Tag Archives: marriage

Praying Through Galatians 1 and 2 with Your Spouse

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When it comes to marriage, I firmly believe praying for each other (and with each other) plays a vital part in strengthening the husband-wife bond!

The following prayers can be prayed as a couple or separately. I hope that you and your spouse will be blessed and encouraged through these prayers based on the book of Galatians!

Here is a link to the PDF of the following prayers.

Prayer #1 Based on 1: 6-17, 22-24

Dear Lord, we praise You for being the Way, the Truth, and the Life. In a world moving further away from the truth, may we refuse to allow our faith to falter or fade. Place in us a sincere longing to make You known. Help us display the unmatched hope found in living for You. Embolden us to consistently convey the meaning of the gospel through our words and actions. Please help us be concerned only with Your approval and unfazed by the opinions of others.

Lord, show us witnessing opportunities and help us to be passionate about telling others about Your love. Enlighten us and provide Your divine revelation as we strive to become more devoted and dedicated to You. As our faith in You deepens, may we powerfully sense Your presence. Thank You for lovingly forgiving our transgressions. Reassure us that You do not define us or anyone else by sins we have committed. Inspire us to cling tightly to the identity You have given us.

Draw us continually closer to You. Reveal how we can proclaim the incomparable power and peace found in having a relationship with You. We pray that others will see Your light shining through in how we conduct ourselves. Broaden our influence and expand our impact as we live lives that courageously honor You. Lord, may our lives inspire many people to learn more about You, become more like You, and follow You fearlessly. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Prayer #2 Based on Galatians 2: 4-5, 10, 16, 19-21

Dear Lord, we are so grateful that You gave Your life for all of us. Guard our hearts against falling into the bondage of sin. May we be genuinely thankful for the freedom You offer in a life lived for You. Let our generosity toward others be an admirable example for our family and friends to follow.

We pray to become progressively more sensitive to the promptings of Your Holy Spirit. Enable us to discern Your voice above all others. When we hear and acknowledge You, compel us to respond with immediate obedience.

Your Word clearly states that justification comes by faith and not works. Remind us that Your grace is a gift that You offer to all of us. It is our choice to accept it or not. We cannot earn grace by accumulating works or by checking items off a list. May we be completely confident that we are justified in Your sight simply because of our faith in You. Please help us spread that message to others.

May we be alert to opportunities to share our faith openly with a hurting world. Reveal how we can be ambassadors for the freedom we gain when we put our trust in You. Help us grasp the life-changing impact we will have on others when we choose to live for You and love others in a Christlike manner. May we continue to be aware of and amazed by Your extravagant grace. Empower us to offer it to others generously. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Prayers for Your Husband (Based on Ephesians 5 and 6)

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Think about how you feel when you discover that someone is praying for you. I firmly believe praying for (and with) your husband plays a vital role in encouraging and empowering him!

I am sharing six prayers based on chapters 5 and 6 from the book of Ephesians. You will find the prayers (and the verses they are based on) below. You will also find a link to go right to the printout. Print them and use them as a bookmark, put them in your home where you’ll see them during your prayer time, or give them to friends. 

My hope is that these prayers will bless your marriage!

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Prayers for Your Husband (Based on Ephesians 4)

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Hello, Friends. Isn’t it a blessing when you discover that someone is praying for you?

When it comes to marriage, I firmly believe praying for each other (and with each other) plays a vital part in strengthening the husband-wife bond.

My hope is that these prayers will bless and encourage you and your spouse!

Below you will find prayers based on Ephesians 4. Print them and use them as a bookmark, put them in your home where you’ll see them during your prayer time, or give them to friends. (Here is the link for the printout.) Prayers for Your Husband (Ephesians 4)

This is what the printout looks like:

I’d love to hear from you if you pray these prayers for your husband…or if you are a husband who prays these prayers for your wife! Thank you!

Also, please go to the Printables page to access additional prayers for your husband from Ephesians 1, 2, 3, and James 1!

Prayers for Your Husband Based on Ephesians 4

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; Ephesians 4:2-4 (NIV)

Dear Lord, reignite in my husband a yearning to pursue You above everything. May Christlike patience, gentleness, and humility radiate from him, and may the people he associates with be motivated to emulate those characteristics in their lives. Awaken him to the eternal impact he can have on others when he demonstrates Your love. Reveal to him how to be a unifying presence in all situations. Entrust him with the ability to exemplify Your perfect peace in a world that is desperate to experience it. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers,to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built upuntil we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves,and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. Ephesians 4:11-15 (NIV)

Dear Lord, thank You for granting spiritual gifts to all of Your children. Give us Godly courage to use our gifts to point the world to You and to invigorate the body of Christ. Strengthen my husband’s confidence in You and help him have unshakeable faith, especially when he grapples with adversity. May Your Spirit encourage him to selflessly and actively love people the way You do. May the love with which he uses his gifts bring unity to Your family. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus.You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4:21-24, 29, 31-32 (NIV)

Dear Lord, thank You for graciously offering new life to anyone willing to receive it. I pray for my husband to joyfully accept Your gift and wholeheartedly rid his life of former mindsets or activities that do not glorify You. May he be ethical and diligent, bringing honor to You in his family life and career as well.  Motivate him to be a man whose conduct is not dictated by anger, but by Your love. Speak through him with language saturated in unity, compassion, forgiveness, and kindness. In Jesus’ name, Amen.  

Prayers for Your Husband (Based on Ephesians 3)

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I firmly believe that when wives pray for their husbands, those prayers will play a part in strengthening those marriages. It’s been more than a year since I shared “Prayers for Your Husband” based on Ephesians 1 and 2, (here are the links for the free printables!) Prayers for your husband based on Ephesians 1 and Prayers for your husband based on Ephesians 2 and now I would like to share prayers based on the 3rd chapter of Ephesians. You will find them below.

Also, there is a free printable of these verses and corresponding prayers. Cut them out, put them on your mirror, use them as a bookmark etc. and faithfully lift your husband up in prayer! Click here for the link: Prayers for Your Husband Ephesians 3

Here’s what the download looks like:

I pray that your marriage will be blessed and encouraged by these prayers!

I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery,which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. Ephesians 3:7-9 (NIV)

Dear Lord, bless my husband with a servant’s heart that recognizes and responds to other people’s needs with Christlike mercy and humility. Pour Your grace into his life, and give him an eagerness to extend that grace freely to others. Increase His faith in Your perfect promises, and intensify His belief in Your unmatched authority. May he be entirely attentive and obedient to Your voice as You guide him in using his God-given gifts to impact our world for You. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory. For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. Ephesians 3:12-15 (NIV)

Dear Lord, we appreciate that Your Word assures us that we can approach You with freedom and confidence. Energize my husband’s prayer life. Reawaken in him a longing for consistent, intimate communication with You. I pray the close relationship You share will empower him to go to You with the boldness, reverence, and awe You are worthy of. Encourage him to be fully transparent with You. Reassure him that You always welcome him with open arms. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. Ephesians 3:17b-21 (NIV)

Dear Lord, embolden my husband’s belief that he is loved by You with a love that is deeper, wider, and stronger than can even be described. May that love spill into every facet of his life and leave a meaningful mark on everyone he comes into contact with. I pray that his security will forever be based on being a cherished son of his Heavenly Father. Remind him that You are capable of more than he can imagine, and that You are continuously working in our lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen. 

Prayers for Your Husband (based on Ephesians 1)

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Marriage can be full of ups, downs, twists, and turns. But it is a team effort (husband, wife, and Jesus!) and nothing can match how rewarding a marriage relationship is.

Praying with and for your spouse can make a powerful difference. Personally, I would describe it as a gamechanger for my husband and me.

In May and June, I shared some prayers from the book of James, chapter 1. Here are the links for all three of the PDFs – PDF #1 Prayers from James,   PDF #2 Prayers from James,    PDF #3 Prayers from James

Now I would like to share with you some prayers that you can pray for your spouse based on Ephesians chapter 1. But before you scroll down to read them, here is a prayer for each one of you:  Lord, I pray for the people who read these prayers and lift their spouses up in prayer. Touch their marriages, Lord. Reveal to them a way where they previously thought a way did not exist. Renew their hope in You and Your ability to strengthen their relationship. Give them a fresh perspective on how to celebrate You, celebrate each other, and celebrate the gift of marriage. In Your name, Amen.

Below you will find three sections of Ephesians 1 and a prayer that goes with each one. Click here for a PDF containing these prayers! You can print them out to use as a bookmark or tape them to your mirror, etc.  (More prayers based on Ephesians will be coming, so be looking for those.) Continue reading →

When Expectations in Marriage Take Over

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This is an “In case you missed it” post that I would like to share with you. Last month, I had the honor of being a guest contributor on AWifeLikeMe.com where it originally appeared: Link to original post     (***I would love hearing your feedback on this…this was a tough topic to share about.)

 

When I was twenty, the future I dreamed of included a loving husband and four kids. By the time I was twenty-nine, my husband and I excitedly welcomed our fourth child into our home, and we were living that dream life.

 

However, in my early thirties, my feelings and my reality were not in sync. Looking back, I can safely say I was in the midst of a mild depression. The blessings in my life were somehow not enough, and I felt something was missing. I began to look for and expect that missing piece to be found in my husband.

 

One memorable morning, my husband and I sat on the edge of our bed. Tears streamed down my face as I once again expressed that I was struggling with nearly constant sadness. I will never forget the defeated look in his eyes.

 

Numerous times before that day, he had lovingly pointed out the positives, embraced me, and prayed both for me and with me. But on this particular day,  when my tear-filled eyes locked with his, I realized he was weary and out of ideas about how to satisfy an unfair expectation I had unintentionally placed on his shoulders. Somewhere along the way, I had started looking to my husband to be the solution to my feelings of emptiness.

 

Confiding in my husband about my lack of joy was part of the covenant of marriage, but looking to him to be the solution was not contained in the vows we made to each other back in 1992.

 

Like the line from the movie, “Jerry Maguire,” I was looking to my husband to complete me. In this famous scene, when Tom Cruise’s character declares to Renee Zellweger’s character that she completes him, many viewers see it as the ultimate romantic gesture.

 

But in real life, it is an extraordinary amount of pressure to thrust upon anyone; especially someone we deeply, dearly love. Not only this, it is unfair to ask a person to be for us what God can only be. But here I was, seeking to find in my husband a fix for my empty.

 

I wish I would’ve known that as a wife, looking to my husband for my source of purpose, joy, or identity would only bring disappointment and frustration. And in my case, a low-level depression.

 

Friends, we have a promise-keeping God, and one of His promises is that we can indeed possess complete joy.  God’s Word assures us that our journey to complete joy starts by remaining in an obedient, loving relationship with Jesus.

 

John 15:9-11 (NIV) says, “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”

 

God goes above and beyond, because a different version of the bible (the NLT) reads, “our joy will overflow.”

 

Let us never burden our husbands with the impossible task of completing us. How wonderful it is that God truly wants us to look to Him to do that. Let us rejoice that He is willing to fill us to overflowing!

 

This truth is freeing and life-giving. God has what your heart longs for. Turn to Him, and see your heart come alive.

 

A note for anyone struggling with depression: the church has historically not been an advocate for mental health. We do not want you to read this and think there must be something wrong with you, because you are looking to God for joy, but still not experiencing it. Please know that sometimes, like in my case, my feelings (of low-level depression) were due to my misplaced source of joy. But for you, it may be due to a chemical or hormonal imbalance, or due to a traumatic brain injury, which may possibly require medication. If you believe you may be suffering from depression, we encourage you to seek the care of a professional to help you seek the Lord in navigating your own unique journey of healing.

 

Wife Step: Spend five minutes alone with God, sharing your heart with Him. Tell Him how you desire new joy in your heart and in your life. Bare your soul to Him and tell God how you’re struggling with your expectations of your husband. He wants to hear, and He wants to fill you with His presence and joy.

 

Prayers (#3 of 3) For Your Husband

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This is the third post in a series of three printable prayers for spouses!

I firmly believe praying for our spouse is one of the most important things we can do to strengthen our marriage. I want to encourage you to begin or continue (whichever the case may be) taking time each day to pray for your spouse or significant other.

(Praying together is also a faith-building relationship-strengthening activity in marriage and there will be an upcoming blog post about that!)

Here are three prayers based on the book of James, chapter 1: 19-21, 22-24, and 26-27.

Scroll down for a printable that includes these prayers!

Also printable #1 and #2 are included at the end of this post!

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. James 1:19-21

Dear Lord, fill my husband with Christlike gentleness and lovingkindness. Before he reacts to potentially volatile situations, instruct him how to be attentive to and considerate of all viewpoints. May he be intentional in becoming more like You: quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry. Lord, show him how to deliberately separate himself from the rampant evil in this world. Produce in him a righteousness that glorifies You, and lead him toward Your will and Your way. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. James 1:22-24

Dear Lord, develop in my husband a passion for diving into and studying Your Holy Word. Teach him to earnestly listen for Your voice as he strives to remain on the path You designed for him. May he allow Scripture to direct every aspect of his life. I pray he will wholeheartedly enjoy the freedom that living for You provides. Lord, reveal to me how to be his trusted source of encouragement as he learns to surrender to You more and more. Generously bless his devoted obedience to You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1: 26-27

Dear Lord, make my husband’s relationship with You his first priority. Instill in him the ability to control his tongue and speak with Christlike wisdom and love. I pray that the manner in which he speaks, acts, and treats others will influence them for You. May he be compelled to reach out to those in need, and may Your mercy, generosity, and love be visible through his actions. Lord, guard his heart from becoming distracted or gripped by the sin in this world. Help him to boldly walk in integrity. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Here is the link for these prayers. Download them, print them, tape them on your mirror or use as a bookmark, etc.

Click here for the 2nd printable in this series!

Click here for the 1st printable in this series! 

 

Prayers (#2 of 3) for Your Husband

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(This is the second post in a series of three printable prayers for spouses. Be watching in a few more days for the third post!)

I would venture to say that praying for our spouse is one of the most important things we can do to strengthen our marriage. I want to encourage you to begin or continue (whichever the case may be) taking time each day to pray for your spouse or significant other.

(Praying together is also a faith-building, relationship-strengthening activity in marriage and there will be an upcoming blog post about that!)

I would like to share three prayers based on the book of James chapter 1:9-10, 13-15, and 17.

Scroll down for a printable that includes these prayers!

Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. James 1:9-10

Dear Lord, may my husband clearly see every blessing You have granted to him. No matter what his current circumstances are, help him to be thankful to You for those blessings. May his grateful spirit be emulated by his loved ones. Put in him a Christ-like contentment whether he is in a season of need or of having all that he hopes for. Lord, stir in him a concern for those that are struggling and a desire to come alongside them in Christlike support and love. 

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. James 1:13-15

Dear Lord, I pray that my husband will plainly see the dangers of sinning against you. Replace any of his sinful desires with a longing for a thriving relationship with You. May false promises of fulfillment through sinning not appeal to him, and may he instead be attracted to the genuine fulfillment of living a Christ-following life.

May he refuse to put himself in positions where temptation may be difficult to avoid. If he commits sin, teach him to take responsibility, and help him to humbly accept the forgiveness and restoration You readily extend. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

Dear Lord, Thank You for entrusting my husband with countless blessings. Help him to be mindful of the fact that all good gifts come from You. I pray he will always give You the glory for those gifts, whether big or small. May he be a man who faithfully and openly praises You, and may he inspire others to praise You as well. In this world of disorder and confusion, reassure my husband that You are unchanging, constant, and in control. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

***Click here for a PDF with these prayers. You can download them or print them out. Tape them to your mirror or use as a bookmark, etc.!

***There are 3 more prayers from James chapter 1 that I will be sharing with you in the next few days…be watching for them!

Here is a link for the first PDF of prayers for your husband from James 1:2-6

Prayers For Your Husband

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How would you feel if you knew your spouse was praying for you and your relationship with Jesus?

I would venture to say that praying for our spouse is one of the most important things we can do to strengthen our marriage. I want to encourage you to begin or continue (whichever the case may be) taking time each day to pray for your spouse or significant other.

(Praying together is also a faith-building, relationship-strengthening activity in marriage and there will be an upcoming blog post about that!)

I would like to share three prayers based on the book of James chapter 1:2-6

Scroll down for a printable that includes these prayers!

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, James 1:2

Dear Lord, when challenges occur in my husband’s life, help him to be steadfast in prayer. Place in him a firm belief that You will see him through. As his faith in You grows, may it encourage all who see it displayed in his life. Lord, may the joy that comes from being Your child increase not only when You bring him through trials, but also in the midst of those trials. Give him the ability to see beauty in unexpected places as You redeem difficult situations in the glorious ways that only You can. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:3-4

Dear Lord, I pray it will become a natural tendency for my husband to persevere when he faces tests of his faith. May he be known as a man of unshakeable perseverance, and may that impact our family for generations to come. Lord, help him to be grateful that his relationship with You will be strengthened as a result of persevering through adversity. Show me the best way to be supportive and loving toward him when he is facing tests in his life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. James 1:5-6

Dear Lord, I ask You to give my husband the desire to seek and boldly ask for Your wisdom. Reassure him that You will generously provide Your wisdom and that You will show him how to apply it in his life. Lord, please remove doubt from my husband’s mind and replace it with strong faith in Your Word and Your way.  Help him to be a man who listens intently for Your voice and has confidence in every word He hears from You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

***Click here for a PDF with these prayers. You can download them or print them out. Tape them to your mirror or use as a bookmark, etc.!

***There are 6 more prayers from James chapter 1 that I will be sharing with you in the next few days…be watching for them!

Unprayed Answers

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Whenever I am seated at the piano on Sunday mornings leading our congregation in song along with our church praise team, I consider it to be one of the sweetest blessings in my life. In addition to me, the team presently includes three vocalists, a bass guitarist, an occasional drummer, and an acoustic guitar player. 

In the early 2000s, as I sat on a padded metal chair in a conference room filled with hundreds of other women at a Christian event, a husband and wife duo performed several moving songs. She sang and he played guitar. Listening to them share their love of Jesus and music in such a special way made an impact on me. For a few months after the conference, my mind revisited how touching it was that they had the opportunity to participate in a music ministry together as husband and wife. However, as time went on, the memory of that duo disappeared from my mind.

A few years later, on a whim, my husband and I both attempted to teach ourselves how to play guitar. He learned much more easily and quickly than I did, and my ego took a hit, so I quit. I never tried learning guitar again, and I might just be a little bitter about my husband having such a seemingly easy time mastering a new instrument, especially since I am the one with a music degree and background. (By the way, if you were expecting a post about perseverance when the going gets tough, this is not it.) 😉

More than a decade later on a Sunday morning in 2017, as I sat in front of the sanctuary leading a worship song with the praise team, the memory of that husband and wife duo unexpectedly reappeared in my mind. I immediately began to tear up. I confess that I frequently tear up during the music portion of our church service because when the song lyrics proclaim the greatness of God’s love and faithfulness, my gratitude causes an emotional response. But this particular time, my tears were due to the fact that I had overlooked for several years. You see, I love Jesus with all my heart and I thoroughly love to sing, so I am definitely thankful that I sing on a church praise team. But on that particular morning, I was struck by the added detail that my husband is part of that praise team with me, playing the aforementioned acoustic guitar. I am sure that a combination of factors was involved in God inspiring Darren to learn how to play guitar and join the praise team. I can’t help but think that I know what one of them was: God wanted to accomplish something in my marriage which I had deemed impossible. 

It is amazing that we serve a God who sometimes honors dreams that are shoved down deep into our hearts or almost entirely dismissed. Dreams we don’t even bother to transform into prayer, because we have already decided they are out of the realm of reality.

The idea of sharing in a music ministry together as a couple never became more than an intriguing thought. Not a wish. Not a prayer. In fact, it had been forgotten. But even so, God orchestrated that forgotten idea in our lives years later, and it is an incredible, straight-from-God gift. Because of His great love, God answers prayers we never even consider praying.