Prayers for the Heart · heart. Remove the guilt of my sin. Create a clean and new heart in me, and give me a voice that speaks in unity and understanding and empathy with my oppressed

Prayers for the HeartFor the people of God, by the people of God

Written by The Story Prayer Team

“And it shall be before they call I shall answer and while they are yet speaking I will hear.”

Isaiah 65:24

In your hand, you have a collection of prayers written from the hearts of members of The Story Houston. My prayer is that this booklet will be a

great resource as we go through this time of uncertainty and unrest, a

season that Richard Rohr refers to as “liminal space”:

“we are betwixt and between, our former way of being is challenged or changed and we are no longer certain or in control. The very vulnerability and openness of liminal

space allows room for something genuinely new to happen. We are empty and receptive.”

We find ourselves on the edge of a threshold, standing between two worlds. Most of us sense that things will

never be the same again, and yet we do not know how to fully embrace this unknown and changing future.

For people of faith, prayer is the way in which we face

uncertainty and turmoil. So I invite you to begin a deeper prayer walk with our Lord, alongside our church

community. Only God knows the future, and only He can hold us in perfect peace.

In the beginning was prayer…

“And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the

presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Then the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, “Where are you?”

Genesis 3:8-9

The Lord God comes into the garden looking for Adam and Eve – He comes to commune with His created

people. It is the Lord who calls out to them, it is He who initiates this relationship of love and trust. Perhaps this

was their daily habit, to spend time talking with one another. The Lord is seeking this conversation, this prayer with His people. He is the initiator, He still

initiates today.

May we open our ears to hear when God is calling us and let Him to do a new work in our lives. It is a new world, but

we are never alone, God is with us always.

Blessings to you,

Lesley LillyPrayer Team Leader

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TABLE OF CONTENTSIntroduction..................................................................1

Prayer for :Spiritual Armor..............................................................4Wisdom and Discernment............................................5Fresh Anointing of the Holy Spirit................................7Protection.....................................................................8Family...........................................................................9Developing a Hunger for God....................................11Health and Healing.....................................................12Marriage.....................................................................13Obedience.................................................................15Fear............................................................................16Finances and Stewardship.........................................17Forgiveness................................................................19Finances.....................................................................20Repentance (Psalm 51)..............................................21When I Am Afraid.......................................................23When I Am Anxious....................................................24Repentance................................................................25Pastors and Leaders..................................................27Marriage.....................................................................28

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Spiritual ArmorBY LESLEY LILLY

Thank you Father God that I did not choose You but You chose me, and appointed me that I should go and bear fruit , and that my fruit should remain, that whatever I ask of the Father in Your

name, He may give to me (John 15:16).

Thank you Lord that You died on the cross and shed Your blood for me so that through the power of Your blood I have the

privilege to put on the full armor of God.

So I stand strong in the Lord and in the strength of Your might and I take up the full armor:

I put on the breastplate of righteousness, the belt of truth around my waist, and my feet are placed in the Gospel of

peace. Above all, I take up the shield of faith which will quench all the fiery darts of evil. And I will put on the helmet of salvation and take up the Sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,

praying always with prayer and supplication in the Spirit.

May utterance be given to me that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel. (Ephesians 6:14-19).

Amen.

Wisdom and DiscernmentBY KALE KINCHEN

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

Proverbs 9:10

Our Father,

Who is full of wisdom and grace, whose love abounds more and more with knowledge and discernment. God, we pray and

confess to You today.

We confess that no one is wise but You. We confess that we so often think we can do everything on our own, that we love to

make our own paths, and we don’t let You guide our steps.

Forgive us, God.Forgive us that we have clung to the wisdom of the world and

have turned our back on You. Help us, God. Help us understand that Your words are living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, discerning the thoughts and intentions

of our hearts.

Sharpen us, God.Sharpen us in Your ways, in Your wisdom, in Your light, by Your

truth. Give us Your Spirit of knowledge and wisdom.

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We need you, God.We need your Spirit to guide us, to search us, to speak in and through us, to give us courage to fear nothing but You. Give

us your wisdom. Give us wisdom in how to use your wisdom. Give us clarity in where we need clarity, but more importantly

let us see You more clearly today.

God, help us walk in the ways of righteousness and along the paths of justice. Instill in us a love and peace that surpasses all

understanding.

Give us more of You today, Father. Give us ears to hear what You’re saying and ready our feet to

go where You’re calling us, and give us courage to go. We are Yours, and we love You.

In Jesus’ name we pray,Amen

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Fresh Anointing of the Holy SpiritBY MELISSA ERWIN

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses to the end of the earth.”

Acts 1:8

Holy Spirit,I can’t fight my battles without you, and I yearn for more of you. Anoint me in a fresh way! Convict me of my sin, so that I may decrease, and you may continually increase. Make The Word come alive to me, so that I may read the Bible with renewed

vision. Be my comforter, and cover me with a peace that surpasses all understanding.

Embolden me to live for Christ and to share the Gospel with others. Empower me to love selflessly, to show God’s mercy and grace. Help me to daily rely on your strength, and your

strength alone. May all I do and all I say bear witness to and glorify God.

Amen.

Prayer for ProtectionBY MATT MELOY

God, please protect me. This world tries to pull me away from You, through division, pain, stress and anger. Lord, I know You

are stronger. May I dwell in Your presence, giving me perspective of what truly matters in this world. Lord only You offer true protection. May I trust and believe in Your promises oh God. That You will deliver me, that You will set me securely on high, because I have loved You and know Your name. Lord

may I go out into this world knowing You are my refuge and my fortress. May I love others from a place of eternal security knowing nothing in this world can separate me from the love of Jesus Christ. Lord God, only You can protect me, may I trust

and live that today.

Amen.

Psalm 91Romans 8:38-39

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We take shelter in Your refuge from all sickness, terror and destruction. It will not come near our home (Psalm 91). May we

walk in peace because we walk with You, Jesus.

Lord, I stand firm with You against my enemies, against every scheme that has been set against me and my family. I raise

up a canopy of prayer over my family. I cancel and disarm all plans of the enemy to harm my family in any way and in Jesus’

almighty name. I submit to you Lord, I resist the devil, and I command him to leave in Your name Jesus (James 4:7).

Cultivate in us hearts of mercy. Open our eyes to see the hurting ones in our path. Allow us to love them with Your eyes.

Set a fire within us to advance Your kingdom here on earth. Use us, Lord, as Your hands and feet. May we be Your chain

breakers and disciple makers, but most of all may we carry Your love and hope. Expand our vessels so we may hold ever more of You. May we always shine bright for Your glory and

maintain humble hearts.

May it be said of the ______ family, “as for me and my house-hold, we shall serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).

We love You and worship You, Lord.

In Jesus’ name,Amen

FamilyBY DELIA JOHNSON

Lord, I give thanks for my (husband/wife) and for each of my children (by name…) and the blessing they are to my life. Help me to be a good steward of this most precious treasure and to

love them with fullness and grace.

Help us, Lord, to train up our children according to Your Word so that when they are older, they will not depart from Your ways (Prov. 22:6). Bless them with the gift of discernment that they may know Your voice at an early age and that they may reject

the voice of their enemy.

Give our children the grace to receive Your sayings as we teach them, so that they will have longevity (Proverbs 4:10). May they come to see themselves and as You see them, Father. Remind them who they are and whose they are when the enemy slings arrows of ridicule and rejection their way. May they extinguish

these fiery darts with their shields of faith and stand firm in their true identity in Christ Jesus. Give them malleable hearts and teachable spirits. Till their hearts and make them good soil, O Lord. Grow them into mighty oaks of righteousness for Your

glory! I will have no greater joy than hearing that my children are walking in the truth (3 John 4). Dear Father, I pray that You bring

this to pass for each member of my family.

I praise you Father that You are our shield and our rampart. Thank you for loving us and protecting us. No weapon forged against the ______ family shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17), for You

cover us in Your feathers and under Your wings we find refuge.

Developing a Hunger for GodBY KALE KINCHEN

Father, I hunger for so many things of this world, so many things that will only temporarily satisfy me. How often I set my mind on temporary things and not eternal things. God please

help me.

Help me to see how You see, help me to hear how You hear, help me to desire what You desire. Let me understand that I do not live on bread alone, but by every word that You speak. How sweet Your words are to my broken heart. Help me to long to

be in Your presence and in Your Word. Make Your words a joy and delight to my soul, so that I will be satisfied.

Give me food and drink from Your table, You are my bread of life and living water. Satisfy the desires of my heart, so that I

will never hunger or thirst for this world. May I hunger and thirst for righteousness. Please bring me into the knowledge that my

satisfaction is in doing Your will.

Create in me something new today. A new desire, a new yearning, a fresh appetite for You and You alone. God, You are my treasure. Holy Spirit, You are my guide. Jesus, You are my Savior. Forgive me where I have fallen short, and thank you for

everything You have so graciously given me.

In Jesus’ mighty name I pray,Amen.

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Health and HealingBY AMY WALLNER

“Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.”

3 John 2

Dear God,I come to You today to thank You for Your goodness. Thank

you for all that You have given me – from my first breath to my last. I pray for healing today. You know the pain I carry. You know every heartache and every worry. It feels like the world is crashing down around me, and I have no control. I come to You in complete surrender. You are restoring and redeeming

every place of difficulty and every battle for Your glory. You are using all of my burdens for good. When I am weak, You are strong. I read of miraculous healing in the Bible, and I know that You still heal that same way today. Thank you that You

will never waste my pain and suffering. Give me an awareness of Your presence, and give me a peace knowing I am in Your

hands.

Amen.

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MarriageBY LESLEY LILLY

Father I thank you for the gift of marriage. Thank you that You called us into this covenant where You unite us as one. “A threefold cord is not quickly broken” (Ecclesiastes 4:12).

Lord will You establish in my marriage a bond of love that cannot be broken? Show me and my spouse how to love each other best. Give us hearts that put each other first and not our

own selfish desires. May we show mutual respect and admiration so that we become each other’s greatest friend

and champion.

Will you please bless our communication with each other so that we avoid misunderstandings. Help us to be of the same mind when it comes to children, finances, and how we spend

our time. May our perspectives come to align with Yours.

Help us to forgive one another quickly and completely so that nothing comes between us. May we not end the day with an

angry heart but with a deep desire to make things right between us. If there is any area I need to ask forgiveness for,

please bring it to my mind. Specifically, I ask for your forgiveness for……..

Set us free from past hurts and unrealistic expectations of one another. May there be no thoughts of divorce or infidelity in our

hearts or in our future. May we turn to You first to solve our problems and may we be so committed to You and our

marriage that we will not waiver no matter what storms come.

We plead the blood of Your Son Jesus over our marriage. You are the God who called marriage into being and it is the first covenant you made with your creation, that man and woman would become one (Genesis 2:24). Only through the power of

Your Presence does that Oneness happen. We stand in the power of that covenant in our marriage, trusting that what You have called into being You will bless and protect all the days of

our lives. Thank you Father for the beauty of this blessing.

Amen and Amen.

ObedienceBY MELISSA ERWIN

“Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.”

Psalm 19:14

Father God, I want to hear from you, but am often afraid of what you might

ask. What if it costs more than I want to pay? Lord, forgive me when I choose the easy ways of the world instead of the hard, good ways that bring glory to Your Mighty Name. Lord, I know that your ways are always right, and I desire to obey you. You have always taken care of me, and I trust that you always will.

You are my rock! Give me the strength and desire to make decisions that honor you.

May every thought be taken captive to follow Christ and may I approach you with humility when I inevitably disobey you. May my words, thoughts and actions honor You, and may I follow

you wherever you lead.

Amen.

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Fear

BY CECIE TURLINGTON

Lord, You did not give us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power, love and a sound mind. Rise up in me to remind me that You hold all things in the palm of Your almighty, powerful hand.

When You are in control, I have nothing to fear. You are trustworthy, and You are for me. And when You are for me, who can be against me? Rise up Holy One, and cast out fear from me. Encircle me with Your glory. Encircle me with Your peace

and Your everlasting, abundant love. Thank you that Your perfect love for me means that I have nothing to fear.

Amen.

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Finances and StewardshipBY JOHN F. SULLIVAN III

“You may say to yourself, ‘My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.’ But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his

covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.”Deuteronomy 8:17-18

Father God, you shower me with blessings upon blessings. Both spiritual and material. I have new life in Christ Jesus because of Your great love which is everything. Your

grace is indeed sufficient. You have assured me of my eternal inheritance and the heavenly riches that await me. But You

have also provided for my material needs here on earth, and oh so much more than I need. You first provide me with two fish

and five loaves which is actually more than enough for me and my family, but then You multiply them exponentially. Yet, You don’t want me to hoard the wealth You have entrusted to me but to distribute it to the other people upon whom You have

great compassion.

LORD, I need Your constant reminder that what You have given me is not mine but Yours. All of it. I am often deceived to think I earned it myself by my hard work or skillful investments; but, in fact, it is You, and You alone, who give me the ability to earn

and accumulate wealth.

Whatever I have and no matter how I get it, comes from Your hand. You are gracious and have entrusted me with much and expect me to be a faithful servant and good steward of these

resources. Just like Abraham, You bless me so I can be a blessing to others and be blessed in the process. Protect me

LORD from the deception that I don’t have enough to give others generously and graciously like You. Remind me that I have more material prosperity than the vast majority of the 7

billion people on earth now and the 100 billion who came before.

Tithing should never seem a burden to me as it is but a token tribute to the You my Almighty and Gracious Father. Indeed,

giving it all back to You is only just if You ask, but You actually want me to invest it and earn more for Your Kingdom and the betterment of my fellow man. Let me multiply the talents You

have given to me so I can hear on that day the words I yearn to hear: “Well done My good and faithful servant; enter the joy of your Master. You have been faithful with little and now I will put

you over even more.”

LORD, please give me clarity of thought to understand that true joy comes from giving and not receiving. Let me show myself trustworthy to steward what you have blessed me with to Your

glory, forever and ever!

Amen!

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ForgivenessBY AMY WALLNER

“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven.”

Luke 6:37

Dear God,Thank you for Your gift of forgiveness. You forgive all of my

sins. You heal all of my diseases. You redeem my life from the pit. You love me enough to have sent Your only Son to die for

me so that I can be forgiven and be with You. You love me despite my failures. Forgive my unforgiving heart, and in turn, dear God, help me to bless those who have hurt me. Help me

to be like You and demonstrate Your unconditional love by forgiving them. Your grace is sufficient for me. Allow me to extend that grace to others. Help me release my anger, and show me how to love as Jesus loves. Give me eyes to see

them as You do.

Amen.

FinancesBY CECIE TURLINGTON

Lord, I thank you for every good gift You have given me. Help me to be a good steward of all of it. You tell us in Malachi 3:10,

“Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,’ says the LORD of hosts, ‘if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.” Your ways are not our ways - they are higher and better! Help me to loosen my hands and give it all away, so that You will pour out Your

blessing! Help me to walk in confidence and joy, praising You that You promise to meet all of my needs according to the

riches of Your glory! I am clinging to Your word that I will have all I need because You are My Provider. Thank you Father that I

trust in You.

Amen.

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Prayer of Repentance (Psalm 51)BY DILAN BRADDOCK

Have mercy on me, O God.I have fallen short of your command to Love God and Love

Others with everything I have.I turn my back on You and Your Holy ways and follow my own

paths that lead to destruction.I have forgotten You and in Your place crafted idols out of

success, wealth, popularity, intellect, and my own achievements.

Instead of directing my focus and praise to You, I have broken the first commandment and bowed to lesser

creations.Lord, I confess my sins to You.

Have mercy on me, O God.I know my sins have not only hurt You, but also those whom

You have placed around me. I contribute to human suffering through my greed,

selfishness, racism, apathy, and complicity.I have gotten caught up in my own dreams and fallen asleep to

the pain of those around me.My sins and transgressions are great and I know I have done

evil in your sight. Lord, I confess my sin to you.

Have Mercy on me, O God.According to your unfailing love, according to your great

compassion, blot out my transgressions.Jesus, You are the only one who can cleanse me of my sins!

Lord, Deliver me!Wash me clean, make me whiter than snow.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing Spirit!

(Pause for a moment of silence and reflection)

God, I praise You for Your perfect, redeeming love.Let me sing Your praises at the top of my lungs and declare

Your good works.Teach me to hate my sin, and love my Savior more and more

every day.Let me meditate on Your words and follow Your ways.

May I make You my sole focus and one desire.Jesus, thank You for Your forgiveness!

God, I praise You for Your perfect, redeeming love.Grant me a willing Spirit that leads to meaningful change in my

life.Create in me a pure heart, and give me clean hands to serve

Your people. Allow me to advocate and work on behalf of those You so reck-

lessly pursue.Give me the faith and boldness to follow wherever You lead.

Jesus, thank You for Your forgiveness!

Give us ears to hear what You’re saying and ready our feet to go where You’re calling us, and give us courage to go.

We are Yours, and we love you.

In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

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When I Am AfraidBY CARRIE MELOY

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my

righteous right hand.”Isaiah 41:10

God, in days filled with uncertainty and unknowns, I am afraid. I fear for my physical safety and the safety of friends and family. I fear disease, I fear loss and grief. I fear change in my life and

the disruptions it may cause.

Lord, help me to know that this fear is not from You. Your word tells us to not fear because You are our God. You will

strengthen and help us and hold us in Your hand.

When fear takes root, remind me to take every fearful thought captive and know that I can trust You to be my strength and fill

me with peace.

I ask that You pour out Your Holy Spirit on me when I am afraid. Your word says “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of

power and of love, and a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7).

Remind me of Your generous love and provision so that I can rest in Your presence knowing You will help me. Thank you for

Your protection, courage, and comfort.

In the name of Jesus I pray,Amen.

When I Am AnxiousBY LESLEY LILLY

Lord settle my heart during these uncertain times. Remind me You are firmly seated on Your throne and I have nothing to fear today. Right now in the throne room of heaven the elders are

proclaiming, “You are worthy, O Lord to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they

exist and were created” (Revelation 4:11).

Remind me that just as You were the God of Daniel, You are my God and Your character NEVER changes. You are the Ancient of Days. Like Daniel, when I choose to worship You and keep my eyes on You, You will redeem me from the fiery pit of this world. Even when my trials evoke emotions that feel bigger than my faith, You send Your angels to shut the mouths of lions! Thank you Father God! May Your supernatural peace

rest on me.

Thank you for Your word that encourages my faith. I lay my worries at the foot of the cross and thank You for what You

have already done. You have redeemed me by Your blood and made me a king and a priest (Revelation 5:9).

Thank you sovereign Father.

Amen.

Prayer of RepentanceBY LYNN CALHOUN

“Dear friends, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we have confidence in relationship to God. We receive whatever we ask from him

because we keep his commandments and do what pleases him.”1John 3:21-22

“Those who hide their sins won’t succeed, but those who confess and give them up will receive mercy.”

Proverbs 28:13

LORD God, my Creator, my Father, I simply must unburden my soul. The weight of the privileged and entitled weighs heavy on me. I thought that I was holy in my regard for the suffering of the oppressed people around me. Events in the news and the

cries of the oppressed fill my ears and convict my heart.

Forgive me for the pejorative stereotypes that haunt the corners of my mind, thoughts and images and words that I inherited from my ancestors, and that I kept for my own, that rise up

unbidden in moments of anger or contempt.

Forgive me for my comfortable and naive ignorance of the struggles of my neighbors of color. Forgive me for my sense of entitlement that is based solely on having been born white. I

hate that I have not understood and appreciated the fears and realities of harm from law enforcement that my brothers and

sisters of color live with daily.

Forgive me LORD, for my easy life-long acceptance of living in segregated “christian” community, as if that is okay with You. Forgive my immature clinging to folks who look and think just

like me, like a child clinging fearfully to his mother’s legs, hiding behind her skirts.

Father, please bring the power of Your Holy Spirit to bear on my heart. Remove the guilt of my sin. Create a clean and new heart

in me, and give me a voice that speaks in unity and understanding and empathy with my oppressed brothers and

sisters, wherever they might be, but especially in the communities where I live, where I work, where I worship.

Have mercy, Father on our broken and contentious nation. Have mercy on Your church.

Have mercy on me.

In Jesus’ precious and powerful name,Amen

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MarriageBY JOHN F. SULLIVAN III

“Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ.

He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.” Ephesians 5:1-2

“And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” Ephesians 5:10

Heavenly Father of love, light and all that is pure and good! You are the Author of life, and You have richly blessed me in every

way. You created me in Your own image to be relational like You are and to love others like you do. You pour out Your love and grace upon me every day without limit, and You call me to live an abundant life in the fullness of your love. You demonstrated Your great love for me by sending Your Son Jesus to take on flesh, to dwell among us, and to then die for me so that I can

live forever with You in Your love. I have accepted Your free gift of love and now abide in Your love. Your Spirit now lives in me,

and I am no longer my own but Yours. You are showing me what true love is and how to live in it, by it, and through it. But I want more LORD. Help me to be a servant and to die to myself.

Thank you, LORD!

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Pastors and LeadersBY CECIE TURLINGTON

God, thank you for the pastors and church leaders that You have called into leadership at such a time as this. Anoint them, empower them, and protect them and their families. Give them wisdom and revelation about Your will and Your heart. There is so much being taught that is counter and false and confusing. Teach our pastors Your pure and undefiled truth so that they can teach us! Pour Your Spirit into our church leaders and

give them good rest. Give them dreams and visions. Reset and restore their minds and bodies, and renew their hearts.

Strengthen them with Your mighty hand and show them the way to lead us well.

May they never tire of “shepherding” our flock. Remind them that one of Your names is Yahweh Roi, meaning The Lord is My Shepherd. Your ARE their Shepherd Lord, they will not

be in want. They will not fear evil. Your rod and staff comfort them. You anoint their head with oil; their cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow them all the days of their lives

(Psalm 23). Thank you for our pastors and church leaders.

Amen.

Yet, you also call me to again forgive and love my (wife/hus-band) unconditionally no matter what hurt or transgression I

have experienced. LORD, empower me, to be a better student in Your school of grace.

Father, I thank you so much for my (wife/husband). She/he is just who you planned for me to be joined to for life here; to

love, to respect and to submit to and to grow with until we are called Home. LORD, please overwhelm me by your limitless

love and grace toward me so that it overflows into my marriage and into the heart of my (wife/husband). LORD, I surrender

myself—all my pride and self-interest and desire to be right—please let me love my spouse like Jesus.

Jesus, says, “as the Father loves Me, so I have loved you. Now, abide in my love.” This is truly remarkable! Jesus says the same

thing to my (wife/husband). Lord, please let each of us live in the fullness of Your great love and sanctify each of us and our marriage so that we may love each other as you have loved

us, by dying to ourselves and serving and exalting each other! Then, let us turn outward to demonstrate Your great love to the

rest of our family and the world, to Your glory. Not only does this bless us in our marriage, but it also blesses our children,

and our children’s children and a thousand generations.

I love you dear, Lord. Amen.

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When I married my (wife/husband), I thought I knew true love then, but I now see that that was but a glimmer of Your great love that I was experiencing. As I have matured (and continue to mature) in my marriage and in my relationship with You, I

have begun to understand and live out new, greater and more beautiful dimensions of your love. These new depths of Your

love in my marriage are induced by Your Spirit that helps align my will with Your will. My marriage is no longer controlled only by my emotions or feelings. Indeed, You often call me to acts of love and forgiveness to my spouse even when my emotions

and feelings want me to do the opposite.

You show are teaching me my marriage does not depend on the performance by my (wife/husband) or even upon (her/

him) meeting my expectations. Rather, by the power of your Spirit and Your grace, I am learning what seems paradoxical: the more I serve, forgive and unconditionally love my (wife/

husband), the more joy, contentment and capacity to love and forgive (her/him) I have. I also thank you for Your Spirit working

likewise in the heart of my(wife/husband).

LORD, forgive me when I fail you and fail to love and forgive my (wife/husband). I know that if I confess theses sins you are

faithful to forgive me by the blood of Your Son.

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