Troop Prayer Thread 4

Welcome to the Troop Prayer Thread! We gather here together in the belief that "whereever two or more are gathered in my name, there am I," and that by the grace of God, group prayer effort can be a great force for good in the world.

We are listing here members of the active armed services known to us for whom we want to pray. We are also seeking to keep track of the Captured/MIAs here for prayer purposes.

If you would like to submit someone for our list, you are welcome to do so at any time. Post their name or pseudonym here on the thread or freepmail amom or myself. If we have made any errors, please let us know so that we may correct the list. We will be making periodic updates. If you want to be added or removed from the ping list please let amom or me know by freepmail.

We invite everyone, active Freepers and Lurkers alike to join our circle in prayer for these fine men and women who have volunteered to place their lives on the line for the defense of our nation and for the liberation of the oppressed peoples of other nations. To them we send our greatest respect and gratitude. We send them our prayers and good thoughts. We ask for God's blessing upon them and their families.

For those of us who have somewhat limited computer capacity, we request that graphics be limited to pictures of loved ones for whom we are offering prayers, special visuals that seem particularly appropriate, and as much as possible, non-moving graphics. Thank you.

Patrick Miller
Joseph Hudson
Edgar Hernandez
James Riley
David Williams
Ronald Young
Shoshana Johnson

Army Sgt. Donald Ralph Walters, 33, of Salem, Ore., 507th Maintenance Company, Fort Bliss, Texas.

Army Pvt. Ruben Estrella-Soto, 18, of El Paso, Texas, 507th Maintenance Company, Fort Bliss, Texas.

Army Pvt. Brandon Ulysses Sloan, 19, of Bedford, Ohio, 507th Maintenance Company, Fort Bliss, Texas.

Army Pfc. Lori Ann Piestewa, 23, of Tuba City, Ariz., 507th Maintenance Company, Fort Bliss, Texas.

Army Chief Warrant Officer Johnny Villareal Mata, 35, of El Paso, Texas, 507th Maintenance Company, Fort Bliss, Texas.

Army Pfc. Jessica D. Lynch, 19, of Palestine, W.Va., 507th Maintenance Company, Fort Bliss, Texas.

Army Master Sgt. Robert J. Dowdy, 38, of Cleveland, 507th Maintenance Company, Fort Bliss, Texas.

Army Spc. James M. Kiehl, 22, of Comfort, Texas, 507th Maintenance Company, Fort Bliss, Texas.

Marine Lance Cpl. Patrick R. Nixon, 21, of Gallatin, Tenn. Assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Marine Lance Cpl. Michael J. Williams, 31, Arizona (city not available). Assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Marine Lance Cpl. Donald J. Cline, Jr., 21, of Washoe, Nev. Assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Marine Pvt. Jonathan L. Gifford, 30, of Decatur, Ill. Assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Marine Pvt. Nolen R. Hutchings, 19, of Boiling Springs, S.C. Assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Marine Pfc. Tamario D. Burkett, 21, of Buffalo, N.Y. Assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Marine Cpl. Kemaphoom A. Chanawongse, 22, of Waterford, Conn. Assigned to the 1st Battalion, 2nd Marine Regiment, 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Camp Lejeune, N.C.

Marine Lance Cpl. Thomas A. Blair, 24, of Broken Arrow, Okla. Assigned to the 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion, Marine Air Control Group-28, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, Cherry Point, N.C.

Wanted to alert all our prayer circle folks to this terrific thread about the work of one of our great chaplains!

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/888404/posts

WAKE FOREST, N.C. (BP)--The battlefields of Iraq have become more of a mission field than Capt. Eddie Cook ever imagined.

Opportunities to share God's grace have uplifted even this firm believer -- who serves as chaplain and a master-rated parachutist in the 3rd Battalion of the 82nd Airborne Division's 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment -- and helped him bring many fellow soldiers to Christ.

When 80 mph winds threatened to topple his battalion one day, his fellow soldiers shouted out to him to pray. Standing in the middle of the besieged tent, Cook prayed silently for the sandstorm to stop. When the howling winds died abruptly, he was not surprised at God's grace.

He suddenly realized that though his previous silent prayers had been answered, God was waiting for him to speak up.

"I praised God for it, but I felt Him ask me why I did not profess my prayer aloud so that others could see Him work," said Cook, a 2002 graduate of Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary. "I remembered Christ and His rebuking of the storm and felt that was of 'biblical proportion' and I was skeptical to do that before all.

"But we must not question our faith. When we are distressed in the desert, God answers [both physically and spiritually]. God instilled in me that we are in exceptional times and He will work in exceptional ways."

God subsequently gave Cook another chance...

***SNIP***

I was thrilled to hear of this man's prayer being so instantaneously answered. By God's grace, and imho, his answered prayer is also our answered prayer working through him, for did we not in our prayer thread petition the Lord to calm those sand storms which were raging? At any rate, it's food for thought and much cause for rejoicing in the Lord!

Blessed Father of Us All,

ALLELUEIAH!!! You have granted us a day of great rejoicing! We see the joy of newly liberated brothers and sisters dancing in the streets, praising our troops, toppling blasphemous statues, and giving thanks. We see our troops rolling into an ancient city as liberators, not as conquerors with their own joy on their faces reflecting that of the Liberated. We have seen Kuwaitis being interviewed who remain grateful for our intercession 12 years ago. We are on our knees, Father, in joyous gratitude that you have allowed us as a people to have a leader and a military and a heaven-sent Will to be a force for Good in the world. To YOU goes the glory! To you the praise and honor! We are grateful that we as a nation have been your instrument for this remarkable event in world history.

Father, in the midst of our joy, we do ask that you will help us to preserve our desire for goodness. Let this day be a landmark for a renewal of our nation affirming that we are a united nation under God. Help us to live up to the Vision and Plan that you granted our Founding Fathers. Help us to renew our vows to live according to the Rule of Law and be a true example of what you intend a Free People to be. Help us to have the wisdom and vision as a people and a nation to protect the Victory won by the blood of our precious young people. Bind, cast out, and render ineffective, according to thy just judgements, those who do not love you, do not love freedom, do not love your Light and who would seek to overturn the joy of this God-given Victory.

Father, we are mindful of those families who have a loved one among the Missing or Captured. We petition you to place your all seeing-eye upon them. Move the hearts of those who may know the whereabouts of all of these who have been lost to us. We ask for a final accounting of even the Missing from the previous Persian Gulf War. While we are asking, help us learn what has happened to the MIAs from any previous conflict. Grant these families the joy of a returning son or daughter, or at least the relief and closure of knowing what has happened to them. Father, for those who have been called home among our troops and allies, please take them to the most beautiful spot in Heaven. Let them know how much we love them and honor them. Gather up all who have ever sacrificed their lives for Freedom, and give them special blessing. Help us to be mindful of their contribution to the peace and freedom we enjoy today. Let them know that we are aware of it and our hearts are grateful for their sacrifice. Comfort and soothe the families of all who have lost their loved one in service. Let them also know in their hearts how we truly appreciate their sacrifice.

Our beloved Dubya and Rummy have told us that the conflict is not over. There is still danger and fighting yet anticipated. Please, Father, protect the lives of our troops engaged in this stabilization phase. Continue to dispatch legions of angels to guard and guide them. Let all our troops in Afghanistan and elsewhere be similarly blessed. Continue to grant them clarity and wisdom as they fulfill their duties. We do ask for the protection of our president, his cabinet, and all who surround him. Help him pass the tests which are before him daily. Let him have an extraordinary ability to hear your voice when he bows his head in prayer. Bless him, and keep him strong in his humility towards you.

Father, protect Iraq which was the cradle of civilization, and now is a cradle for the birth of Freedom there. Father, tend this small infant in the hearts of her newly freed people. Raise up strong enlightened leaders who will carefully tend that babe aborning. Enlighten the people. Guide them as they come together to hammer out a contract for living with one another in peace, harmony, and order. Bind those who would seek to be spoilers. Bless the new free nation Iraq, bless America, and bless her steadfast allies.

Let only your Will be done, our Father, in this and all events unfolding.

Amen

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