Pray for Marriages (In Distress)

Greeting Prayer Warriors, 

Stress and distress can either bring marriages together for pull them apart.  We are in difficult times where either people are working from home under less than ideal conditions, losing their jobs, or maintaining their jobs only to have to be at risk of being exposed to the virus and potentially bring it home to their family.  

When situations feel out of control, it’s often because we’ve deluded ourselves into thinking we have control over all aspects of our lives, even our marriage. Now is a time to pause, humble ourselves, and acknowledge we need the Lord’s help, grace, and mercy, and kneel in prayer. 

I sought the LORD, and he answered me, delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:5

Good and gracious Lord, you are our all-powerful Savior. Forgive us for the times we have not given you the glory and acknowledged your unwavering love for us. You have blessed us in so many ways, but now we call upon your mercy. Protect us from not only from the scourge of this virus, but from all that seeks to destroy our marital relationship. Help us to lead with love in our marriage, in our family, and in our community that all may know your kindness and compassion. In you alone do we place our trust. Heal us, Lord!

Though the mountains fall away and the hills be shaken, my love shall never fall away from you nor my covenant of peace be shaken, says the LORD, who has mercy on you.  Isaiah 54:10

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Everyone needs some kindness and hope. Pass it on! 

Pray for Families (A Passion to Save)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

Most know that Jesus died on the cross to save us from our sins. While meditating on Christ’s Most know that Jesus died on the cross to save us from our sins. While meditating on Christ’s Passion, my understanding of the enormity of our sin became clearer as I contemplated all He endured to put sin to death.

He conquered our pride through his immense humility.

He emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:7-8

He dismantled our vice-grip on resentments through forgiveness.

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

He defeated our vanity by being stripped and scourged

They divided his garments by casting lots. Luke 23:34

He bore the punishment that makes us whole, by his wounds we were healed. Isaiah 53:5

He addressed our gluttony by his fasting. 

He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry. Matthew 4:2

He responded to anger and wrath with enduring patience and gentleness.

With violence and torture let us put him to the test that we may have proof of his gentleness and try his patience. Wisdom 2:19

He crushed insidious lust with his purity and chastity

You were ransomed from your futile conduct, [ …] not with perishable things like silver or gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a spotless unblemished lamb. 1 Peter 1:18-19

He countered envy with overflowing gratitude to His Father

You who fear the LORD, give praise!”  I will offer praise in the great assembly; my vows I will fulfill before those who fear him. Psalms 22: 24, 46

He vanquished sloth by his zeal for and diligence toward the Father’s plan for salvation.

Because zeal for your house has consumed me, I am scorned by those who scorn you. Psalm 69:10

He disabled greed through an unwavering generosity.

"Are you envious because I am generous?" Matthew 20:15

Contemplate His Passion.  Strive to grow in the virtues, especially if you are quarantined at home! A warrior prays for everyone’s success, so know that you will be lifted by grace.

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

He himself bore our sins in his body upon the cross, so that, free from sin, we might live for righteousness. 1 Peter 2:24

Be passionate. Pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (A Greater Perspective)

Greeting Prayer Warriors,

There’s nothing like perspective.  A friend recently commented that her relationship issues and complaints seemed “stupid” in light of this pandemic.  

Personal and marital differences always seem minor when we are looking at issues of life and death. As a veil of sickness and death permeate not just the world, but OUR world, it is life altering.  God perhaps is reminding us that our time here is but a short journey toward a greater life; one with Him in heaven.

On this mountain he will destroy the veil that veils all peoples, the web that is woven over all nations. He will destroy death forever. The Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from all faces.  Isaiah 25:7-8

See, I am creating new heavens and a new earth; The former things shall not be remembered nor come to mind.Instead, shout for joy and be glad forever in what I am creating. Isaiah 65:17-18

Now that’s a perspective worth contemplating. Draw closer to God through prayer for one another!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Perspective is humbling! Pass it on!  

Pray for Families (Stay at Home)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

With COVID-19, some states are enacting “Stay at Home” orders.  While this is a huge adjustment to families since parents are now working from home and children are no longer in school, it can actually be a blessing in disguise.  What a great time to reintroduce prayer into the family! Consider  creating family prayer time. 

A simple formula to get you started is to remember the acronym “A.C.T.S.”

(A) Adoration – show your love for the Lord by praising Him

(C) Confession - With a humble heart and ask forgiveness for what you

      have done and failed to do

(T) Thanksgiving – Thank Him for the family’s blessings and mercy shown

(S) Supplication – Petition the Lord for your family’s intentions 

All of you, clothe yourselves with humility in your dealings with one another, for: “God opposes the proud but bestows favor on the humble.” So humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you. 

1 Peter 5:5-7

A family rosary, meditating on each mystery, is also a beautiful way to pray. Whatever your prayer, be sure to include all those who are fighting the virus, serving in the front lines of healthcare, researching for a cure, and taking care of loved ones.  

Lord, have mercy on us all. May we draw closer to you and thus bringing our family closer too. May we use this unexpected togetherness wisely, strengthening our family bond, reorienting  them to God’s moral law, and grounding them more firmly in the Truth. In your great mercy, put an end to this pestilence throughout the world and bring comfort to those who mourn. Graciously hear and answer our prayers! Amen.

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Increase the A.C.T.S.! Pass it on!

Pray for Marriages (Bearing Fruit)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

The Coronavirus is creating a new family dynamic: togetherness! Not just togetherness, but forced togetherness! While some employees are furloughed, others are required to work from home. That might be an adjustment for both spouses! Just to complicate things, schools and daycares are closed, meaning your kids might be home or your adult children are needing your help with the grandkids.

Whatever your situation, consider that the Lord may be hitting the reset button and asking you to reconnect with your spouse in new ways. Let’s focus today on keeping your marriage on solid ground, as tensions in the home may rise.

Live in a manner worthy of the Lord, so as to be fully pleasing, in every good work bearing fruit and growing in the knowledge of God. 

Colossians 1:10

Love one another, support the other, and be patient with one another. Find new avenues of collaboration, perhaps utilizing talents you may only have applied at work. Instead of starting a sentence with “Why don’t you?” ask “How might we?” Be positive, optimistic, and kind-hearted, the way you are with your coworkers. Use the same pleasant tone you use with your supervisors.You just might be surprised how presenting the best version of you may elicit the best version of your spouse. 

Before you start your day, commit to morning prayer, asking for the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  

Jesus, send your Holy Spirit to perfect in our souls the work of your grace and your love! Equip us for this altered journey, one we are ill-prepared for, yet know will ultimately be for our personal good as well as the good of our marriage and family. May this renewed focus and gifts of your grace be the nourishment our marriage needs to flourish and bear fruit for the good of all. Amen

The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Galatians 5:22-23

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Sow the seeds of love now, so that the harvest will be plentiful! Pass it on!  

Pray for Families (Creating a Good Pandemic)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Throughout the day I have been drawn to and mesmerized by a live global map of Coronavirus COVID-19 cases. It constantly updates confirmed cases, deaths, and recovery. It’s not just the numbers that I am focused on, but the red dots on the map that show the spread. As cases concentrate in an area, the dots become bigger. Quickly it spreads, with minimal effort.  

It takes my mind to this past week when I was listening to the testimony of a man who died (met Jesus) and came back to life.  (He is now a Catholic priest.) He mentioned that the Lord showed him the consequences of each of his actions. Just like a pebble thrown in a stream, the Lord allowed him to see the negative impact rippling out from one person to another and so on. One mindless act after another wounded so many lives!  

Then you will remember your evil behavior and your deeds that were not good; you will loathe yourselves for your sins and your abominations. Ezekiel 36:31

Perhaps in this pandemic, the Lord is trying to teach us something. Don’t you wonder what would happen, if everyone focused on being intentionally positive and loving? For example, offering a smile to all those you pass; saying a cheerful “good morning!” to family, friends, and coworkers; apologizing to those you have offended; not blocking another car from merging; sharing all the items that you just hoarded, etc. Can’t you see the effect of intentional kindness rippling out even faster than the Coronavirus?!

And do this because you know the time; it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed; the night is advanced, the day is at hand. Let us then throw off the works of darkness [and] put on the armor of light. Romans 13:11-12

The grace of daily prayer will inoculate you against negativity and springboard you into changing the world by your actions one person at a time, beginning in your family. There is no time like the present. Make each day feel like a gift, not the plague.  

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet

Prayer and repentance are pleasing to the Lord. Pass it on!! 

Pray for Marriages (Getting to Humble)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

When one is experiencing difficult times in their marriage, it is easy to start judging the faults of the spouse. If only they...then I wouldn’t be...

Perhaps judging others keeps us from looking more critically at ourselves. That’s worth pondering.

Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Luke 6:37

Lord, help us grow in humility by giving us the courage to look at our own flaws rather than spotlighting our spouse’s. Grant us generous spirits to build up one another. May our hearts grow in charity and patience. With gratitude, may be fall to our knees and praise your mercy!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Stifle your pride and pass it on!  

Pray for Families (Supercharged Prayer)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

Do you ever wish your prayer had the same power as that of the saints?  It always appeared that whatever they prayed for, the Lord gave to them. Do you ever feel that you pray and pray and pray for a family member, but it falls on deaf ears? The Lord hears each prayer, and answers in His time, however to increase the power of your prayer, work on your own sanctity first.

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. 1 Thessalonians 5:23

If you haven’t yet decided what to do for Lent, make a commitment to become holier!  Promise yourself more frequent reception of the sacraments. Cleansing the soul and receiving Christ on an ongoing basis will positively affect both the power of your prayer and the life of your soul. Commit to reading the Word of God every day, even if you start small. Increase your acts of service and kindness. Soon these actions will become a habit that endures beyond Lent.  A friend recently decided to spend more time with her mother-in-law, since she knew it was a sacrificial offering on her part!  Spend some quiet time with the Lord. He will direct you to who that person(s) might be in your life.  

Sanctity is a life-long journey of baby steps. Step out in faith and you will never notice the distance because you will never walk alone.  

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10

The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful. James 5:16

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet

Perform an act of kindness by passing it on!

Pray for Marriages (A Clean Soul and Dirty Hands)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

We are not even a week into Lent and it’s time we get into the habit of self-reflection and the uprooting of all that sullies the tabernacle of our hearts. Yet, I think most people are distracted by the Coronavirus outbreak. Rather than run to the store to hoard water, hand sanitizer, and toilet paper (if there’s any left), spend some time in prayer and surrender yourself to Him. For He is the one that giveth and taketh away. He is the Divine Physician. We fret about keeping our hands clean while we ignore the state of our eternal soul!  Better to meet your maker with a clean soul and dirty hands than vice versa!

If you have no Lenten plans yet, talk to the Lord and ask Him what you need to work on in your marriage. What must you fast from? Unkind words? Unpleasant tones? Menacing glares? What acts of service might you embrace? Clearing and washing dishes?  Cooking a meal for your spouse (if you aren’t usually the chef)? Bringing your spouse coffee/tea in the morning? Washing their car? The list is endless, but pick something out of your comfort zone. As you fast, perform acts of self-sacrifice, and do a daily self-reflection, you will grow in humility bringing you closer to Christ. And would your spouse’s heart not soften as you begin to imitate Christ’s love? 

Pray for one another, that you may be healed. The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful. James 5:16

Spend more time in prayer, increasing your time spent praying for your spouse. What could have a greater impact to both of you?

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet

Dial up the prayer! Pass it on!