As we build this community prayer platform, we ask the Lord to listen to our petitions with full confidence they not only are heard but acted upon by God according to His holy will. These requests are on my prayer list and I hope you consider putting them on yours as you place your petitions before the Lord Sunday.

Let’s remember to approach the throne room and respond with faith and not fear, knowing the promises of God and His mighty hand will hold us through any situation! Sometimes, all it takes is just one prayer to change everything. Something extraordinary happens when two or more agree together in prayer.

What is one of the most important things we should do as Christians? Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints (Ephesians 6:18).

Jim has been a little ill for the last week. He was hoping it would go away, but it continued to get worse and ended up back in the hospital. He has been very dizzy, hard to hold his balance, nauseous, feeling faint, and a little short of breath. He was diagnosed with labyrinthitis which is similar to vertigo but with a huge difference, possibly caused from exposure to bio toxins which is what took him off his Ride Across America for addiction awareness. He was also diagnosed with dyspnea. He is home now with a new regimen of medications. He asks to keep him as he continues to heal.

Sisters Marianne and Barb are a concern for Cindy and her family. Little sister’s surgery is Tuesday. Middle sister leaves for Cleveland Clinic Tuesday to for tests to prepare for her heart surgery. Cindy feels so far away and is worried about how her mom is doing with all of it! Please lift them up.

Tara had an interview this weekend but North Dakota weather didn’t cooperate. Prayers for rescheduling. Emm also has a job interview planned, one she is in desperate need of!

Paula is still working on getting the house sold.

Roger was sent back to the rehab facility, despite not doing well at all. He’s frustrated and depressed and didn’t eat even a bite of breakfast. The doctor is prescribing an appetite stimulant but the problem is getting Roger to take it. He gags and vomits up even water. Prayers asked by JoAnn for him to start eating again and for his mental outlook to improve.

Mary Jo is having an extra mammogram tomorrow at 1 p.m . Please uplift her.

Carmen is having one of her breasts removed.

Karen asks for prayer God fills her with His love and strength as He removes her anxiety and depression.

Janet is asking for prayers God will restore her health.

Sarah is struggling with her faith in God lately. She feels like she has no connection to Him at all and her belief in Him is pretty much gone. Pray for revival.

Ventura asks for continued prayer for her and her baby, safety and good health all throughout this pregnancy, delivery, and recovery! She is 30 weeks pregnant with nine weeks and five days to go.

Shane started aggressive chemo for metastatic small cell carcinoma  He will be in the hospital for three days for the chemo treatments and then off 21 days, then back for three days in the hospital, etc. Please pray God will remove this aggressive cancer, and Shane will be able to tolerate the chemo. Also pray for his wife Maranda; his daughter, Emzie; his son, Milo; his parents; and brother and family.

A new neck tumor has restricted Andrew’s head movement, but he keeps plugging along with a deep faith, song in his heart, and positive words. Wife/caregiver Barb continue to hurt as her dad and husband linger on and there is nothing she can do. Please keep her in your prayers.

There were a host of unspoken prayer requests and we heard of a number of deaths this week. Prayers for their families as they go through this earthly trial. We grieve … heaven rejoices.

We come to You, Lord, because prayer is the least yet the greatest thing we can do for each other. When two or more are gathered in Your name, we confidently know You are with us. What better company can we have? You reign and we trust You! We may be broken and battered but know You heal and quiet the soul. You are the source for all that happens in our lives. We thank You for the progress being made. We thank You for the many blessings we have received this week — some we unfortunately didn’t notice. Nonetheless, those blessings are ever-present in our lives. We thank You for healing. We thank You for slowing us down. We thank You for providing us our daily needs — no more and no less. We thank You for being with us, listening to us, walking with us on this journey. I ask for Your blessing as I minister to the Howland (ME) congregation. Please be with me, Lord. We thank You for the support of our family and friends … for seeing the extraordinary in the ordinary — sunrises, sunsets, flowers, kids laughing, adventures, good news amid the bad news. We thank You for the blessing of Ivy Lynn and all newborns — Your promise of a future. We thank you for Annie’s recovery . We also know we can come to You with our concerns and they will be heard. Through Christ all things are possible. We lift up those family members and friends who are battling various physical, emotional, financial, career or spiritual issues and ask not for Your guidance and healing (although that would be welcomed) but to keep reminding us we are not alone in our battles. Specifically we lift up Jim, Marianne, Barb, Cindy, Tara, Emm, Paula, Roger, JoAnn, Mary Jo, Carmen, Karen, Janet, Sarah, Ventura, Shane, Maranda, Emzie, Milo, Andrew, Barb and all those needing Your healing touch. We pray for the families of all those You have called home. We grieve … You celebrate. We pray for obedience to Your Will so Your “Son” Light shines through us through the power of the Spirit. And we come to You through the confidence of the words taught by Your Son Jesus.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Keep your joys and concerns coming. They have been and will be included during my prayer time and I trust they will be on your lips as well as you approach the altar. All it takes is a couple of keystrokes under the “Contact Me” button on the top bar {or to the right if you’re not a follower yet}. I hope it becomes your best friend as you navigate around the site so we can all be viable prayer warriors. You can also comment or reach me at wisdomfromafather@gmail.com.

THOUGHT TO REMEMBER: We pray for the big things and forget to give thanks for the ordinary, small (and yet really not small) gifts. — Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together