For Johnny and Others

Johnny Farese is a man with a wonderful ministry. He has his own website which contains a wealth of useful information, and he faithfully emails devotionals, prayer requests, and various announcements on behalf of and to the Christian community on a daily basis. I don’t have the figures on how large his mailing list is, but I know that it’s HUGE. The thing that makes all of this so remarkable is that Johnny is completely bedridden and immobile with a condition called Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Actually, he uses speech recognition software to operate his computer. What a blessing this man is to so many of us.

I am one of those on his mailing list and get several emails a day. His name in my inbox is a staple. There have been a couple of prayer requests recently that have darkened our sunny days with the velocity of a summer thunderstorm. I know they have mine.

A few weeks back prayer was asked for a young couple who were married just last year. The husband’s oral cancer has spread and it all can’t be removed.

This morning, a woman was killed in an automobile accident, leaving a husband and two children and her father and mother, who some time ago had also lost a son in a car accident.

Also, on one of the blogs which I read, we were informed that a young wife, the mother of a one year old, has learned that her leukemia has returned. There are apparently few options left for her.

I don’t know any of these people personally, but it’s been hard to stop thinking about them. I know, too, there are many more in similar situations that I’ve not heard about. God knows them. He knows exactly who they are and what they are going through. These are the things that none of us can explain and we have to leave these dear people in His gracious hands. Thank the Lord for the privilege of prayer.

I had wanted to post a hymn this week and I can think of no better one than “Be Still my Soul”, one of my favorites. Instead of posting it, though, I’ll refer you to the Cyber Hymnal to read the words and hear the tune, as my eyes are very tired and I can’t really type any more. This hymn is dedicated to Johnny Farese and the three families mentioned. May they know the truth of the words:

Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In every change, He faithful will remain.