Home Forums Miscellaneous Topics Private Forum Prayers for my daughter

I had a long talk with my youngest daughter on the phone yesterday. She's 29, engaged to a great guy who hunts and fishes and wants to raise a devout family with her. But she's had a rough time for the past several years and looks like she might be in for some more rough times ahead.

My daughter struggles with depression and PTSD. She was emotionally abused by her mother, my ex-wife, for many years... we all were, actually, but this daughter worse than her older siblings. Her problems all came to a head in December of 2012, when she became outright suicidal. She didn't act on it, thank God, but she was awfully close to the brink. She got into counseling with a great psychiatrist and has made huge strides in recovering from those black days 16 months ago.

Now she's facing a new problem. She works as a telemarketing coach for a division of a health insurance company, helping other agents with their sales calls. During the course of her recovery from the worst of her depression, she applied for and was granted a significant amount of FMLA time off from work. In my opinion, this time off was crucial to her recovery.

But this week she has learned that the entire management team of her division has targeted her for having taken this FMLA time. She was turned down for promotions and transfers within the company precisely because of her use of FMLA time, which as I understand is not only unethical, but a violation of Federal law and can carry both civil and criminal penalties. Regardless, she learned this from one sympathetic member of the management team on Thursday, and she is devastated. Her career path with this company is clearly a wreck.

When I spoke to her yesterday I tried to help her see the larger context of what's been going on. Yes, it's wrong for these people to "target" her because she's had time off due to mental health issues. But it's to be expected, in a spiritual sense, and as a Christian committed to the disciple's path, she needs to see how this fits into God's plan for her life.

I explained to her that compared to her precarious position in December 2012, her current troubles are trivial. Satan and his minions wanted her dead, and they nearly achieved their objective at that time. They feel they've been "cheated" out of their objective (drawing from Lewis's Screwtape Letters here, if you will), and since they can't make her dead now, they're going to pull out whatever harassment and misery they can inflict on her in her workplace through her non-Christian co-workers and managers.

It's spiritual warfare, pure and simple, as I see it. I tried to help her see it, and she seems to be coming through to seeing it, too. But despite the wonderful improvements in her mental health she's made in the past 16 months, I can hear in her voice that these attacks are devastating to her, and I fear a serious setback.

We are Bible-believing Roman Catholics. I have advised her to get to Confession today, and receive Holy Eucharist at the first available Mass. I am going to take her case to Mass myself this evening, and share it with the folks at my parish who spend a lot of time on their knees.

I ask for your prayers as well, my 24HCF Christian compatriots, if you have a heart for this problem. Thanks in advance, and may God bless you richly for your faithfulness.

will do

Went thru similar white water with my son. It is exactly that, warfare, and the constant accusation going on between their ears. The battle is not over and new bleeding can start at any time.

FWIW, I think it requires concerted prayer and one is wise not taking any chances with assumptions that it will all get better. It is happening to a lot of folks and the stakes are a son or daughter living or dying.

For my boy, I think it was critical that he saw who he was on the basis of the real relationships he had--rather than on the quicksand of existing "in the eyes of the people" in regards to accomplishment, notoriety or career.

FWIW...

Done.

It's so hard to remember, in the throes of wrestling with the forces that are against us, that -- we are NOT our circumstances. They do not define us, but God can use them to refine us.

Chas

Doc,

I will do as you asked and place her in my prayers.

I wanted to share something with you that may, or may not, be of comfort to her.

Consider have her prayerfully read Phillipians. Paul went through a very similar experience that she is finding herself in. This book was written from prison. Paul received a ton of torture while in there. Keep that setting in mind as you read it.

He makes the point early in the first chapter that sets the mindset for the rest of the epistle. He States that it's become evident to even the palace guards that Paul's chains were in Christ.

That's a crucial point. Paul ended up in that tortured position because he was following Jesus. Following Him lead him there. That means that Paul was where he was supposed to be and that his chains were not Roman chains. The Romans weren't holding him there. Remember, God broke him out of prison twice before.

Paul knew that the lover of his soul was in charge. That he was in Gods good hands. He was not a victim. He was being used for the Glory of God.

From the book of Phillipians we get so many of Christians favorite verses. Like, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Or the peace that passes understanding, or verses of unspeakable joy. We forget the setting that those empowering verses were written in.

God may take us through the valley of the shadow of death, but the key word is "through". He doesn't leave us there.

Thanks, guys. HAJ, you nailed it... I used some quotations from Phillipians when I talked with her yesterday. I may pass some of that on in an email to her later this afternoon.

May I suggest a daily devotional Doc? I really like this book and I have given it to a few people. May the Lord grant His peace to your daughter!

http://www.amazon.com/Jesus-Calling-Enjoying-Peace-Presence/dp/1591451884

Thanks, Sako, I like it.

I've had great comfort in the past year or so with a Novena to Our Lady Undoer of Knots. Check it out on google if you're interested. I started it today for my daughter.

Update: spoke to my daughter about an hour ago, she's doing much better. She's with one of her best college friends and friend's mom, a wonderful Christian lady, and they're going to spend the next week together. Respite from the workplace hassles, and Christian company. I knew this trip was coming up, but hadn't realized it would be THIS week. God, being eternal and not chained to linear time, had this figured out in advance!!

Still praying and Novena-ing here, and thanks to all my Christian compadres here on the 'Fire taking this seriously. Seriously.

My heart breaks reading your request. I will most certainly pray for this dear young lady. The lies of the devil are easily accepted by the flesh, until the Spirit in us understands the great price that was paid for our freedom. I will pray for that revelation in her life. We are all valued higher than all the wealth in the world by our God, from the least to the greatest, though it is hard to believe.

Doc,

I will be glad to pray for your daughter. Our young people are under tremendous presssures in todays world. I will pray that the Lord watches over her and gives her peace and comfort. I will also pray for God to reward your faithfulness as well.

Jim

Thanks for the good words and prayers, guys. Talked to her this morning and she's doing MUCH better.

Will do....I would highly recommend a book for her (and everybody here that hasn't read it), Sarah Young's Jesus Calling: Enjoying Peace in His Presence

I would be glad to get it for her.
Just let me know.

Doc, I will certainly pray for your daughter AND you as you are the messenger and I pray that God gives you the right words at the right time to help her through this.

The book mentioned above was given to me by my daughter last year and I can also highly recommend it.

Ed

That is wonderful news Doc. I will continue to pray for her and you.

Jim

Boots, Ed, I'm ordering the book on Amazon tonight and it will be at her mailbox when she gets home from her business trip.

Doc,

We are all struggling and when it's our children, especially troubled. I think it takes a lot of years to just touch on the understanding of what God has in store for us and to trust in him. I for one, still struggle everyday.

Prayer though seems to overcome most everything. Just today I was praying to the Lord to help me through something that has been coming for a few days. Literally, when I walked into the room this morning to face it, the issue had been resolved. Other times it has been a painful experience. All we can do is trust in the Lord that he has a plan.

Praying for you both.

Scott

Rom 12:1-2 -- a renewal of the mind -- a transforming through the application of Eph 6:11-17 -- putting on the whole armour of God, daily, hourly, minute by minute if necessary -- a helmet of salvation to guard your mind, a breastplate of Christ's righteousness to guard your heart, loins girt about with the truth (as it also talks about in Phil 4:4-8) a shield of faith to protect her from the fiery darts of the devil, and never forgetting the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God -- in large doses, on a regular basis, in faith, and prayer.

All WE can do is pray for her, and I will join the others.

Doc, I will pray for her. It will be a privilege and a blessing.

Is there the possibility of her attending a Cursillo retreat weekend in your area? I think it would do her a world of good.

Penny

The Bondage Breaker by Neil Anderson is a great book, that offers some insight into the spiritual war being waged. Prayers sent. Tim.