[__ Prayer __] Prayer for a Friend

[ollie7878]

Hi everyone, this is my first post here and I would like to ask you all to pray for my friend Luke who is going through a rough time.

Recently he has been feeling particularly bad, lonely and angry and I would just like you all to pray for the love of God to surround him and protect him.

Whilst talking to him he has been saying that he has been contemplating suicide so this is obviously a major issue that needs God's help to resolve.

Please pray for him, thank you, Ollie

 

[Mike]

Prayers for Luke. You're a good friend, Ollie.

Welcome to CFnet.

 

[Gazelle]

I'm glad he has a friend like you! Please stay in contact with him, and not let him go a day or maybe half a day without you talking to him about something. Here are some key phrases you can use to help him when he's really low: Not Now. When he's thinking about suicide and all those negative thoughts come in about how bad everything is and how he's "never" this or "always" that... tell him to tell himself NOT NOW. Suicide will always be an option, but to put it off because he can... and not to do anything now.
Another thought links to that one: THINGS WON'T ALWAYS FEEL SO BAD as they do now. Things change, he changes from day to day at times, and when he is in the pits of despair, have him tell himself (and you remind him) that things will not stay this way, things will not always be this bad. No one wants to make a decision that important when they aren't feeling well. ;)

Of course, use as much Scripture as you know or he allows.

Here is a listing of (some secular, yes) resources for you to give him when he's thinking about suicide and alone.

• 
  American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
  Facts, research, support group listings, links and information. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, a 501(c)(3) organization, has been at the forefront of a wide range of suicide prevention initiatives in 2009 -- each designed to reduce loss of life from suicide. We are investing in groundbreaking research, new educational campaigns, innovative demonstration projects and critical policy work. And we are expanding our assistance to people whose lives have been affected by suicide, reaching out to offer support and offering opportunities to become involved in prevention. We are increasing the number of community-based chapters, now at 32, with two-dozen more in development. And we have a growing list of friends and supporters leading a grassroots constituency that can advocate for the policies and legislation at the state and federal levels to advance suicide prevention. With a suicide attempt estimated to occur every minute of every day in the United States and over 32,000 lives lost each year, the importance of AFSP's mission has never been greater, nor our work more urgent.
  
  

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  Crisis, Grief & HealingTop Rated
  Devoted to helping people understand and therefore better be able to deal with their grief, paying attention to the different ways the genders grieve. While Tom is selling some booklets here, he does provide extensive excerpts from them on-line and puts a great deal of work and effort to make these pages useful and helpful. Most touching, however, are the dozens of personal stories placed here, for everyone to read and share. (A dedicated site.)
  
  

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  Emergency PsychiatryTop Rated
  To subscribe to this mailing list, you will need to compose a short email. Click on the link above and enter this text into the body of your email message (leave the subject line blank): subscribe ERPSYCH Your-name

• 
  Suicide Awareness/Voices of Education (SAVE)Top Rated
  An excellent resource about where to look for help if you're considering suicide, and information on suicidal signs and behavior.
  Preview Website - 29-Feb-2000 - Hits: 1882 - Rate This | Details

• 
  Suicide Hotlines.com
  If you need to quickly locate a suicide telephone hotline in your state or region, this is a great place to find it.
  
  

• 
  Suicide Prevention HelpTop Rated
  Kenneth shares his experience of how he learned to cope with depressing and suicidal thoughts and feeling.
  
  

• 
  Suicide Resources on the Internet
  My own listing of resources available online to those who are suicidal.

TBN http://www.tbn.org/contact/prayer-request-form
24-Hour Prayer Line: (714) 731-1000 or toll free 1-888-731-1000

• 
  The Samaritans Suicide SupportTop Rated
  A charity, non-religious organization based in the U.K. which offers free e-mail support for those who are suicidal.
  
  

• National Hopeline Network
  The Kristin Brooks Hope Center is a non-profit organization dedicated to suicide prevention, intervention and healing: by providing a single point of entry to community-based crisis services through innovative telephony and internet based technologies; by bringing national attention and access to services for post partum depression and other women’s mood disorders; through education and advocacy; through formal research and evaluation of crisis line services; and, by championing the need for national funding for community-based suicide prevention crisis services.
  
  

• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
  The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is the federally funded suicide prevention hotline dedicated to providing immediate assistance to those in suicidal crisis. Its toll-free number, 1-800-273-TALK (8255), connects individuals to crisis centers across the country. Each crisis center (currently more than 100) is staffed by trained staff members who have the essential resources to assist individuals in a suicidal crisis. The crisis centers in this network are a first line of defense for reducing the staggering number of suicides this country sees each year, more than 30,000 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
  
  

• Suicide Awareness Video
  Suicide Awareness Video--being aware is half of the battle, it may help stop someone from doing such a horrible thing. Learn as much as you can for the time when you may need to help someone as much as you can.
  
  

Suicide Prevention Action Network
The Suicide Prevention Action Network (SPAN USA) is all about putting a face to suicide and ensuring that the voice of the survivor is front and center in the suicide prevention movement. SPAN USA's members are people in communities across the country: survivors; people who have attempted suicide or struggled with suicidal thoughts, and their families; professionals serving families and communities; community leaders; and concerned citizens.

 

[ollie7878]

Thank you for all your prayers and responses.

I just want to update you on how he's doing now which I think is really great.

He has found both accommodation and a job and when I have spoken to him he hasn't been experiencing the negative feelings. Some days I speak to him and he is upbeat and happy about things.

Thank you again but please keep praying for his well-being and for God to show him the way.

God Bless.