Plugging In And Disconnecting

" Prayer is connecting with God; fasting is disconnecting from the world."

My home church in Texas will start their 21 days of prayer and fasting this week. All though I no longer live there, I have chosen to participate. And to be honest I am quit excited to disconnect from the world and have three weeks of me and daddy God time.
There is no doubt of my faith in the power of prayer. It is my first words before I open my eyes and my last before I drift off to sleep. My conversations with my daddy God are many through out my day.
But there is so much more to be gained than from just a few conversations through out my day.

Fasting is to sacrifice a comfort in life; the abstinence of things of our flesh.  For some it may be food or drink. Others whose health can not participate in a fast of food may choose a activity such as television or social media. I have a hard time gaining weight ( it's not the joy others may perceive it to be, When you are 46 years old and still having to shop for clothes in the junior department it is challenging to say the least.) and fasting food would be difficult for my health/weight reasons.

So what's a girl to do right? I began to ask my daddy God what did He want me to give up, to sacrifice during this fast. Would it be my morning coffee? My afternoon coke? My favorite TV program? Maybe my desire to consume chocolate at any given moment of the day? What fleshy desire should I fast from??

And my answer >>>>>  all social media. Never saw that one coming. But He didn't stop there. He showed me that even though I receive much encouragement through many on social media, sadly too many, myself included, will rely on modern technology to hear His voice. We ( I ) replace reading God's word for short spinets of feel good words from status posts.  We ( I ) count on others to share what He is saying to them in the hopes it is a message for us ( me) as well. It becomes easier to allow others to seek Him for us ( me) than for us ( me) to stop within the rat race of the world and hear from Him ourselves ( myself).

 " I do read your word." I tell Him.
" Not as much as I would like for you to." He replies.
 And yet another reason of His choice is revealed to me.

Do not misunderstand me , I know my daddy God allows others to speak into our lives and that is a wonderful thing and my intent is not take away from those who God uses as his vessel ,or discount His messenger or the means how it is given, however He wants us to directly hear His voice first and above all. He longs for us ,his sheep to   hear when our shepherd is speaking directly to our heart; to distinguish his voice from the voices of the world. He treasures a deep, intimate and personal relationship with His children.

I know for me personally when I get caught up in the craziness of my life, it is easier to pop on to social media for a quick pick me up; to read a testimony of overcoming and apply it to my daily snares. To proclaim a quick " thank you Jesus" and continue on with my hustle of tasks.
I do not feel any wrong in doing so as quick pick me ups and a thank you of acknowledgement to my daddy God  are needed through out my day. But in my haste, if I do not stop and truly seek Him,  I will miss what He is speaking to me. He never intends the ease of social media to take the place of me reaching for my bible and having a full filling conversation with Him through His word.

 In preparation I decided ,before the 21 day of fasting and prayer begins, I would look at the different definitions of what fasting means; to gather a better understanding in all aspects.
One defines it as I previously stated the abstinence of things. Food, drink etc...
Another describes it as a medical purifying; detoxing of the body.
But my favorite that I read stated fasting is a biblical way to  humble myself in the sight of God.

Psalm 35:13, King David  said " I humble myself through fasting."

When we get to the place of humbleness we disconnect from the world and connect solely with our daddy God. We connect to His wisdom, His strength and His limitless abilities. And in turn we are spiritually detoxed from things of this world that would have us weighed down and held captive to.

  I want to encourage you to seek Him through His word. Spend time with Him in the quiet and listen for His voice. And after you do that, all other encouragement, as we say in Cajun country, is " lagniappe" ( extra)

So here I (we) go...... Tracy Teppler are you ready??

21 days of plugging in to my daddy God and disconnecting from the world.
I can't wait to hear what our conversations will be!!!

XoXo

Stacey