Southeast
True meaning of fasting during Lent goes far beyond skipping dessert, says Georgia evangelist
Fasting during Lent has a much deeper meaning than simply giving up dessert or snacks, an evangelist told Fox News Digital.
“When we fast, we’re practicing an ancient discipline designed by God to draw us near to Him through surrender,” John Heerema, CEO of Biglife, told Fox News Digital. Heerema lives in Atlanta.
Biglife is a ministry dedicated to “reaching lost souls by shining Christ’s light into the world’s darkest places,” its website indicates, and has a presence in over 160 countries.
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In scripture, fasting is done for many reasons: for mourning, as an act of seeking wisdom and guidance, and for empowerment in the face of temptation, said Heerema.
“When we look at fasting in scripture, two common themes emerge,” he said.
John Heerema, the Atlanta-based CEO of Biglife, reveals why fasting is a good practice during Lent — and it goes beyond just giving up dessert. (Kristen Chapman/iStock)
The first theme is that “disciplined fasting means practicing humility before God,” said Heerema.
“As Jesus says, fasting is meant to be private because His focus was on the eternal mindset of fasting to unite ourselves to the Father through the act of surrender, not the admiration and sympathy that the scribes and Pharisees chased after.”
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Fasting, Heerema said, “teaches us to let go of inward selfishness and rely solely on upward providence.”
And “by allowing God to sustain our needs, we’re experiencing the freedom [that] Christ describes in Matthew,” he said.
“By allowing God to sustain our needs, we’re experiencing the freedom Christ describes in Matthew.”
The second theme, Heerema told Fox News Digital, is that the act of fasting invokes the Holy Spirit.
This is seen in both the Old and New Testaments.
“When Daniel committed himself to fasting, an angel of the Lord appeared to him to empower him. When the apostles committed themselves to fasting, the Holy Spirit spoke to the group and launched Paul’s and Barnabas’ mission.”
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Heerema continued, “Then, the group prayed and fasted again before sending them on their mission to Cyprus. An 84-year-old prophetess named Anna committed herself to prayer and fasting, then met the Messiah she had been waiting for face to face and was immediately empowered to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others.”
The act of fasting should be done with the Holy Spirit in mind, said a faith leader based in Georgia. (iStock)
When Christians fast, they should really think about their reasons for doing so, said Heerema.
“Are we expecting the Holy Spirit to move in mighty ways like these? Are we just hoping to be more aware of God throughout our day — or do we have faith that the Spirit will clarify God’s will and empower us to act obediently?” he said.
With Christ’s resurrection from the dead, “now is the time for us, His disciples, to commit ourselves to fasting and rid ourselves of our stubbornness to anticipate His arrival.” (iStock)
If people are fasting “to lose a few pounds,” they are going about it the wrong way, he said.
This mentality would mean people aren’t “opening ourselves to the expectation that when we commit ourselves to prayer and fasting, God transforms our hearts and minds to become more like Him.”
With Christ’s resurrection, “now is the time for us, His disciples, to commit ourselves to fasting and rid ourselves of our stubbornness to anticipate His arrival,” said Heerema.
“When we fast, may we be reminded that we aren’t just ‘giving up dessert for Lent’ — we are wholly, humbly and obediently surrendering our entire selves to our mighty Creator and inviting Him to guide our every step!”
For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.
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This year several crime victims took it upon themselves to fight back against their attackers, and videos captured the incidents. Here is a recap of some of 2024’s most notable examples.
ROAD RAGE RESPONSE
Back in March, a truck driver was attacked by a colleague on the road. Deputies were called to a Love’s Travel Stop for a report of shots fired during a road rage incident along Interstate 75 near Ocala, Florida, the Marion County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) said.
The victim said he was driving a semi-truck southbound on Interstate 75 when Dylan Belleastin, 43, threw a water bottle at his truck.
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“The footage clearly depicted him shooting at the victim at two separate times,” MCSO said. (Marion County Sheriff’s Office)
“The victim pulled over to confront Belleastin but decided against it and drove away,” MCSO said on Facebook. “Belleastin then continued to follow the victim and eventually pulled alongside him again, at which time he fired several shots toward the victim.”
Deputies say the victim decelerated in an attempt to avoid being struck before returning fire toward Belleastin “out of fear for his own life.”
Dash camera footage from Belleastin’s semi-truck cab “clearly depicted him shooting at the victim at two separate times,” MCSO said. The suspect was arrested days later, and charged with aggravated assault, criminal mischief, and displaying a firearm during the commission of a felony.
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BIKINI BARISTA STRIKES BACK
In June, the owner of a Seattle bikini espresso shop defended her decision to smash a customer’s windshield with a hammer after he threw coffee at her.
The incident at Taste of Heaven Espresso was caught on camera at 3 p.m. June 11 and shared in a now-viral social media video. Emma Lee, 23, told FOX 13 Seattle it was not the first time the customer had been disrespectful, and she wants him held accountable for his actions.
What transpired on video was the culmination of a 15-minute exchange over the price of a 32-ounce coffee and 24-ounce water, Lee said. The price tag was $22.
“You don’t get to name your own price,” Lee told FOX 13, adding the man screamed, spit and tried to pry open the business’ window. “It was a threat. I felt in danger. It’s OK for him to be outraged about the price of his drinks, enough to assault me, but it’s not appropriate for me to respond?”
Police can be seen at the espresso stand taking a report of the alleged assault. (FOX 13 Seattle)
CARJACKING THWARTED
In October, a D.C. bartender was attacked on video while at a gas station by three teenagers who tried to take off with his Jeep.
The suspect, Randy White, told FOX 5 DC the teens demanded his belongings. He instead fought back until the trio eventually gave up and left the gas station.
“Where I grew up, it’s just… I work too hard for what I have,” White told the local Fox station. “I can’t give up my property like that. It’s not in me. I wasn’t raised that way. I was just hoping that they would see that I am resisting them and they would’ve just given up or went off, but that wasn’t the case. I was able to keep them occupied and fight them off long enough that they ended up cutting their losses and hitting bricks.”
QUICK-THINKING CALLER
Not all who fought back did so physically.
Also in October, a Florida woman who was being held captive prior to an alleged attempted rape called 911 to order a “pizza.”
“I would like to order a pizza,” a 911 call shared by Volusia Sheriff’s Office on social media starts out. “I’m so stuck in here.”
The suspect is caught by deputies on top of the victim in a field in Volusia County, Florida, on Oct. 19, 2024. (Volusia Sheriff’s Office)
“OK. Are you aware you’re calling 911?” the dispatcher asks the female caller, who responds, “Yes, I’m sure I’m calling to that number.”
Dispatchers were able to “triangulate her phone,” Volusia Sheriff Mike Chitwood said, explaining that the victim did not know her location. The victim was able to tell the dispatcher she was being held by an unarmed man. Once her location was determined, deputies were sent out.
The victim can be heard screaming for help in shared body camera footage.
“He’s trying to rape me. Can you help me?” she asked.
“Thank you, Lord!” she repeatedly said while crying, after being rescued. “Thank you, Jesus.”
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Southeast
Two Hurricane Helene victims, a family of four and a Vietnam veteran, gifted campers on Christmas Day
Two families in North Carolina who were impacted by Hurricane Helene received the gifts of a lifetime on Christmas Day – a new place to call home.
The first recipient was the Penley family, of Boone, North Carolina, who lost everything during the storm.
The family of four was discharged from the hospital on Wednesday following the birth of their second child and was planning on moving into a homeless shelter until EmergencyRV stepped in.
“We weren’t gonna have that at EmergencyRV. We got this trailer here for them and it’s going to be a great place for them to stay now,” the company said in a video posted on X.
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The Penley family (pictured with EmergencyRV founder Woody Faircloth and his daughter on the far right), of North Carolina, was gifted a camper from EmergencyRV on Christmas Day after losing their home to Hurricane Helene. (EmergencyRV/X)
The RV gifted to the Penleys will comfortably fit their family, which consists of two adults, a toddler and a newborn. It has a bedroom on one side of the camper and two sleeping areas on the other side, along with a nice-sized bathroom and a large kitchen area with seating at a table and a couch.
The second recipient was Timothy McCord, a 70-year-old Marine Corps veteran who served in Vietnam. Helene tore the roof off of his camper, where he continued to live despite experiencing leaks and other damage.
EmergencyRV traveled to Canton, North Carolina, to gift him a brand-new camper after McCord’s daughter contacted the company explaining that he needed help.
“You helped me turn my life around and I appreciate it,” McCord said when his new home was delivered.
Timothy McCord, 70, was gifted a brand-new camper by EmergencyRV after Hurricane Helene ripped the roof off the camper he was living in. (EmergencyRV/X)
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EmergencyRV is a non-profit organization that provides housing to displaced survivors of natural disasters and has gifted 77 campers to people impacted by Helene since the storm wreaked havoc in the Carolinas, Georgia and Tennessee at the end of September. The RVs are gifted completely free with a clean title in the recipient’s name.
The organization said it has 700 families on its waiting list who have been fully vetted and are truly in need of help following a natural disaster.
The brand-new camper that was donated and delivered to Timothy McCord through EmergencyRV. (EmergencyRV/X)
“We take this seriously as we have limited resources,” the organization said on X. “We also ensure that the family has a legal and safe place to park an RV before we will gift it and deliver to them.”
Though they prioritize veterans and first responders, EmergencyRV said they have helped families and singles who lost their home or suffered serious damage in Helene.
EmergencyRV was established by Woody Faircloth and his then 6-year-old daughter in 2018 in response to the deadly Camp Fire in Paradise, California.
Their goal was to raise enough money to bless one family impacted by the fire with a RV. They were able to do that and have since donated hundreds of RVs to victims of wildfires and other natural disasters.
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A Florida man was arrested for his 35th time right before Christmas, after stealing a car and attempting to escape authorities.
Kevin Campana, 31, was taken into custody on Monday after allegedly breaking into a local auto repair shop in Edgewater, Florida and stealing a customer’s car while wearing no shoes, according to the Edgewater Police Department.
Read the full article from Here
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