You Are Mighty ~ We Are Mentors ~ And We’re in This Together

May 5, 2013 By

It’s a week before Mother’s Day and I thought it was a perfect time to share this video that I found in my inbox the other day from Lisa-Jo Baker. LOVED it and wanted to share it with you as a pre-Mother’s Day reminder!

Not only does it remind moms of who they are and the beautiful calling on their lives to press on even when motherhood is tough, but there’s a portion in this video that says, “We are with you…”

You hold the heart of the next generation in your hand. It will be shaped by you. Not just your child’s heart, but the heart of a whole generation is being molded by this generation of moms.

YOU are making a difference. YOU are changing the world. YOU have the biggest job on the planet. YOU are strong. YOU are significant. YOU are a MOM!

And that means YOU are MIGHTY!

Do it well, sweet mom! This is your time. This is your chance to leave your imprint on the heart of those who will come behind you.

Oh, DO IT WELL!

And we are here to walk through this motherhood thing with you!

That’s what The M.O.M. Initiative is all about. Mentors who are there with you through motherhood. Mentors who have walked in your shoes and know how hard and messy motherhood can be. Mothers who have mothered your generation are here to help you mother the next generation. Mothers who long to leave an unbroken legacy of faith for the you and those precious children who you are raising.

You are strong, sweet mom! And we are here to help you remain strong.

And when you begin to feel like you can’t go on, we are here to lift you up.

And when you feel you have nothing left to give, we help you discover the power that has been there all the time.

And when you feel you faith is gone, we remind you that God is faithful, even when we are not.

And when your children test your last never, we help you discover you have one more.

You are stronger than you know you are. You are wiser than you give yourself credit. You are mighty. We are mentors. And we’re in this together.

If you are receiving this by email, please click here to view…I promise you’ll be glad you did!

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A Letter to Younger Women

April 17, 2013 By
BEFORE WE DIVE INTO TODAY’S POST, WE WANT TO ANNOUNCE THE WINNER OF RENEWED BY LUCILLE ZIMMERMAN…. CONGRATULATIONS GOES TO LEANNE THORNTON!
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Dear Younger Women,I am so thankful that God has brought you into my life.  I love our times together, and cherish each moment we have. As we walk this journey together, there are things you need to know.  I’d like take a few minutes to share some things with you:

  • Just because I am older, does not mean I have it all together.  I am learning and growing too. Please don’t put me on a pedestal or expect me to be perfect. I  will let you down. I don’t want to let you down…but I will.  Much of mentoring is observing the lives of others.   Watch me live, but please don’t expect to see perfection.
  • Women in my season of life face challenges too. Our children may be older, but  they still weigh heavy on our hearts.  Not only are we facing the challenges of having older children, and the fact that those precious people we have raised are now leaving our home, but we are also in a season of watching our parents age and pass away.  It is a huge transition season. We are facing menopause. We get tired. We get emotional. We grow weary. We are watching our bodies age.  Just because we are older, doesn’t mean that our life is easy.  Please keep that in mind.
  • I am not your hope.  Please don’t make me your focus or try to do everything my way.  If I am a good mentor, I will constantly point you to God and challenge you to pray about how you should live your life.  Just because I have done something a certain way, doesn’t mean it is the way you should be.  God knows you better than I ever will.  Seek my counsel, but always focus on God. He is your hope.  I am not.
  • I cannot revolve my schedule around you.  I love our time together, but I have a home,  family and other responsibilities that I am called to.  I am trying to be faithful to live my calling well.  There are other people in my life who need my time.  If I am late for a scheduled time together, or have to cancel, please be patient with me.  I am doing the best I can to  serve you, and many others at the same time.
  • Sometimes I have to say “No”. If there is a time that I cannot meet with you, or am not available for some reason, please don’t take it personally.  My lack of time will never reflect my heart for you. I love you and desire to spend time with you, but there are going to be times it is just not possible.  Sometimes my desire to serve others takes over, and I over commit myself.  I don’t want to do that, but I do.  Please pray for me that I would know how the Lord wants me to spend my time.
  • Let’s try to communicate in person or over the phone. My generation is not the texting generation.  I love the option of texting, and have alot of fun with it, but I don’t want that to become our way of communicating.  So much can be lost in a text.  Misunderstandings can happen.  Sometimes I forget to carry my phone, or don’t respond right away.  Please take it at face value, and don’t take it personally.
  • I cannot read your mind.  I don’t always know what you need.  Please tell me.  I will pray for you, be there as I am able, and do whatever I can to help you practically, and spiritually.  But you have to let me know what you need.  I will never purposefully neglect you, but I might miss something.  I need you to be open with me.
  • Again, I am not your hope.  Only God will meet your deepest needs at every level.  My goal is to  come along side you and strengthen you in God, so that when the day comes that I am not there, you will be depending on Him, and not me.
As I keep in mind that you are still young and learning, I strive to see you through eyes of grace, knowing you are in a process of growth and maturity.  Please try to see me through that lens as well.  I may not be young anymore, but I am still learning and maturing.  I need to be seen through eyes of grace.
Thank you so much for allowing me to be a small part of your life.
Love,
An Older Woman

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SUBSCRIBE to receive your FREE copy of Overwhelmed today!

AND/OR

SIGN UP to BEGIN a M.O.M. Initiative Mentor Group in your area! You will also receive a FREE copy of Overwhelmed and as a ministry tool, please feel free to make as many copies as you need.

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Dancing with Nana

January 23, 2013 By

 

By Guest: Michelle Lazurek

 

“Nana, do you know how to dance?” At age seven, I longed to glide gracefully across a dance floor and envisioned myself doing so in a long, flowing dress.

She chuckled to herself and answered, “We moved a little differently than you kids do today, but all dancing begins with a few basic steps.”

“Can you show me? Please?”

I knew Nana, one of the most important people in my life, would never refuse my request. Because she lived in the adjacent house, I spent more time with her than just about anyone. I fondly remember going over to her house to have dinner on Sunday evenings. When Nana strolled into the kitchen, she’d lift the lid and let me inhale the steam from the garlic infused potatoes and peered into the oven to watch the moist droplets of roast beef drip into the underlying pan.

images-2During the summer, I would sleep over at Nana’s. I remember packing my things, tucking a box of Frosted Flakes cereal under my arm and making the long trek next door. I loved spending my weekends there, watching while Nana finished her crossword puzzle at the kitchen table. Occasionally, we rocked slowly back and forth in matching rocking chairs as we enjoyed the cool breeze of late summer. We talked for hours about whatever was on my mind. And sometimes we sat silently, merely enjoying each other’s company. She taught me a lot about how the world works—how to sew on a button or the magic of putting ketchup on my scrambled eggs. And on one of these carefree summer days I asked her to teach me to dance.

Nana bounced her wiry frame over to me and asked me to stand in the middle of the kitchen floor. “I’ll show you the box step. Put you hand on my waist here.” She grabbed my hand and placed it on her right hip and clasped my other hand in hers lifting it above her head.

We began to dance. I placed my left foot to my left, then in front of me, then the right, then back to where I started. I slid my finger across the back of her hand, noticing prominent wrinkles firmly embedded in the leathery exterior. Nana hummed a made-up tune as our movements became swifter, keeping time by repeating the same four words: One two three four.

And so we danced, the minutes slipping away, enjoying each other’s company, pushing toward the same goal, delighting in the joy of our rhythms.

One two three four.

The mentoring relationship works much the same as dancing. Two people draw together, invited into each other’s space. One leads the other, going through the motions in an effort to dance. Awkward at first, each one gives and takes in order to create the rhythm, each person taking a turn at being the leader, and then being led. Slowly, as the partners practice together and commit to the dance, their movements become one, and dance in time to the beat of the music that is their spiritual journey. The Lord yearns to cut in, inviting you to His dance.

My Nana, My Mentor

My nana played an important part of my life. Most of my most relished childhood memories include her. In addition to teaching me about life, she also had an incredible hand in my spiritual formation. Every week she took me to church, where I was introduced to God. Although my theology has changed quite a bit over the years, she instilled in me the value of consistent church attendance and the importance of being part of a church community. As a pastor’s wife and church planter, this love for the church has fueled me and spurred me on toward love and good deeds (see Hebrews 10:24–25). If it were not for my relationship with my nana, I might not be the person I am today.

The mentoring relationship is the same as dancing. The leader, who has a basic knowledge of the rhythmic timing and format of the dance, leads another or—in our culture of support groups and small groups—others as they learn how to dance. On occasion, these people step on each others’ toes and prevent each other from learning the dance. But in the same way as I allowed my nana to lead me, the apprentices of the group submit to the leader, who, in turn, dances with them until they have refined all aspects of the dance. Soon, each member is gliding along the dance floor, the timing and rhythm of each movement executed flawlessly in one fluid movement.

Think about the relationships in your own life. Which ones have shaped you into the person you are today? Are you still in contact with any of those people? What does the relationship look like today? Do you impact others’ lives as those people have influenced yours? As God brings to mind the lessons you have learned from those experiences, pray about who might benefit from those lessons in your own life.

I want to encourage you to find someone who needs mentoring. This can be anyone—from the woman behind the coffee shop counter to the person sitting next to you at church. Mentoring is the key by which disciples are made. If a master doesn’t pass on his knowledge and expertise to a willing apprentice, the next generation will not be equipped to carry on the legacy that came before her. All of us have stories that have influenced us, experiences that have shaped us, both positively and negatively.

Someone in your life is waiting to dance. Will you invite her to join you?

 

A bit about Michelle:

Michelle S. Lazurek is a pastor’s wife, author, speaker and proud She Speaks Graduate. She empowers people to live out the stories God has written for their lives. Her first book Becoming the Disciple Whom Jesus Loved: Discover your Character in God’s Love Story and her blog can be found at www.michellelazurek.com

 

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SUBSCRIBE to receive your FREE copy of Overwhelmed today!

AND/OR

SIGN UP to BEGIN a M.O.M. Initiative Mentor Group in your area! You will also receive a FREE copy of Overwhelmed and as a ministry tool, please feel free to make as many copies as you need.

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5 Types of Mentees That Drive Mentors Crazy & 1 MORE GIVEAWAY & SIGN UP to LEAD A M.O.M. INITIATIVE MENTOR GROUP

January 11, 2013 By

We had a GREAT TIME with Lisa Shaw on her radio show, The Whole Woman, yesterday! If you weren’t able to join us, you can click the link, pop over and take a listen now. 

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Overwhelmed_3D_ClearAND THE WINNERS OF YESTERDAY’S GIVEAWAYS ARE…

Understanding What Matters Most by Stephanie Shott ~ Jenn 

$50 gift card to Artfire shop http://kraftymax.artfire.com ~(http://www.facebook.com/kraftymaxoriginals) ~ Rebecca (a new email subscriber)

 

AND DON’T FORGET…

OVERWHELMED  is NOW available for ALL subscribers! BUT you can also SIGN UP to START a M.O.M. INITIATIVE MENTOR GROUP IN YOUR AREA.

CLICK HERE and let THE MENTORING BEGIN!

 

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AND…HERE IS TODAY’S GIVEAWAY…

(ENTER TO WIN TODAY’S GIVEAWAY BY SUBSCRIBING OR COMMENTING)

$25 AMAZON Giftcard

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And now for another fun and quirky post by Stephanie Shott:

Yesterday, I shared five types of mentors that drive a mentee crazy, but the reverse can be just as true!

When a mentor/mentee relationship is not a match made in heaven, it can be exasperating for a mentor who spends time praying and preparing for a sweet mom just because she sincerely loves her and longs to help her in her journey.

Today, we’re going to share a few ways a mentee can drive a mentor crazy:



Know it all copy

1. MISS “I’VE GOT THIS”  ~ The mentee who doesn’t think she needs any help, doesn’t want to accept your help and is either too brave for her britches or not wise enough to know she really does need help.

She’s the young mom who is either trying to be all and do all and measure up to those Pinterest Perfect moms who don’t really exist, or the one who is oblivious to how important her role as a mother is and how much value there is in learning from those who have walked that road before.

She wants it to appear as if she has everything under control, but her heart is on overload and she doesn’t realize the road ahead is not going to get any easier.

You try to help her but she constantly says, “I’ve got this!” You don’t want to give up on her because you know she definitely doesn’t have it all together. You pray she realizes it soon.

 

Woman Turning Off Alarm2. UNRELIABLE LUCY ~ The mentee who is never on time, never prepared, and always has an excuse.

She’s the mom who doesn’t know how to handle life and so life handles her. She lacks motivation but uses a lack of discipline as her excuse. “I just can’t get there on time!” “I didn’t have time to read this week!” “I tried to work on the budget you were helping me with, but I just ran out of time!”

You try to just ignore her excuses and do what you can with the little time she gives you. She doesn’t value your time, your energy, your passion to help her or your prayers.

You see so much potential, but the sad thing is, she doesn’t. She won’t take charge or responsibility for her life and so she continues to drift.

Each week, you hope she makes some baby steps, but you see her slipping through your fingers and it breaks your heart.

 

Beautiful Woman Enjoys Coffee3. OVER ZEALOUS ZELDA ~ The mentee who is over zealous and definitely over caffeinated. She is SO excited to see you and SO anxious to dive in that she makes you SO nervous it’s hard to think.

She’s the passionate people pleaser who wears you out just being around her. She’s as precious as she can be, but a bit needy, and she has a hard time staying still long enough to listen.

In fact, she reminds you of Tiger, from Whinnie the Pooh.

You LOVE her enthusiasm. She’s always on time – always prepared. You just aren’t quiet sure if she can calm down long enough to have a constructive conversation with her. When you try, she’s all over the place.

Never confident, always antsy and frequently eager, Over Zealous Zelda keeps you on the edge of your seat and makes you wonder if something you say is going to send her on a tangent.

She doesn’t really listen very well. She has a tendency to take what you say and somehow misinterpret it, then wonders why things didn’t work out.

You love mentoring her, but you don’t know if you can keep up her pace and you constantly wonder if what you share is bouncing off the walls in her head.

 

day dreamer4. DAYDREAMER DEBBIE ~ The mentee that can’t seem to pay attention to any conversation you may try to have with her. It’s like you’re invisible. You’re talking, but nobody is home.

We all know people who may be present physically, but mentally, they have checked out. Sometimes they try to appear to be interested. Other times, they really don’t care if you know they’re not.

Their minds are always meandering and their hearts are far away.

She’s distant, detached and aloof.

She makes conversations awkward and walks in the room with a wall around her heart.

You want to continue to mentor her but you realize that she’s completely uninterested in having any type of relationship except the ones she deems valuable. You wish she knew how much you love her and want to share the load of mommy-hood with her, but she really doesn’t care.

 

Excuse Me!5. MISS “BLESS ME IF YOU CAN!” ~ She has no intentions of listening to anything you say and honestly thinks you have nothing to offer.

She thinks you are wasting her time and she is only there because she feels like she has to be. Her church has a mentor ministry and she wants to look good, so she signs up with no intention of really growing in a relationship with an older mom.

She thinks she knows everything and you couldn’t possibly relate to where she is and what she is going through. And you certainly couldn’t give her help or encouragement. You’re too old.

She constantly checks her phone while you’re talking and even stops you mid-sentence to text message a friend.

You long to have a relationship with her, but she’s really completely uninterested. You know her strong personality can be something to help her through life, but you also know it might just be her downfall.

So, there you have it. Five types of mentees that drive mentors crazy.

We all know that there is such beauty in mentor/mentee relationship! It’s beautiful because it’s what God has called us to.

Sometimes it comes naturally…often unintentionally. But other times it must be intentionally if it is to be, at all.

It’s not easy. It’s seldom convenient and it’s often challenging. But mentoring a mom will not only make a difference in her life, it will impact her children as well.

A mentor and a mentee who respect one another and who enter into a relationship with sincerity…well, that really is a life-altering and beautiful thing!

How about you? Have you ever been one of these types of mentees? Have you ever tried to mentor a mentee that was like one of the five types of mentees listed above? Share your mentee nightmare?

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5 Types of Mentors That Drive Mentees Crazy & 2 MORE GIVEAWAYS & SIGN UP to LEAD A M.O.M. INITIATIVE MENTOR GROUP

January 10, 2013 By

TODAY at 11 a.m,  six of the M.O.M.s from the The M.O.M. Initiative team will be on Lisa Shaw’s Radio Show, The Whole Woman!!! We all LOVE Lisa Shaw… founder and host of The Whole Woman! PLEASE JOIN US at 11:00 a.m. Eastern time!

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Overwhelmed_3D_ClearAND THE WINNERS OF YESTERDAY’S GIVEAWAYS ARE…

  • Just Too Busy PLUS the Leader’s Guide by Joanne Kraft ~ Teri Lynn Hatcher
  • Making Money from Home by Donna Partow ~ Melinda T

AND DON’T FORGET…

OVERWHELMED  is NOW available for ALL subscribers! BUT you can also SIGN UP to START a M.O.M. INITIATIVE MENTOR GROUP IN YOUR AREA.

CLICK HERE and let THE MENTORING BEGIN!

 

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AND…HERE ARE TODAY’S GIVEAWAYS…

(ENTER TO WIN ONE OF TODAY’S GIVEAWAYS BY SUBSCRIBING OR COMMENTING)

Ecclesiastes JPEG pic SmallUnderstanding What Matters Most

by Stephanie Shott

 

 

yellow_and_red_beadwoven_bracelet_for_creations_color_challenge_44bc8731$50 gift card to Artfire shop http://kraftymax.artfire.com

(http://www.facebook.com/kraftymaxoriginals)

 

 

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And now for today’s fun and quirky post by Stephanie Shott:

Let’s face it, not all mentor/mentee relationships were made in heaven. Some can be tough. At times personalities don’t gel. That’s human nature and a wise mentor will see that she’s not the girl for the job and gently remove herself while trying to replace herself at the same time.

There’s something beautiful about a mentor/mentee relationship that works, but that doesn’t always happen.

It’s like a ship that sets sail with two people on it. Sometimes they enjoy the ride, other times they’re ready to throw each other overboard. :-)

At times, the mentee is to blame. Other times, it’s the mentor who is responsible for mucking up the mentor waters and making a mentee want to throw her overboard. And then there are times when it’s just not working for either of them and it’s really no one’s fault.

Today, we’re going to share a few ways in which a mentor can blow it with a mentee:

images-41. SMARTY-PANTS BULLY ~ The Mentor Momma who KNOWS EVERYTHING and for some reason, she always seems ANGRY ~

If you’ve ever been around someone who thinks she has all the answers and comes across like she’s ready to bite your head off, you know exactly what I’m talking about. She’s intimidating… daunting. She makes you feel like you can never do anything right and you certainly don’t want to ask Mrs. Know-It-All any questions.

Every time she leaves, you wonder why in the world she would ever mentor a mother and you hope she decides you’re wasting her time so she won’t come back.

You’d tell her you don’t want her to come back yourself, but the thought of doing that scares the bajeebers out of you.

Like the bully in grade school, she thinks she knows everything and always acts like she’s mad at you.

 

Unknown-2

2. NOSY NELLIE ~ The Mentor Momma who seems to think she has to have her nose in your business in order to be a good mentor.

We’ve all known someone who thought her job was to mind your business instead of her own. The one who asks probing and personal questions that catch you off guard leave you feeling very uncomfortable.

She makes you wonder if what you tell her will be held in confidence because she spends most of your time together talking about other people.

You begin to avoid spending time with her because she’s so stinkin’ nosy. Finally, you find yourself leaving the house before she gets there to run an ‘emergency’ errand so you can miss your scheduled time with her.

Like the nosy high school friend you avoided, Nosy Nellie has a knack for running people off and then wonders why no one wants to spend any time with her.

 

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3. LOUSY LISTENER ~ The Mentor Momma who is there to tell you about all her troubles and leaves you wondering if she will ever be quiet.

We all know it’s not easy to be around someone who is so busy talking about themselves that they never stop long enough to listen. They’re relentless and they drive you crazy! All you can think of is, “Could someone PLEASE stop her!”

She really doesn’t have any interest in mentoring you. She is there to talk. And talk. And talk.

You start fidgeting in your chair and waiting for the second she stops long enough to catch her breath so you can tell her that you need to go to the grocery store, or take the dog to the vet, or get to your doctor’s appointment…something, anything to get away from the non-stop rambling.

You thought she was there to mentor you, but she’s a lousy listener who would rather talk your ear off than take time to listen to the one she should be ministering to.

 

images-34. DOUBLE TROUBLE ~ The Mentor Momma who thinks she needs to bring in reinforcements and gang up on you to get her point across.

You know her. She’s the one who can’t be just ONE. She seems to have the need to bring someone else into your very personal conversation and makes you feel like you’re being battered by both of them.

She told you everything would be confidential and then she shows up with someone else to tell you twice what she has already told you once.

She’s like the girl in high school who always had to have other girls around to validate her. When you see her coming, you know it’s really double trouble because someone else will be with her to mimic what she says. So you try to avoid her like the plague.

 

 

images-15. EXCUSE MAKING MOMMA ~ The Mentor Momma who has an excuse for everything. She tends to run late, isn’t prepared, doesn’t have her act together and constantly makes excuses for herself.

We all have friends like this. They leave you waiting at Starbucks for 30 minutes and when they get there, they give you the same excuse as they gave you last week.

They told you to read through chapters 1 through 5 of Overwhelmed and you did. But when she arrives she lays out a list of excuses as to why she couldn’t come prepared.

She doesn’t have any problems making plans. She just can’t seem to keep them. Maybe it’s because she doesn’t remember the plans she makes.

It’s always someone else’s fault that she struggles with being unorganized. It’s always someone else’s fault that she lost her keys or loses her temper.

She’s like your little brother who loved to play the blame game and point his fingers at you. She’s an excuse making momma and she simply wears you out with her excuses.

So, there you have it. Five types of mentors that drive mentees crazy.

The mentor/mentee relationship is really such a beautiful thing. It is meant to strengthen both the mentor and the mentee. It’s a pouring out and a drinking in. Two women doing life together. Maybe not forever. Perhaps just for a season. 

But it’s a journey the two take together. Laughing together, crying together, praying together and doing life together.

That, sweet sister, is what mentoring is all about.

And when it works, there’s nothing like it.

And when it doesn’t, it’s not time to give up on the wonders of a Titus 2 relationship. It’s just time to find a new Titus 2 mentor or time for the Titus 2 mentor to be a woman whose footprints are worth following.

Do you have any mentoring horror stories? Would you be a mentor that would fall in any of the 5 categories above? How can you make sure you’re leaving footprints worth following? 

 

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Begin a M.O.M. Initiative Mentor Group In Your Area

January 6, 2013 By

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YOU CAN GET OVERWHELMED FREE BY SUBSCRIBING TO OUR WEBSITE. IT’S OUR GIFT TO YOU…THE OVERWHELMED MOM.

But you can also begin A M.O.M. Initiative Mentor Group in your area and use Overwhelmed as a FREE resource to mentor another mother.

You see, NOW, more than ever, moms need mentoring mommas who are willing to share the gift of themselves!

NOW, more than ever, Titus 2 mommas are ready to step up to the plate and pour their lives into moms!

YOU CAN BE PART OF THE REVOLUTION

OF WOMEN WHO ARE READY AND WILLING TO

TAKE TITUS  2 TO THE STREETS!

 

BEGIN a M.O.M. Initiative Mentor Group in your area and begin to change the world, one mom at a time!

We have provided a 6 week experience with 31 stories from real moms who have walked in the shoes of the overwhelmed mom and found hope, healing and victory through walking with God and applying biblical truths to everyday life.

In Overwhelmed ~ 31 Stories from M.O.M., they share their stories.

Overwhelmed is coming out on January 7th and it is our gift to the body of Christ…a FREE resource to help you begin or expand your mentoring ministry. Like Facing Our Fears ~ 31 Stories from M.O.M., Overwhelmed gives mentors the tools, the confidence and the support they need to boldly step into their Titus 2 shoes and nurture those mentor/mentee relationships.

THIS IS OUR GENERATION to make a difference for such a time as this.

The M.O.M. Initiative is here for you. To be a “mentoring hub” of sorts. A place where mentors can find resources and support and share their information, so that young moms in search of a mentor can find a mentor in their area, as well as the support and encouragement they need.

NOW IS THE TIME! WILL YOU JOIN THE REVOLUTION OF WOMEN WHO ARE WILLING AND READY TO PUT THEMSELVES OUT THERE AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

SIGN UP TODAY and you will receive Overwhelmed ~ 31 Stories from M.O.M. when it comes out on January 7th.

In Overwhelmed, each story includes reflective questions specifically designed to serve as conversation prompts and help foster the mentor/mentee relationship as you navigate the life of an overwhelmed mom together.

Here’s a brief look at what a mentoring ministry might look like for you:

  • Schedule a time and place to meet weekly for six weeks.
  • You and the mentee will read through 5 stories each week and be prepared when you meet together each week.
  • As a mentor, you can rest in knowing, this biblically-based resource includes questions at the end of each story that are specifically designed to be a catalyst for conversation. This will give you, as a mentor, the confidence to know you won’t have to worry about that awkward silence that would normally leave you scrambling for something to say.
  • The questions are also written to help you, as a mentor, reflect on your own story and share your failures as well as your successes with the kind of sincere transparency that will assure your mentee that she is not alone and that her mentor isn’t Pinterest perfect either.
  • Your time together is a tool to nurture a relationship that will hopefully last long past the book.

Need some ideas as to where you can become intentionally missional about mentoring?

Churches, para-minisitries, MOPS groups, MOMS Club International and individuals can use Overwhelmed as a mentoring tool to not only mentor moms within the church, but to go beyond her four walls and minister to moms in low income apartment complexes, neighborhoods, crisis pregnancy centers, homeless shelters, juvenile shelters and wherever moms can be found.

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Help Lead an OVERWHELMED Study & Begin a M.O.M. Initiative Group In Your Church or Ministry

January 5, 2013 By

Overwhelmed_3D_Clear

The emails keep coming…

  • “I would love, love, love to be a mentor! How do I go about it?”
  • I would like to know how I can go about signing up for a mentor. I am a single mom and would love to have a mentor.
  • “Do you have groups that meet in churches and if so how would we go about opening ours to do that?”
  • “What an amazing, wonderful, idea I sure wish something like this had been around when I younger. I am a grandma to 10 and mother to 4. Please let me know what I do next. God bless you for starting this. I am praying now for all those mentor.”
  • “I’m the president of a local MOPS group and a state coordinator for MOMS Club international and I will be using ‘Facing Our Fears’ with some moms at our MOPS group.”

Emails reflecting that there is definitely a resurgence of Titus 2 women ready to step into their God-given mentoring shoes.

Emails asking if there is a sweet mentor mom in their area who can help them in their journey as a mom. Many are overwhelmed with it all, some just long for the wisdom an older mom can give.

It’s a beautiful thing when women rise up and willingly and lovingly pour their lives into the lives of other mothers and begin not only impacting those moms for Christ, but impacting the generations that are to follow.

But many have felt like they lacked resources and support.

Maybe you’ve felt that way too.

BUT THIS IS OUR TIME TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS GENERATION.

The M.O.M. Initiative is asking you to SIGN UP and begin a M.O.M. Initiative group in your church, ministry or as an individual mentor.

Our goal is to bridge the gap between a mom’s need for a mentor and the church’s need for resources and support.

To be a hub for mentors, churches, ministries and moms to connect with one another and WE ARE ASKING YOU TO LINK HEARTS AND HANDS AND CHANGE THE WORLD ONE MOM AT A TIME.

Overwhelmed ~ 31 Stories from M.O.M. is coming out on Monday, January 7th and it is our gift to the church, to ministries and to mentors who are looking to begin or expand their mentoring ministries.

Overwhelmed provides a six week study with five stories each week. Each story includes reflective questions specifically designed to serve as conversation prompts and help foster the mentor/mentee relationship as you navigate the life of an overwhelmed mom together.

Here’s a brief look at what a mentoring ministry might look like for you:

  • Schedule a time and place to meet weekly for six weeks.
  • You and the mentee will read through 5 stories each week and be prepared when you meet together each week.
  • As a mentor, you can rest in knowing, this biblically-based resource includes questions at the end of each story that are specifically designed to be a catalyst for conversation. This will give you, as a mentor, the confidence to know you won’t have to worry about that awkward silence that would normally leave you scrambling for something to say.
  • The questions are also written to help you, as a mentor, reflect on your own story and share your failures as well as your successes with the kind of sincere transparency that will assure your mentee that she is not alone and that her mentor isn’t Pinterest perfect either.
  • Your time together is a tool to nurture a relationship that will hopefully last long past the book.

This is a great mentoring tool for churches, MOPS groups, MOMS Club International and other ministries. The body of Christ can make mentoring intentionally missional by taking Titus 2 to the streets and using this FREE resource in low income neighborhoods, apartment complexes, women’s shelters, crisis pregnancy centers, homeless shelters, juvenile shelters, prisons and wherever young moms can be found.

IF YOU, YOUR CHURCH OR YOUR MINISTRY are ready to start or expand your mentoring ministry, we would like to help. SIGN UP TO RECEIVE OVERWHELMED and we will list your church or organization on our online directory, making it easy for moms who are looking for mentors to locate a M.O.M. Initiative Mentor Group in their area.

ALL SUBSCRIBERS WILL RECEIVE A FREE COPY OF OVERWHELMED ~ 31 STORIES FROM M.O.M.

BUT, if you’d like to sign up to lead an OVERWHELMED study and begin a M.O.M. Initiative Group in your area, please click this link.

Be part of the revolution and lets change the world…ONE. MOM. AT. A. TIME!

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Cold Coffee

December 27, 2012 By

images-2I poured the steaming dark brown liquid into my mug. Then I stirred in cool cream until it turned caramel in color. I smiled as I sniffed the aroma of sweet cream and coffee. I lifted my favorite mug to my lips.

“MOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMYYYYYYYYYYYY!”

I quickly dropped my mug and ran toward the sound.

“Mommy!”

“Yes?!” I bellowed as my heart beat wildly half from fear half from running up the stairs.

“Can you help me brush my hair?”

A sigh escaped my lips and my mind drifted back to my coffee. “OK, but next time find me and ask me for help. I was afraid someone was hurt.”

My daughter’s green eyes grew large, “OK, mommy, I’m sorry.”

As I finished running the brush through my daughter’s hair, my son asks me to help him comb his hair.

Just then my older daughter walks in, “Mom, I have a hole in my sweater.”

I frown, but I know I have to fix it now.

I felt like the mouse from If You Give A Mouse A Cookie. The mouse eats a cookie and realizes he needs milk. After drinking his milk he looks in the mirror to make sure he doesn’t have a milk mustache and realizes he needs to trim his whiskers. The scissors he uses to trim his whiskers remind him of paper dolls and on and on it goes.

Mothering is that way for me. I attend to one issue, only to find four more issues need attention. By the time I find my coffee it is cold and I am worn out.

So I sling my coffee cup in the microwave and drink it warmed-up. That isn’t a trick you will find on Pinterest, but it works for me. In fact most of the way I parent, keep house, or cook you won’t find on Pinterest or in any sort of magazine at all. I am not that mom.

I cannot live up to the perfect Pinterest mom I create in my head. I may not have lunch on the table until 2 pm some days. My house is not Martha Stewart organized. I don’t do over the top birthday parties for my kids.

What I can live up to is loving my kids with a crazy kind of love that would die for them. The kind of love God has for His kids. Only mine is not near as perfect. I mess up, get angry, sometimes I even let them watch too much TV. But they are only small once. My nine-year-old is about half-way done with calling my house her home. Soon this address will only be her permanent address. My heart twists to think of all the things I want her to know before she takes flight.

As I ponder and pray about how to impart all she needs to know in only nine more years I find my coffee mug again. It’s cold, but my kids are worth it.

 

by Angela Mackey

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Busy Schedule & Raising Tough Kids? 8 Tips to Restore Your Sanity

September 11, 2012 By

         Subscribe today for your FREE copy of…

FACING YOUR FEARS – 31 STORIES FROM M.O.M.

 

 

***For just a moment, I want to remember those affected by the tragedy of 9/11. May God continue to bless those families and heal our nation.

We’ve all been there, I know you have. You know–the point between pure exhaustion and guilt that the TV is a better supervisor of your kids than you are. In motherhood its very easy to feel drained, burned out, and lifeless. Between mothering my small brood, running a business, volunteering for organizations like MOPS, I tend to burn the candle at both ends.

What makes mothering more challenging is having two special needs children under one roof. One has Aspergers with an auditory sensory disorder combined with inattentive A.D.D. and yet another has ADHD. More often than not, I feel overwhelmed.

You may not be as busy as me or maybe you’re even busier, but I wanted to share with your 8 Tips to restore your sanity and rejuvenate your soul. As a mom for 13 years, I try to do one of these daily. Carving a little time out for yourself is important if you want to be full present for your kids.

1. Get alone with God. DAILY!

I know it seems hard and there is too much on your plate, but when you start your morning off soaking in God’s presence, it gives you the strength and stamina you will need for the day. I read Jesus Calling and write out the scripture vereses, when its quiet, I journal back to God what I sense him telling me. Often in these little moments, God shows me what weeds he is tending to in my life.

2. Take a hot bath or shower.

Even if you soak in the tub for 10 minutes, it relaxes your muscles. It gives you a few minutes to be inside your head instead of delegating and debating with your kids.

3. Exercise

I try to get 2 miles in each day. At first I hated running, I even hated the fast pace of walking, but I’ve noticed that I feel better. Much better. I have more engery too–which is something we all need! Exercise is another chance to either get away from your kids and talk with God OR its a chance to build relationships with your kids. Getting them out and moving helps them relax too.

4. Get Organized

Write out your schedule, your kids’ schedules and coordinate where its needed most. Seeing what you have on your plate daily helps you to see whether you are too busy in one area and to cut back on extra activities if needed. I have a nook and yes–theres an app for that. Because I carry it with me everywhere, its always syncing to my google outlook calender. Its been a HUGE life saver.

If you aren’t a high tech gal, consider chalkboard paint on your kitchen wall.

5. Rise Early

I get up before my kids do, give my kids their round of meds and let them go back to sleep. Then I have a chance to run, read my Bible and spend a few moments alone with my husband and enjoy that second cup of coffee. When the kids do wake up, they find more joy in their day because mama is already relaxed and centered.

 6. Kid Swap

Every mom needs one day a week to be able to get some chores done, run errands, or just snooze on the couch. If God can rest one day a week, surely we can find something in our schedules to do the same. My kids to go grandma’s once a week–but that wasn’t always the case. Before the in-laws arrived in Nebraska, I ensured I had downtime every day–a.k.a. NAP TIME. Even though I couldn’t leave the house, I still used this time just for me.

If you can, arrange to kid swap once a week with your friends. Having the extra kids helps keep your little ones entertained and if feels good to help someone out.

7. Say What You Mean & Mean What You Say

Often times I feel the most frazzled is dealing with the consequences of not following through on my verbal warnings or house rules. The kids get confused and are not sure where the boundaries are or they thrive on stirring the pot…take your pick, ethier way, its not pretty.

Always say what you mean and follow through if needed.

8. Find a MOPS Group or Young Mom’s Bible Study 

Relationships are vital to our sanity. As women, we were created for relationships. We have about 40,000 words a day we NEED (yes need) to use.  Joining a MOPS group brings you in contact with women who are in your shoes! They too are struggling with the ins and outs of mothering. You’ll make new friends, gain different perspectives on mothering and become more intimate with our mighty God. If MOPS isn’t your thing, join a small group. Small groups, life groups etc are other terms used for Bible Study. In these groups, you will find helps for marriage, how to live a godly life and more.

I pray these tips have been helpful. What do you do to keep your sanity? Prayer, take a time out or all 8 of the above? 

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5 Myths About Mentors – Myth #2 Mentors Are Old Women Who Meet With Young Women at Church

July 26, 2012 By

“The older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things—that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to bediscreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed.” Titus 2:3-5

Mentoring. It’s what we are called to. We, meaning the church. But could it be that our affinity for attending ‘church’ in big buildings with convenient classrooms has confused what biblical mentoring is at its best?

When I was a young mom, a whirlwind of activity seemed to swirl around the church. The buzz was a beautiful indication that the body of believers meeting there was a lively bunch with a lively faith. And so everything seemed to take place within the four walls of the church.

Almost everything that was considered a ministry of the church took place within the church.

But mentoring doesn’t always take place in a church classroom with a book in hand. Sometimes it happens best on a trip to the mall together, when you’re having coffee at Starbucks or a walk on the beach together.

Mentors don’t always teach their most important lessons from a book or in the context of a classroom but the lessons they impart while they are doing life together will be the ones that are remembered most.

And mentors aren’t always 25 years older than a mentee. Sometimes they’re just older in experience and older in their walk with the Lord.

I had my children at a young age, so most of the women my age had children who were much younger than mine. I was older. Not in years but in experience. Mentors aren’t always a lot older, they are just women who have already been where a mentee is.

As a ministry focused on putting tools in the hands of mentors and providing resources to help foster those life-changing Titus 2 relationships, The M.O.M. Initiative knows the importance of having a good book to use as a catalyst for conveying valuable lessons that can help young moms be the best moms possible. We also understand that there is no substitute for the Word of God.

But what a mentee learns from a book is often validated by what she learns by a mentor’s life.

  • When mentors teach young moms the need to love their children well, it’s important that she show her what that looks like in real life.
  • When mentors teach young moms that a momma’s prayers matter, she needs to demonstrate what a mom’s prayer life should look like.
  • When mentors teach young moms that God can be trusted in difficult times, she needs to show how she trusts God in difficult times.
  • When mentors teach that conveying character and life skills to her kids is important, she needs to show her what that means and how she can do it.
  • When mentors teach young moms that it’s important to be good managers of their homes, then she needs to help her see what that really means.
  • When mentors teach young moms that she will truly survive the endless piles of laundry, the mountain of dishes in the sink and the constant squabbling between brothers and sisters, then she needs to walk through those moments with her and not only show her it will be okay, but show her how to overcome those things.
~~ Lessons like that don’t happen in a classroom or with a book in hand.
~~ They happen when you hang out together.
~~ They happen when you take some time to help her see the floor in her kid’s bedroom for the first time in weeks or when you take her to lunch so she can get away from spit-up and dirty diapers for just a little while.
~~They happen when you run to the grocery store with her because she isn’t sure how to cook anything that doesn’t come in a box.
They happen when you do more than a book together in a classroom in your church. They happen when you’re willing to do life together.
What about you? What are your thoughts about mentoring? Do you have an experience as a mentor or mentee you’d can share?

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