Prayer Request-Nationwide chain started

[GulfBreezer]

Here is the 2 emails I received this morning, I ask from the bottom of my heart for each and every one of you to say a small prayer for Donna and the healing power of God. Please read the letter from Donna herself, it will move you beyond words.
Sandi,

I would like to ask for special prayer for Jill’s cousin Donna Herrington. Donna is the mother of three children, James, Elijah and Mariah, and wife of Tom Herrington. She and Tom are in their 30s and until 3 months ago she was in great health, preparing to go into full time disaster relief ministry. Then she began feeling sick and when tests were done, it was discovered that she had advanced colon cancer. The doctors have given her 9 months to live. She is currently on chemotherapy. I’m copying an email she wrote this week. It will touch your heart. She wants so badly to live and I ask that you join with us to pray for complete healing. Pray for Tom and their three children during these very difficult days.

Yours in Christ,



Kyle


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WHY I WANT TO LIVE!

Hi everyone,

I have been thinking allot lately and I thought I would share a few of my thoughts with you. For years I have preached of the need for God's people to be vulnerable before each other so we can better know how to minister and help one another. In order for intimacy to occur I must let down my guard and share my feelings, thoughts, hurts and dreams - in doing so I will become more real to you and if you will do the same with me then you will be more real to me. It is a little scary to pour it all out because I may appear to be silly or stupid or I might not measure up to some expectation (either of my own or yours )but I figure what have I really got to loose at this point. In addition to facing the reality of sharing my heart with you, God has been teaching me much about how essential it is for me to pour my heart out completely to Him - if trust and intimacy are to grow between He and I then I cannot pretend about the deepest longings of my heart. That is what this letter is about - the deepest longings of my heart as best as I can discern them today.

When all of this first started happening I could not bring myself to ask God for my healing. I am not sure why, perhaps I didn't understand the reality of all that was happening. Forever I have believed in Heaven and I have always believed that eternity will be wonderful, beyond compare, for those of us who are redeemed by the blood of Jesus, so I wasn't really afraid or worried about not being here anymore. Many times I have longed for Heaven and the reality of no more suffering or pain. I have taught on the reality of Heaven and all that we have to look forward to as God's children and all the words I said I meant and believed with all my heart. However, as time has gone by I have been overwhelmed with a deep, deep desire to live and to continue on in this world for a longer time. Daily I go before God's throne and I beg Him to heal me completely here in this world and to give me more years. Why if eternity would be better would I beg God to let me have more time here? Why beg for the lesser over the greater? Because my heart will not allow me to ask for anything else. I want to live!

I have thought much about why I want to stay and I have wondered if it is because I love this life and this world more than God. I hope I don't but I am not sure. I honestly pour that concern out to God because I do want to love Him above all else. I confess this to God in my prayer time with Him and everytime I come out with a deeper conviction and desire to live. I cannot get away from the thought CHOOSE LIFE and PRAY CONTINUALLY TO LIVE. Everyday I am more determined to go to God and continue to ask Him to heal me and everyday it is as if God is telling me to do just that. Daily He leads me to scriptures that talk of healing, of pouring out my desires to Him, of waiting on Him and of the essential need to pray to Him continually. I think it has something to do with being vulnerable and intimate with God and trusting that He truly is the Lover of my Soul. It has something to do with reaching up my arms to my Heavenly Daddy and saying I need You - You are my only hope - You are the only one who can fix me - You are my refuge and I trust You to hear my heart and to take my desires and wishes to Your heart and do what is best for me. I think it has something to do with worship because how can I worship someone if I feel that my feelings and desires are of no value to Him. God cares for me and He tells me to come to Him with my heart. So everyday I go to Him just as the widow went to the judge (Luke 18:1-8).
She knew who had the authority to help her - only God can truly help me. I keep knocking on the door like the man in Luke 11: 5 - 8. He knew his friend had bread to supply the need he had - I know God has everything that is needed to supply my healing. And everyday I keep crying out like the blind man beside the road in Luke 18: 35-43, "Son of David, have mercy on me!" People tried to shut this man up but he kept crying out because he knew Jesus could do for him what he wanted. Jesus even asked this man "What do you want for me to do for you?" And he said "Lord, I want to regain my sight!" And because of this man's faith, Jesus restored his sight. I could go on and on with scriptures that speak to the fact that pouring out our desires and heart before the Father truly does make a difference but I think I have probably already gone overboard, so I will move on to why I am asking Him to give me a complete healing and to allow me more years on this earth.

As most of you know I have three of the most wonderful kids in the world and I want to be with them. I want to watch them continue to grow. I want to see what God has in store for them. I want to see my grandchildren, I want to hug, hold and spoil them like my parents and Tom's parents have done James, Elijah and Mariah. I want to give my grandchildren the security of unconditional love that my children have received from their Grandparents. I want to buy them a washing machine when they need it like my parents did for Tom and me when James was born. I want to be a part of their lives.

Washing machine story : When Tom and I were expecting James we lived in a farm house out in the country. We had either a dryer or washer but not both and whichever it was, in a detached building from the house. I was determined that I was going to use cloth diapers instead of pampers as often as possible, to help save the environment. My Mom had used cloth diapers with me so she knew how much work I had ahead of me. So one Saturday she and Dad drove up for the day and brought us the needed appliance. In the months and babies ahead it proved to be just what I needed. Somethings parents just know !

Another reason I want to live is because I want to be there for my parents. God has blessed both Tom and me with wonderful parents. Both sets have loved and nurtured us with their hearts always striving to do what was best for us. It is one of my deepest desires to be there for them in the years ahead. I want to help take care of them. I will consider it a privilege to try and give back to them what they have so sacrificially given to us from the moment we were born. Because God gave me to Mom and Dad I know that I have never ever been unloved. I want the years and the opportunities to give them just a little of that love back. I want for them to know that I am there to help them and that they are always loved.

Tom is another reason I want to stay around a while longer. During the last few years we kind of lost each other. Tom was so busy with work and I have been busy with the stuff at home. There hasn't been much time to talk and share our hearts and often times when we did we would end up arguing because we felt that the other one didn't truly care about where we were. We have both been fairly selfish with our hearts and I want time to start over again. During the weeks that we have been dealing with the reality that I could die soon we have both had to confess that we have wasted way to much time on petty little things. I pray that God will give us a second chance to truly love,cherish and respect the other.

I want to stay around a few more years because my sister and I have several unknown creative ideas floating around in our heads that we want to work on together. Plus, I just want to spend more time with her and Noah - they are both so precious to me.

I want to build some more churches with some of the most loving and kind people I have ever met in my life. I also want to dance on some roofs with someone very special to me and as we dance we are going to rejoice in all the wonderful things God is teaching us about trust and living life to it's fullest.

I want more years to deepen old friendships and develop new friendships.

I truly enjoy the hospital chaplaincy ministry. I enjoy listening to people's stories and I find it a great privilege to go to The Father and ask Him to help them in their time of need. I want more time to share Jesus with those who are hurting.

And finally one of my deepest desires is that I want to participate in Disaster Relief work. For years now I have ask God to allow me to do this kind of work. I have received the necessary training and when God heals me it is my desire to go to those who are hurting and afraid. Years ago Tom and I toured Samaritans Purse in Boone N.C. as I walked those halls and looked at the photographs of the children and people around the world, as I saw the needs and as I saw how needs were being met - I wept because for many years prior to then and ever since it has been one of my deepest and most consistent desires to make a difference for good for those who are hurting. I am trained and I believe that because of that training I will do a good job but beyond the training I believe God has put this desire in my heart because there are people out there that I can make a difference with - not because I am trained but because the Holy Spirit lives within me and it is the hugs and the love that He will give through me that will help those people through the pain in their lives. I can almost see the faces of these people this desire is so intense. I know this sounds weird and maybe even a little on the kooky side but this is a dream and a desire that I believe God has put in my heart and every day it is another one of the reasons
I ask God to heal me completely and give me more years on this earth.

I know most of you are probably tired of my ramblings but I just wanted to share a little of my heart with you. I hope in doing so I am more real and more approachable to you. I hope you will feel safe in sharing little bits of your heart with me. As always I thank each and every one of you for praying for me. I have had several opportunities to share with others about my "white cell saints" and what a difference you are making in my life. Tom will send an update in a few days to fill you in more. Everyday I ask God to bless each and every one of you with His richest and most abundant blessings and I also ask Him to give me opportunities to come to each of you in person when He heals me so I can say Thank You and give you a hug. God Bless You and Keep Praying!

Love,

Donna

[JCT777]

Donna and her family are in my thoughts and prayers.

[Miss Mary]

Sandi - of course I'll pray for Donna. And her family. Feel free to give her my email address if she'd like to correspond. As you know I'm a colon cancer survivor. I was only Stage 1 though, but I can at least lend some support. I do know you go thru many stages, like a death or divorce with a cancer diagnosis - shock, numbness, disbelief, anger, surrendering, giving up, fighting, anger again, why me - so many various stages and all not in that particular order. It varies patient to patient. Sometimes you want to pretend (prior to surgery), oh this isn't really happening to me......or I'll be fine. Other times you are brought to your knees. So what she shared in her letter/email is so true. On one hand she explains she knows Heaven is our reward but on the other she doesn't want to leave this world. I didn't either! After my doctor said - your tumor is malignant Mary - my very first thought was - But, I'm a Mom, I can't have cancer! I just can't. And I knew right away, I did not want to die. Oh no, no giving up on my part. I'm relieved to see she has tremendous support - family, friends and her church. That will pull her thru. Tell her too I read of many Stage 3 Colon cases where the patients lived! Don't want to give her false hope but she shouldn't just stop fighting. This isn't the time to give up.

Prayers going up from OH!

Mary

PS - Sandi, can I ask if you know Donna personally? I just re-read this topic heading, and noticed the nation-wide prayer chain request. Is she a relative perhaps?

[Skywatch_NC]

Prayers and thoughts from this way, too.

God Bless You,

Eric

[bfez1]

Praying for a miracle!

[pojo]

Donna, thoughts and prayers from Wisconsin

[JetMaxx]

What a courageous lady of God. Of course I'll keep Donna and her family in my prayers....God bless her; and God bless you Sandi!

[Rainband]

Thoughts and prayers to Donna and her family. This concerns me a little bit. I have been experiencing some probs over the last year..my father died of colon cancer but I figured I am too young..She is in her 30's so am I. I am thinking now I need to get some things checked out. May God Bless Donna and watch over her and her family!!!!

[DaylilyDawn]

Praying for her complete recovery from this disease! Prayer works miracles!

[Colin]

Donna and her family are in my thoughts and prayers.

[Toni - 574]

Thoughts and prayers to Donna and her family. I know that God will watch over them and will give them the continued faith and strength to get thru this time.

And yes Johnathan, it is better to be safe than sorry. Go get checked out!! That way you will have a base line for when you do get older and should have routine checks...

[Lindaloo]

What a touching and sad story rolled into one. I am praying for a miracle. Many Novena's coming her way! Please keep us posted Sandi.

Miss Mary I am also saddened by your story. You have told me before about being a cancer survivor, but did not know the reality of your situation until this moment.

((HUGS))

[azskyman]

Prayers from here in the desert. There is so much healing power in the positive thoughts of others.

What a delightful person you are, Sandi, for seeing the need of another as important to share with us.

Never ever sell yourself short.