As we push towards freedom from addiction for ourselves or our loved ones, prayer, alongside counseling, recovery support, and treatment, is powerful.

Here are some key Biblical teachings that can guide us as we strive to be more intentional with our resources.

God honored the choices of the people, even when he warned them that this decision would lead them away from God’s best plan for their lives. God is a relentless respecter of our free will. He’s not a King by force but only becomes the King of our hearts when we invite him in.

The woman with the issue of blood demonstrates that Jesus sees those who feel invisible, honors persistent faith, and offers healing that reaches far beyond the physical.

As I’ve grown older, I’ve had to come to terms with my limitations and recognize that fact that my body needs constant care or it starts to break down. It’s an ongoing struggle to keep life in balance, but once we embrace God’s plan for sabbath, we can live healthier lives.

When life feels unjust, or anxiety weighs heavily, Psalm 94 reminds you that God sees, hears, and sustains you. This devotional invites you to take refuge in His unfailing love and trust His faithful care tonight.

The idea of being a ‘wife of noble character’ comes from Proverbs 31:10-31. 

The text says (emphasis added), “A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies. Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life. She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands. She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar. She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard. She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks. She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night. In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers. She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy. When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet. She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple. Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land. She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes. She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. She speaks with wisdom; and faithful instruction is on her tongue. She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised. Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”

Let’s explore what the text seeks to teach us about being a wife that fears the Lord. 

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Marriage comes with many ups and downs. If you are in a relationship with another person for long enough, they will do something to make you mad. It could be as simple as not putting clothes away properly, or as contentious as hurtful words or careless actions. We marry a person, not an idea. People are messy, broken, difficult, selfish, short-sighted, lazy, forgetful, unclear, and so much more. Love draws us together, but life reveals our failures and offers endless opportunities to forgive and grow.

Anger does not equate failure. Frustration is just part of this package. What we have to go after if we want to thrive together are the skills and tools required to process these emotions and all the other ones as a team. Prayer is just one of the most effective tools we can utilize when anger rises in our homes. Praying during life’s storms is us taking a moment to surrender to the Lord, invite in his healing, and ask for the wisdom we need to navigate conflict.

Praying When You're Angry Isn’t Easy

If we want prayer to become our default when tensions are high, we are going to have to practice and decide to do this well before the frustrating moment presents itself. In the heat of the moment, the last thing we want to do is quiet our mind and body so we can approach the Lord in prayer. Our instinct when things get heated is to defend ourselves. Justice becomes our primary objective when feelings are hurt.

Anger often blocks us from having empathy for our spouse, keeps us from approaching them with tenderness, and prevents us from offering them compassion. Our minds run away from us quickly, and words can spill out before we are really able to assess the situation with wisdom and grace. We must remember prayer does not excuse the sin or hurt, but it just brings God into it. Reconciliation only truly happens in our lives when God is involved. He is the only one with the power to heal our brokenness and set right our wrongs.

Prepare Your Heart Before You Pray

If we want to be successful in our endeavour to bring God into our conflict, we have to make a plan on how to get ourselves to our knees. The Psalms offer us beautiful examples of how we can approach God with our raw and real emotions. We can offer him our pain and questions. We can lament the hurt we are experiencing. And we can boldly ask God to grant us the wisdom and grace required to reconcile and remain unified as a couple. Here are some ways we can actually pray for our spouse when we face these moments:

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The Parable of the Mustard Seed highlights how God’s kingdom work often begins in ways that appear small, insignificant, or even invisible.

Not every person is safe. We must use wisdom when choosing and navigating the people in our lives. Unfortunately, it's not easy to find ways to be loving and maintain healthy boundaries when people we interact with and often love are manipulative.

Luke 6:31 says, "And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them."

We must keep this in mind as we interact with others. We aren't to exact revenge, we are to let go of judgment and show others the kindness that we are looking for. Yet, healthy boundaries are a part of God's love.

Proverbs 4:23 says, "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life."

God wants us to guard our hearts so that they remain a source of his life for others. Thankfully, His Word guides us to keep our hearts safe when encountering unsafe people.

The Bible does not give us explicit guidelines for using social media, but it does provide some principles that can help us, as parents, prayerfully determine how we feel most comfortable using it and how much we should share about our kids' lives online.

Family conflict is inevitable, but God's grace can help us respond with humility, forgiveness, and peace. Tonight's prayer encourages us to prioritize healthy relationships over being right.

Here is a list of some easy and fun VBS crafts that don’t require a lot of supplies.