Praying for a Miracle

Five days ago, my best friend from Jr. High put an urgent message on my Facebook page. "Do you know what's happened to Rachel Stotler? I don't know but all I know is we need to pray HARD for her!!! RIGHT NOW!!!!" That started a quick frantic search of Facebook to find out what was happening. I followed a link to the Omaha World-Herald newspaper article that recounted a bad car accident on icy roads that led to my friend Rachel (Stotler) Clasemann to being admitted to Creighton Hospital in Omaha. I friend requested her husband, Jon, who I'd only met at their wedding about 11 years ago and sent him a message. He was kind enough to get back to me the same day, after I'd read his journal on the Caring Bridge site set up for Rachel.

She is 35-years-old, a physical therapist, and mommy to 2 little boys: Nathan and Jacob. They are too young to be visitors at the ICU where their mom is in a coma. She is recovering from a severe brain injury. So severe, in fact, that 2 parts of her skull had to be removed to relieve the pressure from the swelling in her brain. There have been some good developments in the past few days, but we are dwelling in the needed-miracle area here.

Please join me in prayer for my friend of 23 years, Rachel Clasemann. Also, pray for peace, strength, and joy for Jon and their sons, and Rachel's parents. I know Jesus has this situation in the palm of His pierced hand. I continue to lay my fear and anguish for her at the foot of the cross. I am believing for complete, miraculous restoration! She will not only wake up, but be fully healed in the name of Jesus!

“Because he loves me,” says the LORD, “I will rescue him;
   I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
He will call on me, and I will answer him;
   I will be with him in trouble,
   I will deliver him and honor him.
With long life I will satisfy him

   and show him my salvation.” Psalm 91:14-16

Back Online ~ after 3 months!

What have you all been up to? I feel so lost! I've been playing catch-up for the past couple days because we are finally online again. The short version of the story of why it's been so long is that we moved and didn't want to get cable internet access again. We looked into alternatives, really liked one, but they don't service our area yet! So, we broke down and called the cable guy again. I'm so glad. I got to read A LOT of sweet and lovable birthday wishes from October on my Facebook page and got to send out Christmas blessings to friends who wished me merry last month. I'm only a little late in the New Years hoopla, and got to laugh, cry and groan while catching up on my blog buddies' posts.
I'm so happy to be back on here and have lots to share. One sad note is that my camera is missing. Either I lost it (how, where, I don't go anywhere!?!) or it was stolen out of my van. Seems unlikely, but I don't keep it locked and I may have left it in there. So, for now, no current pictures unless you can all stand my cell phone photos. Not pretty.
Fun time of my day is that I took all 3 of my daughters for a girls' time out to Downtown Disney. We just meant to go to the 3D showing of Tangled, but arrived late due to rain and had to hangout till the next showing. What's a girl to do in Downtown Disney for 2 hours? Shop & snack! We hit the Lego store, the princess end of the Disney emporium (that's what I call it), and shared a big Rocky Road sundae at the Ghirardelli soda fountain. Fun! I have to say it was pretty cute looking at Sabina sitting pretty in her 3D shades and licking a long unicorn lollipop. Plus, Cecelia & Keliah were in their sparkly cool outfits and dancing their Hannah Montana hearts out along the wet walkway of Pleasure Island. Singing in the Rain style. Moments to treasure.

Double Edged Sword

I am so excited to be an aunt again! This is my newborn niece, Hope. Her momma is my sister Holly. She was born Monday evening after a WAY TOO LONG labor, but short delivery. A big baby at 9 lbs, 6 oz, the is healthy and doing very well. The pregnancy went smoothly and there were no anticipated problems.

However, when she was born, it was discovered that her right ear is somewhat different. When I talked to Holly on Tuesday, she said, "She was born without an ear canal. They are going to run tests to see if her inner ear is developed, or not." Yesterday, they did an ultrasound on her kidneys and heart. They were only concerned about the kidneys because they develop at the same time as a baby's ears. They also did x-rays to see if there was evidence of genetic problems that could affect her ear. All these tests came back with great results! She is totally healthy. Her daddy, Michael said, "It just looks like she has a wrinkle over her ear." Now, they have to wait for an appointment with a specialist to find out about her inner ear.

Now, being an intercessor and a part of the Orlando House of Prayer, as soon as I heard those first words from Holly, I started praying for that sweet baby. In fact, I was already praying for her because of health problems my other niece had as a result of a traumatic birth. But when I found out about her ear, I mobilized! I sent an email prayer request to the OHOP missions base; I sent out emails to family and close friends; I got on Facebook and Myspace to spread the word out across the country further than I know. This baby girl, Hope is being lifted up for health, creative miracles in the name of Jesus!

Hope is a gift from God - creative miracle in herself! She is fearfully and wonderfully made. She is already a blessing to so many. And yes, it is tragic for her and my sister's family to have to deal with this, but there is another side to this. Right now, there are so many people praying for her, interceding for her, investing their heart in her, that she will always be blessed & loved!

And, personally, I am already blessed by Hope! :D

Please, when you read this, say a prayer for my little niece. You can never get too much of a good thing.

Verse for the Day:
James 5:16 "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."