by Jocelyn Green, author of Faith Deployed: Daily Encouragement for Military Wives
If you are looking for some fresh ways to pray for your husband or for our military in general, check out these resources, many of which can be found at the OperationWeAreHere.com Web site. Consider sharing these resources with your church, too.
1) 31 Ways to Pray for the Military. This list was originally compiled by Dr. Charles Stanley, but versions of it are can be found on multiple Web sites and blogs. I love this list- it’s very thorough and each prayer request (i.e. protection, wisdom, peace, inner strength, courge, etc.) is accompanied by relevant Scriptures from God’s word. I recommend printing this out and keeping it handy!
2) Praying Psalm 91. This resource is courtesy of momsofmilitary.com, so the prayer refers to “my son” where military wives would substitute the phrase “my husband” instead. Great for when you just don’t have the strength or energy to compose a thoughtful prayer– just use this as a guide.
3) A Call to Prayer for a Nation at War: Prayers of Blessing and Protection for Those Who Serve by White Stone. This book contains 42 individual prayers, uniquely directed at the very personal issues our military personnel face daily in war, as well as prayers concerning our nation. Find it on Amazon or contact www.militaryministry.org for a free copy.
4) Prayers for Our Nation’s Defenders: Scriptural Prayers to Strengthen and Encourage Our Troops By Captain Anthony Gray. Prayers are divided into sections fitting for commanders, defenders, and the home team. Prayer topics include: – Wisdom for Commanders in Battle – Protection for Our Troops – Boldness in Battle – Confidence and Courage for Our Troops – Peace in the Midst of Chaos – Comfort for Family Members.
5) Lifting Your Husband Through Prayer prayer card. Available through Family Life.
6) Prayer for Our Military and Their Families prayer card. Available from NavPress.
7) Coming Home Prayer Card. Anticipating the return of a loved one from military service can be overwhelming. Coming Home Prayer Card can help you relate with your spouse on a deeper level. Included are three ways that you can pray for your spouse and connect with God so the return home is a harmonious reunion. Order from Family Life here.
Facing your Fears prayer card (for the deployed spouse). As an active duty member of the armed forces, leaving home can bring on a wave of emotions. Facing your Fears prayer card can help you deal with the fears of military deployment in three dimensions as scripture guides you and your family through this time and allows you to put your fears behind you. Order from Family Life here.
9) Prayercentral.net has developed and implemented online prayer tools with a special emphasis on the military. Three separate prayer patrols cover Baghdad, Afghanistan and the Troops in general. The Web site also offers a prayer widget called “Fetch A Prayer” with a “soldier” category so people can prayer for “their” soldier, as well as pass that prayer link on to others so that others can join them in a patrol for their soldier. Find that widget here.
10) How to pray for your military man. A chaplain in Afghanistan shares with Faith Deployed readers how to pray for their husbands.
If you know of other prayer resources for the military family, please leave a comment and let us know!
