Do You Pray With Your Man?

    "When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I'll be there." Matthew 18:19-20 MSG.

     "Chris, we really need to pray."

     "Right now? Its almost midnight. What do you want to pray about?"

     I rolled turned towards him while rolling my eyes, "The kids and for us."

     Silence and then an exasperated sigh, "FINE," he said before he started praying. (Note: My husband would be happier to pray first thing in the morning or right before bed, instead of feeling me toss and turn until I ask him in the middle of the night).

     I’ve heard it said over the course of my short Christian life, 'A couple that prays together, stays together.' Kind of like the best friends in the "Cletus, Take The Reel" parody by Tim Hawkins...Don't know what I'm talking about, watch the video below. HILARIOUS! 

    But praying is so hard especially as a couple. It is one thing to share your thoughts and feelings, but it is a whole new ball game to open up in prayer. Praying is just as intimate as anything else in the bedroom, it lays bare our souls and reveals our vulnerabilities. But when I do pray with my husband it creates a stronger bond between us. It invites God into our lives and into our marriage, uniting us on the spiritual front.

     Do you pray with your husband, do you ask him to pray for you before you start your day? For me, it's still a new practice, sometimes I feel embarrassed going to my husband and saying, "I'm feeling a little crabby this morning and I have so much to get done. Can you pray that I'm not short tempered with the kids?" 
     It's easy to think, "If I could just control myself and have a better mind set, then I can handle the day just fine." But when I bring my shortcomings to my husband, who then takes it before God; it humbles me and invites both my husband and God into my day. On the days when I do take my requests to my husband, it creates peace out of the chaos. The day is still filled with frustrations, but then I'm reminded that God is with me and He is paving the way to do what He intended that day. It connects me to my husband who thinks about me through out the day and is more tender when he gets home.
     It also reminds me of what I model in front of my children. Elijah is the first to point out that I have a crabby attitude, "Mom you didn't pray this morning with Daddy did you? Maybe we should pray for you on the way to school."

     I hate it when my children point out my mistakes and flaws, but then it blesses me to know they understand the power of prayer. They have no problem telling God when they are angry, what they want and what they worry about. As adults, we lose that childlike faith and forget that God isn't some imaginary thing in the sky that we send our thoughts up to. He is real, lives within our spirits and wants to be able to work through our plans, weaknesses, and dreams. 
     How can He strengthen our marriage and faith if we don't first go to Him? Prayer and marriage go hand in hand and I'm thankful my kids are seeing it through my fumbles and shortcomings.

     Do you pray with your man? If not, what holds you back? The power of praying with your husband breaks through our shortcomings and limitations. It strengthens ours bond and creates intimacy that stands through trials. I encourage you to start out small and go to your husband.