A Culture of Prayer

Moms in Prayer is an international program that was started in 1984 by a woman concerned about the temptations her two boys would face in middle school. She gathered some friends to pray and now Moms in Prayer groups meet in over 150 countries. Their motto is “Moms praying worldwide impacting children and schools for Christ.”

Three Wheaton Christian Grammar School moms lead the program at WCGS, and moms gather to pray every Monday from 9 a.m.- 10 a.m. in the Commons throughout the school year. The group follows the format offered by the Moms in Prayer ministry. They choose a different attribute of God each week to focus on, sometimes the leader with share something the Lord has been teaching them or share a short devotional with the group, and then they read several scriptures that highlight this attribute. The group begins their prayer time with only praise! From there, they move into a short time of silent confession and then to thanksgiving. The moms focus on specific things that are going on at WCGS and in the community and will break into small groups and pray specifically for one another’s kids and the needs of WCGS. Each week they pray for 2 to 3 WCGS employees by name, making their way through the entire faculty and staff by the end of the year.

When asked how Moms in Prayer has challenged and encouraged her, Lindy Mathews, one of the group leaders, shared “Praying first thing Monday morning starts the week off on a great note. We always leave encouraged by God and the other women. It’s such a great reminder to be praying for our community and to actually do it, not just say that we will. Lifting up the needs of our community, often for families I haven’t met, is a great way to feel more connected to the school and get out of my own world and seek the Lord on behalf of others. We have seen God meet some really specific needs. We’ve seen women view prayer in an entirely different way than they previously understood it. Connecting with women you may never have met is another huge gift. Often, we get to know moms from our child’s grade, or sports team, but MIP is open to anyone, so I’ve met so many more Moms I would never have had the privilege to know.” As she reflected on why the gatherings are valuable, Lindy said “The value of having another woman pray over your child can not be understated. The Lord often speaks to my heart about my child through the prayers of someone who does not even know them well. Carving out time to praise God and give Him thanks in a group of believers is a powerful discipline. It aligns our hearts to Him and draws us closer to one another. It’s a privilege to continue to lift the school before the Lord and to trust Him to lead our administrators, grow our children in education and faith, and bring Himself glory.”

Micah Lindquist, another leader, added “We recognize that it is “not my might, nor by power, but by my Spirit” said the Lord to Zechariah in Zechariah 4:6. We at Moms in Prayer love to gather at the beginning of every week, knowing that we have been commanded to “be joyful always, pray continually, and give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-17. If we want to know something that we can do for WCGS that would please God, it would be to 1. Rejoice in His grace, 2. Pray for others, and 3. Give thanks for our blessings. It’s simply something that He wants us to do, and we find great joy in doing this together every Monday morning for WCGS!”

Another leader, Rebekah Nichols expressed her gratitude for Moms in Prayer sharing, “When asked a few years ago if I would join Micah and Lindy in leading MIP, I wasn’t sure at first with my full schedule. While talking with a dear friend about deciding whether or not to say yes, she encouraged me by saying “Moms in Prayer is a group that you would never regret saying yes to!” Three years later and it was one of the best “Yes” decisions I have made. I so look forward to being surrounded by these women each Monday morning and bringing the needs of our school/ school families before the throne. It is an honor and a privilege. Learning with Micah and Lindy was a gift in and of itself from the Lord! He is so good to us.”

The foundation of WCGS was built on the prayers of our community, and we are thankful for the many prayer warriors that continue to set it before the feet of Jesus.