Praying into 2016: a Christian prayer thread for the New Year

[Tuo]

Happy New Year friends.

This thread is a safe space where anyone - regular, occasional visitor, lurker, committed Christian or waverer - is welcome to come and leave their prayers in the knowledge that they will be prayed for. No problem is too big or small to share here, and if you just want to come and say 'hi', that's fine too.

Looking back through our previous thread, we pray in particular for:

ALittleFaith - for good treatment for her anxiety; for better understanding from her boss; for the lovely Faithlet.

amberlight - for her work supporting people with autism, and for her and her family.

Anjelica27 - for her DS, who has mental health problems, and for Anjelica and her family.

BlackEyedSusan - for all that she has to juggle as a single mum, for her DC, and for her mum. Praying for a peaceful and happy 2016.

Dontbesilly - for her dad, who has been diagnosed with cancer, and for all who love and care for him; also for the medical team looking after him; for her DH's work situation; and for Don't's DDog who has a heart condition.

DutchOma - with gratitude for all she does to support people on this thread and elsewhere. Thinking of her especially as the anniversary of the loss of her beloved Bob approaches, in particular after the recent death of her brother as well. May she know God's closeness to her in her grief.

EdithSimcox - for her to be able to find ways to support and nurture her faith; and for understanding from her DP.

FaithLoveandHope - for clarity about what she wants (and what God wants) for her future.

HardyLeodicean - especially for her FIL.

IHopeYouStepOnALegoPiece - for her to find comfort and joy in exploring her faith; also for a good recovery from heart surgery for her best friend's dad.

JugglingFromHereToThere - for her search for rewarding work, for health, and for comfort and strength for her and the rest of her family following the tragic death of her nephew.

Kaykat - following her divorce from an abusive ex; for happiness for her and for her DS.

legohurtswhenyoustandonit - for her to feel more at home and accepted by her church.

LifeofBriony - for her relationship with her DH; also for her DS going back to university after Christmas.

LightnessofBeing - for her new church, and for energy to cope with her punishing work schedule.

MadHairDay - for her health, especially in the cold, wet winter months which are always so hard on her lungs.

Pandora97 - as she starts a new job in a new town for the new year following difficult and stressful times relating to a court case in recent months.

passportmess (formerly known as QuietIsland) - for a colleague whose husband is very ill, and for a university friend who has been diagnosed with cancer.

PatchworkTurtle - for healing in her relationship.

PositiveAttitude - for her DD1, who is depressed, to get the support she needs; for her DD3 and her DH to work through their relationship issues; for PA's DH to find work that makes him happier, for PA's DMum to continue to be happy in her (relatively) new care home and for PA's DDad to cope with her being there. Above all, we pray for PA herself, who is always there for others when they need her, to be happy and fulfilled in 2016.

QoF - for courage when she is feeling anxious.

ScouseQueen - for a full recovery from recent illness.

SESthebrave - for her DH, who has been working abroad, and for SES, juggling everything at home; for her DS to find ways of communicating, rather than lashing out, when he is frustrated; and for her to feel appreciated for the work she does at her church.

TheRealGracePoole - for her ministry to women in her area.

weegiemum - giving thanks for an improvement in her DD1's (borderline) anorexia; praying for weegiemum's own health and for the Master's course which she has undertaken.

And, as always, prayers for anyone I've forgotten (with apologies), for all who lurk but don't post, for 'old-timers' who haven't posted recently, and for newbies who may not have posted yet.

A prayer of St Teresa of Avila

Let nothing disturb you.
Let nothing frighten you.
All things pass away:
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things.
Those who have God
Find they lack nothing;
God alone suffices. Amen

The hospital planned to remove the adrenal gland but haven't done anything to manage to symptoms of not having two of them. No bloods were taken before or after the removal and nothing is being done to support the systems created by the lack of one adrenal gland. We were told that having an adrenal gland removed wasn't a problem as there would be one left. We got the impression that they were something that you could live easily without, like tonsils or appendix. Now we know different ly. Whenever we discuss the symptoms and what we believe to be the cause, we are dismissed. It's quite bizarre that they ignore this and give politicians answers, all the time allowing the systems to reocurr and dad to be constantly readmitted.

We have been in touch with the fantastic local hospice. They are going to take over and manage dad's symptoms and try to rebuild him and we can review any options later. They were absolutely amazing. They treated dad in such a way that he actually cheered up and felt much better. He's being admitted very soon.

The drip situation is so annoying. It's a subcutaneous drip. Just a blooming postcode prevents the equipment in the living room from being administered to dad, making a huge benefit to his hydration, blood pressure and low mood following the adrenal gland removal.

We also saw a copy of dad's notes today. We were not told that he had sepsis not long after the operation. Why can't we have access to the facts, dad doesn't have any problems with the details being shared with us, even he wasn't aware he had had sepsis. When information isn't shared, in light of other concerns, you start to doubt and loose trust in the hospital.

Really looking forward to the hospice as they sound amazing and really know what they are dealing with. It's all about dad and what he wants, which is really all that matters. They are going to try to rehydrate him and build him up and hopefully he will be considered for other treatments and trials, and God willing, more chemotherapy.

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers for your dad don'tbe.

I went to an evening service at another church tonight which was very quiet and also solemn and Lent-ful. Not a permanent church home but it was really good for me (and to have a whole service with no interruptions). I was asked for tea and biscuits after but didn't stay as I didn't want to go into where we normally worship etc. But we also had a nice family day.

Oh Don't, how awful. I hope and pray that you manage to get something sorted out to make your poor dad more comfortable. Sending love and prayers for you all.

drspouse - glad you had a peaceful service tonight and a nice day.

I'm a bit gutted as the flowers I ordered for my mum, to be delivered today, never arrived and I got an email at 5.30, when it was far too late to do anything about it, to say that they hadn't been able to fulfil the order and would try to deliver it on Tuesday... which is not the same thing at all. My mum lives 400 miles away and now thinks I don't care about her.

Prayers tonight for those of us who are mothers; for our mothers; for all who would like to be, or to have been, mothers but are not; for mothers who have lost children; and for children without their mothers. Also praying for those who did not have good experiences of mothering growing up. And thinking particularly of the child refugees who've been separated from their mothers by war and conflict.

thinking of you don't.

glad church was peaceful spouse.

mothering sunday started early. like at about 12 am last night when ds had a nightmare and joined me for the rest of the night. I suspect nightmare as he tried to sleep right on top of me several times and this is his usual response to nightmares.

oh dont I'm at a loss about the lack of joined up care and joined up thinking by the hospital. Praying x.

ds is poorly. I think I am brewing something similar...

Oh bo, hope you soon feel better and dd doesn't catch on

Don't I hope and pray things go better for you and your dad now the hospice in involved. Praying for you all. And I'm so glad that your DH and the rest of the family are pulling their weight. That is one good thing at least.

spouse sometimes a peaceful service in a different church is perfect. I do that quite often. making a virtue of a difficult situation

bes I pray it passes quickly. We have been house of flu - one / two at a time - for over 2 weeks now. (not me though) There is a lot of it about.

Tuo your mum will know you care - how could she not - you are the most caring person around.

I've been coming across lots of new (to me) prayers in Lent. Here's another one I love for us all.

All that I am, Lord,
I place into your hands.
All that I do, Lord,
I place into your hands.

Everything I work for,
I place into your hands.
Everything I hope for,
I place into your hands.

The troubles that weary me,
I place into your hands.
Thoughts that disturb me,
I place into your hands.

Each that I pray for,
I place into your hands.
Each that I care for,
I place into your hands.
The Northumbria Community, extract from the Oswald Liturgy

oh and that he stays in hs own bed as two nights he has been in my bed. It turns out that he shares the aversion to 8 legged beasties.. I let one of the thin spindly ones go in the bathroom and it is happily sitting in the top corner keeping away the big hairy bastards... however it would seem that ds thinks it is roaming in his room.

he needs to be off school tomorrow. possibly for 48 hours. and he claims to be well... ho hum.

got to go and get poorly boy up. this is unusually late for him.

Lovely prayer edith thanks for that.
don't am speechless regarding what you are having to deal with. When should things start moving with the hospice?
tuo hope your Mums flowers arrive today. Not the same though - very annoying!
Praying for the refugee crisis. I hope the EU meeting manages to finally conclude in a coordinated approach to addressing it and at least reducing the death and misery we are witnessing as a result of the crisis. I have no idea what the solution should be and I haven't read enough about the EU talks yet to formulate an opinion on whether the current proposal is a "good" solution or not but thinking of the people, the families, the heartbreak, the children, the fear, behind those One In One Out numbers being proposed is just so so heartbreaking. Praying for all people who's lives have been reduced to being a tragic statistic.

whose

Beautiful prayer, Edith.

Don't - just caught up a bit and appalled at the hospital again and that the postcode makes such a difference to not accessing what he needs :( praying for you all.

BES - prayers for a peaceful day. How are the dc?

I've been a bit awol. Busy with finishing book up and work stuff but no excuse. Sorry. You are all in my prayers.

Having to face this huge decision here about future. Might well have to move in the summer and really don't want to. Dd in y10 so awful timing and they are both so settled and happy. Sigh....Praying for guidance.

well mhd. church was supposed to be moving to another building...all the top bods wanted it... ds did not. I also had a meltdown and begged and possibly tantrummed at God prayed and lo and behold we are still in the church building. top bods not always right. big boss sometimes pulls rank.

Bes indeed!

bes well done you

mhd looking forward to the book . Prayers for the decision and .

Beautiful prayer, Edith. Thank you.

Amen to that BES, and too!

MHD - praying for decisions and for the right solution to present itself. I know how long it took for your DD to feel happy and settled, so completely understand why you'd be about moving her now. Don't want to ask you to go into detail on a public site, obviously, but if you didn't have to move too far, might a longer commute be possible for her if it's only for one year? (We moved in October and DD1 now has to leave the house at about 7.15 or somewhere between that and 7.45 depending on how late she is that day - it's not ideal, but it has been OK, and that too is just for one year as she's in Year 11 this year.) In any case, praying for you: for wisdom, discernment, and for the right path to open up for you...

Don't - How is your dad? Have been thinking of you?

And QoF, how are things with you? And DH?

My mum's flowers have still not arrived, despite my getting an email today saying they'd be delivered. I've gone beyond 'gutted' and right out the other side and into full-on . A stroppy email will be sent!

there was no well done in it edith... It was not my finest hour. nor ds's I am still thoroughly by the miraculous fact that we are still in the old building. against all the odds.

It's late but I just wanted to put my head round the door and say hello.

Have been absent but in that absence I often think of and pray for you all.

Have just completed a 6 week course at church about living a life filled with the Holy Spirit. It was the last session this evening and when asked what we can do in our every day life to keep in touch with the Holy Spirit. One of the things that came to my mind was reconnecting with this group so that is my aim :)

Very good to see the Holy Spirit at work on so many fronts: not only Tuo's and Edith's marvellous prayers (and to see you so regularly on here at all, Edith is a bit of a miracle in itself, methinks), but now also BES recognising the hand of God in answered prayer and *SES° being prompted to be part of us again, these are all little green fingers of spring, Of Easter tide coming. God is at work, praise be to God

ds is still poorly. a rush to the loo this morning means no school. problem is this can go on for days and days.

Hello Oma and yes, thanks be to God for answered prayers and assurances.

Prayers for BES's DS for a quick recovery.

Hello everyone.

Please can I ask you for your prayers for dad. He's going into the hospice tomorrow. This is to get a plan in place for his care and hopefully he will improve enough to be able to have a quality of life and be well enough to be considered for trials.

I am really surprised by the people in RL who have gone out of their way to offer us support. People who, I didn't necessary expect to help because they were not necessarily close friends or relatives that I see often. They have rang and texted us frequently and are just there, genuinely there. That's when you feel blessed by God. It's not the people who you kind of thought would be there for you that really are there for you. Dad and mum are both so well thought of that it's a comfort to know people are genuinely there.

Sorry for not posting recently. I have been running around like a loon. Hoping things settle down soon now dad's closer in the hospice. I do think of you all every day and pray for you all too and I look forward to reading your posts and keeping up with you all.

It's late so night night x

Prayers for you and for your dad, Don't. Praying he'll be comfortable in the hospice and settled there and that you will continue to receive good support. Thanking God for the support you've already received.

SES - lovely to see you.

BES - praying that DS feels better soon.

And (without wanting to be overly cryptic) thanking God for some good news I've just heard from a prayer-thread old-timer who hasn't been around for a bit.

Calm us, O Lord, as You stilled the storm.
Still us, O Lord, keep me from harm.
Let all the tumult within us cease.
Enfold us, Lord, in Your peace. Amen

can i ask for more prayers please im just in a dark place right now im supposed to be taking my driving test next week and i suddenly cant drive i can't even remember how to drive im shit at it im anxious im awful i nearly crashed the damn car ive never been this bad and i just forget everything why do i forget what ive done repeatedly and brilliantly for months what is wrong with me i want to cancel it all sounds a tad overdramatic but im struggling in my life totally my ex is abusive and refusing to believe i don't love him and i won't be with him my kids are misbehaving which is totally normal and not what i need right now im completely on my own over here and the guy i thought liked me has decided not which kind of hurts too as he seemed a really nice guy i will be caught up in the benefits cap later this year my plan was learn to drive retrain a bit and then get into work the beginning of next year so then it became learn to drive get into work asap now its become panic and try not to cry ive deleted most of my online dating profiles too as the people on there are just too much for me i need human contact so badly........i hate myself ive let myself and my kids down they were looking forward to getting a car and going on day trips now all i will have is well my dad can drive if you take him back we wont have to walk anymore and my smug ex saying i told you so i cant get over the fact its cost me a grand so far and all that money is wasted i dont even have the opportunity of putting it off for a few weeks as she only has four weeks till her due date

everything has just hit me at once

and now i cant sleep my mind is crazy