Stepping Out with Courage
A Letter from WLI Director, Darce Paape “Lord, if it is you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” [Jesus] said, Matthew 14: 28-29. The sky grew dark as the…Leading From the Kitchen Table
By Stacy Hoeft WLI Board member I’m sure you don’t need to be reminded, but a few months ago the world went sideways. After the first of the year COVID-19 seemed to creep quietly into…How to Create Sharpening Moments
by Wendysue Fluegge “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” – Proverbs 27:17 Every day is filled with sharpening moments. Chances to be encouraged and challenged by others. Chances to do the encouraging…Three Ways to Step into Courage Today
by Heidi Goehmann When I was in third grade, I wrote a letter to invite the governor of our state asking him to come and visit my elementary school. It was an election year and…Soul Amnesia – We Fret When We Forget
By Karen Lippert Soul Amnesia. I first heard these words from author, Ann Voskamp. These words depict what often happens to us as Christian women. Our souls just plain forget. We know plenty of truth…Wins and Wows: Scoring Big in a New Leadership Role
by Sarah Holtan, Ph.D. You’re in a new position of leadership. You don’t have a clue what you’re supposed to do. Did someone really think you were qualified for this?!? You feel like a…Directions for Dealing with the Difficult Boss
by Karen Sue Hinz Murdy “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Matthew 5:44 The boss nobody wanted, or at least I did not…That was my boss.…Gaining Wisdom with Others
by Marge Franzen God’s Solutions You may, like me, find yourself in a period of isolation, whether that be geographically, physically emotionally, spiritually. The source can vary, either illness or overload can shove you into…Six Things to do if You Become Unemployed
by Dale Kreienkamp Even in a good economy, over 20 million people will lose their job this year through a discharge or layoff. The decision won’t be theirs. You just received word you’re one of those…The Best of Times….The Worst of Times
by Karen Sue Hinz Murdy “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” So begins “A Tale of Two Cities”. Since my high schooler was reading this classic story, I decided to…The Real You Revealed: Realize Your Identity in Christ
by Dr. Tammy Ferry It happened about 3 years ago while we were in Spain. On the last night of our trip, after doing some wonderful sightseeing in Madrid, we headed to our rental car.…My Story of Visual Faith
by Pat Maier In November of 2012, God blessed me with a new friend. I met Connie Denninger at a church leaders’ conference. Being the wives of the leaders attending, we made plans to meet…Where Are You Looking? How Shifting Your Gaze Can Reduce Your Stress
by Amy Meyer Did you know that WHERE you gaze affects HOW you view your problems? It matters where you look. Are your eyes cast down and looking at yourself, your problems, your wants and…Leading in Blue Jeans: Dressing for Success in God’s Eyes
by Allison Baltzersen How we define success and who we are seeking to impress dictates how we dress as a leader. I recently attended a WLI event in which I was surrounded by other leaders…Intentional Influence through Writing
by Peggy Kuethe Words are transformative. Recall Genesis 1 when God spoke the universe into existence, and Genesis 3:15 when He spoke the promise of a Redeemer. Recall John 2:1-11, when Jesus spoke the water…Business as a Calling
By Gloria Nelund If you’ve ever had feelings of insecurity or doubt, times of wondering what your life is about, or questions about what to do next, please know that you are not alone. Life…Being an Assertive Christian Woman
By Ruth Koch Sometimes it seems like life is uphill all the way. Someone is rude to you, verbally abusive, takes advantage of you—whatever—and you, being raised as many women are, to ‘make nice,’ just…Living as a Deployed Digital Missioner
by Connie Denninger—Visual Faith Ministries Social media tools have become a part of our everyday life. How do we create the time and space for engagement that makes sense with all the things that juggle…Workplace Connections: The Blessings and Challenges of Being a Millennial and Working With One
By Rachel Morton & Rebekah Karolus Generational studies are all the rage right now. Over the past five years in particular, people have spent a lot of time speculating about the differences between generations and…Conflict – Something Happened, Now What?
by George McAllen Conflict is a topic that scares many people and as a result of this fear they do their best to avoid it. Unfortunately, because many avoid conflict, they aren’t very good at…Living a Life of Radical Influence
by Gretchen Jameson “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu.” ~ Modern Parable Well that certainly sets up a particular worldview, doesn’t it? As parables go, this pithy, pointed phrase coined sometime…Conquering Nervousness to Unleash your Full Speaking Power
by Sarah Holtan, Ph.D. Do you like to talk? If so, then you possess the potential to become a dynamic public speaker. It’s true! Yet, you might find that your nerves steal your power. When…Four Ways to Beat Burnout
by Gretchen Huesmann Tired. Weary. Exhausted. Sometimes we’re just having a busy day. At other times, we experience seasons of hard work and long hours. Unfortunately, not all labor produces obvious fruit and we can…An Attitude of Gratitude – In Leadership and in Life
by Deb Burma Today is a new day, and we have all kinds of expectations for it, don’t we? We’d like to think that our tasks will be completed with ease, our relationships will thrive,…Four Prayers that Jesus Loves to Answer “Yes!”
By Dr. Linda Borecki When circumstances are difficult my usual prayer is for rescue out of the problem! Whether for myself or for others, I often pray that God would lessen the burden or give…Leadership and Limitations
By Heather Choate Davis As women we often fall into the trap of viewing the world from the outside in. We see jobs we’re prohibited from, positions we are never seriously considered for, and levels…Stretched vs. Stressed: What’s the Difference and why does it Matter for Leaders?
by Sarah Holtan, Ph.D. “How do you do it all?” I’m asked regularly by friends and colleagues. My answer: “I don’t.” I watch their eyes get round and their eyebrows shoot up. They know I’m…Jesus Said So – Trusting When it Doesn’t Make Sense To
By Karen Lippert Learn how to make sense of nonsensical situations by taking Peter’s lead when he obediently trusted Jesus despite it defying human logic … One day as Jesus was standing by the Lake…God is the Writer – You Are His Book
Overcoming Writer’s Anxiety through a study of 2 Corinthians 3:3 by Elise Arndt Verba volant, scripta manent is a Latin proverb. Literally translated, it means “spoken words fly away, written words remain”. If that is true, what a motivation…Be Energized by GEMS
by Karen Sue Hinz Murdy God + Exercise + Meals + Sleep = An energized YOU! Read on for tips from Karen Sue Hinz Murdy on how to apply this recipe to equip yourself with…Three Creative Ways to Outline a Life-Changing Presentation
Outline. When you hear that word, you probably groan and think of English 101 in high school. Just how were you supposed to place those capital letters and Roman numerals? Don’t worry—outlining a life-changing presentation…How to Ripen Your Fruits of the Spirit for Effective Leadership
By Marge Franzen Have you ever savored a home-grown tomato? Watched it grow in your backyard? That small, hard green tomato grows into an appetizing, ripe fruit because it stays connected to the plant. If the…Saying “Yes” To Leadership
By Mary Washko Denham “Will you be on the Parent-Teacher League Board?” “Will you help on the Capital Campaign committee?” “Could you teach a class for Vacation Bible School or Sunday School?” “Would you run…How to Influence Others Without Saying A Word: A Skill-Building Drama about Mary of Bethany
MARY OF BETHANY: A WOMAN OF INFLUENCE By Donna J. Streufert LEADERSHIP IS INFLUENCE. Exemplary leadership is influence worthy of being imitated. Throughout Scripture we can find stunning examples of exemplary leadership. One example in…
How to Create Sharpening Moments
by Wendysue Fluegge “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” – Proverbs 27:17 Every day is filled with sharpening moments. Chances to be encouraged and challenged by others. Chances to do the encouraging…CONFIDENTIALITY: Is it Endangered?
As a society we are more open than ever before. We divulge to the world what’s for dinner, who we’re with, and where we’re located. With the sharing of our personal lives in epic proportions,…Three Principles of Mentoring I Learned from Elizabeth and Mary
by Sharla Fritz Conflict. Never fun. Often bewildering. When I was a new pastor’s wife, I experienced a conflict with a member. Nothing serious, but I was in a situation I didn’t know how…Six Ways to Help a Friend Who is Unemployed
by Dale Kreienkamp You just received news that a good friend of yours has lost their job and is now looking for a new job. You want to help, but don’t know how to best help…Six Things to Help Your Spouse Who is Unemployed
by Dale Kreienkamp Your spouse just told you they lost their job. Life for the two of you has now changed. How do you support them as they go through their job search? It won’t be…How to Deal with Challenging Volunteers
By Karen Kogler Most volunteers are wonderful, self-giving people. But when one is a challenge, you not only can do something about it, you should! “Alice is wonderful with the kids in the church Nursery,…Adult Learning Styles: What Do They Mean For Bible Study Leadership?
by Karen Soeken How do you learn best? By listening to others speak? By reading and writing? Through a hands-on activity? Each of us has a preferred method of learning (notice that it’s a preferred…How to Share Jesus with People of Other Cultures
By Marilyn McClure Imagine wandering around in a foreign country on a rainy night, not knowing where you are going, not even knowing how to speak the local language. This is exactly what happened in 1970…Effectively Leading Volunteers
Organizing a project can be exciting. Blazing a new trail of ministry can be exhilarating. But that energy may dissipate when struggling to manage teams of volunteers. Frustration mounts when those who have committed their…Servant Leadership: Motivating Volunteers
“He called the crowd to him along with His disciples and said, “If anyone would follow after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.” (Mark 8:34) Leading volunteers often…Servant Leadership: Recruiting Volunteers
“Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvests, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest fields.” (Matthew 9:37-38) Have you ever…Learn From the Experts: Leading a Bible Study: Part 2
This is part 2 of learning from the experts on leading a Bible study. The experts are Donna Streufert, founder of the Women’s Leadership Institute and Deb Burma, author of the Bible study, Living a…Learn From the Experts: Leading a Bible Study: Part 1
A BIBLE STUDY can be enjoyable and exciting. But it can also be complicated and challenging. To help leaders, both new and experienced, we asked two seasoned experts on how they handle this leadership role.…Christian Leadership: Start and End with Service
By Nancy Stoehr, Pharm.D. “Come, O living Christ, renew us As of old in wind and flame; With the Spirit’s power endue us, Servants of Your saving name: Christ the Savior, Christ the Servant, Christ…Four Keys to Leading a Life-Changing Bible Study
By Sharla Fritz “I know you’ll do a great job! I have every confidence in you!” the pastor says with a smile as he turns toward his office. As you watch him walk away, you…
