Hello my friends, and welcome to this week’s Prayers for the Week post. We have turned the corner, we are fully involved in the year 2014 — but is it possible that we are carrying some baggage that we should shed from 2013, or even 2012, 2011, 2010, or even earlier than that? Is it possible that we need to forgive someone? Is it possible that you need to forgive yourself? My friends, I’m going to share with you a quote I read when I was researching an image to use for this post.
Forgiveness is not something we do for other people. We do it for ourselves ~ to get well and move on.
My friends, I believe a truer statement was never said. Failure to forgive is to keep a bitter pill in your heart, and that pill will grow and grow and grow if you let it, until you end up becoming a bitter person. It changes your outlook on life. It makes you angry a lot, it turns you into a cynic, it causes you to just be someone that no one wants to be around except other bitter people. My friends — it is very important that we learn to forgive. Failure to forgive leads to a hardened heart, and that keeps you away from God. My friends — please forgive if you have some baggage to get rid of. It will be the biggest thing you ever do. Now, please read and pray for these requests and praises. Thanks!
Prayer Requests
- Starting us off is my friend Ivon. This story is sad and full of pain, so please make sure you pray for all involved.
My friend Ivon left a prayer request on Facebook. Here is what she wrote:To everyone of my friends & family.. Please I ask you all for a very special prayer tonight! I’ve just gotten word that someone that is extremely near & dear to our hearts has been involved in an accident and we don’t have any further news from FHP.
I have an update to Ivon’s prayer request. Unfortunately, it is not good news. Here is what she wrote:
My heart aches and it saddens me so much to have to share this news. Today we lost someone extremely Dear to all our hearts. I ask please that you keep my Bestfriend, Renee’s family in your prayers. Her 19 yr old daughter, Savannah, whom was like my niece, passed away in a terrible car accident. Please, pray that they may find strength to deal with this tragedy. RIP ‘Pumpkin’ you may be one of God’s angels now but you will never be forgotten.
Please pray with me:
Heavenly Father, we know that you are now embracing Savannah in Your loving arms, and that she is in no pain or suffering. That thought alone gives us comfort. However, there are a lot of grieving family members and friends right now that need You to lift them up, to carry them during their intense grief. Please carry them, please hold them close, please give them Your Peace, Comfort, and Strength to deal with this tragedy, and to remember Savannah for the loving, caring person that I know she was. We ask these things in the name of Your Son Jesus, who carries us whenever we call on Him. Amen.
- My friend Vickie has a prayer request. Here is what she wrote on Facebook:Please keep my daughter and me in your prayers and thoughts today. God knows the reason.
Vickie, the Lord will keep you under His care today, and knows the reason even if we don’t voice it here! It’ll be okay!
Mike
- Please continue your prayers for my Cousin Barb’s husband Tim. He has been battling cancer for almost a year, and it is taking a toll on him emotionally. Please pray for his healing, of course, but also for his Peace, comfort, and strength. Please also pray for my Cousin and all of their immediate family. Thank you everyone!
- My friend Sig posted this on Facebook. Please pray for his family in their loss:I would like to pass along my deepest condolences to my Aunt Marge and all my cousins in the passing of a great husband, father, grandfather and uncle. My you Rest in Peace uncle Dave, love you Nib
Please pray for their Peace, Comfort, and Strength and that they will turn to God for their needs. He will comfort them and they will be at peace knowing that Uncle Dave is now in Jesus loving embrace!
- You may remember the prayer request for Ben from a couple of weeks ago. He is still struggling, and we need to intensify our prayers, please. Here is the latest in his struggle:Latest update on Ben (my friend Jenny’s son):
Update 1/9—roller coaster city
We started the day with nothing new to report, no progress made and nothing new to be worried about. He was fine all morning and he headed into surgery a bit ahead of schedule. The doctors continue to repeat that not worse is good. I’m waiting to hear about something better.
The surgery went well enough. They completely removed a lesion on his shoulder that was filled with necrotic (dead) tissue. It is the size of a clementine orange, so we are likely going to have issues with it healing. They also removed two lymph nodes in his armpit from a bundle of nodes. This was much easier than expected and the surgeon closed it nicely. Surgery was a success from our perspective.
Ben’s blood pressure tanked in the evening and we had to do a variety of things to bring it back. The most likely cause is that we were too aggressive on the Lasix which pulls fluid off of him. That may have thrown his other numbers into trouble which caused him to have low blood pressure. It has now stabilized, but we are very worried.
There are no updates from any of the biopsies today. We can only hope for results sooner than later.
Please remember to not talk about this with the twins. Not only do they not know any information, but we are also trying to keep their lives fairly normal.
Prayers of patience for me would be a good thing. I feel very short with some of the staff around here. I know that they are trying to help, but I am frustrated with their lack of answers.Just reading Jenny’s updates just wrenches my heart. I’m going to keep Ben in our Prayers for the week posts until I hear that he is better. Please pray with me at this time:
Our Heavenly Father, we know that you are in control of all that needs to be done with regards to little Ben and his family. His Mom Jenny, who has been updating us, needs your Peace, Comfort, and Strength to continue. She also needs Patience as she is seeing herself becoming short with the doctors and nurses treating Ben. Lord, please work Your healing touch upon Ben, but additionally, work Your healing upon all of the family, because these kinds of situations can lead to more hurt than exists just with the patient. Lord, thank You for hearing our prayers for Ben and his family. I know that it means the world to this family that they have prayer warriors around the country and world praying for them. Lord, I especially want to thank You for the gift of Your Son Jesus. Without Him, we all would be lost, despite our health. Lord, hear our prayers, and look after Ben and his family please. It is in the name of Your Son Jesus that we pray every day with Thanksgiving. Amen!
Praises
- Putting others before you — that’s what Mitchell did in this post on FB. This is both a prayer request — for the homeless around the country and the world — and a praise, that one person sees the blessings he has. God Bless you Mitchell, and I’ll pray for you to get the job you need! Here is what he wrote:I feel sorry for the homeless person who sleeps in a doorway at a Dr. office across the street every night. I may not have a job, but I had a lot of peanut chocolate candies and Craisins packages that we got from Mickey’s Halloween party at the end of Oct. So I put them in a bag and put it on that doorway for the person.
I know its not really healthy, but its something. My good deed for the day. - My last Praise this week is for all of the teachers, administrators, and workers that care for the wellbeing of our children. They — and God, especially — know who they are, and the number is greater than I could ever list. For all of you, I take a moment and give thanks to you all and lift up all of you in Praise to my Lord. Your’s is a special calling, and one that not just anyone can do — a lot of people think they can, but those are the ones that just aren’t very good at it. So, to all of you, from the bottom of my heart, I say thank you for loving our children enough to care about what happens to them.
My friends, if you have someone to forgive — even if it is yourself — I urge you to do all you can to achieve that feeling of forgiveness. Please, try hard to do so — and I think you will find that your whole outlook on life, and how you feel about yourself, will improve almost exponentially.
Until next week, please pray for these requests and praises, and please feel free to share any requests you have with all of us. We are here to pray for you too, so share your requests and we’ll pray for them. May God keep you safe from harm, and bring you back to us next week for our next Prayers for the Week post! Amen.
My Sister-in-Christ Torri has a prayer request — her Grandma is in the hospital. Here is what Torri wrote:
Say a little prayer that this precious gem feels better- she is definitely on the mend. We are currently listening to some Hymns and having us a little church service.
Please pray with me:
Lord, please give Torri’s Grandma the love and comfort she needs, as well as Your healing to make her feel better. It certainly sounds like You have been with her already, as she is on the mend, but please also grant Your Peace to her family and friends as well. It is in the name of Your Son Jesus that I pray. Amen.
Thank you so much for the prayers. She has been released from the hospital and sent to rehab to get her up and walking again. We definitely felt the prayers.
Update on friend’s son Ben: The Good, The Bad, The Plan, Their Needs, Prayer Requests
I would like to personally thank the many people who are praying for Ben and who have asked me how he is doing. It means a lot to me and to his family.
(This one is written by me rather than Ben’s mom Jenny)
The Good: Ben finally has an accurate diagnosis.
The Bad: The Kid has cancer. Anaplastic Large Cell Lymphoma to be exact. (his previous diagnosis of Epstein Barr and or pneumonia were inaccurate)
The Plan: Ben will undergo several (hopefully under 7) rounds of treatment. Each round will consist of one week in the hospital getting chemo, one week at home recovering, and one week getting ready to do it all over again.
At least the first two rounds of treatment will be done in the hospital, so Ben will not be going home until at least Valentine’s day.
Their Needs: Prayers are still their number one need. Once Ben is settled into the pediatric oncology ward this will change. I will keep you posted. I do have an address if you wish to send Ben or his family a card. Send me a PM and I will get it to you.
Prayer Requests:
*Their local church in MN will have a prayer vigil on Thurs 1/16 from 6-7 if you would like to join in from home.
*Ben is still very sick. He has skin lesions, and is retaining fluid due to the cancer. That includes fluid in his lungs which causes respiratory distress. Please pray that these symptoms are under control quickly so he will no longer need to be intubated and sedated.
*Ben is still sedated and is unaware of his diagnosis and the path ahead. Please pray for his strength as he learns what is going on and his parent’s strength as they tell him.
*Please pray for Ben’s parents. Pray for their strength, patience, health, and good humor. Someone will need to be with Ben at all times through this process.
*Please pray that Ben’s family stays healthy. Due to his compromised immune system, they will not be able to be around Ben if they are sick.
*Please pray for patience and understanding on the part of Ben’s extended family and friends. Ben’s visitors will be limited and there will be strict rules in place in order to keep him healthy.
Thank you.
Here is the latest update for young Ben. Thank you Kuleen for sharing this so we can all lift him up to the Lord!
Update on Ben (My friend Jenny’s son): Things are finally looking up!
**A prayer vigil will be held tonight at Ben’s church in Minnesota. If you would like to join in from home, the time is 6-7 central
**Ben now has a caring bridge.com site under the name Ben Puzzo**
**Jenny will be taking a leave of absence from work in order to care for Ben. A fund has been established to help the family with expenses. Donations in the form of a check may be made to:
Friends of Ben Puzzo Benefit Fund
c/o Associated Bank
4305 Peony Lane North
Plymouth, MN 55446
**Update 1/15: Progress is Good
Sorry for not updating last night, we were exhausted.
Ben is responding well to his chemo medications at this point. We are pleased with his progress. The skin lesions have gotten better, he does not look like a kid with raging chicken pox anymore. His neck and throat are still swollen, but they are not as bad as before. The physical therapist thought his range of motion in his arm and shoulder was a bit better today and they are eager to get him up and moving. His chest tube has been removed as well, that was fun to see. It drained a liter of fluid in a very short period of time and then it didn’t do anything after that.
Today was a day of testing his lungs and seeing what he can do on his own. He did a ventilator sprint this morning where they turned it off for two hours and made him exercise his lungs. He did well and the doctors were pleased. He is currently doing another one and he is again doing well. The goal is to get him extubated soon, so they want his lungs to show off. There is rumor of Thursday morning or Friday morning being the time, but we won’t know until it happens.
His chemo meds have not had any negative side effects yet. He takes Zofran to battle upset stomach and a patch behind his ear that I can’t spell to help as well. We have been told that future rounds will not be this easy, but so far things have gone well. Our oncologist, Dr. Chu, is pleased with his progress on the meds. When the oncologist is happy, we are happy.
We are still in the PICU and we will be until Ben can prove that he can breathe on his own without much support. The concern with this is that he still has significant coughing spells and I worry about his oxygen saturation at that point. We will cross that bridge when we get there. Eventually we will move to the 7th floor, which is where all of the hematology/oncology patients are located. We were able to take a quick tour tonight and it felt good to see what our next destination is going to look like. He will be able to have his own bed sheets and pillowcases, so if you are looking for something fun, I’m sure that he would love some new and fun pillowcases. And what he can’t use, we will share with others.
We will be cutting his hair in the next week or two. We ask that his friends don’t cut theirs yet, as some kids with cancer really don’t want to see it reflected back at them all the time. We will know more about that after he is able to talk with us. Teddy is ready to go, so we know he has at least one person joining him. Ellie has also volunteered to shave her head and donate her hair, I’m not nearly as excited about that one. Ben probably won’t appreciate it either.
We have heard that the kids at his school are going to wear blue on Friday to show that they are thinking about him. We hope that someone takes a few pictures to share with us. I know that he will enjoy them eventually.
We have so many people to thank already in this journey, we are humbled by your love. Please forgive us if we forget to thank you, but please know that we greatly appreciate your thoughts, love, and prayers.
We anticipate attending the prayer vigil at church on Thursday night. Depending on how things go here at the hospital and how the roads are, we will be there.
Daily prayers for healing, strength, Peace, and comfort for Ben and all of his family. If you can support them in a financial way, that will be greatly appreciated also, but at the least, please pray for them. Thank you for all the prayers you have lifted up for him already!
I saw this tweet just a moment ago — pray for him and his wife please!
#WarrenWeinstein is 72 y/o and was abducted by ALQeda while in Pakistan. Pray that He’ll be able to see his wife before he dies. #Pray
Please pray for the Rector of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church. He had a heart attack and had to have open heart surgery. Please pray for his healing and for the Peace of God upon him and his family.
Please pray for my friend Lesley, who has had a death in her family. Here is what she wrote on Facebook:
Heaven gained an amazing angel tonight. Holly thank you for being the best aunt, playmate, friend and inspiration a girl could ask for! Enjoy your perfect body in heaven. We love you !!!
Please pray for the Peace, Comfort, and Strength of God to descend upon them in their grief, and shower them with God’s Love in the days and weeks to come.