Mother's Day

This Mother's Day and everyday I hold two beautiful boys...one in my heart and the other in my arms. I am blessed to be their mom. Not a day goes by that I am not thankful for either one of them coming into my life. Chase was here for such a brief time but accomplished so much. I'm amazed at his short journey here and all the lives he touched without saying a single word. I may not be able to hold him in my arms but he is held in my heart. Keanu fills my arms, days, nights, and every waking moment with love, laughter, and beautiful chaos. What I will miss on Mother's Day is indescribable except it's not just Mother's Day it's everyday. Two brother's playing, fighting, and growing up as best friends. I do know this though, I do not grieve like those who have no hope. "Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him."1 Thessalonians 4:12-14 Above all else, I am thankful for a God who helps me to endure a pain which seems impossible to endure. To know that one day we will all be together again for eternity brings unimaginable peace. God is so faithful even through our pain and suffering. Exactly, two years after Chase's birthday we conceived Keanu. How amazing that God would allow Chase's little brother to be conceived on his older brother's birthday. Coincidence, I say not! We don't serve a God of coincidence but of purpose! What a beautiful gift that was to me! It makes Chase's birthday a little easier to face each year. This Mother's Day if you know someone who is having a hard time celebrating, please, be sensitive and remember them in your prayers. It may be for other reasons than my situation but for some Mother's Day is painful, bittersweet, or lonely. Help those find a way to remember, celebrate, and find joy in the day. God Bless and Happy Mother's Day to ALL women out there! Motherhood is not defined by bearing children but the divine nature of a woman!

DAY 24-POWER OF A PRAYING WIFE (Pray for his talk)

The words that come out of our mouths have the power to build up, edify, encourage, OR break down, destroy, and dishearten. We must be careful to choose our words wisely for once they are out there we cannot get them back. It's always wise to listen and then think before speaking. This can prevent a lot of hardships in marriages and relationships. I am very blessed in the fact that Neil is a great communicator and actually has taught me a lot on this subject. Neil is famous for thinking things through before responding to people. "The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil" (Proverbs 15:28). What is the coming out of your mouth? Are you speaking life into yourself, your spouse, loved ones and friends. Or has negativity caused destructive talk to flow out of your mouth? What pours out of the mouth of an individual tells you a lot about the condition of their heart. "For out of the abundance of the mouth the heart speaks" (Matthew 12:34)

Prayer by Stormie Omartian:
Lord, I pray Your Holy Spirit would guard my husband's mouth so that he will speak only words that edify and bring life. Help him to not be a grumbler, complainer, a user of foul language, or one who destroys with his words, but be disciplined enough to keep his conversation godly. You Word says a man who desires a long life must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit (Psalm 34:12-13). Show him how to do that. Fill him with Your love so that out of the overflow of his heart will come words that build up and not tear down. Work that in my heart as well.
May Your Spirit of love reign in the words we speak so that we don't miscommunicate or wound one another. Help us to show each other respect, speak words that encourage, share our feelings openly, and come to mutual agreements without strife. Lord, You've said in Your Word that when two agree, You are in their midst. I pray that the reverse be true as well-that You will be in our midst so that we two can agree. Let the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, our strength and our Redeemer (Psalm 19:14). AMEN!

DAY 23-POWER OF A PRAYING WIFE (Pray for his walk)

Galatians 5:22,23 says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Are these characteristics present in our daily walk? Whether or not these fruits of the Spirit exist in our lives is apparent to everyone through the way we treat our family, friends, and others. How do you act or shall I say react when someone cuts you off in traffic, takes that parking spot you tirelessly circled the lot for, speaks poorly of you, or does you wrong? These are just some of the "small" things that occur daily to see just how much in the Spirit we are walking. We must be equipped to walk in the Spirit when the Big stuff hits. Ephesians 4:24 tells us,"to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness." We must aspire to be more like Jesus! Life becomes so much easier when we walk in the Spirit. We put less stress on our bodies and become happier and healthier because of it. Neil and I have had to make verbal and mental decisions to walk in the Spirit through circumstances. It's great for spouses to keep each other lovingly in check if they step out of the Spirit. Neil and I have had to do this for each other on numerous occasions. It's a whole lot easier than dealing with the feelings of anger, strife, and restlessness. The key is to LOVINGLY keep yourself and your spouse accountable to each other. Your marriage will flourish and so will other relationships because of it. Pray for one another and be blessed.

Prayer by Stormie Omartian:
"O Lord, I know the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man who walks to direct his own steps" (Jeremiah 10:23). Therefore, Lord, I pray that You would direct my husband's steps. Lead him in Your light, teach him Your way, so he will walk in Your truth. I pray that he would have a deeper walk with You and an ever progressing hunger for Your Word. may Your presence be like a delicacy he never ceases to crave. Lead him on Your path and make him quick to confess when he strays from it. Reveal to him any hidden sin that would hinder him from walking rightly before You. May he experience deep repentance when he doesn't live in obedience to Your laws. Create in him a clean heart and renew a stead fast spirit within him. Don't cast him away from Your presence, and do not take Your Holy Spirit from him (Psalm 51:10,11).
Lord, Your Word says that those who are in the flesh cannot please You (Romans 8:8). So I pray that You will enable (name of person you are praying for) to walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh and thereby keep himself "from the paths of the destroyer" (Psalm 17:4). As he walks in the Spirit, may he bear the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22,23). Keep him on the Highway of Holiness so that the way he walks will be integrated into every part of his life. AMEN!

Day 22-POWER OF A PRAYING WIFE (Pray for his emotions)

There are many kinds of emotions. Healthy ones like happiness, love, and excitement. Then there are unhealthy ones like anger and depression. We want to pray that our loved ones are filled with healthy emotions. It's amazing how much better I feel when Neil prays for me if I'm feeling down or vise versus. The negative emotions of a person cannot only effect the person dealing with them but those around them as well. This can be devastating to a relationship or marriage if not recognized and addressed. Stormie Omartian put it best when she said,"Negative emotions are only an habitual way of thinking that has been given place over time....these emotions are not a part of their character that can't be altered, but these patterns can be broken."

Prayer by Stormie Omartian:
Lord, You have said in Your Word that You redeem our souls when we put our trust in You (Psalm 14:22). I pray that (name of person you are praying for) would have faith in You to redeem his soul from negative emotions. May he never be controlled by depression, anger, anxiety, jealousy, hopelessness, fear, or suicidal thoughts. Specifically I pray about (area of concern). Deliver him from this and all other controlling emotions (Psalm 40:17). I know that only You can deliver and heal, but use me as Your instrument of restoration. Help me not to be pulled down with him when he struggles. Enable me instead to understand and have words to say that will bring life.
Free him to share his deepest feelings with me and others who can help. Liberate him to cry when he needs to and not bottle his emotions inside. At the same time, give him the gift of laughter and ability to find humor in even serious situations. Teach him to take his eyes off his circumstances and trust in You, regardless of how he is feeling. Give him patience to possess his soul and ability to take charge of it (Luke 21:19). Anoint him with "the oil of joy" (Isaiah 61:3), refresh him with Your Spirit, and set him free from negative emotions this day. AMEN!

DAY 21-POWER OF A PRAYING WIFE (PRAY FOR HIS MARRIAGE)

I love being married to Neil! The one thing I try to remember is that marriage takes effort. Instead of wondering if we married the "right" person we should focus on being the "right" spouse. Your love must be sustaining and you are responsible for nourishing it. Everyday, I have the joy of falling a little bit more in love with Neil. That love would not grow if we weren't putting an effort into our marriage. A successful marriage requires one to be humble, selfless, kind, gentle, compassionate, and supportive just to name a few. This requires prayer!

Prayer by Stormie Omartian:
Lord, I pray You would protect our marriage from anything that would harm or destroy it. Shield it from our own selfishness and neglect, from the evil plans and desires of others, and from unhealthy or dangerous situations. May there be no thoughts of divorce or infidelity in our hearts, and none in the future. Set us free from past hurts, memories, and ties from previous relationships, and unrealistic expectations of one another. I pray that there be no jealousy in either of us, or the low self-esteem that precedes that. Let nothing come into our hearts and habits that would threaten the marriage in any way, especially influences like alcohol, drugs, gambling, pornography, lust, or obsessions.
Unite us in a bond of friendship, commitment, generosity, and understanding. Eliminate our immaturity, hostility, or feelings of inadequacy. Help us to make time for one another alone, to nurture and renew the marriage and remind ourselves of the reasons we were married in the first place. I pray that (name of person you are praying for) will be so committed to You, Lord, that his commitment to me will not waiver, no matter what storms come. I pray that our love for each other will grow stronger every day, so that we will never leave a legacy of divorce to our children. AMEN!!

DAY 20-POWER OF A PRAYING WIFE (PRAY FOR HIS ATTITUDE)

Our attitudes not only affect us but others around us. We all know the kind of people who consistently have something negative to say or to complain about. The first thing out of their mouths is negative in nature. It makes you want to dash out the door if you see them coming. We choose to either have a good or bad attitude. This can make or break friendships, marriages, and other relationships. Do an attitude check and pray for those who may need an adjustment. :)

Prayer by: Stormie Omartian
Lord, fill (name of person you are praying for) with Your love and peace today. May there be a calmness, serenity,, and sense of well-being established in him because his life is God-controlled, rather than flesh-controlled. Enable him to walk in his house with a clean and perfect heart before You (psalm 101:2). Shine the light of Your Spirit upon him and fill him with Your love.
I pray that he will be kind and patient, not selfish or easily provoked. Enable him to bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, and endure all things (1 Corinthians 13:7). Release him from anger, unrest, anxiety, concerns, inner turmoil, strife, and pressure. May he not be broken in spirit because of sorrow (Proverbs 15:13), but enjoy the continual feast of a merry heart (Proverbs 15:15). Give him a spirit of joy and keep him from growing into a grumpy old man. Help him to be anxious for nothing, but give thanks in all things so he can know the peace that passes all understanding. May he come to the point of saying, "I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content" (Philippians 4:11). I say to (name of person you are praying for) this day, "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious to you: the Lord lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace" (Numbers 6:24-26). AMEN!

DAY 19-POWER OF A PRAYING WIFE (Pray for his past)

We all have things in our past that we would like to erase. Things we have done or said to people or things others have done or said to us. Often, times that "voice" will pop up in our mind reminding us of some unpleasant memory of the past. There is freedom in forgiveness and releasing the past. It also allows you to move into the future God has for you. Live, learn, and move on.

Prayer by: Stormie Omartian
Lord, I pray that You would enable (name of person you are praying for) to let go of his past completely. Deliver him from any hold it has on him. Help him to put off his former conduct and habitual ways of thinking about it and be renewed in his mind (Ephesians 4:22,23). Enlarge his understanding to know that You make all things new (Revelation 21:5). Show him a fresh, Holy Spirit-inspired way of relating to negative things that have happened. Give him the mind of Christ so that he can clearly discern Your voice from the voices of the past. When he hears those old voices, enable him to rise up and shut them down with the truth of Your Word. Where he has formerly experienced rejection or pain, I pray he not allow them to color what he sees and hears now. Pour forgiveness into his heart so that bitterness, resentment, revenge, and unforgiveness will have no place there. May he regard the past as only a history lesson and not a guide for his daily life. Wherever his past has become an unpleasant memory, I pray You would redeem it and bring life out of it. Bind up his wounds (Psalm 147:3). Restore his soul (Psalm 23:3). Help him to release the past so that he will not live in it, but learn from it, break out of it, and move into the future You have for him.