Pray for Marriages (Love Revisited)

 Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

1 Corinthians 13 (Love is patient, Love is kind…) is a popular reading at weddings, in fact, it was one of mine. The reading was easy to believe, especially when you want to tell your spouse that list is for them. :) For the “in-love”, it doesn’t sound like a problem.  But as time passes, challenges arise, and the work of marriage becomes evident, this passage is a wonderful reminder of what love really  looks like. 

Imagine reading this as a monthly marital examination of conscience. It takes on a whole new weight. 

▢  Love is patient

▢  Love is kind. 

▢  It is not jealous, 

▢  [Love] is not pompous,

▢  It is not inflated,

▢  It is not rude,

▢  It does not seek its own interests

▢  It is not quick-tempered, 

▢  It does not brood over injury,

▢  It does not rejoice over wrongdoing 

▢  But rejoices with the truth.

▢  It bears all things, 

▢  Believes all things,

▢  Hopes all things, 

▢  Endures all things.

▢  Love never fails.

Thank you, Lord, for giving us new eyes to read this humbling scripture passage. My guess is, our individual positive response to this passage would only be considered good if we called it our “batting average”. Help us, Lord, to learn to love this completely. Denial of self is difficult. Letting go of control is scary, as it is life-changing. You call us to a new life, one where we surrender to Your holy will. Help us with our “yes”.  Help us bring this “radical love” to our marriage. May your peace chase away our fear. May your love be our guide. We trust that in your merciful love you will provide all the grace we need. Thank you, sweet Jesus, for never leaving us on this journey!

Unless the LORD build the house,  they labor in vain who build. 

Psalm 127:1

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Authentic Love.  Pass it on!

Pray for Families (The Journey to Holiness)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Pondering the  saints has always been a fascination of mine as I marveled at their courage and holiness.  My childhood assumption was only those who lived during wars, revolutions, famines, and such were called and destined for sainthood.  Little did I realize that we are ALL called to sainthood.  The Lord offers us  the opportunity, no matter what our state in life. 

He saved us and called us to a holy life, not according to our works but according to his own design and the grace bestowed on us in Christ Jesus before time began.  2 Timothy 1:9

We are predestined with grace!  It is up to us to cooperate with that grace and grow in wisdom which will help us desire the virtues.

The beginning of wisdom is fear of the LORD, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 9:10

Fear of the Lord means total awe of Him.  As we get closer to Him through prayer, the reading of scripture, and meditation/contemplation, our awe grows.  For by conversing and listening to God, our eyes will be opened, our heart will expand, and our mind will be transformed by his light.  We become changed just by knowing Him. Our personal growth in the virtues will then change those around us. 

We are all sinners who are called. Let us take the first step and mirror the path to holiness for our families.  May our struggles and suffering throughout our journey be a fragrant aroma offered to the Lord, on behalf of our families. May our prayer for them be manifested in each word of affirmation, act of service, gift of time, gentle touch or hug, or witness of faith.  

Be holy because I [am] holy.” 1 Peter 1:16

Do you not know that the holy ones will judge the world? 1 Corinthians 6:2

Peace, Joy, and Love,
Janet

What are you waiting for?  Start now and pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (From Labor to Surrender)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

With so many demands and responsibilities, sometimes one may feel exhausted and not very loving to their spouse, (let alone the rest of the family). Worse is when loving feels like work.

Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

It is exactly when we don’t feel like loving another, and can barely muster up love for ourselves but push through anyway, that we receive many graces. It’s when we offer that “labor of love” to He who is Love, that He then works through us to do what we feel incapable of on our own. It is in our surrender to Him, acknowledging all our littleness, weaknesses, and frailties, that His grace abounds.

“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

So don’t beat yourself up about one more thing. The answer isn’t to do more, it’s to surrender more.

O Jesus, I surrender myself to you, take care of everything!

And when you take back everything you surrendered, let it go again and keep praying,

O Jesus, I surrender myself to you, take care of everything!

And when you begin to worry and fret and mistrust, take a deep breath and repeat,

O Jesus, I surrender myself to you, take care of everything!

And when/if you really start to question your lot in life, and/or your marriage, quiet yourself and repeat,

O Jesus, I surrender myself to you, take care of everything!

Jesus wants to heal the wounds in your marriage. Just surrender. We’ll be praying for you!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Surrender to Him and pass it on!

Pray for Families (Super Guardians)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

Do you like Superheroes?  It’s the Lord’s perfect plan, as he has called us each to be Superheros and live for the purpose he created us for, sainthood!  We have many to emulate and perhaps you even have a favorite. Nonetheless, even Superheroes need someone to watch out for them, thus the Lord gave all of us the guardians of the galaxy, His  Guardian Angels!

God’s  design is without flaw. He commands His angels protect and guide us. Did you know that  you and each member of your family has at least one? If so, are you mindful of that, especially when you dwell in endless worry about family members?

For he commands his angels with regard to you, to guard you wherever you go. Psalm 91:11

Perhaps you know the Guardian Angel Prayer.  If not, check it out:

Angel of God, 

my guardian dear, 

To whom God's love

commits me here, 

Ever this day, 

be at my side, 

To light and guard, 

Rule and guide.

Amen.

Pray it often for yourself and your entire family.  Then worry less and praise God more for His protective love. 

Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? 

Matthew 6:27

Be at peace! You are His beloved!

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet

Say a prayer, share a prayer.  Pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (The Final Battle)

Greetings Prayer Warriors.

 

After all these years, have you ever wondered why we are still praying for marriage and family? When I started requesting prayers for these intentions in 2009, I really had no idea why I felt the Lord was calling me to do this. I was not a writer, nor fond of writing, and I wasn’t an extrovert in my faith, but I was concerned about all the divorces I was both seeing and hearing about. Fast forward 12+ years later, and the picture is becoming clear; We are in a major battle. 

 

One of the Fatima visionaries, Sr. Lucia, in the 1980’s wrote a letter to Cardinal Caffarra of Italy, telling him the following: 

 

“The final battle between the Lord and the kingdom of Satan will be about Marriage and the Family.” Don't be afraid, she added, because whoever works for the sanctity of Marriage and the Family will always be fought against and opposed in every way, because this is the decisive issue. Then she concluded: “nevertheless, Our Lady has already crushed his head.” (emphasis added)

 

The sanctity of marriage and the importance of the traditional family, was once a given in society.  Even Martin Luther King, Jr., the civil rights leader we honor today, would speak of the importance of marriage and family. 

• "God has set the type of marriage everywhere throughout the creation. Every creature seeks its perfection in another. The very heavens and earth picture it to us." 
• "There is no more lovely, friendly or charming relationship, communion or company, than a good marriage."
• "The group consisting of mother, father and child is the main educational agency of mankind."
• “Babies, we are told, are the latest news from heaven.” 

As we see God's design for marriage and family being twisted, fractured, redefined, demeaned, devalued, and crushed, we must be the resistance!

 

This is why we pray and pray and continue to persevere in prayer. You were called to be in the army restraining Satan. You are a prayer warrior in this final battle. Take up your spiritual weapons (the rosary being the best sword) and keep it going.

 

Finally, draw your strength from the Lord and from his mighty power. Put on the armor of God so that you may be able to stand firm against the tactics of the devil. For our struggle is not with flesh and blood but with the principalities, with the powers, with the world rulers of this present darkness, with the evil spirits in the heavens. Ephesians 6:10-12

 

Grab your weapon and march on!

 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

 

Pick up your sword and grow the army by passing it on!

Pray for Families (Beloved by the Beloved)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

With each successive generation, we and/or family members seem to become more self- deprecating.  Social media does much to fuel it. One tells themselves they are “not enough” because someone along the way told them so and they believed it. Internal voices, on constant repeat say, “you are not good-looking enough, secure enough, smart enough, successful enough, or wealthy enough. If only you were so, you would be worthy of love”. The resulting feelings of abandonment, confusion, and feeling unworthy, lead one to feel they are destined to always fall short.  These lies of Satan keep on multiplying, forever mocking his targets. 

 

But the Lord wants you to know that YOU were made for love, and are his very beloved. Anything else you think or feel is a lie. He loves you, for how could he not treasure the child he made in his image and likeness?

 

In love he destined us for adoption to himself through Jesus Christ, in accord with the favor of his will, for the praise of the glory of his grace that he granted us in the beloved. In him we have redemption by his blood, the forgiveness of transgressions, in accord with the riches of his grace. Ephesians 1:5-7

 

Accept your belovedness!  Satan is jealous!

 

I belong to my lover, and my lover belongs to me.  Song of Songs 6:3

 

Reject the lies of the Evil One!

 

Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.  Romans 12:2

 

Lord, we ask you to open our hearts to the Truth, which enables us to understand that we are loved with an unfathomable love. Help us guide our family members into that truth as well. May we denounce all that tells us otherwise and one day come to the realization that we are “the one whom Jesus loved”.

 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

 

Tell a family member that they are loved! Pass it on!

Pray for Marriages (Intended Holiness)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

 

Most couples enter into marriage with the best of intentions.  Their dreams are big and beautiful, and they have “plans”.  Often, the Lord isn’t included in those “plans”.  It is only when couples realize how difficult marriage is, how it involves so much compromise, self-denial, frustrations, temptations, (mis)communications, and confrontations, that a prayer may be uttered in desperation. 

 

Marriage is our path to perfection, a road to the heavenly Jerusalem. However, an invitation to enter into the Heavenly Banquet is required, and we must enter with a “garment” of holiness.  Preparation is needed, and fortunately/unfortunately, the Lord provides a wearying number of opportunities to cleanse our garment!

 

So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.  Matthew 5:48

 

On the path to holiness, we struggle to live in imitation of Christ, as Jesus was fully human and fully divine.  Being fully human we feel every bit of that humanity and fully lacking of divinity!  However, we are given a roadmap.  We are being called to unite to Christ’s divinity, for only with him are we able to become holy, as he is holy.

 

Be holy, for I, the LORD your God, am holy.  Leviticus 19:2

 

To walk in holiness in our marriages, we must continually invite Christ in.  Just as at the wedding feast at Cana, if he is present and you trust in him, he can perform miracles and help you overcome obstacles.

 

Lord, we invite you to enter into our marriages more fully, most especially on those days we are unabashedly unmotivated to be good, holy, or loving.  Teach us to love as you loved, without resentment, expectations, or a demand for reciprocation.  Temper our anger, guard our hearts, teach us patience, and remind us to rest in you.  Be the miracle we need in our marriage, be it big or small. You who can help the blind see, the lame walk, and the deaf hear, can surely perform wonders and make us holy, a beautiful reflection of you. 

 

 “Write this: Blessed are those who have been called to the wedding feast of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These words are true; they come from God.”  Rev. 19:9

 

We never walk alone, as we are united in prayer.  Let us be blessed!

 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

 

Intentionally pray for one another’s holiness. Pass it on!

Pray for Families (The Unrelenting Love of God)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

 

How often do you worry about the souls of your loved ones?  My guess is often.  There is always at least someone in the family that is off-track, embracing worldly pleasures, and in search of that unreachable something. They don’t seem to grasp what others may find so obvious, that what they are searching for, that indescribable high, is the Lord.  

 

The road to finding Christ is often bumpy, mostly due to all the bad choices made along the way. The detours taken in search of pleasures that are fleeting, often lead to disappointment, hurt, disillusionment, and depression.  Yet the Lord beckons and searches out each of his children, no matter how far away they’ve wandered or low they have descended.  

 

For thus says the high and lofty One, the One who dwells forever, whose name is holy:  I dwell in a high and holy place, but also with the contrite and lowly of spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, to revive the heart of the crushed. For I will not accuse forever, nor always be angry; For without me their spirit fails, the life breath that I have given. Because of their wicked avarice I grew angry; I struck them, hiding myself from them in wrath. But they turned back, following the way of their own heart.  I saw their ways, but I will heal them. I will lead them and restore full comfort to them and to those who mourn for them, creating words of comfort.  Peace! Peace to those who are far and near, says the LORD; and I will heal them. 

Isaiah 57:15-19

 

Worry is wasted, prayer is not. 

 

Holy God, You who look lovingly upon Your children. We pray that all may come to grasp the depth of your love for them. May the knowledge of your unrelenting love bring forth a humility that leads to contrition, so that their heart’s may open to your transformative love. Hear our prayers for each of our loved ones. Accept our sacrifices in atonement not only for our own sins, but those of whom we love. May our prayers be but a pleasing aroma wafting to the heavens in praise of your mercy.  We trust in your healing grace to heal the broken, lift the downtrodden, renew all hope, and restore all peace. Forever we glorify You, Lord on high!  Amen.

 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

 

Don’t worry, be prayerful! Pass it on! 

 

Pray for Marriages (A Healing Mandate)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

 

One can only imagine what the impact of COVID-19, vaccines, mandates, lockdowns, lost jobs, relocation, financial losses, school closures, and so forth, has had on relationships. As if marriage isn’t hard enough to begin with! It’s as if a cloud of darkness has moved in, and it continues to block the light/Light. We know the sun/Son always brings about a change, a renewal of energy, hope, and joy. 

 

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Upon those who lived in a land of gloom a light has shone. Isaiah 9:1

 

So while you can’t control the weather, you can spend unlimited time with the Son, the Light of the World. Darkness flees His presence. He wants to dispel your darkness and your doubts, helping you to purge all that blocks his healing peace, his gentle love, and the promise of new life. He wants to heal your marital wounds. But he wants YOU to be an active participant by accepting His love.

 

I, the LORD, am your healer.  Exodus 15:26

 

Jesus loves you just the way you are and doesn’t ask that you change to believe in His love for you, but your belief in His love will change you. So spend more time with He who adores you!

 

So where is the Lord? He is present in all the tabernacles of the world. He is present where 2 or 3 are gathered in His name. He is present in His Word. He is present in the silence. The reality is, He never leaves our side, although in the distractions of life, we often wander away from His.

 

And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

 

Lord, help us to love you more. In loving you, we will be better equipped to love our spouse. We ask for guidance on maneuvering, adapting and managing all of the above-mentioned “side-effects” of COVID which add undue stress to our marriages. Help us to communicate with patience, kindness, and empathy, and may our love be as unwavering as yours is for us. Shower us with graces to preserve and strengthen the sanctity and unity of not only our marriages, but of those whom we love. May the mandate we steadfastly follow be that of your command, 

Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. John 13:34

Peace, Love, and Joy, 

Janet

 

Share His mandate by passing it on!