Update on the triplets (Eden, Zoe, and Juliana)

Friends, please continue to pray for the health of baby Juliana and for the parents of these three little sweeties who were born premature. Baby Zoe went to Heaven a few days ago, and Eden went to Heaven before her. I am so sorry, mom and dad :( We will be praying for Juliana to pull through and grow big and strong. Father, we pray that you will let Juliana stay with her mom and dad. Please help her to grow and thrive. Please protect her from all harm. We also pray that you will comfort dear mom and dad and give them the peace, hope, and strength that only You can give. In Jesus's name, Amen.

Visit Jen and Jason (mom and dad)'s blog: http://jasonandjenpayne.com/

Christmas cards for Noah

Readers, I have a special request to pass onto you:

Five year-old Noah Biorkman is in hospice and we need your help to make this the best Christmas ever by sending him Christmas cards! His family will be celebrating Christmas this weekend. Noah was diagnosed with Stage IV Neuroblastoma in February 2007. He went into remission in August 2007. In September 2008, Noah relapsed with lesions in his right arm and right leg. After going through six different trials, the cancer continues to spread. Noah is an angel and we are blessed to have him in our lives. Please help the fulfill the Biorkman family's wish to make this the best Christmas ever for Noah. You can send your Christmas cards to: Noah Biorkman c/o 99.5 WYCD 2201 Woodward Heights Blvd. Ferndale, MI 48220-1511

Please send Noah a Christmas card this week. God Bless you, Noah! I hope you have a wonderful Christmas with your family. We will be praying for you all :)

Donations needed for baby's funeral

I am putting the word out there to my friends and blog readers about the family who lost their precious baby boy last week and can't afford to pay for a funeral. Please read the entry "Prayers for provision" for more details about that. If you would like to help this family by sending a monetary gift, please click here to donate to baby Isaiah's fund.

Thank you,
Myah

Prayers for a full-term pregnancy

Please pray for an anonymous woman who since February has lost two of her babies in miscarriage. She is hoping and praying for a full-term pregnancy, and asking that you pray with her. Father, we ask you to please bless this grieving mommy with a safe and successful pregnancy. Please comfort her as she mourns the two little ones she has lost. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Prayers for provision

I received this prayer request today:

My mom volunteers with a hospice and has been paired for a few months with a young couple expecting their first baby. The baby was diagnosed with anencephaly. The mother received many of the same reactions you did from nurses and doctors when she decided to continue the pregnancy. She and many others were praying for miraculous healing. Baby (boy) was born last week. His parents were blessed to spend 8 hours with him before he went home to be with Jesus. My mom went to the hospital shortly after his mom gave birth. She said there was some difficulty with the extended family because they didn't understand the diagnosis and that nothing could really be done. After baby (boy) passed away, his mother was in shock and mourning that I can't begin to imagine. After all these months of emotion, this mother now has to bury her child and this is where my prayer request comes in. The funeral is going to cost around $7000. This is a low income family who has no idea where they will come up with the money to bury their sweet boy. My heart is breaking for this family I have never met and I have been racking my brain to think of a way to help. Please pray that God would provide for this family that they would be able to have a funeral and say goodbye to their baby. Pray for peace and comfort for them.

Father, please provide this family with the necessary funds to have a funeral for their baby boy. I cannot imagine what they are feeling right now as they want to have a funeral for him but don't have the means to pay for it. Please comfort them as they mourn the loss of their baby, and give them Your peace. In Jesus' name, amen.

Juliana, Zoe, and Eden

I am passing on this prayer request. Please pray for these little fighters! And please pray for mom and dad as they cope with loss of baby Eden.

Update written by Jason, the girls' dad:

4:22 PM - Juliana Skye 1 lb. 5 oz.
4:23 PM - Zoe Janine 1 lb. 2.5 oz.
4:24 PM - Eden Aurelia 1 lb. 3 oz.

Eden was born with a tracheoesophageal fistula and sustained a catastrophic brain hemorrhage the next morning. She passed away in our arms October 26 at 10:40 p.m.

Juliana and Zoe are both in the most critical condition. 24 weeks of gestation is about the youngest a baby can be and potentially survive. Here is their current status:

*Juliana:* She is stable. Her ventilator settings are low, which means she is breathing well, just needs a little assistance. They were able to start a drug to close her ductus so that her body can more efficiently use her oxygenated blood. The nurses call her a little superstar because of her progress. Despite her progress, she is still categorized in the highest category of critical condition and requires constant adjustment of her medicine.

*Zoe:* She had a life-threatening event on the morning of the 27th, but the NICU staff were able to stabilize her. She is on an oscillator for breathing and they are trying to rest her body. She has received several blood transfusions and is on different medicines. From the event yesterday, the head ultrasound has shown some serious cranial hemorrhaging. She is getting another ultrasound this morning to check again. She is receiving the maximum amount of care available and is in as precarious a position as one can be.

Prayers for a bereaved family

Please pray for a family who is grieving the sudden loss of their three-month-old baby girl. She went to Heaven on Tuesday night. I do not know their names but I can relate to their pain :(

Urgent prayer request: Erin's baby

Erin is in the hospital right now and she is asking for our prayers. Erin is 27 weeks along with a baby girl. She is having bleeding and cramping and the doctors suspect that the baby hasn't grown in the last three weeks. Please lift up your prayers for Erin and her baby. Father, please protect Erin's baby and help her to grow for a few more weeks! We pray for healing and protection in Jesus' name. Amen.

Three little wee babies

Today I was asked to pray for three little babies who were recently implanted into their adopted mother's womb. I personally don't approve of in-vitro fertilization treatments but if these babies were already created then it is good that they were implanted into an adoptive parent and not discarded. Please pray that all three of them will "stick" to mommy's womb and that all three will grow and thrive. I'm sure the doctors are only expecting one or two to survive, but it is very possible that all three will make it. So please keep these little ones in your prayers. Father, please protect these three vulnerable little babies through this process. We ask for your hand on the lives of these three children as they grow inside the womb, and even after they are born. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Updates/praise reports/prayer requests

I'm happy to report that everything is fine with Ashley's baby :) Thankfully she did not have a miscarriage and that is a pretty big miracle considering her symptoms.

Chloe was doing well the last time I heard an update from Nancy, but she still needs your prayers, so please continue to keep her in your thoughts and prayers (and remember, if you're on Facebook, there is a group you can join to see how baby Chloe is doing and find out how you can pray for her).

Twins Sam and Luke are still in their mommy's belly and coming along nicely! Sam has been diagnosed with anencephaly so we're praying that his mommy Harriet, daddy, and big sister can have lots and lots of time with him once he's born. As far as I know, everything is fine with Sam's brother Luke.

My friend Jennifer is over 11 weeks pregnant now and is at a higher than normal risk for pregnancy complications, so please pray for her little one as he (or she) grows. She had an ultrasound yesterday and everything seemed good! Go baby go :)

That is all for now... sometimes I receive prayer requests and then I never here any updates, and so I don't post updates here, but I'm sure that every prayer helps, even when we don't see the result. It is in God's hands after all. If you have a prayer request you'd like me to post, don't hesitate to email me. God Bless you!

Ashley and her unborn baby

Urgently asking for your prayers right now. Ashley is pregnant and just went to the ER for heavy bleeding. Father, please protect this little baby in Jesus' name. Please send us a mighty miracle. Amen.

Baby Chloe

I have been praying for a sweet baby girl named Chloe for a couple of months now. I am not sure if she has a defined health condition or not, but she has had health issues since birth and has had surgeries (poor little dear...). As you can tell I don't know very much about her, just that she is an incredible little girl who needs our prayers. She is such a cutie... if you have Facebook, please join the prayer group to receive updates from Nancy. Father, thank you for watching over Chloe and helping her to defy the odds over and over again. Please help her to grow and thrive, and give her and her family strength. I pray that you always keep Your hand upon her and watch over your little daughter. In Jesus's name I pray, amen.

Alyssia

Please pray for Alyssia and her unborn child. Alyssia is scheduled to have an abortion tomorrow morning, so I'm told. Please pray for God's immediate intervention! Father, I pray that you would help Alyssia to change her mind before it's too late. I pray that you will protect this little baby from harm, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Baby Ashley

I have received another prayer request for somone's family. Baby Ashley went to Heaven yesterday at only two days old. That is all I know... I am not aware of the situation but I was asked to post this prayer request and to pray for her family. Father, we don't know why Ashley was taken away from her family so soon, but we thank you for the two precious days that she was here. We pray for Ashley's family, and especially for mom and dad, and her siblings if she has any. Please comfort them with the assurance that little Ashley is in Heaven with you. May the peace of Christ rest on them now and always. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Baby Harley

Please pray for the family of precious Baby Harley. Harley went to Heaven on Monday night (August 24). She had Alper's Syndrom and was battling a case of pneumonia. You can read more about her at www.helpharley.blogspot.com. Father, please comfort Harley's family right now, especially mom and dad. Please be with them and now and bring them peace. Fill their hearts with joy, knowing that she is safe in Heaven, and help them to keep fresh all their memories of her. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Urgent prayer request - baby Kelly

Michelle writes:

"I want to ask you to pray for a friend of mine. Her name is Nancy ____ and she had her baby girl today, just before 11 this morning. Nancy was told that baby Kelly would not likely survive birth. She suffered strokes causing multiple complications after her twin died in the womb at the end of the first trimester. Nancy chose to continue with the pregnancy and has shown great faith in the Lord to see her through the uncertain pregnancy. I am not sure of all of the complication, but ultrasounds and MRIs showed that Kelly had very little brain function and that her brain stem was deformed and twisted and small. Her legs are deformed and crossed indian style. I think she also had kidney and heart issues. Little Kelly is currently defying all the doctors claims. She is still alive after 10 hours. She was a whopping 9lbs 15 oz. at birth and although she was born blue due to a low heart rate, she perked right up when she was put in momma's arms. She is trying to eat and seems to be doing well. Please say a prayer for them. Nancy and her husband, Jeff, prayed that they would get a few hours with Kelly before she passed. Thanks for your prayers."

Let's pray for baby Kelly! Father, please help little Kelly to keep defying the odds and please bless her family with many more hours with her. Please lay your hand upon her and bring healing to her body, and help her to thrive, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Another angel in Heaven

I'm very sad to say that little Nevaeh has gone to Heaven so soon :'( I am happy that Mia and her family got to spend one whole hour with their little angel, but so sad that they did not have more time with her. God, please comfort the Spiker family and help us to remember that Nevaeh is not lost, but is in Heaven with You, alive and well. I don't have any fear for our little babies who die so young, because I have confidence in Jesus Christ; that he receives them all with open arms. Thank you, Lord, for the precious moments Nevaeh's family spent with her while she was here on earth. Thank you for accepting her into your Kingdom and your loving arms. And thank you for the peace and joy that surpasses all understanding. Amen.

Mia and baby Nevaeh Grace

Tomorrow is a BIG day for Mia and her family. Tomorrow is Nevaeh Grace's birth day! Nevaeh has been diagnosed with anencephaly, so her mama is no doubt having mixed emotions right now. Please pray for Mia, Nevaeh, and their family. Keep them in prayer today and tomorrow whenever you can. We pray that everything will go smoothly with the c-section and that it will be a very happy birthday indeed! We pray that God will grant the Spiker family an "impossible" amount of time with little Nevaeh. We pray also for guidance once Nevaeh is born, and for the peace and joy that surpasses all understanding (the peace of Christ). We ask these things of you, Father, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Ryan

I just received an urgent prayer request and some terrible, terrible news...

A young man named Ryan (who is 14 and has autism) left yesterday morning on a camping trip with his dad and went missing. I was asked to pray for his safe return. Minutes later, I received an update that Ryan's body had been found, and that he had drowned.

Please pray for Ryan's family now, as they cope with the shock and the unimagineable pain of their loss.

Sam and Luke

Sam and Luke are twin boys who I've been praying for over the past several weeks. I am finally posting this prayer request for them and their family. Luke has no physical anomalies, but Sam has been diagnosed with anencephaly. I have seen ultrasound pictures of these boys and they are both beautiful. Luke looked very serene, while Sam looked like a feisty little guy! Momma Harriet says they are definitely rough-and-tumble boys inside her belly. Apparently peanut butter makes them hyper. Please pray for the safe delivery of Sam and Luke, and for the blessing of having time with Sam after he is born. I pray that both boys will get to home home with their mom, dad, and big sister, in Jesus' mighty name. Amen.

Aimee went to Heaven

Please lift up your prayers for Mary and their family, as they cope with the loss of little Aimee Nicole. She was and will always be a miracle.

Baby Amiee

Amiee Nicole was born at 3:06pm on July 25th. Like Faith, Aimee has anencephaly. And like Faith, she is pulling through nicely! Her mom says she is breathing very well on her own and cries when she wants something. She has a cleft palate (Faith did too actually) but is swallowing milk and eating pretty well. She chokes a little bit (it's harder for our babies to coordinate sucking and swallowing) but is doing just fine. She is even cooing, which is funny because normally babies wouldn't coo for a couple of months, but babies with anencephaly are often advanced in certain areas: cooing, smiling, and doing other things way before they are supposed to! Aimee's mother, Mary, is so so thankful for this miracle. Please pray for Amiee and her family... that God would bless them with many more days with their little sweetie.