16: How Prayers Can Grow Relationships and Relationships Can Change Your Prayer Life

Prayers can change your relationships. I know as we head into the holiday season friendship and relationships are so important. That’s why we are focusing on how your prayers can change and grow your relationships and your relationships can change your prayer life.

Theology: How Prayer Can Change Your Relationships

Pray Colossians 3:12-14 over your relationships. 

Colossians 3:12-14 “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.”

Our God is relational. He loves redemption, unity, peace, and His kids getting along. Psalm 133:1 says “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity.”

This is going to sound so crazy and weird. But when I was a freshman I spent some time with an acquaintance of mine and I decided I really wanted to be her friend. This sounds so weird — I prayed about it. I prayed that we could be friends. Well, we weren’t really close for a few years. She was more of a friend of a friend. It wasn’t until the end of my time in college that we really got to know each other. Today she is one of the friends I have kept up with since graduating college. 

That’s the first time I realized that God does listen to prayers about friendships. You might not have a friend over night, but I really do think that prayer is to a friendship like water is to a plant. I needed this reminder because I have never seen so much conflict in relationships. There’s division over COVID information, politics, racial issues… There’s so many things right now that can create conflict in relationships. Will you pray? I’m with you. Sometimes I have no idea what to pray. Emotions are high. Conflict can be painful! Here’s what I’ve been doing: pray scripture over your relationships. 

Four ways your relationships can change because of prayer. 

1. If you’re lonely pray for a friend who is following after Jesus. Because two is better than one (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10).

2. If you have conflict with a friend – pray that you can be humble, kind, meek, patient, forgiving, loving, and that ultimately peace will win over that conflict. That’s straight from Colossians 3:12-14.

3. Pray for a change of heart in yourself and in your friend instead of seeking revenge (1 Peter 3:9, Proverbs 20:22). 

4. Pray for your friends when they have challenges that come their way. When God shows up the joy will be yours too (James 5:16). 

 — this could be an opportunity for God to really grow your faith and watch Him work. Our God is relational. He loves redemption, unity, peace, and His kids getting along. 

Psalm 133:1 says “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity.”

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body.” –Colossians 3:12-14

“Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.” – 2 Corinthians 13:11

“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” – Romans 12:18

“Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” – James 5:16

Try praying over your friendships and watch how your faith will grow.

Fashion News:

“Don’t throw away your clothes, fix them“

Starting on November 1, Bottega Veneta is effectively giving all of its customers a lifetime warranty, allowing them to get their bags repaired and “refreshed.”

It’s an option that high-end brands have offered for years, although every service is different. As of April of 2021, Chanel only offers a five-year warranty. Louis Vuitton will repair any bag or leather good, but it’s not free — exact prices vary, based on the item and level of repair.

But as the fashion industry becomes more cognizant of its environmental impact, more brands are offering repairs as a cost-effective way to extend the life of garments. There’s tons of interest in the industry: Major brands like Patagonia and Arc’teryx have opened repair centers, and repair-focused startups like The Restory have raised millions of dollars in funding.

Even fast fashion brands have started to offer repairs. Zara announced the launch of a new repair service last Friday and Uniqlo opened a repair center in New York in January.

In my discussions with both fashion brands and people in the environmental activism space, my takeaway is that, while making new things out of better, more sustainable materials is fine, making fewer things is better for the planet in the long run. We still have a long way to go to undo decades of massive overproduction, but offering more repairs and extending the life of clothing is a step in the right direction.

Weekend Briefing: Even fast fashion brands are starting to offer repair services

An Intro to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

In this episode I use CBT cards that are great prompts to use each morning or night to help reframe your thoughts. I’ve found Cognitive Therapy so helpful with clients along with my own mental health. This week the card said,

•  Pay attention for times today when you’re thinking in black-or-white terms, such as nothing is going my way. 
• Consider whether a situation is actually that extreme.
• For example, how many things in reality actually are going the way you want them to? Instead on telling yourself “everything is going wrong”, focus on what is going right. Both thoughts can exist in a situation.
• Practice seeing shades of gray in each experience. 

You can find the same cards for yourself here: https://bit.ly/3OeUvLM

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