While I sit here and type and delete and begin and erase and delete and cancel out, I’m having a hard time explaining my first week of Summer of 7.
When I began my expectations of what God could do in 7 days was low. Seven days eating only 7 foods – hmmmmphh no biggie! Right? God is definitely ringing through my heart and I’m thinking it’s time to put on the big girl panties and face the storm.
I feel as one of the scared, afraid, nervous apostles when they were on the boat with Jesus and the storm blew in. While they were running around waving their arms, “I’m scared. I’m afraid.”, Jesus slept in the hull of the boat. In that situation I would have been hunkered in the hull with Jesus, curled up, feeling safe in His arms. And that’s where I feel like I’m now. In the middle of this storm, this tornado of thoughts I mentioned yesterday longing for the security of Jesus’ arms, but I don’t quite sense them yet.
I expect the storm to pass soon. But I’m not sure.
Beginning the week of 7 foods for Summer of 7 I prayed, “God, mutinize my heart. Break it for what breaks yours.”
It’s been a prayer I’ve prayed over and over this first week because I surely didn’t want Summer of 7 to be about rules, jokes, and insignificant dribble.
It didn’t take God long before He began speaking in whispers.
I woke one morning praying as little Samuel did when God was trying to speak to him in 1 Samuel “Speak Lord for your servant is listening.” Then I went to clarify. “I am listening Lord, but I really want to hear and understand.”
Expecting to hear God clearer as the journey goes on, I continue this march through 7. I hate to leave the food week behind because:
-I’ve love every bit of the simplicity it brought to my life.
-I loved cleaning out the pantry and taking food to others.
-I love what God is stirring in my heart.
So what do you do?
-when the storms roll in, you hide in Jesus’ arms
-when His words aren’t clear, you listen more intently
-when your afraid , hunker down in the Word
-when you are terrified of what you think He is asking you to do, you breathe
-when you don’t know where to begin, you pray some more
Oh please, and let’s not forget you also put on some big girl panties!
So I end week one not craving Starbucks or more food, but craving a God who has stirred something so strongly in my heart that I can’t breathe. And while I pray and listen, becasue that’s what you do when you don’t know what to do, I know there will be a day when God will say —
ENOUGH! you can’t hide behind your prayer – now GO!
Thanks for sharing Alene! Sounds very challenging. It’s amazing what God can do in our hearts with food, right!? Anyway, encouraging post…thinking I should simplify my eating.
Thank you so much for stopping by. I was amazed at how I enjoyed the simplicity of foods once I got use to it. And God has used that strip-down to make thoughts known that I couldn’t have heard otherwise. Blessings friend.
This book seems to be resonating with more than a few. Love the way God uses the thoughts of one in words to transform the hearts of many. Nice #FF.
This I get. And as I myself am coming undone (for reasons other than the 7 book–which is STILL staring at me unopened) I needed to read this. all of it. twice.
thank you, friend. for your encouraging reminder.
off to go find my big girl panties.
love you!