Paula Nelson

The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” John 4:15

Wells today may not look like they did in ages past. People may not gather there morning and evening for the day’s supply, but water remains essential for life in 2022.

Not all that long ago, the well was the center of the village. Not only did it provide a place to draw water, it was also a gathering place and a place where friendship and community were built.

The Bible tells us about an encounter Jesus had with a woman at a well. This was not a chance encounter, but a divine appointment. While this woman’s motive was simply to get water, Jesus knew the state of her heart and what she really needed was more than any earthly well could provide.

Sweet Monday has been likened to a well in a community. When women attend a Sweet Monday, friendships and community are built. But Sweet Monday goes much deeper. When Hostesses share the life-changing message of the grace and forgiveness of Jesus, they are taking women beyond the well to the spring, directly to the source of the Living Water.

We want to invite you to share in the blessing of reaching women for Christ, bringing them to the well, and sharing Christ’s Living Water. You can be a part of Sweet Monday today by helping us raise our goal of $21,000 for our annual fundraiser. We are over half-way there and every dollar you give will be matched dollar for dollar up to $21,000.

You can be a part of what God is doing as He transforms lives through the Gospel-centered hospitality our Sweet Monday Hostesses provide in their communities.

The opportunity and the invitation are yours. Won’t you join us?

Donate to Sweet Monday: https://www.sweetmonday.org/fundraising-dinners/

Sweet Monday is all about reaching women for Christ, one sweet invitation at a time through Gospel-centered hospitality. We believe in putting the Great Commission and Great Commandment into practice and exist to inspire, encourage and equip women to use their homes and hospitality to reach women for Christ by loving their neighbor and making disciples.

Water is an undeniable daily necessity for life. In the past, women would gather at the well in their communities every day to draw water for their families. No doubt the well was a place of conversation, laughter and tears. The well was a lifegiving place both literally and figuratively. As we meditate on John 4 over this next week, imagine yourself at Jacob’s well. Everyday, put yourself in the shoes of the Samaritan woman as she encountered Jesus. What question is Jesus asking you? What questions do you have for Him?

In this prayer walk, you are joining a sweet community at the well. Together, we seek an encounter with the Savior of the world. Beginning Thursday, March 24, the Sweet Monday Staff and Board will gather at the Lodge at Deer Run in middle Tennessee to prepare for our Annual Sweet Monday Hostess Retreat. Our Hostesses arrive on Friday, March 25. May this prayer guide not only encourage you and deepen your relationship with Christ, but also encourage you to lift up the women of Sweet Monday to our Heavenly Father as they gather together at “the well”.

DAY 1 – Tuesday March 22
Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I will give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:14
Father God, we confess so often we drink from things other than You and miss out on Your living water that wells up to eternal life.

DAY 2 – Wednesday, March 23
The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.” John 4:15
Heavenly Father, we come today thirsty for You and the living water that only You can provide. Help us to set aside the things that don’t satisfy our souls. Open and prepare our hearts to encounter You.

DAY 3 – Thursday, March 24
I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. John 4:35
Lord Jesus, open our eyes to the fields that are ripe for harvest. Let us see in the people around us how they too are thirsty for Your living water.

DAY 4 – Friday, March 25
Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. John 4:35
Father God, may we continue working together with our sisters and brothers in Christ in a spirit of unity and be glad together that we may share in the joy of the crop harvested for eternal life.

DAY 5 – Saturday, March 26
Many of the Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman’s testimony. John 4:39
Heavenly Father, may we have such an encounter with You today and everyday that many people in our hometowns will believe because of our testimony. Do Your work so mightily in our lives that we can’t help but share with others what You have done for us.

DAY 6 – Sunday, March 27
So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him to stay with them, and he stayed two days. And because of his words many more became believers. John 4:40-41
Lord Jesus, Thank you that Your Presence is always with us. For the last 2 days we have set aside time to worship You. May Your Holy Spirit continue to reign in our lives and guide us as we live out the mission of Sweet Monday, reaching women for Christ, one sweet invitation at a time. May many more people become believers because of Your word that is alive in us.

DAY 7 – Monday, March 28
We have heard for ourselves and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world. John 4:42
Father God, this is our heart’s cry for our neighbors, our cities and our communities – that they will confess with their lips that You are the Savior of the world.

You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest. The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! John 4:35-36 NLT

We, as believers and followers of Christ, are all called to missions. Just because you haven’t packed up your belongings and moved to Timbuktu doesn’t mean you’re off the hook for sharing the Gospel. 

Jesus said, “In this world, you will have trouble, but fear not, I have overcome the world.” What great news! You don’t have to look very far to feel the effects of the most recent troubles in our world today. Turn on the news, scroll through the media, listen to the radio. The picture looks bleak. Or, your battle might have hit closer to home: marriage struggles, health crises, family issues. 

If you are like an ostrich and prefer to stick your head in the sand, I totally understand. The information bombarding us today is grim and honestly quite pessimistic. But, what are people doing that don’t know Jesus? How are they coping with the pandemic of hopelessness that is raging through society today?

Believer, we have Good News to share. Not just me, but you! Be bold, strong, and courageous! The world needs to know there is hope and that Jesus has in fact overcome the world! It’s an eternal matter. On the cross, Jesus said, “It is finished.” Boom! Victory over darkness and evil. Past tense. We can live with hope and without fear because Jesus has already won the battle. Let the victory we have in Jesus light up even your darkest moments. Look to Him and His radiance for hope.

Let’s live our lives on a mission to share this Good News everyday with all those we come in contact with. In a recent article from The Gospel Coalition titled, Hospitality is Courageous, Pastor Matt Chandler said, “As we walk courageously in our cultural climate, evangelism will look like showing hospitality.” What if sharing the hope we have in Christ looked like inviting people into your home? 

At Sweet Monday, we believe that an open heart and an open home are critical in living out the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. What if we put the hurts of our neighbors before the condition of our carpets? Don’t confuse hospitality with entertaining. Welcome your neighbors into your homes like you welcome your family. That’s what hospitality looks like in the family of God. 

Here’s even more good news! We are so excited to share with you our newest Sweet Monday product! Sweet Monday in a Box! This cute pink box contains EVERYTHING you need to open your home once a month and host a Sweet Monday as a fun,simple, and faithful way to reach women in your community for Christ. We have a whole season of brand new curriculum that makes hosting a Sweet Monday so simple you look forward to it every month. 

Our Generous God supporters have made it possible for us to send this box to you free of charge. If you are interested in living on mission in your neighborhood and becoming a Sweet Monday hostess as a way to share the Good News of the Gospel, follow the link below to request your Sweet Monday in a Box today. 

The fields are pink for harvest. Wake up and look around! The fruit we harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike!

“And let us consider how to spur one another on to love and good deeds. Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-25

My sweet next-door neighbor is getting new front doors. It’s so interesting how a front door can make a house, like the right pair of shoes complete an outfit. Interestingly enough, my house doesn’t have a front door. It has two side doors on opposite sides of the house.  People come in both the “front” door and the kitchen door. Neither of these doors are visible from the street, so I’ve never paid much attention to their aesthetics.

Since my neighbor is looking for new front doors, I’ve become increasingly aware of the doors on other houses in our neighborhood. There are the old ones with the fancy etched glass, the red-painted ones, the window light doors, and the big iron ones. They are all pretty in their own right and have been carefully planned out to go with the overall architectural style of the house.

However, the most beautiful door to me ironically is not a door at all. Nothing makes a house warmer and more hospitable than an open door. Nothing says, “Come in,” quite like an open door! If you’ve ever had to sell Girl Scout cookies, popcorn, or wrapping paper you know just how intimidating a closed door can be. But, when it’s opened by a gracious and loving host who greets you with a warm smile, your fears subside.

Friends, these unprecedented times we find ourselves in can be both chaotic and extremely lonely. Everyone is zooming, zooming, zooming! If you’re not zooming for a meeting you are probably helping your children zoom with their teachers or even actually zooming them to soccer practice after “remote school.”

Wouldn’t it be nice to sit with a friend or two and have a real conversation, face to face over a cup of coffee, a glass of iced tea or wine?

Considering the global pandemic, I don’t know how or when Sweet Monday will continue in its “usual” way with monthly gatherings in homes around the country. But, I would like to take this golden opportunity to invite you to participate in Sweet Monday’s OPEN DOOR CHALLENGE. We all have neighbors and friends who are probably feeling the isolating effects of this health crisis as much as we are. Maybe you have never been to a Sweet Monday before, but in the true spirit of a Sweet Monday Hostess, you too can invite a friend or neighbor over to your home.

Hospitality is an open door. Keep it so simple you don’t dread it. Whether you have sweets or not is your choice. No theme is necessary, and it doesn’t even have to be on a Monday. Just a warm welcome and encouraging conversation. Ask them how they’ve been? How is their family? Reconnect on a deeper level and let them know you care. Share the love of Christ by sharing your home with someone this month. Listen with both your ears and your heart. Ask questions that allow your guest to open up and share their lives with you, then let the Holy Spirit do His work. The longer you listen, the more you gain the authority to speak.

Our vision at Sweet Monday is to create opportunities for women to connect with each other and with Christ. Here’s your opportunity – one sweet invitation at a time! If your friend has an open heart, share God’s word with them. If not, simply share His love by serving and listening. If they are hurting or have a physical need, ask how you can help.

If you would like more ideas, Sweet Monday is here to help you. One of my favorite verses which is so comforting in today’s caustic environment is John 16:33:

Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble, but TAKE HEART! I have overcome the world.”

Open your heart, open your home, and open your door. It’s a sweet challenge that will have an eternal impact.

Post pictures to our social media pages on Instagram and Facebook and tag @SweetMondaySocials and #theOpenDoorChallenge. Let’s make the most of this opportunity of social distancing and gathering limitations and reach our hurting world with the love of Christ, one sweet invitation at a time.

“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.” Matthew 7:25

What child hasn’t played the game “Hot Lava” where you jump from sofa to chair to sofa, etc., trying not to touch the floor, pretending it is hot lava?  Our family spent a week out in Yellowstone in June where we saw evidence of the volcanic activity under the surface of the earth spouting out in the form of giant geysers and boiling mud pits. Incredibly amazing and beautiful, yet dangerous and awe-inspiring. The wise heed the warnings conspicuously posted around the park to stay on the boardwalks and trails. The ground in that area is unstable and unsafe. As the mother of three boys I made sure that my sons knew the worst case scenario if they were to disobey the warnings and read them many stories about those who had taken the risk and paid dearly.

Navigating the current of COVID19 feels a lot like playing “Hot Lava.” We stand on what is safe and stable until, well, it’s no longer safe and stable and then we jump to the next thing that we hope will keep us sure-footed, only to find ourselves in hot lava with the ground moving underneath us again so we jump to the next thing that we hope will keep us safe and stable.

A dear friend shared with me that making decisions these days feels like nailing gelatin to the wall.  Our school principal stated it this way. We’re about to take off even though the plane is still being built. The only thing certain in life right now is uncertainty. In the words of songwriter Travis Rhett, “We make our plans and we hear God laughing. Life changes.” In the wise words of King Solomon, “Many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it is the Lord’s will that prevails.”

Jesus tells us the story of the two men. One man built his house on the rock and the other built his house on the sand. The storms came and the waters rose and the house built on the rock stood strong. The Rock of Ages doesn’t shift like sinking sand or hot lava. Jesus is our firm foundation. He never changes. EVER.

We are in a unique time where we are all in this storm together. I can’t think of any who have been untouched by the storm and turbulent waters of this pandemic. What is your house built on? Who is your faith in? The CDC? The government? The healthcare workers? The stock market? Or is it in the unshakable, unwavering, nail scarred hands?

When your hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness, you can rest assured and breathe deep that Jesus is holding you in this storm. He is our only hope and peace.

All other ground is sinking sand.

Sweet believer, let’s stop playing “Hot Lava.” The world needs to know there is a SOLID ROCK. His name is Jesus. Let’s not give in to the frenzy, but lean in to our faith and the one who can save us all from the world’s worst pandemic – sin. It has a 100% chance of death. (The wages of sin is death.) But God so loved the world that He gave His one and only son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  God has provided a cure for our chronic condition and His name is Jesus.