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A new Christian prayer thread, just in time for Easter!

992 replies

Tuo · 09/04/2014 23:44

Welcome to our new prayer thread... just in time for Holy Week and Easter.

This is a safe and supportive place of prayer, where regulars, occasional visitors and lurkers, committed Christians and those just dipping a toe into the water are all equally welcome. Come and leave a prayer, tell us what's going on in your life, bring your worries, hopes, fears and joys to God, and know that you will be prayed for.

We pray, in particular, for...

... amberlight, for her work raising awareness of the ways in which we can work to make life easier for our autistic friends, and for her to know love and acceptance wherever she goes;

... Badvoc and her family, as they grieve for her dad and for her aunt - this has been a very tough time for the family... may spring bring them happier times;

... BlackEyedSusan, for all the many things which she has to juggle in her life as a single parent; in particular, we pray for her mum's health, and for both her DC to receive the support that they need at school, and for her to feel welcomed, accepted and supported at her church;

... BlessedAssurance, for breast-feeding to settle down for her following the birth of her baby son, for her relationship with her extended family (and in particular her MIL and her bonkers baby-naming ideas ), and for her parents who are far away;

... CharlotteCollins, for her new life as a single mum - may she be happy and fulfilled and supported in it;

... DontstepontheMomeRaths, for her life as a single mum, for support for her to do all the things she'd like to be able to do, for her DC, for difficult relationships at work, and for the wonderful work she does through her church supporting people going through separation and divorce;

... DutchOma, as she grieves for Bob, that she may find peace of mind, love and support at this time;

... Gingercurl, for her relationship with her DH, for the final 'tweaks' to her thesis, and for friendship for her DS;

... ALittleFaith, for baby Faithlet as she approaches her first birthday, for Faith's work to bring her joy and not exhaustion, and for her to find happiness and fulfilment in her church;

... jan2014 for her to understand what the right thing to do is vis-a-vis her relationship with her DH, and for her to have the courage to do what needs to be done, and to find support in doing it; also for her new church to be a place where she finds love and support and welcome;

... JugglingFromHereToThere, for her sister and her family as they grieve the loss of Juggling's nephew;

... Kaykat, giving thanks that she is now settled and happy in her new home with her DS, and continuing to pray for her situation, that she receive the moral and practical support she needs for herself and her DS

... MadHairDay, for her health to improve this spring and for her to stay out of hospital, and for health, friendship, and freedom from bullying for MHD's DD;

... PandaG, as she and her family grieve the loss of her mum; and for

... PositiveAttitude, praying for the right outcome for PA's DH as he decides between a career opportunity at home and a return to Cambodia; also praying for PA's parents health, for her DD3 and DGS as they move into their own home, and for her other three DDs and one DS in their various situations; and finally praying for peace for PA herself and - whatever happens work-wise in the UK and/or abroad - for God to provide for her and her family.

We pray also for all regular and occasional visitors, and those we haven't seen for a while, including: boxofdelights, bountyicecream Bluetinkerbell, CheerfulYank, cloutiedumpling, EasyCompadre, FairPhyllis, fluffieduckie, FriendOfDorothy, GoodbyeRubyTuesday, harbinger, JakeBullet, ktef, LollipopViolet, MaryBS, NeverKnowinglyUnderstood, niminypiminy, notquiteagrownup, PloddingDaily, revivingshower, RoomForALittleOne, saintsalive, SchrodingersFerret, SEStheBrave, Soozi, SunshinemMum, thegreenheartofmanyroundabouts, thehorridestmumintheworld, trish5000, weegiemum, youretoastmildred, ZingSweetApple, and zulubump, and for anyone I've forgotten to name-check (don't take it personally, please!). And we pray for those who read and pray but don't post, for those who need our prayers but are afraid or too uncertain to post them, and for all those known to us in our own lives who need God's love.

Keep Your people, Lord, in the arms of Your embrace.
Shelter them under Your wings.
Be their light in darkness.
Be their hope in distress.
Be their calm in anxiety.
Be strength in their weakness.
Be their comfort in pain.
Be their song in the night. Amen

OP posts:
TribbleWithoutATardis · 18/04/2014 22:12

Just wanted to come back and thank you for your prayers for my dentist trip. It was all fine, no fillings!! I have to now wear a bite guard as I've been grinding my teeth (two under three). All in all, I can't complain. Thank you God!

rabbitrisen · 18/04/2014 22:21

Thanks for this thread. I am one of the very occasional posters throughout soem of the threads, though I often lurk.
[am saintsalive and trish5000 on the last thread].

I came on to somewhat bury this message in this thread. The poster vicarinatutu is ok with me asking for prayers for her son. He has SN but manages to hold down a job. Dont want to go into details. But becuase he has obvious SN, he is sometimes a target for others. So that is why prayers are asked for. Thanks. [prob best though not to put him onto the main op list]

BlessedAssurance · 18/04/2014 23:17

Oma that is lovely. MHD that is just wonderful. You felt His touch and the timing is so perfect. We all need moments like you just had to strengthen us and to remind us that nomatter the situation we are not alone.
Rabbit praying for your friend's son.

A happy easter to everyoneThanks.

CharlotteCollins · 18/04/2014 23:31

Ooh, I love that hymn, Tuo. We had a weird reflective service this morning - well, I didn't like it, anyway. Would've liked it more if it'd had that hymn (or any hymn or song) and coffee and hot cross buns! That sounds more like it! I was a bit cross because this should be, as mhd indicates, the joint most important day in the church's calendar and it was more treated as a bit of an extra for the super-spiritual.

Well, that's what I thought, anyway. But maybe I'm just a grump!

Much happier catching up with all of you, especially reading mhd's and jan's posts today. Oh, and the "wetness of breakfast" - brilliant turn of phrase!

jan2014 · 19/04/2014 06:47

glad for all the praise reports... praise the Lord!

Charlotte thats a shame you didn't enjoy the service :( must have been a disappointment for you, seems strange not to have any songs!

i managed to get to an easter service last night, first time i been to a service in ages at night, dh had dd and i went with a friend to her church, it was excellent and while i did not have any moment of revelations, (i couldn't concentrate on the scriptures read) i did feel an amazing sense of Gods love and just lost myself in worship which was wonderful and there was no sermon which was also wonderful (i know that sounds awful). it felt nice to just be doing stuff for a change rather than be sitting in the house.

its a beautiful day here again. long may this nice weather last.

SESthebrave · 19/04/2014 07:51

Prayers for all. I've read back a bit further and it seems there's been lots I've missed.

DD is on the mend and giving smiles & kisses again.

I took DS to our Good Friday 3pm service yesterday. I was a bit hesitant as it's a very quiet solemn service and he's not quite 5yo. He also had to sit through an hour of music group practice first. I did take a bag with colouring and stickers too. He was really good though and has quite a few people come up afterwards to say how good he had been. I'm trying to forget that he then went running round the church grounds afterwards but I guess that's understandable really!

I'm off to work this morning and highlight of the church's year tonight with our Easter Vigil. I've only missed one in about 15yrs as it is so beautiful and uplifting.
My hope is that then tomorrow DH will take DC to church whilst I cook lunch (my parents are coming round) and set up an Easter egg hunt for the DC for after church.

Kaykat · 19/04/2014 09:17

Really enjoying all the wonderful messages people are posting.

Rabbit I know of vicarinatutu, she gives wonderful help to dv victims on the relationship threads, I am praying for her DS.

DontstepontheMomeRaths · 19/04/2014 10:11

Ses that sounds so good. My 5 yr old DS wouldn't behave for that long. The Easter Vigil sounds lovely.

I haven't been able to get to any of the evening services yet. Due to babysitting of course. So my first Easter service will be Sunday.

Jan I don't think it sounds awful to be glad there was no sermon. I often these days find it hard to focus on sermons or take in what was said. I think as a lone parent you can feel exhausted and pretty wrung out emotionally. I think God understands. I enjoy feeling his presence, singing and spending time in Church but anything beyond that I struggle to find the energy and focus for at times. But I know he's with me. Does that make sense.

I'm going to meet up with another lone parent school mum in a bit. I've never spent much time with her but she seems lovely. I'm a bit rubbish at making friends. I have loads of acquaintances but very few close friends. I struggle to ring people and at times feel isolated. I can be a bit of an introvert and find social events exhausting at times and enjoy retreating to my home again. So prayers that we have a great time, my DS doesn't have too many meltdowns and our kids play nicely would be fab.

BlackeyedSusan · 19/04/2014 10:36

it has taken me two years to notice that the sermons at our church to not have that much intelectaul content.. (given it is a studenty church I am surprised) mind I have only been able to listen these past couple of weeks.

jan2014 · 19/04/2014 13:56

mome i hope you enjoy your time with your friend, yes i totally understand about church, i would love more services like that where they just read a few verses, spoke a couple of minutes, dwelt in worship and prayer - much better for me! i am also an introvert, i am still recovering from being so social this morning and last night :)

thegreatestMadHairDayinhistory · 19/04/2014 15:03

I too sometimes wish there was less sermon and more reflection/worship...I just don't 'retain' for very long and find myself drifting off. Better reading than listening somehow....I guess it's just different learning styles.

So lovely to read about others encounters this weekend - Oma, Tuo, Jan. Oma so pleased dd has apologised.

Tuo beautiful, beautiful hymn words. Thankyou.

We're doing an early morning Easter service tomorrow out on a local junction - we've placed some crosses round the local area and put red then black ribbon on yesterday. Tomorrow we will decorate them with flowers and celebrate. Really want to go....think I will try, even if I have to come home to bed for most of the day!

Today I want to share this song:

I pray blessing on you all today, this Holy Saturday. Sunday's coming.... Thanks

CharlotteCollins · 19/04/2014 15:28

Awesome, mhd. Praying that you make it to that early service tomorrow and don't suffer for it afterwards.

The worst thing about the service yesterday was feeling completely out of step with everybody else, who seemed to appreciate it. That's not an unusual feeling for me, but quite a disheartening one. I think most people have very busy lives and enjoy the chance to be still and quiet and think. For me, I'd had an hour of quiet reading the Bible first thing and in general I find there's a bit too much quiet in my life these days.

I also find it a bit weird that we're having communion tomorrow (feels like going back to Good Friday) but there was no discernible hint of hope in yesterday's service.

Am I just no good at sombreness (and maybe humility?), do you think? I've felt since childhood that I don't do thinking about sin very well at all.

amberlight · 19/04/2014 16:59

Reading and praying...

jan2014 · 19/04/2014 17:08

:) amber

charlotte... why do you think that you don't do thinking about sin at all?

those reasons that you gave about most people appreciating quiet and you don't are very valid.... i think you are right, a lot of people do value a quiet reflection, but then i am sure there are many that don't - i remember when i was younger and before i had health issues i just loved a a good praise service with lots of loud praise, i hated sitting quietly reflecting for ages! i think also you are in a better place now in your life and perhaps you aren't in a sombre place anymore personally and so why would you want to sit and be sombre... if thats what people are doing? last night we weren't being sombre, we were rejoicing, and it was both filled with loud place and quiet moments of reflection. the fact you say there was no hint of hope in the service is quite worrying, the whole point of christianity is about hope.

jan2014 · 19/04/2014 17:11

also.... the very act of you saying perhaps you are no good at humility is a little ironic to me... it makes me feel that you do have a spirit of humility even by saying that... and from my conversations with you a long time ago i do remember you as having humility... just saying :)

CharlotteCollins · 19/04/2014 17:38

:o Good point there, jan!

Maybe the hope was there and I didn't hear it. Apparently there was also a walk across the town and it happens every year, 200 people take part - I think I will go for that next year!

I am aware that I'm in a grumbly mood. I have loads I could be doing and I can't be bothered with any of it. Hopefully Easter will snap me out of it, but it might have to wait till my DCs come back home, which isn't till Tuesday for DD3 and Saturday for the other three. Easter Sad

jan2014 · 19/04/2014 18:30

hey charlotte... im sorry you aren't feeling so good. maybe thats part of it, you just weren't in the mood for that kind of service. its hard to get motivated when you are feeling like that. i get like that too sometimes. im sure you can't wait till your dcs come home.

sunshinemmum · 19/04/2014 18:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

JugglingFromHereToThere · 19/04/2014 19:51

I liked watching the service "Easter from Kings" on BBC2 earlier this evening. Was very peaceful with beautiful music and the familiar Easter readings, as well as ending with an interesting poem from Siegfried Sassoon about everyone singing.

Tuo · 19/04/2014 20:18

This thread has been really inspiring the last few days. Thanks to you all.

Charlotte - our service was quite contemplative (though we did have some music). I think that perhaps the key is for people to understand what's coming and what to expect. Our priest talked us through the service first, so we knew what was going to happen and where the silences were going to fall, if that makes sense, so that when there was silence it felt natural and not as if someone had forgotten to do something. As people know, I'm quite 'traditional' in my tastes, but I have also got more and more involved in (and am more and more touched by) these more contemplative and quiet services. When we have our labyrinth services we often have 30-40 mins of complete silence (or silence with just some quiet music in the background). Some people would hate it, but I love it and find that I need it. Maybe you're right that it's to do with the busyness of my everyday life and my need to step out of that occasionally. But I don't think that not liking it is some sort of fault in you - we are all different and we meet God in loud music, or in quiet contemplation, in the Bible, in prayer, in other people, in nature. Wherever we meet him, he is there for us.

I am thinking tonight about hope. About how the situation on the day after the Crucifixion must have felt so hopeless to the first disciples, whereas we have hope and the knowledge that Easter Sunday follows Good Friday. I want to pray tonight for all those who feel hopeless for whatever reason - because they are ill, feel unloved and lonely, for those in war-torn countries and in situations of danger, for those who don't have enough to eat, for those who live in fear, for the dying.

A prayer of St Augustine:

Watch, dear Lord, with those who wake, or watch, or weep tonight, and let your angels protect those who sleep. Tend the sick. Refresh the weary. Sustain the dying. Calm the suffering. Pity the distressed. We ask this for the sake of your love. Amen

OP posts:
CharlotteCollins · 19/04/2014 20:28

Thank you, Tuo, I find your comments encouraging. I am never good with a lot of silence in services: I find too much of it distracting. I wouldn't want to sound critical of ways of worship that other people find helpful, though.

I have just read something that has clarified for me my discomfort about the lack of hope in yesterday's service: point 5 on this page if anyone's interested. I feel much better having read it.

Dutchoma · 19/04/2014 21:09

Yes, that is quite powerful Charlotte. The other points are quite good too, but I can see why number 5 is a comfort to you.

Dutchoma · 19/04/2014 22:37

I also enjoyed the Easter service from King's and, tonight, the programme about the Messiah.
But surely, the girls in the Foundling Hospital would have said: "them, that trespass against us" rather than "those"?

Kaykat · 19/04/2014 23:30

I have decided that as i am on my own tomorrow i will go to an Easter service at a local church which I have never been to. I am known is several local churches and don't feel like facing questions about h, where is he etc. it is described as evangelical c of e so might be quite lively but I hope not too much. The thing is that I am rubbish at talking to strangers in a social situation so feeling a bit nervous about it.

Kaykat · 19/04/2014 23:33

That didn't make too much sense Grin basically I have decided to try a church where I think that no one will know me.

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