Live for Him As Only You Can

"Empty your life into the hands of the Lord Jesus--empty yourself out and you will be full."

~Ravi Zacharias 

When I was a teenager, super straight hair came into fashion. You know, that pin-straight hair that may only be achieved by using a straightening iron. And for me, the queen of curly-frizz, "the ideal" could never be achieved. I inherited thick curly hair from my Mediterranean Dad, hair that will not be tamed. :-) My Mom would say, exasperated, "Why do you want to straighten your hair? You have such pretty curly hair!" But straight hair was "in-style," and something within the human heart longs after something that it can't have. And so I tried to straighten my hair. And it didn't really work--it just rebelliously began frizzing at the edges and then the old curls tried to creep back in, and the rest is history. At any rate, I am back to "embracing" curly hair. It is how the Lord made me, what He gave to me. Something unique to my person, created in the image of Him. So I am content. 

Lately, the Lord spoke to me in a powerful way through a Ravi Zacharias message. I listened to the message over and over; he was addressing something that the Lord was pressing upon my heart. His peace came afterwards. 

Ravi was speaking about how the Lord created us as individuals. And I shared a trivial story about straightened hair at the beginning of this post, but sometimes, deep inside of our hearts, a battle is raging, more significant than curly or straight hair. An inward battle that can eat us up and consume us. 

The battle of who it is that God created us to be. 

Because there are times in our lives when we become frustrated with ourselves, with the distinctive personality that the Lord gave to us to be used for Him. We admire those around us who seem to exhibit the qualities we find lacking in ourselves.  Perhaps it is leadership abilities, maybe speaking abilities, perhaps those who seem to be "in control" of their circumstances and surroundings. Perhaps it is something else. It is natural to admire the perceived "strengths" of others. 

And maybe we struggle with speaking in public. Maybe we struggle with taking the lead or doing something independently. Maybe we struggle with understanding how to handle different situations that arise in our lives. Maybe we feel anxious easily. Maybe we are overwhelmed in social situations. These and other areas of weakness can cripple our souls. 

Each person has their own personal struggle unique to themselves. 

So it is tempting to see our own perceived "weaknesses" as a hindrance to spiritual growth in our lives. We think that if only our personality was different, things would be better, things would run more smoothly. 

But I have come to believe that the secret is not in trying to be what we are not, but in embracing who it is that the Lord created us to be--

We don't need to be like any other person, as admirable as they may be--we just need to be ourselves, embracing the unique personality that God has given us--surrendered each day to Him, filled with His Spirit, full of joy in Him, an obedient vessel of grace. The secret is not in a different personality but in an attitude of humility and surrender. 

And I think that many of us would begin to find great peace in the Lord when we embrace who it is that God made us to be --that "self" filled with the Spirit of Christ to be emptied out for others around us--our children, our husbands, our church families, our friends. 

Ravi Zacharias said in the message that I was speaking about earlier, "You are an individual, your face, your emotions, your way of speaking . . . He has made you that way. Accept who you are--and know that God has made you distinctive and unique . . . He made you that way; don't try to be anybody else."

We don't need to be like anyone else--except the individual the Lord created us to be-and then allow the Holy Spirit to fill us as only He can, with power and strength and love in and through our individuality. There is peace in that. There is quiet strength and joy in that. And there is hope. As we grow in our relationship with Him, He will show us areas that we need to change in terms of obedience and surrender. But in terms of our individual personality, He is working in and through it to accomplish His purposes. We may commit our self to Him. 

And again, we think that if only some aspect of our personality could be changed, we would "have it all together." Our homes would be clean and airy, our complexions would glow, our husbands would adore us, our children would be well-behaved. 

But friend, I have discovered that it is only in Christ that we have it "all-together," and even when the outside things seem to be "in order," (and they very well may be)  only He brings order and beauty to the inmost heart. He is the One who holds together, through trust, through obedience, through quiet determined dependence upon Him, day in and day out. 

Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord tests the heart . . . 

Sometimes things need to fall apart before He pieces them back together in His beauty and order and peace. Sometimes we need to acknowledge that we desperately need His help, that we can't do it in our own strength, that we are limited simply by our human-ness. 

And sometimes what seems to be weakness and the stumbling block in your or my life may be the very thing that Christ uses to draw us nearer to Himself. When we surrender. When we admit our weakness before Him. When we stop trying to be strong in our own strength. When we admit our sins and shortcomings. When we allow Him to work through our weakness. 

And we embrace Him. Not our sin, but our makeup as a person created in His image with all of the unique personality traits He has given us--surrendered to His love. 

Lilias Trotter said, and I've shared this quote before, but it is so powerful, "Take the very hardest thing in your life, the place of difficulty inward or outward and expect God to triumph gloriously in that very spot. Just there, He can bring your soul into blossom."

Take the hardest thing, the very hardest thing, even the inward struggle of the way that you have been made and offer it to Him. He will use you when you surrender to Him and make you into a blessing for those around you. The Lord is using your weakness to make you realize how much you need Him--this is a gift, not a curse. As Ravi Zacharias suggested, we should pray to the Lord, "Help me to live for You as only I can . . ." Use your individual personality to bring glory to the Father and to show forth His grace and sufficiency. 

Ravi went on to challenge in his message, and this strongly challenged and encouraged me, "Do whatever you do for the glory of God. Do the best you can for the glory of God. Empty your life into the hands of the Lord Jesus and you will be full." 

Whatever your calling is--do it for the Lord. Whether you are a mother with very little children, struggling to overcome tiredness and drudgery, or a missionary laboring to bring the Gospel, or a Pastor, or a truck driver, or a waitress, or a single woman or man finding rest in the Savior, do it for the Lord. Empty yourself out. Give everything that you can, through His strength alone. Obey with all your heart; go from strength to strength and trust Him--not yourself,  for the results. 

He honors those who honor Him. And they and all around them, are blessed. 

Your personality is a gift; use it for the Lord. Empty yourself out. Embrace whoever it is that the Lord has made you to be--and be used for Him. 





You might find me on these link-ups:


Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth, Inspire Me Monday, Literacy Musing Mondays, The Modest Mom, What Joy is Mine, Rich Faith Rising, Mom's Morning Coffee, Raising Homemakers, Classical Homemaking, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Ministries,  Testimony Tuesday, Tell His Story, Women With Intention Wednesdays, Messy Marriage,  Graced Simplicity, Imparting Grace, Thought Provoking Thursday, Soul Survival, Good Morning Mondays, The Weekend Brew, Counting My Blessings, The HomeAcre Hop, Mommy Moments Link Up, Grace and Truth Linkup, Faith Filled Friday, Tell It To Me Tuesdays, SHINE Blog Hop, TGI Saturdays Blog Hop, RaRaLinkup, Word of God Speak, Booknificent Thursday, Living Proverbs 31, Coffee For Your Heart Weekly LinkUp, You're the Star Blog Hop, Homesteader Hop, Fresh Market Friday, Heart Encouragement Thursday , Sitting Among Friends Blog Party, Fabulous Warm Heart Party, Oh My Heartsie Girls Wonderful Wednesday Linkup, Writer Wednesday

A Brief Update . . .

Lord, we adore thy boundless grace,
The heights and depths unknown,

Of pardon, life, and joy, and peace,

In Thy beloved Son.

O wond'rous gift of love divine

Dear source of ev'ry good!

Jesus, in thee what glories shine!

How rich thy flowing blood!

~Anne Steele

Every once in a while, I've been trying to write an update on how our family has been doing in the great Midwest :-) as we seek the Lord for further direction in our ministry here. I call it the "great" or vast Midwest, as I lived in tiny Rhode Island all of my life--Wisconsin is huge in comparison! I remember the beauty of the ocean and the smell of the salt waves, the loveliness of the old towns and villages and the tight-knit-ness of Italian and Portuguese families "back home." 

And yet, the Lord is opening my eyes to different beauties here--His creation, all un-tamed all-around, the beautiful fields and hills, the glorious sunsets, and the sound of the wind through the trees. His handiwork never ceases to amaze my soul. 

We live on almost 4 acres in the country, and we are visited by many "members" :-) of our Lord's creatures--here is one that I have met in the Midwest--a little ground squirrel visiting my flowers. :-) They are very friendly and industrious--and quick! 

My Mama always planted zinnias in Rhode Island; they are easy, she said! Their cheerful faces remind me of her beautiful garden back home as I was growing up. 

These sweet little birds were in a bush just outside of our house--daringly perched right on the edge of the bush! Their innocent expressions and determined "chirpings" :-) for food gave me joy. 

The field behind our house . . .  our neighbor "hays" this field occasionally. 

These puffy things fascinate me; they feel a little like lamb's wool. 

This little guy loves to come and visit us; I discovered that he also enjoys saltines with peanut butter ;-). 

That's a big apple for a little chipmunk . . . :-)

He resembles my expression here, when I am contemplating a full plate of brownies . . . :-)

A butterfly in the garden . . .

Hanging laundry on the line has become one of my favorite things to do . . . I love the "feel" of the sun's gentle warmth on the clothing as I fold it and the way that the clothes sway in the wind. 

This spider showed up near our flowers! I keep a safe distance . . . ;-) He is welcome to eat the gnats and flies, but not me, please ;-). 

The Lord's glory in the sunset . . . 

And these are pictures of the outbuilding that I have my eye set upon right now .  . . :-) We call this the "Missionary House." We have been praying about converting this into a place for fellow believers to come and stay. We are excited to see how the Lord is going to work through all of this . . . 

And lastly, I'll leave you with a song that the Lord has been using to minister to my heart. An old friend introduced me to this group years ago--this is one of my favorites of theirs--

https://youtu.be/CgmTYeLU7eA

As always, I am so grateful for your prayers for us. Truly, He hears the prayers of His people and "leads His dear children along." Please let me know if I can pray about anything for you . . . 

Much grace,
Rebekah






You might find me on these link-ups:


Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth, Inspire Me Monday, Literacy Musing Mondays, The Modest Mom, What Joy is Mine, Rich Faith Rising, Mom's Morning Coffee, Raising Homemakers, Classical Homemaking, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Ministries,  Testimony Tuesday, Tell His Story, Women With Intention Wednesdays, Messy Marriage,  Graced Simplicity, Imparting Grace, Thought Provoking Thursday, Soul Survival, Good Morning Mondays, The Weekend Brew, Counting My Blessings, The HomeAcre Hop, Mommy Moments Link Up, Grace and Truth Linkup, Faith Filled Friday, Tell It To Me Tuesdays, SHINE Blog Hop, TGI Saturdays Blog Hop, RaRaLinkup, Word of God Speak, Booknificent Thursday, Living Proverbs 31, Coffee For Your Heart Weekly LinkUp, You're the Star Blog Hop, Homesteader Hop, Fresh Market Friday, Heart Encouragement Thursday , Sitting Among Friends Blog Party, Fabulous Warm Heart Party, Oh My Heartsie Girls Wonderful Wednesday Linkup, Writer Wednesday

Fasting That Pleases the Father

Note: when I began to write this post, I had no idea that it would be so long! But I wanted to include as many details and examples as possible, which I hope will be helpful! There are many Scripture references provided. I purposely didn't include entire passages/verses in some cases, because this post was simply getting too long for a blog post. But I hope that some readers might find it helpful to look up these passages and really just meditate upon them and put them into practice as the Lord leads them. This blog post could also be used over the course of one's devotional time if someone really wanted to study this topic. I pray that these thoughts would be a blessing to you; my goal was to write this prayerfully and completely; I hope that you find it so. 

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"Bear up the hands that hang down, by faith and prayer; support the tottering knees. Have you any days of fasting and prayer? Storm the throne of grace and persevere therein, and mercy will come down."

- John Wesley

 Lately, the Lord placed this topic upon my mind and my heart. The other day, He brought it to my memory that a reader had asked me a while ago if I had ever written on the subject of fasting.  I have mentioned fasting in some of my posts, but never dedicated a post to that topic, and so I determined to write about some of my thoughts now. I pray that they will be a blessing and that the Lord will use them to draw you nearer to Himself.

As a believer, fasting is something that the Lord has at times and in different seasons of my life, impressed strongly upon me to do. When I have obeyed the Holy Spirit's leading in my heart and sought the Lord through fasting, it has benefited me greatly spiritually, and I believe that the Lord has used it to bring about answers to prayer in my life that I do not believe would have necessarily been accomplished without it. 

My goal in writing this post is not to provide a comprehensive theological study on the topic of fasting, but rather to illustrate how the Lord has used fasting in my life to draw me closer to Himself as well as to provide some ideas and Biblical direction in terms of how and when and why we fast. 

I believe that prayerful, sincere fasting draws us closer to the heart of our Heavenly Father. I believe that it helps to wean us a little more from the things of this life. I believe that it presses us closer into fellowship with the Father, causes us to part in a very small way, of the suffering of the Son, and that it knits our hearts mystically with the Holy Spirit in a special inexplicable way during seasons of fasting and prayer. I also believe that fasting is not an end in itself --that it  should never be pursued with the sole purpose of trying to "force" God to do a specific thing that we want Him to do. It should always be approached with an attitude of reverence and surrender--that He is God--and the outcome of all things belongs to Him. Our attitude must be one of bowing before His sovereignty. 

Yet, coupled with this attitude of reverence, there is also a holy boldness of coming before the throne of grace with confidence. We are asking God to move, at times, against humanly-unbreakable odds. There is something mysterious and mystical about prayer and fasting.  When we see Him act on behalf of our prayers, we are compelled to give Him the glory and glory is given to His name. Prayer and fasting move the Father's heart as He acts on behalf of His people. And prayer and fasting magnify His honor and presence in our lives as we are quiet and still and humble before Him. This brings Him glory. 

Fasting and prayer go hand in hand; they are "married," so to speak. And fasting should never be done in an effort to draw attention toward oneself; instead the focus should be upon the Lord Jesus. As soon as we fast so that others will notice that we are fasting, we need to examine our hearts and our motives. 

Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. (Matthew 6:16-18 NKJV)


There are many reasons to fast, and I'll discuss some below. Many times, we think of fasting as taking place during extraordinary times of need--such as is the situation in the book of Esther when the Jewish people's lives were threatened (see Esther chapter 3). But there are so many other reasons that we may fast--fasting in repentance, fasting for wisdom, fasting for spiritual growth in our life or in the lives of others; the list goes on and on. I'm sure that you'll think of others that I haven't listed. Above all, fasting, done in humility and reverence before the Father, combined with the boldness of entreating the Lord to work in whatever area of our life or the life of someone else's that we are, moves the Father's heart and unites us with Christ Jesus. 

John 14:13 NKJV--And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

The kind of fasting that pleases the Father 

When should we fast? There are so many different times and seasons when the Lord may place it upon our heart to fast. Here are a few that came to my mind:

• Times of distress, trial, and need~ These are times of extreme stress in our lives when we are calling upon the Lord to act. Perhaps one is facing an impossible financial situation, or as is sometimes the case with the persecuted church, our lives are threatened. Perhaps our ministry is being threatened or our children are rebelling against the Lord in a dramatic way. 

• An impossible situation~This ties in to the point above, but also would include "quiet" challenges such as the need for the Lord to provide funding for something we believe to be His will, a difficult person in our lives, the need for a physical provision such as a vehicle, the need for employment after losing a job; any area where all human options have been closed to us and we don't know what to do. Again, the list can go on here.

• The salvation of a friend or loved one~ We all have people in our lives that don't know the Lord personally. At times, the Lord may prod one to focus upon this person in fasting and prayer. There is a beautiful story about Hudson Taylor's mother shutting herself up in a room to pray for the salvation of her son, which she believed that the Lord had burdened her heart heavily with. She did not leave the room until she felt that the Holy Spirit had answered her fervent prayer. When she saw her son, he told her that he had come to the Savior at just the time she knew her prayer was answered. As many know, Hudson Taylor went on to found one of the most Christ-dependent Missions organizations in his time, the China Inland Mission. 

• For our children--This is one that has become a real part of my life and I have seen the Lord work tremendously through it, both in my own heart and in the lives of my children. Parenting, for me, has become one of the greatest challenges in my life and one of the greatest areas of dependence upon the Lord. Daily, I sense my weakness in raising up children that love the Lord in my own strength. I realize that I am completely dependent upon the Lord for wisdom and direction in how to raise my children and for grace in surrendering myself fully to the work that He has called me to do here. And so, by His grace, I have made it a practice to cry out to Him for help in this area of my life. He has blessed me tremendously in this way and ministered to my weakness with His strength. 

• A health situation for oneself or someone else~At times we plead with the Great Physician to act on behalf of ours or someone else's situation here. Someone may be facing cancer, or surgery, or a number of different problems and we bring them before the throne of grace in a special way. I won't get into it here, but there is also the scriptural admonition to pray over someone who is sick and to anoint them with oil. I wonder sometimes, if we might see more of the Lord's miraculous intervention in loved one's lives who are sick if we followed this Scriptural admonition with sincere hearts. The Lord does not always choose to heal, but sometimes we may not see His hand because we have not asked or continued to ask. (see II Kings 20:1-11 for a powerful example of the Lord's healing when death was imminent, in response to earnest prayer, and I believe, fasting.)

• Marriage~There are times when ours or someone else's marriage may be in crisis and we plead to the Father to restore a marriage before it is destroyed. The movie Fireproof is a good example of a marriage that is disintegrating and in trouble. There are times when the Lord impresses it upon our hearts to fast and pray over the state of our marriages, even if there is no immediate threat. At times, it may be good to fast and pray even about a "good marriage," that the Lord would protect it and strengthen it. 

• A national crisis~ war, terrorist attacks, famine, economic distress; all of these may be responded to with prayer and fasting. 

• Our church body~ We may pray for spiritual growth in the member's lives, protection, the leading of the Holy Spirit when selecting church officials, evangelistic efforts and outreaches, specific church ministries, etc. 

• The nation of Israel~ this seems like a strange one to list, but it came to my mind. If the nation of Israel is precious in the Lord's sight, shouldn't we also be praying for it's salvation and restoration? 

• The persecuted church~ Many of our precious brothers and sisters are suffering terribly for their faith. We should continually be upholding them in prayer--and at times, as the Lord leads us, with fasting.  Hebrews 13:3-Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also.

• Our own spiritual growth~We may see or the Lord may show us an area in our life where we could grow in our faith. Prayer and fasting helps to focus our eyes upon a specific area and be open to the Holy Spirit's leading as we seek to obey Him.  

• Strongholds in our life or in others~There may be a specific area of struggle in one's life--maybe continual anxiety or anger or a spirit of unforgiveness toward a particular person. At times we may seek after the Lord in fasting for spiritual freedom in these areas. 

• Fasting in repentance~ Perhaps we have grieved the Lord in some area in our lives. We may fast as an act of humbling ourselves under the Lord's mighty hand in a spirit of humility and sorrow. There are several examples of this in Scripture--the Ninevites under Jonah's preaching, the people of Israel in the Books of Ezra and  Nehemiah after their captivity, King David after his acts of adultery and murder. Tremendous good and restoration came from these individuals and nations fasting in repentance before the Lord.  When we see sin as it is--destructive and deadly, we take it very seriously in our own lives-Psalm 130:4 NKJV-But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared.

What do we fast from? 

There are so many different kinds of fasting. The most commonly thought of,  of course, is fasting from food. But at times, the Lord may lay a different kind of "fast" upon a person's heart or a variation of fasting from food. The following are some kinds of fasting that may be helpful in our daily walk with the Lord--

• Fasting from food~This is the obvious one--and  food, how we love it and look forward to it! :-) Abstinence from food for any period of time helps us to refocus our attention upon the Savior as we seek Him and are reminded of Him in the absence of food. I think that it's helpful to take the time that one would be eating a meal to seek the Lord in prayer during these times. 

*Most people can fast from food, at least for a short time--even if it is just one meal, but if health restrictions are preventing you from fasting from food, there are so many other things that a person may "fast" from (I'll discuss some of these below). The Lord knows the heart. When we surrender before Him and come to Him in reverence and obedience with a desire to honor him, He will show us how to fast and pray in the way that He desires us to in our unique situations. When I was nursing my babies, I would fast from certain foods rather than food altogether. I had a difficult experience with my body breaking down after I delivered my second baby, and so it was difficult for me to fast from food completely. The Lord knows the heart! Fast when you are strong to do it; His grace is sufficient for us when we are weak. 

• Fasting from social media~ This has been a helpful one for me. We can become so distracted by the plethora of "activity" on social media. Sometimes it is good to step back for a time and seek the Lord in solitude away from all the crowding "voices" of the internet. It is good and can be important to "connect" with people and to show them love and compassion in this way, but it can also be helpful for our own souls to step away for a time to "re-connect" with the Lord. Sometimes I feel that the connection with other humans is placed on a higher value level than connection with the One who is our greatest Friend and Lord. This is a struggle that we all have, I believe. 

• Fasting from a certain kind of food or fasting from "pleasant foods"~ I have sought the Lord in this way a lot. I remember being struck by the account of Daniel fasting from "pleasant foods" (Daniel 10:2-3 NKJV-In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks. I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled). I think that this can be especially helpful for those with little children, those who struggle with bodily weakness, or those who need energy for certain activities during the day (such as Daniel would have in the Kingdom of Persia). This is a way to maintain energy, and yet give up the "pleasure" associated with food to turn our focus upon the Savior. Examples here might be giving up meat or "sweets" for a season or eating very bland foods. 

• Fasting from an activity~ Putting a favorite activity to the side for a time can be helpful in focusing on the Lord and in effect saying to Him, "I want You more than this." Perhaps it is shopping (just for fun) or an athletic activity that is not essential, or a recreational activity that one may lay aside for a season and taking that time to pray and to seek the Lord instead.

• Fasting from sex~ This is one that I very seldom have heard discussed, and yet the Word of God addresses it. It is interesting because I believe that we often think of sex as our "right" in marriage, especially when we have abstained before marriage. But there are times when we can choose to lay aside this "right" as a couple and humble ourselves before the Father. I think that this can be helpful in subduing the flesh and seeking the Lord together as heirs of the grace of life" (I Peter 3:7). But I would add a note that, just as the Word admonishes, both people must be in agreement with it and it is not to be for a prolonged amount of time. Otherwise, Satan is given an opportunity to use what was intended for good to cause harm in a marriage as the fasting becomes an act of selfishness rather than one of surrender. I Corinthians 7:5 NKJV-Do not deprive one another except with consent for a time, that you may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again so that Satan does not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

With whom should we fast?

• Alone~Some examples are Jesus in the wilderness (see Matthew 4:1-11), Daniel (see the entire book of Daniel for a beautiful picture of a life of fasting and prayer), Nehemiah (Nehemiah 1:4) and  John (very possibly) on the island of Patmos (Revelation 1:10 ).

• With other brothers and sisters~ A wonderful example of this is in the book of Esther, chapter 4, verse 16: Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!  Another example is the believers in the Book of Acts(Acts 13:3), and the nation of Israel in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah (see Ezra 8:21-23 and Nehemiah chapter 9). The "closer" we are to other brothers and sisters in the Lord, the more natural it becomes to fast and pray together. This is why it is so important to pray for and have fellowship with other believers in the church. 

•  The church as a body~ during special seasons the church may come together as  a whole to fast and to pray; an example may be in times of persecution or entreating the Lord for the lost. 

What fasting accomplishes. 

• Spiritual discipline: There is no doubt that fasting helps us to "strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees;" (Isaiah 35:3 NKJV) it builds spiritual stamina and strengthens our spirit as we hope in God in the situations that we face in life and in our continual dependence upon Him. It helps us to subdue our flesh, that we all know can be so strong within us. In this sense, we are building up spiritual "muscles," so to speak, especially when combined with disciplined times of prayer and seeking the Lord. The Lord can use fasting to help us to become more disciplined, determined followers of Christ. We are purposefully coming before Him in order to seek His face in a deliberate way.  

• Communion with Christ; we are united with Him through the Spirit as we rest in Him and seek after Him determinedly.

• Uprooting sin in our hearts: There is nothing like fasting to point out sin in our own hearts! Many times when I have fasted and prayed over a situation, the Lord has shown me things in myself that I needed to change through His strength. Oftentimes, when we are fasting, the Lord will reveal these things to us. The light of His Spirit is so piercing, and actually refreshing as He removes the darkness of any sinful places in our lives or areas where we are not fully surrendered to Him. 

• Giving spiritual insight: As I have fasted and prayed, the Lord has shown me things spiritually that I did not see before. He opens up one's discernment and focuses one's eyes upon Christ. Other things are illuminated in this focus. 

• Answer to prayer: He answers prayer; yes, He does! At times He says No, He often says wait (which is also an answer), and then there are special times when He supernaturally moves in our circumstances for His glory. It is true, as the Word of God teaches us, that some things are not accomplished except by prayer and fasting (see Matthew 17:21). They simply aren't! The spiritual world is very real and present, one only has to read the book of Daniel or Revelation to see this. Sometimes, there may be battles between spiritual forces that we cannot comprehend and the Lord uses prayer and fasting to break down spiritual strongholds and blockages; I truly believe this and see it in Scripture. I'd like to share two examples of how the Lord has used fasting in my life to accomplish His purposes and to strengthen my hope in Him:

           ~My marriage (you may read about that story HERE and HERE).

           ~Our ministry (you may read about that story HERE and HERE). 

These were both situations that the Lord broke through humanly-impossible circumstances to display His glory. Both were situations that I had become strongly convinced were the Lord's will through years of prayer and seeking His wisdom and direction. Both were not accomplished without fasting. It was only after fasting and purposefully praying for a determined amount of time that the Lord opened a place for my husband and I to begin the ministry that He has called us to in the Midwest; I am still in awe of how the Lord worked in that situation, even in regard to His perfect timing. He is a merciful God who hears our cries and answers in His perfect love.  

• And then as I mentioned above, there are times when we fast when the Lord answers no--and that is the purpose accomplished. A powerful example of this in Scripture is of David and his son (see II Samuel 12:14-24). David was devastated over his sin of adultery and murder and sought the Lord through prayer and fasting for his infant son's life. The Lord answered no and took the life of his son. David submitted to the Father in His sovereignty and love and was later blessed with another son through the same woman he had sinned with after they sincerely repented-Jedidiah, better known as Solomon. When we submit to God's "no" in response to our prayer and fasting and recognize His sovereignty and love, we have great peace with God, as David did. And we will ultimately see His answer as good and perfect, either in this life or in eternity when all things are clear to our hearts. 

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense, 
But trust Him for His grace
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast
Unfolding every hour
The bud may have a bitter taste
But sweet will be the flower
~William Cowper

Fasting accomplishes many things when combined with prayer and dependence upon our Heavenly Father. Fasting is not a means in and of itself, but it is a means, and a means that He intended for us to use to be drawn nearer to His loving Father's heart. Let Him teach you. Pray to Him, confess your sins to him. Seek Him in prayer and fasting. Seek Him simply and quietly and dependently. And then rest in His will and in His perfect timing. He makes all things beautiful in their time (Ecclesiastes 3:11). 

Prayer is reaching out after the unseen; fasting is letting go of all that is seen and temporal. Fasting helps express, deepen, confirm the resolution that we are ready to sacrifice anything, even ourselves to attain what we seek for the kingdom of God.

~Andrew Murray

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Finally! Another Family Movie to Recommend! :-)

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It seems so rare nowadays to find a good family movie to recommend that I am thrilled when I do! My movie-starved husband (we have small children and are rarely able to watch movies together) can often be found entreating me to please watch a movie with him after the kids are asleep and alas, at times I succumb. ;-) I knew that he was getting extremely desperate when he recommended Cinderella to me--desperate situations call for desperate measures. :-). 

All jesting aside, I enjoyed Cinderella so very much--much more than I thought that I would enjoy it, to be honest. I was bracing myself for a sappy, happy-ending "chick flick," but this film far exceeded my expectations in terms of depth and substance. 

Cinderella is a wonderful family movie, especially for families with older children (I personally wouldn't allow younger children to view it because of the romantic elements and some adult themes). The film as a whole was solid, basically true to the original version of Cinderella, and extremely engaging. The following are reasons that I really enjoyed the film and would recommend it:

• The main character is feminine, sweet, and courageous. I loved the depiction of Cinderella in this film (one of the main reasons that I liked the film so much!) She is not a "covert" or overt feminist as is unfortunately true of the female characters in so many modern films. She carries herself in a very feminine way without being silly or flighty. She also serves, forgives, speaks the truth, endures suffering graciously, and refuses to be embittered by her circumstances. The depiction of Cinderella in this movie is a truly excellent example to young Christian girls of what teenage girlhood could/should look like. As someone who was dismayed (to put it mildly ;-)) by the depiction of the female characters in the movie Frozen, Cinderella is a breath of fresh air. 

• The theme of forgiveness and long-suffering that are developed throughout the film. Cinderella is an excellent example for girls of both, themes that are unusual to see in the films of today.

• The Prince is a good example of masculinity. He carries himself with dignity, honor, and chivalry, important qualities for young men to pick up on and emulate. 

• The language/thematic elements were very clean, with a few minor exceptions, discussed below. There was also no use of the Lord's Name taken in vain, even when there was an opportunity to do so. 

• I loved the deep kindness expressed towards the Lord's creation in terms of the animal world. I found that element of the film very sweet and appealing. 

• The humor in the movie was tactful, funny, and clean (with a few minor exceptions). 

Overall, I found Cinderella to be a beautiful, edifying film, with a few minor exceptions:

• Cinderella's extremely low-cut blue dress, which unfortunately graces the cover of the film. The dress was actually inconsistent with Cinderella's character, which was continually modest and gracious. Just a little more fabric, please!! :-) 

• A few mildly vulgar parts that weren't really necessary involving the fairy godmother--but again, very minor. 

• The theme running throughout the film to be kind and have courage--as if a person could be these things apart from the Lord. Kindness and courage are both good qualities, but empty without Christ. I chose to apply them as if Christ was enabling and to think of them Biblically rather than in a secular mindset--as true kindness and courage only being possible through the power of the Holy Spirit. My Mom would often do this with films when my sisters and I grew up--she would apply Biblical principles to films that were clean but not overtly Christian and see them through the eyes of Christ Jesus. I could just imagine her saying something along the lines of, "Well, of course--take courage in the Lord; be kind as He is kind." And voila! No longer a "secular" message devoid of the Gospel. This would be a good discussion to have with your children.

I really believe that families would enjoy and benefit from watching this film together. I especially believe that young girls/women who are starving for good role models to follow would benefit from watching this film. So pop some popcorn and enjoy a good, clean family movie in the last few weeks of summer. :-) You'll be glad that you did. :-) 





You might find me on these link-ups:


Strangers and Pilgrims on Earth, Inspire Me Monday, Literacy Musing Mondays, The Modest Mom, What Joy is Mine, Mom's the Word, Rich Faith Rising, Mom's Morning Coffee, Raising Homemakers, Classical Homemaking, A Wise Woman Builds Her Home, Woman to Woman Ministries,  Testimony Tuesday, Tell His Story, Women With Intention Wednesdays, Messy Marriage,  Graced Simplicity, Imparting Grace, Thought Provoking Thursday, Soul Survival, Good Morning Mondays, The Weekend Brew, Counting My Blessings, The HomeAcre Hop, Mommy Moments Link Up, Grace and Truth Linkup, Faith Filled Friday, Tell It To Me Tuesdays, SHINE Blog Hop, TGI Saturdays Blog Hop, RaRaLinkup, Word of God Speak, Booknificent Thursday, Living Proverbs 31, Sharing His Beauty Blog Linkup, Coffee For Your Heart Weekly LinkUp, You're the Star Blog Hop, Homesteader Hop, Fresh Market Friday, Heart Encouragement Thursday , Sitting Among Friends Blog Party, Fabulous Warm Heart Party, Oh My Heartsie Girls Wonderful Wednesday Linkup