Our 40-Day Soul Fast

How a mother and son got honest with each other.

- Shelby Spear

MY OLDER SON, JOHNNY, Guideposts was in college. We talked often, a treasure consider­ing what we’d gone through when Johnny was in high school.

Our relationship had improved since then. Which proved to be a huge help dealing with the phone call I received from Johnny during his junior year.

“I’m kind of struggling, Mom,” he said. “I’m doing all the stuffI’m not supposed to do. It’s like high school but worse.”

Johnny kept it vague, but I knew what he was talking about. In high school, we’d found alcohol in his closet and the smell of smoke on his clothes.

I felt helpless. Johnny was 21, old enough to make his own decisions. I couldn’t live his life for him.

Still, I blamed myself. I’d hoped get­ ting Johnny through high school and into college would solve everything.

He’d grow up. The mistakes I’d made as a mom would fade into the past. He’d be happy and well­adjusted.

Instead he struggled.

Now, searching for some­thing constructive to say, I suggested he read a book called The 40 Day Soul Fast, a study designed to help people turn away from un­ healthy behaviors and move toward living an authentic, God­centered life.

“I read it a few years ago, and it was life­changing,” I said. “May­ be it would help you.”

“Would you read it with me?” John­ ny asked.

I hadn’t expected that! “Of course.” “Great! We can read it and work through the questions together. I’ve never done anything like that before. It would help if I could do it with someone.”

The prospect was more than a little daunting. The questions asked by Soul Fast were raw and revealing. The idea was to discover all the hidden corners and sweep away everything block­ing spiritual and emotional growth.