WOW: Pray Together, Stay Together

During my 3 months of marriage, I can already tell you a few things.  One thing: nobody is perfect, and neither are relationships or even families.  Marriage is a joy, but it is also a relationship that requires work.  I am not here to bash my new husband via Word of Wisdom post, but instead I am going to do the opposite and give the guy some credit.

Scott and I have our good days and our bad days, just like any other family out there...(as long as the good days outweigh the bad right?!) ;)  We have had lots of GOOD days already in our marriage and I've noticed a common trend in our attitudes every time a really good day comes along...

Praying.  Together.  Not just before you eat, not just by yourself before you go to bed, but actually taking time to pray about something together at least once a day, every day.

Romans 12:12

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

Do the thoughts: "Prayers are complicated," "I don't like praying out loud," or "I don't really have time," ever cross your mind?  At first Scott was the prayer leader and initiator.  I liked to pray with him, but I never really wanted to speak up and lead a prayer.  Over time, I felt more and more comfortable and realized there really isn't a wrong or a right way to it.

We learned in our P.R.E.P for Marriage is class just that: A couple that PRAYS together STAYS together.  After seeing our relationship with and without daily prayer, I couldn't agree more with the suggestion to find the time to do it.  Whether it's a quick goodbye "I Love You" prayer, or a "Welcome Home, you're finally here safely" prayer, there aren't really rules on how long you have to pray, or what you have to say.  Prayers are there for you to talk to God, and this is one of those things that can do wonders for you, and your family.

Whenever there's a bad day thrown into the mix where I'm stressed, Scott's frustrated about something or things just aren't going our way we pray.  Take a second, step back and reflect at what's going on.  There's just something about the quiet, calm talking that makes everything instantly better.
*Let God know your struggles and don't be afraid to ask for forgiveness. 

To show you how easy it can be to incorporate Prayer into anyone's crazy schedule, here's ours:

Morning: pray for each other

Whoever leaves for work first, that person takes a moment to initiate prayer before walking out the door.  If the other person is sleeping, pray softly by their ear and they'll understand what your doing without having to fully wake-up.  If you are on a business trip or out of town, a simple phone call will do.

Dinner: count your blessings
This is usually the time of day we give thanks for what we have.  We work hard for everything we're given, but at the end of the day none of it is really ours.  Dinner, or any meal time really, is a great time to think about all of the great things going on in your life.  You then feel inspired to think and talk about all of the positive things that happened that day.

Evening: pray for strength
Most of us feel very tired by the end of the day.  This is the time we reflect on what went right and what you need more guidance and work on.  You could also pray for freedom from everyday silly stresses, problems or tensions at work, or home.  Doing this with your partner or family helps them to understand what's really going on in that world of yours, which in-turn helps communicate any issues that need to be addressed.

Suggestions for family prayer time:

• Invite your spouse to pray with you, just don't be pushy.  Start leading prayer and eventually they will become comfortable enough to try.
• Pray out loud. There's no need to be shy here, since prayer is just talking to God. There's nothing to feel ashamed or to be embarrassed about, and they're isn't such a thing as not praying "well enough."
• Choose a comfortable prayer position.  We like to sit, hug, hold hands, drive, whatever. It really doesn't matter...the important thing is just to pray!
• Prayer for a reasonable amount of time.  Prayers can be 30 seconds, or they can be over 5 minutes long.  There's no need to have a prayer much longer than that, and eventually you'll feel how long is comfortable for you both.

Speaking of catnaps... ;)

What are some of the things your family does for prayer time?