GROWING UP IN ZIMBABWE

Reward grew up in Zimbabwe, the eleventh of thirteen children. He is from the Ndebele tribe, an offshoot of the Zulu nation in South Africa. His childhood consisted of hand me downs in clothes and toys, but also belief systems and philosophies. His father was a farmer and a no-nonsense disciplinarian. Due to his authoritarian culture, Reward’s upbringing did not allow for understanding and questions, but rather blind obedience and duty. Fasting was a part of his culture whether you were religious or not. The practice was hardwired in his mother socially and she instilled this discipline in her children. Before she became a Christian, her purpose for this discipline was to help maintain connection to the spirit realm and keep her family healthy. 

As a young man, Reward began his American journey with a two-year stint at a Bible seminary in Dallas. The strict rules were something Reward thrived under. However, after graduation, he no longer had communal accountability or strict guidelines to follow. As a result, his faith imploded for a few years as he embraced the party scene. Although he didn’t drink, smoke, or take drugs…he attended those events with a girl he was dating until he became drained from the pointlessness of it all. When he hit rock bottom he was working construction for his uncle during the summer. One day, the song, In the Presence of Jehovah, came on his playlist. It reminded him of the peace and joy that he had previously found in the presence of God. Reward broke down in tears. After that, Reward reached out to a woman who had been praying for him. She introduced him to the pastor of a church who was of Nigerian descent. The pastor encouraged Reward to consecrate himself with a three day fast. The fast helped him to get back in a right relationship with the Lord.

POWER OF FASTING                                        

Many people in the Bible fasted: Moses fasted for forty days and nights twice; Elijah fasted for forty days and nights; the entire city of Nineveh fasted in repentance after Jonah’s preaching, and Jesus fasted for forty days 
and nights in the wilderness. Unfortunately, today many believers have lost touch with the power of fasting. Throughout history this practice has been central to Jewish life in times of crisis. Reward says it is time to return to this discipline. 

In 2019, the Lord called Reward to a twenty-one-day extended fast (usually he fasts for no more than 10 days at a time). Since he had fasted many times before he knew he could do it. He says, “It was an automatic, muscle-memory-induced yes even though I struggled with the inconvenience of it.” At the time, he was traveling a lot preaching and speaking, but God was with him and gave him strength. He thought the Lord was wanting to expand his speaking ministry, but he felt a gentle rebuke and redirection from the Holy Spirit. The Lord brought to his attention James 4:3 which says, “When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives…” This experience sent Reward on a six-month journey of studying the art of fasting. One of the things he discovered as he researched this topic is how fasting pulls at the heart strings of God. 

In the Bible, Ahab’s sins angered the Lord. Elijah was sent to tell him that his entire bloodline would be annihilated. Ahab laid prostrate before the Lord and fasted. His fast was accepted and the Lord decided not to 

bring calamity on his family because Ahab humbled himself. “Fasting when used with prayer is unstoppable, but even the most ill-intentioned act of fasting from the most unworthy source garners the attention of heaven,” shares Reward. 

THE WHOLE BODY

“Fasting engages the soul, serves the spirit, and benefits the body all for the purpose of sanctification of the whole man in the process of our maturity and growth in conformity to the character of Christ,” reveals Reward. Even Paul references this in Thessalonians 5:23 when he says, “May the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.    
The three-part makeup of the human being includes: (1) The spirit – God is spirit, and you are made in His image, therefore you are also spirit. All intimacy and communion (prayer) with God happens through the faculty of the spirit. (2) The soul – The center of our self-consciousness (heart, mind, will, emotions, conscience, and volition). Fasting humbles the soul and allows your spirit to connect with God and His Spirit. It helps to remove distractions that might hinder communion with God. He says, “Fasting negates the paralyzing power of our brains overriding what our spirits know to be true.” (3) The body – “Our bodies house our spirits and souls and give us agency in the natural realm,” says Reward.                                   

HOW TO FAST

Whenever the Bible mentions fasting, it is usually referring to not eating and only drinking water. Reward says, “Modified fasts can offer options for solidifying the practice of fasting, but they are not the model of fasting we find in Scripture and are not the fasting we see coupled with prayer.” As Reward points out, “Water fasts beyond a few days should ideally be undertaken with medical supervision to monitor for potential complications and ensure safety.”

When you fast, he suggests keeping the following things in mind:

•    Attitude – Begin your prayer time with Thanksgiving. Thank God for big and small things in your life. 

•    Consecration –Take time to pray and listen to what God is telling you. Fasting is more than abstinence from food, it is a time of setting apart. When you fast, your body is in observance of the Sabbath. 
Be careful not to fill your days with various forms of entertainment (movies, etc.) to distract you from the discomfort of the process…that is a diet, not a fast. “Fasting prepares us for worship, prayer, and drawing near to the presence of God,” reveals Reward. 

•    Contentment – Fasting quiets the soul so you can gain clarity. Reward shares, “When the Price of Peace inhabits the throne of your heart, you become a carrier and a creature of peace.” 

BENEFITS OF FASTING

When you abstain from food completely in a fast there are bodily benefits and regenerative processes that happen. For example, when you fast your body doesn’t get sugar from food, so your insulin level decreases. Fasting can have positive effects on brain health including the growth of new brain cells. With extended fasts, stem cell activity is stimulated and might have positive effects on immune system function. 

** Reward was the TV host of CBN’s Christian music show, One Cubed (English version) in 2008. He says, “That show reached so many people with such great testimonies, so this (being on the 700 Club) is definitely a beautiful full circle moment.” 

To find out more about Reward Sibanda and purchase book How to Fast click the LINK! 

CREDITS

Author, How to Fast, (Waterbrook Publishing, 2025); Teaching pastor at Saddleback Church in California; Senior director of national church engagement and ministry partnerships for one of the largest Christian humanitarian organizations in the world, World Vision; Married to Pam; One son, Silo

In Colorado Springs, a unique softball team is stepping up to the plate – not just to win games, but to transform lives. One of their players, Shane, explains it this way, “I'm over nine years sober at this point. Um, and without any of this, none of that's possible. You know, I give all the glory to God.” Another player, Jody, emphasizes the relationships that are built on the field. “The connections that we build with people especially for folks who are trying to figure out what their life looks like after addiction, I think are really important because when you shift into a healthier lifestyle, you have to rebuild everything, not just yourself.”

Meet Recovery Rebels. Founded in 2020 by Rob Decker, personal trainer and addiction recovery coach. Rob says, “I wanna see people change their identity and what they attach themselves to. That's the goal. Meeting people where they're at and bringing the light of Christ to them so that they can start to change their identity.” Rob is also a baseball enthusiast who had his own battle with addiction. It started when he was 14 and lasted 20 years. He recalls, “Baseball for me was my first love.  I played up in the high school, but the problem was I got to a place as a teenager into drugs and alcohol that there was no way I was getting good grades, and my parents weren't home. They were divorced. Like, there was complete chaos in my house. You know, baseball was a pipe dream at that point. 'cause at this point it was just survival. That's what it was for me. And just trying to get by and, um, numb. Numb myself.” Once, he even tried to end his life by diving out of a 3rd story window. Rob recalls that night, “So I clipped an awning. Um, the awning, you know, changed my fall a bit, and I ended up hitting concrete, severing my L2, my spine broke, both arms, and collapsed my lung.”

Even then, Rob would hang on to his addictions another four and a half years – until the day he surrendered his life to God at the age of 34. He says, “There was a lot of brokenness that was inside of me that I wasn't handing over to the Lord. I saw how He was patient and loving with me.  He gave me the clarity and the strength to walk through all of it, knowing that He was always there for me and I had to stop throwing my life away.” 

Years later Rob found his way back to the diamond playing recreational softball where he met guys working through similar things he did. Rob recalls, “I had some friends here in Colorado Springs that were struggling with drug alcohol addiction, post-traumatic stress disorder. Um, they were internalizing a lot of things. I developed some deep intimate relationships with them, and they were both ex baseball players.” It was then Rob found a way to turn his pain into a purpose. He formed Recovery Rebels, a softball team that would help others find healing and ultimately, a relationship with Jesus. He believes, “The end game is to heal, right? And so, we have to create those safe spaces where people can start trusting again. People struggle, they have trauma, they have brokenness, and they're running to substances and alcohol. And so, you know, we want to change the con conversation. We want to change the narrative. But also too, I come from a camp of, you know, who the son sets free is free indeed. I believe that wholeheartedly he did that for me.”

The response was overwhelming. Brett, one of the players, explains it this way, “The only reason why we're here and breathing and able to play this game is because of Jesus. So, we praise, praise Jesus. And, and thankfully, uh, we're still here doing it and alive. A lot of us shouldn't be alive at this point.” Another player, Jonathan, a retired military vet, explains the importance of Recovery Rebels to vets. “I think that, uh, the, the military team is such a, a good outlet for guys that are, may be dealing with, uh, some issues like mental health issues. This is a, a brotherhood that we can all be there for each other and recover from any mental health struggle that they might be dealing with.”

For Rob, this is about shining a light in the darkness, showing the broken that they’re not alone. It’s a mission he feels Christ called him to. Rob says, “Love comes from human connection. That's how the Lord created us, was for us to connect with each other, to love each other, to support each other, to lift each other up, to encourage each other.” The players and coaches aren’t the only ones being affected. After every game, both teams meet at the pitcher’s mound for prayer, which opens the door to deeper conversations. The player, Shane, says, “You have that guy saying, Hey man, I do think I have a problem with this, um, or I'm struggling with this. And we're like, Hey, here's some resources. We have tons of resources with Rob and Derek and all those guys just have so much to, you know, to offer somebody to, to give 'em a place to go.” Brooke, another player, says, “We're wired to have human connection and so it's important to have like minds around you and, you know, if you fall down, like there's less judgment from people who have been through similar things and it's easier to get help, seek help, and also you got all these like, bodies around you to help you.”

To the folks in Colorado Springs, Recovery Rebels are more than a softball team —they’re a family, a lifeline, and a testament to the power of faith, community, and second chances. 

They’re rewriting the playbook for recovery—one game, one prayer, one life at a time. Rob concludes, “I just want to shine the light on those that are struggling with their mental health and their spiritual wellbeing, right? I just want people to see hope and at the end of the day, it all points to Jesus 'cause he is our hope.”

To check out The Recovery Rebels click the LINK!

To purchase God's Awning: From Rejection to Redemption, created by Rob Decker, click the LINK! 

Terry stood outside of the school. “This is a school here in the slums of Nairobi that Orphan's Promise sponsors. And we have the privilege of supporting a number of schools that they are working in. We help children receive education. We feed them two meals a day, and they also learn about the love of God.” 

“It's very different than this outside the gates. It's a slum and it's more poverty than you can possibly imagine. But right in the middle of it they are learning the ability to dream. And so today is a day filled with joy here.”

“This is my friend Rashid. He is a student here at the Missions of Hope. Without the school, he would have had no hope at all. He's in the first grade and he's doing wonderfully. A lot of catching up to do, but he's going to learn who he is and his purpose in life, and that God has great plans for him here. We're excited for him.” She continued. 

“I was very happy when my older brother brought me to Nairobi. Life was hard in the village where I grew up. I did not go to school. All I did was watch the goats. I really longed to go to school and to know how to read and write.  Now that dream is a reality. I felt so good when I first learned how to read. Now I can read in Swahili and English. I am very happy.  The world has opened up for me. I work hard to catch up because when I grow up, I want to work as an engineer. Thank you for educating me. May God bless you.” Rashid added. 

Sandy Goldmintz tells her story: “On December 3rd, the day before I turned 55, I was having my hair done. I was planning on going to a Christmas party that night at my church.” 

“My heart started to race very rapidly. Something that I've never experienced before.” 

“And I tried to stay very calm and rest in the Lord, but I was concerned. I didn't have a peace about why my heart was racing like that. So I prayed and asked, 'Holy Spirit, what do you want me to do?' And He highlighted an emergency walk in clinic right next to my hair salon. So, I went in and I was telling the receptionist my symptoms, and the doctor said get her in here now. And so, she had the EKG machine ready and when she had me on the table for a minute, she said, 'This is what I thought, you're in atrial fibrillation, Afib.'”

“And my heart was going all the way up to 200, 186, 200. It was just jumping, and it was very high. She said, 'I am calling an ambulance. I just didn’t know what was going to occur but I just trusted the Lord. I was afraid. But I just remember He said, 'be not afraid.' And so, I just kept clinging to Him.”

“They ran so many tests and x-rays and there was nothing structurally wrong with my heart. But even after they had an IV with this special cardiac medicine, my heart was not doing what they expected it to do. So, they continued to increase that medicine and told me they were going to put me overnight and see a cardiologist in the morning. And the very next morning the cardiologist had a test performed on me. I was still in AFib and he told me that my heart was fine and they were going to get to the root. Why? Of course, I had questions, why did this happen?” 

“And so, for five days it was a battle for my health.”

“The next day they came into my room and they looked at me and said, 'We're not getting where we thought we would get. And the next step is a cardioversion.' And they explained it to me; they shock the heart. I was very afraid of that. That scared me because a shock to the heart and I was just telling the Lord it was traumatic and I knew I couldn't handle it, but Lord, 'Your will if I have to go through with it, You’ll be there for me, Lord help me not be afraid.'"

“In the interim, I had so many people at CBN praying for me. My church and my sister-in-law kept sending me encouragement.”

Sandy’s sister-in-law Becci: “Just every day lifted her up in prayer. And when it came to the fifth day of her being in the hospital, I said, well, you know, I, I better go visit her. I was expecting her actually to be out a little bit sooner than that. And I said, hmm, okay. I need to go visit her. And, just, you know, see what's going on, Lord. Why isn't she healed yet?”

Sandy: “She came to visit me on day 5 in the hospital. She stood up at the very foot of my bed and she put her hands out like this and said. . .”

Becci: “Jesus, to put His hot, healing hands around her heart.” 

Sandy: “When she said that I saw it. It was like I could see it in just, I seen Him doing it and the nurse comes in 30 minutes later and she takes a look at the heart monitor and she says, 'Your heart rate is at 68.' My response was, 'Well that’s my normal resting heart rate.' And I started to cry, and I said, 'I got my miracle I’ve been praying for.' And she says, 'I believe you did.'"

“The next morning, they woke me up, everything was stable, everything was normal. I had been given glory telling people, texting people this miracle. Cause I knew it was finished. I knew it was done.” 

Becci: “He wants to heal people, so I take that to heart, believe, and I believed it for Sandy.” 

Sandy: “As I was getting ready to be discharged, the discharging doctor, not the cardiologist, he looked at my monitor and he said, 'wait a minute, did she convert back into normal sinus rhythm?' He didn't even know that. He just knew the heart rate was normal. And I said, 'Jesus did it, but Jesus did it. He, He reset, He recalibrated my heart and I'm grateful.' Because He is healer, and He is faithful, and just keep believing. And the power of prayer.”