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| Lauren Byrne |
Welcome spring! After what feels like
ages of cold weather and snow, we were greeted this morning with a beautiful blue sky and flowers popping out of their buds. A perfect way to start a MOPS day! On this delightful morning, our meeting started with a delicious and bountiful breakfast provided by the Green and Pink tables.
Lauren started us off with some announcements:
- Please let Lauren or Laurie Burke know if you would like to serve on Leadership next year
- The MOPS Dinner Date Party is Friday night @ 6:30 @ FBC. Let Lauren know ASAP if you'd like to come and have not rsvp'd
- Janet Mancini will be our guest speaker at the next meeting on 4/24. You won't want to miss her talk, "Loving Your Husband Well", as well as the Moms Night Out that night @ 7:30 with Janet at Lauren's house
- FBC's spring Bible studies have started up and there's still time to join - one meets Tuesday mornings at 9:30 and the other meets Wednesday evenings at 6:00. Childcare is provided at both meetings. Also, VBS will be the week of July 7-11th. You can find out more information on these events at www.fbcparkstreet.com
- The MOPS Convention will be October 2-4th in Louisville, KY. If you're interested in going, please talk to Laurie. We may have a contingent making a road trip! Registrations should be made by July 21st. Find out more information HERE
- The Hope Community Center will have a "Cville Biggest Loser" weight loss challenge kick-off event this Sunday April 13th from 3-5pm at the Pavilion downtown. Find out more information HERE
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| BethanyAnne Bahm |
Our very own BethanyAnne Bahm was our first speaker this morning. Originally from Texas, she shared with us about the blessing of coming to faith at a young age, yet it wasn't until she was an adult that she truly understood what it was like to trust fully in God and not on her own strength. She shared with us that often the hardest lessons to learn are the most important. After experiencing a succession of stressful and heart-wrenching trials beginning in 2010, BethanyAnne has made it her motto to trust God even when you don't see hope. She encouraged us to pull back and renew ourselves with the Word when we experience trials and reminded us that Jesus said
I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. Thank you BethanyAnne for blessing us with your story and your words of faith!
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| Rachel Gerber and Lauren |
Finally, former MOPS mama and now published author Rachel Gerber was our guest speaker this morning. Rachel spoke to us about how to be "blessed in the mess." Rachel and her husband, Shawn, have 3 boys between the ages of 2 and 7, so she knows a thing or two about messes. But life throws both little AND big messes our way, and sometimes in the midst of it, we just want to walk away. Or we wonder... where is God in the middle of all this? Or... why does God feel silent when I'm drowning here? Rachel reminded us that no one is exempt from these feelings; even Mother Teresa, in her personal letters, wondered where God was in her day-to-day life. If it can happen to her -- it can happen to us. Rachel offered many words of encouragement and guidance as she shared that God is still here & still present in our day-to-day lives. What we do each day is not a chore - it is holy work. Offering gratitude and remembering what God has done can change the position of our hearts. Thank you Rachel for being with us and for sharing your words of wisdom!
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| Rachel Gerber |
If you'd like to hear more from Rachel, you can check out her blog, Everything Belongs, HERE.
What a lovely meeting on a lovely day! See you at the next one on April 24th!
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