Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Looking back at my first MOPS

In early 2003 my family moved to OKC from T-town, my hubby and I had a 6 month old baby girl and we didn’t know a soul. We’d been married 8 years and we’d only gone to church a handful times. Mostly we were uncomfortable and intimidated. Andy was disillusioned about Christianity due to the party-tonight-repent-tomorrow attitude of the church he grew up in and I had asked Jesus into my heart at countless campfires at  Rawhide Ranch camp when I was a kid, but basically I was confused and lost, and I had a longing to raise my daughter so that she wouldn’t be.
 
When we moved here, my husband was taking a new job and I was beginning my new career as a stay-at-home mom. I wanted to meet other moms. My mom told me about MOPS (a neighbor had told her about it), so I looked it up online, and found Metropolitan MOPS.
 
I found MOPS to be warm and welcoming… and the speakers inspiring. My daughter was lovingly rocked by a precious MOPPETS worker. It was her first time away from me and though it was hard for both of us, I was felt comfortable that she was secure and loved. The meeting was great. I think I painted a picture frame –that still, six years later, proudly displays a picture of our family in her room. We munched on breakfast and heard a dear lady share about friendship. I was eventually invited to my first Bible Study by someone in my small group, and within a few months, our family began attending church at MBC. Our lives have changed so much for the better, we have grown so much here! I pray that God will keep on growing us into a closer relationship with Him. And I believe He will!

You know what? My story is not unique! Last Year, six MOPS Moms came to a Bible Study on Thursday mornings. For at least one, it was the first one she’d ever been to. God uses MOPS to draw Moms to Him. And I am sooo thankful!