While I’m spending 11 months living in 11 different countries outside of the U.S., most of you reading this blog are living your lives in your routines back home. Right now you are excited for my journey (as am I!) and are eager to hear what’s going on every step of the way. You’ve committed to pray and give. I don’t want this excitement to wear off too quickly for any of you, but I understand the reality of every day life and how the phrase “out of sight, out of mind” creeps in all too easily for us. To help conquer this, my dad and I came up with a little plan. We talked about it before I even left the States, but I just realized that I never got it out into the blog world…I will be gone for nine more months. If everyone picks one day of the month to pray and fast for the World Race, Team Wrecking Ball, and me, we’d be covered for the entire trip! (well, what is left…) Let me break it down:
Say you pick “9” because it is your favorite number, it was your football jersey in high school, etc. On the ninth day of every month you will pray and fast. March 9, April 9, May 9…I think you get the idea.
I realize the idea of a fast might scare some of you a little. Going without food for an entire day?? What if I pick 24 and can’t eat on Thanksgiving?!
No worries, friends, this fast doesn’t have to be from food. The idea behind this fast is to keep from doing something that takes up a lot of your time or occupies a large amount of your thoughts and instead use that time to stop and pray. So, if facebook seems to be the culprit for you, fast from it one day each month. Anytime you want to scroll through your news feed, get off your computer and on your knees.
-TV/Movies
-twitter/facebook and other social networking sites
-sweets
-coffee/soda/other forms of caffeine
-radio/iPod
-video games/phone apps
-one meal of the day
-meat
You can make this your own and decide for yourself how and what you will fast from. BUT if you decide to commit to this with me, please post a comment below or send me a message so we can get the calendar filled and EVERYDAY of the remaining nine months I am gone will be covered in prayer! I will also be posting specific prayer requests to keep you updated on needs and celebrations. I appreciate your thoughts, prayers, support, and continued commitment!
Isaiah 58:6-11
Is not this the kind of FASTING I have chosen? To LOOSE the chains of injustice and UNTIE the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed FREE and BREAK every yoke? Is it not to SHARE your food with the hungry and to PROVIDE the poor wanderer with shelter- when you see the naked, to CLOTHE him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your LIGHT will break forth like the dawn, and HEALING will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the GLORY of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will CALL and the Lord will ANSWER; you will cry for help and He will say: HERE I AM… SPEND yourselves in behalf of the hungry and SATISFY the needs of the oppressed… The Lord will GUIDE you ALWAYS; He will SATISFY your needs in a sun-scorched land and STRENGTHEN your frame.
