Women and Non-Mormons Also Can Exercise The Power of the Prayer of Faith

"The prayer of faith" is just that - a prayer expressed with faith.

This is my own take, but I have no problem whatsoever with women or children touching a person for whom they are praying. Holding babies or children (or spouses or friends) while "praying over them" adds an element of physicality and real connection that is powerful in and of itself. There is a real power in being "wrapped in the arms of love" - and when that is combined with deep and faithful prayer . . . I'm not advocating that someone "mimic" a Priesthood blessing in this day and age (not at all), but I simply can't see the harm in laying hands on someone in some way and praying for them in faith.

Along those lines, I believe that all fathers (whether LDS or not) should use our pattern of Father's Blessings to pray over their children - and I can't see any harm in mothers doing the same by offering a "Mother's Blessing", performed with no mention of the Priesthood and simply, "As your mother (and, when appropriate, 'in the name of Jesus Christ')," - since women who are baptized have entered the exact same covenant as men to take upon themselves the name of Christ and "do all things in his name". Members of other Christian denominations often make that same basic promise in one way or another, and the prayer of faith certainly is not limited to the LDS Church.

I believe there is ao much power inherent in the covenants all of us make and the blessings and powers and rights we are given upon baptism and confirmation and endowment and sealing that are not dependent on a formal conferral of Priesthood that is required currently to perform formal ordinances. There is SO much that women and non-members can do without coming anywhere near apostasy or confrontation or difficulty. This is just one example, in my opinion.