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).

"Daily Renewal: Prayer and Meditation"

"Each morning, or any time you are about to go anywhere or do anything, go over the scenario in your mind. Pray, consciously, that the circumstance in question be used for the purposes of love, that God's rays of light might shine upon it."

"Part of our mind is bent on love, and part of it is bent on fear. That is how consciousness operates. The loving mind is called the spirit of God, the Holy Spirit... It is the holy Self that lies potential within all of us, the mystical drive to return home. We always have the choice to align ourselves with its presence and act accordingly in the world, or give in to fear and, on some level, die."

"The problem is that the voice of the spirit is not the dominant voice of the world. Fear is louder than love here. It takes conscious effort, therefore, to go against the voices of the world and to actualize our spiritual nature."

"The fearful mind, or the negative ego, is alive and well within us and around us, but darkness disappears in the presence of light. Fear has no ultimate power in a situation dedicated through prayer to God."

"The purpose of daily prayer is the cultivation of a sense of the sacred. Sacred energy renews us. Lives with no more sense of spiritual meaning than that provided by shopping malls, ordinary television, and stagnant workplaces are barren lives indeed. Spirituality enriches culture. Prayer enables us to transform the world, because it transforms us. From the moment we awaken each morning, our minds are at work in one direction or the other. Either we are slaves to the fearful mental habit patterns that dominate our world, or we are consciously taking part in the counterforce to the world's despair."
Illuminata, a Return to Prayer by Marianne Williamson

A message from Chris Laufer, Coordinator, Faces of Children

Greetings, Faces of Children Prayer Partner,

This devotion is a little long, but Marianne Williamson's words in Illuminata struck a chord with me. There are times I want to give into fear (and other destructive emotions) when I read of another atrocity inflicted on a child by an adult, or when I begin to worry about the Mexican drug trafficking violence that seems to be moving north into parts of my state, closer to home. Fear is a self-preservation tool that serves me well when used as God intended. However, when it dominates my thoughts and emotions, I believe I'm grieving God and misusing this tool.

I guess that's why I found Williamson's image of darkness and fear being dispelled by God's rays of light so comforting. I'm reminded of those times when the power has gone out in our neighborhood and we've lit candles throughout the house. In the stillness and quiet of powerlessness-no electric motors or fans running anywhere-the warmth of this light brought comfort and reassurance to our family, especially to those of us so afraid of the dark. Light drove out fear.

Choosing to pray and take part in the "counterforce to the world's despair" isn't easy. We consciously choose to go against the dominant voices of the world by trusting in God's love and light, by consciously choosing to let love and light drive out fear and darkness. Thank you for making this choice by praying for children. I rejoice that there are children in our world whose lives are less fearful because of your prayers. Thanks be to our gracious and most generous God!

Please join us as we pray that God's light might drive out the darkness in the lives of hurting children everywhere. We'll meet on Wednesday, May 12, 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 would like to share a prayer request or celebration about children, those who care for them, have authority over them, or even for those who harm them, please send them to me at at claufer@facesofchildren.net, or give me a call.

Blessings,
Chris