This past month has been one life changing event after the next, some welcome, some not welcome at all.
I'm participating in one of the most rewarding fasts of my life, The 40 Day Surrender Fast, by Dr. Celeste Owens. Its actually the first part of a 61 day fast. The last 21 days will be the 21 Day Financial Fast by Michelle Singletary. I started on June 1st and I love it!!! Both women are members of my former church, the First Baptist Church of Glenarden and I know the dynamic ministry that comes from Pastor Jenkins, so I knew if this was a church wide fast, I wanted to pay attention.
The 40 Day Surrender Fast is a fast that encourages you to surrender every area of your life to the Lord and gives you areas to consider giving to God, along with wonderful scriptures to meditate on and allow the Lord to minister to you. For me, each day brings a new revelation as to how I truly thought I had it "all under control" and I don't, I need the Lord in every area of my life.....EVERY AREA! I've learned I'm not as together as I thought I was. Most of all I'm learning to surrender my will for the Lords will daily and its a beautiful thing.
In what I considered a spirit of excellence, I really thought I had given over every area of my life, including my thoughts and actions, to the Lord, but this fast has quickly shown me I have not. I'm a control nut, I like for things to be a certain way, most of, if not all of the time. Routine makes me comfortable, particularly when I control the routine. I didn't realize how much I thought I had under control until recently. In the course of two months its been one battle after the next. I've been forced to surrender things to God I genuinely thought I had already surrendered. My thoughts, my words, my fears, my insecurities, my family, and my ministry, all I've partially surrendered but not completely, and lets be real, partial means not at all.
How does that happen when you're a saved, Holy Ghost filled woman of God, a loving wife and mother and a dedicated member of your church, operating in your ministry? Easily, it happens when you ask the Lord for His help, but then do what you want. It happens when you get busy for the sake of busy, trying to meet everyone else's expectations and neglecting the true expectations of the Lord. So what is a sister to do?
I surrendered.
I realized that I can't, and I mean absolutely can't handle all of the things going on in my life without the power, guidance, intellect and direction of the Holy Spirit. I need the Lord in every single area, every crack and crevice of my life. I know that I can trust the Lord completely and He doesn't need my supervision on how to handle me or anything concerning me, but I certainly need His supervision. So what am I doing different? Being still and resting, allowing the Lord to renew my strength daily. Spending quality time with Him with a heart that seeks His will and not trying to get Him to line up with my will. Giving myself wholly to the Lord and then listening for His voice to guide me as I move forward. I've taken a break from everything that would be a distraction, including church activities. "What Tanya, church activities can be a distraction?" Yes ma'am! I requested that I be pulled from activities for the months of June & July to allow me to be refreshed and hear from God (do everything in order). I'm so glad I've gotten still and quiet. I've learned alot about myself and the Lord is exposing, healing and restoring areas I didn't even realize I needed help in.
Thanks Dr. Celeste for allowing the Lord to use you in such a powerful way in your transparentcy. Real surrender is an act of "checking yourself" daily. Praise God when He checks us He does it in love and with the intent of bringing us into a place of breakthough and wholeness in Him. I surrender!
In all you do, do it in love,
Tanya
You can purchase The 40 Day Surrender Fast by Dr. Celeste Owens and The 21 Day Financial Fast by Michelle Singletary on amazon.com you can also visit Dr. Celeste's website www.drcelesteowens.com and Michelle's website at www.michellesingletary.com
I'm participating in one of the most rewarding fasts of my life, The 40 Day Surrender Fast, by Dr. Celeste Owens. Its actually the first part of a 61 day fast. The last 21 days will be the 21 Day Financial Fast by Michelle Singletary. I started on June 1st and I love it!!! Both women are members of my former church, the First Baptist Church of Glenarden and I know the dynamic ministry that comes from Pastor Jenkins, so I knew if this was a church wide fast, I wanted to pay attention.
The 40 Day Surrender Fast is a fast that encourages you to surrender every area of your life to the Lord and gives you areas to consider giving to God, along with wonderful scriptures to meditate on and allow the Lord to minister to you. For me, each day brings a new revelation as to how I truly thought I had it "all under control" and I don't, I need the Lord in every area of my life.....EVERY AREA! I've learned I'm not as together as I thought I was. Most of all I'm learning to surrender my will for the Lords will daily and its a beautiful thing.
In what I considered a spirit of excellence, I really thought I had given over every area of my life, including my thoughts and actions, to the Lord, but this fast has quickly shown me I have not. I'm a control nut, I like for things to be a certain way, most of, if not all of the time. Routine makes me comfortable, particularly when I control the routine. I didn't realize how much I thought I had under control until recently. In the course of two months its been one battle after the next. I've been forced to surrender things to God I genuinely thought I had already surrendered. My thoughts, my words, my fears, my insecurities, my family, and my ministry, all I've partially surrendered but not completely, and lets be real, partial means not at all.
How does that happen when you're a saved, Holy Ghost filled woman of God, a loving wife and mother and a dedicated member of your church, operating in your ministry? Easily, it happens when you ask the Lord for His help, but then do what you want. It happens when you get busy for the sake of busy, trying to meet everyone else's expectations and neglecting the true expectations of the Lord. So what is a sister to do?
I surrendered.
I realized that I can't, and I mean absolutely can't handle all of the things going on in my life without the power, guidance, intellect and direction of the Holy Spirit. I need the Lord in every single area, every crack and crevice of my life. I know that I can trust the Lord completely and He doesn't need my supervision on how to handle me or anything concerning me, but I certainly need His supervision. So what am I doing different? Being still and resting, allowing the Lord to renew my strength daily. Spending quality time with Him with a heart that seeks His will and not trying to get Him to line up with my will. Giving myself wholly to the Lord and then listening for His voice to guide me as I move forward. I've taken a break from everything that would be a distraction, including church activities. "What Tanya, church activities can be a distraction?" Yes ma'am! I requested that I be pulled from activities for the months of June & July to allow me to be refreshed and hear from God (do everything in order). I'm so glad I've gotten still and quiet. I've learned alot about myself and the Lord is exposing, healing and restoring areas I didn't even realize I needed help in.
Thanks Dr. Celeste for allowing the Lord to use you in such a powerful way in your transparentcy. Real surrender is an act of "checking yourself" daily. Praise God when He checks us He does it in love and with the intent of bringing us into a place of breakthough and wholeness in Him. I surrender!
In all you do, do it in love,
Tanya
You can purchase The 40 Day Surrender Fast by Dr. Celeste Owens and The 21 Day Financial Fast by Michelle Singletary on amazon.com you can also visit Dr. Celeste's website www.drcelesteowens.com and Michelle's website at www.michellesingletary.com
