Why Pray?
This site is for updates, but it is also a prayer-site.
We had such a great sermon at church on Sunday, I really feel it on my heart to share. (First off, I apologize if my notes weren’t correct)
I am still following many children in the middle of this battle. Our battle may be on “hold” or “over” (only God know) But my heart is aching for these parents and families and I ask you to please pray!
If God already knows everything, why pray?
The Purpose of Prayer:
Phil 4:19- God will meet all your needs.
God is good and we are not, prayer is acknowledging that God for who he is. Prayer is an opportunity and a partnership.
The Potential in Prayer:
Because God has invited us to bring our needs to him.
Prayer is for changing US, not GOD.
James 5:13-if you have trouble, ask!
Prayer is acknowledging we need God. Just like our family, we “need” them. To Respect is to NEED them!
We need to respect and need God.
The Point of Prayer: Spiritual Growth, God created us to have a relationship with Him.
I John 4:4- Greater is he that is in you, than is in the world!
James 5:16- The earnest prayer of a righteous man has great power and wonderful results.
Not praying makes you spiritually weaker!
Prayer is practicing the Presence of God!
**************************************************************************************************************
Please take a moment and pray for a sweet little almost 1 year old named Danika, she will be going into surgery (hopefully) this Monday. She has an older sibling (like Austin). Mommy is at the hospital with Danika, and daddy is home (out of state, I believe) with their oldest. Please pray for this mom and daughter and the family. The little girl has gone thru so much treatment already and the battle is so difficult. I just pray that God sends his “messengers” of love and comfort to this mom.
http://www.carepages.com/carepages/DanikaStanchi/updates/2394213?client_code=mskcc&ipc=mur
This may be a repeat, but I have to share my own experience with prayer last week:
- Before Alexis’s diagnosis (one month to be exact) A complete stranger, “vacuum lady” started praying for me when she saw me, asked to pray for me right then and there, told me that something was put on her heart from the Lord to share with me, “That we would soon be going thru something so life changing and difficult, but God would be there to carry us! That we would all be OK” (I thought she was a little “koo-koo” to profess something, never been one to believe prophesies or things like that)
The moment Alexis was diagnosed, I knew that is what she was talking about. I had been warned, and I knew!
- Last week, fear was taking me over again (a week ago Friday, before scans to be exact)
I decided I needed a little private “partnership” with God on Saturday morning. My heart was open, scared and it was just me and “the big Guy” I asked, prayed and begged for some “God Winks”, “His puppets”, a “message”, a “sign” whatever you want to call it. I needed PEACE!
He knew what I needed and when….
That day, I stopped by the Christian book store and ran into an old friend, who is now a “chemo nurse” for adults and was searching for just the right book for her patients needs. I was able to share some things with her and what gives me peace and the books that have helped me,
and there standing behind her head, the only other person in this aisle of this very busy store was ….”VACCUUM LADY“! Now? Here? 3 years later? standing right in front of me? What are the real “odds” of her and I being there at the same place at the same time, hours after I pleaded with God for this, just a couple days before we started back up at Children’s; if this wasn’t a “God” thing, I don’t know what is! She said she remembered it all, I introduced her to my mom and children and the friend, she said Alexis is a miracle. It was great to see us, and that she still prays for Alexis all the time. God gave me exactly the peace and calmness that I needed with that “run-in”
Maybe this post will “touch” someone, maybe not, but if I don’t share what I’ve learned this last week and how God has used remarkable “circumstances”/ “people”….than it’s useless but to me.
That was my experience on Saturday and this is what I received on the Sunday, before our week (the next day)
“Jill,
Thank you so much for sending out this email (an email I sent to the parent of Austin’s classmates). I literally almost fell out of my chair when I read this. I feel I need to share with you what God has put on my heart for you. I have never really done something like this before, so I feel kind of weird, but I can’t ignore what God has been saying to me.
I can’t remember specifically what day it was, but sometime last week I was sitting in my car in the pick up line like usual, my other two kids were being crazy, like usual and I was feeling a little stressed out. Completely out of the blue I looked in my rearview mirror and saw you sitting in your car waiting too. As clear as a bell I felt God say to me “pray for her and I will bring healing”.
I have to admit I was kind of freaked out a little, I have never really heard from God that strongly before. I immediatly began to doubt what I heard, giving all kinds of excuses, I mean I don’t even really know you, to tell you the truth I couldn’t really remember what your name was (sorry, I am really bad with names). That was even before I read what the teacher wrote in the newsletter. But I kept feeling restless and I finally gave in and just trusted that God knows even though I don’t.
At that point I didn’t even know who in your family I was supposed to be
praying for so I just played it safe and covered you all.
It was the a couple of days later when I saw Alexis waiting outside with you and I heard God once again tell me to pray for her (Alexis), so I did.
Then this morning in church, God kept telling me over and over to pray for her healing. I had no idea how serious her condition is or even what it was. I just came home and read this email. I hope this somehow encourages you, and I believe with all my heart that Jesus is going to do a work in your family and bring healing to your beautiful little girl. I pray for an extra measure of peace and strength for you and your family this week as I can’t even imagine what you will be going through.”
THESE ARE THE GIFTS I’VE BEEN GIVEN. Thank you Father God!
I hope this will or can be a gift to you reading this!
** NOTE: for Jodale, “Vacuum Lady” is because she owns a vacuum store, and when i was walking up the steps to her store, she was already praying and grabbed me when I came in, prayed over me, and told me her message. She will always be known as “vacuum lady”, we’ll leave her real name a secret….:)
