Prayer thread for summer 2009 - My grace is sufficient

[DutchOma]

My grace is sufficient for you 2Cor 12:9
and
When I am weak then I am strong 2Cor 12:10

Reading through last month's prayer request I came across the first text quoted by M44 and it brought the second one to mind.
When I am weak.....when I cry out to the Lord to my sisters to please pray for me, when life is hard....then I am strong.
I counted more than 20 names in last month's prayerlist, more than 30 when I counted the names Dippy had mentioned at the beginning of her update, so I will only mention a few names here.

We pray for Anna and Findlay, where real miracles of the Lord are needed.
For M44's mother-in-law in hospital
For Weegiemum that the Lord may uphold her as only He can. For Marc and Suzanne on their wedding day.
For Boilerwoman that she may take her strength from the Lord.
For Jentlydoesit and her DP that God may bring good into a difficult situation. Giving thanks for the new job.
For Swaliswan and dd2.
For Onlyjoking in this season of remembrances and for the children who are suffering more now than a year ago.
For Clockface with exciting changes to come.

And at this stage, sisters, I call you together to prayer for one another.
You know who you are - beloved of the Lord.

Isn't it wonderful?

And I could do with some prayers re: a job I've just seen, found it by accident. Its for a development worker for Adults with an ASD, part time, within travelling distance from my home! Please pray that if this is God's will, then I get the position, and that child care will be sorted.

What do you mean - "found it by accident"?

"with God things don't just happen, everything by Him is planned."

I've been there before though, thinking God had got one planned for me, and it didn't happen, that knocked my ideas of interpreting God's will a bit. At the moment its "found by accident", but am fully prepared to accept that its a God-incidence

Mary how exciting for you on both bits. Praying for the job and guidance for you to know if it is God's will.
And about DH!!! I don't know your circumstance, but I will pray that he really grabs it with both hands and I am sure this is an answer to many prayers. I know how excting that is. We were married for 10 years before DH became a Christian. A wonderful time for you I am sure. Enjoy!!

Prayers would really be appreciated here. DD2 arrived back from Soul Survivor unwell and today the dr thinks she has swine flu! She is feeling really unwell. DS who was also away with her is now coming down with similar symptons. My biggest concern is DD3 who is the one who has been recovering remarkably well after being severley ill with CFS/ME for a year.(in bed and unable to walk or feed herself for months) If she gets it we really don't know how badly she will be and how bad a relapse will be with the M.E. She had done so well, but not too sure how resilient she will be to this!! Prayers would be really appreciated. Not feeling too much like my nickname at the moment.

Mary So pleased for you both!

PAO - prayers for peace of mind for you and for lots of protection for your dd, that God will be sovereign in this situation and hold your dd close to Him, away from any bad side effects.

God bless all.

You outdo me in grins NQGU

lol DO.

CD - the new job involves doing the admin for a lovely little home for elderly people. Lots to learn as it (working with the elderly) is a new field for me and lots to do, as my job description seems to include everything but the kitchen sink! However, I've survived my first week and am still smiling!

In haste - my firewall is playing up, and now I need to get technical!

God bless all

Elderly people rock - so much to teach us! Hope it is good for you NQGU

Oh Mary!!! How completely fabulous!! Potential new job sounds positive too

Gosh PAO - eeek! Prayers for your poorly, sicky household at this time. xx

, its good isn't it? , never saw it coming at all!

Kamillosan is fabulous on nappy rash, clears it up really quickly, even if bleeding! My two both had bad nappy rash. Praying for a quick recovery!

We have a lovely chap in our congregation, he's 89 and he loves talking, but his stories are SO much fun! He is so loving and gentle and funny, I hope God keeps him around a little longer!

Prayers for everyone, especially PAO and family as I know how horrible swine flu is (I've got it at the moment).

MJM - healing for the nappy rash and hope the teething goes smoothly for Naomi (and the rest of you).

Mary - praise for that fantastic news and also for the potential job

NQGU - prayers that your new job continues to go well

Any news from DO's overdue friend?

Pannikin, Not a peep from Ceolas either here or on Ravelry, let's hope she's had it.

Praying for everyone, particularly the nappy rash, it can be miserable. Luckily the twins haven't had it too badly as yet, but I may be typing too soon!!

Finally got draft contracts signed, and I thought I would drive them to the solicitors, as I had a couple of questions to ask. It is only about 20 miles from my house, but I am petrified, nearing proper phobia, of dual carriageways and motorways. I got there ok, having prayed really hard. Handed over papers, and the lady gave me back one lot....we had forgot to sign our sales contract! Purchase contract done ok, but sales contract was at the back and missed!!! DH signed it when he got in from work, and had to drive over there today to put it through their door! Not too long now hopefully!!

I am going to be doing another dual carriageway drive tomorrow as a friend has very kindly invited us to her house tomorrow. Please pray for me, I know the more I do them the more comfortable I will feel, but I can't stand it all the same!

Peace and blessings on you all xx

Sorry to barge in after a long time away. I don't know where else to turn. I feel like God has abandoned me. I spent a week serving Him as a leader on a youth camp recently and since then I have been utterly shattered. I don't know why God promised 'come to me all who are weary and I will give you rest' because He clearly doesn't mean it. I am so tired that I am ill and can barely look after my girls. I've given up praying because the more I ask for rest and have my petitions denied, the more I wonder if God is really there. I can't bear it. It's B's baptism on 30th and I don't know if I can say the promises in front of everyone. DH andI are also about to start doing some mission work for our church and I simply don't know if I can or want to anymore We are also having hassle with the house we are buying. I have tried so hard to make the right decision by God in which house we buy and now I feel like God has abandoned us over this issue too

I don't even know why I'm here because I don't know if I believe that God will listen to anyone else more than He will listen to me, if He is even out there listening in the first place.

Swaliswan, will keep you in prayer. God doesn't abandon us in our time of need, but it is really hard sometimes to see Him through the pain and troubles. But he IS right there. Email me if I you want someone to 'talk' to.

I pray this is a turning point for you. I was feeling despairing at the beginning of the week, I prayed to God saying "remember you said that you'd never give us more than you can bear, well I just thought I'd remind you that you said that", and look what happened. I hope this thought gives you hope. You need to be still in His presence and stop struggling. I said to someone only last night - and it was DO who said it to me here, I think, about if you are drowning then rescue can't happen unless you stop struggling. I found that really helpful.

I am so utterly fed up of asking for help or telling people that I'm struggling and instead of getting help all I get is people trying to reassure me that I coping brilliantly. I do not need reassurance, I need someone to take the baby for a walk so that I can catch up on some sleep. I can't help but wonder why I volunteered to be a leader on that camp if this is how God is going to repay me.

Good news here.
Praise the Lord and pray blessings on the family

Swaliswan, My heart goes out to you. I have really struggled with this for quite some time, but am now coming through what seemed like a very long and lonely tunnel. I can now see that it was all in God's plan and can now understand that I was not abandonned, even though I felt totally alone and as if I was the only person who God had turned His back on. A friend told me to scream at God. His shoulders are big enough to take it!!! Believe me, I screamed, shouted and moaned.
Do you really need to do all the work you have planned. Are there other's who could take over and give you a rest. I ended up giving up so much that I used to do and am now gradually taking up some things again.

I am not saying that I know how you feel, as I don't think anyone can know, but you are not alone. Love and hugs to you.

One thing that I found comforting when I would scream at God that everything had gone wrong and I would even start a prayer sometimes with "well IF you are there, and IF you care...." I would ask why God had removed all his gifts from me. (this is how I felt) I was gently reminded that faith is a gift and by even acknowledging that God is there you have that amazing gift.

Hang in there. Prayers for you.

Sorry, that is not a good post!! It comes across as a real incoherent moan. Not meant to!!!

Oh Swaliswan, dearie, what a difficult place to be. As Mary says, you need to stop struggling and be still:- Be still and know that I AM GOD.
The picture of the drowning is not mine, but very true.
My picture is of the bird under the net:- If it struggles, it will get entangled further and further, but if it sits still it might just realise that the strawberries are on that side of the net.
That's not an original thought either, I think it was Selwyn Hughes who gave it to me.

I find that the best way out of this kind of misery is to stop praying and to start praising. Psalm 103 is brilliant for this.
God does not abandon us, and for today I shall be praying quite specifically that there will be someone who will take the baby out for a walk so that you can rest. Stay in touch if you possibly can. Lots of love

Swaliswan, I am frequently in the same boat as you (and often fall out and start drowning!), but I have so few people IRL I can even ASK for help, there is only one I can truly turn to, and that is God. Sometimes I find that really frustrating, because I feel its someone right here, right now I need, someone physical, not spiritual. But in the end what it comes down to, if you have all your supports around you removed, or if you have no support, then the only one you can turn to IS God. Trust in him to get you through this, as he surely will.

Wish I was closer. Would be glad to nip round to lend a hand, SS. Sending prayer and large virtual cuppa.

Meantime, desperate for prayer myself, but can't say exactly why as it's a confidential situation.

Message from Ceolas:-

Please also pass on my thanks for the prayers, Dutchoma

Thank you all for our silver wedding anniversary best wishes.

Mary - for dh wanting to attend confirmation, how good is God!!!!!!! prayers for dh's faith, how exciting for him, a new beginning!

DO - my guardian angel xx

SS - prayers for you, hope you can gain some support from what our fab friends have given you, we are here for you, please keep us posted - love sooz

Priase God my dmum has fully recovered from this nasty 'oink flu' it took 4 weeks as she had other problems.

Thank you God for my beautiful family and a relatively good school holiday time. May the sun keep shining.