I’m completing an entire decade of going to battle for my three kids by pouring out my prayers to our steadfast, loving God in a Moms in Prayer group.
When my oldest daughter was a toddler, she was at home with me until she started Kindergarten. It felt so strange to have her with me all day and then suddenly hand her over to the local school district with the thought, “OK, it’s your turn now!”
But then I heard about Moms in Prayer on the Dr. James Dobson radio show.
The idea that I could cover my daughter in prayer while she was at school brought me such joy, relief, and hope.
As mothers, we all know how rushed and chaotic it can be to get children up, dressed, fed and out the door for their school day. After starting a Moms in Prayer group, we all immediately experienced the benefits of faithfully setting aside time to praise God, ask for forgiveness, give thanks and pray for our kids each week. We left our prayer time encouraged and as more patient, gentle moms.
We kept track of answered prayers by writing them down or adding notes on our cell phones. Since our Moms in Prayer group follows the school year, we take time during our last meeting to read answered prayers, giving God thanks for prayer victories; from simple acts of kindness to bigger celebrations like baptisms and graduations. Here are some of mine. There were many more shared by other women during our Moms in Prayer group time.
Answered Prayers for Children and Schools:
To be a light on their school campus – In elementary school, when my daughter’s teacher fell and dropped all the reading journals, my daughter helped her pick them up. My son helped a classmate tie his shoes. He also got his friend’s backpack and coat at the end of the day.
To trust in the Lord – My daughter turned to prayer three times when she was terrified when taking shelter during a tornado warning.
Using their gifts and talents for God’s glory – My daughter used her gift of reading to help classmates reach their reading goal. My other daughter has a heart for special needs children and eagerly volunteered to push another classmate who is wheelchair bound.
To be peacemakers – My daughter stood up to some kids who were making fun of another child’s birthmark.
To experience God’s protection – My husband found a crack in the tree branch that our daughter had been sitting on. He cut it down before it could break with her on it. A walk around the block helped one of my children calm down after a panic attack.
Growing their own prayer lives – My daughter and I prayed for God to help her in jumping to the 4th monkey bar when she was 9 years old. When she accomplished that goal, she made the connection that it was an answer to prayer.
My son prayed after his nightmare, for his sister before a bike race, and for his grandma when she was sick. When he was older, he even led prayer during our quarantine church services.
Doing their own Kingdom work – My daughter helped with organizing our dining room church service during quarantine by pulling up songs and arranging communion. My son shared a story with his friend from his Action Bible. My introverted daughter wrote a song with her friend and they sang it in front of the church.
Additionally, my own prayer life has grown, giving me opportunities to teach my children what the Bible says about various life situations. I shared 1 Corinthians 13 with my daughter to help her see how she wasn’t showing love. We’ve also turned to Scripture to talk about internet safety and the temptation to cheat. Finally, it’s been a delight to see my oldest grow in her own faith walk and take ownership of opportunities to draw near to the Lord. She has turned to a devotional when she had a stressful morning, found a Christian podcast she enjoys, and she looked up scriptures to read on her birthday.
So often our lives can be stressful, busy and routine. It’s easy to go through our days on auto-pilot, checking off our to-do list. Looking back on these 10 years of answered prayers is a wonderful reminder of how important it is to gather and pray for our kids and their schools.
Get connected with a Moms in Prayer group!
- Moms in Prayer Digital Shop
- SHARE this blog with a friend – click on a social media icon on screen
- Support Our Mission
Lori Bittenbender became involved with Moms in Prayer in 2010 while living in Texas. She currently leads three Moms in Prayer groups for the three schools where her children attend and is an Area Coordinator in Southern Minnesota. She has been married to her college sweetheart since 1999.