I’m sure you sensed I was very expectant for 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting when I wrote my post about preparing for it, and honestly, I was surprised at how much thought I put into the 21 days before it even started. I’m glad I did though because I think it made my times of prayer more purposed and my determination stronger.
My Goal ::
Get off of social media and Netflix, stay away from junk food and sweets, & watch prayer live online every morning.
What Actually Happened ::
I knew that being off of Social Media was going to be nice, but it was much more freeing than I expected. I became aware of how many little moments throughout the day I got on it – when I want to take a break from looking at my computer at work (which is funny because I just go from one screen to another 😛 ), waiting for the elevator at work, before I go to bed, when Aaron is driving and I’m just hanging out in the front seat, etc. It also became evident to me that there are some people that I follow on Social Media that I really need to unfollow. Not because they’re bad or causing me to sin, but I just don’t need to follow them anymore.
Fasting Netflix wasn’t as hard for me as it was for Aaron, but I will admit, we did watch Psych a few nights, but only if we both agreed to it and had gotten some substantial quality time in beforehand. But most nights, we enjoyed playing a board game, talking, or going to bed early.
Since I’m pregnant, food was not something I was really watching like I have during previous 21 Days. But I am [slowly] becoming more disciplined with meal planning / weekly grocery shopping, which is something I can continually grow in. The first week I didn’t eat any sweets, but at the end of week 2, my craving for ice cream won me over on our date night and after that I allowed myself 1 treat a day.
I am also proud to say that I successfully participated in every prayer service! Whoop whoop 😛
What I learned ::
Social Media is a brilliant tool when you are intentional with it. Can you imagine if Paul from the Bible had social media? That guy had a lot to say – I mean, he wrote a good bit of the New Testament 😉 The problem comes when its place gets jumbled. Without realizing it, my mind was fooled into believing that in order to be influential, I needed to have a big following. The time I spent away from social media was refreshing and allowed me to realign my thinking AND decide what my intentions were with it. God was very kind to me and reassured me that my influence is not based on numbers and gave me a vision for the role social media should play in my life. I’ve since jumped back into it, unfollowed 150+ accounts, and am looking forward to the way I intend on using it for the future!
As you obviously know, I did continue to blog through the 21 Days, and I found a lot of joy and fulfillment in that. I did hit the “Facebook share” button, but I never actually scroll on Facebook to see what other’s posted. God gave me a beautiful vision for my blog while I was at the Freedom Conference, and it’s given me a new drive and focus in my writing.
Netflix is also a great source for entertainment – the key is to make sure it’s not impeding quality time with those you cherish. Aaron and I were already very intentional about what we allowed to play on the screen, but we watched it too much. It was energizing to laugh while we played board games together after Rylie went to bed instead of robotically turning on the TV in the name of wanting a mindless activity. Our intention now that the fast is over is to make sure we spend quality time together BEFORE any screen gets turned on (if it gets turned on at all).
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All in all, it was an eye-opening, rejuvenating, powerful 21 Days and I am so thankful for the revelations and visions God gave me. I found myself growing in friendships, experiencing immense kindness from God in multiple areas of my life, reading more, and brainstorming things I might not have otherwise. My desire for the future is to continue to cultivate what God has placed on my heart and to continually set aside time to pray and talk to him – to share my heart and to hear his. But maybe not right at 6am… 😝
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Did you miss the weekly notes? You can find them here ::
