Day 21: Looks Like We Made It

Scripture: Psalm 147-150

Today's Menu:

Leftovers....

Looks Like We Made It

So it is day 21!! And the for many, the Daniel fast will reach its end at 12:01am Tuesday morning, less than 12 hours from now.  Let me thank you for taking this journey with me and I pray that the changes God has worked in our lives will be lasting ones.  Remember the lessons you have learned; hold onto to the promises you have been given; maintain the disciplines you have developed; and cling closely to God.  I look forward to hearing your testimonies of breakthrough.  I will ask Rev. Kennedy to set up a space on the website for us to share.  I think it is important to encourage others as well as ourselves.  Until next time....God's best blessings upon you!

Day 20: There's Gotta Be a Horse in Here Somewhere

Scripture: Psalms 145-146

Today's Menu:

Ginger Sesame tofu

Spinach pasta salad

Grilled eggplant

Steamed broccoli with sliced tomato

Roasted mushroom

Gnocchi with pomodoro sauce

There's Gotta Be a Horse in Here Somewhere

I begin this blog with a story Rev told during his sermon at the 2nd Site:

Two men were hired to work on farm.  The job was to shovel manure out of the barn.  The first man refused and walked away.  The second man accepted the job and got to work.  After several hours, the owner of farm came to check on the progress of the man.  He found the man happily shoveling the manure from the barn and hard at work.  The farmer inquired about how the man was doing and why he was so happy about shoveling the manure.  The man replied: "With all this manure, I figure there's gotta be a horse in there somewhere."

That's what I want to share with you this afternoon.  A simple message: Keep digging, there's gotta be a horse in there somewhere.  We are now at the final days of the fast.  20 days down and for many only 1 day to go.  Don't give up now, keep digging 'cause there's gotta be a horse (a blessing) in there somewhere.  Don't stop digging for God in prayer, or scripture, or worship.  Don't abandon the habits that you have developed.  Keep digging because God is indeed a rewarder of those that diligently seek Him.  

I have more days to go with Daniel and I know that there are some others who are continuing, too.  Let me now if you want the blog to continue for the whole 40 days.  Meanwhile, I am letting this simple message encourage my heart.  I'm gonna keep digging 'cause with all this manure there's gotta be a horse in there somewhere for me, too!

Day 19: Bringing things to my Remembrance

Scripture: Psalms 141-144

Todays Menu:

Gnocchi with pomodoro sauce

salad with oil and vinegar

OJ

Bringing Things to My Remembrance

I had to go get my old tattered, falling apart from the seam Bible for this one because I was remembering something Bishop Evans said when he preached for our 2005 Visions Conference.  I wrote on the blank pages of my Bible (where I keep my sermon notes) and here's what the two quotes I recorded on April 29, 2005 said:

"God specializes in you being vulnerable before the breakthrough."

"Your need is the revelation of where God is moving in your life next."

I remembered his words today, or at least portions of it and wanted to get it right, which is why I went searching for this Bible.  If he is correct, then I am headed for a huge financial breakthrough. 

During the fast, I have been praying to be loosed from debt and specifically asked God last night to free me so that I might be a blessing to the kingdom.  My prayer is to have the resources to give as my heart desires.  I want to have so much to give that I have to search for places to give it.  I want ministry to go forth unhindered by financial concerns and if people don't want to get with vision--no problem! I want God to bless me so that the stingy cannot stop the show.  So where have I been getting attacked?  ....You guessed it, another crazy bill this week and then I remembered these words of Bishop Evans.  It is also no surprise that these attacks have come directly after I surrendered to continue this fast for 40 days.  

Well, the Lord will work it out and I am on to the next thing.  I don't worry like I used to; maybe this fast is opening my eyes wide enough to see the big picture.  God's got me and always has, sometimes, though, I have forgotten and yet He has never forgotten me.  Thanks, Rev. Debbie--I am NOT forgotten, all in God's perfect timing and so I am going to trust God and God's timing.  I am going to watch and worship this moving, carrying, and present God.  Because when I sit quietly, my spirit leaps within me.  It is so excited about something that I have yet to grasp and I am getting excited, too.  

So, tonight when everything is done and quiet, I will sit and meditate on these words and let them saturate my spirit.  I will listen to hear if the Lord or my spirit wants to let me in on the surprise.  And I will thank God and worship because I believe again, I hope again, and I trust again, because most of all, I am EXCITED again! 

Day 18: A carrying, moving, present God

Scripture: Psalm 140-???

Today's Menu:

Sesame ginger tofu with spinach noodles, grilled eggplant, grilled mushrooms, olives

A few salted almonds

Corn cakes (like rice cakes but made with corn) with peanut and banana slices

Sliced oranges

A Carrying, Moving, Present God

This blog is very late....I know and I apologize.  I was caught by the totally unexpected but made it through and still managed to get what I needed done today.   The blessing is that I was able to deal with the challenges with genuine level of peace and without being overwhelmed.  I know this is the result of fasting.  I am able to go with the flow without being so frustrated.

The last couple of days, I was really hit with the unexpected.  I walked out of the dentist(s) offices--note the plural-- with about $2000 worth of work to be done sooner than later.  Did I mention, I do not have that kind of money to plop down right now? And yet, I like having teeth...I wanted to cry when I was told but instead I just gave it to God and kept on going.  I don't carry things like I used to.

In this season, I am not hearing from God so much, ok at all.  No word from the Lord but I see God moving in the details of my life.  Perhaps, God is teaching me a new way of communicating...here's what I mean.  I am very comfortable with the talking God but not that excited about the silent one.  This is what I am mainly experiencing during this fast. Perhaps God is asking me to trust Him as a moving God--taking care of things even though He's not saying anything in particular to me.  Perhaps God is asking me to trust Him as the carrying God, because He keeps on taking my burdens and I am becoming more aware that there are some things that I don't have to lug around. And perhaps, God is asking me to just worship because every time I simply utter a "thank you" because I feel God's presence flood my soul.  

God is showing me Godself in a ways I have known Him.... but DEEPER.  I love this carrying, moving, and present God.  I love Him!  

  

Day 17: Staying on Track

Scripture: Psalm 130-???

Today's Menu:

Whole foods left overs....veggie burger, grilled eggplant, spinach noodle salad, tabbouleh, raw veggies, tofu (yes, found a tofu I like), and split pea soup

Staying on Track

Ok, this is getting a little scary...I did not expect to be able to eat like this and enjoy it. My tastes have really changed and although I cannot say I will never eat meat, dairy, white bread or rice, yeast, or sugar, coffee, or tea, there is something in me that does not really want to go back.  Perhaps when my total fast is over (I will probably go longer than 21 days) but right now, except for the occasional craving for processed sugar, this is an ok way for me to live.  I would like these healthy foods to be my base and add the rest in moderation.  The opposite was true before I started. I feel "clean" and don't want to "defile" myself with some of the stuff I was putting in my body, even Snickers are not as appealing...I now feel a different kind of food guilt, like I am betraying something or someone because I am not looking forward to my old favorites.  This fast has changed me like none other.  I cannot remember a fast doing a complete overhaul on me in so many simple, fundamental, but critical ways like this one.  Look at GOD!  And from the comments I am hearing around, it seems like this is how a lot of people are feeling.  The Daniel fast is changing lives, even extending lives as we eat better physically and spiritually.

So today, I just want to to encourage us to stay on track.  I wrote the other day about the "sweet spot" and it is a lovely place. However, it is so easy to get pulled from it.  Take for instance, yesterday and this morning.  I got pulled away with so many things that needed my attention that I did not have the morning and evening time like I had been having and then my pandora subscription ran out because I had already used my free 40 mins of music for the month.  This morning I was awoken early with work calling me and had to back track to my devotions.  Now I accept that this is my life so I must now figure out how to live it better because my spirit felt off kilter.  So I simply did what I knew to do to refresh my spirit and unload my cares...I turned on my praise music (music is essential to my connect with God, when I cannot even pray, I will sing a hymn or song until I can unload my spirit), took out my journal, books, and bible and settled in with my time with God.  The sweetness returned.  

This fast has shown me how I can stay on track by simply getting right back on track whenever I fall off or in some cases, am pushed off.  Just go back to what I know to do to enter God's presence and cast my cares on Him instead of just pushing forward in my day and counting that time as a loss because I couldn't maintain the schedule.  It also is showing me what I know but am slow to accept--my day must begin at 5am at least 5-6 days a week.  It is the only way I can truly guard that precious time with God.  Even if I return to bed when it is done, I will have gotten it in.  Sleeping late may not get to be my weekly luxury...(sigh) but reserved for vacations, when I can truly turn off all contact, so I have to go to bed earlier instead.  This does not excite me but that "sweet spot" is worth staying on track.  I don't want to lose this closeness, this intimacy.  I am learning how to develop it, nurture it, create space for it because I now realize it is what I truly crave, not simply relationship but intimacy. My prayer is that like Nike, I just do it!

Day 16: Pray for the Tipping Point

Scripture: Psalms 121-130

Today's Menu:

???? just not sure. the whole foods split pea soup was EXCELLENT and so was the veggie burger, may try again...

Pray For the Tipping Point

I can't believe the fast is almost over.  I was just thinking that by next Tuesday's Bible Studies and prayer meeting, we will have completed 21 days together.  I am excited about that and all that it has taught us.  I pray that we will continue some of these disciplines as we move forward.  

I think we are at a critical time.  I feel like we have been in this holding pattern for a while now and I am praying that we reach our tipping point during this fast.  A tipping point is when a previously rare phenomenon occurs rapidly and far more commonly.  It occurs at some point when the scales are mysteriously swayed to the other side.  It is my earnest prayer that as a people we are there.  I pray that our fasting and praying in solidarity; that in this corporate act of sacrifice we will have tipped as a people from apathy to appreciation, satisfied to surrendered, and excuses to excellence.  

I pray that we truly tip over into the place and be the people God is calling us to be. I pray that vision will no longer be held up and people will have a mind press forward to God's promises.  I believe that God has promised good to St. James.   Pray for the tipping point....

Day 15: The Sweet Spot

Scripture: Psalm 120-???

Today's Menu:

Craving a salad with a veggie pattie

Split pea soup

The Sweet Spot

I think I have hit the "sweet spot,"  the place where you have settle into the fast and the presence of God is so apparent.  I like this place!  Last night, I came home from church and I logged onto Pandora.com and put on my "hymns4worship" station.    I worshipped as I washed my face and got ready for bed.  Then I as settled into bed with my journal and a book on fasting that I am reading, it was like curling up beside a best friend for wonderful conversation.  It was almost akin to that almost giddy sleep over feeling where you have been waiting all day to hang out with your friends because there is no bed time or interruptions.  The music set the atmosphere and I was so CONTENTED to journal, listen, and read.  I was so glad not to watch TV when I came home or talk to anyone.  I did not feel the lonely yearning for God to fill the space but this contentment of companionship.  I was so far from alone, it was amazing.  I fell asleep talking to God instead of falling asleep on God.  And I have had the best, most restful nights of sleep during this fast than I have had since my grandmother died almost 2 years ago.  

God is so near, nearer than hands and feet, closer than breath and air and I love Him deeply.  I am deeply loved. I do not want to leave this place/space.  And know that there are some ways I need to reorganize my life to accommodate these quiet moments and get the necessary rest.  I need to limit how much TV I watch because it was definitely increasing before the fast.  Perhaps I will set a time limit for myself, an allotment for the day.  I need these extended mornings and evenings with God.  

We have one more week left of our journey together but I am praying to see if mine will actually end or if I need to press on a little further, perhaps do 40 days before my 4oth year...I want change that will reorient my entire existence so like Jacob, I am not letting go until God blesses me.  Stay tuned....