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

I feel so sad. Dads really not got long and the hospice have a two to the bed rule and with eleven close family members all wanting to see their husband, dad and grandfather before its too late, it's tough going forming an orderly line.

Plus every single opportunity without fail I tried to spend a nanosecond of conscious time with dad, that I was promised and waited my time and turn for is punctuated with interruptions from nurses, checking his position asking him if he is OK with his pain, does he want anything etc etc etc.

Just five private minutes is all I want. Waiting patiently in line, observing protected mealtimes and quiet times even though rules are bent for certain pushy visitors and after being the good, kind and patient visitor, I still don't get my five private minutes. What us to the use of being good anymore? Rules are rules unless we use our discretion to turn a blind eye. But wait until the end of quiet time for the rule breakers to leave and we promise you your turn of absolute privacy. Ok I agree. Ny turn arrived and it was like picadilly circus, why is this life unfair?

So sorry such a hard time is being made more difficult Don't. I am a lurker but your sadness and pain is so raw I couldn't not say anything. Praying for you, your lovely dad and all your family at this time

Thank you Short. Sorry for the rant. I seem to rant these days and it's not good I know.

So grateful you posted and thanks for your prayers.

Is there a chaplain you could speak to? They are often able to mediate between the staff and the family. I'm afraid we didn't have this problem as our family is not that large. It helped of course that our hospice is only 18-20 beds large and that almost all the rooms are single rooms. Bob had to have a room by himself as his machine made quite a bit of noise. The staff were not as intrusive as all that either and left us virtually alone for an hour on end, assuring us that we could ring when we needed anything. It sounds so different and so very, very difficult.

We read our Junior Bible Good Friday story this evening and DS remembered that Jesus had died, from yesterday's service, and he asked who Jesus was (as in, what was he here for, not who in the picture). He is at a stage where he can really start to get some of the story. He's also at a stage where he can't sit still or take direction. Our current church only see the latter.

He'd rather hear The Big Fish (Jonah and the Whale) but tomorrow we'll have the next story anyway.

dont my love I have nothing to say of any use except I am praying for strength and for a way for you to have that time with your Dad.

prayers for oma and church, for don't to get time with her dad, for ediths dp and edith, and for mhd with the intensity of whatever it is that is happening, that God knows the details of.

also for tuo, pa for work, and amber for health.

for those stepping out in faith with work situations. especially SES

yay dr spouse to new church being more welcoming.

I have started to catch up again after being sinussy and poorly for a week or two. hoping for more motivation to strike tomorrow.

Teal, prayers for you. You are not alone. x

May I post the for Dutchoma, a poem, rather than an "proper" prayer but for her and all those who have lost their loved ones.

When I am gone, release me, let me go.
I have so many things to see and do,
You mustn't tie yourself to me with too many tears,
But be thankful we had so many good years.

I gave you my love, and you can only guess
How much you've given me in happiness.
I thank you for the love that you have shown,
But now it is time I travelled on alone.

So grieve for me a while, if grieve you must,
Then let your grief be comforted by trust.
It is only for a while that we must part,
So treasure the memories within your heart.

I won't be far away for life goes on.
And if you need me, call and I will come.

Though you can't see or touch me, I will be near.
And if you listen with your heart, you'll hear,
All my love around you soft and clear.

And then, when you come this way alone,
I'll greet you with a smile and a 'Welcome Home'.

Hardy x

don't I have been thinking of you and praying for you and your Dad and your whole family; that you get the time you need, and some peace, and the strength to get you through; may you feel God's love and Christ's peace surrounding you this weekend

bes your anticipatory prayers were mirrored by DPs anticipatory response to my request before I'd even asked it... So I will be going to church tomorrow. I ought to be pleased but it comes with so much aggro and arsiness that I am wondering whether I am doing the right thing.

It is late, so I can safely say Happy Easter to you all, I hope you all have a peaceful and blessed day.

do go.

He is risen, Hallelujah. May we all feel the power of a new life, a new spring.

Thanks Hardy, very much for that poem, yes it is our wedding anniversary today and it happens only once in a few centuries that Easter is this early and the dates fall together. The next time it will happen is 2151.

Do go Edith, go to find Jesus and be blessed.

Happy Easter, splendid people of the prayer thread. Hoping you have a blessed day.

Alleluia, Christ is risen!

Praying for a blessed day for you all, particularly for dear Oma as she remembers Bob today and for don't in the midst of this horrible time for her.

Praying also for Edith, that you will get to church and it will be a special time for you of peace and joy.

And for Bes for a day full of joy.

For everyone else, for a wonderful day.

He is risen indeed. Alleluia.

He is risen indeed, Hallelujah!

church. eek.

Happy Easter! The Lord is Risen - Alleluia!

Hen do last night was good and then today we're heading off to a farm today for more fun. An unusual way to spend Easter Sunday!

DH is doing a great job back home. He has the DC up and on their way to church. He's told them they can have Easter eggs after mass as they can get their first Easter egg at church. I must remember this for next year!

Prayers for all you lovely ladies and your families. Thinking particularly of Oma and Don't today.

Oma - happy anniversary. May you be filled with wonderful comforting memories of the wonderful life that you shared. I can only imagine how difficult today must be for you and I pray that you can feel God's love surrounding you. I hope that you can enjoy today for the personal and religious meanings and can cherish that the two wonderful days fell on the same day. I really am thinking of you. You are such a lovely and kind person who brings more love and comfort to others than you will ever know. Praying for you x

I have requested to see the chaplain. I managed to get to speak to the sister and sobbed my way through my concerns and she is trying to get things done for me. I did feel a tad selfish as I came across selfish I think. Oh well I tried. It's a difficult time indeed. I wouldn't wish it on anyone.

Sorry I haven't been reading through the posts, however I have been thinking about you all and keep you in my prayers. I will catch up soon x

I pray for strength and courage and I need to feel God's presence around the bed for him even more than me. I just love him absolutely beyond measure and know that a far better place beckons him, free of pain and cancer won't be allowed anywhere near. A place so wonderful that I really shouldn't cry x

Thank you for all your posts on here. I can't face church at the moment, so have watched the Easter Service from my beloved St Albans Abbey.
Glad Drspouse has been to a different church. I followed the other thread and wondered if you would go back.

Hello all, the new church this morning was very good from my POV, the DCs were a bit random as usual, there were two others in the same age bracket ditto, DS managed to work out that there were rules about where you could and couldn't go though he was very out of control when we got there, he prevented DC2 from going up into the organist's area which I was very proud of him for doing.
There were about 4 loud late primary/early secondary boys talking behind us (I think that must be what they do when there's no Sunday School) and honestly our two were not the most disruptive there.

At our usual church those boys wouldn't be there on a non-Sunday school week, or they'd have been sitting with their parents looking at a tablet or phone. OK, they weren't really paying that much attention to the service but I felt like they weren't being "silenced".

I do think I could happily move there now but DH says if we don't say anything, our old church will never change. I'm just not sure it will change enough for us to be comfortable (both their attitude to noise/movement, their lack of provision, and the lack of other children as camouflage mean our DCs normal behaviour stands out) and I'm also not sure I have the energy. If we want more provision we're going to have to drive that, we're going to have to hope it brings in other preschool children, and we're going to have to hope that other families come in non-Sunday school weeks (or, never go on those ourselves, which is at least 20-25% of the year).

But I did definitely feel Easter-y and we had a few secular type celebrations over the weekend too.

Alleluia! And happy Easter to you wonderful people of the prayer thread. Oma am thinking of you on your anniversary. And Don't continued prayers for you. And giving thanks for the hope and renewal and promise that our Christian faith and Easter offers.

if your h wants your old church to change, then he has to be responsible for taking the boys (or one of) there. if it is too much for you, fine. you go to the new church. You need to know whether they can change or not and whether it is your job to encourage them to change, and whether you have the emotional strength to do this. sometimes

currently, I am better to stay because Ds is happy with the building and is building friendships. and at least the intention is there even if the communication is not.

I think it would be easier if we had only one DC (so DH could take DC1 to the Sunday school he likes and I could go somewhere else) or if only one of us wanted to go to church (so I could take DC1 to another Sunday school and DH could stay home with DC2). But we'd actually like to go to church as a family.
DH says that I'm leaving over a single week but he does acknowledge that it's been uncomfortable for quite a while. And he seems happier sitting with one DC running riot at our usual church when they are the only preschool DC there. In fact he kind of seems to relish the idea where I'm really uncomfortable about it.
DS has had a particularly bad day too which was OK at church but he got worse despite our best efforts and it seemed partly related to going to a new church. But if he'd been at his worst at our usual church I'd not have known what to do.

Happy Easter everyone.

Prayers for all, today, but especially for lovely Oma on her anniversary. Thinking of you and Bob today and thanking God for your happy times, at the same time as asking him to be with you in your grief.

Also praying especially for Don't - it all sound so hard, and I have no advice at all, other than to keep asking for what you need - what's right for you and your family won't be the same as for anyone else, so just stick to your guns. Asking to see the Chaplain, and talking to the Sister are both good moves, and never feel selfish - everything you have posted on this thread tells me that you are anything but, dear Don't...

Praying for Edith and drspouse and Larry and BES and anyone struggling with getting to church or finding the right place for them.

And adding prayers for amber's health and for MHD's decision-making, and for PA and Teal and Hardy (lovely to see you, Hardy), and SES and QoF and everyone who visits this thread, whether or not they post.

Alleluia! Alleluia!

Thank you Oma and Bes; I did. And I prayed for you all.

Just at Dublin airport waiting for my flight home. DH tells me that DS has been sick. Could really do without any plague in the house. Please pray it passes quickly!

Continued prayers for Don't this morning.
Also praying for all those affected by the attack in Lahore. Just tragic.