....to be treated as royalty.

If you are a follower of Christ, you are a daughter of the King, therefore, a princess.

Because of your standing as a princess, at the Princess and the P's spring retreat April 8-10, you will be treated like royalty.

(For the following, keep in mind, some of this is more figurative than literal.)

First, you will be given time to let your hair down, relax and have fun.

We will all come, all the royal princesses, will come before our King to purify our hearts and minds.

You will be able to unload your burden on Him and will be given rest.

You will then be bathed with pure water (which is the Holy Spirit) and feast on the bread of life (the Word of God).

You will be clothed in royal robes, adorned with jewels and anointed with oil.

We will spend time listening, valuing the words you speak and sharing our hearts with you. We will give you time alone to spend with our King so that He can make your face shine with the reflection of His glory.

You are beautiful daughters, cherished by the King, and it is our goal, as Women of Hope, to treat you as He sees you, and for us to see ourselves in that light.

I hope you will join us! There is still time to register, contact Stephanie Bush at beansmommy30@gmail.com to save your place!

Gathering

Due to the ice and not much hope for a thaw, we have decided to postpone the Women of Hope Gathering that was scheduled for Friday night. We are so disappointed as we were really looking forward to meeting with all you girls, but we want you to stay safe!

We will update with the new date as soon as we have it!

Blessings,

Wendie

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

The leadership team of the Women of Hope has been planning some fun and exciting as well as growth-oriented activities and events for 2011! We hope you will take a look at everything that is offered and come as often as you can. Ours is a large community group within New Hope that seeks to offer gender-specific opportunities--feminine to be even more specific--that will enable women from all kinds of backgrounds to grow in relationship to one another as we grow in Christ.

You girls are super!

While I'm waiting for the delivery of yummy Mr. Jim's pizza (my husband's favorite), I wanted to send a "shout out" to all our wonderful women at New Hope who stepped in to help usher this morning for both services. You gals rock!

The one morning of the year the Women of Hope steps in to relieve our men of their regular responsibility of ushering, we had 19-20 different women step in to hand out bulletins (which were advertising, by the way, our quarterly luncheon next Sunday after 2nd service), help seat our guests and take up the offering after listening to a great sermon by Doug Fike. If you weren't there, you will want to check out the podcast on http://newhopechristian.org.

Thanks to each of you who stepped in especially when we had 3 women of our leadership team out of commission today! I love how you are willing to be stretched into whatever is needed, whenever--love it!!!

As we remember and/or spend time with our fathers, husbands, friends, let us remember how God is also our heavenly Father who is the best Daddy, ever!

See you next Sunday at 12:30pm! (Childcare is available--if you need it, please let us know!--leave a comment or e-mail me at wendie@teuton.org)

Blessings,

Wendie

Women of Hope News

Hello my sweet friends!

I hope you all had a great Memorial Day remembering those that risked or lost their lives for our country, for our freedoms. School's out for the summer and Wednesday night KIDS ministry is off for a while and for many, vacation away from home is on the horizon!

For the Women of Hope team, we're still working to bring you some awesome opportunities to invite your lady-friends and neighbors to experience New Hope and hear the gospel as well as Bible studies to grow in your knowledge and stretch your faith. Want to get "plugged-in"? Just let us know what you like to do or that you're willing to try anything. ;)

The Tuesday Bible studies are underway! Return to the Garden met Tuesday night at 7pm at New Hope and The Virtuous Woman will start this Tuesday at 10am because of unforeseen circumstances. If you were thinking about getting in on the morning study, there's still time! Contact Shannon Quick at shannonquick@gmail.com or call 972-762-6696.

One home team that is for women only, led by Cristol Morgan, is going to continue to meet through the summer, if you'd like to meet up on Wednesday nights through the summer with an awesome group of women, call Cristol at 214-766-8587 to find out what's going on!

Revealing Beauty tickets are still on sale. You can see any one of the Women of Hope team (Marge King, Stephanie Bush, Deborah Yates, Shannon Quick, or Wendie Beddingfield) to purchase them or go online to http://revealing-beauty.com and order them online. We are really excited about this event coming up on Saturday, August 28th. It is going to be a fabulous extravaganza just for you and your friends--it's designed to be an outreach event for you to invite friends and neighbors, especially those that are unchurched or aren't walking with the Lord, focused on discovering the beauty that is within because of Christ and dressing our bodies to reveal that beauty on the outside. Not only will each person in attendance receive an individual color and body-type analysis from our guest speaker and her assistant, but we will have high-energy music, dancers from Epiphany Dance Theatre, drama, and guest speaker Shari Braendel, nationally known Christian speaker and author of Good Girls Don't Have to Dress Bad. Shari will not only give us lots of tips and tricks to reveal our beauty in contrast to what the fashion magazines, tv and other media tell us beauty is, but she will be sharing her powerful testimony in discovering a true relationship with Christ and how that's changed her life and the lives of many because what He's done in her. You do not want to miss it! If you'd like to be involved in helping this outreach be the most effective it can be, please contact Wendie Beddingfield at wendie@teuton.org or 469-751-3539.

Sunday, June 13th, is the big summer bash at Avalon Park, and the Women of Hope team is planning to have desserts out for donations to go to help fund Revealing Beauty and future Women of Hope events so that we can continue to offer free admission to the majority of women's events requesting only donations for ministries like the Bridge Community Outreach. If you'd like to donate any baked goods like cookies, brownies, bars, cupcakes, etc, we'd be more than grateful, but if you're not into cooking and would rather support Women of Hope with a donation of cash or a check, that would be equally welcomed. We are continually overwhelmed by the generosity of the women of our body--thank you for your selfless giving!

Sunday, June 20th, the Women of Hope ministry team is volunteering to usher during first and second services to give our men a welcome rest in honor of Father's Day. Won't you join us in ushering one of the services that day?

Sunday, June 27th, we will be gathering in the Zone after 2nd service for a light lunch and a chance to communicate with one another face-to-face. If you'd like to attend but need childcare after we eat, please e-mail Wendie at wendie@teuton.org or call 469-751-3539. If you have questions or concerns or want to get involved in what's coming up or want to purchase tickets for Revealing Beauty--please make plans to stay after 2nd service on the 27th.

For the month of July, our team will be taking a break from working and planning to get rest and replenishing, but as soon as August 1 rolls around, we're jumping right back in where we left off. New Bible study registration is just around the corner in mid-August!

We hope your summer is full of great family and friend time, sharing the love of Christ with all you are around!

Your humble servant,

Wendie

Ushers for Fathers' Day

The Women of Hope are volunteering to usher at New Hope on Fathers' Day (June 20th)--would you like to join us to show our New Hope men and fathers our appreciation and give them the day off? If we get plenty of volunteers then everyone will only need to work one of the services.

If you would like to help out on Fathers' Day, please contact Wendie Beddingfield at wendie@teuton.org or 469-751-3539.

Bible Study

Hey ladies! We have a sweet dilemma....
the Bible study for Tuesday nights starting June 1 (Return to the Garden) has more people registered than we currently have room for. Is there anyone out there who has a place to hold 15-20 ladies on Tuesday nights (near Wylie) from 7pm to 9pm for six weeks who would be willing to host this Bible study?
Please contact Mendy Payne at mendy.payne@verizon.net

Question for YOU!

We are consistently finding that we still need improvement on communication especially as the Women of Hope begins offering multiple opportunities for fellowship, life skills development and study of God's word.

My question to you, for which I do hope you will comment at the bottom of this post, is what do you find the most effective way you hear/see and remember events or activities that interest you? Or.... what's been the most effective way YOU communicate with others?

Thank you for taking time to read and respond. You ladies are the best!

In Christ,
Wendie

Revealing Beauty Tickets Go On Sale Tomorrow!

To all you special moms out there, I want to wish you an early
Mother's Day! What a B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L day it is today!

I also wanted to send you a quick notice that tickets for the
Revealing Beauty Women's Conference & Fashion Show
go on sale tomorrow between first and second service and
after second in the lobby as well as the registration for two
Bible studies that will be held in June.

For those of you who wondering what Revealing Beauty is,
read below:

Revealing Beauty is a one-day women's conference featuring
nationally known author & speaker Shari Braendel from
Proverbs 31 Ministries who will share her expertise as an image
consultant on how to dress in order to reveal our true beauty.
This is a high-energy, fun outreach event for the women of New
Hope and the women in our community.  (Teens are more than
welcome to attend as well.)

There will also be a fashion show after lunch with women of all ages,
shapes and sizes that provides examples of the practical application
as well as lots of fun and excitement and the draw for many women
who would not normally step foot in a church.

Shari speaks to teens and adult women, encouraging them to let
go of secrets that are bound up inside in order for us to be able
to truly shine the light of Christ--sharing that we can look so good
on the outside, but be a complete mess on the inside.  So it's not
all about dressing to look good or feeling all good about ourselves
by covering ourselves well--she weaves the gospel in her
presentation with complete truth in an outreach of compassion.

You do not want to miss out on this fabulous event, and you don't
want to leave your friends out--this is truly the event to invite your
friends to and we promise you won't regret it.  The only thing you
will regret is not inviting your other friends, too!

Check out the Revealing Beauty website
http://revealing-beauty.com  here or paste
http://revealing-beauty.com to your browser for more
information on Shari Braendel or purchase tickets online.

Many sweet blessings,

Wendie Beddingfield

Reflection on Movie Night

Last night, the Women of Hope gathered for Movie Night at New Hope in the auditorium to watch "The Blind Side." Many of us came in our pajamas and slippers with our blankies and pillows, turned some chairs around to stretch out and enjoyed a free movie--the only catch was to bring in any amount of non-perishable food for the Bridge food pantry.

The fellowship before and after was great, the generous giving of the ladies was incredible, and the snacks we smuggled in were delicious! If you didn't make it this time, you missed out! I believe this is something we're going to do more often, so keep an eye out for future announcements. Sometimes you just have to get together to have some fun--thanks to all the ladies who came out--it's no fun without you!

Registration for Summer Bible studies begins this Sunday! Stop by the tables in the lobby to pick up information, register, and purchase your study guide.

Women's Conference

The Women of Hope leadership team is attending the True Woman Leadership Pre-Session and some will attend the rest of the conference October 14-16. We wanted to share this information in case any of you would like to join us for any part of the conference.



For more details, click here for speaker info: Speakers or for event details and registration: True Woman

New to WoH

Women of Hope
introduces
Life Skills Groups!

2nd Group is Saving Money Through Coupons
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Friday, May 7, 2010 from 10:00-11:30am

If you've never tried couponing, not had much success, need a little motivation or want to help encourage women to make God's dollars go farther, you're invited to join this new group led by Stephanie Bush.

 
Location:  New Hope 
Please register via e-mail to Stephanie at
beansmommy30@gmail.com or call 214-629-3254.


3rd Group is Basic Sewing
Saturday, June 12, 2010 at 10am

If you already know how to sew and would like to help teach some very basic techniques, encourage others to learn your craft or if you've never picked up a needle and thread, you are welcome to come try your hand at this timeless skill/craft.

Location:  TBD 
Please register via e-mail to Marge King at
dandmking@verizon.net or call 972-475-8093.

More to come!
If you have a skill or hobby you'd like to share/teach or one you'd really like to learn, please leave your comments after this post.

Meals for families

Hey ladies! Sue Spears is heading up the coordination of meals for families especially those who have recently had a loss in the family, and the Women of Hope would like to help by getting the word out to women who would like to bless others by preparing all or part of a meal on a rotating basis.

If this is something you would like to volunteer for or would like more information, please e-mail Sue Spears at bl.suespears@sbcglobal.net or call her directly at 972-978-5963.

New Bible Studies Coming in January!

Return to the Garden:
Embracing God's Design for Sexuality

by Kay Arthur




Daily we're confronted with messages that say,
subtly and not so subtly,
"Sex sizzles."
"Sex outside of marriage is OK."
"Everybody's doing it."
"No one will ever know."
"Your body is more important than your character."
How's a woman to live?

From the beginning of time, our sexuality and distinctiveness
as women has been front and center with God. We are designer goods, designed by God, no less! And when it comes to our sexuality, He has much to say to us. Kay writes from the perspective of one who has experienced God's grace and
voices heartfelt concern for a sex-saturated society that has
forgotten how to blush.
This interactive Bible study is an honest, redemptive call to
recognize and return to God's standards for purity. Her
straightforward lessons from Scripture focus on love, sex
in marriage, purity, modesty, and examples of how men and
women should relate to each other. These timely messages
are for women, whether married or single, mother or daughter.

Led by: Wendie Beddingfield
Wednesdays at 7:15PM every-other Wednesday beginning January 27, 2010 (looking for host home)
Fridays at 9:30AM every-other Friday beginning January 22, 2010
Length:  6 weeks (spread over 12 weeks) DVD & workbook
Cost:  $15.00

The Virtuous Woman:
Shattering the Superwoman Myth
by Vicki Courtney
Explores Proverbs 31, revealing the heart and character of a godly woman and showing how to become a woman o f worth, wisdom, and purpose. This Everyday Discipleship resource provides six weeks of personal study with guidance for weekly small-group sessions.

Caution:

Reading this passage can induce more guilt than eating a one Pound bag of M&Ms. Common side effects include uncontrollable laughter, fatigue, shortness of breath, feelings of inadequacy, depression, and an irrepressible desire to pop this lady upside the head should
you ever meet her. Read at your own risk!

If that’s how you view Proverbs 31, you are probably not alone. Vicki Courtney, founder of Virtuous Reality Ministries, would have taken the same stand until her studies lead her to the realization that the Bible passage refers not to one actual woman, but is rather a compilation of qualities that make up a virtuous woman.

"Whew, what a relief!"

Led by: Shannon Quick
Wednesdays at 7:15PM beginning January 20, 2010 (at the home of Kim Lewis)
Length: 6 weeks
Cost: $12.00

A Woman After God's
Own Heart

by Elizabeth George

Adapted from the bestselling book by the same title, A Woman After God's Own Heart Bible study workbook teaches you how to develop a heart for God and His Word, for prayer and personal discipline...PLUS how to develop a heart of love for your husband, your children, your friends and others! You'll discover a new passion for living through the power of prayer and God's Word! Five lessons per week for 10 weeks are to be done individually and then shared with your group.

Excerpt from study:
"God wants my heart - all of it - and my devotion.  When I choose to give it
to Him, when I choose to live totally for Him, He makes it count.  He wants
to be Number One in my life, the priority above all priorities."

Led by: Michelle Cox Tuesdays at 10AM beginning January 19, 2010 (location tbd)
Length: 10 weeks (DVD & workbook)
Cost: $14.00

For registration and more information, please contact Deborah Yates, Women of Hope Bible study coordinator, at dky5784@hughes.net or 903-776-2530.

4P

We're so excited about the various plans and ideas that are coming about and some special ladies who have joined the Women of Hope leadership team for the year 2010! One of the aspects of our excitement is our theme for the year: the 4~Ps

Focusing on Prayer to our Father, we can maintain our Purity (mind, body, and heart), obtain the Holy Spirit's Power to do all He has called us to do, and know His good Purpose for us.

Upcoming dates to remember:

• Friday, November 20 Craft Night

making encouragement cards for New Hope
bring socks, underwear or diapers for Christmas Outreach

• Friday, December 11 Christmas Cookie Exchange

bring 4 dozens cookies for exchange
admission is a package of socks, underwear or diapers
for the Christmas Outreach which is December 18

• mid-January Spring Bible Studies Begin
  

Letter to all ladies at New Hope

To all my beloved sisters at New Hope:

I am writing you today about some recent events in the Women of Hope ministry and of some things still to come--I'm so excited I don't know why I waited 'til now to write this!

We had a truly spirit-filled time of worship, sharing and encouragement at the Cowgirl Up retreat in October at the Rockin' C Ranch. Everything came together in a way that led us to focus on finding and extending forgiveness, recognizing more truth about our heavenly Father in our lives and those around us and really showing each other God's love and compassion. You girls are the bomb! I'm just overwhelmed at how God used each one of us that weekend to put a huge puzzle together to reveal a beautiful picture of God's redemption and grace. Linda Brown...you ladies give her a big hug when you see her next--she did a super job organizing this event.

I also want to take a moment to formally introduce myself as the new leader of the Women of Hope ministry. My name is Wendie Beddingfield, and I have been at New Hope for almost five years now and directly involved in Women of Hope for about one year. I've led a home team and several Bible studies, and I have been blessed during this time to get to know many of you, and I am looking forward to growing alongside each and every one of you as we worship together in spirit and in truth in a way that is unique to us women. I also pray that many would be drawn into a close relationship with Christ through this ministry as we move forward.

We are making some plans, girls! We are going to shake it up a bit, and we are anxious to see you ladies in action: doing what makes you energized and pumped up, utilizing your gifts and talents in a way that we can give to others and thereby God at the same time.

One of the first things on the schedule is a Craft Night at New Hope in which we will be making Hand-made cards to be used to encourage New Hope worshipers throughout the coming year. It's set for Friday, November 20, from 7PM to 9PM. We request a donation of socks, underwear or diapers as your admission (to be gifted to families during the Christmas Outreach next month)--we will cover the rest! If you have questions or already know you're going to be there, please e-mail me at wendie@teuton.org. You don't have to be crafty--come if you want to learn a new skill/craft or to enjoy a much loved hobby with the girls.

The second even is a Christmas Cookie Exchange set for Friday, December 11 from 7PM to 9PM. We'll be sampling lots of different cookies, enjoying them with a glass of ice-cold milk, hot cocoa or your preferred hot beverage. We'll also relish in some excellent Christmas worship music led by Rita Armenta and reading the Christmas story by candlelight. This would be an excellent opportunity to invite a neighbor or unchurched friend to share the joy of the Christmas season and hear the good news of Christ. If you would like to help--please contact Shannon Quick at 972-762-6696 or shannontait@wmconnect.com. We value each and every one of you sweethearts, and we recognize that we are not the Women of Hope--you are, and you are priceless and precious to us!

Our theme for 2009/2010 is the 4Ps:

Prayer ~ Purity ~ Power ~ Purpose
Focusing on prayer to our Father, we can maintain our Purity (mind, body, and heart), obtain the Holy Spirit's Power to do all He has called us to do, and know His good Purpose for us.

We hope you will dive in with us as we aim for the 4Ps. The journey is so much better when you have friends to share it!

Many blessings,

Wendie Beddingfield

469-751-3539 (home)
469-288-6030 (cell)
wendie@teuton.org

Blessings of a Retreat

by Wendie Beddingfield

Oh, my girls! We're back from a short weekend away at the Rockin' C Ranch in Lindale--but what God did in just a matter of a couple of days!

For those of you who were not able to attend, I wanted to let you know that I have now taken on the responsibility of leading the Women of Hope ministry team, and I wanted to share a little of what we experienced and give thanks to those that helped make it happen.

Laura Miller shared her story of trials and transformation for us to take in and see how God worked wonders and changed her family forever and is continuing to change it. We've taken in this testimony and are now given a choice....what are we going to do with it? Store it away, saying, "Yeah, that was such a great retreat..." and keep going with life how it was before this weekend? Or, listen for God's prompting to make a change, in our thought-life, in our routines, in our habits, in our words, or wherever God is moving you to be transformed. He's going to do it--we just have to let him!

I was overwhelmed to hear of the outpouring of love and thanks not only with words but with the offering that was given Sunday morning for the Women of Hope ministry. I want to thank each and every one of you ladies who attended--your willingness to be open and vulnerable and to hear from God was amazing and SO encouraging. Many women prayed openly for the very first time during our small groups; way to go, girls! You overcame such a great hurdle, and I pray that is only the beginning to more steps toward growing closer to God and to those sisters that walk alongside you.

I also want to thank those ladies that were praying back at home both before, during and after the retreat. Your desire to see God's will fulfilled through these ladies and your heartfelt prayers are incredibly invaluable. To Jodi Graham and Sarah Wright, thank you for being available for prayer during the retreat--it was so great to know you were there to pray!

Again, I would like to thank Linda Brown as well as Joanna Robertson and Rhoda Ostertag for their faithful service in the Women of Hope ministry at New Hope for the past several years. Each will be stepping down to pursue God's call on her life down different avenues, but your faith and action have helped bring us as a ministry to the place we are today. Thank you Linda for the leadership you gave to our team through the trials and the fun times, too--you're a true blessing!

Rita Armenta, your leadership in our time of praise and worship throughout the retreat was incredible. Thank you for your desire and your work to prepare to bring these ladies into God's throne room, and for your heart to be more than a song-leader. Deborah Yates and Shannon Quick--our little "shedaisies"--thanks for getting up there to support Rita and make such a beautiful, joyful noise before the Lord.

And, for our small group leaders: Karen Bontrager, Molly Bower, Cristol Morgan, Hilary Nagel, Sam Senitz, and Kristi Westergard-- I can't tell you enough how thankful I am for your willingness to listen to these women, to ask some hard questions, to provide a safe place for them to be open and reveal what's really in their heart, the hurts, the fears, the bitterness, the things we generally hide so that we don't have to deal with it. God has used each of you in a mighty way this weekend! What a joy it was to serve with you!

Dani Conley, your pictures along with Cristol's and the slide show were awesome! It was so great to have that right after many of the pictures were taken--thank you for doing that for us!!! I love our shutterbugs!

Marge King, oh you lady of ladies! Thank you for our name tags and for keeping us organized! We just can't go without those things--names are just so important because each of these ladies is so important and valuable. Thank you, too, for sharing from God's word for the leaders' devotional time and prayer each morning.

To God be the glory, the honor; may He get the credit for the awesomeness of this event and our life change as we go forward!

If you would like to share your stories or comments, please send a note to wendie@teuton.org or you can choose to comment directly below (please remember to keep the other ladies' "stuff" confidential).

Women's Home Team at New Hope

Hey girls! You may not be aware of this, but I wanted to just let each of you know that Cristol Morgan is leading a new home team just for women at the home of Brooke Hill on Wednesday nights at 7:15PM.

Check it out!

• PLACE: 206 Harvest Bend Dr, Wylie, TX (Brooke Hill's house)
• PHONE: 214-766-8587 (Cristol's mobile)
• TIME: 7:15pm to 8:45pm
• SCHEDULE: Every Wednesday night