Ready To Get Your Fast On?

I'll admit it. When I was first approached about being a part of this project and I heard the words "Daniel Fast" my heart instantly screamed, "Nooooo!" It was a gut reaction, an emotional reaction. I should have known that when I usually have such a quick "no" reaction, prayer turns it into "yes." Funny how that happens.

You see, two years ago I knew this fast was coming. I was prepared. I was ready. I was excited. And then the day that the fast began I found myself standing in front of long tables of food, having just come from the cemetery after the burial service of my grandfather. My teacher, my rock, my personal prayer warrior, my spiritual mentor, my hero. Determined to still carry on ,I made it about half way down the line, looked at the cucumbers and carrots on my plate - and I broke. I didn't have the emotional energy. I tried a few days later to start fasting and broke down again in tears after a trip to the grocery store. It took me awhile to forgive what I then had considered to be a huge weakness.

Almost two years. Wow. God has done some amazing things, He has shown me the beginnings of who He really is, His character. He has shown me that those inner voices that screamed at me, "Failure! You're so WEAK!" were not, are not Him. That is not our God. He is a God of love, of grace, of compassion. A God who is still and simply cuddles his children when they need Him. So while I was emotionally catapulted back in time, through prayer God brought me back to the present. And even more, He reminded me of my constant prayer, my constant plea - "More please. Give me more of You." And I felt a stirring, almost as though He asked, "Are you serious? Will you trust me to move in you?"

Well, this is where the rubber meets the road, isn't it? I was once told by a dear friend that if we take one step toward God, He comes running to us. It was an amazing word picture, one I had never thought of before. I had no idea that was the God we served. But she was right. What we fail to remember often times however is that it takes that step. Just that one little first step. The sometimes scary, sometimes challenging, sometimes waaay outside of our comfort zone step.

So, I'm steppin. I thought it might be a little bit like a shuffle (you know, giving up coffee and all) but if I'm being honest - it's a step, a bonafide step. And although I'm a bit anxious, a bit nervous, I'm also a lot bit excited. It's a huge step of faith, a huge step of trust for me to declare that I KNOW God will move that I will grow. But I think that's what He wants from us. That first step and He'll do the rest. I'm excited to see what exactly the rest is, nervousness and all.

What is your first step? What is keeping you from taking it?

-Tiffany Adams