Doubt has no place in prayer. We do know that prayers are not always being answered, but we also know that there are times they are. The "why sometimes and not always" is a subject of much debate, a debate that has not reached a conclusion as of yet, and never might.

Thus, we face a catch 22 situation. We know that prayer has the most power when all doubt in failure is eliminated (Mat: 21:22 "All things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive"). We are also aware (for the atheists among us) that there is scientific proof that "conviction" - and that's what faithful prayer is suppose to induce - can have healing effects (or the placebo effect would not occur). But we are also keenly aware that such conviction in a healing can have devastating effects on the parents of an afflicted child that does not survive, for their hopes have come crushing down.

Yet, regardless, in order to give prayer a chance you cannot doubt, you must believe. Only prayer that eliminates all doubt has Power, the resulting Hope has Power, a Positive Attitude has Power. Saturate yourself and your surroundings with that Power. The mere believing that a healing will occur ups the chance tenfold that it will. Therefore, believe, and make your child believe.

Once the necessary faith has been transferred to your child, its fears will vanish and the body, spurned on by the power of the Holy Ghost, can do what it does best - heal itself.

And if - for reasons we do not understand but have to accept - the child passes on, the child died at peace, without fear of the unknown, without the pain of knowing to be separated from his or her parents. What can be more merciful in cases that have no happy ending?

Please send us your thoughts regarding this very controversial subject.