Hello my friends, and welcome to our special Memorial Day Prayers for the week post. As you all likely know, tomorrow, May 27, 2013 is Memorial Day, and before we get started on our prayer requests and praises, I wanted to take a moment and give high praise to God for the men and women that have served in our armed forces — and also to give praise to God for their families as well, many of whom have sacrificed greatly because of their families decision to defend our country. In addition to the praise that we give to God, I would also like to offer up a special prayer. It goes something like this:
Our Heavenly Father, today we give thanks to You for the dedication and commitment that the members of our armed forces — and their families — gave in defense of our country. Our great country has been built on their blood, sweat, and tears over the past 236+ years, and those of us that have not had that calling owe a great deal to those that did. Lord, please look after our current members of the military, keep them safe from harm please, and return them to their families as soon as you can. Also, please be with those that have suffered in their service, care for them please, and hold them and their families close to Your heart. Lord, for those of us that have not served in our military, please remind us daily — not just on special holidays such as Memorial Day and Veterans Day — to be thankful for those that do serve to protect us, and also, exert Your Will upon those that would do harm to our men and women, whether it be in a physical sense through war, or in a psychological sense like those hate groups delight in. Lord, Thank You for all that you have done for our country, both now and in the future, and thank You for looking after us in times gone by. It is in the name of Your Son Jesus that we pray with Thanksgiving this day and everyday. Amen.
Praises!
I have spoken with you before of the Men’s Study and what a blessing it has been in my spiritual journey. That session ended around the time that Spring arrived, but fortunately, we have continued our faith journey during the Spring and Summer months. This past Tuesday, we met for dinner and fellowship, as well as for some great Bible study. We were blessed to have our meal offered up to us by Kenneth Strader, the owner of Meadows Family Farms and a fellow Brother in Christ. God leads us every day if we just look for Him, and Saturday a week ago he led my Brother Jim to the State Fairgrounds — where he happened to meet Kenneth. Mr. Strader, I give thanks to you and to God for sharing your delicious food with us, and I look forward to the day when I might get to meet you in person! Thanks, Brother!
I also have another praise to lift up — on Friday Cindy, Sophie and I were able to meet with my great Blogorail Friend Heidi and her two daughters and son for dinner! They spent the week at Hilton Head Island, so they were passing almost right by our house! We met them at Outback and had a great time meeting them and enjoying some great conversation, food, and fellowship!
Heidi is the creator of the blog Heidi’s Head, and is one of the members of the Magical Blogorail (and also one of my cohorts for Tiggerific Tuesday Trivia!) — so I have known Heidi for a couple of years, even though we had never met in person before. So this was a special night, and we all enjoyed being able to meet one another. Sophie and Gracie hit it off, Ian and I became best buds, Ashley reminds me of Stephanie, and Cindy and Heidi even have the same print for their Disney Dooney & Bourke Purses! It’s kind of freaky how much we seemed to have in common!
Prayer Requests
We do, though, have a laundry list of prayer requests this week — so please please please take the time to read through all of them and pray for them — it means a great deal to me, and it means even more to those whom we are praying for as well! Thanks!
- Continued prayers for my cousin Barb’s husband Tim! He is in the middle of his chemo treatments and is feeling some of the effects. Please also pray for my other family members that are battling various cancers — my cousin Kelly, my Aunt Ginny, my Aunt Carol on Cindy’s side of the family, and any others that my old mind has forgotten at the moment.Thanks everyone!
- My friend Jodi asks for some prayers, here is what she wrote:Mike, I love that you are definitely not ashamed of the gospel! Thanks for these prayer request lists! I’d like to add a few:
-My friend is undergoing breast cancer treatment
-My uncle is undergoing cancer treatment for the 2nd time in a year
-(praise & prayer) My great-nephew, who was born a month preemie and drug addicted, is improving and showing no drug-related health issues. However, he is still having withdrawalsymptoms.
-Someone dear to me is struggling with alcoholism - Diana also asks for prayers. Here is what she wrote:Please lift up my husband and his family. They are facing the difficult decision of moving my father in law into a nursing home.
- My sister Robin, who never fails to delight me with wonderful Scripture, has some prayer requests. Here is what she wrote:
Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.Ephesians 3:20-21So many prayers concerns, and yet we have one who sits at the right hand of the Father living to intercede for us. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Hebrews 7:25There are so many concerns, but we don’t need to worry because He lives.
~Pogo- lost greyhound in the Herndon area, may be injured and is very scared.
~Deb- cancer surgery successful, prayers for a speedy recovery
~Tara and Mike- busy week moving
~My students who are testing and facing trials no adult should have to face, yet alone a child…
~Myself and hubby still waiting for decision regarding SS disability
~Stephanie, Shane, Leslie, Brett, Matt, Tara, all the kids who are so important to me! - My friend Lisa, the author of the popular book Beyond the Attractions, has a prayer request for us. Here is what she wrote:Please pray for Scarlett, a beautiful first-grader who is fighting leukemia.She and her family are an inspiration to everyone that has the blessing of knowing them.
- On Facebook, Brandi left this prayer request:
“Please help me pray for the change our family needs…thanks”Brandi, we’ll be praying for you, not only for the change your family needs, but that the Lord would speak to you and make sure that you know the exact change He wants your family to make — that is an important part of it. Go with God, and may God’s Peace descend upon you and all your family in your time of need! - Sue gives us a prayer request and a praise! Here is what she wrote:Please pray for my 89 year old uncle. He had a stroke 3 weeks ago, and desperately wants to get out of the hospital. The good news is that he is progressing nicely with his PT and OT. As soon as he can walk without a walker they will release him. Thank you!
- Lainie left us some prayer requests. I’ll list them and then put my reply as well:
I just found out you have this area of your site… LOVE ITMy first prayer request is for my marriage, we’ve been struggling our whole marriage (20yrs), there’s been alot of hurt, need healing, strength, wisdom, etc.My second prayer request is for my daughter Sierra. She is a Junior in High School. She is struggling to bring her grades up and she has some classes to make up to graduate. Pray for her strength, wisdom, speed, etc. She needs to graduate on time.My last request is for healing…. I have diabetes and weight issues I’m struggling to resolve. I need strength, endurance, willpower, etc.
Here is what I wrote back to her:
Lainie,
We just started this prayer request series on March 3rd, so it’s only been around about 12 weeks. If you don’t mind, please feel free to go through the entire series and lift them up in prayer, it never hurts to go back through the series. Plus, it can be beneficial to see the answering of prayer as the weeks go by. Here is the link to the series:http://www.mydreamsofdisney.com/category/services/prayer-requests/
Now, Lainie, of course we will pray for you. I’m lifting you up right now, prayers for your marriage — that you and your husband would continue to see the blessing that you are for each other, and to remember that God is with you both. May you both receive God’s Peace upon you, and know that the hurt, the healing, and all the rest is available to you both if you just ask God to give it to you. I know that you both have been struggling for some time, the beauty of it is that, if you think about how you have still stuck it out despite the hurt feelings, imagine how wonderful it would be once you get these problems sorted out and can move into that true state of being with one another. That is my greatest prayer for you, that you both receive the forgiveness from one another that you need, and that you both also forgive one another. I urge you to lean on the Lord for this, He will help you both out, if you just take the time to ask Him to help.
We will also pray for your daughter Sierra. May she not stress over the issues that she is having with school, but instead, channel her energies into making the changes she needs to make to get past this hurtle and enter her Senior year full of optimism and hope for the future, and not worry about what might be. May God grant His Peace to her, that she would know that all will be well, as well as the wisdom to make the right decisions at this stage in her life and beyond, as well!
Lastly, Lainie, we will pray for your diabetes, that you would be able to manage your body the way it needs to be handled, that you would have healing, an increase in strength, endurance, willpower (I can certainly use that willpower also!), and that God would remind you that you that perfection lies within as well, and that, if you are one of the Children of God, you are healed in Spirit, even if your body is telling you otherwise.
Lord, please lift up our Sister Lainie. She is going through some trying times with her marriage, her daughter’s schooling, and her health concerns. Please hear her and our prayer, and work through her to provide answers to the problems that she has, both now, and forever. Thank you, Lord, for allowing us to pray for our sister, and thank you for lifting her into Your gentle embrace as You remind her that You, Lord, are for her, and will carry her when she falls. It is in the name of Your son Jesus that we pray with Thanksgiving. Amen!
- My Dreams of Disney reader ShannAn has a prayer request for her sick son. Here is what she wrote:My 14 year old has strep and is running 103 temp. The meds they gave him last night are now making him sick. Thanks.ShannAn has reported that his fever broke but he is still sick, so keep praying please. Thanks!
- Prayers for my Aunt Ti and her family, please. They are having to move and are looking to rent. They have a place picked out, but please extend your prayers that they may get the house they need and have the ability to get everything moved in a short timeframe.Thanks everyone!
- Please include the people of Oklahoma in your prayers tonight and over the coming weeks as they strive to deal with the tragedy that has befallen them. Here is the prayer I wrote up on Facebook tonight about it:Heavenly Father, we all know that Your ways are mysterious to us, and we also know that all things are done for your Glory. Lord, please help us as we deal with the tragedy, as we lift up those who have lost loved ones in the disasters today; please wrap Your loving arms around the sick, the wounded, the lost. For all of the people that may be trapped somewhere, please care for them until help can be gotten for them. For those that are reaching out to their fellow brothers and sisters, whomever they are, please give them the strength to continue the fight until all are accounted for. Lord, we don’t even pretend to know why such a thing happens, but we do know that You are God, and that You are in control. Please show us the side of humanity that is sometimes missing — the compassion that we all have for our fellow human, and please, stop the destruction so that all can be found. We ask these things in the name of your Son Jesus. Amen.
- My Facebook friend Debbie is asking for prayers — she is taking her son James Jr. to the ER. No details yet, I’ll keep you posted as I hear them. Please pray for his healing, for their safe arrival, and for their peace in this time of stress!
- My friend Lee has an immediate prayer request. If anyone sees this, please lift up her friend in prayer. Here is what she wrote:A friend of mine needs some serious prayers right now. C’mon people, pray with me. Positive thoughts and energy. XO
- In the midst of all of this, I also saw a plane crash on the internet today. It was a 747 that went down, and it cost the lives of 7 Americans if I remember correctly. Please pray for the families of those people, that they would know the Peace of God to give them strength in the days ahead.
- My friend Tanya added a prayer request on Facebook. Here is what she wrote:A Dallas Firefighter lost is life today fighting a 6 alarm fire. We should add this family and all first responders to her prayers….
- My friend Lisa asked for some prayers. Here is what she wrote, please pray for the family:Please pray for my friend Jackie on the passing of her daughter yesterday. Shea was born blind and with many medical problems..so it is a blessing that we had her past 20.
- One of my friends has a prayer request. Please pray for my friend, who’s husband is going through some medical issues. Please pray for God’s Peace to descend upon her, her husband, and their seven year old daughter, and also pray healing prayers for her husband. Lastly, please pray for all of them to have the strength to be able to fight this together in the days and weeks to come. Thanks, everyone! Update: He had some tests today, so please pray for great results! Thanks!Mike
- Please pray for my friend Linda — she is the child of a United States Marine Corp retiree, but is also the mother of a United States Air Force helicopter pilot who is about to be deployed to Afghanistan. Please pray for her child and their safe deployment, and swift return home. Thanks everyone!
Lord, thank You for getting us through another week. You are the glue that holds us all together, whether we are smart enough to realize it or not, so thank You for always being there for us! Please accept these prayer requests, and lift up those souls that need You at this time, as well as those that haven’t voiced their concerns with us. For those that we don’t have all the details, please help them anyway, because we know that You know what is wrong. Lord, we pray all of these things in the name of Your Son Jesus, whom we know is our Counselor, always available for us, ready to help when we call upon Him. We do all things for your Glory, Lord, and thank You for loving us! It is in Jesus name we pray with Thanksgiving! Amen.
Related articles
- Prayers for the Week – May 19, 2013 (mydreamsofdisney.com)
- Prayers for the Week – Happy Mother’s Day! (mydreamsofdisney.com)
And our prayers with all the families. Lovely article, and how cool you got to meet Heidi!
~Amanda
I really like that you’ve added prayer requests and praises to you site! I have a few prayer requests is there a certain place to comment on that?
Karen,
Feel free to comment right in this weeks post and leave them there. I use these comments as the basis of next weeks post.
Thanks,
Mike
In a follow up to one of our prayer requests, here is an update:
My Friend was diagnosed with colon cancer on Friday. It appears from the CT scan and the EGD and Colonoscopy that the cancer is contained. There is a small concern over some swelling by his appendix and kidney but no one is too concerned. The care team down here has been great. Within 2 hours of diagnosis, we had seen the oncologist twice, the cardiologist 3 times, the GI 4 times and the endocrinologist once. The surgeon – who was in the ER all weekend – came into to see My Friend 3 times between 9 pm Friday and 7 am Saturday. They are all collaborating very well and want to move fast. We have follow up appointments to schedule with the oncologist and cardiologist and possibly with the GI or urologist for the area of swelling. Because he had a stent put in on 5/8, they want him to stay on the plavix through 6/8, be readmitted on the 8th for 3 days of IV antiplatelet. The colon resection is scheduled for the 12th with a 4-8 day hospital stay after that. They aren’t sure if he will need chemo afterwards or not. So far, all very good news and we know God is working and present through all of this (I can fill you in on all the signs later – including the doctor scheduling the discharge this time for 5/26 and the next admission on 6/8 so we fall into the readmission window!). Thank you for all of your prayers and support! We will continue to need them. Especially for his job since he hasn’t been there a year so is not protected by FMLA and will likely be terminated when he asks for a 3-4 week leave of absence and for the fact that he will be at a slightly higher risk for a heart attack during and after surgery due to the short timeframe between the stent placement and the colon resection!
I will add that I am 110% convinced that the good CT results were a result of all of your prayers when I only gave you a small piece of information. Thanks for being there! When this is all over, we’ll throw a huge party to celebrate!!!
Please pray for my friend Denise — her mother passed away last Thursday. They are having the service for her on Saturday, please lift up Denise and her family as they deal with the loss of their loved one. Please pray for God to give His Peace upon them, that they would have comfort and strength, and joy in knowing that she is in a better place.
Thanks.
Please pray for my friend Susan — her mother passed away on Saturday the 25th. Please pray for God’s Peace to descend upon them, pray for their strength in the days and weeks ahead, and pray for them to have comfort and joy in knowing that she is in a much better place now with our Lord.
My friend Jodi from Magical Mouse Schoolhouse would like some healing prayers for a stomach bug that she has developed. She’s had it a couple of days and it’s not getting better at the moment. Please lift her up, and thanks!
Also, please pray for the people in Oklahoma City and throughout Oklahoma tonight as they get hammered again by tornadoes. May God hold them close and keep them safe. In addition to Oklahoma City, please pray for all of Oklahoma, and include the entire Midwest in your prayers. St. Louis is also under alert, so please pray for all of the people in the midwest to be safe.
Thanks!
My friends, please pray for the families of those heroes lost in the fire in Houston. Every day people put their lives on the line, and today, God called four of them home. May God give their families Peace, Strength, and Comfort in their time of grief.
“Houston firefighters mourn the loss of our three brothers and our sister and will forever honor their sacrifices. Our association and the International Association of Fire Fighters are monitoring the conditions of the six injured firefighters and will be assisting them and their families in every way possible. This tragedy underscores the inherent dangers of our profession. Please keep Houston firefighters in your thoughts and prayers.”
Thanks!