Unhurry Up
So recently I was listening to a podcast by Bridgetown Audio. John Mark Comer, the pastor there, has just released a new book and the premise is about eliminating hurry. He talks about how “hurry is the enemy of prayer.” I got pretty torn up about this concept. I’ve grown up in a society where hurry is good. Busy means your doing well. And if you aren’t moving forward there’s probably something wrong with you. I would encourage everyone to listen to the podcast but I started taking these words and putting them into practice and just wanted to share a little of it.
I am not sure how much you all know about the enneagram but I am a type 8. Hard. I find that I have this internal drive to go go go. My body may be relaxed but my mind is full speed. Even walking next to me is a challenge for some because when I’m not thinking I’m usually sprint walking. This is just a glimpse into my hurry mindset. I also love coffee. I was actually sitting at breakfast about to do my quiet time with a full cup and God told me to pour it out. I of course objected but he said that’s what he wanted me to do. So I did. And for the next few weeks I didn’t drink any coffee. It’s amazing how something so simple can open so many doors. I usually have this quiet time routine that had become just that. I still got amazing things from it but the coffee really just helped me get through it rather than be apart of it. I started to wonder how many other things I had just been getting through instead of being a part of. My teammates check ins, people sharing deep stuff, even reading scripture or prayer. It was more so something I do and practice but I definitely was more focused on getting through it. But that’s not what my prayer and quiet time are about. They’re times where I’m intentionally seeking the lord and his presence. And I am over here trying to get through it so I can start my day. Lol. Like my day could even get started the right way without any of that. Anyways, throughout the month I began getting lost in my quiet time and worship or prayer. I slowly began to realize just how desperate I was for God. And not just to read a scripture and apply it but to just be in his presence for a good bit before I get my day started. I really began to hear him speaking a lot more which is super cool. I could feel him leading me daily because I was intentional about not getting through my quiet time but just being there in the moment and seeing what he wanted to speak over me.
The 40 day Daniel fast
I’m not sure how many of y’all know about the Daniel fast. But basically you just eat only things that I don’t like. So veggies, fruits, nuts and lots of water or fruit juice. Back in Kenya I worked with the Glory Shiner ministry. Joel and Tara run that. They do out reach in baby homes, prison ministry and outreach to a tribe who had thought God forgot about them. Anyways, they moved to Nepal and are starting to work in rehabs over there. Love them. Well they battled some struggles over there first but in Nepal and asked for some prayer and fasting. I saw it and jumped at it. To be honest I didn’t read it was a 40 days fast. I assumed it was 21 days but look at me being too quick and in a hurry to actually read the details. Either way I committed and spent most of Kazakstan and Kyrgzstan eating fruit, veggies, and about four potatoes a day. I’ve always been one to think that vegetables can’t fulfill a hunger. Fruit can fill me up! I need meat!
It was an interesting process. It was hard. Really hard. I love sugar and sweets. So not being able to do that was rough. I felt like for the first two or three weeks that nothing was happening. I wasn’t being fulfilled. I wasn’t happy with the diet. I also felt hungry. My energy levels were at a low and my mood was kind of bleh. I wanted to quit and just go back to normal. But I felt I needed to be obedient to my word and my commitment to God.
Well about three weeks in I finally felt like something was shifting. I began to feel totally full from my meals. I began to feel the spirit moving in my life. My energy levels were up. My awareness of the spirit was way up. My obedience was being rewarded. It was really cool to reach out to Joel and let them know I felt a shift happening. He responded and told me things were beginning to change for them as well so praise God. I’m thousands of miles, heck I’ll drop a kilometer in there. So I’m thousands of kilometers away from this family but spiritually right there with them. Praying and fasting and asking God for a move in not only Nepal but in Kyrgzstan and the world. And even though I’m a world away I’m totally feeling connected to them. We’re both seeing results from the fast in the different worlds we’re in and it’s beautiful. The spiritual realm is such a mystery to me but it never ceases to amaze me what God has created for us. Anyways, by the end of my fast I was pretty aware that food was not what fills me up but it’s God. My drive for sweets and junk had gone way down and I just felt a lot more content with the meals I began eating. I wish I could say the sweets thing has stayed but I love me some desert. I also want to point out the last day of my fast I fasted totally and spent time praying for the family, little did I know they were already breaking fast and sharing a thanksgiving meal with their community HA! Anyways. Please continue to pray for Glory Shiners ministry in Kenya and Nepal. The squad I am with now has two teams heading there next month and God is going to use them for some incredible things.
Desperation for God.
Something I learned on my fast is this pure desperation for God. A while ago the Lord asked me to get on my knees daily and sit in silence before him. I did it once and he said “now you do this.” I asked for how long because that’s what we do right, not just a simple yes but an ok but until when? He just told me everyday. So I’ve been doing this daily and honestly for about three months I didn’t really understand it. But when I started realizing how desperate I was for God it started making sense. For me this is a way to not only start the day off humbling myself to the one who really deserves it. But also just soaking in his presence and staring I cannot do this day without you. Every single day I need you. I could maybe go through today without you but it’s not going to be near as close to a day with you. So it quickly became this daily reminder that I am so desperate for him. I need him in every action I take and every decision or movement. I’ve realized since I’d been doing this that things have been different. My days are really incredible. Even the hard ones or when I struggle there is a different feel because I’m not reliant on myself for anything. When you spend time on your face in the morning just sitting without much purpose other than obedience you start to realize somethings. First, it ain’t me. All I do is answer the call. Everything else that happens is because God has gifted me with the things and abilities that I have. But it’s all from him. Second, I really have no control. So many unexpected things happen to us. Whether it’s back home with bills, car trouble, traffic jams or what not. Or whether it’s here with a bus breakdown, maybe a herd of goats needs to cross the road and backs up traffic. Or even just the normality of the power going out so often. Whatever it is, I know I’m not in control and I need the one who has the power to change things on my side. I need him in my corner fighting for me because if not I’m really screwed. We were created as needy beings. We need each other but we also need God. Especially now the way the world is. Reminding myself daily that I need him and can’t move without him has been one of the most simple, annoying, yet incredible moves I’ve been asked to take part in.
What does our day look like when we are starting it intentionally acknowledging our lack of control or power and our true desperation for God? Not just when we need him but preparing in the moments before that even happens so that when we leave our house we know who is in control and we walk in that authority of Christ.
Update:
I’m in Ethiopia. Surprise, this is Africa. Myself and the squad are battling here. The first week was really tough. The culture. The lack of development. I can’t really capture what Africa is like with words. But here’s an attempt through some real things that have happened.
You wake up in the morning go to the bathroom and you get locked out because the homes are built by ordinary people. You walk around at night and higheenas. You flush the toilet with pitchers of water and not buttons. You take your awesome cornrows that Mimi did out and get ready for the shower to realize there’s not hot water but also if you shower your going to get the toilet and every other thing in the bathroom soaked. The private four bedroom air bnb you booked is above a bar and grill with few customers but the best sound system in Ethiopia. You come home and find people in your air bnb bathroom using it because it’s also the restaurants lol. Anyways. These are not the full list by any means. I’ve gotten pretty ill here. Our bus driver hit a dog. There a lot of things going on. These aren’t complaints they just show a small glimpse of what Africa is like because you really can’t explain it. You just have to try it.
Anyways ya, so I got here. Got sick. Didn’t love any of it. Got really annoyed the first week and wanted to bite my tongue until I go home January 3rd. But God started showing me these people as his people. There are so many people who are lost here it’s heartbreaking. The amount of beggars and sick lying in the streets. I am heartbroken most times I leave our compound. But I know he is too. And so we go out and try to meet them. And pray for them. My heart has changed so quickly for the people here. I am slowly falling in love again with Africa and it’s people. Please pray for a fire to continue to go out and share the word. For people to come to us. And be in prayer for healing. The sick are everywhere here. Spiritually and physically they need help. Be in intercession for this squad and the other squads here being the hands and feet.
I will be home for a months and a half beginning in January. I would love to catch up with anyone at home. I’ve also got a small ministry I will be starting while I’m home. I would like for people to donate water, Gatorade, snacks, coffee, bibles, clothing and blankets and I’ll be going out seeking or letting God bring me some people on the streets who could use a warm blanket, snack, cup of coffee and Jesus. If anyone would like to donate or be apart of this please reach out via Facebook and let me know. My WiFi is poor but I’ll be home soon enough. Hopefully we can love some people around us and share some good news.
thanks for continuing to support me. I’m still fundraising for g42 and I leave in February. Please consider joining me in that as well I am at about $2700 of my $10000 goal!
I love you all. God is good.
Thomas Pond
