Lisa, Noah and I are hanging in there fine and we are daily good, bad, and everything in between. So, you can always pray for us, but for this next stretch of time I have another request.
A few weeks ago I had the privilege of meeting Don and Donna Cheney at Hunter Vision. They have gone to Northland for a while and came to see us and go through the Hunter Vision experience. In just a few short minutes I grew to love them. Donna sat in the lobby and talked with me about the struggles of losing her father and we shared stories. Don sat and talked with me while Donna was with Dr. Hunter and I loved it. That man is comfortable talking to anyone! It was a blessing to me that day.
Just today I got a message from Donna. She asked if I would pray for Don. Don was diagnosed this week with ALS and has been given a prognosis of 18 months. They are still trying to digest the news, but I wanted to get this news to every prayer warrior I know and have them start praying. They face a tough battle ahead, but our God is big and He absolutely can beat any disease. I want to be the one asking for prayer for someone else for a while. They need it. Ava is good now and I told you last night that you showed me...it matters that we take our time and give it to those who are hurting. So, here we go. Please join with me and pray for Don. Pray that this disease will just be gone immediately, pray that God will be glorified, and pray for Donna that she have the strength to walk this road by his side.
Thanks friends. As I said, It matters. Time to lock and and pray for my friends. Who's with me?
I'm with you...
ReplyDeletePraying...
ReplyDeleteI am. Pop and I are praying for Don. Love you, Josh!
ReplyDeletePraying for Don!! And Donna!!
ReplyDeletewow..im praying..you are amazing!!
ReplyDeleteCount me in too, Josh ... praying for Don and Donna - and for others to join in.
ReplyDeletelove,
-pats
We are, have been, always will be!
ReplyDeleteJosh- I will certainly pray for Don and Donna. Will you pass on some information to them. There is a man at All Saints Healing Ministry @ All Saints Church in W. Pk. who has been healed of ALS. It was a miracle from God that he shares openly. He is the director of the ministry and you can look online or call the Glennon House and they would know how to contact him. He obviously has a heart for those with ALS. They can also tell you about the healing service that takes place on Tues. @ 6:00. I'm a Northlander and used to attend regularly, and it's an awesome service with loving, caring people. May the Lord at this very moment flood Don with His healing presence, and give Don and Donna His peace and strength. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen. Still thinking and praying for all of you. God bless you and keep you. I forgot to tell you his name: Don Jaeger
ReplyDeleteYes Sir! Count me in!
ReplyDeleteJen
I'm with you! Already posted it on my profile! Praying for you Don and Donna!
ReplyDeleteJosh,
ReplyDeleteYou can count on me...praying God's Word over Don...making much over the precious blood that was shed for all of us on Calvary...by HIS stripes WE are healed...This scripture is written in past tense...so to me this means...it is finished, it is done in Jesus's name. Amen...
I forgot to seign the post above...
ReplyDeleteLove and many prayers... Jamie Parke
i am
ReplyDeletePraying for Don.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely with you! I continue to pray for you and your family and will also pray for Don and Donna. Your a special guy Josh - if you only knew the impact you have on those around you, it is amazing. Thanks for sharing this story so we can pray and for caring about others.
ReplyDeleteJosh, I'm with you! I will keep both Don and Donna in my prayers. I will also continue to pray for the Hunter family. In Christ's name..Amen
ReplyDeleteCount on me for prayers.....
ReplyDeleteCount some northern islanders in on the crusade. Prayers coming down from Ohio to all.
ReplyDeletePeace, Blessings & Joy!
Please, please, please have them contact Pamela Resnick at the UCF Communication Disorders Clinic and FAAST Center to get set up with an AAC device. The sooner they do it, the more proficient Don will become with it and will be able to communicate until his final days. You can find more information here: http://www.cohpa.ucf.edu/clinic/
ReplyDeletePrayers to you and their family.
Josh, Cory and I are praying and praying hard for this family!
ReplyDeleteMandi
I'm with you Josh! Praying for Don and his family!!
ReplyDeleteJosh,
ReplyDeleteLifting up Don and Donna in prayer and also continuing to pray for the Hunter family!! May God be with each of you filling all your empty spaces with his love, peace, joy and strength! Loving all of you and loving that during this time of healing you are asking for prayers for others. You are such an amazing family!
Blessings to each of you,
Shannon and Mark Simonson
Bless you Josh, Lisa, Noah, for thinking and praying for Don and others as you have such a heart ache. I pray for you all continuously and I will pray for your friends. Know I pray for our Lord Jesus to wrap you in His arms and give you comfort. Bless you and your entire family as I realize times are hard and my heart aches for Don and his family and my heart aches for you and your entire family.
ReplyDeleteThank You Josh for sharing. I will be praying for Don and Donna. Sharon Webb
ReplyDeleteIt would be my honor to pray for these new friends of yours. Thanks for asking!
ReplyDeletemy uncle was diagnosed with als at 35 years old and they gave him 6 months to live. he ended his battle at 41 years old, just over 6 years later.
ReplyDeletei know how heartwrenching this illness can be and how it can affect a family.
my uncle was a good man -- he stared als in the face and laughed -- he refused to allow the illness to take his temperament and sense of humor. he was sad to leave his wife and kids but ready to be with Jesus.
we're praying for don and donna for sure. we pray don will have the perseverance and strength to never give up the fight.
i hope they both know they're not in this alone.
thanks for posting this josh.
Yes prayer warriors keep their battle gear on and ready to march so here we go with you on another journey for Don! Always count us in! Thank you for the prayers for Larry my son's Dad he made it through brain surgery!Yes we count it a privilege to always join in the army of prayer! Always thinking of your family as well! God Bless tonight and always!
ReplyDeleteLisa & Jim Hughes and Marissa
I will be praying for Don and Donna and their family. Also, continuing to pray for your family.
ReplyDeleteAs for me and my house - we will join you in prayer!
ReplyDeleteJosh..
ReplyDeleteWe will join you in prayer and I will post it on my Facebook status to have others join in.
We also continue to pray for your very special family.
Praying and believing...Don will be healed by our most glorious God!!!
ReplyDeleteJosh-
ReplyDeleteI'm with ya........100%
How awesome of you to have enough faith to realize Ava is good now, and others on this side need help. I'm not surprised @ all. Your family continues to amaze and inspire me. My trials have lasted 15 months and because of the Hunter's; your blog's, Northland Church (I love to hear your dad preach) and Summit Church I'm learning more about the love of our wonderful loving God. Not to dismiss, in the least, my wonderful church-GCC! Love the Beeson's as well!
Thanks to you all and lets get this prayer chain going for Don & Donna Cheney.
In Christ's Love-
Jody
I prayed today. I will again.
ReplyDeleteI will pray for Don and Donna and continue to pray for you and your family Cindy
ReplyDeleteMy heartfelt prayers are lifted to heaven's door for Don and Donna...and as always, for your precious family as well dear Josh. Our hearts are joined in grieving a love so great, that only God could understand it's depths. You are loved dear Hunter family...beyond any words.
ReplyDeleteOnce again, I see the powerful movement of the "Body of Christ". I will keep Don & Donna in my prayers. May the peace of God surround them and continue to surround the Hunters as well. God be with all of you.
ReplyDeleteI'm with you absolutely too! Thank you so much for sharing about your dear friends! I will be praying for Don & Donna with all my heart, as I do for you and your precious family. Josh, you are such a wonderful, wonderful man of God! You always deeply touch my soul with your Love for Almighty God, for your Beautiful Ava, for all your Amazing Family, and for all those Jesus places in your life! I send you and your whole family all my love and hugs! God Bless all of you in every way! Love & prayers always, Dawn DiBari
ReplyDeleteAlways thinking of you all. Hope each day brings you new strength, and love. You three truly are amazing examples of Gods love and faith. I look forward to reading about your day, and will definitely add D & D to my list of prayers.
ReplyDeleteWhat a gift God gave us when he taught us how to pray for others. Wishing you all a good night and a good hunt the next time you head out.
Precious Jesus, I ask for a miracle for this precious family!! Touch Don's body, mind and spirit and make him whole. Lord, may He know You in a greater way and invite you into his pain, as you walk with him thru this. Thank you Lord, for giving up Your life, so that we may live!!!
ReplyDeleteI am absolutely with you! One of my childhood friends just went through an ALS diagnosis of her 40 year old husband. I am sickened by news of another diagnosis. But, thank you for the reminder that our God is bigger than ALS and performs miracles. I will pray for both Don and Donna. God is using your family as a prayer vessel - I love that!
ReplyDeleteAlways praying...especially for the Cheneys...and...always believing...
Good morning Josh, Lisa, and Noah, my husband and I will continue to keep all of you in our prayers, and we will pray for Don's healing and Donna's strength as well. The power of prayer, there ain't nothin like it as they say where I come from. God is good ALL THE TIME. God Bless All of You. Scott and Kathy Chall
ReplyDeleteI'm with you Josh!! I will count it a blessing to pray for Don and Donna. Thanks for the chance to stand beside you in prayer!!
ReplyDeleteI'm praying, Josh...
ReplyDeleteAllie
i am too
ReplyDeleteMost definitly praying for Don , Donna and their family Josh........ Cindy Miller
ReplyDeletePraying right now!
ReplyDeleteI read your post and thought no, i cannot go through another gut wrenching sad story of another family suffering. I still cry almost daily for your family and i have never met you. I cry not because Ava is in heaven, but because i know you and your family hurt - more than we can even imagine, i cry because God's people do care for others and know how to show it in our broken world, i cry because so many people are suffering, I cry because i know God hears our prayers - they are in bowls like incense before the throne but we don't know how he chooses to answer them. So I read your blog and thought no, i am done with this blog, i can't bear anyone else's pain, i need to save myself for my own pain, but even as i thought it, i knew that it was not true. We are called to pray for others, and if it was me in Don and donna's shoes i would want your huge band of prayer warriors on my team, so yes, i will join you. Thanks for pushing me to be more like Christ.
ReplyDeleteJosh,
ReplyDeleteI will pray for this family and this hard news and that God would bless them with peace and surround them with His love.
-Megan Lallathin and family
Praying for their family and yours! Watching your faith and the faith of your family is a ministry in its self!
ReplyDeleteEchoing and joining in prayer for the Cheney family and continued prayer for yours.
ReplyDeleteThe great thing about praying for others is a side-effect is healing for your own soul!
ReplyDeleteI'm with you! Praying for Don and Donna. Still praying for Josh, Lisa and Noah.
ReplyDeleteErik
Just prayed for them and will continue to. God bless all of you.
ReplyDeleteThe Raffenauds are praying too!!
ReplyDeleteJames & Amanda
Josh, consider it done! I'll pray as fervently for Don as I did for Ava.
ReplyDeleteI am in friend!
ReplyDeleteIn the hospital with our baby today, Josh, and can't help but think about you. Hoping to be sent home with answers and healing... Been thinking of you and praying for your family since Ava's diagnosis. I know that God is going to use her/your testimony. He already has. Your strength and faith through this is beautiful. I don't have it (strength or faith)... at all.... I was in this same situation 3 years ago with my other baby that almost died in my arms... I panic and scream and cry. And you guys are so strong. I don't even know why I'm posting this to your site except that you faith is empowering to me at this moment. I'm scared too.
ReplyDeletePraying for for the Cheney's and for God to give them strength to fight this battle. May God continue to give you and your family strength as well.
ReplyDeletePrayers for Donna and Don........:)+
ReplyDeleteI'm blessed to join everyone in praying for Donna and Don....
ReplyDeletepraying...
ReplyDeleteHey Josh! Thanks for sharing, we'll be praying! Keep us posted.
ReplyDeleteI am! I will be keeping them in my prayer Journal. Thanks for letting us know of other ways we can pray. Blessings and love!
ReplyDeleteWith you for sure, Josh!!! I am still praying for you all too, of course!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post will pray for them every time I think of you and your family which is often Grace.
ReplyDeleteThank you all for your prayers. We are moving forward with different types of treatments for Don. We have investigated clinical trials, nutrition, total body cleansing. It is interesting to me that there is only ONE FDA approved drug for ALS and it only slows progression for up to 4 months. That is sad.
ReplyDeleteThere are only two clinical trials for ALS that are looking for a cure or to slow progression. The other trials are basically how to learn to deal with the disease.
We are praying God decides to heal Don this side of Heaven. Thank you every one of you for your prayers! We appreciate it.
I will absolutely be praying. I will be praying for Don and Donna everyday. Cindy Lehn
ReplyDelete