UPDATE Sept 2021: I, Barbara Roberts, have come to believe that Jeff Crippen does not practise what he preaches. He vilely persecuted an abuse victim and spiritually abused many other people in the Tillamook congregation. Go here to read the evidence. Jeff has not gone to the people that he spiritually and emotionally abused. He has not apologised to them, let alone asked for their forgiveness.
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We at A Cry For Justice desire to come along side those of you who have been wounded by abuse. We strive to do this through our teachings and through praying for the victims that we are aware of.
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Robin, March 31, 2012 — Belle, you ask a question that I have asked as well. I often feel akin to a widow. The only adult male influence in my children’s lives is an abusive father, who rarely spends time with them, but when he does he manipulates their tender hearts. I and my children have no family close by — no uncles, no grandfathers, no cousins that can be a godly example for my children. I feel left alone by those in the church (and they are aware of our family situation). And, I am not the only woman in our church that has been abused, nor the only woman to have been abandoned by her husband. Where are the godly men that are willing to become a part of these fatherless children’s lives to be an example for them, to show them a “man after God’s own heart?” Understand, I am not seeking a husband or a step-father for my children, but men that can influence and mentor my children, and demonstrate for them a true Christian faith that reflects God’s love for them.
Lisa, March 30, 2012 — As a Christian woman who suffered in an abusive marriage for 16 years and is currently in the midst of a divorce from my abuser, I will affirmatively state that an abuser will not just go away! They are indeed all about power and control. My abuser is fighting for custody (and has been given every other weekend “supervised” by his own brother in a temp order) and greater visitation of the children he abused; he is not providing financially at all and yet left me with the debt; he is demanding more of our household belongings. He even fought for and got my restraining order dropped and a “no contact” order placed against me. My attorney who thinks all of this is grand is a professing Christian but constantly ridicules me and minimizes abuse of all kinds. My church has been absentee the entire past year since my husband walked out of the house. Yes, my husband did leave the home once the children and I stood together and said that he could not treat us that way anymore; however, he changed tactics and is still making our lives miserable. They don’t give up. They don’t go away. They find other ways to wound. If a woman is lucky, he might find another woman to become the focus of his abuse, but if a doorway is still open, through children or financial bonds, he will take every drop of power and control the church and the legal system will hand him. Thank you so much for your defense of those who cannot defend themselves!!!
Sheryl, April 6, 2012 — Foreclosure sale 4-11 and not sure exactly when I’ll have to be out (thank Heavens for my family and the family of Christ). No spousal support this month. EHTB has gotten so very mean and vengeful, I hardly know him. I will have a place to live, again thanks to family, but the finances have me frettin’ somethin’ fierce. I am determined to rest in the strength and promises of the Lord, but man-o-man is it a “Lord, take my thoughts captive”, moment-by-moment by moment adventure. Thankfully, I am surrounded by a very supportive family of Christ, both in my church body and in the Christian Motorcyclist’s Association that I minister with. So helpful.
Heather, May 21, 2012 — I am asking everyone to keep me in prayer this week, we go to court Friday for a pre-trial and to set up visitation with the children but half of them do not want to see him, so please pray.
Heather, May 26, 2012 — Thank you for your prayers today. My husband got supervised visits with the children. Not what I would have wanted but it’s better then him getting visits unsupervised. Still a long road ahead keep praying.
Barb, thanks for bringing up some good points. They will meet him at a place called “safe haven”. It was told to me that it’s to be completely safe because it’s a place that they rejoin pedifiles with their children. That sounds terrible. He will get to visit 2 children at a time and then will see the baby for an 1 hour each week.
Barbara Roberts, June 26, 2012 — Dear Heather, I am ashamed to confess that I only saw your above comment just now. I don’t know why it slipped my attention as I usually get all new comments notified in my inbox. But perhaps because I commented on this Prayer Request page before, and ticked the “notify me” box, I wasn’t aware of what was happening here. Please forgive my oversight.
What a terrible irony that place name “safe haven”. I hope it is truly safe. They probably told you that about the pedophiles to reassure you that the supervisors there are really vigilant, but it had the opposite effect by the sounds of it!
Jeff Crippen, June 26, 2012 — Barbara, I didn’t get an email notification either. Not sure why, but the notifications apparently aren’t fail safe. My apologies to you as well, Heather.
Heather, July 15, 2012 — That is ok I know you are praying. Update: the children have seen him 6 times and they don’t say anything about the visits. All the children see him at one time because the papers were never given to them [the people at “safe haven”?] so they told me that all the children have to go. The baby after each visit clings to me and will not let me go and he has never seen him ’til now. I go to court Tuesday so keep praying.
Barbara Roberts, July 15, 2012 — Thanks, Heather, I’ll pray esp that the paperwork gets to all the right destinations. Seems so unfair that the baby has to go too, when you left before it was born.
Pippa, April 13, 2012 — First, I just want to say thank you for your prayers. I am sure this group is praying for me. I don’t want to be overly confident in current affairs but the EHTB today has signed “marriage dissolutions papers” and parenting plan papers. I had given up asking for “everything” quite some time ago and every time the lawyers got papers together to which he seemed agreeable, he would find one more thing. But today he signed. Granted I had dismissed my attorney and his attorney had gotten to know a bit more of him and they parted ways. But we signed with a notary. Praise God and thank you!
Maree, April 19, 2012 — I live in a rough area with abusive neighbors and would really appreciate prayers for my safety, the safety of my dog, the protection of my car and protection of my home. I would love to move from this area as it is quite stressful at times. Thank you so much for your prayers.
Jenny, July 6, 2012 — Please pray for myself and my children. I am divorced from my abusive ex-husband and he continues to abuse both myself and the children. I have exhausted all legal avenues. He has recently become engaged to his live-in partner and she is abusive also. Please pray for healing from PTSD. The children come back from access re-traumatised and with extreme and disturbing behavioural and sleep issues. We are getting all the help we can but it is exhausting and wears us down. He is alienating them and poisoning them against me and telling them to disobey and disrespect me. He passes threats through them and my toddler is physically neglected. He is trying to turn them away from God. Please pray for healing and physical, emotional and spiritual protection. Please pray that he would repent. Also for a fair outcome with no abusive repercussions to my recent child support change application. And that I will hold on to Jesus. Thank you.
D. Anne Pierce, October 2, 2012 — Father, please protect Jenny and her children! You love them deeply and you hurt when your children hurt. Give Jenny wisdom as she deals with her ex and help her to know how to talk to her children, guiding them and building them up. Give Jenny peace and serenity, Father! Give her rest, and support from good friends. Amen.
Barbara Roberts, July 7, 2012 — Thank you, Jenny, I will pray for all those things. I went through many of those same things, minus the new partner of my ex. (To my knowledge, my first husband has never re-partnered.) In situations like yours it is not PTSD you are dealing with, it is CTSD = Continuing Traumatic Stress Disorder. Often all you can do is barely manage to tread water, and you need to remember to pat yourself on the back for managing to do that. How can one recover when one is continually being abused? One can’t; one can only manage the continuing and ever-changing crisis as best one can.
The way the legal system fails people like you is appalling. I think it’s worse in the USA than it is here in Oz. God will judge those who have wickedly neglected the oppressed and the vulnerable, but that doesn’t make it easier to live with in the present, I know. ((((hugs)))
By the way, his new partner is probably abusive because he has told her heaps of lies about you. In time, she will be his next victim, and one day you may even be good friends with her, as you help her lick her wounds and recover from what that man will do to her. Lundy Bancroft talks about this in his book, as does the book Broken and Battered.
Laeli, July 27, 2012 — I am in desperate need of overwhelming emotional healing and restoration for myself, my mother and my sister. And for the presence of Yahweh’s Justice to manifest itself in every area of my life, and in every relationship of mine. I need Justice especially in my relationship with my mother. Recently I came to understand that she has been emotionally abusive to me my entire life. It is because she herself is damaged. She has been abused her entire life by her parents and my father, an alcoholic, who was verbally abusive. They abused each other. My dad took his life 5 years ago. My mother was devastated. So there are reasons of course for my mothers behavior. But her background does not justify her ill treatment of me (20 years old) or my sister (15 years old). And I cannot allow the abuse anymore. I need fine connections and all the help I can get to put an end to the oppression, to the pointing finger and malicious talk (Isaiah 58:9-14). And to put and end to the chaos as far as it affects my life. I cannot allow abuse or chaos. Please pray that I would have a pure heart in line with the Holy Spirit, and strength and courage to assert myself and stand and set every appropriate boundary I need to. Pray that I would allow Yahweh to fight for me (Exodus 14:14). To bring JUSTICE to my life. I cannot change others I know, nor do I want to, but as far as my life, I cannot have injustice of any kind. That includes no abuse, nor ill-treatment of myself or others, and maybe standing up to the abuser. I need help. “The work of justice will be peace…” (Isaiah 32:17, James 3:18). Thank you for praying with me.
Heather, July 29, 2012 — I will keep you in my prayers. I to have come to find that my mother is an abuser and right now she lives with me. Your message here has spoken to me and I will uphold you in prayer. God bless.
D. Anne Pierce, October 2, 2012 — Laeli, you are right that your mother’s background does not justify her abuse to you. “Father, please grant Laeli wisdom as she deals with her mother, help her to set healthy boundaries, to put distance between herself and her mother when it is needed, and most of all surround her with your love.”
Barbara Roberts, July 28, 2012 — Dear Laeli, I hear your cry and I will pray with you, Our Saviour is constantly praying for us and every petition we make is perfected by and through Him. I think it’s good that you are asking for God’s help with these things, and asking Him for courage and strength to help you stop this generational cycle of abuse, in purity of heart.
As you say, you cannot change others. Because others often don’t or won’t change, we cannot always bring the abuse to a complete stop, and we may not find full vindication and justice in this world. It may be necessary for you to find a way, with God’s help, of accepting the lack of justice in this fallen world. He will bring full justice and vindication, at the end of time.
However, I am guessing you know this already, and I hear that you’re asking God for strength and discernment to draw firm boundaries so that you can put up walls against the tactics of your abuser(s) insofar as it is safe and possible to do so, and to help you walk the path of health, purity and personal integrity, following the ways of God, not the models set by the abusers (correct me if I’ve got this wrong).
Bless you, and thank you for sharing your heart’s cry with us.
Little Miss Me, September 5, 2012 — Big day legally coming up for me and my children. Asking for prayers that this will be a turning point and we will be able to take healing steps away from the torment, that it will not be a prolonged legal battle, that I can begin to live without fear, and that the children can make it through this difficult time knowing they are loved and wonderful.
Barbara Roberts, September 7, 2012 — Certainly, I will pray for that LMM.
No Name Please, September 9, 2012 — Please pray. My ex has recently lost his job and has not paid child support twice now. I am working every hour I possibly can but because I have not worked in years my salary is very low and….I am just exhausted. Trying to figure out how to pay for car insurance and gas so I can keep working. It doesn’t help that that one day I get “cutesy” emails from him like we are friends and the next day he rips into me because I ask about money. Add to that I have to miss church and corporate worship because of work….again, I am just so tired! I just want a break, a few weeks of rest, no stress, time to heal. and am really angry that I’m not getting it. Trying to walk in faith and am tired. I can’t even post my name because the idiot goes on these sites sometimes and claims he understands everything!!!
Barbara Roberts, September 9, 2012 — Have prayed and will keep praying. I’m glad you shared and vented with us here. It’s horrible being exhausted and not being able to rest up.
Laurie, September 9, 2012 – Praying….Sigh….my heart aches for you. I understand your exhaustion.
Little Miss Me, September 10, 2012 — Oh! Praying for you! May you get your rest and find your strength and enjoy your peace — and soon!
I can totally relate to the unbalanced emails and craziness. It’s so hard because I know it doesn’t mean anything and he has no control over me, but I have to read them because he sneaks in information about the children in there and he will blame me if I miss something.
Robin, September 12, 2012 — No Name Please — praying for you. I understand the complete and utter exhaustion, the need for someone to understand and lend a helping hand so you can rest and heal. It is so hard.
Pepe, September 27, 2012 — My husband has a hard heart. 32 years married….D Day 2006 discovered his 14 year adultery wherein they PLANNED the birth of their two children! Nearly killed me….I homeschooled our three children and totally supported my husband through his career. I was in ministry for 15 years when we met….married. After the first two years he turned from the faith….invested his heart, soul and life into his career where he was surrounded by women. His ego grew larger….he rejected Christ but kept the false front of being a “great husband and father” to all on the outside while keeping his mistress then hiring her to work with him….become his partner. He bought her a house, a luxury car while moving us into a smaller cramped home that needed a lot of work. After two years after D Day “working” on our marriage he seemed to lose interest in the “work”….then two more years later he confessed to having lied more and having reconnected just for the children. Upon his confession he moved out of our bedroom to the upstairs…. Our children….now grown…..still live with us….did not date….believe in purity…. This has rocked us all….yet our faith remains…. Many moves have left us disconnected….without any relationships. Isolation….no family…. HIs family does not know about his adultery…. I just found out he had TWO other adulteries WHILE still carrying on with his mistress!
So many details coming out now…. He is a liar….a cheat….and had spent money that our family needed on this woman….now still paying support which I agreed he should….not on any “books”…. He has been confronted by me with all that he KNOWS is what the Bible says….and he says he just wants to die and go to Hell…. He would rather DIE and go to Hell than live rightly….even if only for the children….ours and the others…. He is without sorrow that leads to repentance…. He does however pay the bills….I am now past retirement age and have been out of the work force for many years…. He has told me I am OCD and that he should have confronted me years ago…. I asked what he felt was OCD….and he told me it was my faith….I had too much of my life centered upon Jesus Christ…. He has preferred those who are superficial, interested in profit and sexual activities….with NO moral boundaries….I have more I could share but I am sorrowing AGAIN tonight…. Sometimes this kind of thing is so hard to identify because he is such a charming and great guy to all others…..even our children are shaking their heads now that they know what he is capable of doing…. It is like he has enjoyed the “compartmentalization” idea….it suited him so that he could have all these multiple secret lives! Didn’t GOD call us to UNITY? Isn’t the Lord Himself ONE?
I ask for prayer for me and my family….strength and wisdom and deliverance for this man who seems to have become another person right under all of our noses!
Barbara Roberts, September 26, 2012 — Dear Pepe, I hear your pain. The devastation of discovering this, and then trying to “work” at the marriage only to find that he was lying and still cheating all along, and never had his heart in repentance.
I will pray for you and your children, but honestly, I can’t pray for your husband. From what you’ve said, he comes under the category of the kind of sinner we are NOT called to pray for:
(1 John 5:16 ESV) If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life — to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that.
I suggest you let yourself off the hook of praying for your husband, and just focus on your own recovery and emotional rebuilding. The rebuilding of the wall in Nehemiah may be a Scripture that speaks to you. ((Hugs)) from Barb.
Pepe, September 26 2012 — Thank you, Barbara. I have often wondered about what this verse meant by a sin that leads to death….I appreciate your comment and will seek more in the book you have mentioned in Nehemiah.
I have appreciated this blog and the sites it refers to…..continuing in Christ…. Where else for He has the words of life. Hugs.
Pepe, September 28, 2012 — I was wondering how we are to reconcile these verses with the one that seems to say NOT to pray for someone who has “sinned unto death”? Jesus said —
(Matthew 5:44) But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;
(Luke 6:28) Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.
Then again….it seems that there is a distinction….as Jesus prayed the Father in John’s Gospel….
When speaking of the unforgivable sin….aka Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit….talking about the REJECTION of the WORD which is the incorruptible seed which when received with meekness it is able to save one’s soul.
So then when a person ‘s heart is hard….their ears “stopped” and they refuse to hear and heed….they have rejected the “means” by which the Holy Spirit comes to be in….by the WORD….hearing….then heeding….believing as faith cometh BY hearing and hearing BY the word of GOD….WHO IS Jesus Christ according to Revelation”
(Revelation 19:11-13) And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and HE that sat upon him was called FAITHFUL and TRUE, and in righteousness HE doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and HIS NAME IS CALLED THE WORD OF GOD. [Capitalization done by the commenter.]
Then Jesus makes this distinction between those who are HIS and those OF this world….
(John 17:9) I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
So perhaps it is those who refuse the road….reject it….even if they hear it they disobey and do not repent that are not to be prayed for? How do those in this case fit into the category of “sinning unto death” as opposed to being “enemies” or “persecutors”? Does anyone have any further light on this topic? Just curious….
I figured if I, his wife….part of the ONE flesh that we are in marriage do not pray for him WHO WILL? And is this what Jesus was commanding us to do? Or is what is recorded in 1 John what we are to do? Is this reconcilable or is it a contradiction? I want to understand what the clear teaching of Scripture is on this because it is rather important for us to know.
Thank you….
Barbara Roberts, September 28, 2012 — Great questions, Pepe. I think I’ll create a new post to answer them. It may take me a few days. But in the meantime, we can know one thing for sure: however we cut the cake on all those Scriptures, does not demand anyone suffers abuse from their spouse.
Pepe, September 28, 2012 — Yes, thank you Barbara….I am continuing to look into this as well. I agree with you about abuse….and one of the benefits of this site is bringing up the WAYS that abuse appears. It is supportive to know that when we are defiled….yet do not know what or how we are feeling this way….it actually has a basis.
Tonight as I have been “obsessing” as my husband puts it over his infidelities….plural….I realize how damaging it has been to my sense of self and womanliness. Sexually I now realize that all the years where he would grudgingly make “love” to me he would then return to his mistress….or go looking for “more” or “better”….now I feel humiliated.
I realize that it really is NOT ME but it still stings that he has told me that he when he married me he did not want to talk so much about the Bible or the Lord or things [of] truth….but wanted more….more “fun” which his life has revealed as to him being alcohol, many women “friends” and sexual “variety”. Being a moral man was not his definition of a MANLY MAN….deceptions one upon another….nevertheless….I now feel shamed….especially since we had sex a few times before he simply decided to live upstairs….guess I did not compare well to the other women…..
I realize that the truth is not that I was not very “good” in bed….but it was HIS problem….it takes a REAL man to love ONE woman for a lifetime….it takes focus….(just as God told men) it takes fidelity….it takes keeping their eyes and minds upon their own wife….when not devoting themselves to the Lord and pleasing HIM in all ways.
The culture is HYPER-SEXUAL….thus men may be “turned on” all the time or think they should be….this can be a real challenge to women to keep that kind of level of sexuality up….no matter HOW much they like sex.
I loved to make love to my husband but now I am pretty sure that his present attitude and his past variety of women to compare me with….(and he lies telling me it is “not a competition”!] shows he has not the first idea of the depth of pleasure God has made available to married men who are willing to submit to the wisdom of GOD concerning relationship to their wife and their sexuality.
Ken Nair wrote a very wise book ”Understanding the Mind of a Woman” which is absolutely foundational for any man who desires to learn to be content with his wife.
It is so sad how many women entered our marriage bed without any shame or guilt….because my husband refused to care about how his flirting and relationship skills were hurting me from the very second year of our marriage.
He is still sad he wasted so many of MY years….says he never should have gotten married….to which I replied….”SO you could violate other women“….just because someone is SINGLE….and agreeable to have sex does not make it less damaging. Sin KILLS….no matter HOW many people agree to it!
Every person NOT your spouse is off limits….they belong to GOD and to the person they are married to or GOING to be married to….so NONE of them are “free” for the taking….
Violating someone else’s body….is to violate the TEMPLE of God…..which is your body….the BODY is HIS….not our own.
So my husband is still whining about GOD being a big bully and “not fair”….simply does not get the point…. Marriage is a holy relationship with GOD and two who agree to live a NEW life….not the husband’s life….not the wife’s life but a WHOLE NEW LIFE.
So much I have learned….at least his infidelity drove me into the study of subjects in the word that I had THOUGHT I knew something about….so I am getting my PHD….”Piled Higher and Deeper”….as they say!
Thanks for your comments….I will keep reading….(smile).
Pepe, September 30, 2012 — Thank you, Barbara, good points on what needs prayer petition here….I will petition for those who are on here as well…. The Lord KNOWS but we still get to speak with Him….which is so very good to know….!!
Pepe, October 2, 2012 — Thank you so much, Barbara….I appreciate your kindness in this exercise of your faith. I will continue as well….so many need this and it is good for us to do as Job did….pray for others….in the details you mentioned I am very blessed to know you are faithful in your offer to pray for me….HUGS!
Coco, September 30, 2012 — Thank you so much for this blog! I read Barbara’s book in secret over a year ago when looking for answers to my painful marriage. A recent crisis (he took a job in another state) led me to a near breakdown and God provided the way to a Christian counselor who finally told me I wasn’t crazy, I was being abused. After four years of being told by our couple’s counselor that I “just needed to try harder and eventually it would pay off and one day he would start treating me better when he one day felt better about himself.” Really. I am serving him with papers Wednesday and am so scared! Please pray for God’s continued provision for me and my children as we go through this process. And thank you so much for providing all the words of encouragement and faith to those like me who have normalized abusive treatment.
Barbara Roberts, September 30, 2012 — Adding you to my prayer list, Coco. Well done for making it this far! The strength that enabled you to get here shows you have the strength to make it the rest of the way. And BTW, that doesn’t mean you might not crumple and cry and crawl up under the bedclothes sometimes! (((hugs))) to you.
Heather, September 30, 2012 — Coco, I will be praying for you! My heart is breaking for you and your children right now….
D. Anne Pierce, October 2, 2012 — Coco, I can understand how afraid you are about serving your husband papers….things sometimes have to get worse before they can get better. It is something like surgery — it is painful and stressful but ultimately it will bring healing and peace. I pray that God will grant you peace in the middle of this storm and bring you to a place of serenity soon.
Barbara Roberts, October 2, 2012 — Remembered you in my prayers this morning (it’s Wednesday morning here).
Coco, October 5, 2012 — Thank you for your prayers. Everything went smoothly, though now I am in for a long road as he is not accepting my decision.
Barbara Roberts, October 5, 2012 — Sad about his response, but not surprising. They all dig in their heels if they think it can further annoy us. Glad the paper-service went smoothly. One more step. Each step is do-able, one at a time. ((hugs))
Laura, October 29, 2012 — Please pray that God helps heal my body, brings me peace, love, happiness, love, longevity for everyone and will protect my house. Please pray that my medical issues will be better and that I will get a financial blessing because I’m suffering hardships right now. Thank you to everyone who prays for me, and God bless you.
Pepe, October 2, 2012 —
(1 Corinthians 6:19) What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost (which is) in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
God is a great “housekeeper” and your body is HIS HOUSE….be comforted as He is ever present and never NEVER “late”….sometimes down to the minute….but sure….hang on and trust in Him. Remember….
(Psalm 77:11) I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.
(Psalm 105:5 [GNV – 1599 Geneva Bible]) Remember his marvelous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth,
(Psalm 143:5) I remember the days of old; I meditate on all thy works; I muse on the work of thy hands.
(Isaiah 46:9) Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me,
FORGET NOT….
(Psalm 103:2) Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
(Deuteronomy 4:31) (For the LORD thy God is a merciful God;) he will not forsake thee, neither destroy thee, nor forget the covenant of thy fathers which he sware unto them.
(Isaiah 49:15) Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee.
(John 10:11) I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
(Psalm 23:1) A Psalm of David. The LORD is MY shepherd; I SHALL NOT WANT [Capitalization done by the commenter.]
(Isaiah 40:11) He SHALL FEED his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall GENTLY lead those that are with young. [Capialization done be the commenter.]
(Psalm 37:25) I have been young, and now am old; yet have I NOT seen the righteous FORSAKEN, NOR his seed begging bread. [Capitalization done by the commenter.]
(Psalm 104:27) These WAIT all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in DUE SEASON. [Capitalization done by the commenter.]
(Psalm 145:15) The eyes of all WAIT upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in DUE SEASON. [Capitalization done by the commenter.]
(Galatians 6:9) And let us not be weary in well doing: for in DUE SEASON we shall reap, IF WE FAINT NOT. [Capitalization done by the commenter.]
(Psalm 4:8) I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.
(Psalm 16:7) I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.
(Psalm 18:2) The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
(Psalm 32:8) I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
(Psalm 50:15) And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.
(Psalm 55:16) As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.
(Psalm 56:3) What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee
(Psalm 56:4) In God I will praise his word, in God I have put my trust; I will not fear what flesh can do unto me.
(Psalm 57:2) I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me.
(Psalm 119:93) I will never forget thy precepts: for with them thou hast quickened me. (“quicken”= to make alive”.)
(Psalm 107:20) He sent his WORD, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. [Capitalization done by the commenter.]
Prayers going before the Lord for His glory and your good….
Barbara Roberts, October 30, 2012 — Dear Laura, thanks for asking for prayer. I will pray for you. It sounds like you are having a really hard time right now. 
Not that it’s the same as what you are going through, but I had a year in my life when I was really sick while I was on treatment for Hep C. The drugs’ side-effects were awful. It was often all I could barely do to get through the next minute or five minutes. I was unable to pray for most of that time: prayer seemed only to intensify the mental torment that was going on in my head (one of the side-effects of the drugs was depression and brain fog). The only thought that helped me during those times was that Jesus was not letting go of me, even though I couldn’t reach out or talk to Him. This gave me comfort and a tiny place of “rest” in the midst of all the pain and suffering. I don’t know whether this will help you right now, but I just felt to share it. Toss it in the bin if it doesn’t relate to you. (((hugs))) from Barb.
BTW, I was very fortunate: the drugs cleared the Hep C virus from my body, so it was all worth it in the end.
Still Scared, December 2, 2012 — Needing prayer. Am overwhelmed with trying to learn a new computer system to do my new job (which I love and am thankful for but technology and me don’t get along). Add to that I have had no child support for going into 5 months now and I don’t know who / where / how to borrow to get through one more month. My abuser is unemployed so going through courts won’t help much. All this and on Monday I have to face criminal charges for “refusing visitation” for one of my kids. I have not refused visitation, he gets full blown panic attacks and is taller and bigger than me, how am I supposed to force visitation?!?! It is so stupid and logically it shouldn’t be a problem, I am following his counselor’s recommendations but I am worried. Please pray the judge sees through my abuser’s lies and pray he does get a stupid job so he can start paying me.
Jeff Crippen, December 1, 2012 — Still Scared, got it! This is a great promise from the Lord when we are in tough, tough situations like you are in now:
(Psalm 34:3-9 ESV) (3) Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together!
(4) I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
(5) Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.
(6) This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles.
(7) The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.
(8) Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!
(9) Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack!
Thanks for letting us know. Praying. Let us know the outcome.
Still Scared, December 1, 2012 — Jeff C, that was a true answer from the Lord. My parents aren’t believers so when I was saved at 14, reading the Bible and memorizing Scripture was new to me. The first verse I memorized because it meant so much was Psalm 34:4. thank you for being used by God to encourage me.
Barbara Roberts, December 1, 2012 — I will pray, Still Scared. Thanks for letting us know your situation.
Still Scared, December 3, 2012 — Stupid court….the state’s attorney wasn’t read so two months from now….I LOVE long drawn out stupidity! (Note sarcasm.)
Barbara Roberts, December 3, 2012 — Still Scared, my court case (contested custody) was drawn out and delayed multiple times too. But in the end, I could see God’s hand in all those delays. The judge I finally got was a practising Catholic, so he could hear the testimony about me now being a Christian and going to church, and not think that meant I was a nutter. If the hearing had happened earlier, I might have had an atheist judge. God closed the mouths of the lions for me in that court hearing. Even my solicitor and barrister couldn’t believe I won.
Memphis Rayne, December 3, 2012 — It has been a long time since I have asked for prayers from others….we are safe, physically, life appears as we are moving forward….BUT I live with the everyday anxiety, fear of him showing up on our street, or ANY form of contact would pretty much put me right back into the storm….I have prayed for years for freedom, God has provided that in the physical realm, even though there are NO sure ways to know how long that will last….so I pray for deliverance from every evil, and for God to put protection around my house and children, realistically I find myself praying for financial relief, to never allow him to get us in a situation of his control and my desperation again. To have some means to provide well for my kids….
I never pray for his change, right or wrong….I only pray God would defend us from our enemy.
Pretty sure, I could do better in my prayer life, sometimes I am just at a loss, to even put thoughts into words. All my confidence is in GOD bringing us to where we are, but it’s so easy to lose that focus!!
Barbara Roberts, December 3, 2012 — Memphis Rayne, I love that passage in the Bible about the Holy Spirit groaning in prayer with us. When I can’t pray in words, only yearnings and desperate confusion, I always remember that passage and feel comforted. There is a great groan-translation service in the throne room of heaven! It never makes any mistakes!
A Cry For Justice 