"Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you."  1 Peter 5:7

"Do not be anxious  about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."  Philippians 4:6-7

"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."  Isaiah 41:10

"Be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."  Joshua 1:9

"He will have no fear of bad news; his heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord. His heart is secure, he will have no fear."  Psalm 112:7-8

"I waited patiently for the Lord; He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; He set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand."  Psalm 40:1-2

"I will lift my eyes to the hills; where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth."  Psalm 121:1-2

"Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."  Matthew 6:34

"Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall."  Psalm 55:22

"The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul..."  Psalm 23:1-3

"From the ends of the earth I call to You, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I."  Psalm 61:2

"My soul is weary with sorrow; strengthen me according to Your word."  Psalm 119:28

"Delight yourself in the Lord; trust in Him and He will give you the desires of your heart."  Psalm 37:4

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding."  Proverbs 3:5

"In your anger do not sin: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold."  Ephesians 4:26

"Refrain from anger and turn from wrath; do not fret--it leads only to evil."  Psalms 37:8

"Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."  Colossians 3:2

"When you go through deep waters, I will be with you."  Isaiah 43:2

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Galatians 5:22

"Teach me Your way, O Lord; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes, for false witnesses rise up against me, breathing out violence."   Psalm 27:11-12

"Have mercy on me, O God, have mercy on me, for in you my soul takes refuge. I will take refuge in the shadow of Your wings until disaster has passed."  Psalm 57:1

"For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law, but under grace."  Romans 6:14

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, He leads me beside quiet waters, He restores my soul."  Psalm 23: 1-3

"I can do anything, through Christ who strengthens me."  Philippians 4:13

"Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not be tired, they will walk and not become weary."  Isaiah 40:31

"The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them; He delivers them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit."  Psalm 34:17-18

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast."  Ephesians 2:8-9

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life."  John 3:16

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."  1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Gracious God, we thank You for the gift of marriage, joining a man and a woman in Christ-like love and unity to bless them as one flesh in a family. We pray that You would always be the center of their relationship, that husband and wife would trust in You in all things they encounter, and be examples of Jesus' love to one another and all who witness their walk side-by-side. Bless those who are preparing to add to their families, whether through marriage, birth, fostering, adoption, or caring for family members who cannot care as easily for themselves in old age or disability. Bless with Your presence and peace those who are unable to add to their family for whatever reason, and may they care for others as they selflessly serve with Your love. Be their strength and comfort in all things that they encounter together in this life, while waiting to celebrate the Marriage Feast of the Lamb with You in heaven. Bless the leadership of parents raising children, and bless those resting  and reconfiguring with an "empty nest." When conflict arises in a marriage, may forgiveness through Christ and His cross restore unity and strength. As always, we offer this simple prayer in the name of Your Son, our Savior, Jesus the Christ. Amen!

O God, You are strong, powerful, and always active in our lives, even when we do not realize it. We praise You for all that you do, and for providing all that we need in all circumstances. We don't always trust You as we should, even though You have shown us countless times in our lives and throughout the Bible that You are faithful to Your promises and to us. Thank You for the blessings that  You have given to our family personally, for which we are thankful today. Help us to trust You fully to work in and through our lives as a family. Help us to be Jesus to our family members and communities, to remind us and them of Your steadfast love and faithfulness in all things. Thank You for bringing us back into Your family through grace, love, and peace through Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray this. Amen

(Adapted from a prayer shared by the Concordia Center for the Family, Concordia University, Ann Arbor, Michigan)

Most merciful God, we confess that we are by nature sinful and unclean. We have sinned against You in thought, word and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved You with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve Your present and eternal punishment. For the sake of Your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us and lead us, so that we may delight in Your will and walk in Your ways to the glory of Your holy name. Amen.

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness."  1 John 1:9

"In Christ we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace."  Ephesians 1:7

"If you, O Lord, keep a record of my sins, O Lord, who can stand? But with You there is forgiveness; therefore You are feared."  Psalm 130:3-4