Pray for My Marriage

I would like to request prayer for my marriage. I have been married for 7 years. My husband has been an unbelieving alcoholic. I was married 19 years before I left my first husband. My now husband, Richard, and I, have one child, 8 years old. God has been stripping me and bringing me to the place of really loving my husband and truly interceeding for him. We have come to a crisis point in his alcohol use and in our marriage. He hasn't drank now in about 6 weeks. He also quit smoking. But, he has become a different person. I realize that this is necessary for him to realize some things about himself that he has been running from through alcohol. But, it is very painful for all of the household, esp. me. Please pray that I will press through this place and surrender all of myself to God. I don't want to wrestle with my husband. And please pray for him, that God will have mercy on him and open his eyes and ears, give him grace to open his heart to him. This is a painful time for me, as well. I left my church over some same issues as Chanin and Rahman, and I feel very alone. I'm not afraid, but I feel like I'm in the Valley of the Shadow of Death. Thanks. Dian.

Dear Sister,Thank you for sharing this and giving us an opportunity to come alongside you to intercede. It actually preceded a thought I had this morning, to encouarge more specific prayer requests when it is possible, as the names come to mind it is often times difficult to pray for individuals only in a general sense.Much I can relate to as I also have similar struggles here and to digress a bit, mine I don't feel warranted to go into detail as it would likely do more harm than good. God has been stripping me and bringing me to the place of really loving my husband and truly interceeding for himYes, exactely what I believe the Lord has been telling me also for quite some time."Just love her"Most certainly on the right track, though I could only imagine what difficulties you may face in doing this, easier said often than done.Have taken all these to heart and to the Throne and will continue to do so. Sister, you are not alone. May the Lord give you His peace and His rest and guide you through this time, that He would show His love through you and draw your husband to Himself.

I might suggest a good book in this situation.By Martha Peace, The Excellent WifeGrace,Doug

Dear Dian,My heart goes out to you. What a learning process. It's amazing how the Lord uses people in our lives (sometimes the ones closest to us) to purify us and bring us to humility. I know it is hard. I know how the flesh rebels and how it wants to claim our own rights to be happy. Been there. :-( If Jesus is in you (which He is :) then let Him love your hubby through you. You don't have to concentrate on changing the way you feel, just be a vessel to let the Lord love him. He needs to see Jesus in you. It's an awsome thing to fathom really, because on the one hand this is about your husband and using you to love Him and bring him a message of healing- on the other hand, this is about you and how the lord is using this circumstance to further your growth and surrender-- and then on the third (?) and most important hand :-P , this is about God and His glory. How is God going to be glorified out of this whole situation. He will! oh, the wonders of God's purposes.Enough of the advice...Just know you are in our prayers and that i am praying that the Lord's will is being done in and through you. He will give you the strength and grace to do what you think you cannot. He will allow you to love when you think there is no love to be had. He will be the patience for you when you think there is no patience to be had. The Lord will bring what He has started in you to full completion. Amen. :-) In His perfect love, Chanin

Dear Dian,I will be praying for you. I’m aware of the fact that I cannot realize the full extent of your problems, but the Lord knows it and I’ll be praying for you, your husband and your little child.Your messages to me where comforting. They have helped me to fix my eyes on Jesus and encouraged me not to give up. Praise the Lord for your words to my heart! And now…I can’t express it very well, but I feel very related/linked (don't know the correct English word for it..but I hope you get what I mean :-D) with you at this moment, as a brother in our Lord Jesus. I hope that this may comfort you; knowing that a brother on the other side of the world will be praying for you.Today I read something amazing: “And for their sakes I sanctify Myself” (John 17:19). Jesus sanctifies Himself for us! He totally sets Himself apart for the sake of us. Night and day He intercedes for you and me (Hebrews 7:25).”How gracious He will be when you cry for help! As soon as He hears, He will answer you” (Isaiah 30:19)I understand that this situation is very hard for you and many things will confuse you I suppose. “Why Lord?”, “why me?”…I myself had a situation (very different however) in which many thoughts confused me and I didn’t know what to do with them. Then I read this verse in Psalm 94:19 “In the multitude of my thoughts within me, Thy comforts delight my soul.”May the Holy Spirit prove His name to be true: Comforter!Yours in Christ,Paul

Night and day He intercedes for you and me (Hebrews 7:25).So funny because i started to type this as well. I actually erased it because I was afraid that technically I would be wrong about the verse and someone might call me on it (has it got to that point where I am afraid to say something because I think that someone will point out that it's wrong or in the wrong context, :-o , ect...)Anyway, the Lord must surely want you to know this if it came to Paul and I both. Jesus IS interceding for you. This must give you hope. No problem has come up against you that others have not already faced before.In His love, Chanin

I actually erased it because I was afraid that technically I would be wrong about the verse and someone might call me on it (has it got to that point where I am afraid to say something because I think that someone will point out that it's wrong or in the wrong context, , ect...)I hope not!Let 'em fly sister, think we all misquote and get things misconstrued from time to time around here, will sort it out later :-P Besides I think I probably have a corner on that market anyways... 8-) One more for our dear sister:Mat 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Mat 11:29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. edit: Here is a message that I found very helpful and need to revisit from Keith Daniel:Marriage Also, just noticed two newer marriage related messages there as well...looks like I have my food for the day :-)

Dear Dian,We are doing some prayer out here.Lars