31 Days of Praying for your Husband Conclusion/Sanity Manifesto
Ever feel like your days control you, instead of you controlling your days? Like you're often in "response mode"? I raise both hands.
In a good way, this commitment to pray for my husband for 31 days has kicked my butt into gear (see article here.) I've needed this accountability of a vision set before me to remain consistent to the things that matter. Oh, I'm learning so much about myself.
Prayer matters. We should be consistent in prayer.
"Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops." -James 5:16-18
Now, I'm not trying to put a weight that doesn't need to be there for busy moms. Our times with God, in the Word and in prayer, look different once kids arrive, plain and simple.
[A little inside scope....Oh, this was a harsh reality for me as a new mom! I had such a hard time feeling the grace of God and not getting pounded by lies of being a failure to God when I couldn't spend my neat, set apart, long amounts of time with God...not going there. Moms, He knows our situation. His love never fails, never runs out for us. But I laid defeated for so long, listening to the lies that I had disappointed God, and in turn, just kinda gave up on time with Him for a season. He was not shaking His finger at me, as I assumed, but instead, asking me to get back up, and come to Him again.]
But now I'm in a new position. Thank God, I feel and know His grace for me to a greater measure. I'm more firmly footed in His unfailing love. Yet, I won't be stuck feeling defeated and letting my time pass me by. I'm learning, especially as the kids increase in number, I have to make some changes. Applying this to praying for our husbands, I have to set a vision before me.
I can too easily give myself to the things that are "good," but not "best." I need goals or I lose focus. Other things beckon, fine things, and I answer. But then there are even greater things I can't give myself to because there is nothing left to give.
"So be careful how you live. Don't act like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don't act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do...And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ." -Ephesians 5:15-17, 20.
Prayer for my husband is one of those things that I don't give myself to often enough. And so I must be intentional to invest myself in this thing that matters a great deal. I want my husband to be covered in prayer. He needs prayer. And I walk intimately alongside him and have been provided as his helpmate. I don't want to let this role pass me by, but chose to embrace it.
I plan to do this practically, in the area of praying for my husband, and in life by creating my own "Sanity Manifesto." Ann Voskamp introduces this idea here. She has 6 kids, loves Jesus, and seeks to walk intentionally in the things God has for her. I love her wisdom. And the way she strings words together almost always stirs my heart. Check. Her. Out. (If you haven't already :)). So, this "Sanity Manifesto" is not a law or a checklist to live by, but a vision to keep before us, catered to our own life, to intentionally embrace what God has given us. I'm excited. More to come on this later....
Please send me a note, or drop a comment on how this commitment of prayer went if you joined me. I'd love to hear what the Lord took you through in this month! And if you haven't quite finished yet, get back up, and march forward. He knows you, your situation, and His love is not withheld. Love to you, friends :)
And for laughter, here is Judah's "Photo Shoot" of Levi & I this month...
Treasures forever :)
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| Proof: Life happens with kids. Saying "cheese" for a picture can warrant sudden explosive crying :) |
In a good way, this commitment to pray for my husband for 31 days has kicked my butt into gear (see article here.) I've needed this accountability of a vision set before me to remain consistent to the things that matter. Oh, I'm learning so much about myself.
Prayer matters. We should be consistent in prayer.
"Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. Elijah was as human as we are, and yet when he prayed earnestly that no rain would fall, none fell for three and a half years! Then, when he prayed again, the sky sent down rain and the earth began to yield its crops." -James 5:16-18
Now, I'm not trying to put a weight that doesn't need to be there for busy moms. Our times with God, in the Word and in prayer, look different once kids arrive, plain and simple.
[A little inside scope....Oh, this was a harsh reality for me as a new mom! I had such a hard time feeling the grace of God and not getting pounded by lies of being a failure to God when I couldn't spend my neat, set apart, long amounts of time with God...not going there. Moms, He knows our situation. His love never fails, never runs out for us. But I laid defeated for so long, listening to the lies that I had disappointed God, and in turn, just kinda gave up on time with Him for a season. He was not shaking His finger at me, as I assumed, but instead, asking me to get back up, and come to Him again.]
But now I'm in a new position. Thank God, I feel and know His grace for me to a greater measure. I'm more firmly footed in His unfailing love. Yet, I won't be stuck feeling defeated and letting my time pass me by. I'm learning, especially as the kids increase in number, I have to make some changes. Applying this to praying for our husbands, I have to set a vision before me.
I can too easily give myself to the things that are "good," but not "best." I need goals or I lose focus. Other things beckon, fine things, and I answer. But then there are even greater things I can't give myself to because there is nothing left to give.
"So be careful how you live. Don't act like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days. Don't act thoughtlessly, but understand what the Lord wants you to do...And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ." -Ephesians 5:15-17, 20.
Prayer for my husband is one of those things that I don't give myself to often enough. And so I must be intentional to invest myself in this thing that matters a great deal. I want my husband to be covered in prayer. He needs prayer. And I walk intimately alongside him and have been provided as his helpmate. I don't want to let this role pass me by, but chose to embrace it.
I plan to do this practically, in the area of praying for my husband, and in life by creating my own "Sanity Manifesto." Ann Voskamp introduces this idea here. She has 6 kids, loves Jesus, and seeks to walk intentionally in the things God has for her. I love her wisdom. And the way she strings words together almost always stirs my heart. Check. Her. Out. (If you haven't already :)). So, this "Sanity Manifesto" is not a law or a checklist to live by, but a vision to keep before us, catered to our own life, to intentionally embrace what God has given us. I'm excited. More to come on this later....
Please send me a note, or drop a comment on how this commitment of prayer went if you joined me. I'd love to hear what the Lord took you through in this month! And if you haven't quite finished yet, get back up, and march forward. He knows you, your situation, and His love is not withheld. Love to you, friends :)
And for laughter, here is Judah's "Photo Shoot" of Levi & I this month...
Treasures forever :)
i am reading a Ann Voskamp book. Up until then I had never found a women's book that I enjoyed! She writes beautiful. I'm reading 1000 Gifts, it is so deep and heavy but really speaking to me.
ReplyDeleteI thought about your 'praying for husbands challenge' the other night after we were all in bed and thats when I prayed. I think that is the groove I'm going to get in because I only seem to remember it after everything calms down. Long term goal: pray in morning before things get crazy, right now, it's working at night..