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- Learn all about the Christmas story, just for kids.
- President and Mrs. Bush's official Christmas greeting—read it here!
- Send a special Christmas ecard, made just for you!
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President and Mrs. Bush want everyone to have a wonderful, Christ-centered Christmas! Pray for them as they take a break from Washington at the Texas ranch. Pray for their complete refreshment and for complete healing form the First Lady as she has revealed that she had a cancerous tumor removed from her right shin last month. Pray for continued health for both of them. Click HERE to read their Christmas Greeting to all Americans. Photo courtesy of the White House. |
- It’s Christmas! What a great opportunity for everyone to rejoice and be very glad. At Christmas we celebrate the birthday of the Savior of the world, so it is a very good time to pray for everyone in our nation to be drawn to the loving person of Jesus Christ so they can know Him as their Lord and Savior! Pray that the truth of Jesus’ love for all people override all the other distractions of the Christmas season.
- President Bush has been listening to many different sources of information about Iraq and our efforts there, so pray for him as he puts all this information together and develops his plan for the coming months. Pray that God will guide President Bush with His wisdom and insight, so that His will can be done in Iraq. Pray for him especially as he works on the speech he will give to the whole country later in January. In that speech he will explain his plans for the future of our involvement in Iraq.
- President and Mrs. Bush will be spending the Christmas holiday at the Camp David retreat in Maryland. They will gather with family and friends and enjoy some time off (though the President is always on duty!). So it’s a very good time to pray for President and Mrs. Bush as they gather with their loved ones over the Christmas holiday, asking God to keep them safe, to bless them with great joy and refreshment from Him, and to meet them by the power of His Holy Spirit, so they can return to Washington with renewed energy and perspective. Give thanks, too, for all the many ways the President and First Lady serve us, the people of America, with their time and energy!
- This week, First Lady let the world know that she had a small cancerous tumor removed from her right shin last month. It wasn’t that she was keeping it a secret—she just didn’t think it was that important! But now everyone knows, so it’s the perfect time to lift up heartfelt prayers for her complete healing, asking God to remove every little bit of cancer from her body and to bless her and President Bush with renewed health and strength, now and for all the days to come. God loves to heal people and make them whole, so let’s pray for exactly that!
- Our troops will be observing the Christmas holiday, but like the President, they must be “on” most of the time too. So it is a very good time to pray for our troops, serving in Afghanistan, Iraq and around the world. Ask God to watch over each and every one and to keep them safe, and pray that they will all be strengthened for the great work they do protecting freedom for us and for many people of the world. Pray for their families, who are sacrificing this week and throughout the days of deployment that they will have God’s protection too, and will be strong in every way.
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| Photo courtesy of the White House. |
Secretary of Agriculture--Mike Johanns
Mike Johanns brought a lot of valuable experience with him to his job of Secretary of Agriculture. As the former Governor of Nebraska, he has farms and farming very near to his heart, because he grew up on a dairy farm in Iowa. In fact, Secretary Johanns likes to joke that anything seems easy to him after his experiences growing up on the farm!
As Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Johanns is the person responsible for the grain and meat produced by America’s farms and ranches. He and his staff of 113,000 must work hard to make sure our food supply is kept safe all the time, whether the threat comes from disease, terrorism or something else. The Department of Agriculture also works to find energy sources that are “renewable,” like grain that can be grown. Ethanol (fuel made, in part, from grain) is an example of this. The USDA is also America’s largest conservation agency, working to encourage voluntary efforts to protect soil, water, and wildlife on the 70 percent of America's lands that belong to private owners rather than the government. His department also oversees the export of agricultural products to markets overseas. That sounds like a lot, doesn’t it?
Secretary Johanns trained as an attorney and received his undergrad degree from of St. Mary’s University of Minnesota in Winona. He earned a law degree from Creighton University in Omaha and practiced law in Nebraska before being elected mayor of Lincoln.
Secretary Johanns is married to Stephanie Johanns, a former Nebraska State Senator. The couple has two children, Justin and Michaela and two grandchildren.
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| Photo courtesy of the White House. |
Secretary of Veterans Affairs--Jim Nicholson
Mr. Jim Nicholson is our country’s Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Secretary Nicholson has a terrific background to do this job! He served in Vietnam as an Army Ranger and Paratrooper and did such a great job that he was honored with many awards, including the Bronze Star, the Combat Infantry Badge, the Meritorious Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Vietnamese Cross for Gallantry. You many not know what each of those represents, but we can tell you this--a person has to be very brave and a very good leader of others to receive those awards.
Mr. Nicholson is also an ambassador! That’s right, he represented the United States to the Vatican for three years. He has also served his local community in Colorado with integrity and compassion.
It’s good that he is a former member of the military, because in his job as Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Ambassador Nicholson is responsible 25 million military veterans who served our country and preserved our freedom when we needed them. The VA must make sure we give them back what they need, including health care, retirement benefits and more. He will also be responsible for a department of over 230,000 employees! That’s a lot of people, so Secretary Nicholson will really appreciate your prayers.
With his wife Suzanne, Secretary Nicholson has three children. He grew up in a small town in Iowa and attended West Point. His home has been in Colorado for several years.
Mary responded, “Oh, how my soul praises the Lord. How my spirit rejoices in God my Savior! For he took notice of his lowly servant girl, and from now on all generations will call me blessed.
--Luke 1:46-48
Everyone who heard about it reflected on these events and asked, “What will this child turn out to be?” For the hand of the Lord was surely upon im in a special way. Then his father, Zechariah, was filled with the Holy Spirit and gave this prophecy: “Praise the Lord, the God of Israel, because he has visited and redeemed his people. He has sent us a mighty Savior from the royal line of his servant David, just as he promised through his holy prophets long ago. Now we will be saved from our enemies and from all who hate us. He has been merciful to our ancestors by remembering his sacred covenant.
-- Luke 1:66-72
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President and Mrs. Bush pose for their formal Christmas portrait for 2006. Photo courtesy of the White House. |
"For unto us a child is born ... and His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace."
--Isaiah 9:6
For centuries, patient men and women listened to the words of prophets and lived in joyful expectation of the coming Messiah. Their patience was rewarded when a young virgin named Mary welcomed God's plan with great faith, and a quiet birth in a little town brought hope to the world. For more than two millennia, Christians around the world have celebrated Christmas to mark the birth of Jesus and to thank the Almighty for His grace and blessings.
In this season of giving, we also remember the universal call to love our neighbors. Millions of compassionate souls take time during the holidays to help people who are hurt, feed those who are hungry, and shelter those who need homes. Our Nation also thinks of the men and women of our military who are spending Christmas at posts and bases around the world and of the loved ones who pray for their safe return. America owes a debt of gratitude to our service members and their families.
The simple story of Christmas speaks to every generation and holds a sense of wonder and surprise. During this time of joy and peace, may we be surrounded by the love of family and friends and take time to reflect on the year ahead. Laura and I pray that this season will be a time of happiness in every home and a time of peace throughout the world. Merry Christmas.
--George W. Bush
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Quincy Adams courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery. |
John Quincy Adams, our nation’s 6th president, was a devout Bible student who actively lived out his faith in public. His father, John Adams was the 2nd president of our country. Both men were known for their strong faith in God and their belief that America and her beloved democracy were solely the work of God’s hand. These words of President Adams #6 attest to that belief.
“Why is it that, next to the birthday of the Savior of the world, your most joyous and most venerated festival returns on this day? Is it not that, in the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior? That it forms a leading event in the progress of the Gospel dispensation? Is it not that the Declaration of Independence first organized the social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer's mission upon earth? That it laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity and gave to the world the first irrevocable pledge of the fulfillment of the prophecies announced directly from Heaven at the birth of the Savior and predicted by the greatest of the Hebrew prophets 600 years before.”
--John Quincy Adams
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Red carnations and live evergreen garland decorate the White House Library. Pray for President and Mrs. Bush as they celebrate Christmas with loved ones. Photo courtesy of the White House. |
by Greg Asimakoupoulos
The White House boasts a Christmas tree.
And near it there’s a Bush
whose roots reach deep because his job
is anything but cush.
He knows the stress of being shaped
by those with pruning shears.
He feels the frigid pelting sleet
of soldier families’ tears.
And still this Bush grows strong and tall
displaying shoots of life.
He’s nourished by his humble faith
and his committed wife.
While lights adorn the Douglas Fir,
this Christmas Bush is graced
by candor and integrity
that beautify like lace.
O God, please tend this fragile Bush
with all you know he needs.
May we find shelter in his shade
as prayerfully he leads.
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Christmas is almost here! Christmas is just about the most awesome holiday there is, especially for those who belong to The Presidential Prayer Team for Kids. That’s because kids who pray are kids who talk to God. And kids who talk to God love it when God talks back to them! God talks to His children in all kinds of ways--through His Word, the Bible; through other people who know and love Him, and sometimes, He even uses angels to speak to His children. In the Christmas story He does all of these!
Stop and think for a moment about the Christmas story. How much of the true story of Christmas do you really know? When you think of Christmas you might think about presents and stockings and trees and Santa, but the real story of Christmas is in the Bible! That’s right…it’s in God’s Word.
It starts with a young girl named Mary and her fiancé, Joseph. Mary and Joseph are the two people God chose to be the mom and dad to Jesus--a big responsibility! God could see what a wonderful young girl Mary was, so He chose to communicate with her through one of His special messengers--an angel.
The angel came and spoke to Mary with God’s words and told her that she was going to have a baby. The angel told her what to name the baby, along with some of the incredible things that would happen through Jesus.
Do you know where to find the actual words the angel spoke to Mary? Hover here to read:
Even though Mary was a bit confused when the angel delivered God’s message to her, she kept on trusting God. If you have ever been confused about something you have read in the Bible or learned in church, you can follow Mary’s example and just keep on trusting God.
Here’s what Mary said to the angel: ‘I am the Lord’s servant and I am willing to accept whatever He wants. May everything you have said come true.’ And then the angel left (Luke 1:38). When Mary said to God (by way of the angel) that she was willing to follow God’s plan, even if she couldn’t understand all of it, she was saying, “Thy will be done.” “Thy will be done” is a very good thing to say to God, because it means you are willing to work with His plans and follow what He wants to do.
QUESTION 1
There is another important place in the Bible where you can find the words, “Thy will be done.” Where are those words found?
- You can find those words in the 23rd Psalm.
- The words, “Thy will be done” are from the story of Noah and the Ark, found in Genesis 6-8.
- You can find those words in the Lord’s Prayer.
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Mary and Joseph traveled to Bethlehem for the census. |
Once Mary let God know she would accept His will no matter what, things really started to happen! You might remember the part of the story where Mary and Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem, to be counted in the census. So many people had traveled to Bethlehem that there were no rooms left for them to rent, so they found a barn. The Baby Jesus was born there, and Mary wrapped Him up and put Him in the animal’s feeding bin.
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This is one artist’s idea of what Mary, Joseph and the Baby Jesus looked like. |
Once the Baby Jesus was born, God wanted the world to hear about His arrival. He chose to speak first to the shepherds. They were humble men who wore rough clothing, but they were also God’s children, and God spoke to them, just as He speaks to us today.
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This stained glass window shows the angels and the shepherds. Image courtesy of Gloria Dei Lutheran Church. |
It was probably cold, still and dark out on the hillsides around Bethlehem, so we can imagine how the men might have been startled when an angel appeared to them. And the first thing the angel said was, “Don’t be afraid!” The angel made sure the shepherds understood that their message was full of good news. The news was so good that soon, many, many more angels were there, like an army of heaven, praising God.
Do you know where to find the Bible verses that tell about the shepherds and their hearing of the Good News? Hover here to read:
QUESTION 2
When the angel came to the shepherds the first thing the angel said was, “Don’t be afraid!” These were God’s words to the shepherds, so they were very important. Why do you think the first thing God had the angel say was “Don’t be afraid?”
- The hillsides were so quiet, anything that came along was probably very scary to the shepherds.
- Shepherds weren’t very brave people, so they needed the special message from God to help them handle their fear.
- Angels are such extraordinary beings because of their heavenly nature no human could imagine what they were like.
QUESTION 3
Have you ever heard the message, “Don’t be afraid” from God? Which statement is true about the message, “Don’t be afraid.”
- God doesn’t really expect His children to be afraid--that’s why He told Mary and the shepherds not to be afraid.
- God is scary and His words are scary, so He is always reminding His children they don’t need to be afraid.
- God knows that life has lots of scary moments and many things that could make us afraid. Because He is always with us, He never wants us to be afraid because He loves us so much.
Do you know what happened after the shepherds heard the message? It was pretty much the same thing that happened right after Mary first received her news--the shepherds obeyed. They went right to the village and found Mary and Joseph and Baby Jesus. They told everyone about the wonderful man that this baby would become. And then they went back to the fields and kept on giving praise to God.
The lone angel who first came to the shepherds was suddenly joined by many, many other angels--the Bible says it was a “host.” That means a whole lot--as many as an army--and they all joined together to proclaim the most important message of Christmas: Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to all whom God favors. That’s what happens when God speaks and His children obey--He gets the glory, and that is just what He deserves.
God sure did speak to His children through the Christmas story, didn’t He? He spoke through the angels and through Mary and the shepherds, and He is still speaking to us today.
YOU CAN LISTEN TO GOD TOO!
As a kid who prays, we want to encourage you to always be listening to God, because He is always speaking to His children. You can hear Him speaking to you through His Word, the Bible, through other people who love God, and, yes, through His angels. The most important thing kids need to remember about God speaking is the lesson we learned from Mary and the shepherds--to obey. If you make sure to always obey God when He speaks to you--no matter how He speaks--you can’t go wrong. That’s what Mary and the shepherds learned.
To pray does not only mean to seek help; it also means to seek Him.
--Anonymous
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| Portrait of Calvin Coolidge courtesy of UMKC. |
Christmas is not a time nor a season, but a state of mind. To cherish peace and goodwill, to be plenteous in mercy, is to have the real spirit of Christmas.
--Calvin Coolidge, 30th President of the United States
 Have you ever sent an ecard? The “e” stands for “electronic” and you know what a card is—it’s a way of sending greetings to those we love and care about! This year we’ve made a really neat ecard using a new Christmas song from PPT Honorary Committee Co-ChairJoni Eareckson-Tada—the card is designed so you can add your own personalization. It’s free, and it’s for you! Click HERE to learn more.
Wow! Christmas is almost here, and we want to be sure we wish you a big “Merry Christmas!” Remember that even though Christmas is a very busy time of year, it is also a great time to draw near to God in prayer. Remember that prayer is communicating with God, not just talking to Him. So when you draw near to God this Christmas, be sure you listen for His words, and remember to follow Mary’s example of acceptance and submission to God and His great plans by saying with your heart, “Thy will be done.”
Do you have a comment or concern about PPT for Kids? We’d love to hear from you about how you use PPT for Kids, what is helpful, what we could do to make the weekly updates more helpful, or any suggestions you have for us. Just click here and send us you comments whether you are a kid or a mom or dad: Meagan@presidentialprayerteam.org.
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