Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Do WHAT with my spouse??!!


I saw this article and wanted to share it. I think it's important...especially these days........and kind of inspiring!?

In another University of Chicago survey, this one of married couples, 75 percent of the Americans who pray with their spouses reported that their marriages are "very happy" (compared to 57 percent of those who don't). Those who pray together are also more likely to say they respect each other and discuss their relationship together.

Not to say that prayer is a cure for all that ails you. But whether they're talking about a simple grace at dinnertime or some soul-searching meditation, couples routinely say that a shared spiritual life helps keep them close. And as Doug and Beth say, even couples who are on different sides of the theological fence can benefit from praying together daily.

"We have been married for seven years, but praying together is something we didn't start doing until about a year ago," says Doug, a 32-year-old Salt Lake City biochemist. "In the past, whenever we faced big decisions, we'd have discussion after discussion about them, but we'd never really come to a resolution."

"I soon found that praying together brings out a real sense of selflessness and humility," Doug says. "When you're praying for each other, not yourself, you're focused together and speaking from the heart on a whole different level. I would never have predicted this for us, but it really works."

"As bad as any problem may seem at that moment," agrees Beth, "prayer always helps us see beyond it. It doesn't have to be a long-drawn-out scripture reading, just a few minutes a day. When we pray, it brings another level of honesty to our conversations. I think it's the most intimate thing you can do with another person."

Now they pray together every night, once the "urchins" are in bed, which puts them in the company of the 32 percent of American married couples who say they pray together regularly.

"It's pretty short and not at all scripted," says Julie about their giving thanks before each meal. "We just join hands and let it rip. Whether we're asking for forgiveness or giving thanks, saying it out loud holds a lot of power. Marriage takes a ton of faith."

Our country needs a "ton of faith", and prayer, too, especially now.

If ever we needed prayer, it's now. For our relationships or for America. Married or not.

Amen
.


z

21 comments:

Anonymous said...

Our country needed an intelligent leader and thank GOD we just got one. We libs pray too and this time our prayers were answered.

Anonymous said...

Fools should be careful what they pray for, anon. Sometimes they get what they ask for.

Tony C said...

Z...we must be locked in on the same channel. I read and then emailed this article to my wife. We have somewhat differing views on the subject of praying together, but I'm starting to understand where she's coming from on the subject.

Jesus-centered realtionships are as important as a Jesus-centered life.

WomanHonorThyself said...

makes perfect sense Z..the morality and the cohesion go together...and yes we had best pray for our dear nation!

elmers brother said...

equally yoked

Steve Harkonnen said...

Our country needed an intelligent leader and thank GOD we just got one.

What? With the idea of spending our way out of our economic crisis, which by the way is the fault of the Democratic Congress and Senate, and that idiot, Barney Frank, who approved Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac by doling out home loans, knowing full well that these poor SOB's couldn't make payments?

Yeah, Obama is a real mental giant alright.

Steve Harkonnen said...

Back on topic. My wife and I pray together but maybe not as much as we should. We have a lot to be thankful for.

Greywolfe said...

Anon is another of those "useful idiots" that sees the government as an end all be all solution to the nations problems.

This article is part one of the end all be all solution. Pray together and get into the Word together. If everyone did that, we'd have leaders worthy of our support.

EDGE said...

Great news...now all I need now is some girl to pray with and I'll be set.

I.H.S. said...

"As bad as any problem may seem at that moment," agrees Beth, "prayer always helps us see beyond it."

This is the awesomeness of real prayer, it takes the "whoa is me" out of the equation and begins to center you on the One that is in control of everything. That is of course if you are praying to God in the name Jesus, if not then you are just mouthing words to soothe yourselves, and your problems will overwhelm you once again after you have finished your soothe bath.I not only pray with my wife but with the entire family.

"Marriage takes a ton of faith." No Marriage takes 'work', I know it may seem semantical, if that's a word but you have faith in the person your married. I look at marriage as I do a car, it's a thing that carries me from place to place and I have to maintain that car if I expect it to perform whenever I get in it. If we are working on the marriage together through prayer, I don't have to have faith because I know what was put into it.

Blessings.

cube said...

FJ: I'm with you about anonymous. The converse is also true... I prayed that BO wouldn't get elected.

Anonymous said...

Yes, Marriage takes a ton of faith and a lot of Hobbies

Z said...

Fj..Trouble is, this time we ALL got what they asked for. God's in control; maybe this is to get things so bad that people really Do start praying.

TonyC...that's wild that you saw that, too, and sent it to your wife!

Woman...we sure do!

Elbro...You need to be!

Steve..that's terrific!

Greywolfe, we would have leaders of such good caliber! I'm afraid lately that capitalism hasn't worked anymore because of the immorality...the greed and nastiness that Dems have pinned on Republicans because they won't take the time to stop believing their media and realize that Republicans give MORE in charity tho they actually make less than Democrats on the whole. For instance, I actually heard ALan Colmes on TV last night slip this into a sentence about LIberals "..and WE think it's IMPORTANT to feed the poor.." I sat there wondering why the interviewer didn't say "And you don't think Republicans believe in feeding the poor?" it's this type of ridiculous slam that keeps Americans thinking Democrats are the only ones who care! We have to stop that tide because it's so stupid and unfair...

When you have people cheating each other,look at AIG and Countrywide, Madoff, etc., you start to need more and more regulations and big gov't because those in the position to help a country run well via honest business with the huge monies they had in their coffers got greedy and worse, and stopped being fair and helping their community...See what happens today...the gov't now needs to get REALLY involved....BIG GOVERNMENT TO THE RESCUE!...That Dems don't seem to see and regret this is puzzling.
But, can we make people NICER, Kinder again? I'm not sure...not with what I see of babies born so purposefully into the single mother havoc they'll suffer from; and schools and parents afraid to discipline them for fear of law suits....etc etc.

Do we HAVE a country of the people our grandparents were? Or are we getting what suits the new less disciplined, more hand-out oriented person our left's created here through championing single motherhood, hand-outs, teachers who've taught that entitlement is a good thing, etc etc?

I.H.S...absolutely, that 'soothe bath' is what you get without His help, well said. It soothes but it depends on what WE DO, not what He can do through us. And, I sure agree that marriage needs more than work...you car analogy is a good one. Thanks!

Greywolfe said...

oh Z, We are of a mind on this in soooooo many ways. I've said it before on other posts, We will get what we've asked for and deserve in Barry Obama.

In as much as I'd really like to say we can turn things around, I can't be sanguine about our situation. The more I see of our new President, the more I'm convinced that that we have hit the point of no return, without a major violent shift in power.

I'm not speaking of an uprising, when I say violent I mean shockingly jarring. Something has to happen to put the silent majority back into the driver's seat.

Prayer now, in a national sense, CAN be focused on turning this country around, but I believe that it SHOULD be focused on the protection of the saints and surviving what is to come.

Pat Jenkins said...

huh that is funny, because i am "praying" to get OUT of my marriage... oh i am kidding....

Anonymous said...

The power of prayer is amazing!!
Hang in there...
to my wife and cousin z

sue said...

If children are taught to compose their own prayers (rather than 'Now I lay me down to sleep' and 'Be present at our table Lord')
then when they are adults prayer will be much more meaningful and helpful to them - such as praying with a spouse.

I like to pray along the lines of giving people strength and courage rather than asking for a certain person to be or not be elected. Same if there is a serious illness. I rarely pray for a miracle but rather ask for that person to be able to endure the 'hardship' - can't think of the right word - he or she has been given.
I figure that way the prayer is more likely to be answered.

Z said...

Sue, I agree with you except I think teaching children rote prayers keeps words in their minds as young kids and they even pop up as adults and we can build on them. Helps them remember the importance of prayer...but I think you're right on encouraging children to make up their own.

And yes, the 'prayer for elections' is something most of us couldn't resist, but your advice about praying for strength and courage and endurance is right on.

I hope you read my prayer for Obama...there was some of it in there. I will be praying for him. But, not in the ways you might be!!
glad you're here!

namaste said...

married almost six years and still very much in love, my husband and i pray together on occasion. we should do it more. it really does bring us closer as a family. we pray with our kids too.

really nice post, z. thanks for sharing.

Susannah said...

I LOVE this! Thanks so much, Z, b/c it is so very true.
I've seen your comments around @ other blogs & tracked back here. I really appreciate your perspective. Keep up the good work! (oh, and how can I follow your blog? I didn't see a widget for it...)

runner said...

Z, I was reading this old post and couldn't help but comment. I've been saying dinner-table prayers with my wife for 13 years. What if I'd spent meaningful time earnestly praying with her all this time. Would my life be any different now? If I ever find true love, I will pray with her.