“As each day went by my past became further away and the pain, guilt and shame had gone away completely.”
About three years ago I was talking with some friends from church that had just finished a 40 day fast and I was very impressed and curious as to how it was done. They gave me a copy of a book called" The Fasting Feast." I looked through it and was inspired but didn't have the deep convictions needed to begin one. In May of 2006, I had moved to a point of in my life of rebellion against God and my own value system. I met a man that was not a Christian and fell knee deep into trouble. I began drinking like a fish and finally became pregnant. There was so much guilt and shame that I stopped going to church. Along with what I already felt about myself I didn't want to be accused of being a hypocrite. By December I was in such a depressive state and I just couldn't snap out of it. I had a miscarriage in August that almost took my life, and by December I was knee deep in debt from hospital bills that I had no way of paying. Being a single mother of three children on top of everything else really took its toll. I have always been considered a very strong person. I even gave birth to my children at home with no drugs.
Things were so bad that I figured it wouldn't hurt to try fasting. I set my mind on three days, but by the third day I decided to go seven days. By the seventh day I was feeling so good that I decided that I would go as long as I could. By the second week I had received a letter in the mail that my hospital bill had been written off. ($6655.00)
As each day went by my past became further away and the pain, guilt and shame had gone away completely. There were so many good things happening and so many prayers being answered that I never wanted to eat again. I felt like I was with God and on a completely different plain. I had more patience then I have ever had with my children, was happier than I have ever been in my entire life and I had a clear conscience before God and man.
By the time I was through with the fast I had gone 25 days and lost 24 much needed pounds. Today I am on my ninth day of a fast I have been meaning to start for the last year. Finally I have started and set a 40 day goal. I have learned how to listen to my body. By the end of this fast I will have a new outlook on my life that has gone stale because of selfishness. There is no greater satisfaction then when giving up the will to the Lords. I hope that this testimony will touch at least one soul. The most important thing I have learned is that God never gave up on me like, even though I was convinced He had. By surrendering to him through fasting He was able to show me how much love He has for me because I was quiet enough to listen.
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