What's Happening
What's HappeningDecember 2024
From the Father, Full of Grace & Truth
As 2024 ends, all of us from the Crucible Project want to thank you for being a part of creating a world where people live with integrity, grace and courage, fulfilling their God-given purpose. In this season where many of us pause to remember how God sent his Son to Earth, I encourage you with the words of John 1:14, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Jesus was full of grace and truth, and we, his followers are to be the same. For us, this requires sacrifice – sacrifice of our comfort – by leaning into whichever is more challenging. As you finish this year, I challenge you to consider, where do you need to give more grace? Where do you need to speak more truth? What kind of support do you need to be able to stay firmly planted wherever you stand?
For me, I find it easier to just give grace, rather than challenge or speak truth – I don’t always trust myself to say "truth" in a way that is also gracious. Or, I feel too insecure to stand up under someone’s reaction if they don’t like hearing my hard truth. Sometimes I feel afraid that my truth is wrong – and instead of seeking counsel or support, I just let it go, and call it giving grace. With certain people though, I am fed up and I ONLY give truth without an ounce of grace. They used that up long ago, I think I know exactly how they’re going to show up, what they’re going to say, and why they’re going to say it, and I have no patience or space for them anymore. I become closed, rigid, and graceless.
Neither of these approaches are full of grace and truth. Jesus met the woman at the well with truth – he told her who she was, and offered her full grace. He called her daughter and offered her eternal life and connection with God. God help us to extend this kind of truth and grace to all we encounter on our journeys.
Know that you are not alone – you are surrounded by a whole community of men and women who are doing the same in their own lives and are cheering for you on your journey.
See you in 2025!
Lisa Modrzejewski, Women’s Ministry Leader
Upcoming Dates
- January 17: Online Growth Group on Fridays, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM, Leader Allie Wells. Cost $77/month. Register Here.
- January 17-18: Introduction to Facilitation Training in Wheaton, IL. Friday 12:00 PM - 9:00 PM and Saturday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. More Info Here
- January 17-19: Initial Weekend in Cedar Hill, TX
- February 7-9: Initial Weekend in Limuru, Kenya
- February 14-16: Initial Weekend in Limuru, Kenya
- March 28-30: Initial Weekend in Saint Charles, IL
- April 11-13: Initial Weekend in Centennial, WY
- April 25-27: Initial Weekend in Valle de Bravo, Mexico
- June 20-22: Initial Weekend in Perth, Western Australia
- June 27-29: Mission & Purpose Second-Level Retreat in Perth, Western Australia
- August 15-17: The Dark Side of Leadership Second-Level Retreat in Saint Charles, IL
- October 17-19: Initial Weekend in Saint Charles, IL
- October 24-26: Initial Weekend in Empire, CO
- November 7-9: Initial Weekend in Tulsa, OK
Community News
The Dallas, Texas community is hosting their first retreat in January and needs women of service to help with cooking and serving meals to the staff and participants.
The New Hampshire community has an ongoing Development Group the 1st, 3rd & 5th Mondays from 6:30-8:30PM at CenterPoint in Concord, NH.
The Connecticut community is hosting a Co-Ed Post Christmas Party, Friday, January 17th, 6:30pm at Terry & Jaisy Martin’s. Friends are welcome.
The Colorado community is hosting a Community Launch event on February 15, 9-11 AM at Crankset Transformation Center, 5670 Greenwood Plaza Drive, Ste Lower Level 100, Greenwood Village, CO 80111. Refreshments will be provided.
For more information about these events, and if your community has an event or announcement that you would like included in the Crucible women’s monthly e-newsletter, contact Lisa.
Reminders from Previous Newsletter
Introduction to Facilitation Training
Whether you’re just starting or want to strengthen your facilitation skills, this in-person training in Wheaton, IL with Lisa Modrzejewski, Bill Snyder & Matt Hayes will equip you with practical tools to facilitate with confidence. January 17-18, 2024. Sign Up Here
Women’s Leadership Initiative. Thanks to a generous matching grant, an anonymous donor will match every dollar you donate toward women’s leadership development above and beyond typical giving between now and December 31st, up to $20,000.
Crucible Women WhatsApp Community. This new avenue for communicating with other Crucible women gives you the ability to receive announcements from the organization, chat with other women who have been through the weekend, and create smaller groups for connection (like a group with the other participants from your weekend, or women in your growth group!) Come join the conversation!
Lunch Check-In
Wednesdays, 12:00-1:00 PM CST January on Zoom. For updates about specific meeting dates, join the Crucible Women WhatsApp Community and join the Wednesday Lunch Bunch group. Click here for meeting link.
Lisa Modrzejewski
What's Happening
November 2024
That’s a Wrap!
Crucible Sisters,
Last weekend, the Chicagoland Crucible women hosted their first Unshackled second-level retreat. Thank you to everyone who donated and purchased supplies and prayed for the women attending the Unshackled second-level retreat in Saint Charles, IL, November 8-10! 
This was the last retreat for women in 2024, but the work always continues behind the scenes in preparation for next year’s retreats which kick-off with a Women’s Crucible initial weekend, January 17-19, in the Dallas, TX Community.
Introduction to Facilitation Training
Whether you’re just starting or want to strengthen your facilitation skills, this in-person training in Wheaton, IL with Lisa Modrzejewski, Bill Snyder & Matt Hayes will equip you with practical tools to facilitate with confidence. January 17-18, 2024
Upcoming Dates
- December 4, 11, and 18: Community Check-In, Wednesdays 12:00-1:00 PM CST on Zoom
- January 17: Online Growth Group on Fridays, 10:00 AM-12:00 PM, Leader Allie Wells. Cost $77/month. Register Here
- January 17-18: Introduction to Facilitation Training in Wheaton, IL. Friday 12:00 PM - 9:00 PM and Saturday 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. More Info Here
- January 17-19: Initial Weekend in Cedar Hill, TX
- February 7-9: Initial Weekend in Limuru, Kenya
- February 14-16: Initial Weekend in Limuru, Kenya
- March 28-30: Initial Weekend in Saint Charles, IL
- April 11-13: Initial Weekend in Centennial, WY
- April 25-27: Initial Weekend in Valle de Bravo, Mexico
- June 20-22: Women’s Retreat (Topic TBD) in Perth, Western Australia
- June 27-29: Women’s Retreat (Topic TBD) in Perth, Western Australia
- August 15-17: The Dark Side of Leadership Second-Level Retreat, Saint Charles, IL
- October 17-19: Initial Weekend in Saint Charles, IL
Apply to Staff Register as Participant Group Page Training Page
Reminders from Previous Newsletter
Women’s Leadership Initiative. Thanks to a generous matching grant, an anonymous donor will match every dollar you donate toward women’s leadership development above and beyond typical giving between now and November 30th, up to $20,000. Put “Women’s Leadership Initiative” in the comments of the donation.
Crucible Women WhatsApp Community. This new avenue for communicating with other Crucible women gives you the ability to receive announcements from the organization, chat with other women who have been through the weekend, and create smaller groups for connection (like a group with the other participants from your weekend, or women in your growth group!) Come join the conversation!
Lunch Check-In
Wednesdays, 12:00-1:00 PM CST December 4, 11, 18 on Zoom
Lisa Modrzejewski
What's Happening
October 2024
Crucible Sisters,
Last weekend, Crucible women hosted it’s 45th women’s Crucible retreat. Since launching weekends for women in 2019, 763 women have completed the retreat experience. We are on track to host 13 retreats in the 2024-2025 fiscal year. This growth is due in large part to women sharing with others about the impact taking the dive into radical authenticity and receiving big grace had on them.
To remove financial barriers to women stepping into leadership, so this work can continue to grow to meet the demand for women’s soul work opportunities, consider donating to our Women’s Leadership Initiative. Thanks to a generous matching grant, an anonymous donor will match every new dollar you donate (new donors or above and beyond last year's donations) toward women’s leadership development between now and November 30th, up to $20,000. Please help us reach this goal - donate today!
In addition to contributing financially, I challenge you to find ways to be authentic and vulnerable with the people around you and take a tangible step to show radical grace to another person this week, and see what happens! If you do, tell us about it in the new Crucible Women WhatsApp Community. This new avenue for communicating with other Crucible women gives you the ability to receive announcements from the organization, chat with other women who have been through the weekend, and create smaller groups for connection (like a group with the other participants from your weekend, or women in your growth group!) Come join the conversation!
~ Lisa Modrzejewski, Women’s Ministry Leader
Training Opportunities
Want to grow your leadership and facilitation skills? Check out these upcoming training opportunities:
Introduction to Facilitation Training
Whether you’re just starting or want to strengthen your leadership skills, this in-person training in Baltimore with Byron Myers and Bill Snyder will equip you with practical tools to lead with confidence.
November 22-23, 2024
Sign Up Here
Upcoming Retreats: Mark Your Calendar
We’ve got some a lot of retreats coming up, and we’d love for you to be part of them—either as a participant or by encouraging someone else to attend. Here’s what’s coming:
- January 17-19 | Initial Weekend in Cedar Hill, TX - Apply to Staff and Invite Participants to Register
- February 7-9 | Initial Weekend in Limuru, Kenya – Apply to Staff and Invite Participants to Register
- February 14-16 | Initial Weekend in Limuru, Kenya – Apply to Staff and Invite Participants to Register
- March 28-30 | Initial Weekend in Saint Charles, IL – Save the Date to Staff and Invite Participants to Register
- April 11-13 | Initial Weekend in Centennial, WY – Save the Date to Staff and Invite Participants to Register
- October 17-19 | Initial Weekend in Saint Charles, IL - Save the Date to Staff for 2025 and Invite Participants to Register