STOP, DROP, PRAY4USA!🇺🇸🙏🏽 Father God, no matter what the day has brought to us thus far we pause and give you praise! We are very grateful for every opportunity to enter into your presence, and… More
Words of Encouragement Blog
“FREE AT LAST!”
“LET FREEDOM RING!”
Some people move away from their homelands looking for it—sometimes leaving friends and family behind. Others start new lives—facing unknown dangers in the pursuit of it.
Many fight against addictive demons—drugs, alcohol, over eating, smoking, perfectionism, pornography, and much more… all just for a taste of it.
Armies are trained to fight for it; and far too many die on foreign soil fighting in defense defense of it.
Then there are those who try every kind of “religion” imaginable striving to experience it.
More and more people seek to find it through financial independence and the continuous acquisition of material things.
We celebrate it in music, movies and paintings. Statues are erected in honor of it. Schools teach students to respect it. Leaders of countries deliver speeches about it. Riots break out and demonstrators march to voice frustration over not having it.
So, what is “IT” that could be so highly treasured, sought after, honored and revered? …FREEDOM!
But we will never find this “Freedom” apart from CHRIST and the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. This is Paul’s message in the book of Romans to the people then and to us today—He who God sets free through Christ is free indeed!
Without the help of the Holy Spirit, sin would continue to rule and reign in our mortal body and have the upper hand in our life.
He (The Holy Spirit) is our “secret weapon” to winning the fight within—and the war on SIN!
As we allow the Holy Spirit to lead, guide, direct and instruct us in living a God-fed and God-led life—this brings FREEDOM.
For the believer, this is truly a time of celebration! “FREE at Last, FREE at Last! Thank God almighty We are FREE AT LAST!”⛓️⛓️💥🙏🏽~M. Ford
“Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin.” (Romans 6:6-7 NKJV)
PLEASURE AND PAIN
Both pleasure and pain are both emotions we encounter along life’s journey. However, we can learn valuable life lessons from pain that pleasure can never teach us.
From the bowels of sorrow wisdom can grow. Pain that doesn’t break us can stretch us to our fullest potential.
God can use the pains of this life as reigns to draw us closer to Him. Although weeping may endure for a night, hold on and don’t throw in the towel because your story is still being written.
There is purpose in your pain that words can never explain.🙏🏽~M Ford
“For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.” (Psalms 30:5 NKJV)
CHRISTIAN LITERARY AWARDS 2026!
The Christian Literary Awards 2026!
I am very pleased and excited to announce that my husband and I have been nominated to receive the prestigious Henri Award for our marriage book titled, “For the Health of Your Marriage: Living & Loving Life Together”, in the Marriage & Relationships Category at The 2026 Christian Literary Awards!
The Christian Literary Awards is a special elegant evening planned in honor of authors who are committed to excellence in Christian Literature. We are very grateful to God for being nominated, but Please be in prayer for God’s favor to rest on us so that we bring home the 2026 Henri Award!🙌🏼☝🏾🙏🏽💍♥️🙏🏽
Also, the Reader’s Choice Award Voting is open NOW, and closes at 11:59 PM on Friday, June 26, 2026. We are soliciting your support by asking that you Please go online to http://www.joyandcompany.org and cast your VOTE for our book, “For the Health of Your Marriage: Living & Loving Life Together”, by Mary A. Ford and Rev. James A. Ford, in the Marriage & Relationships Category for this award.
Don’t delay…Please be sure to VOTE for us TODAY and share this post with others and encourage them to vote for us as well!🗳️🙂 Thanks so much in advance and God bless!
Love & Prayers ~ Mary & Jame Ford💍♥️🙏🏽
#forthehealthofyourmarriage
#livingandlovinglifetogether
#duty2delightministries
#areyouenjoyingjesusyet
“THERE IS A NAME”
Heavenly Father, Thank you for yet another day that was not promised. This day I proclaim peace, love and the fullness of Your Joy upon all those who call upon Your Great Name!
As we cast all of our cares upon You in prayer, we rest in your presence and walk in deliverance as we are empowered by your Holy Spirit!
Help us to seek hard after more and more of YOU—not conforming to this world and succumbing to unholy habits, but by the transforming of our minds through the washing of the Word. Always pure in our Worship, intentional in our Witness, and steadfast in Prayer in order that we might grow in grace, be spiritually empowered, and able to withstand and prevail against attacks of the enemy from WITHOUT and WITHIN!
LORD GOD, Fill us with Your Light—desiring to LIVE THE WORD over living as the world; perpetually seeking your face as we forsake every sinful way, polluted thought, and unholy habit!
Thank you, ABBA, for the uncomprehending POWER given us When we call on THAT GREAT NAME—JESUS! It’s in HIS mighty and matchless NAME I pray and praise you always! Amen🙏🏽~M. Ford
“The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.” (Proverbs 18:10 NKJV)
A CLEAN HEART
LORD GOD, Give us a clean Heart so that we might serve you well. LORD, fix our hearts so that we can be used by You—For we are not worthy of all your blessings!
We have caved in to culture, retaliated against wrongs with ruthlessness, watered down righteousness, and strayed away from your Word! We have bowed down to lusts of the flesh and the idols of this world; and we have not fed our spirit what is needed to sore above sin and live Holy! We have grieved the Holy Spirit by quenching His perfect work in us; stagnating our transformation process into the likeness of Christ.
Nevertheless…EVEN NOW, El Shaddai—God Almighty, sprinkle Your purifying CLEAN WATER on us so that we might be cleansed from ALL unrighteousness! Blot out our transgressions, and empower us to walk in your Will! Remove our iniquities, and make us READY for service! Fortify our Faith and EQUIP us for every battle!
LORD, give us a New Clean Heart and a New Spirit that desires and longs for the eternal things of Heaven and not the temporal things of this earth!
Thank you, ABBA, for choosing and using us for Your glory and honor! It’s in the mighty and matchless name of Jesus I pray and praise you forever and always…Hallelujah and Amen!🙏🏽~M. Ford
“I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.” (Ezekiel 36:25-27 ESV)
SUPER SOLDIER 
A “PRAYING HUSBAND” has more POWER than any super hero! I praise God for the Praying Priest of our Home—The Right Rev. James Ford! ⚔️🛡🙏🏽💍♥️🙏🏽
#Pray2getherStay2gether
#PrayingPriest
#PrayingHusband
#3CordsNotEasilyBroken
#forthehealthofyourmarriage
#livingandlovinglifetogether
STAND GUARD
“STAND GUARD”
Heavenly Father, I come humbly praying for your divine guidance and protection today in every area of life. For every “doorway” not guarded by the Holy Spirit becomes a “gateway” for demonic spirits to enter.
Therefore, set a guard over our HEART, for everything we do flows from it. Keep our MOUTH free of perversity, our TONGUES void of slander and gossip, and dry up the flow of corrupt talk far from our LIPS!
Let our EYES look straight ahead towards the prize of the high calling and our gaze remain fixed directly on You—the author and finisher of our faith!
Fine-tune our EARS to Heaven’s wishes and let us not lean in to the foolishness of this world. Guide the paths of our FEET and help us remain steadfast in all our ways—not turning to the right or the left—so that we do not walk in the path of evil.
Bless the works of our HANDS so that everything we touch will bring glory and honor to You, our GOD, Elohim!
Help us to Watch and Pray always, standing steadfast in our Faith, so that we do not enter into temptation. For the Spirit is willing to do your will but the Flesh is weak—Therefore, Holy Spirit, empower us to be strong and courageous in the face of our adversary, the devil, who walks about like a roaring lion seeking to devour us!
Thank you, Holy Spirit, for giving us the GRACE we need to operate in LOVE even in the midst of hate; to show MERCY even when undeserving; to be a PEACEMAKER even when surrounded by chaos.
Thank you, JESUS, for your Agape LOVE that Saved us, lifted us out of sin, and will cause us to win in the end! Hallelujah and Amen!☝🏾🙏🏽~M. Ford
“For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions.” 2 Timothy 4:3 ESV
(Proverbs 4:23-27; I Peter 5:8; Matthew 26:41; I Corinthians 16:13-14)
SOVEREIGN
Heavenly Father, as we start a brand new week filled with brand new mercies and brand new opportunities, we give you brand new praises!
For You graced us with sweet sleep and your peace as our pillow. You held us so gently with your righteous right hand; patiently protecting and shielding us from seen and unseen dangers!
Thank you for Your never slumbering eyes that are always watching over us by day and by night; we never escape your Holy vision!
LORD GOD Omnipotent, we recognize your awesome power and everlasting provision, so we steadfastly stand on your promises as we deal with everything under the sun this new week from health to wealth. We trust you to make our feet like hinds feet so that we don’t slip and slide out of your Will as we walk life’s treacherous roads and unpredictable paths.
Therefore, we lift up our eyes to the hills from where our help comes from; For all our help comes from You, Elohim, who made the heavens and earth!
Thank You, ABBA, for always being our Provider, Waymaker, Promise Keeper, Deliverer, and Protector!
Hallelujah🙌🏼, Hallelujah🙌🏼, Hallelujah🙌🏼 and Amen !🙏🏽~M. Ford
CHURCHED, BUT NOT CHANGED!
Being “a Christian” is not simply something practiced at church on Sunday mornings:
If you “shout” and don’t “shift”—that’s Churched.
“If you “buck” and don’t “yield”—that’s Churched.
“If you “run” and don’t “wait”—that’s Churched.
“If you “speak in tongues” and still “gossip and slander”—that’s Churched.
“If you “sing songs of praise” and don’t “Pray”—that’s Churched.
“If you “read the Word” and don’t “walk in the Spirit”—that’s Churched.
Being A CHRISTIAN is about living a CHANGED Lifestyle based on an intentional Choice to submit and surrender your will and Live for Christ—everyday!
God will give you revelation on how to move from Stagnation to the Next Level of Transformation in your spiritual walk “IF” you Pray and Obey!
Don’t Get Beat—You Know Better!🙏🏽😇~M. Ford
“And that servant who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare himself or do according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.” (Luke 12:47 NKJV)
A PRAYER FOR PASTORS
Father God, I come Praying for Pastors all across this world today. Give them preaching power to rightly discern and deliver your Word with power, authority and clarity as they stand in Your Name.
Anoint them so that they will speak, teach and preach The Word of God—not adding to nor taking away, but steadfastly declaring the undiluted Truth!
I pray that as Your Word goes forth during this day, lost souls will come to Christ in droves; Christians will be totally surrendered and Committed to Living Holy; and that Lives will be Transformed and Changed forever after experiencing a close life-altering encounter with Christ!
It’s in HIS mighty and matchless name I pray and praise always…Amen!🙏🏽~M. Ford
“Are You Enjoying Jesus Yet?” 