This day.  This day.  Lord have mercy. Christ have mercy.  Lord have mercy.  This day.

I realized some time shortly after she left that my friend's visit was a goodbye.  This was confirmed as she texted me her goodbye, sitting alone in a car waiting to die.

It is not as if I know whether or not I believe more people praying accomplishes more than fewer people praying.  After all, I am not Frank Peretti.  But I wanted to wrap her up in so much prayer that if she survived whatever she did she would know that even strangers value her life. So I called, emailed, and texted everyone I knew who might pray for her.

Everyone I called prayed.  Pastor F also texted her.  Bettina tried as well, but is not sure her technology was cooperating.  I, myself, sent a fair amount of texts just to try and hang on to her heart.  So, my friend received the sweet, sweet Gospel and love from many people through many sources.

God, in His infinite mercy, had this evening be the one during which my writing student came to mow and work on our novel together.  So, she was with me; so, I was not alone, as I waited to hear.  Such a magnificent young woman is she that she did not complain once that I spent the first part of her visit dialing for prayers.  Instead, her response gave me pause.

I had received an email from the fellow blogger who offered to pray (I am still searching for a nickname for her) in which she rather candidly talked about how her parish is vacant and she has no pastoral care.  My writing student's comment was:  how wonderful that you have access to so many pastors, not many do.

She is right.  I have been utterly ungrateful for the fact that God, in His infinite mercy, has brought to my life such men, such faithful undershepherds, who would take a frantic call from me and gladly pray for a stranger...who have been holding my heart even as I have endeavored to hold hers.  I pray for them, their families, and their flocks daily, but I have not fully considered what riches God has heaped upon me through them until, not once, but twice this day such has been pointed out to me.

 Pastor F very kindly sent me a Psalm after I had hung up with him.  .

    Out of the depths I have cried to Thee, O LORD.
    Lord, hear my voice!
         Let Thine ears be attentive
         To the voice of my supplications.
    If Thou, LORD, shouldst mark iniquities,
         O Lord, who could stand?
    But there is forgiveness with Thee,
         That Thou mayest be feared.
    I wait for the LORD, my soul does wait,
         And in His word do I hope.
    My soul waits for the Lord
         More than the watchmen for the morning;
         Indeed, more than the watchmen for the morning.
    O Israel, hope in the LORD;
         For with the LORD there is lovingkindness,
         And with Him is abundant redemption.
    And He will redeem Israel
         From all his iniquities

                                      ~Psalm 130

The police found my friend's car and took her to the hospital.  I am assuming they were able to save her and am praying as such.  Tomorrow is a new day and His mercies will be new...for me...for her.

Papa Dore began and ended the day with me, calling for Compline before heading off to bed.  The blogger called afterward (the time difference thing) and talked and then sang Lord Jesus, Think on Me.   While I have recently posted the lyrics to this hymn, I shall again do so:

Lord Jesus, Think on Me (LSB 610)

Lord Jesus, think on me

And purge away my sin;

From worldly passions set me free

And make me pure within.

Lord Jesus, think on me

By anxious thought oppressed;

Let me Your loving servant be

And taste Your promised rest.

Lord Jesus, think on me

Amid the battle's strife;

In all my pain and misery,
O be my health and life!

Lord Jesus, think on me

Nor let me go astray;

Through darkness and perplexity

Point out Your chosen way.

Lord Jesus, think on me

That, when this life is past,

I may the eternal brightness see

And share Your joy at last.

Oh, dear Lord, my friend believes.  Help her unbelief!