Pray for Marriages (Sweet Surrender)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

Life is such a mystery! On this feast of St. John the Baptist, I reflect on his life. As he paves the way for the Messiah and challenges people to repent and change their ways, he gets nothing but ridicule and push back. Do they think he is a lunatic? A conspiracy theorist? A liar? Regardless, he continues to surrender to the will of God, showing such faith in the promise. Calling out adultery ultimately leads to his death, but he never wavered in speaking the truth because he had hope in the glory of things to come.

But even if you should suffer because of righteousness, blessed are you. Do not be afraid or terrified with fear of them, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope. 1 Peter 3:14-15

When things become difficult in marriage, look to the saints such as John the Baptist who wholly surrendered to the will of God, kept in prayer, and trusted that no matter where God led them, there was a loving purpose, ultimately to live eternally with Him. While you may question what the Lord asks of you, never question his love and care for you. YOU are his beloved, and no matter how difficult your path is, know that if you continue the journey, you will never walk alone. Take his hand and he will lead you to eternal life.

If we persevere we shall also reign with him. 1 Timothy 2:22

Pray, pray, pray for marriages!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Share the sweetness of surrender. Pass it on!

Pray for Families (Plugging into Nature)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

This past week I was blessed to attend a program that dubs itself “restorative adventure”.  It is geared toward young adults who are impacted by cancer and other serious health conditions. I was there to have the same experience as a regular attendee, so as to share the power of this program to those who qualify.  I learned a few things that I think will be restorative to the family. 

Toss out the negative thoughts, all those voices that limit you. Leave your electronics behind, even if that means you start with a few hours before you progress to days. What precious time they steal, and they are not good for the soul. 

They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and revered and worshiped the creature rather than the creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. Romans 1:25

However, nature is the perfect restorative medicine, for it is there we can hear God’s voice and explore God’s magnificent creation!  Grab your family and plan an outdoor adventure, something like hiking, kayaking, camping, the beach, or a float trip. Don’t be afraid to push your boundaries: mental, physical, and emotional!  Spending time with creation will help you and your family grow closer to the Creator. It lends itself to mental prayer too! 

The earth is full of the mercy of the LORD. By the LORD’s word the heavens were made; by the breath of his mouth all their host. He gathered the waters of the sea as a mound; he sets the deep into storage vaults. Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all who dwell in the world show him reverence.  

Psalms 33:5-8

Pray dear warriors, and commit to unplugging and reconnecting with family. Together, explore nature’s beauty, and in doing so each of you will find your true beauty in the eyes of God.

I praise you, because I am wonderfully made; wonderful are your works! Psalms 139:14

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Pass it on, then unplug! 

Pray for Marriages (Spiritual Fortification)

Greeting Prayer Warriors,

May the Lord fortify your warrior spirit, especially when you are feeling worn down with a wavering will.  Whether you struggle in your marriage or in the perseverance of prayer for other marriages, know that the Lord will sustain you.  When you have difficulty uttering a prayer, ask the Holy Spirit to pray on your behalf. When you want to quit the journey, ask Jesus to carry you.

Strengthen the hands that are feeble, make firm the knees that are weak. Say to those whose hearts are frightened, be strong, fear not!  Here is your God, he comes with vindication. With divine recompense he comes to save you. Isaiah 35:3-4

When you are feeling alone, know the Lord claims you as his. He will nourish you with his love.

I will espouse you to me forever, I will espouse you in right and justice, love and mercy. I will espouse you in fidelity and you shall know the Lord.  Hosea 2:21-22

The battle is a spiritual one. Fight on warriors!

I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne, as I myself first won the victory and sit with my Father on His throne. Rev. 3:21

You’ve got this!  May the celestial angels assist you!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Invite all to join this army!  Pass it on!

Pray for Families (Especially the Children!)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

“Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” Matthew 19:14

Jesus loves the sweet innocence and loving affection of children.  However, Darkness seeks to eliminate the Light of Christ in them.  As prayer and devotion wanes, we see Darkness penetrate.  The innocence of children is not only being stolen, but attacked.  Fewer children know about God, his enduring love for them, and his unchanging truth.  Nor are they learning how beautiful and precious they are to Him, as that they were created in his image and likeness.  Instead, at the youngest age they are being sexualized by books, indoctrinated to pick their gender and pronouns, and are even being offered gender reassignment surgery.  In other words, while they don’t even have the right to bring  cough medicine to school without a parental note, they are allowed to make such life-changing decisions to mutilate their genitals before puberty without their parent’s consent.  Satan cheers as more are conforming into his non-binary image and likeness.

Satan loves to invert things and has many minions.  As extreme as all of the above sounds, the media leaves it alone, but instead calls a simple strand of prayer beads, the rosary, an “extremist symbol,” comparing it to the AR-15! (See recent Atlantic article)  One thing the article inadvertently got right is that the rosary is very powerful. 

Our voices need to be louder than the voice of Satan in this culture. We need to speak out in the schools and communities for the protection of children and for maintaining our parental rights. (They are being eroded if you haven’t noticed). Gather as a family when possible and join your voices in prayer, grabbing that AR-15-like rosary when possible..  Invite others to join in, physically, virtually, or spiritually.  Let us pray not only that each child’s innocence be protected, but that we adults can find inner healing and return to a child-like trust in the Lord.

Amen, I say to you, whoever does not accept the kingdom of God like a child will not enter it.” Luke 18:17

We are beautiful in the eyes of the Lord. Let us each learn to accept and see ourselves as God does.

You formed my inmost being; you knit me in my mother’s womb. I praise you, because I am wonderfully made; wonderful are your works! My very self you know.  Psalms 139:13-14

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Love and protect the children, even the child in you.  Pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (Living the Vows)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Those who have been married for some time remember the more traditional wedding vows. They were a commitment, an aspiration as to the kind of spouse you would be. One could hardly fathom the negative halves of those vows, let alone how difficult it would be if you were called to actually execute upon them.

I take you…

To have and to hold, from this day forward

For better, for worse; for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health,

To love and to cherish, until death do us part.

One learns in time that when and if their spouse has annoying habits, finances are tight, or illness or disability enters in, that love is a choice, and love is an action, not a feeling.

We marry for the “better”, but can find ourselves confronting the “worse”. 

Anger is cruel, and wrath overwhelming, but before jealousy who can stand? Better is an open rebuke than a love that remains hidden. Proverbs 27:4-5

Sometimes one learns that they were happier with less money, for having wealth can bring its own challenges and doesn’t ensure happiness or holiness.

For you say, ‘I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,’ and yet do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.  Rev. 3:17

Other times we learn the “sickness” we are called to attend to is not a physical one, but a spiritual one.

“Those who are healthy do not need a physician, but the sick do. I have not come to call the righteous to repentance but sinners.”  Luke 5:31-32

Lord, we are confident in our need for the copious prayers of others! Hear our collective prayers as we lift up one another and those we love to receive your extraordinary graces. When we don’t feel like loving, may your love stream through us. When we struggle to care for a sick spouse, increase our compassion and strengthen our perseverance. When we have difficulty seeing the good in our spouse, lend us your eyes to see them as you see them. Help us to turn away from vice and embrace the virtue-building factory that marriage is!  Have mercy on the marriages struggling the most, removing despair and replacing it with hope. Hear the groanings in our hearts that can't find the words. Bless us and embrace us, as we trust in your never-ending support. Amen.

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Pump up the volume! Pass it on!

Pray for Families (Time Well Spent)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

Would you recognize Jesus if he came?  Do you recognize the Holy Spirit when he nudges you?  Can you sense the Father’s enduring love?  

Perhaps not, but how much quiet time do you set aside for prayer, mediation, or contemplation? In this world of constant distraction, most give more thought to their phone or smart watch more than they do to God. Others are under the false illusion that God isn’t that important because they control their lives. Yet the Lord awaits each one of us, knocking on the door of our heart, hoping we’ll open the door and invite Him in. He seeks but a flicker of love, appreciation, or consolation.  He comes bearing gifts, but is often turned away.. He desires to bring us His peace in the midst of an anxious world.  But we struggle to recognize Him whom we don’t know!

As he drew near, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If this day you only knew what makes for peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. 

Luke 19:41-42

Let us prepare ourselves and be open and receptive to His voice, welcoming Him. May we see his reflection in our family, as He shines through them in so  many ways. Help us be intentional in reflecting His love back to our family. Let us be the vessel of His peace.

Lord, we are not worthy of all your love and mercy, but ask for the grace to be both repentant and receptive to all you have to give.  Help us focus on you so that we can be centers of peace within our families. Help us to bring order to chaos, calm to hyperkinetics, and gentleness to the distressed. Give each family member the grace necessary to be open to your presence, fso they too can experience your forever Peace. Jesus, we trust in your tender loving care, your persistence in seeking us, and your endurance in loving us. Amen.

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Faith, Hope, and Peace. Pass it on!

Pray for Marriages (Faith - Worry = Trust + Love)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

Looking around at what is happening all around us, it is easy to become anxious and begin to fret and worry. Those reactions never increase the health of a relationship, but rather they just increase the stress. And frankly, unkind words surface with stress! 

Can any of you by worrying add a moment to your life-span? If even the smallest things are beyond your control, why are you anxious about the rest? Luke 12:25-26

We become anxious because we are human! However, the Lord calls us daily to deepen our faith and trust in Him and focus on loving.

If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? Matthew 6:30

So, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, walk in him, rooted in him and built upon him and established in the faith as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. Colossians 2:6-7

“Let your life be free from love of money but be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never forsake you or abandon you.” Hebrews 13:5

Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil. Matthew 6:34

Give your worries and fears to God, so that He can be wholly present in your life and you can be fully present  in your marriage. Ask the Lord to teach you how to love fearlessly and without limits. 

With age-old love I have loved you; Jeremiah 31:3

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

Pray for one another’s marriages, that each will grow stronger in faith and love, as they release their grasp on fear and worry.

Fear not, for I am with you!  Isaiah 43:5

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Encourage a worrier to lay down their burdens! Pass it on! 

Pray for Families (Laying Down Your Burdens)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

While smiles surround us, many people are carrying heavy burdens.  They may be financial, as many may struggle to pay their bills and put food on the table, or for others, emotional as they face the declining health of a loved one, and can't fathom that loss.  Perhaps it’s a mental burden, as many struggle with anxiety and depression. For others, it may be spiritual, as they come to terms with current or past traumatic wounds and want to blame God. 

The heaviest burden is when someone feels alone and doesn’t realize that the Lord walks with them and they are never alone in their struggles. The Lord’s compassion is immense, and he desires to journey with us and lighten our load.  Prayer for each other strengthens us, making our burdens bearable.

Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble of heart; and you will find rest for yourselves. For my yoke is easy, and my burden light.” Matthew 11:28-30

We have a God who love us so much, he will not only carry our burdens but carry us too! Let us gather in our hearts all those we love who need the strength, sustenance, and healing that prayer elicits.  May our prayers bear greater efficacy as we unite them and lift up our voices in praise and petition to God seeking Divine Grace for family and beloved friends..

We praise you good and gracious God, abyss of sweet and efficacious grace!

• For the sick and the suffering, Lord touch them with your healing hands and comforting touch.
• For those suffering with anxiety and depression, send your Holy Spirit to fill them with your love and drive out all that oppresses their joy.
• For those with a missionary spirit, shine brightly through them, bringing healing and hope to all those they minister to.
• For those who struggle financially to provide the necessities of life for their family, may your earthly angels delight them with unanticipated support.
• For those who struggle with the traumatic wounds of their youth or adulthood, wipe away their tears, heal their memories, reveal your never-ending presence, that they may have the fortitude to move forward and beyond. 
• For all the intentions hidden deep within the hearts of your beloved prayer warriors, hear and answer them.

 LORD, may your ears be attentive to the prayer of your servant and that of all your servants who willingly revere your name.  Nehemiah 1:11

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Pray for one another and pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (The Abundant Life)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

No doubt, marriage has its hardships and crosses, some of them very heavy. What is always hard to fathom, especially in the moment, is that these difficulties are the times when the Lord is drawing us closer to Him. Christianity is the way of the cross. We are perfected by the cross. We walk with Jesus when we unite our crosses with His. 

So when your marriage hits a bump in the road, or even if you feel the path you travel is predominantly rocky, know that the Lord is there to help carry the burden, sustain you, enlighten you, perfect you, and bring you to a better life. 

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

But just what is abundance?  The Lord doesn’t promise to make you wealthy. He promises you a life rich in HIS love.

In our weakness, we struggle to believe our lovability, or perhaps struggle to believe our spouse’s lovability! We can’t even fathom the depth of God’s love for us, even when we gaze at the cross. Yet He thirsts for our Love. He loves us with all of our imperfections, whether we are moody, mean, selfish, and so on. He doesn’t ask each of us to change to believe in His love, for it will be our confidence in His love that will change us.

With age-old love I have loved you; so I have kept my mercy toward you.  Jeremiah 31:3

Let’s spiritually gather in prayer and ask for the grace needed to acknowledge our mutual lovability.  

Lord, we ask that You help us see our spouse through your loving eyes. Transform us that we may grow in love, patience, understanding, truth, honesty, humility, and  forgiveness, becoming a reflection of You to our spouse. Finally, lead us Lord to the abundant life, helping us to submit ourselves into your loving arms, with absolute  trust.

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet

Share the abundant life. Pass it on!