By Jerria Martin | Martin is a minister and director of the Drug Free Communities of Dallas County

The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once quoted that to be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.

Its prayer that keeps us constantly connected to God, who fills us with His holy spirit. Thus, there is not only hope in prayer, there is amazing, wonder-working power in prayer.

What makes it so amazing is that prayer empowers us, through the Holy Spirit, not to be the change that we would like to see, but to be the change that God would like to see.

Prayer empowers us to be just in an unjust world, to forgive in an unforgiving society, and even in the midst of confusion, division and hatred, to remember that love conquers all, that God is Love and we are all God’s beloved children. There’s hope in prayer.

This is why Jesus taught his disciples how to pray.

This is why Paul prayed for the Christian church in Ephesus and this is why today, over 50 years after Dr. Martin L King Jr. announced that he had a dream,  I come announcing that I, Jerria Martin, have a prayer.

I have a special prayer for the citizens of Selma.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a prayer. It is a prayer deeply rooted in Dr. King’s dream.

I pray that one day every citizen will realize his or her full potential and stand strong against every obstacle saying, “Together, WE can!”

I pray that one day, right here in Selma, that every hill of hatred and every mountain of division will be leveled off into beautiful plains of love and unity.

Yes, I have a prayer today.

I pray that the citizens of Selma will realize that in the end, there is no black power; there is no white power, but only one power in the name of our Father.

I pray for the peace of Christ to fall like rushing water and God’s mercy like a mighty stream.

I pray that the misguided youth and young adults will lay down their guns and pick up their Bibles, as they are led, nurtured and loved by a Christian community.

I pray that the spiritual leaders may come together as willing vessels of God and speed up the day where all Selma’s citizens, black citizens and white citizens, Protestants and Catholics, can join hands saying, “Selma will rise again. Yes, she will rise, because we are going to lift her up.”

We will lift her up until every citizen has an opportunity for a full-time adequately paying job and an opportunity to provide for their families.

We will lift her up until the crime and violence ceases and unconditional love commences.

We will lift her up until every citizen realizes that there is hope for our city and it is found in God and in each and every one of us.

There is empowering, life-giving, and everlasting hope in prayer.