This last weekend the Steering Team was blessed to be able to go to the MOPS International Convention in Orlando, FL. Our main goals were get new and exciting ideas for the group and for our families, and to be encouraged and challenged in our spiritual growth. I know all these goals were met. I thought we’d share a few things we learned here. On our October 2nd meeting we will be talking a bit more about it.
The most memorable moment for all of us was seeing Sara Groves perform. I was amazed by her ability to take the desires and thoughts of all mothers put them to music. Everyone’s favorite moment with her wasn’t when she was singing though! She brought her two month old daughter, Ruby, out on stage to introduce her. Just as she held Ruby up for everyone to see, Ruby spit up. And then spit up again. We all laughed so hard. Of all the places for the baby to do that, a convention for moms is it! And then, as the baby was taken away, she realized she still had spit up on her hand—and nothing to wipe it off with, so she just wiped it on her dress. If everyone in the audience didn’t love her before, they fell in love with her then. She’s a mom, just like us! She smells like spit up, just like us! She shops at Old Navy, just like us! Her little boys run around with her breast pads on their heads, just like…well, that’s never happened to me, but, oh, did I relate!
Other memorable moments from different team members:
One quote that stood out for me was by John Ortberg, during his talk about Embracing Your Calling. “The gift of a woman who knows, names and serves in her spiritual giftedness is the greatest gift you can give your family.” Our calling is to use the gifts God has given us to expand His kingdom here on Earth. How am I doing in that? I want to better know my spiritual gifts so I can use them in that calling and hear the voice of God telling me well done! –Tina, Publicity
“Through the Fun & Exciting Family time, I really took away that Church should not be our children’s primary spiritual trainer, we as moms and dads must be. Realistically, our children only get about 17 hours of spiritual training in church per year, so we must incorporate family time in our lives to train our children to love Jesus and devote their lives to serving and worshiping Him”.–Angie, Finance
From the session called ” A Walk on the Wild Side” by Lysa Terkeurst:
The prayer that changes everything:
God, I want to see you and have my perspective of life be through you and for you.
God, I want to hear you. I want to accept my portion of our relationship.
God, I want to know you. The real you as you know me.
So I can follow hard after you and apply all of me to the purposes you have in this life for me!
As far as testifying to others about Jesus, the quote was “People don’t want/care to meet Jesus until they’ve meet the Jesus in me.” We need to share what Christ has done for us before a nonbeliever will trust us!” –Jami, Discussion Group Team Leader
I was just overwhelmed with the amount of Mothers able to take time away to make their MOPS groups better places for everyone involved. It was a wonderful bonding experience for our steering team being that we are “New” to each other and we were just blessed to have the opportunity. –Mindy, Prayer & Care
