Christian prayer and chat thread Open to all

[Dutchoma]

The old thread was nearly full, so here is a new one. Oldies and newbies, chat or prayer, all welcome.

Praying especially for MHD and JanFeb’s daughter.
Also praying for all who are preparing Holy Week/Easter services.

I’m so helped by all your love. I know that Tracy is probably in great distress and I am sorry for that. But it hurts to be so misunderstood all the same. Thank you all for your kind words.

To use a mumsnet phrase. Whoa that escalated quickly! Dutch has done such a great job of chairing this most recent thread, noticing and replying to people. I think I'm on my third thread, or so and Dutch is non judgemental, kind, doesn't force her beliefs on anyone, prayerful.

Tracy I get that you must be hurting. I also think it's amazing you have strong belief after everything you've been through. May He continue to be present for you and that can help you to reunite with Eliska. We are all a bit reticent to get into debates here. God is up for debate in the rest of mumsnet and its hard. Here we are just sharing our experiences, all different, and all at different stages of our faith journeys.

Hi MHD 👋 glad to see you around these parts again. I saw that you're now working on a new non fiction book. Exciting times. I will add my congratulations to the ones I put on FB. Thanks for asking after me. I am doing more bible study and less prayer which I don't think is exactly good for me but I think the bible in a year project is necessary. I do seem to be more settled in my faith right now. I am currently praying that my son's long infected finger heals and my other son does well in his school entrance exams. The start of a new term is so crazy and frenetic. I am looking forward to it all settling down a bit.

Zebra what no Christmas name ? I got a random book on Catholicism from my priest when I came back to faith. I actually found if very helpful to understand more about the faith. There is a lot to it and I don't think it's all so easy to accept or understand. I know the nun means well. Just dip in an out and see what interests you. I felt very guided in the books and videos I ended up reading/ viewing when I returned to faith. Go where your interest takes you or with what feels healing or in some way right. I pray that you will be guided in way that finds you some of the answers you seek.

I've never been all that interested in saints. Love St Anthony and St Francis (my parish and Pope). I do like some stories: Padre Pio experienced amazing things. And I like St Augustus, his background is fascinating. He lived a decidedly unsaintly life. He said "O Lord make me a Saint, but not yet", which I found amusing. We are probably not supposed to mine the saints for witticisms! I'm also very interested in saints in my life time. Pope John Paul II is really interesting.

I'm personally interested in the stories of Marian apparitions particularly those at Lourdes and Fatima.

Have I mentioned Father Mike Schmitz to you? His YouTube videos are great for explaining Catholicism (American, evangelical health warning as he's hard line). I also love this young monk who does "Breaking in the habit" on YouTube. Lively short funny videos about Catholicism and the religious life .

I'd absolutely encourage you to shop around and cherry pick what helps you.

@coffeecup88 I'm sorry your ds is struggling. There seems to be so many young people in this boat. I pray that you receive the strength and wisdom you need to get him the help he needs. I pray that change comes soon (I know these things take time but we can pray for the best right?).

Hello @whataboutbob your poor ds missing freshers week. I think you're right that it will turn out to be for the best. I pray for him anyway that he will settle well at uni and find great friends and new interests.

Thank you @ZenNudist DS made it to Uni today, “saintly “ DH drove him there and back ( not close and he rang him half an hour after he’d left to say he’d left his laptop in the hire car, so DH had no choice but to turn round and drop laptop off.
Zen I sometimes think about St Augustine, I grew up in Algeria and he was a local lad ( about 1500 years before me though). I like Beyond Belief on Radio 4 and have listened to their podcast on St A several times and even attempted bits of the Confessions. I would say that the mix of sensuality with guilt and puritanism is very recognisably ( to me) North African.

The auto type came up with Augustus and I realised after it was probably Augustine! I did say I'm not big on the saints. I've heard confessions is an inspiring read although my lit degree left me unwilling to read older books. I will check out the R4 podcast. Thanks.

I am very confused by the escalation  I'm praying we all have some comfort and peace.

Thank you @ZenNudist my anxious dd has had a better week this week. We are focusing on sleep and routines which i think is helping.

I enjoy the R4 podcast but at the moment I'm completely hooked on "the rise and fall of Mars hill" from Christianity today, which is absolutely fascinating and worth a listen. Also enjoyed bits of "Risen Motherhood" - has anyone listened to that one?

Just popping in to see how people are doing. @coffeecup88 how is your dd? @whataboutbob hope your ds is getting on well at uni now.

I'd value prayers for a lingering anxiety after shielding - still struggling with the whole back to normal thing. I think constantly being told you're at serious risk really does a number on mental health and it certainly has for me. That and menopause stuff, oh joy.

Lovely to ‘see’ you MHD. Sorry to hear of your ongoing troubles. I think one of the disadvantages of the whole Covid situation is the loss of confidence in being outside. I am very reluctant to go on public transport, or to go anywhere where I would be surrounded by a lot of people. I also find it hard to remember things that happened in the lockdown. It must be even harder for you as you are always at risk of chest infections.
Having said that, I have just come home after singing at the weddng of a very much ex-choir member,. She had to postpone her wedding twice and she looked so happy..
I hope that everyone is doing ok. I saw Zennudist on another thread, one I did not want to get involved with, so well done Zen for entering the fray.

Tracy if you are looking for an argument can you please go elsewhere? Your comments are inexplicable. And no one here is particularly up for an argument.

Hi I am shielding due to health reasons. Luckily I can still see services online ,although I miss going in person. Thought I would just say hello

You are very welcome Celendine. Internet services have been a great blessing and our church is keeping them going for the people at home.

Hi @Celendine! Do you get to go out at all? It must be so hard.

Thanks Dutchoma, the internet has been a blessing indeed. I especially like to hear the singing even if it's out of tune sometimes 😄

Even if they are out of tune
Tell me about it Celendine. Sometimes we are out of tune, sometimes it is the tech that not reproduces the correct sound. I am so happy to be back in church and in the choir.

Welcome @Celendine it must be hard to shield still , but prayer and worship doesn't suffer. I hope you can still enjoy it from home and are not sad about it. I will have to remember you in my prayers. Is there any chance of things improving or are you stuck shielding?

Online mass is great. I attend when I'm away from home now rather than go to a local church which can cause no end of trouble with those I visit.

When Dutchoma said this it made me realise that our singers and musicians sound out of tune online. I had figured that it must be the tech because it sounds so awful.

It is good to have some music in church although I wish I could sing along. We are religious (ha) mask wearers so I mouth the words behind my mask.

Hello MHD I wanted to reply last night but lost heart. I will have to remember to pray for you. I totally get the anxiety and I'm not in as worrying position with covid as you are. I think we've all just completely detuned ourselves from how life used to be. I'm not finding all of it easy to return to. On Sunday an elderly couple sat right in front of me in church. I sat there feeling uncomfortable and thinking "do they know I have school aged dc so could easily spread covid to them"? I scooted along to the end of my pew and hoped I didn't look either rude or over anxious. As Rafals put it we are all still trying to "keep a bit of distance". That's got to be sensible right?!

Dutchoma I'm not sure which thread I waded into. Maybe the one about what a Christian "should" be doing? I feel that generally mumsnet makes it hard for me to be the light of Christ in the world. I certainly don't check myself in the way I would do IRL. But even in IRL I have failed to behave in a Christian manner. I generally manage not to be judgemental, but sometimes I don't turn the other cheek. Then I feel bad!

It might be really helpful to compile a checklist or something about how to be the light of Christ on MN!

And /or to commit to praying for MN (and our part in it) on a certain day “altogether”? Just as you might pray for a city, club or whatever.

Item number one for the checklist: do not say "are you on glue?!"

OK so I've never said that. But you know how if you'd hand causes you to sin cut it off etc etc? Well if being on mumsnet causes me to be unnecessarily harsh then probably best to hand phone over to dh for the evening.

It's not like I'm going around mumsnet being a complete cow. But I could do better.

I have no idea how to be the light of Christ in any given situation. There but for the grace of God go I.

I do pray for people I meet here. Both on this thread, but more often as I come across those suffering.

I used to pray for the godless but I've given up on that. It's actually a good prayer to pray for those that don't have faith, that the Lord will walk with them anyway, and that Lord Jesus will save their souls from the fires of hell and lead all souks to heaven (I am a big fan of the fatima rosary prayer).

I was going to copy the rosary prayer but found this one, a different fatima prayer:

My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love You! I ask pardon of You for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love You.

Apologies if excessively Catholic!

Gosh yes Rafa, agree about the covid boards, I really am no light at all reading some of the anti vax posts and the minimises, it has made me so cross and upset.

I have been around MN for a long long time, and have tried over the years to represent something of Christ. Sometimes I've failed, sometimes I've had some good conversations. And that's ok - we can only do what we can manage to do, and we're all flawed. I have prayed for so many MNers over the years, on here and on some of the very robust threads I've taken part in (there used to be loads of strident atheist threads and me and a number of others would often be there too, not so much now but nice to have a breather!!)

Oma, I have to disagree and say that you always show the light of Christ in all your posts, in the way you care, in the way you represent the love of God to everyone here. And please do ignore the attack, they do not represent reality at all.

Thank you, @ZenNudist, that's kind of you to pray for me. I'm getting there, and getting out a lot more now but still have a panicky feeling a lot of the time. I'm still dreading ds bringing covid back from school but know really that I'll be ok due to the amazing vaccines. I have my third next week and I just had my flu jab so definitely as well protected as I can be! how are you doing?

Welcome, @Celendine from a fellow shielder. It's been a tough time. Are you still shielding completely? It must be so hard to do that now with everyone just going back to normal. I'm out and about but won't go in say theatres or gigs, or crowded pubs etc. I'm ok in church because we still mask and mainly social distance. I definitely appreciated online church and still do when I can't make it due to a flare up, it's here to stay thankfully :)

Thanks everyone for the welcome and the lovely prayers. I am out and about a bit Madhairday as long as it's outdoors away from others which has meant some funny coffees outside in the fresh air and being able to do that is a blessing.