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1st Marriage 2nd Marriage ZZ

Choose to Challenge Unspoken Truths

‘And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”’ John 8:32(NLT)

‘If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. ‘ 1 John 1:8(NLT)

‘Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. ‘ 1 John 3:18(NLT)

Some of the most insidious and destructive elements of a marriage are the assumptions spouses make about each other. Assumptions are sometimes based on previous experiences that have been interpreted and at other times are based on minimal factual information. They are beliefs that have been adopted that later become a part of the reality of the relationship.

The problem with assumptions is that they become what I call “unspoken truths.” These are assumptions, which may or may not be true, that are accepted as truth in a marriage. Once accepted, partners give up trying to change these beliefs. These “unspoken truths” form the basis for how spouses act toward each other and drive much of what happens in the relationship. Once spouses begin to accept these beliefs as givens in the relationship, they become the building blocks for their understanding of each other.

Can you identify with any of the “unspoken truths” below?

  • He cares more about his work than he does about me. 
  • She changed when we had kids; they have always been more important than me.
  • He won’t ever change—that’s just who he is.
  • No matter what I do, she’ll never really love me.
  • He says he works all those hours for us, but I think it’s really to prove something to himself.
  • I think he likes the idea of marriage but just not the reality of being married to me.

I have seen couples find hope in the transformation that happens when they are willing to do the work of exposing “unspoken truths” in their marriages. Something powerful happens when spouses are willing to risk vulnerability with one another, speak their hurt, and put the other partner first in their marriage. The same can be true for you in your marriage.

If you will begin to identify the assumptions in your relationship and honestly share these “unspoken truths” with each other, you can make a clear choice to live your life together differently. 

So many couples discover that they allow their entire marriage to be based on assumptions and beliefs, most of which are not true at all. When we make the brave choice to challenge these “unspoken truths” and no longer believe them, our relationship changes drastically. It may be overwhelming at first, but eventually this choice leads to healing and truth.

Complete these sentences with as much honesty and accuracy as possible with the intent to share with your spouse: 

My partner does not understand that I need ________. 

If I could change one part of myself for my partner, it would be _____.

from 10 Choices Successful Couples Make by Dr. Ron Welch

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1st Marriage 2nd Marriage ZZ

Choose to Get Rid of Baggage

‘Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.’ Colossians 3:2-4(NLT)

‘“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? “And why worry about your clothing? Look at the lilies of the field and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?’ Matthew 6:25-30(NLT)

‘No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, ‘ Philippians 3:13(NLT)

The intent of today is to help you understand some of the relationship patterns you may have brought into your marriage from your childhood and your previous relationships. With knowledge of these patterns, you can learn positive strategies and stop using ineffective ones. Learning to change old patterns involves recognizing where you are in the process and getting out of it.

The patterns from the past, whether they come from your childhood or previous relationships, were successful and useful when you developed them. These behaviors and patterns helped you cope with the challenges you faced at those times. However, they may no longer be effective if the reasons you used them do not exist in your current marriage. 

I want to share what I believe is a very helpful skill to creating a healthy process of handling conflict in your marriage. One of the most effective parenting interventions is the time-out. When a child’s behavior gets out of control or parents need to change the direction of a child’s behavior, they have the child take a time-out. The same principle can work wonders for your marital relationship. The goal is to learn how to work together to effectively disengage when your interactions are not healthy.

Either one of you can call for a time-out, but you both need to commit to honoring the request when it is made. Additionally, you both agree to let go of your desire to win the fight and trust that taking a break is best for both parties. Simply agreeing to table the fight for the time being is far better than saying or doing hurtful things. The important thing here is not to use the time-out to run away from the conflict. The partner who asks for the time-out should let the other partner know when they think it might be okay to talk about the issue again. I cannot overstate the importance of learning to take these time-outs.

By considering the baggage you both bring to the relationship from your families of origin and past relationships, you’ll understand why some of the patterns in your relationship occur. Something as simple (but not easy) as taking a time-out is a learned tool that provides clear steps for changing hurtful patterns within your marriage.

Honor your spouse when they ask for a time-out in the middle of an argument. How did that feel to put their need to ‘pause’ ahead of your need to continue with the argument?

from 10 Choices Successful Couples Make by Dr. Ron Welch

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1st Marriage 2nd Marriage ZZ

Choose to Forgive

‘Then Peter came to him and asked, “Lord, how often should I forgive someone who sins against me? Seven times?” “No, not seven times,” Jesus replied, “but seventy times seven!’ Matthew 18:21-22(NLT)

‘throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. ‘ Ephesians 4:22(NLT)

‘Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. ‘ Colossians 3:13(NLT)

Because of the necessity to forgive one another in any relationship we have, we are going to spell out what forgiveness looks like. There are four steps that couples need to learn in order to forgive. They are essential elements in the developmental process of forgiveness.

An authentic apology is the first step in the process of forgiveness and involves trying to understand why you offended the other person. It also involves making a real effort to prevent it from happening again. Making a sincere apology is an ongoing process that requires commitment and follow-through. But I caution you from apologizing when you don’t mean it. Apologize only when you mean it—when you believe that what you did was wrong and you want to put in the work to prevent doing it again.

Second, the process of forgiveness involves repentance. You have to show your partner that you are truly remorseful for your actions and that you have a plan in place that will make it possible for you to prevent a repeat performance in the future. This gives your apology some weight. If you don’t show remorse for your actions along with a clear desire to create lasting change in yourself, you don’t give your partner any reason to believe you won’t do the same thing again in the future. 

Accountability is the third step because it involves both parties setting some expectations for the future. However, accountability involves more than holding each other responsible for making changes. It is also about developing a plan for success that clearly identifies all the factors that contributed to what happened. This includes both partners, as one partner’s behavior may influence the ability of the other to make the necessary changes.

Lastly, accepting the apology of your partner means you are convinced that they feel true remorse for what they did and are working hard to prevent it from happening again. As a caution, you should not offer forgiveness unless you are honestly willing to let go of resentment and bitterness and treat the person as if the act hadn’t happened. You have to believe that your partner is capable of change and expect that they will succeed in that endeavor. This is much harder to do than you might think. It is much easier to protect yourself by expecting your partner to fail than to open yourself up to future pain by expecting success.

When was the last time you showed true remorse for a wrong you had committed toward another? Was their response one of compassion or judgment?

from 10 Choices Successful Couples Make by Dr. Ron Welch

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1st Marriage 2nd Marriage ZZ

Choose To Listen

‘Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life.’ Proverbs 19:20(NLT)

‘Understand this, my dear brothers and sisters: You must all be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to get angry. ‘ James 1:19(NLT)

Changing how you speak to each other, when you speak to each other, and where you speak to each other are important for building success in your marriage. Focusing on how you both feel rather than winning the argument and listening to your partner so that you truly understand what they want you to know are equally valuable choices. These choices can prevent the anger and resentment so many couples experience.

In the past, you may have felt enlightened for educating yourself with rules about fighting fairly in conflicts. I strongly disagree with such a notion. Couples will have disagreements, but I don’t want you to “fight fair.” I want you not to fight at all! I want to show you how positive communication will cause a shift in the direction of wholeness.

So what does positive communication look like? Positive communication focuses on what is currently happening at present; it does not bring up the past and create a negative atmosphere by reinstating old emotions. It focuses on one clear issue at a time. Honest communication doesn’t muddy the waters with different issues that are sensitive and emotional. Stay on task. 

Also, be aware that the right setting is essential for proper communication. Productive discourse occurs when both parties have energy, clarity, and focus. Therefore, trying to communicate at the end of the day when you are tired is not a good plan for talking with your spouse about something confrontational. Don’t choose the heat of the moment to drive your point home or try to hide the truth, either. That choice has harmful results, and you are learning to keep it positive and honest. 

Choosing to be resilient in your relationship involves more than communication. Couples who function from a positive mindset are more cooperative than competitive. When the relationship becomes competitive, it has likely also turned negative. In contrast, a healthy marriage is a cooperative venture in which both partners try to help each other become the best people and the best spouses they can be. The goal is not to win by ending up with more of the limited resources in the relationship, but to make sure that each partner is loved, accepted, valued, and honored in their interactions.

Is winning the argument more important to you than showing compassion toward your spouse? The next time you start to argue, intentionally choose to stop and listen to your spouse’s perspective. What happened when you did?

from 10 Choices Successful Couples Make by Dr. Ron Welch

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1st Marriage 2nd Marriage ZZ

Choose to Focus on the Process

‘Your kindness will reward you, but your cruelty will destroy you.’ Proverbs 11:17(NLT)

‘A gentle answer deflects anger, but harsh words make tempers flare.’ Proverbs 15:1(NLT)

‘Wise words satisfy like a good meal; the right words bring satisfaction.’ Proverbs 18:20(NLT)

‘And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.’ Philippians 4:8-9(NLT)

As we discussed on Day One, conflict is not a bad thing. What is important is how we deal with it. One of the biggest myths about marriage is that fights “just happen”; that they are random, unpredictable events. Instead, I believe that people make a conscious, deliberate choice when they decide to turn a disagreement into a fight. The success of a marriage is often seen in how a couple handles conflict with one another. 

This devotional is intended to help both of you become open to feedback from each other, choose to become the most authentic, loving partners possible, and learn to bring real and lasting transformation to your marriage. In my work with couples, I believe that process matters much more than content. I don’t think a difference in beliefs or attitudes about a certain topic creates conflict between partners; most couples can work through differences of opinion. The way couples treat each other when they talk about issues causes the greater conflict. In fact, many couples, when they learn to focus on treating each other with respect, honor, and love, sometimes don’t even remember what they were arguing about!

To this end, we need to understand what is meant when we talk about process.   When I refer to process, I am talking about the way two people interact within their marriage, how they treat one another, and what happens between them that drives the behaviors they choose to display. Process focuses on how you relate to each other. In contrast, content focuses on what you disagree on every day—the specific issues that create difficulty such as parenting, work,  or in-laws.

I want you to begin thinking about conflict between you and your partner differently. Instead of thinking about conflict in terms of what you fight about, I want you to think about how you treat each other during an argument. For example, what are your attitudes and behaviors like? Are you mean and hurtful or do you show respect, love, and honor to each other? Do you interrupt and criticize each other, or do you listen well and focus on your partner? 

Learning to make these choices will not be easy, nor will the potential challenges to your relationship be painless to overcome. You didn’t arrive where you are overnight, so you won’t build the marriage of your dreams overnight either. The hope you can believe in is that you and your partner can choose to be in control of what happens in your relationship. If you have the courage to take this journey, the possibilities are life-changing.

You are responsible for the choices you make within your marriage. Does that statement feel empowering or defeating? Why?

from 10 Choices Successful Couples Make by Dr. Ron Welch

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1st Marriage 2nd Marriage ZZ

Marriage Is About Choice

‘For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.’ Isaiah 43:19(NLT)

‘“I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again.’ Isaiah 43:25(NLT)

‘Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them back,” says the Lord . Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty, give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of shame on their heads.” Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.’ Romans 12:16-21(NLT)

The big idea behind the transformation of your marriage is that you can make choices in key areas to heal it. You are in control of the conflicts that occur in your relationship. Conflict, in and of itself, is not a bad thing. What is important is how we deal with it. Conflicts will happen, but fights don’t have to. You can make different choices. The first major choice both of you must make is to stop doing what has not worked in your relationship so far. 

Before you say this is oversimplifying marriage, think about it. Isn’t stopping what you’re doing wrong the exact place where you have to start? You have to learn what doesn’t work in your relationship and make a clear choice not to do that anymore. That is the one and only way you can make space to try new ways of handling problems. 

The second choice to make is deciding if you are willing to work together as teammates instead of competing against each other to achieve your own individual goals. You can make a choice to do what your partner needs and give up what you need. You can choose to forgive your spouse even when you don’t feel your partner deserves forgiveness, (and we will talk about what forgiveness is and isn’t later this week.)

Marriage is also about hope. There is hope that if you have made poor choices in the past, you can change the way you do things in the future. There is hope that your relationship and your future as a couple are not at the mercy of disagreements or conflict. There is hope that the marriage you believed in when you said “I do” is not only possible but within your reach. And, there is room for hope even if hope never existed.

With so many hurting people and damaged marriages, I can’t emphasize enough that your marriage is not hopeless, and you are not helpless. Your relationship doesn’t have to continue on the way it is. You can choose to start making choices that will transform your marriage. You will learn how to understand the process of what happens when you and your partner are in conflict and how to focus more on the way you treat each other than on what you disagree about.

What area of your marriage if restored would give you a sense of hope? Take a small step in that direction.

from 10 Choices Successful Couples Make by Dr. Ron Welch

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Devotion for Women ZZ

Lavish Grace on Your Man

‘God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. ‘ 1 Peter 4:10(NLT)

‘Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.’ 1 Corinthians 13:4-7(NLT)



By Krystle Porter



When my husband and I were newly married, I remember one evening, very vividly, where we were sitting at the dinner table arguing. I cannot for the life of me remember what the quarrel was about, but I recall being so angry with him that I stormed out of the front door of our little condo, sat down on a step about twenty feet away, and pouted for a bit.

I thought that he would for sure come out, plead his apologies, and beg for me to come back inside. He never did. I waited there for what felt like hours, though it was likely thirty minutes or so. I remember sitting there thinking, “Is this how marriage is supposed to feel? I thought it was supposed to make you feel good.” I remember feeling very defeated. I knew at that moment, my perspective needed to change. Marriage is about two sinful people learning to live together in companionship. We don’t always get it right. We can try our very best, but perfection is reserved for Jesus only. Thank goodness for that! So many expectations can be released when you allow your spouse to be another person in this world—trying their best but inevitably falling short. There is an endless opportunity to love our spouses well by living a life that overflows with grace for this very reason.

I looked up the definition of the word “grace,” and one source said, “The condition or fact of being favored by someone.” What a beautiful concept! This leads me to my next definition; what is favor? It is an act of kindness beyond what is due or usual. Grace should be poured upon our spouses in bucketfuls. If you have an issue with your man that you want Him to repent of, your kindness toward him, your undeserved “favor,” may be just what God is calling you to do to help him out of his pit!

Here are two beautiful ways we can extend grace to our husbands:

  • Learn to accept your husband’s limitations. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Friend, this is a huge one. Like I mentioned above, our husbands will not, and cannot, be perfect, and neither can you or I. Over time, I have grown to laugh and even enjoy my husband’s imperfections. Their vulnerability is a window into their heart. Don’t take that for granted! Pray for him and love him through his struggles, even if these struggles affect your relationship. Before you try to “fix” anything about your husband, go to God in devoted prayer— not just a frustrated, disgruntled prayer, but pour your heart out before the Lord. You can rest easy that Jesus can do more than you expect or hope in the situation.
  • Always assume the best. “A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing his opinion” (Proverbs 18:2 ESV). When you decide to assume the best in your spouse, the whole tone of your relationship will change. It creates trust when you feel like you are on the same team instead of on opposing ones. Assume your husband loves you and cares for you. Bend your ear to understanding instead of winning. When you decide to trust and not assume the worst in your spouse, conversations that could possibly have turned into arguments become opportunities to grow closer.

Faith-Filled Idea: Win as a Team

Around our house, we know that when one of us wins an argument, we both lose. So we focus on making sure that Team Porter (our last name) wins every disagreement. Together we come to a solution that allows us to both “win” and draws us closer because of it. Conflict is normal in a marriage, and we are presented with opportunities to either show love through forgiveness or stay defensive. So what team are you on? Pray about being on “Team _______” with your man. When a disagreement arises, quietly pray “God help me to be on Team _______, and to not only plead my case.” This simple prayer could be a game-changer for you! After all, Jesus is in the business of changing hearts.

from The Help Club for Moms

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Devotion for Women ZZ

Praying Through Tough Times

‘I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. ‘ 1 Timothy 2:1(NLT)

‘“Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. ‘ Matthew 7:7(NLT)

‘“You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.’ Matthew 7:9-11(NLT)

‘Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.’ 1 Peter 5:7(NLT)

By Jennifer Valdois



Several years ago, I came to a place of desperation in my marriage. My husband was facing some hard situations, and, as much as I hated to see him struggle, there was not one thing I could do to change his circumstances. I was at a loss and had nowhere to turn but to God. My husband needed my prayers, but I didn’t know how to pray effectively. I wanted to do more than bring a list of needs before the Lord; I wanted to see the mountains move. Then I remembered one of my sisters recommending that I read The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson.

Out of a deep desire to change, I checked out the book and the audiobook from the library; I needed answers, and I was determined to find them! Before I read, I prayed and committed to myself, “This will not be a book on prayer I read and then forget. This book will change my life.” I listened to The Circle Maker several times on audiobook and let the message go deep into my soul. I learned that there is no special prayer to move God’s heart. Praying to move the mountains is about believing we serve a big God who is all-powerful and can make all things right.

Our job as daughters of the Most High God is to trust Him to hear our prayers and to continue to pray in faith over what we are contending for. He says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7). We serve a Good Father who will not give us a stone when we ask for bread (Matthew 7:9-11). His Word says He will give good things to those who ask! Moms, we must believe that He loves us and wants to answer our prayers.

During this time, I discovered that there is power in praying God’s promises found in the Bible. As I spent time in the Word, I realized how much I loved praying the Scriptures I was reading over my husband. One of my favorite Scriptures to pray became Psalm 5:12: “Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.” I love thinking about God’s blessing and favor surrounding my husband as I pray. Along with praying the Scriptures, I would bring my husband’s needs before the Lord, thus “circling” him in prayer.

Whether your husband needs healing, wisdom, revelation, or a miracle, you can “circle” him in prayer by praying the promises of God and bringing his needs before the Lord. It has been more than five years since I began this journey of intentionally praying for my husband, casting all my cares on Him because He cares for me (1 Peter 5:7). I have seen God answer my prayers in small ways, in significant ways, and in ways I never imagined possible, and He will do the same for you. Be bold, believe, and ask God to do big things!

from The Help Club for Moms

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Devotion for Women ZZ

Replacing Lies with Truth

‘Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.’ Romans 12:2(NLT)

‘Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. ‘ Colossians 3:2(NLT)

‘Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. ‘ 1 Peter 5:8(NLT)

‘Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. ‘ Ephesians 4:23(NLT)

By Kristall Willis

“I’m a bad mom.”

“I’m not successful or productive.”

“I can’t do this.”

These are the words I sometimes hear in my mind. Do you listen to them too?

Quite often, I struggle with toxic thoughts about myself, which causes me to respond to my kids out of frustration and irritation. I lose my patience with them when they are just merely being kids, and then I feel worse. My children suffer and are not seeing the best version of me as a mommy because I am believing lies! Why do we believe these lies about ourselves? The truth is that the enemy of our souls wants to plant this constant negative thought chatter in our minds. Satan is crafty and manipulative, and he relishes in our weakness. But guess what, mama? Jesus is stronger, and His authority will triumph in our mothering!

In trying to stop this cycle, I have turned to Scripture to find the truth. The Word of God is filled with so much encouragement, strength, and power. Proverbs 15:1 says, “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger,” and James 1:19 says, “Be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” These Scriptures have become unwavering truths for me and are now in my arsenal to wield against Satan.

I have found the practice of turning my worries and fears into prayers also helps exchange these lies with truths. For example, when I worry about my children getting hurt, I’ll say, “Lord, please protect and watch over them. Send Your angels to guard and guide them.” Or when I worry about my husband, I’ll pray, “Lord, be with my husband as he works. Give him confidence in You to follow Your will and feel Your Spirit’s presence around him. Strengthen him to rely on You and show him You are his provider and how much You love him.” This takes control from the enemy and passes my burdens over to our Lord and Savior.

Our “enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). The devil is ready and waiting to tempt you and bring you down that rabbit hole of bad thoughts again and again! Remember, though, he is not very creative and tends to use the same triggers over and over. We have to remember the Word of God continually and hide it deep in our hearts.

This practice of fixing our minds on things from above is not something we tend to do naturally—it takes prayer, discipline, obedience, and continued training. By filling our minds with God’s Word, we can begin responding with truth from Scripture. Oh, how this will change our daily interactions, responses, and moods!

from The Help Club for Moms

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Devotion for Women ZZ

Making Room for Prayer

‘But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.’ Matthew 6:6(NLT)

‘Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. ‘ James 5:16(NLT)

‘Yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.’ Psalms 22:3(NLT)

By Rae-Ellen Sanders



I love the movie War Room. The older woman, Clara, is a powerhouse prayer warrior! She diligently removes herself to a tiny room where she has lined the walls with pictures and Scriptures to motivate her in her spiritual battle through prayer. The movie inspires me to fight the enemy with the Word of God and to persevere when my prayers aren’t answered in my timing.

According to James 5:16 (NKJV), “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” From what I understand about Scripture, the most spiritually successful people were men and women of prayer. Jesus Himself regularly removed himself from the crowds to find a quiet time with the Father. If Jesus, as our greatest example, found time to pray, how much more should we follow His standard to pray!

Creating a secret place to meet the Lord in prayer is how we begin to make quiet time a life-changing priority. A comfy chair or a nook reserved for your prayer closet or war room will allow you to slow down, quiet your heart, read God’s Word without interruption, hear the voice of the Lord, and pray.

If you’re like me and don’t have room in your house for a dedicated war room, another option would be to create a prayer board made from a trifold board that you can find at most office stores. I’ve added prayer cues and Scriptures to my board that moves me to pray. Pinterest has been a great resource to help me tailor my board to my liking. When opened, my board shields me from the laundry and other distractions that want to pull me away from time with God. When I am finished, it folds up and easily stores under my bed.

After creating this safe haven and refuge from the world, go into your “secret place” and thank God for all His blessings and provisions. Thanksgiving gives you a humble posture for prayer. You can journal your praises and even acknowledge answered prayers. Play music that inspires you to sing songs of praise. Pick up a hymnal or sing songs you know from church. Lifting your voice in worship invites the Lord to join you. Open your Bible, and before reading, ask the Holy Spirit to give you the wisdom to understand the mysteries of His Word. Read Scripture out loud. Take notes, underline, and meditate on what the Lord has spoken to you. If you feel like trying something new, sing the words of the Psalms as David did. Don’t forget to be specific in this time of conversing with God and pray for people by name. Your quiet time will become a time of refreshment with the Lord that might even become your favorite part of the day!

from The Help Club for Moms