Welcome To Grace Journal
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🪶 What are Grace Notes?
Grace Notes are Spirit-led reflections, journal entries, and devotionals poured straight from the heart. They don’t follow a set schedule or structure—what you read each day is simply what’s been placed on my heart to share. It may seem random, but I trust the Holy Spirit to guide the words, the timing, and the reach.
This isn’t neat, polished, or packaged—this is me, offering what I have with grace, truth, and openness.
When God Tests Us: Refined by Fire, Held by Grace"For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver." – Psalm 66:10 (NIV)
🔥 A Heartfelt Reflection
Have you ever felt like your faith was being stretched thin—like the weight of your circumstances was more than you could carry? You’re not alone. The Bible is filled with people who faced seasons of deep testing, and yet those very tests were the soil where their faith grew strongest.
God doesn’t test us to trap us. He tests us to train us, to reveal what’s inside us, and to refine us for something greater.
In Genesis 22, Abraham was tested with the unthinkable—offering Isaac. But through it, his trust in God deepened.
In Deuteronomy 8:2, the Israelites wandered 40 years, not aimlessly, but under divine training to see what was in their hearts.
In James 1:2–3, we’re encouraged to find joy in trials because they produce perseverance.
And 1 Peter 1:7 reminds us that trials prove our faith genuine, like gold tested in fire.
So when you're facing the heat, remember: you are being refined, not rejected.
📖 Scriptures for Your Journey
Genesis 22:1 – “God tested Abraham…”
Deuteronomy 8:2 – “…to humble and test you…”
James 1:2–3 – “...the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
1 Peter 1:6–7 – “...so that the proven genuineness of your faith...”
Psalm 66:10 – “You refined us like silver.”
📝 Journal Prompt
What season of testing are you walking through right now?
Can you see how it’s growing you, even if it’s uncomfortable?
Write a prayer of surrender. Ask God to help you see the refining, not just the fire.
🙏 A Prayer to Carry You Through
Heavenly Father,
I don’t always understand the trials in my life, but I choose to trust You.
Refine me like silver. Teach me to walk in faith like Abraham,
To follow You daily like Israel in the wilderness,
To rejoice in hardship like James encourages us,
And to endure knowing that my faith is being made strong.
I surrender this season to You. Let it glorify Your name.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
With grace,
Erica
✨ What spoke to you in today’s reflection? I’d love to hear your thoughts—leave a comment below! 🌿
Why Does Biblical Fasting Begin with Food? A Closer Look at the Scriptures
Curious why the Bible emphasizes fasting from food instead of entertainment or habits? Learn what fasting meant in both the Old and New Testaments and why it begins with food.
When we fast, why is it usually food that’s laid on the altar?
In today’s world, we often hear: “You can fast anything—TV, social media, even gossip.” While these are meaningful sacrifices, true biblical fasting has always started with something much deeper: food.
Let’s walk through the scriptures to understand why fasting in the Bible begins with food, and why that still matters today.
🍽️ What Does the Bible Say About Fasting?
The word "fast" or "fasting" appears around 70 times in the NKJV Bible. It’s most often used in the context of:
Seeking divine help (Ezra 8:23)
Repentance and humility (Jonah 3:5-10)
Spiritual warfare and breakthrough (Matthew 17:21)
Preparation for ministry (Acts 13:2-3)
Key Verse:
“Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness... to let the oppressed go free?” — Isaiah 58:6
🥖 Why Food? Doesn’t It Nourish Us?
Yes—and that’s why it’s so powerful.
Food is our most basic physical need. When we fast from it, we challenge the flesh and declare that:
“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” — Matthew 4:4
Fasting food breaks the cycle of self-reliance. It reminds us that only God truly sustains us.
📖 Examples of Food-Based Fasts in Scripture:
Absolute Fast – Esther 4:16: “No food or water for three days.”
Partial Fast – Daniel 10:3: “I ate no pleasant food.”
Corporate Fast – Joel 2:15: “Blow the trumpet… sanctify a fast, call a solemn assembly.”
Jesus' 40-Day Fast – Luke 4:2: “He ate nothing.”
These weren’t about self-control. They were about God-dependence.
📺 What About Other Forms of Fasting?
In the Old and New Testaments, people had entertainment—feasts, music, theater, and celebrations. But those weren’t daily essentials.
Food was universal. Everyone needed it. So fasting from food was a clear, collective act of devotion.
In modern times, fasting from TV, social media, or digital distractions can absolutely help refocus our minds—but these are usually supplemental fasts. They don’t carry the same physical sacrifice as food.
🔑 So Why Start with Food?
Reason Why It Matters
Dependency Food is necessary. Fasting reminds us of our need for God.
Sacrifice It costs something physical and spiritual.
Scriptural Pattern Nearly every biblical fast involved food.
Clarity Fasting food breaks fleshly habits so you can hear God clearer.
🙏 Final Reflection:
Ask the Lord what He is calling you to fast. Whether it's a full fast, a Daniel-style fast, or removing distractions—make sure it’s Spirit-led.
When God chooses the fast, the fruit always follows: healing, clarity, direction, and spiritual freedom.
“When you fast…” — Jesus (Matthew 6:16) — not if.
So yes—fasting begins with food. But it ends in freedom.
📥 Download the Fasting Start with the Heart journal sheet: Click here to access your free reflection page — print it out, write it down, and walk it out.
With grace,
Erica
✨ What spoke to you in today’s reflection? I’d love to hear your thoughts—leave a comment below! 🌿