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.

You both have my prayers too, Donhill. Hoping that you both receive peace.

So, it’s nearly lent again, which was when we first went into lockdown last year. Difficult to believe it’s getting close to a whole year of this disruption. Might have to think hard about what, if anything, I give up. Seems a bit harder this year. We seem to have given up a lot already.

Was trying to remember, we're we a couple of weeks into Lent when lockdown happened? Mothering Sunday was, I think, the first Sunday wasn't it?

Our parish newsletter says 4th Sunday of Lent, so yes I think that’s Mother’s Day. I think I went to my ‘last’ mass a couple of weeks before though. I didn’t think it would be quite this long at the time.

Did anyone? I mean I was reading scientists saying this could take at least 18 months before it was through, but I couldn't any imagine that. We find it so hard to see outside our normal, don't we?

So many people concentrating on "love" without a thought for its source today...

Happy Sunday everyone.

@Madhairday thinking of you, hope your condition will ease soon if currently bad.

Can I request prayer please? No sooner had I had my brother's funeral and cleared out his care home room, than the next highly stressful situation hit. It's one that I can't talk to many people about IRL, so I'm grateful for this space.

Even so am not going to say exactly what it is. God knows. Please pray for an abundance of wisdom for me, as I navigate a delicate safeguarding/work/my family/another family situation.

And that I would be able to talk to God about it, am finding it hard.

Thank you.

Praying for you Jan. For wisdom, yes. Often this sort of problem needs to be solved on a vertical (talsk to God) as well as on a horizontal level (know who the trusted people are that can help you sort whatever the difficulty is). No doubt it is all made more difficult through the pandemice and also because you are still grieving your brother’s death.
I hope you will be able to share how you are getting on.

Hope you are doing OK, Jan. Seems a bit like it never rains but it pours.

Praying that things ease off a bit for you.

Thanks Rafals. Yup.

Some lives are like that aren't they - one of the reasons why it can be dangerous to say "this man's parents sinned" or equivalents - God's making you stronger (just how strong does He want me to be??)

Hey Jan sorry to hear you are Going through this. On top of everything with your brother. Praying as requested for you.

Just got back from Ash Wednesday mass. I start lent strangely 'excited', with the best of intentions. I haven't set myself any extra prayer or worship plans. My main intention (along with the traditional treat avoidance) is to go to bed early rather than working all night. Should make me less tired in the morning so I can focus on my bible podcast.

Rafals are you still plugging away with Fr Mike? I can't believe it's day 50. The early part of the year goes so fast.

I feel hopeful. Although it's just the start of lent, Easter is in our sights. Things are bound to get better.

I've not been on here for a while. Work taking over my life with the dc playing up and distracting me when I'm trying to get things done.

Just caught up on the thread so wanted to say welcome to @Cakeweek. It's good you are managing to pray so don't be hard on yourself.

Also praying for @Donhill sister. Is there any improvement there?

And a prayer for @jollyunicorn83 I know you made a particular request a few weeks back but it can't hurt to pray now that you are more able to cope, by God's good grace. Everything has been such a struggle for everyone so I pray that you can get the calm and clarity you need to keep going.

@ZenNudist that's such a good idea, to give up late nights! I'm in!

Thank you for the prayers people. Not out of the woods yet.

Erm... I’m a bit behind with Father Mike. Have some Lent catching up to do.

With you on the going to bed earlier day 1 went well. Remembering to abstain from meat, not so much.

Thanks @ZenNudist

Holding you and your sister in my prayers Donhill.

Thank you schaden. It was lovely to check in here and find your prayer. Things still very difficult, but possibly very slightly better than they were. Thank you for thinking of me/dsis.

How is everyone doing?

It's struck me that Easter will probably still be mostly online this year at church, and what a tragedy that is. I do have a lot of good things to say about online church, but I recognise the devastation of it all as well, of a whole year of this. I am so desperate to celebrate Easter with my church family - and I will, but I want to see them, hug them, sing so loud with them my voice breaks.
I think it's ok to lament this stuff.
I'm taking part in a documentary about it recording this week, so thinking aloud...

I am very fed up with online.
We have had online Bible study this month, and an online Lent service[lots of tech difficulties, including the telephone part]. Everything is better than nothing. A lot better. But nothing beats meeting together properly. I have taken to sorting out my Christian paperwork in some sort of way of feeling connected. Plus it needed doing anyway. Plus, it brings back memories. All sounds silly, but works a bit for me.

Non Christians cannot "pop" into a service like before. In some ways, online is reaching people who were not reached before, so not all bad. God will still be working his purpose out.

I'm feeling quite emotional in general about the anniversaries coming up. Mainly about the feeling that a whole year of life (esp of my children's lives) has been on Pause, in many senses.

But this all just points to the fact that we concentrate too much on earthly, material things, doesn't it?

Is it a Christian documentary @Madhairday ? Good to hear from you.

I'm missing singing in church too. We have zoom services and DH and I sing in our livingroom. I don't know what our neighbours think, they must hear it but haven't said anything. So long as I can belt out Thine be the Glory on Easter Sunday I'll be happy (my neighbours will probably not be!)

@JanFebAnyMonth yes for a Christian radio station.

Gosh yes I so grieve about not being able to belt out worship in church. I think emotions will run so high when we do. I just have tears in my eyes at the thought of singing Thine be the Glory with the congregation.

😭😭😭😭😭

I’m not sure if we’ll be having mass in church by Easter again. I think they’re going to discuss it, but I suppose it depends on what Boris sets out in the roadmap.

It’ll be a bit strange anyway. Normally standing room only and everyone’s rammed in. One household every other pew and no mixing will be very different.

I'm having a proper wobble over Easter 😢😭😢
I really hope Boris has some good news for us tomorrow.

[quote Madhairday]@JanFebAnyMonth yes for a Christian radio station.

Gosh yes I so grieve about not being able to belt out worship in church. I think emotions will run so high when we do. I just have tears in my eyes at the thought of singing Thine be the Glory with the congregation.

😭😭😭😭😭[/quote]
Will you post a link when the time comes @Madhairday I'm hooked on the premier CR podcasts