Awakening Fast

Week 1 
I like the sound of that. "Awakening Fast." It's actually a book I'm reading titled Awakening and the fact that that book is a guide to a 21-Day Fast, but I still like the idea as it first presents itself. If I'm going to have a spiritual awakening as I want to do, bring it on, Lord. Bring it fast. :)
I know - patience is a virtue God continues to develop in me.

On this page, I simply want to track a few foundational ideas about this Fast I'm embarking on today.
I'm praying and believing God for

  • the salvation of my husband 
  • direction in my professional life
  • healing and hope for my youngest 
  • safety and direction for my older two boys 

I feel like everyone in my immediate family is "on the cusp," and that's a somewhat stressful place to be. My middle son is about to graduate high school and is considering the military. My oldest son, already in the military, is facing the dissolving of his unit and is moving into that "real adult" phase of life with real-life decisions to be made. My youngest has special needs and is entering puberty; enough said there. My husband is in a spiritual limbo, but I'm not even sure he knows it. And I'm in a place in my career where everything is changing substantially, and I've been feeling a change coming for a while now... I'm praying for what that change needs to be in order to do His work in this world.

I'm doing the Daniel Fast for this 21 Days. Fruits, Veggies, water. I read in Awakening today that I need to modify the Fast as appropriate for me to allow myself to focus on God. After Day 1, and grateful to Pastor Weems's admonition in that book, I'm going to allow myself light caffeine (no coffee, but light tea) but definitely limit more of my food intake. I need to eat only at pre-established times. I need to feel a bit of physical longing, and I certainly didn't allow myself to get to that point today.

So grateful to God for his Goodness. My cup certainly runneth over.

Week 2
Isaiah 40:31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up on wings as eagles. They shall run, and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

Today in church, Pastor Shawn taught about waiting actively on God: "Do only what God tells you to do... gives you permission to do... has anointed you to do." In other words, don't let your flesh take action and get in the way of God's plan and timing. Later this afternoon, I was listening to the radio and Meredith Andrews came on, telling the story behind her song "Soar," which was born after God has walked her though a dark valley in life, and it was waiting on Him that eventually allowed her to "rise up on wings as eagles." One of my favorite verses, reinforced, explained, and emphasized twice in one day? Not coincidence.

God's promises are outlined in his Word, and Pastor Shawn spoke of those promises as "confirmation numbers," that we should seek, find, and pray over as we trust in God for the answers to our prayers during this time of communal fasting, then faithfully wait on Him to meet us at our point of faith.

Today, I added my prayers to the wall:
1. That my husband be saved.
2. That my Joseph find healing for his anxiety and depression.
3. That I hear God's clear calling for and have discernment in my professional life.

My next step is to search the Bible and find those "confirmation numbers" that ascertain that my prayers are aligned with God's will.

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