Men and older women can have eating disorders too, but of the 70,000,000 people worldwide who are struggling with eating disorders, 90 - 95% are women and 95% are aged between 12 and 25.
Dear Father God, you made each one of us in your image, and you love us just as we are. Please help each one of us to accept her own body and to appreciate how wonderful and how beautiful it is. Lord, it just blows my mind to think of the intricate work you were doing to create me as I grew in my mother's womb. Thank you that I was born with a fully functioning body that had the potential to grow and develop.
You gave me life, and said "yes" to that life continuing every time it was threatened. Please help me and other women to accept that gift of life with both hands, and to take delight in everything it offers.
Tuesday, 30 October 2007
Friday, 26 October 2007
Women seeking asylum
Day 6 of 30 days of prayer for the voiceless is for refugees
Dear Lord, please comfort displaced people, heal their memories and give them a new home to live in.
May the churches both reach out and speak out, Father. May they reach out to offer practical help and hospitality to immigrants and refugees, and may they speak out against bigotry, injustice and harsh mistreatment of asylum seekers.
Father, the challenge for today is to "approach an immigrant this week and listen to her story." Please God give me the time and opportunity to do that. Thank you for the opportunity to do a little of that in the past week.
I thank you, Lord, for your word for refugees:
"Oppression and destruction will end, and those who are devastating the country will be gone. Then one of David's descendants will be king, and he will rule the people with faithfulness and love. He will be quick to do what is right, and he will see that justice is done." Isaiah 16 v 4b - 5, Good News Bible.
Come, Lord Jesus!
Dear Lord, please comfort displaced people, heal their memories and give them a new home to live in.
May the churches both reach out and speak out, Father. May they reach out to offer practical help and hospitality to immigrants and refugees, and may they speak out against bigotry, injustice and harsh mistreatment of asylum seekers.
Father, the challenge for today is to "approach an immigrant this week and listen to her story." Please God give me the time and opportunity to do that. Thank you for the opportunity to do a little of that in the past week.
I thank you, Lord, for your word for refugees:
"Oppression and destruction will end, and those who are devastating the country will be gone. Then one of David's descendants will be king, and he will rule the people with faithfulness and love. He will be quick to do what is right, and he will see that justice is done." Isaiah 16 v 4b - 5, Good News Bible.
Come, Lord Jesus!
Wednesday, 24 October 2007
Women remembering abortions
Prayer for day 5 in "Voice for the Voiceless" is on the subject of abortion.
This is so hard,Lord. Please move my heart by your Holy Spirit to pray your prayers on this subject.
You know, Lord, that my heart goes out to those women who have had abortions, and who are forever haunted by a mother's grieving for a lost child, compounded with guilt. Father, forgive them, let the past lie behind them as a closed chapter, with the word"forgiven" stamped across it. I pray this through the merits and death of your own dear Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
This is so hard,Lord. Please move my heart by your Holy Spirit to pray your prayers on this subject.
You know, Lord, that my heart goes out to those women who have had abortions, and who are forever haunted by a mother's grieving for a lost child, compounded with guilt. Father, forgive them, let the past lie behind them as a closed chapter, with the word"forgiven" stamped across it. I pray this through the merits and death of your own dear Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Tuesday, 23 October 2007
Our dead sisters
Please see the web sites that describe the abuses of women in Pakistan. My heart is too heavy to write about it.
http://www.yespakistan.com/people/missing_women.asp
http://hrw.org/campaigns/pakistan/forms.htm
Oh Lord of life and love, restore the dignity and sanctity of women's lives in Pakistan. Raise up righteous officials to enforce the law of the land, speak to the consciences of all in positions of power - whether in families, or police forces or courts or government, and help them to perceive what they are doing and allowing to be done in its true light - which is a tragedy for all involved.
And Father, please show us women in the west, who are so privileged by comparison, how we may stand alongside and support our Pakistani sisters, not just on Day 4 of thirty days of prayer, but for as long as it takes for Pakistani society to change.
http://www.yespakistan.com/people/missing_women.asp
http://hrw.org/campaigns/pakistan/forms.htm
Oh Lord of life and love, restore the dignity and sanctity of women's lives in Pakistan. Raise up righteous officials to enforce the law of the land, speak to the consciences of all in positions of power - whether in families, or police forces or courts or government, and help them to perceive what they are doing and allowing to be done in its true light - which is a tragedy for all involved.
And Father, please show us women in the west, who are so privileged by comparison, how we may stand alongside and support our Pakistani sisters, not just on Day 4 of thirty days of prayer, but for as long as it takes for Pakistani society to change.
Monday, 22 October 2007
The bruised and bleeding women
When I write the words "bruised and bleeding" I know they are inadequate for the horrendous nature of the injuries inflicted. We've all seen some of them whenever a TV programme has featured domestic violence. As Paul and Susi Childers say, "The perpetrator uses fear and intimidation and often physical or sexual violence." The aim is control, and the method is to intimidate and undermine.
On day 3 of the thirty days of prayer, I pray for all victims of domestic violence, be they men or women, and I particularly pray, Father, that you would free men from the neurotic needs and insecurities that lead to abuse of the person who loves them. I pray that all the victims may be set free to live in health, safety and peace, free at last from their constant agonising fear and despair. Father, I pray for governments, health services and police forces everywhere to develop the legislative framework, the resources and the skills that enable them to respond to the horrifying scale of this abuse and to be effective in preventing and stopping it.
Lord Jesus, you expressed how precious marriage is to God, please stir up your Church to teach and uphold the ideal of mutual respect and kindness in marriage.
Relevant web sites are:
http://www.womensaid.org.uk/landing_page.asp?section=000100010008&itemTitle=If+you+or+a+friend+need+help
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/domestic_violence_abuse_types_signs_causes_effects.htm#definition
http://www.zonta.org/site/DocServer/Violence_Against_Women_Around_the_World_Zontian_April_20.pdf?docID=604
http://www.hrw.org/reports/1999/pakistan/Pakhtml-05.htm
On day 3 of the thirty days of prayer, I pray for all victims of domestic violence, be they men or women, and I particularly pray, Father, that you would free men from the neurotic needs and insecurities that lead to abuse of the person who loves them. I pray that all the victims may be set free to live in health, safety and peace, free at last from their constant agonising fear and despair. Father, I pray for governments, health services and police forces everywhere to develop the legislative framework, the resources and the skills that enable them to respond to the horrifying scale of this abuse and to be effective in preventing and stopping it.
Lord Jesus, you expressed how precious marriage is to God, please stir up your Church to teach and uphold the ideal of mutual respect and kindness in marriage.
Relevant web sites are:
http://www.womensaid.org.uk/landing_page.asp?section=000100010008&itemTitle=If+you+or+a+friend+need+help
http://www.helpguide.org/mental/domestic_violence_abuse_types_signs_causes_effects.htm#definition
http://www.zonta.org/site/DocServer/Violence_Against_Women_Around_the_World_Zontian_April_20.pdf?docID=604
http://www.hrw.org/reports/1999/pakistan/Pakhtml-05.htm
Sunday, 21 October 2007
The Contaminated Women
I've been researching, as my new book suggested, to find out how AIDS is affecting women in Botswana. The problems are horrendous in terms of numbers of people with HIV/AIDS, in terms of children orphaned by HIV/AIDS and in terms of women and children with HIV/AIDS. Yet to me the saddest thing of all is that the nation is suffering such a terrible pandemic because of the attitude of its men towards women.
HIV positive men believe that having sex with a virgin will cure them. Having this belief, they believe it is all right to deceive a young woman about their HIV status, to have unprotected sex with her, to leave her infected, and any child she has conceived also infected, very possibly orphaned at an early age. When I say "leave", I mean "die and leave". They have of course not helped, still less cured themselves, but they have blighted the life of another human being - maybe more than one - and condemned their own child or children to poverty and suffering.
If I cry out to God to avert this tragic waste of lives - and I do - it just leaves the human race still vulnerable to self-destructive behaviours. Any nation that regards its women as being of no account compared to men and their well-being is creating its own suffering. Without strong, healthy, respected women, children will not be brought up to be healthy, happy and stable, and the future is in pawn to irrational beliefs and fears.
Lord, my prayer is that you will teach men to cherish and honour women, and women to cherish and honour men, each recognising the high value that the other has as a vital part of humankind.
I pray that new infections of HIV can be stopped, not just in Botswana, but across the world, and that this disease can be wiped out by both prevention and cure.
Relevant web sites are:
http://www.avert.org/aidsbotswana.htm
http://hivinsite.ucsf.edu/global?page=cr09-bc-00
HIV positive men believe that having sex with a virgin will cure them. Having this belief, they believe it is all right to deceive a young woman about their HIV status, to have unprotected sex with her, to leave her infected, and any child she has conceived also infected, very possibly orphaned at an early age. When I say "leave", I mean "die and leave". They have of course not helped, still less cured themselves, but they have blighted the life of another human being - maybe more than one - and condemned their own child or children to poverty and suffering.
If I cry out to God to avert this tragic waste of lives - and I do - it just leaves the human race still vulnerable to self-destructive behaviours. Any nation that regards its women as being of no account compared to men and their well-being is creating its own suffering. Without strong, healthy, respected women, children will not be brought up to be healthy, happy and stable, and the future is in pawn to irrational beliefs and fears.
Lord, my prayer is that you will teach men to cherish and honour women, and women to cherish and honour men, each recognising the high value that the other has as a vital part of humankind.
I pray that new infections of HIV can be stopped, not just in Botswana, but across the world, and that this disease can be wiped out by both prevention and cure.
Relevant web sites are:
http://www.avert.org/aidsbotswana.htm
http://hivinsite.ucsf.edu/global?page=cr09-bc-00
Saturday, 20 October 2007
The "Chosen" women
It's Saturday 20th October and 2,500 women from all over the south of England are gathering at Bournemouth International Centre for a conference called "Chosen". For some, like me, the attraction is wonderful speakers, who I know will inspire and motivate me. For others, it's a chance to be resourced and empowered in their work with and for women. For at least one group, it's the ultimate Christian hen party.
What a thrill to hear Michelle Guinness, Debra Green and J John speaking words from God's heart for women! What cheered me especially was the thought that at last the charismatic evangelicals have grown to maturity, and can no longer be accused of being a "bless me" club. This conference was not about the feel-good factor in Christianity - although it did feel good - it was about being chosen for a purpose, and not our own purpose, but God's purpose.
Since those of us on this Learning for Discipleship course are just coming up to the first assignment, which is on prayer, it was particularly helpful that Debra majored on prayer and it was an important part too of what J John had to say. (Thank you, Lord!)
I came away with a slim book called "A Voice for the Voiceless", which is a resource for thirty days of prayer addressing gender injustice. It is a call to both prayer and action.
Day 1's prayer is that God will arise and defend the little ones who are kidnapped or sold into child prostitution; that he will raise up people in every country who will recognise and have the skills to publicise the horrible crime committed against these children, that he will empower governments to act against it, that he will bring an end to this savage exploitation. Amen to that, Lord.
The web references from the book are:
http://www.savethechildren.net/nepal/key_issues/trafficking.html
http://www.unfpa.org/swp/2005/english/ch7/index.htm
http://www.paralumun.com/issueseurope.htm
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/region/asro/bangkok/child/trafficking/
The world is changed, one heart at a time. Let the next heart be yours. Say AMEN to today's prayer.
Day 1's action is "Make a short presentation on the prevalence of child prostitution and how your government could take action. Share this in your church, work place, and circle of influence." This blog entry tries to answer part of that challenge to action. What action do we want our government to take? What would make a difference? I don't honestly know. Any ideas welcome!
What a thrill to hear Michelle Guinness, Debra Green and J John speaking words from God's heart for women! What cheered me especially was the thought that at last the charismatic evangelicals have grown to maturity, and can no longer be accused of being a "bless me" club. This conference was not about the feel-good factor in Christianity - although it did feel good - it was about being chosen for a purpose, and not our own purpose, but God's purpose.
Since those of us on this Learning for Discipleship course are just coming up to the first assignment, which is on prayer, it was particularly helpful that Debra majored on prayer and it was an important part too of what J John had to say. (Thank you, Lord!)
I came away with a slim book called "A Voice for the Voiceless", which is a resource for thirty days of prayer addressing gender injustice. It is a call to both prayer and action.
Day 1's prayer is that God will arise and defend the little ones who are kidnapped or sold into child prostitution; that he will raise up people in every country who will recognise and have the skills to publicise the horrible crime committed against these children, that he will empower governments to act against it, that he will bring an end to this savage exploitation. Amen to that, Lord.
The web references from the book are:
http://www.savethechildren.net/nepal/key_issues/trafficking.html
http://www.unfpa.org/swp/2005/english/ch7/index.htm
http://www.paralumun.com/issueseurope.htm
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/region/asro/bangkok/child/trafficking/
The world is changed, one heart at a time. Let the next heart be yours. Say AMEN to today's prayer.
Day 1's action is "Make a short presentation on the prevalence of child prostitution and how your government could take action. Share this in your church, work place, and circle of influence." This blog entry tries to answer part of that challenge to action. What action do we want our government to take? What would make a difference? I don't honestly know. Any ideas welcome!
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