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A couple of weeks ago, I asked you to pray for Dylan.  Well, praise God, he stayed well enough to start the experimental treatment for his leukemia.  So far things are going well.  Please continue to pray for total remission in Dylan’s leukemia.

And sadly last night, I read that Julian Avery passed away from his brain cancer.  Please pray for the Avery family, as they adjust to life without their son.  I pray that God would be their strength and comfort during this difficult time.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in life, it’s that prayer is powerful.  So please, just take a couple of minutes to pray for these families.  Thanks!

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I’ve been following Dylan’s story for a while now.  He’s an 8 year old boy who was diagnosed with leukemia around this time last year.  If you want to read his entire story, you can check it out here.

Anyway, he’s currently undergoing chemotherapy in preparation for a clinical trial.  He needs the chemo to go well, and he needs to stay infection free, so he can continue on to the treatment.

Could you all just pray for him and his family?  Thanks so much!

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Heavenly Father,

I come before you this week empty.  Lord, you know where we’re at.  You know how I feel.  You know how frustrating the roller-coaster of Shannon’s career has been this year.  We trust that You have a plan.  We trust that you’ll work this for good.  Yet, Lord, we’re tired.

Please give us the strength and encouragement to go on.  Please make the way clear.  We don’t know what our next step should be, so Lord just let us know.  We will follow You with whatever You want us to do.

Lord, it’s so tempting to worry about finances.  Yet as I was writing out my testimony this week, I was reminded how many times we’ve faced what seems impossible, and how every single time you saw us through.  Lord, help us to gain confidence from the past.  Help us to look forward with excitement at what lies ahead.  And most of all Lord, may whatever happens be a testimony of your power and love for us.

In Jesus’ precious name,

Amen

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Heavenly Father,

Today I just lift up to you my country.  Lord, there is so much political bickering, and it seems our country gets nowhere.  People are divided.  They argue and hate.  

Father, I pray that You would once again take control of our country.  I pray that you would raise up a leader who would do right.  Someone with integrity.  I pray that this country would unite behind that person, whoever it is.  And I pray that we would turn from the way we’ve been going, and once again become a country of morals.

Lord, you know I worry about my children’s futures in this country.  I worry about how hard it will be for them to be Christians in an environment that is increasingly hostile toward Christians.  I pray for the generation of Christian youth today, that they would be able to stand firm in adversity. 

Help us to return to our Godly roots, Lord.  And make us strong while we wait.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

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One of my dear bloggy friends and her daughter need our prayers this week. Michelle’s daughter Jacqui suffers from Cyclical Vomiting Syndrome, and she’s going through an episode of it this week. My heart broke when I read Michelle’s post. I cannot imagine what they are going right now, and I wish I lived closer so I could physically help. Since I can’t, I’m going to do what I can, and that is pray.

Heavenly Father,

I just thank you for the friend I have in Michelle and what an inspiration she’s been to people throughout the world with her blog.

Lord, I just cannot imagine how hard it must be for her to see her daughter so sick, and to feel so helpless to help her. But Father God, you know what that’s like. How awful it is. So Father, please give Michelle what she needs right now to care for Jacqui. Give her the physical stamina to care for her child ’round the clock. Give her peace as she’s tempted to worry. And just let her know beyond a shadow of a doubt that You are right beside her, holding her hand, and that You are there to take her burden.

Father, I also pray for Jacqui. Make her little body strong. Help her to weather this illness. And Lord, I pray that you would cure her. I pray that she would never have to endure this again in her life. But Lord, we trust your judgment. If that’s not your will, then help Jacqui to get through it. Use this illness to draw her closer to you. Through Michelle’s posts, I already know that Jacqui understands so much of you for her age. I pray that she would even grow deeper in her understanding and love for You.

Bless this family, Lord, and help them through this trying week.

In Jesus’ precious name,

Amen

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My heart always breaks when I hear of children who desperately need prayer.  This week I heard about two families who really need prayer for two completely different matters.

I read about the first at Wholly Devoted.  Two children were kidnapped from their father by their non-custodial mother.  The story can be found here, and it doesn’t sound like these precious children are in a very good situation.

I heard about the second family from a mother on a parenting message board I belong to.  Right after I heard about little Chelsea there, I read about her at All 4 My Gals.  Chelsea is a beautiful little girl with T21, otherwise known as Down’s Syndrome.  This week she has also been diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, so her family definitely needs our prayers.

And as always, if you need prayer, feel free to leave me a comment or contact me, and I will be sure to pray for you this week, too.

Heavenly Father,

I just thank you that you are always in control of every situation, even when we feel out of control.  I cannot imagine what the parents of these children are going through right now, but I pray that you would comfort and bless them at this time.

I lift up Derek and Kady Dyer.  Lord, please keep them safe and bring them home to their father soon.  Let them know that you are there with them, and help them to be brave.  Lord, I pray for their father, that you would give him a sense of peace, even as he doesn’t know where his children are.  I pray that you would reunite this family soon.

And Lord, I lift up Chelsea to you at this time.  Make her body strong, and please cure her of this leukemia.  Help her body fight this disease.  Give the doctors the wisdom to know the best treatment for her.  Help her parents to comfort her as she goes through chemo.  Comfort Chelsea’s parents at this time, too.  Help them to lean on you.

We lift up these requests in Jesus’ name,

Amen

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This week I feel compelled to pray for unity among Christians.  I feel that sometimes we get stuck on small details and we lose sight of the big picture.  And I just feel a need to pray for Christians to focus on the big picture.  And always, if you have a prayer request, feel free to add it to the comments or send me an email, and I’ll be sure to pray for you this week.

Heavenly Father,

I praise you for who you are…all powerful, mighty, and most holy One.  I thank you that despite our human limitations, You are still God, completely in control.

Father, I just pray for Christians around the world right now.  In our humanness, it’s easy to get caught up in the little stuff…how to interpret what the Bible says about baptism, how to interpret what the Bible says about deceit, or any other things.  We lose sight of the most important thing, and that is salvation and the need to reach out to the lost.

Father, I pray that you would give us Christians grace with each other like the grace you have with us.  I pray that we would be able to see past our differences and work together to reach a lost world.  May we always be willing to learn from each other and stretch each other.  May we edify each other and not tear each other down.  May we be united in our desire to serve You.  Help us to never lose focus on that.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

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Earlier this week I read about Amy Wilhoite at Rocks in My Dryer.  Amy had been battling leukemia for a year, and she went home to meet the Lord on Monday.  I hadn’t heard about Amy before Monday, and I spent the evening reading through her blog.  She sounds like she was an amazing woman with an amazing faith.  Please join me this week in praying for her husband Brandon and son, Gary.

Heavenly Father,

I just want to thank you that because of your Son, we can be assured that Amy is in heaven with you right now.  I thank you that she no longer has to suffer with the pain and illness she’s had to deal with over the last year.  I thank you that she’s probably having the time of her life in heaven right now.

As comforting as it is to know that Amy is with you, it’s still hard for those she leaves behind.  I pray for Brandon right now, as he must go on without the love of his life.  Comfort him, Father.  Surround him with people who will love on him and help him through this time.  I pray that Brandon would continue to look to you for comfort and wisdom, just as he and Amy have done over the last year.

And I pray that you would grant Brandon the wisdom to know how to explain Amy’s passing to little Gary in a way that he would understand.  I pray that you would comfort Gary and give him understanding when he is missing his mommy.  I pray that you would help Gary to learn more about you through this, and that it would never become a stumbling block to his faith as he grows older.

Father, please bless the service today.  I pray that the weather would cooperate, and that each person there would be blessed.  I pray that all would be inspired by Amy’s faith, and that anyone who is in attendance who isn’t already a believer would come to know you through this service.

Thank you for Amy and the legacy of faith that she leaves.  I pray that even though she is no longer on this earth, the words that she wrote on her blog would continue to draw people toward you.

In Jesus name, 

Amen

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This week I’d like to take the time to pray for Dylan again. I’ve prayed for Dylan and his family before, and they need our prayers again, as things didn’t go as well as they could have in preparation for his bone marrow transplant.

If you have a prayer request, feel free to leave a comment or drop my an email, and I’ll be glad to pray for you throughout the week as well.

Heavenly Father,

Once again we lift Dylan up to you in prayer. Lord, it’s hard to understand why Dylan’s blood tests couldn’t have come out better in preparation for his transplant. But we do know that he is in Your hands, and that Your hands are loving and capable to handle every circumstance.

As Dylan starts conditioning for his transplant this week, I pray that you would strengthen his body. Help him to stay healthy. I pray that you would strengthen his family and help them to be assured of your presence and care for their lives.

Lord, please work a miracle here. I pray that the transplant would go well, and that Dylan would be free of leukemia. And I pray that it would be a testimony to You, Lord, that all who hear about it would come to know you. Thank you for caring about Dylan and his family.

In Jesus name,

Amen

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My prayer this week is for my children, as they are both heading off to school in the next few days. If you have children, why don’t you take a moment to say a prayer for them, too? And as usual, if you have another prayer request, feel free to leave a comment or contact me, and I’ll pray for you, too.

Heavenly Father,

I can’t believe another school year is starting. Time goes by so fast. I’m blessed and terrified at the same time. I’ve treasured the years I’ve had so far with my children, yet I realize that my time of being their primary influence is far too short. I feel so inadequate sometimes in teaching them the things they’ll need to know in life. I pray that you will bless my children, despite my shortcomings as their mother.

Please be with Liz this week as she heads off to 4th grade. Lord, this is an age where girls can be so catty. I pray that she will always remember that her worth as a human being comes from you, and not from what others think of her. Help her to always want to obey you and do what’s right. Help her not to succumb to peer pressure. I thank you for blessing her with a friend who is a great influence.

I also pray that you will bless her schooling this year. You know I’m a little bit apprehensive, as this is her first year without an IEP. I pray that her teacher would be attentive to what Liz needs to learn, and I pray that Liz would respond well to her new teacher’s teaching style.

I also lift up Sam as he heads off for his second year of preschool. I thank you that he has the same wonderful teachers that he had last year. I pray that he would make lots of new friends quickly, since most of his friends from last year are now in kindergarten.

Father, help Sam to catch up on his speech and improve in his fine motor skills. I’m still amazed at how much his speech improved last year, and I praise you for that. I pray that this year would go just as well. Keep him safe at school, and help him to learn a lot.

Thank you for blessing me with these two precious gifts.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen

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