While I wait.....

I can do lots of things.

While I wait, I can ....
pray... clean my office..... clean my room.... clean my bathroom.... pray some more.... exercise... walk the dog... watch a movie... go shopping.... work.... read a book....

There are so many things I can do while I wait. Wait for what? Wait until I decide to go to Spouts to get fruit and vegetables for next week - or wait until I see God's answer to some prayers.

Do I still believe God answers prayers? Absolutely. I believe that He wants to answer every prayer in which we ask - even when it is a stupid thing to ask for. He really does want to give us every answer - to heal every person we ask healing for. To bless every person that needs it. To give you all that you could ever want or need. Yes, I believe He wants to do that.

I believe in miracles.

I believe that when we go to God in sincerity and singleness of heart, He stops what He is doing and listens to what our request is. I believe that His eyes light up when we go to Him first, and not last. (Like, we are finally getting it!) I believe that when we covenant with others in prayer and fasting that God will not only answer their prayers, because you are praying with them, but also your prayers that you ask.

I have made the decision to covenant with a friend, starting today, and fast in prayer for her son. I don't need to go into details as to what the issues are, but I know her heart and mine are intertwined on this issue. Therefore, after she shared last Thursday that she is going to fast for 3 weeks - yes, 21 days - and pray specifically for her son, I felt like I needed to do this with her. I waited until today to share that with her.

I know what my friend has decided to fast from these three weeks and although I would love to do it exactly as she is, I am married and have someone else to consider, although he has also said he would fast with her. I need to be considerate of his thoughts of fasting and my thoughts, and our friends' thoughts are not all the same. Fasting does not require one to give up the same things. Fasting comes about when God puts it on your heart to fast.

Jesus has said that when you fast, do it unto the Lord, and not others. I'm not sharing on here with you to make you think I am anyone - I am not. I am sharing because it is a part of my life that I have decided to share. Perhaps the journey of it will encourage you to "try" even a one day fast. As many of you know, hubby and I, for the past two years, have fasted the first 21 days of the year. It does make it awkward on January 1 since I fix BBQ ribs and all, but it is something we choose to do. We want to give God the 'first fruits' of our year.

And God has blessed us already this year. Hubby received a check from an old, old account that we had given up hopes of ever receiving. I never asked for any of it; he did put $250 in my account, but I don't know what he did with the rest. And I don't care. It was his money. Well, not really, but I let him decide what to do with it. But what I am getting at is that God blessed us by getting that check to us when we had given up hope of ever getting it.

I have my "list" of things I bring before God and I am pulling things from that to specifically pray for. Fasting is never easy, but it is always rewarding. If you fast to lose weight - you are dieting, not fasting. Eating right to remove toxins from your body is still dieting. Eating healthy because you are giving things up unto the Lord, things that you like - like meat, peanut butter, processed foods, ice cream, chocolate, - those kinds of things - it is harder to give up. We went to Souper Salad for lunch so that we could make our own salad without meats, etc. I have to admit it was very difficult for me not to grab a brownie. And ice cream cone. A taco. A baked potato with oozing butter all over it. But I managed. Giving up some things means also don't load up on others because you can have them. It's ok to be hungry. That keeps your mind on the reason you are fasting.

Drink lots of water. My friend is also giving up caffeine. I have opted out of that - although I am giving up sodas. Hubby fixes me a cup of coffee every morning and it is his way of blessing me. I will not take that from him. I just won't have any more coffee after I get to work.

So - with all of the above being said... and I know I have started to ramble .. I wait. I (can't) wait to hear how God has answered my requests to Him, my friend's requests to Him. I (can't) wait to see how God is going to work in me, what is He going to tell me to do; to change.

I'm praying for each of my children and grandchildren. Some things specific and some not. I'm praying for my job. I'm praying for our home, our finances. I'm praying for damaged relationships. I'm praying for healthy relationships. I'm praying for health. I'm praying for reconciliation. There is ALWAYS someone or something to pray for.

So where are you in all this? I'm probably praying for you as well. And I wait, for God to answer. I have to be alert and watch cause sometimes He doesn't answer the way I ask - but in His way - and I don't want to miss His answer.

In the meantime, as I wait, I think I will head over to Sprouts and pick up fruit and veggies. What are you waiting for?

Blessings!