Decided...

Just thought I'd share a piece of correspondence I sent to some friends and family on election day, 2008:

Tuesday 11/4
We had a line of 20 people at 7am in our tiny little town of Mitchell!

I was #2, my husband was #3 - I voted using the electronic machine - first one of the day - and it didn't work. At least it malfunctioned on the first vote of the day so no other voters were effected! Praise God! They let me vote again on a paper ballot. And I got my "I Voted!" sticker so, if I were so inclined I could get my free Starbucks and my free crispy creme!

My husband is very disappointed that I voted Republican ... he is hoping my electronic voting debacle will somehow cause my vote to be invalid. He'll have to get over it. I'm asking God to reveal Himself and His truth to him so that he will not despair if McCain wins. Despair is not too strong a word for this. It is a literal emotion and state of mind that many have regarding the outcome of the election. He has his hope in Obama's economic policy promises and is convinced that without him our nation will sink into deep economic depression. (Is that something that one particular presidential candidate can ward off?) He does not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ yet so, he has nothing to base his faith on but a vague Unitarian type of higher power. I would not want to be in his shoes during times like these.

Normally, fasting is thought of as a private thing but, we are in a time and season that corporate fasting is necessary. We need to communicate this to one another, spurring one another on to love and good deeds! I've been on a "Daniel fast" for the past 40 days (no rich foods, I abstained from meat, sugar/sweets, yeast breads, eating only veggies, fruit and dairy products, limiting beverage choices to water or green tea, while seeking Christ's heart, mind and direction). I broke my fast this morning after I voted with a cup of strong black coffee and 2 home made chocolate chip cookies. (I think I've shocked my system! That will be it for today ... back to vegetables, fruit and cottage cheese for me... I'll reintroduce meat in a couple of days.) If you do not already practice the discipline of fasting, I'd like to encourage you to set aside blocks of time to fast and seek the Lord personally. I'd also like to encourage you to suggest a corporate fast together with your prayer partners or Bible study groups. This is a significant discipline that was practiced regularly in both the old and new testaments. It is still widely practiced in many cultures other than our affluent American one. It's about humility, overcoming the flesh and aligning yourself with our Lord's will. It is a form of prayer that will individually and/or corporately strengthen your spiritual muscles, accelerate your spiritual growth, and clarify your heavenly perspective.

Today I have confident peace regarding the vote I cast and a continuing sense of the need to pray throughout the next 2 weeks as the vote is being counted and indefinitely for those who have their hope anywhere other than in Christ.

Regardless of the results of today's election, God is in charge. Our hope is in Him alone - not a president or a party or a policy - and He is able to keep His own. He wants us to be ambassadors for Him in the darkness of our times and seasons. He will provide what we need to bring Him glory in the eyes of those who have yet to be introduced to Him and be given the opportunity to humble themselves before Him while it is still DAY.

The following scriptures have become very significant to me as I've prayed over the past weeks. I'm impressed more and more that our focus and trust need to be in Christ and His purposes for us in this earth and that He desires to use us as salt and light and as a witness to the wicked who will have no peace or provision or hope and will be eternally lost without Him.
(Look at these verses in different translations to get a broader understanding of what is being said.)
John 15:16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. 17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.

2 Corinthians 9:6 6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: 9 (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. 10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;) 11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.
12 For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; 13 Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men; 14 And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you. 15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

Psalms 37:25 I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread.

Just thought I'd share these with you as well. Be encouraged! Keep the faith!