Thanksgiving

What are you thankful for? Take this day to stop and think about what you have to be thankful for. There are times I can be in such a pity party and get so depressed but then I think about all that I have. If I had nothing but my Jesus, I would STILL have everything I needed. I am thankful for my Jesus for saving me and loving me. I am thankful for my past being thrown in the sea of forgetfulness. I'm thankful for my God given husband. What a comfort and help-mate he is. Even though I ordered him from God, he ended up being so much more than I had hoped for! (I really did order him! I had a list of things I wanted in a husband and he met all of the criteria and it wasn't a short list). I am thankful for my two beautiful children. I am thankful for my family and friends (both old and new)! I am thankful for my church old and new (Destiny and Element). I am thankful that I have a place to live. I am thankful that my husband and myself have jobs. I'm thankful that I can walk, breathe, run.


I could really go on and on but I'll stop for now. I would encourage you to write down what you are thankful for. It may seem a little cheesy but it really changes your perspective on things. If you are not where you want to be in life, don't get discouraged, thank God that you have the hope, the ability, the faith to change.



This will be the last post this week because of Thanksgiving break. Have a great holiday!

Day 12 - His Protection

I could not imagine my life without my husband. Sometimes I get concerned if I hear about an accident on his way to work or if I haven't heard from him. Honestly, I could worry myself crazy every time he left the house. With all the stories on the news of murders and accidents, it is a CRAZY world out there...BUT we have a HOPE in Jesus Christ. And we have a CHOICE to make. We can worry or we can put our trust in Him. He has our lives in His hands. He sees the big picture. I choose to let Him work and to trust in Him.

Psalms 91 is such a powerful chapter. If you haven't read it in awhile I would encourage you to read it.

Lord, I thank you for watching over my husband and protecting him. I thank you for giving your angels charge over him to protect him wherever he goes. You said in your word that you rescue those who love you and protect those who trust in your name (Psalm 91:14). I thank you that your word will not return to you void but will accomplish what you said it would do. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Day 11 - His Health

Health is so important, obviously, right? How many of us ignore our health out of convenience or out of "not having time". I am all about not having enough time. That is my excues - I really don't know where my time goes sometimes. My Weight Watchers instructor always says "we all have 24 hours a day, it's what we choose to do with that time". She's right. Yes, we have responsibilities but we can do things more efficiently or trade one thing for another in order to do something that will be beneficial to our bodies. Exercise and eating healthy are so important to you and your family's health.

So, what does this have to do with our husbands? Well, we can be examples to our husbands and our children. We need to do all we can to take care of our bodies because we have a lot to do for Christ and can't do it if we are sick or tired.

Let's pray today for our husband's health:
Lord, I thank you for my wonderful husband. (say it even if you don't "feel" he is wonderful). I thank you that he is healthy and his body functions the way that you created it to function. I pray that you watch over him and lead him in his decisions in taking care of himself. Lord, show him areas of health that you want him to change. Show me where I need to change. Bless our family and help us be an example for you. I pray if anything is ailing him, that you heal him. I thank you for your healing touch. I pray these things in your name, Amen.

Day 10 - His Choices

Who couldn't use some help in making better choices? Today, let's pray for our husband's choices. You may be in a situation that your husband makes horrible choices. What do you do? Do you gripe at him? Do you belittle him? If you do, I'm pretty sure this hasn't gone over too well with him. It's not our job as wives to gripe and belittle our husbands and it is not productive for either of us! So, what do you do then? Pray. That can sometimes seem like such a passive thing to do but it is quite the opposite. Prayer changes things.

I pray today for my husband's choices. I pray that he is led by you and he consults you in all decisions. I pray every step he takes is ordered by you. I pray that when I want to comment negatively, you remind me of my purpose. I pray that I stop negativity and that I am supportive. I pray my husband is open to hearing you and following your guidance. I thank you for making yourself real in his life daily. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Day 9 - His Purpose

In this chapter the book talks about your husband's purpose and how you cannot pressure him or talk him into finding his purpose. This is something that only God can reveal to him. I believe that at some point God may ask you to speak to him about it but it needs to be the right timing and it really needs to be from God so that your husband will be open to receive. So many times I have been guilty of saying things out of my own fleshly desire, rather than waiting on God. I wanted to say it, so I said it. Let's just say it didn't go over very well but that is another story.

We all need to find our purpose and what God has called us to do. It's so much more than just existing from day to day. Not that your purpose has to be full time ministry...you can have a full time ministry at your job by talking to a friend about Jesus, helping people in need, etc.

If you don't feel your husband has quite found his purpose, pray that God leads him into what he has called him to do. Pray that he doesn't stray into areas that are not beneficial to his walk with God. Pray that you have the strength to support him. Pray that your husband has boldness. And as always, pray that he hears God's voice and the voice of a stranger he won't follow. Pray that he grows in his faith.

If your husband is fulfilling his purpose, pray that he has the strength to continue. Pray that he hears God's voice and he follows His will above all else. Pray that you continually support his calling. Pray that the enemy has no room in your lives and your husband casts down discouragement and things that might side track him. Pray that his relationship continually grows and does not become stagnant.

Day 8 - His Fears

Let's pray today for fears that our husbands may have:

Lord, I thank you for your love. I thank you for surrounding my husband with your love. Bring into remembrance to him that you have not given him a spirit of fear but you have given him power, love and a sound mind. Show him where he might have areas of fear and teach him how to cast those fears unto you. In Jesus Name, Amen.

some fear scriptures:
Psalm 34.4
Psalm 23:4
Isaiah 41:10
Psalm 27:1

If you don't have a bible near you and want to look up the scriptures, there are many online bible sources. I've been using http://blueletterbible.org/.

Day 7 - His Mind

The mind, what a powerful thing! It can be powerful in a positive way or a very negative way.

From the book:

Depression, bitterness, anger, fear, rejection, hopelessness, loneliness, rebellion, temptation, evil and many diseases all begin in the mind. These things can control your life unless you take control of your mind first. That is why God instructs us to not accept as truth everything we think. "I have stretched out My hands all day long to a rebellious people, who walk in a way that is not good, according to their own thoughts" (Isaiah 65:2). He wants us to share His thoughts. "We [who believe] have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16).

One of our fellow prayer warriors suggested that you insert your husband's name into the prayer. It makes is more personal and real!

Let's pray today for our husband's minds:
Lord, I thank you for watching over my husband's mind and giving him strength and discernment to know what is of you and what is not. I thank you that he hears your voice and a voice of a stranger he doesn't follow. I thank you that he has the mind of Christ and guards it. I pray that any problem he faces in his mind, he recognizes it as the enemy and rebukes it and replaces those thoughts with praise and with Your Word. I thank you in Jesus Name, Amen.
If you are struggling with thoughts - depression, fear, loneliness, etc, pray this prayer for yourself too. You and your husband are one and things that affect you ultimately affect him!

Day 6 - His Temptations

Temptation is certainly out there. Especially sexual temptations. It's hard to look through a magazine, watch a movie or walk through the mall without seeing a half-naked woman. The enemy knows were the flesh is weak and he preys on it.

My husband and I are very open to talking about temptations. I highly recommend being open to this discussion because it exposes things that the devil would like for us to keep hidden. I think once things are exposed it's not as much of a temptation. I will admit when we first got married, I was not really open to hear what my husband was tempted with. It actually made me jealous and mad. But let's be real - Have you ever had a thought pop into your head and you said to yourself "where did that come from" or "why on earth did I think that?". I have and they are not my thoughts. I don't hold on to them. I don't dwell on them. My husband may be tempted but it is what he does with those thoughts that affects him/us. So, while I do recommend this, you have to be prepared to hear things you might not like.

Although I focused on sexual temptations, there are plenty of other temptations out there that our husbands might be faced with such as gambling, drinking, food addiction, etc. So, we should stand against these temptations for our spouse.

Let's pray:
Lord, I pray that my husband guards his heart. I pray that he is thoughtful to what he puts in his mind and he listens and obeys you. I pray that when thoughts come, he does not dwell on them but casts them down. I pray that he guards himself in areas that might be of greater temptation to him. I pray that he is surrounded by Godly male friends that he can be accountable to and that are a positive influence on him. I pray that he is a positive influence on others. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Day 5 - His Affection

What the heck? Aren't these prayers supposed to be for the husbands? Do you find some of the prayers should be better suited for you? :-)

Today's prayer is on affection. My husband and I just had this conversation this morning. I severely lack in showing affection. I really don't know why. Maybe I didn't have enough as a kid. I don't know. BUT I know I love my husband and don't ever want him to lack. So, I will continue to believe that God can change me and I will rely on Him daily.

Lord, I pray that you work on both of us in our marriage. Remind us daily to show affection and love toward one another. Show us where we are just going through the emotions and change us. Remind us when we get in a rut and help us out of it. Teach me to meet the needs of my spouse. Show my spouse my needs. Let the Holy Spirit guide us in communicating to one another our needs and let us both be open to change. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Since there won't be another post until Monday, take the weekend to pray for affection. If you don't need help in this area, then pray for me or someone else who does! Have a great weekend!

Day 4 - His Sexuality

From the book:

Bless my husband's sexuality and make it an area of great fulfillment for him. Restore what needs to be restored, balance what needs to be balanced. Protect us from apathy, disappointment, criticism, busyness, unforgiveness, deadness or disinterest.

I pray that we make time for one another, communicate our true feelings openly, and remain sensitive to what each other needs. Keep us sexually pure in mind and body and close the door to anything lustful or illicit that seeks to encroach upon us....Help us to "abstain from sexual immorality" so that each of us will know "how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor" (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5).

I pray we will desire each other and non one else. Show me how to make myself attractive and desirable to him and be the kind of partner he needs....I commit this area of our lives to You, Lord...Make it all you created it to be. In Jesus Name, Amen.


additional scripture reading:
1 Corinthians 6:18-20
1 Corinthians 6:13
Proverbs 5:15-19
1 Corinthians 7:4,5

Day 3 - Pray for His Finances

As I am sure you know from experience or have heard -- finances can be a huge pressure in a marriage. Some marriages have even ended over issue with finances. Don't let your marriage be a statistic. In the scheme of things, it's not worth it.

We just completed a small group at church called "Marriage on the Rock". The last session was over finances. He talked about the need to be proactive vs. reactive. So many times I don't discuss finances with my husband until something goes wrong. That is so not the time to have that discussion, as emotions are involved and heightened. So, I encourage you to be proactive in communications with your husband and prayer!

Let's take the time today to pray for finances and our husband.

Lord we put our trust in you today with our finances. We thank you that you are in control. I thank you for guiding us to be good stewards of our money. I pray that my husband and I hear your voice and the voice of a stranger we don't follow. I pray we are open to your teaching and correction. Show us where we can do better and where we need to change. If we need to give more, tell us. If we need to spend less, tell us. Help my husband and myself make good financial decisions and help us teach our children to do the same. In Jesus Name, Amen!

Do not seek what you should eat or what you should drink, nor
have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world seek after,
and your father knows that you need these things. But seek the kingdom of God,
and all these things shall be added to you. Luke 12:29-31

Day 2 - Pray for his Work

Pray for his work

The book touches on two extremes with men - a lazy man that doesn't work and lets his wife support him and another that is a workaholic. These are two extremes that you can either relate to or see somewhere in the middle. Regardless of your circumstance, God can work. Let's pray for:

• Balance in his work and home life. That your husband will keep priorities in line (God, you, the kids, work).
• Strength to change in areas that he needs to change. Speak to him, Lord and lead him.
• Favor for anything he puts his hand to.
• His work being established, secure, successful, satisfying and financially rewarding.
• Trust in You, Lord, and not a place of employment or an economy.
• Stress/his work environment - Lord, make him a leader, not a follower. Help him deal with stressful situations and give him peace.

In Jesus Name!

Fireproof - The Movie

If you have not seen this movie yet, I highly recommend that you take the time to go see it! I will admit it took some coercing to get my husband to go. He wasn't too thrilled about going because he's not a Kirk Cameron fan - go figure, and there isn't any shooting involved/no one dies in the movie (apparently this is a guy thing). But he went anyway and we both absolutely loved it and want to see it again. It touched on so many issues in marriage that I didn't even expect. It was great!

One thing that really stuck out was how things slowly creep up upon you. You don't just wake up one day and decide to have an affair. It happens slowly and "creeps in". Things happen in marriage that could lead you to slowly hold grudges and emotionally separate. Sometimes they even happen without us realizing it. Guard your marriage!

If you are married and your husband won't go to the movie with you, take a friend or go by yourself. It's worth it. And it's not about going to the movie so he can see things he needs to change...it's about changing things in ourselves.

http://www.fireproofthemovie.com/
On this website there are also links to resources on marriage.

Day 1 - Power of a Praying Wife

For the next 30 days I will go through the Power of a Praying Wife book by Stormie Omartian and include parts of the prayers from that book. The prayers are pretty lengthy so I will shorten them for the purpose of these posts. If you have never read this book or haven't read it in awhile, I encourage you to read it for the first time or read it again. It's an awesome tool.

Day 1

Pray for His Wife (us)

The start of our 30 days of prayer for our hubands, is actually praying for us! What do I need prayer for when he's the problem??? Just kidding, however I'm sure all of us can admit we have been there in that mindset. But seriously let's pray for some things to change in us:

• help me to be a good wife - self-less, patient, kind, loving, etc.
• expose any sin in my heart toward my husband. help me to forgive him the way you forgive me.
• help me create a peaceful, restful, safe place for him to come home to.
• help me to look to you for fulfillment and not to my husband.
• stir up the love in me for my husband - where love has died, create new love between us.
• enable my husband to be the head of the home as you made him to be and show me how to support and respect him as he rises to that place of leadership.
• give me a fresh perspective, a positive outlook and a renewed relationship with the man you have given me.

In Jesus Name, Amen!