So, this might prove to be the shortest blog I’ve written yet! Ha it’s kind of a joke that all my blogs are generally novels. This one however will be kind of brief. I’m writing it to invite you to join me and my team in prayer and fasting. It’s a kind of a funny thing, since technology is seemingly so much less around here than back at home, but this month our team has seen the effects getting sucked into even the small amount we do have. This has been the first month where we have had power, television (with dish network) and an internet modem at the house (mind you it’s one of the stick ones you plug in each time you use it.. so it’s pretty slow). And I think because of the withdrawal for two months plus our natural tendencies from growing up in a country where this stuff is normal and complete accessible we have somewhat become consumed with it. I know that sounds horrible, it’s not as bad as it sounds, but it also is because we’ve seen how having those things has put a damper on the level of community and closeness we had the previous months and has made us all a bit more introverted and selfish about our time. We don’t talk to each other as much as we did and even though it’s been a blessing because we’ve gotten to communicate more to all of you back home, it’s made us a lot less present here.
It’s spiritually and emotionally taking a toll on our team, and the worst part of it is that it seems like such a normal thing since it’s what we’re used to back home. We’ve experienced a lot of different kinds of spiritual attacks on this trip that have been new and weird and scary at times because of those things, but for me looking at this one, it’s even more alarming because of its subtly and the ease it had in overtaking us and damaging not only our relationships with each other but the amount of time we invest in our relationship with our Lord.
So in realizing this and wanting to change it we will be fasting from all “screens” this week. No phones, no computers, no television, no ipod, no ipad. We setting those things down to engage with each other, others around us, and namely our creator on more personal and intimate levels. And I want to ask you all to be praying for us throughout it. I also want to invite you to join us. I know for many of you that might be “impossible” because you in school or your jobs require you to use be the computer or what not… but I want to throw out there that you are wholly in charge of your free time.
Something I was also challenged with this morning, when thinking about all this was the idea of offering that time up to the Lord then to do whatever He wants you to do. I know by doing this, it’s going to open up a good amount of time for us that we now have available to do other stuff with and I’m sure it will do the same for many of you. During that time, pray and ask the Lord what He would have you do, I know that He will speak to you; you then will have the choice to follow whatever it is He tells you, whether that be go for a run or walk, clean the house/room for someone, go pray for someone, spend more time reading His word, or whatever. I hope that we both have the faith to be obedient to what we hear from Him this week.
Thanks ahead of time to all of you who pray for us, I’ll be praying for all of you who decide to join us.
