Fasting is Feasting--on God's Word

Wednesday was a great day.  Not eating (or cooking or doing dishes) but praying and fasting seemed to multiply my time.  Somehow on top of the usual demands of my day, I managed to walk 4 miles (praying out loud for half of it), catch up with 2 dear friends who live far, far, away, and draft a number of new posts.  My daughter noticed the next morning at breakfast that she too had a surplus of time or energy or both.  She did some sewing, re-learning the piano, playing a video game, and finishing next week's history homework.  

God's economy is unearthly.  Like His promise that when we tithe our storehouses will overflow rather than be depleted; we found when taking in no fuel we actually gained steam!  It gave new meaning to what the Bible says: "His strength is made known in our weakness."

As Paulette Britton wrote in the "Prepare" section of her website, fasting really is feasting on God's Word.  Call me a glutton, but I am back into two books which I'd like to recommend. Wednesday reinvigorated my prayer life and the momentum continues.

Praying Gods Will for My Husband/Son/Daughter/Wife by Lee Roberts is a series of books.  I bought the husband title and can easily change the fill in the blank with my son's name or anyone else's.  The prayers are really verses straight from Scripture organized by topics such as Attitude, Fear, Security, Tempted.  This makes it easy to find a relevant verse to cover any given situation.  For awhile I kept this in my car and as I waited for the kids in carpool line would pray through a chapter or two on their behalf.  

Praying God's Word by Beth Moore is a a prayer guide addressing 14 common strongholds from guilt to pride to unforgiveness.  It can be used the same way as the book above and has the added bonus of teaching from Beth Moore who is so gifted at sharing her own life experience in the light of God's grace. 

One of the reasons I believe God allows disability in the world (and there are many) is that it keeps us on our knees.  I don't always know what or how to pray and many times I don't even want to pray.  That's when I lean on these resources.  Praying God's Word back to Him is a surefire way of knowing we are asking for His will (not our own).   I don't trust myself anymore to know what is best for me.  I do trust Him.

Today is the Day!

Thank you to those who are sacrificing their own perceived needs for food today and turning their thoughts instead to a powerful God who is able "to do immeasurably more than we can ask or imagine" on behalf of children struggling with what we call autism.  

Paulette Britton has organized this World Day of Prayer and Fasting for Autism Spectrum Disorders and led us with the following prayer.  I found reading it aloud more than once made it all the more meaningful and somehow revives it from the flat screen.

Today we beat on the doors of heaven. Lord God, Mighty God, as you have taken away the sins of the world, so too, do we have faith, even though it may be a mustard seed, to move this mountain of autism. In the name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, we rebuke anything the Evil One would do to bring harm to our lives, our kids in attempt to steal our joy in You. We use our heel to trample on his head and say get thee behind me, you have no power over our lives or our children for they belong to the Lord! in the strong and mighty name of Jesus Christ, Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace...and by His stripes we are healed. Amen and Amen

Be sure to visit her site to read the story of  her son, Sam, and leave a comment if you are praying along with us.  The site also gives clear and valuable information on "How to Fast" and "Why we Fast" if it is new to you.