A Facebook Fast

*This is a repost of a (portion of) blog we had posted last week when Blogger was experiencing some technical glitches. It is about our decision to fast until our Lucia Faith makes her grand entrance. Breathe-- I am doing a partial fast and following all of my doctors recommendations.*

Now, 21 days, done. Twenty-one days of prayer and twenty one days of strengthening my focus on God.

So fasting, by definition, is always about food. It is about restricting food for a spiritual purpose (Hebrew). Fasting is about abstaining from food. (Greek). But what about all of those other things, those strong holds that occupy my time? What good would a fast be if you werent taking those moments to reflect or turn to God? I sat there and really thought about this one. What is something that I do on a continual basis that takes my time away from growing closer to God? You're right-- Housework!! :)

Ok, really-- Facebook. Or any other mindless "escape" that I get myself caught up in. My USweekly magazine, or celebrity gossip website, staying up an extra hour to catch the end of TMZ, to find out who the paparazzi ran into where, and WHO are they dating now... wait, wait, and more importantly, what were they wearing?!? I laughed as I thought about all of this. Really? Is THIS going to affect me more than food restriction? Me? The justifier of increasing our dining-out budget because I just HAVE to have Chuy's one more time this week or... I. Will. Just. Die.

But it is. It is affecting me. A couple days into this journey and I am profoundly affected by the scripture I have read, and the clarity I have found in prayer, and the in-depth conversations I have experience with my husband hearing about his experiences in his journey already. In addition to his partial fast, he has commited to a full fast, restricting all food and water every week when Lucy is to reach her new milestone. What I admire most about this man and his journey is you would never know he was fasting by looking at him. This sacrifice he is making to go to his Father in prayer for his baby girl, it simply takes my breath away. I thought of him, and prayed for him as I read this out of Matthew 6 this morning:

 ¹⁶ “When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ¹⁷ But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

The blog went on a little past here, and followed with prayer for our daughter, prayer for this fast, and prayer for our journey. We are now in our second week of the fast, and even more excited now to see what is in store!

Tomorrow... Lucy's 37th week marker!