Family Prayer Journal: Tuesday's - Husbands & Finances

To the Men We Love

 

To the men we love and see each day

May we always smile brightly and send blessings their way

 

No matter our frustrations or irritated sighs

May we see them with compassion and through Your eyes

 

May our husbands find comfort in our warm embrace

And may our homes be a place where grace is in place

 

May laughter abound in these walls where we live

And may our families be blessed by all that we give

 

Thankful we are for these men we've been given

Blessed are lives that today we live in

 

Our Husbands Relationship with Jesus 

 

Today we get to pray for our men. Some of you may not know that Rod and I have walked a very difficult road. We are still walking it, actually. To be quite honest, I was ready to be done. I had every intention of walking away. Then, about two years ago, we had a speaker at FLC. She talked about marriage, but what spoke to me was when she talked about struggles and deciding whether or not your issues were a 'deal breaker'. That was a defining moment for me in our marriage. You see, according to the world, Rod and I have had legitimate reasons to end our marriage. Actually, we have biblical reasons as well.

 

My Mom has been married 5 times. I am not judging, just giving the facts. By the time I was 18 years old, we had moved 14 times and my Mom had had over 9 different relationships that I can remember (this did not include weekend flings). Men and marriage held no value to me. I had made a plan to have a baby alone and never get married. I had my sperm donor picked out and everything. I had no desire to marry. To make a long story short, Jesus started reeling me in. I started going to MCC, got my job at GTE, and met Rod, all in the same week. When Rod proposed I told him, this is it for me. I would not live the life I had lived up to that point.

 

Here I am, 21 years later, still married, often hurting, but more committed than ever. I would say a huge source of my heartache came from misunderstood expectations. But, really, what did I know. I had no value or respect for men or marriage. Men left and if you weren't happy, you got a divorce. The fun and awesome news is that this was just my side of life. Take one broken person, add another, and what do you have? Yep. Two broken people.

 

Nothing that had/has happened in our stressful, rejection filled marriage was a deal breaker for me. NOTHING. I absolutely love this man. Oh sure...he drives me nuts, but I will let you in on a little secret: I ain't no basket of sunshine myself, girls. Just like parenting, marriage can be hard. Damn hard. But I hold on tightly to the hope that someday Rod and I will find a rhythm, a joy, and a passion that will be a beautiful thing. That day could be when we both have no teeth and we poop our pants, but hey, we all have dreams.

 

So let us pray for these blessings called men. :o)

Tuesday

 Rod

• Father, today I lift up Rod's relationship with you.




• That he would constantly strive to know and understand You.


• That he would pray and seek You in all things.


• That he would have a thankful heart for all that you have given him.


• That he would know that You love him and that You created him to be who he is.


• Father, I love to listen to Rod read Your word. It is one of my favorite things. I love when he shares from his heart and imparts the wisdom he has gained through his walk with you. Father, my prayer is that Rod would see his value; that he would know that he really does have something significant to offer. Father, please help Rod to find his place with You. He is so good at his job. If that is his field of influence, then please help him flourish. You have called him many times to minister to men. Please help him to find his groove, his value, and his peace with you Lord. I am truly, so thankful for this man. No matter our issues, I know that you put us together for a plan and a purpose. Help me to be a help to Rod and an encouragement to him in the pursuits you give him. Help him to walk with you all the days of his life. Thank you Lord!

We need to laugh.
Here is a random bit of happiness to loosen us up a bit.

 

 

OK, back to work people! :o)

 

Finances

Tuesday

• Finances
• Help Rod & I to see the needs of your people and to give with joy and wisdom. Please help us to overcome whatever may be holding us back in our giving Lord. (I am not praying about tithe - that's Thursday's financial prayer.)
• Things I would like to give to: St. Jude's, World Child (goats, chickens, cows, soccer balls), VOH. Father, please help me to be a giver. Please help Rod & I to be good stewards of the finances You give us and help us to know where we need to help. Thank you Lord!

 This praying gig is so serious. I hope that you are finding joy in this process. My life and the lives of my kids sometimes gets deep, but our house is always full of laughter. We find funny in the mundane and we love to laugh together.

 

I always go back over and read what I wrote. Sorry if I missed a typo or messed up then/than or there/their. I get so excited, I can't type fast enough. I am pointing this out because I had no plans to talk about our marriage today. It's not even the marriage prayer day, but for some reason, out it came. I actually deleted my prayer and rewrote it too. I guess I want you to understand: I don't take my prayers for Rod lightly. We have struggled and we have hurt each other and there have been some bitter years, but part of the reason I am doing this blog/healthy lifestyle change is because I want to be all that I can for Rod. Stripping myself of me and allowing God to use me for His glory can be painful, but if it is what helps Rod and I get to that place of beauty...whatever that is, then I am all for it. Strip away.

 

Father, thank you for this day. Thank you for the ladies reading this post today. Lord, if they are at a place where they are struggling, please Lord, be with them. Help them to see You in their lives. Help them to hold on to that thread of hope that seems bare. Father, help them to pray for the richness of You for their husbands. Help them to give their finances over to You and find peace in the process. Actually Lord, I could still use some help there as well. You are so beautiful in Your wisdom and Your glory. Shine on us Lord and help us to let Your light shine through us, so that we may bless our husbands, our children, and all that we come into contact with. In Your Holy Name!! Amen!!