Christian Coffee House - Prayer/Chat thread. No rubbish church coffee allowed.

[Madhairday]

With the latest prayer thread coming to an end, we thought we would create a new thread for prayer and general chat too - we had chat threads running for years alongside prayer threads, and we thought it would be great to combine them. I try and collate some of the prayer requests from the last thread in the next few days. In the meantime, dive in! Lurkers/newbies - you are welcome to post. Feel free to start any chat subject about Christianity, church, worship etc, and do share any prayer needs.
Would love to hear from those who were on previous threads and haven't been around for a while, too. Come and let us know how you are.

Thanks, all. A little better now, this one hasn't taken hold which is good.

I found this weeks session so helpful in a load of ways. I also loved the microscope/telescope analogy, and found the PRAY acronym very useful - pause, rejoice, ask, yield. I so often jump straight into my wishlist and forget the pause/rejoice bit. But he's so right about worship not being about placating God but about building relationship and about enjoyment too, it's not merely an act of duty but something that has profound affects in the far reaches of our souls. I kind of needed this today actually, have a whole load of stuff going on that's stressing me and breaking me a little bit, and just that act of pausing and rejoicing is such a positive thing in bringing all that to the feet of Jesus and just looking through that telescope for a while. I'm going to try to be more intentional about these four aspects to prayer.

How is everyone doing? How can we be praying for you right now?

@Dutchoma how are you, dear one?

I am quite well, thank you. I watched the first of the Prayer sessions and did not really find it very helpful, so I didn’t comment and have not watched the second one. To be totally honest, there are expressions of faith that I struggle with at the moment and I think I need a little time to work it all out. It does not stop me caring and praying for others, it’s just a little more like: “Lord...? Can you take this one on for me, please and thank you.”
I’m glad you feel a little better MHD

Dutchoma that's really interesting. I tend to love all of Pete Greig's ideas but its useful to remind myself that we all pray differently.

I find the course to be practical but also grounded in the bible. He's got a real way of interpreting and linking things.

I find the PRAY acronym really useful, especially pausing. If anything makes prayer more like prayer it is managing to really still yourself and I like lifting up my heart to God. Its also one of my favourite parts of mass (lift up your hearts / we lift them up to the Lord / let us give thanks to the Lord our God / it is right and just).

I find the yielding part of PRAY difficult. I dont think I fully understand. Its made me think: how much do I really mean what I say in prayer a lot of the time? As in mean it and act on it. Ah, thats a tough one.

I also liked the end prayer . I may have to go back and watch that bit again.

I tried Lectio 360 but couldn't cope with the background music.
The prayer course is more helpful. I have found the last few months have not been to do with Covid19, but more to do with faith and aspects of trusting God.

Hello apologies for crashing in here but I thought it might be a good place for some advice. I haven't used mumsnet for some years, but used to post on here occasionally. I'm looking for advice on how to share my Christian faith with my kids, or do a better job at any rate. Especially with my 13 year old daughter. My husband isn't a Christian, but he isn't anti in any way and is quite happy for me to do faith stuff with the kids. I just feel at a loss where to start and lots of the books and resources I've seen just don't feel right somehow. The kids used to get some Christian input from church with me but of course it's not happening much at the moment. And I would like to share my faith with them a bit more anyway. Any tips appreciated, thank you.

You are very welcome MemSaab. You ask quite a difficult question, especially in this time of difficulty in attending church and (for want of a better term) Sunday school. What are you doing yourself to keep your faith alive in these difficult times? Do you have a time of Bible reading, prayer, or any other observance? There are of course Bible stories for children, have a look at Nickelbooks (run by one of our contributors to this thread).

I think just (sometimes, not constantly) sharing your thoughts and perspectives is important with teenagers. How receptive is your daughter?

Hello @TheMemSaab no worries about asking for advice. Have you tried to chat to your dc about faith matters? They will be developing their own views and could well be influenced by their friends. Now is a good time to talk to them about some "defences" of faith as well as what you believe. Teach them how to pray. Just a matter of fact explanations that you can talk to God about everything, pray for others, thank him, say sorry for things.

Explain to them why you believe in God. If it were me I would point out the wonders and complexity of the universe and development of human life an earth and how the beauty of the world seems to me obvious evidence of a creator God. I'd point out that you dont just believe in a God that made the world but in an all powerful, personally interested God who you can talk to and who helps you. Tell her faith is a skill you use. Put to good use gives you connection to God. But not all the time.

My dad pointed out to me as a kid that science and faith are not inconsistent. He particularly pointed out the big bang is how God made the world. Some people see the big bang and evolution as "instead of" God. I see these things as God's methods.

It's such a big subject and one that you kind of need to drip feed through their childhood. Equally they ultimately make up their own minds and if you show thst your faith has been a very positive part of your life they will be more likely to adopt a similar view.

I think you should encourage her to do her own research. Be honest that lots of people don't believe or believe different things and encourage her to develop her own beliefs and convictions.

I'd be really interested to hear how you get on.

I recommend this book

Very helpful for conversations with kids about Christian apologetics. I think the author is a bit OTT but some of her conversations ideas are thought provoking and kids need to think about this stuff.

Hi and thank you for the replies. I think I will be getting a copy of that book ZenNudist - it sounds like just what I need. I have a 13 year old DD and 10 year old DS. I often pray with/for them at their bedtime and they know a bit about how my faith influences my life (environmental stuff and taking care of God's creation is a big thing for me) but I have been thinking recently that they aren't getting anything new from the Bible at the moment. In the prayers I say with them I think there is a danger that they start to see God as a kind of fairy godmother that you go to with all your requests. I would like them to get more of an idea of God's character and how he works with flawed people as shown in the Bible. I just don't know how to start having those conversations with them, so maybe that book will be a good starting point.

We are living in an interesting situation as a family at the moment. We have just relocated because my hubby has a new job and so the kids have started at new schools and we are living in a rented house while the sale of our old home goes through. It's been a big upheaval but one I really see as something God has directed. I had been praying for some time for a new job for my husband and the job he has now is about as close to a dream job as you could get for him. Many other prayers have been answered in this move and I feel quite amazed at how God hears and answers. I am still in touch with my old church family and joined my house group for a zoom Bible study the other night. But I have been tuning in to some local church Sunday services on YouTube. Trying to do some of my own Bible study at home as well and praying to God to help me talk to my children about Him!

It sounds like you have a lot of good stuff to share with your dc. You can only share what you know. It's good you want to talk about this with your dc. I find it hard and I dont pray enough with them.

Hello all, and welcome @TheMemSaab - good to see you. I echo everything Zen said - with this age it's not so much about lots of specific teaching as dropping stuff into conversations and modelling your own faith as positive. I would say the most important thing is to be honest because kids see right through it if not. Be honest about struggle and tough days and unanswered prayer and prepared to really talk about the gritty stuff of faith with them and how faith carries through these times but sometimes falters. There's a thing called Table Talk that's good for kids or teens, you basically select a card at dinner or whatever and it has a theme and conversation starters and questions to get you going so that can be good.

I'd also echo Zen in saying look into apologetics because more and more kids want to know the whys and the hows of what we believe. There are some good YouTube channels like Reboot, Acts415apologetics and The Bible Project that have some great videos to look at together on lots of subjects.

Mainly for me it's been modelling faith and honesty, and always being open to discussion even when it doesn't always suit me!! They will ask difficult questions and you'll find it challenges and refines your own faith too as you research with them - it's a rewarding time, if a bit tough at times!

Sorry I've been a bit quiet this week, I am launching my book next weekend so everything is manic for that. Here's session 3 of the course and I'll post some questions and thoughts. This is on petition - asking prayer.

It's good that we can be honest with one another here that we all find different things helpful. Maybe after this course we could look at a different kind of study that Oma and others might like to bring to us of something that is rich for you? I'm sorry this ones not helpful for you.

Hi MHD reminded to say a prayer for you that the book launch goes well. I

I've watched this one and its good to have a reason to watch again in a slightly different format, it accompanies the book well although nothing new for me.

Perseverance in prayer sticks out as the key message. And it's good he admits there are no easy answers about why prayer works intermittently and sometimes it seems not at all.

Im sorry to be critical but I think his example of an answered prayer re his child "giving his life to God" comes across as a bit crazy. I often like his 'direct line to God' stories but not this one. Maybe I feel it's not a great example of answered prayer. I certainly have my own stories of answered prayer. Id like to share them but some are just little things and some are bigger and sound a bit bonkers! I'd like to hear other's experiences of answered prayer but I know its very personal.

Anyway... looking forward to considering questions and hearing other's thoughts.

Thanks, Zen! It's great to read your thoughts. I'll try and catch up soon - this week has been crazy.

It's publication day today, so doing an online book launch with 2 friends coming to help (we've had fun getting everything at a proper social distance for it!)

Love to all.

Hope it went well mhd!

I saw the launch and it was brilliant. I’ve got the book as well

Madhairday thank you for your suggestions I will look up those youtube channels. DD is now home from school in self isolation due to covid cases at her school so it might be a good opportunity for some conversations! What is the book that you have written, I am curious to know. Is there a link somewhere that you would be happy to share.

By the way have you been following the prayer course together on here? The church I have just started making links with here is running the course on Sunday evenings and I went to session 1 last night. It was so nice to be in a room with other human beings! I haven't been out mush recently! And to have some worship music to listen to and some encouragement to pray - it was great!

Hi everyone! I have only just discovered this chat (and actually the whole board!) and happy to have found you! Do you mind if I join? I am a Christian and an expat in a very un-religious country so would be lovely to have some like-minded people to chat to online :)

You are very welcome Tabithameow What a fabulous username. We merged the prayer thread with the chat-bout-anything thread, so feel free to share anything about yourself, your faith, your children, anything.

Hi all, I am looking for some other peoples perspective on a feeling that is bothering me and hoped I might find some here?

My family are Christians, they each go through periods of going away and coming back to God but their belief defines them.

As the non Christian I recognise a pattern of their reaching out to me when they feel a renewed rrelationship with God which causes me to feel they only care for me as a project; that I am not important in myself. I don't know if this makes sense?

I struggle with the relationship and wonder if I am only important to them as a sinner who needs reconciliation, or because they think God is directing them to contact me.

Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Thank you.

Hi Emeeno1, welcome. A really interesting question and one I too would find very challenging. How close are you to the people that are doing this to you.
I mean, if it is your parents it is different from it being a friend. Friend can be avoided, parents less so. How are they with you when they are in a ‘non-religious phase’? I would find them moving in and out of a relationship with God hard to cope with. And no way would I want to be a ‘project’, a way for them to practise: ‘bringing people to faith’. Don’t get me wrong, I think there is nothing wrong with sharing your faith if it means a lot to you, with a person you love. Faith in God is such a comfort, such a gift that I would want to share it with people. But that is different from only wanting to know a person when they themselves are feeling ok with God and it would put me right off them...and of God. When all is said and done, the whole purpose of Christianity is to share the love of God as far and wide as possible and if these people are not interested in you and want to share God’s love with you all the time, I wouldn’t want to know. Hope this helps.

Thank you Dutchoma, I appreciate your reply. I think you are right when you say about it putting you off God. God does not seem to be a comfort to me but just another part of being an outsider in my family.

It is sad that you feel like an outsider in your family and that because they are Christians and you are not?
Christians can be very off-putting. Shouldn’t be like that of course, but we are all human. You are very welcome here.

Posting this hoping someone at some point will see it, it's been quiet, altho I spotted mhd ministering on another thread this evening!

Can I ask for your prayers again? Life has not been easy recently and tonight, just as I was thinking 'Well at least I can relax and enjoy my birthday with my DC', DS told me about a health issue that sounds potentially serious.

Please pray for him and for me, thank you. I don't have many people I can share this with in RL.

I lost this thread somehow. I'll try and catch up on the prayer videos this week