In 2015, God used a “random” ride-share to a conference to drop a priceless friendship into my lap. He sent Kristi Woods as his gift of encouragement to my heart during that weekend (and ever since!). As a wife, mom, writer, and passionate follower of Jesus, she’s understands the challenging call to run hard after God and love our families well.

Today, Kristi shares the power of our prayers to shield, equip, and pour blessing into the lives of our husbands. Thank you, Kristi, for a fresh reminder to reject our busyness and accept all God has in store when we pray.

Do you ever take praying for your husband for granted? I feel a bit scratchy admitting this, but I have. A friend brought it to my attention once in an interesting manner.

She urged, more like commanded, me to always pray for my husband—in a dream. The words hit like a 500-lb. weight dropping to the floor. I knew she meant business and even more so, the God who prompted those words did.

A series of emotions and questions bubbled to the surface when I woke up the next morning. I felt ruffled, concerned too. After all, he was my husband, a military man at that. I knew I should be praying, and I did—sometimes. But my prayer coverage proved sporadic at best. And goodness, was something wrong? Was Tony in danger?

A few months earlier, my husband deployed to the other side of the globe. While he worked aboard the ship far away, the busyness of “solo” parenting three youngsters, household chores, and other daily tasks sent me into home front survival mode. I set prayer on the backburner far too often, striving to simply survive day-to-day life and deployment.

Somehow the words of 1 Thessalonians 5:17, a call to pray without ceasing, muted among the non-stop schedule.

Busyness is a booger. I’m convinced darkness uses it to gradually mute our hearing, closing off the airwaves to our Protector, God our Strength and Shield. Call it a ploy of the enemy.

But prayer in the life of a Christian stands key in our relationship with God. And those prayers certainly include husbands.

We serve a faithful Father, One who loves immensely and sees clearly. Regardless of whether the man of our marriage sits in a recliner across the living room floor or in a rack (bed) on a ship halfway around the world, God knows our man’s needs. He sees ours too. Why not take time with Him to commune concerning life?

Do you pray for your husband? Maybe your story sounds similar to mine; you’re sporadic or sparse in prayer. Perhaps a busy schedule, whether it’s due to a deployed husband or otherwise, lands you in a lackluster prayer life. If so, be encouraged.

Cast off condemnation. It’s not too late.

Set aside offense. It stands to distract.

Forget complacency. Love stands ready.

Instead, take heart with our Father’s wisdom and “can do.”

Pray without ceasing. (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

Start there. At night. In the morning. While at a stop light or washing dishes. Pray.

 

We may never know why we’re praying or what needs our husband houses, but God knows. He sees.

In my case, Tony had an urgent prayer need at the precise time the dream arrived. A work investigation tossed him into a world of suggestive graphic material—the type of images we kept off-limits in our marriage. But because it was duty, he had no option but to scour electronic devices for the evidence investigators sought.

Thank God for coverage through prayer. He saw and blanketed Tony’s need. He protected our marriage in those moments—even when I remained clueless, half a world away.

Busyness may attempt to hold us hostage, but today is never too late to break free. A full schedule has nothing on God. Why not begin praying for hubby today?

Deployments, long days at work, additional schooling, and military exercises send Army, Air Force, Marine, Navy, National Guard, and Coast Guard husbands far from home. Business trips, truck routes, disability, and 8-5 impact civilian husbands as well. There’s always need for prayer coverage.

My husband is now retired from the military and works in a corporate position. Much has changed in our world, but one thing hasn’t: he’s still in need of prayer. I am, too.

Thank God He sees the needs, dethroning busyness as king.

The One who truly loves us gives us opportunity to draw close to Him. Our faithful Father awaits our voice, time, and attention as we pray for our husband, ourselves, and marital needs.

If you’re not sure where to start, consider beginning each day by praying a scripture over your husband, then ask God how else He’d like you to pray. Feel free to use the prayer below as you battle not on behalf of busyness, but for your husband with the righteousness of God.

Father,

Thank You for the man I call “husband.” Your work in him is wonderful. This I know full well. Forgive me for allowing busyness to slip to the front, sending prayer and time with You to second fiddle. Remove this need to do, do, do, and show me how to order my days with righteousness, allowing You to lead. Show me how to pray without ceasing.

Father, I feel comfort that You see my husband. I trust You. You know his needs. I set those needs before you now. I pray for his salvation to be certain, that he is born again and will see the kingdom of God. May his faith be full, that he’ll walk by faith not by sight for his destiny, our marriage, his fatherhood, his work, and his ministry.

I ask that he grab a hold of Your strength, being strong in You and Your mighty power for daily living and decisions. May he lead our family and his role at work with wisdom from the Holy Spirit, walking in love daily.

And Lord, surround him with your protection—physically, emotionally, and spiritually. May no weapon formed against him prosper, but may You be glorified in all he does. Thank You for this man, Lord. Thank You for love. I am yours. Show me how to pray further to support him. I love you, Lord.

In Jesus’ name, amen.

 

Kristi Woods, writer and speaker, is passionate about women walking deeper with God. She writes encouragement and offers faith-building tools at www.KristiWoods.net, contributes regularly at Crosswalk.com and iBelieve.com, and is published in several Chicken Soup for the Soul anthologies. Kristi, her husband, and their three children survived a nomadic, military lifestyle, and have set roots in Oklahoma—where she keeps an eye out for chocolate and tornadoes.

PS:  For more encouragement from Kristi, download her free devotional, “Removing the Sting of Rejection.” She speaks warm words of healing that feel like a heart-hug from a friend. 

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