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

AbbsOh sweetheart so sorry nobody was here for you at two in the morning. Really hope that things are a bit better this morning. Try to pull out what I call one strand of the spaghetti one of the issues, the rest might fall into place.

Praying for your dad Dont, so glad he has a bed in the hospice and so glad thereare people in real life who are there for you and your parents. This morning I also want to pray for your doctor-sister as it must be very hard for her to cope with it all.

You are a success. you have done one of the most difficult things possible and left an abusive ex. sounds like he is trying to get at you through the children.

I am off to an exhibition trying to get more info on the additional needs of the children. dd wants ear defenders. must get some cash out.

welcome abbs and am praying for calm for you. The prayer Tuo posted above looks relevant for you. Everything just sounds like it has got too much and am not surprised, it sounds like you have a lot to cope with on your own. As Oma said, try and focus on one thing. Regarding your driving you can still drive, it is anxiety and stress making you feel as if you can't. Do you have much RL support?
Don't praying for your Dad and you all today. Am glad things are finally moving and I pray that the hospice helps provides the support and care you all need. So glad to hear about the RL support you have had that you weren't expecting.
Any news on flowers tuo? Things with DH much the same- thanks for asking. Mostly very good, definitely hugely improved but I don't know how much time I need to get over the block regarding trust. Just praying and trying to be patient. For someone that is naturally impatient and a fixer who wants things now I am getting quite good at it
ses welcome back - good to see you.

Don't - prayers for your Dad, you and your family.

Abbs - hope you got some sleep and prayers that you will feel God's presence and love in the middle of all that. BES is right, you've done well leaving an abusive ex.

QofF - trust can be hard. Don't be tough on yourself. Praying that God will continue to work in the situation.

Please can I ask your prayers for 6yo DS who was at Beavers tonight and over tired. He's so competitive and there's a fine line between playing and fighting with him and his friends. Tonight he crossed that line a few times and at the end one of the leaders spoke to him, with my permission, about how to behave towards others. He then came home saying he was rubbish and worthless. He's finally asleep now.

Oh Abbs: I was here till not long before you posted, but had gone to bed by the time you were here. BES speaks sense and has lots of relevant experience too. You have achieved the biggest and most important thing by leaving your abusive partner and keeping yourself and your DC safe. The rest may feel like a mess, but you will be able to cope with it, little by little. Praying for peace of mind for you, and for hope for your future. Please come back and keep talking: we will be here for you.

Prayers for QoF and her DH - that trust can be rebuilt and for your future.

And prayers for SES's DS... that sounds hard for him and for you, but I'm sure he will get there in the end. I know it's easier said than done, but he needs to try to get his head round the difference between him being 'a bad boy' and 'bad behaviour'. Just because we all don't behave exactly as we should sometimes doesn't make us bad people... and he's a good person, even though he sometimes doesn't do exactly what he should. I hope he's OK.

Also praying for Oma, for MHD and her decision-making, for PA and her parents in particular, for Edith and her DP, for Hardy, for Don't and her dad, for BES, for Namechange2016, for Teal, and for anyone I've forgotten.

A prayer of St Augustine (often posted, always reassuring):

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.

PS Mum's flowers arrived on Wednesday afternoon. The florist only received the order on Tuesday at 4.30 p.m. so there was obviously a compensation breakdown. I shall be complaining.

Found this on Facebook this morning:

"Consider this: someone is praying for you. No matter who you are, no matter what your situation may be, even if you are not a praying or believing person yourself, even if the one praying for you does not know your name or share your faith, still, somewhere, in some way, someone is praying for you. The prayer that they lift up includes you, embraces you, casting its net of blessings around you. This fact alone means we are never alone. Somewhere today, someone cares enough to pray for you, for me, for no other reason than love."

And then someone posted in the comments:
"Someone, somewhere must have said a little prayer for me. I know not how it came about, but quietly, secretly -
the weight was lifted off my heart. There came strange relief, a relaxation from the crushing tyranny of grief.
The love of life stole in once more like sunshine after rain. The future beckoned and I followed, finding joy again.
I knew not how it happened, it was all a mystery - but this I know: that someone somewhere must have prayed for me"

I don't know about 'little' prayers, our God is a great God, but I am comforted to know that prayer is going up 'casting its net of blessing around you."

poorly. lost voice. sore throat. managed to take enough meds to get the children and wash up and do tea. thank God. was hoping to take the chn out tomorrow. they will be disappointed if I am too poorly.

That's lovely, oma

BES - praying you feel better today. You don't need that on top of everything!

Don't, praying for your dad and the hospice staff, for peace for you, and giving thanks you have support around.

QOF - prayers for you and dh.

SES - so good to see you :)

Abbs - welcome.

Tuo - how are you? Thanks for suggestion re dd. It's definitely a possibility we re considering if we have to go. If we can find somewhere near ish she can get the train to school as station is close to her school so she could do that for y11 then find a 6th form closer by. It's all just a bit of a nightmare and we feel very battered. Sorry being a bit obscure about it online. Thanks for prayers though.

Love to all this morning.

still poorly. did not go out. children have been fed and watered though. need to defrost tea. also managed to clonk my head on the corner of the table while trying to retrieve split maltesers.

oh and ds has just shouted at the neighbour that he hates him as the neighbour swore when ds fell off the stool. being poorly my leaping across the room in one bound skills are not so hot so ds managed to jump up and down on the floor a bit and shout at neighbour before anything could be done. could not hear what neighbour replied, though it was quite loud. ds has been really quiet today floor wise so a bit annoyed.

Keeping everyone in prayers I'm reading through

Well I took DC2 to a really nice church today. Same kind of feel as our place (vaguely high Anglican but less formal) and about 6 million times more child friendly than ours. All stuff ours could do though - just a lot more toys and nobody batting an eyelid when the toddlers run mad (3 walkers there under 3, one a lot louder than either of ours, though maybe not louder than both of ours! unlike current church that has our DC2 and one babe in arms but a much bigger congregation).

I'd happily switch right now, but DH really doesn't want to move (normally he hates to ruffle feathers and I'm the stubborn one) but he wants to irritate our current church (childish I know!) by taking DS when there is no Sunday School to create havoc. We've agreed we'll go to the procession bit (outside) next week (Palm Sunday) at our normal church and try Easter Day at the other church.

One mildly complicating factor is that I do Guides and those that go to church tend to go to our usual place and we use their hall. I'm not going to make a huge fuss but I do want our church to know they have not been child friendly. Though maybe moaning to the Guide parents (a grateful bunch!) would help!

Anyway I feel more hopeful and had a good sing and DC2 let me listen to some of the sermon too.

That's good news Drspouse, though if I were you I think I'd switch to the new church now and skip the creating havoc part!

I snuck in the back of church for 5 mins today, which - oddly - was better than nothing. (I go to communion in the week near work but really miss the singing and people at my local church).

Hope you've had a calmer day Bes

Prayers for you all.

drspouse - praying for wisdom for you and clarity. I really believe that we should attend the church and be part of a community that brings us closest to God. I know if you decide that that is the new church, there are other factors to be considered but I do think God will help to resolve these. Sorry, I know that's a very simplistic way of looking at it but I experienced something similar a while back when I changed churches.

drspouse - that sounds positive; I'm really pleased. I was thinking about you today when there was a small child making noise during the sermon and no-one turned a hair! I really hope and pray that you do find somewhere where you can settle and be happy. Personally, I wouldn't burn your bridges with the current place by going back deliberately in order to force the issue. Who knows? Things may change and you may want to go back at some point...

Edith - glad you got your 5 minutes.

BES - are you feeling any better?

Now... I have a question for you ladies. I'm going to be away over Easter and in a place where there's barely a phone signal, let alone internet access. I leave next Tuesday (22nd). This means that I won't be able to take my 'Lent Readings' thread through to Easter as I'd planned (I didn't think this through, obviously). I was thinking of just drawing it to a close next Monday before I leave, but before I do I wondered if anyone would be interested in keeping it going (or if people wanted to do a day each or something up to the end of the week)? Obviously people are free to post or not post on any thread at any time, so it's not for me to micromanage - micromanage? me? surely not! - who posts on the thread. I can just leave it open and see what happens, but I just thought I'd mention it here in case anyone is keen...

Prayers for all on this thread tonight. Thinking especially of abbs, of MHD and her difficult decision-making, of Oma and of amber, as well as those mentioned above.

A prayer of St Ignatius:

May it please the supreme and divine Goodness
to give us all abundant grace
ever to know his most holy will
and perfectly to fulfill it. Amen

barking.

for a change I sound like I am barking rather than ermm...

I do pray and read through here daily, but not adding to the thread as much as I should recently.

Drs I am pleased that you had a good church experience yesterday, and Edith glad you had 5 minutes and praying you get more another time.

Prayers for everyone.

Have a good time away Tuo

On friday I am off for a long weekend away at a conference which I am very much looking forward to.
Things are still incredibly stressful here and to top it all I have a tooth abscess and yesterday I developed an allergy to penicillin. My skin is still very much on fire. I am feeling very low.

Sometimes PA all you need to know is that there is someone praying for you. Be blessed.

PA - prayers for you that at your conference there will be time and space for you. Prayers also for your abscess and penicillin reaction

seen this?

Ooh you are a with a . Have some with and a or if you'd rather

BES - how are you doing?

Just off to my weekly group at church. DH is away so left DC with a regular babysitter but DD was not happy at me going out. She is a funny soul - very independent except when I'm around when she clings to me, follows me and wants me to carry her the whole time.

I am struggling to be empathetic and need prayers for patience and better understanding please. No for me today that's for sure.

Ses my DD2 is just like that - it's a strange combo of needy and fiercely independent isn't it? Still sleeps with us at 9 but in the day she's (mostly) the most self-reliant of the lot.

PA nice to see you, I think of you often; prayers for health and for a good weekend

bes how are you feeling?

Praying also for tuo, mhd, oma, drspouse and amber and everyone who reads this thread.

I am really stressed about the visit to the consultant this week. I have been flat out trying to juggle the children's needs and failed to accomplish all that needed doing.

BlackeyedSusan - bet you achieved a lot today don't focus on what didn't go right- we are all juggling- your kids are lucky to have you - take a pat on the back