Pray for Families (Be Reconciled!)

Good Friday

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

How horrific was Christ's crucifixion and the hours leading up to it!  In disbelief, I shake my head at all those evil people that caused it. But then the Lord reminds me that I was one of them.  He died in reparation for my sin.  He died in reparation for your sin. All because he couldn't bear the thought of being eternally separated from us.  That is love.

Take some time today to meditate on the cross. Tell the Lord how sorry you are for your role in his death.  His desire is to be reconciled with you. He also wants you to be reconciled with others. 

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has similarly been tested in every way, yet without sin. So let us confidently approach the throne of grace to receive mercy and to find grace for timely help. 

Hebrews 4:14-16

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Today is the day.  Take the first step and draw close to Jesus. He will meet you the rest of the way.  Pass it on!  

Pray for Marriages (Bridging the Divide)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Most marriages start with a couple "in love".  How does it fall apart then? Perhaps it starts with some insensitive words shared.Crack! (Imperceptible) Then perhaps some unkind actions or a complete lack of action follows. Fissure! Self-centeredness now has room to grow. Chasm! Disregard for the commitment to love and cherish. Grand Canyon! Welcome to the great divide! Interestingly, this is also how sin grows in our lives. Now replace “spouse” with the Lord in this scenario. We don’t often realize the divide we have created of our own free will, and when we move away from loving Jesus, our marriage weakens too. 

Jesus in contrast, loves us so much that He agreed to be the sacrifice of atonement, the bridge-builder.  Without the cross, both sides are left stranded, unable to span the divide.

For God did not destine us for wrath, but to gain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live together with him. Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up. 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11

As you pray for marriages, contemplate Christ’s love for you and for your spouse. Open your heart to Him so that He may share His heart with you and you may share it with your spouse. Invite Him to enter your marriage in a new way. With hearts aflame, pray for other couples too, that they may experience the transforming power of Christ’s love.

Teach me, LORD, your way that I may walk in your truth, single-hearted and revering your name. I will praise you with all my heart, glorify your name forever, Lord my God. Your mercy to me is great; you have rescued me from the depths of Sheol. Psalms 86:11-13

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Christ love can cross any canyon.  Allow Him to be your bridge. Pass it on! 

Pray for Families (Learning to Love)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Time is finite, yet how many minutes/hours/days/weeks/months do you waste being annoyed, irritated, angry, resentful, or bitter toward someone?  How much time do you lose by closing the door on a relationship, even if justified?  We are called to love.  We are called to forgive.

Lord, come to our assistance!  Help us to reflect your image in word, deed, and disposition.  May we be but an instrument in your hand so that you may bring about healing in our relationships and in our families. 

Consider the depth and genuineness of Christ’s love for us.  When we turn our back on Him by choosing sin, He responds by loving us more. He calls us to love again.

To understand such love, all one has to do is look at a crucifix and ponder His path. He endured unfathomable pain, so that the gates of Heaven would be reopened to all of us. He was loved, then shunned, and then experienced the depth and grotesqueness of our sin while praying in the Garden of Gethsemane. Its weight caused Him to sweat blood.  He was betrayed, scourged to a point just short of death, mocked, spat upon, and then a crown of thorns was pounded into his skull.  He was then forced to carry a heavy cross up a hill, while being prodded like an animal. He was stripped of His clothes, nailed to a cross, and humiliated.  His response? 

“Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”  Luke 23:34

Love is a complete surrender to the Lord’s will and a decision to forgive everyone.  In light of this, let us pray a prayer of surrender, The Suscipe, that by surrendering to Him, the Lord may love our families through us.

Take, Lord, and receive all my liberty,
my memory, my understanding,
and my entire will,
All I have and call my own.

You have given all to me.
To you, Lord, I return it.

Everything is yours; do with it what you will.
Give me only your love and your grace,
that is enough for me.

Amen!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Pray the Suscipe! Pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (Current and Future!)

Feast of St. Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Today I am thinking about St, Joseph. What a perfect model of a man and of a husband! That’s a lot to say about a man we barely know. I wonder, was he shy? Gregarious? Ordinary?

In just a few sentences written about him though, we know his character and dispositon: kind, compassionate, faithful, and protective.

Now this is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about. When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found with child through the Holy Spirit. Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Matthew 1:18-19

Where many men would have flown into a rage and smeared the name of their betrothed (or worse), upon hearing the voice of an angel, Joseph treats Mary with dignity and puts his faith in God.

“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the Holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. Matthew 1:20

Such faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control!  Faithfulness results in righteousness, and righteousness bears fruit!

If you are a husband, contemplate the man that Christ chose to be the husband of His mother, and God chose as the earthly father of his son.  Pray that you become that type of man!

If you are a single male, meditate on the life of Joseph, and discern what a good husband looks like.  Decide to become that kind of husband one day.

If you are a married woman, pray that your spouse grows in virtue, like Joseph. But also pray that you surrender yourself to the plan God has for your marriage.

If you are a single woman, never settle for a man who doesn’t treat you like you are the daughter of the Most High King!

Lord, hear the prayers emanating from our hearts as we pray unceasingly for marriages!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Show others what a faithful husband looks like. Pass it on!

Pray for Families (Timeless Love)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Three months.  Three deaths.  That is the number of relatives I have lost in a short time. Two were totally unexpected.  I know my experience is not unique. Death is a guarantee. With each death, though, I believe most people ask themselves a series of questions: When did I last see them?  What was our last conversation about? Did they know I loved them?   

We are never guaranteed our tomorrows with anyone. Each conversation, every glance or glare, and each act of injury or kindness could be your last with someone. Now is the time to reconnect, mend relationships, ask forgiveness, and abandon self-love for self-less love.  Hug your family members and say “I you love”.  Those words could be someone’s lasting memory of you.

As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. John 13:34

Dearest Jesus, love and mercy, are easy virtues to aspire to and difficult ones to live by. Help us to reflect your image in word, deed, and disposition.  May we be but an instrument in your hand that seeks to bring about healing wherever needed in our familial relationships. Be our guide so that our love for one another may be timeless and without bounds. Jesus we trust in You!  Amen.

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Love is contagious.  Start a pandemic and pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (Faith and Protection)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Are any of you feeling weary? Defeated? Holding on tightly to the hope of having a good marriage, a great marriage, even a holy marriage?

You tested us, O God, tried us as silver tried by fire… we went through fire and water; then you led us out to freedom. Psalms 66:10, 12

You want to believe, but can't see any light at the end of the tunnel?

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

Perhaps you see nothing but roadblocks? Satan wants to fill you with doubt and despair. So let us pray prayers of protection for one another, calling for the help of St. Michael the Archangel to be a warrior for marriages.

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the Devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou,
O Prince of the heavenly hosts,
by the power of God,
cast into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

We know that all things work for good for those who love God. 

Romans 8:28   Pass it on!

Pray for Families (Radiating Love)

Greeting Prayer Warriors,

The Lord’s commandments on how to live are simple and clear:

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ […] ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Mark 12:30-31

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to be kind and loving at work, with friends, and even strangers, but once at home or surrounded by family, loving as Jesus asks can sometimes be challenging?

Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his native place and among his own kin and in his own house.” Mark 6:4

The Lord shows us clearly why we need Him! So let us humble ourselves and ask for His assistance.

Almighty God, each day we start out with the best of intentions and journey along in the hopes of imitating you. Yet how often we get derailed by losing our focus and our patience! Our humanness shines brightly! But Lord, with your grace and guidance, we can be a reflection of you, a light in the darkness. Show us your mercy and grant us the grace to radiate your love. This world needs more Love. May all meet you through us. Amen.

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Fill a great need in the lives of others. Love more. Pass it on. 

Pray for Marriages (Indivisibility)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

Today I was witness to the end of a 66-year marriage, that of my aunt and uncle. It was not tragic, but beautiful, as the end was as God ordained it, “Until death do us part”. It was a most unlikely love affair. They met on a blind date, one my aunt didn’t want to go on, but in a twist of fate, they were engaged 5 days later and married in 3 weeks. It wasn’t even a shotgun wedding. Just divine circumstance. Once married, they weren’t viewed. as individuals any longer but rather “Aggie & Bob”. They were clearly one.

A man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife and the two shall become one flesh. Ephesians 5:31

They prayed together, played together, and volunteered in service to others and their church. They endured each other’s health issues with love and fidelity. They never entertained the option of divorce any more than they would have considered cutting off a limb. They were indivisible. Perhaps a successful marriage it’s as simple as that. Commitment through the good times and bad….

Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 10:23, 11:1

How amazed and uplifted I am by God’s grace in their marriage, and their enduring commitment to their vows. But then again, the Lord always honors our commitments to Him, if only we have faith.

Lord, increase our faith that we may always believe you will never ignore or abandon us in our need.  Give all of us patience, especially when you test us with a slow, delayed response.  May we instead love you all the more as you challenge us to grow in love. Thank you for the witness of couples such as these. They are a great light to those who dwell in darkness, because you shine so brightly through them. Continue to send us beacons of hope, encouragement, and love.

Peace, Joy, and Love,
Janet

Believe not if what you see, but in all of God’s promises. Pass it on!   

Pray for Families (Seeing the Truth)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

In the past decade, this country has seen a lot of change. As the family has been broken down, separated and redefined, so too has the fabric of this country. In turn, the country has felt much like a family at war. And with God slowly being moved out of the picture, there is no unifying presence. Christianity has declined, atheism and agnosticism have risen, and the role of government has increased. Religious freedom is eroding and Christianity is becoming the new hate group.  Think I’m being over-dramatic?

In my state, bills were passed in the legislature to:

• Mandate insurance companies to cover all forms of birth control and abortions..  There was no allowance for a conscience clause by any business or religious organization.
• Legalize womb rental. You’re not allowed to rent your body, but your womb? No problem! No need to live in state or even in this country to rent a womb. No background checks or home evaluation necessary either! Can only t imagine the impact on human trafficking.
• Make it illegal for therapists to help anyone with gender dysphoria other than encouraging the dysphoria.

We must hold fast to the truth and share the truth.

For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.  

2 Corinthians 13:8

Seek the truth! Support the truth!

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

Lord, give us the courage to speak up and not be silenced by our fears. We pray that you enlighten our minds, those of our families, and those who have no sense of the truth.  You are our Truth.  May we hold fast to you and all your teachings. Strengthen us for the good fight! St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Ignorance is not bliss. Pass it on!