SOMEBODY’S PRAYING

01 Somebody’s Praying

Grandmom Cataldi with Jeremy and Jeff

A mother wrote to me: I wonder how many prayers we have lifted up as moms of children in this journey? And how many prayers others have lifted up on our behalf in an effort to do something, anything to support our both tender and strong mother hearts. How many prayers are lifted up, especially during those times when there is no clear answer to, “What do I do?”       

Time heals, the brain heals, our hearts heal…little by little. I’ve come to believe that ‘little by little’ turns out to be way bigger than we tend to give it credit. Hope fuels us through the hardest miles.

I’ve attached a song about prayer that I recorded for a friend who was going through a challenge a few years ago. It was written by John Elliot and the lyrics remind us how much comfort and strength come to us through those who never hesitate to ‘pray us along.’

Dedication: This mom and I offer you the song with our love. For me, I dedicate it to my mom who bombarded the heavens for Jeff. He was always in her prayers and in her heart. She is our prayer warrior. She prays us along – all of us, my brothers and their families, me and mine. She knows no other way. Thanks, Mom. We love you.

(Please click on the link above the photo 01 Somebody’s Praying to hear the song.)

Somebody’s prayin, I can feel it 

Somebody’s prayin’ for me

Mighty hands are guiding me

To protect me from what I can’t see

Lord, I believe, Lord, I believe

Somebody’s prayin’ for me.

 

Angels are watchin’, I can feel it

Angels are watchin’ over me

There’s many miles ahead ’til I get home

Still I’m safely kept before your thrown

‘Cause Lord, I believe, Lord, I believe

Your angels are watchin’ over me.

 

Well, I’ve walked through barren wilderness

Where my pillow was a stone

And I’ve been through the darkest caverns

Where no light had ever shown.

Still I went on ’cause there was someone

Who was down on their knees

And Lord, I thank you for those people

Prayin’ all this time for me.

 

Somebody’s prayin’, I can feel it

Somebody’s prayin’ for me

Mighty hands are guiding me

To protect me from what I can’t see

Lord, I believe, Lord, I believe

Somebody’s prayin’ for me…


 


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Barbara
Barbara
12 years ago

What a beautiful song!! Thank you for sharing it. I do believe in the power of prayer. It (prayer) consoles us, gives us hope, warms our souls and fills our hearts with love for our heavenly Father and his angels.

Libby, you are such an inspiration to all of us. I truly believe that the gift you have (and bestow on us) is from God.

Thank you Libby and thank God for the inspiration he gives you. Jeff is still sober because of it.

With love and blessings,
Barbara

Libby Cataldi
12 years ago

Thank you, Barbara, for staying close all this time. Why is Jeff sober? I still don’t know, not for sure. Is it prayer, is it that he chooses every day, is it luck or is it that he couldn’t live the life he was living. I know that I believe in God. Jeff says he believes in someone/something bigger than he is big. “I don’t have to take care of all the details,” he tells me. “I believe.”

Love you, Barbara.

Katherine
Katherine
12 years ago

This is so beautiful, Dr. Cataladi! I know I believe. How could you not? Love you always. PS you look just like your mom… beautiful!!!

Katherine

Libby Cataldi
12 years ago

Angel, I love you!!! How wonderful to get a message here from you. I didn’t even know that you read the mediations. You touch me deeply.

I believe, too. There is somebody praying for you. That somebody is me :). Love you, more than you know.

Jane Ciaramella
Jane Ciaramella
12 years ago

A few years ago when I was at what seemed like the end of the earth for me and my son I was desperate for relief. I picked up the phone and called my sponsor at that time. Her words to me, “Jane when there seems to be nothing else and no path to take, prayer is the path……” Prayer is my path and I try as hard as I can to keep turning it over to God. Nothing else has worked but Let go and let God…my son is sober for many months now and I only know that God has answered my prayers not always in ways I wanted, but in ways we needed. God is with us, and I pray for all of us in this difficult situation.
Jane

Libby Cataldi
12 years ago

Dear Jane, The desperation of not knowing what to do, knowing that there is nothing we can do and finding no relief is suffocating. I, too, got on my knees and prayed. “Let go and let God,” was my mantra, thousands of times each day. Let’s keep each other and our families in prayer.

Jane
Jane
12 years ago

I found myself praying a lot this weekend for friends who are going through this pain for the first time. I was reminded of the excruciating pain I felt. Here is a poem I wrote after dropping my son off at a rehab a year and 1/2 ago

How Can I Explain

If you never kissed your baby, one second after birth
If you never raised a child, each moment spent with him
If you never held him close all night to feel his breath on your cheek
You cannot know what I feel, a feeling so bleak.

How can I explain a pain that goes so deep
The obsession of my mind
Cannot unwind.
How can I explain the torment of the night?
Is he still there?
Did he take flight?
Is there strength left to fight?

How can I explain the questions of my mind?
The conversations in my head
The accusations from me to me
The lack of sleep taking place in bed.

How can I explain
The tears that just show up
When you talk about your kids
When I hear about their lives
Triggers for sadness on a moment’s notice

Every holiday a reminder
Every graduation a major trigger
Simple things throughout the day
Trigger a memory
Like hitting the button called “replay”.
Detaching is not easy when your name has been Mom
Like forgetting where you’ve been, who you are, what made you tick.
How do I forget he was a love of my life?
A golden boy;
past tense
still alive,
but never the same.
How could I begin to explain
The unexplainable, the invisible, extraordinary pain?

Barbara
Barbara
12 years ago

Dear Jane, how I related to your poem. It hit so deep, I cried.

Thank you for sharing your very personal poem with us.

You’ll always stay in my prayers…..

Jane
Jane
12 years ago

It’s amazing how each and everyone of us can relate to each other and our triumphs and tragedies like no one else can. I am grateful for all of you as we help each other recover. God bless and Happy Thanksgiving.

Libby
Libby
12 years ago

Dear Jane, I agree with Barbara and your poem touched me deeply. These lines in particular hit me:
Every holiday a reminder
Every graduation a major trigger
Simple things throughout the day
Trigger a memory
Like hitting the button called “replay”.
Detaching is not easy when your name has been Mom.

How do moms ‘detach’ from our flesh and blood. It’s all so complicated.

My love to you and Barbara. Prayers for a blessed Thanksgiving.

Rus VanWestervelt
12 years ago

You always come back into my life when I need you the most. Thank you, Libby. God bless you and your inspiration, your words, your strength, your guidance. I am ever-grateful.

Libby
Libby
12 years ago

Thanks, Rus, for your message. Thanks most of all for reaching out to me. I am grateful to hear from you and to know that you are still close.

Congrats on your new book COLD ROCK published by Ravenwater Press. Quite an accomplishment!! I wish you the very best and lots of book sales.

My love to you and your family and prayers for a blessed and peaceful holiday season.

Libby

Kelly
Kelly
12 years ago

I was reading Stay Close for the second time this morning and felt compelled to search Libby’s name again on Google. I did this last year when I first read the book, but this time I found this wonderful website full of support. I scrolled down to the song “Somebody’s Praying for Me,” listened to it and wept and prayed for my beautiful son who is in his 4th recovery place this year. Like Libby, I have touched hundreds of children’s lives over the years as an educator, but could not save my own son. Please all pray for us. This website is going to be a source of strength for me. Thank you to Libby seems inadequate for putting her raw pain out there for others to see, but you are helping so many.

Libby Cataldi
12 years ago

Dear Kelly,

Thanks for reaching out to all of us. In our on-line group, we have prayer warriors and those who have experienced deep loss ending in the death of their children. You are not alone.

We join hands and help each other. Love to you and prayers for your beautiful son.

Libby