Hi everyone! 

It's day two of the fast, and I hope you’re doing well. If one day you don’t manage what you set out to, don’t worry -- we just pick ourselves up and carry on.

One thing that I believe God adores about the SUMites is our HOPE. Like Abraham, who had a son at age 100, we have been given something unbelievable to hope for: The turning of hearts among those who would be the least likely. Holding on to this hope is pretty difficult, but if we choose it we are partnering in God’s move:

“Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations.” Romans 4:18 (NIV)

What is hope?

One possibility is that it's the actual picture of the victory, which we then choose to believe. It is, perhaps, the ‘different spirit’ held by Joshua and Caleb, who were sent to spy out the promised land. Instead of focusing on the scary giants, they saw the milk and the honey in the new land (Numbers 14:7-12). In their mind’s eye, the milk and honey were “flowing” – meaning, it was vivid, lively, and active to them. It was the vibrant future they would step towards.

It takes a different spirit to choose hope.

"But My servant, Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it." Numbers 14:24 (NKJV)

Like Caleb and Joshua, we can see the milk and honey when looking at our situation, never mind the giants. However, like anything, we need God’s help to do this. Today I feel He wants to gift us that help. I hear Him say today, “Tell your hearts to dream again!”

Here’s a word I’ve been holding for the SUM community, I pray that it will reignite hope for us all.

A few weeks ago (17^th of August), I woke to hear the Holy Spirit say “Look!” And then this:

“LOOK among the nations and watch –

Be utterly astounded!

For I will work a work in your days

Which you would not believe if it were told you.” 

Habakkuk 1:5 (NKJV)

This is hope. LOOK. Some things look powerless, difficult, but no -- LOOK.

On that morning, this word -- ‘LOOK’ -- was followed by a vision (like a video clip playing in my head): It was of a bunch of miners in white hard hats, cheering. This was very random, but it was as if God was saying, "Go on, look at this picture".

I had no idea what to make of the vision, but later that day it occurred to me to google ‘miners’. This took me straight to a YouTube clip of a group of miners in white hard hats cheering! My mouth dropped open, and I laughed as I saw it – God is fun. But then, in all seriousness, I realized this clip was of the 33 Chilean miners who had been trapped and then rescued in 2011 – which, of course was no laughing matter at the time.

Why on earth did God point me to this?  The answer, I believe, is that He wants us to LOOK and visualize what Rescue will look like; because what is coming to us is a rescue of eye-catching and communal proportions.

"For I will work a work in your days which you would not believe if it were told you." Habakkuk 1:5 (NKJV)

I’m going to let the clip speak for itself to you – well, there were two. Here they are below. See what imagery they bring to you as you think about the rescue that God carries out and promises:

This, to me, is milk and honey. It's a lively picture, it's our vibrant future. It's what I’m going to choose to focus on.

Perhaps we can share in the comments what these clips say to us, what we notice in them, and what we will do with this hope.

Be encouraged, friends – I am! – and I’ll see you tomorrow.

Ann

Hi SUM family  

Welcome to day one of our fast, and happy new year! From what I’m hearing, we’re not the only ones who are being led to fast right now. Quite separately, even my home church is fasting and I know other Christians are too. We’re led by the same Spirit. 

This is my eighth fast with the SUM community, and every time it has been extraordinary. From these shared adventures, I now know that fasting does something very special. With that in mind, I thought I’d share my first ever fasting story. It’s a fun story, but it illustrates the fact that fasting shifts things.

It was just before I found the SUM community. I’d noticed in scripture that fasting makes the impossible possible, and so I quietly planned to try it. The opportunity finally came when my husband and boys planned a trip away, leaving me home alone. I marked it, like D-Day, on my calendar.

D-day came. I began with a coffee and my journal, and wrote down some things to talk to God about. For the rest of the day I sat on my couch and chatted to God. So far, so good.

But then -- oh the drama – things took a turn for the worse: Suddenly, my stomach twisted and lurched and I began to feel like I was going to be sick. Now this, to me, was absolute horror (I have not vomited for 19 years and don't plan to again!) I staggered to the kitchen with no small amount of distress, desperately shoved crackers down my throat, scraped myself to bed and spent the rest of the day in the fetal position, recovering. The fast, it seemed, had been an epic fail. Or had it?

Thankfully, it has never been anywhere like this bad again; it seems to get easier each time. But anyway, on with the story.

My evening in the fetal position subsided into sleep, and soon I was much better and sleeping like a baby. It was then – there in the dark – that something unusual happened: Tumbling words (in English) began pouring out of my mouth like a bubbling fountain, waking me up! I was praying, but it was certainly not my own doing. One thing that struck me was how articulate and well put together these words were.

I was left stunned.

It’s interesting how God knows just how to speak to our souls at a particular point in our lives. For me, this experience was strange, beautiful, and vividly showed me the Spirit interceding on my behalf (Romans 8:26-27). I’d been struggling to believe in God till then, but after that event I struggled much less. I kept thinking, “I cannot be atheist after what I experienced that night.”

It was the breakthrough I needed. It made me go “God is real. God really is real. Yikes, God is really, really real!!!!” In this way, my foot was lifted onto the next rung of the faith ladder, and I was able to keep on climbing.

Today, as I think about the power of fasting, I have one more lovely thing to share: This morning, as I woke, I had a little picture in my head. It was of a sharp, focused beam of light shining carefully onto a target. It made me wonder whether God is saying that when we fast, we open our heart to the light that He wants to direct onto a specific area -- and that light will surely come. In the case of my fun fasting story, that light was a healing experience that helped me overcome atheism. This time round, it’ll be something different. In any case, I will ask Him to bring His light, as He sees fit, to whatever places of my heart need it right now.

SUMites, lovely chatting today, and I’ll see you again tomorrow. In the meantime, what is your favorite fasting story?  And how has your first day gone? I look forward to hearing in the comments. 

“.. For assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” Matthew 17:20-21, NKJV

Hi everyone, Ann here. 

Next Monday it is Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. This day, also known as the Feast of Trumpets, was a festival given to the Israelites by God, commemorated by trumpet blasts (Leviticus 23:23-32). Trumpet blasts in scripture often symbolize gathering the people together for victory. To that I say, yes please! 

In past years the SUM community has honored this time by fasting together for the week. We’re going to continue the tradition this year, starting on Monday the 10^th at sunrise, and finishing at sunset on Friday the 14^th.

I always find this fast a beautiful time. It seems to knit us together and bring breakthrough to different parts of our community. We’ve had some amazing things happen in these fasts, and I still get a high when I look back on the comments and remember those moments.

Personally, because this time is one for reflecting on a new year ahead, I like to dig out my journals at Rosh Hashanah, read over the last year, remember things that I’d forgotten, and ask God about what’s next. Fasting, somehow, slows me down and helps me to sit at His feet, just like Ian mentioned on Wednesday.

As for the fast itself, we all fast in different ways. The most common one, for us, has tended to be a sunrise to sunset fast from food each day. I’ll be doing that, and this time I’m going to try having just soup for dinner. Each year I get a little bit braver! If this is your first time, pray about it and see what God is leading you to do. You might also find these links helpful:

Why Should You Fast

How to Fast Safely

How Long and What Type of Fast is Right for You

It'd be great to hear in the comments how/if you’re going to fast, and what is on your heart for this upcoming week. I'll be praying for you as I read your comments, and am really looking forward to this time together.

Have a great weekend, and I'll see you on Monday.

Ann

“Woman! How Would Like Your Husband Saved?”

I can see you screaming at your computer after seeing this picture pop back up, “Oh no, I can’t go through another fast; give me a break, Lynn!”  

Hold on; Lynn is not calling for another fast. I want to share with you about a fast I had several years ago in regards to my husband’s salvation.

An evangelist was invited to speak at my church on Spiritual Warfare. All of a sudden, he bellowed from the pulpit:

“Woman!  How would you like your husband saved, and keep your mouth shut to him and pray only to God?  You fast and pray, you do everything you can do until that prayer is manifested, or you hear a word from God that gives you peace!”

Something leaped inside me. I desperately wanted salvation to come to my home, and that thing leaping up inside told me that I wanted to partner with God to bring it to pass.

And so it was - I went out from the sanctuary that day and started fasting. No solid food during the week, lived on water, revived myself over the weekends, and got back to the fast on Monday for another week, and another week, and another week.

The evangelist had also said, “Do everything you can.” So, I called all my friends in other churches, weeping and pleading, “Please pray for Glen’s salvation.”

I also summoned my two teenage daughters together and announced, “Girls, this is urgent. Nobody is going to pray for your dad’s salvation like us, so we are going to start having prayer meetings in this house!” From the look on their faces, I could tell they were thinking, “My mama is going nuts.”

Even my husband knew something was going on.  Many nights, I would wake up in the middle of the night with something pounding in my stomach to get up and pray. I’d slip out of bed and close myself up in the bathroom. Some nights, he would wake up and come looking for me.  Lucky for me, I had enough sense not to say, “Go back to bed, sweetheart; I am just praying for your salvation!”

Finally, after about three months, I cried out to God, “He’s not saved after all these months of fasting and praying, nor do I feel any peace that he ever will be. But, I am tired and hungry; I feel like my backbone is touching my belly button. Where do I go from here?”

I turned on a tape from a lady minister in our area, and she was teaching on How to Pray. She said, “There are many ways to pray, but the best prayer I know is found in 11 Chronicles 20: 9-22.”

The story goes that an army was invading Jehoshaphat and the Israelites. Jehoshaphat cried out to the Lord, “We have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

Jahaziel, the prophet, came forth with a word: “Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army; the battle is not yours, but God’s. March down against them, and the Lord will be with you.” 

You know the rest of the story, but for the record, they met the enemy singing and praising the Lord. The Lord set ambushment against the invading army, and they were defeated.

As I read this passage, I checked off my “to do” list. 

• I had feared the army coming against my husband for his salvation; I called upon the Lord.
• I had fasted!
• Praise? Hadn’t done that one.  Is this my next step?

The next morning, I went to a Bible study. Right in the middle of praise and worship, a prophet came forth with these words:

It is not a day of weeping, sackcloth, and ashes. It’s a day of praise. Just as Jehoshaphat went into the battle, did I not send ambushment and did not the enemy kill themselves?  So, pick yourself up and rejoice in the Lord. It is a day of victory; it’s a day of praise.”

Talk about an overnight express answer!

Let me tell you, I had a PRAISE FEAST that day – my man was gonna be saved, and it would be the next Sunday!!  Wrong!  It still hasn’t happened all these many years. 

But, I am at PEACE, because I have heard from the Lord! Oh yes, there are other battles to fight in my unequally yoked marriage, but that salvation battle is over and done with!

So, I encourage you:  “Whatever word the Lord gave you during Prayer and Fasting 2018, start singing and praising. He will send ambushment, and the enemy will be defeated.

Blessings,

Martha

The following arrived in my email box on Monday. IT’S A MUST READ:

***** Written by SUMite: Anja

I have one more testimony to add to all of those our amazing God did in this community. 

I was looking forward to the fast for some time because I knew I just had to do it. I was so desperate for a break through.

2017 was a year where I and my marriage just continued to break apart. In September (something always changes in September ;-)) it got so bad I had to seek out psychological assistance because I started to show physical symptoms to the situations surrounding me. It would be a story too long to write here but let me just say, my marriage was/ is at a point where we no longer communicate apart from things concerning our son because we cannot see eye to eye on anything. Too many discussions have happened, too many hurting words said and no change in attitude for more than one year. Luckily, we are both very stubborn people and as I am holding on to this marriage because I trust in our God. My Husband is holding on, so he is not the one to walk away. As a result, to this breakdown in September, I let go of a lot of things and have been working on focusing on what is most important: The Lord and my relationship to him. Immediately, I was better and by now psychological assistance is not needed any longer. What would be needed is a couple’s therapy…but my hubby is not one for that.

So, forward to the fast. I knew God wanted me to do this fast. I prayed a lot in the last few months but somehow, I could reach no breakthrough. A lot of teachings happened, but no breakthrough. I craved to feel God physically and I have asked him sooo many times to reveal himself to me and to reveal things to me.

I started this fast with a very sick 2-year-old, myself not in great health and a lot of stuff coming at me at work. I fasted from sunup to sundown only eating dinner and yes finishing up all the cake from my 30th birthday on the 7th (I wanted to fast from sweets as well, but I knew God didn’t want all that food go to the trash so…). It went quite well but every time I wanted to sit down for my quiet time the fever of my son flared up or he was suddenly waking up from his nap much too early etc. I could sense this to be the devil’s doing and I didn’t give up finding a little time here and there to read the word or pray. Then on Thursday morning (sleep deprived, hungry, and irritated) my husband picked a fight on the way to work and I just couldn’t control myself any longer (yes, I was rather nasty there). I was so sad after that and even though I asked God and my hubby for forgiveness (which he didn’t accept) I just felt as if I was never going to have a breakthrough in this fast. I had a long prayer time in the afternoon with a sick boy on my lap. There the first miracle happened: His fever finally broke in the evening. Glory to God. I kept on going and on Friday after lunch time I sat down for communion and told the Lord “It’s now or never. I’m dying inside, I need you now”. I read your post about three times until I understood everything. It was such a revelation! I read the passage in John 6 and meditated on the verses and then prayed while taking communion and claiming the transforming power of Jesus on my life. Then I asked God to meet me physically, I wanted to feel him.

Lynn, I’m still blown away, HE showed up big time! First like a ball that is being passed from one hand to the other then this ball moved towards me until I felt His heavy presence (it’s like a weight resting on you, but it’s not heavy at all) in my chest.  It stayed there for a whole afternoon. Then God started speaking to me. Let me say here, I think he always spoke to me, but I have always doubted if it was his voice because I always thought this was my overactive imagination and my wishful thinking. Now it was him so clearly and his message is so powerful. Let me give you some excerpts from this:

He started with: Love, you are fine!

Then he led my eyes the verse 63 in John 6. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life!

He said: The words are the bible but also what I, the Lord, very personally tell you. That’s why you need Me to speak to you. I will fill you with a song (I’m a worshipper and have craved to write a song for the Lord for all my life). I will fill you with myself. I am in you. I love you. I will guide you. Listen to me!

You are chosen for greater things. I will overcome because I love you. I need you to know Me. I need you to strengthen yourself in Me. You are love because you love Me.

I’ll transfer my love into you so that you may overflow. It’s a year of REVELATION (note I have always prayed for a year of restoration, but I never thought I would get revelations!). Be patient!

Then there was silence and I asked the Lord if he would change something in my marriage because I find the situation unbearable. Before I finished voicing this he answered: Yes, I will change something in your marriage so that it will become more bearable.

Be aware! …..(I do not recall this part) soon.

You are free!

Then he pointed out verse 65: this is why I told you that no-one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him.

The Lord said: I have enabled you to hear My voice more freely now. The quietness has been broken!

Then I asked why my marriage is so bad and here comes the real truth. He said: I needed to take away the intimacy with your husband so that you can experience intimacy with Me!

Gosh, that hurt! And yes, it’s true, I always was guilty of putting my husband first. With God’s help never to happen again.

Then God moved on to telling me that I should start by memorizing His prayer and always start the day off like this and in the same time surrender to Him.

Then my questions moved back to my marriage and how to behave in the confrontations I’m having with my hubby. I’m so sick of being hurt and hurting back!

And God said: Let me do the talking. In quarrels, be still and trust Me. I’ll build your trust in Me. Leave your man to Me. He’s mine. I’ll handle him. I’ll protect you. You’ll always quarrel as long as Your husband is not in Me but you’ll teach him love. I’ll guide you. I’ll restore your relationship and all the others too. Let me work and watch!

This was everything I needed to hear. For me this made my day, but God was not finished yet. He showered me with a gift so amazing it still moves me to tears. He became very personal:

You are my daughter! I mean you ARE my daughter. You come from ME! I’m your father. I’m very personal and My love for you is amazing! It shields you and teaches you. It holds you dear. You are from My blood and my flesh! I have made you fearfully and perfectly. I will multiply in you in strength. You have begun something. Your days of suffering are over.

Anja

Wow, at this point I had to ask the Lord to stop because I couldn’t take it anymore. He stayed with me for the rest of the day. Right there, in this wonderful heaviness in my chest. In the evening I went to worship practice and we had moments of free worship that were amazing. I was even asked what changed because people noticed my voice to be in their words “angelic". So yes! I had a breakthrough! And what kind of breakthrough!  God now shows up with his presence about 1-2 times a day when I ask Him to. It’s amazing. I’m free, I’m happy, I’m hopeful. Even my hubby looks at me with puzzled eyes. When I look in the mirror I don’t see a change. But obviously there is one.

Lynn, I’m so grateful to you for your ministry to the SUM. Without all your encouragement, and the testimonies I read from other SUM, I would not be at this point today. I’m so looking forward to this year! I know it will be a very important one for us SUM.

Be amazingly blessed

Hugs, Anja

Anja (30) I’m first and foremost daughter of our great King, wife to my beautiful pre-believer and mummy to our little sweetheart boy. I live in beautiful Switzerland working part-time in our watchmaking family business and for the rest of my time loving on my Swiss-Italian family. I have been given the wonderful gift of music and worship and I love serving on the worship team at our local church.  

Hi SUM Nation,

Our annual fast was one of the most powerful experiences in our community to date. The emails and comments that arrived bear proof that our God is moving upon our prayers. Be assured that our sacrifice of fasting pulled on heaven.

I know many of us had some significant experiences. Many received revelation, and many discovered a growing depth in your relationship with the Lord. Hallelujah.

I had a profound experience on Wednesday: I was at church and the meeting I was attending was concluded. I stood in the building, chatting with two other ladies about our current experiences with God. We were discussing the astonishing things God is doing and how our minds are being blown up right now. It’s one of my favorite things to do, compare notes with other believers who are hungry for God. Anyhoo, our excitement was obvious to anyone who may have been left in the room watching…..In a sudden moment, we felt a swhoosh pass by our huddled little group. It felt as though a large person was passing by us in a rush. (The thing is, no one was near us at the time.) Then out of nowhere a tiny little feather floated down among us. I tried catching it and we stared in wonder. In silence and then we all started talking at once, “Did you feel that? Do you see that? I felt something pass by.”

What do you suppose??????

My friends, the realm of God is very active. The angelic have been dispatched on missions in response to our sacrifice and prayers. I’m convinced we are going to see the Veil thin even more in 2018 and behold miracles. We, the SUMites, through our sacrifice, our dying to self and our married love, will be the first to be welcomed to participate in the missions of the Kingdom…

GLORY… I tell you…. IT’S GLORY!

I realize that many of us will now wait with anticipation for what may come from our week of concert prayer. I can’t wait to hear about it all. Email me with your stories.

Also, today, I am led to thank a beautiful woman, Rosheeda Lee, who wrote me years ago and asked if she could lead our community in a January fast. We began fasting because of her. Most of you missed Rosheeda’s voice here at SUM, she was remarkable. A voice of utter love, forgiveness and mercy. I learned so much from her writing. And she was young but held the wisdom of an eighty-year-old. Rosheeda went to be with the Lord in 2013 when her car rolled as she was on her way to meet myself and Dineen at a conference in Texas. I miss her so much.

But, don’t be sad. Because in this fast, I could see her robed in glorious white. Smiling the biggest smile as part of the Great Cloud of Witnesses as she watched us all fast and pray. The Lord is rewarding her greatly because she was the one who started our annual corporate fast!

Never doubt the power of small beginnings. What you do every day matters so very much in the Kingdom of God. TRULY!

My friends, your commitment to fast, no matter how small or imperfect was a gift to our King! I encourage you to fast again with us in the fall. For me, I am continuing to fast until February 12, 2018. So, if you hear grumbling off in the distance, it’s merely my tummy and my SPIRIT hungering for more of our God!

On Friday I received an email from Karen of Clovis, CA. She emailed me a prayer that concluded one of our annual fasts, circa 2016. I want to pray it now.

 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.” — John 6:44

I believe this with all my heart, soul, mind and spirit! Will you pray with me?

We praise You, Mighty Lord Jesus, for You are the bread and wine to our lives, our souls and our spirits. Thank You for giving this provision to our spouses too! Lord, send the workers needed for this Great Harvest. Send people into our midst to reveal Your presence and love to our pre-believers. Reveal and show that love to them through us, for we are Your workers too, Lord!

Lord Jesus, there is Resurrection Life in all You do. We ask for this resurrection life to be released over our pre-believers, our lives, our marriages, our children and every place in our lives where dry bones need to be called back to life. Breathe Your breath of life over all of us. We call these dry places to life, in the Saving and Life-Resurrecting Name of Jesus.

Lord Jesus, we ask for vengeance against the enemy and the demonic for all they have stolen from us, the SUMites, from our pre-believers, from our children and even from our ancestors. We ask for full recompense and restoration of what has been lost and stolen (Isa. 35).

Lord, call in the harvest of our pre-believers and prodigals. Bring them to You, Lord, every single one of them. Lord Jesus, when You walked this earth, every person who came to You was healed. We present our prodigals and pre-believers to You like the man lowered through the roof and ask that every single one be saved and healed.

In the Mighty Name of Jesus, amen!

What are your thoughts, experiences and hopes from our 2018 fast? Share in the comments. I love you my family on the web. Hugs, Lynn

Golden Globes

I wrote this during my prayer time in the morning of the last day of our fast. I was re-reading it this morning, the following day, I felt as though it was a message for our community from the heart of God.

Allow me to share it with you.

Good morning Daddy,

I pray we have made You smile. I love you. I love our annual fast together.

……

We have our own Golden Globes, our spheres of honor, accolades given, bestowed by our Father. Ribbons, awards, nations bestowed in response to our sacrifice and the laying down of our hearts, prayers, service and giving of gifts and finances.

Blessings forever more.
Redemption of hearts.
Restoration of relationships.
Strength to the feeble.
Vitality to the sick.
Everlasting life.

The Golden Globes for the Kingdom are the testimonies of the Saints. The Crowns of Gold and glory, won on the battlefield of life. The very crowns which one day, will be throne at the feet of the King!

Saints walk the red carpet. It is the path, Less Taken. Stained by the blood of sanctification. Standing regal in gowns of glittering gold and white as snow. Sashes of honor displayed crossing the chest bearing the love and loyalty to our Father. Jewels of perfection placed within the mantels that drape shoulders, reflecting a lifetime of giving, love, sacrifice for one another on earth.

Golden Globes are bestowed as living ornaments that declare for all eternity,

OUR GOD IS GOOD!

His Name be praised forever, Jehovah! Yeshua!

At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. AMEN

Fast concludes at Sundown today.

*****

Have you ever pondered the weird story in John 6 where Jesus commands his followers to eat His flesh and drink His blood? Of course, today we understand the meaning, post cross. But what if you were a follower of Christ sitting among others, prior to the cross, and this man tells you to eat his skin and drink his blood. Ick!!! Many became offended and this is why.

At the time, animal and human sacrifices were common place. The people of antiquity, Jerusalem, were aware the occult world drank human blood to increase their power on earth. This still happens in the occult world today. Followers of Christ were repelled to consider this practice because a blood covenant is/was the highest form of a covenant/agreement. When you eat/drink the flesh and blood you are taking in the essence of life, consuming everything associated with the sacrifice.

And here is Jesus saying: I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever…. (Just take that in for a minute.)

What is interesting to note is the significance of who Jesus is as He is saying this. He was born of an incorruptible seed, a virgin birth. The seed of God (Holy Spirit), not the seed of Adam (1 Peter 1:23). We are all born out of the corruptible seed, Adam, until we are born again.

My friends, each time we take into our bodies the emblems of flesh and blood, we are taking into ourselves the transformation of Christ. His incorruptible essence, ALL THINGS, connected to Him are brought into our bodies and our spirit. It is a beautiful exchange where the blood goes into our blood steam, our bodies, and His blood carries all the potential of Christ into our lives. Christ is reproduced in us and this practice is transforming us into something different.

The partaking of His body carries His divine nature, all of His essence, to conform us into His image.

Hallelujah, Jesus!

In faith, we take the juice/wine, drink it into our body and eat the bread and acknowledge that we are being changed to resemble the resurrection power and glory of Christ. It sanctifies us and makes us holy, perfected and welcomed to sit in the very presence of God.

Communion is our transformation by the blood into a powerful spiritual being becoming one in desire, purposes, will and eternal life with Christ.

This is why Jesus was adamant about eating and drinking His blood. Communion isn’t just remembering Jesus’ sacrifice, it is an emblematic gesture of faith, as the blood circulates through our system we are being transformed, glory to glory, strength to strength through our faith and obedience.

Raise your cup now. Give thanks and as you drink, allow Jesus to transform your failings into victory, your fear into faith, your loss into gain, ashes into beauty because THAT is what communion is really doing for you.

Holy mind-blow!

Partake of the flesh now and hear Jesus speak, “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.”

Christ in us, the hope of glory!

Gang, what a fantastic amazing communion! Every time you take communion from this day forward, it’s truly a celebration and it’s a living, on-going transformation. The cup received in FAITH is changing us. Each and every time as we receive His incorruptible essence. Woo HOOOOOOOO!

By the way, I find it incredibly interesting that a few short verses later many of the disciples abandoned Jesus because they were offended by the eating and drinking of the flesh and blood. Do you know what chapter and verse this occurs?

John 6:66 (666)

Whoa!  Just Whoa!

Take communion this last day of our fast. The victories, the triumphs the answers, the intimacy that will come from this week of sacrifice, has set you up for a powerful 2018 and for LIFE -life in abundance. And that’s a promise! (John 10:10)

Thank you for walking in faith and fasting this week. Your prayers were heard. All of heaven is so proud and now step out in bold faith and bring heaven to earth. I love you. Lynn

Comments: Share your thoughts, triumphs, revelation and more about your fast this week. See you there!

Hello SUMite Family,

I’ve been so moved by your comments, your efforts and the experiences you are sharing in the comments. Every comment yesterday was read by those in the heavenly realms! Wow!

And a note: I am so bummed out I haven’t had the time to respond to the comments. Please forgive me. I have read each and every one of them. I appreciate how many of you have responded and prayed for someone else. Well done… This is what family looks like! 😊

Today, I want to share a verse that was written for us, for this very hour, for our unique marriages.

“I have food to eat of which you do not know.” Appropriate on day four of our fast.

Recall with me the story that leads up to this statement made by Jesus. (Read the story in John 4)

The Woman At The Well. She was outcast from her society, came for water at midday because she wasn’t welcome to join the “other women” of the town in the morning when it was cool, as she was unmarried, living with a man and had shacked up with a few others before this latest guy.

She messed up. She was a sinner. She wasn’t perfect, like the others.

I want you to know that I have felt the sting of rejection from the church, as an outcast. I would bet a million dollars that most of you have as well. The very place where we should be welcomed, included, loved on, we are often left out, skipped over and out right rejected because in our past…. We married an unbeliever.

BUT JESUS!

He saw her. Her failings, struggles, the “religious deceptions (Can only worship in Jerusalem), her pain. Yet within this broken woman was a heart that truly wanted to know and worship the real God.

This salvation experience is what our unbelieving family members are looking for. They need an encounter with the God of love, power, forgiveness and wisdom. All of these aspects of Christ are demonstrated in this story.

It’s supernatural. It’s full of love and lacks judgment. This one woman’s encounter brought such fulfilment to Jesus, he no longer hungered in his physical body. Wow!

HE HAD THE FOOD OF HEAVEN.

Would you like the food of heaven as well? Your fast is leading to a supernatural encounter. I believe it with all of my being. Press in today toward the goal. Ask God to meet you. Pray and then just wait and listen with your journal and pen ready. Let Him talk to you. Then pray for your spouse to have the “Well Experience.”

The historical tradition about this story is that this woman wasn’t merely instrumental to bring her  village to salvation, verse 39, but she spent the rest of her life traveling about the towns (10 towns) in the area and brought many to faith in Jesus.

Jesus said in the very next sentence in response to the disciple’s confusion:

“My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.”

Gang, your food this day is to do the will of God and finish His work! What is that work? Jesus said, “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.”

Let’s get on with it. So many are perishing. So many lost, broken, hurt. Let’s be healed and set free by Jesus first, then help as many as possible to find healing and freedom.

THAT is food that will fill us, change us, lift us up and heal every infirmity, bitterness and lost dream!

HALLELUJAH!

In the comments, pray a prayer for the salvation of your spouse. Let the Great Cloud of Witnesses hear your heart as we will bring our loved ones before the Throne of Grace.

I LOVE YOU. You are strong! You are faithful! You are powerful! You are a son or daughter of the Living God! LIVE IN BOLD FAITH TODAY!

Blessings, Lynn

Tomorrow we are going to encounter Communion. It’s going to blow your mind. Stop in here and read before your quiet time. Also, find some bread and juice because you are going to partake in the "experience" of communion and be changed. You will never think the same about a communion service again!

GOD IS SOOOOOOO GOOD! Hallelujah! Praise you Jesus!!!

Mid-Week

Gang, our fasting continues. I want to give grace.

I haven’t had a perfect fast. I’ve needed to supplement the fluids with a few ounces of protein, chicken, once a day. Fasting isn’t easy. And as I contemplate the meaning of fasting and prayer, I’m almost glad that it’s a bit difficult to seek out God. What I mean by that is there are times, such as our initial salvation experience, it's easy. Then there are seasons or life circumstances where seeking God takes effort. What I love about that is that when we make the effort, we experience an intimacy and revelation that is uncommon.

We are the few, the privileged to walk where Jesus walks, to talk to the King and hear His revelation. Wow! 

I’m right in there with you. It’s hard. I’m bummed out I can’t do it perfectly. I’m still waiting for many answers and help that will lead to my understand, my future, to work out my disappointments with God and others. Just being real here. So, I’m fasting and praying. Seeking, pounding on the door of God’s heart.

I want so much more than a boring faith life. I want to hear God, every day, in every way. I want to know Him. What was He when He was. (The God who was, is, and is to come.) What He thinks about. What He sees in me. I want to behold Him and tell Him He is my life and hope. I want HIM.

Press in. This is the most difficult day. PRAY and ask for sustaining faith and for breakthrough!

Pray today for an encounter and revelation for yourself. Tomorrow we will pray for our spouses.

I am so proud of you. Reading your comments and your honest efforts fills my heart. Do you know that all of heaven is reading the comments. They are watching. The Great Cloud of Witnesses, Jesus and the Spirit, and the angelic are cheering us on. In the quiet you can almost hear them saying, “Go Lynn…. Go Lynn… Go Lynn. You can do it. You can do it. You are amazing. The Father loves your efforts. Go Lynn…. Go Lynn…. GO!”

(Insert your name into that chant!)

I adore you. Lynn

Prayer Prompt: 

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High

    will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

This I declare about the Lord:

He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;

    he is my God, and I trust him.

For he will rescue you from every trap

    and protect you from deadly disease.

He will cover you with his feathers.

    He will shelter you with his wings.

    His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,

    nor the arrow that flies in the day.

Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,

    nor the disaster that strikes at midday.

Though a thousand fall at your side,

    though ten thousand are dying around you,

    these evils will not touch you.

Just open your eyes,

    and see how the wicked are punished.

If you make the Lord your refuge,

    if you make the Most High your shelter,

no evil will conquer you;

    no plague will come near your home.

For he will order his angels

    to protect you wherever you go.

They will hold you up with their hands

    so you won’t even hurt your foot on a stone.

You will trample upon lions and cobras;

    you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!

The Lord says, “I will rescue those who love me.

    I will protect those who trust in my name.

When they call on me, I will answer;

    I will be with them in trouble.

    I will rescue and honor them.

I will reward them with a long life

    and give them my salvation.” —Psalm 91

HALLELUJAH!

SUMites,

Well how was your first day? Don’t relent now because the next two days are the most difficult. But when you arrive on day four……

Something happens.

Breakthrough. God’s voice. Provision. LOVE

Stay strong. Today work on any unforgiveness in your heart. Cleansing of bitterness is a GIANT step toward powerful intimacy with the Father.

Scripture Prayer Prompt:

For it is [not your strength, but it is] God who is effectively at work in you, both to will and to work [that is, strengthening, energizing, and creating in you the longing and the ability to fulfill your purpose] for His good pleasure. ─Philippians 2:13

So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. ─ Colossians 1:9-10

In the comments:

How did you do on day one? What is God sharing with you? Share and give encouragement to our family on the web.

I love you. Lynn

Fast Day One:

My friends, a corporate fast is an amazing petition to our Lord. And right now there are thousands of God’s people fasting all over the world. The honor and delight that this must bring to our Father is glorious.

I want to be brief today. And offer a word of advice/encouragement and a prayer prompt for the day.

Be encouraged: Give yourself grace if your goals for fasting aren’t strictly met. I’ve been fasting for a week now and I’ve needed to eat something once a day. I feel disappointed, but I get right back up and ask the Lord to strengthen me for tomorrow. So, I’m hoping that beginning today, I can sustain and fast fully from solid foods. If you fail, just pick up and keep going.

I want to share my fast so that it might be helpful to you: Fasting all solid foods. I still have coffee (God’s gift to mankind) and I will drink a protein shake a couple times a day and orange juice when I feel lethargic. I have a ton going on this week and need to be working with a clear mind.

Prayer Prompt:

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

    test me and know my anxious thoughts.

Point out anything in me that offends you,

    and lead me along the path of everlasting life.— Psalms 139:23-24

 

So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. 14 So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. 15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. 16 For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” — 1 Peter 1:13-16

In the comments, leave a quick prayer for day one of your fast. Let us bring glory to our King with our prayer and fasting. I love you, Lynn

SUMite Church Without Walls,

Beginning tomorrow we are walking into the Holy of Holies. A place of intimacy and deeper friendship with our Father, God. Holy ground that is accessed through the gate called, Sacrifice. Sacrifice is a Biblical offering to our Lord and it’s is depicted throughout scripture.

My dear family, do you know what happens when we sacrifice a core part of our life, our sustenance?

FIRE!!!

The fire of glory falls upon the sacrifice. A holy fire, a purifying fire. A fire that destroys the demons and cleanses us from sin. Fire that heals as it burns off the oppressor. Fire that burns but does not destroy. We are headed for a burning bush experience and I’m already expecting miracles.

How about you? What are you expecting?

Fast begins tomorrow, January 8 at Sunrise. Stop in tomorrow morning for a scripture prayer prompt. Then share during the day in the comments how God is leading you in prayer and fasting.

I adore you. I’m praying with you and for you. I love you deeply, Lynn

Immediately the fire of the LORD flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! — 1 Kings 18:38

PRE Fast Day FIVE

Below are a few fasting tips I’ve scribbled down. Please share your tips and experiences in the comments. We need all the help and great ideas we can get. Hugs, Lynn

*For newbies: Begin with a sunrise to sunset fast.

*If fasting doesn’t mean anything to you, it won’t mean anything to God.

*Avoid television watching, the food commercial are of the devil, *grin.*

*Drink a gallon of purified water daily.

*Expect push-back.

*Fight through headaches and lethargy. You are detoxing your body, mind, and spirit.

*Prepare by informing your family. Set expectations and encourage them to support you and to refrain from placing temptation before you.

*Fasting can break the power of our uncontrolled appetite, nicotine cravings and alcohol and drug addictions.

*Fasting amplifies God’s voice.

*Fasting makes our Spirit sensitive to God’s heart.

*Fasting leads to greater intimacy with the Trinity.

*Fasting prepares us for new Kingdom assignments.

*Fasting is Biblical.

*Believers are called to fasting. It’s not an option.

*Jesus fasted for 40 days.

*Daniel fasted 21 days, following, he had the craziest visitation.

*Angels respond to the hyper-awareness fasting creates.

*Fasting crucifies the god - gluttony.

*Fasting means that when it’s over, you are different.

*Fasting also means when it’s over, you get a hamburger and fries 😊.

*But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that your fasting will not be noticed by men, but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you. — Matthew 6:18

*And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him; and the child was cured from that very hour.

    Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?”   

    So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you     will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you. 21     However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting. —Matthew 17: 18-21 NKJV

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. —Matthew 5:6

PRE Fast Day FOUR 

Fast Begins January 8 at Sunrise. Ends Sundown, January 12, 2018

My friends,

This past fall, I fasted often. Sometimes for two days in a row and sometimes for only a day in a week. Amazing thing can happen during a fast. I want to share with you what happened one Friday not long ago.

I was fasting seeking a breakthrough for a project I was working on. What is interesting is that when you fast, I’ve discovered you become extraordinarily sensitive to the voice of God.

It was about noon on this particular day and I was feeling the effects of fasting. Tremendously dizzy, no energy, lacking motivation. But I promised God I wouldn’t break the fast. I went into my prayer room and just sat.

Within minutes God arrived with power. He began showing me pictures in my mind of those who were suffering right now on planet earth.

Say what? Why is this happening?

I saw a burn victim laying in a hospital bed with third degree burns over half of her body. I squirmed in my seat as I beheld a vision of her treatment. The doctor was removing the dead skin. It was excruciating. I gulped at the perceived pain.

Geeze… Ya, this is what I want from my fasting…. NOT!

But, the Lord went on. He showed me children who were victimized in Thailand at the pedophile brothels. Ugh, now I’m really messed up. Then I saw many young women who were kidnapped and forced into prostitution, lost to their families, drugged and abused.

Why in the world was this happening when I was praying for a silly project? Because God has a heart. His heart breaks for these innocents who are in pain, who are suffering horrifically. God began to break my heart for them. I ALL OUT BAWLED! Right there in my prayer room. I was messed up most of the day. I will never forget this experience.

THEN I PRAYED!!!!!

God was breaking my heart because I am aware, and so is God, that I walk in tremendous power to bring relief and freedom to others through my prayers into the spiritual realm. And gang, I did pray. I wept, and I prayed. God broke my heart for these people and He reminded me that the luxury and comfort I live in, is only by His grace.

I pledged that Friday that all proceeds from this project I will pour into a ministry that serves the orphans and young girls who are vulnerable to sex trafficking.

I promised. And I mean it. (I think I’ve found a place to support in Uganda.)

Okay, now don’t freak out. I don’t want you to think God is going to throw something like this onto your shoulders during prayer. But, I want you to be aware that my fasting opened up a realm where God took me to see suffering. I “felt” His broken heart. I “felt” His tears, His pain. I felt His hope that believers would help those who are in these prisons of pain and fear.

I experienced God, intimately and profoundly. It changed me! Wow!

During this fasting period, I didn’t receive the breakthrough I was seeking. Currently, it’s postponed but something utterly amazing happened instead. God showed me the path to the fulfillment of a LIFE-LONG dream I’ve held in my heart for more than three decades.

I’m not kidding… A…. LIFE….. LONG…. DREAM!

This is so huge that I’m about to freak out. I’ve held this dream secretly and prayed about it often. Something like this, “God, I know it would take Your hand and multiple miracles and the changing of hearts of others to make this happen, but it’s a dream within that you gave me, and it will not die. So, I ask its fulfilment.” I have to tell you I didn’t posses the faith for this one, truly, because I thought it was impossible.

My friends, it’s about to happen. It’s so wildly unexpected and fantastic I couldn’t, wouldn’t have expected this in a million years. This dream is rapidly coming together and when I arrive at the finish, you will be the first to know. I continue to pray and follow His leading. I can’t wait to fast this month because of all of this.

So, you may be praying for one thing. But GOD!

But God, may show you something different. He may show you a new dream. An area of healing. He may begin to speak to you in fantastic and miraculous ways. He may break your heart or fill and heal your heart or ALL OF THE ABOVE!

No matter what, if you truly fast and honestly sacrifice something that is really hard to give, YOU WILL HAVE AN ENCOUNTER. He loves us that much.

Some of you may need to fast longer than five days. If God calls you to do so, do it and He will help you. Because the astonishing awaits at the end of the journey.

My friends, what are you praying for this next week? Allow me to pray with you. Share in the comments because I’m walking close with our Papa and I’m bringing your life before him.

I love you….. I love Jesus…. I praise our Father, God!

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. —Matthew 5:6

PRE Fast Day THREE

On Monday (January 8) as you reach mid-afternoon most of us will begin to experience hunger pangs. Grrrr, the drive of our physical body is powerful. And it’s often our weak responses to the physical that cancel what is about to triumph in the spiritual. I’ve determined that a LARGE part of our journey through life on planet earth is all about growing our spirit (soul) to the point that it takes captive the desires of our physical body.

When we begin to mature in faith, we take captive our thoughts to Christ. Often, we find freedoms from addictions and harmful thought processes and more. But eating is something we will participate in for the duration of our earth-life. Taking captive the god called -stomach- is a HUGE issue for so many of us. It is for me.

But this fast, which I started yesterday and plan to continue for 40 days, I intend to finally kill that god called appetite and offer my hunger as a living sacrifice. It is my offering to take captive my eating and then receive the reward that our Father gives to those who seek Him with all of their heart.

So, when the hunger pangs strike, they will be my prompting to go to prayer. No matter where I am I will whisper a prayer to sustain me, take captive the pangs and tell my Father…. I am hungering and thirsting for righteousness and Father, fill me with YOU. I WANT YOU!

SUMites, let the pangs hit you. Pray upon those prompting pangs and seek this amazing mystery of hungering for righteousness because right behind the pangs, the GLORY ARRIVES! HALLELUJAH!

2018 is the year! It’s about intimacy. It’s about learning to walk in purity and that leads to walking in power. Power to defeat depression, anxiety, the spirit of anger, to walk in confidence and leadership. It is our year. SUMites, we’ve walked the long road of struggle and persecution within our own home. God knows our pain and has brought us to a place of holy access.

Step in and BEHOLD!

Love you, Lynn

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. —Matthew 5:6

PRE Fast Day TWO

Question: Do you know what to do while you fast?

What am I supposed to do? Do I pray normally, pray more? Do I just sit in silence? Do I just starve myself and hope something happens?

Perhaps some of you are scratching your head just like I did a few years ago.

Anyone?

I want to share some insights that make your fast powerful and effective.

Make time every morning to rise before the house wakes, go into your prayer place with your Bible, journal and any other book that you are reading to grow in your faith. Open up your spirt by inviting the Lord to come in. Give God your heart and ask Him to speak to you. Start your prayer time with worship,  or/and prayer language, or/and surrender.

Read a chapter or verses in your daily reading. If you don’t have a reading plan, read chapters from the book of Matthew, specifically the chapters where Jesus is teaching. Listen to the promises that jump out at you and WRITE THEM DOWN. Write that date and write a prayer that you claim this promise for your life. For example, I’m always move by this passage:

And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. —Matthew 16:19

This promise ROCKS my world. I’ve used this passage to bind my heart to God’s heart. I’ve used it to loose angels to dispatch the demonic to the pit of hell. I speak this passage in faith and I ask Jesus to give me more keys and teach me how to use them to unlock the Kingdom of God.

This is just one example. There are so many that I just get excited to speak them out and watch what happens.

Pray prayers that others have written. For example, during last year’s fast we read through the book, Winning Them With Prayer. It was powerful and praying aloud the prayers written in the book brought about change for many of you. Get it out and read it again. Or if you are new with us and want powerful prayers to pray during the fast, order it from Amazon.

Tomorrow I’ll share with you how to respond to our growing hunger throughout the day.

Pray now for the resolve of the Holy Spirit to walk with you through this fast because right now the veil is very thin between earth and heaven. It’s NOW that our petitions with prayer and fasting are bringing us before the Throne. In Jesus name. AMEN

Love you, Lynn

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. —Matthew 5:6

SUMite Nation

Next week, January 8-12, 2018… We will fast together in a Corporate expression of sacrifice and prayer. Seeking a greater intimacy with the Lord and seeking revelation for the year ahead.

Begin to think about what and how you are going to fast. Prepare your family and let them know you will be fasting. Pre-prepare meals for them and let them know that you need their support to fast.

My challenge is for you to fast an entire five days from solid foods. And for some of you who truly need a miracle, a water only fast for five days. If you can’t fast all five days, consider a sunrise to sunset fast, with dinner in the evening.

I also challenge you to fast from television and devote that time to reading the Bible or another book that will strengthen your faith.

Let me ask you this. Do you want 2018 to be better, different, to walk closer to the Lord? Then plan to fast. I’ve discovered through my personal fasting that I did in the fall of 2017, how and what happens in the spiritual realm when we fast.

It’s worth it.

I’ll share more in the days ahead.

Begin praying now for the Lord to call you into a fasting period. Ask Him to supernaturally help you to refrain from eating and to develop a hunger for more of Him.

If you continue to do what you’ve always done, you will receive what you always receive.

WE WANT CHANGE! Let’s fast and bring the power of the Spirit of God into a place of prominence in our lives. Hallelujah!!!

Love you my brothers and sisters. It's gong to be a GREAT year! Lynn

Meet Finn.

His mama was found wandering about Los Angeles and birthed a litter right around Christmas day. We adopted this little buddy from a Chiwawa pet rescue. We also adopted his sister, Gracie, nearly two years ago.

Finn, I’ve come to decide, is a special needs doggie. Something happened to him before our ownership that has left him with permanent pain in his back-hind quarters. He often yips and yelps and scurries along the floor like someone is chasing him because of the moments of pain he experiences. We have taken this poor mutt to the Vet several times, x-rays and exams to figure out what is causing this pain.

Nothing.

We can’t figure it out and he continues to be in pain. This causes the little pooch to be very fearful. He’s also obsessively devoted to my husband Mike. Follows him everywhere.

It breaks my heart to look upon the pup and his suffering. So much so, that I often will sit next to him and gently pet his back and pray over him saying, “I love you Finney. I bless you with peace, in Jesus name. I bless you to be healed, in Jesus name. I bless you to be free from fear, in Jesus name. I bless you with peace in Jesus name.”

I seriously have seen progress and his pain appears to be less than last year. But alas, there are good days for this little doggie and not so good days.

I suppose you are wondering why I’m sharing this story. Well, recently I was in the kitchen and I heard the dog yelp as he jumped up on the couch next to my husband. The yelping bothers Mike as well. To my astonishment, Mike pet the dog and said to him, “I bless you with peace in Jesus name.”

I stared.

Mike smiled back.

My instinct checked in and I said, “You need to bless him again because it’s persistence that is the key to heaven.”

SERIOUSLY. This was happening under our roof.

Mike, “I bless you with peace in Jesus name,” as he looked at Finn.

Gang,….. In Jesus name.

This man spoke it. The name to which every knee will bow….. He spoke it. (Romans 14:11)

I grinned at him. And Mike grinned back.

We went on with our day and I believe that all of my 25 years of praying, living out my faith, loving and forgiving is producing the results of every promise in the Word for me as a child of God.

The LORD recently has caused me to realize that it’s been my pain, discouragement, disappointment and unmet expectations that have been the springboard into the most amazing faith adventure.

ALL OF IT has led me into the brilliant experiences of this verse:

Christ in me, the hope of glory. —Colossians 1:27

This promise is for all of us.

Everything worthy in God’s realm is won by hard work, persistence and pounding on the doors of heaven. Every single thing. This faith walk is not for the faint of heart, nor those who will give up easily. But when you put in the years, the hard work of healing, prayer and faithfully living of God’s Word, you will see the glory.

How do I know? Never in a million years would I have thought my husband would bless anyone or anything and never ever, ever in the name of Jesus Christ.

It’s the season of miracles. Press toward the goal my friends. (Philippians 3:14) It’s worth the price.

I love you my SUMite family. I bless you today with the peace of heaven. In Jesus name. AMEN

Stay tuned as the first week of January will be our prep-week for our annual community fast. We will fast together, with new insights that I have learned about fasting, the week of January 8-12, 2018.

I’m listening to the LORD for our promises for the year. It’s going to be the best year ever.

Hugs, Lynn

Photo sourced from St Clare of Assisi Catholic Church

I was intrigued to read a post Christianity Today published last week based on some research conducted by Lifeway Research. It revealed 24% of Americans observe Lent, the greater majority Catholics. Interestingly, 82% of Catholics who regularly attend Church are likely to observe it while only 30% of Protestants who regularly attend church will.

The stats didn’t surprise me. I’d love to see comparable ones for Australia as I expect they’d been even lower. I’m the only person in my circle that observes it and it’s not mentioned in my church community.

So why bother with it?

I only adopted the practice in recent years having lacked understanding of what it was about. I grew up believing it was something Catholics observed and as I wasn’t Catholic it didn’t apply to me.

As I’ve come to better understand the practice I now eagerly look forward to it. Before I explain why let’s start with a recap of the basics.

What is Lent?

Lent derives its structure and themes from Christ’s forty days’ in the wilderness, where He fasted and prayed and faced Satan’s temptations. As most of us know this period occurred before His public ministry began. It commences with Ash Wednesday, which this year happens to be a Wednesday, March 1^st. It’s typically six weeks in duration (some denominations calculate it differently) and ends with Christ’s resurrection on Easter Sunday.

I particularly love Ann Voskamp’s description in a post that I read a few years ago. Ann’s chatting to her brother on the phone answering his question:

“Okay … Lent. It’s the preparing the heart for Easter. Like going with Jesus into the wilderness for forty days, that we come face to ugly face with our enemy. Our sacrificing that we might become more like Christ in His sacrifice.”

So it’s the letting go of our stuff, whatever that may be, so we can seek God with greater intensity.

“’And yet even now,’ says the Lord, ‘return to me with all your heart …’” (Joel 2:12)

“The purpose of Lent is not to force on us a few formal obligations, but to ‘soften’ our heart so that it may open itself to the realities of the spirit, to experience the hidden ‘ thirst and hunger’ for communion with God.”¹

This is my desire: to experience that communion with God.

Longing for God

We observe Lent so we would become more aware of our longing for God in order to see Him with all of our hearts. We adopt certain disciplines, eg, fasting, to help us see more clearly the patterns of sin and/or distraction that have weakened our passion for Him or created some distance from God.

Season of Hope

As we journey through the six weeks and draw closer to Holy Week and the Jesus at the Cross and His subsequent resurrection we can sometimes feel burdened by these Lenten disciplines. But the journey is full of such hope as we are reminded of God’s great and everlasting love for us. “In the shadow of Christ’s cross and impending resurrection we are assured that there is forgiveness and cleansing for all who turn to Him.”² Our relationship with the Father has been restored.

Hallelujah!

What am I doing for Lent?

I usually do a few things and this year I’ll be doing:

1. Giving up: chocolate, FB and Instagram. And fast one day each week.
2. Bible study: He/She Reads Truth Lenten study on Isaiah. Very excited about this one.
3. Reading: Walk in Her Sandals  and Liz Curtis Higgs The Women of Easter.

“He must increase, I must decrease.” (John 3:30)

John the Baptist spoke those words acknowledging that it was time for people to focus on Jesus rather than himself. He had played his part and fulfilled the prophecy. It was now time for Jesus. I’ve found it’s a great verse to head into Lent with. Letting go of ourselves to allow more room for Jesus.

I’ll be posting each week over the next few weeks reflecting on some of the Lenten disciplines as well as my journey. I hope you’ll join me. 

I read lots of different things and I expect will come across many good items on Lent so I will endeavour to share some of these to add to our understanding and open our eyes to more of Jesus. Ruth Haley Barton is a favourite of mine and I just read her introductory post on the season. I encourage you to give it a read you have a few spare moments.

What are your thoughts on Lent and do you have any plans for this season?

Notes: 1. Great Lent, Alexander Schmemann, Crestwood, NY: St. Vladimir’s Seminary Press, 1974. Page 31. 2. Lent: A Season of Returning, Ruth Haley Barton, Transforming Center, 2013, Ash Wednesday.

We arrived. Hallelujah!

My fast went fairly decent. Wasn’t perfect but fasted mostly for five days, (I still have today to go). I lost four pounds and gained new awe in my heart for our Father.

I feel almost melancholy that our fast is ending. This week has brought tears to my eyes, laughter to my heart to read what happened in your lives through the book and the fast. I’m humbled and in awe that our Lord is so powerful on the move to bring breakthrough to our SUM House of believers.

Today, is a special day because chapter 13 is a gift. I wrote it following a powerful prayer session. And what I received, God says is for everyone who contends for an unsaved spouse. So I pass it along to you.

Pray and release.

Don’t carry the burdens you are not to carry. Jesus died to bring us into a life of peace. And peace is His gift. Release your spouse and your worry to the King of Kings.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. —John 14:27

Read chapter thirteen and the conclusion on page 139. Also, there are more prayers in this book than I was able to connect to the chapters. READ ALL OF THEM.

Today, I ask that if you are a SUMite that you take five minutes to stop in and leave a prayer of peace in the comments. Pray peace over yourself, your family, your marriage, whatever the Spirit leads.

I will start. Jesus you said that you came to leave us peace. I know peace is only something that comes from You. I receive it. I receive peace into my home, my marriage. I speak peace over my son, Brad, daughter, Caitie, and grandchildren. I speak a new peace over my husband, Michael. I will not be troubled or afraid. You have proven your faithfulness to me year after year. Thank you for peace that surpasses all understanding. I am utterly grateful for everything you lavishly provide year after year. I love you with all of my heart, mind, soul and strength. I am yours forever. I pray now for peace to reign, love to win, hate to fail, and for Your Kingdom to be made known to a lost and desperate world. In Your Powerful Name, Jesus. AMEN

You can add your prayer and include the names of those who you are praying for. I will pray along with you. Or copy my prayer, add name and then type: AMEN

Pray in the comments. Share what has happened this week in the comments. Did you struggle? Was there breakthrough? Let me know if you experienced something new in your time with God and let’s celebrate this fact: God is good!

I love you. Lynn

*THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart to those who contributed to Winning Them With Prayer. Your love of our Savior shines bright in these pages. Well done good and faithful servants!

Ian, Tara, Heather, Martha, Christi, Lynette, Jim, Dorothy, Ramona, Flavia, Joanne, Heather, Dee, Taylor, Patty, Barb, Evie, Maira, Gillian. I heart you! And Dineen, I adore you. Your design and layout efforts made this book a reality. One a saw a long time ago in my mind. You made it come alive!!

Stay tuned as we start our next series on January 23^rd: Emotional Healing: How Jesus heals shame, guilt, wounding and pain.

I’m completely overcome by what is happening in our community this week. Gang, reading the comments and the emails that I’m receiving… It’s just wild and awesome!

I’m undone by how God is moving in the pages of the book, Winning Them With Prayer. Some of you are experiencing breakthroughs at home, with husbands and even feeling the spiritual bondage break off….. THIS IS THE REASON I WROTE THIS BOOK. God has purposed THIS book with power from on High to break the chains of Satan.

This is what Anja from Switzerland wrote at the end of her astonishing comments on the Day Three post: Needless to say…I’m without words. I’m humbled, amazed and feel as if years of burdens have been lifted off my shoulders. It is the answer to so many of my heart’s cries. I got a long way to go but now I am certain I am not alone!

Anja, heard the Voice of God and what she shared was miraculous.

I told you…. I was certain that God was ready to bring breakthroughs. And there are more ahead… For all of us whether you are fasting or not. I’m certain of it.

Today on Day Four, I am compelled to help our community to step into a new season. So many people don’t have any idea how to discover their purpose or ministry on this earth. Well, today let’s take a few questions with us into our prayer time and allow the Holy Spirit to reveal His calling and purpose for your life.

And can I state clearly here, everyone has a purpose and everyone who is a believer has a ministry.

So what is your assignment from God?

I want you to ask yourself these questions:

What makes you cry?

What makes you angry?

And, why doesn’t someone do something about it?

SpirituallyUnequalMarriage.com was born one day when I realized that there were very little resources to grow my faith and to walk in victory in my marriage. In 2006 there were three books on the market and I personally only liked one of them and there was nothing online to help support me.

Thus, our blog was born.

You may not be called to write or serve in full time ministry even. But you may have an assignment to start something at your workplace, after work, or participate in a missions trip. You may be gifted to paint, to dance, or to have empathy and compassion for people, or children, animals. You may be gifted in business (God loves to promote a business with a leader that is a believer). God has a calling on all of us. And you specifically have a unique was of doing what He has made you to do.

When you serve in your calling it makes you come alive. When you are working in your assignment your creativity is release to fulfill your heart, your soul, mind and your assignment.

And it is possible to serve God’s purposes even when you are married to a pre-believer. Dineen and I are living proof.

Go into your quiet time and ask God if you are serving in the right place. If you are serving at church but it isn’t fulfilling, I would think hard about what you are doing and pray about making a change.

It’s been 10 years that I have served the SUM community and I STILL LOVE TO GET UP EVERY DAY AND BE PART OF IT ALL. And that’s saying something because I usually lose interest in things after about three years.

I’m speaking now in faith that a breakthrough in your creativity and purpose would be released today. That you are filled with dreams on how to use your creativity to serve the Kingdom. That God will open doors for you that were previously shut that you may walk into your holy and divine calling this year. In Jesus name. AMEN

Today read chapters nine through twelve. Work through the assignment. Also, take time to discover the amazing life God has for you in 2017.

In the comments share what you are hearing. Share how the Lord is speaking to you as you work through the chapters. Share anything that you feel would encourage another.

Stay strong as you fast. Forgive yourself if you couldn’t make it. And just pick right up and keep going. The breakthroughs are happening. I will share some of mine later in the month when we tackle the next series, Emotional Healing.

I love you….. I love Jesus. It’s a great time to be alive and I have so much HOPE for all of us that I’m giving it away to you now. In Jesus name. Hugs, Lynn

This verse has been pinned to my prayer board for weeks.

My friends, we are already on day three of our prayer and fasting. Please share what God is showing and/or telling you. Your testimony may be the very piece another SUMite needs to help her or him connect the dots of what God is revealing. I’m finding myself in that place again where God is connecting dots again and revealing answers to prayers. I’m so very encouraged especially for my children and hope to share more soon on what’s happening. 

Plus, our first night of fasting from television turned out to be such a precious time for my hubby and I. We played games and didn’t miss watching it at all. I am amazed by that, my friends. I know the Holy Spirit gave me grace for that. Plus I had time to spend in His presence later in the evening too. So so good…

And I will say I’m finally seeing breakthrough in a place I’ve been praying over for more than two years now. This and answers to prayers I received on Sunday are like cool, fresh water to my thirsty spirit. Boy howdie, my spirit was thirstier than I realized. How about you?

My friends, let’s continue to press in and contend for what God is giving us this week. Even if you aren’t seeing anything shift yet, don’t despair and don’t compare. Every breakthrough and promise from God is unique and comes in His packaging, not our expectations. Remember chapters two and three…pray, believe…

Read chapters seven through nine in Winning Them With Prayer. Lynn’s prayer using 1 Cor. 7:14 is so powerful! Our power-passage! This is our place of authority and brings power to our prayers. Remember that your prayers for your spouse sanctify them, which according to the Greek translation of that word means that God has laid a claim upon them to be set apart for Him. That is what your prayers do for spouse and loved ones, SUMites!

And now I want to leave you with a verse that has become HUGE in my life. Several weeks ago one of our directors at the healing rooms I work at gave me this verse with the instructions, “God wants you to meditate on it.”

It’s a powerful verse, my friends. That same day God told me what He wanted me to know regarding it and just yesterday, He confirmed it in a very unexpected way. Now I would like you to meditate upon it, SUMites.

It shall come to pass in that day
That his burden will be taken away from your shoulder,
And his yoke from your neck,
And the yoke will be destroyed because of the anointing oil. — Isaiah 10:27

I love you, SUMites! I pray your week is filled with new revelations and promises from the Lord. I pray your fasting becomes joyful and a delight as you press closer to God. I pray that this week sets the stage for an entire year of breakthroughs for you, your family and this entire community. 

And Lord, I pray that very SUMite would be freshly anointed in Your holy oil. In the mighty and powerful name of Jesus, amen!

Love and hugs!
Dineen

My friends, we are on day two of our fast. I’ve chosen to fast from sun-up to sun-down each day. I also sought the Holy Spirit’s guidance on anything else I should fast from, to honor the Lord. He’s impressed upon my heart to fast from television. Not that I watch that much, but it is a routine thing for hubby and I in the evenings to relax and watch old reruns. I find this time very cathartic.

But God told me He wants to do something different so maybe this is part of it. The unexpected part of it is when I told my husband I was “considering” doing this, I asked him what he thought and if he’d like to join me.

He said yes! So, Mike is joining me in a fast from television this week. I’m fascinated to see what God does with that, my friends. Really and truly, the Lord is so surprising! 

Our assignment yesterday was to read the first three chapters in Winning Them With Prayer and write down our prayers. Also to read and personalize the SUMite prayer listed at the end of each chapter. I hope you are greatly encouraged, my friends, to see and know we are all pressing in together for God’s heart and Words for our lives. I find that so comforting too.

Chapters two and three speak of belief and praying God’s Word. These are vital keys to our faith walk! I know at times we battle doubt and fear—I know I do—but I continually find the answer in God’s Word and the power His spoken Word holds. I will never tire of Jeremiah 1:12:

The Lord said to me, “You have seen correctly, for I am watching to see that my word is fulfilled.” — Jer. 1:12

To know our Lord watches over His Word to perform it is so powerfully reassuring in my life, SUMites. I pray that’s true for you too. Believe it! Believe Him!

I shared some words the Lord spoke to me last Friday and mentioned there was more. What God shared with me just after the New Year is that 2017 will be A Year of Promises. And it’s two fold:

1. The revelation of promises already given.
2. New promises to be given and released

My friends, I am especially excited about this because I received some prophetic words from my church family on Sunday that confirmed and answered three cries of my heart and this word God gave me about A Year of Promises. Amazingly, they were given to me by four different people at different moments who had no knowledge of any my prayers or what God had been showing me.

That is how wonderful our Lord is, and how much He loves us. So I encourage you to keep pressing deeper into His presence and love. Be like the widow who goes before the judge and continually asks (Luke 18). I have been doing this for weeks to counter some heavy spiritual warfare and finally the answers came. I am a bit weary from it, but very relieved to know God’s heart, my friends. It was the confirmation and affirmation I desperately needed. Our Father God cares so much for us and though we don’t understand His ways, He is very present and active in answering our prayers.

Let’s continue our prayer and fasting today with chapters four through six in Winning Them With Prayer. As I said, God wants to do something different in 2017. With an open heart ask Him what that means for you and your family. I do so hope you’ll share too. I’ve no doubt God will speak to and through each of us astonishing ways!

I love you, SUMites! Your heart for God and love for each other are two of the most beautiful things I have witnessed in this lifetime. And if that’s how I feel, can you imagine how our Lord Jesus feels to behold this amazing family?

Yes, I am in awe. Of Him…and you.
Dineen

SUMITE Fast 2017: Monday, January 9: Day one.

SUMites…. Who wants a new beginning? A fresh start? A year of new possibilities, promises fulfilled and a deeper walk with our Lord?

We are a people who are endowed with new starts. Believers have been given a gift of new starts and new beginnings. It’s in our nature. We experienced our first new beginning when we came to faith in Jesus. I’m convinced that the Lord gives us new beginnings, new starts over and over again throughout our life. And this fast is going to be the start of significant changes and fulfilments in our lives in 2017.

I am CONVINCED that this year is a breakthrough year. I have enough faith in this statement for all of us, even for those of you who aren’t feeling it yet. I’m convinced that God is leading us toward significant person healing. I’m convinced that there are even more prayer strategies that He is anxious to teach us in the months ahead.

So, buckle in. Set your mind on the prize (Philippians 3:14) and BELIEVE for your new beginning to become reality because Jesus loves you that much.

I’m in for the long haul. The Lord has commissioned me to fast from food the entire five days. I write that sentence in faith that God will see me through. But I’m convinced that on day three spectacular answers, breakthrough, provision will result. It’s usually on day three that a shift will happen because of our faithfulness.

Join me and fast in accord with how the Lord has called you!

Sometimes we can start a fast and say to ourselves that yes, I will pray. Then what happens is we go into our room and sit down and then think, It’s hard to pray. I don’t know what to say. What to ask. I’m bored, distracted, etc.

Anyone?

That is why we are using the prayer strategies book. You can read the prayers aloud. Ask the Holy Spirit to come and rest upon you before you start. Ask God to rest His glory upon you.

Record notes in this book. Like Sarah, she wrote notes and prayers in the margins. There is a place to write prayers in the book and I urge you to get a prayer journal.

This small book scares the devil. This small book is filled with prayers that change hearts, lives, marriages and our faith.

Today, read chapters one, two and three. Read the prayers suggested at the end of each chapter. Write your prayers in the book. Put the date next to the prayer. This is a permanent record of our petitions to the King. And one day we will look at this book again and SEE THE FAITHFULNESS OF OUR GOOD FATHER.

If you don't have a book, write in your prayer journal. NO ONE in our House of SUM is left out. Pray and write your prayers, hopes, and the words God gives you in a journal.

The Holy Spirit is with us. Jesus adores us and our Father IS GOOD, EVERY DAY, IN EVERY WAY GOOD!!! On Thursday, we will ask the Lord to reveal our divine purpose/calling. It will be a powerful day of shifting in the Spiritual realm of your life. That’s why I decided to wait until after day three.

Today in the comments, let’s encourage one another to grow in our belief (chapter three). Let’s post our thoughts. Share your struggles if you are needing prayer support. When you’re hungry, stop in and share and let someone cover you in prayer. Then pray for another SUMite. 

The devil trembles when the SUMite Nation prays!!!!

And God rejoices when we pray and He sends answers (Chapter seven.)

Woo Hoo. My excitement is electric. I will be praying for you this week. I love you so very much. Hugs, Lynn