February 2020
January 2020
by Deb Fahrendorff
Every January I wonder what the new year will bring. The Bible says we can stand on the promises of God because He is a God of love and hope. God knows and sees what is ahead. Even though we can’t control everything, we can take steps to make 2020 a great year.
This is the time to think about how we can be better. Not being better by simply doing more and getting additional items checked off our to-do list. It’s about being better by becoming more of who God already made us to be. I think there are many ways we can be a better version of ourselves, but a couple important ones are described in the Bible.
Let’s first talk about forgiveness. Matthew 18:21-22 says, “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”” Jesus is telling us to forgive repeatedly. The way He has forgiven us. Forgiveness is hard but remembering God’s continual forgiveness can help us forgive others.
Another important way we can be better is committing to love big. Luke 10:27 says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and love your neighbor as yourself.”
Our world would be a better place if we all were quick to forgive and chose to love big. Let’s make 2020 our year of becoming a better version of the person we already are in Christ.
Christmas 2019
by Kelly Woetzel
October 2019
by Carol Fullen
I’m sharing some thoughts from a blog that I follow (Hope Heals) that have both challenged and encouraged me as I deal with unexpected & difficult life situations:
“We want to be about opening our hands to release the expectations from the life we thought we’d have, while still giving our whole hearts to the life in front of us. We recognize that even in the letting go, new joy can still be found. Living in this tension has freed us from believing that all the outcomes were ours to hold so tightly in the first place. And in our open hands and within our whole hearts, we received more than we could have ever imagined.
May we all live with open hands and whole hearts ♥️ .
January 2020
by Deb Fahrendorff
Every January I wonder what the new year will bring. The Bible says we can stand on the promises of God because He is a God of love and hope. God knows and sees what is ahead. Even though we can’t control everything, we can take steps to make 2020 a great year.
This is the time to think about how we can be better. Not being better by simply doing more and getting additional items checked off our to-do list. It’s about being better by becoming more of who God already made us to be. I think there are many ways we can be a better version of ourselves, but a couple important ones are described in the Bible.
Let’s first talk about forgiveness. Matthew 18:21-22 says, “Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.”” Jesus is telling us to forgive repeatedly. The way He has forgiven us. Forgiveness is hard but remembering God’s continual forgiveness can help us forgive others.
Another important way we can be better is committing to love big. Luke 10:27 says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and love your neighbor as yourself.”
Our world would be a better place if we all were quick to forgive and chose to love big. Let’s make 2020 our year of becoming a better version of the person we already are in Christ.
Christmas 2019
by Kelly Woetzel
When I reflect on the many Christmas seasons that have come and gone, I wonder what advice would be most helpful for young moms to hear to make the Holiday meaningful and manageable. I decided some phone calls to the wise women in my life was in order. I asked my mom, mother-in-law, sisters and sister-in-law what advice I should pass on to the MOPS moms.
Here is what they had to say:
"Keep it simple. Don't go overboard. Because everything is so commercialized, bring Christ into it. Find ways to remind your kids that we are celebrating Jesus' birth!"
Mary Osborn (Mother)
"It is the build up to Christmas that they remember more than each individual Christmas morning. So those traditions that you do the same every year (cookies, decorating the home together, cutting down the tree, buying gifts for each other, that old Christmas CD) are really important. Also, fewer gifts are remembered more!"
Ann VanHeerden (Sister)
"Read the Christmas story to them before you open up presents. When they are little let them have a special nativity set that they can play with."
Carol Woetzel (Mother-in-law)
"Establish traditions ... and keep them going! Doing things together and the memories created are far more significant than the actual gifts we give them. Don't be afraid to add some new traditions as they get older. Don't be surprised if they still want to keep the old ones going!"
Kathy Postiglione (Sister)
"Start traditions with them and trust that those traditions will grow in meaning as they get older. Also, don't try and pack too much in on Christmas Eve and Christmas day. Be present in the moment you are in and don't rush through to the next thing."
Debi Friedrich (Sister)
"Do some sort of countdown to Christmas. Maybe when they are real little it will be very simple and take very little time. Advent calendars or books that build toward Christmas are really meaningful. Make sure you don't put pressure on yourself to make Christmas be perfect. Keep the atmosphere in your house full of joy!"
Sherri Woetzel (Sister-in-law)
Have a very blessed and Merry Christmas!
October 2019
by Barbara Leafblad
Before you saw the light of day...
Earlier this year, I gave a talk to the graduating seniors from our church based on a book about the life of Jeremiah by Eugene Peterson entitled Run With the Horses. I wanted to share with you Momma's a few excerpts from the talk. Let's try to integrate this truth into our lives and pass it on to our children as a way of Living Life to the Full.
Jeremiah 1:5 (The Message)
Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you.
Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you...
This is one of those rich verses that is so familiar that it risks being trivialized. It's a beautiful sentiment spoken over new babies and children, but it is so much more.
The book of Jeremiah starts with his name, his father's name and where he was born then launches right in to God's words to Jeremiah. We are not told what Jeremiah's parents were doing, we are told what God was doing...'Before I shaped you, I knew all about you.' This is upside down from our way of looking at God. We think God is someone we need to find, someone we have questions about, something to study...but that is not the reality of our life with God. Before it ever crossed our minds that God was important, God singled us out as important. Before were formed in the womb, God knew us. We are known before we know.
The fundamental mistake is to begin with ourselves and not God. God is the center from which all life develops. If we use our ego as the center from which to plot out our life story, we will live a life of puzzled foraging for identity and meaning. When I went off to college in 1970, the cultural message was literally "Go find yourself". What a colossal mistake to tell an 18 year old to go out into the world and find yourself...it took me decades to realize that was an impossible proposition. My life, your life, did not start with you, it started with God long before we were born. My identity does not start with what I think of myself, but rather what God thinks of me. Our task is not to craft an identity, but rather to learn to listen to what God is saying and doing through us. One of my favorite lines from a worship song we sing on Sundays, is "I am who You say I am".
Who does God say you are?...His Beloved Child!!! Let's live it, Sisters.
September 2019
by Annie Jacobsen
I LOVE Autumn! Everything about it is fun and cozy to me. I love the colors, the falling leaves, crackling fire, hot apple cider, and football games. I used to welcome the change - getting my kids back in school and starting new programs at church and, to be honest, having a little more routine and structure in my life after the freedom that summer offers.
But, I realize that often times changes can be hard on us, too. Sometimes our friends move or change, or we ourselves have to relocate or have we have health issues to deal with or new jobs or we lose loved ones. It’s tough stuff to handle. And when those times come around in our lives - we can (we get to!) really lean into God and appreciate His unchanging nature.
Scripture reminds us that seasons come and go and that we can focus on Him, who remains unchanged and IS unchanging.
“ Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.” Psalm 90:1-2
What a promise to hold on to!
So welcome, sweet ladies, to this new year at MOPS! We hope it will be a invigorating and refreshing season in your lives!
But, I realize that often times changes can be hard on us, too. Sometimes our friends move or change, or we ourselves have to relocate or have we have health issues to deal with or new jobs or we lose loved ones. It’s tough stuff to handle. And when those times come around in our lives - we can (we get to!) really lean into God and appreciate His unchanging nature.
Scripture reminds us that seasons come and go and that we can focus on Him, who remains unchanged and IS unchanging.
“ Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.” Psalm 90:1-2
What a promise to hold on to!
So welcome, sweet ladies, to this new year at MOPS! We hope it will be a invigorating and refreshing season in your lives!
