MN Christian Prayer Request Thread - May God Bless us all as we hurtle into 2011 - HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

[CaptainDippy]

Hello! Thought today would be a good & apt day to start a new thread

Let's hope it is an Exciting and Blessed year of New Beginnings for us all

Here's the summary from the last thread:

katsh - Prayers for her brother who's marriage has just ended rather traumatically He and his ex are sharing their children 50:50 at the moment and will be starting court proceedings for access etc very soon. They really need your prayers.

MadHairDay - Prayers needed for her friend's DD who is currently in a very bad way with Anorexia. Her organs are shutting down & she is being tube-fed Prayers also needed for other friend's and their DS who has just had a DX of Leukemia ; and for MHD's DF who's husband has just left her This is going to be such a tough year for them, hold them all closely, Lord. Praise though for recent favourable results for MHD's recent lung capacity etc tests

TeaandCakePlease - Her DF who has had a recent DX of breast cancer (which has spread to her lymph nodes) has just had her 1st course of Chemo. She needs prayers for the hard times ahead, as do her family. Prayers also needed for her friend's DS, William who has special needs, he has just come out of hospital where he was having brain seizures every 20 mins. He is home now with special meds.

JaffaCakeAddict - Did your pregnant friend who was snowed-in have her baby safely???? ....and did your sis and family make it home for Christmas!!?

LoveBeingaDaddysGirl - Lost her father at the end of November and suffered a m/c at the beginning of Dec. Such a hard time for LBADG and her family. Hold them close, Lord.

M44 - Prayers for her poor DS whose Eczema is being terribly exacerbated by the weather at the moment

MaryBS - Her BIL has been DX with a secondary brain tumour and will now require special care at home. Prayers for him and for his wife whose health hasn't been too good recently either. These are such hard time for them both. Prayers also needed for Mary's knee which recently collapsed and is causing Mary a lot of pain and discomfort; and for Mary's DD's friend who is currently in an Eating Disorder's Clinic, she is only 11

TotallyUnheardOf - Prayers for her as she seeks to find a church to attend where she lives; and for a more positive attitude to her faith from those around her. Praise for friends who has recently had a BFP after commencing fertility treatment

CaptainCaveman - Her DH has been acquitted of misconduct at work He is now looking for another job, so prayers for success in this would be great

WisteriaWoman - Prayers for family, especially her mum as they settle her father who has Dementia into a care home.

amber - Will need an op in Jan 2011 after the results of scary tests, which she bravely undertook a couple of weeks ago. Prayers for her friend's DS who is in hospital with bad Flu - how is he doing??

Caz&Belle - Has got through her 1st Christmas since losing Belle; but still awaits results of DH's lumbar puncture and finding out what is causing his poor health.

TooBlessed - Hoping that TooBlessed got to Zimbabwe with her family and has had a wonderful time with them

gingercurl - Prayers for her friend and her DF who have been the targets of some appalling behaviour, which has meant the DS has had to move schools. Prayers for 2011 to be a much better year for them.

DutchOma - Has Bob home after a hospital and rest home stay He is doing well and making progress.

JentlyDoesIt - Really needs our prayers at this time as her DH has been taken to start a 6 year prison sentence following a guilty verdict in court just before Christmas. Jently is understandably devastated and is struggling. Uphold her during these dark times, Lord.

BoxofDelights - Posted the following: ". To cut a long and complex story short, a couple of years ago I had a miscarriage and the aftermath of this revealed various problems with (longterm) relationship and it ended. The emotional fallout also led me to confront issues of abuse in my childhood by family members (which I had been trying to cope with, put to one side and hide)which happened for many years." She has cut ties with her family and a lot of her friends as a result of difficult circumstances and is so wanting 2011 to be a year of reconciliation and renewal; and we join her in these prayers

PositiveAttitude - Is finally feeling better for the 1st time since July - Yippee!! Prayers for a continued fantastic recovery

mufti -'s old Pastor died on 28.12.2010. He will be greatly missed by those who knew and loved him. Prayers especially for his family at this time.

Last, but by no means least - Praise for the safe arrival of Saliswan's DS Thomas on 17.12.2010, weighing 7lb 8oz at 37 weeks - Hurrah!!

Think that is all - but please fill in where I have missed out - and GET PRAYING!!!!

May 2011 be a year of Renewal, Healing & Blessing for us all; and all our friends, families - and enemies too!!

Thank you for the prayers yesterday. They made a huge difference

Saw this on someones fb status:

Do not feel
totally
personally
irrevocably
responsible for everything.
That's my job.
Love, God

How wonderfult TACP That's definitely worth remembering

Back after meeting h for lunch and tea with the dcs. I always feel like stomping round and kicking stuff, especially going home to a dark garage, struggling to extract children through a half open car door, humping the shopping up the stairs in a rucksack and doing pooy nappies when I get in.

teandcakes was praying for you yesterday but did not have time to post before school run.
amber hoping it is all going ok for you

TACP, I am feeling a little spooked. Last evening at home group I said how I am fed up with always feeling that I am responsible for keeping everyone happy and someone in the group said that I shouldn't do that. Then I click on here and read that, I think God may be telling me something...... Thank you.

Prayers all round.

I love it when God does stuff like that.

I read it and wanted to share it with all the lovely ladies on here

((hugs)) Blackeyedsusan hope things are going ok x

Prayers for all.

As you know, DD2 has been coming to church with me here and loving it, but DD1 has been refusing to come and staying at home with [atheist] DH. I've prayed that she, too, will give it a chance, and today she said that perhaps she'd come on Sunday 'just to see what it's like'. Hoping she'll have a good experience.

Totally prayed tht dd1 will go and that it will be a good service. how old are dds?

Keeping prayers going...

Praying that dd will go TUO :)

TACP those words were what I needed today as well - thankyou!! Have been moping about and thinking about how we are going to move and leave behind the things we have started - and it's like God saying for goodness sake don't worry, I have it in hand, it's not all about you, you know

Keeping praying, blackeyedsusan.

Sorry for being rubbish at keeping up of late.

I hope you are all well.

I'm still trying to sort work stuff out, it's been a bit stressful. I'm praying that God will make a way for me to have a move of location at work (prayers for that one would be appreciated).

I'll be praying for you all as I read through.

Shocking Anyone would think you had a baby.

I've been lurking a bit. Prayers for everyone.

More prayers being added...hope today brings some peace and joy for each of us

Thank you. I'll be honest I am angry at God at the moment. Not all the time, but then I think of Ben, and what a lovely young man he was and I get so, so cross

Not admitted that to anyone in real life. What can I read in bible to help?

A bit of honest anger isn't a problem. It's part of grief, part of being alive. Even Jesus got angry and sad and worried. Sometimes there's no answer to 'why!?' and we so desperately want one.

Prayed for Ben at our service this morning, PI. Thinking also of you and of his family and of all who knew him.

A few years ago one of my students was killed. In the immediate aftermath people who knew her gathered in an informal memorial (though formal ones were held later), and I will always remember one of her friends reading Psalm 13:

How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?
How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?
How long will my enemy triumph over me?
Look on me and answer, LORD my God.
Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
and my enemy will say, ?I have overcome him,?
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.
But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.
I will sing the LORD?s praise,
for he has been good to me.

I don't know if that's any help, PI, but I like the trajectory which it conveys (in a few short verses, but which in real life may take many weeks/months/years) from apparently unending despair to renewed faith.

Prayers also for Susan, Amber, and all on this thread.

MHD, I had missed that you were moving (being moved?). Do you know where you are going? (Not asking you to 'reveal yourself' obviously, but just in the sense that the uncertainty of knowing that you're moving but not where to will probably ease a bit when you can name and picture your new destination.) Prayers that you will be welcomed with open arms and able to do really good work there.

Thanks for prayers for me. DD1 decided at the last minute not to come (even though the alternative was tidying her room ). I don't want to put pressure on her and push her further in the other direction, and it's hard for me to insist because [atheist] dh is always at home (though he has kept his promise about not overtly mocking/belittling the fact that DD2 and I go, which is a start). Mind you, DD1 is currently insistent that she wants to study Philosophy and Theology at university (she's in Year 6, so this may well change of course...), so maybe something is going on there. I shall keep praying.

PI If you want to read a story in the Bible that makes absolutely no sense but still has a good ending, read the passion and resurrection story of Jesus. John 18,19, 20.
Everybody, but everybody struggles with the unfairness of life sometimes. As Amber says, sometimes there are no answers, at least not answers we can understand. But that is part of God being God. I wouldn't want a God I could understand, because He would not be able to do anyting I couldn't do.
Read Isaiah 53 as well and think about how God suffered for us.
And how He pulled through and now lives forever, to still be part of our humanity and come alongside us in our grief.
And then, maybe also read Psalm 103 to lift you on that pedestal of praise, out of the valley of grief. And may the blessing of the Lord be with you and with us all today.

I thought about Jesus crying when Lazarus died...

Didn't get to church this morning, feeling pretty much burnt out. I cannot minister to people on "empty", no matter how hard I try... my only hope that something good will come of this.

Have spent some time in prayer and bible reading, which felt good, and also reading some of John Ortberg's book "If you want to walk on water you have to get out of the boat", which I think I'll buy for my Kindle (I'd downloaded a free sample).

I've been telling and telling people what help I need and how they can best support me, and that has been ignored. It is NOT acceptable to take something I was doing off me, without telling me, then tell me that they are treating it as a matter of urgency - and when I ask how long will it take, the reply is "weeks rather than months". I could have done it in DAYS! This and MANY other examples of what is going wrong :(

Mary. Praying for a resolution to the practical issues and for peace of mind for you.

Mary :( I'm so sorry things are so difficult and people are being so insensitive and unhelpful. You can be assured of our prayers here.

PI some great suggestions, was also thinking of Job and a lot of the psalms which are basically shouts of anger to God, and I think it is perfectly ok to do that, to shout why, why, why and to be angry. We will never understand while we are here on earth but somehow we know that we need to rely on God - to praise him anyway. I find really helful for times like these.

TUO - sorry about dd1 not coming. continuing to pray.

Hermya - hi! Have been wondering if you are OK.

Caz, how are things?

Amber, keeping praying.

Praying for all on this thread. CD, how are things with you?

helpful - lol!

Thank you all so much. I went to church this morning and cried a lot and prayed a lot, and feel much better for it.

Please pray. I don't know what it is God wants of me anymore, and it all seems to be going wrong, so does that mean I'm getting what God wants wrong?

It doesn't mean that Mary. Unfortunately following God doesn't make things all work nicely and neatly all the time, and stuff gets messy. I know your heart is totally after God, and you are following God. Keep hanging on in there. Praying for you x

Please pray for me, lungs being rubbish, fed up