Specific Prayers ...

UPDATE ON JULY 23, 2008:

... As Karen and I leave Virginia tomorrow morning to be with my failing mom in S.California, please pray for God to give us the strength to comfort those around us. My mom was recently diagnosed an aggressive cancer and has not long to live. As much as I would like to stay here in Va. and continue to heal and mourn...We need to go and be with my brothers and sister to help escort her to the arms of Jesus.. She may be one of first of family to see Joey.....Thanks to all of my praying family and friends everywhere.. Your comments and love have carried us both through the darkest time of our lives....Safe in the arms of Jesus...are my Father Joe, My son Joseph,and soon my mother Dolores...... Joe

***

Note written on 7-1-08: I just added a button on the sidebar to link here for those who want a list of specific prayers they can pray for the Johnsons. Some of the ones listed below had already been answered. However, instead of me always editing this or always coming up with an updated list, I encourage you to pray as the Spirit leads. Thank you.

***

While we are all waiting for the details of the Memorial Service here on Maui, and while they are preparing for the Memorial Service in LA (to be held tomorrow), I thought I'd post some specific items we can pray for the Johnsons:

1. Pray for the Memorial Service on Sunday in LA. That all things planned will go smoothly. Pray for Rachel as she does the slide show. Pray for God to be glorified as they remember Joey’s life, and that some of their family and friends who have not accepted Jesus will do so through this. (Thank you Lord for answering this prayer. The service was perfect)

2. Pray for health and physical strength. Grief is tiring. Fatigue is setting in. Pray that they would not neglect rest, and when they try to rest, it will come. Pray for a restful sleep when they sleep.

3. Pray for Jamie and Joanne. They have a very profound close relationship with their brother Joey. There will be a void that will not be filled. Pray for comfort for all the Johnsons family, including Drew, Shaun and all of Joey's nieces and nephews (as you all already are…)

4. Pray for Spiritual Discernment to be strong in the family. Yesterday I sensed a “spiritual battle raging” in my head as satan was accusing me of “being too dramatic and using the Johnsons’ grief for my own blogging satisfaction and glory (which is not true)”. There were many accusations in my head and I had to pray for the Lord will take it away. He did. Then came the assurance from the Holy Spirit that I am ministering to the Johnsons. If I am experiencing this kind of spiritual battle, even more so are Karen and Joe. There will be times when satan will sneak in their heads and tell them that God is mean because He took away Joey at an early age. And so let’s pray for protection for the Johnsons family against these kinds of attack. And when they do have to battle, pray that the armor of God will always be in place and that they will be victorious.

5. Pray for Karen and Joe’s marriage. There will be times when the hurt will transform to anger, and the anger will land on whoever is closest. Pray that no divisions will rise up between them, and that they will feel fully united in their sorrow.

6. Pray for God to allow their grief to be distributed....as you read these words, you may feel called to volunteer yourself through prayer to be a "carrier" of their grief. Losing Joey caused pain beyond words, and having many of us bear the grief together with the Johnson family would be helpful.

7. Pray for patches of joy in a bleak, seemingly hopeless fog.

8. Pray that God would bless Karen and Joe with erasing the memories from last night that they received the terrible news of Joey’s passing away and the grief of not being there when it happened.

9. Pray for Rachel, Joey's girlfriend, for comfort in this time of pain. May their mutual friends gather around her and be of support to her.

10. Pray for those who do not know our great God...that the testimony and the hearts of Joey, as well as Karen and Joe, would minister to them in such a difficult time, and that they will desire to know more of Jesus.

To God Be the Glory!

***