Elijah Project: Day 1

365 Project.

Many of you may have heard of this or even have friends who have done one. For those of you who haven’t, let me explain.

A 365 project is a leap of faith where someone commits for an entire year to share a part of their lives with you each day through their blog. Some do this through writing, some through pictures, some even through a combination of the two.

I’ve always admired those who have the determination and endurance to persistently post, day after day, until completion. A year is a long time, especially when we live such hectic lives that we feel we hardly have time to breathe, let alone blog. However, it’s something that I’ve always wanted to do. I was just never really "ready" to commit to something so long.

But recently God has been stirring something up in me.

I desire that determination to write daily, but where is my determination to pray? We long for those extra minutes in the day and admire those who create something so steady as a 365 project in their lives, but what of that unfailing pursuit of communion with the Creator of the universe?

Am I willing to make time to blog each day, but not to pray?

What if the 365 could be more than just writing or journaling? What if we allowed God to move in ways we could never imagine through 365 days of commitment?  

Recently Scotty asked me what I thought my purpose in life was. He asked where my gifting lead. Scotty, a very relational person, very easy to get along with, feels a great pull and passion in his life to disciple. He longs to dig as deep as he can into the Word, to study and know his Savior, and then to share these times with others in a way that will push them to Christ.

I told him that that didn’t sound like me.

After thinking about it for a long time, I’ve realized that my passion in life is to simply help people understand and hear the voice of God. (I think a lot of that passion can be credited to Jenny Savoy who has done nothing but pour the pursuit of His voice through my teenage years.) But I often hear of people who are shocked to know that the Lord speaks to them daily, even about the littlest things, if they’ll only listen. More than that, He desires such a deep friendship and romance with us that this is what he longs for: Conversation.

Conversation that goes both ways.

There is more power in that conversation than we think.

Elijah knew the power behind prayer better than any other.

Through prayer, God stopped the rain.

Through prayer, the widow’s oil and flower never emptied.

Through prayer, her son was brought back to life.

And it was in crying out to the Lord that the water soaked offering was burned with fire from Heaven, proving the true God.

(1 Kings 17-18)

A friend of mine once entered into a deep conversation with a Satanist who said something I will never forget:

“If only Christians knew the power they had behind prayer, they would never stop.”

So here is my scary, stomach turning commitment.

The Elijah Project.

365 days of prayer.

Even just saying this leaves my stomach in knots.

My biggest fear more than anything else in this project, is that I will become tame in my prayers. That I will spit them out as I do at the dinner table and write mediocre posts about my 10 minute prayer time.

What I long for more than anything, is a communion with the King of kings over this next year that leads my life into such a personal, deep hearted relationship with my Father that I recognize His voice over any other.

And along with that, I long for a heart of prayer and the confidence in His answer that can turn the nations of the world upside down. 

And here’s what I know about God:

He wants this too. 

I know He’ll meet me. And I know there will be times that He seems silent and distant and that He is making dig even deeper into Him.

So if you’re reading this, I’m inviting you along for the ride.

And if no one reads this, it’s absolutely ok. Because this is about a commitment I’m making with my Father. Having it online for any one to see makes me even more vulnerable, bringing accountability.

So if you decide to join along with me on this journey here’s what you’ll find.

•  Every day I will spend time in prayer, which means talking with God and listening to what He has to say.
• Every day I will lift up a country to our Father in prayer. There are plenty to keep us going.
• Every day I will pray for others.  Whether in struggle or triumph, I will be lifting them up.
• And every day I will listen to that still small voice that I have learned to treasure so deeply.

 And through all of this, you’ll read about it right here.

If I’m blessed enough to have people joining in with me on this, don’t be afraid to send me an email with anything that you would like prayer for

leeanna.hoffman99@gmail.com

No, I don’t have to know you for this to happen.

So here’s my prayer today:

“God… I want to do this, but I’m scared. I’m scared about my endurance. I’m scared of being fake. I’m scared of failing in my commitment to you. A year is a long time and this year is going to bring so much change into my life. But that’s why this time together, you and me, is so important. And Father, as horrible as it is to say, I’m scared of not hearing you. If this is You, if you’re calling me to do this project, I’m asking you to show up. Give me your strength to do it. And Father, SPEAK TO ME. Meet me there. Meet me in these prayers. Help me to prayer from the things of Your heart and not my own. Let me sit with you and invite me into your heart in these times. Meet me here Daddy. Meet me and lead me.”