2019 Prayer and Fasting, Day 33

Today is the last "real" full day of the thirty-four thirty-three days (apparently) of fasting. In case you missed it, over a month ago, when the season of fasting was first introduced and I saw the dates "May 28 - June 30", I assumed that the fast would continue through June 30th, and not stop on June 30th. Then a few Sundays in (I forget which week), one of the pastors preaching confirmed in front of the whole congregation that, no, actually June 30th we break the fast as a church. Not that I mind, per se, but when I chose to be away from Facebook and announced as such, I specifically said that I would return on July 1st, not June 30th. I still intend to hold myself to that. After all, what's one more day?

I've decided to soften a bit how I end my fast; because my church is officially breaking the fast tomorrow, and not Monday like I had originally thought, I will follow suit in some ways: related to food, coffee, and alcohol (not that I really followed the fasting-from-coffee thing...) I will return to my previous normal. In regards to Facebook, I will abstain for the extra day like I publicly declared I would. In regards to YouTube, ESPN.com, other news and sports websites, and all games, my goal is to maintain the fast in perpetuity, or at least until I feel God tugging me to shift something there.

As I assess how last the 33 days have gone overall, it is easy for me to grade myself down in terms of my ability to maintain the discipline. It's also easy, on the other hand, for me to block out in my mind things I can learn and carry forward. So I'll abstain from reporting on all that now, simply because I have learned a lot and have been reflecting a lot, plus that much of my reflections are personal in nature. There were a couple devotionals that I had planned on getting to this month that I didn't. But, I have also done a lot of devotionals and Biblical reflections, and I have shared them on here.

The leader of the Monday night ministry I'm a part of (Hope for Artists) recently informed us of an invitation our new pastor (Pastor Ted) extended to us: he invited us to email him a selfie photo of us holding a piece of paper sharing how God intervened in our lives and in our faith walk over the last month. I won't share a photo, but I will share what I wrote on that piece of paper:

1. I experienced a new level of God's grace, deeper than I ever have before.
2. One night, while I was up late, anxious... I cried out to God, and I felt I heard the Holy Spirit say: "Expect Jesus."

As for my plan for the first week of July, I will be working; I chose not to take any scheduled days off. (I need the money...) But, because of the quirks that already exist in my schedule, I have a few days, a few opportunities, to create a "vacation" of sorts, without having to spend any money. I'm looking forward to it!