Request for Prayer from BethAnn

BethAnn writes:

Dear fellow PW's~

Please pray hard for me. I haven't been this anxious since January. I can not give details. But pray that I can support my husband the correct way. Help me not try to fix the situation. Pray that I don't flight or flee, but support, love, and honor. I can't sleep. I need to sleep to be able to take care of my precious little ones. I have prayed myself, too. I will continue to pray and be in the in His Word as well.

Prayer for Baby Isaac

Bethann writes:

I have noticed some little things with Isaac. I am not going into detail because I am having a hard enough time writing this as it is. However, my sister, my friend, and my mom noticed some things too.

So at Isaac’s one month appointment I told the doctor my concerns. The doctor listened and decided we should look into to it more. So Isaac is having an EEG to see if he may be having seizures.

There is a family history and the things I have noticed are consistent with seizures.

So please pray that our appointment in Omaha at the Children’s Hospital on Friday May 24^th with give us some answers.

We would really appreciate it!

Is Respite Care for Us? - From BethAnn

BethAnn writes:

I have been thinking about foster respite care. I am not sure why I have been thinking about this a lot the last few months. I have been praying and have discussed this with others too. I have been in the Word as well. I just can't seem to make up my mind. Part is that my husband is only half way on board with this idea. The second is that I am going to have another little one soon. But it is heavy on my heart, which from my past means that my answer to my prayer is 'yes.'

They are looking for care for families who care for special children, which is my speciality. I have been told they need qualified people like me to help this special population. The following words of our Lord in this Bible account is always heavy in my thoughts and prayers.

"And his disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work." (John 9:2-4)

I think I should wait until I am done nursing my second child before we go through this process. I just want my husband to see that this would be a good opportunity to share our faith, get a little extra money, and have an opportunity to help a child see that God does provide blessings to all.

Please pray for me and my family as we make this decision. I need some clarity.

Prayers Please

My cousin's wife, Kristina, has been admitted to a hospital in Ft. Worth, TX and is scheduled for a C-section in the morning. She is 36 weeks pregnant with their second baby girl, Matilda, who, they learned early in the pregnancy, has a rare heart defect and down syndrome.

Her doctors had hoped Matilda would make it to term but today found signs of heart failure. After the c-section, they will attempt to stabilize her enough to give her the heart surgery she needs.

Much prayer for Matilda, for my cousin Weslie who just began his pastoral call to an LCMS church in Burkburnett, TX and will be away from there a lot during this time, for his sweet wife and for their other baby, Edith who is just 14 months old.

*Update - January 29th - Matilda was born this morning. My cousin writes:

"She's doing better than we had hoped! 5.10 lbs (2530g). Heart rate is in the 140s. Oxygen is in the 80s all by herself."

 Thanks to God for this and continued prayers for what's next.

*Update - January 30th - Matilda's heart surgery began this morning at 8am. Planned to be a 6-8 hour procedure. Hoping to hear how all went soon.

My cousin baptized Matlida yesterday! Praise be to God for all His good gifts.

Update on Baby Ephraim

Just wanted to let all here know that Ephraim was hospitalized yesterday with moderate dehydration and more weight loss but we are very pleased with the improvement we are seeing today. After fluids and some potassium, he is not only looking so much better but he is also finally starting to make more "normal" diapers. I'll spare you the details, but just say I've never been more excited about poop in my life!

Thanks be to God for His gifts of doctors, medicine and the love of friends and family. Please continue to pray for Ephraim as we move toward the possibility of taking him back home and figuring out how to keep him on the mend.

A Prayer Request - From BethAnn

BethAnn writes:

While I was pregnant I thought of a children's book that talks about how we get our belly button. Now I have been praying, discussing, and trying to figure out if I want to publish it or not. All the people who have read it so far really like it...and this is a first for me. When I have done projects before I haven't received good reviews! So I am excited about this. However, I want to publish but I am scared. Also I really don't have the money to self-publish. I need 2 peer review authors in order for CPH to  see if they would publish it. This is not just a children's book but a Christian perspective of God's creation and I use:

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.” Psalm 139:13 in the story to explain to the main character.

I just need prayers. I am not asking for help. But I would like to know if this is my selfish will or God's will. Maybe I will get some clarity if others pray with me. I will appreciate the time and prayers.

God's love and my smiles,

BethAnn

Prayer Request from BethAnn S.

 BethAnn writes:

Please pray the Hansen family...my sister, brother-in-law, and nephews. My sister is trying to heal from a C-section from my new nephew. They are both healthy. However, my older nephew has special needs and having a hard time adjusting to the changes. And to top it all off...Robert had  his annual review at work which was very unprofessional and two months late. And this has caused even more friction between his boss and himself...He is also waiting for a yea or nay for a job interview from another company because he is having a hard time working with people who constantly lie and communicate in an unprofessional manner.

God's love and my smiles,

BethAnn

Our Father In Heaven - From Beth

Beth writes:

I thank our heavenly Father for my earthly father, James L. Stamberger, who was called home to heaven on Monday, Feb. 6, 2012.  It had been only eleven weeks prior that he first went to his family physician that eventually led to the diagnosis of brain cancer. My two youngest and I were able to spend seven precious days with him and were there the day he passed away. Even my hubby and two oldest children were able to join us on the Stamberger farm for a wonderful time with Dad/Grandpa the weekend before he died. Life during that week with him at home slowed down to a snail’s pace as I soaked in every minute of being his caretaker. He struggled with walking and needed step by step instruction to what he was doing at the present time, but yet could eat, sleep, and carry on a conversation so well. His sweet, appreciative disposition and witty attitude helped the rest of us to get through some tough days. We talked religion, politics, family and church history, laughed and cried together. He fulfilled his role as father so well in that he continued teaching little life lessons and giving us advice up until the end. When I think of my dad’s love for his family, I can’t help but feel overwhelmed with how much our Father in heaven must love us as His dear children to sacrifice His own Son in our place. 

It was only on that Monday, the 6^th, that he woke with excruciating pain from headaches. He eventually became nonresponsive and appeared to be able to sleep. We had him transported to the local hospital for a CT scan due to the abrupt change from the night before. The scan showed profuse swelling that was cutting off the flow of blood to his brain. He died there in the ER room with my mom, siblings and me, his sister and brother-in-law, and pastor at his bedside. We had the privilege of reciting the Lord’s Prayer, Creed, Psalms, and singing hymns together before the angels carried him home to be with Jesus.  Looking back on it now, I see how gracious and merciful our God is in all that he spared my dad (and mom, too).  Dad was to start radiation treatments on the day he passed away. We were all so worried what the treatments might do to him. But my dad’s days were beautifully orchestrated by God’s hand and I thank Him for the comfort that brings. I miss my dad so much and can hear his voice throughout the day and all that we shared together. What comfort Christ’s victory over sin, death, and the devil gives us as we look forward to one day joining our loved ones in heaven!

Your thoughts and prayers mean so much to me and I thank you. If you’d like, you can view my dad’s obituary at www.bcrnews.com   

Prayer Request From BethAnn

BethAnn writes:

My parents need some prayers right now....due to some things at my fathers work he was forced to take 'personal time without pay' for the whole month of Feb. And before that he was being sent home 'because there was no work for him.' So my father has not had a paycheck in 7 weeks. This is a manner of principal not finances. My dad can not take the stress at work anymore so he is going to take early retirement starting March 1. But since my dad has only worked at this job and security and only has a high school diploma it will be hard in this economy to find part time work. So please pray that my dad finds some work soon and that my parents anxiety will be filled with the promises of God's comfort.

Prayer Request - From Beth M.

My dad was diagnosed a week ago with a rare brain cancer, Astrocytoma (Grade 3), after having a brain biopsy at St. Mary’s Hospital in Rochester, MN. This past Thursday our family had a consultation with a neurologist at Mayo Clinic to discuss possible treatment. This is an aggressive cancer which infiltrates through the supportive tissue on the brain which eliminates surgery as an option. My mom has set up an appointment at a cancer treatment center near their home in IL to begin radiation treatments.

My 74 year old dad has been a healthy, very active farmer all of his life. He knew he wasn’t feeling right during harvest but attributed it to old age. After seeing many different Drs. and getting no answer for the swelling and white spots on his brain with symptoms of fatigue, falling, and confusion, my mom and dad drove to Mayo in Rochester for a second opinion, which leads to where we are today. Everything has happened so quickly, but God is giving my family the strength to go through this. My dad was reciting his confirmation verse (Hebrews 13:5) as I read it to him on Thursday before we said our “good-byes” to travel back to our homes. What comfort God promises us in His Word!

Needless to say, I can think of nothing else as I try to get something accomplished at home and long to be in IL to help my mom and dad. I am looking at leaving next week to stay with them awhile, taking my younger two with me while the older two remain at home with Mark.  My siblings live near my parents and have been able to help out.  We thoroughly enjoyed the surprise visit from my foster brother from Florida during our time at Mayo, and know that he will be with us again as able. God is good in that this is bringing my family closer than what we’ve been in some time.

Thank you for all your love and support!

Your sister in Christ,

Beth

Prayer Request from BethAnn S.

BethAnn S. is asking for prayers.

"I went to see my midwife today and I have a minor medical issue...pray that the medicine works so I don't have to have any procedures. Thanks. God's love and my smiles always."

I'll provide an update when I can.

Back to School

Kristi writes:

School is just around the corner. It starts next week for many of us. We’re focused on getting our kids’ school supplies ready and getting bedtime routines back on track. The kids have clean clothes that fit and shoes that won’t leave marks on the gym floor. New backpacks are filled with paint shirts, crayons, scissors, and box of tissues.

Let’s face it – we’re all ready for some sort of routine again. Summer has been great. We’ve gone places, played outdoors a lot, scratched our share of mosquito bites, and enjoyed the freedom that comes with summer. Now it’s time to return to our normally scheduled lives.

You’ve got the kids ready. Are YOU ready? How’s your prayer life? Hopefully you were able to maintain your prayer routine. Mine fell apart when summer hit. I didn’t have my regular time for Scripture reading and prayer. I succumbed to the extra sleep and never got myself back to the Word as I said I would. My days go better when I make the time for God’s Word right away, rather than telling myself that I’ll still get to it. The fact is: I’ll not return to it because something else will “come up.”

So I’m going to get myself back on track. I pray that the Holy Spirit would help me to put everything else on the back burner while I take time to receive all the blessings God has for me. It’s time for me to relearn all the goodness that God gives in His Holy Word. Are you ready for school? Let’s do it!

Prayer Request from BethAnn S.

BethAnn requests prayer for her very good friend Debbie Waltz, who has long been suffering with an infection in the hospital. Pictured is BethAnn and Debbie (seated).

Praying for Those In Joplin, MO

Emily O. writes:

My parents live in Joplin, Missouri, where a devastating tornado hit on Sunday. My parents are fine, but many people aren't. I posted on our blog about it; http://forgivenolsons.blogspot.com/

My parents' church, Immanuel, sustained minor damage; the school more. The church across the street from Immanuel was flattened, as was the public high school three blocks away. They all need many prayers!

Thank you to Emily for sharing this need with us and we give thanks to God for keeping her family safe! We also think of those that did not survive or are still missing, and we pray for their families. You can read more about what her parents have reported from Joplin on her blog linked above.

I came across a video taken by a young man that survived the storm. It captures the horror of living through something of this magnitude that sometimes pictures can't even do. A warning, that though these people survived, this is still very upsetting to listen to.

"The video i took while at Fastrip on east 20th street. We huddled in the back of the store until the glass got sucked out , then ran into the walk in storage fridge. Sorry for the lack of visuals but the audio is pretty telling of how intense the storm was. The tornado hits at around 1:20 seconds."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/23/joplin-mo-tornado-video_n_865438.html

I recommend also watching his video of the destruction they found when they came out of the store.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-P4P68YyNM

It's a miracle they weren't killed. I'm sure there are countless more stories just like this one.

Please keep the people of Joplin in your prayers as they have lost so much. They all have a very long road of recovery ahead of them.

I can only think to say, "Come Lord Jesus."

Image: CBS News c/0 Getty Images

Kristi: What I'm Reading

Harold Senkbeil’s book Dying to Live

All of our discussion on prayer and the amount of prayer and how to pray has prompted me to re-read Senkbeil’s section on private prayer. Allow me to share several excerpts from the book...

With Heart and Mouth – These are the two focal points of prayer. We would do well to keep our mouths linked with our hearts when we pray; private prayer works best when it is oral prayer... While the silent meditation of our heart is just as pleasing to God as the words of our mouth, we would do well to seek out places for private prayer where we can speak out loud... We’re not pure spirits, after all; God has given us bodies as well as souls. And so when we as the children of God come to our Father in heaven it’s natural that we form our words with our lips as well as our hearts... Not only is it the most natural way for us to say what’s on our heart, but it is also the natural way for our hearts to listen to the Word of God.

I prayed aloud as a child as my parents taught me the words and rhythm of prayer. Somewhere along the way I abandoned that practice and became a silent pray-er. Why? I have no idea. Singing the word of God is one way to hear the Word of God, as well as pray it.

Dr. Senkbeil writes these words regarding song. When we’re alone at prayer singing reminds us that we are not really alone. The unseen fellowship of the entire church is with us in that prayer; we hear it in the church’s song placed on our lips to sing. In either public or private, singing adds a third dimension to prayer. The mouth and the heart are involved in all prayer. But in singing, the whole body gets to join in; the prayers and praises originating from the heart reverberate through muscle, bone, and cartilage.

What should I use to help form my prayer life? I’ve seen some wonderful suggestions from our ladies. Which one to choose?

Hear Dr. Senkbeil once more. This is where prayer books come in handy. They provide a framework for prayer that can see us through the thick and thin of our spiritual lives. The idea of using a prayer book might seem artificial at first but there’s a lot of wisdom in it. No one would seriously think about taking a trip through unknown territory without consulting a map. Why shouldn’t we consult a spiritual guide when we set out to pray? Please don’t be concerned that the use of “set prayers” will stifle the prayers of your heart. Properly used, you’ll find that prayer books actually prompt the heart to greater depth of prayer.

Anyone who wants to get in shape physically gets set for a regimen. Physical conditioning demands discipline; muscles must be exercised in order to gain tone and strength. But muscles don’t exercise themselves; bodies would rather sit than get up to run or life weights. You know the old saying: “No pain, no gain.” Why should it be any different with our spirits than with our bodies?

He goes on to suggest the Prayer Office. He also reminds the reader that Jesus is ALWAYS praying for us. That is probably my greatest comfort as I struggle with prayer.

Ladies, you encourage me. Just yesterday I began my spring training regimen for my own physical health. I did some exercising. Perhaps this is a good time for me to also work on my spiritual health.

More on Prayer

*In continuing our discussion on prayer I had this to add. Long post alert, sorry!

As a Christian I want to pray more. And we know, as Christians we are commanded to pray. It isn't optional. But I find myself thinking that way about it. Here is what Luther says about prayer.

"Prayer is therefore as strictly and earnestly commanded as all other commandments: to have no other God, not to kill, not to steal, etc."

"there stands the commandment, Thou shalt and must do it, so also here it is not left to my will to do it or leave it undone, but prayer shall and must be offered at the risk of God's wrath and displeasure."

"This is therefore to be understood and noted before everything else, in order that thereby we may silence and repel the thoughts which would keep and deter us from praying, as though it were not of much consequence if we do not pray, or as though it were commanded those who are holier and in better favor with God than we; as, indeed, the human heart is by nature so despondent that it always flees from God and imagines that He does not wish or desire our prayer, because we are sinners and have merited nothing but wrath."

"In the second place, we should be the more urged and incited to pray because God has also added a promise, and declared that it shall surely be done to us as we pray, as He says, Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee. Ps. 51:15 And Christ in the Gospel of St.Matthew Ask, and it shall be given you. For every one that asketh receiveth. Matt. 7:7 Such promises ought certainly to encourage and kindle our hearts to pray with pleasure and delight, since He testifies with His [own] word that our prayer is heartily pleasing to Him, moreover, that it shall assuredly be heard and granted, in order that we may not despise it or think lightly of it, and pray at a venture."

Since having babies I have fallen into the habit of not making prayer a daily habit, so this is not easy stuff for me to hear. But what my flesh needs to hear. The flesh that must drown and die daily. So what do I pray? How do I pray?

Luther says in the Large Catechism,

"there is no nobler prayer to be found upon earth than the Lord's Prayer which we daily pray."

This is the prayer I say most when I can't find words or when I'm exhausted and at my wits end. It is the prayer that God loves to hear and, Luther again,

"which we ought not to surrender for all the riches of the world."

Use the prayer our Lord taught us!

In addition to the Lord's Prayer, I wanted to share a wonderful resource that I have begun to use. It's called Starck's Prayer-Book. I highly recommend getting this book (in the original 1921 English translation I'll add). The author, who lived during the 17th & 18th centuries, has the most beautiful and seamless way of weaving Holy Scripture into these prayers giving them a richness that other prayer books I've used have lacked. It provides prayers for each day of the week, morning and evening, along with a short exhortation for that day and a hymn. The book goes on to include:

Prayers for the Festival Seasons
Prayers for Spiritual and Bodily Blessings
Prayers for the Afflicted, the Sick, the Dying and for Special Occasions (Birthdays, War Time, Weather and Travel etc.)

I know prayer books aren't everyone's "thing", and at one point in my life I believed that the prayer that wasn't from your heart (prayers that were written by others) wasn't real prayer.

But I have come to learn how very helpful these written prayers can be, especially during times I just don't know what to pray or how to pray, or worse don't even want to pray.

The link I've provided to find the book is to Emmanuel Press. A printing business that is putting out some great resources. Poke around the site and take a look. Also, note that they have published a book of prayers for mothers; Starck's Motherhood Prayers for All Occasions (which is found as an appendix in Starck's Prayer-Book) as a separate volume.

While there is a prayer of parents for their children in this book, most of these prayers are for those expecting a child or who have recently delivered a child and they're wonderful. Not all of you are in this situation of course, but I have been told by several mothers not in either of these stages of life that the prayers are useful to them as well.

So, do you use aids when you pray? What do you use? A book? A list? A journal?

A Request for Prayer

From Emily:

Please pray for a woman named Becky and her family in Japan. Becky is an American who moved to Japan around thirty years ago to do mission work. She married a Japanese man and they had three children, and they lived in or near Sendai. Of course, Sendai sustained some of the worst damage during the recent earthquake and tsunami, notably in the nuclear power plant located there. My friend asked me to pray for Becky and her family's health and physical safety, but then we discussed how few Japanese--including the rest of Becky's family--consider themselves Christian.

My husband read that less than one percent of the Japanese people are Christian. This grieves me particularly now, as they are suffering terribly in so many ways, and very likely most of them don't even have the Gospel to give them hope. I struggle to even know what words to pray in this, so taking a page from Pastor Irmer's book, I've included Psalm 13 here. While it's in the first person, I think we can pray on behalf of our fellow people in Japan using this.

Psalm 13 How long, O LORD? Will you forget me forever?

¹How long will you hide your face from me?
² How long must I take counsel in my soul
and have sorrow in my heart all the day?
How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

³Consider and answer me, O LORD my God;
light up my eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death,
⁴ lest my enemy say, "I have prevailed over him,"
lest my foes rejoice because I am shaken.

⁵But I have trusted in your steadfast love;
my heart shall rejoice in your salvation.
⁶ I will sing to the LORD,
because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Sruggling with Daily Prayer

Kathy F. writes:

God invites us daily to talk to Him, to hear His voice through liturgy and Scripture...but how in the world am I to find the time in the middle of laundry, cooking meals, feeding kids, homeschooling, running kids to soccer or music lessons, keeping the house just clean enough so that you can honestly say you have dusted in the last month....does God REALLY think I have an extra even 10 minutes to come to Him??
I have really been struggling with this lately, wanting to fit Daily Prayer in our homeschooling day. How should Daily Prayer look? Should it take place in church or can it happen in our living room? Do we need to be dressed in something other than our PJ's with our hair just so and teeth brushed? Is it really worth it if we are so rushed to get out the door that we are at each other’s last nerve as we arrive at the door? Please ladies, share your thoughts with me?

A Request for Prayer

Jon and I got a call from some friends whose daughter is married to military man. He spent a year in Afghanistan and came home a changed man. So much so, that he declared that one of them, himself or his wife, had to move out. Hence, a divorce was being made final on March 11.

Our friend, is asking for prayer for his daughter, as she goes through this process. Praise God that she has found a good and faithful, and supportive, church where she will remain a member. This, however, does not bring her closer in distance to her dad and her mom. I'm sure this will be hard on them as parents.

Thank you for your prayer support.
Jenny S.