TPT4KC This Week!

Today, in the middle of praying - I was overwhelmed by a verse I have long struggled with the meaning.  When I say that, I mean my head gets it but my heart doesn't.  Seems the soil of my heart has to be well prepared for the the seeds of God's truth to take root.  (Meaning, it takes me awhile sometimes).  But I'm relieved to say I really got clarity on this verse as I was praying for a dear friend whose husband is currently in the hospital and will have open-heart surgery tomorrow.

This is a man of God.  He is like a living example of Moses to me - kind, humble, gentle and a man who has walked in deep faith for a LONG time.  I know the difficulty of this procedure, I actually saw it done in high school.  It is a scary prospect but this couple of faith continues to walk a dimly-lit path, lighted only by God's grace.

So, that's when it hit me.  2 Corinthians 12:9.  Here is how it reads out of the NIV:

But he (God) said to me (the Apostle Paul), “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Being someone who prides myself on my physical, emotional and mental strength, this has been a hard verse to get into.  After all, Paul was asking for healing of an unknown aliment that was causing him more than a little discomfort.  Wouldn't God want His magnificent Apostle to be in good health so he could spread the Gospel farther and faster?

No, apparently not.  Apparently, God wanted to better manifest Himself in Paul's life and the way He chose to do that was through Paul's weakness, not his strength.  Amazing, isn't it?  God's ways are certainly not our own and I know that down to my bones.  So - here is my version of the verse, what I got out of what God was whispering to me this morning:

My grace is enough to keep you going today. When you depend on it, especially when you are weak - my awesome power is all that more visible to those around you.

If that is the case - if God's power is so on display because I am so weak? Well, bring it on then, I'll delight in my weakness; my inability to know things or understand why this is happening.  I'll rejoice in the fact that I don't know how to pray exactly for everyone because then it gives the Holy Spirit the chance to fill in the gaps.  I will dance for joy in my limited knowledge and perspective - knowing that God has it all planned and it preparing me (and you) for that future of prosperity on His terms.

And I will continue to pray my limited prayers because it brings me closer to Him.  I can let go of the results because I've done my part in lifting these families up to Him.  It's a beautiful process.  And we know that PRAYER WORKS!

Completed Treatment - Pray for them to stay cancer and illness free!
Sophia Vogel (5, soft tissue sarcoma behind left eye) – All clear and no side effects from radiation or chemo!<"Team Sophia" on FB>

Anna Grace Dennis (7, ependymoma) – Headaches still attacking, please pray for complete relief!! <"Team Anna Grace" on FB>

Rylee Beard (5, Will's tumors in bladder/abdomen) – Scans were all clear today, PTL!

Matthew Lucas (5, Rhabdomyosarcoma) – Doing great! <"Team Matthew" on FB>

Gabbie Howe (12, ependymoma)  

Grant McTaggart (5, P+ ALL)  <http://www.prayforgrant.com/> 

Callie Cheer (3, AML) – Doing great! <”Cure for Callie” on FB> 

Hunter (1, Ewing Sarcoma) – <”Cure Baby Hunter” on FB> 

Nicky George (2, Ependymoma) – www.nickybear.com

Courtney Pette (16, lymphoma) –<"Team Courtney" on FB>
Maddie Briscoe (7, neuroblastoma) –<”Prayers for Maddie Briscoe” on FB> 

Patton Jones (3, Burkitt's Lymphoma) – All the results were clear!  Doing great!  http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/pattonjones

Natalie Fraker (5, astrocytoma) – Pray for her strength to return, especially in her lungs, to get to breathing without a vent!(physically especially)<” PRAYERSFORNKF” on carepages.com> 

Tristan Smit (3, ependymoma)- Tests were all clear – Praise The Lord!

Mark Ochoa (2, Wilm's Tumor)

With The Lord (Please pray for their families)

Ruel Bobet – Continue to pray for his family, they need strength only The Lord can provide! <”Sandy Bobet” (his Mom) on FB>

Kory Krowell – Passed away on 11/18/11

Fighting Illness and/or Inpatient 

Carli Simmons (2, Brain Tumor) Inpatient at TCH, receiving treatment

Katie Wagner (15, Rhabdomyosarcoma) Still inpatient due to illness as of Saturday – pray she recovers quickly so this does not delay her treatment!<”Wagner Family support” on FB>

Devin Duncan (18, Leukemia) – inpatient this week due to illness, please pray!

Brennan Scurlock (1, neuroblastoma) – Bone marrow aspiration today (outpatient); pray all goes well and no side effects from the anesthesia or pain!  Scheduled to be admitted Thursday for chemo, please pray all goes well and no ill effects!  <"Brennan Scurlock" on FB> 

Max Low (12, Leukemia) Went in yesterday for a lot of steroids, please pray this helps him breathe better and that these issues with his lungs are not the results of graft vs. host disease!  <”Mighty Max Low” on FB>

Logan Sinclair (5, Anaplastic Medulloblastoma) – Admitted yesterday as a result of side effects on his immunity from last week’s chemo.  Pray for speedy recovery! <”Pray for Logan Sinclair” on FB> 

Lucy Weber (3, ALL) – Spiking a low grade fever, pray is it a result of coming off the steroids and she recovers quickly! <"Team Lucy" on FB> 

In Treatment

Nate Dinoffira (2, Neuroblastoma) Finally home after 26 days!  Doing great – pray for no infections, side effects or anything else that will derail his healing!<http://supernatedinoffria.blogspot.com/>

Lexie Synder (5, ALL) At home, receiving meds, please pray she recovers from being tired!

Thomas Valerio (11, rhabdomyosarcoma in left hand) Finishing up inpatient chemo round, pray for quick recovery at home, no delays in the next round and no illnesses or side effects!

Raelynn (5, ALL) Pray she has recovered from her last big round of chemo and she stays illness free!

Liam Wilson (1, neuroblastoma) Halfway through his treatment, pray it continues to go well with no delays!

Layton (3, ALL) In a lot of pain, please pray it is eased, as she has a big chemo round coming up on Thursday! <”Prayers for Layton” on FB>

Lincoln Daniel Jones (3, ALL) – Struggling to recover from chemo yesterday, please pray he does quickly! <"Pray for Lincoln Daniel Jones" and "Red Carpet Kids for a Cure" on FB> 

Ava Caggino (4, ATRT Brain Tumor) Doing better but still needs to recover, pray she does quickly! <"The Ava Caggino Fight Aganist Cancer Page" on FB> 

Charlie Harris Beard (1, Leukemia) Doing well, pray he continues! <”Help save Baby Charlie Harries Beard” on FB> 

Preston Winslow (4, AML) Please pray for the strength of this little boy and his family and that they would be surrounded by God’s unfailing love and hope!   www.prestonsleague.com

Kaylee Atkins (6, ALL) – Had bone marrow biopsy to check for evidence of disease.  Pray the results will show there is none! <”Praying for Kaylee” on FB>

Aiden Rideout (4, Non-hodgkins lymphoma) Had therapy this week and then traveling to Texas to visit family.  Pray for a safe and joyous trip! <”Prayers for Aiden” on FB>

Victoria Feldman (6, Medulloblastoma) Lost a tooth!  Pray she continues to recover from her last round of chemo. <”Victory4Victoria” on FB>

Tynan Chapa (5, ALL) Has a clinic visit today, pray all goes well and he is able to do the wonderful things his family has planned this week! <”Tynan’s Crusade” on FB>

Wyatt Foster (2, ALL) Pray he continues to do well! <http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/wyattfoster/mystory>

Kristina Barrett (9, sarcoma in lungs and arm) – Pray she will be healed! <"Praying for Kristina" on FB> 

Barrett Blake (5, Rhabdomyosarcoma) Pray for good health, no issues, quick recover and to stay on course with treatment!  http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/barrettblake

Holden Underwood (2, ALL/MLL) – Pray for continued health! <"Holden's Hope" on FB> 

Gunnar Peterson (5, Wilm’s Tumor) Going in for chemo and counts this week, pray all continues to go well! Last chemo on March 21^st! <”Gunnar’s Team on FB”> 

Aiden McSpadden (3, AML relapse) Still doing well but need his blood chimerism to go up to 100% from 92%!  Please pray for that! <"Angels for Aiden" on FB> 

Zayley Oliver –Pray she stays healthy and that cancer is beaten back! <”Prayers for Zayley Jade Oliver” on FB> 

Lance McClain (ALL) – Had a check up this week but gets 2 weeks of chemo coming up – please pray all goes well!<”TeamLance McClain” on FB> 

Addison Marshall (18, ALL) – continues outpatient, maintenance chemo!  <addiecake on Twitter> 

Izzy Slot (3, angiosarcoma) Still cancer free, pray for full recovery! <”izzyslot” on carepages.com and “Princess Izzy’s Court” on FB> 

Shelby Adams (Langenhans Cell Histiocytosis) – Pray her eye appointment went well and that her orbital bone will heal itself! <”Prayers for Shelby Adams” on FB>

Daniela Owens (9, Ewing Sarcoma) – Tumors are spreading and causing her a lot of pain.  Pray for her release from this cancer! <”Prayer for Daniela” of FB> 

Braeden Estes (18, Ewings Sarcoma) Chemo has been delayed because of low counts – pray for recovery; but doing well! <http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/braedenestes>

Taylor Porter (15, AML) <”Team Taylor – Taylor Porter” on FB> 

Kaylea Stewart (ALL, 6) –<"Kure for Kaylea" on FB> 

Hudson Kadlecek (4, lymphoma) - <"Hope for Hudson" on FB> 

Logan Brant - Please pray for wisdom and healing!  <“Team Logan” on FB>

Kylie Overton (2, Brain Tumor) – <”Prayers for Baby Kylie Overton” on FB>