Ricks Thoughts

We will certainly continue to pray in the area of the bilirubin levels.

Elaine and family, We love you very much and we're praying for you as well.

Thanks again for the continuous updates!

with many hugs,
Melissa, Randy and boys

We love you all. You amaze us with your strength and unwavering faith. Remember with God all things are possible. We are continually praying for all of you and for Rick’s specific needs.

Love,
Matt, Gina, and Abby

Matthew 11:28-30

28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.
17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

We continue to pray for you all day, every day, God is Good and works in his own time. We are praying for complete healing and recovery.

Mary Ann . John & Regina

Hey Rick!
I love you and can't wait to have you back at church leading worship, flicking rubber bands and running chairs into walls. =) I'm praying for your speedy recovery.
Suzanne- I'm praying for you too. You're an amazing woman!

Rick,

You and your family and all the loving friends that surround are in our prayers. You continue to be in our daily thoughts and prayers.

With much love...

John and Jen Hopkins

You don't know me, but emails about Rick have circulated well.:) You all are definitely in my prayers- I can actually somewhat empathize with what you are going through. Almost two years ago, my husband was diagnosed with leukemia, and praise the Lord because of many, many prayers, he is cancer-free and healthy today!! God is amazing and through Him, you truly can do anything. I was so comforted by the power of prayer during my husband’s sickness, and someone helped me to mentally visualize the prayers…just as I’m sure you have, we also had people all over the world praying, so imagine just for a moment looking at the Earth from outer space- visualize the prayers being prayed as beams of light radiating towards Heaven- it is a powerful thought, and I hope it gives you the peace it gave me.

If I can be of any help, please email me.
Many prayers,
Amy

Our family continues to pray for Rick and the family. We have seen God's grace heal Bryant, my 3 1/2 year old son.

I pray that God holds you so close that you feel the rise and fall of His chest with every breath.

In Christ's love, Tracey, Jason and Bryant

My family and I continue to pray for Rick. Church just isn't the same without him there.
I remember to tell myself that God is in control.
God Bless all of you during this time.
Kyle and Laura Bailey

Rick, Suzanne, and Rick's Family,
This Saturday when Rodney got home from the hospital he brought the CD over with Rick's song. I was amazed at how fitting it was. Who would have known how much we would have all needed to hear it and for it to be in Rick's beautiful voice. I am praising God that he is still stable. I pray all day and night for him. I will pray for his billirubins today. I hope and pray that the news will be good today. You all are amazing. I am praying for God's comfort and peace for all of you today. You have all touched my life in so many ways. I love you all.
Lindsay Lovoy

I was introduced to this site this morning as I was reading my e-mails. As I have been reading everything I have wondered... what could I possibly have to say to this family that could offer them encouragement. And then God brought to my heart a verse that has sustained me so many times and my prayer is that it will do the same for you. It is the first part of the verse:

I the Lord do not change. Malachi 3:6

Six words that make a sentence that remind us of God's sovereignty. In the midst of all that is changing in your lives the hope you can have is that God will NEVER change. His love and care for you is constant.

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it agian: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. THE LORD IS NEAR. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:4-7

Still in Awe of Calvary,
Jan

Hey Everyone,
Last night after I left, I was reading and God gave me Psalm 118. Read this and keep trusting and believing. Remember, Suzanne, faith is the SUBSTANCE of things hoped for. I am praying earnestly for Rick and for each of you. Read all of Psalm 118, here are a few verses:
"The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation."
"The right hand of the Lord does valiantly, the right hand of the Lord exalts, the right hand of the Lord does valiantly!"
***"I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Lord. The Lord has disciplined me severely, but he has not given me over to death."
"Save us, we pray, O Lord! O Lord, we pray, give us success!"
"Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!"
Keep hoping! Christ has permitted us to do so!
Love,
Heather

Hey Rick I am praying for you and your family with all of my heart today!! "I do not cease to give thanks to you, remembering you in my prayers." Ephesians 1:16

Your Brother,

Shannon Meuleman

Good Morning -

We are praying without ceasing. Our love and prayers are with you.

"As for You, my God, Your way is perfect; Your word is flawless. You are a shield for all who take refuge in You." Psalm 18:30

Love to you all this day! Rejoice in His Mercies!
Jen Carrozza

2nd Cor. 12:9
And He has said to me, "MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake: FOR WHEN I AM WEAK, THEN I AM STRONG!

Praying continually for you!

Elaine, I know you remember Harold's ole cousin here in Thomasville, Alabama. My class (the joy sunday school class) and the entire Thomasville Baptist Church and Liberty Baptist Church (my sister Lynn's church) all my family and friends are praying for Ricky. He is in God's hands and we are praying for God's will to be done. I love you,
Tonya

We are all praying that you continually feel God's arms wrapped around you in love and peace. Love from the Reynolds - Jack, Beth, Jackson, Sam & Harry

We are praying, our family and friends in N.C. are praying, and our family and friends in Tampa are praying. Our Father Hears and will answer!We love you! Remember " You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you" Phil 4:13

I have no words to express how my heart hurts for you all this very minute. My husband and I are praying for the miraculous healing of Rick's body, but my heart also hurts so much for you his friends and family that I have no words to utter but to let you know that I am clinging to the following scripture, "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us, with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will." Rom. 8:26-27. Please know that the Holy Spirit is interceding on behalf of all the many saints in your hometown with groans that words cannot express. God Bless you all! Ted and Somer Bridges

Dear Elaine, Rick, and the rest of the family,
My prayers are being lifted up daily and you are continuously in my thoughts. God knows our every need. Lean on His everlasting arms and He will give you strength.Love, Joanne Perkins Bonds

Dear Sons and Daughters of our Savior,
My heart goes out to you all.
I cannot grasp the closeness to our Lord that you must be aware of right now. Stay there, as God comes alive to you, you come alive to Him. I continually pray that the Lord lay His hand upon you all. You are all more than parents and friends and neighbors and nurses. You sit by Rick quietly, remaining wholly faithful. I desire nothing more than to have you experience the mighty supremacy and serenity that only Christ can provide you.
God loves you all and so do I.

for Rick's family, fiancee, and friends. I just wanted to share briefly something I read today in My Utmost For His Highest by Oswald Chambers. I immediately thought of Rick and the testimony that he is having with the entire medical staff even in the state he is in. Everyone has done and is doing everything that they can, within the confines of human resources, do. But when every medical avenue has been exhausted a good thing for the doc's, believers or not, to remember is the need to, "get to the end of yourself where you can do nothing, but where He does everything". as you all surely know and have exhibited God is sovereign and almighty and no matter what the outcome lives will be forever transformed in His name. you are all bathed in love and prayers.

Ricky and Family,

I just wanted to let you know you are ALL in my thoughts and prayers. Rick, you are a great person and I pray for your quick recovery!

Love you all,
Valerie

Rick and family,

My cousin Beth became a christian after her son Bennett was diagnosed with cancer three years ago. Through Bennett's illness she started Bennett's Blue Butterfly fund with a website and updated everyone regularly on his condition...just like this one. The website was monumental. It wasn't just christians that were reading about Bennett's condition and people's responses to it, but those in my family and strangers who did not know Christ and were even defensive towards Him. Through the website and Beth's candid posts, Christ touched people deep in their hearts and changed lives. I know this exact thing is happening with Rick. I have copied one of Beth's "Butterfly Blessings" for you because it seemed to reiterate that God always does what is right even if we don't understand and He is always there beside us whispering His love.
Justin and I are praying continuously and want to let you all know we love you so much!

God's Mysterious Ways

5.18.2005

I haven't had a lot of time to sit down and write lately. But I wasn't going to let today slip by without trying to get something down. Bennett would have been 3 today. It's hard to believe that it has been only 3 years since he was born. In some ways it feels like it has been a whole lifetime. I guess that is because the time he was here was intense. I was focused, really focused on Bennett, God, and our purpose here. I spent time each day looking for and finding the blessings in my life. I relied so greatly on God to support me for each and every move that I made.

Honestly, the last 9 months have been tougher than the first 9 months after Bennett died. God and Bennett showed me how to live without worrying, how to find the good in everything. I have been trying to assimilate into "normal" life and keep my blissful approach to life. But I have been challenged left and right. Some of the challenges I met head-on without too much difficulty. Other challenges have knocked me right down to my seat. And to be completely honest, I have been really tired and frustrated at times. There have been times when I have wondered how much more I can take before something changes.

Amazingly, around mother's day things began to change. Mother's Day itself was a greatly needed infusion to my soul. And Bennett's spirit was all around me. There was a little gift at every corner I turned that day. And they were the kind of gifts that only an angel could know I needed. A lot of people were worried about how the day would be for me, but the day was great. And Bennett was and is so much alive to me.

This Sunday, at our church, the confirmation class held a silent auction as a service project. They donated the money that they raised auctioning off their services as house cleaners, weeders, and baby sitters to the Blue Butterfly Fund. There was a luncheon after our second service. After I made my plate, I selected a table where a woman was sitting alone. Though I had seen this woman at church before, I never talked to her. A little girl and her grandmother sat across from me. The grandmother asked me what we wanted to do with the altar flowers we paid for in memory of Bennett's birthday. And the little girl asked what is the Blue Butterfly Fund. Her grandmother said to her, "Remember the little boy I told you about…" I showed her a picture of Bennett from one of the Blue Butterfly Fund brochures that sat on the table.

All of a sudden, I felted overwhelmed with emotion. I doubt these events seem that important the way that I have written them, but to me they were God's way of connecting me to the people and things that matter most. Through the little girl, the grandmother, it was brought to my attention that here were all these people enjoying fellowship together because of Bennett's life.

I had to leave the table because I was so overcome with God's Spirit. I rushed upstairs to the bathroom, and suddenly I heard church bells chime that I had never heard before and the sun moved out from behind a cloud and came in through the tiny window I was standing in front of. I could feel God all around me, and I knew He was saying, "I love you. I've never left you. Bennett's spirit is alive and shining a light on this world."

Then, I had to get up and speak in front of all those people. And I doubt I made much sense because I was so overcome with everything that happened. (Again, I know it doesn't sound like much, but you have to trust me God was all around me.) The one thing I mentioned was how much our church supported us when Bennett was sick and after he became an angel. And now every Sunday, I look at the blue butterflies in the stain glass windows of our church and feel like Bennett is sitting right there with our family. God's ways are timeless. Those windows were made over a hundred years ago, but they bring me so much joy every Sunday. I also mentioned that even though I never manage to plan the perfect event to honor Bennett's life on his birthday, God always does it right. The luncheon and silent auction was a great way to celebrate the life of the little blessed one and help other little warriors like him.

After I spoke, the woman who was originally sitting alone at our table told me that she knew she had to come to the silent auction because today was her husband's birthday. He died of cancer a year ago on May 18. I said, "I'm glad you told me that." God's ways are mysterious. God's ways are perfect.

Scripture
"My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." -Colossians 2:2-3

Poem

For the Little Blessed One

The little blessed one came
Like a tiny little flower
Whose bloom lasts only days
Bringing beauty into this world
Showing us how to look for the Light
Reminding us to look for the tiny blessings right at our feet

The little blessed one came
And though we no longer see his bloom
His roots here are grounded firm
And he continues to shine his Light
We must open new eyes from our heart to see
The Love he continues to bring into our lives and into this world

-E.S. 5.18.2005

Prayer
God, thank you for the gift of Bennett's life. Thank you for your mysterious ways. Give us the new eyes we need to witness your Spirit alive and at work in our world. Help us to find your Light in the darkest times. Continue to remind us that you are always near. We love you. Amen.

2 Cor. 4:16-18
"Therefore do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seeen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

My comfort and prayer comes from knowing that the Ultimate Protector and Healer is holding you all so tightly in His hands.

Our prayers are without ceasing for you, Susanne, and family.

Rick, Elaine, Billy and Family,

Please know that you are all in our thoughts and prayers. The kids at school, our church family and my family are all praying for Rick's full recovery and strength for the family. With GOD'S GRACE, you will get through this.

In Christ's love,

Teresa

Every chance the students at Northview get we are praying for your healing, Ricky. We love you and can't wait to hear from you.
Mrs.Holk, I just wanted to say hi and that we all love and miss you and Mr. Billy very much. I pray you all get to come home soon!

We are continuing to pray. Stay steadfast and remember that God's way is best.I will continue to pray for Rick's specific needs and for the family. I love you all..... Patti Holder

We have been praying for you ALL over the past couple weeks and will continue to do so.

Rick - Remember the Cayman's! ;o)

Mark and Carla

Elaine and family, Just wanted to let you know we're praying for you and standing in the gap. Remember the faithfulness of our awesome God and that HIS timing is perfect. We are believing for a total, complete healing for Rick. We love you, Tammy

Rick,
I was given this web site address today and I want you to know that my family and our youth group is praying for you. You have ministered to us so many times at Big Stuf and even a concert at our church a few years back, and through the cds that we listen to. We want to minister to you right now with our love and prayers. Please know that you are loved and we will continue to pray for you, your fiance and your family.
Karla Blount and the Mountain View Baptist Youth Group Thomaston Ga

Elaine and family, Just wanted to let you know we're praying for you and standing in the gap. Remember the faithfulness of our awesome God and that HIS timing is perfect. We are believing for a total, complete healing for Rick. We love you, Tammy

Hello Rick, This is your Faulkner State Classmate Clifford Bradley, It has been a few years, we were in music class together. When I got the news of your conditions I had to take out time to drop you a few words that I hope would encourage and strengthen you. I want you to know that Romans 8:28 states "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." I want you to be of good cheer because this is just another trail that has come your way and believe that when God get finish making and molding you, you would be able to say and agree with what Psalmist David said in Psalm 119:71 " It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes." My brother and my friend I say to you hang in there and that God has not forgotten the promise that he gave to you.

To Rick family and friends that is by his side day and night:
I want to also encourage you to stand strong and know that your help and you strength comes from the Lord.

MAY THE LORD BLESS AND KEEP YOU IS MY PRAY.

Isaiah 53:5 - But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

Rick and family,

We just wanted to let all of you know that you're all in our prayers. I know from my own experiences that our God is awsome. We have no doubt that you will be completely healed. I also wanted to let you know that you have many friends who love you and are thinking about you. Josh Davis stood in for you yesterday morning at church as well as the majority of everyone else who was there. Just remember that you're not alone in this, we will all be there for you. Stay strong!

Sincerely,
Doug Baggett

Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
Isaiah 40:30-31

Ricky, we are praying, everday, for your healing and full recovery.

Mrs. Elaine, Billy, Candi, Haley, and Suzanne, we are praying for God to continue to hold you close and to give you strength through all of this. We are a short drive away. If you need anything please call 678-574-5156

Love,
Heath, Leah, Ian & Jace Gifford

To Elaine, Billy and family, I just wanted to let ya'll know that we are praying dailey for Ricky's recovery. We appreciate so much the updates on his condition. God is so good and I know that if their is a family in the world that knows that, it's yours. Lots of prayers and lots of love. Tammy

We just want to keep letting you know that we love all of you and will be standing with you all the way. I know that God is right there with you. I know you've heard about Josh Davis standing in for Ricky Sunday morning, I am sure the same thing was going on in alot of other churches. It means alot for all of the people that love Rick and his family, to be able keep up with him, many thanks to Jeffrey and Shannon. We believe that Ricky is blessed with talent and we will get to see him use that talent again. Until then know that we are standing with you. Susan and Melton Bethea

I am praying for you I know you dont know me I am in coach Josh Davis class at Faith Academy (everything happens for a reason God has a plan for you and for me and everyone else again I an praying for your family and your friens
God Bless and have a great day
Kayla Akride

Hey Rick,
Its Mal again,well i just wanted to tell you that i am thinkin about you and i got you in my prayers .And theres not a hour that goes by that i am not praying for you.Your family and your my brother in Christ.I will continue praying for you.I LOVE YOU and God Bless!

Love Always,
Malorie

Rick and family, My prayers go out to you and all the family. I know God has laid His hands upon you and His will..will be done. Our prayers are for your renewed health. We trust God. His everlasting love will see this through. He tells us ask and ye shall recieve if you have faith and we do!!

Connie Hampton

Dear Rick,
My name is Sally and my fiance is a cancer patient. He has been in treatment for just over three years.
When this all began, he was covered from his head (skull) to his knees with Non-Hodgkins lymphoma. They gave us a ten percent chance at that time. As of this date, all that remains are 2 tumors and they are being treated with gamma knife radiation.

Rick, in over 3 years, I have watched miracle after miracle concerning our struggle with cancer. God is no respector of persons, and I am confident he will do the very same for you. You and your family are in my prayers. Hang in there Rick! The Lord is on his throne and has his arms around you. I stand in agreement that the Lord will restore you.

In Jesus service,
Rev. S. Vlad

We just wanted to let you all know that we continue with our deepest prayers and many tears to lift him up to our most powerful God.We are back from Turkey and will continue to be here for what ever we can do for Rick and his family.
much love, Tim and Gail