Urgent Prayer Request

I know there are more people than I know that read my blog and I have an urgent prayer request that I would like to ask all of you to pray for.

My Mom’s cousin Jean is in ICU and in the past week was diagnosed with lung cancer. First of all a second-cousin to some of you may be a distant relative but as my Mom was an only child this side of the family has always been close. Jean’s family has always attended the same church, we always are together on Thanksgiving and other get-togethers and we are a close family. The urgent request is for all of the things that have gone “wrong” in the past week. We are all amazed as last week Tuesday she was driving herself to bone biopsy, albeit in pain. She was kept at the local hospital because her oxygen levels weren’t coming back. They then found that she had blood clots on her lungs and then also fluid around her heart and so was taken to a larger hospital an hour away. The next day she was having trouble breathing and so a breathing tube was inserted. She is heavily sedated so that she can rest for her body to try and heal.

Yesterday while we were at church her daughter got a call saying that now Jean’s lungs were filled with fluid and the whole church body was shocked and came together to support the family. I do not think there were many dry eyes. Jean’s sister and her family was also there and after many hugs and a lot of crying they all left for the hospital along with the Pastor’s and their wives. I also ended up going down with a good friend and her Mom who is close to Jean. While I did not desire to see Jean this way as everyone had said how difficult it was I wanted to be there for all of the family. We ended up having a time of worship around Jean’s bed, singing (as much as we could through tears), crying out to God and hearing the Word of God.

Last night we had a “concert of prayer” at church which was a powerful service. I could definitely feel the presence of God as we lifted our hearts together in praise and supplication. Hearing God’s people coming together and praying all lifting the same request to the throne of God was an amazing feeling and being the prayer partner of my Grandpa, a prayer warrior, was a special thing as well.  We have a prayer vigil going now where everyone at church has signed up to pray for a 15 minute time period over the next two days so that we are pounding the doors of heaven on behalf of Jean without ceasing. I know that you do not know her but I am asking that if you could just take a moment and remember this special lady who has touched so many lives with her laughter and pleasant spirit and lift her before the throne of God.  We know that He can do a miracle! The immediate need is that the blood clots would dissolve, that the fluid in her lungs would diminish and she would be able to breath on her own. The cancer is treatable but she cannot receive any treatment until the other things are taken care of.

On a side note -- Jean's daughter is three days overdue with her fourth baby and may be induced sometime today. Her Mom had planned on being at the birth. I cannot even imagine the mixed feelings of such a joyful event surrounded by such a time of heartache. Please remember her as well. Thanks SO much!