Pray for Family (Embracing His Love)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

Merry Christmas!  I hope you were able to have some cherished family time! 

My wish for you is that you don’t deprive yourself of celebrating all twelve days of Christmas! Continue to meditate on the Nativity. Draw close to the infant Jesus and note the peace that emanates. Ask for a share in His peace, especially in the areas of your life that lack it. Look at the faces of Mary and Joseph, close your eyes to contemplate their joy and astonishment at being in Christ’s presence and struggling to grasp that they were chosen to be His parents! Pray for a share in their abounding joy! Glance back at Jesus, and feel the purity of His love for you as He reaches His arms toward you, hoping you will partake in a mutual embrace. Let the Lord hug you, and ask Him to fill you with His unfathomable love. These are the treasured gifts of Christmas!

Like Mary and Joseph, many of us were called to be parents, either by birth or adoption. Jesus enters into our parenthood too, preparing (and repairing) the way! His presence shines forth through our newborns, as they reflect His want of our love and His trust that we will give it. As our children get older our love endures because it has matured, while they may not have! In Christ’s perfect wisdom, he draws us to perfection through them, readying us to support them as they too will be called to the purpose of His Will.

The grace of God has appeared, saving all and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this age, as we await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of the great God and of our savior Jesus Christ. 2 Titus 11-13

Thank you for another year of lifting your hearts and voices in prayer. May God bless you all abundantly while he gives you the grace to pray without ceasing! May God be praised! I humbly ask that you keep me in your prayers, and as always, you will remain in mine.

Peace, Love, and Joy,

Janet

Keep the faith. Keep praying and pass it on! 

Pray for Families (Hope Restored)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Discouragement comes easy; it seems to bubble up with no effort! Hope, conversely, does not. It takes a deep faith in the divine power of God, in his perfect timing, and in his deep love for us. It demands the gifts of patience, endurance, and perseverance. Hope can feel like forty years in the desert, yet it is important that we continue to pray and pray and pray. Read the following scripture with your name. 

“Do not be afraid, [Zechariah], because your prayer has been heard. 

Luke 1:13

We often are praying for relatives, spouses, children, in-laws, or friends. Patience in prayer is difficult, yet the Lord promises us much.

He will turn many of the children [of Israel] to the Lord their God. He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of fathers toward children and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to prepare a people fit for the Lord.” Luke 1:16-17

God’s love for his children is timeless, because they are His! He never stops seeking the lost sheep and he often sends human shepherds/messengers. You may be a messenger for another. Make time to listen in prayer. The Lord asks much of us, but always sustains us in the missions He gives us.  We must journey on with hearts united to the Lord's.

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

As we pray for changed hearts, let us pray for the gift of hope, endurance, perseverance, and most of all faith.  

Lord, continue to re-energize us as we fade, renew our flickering hope, and help us be a beacon of light, a sign of hope to those in most need. Amen!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Encourage those falling into despair! Pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (Following a Favored Path)

 Greetings Prayer Warriors,

In my mind, I am all-in in following the Lord! Yet, I often wonder and perhaps you do too, if my resolve would crumble if I was really challenged?

I seek inspiration from the stories of Mary and Joseph. Looking at them as individuals and as spouses, they are models for both a virtuous life and a good, holy, and happy marriage. 

In life, we are often unsure of what the Lord is calling us to, as was the Blessed Virgin Mary. 

“Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. 

Luke 1:28-29

But docile to the Holy Spirit, Mary humbly accepted the invitation to bear the Messiah, even knowing that people would whisper about her pregnancy in a culture that could shun her and much worse. Yet, she remained patient, and charitable, looking inward to the Lord for strength. 

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

Likewise, Joseph, troubled and knowing he wasn’t the father of Mary’s child, also accepted the will of God.

Joseph, her husband, since he was a righteous man,  yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home. For it is through the holy Spirit that this child has been conceived in her. 

Matthew 1:19-20

The Lord always gives confirmation and the tools to fulfill His will. Docility, humility, righteousness, endurance, perseverance, gentleness, temperance, patience, kindness, charity, are just some of the fruits of the Spirit Mary and Joseph were blessed with. By all appearances,  they were also given the gifts of faith, wisdom, knowledge, and counsel. 

Pondering their life, what have we to fear in surrendering to God’s Holy Will?

Spend this last week of Advent in prayer, and ask for something special to happen in your marriage, or another’s marriage that you keep in prayer. Ask for an outpouring of spiritual gifts to help strengthen marriages and to fortify them against all that seeks to divide them. Seek also the fortitude to walk in the path of Mary and Joseph, seeking to fulfill the will of God, and to draw the Savior ever closer. 

St. Michael, be our protector and defend us in battle! Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, pray for us!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Prayer builds fortresses against evil. Pass it on! 

Pray for Families (Rejoice!)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

This 3rd Sunday of Advent is called "Gaudete" (Rejoice). Let us rejoice at the coming of the Savior.

In general, we don’t seem to spend much time rejoicing. Yet, when we see Christ living in our family members and friends, we should rejoice! When we see Christ’s reflection in our coworkers, we should rejoice!  When we experience Christ through a stranger, we should rejoice! 

Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Philippians 4:4

Let us spend this Advent striving to radiate the joy of the Lord to others, that they may rejoice! Let us pray that our family members may experience the joy of His presence around them, rather than seeking many presents before them. May from the depths of their souls, they experience the awe of our Savior, and rejoice in His glory. 

We saw his glory, the glory as of the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth. John 1:14

Keep shining His Light! 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Pray much, talk little. Pass it on!

Pray for Marriages (Fully Focused)

 Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Skimming scripture can be quite dangerous. When I thought I was reading “Sow for yourself justice, reap the fruit of pity,” I started to smile. But then I realized the word was “piety”. I was connecting more with pity; self-pity which is much easier than piety, just not as edifying.  

A partial focus on listening can also be quite misleading.  How often have you pretended to be an active listener with your spouse when in reality you were multi-tasking, only catching some words, and missing the entire context?  It wouldn’t be surprising if an argument or misunderstanding resulted.  

In this season of many distractions, don’t be distracted from people, especially those you love. Lean in. Engage more with your spouse, and tune in, finding more ways to connect versus allowing disconnection. And most importantly, pray together if possible. If that’s not possible, but rather the intent of your prayer, then may prayer be your primary distraction! 

Forgetting what lies behind but straining forward to what lies ahead, I continue my pursuit toward the goal, the prize of God’s upward calling, in Christ Jesus. Let us, then, who are “perfectly mature” adopt this attitude. And if you have a different attitude, this too God will reveal to you. 

Philippians 3:13-15

Self assess, be merciful to yourself and others, seek what is above, especially through your actions to those here below, such as your spouse. Continue to pray so that one day you may both fulfill God’s Holy Will for your marriage, and finish the race in victory.

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Everyday is brighter with prayer. Pass it on! 

Pray for Families (Allowing the Light to Shine)

 Greetings Prayer Warriors,

The Blessed Mother brought the Light into this world by her “yes” to the Angel Gabriel. There is nothing we need more in this world today than to invite the Light back in, as he has been banished in many places, many homes, and many hearts. Let’s examine where we have allowed darkness to creep in, especially in our families.

The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came to be through him, but the world did not know him. John 1:9-10

It is ever so slowly one can enter into darkness. We dim the Light in our lives every so slowly, so imperceptibly, until we find ourselves in darkness, not understanding how we got there.

 

And this is the verdict, that the light came into the world, but people preferred darkness to light, because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come toward the light, so that his works might not be exposed. John 3:19-20

Now is the time to pray for your families, that the Light might shine in the darkness; that the light of Christ might penetrate the cracks, giving the recipient new eyes to see and a desire for greater Light.

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

Pray, pray, pray! We all need to banish the dark spaces in our life, so that we can welcome the Christ Child with open arms and open hearts. That is the greatest gift we can give Him!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Unwrap the bindings of your heart, that you may fully gift it to the Lord. Pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (Hope Fulfilled)

 Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Hope can be difficult at times. How often when life gets rough, or your marriage hits a snag, do you moan and complain as if the hard times will last forever? The cross may be heavy at times, but isn’t it we who decide whether or not we are going to invite Jesus to assist us with it?

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a wish fulfilled is a tree of life. Proverbs 13:12  

Christ carried the tree up Calvary to give us life anew. He gave us hope that crosses lead to salvation!

For in hope we were saved. Now hope that sees for itself is not hope. For who hopes for what one sees? Romans 8:24

We must pray for hope! Hope, and the anticipation of what is to come, gets us through each day, each week, each month, each year.

For this momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to what is seen but to what is unseen; for what is seen is transitory, but what is unseen is eternal.  

2 Corinthians 4:17-18

Lord, you are the eternity in which we hope! Sustain us, perfect us, and most of all, continue to fuel our hope! Jesus, we trust in you!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Ignite some hope. Pass it on! 

Pray for Families (Preparing for the Light)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Now is a time to pause, recollect, and reflect as we enter into the Advent Season. What is Advent? It is the preparation for the coming of Christ. We need to take time to ready ourselves to receive him anew, to prepare our hearts for the Light coming into this darkened world.

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

Pray for your family, regardless of where each individual is spiritually. Create a visual reminder of Advent for such as an Advent Wreath/Candles.  Pray the prayers* each of the four Sundays of Advent as you light each candle each week with an alternating focus on Hope, Peace, Joy, and Love.

Lord, shine your light into the darkened areas of our lives, the parts that we are most ashamed of. Grant us the grace to “clean house” and ready our souls to receive you in the manner you deserve. Help us walk in your light, that we may remain children of the Light. As you search hearts of our family, find the cracks in even the most closed hearts that your Light might penetrate and begin to warm the cold.

I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness. And if anyone hears my words and does not observe them, I do not condemn him, for I did not come to condemn the world but to save the world. John 12:46-47

“While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of the light.” John 12:36

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Spread the Light. Pass it on! 

*https://hallow.com/blog/advent-candles-and-advent-wreaths/

Pray for Marriages (Be-Attitude Positive)

 Greetings Prayer Warriors,

There are lots of ways one can “be” over the holidays that cover a whole range of attitudes.  Some are less than attractive and hardly Christ-like.  Yet, one’s attitude can depend on one’s situation, and that can shift daily especially during the holidays. 

Prayer time is especially important during the holidays where ironically it can be squeezed out. Dispositions shift without prayer (at least mine does) so carve out that daily time! Hold on to your attitude of gratitude, and it will serve you well as you guard your actions and speech.  For inspiration, meditate on the beatitudes and you will learn how to be too blessed to be stressed.

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the clean of heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they insult you and persecute you and utter every kind of evil against you [falsely] because of me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward will be great in heaven. Thus they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:3-12

Be positive, stay positive, remain in prayer and His peace guard your hearts.

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

You never walk along when you have prayer warriors. Pass it on!

Pray for Families (Positivity, Gratitude, and Praise)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Why is it that our focus so often drifts to what is going wrong in our lives versus what is going right?  Most likely because negative things consume our thoughts more! But if we are honest, blessings predominate in our lives!   

Do not let love and fidelity forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.  Proverbs 3:3

The challenge for this weekend is simple. Each morning (or evening) recount your blessings and praise God. Trust He will help you with the rest, knowing His ways are not our ways, but certainly the ways of a loving Father. 

Spend the weekend praying prayers of gratitude and praise.  Bring others in, especially family. Be positive in your speech and it will spread! 

Have a blessed weekend!  

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet 

Praise and gratitude are a winning combination. Pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (Gaining Sight)

 Greeting Prayer Warriors,

Now as he [Jesus]approached Jericho a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging, and hearing a crowd going by, he inquired what was happening. They told him, “Jesus of Nazareth is passing by.” He shouted, “Jesus, Son of David, have pity on me!” The people walking in front rebuked him, telling him to be silent, but he kept calling out all the more, “Son of David, have pity on me!” Then Jesus stopped and ordered that he be brought to him; and when he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” He replied, “Lord, please let me see.” Jesus told him, “Have sight; your faith has saved you.”He immediately received his sight and followed him, giving glory to God. When they saw this, all the people gave praise to God. Luke 18:35-43

In life, and in marriage, we are the blind man, only we don’t know we can’t see! Our words, our behavior, our tone, and our lack of charity towards our spouse can be glaring…to THEM. 

Spend some time in prayer, asking the Lord for your sight. Or if you have the courage, ask your spouse where your blind spots are.  If you are Catholic, consider the sacrament of Reconciliation. His grace will continue to open your eyes.

Then in praise and thanksgiving, give all glory and honor to Him!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Increase in love and gratitude. Pass it on!

Pray for Families (Thanksgiving Actions)

 Greetings Prayer Warriors,

The holidays are rapidly approaching as Thanksgiving is less than a week away, and then we will feel the full force (stress) of the commercial celebration of “holiday”.  Yet, let us keep our focus on Christ and receive His gift of peace.  

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. John 14:27

Peace will lead to joy.

Worry weighs down the heart, but a kind word gives it joy. Proverbs 12:25

Let us focus on kind words, kind gestures, and spreading joy.

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

Let us be grateful for the grace we receive and give praise to God! 

Persevere in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. Colossians 4:2

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  Philippians 4:8

Peace, kindness, praise, and joy: these are the best family prayers of all!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Peace and calm. Pass it on!  

Pray for Families (The Perpetual Parent of Prayer)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

When I had young children, and then teenagers, I dreamed of the day I would become an empty-nester and get “my” life back. Then I became an empty-nester, and thought I had freedom at last. Yet, I soon began to count the days until my children would come home and visit.

In their absence, it really hits home how important family is. It becomes clear how much joy they continue to bring to your life. They helped to mold you and define you as much as you molded them and helped them find their true identity, (hopefully, as beloved children of God). Not just that, each one challenged you, strengthened you, brought discipline to your schedule, and helped you grow in the virtues, especially patience, just to name a few.   

Now is the time to pray that the holy seeds you planted in them will germinate. If their faith is but the size of a mustard seed, pray that it will quickly grow.  

Neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who causes the growth. 1 Corinthians 3:7

Pray for their spouses or future spouses. Pray for your grandchildren or future grandchildren. Pray for those still at home adjusting to a quieter, more still home in the absence of older siblings. Pray that you will never tire of praying. Be a living witness to your faith.

What we have heard and know; things our ancestors have recounted to us. We do not keep them from our children; we recount them to the next generation, the praiseworthy deeds of the LORD and his strength, the wonders that he performed. God made a decree in Jacob, established a law in Israel: Which he commanded our ancestors, they were to teach their children; That the next generation might come to know, children yet to be born. In turn they were to recount them to their children, that they too might put their confidence in God, and not forget God’s deeds, but keep his commandments. Psalms 78:3-7

Trust in the Lord’s goodness and faithfulness as you pray for this generation and the next.   

“I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you." Matthew 17:20

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

The need for a praying parent never changes. Keep the faith and pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (Keeping Pride in Check)

 Greetings Prayer Warriors,

By nature we are prone to disagree, spar with, and challenge people, especially our spouse. Challenging another can help them grow, but we get into trouble when our pride is greater than our humility. [Or so I hear.  ;-) ]  When a vice outweighs a virtue, it is a wake up call that WE need to grow, and this begins with reassessing our relationship to God. Perhaps we’ve been relying more on our will than His. 

When pride comes, disgrace comes; but with the humble is wisdom. Proverbs 11:2

Are you lacking in wisdom? Need to nourish your humility? Here is a sampling of suggestions from an expert, St. Teresa of Calcutta, aka Mother Teresa.

• Accept small irritations with good humor
• Do not dwell on the faults of others
• Give in to the will of others
• Accept insults and injuries
• Be courteous and delicate even when provoked by someone
• Give in, in discussions, even when you are right

Plus a pearl that can help with the growth of humility, “Sacrifice is the inversion of malice.” Show love through sacrifice.

Swallowing one’s pride is not an easy task, but much more palatable when one starts with prayer. Pray, then ask the Lord to help you imitate him so that you may grow in virtue.

The LORD is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in mercy. Psalm 145:8

Please note, none of the above should imply that you suffer abuse, verbally or physically, but rather, you humbly tolerate and become less reactive to provocation and insults.

Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another, if one has a grievance against another; as the Lord has forgiven you, so must you also do. Colossians 3:12-13

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet

Help one another grow in virtue. Pass it on! 

Pray for Families (The Living and the Dead)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

On All Souls Day, I went to Mass to pray for my departed relatives and ancestors.  When sharing this with a Protestant relative, I was asked, “Why are you praying for the dead, aren’t they already in heaven?” That was a sincere question, and one many Protestants would have. 

If he were not expecting the fallen to rise again, it would have been superfluous and foolish to pray for the dead. But if he did this with a view to the splendid reward that awaits those who had gone to rest in godliness, it was a holy and pious thought. 1 Maccabees 12:44-45

No one can assume that everyone goes to heaven. The Lord didn’t teach that otherwise there would have been no need for the Gospel to spread. Christ did atone for our sins during His Passion, and our sins are forgiven.  But that doesn’t mean we have a free entrance ticket to heaven. If we break a window the owner may forgive us, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have to pay to replace the window. Christ gave us a free gift of love and mercy, however, we need to accept that gift and the price is high.

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments”. John 14:15

Everyone knows that following in the way of the Lord is difficult. However, He has compassion for our missteps as long as we humbly return to Him and ask for His mercy. He never denies his mercy to a humble and contrite heart. 

Nothing that enters one from outside can defile that person; but the things that come out from within are what defile.” Mark 7:15

Prayer, sacrifice, humility, and reconciliation help to restore our purity.  Thus, it should be no surprise, that if offered for another soul, our prayers may be purgative for them.

He took me in spirit to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God. The treasure and wealth of the nations will be brought there, but nothing unclean will enter it, nor any[one] who does abominable things or tells lies. Only those will enter whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. Revelation 21:10, 26-27

Pray for the living and the dead and your reward will be great in heaven. 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Pray without ceasing! Pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (Unification Found in Him)

 Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Each of you is in a unique marriage, (or perhaps you are unmarried and dedicated to praying for them, so thank you!) If the Lord could unite Jews and Gentiles thousands of years ago, heal the sick, drive out demons, give sight to the blind, and raise the dead, can he not bring renewed life and vitality to any marriage? 

He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near, for through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 

He meets each individual where they are at, for no matter how disparate we are, we are all His children.

So then you are no longer strangers and sojourners, but you are fellow citizens with the holy ones and members of the household of God, built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the capstone. 

We may walk different paths, but we have one Father, and are members of His household  through our baptism.  If we look to the apostles, we see that they were much like us: unsure, imperfect, prone to doubt, disagreement, etc. Yet, through their “yes” and His grace, they were transformed.

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 2:17-22

The Lord is the great Unifier. If we trust and are faithful in prayer, He will continue to transform our marriages, sanctify us, and will knit us together as a perfect dwelling place for Him, for his greatest desire is to dwell with us.

To boost the efficacy of our prayers, let’s collectively offer them for marriage, trusting in all His promises and freely accepting all that He wants to give us.

Jesus, we trust in You!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Make prayer a habit: Daily, hourly, minute by minute. Then, pass it on!