Today is Monday. It is a day that several adopting families have set aside each week for fasting and prayer. Some are fasting a meal or two, some fasting soda or caffeine, some are fasting television or computer use, and I’m sure there are many other variations. Wikipedia explains fasting in the Christian sense as “abstaining from satisfying hunger or thirst, and any other lustful needs that we may yearn for.” With fasting and increased prayer, “the idea is not to suffer, but to come closer to God, to realize one’s excesses, and to engage in almsgiving.”
Well, the idea here for us adopting parents is to humbly deny ones self of our excesses, in order that we might glorify God, and draw closer to Him in prayer. During this time, we are praying: for our children in Haiti – and all children in Haiti; for the birth parents, the difficult lives they live, and the difficult decisions that they have to make; for the orphanages and all those individuals that care for the children; for the adoption administrators, facilitators, and lawyers; for the government officials that work to approve adoptions; for the families waiting for their children to come home.
Isaiah 58 is about true fasting - doing it humbly, loosens the chains of injustice, unties the chords of the yoke, frees the oppressed, feeds the hungry, provides for the poor, and clothes the naked. "The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail." (Isaiah 58:11).
It’s not easy to get started. I didn’t really know “how” to fast, but once I’d heard that there really are so many different things you can fast and different ways to do it, I prayed about what I should do to join the others. I started fasting on Mondays a few weeks ago, and have usually been doing a partial fast of breakfast and lunch. By partial fast, I mean that I am consuming only water and juices until late afternoon or early evening. I use my normal lunch break for prayer. I also say prayers frequently throughout the day, as I have moments to spare, and as my hunger and stomach-growling reminds me.
I really believe in God’s great power to see us through our struggles, and to provide for the people of Haiti, and to bring our children home. I have also drawn closer to God through this fasting, and am finding that I am becoming more reliant on His power and guidance. For, “with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26b).
Please pray about how you can be fasting and praying. Maybe you have something in your own life that you need to pray about, or maybe you can help out the cause of the orphans in Haiti. Even if you can’t fast, please keep us in your prayers. That is such a comfort to us.
3 comments:
I am so glad you are doing this on Mondays. God told me a while back to ask people to join. I have been doing this for 6 months now and I have seen God answer many prayers. May He answers yours as you act in obedience.
I think you make people realize that there is so many other people out there and so many other things going on out there (good and bad) and that we can do something about it when it seems like we cant. We can pray. I think a lot of people forget that, including myself. I'm glad you write about the things in your hart and on your mind. I think you've changed us all with your faith. Thank you!! I love you!
Thanks Courtney for asking others to join. It was not an easy thing for me to start, but I'm so glad I did.
Thanks, Karen! I'm not very good about sharing my faith in person - I'm not much of a talker anyway. But I've always found it easy to write my thoughts and feelings, so I'm glad others can benefit from that as well as getting my thoughts out there - it even helps me understand myself better. I love you too!
I've grown so much in my faith in the past several months - and even in the last couple years. It's just awesome to think how far I've come!
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