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Hands together and eyes closed: a new Christian prayer thread (May 2015)

958 replies

Tuo · 19/05/2015 10:32

Welcome to a new prayer thread to take us into the summer. 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...

... ALittleFaith, especially for her dad, who has been diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease;

... 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;

... Anjelica27, as she tries to find ways to support her DS through his mental health problems and self-harm;

... AnxiousKeziah, following the loss of her baby DS;

... BlackEyedSusan, for all the many things which she has to juggle in her life as a single parent; for good support for her DD and DS; and for her mum;

... BlueTinkerbell, thanking God for the safe arrival of her beautiful DD4;

... Bsshbosh, who has terminal cancer, for the best possible quality of life for her for as long as possible; also for her DH and DD as they travel this road with her;

... DizzyDaffodil, who is struggling, asking God to be with her and for her to find RL support at this time;

... DontstepontheMomeRaths, for her busy life as a single mum, and for the wonderful work she does through her church supporting people going through separation and divorce;

... DutchOma, thanking God for the wonderful support that she provides for so many on here;

... FaithLoveandHope, for her mental health; for decisions about her academic work; for her STB-FIL who has been diagnosed with cancer; and for her relationship with her DP;

... fakenamefornow, thanking God that things have taken a turn for the better for her;

... howtoapproachthis, for her health, following her diagnosis with CFS and for her to find support for herself and her DD;

... HydrochloricTulip, for stresses at home and at work;

... innerstrength100, for strength to decide what to do in the aftermath of the break-up of her relationship last year and the unexpected coming back into her life of her ex;

... Kaykat, continuing to pray for her as she goes through the stressful and painful process of divorce; praying, in particular, that she is able to find continue to support her DS through this process;

... LegallyBlonde77, as she goes through the adoption process - praying for a match very soon and for her family to be complete;

... LifeofBriony, for problems in her relationship with her DH;

... littlehouseinthebigwoods, for problems in her relationship with her controlling DH;

... MadHairDay, for her ongoing health issues;

... PositiveAttitude, especially for her mum who has dementia and for her dad, who finds it hard to accept help; for her DD2 recovering from a scary reaction to a dog-bite overseas, and for her whole family; for her studies and her role within her church; and for her and her DH as they plan new and exciting ways of working with the people of Cambodia;

... QuestionofFaith, as she tries to rebuild her life with her DH following his mental health problems and withdrawal from her;

... SESthebrave, for problems at work; also for her MIL who has had a cancer diagnosis;

... TooBusyByHalf, as she explores and hopefully rediscovers her faith;

... weegiemum, for her continued recovery from her very scary infection and septicaemia, and also for her DD's continued progress in overcoming her anorexia;

... ZipadiSoozi, for her dad who has dementia and for her mum and the whole family as they find ways to support him in this; also for her BIL who has cancer;

We pray also for all regular and occasional visitors including: Badvoc, BlessedAssurance, BlueSkies80, CaulkheadUpNorth, CharlotteCollins, chocolateteapot, cloutiedumpling, CocoaBean, DeladionInch, EilisCitron, FlabbyMummy, Gingercurl, JugglingFromHereToThere, ktef, legohurtswhenyoustandonit, LollipopViolet, LostinChilli, MaryBS, MrsPixieMoo, niminypiminy, ninetynineonehundred, PandaG, Pipbin, RoomForALittleOne, ScarletDancer, thegreenheartofmanyroundabouts, weegiemum, WobblyRainbow, Zing and for anyone I've forgotten to name-check (don't take it personally, please!). We pray for our muslim sisters over in the tea-room, at a time when many feel afraid in a world which seems suspicious of their faith, praying for peace and understanding between all faiths. 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

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TooBusyByHalf · 11/06/2015 22:14

Just popping in to say thanks so much to you all for your support and advice. Flowers

On this religion Board - not just this thread (I'm hoping some of the others read this thread even if they don't post) - many of you have treated me with such kindness and generosity, you are true friends.

I'm leaving MN for a while, but I'll come back to this thread now and again and I will be lurking and thinking of you and praying for you all.

You have blessed us, O God,
with the gift of friendship,
the bonding of persons
in a circle of love.
We thank you for such a blessing:
for friends who love us,
who share our sorrows,
who laugh with us in celebration,
who bear our pain,
who need us as we need them,
who weep as we weep,
who hold us when words fail,
and who give us the freedom
to be ourselves.
Bless our friends with health,
wholeness, life, and love.
Amen.

Tuo · 12/06/2015 23:25

TooBusy thank you for that prayer, which is so fitting for this thread. Thank you for what you have brought; I'm glad that people here have been able to help you at this time.

Popping by quickly to add prayers for all - I'm thinking of you all.

A prayer of Gregory of Nazianzus (329-389)

God beyond all speech, above all thought and surpassing all imagination; when you speak to us may we listen, when you draw near to us may we rejoice in your presence, and when you reveal yourself to us may we bow before you in adoration. Amen.

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legohurtswhenyoustandonit · 13/06/2015 10:50

I've got a new laptop and can surf the net again. Lurking and praying. I love these older prayers TUO. They remind me that God doesn't change and the content of the prayers is as relevant now as it was all those centuries ago.

Iwonderif · 13/06/2015 10:58

Just found this thread. Comforting that I have. Will sit here quietly now, probably on a regular basis. My DS would have been 9 on the 25th. June is a very challenging month. It makes me very anxious and it's all very overwhelming. I remain strong and positive for DH, other two DC & everyone around me. Migraine is lurking. Urgh....just need a hand to hold. Thank you. Xx

Dutchoma · 13/06/2015 12:07

Holding out a hand to hold, Iwonderif. You are very welcome.

Iwonderif · 13/06/2015 12:37

Thank you Dutchoma. The kindness of strangers is so lovely. It means a great deal to know my hand is being held. Xxx

QofF · 13/06/2015 18:36

too all the best to you and I love that prayer. I hope things work out for you.
iwonder welcome and praying for strength to sustain you and the others who depend on you (and the disappearance of migraines)

Tuo · 14/06/2015 00:08

Praying for all, but especially tonight for Iwonderif. Anniversaries are very hard, and we will keep you in our prayers especially around the time of your DS's birthday, and not only you, but also your DH and other DC. You don't have to do so - the lovely thing here is knowing that our worries and past histories and hopes for the futures are known to God even when we can't talk about them openly - but if you'd like to tell us more about your DS we are here to listen: in any case, we will be praying and offering hands to hold.

Also keeping prayers going for Didi, and thinking of all who are in ill-health at this time, whether temporary or chronic, and especially MHD, howtoapproachthis, Weegie, Bssh and anyone I've forgotten.

And continuing to pray for TooBusy as she explores the joy of her newly rediscovered faith, and for both her and her DP as they work out a modus vivendi that will accommodate this.

legohurts - it's good to see you again. I agree about the old prayers... I nearly always find something that's meaningful and relevant. Tonight's prayer is a Celtic blessing:

The light of God surround us
The love of God enfold us
The power of God protect us
The presence of God watch over us. Amen

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GladysTheGolem · 14/06/2015 00:17

Hello all, have been a sporadic poster with previous usernames.

My grandmother died last week and it all feels very surreal. Very close to her, have had to delete her number to stop me phoning her.

IWonder, hand holding for you. Hope you manage to find some beautiful moments at such a sad time. Thinking of you and your family x

Lifting everyone up with prayer x

BlackeyedSusan · 14/06/2015 02:08

so sorry gladys and I wonder Flowers

I am up googlins as I can not sleep for hypermobile hips aching, and getting annoyed by drs who seem ot have little understanding of hypermobility syndrome and it's effects on other connective tissues... and basic pharmacology. why these things rear their ugly heads in the middle of the night I am not sure, but I have been giving myself a refresher into anticholinergic drugs.

dizzydaffodil · 14/06/2015 05:55

In need of hand holding here
Sorry to have just been reading and not posting, though I have been praying for you all

Dutchoma · 14/06/2015 05:57

Reaching out to you Dizzy. Here if you want to share, no worries if you don't.

dizzydaffodil · 14/06/2015 06:04

So lonely Oma and it's all getting so hard that I can't see a way out of it.

Dutchoma · 14/06/2015 07:28

Sometimes we are like a bird caught under a net. The more we struggle, the more we are caught. God is with you in whatever tight spot you are caught.
Be still

KayKat · 14/06/2015 08:12

Prayers especially for Iwonder BES and dizzy

ALittleFaith · 14/06/2015 08:34

Morning all. My apologies for falling off the thread. I will read back and pray through.

I'd appreciate prayer, my Grandma is ill and I suspect she'll pass soon. She's 94, has advanced dementia and is very frail. Her passing would be a blessing in many ways. My main concern is that she isn't admitted to hospital if we can avoid it. I doubt it will help and it will only upskittle her. Please pray for peace.

Dutchoma · 14/06/2015 09:09

Oh Faith, yes, don't let them take her to hospital if it can be avoided. Upskittle is a lovely word. Where is she at the moment? There is a lot of momentum just now to allow people to die at home if that's what they want. Definitely praying for peace for you all.

Weebirdie · 14/06/2015 09:12

ou have blessed us, O God,
with the gift of friendship,
the bonding of persons
in a circle of love.
We thank you for such a blessing:
for friends who love us,
who share our sorrows,
who laugh with us in celebration,
who bear our pain,
who need us as we need them,
who weep as we weep,
who hold us when words fail,
and who give us the freedom
to be ourselves.
Bless our friends with health,
wholeness, life, and love.
Amen.

I love this. I have no idea how to pray apart from Hail Marys etc and I love this prayer.

Did you make it up?

ALittleFaith · 14/06/2015 09:15

Oma she's in a nursing home. She's been there 7 years (started in residential and moved to nursing 5 years ago). She's well looked after so I'd rather she stayed there. The outcome would be the same I think. Also there's a chance she'd come on to the ward I work on which would be awful. My uncle is on his way and collecting my Great aunt (her sister) so hopefully we can all be with her for a bit.

Dutchoma · 14/06/2015 10:32

In that case try with all your might to keep her in the nursing home Faith Hospitals are no place for people that cannot be cured, especially as she is only dimly aware and might be very frightened by the unfamiliar environment.

dizzydaffodil · 14/06/2015 11:33

Praying for you and your Grandma Faith

ALittleFaith · 14/06/2015 12:18

I'm here with her now. She's incredibly peaceful, just unconscious. Home are keen to keep her here too and manage her symptoms.

Iwonderif · 14/06/2015 21:35

Thank you all for your kindness. Thinking of you ALittleFaith & I hope the peacefulness for your Grandma has continued throughout the day.

Thank you to Tuo for wanting to know about my son. Not many people do ask about him these days. That's ok, it's been 9 years and I was blessed to go on to have 2 more. He was my firstborn and I had a beautiful pregnancy. Textbook. I went into labour at home at 40 weeks & all was fine. It was a beautiful warm Sunday morning. He was born by an emergency cesarean section at 11.29am but was too weak and died at 11.51am. The enormity of that day has lessened a great great deal over the years it certainly has and even though I found myself very upset this morning it no longer affects my whole day like it once did. My tears are no longer about "me" but how HE missed out on life. He didn't get to see how beautiful this world is. I know I will see him again one day. My faith was shaken to begin with but I found it again. I know he's in heaven and that gives me great comfort. The 25th of June however is not only my first sons birthday but in 2010 I went into early labour and my second son (third child) had to be delivered that day...........so it's quite a surreal & demanding day. Celebrating my youngests birthday but trying to quietly reflect on what is also a special but sad day too.

Phew.....thank you for reading. Sorry it's so long. Xxx thank you for the hand holding. It helps. Xxx

Dutchoma · 14/06/2015 21:58

Thank you for sharing Iwonderif

Tuo · 14/06/2015 23:59

Thank you for sharing that with us, Iwonder. I'm so sorry for the loss of your DS1, and can understand how strange it must be for your DS2 to share that birthday with him: sad and happy at the same time. (Nowhere near in the same league, but my DD2 was born on what would have been the EDD of the baby I miscarried - only a few years later, obviously. My MC was very early, but I do think about it sometimes on my DD2's birthday.) I hope and pray that you can get through this month, taking baby steps if need be - you don't need to think about getting through the month, but through each day, each hour if need be... The one thing you can say for time is that it does pass, slowly and painfully at times, but, one tock after another tick, it does pass.

Gladys - I am so sorry for your loss. I think it's normal for it all to feel 'unreal' for a while. I am praying for all who loved your grandmother at this sad time.

ALittleFaith - praying for you and your grandma, and for all who love her at this time. I'm glad that the nursing home is keen to try to keep her there - it sounds as if it's what she'd want if she were able to articulate that. I'm glad, too, that she is peaceful, and I pray that, if this is her time, she is able to go in peace, surrounded by love.

Dizzy - I'm sorry things are so tough. Praying for you too... know that you've been in our thoughts today and tonight and are not alone.

Weebirdie - I like old familiar prayers, and remember when I first re-discovered my faith thinking that I didn't have the 'right' to talk to God as if I knew Him, when I'd rejected Him for so long, so I just used to say the Lord's Prayer, and then eventually I started to add bits as seemed relevant (e.g. 'forgive us our trespasses' - and think about what I'd messed up that day that needed forgiveness!). Praying through this thread is useful too, as it acts as a reminder of people who need prayers, in their different situations. How is Didi? Continuing to pray for her.

I wanted to post this post-Communion prayer tonight. It always moves me when we use it in church, and I wanted to share it with the thread.

Father of all, we give you thanks and praise, that when we were still far off you met us in your Son and brought us home. Dying and living, he declared your love, gave us grace, and opened the gate of glory. May we who share Christ's body live his risen life; we who drink his cup bring life to others; we whom the Spirit lights give light to the world. Keep us firm in the hope you have set before us, so we and all your children shall be free, and the whole earth live to praise your name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

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