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About ten years ago, God sent me a present, and I have no doubt it was a gift straight from heaven. Let me explain.
Years ago when my three children were little, my husband and I were going through a really rough time. The stress of two full time jobs, small kids, finances, and relationship problems had become overwhelming and emotionally taxing.
After yet another heated argument, I found myself feeling so discouraged, that I hardly knew what to do. Strange as it may sound, I decided to go to the car wash to pass the time.
As I drove towards the car wash, I could no longer hold back the tears. I thought I had tried everything possible to improve our marriage and felt emotionally worn out from worrying about our relationship. I was tired of the arguments, and tired of feeling exhausted over worrying about my marriage.
I arrived to my destination, wiped away my tears, handed over my dirty car, and proceeded to take a seat in the empty waiting room.
I sat there, all alone, feeling low in spirit and clueless about how to fix my marriage. I wanted to be a good wife, and I wanted to feel loved by my husband. I wanted the marriage I had always longed for, and I longed to do whatever needed to be done to make things better. Yet, I had run out of energy, and hope. I was at the end of my rope. The tears began to flow once again, and I hung my head in despair. For lack of not knowing what else to do, I began to pray.
I pleaded with God, asking Him to show me a sign; to give me a definitive answer to my concerns; to give me a solution. I needed to know that God saw my pain, and that He hadn’t forgotten me.
As I sat there trying not to fall apart in this public place while being consumed with my worries, I breathed in a heavy sigh and for the first time, glanced down at the rickety, beaten up old table beside me……and laying on the table was the book called “The Power Of A Praying Wife”, by Stormie Omartian.
My heart not only skipped a beat, I think it skipped a few beats. My spirits soared and I had a lump in my throat as I immediately thought “Wow! God sent me a book!”
I burst into tears in gratitude and thankfulness, praising God for sending me the “sign” that I had asked for. I believe with all my heart that God had divinely ordained for someone to leave that exact book, in that exact car wash waiting room, on the exact day that I would choose to get my car washed for the first time in many, many months. He arranged for me to find that book, just moments after I had surrendered my marriage to Him and pleaded for intervention from Him.
One book. One holy answer. No explanation for it – except God’s attempt at giving me a message I so needed to hear.
I eagerly drove home in my unusually clean car, plopped myself onto the couch, and opened the pages of the book, only to have my breath taken away again – to my surprise, Stormie’s husband’s name was Michael – my husband’s name was Michael! Almost a bit creepy huh? But a wonderful supernatural-surprise-which-gives-you-chill-bumps kind of creepy!
God had sent me a tangible answer to a tear stained silent prayer with the gift of that book. An answered prayer that I could hold in my hand and gain wisdom and strength from. An answer that I knew only He could have ordained. An answer that I could tuck safely away, and pull out to hold each time I needed some reassurance of His love and concern for my husband and I.
God made it crystal clear, that the one vital thing my marriage had been missing, was prayer FOR my husband, not about him.
As I read through the first few pages of the book, I was acutely aware that the words on the pages could have easily been written by me. The raw feelings the author expressed were so close to my own thoughts and feelings, that I hardly knew how to process them all, and with each page, God spoke truth and healing into my wounded heart.
From that day forward, I made a commitment to pray FOR my husband, even when I didn’t feel like it, even when I didn’t want to, even if I didn’t think he deserved those prayers. To pray FOR him when things were going great between us, and to pray FOR him when things were not so great. To pray FOR his work, financial decisions, sexuality, affection, temptations, fears, purpose, choices, health, protection, trials, integrity, reputation, priorities, relationships, fatherhood, attitude, emotions, deliverance, and faith (many of the chapters reviewed in the book).
I also made a commitment to stop asking God to fix my husband’s flaws, and start asking Him to open my eyes to what I could fix about myself that would improve our relationship. Yes, that was hard, and took some humility to admit that I was not without fault too, and to be honest, it is a prayer I find myself continually praying even to this day. Humility can be hard, but sometimes the things that bring the most blessings, can be the some of the hardest things that God calls us to do. And one important thing I have learned is that there is a big difference between praying FOR someone, and praying ABOUT them.
Stormie Omartian says this on page 14 of her book: “A husband can hurt your feelings, be inconsiderate, uncaring, abusive, irritating and negligent. He can say or do things that pierce your heart like a sliver. And every time you start to pray for him, you find the sliver festering. Its obvious you cant give yourself to praying the way God wants you to until you are rid of it.”
She goes on to say that sometimes our marriages get to such a point of hurt and despair that we feel emotionally paralyzed and incapable of making good decisions – which is what ultimately leads to divorce – and that when we are in the middle of an unfulfilling relationship, divorce seems almost like a “promise of pleasant relief”.
That is a powerful statement, and one that I think will resonate with many of you, based on the numerous comments that were left last week, which spoke of utter despair, frustration, hopelessness, loneliness, and the absolute exhaustion of trying to make your marriage relationship better. I understand those feelings, because I have been there…. but there is hope.
On this particular day, in a damp, smelly car wash, that hope was dropped in my lap, through this precious book that God had arranged for me to receive.
After that day, I began to pray for my marriage like I had never done before. And just like Stormie states she had to do, I also had to confess my own hardness of heart each time, and ask God for the strength to put aside my feelings, and focus on Him. I had to learn to forgive. I had to learn to pray for my husband, and admit that not praying FOR him, was getting us nowhere. I had to lay my marriage at His feet, and let go.
Slowly, but surely, I began to see changes. I began to see God work in our relationship. And, on May 26th, Michael and I will celebrate our twenty-third wedding anniversary. We still have bumps in the road, and problems that call for deeper prayer and dependence on God at times, but I truly believe that it was my commitment to begin praying for my husband that has made all the difference in the world.
Is our life a peaceful harmonic melody all the time, full of unshakable marital bliss? Absolutely not. We are just a regular couple with regular every day problems. But no matter what we are going through, I know I can take it to the Lord. I know He will hear my prayers. I know I can trust Him to help us work through any issue, big or small, because no matter how big our problems seem, God is bigger.
You see, a wife’s prayers are powerful. It may take a few weeks, months or at times years to see the full impact of our prayers, but the prayers of a wife for her husband have power and they do not fall on deaf ears. John 15:7 says, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you.”
If you desire a loving and fulfilling marriage, and you are willing to trust God to do whatever it takes to thrive in your relationship, God can help you and your husband reach that goal. It won’t happen overnight, but it can happen.
DAY 1 CHALLENGE: PRAY
To begin this 14 day challenge, I want to challenge you to PRAY FOR YOUR HUSBAND. Pray for him in a new and passionate way – today and every day. Hopefully, regardless of how hard or awkward it may feel at first, you will begin a new habit which you can continue to do every day for years to come. If you have already been praying about your marriage daily, be sure you are praying FOR your husband, instead of ABOUT him.
If your marriage is going great right now, then pray for your husband. If your marriage is on the rocks, then pray for your husband. If your marriage is all but over, then pray for your husband. If you are getting married soon, then pray for your husband-to-be. Even if the problems you are experiencing in your marriage, if any, are not your fault at all, praying is still the first step towards positive growth. And while you are praying, BELIEVE that God hears your prayers, and that He is always at work in the lives of those who love Him, even our eyes are temporarily blinded to what He is up to.
I feel confident that you will begin to see God blessing you, as you spend time in His presence every day, and eventually, you will see Him blessing your marriage as well.
Stormie ends the first chapter of her book by sharing a profound statement, that says “It’s your responsibility to pray. It’s God’s job to answer. Leave it (your marriage) in His hands.”
When we surrender our marriage to God, only then can He truly take control.
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Today I am giving away a copy of The Power Of A Praying Wife Deluxe Edition!
To enter to win, leave a comment stating one area of your husband’s life that you will begin praying about for him. Simply put, how can you pray FOR your husband in a new and fresh way?
Random drawing winner will be announced here on my blog on Thursday, March 14th.
I have prayed for my husband’s faith in the past and have seen the Lord move in his life, however I need to make a conscious effort to pray for his entire life – all aspects. Thank you for pointing that out.
I am praying for my Husbands walk with God, That he will let God in to heal and restore our marriage as only God can…Thankful for LOVING God. I know he can heal us, stronger than we were before.
Thank you Tracie! For Lent I have been reading “Love Dare” so this is an amazing compliment to that!
I am praying for my husband to have more patience and not be so angry. As well as God to help me change the way I react to his anger and lack of patience – so he will see Christ through me!
Thank you again Tracie! What a blessing!!
Kerri
Praying for my husband as he battles cancer and continues to heal from the treatments and at the same time is attending seminary. The past few years have been very difficult for us, but we have faced each obstacle with the help of God.
I am praying for my husband during his transition on work. I know God has put him on a new path and I just ask for strength and patience. Thank you.
I’m going to pray for my husband as he searches for his “sweet spot” – career-wise.
Thank you for this reminder Tracie! Last year I was ready to give up on my marriage but God made it clear to me that was not His plan. We are working on our marriage and it is getting better but I have prayed a whole lot more about my husband than I have For him. I will definitely be changing how I pray. Thank you!
Melissa. Thanks for your post. Can you help me or can anyone help me with how I can pray for him and not about him. I am having difficulty separating the two.
I praying for peace with his job situation.
I am praying for my husband to find peace in his work and in his career.
I will be praying for my husband as he starts a new venture. He has a brilliant mind and I pray that God helps him realize how strong and valuable he is to our children and to me. This challenge has come at the perfect time. It is without a doubt God sent!!
Praying for my husband to find relief from the chronic head pain he suffers from as a result of an accident 5 years ago, so that he may be the husband, father, and employee that he desires to be. Praying also that he will be less anxious and quick tempered and that God will help me to react to these emotions in such a way as to be a buffer instead of adding fuel to the fire. I love my husband with all of my heart and thank God for being the cord that binds us together.
I’m praying for my husband to accept the forgiveness he has asked for and received from God and myself after he confessed to having a year long affair three years ago. It’s been 3.5 months since it all came out.
Thank you for this. I have read similar words so many times, yet I don’t follow this encouragement to pray FOR my husband. I once read (perhaps here in Proverbs 31 ministries) to pray for his body parts. Eyes to see the beauty of his family and the creations God has bestowed upon him, ears to hear the words that people say to him not what he thinks they are saying, hands to touch lovingly etc… I will certainly make this part of my challenge.
The first day of the challenge was yesterday, and it was only in God’s timing as it was also my husband’s birthday. I know He will use me in this challenge to bless and encourage my relationship with my husband. I am thrilled to see what God has in store. I prayed for my husband today, for his reputation, his work, his financial decisions. That he will be a leader in his position at work and show God’s favor and blessings to others around him. To be the example of God’s love poured out to his co-workers and people he comes into contact with today. But to also see that he is loved by God, and God will protect, look out, and bless him and our marriage and family. I prayed he would see God’s miracles and blessings in his life.
I’m praying for my husband that God will perfect all that concerns him in Jesus name. Amen
I am going to pray for my husband to find fulfillment in his job. He works so hard and goes above and beyond. He deserves to feel like his hard work is appreciated.
I will pray for his eyes to be open to all of the blessings we have, rather than focusing on the negative things. I will also pray for his walk with the Lord…or lack thereof.
What you have written resonates with me. I was married 20 years and thought I was a rich woman in love with the same man who made me feel like a queen. Well my husband dropped a bomb that just about destroyed me. He said he hated his life, his job , his marriage and wanted out! He turned 40 that year and went through a midlife crisis that left us in crisis for 5 years. He didn’t leave but he changed into an emotionally labile 16 year old, imagine a 40 year man behaving like his 16 year old son. I was stuck in a bad dream. But God is good and he was my refuge . I did many things wrong and said way to much in the flesh that only made it worse, slowly The Lord through His Word and the use of godly teachers and wonderful sisters in Christ who prayed for me, held me up and even gave me a refuge because I did leave for a few days.
I say this because I live in garden of the fruits of prayer answered. My husband first of all is born again now and every day I see the new man in Christ flourishing and we are one again as ever we were and it will be 26 years now.
I read Stormie’s book way back then and marked all the pages especially the one pertaining me. It was good then and it will be good now. If you don’t win get yourself a copy and read it.
We are a product of the prayer of prayer , pleas don’t lose heart give it to God and leave it there and don’t pick it back up again. Be patient, let that fruit of self control grow and take root in your spirit you will not regret it. I can promise you that.
Even if he leaves it’s on him and you are in God. You got to face that possibility and when you can I believe that fear will no longer be able to control you and make you behave in manner that does not please you and God and He will replace that fear with peace and a sound mind through Christ Jesus.
I know this . I was a woman in chaos and today that chaotic woman is gone. Praise GOD!
Thank you so much for sharing….you have no idea how much this helps me. Blessings to you and your husband!
Thank you for sharing your story Sherry! I know it will give hope and inspiration to many women! God is good!
I need to pray for m husband at work- all the stress is wearing him down.
I pray that my husband will take the name of Jesus with him at his employment and not allow those around him to influence him negatively back into his old ways. Let him be a lighthouse for the Lord!!
Not married Yet but I’m praying for him already God promised me a Godly man so I’m waiting on Him cause what He says He does Hallelujah so I would love to book so I can get prepared for my husband
This is such a timely post for me. I just decided (on my own!) that I need to pray every single day for my husband. I am beginning by praying for his success at work, and that he would not be discouraged. He is the sole provider for our family of six. And he is burdened and worried. Next I will pray that he learns to take his troubles to the Lord instead of carrying them on his own shoulders all of the time. I would love to read Stormie’s book. I’m sure it would be helpful for me.
I’m praying for my husband’s faith to grow. I’m praying God will help him become the spiritual leader of our household.
I will pray for strength for my husband in his work and for his spirit to be lifted.
I’m praying for confidence for my husband.
I’m praying for a reconnection with God for my husband.I’m praying that he will go to a men’s retreat coming up.Thank u soo much for your encouraging words!!:)
I really want this book! I love the list above that you say are the different chapters in the book. I really want to pray for all those areas! Prior to reading this post God had already been talking to me about praying FOR my husband… but felt up until reading your post how was I suppose to do that. I had been praying but a bit all over the place and I am the kind of person that like to be organized… So I think I will start by praying for his purpose and then go right no through the list! I would love to win the book but think I might not even wait to see if I win and just go find the book for myself today!
I pray for Christ to fill my husband’s heart and he begin to be the spiritual leader in our household. I pray our children see his committment and trust in the Lord so they will grow to know Christ as well.
I am going to pray for my husband to find satisfaction in his job.
I want to get these via email..
anything to make marriage better and make me a better helper. thanks for the resources..
cant wait for aprils study!! looking forward to that book for awhile.
I want to pray for my husbands confidence in himself as a father and as a husband and pray that he knows that he is apprecited in many ways
Praying for my husband’s health — wholeness
I pray for my husband daily, but as I was reading today’s challenge, God quickened my heart to start praying over my husband for “his fear if failure.” Of all the things I have prayed over him these past twenty-six years of marriage, this has not been one if them. So many things come to mind when I consider issues he must deal with on a daily basis. Fear of failing at being a good husband, good father, good son, good employee, good provider and protector to name a few. It’s breath taking to know that a God could open my eyes, mind and heart with a simple reminder of prayer.
I am praying for my husband, for his health; physically and spiritually. I pray that he will continue to be the spiritual head of our household. I pray that through him, others will see Christ. I pray for his protection from the evil one and that God’s band of angels will surround him and protect him. I pray for his boldness as he shows others the way to Christ. I pray for him as he leads our family.
Praying for God to fill my husband with the strength to do all that he has been called to-husband, father and other roles in a way that puts God on display! By putting God first and the other things are done well because of an overflowing of God’s grace in his life!
Just found your website and reading your blog, it certainly hits home with me. I would love to read this book.
I will pray that my husband can be the Godly Father to my children that God wants him to be.
I grew up with parents that criticized one another and find myself doing the same, often. I pray for my husband but also find myself praying about my husband. Today, I want to make a commitment to God that I will pray for my husband daily and quit trying to fix what is wrong. I will work to forgive and pray that God will change my heart. I also pray for my husband to rebuild his relationship with God and I pray that God’s plan for us will shine through.
I pray for my husband to be the spiritual leader of our family. He is a loving husband and father. I would love to see him instill faith and the Bible with our children.
I will be praying for my husbands anger- especially when he is driving.
Praying.
So glad I stumbled across this blog today. We have been married almost 11 years and reading about your trials really hit home. We have a child with medical issues so financial burdens are almost always the root of our burdens. Through it all The Lord has ALWAYS provided. I would love to begin praying for peace for my spouse who always feels the work he does is not good enough to provide for us.
Hi. Just wanted to say that I’m happy you chose this subject for a challenge. A similar thing happend to me a few month before I got married, the book was Fireproof. while going through the Love Dare and preparations for the wedding God made me gently realize that love is something you give to the other person, wether he desirves it or not, and that a marriage is about what you can do for your husband, not expecting something in return.
I pray that my husband will develop a real hunger for the Lord, to be in His Word, and to be in prayer. He has accepted the Lord as Savior but over the years he’s sort of lost that First Love. He reads a devotional usually of a morning before work, but that’s it for Bible reading. I want my “on fire” for the Lord husband back.
I already have the book, for years it has lain unused, but I recently got it out again and decided to pray one prayer each day (there are 30 chapters with a prayer at the end). I really need to pray for all areas for my husband. He has turned from the Lord and so needs him! I pray for work for him so that he can provide for our family of six, his emotions, doubts and insecurity.
I am praying for my husband’s wife. I need to have a clear and open heart to better understand my husband and how to pray for him, and my husband needs a Godly wife to be his helpmate.
We’ve been married for almost 10 years now and we have four children. Our road has not always been easy and we have had a lot of ups and downs. Reading this blog and taking this challenge feels like a blessing from God. So many times when my husband frustrates me, I feel like are you kidding me, and instead handling in Godly way my frustration and anger show. After reading this, I feel like I will be able to pray for him each time instead of letting in dwell within me. I will pray for him continually and I am so thankful for your blog and this challenge. I look forward to the next post.
Today, I pray for my husband that he recognizes all the blessings that surround him every day. I pray that my husband will see my children the way that I do and that he can find a way to love them and tell them. I pray that he will feel comfortable showing his affection and love for them. I pary for him not to be so critical of them. I pray that he will not give up so easily. I pray that he will not get mad at every little thing I do. I pray for him to communicate with me without yelling. I pray that he will love me again.
Jeni – thank you so much for your vulnerability and honesty. So many wives deal with those same desires but dont often speak them aloud. Many men struggle with showing love and managing tempers, but when his lack of affection and anger affects the children we love so dearly, it hits especially hard, and that is definitely a great area to pray FOR our husbands about in every family. Thank you for being real sweet friend.
Thank you for your kind words and support! I cannot thank you enough for this challenge, your ministry, and the perfect timing. This is a second marriage for both of us. I bring 2 beautiful children to our realtionship. My husband doesn’t have children.We have so many blessings. I am in no ways saying that I don’t have areas to work on as well. I am parying for my humility too! I gave my marriage to God this morning. I thought I had before, but now I know I have. I look forward to the rest of this challenge!
Jeni My husband often scares me with his raising of his voice. I am especially sensitive to that because of a previous marriage where the yelling led to physical abuse. I have gotten to where I only have the courage to bring up issues with him until after I have had a couple of drinks. He then uses you are just drunk to scare me off again. It works for him. I am not a drunk. I will now pray that God gives me the courage and that he helps my husband understand that I am not attacking him. Just trying to talk about my feelings without fear. He is 17 years older and this has its own problems. We have been married 16 years. I am 54 and he is 71. I have become his caretaker in many ways. Oh goodness, I didn’t mean to carry on so. Blessings to all.
I am praying for my husband to have a more loving and respectful wife to be supportive of him.
My husband and I married on 22 March 2008. However we went through such challenges that our marriage did not survive even for one year. We separted in the first year of our marriage and were divorced on 31 May 2010. We don’t what it feels like to celebrate our first anniversary or first Christmas together as a family. Furthermore my husband lost his first wife through death. Our divorce was a second blow to his confidence, trust, self-esteem and hope in ever experiencing a happy and fulfilled marruage and family. I’m going to pray for my husband’s hope, trust and confidence to be rekindled in God and for him to believe God can make restore and make all things new. With God , ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE.
Praying for you Ellen- what courage and faith to pray for your marriage to be restored. I pray for God’s abundant peace to fill your heart and for Him to give you hope that its never too late for reconciliation.
Pray for instead of about – powerful in its simplicity! Praying for my husband to all in Faith today and to feel joy in all around him.
I am praying for my husband that I will have more understanding of his problems and stresses.
I am praying for my husband to be that he will be all God created him to be. That he will be the head and not the tail. That he is blessed when he comes in and blessed when he goes out. That everything his hand touches shall prosper.
I’ve never really known how to pray for my husband, so I will be going through the list you mentioned (“To pray FOR his work, financial decisions, sexuality, affection, temptations, fears, purpose, choices, health, protection, trials, integrity, reputation, priorities, relationships, fatherhood, attitude, emotions, deliverance, and faith”). Thank you already!
I am praying for my husband to live up to his full potential in Christ.
There are often times that I do not even know specifically how to pray, and a lot of my prayers simply consist of asking God to meet my husband where he is, that my husband will feel His presence, hear His voice, listen, obey, and feel totally surrounded by God’s love, as well as our love for him. I also pray that in these moments, the Holy Spirit will stir things up inside of him, healing, restoring, and reviving where needed. We may not always know what area our husband needs the most prayer in, but God does. I think that focused prayer is good, because all areas are important, but I have found that many times, I just feel the need to pray in that very moment, and I know that God hears me, and will meet the need of the moment as I lift my husband up to Him.
I like that thought. God knows what my husband needs more than I for certain. Thanks for the reminder. Wish I knew the scripture about God knowing our needs
I’m praying for God to release clear vision, passion and direction into my husband. To clear the slate of what everyone else says and really seek God’s vision for our marriage and ministry.
I am at the point in my marriage where I am plotting my divorce! I have all of my friends support and they are Christians. I even have the support of my former pastor and his wife. But I know that my four children would suffer greatly (ages 15, 13, 11 and 9). So, I am plotting to leave when they are older. Stay until my second one graduates from high school. 5 more years. This is torture. Everything about it is torture. I joined a group of ladies over ten years ago. First we were friends and then we started studying the bible together. I had already been a praying, God loving wife for several years before that. I love the Lord. I know this is not His will for me, my husband, or our children. But all the years I prayed for him, all the years I prayed for me to be the Godly wife he deserved, I continued to be emotionally hurt, mentally controlled and manipulated, and disrespected. The harder I tried for him, the worse it was. One of my friends in the group gave me Power of a Praying Wife. I did not read it at the time because my kids were little, I home schooled, and I prayed constantly. I gave it back to her with a sigh and said “maybe later.” Later is here. Your post hit home. Maybe if I had read this 10 years ago, I would not be feeling this way. I choose a few days ago to make a commitment to this 14 day marriage challenge. My feelings are so torn up that I am not even sure what I want to come out of all this. My sinful pride says, “do this so that you know you have done everything in your power to save your marriage.” My humble self says, “clear my heart and my head, Lord, fill it with your truth. Let this challenge and book teach me, through You, where I need to change and grow.” My first heartfelt prayer for my husband will be for god to remove his fear. He fears everything, including losing me (which is why he is the way he is toward me), loss of his job (he is VP with a company he has been with for 23 years), financial destitution (he makes good money, maxes out retirement, and saves for kids college) and not being good enough (which I feel he is disrespectful to me to make himself feel better). I am in counseling with a Christian counselor.
I will read this book to encourage me to pray more diligently for my husband and to strengthen my faith that God will answer those prayers. I know God answers prayers. This challenge is an answer.
Angie – thank you for sharing your story and for your transparency. My heart goes out to you for all you have weighing on your shoulders. I can only imagine how difficult and endless it must feel to be counting down the years until you can make a change. Im sure as Stormie quoted, it seems a ‘promise of pleasant relief’. There does come a time when we have to do what is best for us while knowing that we have prayed and sought God’s will about the right direction. But I do pray that maybe this challenge will give you the willpower and the desire to take some tiny baby steps towards change, and that God will soften your heart towards your husband and open your husbands heart to see that he really wants a loving and fulfilling marriage as much as you do. It may take great strength and humility to do some of the things I suggest, but as you pray about each step, I feel confident that God will give you exactly what you need for that day. If your goal is truly restoration and you havent completely given up, maybe God can use these next few weeks to at least make some progress and light a little glimmer of hope in your soul. Walking this journey together with you in prayer.
Today I am not praying ABOUT my husband, but FOR him. I am praying for all areas in his life. I pray that he will follow hard after The Lord and that he will share God’s love with everyone he comes in contact with.
I pray that Micheal will open his heart fully to the Lord, not just the little bit from childhood experiences but to the full glory of GOD in his life. I pray for our ability to communicate with each other – to have open hearts. Michael is truly a good man.
one area of your husband’s life that you will begin praying about for him…. I will begin to pray for my husband’s clarity of mind and understanding of himself and his decisions as a man, a child of God and a husband.
I will pray for him to be the husband and father God intended him to be!
Like someone else mentioned above, I am praying today for my husbands wife. That I might find the words from here on out to pray for him & not about him. I pray that my husbands wife lean on God during this time.
I’ll add this as well 😉
I will be praying for my husband that while he is incarcerated that he will do what is right between him and The Lord but I will also be praying for me to be the wife he needs to him our two kids and us as a couple. And I also ask all you ladies to pray for me to be the godly woman god saved me to be.
Lynnai – your strength and faith is a shining light. What a praise to your faithfulness that despite your husbands current situation that you are still longing for him to be right with the Lord, and to be the godly wife you want to be. I have heard so many countless stories of men leaving incarceration completely changed and on fire for God, and I stand in prayer with you, asking God to intervene in your husbands life in miraculous ways through divine interventions and heart conviction so that when he is released, he is ready to take on the role of husband, father and spiritual leader of your home.
I will be praying for a my husband to have more confidence in his life. He loves God, but sometimes just get down about things that bother him (work, finances, goals not being reached, prayers not answered and so on)…I’m going to be praying that he will have that holy confidence that God has him where he is today for a reason…that he will know that if he does his part, that he can confidently give the rest to God.
That God will give him strength and willpower to eat healthy and exercise consistently
I will pray for my husband’s roles (leader, husband, father, son, etc)
Today I’m going to start praying FOR my husband, not about what I want God to do to him. I’m going to ask God to help change me instead of changing him.
I am praying for my husband to fully bestow forgiveness on several people (as God has forgiven him).. to let go and let God. I also pray that God will heal the hurt of missing out on that tangible dream that’s been dashed away from him.
Tracie, thank you for spearheading this 14-day marriage challenge. I really hope and pray that it will help a lot of wives (me included), husbands and marriages in the long run.
I’m going to pray for my husband to continue to grow and change like he has been doing. This past holiday season, it became apparent to us that he often put his friends over his family. I finally had to tearfully look at him and say, “I’d rather be your friend than your wife if it means you’ll spend more time with me. You spend more time with your friends that don’t live here than you do with your family.” He somehow understood it and started reflecting on his behavior and realized what I said was true. He’s starting to figure out how he overlooked the family’s needs and put his friends’ needs first and how septic that was for our household. He’s finally seeing how his friends were taking advantage of this, and he’s starting to refuse their requests when they ask for his help.
Maria – what a testament of faith that God allowed you to speak words of wisdom that your husband needed to hear in a way that would penetrate his heart. Praying that he will continue to make his family a priority and recognize how important his gift of time means to those who love him most. I pray he continues to make positive steps towards getting his priorities in line with his family, and with God.
I am praying for better stress management and restful sleep for my husband. He’s very stressed at work and not sleeping well (this is his normal).
I am committing to pray for my husband in his walk with God. I am confident the best thing to pray is for he and God to be where they need to be knowing that will take care of everything else.
I am praying for my husband’s time, and for him to hear how God intends for him to juggle all of the things demanding of his time.
What a blessing and exactly what I needed to read today! I love your list and will be praying for my husband in those areas his…”work, financial decisions, sexuality, affection, temptations, fears, purpose, choices, health, protection, trials, integrity, reputation, priorities, relationships, fatherhood, attitude, emotions, deliverance, and faith.”
I am committing to praying for my husband to be the man The Lord has called him to be, to be the Godly leader of the household, for The Lord to remove any temptations from his heart that may arise. There are many more areas I plan on praying for but these are only a few.
I am committing to pray for my husband to renew his relationship with the Lord, for spiritual growth, to be “courageous”, to be a spiritual leader of our home.
I am praying for my husbands work situation, that God helps him learn to deal with people that he finds difficult. That God gives him peace.
While my husband and I are both christians and we think we have a great marriage, I know that is where it is most easy for satan to attack us and us not even be aware. After hearing of a friend’s marital trouble out of nowhere, it got me to thinking that could be me one day. I have really started talking to God more about our marriage and looking for blogs and challenges like yours to encourage me to improve our marriage. Therefore, I will be praying for my husband to seek out God’s will for his life. I will make a better effort to focus on praying FOR him and not about him. I find we often think we are praying FOR and not about until we bring ourselves to God and ask him to convict us if we are doing it wrong. Thank you so much for this challenge!
I will pray for my husbands heart to be changed by God. I’m not absolutely sure of his salvation.
I will pray for my husband to have a closer walk with God. I will also pray for him to have less stress about work and money.
I will be praying for my husband’s clarity & fulfillment.
I will be praying for my husband’s mentality & devotion.
Praying for him not about him…for him to allow his feelings to show more
This message, was definitely for Me. My husband and I are newly weds (5 months) and just this morning we had a huge argument and I was angry and bothered by him, this message taught me that sometimes as a wife and as a child of God I’m going to have humble myself and yield to God and for me that can hurt, but if I pray and trust God He has my back. I learned I need to pray for my husband and not about him to God. Going forward I’m going to pray for strength for my husband so often I hhave criticized him, not realizing I have broken him verbally. So I’m going to ask God for forgiveness and pray the power of the Lord will be my husband’s strength.
I am going to pray for my husband’s relationship with the Lord.
I will be praying for God to change my husband’s heart, that he will come to know Him in all of His fullness, and that my husband would be completely sold out to Jesus!
Honestly? Where we are at, I have no idea how to pray FOR him other than that God would remove the stony heart and fill him with overflowing love and commitment to us and our marriage. To remove the severe anger.
Vikki- thanks for sharing. There are probably many women out there who feel just like you. Discouraged. Hopeless. Not knowing even the words to pray, or how to pray FOR a husband.
Romans 8:26 came to mind when I read your comment which says, “And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words.”
Consider asking the Holy Spirit to intercede for you because he knows what prayers your husbands needs, and even the longings of your own heart which you find hard to express. Prayers for you friend.
Thank you for your encouragement, Tracie. That is the 3rd confirmation of what the Lord has been speaking about to me…Praying in the Spirit. Hugs.
Wow. I was just wishing I knew where that scripture was in an earlier post. God is mighty. Thank you.
God is re-opening doors for my husband in a business journey. This is an area I have been terrified to allow God to take control of. It’s obvious it’s God’s doing because my heart is finally excited for the change. My husband will be studying, fighting a language barrier and taking a journey out on his own, with God, to own his own business and be a licensed contractor.
On another note, we live California and the economy and construction has been slow. So we will truly be dependent upon God for his hand to be upon this journey. We have four children plus my mom that we support. It is scary NUT with God orchestrating it, all things are possible!
Praying FOR my husband..that he will find his way back to fully relying on God & take His instructions to lead our household.
I’m sooooo glad you included husband-to-be. I’m getting married in April after being divorced and single for 11 years and I am scared to death. I want so badly to be a good wife to a good husband without “issues” but I know life just doesn’t allow that to happen. So I’m taking this challenge to get all the help I can get to make my marriage all God plans for it to be.
Thanks!!!
I am going to pray for my husbands role in our family and for his understanding of mine.
I will begain to pray for my husbands job, he has alot of responsibilities, and i know he needs Gods grace and wisdom and discernment in this area for sure
His Job!
Praying for my husband’s work and finances. I know he feels tremendously burdened as the main provider with college for two on the horizon and retirement (hopefully) not that many years later. I pray especially that he turn anxiety over to the Lord and be encouraged and grow in true Biblical faith without being misled by any New Age self-help, get-ahead junk psychology.
I will pray for my husband as a parent, that his response to our children will be as gentle and patient as it is to me.
I have been married for almost 25 years and my husband and I have been battling a storm of his affair for the past 2 1/2 years. He left me this past November and has now come to realize that he has made a terible mistake. I have forgiven him because I needed peace in my broken heart. I am going to pray that God will allow my husband to understand that God’s forgiveness is given by the death of His only son on the cross. Once my husband feels this foregiveness, I believe his guilt and shame will diminiss enough to allow him to come home and start the repairing/renewing of our marriage. God has been working within my husband’s heart. I would like this book to read so that I can focus on further personal healing and praying for stronger faith, courage, and detrmination for my husband. I need this book to pray for that I don’t give up during this storm.
Marcia – Im so sorry for what you have gone through, but praise the Lord that at least your husband has seen the error of his ways, and that he is convicted with guilt is a good sign. It seems God is working on HIm, and I encourage you not to give up. What a testament to your faith that you have found the strength to forgive, for that is the hardest gift of all to give above all else. I pray that God will intercede in mighty ways to restore your husbands heart and your ability to trust him and love him again, and that with Gods help, you can restore your family.
Marcia: Praying for the total restoration of your marriage. This is the hope and prayer I have for mine also.
God bless
Kim
As you know my husband is planning on leaving me after 18 years of marriage. I first am praying for him to find the Lord. I pray that the Lord will use this desert time in his life for the purpose of his salvation. I do desperately want my marriage restored but the Lord needs to have His will with my husband as salvation is more important right now to God. The Lord will sustain me during my desert time but He is filling me with Living Water to quench my thirst .
Kim – virtual hugs to you. I know your heart is filled with hurt and fear. I pray that God orchestrates an about face divine intervention in your husbands heart. That He does something so profound in your husbands heart and life that it will take your husbands breath away, and that he will become desperate for God and see that marriage is a covenant to be treasured and worked on. Continue to lean on God for strength and direction and most of all for peace. I pray God fills your cup overflowing with people who love and support you and will escort you this difficult time until you begin to see glimpses of Gods hope.
I am so blessed by the family of God!
Thank you
The second to the last paragraph hit me. MY job to pray, HIS job to answer, leave it in HIS hands. Just last night I was praying/asking for God to please help our marriage. Thanks.
I am praying for my husband in his job. He is a CPA and he is very stressed with the tax season. I haven’t been supportive of him much of the time because I want him home more with me and our 2 year old daughter. I add to his stress with my constant jobs and complaining comments about his late work nights. Thankfully the tax season will end and he does not work these hours year round.
I am going to start praying for my husband and for God to change me.
I can start praying in a new and fresh way for my husband by thanking God for the man he is. By asking God to open my eyes and heart to see the good in him. I am also praying for his relationship with God. That his eyes and heart will be open to Gods will for a marriage.
I’m praying for my husband in his job – he runs an landscape supply branch and with spring quickly approching this is his busy time working Monday – Saturday. Thanks for this Marriage Challenge – its a great reminder for me to be patient as well this time of year and continue to pray for my hubby. With him working so much and late nights i sometimes get frustrated because hes not here as much. I’m going to try and stop and pray for him instead – he works so hard for our family!
My husbands’s name is Michael as well! The Lord is so amazing ! We have been married for just over a year with many challenges of a blended famiy of 5 children. The power of prayer is what brought Michael and I together and what holds us together. However as we are still so spirtually immature when the opposition attacks
My prayer for Michael is for the Lord to continue to tug at his heart when temptation and stress come knocking at his door. For him to listen to the Holy Spirit and let it guide him as he is leader in our home and I will continue to trust and believe in him.
Wow! I am starting today to pray FOR my husband rather than ABOUT him. Thank you, God, for this timely message. Exactly what my heart has been desperately searching for. Can’t wait for these next 13 days!
Tracie, the same thing happened to me when I won a copy of your book Stressed Less Living. Your book came in the mail the day after I found out some terrible news about my son. I thanked God for sending me your book right at the perfect moment that I needed it!! I always meant to send you a thank you too but life has been pretty crazy! I am trusting God in the chaos of this world!! So I totally understand how God showed you through a book!! And how crazy that he showed me through YOUR book!! Thank you!!! Oh and also!! We will be married 23 years on May 16!! 🙂
Anyways I will continue to pray for my husband’s health and continued success in his business! Thank you for this post!! And I would LOVE to win this book also!! 🙂
Colette – thx for sharing your God story! Im so blessed to have been a little piece of Gods way of touching your heart. Thanks for your encouragement!
I have her original book! My husband needs my prayer for the Holy Spirit to fill him up!
I too am praying for my husband and our family business. It is physically demanding and we have part time help that is somewhat unreliable. The business is not “fun” anymore. He did a partial liquidation and let full time employees go 6 years ago. I pray for his safety, his health, his management decisions. I pray that God will direct him and he will be open God’s leading even if it means closing the business. We will be married for 30 years this September.
I am praying for healing for my husband–both physical and psychological. He has had a lot of medical issues in the past year, and he is still feeling the after-effects. I pray that he not become frustrated with recovery, but that he will keep his hope alive that he will either be healed or that there is a special purpose for this pain. I also pray for his healing from PTSD and that God leads him through the recovery and shows him areas that he needs to hand over. I pray that God allows his presence to be felt in tangible ways to my husband.
I will begin praying for every part of my husband’s life but especially his work.
My husband works in Houston and we live in Mabank so he comes home on the weekends. There is a chance he could transfer somewhere further so my prayer for him is that God will make it clear to him and me whether he should take the job in Odessa or find a job back home.
I am praying for healing for my husband. He has medical condition that will affect him and myself for the rest of our lives. It will affect our chances of having children and their health, if we are even able to conceive. His condition is under control and thank God because that is the one thing my husband is quite diligent about, however the healing I am praying for is for his heart. This condition happened when he felt he was in “the prime” of this life. It changed everything for him. And after 5 years together, I have realized that it has hurt him profoundly. I am a believer and he is not. I’ve come to see that he is very angry at God. He doesn’t understand why this happened to him which has led him to question the very existence of God. He’s mad at God because his father left and his mother had to do the job of both which caused major neglect in his life. He’s mad at God for allowing this disease to happen to him. He’s mad at God for “not being there”. So I am praying for healing….healing of his heart and mind.
Thank you for this Challenge, it couldn’t of come at a better time for my marriage. I have all but given up on it and totally believe if my husband and I were not both Christians, we would be getting a Divorce. This is given me the strength and Faith to continue and truely give it all to Our God, and totally change the way I pray for my Husband.
Praying for my husband’s heart. HIs two kids come and go in our life every week and it’s always a constant dance. He is such a good man– so patient and kind and I am praying for joy and blessings to keep filling him up even when it is hard.
Great challenge. Thank you!
I am praying for my husband in his leadership roles at work, as well as, at home- that God would send him mentors and friends who can encourage him towards spiritual growth and Biblically sound decision-making.
Thank you all for your prayers. I just recently found this website and it has certainly provided much needed strength and comfort during this storm within my marriage, I will pray that we can all continue to support each other!
Wow! What a great start to the 14 day challenge! And how simple really. I’ve been praying a lot for us and about my husband, I pray for others frequently, but somehow I just never pray FOR him. Duh! I know he worries about things, and I know he prays about those things, but I’m starting, now, to pray FOR him too!
I’m especially praying for his work and income because that is what he worries the most about. Also, I’m praying that he feels God’s peace and that frees him from worry. Thanks Tracie, this is awesome!
I have been married for 21 years and we have experienced the hardest year yet this past 13 months – financially, spiritually, and emotionally. Life has really taken it’s toll on us. But I am going to begin to pray for my husband, not about him, which I have been so guilty of doing. I am going to begin to pray for his purpose, that he wouldn’t feel so lost in this world.
Lately my husband has been struggling with feeling unfulfulled in his job. He feels like he cannot grow any more than he currently has. This has been a big struggle for the both of us because he feels the only way things will be better for him is if he goes 3,000+ miles away to a program that is 5 months long. With one toddler and another baby on the way I am so scared of this decision. I will be praying for my husband that he truely seeks what God wants for him and his career and that he listens to what God speaks to his heart. God has a plan for my husband and I will pray that my husband will be revealed in a huge way what that plan is, and that even if it’s not what my husband wants to do, that he will trust in the decisions that God has laid on his heart.
I often forget that my husband needs my prayers as much as he needs anything else from me. And I am glad to be reminded that I need to pray FOR my husband and not about him. This is certainly one area of my life were I need to be more focused – prayer. I am trying a new thing where I write out my prayers and devotions on my laptop. I type faster than I write so I am hoping this will help me be more consistent with my prayer life.
I am praying for my husband to be blessed in his job. His current job is not very satisfying and he often speaks of being really bored and not at all challenged. I know he would love to feel fulfilled in his work. I have many more things on my list to pray for my husband, but this is a great starting point.
I will start praying for my husband to have more self-confidence and to have victory over his addictions. I believe he chooses escape from reality in movies and alcohol because he is not happy with himself nor comfortable with his place in the real world.
I need to pray more for my husband and his work. He is in the military and leaving for a year in the coming months. I’ve been selfish and took this long to realize he isn’t happy to leave our family, he just doesn’t show me how much it is affecting him emotionally. I also need to pray more for God to work in him while he is gone and possible find an influential, family oriented, Christian man to be friends with 😉 This challenge has come at a perfect time for us, to stay connected and not be distant from each other to protect ourselves with him leaving. Thank you!
Melissa – that is a lot to carry, for you and your husband. Praying for you both and for God to show Himself bigtime in your husbands life. There is an accompanying book called The Power of a Praying Husband, if he would be open to reading it, it could help him possibly get reconnected with God and his faith. Just a thought.
Today I renew my commitment to pray for my husband. He gets up at 4:45 a.m. Mon – Thur to go and earn a living for our family, and when I am awakened instead of being annoyed, I pray blessings to rain down upon him. I pray for the things he tells me about at night, the difficult person or the blueprints that won’t get approved, and I pray for the things I know are important to him, such as respect and being recognized for his hard work and skill. I know his day is better when I pray for him, and I can SEE and FEEL the difference in our family life as well. Thanks so much for the reminder!!
Funny….back in May/June of last year, this very thing is what the Lord brought to my attention (not the book but praying for my husband). That was when I started praying for a softening of my husband’s heart towards the Lord and His truth – not the truth of the world. And I started praying protection from temptations, contentment in his job and family. It’s worked wonders. 🙂 And in this, has been teaching me to lay it at His feet – and then leave it! (always been a struggle for me…lol)
Ready to pray for my husband, that The Lord would draw him ever closer to Himself and that he would grow in Christlikeness.
What an awesome way to start this 14 day challenge! I love my husband so much, but lately haven’t been showing it or expressing to him. With our hectic lives, I guess I just expect him to know… That being said, I am the first one to remind him how he makes me feel when he isn’t building me up! Like others, I have been praying for our marrage and about him, but not for him! What a great thought…I feel so silly!! Starting today, I want to commit to praying FOR my husband. Each day, I hope to pray for something specific, just as I do for myself! Today, I will pray for my husband to be forgiving of my faults. Thanks for introducing me to this book! I can’t wait for the next 13 days!!
Pam–your reply is EXACTLY the wording I was trying to compile! So often I think he “knows” how I feel when life is busy & 24-hours aren’t enough! I was confused with the prayer challenge of “about vs. for”. Thanks for posting!
I will commit to pray for my husband in the area of his job. He is a police officer in a big city. He sees the tragic and ugly side of people everyday and I am not very sensitive that it could bother him because he puts on such a strong front to me.
Lord, please protect him from personal harm and may he see glimpses of You in his day as he protects our city.
I will pray for my gift in the way of him as a Daddy and Husband and for him in our small famt business for guides and that he will follow Gods will because it is his business not ours.I pray for my husbands eyes and he will be GOds example to our little girl.
I am renewing my commitment to pray for my husband and encourage him daily. I will pray for a renew commitment to God for him and for peace. I will pray that he sees his value. That he no longer feels less than adequite. I will pray for the things that he desires, but that even if those things don’t come to pass, I will pray that his disappointment will be used to better his life. I will pray he becomes the man of God I believe he will be someday.
I will commit to my for my husband in the area of fulfilling his purpose. He is gifted in many areas and I know that God desires to use Him, but he is struggling with the call on his life. I pray that God would deal with his heart and show him that His plan is better than any other plans he makes on his own.
My prayer for my husband is that he be able to appreciate the joy in life more by seeing the positive side of things more often.
I am praying for my husbands heart and mind to be protected by our Heavenly Father.
I am so excited about this marriage challenge. Like many others, I have taken the love of my husband for granted and not shown how appreciative I am of him in all the ways that I should. I am committed to praying for him daily and by doing so, allowing God to strengthen our love. Today, I will pray that my husband will be led by God’s love and grant me forgiveness for being selfish.
I will pray for the renewal/refreshening of my husband’s relationship with God. I will pray for him as he works to establish his business. I will pray for his overall health.
Pray that Hè puts God first in his life. That He makes wise decisions.
For his protection because working in the construction field it is so hard for him with all the different people tugging at him. But I LOVE that my husband loves God with all his heart and is a strong man of God but our husband need our prayers so much 🙂
praying for my husband’s mind to have the mind of Christ, to receive Christ as His Savior and to return home to his family. I pray specifically for forgiveness to cleanse all his bitterness, anger, and hardened heart. I know God is able to do the impossible for our dead marriage.
I am not married yet, only engaged. But I am trying to learn all that I can before we get married so that I will be equipped better. I am going to pray for my fiances relationship with God. He believes in God and he prays but he does not have a personal relationship with God. Almost a year ago is when I started my personal relationship with God and I would love for him to have one as well.
I will begin to pray for the trails and tribulations my husband is in.
I will pray for his addiction to nicotine that he is trying to beat.
I am standing for my marriage, not only mine but also for others. My prayer is that God will speak His will to my husbands heart and that I have the grace to love him right now, for exactly who he is not what I expect him to be.
I will make a commitment to pray FOR my husband. I must admit I am not sure where to begin. We separated February 8th due to his alcoholism and detachment from me and our family. I have felt so lost and alone. Picking myself back up over the last weeks has been challenging as it is a constant up and down battle. A friend of my approached me with this challenge and at first did not think it was the right time…but now…I can’t think of a better time. I want nothing more than to save my marriage. I think praying for his strength and well being as he fights his battle with alcohol abuse is where I should start. I have always looked at his addiction in the eyes of a wife and a mother…how it affected me and my children but I should take a look at the hardships he has had personally due to alcoholism. Thank you for this challenge! I look forward to the next two weeks!
Thanks, Tracie! I am going to pray for my husband to be more a part of our family–there are a lot of times that it seems like even when I let him know what’s going on, he still walks around like he’s the only one in the family with anything going on! I’m also going to pray that the romance comes back into our marriage and that he will have more patience with our son.
My prayer for my husband will be that his heart is willing to forgive me for all the strife that I have put into our marriage! In reading your blog, I see many ways that I have hurt our marriage and put distance between us! I love my husband so much and I want so deeply for our marriage to be great! We juggle the same as all other families, working full time in different towns, no lunch breaks together, raising a teenage daughter who is graduating this year and a toddler that loves his mommy and daddy! I am so excited for my growth in my marriage and if I change and it brings glory to my marriage…well then I say, Amen! Thank you for putting this out there for us!!
I am praying for my husband to set better priorities and boundaries.
I want to start praying for my husband’s health. He has several medical issues and we are working on getting in better shape, because I want him to be around for a long, long time. Lord willing.
I am praying for my husband to have the strength and courage to get through each and every day. Life is hard and very busy, but prayer guarantees God is with us every step of the way.
I’m praying for my husband to be strengthened in his role as spiritual leader of our household. He has stepped into those shoes so willingly. I’m praying for his steps to be guided as he leads us and we follow.
I am praying for my husband’s career/ministry.
Im praying for the Lord to lead my husband in the decisons he makes regarding our finances. Also to give him direction toward his call to pastor.
I am so blessed to have a husband who prayed for ME when my heart was hardened 23 years ago. I was headed down a path to the destruction of myself and my marriage so I know this power! We seek to follow Him now in our marriage, family and business but I know I fall short sometimes in praying directly for him. I want to be more faithful in praying specifically for His walk with God. What greater thing is there than his relationship with God? For any of us. From this will flow wisdom and blessing in all other areas of our life. Thank you for this incredibly important reminder today!
I am praying for my to-be-husband to find more quality time with God.
I am learning to pray for my husband. I pray for his heart to soften. I pray for him to trust me again. He is an iraq war vet and like many we all have our issues. We have been married for 7years but wants a divorce. We have 2 children a boy 2yrs old and a girl 3 months old. I also pray for God’s continued strength and unconditional love.
I am renewing my commitment to pray for my husband and encourage him daily. I have done this before and have seen how God has changed him tremendously.Today i start this challenge by praying that he will be slow to anger. He is very quick tempered and i pray that God will soften his heart in this area.
I will be praying for a stronger spiritual walk with God.
I have begun praying FOR my husband and our marriage for Lent, and have since come across numerous resources regarding marriage, praying for my husband, etc. and have realized that we have a good marriage but I desire not to be a “good” wife but to be a Godly wife!
Thank you for your blog and your marriage challenge! I have a friend that has a rocky marriage and I sent her the link to your blog and challenge and I am praying that she will find hope and strength in your words and in her prayers!
For lent this year God laid on my heart to pray for my marriage and specifically my husband. We’ve been going through a very difficult season in our marriage. I resonate with the words spoken about being paralized and unsure how to pray at times. The hardening of my heart scares me and I struggle to wonder if this time will ever end. I need to surrender my marriage, surrender my husband and pray for him as well as the humbling of myself. Thank you for this reminder and speaking truth.
Today I will pray for his role as a father. This is one area I have a hard time with. Sometimes the way he reacts to the kids when they mess up……I do not agree with and then we argue.
I have the praying wife book but it is falling apart.
If I don’t know what to pray or how to pray for him, there are 30 chapters in the book so whatever day of the month it is, I go to that chapter and pray for that particular need.
thank you for this challenge
I need it
I will pray for confidence for my husband. He lacks confidence in his job as well as a husband. He is an amazing teacher, husband, and fathe but he doesn’t see that on mort days. I need to prey that he gains confidence in himself and also that I know what to say and when to say it to build him hip.
I am praying for my husband that he realizes his spiritual need for Jesus in his heart. He is a wonderful loving man and all that I am lacking in my marriage is the certainty that he will join me in heaven one day. I yearn for a marriage that has God as a foundation. Nothing else means more.
Praying for my husband to make good decisions in several areas.
Self love and self respect. Xx
I will pray for my husband to be a godly example of a husband/ man of God to the many single teenagers/ young adults he works with daily. He constantly pours out but also needs refueling himself!
I stumbled across your blog for the first time today, and this was the first post I read. I have been praying FOR my partner (we’re not married but have been together for over 12 years) for a while now… I had been praying for our relationship to survive a big storm (that we’re still battling), when God redirected my prayers — He said I should be praying FOR him. It took me a while to figure out what that meant, and how to do so. Since then, I have been praying for him to return to God and to let God take the burdens, and to let God do the healing and restoring — that he cannot do it alone, like he thinks he can. I still pray for the healing and restoration of our relationship, because we’re not there yet, but my faith in God grows as I trust Him to do the work in each of us. I will be adding your suggestions from the book chapters, too!
I will pray for my husband’s health and that God would send him genuine friendships, especially now that he’s going through a tough season recovering from surgery. I’ve watch him pour himself into young men. We’ve been married for almost thirty five years and would love to see him connect with strong Godly men that can pour into him when needed. Very interesting, I just joined a group that’s on this subject. I’ll introduce this to them. Thanks.
Praying for discernment regarding employment opportunities.
Praying for my husband regarding priorities and a oneness with eachother in that area.
I’m praying for my husband to Put God First in his life.
For discernment in spiritual battles, to quickly distinguish the work of satan in our life and not give in to it.
I will be praying today for my husband to be refreshed in The Lord!
Praying for God’s guidance in a new leadership role he has in our church.
My name is Lisa. I am praying for my husband’s desire to read God’s Word often 🙂
Praying for my husband to have a radically transformed heart in his seeking of the Lord.
Praying for God to rid my husband of the anxious feelings of his new job venture he has so that my husband can see God’s plan for him clearly.
My prayer for my husband is that God helps him to see and love me through His eyes instead of letting his pains of the past define who he thinks I am.
My husband and I started going to church in December of 2011. I think it has made good changes to our relationship. I am very anxious for us to be saved and to become members of our church, but he hasn’t expressed doing it anytime soon. So my prayer would be for him to want god as his savior and for us to be saved. Hope that makes sense 🙂
I’m praying for my husband to get through whatever this is that he is going through. After 32 years of marriage he no longer knows what he wants and has left his family for a life that is nothing like him.
Praying for grace and wisdom.
I’m praying for my husband-to-be to open himself up to the Lord. Faith is very new to him and I would love for him to feel the peace that comes from knowing you don’t have to carry all your burdens alone.
My prayer for my husband is peace in his mind and heart. That he may trust completely in God to give him the wisdom and knowledge he needs to finish his last year of college studies. And also for wisdom in leading our 13 year old son to be a worthy man of God.
My prayer for my ex-husband (but we are trying to reconcile) is that he accepts Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior.
Today I will pray for his role as a father.
I am praying that my husband will see his true worth and that he will stop allowing others and the world to define him.
Praying for my husband as he is considering a carrier change. We have been in debt for a while due to several circumstances. He is looking into changeing jobs that would pay really well but would take him away from our family for 3 to 7 mths at a time. I would like to pray for him that God would show him what to do instead of what i would like for him to do.
I am going to start praying for my husband. I will focus on the way he talks to the kids and me. (positively, not degrating. even when joking).
I’m not sure I know the difference between praying FOR or ABOUT my husband (as I am a very new Christian) but I do know that this could not have come at a better time for us as we are in the midst of separating. Our marriage has been in a downward spiral for the last 5 years due to his addition to alcohol, drugs and pornography. I am in no way a saint and have contributed DEEPLY to our demise. I guess being hurt by him over and over and over, my resentment toward him has not allowed me to truly pray for or about him, but after reading this, I am definitely up for this challenge and I pray that God opens my heart to do what is right and loving for my husband and that this leads to the betterment of our marriage!
I am going to start praying for my husband’s walk with the Lord to be strengthened and for him to be the spiritual leader of our family. Thank you for this challege!
I pray that my husband can have wisdom in the decisions he is faced with today. I pray that God would reveal himself to my husband, and that he would have a spirit of revelation and understanding to see God in a more real way that will soften his heart to God’s will.
In the past I have prayed for my husband’s happiness. He recently went through a job change which has made a world of difference for him. I will continue to pray for him to continue to be a positive role model for our children. I pray he knows what a truly GOOD man he is!
I want to pray for my husband in his work. I pray he feels respected and valuable. I pray he gets along with his employer.
I am praying for my husband to find peace in his job. The company has expanded so much that they don’t know what lower tier management is doing….. there are so many different levels to weed through to get issues resolved.
After just over 24 years of marriage to my husband, I have learned so much about myself and the meaning of grace and trusting God in all the muck. We have been through more than I ever thought possible to survive (abuse, addiction, cancer, and even more); and, after reading your post today, I am reminded again of the importance of praying FOR, not only ABOUT. I thank you for that reminder and encouragement and I look forward to the next 13 day — and the changes God’s faithfulness and love and comfort will bring to my life.
I will be praying for my husband to learn respect for me as his wife, learn to have boundaries with female friends and give me the respect as a person and wife to not lie, or do things behind my back. I don’t normally pray for my husband I pray to change him, after reading this I realized I had been praying the wrong way. I will continue in my faith and not allow the enemy to try to come into my marriage and destroy what we have. I will pray for my husband, my marriage, and have faith god is great and he can fix all problems.
I am praying for the strongest man I know! His work ethic, dedication, & Christianity. He is a wonderful daddy, yet sometimes forgets the strength of his words! I pray for timely, open, & sincere conversation between all of us!
I will begin praying for my husband, not about him, in order that he may feel God’s Spirit working while at work, when he comes home to us. I will pray for my husband that God is protecting his health.
I am praying for my husband to be guided by the Holy Spirit as he walks through life with the challenge of being the spiritual leader of our home. I think this is a huge responsibility that I am often grateful that I don’t have as the wife!! These guys have to report directly to God, as the natural order of things is that the husband is the leader, which puts him above me, and right before God!! So since that is quite a task to take on, I want him to feel supported and guided by none other than God himself, because then I believe that all of our earthly troubles and marital problems will be taken under His wing and He can then do great things through my man and in our marriage!!
My husband is not a Christian but I know that God is using him to refine me. However, I would pray that my husband could know the peace and love that is only found in knowing Him. So, I pray that God would send His Spirit and save my husband.
Joan, I will be praying for your husband as well so that he may come to know God.
I’m so thankful for this challenge! Reading through the post and the responses, I am reminded of how God brought me through a dark time when I was a huddled mess. My first marriage did not get through the storms despite my prayers. But God is faithful even when I am not. Now blessed with a marriage led by a man who loves God more than me, I truly understand how important it is to pray FOR my husband, especially when I find it easier to pray ABOUT him. Thank you for this very timely reminder and I look forward to this challenge and sharing it with my daughter who married last September and with my future daughter-in-law.
Thank you for reminding me that praying for my husband is to be an everyday thing. One of the area I will pray for my husband is his job. A place that he is not very happy at the moment! I should of been praying daily about this not just now and then. Thank you again for this challenge. I want my marriage to bring glory to God and a blessing to my husband!
I am going to start praying for my husband to feel happy with his job. Lately he has been feeling very unhappy with his job and I want him to be happier with his job and with himself.
I will be praying for my husband to have a deeper relationship with Jesus.
I’m going to start praying for my husband Andrew with his job. He is an over the road truck driver, so we don’t get to spend a lot of our time together. I just want God to bless him and be with him when he is it on the road. He is a wonderful man of God and I thank God for bringing us together .
I will commit to praying for my husband’s spiritual leadership within our family. I will be careful to pray FOR him in this area and not ABOUT him, which unfortunately has been my pattern. There is definitely a difference and I want to humble myself and do it the right way. Thanks Tracie for that gentle guidance that could be a “game changer”.
Timing. God’s is so perfect. Just a couple hours ago I was fussing at my dh for being home later than I expected…nothing significant…I just have a cutoff point and need him home for my mental health 🙂 I served dinner, spoke not a word (ye ole’ silent treatment) then afterwards I sat down to the computer and read this challenge. Turned a fussing woman into a praying one. Thank you.
My husband has a HUGE heart. If he has it and you need it, it’s yours! I’ve always loved that about him. At the same time though, he trusts really easily and sometimes his trust is taken for granted. I am going to pray for God’s wisdom upon him. That it will help him in making better decisions for himself based on the principles of God’s word and not for the purpose of pleasing others. That’s just one of the ways I will start to pray for him. Thank you!
I will pray for my husband to clearly know God’s direction for the next phase of life.
I am praying for my husbands spiritual leadership of our family.
I will pray for my husband in all aspects of his life; health, emotional and spiritually and as a father.
I will pray for my fiance in advancing and attaing true fufillmnent in his career and financial peace.
I will pray for my husband and son’s relationship.
I will pray for my husband’s job. I pray he can be a light for Christ and not fall under the weight of the pressures presented there.
I will pray that he takes his children’s interests and issues more at heart
I will be praying that my husband would put God before all other things in his life
Thank you for this reminder. I want to begin praying for the spiritual leadership I desire so much but always wanted him to take charge of on his own. Why did I think this could happen WITHOUT prayer!!??
I will pray for my husband to be the spiritual leader that our family needs. To show us by example God’s ever present love, forgiveness, and dependability.
Thank you for the reminder to pray FOR him and not about him. I’m so looking for to the next 2 weeks of being challenged to have a better marriage.
Thanks for the reminder to pray more for my husband. I will pray for my husband to draw closer to God because as he does that then my husband and I will draw closer to each other.
Great Blog! I think its so easy to get wrappped up in what we want in our marriage. I know I fall into the habbit of praying for what I want out of my husband and our marriage. I am going to start to pray tonight for the Lord to help me to let go and to pray for my huband verses for what I want out of my husband.
Thanks for the reminder to pray for my husband. I will pray for his job. I pray he can be a light for Christ and not fall under the weight of the pressures and stresses he faces on a daily basis.
I will begin to pray for my husbands job situation
He is forced on overs and he’s required to do not
Only his job but jobs that no one wants to do
He’s been a hard worker his whole life and this
Company has changed hands 3x each company
Keeping him on because of his work ethic.
Thank you for the reminder. I will be praying for my husband to consider it all joy even when the circumstances of life are not what we hoped for. I pray that he would experience the peace and joy that can only come through trusting God in all of our trials. He often says he does not have joy and that his job robs him of that, so I will also be praying for his work environment.
I pray for God to help give my husband the desire to put Him first in his life.
I will pray for my husband and his job situation.
Thank you for the wonderful post. It allowed me to look at my prayers of spouse & family in a new light. I will pray for my husband in the area of physical healing due to a recent surgery.
I will be praying for his spiritual growth.
Thank you for the post, what an awesome reminder. It gave me thought and reflection – when did my prayers change and why? I will pray for courage for my husband in each of his daily challenges, praying for strength and that he will be the face of Christ to all he meets. Peace.
This is such a powerful reminder. I do need to be praying FOR my husband and not ABOUT him. My prayer for him right now is that his relationship with God will grow stronger and he will rely on the Lord more and more.
I will pray for his job!
One area that I am focusing on praying for my husband today is for his heart. He is very guarded with his heart because of past relationships and this hinders us in our marriage.
My husband and I have been struggling for several years now and we have been married for 8 years. My husband is a hoarder and I am struggling with how to live with him. I know he does not mean it, but it often feels like his stuff is more important that me or our daughter, I often feel like I need to fix him and this is just the reminder that I needed to pray for him, in all areas of his life, and not to try to fix him myself, because that is clearly not working. I am praying that God works on his heart and in his life and meets him where he is at and makes his presence known in his life. I do not know where my husband stands with God right now and that scares me more than anything. I want him and need him to be the godly man I married and be the head of the household for me and my daughter but this reminded me that the only thing I need to do is pray for my husband.
I will pray for strength and guidance in his job!
I will pray for his spiritual growth and for his health.
How am I going to pray for my husband?!?
I am going to pray that each morning he wakes up with a Godly outlook on life. That he strives to be a Godly head of our household..showing our daughter what a true man of God should resemble. I am going to pray that the stress of life is no longer a struggle, because he is able to lay it down at his Fathers feet. That his rest becomes peaceful and rejuvenating. I pray that I fall more in love with him, more than I already have.
I will be praying for my husband to open his heart to my daughter and that he will have the desire to strengthen their relationship.
I do pray for him every morning, but I think this study will teach me to pray for more specific things. I will begin praying that my husband will soften his hard, draw closer to God and become the spiritual head of our home. I often pray for our marriage and against the enemy’s attack on us, but tonight I lay down my marriage and put it in God’s hands.
I am looking forward to this 14-day challenge. Thanks and God bless.
I pray for my husband’s spiritual growth and leads our growing family with Christ in his heart.
I am praying for my husband to find his peace in God and that God will fill him with joy at his job.
I will pray for all aspects of my husband’s .
I’m praying that my husband can draw closer to God so that God draws closer to him.
I will pray for his heart.
I have been diligent with prayer in this time of strain. Today’s blog really made me analyze the nature of my prayer. In essences my prayers have been FOR me ABOUT my husband. A few have been FOR him, but not necessarily from a gracious heart. Thank you!
I will be praying FOR my husband to open his heart to God more and more. He knows I am taking this marriage challenge and I can already see a difference in him beause he knows I am putting forth an effort to make our marriage happier. I am also praying that I cool it on the nagging – that is definately FOR my husband lol
I will start praying for my husband from now on. I am excite about the 14day challenge; for sure I am sharing this amazing blog with my friend (Madeline). I feel her struggles she is going thru and I know this will help her as well. Just like Stormie said ” it is our job to pray and leave it in God’s hands”.
I will be praying and asking God to help him with his Attitude, Anger and the Dirty words that come out of his mouth.
I will be praying FOR him as a new father. That he becomes the man GOD wants him to be with our baby girl.
Thanks Tracie for this challenge! I will be praying FOR my husband’s relationship with God, to grow and be ablaze. I will pray FOR his character and intergrity.
I will pray FOR my husband in many aspects… for his relationships to be strengthened, especially his relationship with the Lord. For his finances and income, his biggest worries. For his affection towards his daughters and myself. For his mind to be strengthened in being mindful of how important marriage is.
I would pray for husband for his faith to elevate, he knows the bible perfectly but he wouldnt do things like tithing.
secondly the greatest weakness is to try and detach with his mother. he spends best day with the mom, and she is a control freak, you can only imagine.
lastly, to be open in sharing his worries. he doesnt share a bit with anyone, even his mom.
but i know i pray a faithful God full of promises!
I am going to pray for my husbands continued desire to do want God wants him to do, and act in the way Jesus would towards people who are making his life difficult, rather than giving into the human desire to get back at them. I am going to thank God for my husbands faith and love of God which has bought us through many difficult times.
I will continue to pray FOR my husband that he will one day come to know Jesus as his personal saviour. That I will let go and let God. Thank you for the reminder to place my marriage in Gods hands.
I am going to pray that God give my husband wisdom and a faith in him that is so powerful that He knows that God is working in our favor.
I will be praying FOR my husband because of all the stress he is going through. He is a wonderful stay-at-home father so he has the expected stress that comes from this highly demanidng, very under-appreciated job (not by me, I appreciate all he does!). However, our oldest is putting many additional stressors on both of us, but particularly my husband.
I am praying today FOR my husband – that God will bring to my husband a spiritual Godly friend and mentor. He lost his father at 23 years old and my father has not been good to him. He is 53 and still needs a dad.
I am praying FOR my husband to not worry so much about everything!!
I am praying FOR my husband TODAY that God will give him the peace about giving up his dream job to be with me.
I pray for my husband to feel less stressed today.
I have been praying through Stormie’s book for a couple of months now. While I haven’t seen much change in my husband there has been change in me. Last nights chapter was on praying for his reputation.
I need to be praying, really praying daily, for my husband’s salvation.
I pray that as my husband makes contact with old and new customers that his love for God will shine through and be the selling point that lands the job. I pray for peace to fall upon hom as he worries and struggles with how to provide for his family.
Praying for my husband’s faith and to feel the presence of God in all aspects of his life.
I am praying for my husband’s work, integrity, and walk with God. I pray that he will be able to find joy in his life again.
I PRAY for my husband to continue this awesome journey with me, especially our new journey now that we are with faith and with God. I PRAY that he continues with his desire to reachout to those less fortunate, but that he also learns to balance that with family. I need him and his son (4) needs him more than ever. I LOVE him so, but with life, we seem to put our marriage on the back burner. I PRAY that he is patient with me as I try to “tame my tongue” and stop critizing when I should be encouraging and non-judging. I PRAY that we will faultlessly continue our WEdnesday night bible-study with one another inwhich to build our marriage and build our passion with Christ. I PRAY that he is given strength to over come and concure his addiction to cigarette smoking.
Could I please get Day 1 & 2 emailed to me please? I thought I entered my email to receive your blog, but I haven’t received anything. I signed up again & I think it went through this time.
This is great! I read Stormie’s book way back when and this is an awesome reminder of what the priorities need to be! I will be praying for my husband’s spiritual walk with God and that he will continue to put God first in our relationship, and that God will help him with his weight loss struggles.
My husband’s job is very dangerous, and so daily I pray for his safety. I also pray for wisdom and patience for him as he leads me.
I am praying for my husband to fulfill the role God has set for him, whatever it may be.
Thank you! Love it! I pray for my husband to know more about our Loving Lord. And for he and I to intill that great love into our son.
I will be praying for my husband and his spiritual growth and his faith in God.
This will be very helpful and difficult at the same time. The challenge will be to pray FOR him and not ABOUT him and knowing the difference.
I’m praying for my husband’s work, school studies, and his faith.
I am praying for my husband to have energy and zest for life and to have a desire to lead our family spiritually!
I will be praying for my husband to feel complete in Jesus not in the work that he is doing everyday.
Going to start praying for my husband to be a better Spiritual leader for our family.
Father forgive me for not seeing my husband through your eyes. Thank you for this amazing and wonderful man you have given me. Thank you even for those trying times when I wanted to give up, but didn’t because I knew you would be so grieved at my lack of faith.
Today I pray that he will take the next step in finding you as his savior. Give him the grace to do even the smallest things first. Open his eyes, his understanding and his heart and surprise him with your sweet presence. He is searching Lord–help him find you. Amen.
Today, I will pray that my husband will have a strong relationship with Jesus and that it resonates within our family. I will pray that he will feel confident in his role in our family.
Thanks Tracie! I am blessed with a wonderful husband but like all of us, an imperfect one. I am praying for him to be more patient and have self-control.
I will begin pryaing that God will heal my husband’s hurt of not achieving his dream recently.
Since today’s challenge is to compliment our husband, Father, I choose to compliment him on how thankful and appreciative I am on what he does for our family.
Thanks for the message Tracie. I am thanking God my husband is a good cook and made some awesome meatloaf for dinner tonight 🙂
My husband is self-employed and it sometimes feels like he is constantly in work mode including nights and weekends. I appreciate his ambitions to provide for his family but pray that he takes the time to slow down and enjoy our children while they are at a young, impressionable age (6 1/2, 3 1/2 and 4 months). Because I know this stage of them actually wanting to hang out with their mom and dad will be over before we know it and they will be busy wanting to be with their friends and growing up all too soon.
I’m praying that my husband will know how very proud I am of him and all he has done for his family. He has made great strides in his life to become the man God has called him to be. He has had to overcome a lot of obstacles and faces each one with the strength that God provides.
This is exactly what I need to be reading. I have been married for 12 yrs, 13 in May. God and prayer have been missing from our relationship until very recently. We have hit some hard times lately. I have been angry and my husband and I have fought more in the last year than in the 11 prior total. I love him very much but need peace only prayer and God can give us. Starting today, I have to pray for my husband and for God to soften my heart. I am stressed, exhausted, worn, and resentful that my husbands health has taken so much joy from our home. I deeply love my husband and need peace and love back in our home.
My husband and i have had a lot of problems. From little disagreements to full blown “I hate you” arguments. Tonight i just wanna pray for him that God draw him near and softens his heart, as well as mine, towards Him. I pray for my husband to feel God’s love for him and know that through Him all things are possible. I pray that God just works in him and and gives him strength.
For wisdom as he leads in and outside of our family.
Praying for my husband to know how amazing he truly is to me and our family. To know that he, like all of us, is fearfully and wonderfully made and is so very loved!
Praying for my husband for his position as head of our household and to know he is truly loved by Jesus.
I’ll start praying for my husband’s decision-making and responsibilities.
Wow, did this hit home. I’m far from perfect. There are many things I can change about myself. My husband has a temper. He is not physically abusive in any way, but when he gets angry, he says unkind things (not about me) but things like, “I can’t wait to go back to work. I can’t stand it here.” He works out of state and is gone for 8-12 weeks at a time. It cuts like a knife. Unfortunately, I need help controlling my own anger, because when he does this, I yell and just lose control. Prayer is the answer. I haven’t seen him in 8 weeks. 3 more to go. Praying that God will draw my husband near and that he will help him with his anger and me with mine. I do pray daily for him, but it’s easy when he’s gone. Praying that I will remember and be reminded of all I learn while he is away.
Praying FOR my husband… this is something I must admit I struggle with. Thank you for the reminder that how we pray is so crucial. I will promise to pray FOR my husband in regards to his past. We came from very different family backgrounds, and although he has worked so hard to not have his children raised the way he was, there are times his past is still a struggle for him (in regards to his communication style). I need to pray for God to give him strength to continue to strive for better for himself and our children, and pray for patience for myself so that I do not get frustrated with him if he fails. We all fail… myself included.
I came across this page through a link on my friends wall. I started reading and thought this was what I needed to try. I have been with my husband for 28 years and our daught is grown and on her own, My husband has friends over in the garage everynight drinking and going to other friends houses and he doesn’t even tell me he’s leaving. He doesn’t want to or like to do the same things I like but I am expected to participate whole heartedly when it’s something he wants to do and get really mad if I don’t. I have honestly been thinking that I would be better off on my own but I think now I will try praying for him instead of about him or what I am doing wrong. I don’t like those feelings of being lost and alone and want to have a relationship with God and I want my husband to be the spiritual leader of our family. Looking forward to more days. Sonja
My husband and I have been married 21 years and our youngest daughter is a senior in high school. I am nervous about this next chapter in our lives (no children at home). My husband is a Godly man, but he has a very stressful job and he works a lot. He gives so much of his emotional energy at work that on his days off, he sometimes has nothing left for me. I am nervous that when my daughter is gone, I will feel empty and sad. I would love for my husband to give more to me emotionally as we embark on this new phase in our life.
My husband and I received our license for therapeutic foster care one year ago, at that time we were blessed with an 18 year old foster daughter. Foster care continues to be a challenge for both of us and a challenge for our marriage at times. God’s strength and love is the only way to make it through some days and I am learning to rely on the Lord more through this challenge. Your blog has been one of the blessings in my life. Thank you for your inspiration.
After 24 years of marriage most of the time I feel my husband loves our daughters more than anything in this world…especially me.
I am going to pray for my husband until this lump in my throat disappears… I harbor so much resentment toward him, because God commands us to forgive one another I am going to trust Him to take me through this process.
14 day challenge please