Death of a friend

 It is always a massive loss when a long term friend dies. The days are filled with odd memories and flashes of images and conversations, long forgotten, suddenly important once more. Sadness can overwhelm you at unexpected moments.Though we believe that the person who dies is held lovingly in the Heart of the Trinity, it is still necessary to grieve the physical loss. It is here that we turn to God in moments of grief or despair, trusting in His unfailing Love to sustain us and carry us through, believing that His Light will remind us of all that is good still remaining in the world to bless our days.

What can I do

When all is taken from me,

Even hope?

I can wait.

I can trust.

I can remain open

To goodness

And a perfect way forward,

Within the darkness,

Set aside only for me,

That will ignite a tiny flicker of light

In my heart

And set me surely on a new path 

forward.

Amen

May every blessing ever made

Reach you in your distress 

May every blessing sent to you

Curl round you in a loving embrace

May every blessing ever spoken

Whisper words of love and strength

To carry you through the bleakest days

May every blessing bless you now!

Confidence in prayer in desperate moments

 

The one thing I hold on to, even though I may feel like despairing, like everything is hopeless and the way through a difficult moment or situation is hidden or feels completely out of reach, is prayer.

Prayer may be desperate. It may be spoken in agony. It even be uttered in doubt. It may be whispered or shouted, angry, hurt or hopeful. Whatever the circumstance and however dire things seem, it is my experience through 27 years of continuous, profound suffering, that prayer will bring comfort and a spark of light, no matter how tiny, can be ignited in your heart and mind once more. For Christ has said He will be with us till the end of time. He has said before Abraham ever was, I am. What a powerful, awesome affirmation of his constancy and His presence with us.

And so I cry out, deep in the night, in the pain of paralysis, in the  desolation fear can wreak upon me and I find His Light is there, ever gentle, ever strong, ever true.

When I pray for myself, I know, deep down that He hears me., that  something will shift, that hope will reignite, that comfort or consolation will somehow come, that I will get through the most desolate of moments.

When I pray for others, I feel the Power of the Holy Spirit flowing through me. The prayer is tangible, real, light-filled, strengthening. I know it is heard and that somehow that energy of caring has touched them. We can never know what will happen, how prayer will be answered, yet my sense of  His presence gives me confidence that His Light has entered the situation.

When I pray with my husband, I have confidence in the promise God spoke: when two or three are gathered together, He is with us. Together we reach out in love through prayer to touch the whole world, we listen for His Word, we hear Him speak in our hearts and are reassured of His Way, immersed in the Love of the Trinity.

A prayer from a friend lifted us up

 

When things are tough and everything seems to be extra stressful and nothing is going quite right, it is wonderful to receive kind words of comfort and support from someone sending you a sincere and deeply moving prayer.

Today our lives were brightened by the kindness and thoughtfulness of one man, a kind friend,  hearing our need and reaching out with a personal prayer. 

Father God, I pray that you will wrap your loving arms around Linda and all those who are suffering in the same way she is.

Jesus, shepherd of our souls, the one in whom is all healing power, reach out and touch each one and let them know your healing flowing through them.

Spirit of comfort, comfort Linda and those who are suffering like her.

Lord, I ask you to strengthen Greg and all those who care for their loved ones who are suffering. Give them your patience, kindness and wisdom. Strengthen them when they feel weak and don't know what to do. Be the Rock they can lean on. Comfort them and give them hope.

Amen.

And so perhaps we can all be inspired similarly to reach out with unexpected kindness . You never know the difference that you will make.

Broken in pieces

 Broken in pieces

This is a song based on a poem my wife wrote about how continual repeated paralysis affects her. Called, broken in pieces, it may be that others can better relate to the words, too, for life is broken and altered by the Pandemic and much feels lost. Sometimes it helps to express the loss and the impact of such things. Always we hope that God is watching and will lift us up and heal and guide us. Amen

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAPPKN3Ngxw

When we struggle

 What do we do when we are struggling? It is so easy when things keep going wrong or nothing seems to change for the better  or circumstances worsen unbearably, to feel helpless, hopeless, despairing. This then is the time to turn to the Lord and ask for His help. Call His Holy name. Pray to the Spirit to come in Power, lift up your spiritual eyes to see Him more clearly. Banish all fear and hopelessness and place your heart in trust in God to bless you and come to your aid. 

Focusing on fear and negative imaginings only worsens your sense of disempowerment and abandonment. Focusing on goodness, light, love and the presence of God with you must surely touch your heart in a new way and give you strength. Amen.

Praying together

 Praying together gives us strength in difficult days. It is that connection of light and oneness with each other and God that helps to lift our hearts to a higher place. 

Here we can place all those in need of special graces with the Father, the Son and the Spirit: the awesome Might Holy Trinity. Our hearts feel lighter for the energy of prayer is alive with the power of love and hope. For people we know who are struggling, ill or dying, we trust that they receive a blessing, touched by the prayer and the promise that God has given us, that He is with us. 

We pray using His Holy name, Jesus Christ, we invoke the Power of the Spirit, we ask for the Love of the Father to fill each persons need. We ask for miracles, remissions, healing, peace, whatever we discern is needed, trusting that our hearts will guide us faithfully to pray sincerely.

This is the blessing of faith, that however bleak our circumstances are, God can still touch us and save us. However alone we might feel and isolated we might be, there is the Presence of the Trinity, holding us in the Heart of Love, so we are never truly alone. This is how we can all be connected. This is how prayer unites us all in a bond of healing and trust in the goodness of God and each other. Amen

In difficult circumstances MAY YOU ENDURE

MAY YOU ENDURE

May you endure in the most difficult of circumstances

May He hold you and steady you on your path

May you find strength in the Lord.

May He always protect you and keep you safe.

May you trust in His guidance

May He lead you in love

May you always find comfort and unexpected kindness

May He bless you in unthought of ways.

May there be a change of heart and mind in all who persecute you.

May His Wisdom rule in their hearts.

Amen