Mari and Trey chat about the significance of integrating prayer into relationships, and especially marriages. They discuss their personal experiences with prayer during different stages of their relationship and offer practical advice on how to start praying together, from simple blessings over meals to more intimate intercessory prayer. The episode emphasizes the importance of inviting God into one's relationship and provides actionable steps for couples to grow spiritually together.

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Hey, I'm your host, Mari Wagner,

and you're listening to the ever be

2

podcast where faith meets lifestyle.

3

I'm so excited you're here, whether you're

a new listener or a longtime follower,

4

I know there's something here for you.

5

Pull up a chair and listen in for

insightful real life conversations

6

and actionable steps on how to claim

the full life God created you for.

7

If you're a woman desiring to live

a Christ centered life in today's

8

modern world, then this is for you.

9

Welcome to Ever Be.

10

mari---trey_1_08-18-2024_070753:

Welcome back, everybody.

11

And welcome back, Trey.

12

Thank you.

13

Good to be here.

14

As always.

15

Back for another episode.

16

Um, today we're going to be

chatting about how to incorporate

17

faith into your relationship as

a couple, specifically prayer.

18

We feel that this has been A really like

integral part of our faith relationship

19

as a married couple throughout the years.

20

And even as, um, an engaged couple,

and we'll talk a little bit about like

21

incorporating it into your dating.

22

If you're not engaged,

you're married yet either.

23

Um, and I think the more.

24

We, I don't know, just live life the

more we realize this isn't like a

25

normal thing that a lot of couples do,

or it's something that maybe people

26

want to do, but it's kind of foreign

or it's a little bit weird for people.

27

Like it's a little awkward to kind

of get, get started and get into it.

28

Um, so.

29

And we feel like it's so important to

learn how to pray with your spouse.

30

Yeah.

31

I mean, you don't just feel like it

that's, it is extremely important

32

to pray with your spouse and to have

prayer be an integral part of your

33

relationship, whether you're dating or

married, um, those relationships will

34

look different, but prayer definitely

needs to be a foundational part of.

35

Right.

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And I mean, if we go back to our goal

of having a God centered marriage,

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I mean, if you think of like, how

do you have a Christ centered life?

38

I mean, you have to root yourself

in prayer and your relationship

39

with God is developed through

intentional daily prayer.

40

And so in a similar way to really have

a God centered marriage, to really

41

have your marriage be rooted in God.

42

You know what the Holy Spirit's calling

you to do and the way the Lord wants you

43

to live out a good and Holy marriage.

44

You have to know the Lord

together as a couple and you

45

have to invite the Lord into your

relationship via prayer as a couple.

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So that's what we're

going to get into today.

47

And I'm excited.

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Let's get started.

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Okay.

50

We'll start off in a prayer.

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In the Father, in the

Son, in the Holy Spirit.

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Amen.

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I'm Holy Spirit.

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Heavenly Father, we give you

praise and thanks this morning.

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We thank you for.

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Always that you love us,

always that you bless us.

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Thank you for my marriage with Mari.

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Thank you for our families

and for our health.

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Thank you for this podcast and the ways

that you are using Mari and I to spread

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your love and to lead people to you.

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We pray that.

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The words on this, our words on

this podcast today will be your

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words that you'll inspire us,

that you'll send your Holy spirit

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into our hearts to fill our minds.

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I would pray for protection, uh, over

the equipment and the technology today.

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Uh, that'll be a smooth recording

and that, uh, we pray for all

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the listeners that there'll be

blessed by this podcast and that.

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Uh, you'll give them the grace to

integrate prayer into their marriage

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and their relationships and they marry.

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We trust all this to you.

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In Jesus name.

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We pray.

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Thanks babe.

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Yeah.

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Okay.

76

Where are we starting?

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I think we start with

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before you can begin to pray as a

couple, you have to be praying yourself.

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Uh, that is primary.

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Uh, and so if you're not

praying, you're not praying.

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And you don't have your own individual

relationship with God and you're

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not having daily prayer yourself.

83

I start there.

84

Uh, you've recorded a

podcast or two on prayer.

85

I know.

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Yeah.

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At least two.

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I know.

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I know there's one full one that like

breaks down, I think more of like the

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catechesis of theology on like the

importance of prayer and what prayer is.

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And then I think one of the more

recent ones was literally just like

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breakdown ways to have a prayer routine

consistently, like minute by minute.

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Very practical.

94

Yeah.

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So go listen to those.

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Go listen to those.

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But that's first.

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If you're not praying

yourself, start there.

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Yeah.

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It's most important.

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Yeah.

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And when we're talking about prayer, if

you haven't heard those other episodes,

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we're talking about like sustained

time in silence with God and either

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that's you literally being silent and

allowing for God to speak into your

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life or you spending time in quiet,

personal prayer, journaling, reading

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scripture, speaking to God on your own,

like mental prayer, um, that's truly.

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What prayer looks like.

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That's truly how you

develop that relationship.

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So as Catholics, we're so used to those

rope prayers, which are good and beautiful

110

and still should be prayed, but just

praying a hail Mary or in our father,

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isn't the extent that your prayer can go.

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And isn't the extent that your

relationship with the father can go.

113

So just wanted to make that note.

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Yeah.

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And praying as you fall asleep

or thinking about God while you

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drive is good, but it's not.

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It's not, it's not, you're

still missing the point there.

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It's not, it shouldn't be the

extent of your prayer life.

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Yeah.

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Um, somebody told us last night

that, uh, God, God doesn't

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think of you as an afterthought.

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You shouldn't think of

God as an afterthought.

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So don't have God as the afterthought

of Um, praying in the car, like, Oh,

124

like a toss up prayer before you go to

sleep, make intentional time for him.

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So start there.

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Yeah.

127

And my, my challenge here

specifically, I think we hear a lot.

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I mean, we've said it ourselves, we've

fallen into this as well, but like, it's

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very common to hear people say, yeah,

my faith is my number one priority.

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It's like the, the, the most important

thing in my life to me is my faith.

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But if you're not praying.

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How is that really true?

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That's my question, right?

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If you're not actually, if you don't

actually have a committed daily prayer

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life or striving for one, right?

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If you're not striving for one and

striving to know Jesus truly in a personal

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relationship, is that really true?

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Is your faith, is Jesus, is

your relationship with Jesus

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really number one in your life?

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Because we make time for the

things that we find important.

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So we find time to scroll on our phones.

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We find time to work.

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We find time to go out with

friends, you know, travel,

144

whatever it is you find important.

145

And so I just want to challenge you

there and feel like if, if you feel

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that way in your life, if you've

said that in your life, you know,

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How is that actually playing out?

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Because I think that's the hardest part

is actually recognizing like, what does it

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look like to put Jesus first in my life?

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And I would, I would say it

starts with daily prayer.

151

Absolutely.

152

And don't get us wrong.

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Like it's hard and it's very challenging

and we fail all the time, but we're always

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on the struggle bus with prayer, but

we're always trying to incorporate it.

155

Yeah.

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Yeah.

157

Absolutely.

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Yeah.

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It's all about getting back up.

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So praying as a couple.

161

Okay.

162

So I think let's just talk a little

bit about like how we even started

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incorporating into our life, like

how it actually just naturally

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incorporated into our relationship.

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Do it.

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Okay.

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So when we.

168

We're dating.

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There was the summer kind of in

those first few months of our dating

170

relationship where we both went and

did internships or mission type,

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uh, like work for that summer.

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You were at life team for

the summer in Georgia.

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And I was doing an internship with focus

here out in Colorado for the summer.

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And that was kind of our

first real exposure to this

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like amazing Catholic world.

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And, you know, Kind of the first time we

started to live, like, vibrant Catholic

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lives, like, Christ centered lives.

178

We didn't really know what

that looked like before then.

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And one thing that we both experienced

was prayer with other people.

180

At least, I don't think I'd

ever experienced that before.

181

Like At least not to the extent.

182

I don't know if I'd ever really

had anybody Pray for me like that.

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Like maybe in youth group, the leader

would like pray us out or pray us in,

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but that summer, I mean, I not only

experienced like Bible study with other

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people, like talking about scripture with

other people, but at the same time, um,

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people also offering to like, pray over

me and like pray for specific intentions

187

and do like intercessory prayer.

188

And so that was a really cool experience

because the Holy Spirit was a.

189

Part of the Trinity that I

was very unfamiliar with.

190

I think, um, I think I always kind

of had a relationship with the

191

father and then was kind of working

on my relationship with Jesus.

192

And the Holy Spirit was just kind of this,

like, elusive thing that was happening.

193

And I think that's the

case for a lot of people.

194

And so people were like, let's invite

the Holy Spirit into our prayer.

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Like, let's pray intercessory prayer.

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And, um, I think it was really good

to kind of have that experience

197

apart from each other, because it

kind of normalized it a little bit.

198

Yeah, and I, and I mean, like, we

learned how to do it on our own first.

199

Yeah, yeah, exactly.

200

Cause I think it's, you can

definitely learn together and that's

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beautiful, but I think it helps to.

202

That was just our experience.

203

Yeah, that was our experience.

204

It's like, we learned how

to pray individually and we

205

were able to do it together.

206

Yeah, and so then when we came back to

campus after that summer, I mean, we

207

were talking about all these experiences

all throughout the summer together.

208

And then when we came back to campus, um,

I think it was our mentor friend, Jeremy,

209

or either it was just us reflecting from

the summer who encouraged us to like.

210

Continue to pray with each other.

211

Um, well, at that point we were already

discerning engagement and that's something

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like as your relationship is progressing,

it's more and more important to

213

incorporate prayer into your relationship.

214

And so, yeah, we were encouraged by

mentors to make sure that prayer was a

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foundational aspect of our relationship.

216

And so then we kind of

just started trying.

217

Yeah.

218

So what did that look like?

219

Well, I remember us doing two things.

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I remember us praying with scripture.

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I remember that like, I think it was

like every other Thursday morning

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there was a stretch where you would

come over to my house and we would

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pick a chapter in the gospels.

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What?

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That's great.

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I don't remember that.

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You don't remember that?

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I remember praying with

scripture together.

229

I don't remember that.

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It was every other Thursday.

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After this summer or that one summer,

like we were praying scripture before

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this because we were both in that like.

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Gospels class where we like our

homework was to pray scripture.

234

So that was a unique part of our

relationship where we were like

235

reading scripture together from like

day one before we were even dating.

236

But then after the summer, I know

that we were like intentional

237

about praying it together.

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And so I remember it was like Thursday

mornings, you would come over and

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I'm not saying we did this for like

months on end, but like there were

240

several times on Thursday mornings

where you would come over and we

241

would like pray with scripture.

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I love that you know,

because it's Thursdays.

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Feel like it was a Thursday.

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That's great.

245

Um, Hey, women with the berries gatherers.

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So like we have good memories,

you know, it was, it was real.

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And, and so I think like one of us

would open in prayer and just like,

248

ask like God to be present and to

like speak to us through his word.

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We would pick a piece of scripture,

kind of like chat about it,

250

pray with it and then close out.

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And then there were also times when.

252

One of us felt like we needed, like,

particular prayer intentions to

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be prayed over that then we would

pray with each other for, um, I'm

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just trying to think of examples.

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Um, if we were starting a big decision,

or if we were feeling really stressed

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or anxious about something, or if there

was just something going on in our

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lives that we were just struggling with.

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Yeah.

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Yeah.

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And since we weren't discerning

engagement, I remember praying

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us us praying about that a lot.

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Like maybe after a date night or

something, we'd be just in the car and

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be like, okay, like, let's just pray.

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And you just pray.

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Pray in the car for like God's

discernment to be clear for our

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discernment to be clear and God's

will to be clear and Just what yeah,

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whatever was going on in our lives Yeah,

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and I think that at first it was

like maybe a little bit awkward at

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times Like when we were first getting

into it like it wasn't like Boom.

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You know how to do this.

271

And it's like fireworks and

the Holy Spirit's just flowing.

272

Like, I feel like, and there's kind

of awkward at first learning and

273

just kind of, yeah, that's what

I would describe it as awkward.

274

So let's talk about

like, why is it awkward?

275

Right?

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Because that's just a true fact.

277

And you hear that a lot from people that

like, probably the number one thing that

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prevents couples from praying is, It's

either they don't know how or they're

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just not really comfortable doing it.

280

They feel awkward.

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They feel like I'm not doing it right

or I don't know how to initiate it or

282

I feel like nervous that I don't know,

like my spouse is gonna not want to

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do it with me or judge the way I say

things or like maybe you just like

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don't even know how to say things.

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You kind of get stage fright

when you're on the spot, right?

286

So, uh, that's how you feel.

287

I think everybody has felt that.

288

Yeah.

289

You're not alone.

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And I think that like, it's

important to point that out because

291

I remember this mentor that we were

talking about that like kind of

292

encouraged us to incorporate prayer.

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He would tell us prayer

is more intimate than sex.

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And so like, if you can't pray together,

like, how are you coming together?

295

In the sacrament of marriage,

like this is the most intimate

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form of your relationship.

297

And so I think there is something

about it being awkward that shows

298

like there's a sacredness to it.

299

There's, um, you're burying

your souls to each other.

300

Exactly.

301

Like you're burying your

souls to each other.

302

So yeah, there's a level of intimacy

that happens when you pray together.

303

Yeah.

304

So it's okay if it feels weird and

it's okay if it feels like not normal

305

or awkward, like that's normal, but

I promise you the more you do it,

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the more comfortable you'll feel.

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It's just like learning any new skill.

308

It's not going to feel natural at first.

309

You're going to have some learning

pains, but it's important.

310

And so if you stick with it,

it will become more natural.

311

So.

312

What are ways, like the easy, natural ways

to incorporate prayer into a relationship?

313

Yeah.

314

Should we just start with practicals?

315

Like, and let's just start with like easy

to more advanced, if you will, you know?

316

And so we'll start off with the really

basic ones that you can, if this is

317

something that's totally new to you,

or maybe you've tried to incorporate

318

it into your relationship and your

significant other or your spouse is like.

319

Pretty against it or like nervous

about it or not open to it.

320

I think these easy stepping stone

practical tips will like help you kind

321

of like slowly get into it because

you can do this because you can do it.

322

So number one would be blessing

the meal, like praying over

323

your food before you eat.

324

That's something that.

325

A lot of Catholics, most Catholics,

most Christians know how to do even

326

just like, if you've never prayed

it out loud yourself, even just

327

from the standpoint of like, you

know, what's supposed to be said.

328

Thank you for this food.

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Thank you for my family.

330

Like please bless this food, Lord.

331

Right.

332

Yeah.

333

Like you don't, there is

the bless us at Lord prayer.

334

Yeah.

335

You're welcome to use that.

336

And pray out loud with each other.

337

Don't just say it in your head, but you

don't have to, like that is not required.

338

You can literally say whatever

you want, like food for those

339

who don't have any, whatever.

340

And so, and there's something so impactful

about having the man lead in this aspect.

341

And so this is a great practical way for.

342

Him to be start getting comfortable.

343

I think like comfortable leading

and initiating it himself.

344

Yeah.

345

And so just like encouraging him to

be the one to pray and Thanksgiving

346

and bless the food in his own words.

347

Yeah.

348

Yeah.

349

You can, yeah, definitely start

with the, bless us a Lord prayer

350

if you want, but you could graduate

into just praying out loud.

351

Just like, thank you for this food

pray that it nurtures our body.

352

We pray for those who go without today.

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I think for all of our blessings, amen.

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Amen.

355

Exactly.

356

And as women, as wives, like be

encouraging of that, be supportive.

357

Don't be critical about it.

358

Don't be like, Oh, like you

should say this in your prayer.

359

You shouldn't say it that way.

360

You know, like, just like be loving

and encouraging and thank him for

361

leading in that prayer and slowly.

362

You'll build him up to have that

confidence to lead you both in

363

prayer and kind of bigger ways.

364

Yeah.

365

It's a great stepping stone to be

comfortable praying on your own,

366

like with free prayers as opposed

to just reciting the road prayers.

367

Yeah.

368

I think that's the other reason.

369

And we've touched on a little

bit why people feel a little bit

370

uncomfortable is like, you A lot of

times you can be self conscious about

371

like how you're praying out loud.

372

And if you're saying the right words

or beautiful words or not, and the

373

reality is like, you can't pray wrong.

374

Yeah.

375

You can't pray wrong.

376

You really can't pray wrong.

377

And whether you are like super poetic

in your prayer or super basic in

378

your prayer, it has the same effect.

379

The Lord loves it all.

380

It's not like one prayer is more

powerful or better than the other.

381

So don't get caught up in that.

382

And Just talk as if you're

talking to somebody else.

383

Just like, don't get caught up in like

fancy language when you're praying.

384

Okay.

385

Another example of times in your life

when you can just incorporate prayer very

386

naturally is we do it when we travel.

387

So anytime we're on a plane and a plane

is taking off, we'll just lean over

388

to each other and just pray out loud.

389

That's, we just free pray.

390

We usually alternate.

391

Yeah.

392

We'll just take turns.

393

But then I encourage you, especially

at the beginning to initiate it.

394

Even if you don't, aren't the one that's

saying the it's like, Lean over to your

395

wife or your girlfriend, fiance, and

say like, Hey, can you pray, like, at

396

least be the one to initiate it and then

just pray like for like, like, Lord,

397

we pray that you keep us safe on these

travels that you pray for the pilot that

398

he'll be able to fly the plane safely.

399

It's great for all those other

people that are traveling.

400

Like, thank you for the

opportunity to be on this trip.

401

That's it.

402

Yeah.

403

Literally take 10 seconds.

404

Um, you can do it for

when you're on the plane.

405

You can do it when you're

going on road trips, you do

406

it anytime you get in the car.

407

Uh, but those are just kind of like, we

do it anytime we go on a road trip, just

408

like bless this trip, bless the road,

bless our car and the vehicles around us.

409

Thank you for giving us

this opportunity to travel.

410

Yeah, those are very easy

ways to with meals and with.

411

Traveling that's the Mari likes

to call it habit stacking.

412

Other people have called it that as well,

where you're just incorporating something

413

into something you're already doing.

414

So for something you want to learn

how to do, just incorporate it,

415

stack it on top of an activity that

you're already doing in your life.

416

And so you're already getting in the car.

417

You're already on the plane.

418

Like just have those be indicators or

markers to be like, Oh, let's pray.

419

Yeah.

420

So those are just two very, very simple.

421

Yeah, I think maybe the next level

could be like praying a rosary together.

422

Yeah.

423

Because I think what, what makes

it easy about the rosary is that

424

the prayers are given to you.

425

And so like, you're not

worried or, you know.

426

Feeling self conscious about like how

you're praying or what words you're

427

saying, the words are given to you.

428

And I think where you could kind of

like incorporate a little bit more

429

of that, like prayer together is

like speaking your intentions out

430

loud at the beginning of the rosary.

431

Um, that's a level of vulnerability

to kind of share what's on your heart,

432

what you want prayers for without

actually having to be like, You

433

praying for your spouse out loud yet.

434

So, you know, your attention could just

be like, Hey, I've just been like having

435

a really rough time at work, feeling

like just inadequate about myself.

436

Like just put prayer for confidence

and for, you know, whatever it is

437

that you're looking for, or maybe you

have a family member who's struggling,

438

whatever you feel like you want

to Want prayers for in your life?

439

Just speak them out loud.

440

I actually love that, that I feel like

most times when we're, uh, talking about

441

intercessions that we were praying for,

like for the beginning of a rosary or

442

when other people are asking like, Hey,

like, what do you need prayers for?

443

We oftentimes most go to, Oh,

pray for my mom, pray for my

444

friend, pray for this, like other

people, which don't get me wrong.

445

Those are great.

446

But especially when you're praying

with your spouse or significant other,

447

Like share the things that are on

your heart that you specifically need

448

prayers for, because that's a beautiful

way to just like baby step, like dip

449

your toes into sharing that part of

your heart, part of your heart more.

450

And then you don't have, then you're

just, you lean on the rosary, the power

451

of the rosary and you say that together.

452

So I love that as like the next step, I

would say the third or like, uh, I don't

453

know what number we're on, but the next

level is every morning, every night.

454

Pick one to start with, do both if you

can, but start and end your days in

455

prayer, same thing like praying before

meals or praying when you travel.

456

It can be so simple.

457

Don't overcomplicate this.

458

You can take turns doing it.

459

But literally just say like,

ask the Lord, like what you're

460

thankful for, what's on your heart.

461

Yeah.

462

What you're struggling with.

463

Yeah.

464

I get it.

465

Intentions you have for

yourself and for other people.

466

I, I am trying to remember what, like

the acronym was for it, but I feel like

467

growing up we learned something love,

like, like praise petition, you know,

468

there's also like the pirate prayer.

469

Okay.

470

What is the primary?

471

Okay.

472

Say what that is.

473

I don't know.

474

It's.

475

It's like adoration.

476

Okay.

477

Then a bunch of ours.

478

That was so unhelpful.

479

Respect.

480

I mean, I'm going to look it

up right now, but I mean, they

481

all are basically the same.

482

It's adoration or praise petition.

483

Uh, Thanksgiving.

484

Okay.

485

I've got it.

486

I'm looking up an acronym

on my phone and, um.

487

The one the A.

488

R.

489

R.

490

1 is 1 that we can do, but the

1 that I've heard most is acts.

491

Yes, I do.

492

So it's a stands for adoration.

493

C.

494

confession T.

495

Thanksgiving and S.

496

supplication.

497

And so.

498

acts.

499

This is a really easy way to

remember kind of like how, what

500

I could say in my prayer time.

501

Right.

502

And you can honestly like use this

framework for a two minute prayer, five

503

minute prayer and a 30 minute prayer.

504

Um, it's just about what goes in order.

505

And again, there's no right or wrong or

wrong way, but if you're stuck and don't

506

know how to pray and don't know what to

say, this is a really great framework.

507

So one.

508

A stands for adoration.

509

So acknowledge God in and

praise him and just love him.

510

I mean, Trey, when he started out today's

prayer, he said like the heavenly father.

511

And I think you were saying, you

said something like, we praise

512

you and we love you just kind of

like a moment of adoration and

513

thinking the Lord for who he is.

514

Then it's C confession.

515

And this can be time when you just,

Um, ask the Lord for forgiveness for

516

maybe ways that you acted wrongly

throughout the day or, um, didn't

517

live according to like his plan for

you or, or a Christ centered life.

518

That's a good way to put it.

519

Yeah.

520

Um, tease for Thanksgiving.

521

So then spend time thinking the

Lord for his blessings in your life.

522

Thank you for my family, for our home,

for our food, our health, whatever

523

it is that you're thankful for.

524

Amen.

525

Amen.

526

Easy things, easy things you guys.

527

And then S you end with supplication.

528

And this is a request or

a petition in your life.

529

Um, a specific intention that

you're hoping to pray for, whether

530

it's for yourself or people in

your life or for your marriage.

531

So that's a great framework.

532

You don't have to be confined

to that if you don't want to,

533

but if you feel stuck, acts.

534

So you can do that.

535

We were talking about, you can

do that in the morning and night

536

when you're praying together.

537

Um, I feel like that kind of

starts getting into like, you know,

538

a five minute prayer together.

539

Yeah.

540

If that like two to five minutes

before you go to sleep or when you

541

wake up off of the day of the Lord.

542

Before we go to sleep, it's a great

time to reflect on the day, give

543

thanks, um, and always be asking

the Lord for what's on your heart.

544

Yeah.

545

Okay.

546

Next practical step that is a little

bit more involved, I think, would

547

be praying with scripture together.

548

I would say one before that it's real

quick that is really good and powerful

549

is just going to adoration together.

550

You don't even have to speak

out loud to each other.

551

Like just sit next to each other.

552

In the presence of our Lord

and be praying together.

553

That's great.

554

You don't have to say anything out loud.

555

Uh, but I would just throw that in there.

556

That's so important.

557

I think that's beautiful.

558

And yeah, you're just in front of the

Lord together and letting him do the work.

559

So just go to adoration together, sit

in silence, 20, 30 minutes, an hour.

560

That's another option.

561

Yeah.

562

And just have like your

own personal prayer time.

563

Yeah.

564

But doing it alongside your

spouse, it makes a difference.

565

Okay.

566

So then we'll be praying

scripture together.

567

So Why don't you talk about kind of

like, yeah, how people can do this.

568

I would go back to Mari's episode

where she prays with scripture.

569

It's called like, Bible study with Mari.

570

That's just a very tangible

example of a way to pray with

571

scripture, like so divina.

572

And you can just do that with your spouse.

573

Like literally I was at this talk too.

574

I can't remember who was giving

this talk, but like every morning

575

he comes downstairs, makes a cup

of coffee for him and his wife.

576

And then You know, five, 10 minutes later,

the wife will trickle on downstairs and

577

the Bible will be on the kitchen table.

578

There'll be two cups of coffee and

they'll just be tired, like maybe

579

hangry or just like waking up, like not

like doing anything beautiful or like

580

doing anything like performance based.

581

It's literally just like

showing up, showing up.

582

And they just, whether they're going

through a book or just the daily readings

583

or the daily gospel, and you just read it

together, like, you just read it together

584

and maybe sit some time in silence.

585

If you're doing like Alexio form,

read a couple of times and just sit

586

in silence together with scripture.

587

And then if anything sticks out to

you, like a certain phrase, just

588

share that and why it stuck out

to you with your significant other

589

and then end in just like a prayer

Thanksgiving and, and I don't know

590

that you have any suggestions on that.

591

No, I mean, I think this is such a

beautiful exercise to do together because

592

I think it opens up a little bit of a

deeper level of vulnerability to dive into

593

scripture together and talk about like,

what is resonating with you, but at the

594

same time, you're just letting it out.

595

God do the work because

scripture is, is a living word.

596

It is applicable to your life in so

many different parts of your life.

597

Honestly, every time you read scripture,

it's gonna hit different and it's

598

going to speak differently to you.

599

And so you're really just allowing the

Lord to speak to you and you're just.

600

Kind of recapping what you're feeling.

601

Yeah.

602

Literally you're letting the

Lord be the one inspired word.

603

You just have to repeat what he says.

604

Yes.

605

And I do recommend like when

you're sitting down to pray,

606

having one of you open in prayer

and invite the Lord into it.

607

Um, the Lord is always with

us, but he wants to be invited.

608

He wants to be acknowledged

and invited into our prayer

609

and into relationship with him.

610

And so start out with just

being like, come Holy spirit.

611

We always invite the Holy spirit is just,

Powerful and gives us the words to pray.

612

And it allows us to, I feel like

kind of like remove these, like

613

more fleshly layers and just be more

of like in tune with our soul and

614

really like hear the word of God.

615

So invite the Holy Spirit to be like

Holy Spirit, come Holy Spirit, um, teach

616

us to pray with the scripture today and

just allow God's word to be clear to us.

617

Like, what does he want to

speak to us in our life?

618

And then just read.

619

Read together and have

some moments of silence.

620

It's okay to have some moments of silence.

621

And then you kind of just ask

like, Hey, what stood out to you?

622

You don't have to like, ask like, what

theologically do you think this means?

623

Just literally what stood out to you?

624

Like literally you don't have to recap.

625

Like what we're not asking you to

interpret what God's trying to teach.

626

You know, it's just like, what word.

627

Moved your heart.

628

What resonated with you or how can you

apply what was read to your day that day?

629

Yeah, why do you think

it stood out to you?

630

Do you think the lord's trying

to do something in your life?

631

Like do you think he's trying to

speak something in your life or

632

is there a decision that you're

weighing on your heart heavily?

633

and And this scripture kind of

gave some insight to what to do

634

and discussing that together.

635

And then ending with a prayer of

Thanksgiving, like, thank you, Lord,

636

for speaking to us through your word.

637

Thank you for giving us your word.

638

Um, thank you for my spouse and

how I'm able to just seek truth and

639

relationship with you with my spouse.

640

And amen.

641

Yeah.

642

I think the biggest, biggest, biggest

thing that we're trying to communicate,

643

um, is is don't overcomplicate it.

644

There's no right way to do it.

645

It can be so, so simple,

but it's so powerful.

646

It's so powerful in bringing

you and your spouse together.

647

And it's so powerful.

648

And like I said, inviting God into

your marriage, you can be Catholic,

649

you can be baptized Catholics that

go to Sunday mass every Sunday

650

and maybe even do other things.

651

But if you're not actively inviting

God into your relationship,

652

it's going to look different.

653

practical step that I feel like is.

654

Maybe the top tier level, would you say?

655

Yeah, it's at least the

most intimate level.

656

Yes, would be intercessory

prayer with each other.

657

So this looks like praying with

each other out loud for the specific

658

intentions your spouse is asking for.

659

Yeah, so it would be me interceding

for Mari for whatever it is.

660

That's going on in her heart.

661

A lot of the times in like Christian

and even Catholic circles, you hear

662

it as like praying over each other.

663

I've heard back and forth

things on whether this is

664

like an accurate term or not.

665

You're just praying with each

other for each other, but.

666

Um, if that kind of clears up what we're

talking about, I know some people know

667

it as like praying over each other.

668

So, um, practically what this looks

like, for example, if I'm like

669

super anxious about something that's

happening in our lives, I'll be like,

670

Trey, like, here's how I'm feeling.

671

I'm like feeling super anxious.

672

I'm stuck.

673

I'm lost.

674

Like, this is how I feel in

my relationship with God.

675

Like, I don't know where he is.

676

I don't know what to do.

677

Can you pray for me?

678

Yeah, I think sharing a few specific

things, like, try to be specific.

679

Don't be so vague where you're like,

hey, can you just pray for me right now?

680

Um, like share a couple specific

things that are on your heart.

681

Hey, I'm feeling anxious.

682

Hey, I just feel really

lost, confused with God.

683

I don't have a desire to pray.

684

Like, and then can you pray

for me for those things?

685

And then, um, like I'll

just put my hand on Mari.

686

Like, we'll just start in prayer.

687

And then I just ask like, how many

fire we thank you for a daughter, Mari.

688

I just pray that.

689

Yeah.

690

You give her peace and you send

the spirit of peace upon her.

691

Pray that you make your will known

to her so that she doesn't feel lost.

692

I pray that you give her the grace

to respond to the ways that you're

693

calling her to live in this life.

694

Uh, we ask that you just overwhelm

her with a desire and love for you

695

so that she can enter in her prayer.

696

I pray you remove any apathy, like Holy

spirit in the name of Jesus Christ.

697

Reveal the lie that she's unloved or

that, uh, prayer is not important.

698

Amen.

699

If there's any lines that are coming up,

like Mari can share those and then we can

700

rebuke those in the name of Jesus Christ.

701

And then like we end in prayer, like

praise and Thanksgiving where we love you.

702

Thank you for the graces

you've bestowed upon us.

703

Like we thank you for this time of prayer.

704

Sometimes we'll like end with

praying a Hail Mary, inviting

705

Mary to intercede for us as well.

706

Yeah.

707

So that's a, like, that's the, uh, the

next layer is more intimate, but it's

708

where we should all aspire to go to.

709

I don't.

710

The, the easy ways praying before

meals, praying, uh, when you travel,

711

praying with scripture, like those

are all like, we babysit, you're

712

stepping in this direction, but like,

I would encourage you that don't

713

settle for just praying before meals.

714

Pray with scripture.

715

Work your way.

716

Yeah.

717

Pray the rosary.

718

Work your way up.

719

Pray.

720

Intercessory prayer guy,

like all together routinely.

721

And then, and then even like when you have

a family and you have children, like teach

722

your children, model it for your children.

723

I saw this one video once too.

724

And maybe that's where we saw the whole,

like the couple praying with coffee

725

and Bible scripture in the morning.

726

I think like the line was like, we

do this every morning for ourselves,

727

but we also do it for our children.

728

Like we want our children to grow up

seeing a marriage that is centered

729

in God and is rooted in prayer.

730

And so.

731

Working it into your relationship, not

only blesses you and your marriage,

732

but will bless your children and

their future marriages as well.

733

I mean, they'll grow up seeing, they'll

grow up seeing a husband and wife

734

that are rooted in prayer and go to

each other in prayer and have that

735

level of intimacy in their faith.

736

And they are, they'll be wanting

to seek that hopefully within their

737

marriage, their future marriage as well.

738

And so, um, you can pray with your kids

then too, and kind of model it for them.

739

Yeah, I hope this was helpful.

740

And just know that like your significant

other, while it's awkward and while it's

741

difficult to start, it will get better.

742

It will get better.

743

It's, you know, the momentum.

744

Like once you start and you start

doing it, and you start doing it, then

745

it'll get easier and easier and easier.

746

Um, and like they're not gonna judge you.

747

Like they're probably feeling awkward too.

748

And they're going to be super,

like, they're going to admire

749

you and respect you a ton to put

yourself out there and try it.

750

Um, so just honestly,

just get over yourselves.

751

This is important.

752

And just do it.

753

Yeah.

754

Do you want to close in prayer, Mari?

755

Anything else you want to add?

756

No.

757

I mean, there's so many other ways

to, I know I started the podcast

758

saying like, we're going to talk about

different ways to incorporate faith

759

into your marriage, but honestly,

the foundational thing is prayer.

760

And that's where we're really here

to talk about, but we're going

761

to have to do a part two of like

other ways to incorporate faith.

762

Cause it's.

763

Uh, just a God centered marriage is, is

such a blessing is so fruitful to your

764

life and to the world and is so necessary.

765

So we need to keep the conversation

going, but we got to wrap up because

766

we actually got to get to mass.

767

So let's close in prayer.

768

In the name of the

father, son, Holy spirit.

769

Amen.

770

Come Holy spirit.

771

Lord, we thank you for this, uh, time

together of Trey and I being able to

772

talk about prayer with each other.

773

Um, thank you for this time with our

listeners who are learning about how to

774

incorporate you and prayer into their

life more, into their relationship more.

775

Um, we pray for good and holy marriages.

776

We pray for, um, people to desire to

include you in their relationship even

777

more into their marriage even more and

for them to root themselves in you.

778

Um, we pray for our listeners for you to

give them a spirit of courage, um, and

779

zeal, uh, in their faith and for them

to be able to take that first step and

780

bring it up to their spouse and say,

Hey, I really think we should do this.

781

And we pray for the spouse or the

significant other to have an openness in

782

their heart to enter into prayer together.

783

And we ask this all in your

most holy name, Jesus Christ.

784

And we ask for the intercession

of your mother as we pray.

785

Hail Mary, full of grace.

786

The Lord is with thee.

787

Blessed art thou among women and

blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.

788

Holy Mary, mother of God, pray for us

sinners now and at the hour of our death.

789

Amen.

790

In the father, son, Holy spirit.

791

Amen.

792

Thanks guys.