FASTING: Day 1 of 21

Covenant Generations Church, the church I attend is doing the annual 21 days of fasting. We start things off right every new year by giving the first part of it to fasting and praying. It's kinda like giving the first 10 percent of your income to the church (aka the tithe), we're giving the "first ten percent" of our year to God, so to speak.

2011. Everyone is expecting something great this year. I can feel it all around, everyone is excited, believing something great is going to happen this year. I've been feeling this way about 2011 since January of 2010.

I held several meetings with people from my record label concerning this. 2010 was a training year and a year of preparation. I knew and spoke about 2011 being our year to finally get things off the ground and doing what I'm called to do.

What is that exactly? In one word: ministry. Need more? Okay, in two words: urban ministry.

Death2Self Records was placed in my heart 6 years ago for the inner city community. After all, I've lived it my whole life. I desire to reach out to people who I surrounded myself with my whole childhood who didn't see any good out of life other than poverty, drugs and just doing what feels good. Church to many people is not the answer. Well, they're right in saying that... church isn't the answer - the answer is God.

So for 2011, I am expecting GREAT things coming from me. While many see me as this weak feeble dude who on the outside, doesn't look like much - I know who I am on the inside. I know what I'm meant to do and who I'm meant to be. 2011, it's time for that guy to come OUT!

WHAT AM I FASTING?
This year, I'm fasting the stuff I know works for me, and is just as equally sacrificial: SWEATS & CARBONATED BEVERAGES.

Okay, for any of you "advanced fasters" out there, let me explain. I am almost 27 years old, I am 5'10'' and I weigh 130 lbs. I'm not the healthiest guy in the world, so to fast food would be putting my health at risk.

Now don't get me wrong, I fully back up fasting food, whether all meals or select or even the Daniel fast (fruits and veggies only) but also when going on a fast, you need to know what you can or cannot handle. With people still needing to work and go to school, fasting meals may very much affect job performance and we know God's understanding enough to not hold it against us to have a select fast on account of needing to stay well enough to work.

A fast is about the intention, and trust me, this is a sacrifice to me. I'm a Dr. Pepper junkie first of all, second, sweats is one of my few joys in the world (ice cream, cookies, you name it). This is my fast.

WHAT AM I FASTING FOR?
Here's the list...

1) INCREASE in finances - Sounds like it should be on everyone's list huh? Well, for me especially since my wife lost her job and I'm making only HALF of the house bills that I'm required to pay, so it's not only something I want, but something I NEED.

2) JOBS & BETTER JOBS - I'm blessed with a job provided by the church and I work freelance for websites and graphics as well. Sadly, because the economy's kicking everybody's butt, freelance work isn't a good place to earn money right now. The only way I can make this work is to be hired by an actual company or organization. My church, as great as it is, isn't paying me nearly enough to make it. No fault of their own, they just can't afford to pay me what I'm needing right now. What this means though is I need to keep my options open if I'm going to be a good provider for my family and get us out of debt!

3) DEBT - When you become a man of faith, you learn not to worry about things like debt because you know God will take care of it... Well, first off, the Bible makes it clear that a man who does not work does not deserve to eat. Second, FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS DEAD, so I can have all the faith I want, God ain't gonna honor me if I'm on my butt hoping for a miracle. Simply because I have debt, doesn't mean I should be okay with it. I'm very uncomfortable that I have this debt... to the point where I can't afford maintenance on the car like a simple oil change! My debt NEEDs to GO and I'm proclaiming it gone in 2011!

4) NO MORE MONEY WOES - I'm not asking to be rich, although I receive it. I find no enjoyment about living from paycheck to paycheck nor should I. I refuse to continue looking at the bank and seeing I have no money even for getting FOOD to live off of... Guess this is why fasting could help in more ways than one, huh? Still, this isn't so much about myself - I have a wife. And if I'm ever to have kids, I need to be the financial provider. Not only do I want an increase in my finances, I also never want money to be an issue with us ever again. I want to be a GIVER, not a BORROWER.

5) SEE THE PROPHECY FULFILLED - When I was attending my church in NYC, a church called Resurrection Christian Center, I was spoken this over me: "There is a sleeping GIANT inside you." This giant is meant to do great things, but he's sleeping. When I joined my current church, Covenant Generations Church, before even knowing my NAME, my Pastor called me to stand up in front of everyone right after worship and spoke this over me. "You are going to be the NEXT BIG EVANGELIST". Get this: He spoke it over me TWICE. That's three times a prophecy of who I am meant to be was spoken over me. I'm nearly 27 years old, I need to see this realized in this year!

6) BOLDNESS, CHANGE IN CHARACTER - We all have character flaws, every one of us. Last year, I felt everyone was against me because family and friends were seemingly turning against me because I said or didn't say the right thing or said them in the wrong way or whatever. It seems like people fall all the time but I'm judged a lot harsher than anyone else. Well, whether those reasons are valid or not, I am wanting a total makeover in 2011! I want to be BOLD and brave! I want God to loosen my tongue so I can change from a shy guy to a wild and passionate guy who doesn't shut up! I want to be taken and seen seriously as an adult so I can go out and do the works of God with people's support behind me!

7) DEATH2SELF RECORDS - This is our year! I'm planning on getting the business license this year, the DBA and open a bank account for it. I am planning on pushing this forward further than it's ever been and not look back. I am needing a church to stand behind me, I am needing a family to rep this ministry. Whatever that means at the end of this fast, I'm leaving up to God, but I KNOW this is the year!

People have come to me and asked "Maybe this isn't God's timing for you or this ministry" several times, but fam, I've already been at that point. I've already confronted God and asked him to first, take away this desire if it's not from him, also, I've came close to giving it up altogether. This ministry keeps coming back to me. If I had it my way, I would've closed down Death2Self in 2009. In fact, I was going to. God had other plans for me, so it's still here.

This year is going to bring great change to my life, please help me keep all this in prayer! This is going to be exciting!