Church of the Great God

Prayer Requests

Members wishing to have prayer requests posted should email David Grabbe.

New Prayer Requests:

09/11/2026 Kemp Family
09/10/2026 Witmer, Jacob
09/09/2026 Hunter, Rosalie (10)
09/07/2026 Grieb, Stefan
09/07/2026 Sakala, Musonda


   

Kemp Family

11-Sep-26

Ryan, jr. and Laurel write,

Jayne continues to make forward progress. She was able to walk in and out of her room in PT the past couple of days and her burn surgeon was able to discharge her from the intensive burn unit. She was moved to a rehabilitation hospital today where she will remain for the next 1-2 weeks while continuing to have regular appointments with her burn surgeon. The focus will be on more intensive physical therapy to help her regain mobility and rebuild the muscle strength she has lost during her prolonged immobility. They will also be working with her to increase her food intake and gradually get her body accustomed to eating solid food again. Her sister in law is there helping to get her settled today but will have to head home tomorrow. She is no longer in strict isolation, however she will be in PT for most of the morning and early afternoon and visiting hours are limited to Monday-Saturday from 4pm-8pm.

We are so thankful for the progress she continues to make and are hopeful that this next stage of rehabilitation will help her regain more strength and independence each day.

06-Sep-26

From Ryan Kemp, jr. and Laurel:

Robert had his final follow-up with the burn surgeons this weekend. They fitted him with a compression garment to help with the final stage of his recovery, and he will not require any further follow-up appointments. He still has a fair amount of wound care to do every day, but it will be nice not to have to make the trips back to Baton Rouge for appointments anymore.

Jayne is still recovering from her final set of skin grafts, but her pain levels have improved significantly now that she no longer has exposed nerve endings. The grafts have taken well and are healing nicely. She is also no longer under the strict isolation protocol, although she is still limited to a few visitors at a time. If you would like to visit, please reach out to Ryan first to make sure she isn't overwhelmed.

All of her tubes have now been removed, including her catheters and feeding tube, which will allow her to participate more fully in PT and, hopefully, begin moving around more independently. She is still struggling to eat much solid food, and getting her re-acclimated to eating will take some time. The hope is that she will be able to transfer to a rehabilitation facility in Baton Rouge late next week, where they will focus on helping her regain her strength, mobility, and ability to eat on her own.

The skin-grafted areas are looking really good, but she still has some areas of deep, open wounds that they are working hard to keep clean and dry. She continues to undergo daily wound care, which involves removing all of her dressings, cleaning the wounds, and re-bandaging everything. It is still a long and exhausting process, even though it is much less painful than it was before.

While it feels like the worst is behind her, she still has a LOT of healing to do and a long road ahead. For now, the plan is for her to remain at the rehabilitation facility in Baton Rouge, with regular follow-ups with her surgeon over the next several weeks. Things are still evolving, so we are taking it one week at a time.

Meanwhile, Ryan and Robert will be heading to the home site tomorrow to meet up with family and volunteers and hopefully get as much of the cleanup finished as possible over the next two days.

We have made a lot of progress, but there is still so much work—and healing—to be done. Thank you all for your continued concern, prayers, and support.

Benefiel, Carl

01-Sep-26

Please continue to pray for Carl and Shirley, who are both in a lot of pain and also dealing with considerable stress because of the finances while they are staying at the assisted living facility. They are trying to come up with a solution and would appreciate your prayers for God's guidance and providence, as well as His peace. Thank you.

Carter, Jill

03-Sep-26

Jill reports that the colonoscopy went well and some polyps were removed. Her doctor says she will not need another one for three years. She is grateful for your prayers!

30-Aug-26

Jill is scheduled to have a colonoscopy and another procedure on Wednesday, September 2. She is asking for prayers that both are successful. Additionally, she is in significant pain as she awaits hip replacement surgery. Thank you in advance for your prayers on her behalf.

Chandler, Melissa

03-Sep-26

Melissa is asking for your prayers as the trials stack up. Since the death of her mother eight months ago, her relationships with her dad and sister have become very strained. Her youngest brother has moved out of state to get away from the family dynamics, and Melissa's other brother is in prison after turning to drugs to try to cope. Jack's half-sister was found dead at home from an apparent heart attack, and his half-brother was admitted into the hospital two days ago with only 50% heart function. On top of this, the Chandler's water heater just went out. Melissa has been experiencing dizziness and heart arrhythmia from all the stress. Please pray for God's providence, strengthening, and peace as Melissa and Jack prepare for the upcoming Feast. Thank you.

Clinton, Deborah

01-Sep-26

Along with all her other serious health problems, Debbie found out today that she has AFib. Debbie would very much appreciate your prayers for God's merciful intervention and please pray for God's strength and peace of mind, as she continues through these very difficult problems in faith.

Elmore, Nicki

01-Sep-26

Nicki has been suffering from some sort of virus that has been causing fatigue, fever, and diarrhea for two weeks. She has not been inclined to eat much, either, because food does not taste good to her. Dan and Nicki are asking for your prayers for God's intervention. Thank you.

Grieb, Stefan

07-Sep-26

The doctors have removed a significant amount of fluid from Mim's right lung and will send it labs for analysis. A chest X-ray shows her lungs to be clearer than they were at the first hospital she was at. She is on medication to dissolve the clots and the doctors have started reducing the amount of oxygen she is on since her lungs are beginning to clear. She is sleeping and seems to be improving overall. Thank you for your prayers!

07-Sep-26

Stefan is asking for your prayers for his wife, Miriam (Mim). Over the past two weeks, her general health has plummeted, beginning with a wrenched lower back region. After other issues, she is now in the ICU. Her main issue now is that her lungs are not absorbing enough oxygen. One lung has fluid (and perhaps pneumonia) while the better lung has a blood clot. She also has masses on her lungs, liver, and a kidney that will have to be assessed. She is barely able to walk. Your prayers for God's intervention on her behalf would be greatly appreciated.

Hunter, Rosalie (10)

09-Sep-26

Christian and Lacey Hunter are asking for your prayers for their daughter, Rosalie (10), who has been suffering from abdominal pain for over ten days from an apparent virus. She is weak, tired, and emotionally unable to understand what is happening to her. Please include Christian in your prayers as well as he still has lasting fatigue from the same illness. Thank you.

Keegan, Barbara

28-Aug-26

Julie Maas writes,

Mom [Barbara Keegan] passed away last night [8/26/2026] peacefully. Thank you for all your prayers and cards and emails. Dave and I really appreciate you all.

Lemley, Donna

06-Sep-26

Deana reports that Donna was released from the hospital and went to her daughter's house. The six broken ribs are in place and expected to heal in time. Her liver has stopped bleeding but is severely bruised. Her knee is swelling, but an MRI did not show anything broken. She is walking but still needs help.

Donna suffers from early macular degeneration, but the expensive glasses that were damaged cannot be replaced until she is able to go for another measuring. In the meantime, they suggested a pair of glasses for long distance and a second for bifocal, which is helping with headaches.

Donna is also dealing with trauma, and her mind continues to replay the incident. Deana writes, "Please continue to pray for her. It will be a long recovery. We are all so thankful for all of the miracles God has performed for us already. Thank you."

03-Sep-26

Deana Garrett and Tiffany Schulte are asking for prayers for Deana's sister, Donna, who was run over in a grocery store parking lot this afternoon. The driver backed over her, realized what happened, then pulled forward over her again. The hospital has assessed multiple broken ribs and Donna's liver is holding blood with a grade three injury. At this time, they are only concerned with pain management and will keep her overnight, but it looks like she will be alright.

Please pray for Donna's recovery, as well as for guidance regarding home assistance after she is released and speedy insurance processing. In addition, there are several other people Donna assists in home care who will also need extra help without her volunteering services. Thank you in advance.

Price, Shirley (95)

29-Aug-26

James reports that his mother, Shirley Price, died this morning. Thank you for all your prayers on behalf of Shirley and her family.

Sakala, Musonda

07-Sep-26

Musonda writes,

As the autumn festivals draw near, we have a number of loose ends needing God's intervention. My Mum has no caregiver. It is essential for us to leave for the feast knowing she has someone caring for her. Finding a caregiver has many complex dynamics involved. I also need to find a house-sitter for the duration of the feast and need to conclude client orders before traveling to the feast. This is hard to do as we have faced some delays. Please pray for God's intervention and help in resolving these issues. Thank you in advance.

Swanson, Will

03-Sep-26

Hunter writes,

My Dad’s surgery has been confirmed for September 16 to determine if anything can/needs to be done. Thank you for your continued prayers for God’s intervention and comfort.

29-Aug-26

Hunter and Samantha Swanson are asking for prayers on behalf of Hunter's dad, Will Swanson. A recent angiogram revealed he has a 90%+ blockage in an artery (more specifically, LAD bifurcation stenosis). All other arteries are completely clear; according to his doctor; however, he is now at risk of a heart attack at any moment due to non-calcified plaque in the affected artery. They are working to schedule a heart catheter and stent installation before the feast, but if they discover he is 98% blocked or more, he will require bypass surgery, which they won't know until the procedure is being performed.

Hunter writes,

Please pray for God's intervention so that he remains stable until the surgery, and for the blockage to be less than 98% so that he only needs a stent at this time. Please also keep his wife, Tammy, and the rest of his family in your prayers while they support him. We trust in God's will and thank you all for your support.

Witmer, Jacob

10-Sep-26

Sherilyn Merritt is asking for prayers for her nephew, Jacob. She writes,

A couple of days ago, he fell and hit his head. This morning, he woke up not feeling right, so my sister Shannon took him to the emergency room. They did a CT scan and an MRI and found a small brain bleed. He was given a round of steroids and sent home with instructions to rest. They will repeat the scans in about a month to make sure everything is healing properly.

Please keep Jacob and Shannon in your prayers—for healing, protection, peace, and for the follow-up scans to show that the bleed is gone and everything is okay. We truly appreciate your prayers.

Recent Requests (Last 2 Months):

Kemp Family
Benefiel, Carl
Brenton, David
Carter, Jill
Chandler, Melissa
Clinton, Deborah
Elmore, Nicki
Fenwick, Shelly
Grieb, Stefan
Harrigan, Todd
Hunter, Rosalie (10)
James, Andrew
Keegan, Barbara
King, Arthur and Pauline
Lemley, Donna
Pelkie, Teresa
Price, Shirley (95)
Sakala, Musonda
Sisbarro, Christine (74)
Swanson, Will
Ulmer, Regina
Witmer, Jacob