Importance of Couple's Prayer Time

“A cord of three strands is not easily broken.” – Ecclesiates 4:12.

Looking back, during our wedding preparation; we were praying Novena to Mama Mary and this has been stopped after getting married. I have been encouraging my husband to have our prayer time together daily. We have a different orientation of prayer and devotion even we are Catholics. Also, we are quite challenged, because; we are an OFW – LDR couple. As an invidual, we have our own prayer time, but as a married couple; I believe we need to strengthen our faith as one.

For us to have a good understanding of Couple's prayer time, I have asked married couples about the importance of prayer time on their married life. Here are the answers that I got:

1. Kinikilig while praying together

"My husband Patrick and I always believe that to strengthen our relationship spiritually, emotionally, physically and to surpass all the obstacles that we are encountering and we will be going to encounter we always need to include the 3P’s (Prayer, Patience and Partnership) in our everyday life as a couple. And, hearing each other's prayer intention makes us 'kilig' and deepen our faith, trust and love with each other. And of course, putting God as a center of our relationship especially as a newlywed LDR couple help us in decision making favor for both of us yung walang lamangan, it helps us na maging patas kami in supporting each other's ideas and goals to achieve it together." - Daisy

Couple: Patrick and Daisy Muncal

Years of Marriage: 7 months

Wedding Date: Sept 21, 2019

Wedding Church: Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Parish, Valenzuela City

2. Guide the husband and wife's journey building a Christian family

"In our prayer time together, we always seek guidance in every decision, goals and plans for us and our family. We feel God's presence together. Our daily prayer guides us on our journey to build a Christian family." - Christian

Couple: Christian & Pia Ilagan

Years of Marriage: 1 year

Wedding Date: November 17, 2018

Wedding Church: Our Lady of Arabia, Al Ahmadi, Kuwait

3. Couple's prayer time gives a gift of wisdom to fight all challenges

"Mahalaga ang prayer time sa aming mag asawa sapagkat nagpapatibay ito ng relasyon at ang pagdadasal ng sabay ang paraan para mabigyan kami ng gift of wisdom na malabanan ang anumang pagsubok na pagdaraanan at tamang desisyon sa hinanaharap." - Eric

Couple: Eric & Salyn Corvera

Years of Marriage: 4 years

Wedding Date: January 30, 2016

Wedding Church: Sta. Ana Parish Church, Davao City

4. God, the Almighty is only third party in your marriage

"Tatlo ang nasa marriage - hubby, wifey and God, the Almighty." - Ann

Couple: Nani & Ann Francisco

Years of Marriage: 5 years

Wedding Date: Feb 14, 2015

Wedding Church: St. William, the Hermit Cathedral, San Fernando La Union

5. Connects husband and wife in faith and builds strong bonds
6. Establishes a good example for your kids to imitate when they grow
7. Your spouse's prayer is your prayer, too
8. Create peace in the relationship
9. A humbling experience for the couple

"Our prayer time is something that connects our faith, builds strong bonds, establishes a good example for our kids to imitate when they grow and when we pray with my husband, I get to hear his innermost desire and it is an opportunity to pray for him as well; his desires become our desires. It creates peace knowing that my spouse holds on to faith when nothing is left. It is a humbling experience every time we pray together." - Matie

Couple: Art & Matie

Years of Marriage: 8 years

Wedding Date: February 22, 2012

Wedding Church: Caleruega Church- The Transfiguration Chapel, Nasugbu, Batangas

10. Strengthen the marriage
11. A family that prays together, stays and happy forever

Our prayer time is important because we believe that it is our direct, honest and intimate communication to our God. Listening to each other's prayers is like listening to our deepest thoughts which we believe helps us strengthen our marriage as well as our family. Acknowledging that God is the center of our marriage and family who is in control of everything gives us also comfort, hope and peace. We believe that 'The Family that prays together, stays and happy forever." - Markie

Couple: Markie & Joanne Letada

Years of Marriage: 9 years

Wedding Date: August 20, 2011

Wedding Church: Christ The King Cathedral, Marbel South Cotabato

12. Couple's solemn bonding time with God

"The prayer time on our marriage is significant because it is our strong solemn bonding time to communicate with God, to convey our thoughts, gratitude, apologies and guidance for the continuous flow of peaceful blessed life that the center is the Lord." - Jenery

Couple: Darwin & Jenery Yap

Years of Marriage: 10 years

Wedding Date: December 23, 2009

Wedding Church: Our Mother of Perpetual Help Parish, Agoncillo, Batangas

13. Two become one in prayer

"As husband and wife, we're no longer two but has become one. When we pray together, we both come before the Lord as one in all of our thanksgiving and intentions". - Ramil

Couple: Ramil & Jelly Cadano

Years of Marriage: 11 years

Wedding Date: April 28, 2009

Wedding Church: The Minor Basilica and Metropolitan Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Intramuros, Manila

14. Couple's prayer time cast away the devil and protect your family

"God said, if two or more are gathered in my name, I'm in the midst of you. Married life is full of challenges. The devil will surely take advantage of weak couples. Kaya madaming broken family. The evil one will use everything he got just to destroy a family. Unfaithfulness, distrust, vices, etc... But, if you invite God in your married life. He will cast away the devil and protect your family." - Tristan

Couple’s Name: Tristan & Eva Talosig

Years of Marriage: 17 years

Wedding Date: April 12, 2003

Wedding Church: St. Jerome Emiliani and Sta. Susana Parish, Alabang, Muntinlupa City

15. Understand God's ways and plans for the couple and to the family

"Our prayer time is a channel to greatly understand God's ways and plan. We heard God's voice, He leads us on His direction and reveals His plan in our family - to live the fullness of life with God, to build a Christian family which prepares us to lead a Christian community." Linda

Couple’s Name: Al & Linda Collado

Years of Marriage: 38 years

Wedding Date: June 28, 1982

Wedding Church: Our Lady of Assumption San Jose Bulacan, Bulacan

As you can see, I showed these pieces of evidence to him and after we contemplated it together, whereas; we learned the importance and it easier for us to understand the need for prayer life on our marriage. In other words, if we know the purpose of why we are doing something, it is a one-step forward of doing it. And this is what we agreed having our couple's prayer time, on our daily video call in the morning; we will pray together of...

Thanksgiving for the things that we are grateful for the day...
Special prayer intentions and petitions...
Our Father...
Hail Mary...
Glory Be...

Back story about this article, we had a major discussion about our prayer time together. I had lost of things to explained with him the importance of couple's prayer life and I posted on FB asking about the importance of couple's prayer time and as expected, I received some comments and private messages. And this is my very first article on segment for this site on 'Married Life' section.

I know for married couples, praying together is one of our struggles; but tiny little steps of boldness to initiate; trusting Couple's Prayer Time is a best habit of the husband and wife together. I want to end this article with a simple activity...

Close your eyes; feel God's presense and imagine that God is the center on your married life and now open you eyes. Tell me, is it lovely isn't?

WEDDING AND FOREVER

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