Pray for Marriages (Dwelling in Darkness)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Have you literally ever been in pure darkness?  I still remember the time I was walking in a cave and the person with a flashlight moved well ahead of me.  Without a source of light from any direction I felt an unknown fear, as I had no sense in which direction I should move.  

Similarly, many have felt that way at some point in their marriage; paralyzed by darkness, abandoned by the one they trusted to accompany them with light, they have no idea which way to turn next.

The Light of the World awaits your call, “Lord, come be my Light!”

I will arise; though I sit in darkness, the LORD is my light.  Micah 7:8

For you, LORD, give light to my lamp; my God brightens my darkness. Psalm 18:29

Sometimes it is not until we have stumbled into darkness or have left the Light, that we realize the power and comfort of its illumination. Let us pray for God’s light to pierce through the darkness of so many marriages.  

Lord, may your Light radiate into the hearts, minds, and souls of married couples. Help them to see all that blocks the Son, so that each may self- prune appropriately, providing for an increase in your Light. Illumine pathways previously unknown, guiding these couples to new pastures of peace, fields of abundant joy, and a love so plentiful that it is poured out in imitation of you. 

I, the LORD, have called you for justice, I have grasped you by the hand; I formed you, and set you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations.  Isaiah 42:6

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Keep the flame burning brightly. Pass it on!

Pray for Families (Shedding the Excess)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,


Most have read or heard the following scripture passage:

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and decay destroy, and thieves break in and steal.But store up treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor decay destroys, nor thieves break in and steal.Matthew 6:19-12

I must admit there were times I never knew I had a treasure until the moths got to it!

All kidding aside, some if not most of us accumulate more than we need, thinking perhaps we might need it someday. Perhaps now is the time to reassess. Who might benefit from our excess?

Perhaps you’ve been blessed with intangible gifts. Are you sharing your kindness, hospitality, talent for fixing things, knack for organization, or knowledge of scripture?

As we leave summer and enter Fall, a season where even trees know to shed their excess so that they can blossom more beautifully in a coming season, let us pray that the Lord show us what to let go of, what to share, and what part of ourselves we are to give more generously to our family. Sometimes the most perfect prayer is one of action. Winterize your soul by turning of the heat of your love.

Peace, Joy, and Love,
Janet

Don’t fall behind. Let the pruning begin. Pass it on!

Pray for Marriages (Saintly Prayer and Perseverance)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

The saints are constant sources of inspiration. Their ability to persevere in the face of all types of adversity, shows us that the heavier the cross, the more grace God bestows on an individual.  

“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” 

2 Corinthians 12:9

Meditate on the lives of the saints. Then aspire to be a saint and vow to never lose hope for a marriage, be it your own or someone else’s. Persevere either in honoring your own marital covenant or in your prayers on behalf of another’s marriage. Both require faith and abundant grace.  

Indeed, the grace of our Lord has been abundant, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 1:14

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Pray like a saint and pass it on!

Pray for Families (Standing in the Gap)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Sometimes being there for a family member can be the greatest prayer, as “standing in the gap” reflects the Lord’s love. Pray by doing.  Be there for a family member in need. 

Do not fast as you do today to make your voice heard on high! Is it not sharing your bread with the hungry, bringing the afflicted and the homeless into your house; Clothing the naked when you see them, and not turning your back on your own flesh?  Then your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your wound shall quickly be healed; Your vindication shall go before you, and the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. Isaiah 58:4, 7-8

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet 

Your time and your presence is what is most important. Pass it on!  

Pray for Marriages (Too Tired to Care)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Have you ever been in a situation where you feel totally defeated, crushed, dejected? Too tired to care?  Were you able to pull yourself out of it?  For some, there are times in their marriage where they feel these emotions and see no light at the end of the tunnel.  It is at these times, that they contemplate or even move toward divorce.  It is for these marriages we seek God’s abundant grace.

Your hand guides me, your right hand holds me fast. If I say, “Surely darkness shall hide me, and night shall be my light—Darkness is not dark for you, and night shines as the day. Darkness and light are but one. Psalm 139:10-12

We know that God can bring light into darkness, make crooked paths straight, and turn a sinner into a saint.  So why can’t we believe he can make a rotten marriage fruitful and fragrant again? 

The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God. Luke 3:5-6

Pray, pray, pray for those marriages especially those hanging by a thread, clinging on to hope or in utter hopelessness.  Your prayers just may make the difference!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Prayer multiplies when you pass it on!

Pray for Families (Passing on the Faith)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

Chances are, you attend church more frequently than anyone you know.  Perhaps you have been given the gift of faith.  Alternatively, maybe your road to loving God was long, winding, and uphill, resulting in wisdom born of pain. Anyone who has been dependent on God’s merciful love (all of us) has a story to tell. 

For someone unfamiliar with church, entering in without desire won’t change their life. But being introduced to Christ will. Faith isn’t private. It’s meant to be shared. Share the Good News with all who have hearts that yearn for something more. You have the answer; His name is Jesus. Share your faith journey with family, friends, children and grandchildren, perhaps even your parents.  

Everyone loves a good story. Share yours. Let’s the Spirit do the rest.  

“I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!” Luke 12:49

Holy Spirit, enliven the faith of all who read this. Stir the desire in their heart to share with others all you have done for them. May their story be the spark which allows you to fuel another’s desire to know you. May it begin in the home and radiate outward. Come Holy Spirit, and renew the face of the earth!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

There is a remedy for one’s longing and searching.  Don’t keep it a secret! Pass it on!  

Pray for Marriages (Expectant Parents)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Although in the distant past, I can still remember awaiting the arrival of parenthood. Nothing is more exciting or terrifying than expecting your first child. The awe and wonder of bringing new life into the world can be thrilling, but not having an instruction manual is absolutely terrifying. Newborns tug at your heart in new and unexpected ways. However, their demands can strain any marriage, especially when you glare at your spouse (and they right back at you) expecting more; more help, more love, more empathy, more TLC, more diaper changing, etc.  Since my husband and I didn’t live near any family, on the worst days it felt like we were playing a game of hot potato with our newborn.  

“Here, you take her.” 

“No, you keep her, I’m tired, I just came home from work.”

 “Please, I need a break!” 

“Can’t you make her stop crying first? And change her too?”

And often, the merry-go-round continued.

My soul rests in God alone. Psalm 62:2

I wish back then my spouse and I acknowledged our helplessness and handed it over to the Lord. I know He would have sent His own Mother to gently speak to us, guide our steps, calm us, and boost our confidence, like only a Mother with lots of children can do. 

Therefore, I prayed, and prudence was given me. I pleaded and the spirit of Wisdom came to me. I preferred her to scepter and throne, and deemed riches nothing in comparison with her.  Wisdom 7:7-8

Lord, we ask for special graces for new parents, that in the midst of their parental insecurities, you give them the gifts of wisdom, patience, and love. May you enlighten their minds and open their hearts that they may nurture, guide, and discipline not only their child, but all the children you may bless them with. Finally, be the third strand in their marriage, making it unbreakable. Make them a shining witness to your love, that you may be forever glorified. Amen. 

It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praise to your name, Most High, to proclaim your love at daybreak, your faithfulness in the night.  Psalm 92:2-3

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Prayer for another never expires. Pass it on! 

Pray for Families (Handling Stress)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

Everyone deals with some family stress in their life.  Maybe you are a parent of young or teenaged children. Enough said there! Maybe you are an adult child dealing with the declining health of your parents. Or perhaps you are sandwiched between both generations and feel the tug-of-war. The stress and resultant helplessness can be overwhelming.

Yet, stress is as old as time. We are not meant to be sheltered from it, but rather to allow it to help us grow in faith. Jesus endured the most extreme stress imaginable…out of love for us. As you struggle and sacrifice out of love for your family, meditate on how Christ teaches us to respond when we feel helpless.

He advanced a little and fell to the ground and prayed that if it were possible the hour might pass by him;he said, “Abba, Father all things are possible to you. Take this cup away from me, but not what I will but what you will.” 

 Mark 14:35-56

Lord, help us to surrender to your will.  Help us believe in your unfathomable love for us. You never give us more than we can handle for you equip us with everything we need…even the grace to trust you more. As we surrender our will and allow you to reign in our lives, may we one day rest in the fact that we are too blessed to be stressed.

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Help one who is too stressed to realize they are blessed. Pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (Completing the Marathon)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

It is so inspirational to witness elderly couples who have been married for 50+ years.  While it’s so adorable to see them finish each other’s sentences and laugh with each other, how often does one consider that they may still need your prayers? Long marriages are marathons, and who doesn’t want to see them to complete the race?

If you have relatives or friends who are senior citizens, you may be aware that age-related health issues increase each year.  This must place an enormous stress on the marriage, as one spouse always seems to decline faster than the other. Other times their health conditions are cyclic and they appear more like a teeter-totter. Complicating matters, when chronic health issues or dementia sets in, one spouse may become downright mean to the other. Pray that these couples persevere through each trail they are presented will and not falter due to unforeseen conditions and obstacles.

Pursue righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience, and gentleness. Compete well for the faith. 1 Timothy 6:11-12

Good and gracious God, you instituted marriage and a special sacrament which highlights the beauty of unitive love. With each decade of marriage, increase the grace you shower upon couples. Bestow them with a gentle and kind spirit. Strengthen them so they may persevere with joy, humility, and in faith, shining brightly as a witness to your enduring love. Finally, in your loving arms, carry those who need it most. 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

A prayer needs no special equipment or membership, just a willing disposition. Pass it on!