In the morning, before you both leave for work (either before you even begin the day, or over coffee in the kitchen)… pray together. Hold hands and pray an Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory Be for starters.
Pray before meals ALWAYS.
Start a family rosary or DMC, pray for others together.
Maybe pick up The Little Blue Book For Advent and share it together
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Thanks kage_ar! We did the Little Blue Book a few years ago - I think I might try to get my hands on it again this year. Regular times for prayer can be difficult for us because DH has such a weird schedule. He almost never works the same hours two days in a row
I think your heart is in the right place.
The suggestion given is very good about praying in the morning and I would add praying at night before going to bed.
I would encourage you to pray that the Lord would give you a love for the rosary so that you would want to pray it with your husband as you say he has a special feeling for the rosary. I believe that once you start praying it and praying for a special love for the rosary that you would soon start to find yourself blessed by the rosary.
Your heart is in the right place and I believe you will be blessed.
Chrisy
Thanks Chrisy. Every so often I pray that Jesus will help me love his mother the way he does. Perhaps I’ll ad a love for the rosary. DH doesn’t mind not praying the rosary together (although he would probably enjoy it). I think he’d be perfectly happy praying more free-form together. Usually that’s what we try anyway. I find it difficult to pray spontaneously, especially out loud though. I always have. My mum would get a little frustrated with me as a child, because I’d make my own “set” prayers and just pray them over and over - because praying out loud was difficult.
That being said, I’m sure God can help me with it.
I tell you what I would do, rather, have done just a month ago…
I went to confession. Rather than behind the grate, I looked Father face to face and confessed that I had not been loving God with all my heart.
I can’t begin to tell you how it helped. Just a suggestion.
God bless!
Thanks DJgang. I’ve confessed this (face-to-face) I don’t know how many times.
I wish it helped more than it has. I’m a big believer in confession. I love the sacrament and have really felt its grace in my life. And I always walk away wanting to do better. But this seems to be the place where I really struggle. I put up distractions and other priorities
so quickly. I wish I could do better at this.
Unless I’m in a meditative state/mood I struggle with “scripted” prayer for more than a few minutes.
I really like free-form prayer better. Perhaps you can encourage your husband to pray out loud just simply prayers of the heart. This will also help you bond with him becuase he will be taking the lead, and you’ll be able to glimpse the spiritual life he has. As far as the rosary…do a decat to be fair to him, and then move on.
Hey purplesunshine - I’m actually the opposite. I like not having to come up with the words to say - its easier for me to really mean the prayers when I’m not struggling to figure out how to word it. I do both, but I actually prefer the scripted ones
In addition - when praying together, my husband and I usually do pray “prayers of the heart” as you so eloquently put it. We pray for our friends and family, for situations in our lives. It just feels so awkward, especially when I pray
As far as the Bible. Most people try to gobble it up as if word count actually matters. Realize the Bible is made of BOOKS and those BOOKS have CHAPTERS. It may do you good to even find a daily Catholic devotional. I think its called “Living Faith” its pretty orthodox and it’s thoughts, anacedotes related to that day’s Gospel. Its much easier than shoving a Bible down your throat and it also provides the Catholic guidance so you don’t feel as if you’re going to convert to sola scriptura.
Also, remember that while God loves you there is someone out for the ruin of your soul.
When I was going through Acts, I was keeping it small. I’m definitely looking for good commentaries. I’ll have to check out “Living Faith” although I often find “devotionals” to be more trite than I’m looking for. I like to dig in deep - and I really want to know what the Church says about things (I quite willingly left sola scriptura behind when I converted!).
Hi there
My husband and I have the same problem. It sounds like you don’t really like these fixed forms of prayer like the rosary. I think it is a good idea to try and pray “personal prayers from the heart” together with your husband. That is a way of connecting. I think all these long fixed prayers are not good if you have to force yourself to pray them, you have to develop a personal relationship with Christ and then maybe you will want to talk to Him, also together with your husband. It does not have to be long or every single day on fixed times, less will do…
May the Holy Spirit guide you and give you a thirst for prayer alone and with your husband
Amber
I actually love fixed prayers - just not the rosary. I think its probably part of my protestant upbringing rearing its head (although I don’t think there’s anything wrong with the rosary, its just not comfortable for me). Having a “personal relationship” with Christ was always difficult for me - even as an evangelical protestant. Talking to Jesus just never flows for me. Its something I’m working on. As my priest says, I’m always praying that I’ll fall more deeply in love with Jesus.
(tbc)
