Prayer video contest

The National Day of Prayer Task Force has launched a video contest to “rekindle patriotism and passion for our Christian heritage.”michaelwsmith

Organizers said the goal of the Freedom Challenge initiative is to effectively engage and equip students and young adults in the pursuit of God, challenging them to be active in community transformation. 

The National Day of Prayer Task Force and Tangle.com have joined forces to create the Freedom Video Contest.

People are being challenged to submit videos that emphasize their freedom as Christian Americans to Praise, Proclaim and Pray.

A panel of judges, including Michael W. Smith (pictured at right), Shirley Dobson, Beth Moore (pictured below), Ryan Dobson and Hollywood Producer Karen Covell, will select the winning video on April 24. 

“The National Day of Prayer serves as a powerful reminder of prayer in our daily lives, not just one day, but every single day of the year. They are sponsoring the Freedom Video Contest to give Americans the opportunity to express what Freedom means to them,” Michael W. Smith, Grammy Award-winning recording artist, said in a news release. 

The winning video is scheduled to air on GOD TV, which is available in more than 200 million homes worldwide. In addition, the winner will receive a travel package for two people to join Dr. James and Shirley Dobson and the NDP honorary chairwoman, Beth Moore, in Washington D.C. for the national observance of the National Day of Prayer, which is May 7. 

beth-mooreThe Freedom campaign was designed to address the growing problem of spiritually-active teenagers disengaging from participation in the Christian faith during their young adult years, NDP leaders said.

According the Barna research group, 6 of 10 twenty-somethings involved in a church as teenagers have failed to translate that into active spirituality during their early adulthood. The National Day of Prayer Task Force believes this is a growing concern because many teens have been raised in a culture unaware or unappreciative of the sacrifices made by men and woman of faith throughout our nation’s history, enabling Christian Americans to enjoy the many freedoms we have today. 

 

For more information about the Freedom Challenge, go online to www.NationalDayofPrayer.org.  

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor


April 15 Today’s Prayer

You are good, perfect and holy, Lord, worthy of all honor. We enter Your presence in reverence, asking You to accept our offering of praise. Amen.prayinghandsclasped2


April 14 Today’s Prayer

Lord, thank You for loosing our chains of bondage, for setting our spirits free by Your word. May we never believe the enemy’s lies. Amen.prayinghands2


April 13 Today’s Prayer

sunrise

We enter Your courts with thanksgiving in our hearts; we enter Your house with praise. We rejoice because of the day You’ve created. Amen.  

(Photo by Paul Hellstern, The Oklahoman)


April 12 Today’s Prayer

Lord, thank You for new beginnings, for life everlasting, for Your free gift of grace to all who would believe in You. Amen.womenattomb


April 11 Today’s Prayer

prayerjpgLord, we wait quietly for Your salvation. We place our hope in You and seek You with our whole hearts. Amen.

April 10 Today’s Prayer

We are amazed that Your mercies are new each morning, Lord. praying1Help us to be faithful to You in our daily lives. Amen.
 

April 9 Today’s Prayer

Lord, even when we feel robbed of peace, may we remember Your great love. prayinghands1Your compassion never fails. Amen.
 

Obama and Notre Dame spark student rally

barackobamaapril3The University of Notre Dame student coalition, ND Response held a Palm Sunday demonstration hoping to persuade school officials against bestowing an honorary degree to President Barack Obama.

Last week, I reported that Oklahoma’s highest-ranking Roman Catholic clergymen have added their voices to other Catholics upset over the South Bend, Ind.’s plans to have Obama give the May 17 commencement address and receive an honorary degree.

Looks like these students hoped to do some persuading as well.

A news release from Christian Newswire said the student coalition is made up of 12 different on-campus student groups who are “demanding” that Notre Dame officials give up its plan to award Obama with an honorary degree. The student group invited attorney Harold Cassidy to be the main speaker at their Palm Sunday rally. 

“In keeping with both the Catholic teachings on the sanctity and dignity of all human life and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops’ mandate that Catholic institutions should not honor pro-abortion politicians, ND response is urging the university to withdraw the honorary law degree being offered to President Obama,” the news release said.

(AP Photo above right: President  Barack Obama listens to a reporter’s question during his joint news conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, not shown, Friday at city hall in Baden-Baden, Germany.)

Carla Hinton

Religion Editor


April 5 Today’s Prayer

Dear Lord, please comfort us when we cry or feel afraid. Heal our afflictions. Relieve our hard labor. Lift our eyes to You. Amen.praying7