5 Months - Fasting for Brian, Cale & Cory - Day 151

A fellow ISP wife, along with a few others, suggested fasted prayer to me a few weeks back. I took it as a sign to consider, but wanted to wait until I felt it was the right time. Below, I mention that I met another wife (Molly) yesterday, just 10 doors down in the other direction from us (Becca is 10 doors to the left and our new friend, Molly, is 10 doors to the right). The three of us had lunch together and quickly bonded - we all even had similar outfits/colors on. I already couldn't believe God put Becca and Cale in our path, and now we have met Molly and her husband Cory, and I feel God is saying now is the right time to propose this fasted prayer. For all three of these men: Brian Frank, Cale Harper, Cory Hicks.

Thank you to Natalie, Laurel, and Jean for sharing your heartfelt, prayerful suggestions and for typing up thoughtful instructions for anyone that would like to participate.  ((Another dear friend of ours, Vera has felt led to kick off another 24 hour prayer for Brian this month (2-5 people per hour for a 24hr period). I'll post about this separately once we set the date)):

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While every moment seems it has been pivotal for Brian, it seems we are at a vitally important crossroads for Brian. Because of the desperate need for Brian’s uninterrupted care and most importantly, his emergence to full consciousness, we are calling on everyone that is willing and able to join us in a period of fasting for Brian. If fasting sounds scary to you. It’s not! Please keep reading.

It is important to note that we are all not joining together in an effort to “convince” God to awaken and heal Brian. God has already proven his presence and his protection over Brian. We are simply coming together in agreement with prayers for Brian and creating a deeper opportunity for focused prayer, healing and clarity from the Holy Spirit. By sacrificing something we are showing how deeply important it is to us in our willingness to “go without” while using the season of going without to draw closer to the Lord.

As we draw nearer to God, we get out of our own way. We become more clear of God’s voice and we see more clearly what God has in store for us and perhaps what role we may be appointed to for Lauren and Brian’s encouragement and healing. Essentially, we clear the path for God to move as we come together in unison for Brian.

Fasting can be viewed as a complex topic and can even be viewed as something that only the most committed of committed can do. This cannot be further from the truth!! Fasting from food is the most common -- but fasting from electronics or media can also be done. For instance, I personally love my coffee!! I may choose to fast from coffee or even take it a step further and fast from all caffeine. When I get up in the morning and head to my coffee pot, only to remember I’m fasting from caffeine, I will take this opportunity to stop and pray for Brian and Lauren. When I experience the pain of the caffeine withdrawal headache I will be thankful for the ability to feel and know pain and consider it nothing compared to what Jesus endured for us and nothing compared to the fight that Lauren and Brian are enduring together. 

If you are new to fasting or even new or unsure about God, join us in this for Brian. Give it a shot. What do you have to lose?

Here is the information and detailed instructions of what we are asking each person to do in their participation of the fast.

• The season of fasting for Brian will begin Sunday morning July 18th at 12am -. Set your phone alarms now:) This will allow us to join together for a 7 day fast (7 is a biblically significant number that signifies wholeness, completion and perfection. We believe Brian will be made whole and complete again in God’s perfect timing and perfect ways). This allows us to fast for the week leading up to Lauren's birthday (anyone is welcome to extend this beyond for the remainder of July if they feel led, since July is a special month for Lauren and Brian).

• Be thoughtful and prayerful about what you will fast from. Will it be your daily coffee, you nightly glass of wine, social media, checking your email or phone multiple times a day? Might it be lunch or breakfast every day?The idea is that you are giving up something you will notice you are missing but also something you can stick with and commit to in a healthy manner.  For instance, if you are diabetic, you should not be fasting from food!

• With 7 in mind, please set phone alarms for 7am and 7pm each day July 18th - July 24th as a reminder. At 7am and 7pm each day we will join together and pray together:

1. Best Care Location - Pray for Brian to be afforded the best care available to him and that he care be near his family, friends and support group. We believe that best is at the facility he is at now.
2. Research Study - Brian is being pre-screened to participate in a research study. It's ultimately Lauren's decision to enroll him & take some risks, and she is seeking answers in prayer for God to make it clear which route to take and if it's God's plan for Brian to be a part of this study.
3. Best From All Involved - Pray that everyone involved in Brian’s care be committed to giving the best they are able to consider or imagine and then let God do the rest.  From the head of the entire facility to the person appointed to cleaning Brian’s room and  everything in between we are thankful for them and their heart and commitment to Brian and Lauren. 
4. Awakening & Full Recovery - Pray for Brian’s awakening. Pray that God specifically hears Lauren’s cries for her husband and best friend and that God moves heaven and earth to awaken Brian  and give his daughter and faithful servant the desires of her heart. Allow Brian to be alert  and able to be an aware participant in his fight for his full restoration. A cord of three strands cannot be easily broken. Let him awaken and fully recognize and know his wife and best friend. Pray specifically into complete healing over his personality, memories, vision, senses, mobility, communication, language/speech.
5. Personal Prayer - add whatever is on your heart that you want to communicate to God on Brian and Lauren’s behalf.
6. Miracles on Miracles - Yesterday, after my post, I met another woman / wife going through something similar to what myself and Becca are going through. When I wrote that 10 doors down we are witnessing another miracle through Becca's husband, Cale - I had no idea that 10 doors down the other direction was another wife waiting and praying over her best friend! Their names are Molly & Cory. Please lift up Cale, Cory, and Brian along with Becca, Molly and I, as we navigate this long road together, while believing the same God to redeem and deliver our husbands from their disorders of consciousness. Three miracles, God. We've asked every day for you to heal our husbands, and you've now crossed our paths to multiply the army beyond what we could have imagined. We surrender three of these loving, strong, men to you and ask you to (emerge) and heal them completely.

Remember the key to fasting is not just about going without something.  We must use the time of consciously refraining from what we are fasting from to instead consciously make a decision to go to God and communicate with him.

It is important to not boast about the fast or what we are giving up for Brian. No one should be able to tell by looking at us that we are fasting. (Matthew 6:17-18). That being said, we can certainly band together and invite others to join us in this period of fasting.

Let us come together in July for Brian and Lauren. Send up our prayers and petitions with thankful hearts, expectant of God’s blessings. Let us give Brian our best and let God do the rest!