Power Of Prayer

Two weeks ago we went to Whidbey Island with our daughter Connie and her husband Thane and had a great time exploring the island. But the shock of going on vacation was too much for me and I came home very sick. So Most of my week was spent in the doctor’s office as they looked in my ears, took a few blood sample, and x-rays. The more they checked me the more perplexed they became. I was running a low temperature most of the day than in the late afternoon it would climb to around 102. The temperature would rise and fall at night along with drenching sweats. As the week progressed the doctors were working to eliminate various possibilities but the one that continued to dominate the picture was West Nile Virus. There is not an antibody for this virus so it has to run the course which can last several weeks. I had all the symptoms of a severe case which include stiff neck, backache, headache, fever, can’t breathe, loss of appetite, and fatigue.

Friday was the seventh day of a fever and during the morning it was holding at 100.5 degrees. A friend, Ross Hall asked if he could come over and pray for me. I said,”Yes!” Ross came at noon and anointed me with oil and prayed over me as he and my family laid their hands on my shoulders. By that evening my temperature was 97.7 degrees! Praise God!!! I was also on several prayer chains across the country and could feel the support of those prayers all week.

Prayer for others is important and is something most of us could do more often. God hears our prayers. Philippians 4:6 says, Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. We often want an answer right away but everything is in God’s time not ours.

This week I’m trying to remember those in the mission field, people with health issues, our service men and women, those around the world who are persecuted for their faith in Jesus, people right here that do not know Jesus as their savoir.