For a friend who's into very alternative lifestyle

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holyrood

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I barely know how to title this. šŸ˜¦

I have a friend who very much values living well, honesty, integrity, has faith in God (although he practices a very alternative sort of half-self-created ā€˜faith,ā€™ but does pray every morning and by all accounts believes in the Christian God).

However, he spent 15 years deeply involved with ā€˜swinging.ā€™ Online personals, parties, the works. In the last 20 months, he has stepped away from that for the sake of someone he cares for very much. But he has missed it. He misses what he calls the emotional intimacy of being with his friends that way.

Another friend has been greatly pressuring him to return to these parties, and heā€™s finally given in and agreed to a Halloween party. He says he intends to strictly socialize platonically, but this person is very much trying to change his mind and get him 100% involved again. My hope is that 20 months away from this sort of thing will make it all look very different when he returns.

Please pray for him and Godā€™s will in his life. Please pray that God would give me wisdom in what to say to him regarding this. He values my opinion greatly, admires my faith and how I live, but is a person very torn between two worlds right now.
 
My God grant him the grace and wisdom to avoid the world of cheap pleasure and
gravitate towards the world of Grace from Jesus our savior and towards living a Christian life.
St Michael the Archangel defend us in battleā€¦
Mary.
 
Lord, please grant much graces to this soul, for the sake of his salvation, and for the sake of those for whom he may have influence. We are pilgrims together, suffering with one another, bearing one anotherā€™s crosses. We pray for this soul for the sake of many souls. In order for the culture to be transformed in his posture away from God, we need every soul we can to help right that order. Send angels to help with this cause. Our Lady, angels, and saints, pray with us. Amen.
 
Holy Father of those whose names you can read in Holyroodā€™s heart, watch over them with every care. Make their way easy and their labours fruitful. Dry their tears if they weep; sanctify their joys; raise their courage if they weaken; restore their hope if they lose heart, their health if they are ill, truth if they err, and repentance if they fall. Amen
 
Hail Mary,
full of grace,
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.

Holy Mary,
mother of God,
pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death.

Amen :signofcross:
 
Lord, I know very much what it is like to want with a passion the things that can no longer fit into my world today. I have no answers myself. Only You have the answers and the hope and the grace that can deliver this ex-swinger from his old lifestyle. Help him to change his playgrounds, playmates and playthings, as they say in AA. It is possible that in the next 24 hours I will be taking a step away from a fomer life of mine. I offer these next 24 hours as a prayer for this guy, that he can also take another step away from his former life too. I pray that both of us will have the courage to do so. In Jesusā€™ holy Name I pray, Amen.
 
tirps_daddy said:
Lord, I know very much what it is like to want with a passion the things that can no longer fit into my world today. I have no answers myself. Only You have the answers and the hope and the grace that can deliver this ex-swinger from his old lifestyle. Help him to change his playgrounds, playmates and playthings, as they say in AA. It is possible that in the next 24 hours I will be taking a step away from a fomer life of mine. I offer these next 24 hours as a prayer for this guy, that he can also take another step away from his former life too. I pray that both of us will have the courage to do so. In Jesusā€™ holy Name I pray, Amen.
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My prayers for both of you.

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him we humbly pray and do thou oh prince of the Heavenly Host, by the power of God cast into Hell Satan and all the evil spirits who prowl the world for the ruin of souls. Amen.

mlz
 
Our father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on Earth, as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. Praying for you and your friend now!
 
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed are thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.
Amen
 
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.

Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death.

Amen.

ā€ 

Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

Amen.

ā€ 
 
Praying that the Lord may guide and protect your friend from evil influences and that He may grant you wisdom. Also praying that the Lord may guide and strengthen tirps_daddy.

Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen
 
Lord, I thought of something I hadnā€™t before. If it can be done without hardening his heart, please mess up the swingerā€™s plans. Maybe before the Halloween party he can meet with a couple of his old friends in a way that turns him off to them or results in an argument that causes him to want to stay away from the party. Anyway, itā€™s just a thought ā€¦ You know whatā€™s best. Amen.

And thank you, people, who have prayed for me too. Your prayers helped me today.
 
For the Help of the Blessed Virgin Mary: May we be assisted, we beseech Thee, O Lord, by the worshipful intercession of Thy glorious Mother, the ever-Virgin Mary; that we, who have been enriched by her perpetual blessings, may be delivered from all dangers, and through her loving kindness made to be one heart and mind: who livest and reignest world without end. Amen.
 
Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou amongst women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
 
Iā€™m touched and humbled to see the prayers here.

Thursday night, this barely-former swinger came to Perpetual Adoration with me.

He offered last Saturday, I see on the very day most of the prayers were pouring in. He offered, in part, because I was not happy about his decision to go to this party. At first I said no. I changed my mind, partly on advice from a devout Catholic friend who seems to have many charismatic experiences and strongly encouraged me to have him come if he offered. He seemed really excited about going for days before hand, kept double checking that we were really on for this, and sounded excited.

Keep in mind, he hasnā€™t been inside a church in 30 years, except for his fatherā€™s funeral.

He dressed nicely, in slacks, dress shirt, tie, and we spent an hour at Perpetual Adoration. We talked afterward, and he reiterated to me how much this party is strictly about seeing his friends, that he wonā€™t do anything there, that he wonā€™t be any more tempted there than he is any day to just make a phone call and have all the same things.

Heā€™s still planning on going to this party tonight. Iā€™ve become convinced, on hearing his words Thursday night, that I was merely engaging in wishful thinking, believing heā€™ll find the things he sees there distasteful after so long away from it. That in fact, itā€™ll only draw him back in.

Last night, I had a very strong image of the wound in Jesus side, and Jesus inviting me to put my hand in, with the thought that I need to trust His intentions and His ability in what Heā€™s doing with this friend, and where Heā€™s taking him. Iā€™m still struggling with doubt, I confess. It seems too impossible. And yet Iā€™ve watched miracles happen in this manā€™s life over the last 18 months.

Please send up many prayers for him throughout the day and night and tomorrow as he reflects on the events.
tirps_daddy said:
Lord, I know very much what it is like to want with a passion the things that can no longer fit into my world today. I have no answers myself. Only You have the answers and the hope and the grace that can deliver this ex-swinger from his old lifestyle. Help him to change his playgrounds, playmates and playthings, as they say in AA. It is possible that in the next 24 hours I will be taking a step away from a fomer life of mine. I offer these next 24 hours as a prayer for this guy, that he can also take another step away from his former life too. I pray that both of us will have the courage to do so. In Jesusā€™ holy Name I pray, Amen.
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Thank you. My prayers are with you. I hope things went well. Yes, prayers that he would find new friends are wise. He feels he has no friends but these.
 
Once again, I pray for your friend who is struggling between heaven and hell. I pray that Godā€™s will will be done in this situation, to rescue your friend from his former life of sin and to disillusion him about the ā€œfunā€ of his former lifestyle and the allure of his partying friends.

I myself had an experience last night where the Lord challenged me to stop regarding an old partying memory as ā€œfunnyā€, and to pray for the respect and dignity of the girl who was involved. In the same vein I pray for your friendā€™s self-respect and dignity. Through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
 
Holy Michael the Archangel defend us in the day of battle.
Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil.
May God rebuke him, we humbly pray,
and do Thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host,
by the Power of God,
thrust down to hell, satan and all the wicked spirits,
who wander through the world for the ruin of souls.
Amen.

Remember, O most gracious Virgin Mary, that never was it known that anyone fled to your protection, implored your help, or sought your intercession and was left forsaken. Inspired by this confidence, I fly unto you, O Virgin of virgins, my Mother. To you I come, before you I stand, a sorrowful sinner. Despise not my words, O Mother of the Word, but in your mercy, hear and answer me.
Amen
 
tirps_daddy said:
Lord, I thought of something I hadnā€™t before. If it can be done without hardening his heart, please mess up the swingerā€™s plans. Maybe before the Halloween party he can meet with a couple of his old friends in a way that turns him off to them or results in an argument that causes him to want to stay away from the party. Anyway, itā€™s just a thought ā€¦ You know whatā€™s best. Amen.

And thank you, people, who have prayed for me too. Your prayers helped me today.
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His plans were messed up. Something came up this morning (coincidentally? shortly after I posted here) that prevents him going to the party.
 
Once more, I pray for your friend, that he will seek Godā€™s protection tonight, and that just perhaps something will happen to keep him from the party, like a flat tireā€“or maybe that heā€™ll see the hollowness of his old lifestyle or even get into an argument with one of his old friends thatā€™ll turn him off. They arenā€™t his only friends; he also has you; and I pray that the door will open to the cultivation of more godly friendships for him. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen!
 
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