It is hard to be selfish in NICU. Yes, you are highly focused on the health and improvement of your child, but you can’t miss the tears flowing from the faces of other parents all around you. You can’t ignore the sobs of mothers and the groans of fathers listening to the doctor give them a grim prognosis. You can’t forget the images of bodies huddled over an incubator, begging God to hear their prayers and heal their little gift. The NICU unit can be a somber place. It is a place of extreme joy and extreme grief; however, it is also a place of extreme empathy. Each family knows how the other families feel. We all must traverse the tight-rope that dangles treacherously between hope and tragedy. And that rope ties us to one another.
I have had an opportunity to meet a few of these families–all of us placing our hope in a higher power to sustain our little ones, while gazing longingly at the ventilators that breathe for our precious treasures. There is baby Wren who is battling a collapsed lung. There is baby Tiffany who cannot regulate her temperature. There is baby Nicholi who is experiencing breathing and bleeding complications. And then there is baby Bryson who we lost this morning. Each of us have a large hole in our heart. Each family is searching for answers. Each family is praying for a miracle.
These are Jesher’s neighbors. And I have felt an overwhelming level of compassion towards their predicaments. I have asked for the same phenomenon that took place in Luke 5:17 to overtake the entire NICU ward: “And the power of the Lord was in the place to heal.” I am not only asking the Lord to heal my son; I want the Lord to heal all of Jesher’s classmates. I want every family represented here to take a healthy child home. So tonight, I am asking that your prayers for Jesher also include Jesher’s neighbors. They need our prayers as well. They need to be visited by a divine helper. They need to be healed too.
Here is an update on Jesher’s condition:
KANGAROO CARE–Lhorraine was able to hold Jesher today! They call this Kangaroo Care. In the literature that they gave us, they outline how important skin-to-skin contact is for the baby’s development. Some benefits include: increased circulation, improved immune health, positive brain development, and positive hormone release. Jesher was able to tolerate one hour of cuddling! It was amazing to watch mom and son bond in such an intimate way. PLEASE PRAY FOR JESHER TO AVOID THE UP & DOWN ROLLER-COASTER THAT IS EXPECTED; PRAY THAT EACH DAY HOLDS FURTHER IMPROVEMENT FOR HIS HEALTH.
SPACESHIP–All of the previous pictures that I have posted have a bluish hue to them. Jesher required light therapy to help him battle the jaundice that was setting into his skin due to high bilirubin levels in his blood. He is off the light therapy! Although I had to tell Jesher the bad news (his incubator no longer looks like a spaceship), ending the light therapy is a major victory on his journey. PLEASE PRAY THAT JESHER NO LONGER NEEDS LIGHT THERAPY FOR THE REMAINDER OF HIS TREATMENT.
BRAIN–We are still asking God to breath on Jesher so that his brain bleeding subsides. We are thankful that it is not increasing, but we do need the bleeding to lessen so that his brain development is not encumbered. PLEASE PRAY THAT JESHER’s BRAIN BLEEDING DISAPPEARS ON BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES.
BLOOD–Jesher is still not producing blood platelets on his own. We need this function to kick-into full operation. This allows his blood to clot properly, protecting him from prolonged external bleeding and internal bleeding. PLEASE PRAY THAT THE BLOOD OF JESUS WOULD WORK ON BEHALF OF JESHER’S BLOOD.
Tonight, I am praying that angels would walk up and down the halls of Jesher’s NICU. I pray that they would flap their wings, spreading a healing breeze throughout the NICU ward. I pray that every family here would have a day of testimony and praise on tomorrow. And I pray that Jesher Gabriel dreams of the plans God has for him as he listens to the angels spreading their wings to cover him.
“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16
Prayers for Jesher 
Tonight I pray this prayer with you!!
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Pastor polite I’m praying for you your baby and your wife and I know that God Is A Healer he has brought my grandbaby through a lot he has a heart monitor but I know that God is going to keep your baby so just we going to continue to trust God and know that he’s going to deliver the baby so if it’s anything that I can do let me know I love you and I will continue to pray.
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Dear Pastor Polite, we are Gabriella Pasos and DJ’s parents. Gaby just called us and told us the news and we have fervently prayed and continue praying for you. We are living testimony that God is a miracle working God. He raised up my husband from a cardiac arrest and 5 days in a comma, and we are claiming that same power of our MIGHTY LIVING GOD, to touch your precious fighter of God and save his life so it can be a testament of His power. We are calling and have already summoned prayer warriors to pray for you. We have covered you in the blood of Jesus and asked God to summon His Mighty warriors and His angels to flood the NICU and you and your precious wife with his peace, his presence, his hope and to wrap you and precious baby in his love. We are specifically praying that Jesus, the mighty healer will touch jesher’s brain and stop the bleeding. Touch his lungs and heal them. Touch his liver and help it function. Stop the infection. Perform the miracles needed for this baby to fight and be a MIGHTY warrior for God. We know that God has promised that He makes beauty out of ashes and whatever the enemy has intended for evil He will turn around for good. Claiming Psalm 66 for you, the same Psalm God had me hold onto when my husband was fighting for his life. God is able! God is with you. We are holding you up on our hearts and prayers. I will also send this to our spiritual ambassadors at Florida hospital, nearly 1700 of them to pray for your family! May God sustain you and may He glorify His name! Sperantza and Ronald Pasos
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That’s the shirt he will wear home!!!
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I continue to pray for Jesher and will now add his neighbors to that. Praying for healing in all those little bodies. God has them all in His hands.
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Mike, we are praying for Jesher. Love you Uncle Mark and Aunt Kelli Paris.
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Jesus Father Holy Ghost send 10 million angels to give strength to the parents and the little ones that you said for us not to suffer them to come you. We give them to you now and we dedicate this fruit and ask you to gather them into your barn for the harvest. Bless the parents that lost their child for you know what it is like you gave your Son that we might live. We ask you and give you permission to work and do your will they are the clay and you are the potter have your way and do your will. Do what we can’t. Blessed be the Most High.
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Sending up a prayer of thanksgiving for the progress little Jesher has made so far and the blessing of Lhorraine being able to hold him! 🤗❤ Will add his neighbors and their families to the prayer list.
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Michael, thank you for the updates that are encouraging for Jesher. We are continuing to join others with prayer for him and his neighbors as well as for you and Lhorraine. We love you.
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Praying for you both; for healing for you little warrior- Jesher and his neighbors. God is able.
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Praying continually!
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Dear Jesus..humbly I come..asking that you accept my feeble prayer on behalf of Jesher and his classmates…I pray that in your own loving way you do every procedure necessary to stabiluze their organs that they may function the way you intended. May their parents draw close to you and may their faith be strengthened. Let doctors, nurses and other specialists know that it is you in control…we ask for miracles ..the evidence of your presence only. I ask because I have seen you do for other babies born too soon. We love you..we trust you and we thank you in advance. Thank you Jesus! Amen and Amen…
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The mighty Hands of our Father “Yahweh” are all over Jesher and the other babies in such a special way!! Know that HIS eyes are on you & Lhorraine!!
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Continued prayers…………….
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Michael and Lhorriane, God loves and knows Jesher and both of you so much! God is listening to every prayer. He cares and we will trust Him to be faithful in keeping His promises. Praying and claiming God’s promises for Jesher and his classmates.
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We are praying for you and with you!! I have been through the NICU with my girls. I completely understand this journey.
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Father today we come in Jesus name and by the power of your Holy Spirit. Thank you. Thank you that when you said over 300 times “don’t be anxious or don’t fear” you meant even in and especially in situations like this. Thank you because when you say don’t be afraid, it’s always followed by I got this! I think God , what amazing servants this couple must be to be given this test, I know they’ll pass it and be an example of how to trust in the storm for so many. I think , who may need to understand what parents of suffering children go through and begin to pray with empathy and passion for these our children. Oh God thank you for this opportunity to pray with Lhorraine and Michael, our sister brother son daughter, our family. Thank you. And now I pray for our baby Jesher Gabriel. Touch his blood, his brain, his pancreas, liver ,spleen, heart, bones kidneys, lungs, and every aspect of his little body. Give him movement strength healing, touch him in Jesus name, in Jesus name touch him. And for all those children God, please send the angel of mass healing over and in that place in such a manner that even Christians now and more enthusiastically believe in you! Thank you this day as we await the day of a formal celebration. You oh God are worthy and this will only be tangible evidence to that fact. Amen and amen
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Mike and Lhorraine, as you consider the unpredictable circumstances of the other precious little occupants in the NCIU —holding on tenaciously like Jesher — you realize that God is giving you the strength and courage to endure: by giving Him thanks!
Tell Jesher that Uncle Rick, Aunt Cynthia and cousin Richard are praising and thanking God on his behalf!
Ephesians 5:20 (KJV)
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
P.S. And please let Jesher know that he owes Uncle Rick a game of H.O.R.S.E. !
God’s Eternal Blessings to Mike, Lhorraine and the intrepid Mr. Jesher!
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I am so happy to hear of Jesher’s (a.k.a. “Peanut”) daily progress! I have been praying since his birth, and will continue to pray for him and his “classmates” to graduate from the NICU as fully healed babies.
God cares deeply, and is in that unit listening to the prayers and doing what’s best… He hears, sees, knows, and heals. I am petitioning His throne for Jesher…daily.
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Your courage and faith are a testimony. Your family and all others in the NICU are covered as well.
Let His peace grow inside you and spread to the other families.
Marialyce Fordham
Columbia, Maryland
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We are praying that all will be well with Jesher!! You have prayer warriors here on your behalf. “In his name it will be done” and best believe I will keep him in my prayers everynight!
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I’m touching and agreeing with you tonight! He’s Able!
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