Fasting...

I was recently introduced to The Village Church  through my small group leader. I'm not super familiar with their church but I heard their Welcome Pastor preach on Gluttony. My thoughts (I guess I don't need to say this, because it is MY blog) are that the church doesn't focus enough attention on this issue. If you are at all interested in listening to this sermon follow this link. Defining Gluttony. It's actually a two part series. I highly recommend it!

Anyway, gluttony isn't really what's on my mind today. Fasting is. The verse that the speaker, Paul Matthies mentioned in his sermon was Matthew 6:17 "But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face" Notice the word here. When....not if, but when. When we fast! Ya'll (this is what we say in the south) can I just be honest. I have not been doing this. In fact the few times I have fasted, I've always treated it as a way to getting something, not at all as a time to show my reliance on Christ.

Since we are in this waiting time with our second adoption, I've started to feel this panicky feeling of what else can I do while I'm waiting. Anyone who's been through adoption, knows this feeling. All the paperwork is turned in, the agency is selected, you've told your family and friends and now you just sit and wait for that call or email. I remember this exact feeling with our first adoption. So what do I do during this time? Well, honestly I've filled my time with running, painting, spending time with friends, serving my neighbors, playing with Marlee, catching up on my favorite shows. All of this is fine and a great way to help the time go by. However I've realized that God wants me to be an active part of this waiting time specifically through fasting.

 Throughout the day I pray asking God to bless our situation and arrange the details of our next adoption. But once I've prayed then I check it off my list telling myself, "well I've done my part, the rest is up to God". This couldn't be further from the truth. My part is not over. I need to be down on my knees praying and fasting, proving to God (and myself) that I do indeed trust God and need Him.

I had a friend ask recently how she could support her friend who is also going through an adoption. Honestly, I didn't even mention fasting. With God's gentle reminder through this sermon,  fasting is the number one thing I would recommend. Set aside time where you can go without food, friends, tv, your phone, all the busyness and focus on God. Rely on God to fulfill you during this waiting time. Allow Him to transform you by showing you how much we do actually need to rely on Him. Adoption is a long, long journey and it becomes so much easier when we can show our reliance on Jesus. In fact, it allows you to be able to breath when the phone rings or you get a new email. It takes great trust in someone to allow them to work out the big and small details of adding someone to your family. Praise God this isn't solely up to us. We would be totally messed up, or at least I know I would.