With the New Year ahead, I find myself anticipating what God has planned. If you were with us here at S.U.M. last January, you may remember that we fasted that first week. I will confess that I did not want to participate.
First of all, fasting has never been easy for me. I’m one of those people who struggles with a food addiction so this is a big undertaking for me.
Second, my family and I were traveling from Florida back to California by car that week. Fasting on the road seemed even more daunting. I made up my mind to do what I could. I wanted to at least fast during the day.
So, as the week of fasting approached, I started praying and asking God to prepare me to do this. He above anyone else knows how I struggle in this area. My heart's desire was to honor Him. Plus, I use this first week to ask God for words and Scriptures for myself and my family to guide me in my prayers for the rest of the year.
Finally, the week arrived. Day one of the fast and our first day on the road. I allowed myself only basic liquids, like tea and broth. Evening came and I felt like God was calling me to continue. I continued to pray for strength to continue because what I really hoped and longed to do was fast for three days-something I’d never been able to do.
By the end of this first day, God gave me my word for for 2011: VICTORY. I will tell you, I stand in awe of what God has done in a year that seemed to start out rough but has truly become a year of true victory for my family in so many ways, with some still coming to fruition.
Day two arrived and I continued on. I didn't want to be low on energy because I wanted to help drive and alert for my husband. God amazed me and continued to strengthen and keep me going. As I prayed for direction for myself, God gave me a wonderful verse to affirm my work for Him in ministry and speaking.
Evening came and I felt God's strength to keep going. I was amazed how He provided for me through a bottle of juice and the broth from a bowl of chicken soup from Subway!
Day three arrived and I focused my prayers on my family. God gave me insights and a Scripture to pray for each of them. The one that amazes me the most was for my youngest daughter who still struggled with health and emotional issues from her past battle with cancer.
I have prayed Malichi 4:2 (But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings. And you will go out and leap like calves released from the stall.) this past year for my daughter and claimed this promise from God even when things seemed worse. God is so faithful. My daughter is flourishing and growing in ways I hadn't even imagined possible at this point. She is truly like this calf, leaping with joy from its stall.
When day four arrived, I felt God's release to break my fast. I was amazed. I'd actually done it, even while traveling on the road and stopping at restaurants for meals, which is part of the fun! And my family seemed to understand too. Even my hubby. I already felt victorious as I started my year of victory!
Friends, as we approach the first week of January, will you start praying now for God to guide you in a decision to fast? We will start at sunrise January 2nd and end at sunset January 6th.
You can fast for one meal, just for the day until sunset or as many full days as God leads you to. And that is key here. This has to be about what God is calling you to do. And it can be a fast from food, just sweets, television, the computer or whatever it is you feel God putting on your heart.
As one who still struggles with the discipline of fasting, I can tell you there is something powerful that happens when we align ourselves like this and submit our wills completely to God in order to know His. He loves to meet with us in this most sacred of places.
Will you join Lynn and I as we take this most amazing journey again? Let's walk this road together and start our year with the strength and guiding wisdom of God. Each day, starting January 2nd, we will meet here at S.U.M. to share a prayer for our unbelieving spouse and our children. Each day will be geared to pray for one person, and we will light a candle each day as our reminder to pray each time we see its flame.
If you're an Advent wreath nut like I am, use that center candle, the Christ candle, each day as your connection and reminder to pray your loved ones into the loving arms of Jesus and His grace. Come each day and share what you feel God is telling you or just to be encouraged to keep going and continue to seek God.
God's love for us is like that candle's flame, only unimaginably brighter and hotter in His passion and pursuit of us. Let's hear what He so longingly wants to tell us for 2012.
Praying and believing,
Dineen
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