Why We Fast at the Halftime of the Year

In August 2020, shortly after I’d met Bob, he surprised me when he suggested a 21-day fast.

That didn’t sound overly awesome, but when I realized I wouldn’t have to give up food entirely—that three other types of fasts existed besides a complete fast—I was in. (That time, I think I sought to eat only whole foods, with freedom on Sundays.)

Looking back at my notes, I had a specific plan.

1) Fast from negativity. (The unkind thoughts that pop up.)

2) Do whatever God says in confidence and freedom.

3) Read about revival for 20 minutes a day. (Meaning: read Leonard Ravenhill’s Why Revival Tarries, which Bob really likes, but I feel is like an old-school coach from the 1950s yelling in my face. So I didn’t love it, but I made it through.)

4) Pray into a list of critical life things.

I had a list of seven, including prayer for my children with delayed reading, prayer for my vocation, prayer for restoration of relationships, prayer for my prayer life.

The Lord was at work, as he always is, and I look back on that time with fondness. (My children with delayed reading needed another 18 months of vision therapy, but they are now moving forward.)

But beyond that: I’m astonished at Bob’s thinking. He has done summer fasts for years, and considered: which ones seem to work the best? What is the optimum month? What am I seeing in the global church that might help inform my thinking?

And out of his abundance of experience, he proposed Pursue: 21 Days of Intensive Prayer at the Halftime of the Year. Short morning and evening readings and meditations. These readings, edited and updated, are now available in book form.

As I looked at each spread before we sent it to press, I kept gasping, because it turned out so well.

This year we will begin on August 2 and go to August 22.

We would love to have you join us.

For general instructions, and to follow along with the readings, order here: https://happybooks.me/pursue.

Lord Jesus, thank you that you are at work. Thank you for your goodness. Thank you for the unique gifting you give to each of us. Some have the ability to see and track trends. Some have the desire to pray.

May each of us walk with you, this day and every day. Amen.

Strengthen one another,

Amy Joy

P.S. We have a website now for Makarios Press!

If you visit, go to the “All Books” page (which isn’t a fully complete list, but getting there) … so fun to see many of our covers, all in one place! Alphabetically by title.

You are invited! Sign up for the Prayer Refresh, an email series with short prayers to pray as you go about your day. The first five readers all wrote me at different times and said, “This is changing my life.”