about prayer
What is Prayer?
Are you open minded?
Are you open minded?
Prayer is conversation with God. You don't need to use special words or a special voice. You can pray out loud or silently. God knows what you think and is familiar with all you do. You can talk to Him about anything.
Are you open minded?
Are you open minded?
Are you open minded?
You don't have to have a problem to pray. Many people simply want to know if there is something that can make sense of life. Be open minded and try things out.
Try praying
Are you open minded?
Now here's a thought.
Use your own words; or if you don't know what to say, try this: "God, if you are there - and I am not sure you are - but if you are, I want to know you. I don't want to kid myself about it; I really want to know you. So as I pray, please make yourself known to me in some way."
Now here's a thought.
Now here's a thought.
Now here's a thought.
Imagine a conversation between twins in the womb. Stupid idea, because they can't talk, but go with it. One says, "we've got a mother who has made us and is all around us. One day we'll meet her." The other says, "I'm not sure about this mother idea. I don't think there's anything outside of this life. We've got all we need and we've got each other. There is nothing more than we can see and feel here. I find the idea of having a 'mother' rather unscientific even amusing." People often struggle to find God in their lives, but the truth is He's all around us - not far awy if we just reach out.
Getting started.
Now here's a thought.
Getting started.
We don't have to be in a mess to ask for help but so often it's when we really call out to God that He meets us.
Some people face health issues, get stressed about money or worry about relationships.
What does the future hold for me? Will everything be okay? Others suffer from depression.
Whatever it is, you know you could do with some help. Lay it at God's feet. God is good and often meets us when we reach out to him.
Footprints
Now here's a thought.
Getting started.
One night I dreamed a dream. As I was walking along the beach with my Lord. Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life. For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand, One belonging to me and one to my Lord. After the last scene of my life flashed before me, I looked back at the footprints in the sand. I noticed that at many times along the path of my life, especially at the very lowest and saddest times, there was only one set of footprints.
This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it. "Lord, you said once I decided to follow you, You'd walk with me all the way.
But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life, there was only one set of footprints. I don't understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me." He whispered, "My precious child, I love you and will never leave you. Never, ever, during your trials and testings. When you saw only one set of footprints, It was then that I carried you."
let us pray
Please pray for the following people and situations:
Eric & Katherine Simmonds
Jim
Beryl
Audrey
Barbara Bott
Lesley Fox
The family of Jack Thomas whose funeral took place on 1st November.
A Prayer for Ukraine
God of peace and justice,
we pray for the people of Ukraine today.
We pray for peace and the laying down of weapons.
We pray for all those who fear tomorrow,
that your spirit of comfort would draw near to them.
We pray for those with power over war or peace,
for wisdom, discernment and compassion
to guide their decisions.
Above all, we pray for all your precious children, at risk and in fear,
that you would hold and protect them.
We pray in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace.
Amen.
Archbishop Justin Welby
Archbishop Stephen Cottrell
Prayers for all those affected by Covid-19 coronavirus.
God, we ask that all
who are affected by this virus
be held in your loving care.
In this time of uncertainty,
help us to know what is ours to do.
We know you did not cause this suffering
but that you are with us in it and through it.
Help us to recognize your presence
in acts of kindness, in moments of silence,
and in the beauty of the created world.
Grant peace and protection to all of humanity
for their well-being and
for the benefit of the earth.
Amen
Keep us, good Lord
under the shadow of your mercy.
Sustain and support the anxious,
be with those who care for the sick
and lift up all who are brought low;
that we may find comfort
knowing that nothing can separate us from your love.
Prayers for our world, environment and all in it
God, I recognise that the world has gone wrong in many ways and I want to be part of something better. I'm sorry for my own part in making things go wrong and i ask you to make me someone who is connected with heaven.
Keep us, Good Lord, under the shadow of your mercy in this time of uncertainty and distress. Sustain those who are anxious and fearful and lift up all those who have been brought low; that we may rejoice in your comfort knowing that nothing can separate us from your love in Christ Jesus.
We pray, Lord, for the many people affected by global warming, flooding, storm damage and the civil strife in Belarus. Those in the path of the storm currently heading into the United States and all those affected by the recent explosion in Beirut.