Fast

Have you ever had been asked to give up something? A little over a month ago, I was. As part of the 40-day challenge through Overcome the Lie, I was asked to fast for 40-days, something of my choosing. Actually, it wasn't really my choice. I was to ask God what He desired for me to step away from.
If you read this post, you know that I felt that God was asking me to give up Starbucks. Why would God care if I purchase and drink Starbucks? It wasn't for some political or ethical statement. I believe it was simply because I had been spending too much time, money and energy focusing on it.

The second part of the 40-day challenge was to seek God and to be enveloped in His love. How would giving up Starbucks help me to experience God's love for me?
Because... When I fast from something, every time I see it or think of it, I am given the opportunity to pray. Since I pass by a least three different Starbucks everyday, I was given at least three more opportunities to seek God's purpose and to experience his love, everyday.
Also, the weather has warmed up over the past month, which means that my Starbucks favorites, like iced green tea and caramel frappuccino, have been on my mind a lot more lately.  The more I thought about my favorite drinks, the more I could turn my thoughts to what the Lord desires for me and for my life.

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To me, fasting is not just a ritual or discipline. It's not just about sacrifice. It's about fixing my thoughts on God and His unending love. It's about shifting my focus from being self-serving to God-serving. It's about giving up something insignificant in order to gain something extraordinary.
This is only the third time in my life that I have chosen to fast. The first time was in April 2012.  Through that fast God spoke to me about starting this blog, and about using the gifts He had provided to do more to encourage and inspire others.
The second time came during a rough spot in my marriage. God spoke to me again, helping me to rediscover what He had intended for M and I. He provided me with courage and confidence in a time when I felt neither.
During this fast, I have begun to see God's love and vision for me. He loves me despite my failures.  In fact, it's because of those failures that I am able to see more clearly my need for Him. God desires for me to do great things. Even greater than I can imagine.
Through this challenge, God has spoken to me through that still, small voice. And, he has spoken to me through the words of His people.
I want to leave you today to with several quotes from emails, videos, and social media posts that I have received from Ashley, the founder and visionary of Overcome the Lie, during the 40-day challenge:
Whatever He tells you to do, do it. No more striving. You don't have to earn it. It's yours. Everything that you need is already inside of you because [He lives] inside you. Defeat is not an option. Only Jesus can heal, transform. Keep going.
I pray that these words provide you with hope and inspiration, so that you may also overcome.