Pray for Families (Finding Truth)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

 

We are on the precipice. Of what, I am not quite sure.  I sense change is coming, but in what capacity?  Now is not a time for worry, but a time for hope.  We have a Savior who is loving, merciful, and never leaves us. Thus, if we don’t feel close to Him, guess who moved?!  Perhaps the change coming is the winds of grace to move us closer to Him.  Have you moved away from Truth?  Would you recognize Truth? What about your family members?

 

With a bombardment of messages from all forms of media, how does one discern the Truth?  One begins by turning off and turning away from all that useless noise.  While your anxiety may temporarily rise from the “withdrawal”, it will quickly lower if you open scripture.  Scripture is the Living Word, the Word made Flesh.  

 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1

 

Spend time in the Word and you will come to know The Truth. Spend time with Him and you will know Peace.  You will no longer worry about the number of “likes” you are getting on social media, because once you experience Love, “likes” will not satiate.

 

Pray for yourselves, that you may be grounded in The Truth.  

 

 “If you remain in my word, you will truly be my disciples,and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32

 

Pray for your family, especially those who have strayed from Truth and no longer recognize it.  May grace abound and the ears of their hearts be open, allowing them to recognize the voice of the Shepherd.

 

I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. These also I must lead, and they will hear my voice, and there will be one flock, one shepherd. John 10:16

 

We must pray for our country, a positive result in the election, and the preservation of our freedom to love and serve the Lord. Vote!

 

They promise them freedom, though they themselves are slaves of corruption, for a person is a slave of whatever overcomes him. 

2 Peter 2:19

  

Pray for the unity of all God’s children which is only possible in Him and through Him. 

 

Living the truth in love, we should grow in every way into him who is the head, Christ. Ephesians 4:15

 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

I hold you in my heart, you who are all partners with me in grace. Pass it on!

Pray for Marriages (Strength in Numbers)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

 

Marriage is a journey that the Lord has mapped out for each one whom he has called to this vocation. He draws couples together through love and then creates a path of “perfection” for their journey together. He blesses many with children and while children are a source of joy, they also are sources of our virtuous growth.  And my oh my can it be trying to grow in the virtues!  

 

Be fertile and multiply. Genesis 1:28

 

This week, let pray for younger couples who are expecting their first child or those growing their family. 

 

Lord strengthen and nourish these couples for the journey. Bless them with the grace and wisdom to stay the course, discipline their children, and protect them from all that is destructively alluring. Give them the fortitude and perseverance needed for the sleepless nights with sick children and those who may have special needs. And throughout their journey, let not these couples drift apart, but rather be the third strand, forever strengthening them.

 

And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart. Ecclesiastes 4:12

 

Finally Lord, show them the power of prayer and make them warriors!

 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

 

Prayer lifts hearts!  Pass it on!

 

Pray for Families (The Ark of Prayer)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

 

No matter where you live now, there is always an inner call to return to your childhood home, if only for a brief visit. Memories of family, fun, innocence, and perhaps crazy times bring a sense of nostalgia, peace, and laughter, although for some, it may hold darker memories of what should never be.

 

On this feast of St. John of Capistrano, aka San Juan Capistrano, I am reminded how the swallows return annually to their mission home.  We too have a distant home, for we were not made for this world, but rather to complete our journey here so that we may live forever with God in the next. Thus, let us use our time here wisely to prepare. Let us examine our life and make amends.  Let us purge ourselves of pride so that we may grow in humility. Let us cleanse our soul in the Sacrament of Reconciliation so that we may be refueled by grace to continue on the journey. If we are not Catholic or have no access to the sacrament, let us kneel in humility and ask for the light of grace to recognize and acknowledge our sins and beg His mercy and forgiveness. Then, the gates of our eternal home will be opened wide for us. Our true and perfect home awaits.

 

“But of that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. For as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. In [those] days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day that Noah entered the ark. They did not know until the flood came and carried them all away. So will it be [also] at the coming of the Son of Man.  

Matthew 24:36-39

 

Stay in prayer for one another and for your families, that you may not put off until tomorrow, what may be important for today. Sin blinds, grace opens our eyes. May our collective ark of prayers be lifted by grace, and save us from the storms that rage.

 

I, then, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace: one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call. Ephesians 4:1-4

 

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet

 

 Have mercy and forgive and most of all, pray for one another. Pass it on!

 

Pray for Marriages (Healing of Wounds)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

 

Everyone can pinpoint in moment or time in their lives where they have experienced a trauma of some sort, whether it be mild or major or somewhere in between. Perhaps it was a name-calling, a slight, a betrayal, or something larger like repeated physical or emotional abuse. While painful and confusing, it greatly disturbs one’s sense of peace, their ability to trust, and their perception of others. 

 

Each of us unconsciously bring our unique wounds into our relationships, and undoubtedly obtain a few more figurative bruises in the process. Perhaps we aren’t even aware that our anger with our spouse is often about our old unresolved wounds. Conversely perhaps their sensitivity about certain subjects or communication style stems from their own wounds. Consider how wounds from abandonment, beatings, verbal abuse, neglect, etc. can impact one’s ability to trust and bond with their spouse.  

 

Seeking counseling is like going through a car wash; it can cleanse your mind and help you see more clearly.  Seeking and receiving grace from the Divine Healer will be what powers you through.

 

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous; but the Lord delivers him out of them all. Psalm 34:18-19

 

Together, let us pray for all those actions that may bring about healing. 

 

Lord, illumine our minds and help us to identify and name our wounds. We now unite those wounds with yours, lay them at the foot of the cross, and denounce them. May they no longer be harmful to us and our relationships, but efficacious by your grace. May they be but a holocaust of love offered for our spouse. We pray that our spouse be able to do the same, but until that time that they are able to receive your grace, we pray for their healing of mind, body, and spirit. Lord, give us courage to seek counseling if our wounds overwhelm us. Guide us in that pursuit, opening the doors to good and gifted counselors. Give us the faith to trust in your healing grace and the confidence to leave our wounds at the foot of the cross. Amen.

 

My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” I will rather boast most gladly of my weaknesses, in order that the power of Christ may dwell with me. 2 Corinthians 12:9

 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

 

May by your grace, we remain empowered to pray ceaselessly for healing in marriages.  Pass it on! 

Pray for Families (Someone’s Knocking)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

 

Look at a time in your life where sin was greatly present. Chances are you didn’t recognize the gravity of your sin, and justified your actions/behaviors by telling yourself that you were a good person. Of course, you are “good” as everything God creates is good, but that doesn’t mean behaviors chosen are good.  Unfortunately, sin obscures one’s vision and makes it harder to recognize evil. 

 

Darkened in understanding, alienated from the life of God because of their ignorance, because of their hardness of heart,they have become callous and have handed themselves over to licentiousness for the practice of every kind of impurity to excess. Ephesians 4:17-18

 

The great news is that the Lord never stops encouraging the sinner to come to Him. He beckons, offering to fill our emptiness with his peace. He promises to penetrate our aching hearts and fill it with his Love. He enters in, regardless of the state of one’s “house” even if he only hears the weakest “yes” to his knock. He will help you “clean house”, showing you the path to holiness and providing companions for your journey. No one is outside of his reach, for He longs for a relationship with all of His children, so much so that He offered His life for each and every one of us.

 

For everyone who asks, receives; and the one who seeks, finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:8

 

You are not alone if you worry about the salvation of your family, loved ones, or yourself. Together we pray:

 

Lord, you know us through and through. You know each and every soul we worry about. We ask for an outpouring of grace for those we love who remain far away from you. We also ask for those who may think they are close to you, but in action greatly offend you. Loving God, with admitted difficulty, we ask your grace on those who are hardest to pray for; those who upset us, annoy us, despise us, or hurt us verbally, emotionally, or physically. Humbly, we ask for ourselves too. Heavenly Father, in your compassion, remove our blinders enabling true conversion. Help all of us to utter a “yes” to your open invitation to follow you. In your mercy, bring healing to our woundedness, replace our anxiety with your peace, transform our hearts with your love, and make us your ambassadors in this world, which so greatly needs you. In doing so, we pray that with your abundant grace, we may one day all live as one for the glory of your name.  Amen.

 

But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have become near by the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:13

 

Be joyful! God is good, all the time!

 

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet

Encourage someone to answer the knock.  Pass it on!

Pray for Marriages (The Wo/Man in the Mirror)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

 

It’s been said that the qualities that drew you to your spouse are often the same qualities that become a challenge later in your marriage. Let’s explore what that might look like. You adored your fiancé’s generosity, but now that you’re married, they can be a little too generous with others. You loved being the knight in shining armor to her damsel in distress, but as a spouse, are you now weary of the rescue? You adored that your significant other was the life of the party and a stranger to no one, but now that you’re married, are you feeling like you are the only one not getting any of the attention?

 

Our first responsibility is to look in the mirror before pointing a finger. What self are we presenting to our spouse?

 

At present we see indistinctly, as in a mirror, but then face to face. At present I know partially; then I shall know fully, as I am fully known. 

1 Corinthians 13:12

 

Christ shows us that love is dying to self for the good of another and ultimately for the glory of God. Undoubtedly easy to say, hard to execute.  

 

Be doers of the word and not hearers only, deluding yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his own face in a mirror. He sees himself, then goes off and promptly forgets what he looked like. But the one who peers into the perfect law of freedom and perseveres, and is not a hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, such a one shall be blessed in what he does.  James 1:22-25

 

Be bold! God has bestowed gifts on each of us.  Are you using your gifts for the good of your spouse? Are you up to the challenge?

  

For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and self-control. 1 Timothy 1:7

 

Make a commitment to place your trust in the Lord, hope in his promises, and love your spouse daily.   

 

My God, I believe, I adore, I trust and I love Thee.  Help me to love my spouse with a love as pure, gentle, and sacrificial as yours. May my love be active, not passive. Have mercy on me when I miss the mark, and give me the courage to begin anew each day.  Jesus, I trust in your unending grace!  Amen.

 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

 

It all starts with a “yes!”  Pass it on!  

Pray for Families (Trusting in the Power of Prayer)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

 

Satan is the great divider and he loves to sow division, especially within the family. While a family may appear united when its children are all dependents, when adolescents reach adulthood, independence brings exploration, new perspectives, and sometimes the treading of dangerous paths. The Evil One encourages all those things that feel delightful yet leave one vulnerable and far from God. A parent’s challenge is to love their children back into the Light, through gentleness, truthfulness, and compassion. This may be difficult, especially when the urge is to launch into full “parent mode” (lectures). Monologues never work as they are sure to shut the door, but an open heart is like a window which allows for a gentle flow of conversation where one can shoot the breeze when the Spirit leads.

 

Yet Truth must always be brought into the situation, if not by word, then through prayer. 

 

As for me, far be it from me to sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you and to teach you the good and right way. 1 Samuel 12:23

 

Lord, our children regardless of age, will always be faced with joys and sorrows which we as parents share in. They will face temptations, challenges, heartaches, and losses.  As their parent, aunt, uncle, grandparent, or friend, may we never cease praying for them. May we not judge them, but reflect your Love all the more when they stray. May we encourage righteousness, without demoralizing them. May we lift them up rather than demean decisions and choices. If their faith is weak, may we become emboldened in ours, praying ceaselessly on their behalf. Grant them mercy, light and truth, opening their hearts to know and receive your Love, so that they may never want to leave its warmth again. Jesus, we trust in You!

 

The fervent prayer of a righteous person is very powerful. My brothers, if anyone among you should stray from the truth and someone bring him back, he should know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.  James 5:16, 19-20

 

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet

 

Pray for one another! Pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (Merciful Love)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

For each one of you and your loved ones, I pray. I have no idea if you are married, never married, engaged, divorced, or widowed. Perhaps your prayers are not for yourself, but for those couples you hold dear. After sending these emails and blogging for almost 11 years, I have to trust that through our collective prayers, some marriages were healed, strengthened, or at least given the grace to continue.  

 

For those who pray, it is easy at times to feel like one’s prayer isn’t heard.  The Lord hears each and every prayer, for He loves to hear the voice of His children!  He responds, however not always with the answer we were hoping for!  God in his wisdom knows exactly what we need and when we need it.  Sometimes he allows suffering to sanctify us, humble us, and build our endurance.  He continues to silently lead us, while showing mercy to us and our loved ones. 

 

God does not withdraw his mercy, nor permit even one of his promises to fail. He does not uproot the posterity of the chosen, nor destroy the offspring of his friends.  Sirach 47:22

 

Lord, in your great mercy, you hear us and provide exactly what we need.  Whenever we humble ourselves and seek your mercy, you forgive us all our trespasses, such as episodes of unkindness, hurtful words, unforgiveness, unchastity, pride, anger, envy, and all else that is abominable in your sight. May your mercy continue to flow through each marriage creating a more merciful love within us.  May we never doubt you, but always praise you for your mercy!

 

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet

 

Mercy. Pass it on!

Pray for Families (Finding the Way)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

People want unity, but I see divisiveness.  I am not talking about the behavior of politicians, but rather our own behavior.  I see less tolerance.  While everyone likes to preach “tolerance”, their actions defy their words.  Tolerance does not mean embracing those who think like you, but rather, being kind and courteous to those who have other views. It means dialogue should be inquiring not accusatory.

Tolerance*:

• sympathy or indulgence for beliefs or practices differing from or conflicting with one's own
• the act of allowing something: toleration     

 

Unfortunately, I hear stories of too many people dropping friends/relatives for the views they hold.  Jesus dined with saints and sinners.  Without dialogue, love, and compassion, do you think He could have changed their behavior and thinking?  

 

But to you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.  

Luke 6:27-28

 

Acceptance*:

·      the quality or state of being  accepted or accptable  

·       the act of accepting something or someone; the fact of being accepted

 

Jesus never accepted the bad behavior of others, but rather challenged them to another way of life. Do you think he ever wished them dead? No, rather he wanted to offer them Life. For in Jesus we are renewed and put on the right path. In Him we find the Truth. 

 

Jesus said to him, “I am the way and the truth and the life. John 14:6

 

If we want to change the world, we must imitate Christ in words behavior, and love. We must bring Jesus to the masses, that desperately need him to fill their emptiness.  However, we must start in the family, and there is not better way to start than in prayer. Say a prayer, examine your heart, and ask Jesus to lead you.  May all families unite in Him!

 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

 

All we need is Love. Pass it on!

* Abridged definition from Merriam-Webster online