Wake Up Deborah!

UN declared 2010 as the International Youth Year

2010-08-16T15:11:00.000-07:00

UN has declared from August 12, 2010 to August 12, 2011 to be International Youth Year! This is a great time to focus our prayers on our youth.

An idea: If you can, set up a special prayer meeting dedicating one hour of prayer for your kids, grandkids, nephews, friend's kids, etc.

Some Ideas for the Ministry

2010-05-10T14:57:00.001-07:00

“Not-so-secret” Friend

Not every young person of our churches has Christian parents who cover their lives with prayer. We need to “adopt” them as “spiritual children.” All of the young people’s names go in a bag (independent of age) and each intercessor “parent” take one or more names (depending on the ratio). During a specified period of time (we suggest a few months), that child will be prayed for by that “parent”. We suggest the “parent” write cards, invite them for a snack, look for them after the service and see if he/she has any prayer requests, call them on the phone, send an e-mail, text, etc. The purpose is to straighten the relationship with the young people. They will feel cared for and loved. From time to time the spiritual parents change and new names are drawn.

School for Parents
As we had our prayer meetings, we noticed that the parents need and want to learn more about parenting. But, the prayer time is not the appropriate time for that. So, we felt the need to have the church leadership help us prepare a “School for Parents” where parenting issues are addressed.
For example, “My son is on drugs, how can I help him?” or “How to keep drugs from our household?” or “Discipline, when and how?” or even “How to diminish the distance between my child and me?”

Prayer Booth

At a specific place of the city such as town square, for example, a booth can be set up (with the appropriate permits) and be transformed into a “Prayer Booth” for anyone who needs prayer. You can take the opportunity to distribute invitations for the monthly meetings.
Drama, dance, choir singing can attract attention to the booth. Parents can take turns “manning” the booth so it’s not to much for any one person. Free (donated) water can be offered as an attraction.

Tea

Sometimes it’s easier to accept an invitation to a tea rather than to a church service. Thus, the Deborah’s created the “Wake Up Deborah Tea”. Invitations can be sold that cover that cost of the food. Some people like to donate pies, cakes, etc, even better! The designated place is tastefully decorated but without spending a lot of money. Some prizes (goody bags) may be awarded at the end (to encourage everyone to stay till the end). Someone can share a testimony that can minister to the non-Christian present (max of 20 min). It’s a simple strategy but one that yields results in the awakening of parents to pray for their children.

Prison Ministry

Another ministry is on in which Deborahs can write letters to people in prisons. These letters carry messages of God’s love, of comfort, and care. The assignment is to pray, write and pray. God will do the work for His Word does not return empty.
This idea began, when in a small Deborah group, a lady asked prayer for her nephew who was serving a seven year sentence. At that moment, an idea was born about challenging the women there to write this 21 year old man. Everyone accepted the challenge and wrote before the next meeting. So I began thinking of the hundreds like this young man who has nothing positive to fill their thoughts and of the hundreds of women who pray and want to be used of God in some way. This is a creative way to serve Him.
If we think as “parents,” it makes all the sense. Which parent would not feel comforted knowing that God’s family cares about his/her pain of having a child in such an environment?
As you can see, we begin with a personal commitment to pray, then we pray as a group and that also leads to helping our “neighbors. We begin praying for us and slowly the Holy Spirit teaches us to focus on others.

We know that with your creativity, new suggestions will come forth that will turn into blessings for praying and intercessory parents. As you discover new strategies, please share them with us so we can grow in our commitment as faithful intercessors.

Praying for your Family - Part 1

2010-01-14T02:11:00.000-08:00

Praying Big for Your Marriage 1/4/2010 (Day 1 of 2)

When was the last time you asked God for something BIG? Pastor Will Davis and his wife Susie talk about praying big, hairy audacious prayers as a couple for your marriage. The Davises encourage believers not to shy away from asking God for big things, having faith that He'll answer one way or another.

Guests Include: Will and Susie Davis

Praying for your Family - Part 2

2010-01-14T02:06:00.000-08:00

Praying Big for Your Kids 1/5/2010 (Day 2 of 2) Are you praying on behalf of your son or daughter? Pastor Will Davis, along with his wife Susie, talk about being honest with God and asking Him to intervene on behalf of their children. Hear how they've entrusted their children to God, and how they've prayed with them and for them over the years.

Guests Include: Will and Susie Davis

Meeting Suggestions

2010-01-07T07:35:00.000-08:00

On how the meetings go... also lots of flexibility. When I had a mixed group of women (believers and seekers), I basically did a (1) short devotional geared toward encouragement in difficult times or about family issues or prayer issues. Always trying to encourage and make them want some more... In our small group, (2) we'd just go around and ask about their children and their needs. We'd write them down (we made prayer journals together which was a great activity -- they'd never done anything like that before. I bought small notebooks, stickers, scrap booking things, and I had those small Bible verses cards and they chose and glued them on their prayer journals (since some didn't have a Bible). (3) Then we'd spend time praying. We kept the meeting to one hour but they always stayed longer. I'd often offer tea and have it available as they arrived.

Now, I also once had a larger group of women, about 20 or so. We met once/month at a church. We then did 2 songs preparing our hearts for prayer, a short devotional, and divided into small groups of 3-4 women and then shared the prayer requests and gave answers to prayers too.

How Long Do Prayers Last?

2009-12-22T19:34:00.000-08:00

How long do prayers last? What gift of prayer can we give this Christmas that will live beyond our lifetime? We want to give you that gift. A distant family member, after a praying parent went to heaven, came to Christ. It seemed a great miracle because this person appeared impossible to reach.
We are reminded of the words the angel spoke to Mary in Luke 1:37 “For nothing is impossible with God."
(Valetta Crumley)
Let's use this time we have to pray for our children, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren (born and unborn, even those yet to be conceived).

A New Reality: Brought into existence by our faith.

2009-12-10T17:55:00.000-08:00

Cymbala says that “Faith never denies reality, but leaves room for God to grant a new reality.”

Deborahs in the World - over 80,000 - Be one and bring one!

2009-12-01T19:44:00.000-08:00

The Number One Reason:

2009-11-28T08:13:00.000-08:00

John Townsend shared recently that the number one reason prodigals give as to why they came back and are living for God today: praying moms and grandmas and dads too. Let's not lose heart or be discouraged. This is our charge. During this Christmas, let's love them back home.

Desperta Débora Internacional

2009-11-24T07:28:00.000-08:00

Here is a link to a blog with info in Portuguese organized by Hélida Paixão who is the international coordinator for Wake Up Deborah Desperta Débora Internacional

How it all began

2009-11-23T14:15:00.000-08:00

It all began in 1995 in Seoul, Korea. … A Brazilian pastor, Pr. Jeremias Pereira, was there for the Global Consultation on World Evangelization. He went to the Seoul Olympic Stadium where the summer Olympics were hosted, and that day, the staggering number of 100,000 young people were recruited for mission service. While hundreds were being commissioned, time after time these young people shared time after time, “I want to thank my mom who prayed for me... I want to thank my mom who prayed for me... I want to thank my mom who prayed for me..."
His heart was deeply stirred: “We need this type of commitment in Brazil from our young people.” Lord, how do we do this? The answer seemed to be: “Begin with the mothers.” So, he, along with his wife, Ana Maria (now deceased), and Pr. Marcelo Gualberto began.

The movement came to be known as Wake-Up Deborah, Arise Deborah.

What it is and how I got involved

2009-11-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

Wake up Deborah: Mothers on their knees, children standing.

God has dreams and wants us to fulfill them. God raises people in whose hearts He imprints His dreams. This project of mothers who pray daily for their children for 15 minutes was born in the heart of God and has swept Brazil. Over 65,000 women in Brazil and a total of over 80,000 all over the world are now “Deborahs.”

Wake Up Deborah is a PRAYER INITIATIVE, a call for women to CRY OUT TO GOD to raise up an army of young people full of ZEAL and PASSION for God, warriors with a heart for MISSION and EVANGELISM. The vision is to unite women who have a desire to intercede for this current generation of young people.

Who was Deborah? In Judges 5:7, Deborah arose as a mother for Israel and cried out as a self-challenge: “wake up Deborah, wake up!” And that is our charge: ‘wake up’ and pray for your children: biological, adopted or spiritual.

Any woman who pledges to pray 15 minutes daily for her children (can be in segments of 5 minutes too) and signs up is a “Deborah”. I realize many mothers have done that for years without a ‘title’. There are many Deborahs all over the world. This is presently a way to organize and encourage us. The idea here is to pray: (1) for our children, (2) the youth of our country and (3) to raise mission minded young people who will impact the world for Christ.

I was challenged by the project. I got out of my comfort zone, and called the women who live in the neighborhood I did. I usually have no problems speaking to hundreds of women in conferences or teaching a Bible class, but to get on the phone and talk to people I don’t know, that is out of my comfort zone. But, I did. I called nine women, saying, “this is Laura, you don’t know me, but I’m having a meeting here in our home for mothers whose children will be taking the college entrance exams. Would you like to come?” To my amazement, they all came. I didn’t know one of them. We met for three years until we moved. A few months into it, a non-Christian lady knocked on my door and asked, “Is this the place here where we pray for our children?” I said yes, come on in! We became close friends and yet today we pray for each other's children.

I have not met a mother yet, Christian or not, who does not feel the need to intercede for her children. Wake-up Deborah. It’s our turn. It’s our time.

Ideas on how to pray specifically for our children - small or grown

2009-11-23T08:48:00.000-08:00

PRAY...15 minutes daily

1. For our children’s salvation

2. That our children will love God and His word.

3. That our children will find a desire to be with other Christians and learn to intercede themselves.

4. That our children will wake up to missions

5. That our kids will have the courage to reject all that is not of God.

6. That God will bring about healing for sexual traumas, rejection, inferiority (or superiority) complexes and any feelings that conjure up rebellion.

7. That our kids will confess hidden sins, bitterness and lack of forgiveness.

8. For their schools, teachers, administrators, coaches and others in authority who influence their lives.

9. That God will give them discernment in school that they may be able to filter what is taught that is contrary to God’s Word.
10. That God provide them with physical, mental and emotional health.

11. For their character and personality development. That they may mature in their faith.

12. That there would be peace, respect and understanding among siblings.

13. That God would obliterate social and racial prejudices.

14. That they may be sensitive to the suffering of others.

15. For your kids’ friends.

16. That we (Deborahs, parents…) live a transparent and God-honoring life as examples for our children.

17. That we may deal with each child with the comprehension of individual personalities and differences.

18. For kids in your church whose parents (or one parent) are not yet saved.

19. For broken homes. for children whose parents are separated. That God may give them grace for the brokenness, anger and feelings of helplessness.

20. For your child’s future vocation.

21. For the future spouses of your children.

Become a "Deborah": How to Sign Up

2009-11-23T08:31:00.000-08:00

If you want to "sign up" as a Deborah (moms - biological, spiritual or adoptive- who pray daily for 15 min for their 'children'). Please send me an e-mail at edwards@omsinternational.org with your name, address and e-mail.

God bless you! It's our time, it's our turn!