Getting to Know....Amanda Dagostino

I have the pleasure this month of introducing you to a lady that I have really enjoyed getting to know. I recently got the opportunity to ask her some questions for this feature and I have really enjoyed reading her responses.

Amanda has been married to her husband, Lino, for six years and has two boys , Angelo (5) and Dominic (3 1/2).

Her hobbies and interests include stamping, scrap booking, reading, shopping and taking pictures of her children. She enjoys a variety of music but doesn't much care for rap or heavy metal.

Her favorite thing about Mom's Connection is "feeling loved". She "enjoys being able to connect [with other moms] and make lasting friendships with fellow believers that are there for you no matter what and are willing to pray with you at the drop of a hat."

When asked what a relationship with the Lord means to her, she replied, that it "gives her a sense of belonging." She also takes comfort in knowing that if God is for her who can be against her? (Romans 8:31) The Lord also ,"offers [her] security when everything around [her] seems to be falling." Her favorite Bible verse is "Jesus wept." (John 11:35) because, "it gives us that human perspective of God that he could cry just like us."

I asked her if there was anything else that she wanted us to know about her and she replied, "I am a stay-at-home mom of two boys but I don't let that identify who I am." She feels that it is important to have your own identity and your own time. She said," Being a mom is great, but you need to remember you are a woman also."

I think a lot of us forget that we are people too and we get caught up in taking care of our husbands, our children, and everybody else that we often forget about ourselves, failing to nurture relationships with other women who are experiencing a lot of the same things we are going through.

Mom's Connection provides an oasis for a lot of moms, a place for us to fill our canteens with God's love through fellowship with other women so that we can prepare ourselves for the weeks and days ahead. Amanda said, "That's another great thing about Mom's Connection, it is time away from your children to be that woman God created us to be."

I hope you have enjoyed getting to know Amanda as much as I have. I hope to continue to build a strong friendship with this amazing woman that I met at the oasis I have found in Mom's Connection.

Tina Burton

Why Pray?

I don't remember who taught me to pray. My first prayer was probably at the dinner table because we all had to take turns blessing our food each night. My dad would tell us to "remember to say your prayers". Every night before bed, every post card he sent us on each of his hunting trips, and whenever he left on a trip, he reminded us to pray. Praying was seared into my brain. And maybe you hear this voice beckoning you to pray. But why?

First, prayer provides conversation and opens up the door for a relationship with God. He wants us to talk to Him! Sometimes this is hard to believe that the maker of heaven and earth would want to talk with us. But it is precisely why He created us. In Genesis 3:8 after the creation of man, God walked in the garden to spend time with Adam and Eve. "For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible,...everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him." Colossians 1:16 Msg.

Secondly, prayer provides an invitation to God to intervene in our lives. God gave the responsibility for governing Earth's affairs to us (Genesis 1:26,28) We pray because we need His help. We need help making important decisions. So why not ask a God who is all-knowing (omniscient), all-powerful (omnipotent), and always present (omnipresent). I've often heard it said God is a gentleman. He is only where you ask Him to be. He will never force himself upon us, but is waiting for us to ask.

Thirdly, prayer provides a channel for God's power and the key to unlock this power in our lives. When we pray we are opening an avenue to the release of His power. The Holy Spirit brings the power of God into our lives and enables us to be the conduit of it. Psalm 68:35 reads "it is you O Lord, who gives strength and power to Your people".

When we work, we work; when we pray, God works. Giving everything to God takes the burden off of us and gives it to God. The Bible says, "His yoke is easy and His burden is light" (Matthew 11:30). Our prayer life will reflect what we believe about God. If we truly believe He can move supernaturally, we will approach Him in faith. We will be looking at the Mountain Mover, not the mountain!

Blessings,
Lisa

Mariah's Baby Shower!

Thank you to everyone who helped with Mariah's baby shower. It was a real special night! We had delicious food, an out of the world cake made and decorated by Julia Bivens, games planned by Janine DiGiovanni and Heidi Shank, and lots of wonderful gifts.

What makes a group friendly or unfriendly?

Let me start out first stating that Mom's Connection is made up of friendly, warm, and caring moms!! It is a privilege for me to know you and share our lives together.

However as we become comfortable with each other and friendships form, we can become oblivious to new faces in the room. What happens the minute a mom walks in the door is crucial. She forms perceptions of the group and its members. For example, if she walks in the door and has to figure out where to go to register on her own, that's strike one. If she has to navigate her way unassisted to the child-care rooms, that's strike two. And then if she goes to the room where the group meets and sits by herself while others are having conversations all around her, that's strike three, and most likely she's out. The likelihood of her returning to this group is very slim, because she has felt neither welcomed nor cared for in the most vulnerable time of her first visit. Intentional effort to make the mom feel welcomed and to introduce her to others in the room is the key.

There are two parts to a friendly group: starting friendly and staying friendly. I will be partnering with the hospitality coordinator to work out ways our group can start friendly and then I will be discussing how our group can stay friendly.

One of the ways our group can start friendly is by having volunteers greeting at the door of the Mace building (which we already have in place). This is where a mom will be met with a warm smile and a verbal welcome by the greeter. This person is one who exudes hospitality and has a true caring heart for others. She also greets all regular attendees by name ans asks newcomers, "Is this your first time attending our moms group?"

Another way our group can start friendly is by having the greeter introduce the newcomer to another mom who is waiting to serve as a personal "hostess". We will call these moms "takers". Because they will be waiting to "take" the new mom around. The taker will accompany the mom to find the appropriate child-care rooms, the meeting room, and introduce her to others. They will explain some the components of the group and how the meeting will go. The two women may want to visit the food table and pick up any handouts for the day. The most important part of the taker's job is to introduce this mom to others in the group.

If becoming a "taker" is something that interests you, contact myself or Tina Burton, our Hospitality Coordinator. We are going to make this group even better!! Thank you!

Lisa Fraley

Events for November

Tuesday, November 10 Topic Meeting- Meet at Bethel Assembly of God in the Mace building, rm 109 at our new time 9:45 am for a time of fellowship, prayer, and discussion! Childcare is provided.

Tuesday, November 24 Topic Meeting- Meet at Bethel Assembly of God in the Mace building, rm 109 at 9:45 am for a time of fellowship, prayer, and discussion! Childcare is provided.

Monday, November 30 Kick-off to Christmas with shopping at the Prime Outlets in Hagerstown, MD. Meet at Bethel Assembly of God at 6 pm to ride together in Bethel's van. Seating is limited, reserve your spot. Or join us directly at the Outlets at 6:30 pm in front of the food court. The expected departure time for the van is 9:30 pm to have you back to the church by 10 pm.

Pics from Halloween!

Prayer is a Privilege

"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:36

Prayer is a privilege. It is not just something else on our to do list. As Christians, sometimes it is too easy to take for granted what God has done for us. If we are not careful, we can forget all that we have thanks to Christ's sacrifice. Prayer becomes something else we have to do, instead of a great privilege granted to us through Him. So, we look first at our schedules to see where we might pencil God in, or we make excuses that we don't pray as well as other people, forgetting that God is not impressed by our flowery words or how we took time away from other things to fit Him in. He just wants to spend time with us.

Jesus died a brutal death so that we might have access to God through Him. Through Christ, we may freely enter into the very presence of God. In the Old Testament temple, the Most Holy Place, where the presence of God dwelt, was sealed from view by a curtain. No one was allowed access to this holy room except the high priest on the Day of Atonement, which was only one day a year. This is when sacrifices were made for the nations sins. He himself was not allowed to enter until he had washed, put on special clothes, and made atonement for him and his family.

After Jesus' death on the cross the curtain that separated us from God was torn in two. We now have the privilege through Christ to enter the "Most Holy Place" and know the joy of being in God's holy presence. Jesus ushers us in and says, this one is mine. There we can worship Him, fellowship with Him, receive instruction, cleansing, and comfort from Him. When we think of the great sacrifice that was made so that we might have this kind of close relationship with God, prayer is no longer something we have to do. It becomes a time we look forward to with joy and thankfulness. Enjoy the privilege of your time with God today.

Kim Ratcliffe