Day 32 -isms

Guide Sarah as she experiences racism from a minority viewpoint and machismo from a Latin American viewpoint.

"Is this not the kind of fasting I have chosen:
to loose the chains of injustice
and untie the cords of the yoke,
to set free the oppressed
and break every yoke?

"Is it not to share your food with the hungry
and provide the poor wanderer with shelter--
when you see the naked, to clothe him,
and not turn away from your own flesh and blood?

"Then your light will break forth like the dawn...
and you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls,
Restorer of Streets with Dwellings."
Isaiah 58, selected

Day 30 Follow Him Well

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;

all who follow his percepts have good understanding.

To him belongs eternal praise!"

Psalm 111:10

Day 29 Stand your Ground

"Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

"Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

"Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all of the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God.

"And pray in the Spirit continuously, cover everything with prayers and requests--and be alert always."

Ephesians 5:10-18 selected

Day 27 Fire!

"I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as day and night I constantly remember you in my prayers....I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of hands."

2 Timothy 1:3-5





Day 26 Unsightly Gifts

"God has composed the body so that greater dignity is given to the parts which were without it, and so that there may not be disagreements inside the body but that each part may be equally concerned for all the others." 1 Corinthians 12:24-25

We often think of the gift of salvation or the gifts of the Spirit when we think of "gifts" as Jesus followers--and these are unparalled gifts! Seeing people who are poor as the "gifts" of a personal call from You is a spiritual journey....Help Sarah step out further into discovering her "gifts" this year.

Day 25 Revolution

It's time for change.
I am not be gripped by the world's warped mindset.
I am being transformed by Jesus Christ
and my thoughts and actions are subject to
a higher standard.
I can't change the past,
but I will make a difference today.
In God's power I will
be a revolution.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ, and gave us the minstry of reconciliation."
 2 Corinthians 5:17

Day 24 Transition Week

On Thursday, Sarah travels eight hours by bus from Leon to Managua. Pray for safety and for her health as she's had a cold for a week and now also has the flu--pray that she will be well recovered and healthy beforehand. Next week her daily work will turn to her task for the next year. God, give Sarah your power as she moves forward this week.

May God bless you with discomfort
at easy answers, half truths and superficial relationships
so that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger
at injustice, oppression and exploitation of people
so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.
May God bless you with tears
to shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger and war
so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and
to turn their pain into joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness
to believe that you can make a difference in the world
so that you can do what others claim cannot be done
to bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor. Amen.