I feel like I've grown up with this site. I remember the early days when it was just a plain white page with black type. I even remember when it was just a newsletter. Oh, I'm truly dating myself!

I was a mere babe in ministry in those days. Well, womensministry.net is celebrating her (I'm sure the website is female!) 10th anniversary. And we have both grown both older and wiser...and better looking! (Can I say that?)

I've depended on womensministry.net for ideas, inspiration and even motivation for the past ten years. When I first started in ministry, this was the only site I found in my first search for anything related to women's ministry. It was love at first site…. or sight! Either way, I was thrilled to discover such a helpful resource.

I found great ideas and suggestions. And even better, I found women like me...women who love leading women. Womensministry.net and I have grown up together, and we're both still maturing and changing. I'm just a girl in ministry…at least that's what I tell myself, and womensministry.net is just dipping her toe into this wonderful place on the web. And I must say, the fact that all of the ideas and other resources are now searchable is my favorite part of all.

To commemorate our years together, I'd like to share some jewels I've picked up along the way.

1. Working with women is challenging, entertaining, exhausting, humbling, and it will change your heart forever. See this article from Jennifer for more.
   
2. Whining and women's ministry don't mix. I think there's a verse for this that says, "Whining lips are an abomination." On second thought, that might be a bit of a paraphrase, but the truth still works. Don't whine. Pray instead. It's smarter, and people will respect you more.
   
3. It's an honor to serve in women's ministry. It may not always feel like, an honor but it is. Remember this when you have days that make you want to toss in the towel or toss someone out a window. You will see what I mean here.
4. Ideas are great. They are even better when someone else does the heavy lifting for you by creating an inspirational collection of ideas for you. Check out these for free, and see this great listing of Premium event ideas.
   
5. Ministry is more fun with a friend. So, look for women to partner with you. (I especially love the addition of the forum area to the new site. Now there's a place where I can meet women who have a heart for women's ministry. This is going to be fun...and truly helpful.
   
6. Planning a women's retreat takes lots of prayer, a big chunk of time, good organizational skills and a great attitude. The most important part is the prayer. Attitude takes a close second. Make sure both of these are firmly in place before planning your next retreat. Here are some helpful resources on retreat planning. Here's a truly helpful article on retreat planning.
   
7. I'm not alone. God called me to this ministry, and He's also placed some wonderful resources in my hands to equip and encourage me.
   
8. I don't have to be perfect. I'm not. Neither are you. Now that we've got that out in the open, we can be who God is calling us to be.
9. Women's ninistry is not for the faint of heart. Maybe we should be called "Women's Ministry Warriors" because we are in battle...a battle for the lives of women and their families. See Ephesians 6:10-20 for the guide to the Armor of God. You will need it every day.
   
10. I'd better not take myself too seriously. It's best to have fun. Remember to pray. Then pray some more. Prayer is life changing, both for me and for the women for whom I pray.
    

So there's my list. It really just scratches the surface of all I've learned by clicking around womensministry.net over the years.

And lately, I found something new here, and I think it's worth sharing. With this newest discovery, we'll all be able to benefit by sharing what we're learning in ministry. Visit WM Get Published! to share your thoughts and ideas on life and ministry. That's how I sent in this article. And what do you know, they published it!

Mary Snyder is a slightly frazzled, but usually optimistic dreamer who loves the Lord and life. A wife, mom, writer, blogger, and speaker, Mary delivers the adventure of life in Christ wrapped in humor and love.