Prayer Requests - Praise Report too!

You know, we can ask for prayer, and we should. And we can give praise reports as well! So - Prayer - would you please pray for my kids, David, 17 and Emily 15. They have both walked away from the Lord and I pray that they will turn from the wilderness soon! Please pray that while they are going through this rebellion, that the Lord would do whatever it takes to get them back, but that they wouldn't physically harm themselves. Please pray for my ex-husband, their Dad, who is all consumed with fear and hopelessness about David and his future. Please pray that he, their Dad, Barry, will turn to the Lord! Praise God - in the year of 2006, my husband, Gordon, and I went through so much. In December 2005, he was driving drunk and got in an accident, totalling his work van, running up $22K in hospital bills (no insurance), losing his job, and eventually going to jail for 3 months. Gordon rededicated his life to the Lord on Christmas day, a bit over a year ago, and the Lord has been so faithful. Our marriage has never been better. Although he was out of work for 4 months, we were ok financially (I still don't know how- except that the Lord took care of us!). While he was in jail, he preached the gospel and led at least 1 man to know Jesus. Worker's comp decided to cover his medical expenses (thank you Jesus!). He is now a man who looks to the Lord for every decision and move. Praise the Lord! Praise God - my son was evaluated by a psychiatrist in December and we met with him on Monday to discuss his findings. David is "eccentric but not insane." He's fine, just acting out while he still has the security of home to do so, and before he is an adult with responsibilites. David is still not showering, so he's very smelly, and he is still sleeping outside - but he is not emotionally or mentally ill - just eccentric and a bit rebellous. David wants to be an artist, so he's very drawn to being unique. So - there you have it - praise and prayer requests. Thank you all! ~love, Carolyn

Carolyn...Our God is awesome in all He does and He knows David inside and out and your daughter also. I pray just as Gordon was transformed by the Lord that He who began a good work in each of your children would be faithful to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus our Lord. God is never too tired or frustrated to reach down and shake a wandering soul....And He does it in love where we may do it in frustration. Love you and will continue to pray... In Christ The Beginning and the End, Joan M

Thank you Joan! Christ - the beginning and the end. Amen! PS - Love that hair! You look 10 years younger!

Praise the Lord for His goodness in your life. I understand the eccentric son stuff a little bit. My son struggled in school and did better when we sent him to a private school with a smaller class size, 9 graduated in his class. He had long hair, longer than mine was in high school in the 70s. He had to keep it in a neat pony tail at the private school he went to, because they had a dress code. He had his eccentricities, and I found that the less I stressed about them to him, the less he found them appealing. I pray for my sons, as they are not walking with the Lord. They are now decent hardworking young men, who live with their girlfriends and don't love the Lord. God is so good. Your husband's situation sounds like he had a wake-up call. I pray he has stopped drinking. I had a drinking problem, and God helped me stop drinking a couple of times, the most recent being in 2001. Thanks for sharing your praises. I will pray for your family. Hugs, Trish

Trish - oh, yes, he's been sober ever since! I wouldn't be celebrating much if he weren't. I've been sober almost 12 years and I know what a death grip alcohol can put on a person - I'm sure you know too! Praise the Lord! - Carolyn

I will pray for your children and their father. Both my children are lost out in the world. My daughter just isn't interested but does allow me to take my granddaughter to church. My son is a drug addict and it is hard not to get discouraged about him because he is 38 years old and still practicing his addiction. He was clean for a very short time last year and came back to the Lord but then fell and went back. It breaks my heart for both of them to be lost. I was an art major in college so I understand about the eccentric artist thing. I was an older student so my eccentricities were nor hidden and not along the line of being smelly but there were others that thought the more starving and poor they could look the better. After college is another thing all together. The competetion is steep and if you go to NY with your work smelly just won't get it ECCENTRIC OH YES.....but not smelly. If he is any good he won't be smelly for long. Praise God for the blessings you have had this year and may you have many more next. In love, Sandyd

Sandy - I will pray for your kids. It's very hard, isn't it? There's a man at our church, whose Mom prayed for him for 40 years before he came to the Lord. When he did, he took his Mom communion - to go to the table of grace and mercy - together. I still get all choked up thinking about it. I pray that your son finds nothing in the world, and turns, beautiful and broken, to the Lord!!! Update on the "smelly" issue. Ha! My son told me last night that he has to go 3 1/2 months without a shower to "break the record." Apparently, this is something that he and his friends are competing on! He said he's got to make it to 4 months, then he'll go back to showering. I don't understand this competition, but I'm very relieved that there is a reason for all of this! He and I had another great talk. Praise the Lord! Talk to you later! - Carolyn 252/144/134

Your problems are mine to pray for and I sure will. We are put here on earth to serve and sometimes all we can do to serve is to hold each other up in prayers. Hope you have a good day. Hugs

Carolyn, I applaud your candid description of your struggles and victories. You are an inspiration to me. I understand rebellion with kids. My 17 year old rebells by not talking. She is very passive aggressive and this drives my husband crazy. I am so used to it, it doesn't hardly faze me anymore though I should not be complacent. I will pray for David and Emily that they will walk with the Lord again. I pray that for my daughter. Praise God for all of the victories that have come your way since 2005. Don't worry, God hasn't run out of miracles and blessings! He is always faithful. Kim M.