How I became a snail.

When I was a new Christian, I became determined to read through the Bible. There was a lovely tool called the Daily Walk, from the Walk Through the Bible ministry, that helped me to accomplish just that. It provided helpful bits of historical and cultural information and overview stuff so that this very foreign information made more sense. I read through the Bible in a year, compulsively reading all the names out loud to make sure I didn't skip anything. I did this again several years in a row which gave a good Bible foundation.

Another helpful growth tool was the Institute in Basic Youth Conflicts (IBYC), commonly known as the Bill Gothard seminar, which came to Long Beach in spring and autumn of each year, and gave instruction in practical Bible application. I found a new challenge each time I attended, though the material was basically the same each time.

One of Gothard's spiritual habits (a challenge to us) was to fast and memorize a passage of scripture regularly. (Our pastor preached on fasting yesterday, which brought this to mind.) He assured us there was deep blessing in practicing both disciplines at the same time, so I decided I'd give it a try one year.

I chose Psalm 1 for my passage and began fasting on a Sunday night. (I ate REAL good Sunday afternoon!) I got up and went to class at El Camino on Monday morning and left the campus famished! "I really don't think it would be so bad if I had a little nibble God..." As I turned onto Redondo Beach Bl, on my way to work, the girl in the car behind me began honking wildly. I looked in my mirror and she was smiling largely and giving me the christian finger! (The nice index finger that communicated that Jesus was the "One Way".) She'd seen my bumper sticker. God had given me a helpful nudge. So, with renewed determination, I prayerfully, thankfully went off to work with my giant water glass and my Bible to take up the memorization challenge with a 4 day fast. My real challenge was to keep the fast secret from my workmates and my roommate (so I shouldn't be like a Pharasee- because I really, really wanted God's blessing!!)

One phrase at a time I memorized and meditated on Psalm 1 for four days. By God's grace, as my tummy would rumble for food, God would fill my soul with blessing. The night before I was supposed to break my fast I was so full of God's joy (Blessed is the man!!) that I didn't want it to end.

I have fasted for weight loss since then (which doesn't make me spiritual, it makes me crabby). The real blessing that I took away from that week was the joy of memorizing and meditating on a passage of scripture, one phrase at a time. What unexpected blessings I have received! Isa 53, Phil 2, Eph 1, Rev 5, Rev 19- one phrase at a time. One verse at a time. Phil 3... one verse at a time, prayerfully, one phrase at at time. I think it was Gothard who called this meditation "thinking God's thought's after Him." (If not him, I don't know where I got it, but it gave me a method of meditation.)
Next, I'll tell how I put a little rabbit in my snail.