Fasting for Slavery

When Christine Caine visited our church she asked us to fast something on the 21st, something that a victim of sex slavery wouldn't have.

It's Saturday the 21st at 6am.... I am lying awake, waiting for the kids to wake up, thinking about what I am going to fast today?  A shower (gross), toothbrush (super gross), make-up (scary), coffee (i don't drink coffee), TV (don't watch much anyways), my phone (heaven forbid), internet (no way), Facebook (to easy)... on and on.  The boys finally woke up and I had decided on perfume and a shower.

After breakfast I began my morning prep, splashed water on my face and immediately started thinking about how someone who is held captive probably doesn't get to wash their face... OR put on tinted moisturizer OR lip gloss.  So now I am dirty, stinky, dry and blotchy.... off we go to Home Depot :)

For the rest of the day everything I did made me think about someone who doesn't have what I have, especially victims of slavery.  Not to be insensitive, but when the idea was first presented I thought, "What good is that gonna do for them?"  You see, I am a do-er, I like results, attack first and think later (gets me in trouble sometimes - I am getting better). And don't get me wrong here, I wholeheartedly believe in fasting, submitting to God and denying your flesh is one of the best ways to listen to what God has to say.  But I was so angry, I felt blind and useless against this very HUGE problem.... and you want me to fast my morning tea?

What I learned is that fasting my shower, lead to fasting my perfume, which led to fasting my moisturizer, then my make-up and lipstick.  And that carried into the rest of my day, stopping and thinking about these victims, praying for them each time I thought about another thing they don't have.  It all started to make sense... awareness, I AM AWARE .... prayer, I AM PRAYING .... compassion, I HAVE COMPASSION!!

What now?  What are you fighting for?  What moves you?  Where do you show compassion?  Love?  Kindness?  We are not all programmed to fight the same fight... but we ARE programmed to fight.... like a LION!!!

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