“If you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Matthew 17:20 THE POWER OF FOR AMERICA’S FUTURE PRAYInspired thought-leadership from these andE many others:R OS GUINNESS ANNE GRAHAM LOTZ TimoTHY KELLER KAY COLES JAMES MICHAEL NOVAK ERIC METAXAS A Special Report Prepared By The Washington Times Advocacy Department Table of Contents Prayer in times of national and global crisis Prayer pushes back the darkness of fear and uncertainty… yesterday, today and tomorrow Christian faith grows in the face of ISIS atrocities . 4 Always winter but never Christmas . 9 Ms. Ellen Vaughn Dr. Everett Piper Murder, madness, terrorism… Why doesn’t God fix it? . 4 This is war – talk less, pray more . 10 Rev. Anne Graham Lotz Dr. Gary Miller Prayer shaming shames us all . 5 A prayer for the forgiveness of our nation . 10 Dr. Os Guinness Dr. Everett Piper The danger of going secular . 6 The ‘Abortion King’ repents . 11 Dr. Herbert London Ms. Terry Beatley Pray to stop Christian genocide in the Middle East . 7 The power of desperate prayer . 11 Bishop Gregory Mansour Dr. Doug Stringer America’s rendezvous with (which?) destiny . 8 Praying against violence . 12 Senator Ed Moore Pastor Steve Warman Prayer in your daily life NT What prayer is, how to pray, why, when and what to pray about; How prayer can enhance your me T peace of mind, your business, and your relationships and home and work. ar P Daily exercises to keep your prayer muscles strong . 13 Prayer is life’s ultimate ‘app’ . 21 de Mr. Michael Novak Rev. Dan Cummins CACY Thank God He doesn’t answer all our prayers . 13 Talking with the Spirit of God . 22 VO Mr. Eric Metaxas Dr. William Ames Curtright ad The odd, compelling richness of daily prayer . 14 Save your (#hashtag) good thoughts. PRAY! . 23 Ms. Kay Coles James Rev. Jason Bentley mes I T Experiencing awe and intimacy with God . 15 No surprise – we pray when we’re in trouble . 23 Rev. Dr. Timothy Keller Rev. Gregory Clark ington Prayer in the times of mountain tops and valleys . 18 Climbing out of your own cultural sewer . 24 Senator Tim Scott Ms. Dran Reese Calling America to prayer . 18 Freedom from the dark side . 24 The Wash Ms. Joy Lamb Mr. David Kupelian BY Go from prayer wimp to audacious prayers . 19 Prayer was pivotal for Jesus, Pastor Max Lucado and should be so for us . 25 ared P Congressman (Ret) Bob McEwen re A wild ride with Jesus as chairman of the board . 19 mes Mr. Art Ally T P A life-giving connection in life’s wilderness . 25 r Ms. Andi Brindley PO Millions of words but only one prayer: re INGTON TI INGTON St . Thomas Aquinas . 20 Ask God, as Moses did, L Dr. Lee Cole a I “Teach me your ways so I may know you ”. 26 ASH Ms. Sharon Tanaka EC W P The power of prayer in America’s future . 21 s he Archbishop George Augustus Stallings, Jr. a T | How prayer impacts healing and mental health Increasingly, science is making the case for prayer The medical case for faith . 27 Psychology meets theology and spirituality . 29 Drs. Eric Scalise and Tim C. Clinton Dr. Mark McMinn ecember 31 • 2015 ecember d Science connects our brain and the Body of Christ . 28 Where faith meets mental health and happiness . 30 Dr. Curt Thompson Dr. Harold Koenig Transitioning to our eternal life, The magic of prayer . 30 God’s blessing of peace is powerful . 28 Mr. Keith Cooperrider Ms. Norma Christie Thursday • Thursday Healing and therapeutic prayer in counseling . 31 2 Dr. Ian Jones a sPECIaL rePOrT PrePARED BY The WashIngton TImes adTHEVO WASHINGTONCACY DEParT TIMESmenT | Thursday • december 31 • 2015 3 PRAYER IN TIMES OF NATIONAL AND GLOBAL CRISIS Prayer pushes back the darkness of fear and uncertainty… yesterday, today and tomorrow Christian faith grows in the face of ISIS atrocities focus is clear. “I want people in the U.S. wreckage of a village church in Egypt. feeds almost every day. to pray for us to return home,” she told It had been burned by Muslim Brother- In the ugly uncertainty, I’ve thought me through an interpreter. “We’ve been hood adherents. The cross had been often of the brave brothers and sisters I in this camp for so long. Our kids have no wrenched from the chancel; the window met in the Middle East, and their absolute schools. No education. We keep thinking, grills and ceiling fans were bent and reliance on faith and prayer. this month we will go home … this month melted. Charred Bibles lay in the ashes. I Surely our nation needs to wisely we will go home. But still we are here.” climbed with the pastor up a still-standing focus its military, political, and material When I asked her if it’s hard to trust stairway to the apartment where he and resources on the war at hand. But peace God in her circumstances, she smiled at his family had lived. A Winnie the Pooh in the face of horror comes only through By Ellen Vaughn me patiently, like a teacher with a reme- mural was still visible on the scorched spiritual power. As the Old Testament dial student. says, “Some trust in chariots and some was in Northern Iraq earlier this “These sufferings have increased in horses, but we trust in the name of year, interviewing Christians and our faith in God. Without God we can At 11 p.m. each night, the Lord our God.” other minorities who had been do nothing. Even when we were trying we ring a bell, and we all Chariots, horses, and 21st century forced from their homes by ISIS. I to escape to get here, God changed our pray here in the camp. We instruments of battle are well and good in visited with a Yezidi family living direction on the road, away from ISIS. At the right hands. But in these chaotic times, in a chicken coop. They told me 11 p.m. each night, we ring a bell, and we have confidence that God stalked by evil, our ultimate hope is the how they had fled, with nothing, all pray here in the camp. We have confi- is with us and He will do gritty, courageous truth that our Christian when they got the terrifying news that the dence that God is with us and He will do friends in the Middle East have practiced NT what is good for us. He terrorists were coming. In the confusion, what is good for us. He saved us from ISIS, for years: robust faith and constant prayer me T I saved us from ISIS, and they had gotten separated from their and He will get us home.” for the eternal care of One who is greater ar P 19-year-old son. Later, they heard he had I also met a grandfather who told me He will get us home.” than ourselves, the One who spilled His de been killed by jihadi forces. They wept as his family didn’t even know ISIS was blood to cleanse us from all evil. they showed me his handsome photo. advancing on their town… until a mortar wall of his little daughter’s room. They know that prayer may not always CACY As I walked into a gray camp full of landed in the courtyard where his grand- The family had been away when the change our immediate situation in this life. VO similarly displaced Christians, a young girl sons were playing. Their grandmother terrorists attacked. I asked the pastor how But it always changes us. ad with plump, black braids ran up to me and was with them. She felt a flash of light, an he had coped with such loss, violation, grabbed my hands. “Hello!” she shouted in enormous explosion, and a rain of shred- and hatred. Ellen Vaughn is a New York Times best- mes I T broken English. “I am Tamara! I love you!” ded flesh. The little boys and a friend “What do we do in the face of evil?” he selling author and inspirational speaker Since we were evidently fast friends, I were killed. asked. “We do what Jesus did. We pray, who has written or co-written more than sat down with Tamara and her mother in The grandfather showed me terrible and we forgive. Even after the destruc- 20 books. Former vice president of ex- ington their tin can of a temporary home. photos of the aftermath. The entire court- tion, we would still have fed the Muslim ecutive communications for Prison Fel- Tamara’s mom told me how they and yard was smeared with blood. Brotherhood if they were hungry, or cared lowship, she collaborated with the late seven other families had fled their home I asked him about his faith. Did it still for them if they were sick.” Chuck Colson on a number of his seminal in Qaraqosh, barely in front of the advanc- exist in the face of such horror? Back here at home, terrorism has books. She serves as a senior fellow for The Wash BY ing killers. Their driver got lost. They “Yes!” he said vehemently. “I believe! drawn closer in recent months. Bloody the 21st Century Wilberforce Initiative, prayed, she said, and he found a safe road. And one thing I know. It is the blood of death at an office party in California.