Overcoming My Fear of Praying Out Loud

By Michelle Lewis

A Moms In Touch Co-Leader

     Fear has ruled my life for many years, becoming a stronghold that limited my ability to do God’s work. Fear of failing, fear that I’m not good enough, fear of the unknown—I’m prone to be fearful over pretty much any new situation that is presented to me.

     Well, a few years ago, the Lord got a hold of me and began working on this fear of mine. When my boys were 4 and 1, praying was something I only did by myself, if at all. I wasn’t in a habit of praying and I NEVER prayed out loud, not even with my husband. I mean this was absolutely terrifying to me. But God got a hold of my heart and began really working on this “fear” that I wasn’t letting go of.

     When Nate entered preschool, a woman I did not know stopped me in the hallway and began talking to me about starting a Moms In Touch group for our preschool. I didn’t really know what MITI was, but I agreed to attend the introductory meeting she was planning. I was curious. I knew it involved praying and wanted to know more. I attended the meeting and was feeling convicted right there.

     The idea of praying out loud was frightening, but the Lord had already begun softening my heart to the idea, and the conviction was just too powerful to pass up. I decided to go to the first MITI meeting and figured I’d just listen to the other moms pray. What I didn’t know, but the Lord did, was there would be only one other mom – the leader. Just her and me – that was it!! She prayed and then I prayed. It was wonderful!

     As the weeks went on, my fear was lessening, and I was joyfully praying for my son and praying for the other mom’s kids as well. My experiences praying in a MITI group and what I discovered about God were almost addicting. I saw how He gave me peace as I prayed for His help. I felt His presence with us during those meetings when I would see how the Lord heard and answered many of our prayers. My faith in God’s ability to help me despite my fears was very evident during this season in my life, and I began to trust Him more and more.

     In the fall of 2009, I really felt led to start a church-based Moms In Touch group for the women at my church. But, of course, there was a problem: This would mean I would have to co-lead the group. This was still a scary idea for me, but the Lord has continued to show me that when I seek Him first, ask for His guidance and then trust in His leading, all I have to do is obey and take that first step.

     God has shown me that we need to be our kids’ prayer warriors. Whether our children are babies, young kids, teenagers or adults, they need our prayers.

     While I still am fearful of new situations, when I obey and follow through in what the Lord is asking of me, I’m always blessed by the way He works in my life. He continues to show me that as long as I do my part, He will do His. I trust that with all my heart.

Mom Continues to Pray for College Daughter

By Elise Daly Parker

Pray without ceasing. 1 Thessalonians 5:17.

Catie has just begun her senior year of college. The time, predictably, has been full, yet so swift. I think about the process we went through to get her there. The discovery of a school we had never heard of, and the dream to study something she loved, but had not been trained for, music. It was a God thing. Catie was guided there, almost against her will.

“I do not want to go to a Christian school. Too homogenous. Not diverse enough.” She stated emphatically.

Yet we visited Eastern University (I really don’t know why … I felt drawn), a school committed to faith, reason and justice, and she liked it. Tess, her best friend and cousin, joined us and liked it too. Then they had an Experience Eastern weekend, which we somehow arranged at the absolute last minute. They had a blast staying on campus and partaking in all sorts of fun, get-to-know Eastern activities. And then Catie was accepted into the Music program with a scholarship. Well, that sealed the deal.

I had asked God to guide Catie to the right place for her. He outdid Himself. Really. There were signs and wonders every step of the way, like the creepy black birds cawing in the gray stick branches of trees that lined the walk up to one of the universities we visited. This set an ominous tone and a chill down our spines neither of us could shake. That school was quickly checked off the list as a definite “NO!”

Life over the course of these three years has not been perfect, but I believe the choice for Catie has been pretty close.

There have been incredible joys: friendships I suspect will last forever; adventures that have grown and stretched Catie (some of which I don’t want to hear about); accomplishments in and exposure to music and academics; learning that has broadened her intellect and critical thinking; faith that has been tested and refined. I am so thankful.

But there has also been difficulty: the reality of balancing a rigorous and challenging workload, the trials of fragile relationships that snap. There has even been some devastation: a badly broken heart that tore Catie apart; and a fierce, battle against Lyme disease, that wreaked havoc, weakening her young body and stealing clarity from her mind. Thank God, this was a struggle Catie eventually won.

There were many tearful calls home asking for prayer. Though there were times I felt helpless and out of touch, prayer is the one thing I could always offer. And there were hundreds of prayers lifted up with my Moms In Touch praying sisters, who helped carry burdens and celebrate triumphs. The way has not always been easy, but it has been laced with powerful, believing, fervent prayer.

In just a few months, which I know will whoosh by, Catie will leave the cocoon of college and fly out into the big, bad, wonderful, dangerous world. I will have to let go a little more; not my specialty, but it is my role to do all I can to prepare her for this leaving. I find peace, knowing that as long as I’m living, through prayer, I will accompany Catie wherever she goes.

How about you? As this Fall begins, are you releasing any of your kids into the next stage of life? Preschool? Kindergarten? Middle school? High school? Maybe college, a career, or a new home? What gives you peace in the letting go?

(Reprinted with permission from Elise Daly Parker's blog.)

High School Principal Tells MITI Group Their Prayers Are ‘The Oxygen That I Breathe’

With tears in his eyes, the principal stood in front of his school’s Moms In Touch group, thanking them for their faithful prayers over the past seven years.

It means so much to know that “moms are praying for me,” he shared. “Moms are being faithful, they care so much that they take off work to pray for me, my staff, the students. You’re covering the school with prayer. You can’t imagine how that strengthens me as a principal. It’s the oxygen that I breathe.”

When he had first accepted the position to start a brand new school, he was not yet a “son of the King.” But that did not stop the Moms In Touch group from praying faithfully for him.

“I had fought God for 30 years,” he shared at a MITI gathering. Then in October 2004, after the MITI group had been praying for his salvation, he began to ask, “God, are you real?”

“Unbeknownst to me, these faithful children of the Lord had been praying for a believing principal,” he said. “God was a magnet pulling me towards Him.” Then, later in the school year, he gave his life to Christ. “I felt a shower of grace,” he explained.

When the MITI moms came into his office to introduce themselves and ask if they could encourage the staff through Words and Deeds, he surprised them with a request.

“I asked if they would meet with me on a monthly basis for prayer. It seemed like the most natural thing.”

For seven years, they met monthly early in the morning to cover their principal, staff and school in prayer.

“We’ve had some profound moments,” he said of his time in prayer with the MITI group. With a staff of 200 and 2,500 students, “being a high school principal, is a lot like running a small city. There’s a potential for crisis every day.”

At times, he has sent out SOS emails saying, “I need prayer now.” Then, “three hours later the issue goes away. That’s the power of prayer. I can guarantee you that God answers prayer in a visceral way that transforms me and my school. I now have four believing secretaries, a receptionist and four assistant principals.

“Thank you for praying for me, Moms In Touch. Continue to pray that whatever I do will bring glory to God.”

Praying in a MITI Group Changed Her Life, Helped Her Mothering and Improved Her Quiet Times

By a MITI Mom in Greece

Using the MITI Four Steps of Prayer has changed my life and redeemed my mothering. My first experience with Moms In Touch was in the fall of 1995 in Belgium. At the time, my children were 9 and 5 years old. The previous five years of my mothering journey had been especially challenging. 

At the International Chapel, I learned about the Four Steps of Prayer and praying in one accord using the Word of God. While I did not feel comfortable praying out loud at first, I could feel the Spirit move me when the other mothers would pray for the group’s children. I marveled at how Scripture had so much to say about every concern I had for my children. I learned how God cares so deeply for my children and how much He wants them to belong to Him and walk in His paths.

Spending concentrated time in Praise, Confession, Thanksgiving and Intercession every week, I soon started praying similar steps during my private devotional time. As I searched the Word for praise passages, I discovered more about God’s character and names. I could focus more on who God is and less on my concerns. Thanksgiving, with a focus on a grateful heart, was an antidote to my concerns. Praying short prayers of thanksgiving during the day helped to retrain my thinking and lifted my spirit. Scripture replaced old “tapes” of distorted thinking and gave my mind something true and beautiful to reflect upon.

Intercession for my children became a way to heal my mothering. I knew that I was not a perfect mom, just a mom who imperfectly loved her kids and was throwing herself at God’s feet in praying for her kids. I prayed for myself too, asking God to strengthen me and guide me as a mom. I felt so weak in many ways, yet I knew that God was strong and loved my kids with a perfect love. Encountering so many different situations where I did not have the wisdom or power to face, I could lift my kids up to the One who had all wisdom and power, and who could make all things work for good in my kids' lives.

God also used prayer to heal my relationships with other mothers. The process of raising children in a culture different from the one in which I was raised was an isolating experience at times. I felt that there were few women with whom I could truly relate who shared the same sense of motherhood in regards to spiritual stewardship.

God would prove me wrong when, as praying mothers, He wove us together as we became transparent with one another and with God during our prayer time. Our hearts entwined as we prayed for each other’s children. Moms from abroad supported us in prayer and we discovered that the heart of mothers beat the same for their children all over the world.

During my years of praying for children and schools here in Greece and the challenges our youth faced, I developed a heart of mercy toward the struggles of my Greek sisters. My passion increased in spreading the word that God loves them with an everlasting love, that He is intimately concerned with their mothering and that He wishes to partner with them in raising their children.

God used Moms In Touch and the process of praying with other mothers for our children and schools, to heal so much in my life. He has taken my struggles and concerns for my kids and continuously taught me how to surrender. He transformed my desire for solutions to challenges into a passion for prayer and for God Himself. This is a gift that will remain with me no matter what season of motherhood I find myself in. I have the assurance that in all circumstances, God is present with His everlasting love and sovereignty.

Knitting Our Hearts Together in Prayer for Our Kids

By Rhonda VanderPloeg

Arizona State Coordinator

The bulletin ad read, “Come to a Moms In Touch Informational; a new group is forming for Blue Star Elementary School.” My heart did a little leap. I knew this was God’s answer to my pleas to teach me to pray and to be a wise mother. Soon our home was the meeting place for this new prayer group in Holland, Michigan. I found myself discovering the Lord in a whole new way as we focused on one of His attributes each week. The short, focused prayers drew me closer to God’s heart. I also enjoyed the support of other moms, and saw my children and school impacted by God’s power to answer prayer.

Since that time in 1994, Moms In Touch International has been a constant in my life. When the Lord moved our family to Arizona in 2003, I expected to again pray in a Moms In Touch group. Sadly, I soon realized that most moms in my area had never even heard of Moms In Touch. They were missing the joy of seeing God’s power through corporate prayer at work in their children’s lives.

Ready or not, I was drafted by the Holy Spirit to start the first group for our new school. Renewed passion burned in my heart for this ministry. I had a vision like never before. I wanted to share this power with other moms and spread MITI throughout my entire state.

What a privilege and thrill to be Arizona’s State Coordinator. I love to see firsthand how the Lord works in so many lives through the discovery of this simple prayer format that knits our hearts together for the sake of our kids before the throne of grace.

Rhonda VanderPloeg, Arizona State Coordinator, lives in Mesa. She has been married since 1984 and has five children from elementary school to young adults. She loves to discover and learn about God’s creation during quiet moments hiking in the desert.

What is YOUR Moms In Touch story? 
Click on POST A COMMMENT below to share. 

A Lasting Gift for Her Graduate

By Szonja Rozsa

A MITI mom from Chelsea, Michigan

I have been a MITI mom from the time my children were in preschool, and they are now both in college.

Two years ago, as my daughter was preparing to graduate from high school and then to turn 18, I had the strong desire to give her something meaningful and lasting to acknowledge these two significant events in her life.

After thinking for a while, I remembered a challenge I heard many years ago at a Moms In Touch International conference: "What legacy do you want to/will you leave your children?" This question and the talk it was part of made a great impact on me and the direction our family took as we raised our children. I remained a stay-at-home mom and led a MITI group (and was an Area Coordinator) for many years.

I certainly saw no greater gift I could leave for my children than the legacy of praying God's word for them.

Now I realized, I needed to share those prayers with my daughter.

I decided to purchase a Bible with wide margins, and I embarked on the huge task of highlighting and dating every scripture I prayed for her over 14 years, writing the personalized prayers on the margins of the Bible. (I am soooo thankful for those weekly prayer sheets that I saved through the years!)

Well, I was NOT finished by the time graduation and her birthday came, but I did wrap up the Bible, telling her that it was a gift I had been working on since she was a little girl. She had grown up knowing about our weekly prayer time, the Four Steps of Prayer, the women who prayed for her regularly and the fact that I was praying not only for her daily practical needs but also claiming scripture for her. Still, she was puzzled about what the gift could be—until she opened it.

It took me almost two years to finish. When she came home for Easter this year, I was finally ready to give her the Bible, with all the highlights, dates and prayers in it.

In God’s perfect and sovereign plan, the week before Easter, the chapel speaker at my daughter's college talked to the students about praying scripture for people. Many of the girls in my daughter's small group and on her hall had never heard of this before! They were so excited about it, talking among themselves how they would start praying scripture, even for their future children. My daughter was sharing with me how surprised she was to hear that not all moms/parents pray scripture for their children. She grew up assuming this is what everyone does.

As she started to flip through her "finished" Bible, very soon tears started rolling down her face. Later that night as I went to tuck her in, she told me that when I first gave her the Bible after her graduation, she did not really appreciate it much, but now, as she was reading the verses and the prayers, she saw that so many of them have already been answered. She was overwhelmed by the Lord's faithfulness and love to her through the answers she has already experienced.

Thank you, Moms In Touch International, for your ministry to so many of us and thank you for your prayers and commitment to continue to call, encourage and train moms to pray in this most effective and eternally meaningful way!

Blessed to Pray in a MITI Group ... No Matter in Which State or Country God Has Us

By Stacey Antolik Georgia State Coordinator MITI is like some of the most popular fast food establishments. No matter where you go in the world, you can expect the same happy meal.  The Four Steps of Prayer include praying Scripture—the bread of life—like the meat and potatoes. Praying in one accord with one or more moms is like the seasoning of salt, which enhances the flavor of what is offered. The beverage is the safe environment of pouring out our hearts like water in the presence of the Lord.  I have had the privilege of praying in groups and serving in leadership in Georgia, Florida and now back in Georgia. With every MITI group, I receive the same happy meal—each with a slightly different flavor, but with the same basic ingredients. No matter where we live, God uses our prayers to impact our children, schools and the next generation. My theme verses are Psalms 78:6-7, “ … so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.” As Georgia State Coordinator, I have a passion to share this life-changing ministry one mom at a time to impact others worldwide for Christ! My prayer is that you will join in this army of praying moms. Click here to read a testimony from your State Coordinator. Have YOU experienced how praying in a MITI group is the same no matter where you live? If so, we'd love to hear! Just click "Comment" below and hit "Preview" when done.

Taking MITI to Ethiopia on an e3 Missions Trip

Yoseph and Ribca met with Fern Nichols
on a recentvisit to MITI Headquarters.

(An excerpt from 

When Moms Pray Together.)

On the other side of the world, Pastor Yoseph Menna and his wife, Ribca, were praying. The director of 8,500 Ethiopian churches had discovered a ministry called Moms In Touch International, and he desperately wanted to give his country the vision of praying for its children and schools. He and his wife knew how much Ethiopia's children need prayer. They need prayer for safety, for health, for protection. And for salvation.

Yoseph, a vibrant Ethiopian, knew that, more than anything else, his beloved African country needs to bring mothers together to pray passionately for their children and schools. He and his wife saw the importance of having the Moms In Touch International Booklet in their language, Amharic, so women could read for themselves about praying scripturally, surrounded by other moms helping them lift their burdens to the Lord. The couple prayed big prayers asking God to supply the $10,000 needed to print 10,000 Booklets they wanted in Amharic. Soon, the answers to their prayers came tumbling in. One mom in the United States donated the entire amount!

But these faithful prayer warriors didn't stop there. They weren't praying just for the Booklet; they were also praying that longtime Moms In Touch moms would come to Ethiopia to train women in the Four Steps of Prayer. They prayed that God would provide the training sites, and that the Ethiopian moms would be excited to participate in the training. ... God, again, answered their prayers in surprising ways. All in all, 900 moms were trained. ...

Yoseph and Ribca have been blessed, too, watching the answers to their prayers tumble in. Nearly 2,000 groups of women are meeting regularly around Ethiopia pleading with God for the spiritual and physical lives of their children and schools. They wait in tiptoe anticipation to see how their prayers will impact this generation, their country, their region and perhaps even the world.
(Note: There are now more than 2,500 MITI groups in Ethiopia!)

From Desperation to Hope

By Bev Romans

Heartland Regional Director

Moms In Touch International

School concerns were troubling me, as my distraught second-grader hated going to class each morning. My heart was heavy, and I knew something had to change—for him and for me. As I explored various options during that difficult season, God allowed me to hear about Moms In Touch International (MITI), and I sensed this was His direction. 

So, in the fall of 1989, with two sons just starting third grade and kindergarten, and with trembling knees and a desperate heart, the first MITI group in our community began. Feeling totally “unqualified” to lead a prayer group, I was right where God wanted me to be—dependent on Him.

As God showed me the need for my sons and their school, He taught me how to pray in praise, silent confession, thanksgiving and intercession, and how to pray in one accord with others. Not all our groups’ prayers were answered in ways we expected or on our time schedule, but my heart was being made more malleable as I continued to call out to God alongside like-minded moms. 

It became obvious that this God who called me to pray was faithful to all His promises. His faithfulness carried my son (and me) not only through elementary school, but successfully through college and into a career in the area of his giftedness.

In 2002, God nudged me to step into the Area Coordinator position in north central Kansas where I could encourage others to pray. A few years later, He called me to serve as the first Kansas State Coordinator, and I am currently the Heartland Regional Director. 

What an incredible GIFT to see God moving across the Heartland in answer to the prayers of moms who humble their hearts to cry out to Him for the lives of their children! My prayer has become that others, too, will experience the gifts of peace, hope and joy that God gives through prayer in a MITI group.

“Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,” says the LORD Almighty. Zechariah 4:6

How has praying the Four Steps of Prayer with other moms impacted your life? We'd love to hear! Just click "Comment" below. When done, hit "Preview."

Feeling Weary? God Is the Victor!

By Jan Sutterfield

Southwest Regional Director

Moms In Touch International

I awoke that morning with a feeling of heaviness. The burden from the night before was still with me. Parenting was not easy. Fiery darts of worry and fear plagued me, and the “what ifs” were rolling in like tidal waves. The battle to raise two sons to love God and stand firm in this dark world seemed especially wearying. 

I was glad it was Thursday—Moms In Touch International day. In just a short while I would be gathering with other moms to pray for a solid hour for our children and their schools.

As we gathered that Thursday, the focus of our praise time was God is our Victor! We read Scriptures that focused on God’s power to bring victory, and I began to feel renewed strength. 

I realized how much I need others to come alongside me and encourage me with God’s promises and with prayer. I was in a battle and had grown tired and weary. Together we were holding up the truth of God for our children and schools … and it was changing me! 

When I left our Moms In Touch prayer time that day, my heart was light, my burden lifted. I knew that God would overcome the enemy in my circumstances and win the battle. He is the Victor!

Since first gathering with other moms in a Moms In Touch group in 1996, I continue to see God’s mighty hand move through this great work of prayer. As the Arkansas State Coordinator for six years and now as the Southwest Regional Director, I have the privilege of seeing God do amazing things in and through women’s lives as they gather to pray.

How has praying in a MITI group changed and encouraged you? We'd love to hear about it! Just click "Comment" below. When done, hit "Preview."

The Time to Pray Is NOW!

By Susan Abbott
Southern Texas State Coordinator

In 2003, I heard about Moms In Touch International from a friend in our Bible study. She asked if I would like to pray in a group for our children and schools. Right away I said, “Oh, no, I don’t have time to add anything else into my schedule. Maybe when our youngest child goes to kindergarten I’ll think about it.” I tucked the idea away … as God worked on my heart. A couple years later, our youngest son was in kindergarten and our oldest, a daughter, was a senior in high school. God was urging me, growing in me the desire to pray with other moms. The pressing needs of my daughter who was ending her high school years and preparing for what was next, motivated me to make that commitment. I began praying each week with another mom. There were times when I didn’t even know how to pray, but God used that other mom to fill in when I was at a loss. Our prayer time was a great encouragement to me. In fact, those prayer hours became—and remain—the most important thing in my schedule. God has shown me how to let go and love my children with grace. He is also growing each of my children in ways I never expected. Our daughter wasn’t interested in going to college right out of high school, but today she is returning to her studies, as she raises our first grandchild. After fighting about going to youth group every week for the first year, our middle child is now really committed to his youth group. And, our youngest child, who worried about friends, has a great group that hangs out together. I know firsthand the heavy burdens we take on as moms. I also know when we give them over to our loving God in prayer with other moms it changes us. We become more like Jesus. When someone asks you to join or start a Moms In Touch group, don’t wait! Don’t lose years of praying together. The time to pray is NOW! Are YOU committing to make time to pray for your children and their schools? Let us know by posting a comment below. Just click Comment, then hit Preview.

The Gift

By Marta Gemelli

Illinois State Coordinator

Seven and a half years ago I received the greatest gift of my life (after the gift of salvation). I have debated whether this gift tops the gift of my children and husband, and have decided, “yes.” I have more of my children and more of my husband because of this gift than I would otherwise. The gift is prayer, and this is my story.

In September 2002, two moms started a Moms In Touch group for my children’s elementary school. I barely knew either of these women, but was invited for coffee and to hear about Moms In Touch International (MITI). At the time, praying in a group seemed like a very hard thing to do, but I joined, and within weeks, I was praying and crying during MITI! After several months, God was using this MITI group to change my life. I had experienced the gift of prayer!

For the most part, my prayers were expressed in tears that first year. The gift grew until I could pray out loud with comfort. MITI introduced me to women who had vibrant prayer lives, and the gift grew as I watched and shared with them. The gift included learning to praise and focus on a loving, sovereign God instead of on my problems and shortcomings. The gift gave me thankfulness; I grew to see God’s hand everywhere because of the weekly thanksgiving time.

Then, God gave me the courage to suggest this gift of prayer to my husband, Mike, and even gave me the confidence to actually pray out loud in front of him. After years, the gift was passed to Mike, and he started praying out loud, too. Eventually Mike suggested we pray together every morning—the gift grew!

My kids may, or may not, become prayer warriors in love with the Lord, but they have seen hundreds of God’s answers through this gift of prayer. I believe my children’s hearts would be very hard if this gift hadn’t affected their faith. Now, I have the gift of a teenage daughter who has spontaneously suggested praying together. Now that’s a gift!

Have you found prayer to be a gift in your life? If so, we'd love to hear about it. Just click Comment below. When done, hit Preview.

The Battle Belongs to the Lord

By Marilyn Ledoux
Appalachian Regional Director

Moms In Touch International

We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you.2 Chronicles 20:12b

In 2 Chronicles, Jehoshaphat’s cry when he saw a vast army approaching was my cry, too, as I faced a trial with my teenager unlike any I had experienced before. God used my Moms In Touch International hour, week after week, to keep my eyes on Him. We praised God for who He is, let Him search our hearts in silent confession, thanked Him for answers to prayer—whether we had seen those answers yet or not—and cried out to Him in intercession, bathing our children in His Word.

Hearing the compassionate, heartfelt cries of other mothers for my child encouraged me, and I gained the strength to stand upon the Word of God and believe His promises to me for my child.

Like Jehoshaphat’s cry for help, God heard mine too, and He has rescued and delivered my children time and time again. Our faithful Father is ready to do that for your family, as well, and those in the schools we pray for. Our God of love and mercy longs to rescue and deliver the multitudes who have been caught in the grip of the enemy. He is calling us to ... "Arise, cry out in the night, pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord for the lives of your children" (Lamentations 2:19).

God has blessed me extravagantly in 20 years of being a MITI mom. Through my husband’s 30-year Marine Corps career, we have crisscrossed the country from coast to coast, and God has always been faithful to give me at least one other mom to pray with. Together we have kept our eyes upon Him, and He has taught me the truth of 2 Chronicles 20:17: "Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you."

To read a testimony from YOUR local area, click here.

We'd love to know what God's doing in your life through Moms In Touch International! Click "Comment" below. Then hit "Preview."

The Best Use of My Time

By Pam Imig Wyoming State Coordinator Moms In Touch International

In 1998, our older daughter started seventh grade. I had always been an attentive volunteer parent, but that changed in junior high school. Volunteers were no longer welcome on a regular basis in the classrooms, and, as a parent, I did not feel needed or wanted. This sense that I could no longer protect my child from what was being taught was especially hard with my first child. I felt disconnected and out of touch. One day a friend invited me to join her Moms In Touch group. I had never heard of Moms In Touch International, but quickly realized what an amazing blessing to pray weekly with other Christian moms for our children and schools. I found a way to connect with my daughter’s school through prayer, and I learned how to trust God with my children as they grew—to trust that He loved them so much more than I ever could, and He would guide them. Praying through the Four Steps of Prayer each week—Praise, silent Confession, Thanksgiving and Intercession—helped relieve my fears and focus my prayers in hope as we prayed Scripturally. Peace came! Answers came! Wisdom came! I prayed for my children to control their tongues, and God began to help me control mine! Everyone in my family has been touched, changed and blessed by God through this ministry of prayer. Throughout the years our group grew, divided and reached out to form new groups. Years later, and now as State Coordinator, I have a passion to encourage other women to persevere in prayer for children and schools. I agree with MITI Founder Fern Nichols when she says the best thing a mom can do is “spend consistent prayer time with God.” Please join us. It just takes one other mom to start. As you come together in corporate prayer for your own children and for the children and staff at their school, you will see why so many moms have found the MITI hour of prayer to be the best use of their time. To read a testimony from YOUR local area, click here. We'd love to know what God's doing in your life through Moms In Touch International! Click "Comment" below. Then hit "Preview."

Prayers for Students and Schools Wrapped the Globe on Bless Our Schools Sunday

On Bless Our Schools Sunday, a teacher stopped by a MITI booth for prayer. They prayed for her as a teacher, for her students and that God would raise up a MITI group for her school.

Three boys stood up in their high school youth group and prayed for the students, the staff and the safety on their school campuses.

One church opened up their gym for prayer after each service. A common theme was praying that students will be bold in their faith, especially for See You at the Pole.

On September 19, 2010, the first annual Bless Our Schools Sunday, pastors around the world took a moment to pray for students and schools. Some called the educators forward and the congregation laid hands on them as they prayed. Others had the children come forward for a time of blessing them.

On Facebook, one mom wrote: “We had a precious time praying in both services over our teachers/staff, homeschooling parents, and then the students themselves. It’s an amazing thing to be a part of such huge corporate prayer!”

Another wrote, “I have that same sense of wonder as I did with Arise! Cry Out! All these parts of the body of Christ, taking the time to pray for the next generation, all over the world, on the same day … WOW!”

How did YOUR church participate in Bless Our Schools Sunday? We’d love to hear! 

Click “Comment” below, then hit “Preview.”

Teacher Accepts Christ after Year of MITI Prayers

Susan of New England was excited to share this answer to prayer:

“I started a Moms In Touch group at our church last year. I was grateful for the 11 that would come out as we are in New England and MITI is fairly new to our local area.

“All year, I felt a burden to pray for my daughter’s math teacher and his fiancée. At the end of the school year he told her he ‘got saved.’ She talked to him further and found out that her science teacher and pastor led him to Christ.

“God is at work!!! We all have our jaws on the floor!!! 

“But there is more! The fiancée came to Christ just a few days afterwards! They were married this summer by the pastor that led him to Christ.

“The moms in my group expect God to work, but to see it like this in this region is just overwhelming! Those New England MITI pray-ers have tilled the spiritual soil. Thank you to them and thanks to Jesus for hearing and working in our midst!”

Swiss Country Coordinator shares MITI with 30,000

By Cornelia Amstutz

Country Coordinator for MITI Switzerland

Switzerland celebrated their faith in Christ through an incredible event called Christustag (Christ's Day). Around 30,000 people gathered in the capital city of Bern to give thanks to God and to stand as a witness for Jesus.

God gave our Moms In Touch team, Mütter in Kontakt Switzerland, a wonderful opportunity to draw attention to prayer during this event. I was asked to speak and encourage the women to be spiritual mothers to the children and schools in Switzerland. While I was addressing the crowd, nearly 2,000 MITI moms dressed in pink, streamed forward onto the stadium field and stepped into the heart-shaped MITI space staked out for them. Standing on stage, a great joy came over me in view of this powerful testimony of prayer in Switzerland, all in God's honor. Suddenly, a strong wind swept over the stadium. At the end of my message, the wind was gone and the stadium was quiet again. To me, this was a powerful sign of God's holy presence and His work.

The moms standing in the heart hugged each other and were moved to tears. I challenged the women that remained in their seats to rise to their responsibility and stand in the gap for their children. We are praying they heard the clear call to prayer and will respond. Following this part of the program, two women from my leadership team prayed for the children of our land. At the conclusion of this prayer, a child, a father and a grandfather came forward to bless us as praying moms of Switzerland.

I am still overwhelmed when I think about the Christustag event in Bern. It was a tremendous and powerful celebration to the glory and honor of God. We have already received responses from mothers interested in joining Moms In Touch. 
 

Moms Meet in Villages Throughout a Muslim Country

A pastor in a predominantly Muslim country works hard to preach the Gospel and encourage women to pray in Moms In Touch groups. 


Despite the challenges of terrorism, persecution and funding, says the pastor, God makes a way for His Gospel to be preached. His church community now has 73 pastors and 30 churches. 


Last November, the pastor diligently sought locations for the women to gather together for Arise! Cry Out! More than 300 women attended in various locations and villages! 


Since then 18 Moms In Touch groups have popped up throughout this region, a region that is often hostile towards Christians. Just last week, 100 women attended a MITI leaders meeting.


The pastor requests prayer for the women throughout his country.


Please pray that God:

- will move in the hearts of moms to accept Jesus Christ and have a desire to pray.
- will protect these congregations, the children and MITI moms.
- will comfort the hurting children and mothers.
- will supply the resources for schools and other programs to help women.
- will provide the funds to spread Moms In Touch.


(To post a comment or write a prayer, click Comment below. Then hit Preview and type in the security code. Approved comments will appear within 48 hours.)

Hearts at Home Shares MITI with their Moms

We appreciate Jill Savage, founder of Hearts at Home, writing about Moms In Touch International in her April newsletter.

Moms In Touch:  Another Great Mom Organization 

By Jill Savage, Founder of Hearts at Home

I remember when my daughter Anne was getting ready to go to kindergarten.  I wasn't worried about her going to school, I was worried about her riding the school bus!  

Over the years, my worries changed from concern about the bus, to friendship choices.  As we added more children to our family, my worries only increased as they moved to a new grade or a new stage of life. 

But I soon learned that worry wasn't doing much for me or them. I decided to turn my fears into prayers.  And I did that for one hour each week at my Moms In Touch prayer group.

Hearts at Home partners with Moms In Touch International, a ministry encouraging all moms, in all ages and stages, to gather with other women to pray specifically for their children and their schools.

Moms In Touch groups meet in every state in the USA and in 140 countries around the world. 

Will you commit to praying with another mom for your children and their schools?

Visit www.MomsInTouch.org to learn more about Moms In Touch International and to find a group near you.

(After writing in your comment, hit Preview and type in the security code. The comment should be posted within 48 hours.)

Announcing: Bless Our Schools Sunday

     We’re excited to announce that September 19, 2010, will be our first annual Bless Our Schools Sunday, a time for churches worldwide to pray for children and schools. Our hope is that every year, the third Sunday of September will be a time for pastors to have all the educators (teachers, administrators, staff, school board, etc.)  and/or students in their congregation stand or come forward while the pastor prays blessing over them for the coming school year.
    Would you be willing to talk with your pastor about Bless Our Schools Sunday?
     Pastors will have the freedom to celebrate Bless Our Schools Sunday in a way that best fits his service and congregation. Some might even have a whole sermon based on blessing our schools through prayer and highlight testimonies from MITI moms, teachers and students. Churches are welcome to participate in Bless Our Schools at their Saturday services, as well. 
     Bless Our Schools Sunday will be a great time for MITI moms to invite others to their Moms In Touch groups.
     Imagine the impact this time of prayer will have on that worn-out teacher, the weary principal, the school board member that’s standing up for biblical values, as well as every school in your community.
     Click here to view the Bless Our Schools flyer.
     Comment below to let us know you'll be talking to your pastor.
        (After writing in your comment, hit Preview and type in the security code. The comment should be posted within 24 hours.)