Do You Pray With Your Spouse?

“Couples who pray together, stay together”

 Study after study has shown that the old adage is true.

 Couples that pray together daily have a significantly lower divorce rate.

But, at least for me and my husband, this has been one of the most difficult things to do on a regular, daily basis.

I realize that much of this is due to our individual upbringings. My husband was raised in a very dysfunctional and less than Spirit-filled home. I very much doubt that there was ever family prayer, let alone, his parents praying together. The fact that he is willing to pray with me is a blessing! I grew up in a very structured Christian home. My mom was the spiritual leader, but I always felt that she longed for my father to take that role. He never did. 

Throughout our 26 years of marriage, I have attempted to start both family and couples prayer time at home. Usually it starts out awkwardly. Eventually, we just pray less and less together, till we completely stop altogether. I don't think it's ever intentional to totally stop praying, but the daily activites of life distracts us, we get discouraged, or we just forget. I will admit, on a few occasions, when I've been upset with my husband, that I have avoided praying with him. Those are the most difficult times for me to pray. 
Lately, though, we have been more diligent in making it a habit to pray before bed each night. We take turns, every other night, so each can get a little break from leading in prayer. Surprisingly and joyfully, there seemed to be a bit of a breakthrough the other night. The prayers seemed to flow more easily and we found ourselves talking on a more intimate level, following our prayer time. I'm not saying it's always going to go so easily, but it was refreshing to finally feel more at ease, for once. It made it worth all of the effort we have put into committing to praying as much as possible on a regular basis.

  
Benefits of praying together:

- Prayer Promotes Unity

-  Prayer Promotes Emotional Intimacy 

- Prayer Invites God Into Your Relationship 

- Prayer improves relationships

source: Focus on the Family

 

Below are some articles/posts and materials that may benefit anyone who desires to improve their prayer life as a couple.

 

 Blog post by Jolene Engle, "Why I Used to Hate Praying With My Husband"

This and several other books on prayer for married couples are available. Go Here for more information.

 

Go HERE for ideas, as you start to pray with your spouse.

 

HERE is an article to read, if you have a spouse that refuses to pray with you.

Do you pray with your spouse?
Why or why not? I would love to hear back from you! 

Just leave a comment at the bottom of this post.

May you all have a blessed and enjoyable weekend!

Linking over to these blog hops:
Heart Reflected Blog Hop 
Unite (Rich Faith Rising)
TGIF (1-Minute Bible Love Notes)
Sunday Stillnes(He Cares For You)
The Weekend Brew(My Freshly Brewed Life) 

Short and Sweet: God's Creation

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Just been enjoying views of God's great creation. . .from flowers, to the animal world, to nature!!!

 

Hope you enjoy!

Source: longfield-gardens.com via Bren on Pinterest

"Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made." (John 1:3)

Source: ngm.nationalgeographic.com via Bette on Pinterest

So God created the great sea creatures and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. Genisis 1:21

"O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
above the heavens." (Psalm 8:1)

For behold, he who forms the mountains and creates the wind, and declares to man what is his thought, who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth— the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name!  Amos 4:13

Source: 1x.com via Ann on Pinterest

 "Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord. All nature praises God" (Pslams 150:6)

Source: Uploaded by user via Ann on Pinterest

Can you, like him, spread out the skies, hard as a cast metal mirror? Job 37:18

Source
 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.  Colossians 1:16

Source

Let heaven and earth praise Him, The seas and everything that moves in them.  Psalm 69:34

Source

Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name, by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power not one is missing.   Isaiah 40:26
 

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 Who builds his upper chambers in the heavens and founds his vault upon the earth; who calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out upon the surface of the earth— the Lord is his name. Amos 9:6

Source: yeul.tumblr.com via Melissa on Pinterest

The world is firmly established, it cannot be moved; He will judge the peoples with equity. Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; let the sea resound, and all that is in it; let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them. Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy; they will sing before the LORD, for he comes, he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world in righteousness and the peoples in his truth. Psalm 96:10-13

Source: kimashleyphotos.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. Luke 12:27

Source: betterphoto.com via Melissa on Pinterest

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.  Romans 11:36

Source: pixdaus.com via Melissa on Pinterest

“From whose womb has come the ice? And the frost of heaven, who has given it birth?” ~Job 38:29

Source: browse.deviantart.com via Melissa on Pinterest

God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:25

Source: Uploaded by user via Melissa on Pinterest

Source: 25.media.tumblr.com via Melissa on Pinterest

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him! Psalm 34:8

Source: weruletheinternet.com via Julia on Pinterest

I was allowed to share only a certain amount of pictures on this post. Good thing, since I could have kept going. 
 As you can see, God is such an amazing, Creator of all things!!

Have a blessed weekend!

Linking over to these blog hops:

Thrilling Thursday (The Family Blog)
Concrete Words (Six in the Sticks) 
T.G.I.F. (Bible Love Notes) 

 Thursday Favorite Things (Katherine's Corner)

live laugh {linky} Thursday (live laugh rowe)

Thumping Thursday @ Nanny to Mommy

 Aloha Friday @ What Jean Likes  

 Simple and Sweet Fridays (Rooted in Thyme) 

No Rules Weekend Blog Hop @ Sincerely, Paula

Grace at Home (Imparting Grace)

Say G'Day Saturday @ Natasha In Oz

Take Care of Yourself

As a wife and stepmother for 26 years and a full-time mom for 20+ years, I understand the strains and stress of parenting and fulfilling all the wife's duties in the home. Parenting is a full-time job, whether you work full-time, part-time, or are a stay at home mom. And, depending on the needs/responsible-ness of your husband, being in charge of home duties/finances may also fall heavy on the wife.


Sometimes in the daily grind, we are rushing around to take care of everyone else in the family, and we wives/moms forget the importance of taking care of ourselves first. 

I've heard this quoted many times:

 "You can't be anything for anybody else unless you take care of yourself."

In fact, for me anyways, I have had to re-evaluate my relationships within my family.  There were some unrealistic expectations, some unhealthy habits, and even some misconceptions of each role that we played within the family. Things had to change (and we are still working on this) for our family to be a healthy and successful one.

Interesting thought:

 "If you dont take care of yourself, the undertaker will overtake that responsibility for you."

 But change isn't easy, is it?

"Why is it hard for many of us to do things for ourselves before we do for others? Maybe we believe the "good" woman sacrifices herself for her family and, increasingly, for her work. In terms of our relationships, women often feel they're responsible for everything—which is not a complete misperception," says nationally syndicated columnnist and life coach Harriette Cole. "We are the ones who usually lead the way. But somehow we get from there to the idea that the world won't work if we don't help it along." 

 "If you always put someone else first, there's a tendency for others to depreciate you, to lose respect, because respect comes from an understanding that that person has her own wishes, dreams, and desires," says Ethel S. Person, MD, author of Feeling Strong: The Achievement of Authentic Power.

Read more: http://www.oprah.com/oprahs-lifeclass/Why-Its-Okay-to-Put-Yourself-First-Inspiration#ixzz2SGZglqxR

As Christian women, feelings of what's expected, or of being a "godly wife" can often cause us to feel guilty for putting our needs before others. Amazingly, even putting God (who should be above any relationship) before our family is sometimes looked down upon. I know this is something I am still coming to terms with.

 

"Self care is not generally supported by our culture, and some people equate self care with abandoning responsibilities or being self centered. Women often receive rave reviews for taking better care of others than they do themselves. For example, we might hear, “Isn’t Sarah remarkable; she puts everyone’s needs above her own.” Or “That, Lisa, I don’t know how she operates on just five hours of sleep a night; isn’t she extraordinary?” As a result, many women are suffering near epidemic levels of physical, emotional, and spiritual fatigue.

 

I believe that taking time for yourself allows you to be a better wife, mother, friend, and employee."

(source)

Here is a great way to start:

1. Go To Sleep. Lack of sleep causes weight gain, depression, wrinkles and a short temper. Try to sleep 8 hours a day, but never ever let yourself get less than 6. Turn off that show you Tivo’d and get some rest!
2. Get Your Blood Pumping. Everyday, weather permitting, go for a walk for 20-30 minutes. Put the kids in a stroller and load up on bikes. Find another Mommy in the neighborhood to join you for adult interaction. Just a bit of exercise will boost your health, happiness and your bottom!
3. Pray. Researchers have proven time and time again that prayer is strongly associated with lower stress levels. If you are someone who has not tried prayer, I strongly recommend giving it a try.
4. Reach Out to Your Friends. We are designed to love and support each other. Women with close friends, with whom they can safely share their emotions and thoughts, are much happier. So get talking: over coffee, on the phone, or online. It is imperative that you have a support network of loving friends.
5. Look in the Mirror. I know, it is not fun, but take a few moments to examine what you see. How long has it been since you gave yourself attention? If it has been longer than you like, it is a perfect time to get this part of life in balance. Schedule a haircut, put on sunscreen and take a peek at your spring wardrobe. For lots of wonderful ideas check out the Fussy and Friends Fight the Frump series. There are hundreds of great ideas for taking care of yourself.

What is your opinion/are your feelings about taking care of yourself, first (after keeping your relationship with God a priority)?

Also linking over to these blog hops:

  T.G.I.F. Blog Hop @ 1-Minute Bible Love Notes 
No Rules Weekend Blog Hop @ Sincerely, Paula