Christian prayer thread- Easter on the way

[blackeyedsusan]

All welcome to join

Here is a list of all those who popped in or were regulars on the last thread. I hope I have not missed anyone!!

Amberlight- being treated for breast cancer. side effects may damage her heart.
Beatrice Primrose and cupoftea poorly baby and support for the family
Bluetinkerbell - ttc after losing the beloved Sterre during her second trimester
CaptainDippy- busy busy busy
Chairofthebored -dh has ms and ttc number1
Doodlealley -popped in to ask for prayer re breast cancer.
DutchOma- dh has a lung disease requiring regular trips to hospital/drs and lots of rest
Expat's dd suffering from leukaemia
Fink- recent single parent- husband left
FriendofDorothy- ttc -appointment soon. poorly cat.
Gingercurl - things are stressful at home, studying, high blood pressure
Issypeach - work situation insecure for h and Issy. Prayer requested for the dcs one of whom has gone awol and the other at uni
Jaffacakes ... when is/was your due date?
Jugglingwithsnowballs-job applications to work 1 to 1 with children
Lostmywellies - recently returned to the uk, currently freezing due to heating problems. frriendships for dd and ds to settle into nursery
Madhairday - reoccuring lung infections, dd with psoriasis/partial hearing and unhelpful school
MaryB - work and relationships at church. difficult situations socially for dc's
Notevenamousie - curently undergoing treatment as an inpatient. recently lost her mum.
PositiveAttitude- soon to be working abroad for 2 years. prayer also for current work situation and 3 jobs! (eek) pray for protection and continuing recovery of dd3 just out of hospital and battles for dla
SESthebrave -prayer for husbands stessful job situation and high blood pressure. pray for her quadraplegic friend suffering from pressure sores
Springydaffs-prayer for the truth to be known and a reconciliation with family
SweetestThing- just got the all clear from cancer and officially in remission. however, still has to deal with the after effects of surgery.
Teaandcakesplease - single parent to 2 young children. unsupportive parents re ds "being a toddler." prayer for new reliable friends.
Tuo -dd1 and dh to be more positive about her faith
Weegie atypical variant Guillain Barre syndrome has left her with no sensation in her legs below the knees or arms below the elbows, including hands and feet and the lower part of her face. she can do practically nothing for herself.
Welshcerys- family
ZipidiSoozi- things aren't so easy at the moment. we would love to hear from you.
and finally (I hope)
Blackeyedsusan - mad as a hatter! single parent to 2 youngish children, separated after dv. pray for friends and a new church. ds's behaviour and toddler diarrhoea. dd, niggling health problems.

Morning all! Not going to make it to church today as we've been invited to a family day through DH's work to see London Irish play Leicester Tigers at the Madjeski Stadium in Reading.

BES - glad the washing machine didn't end up costing you

Lost - Hope DD2's head is ok this morning. Sounded quite nasty if she was complaining of neck pain too.

weegie - prayers for you for the coming week and your treatment

Jan - prayers that you will continue to feel uplifted

MHD - prayers for you and for your DD. I'm glad the school are taking it seriously

Amber - prayers of thanks for your good news and hope that continued when you saw the heart specialist

Jaffa - prayers for you and your new arrival

DO - hope you've had a good time catching up with CD

All ok here. The latest Dubai conversation was very short as DH said he'd not heard anything from them for a week so there wasn't much point discussing it. I think we will have to discuss it again at some point, even if it's theoretical but I'm selfishly hoping that things have gone quiet because it's not going to happen.

I would appreciate pg related prayers. I'm 31 weeks today and walking is getting increasingly painful - I'm guessing it's SPD? I've also been given iron and folic acid to take due to anaemia which I guess explains the tiredness and breathlessness!
Finally, as things get closer, I would really value prayers for the baby's position. DS was a CS because he was transverse oblique and my consultant has said that that is unusual and possible to happen again. They're going to scan me again at 35/36 weeks and if this one is in the same position, they want me to go into hospital at 37 weeks and sit it out for 2 weeks until a CS at 39 weeks. Absolutely the right thing as the risks to me and the baby are quite high if my waters were to break - the cord would fall through with the waters and rupture or worse if round baby's neck.

I'm a bit of the weegie school of though on hospitals though and would really hate this and the effect on DS and DH. 2 weeks of not being at home with him followed by the CS and recovery is not ideal! It would also be a lot for DH to have to reduce his hours at work to be able to do the nursery run and everything at home.
Prayers it doesn't come to this!

BES Sounds like your 'lump' hasn't much of a clue and that is probably an understatement

Weegie prayers for you that hospital is not as stressful as you fear.

Wellies hope dd is ok this morning. Have you found a local church to go to or are you still doing 'Sundayschool at home'?

SES Could you organise some support so that your husband does not have to cut his hours to do the nursery run? You have six weeks to do it and from what you write you could do with a little support now even if you do not have to go into hospital. Is your church supportive in that respect?

I have not gone to church today as I find the services very hard to cope with, they are so noisy without there being any point to it, just banging of drums, I needed a bit of time out. I will go the next couple of weeks as we are singing next week and I couldn't possibly miss Easter.
Bob has gone on his own.

We both had a wonderful day yesterday, everything just fell into place.

well, we got up, not quite in time for church. I have looked at their websites again and want to see what they offer, and what time they start.

I have emailed one of the churches to ask about their cell system and whether it would be difficult to be involved.

Good for you BES, praying for the right church to become evident :)

Lost, how is dd2 this morning?

weegie - I know. Hospital can be yuk. However much you try and think of it as a rest it still sucks. But it is best for you, and will enable you to keep going, but you know that! Many sympathies, and praying for you.

Oh SES, yes I can understand that too, I had to be in hosp 2 weeks over ds' birth (due to pneumonia) and it was hard with dd a toddler at home, but also in that case was quite nice - could get lots of rest, read trashy magazines, put feet up. There's also the possibility the baby will turn before then, dd was transverse til 38 wks then suddenly turned, will pray that s/he gets into a good position for you. I also pray that God will take away your fears and that if you do need to get in you will have peace about it and that people will step in to help.

Counting down now until wednesday. DD is doing ok, she did well again in another cross country race yesterday so that raised her spirits. Praying things will be ok on Monday and the girl will apologise.

weegi praying you will know Gods comfort and strength at your hosp stay...

ses praying your pregnancy will go smoothly and for you not to be anxious - im sure its difficult to keep going at the minute but in a few weeks it will all be over and your will have your precious bundle...

dutchoma i find church hard too at times - i find myself anxious at church cos of noise, the length of it is tiring etc... today i was too exhausted to go and after much talking to myself i went, i was glad i went, dh took the baby to feed her which helped me to relax in the sermon. but i aim to make it a weekly thing again, i want to be able to handle it all. its just hard when youre so tired and at times it ends up giving you a headach and making you more tired...you feel like just having your own quiet times! but im determined not to give up.

beautiful day here... we are going to go for a nice walk and coffee this afternoon. first time dh been off so nice to have catch up with him (i hope) and tonight i hope i can catch up on some sleep with an early night. hope you all have a lovely and blessed day, this is the day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Catching up, again...

MHD... I'm so sorry that your dd had to go through that at school. The poor thing. And thank God for the Head, for believing her and knowing her well enough to know that it had to be a made-up accusation. I pray that this somehow is a turning-point for her at that school, and that the girls who stuck up for her over this turn out to be good friends to her.

I would second what someone else said about secondary school being potentially better. DD1 is a bit of an unusual character and she was targetted a bit at primary by the 'alpha girls'. But at secondary she has found some friends who like the things that she does (they even refer themselves as the Nerd Gang!) and she's really flourishing, I think.

Prayers for Jaffa and her new baby; for all who are not well (MHD, MHD's DS, Bob, Weegie, Amber, Sweetest, Lost's DD and anyone I've forgotten); for all who are struggling with relationships; and for everyone on this wonderful supportive thread.

Had a lovely service today. DD2 was serving, choir was beautiful... I felt - and still feel - very peaceful, despite having to be out of the house by 8.30 a.m. (that's 7.30 in 'old money')!

I'd like prayers for tonight, when I've been asked to give a talk on my work to a group of people from the church. I was even mentioned on today's notice-sheet (help!). I hope it goes well and that I get the tone right -- I'm not sure what to expect, how many will be there, or how to pitch it, and don't want to lecture at people if they really just want a nice chat; but nor do I want to patronise anyone, so will be playing it very much by ear.

I'm flying off to a conference in the US on Wednesday, so am also praying that I'll get all my preparation done in the meantime, that the flight will be untraumatic (I'm not a fan of flying) and that it will all go well.

Next Sunday I'll still be away (flying back Sunday night) but DD2 is down to serve again, so DH will have to take her. I've got a feeling he'll just dump her in the doorway and run, but praying that he might be moved to step through the door or even stay for the service... I think it's unlikely, but... [prays].

Thanks for concern about dd2. She has been ok today, but still has a headache, near her neck. I'm going to take her to the doctors tomorrow if she's no better in the morning.

bes, praying for church choices.
ses, praying for a good position for the lo.
jan, hope you had a good catch-up time with dh.
amber, hope the heart appointment went well.
do, glad you had a good time with cd. Hope you enjoyed the drum-free time this morning!

We made it to church on time for the first time (at that church) today! And were told it was a family service - wanted to turn right round and walk straight out! Glad to say my prejudices were challenged and the dcs were sufficiently amused and I was able to worship and hear stuff worth thinking about. Glad I made the effort - like you, jan, sometimes wonder what the point is, but want to keep up the routine and make it important in the dc's estimation too.

Glad to hear dd2 has been OK after her bump wellies

oh no! I have fallen over a toy and whacked dd in the eye on the way down. she has a very sore eye. I feel horrendous and so guilty even though it was an accident.

Hope she is OK this morning BES.

Prayers for you all...

hi BES sorry about your fall.... how are you now?

lostmywellies...glad you got out to church despite the difficulties, and the Lord sees your effort and is pleased. it is hard but like you i want a stable routine and have the stability of a family that goes to church every week - i am a long way off that but i have hope for it.

yesterday i did have a nice catch up with dh even though i was very very tired....i was hoping to catch up a bit last night, unfortunately dh went out again last night, baby woke up, and was up 4 times during the night....dh usually looks after her till around 1am but he wasn't there. then when he came in, i asked could he do a bottle feed later. he said no he didn't feel well and was grumpy and gave me no help all night. full of rubbish he is. he never helps during the night - i know he is a day person (who isn't) and has college today... but i never ask him to help in the night and i really am at the end of my tether i can hardly function im so tired. shes up every 2 hours at night, and feeds for at least half an hour each time if not more. then it takes me ages to get back to sleep. rant over...
trying to keep close to God..thankful he doesn't have to try to keep close to us

I went to my Quaker Meeting yesterday and felt better for having done so - I'm always pleased to have gone when I get back, but sometimes beforehand it seems a bit of an effort ! It does give me a better perspective on the rest of life

I read somewhere (in a Christian book written for mothers) to think of it as a sacrifice to God - to offer up all the early Sunday morning organisation, bustle, and commotion as an offering. More so if you take children with you
I quite liked that thought x

Thinking of bes and your DDs bump - why do we feel guilty even about accidents ! And jan - sorry you're not getting much support with the "night shift" - it sounds hard work ATM - but babies do grow and settle down given time so hopefully things will be much better in a few weeks ?

juggling that is a lovely thought about the sacrifice to God. it will help me :)

i hope things are better in a few weeks...our relationship is hard work at the minute anyway - we have counselling on wednesday i hope it helps and doesn't make things worse. its emotionally draining. but i think satan our enemy is very angry because in my own life God has been doing things, and we HAVE made progres in our marriage even though at counselling everything seems so negative.

i am so blessed to have my beautiful little baby i am going to focus on her today - the miracle she is to me, as God really did give me a miracle with her i thought i would struggle to have a child and she just came along. she is sitting in her little bouncer watching the telly giggling :) thankyou Lord. let us all be thankful today - not look at the problems, but looking at Jesus and thanking Him

Glad to hear you're feeling the blessing of your lovely little dd today jan, even through the tiredness

(We were all a bit tired and running late this morning after the clock change. Monday mornings always a bit of a shock to the system anyway ! Anyone else ?)

Yup, I was sitting cuddling a cup of tea in the kitchen at 7:20 this morning, thinking blearily, "My body thinks this is 6:20am." :)

Beautiful day now, though. DH is back! Phew... wish he'd go away again. It's hard work, the first few days, settling back together when we've been doing such different things - and he IS going away again on Wednesday till Sunday, so there hardly seems any point bothering! Anyway, he is off at the park with the dcs atm, so all's well with me. Am pottering happily.

Oh Lost, yes I guess it is like that - I'm so looking forward to dh being back but he'll probably be a right jet-lagged grump the first few days!!

Just went out for a walk in the sunshine, to a nearby lake, haven't been able to do it for months so a happy day. Knackered now though! Very proud of ds - had the parents consultation today and his teacher is so pleased with him, and he is progressing very well it seems, so pleased, the main thing is he is happy in general as well. :)

Situation still not sorted with dd, the girl has not yet apologised, and dd's teacher isn't being that helpful, but the head is so will tell her.

Praying for weegie today as she starts IVs

I sat and looked out of the window at the soft green mist on the trees today and prayed for you all. I had very little else to do all day and it's amazing how much praying for others helps me in hospital. Yes, it was tedious and boring some of the time, but God was very much there!

Answers to prayer: my diagnosis is now so definite that I've had my treatment schedule changed and I only need to go in for 2 days, not 5! Going to be seen by the professor in the department on Wednesday morning as well as this is his area of expertise. My venflon went in first time despite my ghastly veins and the other ladies I am sharing the room with this week are very pleasant. And I get home in the evening and overnight too!

Thanks for your prayers, they are so genuinely appreciated and answered.

That's good news weegie! Good re the venflon - nightmare if they are faffing round with veins, I feel like a pin cushion sometimes, horrible. All these small things - answers to prayer, although little. God can sometimes be found in this stuff, even when God is seemingly silent on the bigger question.

Keeping praying for you..

Yes, Weegie and MHD too, continuing prayers for you both, your husbands and children. May the Lord bless you and keep you.
Prayers for everybody else too, but specially for you two tonight.

dh and i not gettin on at all tonight he has lost his temper with me twice over trivial things....very upset

Oh jan, don't take it to heart. Compose your AIBU in your head and imagine the affirming replies. :) He shouldn't lose his temper, but then it's not up to you to teach him that. Leave him to God and know you're accepted by God, too, whatever triviality may have occured.

Oh weegie , I'm so glad you felt God's presence and answers to prayers today. Continued prayers for day 2 and for seeing the professor on Wednesday.

MHD - I saw your post on FB about your walk round the lake and it made me smile. Hope you don't suffer too much from tiredness as a result. Continued prayers for DD.

Juggling - that is lovely and I feel I will have to adopt it as a motto in the coming months!

Jan - hope you get a better night tonight. How old is DD?

Prayers for everyone else.

Kept meaning to share with you all.... Last Tuesday at my church group we looked at the passage where Jesus is out in the boat with some of his disciples and a storm comes up. The disciples ask him to act and he does. This is probably quite unique to me, but I really struggle with prayer sometimes in respect of I think that God knows what is for the overall best and will ensure that happens anyway whether I pray or not. Now deep down I know that's not true but I sometimes wonder. This particular passage showed me that you can call on God when you need him and he does listen and respond. If Jesus hadn't listened to the disciples on that boat, they may well have survived the storm so the end outcome wouldn't have been that different. However, they were distressed and asked God to help them relieve that. He did.

Sorry, x-posted with Jan and Wellies
Jan - I love that idea of composing an AIBU in your head. Prayers for you and DH. For patience, understanding and healing.

dd's eye is still a bit bloodshot in the corner but she has managed school all day. we were late to bed as I forgot about the change of clocks, caught out by the evening sun. dd has done more homework and now I have to find a way of attaching it into the book. she has rather large writing so it takes up a lot of space. I am limping a little after yesterdays fall.

glad the hospital was not as bad as you expected weegie.