The scriptures seem to suggest that God honors fasting when performed as a token of deep and sincere dedication, but Evelyn Boyd took this to an extreme level. Boyd, locked herself away for three weeks in her bedroom to fast and pray and died while doing so.

Boyd told her husband, John, a respected Pentecostal minister in Bartow, Fla., that she felt compelled to pray for him, the city, the nation and President Barack Obama. Boyd entered her bedroom on February 7th with just water and prayer requests. The 55-year-old woman asked her husband to respect her wishes and never disturb her. "This is what I have to do," she told him. He complied.

Three weeks went by and not once did John think to check on his wife. Since Boyd had fasted several times before, John was convinced she had everything under control. On two previous occasions, she fasted for 21 days and 23 days. The longest one for Boyd was 40 days, although she allowed herself some bread and crackers at that time.

On the 26th day of the fast, family members decided to check on Boyd and forced the door open. They found Boyd's lifeless body.

The Polk County Sheriff's Office attributed Boyd's death to the fast and not foul play. Sheriff Grady Judd thinks Boyd was sane and fasted on her own accord. He doesn't plan to file any charges.

Investigators believe that Boyd might have been dead for quite some time, but until a toxicology report is done to also determine cause, there is only speculation. Associate Medical Examiner Dr. Vera Volnikh believes Boyd died from severe dehydration. A small amount of liquid was found in her stomach, but there was no evidence of any food.

Boyd's death has many in her community scratching their heads as to how such a common practice could wind up with such a detrimental result. "Most people only fast for a day or a couple days," said Father Len Plazewski, director of vocations for the Diocese of St. Petersburg. "To lock yourself in a room and to not come out, that would be very rare."

John and Evelyn Boyd were married for 33 years and have six grown children. Back in 2003, John even started a Pentecostal church called the "Higher Praise Full Gospel Ministries" in Bartow. According to Polk County Sheriff's Office, John is very well-respected in the community. Two years ago, the retired firefighter decided to devote his attentions to the church full-time.

Evelyn Boyd was obeying what God told her to do, John said. "God called her home."