Moms Gather to Pray in Washington, D.C.

Kathy Coleman didn’t feel like a super-spiritual prayer warrior when God moved on her heart to start a movement to encourage moms to pray. She stepped out and now the movement has spread to all 50 states and five nations.

“I was reading an article about a mom in Brazil who started a movement because she was concerned about the spread of drugs, alcohol and sexual immorality in her nation,” Coleman told SpiritLed Women. “God then began to speak to me about starting movement in Fort Smith, Arkansas.”

She met with her pastor at Eastside Baptist Church to discuss the idea and he was enthusiastic. “He told me to call it ‘Moms Day of Prayer’ and that’s how I came up with the name.” Since the first prayer meeting held in 1998 at the church with 250 women from 50 churches, the movement has expanded to all 50 states and five nations.

After the November 2012 presidential election, Coleman was inspired to gather a group of moms to pray for the nation in front of the White House. “God has a plan for our children, our families and our nation. We must stay focused on who God is because Satan is determined for us to focus on his lies of who God is not.” Coleman says. “It’s time for moms to draw a line in the sand and stand up and pray for our nation to return to the principals and morals this country was founded upon.”

Coleman said that she felt more of an urgency to gather moms to pray after the recent school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut that shocked the nation. “I knew that God was calling us to do this and the Connecticut shooting showed me that this is the year to bring this to Washington, D.C.” For the first time since Worldwide Mom’s Day of Prayer (MDOP) was founded, the group will gather in Washington, D.C. on January 19 for “Blanketing Our Nation in Prayer” event.

Women attending the D.C. event will be divided into 25 prayer teams. “Each team will receive a card with the names of two states written on it and be asked to pray for the children, families, marriages and government leaders of each states as well as our president and vice-president for the rest of the year,” says Coleman.

“We’ve invited all the members of the Senate and Congress and the White House staff to the event,” says  Coleman. “Since it’s the week of the Inauguration, I know there’s going to be a lot of other activities going on so I’m not expecting a huge attendance from our senators or congressmen.”

Over the past 16 years, MDOP events have been held in several states and foreign countries. The 2013 goal is to have MDOP events in all 50 states and Washington, D.C., on the same day. Currently, MDOP events are scheduled in 41 U.S. states and 5 foreign countries. To find an event in your area, visit Mom’s Day of Prayer online. 

Leilani Haywood is a Kansas City, Mo.-based award-winning writer and columnist. She has been published in the Kansas City Star, Metro Voice and other publications. When she’s not updating her status on Facebook or Twitter, she’s driving her three kids to school or their next rehearsal. Follow her on Twitter @leilanihaywood.