Pray for Marriages (A Time Out)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

My husband and I are part of a marriage circle which was formed over a decade ago. The goal of such a group is to encourage and support marriage. We affectionately call our group, the L.O.V.E* Shack. The leaders of our last gathering made a challenge that seemed simple on the surface: Spend at least 10 minutes/day focused on your spouse. This could be engaging in intentional dialogue, bonding time, words of affirmation, or the like.  

When couples actually contemplate whether or not they do this, they often realize they have competing schedules, catch each other coming and going, are preoccupied with work, kids, or just getting things done, and that their conversations are just transactional as they don’t stop long enough to just be present with their spouse, ask about their day, share encouraging words, or to even express love and gratitude.  

Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, as indeed you do. 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Take a ”time-out” from busyness each day and make sure you are nurturing your most important relationship. Take a few cues from the Lord and imitate him in doing so.

The LORD is trustworthy in all his words, and loving in all his works. Psalm 145:13

Most of all, pray. Pray for your spouse, pray for your marriage and  pray that you will persevere in your commitment to do so. 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

No relationship will last without nurturing. Pass along  the 10 minute challenge!!

*Living Our Vocation Everyday

Pray for Families (Presence and Prayer)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Nothing is worse than feeling all alone in a trial.  The thought of carrying a heavy burden with no one to help can be paralyzing and anxiety producing. My mind drifts to the Lord in the Garden of Gethsemane. 

When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep. He said to Peter, “So you could not keep watch with me for one hour? Matthew 26:40

In the garden, Christ was faced with the weight of all of our sins. Meditate on what that must have felt like. Then contemplate the power of presence and prayers.

“So you could not keep watch with me for one hour?! Matthew 26:40 (emphasis added)

Think of a family member who might need your prayer and/or your presence. If you can’t think of one, ask the Lord to reveal who you should be praying for and spending time with. 

The Spirit told me to accompany them without discriminating. Acts 11:12

As we near the end of Lent, keep focusing on prayer and presence, not neglecting to spend time with the Lord as well.

For it is loyalty that I desire, not sacrifice. Hosea 6:6

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Knowing that you are being prayed for, brings peace, hope, and refreshment. Believe in the power of your prayers!! Pass it on! 

 

Pray for Marriages (Hope and Unity)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Strength is found in numbers, but at times when one finds themselves all alone, even in marriage, they are never all alone.  Jesus is there.  We know this, because that is His promise to us.

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

Whether you feel alone rarely, occasionally, or most of the time, find your strength in Jesus.  Satan wants to discourage you, divide you, and bring you to despair.  But as a Christian, you have more power than he does. Utilize your weapons!

One such prayer which several of you may be familiar with, is called The Unity Prayer.  For those not familiar with it, praying it will draw you closer to Jesus, with the added benefit of  blinding Satan*. If your spouse will pray this with you, all the better!

My adorable Jesus,

May our feet journey together.

May our hands gather in unity.

May our hearts beat in unison.

May our souls be in harmony.

May our thoughts be as one.

May our ears listen to the silence together.

May our glances profoundly penetrate each other.

May our lips pray together to gain mercy from the Eternal Father.

Amen.

As you draw closer to Jesus, please ask for abundant graces for your marriage, the  marriages of your fellow prayer warriors, and all those marriages we each hold in our hearts. 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Blind Satan then pass it on! 

*Jesus said to Elizabeth Kindelmann**, “This prayer is an instrument in your hands.  By collaborating with Me, Satan will be blinded by it; and because of his blindness, souls will not be led into sin.” 

**https://flameoflove.us/

Pray for Families (The Weight of the Cross)

 Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Amidst all of the joys in life, there can also be intense sorrows and deep agonies. When faced with such trials, one comes face to face with the stark reality of the calling, “Pick up your cross and follow me.”  

Whoever does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. Matthew 10:38

It is not a time of despair for it is during those times that Christ draws closest to you. If we choose to lean in and meditate on Christ’s Passion, rather than what we think is ours, our heart will be touched in a profound new way. Trust in the Lord and accept His gifts of love, support, and compassion.

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. Isaiah 57:1

Lord, we bring before you all the prayer warriors and the ones they pray for. Many have heavy crosses that seem unbearable at times. Hear our collective prayers on their behalf and lighten their burdens, for you never let anyone carry their cross alone. Fill their aching hearts with a love beyond their imaginations, and revive their spirits by your grace, renewing their trust in you. Praise you Lord, for your generosity! Amen.

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Prayer always makes suffering more bearable. Pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (Thanksgiving and Praise)

 Greetings  Prayer Warriors, 

May God be praised for the blessing of all of you!

We have spent weeks, months, and years praying for the building, fortifying, and healing of marriages, but prayer is more than constant petition and intercession. It is also praise and thanksgiving! 

Consider that as our prayers arose like incense, callous, hardened hearts may have been softened? Thank you, Jesus!

I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26

Perhaps you know of a marriage healed, saved, or restored? Praise God! Or maybe, a spouse was given the virtue of perseverance, patience, temperance, fortitude, faith, or hope? Thank you, Jesus! Perhaps you have been blessed with the perfect spouse, or an imperfect one that is unintentionally leading you to perfection by helping you to grow in the virtues. Praise God!

It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praise to your name, Most High, to proclaim your love at daybreak, your faithfulness in the night. For you make me jubilant, LORD, by your deeds; at the works of your hands I shout for joy. Psalm 92:2-3, 5

Add your own prayers of thanksgiving here... 

Come and hear, all you who fear God, while I recount what has been done for me. I called to him with my mouth; praise was upon my tongue. Had I cherished evil in my heart, the Lord would not have heard. But God did hear and listened to my voice in prayer. Blessed be God, who did not reject my prayer and refuse his mercy. Psalm 66:16-20

May our praise be amplified in the heavens! Glory to our God who heals and saves us!

Praise the LORD, my soul; I will praise the LORD all my life, sing praise to my God while I live. Psalm 146:2

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

May praise be forever on your lips! Pass it on! 

Pray for Families (Love Released)

 Greetings Prayer Warriors,

We are at about the mid-point of Lent. How’s it going for you? Making sacrifices can be a good thing, as they strengthen and discipline us, while being pleasing to God. Yet for some, giving up something (ie food, favorite beverages, video games, television, etc.) can result in a daily epic fail.  

But perhaps, that is not what the Lord has been calling you to do. 

‘To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding, with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself’ is worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”  Mark 12:32-33

Maybe, He has been calling you to give up YOU. Meaning, perhaps many are called to less self-absorption and narcissism and more attentiveness to the needs of others. When our focus is on ourselves, it’s as if a wall blocks love from entering or exiting. But when we break down that wall, God’s love enters and radiates outwards.

Are you ready? He is awaiting your response:

Behold, I come to do your will, O God.  Hebrews 10:7

For the remainder of Lent, begin each day discerning what the Lord is calling you to do for that day.  Perhaps He will put some names on your heart, showing you where you can reflect His love and fill a void.  (Hint: It may be in your own home!)

Lord, you never fail to offer us your love; forgive us for squandering it. There is not a day that goes by that we aren’t reminded of the frailness of our humanity. Help us to love others as much as we love ourselves and give us the grace to want to give more than to receive. In you, Lord, this is possible!

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet

Prayer is always the answer. Pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (Embracing Headship)

 Greetings Prayer Warriors,

While at Mass on Sunday, I sat in a pew behind a father with 5 kids. The youngest appeared to be about 1 year old, well tempered, but as fidgety and unpredictable as a 1 year old! I saw the father get up and leave the pew due to the child’s outbursts no less than 6 times! The father’s steady demeanor did not waver. 

Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up with the training and instruction of the Lord.  Ephesians 6:4

That father impressed me. He was a living example of embracing headship, raising his children in the Lord, and maintaining discipline, while honoring his wife by stepping into his role as husband too. I later learned that his wife was in the back of the church for some reason, but he didn’t interfere with that.

On the way of wisdom I direct you, I lead you on straight paths. 

Proverbs 4:11

 So often arguments can arise between spouses over whose turn it is with children, what is appropriate discipline, whether or not the division of responsibilities is fair, allocation of me time, etc. But when spouses are aligned, everything else falls into place.

Many are the plans of the human heart, but it is the decision of the LORD that endures. Proverbs 19:21

Knowing the challenges of marriage and family, I’m asking that you focus your prayer this week on married couples with children at home.  

Lord, while children are a blessing, they don’t necessarily make married life easier, but rather expose the flaws in the relationship. We ask you, Lord, for abundant graces to flow upon marriages, especially those in the throes of parenthood. Continue to send examples of beautiful marriages to give hope to those not yet where they desire to be. For those struggling, send them mentors to guide them through their challenges.  Guard them against the wiles of the devil, who constantly seeks to divide and destroy their union. Finally, hear our prayers on their behalf,  for strength, perseverance, and protection.  Jesus, we trust in You!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Pray it forward and pass it on!

Pray for Families (Listening and Praying)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

Have you ever thought, “If God called me, I’d listen!” Of course in our minds, we’d do whatever God tells us, never aligning ourselves with the non-believers, the non-hearers, or those who don’t follow the Lord. Yet, since most people don’t hear locutions, if they don’t intentionally carve out quiet time to pray, read the Word of God, and be attentive to those they interact with, how will they ever hear his voice? If we aren’t listening, how do we know what God is calling us to?

“Oh, that today you would hear his voice: ‘Harden not your hearts.”Hebrews 4:7

We exist in a turbulent political environment. Those with a different ideology can be quick to look down on others.  Many refuse to listen to opposing views. During Christ’s ministry on earth, many mocked his teachings. He was the victim of a kind of a mob mentality that had no room to hear another viewpoint. The result was his crucifixion! Yet those who crucified Him were so sure their ideology was right! He had been trying to teach them the Truth, but they refused to listen!  

How about the parable of the rich man and the beggar? The rich man daily ignored a poor and sickly man on his step, who longed for even a scrap of food. 

How blind are we to the outcasts?  How easily do we overlook those in need, telling ourselves we’ve worked hard for what we have, not realizing that everything is a gift from God?  

In this parable, the beggar dies, and is carried away to heaven in the bosom of Abraham. The rich man was sent to the netherworld. The rich man begs the Lord to send someone to warn his family so they don't suffer the same fate of eternal torment.

But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. Let them listen to them.’ He said, ‘Oh no, father Abraham, but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’ Then Abraham said, ‘If they will not listen to Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone should rise from the dead.’” Luke 16:29-31

Ouch!  Today we have the benefit of knowing Jesus conquered death by rising from the dead, yet, is that shaping our behavior?  Are we any different than the non-believers and the non-hearers, or are we part of the living dead?!

We must stand in the gap with prayer for the salvation of souls, especially ourselves, our families, and the world. Would you join me in reciting as often as possible, the following Pardon Prayer?*

My God, I believe, I adore, I hope and I love Thee. I beg pardon for all those that do not believe, do not adore, do not hope and do not love Thee. Amen. (Repeat 3 times)

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Our Lady of Fatima:"You know that many souls go to hell because there is none who pray for them." PRAY and pass it on!!

*  Given to the 3 children in Fatima, by the Angel of Peace

Pray for Marriages (Pondering the Good)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,  

When a couple gets engaged and then married, they ponder all the good that lies within their chosen one, their beloved. They tell themselves, “What a blessing my spouse is!” As time marches on and they are with their spouse day in and day out, enduring year after year of life’s many challenges, at some point much of the good in their mind fades and  all they can see is everything that is wrong with their spouse!! (Well at least on the bad days!) Maybe this is why the Lord reminds us…

“Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven. Luke 6:37

Those are some tough words, unless we ponder the life of Jesus, and His examples on how to love, and what it looks like.

This Lent, fast from the negative and keep your focus on all that attracted you to your spouse in the first place. Look at the goodness in them. See all the quiet, loving acts they do that you may take for granted.  Give them words of affirmation. Spend time doing what they like to do. Fast from selfishness. Ponder how much the Lord loves them. Ask the Lord to help you see your spouse through His eyes.

And most of all pray!  Pray for your spouse, pray for one another,  and pray for all marriages, that goodness may shine through!  

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Prayer is a gift often given in silence, but received loudly by the Lord. St. Patrick, pray for us! Pass it on! 

Pray for Families (Conversion, Reconciliation, and Holiness)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

If only we understood the power in our prayers to help lead our family to conversion of heart and reconciliation with God. For that matter, our prayers help us too!! If they didn’t, would I be reminding you to pray for the past 15 years??  

Conversion happens slowly, because unfortunately we humans tend to have ADHD towards sin! It’s the unholy that often grabs our attention! It is through prayer however, that we are trained to love what is holy.  By honoring the Lord with our lips, our behaviors soon follow. And people do take notice, even if at first it is only out of curiosity. Those you pray for may even think you are a bit crazy, but at least they are thinking about what you are doing! Perhaps they notice your peace which surpasses understanding. Maybe they see and experience your joy. It certainly could be that they sense your unwavering love for them. Prayer brings them the grace they need to start to see the movement of the Spirit in others. It is an internal beauty that attracts them. Soon they will understand that what they see is the Spirit of the Lord living in you!

To know Him is to love Him. This is when reconciliation begins.  Who does not try to reconcile with the one they love? The Lord will continue to beckon the wayward, as He desires to have all His children with Him through eternity. But he leaves the choice to each one of us.

If the wicked turn from the wickedness they did and do what is right and just, they save their lives since they turned away from all the sins they committed, they shall live; they shall not die. Ezekiel 18:27-28

This is why we pray so much. For conversion, reconciliation, marital and family unity, and for all to attain the beatific vision, not just because we want it, but because He wants it more!

And your heavenly Mother wants it too! 

“I desire to take all of you with me to heaven, therefore, decide daily for holiness” 3/25/07 Medjugorje

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

May prayers flow constantly from your lips! Pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (Propagating Gardens of Virtue)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

When life becomes difficult, it’s easy to believe the whispers and lies of Satan: “God doesn’t care about you.“ “He wants you to suffer.”  “There are others who have bigger crosses. Your struggles don’t matter.”

Perceived silence from the Lord is not indifference.  He loves and cares about you so much!  It is through the struggles, be it marriage or other, that we become holy.  And holiness leads to deep joy, while happiness is fleeting and doesn’t always lead to holiness.  .

Trusting that the Lord wants what is best for you, in your life and in your marriage is difficult, especially when you experience darkness.  Thus growing in the virtue of faith is a necessity, not a nice to have.  Pray for that gift, that you may never tire of calling out to Him. 

For during the battle they cried out to God, and he heard them because they had put their trust in him. 1 Chronicles 5:20

And while praying, consider asking for double portions of patience and perseverance, for all is done in God’s perfect timing. 

Truly, the LORD is waiting to be gracious to you, truly, he shall rise to show you mercy; For the LORD is a God of justice: happy are all who wait for him. Isaiah 30:18

Pray for one another, that we all may become a garden of virtues! 

.

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Bloom where you are planted! Pass it on!

Pray for Families (Listening to the Lord)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

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

There is a lot said in that one line.  Jesus is talking to YOU.  But what is He saying to you, or perhaps to you about a family member.

Read this scripture passage, emphasizing the word(s) in bold when you read it, and then pause to meditate; then listen. 

I am the way the truth and the life.

I am the way the truth and the life.

I am the way the truth and the life.

I am the way the truth and the life.

I am the way the truth and the life.

Spend time in contemplation.  Then pray for those family members that the Lord puts on your heart. 

Then, if you would,  please say a prayer for me.  I am on a retreat all weekend long!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Prayers are graciously received by the Lord and delight Him.  Pass it on!