August 12, 2008
So today I’m going to stop somewhere on my way home from work and pick up a nice bottle of wine… Then the next time I hear the music I’m going to go give them the wine and wish them a good evening. They may not turn the music down, but it’ll certainly soften my heart and kill them with kindness.
Thanks for the idea Dustin.
Chris
August 11, 2008
So we have neighbors who like to sit at their pool till all hours of the night drinking some beers and having a good time just about every night. Nothing wrong with that I suppose, except that they also like to have music during their revelries… Again, nothing wrong with that because they don’t keep the volume up too high. However, their sub appears to have been placed in the perfect spot to reverberate right into my house, just to the point where you can only hear it if you’re in the bedroom and its quiet. ie. You’re trying to sleep.
I kindly asked them if they would just turn the bass down on Saturday night, and the woman didn’t like that idea very much, insisting that since they were the 5th house on the block, they felt as if they owned the neighborhood and didn’t much care for some young guy coming over to their house at 9pm asking them to turn down the music. (They actually said that, even the part about owning the neighborhood.) They begrudgingly agreed that they would turn down the bass some, but I went back to bed to the thumping beats of some 70’s rock anthem.
As I’m lying here tonight contemplating whether calling the cops would do any good since its not after midnight and I don’t think they legally have to turn it down yet, I have this nagging suspicion that my inconsiderate neighbors are actually an answer to prayer. I’ve asked the Lord to teach me how to love more, and this sounds like a way He would choose to show me how. I feel like there is an answer to this conundrum in love, that will minister to my neighbors and hopefully give me an opportunity to introduce them to Jesus.
I don’t know what it is yet, but I’m going to find out!
Chris
August 11, 2008
This morning is pretty tough. It started out pretty well with a good time of prayer at church, but afterwards I was completely drained and dead tired. Even a nap in the car didn’t help. Oh well though, this is worth it. Pressing in to God is always worth it.
I had some good times with the Lord yesterday when I was able to sense His presence very strongly, sometimes to the point of being overwhelming. Looking forward to that increasing!
Chris
August 11, 2008
I forgot to post yesterday because of how busy I was. Whitney and I had a full day out at church, running errands, and just being busy. Things went fairly well yesterday, but I had another headache. That is to be expected because I don’t drink enough water, so I get dehydrated. Anyway, I’m getting more and more excited about actually making it 40 days. Hang in there Chris and Matt!
Dustin
August 9, 2008
I’m glad to be wrapping up this day as well… I spent the morning doing some work at church, which left me pretty drained. A 2 hour nap this afternoon helped out quite a bit, but I spent most of the day feeling pretty lightheaded and exhausted. I hung out with my brother, who is fasting (and hopefully blogging) with us, this afternoon and evening and we had to ride in a car with our younger brother while he was eating a sandwich and fries from Chik-Fil-A. Talk about torture, the smell was just heavenly. I also developed a headache this evening, but it doesn’t sound like it was anything close to yours Dustin.
I’ve been finding myself getting ‘bored’ rather easily, because I’m fasting from entertainment in addition to food so I can really focus in on my walk with the Lord. So this evening I was laying down just asking God to draw near and bring me into a closer relationship & friendship with Him and fill me up more and more with the Holy Spirit. As I did I began to feel the presence of the Holy Spirit and a peace just came over me. My headache went away, as did my hunger for quite a while. As I laid there just basking in His presence, both of my hands began to burn with an intense heat. I asked the Lord what it was, but didn’t get a clear answer. It wasn’t just in my head though, it was happening in both hands simultaneously.
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Chris
August 9, 2008
Alright today was a tough one. Whitney and I had to fork out $450 for her car to get fixed so that we could get it registered. Stupid DMV. heh. We ended up walking home twice in the middle of the day, and I got a headache. This headache was right behind my left eyeball! heh those are the worst because you end up poking your eye to relieve some of the pressure. Needless to say I had my finger in my eye for about 10 min. hah 
Well we got home, ran some errands in my car and went back home. When we got home I took Bonsai, our Jack Russell, for a walk to pick up the car a mile away. So I grabbed the leash, a cigar, and headed out the door. I lit that thing up and AHHHHH it was incredible. I love smoking cigars even though I only do it once every 5 months or so. As we walked I just prayed and loved on God, and before I knew it the headache was gone. I never thought that thing was going to go away, but praise God it did.
Then I got home and took a bath…Yes I took a bath. My body was aching because I had been moving stuff earlier in the day. As I laid there in complete silence I just imagined God. I thought about His love, His face, and His beauty. I felt such an incredible peace that is always comforting when things around my life seem to be falling apart. I praise God for always forgiving me, loving me, and constantly being faithful to me.
I love you Father,
Dustin
August 9, 2008
You thought I was gonna say something about Folgers, right?
So I awoke today to the lovely aroma of bacon & eggs wafting through the bedroom. My wife then realized how cruel that was and furiously lit every candle in the house, but it was too late. The cat was out of the bag!
Actually though it didn’t bother me too much. I wasn’t very hungry upon waking up this morning. Today is going to be a good day!
August 8, 2008
Well today was quite a revelation…and not in a good way. Today felt like day three of the fast. Normally I become irritable and impatient on day three not day one. Today was absolutely frustrating. hah Everything was getting on my nerves, but I was patient at the same time.
The morning started off where I was protected from an accident that could have been really bad. Two cars t-boned and I could have been right in it. Thank God for His angels that were watching over me. Maybe I will get to see them during this fast? hmmm
After my semi-close call with an accident I went to work. It was quite a frustrating day for numerous reasons, but I’ll just pass on by with those events. During lunch I went to the DMV to get my drivers license renewed because it expired yesterday, my birthday.
Side Note****If there was one thing that I hate in the world it is the DMV. I have such a passionate hatred that it rivals that of Satan. HAH I REALLY REALLY REALLY HATE THE DMV!
Ok, back to the story. As I was standing in line behind 10 people who were annoying not because of anything they had done, but because I just thought they were annoying. The guy in front of me turned around and looked at me not once, not twice or even three times, but five times! I wanted to just punch him in the face. Ok, by this point your thinking, “Jeez this guy needs Jesus and this fast!” Your absolutely right. I’m not normally so easily irritated, but today sucked. The revelation that I mentioned in the beginning was that of my true self.
The problem with what happened besides the obvious is that those things that I was experiencing were in me already. The people (AND THE DMV!! CURSE YOU DMV!!!) simply brought it out of me. I was sad because that stuff was in me, but at the same time I’m thankful that it came out. I don’t want to be like that. For everyone who knows me probably would say that I’m not like that at all, but I guess this is just part of God’s refining process. I seriously don’t experience things like that, but I think I’m just being bombarded with attacks by the enemy. He has tried to discourage me all day telling me that I’m not worthy to do this fast, or to seek God in the ways that I am. I am going to hold his face up to the DMV and destroy them both! Ok, not really, but I will get the enemy back.
Trust me that I have already asked for forgiveness for my flesh rising up like it did, but I know that God let it happen to show me who I am apart from Him. Needless to say I don’t like who I am apart from Him. I love who I am in Christ and I love who I am becoming. I am seeing how incredibly loved I am, and how incredible God’s love for people is.
Sorry for my honesty, but that’s what this is about! heh I’m going to love people….and I guess the DMV. GRRRR
Dustin
August 8, 2008
So I went to my car over ‘lunch’ today to pray and take a nap, and awoke from an interesting dream:
In the dream I was in a full-size conversion van, sitting in the corner of the parking garage, and as I was getting out of the van I look over to see my mom talking to an elderly couple in the caddy-corner parking space, sitting in a light-blue Cadillac. She wraps up the conversation and they start to drive off, and then I notice that she had been talking to Bob & Bonnie Jones. I run up to their car as they’re driving off and stop them asking, “Are you Bob Jones?” He seemed rather surprised, and then said yes, and I hurriedly asked if he could stay for a few minutes and answer some questions for me. I wanted to ask him some questions about my future ministry, the end times harvest, etc. So Bonnie backed the car up and parked, and Bob told me to meet him outside, and he went and sat down on a park bench. I went back to the van for a moment to get something (don’t remember what), then grabbed a container of apple sauce only to put it down at the last minute as I left the van. By this point, I realized I was dreaming and the dream became very lucid. I was walking toward Bob, who was sitting on the bench, and in the dream I ‘remembered’ that others had met Bob Jones in a dream and he had taught them things, and I was hoping he was going to teach me some things too. I was walking through the park towards him, and then underneath a swing-set with the park bench immediately on the other side. As I walked under the swing-set it was like I was walking through some portal, because my body started vibrating with electricity… Then I woke up, my body vibrating with electricity, really disappointed that the dream was cut short.
August 8, 2008
I read this yesterday and it really struck me as something that needs to become the cry of our hearts for our generation:
Look down from heaven and see, from your holy and beautiful habitation. Where are your zeal and your might? The stirring of your inner parts and your compassion are held back from me. For you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us, and Israel does not acknowledge us; you, O Lord, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name.
O Lord, why do you make us wander from your ways and harden our heart, so that we fear you not? Return for the sake of your servants, the tribes of your heritage. Your holy people held possession for a little while; our adversaries have trampled down your sanctuary. We have become like those over whom you have never ruled, like those who are not called by your name.
Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down, that the mountains might quake at your presence – as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil – to make your name known to your adversaries, and that the nations might tremble at your presence! When you did awesome things that we did not look for, you came down, the mountains quaked at your presence.
From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts fro those who wait for him. You meet him who joyfully works righteousness, those who remember you in your ways. Behold, you were angry, and we sinned; in our sins we have been a long time and shall we be saved?
I long to see God restore His glory to His church. To stretch out His hand and move once again on the earth in a mighty way. To raise up His church as a spotless bride, having no blemish or wrinkle, ready to receive her King.
