Truth For Her - Venture Women's Newsletter February Edition

Let's Celebrate | We started the year strong at For Her Night in January.  The amazing Glenice Fredrick shared her testimony of God's faithfulness and goodness even when He said no.  

Coming up | Tomorrow, Thursday, February 26th is For Her Night. We will be in the Discover Room - the room on the front of the building with all of the windows.  My friend, and soon-to-be-yours, Cherie will be sharing her powerful testimony of being delivered from tormenting darkness and truly understanding the love of God. Don't miss this!
RSVP: February For Her Night

Registration is open NOW for our 2026 For Her Conference
Her Conference is a weekend designed with you in mind.
Women of every age, stage, and background are invited to gather for a meaningful weekend of worship, teaching, and connection. This year’s theme, By Design — for a purpose, on purpose, invites us to grow in confidence in who we are because of Christ.
Register Here: Her Conference 2026

Visit the Venture Women's Page to see other events that are coming up.

Encouragement & Truth For Her | Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Lately, I’ve caught myself wondering why God answers some of my prayers and not others. I’ve wondered why I have to wait for Him to answer my prayer when I know that what I’m asking for is good. I’ve even asked why the same prayer I’ve prayed has been answered for someone else but not for me. Here’s what I know: I can trust God. I know in my heart that He is sovereign, and I’ve experienced His goodness and love through the times of waiting.

Trust Him with all my HEART
Because I’ve experienced His goodness in the “no,” I’ve learned to make a deliberate choice to anchor myself in truth. When the “why” starts swirling, I speak truth out loud: God you are sovereign. I will trust You, God, even though I don’t understand.

Trust is a heart posture before it’s an outcome.

Don’t rely on MY OWN understanding
When I rely on my own understanding, I start measuring timelines or comparing stories. I start deciding what “good” should look like. Trusting God means trusting the Author of the story, even when we can’t see how the chapter will end. I can trust that God has already read and written the entire book, even when I’m still over here, stuck on page 53.

In all my ways, I will acknowledge HIM
To acknowledge Him is to recognize that He is present in the waiting.  It’s continuing to pray when the answer hasn’t come and choosing obedience even when the outcome feels uncertain. I’ve had to go through grief, loss, and disappointment. He has walked through each of those situations with me. I was never waiting alone.

Acknowledging Him isn’t just believing He’s sovereign; it’s actively involving Him.

And He will make my path straight
A straight path doesn’t always mean a smooth one, but it does mean a guided one. It’s a path directed by a God who sees what I cannot.

Maybe today’s prayer hasn’t been answered yet. You're wondering why her story looks different from yours. If all you can offer God right now is your honesty, He can handle that! Today, trusting Him might simply mean releasing control (again) and believing that God has a good plan for you, even if you don’t know what it looks like.

You may still be on page 53, but God has already written the ending – and it is good.

See you Thursday,
Heather Lane
Venture Women's Director

Let's Celebrate | We had our final 2025 For Her Night on October 23rd.  It was so great to see women chatting and connecting while snacking on Fall treats and being creative.  This year, we have had the opportunity to be flexible with our meeting space, and we made it work!  I loved our Summer Pop Ups at Visible Coffee.  The coffee shop vibe provided an inviting and intimate space for conversation, so many laughs, and a great connection.  The beginning of the year at For Her Night brought powerful testimonies from women in the church.

Next year, we will get to start new again with the new spaces in our building-thanks to our Finishing God's House project. I've started lining up women who will share their personal story of God's faithfulness. Our team is excited for 2026.

Speaking of our team; I am so grateful to our For Her Lead Team.  This group of women show up early and stay late for every gathering, they bring desserts to share, plan fun and creative activities for us to enjoy, but best of all, they consistently pray for YOU.  We all want the women that call Venture Church their home (YOU) to know that they are seen, welcome and loved.  Thank you ladies for your faithfulness!

Coming up |

In addition to our monthly For Her Night Gatherings (coming back in January) We have some big events for you.  Don't miss out on these!  The brunch is in THREE weeks! Sign up today!

Saturday, December 6th - Venture Women's Annual Christmas Brunch
Our brunch is a fantastic way to start your December Christmas celebrations.  If you enjoy setting a festive table and hosting friends, we would love to have you sign up to host a table (you can co-host with a friend as well).  You provide the table settings for eight and the decorations.  You can invite your friends and fill the seats at your table, or we will fill the table for you.  If you love to bake or have a delicious brunch dish that you'd like to make, you can sign up to bring food to add to the buffet.  And back by popular demand...I will be giving away some of my favorite things again this year.  I'm excited to share my new favorite things and I might bring back a couple that I've given away in the past years. The cost is only $15.00.  Childcare will be available for this event.
Register for the brunch HERE

SAVE THE DATE: April 24th-25th, 2026 Venture Women's Her Conference (more info coming soon) Trust me, you don't want to miss this, get it on your calendar.

Beth Moore Living Proof Live Event - November 13th-14th, 2026
We are honored to have the opportunity to host Beth Moore's Living Proof Live event again in 2026.  Tickets are on sale now, when we hosted her in 2023, tickets sold out quickly. Tickets are available on Church Center for Venture Church attendees at a discount.  Event Attendee - $80, plus $4. Brushfire fee (Regular price $95)
Volunteers only pay $75, plus $4 Brushfire fee.  Volunteers get preferred seating for all sessions.  You won't miss any of the sessions as all volunteer duties happen before and after the session.  We need 35-50 volunteers for the weekend.
Please click HERE to register.

Encouragement & Truth For Her | Psalm 19:14 "May the words of my mouth and the mediation of my heart be acceptable to you, Lord, my rock and my Redeemer."

Hi, my name is Heather and I'm a recovering "critical" thinker...I do have critical thinking skills, but what I'm talking about here is criticism.  I've confessed many times to all of you that I have struggled with negative self-talk.  I am grateful to the Holy Spirit for His healing work in my mind.  I know in my core who God says I am and how much He loves me.  This verse from Psalm 19 has been a verse that I desperately want to be true in my life. Years ago the Holy Spirit convicted me about the words that I was speaking to people and over my own life.  My heart's desire is to bring life and encouragement with everything I say.

But today, as I was reading my Bible and inviting the Holy Spirit into my day, He brought this verse to mind. "May the words of my mouth AND the meditation of my heart..."  It's not just my words that I want to be acceptable to the Lord, its my thoughts The Lord has been leading me to surrender even my internal reactions and attitudes. Avoiding criticism even in my thoughts has been transformational.   I can proudly say that as I've turned my thoughts over to the Lord over the last several months, my heart and attitude about the people around me has improved.  Did you catch that? My HEART and ATTITUDE, my situation is still the same, the people around me are still the same, but I've allowed the Holy Spirit to guide my thoughts as well as my words.

As we move into the holiday season; a time filled with family, friends, and lots of conversations, I want to encourage you: invite the Holy Spirit to guide both your words and your thoughts. It takes practice. You may need to pause before responding. You may need to stay quiet when you want to jump in. But I promise you this: obedience to God’s Word is always worth it.  

Cheering for you,

Heather Lane
Venture Women's Director

Let's Celebrate | Fall groups launched a couple of weeks ago.  I want to celebrate that we have eleven women's groups and nearly 150 women participating in those groups.  These groups offer opportunities for all ages, from Young Adults to SixtySomething.  I have been so encouraged to hear testimonies of women finding genuine community through Venture Groups.  One woman told me that her life has drastically changed for the better because of the community that she's found in her group.  I've also talked to women who have found freedom from anger and fear because of the spiritual growth that has happened in their group.  There are six groups for women that are still open for you to join.  Find Open Groups here.

Coming up | We have a couple more events this year and some exciting news for 2026!

Thursday, October 23rd, is our last For Her Night of 2025.  
Celebrate a cozy fall evening with us.  We are back at the Venture Church, Mill Creek building in the HUB, just off the lobby.  We will have warm cider, fall desserts, great conversation, and a few crafty opportunities for you (but only if you want to, no pressure to be crafty). You can come dressed in a cozy outfit, ready to hang out with your Venture girls!
RSVP HERE for our last 2025 For Her Night
As always, we offer free childcare!  Register your kids HERE.

Saturday, December 6th - Venture Women's Annual Christmas Brunch
Our brunch is a fantastic way to start your December holiday celebrations.  If you enjoy setting a festive table and hosting friends, we would love to have you sign up to host a table (you can co-host with a friend as well).  You provide the table settings for eight and the decorations.  You can invite your friends and fill the seats at your table, or we will fill the table for you.  If you love to bake or have a delicious brunch dish that you'd like to make, you can sign up to bring food to add to the buffet.  And back by popular demand...I will be giving away some of my favorite things again this year.  I'm excited to share my new favorite things and I might bring back a couple that I've given away in the past years. The cost is only $15.00.  Childcare will be available for this event.
Register for the brunch HERE

SAVE THE DATE: April 24th-25th, 2026 Venture Women's Her Conference (more info coming soon)

Beth Moore Living Proof Live Event - November 13th-14th, 2026
We are honored to have the opportunity to host Beth Moore's Living Proof Live event again in 2026.  Tickets are on sale now, when we hosted her in 2023, tickets sold out quickly. Tickets are available on Church Center for Venture Church attendees at a discount.  Event Attendee - $80, plus $4. Brushfire fee (Regular price $95)
Volunteers only pay $75, plus $4 Brushfire fee.  Volunteers get preferred seating for all sessions.  You won't miss any of the sessions as all volunteer duties happen before and after the session.  We need 35-50 volunteers for the weekend.
Please click HERE to register.

Encouragement & Truth For Her | 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

For the last five weeks, we have been in our sermon series called “Break Free”. We were reminded that we can put on the Armor of God to fight against the enemy of our souls. (Ephesians 6:10-20).  Weeks two and three, Pastor Brandon encouraged us to confess our hidden sins and reminded us that we don’t have to live in shame.  Finally, Pastor Di shared two powerful messages about closing the door on the strongholds and generational lies that we’ve allowed into our lives.  Sermon Series Link

As I have reflected on this idea of breaking free, I’ve often thought about how difficult it can seem to confess our hidden sin, strongholds, and generational lies.  The shame that we might be feeling can be overwhelming, and the enemy wants nothing more than to exploit that feeling of shame and keep us stuck in these areas.  And then there’s the fear that our confession can bring consequences that we don't want to face; it has the potential to wound the people that we love.  I know the fear of consequences is real, but I also understand that the freedom that comes from humbling ourselves in confession is absolutely worth it all!

1 John 1:9 promises that if we confess our sins, God is FAITHFUL AND RIGHTEOUS to forgive our sins AND to cleanse us from ALL unrighteousness. Freedom from shame and guilt is yours when you confess.

If you are the one who is hearing the confession of hidden sin by someone that you love, you might be dealing with anger and some deep hurt.  I want to encourage you to react with grace, remind yourself of the grace that you’ve received from Jesus.  This doesn’t mean there aren’t consequences for the actions; you don’t have to sweep it all under the rug.  Trust may need to be rebuilt, but freedom comes for everyone involved when conflict is handled with grace.

I pray that you will allow the Holy Spirit to show you the hidden sin, the strongholds, and the areas in your life where your actions could cause destruction for generations to come. And if you need someone to talk to, let’s get together. I’m here for you.  I deeply desire to see the women in our church walk in grace, free from the bondage of sin and shame.

There is HOPE when we confess and turn away from our sin.

I hope to see you at our upcoming For Her Night,
Heather Lane
Venture Women's Director

Let's Celebrate | This month I want to celebrate the friendships and community that God is building through For Her Nights.  I am so encouraged when I see women introducing themselves, inviting someone to sit at their table, exchanging phone numbers, and setting up coffee dates.  This is exactly what For Her Nights are all about.  

Our Summer Pop-Ups at Visible Coffee in Silver Firs have been such a hit!  If you haven't joined us yet, you're truly missing out on fun, connection, dessert and community.  

Coming up | Thursday, August 28th, is our next For Her Night.  
The theme this month is Favorite Things.  Our For Her leaders have chosen some of their favorite things that we will be giving away throughout the evening. We'd love for you to bring one small item that represents a favorite thing of yours.  It could be anything you love: a favorite snack, a book that's inspired you, a beauty product you can't live without, or even a kitchen gadget you use all the time.  

Why? Because these items spark stories.  As we share why they're meaningful to us, we'll get to know each other on a deeper level.  It's a simple way to connect, laugh, and discover the little joys that make each of us unique.

Come ready to share your favorite thing and to hear the stories of other women; you may just walk away with a new friend and a new favorite too!

As always, we offer free childcare!  Register your kids HERE.

Encouragement & Truth For Her | "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life" Psalm 139:23-24.

I'm going to be vulnerable: for a long time, I've avoided praying this prayer.  I wasn't sure if I really wanted to ask God to search me.  What if He pointed out something I didn't want to give up?   What if I didn't want to let go of certain thoughts, pride or habits that offend Him?  I'd rather go to God in "humility" (on my own schedule) and confess the things that I was ok with letting go of before He had a chance to bring up the ones I didn't want to face.  Have you ever heard the phrase "If you know better, you must do better".  I was avoiding 'knowing better'.

But something has shifted in me this year. I stopped avoiding this prayer.  I chose to let go of my need to control and to surrender.  I have a deep desire to live my life in a way that Makes Jesus Famous.  That kind of life doesn't have room for pride, anxious thoughts, or anything that offends the God who saved me and loves me so deeply.  

The truth is, God knows our thoughts, and motives and He still loves us. When we ask Him to search our hearts, we're opening ourselves to His refining love.  It's not about condemnation, but about transformation.  God reveals what needs to be surrendered so He can shape us into the likeness of Jesus.  

I invite you to pray this courageous prayer daily.  When you feel anxious, defensive, or unsettled, pause and ask:

• Lord, what's really going on in my heart right now?
• Am I trusting You fully in this area of my life?
• Is there anything you're asking me to release or surrender?

As you pray this way, you'll find that God is gentle, faithful and always ready to lead you to the path of everlasting life.

I hope to see you Thursday,
Heather Lane
Venture Women's Director

Truth For Her - Venture Women's Newsletter June Edition

Let's Celebrate | We had so much fun at our first For Her Night Pop-Up at Visible Coffee Roasters in May! We heard testimonies, made connections, drank great coffee—and we left that evening encouraged by what God is doing in our community.

I’m grateful for each of you that came and made the effort to connect with other Venture Women.  It’s clear He is building something beautiful among us, we’re just getting started—check out the full summer schedule below!  Make sure you join us this Thursday (6/26) for June’s For Her Night

Coming up | For Her Night: Visible Coffee Pop-Up Series
Location: Visible Coffee Roasters – Silver Firs | 7:00 PM

Let’s meet offsite for nights of connection, creativity, and fun!

• This Week! Thursday, June 26 – Game Night & Popcorn Bar
• July 24 – Barista Demo
• August 22 – Book & Puzzle Swap
• September 25 – Favorite Things Night

Each event is designed for conversation, laughter, and encouragement. Bring a friend or come solo—either way, we’re saving you a seat.

Encouragement & Truth For Her | A Better Motivation Than Anger…
Based on James 1:19–20 & Galatians 5:22–23

You might be familiar with James 1:19:
“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry…”

But do you know what comes next?
“…because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.”

Lately, the world has given us a lot of reasons to feel justified in our anger. We’re told it’s “righteous,” even holy. But is anger really the emotion we want motivating us?

We’ve been studying the fruit of the Spirit at Venture:
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
These are the qualities that should drive our responses to offense and injustice.

When I’m hurt or irritated, I’ve had to ask myself:
Is my reaction rooted in love—or in pride, control, or a desire for revenge?

I've been reading Unoffendable by Brant Hansen, and it’s challenged me to reflect honestly. My anger, my annoyance—most of it stemmed from pride. But I’m learning. I'm choosing to let the Holy Spirit shape my first reactions. I want to be led by love, not by my flesh.
Is anger a struggle for you? Do you find yourself easily offended? You're not alone—I’m on a mission to live an unoffendable life. Let's walk this out together. The enemy would love to divide us through offense. But Spirit-led love is stronger—and it’s worth fighting for.


Heather Lane
Venture Women's Director

Truth For Her - Venture Women's Newsletter May Edition

Let's Celebrate | Our For Her Nights have been a huge success. May marks one year since we launched these gatherings at Venture! Women are making connections, having meaningful conversations, and we've had so much fun along the way.

I'm so proud of each of you for showing up. I know it’s not always easy, especially for those of you who are introverted, but you’ve taken the step to come. I’ve also been so encouraged to see that no one has sat alone. When you're here, you're all in—and it shows. It’s truly a joy to lead this ministry, and I can't wait to see what this next year holds.

Coming up |Join Us This Summer – For Her Pop-Up Nights
We’re bringing For Her Night to Visible Coffee Roasters in Silver Firs while our building is under construction. Come connect with other women, hear stories, laugh, and be refreshed.

Summer Pop-Up Schedule | 7:00–8:30 PM Visible Coffee Roasters – Silver Firs

• May 22 – Testimonies from Honduras with Convoy of Hope
• June 26 – Game Night
• July 24 – Barista Specialty Drink Demo + Bougie Popcorn Bar
• August 28 – My Favorite Things Night
• September 25 – Book & Puzzle Swap

Encouragement & Truth For Her | Have you ever had a situation where you realized that God was trying to get your attention? Something that comes up in multiple conversations, and you hear about it in different settings?

The idea of practicing spiritual disciplines, especially solitude, keeps coming up in my life. Spending time alone is not difficult for me, but finding solitude and silence where I choose to focus solely on God’s goodness and allow Him to speak to me has been a struggle. It’s a struggle because I haven’t practiced or disciplined my mind in this area. I decided to try it because I’ve heard or read about it many times this year. After just one focused session of solitude and silence, God spoke to me, encouraged me, and showed me areas where growth and improvement is needed.

I’m incredibly grateful that we serve a God who desperately wants to spend time with and speak to us. Solitude isn't a magic formula that will bring peace, but when we make time to sit with Jesus, acknowledge who He is and how great He is, and surrender ourselves wholly to Him, we create space to hear His voice. As Psalm 46:10 says, "Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth."

If this tidbit of truth resonates with you, I'd love to hear from you so I can pray with you, encourage you, and celebrate with you. Let me know what God is speaking to you. Don't walk this journey alone.

Heather Lane
Venture Women's Director