Yikes

Honestly, this year's fast has been the hardest it's ever been for me. You would think after four years that this would become a routine part of the year, but it's not so. Each year brings new challenges, but with that God reveals something new to us. I just haven't figured out what that is this time quite yet. I'm praying for you all. Have a spectacular month.
-T

And then their were 3

One week down, 3 to go. I can't believe how quick this is going by, in exception one time, I have not realy been tempted with media and the week has flied by. However, the exception i said was when I went to my friend house to play some board games. My friend was about to put on some music as we were playing. I kindly asked him to not or put on some Christian music, he asked why, and I was able to give him an overview of the media fast as well as a tell him a little bit about the gospel, (he is not a Christian.) He did not realy soak in what I said about the gospel but respected why I could not listen to the music (pray for him). I am hoping through the media fast God will give me more opportunities to share the gospel.
I'm keeping everyone in my prayers and happy media fast
-Erik

One week down.

Wow, one week has already passed in this media fast. I'm not sure why this is, but this media fast so far is much easier than I remember. Maybe it's because I've been keeping busy, but regardless the media fast is still very challenging. I find that in school where most of my friends are on their phones I'm either reading scripture or trying to make conversation. For the most part my friends haven't necessarily been majorly supportive, but they have been understanding and are respecting me and my media fast. One thing that I have noticed immensely is not only how little people talk face to face, but  when they do talk a lot of times it is about something that pertains to what they found or heard on social media. These times can be challenging, as I feel like I live under a rock with all of these people talking about things happening in the world. I am a football fan and it hurts how I can't keep track of what my favorite team is doing, some friends told me today about what had happened when normally I would just see it on my ESPN app. It's ok though, I am more than willing to sacrifice some football knowledge to get closer to God. This week I have been reading scripture as well as watching veggie tales! Thank you to whoever made a complete playlist of all the veggie tale episodes on dailymotion, that helped a lot! I hope everybody else is having a great media fast, and I thank all the sponsors once again for your prayers and support.

MEdia fast

Over and over again I find myself rejoicing in the media fast, more so this year than ever before. I am not dragged down by the distraction of secular media but instead I feel lifted up in its absence. While I truly struggle at times to stay off of social media, not having anything to really do on my phone has given me cause to set it down and occupy myself elsewhere.

               I have devoted my life (basically) to spoken word. Not just any spoken word poetry, but live performances that are full of passion for Christ. Each one brings inspiration and goosebumps, and each poet has a unique message and testimony of their faith. My favorite one so far is called Identity Crisis of a Misfit, and it is talking about how, as Christians we become so focused on our image and on how we appear to others that we disregard how God sees us, which is ultimately way more important. One line in his poem is "I would rather be an outcast now then cast out later." My life should be reflecting God's work in my life, and if that makes me not fit in then so be it. I would like God to welcome me into heaven rather than live halfway in between and be unrecognizable to God. 

At the very beginning of his poem, he says "I began with media, because media begins with ME." I made the obvious connection to the fast and I began to see the real truth in that. Media is designed to show your best you, and in promoting yourself, your attention remains fixed on yourself instead of on God. This spoken word poem has resonated deeply with me and I would suggest it to all of you ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubhEudCSJHA ) 

Happy Media Fast!!!

Megan 

Mrmmrnvkingsjnfbtaychasdklfrmit!!!

     Strange title, right?  Looks like gibberish, but it is a sound I have made multiple times the past week!  I haven't really encountered too much temptation, but I have encountered a lot of frustration...     I was in the car earlier today, and my aunt started playing one of my favorite songs from her phone, and I freaked out and got out of the car, mumbling that I couldn't listen  to it because it was secular, (no the car was not moving when I got out, so i didn't get run over...Hallelujah Jesus, Amen!) I also couldn't finish one of the books I was in the middle of reading before the media fast, so I probably should have pick a smaller one, (Les Miserables), so I also was pretty frustrated with that.  Yeah, a lot of other smaller things have come up, but I have done just fine otherwise so far.  
     I have been reading proverbs each day as well, and I have been silently thinking "OK God I think I get the point!"  Anyone who has been reading it knows what I am talking about, since it seems pretty redundant about the wisdom topic, but it just goes to show how important godly wisdom is to the Lord.  It is something that comes in handy in all situations, and Proverbs gives us many examples and advice on many subjects, including temptation, relationships, discipline, friends, marriage, and leadership.  I have also been reading Peter as well, which has given some advice on frustration and worry: "Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you."  If any of you need help with temptation, anxiety, or frustration through this media fast, just pray, and remember that there is absolutely NO reason to worry.  God loves you more than anything, and more than you could possibly imagine.  God, the creator of everything, animals, the earth, the universe and life itself, goes out of his way to ultimately love you, and give up himself for you. This shows how little some of our worries really are, and how he is willing to carry any burdens we have if we let him.  Just this huge truth should be comforting enough!  Well good luck to all of you, and happy media fast!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

I'll Just Look That Up...

     I realized another thing that I use more than I thought: Google. I mean, it seems like no big thing, and it's really handy when you need to just figure out the answer to something.
Truth of the matter is that when I don't have to rely on a book or a person to find an answer, and I can look on a device that fits in my hand for the answer to virtually any question I have, I begin to wonder if I really need people. Or books. Or anything that's slower and less reliable (in a matter of speaking) than the internet. And I realize that this category of "slow" might include God and the Bible. God doesn't always give us the answer to our question immediately. All we can do in the time of waiting is pray and trust that the absence of a clear answer is part of His plan. But, in a quickly revolving world where infinite knowledge is literally a tap away, God's all-knowing power seems unnecessary and inconvenient. If God is so great, then why should we wait?
     The answer to this, at least for me, is trust. I know I can trust God with ALL things because He has a Plan for me; one that I don't and can't fully understand, which is the point. The trouble is that I've gotten so used to being able to get the answer right away that I feel very impatient and snubbed by God when I don't get the answer to my questions. My grandma once said that the new age of a world wide web has almost entirely eliminated the phrase "I wonder...". And she's absolutely right. I think that the media fast has been and will bring that "I wonder" back into my life, especially when it comes to trusting God. I pray I will be tested with things I don't have the answer to just so I can practice being content with not having the answer.
     I have been listening to K-LOVE a lot, and I hear a lot of songs that hold this truth in their lyrics. One of them is My Savior, My God by Aaron Shust, and the opening lines say, "I am not skilled to understand/ What God has willed/ What God has planned", which I feel is very accurate, and it brings me peace to hear it in the context of "My Savior loves/ My Savior lives/ My Savior's always there for me". He has a master Plan, and though sometimes it seems like the loving thing for Him to do was change our life from bad to good, we can't see what the future holds but we can be comforted in the knowledge that He loves and cares for us, so His Plan is perfect and holy.
     I know this isn't exactly centered around "How did your first week in the Media Fast go?", but I really wanted to share these thoughts, and I hope that it makes at least a little bit of sense (I mean, it kind of shows my struggles from the week...). Thanks for all of your support! Praying for you all!
Madeleine

American Noise

Hello Media-fasters! Week one was a success! I partially attribute my success to my busy schedule, the "American Noise" around me. I am someone you might call ADHD, or a busy-body, meaning that I always like to be busy, there's never a dull moment in my life. If i ever don't have something to do, I'll find something to do, for example: this week, when i might have normally been watching a movie or reading a book, I decided to re-organize my room and bookshelves and dresser and closet...three times. On a day to day basis, I go from school to either work or practice, and from there to homework to whatever else i may need to do. But in this busy schedule, where does Christ fit in? I do my devotions in the morning, pray throughout the day, and read what I am required to for Bible class (private school kid). I love to read the Bible on my own, and meditate on the text, but in my busy schedule, sometimes it is hard to do that. This week, God has brought Psalm 46:10 to my mind constantly, "Be still, and know that I am God." So often in my American lifestyle everything is go, go, go, and it's always fast-paced, so we never have to stop or slow down, but that takes away all our time to soak in God's creation and the wonder of the world He created for us. The "American Noise" consumes us and we have no time to be in awe of His presence or marvel at His glory and His character. I have to constantly remind myself, "be still, be still, be still, trust and know that He is God." Our time is God's hands, and He is sovereign to be in control of every aspect of our lives. He is trustworthy, and He gives us rest in the midst of our American Noise.