Prayer & Fasting: Days 0-2

We were called to an all-church season of prayer and fasting. My initial response: Great! I'm planning on juice fasting anyway for the new year!

Since I was scheduled to coordinate on the two Sundays we were having classes on prayer and fasting, I made Yubo go in my stead. Awesome that he went, because he felt convicted that we needed to do this together.

Last Wednesday through Friday, we laid out our plans and intentions for these next 21 days.

WHY: To realign ourselves with God's will; To spend more time in communion with God and each other; (specifically, to gain wisdom and discernment regarding California, but we're keeping it open)

HOW: "Fast" from electronic entertainment that distracts us from God and each other.

• Morning: Breakfast for Yubo; Juice for Mochi; Prayer/Devotional/Scripture
• Afternoon: Yubo eats lunch on his own; Juice for Mochi; (P/D/S) Errands/Chores/Work
• Evening: Juice for Yubo and Mochi; P/D/S/Worship/Mark study

I didn't want Yubo to fast from too many meals so that he could work properly. He doesn't have the luxury of being able to lighten his work load to accommodate the first weak days of an extended fast.

We wanted to start well and together, so last Sunday, I made arrangements to only coordinate 2nd service so that Yubo had a better chance of waking up on time for breakfast, and so I would have enough time to make breakfast and juice.

Then we were off to church, and actually made it early enough for me to check in with P.Keith.

The afternoon was filled with rushed errands. Yubo mistakenly fasted lunch. We ended up with just enough time to stay in Bellevue to head over to the first meeting of our new small group (I think we call them Discipleship Groups now). Yubo was cranky about it, and I had a headache, but we went.

At the end of small group, I scolded Yubo for sneaking a pot sticker while I was coming back from the restroom. After clarifying that he agreed to fast dinner (and not lunch), he kindly let me have a pot sticker to ease my headache.

On the way home, we ended up going to sushi for dinner. Day 1 became Day 0.

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Day 1 (take 2) started ok. I woke up on time to make Yubo breakfast, and make myself juice. After Yubo went off to work, I went back to bed. I actually ended up sleeping away A LOT of the day. After my afternoon juice, I was feeling nauseous with a horrible headache. Several cups of water and coconut water didn't help. I couldn't focus enough to even pray. Reading was impossible.

I started looking into the Daniel fast. What I got from when my head wasn't pounding was I already started off wrong. My motives for the food portion of the fast weren't right -- they were purely physical. I just wanted to lose weight. And I just wanted to throw myself off the deep end. I didn't really prepare myself very well to deal with the physical pains of fasting. It was astonishing to me how bad the first day was (twice).

When Yubo got home, I told him I was going to do a modified Daniel fast... or more like, just my own partial fast. What was the point if all I was going to do was sleep the day away? Where's the extra time with God then? My modifications would also enable a higher chance of success for being on my own at home.

I ended the night with chicken noodle soup, and Yubo had the juice I made.

• Morning: Breakfast and vitamins for Yubo and Mochi; Prayer/Devotional/Scripture
• Afternoon: Yubo eats lunch on his own; Fruits and veggies for Mochi; (P/D/S) Errands/Chores/Work
• Evening: Juice for Yubo; Soup for Mochi; P/D/S/Worship/Mark study

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Day 2 seems to be going much more successfully for me. I have plenty of energy to go about the day, worshiping to music as I clean the house, and being able to sit and focus on God. I think the biggest benefit is coming from the electronic "fasting." So that's why I felt my food fast didn't need to be quite so strict -- the food fast is to be healthy and take care of the temple that is my body.

Despite now eating breakfast and lunch, Yubo's sick. Either he finally caught what was ailing me the first two weeks of this new year, or he hasn't been dressing for the chill of the season. It's been really, really cold.

I may have him join me for soup tonight instead of cold juice. And we can try to spend more time in prayer for him.


Anyway, I've read about journaling during fasts, and I think it'll be good for us to document how this goes since it's the first time doing something to this degree together.