Courtney Joseph
About the Author

Courtney has been married to her high school sweet heart for 13 years, homeschools her son and daughter and is a graduate of the Moody Bible Institute. She appeared on the Rachael Ray Show in November, 2009. She regularly about faith, marriage, parenting, and homemaking. In 2010, she started a...

(in)side DaySpring: things we love
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(in)side DaySpring:
things we love
& you will too!
Find more at
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  1. I did my first “real” fast (more than just one meal) for two days with my husband over New Years Eve/New Years Day and it was the best experience I have ever had with God. As blessed as we are in this country I hate to even call a 2-day fast “suffering”, but that is truly the closest I have come to sharing in Christ’s sufferings outside of relational struggles. I actually desire that suffering now because I felt so close to God and am working on setting up another fast. Thanks for writing about something that seems to be kind of “taboo” these days!

  2. Thanks for sharing … an important “discipline” that we often neglect, but such a powerful time of connecting with God, and quieting ourselves so that we can hear His heart. So, so valuable when we take time for this, especially in times when we desperately need God’s direction …

  3. I cannot fast from food for medical reasons. (I’ve tried twice and gotten myself into medical crisis both times.) I recently cut our sugar for a month, but that also was for medical reasons and you are right, I didn’t always use those cravings to drive me to God, so it turned out to be more diet that spiritual discipline. For me the computer is my escape, so when God reminds me that I need to crave Him more, my sacrifice is to turn off the computer and walk away. It may not be a big thing to others, but I feel the hurt there more than I do with food and it reminds me of my dependence on the Lord. It’s been a while since I’ve done that – thanks for the reminder and challenge. 🙂

  4. Courtney – this may not be a popular subject, but it is so very important to our relationship with Jesus. Thanks for the encouragement to make sacrifices to clearly hear Him!

    Love your heart, girl!

  5. Thanks for the encouragment. Fasting is something that I’ve been curious about this past year. I think it’s often done and prayer is forgotten. I like to spend meal times in prayer when I’m fasting.

  6. Hi Courtney. So nice to see you on in courage!

    Ive been contemplating fasting lately- it looks like John Piper may have some good resources so I’ll do some more research there aswell.

  7. “But how hungry for God are we?” What a great question to reflect on Courtney. Thank you for these wonderful tips and encouragement!

  8. I have just revisited Piper’s book and have been reading it the past few weeks. I fasted the other day from sundown to sundown and was so encouraged by the simplicity of it. It sharpened my focus. It made me aware of the areas where I lack self-control. And since I knew I get snippy when I am hungry, it prepped me to have a good attitude in the same I way I prep my kids when we are on our way to church and they need to exhibit self-control by sitting still. I am so encouraged that you are blogging about it and that it is tool to knowing God better. It is a way, as Piper says, “to starve the sin.” Thank you for writing about it even though it isn’t a very popular topic in our Western churches.
    God bless!

  9. What a beautifully written reminder, and timely! Our church plant will be fasting together for the next 24 hours starting at sundown tonight. It is encouraging to be doing it together as the body of Christ and we’re psyched to see more of God.

  10. I love the sundown to sundown idea – I had never thought of that, but it would be a lovely way of breaking the fast and still getting 24 hrs in!

  11. I’d like to recommend a book to you that may help you with this spiritual discipline. It’s called Fast Living by Scott C. Todd. (not living in a hurry, but “fast” as in spiritual practice). You quoted Isaiah 58, which says that one reason we fast is not just to get closer to God, but to share our food with the hungry. If we fast and pray, and follow what Isaiah 58 says, we can change the plight of those who suffer in extreme poverty. Here’s a link to the Facebook page for the book: https://www.facebook.com/live58 Fasting doesn’t just change us, it has potential to change the world!

  12. Pray without ceasing: even in a crowd of familiar surroundings. Even in a native land that is deep rich in Christian History. Even in a land rich in History of plenty supplied by the grace and mercy of the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob.