Pray for Marriages (Recipe for a Perfect Marriage)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Holidays are always filled with sweet smells and laughter emanating from the kitchen.   These memories remain with us and bring us comfort and joy, especially when we remake these recipes year to year.

These reflections on recipes from the kitchen  got me to wondering what the perfect recipe would be for marriage.

Recipe for Marital Happiness

Start with a solid foundation (Jesus) from which to build this masterpiece.

Add 2 endless portions of commitment

Stir in enough sugar to keep it sweet

Spice it up as needed

Offer Prayers to the Holy Spirit to serve as leavening to prevent collapse.

Take turns kneading it occasionally to keep it in proportion and not let it grow beyond the foundation.

Keep it undercover in the warmer daily

Allow to cool so that it never becomes overheated

Drizzle in honey to counterbalance any unintended bitterness

To prevent crustiness, keep moist as needed

Remain watchful

Serve at room temperature.

Notes:

Adding nuts is a personal preference

Frequent sanitation results in a more appealing aroma.

For a better translation, see below:

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. Do not grow slack in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, endure in affliction, persevere in prayer. Romans 12:9-12

Share the recipe with others so they always have a starter.

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Like any good recipe, pass it on and spread the joy! 

Pray for Family. (Imitating Christ)

Greeting Prayer Warriors,

It’s interesting how the Lord tests our patience. I find this a hard virtue to master. Pray for me! I am on an airplane, gratefully bumped to first class.  However the flight attendant seems bothered when I ask for a beverage, asks if I am finished when I’ve barely touched my food, and has made me hesitant to even ask for a glass of water. She also is ignoring our row. Even my seat mate is chucking at the fiasco. Nothing like perspective though to shift the paradigm. This poor flight attendant has been up since 3:45 am, and is probably having great difficulty focusing much less functioning. I can only reflect on how I would desire patience if I was having a similar day.

Isn’t that one of the things Jesus calls us to when he says “Come follow me.”? We are invited to imitate Christ. He is patient and kind regardless of our shortcomings, missteps, demands, and inattentiveness to Him! 

“Come after me and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19

As we approach Advent, let us pray for the grace to grown in virtue. Let us then share our virtues with our family, as we pray on their behalf as well. May we become fishers of men too!

Peace, Joy, and Love

Janet

Imitate Christ in kindness. Pass it on!

Prayer for Marriages (The Soil of our Hearts)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

We are approaching the time of preparation.  I am not speaking about gift buying and wrapping, nor home decorating, but of our souls.  This week is an interlude just before Advent, a time of preparation, waiting, and anticipation for Christ to be born anew. Now is not the time get caught up in a pre-Christmas frenzy, but rather to slow down and carve out daily time during Advent to prepare your heart to receive the gift of His birth; the incredible gift of a Savior.

Be patient, therefore, brothers, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient with it until it receives the early and the late rains. You too must be patient. Make your hearts firm, because the coming of the Lord is at hand.  James 5:7-8

If possible, pray together as a couple.  If not, include your spouse in your prayers. If you are not married, pray for a special couple. For by prayer, we are able to persevere through the good and the bad, the expected and unexpected, the joys and the disappointments.  Perseverance, strengthens us, and gives hope to all.  Hope leads to a strengthening of faith and faith inflames our hearts to receive Our Savior.

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Celebrations are best after a long period of preparation.  Why wait?  Prepare the soil of your united hearts with prayer.  Pass it on!

Pray for Families (Black Friday)

Greetings Prayer Warriors,

Today, families flood retailers for the best deals on items ranging from electronics to toys.  The media shows scenes of people camping out, waiting in line prior to stores opening, and in a frenzy,  grabbing items before they sell out.  It’s all about saving money and claiming the “prize” of obtaining the best deals. S/he who gets the best deal wins.

If only we were that frenzied at wanting to save souls.  S/he who does, receives the ultimate reward; eternal life.  Best of all, it is free. The price has already been paid. All you have to do is show up ready and respond affirmatively to the call, “Follow me”.

Whatever gains I had, these I have come to consider a loss because of Christ. More than that, I even consider everything as a loss because of the supreme good of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have accepted the loss of all things and I consider them so much rubbish, that I may gain Christ. Philippians 3:7-8

Let’s spend Black Friday through Cyber Monday praying for souls, beginning with family. 

Lord, break through the all that obstructs one’s desire for you and create in them a holy hunger to know you. Woo them with your tender kindness, heartfelt compassion, and merciful love. Help them see that all their heart desires can be found in you.  May our prayers be efficacious in winning souls for you!

Peace, Joy, and Love,

Janet

Pray while shopping.  It will be doubly efficacious! Pass it on.