As this post comes online, I am standing in front of more than 2,000 mothers of preschoolers and other assorted guests who’ve gathered in Nashville, TN, for the 2011 MOPS Convention. As chair of the MOPS board, it’s my privilege to welcome the crowd to this year’s extravaganza and to open Convention with prayer.
Along with the young moms staring back at me, you are likely wondering why a woman of my mature years is involved with this organization. There’s no hiding the fact that I’m more a NOP (Nana of Preschoolers) than a MOP.
My reply?
I’m here because I believe in the mission of MOPS International. I’m proud to have a small part in bringing 100,000 or more moms a year one step closer to Jesus. The thing I love most about Convention are the stories of women who’ve been transformed by faith as a result of participation in a MOPS group. Within the burgeoning arena of mothering resources, MOPS’ niche is guiding young moms toward faith-filled parenting.
I’m here because I want to have a part in helping grow healthy churches that are bursting at the seams with young families. Our research tells us that a MOPS program is the doorway by which not just moms, but whole families, find their way into congregational life. I’m on a mission to introduce as many pastors as possible to the church growth potential that comes with a MOPS group.
I’m here because I enjoy working behind the scenes to help make a ministry organization the best that it can be. To a lot of people, board work is — well — boring, but that has not been my experience. I’ve been a member of some sort of board almost nonstop for close to 30 years, and every one of them has provided amazing opportunities for personal, professional, and spiritual growth. So far, my MOPS experience has been more of the same.
So that’s why a woman of my mature years is involved with MOPS. I am grateful that helping “better moms make a better world” doesn’t come with an age limit. I’m grateful that there’s room for lots of folks to get involved with MOPS. That’s why I’m here.
Interesting…I had wondered 🙂
Very funny, Leah. You, too, would be a old woman to this crowd. It happens to the best of us.
I love that Moms of all ages love MOPS!
Thanks to you, too, Kristin, for your enthusiastic comments about MOPS on your blog. It was a great Convention and I came away even more in awe of wonderful women like you who are MOPS on the ground.
It never occurred to me that any woman was ever too old to go to a MOPS convention… mentor moms have been such a big part of my own MOPS experience that it seemed natural to have women of all ages at convention!
Jennifer, You’ve put your finger on one of the things I treasure about MOPS — the intergenerational character of the local groups. When people looked surprised that I am on the MOPS board, I point the role of women of all ages.
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