June 2016

Hello, Summer...we've conquered another amazing year, and are ready for another!!

Well ladies, you've done it!  A year of MOPS & MOMSnext for the books...and it's time to celebrate!!  If you haven't already, find a way to celebrate this year as a Leadership Team.  I don't know what that can look like for you...maybe a backyard or park picnic together; or even a group trip to Starbucks; how about a team dinner at a chain or local restaurant; or possibly a spa day together :-).  You decide...but make it a point to stop and celebrate what the Lord has done, and is doing, in your groups!  

Meanwhile, as you rest and re-group this summer, I'd like to recommend the following book on the topic of female leadership.  This is a book that we, as MVS, were gifted last year at MOMcon; then earlier this year did a Facebook book study on together.  It was fantastic!  It's a great read individually, and because it contains discussion questions at the end of each chapter, it also works great as a book study: https://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Hearted-Woman-Leadership-Qualities-Endearing/dp/1937830551?ie=UTF8&hvadid=47278522248&hvdev=c&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvpone=&hvpos=1t1&hvptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvrand=18273044897599384231&ref=pd_sl_5m3brt7qnd_b&tag=googhydr-20

Finally, please read through to the bottom of this post for important & exciting info, take a look at this blog with your computer to see & read the updated information in the sidebars and footer, then make sure to check-in for the upcoming conference calls listed below...

You ladies are amazing (I'm not just saying this!) <3
Better moms make a better world,

Nydia
For additional weekly encouragement:
www.oneordinarymom.com

COMMUNITY 24F News & Updates:

• WRAP-UP Coach-Coordinator Connect Call: Just like we gave our moms the opportunity to share their good things this year, it's now your turn, Coordinators!!  We have a celebration conference call scheduled for Monday, June 27th at 11am-12noon.  Call-in, encourage, and be encouraged with your (or someone else's) Fierce Flourishing story for this year!  As I hear from many of you, I walk away from our conversations inspired for more MOPS ministry...give yourself the opportunity for the same :-).  Check the Coordinator FB page, or your email, for the call-in info.

• MOMSnext Corner: In chatting with you ladies over this year, I've heard of more interest in, or plans to start, MOMSnext groups.  Woo-hoo!!...GO FOR IT!  We have several resources for those of you who are praying, talking about starting a MOMSnext group, or definitely planning to add this charter to your church's current MOPS charter:

1. If you're interested in a combined MOPS/MOMSnext setting, there is a brand NEW Facebook page for these combined leaders.  LMK if you'd like to be connected to this group...
2. Have you checked out the MOMSnext portion of the MOPS website http://www.mops.org/leader/momsnext?  You'll find the MOMSnext Handbook, specialized graphics, videos to show your pastor, topic ideas, and MORE!! 

• FINAL UPDATE: COME ALIVE 2016 Spring Leadership Training Event: Once again, many thanks to Rachael & the Leadership Team at MOPS of Victory Bible Church in Hammonton...they did a beautiful job hosting our spring training event!  For the first time in NJ we had over 50 MOPS Leaders present!  Ladies, this is a testimony to what the Lord is doing through the ministry of MOPS/MOMSnext, and to the health of your Leadership Teams...which translates into the health of your MOPS group.  So exciting!!!  I will be posting the PDF of the notes during our discussion time to the Coordinator FB page soon.  Coordinators, please feel free to share it with your LTs.

MOPS International News & Updates:

• Conference Call w/ MOPS CEO & President, MANDY ARIOTO: Wednesday, June 22nd, 2016 at 1:00 pm eastern for ALL MOPS/MOMSnext Leaders!! Join us as Mandy shares her vision for MOPS <3.  Coordinators, stay tuned to the Coordinator FB page for call-in details as soon as it becomes available, then please share it with your LTs.  "See" you on the call!

• 2016-2017 RENEWAL discounts ends on June 30th: We have less than two weeks to renew our group charters and mom memberships at the discounted prices: $159 for your group's charter renewal and $22.95 for mom membership renewals.  After June 30th the prices will be $199 and $24.95, respectively.  (FYI ~ Mentor mom memberships are $24.95, then $26.95)  Get those memberships in, ladies...the Group Experience Kits and mom membership kits have already started shipping for renewed groups!!

• MOMcon Registration is still OPEN: JOIN US in Milwaukee this September! It's your mom-business-trip; your opportunity to refresh as a woman, mom, and MOPS Leader.  We'll have leadership training workshops available a little earlier this year (starting on Thursday at 1pm), so plan ahead.  Imagine...pick-your-own workshops, amazing worship, a lot of information, training directly from MOPS staff in Denver...all within a circle of another 2,500 - 3,000 MOPS moms & leaders.  Ladies, this is a definite worthwhile investment for you, your family, and your MOPS group!!  See the sidebar for additional info, and follow this link to register: MOMcon 2016 - Registration.

Prayer Requests:

• MOPS Outside-of-the-Box: I wanted to share some exciting news...2 friends and I are in the midst of starting the first MOPS group in a public school!  We are working together with this elementary school's principal to bring parenting resources to the parents of her students.  We will meet monthly on a Friday night while the students participate in their monthly Literacy Night, and invite the moms to our groups for more MOPS.  If you're interested in more details of how, please get in touch with me (I am limited to how much I prefer to share on this blog).  However, I mostly want to encourage you ladies to keep an open ear to how God may be leading you to do MOPS/MOMSnext a little outside of the everyday box.  Is there a group of moms that is on your heart to reach?  Is there a place (like a local maternity ward, a coffee shop, or a soup kitchen) where you already know you can find a group of moms?  Pray...He'll lead you and show you what He is already doing, and how you can come along on His great adventure!

• New MOPS Groups / MOPS-group-sisterhood:  You must be praying because the Lord is continuing to open doors for more groups and/or the possibility of adding MOMSnext charters to existing MOPS charters!  Exciting!!  Every new MOPS group represents moms and families who are being reached with resources to support a woman through her motherhood journey, including a relationship with Christ.  If you know of another MOPS group near yours, please consider establishing a sister-like relationship to serve the moms in your community...even better!  For more information on what MOPS-group-sisterhood can look like...please ask me :-).

• 8 year-old Beckett Wyatt in VA: Beckett was just diagnosed with cancer...his mom is a MOPS mom in Midlothian, VA.  Here's the text her coach received last week:  "Beckett has stage 4 cancer. It is everywhere. It's bad. He has morphine for pain. He is upbeat though. He knows it's bad. The Drs say we can beat this but it's going to be rough. Biopsy tomorrow. Chemo next week. His spinal chord has issues so he has to lay flat. He is ridiculously cheerful. He says we fight and we are going to beat this. It looks for now like a year in the hospital. He will go to fourth grade here in a hospital. We are at VCU. I'm not sure what we need. Family is coming tomorrow. It sucks. But we fight. We will beat this. I have to believe that. Please keep us in your prayers." The following is the link to the GoFundMe account established by his mom: https://www.gofundme.com/29tytfdw.