Thursday, December 26, 2013

Daniel Fast Day 1

Okay, I stopped my fast to celebrate Christmas Day with my family. What an awesome day it was. It was such a full day feasting on the Holy Spirit.

Today starts the fast again. I have not had near the torture or pain that I felt last week. However, the treats and tempting foods are still around. That being said my God is bigger than these treats and tempting foods.

For Christmas I received a book entitled "The Ultimate Guide to the Daniel Fast" by Kristen Feola. If you are looking to do the Daniel Fast I would encourage you to get this book. It has recipes, devotions, and great information.

What has God done for me today during this fast? He has strengthened me to endure today's temptations that would otherwise keep me from honoring my obedience to God.

Today being the first day of the fast should be a day of repentance. The things in our lives we hold on to or the oppression of sin. We are not meant to be oppressed by sin. The Israelites were oppressed by the Egyptians and God sent Moses to free God's people. God has set us free so we need to take that freedom and be set free.

It is sad to say, but we all have things in our lives that we need to confess. At times we feel justified by our feelings and we nurse them till they are sin and then nurse those. Even when we are hurt it is not right to hold on to it and become unconfessed sin.

What do I want out of this fast?

     I want...

          God's will for my life.
          God's will for my family.
          To lean more on Him and His ways.
          To be more like Him.
          Healing for my body and mind.
          Direction for purchasing a home in Savannah.
          Direction for Austin's future.
          Direction and healing for others.
         
And so much more. Are these impossible to ask for? No. They are not hard requests, but I have to be willing to sacrifice my flesh so that God may be honored.

It's not just actions. That will get you nowhere. It's humbling yourself before the Lord and spending time with Him as well. It's faith AND works!

I am trusting God to work in these areas and my life over the next 3 weeks. God is faithful.

God bless...


Daniel Fast

Last week I felt led to do the Daniel Fast. I know it sounds crazy being a week before Christmas, but when you have a nudge in your gut about something you should do it.

Thursday was the day to start. It was difficult and I struggled a great deal for about 2 or 3 days just with no coffee and carbohydrates. My head was pounding. With each ache of the stomach or head I knew I was on the right path.

Sunday came and I couldn't wait to get to church. I love church: the music, people, and the preaching, but this Sunday we had a Christmas concert by Lindsay Huggins. We were about a mile away from our first stop of the morning and out of the woods came a deer hauling top speed and crashed right into the driver side of our Honda Odyssey. There was glass in places that only God knows how it got there. It was a terrible scene.

It looked like we were not going to make it to church.

We went ahead to our first destination and I called the insurance company. They said we might hear something from them within 2 days, but maybe not being Christmas week. It was then I decided we should just go on with our day. We already missed Sunday school and I didn't want to miss church too. Off we went with our friends to church.

It was an amazing service and I am so glad we didn't stay home waiting for the insurance company to maybe call me. I went ahead and called them back per my local agent's advice, thanks Jane, you are a doll! :-)

You want to hear the good stuff now? This is the Christmas miracle you hear about on the Hallmark channel during Thanksgiving to Christmas Day. Well, the insurance lady I was talking to was a Christian and we had the best talk.

This is the good stuff... she set me up with my adjuster, my vehicle inspector, and a rental car immediately. I spoke with my adjuster and said I shouldn't hear from the inspector until after Christmas, most likely. A few minutes later the inspector called me saying he was passing through and wondered if I had time for him to stop by. I said sure. Within 20 minutes or so he was inspecting our van.

The inspector said I probably wouldn't get the van to a shop probably till the day after Christmas if then. We made plans on where to take it and he said he would fax over the images and inspection quote and I should at least I should hear from the shop by day's end. About 5 minutes went by and the body shop called me and made an appointment to pick the van up from me the next morning, the day BEFORE Christmas.

The next morning about 8 a.m. our van was towed and within an hour I got a call from the shop saying I would be receiving papers to sign so they could begin working on the vehicle. I received the papers, signed them, and sent them back.

In about a week we should have the van back all fixed and in order again.

All of that to say this... it was a terrible wreck and the van has great damage to it, but God is bigger than any trouble we can ever have. He makes things happen that only He can do... and there is no explanation. He is worthy of all our praise and worship.

We are so thankful for all He has done for us, but most of all we are thankful for His saving grace that was given freely to us--it cost Him a great deal... He gave His Son than if man believed in Him they would be saved and live for eternity in the presence of God.

It's a choice all people have to accept Christ as their Savior and spend eternity with God in heaven or reject Christ and live for eternity without God in hell. I chose to believe Jesus is God's Son and God raised Him from the dead putting all my trust in God because He is all knowing and all powerful. He can do more with me and my life than I could ever do. I will just mess things up that's why I depend on God--He loved me before I was even created and I love Him enough to be obedient as His child.

God is good and worthy to be praised!

God bless...