40 Days - the beginning.
I was going to journal about this in my actual journal, but when I opened it and realized that I hadn't journaled in almost a year and a half, I decided to stay all modern and tech-savvy, and blog my experience instead. These 40 days, although very personal, I believe are meant to be shared so others can see what God is doing and how He's moving.
Let me go back a few weeks...
A woman I know...a woman who has been in my home in her wheelchair...this woman got up out of her wheelchair and walked for the first time in 23 years. (You can watch this miracle here.) We are rejoicing with her and her Alabama church family. Since then, another church family has also been experiencing God in incredible ways with people being healed right before their eyes.
It's time.
Last week, we got word that our church was going to begin a time of prayer and fasting for 40 days. I had many thoughts initially - the first being more of an inward groan. Make no mistake, I enjoy what I eat and I take great pleasure in it. The idea of losing a meal every day is torture to me. I know, not the right way to look at the idea of a fast, but that's the human side of me. When I went to pick up my children from Kids' Church, and realized that our children's pastor had put together a fasting & prayer journal for the kids of our church - this was really going to be a church-wide event! That's when the lightbulbs started going off all over the place.
As a parent, I need to encourage and lead my children. This was a perfect opportunity! Their journals included a calendar for the next 40 days of different things..."stuff" they could give up for a day. "Stuff" that was getting in their way of spending more time with God. Yes! This is what I needed! Not a meal, but "stuff". And by giving up the same things that my kids were being asked to give up, it was going to be a family affair.
I have to admit, I didn't think they would take it well. Giving up sweets one day, TV and movies the next, Wii & computer games, juice & soda (water only)....I had visions of mutiny as we explained it to them. Here was the very first miracle of our 40 day journey....not a complaint. At all! After explaining what was happening, why we felt it was important to do this, and that I would be doing this right along with them (dad's doing a meal fast), they were like, "Ok - what's first?"
So we've started, and we're believing for God to move - not just as a Church, but right here in our family. I'm believing for so many miracles in my family, I very well may be asking for more than my share. But my God is a VERY BIG GOD! Whether or not He chooses to move is not what this is about. It's about getting closer to Him than what we've all been in a long time.
James 4:8a - "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you."
Let me go back a few weeks...
A woman I know...a woman who has been in my home in her wheelchair...this woman got up out of her wheelchair and walked for the first time in 23 years. (You can watch this miracle here.) We are rejoicing with her and her Alabama church family. Since then, another church family has also been experiencing God in incredible ways with people being healed right before their eyes.
It's time.
Last week, we got word that our church was going to begin a time of prayer and fasting for 40 days. I had many thoughts initially - the first being more of an inward groan. Make no mistake, I enjoy what I eat and I take great pleasure in it. The idea of losing a meal every day is torture to me. I know, not the right way to look at the idea of a fast, but that's the human side of me. When I went to pick up my children from Kids' Church, and realized that our children's pastor had put together a fasting & prayer journal for the kids of our church - this was really going to be a church-wide event! That's when the lightbulbs started going off all over the place.
As a parent, I need to encourage and lead my children. This was a perfect opportunity! Their journals included a calendar for the next 40 days of different things..."stuff" they could give up for a day. "Stuff" that was getting in their way of spending more time with God. Yes! This is what I needed! Not a meal, but "stuff". And by giving up the same things that my kids were being asked to give up, it was going to be a family affair.
I have to admit, I didn't think they would take it well. Giving up sweets one day, TV and movies the next, Wii & computer games, juice & soda (water only)....I had visions of mutiny as we explained it to them. Here was the very first miracle of our 40 day journey....not a complaint. At all! After explaining what was happening, why we felt it was important to do this, and that I would be doing this right along with them (dad's doing a meal fast), they were like, "Ok - what's first?"
So we've started, and we're believing for God to move - not just as a Church, but right here in our family. I'm believing for so many miracles in my family, I very well may be asking for more than my share. But my God is a VERY BIG GOD! Whether or not He chooses to move is not what this is about. It's about getting closer to Him than what we've all been in a long time.
James 4:8a - "Draw near to God and He will draw near to you."
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