Fruit of the Spirit

Day 3 in my continuing series of prayers for my marriage and husband based on series of prayer cards printable at the "Time Warp Wife" available at the little button on the right there...and a quick click on the "printables" tab on the site.

Galatians 5:22-23:  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance:  against such there is no law.

Dear Heavenly Father,

I know the love Chris and I have for each other is but a pale, pale, PALE shadow of the love Thou bearest for each of Thy children.  I am humbled, honored and grateful that Thou hast chosen Chris and me to be together and to start a family for a wise purpose in Thee.

On our wedding day, I did not think I could get any happier.  Chris had a bad fever and says he doesn't really remember most of it.  But he's still here, so I guess it wasn't all bad.  When our first son was born, we did not think we could put more love on our plates.  When our 2nd son was born, again we thought, surely the plates must be full now.  When our daughter was born (and we were finally able to bring her home from the hospital), through the massive ice storm, up the icy steps and safely into our apartment...once she was settled, I literally danced for joy (making sure every couple of minutes that our sweet sleeping little sister was actually breathing.  I guess the only thing that could help Chris know more love is to have a deeper bond with Thee.  Allow me to be his help meet in this area, so that he can experience the near-overwhelming, eternal Love from Thee more fully in his life as well.

I pray that Chris might also experience the other gifts of the Spirit in ever-increasing frequency.

May he know joy on a daily basis and may I do something each day to bring a smile to his face.

May he know peace in both his personal and public lives.  He likes to listen to music online.  Please direct him to uplifting, wholesome music that feeds his spirit and his soul.  Help me as well to find music to send to him that will please and uplift him.

Longsuffering comes to each of us at times.  I haven't always been able to be grateful to Thee for these soul-stretching episodes over the years, but looking back over my life so far, I have begun to scratch the surface of understanding the purpose of these times.  Hold him in Thy strong arms when the storms of life seek to buffet and destroy.  Strengthen my arms that I may help him through the rough times.

His life never has been "easy", which has sometimes built a hard shell around his heart and his person.  I know the kernel is good and the fire is lit.  Soften him that he may be gentle with the children and with those of differing opinions.  Soften me as necessary so that the joy that will come to Chris as the result of a gentle wife can please and instruct him.

Let his natural goodness shine through even more fully, and may he use his life experiences to help those less fortunate.

As my own spiritual practice (outward and inward) increases, may Chris see the benefits of having Thee in his life.

Meekness is not something usually considered as part of a man's spiritual armor, but I believe it is part of every person's toolbox.  Meekness is what allows us to bring our knowledge of Thee to people who don't know Thee and still honor each man or woman as Thy creation.  I pray that Thou wilt protect Chris with this shield and that he may pass the honor of having it in his life onto our sons.

Father, Though knowest this prayer is a lot longer than I had originally felt it might be.  I praise Thee that increased peace has entered my soul while thinking and typing.  It is a wonderful feeling.  Help us all to be a little kinder and more supportive of our sisters and brothers in this earthly pilgrimage.

Praying this today in the name of Thy Son, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Self-Control

While Mrs. Schacht uses mostly the NIV Bible translation in her quotes, I will always post in KJV - just a preference thing.  Although sometimes, like in Shakespeare, the poetical language of KJV can be a little hard to understand for our modern ears.

II Peter 1:5-6a - And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue;  and to your virtue, knowledge;  and to knowledge, temperance; 

Temperance is a word you just don't hear a lot these days.  It's like a quaint old lace doily on the coffee table of an elderly spinster.  It makes me think of the Prohibition Era.

Anyway if you are interested in following along, please go check out her resource (the prayer for your husband cards) here.

So, let's pray!

Dear Father in Heaven,

I humbly thank Thee and praise Thy Name for sending me the husband made to be my perfect mate.  

Guide him in the ways of righteousness, including the ability to show self-control and wise stewardship of the resources and blessings which Thou hast bestowed upon us.

Within the next month or so, we will receive our tax refunds.  While it is sorely tempting to us, not normally blessed with an over-abundance of resources, to go a little crazy when there is money left after the bills have been paid,  please help him lead the family in wisdom and help us limit spending on things that do not last or that of no use in Your Kingdom.

Please bless his studies so that he may progress in his educational and career goals.  Thou knowest his physical limitations and the concern this causes him.  However, I know that with God, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.

Use me as Thou seest fit to be his help meet and let me be diligent in doing my part to help advance Thy Kingdom.

In the name of Thy Son, Jesus Christ,

Amen.

A Heart of Gratitude

As I mentioned yesterday, the first month of ideas is coming from THIS post at Time Warp Wife.  The button to the home page is in a little button over there on the right.  Go visit.  You owe it to yourself and your marriage.

The accompanying Bible verse is from Psalm 31:1 (KJV)

"I will bless the Lord at all times:  His praise is shall continually be in my mouth."

Dear Heavenly Father-

No one but You could have brought my husband, Chris, and me together.  We "met" online in a role-playing game back in the days when the Internet was green or amber letters on a black screen.  My first marriage, one that I willfully chose due to worries about getting older, had broken up, and an old girlfriend of his had informed him, after the fact, that she had aborted a child of which he had been the father.  We were both learning to trust again, and I give You the glory for giving us to each other.

I thank Thee for blessing us with three children.  Our oldest, a 16 year old boy; the middle child, a 14 year old boy; and the youngest, a girl who will be 10 (in 9 days, as she informed me this morning).

Thou knowest better than anyone the struggles my dear Chris has with belief and organized religion.  I pray that he will develop a heart of gratitude, even though he may not (in the beginning) attribute it to Thee.  I know he is a good man.  A gift from God could be no other way.

In Proberbs 9:10, we find that, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom:  and the knowledge of the holy is understanding."

Help me to be the help meet Chris needs in order to come to know Thee more fully, so that he may come to know the happiness Thou desirest for all Thy children.

In the name of Thy Son, Jesus Christ, Amen.

Why Another Blog

Do I really need another blog?  Hmmm...maybe yes, maybe no.

But I know my marriage needs me to be more fully present - physically, emotionally and spiritually.  I'm working on the first two ways elsewhere on and offline.  And I offer up prayers daily for my husband and marriage.

Committing to daily blog a prayer would be a good way for me to keep praying for my marriage on my mind continually, and if it encourages one other person to do the same...hey!  So much the better.

The inspiration for this new blog came from my new friend Lori Ferguson's site Encourage Your Spouse.  She also pointed the way to another great resource, a set of "31 Prayers for Our Husbands" cards at Darlene Schacht's site "Time Warp Wife".

I will probably draw on these ideas for the next month to get my creative prayer juices flowing.

Anyway, if you found your way here, WELCOME!

As always, if you have stories, encouragements, prayers to share and bless others, please do so in the comments.  My face lights up when I get an email alerting me to a new comment on one of my blogs.  Seriously! :O)