Pray for Marriages (Carry them Lord!)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

  

Everyone knows someone who is in such a miserable state in their marriage that they just want to give up.  They're done.  Just plain DONE.  These are the marriages that need us most.  Let us pray for the Spirit to lift them up, for with God, nothing is impossible. 

Rise, then, for this is your duty! We are with you, so have courage and act!”  Ezra 10:4

Lord, hear our prayers! Carry those most in need of your love!

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet

Help lift up a friend in need. Pass it on!   

Pray for Families (A Gift)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Families are such a source of joy.  While they are a treasured gift from above, like most things God gives us, they are not ours to keep.  Similar to spiritual gifts, He gave them to us for His purposes, not ours.   This deserves some reflection.

• Are we clinging to family members to meet our own needs/neediness?
• Are we helping family members in their personal growth? 
• Are we assisting in our family’s growth in virtue, or are we inadvertently hindering it?
• As children mature and become autonomous, are we respecting and encouraging their unique call or vocation?
• Are we treating each member of the family with the dignity God bestowed upon them? 

Ask yourself whatever question is coming to your mind right now.  Ponder…..

He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.   

Matthew 10:37

Heavenly Father, we thank you and praise you for the gift of family that you have so generously bestowed upon us.  Help us to reflect You to them by being supportive, nurturing, patient, loving and forgiving.  May we too be open to their gift of the same back to us.  May we never interfere with your call to them, but instead turn down our own volume so they can hear your voice. 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Call others to the gift of prayer.  Pass it on.  

Pray for Marriages (Do you have 3 minutes?)

Dearest Prayer Warriors,

Slow down.

Stop.

Breathe softly. 

Be still.

Prepare your heart.

Kneel in prayer.

Pray for marriages. 

Expect a response.

Praise God!

Amen.

LORD, may your ears be attentive to the prayer of your servant and that of all your servants who willingly revere your name.  Nehemiah 1:11

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Invite someone to commit to at least 3 minutes of prayer.  Pass it on.  

Pray for Families (The Gift of Faith)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

I found this family prayer and thought it would be a good addition to your tool belt of prayers.

May we be receptive and open to allowing Jesus’ Love to grow within us, so that it’s abundance may be shared with others, especially in our own families.

A Family Prayer For The Year Of Faith

O God our Father,

in Jesus you call all Christian families and homes

to be signs of living faith.

By the light of the Holy Spirit,

lead us to be thankful for the gift of faith,

and by that gift

may we grow in our relationship with Jesus, your Son,

and be confident witnesses to Christian hope and joy

to all we meet.

In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

(Family Prayer from usccb.org)

It was not through the law that the promise was made to Abraham and his descendants that he would inherit the world, but through the righteousness that comes from faith.   He did not doubt God’s promise in unbelief; rather, he was empowered by faith and gave glory to God.  Romans 4:13;20

Shout with joy to the LORD, all the earth; break into song; sing praise! Psalm 98:4

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Accept the gift of faith and share it.  

Pray for Marriages (Marriage as a Gift)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Have you ever contemplated Jesus’s gift of self; His totally abandonment to the Father for our salvation?  It’s beyond comprehension.  He greeted every trial with faith, every insult and injury with love, and throughout His life, showed nothing but humility. 

Since Christ is the bridegroom, and we the Church are His bride, what if we imitated Jesus in our marriage?  Would it call for an increase in faith, love, & humility?  Selflessness?   Giving of time and effort?   Could you think of just one way each month that you and your spouse could become a “gift” to each other?  Could you make a personal commitment to just one thing each month?  Would it be service?  Quality time? Saying, “I love you,” each day?   A daily kiss “hello” and “good-bye”?  A written love note?  The best gifts result from considering what the other person might like.  What small, intentional gift might enhance your marriage?

So be imitators of God,^* as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma.  Ephesians 5:1-2

Lord, bless each marriage.  Teach us to love as you loved.  Through selflessness, help us be the gift you meant for us to be to each other.  In faith, may we follow your lead. 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Begin as Christ began; with prayer.  Pass it on.  

Pray for Families (Embracing Life)

Dear Prayer Warriors,

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read one of the front-page headlines in USA Today: “U.S. Faces Critical Adoption Shortage”.  Could it be, I thought, that as we approach the 40^th anniversary of Roe v. Wade this month that the reporter might delve deeply into the truth?  Sadly no.  Reasons addressed were that other countries are limiting or closing their doors to U.S. adoptions, the birthrate is declining, and with the acceptance of single parenthood, fewer children are being placed up for adoption.  But how did the reporter ignore the elephant in the room?  Could a major factor in the declining birthrate be that outside of contraception, approximately 3700 babies are aborted daily in the U.S.?  And since 85% of all abortions are performed on single women, it’s not just that single women are keeping their babies, it’s that many are aborting them.  That creates a baby shortage. 

You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb.  I praise you, because I am wonderfully made; wonderful are your works!  

Psalm 139: 13-14

Today, I would like to pray for the dignity of each person, from conception to natural death.  Let us pray for all parents natural or adoptive, who are open to life; May they be blessed for their loving hearts.  Let us pray that all parents will trust that the Lord will walk with them and guide them throughout their journey of parenthood.  And finally, let us pray that we do not fear “new life”, but embrace it.  

For it is the LORD, your God, who marches with you; he will never fail you or forsake you.  Deuteronomy 31:6

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Build your prayer community.  Pass it on.