“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil.
For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone
when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together,
they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man
might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—
a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
God’s word is clear…
Two are better than one.
God never intended us to do life alone.
His plan was for us to share with each other,
to care for our brothers and sisters in Christ,
to make ourselves vulnerable,
to encourage each other in our faith,
to joyfully meet the needs of one another,
to minister gently to those God has placed in our lives,
to agree together in prayer
and
to stand firm with those struggling in the midst of a storm.
We have had many days of prayer and fasting
over the years at Our Place Called Simplicity
and
we have seen some amazing answers to prayer.
One that stands out powerfully
was the healing power of God on a little
boy named Joshua
who had a heart transplant
and whose future was uncertain
as he lay after the transplant…
obstacle, struggle and medical complications…
Yet friends, family and complete strangers from
around the world came together on his behalf and
Jennifer posted a short video the other
day of Joshua riding a bike!
Yes, that Joshua!
Joshua pictured with his mom, Jennifer a few days ago
And today is another day of Prayer
{and Fasting}…
allowing us the beautiful joy of
praying for one another.
Please share your needs in the comments…
Let’s storm the gates of heaven on each other’s behalf.
Thank you in advance.
You guys are the best!
I'm trusting God to be our Provider, Rescuer, Deliverer, and Guide. This past year has been a big one – infertility, financial hardship more extreme than anything I've ever encountered, the loss of two major people in my life with early miscarriages sandwiched in between, working to build a business to help my family despite my own insecurities, dealing with some major theology shifts in our church, while also realizing close friendships are no longer close. It has been a year. I look at all of this and know that it's bigger than me. I can work diligently and do my best, but at the end of the day, only God can provide for all these needs. I don't know how He will do any of this, but I've put all my eggs in His basket, and know that He alone can deliver my family and bring us to the solid ground we long to find.
I am praying Inkling for you. It sounds like in the midst of all the struggles you have learned the most important thing – it's ONLY God. I pray you will continue to know Him as Provider, Rescuer, Deliverer, and Guide. He alone is faithful.
I can't enter fully into this day of praising and fasting because I am at work with a ton of meetings. But I love this blog and am so blessed by it and so I will be praying for you in stolen moments and also this evening – in the UK we are several hours ahead of you so I will have time to catch up.
First of all I'd like to praise and thank God for the existence of this blog. Such a constant blessing and encouragement. And I do pray for you and your sweet family especially your treasures with particular health needs. Please pray for my sons. My husband, a wonderful Christian man, died many years ago when the youngest was two. They are now in their twenties and thirties, wonderful young men, and I love them so much, but they do not know Christ. When they were small I was given two precious promises for them, but it's easy to lose faith when the years go by. Pray God that I may claim those promises afresh – and please that the Lord would give me a third promise for them – or am I wrong in asking?
Would so appreciate your prayers. I will be checking in to pray for others.
Need prayer for a serious situation we are dealing with. Wisdom. Peace. God's promises prevail.
Praying for you and your family Linny.
Blessings,
Suzanne
I will be checking in today and praying for the others. Linny, I am so grateful for this blog! I, like Hazel, am asking for prayer for salvation for my son, Ethan, age 24. He is such a delightful young man. Fun and cares for others in such sweet ways. But I have been praying for his salvation for 25 years. I know we are supposed to pray 'expectantly' – but sometimes I get discouraged. I heard a pastor say when you pray for salvation for someone you know you are praying according to God's will, because God does not want even one to perish. Ethan starts med school in July. I pray he is saved before then, but I pray that seeing the miracle of the human body and miraculous healings will help him to marvel at God's power. He needs to see that being a 'good' person is not enough. He needs to see his need for a Savior. Thank you all so much!
Prayed for your son and that the Lord would being him in contact with someone who would really challenge him spiritually… and for a soft and receptive heart.
Can't fast today but will be checking in and praying! Would appreciate prayers for some health issues of my husband, some spiritual issues with my son and help for possible learning disabilities, for my patience and kindness in dealing with my mom (who lives with us and has increasing dementia), and for G-d to move my husband's heart to adoption (which as been burning a hole in MY heart for some time!).
….and for me to keep faith and optimism through all this. 🙂
Praying for you, Penny. Lots of challenges and hard times. We have a good, BIG God! I can imagine faith and optimism are hard. Praying you will find JOY in each moment, because of His love for you!
Thank you, Rebekah! That prayer is already being answered. 🙂
Praying for you Linny, for you and your family and your needs. Fasting and praying today and looking over all the prayer needs. Thank you for doing this again. xoxoxoxoxo
Please pray for 3 BIG obstacles in my life… that He would pour out His wisdom, so I can honor Him & stay in His will. Pray that I grow closer to Him through all of this and that if anything is not pleasing in my life to Him, that He would show me in His grace
Just wanted to add that I pray all of our faith increases through this. He is so Faithful! It is a blessing to join together with the Body of Christ to pray for one another. Thank you Linny for your obedience to Him!
We are embarking on another adoption adventure. We are praying for funding, wisdom in some crucial decision that need to be made, and for the heart of our sweet, new girl as she waits.
Praying for you all. Please pray for us as well…a foster child we sent home with high hopes has had another trauma and is coming back to us for a while. Please heal his heart, ease his transition and bring me lots and lots of patience!
Please pray for my marriage.
Tanya, your request has really been weighing on me, and I am praying that whatever you are dealing with, you will come through it to greater love for each other than you have ever imagined!
Holding you all in prayer this morning. My heart is heavy for you all.
Our prayer I believe is a prayer that my huband and I had been led to pray after searching. Without knowing, could you please pray for God's Hand and blessing on the very specific prayer for our family. Thank you….
What a timely post! We have been in the adoption process of a sibling set from Eastern Europe for 21 months now. We have walked it ALONE and sooo long to have the knowledge that someone is praying with and for us. While God continues to lead us forward, we have roadblock after roadblock; many financial. Our boy will "age out" in 96 days… They have been in an orphanage for 12 years…..
Today, he is being allowed to go and visit his extended "family". (In my heart, he is working out his on "Plan B" in case our paperwork isn't filed by his birthday.) This is his 3rd visit in 6 weeks. He had not had any contact with family in 12 years until he was allowed to visit that first time. PLEASE pray for protection for his mind, heart, and soul… He shared on his last visit that he plans to be adopted. they have risen up in opposition and have made him feel ashamed and guilty for his choice. He plans to tell the "family" on this trip that his choice IS to be adopted. There is much more I could say, but I won't.
Please pray for our fundraising as well. We still need $45,000.00 to complete our funding. We have raised about $5,000.00 so far. Thank you for standing with us. God is able…..
Carol (Fireman's Wife TX)
Reading your blog I've been learning to ask for even the littlest things from God and to be very specific in my prayers also. You have no idea how much you've taught me that. First, I'm thankful to everyone who helped me yesterday when I accidentally locked my 7 month old in the car, with it running. God bless the Firemen! I'm asking for prayer for my little family (my husband, daughter and myself). We are in the midst of trying to short-sale our condo, husband getting a new job in South Carolina, and trying to figure out a way that I can be the stay at home Mom I've always believed I was called to be. I'm praying that God can find a way to make this happen. We feel at peace and feel directed to live down there, there is just the pesky details of selling, jobs and money – I know God can make it happen. Thank you for anyone who prays for us. I've read all the posts here and am praying for you all in return. God Bless you.
praying for my 9 year old daughter whom I adopted 8 months ago to be able to work through all her anxiety, trauma and other issues and to heal and grow to reach the fullest of the wonderful potential that she has. Praying that we will find a more suitable home than the one we live in at the moment, that I will be able to buy a better car as the one that I have is slowly dying on me. Lastly I could use prayers that my finances will stabilize so that I can afford to adopt the second child that my heart is longing to adopt. Praying for everyone else and thankful for prayers on my behalf!
Please pray for victory with my health ( battling Lyme and co-infections), so we can adopt more children (we have one biological). I've seen a lot of progress over this past year, thanks for already praying, and would love to start adoption this year.
Thank you for your prayer! I developed a heart arrhythmia two years ago – atrial fibrillation. It has progressed to the point the last six weeks or so that I can barely get out of bed. I am so dizzy and have "brown-outs," semi-passing out where if I am not holding on to something I drop to the floor. I am not getting much work from my medical transcription job – only a few hundred dollars last month. I have two teens I adopted from China as a single mom. We are almost out of money and I can't in any way look for another job. DFCS will NOT let me on Medicaid after multiple tries – they ignore my request or say I missed appointments, though I qualify in leaps and bounds financially to be on it. I am trying to be strong for my kids. I am missing the last few years of their childhood with me – in two years they will graduate homeschool and go to college, hopefully, but we used to do so much together – picnics, hikes at all the local parks and nature centers. I can't even drive them down the road to the library now. I would so appreciate prayers that I can get on Medicaid and get some help for this issue. It is really knocking me flat emotionally and physically. Thank you!
Just printed off the first requests, and I'll be checking back. Thank you so much for doing this, Linny. It's a blessing to be able to pray for each of you!
That GOD provides enough money for me to GO back to Uganda and for the children in orphanages and the people on the streets!!!
Love you,
Bee
Thank for this opportunity to unite and pray for one another. I cannot fast today because of medication I am taking, but I will be praying.
My prayer request remains the same – reconciliation with my 21 year old son Brock. Many of you have been praying for awhile now believing with me. I know God will answer! While I was being strapped to a stretcher and being life flighted to the hospital after my horseback riding accident April 6, my precious boy was first and foremost on my mind! Thanking Jesus for reuniting our family in His perfect time.
Praying for all of you,
Blessings,
Suzanne
How are you doing physically? I'm praying for your precious Brock. Remember praying for him before!
Oh I remember as well. Remember all our prayers for you both and standing with you….He is faithful.Praying for your recovery as well.
Sister-Friend, we have had 3 successful surgeries this week and are now recuperating, praise God! We are trusting God completely to provide every penny to bring our next Treasure home! He needs his family, and he needs medical attention, and God will supply. We are praising God in advance for all He will do! Love you, friend!
Please pray for my son. Keeping you all in my prayers.
I would ask that you lift up a little 11 year old girl in China that has decided she doesn't want to be adopted. I fell in love with there three years ago, and at that time God closed the door and I wasn't able to adopt her. She reappeared on the Shared list and I submitted my application to LL and before I could submit my LOI she had been removed. God gave me a love for this child and I still believe that she is to be mine. Our agency allowed us to send her photos of our family, pet, grandparents, home and the adoption story of her four waiting Chinese sisters. Two of the girls sent letters telling her not to be afraid. Now we wait and pray that her heart would be willing to come. I am also trusting God to provided the funds for the adoption, I am a single older mom and have adopted 4 older girls from China in the last two years. #waitingandtrusitinginfaith #Godisfaithful #nothingisimpossibleforGod
Vicky, I remember your picture of this little girl – praying she joins your beautiful family, and soon!
Vicky I am praying for you and your waiting daughter! Sending you love and hugs!
Praying! So happy to see Joshua doing so well!!
Please pray for my husband and our family. He has recently been diagnosed with stage IV cancer and is undergoing treatment in hopes of surgery in the near future. Even if the mass shrinks enough for surgery, the surgeon said survival would be heroic. We know our God is a God of miracles.
Praying right now and sending you love
Me too. And yes, He is!
So thankful for this place and how my little ones and I could focus yesterday( and really should everyday) on His goodness and faithfulness.
I could use prayer for my financial situation and my house which I just don't have an answer to yet. So many things to fix and mortgage went up. I also need wisdom and breakthroughs for my job and how I can continue to homeschool and provide for them as it is me handling everything. All in all I just want prayer that He will change us to be more like Him and that my family will serve Him and grow in deeper ways….less distractions to show me how I can provide and do His will with a job/ministry.
Also my little girl who struggles a little with hurts from my ex abandoning us and other things. Thanks.
My sister is going through a nasty divorce – we fear for the well being of her 4 y/o son. It is dragging on and on while she is financially responsible for everything. She was abused by this man and now by the judicial system. Please pray for a miracle beyond our wildest imagination….and sooner than later! Thank you.
The biggest burden on my heart at the moment is the girls in Nigeria who were abducted from a Christian school by a terrible group opposed to western education and Christians in particular. I think there are over 200 of them! and they still have not been found. Parents are distraught and the gov't doesn't seem to be making any effort. Some think they have been sold as wives to isl*mists and/or taken to Cameroon.
Please pray. I keep praying and thinking about it. Praying the girls will remember scripture they have learned, will be able to comfort one another, and even for something like Daniel in the lions den that they will be miraculously be untouched. But most of all that they will be found and returned to families.
more here http://www.opendoorsuk.org/news/stories/nigeria_140428.php?ref=story1
I prayed yesterday that people in UK govt positions here would use their clout as Nigeria is a Commonwealth Nation…even the Queen who is a woman of faith could perhaps do or say something if not publically, maybe privately. God is already answering this! I have just seen news updates that former Prime Minister Gordon Brown is calling for the UK govt to send military aid to get these girls back.
Pray, Pray, Pray! Think of the teen girls in your own family or church and pray again!
Sandy in the UK
Anonymously requested: Prayer for our support to be raised, my husband's missionary visa and a situation against our international bible study that just cropped up on campus. I know He is faithful. He has never lost a battle!!!
Also anonymously requested: Please pray as we wait to see if God opens the door for a sibling adoption. We have no experience and we have no finances to make it happen…the only thing we did was respond to the call from the Lord. Please pray that the Lord meets all parties where we are to do the best thing for the children, regardless if it is in our home they are placed, or not.
Please pray for my family. We recently sold nearly everything, including our home and cars, to attend language school. We have only two months left and know God is leading us stateside once again, but we are not sure where. We'd like prayer for guidance and for jobs, etc. We'd love to adopt again soon, but need to pay off our first adoption and be "stable." So thankful for our awesome God! Blessings to you and each person reading. I am praying for everyone, too!
Please pray that God opens doors and we can adopt from China one more time. I have applied for a new job that would help bring us some of the funds we need. Please pray for the right person to read my resume so that I can be called in for an interview. Adoption is in my heart and soul and I have heard the call. Praying God will guide our family and open hearts so it can happen.
We would cherish your prayers that the adoption of our son would be complete. He has been with us for over a year and he attached to us fiercely. We love him with all that we have. We have battled fear for fifteen months. And yearn for peace. Thank you. Kim
Praying for the last $6000 for Shao's first year of college…she is funded for $24K…need 6K more. Also for her heart and mind…she is having severe anxiety attacks and is under a psychiatrist's care, and on medication. She is doing alot better, but it is still a bit of a rollercoaster at times, and this mama's heart needs peace, knowing that her girl will be going 1200 miles away in just a few short months for college. She won't be able to come home except for Christmas and Summer, due to the expense. Praying for her to make friends there, and for there to be a place like home for her to go to for Thanksgiving and Easter, etc. Oh, how I love my precious China treasure!
I joined in for fasting and praying! I so look forward to reading your blog each night when my kids go to bed! It is so uplifting and it always speaks to me! Thank you for being an obedient servant of our awesome God!!
Praying for many on this post. I'd like to add a couple…one is for my daughter, Megan. She's almost got her college work finished. She and her dad are working on algebra right now. She has no permanent job right now. One she has is seasonal and is ending very soon. I know there's something out there for her. It's all in God's timing.
I would like prayers for money raised so my friends at New Song Mission in Nicaragua are able to get a really good van for the mission. I was there a year ago and it's been on my heart to help them out. Prayers help..money is the object, but again, it's all in God's timing! Thanks and prayers for you LInny and family…and others who are hurting in many ways.