Hello tender friends!
As you read last week, my very first fast was sort of difficult in the sense that I kept looking at the clock and thinking about food because it was a new experience. I had the following thoughts that first day:
- Wow, what an extraordinary privilege to have food available whenever I want.
- I’ve always known that having food readily available is a privilege, but I don’t think I realized until today how great of a privilege.
- My stomach sounds like a Star Wars battle scene as my good and bad bacteria battle each other.
But by my second fast I felt like a seasoned guru and was pleased when the day slipped by without me really thinking about food. Eventually, after a few months of regular fasting, I felt like my body had essentially kicked out every bad thing that it needed to kick out and stopped experiencing the Star wars effect.
So you know what it’s like when you discover something that improves your life and you’re anxious to share it with everyone, especially your spouse? That’s how I was feeling.
All this time, regularly thought about how improved Anthony’s life would be if he would just fast like I was! It’s so easy to feel great! Why won’t you join me, my love?
Then I forgot about how wonderful his life could be and simply fasted by myself. And you know what? I started to feel like it was my special thing with God, even though it’s everyone’s special thing with God, and didn’t really care who was or wasn’t doing it.
Then, in February, Anthony told me that he wanted to start fasting together. So we did. That was what I wanted, right?
And the first one was the worst, crankiest fast ever. I was hungry the whole time even after I had entered autophagy. I did not feel full of love and light. I did not have abundant energy. And of course, I blamed my husband. My fasting experience was just wonderful before he got in on it. The time crawled by, and I felt hungrier than I ever had in my life. We were both miserable and short with each other.
When we talked about it, Anthony said, “Well, I guess we should have expected that Satan would attack us harder since we’re in agreement now.”
Of course! That’s it! Satan loves discord, especially when you and your spouse are drawing near to the Father. Think about all those Sunday morning fights that erupt out of nowhere on your way to church…
We struggled through our next three fasting experiences together, until I had my light bulb moment: ask God to protect you from the attack.
Now, if you’re thinking this is Christianity 101 and wondering why it took us four awful fasts for me to realize this, I have no defense. Of course I should have thought of this sooner, but hopefully sharing this now will help someone else along the way.
So the night before our fifth fast together, I prayed, “Lord, we have been experiencing some unique attacks since we started fasting together. Could you intercede and protect us from those attacks?”
Apparently this was one of those, “Ye have not because ye ask not moments.” Our fast the next day was beautiful and peaceful, and they have been ever since.
We haven’t experienced any special revelation as a married couple as a result of our fasting, but we’re ok with that. I think being attacked by Satan is actually an encouragement, because he wouldn’t be bothering with us fasting together if it didn’t in some way threaten him.
We’ve been fasting together about once a week, and plan to continue doing so.
And actually, typing this, I’m struck by how amazing that God has interceded to protect us from the attacks of the enemy following that prayer. Thank you, Lord, for reminding me of my dependence on you. Thank you for the gift of humility.
Tender friends, let’s move forward expecting miracles in God’s time.
If you have your spouse have ever fasted together, I’d love to hear about your experience in the comments!
Thank you for stopping by, and stay blessed, tender friends!
Thank you for sharing!
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To the new tender friends who’ve signed up- thank you! This Thursday’s post was going to focus on tips and tricks I’ve used to rehabilitate my adrenal glands, but I just have to share some news about our baby chicks. So I am pushing that post back a week. Next week I’d like to focus on what a healing hack vinegar is. After that I’d like to feature a friend of mine who has had extraordinary results from her cellular-level testing, as this can be a truly miraculous healing experience for those who do it!
tea and tenderness 
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