And, as it is written—Whatsoever ye shall ask in faith, being united in prayer according to my command, ye shall receive."
When my daughter Ashlee was three years old, she began bruising quite heavily all over her body. We took her to her pediatrician who immediately ran some blood tests. We went home and anxiously waited for the results. When he called, he informed us that although he didn’t believe it was leukemia it was necessary that it be ruled out, and he had made an appointment for us the next morning at Primary Children’s Hospital. That began one of the longest nights of my life. We immediately called on our family for help in petitioning the Lord on behalf of our daughter.
We were so grateful that our prayers were answered and the leukemia test came back negative, but we were unprepared for the trials that would come with the ITP diagnosis. Ashlee was put on a medication that altered her moods and suppressed her immune system. We were encouraged to keep her home from church and stores and away from any sick people. It was also necessary to take her at least weekly to the hospital to have her blood drawn and platelet count determined. For the next year, her platelet count never returned to normal and hovered just above the level that could cause the risk of internal bleeding. Her doctor suggested that it might be time to put her in the hospital and be given platelets through an IV. At this time, I also had a two year old and a little baby, and being in the hospital with Ashlee away from my other children seemed overwhelming. We once again called on our family to unite in pray and fasting for Ashlee. The next day, when we received the results of her test, we were devastated because her platelet count had plummeted, and it was necessary for her to be hospitalized immediately. It seemed as if the Lord had not answered our prayers.
Looking back on this situation, I see so many blessings because of the unity of prayer within our families. I had been stubborn and did not want to follow the doctor’s recommendation. As we prayed that Ashlee would be made whole, it was obvious from the drastic change in her platelet count that the way to heal her was not through faith and prayers alone but to utilize the blessings of modern medicine. Because we had included our family in our prayers, they were prompted by the spirit numerous times to help even without being asked. I remember on several occasions being low on groceries, and my father-in-law just dropping off some milk and bread. My mother who didn’t always attend church fasted and prayed on behalf of her granddaughter. It was a difficult year of my life, and I felt strengthened by the prayers of my family. We definitely felt the blessings of the Lord being in our midst.
Uniting our prayers with others changes the equation. When we include parents, family, and friends in our concerns and needs, their prayers can and will bless our lives. We will be given extra strength to endure any situation, and those who are praying for us will be prompted as to how they can help. I testify that unity in prayer will bring increased power to our requests and increased blessings to our lives and those who are praying for us. What a wonderful blessing it is to have family who can unite with us in prayer in petitioning the Lord on our behalf. Your family is probably already praying for you, but asking for their help with a specific need will bring a powerful love and unity in your home. Prayer changes things.
Love, Sister Linnell
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