My Very First MOPS Friend by Esther Feng

I’d just moved to a new town. I had zero friends, one toddler, and a whole bunch of in-laws.

To say that I was lonely is the understatement of the year.

So I visited the MOPS group at my church.

Honestly, I thought it was weird they tried to collect money from me and asked for my address and phone number. I wondered what the deal was with the “mommy craft.” And the one person I tried to talk to seemed too distracted by her baby to really want to chat.

Ten minutes into it, I wanted to leave. But my kid had just stopped crying, so I thought I’d at least finish out the meeting.

Two and a half hours later, on my way to pick up my daughter, my DGL (discussion group leader) stopped and chatted with me. We shared an alma mater. She lived near me. And she invited me to come over for a play date.

She was so sweet; I couldn’t say no.

Now, eight years later, we’re still friends. She’s moved across the country, but we keep in touch…and I’m going to see her in just a couple weeks!

Over and over, we see that MOPS groups are incubators for relationship: women in the trenches of parenting coming together, living life together, loving their children together, and experiencing Jesus together.

As you’re beginning your MOPS year, I want to encourage you to reach out to the moms that show up: the new mom; the mom who is a mess; the mom who looks like she’s unimpressed with the craft you spent so much time preparing (that was me!); the mom who is shy; and the mom who is silently freaking out because her kid is still screaming in the nursery.

Whoever that mom is – you know, the one that God is bringing to your mind right now – just love her.

Here are some tangible ways to love her…

· Bring her a cup of coffee.

· Smile when you see her.

· Help her schlepp that diaper bag in.

· Invite her over for a play date.

· Call, text, email or Facebook message her.

· Offer to walk her child down to his room, if she’s busy chatting.

· Bring her dinner when the baby’s born.

And don’t do it just once. Do it again, and again, and again. Because you just might be cultivating a life long friendship.

What are some specific ways you cultivate friendships in your MOPS group?

Come to the community event near you on October 21st, 2011 from 7pm-9pm at Temple Baptist Church of Halfmoon, 142 Lower Newtown Rd. Waterford, New York.

(Any questions, email Esther at esther.feng@gmail.com or call at 315-464-0328; or check out the Facebook event page for further details: https://www.facebook.com/#!/event.php?eid=261894140499430 ; RSVP by Oct 7th.)

It’s a fantastic opportunity to meet other MOPS leaders in your area – and maybe even make a new friend.