Pray for Families (and Marriages!)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

As the year comes to a close, many (including me) reflect on the year that has just flown by. Could it be that we will soon be entering 2023?!

As I review the year, I’ve learned to not be so hard on myself. (Yes, I’ve missed a few blog postings here and there). Consequently, I’ve also learned to be more patient and give grace to others. As each day seems fuller and fuller, I have learned that I need to schedule prayer time, and the best time is the quiet of the morning.

I for one have grown in my awareness of truth and Truth. I see and sense that the Father of Lies is growing in power, since more and more people either don’t know Him, or have walked away from Truth.

“I am the way and the truth and the life.” John 14:6

As Judeo-Christian values are purged from our culture, more people walk in blindness unaware of the danger of their passive assent and that the path to perdition is broadening.

You live in the midst of a rebellious house; they have eyes to see, but do not see, and ears to hear but do not hear. Ezekiel 12:2

When I started this blog, I was unaware of the Fatima Message that speaks to the “Final Battle” being over marriage and family. Sister Lucia, the Fatima seer, stated:

“the final battle between the Lord and the reign of Satan will be about marriage and the family. Don’t be afraid, she added, because anyone who operates for the sanctity of marriage and the family will always be contended and opposed in every way, because this is the decisive issue. And then she concluded: however, Our Lady has already crushed its head.”

The Evil One hates marriage as God ordained it, between one man and one woman who are instructed to “be fruitful and multiply”. He hates the family as it represents the domestic church and where children first learn about God. So if you were Satan, wouldn’t you do everything you could to distort and destroy marriage, family, and procreation? Even blur the genders? Consider all that has transpired in the last several years and decades.

There is much to reflect upon, but most importantly, I want to THANK YOU for being a prayer warrior for marriage and family. YOU are greatly needed and the Lord delights in your prayers. Never underestimate the power of your prayer. Only Satan wants you to believe it’s worthless. Most of all, he fears the rosary, so if you don’t pray it, consider starting or increasing its recitation in the New Year!

Praying that you will be abundantly blessed in the New Year!!

Peace, Joy, and Love,
Janet

PRAY, PRAY, PRAY!!! Don’t delay! Pass it on!

Pray for Families (St. Mother Teresa Wisdom)

 Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

Christmas is almost here and I don’t know about you but I am already feeling a bit frazzled and out of focus. This is not the temperament I want to enter into Christmas with!  So, I thought a little wisdom from Saint Teresa of Calcutta  would get me back on track.  Hope these quotes resonate with you as well. . 

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.”

“Some people come in our life as blessings. Some come in your life as lessons.”

“I used to believe that prayer changes things, but now I know that prayer changes us, and we change things.”

Enjoy your family! Keep in prayer for it will help you be kind when it’s difficult, and will guide you in all circumstances. Family is the blessing that continues to teach, humble us, and love us.  

May your Christmas be filled with blessings, may you experience the love of the Lord in new and profound ways, and may praise of God be forever on your lips.

“Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests. Luke 2:14

Peace on Earth, 

Joy to the World, 

For His Love never ends,

Rejoice!

Janet

Be generous and kind with your words, so they will echo and reverberate throughout time. And pray. Always pray!! Pass it on!

Pray for Marriages (Believing in Miracles)

 Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Now is a great time of year to contemplate miracles. How often God did for man what he considered impossible, unattainable, unfathomable. Consider just a few examples: Barren, sometimes elderly women, gave birth. (Sarah Elizabeth, & wife of Manoah) Faithful men were saved from certain death (Mananiah, Azariahm Mishael, Daniel) The abandoned went from poor to prosperous. (Joseph, Ruth, Naomi) The greatest sinners were redeemed. (Saul/Paul, Mary Magdalene, the Apostles) 

So whoever is in Christ is a new creation: the old things have passed away; behold, new things have come. And all this is from God, who has reconciled us to himself through Christ and given us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting their trespasses against them and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 2 Corinthians 5:17-19

How wonderful it is to know that God pursues us poor sinners! We only must cooperate with His Holy Will  and believe in His love and mercy. For those who struggle in their marriage, either a lot or a little, don’t give up but in prayer, keep praying for the little or big miracle. For those who pray on behalf of another couple, stay persistent in prayer, believing in God’s plan, even if it takes a long time to unfold.

Faith blossoms  when we admit that we need a Savior. 

On that day it will be said: “Indeed, this is our God; we looked to him, and he saved us!  This is the LORD to whom we looked; let us rejoice and be glad that he has saved us!” Isaiah 25:9

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet

 Believe in miracles.  Pass it on!

Pray for Families (Participating in His Plan)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Christmas is a wonderful time to reflect on the birth of Christ and all that led up to it. Mary had to say “yes” for God’s plan to move forward. 

“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.  

Luke 1:30-31

We too are part of God’s plan.  We too  are asked to participate in God’s plan for humanity. Are we saying “yes”?  Or is our common response, “I’ll think about it?”  What if the Blessed Virgin Mary responded that way?  We want change in the world, and the Lord hears our prayers, but we all need to assent to His plan for the world to change.

Begin at home as friends and relatives who come to visit.  Are you witnessing to Christ by keeping Christ in Christmas?  Are you being kind and loving to  the hard to love?  Are you challenging lies with the truth in love? Or are you trying not to make waves?  In which way are you imitating Christ?

Perhaps you think this can't be that important, but perhaps it’s best to practice now, because it’s likely there will soon be a time when Christians are not allowed to speak out. There might not be a tomorrow to put it off to. 

Persevere in prayer for your family and one another.  Pray that the Light of the World would shine more brightly in our souls, so that together with Christ, we can chase away the darkness. 

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. Luke 1:46-47

Come Holy Spirit, fill us with your Light that we may fully proclaim and rejoice in our King!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Prepare to receive the Light. Pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (According to His Word)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

The Word calls us to be ministers of his love, compassion, and mercy in our marriage, to turn the other cheek, to nurture one another in sickness and in health, and to “love our enemies” which can be our spouse during an argument! Fulfilling marriage vows can be challenging to say the least. Yet the Lord has made it our vocation. 

Have you ever tried to understand the mind of the Lord? Just when you think you have him figured out, he throws you for a loop! He knows us so thoroughly, he knows exactly what we need and when we need it!  Yet, we have different ideas on the timing of his grace, the speed in which we need to see change, and what we think his help should look like. However,  we only need to look to the Blessed Mother to understand what our response should always be to the crosses the Lord grants us.

“Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Luke 1:38

Lord, help us believe in your love for us, for when we doubt your love we doubt the power of your grace. Your mother knew that the grace you granted her was sufficient to carry her through all of her heartache and pain. Similarly, grant us the gift of endurance, especially when we are weary of walking in the low valleys of our marriage. Remind us that the sun is rising, its visibility only blocked by the mountains before us. As we traverse to the mountaintop, may we thank you for sustaining our hope with new vistas of beauty and awe. May we continue to persevere to reach the fullest heights, for there we know of the glory that awaits us.  

But you, be self-possessed in all circumstances; put up with hardship; perform the work of an evangelist; fulfill your ministry. 2 Timothy 4:5

May the Lord be your constant companion who never fails to carry you when you are weary! 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

You can get there with prayer! Pass it on! 

Pray for Families (Mission Possible)

 Greetings Prayer Warriors,

The Lord has called us all to be his ministers, his voice and presence in the world.  Yet, it is so easy to lose sight of that as we get sucked into the busyness of this world.  Give some thought to the following passage. Read it slowly  and contemplate what the Lord may be saying to you.  What is he asking you to integrate into your day and perhaps your life?

I am a minister in accordance with God’s stewardship given to me 

to bring to completion for you the word of God,

the mystery hidden from ages and from generations past. 

But now it has been manifested to his holy ones,

to whom God chose to make known 

the riches of the glory of this mystery [...]; 

it is Christ in you, the hope for glory.

It is he whom we proclaim, 

admonishing everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, 

that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. 1 Colossians 25-28

We have all been called.  No mission is impossible when Christ lives in you.  Now is a time to be bold, for the counter messages are getting louder, rooting themselves into our culture and penetrating deeper into our families. A wise warrior only goes into battle if he knows he is covered in prayer.  Amp up the intentionality of your prayer for one another!  Battles for souls need to be waged, especially on the homefront.  Hold the line! Pray without ceasing. 

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet

Bring more into the fold. Pass it on!

Pray for Marriages (Faith and Humility)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

Marriage as a vocation is a journey the Lord sends us on as a path to perfection.  Any married person can attest that it is not an easy road and is a continual purification!  The Lord knows that we will have missteps, occasionally  veer off course, take detours, get lost, and eventually come to terms with our strengths and weaknesses. Most of all, He hopes that we become humble enough to call out to Him for assistance. 

But pride and destructive self-talk enters in to block humility. We think we can singularly handle all that comes our way.  Sometimes we self-sabotage and become too harsh with ourselves, our spouse, or both. Other times we  can’t admit our faults but point out all of our spouse’s.  We worry about our lives without realizing our biggest enemy is fear and a lack of faith.

.  

Say to the fearful of heart: Be strong, do not fear! Here is your God, he comes with vindication; With divine recompense he comes to save you.  Isaiah 35:4

Lord, increase our faith in you. Guide us, redirect us, and heal our woundedness.  Ever merciful Father, You love us beyond our comprehension, and yet how often we doubt your support!  We entertain fear when we should  confidently proclaim your compassion and steadfastness. Infuse us with unshakeable faith, so that we can confidently withstand any storm, while humbling acknowledging your gift of grace.

When he saw their faith, he said, “As for you, your sins are forgiven.” 

Luke 5:20

Humility trusts in the mercy of the Father.  Be of humble heart and put on love, for love covers a multitude of sins. 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Pray for a growth in faith. Pass it on! 

Pray for Families (Preparing for the Light)

 Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Every year it feels the same; mounting pressure and stress to prepare for Christmas. But on the long list of what needs to be accomplished, we often fail to make time for the most important thing: Preparing ourselves for the coming of the King. 

Who would go to a banquet without the right attire? Would you greet a dignitary without ensuring you have prepared yourself properly, including your disposition? We must look at our heart and soul. Is it cleansed and open to receiving the King and all that he has for you?

“Son of David, have pity on us!” Matthew 9:27

How might we direct the focus of our family toward the Lord and minimize the distractions of material pleasures? Have we considered what gifts might most please Him?

Yes, there is lots left to prepare for and indeed we still have time if we redirect our attention to Advent. Pray to discern what is dark within you so you may purge the murkiness and be illumined by His light. Then go out into the world beginning with your family and dispel the darkness.

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light, for light produces every kind of goodness and righteousness and truth.

Grow in these virtues and be the gift that keeps on giving! For you know that  it all begins with prayer, the foundational  gift.

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Now is the time for prayer and preparation of self. Pass it on! 

Pray for Marriage (The Fruit of Prayer)

 Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

 

I’ve still savoring some family time.  Did you remember to pray for marriages yesterday without the reminder?   It’s never too late to pray!

 

We do not cease praying for you and asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding to 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, strengthened with every power, in accord with his glorious might, for all endurance and patience, with joy giving thanks to the Father, who has made you fit to share in the inheritance of the holy ones in light.  Colossians 1:9-12

 

Continue as His worthy prayer warriors, advocating for the preservation of marriage and bearing fruit!

 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet 

 

Share the love and pass it on! 

 

Pray for Families (Listen and Grow)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Enjoy your family time. Time together can bring about a range of emotions. Listen twice as much as you talk.  Then pray for a growth in the virtues that have been exposed as lacking.

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 4:6-7

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Pray for one another and pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (Assessing the Offering)

 Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Some of you are really struggling in your marriages. You are doing the best you can, and it takes all your spiritual strength to continue with your prayers and efforts to heal or elevate your marriage. You may feel exhausted, as you cling to your hope, persevere in faith, and trust in the goodness of the Lord. One day at a time, you tell yourself. 

How the Lord honors you for giving all you have to give! You are like the poor widow who offered to the Lord the last 2 coins she had.

When he looked up he saw some wealthy people putting their offerings into the treasury and he noticed a poor widow putting in two small coins. He said, “I tell you truly, this poor widow put in more than all the rest for those others have all made offerings from their surplus wealth, but she, from her poverty, has offered her whole livelihood.” Luke 21:1-4

Which begs the question, do you give an appropriate amount of your wealth of time and energy to the health of your marriage? Or do you give a little of your surplus time to your spouse?

Each must reflect on their own situation. How might the Lord view it? Lots of impoverished lip service, or an ongoing, generous labor of love? Pray to see as the Lord sees, that you may come to accept the truth. Whether you are the “widow” or the “wealthy” humbly pray for strength for the journey or guidance on how to heal and enrich your marriage through a more generous spirit. As a warrior, you never walk alone.

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Continue to support each other in prayer and pass it on!  

Pray for Families (Needed: Prayer on Steroids)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Have you reflected on why so many of your family members, relatives are struggling with their relationship with God?  Or perhaps they aren’t struggling, they never even think of Him!  Maybe the one struggling is you?

How can one not be  disheartened when they look with eyes wide open? Our world has changed so much over the decades.  While the country was largely Judeo-Christian in its views and values 50+ years ago, that is no longer true.  Immorality is not just rampant, but the accepted norm.  Churches were shut down for 2 years and the reception of the sacraments was severely restricted. Morality has been banished and even mocked. Divorce and the breakdown of the family, once rare, is now  a contingency plan discussed before marriage. Protection of life is no longer considered sacred. Speech is no longer free. Sin is no longer discussed and many no longer believe in hell. Christianity is no longer affirmed but attacked. Is there any surprise that Satan’s power has grown as the presence of God in our hearts and public squares has diminished?  Does any doubt remain as to why so many people have lost or are without faith??

We Christians know that our citizenship is not here on earth but rather awaiting us in heaven. For many, as I have often told you and now tell you even in tears, conduct themselves as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction. Their God is their stomach; their glory is in their “shame.” Their minds are occupied with earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we also await a savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Philippians 3:18-20

Hold tight to your faith!  Whether you have been praying with us for days, months, or the last 13 years, you are being prepared for a deeper relationship with the Lord, one where he more urgently requests of you increased prayer for humanity.  Remember, the Lord doesn’t want to lose any of his children, but many will reject Him without the transformative grace needed for conversion.  Your prayer rooted in love, releases the grace from heaven.  Your prayer is a beautiful daily sacrifice that can be offered up for the conversion of all your relatives. 

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

"Many souls go to hell because they have no one to pray for them and make sacrifices for them." -Our Lady of Fatima to Sr. Lucia

Pray for humanity, especially the restoration of the family, and each precious soul in it.

“As the family goes, so goes the nation and so goes the whole world in which we live.” - Pope Saint John Paul II

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Pray, pray, pray and ask for more prayer by passing it on! 

Pray for Marriages (A Call to Action)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

 

As we persevere in life and in marriage, we can feel pretty good about ourselves.  And perseverance is a great thing!  Yet as I read this passage in Revelation, I was forced to reflect.

 

Yet I hold this against you: you have lost the love you had at first. Realize how far you have fallen. Repent and do the works you did at first. Revelation 2:4-5

 

While love is often equated with feelings, love is an action.  Feelings keep us looking inward, while actions focus our attention outward.  The decision to love requires a daily, if not hourly commitment.  Early in the journey of love, we are giddy with excitement, in love with the feeling, and excited about the future.  We would do anything for our spouse.  But as feelings wane, and the rigors of life manifest, we must still act as Christ would; with unwavering love, endless kindnesses, and encouraging words, versus bitterness, anger, and slaying sentences.

 

Lord, we praise you for your unwavering love and patience. Help us with those virtues!  We acknowledge our love can be inconsistent, for we are easily distracted, prone to self-centeredness, and attached to our wounds.  Lord, we open the door of our heart. Heal the wounds that reside there. Help us to keep our eyes on you, so our love may become transformative as we conform ourselves to you. Stoke the fire of our love, enabling us to be a light in our marriage and a beacon of love for all marriages.  Amen.

 

Behold, I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I enter his house and dine with him and he with me.  I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne as I myself won the victory and sit with my Father on his throne.  Revelation 3:20-21

 

Come in and guide us to victory Lord!

 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet 

 

Help another hear Him knocking so they might act! Pass it on!

Pray for Families (Consistency and Perseverance in Prayer)

 Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Do you remember to pray without reminders?  

Hopefully you prayed yesterday or today for a veteran, their families, our county, or the soul of one who has passed. No prayer is ever wasted, but used by God to fortify a soul.

First of all, then, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity. This is good and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1-4

There is MUCH to pray for.  I’m praying for your perseverance!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Pray that all of us may persevere in prayer. Pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (Take it to Jesus!)

 Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Whether you’ve been married for 1 year or 50+ years, there is a good chance you’ve had a few challenges in your marriage.  Perhaps there have been a few less-than-kind words exchanged.  You have wounded and been wounded.  A natural reaction would be to become very defensive or withdraw. But what benefit is that?

Perhaps St. Teresa of Calcutta’s advice is worth considering. If someone (such as your spouse) says hurtful things to you, promptly go to Jesus and ask Him if it's true. (That takes courage!)  If it is, it is a grace that light has been shed on a potential blind spot. If it isn’t, let it go and walk in freedom.

We need to turn to Jesus often for truth and comfort.  He is gentle and kind, and will give us the courage to accept the truth, if only we are open to his grace and choose to cooperate with it!  His arms are always wide open, waiting to embrace us. But often we turn away in pride, thinking, “I can handle this” (without Jesus). Perhaps we need to take the lies we tell ourselves to Jesus too! 

I am struck by Jesus’s humility, as he did not make any decisions without the Father.  He confidently surrendered completely to the Father to guide Him. 

“Amen, amen, I say to you, a son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees his father doing;  for what he does, his son will do also. For the Father loves his Son and shows him everything that he himself does. 

John 5:19-20

The Father loves us!  Jesus loves us!  So go to Jesus!  Be consoled by His embrace.  Listen to His heart!  Absorb His words!  You will then be able to approach your spouse again, to speak the truth in love, perhaps apologize, and even show some mercy. 

The LORD’s acts of mercy are not exhausted, his compassion is not spent; They are renewed each morning—great is your faithfulness!  

Lamentations 3:22-23

Continue to uplift each other in prayer, especially for those too weary and defeated to pray.

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Pray for more grace!!  Pass it on!

Pray for Families (Heartfelt Gratitude)

 Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

We constantly petition the Lord with prayers of supplication on behalf of our families. However, we can lose sight of the need for prayers of adoration and thanksgiving.  Who hasn’t experienced the kindness of the Lord?!  Stop and contemplate all the ways God has blessed you and your family!  Which prayers has the Lord answered for you?  He knows what you desire and will answer in his perfect timing, even if it takes years!  Never lose hope!  Let us not forget to delight and comfort the Lord with our overflowing gratitude.

Delight and rejoice, for the LORD has done great things! Joel 2:21

Lord, graciously hear our endless prayers of petition for our family and the families of others.  May our prayers of adoration and thanksgiving be so beautiful that they reverberate with a harmonic resonance throughout the heavens, delighting even the angelic choirs!  Empower us to share your praises with others, giving them hope and encouraging them in prayer.  May our words be a testament to your goodness, and our lives be a witness to your fidelity.  Thank you sweet, Jesus. Your mercy endures forever!

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name. His mercy is from age to age to those who fear him.”  Luke 1:46-47, 49-50

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet

Let us imitate the proclamation of our Heavenly Mother and pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (Saintly Inspiration)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

Sainthood may be your desire (and should be!), but no doubt at times it seems so unachievable!  Have you considered that you were given the spouse you have so that you could grow in holiness?  All those challenges are opportunities to grow in the virtues! Not laughing? No one said the virtuous life would be easy!

On this All Hallow’s Eve, I can think of nothing better than to call upon all the saints for their heavenly intercession for marriages!  Think of them as your personal coaches.  Call upon your favorites to pray on your behalf, take time to read about and be inspired by their lives, and develop a greater prayer life so that you may persevere in love within your marriage and continue in prayer for others! 

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith.  Hebrews 12:1-2

Praying that you will all become saints!!

Yet I consider life of no importance to me, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to bear witness to the gospel of God’s grace. Act 20:24

Be an earthly witness to his grace!!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Be a saint and pass it on! 

Pray for Families (Sacrificial Prayer)

 Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Praying in supplication seems to be a daily task. Is there not always some desire for self or others that we are petitioning the Lord for? Often, it is for other family members as we walk alongside them prayerfully and carry their pain in our hearts. Yet endless prayers aren’t the only way to implore for another. Our actions also have great spiritual power. Have you considered offering sacrifices to the Lord on behalf of your loved one? 

Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat, but if it dies, it produces much fruit. John 12:24

Are you willing to die-to-self in some manner for their good? For example, skip a meal, dessert, or cherished beverage and offer that sacrifice to the Lord on their behalf? Consider denying yourself something you love, and offering it to God for them. Sacrifice some television time and use it for prayer.  Only you know what is sacrificial to you. Sacrificial love can bear much fruit. 

But when you pray, go to your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will repay you. In praying, do not babble like the pagans, who think that they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Matthew 6:6-8

Lord, when we rely too much on ourselves, we produce little for much effort. When we give you our lists of God “to-do’s”, again we miss the mark. Help us to quiet ourselves, come into your presence,humble ourselves, and ask with a contrite and loving heart. Hear our prayers, acknowledge  the longing in our hearts, and bless us, our families, and our friends. Give us the grace to die to self through sacrifice, so that we can elicit much for the intended, and as a byproduct, realize that we too have profited. May we forever praise your name! Amen.

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Prayer has many forms. Use them all! Pass it on!

Pray for Marriages (Healing Old Wounds)

 Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

Forgiveness is easy.  Forgetting is not. If you have been married long enough, there will be moments that have left scars, wounds of the heart.  Perhaps there were key moments when your spouse wasn’t there for you either physically or emotionally.  Maybe there were words spoken that were soul-crushing and pierced you to the core.  Alternatively, maybe there was a crucial time where they abdicated their co-parenting responsibility.  The question is, why are you holding on to all the hurt and pain, keeping it in a figurative box?  While the weight of holding on may be exhausting, who do you think you are benefiting?

God wants you to open your wounds to him, that he might heal them, restore you, and help you journey to a new place in your marital relationship.

Be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created in God’s way in righteousness and holiness of truth. Ephesians 4:2-24

Lord, our woundedness can feel like a comfy old shoe, supportive, familiar, reliable.  Stepping away can make us feel vulnerable to potential new pain. How we need your grace!  Lord, help us to trust that you will journey with us toward restoration. Release our grip on any unforgiveness and help us to surrender our will by giving you our “box”.  Open our hearts to be mindful and compassionate about our spouse’s own woundedness including them in our prayers for healing.

All bitterness, fury, anger, shouting, and reviling must be removed from you, along with all malice. [And] be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. Ephesians 4:31-32

Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these... John 14:12

Come Holy Spirit, increase our faith in Christ, renew our wavering hope, and help our marital love grow and flourish!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Encourage another to seek healing graces. Pass it on!

Pray for Families (Sweet Surrender)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Only with time do we realize that our children are not ours, but the Lord’s. They are a gift, and we are to be their earthly shepherds. This is a huge responsibility if we contemplate the role of a good shepherd, which is to nurture them and lead them to Christ. It would be too easy to focus on all the ways we have failed, but the point is to not rely on our own strengths, but to surrender ourselves to the Lord. We can never succeed without His help. Reaching that point of understanding however, can take decades. 

Those who err in spirit shall acquire understanding, those who find fault shall receive instruction. Isaiah 29:24

Our journey is one from pride to humility. One where we come to understand our absolute powerlessness and total reliance on God. It is a wonderful awakening, bringing us to a new life. Yet we yearn for the good of our children who often wander on paths we wish we could have blocked. If we pause to contemplate, is this not exactly how our heavenly Father must feel when we choose wayward paths? Are we somehow being drawn into the heart of our Father, so that we may learn how best to parent, with patience, unconditional  love, and mercy?

I will heal their apostasy, I will love them freely; for my anger is turned away from them. Hosea 14:4

In our powerlessness, we come to understand that our power lies in our prayer.  

Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Philippians 4:6

Lord, we give to you our children, whether they be young or adults. Their choices may not have aligned with your will, but in your goodness, give them the grace to change course. Hear our humble prayers and gather them collectively for the good of all of our children. You love them even more than we are capable of! Guide them on the path to life everlasting. Amen!

Those who pray have hope. Those who pray little are in great danger. Those who do not pray are lost.  -St. Padre Pio

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Prayer is the answer. Pass it on!

Pray for Marriages (Perfect Crosses)

 Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Did any of you enter marriage asking yourselves, “Is this where the Lord wants me to be?  Is this my vocation?  Perhaps some of you may have prayed about it, but either way, it is your vocation now!  Don’t worry if you feel unequipped at times because the Lord doesn’t call the equipped but equips the called!

We are his handiwork, created in Christ Jesus for the good works that God has prepared in advance, that we should live in them. Ephesians 2:10

We are created for good works.  How might you live that in your marriage, especially on the rough days? Hint: Begin with prayer.

Try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. Ephesians 5:10

Keep your eyes on the Lord always.  In pleasing him, you will please your spouse; by pleasing your spouse you will be pleasing Him.

Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me. John 12:26

The Lord never promised us an easy life. He beckons us to a holy life, in imitation of Christ. The crosses he gives us are the instruments of our sanctification. With new eyes, embrace your cross as it is a gift from God.

Lord, help us please you through our kind and loving actions toward our spouse. Help us to love, especially when it is uniquely challenging. May we embrace our crosses, as you use them to strengthen us in patience, endurance, charity, and humility. May we never neglect to pray for our spouses, being mindful that we may be the cross you have given them! Lord, shower your grace upon us and bless us abundantly. Amen.

Peace, Joy, and Love,
Janet

Love, it’s never meant to be kept, but passed along. Pass it on!