Prayer changes things...

Dear Friends & Family,

I believe in the power of prayer.

Many of you may know that over the last five years or more, my mom has been dealing with what we like to call her "spells". These "spells" are seizure like and have progressively become worse as years have gone by. We have seached high and low, seen numerous doctors, had every test, every scan, and countless viles of blood drawn and nothing has led us to a cause or diagnosis. We praise God that she has not been diagnosed with anything serious at this point, but are left to wonder why she is having these or what is causing them.

Every doctor we have seen so far has been unable to give us an explanation. Many times we've felt hopeless and that we are at the end of the rope but we have kept going on in search of answers. I praise the God of hope, that when we've felt hopeless and at the end of our rope, He is always faithful, and always there. We stand firm in the hope we have in Him - He is Jehovah Rapha - our great physician and healer. We trust and know that He is in control. He is the God who created her and knit her together. He knows the number of hairs on her head and He knows what is going on with her physcially. We are thankful that we can put our trust in a God who spoke the universe into existance and who created us with his very breath. I know that all things are for His good and for His glory - and in the midst of our trials and suffering we want nothing more than for Him to be glorified.

In the next week, beginning July 10, my mom will be hospitalized from 1-4 days to be monitored. They will be able to monitor her when she has the seizures and will hopefully be able to determing cause and treatment. If we are unable to get answers through this, we are prayfully considering going to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL.

We covet your prayers and ask that you join with us in praying the following and as how you feel led:

1) Pray number one that God's will, will be done. We know that He is capable of healing her and we trust Him for that; but more than anything we want His will to be done in her life. If that is not to heal her, we pray that He will in his perfect time, lead us to answers and most of all we pray that in all circumstances, in all situations whether through healing or cause/treatment that He be glorified. Pray that our faith will always remain in him and not man(doctors).

2) Pray that the hospitalzation will go well and quickly. The sooner they are able to capture the info they want, the sooner she can go home.

3) Pray for her, that she will be filled with the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. As you can imagine, this has not been easy for her. It is difficult in so many ways but especially to not know what is wrong.

4) Pray for direction. If we are unable to get answers from this doctor/hospitalizaion that God will make clear for us the next move.

5) Pray for us as a family that we will be supportive of her and be the help she needs without making her feel helpless. We all want to do everything we can to make sure she is okay but I know that can be overbearing for her at times as she is very independent.

Thank you for praying with us. I know that God hears us. His word promises that if we call to Him, He will answer us and tell us great and unsearchable things we do not know. (Jeremiah 33:3)

"Therefore, let us come boldly before the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need." Hebrews 4:16

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people." Ephesians 6:18

"Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord." James 5:13-14

"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." James 5:16