Every Friday morning at Westminster Christian Academy in Opelousas, a group of women gather to pray. Week after week, they lean on each other while lifting others up in prayer. Moms in Prayer International is a global organization with a simple but powerful mission that defines each of its school chapters: pray for guidance and protection of children, their school and its teachers, all while supporting, empowering and encouraging other moms.
“Moms in Prayer has meant so much to my family. So when I multiply that by the hundreds of families we have at Westminster, it is very humbling to me,” said Lisa Rivers, who has been honored to be prayed for by Moms in Prayer. Over the years, Lisa says Moms in Prayer has prayed for her husband’s parents, herself and her husband, her children and her grandchildren during trying times, spanning that love and protection over four generations of the family, in addition to countless other families every year.
While asking God to provide strength and comfort for others, the ladies find their own faith, confidence and bonds with each other stronger than ever. “We come together as moms or grandmothers or aunts, and pray for the school, pray for our children, pray for the staff,” said group co-leader Rebecca Fournet. “It’s an awesome fellowship to come together with other ladies under one banner of Jesus Christ’s name.”
For women who want to strengthen their faith in Jesus, become more comfortable with praying aloud or serve as leaders in their church community, Moms in Prayer is the perfect place to be. Co-leader Liz Hill says the group “is very accessible. And very doable. No one on the team would say it’s easy, but I think we would all agree that it is worthy of our time.”
“Moms in Prayer comes together to pray scripturally for our children, to pray for our school, our administration,” says Liz. “It’s one thing to pray a whole lot and come up with our own words, but it’s much more effective to pray God’s word back to Him, over our children.”
What to Expect and How to Attend
- Gather for one hour weekly
- Prayer guide used that focuses on a specific attribute of God
- Four steps of prayer include praise, silent or spoken confession, thanksgiving and intercession/requests
- Prayer in short simple sentences (or silent agreement; no one is required to pray aloud)
- Prayers are offered for the children, needs of the school and the faculty of WCA
- Confidentiality strictly enforced
Moms in Prayer meets at 8 AM every Friday morning at the Westminster Opelousas Preschool. Parents can drop their kids off in the main campus car line and join Moms in Prayer across the street. “Come, sit on the side, observe, nobody’s gonna put you on the spot. You don’t have to pray out loud, because we know that’s very intimidating,” said Lisa. “But come knowing that your children will be lifted up in prayer. Just come.”