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Renee Swope

Encouraging and equipping moms to parent with God's grace and confidence.

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Praying for my husband – from head to toe

Did you hear about my issue? That secret struggle I had for so long when it came respecting my husband. I confessed it all in my P31 devotion today. As I shared, I haven’t always been so good at following and trusting my man”s lead. BUT God has done an amazing work in me – and in my marriage – over the past 18 years.

I know marriage can be hard, and trusting someone to lead when there are things you struggle with together is really, really hard. But I also know God uses us in powerful ways to love our men like He does – unconditionally.

One of the best ways we can love our husbands is to pray for them. Praying for JJ has shown me all that he carried on his shoulders – at work, at home, at church, with our kids, etc. It’s also really helped me follow his lead.  It assures me that he’s covered spiritually when I invite God to do His thing in JJ’s life.

Of course, it’s up to our husbands to respond to God’s work in their hearts but our part is not based on our husband’s response to God. It’s based on our surrendering and seeking God’s heart for our husbands – and trusting God to lead from there.

JJ has also told me that prayer is the best gift I can give him. Years ago I heard a concept about praying for our husbands – from head to toe.  So, today I wanted to share some verses and prayers that fit with that concept:

Head
“Father, I ask that You would continually renew my husband’s mind, resulting in a transformed life. Help him bring every thought into captivity to Christ to make it obedient to You. Give him a greater understanding of Your Word. Help him to think on things that are pure and right and worthy of praise.” (Psalm 119:15, Rom 12:2, 2 Cor.10:5)

Eyes
“Lord, keep opening my husband’s eyes to deep spiritual truths. Help him to see things as You see them. Please guard his eyes from looking at worthless things. ” (Psalm 119:18, Psalm 119:37)

Ears
“Father, let my husband hear Your voice clearly. Help him to recognize your voice with certainty. Protect him from listening to anyone who is not seeking and walking with You. Help him not to be affected negatively by what others say and to discern between good and evil. Give him the ability to determine what is of You and what is not.” (Is 30:21, 1 Kings 3:9, 1 John 4:1)

Mouth
“Help my husband to speak the truth in love. Help him to be quick to listen and slow to speak. Give him the couraage to lovingly confront when necessary. Let the words he speaks be Yours, not his own. Help him speak words that bring grace and truth to the hearers. I also pray that you will help him to grow in his ability and desire to communicate with you and others.” (Psalm 19:14, 119:13, 41:3; Eph 4:15, 4:29; James 1:19)

Heart
“Give my husband a heart that seeks passionately after You. Teach him to guard his heart with diligence. Help him deal with anything in his heart that is not pleasing to You. Create in him a pure heart. Enable him to lead our family with integrity.” (Psalm 78:72, 119:10-11; Prov 4:23; 1  3:13)

Hands
“Lord, I pray that everything my husband does would be done with his whole heart, serving You rather than man. I pray that You will also help him to increase his skills and his abilities. Bless everything he puts his hands to.” (Psalm 24:3-4, Col 3:23)

Feet
I pray my husband would love Your Words and walk in Your ways. I pray He would be to walk in a manner that is worthy of You, bearing fruit in every good work. Jesus show him how to creatively share your truth with our kids as he does life with them each day. Father, when he walks through the valley of the shadow of doubt and difficulties, I pray he would fear no evil because He knows that you are with him. (Deut 6:7, 8:6, Col 1:10, Psalm 23:4)

I have seen prayer transform my marriage and my life. Whatever steps of faith God is calling you to take personally or with your husband, I want you to know that I am praying for you and your marriage today. We have an enemy set on destroying marriages and one of his tools is to pit husbands and wives against each other. I have experienced his efforts firsthand. What our husbands need most is our respect; what our marriages need most is prayer.

Let’s look for ways to build our husbands up – by giving them encouraging words and the gift of prayer – covering them from head to toe!

If you’d like a copy of my FREE Praying For Your Husband download to print with these prayers on it – click “Share Your Thoughts” and let me know.  We’ll be happy to email it to you – although your email will not show in your comment. This will be sent out next week after the holiday. Happy Thanksgiving!

 

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Comments

  1. Beautiful!

    May I please have a copy of the download Praying for your husband.

    Thank you so much for sharing.

  2. Great timing on this topic! This has been an issue for me. I would like a copy of the Praying for your husband download!

    Thanks!

  3. I would like a copy of “Praying for your Husband.” My husband is a wonderful man but being from a Jewish background, he is not attune to my desire to serve the Lord. I have prayed for over 17 years that he would open his heart to Jesus, but he seems to be content with the status quo. I know this matter is in God’s hand and in His timing. I want to have a “complete” relationship with him in the spiritual realm. The physical and mental areas are fine. I also pray for a heart that possesses patience and trust in my God.

  4. I really need to cover my husband with prayer from head to toe. But I have been unable to download the prayers from the link in my e-mail. Could you please resend me the prayers. Or tell me how I can open the link? Thank you so much for your ministry.
    Lois

  5. Really need to cover my husband from head to toe with prayer. But when I’ve tried to download the prayer from your e-mail, I have been unable to do so. None of the links seem to work. Could you send it directly to me? Or tell me how I can make the links work? Thanks so much for your ministry.

  8. I would love a copy. Also thank you for this. In our married women group are on this same path of respecting our husbands and helping our marriage. Thanks for everyone posts as it reflects each one of us. Good to know that we are not the only ones going through the same exact thing!!!!! God Bless you

  10. I would like the download of Praying for Your Husband. Look forward to sharing with my married daughters.

  11. May I get the FREE Praying For Your Husband download? Thanks so much! LOVE the work you do! Thank you for your service and heart!

  12. thank you for sharing so honestly. I would really appreciate a PDF of these Prayers. I firmly believe in the power of prayer. Thank you.

  13. I am just prepping for marraige and after being saved two years ago, I have had every wring view of men and relationships and this time would live to just pray for the men and brothers in Christ in my life and leave the matchmaking and timing to God 🙂 please send me anything that might help me g
    row!

  14. First chance I have had to read this. I would very much like to have a copy if it is possible. My husband has been my rock of gibraltar for 27 years now and I would love to do something for him in return. Your copy would be perfect.

  16. Hi Renee,

    When I had read your blog last week, it had really hit home. I have been really trying to let my husband lead us. I have encouraged him. I would lift him up in prayer. I has been a difficult for me let him take the reigns because I look at the past. The past is still the present, with the drinking and drugs. I remember the hurt, disappointment and other stuff..I had asked God many times to help me with this. I have slowly asked him to take responsibility for certain things, but its a big joke to him and doesn’t take God seriously. Even that is a struggle. I don’t know what to do about it anymore. So I told God that he has to do something soon because I am really to leave. I am sick and tired. With God’s great love, I am holding on to what God’s wants me to do. God tells me its going to end soon. I just sit in his presence and cry.

    Thank you so much for the encouraging words and it lifts me up no matter what is going on. I always feel God’s presence and I know he is with me.

    Thank you again!

  18. Please send me a free coppy of the Praying for your Husband. I had received the link for the PDF but was unable to download.

    Thanks,
    Kay

  19. Renee,
    I read your message and knew that this is something that I really needed to add to my prayer life. Thanks for the encouraging words.

    Kay

  20. I so need this! In praying for my husband from head to toe, my attitude and heart is changing. It stirs up hope in looking and caring for his best instead of focusing on what is wrong.

  22. Hello Renee,
    I would love the for my daughter. I have been divorcedd since Oct 1988. I am not at an age I think I might want to get married again, however, I don’t go anywhere to meet anyone. There’s no single men in my age bracket at the church I attend either Maybe I should move to the south, I heard there are plenty of good men there. (smile) However, it’s my understanding (however I would apreciate it if you would please correct me if I am not interpreting this scripture correctly) that the Lord doesn’t want us [women] searching for husband it is the other way around … Proverbs 18:22 states: “He who finds a wife finds a good thing” In the meantime perhaps my daughter and sister will be blesses by it.
    Thank you Renee for sharing with us.
    Love Yah 🙂
    Loretta

  24. I was so stubborn about this issue in my marriage that God had to take drastic measures to get my attention – He took my husband all the way to Iraq to put some distance between us so that our Almighty Powerful Father could do a heart-work in each of us. I call that our ‘desert time’ because while my husband was literally in a desert, I was in a spiritual desert of my own, rediscovering God’s plan for our marriage and for each of us individually as His son and daughter. Our Father revealed to each of us how far away from His will we had strayed. Praise to God we just celebrated our twenty-seventh anniversary! Remember, your husband is not the enemy – Satan is and he can use each of you to commit his destructive work. Stay the course – God’s course.

  26. Dear Renee:

    Wow! Do I need this right now! I was hit by an 18 wheeler over a year ago and my daugter has severe scoliosis and what a strain it has put on our family. Let’s not forget about financial and all of the bodily damage it has done to me and my poor daughter thought I was going to die with each convulsion. So, I need to pray for him before he falls apart caring for both of us! I would LOVE copy. I love the idea of praying for my husband head to toe. Please send me a copy of the download Thank you for all you!

    Sincerely,
    Michelle Stroud in Texas. 😀

  28. Renee,
    I thank God he is using you to reach out to others I am praying for my husband and son. I truly believe God will heal my dysfunctional family. May the Lord continually to bless the work your doing. Willing to be willing. My verse I have to say everyday Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of God rest in my heart.

  29. Thank you for the reminder! Yes I would love a download of the prayer to pray for my husband from top to toe.

    When John and I married we’d both been widowed,were from different cultures,combined families, he went through a financial crash, my health crashed, we were older, and having been married had differing expectations of each other and each other’s role! And as Christians we had high expectations of ourselves and each other 🙂

    I write this with a smile as the day we were married close family assessed us as likely to last 6 months!! We are about to celebrate our 22nd anniversary. Praise the Lord. He is faithful and has done much in us in answer to our prayers. Praying works 🙂

    Looking forward to the download. Thankyou
    Anne

  30. Thanks Renee, this prayer is AWESOME. I love how it covers him. I know first hand how the enemy wants to tear down and destroy our marriages BUT God wants us to honor our vows and commitment that we made to each other. I am so glad that He showed me where to go for help and not give in to the pain and hurt. He does turn all things to our good if we allow Him to take control. Many blessings to you.

  31. How awesome.. I think the best thing we can do for our Husbands is pray for the,.. Thank you so much

  32. What a wonderful resource for praying for my husband!! Thank you so much! And it also applies to my 2 “grown” sons who are starting out on their own. So much of this applies to the character I pray that they show everyday. Thank you again!!

  33. I love the idea of praying for my husband head to toe. Please send me a copy of the download. I have a 30 day prayer for your husband devotional and I would love to add your prayers and verses to my arsonal. Thank you!

  34. Truly touched my heart. God has been working with me to let my husband be the head of our home. He used to travel a lot for his job, so that left pretty much all of the home responsibilities to me. I became very independent because of it. He very seldom travels for his job now, so it has been a learning experience to let go of some of that control. I would love a copy of the “FREE Praying For Your Husband download.” Thank you!

  35. Thank you, Renee for your heart for God and for others. I would appreciate the download of verses to pray for my husband. I received the email with the link to the PDF but was unable to access it.God Bless you and your ministry!

  36. I am 37 years old and have never been married, but I believe in praying for my future husband. I love this whole concept of praying for him from head to feet. Please send me a copy of the download, I would love to see all of it!

  39. This is something that I really need. Please send me a copy of this, I feel this is something important that I must do every day!!!

  40. What a wonderful way to build a stronger family by strengthening the leader. Please send me a copy. Thank you for your time and devotion in helping us wives love our husbands in every way possible.

  43. I would like a copy please! This is exactly what i have been looking for! Thank you for posting!

  44. Renee, I appreciate this awesome head to toe prayer that I can pray for my husband too. I woukld love to have the download! Thanks, God bless you for your obedience!

  45. How much I needed to read your devo today!! Your words touched by heart , as I too have been struggling with not trusting my husband’s lead in soo.. many areas in my life. It certainly has taken it’s toll on our marriage of 36 years. He has become more indecisive and less confident, and I have become more demanding and in charge of things [which I don’t always like] I love him dearly, and miss the closeness we once shared. How I long to change who I am in our marriage so I can encourage him to be the man God desires him to be. I can’t wait to start praying for him daily, and anxiously await to see how our Lord will start changing both of us from the inside out .

  46. Thanks so much for sharing this prayer today. My husband was called to preach a few years ago and I want to be his “biggest cheerleader”. I would love to have the prayer downlad to help me pray for my husband and that he would be the leader that God wants him to be….Thank you and I love A Confident Heart!

  47. I would love a copy of the prayers for husbands, it has been a conviction of my from the Holy Spirit for years and I do good then fall away….we have struggled for many years and I’d like to keep doing my part. So I think it would be very helpful to have these prayers and scripture that goes with them….Thank you. I am currently reading your book and I am loving it.

  48. Thanks for this devotion. I thank the LORD for this website, writers, and how He speaks through you! It is great to be able to pray for our husbands and use scripture in our prayers! Please send me a copy of the prayer for husbands. Thank you!

  49. Thank you for the encouraging and challenging devotional on respecting husbands. I needed to read that!!! Please send me the free download of the prayer on your blog. Thanks!!!

  50. WE HAVE BEEN MARRIED NOV 23 2011. ON MY 67 YEARS YOUNG BIRTHDAY. I HAVE STUGGLED WITH OUR ENTIRE MARRIAGE. MY FAULT NOT HIS. WHAT YOU SAID HIT OUR MARRIAGE RIGHT ON THE HEAD. I HAD COME TO MY WITS END AND GOD STARTED SHOWING ME THINGS THEN I READ THIS. I REALLY WANT THE DOWNLOAD PLEASE SEND IT TO ME ASAP. GOD BLESS YOU AND YOURS KAY

Building Our Husbands Up Through Prayer

Welcome to those of you visiting from the Proverbs 31 Devotion today.As I shared in my devotion, I haven’t always been so good at following and trusting my husband’s lead. But over the past 15 years, God has done a work in me and in JJ. I know marriage can be hard and trusting someone to lead when there are things you struggle with together is really, really hard. But I also know God uses us in powerful ways to love our husbands like He does – unconditionally.

One of the best ways we can love our husbands is to pray for them. Praying for JJ

has truly helped me follow his lead. This way I know He’s covered spiritually as I invite God to do an amazing work in JJ’s life. Of course, JJ has to respond to God’s work in his heart, but my part is not based on JJ’s response to God. It’s based on my surrendering and seeking God’s heart for my husband.JJ tells me prayer is the best gift I can give him.

Here are some verses I pray for my husband that maybe you can gift to your husband, too!

Head

“Father, continually renew my husband’s mind, resulting in a transformed life. Help him bring every thought into captivity to make it obedient to Christ. Give him a greater understanding of Your Word. Help him to think on things that are pure and right and worthy of praise.” (Psalm 119:15, Romans. 12:2, 2 Cor.10:5)Eyes

“Lord, keep opening my husband’s eyes to deep spiritual truths. Help him to see things as You see them. Please guard his eyes from looking at worthless things. ” (Psalm 119:18, Psalm 119:37)Ears

“Father, let my husband hear Your voice clearly. Help him to recognize your voice with certainty. Protect him from listening to anyone who is not seeking and walking with You. Help him not to be affected negatively by what others say and to discern between good and evil. Give him the ability to determine what is of You and what is not.” (Isaiah. 30:21, 1 Kings 3:9, 1 John 4:1)Mouth

“Help my husband to speak the truth in love. Help him to be quick to listen and slow to speak. Give him the couraage to lovingly confront when necessary. Let the words he speaks be Yours, not his own. Help him speak words that bring grace and truth to the hearers. I also pray that you will help him to grow in his ability and desire to communicate with you and others.” (Psalm 19:14, 119:13, 41:3; Ephesians 4:15, 4:29; James 1:19)Heart

“Give my husband a heart that seeks pasisonately after You. Teach him to guard his heart with diligence. Help him deal with anything in his heart that is not pleasing to You. Create in him a pure heart. Enable him to lead our family with integrity.” (Psalm 78:72, 119:10-11; Proverbs. 4:23; 1 Thessalonians. 3:13)Hands

“Lord, I pray that everything my husband does would be done with his whole heart, serving You rather than man. I pray that You will also help him to increase his skills and his abilities. Bless everything he puts his hands to.” (Psalm 24:3-4, Colossians 3:23)
Feet
I pray that my husband would love Your Words and walk in Your ways. I pray that He would be to walk in a manner that is worthy of You, bearing fruit in every good work, and that He would pass Your truths to our children as he walks along life’s path. Father, when he walk through the valley of the shadow of doubt and difficulties, I pray that he would fear no evil because He knows that you are with him. (Deuternonomy 6:7, 8:6, Collosians 1:10, Psalm 23:4)

I have seen prayer transform my marriage and my life. Just this week I watched the power of prayer as our family takes some big steps of faith, following my husband’s lead into the wonderful world of adoption. Adoption is our family’s calling but what many people don’t know is that my husband is the one who initiated our “following” God to Africa to get a little girl. JJ is leading us each step of the way. (To read more scroll down to Monday and Wednesday’s posts. You can also click here to read how our adoption story started in October 2007.)Whatever steps of faith God is calling you to take personally or with your husband, I want you to know that I am praying for you and your marriage today. We have an enemy set on destroying marriages and one of his tools is to pit husbands and wives against each other. I have experienced his efforts firsthand. What our husbands need most is our respect; what our marriages need most is prayer.Let’s look for ways to build our husbands up with our words and with prayer, covering them from head to toe!

Sweet blessings,