Hello everyone, and welcome to this week’s edition of the Prayers for the Week post. This week, I decided to do something a little different, and I asked all of you what your favorite Bible verse is, if you have one. I got some great responses from you, so let’s take a look at them. If your favorite verse is on here, leave me a comment and let me know, and if it isn’t, leave me a comment and let me know what your favorite is! Thanks everyone!
Jeremiah 29:11
This is one of my favorite verses, and it is also the favorite verse of my friends Lori and Heather! In times of trouble, when you think that nothing is going to go your way now or ever again, read these words and reflect on the promise that God has for you:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” ~ Jeremiah 29:11
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
For my sister Robin, this verse is her favorite. Not only does she give God glory when she remembers these words, but she also remembers God is the God of Mercy.
3Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. ~ 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 (ESV)
Ecclesiastes 3:1-8
My friend Julie knows that there is a time and a place for everything — she knows this because of Eccliesiastes 3:1-8.
For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:
2 a time to be born, and a time to die;
a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;
3 a time to kill, and a time to heal;
a time to break down, and a time to build up;
4 a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
5 a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together;
a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
6 a time to seek, and a time to lose;
a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
7 a time to tear, and a time to sew;
a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
8 a time to love, and a time to hate;
a time for war, and a time for peace. ~ Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 (ESV)
Psalm 29:11
For my friend Pam, she turns to the Psalms for her favorite verse:
11May the Lord give strength to his people!
May the Lord bless[a] his people with peace! ~ Psalm 29:11
2 Corinthians 12:9
For my friend Tanya, she knows that her strength is not of her own — it is given to her in her weakness by God. That’s why 2 Corinthians 12:9 is her favorite verse:
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. ~ 2 Corinthians 12:9
Philippians 4:13
For my friends Loretta and Crystal, the best verse is the simplest, and can be found in Philippians 4:13:
13I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. ~ Philippians 4:13
Luke 18:1-8
For my friend Chris, he turns to Luke 18 for his favorite verse, the Parable of the Persistent Widow:
And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” ~ Luke 18:1-8
Matthew 25:31-40
For my friend Ted, his favorite verse comes from the book of Matthew, in which we are reminded that when we do things for our fellow men and women, we are also doing them for God:
31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. 32Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. 34Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. 35For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,you did it to me.’ ~ Matthew 25:31-40
Prayer Requests and Praises…
We only have one prayer request this week, but I hope that you’ll pray for Kelly!
- Reader Kelly has a prayer request. Here is what she wrote on Facebook, along with my prayer:I am having surgery this week and I am really nervous! Prayer would be appreciated!My prayer for her:I’ll pray right now, Kelly: “Heavenly Father, your daughter Kelly is going through some nervousness related to her medical condition. Please grant Your Peace, Comfort, Strength, and Healing to Kelly and her family and friends at this time. Lord, we also ask that you use her medical team to take care of the issue — be their hands for them, and use their eyes and skill to Your Glory, and for Kelly’s healing. We ask all of these things in the name of Your Wonderful Son, Jesus, with Thanksgiving! Amen.”
Please continue the prayers for Kelly throughout the week. Thanks!
Now, please pray the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples to pray:
Our Father, who art in Heaven,
Hallowed by thy name.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy Will be done,
On earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory forever and ever.
We have a new update from my friend Amanda about her husband Daniel and his treatments. Here is what she wrote:
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! We hope everyone will be able to take time to relax and enjoy family and friends this week!
We haven’t sent out an update because there hasn’t been much to update, fortunately! Daniel has been through 5 rounds of 8 rounds of chemo. We have been having trouble with his platelets being too low and have been delayed several times. To try to keep the platelets up, they reduced his dose to 80% of what we were getting. Round 5 started last Monday. His liver enzymes (ALT, AST and Alkaline Phosphatase for those that want the technical details) were on the rise which caused them to remove the CPT-11 (irinotecan) from his regimen. We don’t know if this is just for 1-2 cycles or if it will be for the rest of the cycles. CPT-11 is very hard on the body and they removed it hoping to bring his enzymes back in line. We had labs today and his AST was coming down but his ALT and Alk. Phos. were slightly higher and this time his platelets had dropped lower and his neutrophils were low too. There isn’t much we can do to bring these back in line except time and prayer.
We are supposed to start round 6 on Monday. We’ll see the oncologist before and discuss our options. They could lower the dose again, remove another drug, tell us to take more time off or decide his body has taken all it can take and cancel the remaining rounds. Obviously, it’s bittersweet – the thought of being done with chemo is tempting but we also want him to get every ounce of prevention he can get. But we know God is in charge and will guide the clinicians where we need to be. So if you can please pray for wisdom for those treating Daniel, healing for his liver and body in general and that his labs come back to where they should be, we would be very appreciative!
Praise to God that we have made it this far, are in the preventative mode and have Daniel with us to celebrate the season! We have heard and seen of several cancer patients that have not had the same journey in the past few weeks and know we are blessed. Thank you all for your prayers, positive thoughts and support! Please have a happy and safe week!
Please keep praying for them through the season, for Daniel’s medical team and all that they do for him. For the family, pray for Peace and Strength, and for Daniel, pray for healing, Peace, Strength, and Comfort. Thanks everyone!