I have been thinking about this blog post for some time now. During the month of May and the first 10 days of June I embarked on a fast with some of my friends: Kent, Kyler, Dave, Brett, Kara, and Ashley. We only had juice during that time. We all had things we wanted to pray for: Kent's grandfather was recovering from a serious surgery, Brett is getting married, Brett and Kyler's dads were facing health issues, we all were praying for our future spouses and marriages, however close or far away they may be, I was praying for the World Race, and all of us were praying for God to be the center of our lives. I specifically prayed for fundraising for the Race. I prayed that I would be fully funded by the time I leave in September. None of us had done a 40 day fast before and we were all interested in seeing what God had in store for us.
One of the biggest blessings during the fast time was the community we built. When everyone else was cooking dinner it was nice to have someone to go to the park with or have a juicing party with. The community with each other was one of the biggest blessings I could have hoped for. Community was especially important during the fast because I didn't miss eating food as much as the community that surrounds eating food. Church happens around food, and when the food is taken out, it feels different. Being in the presence of others eating wasn't hard because of the temptation of food, it was hard because of the isolation I felt when I was the only one not eating. Another reason the group I was fasting with was, and still is , so important to me. Having another person there who was on the journey with me kept me connected to the rest of the group.
Another blessing we had was all of the support from others. Our friends and family joined us for parts of the fast, abstained from social media and television, and gave us words of encouragement throughout our 40 days. We received the blessing of getting to know a man, Jeff, who had done a 40 day juice fast before. He welcomed us into his home regularly to juice and talk about how we were feeling throughout the fast. We all had the opportunity to talk about how we were feeling physically, spiritually, and emotionally. I was suprised about how good I felt and how I wasn't craving food as much as I thought I would. By taking the blessing of food out of my life, I was able to be more aware of the blesser of my life. I saw God more clearly than ever during the fast. I didn't have the option to eat when I was sad, tired, bored, or stressed. He was my sustainer and my comfort. The fast taught me that I need God more than anything else.
The last week of the fast was a whirlwind of blessings. In the last week of the fast I asked God to do crazy things. I didn't specify what, but oh boy did crazy things happen. Throughout the fast I had been writing letters, selling bracelets, and planning events for fundraising for the race. Each day I was blessed with motivation and perseverance. The same people who were supporting me in the fast were supporting me with my preparation for the Race. In the last week of the fast, I raised $2,000! I was doing a happy dance in my apartment almost every day. Not only that, but I have reached my second fundraising goal as well! I am still in awe of God. I appreciate the blessing so much, but I appreciate God more. Fasting gave me a wider perspective on God and the blessings he gives us. Jesus is the biggest blessing God can give us. God is the biggest blessing God can give us.
