Christian prayer thread for winter

[Madhairday]

Hello all! I just posted a long post on the old thread and realised it's full up, so just going to copy this here to sunshine - will try and do a roundup of other prayers too later. Everyone welcome here!

Just want to reiterate what Oma and Cocoa have said so well, sunshine. It's no wonder church feels like a hostile place and you freeze up. I feel so sad for you that that man did this to you. But Christ isn't the church , the church is supposed to be his body, reaching out hands of love and help and compassion, and sometimes they mess that up. Hugely. Sometimes evil crawls in. But that doesn't mean God's abandoned you. I love that Oma referred to the prodigal son, I was looking at Rembrandt's study of that parable the other day and so struck afresh by the father's absolute joy in his son being home, his grace in embracing him whatever he'd done. Sadly you've had a poor excuse for a father so it must be so difficult to frame God in the language of father for you but God is the father who loves you beyond your imaginings, who reaches out arms of compassion and forgiveness, who gathers you in and just loves you. Loves you so much, so, so much, without end. You can never do anything that will make God abandon you. Jesus said that he is with us always, even to the end of the age.

I know church is threatening, lovely, but there are a lot of people who would love to help, here on the internet and in real life. It's just a case of reaching out, but I know that must seem impossible right now. I've learned that God is a God of restoration, a God who longs to mend the broken places and devastations in people's lives. I've seen people set free from so much and believe with everything I am that God longs to set you free, too.

I'd love you to find some medical support. I'm so sorry your GP is so rubbish. More and more the case, sadly. I pray you can get in to see someone. Would you also consider some counselling? Like cocoa says, that doesn't mean they would take your DC away, just that they would want to support and help you. you sound a lovely mum and have done so well to get to this point. I'm glad you are reaching out here. Please take care and know God's love pouring over you by the Holy Spirit.

[BlackeyedSusan]

thanks MHD.

[BlackeyedSusan]

DD ended up at A and E yesterday, but no further with a definitive diagnosis, nor what to do when she does struggle to breathe .

[Madhairday]

Oh BES. That's so hard. How is she today? I'm so sorry. :(

How is everyone else? Sunshine I have been thinking of you. Cocoa, how are you? Oma?

[BlackeyedSusan]

need to take dd to a concert, ds is just coming down from a big meltdown triggered by dd telling on him for dropping something on her feet.

[Dutchoma]

I did not realise MHD had already started a new thread. Ignore mine.
I am quite well, being a bit busy, but nicely busy.

[BlackeyedSusan]

Thankyou Oma.

[Madhairday]

Thanks Oma. It has been a bit quiet here lately! Anyone around?

I'm ok, having a bit of a reaction to the flu jab so not so great today. Had a lovely Bible study yesterday where we all took some time to sit in the quiet, we were talking about listening to God so we thought we'd better do some! It was a very lovely time. We forget so often to take time like that. Going to try and build more quiet listening time into my everyday. I do have 'quiet tkmes' with God but they're often more noisy in that I'm too busy talking at God 😂

[BlackeyedSusan]

sadly, I am very round, around the middle...

[Lissette]

I'm getting rounder Bes. Christmas food won't help things. Must walk more.

Sorry I've not been present here much. I lost my password and never got to getting a new one.

Prayers for you all.

[Lissette]

Sunshine

My boiler has given up now. That's three of us with boiler issues now.

[BlackeyedSusan]

[Lissette]

Thank you Bes!!! Gas engineer imminent.

[BlackeyedSusan]

I am still trying to decide whther to replace the whole boiler or repair. Tricky.

[Lissette]

New thermostat. Warm again.

[Madhairday]

How are you Lissette?

[Lissette]

Hi Mhd. I'm okay - looking forward to Advent. But I have a very dysfunctional family of origin and that makes me sad sometimes. How are your lungs?

[BlackeyedSusan]

tha annual lung prayers have begun though. hope they behave for christmas.

[Madhairday]

Thank you, BES and Lissette. Prayers appreciated. They're being naughty this week so I could do with feeling better!

Lissette, praying for a blessed advent, for comfort and consolation and joy.

How is DD now BES, and DM?

[BlackeyedSusan]

dd may be asthmatic and it is looking like asthma according to the GP. have a prescription for preventer inhaler. (yay!)

[Madhairday]

Oh noooo. Asthma sucks. You don't need that on top of everything, although it can vary a lot in severity and it might be that the inhaler will be enough to keep it in check. Really hope and pray so.

Where is @DutchOma ? Hope she is ok. We miss you!💛

Ok my lungs are worse. I feel like crying this morning because every day feels like such a battle sometimes, trying to breathe without pain and I am just so exhausted. I have a deadline on a chapter for next week but just don't feel up to the task right now. I feel a bit self pitying this morning.

[Dutchoma]

I’m here. It’s just that there are a few issues where the story isn’t mine to tell. I feel a bit like walking on a narrow path with deep water on both sides and it is very tiring concentrating on not falling in.

Sorry to hear about lungs misbehaving MHD, but a good reminder to start the prayers for you not to be in hospital over Christmas.

Asthma is horrible BES and won’t be helped by the fact that he boiler is misbehaving. I have already said, haven’t I that I replaced mine and have found massive benefits in doing so.

I have heard that part of the Advent retreat in Scargill (with Bishop John Pritchard who was the leader of the retreat to Gallilee in 2015) is going to be a silent retreat, between 9.30 pm and 11.00 am the following morning. This has totally spooked me: I go to Scargill to escape being thrown in on my own for hours on end and if it was anybody else leading the retreat other than +John I would opt out. The people I have spoken to (one of them at Scargill, the other two knowing it very well) have all said that it is lovely and you become more aware, both of God and of the people around you, but I am really struggling with the whole concept of having to point to the salt and pepper at breakfast and not being able to say ‘Good morning’ to anybody you meet on the way to early morning tea.

[Lisette40]

Hope you're doing okay Dutchoma and that the issues sort.

I think I'd find a silent retreat hard.

(Name changed slightly as password issues again)

[Madhairday]

Hello Oma. I think I'd find that hard too because I'm too nosy chatty. Dh really likes them though and find they connect him to God much more because he can get in a different kind of zone almost without small talk. But when you're going to have more company deliberately I think that's really hard I pray that it will be a wonderful time for you, peaceful and full of blessing.

Hello Lissette and BES. How are you?

[Lisette40]

All fine here MHD.

On the subject of chapters, deadlines are to be aimed for but are often overrun. They're kind of a guideline. Please ask for an extension. (Dh is writing a textbook and it is, ahem, quite overdue. He writes while ds and I are at church on Sunday. Clearly we need to got to church more )

[BlackeyedSusan]

not made church, did not get a reply about groups for dd and there would have been no point given that I have to stay outside with ds.

tomorrow is another big day for getting support. prayers would be gratly appreciated as it could all go pear shaped.