In any garden, growth is a sign of life. It's the same in the spiritual realm. Our new life in Christ takes root and our desire to know Him and influence others to know Him grows. Whether we are "born leaders" or not, we want to know how to make the most of our opportunities to lead others to the feet of Christ.


May 2017
Grace Touch 
Facilitating Global Impact
Jenn Avey and Family
A Cup of Water
By Viki Rife

If you ask our newest board member, Jennifer Avey, about her interests, she will quickly share that one of the joys of her life is to work in her garden. "I'm a novice, but I love the lessons I learn doing something that's new and that doesn't come naturally. It's an enriching experience. I love watching little green things popping out of the ground."

Her joy in seeing growth extends far beyond her garden, though. Jenn is passionate about helping others grow in their walk with God. She grew up in a pastor's home, but when she went to Grace College in Winona Lake, Indiana, she found that some of the beliefs were different from the ones with which she had grown up.

"I had to wrestle with what did I really believe, and how was I going to approach the scriptures," she remembers. "I had always had a strong appetite for learning, specifically from God's Word. But this forced me to determine whether I was going to let scripture speak, or whether I was going to tell the scriptures what I wanted them to say."

Jenn was challenged to make her faith her own, or as she says, "feast on it as life." This created in her a great desire to grow and take advantage of every opportunity to help others dig into God's Word for themselves.  ( continue )

Corporation Meeting

This year our corporation meeting will be Tuesday, July 25 at Grace Community Church in Fremont, Ohio. It will be a part of the FGBC get-acquainted lunch. You can purchase tickets once you've registered for access.

Hispanic Women's Summit
2017 Hispanic Summit

Praise the Lord for the 36 Spanish-speaking women who gathered in Atlanta, Georgia, for a weekend of fellowship and leadership training.  Ten countries were represented in the gathering-what a great opportunity to reach around the world!

Prayer Watch

May is a great month to honor women who have been influential in your life. Spend time thanking God and praying for them. Also ask that He would make you a positive influence in the lives of those who come behind you.





Leadership: On Stage & Off
by Pat Ashcraft

As long as I can remember, I've never shied away from taking on leadership. In second grade, my class did a play, Three Billy Goats Gruff. The teacher chose a boy named Doug to be the director. I was sure she had made a grave mistake and immediately went to her desk to tell her that I should be the director. My teacher did her best to console me and gave me the position of costume director.

I took that position very seriously. In fact, the play was delayed three days until all the costumes were completed!

It was important to me that the troll under the bridge be ugly and covered with hair. The hair was made out of crepe paper that had been snipped into little strips and then taped on the troll. The poor troll suffered through my costuming. And those dear goats had to have horns. Under my "leadership," the actors sure looked authentic.

In all walks of life, leaders are necessary. And the church is no exception. It is essential for women to be trained for leadership in the church, especially when it comes to discipling other women.

Some people are just born leaders. It is important that they learn to lead in the right direction, guided by God's Word. Others have leadership skills that aren't immediately visible, but that can be developed so that they can effectively influence others for Christ.

Women of Grace USA (WGUSA) wants to develop women for leadership. We have classes just for that purpose. They are designed to help all women grow spiritually. These classes have been offered in churches all over the country. If your church would like to host a leadership study weekend, contact our WLS coordinator, Amanda Paragon.  We also need women who will support WGUSA on a regular, monthly basis. Click here for information about being part of our Trellis Ministry.

Please watch for a Women's Leadership Study in your area and join us for the class. I promise I won't make you cut little strips of crepe paper for troll hair!

Mom to Mom: How to Celebrate Mother's Day...
By Kate Ward

I am going to be honest. I was having a little writer's block this month. So when my husband suggested writing about Mother's Day, I had to laugh. What a brilliant idea to write about a day that celebrates "my tribe"! But I have to say I have mixed feelings about Mother's Day. 
 
On one hand, I love Mother's Day because I get to celebrate my own mom. I will never be able to put into words how grateful I am for all the things she has done for me in this life. I also am super thankful that she is still a vital part of my kids and my life. She truly has made my sister and me the moms we are today through faithful prayer and a faithful example. 
 
I also love being a mom, so on a day that celebrates that, I am all in. Being a mother has been my greatest joy and accomplishment. I never take for granted that God allowed me to do it not just once but three times. My heart is always full when I think of my three healthy boys. 
 
My hang-up with Mother's Day is that it is such a sad day for a lot of people. 
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Soul Cry Retreat

Does your soul cry out for more of God? Do you long to see His power at work in your life and in your church? Make plans now to join us at Camp Conquest in Denver, PA, September 15-17, to explore together why God calls us to call out to Him. Details

Mark your Calendar
June 2-3 - Equipping Others for Ministry - Elizabethtown, PA Register
June 23-24 - Women & Scripture - Winona Lake, IN Register
July 25-27 - access Conference  - Fremont, OH
Aug 11-12 - Foundations of Leadership - Hagerstown, MD Register
Sept 15-17 - Soul Cry Retreat - Denver, PA Register

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