Lifting Jesus High

Barring a change since Amy's post on Tuesday, Adam is headed for another surgery on Thursday. Pray for the physicians, nurses, and others involved in his care. Pray that God will provide them with wisdom, discernment, attentiveness, and skill to be at their best. Pray that they will all get a night of restful sleep.

Yes, we are praying for Adam's healing. Yes, many of us have felt the presence of the Holy Spirit over the past several weeks. Yet, it is not about Adam, or us. As Hillary wrote at dinner time, pray that Jesus' name will be honored. It's all about Him, not us. We 'wanna' see Jesus lifted high!

As Adrienne wrote, earlier today, look up! Continue to pray that God would be glorified as the result of Adam's accident, his suffering, and his healing. I do want to see Adam healed. Yet, I know that it is more important to look up and see Jesus lifted high.



John 11:4

When he heard this, Jesus said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it."

John 12:23

"The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

We all want to see Adam healed. We don't want him to suffer any more neurological storming,  or be forced to endure more surgeries. We want him to wake up and walk! Yet, we might have different motives for his healing.

As our day of fasting winds down, I will be praying that God helps keep my selfish motives in check. I pray that He will lead me to seek His glory in whatever plans God has for Adam, and for those of us who care about him. And, I will keep praying for a complete healing of Adam. A healing that will bring honor to God. A healing that will lift Jesus high!

Good night, and God bless.

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus

by Hillary Mortensen

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus has long been one of my favorite songs. It is a good reminder to me to follow the instructions of Hebrews 12, verses 1-3:

¹Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. ²Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

When I get too caught up in my list of things to do, the pursuit of wealth, physical pain, the roles I feel God has called me to, protecting my reputation, or otherwise, I fail to look to Christ. When I do look to Jesus, it is as the song states: the things of Earth grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace. This helps me fall more in love with Jesus and puts things in better perspective.

This week, I read another Charles Spurgeon devotional that takes this idea even a step further. While I know that it is wrong to be concerned with the cares of this world, I did not consider how even looking at my own joy in Christ, my hope, my faith, or my prayers takes my focus off of my Savior, my source of hope, the author and perfecter of my faith.

It is ever the Holy Spirit's work to turn our eyes away from self to Jesus; but Satan's work is just the opposite of this, for he is constantly trying to make us regard ourselves instead of Christ. He insinuates, "Your sins are too great for pardon; you have no faith; you do not repent enough; you will never be able to continue to the end; you have not the joy of his children; you have such a wavering hold of Jesus." All these are thoughts about self, and we shall never find comfort or assurance by looking within. But the Holy Spirit turns our eyes entirely away from self: he tells us that we are nothing, but that "Christ is all in all." Remember, therefore, it is not thy hold of Christ that saves thee-it is Christ; it is not thy joy in Christ that saves thee-it is Christ; it is not even faith in Christ, though that be the instrument-it is Christ's blood and merits; therefore, look not so much to thy hand with which thou art grasping Christ, as to Christ; look not to thy hope, but to Jesus, the source of thy hope; look not to thy faith, but to Jesus, the author and finisher of thy faith. We shall never find happiness by looking at our prayers, our doings, or our feelings; it is what Jesus is, not what we are, that gives rest to the soul. If we would at once overcome Satan and have peace with God, it must be by "looking unto Jesus." Keep thine eye simply on him; let his death, his sufferings, his merits, his glories, his intercession, be fresh upon thy mind; when thou wakest in the morning look to him; when thou liest down at night look to him. Oh! let not thy hopes or fears come between thee and Jesus; follow hard after him, and he will never fail thee.

"My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness:
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus' name."

I still have a long way to go in the way of throwing off everything that hinders me, sin that entangles me, fixing my eyes on Jesus, and considering Christ in all I do. No wonder I all too often feel weary and lose heart. Are you feeling weary and losing heart? Will you join me in the practice of turning our eyes on Jesus? (And, if you have ideas about how to do that, please feel free to share it with all of us.)

For now, please join us in focusing on Jesus as we pray for Adam (Now's a good time to start the video below and then continue.):

• Instead of questioning whether you have enough faith to see the miraculous, praise Jesus for being the author and perfecter of faith.
• Rather than contemplate your own love and whether you love well enough and hard enough, praise God for being love and ask that you would receive His love in abundance and give it freely.
  
• Consider not your hope, but look to Jesus, the source of your hope. Acknowledge that since all hope comes from Him, it is futile to hope in medicine or even in your prayers.
  
• While it's okay to grieve, do not dwell on the sadness. Think on Jesus, who, out of love, endured opposition, loneliness, punishment, and abandonment for our sakes.

Prayer warriors, let us turn our eyes on Jesus. May we not grow weary. May we not lose heart.

Giving God All Control

Matthew 7:9-11

 ⁹"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

Let's start our day by giving control of our lives to God.

Then, let's ask God for the gift of healing — the complete healing of Adam Root!

Eve of Fasting: Let's Do Something Great

"The greatest thing anyone can do for God or man is pray." 

~S.D. Gordon

We are anticipating our weekly "gathering" of those fasting and praying for Adam. Some have already begun fasting, while others will start within the next few hours. Of course, you are welcome to join us at any time on Wednesday. If your schedule does not permit a full-day fast, skip one meal. Take that time to lift up Adam and his family in prayer.

As I have previously stated, we will continue to pray for Adam's full recovery. Throughout the next 24 to 36 hours, be bold. Continue to ask God for a complete healing. Tonight, I would ask for you to consider a shorter-term prayer request. In her post, Another Day in ICU, Amy asked the following:

"Please continue to pray that the fluid drains or absorbs so that Adam does not have to endure another operation."

Let's unite in prayer with this request. This evening, let's make it our focus. And, each time we pray during the next 36 hours, be sure to ask God that the fluid on Adam's brain would drain or be absorbed so that he does not have to endure another surgery.

I look forward to praying with you, this evening and tomorrow. As the prolific devotional writer, S.D. Gordon stated (quote at top of page), it is the greatest thing we can do. 

Let's do something great for God and Adam!

"One night alone in prayer might make us new men,
changed from poverty of soul to spiritual wealth, from trembling to triumphing."
~Charles Spurgeon

His Love Endures Forever!

Psalm 136

 ¹ Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good.
       His love endures forever.

 ² Give thanks to the God of gods.
       His love endures forever.

 ³ Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
       His love endures forever.

 ⁴ to him who alone does great wonders,
       His love endures forever.

 ⁵ who by his understanding made the heavens,
       His love endures forever.

 ⁶ who spread out the earth upon the waters,
       His love endures forever.

 ⁷ who made the great lights—
       His love endures forever.

 ⁸ the sun to govern the day,
       His love endures forever.

 ⁹ the moon and stars to govern the night;
       His love endures forever.

 ¹⁰ to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt
       His love endures forever.

 ¹¹ and brought Israel out from among them
       His love endures forever.

 ¹² with a mighty hand and outstretched arm;
       His love endures forever.

 ¹³ to him who divided the Red Sea ^[a] asunder
       His love endures forever.

 ¹⁴ and brought Israel through the midst of it,
       His love endures forever.

 ¹⁵ but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;
       His love endures forever.

 ¹⁶ to him who led his people through the desert,
       His love endures forever.

 ¹⁷ who struck down great kings,
       His love endures forever.

 ¹⁸ and killed mighty kings—
       His love endures forever.

 ¹⁹ Sihon king of the Amorites
       His love endures forever.

 ²⁰ and Og king of Bashan—
       His love endures forever.

 ²¹ and gave their land as an inheritance,
       His love endures forever.

 ²² an inheritance to his servant Israel;
       His love endures forever.

 ²³ to the One who remembered us in our low estate
       His love endures forever.

 ²⁴ and freed us from our enemies,
       His love endures forever.

 ²⁵ and who gives food to every creature.
       His love endures forever.

 ²⁶ Give thanks to the God of heaven.
       His love endures forever.

Until next Wednesday, keep ever mindful that God's love does endure forever. Let's keep praying. 

Today, ask God to:

• Reduce Adam's fever

• Lower his heart rate and blood pressure

• Provide Adam with comfort

Over the next several days:

Pray for Amy. Ask God to provide her with wisdom and discernment regarding Adam's care, and where he will go for rehab after leaving hospital. See Amy's post, Jehovah Jireh.

Evening: There will be a day

Romans 8:18

I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

The day will come. We can look forward to it. No more pain. No more tears.



When we fast, we know that there will a time when we eat. That makes the discomfort of hunger easier to endure. Similarly, when we suffer physical, emotional, and spiritual pain, we can look forward to that day when we no longer suffer from these troubles. That is good news, indeed!

For those suffering because of Adam's accident, take heart. There is hope.  While we wait, the Holy Spirit will be with us — even interceding for us when we don't know what to pray for.

Romans 8: 25-26

²⁵But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

 ²⁶In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

After a day of prayer, it is sometimes challenging to know what else to ask of God. We sometimes worry about "annoying Him" with repetitive requests. First, we can refer back to last night's pose (The Honest Cries of Broken Hearts...). Second, we can invite the Holy Spirit to intercede on our behalf.

Prayers to Close the Day

As you let the Holy Spirit lead you in prayer, you may also consider asking that:
• Adam would continue to recover from his most recent surgery. 
• Adam' s body would strengthen and be able to fight off infections.
• Adam's vital signs would all be normal.
• Adam would not require any more surgeries (see Amy's post: Long Surgery)
• All glory and honor would be God's as He works a healing in Adam

Good night.

Dinner: Are You Still Worrying About Tomorrow?

By Adrienne Terada

Well, last week I posted how I had fasted 5 out 8 days. It was an amazing experience for me. Just like my dad and sister wrote, I too have grown. I have spent more time with God, He has drawn me closer to Him, I have experienced his mighty power in ways I never have before, and my faith and trust in my almighty Savior grew to the point that I could say, I wasn't worried about tomorrow. That is the great news!

Now for the bad news...

It has been 6 days without fasting, and as we all know, old habits die hard. The worries of some of the rough trials I am going through right now starting weighing me down. In fact, the last couple of days I started feeling heavy-hearted and discouraged, but when I evaluated what had changed, it was no coincidence. I wasn't spending time in true worship, I wasn't spending time reading God's word, I wasn't turning my worries to Him, and I wasn't surrendering to God some of the outcomes I was fearing. Perhaps you have experienced some of this as well.

Since it is not practical to fast 5 days every week to stay near to God, and there is not always a blog of devotionals to follow, I was thinking about other practical things to do to stay close to Him every day. I encourage you to try them too.

• Pick at least one powerful praise and worship song to listen to in the morning before you do anything else.
• Pick at least one verse to write out and put somewhere visible to meditate on daily.
• Instead of praying every time you feel a hunger pang, pray every time a discouraging or worrisome thought enters your mind.
• Worship God at night as you lay down to go to bed.

These are just a few of the things you can do. Please feel free to comment if you have any other great ideas on how to stay close to God every day.

For right now, I thought we should meditate on Matthew 6:34 again. (This might be a good one to hang on your bathroom mirror.)

Matthew 6:34
God will take care of your tomorrow. Live one day at a time.

I could tell my heart was heavy yesterday because I had to listen to this song several times to remind myself that God is still God, even when we are in the midst of our trials and tribulations, and we still have a reason to worship!!!!



Things to pray for:

• That God would give Amy, Jack & Cookie strength to make it through today
• That God would show Himself mighty in Adam's life and all of our lives
• That God would be preparing Adam for his healing
• That God would be glorified in this day and this situation

Mid Afternoon: Costly Grace

by Hillary Mortensen

Earlier I asked you to meditate on the awesomeness of grace, a gift of God's favor that is free to us, should we so choose to accept it.

Let us caution, though, to consider how costly grace was to God. It was the price of the atoning death of His Son. In Romans, Chapter 3, this is explained:

Everyone has sinned and fallen short of God's glorious standard, and all need to be made right with God by His grace, which is free gift. They need to be made free from sin through Jesus Christ. God sent Him to die in our place to take away our sins. We receive forgiveness through faith in the blood of Jesus' death. (3:23-25)

Sin is falling short of God's glorious standard. And let's face it: We're all sinners. This sin keeps us from being in relationship with God and experiencing His love for us, but, praise be to God, Jesus died for our sins...and rose again to show us that He is God and that He has power and victory over death. To reiterate:

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior was shown, He saved us because of His mercy. It was not because of good deeds we did to be right with Him. He saved us through the washing that made us new people through the Holy Spirit. God poured out richly upon us that Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ our Savior. Being made right with God by His grace, we could have the hope of receiving the life that never ends. (Titus 3:4-7)

Earlier I asked you to think of evidence of God's grace in your life. Now I urge you to consider whether you have truly accepted God's greatest gift, the one of everlasting life through Jesus Christ. (It can't be accepted any other way.) If not, don't miss out on God's greatest gift. While God has given you this gift of life, it doesn't become yours until you accept it. Acknowledge that you need to Jesus be the Lord and Savior of your life, that you know you can't be in right relationship with God without His blood covering your sin. Then, not only in intellectual agreement, but also as an act of faith, make Christ Lord of your life and ask Him to make you the kind of person He wants you to be. (Click here if you want more details on making this important decision.)

If you have accepted God's gift of grace and you already know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, don't take grace for granted, as I know I myself am so often guilty of doing. Do you know the riches of God's grace, which He gives to us fully and freely? (See Ephesians 1:7,8) Can you say with the Apostle Paul, "God's grace has made me what I am"? (See 1 Corinthians 15:10)

J.I. Packer in his book Knowing God asks, "Do you claim to know the love and grace of God in your own life? Prove your claim, then, by going and praying likewise."

Let us pray this classic hymn as we cry out to God.

Lunch: Amazing Grace

by Hillary Mortensen

Like my father, I have seen it, too: those moments in which we've been touched by grace along various points of this journey toward Adam's recovery.

I've had it in drawing closer to God through prayer and fasting and learning new lessons. While I know that I am still far from perfect, I've experienced the ways God has stretched and challenged me, conforming my will to His. Nearly two weeks ago, after making a desperate call out to God about how I want to know and understand Him better, He blessed me with an insatiable appetite for His Word like I have never before experienced in my life. I've lifted my voice in worship and prayer with my sister and her family, thereby experiencing the gift of true, intimate fellowship with others in the family of God. We were visited by Brad, Shandal, and boys to share some stories and laughs. I get to rejoice with the likes of Amy and her friend Kathleen as they blog about their husbands' high points. And the list goes on and on.

Grace.

It's a word we throw around a lot without thoughtfully considering. Grace, folks, is the freely-given, unmerited (undeserved) favor and love of God.

Free-"to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One [Jesus] he loves." (Ephesians 1:6)

Unmerited-"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8)

Do you ever find yourself trying to earn God's love or favor? Are you thinking, "If I just try harder, do better, pray more often, am a good person, go to church more regularly, then..."? It's an easy trap to fall into. I've struggled with trying to earn God's love my entire life. But we can't do it! It's something He gives freely out of His love for us, not because of us but in spite of us. We merely need to accept His grace.

Consider evidence of God's grace on your life right now. On Adam's life right now. Ponder the latter for a moment. Is there anything that Adam is currently doing or striving for, in an earthly sense, that makes him deserving of our care, time, prayers, fasting, blogs, and love? No. He is receiving this because of God's grace. They're gifts! Thank God for the gifts in our lives. Thank Him for being love, which causes Him to freely offer grace.

Ask God for a better, growing understanding of His grace as you listen to this song:



Note: Please use the comments as an opportunity to list evidence of God's grace you've witnessed or experienced in the past month and a half.

Mid Morning: Our God is Greater

1 Kings 18: 39

When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, "The LORD -he is God! The LORD -he is God!"

Psalm 46:10

"Be still, and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth."

Be still. Know that God is our Lord and Savior.After taking some time to be still, exalt (glorify, praise, honor) God. Over the past several weeks, I keep thinking about listening for, and glorifying God. I continue to wonder if He is waiting on certain people to listen better and praise more fervently. And, to set the record straight, I am including myself in the list of "suspects." Or, perhaps, God is waiting from somebody to simply cry out, "He is God!"

Then, as I ponder the possibilities, I think of God's grace. I have been thinking about that (grace) a lot, lately. God has gone out of His way to accomplish something with Adam's accident.

Anybody who has spent more time in prayer, re-evaluated their priorities in life, experienced spiritual growth, turned to God for the first times in their lives, or simply been touched by one of Amy's posts to her blog, has been a recipient of God's grace.

As Chris Tomlin sings in the song, above, "There is no one like you; none like you....Our God is healer; awesome in power."

A Prayer

Dear Father, You are Lord!
You are God!
You are awesome in power.
You are the Healer.

God, thank you for pouring out Your grace to me during this time of Adam's recovery. Thank you for drawing me nearer to You.

Thank you for watching over Adam and bringing him this far along. Thank you for the skilled medical staff that has cared for Adam. I pray that you would provide them with wisdom as they care for Adam.

God, I ask that you would search my heart. Point out to me those things for which I need to ask forgiveness. Push me in the direction I need to go to fulfill Your ministry.

Lord, I once again, lift up Adam to you. Adam Root, husband of Amy Root, son of Jack and Cookie Root, child of God. Lord, heal your servant. Father, send Your Holy Spirit to minister to Adam. Send Your Holy Spirit to lay His healing hands on Adam.

Jesus, I come to you, just as the Centurion came to you with a request for healing. Lord, just say the word, and Adam will be healed.

Lord, if you are waiting on me for anything, please reveal it to me. Please do not let me an obstacle to the healing power that will bring honor and glory to You.

Thank you for hearing my prayer.

Amen.

God is Ready to Hear Our Prayers

Good morning! I look forward to fasting and praying with you, today. Although it may seem rather obvious to most of you, I sometimes need to remind myself that there is a God, and that He is ready to hear my prayers. For me, overlooking this obvious fact sometimes leads me to "go through the motions" of prayer.

I don't want to go through the motions, today, nor do I want you to. So, let's start our day by acknowledging God as our Creator and Savior. Let's thank Him for all that He has provided, and ask Him to be with us, today. 

I want to communicate with God, today. I want to feel His presence. I will seek God with all my heart, and I want Him to hear my prayers, as He promised in Jeremiah.

Jeremiah 29:12-13

12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. 

Let's seek Him with all our hearts. Let our prayers be heard as melodies (see The honest Cries of Breaking Hearts) to the Lord. To do so, let's get back to basics and acknowledge that God exists, and that He is ready to hear our prayers.



Pray

• For God to remove obstacles that might prevent us from seeking Him with whole hearts
• That God will hear our prayers as melodies
• For Adam to have a good day
• For Adam's family to be encouraged today

Eve of Fasting: The Honest Cries of Breaking Hearts...

...Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes

On the eve of our sixth united day of prayer and fasting, I continue to sense that God is using Adam's accident as a way to draw us closer to Him. I wonder if too many of us have become too self-reliant. We want to control our destinies, fix our own problems, and work hard to avoid dependence on others.

As we all know, especially those closest to Adam, one moment in time changes everything. Before, we did not take so much time for prayer and meditation. Now, we do. Is this the change that God is seeking in us? Is God nudging us to give up our self-reliance to become more dependent on Him? It's just my opinion, but I believe that He is.

As we fast and pray together, I hope that we don't hold back. I hope that we pour our hearts out to God. As Amy Grant says in her song,

"We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah"



Over the next 24-36 hours, I hope that God hears many melodies from family and friends of Adam. In fact, it is more than a hope. This evening, it is my prayer. Make it yours, too.

Psalms 4:1; 17:6

1 Answer me when I call to you,
O my righteous God.
Give me relief from my distress;

6 I call on you, O God, for you will answer me;
give ear to me and hear my prayer.

Morning has Broken, and so has our Fast!

Psalm 33:22

May your unfailing love rest upon us, O LORD,

       even as we put our hope in you.

Until we unite together, next week:

• Continue to pray for Adam. 
• Pray for Adam's family
• Fast anytime the Holy Spirit leads you.
• Spend time in God's word.
• Attend church on Sunday.

Evening: Are You Growing Weary?

We live in a culture of instant gratification. We decide that we want something, we don't want to wait for it. We want it, and we want it now. With technological advancements, companies building better mousetraps, and embarrassing riches, many of us don't have to wait. That's unfortunate.

Instant gratification takes away anticipation. I believe that anticipation leads to greater appreciation when we finally get what we were wating for. For a family that saved money for a long period of time in order to take that once-in-a-lifetime vacation, I am sure that their travels were much more appreciated than by those that simply pull out their credit cards whenever the urge to travel strikes.

In fact, those that had to wait, most likely never grew weary, either during their anticipation or the actual trip. They talked about it, thought about it, read about it, and envisioned what they would do during their trip. Actually living it was a dream come true. In contrast, the constant, "instant travelers" more easily grow weary of travel, hotels, restaurant food, etc.

What if you heard about Adam having a motocross accident on May 15th, then heard that he was released from the hospital a few days later? The bad news being he would be layed up for awhile and would have to miss several weeks of work. That would have been wonderful for Adam and his family!

But, how much time would you have spent thinking about Adam? How much extra time would you have spent in prayer? How much time would you have spent inspecting and evaluating your own life and priorities?

Folks, we are still in the dreaming stage of our voyage. We are anticipating Adam's healing and recovery. While doing so, what has happened in the lives of Adam's family and friends?

Some have slowed down to consider what is really important in life. Many have spent a lot more time in prayer. Others have fasted for the first time in their lives. Some have examined their relationships with God. Believers have had their faith strengthened, and are learning to surrender the cares of this world to God. One old guy even spends time writing a blog (with help from his daughters)!

The point is that I have spoken with people doing these things. And, rather than grow tired, they are energized! Their lives are changing in positive ways.

Of course, this is still a crisis for Adam's family. We need to support them — both in prayer and in practical ways.



Galatians 6:9

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Dinner, Raw & Unedited: The Grass is Always Greener

by Hillary Mortensen

I have a confession to make, particularly in light of my earlier post about surrendering and confession. To be honest, it's something that I cringe at the thought of sharing, but...well...there is freedom to be found in honesty and forgiveness.

I seriously have a problem with envy.

So much so, in fact, that in spite of all of the grief, heartache, loneliness, confusion, and sorrow that Amy has felt over the last weeks, I have envied her. And Adam. I have read and re-read her blog posts about how much she loves him, how much he loves her, and all the ways she is expressing love in her time with and service to him. While I would like to say that all of my thoughts when reading the stories are honorable, many are not. If you can believe it, I am overwhelmed by the times I've thought things like this:

Wow. It must be nice to feel so wanted.

What if I were in a coma? Who would be at my side, singing to me, bathing me, etc.? No one is like a spouse in this regard. I clearly don't have one.

Better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all.

Yuck. I'll stop there. I hope you're getting the picture. Let me tell you, all of the time in recent weeks spent praying and reflecting have allowed me, like it or not, to face some pretty harsh realities about the defects in my character. Envy is a very serious and very real product of my discontentment in my own life circumstances.

Are you experiencing any feelings of envy? Do you envy the single person, the married person? The student, the professional? The young, the old? The childless, those with children? The rich, the poor? The self-employed, the corporately employed, the unemployed?

I know I find myself like the Israelites, who, after everything God had done for them, "grumbled and deplored their situation." (Numbers 14:2) However, Joyce Meyer provides a helpful reminder in her book Battlefield of the Mind:

The Bible...gives us no liberty to feel sorry for ourselves. Instead, we are to encourage and edify one another in the Lord.

There is a true gift of compassion, which is having a godly pity toward others who are hurting, and spending our life relieving their suffering. But self-pity is perverted, because it is taking something that God intended to be given to others and turning it in on ourselves.

After all, as Proverbs 14:30 points out, "A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, but envy makes the bones rot." My bones are rotting! I don't know about you, but I would prefer that my bones remain in good health. (Seriously, my back, hips, and knees have been killing me, and I must wonder if envy is playing a role.)

Instead, let's think on those things described in Philippians 4:8 so that we may have life and have it to the full:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me --- practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.

Let's confess to God the discontentment we face today and any resulting feelings of envy. Let's ask for His help in keeping our minds set on the things described above, so that our self-pity would be transformed into godly compassion. And may our compassionate hearts move us to pray for Adam and for each of his immediate family members who are on a long and difficult journey, one on which they, too, can find true contentment as they rest in the arms of God and dwell only on those things worthy of their thoughts.

Mid-Afternoon: Surrendering Again

by Hillary Mortensen

Interesting that from the time I hopped in my car to the time I made it to the library to use the Internet, I had just about decided to write on surrender. Then, opening up the blog, I found Adrienne had already written on the matter. Instead of giving up or changing directions, I have decided it's just that important to warrant our attention again.

Have you ever found yourself having surrendered an area of your life to God, only to realize later that you took it back into your own hands?

There is no better time than now to surrender it over to the Lord again. If you didn't have time to reflect on this earlier, read the Lunch post and consider different areas of your life in which you need to give God full control.

I encourage you to then consider specific areas of sin (those things that cause separation between you and our holy and perfect God) in your life that need confessed and surrendered. James 5:13-16 is a powerful passage that emphasizes the importance of prayer, as well as healing and confession. Verse 16 states, "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." It is a call to identify our sin and confess it.

Ask God to examine your heart. Are you envious? Are you seeking glory? Have you been selfish? Did you offend someone? Have you neglected your relationship with God? Have you held on too tight to anyone or anything in your life? Do you battle with lust? Have you gossiped about or slandered another? Have you taken credit for another's work? Have you failed to love in the way that Christ asks us to love?

After you have considered what may be keeping you from experience a full, powerful, fulfilling relationship with God, meditate on this promise: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:9)

What a blessing that we can be forgiven, cleansed, and have a "powerful and effective prayer" as we ask God to intercede in this situation. Let us give thanks to God for that!

As FFH sings in this song, let's come "undone," surrendering our pride, our lies, and our secrets.

Mid Morning: Bring the Rain

If you are like me, you want God to "fix everything."

We want God to miraculously heal Adam, now, so we can quit worrying, and get on with our busy lives. The only problem is, that may not be what God wants. Maybe He wants us to withdraw from our busy lives to spend more time with Him.

Pray with the assurance that God has overcome the world. Knowing that, ask Him to bring whatever rain that will bring Him Glory. The world has many problems, but the scriptures tell us to take heart.

John 16:33

"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

A prayer from Bring the Rain, by MercyMe

God,

Bring me joy.
Bring me peace.
Bring the chance to be free.
Bring me anything that brings you Glory.

And I know there'll be days
When this life brings me pain
But if that's what it takes to praise You
Jesus bring the rain.

Amen

Breakfast: Greater Things are Yet to Come!

Good morning, and welcome to Week 5 of our united day of prayer and fasting! As you probably know, Adam suffered a setback, yesterday. First, he was moved back to ICU, then he underwent another surgery (more on Amy's blog). Although it is discouraging, it is not a reason to give up hope.

The Gospel writer, Luke, tells us that even death can be overcome by Jesus.

Luke 8: 40-55

40Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him. 41Then a man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus' feet, pleading with him to come to his house 42because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying. 

As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. 43And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. 44She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. 

45"Who touched me?" Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, "Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you." 

46But Jesus said, "Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me." 

47Then the woman, seeing that she could not go unnoticed, came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. 48Then he said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace." 

49While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. "Your daughter is dead," he said. "Don't bother the teacher any more." 

50Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, "Don't be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed." 

51When he arrived at the house of Jairus, he did not let anyone go in with him except Peter, John and James, and the child's father and mother. 52Meanwhile, all the people were wailing and mourning for her. "Stop wailing," Jesus said. "She is not dead but asleep." 

53They laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. 54But he took her by the hand and said, "My child, get up!" 55Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat.

I am looking forward to that day when they give Adam something to eat!

Pray

• As Amy requested, pray that Adam's body will be strengthened so that it can fight against infections.
• Pray for Amy. Pray that her faith will remain strong. Pray that Jesus will comfort her, just as He comforted Jairus.
• Pray that God will guide the doctors and nurses as they care for Adam.
• Pray that God would encourage us all, for greater things are yet to come!

At Peace on the Eve of Fasting

This has been a week of many events, conversations, and emotions. Enough so, that many, including myself, are heading into this week's united day of fasting and prayer in a "different state of mind."

I am going to share a bit of my story. Why write about me when this blog is dedicated to Adam? Read on, then draw your own conclusion.

My story begins on Tuesday, May 18th, three days after Adam's accident. I got on WES (commuter train) that morning, sat down, and reached into my backpack to pull out a book to read. As I reached, divine intervention took place. Instead of a book, I pulled out a pad of paper, and God told me to plan a day of fasting and prayer. I wrote down some notes about when, how to notify everybody, and what to tell them. The result was this blog and the very first post.

After the first fast, we switched to Wednesdays. It quickly became a routine. Perhaps too much routine in God's eyes. So, He used my daughter, Adrienne, to shake things up, last week. Read her post, A Call to Battle!!! if you have not already done so. As you can see, her vision led her to believe that this week would be a big week. And desipte Adam's recent setback, there is still some week to go.

A story behind the story is that Adam's aunt, Kimberly, was traveling from Oregon to North Carolina, and was planning to visit Adam for the first time on Monday evening. Her visit would occur near the end of the third day of fasting that some of us were observing as a result of the "call to battle." So, based on Adrienne's vision, and the many prayers lifted during the fast, there was some hope that Kimberly might report some improvement in Adam's condition.

Late Monday afternoon (Pacific Time), Adrienne called me while I was sitll at work. She said that she has just spoken to Kimberly, and that "nothing had happened." Adrienned admitted some discouragement, and since I was at a loss for words to encourage her, our call ended rather quickly.

When I got home last night, I sent an email to my daughters and wife, who were troopers through the three-day fast. Here is a slightly edited version of it:

Earlier this evening, Adrienne called to say that "nothing happened." A short time later, I walked toward the transit center from the office. I veered off course and bought a smoothie to break my fast. I carried it onto the train. 

After a somewhat cloudy day, the sun had come out. As the train took off for Tualatin, I sat by the window, and admired God's beauty while I enjoyed my smoothie. Despite hearing the words, "Nothing happened," I thought about all that has happened over the past month. I was at peace. Perhaps more at peace with God than I have been in a long time — maybe ever.

I thought about that Tuesday train ride where I reached for my book, and instead, got a pad of paper to write down how I would start a blog to encourage people to join a fast for Adam. I thought about people like Jerry Davis and David Tangvold responding to the first day of prayer and fasting. I remembered Hillary saying, "Adrienne really wants a miracle."

I thought about my lovely wife, Gretchen, responding for calls to fast with simple, yet sure words, "I'm in."

I thought about Dimitri, Victoria, Gretchen, and me reading the first "Eve of Fasting" post and crying together.

I thought about my daughters writing heartfelt posts on the blog. I thought about the many people that have said that they are praying for Adam. I thought about three graduation parties where I simply drank water. I thought about my headaches, and wondered how I got off so easily compared to my daughters, who were sick from their fasting.

I thought about Isaac (my grandson) making, and carrying around a banner proclaming "Fasting for Adam." I thought about him "giving up playing."

I thought about Kimberly flying all night to get to North Carolina. What a loyal servant.

I thought about all the prayers that I have been brought to God by Adam's friend, relatives, and people that don't even know him. I thought about those times when I sang along with a worship video on the blog. I thought about kneeling in the parking lot, today, praying with fervor. 

I wondered how many prayers have been brought to God for Adam's healing. I bet it's a big number.

I smiled, took a sip of my smoothie, and thought to myself, "No, Adrienne, a lot has happened."

Can you feel it? Can you feel that your relationship with God has strengthened? We have all stepped out, beyond our comfort zones. We have gone places where we have had to place our trust in God to get us through. We have done things we would not have done without Adam's accident. 

(end of email)

You see, telling my story, is telling part of Adam's story. Look at the impact that his accident is having on people's lives. I don't know why God chose Adam for this. Yet, Adam is ministering to us, while lying in bed in a hospital. My email recounts just a few of the many life-changing events that are taking place because of Adam. If you have some to share, I am sure that we would all be blessed to read them.

I am at peace. I don't know why Adam and his family are going through this crisis. Yet, I figure that if God is changing so many people's lives as a result, He has a grand plan. And, if God is causing changes in our lives, He is surely is in control of Adam's.

Peace to you all.

Numbers 6:26

 ²⁶ the LORD turn his face toward you
       and give you peace.

Prayer Request

Please pray for Adam, today. Read this update from Amy.

All Hands on Deck!

Please stop whatever you are doing, right now, to pray for Adam's healing.

This is the culmination of our three-day period of fasting and prayer. We ask all to join us. After acknowledging God as our Lord and Creator, and asking for forgiveness so that we would be blameless in His sight, here are some suggestions

Thank God for our belief in Him, and ask for forgiveness for our unbelief

Ask God to hear all of the prayers being lifted up to Him on behalf of Adam

Ask God to send the Holy Spirit to be present in Adam's room

Ask God to hear the passionate pleas for Adam's healing
Ask God to hear your prayer

Ask God to fill all in Adam's room with the Holy Spirit

Ask God to provide all in Adam's room with unwaivering faith

Ask God for a miraculous healing of Adam

Give all praise, honor, and glory to God

Blessings to you all!

Please Join Us on Monday

It's not too late

Adrienne posted an urgent request (A Call to Battle!!!) this past Friday. If you have not read it, please read it now.

In her request, Adrienne asked others to join us in a special time of fasting and prayer for Adam. The special fast began on Saturday and continues through Monday. I am posting this to say that it's not to late to join in. We would love to have you fast with us on Monday.

Even if you cannot fast, please unite with us in prayer for Adam's healing on Monday.

Read A Call to Battle!!!

A CALL TO BATTLE!!!!

By Adrienne Terada

I have something very urgent and very important to share with all of you who are uniting in prayer and fasting with us for Adam's complete healing.

Several of us (Adam's family members) feel an incredible sense of urgency to unite in prayer and fasting over this weekend. We feel that God is moving in a big way and he is calling all of us to unite in battle for Adam's healing RIGHT NOW!!!

Just on Wednesday, I wrote (God Will Take Care of Tomorrow) that I felt like my fervor and expectancy in prayer was winding down, but the very next day, God renewed my fervor tenfold! The urgency in my prayers and time with the Lord increased almost instantaneously, so I went for a walk to worship and spend some time with the Lord last night. I went off by myself on a small dirt path at the nature preserve near our house and threw my hands to heaven to worship and plea for Adam. While I was doing that, God gave me a very clear, powerful vision that I feel like God wanted me to share with all of you.

This is how it looked...

As I looked toward heaven, I saw an enormous battalion of angels marching in unison to go to battle for Adam's healing, with weapons in hand, singing praises to the Lord. I thought it was very powerful and I could feel the presence of the angels. Then I closed my eyes, and God gave me a very clear vision of another battalion. It was all of us-Adam's friends and family members and others that are uniting in prayer and fasting with us. Some of the faces I recognized and some I did not, but we were all marching in unison right behind the angels singing praises to the Lord and going to battle for Adam. Some were playing the drums, some were playing trumpets, and some were singing, but we all had our Bibles in our arms as our weapon.

My vision was so powerful that I began weeping as I started to march down the path-weeping in joy that God loves Adam that much, that God was so gracious to give me this vision, that God was so faithful to draw me close to Him, that God is using me in this battle, that God is using all of you in this battle, that Adam has so many people willing to go to battle with him. The following was the song that I was listening to when the vision came to me. I would be thrilled if all of you could feel some of the power, awe, and joy I felt last night, so close your eyes and imagine all of us marching to battle.

• Pray that God would reveal Himself to you
• Pray about what God is calling you to do this weekend to join in this battle
• Pray and ask God for Adam's complete healing and that he would awake and arise

Do you feel the call to go to battle? I have a request to make of all of you who do. I believe it will be powerful if we know who is uniting in prayer and fasting with us this weekend. If you are joining us in any form this weekend, whether it is a full water fast, a one-day fast, a three-day fast, a partial fast of some sort, such as a liquid fast, or fast from TV, or just uniting with us in prayer, please leave some sort of comment on this post. If you are only doing a one-day fast, do it on Monday. You do not need to tell us what type of fast you are doing or even your name (though names would be great), just sign in anonymously to tell us you are joining us and maybe the city you are from, or how you know Adam, or who you know that knows Adam. There is power in corporate fasting and prayer!

Just one more thing before I sign off. If you want to join us for fasting and prayer this weekend, but have never given your life to Jesus, and long for Him and the eternal life that He gives freely, you can pray this prayer to ask Him to sit on the throne in your life.

Lord,

I am a sinner. I am in need of forgiveness. I ask forgiveness for all of my sin. I repent and turn from my sin. I recognize that I need you in my life. I believe that Jesus is the Son of the one true God, and that he died on the cross and rose again on the third day to save me from sin. I believe Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. I am nothing without You, but I am alive in You. I give my whole heart and life to You-my Savior. Be glorified in my life.

In Jesus' name I pray,
Amen

Dinner: God will take care of tomorrow

By Adrienne Terada

Well our fourth day of prayer and fasting is winding down, and if you are like me, you may feel like your fervor and expectancy in prayer is winding down too. The distractions of all that has to be done in your own life-the stress of deadlines, finances, and even just daily chores, the worries of parenting decisions, your own health ailments that seem to be getting worse, etc-are all wearing you down. The worry over what tomorrow will bring and what needs to get done for tomorrow may be keeping you from true worship, true fellowship with the Lord, and heartfelt prayer.

I can't help but wonder if this is why God has allowed this tragic event to happen. To get all of us to WAKE UP! He wants us to live in faith, seeking Him whole-heartedly every day of our lives, not just when we experience a tragedy or when trouble that we can't handle on our own comes our way. He wants it every day! I urge you to recommit yourself this evening to devoting your time, energy, and your life to God. Leave your worries at Jesus' feet. Rest in His presence.

Meditate on this verse:

Matthew 6:34
God will take care of your tomorrow. Live one day at a time.

Think how different our lives would be if we truly held on to this scripture and only walked one step at a time in life, not giving thought to all the things tomorrow brings. I crave for this in my life right now. I want the peace that comes from a worry-free life, and I pray that all of you will find that today.


To Pray For:

• Pray that Adam's family will be able to live one day at a time and not be overwhelmed by what this journey may bring tomorrow.
• Pray for God's provision for all of the financial expenses that Adam and his family are incurring during this season (and that they would not worry about it, but trust God).
• Pray for unification and peace among all the family members, as they are going through a very emotionally and physically exhausting journey.
• Pray for unsaved family members and friends to come to Christ and worship Him.
• Pray for Adam's complete healing.

As I put on one of my posts a couple of weeks ago, strive for a true meeting with God tonight. I am certain that not all of you followed my instructions last week to turn this up, raise your hands to God, and sing this as a sincere prayer offering, so I am giving you another chance.

Mid Afternoon - Midst of a Miracle

In the Midst of a Miracle

"Why doesn't God perform a miracle?"

"If I could see God's miracles, my faith would be strengthened."

"I would believe in God if I saw a miracle."

"Does God really perform miracles anymore, or was that just in Biblical times?"

Perhaps you have heard people speak these words. Maybe you have said or thought them yourself. At various times in my life, I have entertained these thoughts.

My sense is that some of us thought that one day of fasting and prayer was all that was needed to invoke a miraculous healing. Our thinking goes like this, "OK, we went without food for a day, and prayed more than usual, heal Adam so we can get on with our lives."

Our thoughts are not always admirable. Perhaps we want Adam healed quickly, so we don't have to interupt our lives with hunger and all that praying. Yikes, perhaps that it precisely what God wants!

Folks, it isn't about you and me. It's not about Adam, either. It's about God. He will perform His miracles His way, in His timing. And, maybe, just maybe, He is waiting for you or me to get our attitude right toward prayer and fasting beffore he completes His healing.

We have much to be hopeful about, and much to be thankful for. We should be joyfully offering our prayers to God.

Take a few minutes, this afternoon, to consider that we are in the midst of a miracle. During our first day of prayer and fasting (May 20th), the outlook for Adam was bleak. His very survival was at stake. Here we are, three weeks later, and Adam is alive! That, my friends, is a miracle!

Not only is Adam alive, but he is no longer in the hospital. Yesterday, he was moved to a rehab center. Not only that, he held Amy in his arms (see God's Timing is Always Perfect)! What doctor offered that outlook three weeks ago?

It may not be the instant healing that our "microwave society" wants, but I believe that we are in the midst of a healing miracle. Praise God! Now, we must continue with our prayers. We must continue to petition God on Adam's behalf. For not only is God healing Adam's brain and body, but He may be healing some of our hearts and souls. And, speaking for myself, there may be more damage there that needs repairing.

A Prayer

Thank you, Lord, for all of the healing that you done in Adam's body. Thank you for hearing our prayers, and by answering our requests.

Thank you, God, for your endless grace. Thank you for allowing us to ask for, and now be a witness to, a miraculous healing process. You are great, indeed!

Lord, I acknowledge that although I am not a patient in a medical facility, I, too, need healing. I need a healing of my heart and a healing of my soul. Dear Father, I ask that you would make me pure in Your sight. Please wash away my sins.

Thank you, God, for loving me. Thank you God for loving Adam. Thank you, God, for sending the Holy Spirit to minister to Adam.

Lord, I pray that you would overcome both Adam's injuries, and my doubts, with the power of Your love.

Amen.



1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Mid Morning

Ezra 8:21-23

There, by the Ahava Canal, I proclaimed a fast, so that we might humble ourselves before our God and ask him for a safe journey for us and our children, with all our possessions.  I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to protect us from enemies on the road, because we had told the king, "The gracious hand of our God is on everyone who looks to him, but his great anger is against all who forsake him." So we fasted and petitioned our God about this, and he answered our prayer.

Answer to prayer. That's what Ezra sought, and it is what we should be seeking. It is possible to fast without praying. Let's avoid that pitfall. Let's make sure that we use this day of fasting for passionate prayer. Let's not be timid. Let's shout to the Lord.

Before we ask for anything, let's praise God. Let's thank God. 

The day is still young. For many, real hunger has not yet been an issue. Still, we probably notice that our stomachs are not full. As hunger pangs begin (or increase), use those as reminders to turn to God in prayer.

During this mid-morning break, be sure to devote some of your prayer time to Adam's family. His wife, Amy, provided us with specific prayer requests in her Monday evening blog, Praises and Prayers. Let's all include her request as we lift up close family members in our mid-morning prayers.

God answered Ezra's prayers. Surely He will answer ours.

Breakfast

Get Up and Get focused

Good morning! As we start our day of fasting, let's be certain of what we are doing.

Fasting is a voluntary decision to abstain from eating food for a spiritual purpose. One of those spiritual purposes is a crisis. Adam Root's motorcycle accident and serious injuries qualify as a crisis. A decision to fast tells the Lord that we serious, just as Jehosaphat was when the enemy army was approaching.

2 Chronicles 20:2-4

Some men came and told Jehoshaphat, "A vast army is coming against you from Edom, from the other side of the Sea. It is already in Hazazon Tamar" (that is, En Gedi). ³ Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the LORD, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. ⁴ The people of Judah came together to seek help from the LORD; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him.

We are uniting in fasting and prayer from towns all across the country (perhaps beyond). We are seeking God, pleading with Him to hear our prayers. Our mission, today, is to lift up Adam Root to God. Ask Him to send the Holy Spirit to lay His healing hands on Adam.

A prayer

Dear Lord, we lift up to you, Adam Root; husband of Amy Root; son of Jack and Cookie Root; and brother of Ben, Brad, and Tristan; who is recovering in WakeMed Traumatic Brain Injury Neuro Care Rehab Unit in Raleigh, North Carolina. Lord, we thank you for sparing Adams' life. We thank you for the amazing progress that he has made. 

We come to you, Father, with our requests for your continued healing. We ask that you would send the Holy Spirit to lay His healing hands upon Adam. We ask that you would supernaturally restore the tissue in Adam's brain. We ask that you would mend injuries to his bones, muscles, and other parts of his body.

Lord, we ask that you give Adam's body the strength to fight off fevers and infections. We ask that you would maintain his heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, and other vital functions at normal levels.

Father, we ask that you would restore Adam to consciousness.

God, we ask that you would guide and direct the staff that is caring for Adam. Provide them with wisdom and discernment as they care for Adam.

Lord, be with Adam's family as they anxiously wait for that time when Adam will be able to talk and laugh with them. Provide them with strength and perseverance. Please provide them with the peace which passes all human understanding.

Dear God, as friends and family of Adam Root fast and pray, today,  it is our desire that we honor You.

Amen.

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.