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Share Prayers And Concerns


Mike

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Many churches have prayer requests taken at some point during their services. While PCs tend to have a wide range of views on the purpose and nature of "prayer", I wager that just about all of us nonetheless find spiritual value in it.

 

Does anyone have any prayers or concerns, whether of a personal or general nature, that you'd like to share with others on the forum but don't feel led to start a new thread about? Please feel free to post in this thread so we can all meditate, pray, encourage, update, and generally keep one another in our thoughts.

 

 

 

 

Peace to you,

Mike

Edited by Mike
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I suppose I'll break it in. :D

 

I'm hoping (and praying?) my presently unemployed status will change very soon.

 

Many of us are feeling the effects of the not-so-good economy.

 

Pray for peace always,

 

 

Mike

Edited by Mike
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First of all, thank you for starting this thread. If nothing else, it is a reminder for me to consciously think of others when I am in the conscious awareness of divine presence in and with all. I'm only just beginning to sort of, kind of, a little bit, wrap myself around the whole prayer of intercession/petition thing.

 

As some of you know, my health and disability has put severe limitations on my life. My prayer request is for some help in day-to-day living and companionship.

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In my present situation, I have become very much aware of, for practical reasons in my material circumstance,as well as my psycholgical and emotional well-being, that old ways of life that have served me well in the past no longer are...an old way of life, lifestyle, is dying, no, is dead...and I feel stagnated, stuck, in which direction and how to move on from here, and in many ways overwhelmed by the practical task of doing so. I pray for guidance and strength in making changes, finding and negotiating the next turn in my path, and peace in laying down the old as i seek at the same time positiive anticipation toward something new.

 

Jenell

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  • 1 month later...

One of my dear aunts, recently discovered to have an advanced and rapidly growing cancer growth around her heart, is under the care of another aunt, in her home, and other family members under the assistance of Hospice care, many miles from me, and her condition has begun to deteriorate rapidly over the last few days. Both of these dear ladies are in their late 70's, and are the closest to one another of all my Dad's siblings, all their lives, and both very special to me all my life. In the last 24 hrs her lucidity has deteriorated fast, she's confused, impatient, disoriented, sounds like terminal restlessness has set in and progressing. My prayers for them all, it's a terribly difficult time for all, especially those caring her constantly. I'm not going to try go now, they have too much and too many coming in to say goodbyes now as it is. I'm grateful I had that opportunity with her several months ago, while she was still fully lucid. I am working on getting it together to be ready to go for the funeral.

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  • 2 weeks later...

My son drove me to south Texas to my aunt's funeral today 5 hour drive each way, did the turn around in total 12 1/2 hrs...Drive, funeral, lunch, drive. His little car gets better gas milage than my chrysler mini van, but oh those cheap flat hard seats! Tired. All in all, though, a good day. I'm glad I went.

 

Jenell

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  • 1 month later...
  • 3 weeks later...

One of those really hard situations with some others devasating lfe experience, that for me, probably most of us, is one in which in our own common sense and learning in life, and our postion of emotional detachment from the matter, we can see was the result of such stupidity, poor judgement, ignorance, and failure of common sense, we can't imagine how they got themselves into their mess.....but they did, they are devasasted, they've suffered losses of many kinds from emotional to financial, and all we can do is try to be spportive, even comforting, without letting ourself say it...Omg, how could you be that stupid?? Because you care about them, and you know, that is not what they need right now...they are without much doubt having to face for themselves just how foolish they've been.

 

A childless couple in my family, in their late 20's, unable to bear their own child, entered into "an agreement" with a single young pregnant woman, that was already the mother of a child several years old, to adopt the baby as birth. At Christmass, we were told the baby was due anytime, probably within a week. One member of the couple had received a moderate insurance settlement following an auto accident last year, and they had decided the use most of it to do this, provide care and support for the young woman, whose actual medical care was supposedly being mostly covered by Medicaide, and adopt the baby, as the opportunity to do so popped up shortly after they'd received the money.

 

I'd had misgivings and concerns about this from the start, I really didn't feel this couple is matured, responsible, or mentally/emotionally stable enough to be taking on a baby. At least one member of this couple, the one that is my family member, has some pretty serious hisotry of mental health issues, bi-polar to start with. But, after simply expressing my concerns, I stayed out of it, tried to be supportive when it came up, it was their decision, their life. I didn't ask much details, neither did others in the family, as this couple knew others were not keen on such an idea, and pretty much keep what's going on in their private lives to themselves anyway. Other than several had seen the lavishly decorated new nursery, and a sonogram posted on Facebook, we knew little else. Some in that family closest HAD expressed concern they had been given so little details. But, I guess no one really saw this one coming.

 

Well, long and short of it, the young woman had notified them her doctor had scheduled a C-section for last Monday morning at such and such hospital at such and such time.....they arrived at the hospital, where no one had a clue what they were talking about, no one by that woman's name had been admitted, and no doctors had a C-section scheduled. The young woman has moved out of the apartment she was in, her cell phone disconnected, and its looking at this point like she hadn't even given her real name.

 

My family member in the couple hasn't even spoken to her mother or other close family members about it since the first day, I was able to get her to answer my calls, and as far as i know, i'm the only one she's really told much about just what has happened. I think on top of other hurt, she's so embarrassed and ashamed and humiliated, and expecting that OMG how could you have been so stupid?? Because honestly once I has more of the story, that's exacly what most anyone would say...that she just can't bring herself to face them. I've managed not to say it, as she began to lay out the story to me, even she kept saying, why didn't I press on that? Why did I believe? That looking back now, she can see all the red flags and warnings that things were not right....all I can say to that, we've all done things that in looking back, we could only wonder what we were thinking at the time...I guess when you really want something you can get so caught up in wanting it to be true, really happening, that we blind ourselves to even the obvious....

 

Ho boy. This one's tough.

 

Jenell

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Jenell,

 

It seems to me that sometimes we want something so bad that it creates a blindness to sound reasoning and judgement. I think it happens at times to us all. Strong wants and desires do have their attachments and pitfalls. Sorry to hear about the issue and hoping that real learning takes place as a result of any suffering incurred.

 

Joseph

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My most immediate concern is how i might try to support and stablize this family member, as she comes to grips with this, as noted, she has a history of mental health issues, including bi-polar..something I've mentioned before, I and others in my family have had all too much expereince with this kind of thing among us. The realities, are real for us. She has been suicidal and hospitalized more than once in the past. Something like this can knock anyone a loop, one with a history of instability makes it potentially very dangerous.

 

Jenell

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  • 1 year later...

To all posters of this thread - I read your concerns and I am praying for you. May God send to you all the blessings you desire.

 

As for myself, my life has been devastated by schizophrenia. I stare at the walls all day long everyday feeling afraid and not having any interest in any of the things I once loved to do. I know my life will never change now, but please pray for me anyway. I need relief so badly.

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Stopman,

 

I can only imagine that suffering schizophrenia must be a heavy burden to bear. I hope you are seeing a mental health professional and taking appropriate medication. Your post could be interpreted as having a suicidal edge to it - are you feeling like killing yourself? Forgive me if I seem blunt, but I have just undergone a couple of days training in suicide first-aid (how to identify people thinking about committing suicide, what questions to ask them, and how to help them in the short term) and they say to ask people outright if they are feeling suicidal. If you are, there are people who can help and I would be happy to assist you if need be.

 

Even if you're not in that place, I do still hope you have somebody to talk to and help you with this problem. Feel free to personal-message me anytime.

 

Cheers

Paul

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Paul:

 

Thanks for your message. I am having a lot of trouble, but I am not going to commit suicide. I think about it a lot, but I can't anyway, because I have family. I hope I am not polluting this message board too much with my problems, but I am grateful for my online friends here and always look forward to having people to discuss ideas with. Don't worry about my safety - I will be alright. In the meantime, you seem like a very nice person, and I hope to get to know you better here. Thanks so much for your concern!

 

Oh yes... and yes, I do have mental health professionals who are giving me treatment, plus I take drugs for schizophrenia.

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  • 8 years later...

I have a prayer quest. While I am living in a car, it isn't that. My faith is making me question. I suppose if you never really think about your faith, it's easy to just sleepwalk through life. 

My questions: I've seen a number of Conservative Christian youtubers. I think of Pastor Roger Jimenez telling his congregation after the shooting in the Orlando Gay Nightclub that they go what they deserved, not to mourn them because they were pedophiles, and the shooter should have finished the job. Who hears a tragedy, thanks empathy and sides with the shooter. 

We are to be known for the love we show others. 

I know Christians who are deceitful to slander GLBTQ communitu, such as "Pride is celebrating sin", that everyone is straight but "choose to be gay," 1000s have left the "lifestyle", etc According to one website, the ficticious gay agenda's end goal is to destroy marriage/family/Christianity/and the nation itself. 

Rather than use self reflection, the focus is on the sins of others, often, targeting glbtq, regardless of whether the person is even Christian. 

The bible is seen as the literal words of God, and to be followed literally, unless that cause a problem, such as plucking out your eye or cutting off your hand ic the cause you to sin. The more stubborn the person, the more the person doesn't listen, the more they think it shows their strong faith 

I realized someone dying for me in my place doesn't make sense. If you were my neighbor, would you killing your dog grant forgiveness? 

And I started thinking, why is this religion turning out people that don't love their neighbor? 

 

So looking for prayers re: my questioning of my faith. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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43 minutes ago, Beanieboy said:

So looking for prayers re: my questioning of my faith. 

Hi Beanieboy,

Sorry to hear you're living in your car - if that's not by choice then that's gotta be tough.  I hope you hold in there.

This isn't a debate/discussion section so I won't say anything about how I think it is a good thing that you are questioning such tenements of your faith, but I do hope, no matter where the path of inquiry leads you, that you will be kind to yourself.  It's okay to question.  Many before you have moved away from traditional Christianity for similar reasons.  You are not alone.

Cheers

Paul

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In my world, questioning what I believe is a strength, not some sort of crisis that needs fixing. Be strong.

Like you I suspect, I see conservative Christians take on on positions that seem the very antithesis of what Christianity purports to be about. 

Regarding the request for prayers for "questioning of faith". I am not sure whether the intention is for others to pray, or to look for  a meditation for you. It would seem that these "Christians" are causing pain for you. There are two aspects ... outside and inside ... cause and effect if you like. Perhaps take "a look" at the causes (history indoctrination if you like) these Christians have received to get them where they are today. Perhaps you will find they are simply a product of their environment. And perhaps you will find that they too are in a pain, because of where they find themselves.

My mirror neurons fire for you.

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