110707

This past sunday, at the Refuge, one of the girls I went to Chicago with on the mission trip came to serve and will be serving there regularly, which makes me happy. =] I haven't seen her since our post trip get together in September. She told me she had just finished a ten day lemonade fast and how amazing it was because she felt so close to the Lord. I asked her if she felt called to fast and she said, originally she fasted for other reasons, however, in the process she felt so clear headed and close to the Lord that it was amazing. I confess I still don't understand fasting.

I woke up this morning still thinking about fasting, after 3 days of thinking about it, off and on. "Why does a person fast?" I asked the Lord. "When does a person fast? How does a person fast when they have a job that requires physical labor, like my job?" I was seriously praying about this as I was walking to the pool, when I heard the still small voice of the Lord say clearly "deny yourself, fast to understand fasting." And suddenly, I felt convicted to fast like never before. I tried to fast back at Easter, but the conviction wasn't there. So I went to the pool and called a friend of mine and asked her if she ever fasted and she said she did once for just a day and that it was hard (she has the same kind of job I have, surgical nurse), all the while we spoke, I kept hearing the voice, "deny yourself". By this time, it was almost lunch time and I hadn't had anything to eat because I basically was fasting before I even heard the voice.

I went to work and fasted all day long, intermittently hearing the clear voice, "deny yourself", everytime I felt hunger, asking God for His supernatural strength and perseverance to continue to fast and not give in to my flesh. I realize, at this moment, I feel very close to the Lord and focused on Him, like never before. Every time I heard the voice, it was as if He was cheering me on, saying "you can do it!" What an awesome day this turned out to be! I'm glad I listened to the voice. =] And as and ironic twist to my day, I was offered a dinner break for the first time since I started working 2pm - 10pm. Hahaha! Praise God!!!