Christian Prayer Thread for Winter - all welcome!

[DontstepontheBaubles]

Roomforalittleone - That the house sale continues speedily and completes asap and that God would provide for them and help them make ends meet financially. For her sickness to ease in her pregnancy. And for her friend who has sadly lost a baby, who was sleeping.
BabyBeatrice- who has been diagnosed with cancer at only 14 months, Mum is a long term MNer who has name changed. Prayers that God would surround the family at this time and heal her DD.
Blackeyedsusan- for good health, for energy, for her two children as she struggles to get them support at School and for her Mum. For more support at Church and to not feel isolated or lonely.
Jan- For peace, for her DD to sleep better, for her to be able to put firm boundaries in place and that her H would reach acceptance and peace about the situation and learn to respect her, so they can reach a place of good co parenting. That God would help her as she begins to investigate divorce and proceed. And that the meeting goes well with her parents and in laws and that a line would be drawn in the sand.
MHD-for her body and lungs to recover from the pneumonia fully and completely and her lungs to strengthen, so that she doesn't relapse at all but enjoys this festive season with her family.
amberlight-For her family to recover from the norovirus and for peace and reconciliation with an old friend.
MrsRhettButler- for her friends Mum who is very ill in hospital with a 5% chance of survival and young children.
HaveALittleFaith -for her energy as she grows this baby.
Cloutiedumpling- that her DD settles into nursery for her return to work and adjusts to bottles/ cups.
LewisFan- Her Nan has passed away, prayers for her family.
CharlotteCollinsislost-Prayers for her as she makes big decisions about her future as she plans to separate.
Positiveattitude-for her DD over Christmas, as her Mum is so far away. For home sickness to ease with PA and DS. That her children back home get support from PA's old Church and the heating is fixed asap. And that the organisation trace the money and PA then has the funds she needs whilst they serve God out there.
Kaykat- Prayers for her in her difficult marriage, for protection, peace and for God to help her and surround her with people, so she can end things, have a safe home and for her DS.
LiftUpYourGingerHeadsOYeCurls-for her as she does her thesis, for energy, concentration, clarity, ability to see the connections as well as the bigger picture AND be able to express it in writing.
Dontsteponthemomeraths - Prayers especially for her lovely man (LM) as the court case heads to High Court, there have been so many delays but it should get there in January. That God would make a way, where there is no way, help him to afford the court fees and that he will finally have the closure; contact with his children and a maintenance agreement in place that is fair to him, his ex wife and to the children. For justice. It's 6 years since divorce due to her infidelity and it is so hard for him. The children and ex wife live in another Country and the legal system there is very different. Prayers that he has freedom from his past and doesn't live in it anymore but breaks free and moves forward in all God has for him.
And for my brother, that his thumb heals fully and that with the rehabilitation he regains movement and use and that his nerves and feelings across the top of his hand come back. The outlook is not positive currently.

If I've missed anything, please add it.

One girl works right beside me, but doesn't seem to have much to do The other one is shop based but walks in and chats to her a lot and they wander off together. The shop based one has seemed very off with me lately and is the one that I feel has instigated everything. It is a horrid feeling. My boss is in the same room but is often with customers, at auctions, or delivering to ROH or similar. The other staff are in the workshop. I do worry I'm imagining things now but she has been very off with me lately. She wasn't in today (unexpected) it was so nice. Please pray tomorrow is a good day too.

I'm a bit busy right now, I'm volunteering for too many things. But I'm lurking.

Jan if your pastor can't support you, you may need to pray to God about a new Church, even though you really love your current one. There's not much worse than feeling judged and unaccepted. Divorce is hard enough already, you need support around you. Don't be afraid to say 'I'll think about it', or 'I need time to consider what you've said.' Don't answer him on the spot. You don't have to iyswim? Then you can go away, think, do some reading etc and go back to him. I suspect your whole situation will be challenging to him, if he's never met someone in your situation before.

I do find it hard on the divorce course I help on, when women come along and they say things like 'I've been unhappy for years but I finally got the evidence he was cheating, so I could divorce him'. It always turns out that their pastor has encouraged them to stay together and that adultery is the only reason for divorce and often these women were in abusive relationships and extremely unhappy. I value marriage, I do consider it a life long commitment before God but I don't believe our God would ever want a woman to stay in an unhappy and abusive marriage and it makes me cross when Pastors think a Marriage Course will fix their problems. It won't if it's abusive.

hi Mome. i listened to the sermon Bes sent and it was good although a lot in there for my brain to digest. it IS hard. the pastors have met people like me - our church is massive. our pastors have been offered free christian training on the subject of DV and have refused. this is what i find the most difficult. their way or no way. they still have these views - but they are very kind and understanding (but i feel htey are kind and understanding towards 'failures! if you see what i mean, which is not really how i want to be viewed)

im so nervous. sitting here waiting.

Prayers jan xx

Jan, I am praying too. I totally agree with what Mome said about our God not being a God who would be forcing women to stay in abusive marriages :( Not my experience of God at all. I too believe in marriage as a lifelong commitment but each side needs to be showing commitment as the bible set out - ie the man loving the woman as Christ loved the church. Clearly abusing someone is not even trying to do this. I hope your talk with the pastor is ok.

Blue, great, if you're sure that's OK, that would be lovely! DD will play with your dds, she loves young children :)

Also praying Jan. I hope that you get the support that you need, but if you don't I think you need to think carefully about what Mome has said. Maybe that church is just not the place for you right now, when what you need is love and support and not judgement. Loads of love and support from here, anyway.

hi thanks so much for support. dd going to wake in a sec...

pastor was lovely. he always is really nice, but he is aiming for us to get back together. i said i had a mediation appt next week (aimed at getting contact sorted) and he said that would start communication between us which had to be a good thing and hopefully this would change things. he still hopes that dh will change, and that ultimately we will get back together. but he does recognise that dh has a problem and he does see that im in a difficult situation because of everything. he did come across very kind and supportive. but still, i don't think they really 'get' emotional abuse. tbh i don't think people do unless they have been through it or saw someone close to go through it.

mhd yay! Sounds perfect! Looking forward to it, has been way too long!

An answer to prayer today. My DS has been struggling with his drama lessons and felt totally unable to act out the rather grim things he was being asked to do but was worried about getting a detention for refusing to participate. I suggested he say a prayer that he would have the courage to do it. He came out of school and said that he actually found the courage to do it and on stage too. He was very pleased. He had mentioned to day before that his prayer for snow was answered so I thought it a good opportunity to suggest he pray about this too.

God is very good. I asked that it wouldn't snow on Sunday so that dd could get home safely with the children and that prayer was answered too.
Glad you ds found some comfort in prayer.

its lovely to hear the praise reports. we have so many requests but its so great to praise and thank God for answered prayers... God is answering my prayers about dd as well as she is starting to go down to sleep a bit better at night at a more reasonable hour. God is so good :)

Glad to hear that, jan.

I am seeing frequent glimpses of God, usually as a kind and gentle response to an unspoken thought. For example, I was driving to school one afternoon feeling I didn't really belong in this little community and (as I was late ) there were about 20 parents and kids walking down the road already. Every single one of them smiled and waved at me as I drove past. It was so OTT, like a film rather than real life, that I suddenly felt rather giggly!

That thing some people believe about adultery being the only acceptable reason for divorce and not abuse. It's a bit over-valuing the importance of sex, isn't it? "God wants you to stay through all sort of violence, but unfaithfulness? A whole different kettle of fish!" It's ridiculous! Am I alone in thinking that only a male-led church could've come up with this twisting of God's purposes?

ermmm no...

Day was good at work. Thank you for prayers.

I'm thinking about talking to my GP about DS. He's still struggling at School so much and perhaps I need to consider getting him assessed. I've been delaying it and delaying it but something came to a head today and I keep thinking that the only way to get him the support he needs at School is doing this. In fact I think they upset him far more by treating him like the other children. It doesn't work. He needs things explaining to him in a way they don't. He doesn't cope well in busy, loud environments, he needs his routine and I have to warn him if things will be different. He needs a lot of 1:1 and they cannot provide it. It's getting to the stage where he believes he's 'bad' and on Christmas Eve cried as he thought he wouldn't get a stocking as he's too naughty

The teacher is still doing the sticker chart everyday and if he doesn't get all the stickers, he is in bits. It's so much pressure and I don't think he walks into School everyday and goes 'right, let's see how naughty I can be today' or anything like that. He genuinely struggles and it's not getting better. Especially now the second influx of Children has begun and his class has gone from 13 to 25 kids.

Once you get him assessed you will know how best to help him. I'm sure BES will say the same, whichever way the cookie crumbles.
Prayers for courage and faith.
And no, Charlotte you are not wrong in thinking that. I do so wish that men would read all of Ephesians 5 and not stop at v22 and say "Ha, I knew it, she should submit to me".

Once you get him assessed you will know how best to help him...

tis true. they will probably ask you to go on a parenting course befroe they do much though... book one in if you can to cross off one of the stages first. or go with a list of strategies you are using and still not working.

do some googling to look for specific concerns. make a list to take to the gp...

Totally, Oma! Many seem to completely ignore the part about loving wives as Christ loved the Church!!

Charlotte, so pleased about your glimpses of God. How lovely! I love it when God does that. It does make you feel all giggly! You deserve some joy, praying for more :)

Mome, yes, it does sound like it would be good to get him assessed. It has made such a difference to dd getting a dx of dyspraxia, even just with teachers knowing about it and allowing for it. Sounds like your ds may need that bit extra help. :)

Great to hear your asnwer to prayer too Kaykat!

Blue, looking forward to Friday :)

Feeling stronger again today - it's lovely to get up and not feel so much pain and also that there is enough air, finally. Another huge answer to prayer. I blogged about the whole thing yesterday and it was good to get it out. Feel a bit freed now. Praise God from who all blessings flow...

Mary, how are you feeling now?

glad you feeling better mhd

hope work goes well today Mome

God answered prayer about getting DD down to sleep last inght - but she woke around 11ish and that was her till 6. totally shattered...feel a bit down about it all

What, mhd, you mean Christ doesn't yell at the church and make it feel insignificant?

Jan, that sounds awful. I'd've been in a right state by about 2am.

phew... I have shovelled the muck out the car... most of a packet of crushed biscuit crumbs was on the mat (thankyou God)... so they have been tipped in the bin. the cardoes not look respectable... it has ceased to be a cess pit though. got to do something about the wet bit in the car though. somone weed last night and it i soaking wet still. it will be wet for days in this weather.

also I have found my hat! a major relief in this weather and an answerr to prayer.

i am struggling. the "anniversary" was yesterday so things can start improving now. little things are insurmountable though. I need to get on with housework but am going to eat breakfast and catch up on some sleep first.

I have also found dd's reading folder. another answer to prayer.

Oh Jan, you must be shattered, you poor thing. Praying for a better night tonight.

I know Charlotte - the way Christ loves the church doesn't appear to be undermining and belittling. Quite the opposite, in fact, which some men would do well to remember, it seems - praying for all on this thread with difficult relationships/emotional abuse :(

could to with prayers please. DH and I seem to be arguing most of the time at the moment. it is tough.

Prayers, Ginger, sorry to hear that - is this just recently?

It's been going on for a while but in waves. Dh is not good at arguing in a "fair" way and often resorts to nasty personal attacks, which makes me just back down, drop it or just not even bother bringing it up as trying to discuss doesn't turn into something constructive. And so I end up feeling sad.

I guess we're just not on the same page very much these days.