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.

Hi! First time poster on this thread. It was my birthday yesterday, and it caused me to reflect on what a blessed year I've had. Around my last birthday I conceived my first child - a natural conception after a couple of years of failed fertility treatments - and my baby was born healthy in December. My year has also been blessed in other ways - closer relationships with family and friends, and a successful house move.

I've always had a vague sense of faith, with a religious father and clergyman brother, but never really explored it in detail. Having had my prayers answered so viscerally has prompted me to get to know God and the Bible better. I've been using the Bible Project plan to read the Bible in a year, and have a couple of weeks left before I finish it. I've found it really valuable and it's really helped to grow my faith.

I'm hoping that this newfound faith can endure in more challenging times that may lie ahead, but for now I'm enjoying experiencing God at work in my life.

MissHoney welcome. What a beuatiful post. Congratulations on the birth of your baby and on your new-found faith. Thank you forsharing it with us, Keep praising, God is faithful through the most challenging times.

Welcome @Cowbells - I think presents for kids that age is such a tough gig (I own two of them ) because it really depends on what they are like. My DS wouldn't like the things you mention but another child might, depending on their tastes. I think just a generic present like a Bible would be good - not sure about KJV as it's such archaic language, though I guess some kids might like that, but in my experience most wouldn't. There are lovely gift editions of say the NIV or the Message. Depending on the boys personality there are some good versions like the youth Bible or comic book Bible, my DS likes that. Sorry, not very helpful!!

Welcome @MissHoney85 - so good to hear your story. I like the Bible project a lot, we've used it in groups. Congratulations on your baby! You're very welcome here and questions about faith are always welcome.

Ohh I managed to miss the discussion on original sin/free will, an interesting one @JanFebAnyMonth. I think free will pretty much explains it, how we're all born with free choice and from an early age find ways of exploring and pushing boundaries. You see toddlers very much testing out how far they can push parents - you could call it free will or human propensity to rebellion or a lot of other things. With looking after traumatised children it's very important to listen to expert advice I think, I have friends in this situation who are adoptive parents and they spend a lot of time simply loving through the little rebellions and trying to promote attachment etc. So it's just not clear cut. But what is clear is that in all of us there is that will to assert ourselves and that can be a bad and good thing all at once. I look in myself and definitely see what I'd call sin which is any kind of rebellion against God, large or small, any time I choose to put myself over others, anytime I gossip or lie or practise selfishness in any sense. And you can definitely see that in young children - it's what it is to be human. Our task is to help them become aware of what it means to prioritise others and to exercise our free will for the good of others. But as I say it's not clear cut.
Gosh that was a ramble wasn't it!!

Thank you @Madhairday. He's nineteen and studying theology, so although he would probably like a comic book bible, I was thinking of something a bit more lasting. He loves old-fashioned hymns and services, I know that's a bit unusual for someone his age but he sings in a choir , so sings in Latin and medieval English sometimes, which was why I wondered about KJV version, as he doesn't have one afaik. He already has quite a nice NIV copy but t's not exactly a gift edition so I will look for some of those. I will look at the Message too - that sounds interesting. Thank you for your help.

How about a beautiful illustrated Bible?

It sounds like he might really appreciate the KJV then if he likes the older language, or maybe a lovely gift edition of the Book of Common Prayer?

@Cowbells

Thank you *@Madhairday*. He's nineteen and studying theology, so although he would probably like a comic book bible, I was thinking of something a bit more lasting. He loves old-fashioned hymns and services, I know that's a bit unusual for someone his age but he sings in a choir , so sings in Latin and medieval English sometimes, which was why I wondered about KJV version, as he doesn't have one afaik. He already has quite a nice NIV copy but t's not exactly a gift edition so I will look for some of those. I will look at the Message too - that sounds interesting. Thank you for your help.

The Orthodox Bible is lovely - beautiful illustrations, and interesting because a slightly different canon from the western versions.

www.amazon.co.uk/Orthodox-Study-Bible-OE-Some-NKJV/dp/0718003594/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&s=books&crid=27YYGJA2LE9PT&keywords=the+orthodox+bible&sprefix=the+orthodox+b%2Caps%2C155&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1619634608&sr=1-1

Thank you all. He has said he loves the sound of an illustrated bible or book of hours so I am going to investigate those. Thank you all so much. I hope it wasn't thread hijack. I really appreciate all the suggestions.

No hijack at all Cowbells. I’m glad we were able to help.

Difficult days here within the family (adults), and an MRI scan for me next week to check a watch and wait small tumour regrowth. Feeling a bit overwhelmed and very lonely with everything going on here.
Would be glad of a little prayer

Oshikunda we pray to a big God for whom no prayer is too small. Yours is a big issue and I will pray.

Oshi - you are in my prayers.

May God bless you and keep you and make his face to shine upon you - and hold you close in your anxiety. This is a worrying thing you are dealing with

Thank you Dutchoma and SchadenfreudePersonified. I'm glad of your thoughts and prayers, it means a lot, it really does.
I went for a long walk this afternoon and feeling calmer and more philosophical now. God bless you lovely people for your prayers.

@Oshikundu sorry to hear that. Sometimes everything seems to hit us at once. Praying that the scan will go as well as it can and that you will have peace as you wait.

How is everyone doing?

Hi, I lost the thread! Trying to get my prayer life back on track, very up and down recently. I need to find some disciplined way of spending quality time with God at least on most days!

How are you feeling now mad?

I will follow this thread. I haven't prayed in a while, I just don't know where to start. Too much hurt. Scared of facing the truth.

Thatisme welcome. I hope this thread will be helpful to you. I think prayer is like breathing, most of the time you don’t know you are doing it, but if you stop... you die.

So, prayer can be like taking a few deep breaths and being aware of God’s presence. At the same time, God will be there whether you are aware or not. And He loves you.

Welcome @Thatisme. I'm so sorry you've been going through some hard times. You're very welcome here, and like Oma said, God loves you and walks with you even when it hurts and you wonder where he is.

Hello @JanFebAnyMonth - I'm just the same with prayer, I'm not always great at sitting down every day. But I like how Oma describes it, as a breath, something we just do through the day. I do find though that I need to sit and be with God and need to find better ways of doing that consistently - I have times I do and then times I get out of good habits. I guess we all do. Thanks for asking, I'm doing ok, had a nasty reaction to my second vaccine that set me back a bit but doing ok. Had a bit of a wobble going into town for the first time the other day, just felt lost, shaky and weepy. The toll of it all. Apart from that I'm ok, busy editing my book. :)

How is everyone doing?

Hello kind people, hello to @Thatisme, I'm new here also.
Thank you for your prayers and thoughts.
My family difficulties are easing, adult son suggested that he and Dad went on a long walk last weekend. They did a lot of talking, I gather, things seem relaxed and easier between them. I feel a lot easier in my own mind too.
My scan went ok as can be. I won't know the results for a while, but feel at peace and philosophical.
God's blessings to you all for your thoughtfulness and prayer.

@Madhairday so sorry to read you've had a bumpy week there. In my thoughts and prayers, as are you all.

I had a long talk with our lovely priest today, where I tried to explain how a childhood abuse, combined with a pretty unpleasant family life, as a child have made me feel . . . well - you can imagine.

I left with a great load lifted from me - but am now worried that I came across as a whinging, complaining, little whiner.

The things I was able to describe were the tip of the iceberg and must have sounded so petty . . .

I'm really worried that I've done the right thing revealing so much, but it's done now and is in the hands of God.

Please pray for me, that she doesn't think badly of me - I think badly of myself and even though I know (intellectually) nothing was my fault, emotionally I feel so ashamed. This is such a horrible feeling - I can't even begin to describe it. I'm so worried I've lost her respect. I just feel foul.

Please hold me i your prayers. I really need it at the moment.

Thank you.

Oshi - I'm so glad that things are looking brighter for you. God can bring good from even the worst things, and I continue to hold you and your family in my prayers.