You Can Do It!

Encourager Coaches, do you know what your most important role is?  To encourage your leaders!  I knew you knew that!  I want to share a short story I read out of a devo book about Heaven by Randy Alcorn to remind you of why we do what we do.

There was a woman named Florence Chadwick, who in 1952, decided she was going to swim the Pacific Ocean from Catalina Island, CA to the mainland.  She was already the first woman to swim the English Channel both ways, so surely she could do this. 

The weather was foggy and chilly and Florence could barely see the boats alongside her cheering her on.  After 15 hours of swimming, she pleaded to be taken out of the water.  But her mother, in a boat alongside her, told her she was close and could do it.  Finally though, Florence was emotionally and physically exhausted.  She stopped swimming and was pulled out.  As she looked out from the boat she noticed the shore was less than half a mile away.  News reporters were interviewing her the next day and she said, “All I could see was the fog…I think if I could’ve seen the shore, I would’ve made it.”

Her mom had told her she could do it.  But Florence’s vision was foggy and she gave up.  There are going to be times when your leaders are discouraged, tired, or encounter uncertain circumstances that will leave them foggy in their thinking.

We, as Encourager Coaches, can help them see the vision.  And that clear vision is of Jesus Christ, the, Anchor of our souls, the Rock of our salvation! The only One we can put our hope in that is preparing a home for us on the shores of a perfect homeland for eternity.

If we keep our eyes fixed on Jesus through the foggy waters of life and picture our eternal home, we will be comforted and become energized giving us a clear look at the finish line.

Paul said in Philip. 3:13-14, “One thing I do:  Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Thank you, Jesus, for the amazing sacrifice You gave for us so we can be with You forever where You will wipe all our tears away!

Now, I am energized for the day and going to look for an opportunity to encourage another Celebrate Recovery leader to see the clear vision of the prize awaiting them!

 Mary Owen

 National Encourager Coach for women

Encourager Coaches…Making A Difference

As an "E" coach you can help build up your Celebrate Recovery ministry by planning special appreciation events.  You can have an impact on your church as well as your CR. This all began for us when our "E" coaches planned an appreciation dinner for our church staff, elders & ministers.  You may be thinking you don't have strong Sr. Pastor support.  All the more reason to do this!  An appreciation dinner is a great way to thank them for allowing CR to take place at your church.  And your church leadership will get to see in action, CR members becoming servants.  People who formerly just sat on the sidelines in their Christian walk.  And those that didn't even have a walk with the Lord, now flourishing in the Lord!

Make it a special night.  We transformed our fellowship center into a nice restaurant with candles, linen tablecloths and nice background music.  CR members dressed in white shirts and black pants.  It was more than just throwing a meal together.  We wanted our church leadership to feel how appreciative we were for CR.

We bought two whole rib-eyes, smoked them for three hours, cut them into thick steaks, fired up a hot grill and seared them on both sides.  We served them up sizzling hot along with great sides and topped it off with the best homemade Italian Cream Cake and coffee. We have some good cooks!

While they were enjoying dessert, all our CR leaders gathered around them in a circle and each leader shared why they were thankful for CR giving one minute testimonies that were prepared ahead of time.  Our church leaders left there totally thankful realizing what's been going on in the midst of our church…changed lives one at a time through CR. 

Our church leadership talked about it for months to come.  So this has turned into an annual event. This year our appreciation dinner was for our CR Worship Team & Praise Band.  Now our Youth Minister has asked us to cook for a group he is wanting to give an appreciation dinner for.

We have so much to be thankful for.  My list is huge but I will just name a few here in closing that are dear to my heart.

I'm thankful to be able to serve in Celebrate Recovery.

I'm thankful our church allows us to give the hope found only in Jesus Christ to others through Celebrate Recovery.

I'm thankful my Father, who is King of the Universe,  counts me worthy to be called His daughter.

Put your gratitude into action!

~ mary

National Encourager Coach

What Will I Do Next Year for Celebrate Recovery?

It is the season when we tend to process the year which lies yet before us! The approaching New Year presents a clean calendar and a story yet untold. As Encourager Coaches in Celebrate Recovery, we are always looking for creative ways to present a social event, to foster fellowship, and to minister to our Leaders!  Do you have some fresh ideas that you are considering?

As we slide into the New Year, I would like to encourage you to be more creative in your planning. Think outside your 2009 box of experiences and do some new things for your CR ministry in the New Year.  Have you had a girl's night out to play games, eat fun foods and laugh until your sides hurt? Have the guys had a night out - a time to attend a ball game locally or to bowl in your area bowling alley?  Have your leaders gathered together, just them, to build their relationships? A special dinner out is always fun! Have you gathered your T.E.A.M. together for some special fellowship?  Perhaps a retreat is a viable option for your ministry in this coming year. Whatever you do, have fun and enjoy those relationships!

Does the dinnertime before the meal need a boost?  How about some inspirational music in the background? Is it time to change your decor or the menu?  Do the leaders in your ministry need to be encouraged?  What can you do to make them feel special and appreciated?  E-cards don't cost anything and can be very inspirational! Are you praying for the Leaders? Have you told them that you are petitioning heaven on their behalf? 

I pray that 2010 will be a blessed year for you and that you will be a blessing to many!  The things that we consider so little are often very powerful in the lives of others! They are important!  May the Lord God Almighty guide your every step in this coming year that you may be a blessing to many on this road to recovery!

Happy New Year to each of you!

Paula

Brought to you by the letter “E”

I had a nice, neat little post I told Paula I was getting ready to publish yesterday… but then IT arrived.  A package containing 221 cards filled with some very exciting information-

Coach Role:  “E”

How long?  “8 years”

How long?  “2 months”

How long?   “9 hours”

What is your single most important question?  “How will God use me?”

What is your single most important question?  “What are the best ideas for fellowship events?”

What is your single most important question? “How many hours can I be on the phone before it becomes permanently attached to my ear?”

I love it!

221 notecards were turned in during the Summit’s Encourager Coach Connection last month representing an amazing network of hundreds of seasoned Encourager Coach veterans, and other “E’s” just getting started.  Once again, looking over your names and your questions has reminded me of the important momentum built in that meeting, and of the tremendous ministry of encouragement each card represents.

Paul writes these inspiring words to the saints in Philippi  “…being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

God has begun a good work in all of us, and He WILL be faithful to complete this work in us as we persevere in our vital supportive roles in our respective TEAM’s.   

I SO look forward to further connecting and interacting with all of you in the months to come, and using this forum to answer some of the questions we weren’t able to get to at our meeting. 

God bless!

-john

E Coaches - JUST BE YOURSELF AND REACH OUT TO OTHERS!

 I am getting excited about the kickoff of the Fall One Day Seminars.  I hope you will be able to attend a Seminar near you. It is a great place to be an encourager and to network with other Encourager Coaches from your state or region.

I was thinking about the Summit the other day, remembering our huge gathering of E Coaches in Tent 3 at Saddleback on Wednesday evening.  What an exciting time it was to network, share,  and answer questions.  I sure enjoyed our time together!

Seeing the huge gathering of E Coaches in one place made me realize how many of you there are across the nation.  If most CR ministries are using the T.E.A.M. in their leadership structure, then there are a lot of us! 

What would you think would be a common struggle for new E Coaches?  I often hear someone say that their ministry leader thought they would make a great E Coach, but they aren’t too sure.  Such a statement says that the Ministry Leader has a lot of faith in that person to encourage others and plan events for social times, but the E Coach needs to have faith in themselves. There may be a need for assertiveness and boldness, to feel good about themselves.

You have many gifts and personality attributes that made you the right person for the job. Build a team of helpers that can walk along beside you to assist. Have fun and build relationships with the leaders in the ministry.  They will need your timely prayers or uplifting words as they serve faithfully in this ministry.

I’ll look forward to seeing you in Arkansas, New York, Colorado, Indiana, or Texas. Have a blessed week serving others with gladness of heart!

Paula