Pray

The next night was our last night at home. After we put the kids to bed, Leah’s closest group of friends came over to talk with her and pray with her. I sat upstairs on the floor across from the foot of the bed where my kids were sleeping. Despite what we already knew, I had that sense of being on the precipice of something bigger than our lives. We needed intercession to go before us and come behind us. There on the floor I wrote the first of many updates pouring out my heart for what I, in my limited view, thought we ought to be praying for. The first was initially addressed to our church family at Exodus who had been such an anchor to us, and sent out to the public at large the next day by way of the website Caring Bridge.

Exodus Family, there aren’t words enough to communicate the gratitude we have for you all. With all our hearts, thank you! God has blessed us in a multitude of ways through you. We are overwhelmed with gratitude. The LORD is our hope. The prayers of the saints—you all—are strengthening us. Please continue to pray to Him. We travel to St. Jude’s in Memphis tomorrow. Some ways you can pray to
our God for us:

1. Healing - Pray that God would miraculously heal Asher. In Him all things hold together, and we trust Him no matter where this leads.

2. Protection - Asher’s immune system is not yet compromised by treatment, but he will be in a public airport tomorrow, in the midst of a government shutdown, and a spike in flu and strep cases. Pray that he won’t get sick.

3. Trust - Our son confesses belief and trust in our God! The coming days are going to be trying for everyone involved—Pray that God would communicate his love and care to our son in a way that he understands. Pray for Leah and I as we try to relay God’s love and our love to him. Pray that Leah and I would continue to hold fast to Jesus the Rock.

4. Strength - Pray for Asher’s physical strength; he has experienced significant fatigue—it was a stretch for him to play with his friends tonight. While in Memphis we will be seeing some additional family, especially some cousins that he loves dearly. Pray that he would have some good days to share with both us and them.

5. Wisdom - We will need wisdom to make difficult decisions. We will also need wisdom in all of our conversations—with doctors, nurses, family, Annelise, and Asher.

6. Loving Asher- Pray that we will be able to love Asher well—that we would hear him and love him in a way that shows the Father’s love. Pray for discernment in the factors involved with hearing and
   loving our son well: radiation, medication, his age, and simply the fact that he’s our son. Pray that we will be able to love him well, as we make decisions for his well being.

7. Time - While we long for God’s healing, the information we have pushes us to petition the Father for as much time with Asher as possible. Pray that God would create time and space for us to be filled with joy and not grief. There is a time for grief. Now is not that time. Now is the time to live.

8. Glory - Pray that God’s glory, his name, and his renown would be evident throughout this struggle. Pray that God would be glorified in Asher, in us, and in His church.