Because I Love Him!

God made an amazing man when he created Jon and I am honored and blessed to be his lifelong wife, friend, and helpmate. The best gift I can give to him, for any birthday on any budget, would be the power of prayer. So in honor of Jon turning 37 today, here are 37 things I promise to pray for all year long... (thanks for the inspiration Happi)

#1-I pray, as Jon's wife, that I can be trusted by him all the time and only do good to him and for him, every day. "Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life." Proverbs 31:10-12

#2- I pray that God will bless the work of my husband’s hands. May his labor bring not only favor, success, and prosperity, but great fulfillment as well. I pray that the Lord will open doors of opportunity that no man can close. Psalm 1:3, “Let him be like a tree planted by the stream of Your living water, which brings forth fruit in due season. May Jon never wither under pressure, but grow strong and prosper”

#3- I pray that we continually commit our finances to the Lord. May we be good stewards of all that He gives us. Where we have not been wise, I pray that God will bring restoration and give us guidance. I pray that Jon will not be anxious about finances, but will seek Christ’s kingdom first, knowing that as he does, we will have all we need (Luke 12:31).

#4- I pray that we make time for one another, communicate our true feelings openly, and remain sensitive to what each other needs physically, emotionally, and mentally.

#5- I pray God keeps us sexually pure in mind and body and that the Lord would remove from our midst anything from our lives that would inspire temptation to infidelity. I pray we desire each other and no one else. (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5)

#6- I pray Jon continues to be a sensitive/sentimental man who is not afraid to show his emotions.

#7- I pray that Jon laughs daily and helps others do so as well.

#8- I pray Jon’s fun loving sense of humor is never squashed…that Jon’s contagious joy just continues to grow and spread to those around him.

#9- I pray that God always reveals to Jon His purpose for his life, the very reason why he exists. May he be enabled to walk worthy of his calling and become the man of God he was created to be. I pray God gives him patience to wait for Christ’s perfect timing and that the desires of his heart will not be in conflict with the desires of His.(Ephesians 1:17-19)

#10- I pray that Jon will be a man of prayer.

#11- I pray that Jon has a desire to take care of his body through exercise and healthy eating so his body will remain healthy. I pray that the Lord strengthens his body to successfully endure his workload, and when he sleeps that he wakes completely rested, rejuvenated, and refreshed. I pray his sweet heart is always strong and never fails. May he understand that his body is a temple.

#12- I pray Jon can always find the great things Christ is doing/teaching in the midst of trials and have patience through them. (Romans 12:12, Isaiah 40:31, Psalm 57:1)

#13- I pray that Jon’s goal is always to please God and do what is right…continue to be a man of integrity. I pray that he has strength to say “yes” when he should and the courage to say “no” when he should say “no”. May Jon be enabled to stand for what he knows is right and not waver under pressure from the world.

#14- I pray Jon seeks Christ first daily. “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness…” Matthew 6:33

#15- I pray that Jon’s other priorities will continue to be in perfect order as well so that nothing will steal his life away that has no lasting purpose.

#16- I pray that Jon will never hide his love for the Lord and his reliance on Him. May he seek every opportunity he has been given to share the hope he has.

#17- I pray that Jon will always be a man of forgiveness and not carry grudges or hold things in his heart against others. May Jon love his enemies and bless those who curse him.

#18- I pray that Jon always realizes how important he is to his children and his influence can never be underestimated.

#19- I pray that the Lord will always show Jon how and when to discipline Baylee, Nathan, and Owen.

#20- I pray that Jon will always use the skills of communication with his kids. I pray he is never cruel, passive, critical, weak, uninterested, neglectful, undependable, or uninvolved. May he continue to be kind, loving, soft-hearted, warm, interested, affirming, involved, strong, consistent, dependable, understanding, and patient.

#21- I pray we never take each other for granted. I pray that God will help us not to weaken the marriage through neglect, indifference, or busyness. (Philippians 2:4, “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others”)

#22- I pray that Jon will always be affectionate to his family, including those teen years when it may not appear that affection is wanted.

#23- I pray that Jon will pass a spiritual inheritance to our children and myself.

#24- I pray Jon always listens and seeks godly counsel and not be a man who is unteachable. May his male Christian friendships be cultivated as they openly share their hearts to one another and seek God’s word as the ultimate authority. “A wise man will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel.” Proverbs 1:5

#25- I pray that Jon will always have a thankful heart.

#26- I pray that Jon always serves the Lord with the gifts and talents he was given from Christ.

#27- I pray that Jon’s mouth would only speak words that edify and bring life. I pray he never grows into a man that grumbles, complains, uses foul language, or one who destroys with his words.

#28- I pray that Jon is quick to repenting with a remorseful heart. “Search me O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxious ways, and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” Psalm 139:23-24

#29- I pray that Jon is delivered from anything that binds him. (Psalm 18:16-19)

#30- I pray that the Lord will always give Jon a strong vision for his eternal future.

#31- I pray that Jon will always live by faith. (Romans 1:17)

#32- I pray that the Lord will continue to give Jon great memories to hold onto and the yearning to help create new ones as well.

#33- I pray that Jon will always be honest with the Lord, me, and the rest of his family and friends.

#34- I pray that Jon is a man of prayer for Christ’s kingdom, our family, and church daily.

#35- I pray that Jon will never be a slave to depression, bitterness, anger, fear, rejection, hopelessness, loneliness, rebellion, etc. I pray that Jon will not accept everything he thinks as truth, instead, that he takes power of his mind, holding every thought captive under God’s control. (1 Corinthians 2:16, Philippians 4:6-8, 2 Timothy 1:7)

#36- I pray that Jon stays a playful person that doesn’t take tasks too seriously…but knows when to stop and seize the moments we are given to make a difference and/or just “play”.

#37- I pray that Jon never doubts that he is deeply loved by me!