LITTLE ROCK — Fourteen years ago, Mom’s Day of Prayer was held at a single church in Fort Smith. A group of women gathered at East Side Baptist Church to pray for their children and the children in the community.

It was a success, but organizer Kathy Coleman had a much bigger vision - a Worldwide Mom’s Day of Prayer.

The annual day of prayer, held each year in January, expanded outside of the United States in 2004 and after years of ups and downs in participation, momentum is on the rise, said Melinda Sparkman-Hawkins, who works with coordinators to help set up Mom’s Day of Prayer events around the nation.

“We are in the process of getting every state covered this year,” she said. “Some are hosting Mom’s Day of Prayer via Facebook and we’re not just praying for children but for families, marriages, government and leaders.”

Sparkman-Hawkins said the shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut spurred many mothers to get involved.

“The moms just really came on board. They see the need,” she said. “The enemy is on the attack like no other time. Our world is just in total chaos from the economy to marriages falling apart to violence in schools. It’s imperative for mothers to be covering their children in prayer.”

This year, in addition to gatherings throughout the country and in a handful of island nations, Coleman is taking her day of prayer to the U.S. Capitol. She and other mothers will gather on the Capitol grounds Jan. 19 to pray in the first “Blanketing Our Nation in Prayer” event. Coleman said she felt led to take the event to the seat of the nation’s government after the presidential election.

“I felt it very strongly from God to do that,” she said.

As the project grew, Coleman and Sparkman-Hawkins reached out to women on social networking sites, trying to find willing participants. They also started the long process of obtaining a permit to hold the gathering on the Capitol grounds during the busy presidential inauguration weekend.

Coleman’s group of mothers will pray from 10 a.m. to noon. They will start the event as a group and then break into pairs to pray for the states they’ve been assigned.

“They will pray for that state, the schools, children, the leadership of the state and for the president and his family, and the vice president and his family, too,” Coleman said.

Each person will also go home with the name of a state to pray for throughout the year, Coleman said.

“We are excited,” she said.

For Coleman, the annual Worldwide Mom’s Day of Prayer is a necessity. She said it’s important to pray not only for children but for families and the country’s leaders in a nonpartisan way. She’s making it clear to participants that the event at the Capitol isn’t about politics.

“I don’t want it to be political,” she said. “It’s to pray and not have your own agenda. I’m praying they will be respectful of that.”

Through the years, Coleman said, she has learned a lot by listening to other mothers. A breast cancer diagnosis in 2006 changed her perspective on life.

“I tell people it’s the best thing that ever happened to me,” she said. “Getting a diagnosis that brings the reality that I could die makes you appreciate life and makes you want to love people ... to forgive and forget.”

Coleman believes in the power of prayer, especially when mothers get together.

“Where two or more are gathered God hears our prayers and I totally believe that,” she said. “He hears us and he tells us that in his Word so I believe it with all my heart.”

So far this year, seven Worldwide Mom’s Day of Prayer gatherings are planned in Arkansas, including Jonesboro, Conway and Fort Smith.

Location information is available online at momsdayofprayer.com.

Religion, Pages 12 on 01/12/2013