Monday, December 4, 2006

Effective, fervent prayer.....

The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
James 5:16b

God has been working on me in the area of prayer.......hard!
You can read about some of it, here, here and here.

One of the things I love about my blogging community is the prayer support!
Many years ago, God laid on my heart not to tell anyone that I will pray for them if I can't.
Unfortunately, if I don't have it written down.....I forget.
and so I have been trying figure out a way to better share our prayer requests,
to have them in one place so that we can go down the list and pray.

Thus the addition of this tab.....

When you have need of prayer, for yourself or someone close to you,
add it as a comment.

One day a week, I will be spending my quiet time going through the comments and praying for each of them..........I hope you will too.

When you receive an answer to your prayer, post it in another comment.
Once a month, I will write a post on the answers we all have received and then remove those prayer requests from the comments.

I tried to think of ways to make this as interactive as possible.
If you have any better ideas, I would love to hear them!!
Just email me.

Until then, let's continue to lift each other up in prayer!


29 comments:

LuAnn said...

Sara - I just love this new look. I will haev to get Jackie to do something for me. I know you have been praying for our family and again just wanted to say "thank you" for your support. Things seem to be not good again. I know the power of prayer is GREAT !!! I have seen it work in my life and others.

Chel said...

Sara, if you will please pray for our ministry event coming up in Oct. Our church had cancelled our ladies retreat and some of the ladies decided we needed a community retreat and before I knew it they were asking WOVEN to do it, which is the ministry God has given to Michelle (Legacy 4 boys) and I to reach women for Jesus. I pray that the lost will come.
Chel

Esthermay Bentley-Goossen said...

Please continue to pray for our youngest son, Shepard. A battery of tests are negative except for Epstein Bar Virus, but symptoms are very atypical of mono. He's a mystery to Mayo Clinic at this point... Please pray that if his condition is serious, that doctors can uncover it and treat it before anything more serious comes of it.....

Jackie said...

Sara,

I've been feeling very discourage lately with the whole secondary infertility/not getting pregnant thing. If you could pray for me for my mind and body to be at peace and rest, I would so appreciate it. Thank you very much!

Rachel said...

This is a prayer request that is kinda complicated. I hope that Chad will be talking to his parents soon so that I can blog about this in full, but for now I will sum it up to say. God has called us to be foster parents. We turned in our application at the start of the month. It normally takes about 6 months to get approved. As if that prayer request is not big enough in its self. I feel that God is calling me to really truly pray that he will provide us with a new house by the time we get our first placement. Our kitchen table is sized to fit 4 people. We cram 5 of us around it everyday, but there is no room for a bigger table. We could fit another bed in the girls room with little trouble, but when it comes to a dresser and hanging space I am not sure how it will work. I trully belive that if God wants us to have a foster kid in this house it will work, but I also feel this burden that I belive is from God to stand fast and see His Hand provide for this need. I don't want to just throw our house back on the market. I want a sign from God. A Christian Real Estate agent to approch us, or something special that I know is of God.

Thank you for your willingness to pray with me. I am excited about what God is going to do!

Esthermay Bentley-Goossen said...

A Praise! An Answered Prayer. . . Our little boy Shepard is his normal ornery, independent self!

The dramatic rash is healing very slowly across his little body and he's a bit self-conscience, but we praise God for this little boy's health!!! All tests point to a simple case of mono! A full-body rash is a [rare] symptom of the Epstein Bar Virus.

Besides the rash, he has no other symptoms and doctors only suggest a repeat test for the Epstein Bar virus in October.

We started homeschool yesterday and we're busy planning his 5th birthday party ....

...THANK YOU for your prayers!

Aspiemom said...

Sara, please be in prayer regarding our finances! Thanks!

Anonymous said...

I know this is a little last minute...

Last week my mom (who is post-menopausal) started bleeding and her OB/GYN said she needed to come in right away. They had to do a biopsy on her uterus and run a whole bunch of pathology tests because the first sign of uterine cancer in post-menopausal women is bleeding. She gets her results back tomorrow. If you would, please pray for her (and my dad - they are not Christians). I'm asking for a clean bill of health but also for God's peace if that's not His will. Thanks! :)

Anonymous said...

PRAISE!!! My mom got her test results back and it was just a fibroid tumor (benign and not really anything to worry about - just an inconvenience - and certainly not the "C" word!!!). She'll most likely have a D&C for it but she might get a hysterectomy and just be done with everything. Thank you, thank you so much Sara for praying!

Christine said...

The son of a friend of mine is currently in the Cleveland Clinic Hospital. Logan is 14 and has just been diagnosed with a brain tumor in his right temporal lobe. Surgery is scheduled for today (Wednesday) or Thursday. Logan has been in and out of the hospital for nearly a year and they have been unable to figure out what has been causing the problems. Please pray for a miracle for this boy and for his family.
Thank you, Sara!

Beverlydru said...

Prayer for marriages of 2 friends. Both strong Christians. Both have experienced husbands who said just this week, "I don't love you anymore, I'm leaving." Shock. One has 4 children and the other has 2.
R and K are the initials of the women. But God....

Jewel said...

My sister has been having very bad malaria-like symptoms but hasn't yet seen a doctor for blood tests. Our mother however is a nurse and she has been treated well and is taking medicine.

My sister and I have also done a significant amount of world-traveling (hence the malaria) and we have very good friends in the Philippines and their house was recently flooded in the tsunami and mud slides (just 1-2 days ago) and they lost everything they owned. Their church also has a great opportunity now in housing refugees...
I will post an email from our friend with pictures today or tomorrow (on my blog.)

Thanks. :)
What a ministry.

Maria said...

I would very much appreciate your prayers for my sister, Kathleen. She is in need of a kidney donor and one has not yet been found. Several friends and my son are being tested. Please pray for her not to have to go on dialysis and that the perfect donor will be found. I know God has a plan and there will be glory to Him for how this all works out. Prayers for her strength, faith, and health would be appreciated.

Thank you for this ministry. I really enjoy your blog! God bless you!

Jewel said...

Sara,
Thank you for your faithfulness and the follow-up! My sister is doing much better. She was able to get some medications, and hasn't had any symptoms since receiving them. I suppose she is simply waiting for another attack, and then I'm not sure what the next step will be. She does have plans to return to the Philippines in May for 6 weeks - malaria can't keep her away. :)
Our friends were protected from storms #2 and #3, PTL! Some are still in refugee camps (at churches), and others have moved back into the homes, still in horrible conditions, and have begun the process of cleaning and repairing what they can.
My sister raised an incredible amount of money in 1 week, and we are sending it today to a friend who is a pastor - he will help the refugees in his church, the members of his church, and repair the church itself.
Thank you again. :)

Jewel

Beverlydru said...

Praise HIM! This is a praise that R's husband came back home and wants healing for their marriage. Makes me want to pray MORE as I see what happens when we pray!

Thank you for your prayers.

Esthermay Bentley-Goossen said...

Sara:
Please pray for my [step]daughter Alisa. She turned 18 on October 9th and has been missing since October 10th. ... many complicated issues here, but we believe she has run-away.

THANK you for remembering her and our family.
~es.

Esthermay Bentley-Goossen said...

Alisa is home in Minneapolis with her mother as of tonight :-)
Not the best environment, but she is SAFE!!

This IS most assuredly an answer to prayer.

Please continue to pray as our "blended" family works out complicated issues... The kind of issues that Satan enjoys using to destroy and divide.

Aspiemom said...

Sara, I have a rather urgent prayer request tonight. I wish I could share it on FB and my blog, but it's too personal and would cause embarassement to my son.

I think he is having some kind of mental health crisis. Bi-Polar? I don't know. He's been manic, depressed, angry and...he thinks he's a werewolf. He really thinks that and gets so upset that we don't believe it and is worried we think he's crazy. He was wanting to kill himself earlier so I'm staying up to kind of keep an eye out until he's asleep. We are so worried.

I'm calling a psychiatrist Mon. AM but they always tell me they don't have openings for a few mos. Please pray they will work Ryan in right away!

StephieAnne said...

Please pray for my friend, Amy, who will going into surgery today to repair her C4 and C5 vertebrae that have been causing her great pain for five years since an accident she was involved in.

Shannon said...

I am a little nervous about our China travel. On Tuesday, I have to take Matt to a scholarship interview 2 hours away, come home, get the kids off to their care givers and drive to Chicago for our China flight the next morning. It has been snowing non-stop with no signs of letting up. This is really important for Matt and of coarse Gigi! I would really appreciate your prayers. Thanks Sara!

StephieAnne said...

Thank you for your continued prayer for Amy. The surgery was very successful and has alleviated "sensations" that she'd had that were maddening, and much of her pain. She is proceeding with her PT and I think everyone can say it was a massive blessing in how the surgery has made her life better.

Shannonlynn said...

Hello, I have been looking at your blog and i am new at this whole thing but i really admire your dedication to pray for people all over the world. I am going on a 6 month mission trip with a Youth with A Mission starting in 12 days and i need some major prayer. I am going to Orlando Florida for training and then Morocco for my outreach phase. I don't know anybody or what to expect but i am very exited. Please pray that i can be prepared and healthy physically, mentally and spiritually. Thank you!

sara said...

Shannonlynn, I would be honored to pray for you and your time with YWAM. Do you have an email or FB that I can get ahold of you?

Jackie said...

A praise!

Jesus has given us a miracle...after almost 3 years, our much-prayed for second little one is on the way! We are in awe of His love and faithfulness. I am 16 weeks a long and everything looks great...we are just praising Him.

Thank you, Sara, for your faithfulness in praying for all of us - we appreciate you more than you know.

Jewel said...

Sara and others, please pray for my upcoming missions trips to Mozambique, and shortly following to Puerto Rico.

Pray for empowerment and effectiveness in ministry; and for sermon and lesson preparations.

Pray for my relationships with teammates, nationals, pastors, and missionaries.

Pray for discipline in my own spiritual journey

Pray for health and strength, and against irritation in my eyes

Pray for my responsibility of leading the team in Mozambique

Pray for traveling mercies, especially between villages

Finally, pray for rest during the short time (1 week) between Mozambique and Puerto Rico

See more details here: http://lagringajoya.blogspot.com/2010/05/reminder-im-not-going-alone.html

Christine said...

Hey, Sara. I always hesitate asking for prayer for me... and it's not a huge deal. It's just a life prayer. "Everyday trying to follow Him" sort of prayer.
School starts up again fresh for us tomorrow. This whole thing has to be about Him and for Him. Will you pray that I follow His lead in teaching them good character and good habits of bible study and prayer? All the other things, math, writing, spelling.... they are important too but, I don't want to forget the most important thing. I need wisdom and patience and love. And they need diligence and good attitudes -- especially Chloe. She tends to complain the most and it wears me out fast! Probably because she's my baby and I'm sure I let her get away with more. ;)
Thanks, friend. I appreciate it so much!

Maria said...

Sara,
I just want to say that the prayers you've prayed for my sister, Kathleen, have been answered. She will receive a kidney transplant from a man in Texas on December 1st. I will give my kidney for her (not a match for her, so it's an exchange situation) on Dec. 6th. My kidney is going to northern California area. Please pray for successful surgeries and no rejection of the new kidney. Thank you for your prayers!

Jewel said...

Sara, I'm not sure how closely you follow my blog to know the situation with my fiancé. To make it short: He is a Cambodian living in Cambodia and needs a visa to come to America. For a Cambodian, this is not an easy task and we have spent many months filling out paperwork and sending in large sums of cash. God has been good and praise the Lord, He has provided people - JUST when we need them! - who were going on missions trips and were able to hand-deliver documents to Titus (and to me!) instead of us paying $50+ to mail them internationally and wait [potentially] weeks for them to arrive. Titus has finally received a date and time for his visa interview at the US Embassy in Cambodia - September 19th at 7pm (our time.) Please pray that God will give him peace and confidence, and that the Lord's presence will go before him to his interview. Thanks!

Unknown said...

Can you pray for me that i will hear God??? Please. I need some help as a Christian. Thank you and praise God.