Curious

Dear Curious:
Fasting is a religious discipline. It shows that nothing (such as food) has control over your life, that you've placed total control in God's hands. It also draws you closer to Him, and Christians use fasting to show God they're willing to give up something important for a while to spend that time concentrating on prayer.

For example, if you're praying about whether to go on a missions trip and you're uncertain about God's will, you may want to fast breakfast every day for a week and spend that time in prayer asking Him to show you His will.

Though not eating is the most common form of fasting, you can also give up other things as a fast: sugar, TV, music, chat rooms, soft drinks, etc.

About your family: I think it would be a good idea to let your mom or dad know what you're doing. They can help you make sure you're not missing any necessary nutrients you need to stay healthy. The answer to how long you fast is totally between you and God.

Dear Susie:
I know I can't get to heaven by myself, and I know Jesus died on the Cross for my sins, but I can't figure out if I believe it. Can you help me be confident in what I think I believe?

Confused

Dear Confused:
Belief and faith go hand in hand. Check this out: "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1).

Like me, you may not understand electricity, but you believe anyway. You have faith that when you flip the switch on your bedroom wall, your room will light up. You may not understand how gravity works, but you know it works! You believe that when you jump, you'll come down.

Look the same way at your relationship with Christ. You'll never fully understand God until you're in heaven getting to know Him for an eternity. But you can still believe He loved you enough to send His only Son to die for you. You can believe He's a trustworthy God; therefore, you can trust Him. You can believe that He's never lied, so you can also believe He forgives your sins when you ask Him (Ephesians 1:7).

Believing is accepting. If you've confessed your sins to Christ and sought His forgiveness, He is faithful to forgive. If you have an actual relationship with Him, then you can accept the fact that you're a Christian. Live in obedience to Him.

Dear Susie:
There are so many Christian speakers that really touch a part of me when I hear them, but they all have different opinions and say different things. It confuses me. How do I know who's right?

Struggling

Dear Struggling:
A lot of good speakers are on the circuit. Many of them are polished, articulate and dynamic in their delivery. But keep in mind, anyone can be a great speaker with the right training. Someone may be a terrific communicator, but he may not be ordained by God or empowered by His Spirit to deliver the gospel.

If the person you're listening to (no matter if it's your pastor, your Sunday school teacher or even an evangelist) is saying things that can't be supported by the Bible, he or she isn't the person for you to be listening to!

"Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1).

The apostle John goes on to give specific instructions on how to discern the Spirit of God in a messenger. If a speaker's message doesn't line up with these guidelines, don't bother listening to his or her teaching.

Behind the Scenes with Susie

Making of the Brio Bug
Some of you may be wondering how we got the orange Brio Bug. Here's how it went down:
• I purchased the 1969 VW Beetle through eBay.
• It was decorated with frogs. (See photos.)
• I had it painted orange to match the orange and purple interior.
• I took Brio flowers to a sign manufacturer who created decals from them.
• The manufacturer (Ad Factory) applied the decals.
• I drove it home.

Random Facts About the Brio Bug
• It came with a CD/DVD player. (Don't worry, I've promised not to watch movies while driving.)
• Besides me, Kathy is the only Brio staffer who has driven the Bug.
• The Brio Bug uses top-grade premium gasoline.
• Even if the key is left in the ignition, no one can steal the car because it's not started with the key. It's started by pushing a secret button to safeguard the woofers and DVD player.
• The previous owner installed a Nintendo system in the glove box, which can be played on the DVD screen.