Day 7

Day 7--- 

Thank you God for spending time with me this morning.  I actually was quiet so I could hear Your beautiful voice.  How wonderful it was to experience that time with you and to hear You!  

 Why is it in the midst of experiencing You that the devil always shows up?  He has been ever present today…and I for one do not even want to allow it.  I need You to be present in our lives…constant…and I want him to leave.   I am not sure what happened but I do know this…I need You…only You.  Today has been a wonderful day- a day of rest which I so needed.  But, yet it has been a day of stress also. 

…I pray that you are with us constantly, every day, standing by our sides…protecting us from the evil one…fill us with your holy spirit as we walk along the path you lay before us every day of our lives…I love you completely and totally...

Day 6

Day 6-- 

     I did not write yesterday, but I should have.  My heart was overcome with thankfulness to you…and it still is.  I woke up yesterday morning and you clearly told me it was time to go to the doctor.  I had a rash that had broken out on my back and leg.  I went to the doctor to find out I have shingles from all of the stress in my life.  I am not sure what that means.  I know I asked for BIG signs from you and I am praying you will reveal what that means. 

You tell me what to do and what to think.  I will listen.  Thank you for leading me to the Ultimate Daniel Fast site and especially leading me there today to read what she has written.  The birthday passage was almost too much for me to bear.  It felt like a present sent straight from you.  I know that I have total faith in everything you do and I know your timing is the utmost best.  Learning to wait on you is always hard because as a human, I simply want everything now.  But, I am working on that.  The foods going into my body are simply amazing.  I am so thankful that you have made these healthy, delicious foods for us.  I pray that they will nourish us in such a way that we can continue to give you so much glory.  Thank you so much for Jamie’s weight loss through this plan.  What an amazing side effect!  Then to wake up this morning with a weight loss of my own!  You are truly an awesome God for so many reasons.

I also want to take a minute to praise you for my daughter.  She is so wonderfully, perfectly made just for me.  That never fails to amaze me that You did this…a million miles away…you made her for me.  You are truly my rock, my fortress, my love, my heart, my everything!  You have blessed me with such a loving, caring husband and daughter.  I could never ever repay you or thank you enough for my blessings, God.  They are all I need.  So, wherever you choose for life to lead us and whatever path you place us on…as long as you keep them by my side…I will be thankful, grateful, and completely happy with your choices for our life.  Regardless of whether we are here or there or anywhere, I am choosing not to ask you or beg you for things today.  You know my needs, and I know your answers will come…in time.  So, I am choosing to wait…just like Abraham.  I know that you are faithful, and that your promises will never fail to pass.  Not one.  Not ever. 

 

1. Against all hope, Abraham believed.
2. He didn't weaken in his faith.
3. He saw beyond the facts and trusted God for the impossible.
4. He didn't waver through unbelief.
5. His faith grew stronger the longer he waited.
6. He brought glory to God.
7. He was fully persuaded God had power to do what He said.

(Copied from www.ultimatedanielfast.com)

Day 2-4

Day 2--   (excerpts from my fasting journal)

It was a rough, tired, fuzzy morning. Yet, as the day has gone on- I am starting to feel better. I still have some occasional pains in my side and my back. At times, they are extremely painful.  I am not sure what is going on with my lower back and side.  God- please take all of the pain away and continue to help me look to you for strength today and in the days to come.

You are my strong tower…shelter over me…beautiful and mighty…everlasting King! You are my strong tower, fortress when I am weak…Your name is true and holy and your face is all I seek!

     It is the evening once again, and I feel so excited about the healthy foods we are placing in our bodies.  I know it is not all about the food, but for now, it just seems like a huge part of our sacrifice for you.  God- please help me to make time to spend with you and help me be quiet in our time together.  It is so hard for my mind to be quiet. Thank you again for helping me feel so much better today, but you know I have a big pain in my side that I really want you to take from my body.  So, I expect you to take this from me fully and completely.  If for some reason, you think that I should take medication- please lead me in that direction.  

 

Thank you again for amazing, powerful, wonderful love!

Day 3--        

Today was hard.  I didn’t feel well, and I was really fussy.  Please reveal yourself to me.

Day 4--        

Today has been a great day.  I still have a lot of pain in my back and lower left side, but I am trying to medicate that myself.  But, no headaches today so that has been a huge blessing.  My body seems to enjoy the foods you have made for us.  I am especially thankful for little red potatoes tonight.  I don’t think I have ever stopped to truly thank you for the foods you made.  I am hopeful that I will continue to honor You by eating the good foods you made to nourish our bodies. 

 

Please continue to reveal your paths to me as I continue in this fast.  I feel like part of this journey is learning how to listen to you…to really listen to you.  It is so hard for me to stop talking to you …and wait to see what You have to say.  Just reveal your path to me…and help me to follow it every day.  Remind me of those first few lines of Psalm 119.  It is so important!  Reveal Yourself to me!

Fasting...Day 1

Day 1--     (An excerpt from my journal)

Today started out pretty well.  I was so excited for my first day of asking you for your guidance and your wisdom all day long.  But, by 1 p.m., I was toast.  I have spent the last few hours laying on the couch in pain, hot as though I have a fever, and totally miserable.  Once Jamie got home, we ate our dinner which consisted of Triscuits, Hummus, and grapes.  It was very good.  I feel almost rejuvenated, but I am still really warm to the touch with only a slight fever.  A teacher at school said that the toxins were leaving my body which is why I feel so bad.  All I know is I equate this to everything bad leaving my body …so my body and my soul are getting a new release on life straight from God. 

 I just ask that I will awaken tomorrow with a cleansed soul- at least the beginning of one.  Please allow it to be so open and willing to Your word and Your ways for my life, Lord.  All I want is to please you with everything I say and do.  Thank you for everything You have allowed me to have in my earthly life and everyone You have given me to love.  I pray that I love them, along with all other people You made in your image, with everything I am. 

Help me, Dear Father God, to love you, seek you, and depend on You fully and completely for all of the days of my life!

My Daniel Fast Journal

For Facebook Friends, we are still giving you up for our 21 days, but I really wanted to share my journal I am keeping throughout our fast.  So, I am going to use Lily's Blog to do just that.  Besides, most of you know that I make a book out of her blog, and I want her to have this. 

The night before the fast....October 28, 2012  (These are just short excerpts from my journal.)

Tomorrow will be the first day of our family fast, and I am so excited to see how God reveals Himself to me and my family throughout the next 21 days. At this time in our lives, we are asking ourselves many questions.  I am ready and willing to do whatever He calls me to do.  However, I am so worried that I am getting in His way.  My prayer is that He will lead me in His direction for my life without any doubt in my mind. I pray that I will know what He wants from me easily throughout this journey.  I want God to move in BIG ways throughout these 21 days.  So, I am boldly asking for His ways to be revealed.  I pray that God’s will for my servant life at church will be revealed as well.  I know that He has given me strengths and talents- and I want for them all to be seen and used while I am here on this earth.  I do not want to waste another day without serving my God.  Thank you, God, in advance for everything you are about to do for me and my family.  You are the beginning, middle, and end- the alpha and the omega, and you are my everything.  May I serve you each and every day of my life on earth and someday in Heaven.  I love you, Father God! 

It's Christmas...in October

 Lily was in a video shoot for our church today.  She was an angel...the perfect part for her, of course.

 The children were taped while acting out the parts of the Christmas story with no words.  Background words will be added into the final movie version which will be shown at church in December. 

 Today was all about the kids looking as though they had gotten together spontaneously acting out the birth of Jesus.

 The children were crazy and fun...with such amazing personalities. 

 The video was shot in a beautiful setting down by the lake.

 There was even a 1 month old "real" baby Jesus.  It was amazing when they shot the scene where everyone was supposed to be amazed by seeing Jesus in the manger.  Everyone was quiet on the set, especially the children.  Standing there imagining being there to witness Jesus coming into the world was pretty emotional for me...you couldn't help but wonder what they were thinking and feeling that very moment. 

 Our little angel had an amazing day...She loved every minute of it!

Here we were in front of Bethlehem...out by the lake.  We can't wait to see the finished video!  I know it will be amazing!

Presents from China

 When Baba got back from China, he had a few presents for Lily.  These were her favorites... he brought her back a purple bracelet with jade rocks.  She loves this bracelet, and she is keeping it in a safe place.  She doesn't want to play with it so she can wear it when she gets older.  All of this was totally her idea.  Beneath you can see her holding three little China girls.  She loves these little China girls with their purple outfits.  She says the little one is her, one is me, and one is Suzette.  She has placed these in a special spot in her shelves.