5 Things to Pray for Your Spouse: Prayers That Change and Strengthen Your Marriage

5 Things to Pray

by Melissa B. Kruger, Michael J. Kruger, Nancy Guthrie (Foreword)

A happy and healthy marriage is one of God's sweetest gifts to us. And one of the best ways to nurture that is through the power of prayer.
This guide will help you to pray bold, Scripture-based prayers for your husband or wife that will strengthen and enrich your marriage. It covers 21 prayer themes, with each one including five prayer prompts from a particular passage of Scripture. You'll be equipped to pray deep and effective prayers for your spouse's character and spiritual walk, for your life together as a couple and through challenging seasons.

Genres: Marriage, Prayer, Christian, Faith

96 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2022

About the author

Melissa Kruger teaches women at Uptown Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, and at conferences around the country. She regularly writes articles for the Gospel Coalition and Christianity.com, and she is the author of The Envy of Eve. Melissa’s most cherished roles include being a wife to Mike, president of Reformed Theological Seminary–Charlotte, and a mother to her three children, Emma, John, and Kate.

Reviews

[Jennifer Callahan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend this book! This is a book that Chad and I read through and prayed together over this latter half of the year. We will definitely continue to use it as a resource and refer to it to focus our prayers for each other and our marriage!

[Tara Gibbs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love these little "5 Things to Pray" books. I can get in a hurry with Scripture reading and in a hurry with prayer. These books always remind me of the value of slowing down and praying through each word in a passage, and they are a great aid to me in doing that. I've thoroughly enjoyed praying for my spouse (and myself and my kids) through this book and will enjoy doing it next time as well.

[Ashley · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a bit too simplistic for me, just not my cup of tea. I can see how it would be a helpful resource when you’re seeking specific things to pray for for your spouse, but I think I prefer it in the form of a liturgy rather than a numbered list.

[Kailie Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I spent the greater part of the year working my way through this book, and I highly recommend it. It’s a collection of prayers that are both practical and saturated in Scripture, that led me to fervent prayer.

Some of my favorites:

Following God’s design for marriage (Eph. 5:22-33)
Being wise (Prov. 13)
Being joyfully content (Phil. 4:1-13)
Suffering illness (James 5:13-16)

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Is it possible to pray with your spouse? In 5 Things to Pray for Your Spouse, Melissa B. Kruger and Michael J. Kruger share prayers that change and strengthen your marriage.

Soak Your Prayers in Scripture
After an introduction by Nancy Guthrie, this book provides 21 topics for you and your spouse to pray through together. Each topic has five prayers, including a short explanation and accompanying verse.

What I loved most about this book is that it soaks your prayers in Scripture. I hope to pray more Biblical prayers, and this book is a great help to give me words that reflect God’s Word.

Different Life Stages and Circumstances
This book has prayers that are broad and applicable for different life stages and circumstances. The book does not take for granted that your spouse is saved, so the first prayer is for faith to believe. This sensitivity is characteristic for the other prayers as well, including sections on conflict, suffering, and experiencing change.

I was most interested in the chapter on praying that we would flee sexual immorality. Taking inspiration from 1 Corinthians 6:13-20, you are prompted to pray that you would avoid sexual sin, honor the Lord, trust the Lord, remember your union, and flee sexual immorality.

The Privilege of Prayer
The book ends with a section on celebrating good news together, and I was reminded of what a privilege it is to pray. Even more so, I was encouraged to come to the Lord together. Alongside my spouse, we can pray without ceasing.

I received a media copy of 5 Things to Pray for Your Spouse and this is my honest review.

[Cheshers · Rating 5 out of 5]

An easy, wonderful and quick daily prayer guide if you’re seeking to spend time before the throne on behalf of your spouse.

[Elizabeth Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simple and helpful!

[Michelle Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this! Super quick read, although it’s definitely written to be used as a physical copy on a daily basis to pray along with the topics. Regardless reading through this has helped me see how dependent we are on the Lord as we pray for many many areas for our spouses.

[Matthew Hodge · Rating 5 out of 5]

I quite like these little guides. Short, but with a really comprehensive set of prayer points on the topic. I'm now switching back to the one with the prayer points for church because I think it makes for a great daily set of prayer points.

[Bailey T. Hurley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great tool to keep on hand for prayer prompts. Prayer changes people and strengthens marriages

[David King · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another helpful prayer guide.

[Bill Forgeard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really like this series.

[Lexie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eh. Pretty surface level and not super thought provoking. Encouraged a regular practice of praying for my spouse but it felt a little surface level.

[Audrianne T · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommend for all Christian married couples! A great way to pray through scripture for one another through a variety of seasons.

[Jake Russo · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Krugers have greatly helped me grow in discipline as well as the quantity & quality of my prayers for Michaela.

[Jenny Dipzinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful Scripture Led Prayer

Glory to God for this resource! It helped me focus during prayer for my spouse. Bible based prayer that I did every morning while giving my baby a bottle!