Brothers and Sisters, I ask for your prayers. I was feeling so positive just a few weeks ago - moving out of illness and fear and paralyzing depression, starting to feel hopeful about being able to heal my finances, opening my heart and then Lo! - meeting a man obviously brought into my life by God. Things were so great with this person it only inspired me more - we bring each other laughter and light. Then, my "evil ex" inserted himself into my life again. He has been harrassing me, and is now stalking me. I don't say this about people loosely, but he is evil. Evil is bringing him back into my life, and he brings evil into it. And now fear and insecurity and doubt have been whispering in my ear, louder and louder and claiming a presence in me; it is effecting my self-esteem, my behavior, and my trust in my new relationship. My new gentleman is also being tested. He is struggling with finances and his living situation and his ex, who is jealous and uses their friendship to maintain an unhealthy hold in his life. And like me, he has some wound that allows him to allow others to do these things to him. He is deeply frustrated. He is not tallking to me about these things, and seems irritable and uncommunicative. Our communication was one of our greatest joys, but now other forces, as well as our fear and pride, seem to have placed a veil between us. We are both - or at least I am - now trying to protect ourselves with pride. I know that together, we will only be stronger. We have been described like the two pieces of a broken vessel that fit perfectly together, so that the vessel will again hold water. Everyone sees it - and that is why we are being testes, why evil wants to pull us apart. I feel so sad. I am paralyzed with sadness and fear of rejection and pride. So I pray that we will be protected from these attacks - that a hedge of protection will surround us so that we may again attend to one another, develop our foundations, nurture our connection, and let it grow strong. I pray that we will be shepherded through this, back to ourselves and each other. I pray that he believes in himself, and lets me show him that he doesn't need to wait until he has more money to be with me. I pray that he will call me, and will open up to me about his circumstances, and that he will get out of this unhealthy living situation. And I pray that I will not continue to let people from my past undermine my belief in myself, or him, or this relationship that was brought to me by God. I pray that I, he and we will be protected and strengthened and blessed, that we will repair any rift and return to one another stronger, to move forward in the full force of strength and health and happy partnership. I pray for this in Jesus' name, Amen.