This may come as no surprise to you, but moms who have recently welcomed a baby into their family at MOPS love and appreciate when other members bring her and her family food! Throughout the year you will be getting emails asking you to sign-up to bring a new mom a meal, and we hope you participate and are able to bless a growing family by providing a meal.
Here is what some moms on the receiving end of these meals have to say:
+ "When I got meals delivered, my twins had just come home from the hospital and we had a very busy 2 year old. Life was super chaotic and not having to make dinner was a huge help! In fact, I had 4 women bring over meals with a main dish, a dessert, and some form of veggies! It was amazing! They all came in to meet the twins and hold a baby for a few minutes of baby free time for me! I felt very loved and supported and like I was part of a larger community of mamas! In a life with medically fragile twins, I felt very isolated and alone and this was a reconnection with people who loved us and supported us! Thanks to the wonderful women who brought food and showered love on our family!" - Jennifer Burgess
+ "I can't even explain how meaningful the meals for new moms program has been for our family! My 2 month old son needed some last minute, unexpected surgery. When the two of us finally returned home from the hospital I was met by an attention deprived toddler and my house was in a state of disaster. I was so exhausted and hardly ready to whip up a family dinner. Sarah from MOPS showed up at my door with a hot meal. I had never met her before, but I nearly broke down and cried because I was so thankful for her act of kindness. The meal that she brought ended up feeding us for several days. You never know how much you will bless a family when you prepare a meal for them. Thank you Sarah!" - Annie Doornink
+ "I had a rough start with motherhood--breastfeeding was a challenge and consuming all my time and energy. I wasn't the best meal planner before my son arrived, which made the thought of planning and making dinner during those difficult months incredibly overwhelming. My husband was very helpful, but I would still find myself feeling guilty when I didn't cook. Days I knew I had a meal coming from another supportive mother, I felt instantly less anxious. It may have seemed like a small thing, but during that emotional and transitional time, it felt like it was lifting a huge burden from my shoulders." - Stacy Anderson
+ "When I joined MOPS 2 weeks after my oldest daughter (now almost 6) was born, my table leader asked if I wanted meals. I was brand new and didn't know it was the norm, so I declined. Over the next couple years, I had the privilege of bringing meals to new moms, and so when I was pregnant with my second daughter, I was really excited for my turn to receive the MOPS meals. It was everything I had hoped for :). Three years later, I still remember exactly who brought what, and those meals were so wonderful. The store-bought meals were just as thoughtful and appreciated as the homemade. I was later blessed with more meals for my third child, and again, I remember each and every meal and each and every smiling face who brought them. Those meals are almost worth having another baby! :)" - Nikki Ahrenholz
+ "My son was a few months old when I joined MOPS and I was encouraged that it wasn't "too late" for me to get in on some meal help. I signed up in a heartbeat! I was truly touched to see moms I'd never met arrive on my doorstep, often with a toddler on their hip, to deliver a beautiful meal to me. I remember a delicious chowder, a wonderful chicken pot pie, and a time somewhere in my son's early months when someone slipped in a bag of a dozen chocolate chip cookies that made my whole WEEK better. One of the times when a meal was delivered, my son was very fussy and I was distressed about it. I mentioned it to the mom and she stopped and talked to me for a few minutes about it. I felt less alone. I have been SO blessed by meals from MOPS moms. I honestly think it's what has made me so much more willing to help out new moms in my community. I used to never feel I had the time. Now I'm honestly excited to do it when I can because I knew how it feels to receive it!" - Elise Stephens
+ "As for me, the meals that were the most meaningful were the ones that came from total strangers. I absolutely could not believe that in the world of such busyness, a mom who didn't even know me would take the time and love to cook a meal and deliver it to my home, giving me such a gift of being able to just enjoy my little one and this precious transitional time. It truly felt like receiving the love of Jesus." - Melissa Roe
Please keep your eyes open for opportunities to bring meals to new moms throughout this year!
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