Pray for a young couple living in Oklahoma and who are expecting their first child in a few months and have just been advised by doctors that recent testing reveals their baby girl is going to have a rare birth defect and one that will actually cause the baby to die either during delivery or almost immediately after delivery.  Pray for this couple as they deal with this devastating news and as they need to make some pretty major decisions.  Pray for God's special comfort for this family now and during the very difficult days ahead.

Please be in prayer for young Cooper Raleigh as he prepares to have surgery possibly as early as tomorrow and no later than next Tuesday.  The exact date of surgery is still somewhat unknown as they are needing Cooper to have a "clinical" seizure first.  The doctors have been able to identify the focal area of his seizures and would like to see a seizure to further confirm the findings.  This is not absolutely necessary but would be helpful.  The doctors believe a surgical resection to remove the identified focal area (brain and scar tissue) will hopefully, eliminate, reduce, or minimize his seizures.  They have said that in a worst case scenario, and as a result of surgery, Cooper could have a temporary, worsened, right side (leg) weakness that will recover over time through rehabilitation.  Pray for Cooper to have a seizure in the controlled environment that he is in so that the surgeons can feel even more confident in what they believe they need to do during surgery.  Pray for God's guidance to be upon the surgeons during the surgery and for the overall success of this surgery and pray for little or no after effects from the surgery.  Pray also for Cooper's family during this time of waiting and especially with so many unknowns.

Prayers of comfort are requested for the family of Lois Monn who passed away yesterday afternoon after having been ill for some time with Alzheimer's.  Lois' funeral will be here at New Life Church on Tuesday, May 6th at 11:00 a.m.  There will be a meal for family and friends in the afternoon here at the church.  Anyone who would be interested in donating food for this meal can call the church office at (301) 609-8423.