Maeroj

So, this is probably a surface issue I have blanketing many unresolved struggles, but it's the one I can't seem to shake. I have taken a step back, of sorts, from praying for myself (with the exception of help fighting themptation) until I fear that something is invading my relationship with God. I am aware that God does as he pleases and knows better than I do. Which, to me, also means he allows terrible things to happen without intervention such as a believer's child dieing of hunger, yadda yadda, as we live in a broken world. It troubles me deeply when someone says God favored them for something frivolous eg: a sale at the store for an item they wanted. Or that they prayed for a double oven and received it. (Both are real life examples from real Christians I have met or are in my life) I fear my reactions to this mentality may be overwhelming to hear because it makes me sad and frustrated that prayer energies are spent to benefit ones materialistic desires. But even so, it brings me to a place where I am not praying for me. It seems pointless and selfish at the same time to pray for safety, health and monetary goals when others have nothing and are so destitute despite there prayers. I sometimes feel like, if God did answer that prayer in "my favor" would it frustrate me that he didn't favor a more desperate prayer as well? And it is better off that I am without so I can learn to lean on him anyway, right? Any thoughts?

My eight year old son keeps asking to visit a friend whom I've been attempting to contact for a couple years now each time he asks to see them. The mother is a fun-loving Christian(as far as I know) who used to have him over for sleepovers with her son who is a few years older than mine. He's always asking to visit the mother though. She was always the cool mom/babysitter. I miss her as well. But since I last contacted her I learned her teenaged girl has become transgender. My son used to see her daughter every Sunday at our old church and she used to help with the kids often. I'm not ready to talk to my homeschooled 8 year old about LGBQT.... anything yet. It's hard enough going into the birds and the bees as it is (though we've had many age appropriate ones as my husband and I see fit). But her daughter looks very different and calls herself a different name. How do I explain that his friend insists on being called a different gender and name without totally confusing him?