In This Issue

A Message from Eric and Jennifer

"In Memory of Joyce Wright"

On August 22nd, H. Norman Wright and his precious wife, Joyce, celebrated their 48^th wedding anniversary. Joyce, who had been suffering with cancer, was happily aware of her surroundings and of her beloved.  Fast forward four weeks and we are viewing her in a coffin in an auditorium of the River Lakes Community Church. We were in attendance with 400 of Joyce’s friends and family and although the sounds of mourning were present, we could feel the peace in the midst of it all. It was the same peace that Joyce had when she made the decision to allow God to take her home; peace that only God can grant.

The ceremony opened with a most beautiful voice singing “Sitting At The Feet Of Jesus”. Eve Johnson, leaned over to Jennifer and murmured that Joyce listened to that song repeatedly during her last days. Picturing Joyce finding comfort in the words, coupled with the beauty of the song, was enough to start the tears flowing.

- Eric and Jennifer Garcia, Co-Founders, AMFM

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Pearls Of Wisdom - Focusing Your Life

"Organizing Your Schedule" - by Bobb Biehl

Do you ever feel so busy that it’s like flying an airplane - and trying to change an engine at the same time?   In this section, I will try to help you organize your thinking so that you will feel “on top of things -- organized”!

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Leadership

"Unresolved Sin and Leadership" - by Bruce McNicol

When biological researchers combed New York’s infamous Central Park they discovered an awesome and scary microscopic creature, the Tartigrade.

Tartigrades are one of the least known, yet most plentiful life forms on earth. Smaller than the dot on your paper, when enlarged several hundred times these bear-like creatures with clawed appendages look like aliens. Tartigrades have been subjected to extreme temperatures, high levels of ultraviolet radiation, hydrogen sulfide, carbon dioxide, X-rays, and dehydration . . . all with no ill effects. Even after their DNA has been shattered by extreme blasts of radiation, they have the ability to piece themselves back together. They can dry up into little balls at 273 degrees Celsius (absolute zero) and reconstitute themselves decades later with only a drop of water.

Unresolved sin issues are like Tardigrades. Dormant, quiet, ugly, hidden. They can look dead for years. But, they are not dead. All unresolved sin issues are buried alive.

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Prayer

"Praying God's Promises" - by Jennifer Kennedy Dean

A promise is only as good as the person who makes it. The character of the promiser is what gives the promise its value.

As we learn to pray God’s promises, the starting point is the nature of God. The essence of God’s character is in itself a promise. Who He is determines what He will do and how He will act. Through the Scripture, each time God reveals something of His nature, He is promising us that He will be true to that nature in any circumstance. Sometimes the promises of God don’t come packaged in declarative statements, but instead are implied in the revelation of His being.

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Ministry Team Spotlight

 Ministry Team Spotlight

"How to Control Your Anger in Conflict Situations"

- By Tom and Beverly Rodgers (a submission by Alan & Pauly Heller, Marriage Ministry Team)

All married couples have conflict. These skirmishes can take on many forms. Some end in a stalemate between spouses where one or both are stonewalling or withdrawing while others can become heated and this anger causes them to say things that they later regret.  But what about those fights that end in some type of verbal, emotional or even physical abuse? This abuse can make it difficult for couples to recover. Trust is eroded and intimacy is thwarted. It is hard to believe that abuse like this can occur in families, yet research shows that 1 in 6 couples in America experience some type of violence. Even very loving couples can fall prey to verbal and physical abuse.

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What's New?

What's New?

Couple to Couple Marriage Mentoring
Certification Training

November 5-7, 2007
WinShape Retreat
Rome, GA

Couple to Couple Marriage Mentoring is designed to offer a framework that will equip you to respond with your God-given abilities, coming along-side other couples in a true discipleship experience. Join with other like-minded couples at this two-day/two night retreat.

The following are some topics covered in the training:

   1. Expectations for mentor couples

2.       2. Expectations for mentee couples

3.       3. Building a mentor ministry leadership team

4.       4. Recruiting mentors and mentees

5.       5. Matching the mentors and mentees

6.       6. Time commitment for mentor couples

7.       7. Structure of the ministry in the church

8.       8. The necessary support tools to keep mentors and mentees         on track

9.       9. Building a sense of community around the ministry 
  10. On-going mentor training opportunities

You will receive a Certificate of Training, CCMM training manual, the book "Can You Hear Me Now", a CD with support documents, and useful handouts.  The goal of this training is that when you finish you will have the confidence and the tools to launch a mentoring ministry in your church or community. 

To register, contact Ginny Ball at WinShape Retreat: gball@winshape.org or 706-368-6801