Practical Serious Response to a Request for Prayer

 I just read your prayer request today, but had I read it in March, my response would have been the same. I do not want to try to 'pray away' any trials, suffering or difficulties you or your family is going through. The concept of prayer is very serious, but far too many people try to pray against the will of the LORD, and I am not going to take that chance.

Indeed, I do know what it is to suffer from shortness of breath,  fear and trembling when doors were shut on me when I sought peace and safety. I suspect more people have laughed at me than have prayed for me in the past years, but a few such as Dean Noonan (back in 1995) and Herb Coussons, the doctor who performed my hysterectomy (after my only visit to France) with perfection and helped my problems with anemia to be eliminated, prayed with me and for me i earnest.  Since math is my strong point, I did a bit of math involving Peter's epistles. it seems that if a day is as a thousand years, that  about a half an hour of silence in heaven is about 20.83 YEARS, which is about how long it has been since  we moved to Mosinee in the fall of 1996. I believe this is going to be pivotal year, and it often does seem like only about half an hour since we packed up and moved from Delaware Street to 1602 Mary Lane in fear and anxiety, not with very much joy or hope.

I do pray for many things, and because of that I have been blessed with the restoration of a sound mind, often a brilliant attitude toward my enemies and a very loyal love for my trusted companions and friends that have chosen to stand by me and with me in very difficult hours.

'How long. O Lord?' might actually be almost 21 years of patiently waiting for the dispensation of the wrath of my God on those who refused to believe men like Moses, Eldad and Medad and who have chosen to form their own religious systems. If I meet my granddaughter  currently known as Havalah Hendrikson' in person, I will pray for her on that day without regret and without hypocrisy. Names change, and so do hearts that have been either softened or hardened by intentional tests that my God, , known as Yod Hey Vav Hey' or HVHY as a short right to left English translation, delivers to the nations in the time or the most crucial hour of testing.. An hour of testing to HVHY might be like 42 years on earth. Prophecy is not to be discarded just because it seems unfavorable at times.

I love you, and am very concerned about you, Richard.  I continue to be God-fearing as a church of Philadelphia mindset should be, and thankfully I will never again be counted with the liars, whoremongers,  fearful or unbelieving even though I might be surrounded by them from time to time.