Ann here

As I write it is 4pm on day five over here in New Zealand, and I have two hours left to go, woohoo!

Today I would like us to share in the comments how our fast has gone: Specifically, what have you experienced from God this week?

I'll share a little about mine in a moment, but first picture this:

This fast is like a race, where we're nearing the finish line, and we're running it together.

The sun sets on a Friday in New Zealand first, and so us Kiwis will end our fast. There are at least a couple of us here in Auckland who are fasting.

Two hours later the sun will set in Australia, and our Australian SUMites will finish.

Ten hours later the Europeans will finish.

And finally, about six hours after that, those on the American continent will end their race. Lynn brings up the rear in the final time zone, over in California, Pacific time.

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:1-2, NKJV)

As I finish this particular race, I feel spiritually refreshed. And here's something that characterized my fast this year:

I had this weird feeling that I wanted to read the Bible without stopping. And that led me to race through much of the New Testament in the style of Forrest Gump! I just had to ... keep ... reading.

Are you still running, Forrest? Are you still reading, Ann?

So over this week I galloped through the whole of Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, Ephesians, 1 Timothy, Titus, 2 Timothy, the last part of Acts ... And finally, Hebrews.  Phew!

What's more, when I was sat there, on the couch, devouring his words, I did not feel the hunger pangs anymore. It was as if I was sat there in a beautiful bubble of comfort.

I would then pause, turn to my past journals, and read through things I have felt God say in my life. More feeding: This time I was feeding on his spoken word. And still, my hunger seemed to stay at bay.

His written word is power. His spoken word adds layers of blessing. We need both.

So that was my fast. And based on that I'm going to suggest a final prayer for us all:

Lord crack open your word in my heart. Implant it in me, and let it feed me supernaturally, so that I am full to the brim with you.

Ok, over to you, SUMites, how has it gone for you?

Ann