Praying for Marriages (PfM)

Please join us this week in praying for marriages that are dealing with the death of a child.  Maybe nothing feels as abnormal and as out of the natural order as a child preceding parents in death.  No parent expects it and no premarital counseling equips couples to deal with this emotionally charged occurrence. Though a child’s premature death can occur suddenly and without warning or after a prolonged illness, the end result is still a precious gift is gone.  The effects of this loss can be devastating on even the strongest marriages. Married couples that experience such a loss may experience no deeper grief.  Often this grief is accompanied by guilt, even when there are absolutely no grounds for it.   Groundless guilt is exceedingly hard on individuals since there is no wrong to work toward correcting and no blame for which to seek forgiveness.   It is a guilt without relief, and unrelieved guilt can destroy relationships. ...

Please join us this week in praying for teenage marriages.  For mature couples getting started on the right foot in a marriage is difficult.  Starting well when both spouses are teenagers is even more difficult. Issues can arise as a simple matter of lack of maturity or life experience.  Many times these young couples have not had the chance to face problems as independent adults and, consequently, have not developed the skills to deal successfully with some of the trials of married life. Even in a perfect situation, just making the transition from dependent teenagers to an independent married couple can be extremely challenging.  Single teenage friends can have expectations of the new couple that can no longer by fulfilled because the marriage now takes priority.  The pressure to be a part of the old group in the same old way can tempt the new couple to regret their marriage decision. Another situation often faced by teen couples is starti...

Please join us this week in praying for marriages facing retirement.  Retirement, whether the retirement of one or both spouses, can be a significant stressor in a marriage.  Even when the retirement is a free choice and comes at a planned time, it creates changes in schedules, changes in relationships and changes in routine. All these changes, even when desired, carry some level of stress.  When the retirement is forced by an employer or ill health or comes at an inconvenient time (like when retirement savings have taken a plunge), the stress can be even greater. Some level of discomfort in a marriage at retirement time is often experienced just because many people just don’t handle change well, even positive change.  Change means unknowns and unknowns create fear in many people.  A fearful spouse or a fearful couple does not bode well for marital harmony. And of course we have all heard of occasions when someone has eagerly anticip...

Please join us this week in praying for married couples on the mission field.  Couples on the mission field often experience a number of stressful situations all at the same time.  They are separated from family and friends; they are immersed in a new and strange culture; they are starting a new job; they are establishing a new home; and, on top of all that, they are often learning a new language.  Just one of these situations can create difficulties.  All of them together almost guarantee some degree of marital conflict. Many times the conflict will arise because the spouses adjust to all the changes differently or at least at different rates.  One may have difficulty with homesickness; one may have a harder time with the language; and one may make cultural adjustments with less ease than the other.   The more out of balance the couples’ adjustments are the more likely it is conflicts will arise. Also, if an adjustment period in an...

(Note:  Sorry we have not updated our post lately.  We have had some unexpected computer problems.  We are up and operating again.  Thank you for joining us in prayer for couples in all life situations.) Please join us this week in praying for marriages dealing with the military deployment of a spouse.  Although there are many elements of military life that can affect a marriage, probably none affect the couple more than the separation of deployment. Just preparing for the deployment of a spouse can be stressful for the marriage. During this preparation period it is not unusual for the couple to become emotionally and physically detached.  This detachment may be an unconscious defense against the separation that would otherwise be too emotionally hard.   The anticipation of the deployment is also accompanied by fear of the unknown, fear of never seeing the departing spouse again and fear of facing daily life alone. Once the...

Please join us in praying this week for marriages that are dealing with the workaholic tendencies of a spouse.  A workaholic is often defined as one who works compulsively.  When a workaholic is in a marriage, his/her compulsive tendencies can create serious difficulties.  Examples of issues brought about by a workaholic spouse are a low degree of spousal interaction, limited emotional connection, an absence of sexual intimacy, a lack of common interests, loneliness and isolation. It is no wonder the spouse of a workaholic can become convinced he/she is not cherished or valued by the work-driven spouse.  All needs, interests and dreams take second place to the workaholic’s job.  When children are involved, stresses increase even more as the workaholic habitually misses significant events and family functions, leaving the spouse to be the children’s sole support and forcing the spouse to explain away the workaholic’s absence. Finally, the...

Please join us this week in praying for marriages in which one spouse is passing through an unexplainable dark time that is emotionally and physically debilitating.  A large part of the difficulty of this situation is its mysterious genesis.  The fact that the cause is unknown to either spouse can cause both to feel helpless:  the afflicted spouse can feel helpless to explain the problem and the care-giving spouse can feel helpless to provide what is needed to relieve the suffering. Many times the suffering spouse can experience a palpable darkness that separates him/her from God, spouse and friends.  The suffering spouse can also become convinced the darkness will never lift, leading to dejection and a deepening of the darkness.  As this situation lingers, the care-giving spouse can begin to suffer as well, since his/her partner is in no position to meet his/her needs or share in bearing the responsibilities of daily living. Finally, this life-situation,...