Power of a Praying Wife

Marriages that are in trouble has been a topic of conversation recently. My marriage is important to me. I believe my marriage is forever, through good and bad and rich and poor and sickness and in health. I think I felt that way when I got married but you really, really don't understand it until you are actually living it. The habits and actions of my spouse that I found soooo enduring when we were dating can sometimes be problematic. I do believe that women think we can change our husbands and that husbands think their wives will never change. When the husbands never change and the wives do, it can create a little tension. We have had our ups and downs and that is to be expected. I have learned a lot about sacrifice and putting someone else first. (I don't always do it but I know that I should :) First and foremost, God must come first in my marriage. I believe marriage is a covenant between me and my husband and God. And in the Bible God does give guidance to both the husband and the wife. One book that I have found to be helpful in maintaining my marriage is The Power of a Praying Wife by Stormie Omartian. My girlfriend and I are reading it and discussing it. The premise of the book in a nutshell is that I should be praying for my husband everyday. Praying about the things that are important to him. Praying about things that I think need to be changed in him. As a wife I really have no control over my husband. I can suggest things to him, nag him but true and lasting change comes from God. As Stormie says "Shut up and pray." And the ironic thing is, it may not be how I want or what I want (and I love irony.) I need to be praying for him to be who God wants him to be not who I want him to be. In my case, I had to rethink a lot of things. The first chapter in the book focuses on the wife. That I need to ask for forgiveness from the sins in my life, to change the way I am to be more like Christ before I can go to God and ask for Him to work in someone else's life. It has been about 2 weeks now since I started the book. On page 31 Stormie says "Ask God to pour out His blessings on him and fill you both with His love." I have been doing that everyday (hubby doesn't know that I am.) The immediate response in both of our lives has been incredible. When I ask God for that everyday it makes me smile. I have been married for almost 12 years now. I know that there are rough days ahead, I know there are great days ahead. But, I also know I am doing what I can to solidify my marriage . . .