’ve been amazed as He’s brought new ministry partners our way - like Because Justice Matters in San Francisco and Alpha Mission School in Northeast India. 

And, as we scan the horizon we can see evidence of God’s pioneering spirit going ahead of us as we seek new ways to serve those who are reaching the lost, the marginalized and the forgotten.

We hope you'll partner with us as we take an innovative approach to missions and outreach!

We have a lot of first steps to get you and your tribe of people involved in the new things God is doing. So, check out my calendar and join me - in 2017 we’re going to far away places like Costa Rica, India and Africa.

We can’t wait for you to join us as we bring New Light and New Life into places where darkness and death have reigned for far too long!

Thanks for being a blessing!

Janet

Welcome to my blog!

I love teaching and leading women and spend most of my time developing the women God brings across my path. I'd love for our paths to cross and this blog contains various ways to make that happen!

God has recently provided me with a new way to come alongside women in the local church via Petite Retreats and She Leads Conferences. These events help develop women in any area of ministry. I'd love to talk to you about the women in your circle of influence and how we can help them grow into the leaders God desires and your church needs.

In addition to the She Leads Conference, I have joined together with another Bible teacher and an amazing worship leader and together we can bring a Refresh Conference to your church and community. Refresh Conferences are a great way to provide women with a retreat type experience without ever leaving town. You'll find more information about Refresh under the Speaking tab.

As I mentioned, I am passionate about teaching and leading women and am especially excited about developing the next generation of women leaders in the church. I'd love to partner with you in ministry. 

Praying God's blessing on you, your ministry and your relationship with Jesus! - Janet

This Means War

Do you have tapes running through your head that you’d like to change? I sometimes struggle with doubt, discouragement and discontentment. Is that just me or do you sometimes battle similar thoughts? I also compare myself and my circumstances with other people and their circumstances. One problem with comparison is that I always compare my greatest weakness to someone else’s greatest strength. For instance, when I compare my derriere to Jennifer Lopez’s I feel inferior every time. (What I wouldn’t do for a JLo body – probably too much info for some of you.)

As much as I don’t like those tapes that lead to comparison and discontentment, I often have a hard time changing them. Like an old pair of jeans, they become so comfortable it’s hard to throw them out, even when its time.

So, how do I change those comfortable, worn-out conversations that play in my head? According to Scripture, I declare war on them. I wish I could change my thought life through passive resistance. Unfortunately, that doesn’t work. Freedom from dominating thought patterns is won on the battlefield. Ask anyone who has served our country in war and they’ll tell you freedom doesn’t just happen. The freedom you and I enjoy was fought for and our freedom is a result of someone else’s victory. 

The same thing is true in our spiritual lives. Our freedom is a result of Jesus’ victory on the cross. But, we must be willing to defend that freedom by going to battle. The apostle Paul understood this battlefield mentality. He knew what it was to engage in the spiritual battle of the mind. In Ephesians 6:12 he said this:

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual force of wickedness in the heavenly places.

The word translated “struggle” in this verse is the Greek word “pale” which means “wrestling or hand to hand combat.” It is “a contest between two in which each endeavors to subdue the other and which is decided when the victor is able to hold his opponent down with his hand upon his neck.”

What a great picture of the spiritual battle. When we seek to combat thoughts that lead to discontentment and discouragement we are engaging in hand-to-hand combat. We are wrestling the lies and their author to the ground and pinning them to the mat. When we wrap our hands around our enemy’s neck God declares us victors.

This week I am attacking the lies that lead to insecurity in my appearance. Specifically, I am going to battle against any thought that says I don’t measure up to the world’s standard of beauty. The ammunition I am using in this attack is Song of Solomon 4:1 where God declares:

“How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful!

Regardless of the shape of my figure, or the size of my nose, or the curves on my backside, God considers me beautiful and I am “fearfully and wonderfully made” by Him (Psalm 139:14). The same is true of you.

How about you? What insecurity would you like to experience victory over? Take it from me, there is no greater feeling than the confidence that comes when we wrestle our thoughts and win. There’s nothing like pinning a long-held lie to the mat and hearing God declare you the victor.