The JustONE Conference
The JustONE Virtual Conference is back!
Need encouragement … challenge … connection … and inspiration …
All while sitting comfortably on your couch with a Latte in hand?
The JustONE Conference is a free virtual conference for all Pastors’ Wives and Women in Ministry. This 4 week conference will include over 20 speakers sharing from their personal lives and leadership. Each session will be shown 4 times during the week. So find a time that is right for your schedule, and join in!
This year the conference is based on 1 Timothy 4:12b-16 (The Message) “Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity. Stay at your post reading Scripture, giving counsel, teaching. And that special gift of ministry you were given when the leaders of the church laid hands on you and prayed–keep that dusted off and in use. Cultivate these things. Immerse yourself in them. The people will all see you mature right before their eyes! Keep a firm grasp on both your character and your teaching. Don’t be diverted. Just keep at it. Both you and those who hear you will experience salvation.”
Each week will be hosted by:
Lori Wilhite, Senior Pastor’s Wife at Central Christian Church Las Vegas and Founder of Leading and Loving It
Brandi Wilson, Senior Pastor’s Wife at Cross Point Church in Nashville and Co-Leader of Leading and Loving It
Week 1: Monday, January 23rd and Tuesday, January 24th
11am EST/ 8am PST and 9pm EST/ 6pm PST both days
“Teach believers with your life: by word, by demeanor, by love, by faith, by integrity.”
Speaker 1: Kay Warren, Senior Pastor’s Wife and Founder of the HIV & AIDS Initiative at Saddleback Church
Speaker 2: Jenni Catron, Executive Director at Cross Point Church
Speaker 3: Michelle Meeks, Senior Pastor’s Wife at Eastlake Community Church
Speaker 4: Jessica Cornelius, Senior Pastor’s Wife and Director or EmpowHER and Missions at Bay Area Fellowship
Speaker 5: Heather Palacios, Executive Pastor’s Wife at Church by the Glades
Week 2: Monday, January 30th and Tuesday, January 31st
11am EST/ 8am PST and 9pm EST/ 6pm PST both days
“And that special gift of ministry you were given when the leaders of the church laid hands on you and prayed–keep that dusted off and in use.”
Speaker 1: Makeda Pennycooke, Executive Pastor at Freedom House Church
Speaker 2: Holly Furtick, Lead Pastor’s Wife at Elevation Church
Speaker 3: Julie Richard, Senior Pastor’s Wife and Director of Sisterhood at Lake Hills Church
Speaker 4: Tricia Lovejoy, Lead Pastor’s Wife and Leader of Girlfriends at Mountain Lake Church
Speaker 5: Lisa Hughes, Senior Pastor’s Wife at Church by the Glades
Week 3: Monday, February 6th and Tuesday, February 7th
11am EST/ 8am PST and 9pm EST/ 6pm PST both days
“Keep a firm grasp on both your character and your teaching.”
Speaker 1: Tiffany Cooper, Senior Pastor’s Wife at People’s Church
Speaker 2: Trisha Davis, Campus Pastor’s Wife at Cross Point Church and Co-founder of Refine our Marriage
Speaker 3: Eleana Garza, Church Planter’s Wife at New Generation Fellowship
Speaker 4: Melissa Elswick, Church Planter’s Wife at Crossway Church
Speaker 5: Lysa TerKeurst, President of Proverbs 31 Ministries
Week 4: Monday, February 13th and Tuesday, February 14th
11am EST/ 8am PST and 9pm EST/ 6pm PST both days
“Don’t be diverted. Just keep at it. Both you and those who hear you will experience salvation.”
Speaker 1: Laryssa Toomer, Campus Pastor’s Wife at Manna Church
Speaker 2: Kerri Weems, Senior Pastor’s Wife and Pastor of Celebration Sisterhood at Celebration Church and part of the Lead Team for ARC Women
Speaker 3: Lucretia Noble, Senior Pastor’s Wife at NewSpring Church
Speaker 4: Kimberly Scott, Senior Pastor’s Wife and First Impressions Director at Grace Church San Diego
Speaker 5: Lisa Young, Senior Pastor’s Wife and Director of Flavour at Fellowship Church
If you would like to receive email reminders for the JustONE Conference, CLICK HERE TO REGISTER. Registration is not required to attend, it is only required if you wish to receive email notifications.
Don’t forget, you can click HERE to enter the JustONE website at any time.
Happy Thanksgiving
We are thankful for:
You.
This community.
Your friendship and encouragement.
For the way God uses you, your family, and your ministry.
That in times of hurt and struggle, God give us each other … and so much more. He gives Himself.
Love you ladies. Have an amazing Thanksgiving with your beautiful families. See you Monday.
Husbands Speak … President of the “Man Club”
Posted by Lori Wilhite
Occasionally we are going to get to hear from a husband of one of the ladies that is part of Leading and Loving It. These guys will just share what connection and encouragement has meant to their wives, families, and ministries. Today we hear from Joseph Garza, husband to the incredible Eleana who leads L&L It Local: San Antonio. They serve together at New Generation Fellowship. I joke that Joseph is President of the Leading and Loving It Man Club. Thanks Joseph for sharing … and thanks Eleana for your leadership here and your efforts to connect and encourage others like you! (If you’d like for your husband to share his thoughts, he can email them to me at leadingandlovingit[at]me[dot]com)
Well, it all started about two years ago when my wife told me I needed to watch the kids because she had a Virtual Community Group to attend. What?! I mean I was aware of conference calls and coaching through Tok Box. I’m a pastor, and I’m pretty important you know (I’m just kidding). But something changed in my wife really fast. She found a Virtual Community Group of pastors’ wives to connect with, and she was really excited about it.
In just a couple of months I was taking care of the kid’s again this time for a virtual conference. What?! This time I was going to sneak into the living room and watch this thing too. Well, all it took was watching a little bit, and I was super impressed. I was impressed for many reasons but also excited that many of the pastors’ wives on the virtual conference were wives of pastors I liked and followed.
Since then my wife has really gotten connected to Leading and Loving It changing her life and ministry forever. She is not the same person. She is more confident, a stronger leader and loving ministry. Leading and Loving It has given her the community, connections, and safe place that she desired for so long.
Can I be honest with you? (hoping this comes out right in a blog) I have never really been jealous or super controlling with my wife when it comes to what she does. She can say, “I’m staying out late tonight.” I’m like, ok. She’ll say, “I’m going to be gone for a week.” I’m like, ok. “I’m going to Africa.” I’m like, ok. Ok, maybe not Africa! But now every time she wants to do something with Leading and Loving It I want to know every little detail. What are you doing? When’s your next virtual group? What’s the next event? What did Lori say? I’m either really excited or creepy or maybe even both.
I have been able to support my wife as she led a L&L It Local Event in San Antonio. It was amazing! Over 100 pastors’ wives and women in ministry attended from 36 different churches. It was really fun, life giving, and safe. I was supposed to be the doorman, but I found a way to leave my post to enjoy some of the food and activities. I saw so many wives of local pastors I knew and other great churches in our community. I saw my wife and the women of our church serve at whole nutha level. It was awesome!
So what am I trying to say? Leading and Loving It has changed my life. I cannot speak for my wife, only myself. LOL. I appreciate you Lori and everything you and your team have done. You are making a huge impact! You are making a difference!
Anybody else willing to put their husband in the L&L It Man Club? 
Thanksgiving…
Posted by Brandi Wilson
It’s one of my favorite weeks of the year. I love that Thanksgiving sets the atmosphere for the holiday season. Lots of quality time with family and friends. Our attitudes focused on gratefulness and blessings.
My husband said something in his message this week that I love… the message was on gratitude and he simply said, “If God doesn’t breath out, we don’t breath in.” It’s true ya know… it’s all a blessing.
My kids (even when they’re arguing).
The pile of dirty laundry.
The fridge that needs to be cleaned out.
Bathrooms that need to be cleaned.
Groceries that need to be unloaded.
Your husband’s socks you pick up off the ground (again).
Gratitude is not based on how good your situation is but on how good you see your situation to be.
And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus; giving thanks to God the Father through him. Colossians 3;17
Have a very Happy Thanksgiving. I’m thankful each day that I get to do life with such a fantastic community of ladies. The Leading and Loving It community is one of my greatest blessings.
When Staff Leaves … Part 2
Posted by Lori Wilhite
Whether we are leaving … or we’re being left … all of us will face this at one point or another.
I want to make a quick note that, in these posts, we’re talking about staff choosing to leave, not firings or layoff situations … although much of this could be applied in all situations. And, there are hundreds of different reasons why people may be leaving, so we are going to speak in general terms here knowing that there are always some situations that might need to be handled differently.
In the last post, we talked about the way in which leadership reacts when staff are interviewing or announcing that they are leaving. While Jud and I are now in a Senior leadership role in the church, we haven’t always been. We’ve moved twice in the last 15 years of ministry together, and both times we’ve been so blessed that we’ve been able to leave well. So, this is really a post out of our own experience (on both sides of the coin) as well as what we’ve seen watching others.
So … how do we, as staff, leave well when God is calling us to another ministry opportunity?
Remember that the way in which you leave will be the way you are remembered. If you go out throwing mud, then that is how your staff and peers are going to remember you, rather than all of the years of ministry highs and joys along the way. Those can unfortunately get tainted by the way people leave.
1. Celebrate the good. I know that there are always struggles, frustrations, and concerns involved any time people leave a ministry position. We can choose to focus on those negative things … or we can choose to celebrate all of the wonderful things that God has done and is doing through that ministry. Our focus is incredibly important.
This is a great time to have one-on-one meetings with people you have served, recognizing their strengths and all that you see God doing in and through them. What a great opportunity to affirm and encourage the people you’ve worked alongside.
2. Let go of the bad. I mentioned last time that leaders should “care more about the people than the job they do for the church.” This absolutely comes into play on this side as well. Hang on to the love that you have for those leaders.
Why burn your bridges when you are already leaving? Three or four years from now you may need those bridges, friendships, and support in ministry down the road. We’ve been so thankful to be able to help former staff members find new jobs and opportunities even years after they’ve left. That is part of the beauty of maintaining those bridges.
3. Be wise with your words …. Don’t blow the church up on your way out. Think about the effect that your words are going to have on the people you love once you leave, even three or six months down the road. We’ve seen certain staff members through the years leave in such a way that the volunteers or friends that they had while serving at the church have such a negative taste in their mouths toward the church that they really struggle, or in some of the worst, saddest cases … they leave church and are unwilling to attend anywhere. I know that isn’t what any of us want for the people that we love.
The questions will be asked … Why are you leaving? What’s wrong? What has happened? Choose your words wisely. Remember that the people that you are talking to are staying to serve at or attend the church. Remember that it will still be their church family and their church home. Protect them.
4. Attempt to maintain relationships especially in that first year. Reach out to your former co-workers, staff members, and leaders. I’ve heard lots of times, “no one from our old church has called us … or reached out to us.” Well, that goes both ways. Pick up the phone. Email them.
Jud was always the first to reach out to former Senior Pastors that we served under. He’d set up lunch when he was in town, or simply give them a buzz. Be proactive in keeping those relationships up. We obviously can’t control the response of others, but we can control ourselves and our actions.
5. Maintain your integrity. Period. If gossip gets stirred up, or hurtful things are said, you hang on to your integrity no matter what. Do not, by your actions, hand your integrity over to anyone else.
There are mandates that we have in place for staff members … and when we, as staff, leave they should absolutely still be in effect.
- Be loyal to leadership.
- Leak up not out. When there is a grievance about something, leak up to your supervisors and leaders, not out to your peers, volunteers, or church members. Again, care enough about the people staying to protect them from negative talk.
- Matthew 18. If the air needs to be cleared with another staff member or leader, go to them. Not to your buddies. Not to your co-workers. Go to them. Talk about it. Work it out.
Now is the time where some of you are thinking … “but, there are somethings that aren’t right. But, there are things that aren’t working. I feel like I need to bring those things to light.” Here is the challenge. If you’ve resigned, it is no longer your job to do so. Do you believe that we have a big, big God who will bring all things to light in His time … not ours? We have certainly seen God bring things to light, and He amazingly, didn’t need our help to do it. Take those things to Him.
How you leave is how you’ll be remembered.
What are some additional things to keep in mind when leaving well?
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