MN Christian prayer thread - come let us adore the world's most precious firstborn

[DutchOmainapeartree]

We pray for ourselves:- that we may make time to be "Marys" as well as "Marthas" in all the busy-ness leading up to Christmas.

We pray for our precious husbands in the words of the prayer I quoted earlier:-

Dear Lord, I pray for Wisdom to understand my man;
Love to forgive him;
And Patience for his moods;? and?
we won't go into the rest of the prayer so close to Christmas. (Full text on the old thread)

Pray for NorthernLurker's dh to find a job soon and for Harrisey's dh to find the strength to do a stressful job. Also for Bobsmum's dh to find a new job before February. We pray for peace and quiet over Christmas in all household, especially where dh is not fully committed to the Christian faith, that they may see the loveliness of Jesus around them.
We pray for those without husbands, for NSFN and Mummy2T&F. Also for Creambunnie.

We pray for our children; from the tiny unborns (Podglet, Bobsmum and CaptainCaveman) to include all our children young and not so young. Pray that we will be able to show them the love of Christ. That we may be able to protect them, help them. We pray for Roseylea's dd, Bobsmums ds, Mary's ds, NQGU's ds, that they may be able to cope with life at school and with the holidays.

We pray for those who have suffered bereavement, for QoQ family on the loss of their much loved grandfather. For Mufti's dh who lost his father recently as did Santas(Shreks)missus' dh.
We pray for Pepperpots in her loss

We pray for those with worries over sick friends and relatives, for Spookymadmummy's Mum and for her stepdad, just out of hospital, for CaptainCaveman's friend and little one in hospital, (Lord if possible, bring her out of hospital before Christmas) also for her teenage friend with eating disorders. We also pray for CC's dsis and her dd. Lord, we pray Your healing over that whole family.
We pray with Muppetgirl for her mil and her mother, who is ill and a long way away.
Lulumama and Rubyslippers' grandma.
We also remember OJ and Steve and their 3dcs in our prayers.

We give thanks with Geekymummy for healing in her marriage for PandaG doing well in her new job and enjoying it.
We pray for TheWiltedRose that she may have a very happy Christmas and that she may come to see the One Who is behind it all.
And we pray for CaptainDippy that she may feel surrounded by the love of Christ who is the Provider in all her needs.
We pray for 'absent friends', for Soozy, Creambunnie and MumtoGusandAlbie
Lord, we bring You our prayers and our worship in this Christmas period.

Swaliswan, you made me smile - big success! I think broken pretty much sums it up!

Thank you everyone for your offers of help - I'm really touched.

My mobile won't let me text you Mary! You can ring me on it and I'll give you my landline number!

CD - sorry you had a horrid day. Don't get too wrinkly in the bath

SS - Hi and welcome. I'm Notquitegrownup and I've been ill since 20 December! (and I haven't been very grown up about it!) I feel better today. Hurrah! I'm very old (45 going on 95 today!) with two dss 4 and 7 and a dh too!

Praying for the poor lady in the news who was forcibly deported to Ghana today, having overstayed her student visa to continue cancer treatment and dialysis(sp?). Praying that she might know peace, and know our Lord's presence with her.

God bless all

Hello lovely ladies

Big Hello to SS - I'm podglet, 28, DP 37 and DS 14 months with another due May 2nd! Glad you had such a lovely day with DD, I felt exactly the same when I had to leave DS at nursery for the first time in November but he absolutely loves it - if you look at my profile, you can see him as a donkey in the nursery Christmas play re the bottle thing, I really struggled to wean DS onto bottles at first and had to go cold turkey in the end - it really worked though after just a day. What others have said on here though is much better than me!

CD - love P typing very cute and I understood all of it hope you have a lovely bath you poor thing

CC - yay for your bean - how exciting. We have our private 4d scan on Saturday...

Mary - hope you feel better soon lovely. Praying hard for you

DO - glad you had such fun with Z and hope you are ok. Has that cough cleared up yet?

Well, feel a bit more positive than I did at the weekend. It really has got a bit too much here for me atm and I think I need a break, esp before LO gets here! Saw my GP today who has told me he wants me to leave work earlier than 37 weeks and threatened to sign me off now [ahock] I need to discuss with work using my holiday to cut down my hours i.e taking one day off a week - please can you pray for me whilst I struggle with everything a little and hope for the right decision to be made?

Sorry to go on a bit... hope you are all ok and hope to be back to my happy self soon.

Sorry Mary, did you just ring? I just got to the phone and it cut off and now it won't let me ring the number back. I'm here, with my phone in my hand!

Swaliswan you made me ! And your post made me too - why is it always the really, really important words we miss out?
Podglet - if your GP is threatening to sign you off it's time to slow things down! Will pray for the way to be easy for you!

How are you now Mary? Praying here for you too.

Been to see my friend who is in hospital with pnd today. She is doing much better and hoping to be home soon. We talked about work (I'm also her manager) and hopefully reassured that she does not need to worry about that for a long time. Her lo is absolutely gorgeous. She spoke of how she was totally broken and in bits, obv been really really poorly. Lord hold her, heal her and comfort her. Amen.

Bathing ds tonight we had this convo;
ds: "none of my friends like me"
me: "oh sweetie why do you think that"
ds: "because they are all mean to me"
me: "why?" (feeling v sad at the thought of my little boy being sad at nursery)
ds: "because I'm so cute"

Becoming skilled at fibbing me thinks!!!

Thanks all - I'm heading to bed now. Please just pray for me, God knows what its about!

Love

Mary

cc that is fab.

mary whts happened at that meeting hun - I am around in the morning Ithink if you still need to talk it though.

I've been to chirstianity explored tonight but felt a bit of a fraud. I havent told them my background although savedbygrace knew who I was (its her church)Maybe this will get me back to basics.

My dog is poorly, he's been sick, shivering, wont let me touch his stomach. I really cant afford vet bills.

Also friend that was in hosp all over chirstmas came home a few days ago she still has a gaping wound down her stomach and if she's 6 stone thats all she is so prayers for a quick continuing recovery please. And answers as to why all this happened inthe first place as they don't seem to know. All she knows ishtat there is to be further investigations but she doesn't know what they are.

oh yes i'm kath single with 4 dc two teenagers and two 4 & 3 just realised cant really call them toddlers anymore

mary crossed posts there been writing it for about 10 mins. speak to you tomorrow if u around.

thx

{{{{{{{{{Mary}}}}}}}}}} Praying. Loving.

A pot needs to be broken for the light to be able to shine inside it. xx

Praying for all - needing to go to bed because I am exhausted!! See you all on the morrow!

Thanks CD. A pot can only be broken so many times though, before its irrepairable... I place my trust in the Lord, that is all I can do atm.

Praying Mary. I am sorry that my mobile (which is now out of money and won't let me top up ) let us down last night.

Hang on in there. A friend heard Selwyn Hughes talk, not long after his wife and then both of their adult sons died. Soooooo sad. He said that at his lowest point, all that he could do, was pace his study and say the name of Jesus. He just hung onto that, until the clouds started to lift.

I'm still at home, getting a bit better, I think, it's all very slow. Still, it is 20 years since I have had to have more than 3 days off work, so not too bad a record. Good chance to rest, and read, and pray.

Prayers for all on this thread - especially your friend NSFN. Poor lady!

praying for you all, especially you Mary. big hugs honey xx

NQGU - glad you are feeling a little better, take care of yourself, am praying for healing.

SS - how are you and DD today?

NSFN, praying for your friend.x

Yes, enjoy this time, NQGU - even if you are feeling rotten, poor love. xx

Oh, Mary - "Blessed by the name of the Lord" - kep saying it honey - God can mend even irreparable pots, you know! He is God after all!! xxxx

Hi Panda!!

Hello all!

Sorry I've not been around much - very busy week.

Hi Swaliswan! Hey, I just want to say you are doing what sounds lie a fantastic job with baby feeding and it will all happen, in time - try not to stress and let your dd move on naturlaly to the next stage. I don't think I've introduced myself - I live in Hetrfordshire, am 34 y o (how did that happen??!!) and live with dh who is also 34. We have a dd aged 5 and a ds who is going to be 4 next month. The dc both suffer from ecxema and food allergies, so I've become something of a reluctant expert in those areas! We got to an evangelical CofE church and I work part time in a secondary school (not today - yippeeeeeee!)

Mary {{{hugs}}}. May you just know the stillness of being held in God's hand.

CD - oooh I can so feel your frustration about getting a job. I'm sure that there will be something for you. One thing I've noticed is that these days empoyers rate experience outside of the workplace more highly than they used to - eg a friend of mine cited her work as a SAHM as prime evidence of her time-management and mutli-tasking abilities when she was going for a job, and the interviewer could really see that she'd learnt skills in the home that made her a much more qualified candidate. So don't look down on your SAHM experience, because I'm sure you will be learning loads of really good employability skills in it.

Well I saw my vicar this morning, and my details have been sent off to Mr Official Sorter-Outer of those who feel called to the ministry (aka the DDO) so I just need to wait for the appointment with him to come through. It's at this point that I've kind of committed myself....eeek! Thankfully I'm going on a retreat this weekend, so it's brilliant timing to have a bit of space to pray about it all. (And then panic!)

Another thing...a prayer request please! I'm trying to organise an evangelistic breakfast for the kids in the school where I work, to offer breakfast completely free (sponsored by the local church, who hopefully will pray as well )as an one-off and get the youth outreach team to come in to speak to the kids. This takes a fair bit of co-ordinating but it feels like a "God-idea" and the powers that be in the school are very happy for me to organise it, so please pray for the right people to get excited and say "Yes! Of course we'll give you the money!" or "Yes! Of course I'l come in and speak!" or whatever. And, of course, for the kids to come! Thank you so mjuch!

Hello all. I'm feeling a bit overcome by things today. Talk more later when maybe I'll be able to type about it and have gotten my head around a few things.

Mary - I'm sending big hugs your way and prayers up to God. As CD said, only God can mend the irreparable pots. The hard thing is putting your faith in God to mend you. It really hurts when God allows us to become so broken that we need Him, but it is when we are in that place of desperation that we allow God to do his most awesome work. I will be the first to admit that I hate the fact that I frequently seem to be broken only to get put back together in a stronger way and that I seem to need to get into a deeper pit than other people before I'll let God scoop me out of it. Mary, I know that feeling of brokenness inside-out and I know how God heals. You may not want to hear this, but God is feeling your pain and is carrying you, holding you tight whilst you are on this difficult part of your journey with Him. He will never leave you, never foresake you and will never allow the devil to challenge you too much. It may feel like you are unable to cope at times, but you are still here, still coping even if it is just-about-coping-as-I-have-to-get-through-the-day-for-my-kids coping.

If God can make the universe, he can repair your pot xx

Swaliswan - whatever place you are in that was a great post! Praying for you - got to go out now but will be back later.

I am here with a prayer request if thats ok

I am preg with dc3 six weeks today have just found out but have been bleeding inc this am not alot but enough - its an emotional rollercoaster - I have a scan tomorrow I really want this baby and am praying that I would keep this litle un and stop bleeding/tummy paisn would diminish to nothing.

I am a christian and would like it if you would pray that I would have peace to tend to my family and remain calm through this exhausting process please as at this stage we dont know what is going on really or why I am bleeding.

thanks ladies, xxxx

Stayinginfaith - praying for you.

stayinginfaith - prayers for pregnancy problems

ss - sorry I didn't intro myself properly, I'm sooz 46, dh 54, ds1 12 & twins 4 g/b and I work in a Leisure Centre, admin/swimming instructor (currently waiting for results for last exam to be fully qualified) I'm not quite a christian, as I don't understand bible although I do pray alot! I havent a clue what god wants of me yet!!!!! but I'm here ready and waiting, and if its to read and understand the gobbledigook bible, I'm finished before I start! but I'm sure I could be useful somewhere in the christian world.

Mary - I am praying hard for you, how did that meeting go? please e-mail me if you need to talk, you are always there for everyone else, you deserve happiness, please God wrap Mary in your love and give her strength and understanding of whatever the problem

CC - Congratulations on yout successful scan, 1 bean is all you need, I promise!!!! bless your lo and his 'Cuteness'

CD - Hia!!!!!!!!! {{{{{{{{{{{{waves like a mad woman}}}}}}}}}}}}} (like? is)

Off to work in 1hr, just got back from twins swimming lesson, ds WON'T get in the pool such a waste of money!

Firstly I just want to say how buoyed up I feel by the tremendous support all you ladies have given me. If I were to take up every one of you on your offers of support/calls, I'd be still talking into the middle of next week!

Your messages of inspiration have been nothing short of inspirational, and I've truly touched by the thought and care you've put into what you've said!

It will be a while before I know how things pan out, but it helps knowing that you are all here supporting me. Most of all, I know God is supporting me.

Stayinginfaith - praying that all will be well for you - and welcome to our "body of Christ" here!

Swaliswan, I can vouch for some good listeners on here - please share when you feel ready to.

Love and God bless

mary

Hi Everyone. I'm still not sure what to say really. I feel really torn about several things at the moment and I don't know what I want to do about work etc. I love spending time with DD, but I do find it wearing spending 24/7 with her. I think that it will do me good to go back to work but I'm not sure how best to tackle that issue. It was horrible leaving DD at nursery this morning as she looked sad when I left her. I was supposed to go home and sleep but I just lay there in a dark room feeling guilty. When I went to pick her up, they told me that she hadn't settled, only ate 2 mouthfuls of lunch and had chewed on everything all morning. They knew that I had left teetha powder in her bag but wouldn't give it to her as I hadn't signed a medicine chart. Instead of phoning me, they just let her carry on upset. I feel really bad that she had that morning to deal with without me, but I also feel really guilty for feeling relief that just for once, someone else dealt with her whilst she was whining from teething pain. Someone else did the hard job of trying to entertain her and cuddle her when she obviously felt rubbish.

Then when DD woke early from her nap in pain, I really enjoyed being able to feed her. I don't want to give up feeding her now that it is a pleasant experience, but I also know that she needs to be able to get milk another way instead of 'direct from the source'.

Then I start thinking about what it would be like to work office hours and not worry so much about getting up at night and I would be there to feed her in the morning and evening without any hassle of shifts. But, I also know that DD would have to spend longer without either myself or DH there if I worked office hours. I also know that to find a job that pays well enough to cover my unsocial hours pay from my shifts would be difficult and we would have to pay for more childcare.

I guess that I'm finding it hard not knowing what I actually want instead of thinking about what is best for everyone else. It also seems a bit pointless planning too much when DH is applying for jobs around the country as there aren't many jobs available in the right sector at the level he works. There is also the fact that he doesn't have a clue what he truly wants to do and is miserable with his current job most of the time (partly because he is fed-up not knowing if he will still have a job there in a few months).

The hard thing to explain is the feeling of 'not knowing'. I can't put into words what the problem is because I don't know exactly what it is that I want to happen. I've tried talking to DH, but he still isn't his usual self after coming back from Iraq.

Sorry - long post for someone who doesn't know what to say!

How annoying. I spent so long typing that I forgot to bid on a bundle of clothes for DD on ebay and the end time came and went without me noticing. I really wanted the top that said "how cute am I?".