Prayer Requests

A reader writes:

I have a prayer request. My mother (89) has had a stroke. It was a fairly mild one, but she is still sometimes confused. She also suffers from severe arthritis and high blood pressure that is almost impossible to control. My father (90) is bearing up, but I can tell he is worried and suffering as are all her children (there are 9 of us). I’m asking prayers for us all. It’s going to be a difficult time for our family, I fear.

Father, hear our prayer for your grace and healing, consolation and strength for this whole family through Jesus Christ. Mother Mary, pray for them.

Another reader writes:

I’d like to ask prayers for my family and especially my husband. He’s a victim of this fine IRS initiative to squeeze money out of people in your mother’s homeland.

He was brought to Canada by his parents at age six and thought he lost his U.S. citizenship when they gave up theirs to become Canadian citizens. When this story broke, he went to an immigration lawyer who told him (for several hundred dollars) that yes, he’s American.

Now he;s supposed to file eight years’ worth of back taxes, assess himself a penalty on “non-wilfully undisclosed” accounts, and “enclose a check for the full amount” which he estimates at $450,000. If the IRS is in a good mood, they could reduce it to as little as $90,000. Wow.

They can’t come after him for the penalty up here — but if he doesn’t pay, he can never take the risk of going to the States again.

This affects our children, too, since I’m also a dual citizen (though I was aware of that).

Anyway, we appreciate any prayers people can spare.

The peace of Christ to you and your family.

Father and Defender of the oppressed, grant your help to your servants through Jesus Christ to meet and deal with this challenge. Mother Mary and St. Joseph, pray for them.

Another reader writes:

Please pray for a 10-year-old boy who had laparoscopic surgery to remove his appendix and the doctor unknowingly nicked the main aorta to his legs/lower part of his body. He is on dialysis and fighting for his life. There is some improvement overnight but concern was about his legs because the blood flow was only 50% in one leg and not good in the other. He is too sick for the doctors to surgically deal with clots.

From the boy’s sister:

About a month ago, he woke up one morning and was talking to [his mom] and was very concerned about dying. This was not the first time he had felt this way. He told my mom that it scared him. She told him that it is scary but asked him if he was fully trusting what Jesus Christ did on the cross for his sins. He answered that he believed that, and that he trusted that. Mom said if you fully trust this, the Bible has promised that Christ would be with him even through the valley of death. And that death is actually a gain, to be with Christ in heaven.

Father, we ask that you would grant complete healing to this boy through Jesus Christ, as well as helping his family with your grace, consolation, and peace through the same Christ our Lord. Mother Mary, pray for all concerned.