I am now three weeks into the chain gang adventure. The chain is still on my wrist and starting to show a little wear and tear. The chain is still in tact, but a few of the links are starting to lose their luster. The shine is wearing off and the dull metallic color is starting to show through.
Unfortunately, the excitement and focus on my internal hindrances was not very high during the week. However, I did have a couple of exciting encounters which gave me an opportunity to discuss my faith.
Fasting last week provided some very good solitude time with the Lord. 12 hours into my fast (about 6 AM) I had a longer than usual prayer time - mainly due to the fact that I did not have to eat breakfast or pack a lunch... My thoughts were focused on the amazing power, love, and grace of God and not on my physical needs. The day started off very well. The biggest issue that I encountered during the day was a headache - probably brought on by a lack of caffeine. I not only fasted from food, but also from my daily dose of coffee. My thoughts turned back to myself and I asked God to help with my splitting headache. The prayers (and a couple of Advil) helped. By dinner, I felt better and satisfied my growing hunger for food. I felt happy that I was able to fast for 24 hours, but disappointed that my thoughts turned to my needs so quickly after starting the day on such a positive note.
The next day at work I had two inquiries about my bracelet. The first was from two Christian colleagues that I know quite well. They seemed to be impressed with the idea and talked about their practices during Lent. God must have been providing some practice for a conversation that I would have later in the day. A couple of other colleagues, that I do not know as well, asked about the chain on my wrist. I became a bit more anxious; however, the conversation went well. It even finished by one colleague asking where I went to church, followed by “Where’s Willowdale Chapel?” Maybe I will see them at a service in the future. God continues to use the chain to put me outside of my comfort zone…
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