An Update on Joey & Request For Prayer and Fasting

I was able to get to the hospital last night and spend some time with Eliz, both sets of grandparents, and a couple other prayer warriors.  I never did get to see Nick & Joey, but we prayed together in the Family Room on the same floor and had a really sweet time in prayer and fellowship for awhile.

Nick put out a CaringBridge post a short time later titled "Update (iPad)":
          http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/joeykeller

One thing I did learn that I think I can share is that Joey is NOT intubated (not on a ventilator) as I had thought.  That was good news.  Per Nick's post though, there's not much other good news right now.  As he stated, things are continuing to decline - quickly.  Without a miracle, it could be a matter of days or even hours from a medical perspective.

What we need, pure and simple, is a touch from God - exactly what He has done so many times over the past many months (years!) bringing Joey back from the brink.  The episode with the seizures a few weeks ago where Joey had become completely unresponsive and some of the doctors were even recommending "pulling the plug" at one point, is powerful evidence of God's divine hand upon our little brother Joey.  Only a week later, Joey was back home and the doctors were stumped as to why there was no brain damage showing up in test results from the seizures.

The Lord definitely showed up last night as we prayed.  The sense of peace and power that filled the room in which we prayed was amazing and wonderful.  We can ALL be assured that our God is well aware of Joey's need, of all our thousands of requests and petitions on his behalf, and He is most surely at work in the situation.

Knowing what He is up to - what His will and His plan is - is another matter sometimes.  But we can ALWAYS rest in absolute certainty that our Father has all our best interests in His heart and plans for us ... especially Joey's. 

I want, with all my heart, soul, mind, and spirit, to see Joey healed.  And I have absolutely no reason whatsoever, at this moment, to believe that God wants anything different.  So unless and until He reveals that His plan is anything other than a complete healing for Joey, I intend to continue to pray, fast, intercede, do spiritual battle, and pronounce healing to him with all the faith and "belief" I can muster ... and to encourage as many others as I can to do the same.

We recognize, of course, the possibility that God's will may very well be different from our own or at times, even hidden from us no matter how hard we seek to discern it.  He's God, and we're not. He is not constrained or in any way obligated to tell us all His plans and intentions.  In fact, it is absolutely staggering that He chooses to do so at all!  Yet it is often His pleasure and desire to reveal Himself to us that we may know Him and trust Him better.  But even in those times when we do not understand His will or His actions, we can rest with absolute certainty that He is planning and working for the best possible outcome for Joey and all involved.  We know that God is perfectly, completely, and consistently good, loving, gracious, and holy in everything He does.  Period!  We often mistakenly state that God's attribute of "omnipotence" means He can do ANYTHING.  But that is not true.  There are many things God cannot do.  He cannot lie, He cannot sin, He cannot learn, in fact He cannot do anything that is inconsistent with His nature - which includes perfect love and perfect grace.  So when we find ourselves disagreeing with God's choices or actions, that speaks only of our fallibility and limited understanding of the situation.

Unfortunately, that does not mean that we'll "feel good" about everything that God does.  There will be grief, pain, suffering, hardship, and death in all our lives.  We are promised this (John 16:33, Matt 13:21, Jas 1:2, 1Pet 1:6, etc.).  Our maturity comes when we learn to trust God through the midst of these hardships and still know that "... in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." -- Rom 8:28

I have not spoken much about this line of thinking because, frankly, I really do believe that God will yet heal Joey.  And I want to do my very best to pray BELIEVING that he will recover (Mt 10:1, 8; Mk 16:18; Lk 9:1-2, 10:9, etc.)

So if you believe that our God heals, I continue to exhort and encourage you to stand with us fasting, praying, and pronouncing God's healing upon Joey.  Things have once again become desperate in that little room in downtown Indianapolis - and from a human medical perspective, even "hopeless".  But there is no such thing as "hopelessness" in Jesus Christ.  And as Nick has said so many times before, if it weren't impossible, it wouldn't be a miracle when it happens!! 

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So if you consider yourself a Christian, please join or continue with us:

FASTING:
If you are willing, we highly encourage you to fast along with your prayers.  I hope to create another blog post on the subject in the near future about fasting in general, but there's lots of info out there if you're not familiar with this spiritual discipline.  Remember that it doesn't have to be a "total fast" (all food) - a "partial fast" (certain foods or kinds of foods) can be effective, and it doesn't even have to be food.  We can fast TV or media, or a hobby, etc.  Please pray about where God would lead you in this regard.


PRAYER:
1. Complete and immediate healing for Joey.  Again, I hope to create another blog about my thoughts on healing prayer in general in the near future - but let me sum up in this way.  I believe there are two kinds of ways to pray for healing.

1. Intercessory Prayer - letting our "requests be made known to God" (Phil 4:6-7), 
2. True "Healing Prayer" - this may not technically be a "prayer", but rather an exercising of the authority that Jesus gives to His disciples when He sends out both the 12 on one occasion and 70 on another occasion commanding them to "heal the sick" "in My name" (along with casting out demons, raising the dead, and preaching the Kingdom.) (Mt 10:1, 8; Mk 16:18; Lk 9:1-2, 10:9, etc.).  If you are a Christian, then the authority of Jesus' name is given to you to do these things. Of course it must still be in-line with the will of God, but this teaches us how we should pray for the sick.

2. All damage caused by cancer, infection, or treatments would be healed and those tissues and systems strengthened and made whole and functioning properly again.

3. Similar to the "Healing Prayer" above, Jesus gave His followers (in the same verses) authority to drive out evil spirits. His followers returned rejoicing saying, "Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your name."  Use this authority given to you to drive out any such spirits that may be involved in what is happening to Joey and destroy their works.

4. That ALL of Joey's being would be renewed, refreshed, rejuvenated, and regenerated - Body, Heart, Mind, Soul, and Spirit - to total health, wellness, peace, and joy.

5. That God will continue to raise-up, "burden", and work through faithful Christians through whom the Spirit can minister to Joey and the family - through prayer, through laying on of hands, through encouragement, ministry, helps, and all the other spiritual gifts that can be of benefit to the family.

6. That God would be glorified through all this.  That many would come to know Him or know Him better and learn to trust in Him and commit their lives to Him.


As always: THANK YOU for your prayers, encouragement, and faithfulness on behalf of the Kellers.

- Tim -

P.S.  I was really taken with this posting by Joni Earekson Tada this morning.  Seems to speak directly to the situation at hand in a way that she is uniquely qualified to do:
http://www.joniandfriends.org/radio/5-minute/enter-storehouses/#.UKaNmvxqD3M.facebook

Prayers Needed for Joey Keller Urgently

PRAYER TEAM JOEY:

Just a quick note to get the word out as broadly as possible.  Our Lord has provided miracle after miracle to bring Joey back from death's door in times like this.  We have an enormous army of intercessors assembled on his behalf and we need to rally to his aid right now.  There has been much prayer on his behalf and increasingly so recently.  But in the past few hours, Joey has taken a turn for the worse.  The doctors believe it is the cancer itself again causing these now life-threatening symptoms.

Joey's father Nick just posted these words to their CaringBridge site at about 11:15a:
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/joeykeller

Desp need prayer. Things have gotten worse very quickly. Labored breathing, can't move his tongue, not responding. This is very bad. We need a miracle. Thinking of Lazarus. Please pray and believe with us. This is not denial. This is faith. To the best if our ability. Never been here before. We are doing our best. 

It's clear that our medical science has reached the limit of its ability to help in Joey's situation and we need nothing short of a supernatural touch from God.  But we've been here several times before and God has consistently answered our fervent prayers and spared Joey's life.

Please join us now in lifting up our little brother to the Lord in intercession and in "warfare" against enemies (both spiritual and physical) who are intent on taking his life.

Suggested Specifics:
1. Pray specifically against the cancer. That it would be stopped (from spreading and inflicting any further damage), destroyed, and eliminated from his body.
2. Pray specifically against any and all spiritual forces that may be set against Joey - command them to cease all activity regarding Joey and his family and to be gone from Joey's room and not to return in the name of Jesus Christ. (Christians are given the authority and the commandment to use His name in this way against evil spirits.)
3. Pray for complete and comprehensive healing and regeneration of all damage and effects of the cancer - or any other form of attack against his body, soul, or spirit.
4. Pray for God's peace, comfort, rest, and strength for Joey and the family.
5. Pray for God to be glorified in all that happens.

On behalf of the Kellers and Prayer Team Joey - THANK YOU!

- Tim -

Staying the Course for Joey

I've updated this blog from its original text after Nick Keller posted some additional information on Joey's MRI.  The news it communicated was even worse than the original posting and frankly, after all the events of the past week nationally as well as some personally, it's been a real challenge to stay positive about anything.  But I found encouragement in my own words here in this post from yesterday so I thought I'd update the info on Joey and repost it in the hope that someone else might benefit also.

Nick's post from Wed morning @ 12:40a:

"We saw the MRI. Major growth on lumbar spine, brainstem, and in temple regions sort of growing towards the center of his brain. It WAS in CSF kind of "on" his brain, now it seems its growing into and through his actual brain cells and tissue. Wicked, evil disease. We discussed hospice and the reports from all relevant medical teams was, "anything else we could do will cause more harm and damage than any potential for help or therapeutic upside." They do believe his unusually high heart is do to the cancer spot/tumor/lesion on or in his brain stem. We flat out need a miracle. Otherwise, what he will have to endure, systematic loss of brain and organ function, system failure, ventilator again, it's unthinkable. They were especially concerned looking at this MRI vs. the one just a month ago (brain) bc Its really moving quickly. We have got to pray. All those scriptures I looked up and listed in previous CB postings on faith and healing, haven't changed. The promises regarding healing...haven't changed. We've exhausted every medical option that exists (due diligence.) Now, We look to God to do what only He can. All day long I kept thinking about the Israelites looking at the Red Sea, the Egyptians racing to basically cut their throats or put them back into slavery. They thought they were dead. Or at best, had no idea how God would get them out this, this time. Slaves for 400 years, finally free, and now this??? To die here, like this? All day long I've been getting texts from buddies and pastors from those very chapters. Don't believe it's a coincidence. The thought keeps going through my head, if its not impossible, it's not a miracle. Thx for praying for our Joey. "

We Christians should see this, NOT as a sign of defeat by any means - but a call to more fervent prayer and fasting on behalf of Joey.  Do not be discouraged.  Do not be disheartened.  God is much bigger than all of this!  What appears like a setback from a worldly perspective is in fact an opportunity for God to show Himself more powerful, more loving, more gracious from a heavenly perspective.  It is often God's "M.O." to ensure that all human means of "fixing" the problem have been exhausted so that, when He does move, there is no doubt to Whom the praise and glory belongs.

It is of course true that God does not always heal people of our diseases and infirmities. We live in a fallen world where sickness and death reign because of the existence of sin and evil.  One day all of that will be done away with.  In the mean time, we are commanded to pray for the healing of others in many places in Scripture ... to lay hands upon, to anoint with oil, to pray, and to fast for them to recover.  Ultimately it is God's decision whether, how, and when to heal someone.  "Prayer" has no power in itself and changes nothing on its own.  We must never credit "prayer" (which is to say Our Efforts), for that which God alone can do.  But we know that He commands us to pray, and we know that He chooses to work THROUGH our prayers.  So our role here is as clear as it has always been.  We must pray BELIEVING.  We must pray for what we (and others) need, and we must pray for those things that are consistent with God's nature - life, health, wholeness, joy, and freedom from pain and suffering.  These things are ALWAYS in God's will for us (and especially for 9 year old little boys!!)  [Matt 7:11, Luke 11:13, etc.]

I don't claim to have an inside line on God's will in this matter - but I do believe very strongly that He has indicated on MANY occasions in the past 2 years that His will is to heal Joey.  I have neither seen, heard, nor felt anything that would indicate the contrary at any time.  And so I will continue to pray, with all the confidence and faith I can muster, for Joey's complete and immediate healing.  If things do not go the way I believe they will, it will not shake my faith in God or in what I believe about His nature.  He is God, He is good, and He is faithful.  I am not qualified to judge Him to be otherwise, and no event in this fallen world that I can perceive through my limited and sinful existence can prove Him to be different.  But if such a thing were to happen, I am determined that it will not be because I did not steadfastly believe, pray, fast, or intercede often enough on behalf my friends Joey, Nick and Elizabeth.

I praise God for Who He is, for His goodness, and faithfulness, and grace and perfect love for all of us.  I praise Him that He has opened the way for me to come before Him and present my needs and to intercede on behalf of others, and that He has promised to hear our prayers.  I also thanks and praise Him that He has promised to always do what is best - even if I pray amiss - and that all things will ultimately work together into a pattern for good for those of us who are The Called.

Father, I thank You and praise You that You are good and holy and loving and merciful.  I thank You that You are in control and for all You have done for Joey and the Kellers to this time.  I ask You now to once again reach down into that hospital room and intervene on behalf of this precious little boy - Your creation - upon whom You have had Your hand and over whom You have kept special watch these many months.  Touch him now again and let your Holy Spirit move upon and within his body to bring healing, wholeness, and freedom from this disease of cancer.  In the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, by Who's stripes You have purchased our redemption and healing, I ask that you destroy every single cancerous molecule and cell in Joey's body.  I ask that you prevent every cancerous cell from reproducing and cause every damaged organ, tissue, cell, protein, enzyme, and molecule to be repaired and healed.  Restore balance to his chemical systems and eliminate all unhealthy, damaged, and malignant elements from his body along with any and all sources of such damage, disease, and illness.  I also come against any outside forces - be they physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual - that would affect Joey in any way other than bringing him back toward total health.  I ask that You hold Joey and the Kellers in the very palm of Your hand and set Your hedge and Your guard around them to keep them safe and secure.

I ask You Father, in the name of Jesus, for Joey's life, for his health, and for his immediate healing.  Let your light, love, power, and glory fill Joey, his family, and his room.  Let your supernatural peace descend upon them and guard their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus and let Your armor remain strong and fast about them protecting them from the flaming arrows of the enemy ... doubt, despair, fear, and discouragement ... let them have no place in their hearts and minds.  Send forth Your angels and Your Holy Spirit to raise up an ARMY of intercessors, oh Lord, on behalf of Joey and his family that we may participate in turning the tide of this battle.

Thank You for hearing my prayer and for Your healing power as it moves forth to Joey even now.  You are worthy of all glory and honor and power and praise both now and forever.

In the mighty name of Jesus I ask all these things,  Amen.

If you are a Christian, please continue to pray, fast, and believe with me!

- Tim -

A Prayer for Joey

Gracious and loving Heavenly Father, we come to you now in supplication for Joseph Keller and his family. Please lead us now in this time of prayer and hear the cry of our hearts.

We thank you for bringing the Kellers into our lives and for the privilege of being a part of all you have done and continue do in and through Joey, Nick and Elizabeth.  We praise You how deeply and graciously You have touched and sustained them through this most difficult trial.  We worship and adore You as Creator and Sustainer of all life and all living things.  We honor you as Creator of the Universe and Master of all.  You, and You alone, define love, grace, goodness, mercy, and joy, and we look to You now on behalf of Joey, Nicolas, and Elizabeth in this hour of desperate need.  You formed Joey from the beginning of his conception and indeed knew him from before time itself was created or the foundations of the world were laid.  And his life and Your plans for his life are before you at all times.  We have seen Your hand at work in his life on so many occasions to keep him from the jaws of untimely death and to heal the damage to his body from diseases and treatments.  We thank You and praise You and worship You for your mercy and grace to this point.

We now ask You to touch Joey again with Your power and bring release from disease and suffering, restoration to health, and regeneration within his body to strength and long life.  And we believe completely that this is Your will for him as we have seen You move in this same way so many times before.

You have granted to us who believe, access to the awesome and powerful name of Jesus and You have commanded us to use it in battle against our enemy and his kingdom as well as against sickness and disease. And so it is in the mighty name of Jesus and by the power of His shed blood that I come against Satan now on behalf of the Kellers.  I command any and all foul and unclean spirits to immediately cease and desist all activity regarding Joey Keller, his parents Nick and Elizabeth, his doctors, nurses, and any other hospital staff, family, and visitors associated with his case and care.  You are commanded to be gone from the Keller's room along with any backups, replacements, or other such beings or devices of your use or influence and to have no further contact or influence upon these people, or the equipment, facilities, or processes associated with Joey's case and care.  I tear down and destroy any strongholds, footholds, attachments, or links that may exist to these people and objects and declare that you are forbidden to return or have any further contact or influence with any of the people, objects, places, or processes I have named.  In the name of our Lord God and Savior - Yeshua HaMashiach, get out and stay out.

Father, I ask for you to fill that hospital room, and indeed the entire ward, with your presence, power, glory, majesty, light, love, peace, and healing energy.  I ask that your Holy Spirit would descend upon that room and all those present and all who enter it.  Surround, fill, and permeate every part Joey's, Nick's, and Elizabeth's beings with Your supernatural peace, comfort, hope, trust, and faith.  Envelop them in Your love and light and holiness and cause them to rest in the knowledge and faith of Your control and Your promise to work ALL things - even THIS trial - into a pattern for good for them.

Please set your hedge of protection round about Joey's bed, about the room, and about the entire ward and post your angelic guard to the north, south, east, and west, from the floor beneath to the roof above, and at ever access point that no creature would be allowed to enter except they be about Your business.

Let your presence fill their hearts, minds, and the very atmosphere of their room with a dramatic and powerful Peace, Hope, Reassurance, Comfort, and JOY that comes from knowing You and the perfect confidence that You are in control and that You will cause all things to work out for good and in Your perfect plan for Joey and all those involved.

Father, I pray as specifically as I know how for Joey and his current afflictions.  In his body, I pray against every form of sickness, disease, infirmity, and malady.  I pray specifically against cancer - in all its forms and causes, and against the seizures he's been having - in all their forms and causes.  I ask that You would destroy every last trace of cancer, malignancy, and mutation currently in his body - in every system, in every organ, in every tissue, in every cell, in every gene, in every protein, in ever enzyme and amino acid - down to every last molecule of his being.  Destroy every malignant, mutated, or out-of-place molecule or cell and prevent them from reproducing.  Cause his own immune system to be restored and to recognize and attack and destroy every malformed molecule and cell and to rebuild and strengthen its own ability to protect him.  Cause all tissue and cellular damage to be repaired immediately or replaced with good cells and tissues.  Bring all chemical and physiological processes back into balance and proper functioning.

I pray for the other aspects of Joey's being to be healed, restored, and strengthened as well - his heart, mind, soul, and spirit.  Renew, restore, rejuvenate and regenerate  all aspects of his being and their dependencies and interactions in both the physical and non-physical realms.  Bring Joey back to complete health, vigor, strength, and life in every way he has need.

I pray too for his parents Nick and Elizabeth.  Descend up on them both in power. Open their eyes and ears to Your presence and Your work.  Fill them and guard their minds with the Peace of Jesus and remove all fear and doubt.  Give them rest - physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually ... cause them to rest in You and renew, restore, rejuvenate, and regenerate them in their hearts, minds, souls, and spirits.  Draw them to a confidence in Your power, providence, and will and willingness to heal their little boy and let it bring them to a point of rest and peace in You.  Give them wisdom and courage to stand firm in their faith, and to make good decisions and right actions on behalf of Joey and all the other burdens and responsibilities they bear.  We ask also for your mercy and grace where Nick's job is concerned that his employer would be gracious and as accommodating as possible to the family through this trial.

I pray that You would continue to raise up family, friends, and other Christians to support, encourage, and share in carrying the burdens the Kellers bear during this time as well.  Whether through finances, food, caring for the house, or any other way that the Body of Christ can find to bless and support and encourage them.  But most of all, I pray that Your Holy Spirit would continue to go forth raising up even more who would pray, intercede, and fast on behalf of Joey and his family.  Place Your burden for prayer upon the hearts of those whom You would call to help and work alongside the Kellers.  Do not let Your people hear the story of Joey and walk away unburdened for intercession.  Work through these events in the lives of those who have been touched by this trial to make us better, more disciplined prayer warriors and intercessors, more other-centered, and more faithful.  Draw people unto Yourself through these events and let us all come away with a deeper relationship to You, and a deeper understanding and commitment to prayer in general.

Most of all Father, I pray that all these things would not be in vain; that there would come from these events the greatest possible good for all those involved, but most especially for You and Your kingdom.  May all the lessons available to be learned here - whether in Joey, his parents, the doctors and medical staff, the prayer team, or the casual passersby - be learned and learned well.  May each person come away changed by these events in a way that ultimately brings glory to You and draws more people to You and deeper in their walk with You and Your Word.  Let no lesson be lost.

Hear our prayer Father.  Show Thyself strong and loving and gracious - as Master over all life and death and sickness and infirmity.  Glorify Thy name before men and especially among those who would deny You or place their trust and hope in the wisdom and acts of Man rather than You.

We love You and thank You and worship You and glorify Thy mighty and holy name before all men and before the hosts of heaven.  For You alone are worthy to receive all glory and honor and power and praise.  Your's is the kingdom and glory and the power forever.

All these things we ask in the name that is above all names - the glorious, powerful, wonderful, precious name of Jesus.

Amen.

Back On Our Knees for Joey

Friends & Family;

The past 24hrs have seen another downward spiral of our dear friend, Joey Keller's health, and he is back in the Pediatric ICU at Riley Hospital for Children.  According to Nick's (Joey's father) most recent CaringBridge updates this evening, Joey is suffering from a dangerously low sodium level in the brain which is causing bad seizures.  Unfortunately, the seizures then cause the sodium levels to drop further setting up a "vicious spiral" that quickly becomes life-threatening.

It's been one complication after another for them this trip and several other things have gone wrong as well - most significantly, the drug they used to stop the sodium loss seems to be causing some kind of reaction with even more horrible side-effects in this poor little boy.

Our hearts are absolutely broken for all that they're going through.  However, we continue to pray in confidence that he WILL come through this.  We believe very strongly that there have been several indications and confirmations from the Lord that He has a definitely plan for and call upon Joey's life.  Many of us believe that there is a significant spiritual side as well as the obvious physical side to all that's going on.

I've set up a new Round-The-Clock (RTC) Prayer Vigil for Joey beginning now (early Tues morning) and continuing through to Sunday night.

Please join us by going to the following sign-up page to select one or more 1/2-hour time slots when you can pray for Joey, Nick and Elizabeth Keller.

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080944ACA62FA20-praying

If you are willing and able to FAST on behalf of Joey as well, we really encourage you to do so along with your prayers.  Remember, fasting doesn't have to mean going without all food.  Fasting is simply sacrificing (doing without) something as a personal discipline in conjunction with your prayers.  Most often it is all food, but could be a single food, or certain kinds of foods, or even something entirely different (such as TV or other media) for a period of time.  It could be a single meal, a day, a week, or a month - that is between you and God.  But we do know that God calls us to fast in Scripture AND that there are certain types of healing that Christ taught only come about through prayer and fasting.

If you have a Facebook account, I've created an "event" for the vigil to get it on your calendar and to be able to communicate with the group in that way here:

https://www.facebook.com/events/292628944180709/?context=create

Please also "like" our permanent "Prayer Team Joey" page here to keep up with future events and stay in touch with other members of the prayer team:

https://www.facebook.com/PrayingForJoeyk 

If you'd like to learn more about Joey and the Kellers and follow their status updates directly, visit Nick's CaringBridge site here:

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/joeykeller

Thank you for keeping up with us (I'll get out a new post on how Daniel is doing soon - but in a word, he's doing great! PTL!! :)

- Tim -

Prayer Requests for Joey: A Call For Intercessors

Daniel finally had his counts high enough today for us to get started on the long, final phase of his Chemo treatment (Lord willing!)  Phase 5 or "Maintenance".  This is planned to take us to mid-April of 2015 with monthly (instead of weekly) clinic visits.  Still a very long road ahead, but it's very nice to be past the most intensive parts of the therapy barring a (God forbid) relapse or other set-back of any type.

As Daniel came out of the anesthesia from the spinal tap procedure and we prepared to leave, we discussed stopping over at the Simon Tower to see if we could possibly get in to see the Kellers before leaving.  I was kind of skeptical that we'd be able to get into the ICU at all since we aren't family and hadn't even contacted them about it ahead of time.  But it was worth a shot.  Something I've learned about hospitals in general is, it's usually best to just pretend like you know what you're doing and are supposed to be there - don't ask if it's OK, just tell them what you've come to do. :)  Well, despite a few "looks", I basically walked right in - got a nurse to show me to their room, got suited up (gown, mask, gloves, etc. - we know this drill already) and walked into a room FILLED with people.

The first thing I noticed (other than the unexpectedly large number of people in the room) was that Joey noticed me and looked right at me. I gave him a big smile and said, "hello!" and then moved over to where Nick and Elizabeth were conferring with someone.  We spoke for a few moments but then decided to move out of the room to a small conference room across the hall.  This gave me a chance to let Andrea in but Daniel had to wait outside the ward in the waiting room.  However, between his "healies" (shoes with wheels) and the wheel chair I'd gotten for him, he found plenty to keep himself occupied.

We talked with Nick and Eliz for quite awhile - I'm thinking it was about 45 minutes or more - I was SO happy to have the opportunity to really hear from them what was happening and to relay to them what everyone was doing with the prayer vigils.  They were really encouraged to hear about the round-the-clock coverage and emphasized that, by far, prayer is the most coveted gift they needed right now.  Believe me, I know the feeling exactly!!  It's difficult to put into words just how precious is the knowledge that others are praying for you when you're in such a dark and helpless place as they've been in for the last 5 days or so.

As I write this, Nick has just put out another post which also helps to tell the story that he's titled "Mixed Bag".  http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/joeykeller

It's increasingly apparent from his writing just how tired he really is - so obviously that's a huge prayer request by itself.  Elizabeth is not far behind though I think she shows it less ... she is a rock! :)

As we all began to talk, Nick unfolded the past 48hrs or so of events, discussions, conundrums, differing ideas between doctors as to the causes (and possible solutions), and the unimaginable saga they've been living through for nearly a week of watching, literally, every breath their precious son takes ... or doesn't.  Praying for hours at a time, coaching him like a prize fighter to initiate every breath when they put him through their daily "breathing tests" and searching fervently for any sign of improvement, hope, and the spark "Joey" still inside the mass of tubes, wires, monitors, and all the nightmare that is a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit.

I won't take the space to go through all the different conversations and test results and opinions and options here, but I think I can summarize the whole thing into two vitally important points:

1. The medical staff doesn't have a clue as to what's going on.  Those who know me at all aren't surprised to hear me say that anyway - but in this case, it's literally true.  Nobody really has any idea what caused these episodes or how to fix it (medically).  The ideas being offered, as Nick has communicated a couple times now) are as different and varied as night and day.  And for something this big, that is nothing short of astounding.  To date, as best I understand it, no test result has shown ANYTHING that could be causing this.  And consequently, no clear path forward is available either.

2. What I'm about to write is MY opinion, but based on what I heard and saw today - in my opinion, the medical staff working Joey's case is, itself, a big problem.  Many of the ICU doctors are not cancer doctors and quite simply don't even understand Joey's background, his case history, much less the nature of what is happening now.  But they seem very quick to offer their opinions to Nick and Elizabeth about their need to prepare for the worst.  As Nick's latest CaringBridge entry highlighted, they seem to be in a hurry for some reason to bring about a resolution - which to them looks very dark - and seem to even be setting deadlines for Joey's recovery.  Admittedly, I have only bits and pieces of information and likely have some of this wrong, but I can tell you - and this is the main point - there appears to be a very important, very dark, and very powerful spiritual dimension to what is going on here.  It is weighing heavily on all 3 of the Kellers, and could (and I emphasize "could") be just as important, if not more so, a part of the problem as any of the physical problems (which, again, have yet to be identified).

What follows is really targeted for those readers who have some experience or at least knowledge of what the Bible calls "spiritual warfare" (yes, I'm talking Eph 6 "principalities, ... powers, ... rulers of the darkness of this age, ... spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.").  So if that's not your bag, this may be a good stopping point.  Thank you so VERY much for your continued thoughts and prayers for the Kellers. Please keep up the great work!!

Blessings,

- Tim -

For the Intercessors & Prayer Warriors 
(And those willing to learn!)

For the "initiated", I'll pass on a bit more info that Nick and Elizabeth shared from a non-medical perspective.  First, it's easy to get angry at what I heard some of the doctors have been doing, saying, implying, and worst of all, saying right in front of Joey.  They described more than one occasion when these statements about "end of life" had a visible effect on Joey as well as on his breathing.  Personally, if it were my son, I'd probably have these doctors removed from the room and from the case.  As far as I'm concerned, that's not just a lack of courtesy and even decency, it's actually malpractice.  But OK, I'm not gonna get started on that.  I don't even want to focus on that because I think this has Eph 6:12 written all over it ... "FOR WE DO NOT WRESTLE AGAINST FLESH AND BLOOD..." but against all those bad guys I mentioned earlier.  That applies to Joey's physical body as well as to the doctors.  I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say I believe something much bigger is in play here.  Nick and Elizabeth didn't come right out and state this, so recognize you're hearing MY assessment here and any disagreement / criticism can be leveled at me. But they DID describe enough details and specific examples for me to come away pretty certain that there is, at the very least, a strong spiritual dimension to this that requires direct intercession and FASTING (but I'll come back to that part.)

Nick and Eliz described frequently feeling a darkness, heaviness, a sense of "depression" and "giving up" atmosphere within the room and sometimes specifically associated with certain of the doctors.  They described some of the conversations I described earlier being held in front of Joey (which the Kellers are now trying very hard to enforce that they happen OUTSIDE the room).  Nick physically illustrated to me Joey curling up into a ball, and used the word "withering" when a particular doctor began talking about "pulling the plug" or designing "end of life" care.  He stated that there are certain doctors that, when they just come into the room, Joey has a reaction - sometimes with physical movement, sometimes setting off the respirator alarm because he suddenly has trouble breathing - but it's associated with specific people.  Conversely, he described how, a day or two ago, they played praise music and remained in prayer for 4hrs straight, uninterrupted and Joey didn't have a single alarm the entire 4hrs ... and he was asleep at that!  i.e. It's easier for him to breathe consistently when he's awake and people are encouraging him & coaching him. To go 4hrs asleep, with no alarms, is a really positive thing.  And it happened while there was worship music and prayer going on for him.

So again, not focusing on the doctors or any other "flesh and blood" - I have enough experience in this realm to be convinced that it is well worth our while to be focusing on the spiritual side of this battle.  Those who have followed Joey's story for any length of time know what an extraordinary little boy his is.  God CLEARLY has a special call on his life and I have no doubt that the enemy knows good and well that this is a threat that he wants "taken out"!  The darkness, depression, heaviness, talk of death, and mysterious illnesses with no medical explanations are ALL the enemy's calling cards.  And the fact that things improve ... dramatically ... when an atmosphere of praise and worship fills the room is also a powerful indicator of what's happening here.

Nick and Elizabeth, having these kinds of thoughts as well, are trying desperately to fight this battle on their own ... providing their own round-the-clock prayer coverage and intercession on their son's behalf.  Clearly, that's not humanly possible and they're running on fumes as it is.  Those of you who expressed to me that you'd been feeling a similar burden to mine about doing round-the-clock "organized" prayer over the past few days should be recognizing that God has been calling us together to battle this along side Joey's parents ... to "hold up their arms" if you're familiar with that story from Moses' life (Ex 17).

So those of you who understand the concept of "Intercessory Prayer", and know how to use the authority given to believers in the name of Jesus Christ, need to be focusing your prayers in this regard ... coming against and tearing down the schemes and strongholds of the enemy, setting up perimeters of protection, and binding / casting out foul spirits wherever they may be attempting to affect the Kellers, the medical staff, or even the equipment & facilities of the room and ward where Joey is.  Let the Holy Spirit guide your prayers, and if you're familiar what I mean when I say "let the Holy Spirit pray through you", then get on that too! :-)

My last point here is something I believe the Lord led me to specifically this evening during my own prayer time.  I don't yet know exactly how this will play out, but He is also calling apart a certain delegation of "fasters" to add some extra firepower to this battle.  If you're familiar with fasting and you feel God's touch on your shoulder to participate in that, please do so as soon as you're directed.  I think God will be touching a lot of "shoulders" in that regard in the near future. I just need to figure out a way to kinda pull that effort together as well (pray for me too! haha).

Thank you for your steadfastness, your self-sacrifice, and for all the interceding you're about to do on behalf of Joey and the Kellers.  I don't know exactly what's in store for us in the next few days, but I do believe that God is moving in His people and will be bringing this battle to a climax soon.  Keep your spiritual "ears" open to how He leads, and I'll try to figure out a kind of "forum" for the "prayer warriors" / intercessors to keep in better touch with in the very near future.

Grace and Peace to all,

- Tim -