Thursday, June 19, 2008

Prayer Request

I know a lot of you are getting ready for "She Speaks" and may not see this, but I wanted to go ahead and share it for those who might. I'd like to ask for prayer for my Mother-in-law, Millie. (This is she and my Father-in-law, Bob.)


We just learned she has a major blockage in the main artery in her leg (when I say major, I mean from her hip to her knee). She will need bypass surgery. At present, they are trying to get it scheduled with the surgeon.

Sometime in mid-late May, she hurt her shin. Not sure if it started as a cut or bruise. It continued to get worse rather than healing. She finally agreed to see the doctor. He sent her to a wound specialist, which was very unpleasant, and it still was getting no better. Finally, they requested an MRI. That's how they discovered the blockage. The wound isn't healing because the blood flow to her lower leg has been stopped.

She has enjoyed great health for years. I was never certain of her real age until now...she's 88. Up until last fall, she wasn't on any medication of any kind for anything! In the past three years, she has had three different surgical procedures and her recoveries have been long and hard on her. She does not want to have this procedure, but she really has no choice. Her doctor said the alternatives are heart attack, blood clot, stoke or gangrene (from her wound). Not very good alternatives.

Part of our concern is for her spiritual well-being. She has always been disinterested in things of faith. Tom's Dad is a devout Catholic, so she agreed they would raise their kids that way, but she had no active role in the family's spiritual development, and rarely attended mass with them. As adults, Tom and one of his sisters have really grown in their faith and embraced Christianity as a way of life. Over the years, they've both tried talking with her, Tom's Dad has tried talking to her, I've tried talking with her...all with seemingly minimal (if any) results. Even when several of her close friends found Christ, she wanted nothing to do with it. She doesn't believe she's a sinner. When you try and tell her the Bible says we're all sinners, she simply ignores the authority of the Bible. She has attended many of our church's productions for Easter and Christmas where they always share the plan of salvation and pray the sinner's prayer. It is our prayer that on one of those occasions, she has prayed silently along with our Pastor and just maybe hasn't shared it with any of us, because of pride. If she hasn't, maybe having this procedure will be enough to finally convince her of her need for Christ. It's hard to think about not seeing someone you love in eternity.

Again, I would so appreciate your prayers. I'll keep you posted.

**UPDATE (6/20): I spoke to Millie earlier tonight and learned they have an appointment with the surgeon for one week from today 6/27. I don't believe this is the surgery date...but rather a pre-surgery appointment. (I was a bit surprised they aren't operating right away.) Instead, she's resting at home. A nurse comes to their house each day to check and re-dress the wound. Please continue to keep her in your prayers.**

9 comments:

Sarah@Life in the Parsonage said...

Saying a prayer now, that God would bring her to the point of salvation, and that your whole family would be able to rejoice in it :)

In Him,
Sarah

Yolanda said...

I read your note on Lelia's blog so I came to read about the "mixer". God is so good, and I appreciated your note of bragging on God.

Lovingly,
Yolanda

Becky said...

Awww, Tracy...I'll be praying for your mother-in-law.

Take heart, friend...sometimes it is these very things the Lord uses to finally get through to our loved ones. I had a great uncle, who at 92 was agnostic. He was a good man who had been a patriot and faithful husband to his wife who had suffered early onset Alzheimers for years, but no matter how much my grandma and her sister tried to explain to him that he fell short, he just refused to budge.

My grandma had been praying for his salvation for over 60 years. At long last, the Lord used some health problems, a long stay in the hospital, and a 'mystery' hospital chaplain with a foreign accent (they never did find out who he was, because the hospital didn't have any knowledge of the man) and his two faithful prayin' sisters to finally open his eyes. At 92years old he finally understood, and placed his faith in Jesus as his Lord and Savior. Two weeks later, he went to be with Jesus.

On the one hand it gave me goosebumps to think how close he'd come to puting off the Lord and entering a Christless eternity...but on the other hand, it was wonderful to think that for 92 years the Lord pursued him relentlessly, extending His mercy time and time again.

My grandma reported that she saw a marked difference in his countenance after his conversion....he was radiant. He told them he finally understood, and had prayed the sinner's prayer with the "chaplain". It still thrills my soul to know that in his last couple of weeks of life, he wanted to tell everyone that came to his hospital room about Jesus.

All that to say...there is hope!

Phyl said...

Praying now.

Shirley Mary said...

Tracy, I just read about your mother-in-law and your concern for her both physically and spiritually. I will join the others in prayer for her. I just thought about the scripture:

"Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."
Romans 8:26

I have found myself using that scripture many times when it's hard to know exactly how to pray for a real need.

mary

Tricia said...

I will pray...

Susan said...

Hey Traci,

I will be praying for your mother in law. I'm so sorry she is having to go through this.

Thanks for stopping by today!

Oh, hope your hubby had a great birthday.

Blessings♥

Addicted to Beadz said...

Hey Tracy,

I just saw this post on your MIL. I will definitely keep her in my prayers. God may be using this to speak to her. Also, they may be using medications for the short term until they can do surgery.

Thanks for visiting and your kinds words as well.

Keep me posted. I'll be checking back.

Cheryl

Kay Martin said...

Be encouraged on Millie's salvation. My mother in law was active in church but she had no personal relationship with the Lord. She admitted to me a few years before she died that she knew she was missing some of what God had for her. She read books, we prayed and 5 days before she died she KNEW the LOrd up close and personal. Never, never, never give up! Love you blog...your heart shines through.