Hello all,

I am requesting your prayers for my friend Charlotte and her family and I thank you in advance!

I heard some bad news yesterday and thought the story behind it might be of interest to you.

Charlotte was so excited earlier this week about the approaching days. Her 22 year old son John (who was born and raised in nearby, graduated from the local high school and grew up in the same home that his mom grew up in.) was scheduled to be coming home today from Iraq. He went to Iraq in August, 2005 and it's been a long year for John's family. Charlotte received word that he was in Kuwait earlier this week and would be home soon.

John's parent's, Charlotte and David and his two sisters Annie and Ricci have waited patiently for the year to pass spending many hours praying for his safe return. It's been a tough time to go through, but love and faith got them through the year!

As my son's mom, I feel so blessed to have my son safe in my home, I can't imagine how hard it must be to have your beloved son in a country at war. I count my blessings and pray for John.

In addition to his family here, John met the love of his life, Kaylee while in basic training. While in Iraq, Kaylee gave birth to their very tiny premature baby Lily. Kaylee and Lily are back in Alaska now, but before Lily's birth, Kaylee came to stay with John's family so that they could help her through the tough time and not have to be alone. That's the kind of family John comes from. Kaylee needed family, and John's family opened their arms, hearts and home and welcomed her to their family.

Since moving back to Alaska with baby Lily, Kaylee has been working really hard planning a wedding to celebrate their love, their future and all that they have endured. The wedding was planned for early September... giving time for John to have quiet time to spend time with Lily and Kaylee and to readjust to life after Iraq. Kaylee had booked the room for the wedding and the reception, sent out the invitations etc, etc .... and despite the feelings of exhaustion due to 1) planning the wedding on her own 2) being a first time mom and 3) having her man so far away... she kept pushing on because she could actually see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Yesterday afternoon, Charlotte received the news that John would not be coming home this week (backed up by news reports on CNN). The decision was made to extend the tour of his brigade by 120 days. The plane that they were planning to board in Kuwait that would take them all to Ireland and then to Alaska was cancelled. Instead, 3500 service men and women were told that they were going back to the war for 120 more days. In addition, not only were they returning to Iraq, but they were now going to Baghdad because of all the turmoil, a far more dangerous city than where they had been.

3500 men and women who had done their best to help the situation in Iraq, had served their country well, and were on their way home to the love and support of families like John's family, families who were on top of the world knowing their worries were over.

In the blink of an eye, the knowing turned to fear. These families had worried and prayed for nearly a year and felt so fortunate to be among the lucky parents and family members who could welcome their sons or daughters home and know they were blessed to get to see them again. Now that sense of fortune is back on hold and their prayers continue.

In some circumstances, 120 days is not a long period of time... but for these families who have spent a part of each day in prayer, another 120 days now seems like an eternity.

John's family and the many families all over our country need our support and our prayers.

I went to a seminar with Charlotte last night and she is having a really tough time with the news. She has stayed strong throughout the time he has been away knowing that the light at the end of the tunnel would shine today. She felt like if she (and he) could just make it to this week, all would be okay. How tough it must be to have to re-convince yourself that you can be strong for another 4 months when you didn't know if you could make it thru to this week! Thank God that Charlotte and her family's faith in God is strong. They will make it through and he'll be home soon!

Please keep Charlotte, David, John, Kaylee, Lily, Annie and Ricci in your prayers!

thank you and God bless you!
Donna

Hi, Donna: My sister has started a prayer circle for all in the service. Her son is in Kwaj and has not been called to serve in Iraq and for that we are thankful. We still have three boys in the family who would soon be passing at WP and we dread the missions they would be sent to thereafter. We shall pray for your friend's son and his family as we have done for all those in similar situation. A candle forever burns until they come home.

Thank you Lola,

And God bless your sister for starting a prayer circle for all our service men and women.

I'll add the boys in your family to those I am praying for. So many families are under stress as they wait for their children, spouses etc to return home. We keep all in our prayers.

I am also praying for the ones who stay behind and worry who begin to wonder about the power of prayer. I am saddened when I hear my friend doubting her faith and pray that she'll have the strength to trust in God.

Also in our prayers are all the innocent casualties of this war. it pains me deeply to see the wounded children.

Lastly and perhaps most importantly, I pray for peace.

thank you for the candle!
Donna

My nephew returned from Iraq this past spring and I understand the angst the families go through, and I'm sure in particular the wives and mothers. My sister is still recovering from the stress of having her son in a war zone. While he was gone, she couldn't have any fun, she asked me if my son was in the hospital, could I go out and have fun? No. Sometimes my family meets at the local tavern/pizza place and she usually wouldn't go. That's what it feels like for these moms and wives.

In addition to that, the year before, one of his Marine buddies killed himself after my newphew's birthday party.

Donna, I will pray for Charlotte and her family.

Thank you Daisygirl,

John came home on an emergency leave when the baby was born due to the premature birth and he showed signs of the impact of war. When he would be in a car with Kaylee, she noticesd he was always looking at the roofs of checking for the enemy.. It must be such a horrific experience.

I can only imagine what your sister was going through each day that he was gone. God bless all those Moms... I would hope to have that same courage... God willing I won't have to be tested!

Thanks again for your prayers...

Donna

I am happy to lift up all those familes mentioned in this post.

Here is a prayer from one of my prayer books that I have underlined a couple times during this war. God bring us peace in our world.

Gracious Father,
we pray for peace in our world:
for all the national leaders
that they may have wisdom to know and courage to do
what is right;
for all the men and women
that their hearts may be turned to yourself
in the search for righteousness and truth;
for those who are working to improve international
relationships,
that they may find the true way of reconciliation;
for those who sugger as a result of war:
the unjured and disabled,
the mentally distressed,
the homeless and humgry,
those who mourn for thier dead,
and especially those who are without hope or firend
to sustain them in their grief.

Baptist Peace Fellowship

ANd I add...

God of peace, please hear our prayers and the prayers of those in the midst of war.

I've added the family to my prayer list and will earnestly pray for not only his safe return to his loving family, but the safe return for all. I have two boys and I put myself in their place, if only for a few minutes. I can tell you that even though it was just a mental exercise, it scared and saddened me, and unnerved me. My heart goes with them all.

JJ

I didn't want to cover this thread so will just add a request to it.

There is a woman from my site who lost her sister due to domestic violence, homicide/suicide. It was just awful and the sister of the one who commited this act, has been in awful health since this happened.

Now, she is due for surgery Aug. 22nd for breast biopsies. I'm very worried about her. Please add her to your prayer list. Her name is Sharon.

Will add Sharon to our prayer circle, Dianne.

I am adding my name to the circle of prayer for all.
luv chick