I’m making it a thread so everyone can comment. I think everyone I know needs extra prayers this week, including my nearest and dearest, so this is a Mega Prayer Request thread.
First, however, is a passage from Philip Yancey’s “The Jesus I Never Knew” that has brought me great comfort, on the overwhelming importance of the Incarnation:
It is almost beyond my comprehension too, and yet I accept that this notion is the key to understanding Christmas and is, in fact, the cornerstone of my faith. As a Christian I believe that we live in parallel worlds. One world consists of hills and lakes and barns and politicians and shepherds watching their flocks by night. The other consists of angels and sinister forces and somewhere out there places called heaven and hell. One night in the cold, in the dark, among the wrinkled hills of Bethlehem, those two worlds came together at a dramatic point of intersection. God, who knows no before or after, entered time and space. God, who knows no boundaries took on the shocking confines of a baby’s skin, the ominous restraints of mortality.
“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation,” an apostle would later write; “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” But the few eyewitnesses on Christmas night saw none of that. They saw an infant struggling to work never-before-used lungs.
Could it be true, this Bethlehem story of a Creator descending to be born on one small planet? If so, it is a story like no other. Never again need we wonder whether what happens on this dirty little tennis ball of a planet matters to the rest of the universe. Little wonder a choir of angels broke out in spontaneous song, disturbing not only a few shepherds but the entire universe.
The Incarnation is something I could meditate on for a million years and never understand. But I think often of Francie in “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn,” losing her faith in God but not Jesus:
"If God has charge of all the world," said Francie, "and the sun and the moon and the stars and all the birds and trees and flowers and all the animals and people, you'd think He'd be too busy and too important-wouldn't you-to spend so much time punishing one man-one man like papa."
"I don't think you should talk about God like that," said Neeley uneasily. "He might strike you down dead."
"Then let Him," cried Francie fiercely. "Let Him strike me down dead right here in the gutter where I sit!"
They waited fearfully. Nothing happened. When Francie spoke again, she was quieter.
"I believe in the Lord, Jesus Christ, and His Mother, Holy Mary. Jesus was a living baby once. He went barefooted like we do in the summer. I saw a picture where He was a boy and had no shoes on. And when He was a man, He went fishing, like papa did once. And they could hurt Him too, like they couldn't hurt God. Jesus wouldn't go around punishing people. He knew about people. So I will always believe in Jesus Christ."
They made the sign of the cross as Catholics do when mentioning Jesus' name. Then she put her hand on Neeley's knee and spoke in a whisper.
"Neeley, I wouldn't tell anybody but you, but I don't believe in God anymore."
My hormones went into a sort of weird scrambled collapse after I had my Mirena removed, resulting in extremely rapid weight loss, a total loss of appetite, anxiety, and terrifying extreme insomnia described by more than doctor as "whoa" or "the most extreme I've maybe ever seen." I'm trying to climb back out, but it is ROUGH. I used to be a joyful, energetic, healthy person, and would love to be that person again. I would be very grateful for prayers or kind words for a healthy, healing body and mind.
I was in a somewhat similar situation about two years ago-- massive weight loss and loss of appetite after a dental emergency and oral surgery. It was so scary, and no one that I talked to at the time seemed to understand how terrifying a body that is in open rebellion against you can be.
Praying for you that you can find your way back to a healthy equilibrium. And I'll also put in an enthusiastic word for protein shakes, since those were the one of the few things that I could get down during that time.
My partner has been having lots of (expensive) medical tests to try to figure out a cluster of mysterious symptoms, and it's looking more and more like probably MS. He's a musician and he NEEDS finger dexterity to play, and it's heartbreaking to see his hands just slipping off instruments when playing has been basically the core of his self-identity. I'm his primary support system, and I'd be so grateful for any prayers or kind words you might have.
Feels a little selfish when so many are asking for prayers for others, but my job has become a toxic environment and I need out. I interviewed for a position that would be really perfect for me last week and I've found out that I'm a finalist. I'm feeling pretty hopeless if this doesn't work out, so prayers for some career direction would be nice.
So it's only been 7 hours but I got the job! I'm feeling nervous as there are still a few kinks to work out with everything, but thank you all for your prayers and kind words. I'm finally stepping into the field I've wanted to be in for...ever.
I'm in a job that pays considerably less than the last super toxic place I was at and let me tell you friend I wouldn't trade it for double the difference in salary. It's not selfish -- it's the quality of most of your waking life! Sending influential vibes to the hiring manager so they make the right call and hire you <3
Greetings all-- a few Jesus Wednesdays ago I asked for prayers as my husband and I tried out a new church. We have now been twice and both of us have experienced full "Nicole style" weeping. For me, it was taking Communion next to my husband-- something I have never experienced with him as I am (...was?) Catholic and he is not. For him it was Communion given to little children (one called the priest "the bread lady" *tears streaming emoji*). I am overwhelmed with gratitude and excitement about what this all means for us and for our son. I see now that sticking with the Catholic church was weirdly a way to let myself off the hook and keep my faith at arm's length. I don't want that anymore. Peace and love to this community, I will read your prayer requests and be with you.
I'm so glad you had such a great experience at a new church! I'm slowly coming to terms with the fact that I'll have to leave the denomination I've belonged to my whole life because of important political differences, and your description of avoiding that kind of change in order to keep faith at arm's length really resonates with me. I think that's what I've been doing for much of adult life. Your note gives me hope. I hope to find strength like yours, to engage more deeply with my faith and challenge myself. I'll be wishing you and your family all the best.
It’s been a tough summer. We just lost my aunt after a steep decline from chemo (seriously she was fine until she got an infection, and they kept giving her chemo). Her daughter (my cousin) lost her husband two weeks before. Another aunt is in the hospital in Charlotte. Prayers appreciated.
Pray for me to lean less on myself. Working on series of tests for my darling toddler to get some medical/behavioral answers and I’m in the midst of a somewhat high risk pregnancy (hello third trimester!) while still unpacking some of my trauma from birth first time around.
Feeling you, sis. Sounds like we've had some parallel experiences. My last-born is now three, but birth trauma, high-risk pregnancies, and getting toddler evaluations are things I know well. Love to you.
Emotional safety for my daughters, please. We are living with an unstable and hurtful person. (Not their dad, I'm divorced and back in my parents home.)
Now I want to dig out my old copy of A Tree Grows In Brooklyn.
My 14-year-old son and I have hit our roughest patch yet. Some of it is garden variety teens and moms stuff, but some of it is us grappling with family expectations versus what the culture accepts from men who struggle with their emotions; recognizing them, naming them, expressing them. Anyway, we could really use any spare prayers folks might be willing to make on our behalf. Thank you.
Prayers please. My husband and I separated this weekend and he's getting an apartment and we've got couples therapy scheduled and I feel good and relieved but also confused and overwhelmed and upset. It's a lot.
As a result, I also have been talking to my evangelical parents much more often after leaving the church as a teen and I genuinely appreciate their prayers but they're also asking me to pray about it myself which I am not super comfortable with. It feels heavy and I'm parsing through a bunch of things I haven't really dealt with in over a decade along with the aforementioned separation. It's really tough.
Anyways, I will happily accept any extra good the world is willing to throw at me today. Love to you all.
Part of me feels like it's not fair for me to ask for prayers since I left evangelical faith 15 years ago. I've been struggling for a long time trying to find faith again in a different way. Last month, I lost my sister and her two children in an extremely sad and violent way and I feel like every day is a bigger struggle than the one before. Any prayers for my family would be deeply appreciated. I haven't yet felt able to pray for myself, but I'm working on it.
One of the nice things about G*d is I think she’s big enough to know your prayers of lamentation even if you don’t feel like you’re voicing them as such. That is such a horrific experience. Praying for you and your family.
I'm very much in the same place. Times are hard and I find myself praying for others more and more but can't bring myself to include prayers for myself. It is so strange to reach for something I thought I left behind! I'm so sorry to hear about your sister and her children. I will keep you in my prayers.
Oh dear! I just realized how my comment may have sounded. The fact that I left an evangelical church specifically isn't super relevant. It's just how I was raised; I experienced a lot of bad stuff and left Christianity completely. In recent years I have been thinking more about returning to Christ, but my upbringing haunts me and I haven't dealt with it yet/found an alternative.
Gotcha! I didn't mean to sound judgmental... I have lots of friends who experienced traumatic evangelical upbringings and completely left the faith. I experienced my own shit with evangelicalism (hence not being evangelical anymore). I guess what I meant was... don't lose hope? Evangelical isn't the only way to have faith in Christ and be a part of the church?
Looking for a job has me down and reflecting on previous, all disappointing job searches. It's been a terrible feeling to log in to a system and see my application from 2 or 3 years ago that was summarily rejected at the time. Feel about an inch tall and could use some prayers.
It's not a fun club to be in but you're in good company. Those people from 2-3 years ago are history, someone out there is going to be thrilled to see your application <3
I was looking for a job for half this year and it was a horrible slog. Especially when I got to the second round of interviews and did not get the job. I decided to go back to school I know how hard the process can be. You are in my prayers.
I always read these posts/threads and think I shouldn't participate since I'm an atheist, but reading some of your other posts, maybe this is a space I still belong in? Anyway, my life looks good from the outside but so many things are weighing on me at once. I'm working a job and a half, I love them both but I need to find balance; my dad has Alzheimer's and hasn't been able to speak intelligibly with me for a year or two now; my mom is his very-in-denial caretaker, possibly to the point of negligence, but I have no idea how to intervene from a distance; I'm realizing I have PTSD after my dog was violently attacked and killed in my arms a couple years ago and I'm not sure how to deal with it still; I'm in a still-new-to-me city and it's taking forever to make friends; and I'm in the best relationship of my life but terrified I'm going to mess it up somehow. I can deal with one or two things at a time but I'm overwhelmed with the lot of it.
I think that praying for someone is our way of expressing love and hope. Even if you don't believe that they are being heard, you can think of it as us holding you in our hearts. Everyone belongs in the Nicollective!
It was a delight to pray for each of you who have posted so far, to care and worry about you for a few minutes before I have to start my day. Nice to not be praying about my own dumb self for once, yknow?
Yes! When I'm feeling disconnected from God praying for others always brings me back into that space quicker. And it's nice to have a distraction from my own dang life!
I am very worried about the future of the UK, possibly more scared than I've ever been before. It feels like everything is on fire. Please pray for us.
My best friend's dad is undergoing brain surgery today to remove a tumor they found pretty recently. If y'all could please pray for him (Barry), I would be grateful. They're such a wonderful, loving family, and this is so scary.
Update: Five hours of surgery later, they were able to remove the whole tumor and Barry's auditory nerve is fully intact! I uh did not know that last thing was in question so that's especially good!! Really grateful for y'all's prayers today and for the opportunity to pray for you all too and spend time holding your stories with me. This space has been a comfort today.
I spent the last several days looking at colleges with my son. He is just shy of a year sober and fully embraced the process. College isn’t the end-all, but for him it’s a dream he thought he had to give up. Prayers for him, that he can continue to face, manage, and conquer his fears. And for me, that I can continue to remember that it’s his journey and not get stuck on the outcome.
If your son is at an age where he's interested in living on campus, a growing number of schools are creating sober living environments for students who have experienced or been impacted by addiction (you can find out more here: https://collegiaterecovery.org or here: https://collegiaterecovery.org/student-support/). There are also non-residential recovery programs as well as student organizations.
Thank you, this is a great resource. He is a senior this year, so yes. He’s looking at very small schools, and most seem to have great academic/student support services. His biggest takeaway from the last year, and my greatest relief, is that he’s realized there’s no shame in asking for help!
Prayers for my partner's family, please. His parents are splitting up after 30+ years of marriage, and it's turning ugly very quickly (including a court appearance tomorrow), and there are just no good outcomes here. We're far away and thankfully removed from the situation, but his brother is shouldering more than his fair share of the burden. Thank you.
Prayers would be so appreciated either for our lost cat (a tiny black being with huge eyes and a chirp of a purr) to come home after two weeks away, or for my partner and I, who are dealing with a lot of conflicting stresses and anxieties right now, to find the grace to accept the loss.
Thank you for making this thread public because I had to cancel my subscription and I value this community. I feel like I’ve been job searching for three years (reality is I had a job for one of the three but it was a terrible fit for me so I never really settled there) and I am supposed to hear back this week from a job that would be perfect and I would be perfect for and I’m worried I screwed up the writing sample. So - prayers I get the job or prayers I am okay if I don’t. (I’ve been keeping Xanax on my person all week because I will be very much not okay if this job ends up not working out either..). Woof. It’s a lot.
I've been there, really recently. My therapist talked a lot about how it's important to let yourself be excited, that your brain is kind of lying when it tells you keep your hopes and good feelings down because disappointment would be worse than if you didn't let yourself feel good about how well things have gone thus far. It doesn't work that way. So I'm hoping you can find some joy in the waiting, too. <3
I wanted to tell you I really love the G*d you evoked and described for the person hurting terribly upthread - the big, BIG, listening, intuiting, feminine G*d. I don't personally have religious faith, but as long as people think and talk about and desire a deity, She seems like a really important and powerful force to feel and describe in the universe. I'm a veteran of protracted ridiculous job search processes in absurd lottery-like conditions, and worrying I screwed up the writing sample (I don't think the outcome is ever because someone screwed up/didn't screw up the writing sample). Thoughts are with you.
My mother married her husband 39 yrs ago when I was a child. He is a horrible angry man that has never shown me love or compassion, only anger and disinterest. He does not like children.
He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a couple years ago and is currently having a medical set back and he's terrified that this is the beginning of the end.
I am trying to be empathetic and give support to my mother, but this means having to support him by taking him to Drs appts. I have to sit with his toxicity a couple of times a week.
Please pray for him that he might be less scared and anxious. He has no friends or family, no other support. I find it hard to impossible to pray for him, so I would appreciate ya'lls good energy.
A friend told me one time that she would pray for me - not in the sense that she would pray prayers FOR ME, but that she would pray IN MY STEAD, the prayers I couldn't pray. Lord, have mercy.
I would still very much appreciate prayers -- a whole host of physical and medical and mental-health and financial crap all going on at once, and it's very overwhelming. And the whole world feels like it's on fire, too. I'm having a very hard time finding the good in anything, you know?
The whole world being on fire is making everything else that much harder. I'm lucky that when I need something good, I watch my favorite shows. An episode of Legends of Tomorrow is like a natural anti-anxiety. Take your joy where you can find it.
I struggle a lot with asking for prayer, but as this summer comes to a close I'm feeling that need really keenly. This has been an incredibly difficult summer for me. I quit a toxic, incredibly stressful job without anything lined up and have spent 8 weeks unemployed; a week into unemployment a close friend of mine committed suicide; three of my closest friends (including my precious godson and his family) are moving away by the end of the year; I'm in suspense over a job application that would be an amazing next step but is very competitive. Going into this long weekend I'm feeling emotionally unstable and I want to be an enjoyable presence for my friends, but I'm at the end of my rope with keeping up a brave face. I mean, I'm asking strangers for prayer. I just feel really lost and purposeless - if my job was what I was meant to do, why did I have to leave it and why don't I have another one? If my friends and my community is what I'm meant to focus on, why are they all leaving? What do I have left after all of that?
Grateful for a space here to at least put this out in words somewhere, and very grateful for any prayers.
I'm so sorry for the loss of your friend, Jess, and all these other hairy transitions. It's good you want to be a light for your friends, but don't forget to ask for what you need too <3
I'm praying for you, Jess. This is a time of transition and it seems like a lot of it is happening to you all at once. I've been there and it was terrifying and lonely. You come out of it slowly and, for me, at least, it made me better appreciate the things that didn't disappear (like my faith). New jobs and new friends and community will come, I know it. Please be loving and gentle with yourself in the meantime. <3
I have never posted on one of these threads before. And I am on a...particularly strange part of my own journey, but I always read them and hope I'll reach a place of peace. But I do still very strongly believe in the power of prayer motivated by love and goodness.
Some women I know (and possibly myself) are about to undergo something unbelievably painful. Prayers for our safety and healing (physical, but mostly mental, emotional, and spiritual) would be appreciated, as for the lessening effect of abuse and manipulation on those who have suffered for it. For truth and for goodness.
I'm going through a very turbulent time of change, and living a life I never imagined. It's energizing and super scary. Grateful for any prayers while I paw my way through the unknown.
A request for my dad, who's had a fever for a week, and who got into a little fender bender driving himself to the hospital (I don't think he would have even told me, if I hadn't called about something else. Argh! Dads).
Thank you for the excerpt from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I've realized this is where I'm at in my faith right now. I hope to one day believe again, but today is not that day. Thank you for holding space for people like me and Francie.
due in no small part to this newsletter, I've started to rethink my relationship with God and how praying (whatever form that may take) might help me love the world, my family, friends, and myself while maintaining healthy boundaries.
all that flies out the window with my parents, however. they need a lot from me emotionally as they age, but these requests for my time and energy always come with a side of guilt, criticism, and anger. I love them so much and I would consider us close, if not exactly friendly. often I feel so tense and on edge around them that it makes me sad. I'm going to visit them for a night or 2 over Labor Day weekend, and I would like your prayers to meet their love with my love.
This has honestly been the hardest summer of my life, and now I'm heading into my second year of grad school with a lot of anxiety and feelings of inadequacy. My previously good relationship with my advisor feels weird now, and I've become prone to anxiety attacks. I'm moving into a new house, which I hope will be good, and I'd really like to find a new home church. So prayers for all of that I guess? This all feels sort of low stakes, I'm just so tired of feeling miserable. Love you all, praying for you as well.
Grad school is filled with low stakes things that can leave one feeling so utterly miserable. You are not alone in that! Trusting that things will turn around (they will!) is so hard but everyone who has been through grad school has been there.
Speaking of the ominous confines of mortality, I am in need of prayer. I miscarried my first baby at almost 12 weeks only a few months ago, and just found out I'm pregnant again, and it's very early. I am hyper-aware of the statistically significant chance of another miscarriage; I meant to hold off on testing until my period was due, but recognised the implantation pains and tested early. My thankfulness is wrestling with horrible anxiety and fear. If you're praying today, can you pray for us?
I... don't know what I think about a higher power, but I sure do like you all, and I'm always moved by the texts Nicole posts every week, that speak to me in a way scripture generally doesn't. Today is double rough for my husband and I -- it would have been our nephew's 19th birthday, if he hadn't been shot and killed at a baby shower in April. His friends got into an argument with the guy who had a gun, he wasn't even involved in the argument, he was shot trying to get his friends out of the situation. It's a very sad day for our whole family in the middle of still-fresh grief, and I'm thinking of his brother, our eleven year old nephew, constantly today.
And on a much more mundane level, this morning we found out the credit union will only offer my husband a fraction of the loan he needs for the special education credential program he's starting next week -- largely because I was let go from my job last fall after six months there, and was unemployed for another half a year. I have a job I love now but because I've only been here for a few months (and I'm the breadwinner) we're apparently too risky for more than a few thousand dollars. My husband is not neurotypical and the process of committing to a program and applying and doing an interview and everything has been such tremendous progress for him, thanks to a diagnosis that helped him understand his needs better, and meds and lots of therapy. I'm so proud of him and am devastated to think that my getting fired nearly a year ago could be the thing that sinks this, after a long period of belt-tightening and interviewing and disappointment. We were just starting to feel like we were in a good place again and now I'm not sure what we'll do.
I'm reading all your stories and keeping them close to me <3
Prayers for myself and my husband-- he has a chronic back condition and it's worsening. He's a student and it can be difficult to find understanding from your professors/employer, and he is really discouraged. As for myself, I am reporting the guy who assaulted me while we were both students two years ago tonight to the university's Title IX office. It's pretty nerve wracking for me. Thank y'all so much.
I don't pray, but I am sitting with all of you who wrote in. Very hard stuff, especially the health issues, and my heart is with you.
I know this is silly, but 2/3 of my pets have had health problems recently and it's really getting me down. Also in general: I'm far from friends and family, have stopped going to church (for the second time), and feeling adrift. I wish I could snap my fingers and go back to believing in God but it's not that easy; but without my faith I feel lonely, lost, and afraid of the world.
I mentioned on here a couple of weeks ago that my husband and I had a failed adoption in July.... things aren't really getting easier... He's back to normal life (he's a high school teacher, so he was off for the summer - now he's started at a new school, so he's had lots of exciting things to think about) but I keep going to work thinking, "I wasn't supposed to be here right now. I was supposed to be home on leave, with my daughter, not at work dealing with the same stupid shit I always deal with." I'm having loads more problems with my mood and anxiety issues too, and trying to figure out what to do with meds to straighten that out. Sort-of post-traumatic stress response, my shrink says.... not full-blown PTSD, just extra not-funness in response to what happened this summer that's throwing me off and making it harder to figure out what to do now.
Also... I'm just not sure what I'm supposed to do with my life, you know? I'm not one of those women who always thought she'd be a wife and mom - I actually NEVER thought I would be either, and didn't especially care, but when I met the man I married, all that changed, and I want a family with him SO BADLY. But when I thought I was going to be a mom... I thought I would do something that mattered. Now, I don't know. My job isn't particularly fulfilling or important. Scheduling and time constraints make volunteering difficult... I feel like I don't really matter to the world. Like... I have skills and energy and ideas... why can't I do anything with them?
This isn't nearly as big a deal as a lot of the prayer requests here, but I recently moved across the continent and the border (from Kitchener, Ontario to Portland, Oregon) and would love prayers for the transition. I left a huge, supportive community and I know that will take a lot of time to build here. There are a lot of garden variety living in the US for the first time things I'm anxious about, and I also don't have work authorization (moved here for my husband's job) so am at a bit of a los for how to spend my time.
First time commentor, this feels like a very timely post. I am having one of the hardest weeks of my life. Just last week I gave a months notice for resigning from my current toxic job with plans to move back home (three states away) to be closer to my family (and my old therapist). In the process I was planning on ending things with my 5 year partner (the person who brought me to where I currently live) because I didn't feel like things were working out long term, even though he is a great person. Then I experienced a huge health scare- missed work, had to start a course of predisone, which if anyone has ever taken that before- YIKES it messes with your emotions. I am terrified for my long term health, unsure if I will be physically well enough to get another job soon, and I am questioning all my decisions and I just feel like my entire world is crashing down around my ears all at once. I haven't even told my partner (who has been so sweet and supportive during this) that I was planning on ending things with him, and I feel like the worlds biggest fraud/bad person. I could use some prayers and kind words.
I'd love to ask for prayers for my friend who passed away suddenly and pretty horribly a few months ago. He was only 25, so I'd also especially love to ask for prayers for his parents, his family, and everyone who loves him. Thank you so much.
I'm not a believer, but the person I am requesting prayer for is. She has worked up the courage to leave a relationship that has become increasingly emotionally abusive over the last couple of years. She felt safe enough with me to share that information today, and though I've noticed changes in her personality as time has gone on, I haven't wanted to interfere or pry into her relationship. She has a 3 year old daughter with him, and his taking her daughter with her for her safety, as her partner is currently on a "rage bender" and it's not a safe situation for either of them anymore. He has a previous felony assault conviction and while he has never been physically violent to my friend, he is being highly irrational and unpredictable and essentially has kicked her out of their shared home.
Prayer or good thoughts very welcome for my friend; she is so scared but trying to do the best she can for herself and her daughter.
Chris Rice is my go-to for Christian music--I was listening to him this morning actually, including this song. His songwriting gets me right in the Jesus feels. (Along with Jars of Clay.)
I would covet anyone's prayers, because I am hurting. We lost one of our beloved cats to cancer less than two months ago and yesterday we found out the other one also has cancer. It may be treatable, but it may not be, so I'm dealing with the possibility of both of them leaving us.
My sister is facing a very severe mental health crisis at the moment and could use any prayers. Our family is scared and lost and especially feeling the loss of our dad at a time when he would have been so critical to help with support. It's been a hard few years for our entire family and we're just looking for peace and contentment.
Sorry for the double request but my husband and I found out that the man in the flat above us died, in the flat, over the bank holiday weekend. My husband, a beautiful and sweet person, is taking this especially hard as they were removing the body when he came home from work. Please pray for this man’s family, as I understand it’s quite small, and for peace for him wherever his spirit is now. Please also pray for my husband to be able to give himself grace with this knowledge.
Life just feels like A LOT lately. I'm shouldering work stress (I'm starting on the path to partnership in my company while managing two messy jobs, which is not helping my imposter syndrome in the least), parenting stress (impending behavior/social delay evaluation for my preschooler, which is freaking me out more than it should) and partner stress (my husband is finally in therapy to deal with the repercussions of abuse he experienced as a child). I do not know when I will get a chance to come up for air, and it is wearing on me. Thank you for this space today - I'm holding all of you in my thoughts and with my worries.
My 20 year old son—a treasure and the love of my life—attempted suicide last week. I am waking to a new and sadder world. So much hasn’t broken me, but this feels like it could.
Has anyone else been listening to Tommy by Shura album a bunch?? It's my favorite from her new album. (I promise it ties into Jesus Wednesday if you listen.)
I've seen so many people saying it made them cry, which I totally get, but I found it strangely uplifting? Maybe not strange, idk, but seeing so many people say it made them sad I'm just over here like, "did I listen to the same song?"
Thank you for reminding me of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - time for a reread.
I could use some prayers and thoughts: need to get stuff done that requires driving 6 hours away and having everything line up for people and equipment being available (so we can sell my mom's house.) I'm between my fretting mom and my husband who offered to do this but just isn't getting it done, and I'm having a hard time not being furious with both of them. It's bringing up other stuff in my life that isn't working and tomorrow is our 29th anniversary so I'm wondering where things went wrong and what I should do about it. Spent the morning in a conference looking at rentals and crying instead of paying attention.
My hormones went into a sort of weird scrambled collapse after I had my Mirena removed, resulting in extremely rapid weight loss, a total loss of appetite, anxiety, and terrifying extreme insomnia described by more than doctor as "whoa" or "the most extreme I've maybe ever seen." I'm trying to climb back out, but it is ROUGH. I used to be a joyful, energetic, healthy person, and would love to be that person again. I would be very grateful for prayers or kind words for a healthy, healing body and mind.
I was in a somewhat similar situation about two years ago-- massive weight loss and loss of appetite after a dental emergency and oral surgery. It was so scary, and no one that I talked to at the time seemed to understand how terrifying a body that is in open rebellion against you can be.
Praying for you that you can find your way back to a healthy equilibrium. And I'll also put in an enthusiastic word for protein shakes, since those were the one of the few things that I could get down during that time.
Lord have mercy. I hate hormones sooooooo much....
My partner has been having lots of (expensive) medical tests to try to figure out a cluster of mysterious symptoms, and it's looking more and more like probably MS. He's a musician and he NEEDS finger dexterity to play, and it's heartbreaking to see his hands just slipping off instruments when playing has been basically the core of his self-identity. I'm his primary support system, and I'd be so grateful for any prayers or kind words you might have.
Lord have mercy.
Feels a little selfish when so many are asking for prayers for others, but my job has become a toxic environment and I need out. I interviewed for a position that would be really perfect for me last week and I've found out that I'm a finalist. I'm feeling pretty hopeless if this doesn't work out, so prayers for some career direction would be nice.
So it's only been 7 hours but I got the job! I'm feeling nervous as there are still a few kinks to work out with everything, but thank you all for your prayers and kind words. I'm finally stepping into the field I've wanted to be in for...ever.
K now everyone can pray twice as hard for my job search ❤️ congrats, sister!
Hopefully the good vibes will spread! Job hunting is the worst. 💕
Congrats!!!!! ^_^
Awesome!!!
Glad FOR you, I meant!
Yaaaaaaay!!! I'm so glad you you!!
Not selfish at all! Toxic workplaces are so damaging.
Not selfish!
thank you all for the kind words <3
I'm in a job that pays considerably less than the last super toxic place I was at and let me tell you friend I wouldn't trade it for double the difference in salary. It's not selfish -- it's the quality of most of your waking life! Sending influential vibes to the hiring manager so they make the right call and hire you <3
NOT SELFISH. Toxic jobs are THE WORST.
Not selfish! Praying for you.
Greetings all-- a few Jesus Wednesdays ago I asked for prayers as my husband and I tried out a new church. We have now been twice and both of us have experienced full "Nicole style" weeping. For me, it was taking Communion next to my husband-- something I have never experienced with him as I am (...was?) Catholic and he is not. For him it was Communion given to little children (one called the priest "the bread lady" *tears streaming emoji*). I am overwhelmed with gratitude and excitement about what this all means for us and for our son. I see now that sticking with the Catholic church was weirdly a way to let myself off the hook and keep my faith at arm's length. I don't want that anymore. Peace and love to this community, I will read your prayer requests and be with you.
I'm so glad you had such a great experience at a new church! I'm slowly coming to terms with the fact that I'll have to leave the denomination I've belonged to my whole life because of important political differences, and your description of avoiding that kind of change in order to keep faith at arm's length really resonates with me. I think that's what I've been doing for much of adult life. Your note gives me hope. I hope to find strength like yours, to engage more deeply with my faith and challenge myself. I'll be wishing you and your family all the best.
Thanks Hannah-- you too! I also just finished God Land by Lyz Lenz which is a great read and very applicable to these questions and struggles.
Thanks for the book recommendation! I've just requested it from the library :)
Fantastic!! Glad for you both and will be thinking of you trying to bridge the distance--I know it can be scary!
Lord have mercy! Finding the tradition that best helps us love and serve Christ, and be the person we want to be is soooo important.
It’s been a tough summer. We just lost my aunt after a steep decline from chemo (seriously she was fine until she got an infection, and they kept giving her chemo). Her daughter (my cousin) lost her husband two weeks before. Another aunt is in the hospital in Charlotte. Prayers appreciated.
Pray for me to lean less on myself. Working on series of tests for my darling toddler to get some medical/behavioral answers and I’m in the midst of a somewhat high risk pregnancy (hello third trimester!) while still unpacking some of my trauma from birth first time around.
Lord have mercy!
Feeling you, sis. Sounds like we've had some parallel experiences. My last-born is now three, but birth trauma, high-risk pregnancies, and getting toddler evaluations are things I know well. Love to you.
Thanks for commenting. It can be isolating and this made me feel a little less alone. Love to you, too.
Emotional safety for my daughters, please. We are living with an unstable and hurtful person. (Not their dad, I'm divorced and back in my parents home.)
Now I want to dig out my old copy of A Tree Grows In Brooklyn.
My 14-year-old son and I have hit our roughest patch yet. Some of it is garden variety teens and moms stuff, but some of it is us grappling with family expectations versus what the culture accepts from men who struggle with their emotions; recognizing them, naming them, expressing them. Anyway, we could really use any spare prayers folks might be willing to make on our behalf. Thank you.
14 is so rough. you'll get through it <3 thanks for standing by him
Thank you.
Prayers please. My husband and I separated this weekend and he's getting an apartment and we've got couples therapy scheduled and I feel good and relieved but also confused and overwhelmed and upset. It's a lot.
As a result, I also have been talking to my evangelical parents much more often after leaving the church as a teen and I genuinely appreciate their prayers but they're also asking me to pray about it myself which I am not super comfortable with. It feels heavy and I'm parsing through a bunch of things I haven't really dealt with in over a decade along with the aforementioned separation. It's really tough.
Anyways, I will happily accept any extra good the world is willing to throw at me today. Love to you all.
Been there. Praying for you. As Nicole once said, sometimes just "Be with me." is all the prayer you have to give.
I think part of why we're here is to offer prayers on each other's behalf when it's too much to carry ourselves. Got you.
We'll pray in your stead. God understands the groanings of our hearts that can't be put into words.
Praying for you at this delicate time.
Part of me feels like it's not fair for me to ask for prayers since I left evangelical faith 15 years ago. I've been struggling for a long time trying to find faith again in a different way. Last month, I lost my sister and her two children in an extremely sad and violent way and I feel like every day is a bigger struggle than the one before. Any prayers for my family would be deeply appreciated. I haven't yet felt able to pray for myself, but I'm working on it.
One of the nice things about G*d is I think she’s big enough to know your prayers of lamentation even if you don’t feel like you’re voicing them as such. That is such a horrific experience. Praying for you and your family.
I'm very much in the same place. Times are hard and I find myself praying for others more and more but can't bring myself to include prayers for myself. It is so strange to reach for something I thought I left behind! I'm so sorry to hear about your sister and her children. I will keep you in my prayers.
Asking for prayers is always good... and since I'm not an evangelical either, I'm hoping it's okay to ask for prayers on here ;)
Oh dear! I just realized how my comment may have sounded. The fact that I left an evangelical church specifically isn't super relevant. It's just how I was raised; I experienced a lot of bad stuff and left Christianity completely. In recent years I have been thinking more about returning to Christ, but my upbringing haunts me and I haven't dealt with it yet/found an alternative.
Gotcha! I didn't mean to sound judgmental... I have lots of friends who experienced traumatic evangelical upbringings and completely left the faith. I experienced my own shit with evangelicalism (hence not being evangelical anymore). I guess what I meant was... don't lose hope? Evangelical isn't the only way to have faith in Christ and be a part of the church?
Thank you. :)
And Lord have mercy on you and your family, and may the memory of your sister and her children be eternal.
Looking for a job has me down and reflecting on previous, all disappointing job searches. It's been a terrible feeling to log in to a system and see my application from 2 or 3 years ago that was summarily rejected at the time. Feel about an inch tall and could use some prayers.
Job-hunting is soul-crushing. Keeping you in my prayers.
You got this.
It's not a fun club to be in but you're in good company. Those people from 2-3 years ago are history, someone out there is going to be thrilled to see your application <3
I was looking for a job for half this year and it was a horrible slog. Especially when I got to the second round of interviews and did not get the job. I decided to go back to school I know how hard the process can be. You are in my prayers.
I always read these posts/threads and think I shouldn't participate since I'm an atheist, but reading some of your other posts, maybe this is a space I still belong in? Anyway, my life looks good from the outside but so many things are weighing on me at once. I'm working a job and a half, I love them both but I need to find balance; my dad has Alzheimer's and hasn't been able to speak intelligibly with me for a year or two now; my mom is his very-in-denial caretaker, possibly to the point of negligence, but I have no idea how to intervene from a distance; I'm realizing I have PTSD after my dog was violently attacked and killed in my arms a couple years ago and I'm not sure how to deal with it still; I'm in a still-new-to-me city and it's taking forever to make friends; and I'm in the best relationship of my life but terrified I'm going to mess it up somehow. I can deal with one or two things at a time but I'm overwhelmed with the lot of it.
You are welcome to be here as much as you want.
Absolutely holding space for you here. I'm so sorry to hear about all of this. Thinking of you, and praying for you if you want/don't mind.
I think that praying for someone is our way of expressing love and hope. Even if you don't believe that they are being heard, you can think of it as us holding you in our hearts. Everyone belongs in the Nicollective!
I'm so glad you're participating. Prayers/thoughts/good vibes all the way.
It was a delight to pray for each of you who have posted so far, to care and worry about you for a few minutes before I have to start my day. Nice to not be praying about my own dumb self for once, yknow?
Yes! When I'm feeling disconnected from God praying for others always brings me back into that space quicker. And it's nice to have a distraction from my own dang life!
I am very worried about the future of the UK, possibly more scared than I've ever been before. It feels like everything is on fire. Please pray for us.
My best friend's dad is undergoing brain surgery today to remove a tumor they found pretty recently. If y'all could please pray for him (Barry), I would be grateful. They're such a wonderful, loving family, and this is so scary.
Update: Five hours of surgery later, they were able to remove the whole tumor and Barry's auditory nerve is fully intact! I uh did not know that last thing was in question so that's especially good!! Really grateful for y'all's prayers today and for the opportunity to pray for you all too and spend time holding your stories with me. This space has been a comfort today.
Oh this is fantastic news!
I spent the last several days looking at colleges with my son. He is just shy of a year sober and fully embraced the process. College isn’t the end-all, but for him it’s a dream he thought he had to give up. Prayers for him, that he can continue to face, manage, and conquer his fears. And for me, that I can continue to remember that it’s his journey and not get stuck on the outcome.
If your son is at an age where he's interested in living on campus, a growing number of schools are creating sober living environments for students who have experienced or been impacted by addiction (you can find out more here: https://collegiaterecovery.org or here: https://collegiaterecovery.org/student-support/). There are also non-residential recovery programs as well as student organizations.
Thank you, this is a great resource. He is a senior this year, so yes. He’s looking at very small schools, and most seem to have great academic/student support services. His biggest takeaway from the last year, and my greatest relief, is that he’s realized there’s no shame in asking for help!
Lord have mercy.
Prayers for my partner's family, please. His parents are splitting up after 30+ years of marriage, and it's turning ugly very quickly (including a court appearance tomorrow), and there are just no good outcomes here. We're far away and thankfully removed from the situation, but his brother is shouldering more than his fair share of the burden. Thank you.
Such a rough time for the whole family!
Lord have mercy!
Prayers would be so appreciated either for our lost cat (a tiny black being with huge eyes and a chirp of a purr) to come home after two weeks away, or for my partner and I, who are dealing with a lot of conflicting stresses and anxieties right now, to find the grace to accept the loss.
Thank you for making this thread public because I had to cancel my subscription and I value this community. I feel like I’ve been job searching for three years (reality is I had a job for one of the three but it was a terrible fit for me so I never really settled there) and I am supposed to hear back this week from a job that would be perfect and I would be perfect for and I’m worried I screwed up the writing sample. So - prayers I get the job or prayers I am okay if I don’t. (I’ve been keeping Xanax on my person all week because I will be very much not okay if this job ends up not working out either..). Woof. It’s a lot.
Email me and i’ll Freebie you
I've been there, really recently. My therapist talked a lot about how it's important to let yourself be excited, that your brain is kind of lying when it tells you keep your hopes and good feelings down because disappointment would be worse than if you didn't let yourself feel good about how well things have gone thus far. It doesn't work that way. So I'm hoping you can find some joy in the waiting, too. <3
Lord have mercy! waiting is terrible
Praying for you! Praying for you to feel peace no matter what happens.
I wanted to tell you I really love the G*d you evoked and described for the person hurting terribly upthread - the big, BIG, listening, intuiting, feminine G*d. I don't personally have religious faith, but as long as people think and talk about and desire a deity, She seems like a really important and powerful force to feel and describe in the universe. I'm a veteran of protracted ridiculous job search processes in absurd lottery-like conditions, and worrying I screwed up the writing sample (I don't think the outcome is ever because someone screwed up/didn't screw up the writing sample). Thoughts are with you.
Omg you’re giving me Nicole Cliffe levels of feelings. Thank you so much.
My mother married her husband 39 yrs ago when I was a child. He is a horrible angry man that has never shown me love or compassion, only anger and disinterest. He does not like children.
He was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a couple years ago and is currently having a medical set back and he's terrified that this is the beginning of the end.
I am trying to be empathetic and give support to my mother, but this means having to support him by taking him to Drs appts. I have to sit with his toxicity a couple of times a week.
Please pray for him that he might be less scared and anxious. He has no friends or family, no other support. I find it hard to impossible to pray for him, so I would appreciate ya'lls good energy.
A friend told me one time that she would pray for me - not in the sense that she would pray prayers FOR ME, but that she would pray IN MY STEAD, the prayers I couldn't pray. Lord, have mercy.
Also praying for you; what a hard situation.
I would still very much appreciate prayers -- a whole host of physical and medical and mental-health and financial crap all going on at once, and it's very overwhelming. And the whole world feels like it's on fire, too. I'm having a very hard time finding the good in anything, you know?
The whole world being on fire is making everything else that much harder. I'm lucky that when I need something good, I watch my favorite shows. An episode of Legends of Tomorrow is like a natural anti-anxiety. Take your joy where you can find it.
Lord have mercy! I have to be careful how much attention I pay to the outside world sometimes, you know? It just gets to be too much...
I struggle a lot with asking for prayer, but as this summer comes to a close I'm feeling that need really keenly. This has been an incredibly difficult summer for me. I quit a toxic, incredibly stressful job without anything lined up and have spent 8 weeks unemployed; a week into unemployment a close friend of mine committed suicide; three of my closest friends (including my precious godson and his family) are moving away by the end of the year; I'm in suspense over a job application that would be an amazing next step but is very competitive. Going into this long weekend I'm feeling emotionally unstable and I want to be an enjoyable presence for my friends, but I'm at the end of my rope with keeping up a brave face. I mean, I'm asking strangers for prayer. I just feel really lost and purposeless - if my job was what I was meant to do, why did I have to leave it and why don't I have another one? If my friends and my community is what I'm meant to focus on, why are they all leaving? What do I have left after all of that?
Grateful for a space here to at least put this out in words somewhere, and very grateful for any prayers.
I'm so sorry for the loss of your friend, Jess, and all these other hairy transitions. It's good you want to be a light for your friends, but don't forget to ask for what you need too <3
I'm praying for you, Jess. This is a time of transition and it seems like a lot of it is happening to you all at once. I've been there and it was terrifying and lonely. You come out of it slowly and, for me, at least, it made me better appreciate the things that didn't disappear (like my faith). New jobs and new friends and community will come, I know it. Please be loving and gentle with yourself in the meantime. <3
I have never posted on one of these threads before. And I am on a...particularly strange part of my own journey, but I always read them and hope I'll reach a place of peace. But I do still very strongly believe in the power of prayer motivated by love and goodness.
Some women I know (and possibly myself) are about to undergo something unbelievably painful. Prayers for our safety and healing (physical, but mostly mental, emotional, and spiritual) would be appreciated, as for the lessening effect of abuse and manipulation on those who have suffered for it. For truth and for goodness.
I'm going through a very turbulent time of change, and living a life I never imagined. It's energizing and super scary. Grateful for any prayers while I paw my way through the unknown.
I don’t know why it helped so much but I drove past a sign that said trust your unknown future to a known God. The gray is scary; praying for you.
It's comforting to be reminded that we all move through the gray now and again. Thank you, that helps :)
A request for my dad, who's had a fever for a week, and who got into a little fender bender driving himself to the hospital (I don't think he would have even told me, if I hadn't called about something else. Argh! Dads).
Thank you for the excerpt from A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. I've realized this is where I'm at in my faith right now. I hope to one day believe again, but today is not that day. Thank you for holding space for people like me and Francie.
due in no small part to this newsletter, I've started to rethink my relationship with God and how praying (whatever form that may take) might help me love the world, my family, friends, and myself while maintaining healthy boundaries.
all that flies out the window with my parents, however. they need a lot from me emotionally as they age, but these requests for my time and energy always come with a side of guilt, criticism, and anger. I love them so much and I would consider us close, if not exactly friendly. often I feel so tense and on edge around them that it makes me sad. I'm going to visit them for a night or 2 over Labor Day weekend, and I would like your prayers to meet their love with my love.
This has honestly been the hardest summer of my life, and now I'm heading into my second year of grad school with a lot of anxiety and feelings of inadequacy. My previously good relationship with my advisor feels weird now, and I've become prone to anxiety attacks. I'm moving into a new house, which I hope will be good, and I'd really like to find a new home church. So prayers for all of that I guess? This all feels sort of low stakes, I'm just so tired of feeling miserable. Love you all, praying for you as well.
Grad school is filled with low stakes things that can leave one feeling so utterly miserable. You are not alone in that! Trusting that things will turn around (they will!) is so hard but everyone who has been through grad school has been there.
Thank you, this was really encouraging!
Grad school is so difficult! I will be praying for you to find peace in the period of change and growth you're going through.
Thank you so much <3 <3 <3
Speaking of the ominous confines of mortality, I am in need of prayer. I miscarried my first baby at almost 12 weeks only a few months ago, and just found out I'm pregnant again, and it's very early. I am hyper-aware of the statistically significant chance of another miscarriage; I meant to hold off on testing until my period was due, but recognised the implantation pains and tested early. My thankfulness is wrestling with horrible anxiety and fear. If you're praying today, can you pray for us?
Sending you love and prayer.
I... don't know what I think about a higher power, but I sure do like you all, and I'm always moved by the texts Nicole posts every week, that speak to me in a way scripture generally doesn't. Today is double rough for my husband and I -- it would have been our nephew's 19th birthday, if he hadn't been shot and killed at a baby shower in April. His friends got into an argument with the guy who had a gun, he wasn't even involved in the argument, he was shot trying to get his friends out of the situation. It's a very sad day for our whole family in the middle of still-fresh grief, and I'm thinking of his brother, our eleven year old nephew, constantly today.
And on a much more mundane level, this morning we found out the credit union will only offer my husband a fraction of the loan he needs for the special education credential program he's starting next week -- largely because I was let go from my job last fall after six months there, and was unemployed for another half a year. I have a job I love now but because I've only been here for a few months (and I'm the breadwinner) we're apparently too risky for more than a few thousand dollars. My husband is not neurotypical and the process of committing to a program and applying and doing an interview and everything has been such tremendous progress for him, thanks to a diagnosis that helped him understand his needs better, and meds and lots of therapy. I'm so proud of him and am devastated to think that my getting fired nearly a year ago could be the thing that sinks this, after a long period of belt-tightening and interviewing and disappointment. We were just starting to feel like we were in a good place again and now I'm not sure what we'll do.
I'm reading all your stories and keeping them close to me <3
Prayers for myself and my husband-- he has a chronic back condition and it's worsening. He's a student and it can be difficult to find understanding from your professors/employer, and he is really discouraged. As for myself, I am reporting the guy who assaulted me while we were both students two years ago tonight to the university's Title IX office. It's pretty nerve wracking for me. Thank y'all so much.
Praying for you both!
I don't pray, but I am sitting with all of you who wrote in. Very hard stuff, especially the health issues, and my heart is with you.
I know this is silly, but 2/3 of my pets have had health problems recently and it's really getting me down. Also in general: I'm far from friends and family, have stopped going to church (for the second time), and feeling adrift. I wish I could snap my fingers and go back to believing in God but it's not that easy; but without my faith I feel lonely, lost, and afraid of the world.
Incarnation and the mundane/divine connection really speaks to me.
Thanks for bringing back Jesus Wednesday - I've been using it as a devotion.
I mentioned on here a couple of weeks ago that my husband and I had a failed adoption in July.... things aren't really getting easier... He's back to normal life (he's a high school teacher, so he was off for the summer - now he's started at a new school, so he's had lots of exciting things to think about) but I keep going to work thinking, "I wasn't supposed to be here right now. I was supposed to be home on leave, with my daughter, not at work dealing with the same stupid shit I always deal with." I'm having loads more problems with my mood and anxiety issues too, and trying to figure out what to do with meds to straighten that out. Sort-of post-traumatic stress response, my shrink says.... not full-blown PTSD, just extra not-funness in response to what happened this summer that's throwing me off and making it harder to figure out what to do now.
Also... I'm just not sure what I'm supposed to do with my life, you know? I'm not one of those women who always thought she'd be a wife and mom - I actually NEVER thought I would be either, and didn't especially care, but when I met the man I married, all that changed, and I want a family with him SO BADLY. But when I thought I was going to be a mom... I thought I would do something that mattered. Now, I don't know. My job isn't particularly fulfilling or important. Scheduling and time constraints make volunteering difficult... I feel like I don't really matter to the world. Like... I have skills and energy and ideas... why can't I do anything with them?
Your constrained situation is temporary. Your talents are not.
God be with you, and you are in my prayers. The fact that this will not be forever does not make it less real now.
This isn't nearly as big a deal as a lot of the prayer requests here, but I recently moved across the continent and the border (from Kitchener, Ontario to Portland, Oregon) and would love prayers for the transition. I left a huge, supportive community and I know that will take a lot of time to build here. There are a lot of garden variety living in the US for the first time things I'm anxious about, and I also don't have work authorization (moved here for my husband's job) so am at a bit of a los for how to spend my time.
First time commentor, this feels like a very timely post. I am having one of the hardest weeks of my life. Just last week I gave a months notice for resigning from my current toxic job with plans to move back home (three states away) to be closer to my family (and my old therapist). In the process I was planning on ending things with my 5 year partner (the person who brought me to where I currently live) because I didn't feel like things were working out long term, even though he is a great person. Then I experienced a huge health scare- missed work, had to start a course of predisone, which if anyone has ever taken that before- YIKES it messes with your emotions. I am terrified for my long term health, unsure if I will be physically well enough to get another job soon, and I am questioning all my decisions and I just feel like my entire world is crashing down around my ears all at once. I haven't even told my partner (who has been so sweet and supportive during this) that I was planning on ending things with him, and I feel like the worlds biggest fraud/bad person. I could use some prayers and kind words.
Prayers! Prednisone always makes me feel like I could punch a hole in a brick wall.
I wish I could hug all of you who'd want hugs and sit with all of you who just want to be sat with.
I'd love to ask for prayers for my friend who passed away suddenly and pretty horribly a few months ago. He was only 25, so I'd also especially love to ask for prayers for his parents, his family, and everyone who loves him. Thank you so much.
I'm not a believer, but the person I am requesting prayer for is. She has worked up the courage to leave a relationship that has become increasingly emotionally abusive over the last couple of years. She felt safe enough with me to share that information today, and though I've noticed changes in her personality as time has gone on, I haven't wanted to interfere or pry into her relationship. She has a 3 year old daughter with him, and his taking her daughter with her for her safety, as her partner is currently on a "rage bender" and it's not a safe situation for either of them anymore. He has a previous felony assault conviction and while he has never been physically violent to my friend, he is being highly irrational and unpredictable and essentially has kicked her out of their shared home.
Prayer or good thoughts very welcome for my friend; she is so scared but trying to do the best she can for herself and her daughter.
I'm not a big fan of contemporary Christian music, but Chris Rice's "Welcome To Our World" is a perfect incarnation hymn.
https://youtu.be/QrgwL5r7IcU
"Fragile finger sent to heal us
Tender brow prepared for thorn
Tiny heart whose blood will save us
Unto us is born.
So wrap our injured flesh around You
Breathe our air and walk our sod
Rob our sins and make us holy
Perfect Son of God."
Chris Rice is my go-to for Christian music--I was listening to him this morning actually, including this song. His songwriting gets me right in the Jesus feels. (Along with Jars of Clay.)
Yes! Jars of Clay!
I would covet anyone's prayers, because I am hurting. We lost one of our beloved cats to cancer less than two months ago and yesterday we found out the other one also has cancer. It may be treatable, but it may not be, so I'm dealing with the possibility of both of them leaving us.
My sister is facing a very severe mental health crisis at the moment and could use any prayers. Our family is scared and lost and especially feeling the loss of our dad at a time when he would have been so critical to help with support. It's been a hard few years for our entire family and we're just looking for peace and contentment.
Sorry for the double request but my husband and I found out that the man in the flat above us died, in the flat, over the bank holiday weekend. My husband, a beautiful and sweet person, is taking this especially hard as they were removing the body when he came home from work. Please pray for this man’s family, as I understand it’s quite small, and for peace for him wherever his spirit is now. Please also pray for my husband to be able to give himself grace with this knowledge.
Life just feels like A LOT lately. I'm shouldering work stress (I'm starting on the path to partnership in my company while managing two messy jobs, which is not helping my imposter syndrome in the least), parenting stress (impending behavior/social delay evaluation for my preschooler, which is freaking me out more than it should) and partner stress (my husband is finally in therapy to deal with the repercussions of abuse he experienced as a child). I do not know when I will get a chance to come up for air, and it is wearing on me. Thank you for this space today - I'm holding all of you in my thoughts and with my worries.
My 20 year old son—a treasure and the love of my life—attempted suicide last week. I am waking to a new and sadder world. So much hasn’t broken me, but this feels like it could.
Several things have gone sideways in my life in big ways in be past few weeks, and I would greatly appreciate prayers and good vibes. Thank you!
Thank you. These readings gave me some things to think about.
Has anyone else been listening to Tommy by Shura album a bunch?? It's my favorite from her new album. (I promise it ties into Jesus Wednesday if you listen.)
I've seen so many people saying it made them cry, which I totally get, but I found it strangely uplifting? Maybe not strange, idk, but seeing so many people say it made them sad I'm just over here like, "did I listen to the same song?"
Thank you for reminding me of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - time for a reread.
I could use some prayers and thoughts: need to get stuff done that requires driving 6 hours away and having everything line up for people and equipment being available (so we can sell my mom's house.) I'm between my fretting mom and my husband who offered to do this but just isn't getting it done, and I'm having a hard time not being furious with both of them. It's bringing up other stuff in my life that isn't working and tomorrow is our 29th anniversary so I'm wondering where things went wrong and what I should do about it. Spent the morning in a conference looking at rentals and crying instead of paying attention.