Why I went on a Facebook Fast

I noticed that I was feeling frazzled and unable to get things done in all the important areas of my life. I would get frustrated that my daughter wanted to play as often as she did and that I never felt like playing with her. I was annoyed that all of a sudden it would be 530pm and I wouldn't have a single idea as to what I would make for dinner. I would go grocery shopping with no plan and so we would run out of things quickly and not have ingredients to make actual FOOD. I wanted to get in shape and exercise but never had the energy to do it. I would plan to have quiet time with the Lord but would get interrupted so many times I just felt like it was impossible! And by the end of the day when everyone was in bed all I wanted to do was have ME time: sit on couch with chocolate and tea and watch a chick flick. 

It was at this point when I knew I needed a change. I needed my focus back. I needed structure. I needed to get healthy in ALL areas of my life and start enjoying living! And I needed God's help to get me there.  

First thing I did was make quiet time with the Lord THE TOP PRIORITY. I noticed that there was about a 30-45 minute time span when we got home from taking my son to school that my daughter liked to just sit with her breakfast and watch her show. This was the time where I usually sat on the couch and got lost in Facebook world. Then before I knew it she was ready to play and I realized I hadn't even eaten breakfast or showered and now the day was getting started without me: expectations, responsibilities, time to be a grown up! And what threw me off? FACEBOOK. 

Now, I'm not saying Facebook is evil or anything, I love that it has connected me with friends and family that I otherwise would never have found, BUT too much of a good thing can become a bad thing. And for me, that's what happened. When I really thought about it, I realized that I was clicking on my Facebook app every time I had a free second…while sitting at a red light, when a lull came in the conversation, while playing with my daughter if she wasn't looking at me…what the heck?? It's like I was an addict to Facebook without even realizing it! So I knew I needed to go on a Facebook fast in order to get that distraction out of the way so I could regain my focus and purpose.

My first day of NO Facebook really made me see how much I had been obsessed with it. In fact, when things would happen throughout the day I would want to share it in a status update and then realized I couldn't…now what was I gonna do?? How would the world know about MY life?? Oh wait, when you fast, you're supposed to pray every time you crave the thing you are fasting…oops ok Lord, lets do this. So I would talk to Him every time I wanted to post or look at Facebook. I spent that first 45 min of my day with Him and it was wonderful. I felt calm and peaceful. I asked that He would renew my spirit and give me joy to play with my daughter. How blessed I was to even HAVE a daughter!! A beautiful little girl who is healthy and safe and full of life and desire to be with her mama. What an ungrateful complainer I had become…not even wanting to play with my sweet girl who will someday grow up and not ask to play with me anymore. I learned in just 45 minutes that I needed to cherish these days, praise God for the many blessings He has given me, and put Him first everyday in order to live with joy and thankfulness. WOW. All that from putting down my phone and picking up my Bible.

 

Everyday we have a choice of how to spend the precious time that God has given us. Will we spend it on meaningless things or will we live with intention and purpose? It's up to you!

Another thing I noticed very early in my Facebook fast was that since I wasn't sharing my moments through status posts I wanted to share them with someone! So I texted my husband more. I texted a friend I hadn't talked to in a while about what I was doing because I knew she would find humor in it. I reconnected with a friend from high school with real conversation as opposed to just "liking" her status. I got back to REAL relationship instead of "likes" and updates. It felt good. 

I also had more time to be thoughtful about my photography business and ministries. I was putting my energy into MY business instead of being distracted by other people's business! What a concept! I also got to finally start reading a book that I'd been wanting to read. It's called The Daniel Plan.  Rick Warren and some doctors collaborated to make this amazing book. I am still reading it but it is exactly what I need in my life right now. It is all about making changes to have WHOLE health in mind, body, and soul. The book focuses on getting healthy with these 5 key essentials: Faith, Food, Fitness, Focus, and Friends. I am loving it. If you know you need a change in your life, maybe you are feeling frazzled and out of shape in a lot of areas of your life, please consider reading this book with me! I'd love to start a small group study or accountability group, so please let me know if you want to join me.

As you can see going on this Facebook fast has had an incredible impact on my life, I have seen the error of my ways and I am in the process of bettering how I live. I am choosing Christ first, family second, and everything else last. (Which is the way I thought I was living before!) I am not letting something that was meant for good (Facebook) have a bad effect on my life by it's all consuming power. I have gotten back on facebook a few times in the last week in order to promote my business and to check on a little girl I am praying for, but other than that I am still steering clear of the Facebook vortex. I want to live my life with fullness and joy instead of just posting highlights of a flustered existence. I want to engage in real conversation and connection instead of basing my value on likes or comments. 

Life is beautiful, but if we spend it all day on a mobile device we will miss it. And what behavior are we passing on to our children? They will think Facebook and Pinterest are the things that matter most, instead of THEM. It's time to live with intention people! Put down the phone, lift up your head and be an active participant in the moments the Lord has given you. You won't regret it.