Prayer Request - Gravely Injured Marine Sergeant [Update at Post 439]

August 6, 2007 | Albion Wilde

[Albion Wilde]

The family of U.S. Marine Sgt. Samuel Nichols is urgently requesting prayer support as they surround Sam, age 23, at Bethesda Naval Hospital. He is in a coma after having suffered a brain injury due to an IED on a mined road in Iraq. The explosion killed three of his men.

Sgt. Nichols was so gravely injured that when he arrived at Bethesda last week, doctors initially held out little hope; but his family began praying immediately and are seeing improvements and hopeful signs this week.

Sgt Nichols' family are believing Christians who are in prayer constantly over him, believing in the Word of God and His promises. Many offers of prayer have reached them; that being the case, all of you who want to join this thread will be a part of a widespread prayer covering for this young man, his loving wife, Erin, his parents and extended family.

He is considered a top-notch Marine. The very name Samuel Nichols is the same as the first Commander of the Marine Corps. This was his third deployment to Iraq. One of his former commanders who is now in DC has stopped by to look in on him. Also last week, a Lieutenant General who is second in command of the Marine Corps came by to award the Purple Heart.

A friend of a friend of his family contacted a member of the DC Chapter whose son had undergone a miraculous recovery from a coma. She forwarded this request to us FReepers for prayer support for Sgt. Nichols, having experienced first-hand the awesome prayer energy that surrounded her son as he fought back to recovery.

"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them."
—Matthew 18:20

[05 Mustang GT Rocks]

Amen! Thanks for the update! Continued prayers...

[sweetiepiezer]

Continued prayers for this brave Marine.
Prayers of comfort for his family.

[pandoraou812]

Prayers for Sgt. Samuel Nichols & his family. ~Pandora~

[cwcsunflower]

Please know that Our Heavenly Father KNOWS the pain the families are enduring; HE is ONE who cares deeply for all of us: 1Peter 5:7 Cast your cares upon HIM for HE cares for you. I have passed this along to my email addresses
May God Bless this warrior and all the warriors whose souls perished in this incident and their families as well.

[perseid 67]

Prayers up.

His courage and the courage of people like him inspire awe.

[Albion Wilde]

Sgt. Nichols Update 2: August 9, 2007

Sam Nichols

Sam & Erin

Dear FRiends,

Thanks to those who have recently signed on, as well as to all you FReepers who have been in prayer for Sgt. Nichols since the thread went up. After today, I will update less frequently, but hope you will continue to hold this man and his family in your devotions until this crisis is well resolved.

Today, I want to describe in further detail about the medical challenge. The IED explosion broke an arm, took gouges out of a leg, damaged the brain stem and caused bleeding deep in the brain. Sam's handsome face was untouched. In a sense, this appearance of normalcy makes his situation even more difficult for the family, since he looks like he is just asleep. But their faith and willingness to trust the promptings of the Spirit, rather than any appearances, are inspiring.

Today an infection and fever are being treated with antibiotics, and preparations are underway to operate on the damaged arm. Brain swelling has calmed. As nurses cleaned his wounds today, he flinched — this is a good sign! The pressure of blood waste inside the brain, as well as the damage to the brain stem, are grave challenges, however.
We affirm that what man cannot imagine, God can accomplish.

FReeper tajgirvan asked about sending cards. The family is grateful for such inquiries; but with Sam in the intensive care unit, cards or flowers are not suitable for this extra-sterile environment. A sure way to send good wishes to the family directly is to post them on this thread.

Today's troops are surviving wounds that would have been fatal in former wars. Many of them and their families will face months or years of rehabilitation, lost wages and special needs. Several accredited troop-support charities have been set up since 9/11 to provide critical support, such as hotel, monthly bills and airfare for family members of the wounded:

Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund
Navy Marine Corps Relief Society
Soldier's Angels

Father God,

Hear the prayers of those who adore You and praise Your holy Name! You are the Author of all creation, of our human hearts and bodies, and of all wisdom and understanding. We submit in prayer to Your will, as in James 5: 15-16:

And the prayer of faith shall save the sick,
and the Lord shall raise him up;
and if he have committed sins,
they shall be forgiven him...
The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous
man availeth much.

Sustain Sam's wife, Erin, we pray, as she has also sacrificed a carefree youth in order to serve our country as a loyal Marine wife.

Extend traveling mercies to all members of Sam's family as his father and uncle return to California Friday and his mother and brother arrive from there.

Use the spiritual strength, youth and will of this young Marine to cleanse his brain of any and all injury or evidence of past injury. Take away all footprints of the deceiver everywhere on his body, leaving pure, healthy cells and functions at every level, according to Your will for Sam's life.

Comfort the anxieties of Sam's heart, and those of his men.

Extend Divine comfort and solace to the families of those who died in the attack from which you plucked Sam and brought him to a place of healing called Bethesda.

In Jesus' holy Name,

Amen!

Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,

But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.

But many that are first shall be last; and the last first.

—Mark 10: 29-31

.

[Faith]

Praying your beautiful prayer in agreement for Sam’s complete healing and for strength and courage for all family members. The Lord will provide.

[RDTF]

Thanks for the update

Dear Lord please continue to put your healing hands on your brave and precious son Sam, and continue to blanket his loved ones in strength.

[vietvet67]

Continued prayers for Sgt. Nichols.

[EDINVA]

Thank you for the update, Albion. COntinuing fervent prayers for Sam, Erin, their families and those the Lord has sent to help them through this trying time.

[freema]

Fighing Spirit Ping!

[Guenevere]

Thanks for the update...

I continue to pray full restoration for him....and peace for his family.
God bless you all.

[debm29palms]

AMEN. AMEN. AMEN.

Thank you for the update. Our prayers our still with Sam and Erin and their families. Our hearts and thoughts will be with them in these difficult times.

Semper Fidelis.

[Grammy]

I ask that our Lord would speak to Sam even now. May they be well acquainted with each other from this moment and for the rest of his life.

[generally]

Thanks for the updates. Continued prayers. God bless.

[bray]

Dear Lord Jesus,
We pray your healing touch upon this Marine. We pray you give him strength to overcome his wounds. We pray comfort and peace for his family and friends.

In Jesus’ Holy Name,
Amen

[1COUNTER-MORTER-68]

As nurses cleaned his wounds today, he flinched — this is a good sign!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I’ll take this as Great News !!!

Prayers Up...

GOD Bless Sam and his Folks...

[HoosierHawk]

Prayers for Sgt. Nichols, family and FRiends.

[texastoo]

Dear Lord we are praying for a complete healing of Sam.

[Mrs. Don-o]

May the Lord bless and keep Sam, and comfort the careworn hearts of those who love him.