Please pray for Joanne

My dear bloggy friends I have a prayer request for Joanne Heim. Joanne suffered a major stroke on January 11. She was taken to the hospital to undergo surgery to relieve swelling in her brain. She is currently in a deep medical coma, as they wait for her swelling to subside and in order that her body may rest and heal. Her family has been through an emotional roller coaster this week. I am asking you to lift up her and her sweet family at this time.

I happened upon Joanne through my friend Janna at Mustard Seeds, whom I've been reading for several years now. I have been blessed by Janna's friendship and when I read that one of her dear friends Joanne was in need of prayer I felt the need to join her in prayer as well. I was not familiar with Joanne's blog or that of her sister Kristen's before now, but, I kept feeling the Lord impress upon me to pray for Joanne and her family. I even asked the Lord to show me how to pray for them more specifically, and as I kept checking in at Janna's blog, she provided updates, a post written by Toben, Joanne's husband, and a link to Kristen's blog for more information. God is so good. I've never considered myself a prayer warrior, but, if you ask the Lord to lead you out of your comfort zone and give you direction, He most certainly will. So, I'm asking you to step out with me and help in lifting up Joanne in prayer. I am asking you not to read this and just keep going, because you don't know her personally. I don't either, but, I know she is my sister in Christ.

Janna so thoughtfully provided a list of Joanne's family members, so we could pray for each of the, by name. I am passing that along here as well.

Toben - Joanne's husband

Audrey - Joanne's 12 year old daughter

Emma - Joanne's 9 year old daughter

Kay - Joanne's Mother

Chuck - Joanne's Father

Kristen - Joanne's sister

Psalm 46 is the scripture that the Heims are claiming over Joanne.

God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.
Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,
though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,
the holy place where the Most High dwells.
God is within her, she will not fall;
God will help her at break of day.
Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;
he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Come and see what the LORD has done,
the desolations he has brought on the earth.
He makes wars cease
to the ends of the earth.
He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;
he burns the shields[d] with fire.
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”

The LORD Almighty is with us;
the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Psalm 57:1 is a passage of scripture I am praying over Joanne's family.

Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings until the disaster has passed.


I feel that not only is there power in prayer, but power in praying the scriptures over someone as we pray for them. Please pray, and feel free to visit any of the links above to read more about Joanne and her family and how things are progressing. Thank you.