While I was dating the man who would become my husband, I would often drive to the city in which he lived and spend the night with my aunt and uncle. I remember falling off to sleep at night and hearing them pray out loud. I couldn’t hear all of their words, but I remember hearing a particular phrase many times throughout my visits to their home, and I remember asking God to give me a marriage just like theirs. It was obvious that the Lord was the center of their home.

When I would awake in the morning, we would share breakfast together, and I would again hear that phrase that would impact my life in such a distinct way, as I hope it will yours.

Dear Lord…and help us to increase in favor with God and man.

When Joe and I married, we carried that tradition into our home. If you were to sneak into our home, you would hear us pray out loud together every  night—exactly as I dreamed someday we would. Then again, every morning before he leaves the house for work, you will hear us pray one for another that God will give us favor, first of all with Him and then with our bosses, our co-workers, and anyone else whose path we might cross throughout the day.

I cannot even begin to share the difference praying that prayer has made. Scores of times while eating dinner, we will talk about how God surely showered us with His favor that day. I would have never even thought to pray that prayer for my husband—if someone had not shared the idea with me. Now I hope you will daily pray the same for your husband. Pray that he increases in favor, first of all with God. Then pray that he finds favor with his boss, supervisor, co-workers, customers, or whoever crosses his path during the course of that day.

My husband has taught me to pray in a more powerful and strategic way. From the very beginning of our marriage, he brought these ideas into our prayer time. I am moved deeply when I hear him pray, and now I use his words to pray for him throughout the day. I hope you will consider using these ideas as you pray together with or for your spouse.

1. Pray that you are quickly convicted when you do wrong.

2. Ask God to forgive you and bring to your mind anything that you have done that disappointed or grieved Him or anything that disappointed or hurt your spouse.

3. Ask God to take control of your loved one’s immune system and destroy any viruses, cancer cells, or anything that is harming his body.

4. Ask God to remove any unclean spirits that have entered your home because of anything you brought into your home or anything you watched on television.

5. Ask the Lord to help you be the wife that your husband needs and deserves.

6. Ask the Lord to help you respectfully respond to your spouse.

7. Pray that God would place a hedge of protection around your spouse throughout the day. Pray for his physical health and safety as well as for his spirit to be strengthened.

8. Pray that all the nutrients of the food you eat and serve your family are assimilated and used to build healthy bodies.

9. Ask the Lord to deflect any arrows that the Devil has intended for your husband. Ask the Lord to take any attacks that the devil has intended for your spouse and cause them to backfire.

10. Pray that there are no holes in your pockets and that whatever the devourer has taken in the past will be restored.

These are just a few prayer ideas that you can use to help strengthen your marriage. Use one or more of the ideas to pray for your spouse or with your spouse throughout the day. If you choose to use only one a day, I am confident you will see God’s hand at work in a dynamic way