Connections Podcast

In order to understand the MOPS theme verse of John 10:10 and living life to the full, we have to understand the good shepherd as he is described in the verses around it. Join Kelli Jordan and Sherri Crandall as they talk through places in scripture where we are compared to sheep and consider how we need to lead and follow. 

Join Jennifer Iverson and our guest Melodi Leih as they talk through great tips for finding and inviting new leaders into your mission. 

Katie Rössler is on a mission to help people have thriving relationships and work on being stronger, healthier versions of themselves. She is a MOPS mom, MOPS leader and a licensed professional counselor. She understands the challenge of finding time and energy to work on relationships plus finding time to take care of yourself. She encourages us to answer the question, “What’s good for your soul?” Find more from Katie at positive-connections.com. 

How do I get the word out about my group? It's one of the most frequently asked questions here at MOPS. It's also a difficult one to answer because every group, community and budget are different. Join Kelli and Jennifer as they talk through some ideas to help get you started. We'll cover these topics: managing a wait list (:42), maximizing word of mouth (15:55), using social media to prompt engagement (25:45) and then we'll each share our top five publicity tips (36:07). Learn something new and then share your own ideas on MOPS Leaders Facebook or on our Idea Center on the leader site.  

On Connections: The Podcast we often have serious leadership or mothering conversations. This is not one of those podcasts. Jenn Iverson and Kelli Jordan talk about some of their very favorite Christmas and MOPS things. (Warning: it includes really corny jokes.)

This year is about the full life. Which means living grateful, joyful, and hopeful. Hosts, Jenn Iverson and Kelli Jordan, chat with three MOPS friends about what that looks like in their lives. Carrie Schanen, Kim Ward and Jan Allen have remarkable stories to tell. If you have a story to share, email us as leaders@mops.org. NOTES: Grateful: Carrie shares Romans 8:28.Joyful: Kim Ward shares 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 and recommends these resources:  https://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/headache-truth-migraines-article-1.2686801 and https://migraineagain.com/migraine101-foundation-for-understanding-migraineHopeful: Jan shares Psalm 63:7 and Amos 9:14. She also references “The Prayer Coin” by Elisa Morgan. Listen to Episode 18 of Connections: The Podcast to hear from Elisa. 

Host Jennifer Iverson and guest Rebecca Grady dive into the science behind creativity and service. We have the opportunity to encourage moms to have fun, take risks and build stronger relationships. If you are a Creative Activities Leader or Service Leader (or support someone who is!) then this podcast is for you!    After listening, consider this question: What can we bring to our group that will encourage personal growth, imagination and creativity, and build authentic relationships?   Links Mentioned in this podcast: MOPS Leaders Facebook www.facebook.com/mopsleaders Become Leader Certified at https://training.mops.org

Join host Jennifer Iverson and guest Hannah Hladek as they talk about our all leaders, but especially Hospitality, Publicity and Finance leaders, work to create a welcoming experience for moms. Our ultimate goal is that the moms around us have the opportunity to join MOPS, find community, and encounter Jesus.The 3 components to help create excellent environments:·         What do you have? Those are your Resources.·         What is your job? That’s your Responsibility.·         What are the obstacles? Those are your Roadblocks.Our challenge for you is to recognize, practice and scale your resources, responsibilities and roadblocks. How can you adjust or change your environment so that it becomes an excellent place for a women to hear and ask questions Jesus?  Links Mentioned in this podcast: ·         MOPS Leaders Facebook (www.facebook.com/mopsleaders) ·         Become Leader Certified at https://training.mops.org·         Do you have a MOPS Membership? Register for one today at www.mops.org/membership 

Join host Kelli Jordan and our special guest Melodi Leih as they talk about this question, “What does it mean to THRIVE?” The word “thrive” is defined by Webster’s Dictionary this way – to grow or develop well – vigorously. This is what we want for ourselves as leaders and for others. Leaders who are growing and developing well personally, lead others well. Why do we need to have leaders who thrive?Creates strong teamsMissional focusConnects moms to each otherConnects moms to Jesus To be leaders who thrive it takes:T – TeamworkH – Healthy dialogueR – ReconsiderI – Intentionally investV – VisionE – Encourage After you listen, consider these questions:  What isn’t going as well as you’d like it to? Write it down.  How do I move that from not thriving to thriving?  Write it down and then share it with someone else. Links Mentioned in this podcast: MOPS Leaders Facebook www.facebook.com/mopsleaders Become Leader Certified at https://training.mops.orgThis content was presented at MOMcon 2019 in our Global Workshop

Host Jennifer Iverson and guest Stacey Morgan talk about the importance and influence of discussion group leaders in your group. The DGL position allows the opportunity to be a fearless friend. We do that by:Praying for every mom by name Pursuing the relationship Providing a reflection of God’s love. After listening, consider these questions and share your answers with a friend or fellow leader: How would you do things differently if you had no fear and complete freedom to be the friend you’ve always wanted?What did you learn that you can incorporate into your role as DGL this year? Links Mentioned in this podcast: MOPS Leaders Facebook www.facebook.com/mopsleaders Become Leader Certified at https://training.mops.orgDiscussion Group Leader Training at https://training.mops.org. Look for the courses titled, “Leading Discussion“ and “Group Dynamics.” This content was presented at MOMcon 2019 in our Discussion Group Leader Workshop. Make plans now to join us at MOMcon 2020 (https://www.mops.org/momcon2020/)!

Join host Kelli Jordan and our guest Jennifer Iverson. We’ll use the word THRIVE to think about how we can grow as a leader and grow our MOPS Kids program. (We are using the word THRIVE, but we aren’t doing it in order!) T - Take care of yourself – be growing spiritually, emotionally and physicallyH - Heart Attitude – I get to vs I have toV - Vision – be intentional vs filling momentsE - Expect “trouble” – have a plan for crisis/safetyR - Rearrange tasks – fight the overwhelm by breaking tasks into smaller bitesI - Invite workers/moms/grandmas/aunts/uncles After you listen, we challenge you to look back over these six things and pick two that you are going to implement this month. Talk with another on your leadership team and make it a joint effort. Links mentioned during this Podcast:MOPS Leaders Facebook: www.facebook.com/mopsleadersMOPS Kids resources (including Awana curriculum for your program) https://leaders.mops.org/mopskids-curriculum)Become Leader Certified at https://training.mops.orgThis content w

Jennifer Iverson and guest Kelli Jordan answer the question, “What does thriving as a mentor look like, especially in a setting like MOPS or MOMSnext?”  As a mentor, we have the challenge to thrive ourselves and the opportunity to help others thrive, too.  A thriving mentor will: Show up by being present and setting boundaries. Speak up by celebrating others, being honest about ourselves, being slow to take offense, give advice or join in on pity parties. Stand up by being an advocate for MOPS, moms and our church.  After listening, consider how you are already showing up, speaking and standing up as a mentor and then consider what else you could do. Take the next step into what God has designed for you as a mentor and bring what only you can bring to it.  Links Mentioned in this podcast: MOPS Leaders Facebook (www.facebook.com/mopsleaders) Become Leader Certified at https://training.mops.orgOnline Mentor training (https://training.mops.org/courses/mentoring-others) Do you have a Mentor Membership? Register f

Join host Kelli Jordan and our guest Sherri Crandall, VP of Global Ministries and Leadership  Experience as they talk about what it means to thrive, rather than just survive. People who thrive Have strong spiritual or religious beliefsThey are optimistic They are self-motivatedThey are pro-active in thought and behaviorThey are life-long learnersThey are adaptableThey are socially competent  ( they have good relationships with family, friends, and community)They are self-confidentYet they are not narcissistic  After listening, do these three things: Take a look at this list and be really honest. Where are you thriving and where are you just surviving? List the things in your life that are made of glass compared to those things made of rubber. Share your lists with someone else. Links Mentioned in this podcast: MOPS Leaders Facebook www.facebook.com/mopsleaders Become Leader Certified at https://training.mops.org/This content was presented at MOMcon 2019 in our Coordinator Workshop. Make plans now to join us a

Kelli Jordan and guest, Sarah Damaska, talk about living in the intersection of hope and sorrow. Shaped by the death of her daughter Annie, Sarah talks about working through grief and finding a way to look up and out. Every autumn, she boards a plane to visit her friends in Haiti who have broken free from a life of prostitution, teaching her the power of redemption and how Jesus makes all things new. Download Sarah's free ebooks at sarahdamaska.com. 

As Christians, we know we are called to love our neighbor. We may even grasp that "neighbor" encompasses more than just the people living next door or down the street. But what we too often don't know is how to begin. How do we love our neighbor? Where do we start? What does this look like in our increasingly isolated world? And what does this look like for a MOPS leader, specifically? Alexandra Kuykendall lays out the framework for where to begin. Visit https://alexandrakuykendall.com/loving-my-actual-neighbor to find videos and other great downloads to help get started. 

Kelli Jordan and Jenn Iverson talk about 7 tips to making your MOPS group (or any group) a place where moms feel like they belong, want to stay awhile and will definitely come back to. 

Hear about what MOPS is doing to impact moms around the world, find out how you can get involved in the Global Sisterhood and plan on meeting global leaders at MOMcon. 

Join Sherri Crandall and our friend, Krista Gilbert as she talks about her journey to the middle of a war zone in Congo and up Mt. Kilimanjaro. She talks about why risk is a vital part of a growing faith and how to open up to the wild yes God may be calling you to, no matter what your circumstance. Krista shares her own story at kristagilbert.com and also through the Open Door Sisterhood at theopendoorsisterhood.com. 

Jennifer and Kelli walk through all of the MOPS Leader Resources available to you - including your personal coach, the leader site, leader training and certification and the new MOPS Speaker Network. 

Join Mandy Arioto, MOPS President and CEO, as she shares the origin and biblical basis behind our 2019-20 MOPS Theme "To the Full."  Here’s to a year of living the full life. Full of fun, joy, refreshment, trust and rejuvenation.