PRAYER SUPPORT

Hi John, please dont think me stupid, but what do you mean by the
above.
linda.xxxxx

Hi Linda

Cancerbackup provide support - practical advice,information etc. Forum members provide emotional support, a good listening ear and advice from their own experience of cancer - patient or carer.
I appreciate that members may not share my own faith.
As a Christian I believe in the power of prayer support. When my wife was first diagnosed, we took great comfort in the prayers being offered by our friends and church members.
Our mutual faith in a loving God, enabled Heather and I to get through a very traumatic time with her first cancer surgery in 1992 and then a second unrelated in 2002! Thanks to God and all the medical team - she is still a survivor! (see my profile for web link to Heather's book)

It may be that someone is anxious about tests, treatment or results.
A posting might simply be: "Please pray for ........ having a biopsy at ... on..." I and others could then include that person or situation in our personal prayers.

John

Did you read it?

Did you like it?

I thought it was wonderful for every occasion and have it next to my guest bed at home.

Please remember me in your prayers. Starting chemo on Tuesday next. Six months treatment at once a fortnight.

Just pray forstrength. Thats all I need. And love of course, thanks, elizabetta 50

Did you read it?

Did you like it?

I thought it was wonderful for every occasion and have it next to my guest bed at home.

Please remember me in your prayers. Starting chemo on Tuesday next. Six months treatment at once a fortnight.

Just pray forstrength. Thats all I need. And love of course, thanks, elizabetta 50

and i am sure some of us would draw a lot of comfort from knowing that people like yourself John would be kind enough to pray for us, think i could do with some prayers for me to help to keep myself on an even keel! thank you for this John
lots of love
Alisonxxx

Father give to us and all who use this Forum...
in times of anxiety ~ serenity,
in times of uncertainty ~ patience,
in times of hardship ~ courage:
and at all times a quiet trust
in your wisdom and love.
Through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen

You might like to use: http://www.sacredspace.ie/ I use it in the morning - whilst my coffee is brewing! It offer's a sort of Thought and Prayer for the day. Todays' seems so appropriate! Check it out!

My Outlook diary will pop up with Elizabetta50 on Tuesday!

... and a great sense of acceptance. We are all just part of Nature. Tout passe, tout casse, tout lasse... Becky is training to be a spiritual helper. She spends a lot of time meditating, and has helped me understand the beauty and pleasure of little things around me. I hope you don't mind me posting this comment about a different type of spiritual belief. xxx Penny

Just read that link, i have to say, its very apt for all of us here in some way or another. thank you for directing us to it
lots of love
Alisonxxx

Hi john i just read youre link and its great that there is something like this on this website. We all need our beliefs at this time when someone is not well as in going through cancer or other sickness. I believe that i will get through this with the help of prayers as my husband had penile cancer last year and had a large tumour removed 3 months ago and now has two more tumours which he will have to have a big operation for this. My husbands family have gone to church everyday and has lit every candle in nearly every church to pray he gets over this as do i hope the same. The man above can help us in bad times and in good and thankyou for putting this on the website. Pink x

Hi Penny - I've no problem with your comment. I did suggest the Section Title as 'Spirituality' to embrace all faiths - or none.
If God is on the mountain top - I think we are at different points on our individual spiritual journey towards a greater light and a deeper knowledge and understanding of Him. I do and will have many Why? questions for God!

Christians believe we are children of one God and we choose to come to Him in faith - through His son Jesus Christ.

John xx

Thank you for posting Pink.

I pray that the Holy Spirit may strengthen and bless you, your husband and family.

John xx

For being so inclusive. Although I was not brought up to be a christian, my Mum, partner and I do love to visit old churches, and always leave a donation as these buildings give a continuun to our geographical and spiritual landscape, and often contain a fascinating amount of local history. Recently attended a friend's baby's Christening (Methodist). Just as the Minister sprinkled the water, Libby reached one hand heavenwards. It was a very lovely moment, everyone laughed and I know you would have understood. xxx Penny

i actually went to Lourdes in late september last year, i felt i had to get some medallions for my family, well, what an awful place, i found it worse than Blackpool! could have kicked myself though, i could have made a fortune selling folding chairs!!! just not the right place for me, but i like to think that someone may be looking out for me, after all i am nearly at my first anniversary as well, and its not been good, and still not brilliant, but i am still here and hope to be for a long time to come, and i think its good to have this section and people like John to offer some spiritual advice for those of us who want it
Alisonxxxxxxxx

What a lovely Christening moment Penny!

I've met others who have mixed feelings about Lourdes Alison.

A Reader colleague of mine has been to stay with the Taize Community in France. It was led by Brother Roger - who sadly was stabbed to death during the evening prayer service in Taizé on August 16, 2005 by a crazy person!
Carol and I lead a bi monthly service in the Taize style. Very reflective - lots of candles, gentle songs and periods of prayerful silence. You can listen to some examples on the Taize web site (link below).

Trying clicking on the 'Jesus Remember Me' option after placing below in search bar:

http://www.taize.fr/en_article681.html

God Bless

John xx

Elizabetta

A Prayer for God's Blessing and Peace in preparation for tomorrow!

Sent you a PM.

John

thank you john for remembering me..........I need all the prayers and appreciate them all.

Been to Lourdes myself (when my son was 11 which was about 30 years ago). He is paraplegic and I had a wonderful experience so did he I hope. The atmosphere and people we met were so supportive. For me it was a worthwhile and beautiful time. They said he would be dead before he was 5 years old, never walk, .........now he is 40 years old and driving me (automatic) to my hospital appointments. Just see how wrong they can be. He is a caring son with a Masters degree, even though he was born at 2 lbs and not expected to live he runs his own business and is always happy............

However if you take an 11 year old boy in a wheelchair to Lourdes you obviously get lots of support. So many of us have problems that are not visible - that is the shame. Like mine now.........like many others.

Love and Agape........elizabetta

Thanks for sharing that Elizabetta.

If we didn't experience the dark days - we would not appreciate the warmth of a greater light!

John xx

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally he decided the animal was old and the well needed to be covered up anyway. It just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey.
He invited all his neighbours to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel soil into the well. At first, the donkey realised what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement, he quieted down.
A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well and was astonished at what he saw. With every shovel of soil that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing. He would shake it off and take a step up.
As the farmer's neighbours continued to shovel soil on top of the animal, he would shake it off and take a step up. Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and trotted off! Therefore…
When you feel down and under pressure, ask Jesus to lift your load and enable you to take a step up! Matthew chapter 11. Verse 28.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest".

hello john, what a wonderful story.Against all the odds he saw the positive and worked with it.It gives us all a little more hope and encouragement.Thankyou. lesleyxx

I prefer the alternative ending John, but for the life of me can't remember what it is!

You are a very kind person John and I thank you for that.
Your post is a truly kind thing to do. How many times have I felt like that donkey!
I am not a religious person, Tho' sometimes I wish I were, as there are times i envy those that can turn to prayer and their beliefs for comfort. I have tried but to no avail. But like Penny, I love churches, the quiet comfort they offer for contacting ones inner thoughts. I regularly light candles for everyone. But I do this as a gesture to love and respect for the wonderful friends I have around me and the new ones I have met on this forum.
I have visited many religous sites around the world, as we love the architecture and decorations. But I think the one that made most impact on me was the Garden of Gedsemani,(sory if wrong spelling) which is located behind the bus station in Jerusalem, A truly magical place.
I listen to the budist monk on Radio 2 from time to time and find I do understand where he is coming from. Maybe I am finding a spiritual me with out realising it!
I hope my honesty does not offend anyone, as you all mean too much to me.

My love and deapest respect

Debbie

The garden of Gethsemane is a special place - part of The passion of Christ - where Jesus prayed before his betrayal. It was a place where He agonised over God's final will for Him. Matthew Chapter 26 Verse 38: "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow.." He knew what was round the corner! The garden can be a sort of 'wilderness experience' for us. We may fear the future, as we go into a place of hidden depths. We may also experience an inner peace, that all will be well - no matter what the future holds!
Jesus was fully human and experienced a whole range of human emotion.
A good quiz question is often: 'What is the shortest verse in the Bible?'
Answer: "Jesus wept" John Chapter 11. Verse 35. He had been told about His friend Lazarus (presumed dead) and was "deeply moved in spirit and troubled".

On a lighter note? What was the first miracle? The wedding at Cana - where Jesus turned 120 - 180 gallons of water into wine! He liked to party - so I reckon He will be at the RAVE FOR LIFE!

God bless you and give you His Peace -which passes all understanding!

John

xxx

I have a lot of my friends who pray for me and I am sure it helps. When I had my op I felt a calmness that I am sure came from the power of prayer.It doesn't matter what religion you are or even if you are a non believer knowing that people care helps an awful lot. Di

The prayer below was sent to me by the chaplain at my GP's surgery, and I find it very comforting:

May you discover that the road you didn't choose, didn't want to travel,
Is a highway that leads unerringly towards the light

Love, Kate

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Di.

I believe that calmness you mention, is the Peace of God I referred to earlier. People who post here - do care about each other. Our journey may be different but we have a common bond - either as a cancer sufferer, relative or carer.

God Bless You!

John

Thanks for that prayer. It takes us back again to the garden in Gethsemene. Jesus didn't want to travel the way of pain and suffering but accepted it - for us.
I think if we ask Him: "Lord, how much do you love me?" He would simply stretch out His arms as wide as possible and say: "This much".

God Bless You

John

p.s. Do post here or send me a PM if you know the Chemo start date - so I can include you in prayer that day.

For barbaracatt today and all of us!

Inscribed on a paperweight on my office desk:

'Lord help me to remember that nothing is going to happen to me today that You and I together can't handle.'

John

I love this! I bought it in St Paul's Cathedral on a card for my mother, had it framed and she had it on her bedside table for the last few months of her life. And now I have it beside me - a lovely prayer and a daily and happy reminder of my dear and sadly missed mother

God grant me the SERENITY to accept the things I cannot change - COURAGE to change the things I can, and WISDOM to know the difference. Amen

John

I got up early one morning and rushed right into the day; I had so much to accomplish, that I didn't have time to pray. Problems just tumbled about me and heavier came each task. "Why doesn't God help me?" I wondered...

He answered, "You didn't ask!" Origin Anon.

I woke up early this morning and paused before entering the day.
I had so much to accomplish, I just had to take time to pray!

Christian Thought for the Day..

Matthew 6. Verses: 25 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?"

John

Hi Penny,
does your Buddhist friend have a link as well as the one John gave, would be nice to have a choice of text
steffy

Sometimes life seems hard to bear,
Full of sorrow, trouble and woe.
It’s then I have to remember
That’s it’s in the valleys I grow.

If I always stayed on the mountain top
And never experienced pain,
I would never appreciate God’s love
And would be living in vain.

I have so much to learn
And my growth is very slow.
Sometimes I need the mountain tops,
But it’s in the valleys I grow.

I do not always understand
Why things happen as they do,
But I am very sure of one thing.
My Lord will see me through.

My little valleys are nothing
When I picture Christ on the cross.
He went through the valley of death;
His victory was Satan’s loss.

Forgive me Lord for complaining
When I’m feeling so very low.
Just give me a gentle reminder
That it’s in the valleys I grow.

Continue to strengthen me Lord
And use my life each day.
To share your love with others
And help them find their way.

Thank you for the valleys Lord
For this one thing I know
The mountain tops are glorious
But it’s in the valleys I grow!

Anon

thank you for that, i am sure we will all appreciate it
lots of love
Alisonxxx

Ironically, until I was 34 years old - I was a confirmed atheist!
I had a conversion experience which I won't go into here - but it changed my life in so many ways! Reference...Penny's comments on the new Thoughts Thread: 'when a christian woman told me that I "had cancer because you deserve it"!' She may have been religious BUT by what she said - she is definitely NOT a Christian! No-one deserves cancer!
My wife and I are both Christians - but it did not prevent her from suffering 2 unrelated cancers! I believe God sent spiritual healing - but the physical side was administered through some really skilled medical people.
The Prayer Support thread is not just my space though. It was prompted by a request for prayer after someone read my Profile. Although I've done most of the posting - I have had a number of positive PM's in response.

I welcome the thread by Pat - there is so much in what she has said - that is so true and not in conflict with my belief that we should live in Community and 'Love One another'.

i am very much a believer that we read what we want to read, and on here we have the capacity to read or not to read what we want, i for one enjoy what you write, i do feel that sometimes it is very apt for what we go through, but i am not what you would call a christian, just a lover of words that provoke nice thoughts if you know what i mean. but i can see how people would love what you write and feel that god is looking down on them, and thats great, we all need to find solace and comfort in life, be it from any source, i know my mother actually changed her religion from salvation army to catholisism when she was near to the end of her life, but the catholic church really did do her proud, they never went a day without visiting her for the last four months of her life, every day at that, so yes i can see where faith plays a big part for some, this is where i find the need to keep an open mind really helps me through life
lots of love
Alisonxxxxxxxx

I like the final comment about keeping an open mind!

May You Be Blessed Today!

John
xxxx

to you John for your comments and I look forward to catching you in the chat room again.
And here is a quotation from Ecclesiastes which I like, and which is extremely fitting if you go and look for statistics on google:

In much wisdom is much grief
And he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow.

So let's take that as a warning :)

Thanks Pat

My own favourite from Ecclesiastes Ch. V.1-8 (framed in my office)

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace".

I am sure that in Buxton - there will be a time to Party!! Possibly some tears (of joy)and embracing with much laughter and dancing - after a beer, glass of wine or 2!

Bless you!

Heather's check up Thursday 12th June at Queen's Medical.

John

Hi John, give Heather a special hug and a kiss off me, and i will be thinking about the both of you tomorrow
lots of love
Alisonxxxxxxxx

All the best for tomorrow - keeping everything crossed for good results

pat

Will be praying for you both tomorrow - Love, Kate xx

Please pray for Dad, having problems eating at the moment, I pray that we can support him and love him to the best of our ability and give him the reasurrance that we adore him and wll support and love him to the end

Lisa

how did it go today? hope your both ok xxxxx lots of love
Alisonxxxxxxxxxx
ps, hi Lisa, thinking about you all
love Alisonxxxxxxxxxx

Thanks Alison xxxx

Hi john, My dad was diagnosed with terminal cancer and told he only had 1 yr left last september. Last week he was fine and able to look after himself, this week however he has deteriorated quickly, presumably because of an infection. He doesnt have any strength in him to get dressed etc or even support himself whilst someone dresses him. My issue tonight is that last night i had a call from my mum saying she couldnt get him to the bedroom, so i went and we had to almost carry him. Tonight she has tried to sort him out herself, which resulted in him falling to the floor when she couldnt support him any longer. The paramedics were called and they checked him over and got him into bed. My prayer request is that she requests the help that is available to her e.g getting him up in the morning and to bed at night. The good news out of this all is that a few months after learning about the cancer he accepted god into his life and he has met many christians who offer support and prayer, but the prayers are definately needed for my mum, who is trying her best, but damaging her own heath in the prosess. We have a hard time in front of us as a family and i feel that we should ask for the help available, so that we are strong emotionaly and physically when he really needs us.