[__ Prayer __] A new season for our family

[Wrg1405]

Hi you lovely people. I just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to read what I have posted, taking the time to respond and taking the time to pray for us all.

It means so much to me. You are truly wonderful and a blessing to me.

God bless you all.

 

[AirDancer]

That's what Christian 'family' is all about: being there with prayers and comments/advice when needed. Many of us have been where you're at right now, so we fully understand. Many of us aren't there yet, but can offer support and words of encouragement.

Of course, you're going to have to keep us informed on how your son is doing at university, as well as updates on how you and your family are doing

 

[Wrg1405]

That's what Christian 'family' is all about: being there with prayers and comments/advice when needed. Many of us have been where you're at right now, so we fully understand. Many of us aren't there yet, but can offer support and words of encouragement.

Of course, you're going to have to keep us informed on how your son is doing at university, as well as updates on how you and your family are doing

Hi everyone, I hope you are all well.

It's been a tough week but it has been getting better over the last few days. I have been totally knocked sideways by my emotions and how they have affected me and my inability to control them. Emotions that affect me for me.

You see I'm a person who shuts down me my negative emotions. When I get emotional I just withdraw from them and I'm sad to say that I don't normally give them to God. Given my upbringing and other things and to be honest after lifting them up and not getting a release from prayer I just stopped praying about them. Done that for a long long time.

I know that's not good but I'm not gonna lie. Anyway I think God has been working in me this week as all I could do was offer up all the negative emotions and confusion about my inability to shut them down. My pastor called me during the week (we get in very well) and I told him all I was feeling and the fact that I could not control or shut down.
He is a wise man. He more or less said "Praise God" he said to me "Bill you are a wonderful caring pastoral person, you love others and reach into their emotions and help them, I'm going to pray for you because I think this is a new season in your life. He prayed that God for this season would ruin me with my negative emotions about myself so that I had no choice but to lift them up like I have done with Jack, all my fears pain and worries and in doing so I would allow God to pastor me. So it's a new thing for me and I'm learning to do it.

The rest of the family are settling down. In fact my youngest Emma has moved into his room. All four of them are snap chatting each other.

Update on Jack.

He has found the evenings hard but he is now settling down. He went to the Christian Union on Thursday night. This morning he went to Reading Family Church (Its part of NFI family of churches which we go to and they have been bought up in)

So I am so pleased he has found a good church and is meeting with fellow believers at the Uni. That is such a weight of my mind.

This morning in our service the talk was about the extravagance of God. Part of it was about how God doesn't do things in small ways. At the day of Pentecost he saved 3,000 people, not 3. When he created earth he didn't created one fish, he created a sea teeming with fish.

He then related it to his church, his people. He has given us great people, those he knows who will be extravagent towards others. Love people as God loves them, look out for them as God does be as extravegent as God is towards others.

My friends I just want to say that over the last week God has given me extravegent people. People who have genuinely listened, been loving, kind and gentle.

Friends that's all of you, you will never know how thankful and grateful I am.

Much grace and my love to you all.

Your borther in Christ.

Bill

 

[reba]

 

[Angel]

I'm so happy he found a church! I'm glad you aren't as stressed now,

 

[AirDancer]

Our Lord is truly amazing!

Amen, Brother Bill....amen!

 

[smaller]

Back from dropping him off. Very emotional day. It's hard hugging him when he has tears in eyes when I have them as well. Seeing him walk off. My wife was very positive when settling in but was very tearful going home, I couldn't be as I was driving home.

When my boy was born I gave him back to God. I have to be honest over the years I've taken him back. Over the last 9 months when he decided to go to uni I tried to keep him. Then I had to give him back again, it's been a long 9 months that has culminated today.

All day today I have been asking God, begging God, imploring God praying in Jesus name "Look after my son, follow your promises in my sons life, he is not in my house anymore"

Sorry to burden you with my tears.

Can I ask that you pray for good friends for him, fellow beleivers for him and that he settles into a good church.

I was "saved" a few days after my youngest son was born. He's 35+ now. I dedicated his life to God in Christ in my back yard, holding him up under the night stars, as an infant wrapped in a blanket.

My youngest went through some trials in his own life. What I might consider today, normal adolescent transformations to adulthood with some stray path experiences, which most kids go through.

But today and for several years now, since his mid 20's, man, what a MAN of God in Christ this son is. Seriously a Rock Solid individual in his faith. All my kids are believers, but he is exceptional in faithful diligence and disciplines. I've seen him pray for answers that took YEARS to arrive, and he got them answered, unbelievably so. It just amazes me, to observe the patient endurance.

You have to TRUST God in Christ to work things out. That's how being a faithful (extremely patient parent) works as well. Set your marks and expectations, but after they leave the house, they really have to find their own ways.

 

[Edward]

I was "saved" a few days after my youngest son was born. He's 35+ now. I dedicated his life to God in Christ in my back yard, holding him up under the night stars, as an infant wrapped in a blanket.

My youngest went through some trials in his own life. What I might consider today, normal adolescent transformations to adulthood with some stray path experiences, which most kids go through.

But today and for several years now, since his mid 20's, man, what a MAN of God in Christ this son is. Seriously a Rock Solid individual in his faith. All my kids are believers, but he is exceptional in faithful diligence and disciplines. I've seen him pray for answers that took YEARS to arrive, and he got them answered, unbelievably so. It just amazes me, to observe the patient endurance.

You have to TRUST God in Christ to work things out. That's how being a faithful (extremely patient parent) works as well. Set your marks and expectations, but after they leave the house, they really have to find their own ways.

Wow, that's cool, Brother...I was there to see both of my son's born, but I wasn't smart enough yet to do what you did with them. I wish I had.

 

[smaller]

Wow, that's cool, Brother...I was there to see both of my son's born, but I wasn't smart enough yet to do what you did with them. I wish I had.

I can't really describe how painful it was as a parent to watch my kids pray for answers to their pressing lifes needs, with tears, turning to God in Christ, not the old man or momma, for answers, and then watch them wait and get those prayers answered. It's beyond any describing.

Parents don't know where God in Christ will take their kids as adults. You have to give JESUS a chance to work things out for them all, individually.

We were big proponents in our home for both personal responsibility and personal independence, instilled repeatedly at a very early age. That was a hard thing to instill, and then to turn them loose and make them go to their own knees with their own struggles in life.

My own parents did not have the same kind of faith in Christ that I ended up with. They were not there for me when I sobbed my way out, before my Maker.

 

[Angel]

Hey, how is your son doing?

 

[Wrg1405]

Hey, how is your son doing?

Yes he is settling in. Enjoying his new church.
Thank you so much for asking

 

[Angel]

That's great!

 

[Wrg1405]

Hi everyone.

I hope all is well with you.

Jack settled in well. I'm really excited, he has a week off from tomorrow. A reading week. This he can do back here so I'm going to pick him up on Saturday. I'm so excited. My boy back for a week.

Can I ask you to pray for the following. Whilst at uni he has no restrictions as such and has been his own person and finding his feet.

That we won't smother him. Just let him come back and relax.
That we have wisdom to answer any questions that he asks about being on his own and how to deal with it.

Now this is a weird one but I ask that you pray that after a few days that he wants to go back.

Finally I ask that when we do take him back that the pain and tears will not be as bad as it was 6 weeks ago.

Thank you all for your prayers.

 

[Christ_empowered]

You're a good father. This thread hits home because my nightmare of a life, pre-Jesus, got rolling when I messed up royally at college in an urban area. Sin, sin, sin...Don't go riding on that long black train.

I'll pray as you've asked, and I'll also pray that The Lord uses college to give him an ever stronger moral compass, a heart of flesh, not of stone. And that he genuinely appreciates the experience, his youth, and his family.

 

[AirDancer]

While he's had his freedom during the past few weeks, he's still going to want Mom & Dad to make their usual fuss over him. Treating him too much like an adult grown and gone from the home will make him a wee bit insecure as to his role in the family.

I already know you're going to ask him what he likes about university - and what he doesn't like about university life. The food....the people.

And if you notice a more mature attitude to him, be sure to compliment him on this growth, then give him a big hug! That approval will mean much to him, and reinforce his thoughts for remaining on a steady path to maturity.

After having him with you for a time, it's still going to be painful to return him to university. But it won't be as deep a feeling of pain as before simply because you will know he's headed in the right path. Your home will seem a bit empty without him, and his absence will be noted. But trust me, all of this is a step-by-step adjustment to your son - your baby son - growing up.

Oh, one more thought: If there are moments when your son seems to act like a kid again, don't worry about it. It's part of the maturing process.

Prayers continue for you & your family, Wrg1405

 

[Angel]

Hi everyone.

I hope all is well with you.

Jack settled in well. I'm really excited, he has a week off from tomorrow. A reading week. This he can do back here so I'm going to pick him up on Saturday. I'm so excited. My boy back for a week.

Can I ask you to pray for the following. Whilst at uni he has no restrictions as such and has been his own person and finding his feet.

That we won't smother him. Just let him come back and relax.
That we have wisdom to answer any questions that he asks about being on his own and how to deal with it.

Now this is a weird one but I ask that you pray that after a few days that he wants to go back.

Finally I ask that when we do take him back that the pain and tears will not be as bad as it was 6 weeks ago.

Thank you all for your prayers.

Praying for all these things. God bless

 

[Wrg1405]

Got me boy back for a week. Was sat here watching football and eating Chinese.

AirDancer had a really good chat with him on the drive home. Focused more on him and how he is doing.

I have a big smile on my face and a joy in my heart.

I just want to say thanks to you all for your love, for listening and for praying.

Thank you all so very much.

 

[reba]

American football and Chinese? hmmmmm only @Vic C does that..
get off the computer and enjoy the kids..

 

[Wrg1405]

American football and Chinese? hmmmmm only @Vic C does that..
get off the computer and enjoy the kids..

Soccer in fact. He's gone for a soak in the bath. After that he and his mates will fire up their laptops and watch a big online tournament for league of legends. I'll get to see him again tomorrow

 

[reba]

lol yup we know how that goes... our son and his 'smart phone ' will be here tomorrow... it is still good to see them.. we will have one of our granddaughters also... and her smart phone..