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  • Home
  • Our Services
    • Do You Need a New Beginning?
    • Baby Boutique Programs
    • Community Resources >
      • Medical
      • Education
      • Parenting
      • Financial
      • Housing
      • Legal & Mental Health
      • Food Pantry
    • Testimonials
  • Donate Now
    • One-Time Donation
    • Recurring Donation
    • Gift Catalog
    • Material Donations >
      • Target Registry
      • Amazon Wish List
      • Wish List
    • Merch
  • Getting Involved
    • Career Opportunities
    • Volunteer >
      • Volunteer Time Log
    • Internships >
      • Resident Supervisor
      • Media Design Internship
      • Film Production Internship
      • Resident Support Internship
      • Marketing Internship
      • Social Media Internship
      • Customized Internship
    • Events >
      • Ministry Presentations
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We Learn From Others

8/31/2017

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​I am learning at New Beginnings that being able to build relationships with different individuals from different experiences. I am also learning about myself and how I want to continue or how I want to change. 
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​The idea that I am learning more about myself from other people than simply saying that I am learning about another person or that we are becoming friends is because I learn from other people more than they learn from me. I am learning that even though communication is one of my top five for my StrengthQuest that I still need to clarify questions. I have usually rephrasing questions when I am leading devotion. Additionally, I find myself giving examples out to the questions that I am asking. I am even asking more leading questions because my questions are not as clear to everyone as my own questions about God’s Word are to me. In order, my top five strengths are belief, analytical, input, restorative, and communication. Although, I think and know that these top five are my strengths these are labels that are able to help to describe a person but do not give the full picture of an individual. 

​Coming into New Beginnings I know that I was concerned about if I would talk the day and night away because I love to talk to people and I know that about myself. I have found that there are times that I have really good conversations and time to work, for me it is usually homework. I have also learned that some people need more time to think to themselves or do not talk about everything and that is normal too. I thought that if other people did not want to talk or tell jokes that was something against me. I have come to appreciate that some people do not want to talk about a personal issue or have different experiences with reading the Bible. The more that I am learning from the amazing women here at New Beginnings, that more I am growing in how I am able to relate to other individuals who come from a different place than me and share the Bible in an entirely new way. I know that everyone is a part of New Beginnings for different reasons, but we are all learning from each other. We learn that we need to grow closer to God together and that we change constantly because we want to be more Christ-like and we learn that from reading the Bible and living life together.
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Elyse Kipfer was an intern at New Beginnings July through September of 2017 and is now a current Resident Supervisor at New Beginnings. She is a Psychology Major and Communication Minor at Wisconsin Lutheran College. She aspires to be a Christian counselor for victims of sexual violence. Her free time consists spending time with her horse, dog, family, and friends. Furthermore, she enjoys having deep conversations and digging into God’s Word. 

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What to Expect as a Resident Supervisor at New Beginnings – A Home for Mothers

8/31/2017

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​I think that I was very prepared for being a resident supervisor (RS) at New Beginnings – A Home for Mothers because one of my friends told me about her internship and some of her experiences at New Beginnings. Additionally, one of my classmates told me that she was leaving New Beginnings and that I would be taking her place. She gave me some advice which has stood the test my first few months here. 
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​Rule number one is do not pick up a child without permission. Although this is a good rule for everyone everywhere it is difficult to remember when I like to pick up little children and babies and hold them. No matter how much a person likes children it is important not to pick up any child unless handed that child. 
​In addition, she gave advice about being firm to my own guidelines meaning that if I am going to set a side time for me or to spend with the residents that I need to stick to the plan. Once a person deviates then it is difficult to go back to the routine. For example, if a RS offers to take someone grocery shopping one day then the person may expect to go grocery shopping with the same RS. 
​I know that watching the children is not in the job description but it is important to note that children may run into RS apartment any time the door is open especially since the door has to be open while on duty. It is important not to have magnets on the refrigerator door. I learned this the hard way. Thankfully I always got my magnets back. On a serious note, it is important to keep the RS apartment fairly child proof also since a child could come in and grab something and put it in his or her mouth before a RS realizes that he or she is in the apartment. It is a learning process and it is fun along the way.  
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Elyse Kipfer was an intern at New Beginnings July through September of 2017 and is now a current Resident Supervisor at New Beginnings. She is a Psychology Major and Communication Minor at Wisconsin Lutheran College. She aspires to be a Christian counselor for victims of sexual violence. Her free time consists spending time with her horse, dog, family, and friends. Furthermore, she enjoys having deep conversations and digging into God’s Word. 

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Schedules, Priorities, and Values, Oh My!

8/30/2017

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Schedules.
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​We all have them, and we like or dislike following them to a degree. When you look at someone’s schedule, or if you know what he or she does each day, you get a good sense of what he or she values in life. Someone who wants to be the best student he or she can, will have time set aside each day to study. An athlete who wants to get better at his or her chosen sport, will make time to work on it each day, even if that means getting up earlier, giving up additional time to socialize with friends, or making other sacrifices. On the other hand, someone who values music or any other fine art, will be willing to make a similar commitment. 

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​As Christians, we are constantly told that we should make time in our schedule for worship and prayer. This advice is true. There is an acronym that spells out JOY, using the words “Jesus, Others, Yourself.” I believe we can apply these principles to our life by including each of them in our daily schedule. First of all, we can make room in our schedule for Jesus. That may involve going to church more often, studying Scripture more, or simply spending a few more minutes in prayer each day. We make serving Others a priority by intentionally volunteering, or simply going out of our way to help someone. Just stopping to ask a friend or family member how he or she is really doing goes a long way as well. Lastly, you should make Yourself a priority too. Of course, you shouldn’t desperately chase after each and every little thing you want, or take from others to benefit yourself, but giving yourself some time to relax and take a break from your hectic schedule leaves you well-rested and better able to serve others and God.
In summary, your values reflect themselves in your priorities, and your priorities can be seen in your schedule. So, next time you’re planning your daily itinerary, stop and think What would bring the most JOY to God, others, and myself?
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Elizabeth Scheibl is a former intern and current Resident Supervisor at New Beginnings. She is still an English major and History minor at Wisconsin Lutheran College. In her spare time, she likes reading, writing, and standing on chairs and singing.

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gifts & talents: a focus on the positive

8/2/2017

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 “What gifts and talents do you have that contribute to the success of the work you do?” 

​This is a question I asked my staff at a recent brainstorming session. Often times, in this competitive world, we tend to focus on the negatives. What needs improvement? How can we do better? How can we avoid this mistake again? Let me tell you – this can get exhausting! As staff members at New Beginnings, we are often forced to contend with tough situations and daunting tasks, but despite all of that, each of us brings a unique set of gifts and talents to the ministry. In other words, God placed us all in our positions for a reason.
​Because God has placed us in our positions, it is important to take some time to focus on the positive. Focus on what we do right. So, I asked everyone: “what gifts and talents do you have that contribute to the success of the work you do.” I was surprised to hear that some staff members had difficulty coming up with a list of gifts and talents that they possess. Ultimately, everyone gave a short list with the top gift being “a genuine care for others.”  (Whew! it seems like we are all in the right profession!) Some of the other gifts that we came up with were nurturing, ability to set boundaries, visionaries, and genuine. 
​I think this is a good list, but I see so much more: 
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​In Christina, I see the ability to relate to others, someone who has compassion, a genuine desire to help, a drive to get her work done, the ability to communicate with the individuals we work with without crossing boundaries, someone who is timely and committed, and someone who everyone can count on. And for those who do not know, she has a sense of humor that is constantly lifting everyone up! 
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In Karen, I see the ability to witness about her Lord in a way that invites others to learn more, someone who is caring, someone who the mothers at New Beginnings value and trust, someone who is honest, someone who rarely complains and is always willing to step up, and someone who is calm and collected in even the toughest situations. 
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In Taleya, I see someone who is detail-oriented, has an ability to relate and connect with others, someone who sets healthy boundaries and remains unshaken, someone who is creative and has vision, someone who everyone can count on, and someone who is committed and trustworthy. 
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I want to take a moment to commend the staff at New Beginnings for the good work they do. You all work together to create a phenomenal team with a unique set of gifts and talents. Thank you God for the blessings you have given all of us, and thank you Lord for the opportunity we have to serve others. Only through you can we do great things. 
 Take a moment to think about the unique gifts and talents the Lord has given YOU! Leave us a comment – we would love to learn more about your blessings. Let’s focus on the positive!
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Brianne Hansen is the Executive Director at New Beginnings. She grew up in Marshall, WI and graduated from Lakeside Lutheran High School. Brianne has a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from UW-Milwaukee and is currently pursuing a Master’s in Industrial Organizational Psychology. In her free time, she enjoys singing, camping, spending time with her dog (Bella) and cats (Mufasa & Jasmine), and going on adventures with her husband, Daniel.  ​

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5 Life Lessons I've Learned At New Beginnings

8/1/2017

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For my next blog post, I decided to shake things up a little bit, and deliver my post in the form of one of our culture’s most celebrated writing formats: The Top 5 List. Since life is all about learning, I decided to make the list about life lessons I’ve learned at while serving at New Beginnings.  Enjoy, and feel free to leave comments about life lessons you have learned, through or with New Beginnings, or otherwise. 
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1.  Sometimes what appears to be the end is really a new beginning.  I know this is basically our motto, but it bears repeating. We may reach a point in life where we think everything is ending, but the truth is, every ending is also a beginning, and sometimes a beginning to a much, much better future. 
2.  Groups are good.  Sure, we all remember the cliques that formed in high school and middle school; they weren’t the greatest.  However, if you want a group or organization to have any kind of unity, then you have to do something together.  The group that prays together stays together, but at New Beginnings we do a lot more together, including going to church and doing other fun activities.
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​3.  A group of women CAN exist in harmony.  
While women can be extremely harsh on each other, especially in a group setting, at New Beginnings the opposite is true, as we do our best to encourage and support one another. 

4.  Sharing is caring.  Our fourth item on this list is something that we were all told when we were four, but that we struggle with throughout our life.  New Beginnings benefits enormously from the cash, items, and time that donors and volunteers share with New Beginnings.  However, within New Beginnings, each person benefits from time wisdom, knowledge, food, or anything else shared by an employee, resident, or resident supervisor. 
5.  God is great.  You know what else makes New Beginnings great? God does! Everything we do is for the glory of God, and we have experienced His many blessings firsthand. 
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Elizabeth Scheibl is a former intern and current Resident Supervisor at New Beginnings. She is still an English major and History minor at Wisconsin Lutheran College. In her spare time, she likes reading, writing, and standing on chairs and singing.

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