The Pantano MOPS Life Group serves over 100 women and over 150 children. Just over half of these women are not from PCC and many of those are unchurched. Recently Kirstie Leonard gave her video testimony on how she found Jesus through MOPS!
Kirstie Leonard in her own words:
For the first few years of our marriage, my husband and I were focused on each other and our careers. We were not attending church regularly, and neither of us had a relationship with Christ, although we both believed in Christ, and I had been confirmed in the Catholic Church at age 17. When I got pregnant, we were ecstatic, if not a little scared. I was blessed with an uncomplicated pregnancy and birth, but it was a few weeks after we brought our beautiful little boy home that things began to change. Austin had really bad colic, and neither Brent or I were getting more than a couple hours of sleep each night. I had to return to work when Austin was two months old, and it was the hardest thing I had ever done, I cried for the entire hour and 15 minute drive to work. Austin’s colic continued, and I was trying to work on 2-3 hours of sleep. Brent and I were getting frustrated and not talking like we used to. When Austin was 4 months old, Brent and I made the snap decision for me to quit work and become a stay at home mom. I loved being home with my son, but I started to resent Brent because he got to go to work and have adult conversations, while I was stuck at home with a colicky, fussy baby. We had no family or friends in the area, as we had moved just before I got pregnant, and the friends I had made had all been at my work. Brent started to play sports as an outlet for his frustration, but I had no outlet, for which I started to resent my husband even more. Brent and I were hardly talking anymore, it seemed we either yelled at each other or just ignored each other.
My sister-in-law told me about MOPS, so I went on the web-site and found a group just 12 miles from our house in rural Colorado. The first day I showed up, dropped Austin off in the MOPPETS child care rooms, and walked tentatively into a large room full of chattering women, where I was immediately welcomed into the group. I was stunned to find so many women struggling with the same issues as I was. Through this wonderful group of women, I was re-introduced to Christ, and learned the power of prayer in healing my own heart. Within weeks, I started to see a change in myself, I had more patience with Austin, I wasn’t snapping at Brent anymore, Brent and I started talking again, and I was happier with myself.
At MOPS, I learned all kinds of useful things, from child CPR, to child and mom nutrition, xeriscape landscaping, and how to make beautiful inexpensive Christmas gifts and crafts I could do with a one year old. I also learned that I had a heart to serve other moms. In my MOPS group in Colorado, I began to serve as the Publicity Coordinator, which involved raising funds with, and writing our monthly newsletter, making a photo directory of our members and keeping up the contact list, as well as reporting to the Steering Team, and being a liaison with our Chartering Church. When my husband and I decided to return to Tucson for a better quality of life, and a less stressful job for him, I was sad to be leaving the wonderful friends I had made at MOPS, but excited about the chance to meet moms in a new MOPS group.
To our surprise and delight, after being in Tucson for just 3 weeks, I found out I was pregnant with our second child. This pregnancy was harder on me, and my only mistake during this time was not finding a MOPS group to join. Then one day when our second son, Joshua, was about 4 months old, a friendly woman in McDonald’s started talking to me. Her children were older than mine, but we were still able to share stories and talk while our children played together. This wonderful woman, I don’t remember her name, but I remember her has my Tucson Angel, invited me to her MOPS group! I went, and as soon as I walked in the door, I felt at home, as if a great weight had been lifted from my shoulders. Again, I found myself in a room full of chattering women, and was once again welcomed with open arms for who I was; a mom on the edge.
The women I have met at MOPS have truly been the answer to my prayers. God has brought strong Christian women to me who have come along side me to be my cheerleaders in my walk with Christ, friends I can call on with the littlest problem, or a major life issue, friends who are willing to babysit so I can go shopping all by myself, or have a night out with my husband, friends who can help answer all my child-rearing questions, or at least tell me their stories so I know I’m not the first mom to go through this. Because of MOPS, Brent and I started looking for a church where we felt comfortable, where we would find friends to walk the narrow path with, and a place where we could grow in Christ. Through a dear friend God brought to me at MOPS, we found Pantano Christian Church, and have found a home here.
When Pantano wanted to start a new MOPS group, I jumped on board with joy in my heart! Now I would be able to serve other moms again!!! I started out as the Publicity Leader, but now am the Finance Team Co-Leader. MOPS has given me the perfect place to use the talents God gave me, to serve other moms, and help lead moms on the edge to a closer relationship with Christ. MOPS has taught me so many things from practical issues such as biblical discipline techniques, budgeting, living happily on one income, to more serious topics such as how to rediscover the intimacy in my marriage, how to balance being a woman, wife and mother, how to talk to my children about molestation and inappropriate behavior, and becoming the woman God intends for me to be. MOPS has so many resources for it’s members in the form of the other moms, speakers, books, weekly emails, bible studies, and leadership training opportunities, there truly is something for EVERY mom with young children.
I know that MOPS has helped me to become the wife, mom, and woman I am, and that I wouldn’t have the strong marriage and the Mom-abilities I do if it weren’t for MOPS. MOPS has literally saved my life, my husband’s life, my children’s lives, and my marriage.
Kirstie Leonard on Video:
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