I Surrender

Today is the 2nd day of my 21 day fast from wearing makeup. I love it! I really do. I can't explain it...but I feel God's peace just flowing through my heart on this one.

Yesterday on day one, I spoke in front of a church.

Today on day two I will be substitute teaching Kindergartners from 12-4. I will also be going to Madie's Jazz concert at the high school tonight (she is in middle school still...I am not pushing her in to high school yet...it is just being held there!). There will be 3 schools playing there and an adult jazz ensemble. And what I am getting at is we live in a small town so that means many many people that I know. This can only be a God ordained thing.

It is so freeing to walk around knowing that it doesn't matter! It really doesn't matter if I have on makeup or if I am wearing the "perfect" outfit. I get to be the me that God created. I certainly did not come out of my mother's womb with make up on!

I am not saying that I won't wear it on day 22...but I just know that God is going to do amazing things as I walk out these 21 days. I am not going to let one lesson from God go by with out grasping on to it over the next three weeks. And I can't wait to keep you updated on anything that comes up because of my fast from wearing makeup.

Another thing that God has me working through is a 45 day surrender. One day during prayer, God just kept repeating this to me. So I wrote it down in my trusty journal, not knowing what it meant or what to do with it. But little by little God is really showing me what He meant.

I was prompted to look up what certain numbers meant in biblical terms. The number 40 means trial, probation, testing. There are many references to the number 40 in the bible. Deut 8:2-5, Exodus 24:8, Jonah 3:4, Matthew 4:27, Numbers 13:25. But the scripture that God pointed me to was Acts1:3."During the forty days after his crucifixion, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God." (emphasis mine) I will get back to this meaning in a second.

The number 5 means preservation~the act or process of preserving or keeping safe. The state of being preserved or kept from injuring or decay; security; safety. The scripture that God brought be to was 1 Samuel 17:40 "He picked up five smooth stones from a stream and put them in to his shepherd's bag. Then armed with only his shepherd's staff and sling he started across the valley to fight the philistine."

So after I prayed through all of this...I really feel like God is showing me that He is ALIVE and He is giving me the tools to fight the enemy. He has been showing me in amazing ways over the last few weeks that He is right here beside me, guiding me along....alive. He has also been sharing with me what tools I need (like the 5 stones) to fight off the enemy that has for so long tried to come in and steal my life!

It just gives me goosebumps to know that God works like this in our lives. God wants so badly to have us listen for him as he prompts us to get to know him better. He wants us to be open to hearing what He has for us. I could have heard him say don't wear makeup for 21 days and when I found out it was on the day I was suppose to speak for the very first time, and not do it. I could have just let it slide and say next time...maybe it really wasn't God saying that. If I wouldn't have been obedient, I am sure He would have still blessed my time there, but when I was obedient, He blessed my socks off! And God will use this time to show me more.

I could have just heard 45 days of surrender and say...I have no idea what that means and let it go. But I chose to pray it through and find out what God had in store for me as He whispered it in my ear.

He wants more of me.

He wants my full attention.

He wants to show me where to walk.

He wants that for you too...each of us...because each of us are completely special to him. He is overjoyed with love for each of us.

I so encourage you to be quiet for a while and listen for God's voice.

I so encourage you to take what you hear and ask Him what he means by it.

God has an amazing path for each of us. That path may not be filled with sunshine all of the time, but God's hand will be upon each of us as the clouds cover the light...and soon that darkness, when we seek our loving God, will lift. Behind that cloud might not be what we expected, but I promise you it is what God expected if you are willing to walk with Him through it.

I have to go change out of these sweats and in to something to teach those sweet kiddos in...and also pack up a lunch to take with me :)

I know I mentioned this in my last post....but I am so in love with Jesus...I just had to say it again.

Meg is going in at 1:15 for her root canal....and she hurt so bad this morning...I pray for peace and comfort for her during this process!

I am so not technical and I am sure it is easy to do, but I don't know how to add links to other posts yet. So if you want to read two great posts, one is Beth Moore's Blog www.livingproofministries.blogspot.com. And the other is www.coffeegal.blogspot.com. I promise I will try to learn how to do this soon...
Love to all, Teresa