Meet Paula Nelson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Paula Nelson.

Hi Paula, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi! I am honored that you reached out to me.

My name is Paula Nelson. I am originally from Florida, but after living in several other places have called Brentwood home for the last 14 years. I am married to Eric Nelson, and we have three great boys, Reagan, Rylee, and Zachary. 

I have been the Executive Director of Sweet Monday since 2014.

The original Sweet Monday started in Richmond, VA, in 1995, and I was blessed to be able to attend the OGSM when we lived there – from 2001 – 2008. My friend, Kim Newlen, started this ministry out of her home in 1995 because she was a new mom, isolated and lonely. She wanted to find a way to reach out to her neighbors (who also might be feeling the same way), connecting them and sharing her inner strength and hope in Christ in a fun and faithful way. 

I always knew I wanted to start a Sweet Monday in Brentwood after we moved here in 2008. However, I had my third child in 2009 and was a busy mother of preschoolers. I had envisioned what Sweet Monday would look like in my home and even went as far as making out the schedule for the first year but didn’t act on it because the timing needed to be better.

In the summer of 2013, Kim (the founder) called me to share that her cancer had returned, and the doctors said it didn’t look good. (Kim had breast cancer in 2010 and had intense treatment that “made her bolder as she got balder.”)

That is when I knew I had to start hosting Sweet Monday in my home in Brentwood. I enlisted my best friends to come and share fun topics like how to make holiday hosting easy, all the things you can do with a can of spray paint, the best way to get organized, and hairdos and hair-doozies. These were just some of the fun themes we discussed every month.

In February 2014, Kim lost her battle with cancer. The board and staff of Sweet Monday weren’t sure that the ministry would continue without her. However, Kim had shared with Faye Rivers, her mentor and board member, that if she didn’t make it, she wanted me and the office manager, Jamie Breeden, to continue Sweet Monday. I was honored and surprised when Faye contacted me in March 2014 to ask if I would consider the position of Executive Director for Sweet Monday. After a season of searching, praying, and discussing this with my husband, I said yes to what my husband calls “my dream job.”

In addition to running the non-profit ministry, I am still a Sweet Monday Hostess opening the door of our home and my heart every month to share the Good News with women in my community. I never know how many women will attend because you never have to RSVP for Sweet Monday. You can come as you are – no need to get dressed up. You don’t have to bring anything (food or drinks), but you can always bring a friend. You can leave your cell phone on, and you can leave your purse at home because we will never sell anything. There is no commitment and no strings attached. It’s so simple that I never dread hosting.

Over the last nine years, Sweet Monday has grown as a non-profit. We have had 40 new women from all over the US and abroad register to be hostesses this year alone. We have a new curriculum that makes opening your home to women in your community more effortless than ever. And we have introduced Sweet Monday in a Box – all the things you need to start your own Sweet Monday.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road has been a little bumpy, for sure. As you can imagine, taking over a ministry after the founder dies is daunting. We had to step back and reevaluate what we were about and what it would look like to continue without Kim in the lead. I had never run a non-profit or even worked for a non-profit. Kim and I both had a heart for the Lord and for women to know Him. This was the only thing that qualified me to be a Sweet Monday Hostess and the Executive Director.

I had a lot of anxiety and insecurity about stepping into this new leadership role when Sweet Monday was based out of Richmond, VA. Our one full-time employee and all of the board members were there. I was the new leader, and I was in Brentwood, hundreds of miles away. I also was not Kim. We all, staff, board, and supporters, were grieving her death for a long time. But I knew this was my calling, so I told the Lord that if He opened a door, I would walk through it.

The breakthrough came when I was turned down for a grant. Although I was disappointed at another “no,” the more significant “yes” was that I was introduced to MDI, Missions Development International. I was paired with two amazing women who began to mentor me in my new role as a ministry leader. Their influence was a godsend for the Sweet Monday Board and me, as they agreed to facilitate our first-ever board of directors retreat in Richmond, VA, in February of 2016. That was a turning point for Sweet Monday. After a long, dormant, grieving period, we began to see the first signs of new growth.

In 2020, when the world was hit with a pandemic, we had to pivot, like many, to survive. What is a ministry that meets in homes every month to do when the world is social distancing? Many Sweet Monday Hostesses improvised and met outside on back porches, while some took a temporary hiatus. 

Because we were already using Zoom for board meetings, our organization offered Sweet Monday Online to anyone who wanted to attend. This opened the door for women who do not have a Sweet Monday in their area to participate as well as those who’s Hostess had paused their monthly gatherings. Even women who live outside the US could come to Sweet Monday Online. They did and still do! We have continued this part of our ministry even though life is returning to normal since not every city has a Sweet Monday … yet. Our goal is to have a Sweet Monday Hostess in all 50 states by the end of 2023. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I love working in women’s ministry. Since I was married in 1998, I have enjoyed the freedom and flexibility of serving women, connecting with them, and sharing the hope we have in Christ.

I began serving in ministry in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in 1999. Living in another country is fun, but it also has its challenges. Many women move because of their husband’s jobs. Because of this, they can lose their identity and become homesick and depressed, sometimes leaving their husbands to return to the life they knew. In Puerto Rico, I met many women like this, and it was a joy to connect with them and serve them through a ministry called Just Moved. For two years, I led a quarterly “Moving On After Moving In” group based on the book, After the Boxes are Unpacked by Susan Miller.

And then, in December of 2000, my husband and I moved on. This time to Hong Kong, where I would continue the same ministry for two more seasons, meeting and connecting women from all over the world. We were from different countries and spoke various languages, but our needs were the same: to be known and loved. I loved sharing about Christ, who has known us from the beginning and loves us unconditionally.

In 2001, my husband and I moved to Richmond, VA, where we would start our family. I led a “Moving On After Moving In” course for women new to Richmond. This is also where I met Kim Newlen and attended Sweet Monday in her home all six years we lived in Virginia. Before my first son was born, I volunteered at Sweet Monday as the ministry grew and transitioned from a garage operation to a non-profit. Little did I know that one day I would be leading Sweet Monday from Brentwood, Tennessee.

I am most known for my work in women’s ministry, whether through Sweet Monday or Just Moved, and I am most proud of the connections I have made and the people I have met throughout all these years. Over 20 years and four moves around the globe, the world has become smaller.

Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
As for finding a mentor, pray for and don’t be afraid to go through those open doors. God has a way of connecting us to wonderful people through His divine appointments, but those connections might require a step of faith. There is always someone who has experienced what you are going through and can walk through it with you.

Likewise, you may be the one who can mentor others based on your journey in life. Lastly, if the doors aren’t opening for you, it may be time to open your door and welcome the people who live and work in your neighborhood and community. We all need each other, and life is truly better together.

You’re invited to attend: 

• Sweet Monday Nashville, the 2nd Monday of the month from 7 pm – 8:30 pm. Email Paula for location details.

Pricing for Hostesses:

• Sweet Monday in a Box – free
• One-time Hostess Fee – $9

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.sweetmonday.org
• Instagram: @sweetmondaysocials
• Facebook: sweetmondaysocials