Yesterday I received a phone call from Shelley. She wanted me to ask you all something. But first, let me back up.
Last week as they searched for Josh, Shelley and I talked about alot of things. One of the things she brought up was their oldest son, Matthew. She told me all about how Matthew was the one who convinced them that they needed to go to Russia to adopt Anna years ago. She told me how loving Matthew was. How passionate he had been for the orphan. But something had happened a few years ago. And Matthew had become estranged from the family. There had been angry words and deep pain. And Matthew had left. They had no idea where Matthew even lived. They knew he was married, but they had had no contact in a very long time. He had already missed huge family events and Shelley’s heart was deeply grieved and she desperately missed her Matthew.
While searchers were looking for Josh we prayed for Matthew to come home. Although I encouraged her to try calling the last number she had had for him, there was no cell service at the base camp.
Friends, you know that more than anything, God’s heart is for reconciliation and restoration of relationship. And behind the scenes the Lord has been working. Matthew heard about Josh. He is coming for the funeral. Flying in from out of state today.
And here’s what Shelley wanted me to post and ask you all…..
Please would you pray specifically for reconciliation and restoration? Would you pray that God would heal the hurts that once were between family members? Would you pray that God would be allowed to work through all the painful memories of broken relationship while hearts are tender at this most difficult time? Would you please pray that God would move this mountain called estrangement and bring complete restoration? That out of this horrific tragedy would come something good? Complete healing? Something beautiful and desperately needed out of the unimaginable pain?
Oh how God rejoiced over his lost sheep! In Luke, He told of a man that had two sons. One son stayed nearby and spent his share of the estate wisely. However, the other son moved away and squandered it. When the second son returned home broke and broken, his father embraced him with open arms and joy! The past melted away!
God seeks the lost. His heart beats for that! I will pray that when Matthew returns, there is much celebration among the grief. That their son has returned home during a horribly sad time, but that joy would be found in his return. That the pain of the past will melt away.
I will pray wholeheartedly for that!
i will pray for them. i hope that whatever was the reason for the split would be illuminated and aired out and refreshened by the Holy Spirit.
my heart breaks for this momma, and for the whole family.
wouldn't reconciliation be a sweet morsel to savor after such a horrific event?
I will definetely pray. In fact I just did and will continue too.
Melissa
OMGosh Linny!!~ this totally has the tears flowing. ABSOLUTELY we will pray! Satan can not have his place of division in this family any longer. We will take authority over the spirit the enemy brings, while thanking God for healing and restoration of these precious relationships. They need eachother now, more than ever…and I pay that forgiveness flows in abundance and healing can begin! Thanks for calling us all into action. God hears our calls!! <><
Blessings and Hugs to you and the Gulvas family!!
~Tanya
Yes, I will be praying. Thank you, and Shelley, for sharing.
Absolutely. I am praying every day for this precious family, and I will pray about this!
yes. praying now.
Linny, tell Shelley I will be praying specifically for this. Our God is the Master of bringing beauty even out of ashes!! I am sure many others will pray too, I just read it first this AM. 🙂
Carrie – mom to 4 from Korea
Oh, I am praying! And crying. Seems I do a lot of that! I cannot imagine the pain of estrangement from one's beloved child. And how like God to allow Josh's death to bring about reconciliation with a "lost" child. Seems to me that's what he did with His Son's death too…reconciled the world, his children, to himself. Praying here!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hugs and love,
Nancy (who hopes she gets to meet you in the flesh on your road trip!)
I will continue to pray for this family and for restoration. This would be just awesome for them. Keep us updated if you here from her.
Lisa
Newark, Ohio
i can't even imagine the guilt and regret Matthew must be feeling right now (as i imagine his relationship with his brother was the same as with his folks). Joining in prayer, and maybe we should add that in there too.
Oh Linny . . . praying for Shelley, for Matthew, for the entire family.
Lord, please bring healing. BIG healing, Lord. We know that Your heart is that this family be reconciled, please melt away the pain of enstrangement Lord. Melt it away. Bring Matthew's heart back to his family. Mend hearts. Bring forgivenesss, bring closeness . . . let old wounds be let go of. Let love reign. Shower them Lord in your grace. Father soothe the unimaginable pain in the hearts of this family as they mourn their Josh. Oh Lord, this is so much bigger than us, but it is not too big for You. We thank you Lord for the healing we know You are bringing. In Jesus name, Amen
Tina~
Praying… for healing and peace today and in the days to come….
Cheremi
Oh yes, yes! I will pray right now!! May God begin to weave this tragedy into a beautiful tapestry like only He can!!
Praying Romans 8:28
I will be praying. I too have a son named Matthew who is estranged from our family. He also was a very loving and caring person. Then two years ago he left very angry and hasn't spoken to anyone in his family. I couldn't believe it when I read your post and the son's name. I broke down in tears. I know that pain first hand. I can't imagine having both of the pains this family is having at the same time. My heart goes out to them.
Christy
I knew about this situation and have been praying for reconciliation since last week. I am praising God that Matthew is coming for the funeral – thank you God! I will continue to hold up this sweet family. Thanks for letting us know.
Love you gal!
On my knees right now. Some lines of this song came to mind, "Only a God like You could be worthy of my praise, and all my hope and faith… Redeemer, Restorer, Rebuilder, Rewarder…only a God like You."
I will be praying…hard. That God grace will cover this entire family and lead to a fissure being sealed shut…that healing may occur, beyond what we can imagine…and that God's infinite Glory can shine through in this family in the healing.
Praying for this. As you know our family story, I know God can restore relationships in families. I know He can do this too for this family. Hugs..
Linny,
I pray that you will share this with Shelley and you will give her extra hugs from your bloggy friends!
Shelley,
We are praying that our God will supply ALL of your needs at this time and that He does exceedingly more than you can even fathom. I pray that as He comforts that He also will restore to your family the years the locusts have eaten away and that He will bring beauty from the pain with your family.
Suzette
I'm praying. I understand this situation from personal experience. Only God can heal such deep hurts.
~Lynn
It would be an honor!
To God be the glory!
Yes!! Something beautiful from the ashes Lord, please!
I am on this; actually with a lot of excitment. I have been listening to Selah's new song "Unredeemed" and it says "Places where grace is, soon to be so amazing. It may be unfullfilled. It may be unrestored. But any that is shattered is laid before the Lord, just watch and see it will not be unredeemed. I have been pleading with God to redeem this heartbreaking tragedy. This situation has grabbed my heart. I will not stop praying. The road ahead is long and hard, but God is too good of a God to not do something great out of this. Shelly I am praying for you many times through out the day today, tomorrow and the days to come.
Portia
Absolutely!!!!! We'll pray.
ABSOLUTELY!! What a blessing that would be in the midst of such grief…
SO praying for them.
Praying for this precious family. May the Lord wrap His loving arms around them and pull them closer in their time of hurt.
Blessings,
Monica
Yes Linny, We will be praying.
Thank you for sharing this with us.
Blessings,
Alycia
ABSOLUTELY!!! Count me in!
Oh Linny, I am so, so sorry for all this precious family has had to endure. I'm sure they have in some way already had to grieve the "loss" of Matthew, and now are having to grieve the loss of Josh as well. I definitely will pray for God to heal hearts, bring reconciliation, and to bring beauty from these ashes. Thank you for letting us know…
Oh Absolutely!!!! Yes God wants this and how wonderful that there will be an amazing opportunity for healing!!!! YES- put in on my prayer diary!!!!! Yeah God!!!
Will pray, of course.
I've got some exciting news! For those of us who are blessed to be in tune with God's prophetic calendar, we know that at the sighting of the upcoming new moon, God's Holy Day of Yom Teruah (Hebrew for day of shouting/proclaiming)begins. Yom Teruah is traditionally known as marking a time of repentance and of making peace with one’s brethren and marks the beginning of the upcoming “Ten Days of Awe.” Not only is this time where YHVH woo's us back to Him in the areas we have strayed, but also where we can work with Him to reconcile with those we have been estranged with. So this is the prophetic time of year for just such a request! There is so much more to write about this time, but be encouraged that YHVH will hear her request and will move mountains in that direction!
blessings!
Gail
I'll be praying!
Absolutely…. no problem.
I will pray for it. I didn't know Josh, but I'm sure he would have been thrilled for his death to be an opening for this healing.
Wow. She can count on our prayers. -Mark & Shelly
Dear Linny,
Thanks for sharing Shelley's request. I have been and will continue to pray that God uses the loss of one son to restore that relationship with another–that blessing could somehow come from this brokenness. I pray for God's perfect peace and comfort for this sweet family in the days ahead.
Much Love,
Kathie
I am praying that the Father will lay His hand on this relationship and bring healing and hope for the future.
There is not a mother alive, I would guess, who would not feel a connectedness with Mrs. Gulvas and feel a tinge of the pain in losing first one boy, then another-in such differnt ways. But God is the great source of HOPE (yesterday, today, and always) and we will be on our knees to beg Christ to intercede and restore the first lost son, even as He is embracing the second in heaven.
St. Monica, who prayed without ceasing for St. Augustin, we ask your intercession. Please pray for Matthew and his parents with the heart of a mother.
And our Blessed Mother, sweet mother to Jesus, beg your son to heal the old hurts in the Gulvas family so they can move forward to heal with this big, new, gaping hurt.
All this we ask in Jesus' name.
God Our Father, the great Redeemer, who knows every hair on our heads, please hear our cries, as mothers, and bring Matthew back into the arms of his parents (complete with his wife, and any children).
Amen.
I am praying. God's greatest concern is our relationships–with Him and with others.
I will be praying for the family too.
Christy I will be praying for your Matthew to come home too.
And can I ask for prayer for a family member Robby who is coming home this week after being estranged from any family for about 10 years. This is the week he will be reconciled to his mom and others.
This is truly the prophetic timing for reconciliation.
yes yes yes! I'll pray!
Our prayers are constantly with the Gulvas family. When we learned about Josh, I thought about Matthew and prayed that a relationship be restored.
We love you and God Bless, Kim and Chad (neighbors)