The Hole in Heaven's Floor

Photo credit:  ronnieb from morgueFile.com

This week’s Sips of Sunshine is all about my precious goddaughter, Sydney Kallus.  For those of you who haven’t gotten an urgent prayer request from me yet, well, here it is and here’s a bit of her story:

Sydney is 11 years old and her parents, Mark & Jennifer, found out on Friday, October 24th that she has Burkitt's Lymphoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer.  Sydney will be undergoing treatment at MD Anderson in Houston to tackle this disease.  Please pray for her.

Along with your prayers, if you have children or grandchildren, please ask them to keep Sydney in their prayers, too.  Prayers are so powerful, especially those of children.  Please share this prayer request with your friends and family and add Sydney’s name to the special intentions at your church.  Let’s storm heaven with prayer for this precious child of God!

In addition to her parents, Sydney has two younger sisters and a baby brother, who love her dearly.  Sydney also has several brothers and sisters who are angels watching over her from heaven.

When I talked to Sydney the night before her chemo began, I asked her what kinds of things I could mail to her in a care package.  She listed some books that she wanted as well as some small toys.  Then, she said, "Hey, maybe you could send me a check for one million dollars?"  I told her that I would empty out some of my piggy banks and see what I could come up with.  We both laughed about it.  Then she said, "Seriously, for some reason, half of me thinks that you are actually going to send me a check."

Sydney, my sweet goddaughter, in addition to the one million prayers that I'm trying to round up for you, I'm going to give it my all to make your "over-the-top" wish come true.  I've set the GoFundMe goal for $50,000...but, you know I'm really hoping for a million, little girl!

Sydney is in desperate need of your fervent, unceasing prayers for her healing.  This disease is relentless and ruthless, but God is bigger!  Prayer is bigger.

My friend, Anne Marek, shared some absolutely beautiful words with me from her ACTS team director, ”We will tear a hole in that roof and lay her down right before Jesus for healing!"

“Her favorite bible story is of the paralytic man, where the friends of the man couldn’t get him to Jesus because of the crowds, so they cut a hole in the roof and laid him right before Jesus. Assure Sydney that there is a faithful community of believers along with a host of angels and saints in heaven that, with prayers, are doing just that with her….laying her at the feet of Jesus for healing. Also thank her for her own suffering, courage, and faith. She is an inspiration and is being an instrument of God, turning many hearts to God in prayer on her behalf." 

My heart is so full because of all the prayers being lifted for Sydney and her family.  The amount of “prayer shares” has been overwhelmingly breath-taking.  Thank you all so much for taking the time to pray for them!  I know they are comforted and strengthened by your prayers.  I know it means the world to them.  It means the world to me...

Matthew 18:20 reminds us, “Where two or three are gathered in My name, there am I in their midst.”  He’s with us.  He’s with us.  He’s with us.

During the last few days, there have been many times when I just didn’t know what to say.  Then, I remembered the words to 7eventh Time Down’s song, “Just Say Jesus.”  “When you don’t know what to say, just say Jesus.  There is power in the name.  The name of Jesus.  Whisper it now or shout it out.  However it comes out, He hears your cry.  Out of nowhere, He will come.  You’ve got to believe it.  He will rescue you.  There is just one name that’s strong enough to save.  Just say Jesus.”

Just say Jesus.  Over the last few days, I’ve found myself whispering the name of Jesus all day long.  Please join me…

I love it when God gives us concrete signs that He’s listening.  Sometimes the doubting Thomas in me just needs it.  A few days ago, I was in the middle of a nine-day novena prayer through St. Jude, begging for his prayers to God for times when we don’t feel strong in our faith and are desperately yearning and searching for hope.  During that nine-day period, I looked back on my home phone’s caller ID and saw that “St. Jude” had called several times.  God is listening.

I’m asking each of you to be on God’s caller ID when He looks back to see who was praying for sweet Sydney.  Not that God needs a caller ID…I realize that He knows what we want and need even before we ask.  However, it makes me smile to think that if He did have one, it would be overflowing with names lifting up Sydney in prayer.

With God’s grace, when each of us gets to heaven one day, I want you to look for the hole in heaven’s floor.  It will be there and it will be big.  The hole will be there because of you, the prayer warriors who stormed heaven in prayer begging for Sydney’s healing.

I love you, Sydney!  You are strong, courageous, faithful, loving, witty, smart, and inspiring.  It is a great honor to be your godmother.  I will not stop praying.

Thank you for your prayers, Sunshines.  For those of you who asked what else you can do in addition to prayer, please check out the Praying for Sydney Kallus Go Fund Me page.

(Beautiful Sydney at a dress-up birthday party over the summer)