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Be Strong and Courageous
In the face of fear, be strong and courageous. Yes, be brave! You say, “What? How? You don’t know what I’m going through!” Let’s look first at our foe, then the solution. The online Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines FEAR as: “an unpleasant, often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger.” Fear can present itself in varying degrees of intensity and in differing types of situations. Synonyms – alternative words – for fear, help express the depth of what is being felt. Merriam-Webster describes fear, in its most basic form, as “anxiety and usually loss of courage,” such as in “fear of the unknown.” DREAD steps up the level of fear…
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The Fire of God’s Love
Julie Andrews plays the role of a governess to seven von Trapp children in the classic film version of the The Sound of Music. One stormy night, she banishes all traces of the children’s fears with the lilting song, “My Favorite Things.” Six times, she repeats the phrase, “these are a few of my favorite things.” “Favorites” is a new category on my blog, where I’ll be sharing some of my favorite books, scriptures, songs, and more! The first to make its debut is a book. Bob Sorge’s, The Fire of God’s Love, is definitely my “go-to” for encouragement, insight, and the challenge to continue the quest for more of…
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Candle Wax and Crusty Attitudes
Breakfast dishes done. Husband kissed and waved off to work. Showered and make-up applied. The house settled into stillness. My mind, however, was busy with thoughts, all in different directions. It was time to quiet my soul, so I walked into the living room, quilt wrapped around me to ward off the chill, and began to pray. Kneeling down, I noticed something on the carpet. Running my finger over the slightly milky spots, I realized they were drips from a candle I moved to the dining room a few nights earlier. “That’ll be tough to get out,” I thought, and went back to prayer. I’d take care of it later.…
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Fox Sightings
It was a Saturday morning in late summer when something caught my attention as I was driving to a bridal shower. Glancing to my left, there, in the midst of a green meadow, was a little red fox. It was sitting in the open, scratching his ear! I said aloud (mind you, no one was in the car with me): “There’s a fox! What is that little fox doing there?” It was the first time since moving to Crown Point, Indiana, many years ago, that I had seen a fox within the city limits. This one seemed totally undaunted by the fact that he could be seen. Song of Solomon…
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Live Worthy
Early in the first chapter of Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul wrote about Christ’s return, then transitioned into what lends itself as a fifth potent “model prayer for your husband.” If you look back at each prayer, we find Paul telling his readers that he “constantly remembers” them in his prayers, “he continues to pray” for them, he has “kept them always in his prayers,” and now, out from his heart flows, “I constantly pray. . . . ” This is our commission, as we step into this verse to pray on behalf of our husbands. 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 TPT With this in mind (Christ’s return), I constantly pray that…
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A Heart That Soars
The ultimate goal in the fourth “model prayer for your husband,” is to see his heart “soar with joyful gratitude” as he steps into his inheritance. In a day when gratitude is often replaced by negativity, doubt, criticism, self-seeking, and more, this scriptural prayer builds into a passionate crescendo, pushing past these limiting forces. Colossians 1:9b-12 TPT … I’ve kept my husband always in my prayers that he would receive the perfect knowledge of God’s pleasure over his life, making him a reservoir of every kind of wisdom and spiritual understanding. I pray that [insert your husband’s name] would walk in the ways of true righteousness, pleasing You, God, in…
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Dad and WD-40
WD-40® was invented in 1953 as a “rust prevention solvent and degreaser,” initially for the aerospace industry. By the 1970s, it became a household must-have for mechanical jobs of any kind. My dad loved working with his hands. He tinkered with our cars, either going at it with the hood up or by crawling underneath. Space was made for his work bench and tool box in the garage to meet the demands of auto and household repair. He gave attention to detail. When WD-40® became available for home use, dad had the little blue and yellow can with a thin red tube (for tricky-to-reach places), on a shelf in the…
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The Most Excellent Way
We’re on this journey together, praying for our husbands. How are things going so far? Do you see a hint of change in your spouse? It takes time. Are you experiencing any changes in your own heart? That, too, takes time. When we pray from a heart of love, it effects change in our husbands and us! It’s a double benefit. So let’s go on to this third scriptural prayer, being alert to what God is speaking to our hearts as well. Philippians 1:9-11 TPT 9I continue to pray for my husband’s love to grow and increase beyond measure, bringing him into the rich revelation of spiritual insight* in all things.…
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Empowered to Discover
It wasn’t long before I bumped into a second “model prayer for my husband,” again beautifully wrapped in The Passion Translation. In this prayer, I found that my position as a wife should be to come before my Heavenly Father in humility and wonder. No demanding here. Just humble petition. It gives God His rightful place as the Father who perfectly emulates what it means to be a father. He fathered Jesus. He fathers fathers. He fathers my husband. He fathers our children. And, God’s fathering releases “explosive power.” I’m praying that as you pray for your husband, he will open his heart to God’s Fathering love, so that it…
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Hope of His Calling
Women have a natural inclination to nurture. God made us this way. We nurture dolls and stuffed animals, children, grandchildren, siblings, friends, students, coworkers, and husbands. So it’s not uncommon for a wife to wonder, “What is the best way for me to pray for my husband?” Praying, after all, is a form of nurturing. This blog is the first in a series of “model prayers to pray for your husband.” Holy Spirit came up with the idea. He’s good that way. While I’m reading the Bible, He suddenly spotlights a scripture that would be ideal to pray for my husband. His prayers are so much better than mine! You’ll notice bold areas set off…