Christian Prayer Request Thread - The Bible Bashers "March" Onwards ......

[CaptainDippy]

I am just so darn cheeeeeesy!!

Here's the summary of Feb's Prayer Requests ......

Shonaspurtle - Friend's 4m old DS was taken off life support at the beginning of the month - Strength and support for the family as they deal with his death.

fannyannie - Things are going well with DH! Praying for them as they give their relationship a 2nd chance and as they attend Relate. Praying for FA as she is PG with no3 esp. Prayers also for DH's work situation.

Toady - Her sister died at the beginning of the month. Prayers for the family and her boyfriend as they come to terms with her death.

morningpaper - Prayers for DD who has a broken collar bone.

saffymum - Prayers for her and her family. Her DH is working v.long hours and her 3 DS is v.hard work - She is feeling very tired and stressed atm.

CaptainCaveman - Lots of prayers for her alcoholic DSis who is currently going through intensive counselling sessions. Prayers esp for her DD who lives with her. Continued prayers as CC reducing her meds for depression and anxiety.

footprints - Currently in the process of moving house and starting new jobs etc - Prayers for the whole family, esp their little DD as they adjust to BIG changes in their lives.

longwaytogo - Continued prayers as she and her DH decide about their future. DH is due to move our of the fmaily soon. Prayers for strength and love to fill their household at this time. Prayers for a Salvation Army Officer's 19 yr old daughter who has been kidnapped in Equador. Prayers for a friend's sister whose DH has died, circumstances unknown as yet.

pepperrabbit - Prayers for her friend whose DH has died after being involved in a car crash. They have three small children.

sleepychunky - Expecting 1st baby in June and feeling v.anxious and low atm.

NearlyThree - Continued protection for her and her family. Praise God her relationship with DH is going well atm.

Belganmama - Prayers for friends who are desperately TTC DC2.

marshmellow - Lots of prayers for her as she is very confused about being PG and considering an abortion.

MaryBS - Prayers that she finds time for R&R in her busy life! Prayers for her bro in Basra and his family in the UK. Prayers for her friends whose adoption is possibly falling through.

SleepySooz - Twins are sleeping - Praise God! Prayers for DH who has been given a written warning at work - keep his job safe Lord! Prayers for her as she has hypnotherapy for emetophobia.

RoseyLea - Continued prayers for her as she makes decisions about new church and moving home.

mumtogusandalbie - Has seperated from DH since last year - prayers for the situation there. Esp for her boys. Prayers for her Vicar's son who is currently undergoing chemo for cancer.

weirdbird - Prayers for wee Hannah who is suffering from terrible reflux - Prayers for sleep and opportunities for WB to do some work!!

Ghost - Prayers for her church as they raise money for a new building - recent concert raised £800!! Praise God!!

Twiga - Feeling a bit atm - Has lot on her plate - PG, small toddler and poss of DH getting new job (prayers needed!) She also has her driving test on March 31st! Milliways - Has quit job and has a new one, which she should be starting soon. Prayers for her DH as he contemplates a new job too.

NotQuiteSoGrownUp - Prayers for DS1 as he struggles at school.

PandaG - Prayers for her as she wears her Ash Cross again this Lent. Feeling grumpy atm and has been involved in car crash. She is ok, but feeling shaken.

JBW - Prayers for step father who is dying of cancer, esp for his 90 yr old DW. Prayers that she would find the ideal job soon!!

Worzella- Prayers for her as she tries to decide what to do when her maternity leave ends in the summer.

Jockey - Continued prayers for DS who has been struggling at school (selective mutism.)

Lorns - Has requested prayers for an MNer hwo is confused about her faith. Lorns has directed her to a good church!

Podmog - Prayers for her as she struggles to BF Big George! Praying he puts on weight and doesn't need formula top-up - Prayers for Podmog as struggles with feelings of inadequency as a mummy (unwarranted, I might add....)

Mars - Continued prayers for Dave and Sue - Dave is doing well, but Sue is little concerned he is "not himself" atm.

CaptainDippy Prayers for her as her DH and struggle a little in their marraige and as they attend marraige course at local church. Prayers for DD2 who has been v."out of sorts" lately. Prayers for the family as they go away on their first family holiday next week!! Erm. I know there is more stuff, but brain-sieve is not working .... I am sure I will remember as the month unfolds....

Get Praying Guys!!!

....and don't forget the Meet-Up on Sat 7th July in Oxford!! Sign up link will be posted in a mo.....

I'm supposed to be writing my Taize service... , I'm using the online bible facility OREMUS, saves typing. I've got this open in another window...

Only popping in quickly as I neeeed to go to bed & relax with hot choc and book!! Had a VERY full-on day today, topped off by the DD's deciding that tonight was the night NOT to go to bed .... We decided to try DD2 (23m) in a bed for the 1st time tonight - BIG mistake - What we didn't invisage is that DD1 would find the whole thing unsettling as well as DD2 (they share a room) DD1 wanted to get into bed with DD2 and they were just messing around / laughing / screaming / crying / messing around / laughing etc etc DH tried his best, but had to go out to a maths tutoring session and left me with them. I turned DD2's cot round on my own, I know I shouldn't but I just couldn't hack it and then I had to lie down with DD1 to get her off to sleep - somthing I have NEVER EVER done with her - I am just feeling all stressed up now and Neeeeed to unwind, esp before DH gets home. Please pray if you see this before half 9!! Thank you ....

Praise God - I have now been drug free for 2.5 weeks and doing good . Dizzyness all but gone, although still a little vague at times (could be my norm though!!). I still want to cry at anything though.
For instance, if I see an ambulance with its siren going I have a tear in my eye thinking about those good men and women doing such a wonderful job.
And this is really stupid - I was in Tesco yesterday and they put a tannoy message out for all available cashiers to go the tills - and that put a tear in my eye because I thought it was really kind of them to notice all the customers queueing and to try and help by putting extra staff on the tills . Weirdo.....I wasn't even this soft when pg with ds!!

Mary at your lateness of hours in posting. You need to look after yourself or you'll be in no fit state to do God's work. Praying that God will lighten your workload by influencing those who keep giving you work to do!!

love and prayers to all, and thank you for your continued prayers for me too. You are such a great gang, I am going to try my hardest to get to the meet up in July xxxx

Ahem. Sorry about that!! Back to other people.....

Hello FA!

Praying for you as you feel anxious and lonely Worz honey - total empathy with those feels here!! [hugs Praying you will enjoy this time ....

Mary - You are ridiculously busy - I demand you sit down with a cup of tea immediately!!!

JBW - I am glad the funeral went ok and is over now. You and your family can have a sense of closure now. xx I am sorry you regret not going to see your father and I am praying that image you currently hold of him will fade. I would suggest you make a special album with pictures of him as you remember him best - look at it 1st thing in the morning and last thing at night. Seeing him in the Chapel of Rest may not have helped rid you of the memory of his death - People do not look like themselves once they are dead. Many people say it is becuase their "spirit" is gone, iyswim? The man you would have seen lying in the Chapel would not have looked like your SF and may have upset you further - really do recommend the album idea. [hugs] You are coping so well. Stay strong ....

Ahem. Sorry about that!! Back to other people.....

Hello FA!

Praying for you as you feel anxious and lonely Worz honey - total empathy with those feels here!! [hugs Praying you will enjoy this time ....

Mary - You are ridiculously busy - I demand you sit down with a cup of tea immediately!!!

JBW - I am glad the funeral went ok and is over now. You and your family can have a sense of closure now. xx I am sorry you regret not going to see your father and I am praying that image you currently hold of him will fade. I would suggest you make a special album with pictures of him as you remember him best - look at it 1st thing in the morning and last thing at night. Seeing him in the Chapel of Rest may not have helped rid you of the memory of his death - People do not look like themselves once they are dead. Many people say it is becuase their "spirit" is gone, iyswim? The man you would have seen lying in the Chapel would not have looked like your SF and may have upset you further - really do recommend the album idea. [hugs] You are coping so well. Stay strong ....

Whoops!

Yippee! Fellow Captain - God is good! You big softie!!

Thank you for your messages here. They have really helped.

Have just arrived home from a Lent Course myself and my neighbour have been attending at the local Church. Thoroughly enjoyed it and it was certainly thought-provoking.

Kind thoughts and prayers to you all.

Will keep in touch on this post as I find it such a comfort to be able to write my feelings down.

xx

Do keep posting honey ... [[hugs] glady o uare enjoying the Lent Course.

Praying for you all ladies!

i am still riding the wave after Sunday. Do you think this is normal? I havent felt this positive for years!

Can't give details because of confidentiality... but I have a wee one that needs prayer. Strength and breath please. Also for mum and dad. In shock really and need peace and reassurance.

Thanks

Coming her way, Marslady.

"its just that having one divorce behind me and another lurking over me makes me feel that I would not be welcome to be baptised IFSWIM. There are also parts of my life that I feel do not really fit in with being one of Gods Children such as smoking"

Oh well in that case we'd better sack our church warden (divorced), and the leader of the Alpha group (also divorced), oh and not to mention 3 members of the social committee at church (also divorced) oh and me......the organist - not divorced but a smoker .

Oh and I believe from what our vicar has said that she was quite promisicuous before becoming a Christian and subsequently training to be ordained (she's never been married - although was engaged once upon a time - obviously isn't now but didn't stop her becoming a Christian.

Me again. Second baby born needs almost same prayers. Please pray that she gets all that she needs and that everything becomes normal.

Please also pray for the 2 mums. Please pray against PND and for peace and reassurance.

For the dads please pray for peace and reassurance and strength as they support their families through this time.

Gotta go. Really busy day.

Thanks

Haven't caught up with yesterdays posts yet - will do so shortly - but just a quick prayer for ds1 and for me re a tricky situation. Please pray that God's peace will reign and that bridges can be built rather than being burned.

Thank you

MTGAA, How I wish I could show you the love Jesus has for you! How very precious you are to Him. Yes, dear, you. You are very right to say that you are not worthy, that is exactly the reason you should be baptised! Then you will be clean because Jesus has made you clean.
Also don't forget that in God's eyes there are no 'big' sins or 'little' sins, all sin is abhorrent to God and 'we all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God'.
Would you condemn your darling child because it stumbled? Would you not love it more?
God wants you so much and he has so much to give. I hope and pray you can 'run with arms open wide'

Morning - Only popping in cos DH is at home and it is so nice to see him!!

Mars - praying for the two mums and their new little one's. xx

Praying for DS1 and the tricky situation NQSGU. xx

Feel a bit annoyed cos DD2 is up and awake after less than an hour's sleep - hoping it is just cos DH is at home - I know it sounds selfish, but I so neeeeed this bit of time in the mornings to do stuff and get my head together etc, if that makes any sense!!?

Sigh.

Apart from that - all ok in DippyLand!

MTGAA - I read something yesterday that might help you about the baptism thing. I was reading about sin - and the book was saying that we have got our understanding of sin all wrong, we have turned it from SIN (our broken relationship with God) into SINS (all the petty moral do's and dont's that we love to process). But the root of sin is our broken relationship with God, and the way to deal with that is to come back to God through the work of Christ. If you have done that, then you can be baptised!!

You are saved once, but sanctification (being made holy, into the person God wants you to be) is a process. It is a process that will go on all through your life, because we are none of us perfect. Baptism is not for people who have 'got there', its fo all of us sinners who are still on the road together. The Christian life is a journey, baptism a step along it. I waited 20 years to be baptised, because I wasnt sure of the theology of it (brought up on a strict diet of infants only!) but as soon as dh and I made our decision we went ahead with it. We're no different to you, just sinners who have found a saviour, and who have taken this step of obedience to Him.

May God bless you as you think and pray more about this.

This is the confession of faith which I read out at my baptism on Sunday, which I think is beautiful!

----

I call all heaven to witness today that I have put on Christ.

I choose no other Lord than the Maker of heaven and earth.

This day I walk with Him and He will walk with me.

I fasten close to me this day that same Jesus who came to us as flesh and blood and was himself baptized in the Jordan river.

He died upon a cross to rescue me, broke free of from death, its conqueror.
He left us, to return the more certainly.
All these truths and their power I fasten close to me this day.

Resisting my own selfishness and sin, refusing to live as a slave to riches, pleasure or reputation, rejecting Satan and all his lies,

I call on heaven to witness today that I have put on Christ.

From ?Celtic Daily Prayer?
From the Northumbria Community

Fantastic harrisey! "We have all sinned and fallen short of the Grace of God" sums it up nicely, I think - No one is beyond redemption and Baptism is for all - regardless of where you have been - It is not about the path that lies behind - it is about the wonderful opportunities that lie ahead of you ......

Gosh you have really got us all thinking MTGAA! I know exactly what you mean about starting all over again at 34 as I did it too. Don't forget that as well as a challenge, it is an opportunity too. You can make sure that you choose a man who really really respects you as a Christian and who is supportive of your views and your lifestytle. It would be wonderful for that person to be a Christian - and there are some out there still - but I it is sooooo important to find someone who is supportive of your faith. Your relationship with him will be all the richer for it. And if he's going to be put off by you having a faith then he's probably not going to make you really happy either.

Sending you prayers and hugs and hoping that you are not feeling overwhelmed by all of these posts!

CD - prayers for you and for energy to survive those days when they won't sleep. I do so remember standing over ds2 one morning, with tears rolling my cheeks, saying "But you just have to go to sleep. You just have to!" I know exactly how you feel.

Dashing off to see a friend now. God bless all.

Thanks NQGU! About to start hoovering the top of the house now .....

Thankyou so much everyone for your very positive posts about my doubts re baptism.

NQGU - I cried when I read your post because to be honest I am a bit overwhelmed by everyones kind advice.

Fannyannie - thank you for admitting you are a smoker - this is one area that really worries me because I feel that if I want to be a Christian, surely I would be expected to give up? Is smoking not seen as a sin? Not sure that I really want to at the present time.

UDM - i know that Jesus loves me and i know that he called me and the boys to him when I split with second H but I still feel that I don't do enough for Him. Just going to church on a Sunday is surely not enough. I do speak to Him through prayer but i just feel I should be doing more in order to be worthy of being called a true Christian. My return to church is a fairly recent thing following a break of about 20yrs during which time I managed to make a mess of my life. I understand that whats past is past but I'm not sure that I know how a Christian is expected to behave once baptised.

Harrisey - your post also bought a tear to my eye. At the moment I feel that I am on the outskirts of Christianity. I go to church and I pray but I wouldn't say my whole life revolves around Christ. The work some people on this thread do for christ is totally amazing. I'm just very confused about the direction of my life at the moment and I think that I have so much to learn before I feel ready for baptism.

Anyway - surely thats enough about me for one post!

CD - are you nesting?!! I very seldom hoover upstairs because no-one ever sees it and I can never be bothered to carry the hoover up! Praying that Gos is with you and lets you know when to rest!! Also praying that DD2 continues with her morning sleep in order for you to get some much deserved peace and quiet.

Marslady - praying for your 2 mums and their families.

JBW - glad you enjoyed your Lent Course and praying that you continue to find comfort in this thread as I am sure we all do.

CC - LOL at your reaction in Tesco's and well done for being drug free - I hope to join you one day but the withdrawal symptoms I am suffering tonight, make me think it might be a long way off.

God Bless Everyone on this thread and thank you all so much for your support and advice. I really do appreciate it.

Love and hugs to all
xxxxx

Yes I'm a smoker - and embarassingly a pg one too (not something I'm proud of I hasten to add - managed to quite with both the DS's - eventually -but not quite managed this time (yet).

As for smoking being a sin - there's nothing in the bible which specifically mentions smoking - because smoking tobacco didn't really exist back then!

I found this

"1 Corinthians 6:19-20. ?What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God?s.? They don?t read the context, in which Paul is speaking specifically of fornication, and not of anything else."

while having a google just now....so I guess it depends on whether you read it as any harmful substance (in which case where do we stop - no caffeine, no alcohol, no junk food) or in the context of fornication???

I know certainly an old vicar of ours - long since retired now used to smoke like a chimmney!

Just to add my twopennerth (sp?) - if any of us couldn't come up with a list of why we are not worthy, we'd be decieving ourselves! That's the whole point of it isn't it? Jesus came so that we can be forgiven and reconciled to God - for the very reason that we are all sinners and have fallen short of the glory of God. Our lives are a journey and we gradually work out what God wants us to change, it's all about belonging first and behaving second.... not so that we can be condemned, but so that we can live in freedom! That's what I'm working towards anyway!

COuld we have prayers for our service on Sunday where DD is being dedicated - it has the potential to be chaos as there are 7 infant baptist dedications, 1 anglican child baptism and 6 adult baptisms!! That's what happens when you've a large church and it's a joint anglican/baptist.

BTW I'm feeling a bit brighter so please continue to pray for my feelings of lack of self-worth and negativity.

Baby 1 and family needing prayers of strength and peace and healing.

Baby 2 prayers of thanksgiving

Thank you!

Sorry not to be able to give details.

I walked into the hospital chapel today and got the Chaplain to pray for me and for them all.

Now I need to go shake my stuff on the dance floor so that I can let it all go.

You may find that I pop back with more cryptic prayers.. but just knowing that you are all holding me and these families up to the Lord is a wonderful sustaining thing.