Christian Prayer thread

[Dutchoma]

NIGHT PRAYER

Comfort me with Your love O God
Wrap me up in Your strong embrace
Shelter me from the storm O Lord
Envelop me in Your tender care
By day I pour out my heartbreak to You
By night I give you my racing thoughts
In You I take refuge
In You I will not be afraid
For you hold me strong, You hold me safe
Calm my fearful heart O God
Still my anxious mind O Lord
For all my life is found in You
All my being is given to You
All my hope begins in You

Prayer found on web.dawesvillecps.wa.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/17th-September.pdf

I found this prayer on Facebook and tought it was a beautiful way to start the new prayer thread.

There was a beautiful picture with it too, but I don’t know how to transfer that.

The children are traveling back tonight, please pray for their safety.

Are they back yet ES?

Here is the collect for the second Sunday in Advent.

Merciful God, who didst send thy messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Prayers for MHD hope your lungs are getting better.

Children home safe but late. Ds fell asleep on the floor behind the bedroom door. He got up for a shower at 1.45am. I was awake til 2.30am.

A prayer for the election:

Lord of all justice and mercy
Guide and guard the hearts and minds of all who will decide the course of this country today.. Have mercy on the poor, hear the cries of your children, so that justice may prevail over greed and cruelty.
For the sake of Jesus our Lord.
Amen

I have yet to hear of anybody who is pleased with the election result. Trough my tears I am trying to remember that God does not change and that He can still bring good out of evil.

Yes, Amen.
Still gutted.

So sorry Oma.
Hope you are feeling better MHD.

I hope you both feel better soon. I am feeling particularly grumpy due to the readings at this time of year. Lots of prophets with lots of dire warnings...

That’s just it BES. There is all these prophets, saying God will be a champion to the poor and He will slay the rich (look to the Magnificat if nothing else) and here we go, into the darkness of more poverty, more injustice for the poor.
And I am crying: how long oh God, how long and of course, God says nothing. MHD will bear me out here. And so you you are straphanging in your faith....

How are you all today?

I'm suffering a bit for having managed to get to London for the day on Saturday. Had an amazing time, went to the Hillsong Carols at Wembley which was sooo good, with dd so great to spend time with her, but it was a very long day and I'm struggling a bit now. There is a virus going round though so it may be a touch of that.

Holding you all in prayer now.

Prayers MHD that you can rest up a bit now and no nasties develop.
My little granddaughter said on Sunday when I told her about the power cut I had: “But the darkness didn’t win.”

Ah, that's fab Oma!

How are you now? X

Sorry to hear you are under the weather MHD. I've been lurking on here a bit more recently after a period away. Life is speeding up quite a bit here with all the arrangements for Christmas but it feels just about manageable.

Praying for everyone for whom this is a difficult time of year.

Happy Saturday...

Erm, so much to do so little time and a body that is refusing to keep up with my brain...

Hello apples and pears, great to see you here! How's things going for you?

Sorry to hear that BES. Are you feeling better now?

Sending Christmas peace and hope to all of you. Here's a little poem I wrote to try and communicate something of the joy and hope we are celebrating this season, and the light that floods the darkness and always wins.

Waiting for a sight
Of a pinprick of light
to ignite a silent night
we lift our tired eyes
as our depths burst out in cries
of hope in blazes of colour
the waiting almost over
the bells ring out with praise
the mystery of Immanuel
draws our weary gaze
and rays of glorious light
ignite our darkest night.

Love to all of you.

That’s lovely MHD.

Very best wishes to everyone for a very happy, peaceful and blessed Christmas.

Long time lurker on this thread. Lovely poem MHD.
I live in a family of atheists so it's difficult for me to really feel the true meaning of Christmas ( except if course at my lovely church ! ) so threads like these are good to read.
Prayers for peace and good health to you all in 2020.

Welcome Meadowland. Glad to hear that you are able to attend church.

Happy Christmas to everyone. I went to a lovely little service at our local church (I usually attend a bigger, modern, church in a nearby town). The church was full and everyone was so welcoming and friendly.
I was so frazzled with the run up to Christmas, all the school and after school club activities and parties, that I was mainly feeling stressed. But once I sat in the peace of the church, saw the welcome smiles from people and heard the traditional carols, I started to feel some peace in my head and can now start to think about Jesus' birth and all it means to me.
I will continue to attend my large, modern church, but this Christmas has made me also appreciate the quiet and calm a traditional church gives to the spirit.

Welcome Sprucetree. Yes different churches give you different gifts and sometimes that i something you badly need.

That's lovely, Sprucetree. Finding some peace in the midst of the Christmas rush is so important. I'm so glad they were kind and welcoming and it was a place you found that bit of peace you needed. I love the traditional carols too, I was able to go to our carols by candlelight service this year for the first time in years and it was really beautiful. I also go to a large and lively church but I do think we strike a good balance and find times for quiet as well as noise. Like Oma says, different chruches give us different gifts. :)

Welcome, Meadowland. So lovely that you've come out of lurking to say hello. Tell us a little bit about yourself, if you'd like. Glad to hear you have a lovely church, somewhere that's a refuge when you feel a bit alone in your faith. You're among friends here, too.

How was your Christmas, dear Oma? And BES?

I wonder how Becca is doing. If you're out there Becca do say hello.

Praying blessing over all of you tonight.

My Christmas was lovely. Very busy, as choirs are at this time of the year, but not as busy as last year when I was in two choirs and it was just too much.
I was with ds, ddil and dgranddaughter on Christmas Day, but by myself over the past two days. Tomorrow I will havecompany again and on New Year;s Eve and NYDay.

Just come in to vent....

Christmas was shitty...one blocked loo and a poorly tummy. Lots of washing and up til three am to sort the loo. ( Nobody died and no- one in hospital though)

Therefore up late. Packing. Late breakfast for DD as he was up til two refusing to bath til he could use the loo. (Understandably)

They went out with their dad. Who got them chips...and poisoned DD ( overdramatic, moi?) With one of her allergens... Which reminds me there will be more (ahem) tomorrow..

They got home at gone 11 as they had to wait for DD to recover and had to stop on the way back a couple of times.

I have just cooked ds something as he had not eaten much with dad.

And he has come home with a present bought by dad even though I told him I already got it.

Dad was supposed to have the DC's so I could wrap presents but he buggered me about and didn't have them when he said. Thus DC's have had stockings but not wrapped presents as we were away after Christmas morning. I am now one present short for Ds. Grrr.

Lisette here wishing you all a joyful Christmas and a happy 2020. X

Sorry BES but I had a rueful smile at your summing up your Christmas as ‘shitty’. You poor thing. Such a shame for all of you. I do so hope that 2020 is easier for you.

Good to see you Tinseletta/ Lisette

Christmas was quite good, I indulged in a day of watching TV on 27th. ( We don't have a working TV so it is a treat) food was good at sil's, mum was not anxious. I got to go to church a lot in the run up to Christmas. All in all more positive than negative.

Missing church today though. DD still poorly. Ds is pleased and has settled in for a long gaming session.

Got washing done at mum's. Swapped beds and bought new bedding for ds who is now going to sleep in mum's room as she will not be coming back to sleep. He refused to use the room before.

Need to get a mattress for dad's room.