I need a hard reset – physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I need to connect to God and find the direction He is wanting me to go because His directions here recently are quite confusing. I need to find my center. So Jan 1 – Jan 21 will be a period of intense prayer, study, and gratitude.

How do I grow my relationship with Christ? This is the question. I am planning to study the New Testament and focus on the characteristics of Christ, read some books I have on Christianity, journal, and whatever else I feel led to do. I am sure some of you who read this can share the things you do to grow closer to Christ (but make it a comment on the actual blog post or I won’t see it – ha).

During this fast, I will abstain from:

• Social Media – deleting all apps, turning off all notifications, keeping only this blog (yes, I am deleting Messenger too). So, if you want to reach me you will need to call, text, email, or comment on a blog post instead of on Facebook – if I am moved to post, that is. I have no idea what to expect from this.
• Television – this one will be hard. I like to fall asleep to The Great Gatsby movie when I am feeling low.
• Meat – as a keto person, I haven’t gone without meat in a very long time. I will focus on veggies and I will keep eggs and fish in my diet in a more vegetarian type restriction
• Alcohol – I will be having some soda for Champagne Sundays – at least there will be bubbles . . .
• Sugar – my nemesis.
• Breads, pastas, potatoes, processed foods

I expect this to be the hardest thing I have ever, ever done. I chose 21 days to model Daniel who fasted while he sought God in prayer duing a time of mourning. This felt appropriate and like the best way to allow God the room to heal me from this past year. I tend to get in His way a lot. Don’t we all? We read His answers in the way that feels least stressful to us instead of the way He intends. Or we snap at the first answer we hear without waiting for the rest. Sigh.

I know that it is common to both declare a fast or keep a fast private. But, for my purposes, I am declaring it so my people do not worry about me when I go off grid for three weeks. No need to hunt me down. So, here goes.

1 Corinthians 7:5 Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Acts 13:2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.

Daniel 10:3 I ate no choice food; no meat or wine touched my lips; and I used no lotions at all until the three weeks were over.

Esther 4:16 Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.

Exodus 34:28 Moses was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant—the Ten Commandments.

Joel 2:12 Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.