One night Celia Straus’ 12-year-old daughter came to her and said “I’m not sleeping any more. I tried saying a prayer, but it’s not helping. Would you write one for me?” A television writer, Celia was relieved for this opportunity to be help her daughter and she wrote this first prayer (Courage…). When she saw Julia’s well-rested face the next morning, she knew the prayer had done its work. At the request of her daughter, another was written and thus began the “Prayers on My Pillow.”

From that night on, the prayers became a private ritual between mother and daughter. Sometimes, they read the prayers together talked about what they meant, other times, Julia kept them to herself. But not a night went by when Celia didn’t place a little piece of paper on her child’s pillow. Even when she was going to be out of town for a few days, Celia made sure she left a stack behind.

Two books of these prayers are available and Celia has a web site: www.girlprayers.com. Following are a couple of examples:

Keeping the Faith

Lord, guide me on the journey I make,
For there are different roads to take.
Four-lane highways, smooth and fast,
Filled with people going past.
I could choose those roads and go
With the crowd and never know
A smaller winding road that runs,
Counter to the bigger ones.
With ruts and hills, not smoothly paved,
Demanding I be strong and brave,
But giving me the chance to be
All that You intended for me.

—Celia Straus

Courage from Within

I think I’m afraid to grow up, God,
For I see how much pain there can be.
I want to stay young and protected.
I’ scared that I’ll lose what is me.
I think I have courage to trust, God,
That I’ll do just fine with what’s new.
For love stays inside me forever,
So as I grow, my faith grows in you.

—Celia Straus