Strengthening Women Conference

The Strengthening Women Conference is just around the corner! We are very excited and anticipating a wonderful time of worship and learning on Saturday October 3rd. Our guest speaker is Julie Ganschow. She is a NANC certified Biblical counselor. If you would like to know a little bit about her, you can read the interviews we did with her recently, here. You can also learn more about her counseling ministry here. She has a blog called BC4Women which is a very helpful resource, I strongly suggest checking it out.

When she comes to Missio Dei Fellowship she will be speaking on the very important subject of communication. I don't know about you, but that is a key area I want to glorify God in and could use some help. Gospel centered lives lead to gospel centered communication. What comes out of the mouth matters because we will all give an account to God for our words. Words matter because they are a reflection of the heart.

As one writer put it:

Your communication will reveal the kind of (person) you really are, because what comes out of your mouth is usually what's in your heart. If you truly desire to exemplify Christ you will seek to become a good communicator. Everything that Jesus Christ communicated was holy, clear, purposeful and timely. Stuart Scott The Exemplary Husband, Focus Publishing, 2000, p. 229. ( I actually never read this book, but saw the quote on facebook from Bruce Roeder who is a biblical counselor with the same ministry as Julie).

We truly hope you will join us October 3rd. You can register here.

God Bless!

Julie Ganschow Interview - Part 1

Hello Ladies! As you all know, the Strengthening Women conference is fast approaching and this year our speaker is Julie Ganschow, a biblical counselor. She will be speaking on biblical communication, which is a hugely important subject in any Christian's life. I personally am very excited about the conference and I hope you all are too!

In order to get to know Julie a little better, the girls and I came up with some 'interview' questions and Julie was extremely gracious to reply to them. We wanted to share her answers with you. So here you are, ladies, the first of four posts devoted to getting to know Julie!


"Julie, we are very excited to get to know you here at the True Women blog. Our church is greatly anticipating the upcoming conference in October. Thank you so much for being willing to come and speak on such an important subject as communication.

We would like to take some time to let those who read the blog get to know a little bit about what makes you, you!


I (Jaz), though born in Missouri, was raised here in good old K-town. Most of the women here on the blog spent most of their lives here as well.

We know you were in Milwaukee for a while at least, but where did you grow up? We would love to hear some fun stories from your childhood!

I was born and raised in Wisconsin. I lived in Greenfield until I was an adult and married. Being the youngest of 4 children I was raised as an only child because everyone else was gone already!
Being the "caboose" had great benefit :) Vacations, material things, I lacked nothing. Probably the best thing was the look on my sister's face when my parents bought a dishwasher- right after she moved out! ;)

Nichole is presently in college at UW-Parkside going for a degree in finance. I have seen how much this decision has influenced her life.

Where did you go to school and what did you study?

My first goal was to be a nurse. When I blew up the chemistry lab (true!!) I thought maybe I should consider a different career. My next thought was to be an actress. I intended to go to New York and be on the stage, but planned to try and get into daytime television too. Many of my classes back then were theater oriented.
Then I realized all I really wanted to be was a wife and mommy. I ditched school entirely until I started homeschooling our children.
These days, I am trying to finish my Bachelor's in Biblical Counseling.

We know from your blog that you are a happily married woman.


How did you meet your spouse and how long have you been married?

Larry and I have known each other since the 7th grade. We tried dating a while in High School, but it did not work out. Life took us both in different directions but in 1989 we reconnected as adults and picked up our friendship where we left off, only better. We had remained friends throughout the years and had a once a year "date" at the July 4 celebration for our city.

In the early days of our adult relationship, we spoke a lot by phone because of the geography and time restraints involved. We discussed our faith and beliefs and what we wanted out of life in our adulthood. Our first date was on New Years Eve and we had our first fight that night too.... I could not imagine what we would fight about, I thought we were having a great time! He went to a deserted part of the parking lot, and reached behind my seat and came out with 2 cans of Silly String. We got out of the car, stood back to back, counted 10 paces and turned and shot this stuff at each other!

When he brought me home at the end of the night I realized my face actually hurt from laughing!

That would be an indication of our life together. My husband is the joy of my life and even after a few decades together we still enjoy each others company more than anything else. He is my best friend, and the love of my life.

I'm guessing that you are a very busy woman between loving your husband and family and counseling, but when you have some spare time, what do you enjoy doing?

Because we now live in a condo, I am able to spend more time doing what I really love as a pass time - writing. There is something wonderfully comforting to me about pouring thoughts into words on a page. I am always amazed at what comes out and even more amazed at how I see God using it. I never thought my words would have an impact on anyone's life...it is incredibly humbling to me to hear women talk about using my books as Bible studies.

I also love to watch old movies and read historical fiction. If I am going to "waste" time, that is what you will find me doing!

This next question is not just out of curiosity. Some of us ladies have toyed with the idea of taking some biblical counseling courses. I have personally benefited from books on counseling women in my own ministry here at TBC. Right now, the women at our church are reading through your book, Seeing Depression Through the Eyes of Grace.

We would like to know how you came to the decision to be a biblical counselor?

Well, that is a question that has a long answer...I was interested in counseling in my early 20's and thought about becoming a social worker. I believed what I heard about psychology and thought it would be a good way to help people. The problem was I saw so many people who went to counseling who were no different than before they started! I also really believed that the Bible was sufficient for life and godliness and could not understand why Christians I knew were in such bad shape and being diagnosed with all sorts of mental illnesses and in therapy for years.

In my 30's I was teaching woman's Bible study and the head of the Woman's Ministry at our church. Those positions caused women to naturally gravitate towards me looking for help with life's problems. I found that too often the women preferred to believe they had an illness rather than a spiritual problem. Our Pastor counseled from an integrated position, mixing the Bible with psychology. He once counseled a couple for 20 years-before they got divorced! I knew there had to be a better way.

I had heard about John MacArthur's Shepherds Conference and the Associate Pastor at my church let me listen to some of the sessions on tape about Biblical Counseling and psychology. Listening to those few tapes turned my world on its head. I investigated NANC (National Association of Nouthetic Counselors) and enrolled in a distance learning course. From there, I began reading every book I could get my hands on and attending conferences and seminars presented by the people whose books I read.

I am more convinced than ever that God's Word is completely sufficient to meet all the problems of mankind. I have honestly never come up against something the Bible does not address. He is enough!

Those with a desire to serve should follow that desire and get some good training. I strongly encourage women to disciple other women. Biblical counseling is really intensive discipleship and we need to be equipped to understand how to minister to one another."


In order to see more information regarding the upcoming conference, please visit the Strengthening Women Website!

True Woman Conference Reflection Pt.4

Today we are going to hear from our good friend, Linda Cate.


Initially, the True Woman 2008 conference appealed to me because of the fantastic line-up of speakers and worship leaders. Even more, I was hungry for fellowship with ladies from our own body at Temple. Because I work, it is difficult to participate in prayer groups or Bible studies during the day. Because I teach Sunday School, I am not able to connect and get to know better others in the body as much as I would like.

What the conference delivered was far beyond what I dreamed, the result of many months of hard work and even harder prayer over every detail and preparation of the speakers and the attendees alike. It was truly encouraging, enlightening and inspiring, BUT-it was not all “pretty”. We learned some chilling statistics that both shocked and stirred my soul. What I’d like to focus on today is largely taken from Nancy Leigh DeMoss’s final words or charge to us, based on the book of Esther and the theme of the conference: “Who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (4:14) I do want to warn you that there are some disturbing and graphic realities that I will share.

We are in a battle, a horrible, bloody battle where the future of Christianity in the lives of our children and our children’s children is at stake. The history lesson we had regarding the development and growth of the feminist movement opened my eyes to depths of depravity to which young women of today, in the name of independence and “equality” with men, have plunged. We have all seen news coverage of girls beating up girls, attacking others on school buses, and have heard reports of meaningless sex being initiated at younger and younger ages. “Think it’s 5th grade nowadays? Think again: 2nd grade” (per True Woman video). I had no idea (and frankly, to my shame, I did not want to know) of the degree to which harassment, sexual abuse (by students to students), and peer pressure is victimizing our young people. Do these words of a FIRST GRADER scare you? “I have sex with my pillow at night”. I now know a fear for my grandchildren that I never knew before.

The battle we face, is, of course, spiritual. The spiritual weapons we have and NEED TO USE include fervent and persistent prayer, fasting, reliance on God, humility. As Nancy said, “We are not a people of humility before God because we are not yet desperate enough.” This information has more than made me desperate enough to get down on my knees and cry out to God, not only for my grandchildren but for all of God’s kingdom. Esther and her people fasted and prayed for three days before she came before the king. She put her life on the line in order to plead her case: “If I perish, I perish.” (4:16)

Am I willing to perish for the sake of God’s kingdom and His glory? Am I willing for my children to perish that He may be glorified? Oh, God, may it be so! Can I say, “Yes, Lord” to endless suffering, endless struggling with my sin and this world, and “No” to self, pride, bitterness, complaining, whining, resisting, resenting the will of God for my life, for His glory?

There is no situation so desperate that God cannot redeem it! Do not judge the outcome of the battle by the way things look now. We may suffer for the moment. Things may look desperate for the moment. Our faithful, supreme God has a sovereign, redemptive plan that will not fail! Through our faith and obedience, we women can be part of God’s plan. Let us remember our children and our children’s children. Let us proclaim to them the gospel of Jesus Christ. Let us make Christ known to them by our delight in Him. May others say, “I see Jesus” when they see how we relate to our husbands. And may we, like Mary, say, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as You have said.” (Luke 1:38) “Yes, Lord.” May it be so. Amen.

True Women Conference Reflections Part 3

Today we are going to hear from my dear friend Jackie Marciniak.

When I first heard there was going to be a women’s conference this past spring and made the decision to go, I must admit I really didn’t give it much thought. I didn’t even know what it was about or what a big event it would be. I just knew it might be a good thing for me to attend and learn something and to hang out with the girls from church. As always, God demonstrated His sovereignty while I was just plodding along.
The opening night of the conference I was fatigued both physically and emotionally as Britt and Tim had just endured Tim’s leukemia and hospitalization and my mom had emergency quadruple cardiac bypass surgery several days after Tim was released from the hospital. In fact, on the day we left for the conference, my mom was being transported back to the hospital for due to low blood pressure. (Thanks to Judy who encouraged me to just go anyways.)
So anyway, our group had strategically reserved seats toward the front of the conference center. Did I mention the place was amazing? There were 6,200 seats filled with women like us. The lights were dim and the music began. The Getty’s were the worship leaders and the music was spectacular all weekend; it was so good to hear such God-centered music sung by Kristyn’s angelic voice along with the voices of all the ladies in the conference center. My emotions were elevated, tears ran down my face, and I knew that the Lord was so good to bring us there for “for such a time as this” (part of the theme verse Esther 4:14).
John Piper was the main speaker the first night and he spoke of how wimpy theology makes wimpy women. He went on to explain how wimpy theology doesn’t make God big enough to handle life’s trials. I realized how easy it is to dwell on what is seen rather than what is unseen and forget that God is working in unimaginable ways that will bring about His will and display His glory in all of life’s trials. “In every situation God is always doing a thousand different things that you cannot see and cannot know.”
This is comfort to a soul. This is not something new to us, but always good to be brought back to the true knowledge of how big God is in every situation working things out for Himself. He asked at the end for us to answer this question for ourselves: how would my life change if I lived as if I believed? WOW, every time I seem to take a step forward it seems I go two steps back; sometimes in my faith I feel like a giant and others times like a dust mite. Lucky for me God remains the same.
Some other highlights for me were Nancy Leigh DeMoss speech called “What is a True Woman of God.” She spoke of how we serve a God that has inexhaustible, immeasurable wisdom. No matter how deep your problems, God is deeper and His riches are more than we need for our circumstances. God needs nothing or anyone outside of Himself and yet we owe Him everything, He is the source of our existence. If we resist our circumstances we are truly resisting God Himself.
There were many other great speakers. I especially liked Mary Kassian with her history of the women’s movement of the 1960’s. They had a conference in Chicago in 1968, a mere 40 yrs earlier and our society was changed forever. What seemed to be such a small event catapulted immeasurable change. She also did a great job in her “Girls Gone Wild” breakout session comparing the WILD vs. WISE woman (if you get a chance she said the 20 comparisons would be posted on her web sight).
In the constraints of time I must conclude this, although I feel there is so much more I could say.
Nancy spoke at the closing session about Esther and how God had worked so providentially through her. Thus our theme verse, “Who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”
The small women’s movement of the 60’s has radically changed our society although it began is living rooms. Who knows what God can do through 6,000 women pledging to God that we will be light in our world and speak unashamedly of goodness and the meaning of the “True Woman”? God has truly created us differently than men, although He values us both of the same. When we live obediently to God’s plan for us we have true joy in our lives. God has given us the picture of Christ and the church as a role model. When we submit to God’s headship we are bringing glory to Him as designed us to do.
PS. I would like to thank all who were involved in coordinating our plans, you did a great jobJ. I had a great time of fellowship with all of the ladies, especially Esme’s and my late night hot tub trip! I truly feel so blessed to have been able to take part in such an event and pray that God will us to impact our world for Him.

True Woman Conference Reflection Pt.2

Today we are continuing to give you a peek at what ladies from our church took away from the conference we went to in Shaumburg. This is from the perspective of my mom, Shelly Smith. It is a worthwhile read, enjoy!


In 1968, two hundred women gathered to start the women's enslavement-oops! I mean liberation movement. I will not take time to list the effects of this movement. You can just look around and see the profound damage this movement has wrought. Now 40 years later a new movement has been born.

Truewoman '08 was attended by more then 6000 women. There was no bra burning, men bashing or calls to bitterness and anger. The call was to be the woman God called you to be for His glory and to see that it's not all about you. It is and always has been about Him.

John Piper laid a foundation for the conference by stating "wimpy theology makes wimpy women". He called us to not settle for wimpy theology, saying "it's beneath you". God is too great. Christ is too glorious. Womanhood is too strategic. Don't waste it. Your womanhood, your true womanhood was made for the glory of Christ".

This foundation carried through the entire conference. Those who attended were blessed by sound theology through the music and the speakers. The solid foundation that our pastors and teachers at Temple Baptist Church have faithfully laid was reinforced. I looked for a secret agenda, a set of rules that I would probably fail at and found none.

Christ was the center; He was the focus. The call was to live our lives based on what God has called us to do through His word for His glory and not to make much of ourselves.

The movement in 1968 began with 200 women. The movement in 2008 has begun with more then 6000 women. I wonder, if the Lord should tarry, what the effect on our culture will be in forty years with 6000 women living out their lives for the glory of Christ.

I looked around at my sisters from TBC that attended the conference with me. These were not wimpy women. They were all women who had been through many trials, and are being refined by the fire to become more like Christ. Some had been through so much that you pray "Lord how long?" and yet they stand because their hope is in Christ. They stand because their foundation is granite. I am blessed by their faithfulness and the testimony of God's work in their lives.

I would encourage those who were not able to attend to go to Truewoman.com and listen to some of the sessions. I highly recommend John Piper, Joni Tada and Janet Parshall.

I also highly recommend that you get to know the women in our body. Serve with them, pray with them, rejoice and weep with them. You will be blessed, encouraged and strengthened.

Revive Our Hearts - True Women Conference 2008

Happy Monday! This week the girls and I are taking a break from posting and have gotten five guest bloggers. They are all women who attended the True Women Conference last weekend with Jasmine, Betsy, and Esme and they are going to give you their impressions of the conference. I look forward to hearing their thoughts and hope that you do to. If you would like to listen to any of the main sessions, click on the link above.
Our first guest blogger is none other than my mom, Kim Henry.

The motto for Tremper High School is learning no matter what. This motto made me think of how I would sum up the Revive Our Hearts, True Women Conference - enjoying and glorifying God no matter what. In many different messages, godly older women shared their grief and their sorrow in the many devastating trials that they had experienced. They shared how they grew up in a world that was running fast away from God. They shared trials that I have experienced and am experiencing and hope to never have to experience. I think that every woman in that conference hall (6300 women from 48 states and 8 countries) could relate in one way or another, not to mention those that wanted to come but were told that the conference was sold out so they had to watch online.
The thing that probably struck me most is how we were all encouraged. We were encouraged in that we were reminded that God is in control, that He loves us beyond measure, that He will never leave us or forsake us. He has given us the wonderful gift of His word to guide us, strengthen us and enable us to get through every trial that He has lovingly and sovereignly ordained to make us the daughters that He wants us to be. We were also encouraged to answer our Lord's leading and commands with the words, "yes Lord."
At the end of the conference we were encouraged not to fear in spite of the current world events and pray that our Lord would use them to bring about revival. I was left, once again, with the crazy thought that I want the trials that the Lord has to give me because this is the only way that I can draw closer to Him and be like His Son. Of course, that was immediately followed by fear - "OK Lord, I guess that I really don't want to suffer". But in my heart, as the conference reminded me, I know that my God is great enough and delights in His children enough to get me through whatever He gives me, in His divine wisdom, in such a way as to bring Him glory because of His Son's death on the cross to make us His.
In closing, it is such a wonderful pleasure to see all those women affirming biblical, God glorifying principals that, if applied will allow us through His Spirit to change the world for His everlasting kingdom in each of our homes, neighborhoods and work places, if we are willing to say yes, Lord and become strong women not wimpy women.

Watch the True Women Conf. 08 LIVE!

If you're not attending the Conference, you can still be part of it!! You need to register to receive the video feed- right here - October 9-11.

Don't miss out and register today.

As for those of us going, I can't wait to spending the weekend together--it should be fun (bring your ear plugs, I've heard some...of us snore.)! This should be quite the event 6000 women are attending the conference...But I fully expect our hearts and minds be refreshed and renewed as we grow in the love and knowledge of our Lord.

Lord willing I'll see some of you soon!