Hey everyone,

Yesterday, Sarah and I were having lunch and I overheard a conversation from a table nearby. A man was telling his co-worker to be more "proactive" in his business endeavors. The word "proactive" stuck out to me but I didn't think much of it at the time. Later that evening, I felt compelled to pick up a book I've been reading called "Chasing Daylight" by Erwin McManus. The very place I opened to read said this:
"There is a direct relationship between passion and initiative. The more passionate you are, the more proactive you will tend to be." I knew the Lord was saying something important to me about being more proactive with the opportunities He is bringing.
An honest confession is that during that same lunch hour, I received a word for a lady in the restaurant but wasn't proactive to give it away. There are so many divine opportunities all around, waiting for us to engage them. My prayer is that the Lord would embolden us with such a passionate confidence that we step out with even greater faith as these days unfold.
I also want to encourage us that as we fast and as the disciplines grow in intensity this week, for us to anticipate the Lord's Presence to increase among us with new intensity as well. Ken Helser used to tell me, "The key to discipline is desire." May the Lord fan our desires for Him into such a burning flame, we don't even notice anything else (such as hunger or sleepiness) from under the shadow of his Great abiding Presence.
Rick Joyner says that often the manner in which an endeavor begins, will reflect the quality of how it will proceed. We have begun this year from an amazing place together and I am excited to see where the Lord takes us from here.

Stephen