TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE SHARPIE MUGS COURAGE TO BE

Experience 1
Experience 1
TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE
COURAGE TO BE HONEST
Break into small groups of about five people. Have
each person share two true things about herself and
one lie. The rest of the group must figure out which
thing is the lie. No prizes necessary, just getting to
know more about each other is enough!
According to author Shauna Niequist, honesty is
the most important currency for building healthy
relationships. It can feel risky to show others your
vulnerable places, but in the end it’s less exhausting
than maintaining a contrived image. Through stories
of her own difficult conversations in family, marriage
and friendship, Shauna conveys the risks and rewards
involved when stepping out and being yourself, honestly.
Experience 1
Experience 1
In which settings do you find it most difficult to be
honest? In which settings is it easiest? Why?
SHARPIE MUGS
Share a time when you took a risk and a relationship
was strengthened due to honesty.
Plain white mugs, Sharpie markers and stencils are all
you need to make personalized mugs to use at MOPS or
at home! Stencil your name or a word that inspires you.
What can you do in the next week to be more honest
with others?
Visit mops.org/groupexperiencekitonline to learn more
about this activity and for downloadable instructions.
Experience 2
Experience 2
NAME GRID
COURAGE TO BE SIGNIFICANT
Divide into groups of four. Give each group paper and
pens and ask them to draw a grid on which to write
their first names.
When Lisa-Jo Baker left her career as an international
human rights attorney for her new job as mom, she
was afraid her world-changing days were over. She has
since ventured on a journey in finding the monumental
significance of motherhood among the seemingly
insignificant moments of matching socks. Motherhood
is both hard and courageous, identifying moms
everywhere as “superheroes.”
Give each team three minutes to write down as many
words as they can using only the letters in their names.
Letters must adjoin each other in the grid, but do
not have to be in a straight line. Visit mops.org/group
experiencekitonline for downloadable instructions.
Experience 2
Experience 2
How has motherhood differed from your expectations?
VINTAGE WORD NECKLACES
Do you feel more or less of a “world-changer” now that
you are a mom? What makes you feel that way?
Find a word in the dictionary that describes yourself or
a friend and frame it.
Lisa-Jo asks, “How would you introduce yourself in a
way that gives true value to the work that you do —
that is so incredibly significant and worth recognizing?”
Visit mops.org/groupexperiencekitonline to learn more
about this activity and for downloadable instructions.
Experience 3
UNWRAP THE PRESENT
Experience 3
COURAGE TO LOVE PEOPLE
EXTRAVAGANTLY
Place a gift card or small gift in a box. Wrap the box
with at least six layers of wrapping paper or newspaper
(or wrap several boxes inside each other). Use a lot of
tape! Divide into small groups and give each group a
pair of work gloves. In relay form, give each mom 10
seconds to peel off one layer of paper, when time is up
pass it to the next mom in the group. Whoever opens
their box first, wins! (You might need a judge at each
table to make sure moms peel just one layer at a time.)
Bob Goff’s adventures around the globe have taught him
how to better love people just as they are, right where
they are. From the Congo to the Oval Office to the top
of Kilimanjaro, Bob’s heart overflows as he takes Jesus’
mandate to love one another to extravagant places.
Bob’s stories will give you a jolt of courage to take your
kids on the adventure of loving those around you.
Experience 3
Experience 3
Has anyone ever loved you extravagantly? If so, what
did that feel like?
How can you tell your kids who they are instead of what
they are?
How can you be extravagant with your love?
How do you think your life will change as a result?
T-SHIRT SCARVES
Old t-shirts become pretty new scarves with just a pair
of scissors and a paper plate.
Visit mops.org/groupexperiencekitonline to learn more
about this activity and for downloadable instructions.
Experience 4
Experience 4
NAME THAT QUOTE
COURAGE TO FORGIVE AND BE FORGIVEN
Come up with memorable lines from movies or books.
Read them out loud and see who can name the movie
or book first. (TIP: Rather than have moms just yell out
the title, have them run to the front and ring a bell.
Whoever gets there first gets to guess first.)
Infidelity exploded Justin and Tricia Davis’ marriage.
Hear their story of reconciliation and forgiveness.
Be inspired by how they stepped out of safety into
vulnerability, grief and risk to heal their deepest
wounds.
Experience 4
Experience 4
Describe a time when you needed to forgive someone.
KEY TO FORGIVENESS
Is it easy or difficult for you to forgive? Why?
Remember the keys to forgiveness. Decorate antique
keys with descriptive words like love, faith, Jesus,
letting go, release, pause, etc.
When have you needed forgiveness? Where did you find
it?
How can you foster a culture of forgiveness in your
home?
Visit mops.org/groupexperiencekitonline to learn more
about this activity and for downloadable instructions.
Experience 5
Experience 5
HOW PRECIOUS?
COURAGE TO BE GENEROUS
Find a partner and list the five things you have that
are the most precious to you and why. (Consider asking
moms to focus on things, not people.)
Alexandra Kuykendall wants to live a generous life, but
fear of scarcity — that there won’t be enough for her or
her family — often gets in the way. From surrounding
herself with people who offer her perspective on her
own circumstances, to challenging herself to give past
the comfortable, she shares how she works toward
living a generous life.
Experience 5
Experience 5
Where does your fear of scarcity lie heaviest — in
money, time or your heart?
What areas of your life allow you to give out of an
abundance? How can you give from these areas today?
Do you believe generosity needs to hurt a little? Why
or why not?
How are you teaching your kids about generosity?
DESSERT OR SOUP IN A JAR
Make a treat to give as a gift to someone who could use
some cheering up.
Visit mops.org/groupexperiencekitonline to learn more
about this activity and for downloadable instructions.
Experience 6
Experience 6
FIND YOUR MATE
COURAGE TO BE PASSIONATE
Have name tags with famous couples’ names on them.
As everyone comes in, place a name tag on their back.
The goal of the game is to have everyone figure out who
their “mate” is by asking only yes or no questions of
other moms.
Sex expert and author Sheila Wray Gregoire tells us
passion is so much more than just sex. From libido to
trust to what the Bible says about sex, Sheila walks
through how every mom can exhibit more passion in
the bedroom and beyond in order to live fully in who
God created her to be.
(for example: Bonnie and Clyde, Lucy and Desi, Adam and Eve)
Experience 6
Experience 6
What do you think of when you hear the word passion?
BABY JAR CANDLE
How have you found passion, intimacy and sex to be
connected?
A painted baby food jar becomes a holder for a tea
light candle.
Are issues of trust or issues of control keeping you
from letting your guard down?
Visit mops.org/groupexperiencekitonline to learn more
about this activity and for downloadable instructions.
What can you do today (or tonight) to increase the
passion in your marriage or your life?
Experience 7
Experience 7
OUTRAGEOUS STATEMENTS
COURAGE TO FACE YOUR MOM FEARS
Divide into two teams. Give each person a blank piece
of paper and ask them to write five little-known facts
about themselves.
MOPS International CEO and President, Sherry Surratt
has a charge for moms: face your fears! Sherry uses
stories from her own mothering to demonstrate how
she faced some of the most common mom fears.
An inspirational call to embrace this year’s MOPS
International theme, Sherry shares how to Be you,
Bravely.
Collect the cards into two team piles. Draw one card
from the opposing team pile. Each team tries to name
the person in as few clues as possible. Five points if
they get it on the first clue, then 4, 3, 2, 1, 0. The team
with the most points wins.
Experience 7
Experience 7
What are your biggest mom fears?
10 DARES
How do you face those fears?
Create a Dare List, incorporating something new,
something fun, something messy, something silly.
Brainstorm and create a list of 10 things to do with
your children and try a few in your group before you
head home!
How are your fears keeping you from Being you, Bravely?
What is one, new tactic you can try today to face one
of your mom fears?
Visit mops.org/groupexperiencekitonline to learn more
about this activity and for downloadable instructions.
Experience 8
Experience 8
NEVER, HAVE I EVER ...
COURAGE TO TELL YOUR STORY
Sit in a circle of no more than 10 people. To start each
round, each player holds out all 10 fingers. Go around
the circle and one at a time, each person announces
something that they have never done, beginning the
sentence with the phrase “Never, have I ever ...” (For
example, a person could say, “Never, have I ever been
to Europe.”) For each statement, players drop a finger
if they have done that statement. The goal is to be the
last person with fingers remaining.
Telling our stories lets us feel known and understood
and can help to heal our hard places. Author and MOPS
Mentor Carol Kuykendall is joined by her friend Chara
who tells her story about losing a twin in utero. Her
experience opens a discussion about vulnerability and
the reasons to share — or not share your story. This
segment can also open discussions about how we heal
through grief and loss, connect with each other and
depend upon our faith.
Experience 8
Experience 8
When have you confided in someone and felt better as
a result?
VERSE SQUARE
What fear keeps you from being vulnerable?
Choose an inspiring Scripture or phrase and mod podge
it to a block, creating a piece of encouragement art.
Is there a part of your story you would like to share with
the group today?
Visit mops.org/groupexperiencekitonline to learn more
about this activity and for downloadable instructions.
Experience 9
Experience 9
CHARADES
COURAGE TO RAISE BRAVE KIDS
Have one mom at a time act out (without words!)
something people are afraid of OR movies, songs
or people depicting courage. Have a list of words or
phrases ready to act out or have moms come up with
their own.
When Mandy Arioto became a mother, she had to face
courage in a new way. She realized being a brave mom
is essential to raising brave kids. With a strategy on
how to let go a little in order to raise kids equipped for
the future, Mandy invites us to pass on courage to our
kids so they can someday change the world.
Experience 9
Experience 9
Do you think it’s important to raise brave kids? Why or
why not?
What can you adjust in your parenting to allow your
child to take more risks?
Name three ways you can give your child opportunities
to be brave.
FLAGS
Provide large sheets of paper divided into 4-6 sections
OR provide 4-6 separate pieces of paper cut into the
shape of a pennant. Provide crayons, markers and old
magazines. Ask each person to draw pictures, symbols
or words describing who they are, what’s important
to them or what they enjoy. Assign something to each
section — favorite emotion, favorite food, a hobby, a
skill, where you were born, your family, your faith. Allow
plenty of time for members to share their flags with
someone else in the group.
Experience 10
Experience 10
CELL PHONE SCAVENGER HUNT
COURAGE TO BE INTENTIONAL
Name a few things moms may have pictures of on
their phone. Call them out and the first to show you the
item on their phone wins! Hunt for a holiday picture, a
picture with trees, picture of a family that is not your
own, anything you can think of!
After the birth of her third child, Crystal Paine, founder
of the popular site MoneySavingMom, found herself
overwhelmed with home and work, scrambling just
to survive each day. She knew a change was in order
and living intentionally became her new goal. Crystal
shares how setting priorities and a few manageable
goals can give your days increased purpose and
productivity.
Experience 10
Experience 10
Do you feel like you are surviving or thriving? What
makes you feel that way?
What are some small goals you can set to live with
more intention?
Where would you like to be six months from now? A
year from now?
POST-IT NOTE STAND
Use a clear, acrylic frame, post-it’s and scrapbook
paper to create a reminder station for you or your children.
Visit mops.org/groupexperiencekitonline to learn more
about this activity and for downloadable instructions.