Fasting and Prayer

Some of the leaders of our team are in the process of making some decisions about Christ's Church Rwanda, the church that some of our teammates planted. At our weekly prayer meeting, we were challenged to pray and fast for Sunday, Monday and Tuesday; leading up to the planning session on Wednesday.

I have been trying to decide about the fast and what to fast from. Before I came on my first trip here, I did a 48 hour food fast. God just poured into me during that time. I know that a fast isn't always a food fast, and for me, I don't believe that food fasting is the best idea right now. As we were brainstorming fast options, facebook came up. I laughed because I do spend umm..quite a bit of time there.

When I think of giving things up, I remember a lady who used to visit a department store I worked in during college. Her children were grown and her husband had passed. She would buy things and return them the following week. It wasn't a money issue, the woman was living very comfortably. I think she liked coming to visit us. She would roam around the store for a while on a night that wasn't very busy, so we all had time to chat with her. One night, Lent had just started and she was telling me that she was going to give up chips because "she really didn't like them anyway." We all giggled at this little, white-haired woman who was going to give up chips for Lent. I know she was just making jokes and wasn't being disrespectful, but it has always stuck with me.

Here comes the life application lesson...do I really give things up for God and do I really give up the things that mean the most or just something "that I don't really like anyway".

So I'm back to my first question, what will I be giving up for 3 days and spend that time in prayer? I could give up Arby's, Chick-fil-a, or Pablano Gril--o wait, I've already done that. =)

So I have decided to give up driving--I just got air conditioning in my car yesterday, so this is truly a sacrifice to me. I live in the same neighborhood as the church and my office and there is a grocery store at the bottom of the hill, so I can walk there. It is a steep hill and I don't mind going down, but coming up is a challenge. (I should've gone shopping BEFORE I decided to give it up!) As I walk places, or bum rides, I will spend time in prayer and fellowship.

My prayer will be the lyrics of Natalie Grant's song Your Great Name:


Lost are saved; find their way; at the sound of Your great name
All condemned; feel no shame, at the sound of Your great name
Every fear; has no place; at the sound of Your great name
The enemy; he has to leave; at the sound of Your great name
Jesus, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain for us, Son of God and Man
You are high and lifted up; and all the world will praise Your great name
All the weak; find their strength; at the sound of Your great name
Hungry souls; receive grace; at the sound of Your great name
The fatherless; they find their rest; at the sound of Your great name
Sick are healed; and the dead are raised; at the sound of Your great name
Redeemer, My Healer, Lord Almighty
My savior, Defender, You are My King

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