Pray for Families (Focus and Perseverance)

 Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

As Thanksgiving comes to an end, I am reminded that gratitude should never be limited to just one day, but should become a daily practice.  Gratitude is important, because what weighs heavily on one’s heart (all that we pray for) can overshadow all the good in our lives.  By beginning each day with prayers of praise and thanksgiving, we challenge ourselves to focus on all our blessings.  With a heart now filled with trust, we can enter into prayers of petition, working towards surrendering all that negatively consumes us to God.

Seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.  Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil.  Matthew 6:33-34

Drawing closer to the Lord and seeking eternity with Him will bring us the peace we desire. Worrying about what is out of our control will only shatter our peace.

Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span?  Matthew 6:27

As we ready ourselves for Advent, let us banish worry and quiet our minds as we prepare our hearts to welcome the Savior.  Not so easy you say?  Thinking that perhaps  you may need some  assistance to focus on Advent, as you are consumed by Christmas prep?  Pray with a friend, challenge a family member, find a book with daily meditations, or join a community of prayer such as Hallow to help you stay disciplined.  We all need help, so continue to pray for your family, and this extended family.  May God bless you for your perseverance!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Ask a friend to help keep you focused.  Pass it on!! 

Pray for Marriages (Daily Thanksliving)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

“The art of thanksgiving is thanksliving. It is gratitude in action”.* 

This quote has stuck with me since I first heard it, probably 25 years ago. It is the perfect picture of how we should live each day; not in negativity, but in gratitude; not a feeling but an action. When we fill our hearts with gratitude, there is only room for the positive, such as the beauty that surrounds us, the kindnesses of others, the blessings we have been given, and the people that enrich our lives.  Only then are we in a position to pour out our love, kindness, and compassion on others who so desperately need it. (Especially our spouses). Often those who present the greatest challenges in our lives, are the ones who need love the most.  

Let love be sincere; hate what is evil, hold on to what is good; love one another with mutual affection; anticipate one another in showing honor.  Romans 12:9-10

Take some time to thank the Lord for your marriage. Thank him for the crosses, the challenges, and the fruits of your marriage, as they were designed just for you. Then, in humble gratitude, vow to live that thanks (thanks-living) in your marriage. (If you are not married, thank Him for a marriage that has been a positive witness to you.)

Lord of love, grant all spouses the grace to live each day in thanks, in their thoughts and in their words, in their attitudes, and in their actions. Lavish them with your graces! Amen.

In all circumstances give thanks, for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet

I am thankful for all of your prayers! Pray and give thanks for a marriage and pass it on! 

*Peterson, Wilfred A. (1961). The Art of Living. Simon and Schuster, New York, 44-45.

Pray for Families (A House of Prayer)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,  

The Lord loves to communicate with us, and one way we can hear Him is by reading the bible. What I love about scripture is that the passages are so much deeper than they initially appear.

Then Jesus entered the temple area and proceeded to drive out those who were selling things, saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.’” Luke 19:45-46

This seems crazy that anyone would do this, right? It’s hard to imagine someone entering a temple or church and setting up shop.

While the temple was the center of religious life in the Old Testament, in the New Testament, while we have physical churches, we are the church, we are the temple. 

Do you not know that your body is a temple of the holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been purchased at a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body.   

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Contemplate that. Then consider the first passage, “My house shall be a house of prayer”. And then the second passage. Are you glorifying God in your body? Ask yourself, are you honoring your temple!? 

Do a self-inventory; a self-reflection. Get your “house” in order, then pray for the rest of your family. 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Prayer is the foundation for rebuilding the house. Pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (Lost Love)

 Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Have you ever pondered the life of the apostles? As we seek to be disciples of Christ in our lives and in our marriages, we should take time to ponder what the apostles were commanded to do.

“Take nothing for the journey, neither walking stick, nor sack, nor food, nor money, and let no one take a second tunic. Luke 9:3

Our personal journey as disciples may be only within the home, or within our community. Having nothing in the cupboards or closets isn’t the directive, however the unifying message is: Surrender to God’s plan for your life, trust in His grace, and have faith that he will provide for your every need. Lead with the love of Christ!

I have no doubt about you holy warriors reading this, but you know that even the apostles and their disciples stumbled…a lot! As you labor in love, consider the following scripture passages, especially when applied to marriage.

“I know your works, your labor, and your endurance, and that you cannot tolerate the wicked […] Moreover, you have endurance and have suffered for my name, and you have not grown weary. 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 2:2-5

Who cannot remember the depth of their love early on in their relationship? Love notes. Romantic gestures. Yet, with each passing milestone, the journey's difficulty increased and unexpected challenges arose. Those were easy to overcome early on. However, when one becomes weary, energy and desire wanes and it shows.

Read the above scripture slowly and take some time to prayerfully meditate on the Lord’s words. Does this apply to your marriage in any way? Enter into a heartfelt conversation with the Lord and ask him how. Quiet yourself and listen. 

No challenges apply to you? Then prayerfully intercede for another’s marriage. 

Lord, lovingly listen to the prayers of each heart. Grant the graces necessary to journey on,  and help each retrieve the love that imperceptibly dissipated. Take our hearts and rekindle in them the fire of your love. May the sparks create an inferno of renewal in marriages, for your greater glory. Amen.

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Be the fire that sparks another into prayer. Pass it on!

Pray for Families (Walking in the Truth)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Life is one long journey! When it’s good, it’s good, but when it’s not, we need to stay mindful of our intended destination, heaven! How easy it is to complain about our disappointments and heartaches, but if we call to mind the home the Father has prepared for us, we will recognize them as gifts, serving to move us closer to conforming to His Will. He will fuel us for the journey with the Bread of Life.

I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth just as we were commanded by the Father. 2 John 1:4

However, our hearts ache for our children and relatives that have been schooled in the truth, yet strayed into the many cultural landmines propagated by the Evil One. Harder still is when they don’t see the landmines as dangerous.

Many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh; such is the deceitful one and the antichrist. 2 John 1:7

While all are tempted, prayer can protect the faithful and bring about miracles of the heart and mind of the unfaithful. 

Look to yourselves that you do not lose what we worked for but may receive a full recompense. 2 John 1:8

Remain in prayer for yourselves and your family.

Anyone who is so “progressive” as not to remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God; whoever remains in the teaching has the Father and the Son. 2 John 1:9

Lord, many are the lost sheep. We call upon your merciful love to continue to seek your little lambs and call them by name. Hear our prayers and pour out your Spirit upon them. Send your angels to guide their paths.  Finally, protect us from the Father of Lies, so that we may remain in the truth, being a light in this darkened world. 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Change begins with love. Love one another! Pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (Seeking Understanding)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

In today’s culture, it is often hard to reconcile scripture passages with how we may currently think and act.

Consider Ephesians 5:22: “Wives should be subordinate to their husbands as to the Lord”.

I used to cringe at that passage not understanding it and certainly not even hearing “as to the Lord”. My visual was too focused on my own independence and thinking that subordinate meant slave or doormat to my spouse. Yet, it doesn’t say that. As to the Lord, I am subordinate because He loves me so much that he died for me. I completely trust him. Contemplating that marriage should be a mirror of that relationship, is something both spouses should ponder when evaluating their relationship.

Scripture even captures how we are to be as we age. Men continue to be defined as spiritual leaders. 

As for yourself, you must say what is consistent with sound doctrine, namely, that older men should be temperate, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, love, and endurance. 

Similarly, older women should be reverent in their behavior, not slanderers, not addicted to drink, teaching what is good, so that they may train younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled, chaste, good homemakers, under the control of their husbands, so that the word of God may not be discredited. 

Urge the younger men, similarly, to control themselves, showing yourself as a model of good deeds in every respect, with integrity in your teaching, dignity, and sound speech that cannot be criticized, so that the opponent will be put to shame without anything bad to say about us. Titus 2:1-8

We shouldn’t measure our behavior against the current culture, (we'd look better than we are) but against what faith and tradition have preserved and passed down through scripture and Christ's church. Are we rising to our roles?  Men, are you embracing spiritual leadership, or letting it default to your wife? Are you striving each day to imitate Christ? Women, are you allowing your husbands to lead?  Encouraging them when they don’t step up? Supporting them when they do?

Everyone will need to look at these scripture passages through the lens of their own marriage. I have no doubt that in doing so, you will enter into a long conversation with God!  Listen. He will guide you on how to be a better spouse, a better example to engaged couples, younger couples, as well a better child of God. Then…pray for marriages, especially your own!!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Understanding begins by submitting yourself to God. Pass it on!  https://simplyinspiredprayer.blogspot.com/

Pray for Families (Reconnecting through Grace)

 Greetings Prayer Warriors,

If I have learned anything, there is no such thing as the perfect family. We are all flawed people, dealing with other flawed people, and the others’ flaws always seem more annoying and intolerable. Perhaps now is a time to do some self-reflection as to how we can become our best selves. What personality trait or characteristic should we consider dialing down? How might we expand our hearts to love more? How do we become less reactive to those who trigger us? How can we better reflect Christ? 

As face mirrors face in water, so the heart reflects the person. 

Proverbs 27:19

Lord, help each of us to become a perfect reflection of you. May we encourage others as well in their spiritual journey, with gentle invitations, allowing the Holy Spirit to move through us. Increase your grace to the most hardened hearts, including ours. Mend relationships that have withered and broken over the years and be the bridge that is needed to reconnect the divide. May we never waver in our prayers for our family, and those of others. Keep the Evil One at bay, as he seeks to rob everyone of, joy, hope, and charity in an effort to lead them to despair. But you Lord are the victor! May one day we all exclaim, “Jesus, we trust in You!  Christ is King!” 

The blessed and only ruler will make manifest at the proper time, the King of kings and Lord of lords, who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, and whom no human being has seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal power. Amen. 1 Timothy 6:15-16

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

 

Build community by inviting another to prayer. Pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (Elective Actions)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

Life is filled with choices and one major choice was who to marry. It reminds me of our current election. You only have their past behavior to judge them by. You weigh the pros and cons and hope your choice of candidate keeps their promises! In marriage, we too are obligated to keep our vows, as our pledge was made before God.

If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing. Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but [also] everyone for those of others. Philippians 2:1-4

These are hard words to live by unless you rely on “the Rock”, our Lord and our God, and the gifts of grace that He showers over you and your spouse.

Lord Jesus, we look to you, and your earthly parents, as perfect examples of love, sacrifice, and mercy. Help us during all those times (each day) that we falter in our love, shun inconvenient sacrifice, and lack mercy and compassion. We are weak; You are strong. Come to our assistance so that our actions, words, and decisions may be wholly acceptable to you. Send your Spirit and the help of your angels as we battle all the forces that seek to discourage us. Jesus, we trust in You!

Let the words of my mouth be acceptable, the thoughts of my heart before you, LORD, my rock and my redeemer. Psalm 19:15

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Encourage one another to fight the good fight, beginning with prayer! Pass it on! 

Pray for Families (Chasing Sainthood)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Sleep deprivation got the best of me yesterday, and I am hoping with my increasing lapses that you are already in the habit of habitual prayer for marriage and family! (Frankly, by now you should be!)

With the duo of All Saints Day and All Souls Day upon us, we are reminded once again to PRAY! First of all, that we boldly choose a goal of sainthood and strive to attain it while on earth, and secondly, that we pray for the souls in purgatory, so that we have a whole league of new saints praying for us when/if we land there! 

For no one can lay a foundation other than the one that is there, namely, Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, or straw, the work of each will come to light, for the Day will disclose it. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire [itself] will test the quality of each one’s work. If the work stands that someone built upon the foundation, that person will receive a wage. But if someone’s work is burned up, that one will suffer loss; the person will be saved, but only as through fire. 1 Corinthians 3:11-15

 “The person will be saved, but only as through fire.” Purgatory exists for the saved, that they may be made clean.

All who die in God’s grace, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation; but after death they undergo purification, so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven. 

(CCC 1030, page 268)

So let us join in prayer to pray for sainthood, or at least that we and our families die in God’s grace! Let us also pray prayers of atonement for our relatives that have already passed.

Good and gracious God, you love each of us beyond our comprehension. Forgive us for the many times that we have taken such love for granted, ignored it, mocked it, and rejected it by choosing to sin against you. Help us with our daily choice to become holy and pleasing to you. Hear our prayers for loved ones who have strayed far from you and grant them the grace of conversion of heart. For those who have passed before us, lessen their time of purgation so that they may enter into eternal life. Hear our prayers for their souls, and in your mercy, bring them into your loving arms. Amen.

Eternal Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Be bold! Be a saint! Pass it on!