Simplifying the Skeltons!

(Michelle)
  As you can see, A Different Calling has been revamped to include my handsome, ridiculously smart, and always entertaining husband! This blog will now include new posts from both of us. Grant is a very talented writer and always has something to say! ;) We will start out each post with our name so there will be no awkward moments where you think it's me when it's really him. We are also embarking on an adventure that we will both be posting about frequently... and no... we're not pregnant! The title says "Simplifying" not "Multiplying!"

  Beginning Sunday, March 4, 2012, Grant and I will be fasting from excess. We are simplifying our lives and allowing God to boldly show us where we have been thoughtless consumers and idolaters. For the next seven months, we'll blog about what God is revealing to us through this process. Each month, we will concentrate on something different, such as: food, media, possessions, weight, spending, waste, and stress. I wish I could tell you this incredible journey was all our idea as I pat myself on the back thinking what a humble and selfless christian I am... but I can't. If you have spent time with me or Grant lately, you have probably heard us talk about the book 7: An Experimental Mutiny Against Excess, by Jen Hatmaker. In this book, Jen journals about a 7 month fast she and her husband, Brandon Hatmaker (pastor of Austin New Church) did against excess. To put it simply... this book has changed our lives. In the same breath, we cried out "Thank you! Someone gets it!!" and felt such strong conviction from the Holy Spirit for how we have sinned. It would take me forever to explain everything the Hatmakers did in their fast, so PLEASE READ THE BOOK!!! It will explain EVERYTHING! And, it will make sense when I say that we are using "7" as a guideline but we are not doing it exactly like they did. As soon as we started reading together, we immediately felt God calling us to do this. We've spent the past month reading the book while praying and seeking God for how HE wants US to do this fast. We want Him to reveal where we need to be stretched and molded. The Skeltons are not the Hatmakers. As we have prayed, God has definitely answered!

This blog post is just an intro to our 7 month journey. We hope you will follow us and commit to pray for us. Like I said, we will start this coming Sunday. Our first 4 weeks will tackle food. We have a limited number of foods we will be eating for the whole month. The Hatmakers only ate 7 (obviously). We will be adding a few more to our list, but trust me, we will definitely still feel the effects!

Please stay tuned... there's more to come.