How a 21-day fast changed my life.
At the beginning of 2025, I embarked on a 21-day, water-only fast for the first time ever. I could’ve never imagined that what happened during that fast would dramatically change the course of my life.
Rewind to the end of 2024. As December rolled around, I began thinking about what the next year would hold—as so many do at year’s end. For the past several years, I had created a rhythm of doing a long fast at the start of the year. Up to that point, the longest fast I’d ever done (no food) was seven days. But this time, I felt a strong urge for something more—a desperation for a breakthrough in the coming year. I wanted to up the ante from what I had done before. I had that quote in the back of my mind -
“To get somewhere you’ve never been, you have to do something you’ve never done.”
Much of this was undergirded by a nagging sense that it was time to move on from my role as CEO at Traffick911. Back in 2023, after my long sabbatical, I knew my time there would eventually come to an end—I just didn’t know when. As I sought counsel from mentors, one said something that really stuck with me and ultimately shaped what came next:
“Lindsey, if you wait for things to perfectly line up before you leave Traffick911, you’ll never leave. If you know your season is coming to an end, you’re going to have to pick a date and stick with it.”
Well, if that was true, then I reeeeeally needed God’s help with that date! I felt desperate to hear from Him. After all, Traffick911 was all I’d known for almost 15 years—and I had no idea what I wanted to do next.
In addition to that tension, there was heartbreak. Earlier in the year, I had met JP and fell in love—fast and unexpectedly. He came out of nowhere and won me over. But after several months, I broke it off with him before the holidays because I didn’t feel peace about it. The heartbreak was intense, but I surrendered him to God and assumed he wasn’t the one.
So, at the end of December, I decided to take the plunge and do a 21-day, water-only fast. I felt led to start a few days before January 1st so that I could begin the year already in a fasted state. (Quick note: this was a spiritual fast. Since fasting has become trendy in health and wellness circles, I like to clarify that. 🙂)
I’m an avid journaler, so I have the benefit of looking back at what was going on in my heart and mind during that time. On a sticky note in my journal, I had bulleted a few things I was contending for. At the top of the list was clarity about my end date at Traffick911. Also on that list: a husband. At 40 years old, I felt like I’d gotten a taste of what love could look like with JP, and now I was motivated in a new way to ask God to bring me my husband—I had put it out of my head that it could ever be him.
Well, long story short, by the end of my 21-day fast (which I completed with no cheats at all!), two big things happened.
First, out of nowhere, I had this overwhelming sense from God that He was saying yes to JP. I wrote in my journal, “I feel like You gave me the green light with JP today!” It was so unexpected. I thought he was in the rearview mirror. My prayer had been for my husband—and I assumed it would be someone new. But God completely surprised me. I had such an overwhelming peace in my heart, one that’s hard to describe. I knew it was a clear yes from God.
Second, while I had initially imagined my end date at Traffick911 would be December 31 (a nice, safe, full year to prepare and plan), I kept sensing August 31 instead. The date just wouldn’t go away. It felt so soon—too soon—but that’s how I knew it wasn’t from me. I shared it with those closest to me and made the decision. I stood on my faith and drew the line in the sand: my last day would be August 31. No ifs, ands, or buts.
Oh, my friend, there’s so much more I could share about that time. Can I tell you that I’ve never felt better—physically, mentally, or spiritually—than I did at the end of those 21 days? It was near ecstasy, no lie. I hope to write more about fasting in the future because it’s been a lifeline for me. I believe there’s a unique key to breakthrough hidden in the practice of fasting—when you intentionally deny your stomach and seek God.
Fasting creates a desperation in us (hello, hunger!) unlike anything else. And God has a track record of responding to desperate people.
Fast-forward to today: those two big moments of clarity back in January completely changed the direction of my life.
After the fast, JP and I got back together—and God fast-tracked (no pun intended) things in wild ways! The short version: we got married in June, God has called us to missions work in JP’s home country of Togo, West Africa, and we’re moving there full-time in February 2026! There’s so much more to share about that in the coming days, but for now, you can read about our new nonprofit and plans at www.riseandshineafrica.org.
Looking back, one of the biggest fruits that emerged from that season of fasting was increased faith and courage. I took some massive leaps of faith in 2025 that the old Lindsey would’ve shied away from:
Quitting my steady, fulfilling, successful job without another lined up
Marrying someone I hadn’t even known a full year
Saying yes to moving to one of the least developed countries in the world—on another continent!
For those who know me, you know I’m a slow, strategic decision maker (some may call it over-thinking 😅)! Only God could’ve orchestrated this year. And I believe with all my heart that it had everything to do with consecrating the first fruits of the year to Him.
My prayer is that sharing this story will provoke you to consider incorporating the practice of fasting into your life rhythms. I also pray you’ll take the leap of faith that keeps replaying deep in your heart!