The Best Prayer I've Ever Prayed for My Marriage

Long ago (okay, probably just a little more than a year ago) I found myself where many wives find themselves: with a bad case of "baby fever". We had two children at the time, and after our second, we agreed that was all we could handle. (I think we thought we really meant it, too!) But, somewhere along the line since my daughter was born almost two years prior, I felt that God changed my heart concerning our family size. I was beginning to feel like we needed to try to add one more, and of course my husband was not moved by my rationale of "I don't know why, I just think we should." (So typical!)

So, here we were in this place of disagreement. It seemed to last for a few months. I kept re-approaching the subject, to no avail. (He kept reminding me of all the reasons we thought we were done). I struggled with submitting to him, I pleaded with God to change him, or to give me some way to get my point across...something!

Finally, I had an "a-ha!" moment. I can't remember exactly how this came to me (did I read it somewhere?) but I had the notion to pray that our desires would line up with God's desires for our family.

"Lord, I ask that You would cause Your desires to become our desires, and that we would come into agreement with Your plan."

Now, if you read a few posts back, you'll know how this turned out for us (it happened pretty quickly too, I might add). I was scared to pray this way, because that meant surrendering my will and accepting God's will (okay, admittedly, in this scenario, more often than not, His plan is for growth, but still).

How would praying that prayer impact our lives in other instances?

• A relocation
• Finances
• Educational choices for our children

The list could go on and on. The point is, that not only would we be in agreement with our husband, but our marriage and family would be consecrated to God! There's no way we could go wrong with that!

Linking up w/

Ready, Set, Pray!

Have you taken time today to commune with the Creator of Heaven and Earth?

I know there are days when I don't spend that time with Him, and I let the day get away from me. I guess sometimes I feel like I need to spend an hour in prayer in order to be effective. Life with little ones can make for an unpredictable morning, and sometimes, even if I'm up early enough to get that time in, they might "thwart my plans" and get up early too!

Well, friend, prayer does not have to take a long time in order to set your day in the right direction or to touch the lives of people in need! Can you spare five minutes? How about three? By all means, if you can take that hour, you should shoot for more time, but sometimes, that just doesn't happen in a home where the needs of little ones are immediate.

Here's my challenge for you- and something I've been challenging myself to do recently: Step one- Set a timer for five minutes. Step two- Pray!

I have found that doing this causes me to be more focused on what I'm praying, and I know that the time is drawing to a close rapidly, so I am much more purposeful about what I'm praying for. Sometimes, when the timer stops, I keep going. Other times, when it stops, so do I. But that's much better than not praying, not interceding for loved ones, not asking for God's wisdom and perspective on situations.

How much time do you have today? Will you take me up on my challenge? Let me know how it goes!

Linking up to Good Morning Girls for Women in the Word Wednesdays!

From Pride to Prayer

At times, I find it so difficult to ask for help in my day to day life. Can you relate? I may need help, but hesitate to ask for various reasons. Maybe I feel like I don't know someone well enough, or I feel like my request may be unreasonable. I'm not sure what they will say, so I don't ask. I don't want to make myself vulnerable to their reaction to my request. I feel like I would look silly if I admitted I couldn't do something on my own.

It's the same way with prayer! God has something that we need and yet...we don't ask for His help. Is it pride? We think we can manage without His help. Sure, things would be a whole lot better if we could have God move in our situation. The Bible tells us He is more than willing to help us...and yet, we refrain.

Some of this may not sound like pride- maybe more like fear. But, if you think about it, the fear that's keeping you from asking is the fear of appearing to be weak or inefficient or unable to do something on your own.

God does not desire for us to be bound by pride! He invites us to ASK!

‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’ Jeremiah 33:3

“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." Luke 11:9

God honors those who ask! Even those who keep on asking! Consider this story from Luke 18:1-5:

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: “There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’ And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man, yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.’”

The widow could have given up after one rejection- I know I probably would in many situations- but she kept on asking. Her "continual coming" made the way for her.

We need that kind of persistence in our prayer life! We need to be determined that we will let go of pride and humble ourselves to ask God for what we need, and to ask on behalf of others in need as well!

Has pride ever kept you from approaching God in prayer?

Keys to Overcoming Anger- Part One: Humility

It had been a rough several months for me. From about the middle of my pregnancy onward, I had a daily battle of wills with my two year old son. Then the baby came. Then came sleep deprivation as my new little bundle worked out her day/night issues.

I remember one night in particular when my daughter was just a couple weeks old. She was challenging me yet again by not sleeping when I thought she was supposed to. I was getting up with her for what seemed like the umpteenth time. I headed toward the restroom before picking her up, and when she saw that, she cried even more. I snapped, "are you kidding me?! Just a minute!"

My husband was awake at that point, and said in response, "hey, don't yell at her. You're the one who told me that babies cry to communicate". I managed to mutter something snotty like, "thanks a lot" and he had to go in to our son, because by that time, he had awakened as well.

I sat nursing the baby in the dark living room fuming over that exchange. Who does he think he is? He's not the one who has to get up with her. He doesn't understand what I'm going through. I'd like to see him try to deal with what I deal with all day. I couldn't believe his "audacity." Suddenly, I heard Holy Spirit speaking to my heart, "quit making excuses. Quit blaming others for your response."

In a moment, my whole perspective changed. I felt ashamed for how I had been acting. This was not who I was. Nobody in my family had been spared from my wrath. Sitting there in the middle of the night, as I repented for my behavior, I felt God's grace wrapped around me like a warm blanket.

When my husband came out of our son's room, I apologized for how I had spoken to our daughter and to him. He quickly forgave me, and then went back to bed.

"But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: 'God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.' Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you." James 4:6-7


God gives us grace when we humble ourselves. When we stop blaming others for our reactions. When we stop blaming others for our anger. When we stop trying to act like we're not the problem. His grace enables us to sit up in the wee hours of the morning with a restless baby. It enables us to receive criticism from others. His grace gives us the ability to clean up our toddlers "accident" or whatever it is that can get us annoyed.


If you are battling anger in your life right now, are you accepting responsibility for your behavior? Or are you passing the blame on to others? Do you find yourself saying (or thinking) things like "if they wouldn't act like this, then I would not get upset"? Take a moment to humble yourself before God.


Lord, forgive me for my behavior. I ask You to show me where I am wrong. Show me ways that I can better deal with the pressures in my life right now. I ask that You would pour your grace upon me right now. Help me to become more like You. In Jesus' name, amen.

Do you struggle with anger? I welcome you to share your experience in the comments. 

Linking up at Time-Warp Wife

The Most Frightening Prayer

"Change me, Lord."

"Change my heart."

Frightening because you have no idea what God is going to do with that liberty.

I have found myself hesitating to utter those words at times, not sure what will happen.  Not sure what part of myself I would lose.

But, think of what you could gain!  Psalm 37:4 states "Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart."

God will never allow you to surrender a part of your soul without replacing it with something glorious.  A new passion.  A new perspective.  Wisdom.  Grace.

Those "desires of your heart" might even be a desire so deep you didn't even know it was there. 

Are you struggling with something right now?  Marriage?  Motherhood?  Ministry?  Another relationship?  Something else altogether?

Cry out to God.  Ask Him to change the situation...starting with you!  Allow Him to show you things you've never seen before.  He will!  The Bible says in James 4:6 "But He gives more grace. Therefore He says:  'God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.'"

So whether you're dealing with unforgiveness, or something you don't feel like doing, or some other kind of tough situation, God has the answer...but it may not be what you think!  Allow yourself to be surprised by His answer to the situation!  You won't regret it.

Linking up for Women Living Well Wednesdays: