Pray for our Friend!

These are our best friends, Gib and Ellie Norris.

Gib has suffered some kind of an attack almost 2 weeks ago where he lost his memory. At first they thought it was a stroke, but at this time they have ruled that out. He has been in a Cleveland Clinic Hospital since last Friday (it happened the Sunday before) and they still can not find out what the problem is. He is going to be transferred to a rehab facility in the next couple of days.

Gib is such a big hearted fellow. He would do anything for anyone. No one knows how many people he has helped. I'm sure Ellie doesn't even know because he was just like that. He never made a big deal of it. I think he would give away the last dime he had if he thought someone needed it more then he did. They have two children of their own, but have taken many more (not sure how many) into their home and raised them when they had no place else to go or were in trouble and needed help. Most people don't want the ones that are in trouble, but Gib and Ellie were up for it and did a good job. Those kids are better people now because of the years they spent with Gib and Ellie.

I say all that to say this. Gib was there for others, now he needs others to be there for him. Let's rally and stand in the gap and fill in the hedge. Let's bombard heaven on Gib's behalf. We serve a miracle working God and Gib needs a miracle right now.

Our God is able!

I wish I could be there with them, but that is not possible, so the least I can do is pray and ask others to pray also.


Please pray:

That the doctors will be able to find out what caused the problem. It is very hard not knowing what it was and if it will happen again.

That God will help him as he goes to rehab and they try to reteach him things that he needs to know to function in everyday life. At this point he doesn't even know his family (at least not their names). Also that he does not suffer depression during this time as this is a real concern. It is very difficult for him.

Pray for Ellie and the family. As you can imagine, it is very hard to stand before your husband or father and have him not know who you are. Charlie and I went to see him Saturday and experienced this ourselves and it is not easy. Someone as vital as Gib laying there pretty helpless is hard to see. And we are just friends, not family so it would be harder on them.

Pray for special strength for Ellie as she is by his side almost constantly. Although this is where she wants to be it is still tiring emotionally and physically.

Pray that God will provide for their needs. It would be hard to go from two incomes to none (Ellie is needing to be by his side right now).

I know God's ways are best and he does everything for a reason, so I don't doubt him. Ellie said this also. She is trusting God to work things out in his time.

Thank you for remembering this family and praying for them.