A challenging season... and a breath prayer

It's been almost a month since I was able to post on this blog; life took a few more unexpected turns. First, we got word that we had to move out of our temporary accommodation and move into Mum's new home in Grangemouth. This left us completely without internet, as it would only be installed there in early March. To complicate matters even more, on the day of the move I woke up with pneumonia. A round the clock cough dragged on despite four doctor's visits, two weeks of antibiotics and various other medications. This meant it was hard for me to get out and use the wifi in another location, like the local supermarket.

At one point I got concerned that the debilitating cough would prevent me from being able to give the eulogy at Dad's funeral, which was scheduled for 3rd March (my brother's 60th birthday!) Mum was also coughing by this time, which suggested that there was also a virus involved. Fortunately, a codeine cough syrup helped suppress our coughs so that they weren't a distraction during the memorial service... which was a precious time of remembering and celebrating Dad's life. He was 94 when he died, and only weeks away from celebrating his 70th wedding anniversary with Mum.

I flew back to Spain on 5th March - with wheelchair assistance, as I was still very weak and coughing a lot. I'm coughing a little less as the week progresses, but still having a lot of breathing difficulties. Yesterday, walking back from the veterinary clinic, I could hardly make it up the hill and had to keep stopping to sit down on a bench. Yes, we were at the vet. Amidst my own coughing and spluttering, Maiki has been really ill all week with some kind of gastroenteritis, culminating in our needing to go to the vet yesterday and again today. Teddi, thankfully, seems fine.

And so I'm back in Alhaurín - and still in the house that I was supposed to move out of at the end of February. The search for a new home is being renewed, and I'm continuing to pack all my belongings into boxes and suitcases. I have to confess to feeling a little bit vulnerable now that we're already past the deadline for my moving out of this house, and I'm extremely grateful for your renewed prayers that I will very soon find a place to stay.

Have you heard of "breath prayers"? They're a simple practice that has been common throughout church history and we read about them in the life stories of ancient saints and church fathers. A way of "praying without ceasing," they're basically a short prayer that can be spoken out within just one breath. Perhaps one of the most well known breath prayers in the Bible is the prayer of the tax collector, found in Luke 18: 13 - "God have mercy on me, a sinner." Some ancient church traditions, like the Orthodox and the Catholic Church, use a slightly longer version - “Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” - calling it the Jesus prayer and using it while praying the rosary.

A breath prayer typically consists of: a) a name of God, and b) a verb, that expresses c) a desire.

Lord Jesus, help me reflect your love to others.

Prince of Peace, fill me with your peace and joy.

Father God, help me to know you more.

Holy Spirit, increase my faith for miracles and answers to prayer.

Because a breath prayer is so short, it's easy to memorise it and to pray it out dozens of times during the day. 

My friend Rite, who used to live here in Spain, but moved to Canada a couple of years ago, sent me this photo today. She told me that she currently has a breath prayer asking the Lord to provide a new home for me: "Lord, please open a door for Barbara." She works a lot with pre-school children and likes to have something visual to represent what she is praying for in her own life. So she made this little house (with an open door) and has it sitting on her desk. Whenever she sees it throughout the day, she prays, "Lord, open a door for Barbara."

In this post-pneumonia season, when my breathing is laboured and each breath is very short, this is a good breath prayer for me too: "Father, I trust you to open a door for me!"

If you think of me over these coming days, I invite you to join with Rite's breath prayer or to create one of your own. I am grateful for your prayers as I trust God for a miracle. Thank you!