The Power of a Praying Spouse

Today I want to share a testimony—a story not of fame or fortune, but of faith. It's a story of a marriage tested by time, stress, and ambition, and ultimately sustained by something far stronger than human effort: prayer.

In the early years of my marriage, I was consumed by career ambition. I worked long hours, chasing success, often at the cost of my health and my family. For nearly thirty years, I slept only four or five hours a night, driven by the demands of corporate life and a boss who expected nothing less than perfection.

I knew I was neglecting my wife, Sue, and our five children. And yet, Sue stood by me. Not only was she tolerant—she was supportive. She never complained about the time I spent away. Instead, she prayed. I adopted a few strategies to stay connected—annual trips with each of my five children, an annual family vacation, emails, and daily prayer. We stayed active in church, served in leadership roles, taught Sunday school, and led by example. Our faith gave us strength, but still, the burden was heavy.

But God, in His wisdom, had already planted the seeds of our endurance. He had placed a faithful woman in Sue’s life—her grandmother, Grace Smolar. Grace was a prayer warrior. She prayed before every meal and taught Sue to pray each night before bed. That legacy of prayer became the bedrock of our marriage.

One night, during one of the most difficult periods of our lives, I lay in bed, exhausted, and stressed. My job was on the line, my boss was impossible to please, my father was battling cancer, and I was wasting away—physically and emotionally. My weight dropped, my face lost its light, and sleep would not come.

And then, just as I hovered on the edge of sleep, I heard Sue whisper, “Dear God, please be with Fred. Give him the strength and courage to deal with the situation at work... Help him reconcile with his boss... Relieve his stress, restore his health, and give him time for his father and his children. They need him, Lord.”

She thought I was asleep. But I wasn’t. I heard her. And so did God.

Tears filled my eyes. There was a lump in throat. Her words touched my soul. That night—and so many nights like it—were what held us together. Not ambition. Not strategy. But prayer. Her faith lifted us when mine was diminishing.

Today, I give thanks for women of faith—for grandmothers, mothers, and wives who pray. God heard Sue’s prayers. He answered them. And He used them to strengthen our marriage, grow my faith, and carry us through.