Our Fast

What has drawn my family to today? Where we said yes to Lent, to making less of us so we can make more of you. This is not our tradition, we didn’t grow up doing this.

Was it the ugly of hurt bearing its image last week for me to see my reflection?

Was it the locking clench of perfectionism over grace gripping a young one’s soul so that tears squeeze out hard and hot last night? I cried out, “Where is freedom? Where is grace? Why does this pull so strong at so young an age?”

Was it the unspoken thoughts of defeat of women hard after God but faced with humanness yesterday?

Was it a confession of a dear one that found me privileged to listen to and carefully guide? She wants you so bad and the world cannot handle that and it’s a hard dying to self she must wrestle with.

Was it seeing more than I’ve ever seen and still forgetting? You remind because you love and you never get tired of me coming back.

Was it my prayer for intimacy that really is my one little word? My fullness, my freedom, it comes from you, it leads to you but it is for our intimacy.

I say I don’t know and I say yes.

The unknown reasons can remain so, let me not ever try to box in what the whole earth cannot contain.

The known reasons, they are enough.

I, alone, am not enough. My flesh- fallen and failed.

But you, You are.

For it is by grace you have been saved through faith- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works, so that no on can boast. Ephesians 2:8,9

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9

So we will fast in our family’s way for you.

We fully expect you to reveal yourself.

As the youngest one’s lips prayed over me tonight, give us strength to do what we need to do.

Ann Voskamp explains beautifully the time of fasting during Lent. If you have time, read her entry here. My hope is that you will spend some time praying for Jesus’ calling. What He asks, be strong and courageous to do.