What is a 30-Day Secular Media Fast?

What if the noise of godless media is drowning out the voice of God? Not all media is bad... but maybe the distraction away from God is making harder to hear and see God at work.

This is a journey of a group of high school students who have committed to take 30 days to focus on God through God-centered media. This includes TV, movies, books, magazines, smart phone apps, and many social media outlets.

Here, you can follow their stories, their lives, and their challenges. Feel free to leave comments and encouragement.

Read
Relate
Respond

Friday, March 22, 2013

Only 9 days left of the Media Fast. I have probably read at least 15 books so far. I leave to go on the Jr. High Missions Trip on Monday, and I am super excited for this experience. I went last year and loved it and am stoked to do it again. I have been really struggling with having nothing to do a lot of the time. I have been making bracelets, reading and listening to Christian music most of the time, but that gets very old after awhile.  But I intend to persevere and finish up the Media Fast strong. :)

Megan W.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Not so tuff

The fast so far is not very hard but thats cause I've done the media fast before and am used to it. I have enjoyed growing closer to God also listening to music I haven't listened to in a while like Toby Mac, David Crowder band, and Group 1 Crew. I have also enjoyed spending time with my family. I've been reading in Philippians, the verse is that has stood out to me is Philippians 4:13 "I can do all this through him who gives me strength."

Another Day

well today it looks like we`re 2 weeks away from the end of the Media Fast... what the heck?! wow! good job everyone!

if i said these last 2 weeks were easy for me that`d be a lie, i mean, NO Kingdom Hearts or any other video games?!?!? GAH! well that part was kinda easy (i`m stuck in a level). i was reading my Bible and i had book marked some of the verses that some of posted and i made this connection to my favorite verse "And so we make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it"(2 Corinthians 5:9) with (SHOOT! i forgot i`ll be right back... *runs to get his Bible*...) i`m back it`s 2 Chronicles 15:7 "But as for you, be strong and do not give up, for your work will be rewarded". you have to flip the quotes around but i think you all get the picture: (paraphrasing) if we stay strong in our pleasing God(which He never promises will be easy) we will be rewarded! ...at least something like that.

so that`s my shpeal. oh yeah today i got to dissect a frog! yeah it was fun but it got to the point we (not me) started to completely mutilate the frogs and it was gross...but kinda fun! 

i hope you guys and gals had a good day and remember God made you special... and there`s only 2 weeks left in the Media Fast(GOT YA ^_^)!!

Corum Deo (look it up, hint: it`s Latin)

~DJ F.

 

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

2 weeks down

it has been 2 weeks since i started the fast and i am really missing listening to one direction. but i got to go to the rock and worship roadshow to see family force 5 with my dad, sister and friends. 2 weeks left.

My Media Fast Story

My name is Grace Brown, and this is my first time doing the media fast. I've actually been very excited for this opportunity for a very long time. "The media fast is what the high schoolers do, and I want to be like the high schoolers," I would think. But as I grew older, I forgot about it. Two months before given the chance to do it, I was constantly listening to 103.9 and 99.5 on the radio for great Christian music. Every day, all day. I could listen to my beloved Taylor Swift music, but never wanted to miss what song might come up next. Years before even that, I had given up watching TV, except maybe X-Factor from time to time.
   The day my mom went to a meeting for in coming high schoolers at church, she came back with a small slip of paper about the media fast. "Matt said you can do it this year!" she said. I didn't expect that. I'm in 8th grade, and I had already been given the chance to do a high school thing? When my mom handed me the card, I hesitated.
   In fact, I hesitated for several days. Why? I'm still not sure. I don't watch TV, and I only listened to God-focused music anyway. Books-- that was the problem. Books are one of my top favorite things. But I knew my best friend, Jael's mom would have a lot of Christian books I could borrow, especially Ted Dekker ones.
   I may not be sure why I hesitated, but I'm so glad I said yes in the end. Yes, of course it was hard at the beginning of the month, when only a couple days in it seemed as if the month would go on forever. I brought in an iPod to block out the music that was played in PE everyday, which I hated. I was the only one with my iPod, and it always threatened to slip from my pocket and become lost.
   But I carried on. Within the first week, I was lent a six-book series called the Lost Books by Ted Dekker. The books are amazing, and they definitely keep me occupied. The music is great, and I love listening to songs from Tenth Avenue North, Casting Crowns, MercyMe, Third Day, Anthem Lights, Tobymac, and more. It totally keeps me feeling great, encouraging me in my times of sorrow and anger.
   I'm sure this media fast isn't as hard for me as it is for others. But still, sometimes Satan tempts me into wanting to listen to other music, read other books. I fight it, but it involves much struggle. I never realized just how much secular media there truly was in my life around me, but I'm determined to avoid it and spend the time with my Father, my Savior, my Lord.

Monday, March 18, 2013

Perfectly weak

So you know that verse "'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness'"? Story. Of. My. Life. Trusting people, and God, is not necessarily one of my strengths. It's hard, and quite frankly it scares the poop out of me. Let's be honest. Ha. So can you guess what God has been teaching me this month? Trusting Him. Of course.

For reals, though, it's actually a good thing. I'm so conflicted about what I'm going to do once I graduate, but in that confusion, Jesus is leaving me no choice BUT to trust Him. If I'm not trusting Him through it, I'll only go crazier. So in my quest to trust, I'm growing closer to God, especially since I have time this month to go to Him more frequently. The funny thing is that I'm kind of okay with wherever God wants to send me next year. I mean I really really really want to do YWAM, but if college is where I need to be, God is in control of that, and He can use me in either situation. However it all ends, if I continue learning to trust God about it, His power is made perfect in my weakness.

On a completely different note, do you know that song Smelly Cat that Phoebe from "Friends" sings? It has been stuck in my head for the ENTIRE. WEEK. I'm going crazy, I swear. Ha.

Hope everyone's doing well. We're more than halfway there already! We should all do something together during spring break with our freed-up time. Fellowship; holla! Praying for you all.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Life is good. Eternal life is better

SO, this has been such a great experience! It's going well! I thought it would be really hard. The only thing i miss is my music! It's not bad music, but its not directly focused on God either, so i cant listen to it & its been really hard. Jesus music is great tho :) When i told my friends about it they were like wow our church should do that! Its crazy how much can get done without electronics. I like this! Well im really thankful we do stuff like this cuz its helped me to see that God should be all we focus on.. not just for a month but forever.