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Filed under: prayer


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How prayer can elevate your marriage

Prayer

If men are from Mars and women from Venus, who provides translation? Prayer can be the common language to bridge the gap between our differences. 

Prayer puts God at the center and not ourselves. When you pray, you admit that you depend on God for the ultimate strength in your marriage. It puts a third party above the marriage and centers the relationship to something higher.

The Bible even says that if husbands aren't considerate and respectful to their wives, men's prayers will be hindered. So  how do you get started? Here are a few suggestions on how to pray with your spouse:
  • Schedule a time. Make praying a priority. Don't just wait for the right time. Schedule a time, such as 8 a.m. or 10 p.m. I talk about scheduling prayer in this post.
  • Take turns praying. Each person should pray. Don't rely on one person to lead the whole time.
  • Make requests and give thanks. Ask for what you want and give thanks. Don't just make prayer a wish list.
  • Make marriage the focus. Pray about your relationship, not just world peace! (Although that's not a bad idea.)
  • Don't bash the other! If you're not careful, prayer can be a time where tell God all your complaints about your spouse. Don't do it. Make this a time to focus on the marriage, rather than individual faults.
Do you have a suggestion on how couples can learn to pray together?

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Watch a neat prayer video for Afghanistan

I have a friend about to make his second trip to Afghanistan, this one to provide medical support for a village there. Afghanistan needs our prayers. Christians there need our prayers.

As I read Ghost Wars and learn more about the turbulent past of this country, I can see how hard it must be in a place with a history of war. I love seeing the children in this video -- a great starting point for prayer for this country!

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1 simple idea for better prayer

Pray without ceasing. Now I lay me down to sleep. Our father who art ....

Most Christians have heard all the prayer slogans, themes, quotes or whatever you want to label them. But most Christians would also tell you that prayer is not something they practice regularly. I suspect many Christians pray hardly at all, unless they desperately want something.

Why do we not pray?

Of course we get busy and there are tons of distraction, such as television. Making time to pray does require some discipline. Here's a very simple way to start on that road to regular, daily prayer:

Schedule Exact Prayer Times
We schedule haircuts. We schedule dentist appointments. Vacations months in advance. Why not prayer?

Here's what you should do: schedule two times during the day that you will pray. Pick exact times, such as 8 a.m. or 10 p.m. Write it down on your calendar. Put it on a note and tape it to your bathroom mirror.

Make the same effort that you would for other appointments as you do for your "prayer appointment." Sure, you may miss a few times but make it a priority. It will change your life and prepare you to face any crisis!

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