Willmar MOMS

Thank you to Lenae Bulthuis for sharing with us on remaining Steadfast when Shaken! Read on for some key wisdom and notes of encouragement from Lenae.   Unlike how a child might exaggerate their earthly father’s strength, we cannot exaggerate our God. A song by Ruth Harms Calkin goes like this: “My God is so big, so strong, and so mighty, there’s nothing my God cannot do.” God is bigger than any problem we could have. We could name our troubles from A to Z, and when we get to the end of the alphabet and the end of ourselves, where do we go? Anything and everything other than God that we could chase is a temporary fix, and that is the truth. Our MOMS verse this year tells us where we find true rest for all our troubles. “You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” Isaiah 26:3 We need to remember what the Truth is, especially when we feel troubles mounting. We know the Truth is God and we find it when we trust in God. How do w...

  3/18 Meeting Thank you to our Mentor Moms Schellie, Lara, Shelly, Barb, Cindy, and Kitty for sharing their wisdom with us and allowing us to ask questions. Read on to hear their answers to our burning questions! First and foremost, we are encouraged to always start with prayer, whatever we are facing. In being moms, especially if we are prone to worrying about our children, we’re encouraged to pray for our kids and give them to God, acknowledging that our kids were God’s before they were ours. We should ask for God’s care and provision and all the good things we already know God wants for them – and us. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendabl...

Thank you to Amy Herzog for joining us on our first MOMS of 2025 and sharing with us about remaining Steadfast when Shaken in Parenting Decisions. Please read on for some notes on the wisdom Amy had to share with us from God and her experiences raising 7 children!   Parenting in light of eternity. Amy had a line of string stretched out as far as could be seen to represent eternity. James 4:14 says “Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes .” Teach us to number our days. Understanding the brevity of life will change how we think. All the children in our care are there for a purpose: Bring glory and honor to God; Increase His kingdom. Amy felt God say “I will do so much more through your children than I ever could through you alone.” There is great purpose in parenting.   The Lord will reward each one of us for the good we do. -         ...

  Thank you to Pastor Ben Markwardt for joining us to share a message and lead us in some fun holiday games!  Please take a moment to read Psalm 42 and 43, below, from which Pastor Ben shared.  Like the psalmist, we (or our kiddos) go through rollercoasters of emotions, sometimes multiple times a day. When we also find ourselves asking "Why? Why? Why?" as we look at our circumstances, we can come back to God's promises and know Him to be who Hagar realized He was in Genesis 16:13 - He is the God Who Sees and He hears us. We can look to Psalm 43:4-5 for more encouragement: "Then I will go to the altar of God,  to God, my joy and my delight.  I will praise you with the lyre,  O God, my God.   Why, my soul, are you downcast?  Why so disturbed within me?  Put your hope in God,  for I will yet praise him,  my Savior and my God."  I will hope in God's promises and I will praise Him - even and especially on the rollerco...

   Thank you to Wendi Vreeman for sharing with us on Honoring Difficult Grandparents especially during the holidays!     Please take a moment to update your December calendars and make sure you don't miss the final festive MOMS events this year! 

  Thank you to everyone who was able to join us for MOMS in Business! In addition to fellow Moms sharing their gifts and wares, we also had several community resources and educational resources represented. Thank you to Bethany Roisland for organizing the day's events! Thank you also to Barb Abrams for sharing the second Mentor Moms Moment and speaking on the importance of knowing our own gifts and those of others so we can better support each other.  Please comment below to share any favorite moments from the meeting and enjoy some photos and a video from the day!

      Steadfast When Our Emotions Are Shaken     Thank you to Shelly Haugen for helping us see how Mary the mother of Jesus shows us how to remain Steadfast when our emotions are shaken.      If you are feeling shaken, take some time to consider these self care items: 1. Have I spent time in the Bible whether I feel like it or not? A psalm? ½ a psalm? A verse?  2. Write down what you are grateful for every day and how you have seen God’s faithfulness to you in the past.  3. Ask myself: am I believing any lies? Is there a verse or a worship song I can cling to at this time?  4. Tell one or 2 trusted friends how I am feeling and ask for prayer.  5. Am I exercising? Am I getting outside every day?  6. Am I isolating myself from people that bring me joy?  7. Am I sleeping?  8. How am I eating?  9. Do I need to see my Doctor? 10. Do I need counseling?     Below are slides from the large group meeting in...