So, what if you started a moms group and no one showed up?
This summer, it was on my heart to try to start some sort of weekly moms gathering at our church, even though there aren’t a lot of stay-at-home moms in our church. I’ve just been really burdened for mom company and offering a place where moms can get together for a little while during the day and get to know other moms. Over the summer, I repeatedly heard the message, “Reach out.” If I wanted friends, I needed to take the first step and not wait for someone else to reach out to me. I didn’t have a curriculum or concrete plan in mind; I just thought we could get to know each other to start and go from there, eventually reaching beyond the church walls to our neighbors and moms in need in our community.
The first week, two older moms (whose kids are grown and are grandmas) showed up to support me so I wouldn’t be alone. It was a touching and thoughtful gesture that almost made me cry. (Of course, it doesn’t take much to make me cry these days!) This week, Isabelle and I played in the nursery by ourselves.
I wasn’t too discouraged after the first week; it’s sort of what I expected. And as we walked home after meeting Phil for lunch, I felt God impress on me the words “faithful with a few things.” It comes from the Parable of the Talents, found in Matthew 25. Jesus tells a story of a man who leaves his possessions to servants to care for while he’s gone. The three servants are all given different amounts and do different things with them. The first two servants grow their master’s possessions while he’s gone, and the master says to them, “You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” (Matthew 25:21, NASB)
I believe starting small is a good thing, but that also takes time and patience and faithfulness. I know of other moms groups that started with 2 or 3 and have grown multiple times that over years. I know God can do that here, but He also could keep us small or impress on me that maybe this isn’t the right time or place. I know it’s in His hands, so I cling to His encouragement, “faithful with a few things.”
I have a little more marketing to do to get the word out more about the group, but my first priority right now is prayer and looking for opportunities to build relationships with other moms as I meet them. And I’d ask if you have a similar burden where you’re at, or something you’re considering starting, to pray with me, and I’ll pray with you. And maybe a little at a time, we can change the world for Christ.