Call to 24 Hour Prayer

This is purposely dated to remain at the top for a couple days.

In order to encourage consistent and continual prayer for TJ, the Addingtons are asking all of you who are praying to also join the Pray4TJ 24 Hour Prayer Watch. Here is how it works.

Participants around the world will spend some time in prayer for TJ and the items listed on the blog for prayer, during the hours of 6am to 8am in their OWN TIME ZONE.

Since there are at least over 7800 known persons from 71 nations checking on TJ, if everyone is at least praying for TJ during THEIR OWN TIME ZONE WATCH, we will have continual and overlapping prayer around the world, 24/7.

Of course we ask you to continue to pray whenever you are prompted by the Holy Spirit to pray. We believe that our Heavenly Father knows when TJ needs prayer and He will continue to prompt you to pray or bring TJ to mind at specific times both day and night. This is very important that you continue to pray as prompted.

Our goal is to encourage more and continual intentional prayer around the world for TJ.

Thank you to all of you who are already faithfully praying. It is sooooo appreciated.

So pass this along to others you think want to know and encourage them to participate in the Pray4TJ prayer watch.

-Arthur Ellison for the family

24 Hours, 1440 Minutes, 86,400 Second, A Million Moments: All the Difference

Because this is worth repeating: The next 24 hours (really down to 18 now) could result in a major turning point for TJ. These hours will determine whether he can breathe for himself, or whether he remains on a vent (possibly through a tracheostomy*) .

The critical factors for prayer are:

• Temperature: This needs to stay down, and stay down on it's own (e.g., without Tylenol and a cooling jacket)
• TJ's ability to breathe on his own, without the help of a ventilator
• TJ's ability to cough up the junk that is crowding his lungs, without being re-intubated (NOT a fun experience)
• That the medical staff are vigilant and wise
• That God would continue to heal TJ, above the wisdom of the doctors and the work of the medicine, and that He would make it clear to us that He is working.

Thank you all for your prayers. I have been hesitant to put this up because it seems to be bragging or something of the like, but over 7,600 different people have viewed this site from over 70 countries. Thousands of people have been praying for TJ. It is hard to come away with any conclusion other than that this is God's doing and God's hand. It wouldn't have been my choice, and it wouldn't have been TJ's, but if it is God's will, we will take it as humbly as we can -- though that's not always easy.

You hold us up before the LORD. Please continue to do so.

*Which, amazingly, I hear is actually more comfortable. It is a possibility.

TJ Writes...

This came in to me over email today:

Donna’s mom [ed: I don't know who this is] was a writer, especially of poetry. As a writer herself she also collected the writings of others, especially those who were not renown, at least at the time she collected them. [Donna’s mom] died in the summer of 06. Donna took all of her writings, both those she wrote and those of others she had saved, with the intent of going through them. Well, after our move, and not yet back to work, she has taken the time to begin to go through all of that. And to her surprise, in the midst of the concern over [TJ] Addington she ran across a poem that he had written when he was 15 years old, and which was published in the "Beacon."

Here is the poem:

Morning Prayer

Lord, I want to ask you,
To be with me through this day.
Keep me from the evil one,
And keep me safe, I pray.

Lord, I know I’ll fall,
Many times today.
But lift me up in love,
And set me on my way.

And when the evening comes,
O Lord, And I review my day.
Help me to be thankful,
That you guided me today.

[TJ] Addington, age 15, February 8th, 1972

TJ later edited the Beacon, now called EFCA Today

Baby Steps

The family met with the physicians again this morning, and received a clearer vision of TJ's condition. First the highlights:

*His temperature continues to trend in the right direction, from 103 a few days ago to under 100 today (temp is being assisted by occasional use of the cooling blanket)
*His blood pressure is more stable today than in past days
*They are continuing his current antibiotic regiment
*In the doctor's words "There has been a significant move in the right direction".

TJ is making baby steps in the right direction, however it was made clear that he is still critically ill. His chest x-ray shows no major change from the past few days, he still has significant infiltrate throughout his lungs, and he is still breathing with considerable assistance from a ventilator. The physicians described his recovery process as very lengthy (months vs. weeks).

It was communicated to the family that the next 24 hours will be a critical junction in the direction that TJ's caregivers will take - a decision will need to be made regarding his breathing assistance; will he be able to be successfully weaned off the ventilator, or will he need his current ventilator to be replaced with a tracheostomy?

Please pray with the family that as he is slowly weaned from the ventilator, he will be able to breath and will be able to cough up the crud that he needs to cough up, without any need of reinserting the ventilator. Pray for vigilance for TJ's caregivers as they make this critical decision. Pray also, that there will be very clear evidence of God's healing throughout this process.

Thank you for continued prayer for TJ! We will continue to update as we get further information.

Brief Morning Update- more to follow later

We will be having a family meeting with the doctor around 10am and will put up a more detailed post after that meeting. The night was good. Things are creeping in the right direction. Temps continue to work downward with less use of the cooling vest. Docs are trying to do more meds via the feeding tube. O2 at 40%, peep still at 10 but sats 97-100. Keep fighting!