Tuesday, March 2, 2021

Prayer Updates

"It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness."  Lamentations 3:22,23

I so appreciate all the emails and the prayers you all have been praying for the requests I share here, and I wanted to post updates.

First of all, praise God, my sister, Sharon's boyfriend, Bruce, got GREAT results from his doctor.  There is NO cancer, thank the dear Lord!  Sharon posted this comment on the last blog post,

"My dear sister, we just talked to the lung Dr. And thank God the spots on Bruce's lungs are not cancer. I want to thank each and everyone for your prayers.Again we thank you all and most of all we thank the good Lord."

I say a hearty "Amen" and "Amen!"  I was so relieved to hear this news and can't thank you all enough for your prayers for Sharon and Bruce.  To God be all the glory!

*************************************

Secondly, I heard from my dear friend, Priscilla, with this update about Kelly.

 "Kelly is doing better. She is in therapy now for her arm and neck. Still has a little ways to go but so very thankful for all the prayers and for what the Lord has done for her. "

It is so wonderful to see how far God has brought Kelly from just a few weeks ago!  He is a mighty God who absolutely hears and answers prayer.  Praise His holy name!

********************************************

Lastly, here is the latest update about little three-year old Dallas Wilson.

"They moved Dallas yesterday to a rehab facility. He's still improving-thank the good Lord and they hope this more intensive therapy will help him get to where he needs to be to finally come home. It's been over 30 days to my knowledge his parents have been with him the entire time. I know they need prayers too!"

Bless their dear hearts!  I agree that these parents need our continued prayers.  The battle has been long, and it sounds like there is still a very long road ahead of this little guy.  Please do keep Dallas and his parents and family in your prayers.  

**********************************

Jesus said, "Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light."  Matthew 11:28-30

"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."  Hebrews 4:16

What a blessing it is to be able to bring our many requests to the throne of grace and present them to God in prayer.  My inbox fills up so quickly these days, as I hear from so many with hearts that are heavy and in need of rest and relief from the cares of this world.  Thank you to all who write to me and pour out your hearts.  I am so thankful our Jesus has big shoulders and is able to not only carry us, but our heavy crosses, too.  Remember, He knows better than any of us how hard it is to bear a cross.  

May He richly bless and comfort each one of you who are walking through such hard trials.  We are living in extremely discouraging times, but we must NOT lose our faith in God.  He is with us, regardless, and He will always be.

I will never forget the night almost nine years ago as I paced the floor in my dear, precious Mom's living room.  She was suffering so terribly, and I was calling on God to help her.  Oh, she did not want to have to go back to the hospital, and she seemed to know what was ahead of her.  All at once she said, "Cheryl, I don't think I'm gonna make it this time."  I was so distraught to hear my resilient mother say such a thing.  She was absolutely the strongest woman I ever knew, and she always bounced back and had such a will to live.  "Mom, please don't say that.  Don't talk like that!" was my anguished reply.

"No, I mean it.  I want you to keep the faith and keep encouraged."  Mom went on to say some other things, as my heart sunk to the floor.  It wasn't long after that I had to call the ambulance to pick her up, as her condition worsened quickly, and she found no relief.  A few days later, as I was standing next to her bed in Intensive Care, she was struggling hard to try to tell me something.  It was so difficult for her to talk against the forced air coming from the bipap machine that was helping her breathe.

I finally pulled it back just a little so I could hear what she was trying to tell me.  I didn't want to miss a word.  Her words to me?

KEEP.  PRESSING.  ON.

I had such a hard time understanding, but thank the Lord, Kevin was able to.  He is my witness.  Those were some of the last words my sweet, Godly mother ever spoke to me.  I hear her voice echoing those precious words in my head time after time after time.

Keep the faith.

Keep encouraged.

Keep pressing on.

I hear them resounding through the corridors of time, shouted to me from my dear Mom and Dad and Papaw and Mimmie and all those who have gone on before, who are now in that great cloud of witnesses spoken about in Hebrews 12:1-2,

"Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Some day soon, I believe Jesus will burst through the sky with that great cloud of witnesses and catch us all away to Heaven.

"And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of His saints." Jude 1:14

"But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words."  I Thessalonians 4:13-17

Keep the faith.  Keep encouraged.  Keep pressing on.
We are almost home!


28 comments:

  1. Amen and Amen! I have been praying and am greatly encouraged by the updates today. Your Mom was such a faithful witness right to the end of her earthly life. I want to be like her. I want my last words to be in faith and sharing of my Heavenly Father.
    Blessings and love dear friend. Keep Pressing On.
    Betsy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, dear friend! Mom surely was such a faithful witness! The night she told me those things in her living room was ten days before Jesus took her. There are so many things about her I wish I could share with the world. Your precious words meant so much to me today. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I am doing my utmost to keep pressing on. Many blessings and much love back to you!

      Delete
  2. Thank you, Cheryl, for the prayer updates and for sharing your mother's wise words here to offer us such hope in these trying days. Yes, I will keep the faith, I will be encouraged as I encourage others, and I will keep pressing on to win this sinful world for Jesus.
    Blessings, my friend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are so welcome, my friend. I appreciate your kind words so much! When I think of Mom telling me those things, I realize how Divinely inspired her words were. She told me so many things that I am now seeing come to fruition with such accuracy. God had instilled in her such a spirit of discernment, and she seemed to know a lot about what was ahead. She knew I would surely need to press, like never before. Many blessings back to you today!

      Delete
  3. Wow, dear precious Cheryl what an encouraging post... can reply at mo hopefully dont lose this as unstable on mobile.
    Praise God indeed for those answered prayers.. praise Him and praying on for mercies abounding in their healing.. as Thy days so shally thy Strength be.
    Ah then wonderful memories of mumma... her final exhortation to "keep pressing on"!
    Wow, goosebumps.. keep pressing on indeed. Those verses in Hebrews are my life verses.. the key being Heb 12:2. Looking unto Jesus, the Author Finisher of our faith!! Praise Him.
    Love love the "Wherefore, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses too...those who've gone on before in Heb 11. Thrills my soul. One day we shall join them in glory..
    Thanks for sharing, and may God bless and keep you and all whom you love safe and well.
    Prayer hugs, Shaz in Oz. X

    {Wonderful Words of Life - Shaz in Oz}
    {Calligraphy Cards - Shaz in Oz}

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, I am so thankful you persevered to leave such a precious, encouraging comment! I don't know why the enemy fights us from leaving comments on each other's blogs, well, I DO know why - it is because he doesn't want us to encourage one another. I love those verses in Hebrews, too, so very much. I think of them so often, and they encapsulate our minimizing journey and the way the Lord has led us over the past, few years. YES!! I, too, love thinking about that great cloud of witnesses! Can you just imagine how it will be to join them? I sometimes imagine Jesus splitting through the clouds surrounded by those thousands of saints coming to take us all home, and it is an overwhelming thought to think of what a day of rejoicing that will be. Sending much love and many blessings to you today, my friend!

      Delete
  4. What a blessing to hear such good praise reports today! Thanking the Lord for the good news for Bruce that he does not have cancer, to God be the glory! And thankful for Kelly's continued recovery. I can't imagine how difficult it must be for the parents of Dallas with such a traumatic event, and will certainly continue in prayer for them! What a precious story you shared of your dear mother and her last words to you. During such a difficult time for you to understand, she was praying for you, I know, and her prayers continue to minister to you today. Indeed, we must keep pressing on. Thank you for such a wonderful post today, and I indeed to keep pressing on... heaven is one day closer, every day! Many blessings to you dear friend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, sweet friend! Thank you so much for your kind words and for reminding me that Mom's prayers are continuing to minister to me today! I cannot begin to say how much I miss her prayers! SO many times I want to call her and ask her to pray, and then it hits me that I will never have that opportunity again. Such a sad hopelessness washes over me, then I rememeber that "her works do follow her" and I find comfort in knowing those prayers are still being answered even though she can no longer pray for me. I am so grateful for your friendship and fellowship on this journey. Many blessings back to you today!

      Delete
  5. It was such a joy to read your reports today and know that prayer has played such a wonderful part in recovery. I loved reading about your dear Mum, I do so hope that I am that strong and that my last words will be one of faith. Every blessing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so very much for your sweet visit and kind words! There are so many things I want to share aobut my dear, Godly mother, and I'm so thankful you loved reading about her. I trust the dear Lord will keep you strong and able to finish the race the way you are desiring to, my friend. Sending many blessings back your way today!

      Delete
  6. Thank you so much for the wonderful updates on Bruce, Kelly and little Dallas. Prayers are a wonderful thing and it’s so nice to know how much they are appreciated. I loved reading your dear, beloved mother’s message to you...keep pressing on. You’ve taken those words to your heart and been a faithful daughter. God bless you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, thank you, Kitty! Yes, I have taken her precious words to my heart, never dreaming how much harder it would be to keep pressing on as we approach Jesus' second coming. I mean, i knew it, intelecctually, but couldn't imagine how rough things would become in so many ways. I think she knew. She warned me of so many things through the years, and we are now seeing them play out before our very eyes. I appreciate your sweet visit and kind words. God bless you, too.

      Delete
  7. I am so thankful to read of the good reports because we know prayer does change things. Yes, those words from you dearly beloved mom are what we all need to do. We must press on and keep the faith until He call us home. Blessings my friend!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for your prayers for the requests, Pam. Yes, prayer surely does change things, and we all must keep pressing on. Many blessings to you, too!

      Delete
  8. Oh, Amen to your precious Mom's last words to you. What a legacy of faith to remember during these hard days. Thank you for all of your prayers that you offer for so many, dear Cheryl, including myself! May He answer every cry and meet His people with such grace and help. And may He meet you also, with such encouragement in His Word. I agree with you--I think it won't be long till we will meet Him in the air! So, until then may we keep offering our songs to the Him.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, dear friend, it surely is a legacy of faith that has been handed down to me. SO precious to me and becoming more and more so as the days become darker. I so appreciate your kind words! Oh, they were so appreciated this morning! God bless you richly. I am continuing to pray for you and Barry.

      Delete
  9. Dear Cheryl, trying to catch up a little and wanted to pop in and give God praise for how he has answered prayers that you have shared with us. So thankful. You are precious. Hugs and blessings, Cindy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much for your dear, kind words, sweet friend! I appreciate you so much. Many hugs and blessings back to you and much love, too!

      Delete
  10. Cheryl, you are very blessed to have had Christian parents and grandparents. What a legacy! I enjoyed the song very much. Very encouraging to think how close we are to arriving HOME. (Are we there yet? Are we there yet? :) ) Hugs, Nancy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, I surely am so very blessed! And deeply grateful, too! Sending many hugs back to you today, my friend.

      Delete
  11. Just wanted to stop by dear lady and say hello and that I hope you and family are doing well. Hugs and blessings, Cindy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You are so sweet, Cindy. Thank you so much for stopping by and checking on us. Many hugs and blessings back to you.

      Delete
  12. You are precious to update us on praises and prayer requests. I love it that the Lord hears us and answers our prayers. God bless you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank your for your visit and kind words, Mary. God bless you, too!

      Delete
  13. Stopping in to check on you. I miss your posts...

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thanks so much for this. Your posts always bring me hope. Thank you for focusing on our sweet Lord who doesn't change.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Janet! I so appreciate your kind words. God bless you.

      Delete