Invitation to Prayer

Faces of Children is an ecumenical prayer ministry under the auspices of First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas. Our mission is to initiate ministries of prayer for children in churches, communities, and neighborhoods. In doing so, we seek to provide an opportunity for people of God to join together, learn about children and their needs throughout the world, and celebrate Christ's love (especially as it relates to children).

"Loved Ones"

"Praying for someone is a gracious act. It gives blessing to the one who prays, as well to the person prayed for. Every day, during times of prayer, let us think of the people in our lives we love most. Let us remember our children, our parents, our siblings. Let us consciously thank God that they exist, and ask for holiness in our relationships with them.

Imagine life to be like a camera: The amount of light in the picture is determined by the size of the aperture at the time the picture is taken. For most of us most of the time, our experience of life and its potential for joy is severely limited by the constriction of our own hearts. It's as though an aperture is shut, at least partially, that could be completely open. The joy we seek lies less in something new happening and more in our opening our hearts more fully to the love in our lives already. Only love can make us happy, and only we ourselves can determine its presence or absence inside our hearts. To acknowledge love is to increase its capacity to heal us; to ignore love is to let it slip away.

Look around you while you are in public somewhere or gathered with loved ones. Look into the faces of the people you see, and silently say: 'The light of God in me salutes the light of God in you.' Do it for five minutes, minimum. I defy you to do this each day and not be happy.

Do this in traffic when you are frustrated, while in line at the Department of Motor Vehicles, while sitting in a restaurant. We find our happiness to the extent to which we use our minds to bless the world, for that is the natural use of the mind. It is the reason we were born."

"Dear God,
Show me the light at the center of my sisters and brothers.
Show me the light at the center of myself.
Show me the light at the center of the world.
Where I see guilt, show me innocence.
Where I focus on mistakes, show me how to focus on efforts at good.
Help me have faith in the goodness of others.
Help me have faith in your spirit within me.
Thus may darkness be cast out.
May I cleave to the light that is in my heart.
This is my prayer.
May I see the light in everyone.
Amen."
Illuminata, a Return to Prayer, compiled by Marianne Williamson

A message from Chris Laufer, Coordinator, Faces of Children

Greetings, Faces of Children Prayer Partner,

Please join us in prayer for the children of our community and world this coming Wednesday, May 5, 2010 at 11:30 a.m. in the Bride's room at First Presbyterian Church, Midland. We'll have lunch ($5) and fellowship after our time of prayer.

If you have prayer requests or celebrations about children or those who care for them, please send them to me at at claufer@facesofchildren.net, or give me a call. Thank you for your faithfulness in prayer for the children of our world!

Blessings,
Chris