Day 40 is Here!

It's here friends. The end to my 40 days of continuous blogging. It has been such a joy sharing this journey with you. I'm not done blogging. Quite the opposite actually. I'm more determined than ever before to share life with you in this amazing electronic format. However, I can't commit to an everyday post anymore. I do hope to be here several times a week, and I pray you continue to follow along. It's so humbling to know that you all actually care to read what I write.

This being the second time that I've done a 40-day blog journey, I knew going in that it would be difficult - from a consistency point - but, extremely rewarding. God has not failed me in the area of reward. If you've studied the Bible for any length of time, then you know that the number 40 is very important to God and very significant to us, His children. Looking at every instance in the Bible relating to the number 40, God has done something transformational.

God cleansed the world of wickedness & sin after a period of 40 days & nights of rain.

God spared the city of Ninevah following a period of 40 days of repentance.

Moses' face shone after 40 days on Mount Sinai with God.

The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years prior to entering the Promised Land.

And...these are just to name a few. Well, my 40 day blog experience may not have led to such great and astonishing things as those I just named. But, God has done some very transformational things indeed. A couple of them are too personal to share in a blog format, but I do want to share two of them with you...

God has transformed me in my weight loss/healthy eating journey I began right after Christmas and continued through Made to Crave. To date, I've lost almost 30 pounds! No longer do I crave weight loss for the purpose of getting compliments, fitting into my skinny clothes, or anything else superficial. I know crave weight loss, because I CRAVE...literally yearn for...God! And...because I crave God, I want to glorify Him through my weight loss!

Secondly, on day 40 of this blog writing journey - yes, today - God restored my husband's job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, friends...my husband will be returning to his job on Monday! We are overcome with emotion, we are overcome with gratitude and thankfulness, and we KNOW that it's because of the prayers of His people. Why He chose to bless us with this type of answered prayer - I'll never know. He could have done something completely different, and we would still be praising Him right now! Like my friend, Susana, whom it appears Jesus is calling home soon, I know that God NEVER LETS GO. Like Susana, one of my favorite songs is Matt Redman's You Never Let Go! That song has taken on significant meaning to me during these last 40 days. I have an idea that this not the end folks...simply the beginning.



You Never Let Go - Matt Redman (song lyrics):

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
Your perfect love is casting out fear
And even when I'm caught in the middle of the storms of this life
I won't turn back
I know you are near

And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?

(Chorus:)
Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me

And I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
We'll live to know You here on the earth

(Chorus)

Yes, I can see a light that is coming for the heart that holds on
And there will be an end to these troubles
But until that day comes
Still I will praise You, still I will praise You