Seven Ways to Pray with Your Wife

Seven Ways to Pray with Your Wife

by | May 7, 2016 | For Men, Marriage

adirondackchairsWhy don’t we pray more often as husband and wife?

“Good question! I haven’t really thought about that.”

“Ah, we’re too busy.”

“It feels a bit strange suggesting and then leading my wife in prayer when we’re not at the dinner table or having devotions.”

Prayer is one very important ways we demonstrate—as a couple—our dependence upon God…for help in specific situations…and for the joy that each of us needs every day.

Here are 7.5 quick thoughts to encourage you in praying with your wife.

1. “Just do it!”

When you feel the urge, don’t put it off. Just do it. If the struggle is great simply confess this attitude to God at the beginning of your prayer. You’ll probably notice that God does some of his greatest work through these impromptu, weak, and sometimes, awkward prayer times.

2. Pray as part of your date night.

(You DO have one, right?) Leslee and I have a special place where we park the car and pray together on our way home from dates.

3. Pray before you discuss plans for the week.

We pray on Sunday nights before we plan the week simply asking God to help us make wise planning decisions.

4. Pray before you go to sleep.

Praying in bed may seem awkward, but it is a relaxing and usually uninterrupted place—unless you have 8 kids.

5. Pray specifically, “God, we are joyfully dependent upon you!”

This brings Him great glory. If this is not true, ask God to make it so. This also brings him glory!

6. Pray in thanksgiving

Specifically mentioning the glorious riches of our inheritance in Christ which includes: our adoption, forgiveness, blamelessness, holiness, redemption, and sealing in the Holy Spirit.

7. Don’t try to pray about everything at one prayer time.

Sometimes the prayer can be just a few sentences.

7.5 Pray with the assurance that God will bring you and your wife into greater unity as you pray together.

Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. -Psalm 127:1

Four Things That Will Greatly Bless your Wife

Four Things That Will Greatly Bless your Wife

by | May 6, 2016 | For Men, Marriage

My wife is not indestructible. Is yours?

Most men want to minister to their wives but struggle to know how best to do that. We think it is one of these complicated “Men are From Mars, Women are From Venus” things. I have good news. It really is easy to bless our wives. Thankfully, our wives are much better at seeing effort and appreciating heart than we probably are. So, a little effort goes a long way.

Pray for her, daily.

Leslee is the first person on my list to pray for each day. If you struggle to remember to pray for your wife, or struggle to know how to pray for her, simply write her name on a 3×5 card along with a few specific prayer requests and put it in your Bible as a bookmark for your daily devotions. Or put the card on the dash of your car and pray for her on your way in to work. Remind her regularly that you are praying for her and how you are praying for her.

Date her regularly.

Dating is not a nice-to- do. It is a must-do. The more kids you have or the more complicated and stressed out your lives are, the more necessary it is to do this. When we initiate dates, regularly, it demonstrates that we love our wives and that our marriage is a priority. Further, our wives are deep thinkers. For us to truly minister to them, we have to mine those depths. This requires time and intentionality that in these hyper-busy times is usually only possible when you break the routine and set aside time to just be together by yourselves.

Take notes—literally.

Perhaps this sounds weird, but consider starting a journal for your marriage. Purchase a simple notebook that you can write down the issues you discuss with your wife. Issues that are important to her (and you, too) and that you need to take time to think about, research the scriptures, and/or pray about. Doing this helps demonstrate that things that are important to her are also important to you.

Write her love notes.

You do not have to be Shakespeare to write a meaningful note to your wife. Writing a simple note that communicates your love and appreciation and leaving it for her to find will be a huge encouragement.

The marriage relationship is vital to the health of a Christ-honoring home and the church. How we love our wives sets an example that will likely be followed by our children—one way or another. Being intentional about developing and protecting the marriage relationship is an investment that will pay eternal dividends.

7.5 Ways to Pray with Your Wife

How to Prioritize Relationships

4 Small Changes to Men’s Ministry

Called to Someone… Everyday