Giving Up Control

Every Moms in Touch group has a designated "leader". But what really is the role of any prayer group leader?

I read a great post on this topic at Pray! magazine's blog titled Appoint a New Prayer Leader. I recommend you take the time to read it while you think about who is in control of your prayer group time. 

MITI Ohio Prayer Siege Feb. 14th

Dearest MITI Ohio Intercessors

 

I am sensing God's desire for a time of Prayer & Fasting for all Ohioyouth and schools once again.  Please prayerfully consider praying, and possibly fasting, with others or alone.  Together we will create a chorus of 

praise, repentance, thanksgiving and intercession, to our victorious God for breakthrough for the lives of all Ohiochildren/schools, and MITI.

 

PLEASE SHARE WITH YOUR LEADERS/MEMBERS, PRAYING ALONE MOMS

PRAYER SIEGE OPTIONS:

 

•          Region 4 North East Ohio in Geauga County;

CHESTER CHRISTIAN CENTER A/G

            11815 Chillicothe Rd.

            Chesterland, Ohio 44026

            (440) 729-6203

            Contact: Joanne Harris, Ohio state coordinator

            440-338-5921, mitiOH@momsintouch.org

•           In your own group, area, county, region.

•           Alone or at another time
  

 

Information Available for You:   

Go to MITI Great Lakes Region Events for an agenda and prayer sheet to use at your own event (see listing for Feb 14, 2009 - Ohio Moms in Touch Prayer Siege)

 

Visit www.navpress.com Praying for Next Generation; Power Pack Prayers for Schools;

Prodigals.  Or  call 1-800-691-PRAY to order prayer cards.  Allow 7 days for delivery 

 

For Fasting Info Visit http://www.billbright.com/7steps http://www.allaboutgod.com/christian-fasting.htm

 

 

Serving Jesus together for the lives of the children of Ohio,

Joanne Harris

Ohio State Coordinator

Moms In Touch International

mitiOH@MomsInTouch.org

440-338-5921

www.MomsInTouch.org

PRAYING MOMS MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

Our Mission: Moms In Touch International impacts children and schools worldwide by gathering mothers to pray.

Our Vision: Every School in the World covered in Prayer.

 

What do you see?

I gave up working on a cross-stitch project for about four years because I couldn't see the tiny little squares. Finally, I gave in and bought some drug store reading glasses and was amazed! I was able to finish my project. I could enjoy reading again without eye strain. 

God gives us the ability to have a vision for something that doesn't yet exist. He created the earth and everything in it in six days. He could have done it in one day, but he focused each day on a different aspect of his vision. Keep in mind - nothing existed to aid his vision. Genesis 1:2 says "the earth was formless and empty."

I believe everything God does is intentional. So why did he take six days to create? Maybe it was to teach us to not stop at our first focus.

God has given MITI the vision to cover every school around the world in prayer. That is an exciting vision and one that is becoming reality with groups in every state in the US and in 120 countries worldwide. 

Now, what do you see God doing with that vision? Dream with me. What do you see happening not just as a result of you praying for your child and school but every school covered in prayer? 

I see children proclaiming good news of the kingdom of God as a natural part of their day. A friend struggling with a family situation and a child or two gather around him to pray - listening for God's guidance and bringing the reign of God's kingdom into that school and that personal situation.

I see teachers who are not afraid to pray for the sick and troubled students. I see miracles of healing, children released from the need for ADD and other medications. 

I see administrators bringing justice through God's love and mercy. Problem students being encouraged to their God-given potential. 

I see students, teachers, staff, parents turning to Christ for meaning in their life because of the undeniable miracles they witness in their schools.

Immediately Aeneas got up. All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. Acts 9:34-35

Put on God's glasses. What do you see that you haven't seen before?

Check out Michigan's MITI blog for some great thoughts on Focus.

Your MITI Goals

I'm not one to make New Year's resolutions but I do like to set goals. As followers of Jesus Christ, goals are meaningless if not considered in relation to His goals and purposes. Instead of asking what do I want to accomplish, my goals usually try to answer the question how will I or those my life impacts be different if the goal is met. 

Here are some goals I would like to suggest in regard to your involvement with Moms in Touch.

Group Members - make your weekly MITI prayer time a priority (this has a much greater impact than you can imagine on you, those in your group, and all of your life if it is a priority)

Group Leaders - train others in your group to lead (as leaders we are not to be the shepherd but to encourage others to our shepherd for his leading)

Contact Persons - Cast the vision of every school in your cluster/district to be covered in prayer; pray specifically and weekly for moms to respond to God's calling to pray for those uncovered schools; train others for the role of Contact Person

Area Coordinator (that's me) - I am seeking and expecting God to bring forth three more Contact Persons in 2009 (Big Walnut, Buckeye Valley, and Marysville)

Goals of the Christ Follower are much more than wishful thinking or human determination. The specific goal I set as an Area Coordinator was determined through prayer. I believe God has revealed that he will do this and therefore my part is be alert and in tune with him as he guides me throughout the year. Faith is not believing God will do what I want but believing he will do what he has revealed and promised.

I encourage you to ask God to reveal his goals for you this year. Listen to the Holy Spirit as He paints the picture of what your life and the life of those you impact will look like at the end of 2009. Expect it to happen just as he promises.

Do you hear what I hear?

What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do.

~ Isaiah 46:11

Following the 4-steps of prayer model is very helpful in keeping our focus on speaking to God. I wonder, though, if we should insert reminders on our prayer sheet to listen to God.

This week, I'm using the filled-in prayer sheet with the attribute "Master Planner". As I read the above verse, the thought came to me, God is not a dad who makes time to listen to us when he gets done with his work. We, and the stuff we are praying about, are his work.

One of the significant aspects of praying with others is the gift of experiencing unity in our prayers. Not unity of like-minded moms, but unity as only the Spirit of God can create. When I pray alone, I can listen to God and sense his presence but it is not the same as knowing that someone else is also hearing what I hear from God. 

Our prayers are filled with hope and power when we realize that we're not interrupting God with our stuff. He has a master plan which includes our stuff. All we need to do is listen to him. 

Confession should not be the only intentional silent time in our prayer groups. When we praise him, let's listen for his response. Allow the Spirit to whisper reminders of Thanksgiving. And wait on God to guide your prayers for your children and the schools.

What you hear may surprise you. It may seem strange to have a sense of knowing the need of someone you do not know personally. But God will tell you how to pray if you take time to listen.

Listen. Do you hear what I hear? If so, it's most likely from God. He is letting you and me in on his master plan. How exciting is that!

Message from MITI Great Lakes Regional Director

On Nov 18, 2008, Lynn Niedenthal wrote:

Dear Ohio MITI Group Leaders and Members,

Our nation is in the midst of a financial “storm” which has impacted many of us, including the ministry, Moms In Touch International. We trust the Lord to see us through this time and that the ministry will continue to be strong. Accordingly, MITI Headquarters has placed a freeze on all spending. This encompasses all usual expenses incurred by state coordinators (SCs) and regional directors (RDs) as we volunteer and serve, including copying, phone, postage, office supplies and travel.

The impact of this cut back is also effecting the SC annual getaway scheduled for February 2009 where all the SCs, RDs and MITI HQ Dept. Managers gather in California for a time of equipping and encouragement. Because of many exciting changes that are on the horizon for Moms In Touch, it is vital for all of us to attend. This travel has always been covered by the ministry; however, current circumstances call for us to be prayerful and creative in order to maintain the financial stability of the ministry. So, MITI has requested that all those attending involve the women in their states to give them the opportunity to participate by donating financially or with Frequent Flyer Miles specifically towards this need.

Would you consider investing in the future of MITI in Ohio and our Great Lakes Region by making a donation to help cover Joanne and my expenses to attend the SC Getaway? If you feel the Holy Spirit’s tug to provide Frequent Flyer miles or to give financially towards our getaway travel along with the other expenses mentioned, please let myself or Joanne know. You may make the check out to Moms In Touch International sending it either to myself, to Joanne or directly to Moms In Touch International, PO Box 1120, Poway, CA 92074-1120. Please note on the check that it is for Joanne Harris or Lynn Niedenthal and how it is to be designated. They will keep us informed of the amount so that we know when enough has been raised to buy our tickets.

I realize this letter may find you and your family in dire financial needs and so I pray that you will not be offended by this letter – please do not have any guilty feelings if you just delete this.

Often when I receive donation requests, I feel that the little I can give is not enough. I want to encourage you to read 2 Kings 4:38-44. A man came with a donation for the man of God and the prophets. 100 men were hungry! The donation was enough to satisfy a few, but not all. Elisha wasn’t interested in just feeding himself and his inner circle. He insisted in putting the food out to all the men. The servant questioned the command to put it out in front of the 100 men but Elisha repeated the command and gave a promise. God will make it be more than enough. The promise of God enabled the servant to obey. “So he set it before them.” Your little amount in righteous, obedient hands is all God needs to meet the needs of many. Give the little bit you have even though you know it’s not enough. The Lord promises it will be more than enough.

My God will meet all your (and mine and Joanne’s) needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. ~ Philippians 2:19

Thank you In the name of our Jehovah Jireh,
Lynn & Joanne

Joanne Harris
Ohio State Coordinator
mitiOH@MomsInTouch.org

Lynn Niedenthal
USA Regional Director - Great Lakes (IL, IN, MI, OH & WI) 

mitiGreatLakes@MomsInTouch.org
******************************************************

UPDATE:
From: Lynn Niedenthal 
Date: December 3, 2008

Hi ladies,
I just heard today from a couple in IL who are able to donate all their United miles to me for my flight so I am taken care of – PTL! (The IL SC’s husband had already bought her ticket so she is praying for monetary donations).

So, Lisa, you can edit the letter to just reflect needing support for Joanne’s flight.

Lynn

********************************************************

Moms In Touch International 

Our Mission

Moms In Touch International impacts children and schools world wide for Christ by gathering mothers to pray

Our Vision

Every School in the world would be covered in prayer

Holidays and Short Weeks

Is your Moms in Touch prayer time just another scheduled item in your week or do you recognize the gift God has given us through Jesus to pray for our children and schools?

Let's not make our MITI prayers a "meeting" that must be scratched when school is not in session. Pick up a previous Prayer Sheet or print one of the 52 filled in sheets from the Leaders Corner page at www.MomsinTouch.org to use in your personal quiet time. A list of Attributes of God is also available at the Leaders Corner page.

Who knows? You may get so excited about using the 4-steps of prayer alone that you will want to lead the next MITI Prayer time for your group!

Evelyn Christenson in What Happens When Women Pray says private prayer is "an indicator of the kind of prayer group participant we really are, for it is our private praying that determines the quality and validity of our public praying."  

A note from personal experience: praying out loud when you are alone will make praying in a group more natural for you. 

Don't skip praying for our children and schools just because of holidays or short school weeks. God is still at work in the lives of every student, teacher, and staff person.

Keep Praying! You are participating in the redemption of God's creation!