Oct 4, 2009

An email to the church from Mark Altrogge, our pastor:

Hi everyone,

I just spoke with Mary Murphy who gave me an update on Steve. Since the second operation his condition has continued to deteriorate. He has experienced excruciating pain and pressure in his head, and is now unable to speak, and pretty much unable to walk. Last night Mary enrolled him in the hospice program. Hospice really makes an effort to get pain under control and keep him comfortable. They started Steve on morphine today, so they are hopeful that Steve's pain will lessen. At this point they are not planning any more treatments.

Although Steve is sad, he is not at all afraid and looks forward to going to be with the Lord, should that be God's will. Mary and the family are trusting the Lord and looking to him for grace.

Although the situation does not look encouraging, Jesus could still heal Steve. Until we know what God's will is, let's continue to ask God to have mercy on him and heal him. Let us pray and ask the Lord to relieve Steve's pain, to restore his speech, to restore the use of his arm and legs and to heal him completely. Nothing is impossible with God. Let's pray for grace and strength and comfort for the family.

Thanks for praying,

Mark

35 comments:

Anonymous said...

Although I do not know your family personally, I have followed your struggle over the past three years. Please know that you are in my prayers! Your family has been a great source of encouragement to me. Dana Foster

Lisa said...

Dear Lord,
I pray that you would relieve Steve's pain and give him his speech back.

Praying for you today,
Lisa

Darci Bloss said...

Still praying. For Steve. For Ian. For Larissa and all those being effected. God is able.

Anonymous said...

Dear God,
Have mercy on Steve and his family.
We keep knocking... asking for your grace and comfort. We believe that things that are impossible for man are possible with God.
~M

Drew and Diane said...

Our family continues to pray for your family.

Anonymous said...

Thank God, that You are in control.

Anonymous said...

We are praying for Steve's complete healing, and we will continue to pray for Ian as well. Jeremy and Emily Wingard

Sarah Bosse said...

"Jesus loves me—this I know,
For the Bible tells me so:
Little ones to him belong,—
They are weak, but he is strong.

"Jesus loves me,—he who died
Heaven's gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin,
Let his little child come in.

" Jesus loves me—loves me still,
Though I'm very weak and ill;
From his shining throne on high
Comes to watch me where I lie.

" Jesus loves me,—he will stay
Close beside me all the way.
Then his little child will take
Up to heaven for his dear sake."

Original words, Anna Bartlett Warner (1827-1915)

Emmie said...

Praying in Central Texas.

Jean said...

Dear Steve, Mary, Ian, Larissa, Ben, Jan, Caleb, Devon, and Lydia,
Thank you for being wonderful witnesses to the love and faithfulness of the Lord Jesus Christ. You continue to teach me very much about what it means to be a follower of our Lord, and what it means to have complete faith in Him. I pray for your complete healing, for all of you. I rejoice in your rejoicings and share in your sufferings because you are willing to share those with all of us. In the midst of all that you have endured and are enduring, your love and joy are evident, you care about every person who reads these messages, and you are faithful and true to Him Who has all of us - all that we are, all that we might be - in His blessed and loving hands. Thank you for all of that.

Anonymous said...

Our God is a big God. We will continue praying with and for you all.
~Teresa in Lancaster, PA

Anonymous said...

Dear God
We pray to you to help Steve, Ian and the Murphy family to relieve their pain and restore to Steve his speech, his movement and his life back. Steve is like a brother to me, he helped my family in so many ways and the Murphy's have impacted our life profoundly. So dear God, we pray that you show your power, you show your greatness and help Steve and his family, to ease the pain on all of them and get them back to serve your cause as they always did. I love you Steve. In God's name I pray.
Azad

Anonymous said...

Father God, please suroound Mary and Steve with the power of your love. You are a strong and mighty tower. You will uphold them with Your righteous right hand.May peace abound to all who surround this dear family. Kathy J
Arlington, Texas

Unknown said...

Along with so many others, we are praying for Steve, Ian,and the family, trusting each one to a God who is more than able.

Unknown said...

praying here in Lancaster, PA.

Libby said...

Praying for you, Murphy family. Praying for much grace to sustain you, joy to remain with you, and strength to carry you!
Libby

Anonymous said...

We are praying for Steve, Ian....Mary, Larissa and the entire Murphy and extended family. May the Lord hold you in His arms today.

Unknown said...

Ian, my name is Allen Freeman form the Boston Massachusetts area (Chris Freeman's dad)and wanted you to know that my wife and I are praying for your dad, for you, and for your mom. Please know that God's ways are perfect even if we don't see them that way now...we will...and we will fall on our knees thank Him and praise Him because it will be so wonderful that words will not be able to express it

Anonymous said...

always praying fervently. we love you guys.

-matthieu and amber

Anonymous said...

I love your family! From a great distance and without having met you I am following the hardship and praying.

Will continue in prayer for Steve and for Ian and for the whole family.

Thank you for updating now and then.

In Christ,

Cynthia W

peg said...

shedding tears and saying prayers

Anonymous said...

Tapping out a full heart,
In prayer for each of you,
Hoping in the Eternal,
To be felt in the now,
Of His love.

I echo wise words already spoken...

God Is Able.


lovingly,
HveHope


How thankful I am for the Spirit's groanings interceding on my behalf when I have those days where it is all I can do to lift my hands to Him and fall before Him... my voice silent but my heart loudly crying to Him.

"Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered." Romans 8:26

...lift my hands to Him and fall before Him... my voice silent but my heart loudly crying to Him.

~ Chelsey [http://joyfullyliving.blogspot.com/]," The Spirit", posted: 27 Aug 2009 from At the Well...In Pursuit of Titus 2
'selected' & 'arranged' from original source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/titus2atthewell/~3/2oZl6HxcOJo/spirit.html

Anonymous said...

Praying for your entire family.
Wendy in Maryland

Joanne said...

We believe that the Lord has numbered our days from the first day to the last. We ask for the Father's perfect will for the whole Murphy family. You are so dear to my heart and always will be.

Praying and hoping in Shippensburg, PA

Don and Joanne Perry

Joy Z said...

Conversation with my son (7 yr. old) after he overheard me say "he is not afraid to die":
Son: Who isn't afraid to die?
Me: Oh, you don't know him
Son: But what is his name?
Me: Steve
Son: That is so sad
Me: Yes, but he is a Christian and gets to be with Jesus forever!
Son: Yeah! (eyes light up) I can't wait to meet him!
Me: Meet Jesus?
Son: No, Steve! I can't wait to meet him because we will be with Jesus together!

Please know that I am praying for your family and I have been so blessed watching how all of you honor the Lord with your lives.

Audrey said...

We are praying for your dear family.

Love
Damien, Audrey, Emme, Faith, and Lydia Drago

Leah said...

Praying for God's strength and Grace for all of you during this time.

How encouraging to know Steve's state of mind! I pray that I would have a fraction of his trust in our God.

--Leah

Anonymous said...

Praying for Steve here in Cleveland

Anonymous said...

Whenever and however I'm reminded of your suffering I pray. God loves you and is merciful to you.

All 8 of Us said...

Continuing to pray for the mercies of God to surround your precious family.
kathi

Terry said...

"I have learnt to love the darkness of sorrow; there you can see the brightness of His face." -Mme.Guyon

we love you-the halls

Anonymous said...

Dear Murphy family and all of your blog followers,

I listened to this song and everytime I listen, I think of Steve and all of the Murphy family. I challenge every one to listen and have the faith that Steve has shown us. God bless you all. You are in our prayers and thoughts.

A dedicated prayer partner.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yvfso4Q8xg

Freeman, Come to Central PA said...

Destiny and I continue to pray for you. Steve, you have impacted me in so many ways. I think to the youth camps, the church membership class and the help you provided for the Bible Studies we had in Whitmyre Hall. Now I'm amazed at how you continue to glorify God in this painful trial. We are praying.

Mike and Destiny

Anonymous said...

Crying...and crying out to our God!

Mary Ann K.

Anonymous said...

Continuing to pray to our all wise Father for each of you during this difficult time.
Wendy in Maryland