Prayer Requests and Updates for 2006

Joanne has been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. She needs our prayers. She is taking medication now to help the tremors and she is optimistic about the future.
Update:
I recently made my annual trip to Mayo Clinic, and I got an excellent report. The neurologist said that I am reacting well to the medication and should continue to do well on it for 10 - 15 years. Wouldn’t it be great if a cure could be discovered through stem cell research? At this point I have no visible symptoms of Parkinson Disease. Thanks for the prayers! Love, Joanne

Please keep Doug in your prayers. He has hit quite a speed bump in his job. They have a new police chief who seems to be targeting Doug by transferring him and causing him a lot of problems. As of right now, it appears that Doug is going to go out on sick leave for the next 4 months and then will retire. This has been so stressful for him because he is not ready to retire and had hoped to work for 2 more years. He needs all the prayers he can get---and I do, too.

Please pray for Lisa’s sister, Connie, as she is having knee surgery.
Update:
Her surgery went great! The doctor said her knee was in terrible shape, but she will be just fine now! It is the one year anniversary for the left knee replacement and three month check up on her right knee. She is doing great! She is so much stronger than she even knew!

Please pray for my brother Bobby. He is having a hard time finding a job, and it is causing a tremendous amount of stress on my mother, with whom he lives. He is in manufacturing management, and with all the jobs moving overseas and the companies cutting back, it hasn't been easy. He has been looking for several months. Love, beth

I have an important prayer request. I volunteer in the Kairos Prison Ministry, and we are preparing to go into Pulaski State Prison for Women in Hawkinsville starting Thursday, August 24 until Sunday evening, August 27. If any of you have ever been to Cursillo, Walk to Emmaus or Tres Dias you have an idea of how Kairos works. The prison chaplain picks 42 inmates to attend this weekend. Some people refer to it as a mission trip into prison. I'm part of a team of 40 women that will be going inside the prison. The weekend is full of talks by the team which include our testimony of how God changed our lives. We also share meals, singing and fellowship time. The ladies in there are given opportunites to seek forgiveness for their lives and become a part of God's family. We are divided into tables which carry the name of a woman from the Bible. I'm at the table of Lydia. There are seven participants and three team members seated at the table. Kairos' motto is Listen, Listen, Love Love and that's what we do. I'm honored this time to be part of the clergy team. I've been volunteering in Kairos for four years, and it's been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. It always take me to the mountian top, face to face with Jesus.I'm asking you to pray for us. We ask for hourly prayers for the entire weekend. If you have a specific time you pray and would like to include this Kairos weekend please let me know. If you will pray at all, please let me know that too. Your prayers are precious, especially to the participants. Just to know that strangers are praying for them is a powerful testament of Christ's love for them. I've seen miracles happen during these weekends. For His Sake,Willetta

Update
I'm back from my Kairos weekend at Pulaski State Prison for Women. It was AWESOME!!! God was present in Spirit and in Truth. His glory and power was with us. Thank you so much for all your prayers. They were felt. God continues to confirms that there are some truly blessed, anointed and beautiful women in prison. I met many this weekend. Again thank you.For His Sake,WillettaPlease add Joey, his family (especially his wife who is pregnant with their 5th child), and the church to your prayer list. He was the youth pastor of the church of one of our prayer partners. He has been relieved of all of his duties with the church as he was arrested for improper Internet chatroom communications. He was "fantastic with the youth of the church, sincere, and dynamic in the pulpit." Pray that Joey gets his life back on the right track, and that his family and church supports and helps him become the person he is meant to be.

Please add Jean’s niece Cindy to your prayer list.You remember several months ago we were praying for her husband, Mike and his mission to assist Katrina victims in Mississippi. Cindy has been in the hospital for six days with an extremely high fever and many doctors trying to find out the reason for her illness. They believe it is viral since she's not responding to antibiotics but they are still testing and have ruled out many, many illnesses. She is in extreme danger and needs all our prayers. Also, prayers for Mike and the boys, as well as her sisters and parents who are taking turns being with her.

Please pray for this young lady, Victoria Franks, she is 22 years old and has cancer. The cancer is in the chest cavity, and she is so weak that she cannot take any type of treatment. Please pray for the entire family. Victoria went through her first six months of chemo (40 hrs a week) and then through her surgery in May. They removed a tumor that took from 1/3 to 1/2 her chest cavity including the top half of her left lung and the pericardium around her heart. It was a very serious surgery but she came through it well. Late June or early July they found three new tumors on her right lung and she in now undergoing chemo again for those. She will have to go back to Indiana for the same surgery again if all goes well. Please keep praying for all of us. Thank you so much,
Update:
Victoria passed on to her heavenly home January 16th.

Our daughter Sarah (who is now 16 months old) has spent the last 3 days in the Hospital. In the last 10 days we noticed atoxia (loss of balance, falling often) and a facial droop on half her face. We have since gone through xrays, MRIs, CAT scans, and today a operation to gain 'lesion' material to biopsy. The MRI's showed a 4 lesions deep in her brain and many in her spinal column. We have not yet received a full prognosis, yet we do know she has brain cancer that is rapidly progressing. It is a primary form of cancer, probably PNET. Today the oncologist told us that there is little help for her survival regardless of what we do. We believe in miracles. Please pray for our daughter. Please pray for Sarah and forward this email to as many people as you can. I believe in the power of prayer and I believe each one of us can have a powerful effect. Please help us if you can, she means the world to us.
May God bless you and your family,
Kerry & Jay


Would you please ask your praying friends to include Mary and Phil, in their prayers, along with their daughter April. April has spent 2 1/2 of her 3 years of life in Mary and Phil's care, as foster parents. Her birth mother has missed deadline after deadline after deadline in complying with the court's orders that she gain employment, find a place to live, attend parenting classes, and so forth. Now that the court is finally attempting to terminate her parental rights, and to allow Mary and Phil to become April's forever parents, the birth mother has suddenly begun, over the last two months, to try to get April back. She lost, through gross neglect, a very malnourished, very sick infant. She has already voluntarily relinquished her two sons to the foster system, and her teenage daughter, who was also removed from her home, is in a methadone clinic for heroin addiction. Now, she lays claim to the thriving, happy 3 year old who has only ever known the Ryans as her parents. A hearing to terminate parental rights was set for last Friday. Instead of following the law, the court extended the TPR date to March 31st. This means 3 more months of uncertainty for Mary and Phil, 3 more months that will make it even harder on April if she is removed from the Ryans' home. Please pray for their strength, and for the wisdom of the court.

My brother, Mark, needs your prayers for he is truly suffering! He has been laid off from his job and now his wife has asked for a divorce. They have one son, six years old, who is my brother's whole world. Mark is so afraid of losing his son, that he is not thinking clearly. He needs God's Hand but doesn't know that it is there just for the asking. Please pray that his path will be lighted for him and that Jesus will lead the way. The family has not been able to keep in touch with him, but he needs to know that he is not alone! Please pray that his suffering is eased and he finds the way!
Update:
I guess, God has chosen another path for him, but it has seemed to be an interesting healing time for him. He and my Dad have not been very close over the years. I think it has been difficult for them both as they do care for each other, but neither man is very good at exposing their true heart. Since Mark’s divorce, he has been living with Dad and the healing and bonding that has occurred between those two men is inspiring! It has helped my Dad that he could offer a shoulder, as much as it has helped Mark to know his Dad will be there for him! Mark must now work to rebuild his life and all is not as we had imagined to be the road taken, but it is a New Beginning. Mark has a new love in his life and she is perfectly suited to him! I met her when they came down for our golf tournament. She acts just like a little kid in love when she sees him.

Please send prayers and white light out to little Cooper, born yesterday. He is in the NICU for breathing difficulties, and they can't figure out what is wrong. Doctors are saying he'll be in the hospital at least through Sunday, and possibly another week after that if they can't figure out what's going on. Mary
Update:
Just thought I'd send this out so all could see how God answered this prayer in a mighty way for all you warriors, keep on praising! Cooper will be a year old soon, and is in perfect health! He started walking about a month ago and is now trotting around the house. He knows how to open the CD-Rom on the computer, and weighs about 24 pounds!!! He's so cute and funny. He jabbers constantly, says "mama" and "dada" and "banana." When he laughs, he sounds like Elmer Fudd. He's got a big space between his front teeth and looks like both his grandpas. He's doing terrific!Love ya, Mary

Buck Bennet works for Coastal Resources. Please add him and his soldiers to your prayer list. Thanks.Just wanted to let you all know that I had a brief email from Bucktoday. He specifically asked me to request everyone to please step up their prayers for both him and his soldiers right now - things are busy and hazardous. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart.Joni
Update:
Buck is back at work. He's been back a few months and all is well.

Doug has been having trouble with his back from the herniated disc he has. Apparently, he strained it during our move and then aggravated it again when he slipped on some paper in the garage.

Please say a "thank you" prayer to God, everyone who prays for us, Dr. Antonio Moran and Duke's Brain Tumor Center for all of their great work!! We love you and may God bless you all! Eric was moved today to Hospice. He seems to be more comfortable there. We will try to have a family member or friend there 24hrs/day so he doesn't get lonely and they even said Maddie may be able to stay the night on weekends. I just don't want her around it too much and I want her to still be able to play and be a child. I pray she can. Please pray he doesn't suffer and that God's will be done. I pray for the Lord to heal him or take him. I just don't want to see my husband suffer. I have had the best seven years of my life and I wouldn't trade them for anything. He's been my soul, my rock and my heart and he's also my best friend. Please pray for my strength. I just don't feel like I have an ounce of it left. Pray Maddie stays strong too. God Bless all of you. Love you, Holly
Update:
Eric passed on this evening (January 31, 2007) to be with the Lord very peacefully. Thank you all for your continued thoughts and prayers. I am sure he's in heaven on a gold golf cart fishing away! I love you all, Holly

I have been thinking a good deal about you this week and knowing you all would be praying for me, had I been able to tell you what was happening! I have not been feeling too well, lately, mainly just pushing myself too hard and getting overtired I thought. Last week-end I started having a sore back and neck, then headache and high fever. Sunday night, I really thought I might die. The doctor sent me straight to the hospital. Turns out I have spinal menengitis! I had 48 hours of scare, waiting for the cultures to come back from my spinal tap to find out it was viral and not bacterial, and finally got to come home last evening. But, I am still taking a bunch of meds and steriods and feel like I have been hit by a mack truck! I hate the way these things make you feel! The doc says it is bedrest for me until next week and then back to work part-time as I can tolerate it. Right now, I do good to get upstairs! I know the good Lord was watching after me. He showed Himself to me several times through the ordeal. Later, when I can write more, I will fill you in on His work in my life!
Update:
I have been promising you that I would write the story of my hospital stay and God's hand while I was there. From the moment I found out, in the doctor's office, that a spinal tap was in my near future I was frantic. I had several back operations in the late 80s, ending with a spinal fusion in 1990. At that time, my spinal sack was torn and did not choose to seal. I went through 4 blood patches which is extremely painful, until the sack finally stopped leaking.

Now I am faced with the knowledge that someone is about to stick a needle in my spine! I had been admitted about two hours before they came to wheel me down. I was alone, and frightened out of my mind! They wheel you in, place you on a metal table with a bolster under your waist, just to add to the discomfort. The doctor began trying to insert the needle, but had difficulty in getting it in place, so he has the table tilted until I am almost standing. However, my feet were never at the end of the table to begin with and, with the knowledge that there is a needle in my spine, I am not about to move, so I stand on my tip-toes for the duration. I began to sing a Mercy Me song verse, "Let me climb up in your lap, I don't want to leave, Jesus sing over me". The overwhelming fear that had a grip on me simply faded away! I laid there with no pain and no fear through the entire process. I am sure that the doctor had some pain as I was surely off key, but it worked!

Back in my room, the next morning, I am still completely engulfed in me and my problems and giving no thought to anyone else. I have turned on the TV. I am watching the news when they begin to show video and tell the story of a young woman who had tried to drive her SUV through a rain swollen street in Texas. She drove off the road and into a river and the car was quickly sinking. She is afraid because she can not swim, so she is calling her brother on the cell phone while men are swimming up to try to save her. Her windows are up, the doors are locked and she is sinking. Four men are now sitting around the top of the car hopelessly trying to free her. One man reaches under the water at her driver's side window and feels the woman's hand. He pulls her out of the car, through the window and she is taken away to safety. The wrecker comes in and pulls the Jeep out of the river. Here is the God Wink! The windows are all closed and the doors are locked! I still get goose bumps over that one! I never saw the story on any other channel or any mention of it again!

Now, I am thinking about God watching over me and the rest of the world at the same time. An announcement comes over the intercom in the hospital, "Code Blue to ICU". I begin to pray that God will watch over them and their family. At the same exact time that I say,"in Jesus name, A-Men". The announcement comes, "Cancel Code Blue"!

The entire week was such an amazing revelation for me. I don't believe I have ever felt so close to God and seen such examples of His work. It is not an experience that I can recommend, but the spiritual growth was worth it!
Lisa

Please pray for a successful surgery with no complications and fast recovery for Anne who has breast cancer surgery today.
Update:
They are still planning on doing surgery on her to remove that lump area of her breast and the lymph nodes, but her petscan she had showed no cancer there. She still will undergo the radiation treatments after surgery. Please keep her in your prayers.

I am leaving this morning to go to a Men's Walk to Emmaus. I will be speaking to the group Sunday morning at 11:00....please keep me in your thoughts and prayers for a wonderful spiritual renewal for the participants. Blessings, Vikki

Please add Jacob to your prayer list as he was in an auto accident.
Update:
Jacob passed on to his heavenly home September 24th.
Thank you for the many expressions of prayer and support for MAP President Michael J. Nyenhuis and his family during this time of hardship. Jacob J Nyenhuis died on September 24 from injuries from an auto accident. The Nyenhuis family is sustained by your prayers for comfort and peace during this time. The Nyenhuis family will no doubt gain great comfort knowing they have been lifted in prayer.

Please add Diane to your prayer list as her mother passed away yesterday.

Please say a prayer for Vikki as she awaits word after having a tumor removed.
Update:
I had my stitches out today and received my pathology report. Themedical name for the growth removed is Pruriso Nodularis (??????). It was pre-cancer/benign. Thank you so much for your prayers and concerns. It was a scarey thought of what it could have been. The doctor has prescribed a cream for my face to clear up some other little places.....but he made me feel very comfortable with what he had to say. Again, thank you. Blessings, Vikki

Please add Betty Jo to the prayer list as she lost her job.
Update:
Betty Jo did get rehired. She is so excited and is right now training in Salt Lake City learning the new product she will be working with. She is thankful for all the prayers.

Please pray for Matt as he was in an auto accident.
Updates:
The latest I have heard is that Matt is out of his drug-induced coma and is doing better.
He has been upgraded and moved from ICU to Shepard's Brain Center. He is doing better but he still has a long way to go.

Please keep Kristofor and his family in your prayers. Kristofor wasinjured at a football game. Please keep him and his family in your prayers.Although Kristofor walked off the field he commented to an asst. coach that he couldn't see out of his right eye. From that point things went down hill fast. Long story short he was air flighted to a hospital 60 miles away and they immediately took him in to surgery. Kristofor had swelling and bleeding on the brain and part of his skull was removed to allow the brain to swell to it's peak without further damage.
Update:
Kristofor is doing better at this point but he still has another surgery ahead and he is weak. We are asking people to pray for him.

Please add this family to your prayers. Bob had cancer.
Please add my sister, Charlene, to your prayer list. My brother-in-law, Bob, passed away last evening. Carolina

Please add Courtney to our prayer list. She had surgery for breast cancer yesterday. Thanks, Jean

Linda Jean’s husband, Tom who puts together the Childrens Theater, just went to the doctor yesterday. He has a growth on his brain. Will each of you please put Tom and Linda Jean on your prayer list? Thanks. Paula

Please add Buddy’s family to your prayer list as his sister died.

Please add Sylvia to your prayers as she has to have back surgery after fracturing 3 vertebrae from a fall and has a pinched nerve as a result.
Update:
Sylvia saw her doctor and the surgery sounds less serious than we initially thought. She'll be in surgery for 1 1/2 hours. He's going to clean out some area of the compressed vertebrae that's pressing on a nerve. He's very positive this should be fairly routine and Mom will be in the hospital for 1-2 days.
Sylvia's back surgery went well. She has been moved to a rehab center for physical therapy for 3-5 days. She's still in pain, unfortunately, and not happy about that. She must not have had a thorough conversation with the doctor about what to expect after the surgery. She was just informed it will take about a year for her to completely heal and get back to normal. She's not taking that news well at all. So, her spirits are kinda low right now and that's where she needs our prayers.

Please add Tom and Vikki to your prayer list as they go through the process of putting "Sister" into a nursing home.

I need you to add Pam to the prayer list. She is 47 and had an ekg come back abnormal and had to have a stress test the other day. They had to stop it after a short period of time as she was out of breath. She has blockage and is going to have to have a heart cath. Thanks, Lisa

Please include Beth's niece, Shanacey, in your prayers as she is going through a tough time in her teen years right now. Also, include Shanacey's father, Bobby, and the rest of their family so they can help in this trying time.

Please add Terry's granddaughter's mother to your prayer list. He states, "She is having some problems right now and needs God's intervention."

Please add, Toni and her husband Jim to the prayer list. Jim has been very ill and last night he completely collapsed and is in total kidney failure. They have begun dialysis and are currently looking for a kidney donor but he is critical at this time. I know they would be grateful for everyone's prayers. Thanks,Donna
Update:
Here is an update on my friend Toni's husband Jim. He is doing much better. He is still in the hospital in LA but his numbers are slowly improving. He will need to go back 3 days a week for 6 - 8 hours a day for dialysis after he comes home. Toni

Please add Lisa to your prayer list as she has been having some stomach and colon problems.

Marcus accidentally hung himself and broke his neck while playing on a rope swing. It didn't have a seat, just a loop to put your foot in and of course, as little ones do, he ended up putting something through it that didn't belong, his neck!
Update:
He was taken to our hospital then life flighted to Savannah in critical condition. Tonight the paper says he is recovering there.

Kathie Latourette has had bone cancer that has returned, and she is having abdominal pain. Please pray that she doesn't have cancer in an organ.

Our Dad is going to have bypass surgery this week....for the 3rd time. He will have 2 bypasses to remove 1 50% blockage & 1 100% blockage. Please think about him and pray for him...that his surgery is a success, without any complications & for a full recovery. Thanks so much. Marci
Update:
His surgery went as well as it possibly could have --they did 2 bypasses and repaired a leaky mitral valve - he will be in the icu probably at least until tomorrow night. i have always known that my dad is a very strong man, but getting through this for the 3rd time takes it to a whole new level. thank you all again for all of your calls, thoughts & prayers--it has really made a difference.

I ask for your continued prayers for Robert who had back surgery last week. He is not progressing as quickly as he would like and is still experiencing some pain which makes it difficult for him to sleep at night. Donna
Update:
Robert is home after successful back surgery and is doing very well.

I would like to request your prayers for Tal, who hadrobotic heart surgery yesterday to repair a torn valve which had allowed is heart to enlarge. He is in Intensive Care at this time and so far is doing well. He will be in the hospital for several days. He has a wife and 3 young sons and I ask an interest in your prayers in their behalf that Tal will make a complete recovery. Thank you and God Bless! Donna

Can you add to the prayer list my next door neighbor Bob? He had hissurgery this week for esophageal cancer. Also his wife, Bonnie. Thanks. Kathy

Please add Rebecca to your prayer list. Her mother Wanda and her sister Deborah were both killed Thursday in a plane crash along with two other friends and the pilot of a private plane.