How to Pray for My Wife

Today, Wednesday April 24th, is a huge day to pray for my beautiful wife Lindsey!

Today she is visiting a new doctor in Atlanta.
Here are a few ways you can pray specifically for her TODAY and in the DAYS TO COME!

1. Pray for Peace - Lyme Disease is so unbelievably mysterious and unknown that it leads to a lot of unanswered and unexplainable symptoms.  The treatment options and protocols are as varied as the fish in the sea. Pray that God will give Lindsey the gift of peace while she meets with this new team and hears all of their recommendations. Pray that God will replace the fear and anxiety with comfort and peace.

2. Pray for Wisdom - James 1:5 states that anyone who lacks wisdom should ask God...so you can join us in asking God for wisdom about what Lindsey's body needs in order to fully heal.  We don't need more opinions we simply need wisdom.We need wisdom to know which paths to walk.

3. Pray for Relief - Lindsey is easily the toughest human I've ever met. We often joke that if I felt what she felt then I'd be in the hospital whining like a baby! I have no idea how she enures these headaches, muscle aches, shooting pains and throbbing hurts. It is high time we find some relief from all of this. Pray that God will lead us to a path that arrests this pain.

4. Pray for a sense of His Presence - Walking through a disease like Lyme is incredibly isolating. Though I try, I can't fully "get" what Lindsey feels.  Since Lindsey doesn't look sick on the outside most people assume that the sickness must not be "that" bad. Compounding this is the fact that all of the fatigue and pain force Lindsey to stay home.  These factors work viciously together to create a creeping sense of loneliness. We need like never before to "feel" Jesus' presence in our daily lives. We believe that God is near - but a times we would just like to feel it more often!

5. Pray for Rest - For Lindsey the nights are the worst. I cannot imagine being utterly exhausted yet unable to sleep. (I'm out within 2 minutes of laying down.) Nearly every evening Lindsey's pain keeps her awake long into the night.  That would be the reason she named her blog "Finding God After Midnight" - because she's always up far past midnight. Once she does fall asleep Lindsey is often tormented by graphic nightmares and night sweats. Strange I know but these too are not uncommon symptoms of her disease. Her body cannot get what it so badly needs: rest. Imagine waking every morning feeling as if you pulled an all-nighter!  I can't remember the last time Lindsey woke up feeling rested. Please pray that soon she will actually begin to get restful sleep.

6. Pray for Financial Aid - We have seen God show up again and again financially in our lives. This more than any other way is how He seems to be continually saying, "I got you." It's been so exciting to see how God shows up right when we need it. The very days when we have no idea how we'll move forward seem to be the days the money just shows up! We are once again at a point where we need His provision. Lindsey's treatments are critical but super expensive. We are so incredibly thankful for all of the folks who have given to us in the past and we're trusting that God will show up once again and help us pay for this new phase of the journey.

7. Pray for Healing - Ultimately we are asking God to heal Lindsey and restore LIFE to her again! It's been so long since Lindsey has felt fully alive. It's been so long since she's felt good all day. As you know Lindsey is a power house of ministry for the Kingdom of God. She was made to be able to invest deeply in people.  She's a natural born counselor with a stunning gift of discernment. Lindsey has more compassion than anyone I've ever known. We are asking that God will set her free from this disease so that she can be free to be all that God designed her to be!

Thank you for joining us in prayer. Thank you for walking with us through these dark days. Joining us now means you will get to be that much more a part of the celebration when Lindsey is whole, healed and back in full action!

We love you guys,

Grace and Peace

Chris Wheeler

fifth time's a charm

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

and all that is within me,

bless his holy name!

Bless the Lord, O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits,

who forgives all your iniquity,

who heals all your diseases,

who redeems your life from the pit,

who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

who satisfies you with good

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Psalm 103:1-5

I've heard of third time's a charm but not sure if I've ever heard of fifth time's a charm.  But, here goes!!  I haven't told a lot of people this yet, but I am headed to a doctor in Atlanta tomorrow for my ongoing battle with Chronic Lyme Disease.  I've been a little on edge...begging God for peace and strength for this next step.  The detox clinic I went to for months last year is a great, Godly clinic...but we could not continue because of the cost.  We were sinking more and more in debt and I was feeling guilty for putting us in a hole while still feeling almost exactly the same as when I began.  Lyme is a crazy disease.  It's not a one-size-fits all cure.  Something may work for one person and then make someone else deathly sick.  I have studied, read, cried, prayed and re-read over Lyme protocol after Lyme protocol on how to try and kick this disease into remission.  The part that gets to be pretty lonely is that unless you have it, it makes no sense.  Each day I experience new symptoms.  If I was to tell you how I'm feeling each day, I would sound like a crazy person.  So, most of the time, I just smile and press forward.  We spent a lot of the last three months eating ourselves healthy.  We (I mean Chris) has juiced and spent hours in Whole Foods.  He has made smoothies with ingredients we had never heard of.  And, guess what happened??  The insane inflammation in my body started to decrease.  The pain I felt every single day began to ease up a little.  We were given an incredible gift of a free week at the beach last week...and it was beautiful.  The beach has always been my favorite place on earth.  It is so healing to put my feet in the sand and just stare at the ocean.  We ate what we wanted during the beach and guess what??  I feel absolutely AWFUL.  The pain has increased to a level I haven't felt in a long time.  So, we are back on the healthy bandwagon again.

I took three months off of my Lyme treatments to see how my body responded to a change in diet (and to not spend money).  Although, we will continue the "clean" eating journey...it still didn't kill all of the spirochetes and co-infections.  A lot of the migrating pain in my body has lessened, but the pain in my head has been gradually getting worse.  For about the last 2 months, I have been experiencing (sometimes unbearable) pain in my head mostly at night.  It will come on quick and strong.  It's not a headache and I'm not sure it's even a migraine.  It's a jolt of pain over and over that makes you feel like you are getting hit over and over with a bat (hope that makes sense).  Then, after the pain disappears, the area will be so tender and painful if anything even barely touches the area.  Sweet Chris will come into the bedroom and wrap 3 different ice packs around my head...one in the front, one in the back and usually one on my neck.  I just lay there until it's over...and then thank God that it's over.  All of this was happening in conjunction with eating healthy.  Plus, the insomnia, night terrors (horrible, vivid dreams) and night sweats have returned with a vengeance.  And this is an entirely different post, but dealing with Eliana's anxiety and rage during these episodes feels like death.  All of this to say, I knew I needed help.  A few people have gone to this doctor and responded really well to the treatments.  So, I am praying for healing...believing that God is going to use this doctor to bring more hope and life into my body.  

I would love your prayers Wednesday morning at 8:00 a.m...that is when my appointment begins and it will last a lot of the day.  Pray for me as I drive to Atlanta by myself.  I haven't driven by myself long distance in a very long time.  Pray for me to be alert (because of my intense fatigue) and that I won't have a headache issue while I'm driving.  Pray for wisdom for this doctor...and for the treatment plan to be doable.  Please pray for Eliana to be at peace while I'm gone for a day and a half.  She is not very good at transitions...and for REMISSION and HEALING!!  And lastly, pray for continued provision for my appointments and treatments.  Thank you so much friends.  I just keep reading and re-reading Psalm 103.  My God is bigger than this stupid disease and He knows what I need.  

Love you all,

Lindsey

P.S.  We went to see our friend Annie Downs last night and her small group of girls prayed over me!  It was such a sweet moment.  Thankful Chris took a picture without me knowing. :)

Also, a new Give Forward page has been opened, if you want to give towards my medical expenses, click the link below:

                                       GIVE FOWARD: Lindsey Fights Lyme

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