I am starting out this year as I do every new year: with fasting and prayer to get my heart focused on what this particular one should mean and the direction I should go as I enter into a new season. Typically most Christians fast during the season of Advent (the season of waiting) but the church I have been attending these past 11 years has always called for a 21-day Daniel fast (see the book of Daniel in the Old Testament - a fast of only fruits and veggies, water and 100% juices) every January. It usually starts the day after New Year's and ends just before the end of the month. Some years we have even gone as long as 40 days - ending in February.
This year I am abstaining and consecrating, redirecting my thoughts and my behavior to make room for God in the busyness of my life - and boy, did it start getting way too busy! There is so much that I need to do to give Him the throne of my life, so this is how I begin to do that.
These are my prayer requests for those of you that are willing to pray with me during this time:
(1) The custody of my niece and her sisters
(2) The opening of my life to the possibility of being an adoptive mother to a 4 year old and 1 year old before I even get married, before I even have my own children (that I will be a good mother to them if that is what God desires for me)
(3) The publication of "Father to the Fatherless" and "We Run From Ourselves"
(4) Enrolling in graduate school for a Master's in Youth Ministry
(5) Marriage
(6) A deeper spiritual walk
(7) A new church home more conducive to where I believe God is leading me at this time in my life
There are other more general requests but these are the ones that deal exclusively with me and my path for this season. Of course, I hope you are praying as I am about the state of our nation and the lives of the hurting, the poor, the disenfranchised, and the broken. That is what we all must do to fulfill the mandate of God in this world.
I am also beginning a study on spiritual warfare and the strategies of war as highlighted in the battles written about in the Old Testament. This has been on my mind for quite some time, and perhaps I will get into this in more detail later. During this time of the year I like to center my heart and mind on the things of God - a good way to start out any year. I need to hear His voice before I begin afresh.
2 comments:
I wish I knew you, in the flesh! It's so refreshing to come to your blog and read things like this. I need to make more time also. I'll get on a roll where I'm seeking God, praying, fasting, and then it slowly dies down.
I seriously believe that this year is going to be a victorious one for me, but I know that it can't come to pass without God seriously being the head of EVERYTHING, every aspect of my life.
Thanks for this post. This really gave me the jolt that I needed to push myself back in the right direction.
And I'll also pray with you for the things on your list.
I wish I could meet you too! You have no idea how much your blog has helped me too. Thank you for praying with me during this time, and I certainly will pray for you as you enter into this new year.
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