Today is May 2nd and today we celebrate National Day of Prayer #NationalDayOfPrayer. I must tell you I know a lot of people may not believe in the LORD OR PRAYING but we sure need it in the world were living in today. Like Jelly Roll says sometime I only seem to talk to Gid When I Need A Favor and that isn’t right and it isn’t what I want to teach Charlie. As of today I’m going to try and change that and I hope you will join me.
It’s no news that faith is a big part of American culture. WE live in a diverse nation filled with people from various ethnicities with a variety of beliefs. Americans sure are no stranger to faith, and so it shouldn’t be a big surprise that they’ve decided to create a Holidaay that has a theme all about these religious beliefs.
Throughout history, there have been few national days of prayer. In fact, there were only a few noteworthy ones between the 1700s – 1900s. The National Day of Prayer that we know today was founded in 1952, and it was a co-founded effort between the United States Congress and President Harry S. Truman.
National Day of Prayer was signed into law by President Truman, and every president since has signed a proclamation that encourages Americans to pray on and celebrate National Day of Prayer. The national holiday has always been the first Thursday of May every year since it was founded in 1952.
National Day of Prayer stands as a day that continues the decision-making of the Country’s founding fathers, which used the morals from biblical lessons in difficult situations. Basically, using God’s guidance to make important decisions in the Country and for yourself. Just like Thanksgiving and Christmas, the National Day of Prayer has become recognized by Americans nationwide, and it is even recognized and celebrated in all Hallmark calendars.
Knowing that America was founded by people of European descent with predominantly Christian backgrounds, it’s no surprise that National Day of Preyer was originally created to celebrate the Christian faith. National Day of Prayer was an effort to ask American citizens “to turn to God in prayer and meditation.”
According to the National Day of Prayer website, there’s a need for every individual to take time to personal repentance and prayer and to mobilize the Christian community. However, there are no laws saying National Day of Prayer can’t be celebrated by all cultures, beliefs, and religions, and as America grew to become a multicultural nation, it is widely celebrated by more than just those in the Christian community.
NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER ACTIVITIES
- Since National Day of Prayer is designed for people to take time to actually pray, the best way you can celebrate National Day of Prayer is to do just that. No matter what faith you believe, take a moment to celebrate it, reflect on it, say or think about a few messages you’d like to send your God(s), and acknowledge the existence of faith in your life.
- In our Homeschool Bible Class Charlie will be researching interesting facts about our faith’s history Religion goes way back – I mean way, way back. Even in ancient civilizations there was some sort of belief system. Whether you realize it or not, your religion probably has elements from these faiths from ancient times.
- Whether you celebrate a form of Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, or any type of religion, there will always be a house of worship or prayer nearby. Whether or not you practice your faith in a community building, there’s nothing stopping you from donating money or volunteering your time to help out. Maybe you’ll learn a few new things about your faith and meet others in the community!
FACTS ABOUT NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER
- Since the 1700s to now, America has called for over 140 national days of prayer, humiliation, fasting, and thanksgiving by the President.
- Christians represent 73.7% of America’s religious population which includes Protestants, Catholics, Mormons, and other faiths under the Christianity umbrella.
- Islam is the fastest-growing religion however a 2050 religious forecast believes the global Muslim population is expected to grow at a faster rate.
- Roughly 45% of Americans pray every day and comparatively, 31% pray more than once a day, and 65% pray about once a month.
WHY PEOPLE LOVE NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER
- Even if you’re someone who doesn’t practice a faith, it’s still good to take time out of your life for peace and reflection, and that’s part of why National Day of Prayer was created..
- t’s likely that your parents or grandparents had some kind of belief or religion that they practiced. Having a national day of prayer helps everyone take a moment to remember how their family was raised and reflect on their cultural and family history.
- Even though National Day of Prayer like we know it today was created in the mid-1900, it’s interesting to see how Christianity and religion has evolved over time in the USA.
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
