This is the Truth Network.
The following program is recorded content created by the Truth Network. The power of prayer. But what if you are a college mom with a college student and you really are burdened for your child? How can you pray for them? What do you do?
Well, let me tell you what one mom did. Monica Renahan. She wrote a book called Your College Student Needs Prayer. She handed me this book. I looked at it and I said, wait, I have college students. I need this book.
I need prayer. And she agreed to sit down with me. And I'm pumped about reading this, Monica.
Tell us a little bit about why this book was written by you. It's got a backpack on it. It's got all kinds of school supplies. This is like, this is a tension grabber right here.
Right. It was an effort of love. My own daughters were struggling with things in college. And I would talk to friends of mine who also had college students and ask them, when your daughter was going through this, what did you do? And oftentimes they told me, we didn't go through something like that.
So we'll pray for you through this, but we don't know what to suggest. So I pulled together a lot of information from other moms telling me that they struggled with certain things. They faced certain challenges as their kids were approaching adulthood. We call it emerging adulthood.
It's a process. What you taught them for the 18 years that they were at home doesn't fill them for what they need at college. And when they're living alone for the first time, when they're interacting with a lot of different people from a lot of different backgrounds. So these are 50 stories from moms who shared things that went on. Yeah.
Now you set it up real nicely. I mean, this is really getting me because I just took a freshman, you know, to college and I'm telling you, I pray for her, but this is going to really give me some good solid direction in this area. Because you say this, after you unload the car and wave goodbye to your college student at the dorm door, then what? Are your parenting days over? Probably not, mom.
The things you taught them may not cover everything they need to know. So start praying and keep praying. What a good word on the power of prayer because they say you're an empty nester, but your prayers aren't empty, are they Monica?
Not at all. And you have to remember to pray for things that they won't necessarily bring up until they've happened. And that was the buffer zone or the blanket of protection that we tried to offer to our kids and that other moms have shared with me really helped. Yeah. And they're on this campus and I mean, anywhere they go to school, they need prayer. I mean, you're, you know, Christian college, secular college. I mean, there's all kinds of attacks. They're called all kinds of issues.
They could meet their future spouse. I mean, this is a, this is a high level thing. I'm not saying that to drive us to worry. We're not trying to be anxious about anything, but we're trying to pray about everything, which is what you're essentially is not what your message is in this book. Yes, definitely.
It is not to worry you. It is actually so many people have told me it was a comfort to know about these things and to be thinking of them, put it on our radar. And then when they did happen, we had a little bit of a way forward instead of getting blindsided by things that happen.
And they aren't all terrible things. Some of them are, Oh, they were planning to become a nurse and suddenly they've had a change of heart and they might want to go into business. And really for them, their life is a little bit destroyed for a short time. And you pray with them through that and you give them the guidance and the support.
So many, so many options come up when people are becoming adults and they're trying things and may might not work the first time. And your experiences aren't always shared at the time that they need them. So pray through them. So this is the book, Your College Student Needs Your Prayers.
College moms share reminders of things you might forget to cover. That's the subtitle. The author is Monica Rennihan. I met her just minutes ago from this interview as I was leading Women's in the Word at the Dario in Archdale near High Point, North Carolina, in a room full of prayer warriors. I mean, I could feel it. This is some anointing. This is the fourth anniversary. And I was part of the founding of Wednesday in the Word and the Women's in the Word, you know, a few years back.
And so they were really desperate for a speaker this morning. So they had me come and celebrate this anniversary. And then I handed you a Christian radio card and you saw the picture of one of your former pastor. And then I find out that my one of my mentors and dear friends marries you guys.
Rick Hoppe, what is going on here? It's an amazing connection, but God does that. God brings people he loves together.
So we're still in the Dario and I'm just talking about this really cool book. And of course, Alistair Begg, you were in his church in Cleveland, married in his church by Rick Hoppe. You know all the people that are part of Truth For Life, such a neat ministry on the Truth Network and on many stations that carry Truth Talk. Monica, help, help the family right now that's struggling. You know, I know it's his mom's, but you know, I'm a dad and I'm, you know, my wife is amazing and she's a prayer warrior for our kids. And we're praying a lot for our kids more now than ever because they're off in college or off somewhere. I got a kid, you know, in New York City.
I got, you know, all spread all over the place. What are some baby steps, some challenges fundamentally? And I don't want you to tell us too much to give away the book.
I want everyone to get this book, Your College Student Needs Your Prayers by Monica Rennihan. But Monica, get an oar in the water for us, will you please? Oh, goodness. Okay. It is so important to keep the communication open with your child. Ask questions. So many times they'll say, I'm busy, I'm going off to this athletic practice or this project.
But if you can ask some questions, hey, how's it going with your roommate? Are you involved in activities? Are you meeting people on your floor in your dorm or are you looking to be in a group that's a Christian group? Helping them connect to people is a huge part of helping them belong in college and feel a part of an effort. Another big thing for a lot of moms is using the things that they know that their children are good at and supporting them in those things, reminding them that even if they're struggling in school at this moment, they're still a wonderful prayer warrior themselves. And they can reach out to God and say, help me as I grow. Well, there's power in prayer.
Your college student needs your prayers. There's a name of this book by Veronica Rennihan. You just heard her talking about it. Look at all these titles. I mean, all these stories. Basically, this is a compilation of a bunch of testimonies, huh?
Yes. It was moms who shared the things that they were struggling with, the things that they needed prayer support from their own friends. And they wanted to offer that to other moms. Literally, I'm on my way over here to to leave this morning and to teach, you know, Mark 13. And I was telling someone who asked me about the lesson and they said, oh, thank you for that. And all I was telling them, well, on the way over here, my mama on the phone prayed for me out loud on the phone as I'm coming here. And I'm a 54 year old man.
I just turned 54. And here my mama is praying for me. And so anything that is good in your life is from God. And it's most assuredly God having used a godly mom or grandmom. And who knows the untold millions of moms will be celebrated in heaven for those prayers.
They know that for the kids that were on their way the wrong way. And God used those prayers. Amen. Amen.
And it's true. We do do a good portion of the prayer support for our children. But fathers are right in there, too. And they're welcome to read this book and get suggestions, too.
I didn't mean to exclude them, but I only had the contact with the moms to share it that way. Well, you gave me this copy and I think I'm going to get you to sign it for me if I can. And I'm definitely going to take this right home. And my wife and I are going to definitely pour into it. And it's going to get any time you encourage someone to prayer. Prayer is so powerful because God is so powerful. Amen. Amen. There's nothing else that can be said beyond that.
That is the truth. How can people get the book, Monica? Your college student needs your prayers. How can they get this really cool book? I love the book cover with a backpack on it and everything.
What's the best way folks can connect with you? Get the book and buy a book for all the moms in their life. Well, it is on Amazon. It's on Barnes and Noble. A lot of private Christian bookstores have it. Or you can ask for it there. I'd like to support local when I can. We're also selling copies through a lot of North Carolina churches through women's groups to support the North Carolina recovery.
So if I can sell them myself, I give the profits to the recovery right now. And make sure you get like a Facebook page up or some social media so moms can participate and they can even put the prayers. Look at that right there. Life as a college mom 101 dot wordpress.com.
Wordpress.com. Fantastic. So get involved socially. This is an army. There's no powerful army that a bunch of moms on their knees praying. That's the truth.
And you can't say much more than that. That is an amen. Thanks for hanging out with us. Your college student needs your prayers. Monica Renahan, the man who disciple me, one of the many men, but a godly man who disciple me in college. Pastor Rick Hoppe, Rick and Nancy were part of marrying you and introducing you to your husband.
That's true. We were we were in their college ministry at Parkside Church in Cleveland, Ohio. And we walked in the door and Rick brought us together. So in answer to my mom's prayer, I went to college. She prayed, God, bring my son.
Godly mentors, godly friends. And this is my roommate, my bunkmate, Rick. He's in the he was in the top bunk.
I'm in the bottom bunk. He said, Hey, bud, how was the word this morning? I'm like, why is you want to talk about this all the time? But it encouraged me and challenged me to grow in the Lord. Right. In those times of playing basketball and tennis with Rick and just pouring his life into me.
An answer to my mom's prayer, an answer to no doubt your mom's prayer, other mom's prayers, as God used him and Nancy to impact you guys. That is so true. And they are a great couple. They are solid in their faith and they want to share all the time with people. And I think that rubbed off on me.
And that's why I want to share this with moms, especially. Awesome. Get the book. Find it.
Amazon, wherever your college student needs your prayers. Now, it's just a book. It's a fact. Get it.
Read it. Be blessed to share with someone by Monica. Renahan, Monica, thanks for hanging out with us today on Truth Talk. Thank you so much.
