Last night was night of power at mars hill… I sure hated missing our corporate prayer time last night at Mars… but  my role as ’son’ took precedence over my role as ‘pastor’.  My dear mom, Beverly, recently had DOUBLE  knee replacement surgery and is going through grueling rehab this week in Grand Rapids.  When she was contemplating the surgery I told her I would do what ever I could to come visit her and be with her for a few days during rehab, this week was the only window to make  the trip, I’m so glad I did.  Watching her yesterday ‘press’ through her enormous pain while keeping her ‘eye on the prize’ was so inspiring!

Thanks for praying for my mom!  Her name is Beverly.

Now something that caught my eye this week about fasting and our AWAKENING journey.  There’s a short story involving what I call ‘practical fasting’ that caught my eye.   In Acts 13: 1-3,  it says that a small collection of early church leaders were gathered in Antioch.  Their purpose?  We are not quite sure.   It only says that they were ‘worshiping and fasting..”   They were not looking to ‘do’ something nor  ’send’ someone into ministry. They were just worshiping and fasting.   Then suddenly, the Holy Spirit speaks ultra specific instructions to this band of God-seekers… they are told ’set apart‘ Barnabas and Saul for a ‘special work’. Then it says, ‘after more prayer and fasting‘, they laid hands on them and sent them out…

2 things … fasting creates the  ’conditions’ so if God  wants to speak or direct,  He feels welcomed!   Fasting should not always be motivated because  something is  bearing down on my life  … Like  in this case of the Antioch God-seekers, it was designed, along with worship, to set the table and ‘mood’ so God would feel comfortable speaking.

Fasting usually is the ‘result’ of something we face [present] or because something we’ve faced. [past]  But here it was used to set an atmosphere… My hope during this fasting  season is that I will incorporate a more regular approach to fasting in the same way I incorporate worship as one of my regular disciplines as a Christian… not because I’m facing dangers or decisions, but because I want to  create the kind of conditions that welcome  God’s  voice in my life!  Hope that makes sense!

Final week and beyond of our AWAKENING… stay true to everything God has asked of you!

much love …