Modern Day Samaritan Woman

Interceding for My Broken Marriage

Taking it to the Heavenlies

In my previous blog post I made a very bold announcement regarding my marriage and my intentions to step up and pray very hard for the restoration of my marriage.

The announcement was bold and remains bold, as for all intents and purposes the marriage is over and there is no chance of reconciliation.

I indicated that I would write down the practical steps that I have taken to remain true to my intentions.

The first thing I realised was that I had to stand firm and become emotionally stable in order to do what I needed to do.

  

So this is what I did and am still doing:

•  I selected and spoke to a trusted girlfriend regarding my intentions and she agreed to support me in prayer cover and in person. When the going gets tough (and it does) we all need that one girlfriend to support us.

Practical Steps Taken

Regardless of outward appearances, I had to put my faith where my mouth was and stand firm on Hebrews 11:1

•    I spend my evenings differently than usual. Instead of watching television I delve deeply into the Word of God. (Since I am alone in the evenings I have all the time in the world).

•     I have always had a personal devotional book that I follow daily and as I read the scriptures of the day, I memorized those scriptures and internalized them to make them mine. (Interestingly the entire month of January scriptures comprised of the love of God and how I should apply that love to others including / and especially towards those that were my enemies and/or had hurt me.

•     I decided to revisit Rick Warrens Book of the “Purpose Driven Life”, just to reacquaint myself with the basics and complete the Journal that accompanied the book (again). It’s amazing how quickly we forget things.

•       I started a Prayer Journal specifically to record the prayers I was praying for my husband and for my marriage.

• I made up cards on which I quoted a scripture to “speak life” into my husband’s life rather than think / speak harm, and glued these blessings alongside my prayer every day.

         Prayer Time

•  Last year I was challenged to a thirty-one day challenge of praying while covering my head (You can read about it here)and during that time I was directed by God to start a “Prayer Wall” on which the names of loved ones and friends would be placed and as I prayed specifically for each one I could write down things as they came to mind. My prayer life has changed dramatically since this revelation.

•  I have since added a picture I found on face book from Toby Macs Wall and my wedding rings are safety attached to the picture and up on the wall. As I pray for my marriage and my husband I can touch his name as well as the picture with my wedding rings. 

During the Day Time (Work)

• During the day I would find my mind wondering to my husband and often I would depress myself with thoughts of things that were said and done. This activity was counter-productive and one day God planted a thought into my mind to rather utilize these times to pray positively for him, than to brood about things that have passed. Sometimes, I really felt very hard done by and didn’t really want to bless him with good prayers, but as I obeyed and prayed in obedience I discovered that this actually assisted me to feel more stable emotionally and I didn’t end my day depressed. Instead I was more in control of my emotions.

              General

This is a work in progress. I haven’t yet found anything on the internet to provide me with guidelines, so truly this is collaboration between my Father in heaven and I.

I still don’t know what the outcome will be, but I can say that my prayer life and spiritual growth has been phenomenal.

A few days ago Father planted an image in my head of myself walking in a tunnel with no windows or doors. I have no idea how long this tunnel is but I know that it is just Father and I. He explained to me that I am going to have to walk this tunnel with him and trust only Him. There are no windows and no peepholes, so I am not going to be able to know or see what is happening with my husband. I’m not even going to know whether my husband will be on the other end. I do have a choice to turn back, but then I have to accept what I get and not complain. However, if I am willing to trust Him and simply obey, I will find the desire of my heart on the other end.

For now, this carries me through. Are you in a similar situation? Do you trust Father for the impossible? Are you standing in the gap for a loved one? God is faithful and true. Hold onto Him with both hands and He will see you through to the other end.

*Hugs* till next time

Ariete

A Test in Obedience – 31 Days

Head Covering / Prayer Room / Facing Giants

Day 29: RESOURCES

Click here to start at the beginning

Although this challenge started out as a quest to find out whether there is a difference when praying with a head covering versus without one, it turned out to be so much more.  I have purposely prayed since I was nine years old but this prayer experience has enriched my prayer life in ways that I could never have predicted. 

Likewise, the attacks on my personal character, marriage, pets and loved ones were also quite unforeseeable and unexpected.

However, thankfully these attacks only served to press me deeper into this challenge, rather than to deter me. Once I had committed to the challenge, I was determined to see it through no matter what. After all, how long could thirty-one days really be? Now as I reach the end, I am thankful that I did continue and press in.

While pursuing this challenge and pressing into God, I discovered how to pray individually and purposely for each individual person I had placed on my prayer wall (so far only immediate family members and siblings etc.); but I know that I can add friends, acquaintances and anyone I feel encouraged to pray for. Now that I have name cards for every person, I no longer need to fear forgetting to pray for someone and I can easily add anything to my lists as I go.

I believe that as Nehemiah secured the resources he would need in order to be successful in building the wall around Jerusalem, so too does my wall “chart, name cards and notes provide me with the necessary resources. I have learned a valuable lesson in having practice resources at hand.

Last night while I was praying for the individual people on my name cards, laying my hands on their name cards and interceding for them, the Lord showed me that these people, represented different communities dispersed throughout the country. He impressed on me the need to pray for these specific communities in order to widen the blessing and covering around my loved ones and in this manner spiritually bless and intercede for these communities.

I started out with only a yearly devotional which I carry around with me on a daily basis, and record my prayers for my immediate family.  (For many years I have personalized my devotional, with pictures, prayers and notes). Now I have an entire wall, covered with names and scriptures to assist me in my prayers.

Spiritual Lesson:

Prayer is very much a spiritual discipline; however this does not mean that we cannot use practical resources to assist us. My prayer life has advanced in leaps and bounds since I discovered this little truth.

Physical Lesson:

I have decided that in order to press into this new method of praying and interceding for my family, I will need to create a permanent private space in order to be able to close the door and pray uninterrupted, regardless of the activities around the house. Presently, I am on my own and interruption is not an issue, but when I am reconciled to my family, and the normal household rhythms continue, my prayer life will be interrupted, if I don’t plan ahead and create this space.

Resources:

Bible

Pens / Markers

Yearly Devotional

Wall Charts

Name Cards

Head Scarf

(Prayer can be a lot more than a few minutes of whispered blessings and requests)

 – I usually started on my knees but have found myself kneeling, pacing, raising my hands, touching the name cards, and sometimes even pressing my forehead against the wall when pleading with God for breakthrough for someone or something.

Prayer:

Precious Jesus, thank you for all the blessed gifts of abundance bestowed on us by your grace and mercy towards us. Raise us up as prayer warriors, effective and ready at a moment’s notice to intercede and pray.

In Jesus Name we pray…Amen!!!

*Hugs* till next time.

Ariéte