An Invitation to YOU from me

There is a topic that has been burning on my heart for a while now.  Fasting.  
Please don't stop reading!

I know fasting is a topic that invokes many different feelings and beliefs in people.  I know this, as it does interesting things inside my heart as well.  I have been trying to write this post for weeks and just didn't know how to say what was and is on my heart.  I'm going to try my best.  Please try to hear my heart through this post!

My first week in France I listened to a teaching by one of my favorite men [Lou Engle].  This particular message was about praying for God to send missionaries to the ends of the earth.  He invited us (the church) to pray the very words of Jesus in Matthew 9:37-38, "Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.”

Lou's teaching hit the deep, deep places of my heart.  The cry of my heart.  The very thing I asked God to do with me... Here I am! Send me! I will be your laborer! Send me into Your harvest Jesus! 

In partnership with The Call and the Antioch Center, Lou invited people to join in what they are calling the Ekballo Fast.  Thing number one that brought fasting to the forefront of my mind.

The second thing that sparked my heart about fasting was a blog post from one of the adoption blogs I follow.  This post got me thinking and my heart running 10 miles ahead of my mind!  Fire began to fill my heart as I considered the orphans of our world.  The fire began to grow as I considered not only the orphans but the widows, the poor, the Majority of our world.  The very beings that God himself intricately fashioned and formed in their mother's wombs.  The fire was ablaze as I considered that "the least of these" in our world are NOT "the least of these" in the Kingdom of God.  They are God's beloved, His cherished ones, His inheritance. 

As I watch the Rice & Beans video the stirring in my heart for fasting exploded!  I can do this, I thought to myself!  I looked at the Lahash website and looked more into the Rice & Beans month challenge.  I prayed about it.  But as I prayed God began to rustle within me thoughts close to home.

I loved the idea of the rice & beans for a month challenge!  I loved the thought of partnering with the Ekballo fast!  I loved the idea of these issues.  However, I had to take a step back and check my heart.  Check the honesty of where I was at with this.  Fasting is tough for me.  I have a horrible tendency to become grossly legalistic when I fast.  As I talked to God about this He brought me to the passage in Isaiah that talks about fasting,            

Isaiah 58:6-7
“Is not this the fast that I choose:
    to loose the bonds of wickedness,
    to undo the straps of the yoke,
    to let the oppressed go free,
    and to break every yoke? 
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry
    and bring the homeless poor into your house;
when you see the naked, to cover him,
    and not to hide yourself from your own flesh?"

A new sense of conviction and freedom and provoking sunk into me as I read this passage.  True Fasting.  Go without so that others don't have to.  Give up something so others may have one thing.  Sacrifice so others may have life.  Ok, God.  Let's do this!

As I began looking at beans & rice recipes and scheduling out my next month and getting excited for all the good that might come from this month and thinking of everyone I could invite to join me in this, it hit me.  Dropping to my knees I was brought face to face with the truth of my heart.  

Idols.  Idols everywhere.  Chains.  Chains everywhere.  Hidden paths.  Hidden paths worn with deep grooves everywhere.  

God had drawn me to two different fasts that were to take place at the same time for issues I am very passionate about.  He had lead me to them but not for the reasons I thought.  He drew me to the issues in order to draw me to Him.  A veil was lifted as I began to think of everything over the last two months (and years, really) I have run to OTHER than Him when things get hard.  In search of comfort I have sought out chocolate, movies, food, pinterest, blogs, phone calls in hopes of finding relief.       

My heart was broken at this revelation. So I prayed, "God change my heart!  Go deep.  Do whatever it takes God.  I want You and You alone."  
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Here is where the challenge was birthed.  It's not as much a challenge but more an invitation.  I am inviting you to go low with me.  I am inviting you take an honest inventory of your heart.  I am inviting you to sacrifice and get uncomfortable and allow God to transform your heart.  I invite you to this challenge!

Here is my proposal:  Let's embrace what Isaiah called True Fasting.  Let's give up something on purpose and give away to a purpose.

Because I want this to truly be ON PURPOSE I want to invite you to be specific.  As I prayed about all this I decided I wanted to invite you to on purpose support specific things!  Please read the following:

The Month of March

1) Rice & Beans for a Month - Choose to eat one or two or all meals a day for a month of Rice & Beans.  The money that you save on groceries by eating what the majority of the world eats give to the Open Door Mission or Heartland Hope Mission in Omaha.

2) Fast Food Fast -  For the month of March do not purchase or eat fast food and the money that you would have spent on fast food that month give to Amazima Ministries Feeding Program. [Amazima Ministries in based in Uganda, Africa]  

***Go A Step Further - Take a good look at how much money you truly spend each month on fast food and make the decision on purpose to become a Child Sponsor through Amazima Ministries (part of the sponsorship goes to feeding the children!)***

3) Beverage Fast - For the month of March refrain from purchasing beverages such as Coffee, Coffee drinks, Teas, Soda, Energy drinks, Alcohol, etc. and the money that you save at the end of the month give to The Mfura Project through A Lighted Path, a project to dig a well in a small village in Malawi, Africa.  It takes money to build a well.  Go here to help give the gift of clean drinking water!!!  

***Go A Step Further - Take a good look at how much money you truly spend on purchasing beverages a month and make the decision on purpose to Monthly, Quarterly, or Yearly support missionaries The Otto Family. They will be working with A Lighted Path in Malawi, Africa. For support information contact them at theottosinafrica@gmail.com***  

4) Entertainment Fast - For the month of March refrain from spending money on entertainment. This might look like not going out to - restaurants, movie theater, etc.  Not renting movies.  Not purchasing items (music, movies, games, apps) off iTunes.  Not purchasing video games.  Whatever entrainment looks life for YOU.  The money that you save at the end of the month give the money to an amazing family who is in the process of Adopting! 

***Adoption is expensive.  Rescuing a child can be a long, draining and dept causing process.  We CAN help!!!  If you want to give in this way I am advocating here for the amazing Carlson family who are in the process of adopting the most precious little boy from Malawi! Email me for their contact information.***

5) Fashion & Beauty Fast -  For the month of March do not purchase ANY new/used Clothes, Shoes, Accessories, Hair Products, Hair Cuts or Coloring, Makeup products, etc.  The money that you saved at the end of the month give to Food For The Hungry. 

***Go A Step Further -  Take a good look at how much money you truly spend on purchasing Fashion and Beauty Products a month and make the decision on purpose to become a Child Sponsor through Food for the Hungry or Compassion International.  Part of the monthly support goes to help clothe the children you sponsor!***

6) Time Fast -  For the month of March choose an amount of time everyday to on purpose pray instead of watching TV or getting on the computer or playing video games, etc.  Pray for God to send missionaries to the unreached people groups of the world!  Pray for the unreached people groups through The Joshua Project.  Pray for the lost around the world and in your city.   
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These are six issues that are burning on my heart.  There are more, I know there are many issues worthy of our money and our time.  We as the church are commanded to give!  To give of our Time, Talents and Money!!!  I pray God grips your heart like He has mine to desire to partner with His heart.  

These are suggestions and are interchangeable as God leads you!  If you want to do the Rice & Beans for a Month challenge and want your money to go to help the Carlsons' adopt - Yes!  If you want to do the Beverage Fast but want to give to Amazima Ministries - Yes!  It is important that you ask God what He wants for you to fast.  Listen and obey!    

I want to know who is accepting my invitation. Comment on this post or Email me at nicole.liewer@avmi.org and let me know what fast you are doing.  I want to pray for you as you do this!  I want to be able to support you and answer questions!  I want to be able to encourage you! 

Let's do this... together