Today's column is an excerpt from my book Self Talk, Soul Talk. Because I am preparing a Bible study on this topic, I reread this section called "anger over adversity" and thought it was a good reminder for all of us... me included! I hope it ministers to you today.

"Life isn't fair." My children have reminded me of that at least a thousand times and in a thousand ways. And they're right. Blindness, cancer, betrayal, illness, injustice, demanding bosses, unexpected losses, ungrateful children, and just plain meanness...the list of inequities could fill the rest of this book. Adversity is a slippery landslide that will sweep us off our highway if we let it.

At the risk of sounding trite, here's what I have learned about this matter of adversities and hardships.

Accept them. Don't let them fill you with anger.

I know, I know...that sounds simplistic and not too original. But hear me out.

No one has given us an ironclad promise that life will be fair. It has never been, and never will be. It is what it is, and it will be what it will be.

Accepting that reality isn't the same as approving that reality. It's just being real. Your depression or rage won't make the bad things go away. Bad things really do happen to good people. Innocent people can be treated poorly. Life sometimes takes a wrong turn. Evil won't go away just because it makes you mad.

This washout in the highway (to peace) can stop us cold. The only way to deal with the harshness that life can bring is to face it squarely. And we have two options: anger or acceptance. Louis L'Amour, a famous Western novelist, wrote that "anger is a killing thing: it kills the man who angers, for each rage leaves him less than he had been before-it takes something from him."

Adversity is a difficult and demanding road to travel! When you allow anger to wash out your path, you will really wear yourself out. And by the time you notice, you'll be utterly spent... lost on a detour from the way of peace.

I hate suffering and injustice, and I don't discount anyone's anger over such things. I feel it too. But I also agree with Marcus Aurelius' assessment: "How much more grievous are the consequences of anger than the causes of it."

So take your tremendous passion and energy about life's injustices and use them for good-for yourself and for others. You can't often change adversity, but you can change your reaction to it. For me, accepting the adversity of blindness has become a stepping-stone of hope and encouragement for others. And along the way, slipping up behind me on my pathway, I've found an unexpected companion...

Peace.

Ask God to help you embrace what you can't avoid, accept what you don't like, and channel your passion into wise responses.

Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. 2 Thessalonians 3:16

Blessings and Joy,
Jennifer Rothschild
Author of Self Talk, Soul Talk: What to Say When You Talk to Yourself, and Founder of WomensMinistry.NET

This week's question.
What are some things I can say to myself that will make a positive difference?

View Jennifer's Video Answer

Last week's question.
Can I really control my thoughts? Many times I feel as if I can't.

View Jennifer's Video Answer

To newsletter, or not to newsletter.... that is the question! (Sorry. I just couldn't resist that one!) One of the questions that I am asked almost every time I consult with women's ministries is whether or not they should have a newsletter.

Honestly, there is not a "one answer fits all" for this question, but I do have some general guidelines that I share to help leaders make this decision. Here are three things you need to consider before starting a newsletter project:

• Purpose. Why do you think your women's ministry needs a newsletter? How will the newsletter minister to the women in your church? Answering these questions will help you determine how the newsletter will help to fulfill the purpose of your ministry, how often you produce the newsletter, and how many pages you will need to have.
• Product. Make a list of information you need to include, and determine how often you need to publish the newsletter. (Quarterly is a good place to start.) If your church has a regular newsletter, then a better use of time, and resources, would be to have a women's ministry section in it, rather than produce your own product.
• Production. Do you have a volunteer(s) to help produce the newsletter? The amount of volunteers you need will depend on the size of your church. Tasks for volunteers can include research, writing columns, layout, printing, folding and mailing. Doing all these tasks yourself can be fun at first, but over time you will appreciate having others to share the work with.

As with all aspects of women's ministry, spend time in prayer with your team before starting a newsletter. Talk out the project and confirm that it will compliment your ministry.

In our next issue, we will take a look at newsletter content.

In Him... Robyne Beaubien
Newsletter Editor

On a scale of 1-10, what is the joy level in your life? Do your circumstances each day determine your joy? Break free from the Enemy's tactics and experience true life-changing joy at Bridget Taylor's "I Choose Joy!" Conferences. [BridgetTaylor.com]

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The best information we receive about the nuts and bolts of Women's Ministry is when we hear what you all are doing "in the trenches." Our women's ministry poll is your opportunity to share your expertise and knowledge with all of our subscribers!

We ask a question, and share a link for you to post your answers. Then in a future issue, we share the results of the poll. It takes just a minute, and your input is immediately added.

Here is the question:

Did your women's ministry first begin with Bible studies?

Answer the question HERE.

Here are results from recent polls.

Last time we asked, "Do you have a mission statement for your ministry?" 88% of you said, "yes."

We also asked, "Do you believe that your mission statement has an impact on your ministry?" 89% of you acknowledged that you use your mission statement to effectively guide your ministry decisions.

Interesting Finding: A mission statement focuses attention on what we're really about. It looks like you're doing a great job of creating a message for your ministry. We'd love to know more. Email us a copy of your mission statement, and we'll share some samples with our readers.

In another poll, we asked you to "share some of your needs as a ministry leader." There were a lot of responses, and we have narrowed them down to a list of ten that seem to resonate with many of you.

• Prepare an effective lesson
• Find committed leaders
• Involve the uninvolved (especially younger women and seniors)
• Connect with new women
• Translate a vision into practical action
• Train leaders
• Recruit Bible study teachers
• Locate resources
• Network with other leaders
• Set up and write a blog

Java with Jennifer is an informal monthly ministry update specifically for friends who want to keep up-to-date on what is happening with Jennifer Rothschild's ministry of writing, speaking, and singing.

Obviously, because you are receiving this eNewsletter, you are signed up for the Jennifer's "weekly" WomensMinistry.NET eNewsletter. However, if you want to get up close, and personal with Jennifer, just click on the Update Profile link at the bottom of this email, and select the Java with Jennifer interest group when asked to update your profile.

Still not sure?

See the Latest Issue here.

More and more women's ministries are offering workshops and classes that reach out to young women who are in high school. We have featured some great ideas on mentoring and discipling teenagers, but have found another great idea to take this a step further.

As I (Robyne) surfed through women's ministry sites on the Internet a few weeks ago, I found that many of you are also creating events and studies for mothers and their teenage daughters. As a mother of an 18-year old daughter, I was really encouraged to see this!

If this type of ministry resonates with you, here are three great resources to "wet your whistle" on mother-daughter ministry.

Your Girl: A Bible Study for Mother's of Teens - DVD Pack - The DVD pack contains two DVDs and one member book. The DVD contains teaching segments featuring Vicki Courtney. On it, Vicki speaks to the hearts of mothers as she provides practical insights, helpful instruction, and inspirational challenges. This DVD also contains interviews with teen girls who are wrestling with the issues discussed in the study.

Christian- Parent.Com has a great article about starting a mother-daughter summer book club. They also have a lot of other articles that you may find useful if you have a teenager!

Closer, a book by Susie Shellenberger, is a great book that encourages mothers and daughters to talk about life issues with a Biblical worldview. It encourages women to recognize their individuality and value their