Prayer Circles

Dear Sandy,
Good to see you posting again. I know this is a difficult time for you and you are in my prayers also. I did get some down time. Last night I came home from work and fell asleep on my couch for over two hours. Then I moved to my bed. I did get up for about an hour and went back to bed. Today I'm just chilling out. Haven't even changed my clothes. I may go to our prayer meeting later. Depends on the energy level. I get temps very easy due to the Lupus. Whenever I overextend myself I usually get one. Yes, this was a very difficult two weeks, so I'm not surprised by the temp. Today it is gone. Ironically, tomorrow at church we are having a seminar on self care, especially for leaders.

My friend Bob is in the hospital again. His cancer has metastasized very quickly on his right femur. His doctor stated that it was the fastest he ever saw cancer metastasized. Bob is such a fighter, he sees this as another bump in the road. If a positive attitude could cure, he would have been cured by now. Right now I feel like I'm riding a roller coaster with him. For me the timing of this seminar is right on.

Thank you for all the funnies. They really make me laugh, which in itself very healing. Love, Jane

Sorry to hear of all the sadness. I have prayed for each one of you to get through all os the bumps in the road. I have been very busy cleaning. I don't know what got into me but I have been cleaning every thing. I have even removed rugs(Tyler is allergic to dust mites) and cleaned every little spot in his room, Matthew's room and my room. I have not done anything like this since my kids were small. It makes me feel good about getting something done and not started and then left.It was a beautiful day here about 52 degrees with the sun out for awhile. I can't wait for the weather to stay nice and to have sun instead of clouds and snow. We have been lucky to have had very little snow. Bless you all and you are in my prayers.
Lee Ann

To all,
My daily devotion today listed 10 'Scriptures for the Broken Hearted' and I wanted to share them with you all. I'm putting them in prayer form and paraphrasing them and adding some thoughts of my own. I love to 'pray the scriptures' because I feel that they are alive and active and honored by God. I pray that God blesses all of you richly today!

Father God, I come to You today on behalf of all my sisters who are grieving. I know that You sent Jesus to die on our behalf and to comfort us as a shepherd comforts his sheep with his rod and staff. Even though we are walking through the valley of the shadow of death, we choose (with our will) to fear no evil because You are with us. As a shepherd watches over his sheep with constant watchfulness and care, You watch over us and instruct us and teach us in the way we should go. Because You are Love, You are near to us, Your children, because we are broken hearted. Hold us today Father and comfort us with Your Holy Spirit. I know we can't even come close to Your thoughts or Your ways because Your thoughts and ways are higher than ours. Father, help us to trust You when we don't understand what's going on with our bodies and our emotions. Your thoughts toward us are of peace, not evil; and I thank You that You give us peace in the midst of the storm. Father, keep us safe today and in the remaining days we have left here on earth; many storms will come our way because this world is full of evil. But You will neither leave us nor forsake us; You have said that You will come to us. You have put Your Holy Spirit within us so that You will be present with us forever. We also know, Father, that because Christ is alive today we who have Your Holy Spirit will live forever with You. Death is just a stepping stone to Heaven. In this world we will have tribulation, as Jesus did; but He overcame the world and so will we. In this world we will have intermittent suffering because of sin, but after we have suffered a while You will make us perfect, full of strength, and settled in our minds and hearts. You do not give us a spirit of fear, but love and power and a sound mind. Thank You Father for being my Father and for loving me enough to sacrifice Your Son for me. Thank You that You have prepared a place in Heaven for me and all those who believe and put their trust in Jesus. You alone are worthy to be praised and worshipped. Today, Father, we come before You to give You a place of honor that is truly Yours alone. We humble ourselves before You and acknowledge that You alone are God, there is no other. Watch over all my sisters today with Your eye and keep us in the palm of Your hand. In Jesus' Name and for His sake I ask--Amen.

Love and (((HUGS))) to you all!
Charlene

Hi our dear Jane,
Thank you for your prayers, I really need them and appreciate them! Well, your body really needed that rest so it was good for you and wonderful ! that your fever is gone. Glad you also spent the rest of the day just chillin'.
Oh, your poor friend Bob, bless his heart, yes, he certainly has a brave and positive attitude toward's his illness, you're so right, if that could cure him he'd be 100% healthy again. The indomitable human spirit!
He's so blessed to have you as a friend and helping him as much as you can!
Well, they say Laughter is the best medicine, so I'm happy you get a chuckle or two out of the one's I send around :)
Much love 7 Hugs,
Sandy

Hi our dear Lee Ann! Nice to see you posting, its been a while :)
I know what's gotten into you....Spring Fever! You're getting all your Spring Cleaning done after a long winter...seemed long to me, anyway. Gee, I wish you could bottle some of your energy up and send it to me, I need a dose of it :). Yes, we're having lovely Spring weather here and I DIID remember to change the clock's!
We all have our trials and storms to go through, yourself included, but just trust in God that the storm clouds will pass,
Much love & Hugs,
Sandy

Very nice prayer for all, dear Charlene, you did an excellent job putting it all together in prayer form!
Thank you my sister,
Much love & Hugs,
Sandy

Our dear sister Selva asked me to post for her, she is swamped at work with Tax Season, she's too modest to ever say this so I'll do the bragging for her :) she is the Head Accountant of a very large Miami Co., so you can just imagine the responsibilities she has at this time of the year......in addition, she and her sister Nancy have private clients, so as she said, "I'm dreaming numbers."
As well, her AOL Service is still giving her quite a lot of problems but she want's you all to know that she pray's for all everyday. As soon as things quiet down for her, she'll post,
Love & Hugs to all,
Sandy

I came across this Poem this morning; it touched me so I thought I'd share it here for all,

Sandy That was a poem so true. I could not have said any better. Thank you for posting it.
Lee Ann

Dear Charlene,
Thank you for that prayer. It was so beautiful and appropriate. I also pray the Scriptures. Many times I find myself without words to pray for someone then I'll read a Scripture that says it perfectly. Thank you for taking the time to paraphrase it so well. Love, Jane

Dear Sandy,
That poem is also very touching. Yes, there are truly some cords that not even death can break. Mother (or father) and child, grandparent and grandchild, and best friends are just to name a few. Last week at Gram's memorial my pastor stated that those we love the most deeply we will mourn most deeply. He really encouraged me to take the time to mourn deeply. Emotionally, I'm not there yet, but I know I will get there. As for Bob, some serious decisions must be made quickly. His medical power of attorney (Judy) will be speaking to all the doctors on his case. She will be seeking honest answers. For instance, if Bob undergoes another round of chemo, how much time will that buy him? In other words will it be worth it, since he is suffering so much. Is he in real danger of that leg breaking, if so is he safe to be alone? I thought I was the only one thinking like this. Judy has the power to overrule Bob's decisions if she feels God is leading her that way. It's to the point where we can't believe everything that Bob says because of the massive amount of pain medication he is on. A big prayer request for him is that Social Security Disabilty will come through quickly. He was actually denied and has to go through the court system. I'm sorry, this man is terminal and hasn't worked in over a year. In our state, someone can't obtain medicaid if they don't qualify for SSDI. From what I understand medicaid will pay his hospital bills, but each time he has to apply for it. Actually the hospital's financial dept applies for him. This doesn't cover his meds or doctor's appointments. With SSDI everything will be paid for, including a skilled care facility. There are some places that are state run that would take him, but there pretty bad and far from us. If it comes to skilled care, we want him close so we can monitor the facility to make sure Bob's needs are met. Also to make sure he is not alone there, feeling stranded. Hard decisions, but I have much confidence that Judy really does hear from God for direction. His "bumps in the road" are coming more frequently and with much more intensity. So thank you for your prayers on his behalf. Love, Jane

Hi Everyone,
I need more prayers! I am taking a mental health day, or as we learned yesterday a self care day. This morning I woke up feeling like I was run over by a football team. My asthma is worse than it has been in months. I feel an incredible sadness. The low grade temp is back. My stomach is really hurting. I understand my body pretty well and right now it's telling me I have to release the tears. So after writing this I'm going to sit before God and ask for His help, since it's not coming naturally. I know all my symptoms are signs of a Lupus flareup. I also know that at times my flareups have been due to my emotional state. I refuse to give in to this flareup, so I'm taking how long it takes to release some of this sadness. Thank you all for your prayers. Love, Jane

Dear god, give Jane the strength she needs to feel better and everyone else that needs help here on this site. I'm still waiting to find out about rehab for my son, I hope to hear something tomorrow maybe. Chris

I was unable to get on here Monday, and Tuesday I had company so I'm just now sending you all my prayers again. Jane, PLEASE rest! God will take care of everything else.
Selva, you have my prayers for rest also. This is a busy time, which I know that you enjoy, but take time for yourself too. :o)
Verna, how was the stress test?
Chris, keep us informed about Terry and the judge's decision.
Sandy and Cindy, you are both in my prayers for the 15th.
Love and (((HUGS))) to all,
Charlene

Sandy and Cindy, ~ I know you both share this special day. We all know about those special days and how difficult they can be. I have been praying for you both throughout this month and will continue to pray heartfelt prayers throughout this special day. As I am sure you both already know, all of us here will storm heaven with prayer for you both throughout this day. May you feel your child’s love and closeness as you recall the joy and fond memories on days gone by. May our Lord and Savior continue to bless you both and keep His arms around you and give you His peace throughout this day and in the days ahead.
Love and Angel Hugs,
Verna

[Oh gosh, there are red x's everywhere!] No telling what will turn up! :)

Father God, I ask that you will continue to bless all of my sisters here in this circle of love and give them the strength and courage to face whatever life storm they are facing right now. Please give them peace as only You can. In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit I pray, Amen

I'm waiting for a rehab bed to open for my son Jimmy. I have bags packed and directions printed, (rehab is 4 hours away)Insurance is cleared and we're just waiting for the phone call. He is still in jail (since Feb 24). I pray he will get help soon and I pray that he will be able to stay strong and won't ever go back to drugs again.
I pray for god to keep our family strong. This is very hard for us. I pray that my daughter Jessica that had such a hard time missing Stephanie, will be able to handle Jimmy's lose also. She is missing alot of school and having medical problems that has to do with the stress. The sunshine we had for a few days helps. Gloomy weather for gloomy days are sad days.
As far as court we don't know what's going to happen yet.Thank you all. I pray that we all get our rest and with spring comming it reminds us of renewal, growing, warm, sunny days to come.

Dear Sandy and Cindy,
Please know you are in my thoughts and prayers. I know the days leading up to and the days after those special days are also difficult, I will be praying for you expecially during the next few days. Love, Jane

Dear Chris,
I am praying that a rehab bed opens soon for Jimmy. I know this has to be an anxious time for you. Remember the timetable is in God's hand. I also pray that Jimmy will have learned some valuable lessons both before (while in jail) and during his rehab. I pray also for Jessica, that she would see Jimmy's loss as very temporary. I pray for unity and strength for your family. Love, Jane

Hi All,
My health seems to be improving. I have been diligent in self care. I may not like it when my next paycheck comes in, but I did what I had to. Yesterday I woke up feeling lighter than I had in weeks. It was like God telling me that the heavy burden of grief was lifting. Thank you all for your prayers. Love, Jane

'WE NEVER GIVE UP. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are quite small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever! So we don't look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not yet seen. For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 nlt)'
Amen and Amen! Love to you all today, and may God bless!
Love and (((HUGS))),
Charlene

JANE, I'm SO glad the burden is lifting; I prayed just that this week. Remember that God can meet your needs when you aren't getting the income that you're used to. At least HE is FAITHFUL! Amen.

CHRIS, I pray that Jessica's eyes will be opened to the danger and downfall of drugs; and that your whole family will learn to depend on God for your needs. I pray for health to be restored (what the worm has eaten--Joel--Bible) to her and that God would make Himself REAL to your family in a wonderful way. Amen.

VERNA, it's good to hear from you; at least we know you're still 'kicking'. :o)

SANDY, I pray that God would restore happy memories to you and give you peace today.

CINDY, I pray that God would give you happy memories of Krissy that would make you smile today!

KATHY, I pray that you are okay. With Wes's BD coming up, you're probably thinking about him. I pray for God's peace to surround you in the days ahead.

Love and (((HUGS))) to ALL,
Charlene

Hello Everyone,

Thank you so much my dear Miss V, Charlene and Jane for your much-needed prayers yesterday on my Shane's Anniversary Date! On every Anniversary I relive that terrible last day, from what we were doing in the morning to holding my deceased Shane at the Hospital that evening. I cannot recall any happy memories on his Anniversary, but that's me, other's can.
My husband and I attended Mass for Shane at noon hour at our Church and that does help. After Mass I lit a Candle for Shane and one for Krissy, Cindy's daughter who's Heaven Date was also yesterday. Cin sent me a beautiful page with a Graphic on it as only she can, God love her.
I also want to thank Lisa for her touching Card, our dear sister Selva for her heartfelt e-mail and family and other friends who remembered as well and mean so much to us.

My Shane, God's Shane, you will always be my hero and the wind beneath my wings; I love you as much today as the day you left us and miss you so much.......Love Eternally, Mom, xoxoxo

Much love & Angel Hugs,
Sandy

Hi Everyone,
I have a special prayer request. On another site (At the loss of a child) there is a woman named Hilda. Her daughter died from a car accident in July. This was right after Hilda prayed and placed her daughter (Michele) in God's hand. She has absolutely no support from her family and "friends". She is isolated, partly her own doing since everywhere she goes reminds her of Michele. She is in so much grief and so lonely. The other day she posted her phone number and asked anyone to call her because she wasn't going to make it. A couple of us are in contact with her, but it is long distance. Specifically pray that God sends someone her way as a true friend and mentor. She is married but her husband works the late shift and she only sees him less than 2 hours a day. Also, he gets upset with her when she cries.

Last night we were talking about Heaven and what our loved ones could or could not see. She has a really interesting perspective on this. After she said it, I realized she might really be on to something. I stated I didn't think our loved ones could see us here because it would make the cry and there is no crying in Heaven. She said she thinks that they do see us, however with "different eyes". When I asked her what she meant she said they see us through eyes that see the whole picture. She compared it to when a toddler falls, they think their world is shattered but as parents we see it as part of the growing process. In other words we see the bigger picture and know that the toddler's world isn't shattered. I thought Bingo! Our loved ones see us through the eyes of eternity, or through God's eyes. They have the whole picture. That was a pretty awesome thought from someone who is suffering so much right now. I have told Hilda about this prayer circle, but right now she even imagine going on another site. I think she will eventually. I am asking prayer for her and those who call her on a daily basis. We need the right words and compassion, but we also need to keep our own personal boundaries. Thank you again for all your prayers. Love to all, Jane