The Change Up.

I had decided that I ABSOLUTELY could no longer handle swallowing the ocean once daily. So on the eve of Day 3 I marched myself into Vitamin World and purchased a bottle of herbal laxatives. Take 6 by mouth at bedtime, read the directions. So I took 6 and flushed them with a tall glass of water. But I didn’t realize I was just trading one evil for another. . . . 

Now on the World Race my wonderful squad leader Mark Schandel coined a phrase our first month to sum up all the possible stomach issues we might face this year . . . “The Rumbly Tumbly”.  Now when you drink the indigestible salt water you quite literally feel a rumbly tumbly like gurlurlurlurlurlurlurglelurglelurgle as it ripples through your small intestines. It doesn’t hurt it just feels really weird. But with the laxatives, I woke up at 3am on Day 3 with an incredibly stomach cramp. . . . it was time. Then at 4am. Then at 5am. Then again at 6am. While at the time it is unpleasant to feel like your stomach and intestines have joined a Chinese circus and become contortionists I think I would much rather endure their acrobatics then daily make myself sea sick. 

Day 4 Journal: 

Today has been the hardest day so far because up till now I really have’t had any desire to eat. I have zero cravings. But I was sitting in Panera today spending time with Jesus and EVERYTHING smelled so good. Today I have just been craving . . .  well, EVERYTHING! I want Panera! I want taco soup. I want any kind of soup! I want sandwiches. I want pizza. I want salads. I want chips and salsa. I want yogurt. I want fruit. I want cereal. I wan bacon and eggs. I want grits. I want muffins. (can you tell I LOVE breakfast?!) 

So I think because of these cravings God began speaking to me about what I should be spending my time thinking and praying for instead of eating. He continues to show me that my entire body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, my spirit is His friend, my soul (my heart and emotions) are the eternal part of Himself dwelling in this body. Each part is interconnected. Each part needs to be healthy! 

So He has called me to look at each day through spiritual eyes as a fast and spend the time I would be spending eating physical food, feasting on His Word. So for the rest of my cleansing/fast, each day will be dedicated to praying and focusing on something different as follows: 

Day 5: the unity and oneness of my team and squad for the Human Trafficking World Race; each individual teammate; and for the financial support of our squad. 

Day 6: the women and children we will meet next year; the atrocity of Sex Trafficking; all victims of sex trafficking. 

Day 7: my future; God’s plan for my life concerning my next steps after the World Race in the fight against Human trafficking.

Day 8: my unsaved or nominal Christian family here in the States; that their relationship with God would be a deeply personal and tangible one; that a new passion for his Spirit and truth would ignite in their hearts. 

Day 9: my family and friends in Nicaragua; that God would provide for their needs; that they would be following after him; and that their relationship with him would also be deeply personal and tangible.  

Day 10: the church in America to awaken; for revival; that the church would begin living not for the hope of heaven but for the Kingdom of God to come to earth; that we would become a church that would BRING THIS KINGDOM. 

please be praying for me.