It's "Marriage Prayer Friday!"

Once again, we are praying for marriages to be refreshed, renewed, healed, restored and thriving. Whether you are praying for your own marriage or standing in the gap for a friend, thank you for joining us in seeking the Lord for the protection and fruitfulness of this sacred union.

A prayer for your own marriage—

GRACIOUS GOD, thank you for being compassionate and affectionate, slow to anger and rich in love. Help me to be like that, especially towards my spouse. I know that my husband/wife needs to know that I prefer him/her to any other man/woman. Bring to my mind things that I can be genuinely thankful for in my spouse. Show me how to express sincere and frequent respect and affection in ways that are particularly meaningful for him/her. Empower me to genuinely affirm my husband/wife in front of others too. Please decrease those negative, critical or unhealthy thoughts I have about him/her and

increase my awareness of ways to bless my him/her. All good gifts come from You, God, and all good things can be accomplished through Your Spirit in me. Please fill me and equip me for every good work, for the glory of Your name! Thank you, Jesus.

AMEN

Something to pray for a friend's marriage—

GRACIOUS GOD, thank you for being compassionate and affectionate, slow to anger and rich in love. Help me to be like that. Help me to be an encouragement to my married friends so they, too, can be like that, especially toward their spouses. Remind them of the reasons why they prefer each other to anyone else. Bring to their minds the things that they can be genuinely thankful for in each other. Show them how to express sincere and frequent respect and affection in ways that are particularly meaningful for one another. Empower them to genuinely affirm each other in front of others too. Please decrease their negative, critical or unhealthy thoughts about each other and

increase their awareness of ways to bless each other. All good gifts come from You, God, and all good things can be accomplished through Your Spirit in us. Please fill and equip my married friends for every good work in their marriages, for the glory of Your name! Thank you, Jesus.

AMEN