Pray for Families (Giving Gratitude and Glory)

Greetings Prayer Warriors!

 

The year is coming to a close and I want to express my gratitude for each one of you, those who have been with me from the beginning and those who’ve become a prayer warrior along the way, even if only for a day. When we look at the highs and lows over the year, prayer is the constant, the leveler, the support, the hope, and the blessing. 

 

Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-6

 

As we countdown this year and enter the next, spend some time giving praise and thanksgiving to our Lord, for even in your burdens and trials He blessed you, even if it’s not yet apparent to you.  Count your blessings and in all gratitude give glory to the Lord. 

 

“Amen. Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 7:12

 

Finally, thank Him for each member of your family, for each one will be reflected in the heavenly crown that awaits you. For the Lord helps you grow in holiness and brings you to perfection through those he has chosen to place in your life.

 

Through him the whole structure is held together and grows into a temple sacred in the Lord; in him you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Ephesians 2:21 

 

Wishing you a blessed New Year, filled with more peace, more love, and more joy. 

 

Peace², Love², and Joy²,

Janet

 

Double both your prayer and gratitude and pass it on again and again. 

Pray for Marriages (To Bring Life and Light)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

 

I am fascinated, perplexed, intrigued, confused, encouraged, and enlightened by the Word of God. For it speaks to each of us right where we are at yet remains timeless.

 

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.  He was in the beginning with God. John 1:1-2

 

When I contemplate that God and the Word are one, it brings to mind how the Lord created marriage to be a total union, where two distinct persons become one, acting on behalf and for the good of the other.

 

The two shall become one flesh.  So they are no longer two but one flesh. Mark 10:8

 

And through this Word comes life and light.  The union of a married couple is also to bring about life, and to educate each “life” through their actions and words to be a light for Christ.

 

All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be. What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race.  John 1:3-4

 

God sent his Word, Jesus, in the form of a baby.

 

And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.  John 1:14

 

What an incredible mystery! He calls married couples to bring about light and life, in union with God, just as He did. How many married couples are open to this call? Have you not noticed over the decades that as more and more couples say no to life, this world has become darker?  And just as the Word has been pushed out of schools, hospitals, town squares, government, etc., life diminishes and darkness grows.

 

Lord, we pray for all married couples of child-bearing age. Rid them of all selfish desires that dampen their desire for children.  Help them to freely give of self to their spouse. Open their hearts to your Word, that they may desire to bring life into this world according to the will of the Father. May they trust in your providence, and be open to love and life.  Make the barren fertile, and the fertile strong in faith, hope, and love. Guide them in the formation of their children, that they may grow up to be as torches of your love and light. And finally, Lord, help us all to rebuild a society that once again is firmly “under God” and views children as “gifts” from above. Encouraged, empowered, and enlightened by your Word, may we stand up, stand firm, and stand together in bringing you to all who dwell in darkness. 

 

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  John 1:5

 

Jesus, Word made flesh, and light and life of the world, we trust in YOU!

           

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

 

Be a spark and pass it on!

Pray for Families (Blessings on Christmas)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

 

Some days are best for prayer-in-action, and today is one of them.  Glorify Christ in all your do and say, and give endless praise.

 

“Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

 

Merry Christmas!  

 

Wishing you the blessings of Everlasting Peace, Christmas Joy, and Enduring Love,

Janet

 

Make the world a merrier place. Pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (From Sorrow to Joy)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

 

While the Christmas season is a time of joy for most, it can be a difficult time for those who have recently lost someone: a child, a parent, or a loved one.  With a gaping hole left by their absence and a festering wound that feels like it will never heal, it is hard to be joyful. Sometimes the pain can tear a couple apart rather than bring them together. 

 

Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:4

 

Lord, we ask you to stand in the gap.  Be the soothing balm for their wound, even if they are blaming you. Fill them with hope that they may experience joy again. Surround these couples with your angels so that Satan may not drive these couples apart. You Lord are Truth, Love, Peace, and Joy.  Fill the hearts of the dejected, the lonely, and the isolated with your presence, always an indescribable joy. We are grateful for the grace you pour out on marriages, and ask for an abundance on those struggling the most. May your peace reign upon marriages forever!

 

I will turn their mourning into joy, I will show them compassion and have them rejoice after their sorrows. Jeremiah 31:13

 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Pray for marriages experiencing sorrow. Pass it on!

Pray for Marriages (Carnival of Love)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

 

Marriage is one big carnival!  There’s the Tunnel of Love, rollercoaster, Tilt-a-Whirl, bumper cars, and haunted mansion, just to name a few. We pray for marriages during all the “amusement” phases, but more specifically it is when we are in the darker spaces, on the scarier rides, enduring endless bumps, and caught off guard as the bottom falls out, that we need prayer the most.

 

Together, let us pray:

 

Lord, when I am frustrated and crawl into my figurative cave, be the spark that shatters my darkness.

When I want to use my tongue for evil, singe that thought and help me redirect my words to active prayer.

When I am spinning out of control, catch me and hold me close to your Sacred Heart. 

When I wallow in self-pity, help me to refocus and reach out to others in need.

When I am sinking into despair, illuminate my soul with your saving grace. 

Help me to always trust in your Divine Plan. 

Help me to bring your unfathomable love into my marriage. 

Most of all Lord, help me to acknowledge your enduring love for me by praising you forever.  Amen.

 

Blessing and glory, wisdom and thanksgiving, honor, power, and might be to our God forever and ever. Amen.”  Revelation 7:12

 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

 

Prayer and Praise is the gift that keeps on giving. Pass it on. 

Pray for Families (Obedience and Wisdom)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

 

Everyone who has kids can remember a time when they temporarily lost one of them.  It’s a horrific feeling followed by the unparalleled joy and relief of a reunion. Thus, when I read in the Gospel of Luke the story of Mary and Joseph unwittingly leaving Jesus behind in Jerusalem, I felt a real kinship with them as parents! 

 

Next, I contemplated Jesus’s response to being found. He didn’t understand why they didn’t grasp what he was doing. Sounds like a typical reaction of a child to their parent!  But then, 

 

He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and was obedient to them; and his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus advanced [in] wisdom and age and favor before God and man.  Luke 2:51-52

 

Although Jesus felt he should be elsewhere (in His Father’s House), he obeyed his parents and went home with them. Jesus shows us the importance of honoring one’s parents. Note the fruit of obedience is an increase in wisdom and favor before God and man!  Contemplate how “rightly ordered” obedience leads to wisdom. Consider Jesus’ humility as well. What does a family and even a society look like that honors God and family?

 

Sweet Jesus, from a young age, you showed us how we are to live in this world: with humility, respect for family, obedience to one’s parents, and evangelization to those who may need to be challenged.  With great self-awareness, empower us and our families with a tsunami of grace!  Help us to not only grow in the virtues, but to guide others in obtaining them as well.  Help us to discover the Heavenly Father’s will for our lives that we too may step out boldly in the direction he calls us. Help us to lead this society back toward your Father’s House. Hear our prayers, for family, friends, and all of your Father’s children.  Jesus, we trust in You, but help us trust in you more! Amen.

 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

 

Make the first bold step. Pass it on!

Pray for Marriages (No Longer Living for Oneself)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

 

The hardest part of marriage is when the rose-colored glasses fade. Dreams of a perfect life meet with the reality of two people who are only human, filled with flaws, hurts, and good intentions. Life was never meant to be easy. For Jesus says, 

 

“If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. What profit is there for one to gain the whole world yet lose or forfeit himself? Luke 9:23, 25

 

These are tough words, when a marriage is rocky. Tougher though is not to hope in Jesus and know the abundant life he promises.

 

I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly. John 10:10

 

There are many people today struggling in their marriages. One’s natural instinct is to run from pain not towards it.  Jesus is only asking that you pause, and accept the cross one day at a time.  It is through the cross that you will meet Him who is Love. There, He will give you the Love you desire and comfort and guide you. He may also ask you to carry your cross on behalf of your spouse. Yes, the one you don’t happen to like right now. The Lord may not change your spouse right away, but guaranteed, He will change you. 

 

He indeed died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

 

Lord, we pray for those spouses who feel lonely, isolated, hurt, fearful, hopeless, abandoned, betrayed, and heartbroken.  Seek them out and pull them close to your Sacred Heart which is filled with so much mercy and love!  Guide them into your perfect plan for their marriage and their life.  May they not fear the cross you have allowed, but instead find joy in your presence. Give them the gift of perseverance, that they may reach the destination you have planned for them. Lord, you are the Divine Healer of heart, mind, soul, and marriages, hear our humble prayers and be swift to answer them! Amen.

 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

 

Pray for a marriage and bring hope by passing it on!

Pray for Families (Letting Go to Let in)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

 

Who doesn’t love to preach forgiveness, yet struggles with those long held grudges? Who doesn’t desire humility yet struggles with all the injustices that injure their pride? Who labors to pray for everyone yet secretly delights when their antagonist falls? Lord help us! We are deeply human, and greatly in need of God’s grace!

 

Do not repay anyone evil for evil; be concerned for what is noble in the sight of all. If possible, on your part, live at peace with all. Beloved, do not look for revenge but leave room for the wrath; for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” Romans 12:17-19

 

All justice is God’s. He needs us to be reflections of Him, shining hope, love, and light in this darkened world, and frequently into our dimly lit homes as well. 

 

What came to be through him was life, and this life was the light of the human race; the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:4-5

 

Heavenly Father, help us to let go of anger and those long held grudges and resentments that have no effect on those who have wounded us, but only shackle us in a pitiful, darkened cell of our own making.  We trust in your justice and mercy, and vow to release all that has imprisoned us so that your grace and light may fill that void. Pour compassion, humility, and love into our hearts, and lend us your calm and assuring voice so that we may bring hope not only to the masses, but to our families as well.  

 

Wait eagerly for the LORD, and keep his way; He will raise you up to inherit the earth; you will see when the wicked are cut off. Psalm 37:34

 

Truly, the LORD is waiting to be gracious to you, truly, he shall rise to show you mercy; For the LORD is a God of justice: happy are all who wait for him! Isaiah 30:18

 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Shine a light in the darkness.  Pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (Prepare your Hearts)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

 

Advent is here!  We should be as just as excited about Advent as we are Christmas!  Well, maybe not, but just as Christmas is enhanced if we take the time to prepare ahead of time, so will our spirits be elevated if we take the time to prepare our hearts and souls. Advent is a time for preparation for what is coming: the anniversary of the Light coming into the world and the anticipation of His second coming.

 

Build up, build up, prepare the way, remove every obstacle from my people’s way. Isaiah 57:14

 

The Christmas season can bring just as much stress as joy. Endless shopping, cooking, wrapping, addressing, and stamping, can tip the joy/stress/anger meter either way depending on whether or not the work is distributed. Then there are the family gatherings. Different people can bring out long forgotten aspects of our personalities, much to the dismay of one’s spouse. Or one can revert into childhood behaviors that just, well, aren’t that appealing. These “obstacles” can create stress in a marriage just at a time you are hoping for unity and cheer.

 

So the key is preparation! And the best way to prepare is, you guessed it, prayer!!  

 

Lord, we pray that you might help us to pause, clear our minds, still our bodies, and allow you to flood us with your peace. Help us to remember that we are your beloved, a gift beyond our comprehension. Give us the self-control to ignore distractions, make time to pray, and focus on the reason for the season. May we offer the best version of ourselves, and have patience when we don’t receive it in return. May your peace lead us to be more loving, kind, and empathetic with others, especially our spouse. Bless and fortify our marriages. As we reflect on your coming into the world to save us, may we begin to comprehend and imitate the generosity of your self-gift. With you Lord, we believe that all things are possible. Amen.

 

I believe I shall see the LORD’s goodness in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD, take courage; be stouthearted, wait for the LORD! 

Psalm 27:13-14

 

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet

 

Show some generosity and pass it on!

Pray for Families (Preparing for the Unprepared)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

 

But of that day or hour, no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be watchful! Be alert! You do not know when the time will come.  Mark 13:32-33

 

Many of us worry about family members who don’t know the Lord and are living lives as such. Or perhaps they know the Lord, but focus on His mercy and not His justice. Whatever the situation, one thing is sure; they need our prayers!

 

Thus, when I read the following private revelation, I was struck by its appropriateness and urgency.

 

Our Lord Jesus to Jennifer on November 18th, 2021:

 

My child, I ask My children that each day at the Hour of Mercy,¹ beginning on the first Sunday of Advent and continuing until the Feast Day of My Divine Mercy,² that my children would recite one chaplet ³ for those who are not prepared to meet me at their hour of death. I ask My children to also recite one Rosary,⁴ particularly at this hour, if possible, praying for protection of families while meditating on the mysteries. I ask My children to recite the St. Michael prayer ⁵ for strength and protection from the enemy’s attacks. Now go forth and tell the world of my requests, for I am Jesus, and my mercy and justice will prevail.

 

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 24:38-39

 

Pray dear warriors, pray!  Advent the perfect time to prepare for the coming of the Lord!

 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

 

Advent begins on Sunday, November 28, so don’t hesitate to pass it on! 

 

(Excerpt taken from Countdown to the Kingdom)

 

¹  3:00pm

²  April 24, 2022

³  Chaplet

⁴  Rosary

⁵ St. Michael prayer

Pray for Marriages (A Praise-Worthy Life)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

 

Every day is precious, as each is a gift from God.  Even the worst days are a gift, because only from the pit can we appreciate the mountaintop we took for granted. 

 

Use each day to give thanks for each breath, blink, sound, and movement. Praise Him for giving you the gift of life, for your spouse, and for the blessing of marriage.  If you’ve been fruitful, praise Him also for the blessing of children. 

 

Try to understand what is the will of the Lord […] singing and playing to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks always and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father. Ephesians 5:17, 19-20

 

Finally, show gratitude toward your spouse. Seek to acknowledge all the small kindnesses you take for granted. The coffee made, meals cooked, the lawn mown, the boxes stored, house cleaned, the broken item fixed, the computer reboot, and so on.  Imagine if those kindnesses were removed from your life and then you will see how much you receive that is more expected than appreciated.

 

Promise the Lord a life well-lived, one expressing gratitude to others and glory to God, and your life will be one of thanks-living. 

 

The living, the living give you thanks, as I do today. Isaiah 38:19

 

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet

 

Gratitude and praise never grow old. Pass it on!

Pray for Families (Gratitude and Thanks)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

 

As we approach the family-filled celebration of Thanksgiving, now is a good time to not just meal plan, shop, and clean house, but to pause and reflect upon your blessings. Not just what you are thankful for, but who?  

 

So many people in our lives we take for granted, especially family members. Now is the time to express We take so many people in our lives for granted, especially family members. Now is the time to express your gratitude to them, even those whom you are not so fond of.  Perhaps the one you butt heads with has the very qualities you dislike in yourself? What a gift that they are able to mirror those for you! Maybe you have an outspoken aunt? Perhaps she has awakened you to topics you hadn’t considered or led you to research your own position. Maybe another family member has taught you prudence with your tongue?Maybe you have a sibling whom you’ve not spoken to in some time or another family member you hold a grudge against. Rather than continuing to avoid them, perhaps now is the time to mend fences?  

 

The Lord puts people in our lives and on our paths for a purpose.  

 

For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected when received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the invocation of God in prayer. 1 Timothy 4:4-5

 

So let us look with new eyes, and give glory to God. Let’s ask the Lord for the grace to love and cherish our families more, and to be more patient, kind, and forgiving so that we may persevere and grow in virtue. May each prayer we pray revitalize our souls, that we may be renewed in the desire to pray more for one another!

 

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

 

Blessings on your Thanksgiving holiday! 

 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

 

Prayer is like a self-charging battery.  Pass it on!

 

Pray for Marriages. (Understanding the One)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

 

Most of you are familiar with the scripture passage:

However, from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Mark 10:7-8

 

One could contemplate the last line for years. One flesh? But why? However, when read in light of the  following scripture, the earlier passage become more illuminated and beckons more consideration.

 

As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. Now the body is not a single part, but many. Indeed, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are all the more necessary,and those parts of the body that we consider less honorable we surround with greater honor, and our less presentable parts are treated with greater propriety, whereas our more presentable parts do not need this. But God has so constructed the body as to give greater honor to a part that is without it, so that there may be no division in the body, but that the parts may have the same concern for one another. If [one] part suffers, all the parts suffer with it; if one part is honored, all the parts share its joy. 

Corinthians 12: 12, 14, 22-26

 

In marriage, are we lifting up the weaknesses of each other, or calling them out? Are we, treating “our” less presentable parts with more propriety? Are we sharing in our spouse’s sufferings so that they never walk alone? Are we sharing their joy when they are honored, versus harboring resentment? Are we contemplating the fact that we are ONE and what we do against the other harms us?  Such is the mystery of God’s covenant of marriage.

 

Lord, we pray for the wisdom to understand your will for the marriage covenant. You have made us one, so we ask that you first help us love ourselves as we seek more unity within our marriages. Help us to always bring our best self to the other. As we seek understanding and patience from our spouse for our imperfections (physical, emotional, spiritual), may we offer the same to our spouse. May our prayer dissolve any division, anger, and contentiousness. Teach us how to love with humility, gentleness, and compassion. Bless us with an unbreakable bond, secured by your grace. We pray this prayer, not just on our behalf, but on behalf of all who are seeking a stronger, Christ-centered marriage. Amen.

 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

 

Make us one! Pass it on!

Pray for Families (Knowing the Good Shepherd)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

 

Who hasn’t felt like an aimless sheep at some point? I have! But I have always known that the Lord will guide me through the storms and detours of life back to a place of safety and calm.

 

The LORD is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack. In green pastures he makes me lie down; to still waters he leads me; he restores my soul. He guides me along right paths for the sake of his name.  Psalm 23:1-3

 

Best of all, he knows me and I know Him.

 

I am the good shepherd, and I know mine and mine know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I will lay down my life for the sheep.  John 10: 14-15

 

Yet, many still do not know Him. Others have never been told about Him. Yet he loves them just as much and seeks them out, calling them tirelessly.

 

 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

 

Chose a family or a family member to pray for, who doesn’t know the Lord let alone understand how much God loves them. Pray that they may have ears to hear the call of the Good Shepherd.  Pray that they may be open to receiving the love of the Father and the mercy of the Son, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Finally, pray that one day we may be one flock under the one True Shepherd. Then together we can sing Hallelujah!

 

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet

 

Prayer becomes more powerful when you pass it on!  

Pray for Marriages (In Gratitude for the Warriors)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

 

This week in the U.S. we celebrate Veterans Day, we honor the many sacrifices our veterans made to protect our country and other parts of the world. Yet, their sacrifices reached far beyond their military service. Time spent away from their spouse may have had consequences, as loneliness, lack of affection, and anxiety crept in. Those left at home made similar sacrifices. The stress this may have placed on their marriage is unimaginable. When the veteran returns, the relationship never just picks up where it left off. Re-entry and re-engagement are a process, and sometimes what once was, slowly over time (or even very quickly) crumbles. 

 

To honor our veterans, join me in prayer for their marriages. 

 

Lord, help their love flourish again or some more!

 

[Love] bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:7

 

Bless our patriotic warriors who served in our Armed Forces in any capacity. Bless their spouses who served silently on the home front.  Come with your heavenly grace and heal their emotional wounds, especially the ones that continue to fester and create division within their marriages. Increase their faith and hope, so they may know that you stand in the divide, holding them together until they can build the bridge back. For those with wounds seen and unseen, deformities, or severe limitations, bring them new hope as you bring them living angels to minister to them and their families, showing them that you are the source of truly indescribable peace, joy, and love. Open their hearts to your grace that they may rebuild and strengthen their marriages with you as their foundation. Make sacrificial love be their hearts desire, that they may be a living witness to your unfathomable mercy.  Lord, hear our prayers of petition and answer them! Amen.

 

If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing. Philippians 2:1-2

 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

 

Love another by praying for them. Pass it on!

Pray for Families (To Know Me is to Love Me)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

 

Sometimes one can find themselves in a prayer desert. Or just not in the right space for praise, worship, or even kindness. So, I tried to put it into words. 

 

LORD, you know me, you see me, you have found that my heart is with you. Jeremiah 12:3

 

Lord, sometimes I want to pray, but I’m too tired.

Sometimes I want to praise you, but I’m too focused on the disappointments.

Sometimes I want to glorify you in song, but  the words won’t come. 

Yet you know me and you love me. 

So, I turn to contemplative prayer, and muse upon your kindness and mercy.

I praise you with every blink of my eyelids and every beat of my heart.

I glorify you in every act of love and compassion toward others.

Still, you know me and you love me.

 

Reciting prayers, now moves me from self to other.

Your Word feeds me and leads me to a path of new life.

The Eucharist unites me with you, and gives me renewed hope. 

Yes Lord, you know me and you love me.

 

You have gifted me with family and friends.

You have gifted me with food and shelter.

You have gifted me with your unwavering love and mercy. 

Thank you, Lord, for knowing me and always loving me. 

 

Lord, help us all to love more, pray more, and praise you more. Bless our families, and find the wayward sheep, that they may know your love and be transformed. Help us to love them as you love them, with heartfelt compassion, mercy, and love.  Humble us, and transform us too, that we may welcome them as you do; with open arms and a loving heart, We trust in you, Lord, for you will forever know us and love us, unconditionally.  Amen.

 

Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy Spirit that has been given to us. Romans 5:5

 

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet

 

He knows us and still loves us. Pass it on!  

Pray for Marriages (Saints and Souls)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

As we enter into November, we have the saints cheering us on and the souls in purgatory pleading for prayer. What a dichotomy. 

 

First of all, then, I urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be offered for everyone.  1 Timothy 2:1

 

It thus seems fitting that as we reflect on marriages, especially our own, that we ask the saints to pray for us and with us, and in an act of humility and love, we pray for the holy souls in purgatory, asking for their prayers too. 

 

For what has died, be it a marriage or a person, can be resurrected to a new life, by calling upon the grace of God.  Lord, save our souls!  Cleanse them, heal them, and make them a reflection of you. 

 

Behold, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed, in an instant, in the blink of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For that which is corruptible must clothe itself with incorruptibility, and that which is mortal must clothe itself with immortality.  1 Corinthians 15:51-53

 

Come Lord Jesus, clothe us with your grace and mercy!

 

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet

 

Pray for souls here on earth and those awaiting heavenly entrance. Pass it on!  

Pray for Families (Now is the Time)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

 

Every day I read about more change in the world that limits our God-given freedoms.  I guess that isn’t surprising as we’ve allowed God to be pushed out of our governments, schools, and public places.  Some of you or your family members may have pushed Him out of their homes too. Can you yet see that as God is pushed out, evil enters in??

 

The following are excerpts from messages (private revelation) from the Blessed Mother to a seer.  They are very fitting for these times and penetrate to the heart and soul. 

 

“Do you not understand that the more you turn away from the love of God, the more the evil one takes hold of your hearts? I am “the Mother” and I will be close to you until the last day [of your lives], and I will sustain you during the final temptation of the evil one.” *

 

“Behold, your mother.” John 19:27

 

Moving away from the Lord moves us in the direction of Satan.  Now is the time to make a choice.

 

“But do you not realize that without our help you are losing all your strength? At this time, the Devil is ravaging my children who are the weakest in temptation. Be strong: only by nourishing yourselves with the Body and Blood of Jesus will you be victorious. I am with you in the same way that I showed myself to the little shepherds [in Fatima], pure and humble of heart.” *

 

Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for [someone] to devour. Resist him, steadfast in faith, knowing that your fellow believers throughout the world undergo the same sufferings. 1Peter 5:8-9

 

We are near an inflection point.  Now is the time to be alert, humble ourselves before the Lord, ask forgiveness, and be open to His grace.  We must pray and encourage those who have drifted away to do the same.  Pray, pray, pray! This is the way to bring about the conversion of your family. 

 

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

 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

 

Now is the time to pass it on!

 

*Excerpt from “The Queen of Peace” to Valeria Copponi on October 13th, 2021″ 

Pray for Marriages (The Healing of Heartbreak)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

 

Nothing is more tragic than for parents to lose a child, regardless the age of that child.  No one expects to bury a child, but rather, expects the child will bury them.  In all the grief, there is often self-blame, the should’ve, could’ve, would’ve, especially if the death was preventable.  Then there’s the finger pointing and the blame game.  Most grievous is when spouses turn on each other. 

 

These are the marriages I’d like to pray for this week. Those in grief, and those at risk for allowing their anger and pain to create marital division. 

 

Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:4

 

Lord, you know which parents are in deep mourning today.  A disease, a shooting, a car accident, a drug overdose, a suicide, or other tragedy, took the life of their child, and you have called them home.  Although death is inevitable, it is so heart-wrenching when a couple has to endure the death of a child.  We pray for your grace to abundantly flow to them, and that your love may be a blanket of comfort to them.  Hold them in their grief.  May they feel your presence through their friends and family. Send your mother to console and guide them through each stage of grief, for she knows all too well the pain of losing a beloved Child.  Send your angels to battle the Sower of Discord, thus preventing marriages from being torn apart. May instead, they be more firmly united. Lord, renew their joy, increase their hope, and flood them with peace.  We humbly ask this, for we trust in your merciful love. Amen.

 

No trial has come to you but what is human. God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength.  1 Corinthians 10:13

 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

 

Prayer has the power to heal broken hearts. Keep praying and pass it on!  

Pray for Families (Such Times as These)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

 

Life is so fleeting, but often it’s not until we experience the unexpected death of a friend or family member that we are jolted into the reality of our mortality. We know neither the time nor the date that the Lord will call us home, yet we imagine long lives and don’t spend enough time pondering how we should use our precious time here.

 

But a storm is brewing… and the winds of change are shifting.

 

“When you see [a] cloud rising in the west you say immediately that it is going to rain—and so it does; and when you notice that the wind is blowing from the south you say that it is going to be hot—and so it is. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of the earth and the sky; why do you not know how to interpret the present time?  Luke 12:54-56

 

The present time is at a crossroad.

 

• Now is a time to ponder the state of your soul and take corrective measures
• Now is the time to love one another unconditionally, and say “I love you” to your family 
• Now is the time to let go of worldly attachments and evaluate the control it has on your life
• Now is the time to pray for eyes to see and ears to hear what all that we have been previously blind and deaf to
• Now is the time to defend the truth and speak of Truth
• The present time demands action; ask the Lord what He is calling you to do

Lord Jesus, as we live in our little bubbles, help us to see as you see and hear as you hear. Lend us your eyes and ears.  Provide us the grace to amend our lives.  Give us the determination to pray for our families more, and to witness your Love through our actions. Protect our families from harm, and all in the world that seeks to entice them away from you. Thank you for always seeking the lost sheep, even when that sheep is us. Shepherd us, and lead us to salvation. Hear the prayers of your warriors Lord, for we trust in your merciful love. Amen.

 

Be at peace!

 

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet

 

When lost, seek the Good Shepherd!  Pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (Reset, Recommit)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

 

We all know marriages that need a jump-start, as they have stalled out. They are wandering without a compass. They’ve lost sight of their power source, and have become depleted. Inertia allows them to slip toward divorce, but what they truly need is to reawaken to the fact that Christ is their true power source, and the way, the truth, and the life. 

 

Everyone in the crowd sought to touch him because power came forth from him and healed them all.  Luke 6:19

 

It’s easy to get stuck in a rut. But where to begin?  Prayer of course!  Prayer requires humility in both spirit and posture and draws one into conversation with Christ.  In Him we are able to recharge, refresh, and refocus, and recommit.  However, it is the collective prayers for marriage that provide the jumpstart, jolting stalled out marriages into second gear. 

 

So let’s pray for the marriages of one another, our friends, and those we don’t know who are in desperate need of our prayers. Each marriage saved, will also positively change the life of someone else for the good. When a marriage is saved, a family is saved and a home is left intact.

 

Yes, in joy you shall go forth, in peace you shall be brought home. Isaiah 55:12

 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

 

May the Lord bless those who pray! Pass it on!

 

Pray for Families (The Power of Love)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

 

Now more than ever, we are called to love our family.  Love those who argue with you, disagree with you, snub you, accuse you, and blame you.  Satan, seeks to divide and he is unleashing his power like never before.  His victory is seen in division and divisiveness.  

 

The devil knows how to push every one of our buttons. It is in our complacency that he attacks, catching us off guard and unleashing our worst selves, hoping to stoke the fire of discord in the family.

 

Therefore, put on the armor of God, that you may be able to resist on the evil day and, having done everything, to hold your ground. Ephesians 6:13

 

You were made for times such as these to witness to the Truth.  Immerse yourself in the Word, that Christ’s love may radiate through you and disarm the other, for unexpected and unconditional love changes the soul it touches.  

 

Indeed, the word of God is living and effective, sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating even between soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and able to discern reflections and thoughts of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

 

Lord, we pray for each member of our family and especially for ourselves, for we are weak, overly reactive, easily irritated, and quick to see others’ faults.  Thus, we humble ourselves before you now, asking for the grace to be a powerful witness to Truth and Love. May we not add to the discord, but become peacemakers; not judge, but listen more; not challenge, but question to learn; not react, but respond with patience and kindness. Unify and strengthen our families, Lord. You make all things possible.  In your mercy and compassion, help us bring your light in this darkened world. Amen. 

 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

 

Love conquers all!  Pass it on!  

Pray for Marriages (Virtuous Love)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

 

Whether we admit it or not, at times we do enjoy looking at others and assessing... or perhaps judging. We know we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover” nor “judge a man until you have walked (a mile) in his shoes”, but perhaps we do because it’s too painful to look at ourselves in the mirror! 

 

So instead, we look at another’s marriage and say or think, “I don’t know why he(she) stays with her (him)!”  

 

Note to self: Perhaps it is you who don’t have eyes to see. You may be witnessing a person who has an abundance of virtue; kindness, humility, fortitude, patience, and charity. They may be enduring quite a bit, even the disapproval of onlookers such as yourself, but with joy they offer up every trial as a sacrifice to God.  And just maybe they are offering atonement for their own sins, as they realize that they haven’t been a perfect spouse either. 

 

Since you have purified yourselves by obedience to the truth for sincere mutual love, love one another intensely from a [pure] heart. 1 Peter 1:22

 

Let us pray for those who persevere in marriage, especially when it’s most difficult. Let us pray for those who want to quit every day, but daily commit to just one more. 

 

Lord, you continue to ask us to walk with you, but we fear the path you walk. Grant all marriages copious grace, especially those which are losing hope.  When they find themselves in the valley, give them your companionship and the courage to summit. Be their stability and their joy as they waver in the winds of change. Bless them as they sacrifice their will and glorify yours. Give us a supportive and caring heart, as you ask us to walk with each other, reflecting your unconditional love which never fails to enkindles faith and hope. Jesus, we trust in You.  Amen.

 

Thus all who dwell on the earth shall know, all who remain in the world shall understand, that nothing is better than the fear of the Lord, nothing sweeter than obeying the commandments of the Lord. Sirach 23-27

 

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet

Accompany a marriage on a difficult journey! Pass it on!