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).
Invitation to Prayer, TODAY
Hi Friends,
Happy New Year!! Thank you for joining me in prayer for the children of the world. If you can, we'd love to have you pray together with us this Wednesday
- TODAY - at 11:30 a.m., in the gym conference room at
First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas, followed by by a special lunch together.
Also,
Faces of Children is now on Facebook ! I invite you to like our page so that you can see regular stories, prayer needs, and updates from partner ministries.
All the best,
Carrie
Dear Intercessors,
"I'll call the unloved and make them beloved."
Romans 9:25
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| Partners Relief & Development Photo |
For me 2016 was about learning to balance 'what is' and 'what isn't yet.' It was a year that challenged me to hold all of my joy in one hand and sorrow in the other, without letting one overshadow the other; a year to understand better how to live in the tension of gratitude and longing with my feet firmly planted in the truth that God is always, always good. From my work with Faces of Children to some of my personal journey, this year challenged me to unflinchingly look at pain while never surrendering hope.
I hope over the last year as you've read through these emails and prayed with us, you've found yourself unflinchingly looking at the pain in the world, especially as it affects children, while also stubbornly refusing to give up your belief that light is always more powerful than darkness and that God is always bringing about redemption and hope in the darkest of circumstances.
As we move forward into 2017, our Faces of Children leadership team has decided to adopt a theme for the year, and it's a theme I fully believe embodies this tension of gratitude and longing, of joy and sorrow.
Displaced but not misplaced. *
As we look around the world, we see children displaced by conflict and war, natural disasters, fractured families, and all sorts of other painful circumstances. Their displacement often means everything about their life is in a state of upheaval. Nothing is normal, and many of them have lost all sense of felt safety in the world. This isn't OK. Displaced children are traumatized children, and they need our love, prayer, and care.
But in the midst of their trauma and tragedy, we can trust displaced children are never misplaced by God. He knows each and every child, down to the number of hairs on their heads. He created them with love and great joy for a purpose. He has not forgotten them, even if it seems as though the world has, and I believe God is challenging us not to forget these children, either. We follow a God who says He turns the world's 'unloved' into 'beloved,' and I believe He's inviting us on a divine adventure to do the same.
Over the course of this year, we will unpack and explore this theme more as it relates to many different challenges vulnerable children face -- from here in our own communities to the other side of the world. Will you join me in 2017? Let's intentionally reject apathy and step into praying fervently for God's children in every corner of this globe. As we do so, I trust our prayers will move us to love and our love to action.
Praying with you,
Carrie
Carrie J. McKean
Faces of Children Director
First Presbyterian Church of Midland, Texas
(432) 684-7821 x153
* This is a phrase we have borrowed, with permission, from our friends at Partner's Relief and Development.
If you have prayer requests about children, those who care for them, those who have authority over them, or those who harm them (the really hard prayers to say sometimes), please send them to info@facesofchildren.net
