• Meet one of the men at “the end of the spear!”
• College kids ask President Bush what keeps him going—you may be surprised by his answer!
• What do presidents pray about—a few from history tell you!

President Bush held a news conference this week. Pray for the President as he leads our country, whether he is meeting with heads of state, talking with the press or meeting with key members of his leadership team. He needs our prayers everywhere and all the time! Photo courtesy of the White House.

1. Do you know about the State of the Union address? Once a year, usually in January, the President tells the members of Congress and the nation how things are going in our country. He also explains what he wants to accomplish in the coming months, and how he plans to do it! The State of the Union Address is a very important event, so we can pray for the President as he prepares the State of the Union Address and as he delivers it on Tuesday night, January 31, asking God to guide him and give him great wisdom.
2. Remember how we have been praying for President Bush’s nominee to the Supreme Court, Judge Samuel Alito? It’s been a long process, but Judge Alito is just about ready to take his seat on the “bench.” The Senate Judiciary Committee has given their approval with a vote earlier in the week. Then, the full Senate voted and they approved Judge Alito too. So this is a terrific time to pray for Judge Alito as he prepares to join the highest court in the land, asking God to be at work powerfully in Judge Alito’s life, preparing him for this very important position. Pray also for all the members of the Supreme Court that they will be guided by God’s Word and wisdom.
3. Something really special is going to happen in Washington, D.C. next week! Pray for President Bush and the 3,600 heads of state, members of Congress, cabinet members, ambassadors, religious leaders and laypersons expected at the National Prayer Breakfast, Thursday, February 2, praying that God will glorify Himself and that prayer in America will be strengthened.
4. Give thanks for answered prayer as former President Gerald Ford is resting at home in Palm Desert, CA after being hospitalized for treatment of pneumonia. Pray for continued health and strength for the former President and First Lady. The Ford Family has thanked the nation for their prayers.
5. As always, our troops are counting on your prayers, because they continue to serve faithfully—some of them here at home and some in very distant lands, including Afghanistan and Iraq. So it is a great time to pray for all the members of our military, that they will be safe and protected all the time by God and His angels. Pray for those who are in dangerous places doing dangerous things that they won’t be scared and will be empowered to do their jobs really well. Give thanks to God, too, for the dedication of our service men and women and for the freedom they help to preserve.

Portrait courtesy of the EPA.

EPA Administrator—Stephen L. Johnson
Stephen L. Johnson is the leader of our country’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). As the first professional scientist to lead this department, Stephen Johnson will work to set very clear standards for the quality of our environment—that includes our air, water and land. He will use his experience and knowledge as a scientist to make decisions and set policies, and will work to improve our planet while trying not to limit business and industry too much, because that could create difficulties for our economy. He and his team are also responsible to see that our natural resources are used wisely. He will listen to those living closest to the land, because they know our environmental needs best.

One of his first jobs will be to work with Congress on President Bush’s Clear Skies Initiative to reduce power plant pollution by 70 percent, without disrupting the economy or raising electricity prices. He will also work closely with the Department of Homeland Security to keep our food supply safe.

Steve Johnson brings 24 years of experience at the EPA, where he has worked since almost the start of that department. As he jumps into his new position as Administrator of the EPA, he will rely on the support and encouragement of his wife, Debbie and their children and grandchildren. Mr. Johnson was born on March 21, 1951 in Washington, DC. He received a B.A. in Biology from Taylor University in Indiana and an M.S. in Pathology from George Washington University, Washington, DC.

Photo courtesy of the White House.

Secretary of State—Condoleezza Rice
Dr. Condoleezza Rice served our nation and our president for four years as the National Security Advisor. When President Bush won his second term of office, she was given a new job as Secretary of State. In that position she leads our country’s relationships and negotiations with other countries (nations of the world are also known as states, in case this wording confused you!). She takes over for Colin Powell who did a fantastic job for the past four years.

In her job as Secretary of State, Dr. Rice has already gone to the Middle East to help Israel and the Palestinians stop fighting each other and make peace. The mission of the State Department is to work with other nations of the world to ensure peace, prosperity and security all around the world! That’s a big job that may seem nearly impossible, but when you think about the tremendous influence America has with most all the countries of the world, you can see what a really important job it is! In fact, that’s why The Presidential Prayer Team has so many members around the world—because they know that America’s policies and plans affect everyone everywhere!

Dr. Rice is single and is very close friends with President and Mrs. Bush. She often spends time with them, both at Camp David, MD and at their Crawford, TX ranch. She works out regularly, loves sports and carefully follows the athletic teams of Stanford University where she taught and served as provost for several years before coming to Washington, D. C.

Who may climb the mountain of the Lord? Who may stand in his holy place? Only those whose hands and hearts are pure, who do not worship idols and never tell lies. They will receive the Lord's blessing and have right standing with God their savior. They alone may enter God's presence and worship the God of Israel.
--Psalm 24:3-6

I know, Lord, that a person's life is not his own. No one is able to plan his own course. So correct me, Lord, but please be gentle. Do not correct me in anger, for I would die.
--Jeremiah 10:23-24

“Being in the dazzling presence of God is a wondrous experience; realizing God’s majestic, just, and compassionate action in the world and in our lives urges us to let all thanks break loose! We come so often to God, if we come at all, as beggars. We ask and beg: give me; bless me; help me; guide me; grant me. And that’s one necessary level of our existence. But in thanksgiving and adoration we come to God not to ask but to give! We come not whimpering but shouting praise; not in guilt but in gratitude. We feel not distant from God but close to God. We are like a traveler who is home again at last, the prodigal at a banquet. Those moments may be seldom, but when they happen we know that we were created for God.”
--Andrew Kuyvenhoven

Do you understand the difference between asking and giving? Did you know you can GIVE to God by worshiping Him? Isn’t that cool?

America's Teens Anticipate Souper Sunday
Courtesy of Crosswalk.com
Teens across the nation are transforming Super Bowl Sunday into the nation's largest youth-led day of giving through Souper Bowl of Caring, according to a DeMossNewsPond release.

This Super Bowl weekend, teens armed with soup pots will be collecting dollar bills at churches, retail outlets, and Super Bowl parties. Youth from all 50 states will raise funds to benefit the LOCAL soup kitchen, food bank, or shelter of their choice. By using this weekend as a time to serve the hungry and hurting members of their own communities, thousands of young Americans will be working to transform one of the nation's universal days of parties into an opportunity to care for their neighbors in need. In the last 15 years, Souper Bowl of Caring has collected more than $28 million.

Every penny goes to local charities. "This will be an especially poignant year for Souper Bowl of Caring", said Brad Smith, founder of the effort. That's because the Super Bowl is being hosted in Detroit, recently identified as America's poorest big city. Souper Bowl of Caring -- an officially-sanctioned event of the 2006 Detroit Super Bowl XL Host committee -- is building momentum and inspiring youth nationwide to participate.

Jim Elliot gave everything he had to serve the Lord. He died at the age of 28. Photo courtesy of Wheaton College/Billy Graham Center Archives.

"He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose."
--Jim Elliot

You’ve probably heard about the new film that opened last weekend, called The End of the Spear. It tells the story of five young men who, in the 1950’s, believed they were called to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to one of the most violent tribes in all of South America—the Waodani of the eastern Ecuadorian jungle. (The Waodani were, at that time known as the Aucas.)

The new movie, End of the Spear, tells the story of Nate and his son, Steve who eventually befriended the man who killed his father. Nate Saint partnered with Jim Elliot, Roger Youderian, Ed McCully and Pete Fleming to reach the Wadorani

One of those, Jim Elliot was a popular young man at Wheaton College. Known for his preaching, teaching and writing he was also a champion on the Wheaton wrestling team.

Jim Elliot was passionate to know and obey the will of God. He surrendered every part of his life to God, asking to know clearly His will for his future. One day he heard a message that explained that there was only one Christian worker for every 50,000 people in foreign lands, while there is one worker for every 500 persons in the U.S. This helped to convince Jim that he was called to missions, and his interest in Latin American countries grew.

Eventually Jim learned about the many tribes in the Quechua (say: Kee-chew-ah) Indian peoples of Ecuador—especially the greatly feared Auca. When he learned about this fierce tribe, Jim Elliot felt called to reach them. So he spent ten days praying, asking God it this was the direction his life should take. Jim Elliot wanted to hold nothing back in serving Jesus Christ, and he knew that through prayer and waiting on God, he would get answers from the Lord!

Jim Elliot quickly dedicated his future to reaching the Aucas and eventually partnered with four other men who caught the same vision. They were careful, thoughtful and prayerful as they planned how to approach these violent people. They flew over their remote part of the jungle, dropping gifts and showing an interest in communicating with them and eventually building a base upriver from the Waodani area. When they finally came to believe the time was right to make contact, they landed on the beach near their village. Rather than being met with a friendly greeting, the five young men were all speared by Waodani tribesmen on January 8, 1956.

The death of these young martyrs was not in vain, though, because hundreds, possibly thousands of young people were inspired to enter mission work. Eventually Jim’s wife, Elisabeth went back to the Waodani with her young daughter, Valerie, who was just 10 months old when her dad was killed. Rachel Saint, sister to missionary Nate Saint, also joined them in reaching the Waodani. In time, the tribe gave up their violent practices and let other neighboring tribes know that even if they were speared, they would not spear back. Peace came to the Waodani.

While there is much more to this fantastic story, we want to be sure you get the message that Jim Elliot was devoted in his passion to serve the Lord. He knew that spending his life for Jesus Christ would only bring him a reward in heaven. On October 28, 1949 he wrote in his journal these words, He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.

Do you understand what he means by those words?

This image shows the actual page from missionary hero Jim Elliot’s journal on the day he wrote the famous words, He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. Image courtesy of Wheaton College/Billy Graham Center Archives. Click here to enlarge the image.

He is no fool—A wise person
Who gives what he cannot keep—Surrenders his life—which we have no control over anyway
To gain that which he cannot lose—to know that he will live in Heaven forever as a free gift of God—something He promises never to take them from us!

If you had to put that in words you might use today, you’d say something like: A wise kid will realize that life is meant to be lived for God and His purposes, so the best thing to do is to surrender—to give it all up—to Him! Then you will receive the great gift of life in heaven with Jesus and wonderful purpose in serving Him today.

Jim Elliot is a great example of a young man who prayed to know God’s will. Just like the presidents we meet this week, he found that the higher he aimed in life, the more he needed to rely on prayer—and that’s a good thing for kids who pray to know as well!