Pray for Families (Unexpected Blessings)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

As travel increases before the Christmas holiday, what a blessing it is to welcome home adult children who no longer live at home, students ending the school year, and relatives arriving to share the Christmas joy. I am reminded of the Virgin Mary going in haste to visit Elizabeth, to share the awe-inspiring wonderment of being blessed with unexpected maternity. The visit magnified the excitement of God’s many blessings. They were filled with an Advent joy. 

Let us hold onto that joy, for we too are brought blessings in unexpected ways. Let us divert from small annoyances, family drama, and petty arguments to comprehending how our lives would be hollow without the richness of family and extended relatives. May we focus on what unites us all in love, our Lord, Jesus Christ.

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,” which means “God is with us.”  Matthew 1:23

Lord, open our hearts that we may invite you into every family gathering, for you are always with us, waiting in anticipation to asked to “enter in”.  We rejoice in your unwavering love for us.  May we contemplate your earthly poverty, and be generous in our giving. As we open gifts, may we pause to reflect on the immeasurable gift of salvation you gave us.  Help us love each other as you continue to love us.  No matter the difficulties we face, may we forever trust your saving plan for each one of us.  Amen.

Peace, Joy, and Love, 

Janet

Love is meant to be shared.  Pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (Joy in the Journey)

Greetings Prayer Warriors, 

Marriage is a journey in which we come to know the object of our love more intimately. Along the way, we learn all the events that shaped their life. We share in their joys and their sorrows. We understand what melts their heart, stirs their soul, and invigorates their mind. We also learn what ticks them off, what hurts them deeply, and what inflames their anger. In the process, we uncover our own brokenness. We learn how to apologize and seek forgiveness and, as a result, we are drawn closer together. We are never meant to journey alone, but together.

Our walk toward God is a similar journey. It is only in spending time with Him that we understand the intimacy of His love, the tenderness of His heart, and how our sin greatly offends Him. When we seek forgiveness, he awaits us with open arms and a merciful heart. He has promised to never leave our side, yet frequently we ignore his presence. 

As we progress through this last week of Advent, let us become more intentional in preparing our hearts to receive Him, both individually and as a couple.

Let us know, let us strive to know the LORD; as certain as the dawn is his coming. He will come to us like the rain, like spring rain that waters the earth.” Hosea 6:3

O precious Jesus, God of mystery and of light, you entered into this world as we did, an innocent baby. Yet in great humility, you were born among the animals with a feeding trough as your crib, so that none would fear to approach you. As they gazed upon your face, your radiant love captured their hearts. As the celebration of your nativity approaches, help us to prepare room in the inn of our hearts, that we may worthily receive you and give you a place of comfort and rest. May we draw close to each other as Mary and Joseph did, knowing that with You in our embrace, any journey will be a cause for joy. Amen.

Enter, let us bow down in worship; let us kneel before the LORD who made us!  Psalms 95:6

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Help others find Joy in the journey. Pass it on! 

Pray for Families (The 12 Days of Peace)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Christmas is 12 days away, and many of you are probably grumbling you don’t have enough time to execute on everything (known as pressures placed on self), let alone keep up with your emails before Christmas day arrives. If you are not crazed, you are with someone who is. So, if you do read this, know that I am sending you each PEACE from above.

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

Since the 12 Days of Christmas begin on Christmas Day, I am dubbing the 12 days leading up to it, the “12 Days of Peace”. The hope is that by saying a prayer for peace each day, you will experience a renewed peace of mind, heart, and soul. Then the important preparation will be complete, and the soul will be prepared to receive it’s King. 

I will be praying for you and your families, please pray for each other’s and mine. May the power of united prayer bring you unexpected joys that culminate in a new peace.

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Be a calming force. Pass it on! 

Pray for Marriages (Full of Grace)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

The one thing we are promised in this world in a share in Christ’s cross, for he didn’t even spare his own Mother!  What is clear though, is that he bestows grace proportionate to the cross he gives you. One must however say “yes” to this grace, just as the Blessed Virgin Mary did after being told she would conceive by the Holy Spirit and bear a son who would become the Messiah.  She instinctively knew the weight of this request.

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

What is our response to the crosses the Lord bestows on us?  One might find it difficult to understand that He is actually telling us, his beloved,

“Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you.”  Luke 1:28

Perhaps we can take a lesson from the Blessed Mother.

Mary kept all these words, pondering them in her heart.  Luke 2:19

So whether you have a great marriage or a horrible marriage, or something in between, speak less and ponder more, for the Lord has a mighty plan for you too!

We continue to pray that your marriage is filled with grace.  Accept this gift and carry on! May our prayers lighten your cross, may the Lord be your constant companion, and may your sacrificial efforts always glorify the Lord.  

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Be persistent in prayer and your crown will be glorious!  Pass it on!

Pray for Families (A Gift of Light)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

With Christmas approaching at warp speed, many are busy preparing, shopping, wrapping, baking, and decorating. While all are wonderful traditions, do not let the preparations overshadow or eclipse the reason for the season, celebrating the birth of Christ, our Savior!

And the Word became fleshand made his dwelling among us.  John 1:14

God chose to send his Son into the world as an innocent baby. Isn’t it ironic, that in a culture where many no longer consider babies a gift from God, they also don’t see Christ Jesus as a gift!  Or perhaps it’s the other way around.  If the birth of Christ isn’t considered a gift, then it’s no surprise that all other babies aren’t thought of as special either.  When the greatest gift is rejected, one seeks gifts of self-gratification to fill the God-sized hole. Still feeling empty, they fail to realize that it can only be filled by the Light of World, Christ!

For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. John 3:17

With fervent prayer, pray that all come to know the Lord, especially our immediate and extended families.  

Lord, break open our darkened hearts, that Christ may enter in more fully. May our hearts yearn to “Come let us adore Him!” Bestow on us the courage to evangelize by witnessing to others the wonders Christ has performed in our own lives. May your light shine through us to reach even those unmoved by words. May our eyes see the wonder of your ways and rejoice!

That just might be the Christmas miracle each of us needs. 

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Spark the Light and pass it on!

Pray for Marriages (Preparing the Way)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

When I inventory my house, I am always amazed at the useless stuff I cling on to.  As compelling as my reasoning is, it is still useless stuff that takes up space that can be used for a better purpose.  Similarly, we may hold on to anger, resentment, pride, etc. that clutters our heart and prevents us from receiving spiritual graces. 

A clean heart create for me, God; renew within me a steadfast spirit. 

Psalms 51:12

As we enter into Advent, now is a good time to “clean house” and empty ourselves of all the useless clutter that fills our heart and mind. We need to make room for the coming of our Savior. Will there be room in your heart to receive Him or will he find no room at the inn? What are the rooms of your heart filled with?  Dust from under use? Childhood “records” that keep skipping and should have been tossed years ago? Or perhaps adolescent insecurities that use all the oxygen and choke your ability to love? 

 The LORD, your God, will circumcise your hearts. Deuteronomy 30:6

If you are married, look through the lens of marriage. If an obstacle exists in your relationship with your spouse, it is likely the same obstacle that prevents Christ from fully entering in. In prayer, ask the Lord to shed light on what you are to let go of.  He may just surprise you. 

 “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.” Ephesians 5:14

Lord, we kneel before you with contrite and humble hearts.  Rather than being overwhelmed by Cyber deals and racing to see what we can acquire, help us downshift to prepare our heart and soul to release all that darkens it. We have lots of “stuff” that only gets in the way of our moving closer to you, and even our spouse. Loosen our grip on the false narratives we have let define our lives. Give us the grace to purge our hearts of anger, resentment, selfishness, vanity, pride, and lust, so that we may offer you pristine lodging in which to dwell. Help us to let go of worldly treasures that interfere with our gaining you, our only treasure.

“For human beings this is impossible, but for God all things are possible.”  Matthew 19:26

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Let us all make room for Him. Now is the time! Pass it on!  

Pray for Marriage and Family (Thanksliving)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

As I reflect on my life, some of my happiest times were when I had nothing. I didn’t know excess and luxury, so I never missed it but rather just wondered what it was like. As decades passed and I got to taste and own some of the finer things, I found that they didn’t impact my true happiness, because that was grounded in the Lord, the real cause for my joy. 

You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence. Acts 2:28

This week let us all pause, give thanks, and hit the resetbutton. Take time for self-reflection. Have you been focusing on the gifts you’ve been given or the crosses you’ve been carrying? Have you been grateful for the blessings or complaining you haven’t been given enough? Do you grumble about your marriage, or give praise for the journey that has helped you grow as a person? 

Although now for a little while you may have to suffer through various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold that is perishable even though tested by fire, may prove to be for praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:6-7

Lord, you are our joy, our hope, our strength, and our comfort. We praise you! We adore you!  We love you! Help us to be forever mindful of the love your never stop showing us. Thank you, Lord for training us in the virtues. Thank you for our marriages, and the gift of our families.  May we give thanks not once a year, but live a life of thanks by praising you with every action, word, and deed. Praise to You who not only gives us life in this world, but have promised us life in the next!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

P.S. Lord, I personally give you thanks and praise for these faithful prayer warriors. Bless them abundantly and pour graces upon their families so that others may ask the cause for their joy.

Always give God the glory! Pass it on!