Pray with us this Christmas
As Christians, we believe that prayer is an active and vital part of everything we do at Just Caring. We would be honoured and delighted if you could pray for us and our beneficiaries this winter.
Here are some suggested prayer points:
Christmas is a time to celebrate family, friendships and all that is positive about relationships. However, the reality of family get togethers is often very different from the fairytale Christmases that we are fed by the media. For many of our beneficiaries Christmas is a complex minefield of negotiating difficult (and sometimes abusive) relationships. It can be a time of intense loneliness and of feeling ignored and unwanted by the rest of society. There is also the additional pain of those who have lost loved ones or who are unable to be with family members because of anxieties around COVID.
- Please pray for our beneficiaries; that those who have families would experience positive times of togetherness that strengthen relationships. Please also remember those who will be on their own, particularly those who are grieving; that they will know peace this Christmas.
The colder weather and consequent increases in fuel bills often makes winter a challenging time financially for many of those we support. This year the increases in basic costs of living will be adding to this strain. It can be a real struggle to afford to celebrate Christmas at all.
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Please pray that God would work, inspiring generosity so that Food Banks (Trussell Trust & Birmingham City Mission) and other initiatives (e.g. BCM’s Toy Link) would have more than enough to provide for those who need their help.
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Please pray that companies would be generous and understanding in the help they offer to those who are vulnerable.
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Please also pray for our Christmas Campaign – that we would raise enough money to make sure that none of our beneficiaries have to choose between staying warm, staying safe and having enough to eat this winter.
Being with others and having positive relationships is a really important part of maintaining good mental health. At JCM we see our group activities as an opportunity to promote this sense of belonging and community for all of our beneficiaries.
- Please pray that our group Christmas events, whether they are in person or online, will be a great time to celebrate together and build on our community spirit.
- We will continue to run some of our group activities over Christmas, but with a much reduced programme because of the holidays. Please pray that the disruption to our normal routine wouldn’t confuse or upset anyone and that there would be really good attendance at our activities.
There are many additional reasons why winter could be a more anxious time of year for our beneficiaries. Many people find that the long nights make their mental health conditions worse. Services that people depend on for help e.g. mental health teams, might be operating differently because of the holidays. It can be more difficult to maintain healthy routines like going out for exercise and fresh air when the weather is cold and icy. There is also still a lot of anxiety around COVID which has exacerbated many problems for those who suffer with anxiety disorders.
- Please pray for all of our beneficiaries who suffer from worse mental health during the winter months. Please ask that they will be able to maintain positive routines and will be given grace to cope with the changes and stresses of this season.
At JCM our aim is always to show God’s love for everyone we support by caring for them as He cares for us. However, working out the wisest and most loving response to the many challenging situations that our beneficiaries face is not at all straight forward.
- Please pray for us, that we would be given much wisdom to know what is best to do in each challenging and complex situation. Please also ask that we would know a close walk with God and be growing in our individual walks with Him.