Prayers for Patrick

 Hey friends,

Want to throw out a prayer request.  One of our older R.O.C.K. boys, Patrick, was hospitalized on Saturday due to some stomach issues.  He has been sick for the past few months with what doctors thought was intestinal TB, yet tests done at several hospitals all tested negative.  They are now questioning if it’s a liver disease of some form.   He’s a very tall skinny guy, but has a bulged stomach that’s full of fluid that he almost looks like he’s 7-months pregnant, as well as his ankles and feet.  Doctors are questioning whether it would be helpful to drain it, because most likely the cause of the drainage is linked to a protein deficiency, and the fluid would just build up again.  

Mom took Patrick to a hospital in a town a couple hours away last Thursday to see some specialized doctors, but they won’t do anything until he goes back on the 20^th of July.  Based on his symptoms, however, they do feel like his condition could be untreatable.  There are many causes to these symptoms, so to target a specific solution can be challenging.  The doctor at the hospital where he is currently staying is a good doctor, and wants to monitor him for a couple days before they make any decisions of what to do next. 

Patrick is a very humble, quiet guy who has a strong faith in the Lord, but it’s very easy to become discouraged, especially with the news he received last week.  We are hopeful that during his stay, God will give the doctors wisdom on what to do next, and he will start to feel better.

Please lift Patrick up in your prayers for healing.  Just the other day he and I were discussing some scripture in Exodus where Jesus was telling the Israelites to worship the Lord, and he would take away any sickness.  I encouraged Patrick to live everyday in faith that the Lord will be close to him.  I love James 5:15 – “And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well, the Lord will raise Him up….”  Please join us praying in FAITH that Patrick will be completely healed of his illness. 

Thanks so much!  God bless your week!