Prayers for Family and Friends

God our Father,
You see Your children growing up
in an unsteady and confusing world.
Show them that Your ways
give more life than the ways of the world, and that following You
is better than chasing after selfish goals. Help them to take failure
not as a measure of their worth,
but as a chance for a new start.
Give them strength to hold their faith in You and to keep alive their joy in Your creation.

~Book of Common Prayer

Inspire and strengthen us by Your Holy Spirit, O Lord God,
to seek Your will and uphold Your honor in all things;
in the purity and joy of our homes,
in the trust and fellowship of our common life,
in daily service of the good;
after the pattern and in the power
of Your Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

~Jeremy Taylor (1613–1667)

Almighty God,
You set the solitary in families.
We offer them up to You for Your continual care.
Remove every root of bitterness, self-righteousness,
and pride in us.
Fill us with faith, virtue, knowledge,
self-control, patience, and godliness.
Knit together in constant affection those
who have been united in holy wedlock.
Turn the hearts of parents to children,
and the hearts of children to parents;
and so enkindle empathy and grace among us all,
that we may evermore be devoted to one another and be bonded in love.

~Book of Common Prayer, Adapted

O God, make the door of this house wide enough
to receive all who need human love and friendship,
but narrow enough to shut out all envy, pride, and malice.
Make its threshold smooth enough
to be no stumbling block to children,
nor to straying feet,
but strong enough to turn away the power of evil.
God, make the door of this house
a gateway to Your eternal kingdom.

~Thomas Ken (1637–1711), Adapted

Bless and sanctify our home —
those who live in it and everything in it....
Fill it with all good things.
Grant us an abundance of blessings from Heaven
and the substance of life from the richness of the earth.
Direct the longings of our prayers to the fruits of Your mercy...
May Your angels of light live within the walls of this house
and guard all who live in it.

~Catholic Prayer

Be gracious to all who are near and dear to me
and keep us all in Your love.
Guide us, good Lord, and govern us by the same Spirit,
that we may be so united to You here on earth
that we will not be divided when You call us home.

~John Wesley (1703–1791), Adapted

Make Your love our love.
Make Your joy our joy.
Make Your peace our peace.
May Your kindness and generosity permeate our relationships.
May Your humility and patience guide every interaction.
May Your grace shape our way of life.

~Carrie Marrs

Almighty God, and most merciful Father,
You have given us a new command that we should love one another;
give us also grace that we may fulfill it.
Make us gentle and kind, bearing with one another.
May we each look to the good of the other in word and deed. We offer our friendships for Your holy use, by the blessing
of Your Spirit.

~Brooke Foss Westcott (1825–1901), Adapted

May we throw off every hindrance to love.
Father, You are the giver of every good gift, including laughter.
Help us see the humor in our everyday life and be willing to laugh at ourselves.

May we notice the small things
that make us happy or chuckle
and hold on to that cheer.
May moments of levity lift us up
and steer us away from irritability and pessimism,
complaints and grudges.

Bring us Your freedom and lightness,
and fill our hearts with Your love and joy.
Help us keep choosing to make our life sweet and merry.

~C. M.

Jesus, lead me in loving others
the way You have loved me.
You say real love is giving up Your own life for Your friends;
show me how You want me to give of myself.
Help me prioritize others’ needs
and put aside my own desires
in order to bless and care for them.

~C. M.

Excerpted with permission from A Prayer for Every Occasion by Carrie Marrs, copyright Zondervan.

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Your Turn

Pray for your family and friends! Lift them up every day! Let's pray specifically — for each person we love and care for, for their faith, health, school, marriage, growth, work, friendships, community, and that they be continually led by God in all that they do. What better way to love someone? Come share your thoughts with us. We want to hear from you! ~ Laurie McClure, Faith.Full