Days 31-40

Day 31:

I woke up and prayed a bit ago. I spent about 30 minutes in prayer. Praying for my trip, life and things in general energized me and prepared me for the day.

A few hours before I woke up, I check the television a few times, just to see if the election had been decided. The votes in Florida still haven't been recounted. They are recounting them slowly and accurately and should be done by tomorrow. It's really interesting that things are taking so long. I wonder what is happening in the spiritual world. If I had to guess, I'd say that the forces of evil want Al Gore and God is ready to implement His will. However, the praying Christians are wanting George W. Bush, so God is considering having mercy on the United States and letting them have a more godly president. Although we don't know the outcome, I'm sure God already does. I could lose myself thinking about the phenomenal and supernatural things revolving around this election. However, I'll simply pray for Bush and against Gore as often as I can. I still believe Bush will win unless God has other plans. There are instances of God "giving people over to their lusts." Hopefully, this won't happen in the man of Al Gore.

I did some work on the web today and last night. I put the devotions on the internet, from the last couple weeks, did some web maintenance and sent the devotions in Spanish.

I had a dream last night and I just remembered it. I called Bethel Seminary, finally spoke to a human (not a machine) and ordered a catalog and admissions packet. I want to finish my Master's degree at their Seminary.

When I called, I remembered I had dreamed about living in the San Diego State University area. I lived there for 5 years and that is where the Seminary is located. I was telling someone that I liked living there because it was so central to everything. It was a half hour to Oceanside, 20-30 minutes from the beach, etc. I wish I remembered more details of this dream, but I don't. I've talked to my Dad about moving to San Diego, but haven't really planned to do it. There are many reasons I'm staying in Oceanside, besides simply liking it here. I won't list all the reasons, but there are a lot.

It's 12:25pm, so I'm going to get ready to leave! This trip will be awesome. Woohoo! I'm sure God will reveal lots of awesome things to me and ideas for next week's devotions. For some reason, Caedmon's Call's albums inspire my thinking. The words on some of the songs are very deep, so deep that I don't even understand all of them. I can usually hear them in context and understand the meaning, though. It's great to let my mind wander as I drive the open roads!

I'll bring my laptop, so I can type in my journal and do ministry work on the web. My hotel will have a phone, so I will hook up the internet in Kingman. Last time, I had to unscrew the telephone, so I could attach my modem to the hardwired phone! It was fun and I felt like McGyver. Haha.

It's 10:08 PST and 11:08 here. I'm in Kingman, Arizona, in the motel room. I had a great drive! God showed me many things, so I wrote them down. I won't list everything here. Some of the things will be in this week's quotes. Some things will simply be done, written or on my "to do" list. Praise the Lord for the fresh direction.

As I drove, I saw two falling stars. It was awesome because they were right in front of me and fell for a long way. When I see shooting stars, I say a prayer and I don't make a wish. I don't think there's anything magical about the timing of this prayer, I just like to pray and it reminds me to do so.

When I saw the first star, I prayed that my aunt and I would reconcile our relationship. Her and I haven't spoken since I told her I disagreed with Benny Hinn's teachings and integrity. She is in her 70's and lives in Florida. I've been meaning to send her a letter and bury the hatchet. Actually, I remember writing her a letter and putting it in an envelope, but I don't think I ever sent it. Perhaps I did send it! Wow, I really can't remember. I suppose I should give her a call. I'll put that on my list of things to do.

I prayed for my future when I saw the second falling star. I prayed that I could get a teaching job at SFC and that God would bless my ministry. I'm very content with my ministry, so after I prayed about a job, God reminded me of that and wanted me to ask for plenty of financial help while I minister on the web. The future is in God's hands and I'm satisfied. I'll just keep working hard and see what happens. The best job is one where I can spend the most time with God. Of course, being self-employed is an excellent way to do this.

Apparently, I was in this motel on 5-7-00. I knew I had been here, I just wasn't sure when it was. It was interesting to see this same man and the card I signed. I remember that trip to the Grand Canyon. This time, Roger (the man who runs the place) gave my room to someone else because I was late. Fortunately, he had another room for me. It's taking a little while to get warm and the refrigerator is taking a little while to get cold, but I'll be all right. The phone isn't hardwired into the wall, so I didn't have to take apart the telephone. However, there isn't a local AOL number in Kingman, so I can only be on the web for a few minutes each day. I have to call their 800 number and they charge .06 cents a minute.

It feels really good to lie on this bed and relax! It's a large bed (king or queen). Ahhhh.

I'm looking forward to seeing the GC, tomorrow! I know it will be awesome. The forecast has changed and it doesn't supposed to snow until Friday. Therefore, I probably won't get any snow. There may be some on the ground, already, though. I have about 2-3 more hours of driving to go. I'm getting a wake up call at 10am, so I won't sleep the whole day away.

I have my guitar here and I'm going to play before bed. I have to keep my commitment to play each day! It's really not a chore, it's just a little hard to get into a new habit. I'm sure it will be very rewarding and fun!

I'm not talking about everything God showed me on the drive and I think it's because my mind simply needs a rest. It's a deep time of revelation and conversation, so it feels good to rest my head, now. I'm glad I wrote so many things down (over a page).

I need to write a couple letters for my soccer kids. We start on Monday! I just found that, today. I'll write a letter to the parents and I already have some ideas for it. I'm glad I got the news before I left on this trip. I will have plenty of time to think, pray and plan.

The Presidential Election. It's an awesome thing that's happening. There is a recount in Florida, but it may not end there. If that sentence sounded dramatic, it's because all the news channels are dramatizing the situation.

Allegedly, voters in West Palm Beach, Florida have checked the wrong box and accidentally voted for Pat Buchanan. This sounds silly to me. There are defenses to both sides of this argument: should they be allowed to vote again? They would need a judge to allow them to do so. Right now, there's simply a recount.

I find it very interesting that I'll be at the Grand Canyon, literally, when the recount is finished and announced! It will be known to the world at 5pm EST, which is 3pm Arizona time. God has blessed me with discernment, so I'm wondering if I will be able to discern who won by the spiritual rejoicing. If Gore wins, I'm sure the demons will rejoice - there will be thousands more abortions, more gay rights, etc. If Bush wins, I'm sure the angels will rejoice - there will be thousands of lives saved, more God-fearing laws, less liberal influence, etc.

I'm sure I'm supposed to be praying for Bush, so I will do that. I have been and it's been fun. I'm excited to see what God wants. Tomorrow night, I'll try and stop by a gas station or somewhere on the way to the hotel and find who won. I'm not saying Gore or Bush will win because I don't know. I'm learning that God wants us to have faith much more often than He gives us specific answers about the future. He is definitely not a crystal ball.

I was pondering on this concept on the road. Imagine if God gave us specific answers on any future subject. Wouldn't that make life boring? We'd be asking Him questions all day and night. After getting hundreds of answers, it would leave no mystery or excitement in life. Everything will be planned and known. I don't think I like that idea very much.

Before I got on the freeway, my truck was making some weird noises. I had never heard noises like that before. I prayed that it would go away. Nonetheless, my heart rate was accelerated. It was very odd. After I got on the freeway, I realized it was demonic and the powers of darkness were trying to worry me and cause me to stay home.

I pray my truck runs perfectly. I put some anti-freeze in the truck before I left. It was low and it may have had problems in the cold weather. Some oil was added to it a few days ago.

I experienced a little nausea, today. I'm not sure what the cause was. It was early in the trip. It may have been spiritual warfare. I'm sure there's many spiritual reasons for the earthly things we see and experience. It also could have been from the exhaust on the freeway.

I made a bunch of stops. Places like Needles, East Barstow, Wildomar (I didn't stop here, I just had to say that name. Try it. Wildomar!). So far, so good.

Day 32:

Well, today was the big day! I saw the Grand Canyon! Woohoo!

I got there around 3pm and left about 6:30pm. Since I've been there many times, this was plenty of time for me. Of course, I could have stayed there for days, but I have to tell myself what God told me when I left the canyon a few years ago: "There's more blessings right around the corner!" It's such an awesome place, anyone would be a little disappointed to be leaving.

I wrote some songs and poems! I wrote the song from the woman's perspective, a song about roommates and one about a tumbleweed. Interesting stuff, huh?! Here they are:

This Is It

11-9-00

Grand Canyon

Verse 1:

Can do God's will and make her whole

She sees the hate and feels the pain

On this merry-go-round of selfish gain

She shakes her head and keeps on walking

Hoping God will keep listening and talking

Chorus 1:

But Lisa's done this before

She's thrown herself on the floor

And cried,

Why is the world like this, Lord?

Is this the best you've got?

We have one chance to live here, Lord

I wish we could give it another shot

Verse 2:

Corruption, drugs, pollution and crime,

Doesn't anyone know the time?

It's time to love, time to forgive

Time to run and humbly live

With the Lord our God

Calming herself she closes her eyes

Remembering her purpose

Is to run for the prize

She's got it all, but still wants more

Christ is her God

And He's picked her up off the floor

Complacency isn't the issue

She's hard at work and not slowing down

But the voices of the world

Are an unpleasant sound

Chorus 2:

And Lisa's felt this way before

She's past trying to settle the score

She just wants to know,

Why is the world like this, Lord?

Is this the best you've got?

We have one chance to live here, Lord

I wish we could give it another shot

Addiction, pornography, war and disease

Everyone doing what they please

We've needed more of You

Faithfully telling us what to do

Because we're so deaf and blind

Verse 3:

Love, joy, kindness and peace

That's what Heaven will be

It'll be mine forever and

No one can steal it from me

Purity, perfection, truth and gentleness

I can almost see it now!

It will be ours for eternity

To You we'll bow

And won't worry about humanity

Chorus 3:

Lisa's never felt this way before!

She's never seen through the open door

So she screams with joy,

Here it is!

The place I wanted on Earth

She finally appreciates

What Heaven is worth

My dreams have come true

The evil is gone

I'm here with You

And I'm singing a song,

Holy, Holy, Holy is our God!

Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord on High!

Holy, Holy, Holy is our God!

Holy, Holy, Holy is the King of the Sky!

Roommates Song

11-9-00

Grand Canyon

Verse 1

Say hi to the guys who live with you

Who know you sit around with nothing to do

They see your dirty room and don't bug you about it

They don't care if you lay down, stand or sit

Chorus 1

They're your roommates

They know you're wearing dirty underwear

They saw you spill your juice and they don't really care

They're your roommates

These guys eat your food when you're not lookin'

"Hey, um, whatcha cookin?"

They're your roommates, roommates, Yeah!

These guys know you're weird and they're weird, too

And they're always lookin' for somethin' to do

Love these guys, they're all ya got

What would you do if one got shot?

You'd loan him a sweater

They're your roommates, trudging down the road of life

Wondering if they'll ever find a wife

They're your roommates, and they opened up your mail

You ask them about it, and they go on a rabbit trail

They're your roommates, roommates, Yeah!

Bridge

There comes a time, when the bathroom must be cleaned

"Hey, pick up that towel!"

In due time, it'll all be good

"Hey, let's go find a spotted owl!"

They're your roommates, "Did you borrow my hat?"

"I haven't seen it, but what happened to the cat?"

They're your roommates, "Watch me hit my hand with a hammer."

"Not a good idea. Hey! Did I stammer?! Owww!"

Never Wrong

11-9-00

Grand Canyon

I'd be a tumbleweed

Dead and blown by the wind

I would go

Where the wind would blow

I'd be a tumbleweed

Spinning out of control

I don't know about you,

But I rather be His!

I have security and life

I stand on a Rock

And grow like a tree

I'm safe and strong

Because His Word

Is never wrong.

Amen.

The sunset was incredible! I was at the South Rim, which faces North, so the sunset in the West and I wasn't facing it. There were a couple clouds over the canyon and the setting sun was casting some shadows on the alluvial fans. There were awesome reds, blues and yellows. I've never seen that canyon like that before. I took some pictures and I hope they came out.

It was very cold; probably 35-40 degrees. There was a little snow on the sides of the road, but not much and it wasn't going to snow, today. The forecast did call for snow, tomorrow, but I'm not sure if it stuck. I wore a heavy jacket, gloves, a ski cap and even flipped my collar up so the cold wind wouldn't freeze my neck. It was fine because I always got warm within a couple minutes of sitting in my truck with the heat on. Praise God.

I went to their gift shop and got a couple things. The 2001 calendar is beautiful! I'll get to see a different picture each month - ok, that was obvious.

Um, the presidential election is still up in the air. I prayed very fervently about it and asked for Bush to win, Gore to lose, Lieberman to lose, Cheney to win, honor to be restored to the white house, godliness for the U.S., a change of heart and policy for Gore, etc. It was exciting to pray for these things because I've never prayed for them and I've never prayed for them like this. I didn't feel any spiritual rejoicing over the election and rightly so. Nothing has been decided. For some reason, there is one precinct that hasn't reported the recounting of the votes. Otherwise, Bush is ahead by 229 votes. Wow, that is close! I pray he wins. We should probably know the count, tomorrow, but there are more factors, now.

Some people are saying they got confused with the ballot and want to revote. First, the word "revote" isn't even a word. Next, anyone with one eyeball, a pen and a knowledge of the English language should have been able to fill out the ballot without a problem. They showed the ballot on television (I think they show it every hour, on the hour) and it looked very simple. Nonetheless, people are debating what will happen next. I think it would set a poor precedent if we see lawsuits or voting again. Would this mean that every close election will receive lawsuits, red tape and people getting a second chance to vote? Several other states were very close, so do we recount those votes and give their voters another chance to vote if they were confused about the ballot? I hope this is over smoothly and swiftly. The news is saying that other countries are making fun of the U.S. They probably are and it's humorous that the most powerful leader of the free world will be decided by a bunch of people counting ballots (who miscounted them, severely, the first time). I suppose it's fitting since everything but God is imperfect in this world.

While talking to God about this election, this is what I heard. First, I don't think God always gives direct answers (like I was saying, yesterday), however, I did hear Him answer me like this: it won't end how you want it to end, but he will win. The first part has already come true because I wanted it to be settled by the time I got to the motel. I wonder when the second half will come true.

I just turned the TV on CNN and they're still talking about the situation. This is a historic situation and I wonder if it will change our voting system. Perhaps the counting method could be improved. Anyone could get confused, over anything, but it could be simplified with computers (I think).

I had some apple juice this morning and some grape juice, tonight. I also drank a cup of broth. I've had some water and diet, caffeine free soda, today. It sounds like a typical day! I'm looking forward to the next few days of fasting and breaking the fast on the 18^th!

It has been an awesome journey. I read through my reasons for fasting. I had several questions and things I wanted to do and God has answered most of them and allowed me to do many things, too. It's been fantastic. "The grass is always greener on the other side." I'm sure I'll wish I was fasting after a few days of eating. Probably. Haha.

I was reading about breaking the fast and found an interesting story in 1 Kings 13. There was a man who believed a lie, from a prophet of God, quit his fast early and was killed by a lion the next day! Wow! There's inspiration for me to continue fasting until the end! Haha. I'm very determined and I know I can do it with God's help. I do rely on Him all the time, though. I am tempted to eat and I know it is within my ability, like turning the stones to bread was within Jesus' ability. However, I won't eat because I've promised God I will fast for 40 days. There are still more things to learn, too.

Yesterday and today, I could feel my body getting a little more tired than usual. I felt like I needed a nap, today, around 7-8pm. I fought the sleepiness and won. It makes sense that my body is beginning to get weary. I haven't eaten anything in a month! It's amazing to stop and think about it. I'm so glad I followed God's prompting! Not a lot of people do 40 day fasts. I'm not sure if that is because they are not called or they do not answer. I felt the calling to do this once or twice before, so I knew I should do it now. This turned out to be a perfect time, too. I needed spiritual intervention for many reasons. I needed answers and help from God and He gave it all to me!

I pray that we find the right bassist for our group, soon. Today, my ad ran in the Reader newspaper. I'm anticipating many calls and some auditions. This is an exciting time! A great bassist can add a lot to a band. Hopefully, he will be talented, godly, willing to practice and contribute ideas. God has given me many other important things on this fast, so I don't see why He would keep this from me. He actually revealed to me that I shouldn't get a drummer, yet, but should seek a bassist. This is what I'm doing.

It's 1:18am here and 12:18am in San Diego. I'm getting sleepy, so I'm going to start ending this entry.

I heard some great music, today. I only listen to Christian music. These artists encouraged me: Luna Halo, Jennifer Knapp, U2, Delirious, Switchfoot, Pete Stewart and Sixpence.

Day 33:

Well, well...it's Day 33. Hello!

It's 11:05am, here. I've been up for an hour or two. I woke up in the middle of the night and checked CNN. Bush leads gore by 327 votes, in Florida, after all the votes have been recounted. Now, we're waiting until next Friday to receive and count all the absentee ballots. Florida law allows 10 days for the absentee ballots to reach the voting offices because they have many military personnel and they can't always be expected to return to ballots on time. Therefore, we probably won't know the official winner for a week. Hopefully, there won't be any lengthy or ugly lawsuits. Bush's campaign wants Gore to throw in the towel. Gore wants Bush's campaign to wait. Both camps have very different opinions and viewpoints and what to do next.

CNN had people ask random people if they could understand the ballot used in Palm Beach, Florida and they understood it perfectly. This would lend to the conclusion they shouldn't vote again or get any special privileges for making errors on the original ballot. They could have gotten a new ballot at the time of their vote, but they didn't. They could have asked for help, but they didn't.

I had an awesome, complicated dream last night. I can't remember it, though! I woke up a few hours ago and was starting to recall it, but I fell asleep. I almost wrote it down, but I didn't. Sorry. Haha.

I need to shower, pack my things and hit the road. I have a six hour drive. There is no rush, but I don't want to take advantage of my motel situation. I'm sure checkout is 12 or 1 or something. It's been a great adventure and I know there are several more hours to go! I pray I don't hit any traffic. I'll take a less populated route.

It's 8:38pm and I'm home! It was an awesome trip. The drive home was exciting, too. I wrote tons of things that God revealed to me. Some were things for my ministry, some were for life and changes I need to make. It's great to get away and get with God.

I saw some beautiful scenes. One of them was some mountains with a splattering of snow. They were between Victorville and San Bernardino. There were some low clouds at the mountain tops and a hole through the clouds. Through this hole, the sun shined brightly! It was an awesome sight, so I took a picture.

Another great sight was the moon rise. It rose on my left as the sun was setting. There were a couple clouds below it, when it caught my eye. There were awesome reds and blues in the sky. I hope my camera captured that picture, too.

I made several stops. Traveling is great and I always feel very confident. At the pit stops, I know my routine - throw away a few things, get a drink, get gas and go to the bathroom, basically. I checked the fluids and added some oil, anti-freeze and water, also. It feels good to know what to do.

I'll be typing the things I learned. They'll be in my quotes. You can read them in this week's devotions.

My truck began overheating at one point. It has never done this before, but I think God was trying to get my attention. I pulled over quickly and opened the hood. I let it cool for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, I read God's Chosen Fast. It was interesting how God got my attention. I really enjoyed the break and time spent with Him.

The elections still aren't finished. Everyone seems to have an opinion and everyone seems to be getting tired of not knowing who won the election. I think I'll watch less and less of this banter. I'll also stop writing about it so much. If something interesting or awesome happens, I'll make sure to write about it, though.

I need to do a bunch of things before I sleep - read the Bible, play some guitar, pray, etc. My garage sale is tomorrow morning, so I need to rest. Thanks for reading and God bless.

Day 34:

Today was beyond words! It was magnificent. Praise God for all the good things.

I woke up at 4:30am! Yes, you read that right. I had to get things ready for the garage sale. I packed my truck, made and hung signs and set everything outside the garage.

For the first hour, I only had one person come! I was amazed, but I decided to read the Bible. I was reading in the Psalms from 100-104. Very good stuff.

Incidentally, while I was reading the Psalms, a car pulled up and it had four older people in it. One lady got out and walked up to me. She gave me a Watchtower magazine. Therefore, I knew she was a Jehovah's Witness and I knew what they believed. I returned it to her and began talking about the false teachings of her church. She walked back to her car, so I followed and began talking to the driver.

I asked her if they all were JW's and she said yes. I asked how they could get into that church. Two were raised in it and two are ex-Catholics. Interesting. After a couple minutes of talking about the wrongness of only 144,000 people going to Heaven, she said she needed to leave and she did. Beforehand, I told her I was a minister and gave her my web site. Hopefully, she'll visit my site and learn about the true gospel.

I prayed that people would come and they did! Lots of them were neighbors. I made around $175. I was hoping for $2-300, but I am content. I'll need to sell more things at the swap meet. It'll be another interesting experience.

I was tired when it was over, so I took a truck load of things home. I spent some time on the web, then went to the beach. I saw the sunset!

It was awesome to relax and watch the sun go down! There were some awesome colors and clouds, too. A bird flew right through the setting sun! I've never seen one fly across the sun and be so close to me. I've seen it happen when the bird was much further away from me, though.

I listened to some great music and sang. It was so fun! I prayed for energy and I received it! I left the beach feeling totally energized and ready to unload my truck and put everything in the garage. So I did it. It looks great, now.

It's 1:23am, now, too! I never thought I could make it this late on such little sleep. Another "God-thing."

I sent the gospel, tonight. I send it on the 11^th of every month. Praise God that I get the chance to share the awesome gospel of God to over 5,000 people! This is such a privilege and a responsibility.

Since there are so many recipients, the message must be sent six times. After the first time, my computer froze and I had to reboot. I prayed and asked Sarine to pray and I had no further problems. I'm positive the demons hate the gospel to enter people's mailboxes. They must hate it a lot.

Right before I sent it, I actually thought I may have a disease! It was really odd. For several minutes, I researched a particular disease and feared that I may have it. I countered those feelings with prayer and some right thinking. The demons went away. There were other distractions, too (as always). I had to persevere and continue my work. Everyone got the gospel! Praise the Lord.

One person began sending me instant messages and wanted to know my view of God. She is a "Oneness Pentacostal" from the "United Pentacostal Church." I have researched their movement quite a bit. Some consider them a cult. They have very distorted view on the trinity and other things. This person (I think it was a woman) was adamant about her view and church. I was strong about the truth. I sent her a couple web sites where she could learn about both sides of the argument. She resented the first site and claimed she's read it.

I was thankful that I had researched this movement, already. Praise the Lord! I've had other people talk to me that are from their church, so I had to research it and understand it in order to know it's wrong and know how to respond. I have a great site on my "World Religions, Cults, Sects and Movements" page. I hope she read it because it is very plain and obvious about the truth.

Today has been a day with lots of joy! I'm not sure why - it's just supernatural. I was smiling, laughing and dancing in the shower. I was singing, too. I've been happy for most of the day. It hasn't been an easy day, but I'm glad I've relied on God when I've been weak and tired. He lifts me up really well! Perhaps there were godly people praying for me, today.

I stretched my back, arms and shoulders, today. It felt really good! They were getting awfully stiff. I need to stretch more often. My back was hurting, earlier, but it's better now.

Yesterday and on occasion, I've noticed people starring at me. I think people are noticing God's power in me. I've had people stare at me at various times. Usually they do so when I exit my truck and I'm always singing, so they probably see God's Spirit flowing through me. It's quite interesting! I'm not bad looking, so that could be part of it, too. However, I don't want to be vain and I think there is more to it than that.

Speaking of looks, lately I've noticed a girl or two looking at me and getting upset when I didn't check them out. I think our society is so accustomed to people flirting and lusting that some people get hurt when they don't receive lustful looks! Isn't that peculiar?! I pray for more godliness in this country. It starts with you and me. It's contagious, too.

I'm putting together a birthday bag for Sarine. I'll see her Monday, so I'm excited. She's sweet and it's great to have an excuse for giving her things!

I'm happy I'm on this fast. I've never enjoyed a fast so much. It's not easy, but I enjoy the challenge, too. Praise God for everything I've learned and experienced! I barely have the time to swallow and record some of it. There are more things happening than I can write. Like the joy I felt today; I can't come close to putting it into words. It was amazing! How do you write about joy, anyhow? It's an intangible feeling. How do you teach joy? I suppose joy is a byproduct of righteous living and God's grace. Praise the Lord.

I've got a fantastic living situation. It's so nice to have so many great things in my room. I don't have a ton of stuff, but I have nice things and exactly what I need. I should have guessed this is what God would give me! I've been blessed with nice things for a long time. However, I'm not into materialism. I simply like to save and buy quality things that won't break. Most of the products I buy are brand names and not the lowest end model. Conversely, I don't have to buy the most expensive or newest thing. I like being practical and buying things that I truly need and things that truly serve a purpose.

An interesting blessing from God came the other day. In the mail, I was notified that for some court ordered reason, I should receive between $210-443! Since I bought my computer after a certain date, I'm eligible for this refund! Praise the Lord. It seemed to come out of the blue.

I need to get some sleep, now. It's after 2am and I will probably sleep a little extra, due to my lack of sleep, today. Nite and God bless!

Oh yeah, I had apple juice and grape juice, today. No broth. I discovered that I've been drinking a little more juice than I realized. I poured a 10 oz. bottle of apple juice into my red, plastic cup. It only filled about 2/3 of it. I've obviously been drinking closer to 15 ounces. Therefore, I've been consuming more like 700-750 calories a day. These are just points of reference. Nothing is going to change. I never allowed myself only 8 ounces. However, they serving size is 8 ounces. This would be a very small amount.

Day 35:

One of the best things of my garage sale was the chance to look at my pictures! I looked at all of my pictures since high school. My parents have the other ones. This consisted of nearly 100 rolls of film!

I saw all kinds of interesting things, people and styles. Some of the pictures brought a huge smile and others made me remember those times of happiness, sadness, decadence and growth. The church river trips were tons of fun! I went with the high school and college groups at Shadow Mountain Community Church. Hume Lake was a blast, too. I'm glad I brought my camera and took pictures.

I never realized all the styles and changes I've been through! I've had long hair (one length and past my chin) twice, goatees and beards several times, short hair a lot, a moustache for a very short time, etc. One of the silliest pictures is the one with a blue bandana, really long hair and a goatee! I look like I'm a flower child in the 70's. I was sort of going for that look in college.

I've also been at different fitness levels in my life. Up until 8^th grade, I was a little overweight. Throughout high school, I was in good shape. The first couple years of college, I gained a few pounds. The last few years in college, I lost them and gained muscle. I went through some more ups and downs over the last couple years. It's very interesting how I go through this somewhat subtle changes of body shape! After this fast, I'm returning to the gym and staying in good shape.

I've always enjoyed fitness and working out. When I begin coaching soccer, I'm going to want exercise. It's hard to do nothing and see all the guys running and playing soccer. I like stretching with the guys! My muscles get more limber and I become more flexible. I hope we get some warm weather, so I can wear shorts and we don't have to consider the cold or rain when we have games or practices. Rainy weather is fun when you can play in it! We just don't like canceling games due to weather.

AOL gave me a TOS warning, today. I woke up and found I had violated some random rule. I won't even explain it. However, I called them and the guy on the phone assured me I wasn't going to be terminated for quite awhile, if ever. This was reassuring. Praise the Lord. He said I have two more times that I have to do something wrong or bad before they consider termination. Ok, this time I was warned because there's a 2 click rule and I have one ad on my web page and that's against their rules to send mass mail to someone who may or may not have asked for it, with a www address on it that leads to an ad. Sorry. I know that's a mouthful and I said I wouldn't get into it, but I wanted you to know I wasn't like stealing passwords or anything. I let the guy on the phone know, too. My ad is for an online Christian book store. It's unfortunate that I need to take it down. However, I have been keeping tabs on it and it hasn't generated any direct sales. Apparently, Christians aren't that interested in buying books online and when they click the link they simply browse the selection. I'll keep my chin up and keep working hard on the web until the day my computer is wrestled from my cold dead hands.

Wow, speaking of death, I received a death threat, today. Apparently, some fellow didn't appreciate the gospel message. It's quite ironic that I send a message of life and he sends a message of death. At any rate, I wrote him a direct letter saying he shouldn't threaten anybody and my God is much bigger than he is. I refrained from being mean, however, I forwarded his mail to AOL's TOS (terms of service) and they were thankful I did. You can't threaten bodily harm to people. It just isn't right.

Today, I typed the things I learned on my trip. There were a lot of awesome things. I'll be feeding off them for awhile. I might have the "To Do" list finished by the end of the week. I've already started working on things. I received lots of godly wisdom, too. I'm sure it will benefit me and others for some time.

Church was awesome, tonight! My mentor spoke, too. John Hilton gave us an awesome sermon about serious dedication to Christ. The worship was incredible, too. It was some members of the old band and I've heard them for years. We sang a new song, too! It was called "Your Name Is Holy." I thought Skillet wrote it because it is on their worship album, but Vineyard wrote it. Praise God for great worship! I love singing like I mean it. God always meets me there and puts a smile on my face. I tithed a nice amount because I counted the garage sale money as income. I need a blessing from God, now, too.

On the way to Wally's house, before church, my truck broke down! The "check engine" light came on. I was close to Wally's so, I kept going. It began smoking and stopped running, so I pulled it off the road about 1/4 mile from Wally's. I was a little surprised and disappointed, but it didn't get me too down. I knew God was in control.

I went to church. Afterwards, I had it towed to Pep Boys. AAA did it for free because I'm a member. My roommate will take me there, tomorrow. I'm going to see how much and how long it will take to fix it, then I'll get a rental car and do everything I have to do tomorrow.

I'm so glad that I know God is in control! He's the only one I can always trust. I know He wants me to grow in some areas, so He is letting this happen. I am not afraid or angry. I'm trusting that He will make this work for the good. I'm actually quite excited to see how it will turn out!

I know the last few paragraphs have been working backwards in time, but one more set of paragraphs that go backwards in time shouldn't hurt anybody.

Before I left my house, I had a really bad feeling. It was terrible because I could feel my heart racing. I wasn't sure why this was happening. I wasn't craving food or anything like that. My roommate Rich was here, so I came to the conclusion my anxiety was because he probably isn't saved (although he might be, I'm just getting to know him....and he'll be driving me to Pep Boys, tomorrow, which in itself, would be enough reason for God to have my car break down).

Anyhow, this feeling was really weird. I had it for 2-3 hours! I prayed against the spiritual darkness and heaviness and it was lifted, but only a fraction. It only left when I got in my truck, sang, prayed and literally shouted to the Lord. It went away and about 5-10 minutes later, the truck broke down. Very interesting, huh?!

Discernment is one of my spiritual gifts and I believe that God was trying to warn and prepare me for what was about to happen. It's peculiar how my Dad and I were just emailing each other about my truck and it's future. God was preparing me for this moment and I was ready. Perhaps, in the future, I'll be able to discern things better. I often discern things well, but this time I imagine I wasn't quiet enough and I didn't ask and listen. God probably would have revealed it to me.

It's great to have a friend in God and it's also great to have friends on Earth! Wally let me use his phone and he was very helpful. He drove me home tonight, too. Praise God for the people who love me! I will pray for them and love them, too.

At a certain Texaco, the workers always give me free sodas! It's incredible and totally God's grace. In turn, I pray for them and chat for a bit. When I got my second free soda, tonight, I was very thankful and told the employee I had been praying for them. He was very happy and thankful, too! For some reason, I was surprised that he was. I don't know if he is saved or not. I've only seen him a couple times. Usually, there are others working there. I've witnessed to some of them. I pray they all accept Christ and go to Heaven.

Well, I'm pretty dang tired and have probably talked about everything under the sun, so I'm gonna get some sleep! Nite and God bless!

Oh yeah, I was really cold in church. I wore my gloves the whole time. I was cold in my house, too. I have to remember to dress warmer. God has been protecting me from the cold, but I fear He will give me over to my foolishness if I continue to be negligent. I must realize that I'm thinner, have less energy and it's approaching winter. I'll dress warmer.

Lastly, today wasn't the easiest day of fasting. Yesterday was really great and I still had a good day, today, but it seems like things are getting a little more difficult. I could be wrong. I just hope that I'm faithful in this fast. I have a lot of determination and will power and I'm relying on God to get me through. I'm sure I can do it, but I really don't know how Satan will try and discourage me over the next 5 days. Today it was a death threat and my truck broke down. If I know my God, and I'm trying to know Him, tomorrow will be a fantastic day of renewal and answers. Nite!

Day 36:

Hello! I had a very interesting dream last night. Rebecca St. James and I went to a Padres baseball game. She was my girlfriend and we had an awesome time.

We kissed each other twice, too! I think it was our first date

The first time my feet were dangling off something and actually touched the leg of another girl! It was smooth and it didn't upset her. Odd, huh?!

The second time we kissed, we were in the aisle of the stadium and people were walking by us. I touched her face and her jaw line. After the kiss, I told her how much I liked her jaw line. She didn't say too much, but smiled. Rebecca is the Australian, Christian musician. I heard her "Don't Worry" song last night. It's great. She also wrote a new song about praying and waiting for her future husband. If I was delusional, I'd think it was me. However, I'm not that delusional.

I'm not sure what the dream meant. I suppose I should ask some friends for their interpretation. The flesh is always trying to gain a foothold in my life. Perhaps, that is all there is too it. Maybe it was a dream about a desire I want or need fulfilled. I think I know what it could mean, but I'll save the final interpretation for later.

Last night, we took communion at The Rock. It was so incredible! Usually, I picture Christ and the things He did, so I did this again. It seemed a little more real and meaningful, probably since I was fasting. I never cry at church, but I felt tears well in my eyes a little. I considered that the worst part of Jesus' life (at least if I was in His shoes) would not be the death on the cross. The death on the cross would only last a matter of hours or minutes. The worst parts would be Peter's denial, Judas' betrayal and definitely the religious leaders' hatred. Having the religious leaders of the day, who claim to love God, hate you and reject you would feel terrible. It would be an uphill battle. We see these kinds of things happening today, too.

Day 37:

I woke up a little while ago and prayed. I'm glad I could pray for about 30 minutes. More than most things, I need to be dedicated to prayer.

Yesterday was an incredibly busy day. I didn't even have time to write about it! I'll quickly list the boring things and go into more detail about the intriguing events.

Yesterday morning, my roommate Rich drove me to Pep Boys. I gave them the ok to diagnose my truck. Afterwards, he drove me to Advantage rental car in Escondido. I got an incredible deal on a rental car. They hooked me up with a Ford Focus 2000, with a cd player, power windows, cruise control and unlimited miles for only $24.99 a day! Praise the Lord! This was not only the cheapest deal in town, but since they gave me a $34.99 car for $24.99, it was the best quality car, too.

I paid a ticket and went to soccer practice. After an hour or so of preparing things (pumping balls, talking to the athletic director and principal, photocopying the letters for the kids and parents, etc.) we had practice. I was really impressed with the boys' attitudes and talent level! They responded nicely to my coaching style. We got many things done, too. We should have an exciting season! I pray they have safety and grow as Christians and players. Praise God I can pray with them! I'm blessed to be working at a Christian school.

After practice, I drove to Costa Mesa and heard The Kry play! They were really awesome! They added Deven Berryhill to their band and he's a talented guitarist and singer. I wasn't sure if he was just sitting in or in the band. Either way, I wish them the best. They've encouraged me for many years!

Sarine met me there, too. It was great to see her. She loved the things I got her for her birthday! Praise God. Finding things that she would like was fun.

Her and I are getting closer. I'm glad that God has brought such a wonderful person into my life. We met on a bus, at Spirit West Coast, when I had orange and green hair! The people in my campsite spray painted my hair that day. I'm sure that will be a fond memory for the rest of my life. Haha!

The dream I had yesterday made more sense to me after last night. I suppose Sarine is my Rebecca St. James. What a blessing?!

Now, I'm going to shift to things that are happening today.

Today, I sent the devotions! I was too sleepy last night, so I finished them today. Sending them at 3am or 1pm isn't a huge difference. I opted to do a better job on them, when I was awake, then rush them and do a half-hearted job. I've already received many thank you letters! I'm glad I can reach so many people with God's Word.

My guitar lesson went very well. Wyatt is working hard and determined to get better. It's great to have a student like that. I hope he keeps improving and wanting to learn.

Wally and I made some awesome music! We always click well, but we both know our parts really well, now. Of course, the newer songs will take more work, but we have two songs down to perfection! It feels great to see some songs that you've written to glorify God being played skillfully. We're looking forward to adding a bassist and drummer (in due time). We're still making this tighter and better. We scheduled another practice for Friday!

I got a little lightheaded and dizzy, today. It happened about 7-8 times. Most of the times, it was when I sudden stood up. This is a common cause of dizziness or lightheadedness. However, I was also getting lightheaded when I was standing and playing music. I think something odd is happening with my body. I'm sure I'll be all right, but my ketosis is peaking. Tomorrow at midnight, I'm having some vegetables. This will be a relief. My body will begin digesting solid food, again. I'll have to chew things many times and eat very small portions.

Some books I've read say that this is a very difficult time because I'll want to eat a lot and will have to have lots of discipline. I'm sure I can do it, but I'll have to use God's help and every ounce of self-restraint I have.

It's hard to believe my fast is coming to an end! Just to clarify, I still have nearly 3 days left. I'm changing the fast and allowing myself to have vegetables on the last two days. This has been my plan since the beginning.

Day 38:

It's 11:52pm and I'm doing very well. Today was a nice day. Some great things happened, too!

I woke up and did some work on the web. Afterwards I watched some news and election coverage. I'll get to an election update, later.

Our soccer practice went really well. The kids tried hard and three new kids came. We have a total of 16! This is a very good number. I would have taken 22 field players and 2 goalies, but that would have been the maximum number. I have one goalie who is excellent, but I suppose I should groom a backup, in case he's absent or injured.

I just ate a baked potato! Are you thinking I broke my fast too early? Are you thinking I screwed everything up and only have minutes to live because God is going to zap me? If so, think again! It's 12:46pm on Day 39, so I just had my first vegetable! I'm so full, too! Eating was different, but it wasn't super different. I remember eating quite well. I've eaten for a long time.

I ate much slower and chewed my food more. I also took smaller bites. It's hard to believe that I'm full after one baked potato. Since my stomach is full, I don't think I should eat any more. If I did, I bet I'd experience some pain.

My tooth is hurting. Many months ago I experienced some discomfort in one of my teeth. I'm hoping that this dentist will take care of it. It hurts in the exact place where he filled the tooth. I was hoping it would go away, but it hasn't. I hope he didn't neglect to remove the entire cavity before he filled it. I'm sure I'll know soon.

My truck is either at Pep Boys or the auto shop. I'm hoping it will be fixed very soon. It appears that they won't be getting to it until tomorrow. I have the rental car until Monday afternoon. I pray the truck is finished by then and doesn't cost too much to fix. I have a limited amount of money right now and I need to pay rent on December 1. I'm sure God will provide a way and the truck will run better than ever.

A couple days ago, I got a little blister in my mouth. I'm not sure why it arrived. It's small and between my front, lower gum and lip. It's only a little painful. It could have been a side effect of not getting enough vitamins or nutrition.

The election is coming to an end, hopefully. The Secretary of State in Florida has decreed that she will not accept any more hand counted votes. This is good for the Bush campaign. The Gore campaign is fighting her decree in court. Friday is the last day for absentee ballots to be counted in Florida. The Secretary of State has said she will accept and tally them and award Bush or Gore the 25 electoral votes on Saturday!

There is really only one way this can be stopped; in a court of law. I suppose they have a much better chance of stopping this before Saturday. However, the counties in question are recounting the votes by hand, despite her admonition. If the recount (which is actually the fourth recount, in most cases) reveals significantly more votes for Gore, this could pose a problem. How would Bush feel and the nation feel if he won and Gore had enough votes to win Florida (if they would have allowed the hand recounts)?

There are countless questions and scenarios. I've just been praying that Bush and Cheney win and Gore and Lieberman lose. God is in control and His will is perfect, so there's nothing to worry about. It's simply an interesting process to watch. Things that were considered a few days ago are now cast aside (like a re-vote). If the re-vote would have been widely accepted my Americans, I wonder if they would be having a re-vote, today. Hmmmm.

In my bathroom, I saw an awesome thing happen. There was a spider near the ceiling and it was sitting in it's web. An ant was walking towards it, but decided to stop and go the other way when the spider jumped at it. The ant was safe, but I wanted to see what would happen if it was close to the spider!

I flicked the ant to the ceiling and it got caught in the spider's web. Instantly, the spider grabbed it and spun a web around the ant! It was awesome. This spider must have spun 1,000 webs around the little ant. After the ant was wrapped up, it looked like it began eating it. What a phenomenal thing of nature! I had never seen anything quite like it.

Jeremy and I finally spoke tonight! He is a potential bassist for my band. He seems bright and talented. I'm excited that we finally spoke and scheduled an audition for him. He is leaving a secular band and very happy about playing with a Christian one. He should compliment us, nicely. I pray it works out and we clique well. We should be getting together on Tuesday.

Sarine and I played some online chess, tonight. It was fun! Yahoo! Games has free online games where people can play each other. I won, too. Woohoo! I shouldn't celebrate too much because it was her first time playing. I taught her the rules.

Day 39:

This was a great day. I did some work on the web, checked out my truck, went to Guitar Center, ate some things, visited the beach and went to Bible study!

The web work was great. I always enjoy reading and sending emails. Recently, I set up all my guest books and guest book web sites to send me a notification when someone signs them. I've also programmed it to send the signer a thank you letter. It's working very nicely and saving me a lot of time. I'm being saved about 30 minutes a week! Praise the Lord.

I drove to Escondido and saw my truck. They hadn't quite started working on it, yet. I went to Guitar Center and when I returned, they still hadn't diagnosed it. They said they'd call me and they did around 9:15pm. I wasn't here, so they left a message. They said I have a cracked head (cylinder head). I'm not sure exactly what they mean. They could mean that I cracked the head gasket, but I'll have to speak with them tomorrow.

I had a blast at Guitar Center! There are so many guitars there! I played a couple expensive ones. I also played through a killer effects pedal. I had never seen one like it. There were tons of awesome sounds and effects. If I had that pedal, I could make incredible music! I'll have to make due with what I have for now, though.

I bought a hook and hung my guitar on the wall in my bedroom. It's at eye level, now. I played it earlier! Having it visible is a great way for me to remember to play it. PTL.

You'll probably be surprised at what I ate today! I ate a baked potato around 1pm, a side order of beans around 6pm, some corn chips and salsa around 9:30pm and another baked potato at 11:30pm. My appetite is returning! I pray that my body digests these vegetables in a proper way. I've felt a little full, but no pain.

As I ate the salsa and last potato, I felt a little dizzy or something. It only lasted a few seconds. It may have been a rush of energy from the food! It was hard to determine why I felt kind of invigorated. I don't think I had much bad breath, today. Praise the Lord.

Bible study was awesome. Tyrone gave us a great sermon, too. Before it started, I asked him to pray for me and my truck situation. I think this is a sign of a great church - a place where you can easily find someone willing to take the time to pray for you. Praise the Lord!

He mentioned my fast and the time he prayed fervently and I heard his voice. It was amazing to recall that supernatural event. Many people said I looked much thinner and very good. They had lots of questions to ask me, too. I was a little embarrassed, which is different for me (I must be more humble than I used to be), but I realize that by talking about this fast it is helping people understand it is possible. There's nothing to worry about. If God calls you to an extended fast, you can do it. I pray that more people embark on longer fasts! They will not regret it.

The beach was great, today. I got there right after the sun had set. There was still an afterglow in the sky. The waves were crashing on the beach and the lights were shining on the pier. I like how they reflect on the water. I ate the beans at the beach. It was too cold outside, so I just sat in the car and ate.

Each thing I eat is chewed very thoroughly. I think I've eaten things too quickly in the past. I'm enjoying chewing things more.

My singing seems more powerful! I sang as I drove, today. It was a lot of fun, too! My strength is returning. It's an interesting feeling and I wonder when it will peak. My skin is very clear and healthy looking. Food tastes very good. The salty corn chips were a little addictive because I thought about them for a couple hours after I was done eating them!

It's 1:24am, so I'm going to bed in a minute. The last two nights, I've only gotten 7 hours of sleep. I usually need 8 to feel well-rested. After a couple days, I really need to make up some sleep.

Recently, I received emails from two people who want to give donations to my ministry. Their email wasn't solely for the purpose of a donation, but they did mention wanting to give one. Praise God! I pray that they do. Lots of people have promised to send something, but not all of them have. I'll have to wait and see. I'm being faithful with my ministry, so I know God will give me what I need.

Day 40:

This is the final day of my fast! Woohoo! It's been an awesome journey. I'm so glad I've been faithful to God's calling and the way I designed this fast. It hasn't been easy, but nothing worthwhile is easy.

I got about 8 hours of sleep and feel well rested. I woke up around 10am, too. After praying, I put the television on and began watching the election coverage.

Florida is receiving the absentee ballots. Apparently, the Florida court ruled to uphold Katherine Harris' desire to certify a winner in the state of Florida, Saturday. Praise the Lord! This is a big victory, in the battle for the white house, for the Bush campaign. Tomorrow, George W. Bush should be certified the winner of the election! However, the Dole campaign will be taking the issue to the supreme court. The final decision, therefore, may be made in the supreme court. There are a few variables and many options for finality. We will know more soon! Tomorrow around noon is when the certification should happen. The absentee ballots must be in by midnight, tonight. That's why tomorrow at noon is the best time for certification.

It appears that about 36 hours after eating some solid food I had a solid bowel movement. I hadn't seen on of those in a long time. I'm glad my bowels and digestive system are working properly! I'm guessing that the solid vegetables pushed some fats and waste out that would not otherwise exit my body.

Today should be a great day. I'll do some work on the web, make some phone calls, play some music with Wally and probably break the fast around midnight! I'm not sure what I'll have, but I'll make sure to have a small portion of whatever I eat. I'm a little sad that it's all over. I really enjoyed the closeness with God and the daily challenge and success in fasting. I've decided to fast on Sundays, so I'll have more of this. I'm going to skip this Sunday because it's only two days away.

This cat of Eddie's is sitting outside my door and meowing. It's beginning to drive me nuts. They usually let it in and do everything it wants and I don't wanna let it get into the habit of thinking I'm going to open the door every time it meows. I'm gonna smack it in a minute. Just kidding.

This is the 94^th page I've written in this journal! Wow, it's hard to believe. I love to write and type and recording things on this fast were important, so I see how it has happened. By the time I'm finished, I'm estimating there will be over 100 pages!

When it's finished, I'm going to write a synopsis of the fast. This synopsis will talk about the highlights and the lowlights of the fast. I'll also write a FAQ. People need to have some questions answered, so I'll be happy to write this.

I just measured my waist and it has shrunk from a 33 to a 31! I feel better about my weight, too. I don't have a scale, but am guessing I lost 20 pounds. I should know when I step on a scale.

It's 1:54am and I'm done with this fast! Woohoo! It was a total success.

Earlier today, I saw a great sunset. I was at the beach for about an hour. I prayed, sang and meditated. Praise God for those times when I can get away and seek Him.

I played music with Wally, tonight. We played for 2 and ½ hours! It was awesome. All our songs are centered around God. We are forming a band and planning on playing in front of others, but even if we don't, every time we practice and play, we worship and glorify God! This makes us winners no matter what. Praise God for our instruments, talents and desire to worship Him.

I got very cold in his garage. My body still can't get warm very easily. I dressed really warmly, too.

Our songs are really coming together! We are gaining confidence and perfecting things. We play some songs perfectly and others are improving with every practice. Progress is a wonderful thing. Tonight, I felt a little dizzy after the climactic "More Love, More Power." We played our super-extended mix. I think God's presence was everywhere and I was feeling it. It was an awesome, euphoric feeling.

I got a scale from my garage and I weighed 144 pounds! I can't remember when I weighed that much. I've been over 150 since I was about 14 years old! As I looked into the mirror, I realized I was looking very skinny. I'm not sure why I didn't realize it before, though. My eyes are a little sunken in and I have some dark circles around them.

I'm looking forward to drinking some milk! A big, cold glass of nonfat milk will be awesome. My roommate has some, but I don't want to drink his.

Several times tonight, I thought I saw something out of the corner of my eye. It was really weird and almost frightening. I'm not sure exactly what it was. I also heard noises and things. One noise sounded like an evil growling. Perhaps the demons are angry that I finished my fast with flying colors! Perhaps angels were watching and protecting me in the final hours.

I'm so thankful for all the wonderful things that happened on this fast. I really analyzed life, God and everything. There is so much to learn. I've only scratched the surface of this mind boggling person called God. It's going to take a lifetime on Earth from Him to reveal a multitude of things about Himself; then there will still be more to know. My earthly brain can't contain God in His entirety.