Clearly from the links and the comments on Saturday’s post, the praying and fasting on Wednesday was ordained by God!! Oh my! This is going to be so exciting!!

I am thrilled to see so many of you committed to participating in the fast for the orphan on Wednesday. I pray that many more of you will yet join in. It’s definitely not too late. I scheduled the fast for Wednesday because of it being Labor Day week-end and many of you are not around {half our church was camping I think!}

Also, I thought I should make it clear, if you are in the midst of an adoption and would like prayer, please link up. There does not have to be any gargantuan obstacles! Finances could be your obstacle! Maybe some blog friends will feel God moving to donate even!! No matter what – you can just link up asking for prayer {by following the rules in the Saturday’s post}.

Now about Wednesday: If you are fasting Wednesday for the first time – let me just say – YOU rock!! What a wonderful thing to be doing your first fast for – the orphan!

Several of you have asked about fasting and if I have written anything about how to fast. All the posts that I have mentioned fasting can be found here.

And although I mention fasting from time to time, a little over a year ago I did write about fasting, how it had changed my life and about a wonderfully sweet bloggy friend of mine who had cancer. Her name was Cindy. She had 10 children and I asked you guys to fast with me for her healing. I dug out her picture to post here. When I saw her sweet smile I started to cry.Wasn’t she absolutely beautiful? Totally radiating Jesus. Look at all her sweet treasures gathered around her. What a precious friend, now safe in the arms of Jesus. Please pray for Howard and their children if they should come to mind, will you?

Anyway, many of you fasted with me for Cindy’s healing. The Lord chose to take her home instead. Did our fasting fail? No! Absolutely not! God is ultimately in control and we submit to His sovereignty. BUT when we fast we are doing ALL we can possibly do!!

And as I stated in a previous post, if numbers of people fasting didn’t matter, than God would not have had an old testament book named Numbers. Numbers do matter. Numbers banning together accomplishes mighty things. Why? Not really sure. But my best guess is that Almighty God loves when fellow believers come together and unite for a common cause.

Queen Esther called for the entire Israelite nation to fast to spare the nation itself. She could have just fasted alone. Instead she called for a three day fast. The multitudes fasted and prayed and it was heard by God and He moved and spared the entire nation.

One last thought about joining the fast on Wednesday. I guess I look at it this way. God’s greatest command is to love Him and His second greatest command is to love your neighbor as yourself. When I am loving my “neighbor” I am treating them like I would want them to treat me.

Here’s where I’m coming from: If I was in J and C’s shoes, I would want others fasting and praying for me. By committing to fast on Wednesday you are doing for J and C like you would want them to do if you were in their shoes.

When we were waiting those long 10-1/2 weeks for Ch*na to change their “no” to a “yes” about Isaiah two precious friends {Chelsea & Jen} stood before our congregation at all the services at our church. They asked the body we pastor to join in fasting for Ch*na to reverse their decision and let Isaiah come home. I have no doubt that that fast was the pivotal point in releasing Isaiah from the hold of the enemy. No one could convince me otherwise. Sweet friends, fasting on behalf of our son? We can never thank them enough. The prayers and fasting literally moved mountains in the supernatural! And when that phone call came that Ch*na had indeed changed their mind – literally, screams and shouts were heard around the world!!
I look at my precious little guy’s eyes and I will never forget. The plan that the enemy had for him was snuffed and God’s plan reigned. All because friends and family, around the world, prayed and prayed and prayed and fasted!

Finally, when we fast we must prepare to fast. Otherwise our prayers will hit the ceiling. I did a post on preparing to fast last year. Because preparation is just as equally as important as the fast itself. Really. We prepare by getting rid of sin in our lives. Anything that would block open communication with Almighty God. It can be jealousy, anger, resentment, unforgiveness, bitterness, envy, lust, anything. We must repent of it all and then we are ready to fast.

I usually only drink water when I fast. Sometimes I fast one meal. Sometimes I fast all day. The most I have ever fasted was three days. I know people who just drink fruit juice. I know others who only eat vegetables when they fast. When I would be eating I go to my bedroom and kneel and pray. When I would normally be preparing the food, I also am in the bedroom praying. I pray throughout the day. When a hunger pang reminds me that I am hungry, it is like an alarm clock and I pray more!

Listen, I like to eat! No doubt, I really like to eat! Just like everyone else. So it’s not like I just say, “No big deal.” I love family meals and I love munching and crunching on just about anything. BUT I want to show the God of the Universe, who rescued me from the pit I was in, that I love the orphan {or whatever situation I am fasting about} more than I love food.

I love hearing Him speak. I love knowing I was part of Him moving on their behalf. I love knowing that I am literally changing history when I fast and He moves!! Don’t you want to change history with me? Although we all love food, let’s forgo the eating, for just one day, and fast together…

Lastly, Campus Crusade for Christ has an excellent online resource…it’s called: Your Personal Guide to Fasting and Prayer . I would highly recommend it.
PS. Let’s do Memorial Box Monday tomorrow. There have been some glitches in the Mcklinky system and they are working on the problem….so if you have a post, please save it till tomorrow, k?