Fasting is the act of deliberately denying oneself food for a particular period of time to express and cultivate dependence on and humility before God. Fasting has a profound impact on us as we intentionally deny our bodies their most essential provision and also seems to move the heart of God on behalf of his people. Throughout the Scriptures and the history of the Church, God’s people have maintained fasting as a crucial aspect of their seeking after Him. During this Lenten season, Jacob’s Well will be joining in this rich heritage by exploring this spiritual practice together. Fasting is not everything in the Christian life and there is no explicit command for Christians to fast in the Bible. However, Jesus assumed his followers would fast (Matthew 6:16: “… when you fast”) and, as we will see below, proper fasting can facilitate profound spiritual impact in the life of an individual disciple and in the community of God’s people.

Why fast?

The Scriptures repeatedly tell us that God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble (cf. James 4:6-10). In Isaiah 57:15 God says, "I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.” (see also Is 66:1,2). This great God who is above all earthly powers loves to draw especially close to those who willingly humble themselves before him. This is what makes fasting so powerful. Again and again, fasting is spoken of as an act that especially humbles us before God (cf. Joel 1:14; 2:12, 15). By going without our most basic need for a set amount of time, we declare to God that He is more significant than any worldly resource. At the same time, we learn that he can sustain us as we do what our bodies most obstinately resist. We declare to our own bodies that there is something more important and significant to us than meeting its (our body’s) needs. This is a powerful step in acknowledging to God our utter dependence on him for all things. It takes that declaration beyond mere words and actually cultivates the dependence we are declaring by our fast. Put simply, fasting both declares and develops the humility that draws God especially close to His people.

As God draws close to us in our humility, the implications are almost inevitably profound. Fasting often produces: fervency in prayer as our desperation for God increases (cf. Acts 13:2), freedom from besetting sins as our flesh is aggressively silenced (Galatians 6:8; Romans 8:13), clear insight into God’s will (cf. Acts 14:23), and dramatic intervention in circumstances (see many examples below under “When should I fast”).

How should I fast?

The Bible actually has a lot more to say about how not to fast than the particulars of how to do so. This is because the dangers of fasting are myriad. As with the Pharisees in Jesus’ day, fasting can easily become a legalistic badge of merit and superiority. Thus, when we fast, we must not do so in such a way that let’s everyone know we’re denying ourselves (exaggerated, distressed gasps as your friends eat lunch, complaining to your spouse or roommate repeatedly about how hungry you are and the like are what Jesus is referring to in Matthew 6:16-18). God’s people in the Old Testament are likewise condemned for fasting while simultaneously taking advantage of others (Isaiah 58). God condemns them for fasting to get what they want, rather than merely drawing close to God and leaving the “results” to him (“ … you seek your own pleasure.” v. 3). As such, our fasts must be accompanied by righteous living and love for others. To do otherwise is gross hypocrisy and ultimately a wasted fast.

Who should fast?

As mentioned, there is no explicit command given to Christians to fast. However, according to a first century document called the Didache, almost all of the earliest Christians fasted as a regular rhythm in their lives together (they fasted every Wednesday and Friday). Furthermore, Jesus says that his disciples will fast as an act of grief for his departure and as an act of longing for his return (Matthew 9:14-15). As such, it is fitting for Christians to appropriate this powerful means of grace in our lives. To shrink away from this practice is to refuse what God may want to accomplish in and through the process.

When should I fast?

The Scriptures are rife with examples of when God’s people are to fast. Nehemiah fasted for an astounding 120 days when he saw the state of God’s people and God’s city (Neh 1:1-4). Esther called for the entire nation of Israel to fast as she tried to divert Haman’s plan to annihilate the Jews (Esther 4:15-17). Ezra proclaimed a fast in order to seek God’s protection when the people returned from exile to rebuild Jerusalem (Ezra 8:21; similarly: 2 Chronicles 20:3). The apostles fasted when they needed clarity on God’s plan in the early days of the Church (Acts 13:2-3; 14:23). Even Jesus fasted for 40 days at the outset of his ministry to declare his complete dependence on the Father (Matthew 4). Given these examples, we can conclude that fasting is especially appropriate when God’s intervention is especially needed.

Let’s get practical …

• Most people new to fasting should start slowly and build up to longer fasts. Begin with a 24-hour “juice only” fast. Then try a three-day “water only” fast and so on.
• If attempting a longer fast – like a week or 10 days - try drinking fresh fruit juices at your regular meal times and water in the meantime. If attempting an even longer fast – like 21 or 40 days – consult your physician. They will most likely recommend some sort of multivitamin and a fiber supplement.
• The first three days are almost universally the most difficult for people attempting longer fasts. The body is releasing toxins that have been built up for years. Once you’re through the fourth day, your equilibrium will return and you’ll likely feel surprisingly alert and strong.
• How long should I fast? This inevitable question comes with a somewhat unsatisfying answer: however long you feel God is calling you to fast. Use the Spirit’s guidance, as well as the input of trusted believers to make this decision. There is no easy formula.
• Don’t forget why you’re fasting! We can become so enthralled by the physical effects of our fast that we forget to maximize its impact in extended times of prayer and taking in large doses of the Scriptures. Don’t waste your fast.
• If you have had serious eating issues in the past, you should approach fasting with great caution. You may consider fasting from a particular type of food (meat, fruit, etc.).
• If you are diabetic, have a serious heart condition or are pregnant, you probably should not fast.
• What about fasting from Facebook, TV, internet, etc? While these are admirable and even recommended practices, the Biblical definition of fasting is universally with respect to food. Nothing so thoroughly reminds us of our dependence on God than the denial of our most basic need … and no, our most basic need is not Facebook.

Giving is hard.  Giving to someone who needs a lot is hard.  But Jesus himself said “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” (Acts 20:35)  Jesus himself said that. That means something must happen to us when we give. I had a lot of needs in that 2.5 months – A LOT.  As a mom, I’m used to doing all the things. So, as you can imagine, I was the one receiving A LOT. I saw something happen in my friends, in my family, in my kids and in our staff team at Jacob’s Well as they served me.  I saw friends sacrifice joyfully for me. I saw family drive miles and miles on my behalf. I saw a community watch my kids, bring me real food, sit with me, pray with my husband, cry with me, listen to my anxiety, text me at all hours of the day and night, take over my WellKIDS duties, teach my kids, pray for my unborn baby, fast for our situation and I could go on and on.

No one person did all of that though.  No one person could have. God doesn’t ask us to do everything; he asks us to be faithful and do it with joy.  In Luke 21, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering. He also saw a poor widow giving an offering of two small copper coins.  He said this, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”  That’s what our Heavenly Father asks us to do. To give generously. For some of us that might be 2 copper coins and for some of us that might be giving up a perfectly planned out day to spend time with 2 crazy boys.  For some of us that might be texting a friend and praying over the phone for them and for some of us that might mean supporting a missionary in another part of the world, or taking a friend who is hurting a meal, or buying books for a friend who is struggling to pay for their own.  Jacob’s Well - give your two copper coins generously, whatever your two copper coins are. God will use them for his purposes, to show the world who he is.

We long for all that is wrong with this world to be set right, and that setting right is what the biblical writers refer to as justice. The justice that the biblical writers speak mostly of is restorative justice, which is a justice that seeks to care for the vulnerable among us- those who have been trampled over, marginalized, and put out. The prophet Micah says it like this: “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8). “To do justice”. Justice is something that God would have us “do”, but what does that mean? How do we “do justice”?

I told my cousin that her chores weren’t my problem, and this microcosmic event from my childhood sums up all of the injustice in the world, which is that humanity has decided to tell fellow image bearers who are suffering, being mistreated, who have been pushed to the margins of society, “It’s just not my problem”. But God has called us to something bigger than this, in fact when God chose Abraham to be the father of his chosen people, the people who would show the world what God was like, he instructed him “to keep the way of the LORD by doing righteousness and justice” (Gen. 18:19), and that means that the problems of those around us become our problems.

“It’s not my problem” is an unchristian response to the suffering of this world, and as we continue in our journey toward the cross of Good Friday and the resurrection of Easter Sunday, it will serve us well to meditate on this truth, that Jesus of Nazareth made our problem his problem. Paul, a first century missionary and follower of Jesus said it like this, that Christians should “have this mind among you, which is yours in Christ Jesus who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:5-9).

To be like Jesus is to clothe yourself in the pain of your neighbors, the misery of a friend, the suffering of your enemy. It is to enter into the pit with the broken and hoist them up on your shoulders so it’s not you who comes out and is seen, but rather your brother or your sister. It is to walk alongside and speak for those who cannot speak for themselves (cf. Prov. 31:8, 9). It is defending the rights of others above your own. And in mercy, demonstrating patience, as our Lord has abundantly shown to us, when those with whom we are walking, serving, loving and dying are showing little to no gratitude.

When and only when the community of faith is obedient in this calling, then the world will know what God is like.

Isaiah 2:2 “In the last days of the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as chief among the mountains; it will be raised above the hills and all nations will stream to it.”

Daniel 7:14 “He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshipped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.” 

I share both Chinese and European Caucasian ethnicities. Culturally, I identify with my Chinese background a bit more since my grandparents, my cousins, and much of my extended family are from my Chinese mother’s side of the family.  I celebrate my ethnicity and my unique genetic makeup that comes with great cultural reward and responsibility, but my background does not save me. Only Christ through his death and resurrection has made that possible for us to have an eternal relationship with our Heavenly Father. His sovereignty, however is exemplified through the awesome diversity of his people. The many different languages, backgrounds, and ethnicities that make up God’s people are representative of the great influence His spirit has over this world. Jesus asked His followers to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt 28:19).  This is a call to go and proclaim the gospel to a variety of communities. We need only to look at the face of our own church at Jacob’s well to experience a very real sample of God’s infinite reach and power.

Psalm 9:9  The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.

When Jesus met with the Samaritan woman at the well, it caused a lot of social controversy even amongst his own disciples. This woman, a Samaritan, was of a mixed ethnicity and considered to be religiously foreign to the Jewish people. Jesus however, breaks through this social barrier of prejudice in his interaction with the woman. He takes the time to speak into her story, to offer her salvation, and then to send her out to tell others of His arrival into this world.  God often turns the expectations of the world upside-down. He chose someone who was considered to be a foreigner by the people of Israel and a woman (whose word would not have been trusted) to be an evangelical agent in her community. In Acts Chapter 8, Philip, Peter, and John would go straight to Samaria to preach the Gospel to the people there. The common social prejudices against the Samaritans were dismantled by Christ’s love towards the woman at the well and many more believed as a result of her testimony.  

Proverbs 14:31 Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God. 

1 Timothy 6:17-19 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.  Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. 

When we think of what it means to be rich and to be poor, we usually associate those terms with financial gain. Wealth however, can have a variety of forms.  In the natural make-up of every society, there usually exists a dominant culture. We can think of that dominant culture as possessing the most wealth in “privilege.” A member of a dominant culture will not experience prejudice the same way as someone who identifies with a less dominant culture. The Lord calls us to take up one another’s burdens.  We are called to stand by those who are oppressed and to be generous to those who are in need. We are also called to love our neighbors well. How do we do this? In this context, we are to lay our comfort in commonality down, for the opportunity to learn about another’s differences.

Jesus himself, compared the woman at the well’s daily routine to eternal salvation. He could have announced Himself as God in the flesh, but instead He sat with the woman and shared with her the way to eternal life as it related to her personal life. We can build lasting relationships with one another by taking the time to learn and to value each other’s stories. We do this not so we can boast in our own knowledge of the world, but we do this so we can boast in the eternal and profound love that Christ our Lord has for us. Let us equip ourselves by listening to one another’s stories and building relationship with one another. Instead of listening to our own story on repeat, let us step boldly out of our comfort zones and into the lives of those who might want to share a new story with us. Let us have compassion on those who are oppressed and take up their burdens upon our shoulders. Let us tremble with awesome reverence at the God who’s reach extends to all cultures, tribes, and nations on the face of this earth.  

And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to his disciples, "Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?"”

Hebrews 2:11-15 ESV

For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, saying, "I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise." And again, "I will put my trust in him." And again, "Behold, I and the children God has given me." Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.”

The Bible says in Hebrews chapter 2, that Jesus is not ashamed of us, but by the grace of God, he tasted death in our place.  The passage tells us this is so, because “He who sanctifies (Jesus) and those who are sanctified (us) are all from one Father.”  

During Jesus’s life, the religious high class often remarked incredulously at how Jesus could surround himself with tax collectors and sinners- those in lower classes and those marginalized by civilization.  The separation between the religious leaders and these sinners was intentional in order to avoid having the religious leaders’ status before God questioned. Jesus however saw those tax collectors and sinners differently.  Jesus saw them as those who might become “children given to Him by God” and addressed their true need of reconciliation with their Father.

We have to ask ourselves: are we are ashamed of the tax collectors, sinners, and those ostracized within our own communities? Do we choose to stand aside and protect our religious identity over engaging with and associating with those individuals?  If Jesus was here with us, would people be asking us as His disciples why Jesus eats with those people? Do we have a willingness to missionally engage with people as image bearers or do we engage only to point out what is separating them from us?

Our engagement should begin with recognizing that we, unlike Jesus, have no right to be ashamed. Jesus being the almighty, perfect God, had every right to separate Himself from sinful man, yet did not.  We ought to recognize that in this equation the church has been sanctified- meaning grace has been bestowed on us. Because of that we should be presenting the One who does sanctify to all.

Thoughtful engagement is interacting with people as Jesus did.  Jesus spent a large portion of His life with people within their normal life rhythms. He used contexts specific to those individuals to open their eyes to reality of who He was and the revolutionary way only He could fulfill the truest and deepest of their soul.  

Jesus presented the gospel in a way that said, “if you know who I am and what I can do for you, then when I ask you to follow me, with joy you’ll lay down everything and come.”  Knowing Jesus does not come as the result of someone changing their lives on their own. But when someone knows Jesus, repentance and true life change cannot help but follow. We need to introduce people to Jesus, and to do this by interacting with people as Jesus did. Have dinner with people. Suffer with those who are suffering. Laugh and enjoy life with others. All the while presenting Jesus as the One who give us bread to eat, offers hope and comfort in the midst of life’s brokenness, and gives a joy unlike any other.

Consider these questions today:

- What does it mean to you personally that Jesus considers you His brother/sister? Is your own understanding of what God thinks of you hindering your ability to present Him well to others?

 - Who are those in your life that you can engage as Jesus did? How do you present Jesus to others?  As a God judging from a distance or a Savior who is present and near?  

I love soccer. Growing up it was the main thing that brought joy to my heart. It was the thing that I looked forward to every Saturday- playing for the Franklin Township Rec League. I remember as a kid having my shin guards, shoes, these small shorts (because that’s what soccer players wore back then), and the long socks I put on to cover my shin guards. I remember what it felt like to go out on Saturday mornings to play this game I loved. I remember wanting so much to score goals and to be as good as some of the other players. But something else that I noticed at a young age was that I was one of only a few black kids who played the sport. Even though there wasn’t any mistreatment of me at the time, it was something I knew.

As I continued this journey as a young man who loved soccer, I began to look for images of players who looked like me. I shortly found out that there weren’t a whole lot. While my friends had many players that they looked up to that shared their skin color, it seemed as if my choices were few and far between. Not that I didn’t have anyone to look up to, but most of these players seemed to be from different places and didn’t come from the background I came from. This was difficult for me to deal with. As a kid, I never questioned who I was. I knew I was a black child, but what was hard for me was figuring out how to identify with this thing that I loved when it didn’t seem to identify with me.

Romans 8: 1-4 reads:

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

This passage speaks to the freedom that we have in Christ. That freedom has come from the God who sent "his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin”. This truth, this Gospel, spoke to me as a believer. I know that someone paid the price for me, and drew me towards himself in ways I could not explain. This truth also gave me a sense of freedom-  a freedom to be the person that I was. It gave me a freedom in the fact that I didn’t need to look for something or someone to identify with. I found my place- a freedom to identify with something that I loved, that identified with me.

This is how the Gospel continues to speak to me today. It continues to allow me the freedom to be the black kid who plays soccer, and also the black kid who loves the Lord. As this Lenten season continues and as you ponder the things of the Lord through the Scriptures, I challenge you to ask yourself:

- Where are the places where God is challenging you to accept the truth of His word?

- Many times, we condemn what the Lord has blessed. What are the things that the Lord is challenging you to see the way He sees?

The Good Friday service is one of my favorite gatherings at Jacob’s Well. Every year, I experience a fresh reminder of Jesus’ suffering for my sin. I am deeply convicted about my stubborn heart, and overwhelmed by the depth of God’s grace to me in a unique and powerful way. I look forward to that evening every year because it is good for my soul. But I need to experience the repentance that God invites me to on a regular basis. This is where Lent is an invitation. Praying for God to move in my heart over an extended season allows him to patiently and persistently reveal areas of my life that need to be turned over fully to him.

Over the course of the next 6 weeks, we invite you to set aside Friday as a day to remind our own hearts of our dependence on God by fasting. Since we just finished our annual church-wide fast this week, we’ll begin together next Friday. Throughout Lent, we’ll post a reflection on Friday from one of our staff members that will encourage us to go before God in humility and consider the things he has called us to as a church.

For those new to fasting, Pastor Scott has posted a great overview on fasting here. Please note the practical considerations and ask God how he would have you prepare your heart before him. My prayer for our church in this season is that we would seek the Lord and experience his response to the prayers of his people. Jacob’s Well, may we “taste and see that the Lord is good (Ps. 34:8)” as we seek his face together.     

               Fasting is the act of deliberately denying oneself food for a particular period of time to express and cultivate dependence on and humility before God. Fasting has a profound impact on us as we intentionally deny our bodies their most essential provision. Fasting also seems to move the heart of God on behalf of his people. Throughout the Scriptures and the history of the Church, God’s people have maintained fasting as a crucial aspect of their seeking after Him. As we head into 2 together, Jacob’s Well will be joining in this rich heritage. Fasting is not everything in the Christian life and there is no explicit command for Christians to fast in the Bible. However, Jesus assumed his followers would fast (Matthew 6:16: “… when you fast”) and, as we will see below, proper fasting can facilitate profound spiritual impact in the life of an individual disciple and in the community of God’s people.    

Why fast?

              The Scriptures repeatedly tell us that God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble (cf. James 4:6-10). In Isaiah 57:15 God says, "I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.” (see also Is 66:1,2).  This great God who is above all earthly powers loves to draw especially close to those who willingly humble themselves before him. This is what makes fasting so powerful. Again and again, fasting is spoken of as an act that especially humbles us before God (cf. Joel 1:14; 2:12, 15). By going without our most basic need for a set amount of time, we declare to God that He is more significant than any worldly resource.  At the same time, we learn that he can sustain us as we do what our bodies most obstinately resist. We declare to our own bodies that there is something more important and significant to us than meeting its (our body’s) needs. This is a powerful step in acknowledging to God our utter dependence on him for all things. It takes that declaration beyond mere words and actually cultivates the dependence we are declaring by our fast. Put simply, fasting both declares and develops the humility that draws God especially close to His people. 

         As God draws close to us in our humility, the implications are almost inevitably profound. Fasting often produces: fervency in prayer as our desperation for God increases (cf. Acts 13:2), freedom from besetting sins as our flesh is aggressively silenced (Galatians 6:8; Romans 8:13), clear insight into God’s will (cf. Acts 14:23), and dramatic intervention in circumstances (see many examples below under “When should I fast”).  

How should I fast?

              The Bible actually has a lot more to say about how not to fast than the particulars of how to do so. This is because the dangers of fasting are myriad. As with the Pharisees in Jesus’ day, fasting can easily become a legalistic badge of merit and superiority. Thus, when we fast, we must not do so in such a way that let’s everyone know we’re denying ourselves (exaggerated, distressed gasps as your friends eat lunch, complaining to your spouse or roommate repeatedly about how hungry you are and the like are what Jesus is referring to in Matthew 6:16-18). God’s people in the Old Testament are likewise condemned for fasting while simultaneously taking advantage of others (Isaiah 58). God condemns them for fasting to get what they want, rather than merely drawing close to God and leaving the “results” to him (“ … you seek your own pleasure.” v. 3). As such, our fasts must be accompanied by righteous living and love for others. To do otherwise is gross hypocrisy and ultimately a wasted fast.

Who should fast?

               As mentioned, there is no explicit command given to Christians to fast. However, according to a first century document called the Didache, almost all of the earliest Christians fasted as a regular rhythm in their lives together (they fasted every Wednesday and Friday). Furthermore, Jesus says that his disciples will fast as an act of grief for his departure and as an act of longing for his return (Matthew 9:14-15). As such, it is fitting for Christians to appropriate this powerful means of grace in our lives. To shrink away from this practice is to refuse what God may want to accomplish in and through the process.        

When should I fast? 

              The Scriptures are rife with examples of when God’s people are to fast. Nehemiah fasted for an astounding 120 days when he saw the state of God’s people and God’s city (Neh 1:1-4). Esther called for the entire nation of Israel to fast as she tried to divert Haman’s plan to annihilate the Jews (Esther 4:15-17). Ezra proclaimed a fast in order to seek God’s protection when the people returned from exile to rebuild Jerusalem (Ezra 8:21; similarly: 2 Chronicles 20:3). The apostles fasted when they needed clarity on God’s plan in the early days of the Church (Acts 13:2-3; 14:23). Even Jesus fasted for 40 days at the outset of his ministry to declare his complete dependence on the Father (Matthew 4). Given these examples, we can conclude that fasting is especially appropriate when God’s intervention is especially needed.

Let’s get practical … 

• Most people new to fasting should start slowly and build up to longer fasts. Begin with a 24-hour “juice only” fast. Then try a three-day “water only” fast and so on.
• If attempting a longer fast – like a week or 10 days - try drinking fresh fruit juices at your regular meal times and water in the meantime. If attempting an even longer fast – like 21 or 40 days – consult your physician. They will most likely recommend some sort of multivitamin and a fiber supplement.
• The first three days are almost universally the most difficult for people attempting longer fasts. The body is releasing toxins that have been built up for years. Once you’re through the fourth day, your equilibrium will return and you’ll likely feel surprisingly alert and strong.
• How long should I fast? This inevitable question comes with a somewhat unsatisfying answer: however long you feel God is calling you to fast. Use the Spirit’s guidance, as well as the input of trusted believers to make this decision. There is no easy formula.
• Don’t forget why you’re fasting! We can become so enthralled by the physical effects of our fast that we forget to maximize its impact in extended times of prayer and taking in the Scriptures. Don’t waste your fast.
• If you have had serious eating issues in the past, you should approach fasting with great caution. You may consider fasting from a particular type of food (meat, fruit, etc.).
• If you are diabetic, have a serious heart condition or are pregnant, you probably should not fast.
• What about fasting from Facebook, TV, internet, etc? While these are admirable and even recommended practices, the Biblical definition of fasting is universally with respect to food. Nothing so thoroughly reminds us of our dependence on God than the denial of our most basic need … and no, our most basic need is not Facebook.

I was asked to share about our experience of being foster parents and how we’ve seen God through this journey. It is my prayer that God will give me the words He’d like me to share and that those words would stir in your hearts in some way.

This was not an easy or quick decision. My heart had been burdened for years to adopt. The earthquake in Haiti in 2010 is when this journey began. I would cry over these children most nights longing to help those that no longer had anyone to call mom or dad.  However, this was not a shared burden of my husband, Rob. This burden stayed with me and didn’t go away. Why would God put this on my heart and not Rob’s? I really struggled with this. Please understand- this is not to speak badly about Rob AT ALL. This was just a lesson from God. He was preparing Rob in His own way and I didn’t even realize it. One night while I was doing a devotional that was centered on life and feeling “restless,” I was writing about my frustrations about feeling stuck in life. I wanted to adopt and Rob didn’t. I literally just asked Rob again if he’d prayed and thought anymore about adopting. He was silent. I looked on at him in bitterness as he continued to look at his phone. Well, after a few minutes he looks up from his phone, and I kid you not said, “ Ok, I’m willing to adopt from Haiti or the Dominican Republic.” Uhhhhhhhh WHATTTTT?!?!?! Yes, I cried.  He was on his phone because he had just been looking at adoption agencies. Thus began the process of figuring out what to do next.

After looking into different options of adopting internationally, it didn’t seem right for several different reasons I won’t get into now. Many times Sunday mornings during services at Jacob’s Well, the thousands of children that needed homes in NJ kept coming into my head. We eventually decided to become licensed foster parents with the intent to adopt. We talked to our three kids and they were all in.

Foster care’s main priority is reunification with the biological parents. This process can take as little as months but also up to years. Sometimes parental rights are terminated and the children are eventually adopted. We started the process of becoming licensed foster parents in September of 2015. After a short orientation meeting, a resource worker was assigned to our family. She came out to meet us at our home and the process began. We filled out paperwork, attended around 27 hours of training, and had a homestudy and home inspection completed.  We were licensed in January of 2016. This process can take longer depending on whether you get in all your required paperwork or if the caseworker is a little slower moving.  We were ready and determined so we moved quickly on whatever was needed of us.

After a few children came and went, we felt it was time to move so that we had more space to do what we knew God wanted us to do.  God was faithful and provided a home with plenty of bedrooms. We dedicated our home right away as it was clearly God’s hand that brought us here. It was His home to do His work. To this day, we have had a total of seven children in our home that have stayed all different lengths of time. The shortest amount of time was 24 hours. These children have since moved on either to a relative, back home, or to a different foster home. It has not been an easy journey. We get attached and have to say goodbye. We have to put up with the hardships that come with this messed up system. But we have had the privilege to welcome and love on God’s beautiful children that are hurting and need love and care. We know we can provide that solely based on our trust in God to give us the strength we need. It is truly humbling that God has called us to do this. We see the ugliness of the world affecting innocent children, but we can’t ignore it. I’ve heard and read about so many stories and fear kept creeping in, but I am so happy that I didn’t let fear win!!

We now have two beautiful girls staying with us for however long and they have brought such joy into our home. We have been blessed by them. It isn’t always easy. It can be challenging and uncomfortable. But when I think about the hard that they’re going through? It’s so much harder than MY hard. So I can do my hard if it will help them through theirs.  We pray for the parents of these children  and that they would eventually return home to them someday. We have an ongoing journal with their parents so that they know we are praying for and supporting them.  

God taught me that His timing is perfect. I am so thankful that we have a God that promises to provide for all our needs. He has called us to do this work for Him and through our obedience we have clearly seen His hand! It has been a beautiful journey with Him! He also provides for my biological children to love on kids. They have been amazing to watch through this. And no it hasn’t been easy for them all the time either. But they continue to desire to foster 

I hope this encourages you in whatever God is calling you to. He calls each of us to obey Him and His word and then leads us in how to do that specifically.  Please don’t let fear hold you back from going forward with what you feel God is leading you to do! If anyone is interested in talking to me or Rob in more detail please do. We would love to talk more! And if you’d like to go online and reach out to start the process or find more information the link is: www.state.nj.us/njfosteradopt/foster/parent

Thanks for reading!

Your sister in Christ,

Sonya Coords

Find more information about Orphan Sunday here:

Orphan Sunday - Christian Alliance for Orphans