We had just gotten home from church when my son, Jeremiah, caught me off guard. “Dad,” he said, “we should go on a media fast.”
My gut reaction wasn’t “Amen.” It was “How do I get out of this?”
I decided I would outsource the “No.” I told him to go ask his brothers, confident in a certain veto. I knew Micah—our resident Paw Patrol superfan—would never sign off on a world without Marshall and Chase. I was looking for an exit ramp; instead, I found a unanimous vote.
I asked Jeremiah, “How long?” He didn’t hesitate. He went to the calendar and pointed out the dates. I was stunned. My wife joined us, and we officially set the terms: for two weeks, we would only consume media that pointed us directly to Jesus.
A few days before the end, Micah walked up to me. “Dad,” he said quietly, “this has been really easy.”
I looked at him, realizing that while I had been looking for excuses, God had been providing Micah with grace. I took that moment to explain to him that grace for fasting doesn’t always mean the craving disappears—it just means the fast becomes doable.
Fasting is rarely “easy” in the traditional sense, but the trade-off is undeniable. When we intentionally quiet the noise of this earth, we create the space to experience the superior pleasure of knowing Jesus. As it turns out, I didn’t need an exit ramp. I just needed to say yes to God’s grace.
During the Fast we took “Community” as the boys always mistakenly call it regularly. We usually don’t correct them since Communion is ALL about community! (Both with God and each other.)
