Developing women as leaders in everyday life
Posted by LeanneApr 6
Women are good at teamwork… not that men aren’t, but it’s possible we have more fun!
(Intern Nathalie & I baking Easter Angel cookies to remember Luke 1:19 & 26 – click here to watch my video about remembering God’s love)
In the midst of every day life, with coffee cup in hand, we help each other grow as leaders.
Women who influence and enable people to accomplish tasks. (Think moms, project managers, older sisters, volunteer organizers, youth workers, Entrepreneurs…)
How is that possible you ask? While baking cookies, at the playground, in Bible study, at our workplace…we share ideas, successes & failures with our friends and coworkers. We also encourage each other to live out what we learn. We naturally combine teaching, modeling and coaching in a way that impacts every area of our lives. It fits perfectly with the relational way God made us to be, which makes it not feel like work!
(Emma & I at a Langham training seminar pre covid. She loves teaching women how to study the Bible.)
Did you know that this is biblical? Read Titus 2.
It’s about older women doing exactly what I described. Of course, women old and young are encouraging each other. But in Titus 2 older women are called to share their years of experience by intentionally investing in younger women.
Older women can be a loving caring anchor for younger women who experience, sometimes abruptly, many different and intense new life phases. (And then add in the pandemic!)
This is why I started a zoom Titus 2 Bible study for women in my church. We look at women in the Bible to learn from them, pray for each other and share ideas on how we can invest. Already two multi-generational Bible studies have grown out of this group as well as many life giving conversations! We are having a great time being leaders training leaders in everyday life.
WOULD YOU PRAY THAT THESE TITUS 2 BIBLE STUDIES MULTIPLY ACROSS AUSTRIA?
On the family front…
David is moving to Canada this summer! He has been accepted at Redeemer University to study Business Marketing. A perfect fit for my bright ‘out of the box thinking’ son! Wonderful too that he can be close to lots of family for the first time in his life.
Jonathan & Miriam got the keys to their first apartment! Just 5 minutes from me, his work & great public transit! Yay! Jonathan is a kindergarten teacher and Miriam is doing her masters in TESSL online. They are VERY happy newlyweds!
PLEASE PRAY FOR:
- Safe and uncomplicated travel, quarantine, and university prep for David and I as we go to Canada midsummer. I will fly back to Austria the end of September.
- Our denominations annual leader training conference in June where I will be teaching a workshop twice on developing women as leaders.
Praise:
Thanking the Lord for three new supporters. A marvelous start to help me move towards a needed support level. Would you pray for more to join in financially to help see women grow as leaders?
Thank you for being a part of what God is doing here!
Leanne
Filed under: Uncategorized
Step by step, growing as leaders
Posted by LeanneDec 20
I have a dream. Yes, I do. I imagine more and more older women across Austria walking alongside younger women in everyday life. My example of this type of mentorship comes from the book of Titus – older women leading, guiding, and teaching younger women.
Just yesterday I had an amazing conversation with one of the older women in our church about the definition of leadership based on Jesus as the shepherd. This definition was life-changing for me. I realized I was a leader in so many areas of my life. I knew that I want to lead deliberately and well. Every woman has 1000 things on their to-do list each day, and my passion is to help them be intentional in accomplishing their daily responsibilities. Today my working definition of leadership is, “Intentionally influencing and enabling people to accomplish a given task.”
The evangelical church in Austria is young and has so much potential to grow. My church alone is overflowing with young families. The younger women have voiced their longing for more older women to walk alongside them. I discussed with my friend how to make a plan for celebrating Christmas in these very strange times, using principles derived from Jesus’s example that can be applied in every area of life.
Just imagine the ripple effect of older women teaching the younger women and what it will do in their families, workplace, churches, and ultimately reaching the lost for Christ?! (The Apostle Paul certainly saw it as key for the health of the church and God‘s kingdom!)
How will we work together to accomplish this vision? By connecting with and teaching women one on one, in group settings, in leadership development seminars, webinars, and on my YouTube channel.
My heartfelt thanks to each one of you who pray for us and support us financially!
I am asking God for $15,000 in additional annual support so that I can focus on the work here, and I need your help:
1. I am seeking new contributors who can make a monthly contribution in the support of this vital work. Do you know any women in your church, Bible study group, knitting circle, Pilates classes… who would have a heart for helping their sister’s across the globe? Would you pass this letter on to them?
2. If you are already supporting me, wherever possible, would you consider an increase of 20% in the coming year. If that increase is too much of a burden, any additional amount is so greatly appreciated.
3. Would you pray with me that God supplies the support and that more and more older women will invest in younger women and help them to flourish.
Thank you so much!
Leanne
Filed under: Uncategorized
Loving people in crisis
Posted by LeanneNov 7
Would you also pray for our LEAD DEVELOP CARE online training happening November 19.
Thank you so much for praying!
Austria is on a gentle lockdown that will hopefully bring our numbers down (but not our economy).
Right before lockdown started our country experienced a horrendous terror attack in Vienna. It was shocking and brought us to our knees in prayer.
In the midst of all of this, wedding plans are moving forward for Jonathan and Miriam.
December 5, 2020, at 2:30 CET
It will be a small wedding but one that will OVERFLOW WITH JOY!!!
You can register to watch the live stream here on their website:
www.mjcarter-wedding.de
We love you and we are praying that you know deeply God’s love and peace in these challenging times.
Leanne, Jonathan, and David
Discipling the Nations
Action Canada
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Life After Lockdown
Posted by LeanneMay 28
Small careful steps back to ‘normal’ include the reopening of ‘The Oasis’ refugee center where more than 1/4 million refugees have experienced Christ’s love over the past three decades. Although only a small number can be in the building at one time it is a joy for us to have time with these dear ones at the women and children’s program.
Family ministry project
Leanne and Johnny’s English Time
(click name above to go to channel))
We are doing a new youtube channel in order…
I am so thankful!!!
Posted by LeanneNov 11
The Everyday Princess
I was so blessed by the responses to the videos about my accident:
Chocolate Treasures in the Storm part 1 and 2
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LEAD DEVELOP CARE
The three coaches were clearly focused on helping us become confidant and competent developers of leaders. I love developing the women leaders God has put in my life.
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The joy of loving these precious people who are far from home. I volunteer at the Oasis refugee center each Wednesday. One of the team told me recently that over a 1/4 million refugees have been cared for here in the past 25 plus years!!!!!! I wonder if they have counted how many times the Jesus film was shown, God’s truth was preached, people heard of God’s love for them – countless times!!!!
Would you pray that God makes a way for my YouTube videos to be translated with subtitles into Farsi and Arabic so that more women can discover that the King of Kings loves them and is inviting them into His family.
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I highly recommend it!!!!!!!!
editing my YouTube videos.
Teamwork!!!
I couldn’t do it without him.
It is a pleasure to work side by side with him.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR LOVE, SUPPORT AND PRAYERS!!!!!!!
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OUT OF THE BOX
Posted by LeanneAug 29
YES!!!!!!!!
‘Out of the box’ is the only way to describe our newest venture.
I
love to encourage women across the generations to love God, each other
and themselves in their daily lives as children of God, daughters of the
King of Kings, PRINCESSES!!!
But how can I do this beyond my town and local church?? Well…
I have decided to start a YouTube channel! I know, what is a 57 year old mom thinking starting a YouTube channel?!?!?
Well, I’m thinking this is a way to encourage women here in Austria and beyond in their everyday lives…
The videos will look at….
What does everyday life look like for the daughter of the KING?
How can someone become a daughter of the KING?
How can I get to know my Heavenly Father?
How can I help my sisters grow?
Is it true that every one needs a HEIDI???
And more!
A new video in German and English every Tuesday
Click here to go to my channel. Feel free to subscribe and share it with friends.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC43ds4_s-HgUQK6Hz-Yuh_A
Please pray!!!
1. That these videos spread the truth of God’s love and good news to many.
2. That God would give me wisdom and the words as I make the videos. For skill and creativity as David does the editing/uploading.
3. I am also getting licensed to teach my coach’s Leadership Symposium September 10-12. There is a lot of preparation involved for me and my three teammates before we can do the intensive three day training/testing along with 9 other participants. I am so thankful for this opportunity. My coach has helped me so much in developing the leaders in the women’s ministry in my local church. This licensing will broaden that skope! I use it too in developing the plan for my channel and it will certainly be part of my teaching content.
So thankful that:
-Jonathan is doing well at his one year Leader in Further Training course in upstate New York.
-David has settled into grade 11!!!!!!!
-Both of my guys, several nieces and many friends have been a part of getting this channel going.
Life and ministry is flourishing. Praise God!!! Thank you for the many ways you support the work here!
The Lord bless you!
Leanne, Jonathan and David
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F.R.O.G. Fully rely on God
Posted by LeanneApr 16
This was the motto of our planning team of 4 for the Budapest, Free to Live, conference. It is by God’s grace alone that we serve and see fruit.
Thank you for praying!!! So many prayers answered…
New home for refugee family!!
I was able to help move the refugee family into a new place in Vienna!!!! That sure was close! Thankfully they were given a couple of extra days in their old place and then we loaded up my car with their belongings and delivered them to their new home 🙂
Salzburg…Two days of leadership team/ vision/planning meetings for Befreit Leben (Freed Life discipleship ministry). Clear direction for leader training was the fruit!!
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Florida…Helped my big sis/sister-in-law, Joan, move my 97 yr old mother-in-law into assisted living. Change at any age is hard. I was so thankful I could be there to laugh/cry/pack with mom and Joan.
My other sister in law, Marilyn, flew in to work with Joan to pack up the apartment and get mom fully settled.
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I am so thankful to the Lord for His provision of help and new encouraging friends. March was so full. I didn’t know how I would manage. God knew and sent me loving co-laborers from my California church, Calvary Community. I start to cry just thinking about God’s kindness in sending these ladies. Seriously, tears are running down my face as I type.
God is so good!!!!!! And shows His love through His children.
Jennifer, Michelle and Rosanna experienced my life and work here up close and personal!!!! They worked sooooo hard. We had fun too and talked lots! 🙂
I am so grateful for God’s loving kindness poured out through them on our ‘chai time’ team and the refugee women and children…
For how the crafts and gifts they brought made the refugees smile…
For them being a part of the team serving 250 women at our Mutternander conference where mom’s were encouraged, educated and well fed…and got present!
And Joining Oasis team members to sing in Farsi for the refugee women and children…
Jennifer lead worship at the Discipleship and leader training conference, FREE TO LIVE in Budapest, lifting our eyes and hearts to the Lord.
55 participants, 11 leaders in training, 15 group leaders and a support and leadership team of 9.
They came from 12 different countries including: Moldova, Macedonia, Slovenia, Poland, Hungary, Romania, Austria, England, Germany, Usa 🙂
There is so much to share…my next letter will give more glorious highlights of what God did!!
Family
David and I will see Jonathan off at the airport May 2 for a year in North America!
He will stay with family in Ontario for the first month or so then the rest of his time will be at Camp of the Woods in upstate New York. Following in the footsteps of his older brother, dad and dad’s sisters & parents, Jonathan will work on the camp summer staff (in the kids program) and then do Camp’s two semester LIFT – Leader in Further Training for young adults. I am so happy for him. It will be strange to not have him at home for a year!!
Please pray for all three of us in this new phase of life. A new opportunity to fully rely on God!!
With love and thanks
Leanne, Jonathan and David
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