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Our church family is getting ready for a 21 day Daniel Fast as part of "awakening." It started with one church, and now churches and Christians across the globe are participating together. The goal of this Daniel Fast is not to diet! The goal is to get our eyes and hearts focused on God - starting the year on the right foot, so to speak.
Our family, or at least my husband and I, have fasted with the church several times in the past. The first time, a bit chicken, our family fasted television instead of food. The second fast, we stepped it up and fasted dinner. The third time, we got serious - or so I thought. We jumped in and did the whole deal (following the Daniel Fast, praying for my church and my family). A few times now.
It's inconvenient. Imagine having a dinnertime job interview during a fast. Explain that! Birthdays happen during the fast. But we did it. We fasted, and everybody knew it. But, fasting isn't about fasting. I'm just now figuring that out! (So, I'm a little slow). It's not about the self-discipline. It's about faith! Trusting God.
To prepare for this year’s fast, I read Jentezen Franklin’s book, Fasting. I now realize that what I thought was “the whole deal,” was not. I am sure God honored my efforts. He’s a good and gracious God. Yet, I am learning that fasting is much more about the heart than it is about the obedience. Isn’t that true of the Christian life?
Fasting isn't about making it through deprivation or pious self-denial. It's about the heart, worshipping God, praying, laying our lives before him. What a beautiful way to start the new year!
As a result, this year, I will approach it differently. Instead of praying for the church and for our family generally, as I have in the past, I will pray specifically. I know some of the challenges I face in life, and I want victory. God wants me to have victory.
This year, I will dedicate focused prayer on:
- My relationship with my husband. We'll celebrate our 20th anniversary this year! That's a praise, right there. And I want God to provide more love, more joy, more tenderness in the next 20 years!
- My son, Nathan. My first-born baby is almost a man. He's preparing for the next stage of life. What an honor to be his mom and get to pray for his future: his college choice, his career, his beloved (whoever she might be).
- My son, Ben. He already has huge dreams for his life... among them to be able to sponsor a missionary 100% someday. What an awesome privilege to lay his future at the feet of the King of Kings.
- My daughter, Ellie. What a miracle she is, born to another mother to become my daughter. We share nothing, genetically. Yet we are so much alike! It's a blessing... and sometimes not. God is the glue to hold us together, even when we butt heads :)
- My future. I have big dreams! BIG DREAMS! I want God's blessing. His clarity.
- My unsaved friends and family. I know so many people who don't know Jesus. My heart breaks that they don't know Him the way I do. I would love to look back on 2010 knowing new people are part of God's family!
- My church... all churches. For vision, for passion, for purpose, for victory, for unity, for love in Christ.
- www.marthafry.org - this blog provides encouragement, suggestions, menus, recipes and shopping lists to make fasting easier.
- www.mattfry.com - this blog provides a lot of information on prayer and links to other fabulous church websites.
- http://leighfrance.blogspot.com/ - this blog includes (or will include) my friend's fasting journey.
- There are other great blogs and websites out there. Just search "Daniel Fast." God will get you where he wants you to go.
1 comment:
Thanks for the shout-out today my friend. I am just so glad we get to do life together. Can we go somewhere soon and have a cup of hot water? LOL. I love you more then chicken!!!
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