Prayer, faith, hope

Edie at Rich Gifts designed this beautiful prayer button for Mike, a member of our church family, battling cancer and multiple health issues. Please feel free to copy the code from my sidebar to place it on your blog or website. This family is need of on-going prayer. Scroll down to read about the journey Mike and his family have been on since shortly before Christmas or click HERE.

As an update, Mike had the umbrella procedure yesterday to drain the fluid from around his heart and apparently came through with flying colors. His wife felt good enough about how comfortably he was sleeping yesterday afternoon that she slipped out to spend some 'fun time' with their girls. Mike called her to change his earlier order from Slurpee to chocolate shake. How her heart must have leapt for joy to have that conversation with him in the midst of all they are experiencing.

~Prayer is powerful and God hears us when we call out to Him! Prayer moves mountains and it also guides the hands of skilled surgeons. It informs the wisdom of families making tough decisions about their future. It uplifts those barely hanging on to hope. Prayer invites God into our world and our prayers are powerful!

~Faith is not about believing God will give us what we want or do what we want Him to do. Faith is believing God is in control and that His desire is for only our good. He dwells with us and in heaven in the midst of pain and hardship, trial and suffering. He rejoices with us the joyful and celebratory moments as well.

~Hope is the promise that we will get through whatever life throws at us. Prayer and faith are the only way to get to hope.

Join me in taking time today to be still and know God is in heaven and on earth. In and through each of us His love is manifested to a hurting, broken world in desperate need of His healing and grace.

"Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" (James 5:16 NIV).

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV).

Blessings on your journey,
Mary

Update on our church friend, Mike

Update from Mike's family:

Today Mike's doctors put in a "filter" (for those of you with medical background... an IVC Filter) in the abdomen to prevent the multiple clots in his legs from moving. Then he had a second procedure to remove fluid from the right lung (the lung affected by the tumor). The procedure is called thoracenthesis", and apparently involved insertion of a needle to draw out the fluid.

Mike came through both procedures and was tired but feeling okay mid-day.

Thank you to those who have checked back on Mike's status. Edie at Rich Gifts should have a prayer button to me later this evening or tomorrow. Feel free to come back to pick it up for your blog.

Blessings on your journey,
Mary