[lead dropcap="yes"]We asked some of our VOUS family to document their journeys throughout our 21 days of fasting. Today, Jeff shares his #PrayFirst story, and what's he's willing to do in order for the noise in his life to fade out.[/lead]The men in the hardhats with the shovels have been digging a hole for nine days and they will dig for twelve more after today. While they work, I want it to be quiet.I’m fasting from social media. No phone beeping or vibrating. No likes or comments or tags. No snaps. No politics or vague hide-behind-the-computer-screen-smart-dummy rhetoric. No driver’s seat selfies or filtered pictures of someone’s soon-to-be-eaten Dragon Roll. No text-neck lack of presence in a room and no scrolling driving hazards. No noise from my closest 638 friends and none from me to them. Just quiet.I’m fasting from alcohol. The sit at the pub, loosen the tie, stare at the baseball highlights post-work pint is done. I’m cubing the vegetables for tonight’s Ratatouille without a nearby glass of Champagne. The patio Spotify night revelry is taking place without a Negroni. I don’t want to hear the gin head hum. I want it to be quiet.And I’m fasting from meat and fish. I want my body to run on a plant-based diet - a clean fuel. Maybe, just maybe without the extra protein/alcohol calories, I’ll revisit at least some of my six long lost friends living in my midsection. Less vainly, research has shown that just two weeks of a vegetarian diet leads to significant mood improvements. I want my mind to be clear; and quiet.I don’t want to disrespect anyone struggling with something real and say that this restructuring has been hard. It hasn’t. I’m not addicted to anything. It’s simple obedience. It’s discipline. It’s mental. But the flesh is a sloppy and lustful child who whines when the itch doesn’t get scratched. Long day, could use a beer. Facebook icon on phone has a red circled ‘47.’ What am I missing? That Wagyu ribeye at work smells really good. But the ignored child’s attention span is small and soon it falls asleep and drools on itself.I want the quiet because I want to hear from God. I have some real questions right now. Is thing ‘A’ legitimate or a fraud? Are people ‘B’ for me or disingenuous and do I care which? Are my vision and my path aligned? My baby is due in March man. Quiet the mind and #PrayFirst. I listen to hear from God. And how great that we at Vous Church are all fasting communally to honor God in expectation that we draw closer to his love and his plans for us.I am digging a twenty-one-day hole. Taking stuff out. My faith assures me that God is going to fill that hole with clarity, peace, change, vision, understanding and a strengthened spirit moving forward. After the fast, I pray that we won’t cheat ourselves. We’ll use wisely what we’ve come to know. As Philippians 4:9 teaches us, “Whatever you have learned from me, or seen in me - put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.”--How is your #PrayFirst journey going? We'd love to hear from you as we document our experiences throughout this 21 day moment of prayer and fasting. Share your comments below or email them to hello@vouschurch.com