Day 1: 5:00 a.m. is really early

It's day 1 of the Summer of 7 stress/prayer challenge.  I'm officially just going to call it the "Prayer Challenge", because that's what I'm focusing on.

I was suppose to get up at 5:00 a.m. and guess what I found out... 5:00 a.m. is VERY early!  And I confess, I hit snooze and slept until 5:39.  It did feel good once I got up to sit and listen and read my Bible and enjoy quiet and sunshine and coffee and Jesus.

I decided that for this week I will pause at 7 specific times each day to pray for 7 specific things.

8:15 a.m. - Kids/Education

10:15 a.m. - Poor and oppressed

12:15 p.m. - The Fatherless

2:15 p.m. - Mothers around the world

4:15 p.m. - My marriage

6:15 p.m. - Church (my local church and the church as a whole)

8:15 p.m. - Outreach Team (A ministry I just joined)


P.S.  I was very glad this morning to put on different clothes and I was most excited to put on some big earrings.  Funny thing,  most of the clothes I'm wearing are clothes from the 7 challenge except my shirt.

Summer of 7: Day 5

It's raining and a little cold today.  It makes me miss my red rain boots and coats.  My hoodie has a spaghetti stain on it from last night's dinner... did I mention it's cream?  It could be worse.

I've decided to stretch this clothes challenge out to 2 weeks.  One of my best friends, who has done the month long clothes challenge and who did the month long food challenge with me (while she was nursing!), sent me a text last night.  It said, "So I didn't think that seven could really make an impact in just a week?!  But... it's working for you?"  


My answer to that... Yes, I'm seeing an impact.  But I also know that I could see a bigger impact if I do it for a longer stretch.  Especially since I've already done the food and media experiments for a month, I know how great the impact can be.  I did not do the month long challenges perfectly.  But there is something about getting to that uncomfortable place.  The place where your sick of it and desperate to be done with it.  That's where I've seen victory and leaned into the Holy Spirit like never before.