Knows I have no rear-end because daddy spanked it off

Day 14 of our Daniel's Fast, and what have I learned?

There are some things that never change…at least they don't change without the strength and courage that only God can afford.

My mom likes to tell people about when I was a baby I refused bedtime. As soon as I heard it was bedtime, I would begin to run up and down the hall back and forth until I would pass out from sheer exhaustion. When I was in elementary, my dad told me to apologize to my mom…for what I don't remember. So, he bent me over and spanked me. He stood me up, told me to apologize, and I was crying – I REFUSED! He bent me back over and spanked me three more times. Standing back up, I was told to apologize to my mom. I said, "No, sir." I'm crying. She's crying. He bent me back over, spanked me three more times, and stood me up. I'm crying. She's crying. He's crying. "Apologize to your mother." "I'm sorry!" I blurted out and ran to my room. I was spanked so often daddy use to tell people I didn't have a rear-end because he beat it off of me.

My issue. My stubbornness. My unwillingness to SUBMIT. Submit to my parents. Submit to my God.

Recently, my mom came into my Sunday school class and taught five Sundays on submission. FIVE SUNDAYS! Apparently, I'm not the only one with the issue of submission. It is one thing to hear about submission from a man, a preacher, but it is another thing to receive it from a godly, growing Christian, lady. So, I wrestled with my issue of submission and thought I had it licked, but last Sunday Pastor Rick preached on strongholds…it was still there. That very morning, I had not submitted to my husband…a shock I know. I was supposed to have kept my mouth shut and let God handle it, but I didn't. So, I had to apologize to Patrick for what I said and when I said it. Then I had to submit to God's will for my life. As a result of this act of submitting and surrendering my will, I will be starting seminary this summer to obtain two women's ministry certificates and my MACE – Master in Arts in Christian Education.

This past week in addition to doing the Daniel's fast, I fasted my laptop. During this time, God showed me that when I use it to minister and reach out to others for His purpose, then it is a good investment of my time. Then He allowed me to see that I would have time to study for my Master's if I limited that use to ministering and reaching out. It won't be easy, but it will be worth it. God has a plan for me. He has ordained my footsteps, but it is a choice whether or not I choose to submit. And I choose to submit. I covet any and all prayers, and I pray that if you are doing this fast that you will post what God is doing in your life so His light might shine through you.