So this past week (November 14th), I went on a fast. If you know me well, you know I don't like fasting lol. I understand the significance of fasting, I understand the benefits, I know what scriptures to read, I know what sermons to watch, I understand the purpose and everything. I got it down pact. But, here's my honest truth as to why I don't fast…and this may be the reason many of you don't either…I was afraid to hear what God has to say, especially about myself. When I go on a fast, God is ready to reveal something that I'm not ready for and things that I'm not ready to do. When I begin to sense what God wants me to do I'm ready to doubt it and be like “Nah God, that's not you, that's the devil trying to ruin my life” LOL. I laugh because many of us…even myself, forget that the Holy Spirit reveals, convicts, and comforts (John 16:13). So what you may think is the “devil” is most likely God opening your eyes or disciplining you because He loves you and doesn't want to see you go down the wrong path (Hebrews 12:6). 
So this past week it felt like my mind was running a marathon. I'm searching for a job that works with my schedule, my car needed to be fixed, my attitude has been off lately and the things I was praying for was not happening and made me paranoid. As I was trusting God through all of this, there was a small part of me wondering when and how he will come through…I was getting anxious and that lead to me being impatient. So I called a friend and explained to her my circumstances…mind you she's a wise young woman with very  few words and she says, “When's the last time you fasted?” The fleeting thought of fasting actually did come to mind before I called her too. After that convo, I removed all my social media apps off of my phone and tried to prepare my mind for fasting. The next day (Sunday), I was talking to a friend and I shared with him a few things I've realized about myself lately and how I don't understand what's been going on with me. Then he says, “Maybe you just need to fast.” At this point I'm like “ok God I’ll fast.” At morning service that same day, pastor preached a heavy word about Spiritual warfare: “Walking Victoriously in Jesus” and ended his sermon with…yup you guessed it…fasting. I believed that that was the Lord really pushing me to fast since this was the 3rd confirmation in two days. I started my fast that very day. I journaled and sought the Lord each day. When I tell y'all He told me some things about myself, I cried like crazy. On the last day of my fast, I was seeking the Lord and watched a sermon. Now, before I get into how God showed out, let me back track quickly.
 I applied for this job position and did great at the first and second interview. When I told them that I was looking for a part time job to balance my other job, they made it clear that's not what they needed right now. I was bummed because I knew I wouldn't get it. Now fast forward, in the middle of watching the sermon, I received a phone call from that job. The woman says, “it just so happened that we actually do need a part time teacher for the hours you listed”. When I got off the phone, I cried like a baby and kept repeating over and over again, “you changed their schedule for ME God?”. When God makes a way when it looks like there's no way, there's nothing you can do but rejoice. This testimony is coming from someone that did not like to fast and I gave God a chance, disciplined myself, sought the Lord, examined myself, removed any distractions and prayed. The thing is, I didn’t pray for the job during my fast, I was fasting for it but I wasn't praying for God to just give it to me. I believe that's how the blessings come, when your attention and focus is not on the blessing but the blesser. Once you understand the kind of God you serve, you know that He got you, you just don't know when…and not knowing when doesn't mean he's not working on it. Like pastor said, fasting tests your ability to truly pursue God above the areas of comfort and habits you are accustomed. The key word here is ability; are you able to pursue God; are you able to make that God time count; are you able to break out of your mundane routine and shift it for God; are you able to break some habits? Challenge yourself and show God what you're able to do. Anything that's comfortable and that's a habit always needs to be broken, so break them by fasting. 

Young Women, if you are in a place of confusion, uncertainty, you feel distant from God, lost, unstable, overwhelmed, looking for answers to your problems, you feel clogged in your mind and/or in the spiritual…I suggest you fast. Prayer is key of course and like pastor said, fasting intensifies prayer. To me, fasting is like worshipping God, giving him all that you got, giving him all the glory and honor, and seeking his face in an empty house and rapidly seeing all the things you need in your home find its place; furniture, stove, décor, chairs, fridge, greens, beans, Potatoes, YOU NAME IT! It's a time of not thinking about yourself and changing the condition of your heart so you can receive what God is saying and better yet hear what's He's saying. If you have any questions on how to fast, what scriptures to read, what to fast from, sermon links etc. leave a reply below. God Bless.