Please Pray!

This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.
1 John 5:14-15



I have a dear friend who's family has been hit with several hard trials. Her dad just lost his job of 14 years. Her mom was diagnosed with breast cancer just two weeks ago. She will be having surgery tomorrow, a double mastectomy. My friend, herself, lives daily with pain and has some other big changes in her life. This has all hit at once and it is a lot of burdens to bear. Please dear friends pray for my friend and her dear family. They are very dear to us and I know that God is big enough to handle these situations. He loves them so dearly and is holding them in His tender arms. Please pray for unity within the family. Unity that will strengthen their love and bond. Pray that they will have great peace, and that the Great Physician will heal her mother. That the surgeon will be able to remove all the cancer. That the father will find peace and rest in his job situation and that the perfect job will be revealed to him. Please also pray for my friend as she daily lives with pain. Pray that she will be healed of this pain if it is God's will and that she will find strength and peace in the mist of it.

I love how the body of believers can come together and pray for one another even though we may not know them personally. The Lord commands us to love each other this way and to lift the body up in this way. Thank you for listening and caring. Your prayers are greatly appreciated and are heard by our Father in heaven. I know that great and wonderful things will come of these trials. Some of you have had your own trials and know how better to pray for people who are going through hardships. You have been comforted yourselves while going through life's disappointments and now know how to comfort others.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 says, "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

Several years ago I claimed the song "Held" by Natalie Grant when I was going through breast cancer and Michael had just lost his job. Life seemed to be falling apart at the seams. We were weary and brokenhearted. I heard this song and felt instantly that God was reassuring me that he had me safe in his arms that he was holding me through it all.

One more important prayer request- Tomorrow my dad is having surgery on his foot. This is a pretty long surgery that will lay him up for about 4 to 5 months. I wish I could remember the details of what he is having done but can't right now. I just know that this will be an adjustment for him and my mom. I am so glad that they live close to my sister and my grandparents. I know that he will be in good hands with them watching over him and helping him with all the things that he won't be able to do around the house and yard. Pray for dad and that the pain won't be too severe. Pray also for my mom who works as a nurse and will have added responsibilities now that dad can't move around so well. His surgery is at 9:00 am in Portland.

I now dedicate this song to my dear friend and her family. My prayer is that they too will feel God's undying love for them, they will feel his safe and secure arms holding them through all these hardships.



The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.
Psalm 34:18

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day. Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah
Psalm 46:1-7

I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from? 2 My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. 3 He will not let your foot slip-- he who watches over you will not slumber; 4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. 5 The LORD watches over you-- the LORD is your shade at your right hand; 6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. 7 The LORD will keep you from all harm-- he will watch over your life; 8 the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
Psalm 121