ICC Women's Blog

Book Club - The Last Lecture

2010-06-14T11:02:00.000-07:00

Our next Ladies Event will be July 20 @ 6:30pm. Cory Slowik will be leading a Book Club featuring "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch. Please have the book read by this time and be prepared to discuss.

Garage Sale Derby

2010-05-20T17:13:00.000-07:00

Every year, the Mirrormont Association hosts a giant garage sale with up to 40 homes participating. This year, we thought it would be fun to invite all the ICC ladies to the garage sale and make it an event. Arrive at Mo's home at 8:30am to receive a cup coffee and a map to each home participating. After a frenzy of shopping, we'll all return to Mo's for a light lunch and a fun "Show and Tell"

Women's Spring Bible Study

2010-04-07T16:50:00.000-07:00

Building in Times of Peace - Led by author, Jenni Butz

Preparing for the next storm in life by building a solid foundation of faith!
Tuesdays @ 9:15am (childcare provided) and 6:30pm
Starts April 20 and goes through to June 1.
Cost: $10.00

Women's Movie and Potluck Night

2010-03-25T23:50:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, March 30 @ ICC

Come between 6:00 & 6:30pm

Movie Starts @ 6:45pm

Feature Film: Esther

Beth Moore's Esther: Week 9

2010-03-19T13:11:00.000-07:00

This week we continue turning around the scenarios.

"God can't turn a table that was never turned against you."

Scenario #5: It is tough being a woman in the tight fist of fear.
"Happy are you, O Israel! Who is like you, a people saved by the LORD, the shield of your, a help and the sword of your triumph! Your enemies shall come fawning to you, and you shall tread upon their backs." Deuteronomy 33:29
"And I looked and arose and said to the nobles and to the officials and to the rest of the people, "Do not be afraid of them. Remember the LORD, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters, your wives, and your homes." Nehemiah 4:14
"Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me." Isaiah 49:16

Scenario #4: It is tough being a woman thrown a giant sized weight.
"casting all your anxieties on him because he cares for you." 1 Peter 5:7
"But the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam; instead the LORD your God turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loved you." Deuteronomy 23:5

Scenario #3: It is tough being a woman in a mean world.
"This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the food warfare, holding faith and good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith," 1 Timothy 1:18-19

Love & Respect Marriage Video Conference

2010-03-09T15:39:00.000-08:00

Crack the code to communicating with your spouse!
If you're ready to enjoy marriage as God intended, plan to attend this conference.

March 26-27 @ Issaquah Christian Church
Friday - 6:30pm - 10:00pm
Saturday - 8:45am - 1:00pm

Call today to register: 425-392-5848

Beth Moore's Esther - Week 8

2010-03-09T15:33:00.000-08:00

Every turn around starts with a step.

Today we started the "Turn Arounds" for each of the scenarios we've had.

Scenario #7: It's tough being a woman who feels responsible for the "how."
Turn Around: "The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from trials and to keep the unrighteous under punishment until the day of judgement" (2 Peter 2:9 HCSB) and "For he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust" (Ps. 103:14).

Scenario #8: It's tough being a woman who can balance passion with patience.
Turn Around: "Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are those who wait for him" (Isa. 30:18).

Beth Moore's Esther - Week 7

2010-03-02T19:40:00.000-08:00

It's Tough Being A Woman Who Feels Responsible for the "How".

This week Beth explains just how much of a master craftsman the author of Esther was. The beauty of the book's construction as well as instruction. We even get an english lesson as we learn about "chiastic structure" and "peripety". We're nearing the end of the story and even though I've read the book of Esther before, and know the outcome, I'm on the edge of my seat.

Beth Moore's Esther - Week 6

2010-02-24T16:53:00.000-08:00

It's Tough Being A Woman Who Can Balance Passion With Patience.

This video session was intense for me. My light bulb moment was when Beth said, "Our strength will be depleted if we wait on the event instead of waiting on the Lord".

Beth Moore's Esther - Week 5

2010-02-24T16:49:00.000-08:00

It's Tough Being A Woman In the Tight Fist of Fear

Unfortunately I was too sick to come this particular week so if anyone has any insights please feel free to comment.

Beth Moore's Esther - Week 4

2010-02-05T18:06:00.000-08:00

It's Tough Being A Woman Thrown A Giant Size Weight

This week, Esther's destiny is revealed when she's given the enormous task of saving an entire nation while putting her immediate safety at risk.

Beth Moore's Esther - Week 3

2010-01-26T12:41:00.000-08:00

It's tough being a woman in a mean world.
Am I looking at other women in my life as rivals? What does that say about my insecurities?
Today's main points were...

Meanness always has a history.
Meanness perceives a threat.
Meanness catches like a virus.
Meanness is curable.

2010 Fall Craft Fair

2010-01-24T20:38:00.000-08:00

Women’s Ministries would like to sponsor a craft and gift fair this coming November!! This would be a wonderful opportunity to share your creative skills while helping raise money for some Women’s Ministries necessities like babysitting and Retreat Scholarships. Dust off those knitting needles and crochet hooks and get to work! Use whatever artistic or culinary skills God has granted you to produce enough treasures to share at our fair and allow our church community and new friends to purchase some great, hand-crafted Christmas presents. We’ll deck the halls with lights and seasonal greenery, set the cider simmering and hum along with our favorite holiday tunes while shopping amidst tables filled with the artistry of the ICC women! We would like to compile a list of interested women as soon as possible---we need baked goods, textiles, jewelry, bath & body products, candles—you name it! Please email Nancy Goodman with your name and the type of product you will provide.This could really be a great event, but we need your prayers and enthusiasm to make it a success. Please start thinking about how you can contribute to this event.

Beth Moore's Esther - Week 2

2010-01-24T18:41:00.000-08:00

We're only 2 weeks into Beth Moore's study on Esther but already the story has drawn us in with it's rich descriptions of this young girl's adventure with King Xerxes.

Prayer Requests

2010-01-24T13:17:00.000-08:00

If you have a prayer request please use the comment button or click near top right hand of your screen.

Beth Moore's Esther - Week 1

2010-01-14T20:01:00.000-08:00

What a great start. The video was awesome and Mo and Cory are excellent at leading this study. As I started the homework Tuesday afternoon, I could hardly wait till the next day's homework!

Beth Moore's Esther

2010-01-08T20:43:00.000-08:00

Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she smiles at the future ~ Pr 31:25

Wouldn’t you like to be described as being a woman of strength and dignity? I would! But it’s hard in today’s society, to filter through the barrage of messages from our world and even our Christian realm to decipher what’s most important. Sometimes we end up being confused and headed in the wrong direction or feel inadequate to handle what’s placed in front of us.

In Esther’s day, it was also tough being a woman; very tough! Yet Esther faced her destiny with deep faith, strength and dignity. She did not set out to shape her destiny or change the world, she just faced her circumstances with complete dependence on her God and He changed the world through her. She’s someone I want to know more about!

Beginning January 12, we will study Esther’s life in Beth Moore’s study: “ESTHER, it’s tough being a woman.” This is an interactive study featuring 9 weeks of personal, daily assignments and 10 weekly group sessions with video. Please join us as we encourage one another to be women of our own destinies.

Beth Moore's Esther, Web Promo from LifeWay Media on Vimeo.

Book Review: What To Do When The Roof Caves In

2010-01-07T19:07:00.000-08:00

This past summer a group of us ICC ladies went to the Women of Faith Conference in Seattle. While there, we had the privilege to hear Marilyn Meberg speak. She regaled us with funny little stories, some with morals hidden in them, others just hilarious. What spoke to me most was her honest brutality with today’s problems; her relevant way of speaking up to what ails us. Well, when I heard she had a new book, What to Do When the Roof Caves In, it was going to be my purchase of the weekend. I brought it home with the intention to go through it immediately. It sat on my dresser for months.

Three weeks ago my daughter, Jordan, decided to straighten my hair and needless to say the process is a long one, so... I pulled out the book and started to read the first chapter. It had me giggling in minutes. In fact, I read the first chapter out loud and we were both giggling at Marilyn’s efforts to rid her garden of bunnies. I was reminded of why I’d bought the book in the first place and was hooked into finishing it.

Marilyn faces tough issues such as infidelity, pornography, depression, divorce, addiction, suicide and death all the while mixing them with humorous stories and anecdotes as well as scripture. She tackles issues prevalent in today’s society. There’s no mincing of words, there’s no pretending that bad stuff doesn’t happen to Christians, or that we don’t fall prey to the world’s evils. Marilyn lays out practical steps to guarding one’s roof, maintaining one’s roof and rebuilding a roof that’s already caved in. At the end of each chapter she asks thought provoking “Roof Maintenance” questions that help you see the possible dangers in your life. She acknowledges that nothing is too difficult for our Savior. Whether your roof is caved in, sagging from the weight of your burdens, or in great shape, this book is a great help!

Submitted by Kirsten Ellenberger

Book Review: The Sacred Echo

2009-08-08T19:33:00.000-07:00

The Sacred Echo has been dubbed by some as a book on prayer. I wouldn’t have called it a “prayer” book. I would have said it is a collection of stories from personal experiences, from the Bible, and from others’ experiences. It is filled with reflections on everyday life events. It is about listening to God, talking to God, hearing God’s voice in the midst of all of those experiences. Oh, wait! I guess that is pretty much the definition of prayer! Unlike many books on prayer that have a way of sounding stuffy or filled with rules this book is more about the day by day, hour by hour, minute by minute relationship with God. There are many tips here on how to better “hear” what God might be trying to say to you. Margaret describes prayer as being like an echo where you send out a signal to see if anyone answers back. Sometimes the answer comes louder than other times, and often you hear the same message repeated. Margaret is a wonderful story teller and has an easy conversational style which makes this a potentially quick read. However, it is a book that you can pick up again and again as each chapter has a unique focus. There is a section in the back where questions for reflection on each chapter are included making this a great book for individual or small group use.

Submitted by Camie Goodman

Book Review: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

2009-06-01T19:13:00.000-07:00

The title was familiar, but I hadn’t ever read the book or seen the movie. When I saw this novel on the shelf at the high school library where I volunteer, I was intrigued. Historical fiction is my favorite genre, and it is even better when it is autobiographical in nature. I love “coming of age” stories regardless of the age the character is growing toward; and, as I grow older, I have become increasingly fascinated with the different generational perspectives and seasons of life. Given that, it is not hard to imagine that I fell in love with A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. The story was first published in 1943 and takes place during the first years of the 20th century. It is about a young girl growing up in the Williamsburg slums of Brooklyn. It is primarily Francie Nolan’s story, but it also strongly highlights the responsibilities and challenges of raising a family and struggling to make ends meet under much less than ideal circumstances. In the midst of a setting of poverty, strong character development makes this book rich. I often found myself identifying with Francie’s mother, Katie, in her determination to be strong in providing for and raising her children as much as I identified with Francie herself. One of Francie’s best characteristics is the ability to find beauty in the smallest things. She finds the flowers in the plain brown bowl in the shabby library so breathtakingly beautiful that she experiences a sharp head pain in taking in the sight of them. When was the last time I was so overcome by the beauty of creation that I was so taken aback?

With themes like the value of fighting for a good education, raising families, tough economic times, difficult relationships, growing up; I think anyone who reads this story will be able to identify in part with any number of the circumstances portrayed. The tree outside of Francie’s window that continues to grow and bloom in spite of weather, neglect, axe, and even fire is a perfect metaphor. The Bible gives us many similar examples as we are challenged to form strong roots and persevere through trials so that we will build character and strength to endure life and be ready for what God has planned for us. Francie reasoned that, “there had to be the dark and muddy waters so that the sun could have something to background it flashing glory." I hope that the Son’s flashing glory will shine on the muddy waters of my life.

If you’ve already read this story it might be time to visit it again. If you’re like me and missed it along the way, I highly recommend you pay a visit to the library. This timeless classic will be enjoyed by young teens and mature women alike.

Submitted by Camie Goodman

Book Review: Irresistible Revolution

2009-04-08T20:17:00.000-07:00

Ready to leave your comfort zone? Ready to re-think the common practices of Christian worship, evangelism, and community? Anyone who reads The Irresistible Revolution: Living as an Ordinary Radical will be challenged to think differently about how to truly live out his or her Christian faith. 

During college, a professor remarked, "Being a Christian is about choosing Jesus and deciding to do something incredibly daring with your life." Who could have guessed that that challenge would be such a pivotal point in the life of the Tennessee Methodist high school prom king? Shane Claiborne accepted that challenge and tells many of his incredible stories about the places his faith took him in his book. 

By “ordinary radical,” Shane refers to ordinary people who live radically in the love and lifestyle of Jesus. Much of Shane’s personal convictions center around serving the poor, homeless, sick, and imprisoned; taking Jesus’ words to heart when he spoke of the poor being blessed, the last being first, denying self, and loving enemies. These were radical ideas in Bible times and are radical ideas today.  

Shane’s writing is personal. He shares his views, convictions, and some of the lessons learned along the way. His writing style has been compared with Donald Miller in his book, Blue Like Jazz, as it is a conversation about life and his personal experiences thus far. Shane does his share of criticizing conservative politics, suburban living, wealthy churches, and some of the most common ways of practicing religion; but he seems to be able to do it in a fairly tasteful way that challenges thinking. Not everyone will agree with his views on things like politics, war, social justice, or capitalism; but no one can argue that the Bible commands us to love God and love others. It is up to us to seek ways in which we can live out our faith and be effective for Christ.  

It is exciting to see and hear young adults not only speaking out in faith, but also actively living out their faith. Each of us is a work in progress that will not reach completion until we meet Jesus. No matter what stage in life we find ourselves, we must be bold in our faith and always be seeking to seize opportunities to serve others especially in our own communities. Ask yourself, “Do others know what I believe by how I live?” Hopefully the answer will be, “YES!”

Submitted by Camie Goodman

Book Review: Three Cups of Tea

2009-02-08T19:30:00.000-08:00

The title comes from a Balti proverb, “The first time you share tea with a Balti, you are a stranger. The second time you take tea, you are an honored guest. The third time you share a cup of tea, you become family.”

I love tea and have come to appreciate the process of brewing, holding the warm cup in my hands, and sipping it, or better yet, having someone else sip tea with me. To me having tea means taking time out from whatever else is going on. Those who know me best know how much I enjoy taking time to visit and catch up with life and family happenings before getting down to business. So you can see how the title of this book captured my attention.

Three Cups of Tea is a true story of a mountaineer, Greg Mortenson, who was taken into the care of some of the village people in the mountains of Paikistan after becoming ill during an attempt to climb K2. The first thing the people in the poverty-stricken village of Korphe did when this outsider arrived was to offer unrivaled hospitality and a cup of tea. In fact, Greg would find out that he must go through the ceremony of having tea before any social or business transaction could take place which can be challenging for an American who is in a hurry. Greg Mortenson fell in love with the people in the mountains of Pakistan and promised to return and build a school for them. For a man with no money, no job, and no place to live, this might seem like an empty promise. But as the story unfolds, we find out that Greg Mortenson is no ordinary man. It is an incredible story about how he fought against all odds to accomplish his mission. It is about how a love for people can compel a person to make huge personal sacrifices to accomplish things far beyond what would seem possible. And it is about how believing in something so strongly can give someone the energy and motivation to press on toward a goal and to be content in many difficult circumstances. Imbedded in this story of service are also the rewards Greg Mortenson received; not material things but hospitality, friendship, and devotion; educated children going on to better their circumstances; and always a cup of tea and a place to sleep. This is a missionary story that reaches across cultural, economic, and racial barriers. I found myself longing for Greg Mortenson to profess faith in Jesus Christ because to me his mission and the way he accomplished it seemed undeniably Christ-like.

As I sat here writing this I couldn’t help but stop to brew myself a cup of tea and reflect on the principles of this example of a inspiring life of service to others. (I highly recommend you read it for yourself.) We can certainly inspire each other simply by taking the time to share our stories. They don’t have to be profound or against all odds kinds of situations, but I think as long as we profess to be Christians we have the potential of being called to buck the system, take risks, and cross cultural and economic barriers each time we leave our homes or open our mouths. I hope you will find the time this week to brew a cup of tea and share what God is doing in your life with someone you consider “family.”

Submitted by Camie Goodman

Book Review: A New Kid By Friday

2008-12-08T19:16:00.000-08:00

A new kid by Friday? “Yeah, right,” you may be thinking, but after applying the principles in this book, we really did have new kids by Friday! This book seemed to take all the information I had read in other parenting books and plug it into one simple, easy and fun to read, step-by-step, how-to book. Reading it helped me to understand and implement all the things the other parenting books had tried to explain! It helped me to understand how to sort out what’s important from what’s not. It taught me my parenting style and how to balance it. It gave me a real-life game plan to set me on the path to being a great parent! This wonderful book concludes with over 200 pages of alphabetized Q&A. Want to know what to do when your 2-year-old throws a temper tantrum in the middle of Macy’s? Look up “anger” in the FAQ section. Frustrated about your 9-year-old blowing off her chores? Find the post titled “chores”. Fretting over how to handle your teenager when he breaks curfew? See the paragraph titled “curfew”. Most of the answers in this wonderful toolbox will surprise you with their simplicity and, if you’re like me, you’ll wonder how you didn’t figure this out a long time ago. This book has revolutionized the way we parent, and brought peace and confidence where there was only anger and self-doubt. I highly recommend this book!

Submitted by Terri DeMarco