Tag: prayer

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A Prayer for Singles

girl praying with her bible on table

I want to pray for us today.
I want to pray for the season that we’re in, whether we’re happy or unhappy about it. Prayer is needful.
Lord we thank you for this time in our lives
We don’t take a single moment in this season for granted
We celebrate those around us that have found love
Keep our hearts pure
Keep our thoughts pure
So, that we won’t allow jealousy, envy or bitterness to take root in our hearts
Help us to use this season to chase boldly after our purpose
To learn more about our identities in you
To learn more about your love for us
So, that your love for us can set the standard on how we should be loved
And set the standard on how we should give love
May our hearts be so intertwined with your love in this season that we crave it more than we crave anything else
Show us more of yourself and shape our lives to reveal your glory
Reveal how much bigger  and more beautiful you are than our desire for marriage
Satisfy us so fully that we never look to anyone else to make us happy
Help us to understand that there is an appointed time for everything
And to everything its own season
May we understand that you are committed to giving us what’s best for us when it’s best for us
You want to give us love
You said in your word that you wouldn’t withhold any good thing from your children
And we are your children
And while we know that you are such a good Father that you want to give us the desires of our heart
Help us not to make our desire for marriage an idol
Liberate us from the world’s standards that say we should be married by a certain age
Keep us from conforming to the world around us
Jesus, we declare that You alone are our prize, You are our portion and in this season, we will enjoy YOU, all of YOU.
We pray this prayer in Jesus Name

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Communication Home Marriage Physical Intimacy Spiritual Intimacy

3 Prayers to Become A Better Wife

Young girl praying in nature by the Sea

When I first got married 9 years ago, I learned the value of the pursuit of prayer dealing with circumstances we faced and disagreements we had. I was taught in church how the Lord wants to be included in every aspect of our lives. He desires for us to talk to Him and pray about everything. Nothing is too small or too big for the Lord because He’s always listening. But as He listens, He wants the conversation to be a two-way connection. He talks, you listen. You talk, He listens (1 John 5:14-15).
So I did just that in my prayer time. However, I would often spend time praying and talking to God, seeing no change to the challenges we were having. I remember one day crying out to God saying, “Do you hear me, God, are you listening?” I struggled with knowing if God actually heard me and played the blame game with my husband because I felt he needed to change more than I did. One day, while in a Christian bookstore, I spotted a CD series entitled, “Wife after God: Drawing Closer to God & Your Husband.” From that moment, my life drastically changed in how I approached God in prayer.
I learned that praying for my husband meant God was changing me! I was getting caught up in all the things that I wanted God to change about him, when all God was speaking back to me was about me. What a reality check! As I continued to pray and listen to the CD series, seeds were planted that came against everything that I thought was wrong in my marriage. As I began to apply the principles I learned, changes happened because I developed a heart after God and a heart of compassion for our marriage (Psalm 32:8). One dramatic change from my prayers was I learned (and I am still learning) how to be a better wife for my husband.
Here are 3 things I learned to pray for to become a better wife:

  1. To serve and honor my husband well: I learned that loyalty is sometimes demonstrated in marital challenges. As I prayed, God shared that difficult times were what He was using to cultivate the depth of my commitment to Him and my husband. My demonstration of loyalty, affirmation, genuine love, and a servant’s heart allowed me to grow in godly character towards my husband (Philippians 2:1-4).
  1. To think before you speak: Proverbs 21:23 offers some good advice: “Watch your words and hold your tongue; you’ll save yourself a lot of grief.” I learned to ask God when I prayed to give me the best time to talk with my husband and the right tone when communicating with him.
  1. To set aside time for each other: Praying about our quality time taught me to be intentional with our special times together. Date nights could be watching Netflix together, taking walks, or having game nights. Remember, the most important thing is to strengthen your love connection and be creative!

A happy marriage is worth the effort of allowing God to help you become a better mate for your husband or wife. What prayers could you pray to strengthen your marriage?
 

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Forgiveness

thoughtful african woman sitting by the harbour

I can still remember the very day I received the call: “Krystal you need to come home, your mother passed away”
I quickly gathered up my things at work and without looking anyone in the face, rushed to my car, got in and turned the car on. I still didn’t know what to think. I picked up the phone and called the father of my child and asked him to meet me at my house.
When I arrived I saw my mother lying there lifeless. No more breath in her. I climbed into the bed and that’s when everything inside came out. I just cried.
In the days leading up to my mother’s death, I wasn’t around much. I would leave the house every chance I got. Partly because I couldn’t stand to see her in that condition. I can even remember, just a few days before she was taken to the hospital because she was not responding and we were told that it could be any day now. It was hardest thing I was ever told. Even then, I still managed to keep it together and not say a word.
Give your mom a kiss they said, this could be the last day you see her.
With my newborn in my hand, I gave my mom a kiss. I didn’t know God back then and even if I did, me selfishly asking for more time wasn’t going to be granted. My mom was suffering and that was no way to have her live.
I just remember feeling like she gave up. I felt like maybe all my time away from home-made her feel like I didn’t need her anymore. I started to feel guilty and I blamed myself. That’s when the enemy began using my feelings against me. He would always say, you killed your mother. If you were around your mother would still be alive. His lies went on for many years.
See back then I didn’t know what I know today,  I just thought it was myself thinking those things but today I know  it was the enemy.
See he likes to wait until you’re vulnerable then he strikes. He doesn’t play fair. At any cost he wants to keep you from knowing the truth. And the truth was I wasn’t to blame for my mother’s death and she didn’t just give up. The Lord ways are far above my ways and for reasons that I may not ever understand, He decided that her time here on earth was up.
I didn’t need to blame myself.
Listen, I don’t know what you’re going through. I don’t know if you’re in a situation where you’ve been blaming yourself for something happening and you’re feeling guilty but,  I just want to let you know that it’s okay to forgive yourself and it’s okay to ask God to forgive you as well.
He doesn’t want you living in bondage, He longs to free you from that tormented hell you’ve been living in. He wants to hug you, He wants to love on you. He wants to silence the whispering of the enemy in your ears.
I had to forgive myself for hating my mom for leaving me. I had to forgive myself for not being as present as I could have been during the time she was sick. And once I forgave myself, I asked God to forgive me and I even asked my mother for forgiveness. Know that when God says you’ve been forgiven, that’s the end of that misery. The devil no longer has any power over you or that situation.
So I encourage you today to forgive yourself and forgive others as well……
I would love to pray for you. If you have lost someone and you don’t know how to deal with the pain you feel and you’ve been blaming yourself, email me at thepowerofgodlywomen@gmail.com I would love to talk to you and I will gladly pray for you.

Categories
Communication Dating/Courting Marriage Spiritual Intimacy

What I Learned When My Wife Was Hurting

Man comforting his sad mourning friend embracing her in a park

Recently, I woke up. The cloud of busyness that I had been encapsulated in finally dissipated, and I was left to realize that my wife really needed me, but I had been too distracted. I wept and repented when I realized that my oblivion had left her vulnerable and wide open. I’m her covering. This is what I signed up for: to love, honor, and cherish Sarah.
I am going to love and cover my wife, the way Jesus loves and covers His Church. (Ephesians 5:25)
In the instance of seeing my role as my wife’s servant leader and protector, I realized that a husband loving his wife as Jesus loves His Church is her greatest champion. Her mighty man. I love turning the tables of modern manhood and seeing my wife, not I, as the one who should be displayed. Peter tells us that wives are the “weaker vessel.”
Not weak, though, in the sense of being defenseless and unstable. A better translation would be delicate. This phrase in Greek literally means fine china. (1 Peter 3:7)
In this moment of drawing a line—no, a trench—in the sand: vowing to protect and lead my wife with love, respect, attention, and to love her with abandon, I came to realize three truths about when my wife is hurting.

 1. What hurts her, hurts me.

When a husband sheds his passivity like a worn, overused garment, it is refreshing. I tore off that indifference with a vengeance when I saw that I had turned a blind eye to my wife’s pain—and it seared like an iron when I learned this. To love your wife as Christ loves His Church is to feel such empathy for her pain that you clench your fists until your knuckles whiten , and you shout through clenched teeth, “Give it to me, Lord, if it will take it off of her!”

 2. The enemy of her soul better watch his back.

The next swelling emotion that I experienced after feeling her pain was anger and fury towards the enemy of her soul, who tries to rob her peace and stifle her joy. Your wife was not created to be a victim. She was created to represent the beauty, grace, and strength of God to the world. When the enemy tries to choke out that vibrant life that God fused into her soul, you—like me—will roar. And roar you must. The battered woman image is a façade that undermines the dignity and value that God bestowed upon women. Rebuke the enemy and glorify the name of Jesus in her midst! When your wife is too weary to cry out her battle cry, then cry it out for her.

 3. Whoever blesses her, blesses me.

Finally the storm subsided. Friends and mentors gather around her and you get “tagged out” to rest so others could surround her. This happened to me. A spiritual mother and sisters in her life came to her side and spoke truth over my wife’s heart. My joy returned because her joy returned. God knows this sentiment. Genesis 12:3 tells of God’s burning heart for Israel, how those who bless Israel will be blessed by God. Why? Because He is so invested in His people that when others pour into Israel, He cannot help but pour out His love in return. The Lord is the ultimate example of a husband: He is the Champion of His Bride, and what blesses her, blesses Him—causing Him in return to bless.
Husbands, let’s champion our wives’ position in the Kingdom and defend her against the lies and libels that the enemy tries to place upon her!
 
 
 

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Home Single

How to Wait and Pray for Your Future Spouse

We are told as believers to be patient, and WAIT on God regarding the coming of our spouses, but waiting is literally one of the most challenging things to do in our day and time.
I didn’t date much during my high school and college years simply because I saw it as a time for me to develop my relationship with God, and also because my pastor made it very clear to me that I wasn’t ready to lead a woman until I first proved I could lead myself.
But, even during those early years of my life I had such a genuine desire to meet, know, and love my future wife.  This is the story of many because God created us with the desire to come into covenant with one person that we will spend the rest of our life with. Upon recognizing the desire to marry, find someone and falling in love is not immediate, but the season of waiting is.
Waiting on your spouse is inevitable, but many do not embrace the art of praying for their future spouse during that time.  The bible states very sternly in Philippians 4:6, “To be anxious for NOTHING, but  in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”  This is one of the most key verses for those in the season of waiting.
The moment you feel yourself becoming anxious you should automatically get on your face before God and pray!
During my single years, each night during my quiet time with God I would always end with a few short prayers covering my wife (whom I hadn’t met yet). I didn’t make requests about what I wanted her to be, but I prayed over her knowing that she was already somewhere fully created.  I would pray protective prayers over her, and ask that God would continue to push her into purpose knowing that would cause us to meet one day.
I made sure not to allow that to be the majority of my prayer time because during singleness your main priority should be the development of yourself, and your relationship with God. Praying for your spouse gives God full control, and will encourage you during your season of waiting with patience.
I thank God that He encouraged me to do this, because it was the very prayers that I prayed over my future wife that helped me recognize that Natasha was the one I had been praying for all those years.
So I encourage you as you are in the season of waiting to pray over your future spouse and watch God work!
Psalm 33:20-22 “Our soul waits for the Lord; he is our help and our shield. For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name. Let your steadfast love, O Lord, be upon us, even as we hope in you.”

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Dating/Courting Engaged Marriage Single

What You Need to Know About Finding a Godly Husband

Attractive Afro-American couple using tablet, holding a cup and laughing while sitting on beanbag chairs against brick wall

 
They’re out there. Good men. Godly men. Real men. I know you’ve been burned, disappointed, disillusioned, even discouraged, but don’t be disbelieving. Unfortunately, you don’t hear this from mainstream media. Your wounded friends don’t tell you about the warrior-princes of the Kingdom, either. You may not even hear it from church! Men are either presented in our society as aloof, senseless buffoons, angry control-addicts, or sex-starved animals.
I want to assure you that these caricatures are not representative of Godly men who dream of being married, having children, and changing the world through Christ together. There is more. No, not all men are alike. No, not all men are pigs. As long as the world endures, there will be real men of God.
I hope these five tips will help you in your search for a Godly man:
 1. Pray. Many women I know tell me they have prayed specifically over their husband. They pray for his character, for his development into a man of God, and for overcoming his struggles. They pray over their husbands’ parents, friends, and influences. Some have even prayed for specific features, like hair and eye color! I think this is okay, but don’t get hung up on blue eyes if the Lord brings a brown-eyed man your way, who has the same values and goals as you. It is the heart of a man that God values and no one is more attractive than when the glory of the Lord shines through them (I Samuel 6:17).
2. Go where Godly men are.The truth is, you have to know where to find them. Godly men aren’t lurking in the places that the movies say they are. They aren’t occupying a barstool. They aren’t linking arms with multiple women at the clubs. They aren’t forgetting the name of the last girl from last night’s hookup.
They’re probably on their knees, praying for you.
 Don’t hide in your room and complain about not meeting anyone; go to the places you would want your husband to be found. Be active at church and church events. Bottom line: Godly men are seeking God. Seek God and you will find your husband. Wait on the Lord. I’m not trying to sound simplistic, but that is God’s heart for our lives: Seek first the Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:33)
3. Know who you don’t want. Define where your journey with the Lord is taking you, and determine to go there, not being distracted by people who will tie a weight around your ankles and deter you from your journey. Know what kinds of guys are dangerous to your relationship with the Lord. That being said, I have this caution: do not operate in a false spirit of discernment, wrongfully casting judgment on people in the name of “righteousness.” We can judge the fruit of one’s life, but we cannot see hearts. (Matthew 7:16)
4. Have Godly standards. To reiterate point #2, seek Christ yourself. Honor what God honors in a person. Be firmly rooted in your prayer life and Bible reading. Know how a Godly man honors a woman. Ask the Lord to search your heart and reveal any ungodly beliefs about Him and males in your life and ask Him to guide you.
5. Get ready. Pray for rain, and then grab your umbrella. Know how to manage finances, and how to manage your soul. Determine what you need to work on in yourself as preparation for merging your life to another human being. Pray, seek, fast. Thank God for who He has prepared for you. Rejoice that God’s ways are perfect!
 
 
 
 
 

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Dating/Courting Engaged Marriage Spiritual Intimacy

5 Crucial Areas to Pray Over Your Future Spouse

My wife is pregnant with our third child. As a mother, carrying this baby from embryo to infant, she is connected with this child. Everything is different. Her body has undergone a transformation as she produces hormones to accommodate the changes taking place on the inside. She felt the first kicks from inside of her womb, the gradual increase in the child’s weight, and effects on her own emotions as a result.
She has felt every single moment of this pregnancy.
It’s different for the father, though. When I found out we were expecting #3, I laughed and cried, and jumped and sang—for a week. Then, I did what most fathers do: I moved on. I went back to work, and life, for the most part, carried on as normal. Not because I wasn’t excited, but because I didn’t have the constant connection with the little one that a mother does.
But that day is approaching when I will see his little face and hear his little cry for the first time, and I will be wrecked. I don’t have to see my unborn child to love him. Soon, I’ll have a new little person in my life, and I’ll wonder how I ever lived without him.
There are things I can do now to love this person. It will be the same with your future spouse.
You may not have the visual evidence of your future spouse, but you have hope of seeing that distant desire explode into radical reality. Right now, he or she is in the thick of life. Don’t underestimate the impact of prayer.
Here are five crucial areas to be praying over your future spouse:

  1. Faith— You may not know the level of faith of your future spouse. As Christians, we know that the Lord does not want us to be unequally yoked with someone who does not share your love for Christ. (2 Corinthians 6:14) Pray for their encounter with God. Pray that their hearts will be set firmly and passionately for Christ. Pray that he or she will have the spiritual eyes to see that great, sweet, affection of the Father for His children.
  2. Family – You can learn so much about a person by their family. Pray that any familial wounds will be healed. Pray for the provision, health, safety, and discipleship of your future spouse’s family, and for the relationship between parents and children.
  3. Friends – Pray for the friends of your future spouse. Pray that he or she will be surrounded by godly friends who sharpen as iron sharpens iron (Proverbs 27:17). Pray that these friends will provide the accountability and standard of godly relationships that your future spouse needs.
  4. Finances – Pray for the way your future spouse handles money! Pray that he or she will be enlightened to see the snare of debt—and run! Pray that your future spouse rightly makes his or her money work for the Kingdom of Heaven, rather than being enslaved by the love of it.
  5. Future—Pray for your future spouse’s future. After all, you’re in it! Pray that God releases every promise He has made to your future spouse. Stand on the promises of God for this man or woman and declare that the enemy is powerless over your future spouse. Pray that God will order your future spouse’s footsteps. Pray that he or she will not grow weary in well-doing (Gal. 6:9), and for the day your paths merge.

One day, the mystery will be unveiled, and you will see the beauty that God has wrapped up as a precious gift to present to you!
 
M&Y is hosting an Online Singles Conference next month! If you are interested in registering or learning more about it, you can check out our website here: The Online Singles Conference

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Home Single

15 Prayers For Singles to Pray While They Wait for Their Mate

Beautiful Girl reading her Bible by the sea

While waiting for your mate there are many things that you should be doing. Preparing emotionally, financially, spiritually, seeing the world, understanding your purpose and growing in God. With all the preparation that is needed, the main areas you want to focus on is : praying for yourself, your mate and your future together. Below are 15 prayers you can pray and declare daily for you and your future spouse.

  1. I declare that I am fearfully and wonderfully made, and God has great plans for my life.
  2. I declare my identity is not found in success, money or a mate but in being in you Jesus.
  3. I declare that I will fulfill the plans of God over my life.
  4. I declare I am a man or woman of purpose, honor, and integrity.
  5. I declare that I am a suitable mate and will bring favor and honor to my spouse.
  6. I declare that my past does not dictate my future relationships.
  7. I declare that my past will not detour me but propel me deeper into to God and towards the mate and life he has for me.
  8. I declare that I am spiritually, physically and finically whole; I will bring something to the table.
  9. I declare I will not be deceive but with clear mind, wisdom and discernment will be able to know the perfect person God has brought for me.
  10. I declare that my marriage and family will prosper.
  11. I declare that my mate, wherever he is, is being prepared to be a wonderful and suitable mate for me.
  12. I pray for my future spouse’s mind, and that they are rooted and grounded in you.
  13. I come against any tactics of the enemy that would come to derail my future spouse and hence causing him to miss our connection.
  14. I declare that all those around us will be blessed because of our relationship.
  15. I declare that no good thing will the lord withhold from those that love him.

 
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Amen.

Categories
Dating/Courting Engaged Spiritual Intimacy

Should You Pray Together Before Marriage?

Guest Writers: Calandra Thompson & Culus Ellerton Williams II
 
Calandra: Ladies and Gentleman, most of us who are honest with ourselves in our single season desire to have a mate. We don’t know when it’s going to happen, but we keep the faith that it’s going to happen. Many of us pray for God to send us Mr. Right or Mrs. Right!
What do you do after God sends you this God-fearing man or woman?
This is not time to get comfortable and forget what God has done for you. I’m telling you now, this is prayer closet time. When God is in the midst of bringing two individuals together, the enemy is going to be on his job full-time. The enemy’s job is to kill, steal and destroy God’s people.
The best advice I can give you is to pray for and with your mate that God has placed in your life.
 
Culus: An older gentleman approached me while attending a church function recently. He said, “C.J., I can tell that you and your lady are pretty much official.” I laughed and nodded. My reply, “Yes we are!” He looked at me square in my eye and asked me “Are you all praying with each other?” From my silence to his question, he could tell that the answer was “NO”.
Ever since then, Calandra and I have made it a priority to pray with each other and it has made a difference in our relationship. As we pray with each other, I’ve noticed that the real issues our spirits encounter are addressed at that moment. It’s like our spirits join hands in prayer along with our physical hands.
I also noticed as we pray with and for each other, we speak life into each other’s lives. We speak victory and relief over every issue that may be troubling our spirits. It’s like our spirits had been waiting to join each other in prayer for so long that when they meet in prayer, they began to pour into each other as if they’ve found a long lost friend.
 
God’s word says, Matthew 18:20 (KJV) For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. We as a couple usher the presence of the Lord into our individual lives, but also into our relationship. We know that where the presence of the Lord is welcomed, there will be an abundance of love, joy and peace.
As we pray together our relationship is strengthened and empowered by the Holy Ghost that resides in each of us. It is a blessing to have someone willing to bow before God in worship to pray with and for you. Prayer should occur daily in your relationship. We pray via text message and over the phone, but the best one is joining hands in prayer. So, we encourage every couple whether courting or married, to pray with each other and watch how God blesses your relationship!
 
Culus & Calandra
Culus Ellerton Williams II and Calandra Thompson are both devoted to Jesus Christ and their families. They both recently accepted the call to preach the gospel. They have a passion to spread the gospel to all that will hear. They enjoy encouraging and inspiring people to know more about Jesus Christ. They’re both ministry leaders at Christian Chapel Temple of Faith in Dallas, TX. Their hobbies are writing, dancing, singing and spending time with family.

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Home Spiritual Intimacy

10 Powerful Prayers to Declare Over Your Marriage Daily

Your marriage is a living organism. What you put into it is what it becomes. It must be taken care of and natured in order for it to blossom and grow.
One of the main ways to make sure your marriage grows and evolves is to pray over it on a constant basis.
Here are 10 declarations to say over your marriage daily. Say them individually and with your spouse! Water your marriage with prayers and the word and you will see it blossom.

  1. I declare that we are one, we walk in unity and agreement in our soul, mind, body and spirit.
  2. I declare that the enemy has no room in our hearts, in our marriage and in our family.
  3. I declare that we will grow deeper in love with each passing day as we grow deeper in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.
  4. I declare this marriage will fulfill the purpose that God intended it too, we will walk out the call of God on our lives individually and as a couple.
  5. I declare that our children, finances, and endeavours are blessed by God and will bring him glory and honor.
  6. I declare that we will seek to understand one another, always forgive and always believe the best of each other.
  7. I declare that this marriage and home will be a house of prayer, a house of worship and a house of Joy.
  8. I declare that our love and intimacy will increase as the days go by , that we will always crave each other and not other man or woman.
  9. I declare that whatever God has put together no man will put asunder.
  10. I declare that our marriage will leave a legacy on earth that will points everyone who interacts with us to Jesus!

In Jesus Name,
Amen!