Pray for Families (I Love You)

Dearest Prayer Warriors,

While at church this past week, during the homily I learned of a fabulous acronym. I thought it would be the perfect thing to share with you as this year comes to a close. While there has been a lot of focus on the role of the parent in the family, in contrast I like that this focuses on the role of the child (either adult or minor).

F ather
A nd
M other
I
L ove
Y ou.

A strong family depends on mutual respect, but it is important that children honor their father and mother. This is shown through love and obedience, in the same way that Christ loved and obeyed his earthly parents. Even He didn’t say, “You don’t know what you’re talking about! I know better than you!”

After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions, and all who heard him were astounded at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished, and his mother said to him, "Son, why have you done this to us? Your father and I have been looking for you with great anxiety." And he said to them, "Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" But they did not understand what he said to them. He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. Luke 2:46-51

Share this with a child of any age. Ask that they start the New Year by showing and/or expressing their love for their parent(s). Then say a prayer together for the family.

May the New Year fill your hearts with….Peace, Joy, and Love.
May God bless you abundantly,
Janet

Pray for Marriages (Promise to God)

Dear Prayer Warriors,

We are approaching the end of the year, a time when many decide to make New Year’s Resolutions. So instead of promising yourself that you are going to make a change in a behavior or lifestyle, make a promise to God. Be sure to include something for marriages, either yours or someone else’s. It could be an increase in prayer, a change in attitude/behavior, daily affirmations to your spouse, a weekly/daily rosary, fasting, counseling, etc.
Perhaps a promise to God will carry more weight than a promise to your self.

When you make a vow to God, delay not its fulfillment. For God has no pleasure in fools; fulfill what you have vowed. Eccl 5:4

Thank you for your commitment to pray for marriages. One doesn’t have to look far to see that there is a tremendous need for prayer here. Take a baby step and make a commitment our Lord.

Peace, Joy, and Love,
Janet

Pray for Families (Give Praise)

Glory to God in the Highest!

Luke 2:14

Greetings prayer angels,

Join me in exclaiming His praises on the one year anniversary of "pray for families". Christmas day last year was a Friday, the day which you, my angels,
joined me in a commitment to pray for families. Thank you.

I ask the Holy Family to intercede on our behalf, in asking the Father for a special blessing for families: our children, our spouses, our parents, and our siblings.

May peace abide in your homes, may joy fill your hearts, and may the love you receive be abundant. Merry Christmas!

Peace, Joy, & Love,
Janet

Pray for Marriages (Recognize His will)

Greetings prayer warriors,

I never used to dwell very deeply on the Blessed Virgin Mary's fiat. I always looked at her "yes" as her agreement to carry Jesus, not her okay to suffer alongside Him!

As we deal with difficulties whether in life or marriage we often can't see beyond the immediate. Moments of our life are like a mini puzzle piece. Only God can see the whole puzzle picture. This is why we have to have faith in God's will for us, seek to know his will, and then succumb to His will. How often are
we instead wrestling with Him to do OUR will?

So for the next week, focus on Mary's fiat:

"Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Luke 1:38

Then pray for all marriages, that each spouse may seek to learn and follow the will of God in their marriage.

Peace, Love, and Joy,
Janet

Pray for Families (Expectant Faith)

Greetings Dear Prayer Angels,

Excitement and anticipation should be rising, as we will soon be entering the 4th week of Advent. Christmas is almost here! Yet the stress of getting everything ready can easily be overwhelming. Often we expect that our family will instinctively know what we need or need help with. For some, it is hard to ask for assistance. For others, they just bark out orders. Either way, stress can lead to both anger and resentment among family members and those feelings don’t do much to make Christmas merry or create family unity!

The only One who knows what we want and need without us asking is our Lord. But even He expects that we ask for what we need.

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:8-9

So with expectant faith, ask your family for what you need. Ask for help, ask for someone’s company, or ask how you can help.

And with expectant faith, ask the Lord to bless your family. Ask that He heal any old hurts, disunity, or estrangements. Ask that He take away any grudges or deep-seated anger. Name each family member in prayer, and ask that the Lord give them exactly what He knows they need. And when you gather with family for your Christmas celebration, pray together. Then ask them to continue to pray for the family every Friday :).

Peace, Joy, and Love,
Janet

Pray for Marriages (Anticipation and Hope)

Greetings Prayer Angels,

Advent, is a time of anticipation and hope.

In marriage, there tends to be less anticipation and more expectations! We can easily fall into the “if only” trap. If only he/she would________, then I’d be happier. If only he/she would __________, I would love them more. If only he/she would quit____________, our life would be perfect. IF ONLY!

In the spirit of Advent, perhaps we should look inward and see what needs changing in us. How might we be more loving? What bad habits should we quit? How might we do a better job of being Christ-like toward our spouse? Let us then anticipate the change in us, in hopes of seeing a marriage renewed.

They that hope in the LORD will renew their strength, they will soar as with eagles' wings; They will run and not grow weary, walk and not grow faint. Isaiah 40:31

Dear Lord, we pray for strengthening and renewal in all marriages, that through the miracle of your birth, we may be humble like a child, have faith, hope, and love reborn, and always trust in your divine providence. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, Amen.

Continue to pray unceasingly for marriages.

Peace, Joy, and Love,
Janet

Pray for Families (Speak Truth)

Greetings Prayer Warriors!

In your Advent preparations, most of you probably have your tree up or are planning to by this weekend. What a perfect time to unite the family or share with family/friends the origin of the Christmas tree. There are many stories, but the one I like dates back to the eighth century and St Boniface. As the story goes, he gave a balsam fir tree to the Druids in place of the symbol of their idol, the oak tree. “The fir tree is the wood of peace, the sign of an endless life with its evergreen branches. It points to heaven. It will never shelter deeds of blood, but rather be filled with loving gifts and rites of kindness.”

Perhaps this will provide you with a great starting point to begin a family discussion about the true reason for the season. If you don’t discuss or reinforce the true meaning of Christmas, who will? Who else will compete with the commercialism of Christmas that bombards us everywhere?

Be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created in God's way in righteousness and holiness of truth. Therefore, putting away falsehood, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Eph 4:23-25

Pray for families, especially those consumed by commercialism, that their hearts are converted and open to His light. No present can begin to compete with the gift of the birth of Christ. No gift can fill us with lasting joy, like that of the newborn King. Prepare your hearts to receive Him and continue to pray for families.

Peace, Joy, and Love,
Janet

Pray for Marriages (Peace and Goodwill)

Good Morning Prayer Angels!

Yesterday began the 2nd week of Advent and Christmas Card sentiments started entering into my brain, “Peace on Earth, Good will Toward Men”, then songs, “Let there be Peace on Earth and let it begin with me.” This got me to thinking; everything does begin with each one of us. Is “Peace on Earth” possible or should it remain a well-parodied Miss America platform? What about “Goodwill Towards Men”? If it begins with me, that would mean ground zero is my house, my marriage. Peace and goodwill in a marriage flow downstream to the children. So if each family spread such love, harmony, and generosity to others, wouldn’t it be possible to have Peace on Earth?

May the God of peace himself make you perfectly holy and may you entirely, spirit, soul, and body, be preserved blameless for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will also accomplish it. 1Thes:5-23-24

With prayer, anything is possible, so today we pray for the ground zero of peace and goodwill, all marriages. May the Lord bless and strengthen each marriage, and be generous with his mercy and love.

Peace, Joy, and Love,
Janet

Pray for Families (A gift)

Good Evening prayer warriors!

I know I am getting this reminder out a bit late, but I kind of lost track of what day of the week it was! I left my house early this morning to meet a friend for breakfast. She is a single mother who just got laid off of work. Sunday she is moving back home to live with her mother and father. Not an easy task at age 35.

One could look at the negative, or choose to see what a gift family can be. By divine design, we need each other. We were never meant to be alone in life. Family provides us a built-in safety net and extended support system. They can be our shelter, our cheerleaders, our mentors, our admonishers, and our friends.

Bear one another's burdens, and so you will fulfill the law of Christ. Gal 6:2

Today let's say a prayer of thanks for the gift of family. Here is a prayer to get you started.

Blessed are You, loving Father,
For all your gifts to us.
Blessed are You for giving us family and friends
To be with us in times of joy and sorrow,
To help us in days of need,
And to rejoice with us in moments of celebration..

Father,
We praise You for Your Son Jesus,
Who knew the happiness of family and friends,
And in the love of Your Holy Spirit.
Blessed are you for ever and ever.
Amen.

Peace, Joy, and Love,
Janet