Pray for Marriages (The Wisdom of Proverbs)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Nothing makes me smile quite like the wisdom of the book of Proverbs.  I decided to see what light it could shed on marriages.  Lord, open the hearts and minds of your dear prayer warriors and speak to them through these proverbs. 

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. The foolish despise wisdom as well as doctrine. Proverbs 1:7

Those who walk uprightly fear the LORD, but those who are devious in their ways spurn him. 14:2 

Do not let love and fidelity forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. Then will you win favor and esteem before God and human beings. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, on your own intelligence do not rely; In all your ways be mindful of him, and he will make straight your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes, but fear the LORD and turn away from evil; This will mean health for your flesh and vigor for your bones. Honor the LORD with your wealth, with first fruits of all your produce; 3:3-9

One who winks at a fault causes trouble, but one who frankly reproves promotes peace. 10:10

Hatred stirs up disputes, but love covers all offenses. 10:12

A diligent woman is a crown to her husband. And she who acts with confusion as to which things are worthy is decay to his bones. 12:4

A wise woman builds up her household. But a foolish one will pull down with her own hands what has been built up. 14:1

Who can find a woman of worth? Far beyond jewels is her value. Her husband trusts her judgment; he does not lack income. She brings him profit, not loss, all the days of her life. 31:10-12

Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting; the woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. 31:30

Lord, help those who have vowed to uphold marriage to see the wisdom of your teachings.  May we hear your voice affirming, confirming, and reproving us.  For who loves us more than you?  Bless us, so that by loving you in return, we are fully sustained.

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Encourage another and pass it on! 

Pray for Families (Centers of Peace)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

I hope you were all blessed immeasurably over Thanksgiving whether you gathered with few or many.

Our Holy Days, now holidays, appear to have been hijacked.  As in all major changes that take us by surprise, they happen insidiously.  It seems harmless enough at first as minor “adjustments” or “enhancements” are made year-to-year. Looking at Thanksgiving, it appears to no longer be a day about gratitude to God for our blessings, but rather a day that interrupts a week of Black Friday deals and leads us toward the holiday that is now one of self-gratification versus glory to God.  

Take back the reins! Counter the crush of commercialized chaos!  Be a gift of peace, love, and joy!

The wisdom from above is first of all pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, without inconstancy or insincerity. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace for those who cultivate peace. James 3:17-18

Lord, help us to draw closer to you this Advent.  As we contemplate the gift of your birth, open our minds and help us to see what life’s true treasures really are.  Make us centers of your peace for our family and for others, that they may realize the preciousness of your gifts and be moved to give your glory and praise!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

It simply starts with you.  Pass it on!  

Pray for Marriages (Thanks-living)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

One can spend so much time looking at what’s wrong in their life and in their marriage that sometimes they fail to see all that is right. It’s as if they like complaining about what is wrong. I am declaring this week as a week of praise.  For as you praise God, your heart will change and you will be disposed to living out your gratitude. Make a pledge to yourself that for the remainder of the week you will focus on the good and give thanks to God!

Everything indeed is for you, so that the grace bestowed in abundance on more and more people may cause the thanksgiving to overflow for the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 4:15

Let us come before him with a song of praise, joyfully sing out our psalms! How good to sing praise to our God; how pleasant to give fitting praise. Psalm 95:2, 147:1

Are you still stuck in misery and despair?  

But here I am miserable and in pain; let your saving help protect me, God, that I may praise God’s name in song and glorify it with thanksgiving.  Psalm 69:30-31

We pray for you always, that you will believe and trust in God’s saving grace.

God indeed is my salvation; I am confident and unafraid. For the LORD is my strength and my might, and he has been my salvation.  Isaiah 12:2

May the Lord bless each of you as I thank Him for your gift of prayer! 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Live a life of thanks, for all is a blessing that leads to an eternity with Him. Pass it on.  

Pray for Families (True Riches)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Think of what brings you absolute joy in your life. Chances are good that it’s not a thing, but a person or persons.  And for many, those persons are family members, be they spouse and/or children. 

For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. Luke 12:34

Perhaps this is why the Lord blesses us with children; because they make us financially poor and humble us immensely (as parenting is hard!) and as a result, help us to see what true riches are. Thus when we are open to life, we are open to the gift God wants to bestow upon us: the gift of understanding what real treasure is: Love!

For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.  Matthew 16:25

Isn’t that what parenthood is all about? Losing one’s life (at least as they once knew it!) Additionally, don’t we discover our identity through our children and other family members?

Through the love of our children, our spouse, and our family, we get a taste of heavenly love, so pure, true, and unconditional. What a gift!

Lord, help us to accept that in letting go of our will and losing the life of “me”, you will give us so much more.  “Us” and “we” will always trump “me”.  Help us accept the “gifts” you want to give us.  Bless our families, both now and forever. Amen.

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Hunting for treasure?  See Him and you will be rich!  Pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (A Faith-filled Flotation Device)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

When one is dissatisfied in their marriage, they tend to turn inward and all they can see is their pain, their misery, and their unhappiness. They dwell in disenchantment either wanting a quick exit or conversely seeing no way out nor a return path to happiness. Their thoughts become all about “me”.  

Is there any pain like my pain? Lamentations 1:12

What would change if that person instead focused on another’s pain? Maybe it’s their spouses, but perhaps it’s their children’s pain of seeing the disconnection of their parents? What if all loving actions (kindness, caring, compassion, service, etc.) were instead done out of love for God? If the Lord is the beloved, and you would do anything to please Him, wouldn’t kindnesses toward your spouse become easier? Can you envision the positive chain reaction?

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.   Colossians 3:12

Lord, with integrity of heart, I seek you!

I will live for the LORD; my descendants will serve you. Psalm 22:31

Love is an act of the will, and our wills certainly are temperamental! One must have faith that the Lord desires our good.

And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” Luke 17:5

Yes Lord, increase our mustard seed-sized faith and make it grow! May you hear a collective “increase our faith!” all week long as we pray in solidarity for the health and survival of marriages.  May no one ever feel alone, but rather feel buoyed by our prayer!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Prayer is like a life preserver; it helps someone stay afloat in a sinking marriage.  We need more life preservers.  Please pray and pass it on! 

Pray for Families (Truth or Lie?)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

It’s great to feel good about yourself, isn’t it?  While self-confidence and positive affirmations are important, self-love is not. Have you ever had a conversation with yourself and mused in self-gratification, “I’m a good person.  I am kinder than most, go to church more than most and even donate to charities.”  Your thoughts continue,  “My sins aren’t that bad”.  “Sure, I sin sometimes, but I don’t think God thinks they are that big a deal.”  “My sins are nothing compared to my friends!”  “God doesn’t mind if I miss Mass/Church occasionally.  He’ll understand that the big game was on…or that I needed my sleep…or that I had company...”

Sound familiar? Unknowingly, we allow ourselves to be deluded by the Father of Lies.  A podcast I heard recently slapped to attention. It went something like this: Adam and Eve sinned ONCE and as a result ALL subsequent generations lost paradise.  Just once!! As a result, shame, toil, pain, lust, sadness, anger, pride, envy, greed and so on, entered into the world.  Death was to be our end. Yet God the Father sent his only begotten Son into the world to pay the debt for our sin.  If we look at the crucifix we can see what our sin did.

For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. John 3:16

One sin blocked us from paradise so don’t allow Satan to tell you that your sin doesn’t matter. Turn away from sin. Face the Truth.

Consecrate them in the truth. Your word is truth.  John 17:17

I am the way and the truth and the life. John 14:6

You are loved eternally.  That is the Truth.  Spend more time with the One who delights in you the most! Pray that your loved ones do the same!

I made known to them your name and I will make it known, that the love with which you loved me may be in them and I in them.” John 17:26

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Truth.  Pass it on!