Daniel Fast Week 2 Takeaways

• All of these secret things that I’ve held in my heart for all of these years will come to pass.  That’s what has been in my spirit since yesterday. All of it...including the secret and hidden things.
• The Greek word for Joy is Chara.  I really like that and it is sticking with me. 💜💜💜💜
• The Lord is my Shepherd.  I LACK NOTHING and I HAVE EVERYTHING I NEED.  
• He guides me along the right paths to bring honor to his name.
• Seems like the longer this goes on, the more I have to learn to trust you and that you have my good in mind.  AHA!!
• We're breaking up my stony heart and making it tender
•  I’m allowing myself to feel hopeful.  I’m allowing myself to feel feelings that I thought I had turned off and numbed myself against.  The belief that what I want is possible, being hopeful, and that it’s not too late, and I haven’t run out of time.  
• If I focus on the kingdom business, then he'll take care of the rest. (Matthew 6:33)
• This is my new favorite quote: Sometimes you are going farther when you are not going anywhere; you are moving faster when you are not moving at all; you are learning more when you think you have stopped learning - A.W. Tozer. (This might be my new favorite quote ever)


All of these secret things that I’ve held in my heart for all of these years will come to pass.  That’s what has been in my spirit since yesterday. All of it...including the secret and hidden things.

I'm reminded of Legendary UCLA coach John Wooden who once said:  "The Road is better than the End".  He meant that all the practices, training, and games are  better than the end result of winning a championship.  The road to get there is how you get there and the journey is often better than the destination.  Every time I have gotten to the "mountaintop" the journey and the lessons learned along the way are much better than that moment.  I couldn't have gotten to that moment without the road.


As I am on this road of This Sacred Journey I see even the secret things even being brought to the forefront.  Nobody knew I wanted to join the worship team but Pastor Katy had me sing during my prophetic word at the Cleansing Streams and now I'm in classes to begin that journey.  I will say two weeks in, this journey has been rich and I've learned so much.  


I've been more vocal about wanting to be married and have a family but there are even some secret things that I've thought about in that situation, that I believe are going to happen.


God didn't show me all those things and put them in my heart for no reason.  We've got two choices we can follow Jesus or we can turn back around because it seems too hard or pointless.  The people that did that in the Book of John (John 6:66-68) missed out when the Holy Spirit fill.  I refuse to miss out.



The Greek word for Joy is Chara.  I really like that and it is sticking with me. 💜💜💜💜

I just really like that name.  The way you pronounce it (Kara) is also Super Girl's name so there's that.



The Lord is my Shepherd.  I LACK NOTHING and I HAVE EVERYTHING I NEED

I grew up with a scarcity mindset and so my mind is trained toward lack.  I'm always focused on what I don't have because there won't be enough but if the Lord is my Shepherd, then I don't have lack.  I should not have a spirit of lack and a mindset that's always focused on what's lacking because I have everything I need at this time.



He guides me along the right paths to bring honor to his name.

I have read the 23rd Psalm and heard it so many times but I never noticed this until this Daniel Fast.  The Lord guides me along the RIGHT PATHS.  I'm always so worried about going down the wrong roads but this here says that The Lord guides me along the RIGHT PATHS.


He guides me along the right paths where I will feel most comfortable
No.  That's not it.


He guides me along the right paths that make the most sense.
Wrong Try Again


He guides me along the right paths that will make me look the best
Not even close.


This says He Guides me along the right paths to BRING HONOR TO HIS NAME.  That's a Different conversation.


God isn't guiding me along the paths where I will be most comfortable, that make the most sense, and will make me look good.


No he Guides me along the right paths to Bring Glory to His name and that's often uncomfortable, the long way that doesn't make any sense, and humbles me.


SO maybe I should stop resisting.

Seems like the longer this goes on, the more I have to learn to trust you and that you have my good in mind.  AHA!!

This was an AHA Moment as Oprah likes to call them.  I'm in a Class at church called Foundations.  What you basically learn is that God loves to lay a specific, detailed, and deep foundation before he builds anything.  He was super specific about the Tabernacle and we are his modern day tabernacles so he is super specific and detailed about our foundations.  


This entire episode has been about building a deep and strong foundation of faith.  Had I gotten what I wanted right away, it would not have lasted due to being built on shallow ground.  When I think of these last few months and each step of faith that has been taken I realize that all were VITAL to my development and growth thus far.


It seems to me that God gives the promise, creates expectation, and then begins to lay the foundation as you wait.  My expectations have only grown over these past few months.




We're breaking up my stony heart and making it tender

The first Sunday night after the fast started, I was boohoo crying.  When Elevation Worship's song "Here Again" came on I was a toast.  I started seeing pictures of some stuff that had happened in Sunday Morning worship while it was playing and I was overcome with emotion.


I could not understand what was happening.  I wondered if it had something to do with not eating or something else.  I kept thinking about it and the only thing I could come up with was that we were making my stony heart tender.


And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. - Ezekiel 36:26

The Following Sunday I shared what happened with some people in my Foundations class, one lady said: "That's God breaking up the Fallow Ground of your heart."

That was great to know!!



I am Feeling the Feelings...and they feel all right!

For the first time in recent memory. I’m allowing myself to feel hopeful.  I’m allowing myself to feel feelings that I thought I had turned off and numbed myself against.  The belief that what I want is possible, being hopeful, and that it’s not too late, and I haven’t run out of time

There has been one scripture that I have heard over and over again in church, in podcasts, in books, and I repeat it to myself



“I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten—    the great locust and the young locust,    the other locusts and the locust swarm[a]—my great army that I sent among you.

If I focus on the kingdom business, then he'll take care of the rest. (Matthew 6:33)

This is something many of us SAY but few of us practice.


I have a lot I'm getting done this year.  We're on to the next volume of Life and it won't be about relaxation.  Sometimes I think:  Will I actually be able to do: x,y,z?  How will I get X done while trying to do Y?  Is this too much?


During this Fast, God has basically reassured me that as long as I focus on the Kingdom Business, then he will take care of the rest.



My new Favorite Quote

Everything is shifting and moving as we dig the foundation but it hasn't necessarily translated to a lot of tangible success.  I think this quote sums it up perfectly as to what actual progress may look like.



 Sometimes you are going farther when you are not going anywhere; you are moving faster when you are not moving at all; you are learning more when you think you have stopped learning - A.W. Tozer


One More Week to Go!