7

   Well, my dears, at long last, here are the journal entries from my 7 experiment, which I finished September 10.  I am so glad I did this!  Enjoy this inside look at my imperfections, which happen to be many.  I hope you are inspired!

Day 1
   Well, it has begun!  Misty texted me first thing this morning to say "You go, girl!"  Praise God for her. :)
   Honestly, being the first day, it wasn't really hard.  The sacrifice factor hasn't kicked in yet.  The only thing was that I missed my 7 pm prayer pause.  I was at practice, and I will be pretty much every day, so I need to remember right at the end.  It needs to become a habit.
   I know that it's going to get hard.  Fast.  Part of me is asking why I'm even doing this, but the rest of me has a ready answer.
   I'm doing this to make less of myself and more of God.  I'm doing this to become focused on Him at all times.  I'm doing this draw closer to Him, to seek His face, to learn more of how awesomHe is.  I'm doing this to make God number one.

Day 2
   I did it again.  My prayer pause was closer to 9 pm than 7.  I don't have an alarm or anything to remind me, and apparently God is not on my mind too much at football practice.  that's the main goal of this, though.  I want to always be thinking about Jesus.  I am so hungry for Him!

Day 4
   Jordan and I opened the fridge at the ranch ysterday to find Swiss Rolls and Reese's.  Believe me when I say celebration commenced immediately.
   Me: Yay!  We have Sw... ugghh.  I'm fasting chocolate.
   And so, the battle begins.

~~~~~

   Bethany: Wait, you're Baptist, right?

   Me: Umm, no.  I don't have a denomination.  I don't actually need one either.  I've got Jesus, and He's enough for me!

 

Day 7

   Talking to Jesus before I even open my eyes on a school morning.  Belting out Amazing Grace with my church family until our worship leader is so overcome he can't even sing anymore.  Telling the girl I met 38 seconds ago about God's love at Sportsmanship Summit.

   Favorite moments during 7.  So far.

 

Day 13

   Confession #1: I haven't been journaling near enough.  Every time I sit down to write there is so much to say that I get overwhelmed.  I think I'll give myself a few hours to process, and  next thing I know it's been 5 days.  I'm learning discipline in so many other areas; I'd better get started here, too.

   Confession #2: I am 21 items behind on my giving.  Yes, people, 3 days worth.  I'm running out of things to give away!  I need to go on a treasure hunt or something.

   Confession #3: I miss candy bars.  And Google.  A lot.

   God, grant me focus.

 

Day 16

   My logic: Well, it's only been 90 degrees like three times this summer, and it's already starting to cool off, so I should be good!

   Missouri's logic: Oh, Michaela only has two pairs of shorts for the next month?  Let's make it 100 degrees every day during the last week of August.

   And in other news: I'm past halfway!

 

Day 22

   On Saturday, I broke 7.  I blame Josh and Sindy for falling in love.  Just kidding, guys!  But seriously, I had nothing wedding-appropriate.  My shoes were 7-sanctioned, though.  Forgive me?

My beautiful FCA girls and I before the wedding. :)

   In all honesty, I've considered giving away everything in my closet besides the 21 things I picked for 7.  I just don't even need them all.  But there's just one thing.  You see, the thing about wearing the same clothes over and over and over again is that you have to wash them. All. the. time. That or you go to get dressed in the morning and think, "Oohhhh, lovely..." I feel like I'd be having way too many oh-lovely-type mornings.

Day 27

   The other day, I cracked.  Unintentionally, and unwittingly, but it still happened.  I went to turn on Spotify for some music, and the next thing I know my sister's asking me what the heck I'm doing. 

   What I was doing was reading the headlines on our home page.  I had clicked on the internet without even realizing I had done it.  There I was, tired and stressed at the end of the day, and I couldn't even believe I had done that.

   I was this close to drying.  But before the tears fell, Jesus whispered in my ear, "Darling, I still love you."  He reminded me that the point of 7 is not perfection.  The point of 7 is not proving what an awesome Christian I am.  The point of 7 is falling apart until I can do nothing but let God put me back together.  The point is relying totally and completely on His strength for everything I do.  When I get dressed in the morning, when I interact with my family, when I eat, and when I use the computer.  Constantly.  Incessantly.  Always.

   Jesus is all that matters.