Moms in Prayer: A Mother’s Faith Unleashed

Fern Nichols and the gospel that reaches millions

By Steve Russo

Publisher’s Note: This article offers an insider's and personal look at a global movement's humble start. As Margaret Mead said, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has." One mother's faith in Jesus casts a stone that rippled worldwide, proving Mother Teresa's words: "I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples."

Some movements are born on stages. Others begin on their knees. This one started with a whisper to God—and it never stopped echoing.

“God will take us to a place where we only have one option, and that’s to look up.” —Fern Nichols

A Cry From the Kitchen Table

It didn’t begin with a ministry plan, donor base, or strategic blueprint.

It began with a mother’s prayers.

In 1984, at her kitchen table in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Fern Nichols felt an ache that many mothers know too well—an ache for her children’s future. Her two oldest sons, Tyrone and Troy, were heading into junior high school, and her heart was heavy with fear. She saw a spiritual battlefield ahead and knew she couldn’t shield them from it alone.

So she did what few dared to do in desperation—she looked up from her knees and prayed to God for insight, inspiration, and peace.

And then she picked up the phone.

“I called another mom,” Fern remembers. “I just said, ‘Will you pray with me for our children and their school?’ She said yes. That was all it took.”

Together, two moms began praying weekly—no coffee, no snacks, no small talk—just open Bibles, humble hearts, and the conviction that Jesus hears the prayers of mothers.

John 14:13-14 (ESV):

“Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”

They prayed for their children, teachers, principals, classmates, coaches, and especially the school bus driver.

“We’re in a battle,” Fern said during our conversation, her voice still strong and resolute at 79. “So we pray with purpose—just like Jesus taught.”

From that quiet beginning, the ripples began.

A Movement Was Born

A former teacher and veteran of 15 years with Campus Crusade for Christ alongside her husband, Rle, Fern knew the Gospel's power. With four children—Tyrone, Troy, Travis, and Trisha—her mission turned personal.

A single phone call between two moms soon became a global prayer movement. With Bibles open, they stormed heaven together—birthing Moms in Prayer International, now active in every U.S. state and 150+ countries under President Sally Burke.

When the Nichols family relocated to Poway, California, the following year, the prayers continued and began to spread. Fern invited more moms. The groups multiplied. The burden was universal. The solution remained simple: no plan, no fundraising, no goals, just purposeful prayer.

And from that one act of faith, a global movement was born: Moms in Prayer International.

Moms in Prayer is one hour weekly: praising God, confessing quietly, thanking Jesus, and praying for kids and schools—a beacon of hope turning fears to faith.

The Movement That Grew on Its Knees

By 1986, Fern had introduced a clear, repeatable structure that continues to define today's movement: Praying the Four Steps of Prayer.

• Praising God for who He is

• Silent confession to cleanse hearts

• Thanksgiving for what He’s done

• Intercession—for children, teachers, staff, and schools

  
  

This isn't a social hour or a parenting support group. It’s spiritual warfare.

“There’s a reason we don’t have snacks,” Fern says. “This isn’t about small talk. It’s about going to war in prayer.”

That spiritual clarity, combined with a reproducible format and deeply biblical roots, fueled the movement’s expansion. Word spread through churches and Christian radio.

The breakthrough came when Fern was interviewed on Focus on the Family with Dr. James Dobson, introducing Moms in Prayer to a national audience.

Suddenly, letters and phone calls poured in. Mothers across the country and around the world asked, “How can we start a group?”

Every single inquiry was answered. Focus on the Family mailed out booklets after the broadcast, while Fern personally responded to every letter she received.

A Structure Modeled After Jesus

Without office, staff, or budget, she wrote resources, developed leader guides, and coached women across state and national borders. Her educational background and years serving with Campus Crusade for Christ gave her tools, but her faith fueled her.

Initially called "Moms In Touch," the organization later changed its name to "Moms in Prayer International."

A major part of Moms in Prayer’s lasting impact comes from its intentional structure, modeled after how Jesus taught His disciples to pray. Every meeting follows four clear, God-centered steps—designed to focus the heart and elevate faith.

Moms learn to pray not merely about their anxieties but through the lens of who God is—His holiness, mercy, sovereignty, and love. This Christ-centered approach anchors each prayer in truth, removes distractions, and strengthens purpose.

“We’re not there for fellowship,” Fern says. “We’re there to bring our children before the throne of grace.”

God Will Take Us to a Place

Over the years, Moms in Prayer faced resistance—skeptical school districts, financial strain, logistical obstacles—but Fern never thought of quitting.

“When things were hard,” she says, “God would remind me: I will take you to a place where your only option is to look up.”

And she did.

She clung to the promise of Matthew 19:26:

“With God, all things are possible.”

And again and again, she saw God move—miraculous donations, divine connections, and moms finding each other in the most unexpected corners of the world.

A Global Call to Christ

Fern carried her cry worldwide, teaching moms to storm heaven. She recalls a Kenyan mother weeping, “Jesus heard me.” Fern’s books—Mom’s Little Book of Powerful Prayers and When Moms Pray Together: True Stories of God’s Power to Transform Your Child—share His answers. Her Bible study, Igniting a Passion to Pray, draws women to Him. “Moms want our kids in His love,” she writes.

Today, Moms in Prayer groups meet in more than 150 countries, and their resources are translated into over 60 languages. The mission continues to grow from Kenya to Korea, Poland to Peru.

At 79, Fern is still active in Moms in Prayer. She’s been married to her husband, Rle, for 58 years, and they have 10 grandchildren. Her life reflects the gentle humility and deep faith that started it all.

“I never said ‘me,’” she says. “It’s always God. And the amazing women He called to walk this with me.”

Empowering the Praying Mom

If there’s one core message Fern wants every mom to know, it’s this:

You don’t have to go at this alone.

Kindergarten or college, struggling or thriving—no matter the season your child is in, God calls you to stand in the gap. Moms in Prayer offers more than just a structure—it provides strength, support, and a circle of women who understand the power of prayer.

“I just wanted my sons to know Jesus,” Fern says. “I never dreamed He would shake the world.”

But He did—through one praying mother, another, and millions more.

A Legacy That Keeps Spreading

The movement’s mission is as focused as ever:

Moms in Prayer International impacts children and schools worldwide for Christ by gathering mothers to pray.

And its vision is bold:

That every school in the world would be covered in prayer.

The purpose is simple, but profound:

• To stand in the gap for our children through prayer

• To pray that our children receive Jesus and walk boldly in faith

• To pray for teachers, coaches, and staff

• To pray that schools are guided by biblical values and moral truth

• To offer support to moms carrying heavy burdens

  
  

And it still begins the way it did in 1984—with a humble mother looking up and asking someone to pray with her.

“Little did we realize that ordinary moms, releasing God’s power through prayer, were about to birth a worldwide prayer movement.” —Fern Nichols

One Stone Across the Water

From a kitchen table in Canada to gatherings in every corner of the globe, Fern Nichols’ story reminds us that God often works through the available, not just the accomplished. She never sought a platform or a movement; she just wanted to protect her children.

And in that surrender, God wrote a bigger story.

Today, if you’re overwhelmed, unsure, or afraid for your child’s future, Fern’s journey reminds us: look up from your knees and ask God what He should have you do about it.

One hour a week. Four steps. Countless miracles.

“What God has done through this ministry,” Fern writes, “is living proof that He hears our prayers and responds.”

Ready to start your ripple?

Join the millions of moms around the world who are praying with purpose. Visit MomsinPrayer.org to find or start a group, access free resources, and pray for your child’s school one hour, once a week, with eternal impact.