All the Bible verses in this edition of The Presidential Prayer Team
for Kids Update are from The New Living Translation of the Bible.
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In This Issue
  • The National Day of Prayer—are you involved?
  • At what moment in America's past was the first Day of Prayer born?
  • Cool things you can do to observe the National Day of Prayer.

Things to pray for
President Bush had a visit with Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia earlier this week. The two men met at President Bush's Crawford, TX ranch and talked about all kinds of things regarding the relationship between our two countries. In this photo President Bush is seen holding the Prince's hand. There are several reasons for this.
Can you guess what they are? See Quiz for details.
Photo courtesy of the White House.

  1. Pray for President Bush as he talks with all kinds of people, from everyday people like you to world leaders. Ask God to guide him as he influences others. President Bush is often called the most powerful person in the world, and that's a big reason to pray for him! When he speaks, people listen and they respond, so be sure to pray that he will always listen to God and seek guidance from His Word.
  2. Pray for First Lady Laura Bush as she travels the nation and the world, sometimes with the President and sometimes by herself. Ask God to give her wisdom and strength as she speaks with others about issues that are important to her—for she is an influencer of people just as the President is. Right now, Mrs. Bush is working especially hard on her program called Help America's Youth, so pray that many people will respond to her and will get involved helping kids.
  3. Pray that America will really and truly be united this week as we come together for the National Day of Prayer. Pray for the people who never even thought about praying for America--that they will realize how good it is to pray for the President and the nation, and that they will follow through and keep on praying, even after the big day is over. Pray that God will be pleased with the prayers we offer to Him on the National Day of Prayer, and that He will hear and answer the prayers of the people.
  4. Pray for the troops who have returned from Iraq to rejoin their families and friends. Ask God to glorify Himself in all the answered prayers that they represent, and pray that all the troops returning home will be patient as they get used to being back in America. Pray for their kids and friends to be patient too, because they have had some tough experiences, and it may take time to adjust to everything here after being in a war.

Leaders to pray for

Director of the F.B.I.—
Robert Mueller
Photo courtesy of the FBI.

Robert Mueller is the Director of the F.B.I. That stands for Federal Bureau of Investigation. In his job he leads a team that fights terrorism as well as protecting everyone's civil rights, fighting corruption, organized crime, white-collar crime, and major acts of violent crime. That's a lot of bad guys the F.B.I. must deal with! They also keep our country's largest database (collection) of fingerprints to help them identify criminals. They receive more than 37,000 sets of fingerprints every day, seven days a week! The F.B.I. works hard to investigate crimes as well as preventing new ones.

Bible Verses of the week

For where two or three gather together because they are Mine, I am there among them.
—Matthew 18:20

Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhere.
—Ephesians 6:18

WHAT'S THE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER ALL ABOUT?

As a kid who prays, you know how important prayer is, right? It is the greatest privilege we children of God have--talking to Him and telling Him how wonderful He is and asking for His help with things. We do all that and more when we pray.

As a kid who prays for the President, you also understand that your prayers are history-making prayers because they move God's hand, and He helps the President and our country. Your prayers have helped America's efforts in Iraq, they have helped keep our military troops safe, and they have helped the President make good decisions. Thank you for being faithful in prayer!

PPT Kid's prayers work together to help President Bush.
Photo courtesy of the White House.

In a way, your prayers are even more effective because you join them with all the other kids who are members of The Presidential Prayer Team for Kids. Your prayers, combined with the prayers of others (for the same request) are really powerful! Because we are all part of the same team, our prayers join together to show God how sincere we are about the things we are praying for.

The National Day of Prayer is like that--by getting the whole country together to pray on one day, we are showing God how very much we want Him to hear our prayers and answer them. It's like asking the whole country to become a prayer team for the day!

SCRIPTURE CHECK

Did you know that when you are faithful in prayer, it triggers God's faithfulness in answering. It really does! Hover here to read a Bible verse that tells about this:

A BIT OF HISTORY

Portrait of George Washington courtesy
of the Smithsonian Institution.

Since the earliest days of our country, there have been national days of prayer. George Washington was the first person to call for a day when everyone would stop all the other things they were doing and come together in prayer. But Washington didn't want the Colonists to simply pray--he also asked for them to humble themselves and to fast (do without food) and to confess all their wrongdoings. Washington believed that God would look upon the Colonists and see the sincerity of their hearts and would help them with their cause.

Hover HERE to read George Washington's orders for a Day of Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer.

SCRIPTURE CHECK

When George Washington asked everyone to humble themselves before God and pray for our nation, he was echoing some great words from Scripture. Do you know where to find them?

Hover here to read.

Founding Father CALLS FOR PRAYER

Portrait of Benjamin Franklin
courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery.

Just a few years later, the Constitutional Convention was struggling to decide on the laws that would shape our government--especially how both large states and smaller states could be fairly represented. There were so many different ideas, they could not agree on what to do. The delegates were arguing and getting very discouraged--some had even left the meeting. Just when it looked as though they might fail in their efforts, Benjamin Franklin stood up and spoke to them all. At age 80, he was very respected by the other members. He reminded them how often they called on God for help during the Revolution. He said that they must remember God and keep Him right in the center of their efforts or it would all be for nothing. He called for prayers, and from then on, the Constitutional Convention had prayer during their sessions, starting the very next day. God helped them to create one of the most amazing governmental documents ever--the United States Constitution.

To read Ben Franklin's words as recorded by James Madison, click HERE.

SCRIPTURE CHECK

When Ben Franklin mentions the "Sacred Writings" he is talking about our Bible! Do you know where to find the Scripture verse he mentions?

Hover HERE to read the verse:

Portrait of Abraham Lincoln courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution.

Abraham Lincoln was another president who believed that God would truly hear and answer our prayers if we got together as a country and asked for His help. When he was president, the nation was really in bad shape. We were divided over the issue of slavery and some thought that we would never be united again. Lincoln knew that God would help America if her people were willing to cry out to Him in prayer. So Lincoln did as many other presidents had done and issued a presidential proclamation asking everyone to pray!

To read part of Abraham Lincoln's Presidential Proclamation for a Day of Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer, issued March 20, 1863, click HERE.

If we fast forward to the 20th century, we learn that President Harry S. Truman issued the first formal proclamation for a National Day of Prayer after Congress officially asked him to do so. In 1988 the date was formally set for the first Thursday in May, as it has been observed ever since.

PRESIDENT BUSH’S OFFICIAL PROCLAMATION

National Day of Prayer
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation

In his first Inaugural Address, President George Washington prayed that the Almighty would preserve the freedom of all Americans. On the National Day of Prayer, we celebrate that freedom and America's great tradition of prayer. The National Day of Prayer encourages Americans of every faith to give thanks for God's many blessings and to pray for each other and our Nation.

Read the Official Proclamation HERE.

WHAT WILL YOU DO?

If you never thought about observing the National Day of Prayer before, this is a great time to start! You can get some kids together at your school, or at your church. Or you may just want to invite some of the kids in your neighborhood over for a time of prayer for our country.

Here are some kid-friendly ideas to observe this big, important day. You can start these things right away!

Decorate bikes with red, white and blue and ride around your neighborhood reminding people to pray for the country.
Decorate the windows of your home with red, white and blue and put a sign on your front door that says, "We're celebrating the National Day of Prayer." Be ready to tell anyone who asks how you are going to observe the day.
Get the names of the local officials of your town or city so you can pray for them.
Pray the news! Look through the newspaper with your mom or dad's help and pray for the different needs you see there, especially where government officials are involved.
Make a special prayer calendar using a blank calendar page (you can find one in most computer programs, or, just make one up by yourself).
Invent some of your own prayer reminders and give them to your friends at church, school or in your neighborhood. A prayer reminder is anything that helps you remember to pray whenever you see it. Here are some ideas:
  • Create stickers on your computer.
  • Paint a rock with a flag or some other patriotic theme.
  • Draw or paint a picture of the president for your bulletin board or wall.
  • Get red, white and blue shoelaces and pray whenever you look down!
  • Help your mom decorate your table with a patriotic theme.
  • Make a Day of Prayer placemat and laminate it. Use all year 'round!

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!

A big thank you to every PPT Kid, mom, dad, grandma, grandpa and others who answered our survey! Your answers and comments will really help us as we make changes in the site. Three awesome prize bundles have been shipped out to our winners. We will tell you more about them in a future issue.

WEEKLY QUIZ

Today's quiz is based on everything you have read and learned about in this week's Update.

QUESTION 1

The National Day of Prayer is a brand new thing that everyone is getting excited about for the first time ever.

  1. True
  2. False

QUESTION 2

It's good to pray for our nation. But if we can add other sacrifices to our prayers, it is even better.

  1. True
  2. False

QUESTION 3

Benjamin Franklin made many contributions to the Continental Congress, but perhaps none were as important as this... (choose one)

  1. Ben Franklin told the Continental Congress that they needed to stop arguing and just take time to listen to each other.
  2. Ben Franklin asked everyone to stop while he led them in prayer for the nation.
  3. Ben Franklin reminded the members of the Continental Congress that they could rely on God to help them if they would only reach out to Him in prayer.

QUESTION 4

In the photo at the beginning of this week's PPK Update, President Bush is seen holding the hand of Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. Do you know why?

  1. President Bush is practicing gentlemanly manners and is guiding the prince so that he won't take a tumble on the uneven pathway beneath their feet.
  2. President Bush is behaving in a way that's considered appropriate in Arab culture, where men often touch other men to show respect and affection in simple ways.
  3. President Bush is showing normal American respect of his elders.

PRAYER QUOTE FOR THE WEEK

Alvin Vander Griend is a really neat man who knows a lot about prayer. He teaches classes to people to help them get better and better at praying. He's also a member of the PPT Honorary Committee. Photo courtesy of College of Prayer.

"Not only does sin hinder prayer; prayer hinders sin. The two are always opposed. The more careless we are about sin, the less we will pray. The more we pray, the less careless we will be about sin. Both sin and prayer are powerful forces. Which one is moving you?"
-- Dr. Alvin Vander Griend, National Facilitator of Lighthouse Ministries for The Mission America Coalition

WORDS FROM THE PRESIDENT ON PRAYER

Many of you told us how much it encourages you to know that our President and other leaders believe in the power of prayer, just like you do! That's awesome. Photo courtesy of the White House.

Since America's founding, prayer has reassured us that the hand of God is guiding the affairs of this nation. We have never asserted a special claim on His favor, yet we've always believed in God's presence in our lives. This has always been true. But it has never been more true since September the 11th. Prayer has comforted people in grief. Prayer has served as a unifying factor in our nation. Prayer gives us strength for the journey ahead. Millions of Americans have turned to prayer during these times, and have been reminded of an important truth--while weeping may endure for a night, joy comes in the morning. The American character is incredibly strong and confident. Yet prayer reminds us that a great people must be humble before God, searching for wisdom--constantly searching for wisdom--from the Almighty.
--George W. Bush

Portrait courtesy of Alamo Community College.

Cast all your cares on God; that anchor holds.
--Alfred Lord Tennyson

CHECKING IN WITH THE FIRST LADY

Mrs. Bush wears a traditional Native American wrap while watching students perform an ages-old dance. Photo courtesy of the White House.

First Lady Laura Bush is a very busy woman. Earlier this week she took a trip to Arizona and California where she met with kids who are involved in really positive things. Ever since President Bush announced the new White House initiative, Help America's Youth, Mrs. Bush has been talking to people about it. Her visit was intended to draw attention to programs that are helping kids stay away from bad or risky behaviors.

Mrs. Bush sits on stage with 16-year-old Derwin Tekala, a Navitve American teen from Phoenix, AZ who introduced Mrs. Bush before her speech. Photo courtesy of the white House.

In Arizona, Mrs. Bush saw how Native American kids stay in touch with their cultural roots by learning traditional dance, drumming and other arts. She encouraged everyone to keep strong family and cultural ties as a way of giving strength and encouragement to kids, saying, "A particular concern is that tribal youth who live in big cities can become disconnected from their culture. As teens struggle to figure out who they are and where they fit in the world, a connection to their family and their heritage lends stability to their lives." Mrs. Bush further explained, "The strong inter-generational ties of Native American culture are a great benefit for children. Young people who hear positive messages from their parents, their grandparents, their aunts and uncles, are more likely to avoid risky behaviors, and this is true in every culture."

Mrs. Bush is seen here talking with members of the Shakespeare Festival/LA's Will Power to Youth program before watching their rendition of "Romeo and Juliet." Photo courtesy of the White House.

In California, the First Lady met kids who had struggled with learning to read. Her visit was a big encouragement to them, and she urged them to keep on working hard in school. She also encouraged all adults to stay involved in the lives of the children around them saying, "Every child has to make choices between healthy behaviors that lead to success, and risky behaviors that can lead down a road to bad outcomes." She went on to say, "Our responsibility as adults is to help children resist negative pressures, and then to help them excel in every part of their lives."

Mrs. Bush later visited with students who learn about the works of William Shakespeare by adapting his plays to their own style and form. In between her visits to these two programs, Mrs. Bush had time for a quick appearance on the "Tonight Show" with Jay Leno, where she admitted that she likes the fact that her approval ratings are much higher than the President's.

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