Several years ago there was a moment that terrified me.
We were in Florida for a family vacation. Steve had broken a bone in his foot, although at the moment we only knew he had hurt the foot. I was in the condo with Sammy who was still just a little one…maybe about the age Maddie is now. Steve had gone down to the beach with Nate and Zach and had been there for a few hours while I had let Sam take a nap.
It was that moment when you knew they had been gone too long and something just didn’t feel right. I walked out across the little boardwalk to find Zach and Nate walking back and Steve somewhat stumbling back. It was a terribly hot day.
Steve doesn’t stumble.
He sat down.
He doesn’t do that.
I walked with him and he said it was his foot bothering him. Other people were noticing. A woman came up quickly toward us. She had been watching from her condo on the 30 something-th floor and was a nurse and could tell something was wrong. While I was talking with her suddenly Steve was laying flat on his back on the board walk. Two men came rushing up and grabbed his legs and swept him up, after checking and saying he had no pulse and wasn’t breathing.
It was all of five minutes. I had all my kids in sight, and a wonderful woman had caught my eye and began keeping them occupied with the hose that you clean off the beach sand. Steve revived quickly and we found that he was in shock from breaking a bone in his foot and being dehydrated from being in the sun. In that five minutes though, I was very afraid of what I might be in the midst of.
What does this have to do with a prayer thread? I shuffled my startled boys back up to the condo as Steve was taken in the ambulance and I posted a prayer request on a thread on a blog. I was in a strange town where I didn’t know anyone and I was afraid and I needed to know I had some friends praying. Facebook was not as used then, or at least I was not as adept…and this blog kept me sane.
I came back from the hospital (without Steve who spent a little more time there to get checked out) and found a thread filled with encouragement and prayer. Community. Support. From people I had not met in person, but who were online and all over the world and were able to support me in a rather unique moment.
Most of our days will not be like that day. Thankfully. But some days are difficult, and some days are fantastic. Some days we just need to know that we have folks praying. The blog I posted that request on is on a bit of a hiatus which may become permanent or may not. In that season I’m going to post a thread each week here for prayer requests.
We may not get any, and that is fine. If you are feeling like you need to know someone is praying…feel free to ask. There may not be lots of responses, but I will pray and there are others who read without posting who will pray. We’ll see what happens. It’s always good to have a place to come when we need to know someone is praying…
I may make this more structured as we continue, we’ll see, but for today I wanted to explain why it felt important to have a prayer thread.
The Small Rain 
Thank you, Sarah!
Prayers for both wisdom and employment appreciated!
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Praying…and praying as well for Holly and her healing.
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Hi Sarah! I remember when all that happened during your Florida vacation and the people from all around the globe who lifted your husband and family in prayer. Feels like it was just yesterday, doesn’t?!
That same community of prayer warriors blessed our family as well when Kurt was so sick. And that’s how I met you. You and the PP community were so generous in sending a gift to my son while he was in the hospital and keeping him in prayer. Thank you.
Though I don’t post often, I will stop by this prayer thread and see if there are any requests. As I go through my day/week, I will lift the needs as they come to mind.
Blessings to you and yours, Sarah.
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mk…so good to see you here and see you pop up from time to time on FB!! Isn’t it amazing all the things we have prayed through over on PP?!! I remember praying so often for Kurt and how he connected with Tony. I was thinking as well of Seth and Baby Teddy, lost dogs, struggling marriages, babies and jobs and housing. Lots of prayers lifted!! It does feel like some of those things were just yesterday!
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I remember, that day, too, mk and Sarah and prayed along with you all. I also remember the night my sister was delivering her twin sons, now 7, that I posted a prayer request in the middle of heated discussion on the blog. Sister Christian, Dusty and I think some of you also responded to the call as the one of the babies wasn’t doing well. Those boys are fine health now, thanks to committed saints who prayed, Thank you, Sarah, for keeping this thread going!
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Hi Sarah,
Even though I rarely post, I remember when this happened to your husband….
There are no words to describe the PP family.I am so thankful for them,and do continue to read the prayer thread. Blessings to you Sarah.
Your thoughts and writings are much appreciated!!
Nancy/Nene
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Nene…you may not post often, but you are fondly embraced as part of the family. How is your dad? It has been quite awhile since I’ve heard an update…
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I would like some prayer for a young friend, Alexandra, who was a perfectly healthy 25-year old last year this time but one day didn’t feel so good and ended up in the hospital for many months, eventually became blind and paralyzed, all with no real good explanation. She’s able to walk now with a walker (slowly) but is still blind. She has a wonderful, cheerful attitude but I know she would appreciate your prayers. Thank you!
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Praying, Xenia! I can’t imagine facing all that. Praying for God’s great abundant grace, and for Alexandra to be blessed beyond measure in her joyful spirit. Trusting she sees better than most of us!
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Praying for Alexandra, Xenia…
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Alexandra will be in my prayers.
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Hi Nancy! 🙂
Sarah, yes, I remember! I miss Tony…his writings always made me smile from ear to ear. And Kurt totally connected with him. 🙂 Kurt is starting his senior year next week, btw. Oh how time has flown!
One of the greatest things about the PP community is the fellowship of believers…though there are seasons and people take time off from posting due to busy lives, they are not forgotten. Love and will always love the PP community, whether it’s up and running or taking an extended hiatus (which is healthy imo) or if Michael decides to close it down all together. It’s all good. Friendships blossomed all over the globe. What a blessing that is.
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Amen! Can’t believe Kurt is a senior!!!
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Have been thinking a lot of Dusty these days as well and praying for her. Praying as well for London and all her preparations for school children…for encouragement for her soul as she cares for those kids.
Praying as well for Erunner and all the happenings in his life: babies and funerals and family interactions. And what happened with meeting the childhood bully?!
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I appreciate prayers for a dear woman who was the boys’ kindergarten teacher. She was just recently diagnosed with breast cancer and had a double mastectomy. She will begin teaching this coming week, so prayers for quick healing from the surgery and for strength are so needed. We are trusting that all the cancer has been taken in the surgery and God wil heal her completely. Thank you all for praying for Patty.
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It’s amazing how much that support means. As you know, we are going through a very, very rough time with Katie and I am constantly blessed and amazed by the support of people lifting us up in prayers. It’s awesome to know that I can post an urgent prayer request and that there are people who read and pray for us in the moment. Thankfully we serve an awesome God.
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Katie has been in my thoughts and prayers often…you and Paul have been such an example of tackling an enormously difficult situation with tenacity and with faith. Praying for your endurance, and for this season for Katie to be marked by grace and by peace.
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Thank you Sarah. I have interacted with the bully and he is now a believer. In prison for a good deal of time. Shot three times and also stabbed. Very apologetic to me for our youth. His life is not easy and I pray he stays the course.
I do need prayer for my mom. We took her for an eye examination and her vision is 60/100 which is terrible. She needs cataract surgery which will clear it up. She went haywire after the appointment saying the doctor was out to get her…… He told her not to drive till after the surgery and she’s still driving.
Today I went to the hospital where she volunteers to talk about things and she thought things were great. I brought up the fact she’s not to be driving and she said then she wouldn’t want to be alive and the doctor was a jerk. She went back to her station and I didn’t know what to do so I just sat there. She came back angry maybe three more times saying I should leave. Finally she said I would have to pick her up in the morning to pick her up for volunteering which was my plan all along.
Surgery has been delayed 3 weeks and she still wants to drive around inside the mobile home park to walk her dog three times daily. Tonight I led a Bible study and she brings a neighbor who no longer drives. As we were leaving she backed up and hit an orange cone as they are doing work there which concerns me. She has promised not to drive and we will take her everywhere she needs to go. I’m not sure if I should agree to her driving within the mobile home park yet I’m not sure that’s a battle I want to possibly enter. She has early dementia which seems to be progressing which is another issue.
All of that to say I could use prayer as this all falls on me as my brother and sister are out of the area and my brother is coping with the fact he has prostate cancer. I realize I say a lot but this is a safe place for me to share. Allan
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Allan, that is a lot…praying for wisdom for you in how to handle the situation with your mom. Such a tough thing, and I know driving can be an enormous freedom and sense of confidence for people to give up. Praying for peace for your mom in all of this. Keep us posted…thanks for the update on the other man as well.
How is the new grand baby in the mix if all this?
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Sarah, Thank you for your prayers. Baby Afton is doing great. She is a very content baby who is letting our daughter sleep at night. Her three year old sister is fascinated to have a new baby sister. She’s a welcome addition to the family!
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Joining you in prayer for Dusty, for London, for Patty. Could you lift up Sister Christian, too? God’s put her on my heart a lot lately, as well.
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Yes, Linnea…have you heard from her recently?
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Thank you for hosting this now Sarah.
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London…glad to do it until Michael is back up or something else comes up.
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praying for all this evening. blessing on all of you.
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Thanks, Jody…and so good to see your name here.
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Thanks for the prayers. Ended up giving out 543 backpacks to quite a few towns in NM
Have some friends that are struggling to put together 400 for Mexican kids in some border town.
This group feeds those kids every day as well.
They could most definitely use prayer and if anyone is included to help them, you can contact me at inlondonengland at yahoo dot co dot uk and ill get you in touch with them
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London…that is fantastic. Will be praying for your friends and will let folks know about their need as well.
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Sarah, I need prayer and practical advice and I’m sorry if this long.
I had shared about my mother and her driving and I was able to convince her to let me take her everywhere she needs to go until after her surgery. For a week or two I have been doing this. What I may not have mentioned is my mother has early dementia which her mother and mother’s sister both died with having lost all memories and ability to take care of themselves.
My mother’s memory has been progressively getting worse although most of the time she’s just fine. This morning I went to pick her up for her volunteer work at the hospital and she walked up to my car with her car keys in hand and had no clue as to why I was there. I could see it in her eyes that she had no memory of me driving her about lately. I was able to bring her back and she realized what had just happened and she was very quiet for a bit as it sunk in. She’s very aware of how her mother and aunt died and she’s terrified of the same thing happening to her. At the funeral for her sister’s husband this last month her sister approached her at the gathering afterwards and asked how she was, etc. As she walked away my mother asked my wife who that woman was.
It is common and has been for some time that I can tell my mother about something in great detail one day and the next day or even the same day she forgets what I shared. We’ve taken her to a neurologist and he gave her a test she almost failed on her first visit but passed easily on the next visit. So he was fine with how she was and saw no need for meds. Meanwhile we were still concerned.
I realize you traveled this path and am wondering if dementia is something that can accelerate as opposed to moving slowly?
Currently I’m wanting to get my mother through her cataract surgeries before I address other issues. One being her ability to drive due to her confusion. Currently she had only been going to four places all which are close to home and she always takes the exact route s she gets lost. She has told me during the last moth if she can’t drive it wouldn’t be worth living. I’m still not sure how to interpret that.
Another HUGE issue is my 56 year old sister who lives with my mother. Out of the blue maybe five years ago she let my mother know she wanted to move in as she couldn’t find work. My sister had always been very successful and made excellent money. She was always the center of attention and the life of the party. But she has always had a ferocious temper and you didn’t want to get on her bad side.
It’s clear my sister wants nobody to know where she is. She has warrants due to car issues that I know of for sure. She has a Lexus with 2008 tags sitting in my mother’s driveway just wasting away. My sister does not anyone to see her and as a result my mother does not allow anyone to visit which includes her three other children. My sister makes no attempt to generate any income and doesn’t apply for any type of aid so my mother totally supports her.
My mother actually gets scared if she has to let someone in the house because of my sister. My sister spends her days on the computer and watching television. She never leaves. My mother watches the television or gets on the computer when my sister is doing something else. I’m certain this is causing all sorts of stress for my mother although she keeps insisting my sister is a godsend.
I need to take over my mother’s medication as I can’t trust my sister to be on top of them and my mother takes a blood thinner and it can be dangerous if she’s missing days of taking them. As it is she has always hated taking her medicine. I’m afraid I’m going to have to address the situation my mom has with my sister for her own well being and that could get very ugly as my sister is destitute now as it is and all my mother can see is what will happen to my sister when she dies. She can’t/won’t see how this setup is so wrong and unhealthy.
My brother is out of state and dealing with prostate cancer and can’t help much. My other sister lives about 100 miles away and is having a difficult time since allowing the removal of her husband’s feeding tube when he was in a coma which allowed him to die a not pleasant death. I’m not sure I will be able to count on her for much in the way of practical help.
This past week I had my mom set up a will that gives me powers of attorney for health and finances when the time comes for me to step in. This will allow me to have the ability to arrange appointments and have information mailed to me as my mom loses so much stuff as it is.
If you or anyone who visits here that has walked down this road can pray for me and/or give me thoughts/advice I would appreciate it deeply. Thank you for being here Sarah. Allan
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Allan…so much in your family’s plate! I am in the midst of the homeschool day and need to get Maddie down for a nap, but I wanted to at least respond and let you know I’m praying.
I would think there are some meds your mom could be on if she is showing these signs, but I am no expert there. Paige might have some suggestions from the holistic side.
As far as how dementia progresses…my dad would be able to respond much better than I can, but I can tell you the first year and a half were far more difficult as far as Kim’s confusion and agitation. Part of that could be getting meds right as well. Dad he told me he remembers the first time they had spent an evening with some people they know well me as the were walking in the house she asked who the people were. Then it seemed like a very rapid progression, although our experience was somewhat unique in that mom stopped recognizing Dad first.
The last year or two seems to have been a different progression…more a losing of her mechanical and logical skill than just memory (short term memory has been gone for awhile). I wonder if some of the agitation if those earlier months is due to the awareness that something is wrong and not being able to fix it or even understand.
I am so sorry about the complication with your sister. Will be praying for wisdom for you, for grace…and that God would bring peace and healing to your mother’s mind.
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Thank you Sarah. I confess to being in over my head and am learning as I go along. I want my mother to be happy in her senior years and right now that isn’t the case.
I am convinced there is anxiety and frustration for her as she saw up close how things progressed with her mother and aunt. That has to be scary for her.
Thank you for your prayers. Allan
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