Today, before we discuss this pattern of prayer that theLord was teaching to His disciples, I need to ask all our friends to once againpray for our grandson, Luke as he is scheduled to go back into surgery thismorning at the University of Virginia Medical Center. Yesterday while at adoctor’s appointment with Luke, Kimberly noticed the place was extremelyswollen on his head where a shunt valve is located. She immediately took Luketo the hospital ED where the MRI showed that there was a lot of fluid aroundthe valve indicating something was broken.
After our visit and consultation with the doctor at theChildren’s Hospital in Boston a couple weeks ago, they had already decided if somethinglike this happened Luke would go to UVA Medical Center for his next surgery. I’mnot sure at this point exactly what time that surgery will take place thismorning, but we sure would appreciate all your special prayers for wisdom forthe surgeons and medical personnel that will be working with Luke. We areconvinced that your prayers have taken care of him this far and will continueto carry him through this time too. Again, we can’t thank you enough for yourprayers and support for Luke, Kimberly, Chris and our family during this time!
Kimberly is pretty good with keeping us all updated withher Facebook post at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/744992976946015
Today, I also want to take a couple minutes with this postto ask you to celebrate my spiritual birthday! It was on this day, 54 yearsago, February 21, 1971, at about 4 o’clock on a Sunday afternoon, in CincinnatiOhio, that the most important thing in my life happened. For several weeks Ihad been under Holy Spirit conviction for my sin and the burden and guilt ofthem had been very heavy upon me. After church that morning, I finally foundthe courage to call Dr. Harold Rawlings and ask him if I could come by his houseand talk with him.
I honestly can’t remember all the details of ourconversation except telling him that I was a wicked sinner and was going tohell. He asked, what did I want to do. I do remember breaking down weeping andsaying, “I don’t want to go to hell.” We got on our knees, and I really can’trecall what I prayed but I’ll never forget getting up and immediately experiencinga peace with God, forgiveness for my sin, and a joy I never had before. The bigempty spot down in my soul was gone and has never come back!
I recall walking out of his house feeling like for thefirst time in my life I was not walking in darkness and could see! I’ll neverever forget that day and I’m so thankful for Dr. Harold Rawlings taking thetime to be there and in his kind and gentle way lead me to my faith in JesusChrist and the cross! One of the first evidences of my salvation was that myfoul mouth was transformed. The cussing stopped immediately. With a new heart Ireceived a new mouth! It was amazing! I went to church that evening and at theend of the service I was baptized by one of the pastors named Bill Talley, (thatas a teenager I never particularly cared for). But that didn’t matter anymore!I wanted to be obedient and let the world know that Jesus saved me with this publictestimony of baptism!
As a new believer, only 19 years old, working on a constructionjob with a large group of my very ungodly and wicked men, I knew my great challengewould be dealing with the old temptations of the flesh and sin. The very first verse in the Biblethat I memorized was: 1 Corinthians 10:13
This promise assured me that no temptation would come myway that I would not be able with God’s grace to face and deal with. I am sothankful for God’s faithfulness in my life. I’m sorry to have to admit that Ihave failed the Lord many many times, but He has never failed me!
Thanks for your prayers today: (I just received word thatLuke’s surgery is scheduled for 7:30 this morning.)
God bless!
