Many of you know that I am rising to the 90 Day Bible Challenge for the second time this year. I met that challenge earlier this year and my heart was astounded at all I was able to absorb in such a short time. I felt as though I'd crawled up in the lap of my Father and asked Him to tell me stories. It was an amazing time and if I live a hundred more years, I don't think I'll ever be able to settle for a few verses a week. On Monday, I will open my Bible to Genesis and begin anew... But that's not all I'll be doing.
First, I have a dismal confession to make. It's not one I like sharing. Actually, I believe, until this moment, I've only shared it with two people. When I finished the last Bible Challenge, I felt so incredibly close to God that I truly felt as though I could hear Him breathe. My faith was stronger than it had ever been. So was my prayer life. I know exactly how human I am and I feared that after the challenge was over, that the disappointment in being finished would somehow cause me to 'fizzle-out.' During my prayer time, I felt like the Lord was impressing a fast on my heart, and I promised to finish my 90 Day Bible challenge with a 90 Day fast of some sort. Unfortunately, I can't tell you how that fast went, because I simply didn't do it. I caved. I justified. And I fizzled.
So, I've been asking God to show me how to keep my promises, how to fight for my prayer life and how to sow spiritually healthy habits. I believe He has answered me in three very different, very difficult ways.
#1: I am going to dive into the 90 Day Bible Challenge with my heart wide open. I'm going to give Him all I have. I'm going to study to show myself approved and spend three months writing His Words on my heart.
#2: I am going to fast something for said 90 Days. (I know you're not supposed to advertise this, but we're on a journey of vulnerable obedience, here. I won't share the details, and I won't twist my face and pout about it- still, there's an element of making the promise real by saying it out loud.)
#3: And this is the purpose of this blog... I'm challenging myself to walk two miles a day during my 90 Day Challenge. I love the story behind the Matthew Chapter 5 verses about carrying a soldier's pack two miles if he asks you to carry it one. I love that we were designed to be "more than expected" people. I also love how my daily prayer walks used to define my days. I don't even remember why I quit them, but I did. Gone are the days when I would start my day with a brisk walk and a long talk with my Father. A mere twenty minute walk could easily make the difference in a day, a week, a project or a life. I'm not sure why I allowed myself to inch away from my Father in my prayer life, but I did. And no amount of empty promises will get it back, so I'm swapping my words for verbs. I'm challenging myself to walk, not one mile with my Father each day, but two. 180 miles in 90 days.
Three simple promises from one simple girl who wants her life to be marked, not by what I go through, but by Who lives in me.
May these 90 Days fashion me into a sweeter, more faithful daughter whose heart is set on doing her Father's bidding.
