Happy Week, Family!🕊
This week, The Lighthouse at Riverside Church family i had SO MUCH to praise God for!
💟 Damaris expressed gratitude for God keeping Wendell's brother, Lester, alive after his heart attack, and for helping him to recover, and knows that God will use this experience for good.
💟 Damaris also thanked the church family for their prayers for Jessie, Armando's son. His test results came back and he is negative for cancer, praise God.
💟 Wendell is extremely grateful for the prayers lifted up for his brother, Lester. He testified to how many things God had to synchronize in order for Lester top be brought BACK TO LIFE after suffering his heart attack. He knows God was the one who gave Lester his life back and he and his family are thankful to God. He asks that you continue to pray for Lester, his wife, Lilian and their two sons.
💟Carole praised God for her church family, for their care and prayers for Joel and his health, for Elijah and his return and for everyone who has been, and will be, part of the Weeks of Love for her family. She also praised God for our church leadership.
💟 Nelson and Angy both praised God for allowing Karina to spend these past few months at home with their family, for keeping Alejandro safe, and for his safe return in the next few days.
💟 Angy is grateful for the prayers of her prayer port for Vanessa and the resolution of her chronic headaches and the mystery they presented to the many doctors she had seen. On Thursday. Vanessa finally got a diagnosis, a treatment plan, AND the MUCH NEEDED RELIEF we had been praying for! Thank you, Jesus!
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Ruth praised God for the Bible Study we have been enjoying each Sabbath morning, and how it has helped Danielle to want to put her gifts to use adding service for the Lord.she also praised God that after two car accidents, both she and Danielle could see the hand of God moving to protect and surround them with His angels!
We are also praying for:
🛐 PLEASE KEEP THE FAMILY OF MICHAREN'S UNCLE, ISMAEL, IN YOUR PRAYERS. Sadly, Ismael passed away peacefully this morning. 💔 May God hold the family close.
🛐 Nancy is requesting prayer for the family of her cousin George, who passed away on Tuesday. May God grant them comfort and peace during their grieving process.
🛐 All dealing with and recovering from Covid and its many longterm effects. May they be restored completely.
🛐 Bianca is requesting prayer for a very dear family friend, named Mary. She is having heart surgery in 2 weeks, and is very frail as she is fighting rheumatoid arthritis. She is also a mom of three.
🛐 Genny, Vasthi's friends neighbor, who is not feeling well and in need of prayer.
🛐 John Vega, through his extended radiation treatment
🛐 Angy asked the church to keep praying for Jordan and his physical, mental and healing.
🛐 Vasthi requested prayer for Cedric, Mike and Jordan.
🛐 Vasthi also requested prayer for Sharon.
🛐 Seth’s upcoming eye surgery, scheduled for August. May the same Jesus who gave sight to the blind touch Seth's eyes with healing and improved sight.
🛐 Jackie, who was not feeling well and had no answers after a long stay at the Emergency Room. May God guide her to the right care and answers.
🛐 Nelly's grandson, Jordan, as he faces a very difficult time in his life. May anything God allows in his life bring Jordan closer to Him!
🛐 Pat asks her church family to pray that God will help her on her journey towards good health.
🛐 Nelly, and for answers to her health questions. May God grant her team of doctors the wisdom they need to figure out this mystery.
🛐 Bianca, Vishal and Sebastian Suri. Bianca returned to work remotely this week on a part time basis. May the Lord bless them with a smooth transition, especially for Baby Sebastian.
🛐 Rosa and her daughters, their husbands and their children.
🛐 Angelica, as she continues to walk through the doors God is opening for her.
🛐 Doris, and her daughters, Jackie, Amanda and their children, Skylar, Heaven Lee, Dorian, Zaire and Amir. May God keep working miracles in their lives.
knowing that God has always come through.
🛐 Anna Ortiz as she continues to battle cancer, and for her family as they support her.
Today's Devotional was shared by Kimberly. This is more timely than any of us realize, so thank you, Kim, for letting the Spirit nudge you. 🙏🏽🕊
I recently lamented to a group of friends that depression is at an all time high all around us. I am very concerned because it's like a pandemic within the pandemic.
Perhaps no one is sounding the alarm because we are missing just how pervasive depression has become all around us. I believe a big reason for that is our perception of what depression really is has been skewed. If we don't see people wrapped up in a blanket in a dark room, we miss it. That's what we have seen on TV and in movies, but believe me when I tell you, that's the exception and NOT the rule.
In the past few months, I personally have watched a coworker come in to work, looking well put together. I watch her command full attention of clients via Google Meets, and then go into the ladies' room to break down over her worries for her 4 year old and how he's being affected by this new normal. When I look into her eyes, I see fear, yes. But I also see something deeper.
It's what I see when the owner of my deli doesn't notice when I walk in some mornings because he's staring into space, probably worried about lost business.
I've seen it in the eyes of friends, family, and strangers. It looks like sadness sometimes. Worry other times. Despondency. Heartbreak. Even anger. These are feelings that may be new to these people. Maybe overwhelming to others. Exhausting. Frustrating. Lonely. These are feelings we should take note of. They depend on us.
I told Angelique this when I asked her if I could submit my thoughts: I'm grateful for this group trying to keep everyone else lifted up and encouraged. I think it's important that the Body of Christ NOTICE when someone is off or not themselves, and that then they offer a source of hope and help. God's Word is an important resource and I wanted to offer this very helpful list.
But keep paying attention. If the sadness or other symptoms of depression don't seem to improve, or get worse, please don't think they will just get better on their own. Do and say something to help begin the healing process. Jesus didn't pray for people as He went along. He said and DID something. Always.
Praying for those here fighting this illness. It's real and needs real solutions. Let's be part of that.
Much needed advice. Thank you !