Pray for Marriages (Elective Actions)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

Life is filled with choices and one major choice was who to marry. It reminds me of our current election. You only have their past behavior to judge them by. You weigh the pros and cons and hope your choice of candidate keeps their promises! In marriage, we too are obligated to keep our vows, as our pledge was made before God.

If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing. Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but [also] everyone for those of others. Philippians 2:1-4

These are hard words to live by unless you rely on “the Rock”, our Lord and our God, and the gifts of grace that He showers over you and your spouse.

Lord Jesus, we look to you, and your earthly parents, as perfect examples of love, sacrifice, and mercy. Help us during all those times (each day) that we falter in our love, shun inconvenient sacrifice, and lack mercy and compassion. We are weak; You are strong. Come to our assistance so that our actions, words, and decisions may be wholly acceptable to you. Send your Spirit and the help of your angels as we battle all the forces that seek to discourage us. Jesus, we trust in You!

Let the words of my mouth be acceptable, the thoughts of my heart before you, LORD, my rock and my redeemer. Psalm 19:15

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Encourage one another to fight the good fight, beginning with prayer! Pass it on! 

Pray for Families (Chasing Sainthood)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Sleep deprivation got the best of me yesterday, and I am hoping with my increasing lapses that you are already in the habit of habitual prayer for marriage and family! (Frankly, by now you should be!)

With the duo of All Saints Day and All Souls Day upon us, we are reminded once again to PRAY! First of all, that we boldly choose a goal of sainthood and strive to attain it while on earth, and secondly, that we pray for the souls in purgatory, so that we have a whole league of new saints praying for us when/if we land there! 

For no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there, namely, Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, the work of each will come to light, for the Day will disclose it. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire [itself] will test the quality of each one’s work. If the work stands that someone built upon the foundation, that person will receive a wage. But if someone’s work is burned up, that one will suffer loss; the person will be saved, but only as through fire. 1 Corinthians 3:11-15

 “The person will be saved, but only as through fire.” Purgatory exists for the saved, that they may be made clean.

All who die in God’s grace, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven. 

(CCC 1030, page 268)

So let us join in prayer to pray for sainthood, or at least that we and our families die in God’s grace! Let us also pray prayers of atonement for our relatives that have already passed.

Good and gracious God, you love each of us beyond our comprehension. Forgive us for the many times that we have taken such love for granted, ignored it, mocked it, and rejected it by choosing to sin against you. Help us with our daily choice to become holy and pleasing to you. Hear our prayers for loved ones who have strayed far from you and grant them the grace of conversion of heart. For those who have passed before us, lessen their time of purgation so that they may enter into eternal life. Hear our prayers for their souls, and in your mercy, bring them into your loving arms. Amen.

Eternal Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Be bold! Be a saint! Pass it on!

Pray for Marriages (A Heart to Heart)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,  

I am on vacation, but not too busy to remind you to pray. But since I am on a completely different time zone, time schedule, etc. AND because I just sent you last Friday’s “Pray for Families”, I will keep this short, as long as you keep your prayers for marriages, long!

In those days he departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. Luke 6:12

Jesus’ prayer was nothing other than a conversation with God. Have a long heart-to-heart with the Lord and share all that troubles you, all that delights you, and all your prayer intentions, especially those for marriages. Take some time to listen too!

God bless you all!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

God never tires of your voice. Pass it on! 

Pray for Families (A Fortress of Protection)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

The Lord wants nothing more than to gather His children with Him in heaven, yet we often don’t listen to His words or try to hear His voice. Sometimes, we even spurn His gift of love. So why are we surprised when our own children treat their earthly parents that same way?

Children don't usually appreciate their parents until they gain perspective. Then what they spurned at one time, they seek with open arms.  So it is in our relationship with God.

“I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing! There is a baptism with which I must be baptized, and how great is my anguish until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. From now on a household of five will be divided, three against two and two against three; a father will be divided against his son and a son against his father, a mother against her daughter and a daughter against her mother, a mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.” Luke 12:49-53

Have we not experienced this in the last 5 years? Vaccine polarization, political division, racial conflicts, etc.?  It is difficult to understand God’s plan for good in all of this.

He also said to the crowds, “When you see [a] cloud rising in the west you say immediately that it is going to rain—and so it does; and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south you say that it is going to be hot—and so it is. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time? Luke 12:54-56

Contemplate these scriptures and what the Lord might be saying to you, personally?  How might He be weaving a beautiful tapestry from the messiness of your family life?

The greatest weapon of our times is prayer.  As Satan seeks to destroy the family by increasing divisiveness, he again will misjudge the Master’s plan. Keep your hearts united in prayer, and together we will create a powerful fortress. Keep the prayers coming and trust in the Good Shepherd to find all the lost sheep. 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

 

Unite more hearts in prayer to strengthen the fortress! Pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (The Eyes of Faith)

Greeting Prayer Warriors,

Marriage is a great training ground for working on the building of virtue and the elimination of vices. Vices become more apparent when you are around your spouse daily, and of course it is much easier to pinpoint your spouse’s vices than your own. Sometimes it’s even easier to identify the virtues they lack. But our focus shouldn’t be on the other until we’ve spent a long time looking in the mirror. No, I am not talking about the literal mirror that only contributes to one’s vanity, but contemplating the condition of our very soul. We must pray that our blinders be removed so that we may see as God does.

How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me remove that splinter in your eye,’ when you do not even notice the wooden beam in your own eye? You hypocrite! Remove the wooden beam from your eye first; then you will see clearly to remove the splinter in your brother’s eye. Luke 6:42

Working on oneself is difficult, but so too is helping your partner uproot their vices and grow in virtue. Both can seem overwhelming and unattainable, but we must never forget that nothing is impossible for God. 

I will lead the blind on a way they do not know; by paths they do not know I will guide them. I will turn darkness into light before them,and make crooked ways straight. These are my promises: I made them, I will not forsake them.  Isaiah 42:16

I once heard a well known Catholic state, “I believe in God, I just don’t trust Him.”  As bad as that sounds, it was actually a very honest, transparent statement that showed some self-reflection. Aren’t we all guilty of lack of trust? Who hasn’t prayed and prayed about a situation, and when it does not resolve to our satisfaction in the timeframe we desired, we take back control of the situation and make the decisions we think are important? 

“I do believe, help my unbelief!” Mark 9:24

Make the above scripture your constant prayer as you seek the Lord’s help in growing in virtue through the eyes of faith. Once your faith in Him grows, the rest will follow.

It is I who say to you, Do not fear, I will help you. Isaiah 41:13

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Show you believe and pass it on! 

Pray for Families (Peace to Your Household)

 Greetings Prayer Warriors,

We contemplate all too seldom why the Lord has put us on this earth. It’s not to become rich or famous (although that could happen), but to fulfill HIS plan for our lives, one in which we increase his kingdom here on earth by making known his message of mercy and love..

God longs for us to bring His Light into this world, one that is becoming increasingly darker, not because of the shorter days autumn brings, but due to darkened hearts that celebrate sin. 

“The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Luke 10:2

He asks us, “Will you labor for me? There is much to harvest!”

Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. 

Luke 10:3

While that statement doesn’t necessarily breed confidence, He questions us, “Do you love Me enough to work for my Kingdom? Do you trust Me?”

Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ 

Luke 10:5

The biggest challenge could be your own home, but never neglect to daily offer it His Peace which lives in you. 

 If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you.  Luke 10:6

Contemplate how bringing increased Peace into the world is dependent on each one of us! If we do not share it with others, it will not spread. We must also share the Light of His Love, illuminating those darkened hearts that are lost and can’t find The Way. Be a torchbearer and a peace sharer!

Lord, how often we feel unequipped to labor for you, even in our own homes! We lack courage, faith, trust, passion, and desire. Send your Spirit upon us and awaken and energize our desire to serve You. As we each battle varying levels of darkness in our own households, instill in us a warrior heart, one whose weapons are love and peace. Fill us with all we need, for you don’t call the equipped, but equip the called! Yes Jesus, we trust in You!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Peace to your households! Pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (Loving Intentionally)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

While I missed Friday’s reminder, I hope you still prayed! Family time won, (as it should). Over the years I have struggled with balancing my time set aside for the Lord and those activities that honor Him, and not losing focus on my God-ordained vocation of marriage and family. Satan delights in tempting us to use our strengths in overdrive, which then become our weaknesses and can steal time from what’s truly important. It is a subtle snare.

That’s true in marriage as well, not just family. How often does one work self-inflicted overtime, spend copious amounts of time volunteering for this and that, even church related activities, or work long hours for a great cause, delighting in what they do, only to decimate time with their spouse (and/or children). These can be very good things if mutually agreed upon, but not when they are only to make you feel praised and loved by others, (while your spouse/family feels neglected.) 

Meditate on the following scripture passages, and when you read the word “ love”, add ‘for my spouse/family”.

If I speak in human and angelic tongues  but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have love, I gain nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:1-3

Perhaps the question to ask oneself is, “What is the most loving behavioral response for my relationship?”  The challenge is to find moderation. Sometimes one can incorporate their spouse/family into their volunteer/ charitable time. And perhaps there may be times your spouse can help you meet a work deadline that is causing you to work into the evening. Simply put, reflect on what can bring you together rather than separate you more. 

Lord, we need your eyes to help us find the right order within our lives. We need your wisdom to help us make the best decisions within our vocation of marriage and family. We need your heart to love more intentionally. Guide our actions and words, so that we might become a reflection of you in all that we do, honoring your master plan for our lives. Jesus we trust in you! Amen.

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Begin each day with a renewed love. Pass it on!