A Higher Place

Well, I have had 3 days of sickness that has set me back.  But today I feel normal again (whatever that means!) SO once again…I’m pressing on.  I’m going to be doing some sort of fasting until the Dani Johnson Conference.  I also dropped my juicing head into the garbage disposal with it running so now I can’t juice until I get that fixed.  All kinds of distractions and interferences.  But it doesn’t matter.   I can still fast every day - it may not be a full blown juice fast but it is still a spiritual feast.

I keep hearing “with revival, comes persecution”.  Not sure what that means, but just wanted to note it.

I wonder how many of us as Christians are truly in tune with how much of an enemy we have, and how much he pursues us, especially if we are pursuing growing spiritually.  And I often wonder how many of our churches teach spiritual warfare and how to do battle with our enemy.  Some churches don’t even teach that we have an enemy, much less one who pursues us to kill us, our dreams, our destiny, and everything good that God has for us.  I’ve fallen for his tricks more than I care to think about; maybe that’s why i’m so pressed to pray for those I love who are doing the same.

My blog is going to change after the Dani Johnson Conference.  I’ll have a business blog and a personal blog so I can better communicate with clients and friends.  Should be fun to develop.

Today as far as eating I’ll have to be very careful since my stomach is still making all kinds of strange noises.  I won’t drink much juice, but will stick to teas, and maybe a smoothie.  Gotta get the juicer fixed though - new heads will cost me over $100 soo I want to see if I can’t get the old one fixed.  Ugh!

Have you ever noticed how, when you are working towards a higher place in your life, whether that be financial, relationally, spiritually, or physically, that “Murphy’s Law” happens?  Well, that’s what some call it.  I call it spiritual warfare since Biblically we know we have an enemy who only wants to kill, steal, and destroy us.  These last few days are hard to describe.  Wave after wave after wave of emotions…anger, hurt, resentment, unforgiveness.  At first I thought it was just the enemy attempting to distract me from the fast, but now I realize that God is showing me what is in my heart that I haven’t dealt with in regards to certain situations and people in my life.  Its an unbelieveable experience to “see” all of these things and not feel you can control your thoughts.  The best I know to do at times like these (not that I’ve ever HAD times like these, at least not to the extent I’m having now) is to just yield to the work of the Holy Spirit in your heart.  Embrace the anger, acknowledge the pain, and choose to forgive.  God will take care of the rest.  Oh, and I broke my fast for a few days as a result of plunging into some emotional eating.  I’m so thankful God gives fresh starts every morning, and that “His mercies are new every morning”.  Great indeed is His faithfulness.

So what do you do when you break your fast before you feel you should?  All I know to do is to pick yourself up, and continue on.  My friend and I were discussing this and thinking about from a spiritual perspective what it means to stop fasting before you feel you are supposed to stop.  I don’t think the Bible gives a clear picture of that issue.  If anyone knows differently let me know.  And so I pick myself up and continue on.  I want to fast until the Dani Johnson Conference in July so I’m just going to keep on keeping on.

More later…

I didn’t realize it had been so long since I had written.  I’ve had quite a few days and have felt the need to get some serious rest.  Have you ever experienced one of those times when God’s hand is so heavily upon you that you can barely function?  That’s what it has been for me for the last 3 days but I didn’t understand what was happening until this morning.  I didn’t sleep much at all last night.  I was awake at 2:00 a.m. in a serious state with my heart.  Now I’m starting to see my way clear and I realize that God has been trying to show me some things about where my heart is, how devastated I really am, and how much hurt and anger are in my heart.  It is a very draining experience, and now I’m just working on re-grouping.  I read an excerpt from “Journal of the Unknown Prophet” by Wendy Alec.  Here is what part of it says: “And so beloved, my heart has been broken with the things that have broken your heart”.  Then it goes into how God is doing a new thing in your life and that it is time to cast aside what has gone before.  It talks about how your past must be put aside.  But in putting aside your past, that sometimes means everything that you have known before, and that can feel like such a tremendous loss that you could sink into despair over it.  But what I love about this part of the book and what is truly giving me hope is this:  “And beloved, as you determine to forgive in your heart and you forgive those who wronged you, who caused the betrayal of your heart, so I shall once again pour out My Spirit upon you.”  I love that promise.  Let it be so Lord…

Blessings,

Ginny

The last few days have been difficult.  I have been so tired.  But then yesterday I did start getting my energy back.  Today is my last day for my stash of fresh juices so I’ve got to make some more tonight.  Having the fresh juices is wonderful!  Especially in this heat.  My skin is really clear, and I’m even doing light strength training and light power walking. 

Yesterday I was focused in prayer on the Dani Johnson Conference.  I’m really seeking God about being prepared in every way for the conference and what He wants to say to me through it.  My business was really on my heart yesterday, especially thinking about my clients and how to help them get “unstuck” and move to a higher place in all areas of their lives.   I’m also giving serious thought to my finances and my plan for freedom in that area.  Yesterday just seemed to be a day of focused prayer on my own “stuff” moreso than what I’ve been so focused on, which is my family.  God is good and faithful to lead us.  We just have to have “ears to hear”.

Oh, and I made a smoothie that was delicious yesterday.  It had  spinach, almond milk, B-Flax-D from Hallelujah Acres, a vanilla bean, bananas, and all natural peanut butter.  I felt I needed the protein.  Next time I’ll either use raw peanuts or raw almond butter to make it more healthy.  It tasted yummy though!  Bananas and peanut/almond butter are one of my favorite things!

Well, I survived the lake and all the food that was available, specifically my mom’s potato salad which is absolutely one of my favorite things!  Whew…it was difficult to say the least.  But we had a great time and I got a lot done.  I felt pretty weak some of the time though.  I think the heat has an effect on fasting efforts, especially when it is as stiffling as it was this weekend.

I have noticed that the more time I spend in prayer and in reading the Bible, the more I can stay focused on what my purpose is for this juice fast and spiritual feast as I have grown to love to call Biblical fasting.  Spiritual feasting is such an appropriate phrase for what Biblical fasting can do for you.

I made lots and lots of fresh juices over the weekend, some of them are absolutely to die for!  Watermelon, peach, and pineapple.  Also apple, watermelon, cantalope.  Boy did they taste good in the heat.  The veggie juices are good too, although the parsley is STRONG and very detoxing!  For some reason I was craving more fruit juices this weekend.

I’m doing some light workouts since I still feel compelled to make my body stronger physically.  Its something on my heart and I believe God wants me to do.  Upper body in particular.

Praying heavily still for my family and for my friends who are having such struggles in their lives.  I remember reading a phrase a long time ago that said, “prayer IS the work”.  How true that is.  Prayer is hard work, and you always have lots of “distractions” and excuses thrown at you in your mind as to why you can’t pray.  All of them lies…prayer is life-giving to yourself as well as for those for whom you are praying.  And so…I’m off to pray some more!

Well, another good day today.  Mild headache is all I had today.  And I slept through the night last night which is great.  I’m still sensing something is on the horizon and that I really need to continue to pray and seek God.  So many of my friends and clients are in such serious and deperate situations and need God’s intervention.  Not to mention the fact that I’m seeing God moving all around me in these situations as I’m continuing to fast and pray.  Love that!  Even in the midst of heartache, God is alive and well!

Tomorrow I’m going to my lake house and plan on spending some time on my business.  Writing and creating the ecourse I want to make available for my clients.  It will be hard to fast while I’m at the lake with all the great food my mom makes, so all of you who read my blog pray for me please!  I know I’m to continue fasting through the trip.

I drank a container of the O.N.E. Coconut Water today and boy was it great!  Before today I was just using it in the smoothies I was making for my mom so I enjoyed trying it by itself today.  And it made me feel very healthy drinking it.  If anyone wants to try it I would get it from www.Amazon.com.  You can get it a case at a time and its cheaper than anywhere else I looked.

That’s all for now.  I hope you all have a wonderful weekend.  I’ll write if I can get internet access at the lake…always a challenge!

God Bless,

Ginny

Yesterday was really hard first thing in the morning.  I woke up with an awful headache.  I’m sure it was mild detoxification.  But today, on the 3rd day of my fast, I feel great.  I drank lots of fresh juices yesterday, all vegetable.  No fruit except for my Uri Supercharged Feast which is packed full of vegetables and fruits.  I mix that with the Berry Blend from Uri which makes it taste really good.  By last night I was feeling good, just a bit tired from doing 3 massages and working at my Corporate America job all day.

I’m meditating on Isaiah 58 which is a great chapter in the Bible that talks about fasting.  I’m also spending more time in prayer, really focusing on when I normally would be eating and taking that time to pray.  I keep thinking about all of the great revivals that have been throughout history and how they all come with persecution.  I wonder if all of us who pray for revival for our country are prepared for the cost.  I’m not sure I am to be perfectly honest.  But, if it means the salvation and restoration of all of the situations and people I am praying for within my sphere of influence, how can I resist it?

I ordered another Dani Johnson series…pretty soon I’ll have her whole library!  This one is called “The War on Debt” and even though I’m going to learn about it at her First Steps To Success Seminar in July, I wanted to have it on CD too.  Investing in myself and my personal growth is a good thing I think.  “My people perish for lack of knowledge” says the Bible.  I don’t want a lack of knowledge to cause me to miss out on God’s best for my life.

I’m off to drink some herbal tea…more later!

I’ve already noticed the state I have gotten myself into in the mornings.  I woke up this morning, taking a day of vacation from work so that I can relax, spend time with the Lord, and make lots of juice.  As soon as my eyes open however, my mind is racing, and I mean racing, at all the things I want/need to do today.  This is something I never used to do.  I guarded my quiet times in the morning like a vengeance, but as my schedule has blown up over the last year, I have allowed my mind to start screaming in the first part of the day.  This will absolutely stop during the next 40 days and thereafter as well.  If you’re that busy, you need prayer and quiet time more than ever, not less.  I already see so clearly how I’ve allowed distractions to take me away from my #1 priority, which is time alone with God in the mornings.

For several weeks now, ever since I felt like I just wasn’t “finished” spiritually speaking with my fast, I’ve had this unsettled feeling in my spirit.  I guess its because I haven’t really delved back into a full blown juice fast.  I’ve only fasted all day and then eaten a raw dinner or small amount of cooked food for dinner.  But today I had time to read some of the book on fasting that I bought (its called Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough and is an excellent book) and I just know that God is calling me to continue my juice fast.  So here is the plan.  On Monday, June 2nd, I will begin again.  Not just pursuing the “fasted lifestyle”, but pursuing a full blown juice fast.  I’m attending a Dani Johnson “First Steps To Success” conference in July, and I would like to fast up until that conference, which is approximately 40 days.  I can’t help but sense God telling me I’m not through, and even though I’ve definitely been pursuing a fasted life, I’m really not being obedient to what He is telling me.  This is really laying myself out there for all of you who read my blog, but its something that we all deal with at one time or another.

There are so many things happening, manifestations of what appears to be the beginnings of revival.  But with revival comes persecution, of that I’m sure.  But I’ll take revival any day.  The prayers I’m praying for certain family members, the grief I’m experiencing which I’m convinced is God’s grief over their rebellion, is all part of the intercession He is calling me to.  This is kind of “deep” I know, especially for those of you who aren’t of the Christian faith.  So please forgive me if I sound kind of crazy.  One thing I do know, and that is God is real.  And He desires an intimate relationship with us.  I’m going to really pursue that during this next fast.  Praying when I normally would be eating.  Taking the time necessary to be with Him, learn from Him, and grow into what He is calling me to be.  These are all things I’m going to be pursuing over the next 6 weeks.  Anyone want to join me?

Love and blessings to you, Ginny

Boy have I ever discovered that I  need B-12.  And I have also discovered that when you fast, if you take the time to pray and meditate, God will speak to you in a powerful way.

A friend from work is giving me lots of lettuce out of his garden, which I am going to juice this weekend for next week so I’ll have lots of juices.  I’m reading another book on the spiritual aspect of fasting and I’m learning about 9 different fasts that are in the Bible.  Its very interesting.

I go up and down physically.  Feeling like I’m detoxing and then feeling like I could run a marathon.  But I started feeling a lot of anxiety one day and I kept trying to figure out what was going on.  I decided to take y Vitamin B-12 from Hallelujah Acres and literally within 24 hours I was 100% better.  Wow!  What a difference.