Pag-aayuno 2023



It is our Church's first 'Pray and Fast' for the year 2023. And I am more willing to participate in a spiritual activity such as this while my husband is on the ship, like he is right now, since I can be more focused while observing it with my children. I encourage my son and daughter to join me, and they readily agree, just like before.  

We have been doing P&F for two years already. Because children below the age of 18 are not yet permitted to fast, I advised my kids to observe it by eating tuna for lunch and fried sardines for dinner (or vice versa). No meat and no cellphone during P&F days. While I only eat biscuits for breakfast and lunch, I skip dinner. I spend the majority of my time reading the Bible and praying, answering the church's Intercede booklet.  

At last year's corporate midyear prayer and fasting, my husband happened to be here. And it was a challenging time because he cooked pork chops with sawsawan kamatis and onions. I can say that, while my husband's spirit is eager to join in the P&F, his flesh is weak. His appetite is getting the better of him, so he cooks delectable meals. If what's prepared on the table is highly appealing, it's really a struggle for me and especially my children to maintain the spiritual discipline for obvious reasons😁 

However, I give thanks to the Lord for the presence of the Holy Spirit in these children, as they were adamant about refusing to consume the food that was on the table. Sila pa nagsabi, "Papa, prayer and fasting po ah" (thank God, these children's spirits are alive in the things of the Lord). As a result, my husband is the only one who ate the porkchop, and "may natira pa, inilgay nalang sa ref ulam nya kinabukasan"😁  

And, as prayer and fasting came to an end tonight, we are grateful to God for providing and sustaining us with strength as we abstain from worldly things for a week. Yes, admittedly, we're a little excited to go to Jollibee or any other restaurant for lunch tomorrow after worship. 

Prayer and fasting are ways of afflicting our souls, a practice of humbling ourselves before God, and they are powerful if done sincerely and wholeheartedly. Let us make it a habit to pray and fast🙏


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