Tuesday, January 19, 2010

God, I love you more then chicken.

Today is day 10 of the fast. It has certainly been an awakening. Our pastor’s wife, Martha Fry spoke this weekend on the body, and how the body was a temple. I wrote on it yesterday here.

One of the ways I have been caught off guard in this fast is the non-stop obsession with food. Maybe that’s just me but the fact that I cannot have certain things crops up a lot. The reason for fasting is very apparent because when you deny the body something the body will remind you of it constantly (king stomach). The secret though is to take that thought and turn it to God and the things that you are praying about.


I have felt constantly hungry (head hunger) but I know that it’s all “king stomach” wanting my attention. The caffeine withdraw is gone and I certainly have plenty of food to eat.  (This is what I picture every time I hear king stomach.  yes, he freaks me out too.)

Martha encouraged the church to at least do the last 3 days of the fast but she did mention that those are usually the hardest and to try for 5 instead. I didn’t hear much from God in those first few days because my body was in such shock that I was just trying to wade through the fasting brain. So if you are wanting to fast and have never done it before, might I strongly reiterate what Martha said and that you fast the last five days. That way you can push through the headache and body shock and come out on the other side before it’s time to go back to pizza, sushi and fried chicken and coffee.

I have had a couple of ah-ha moments though in the past week.  There is a lot of talk about what we are missed eating, what we can't wait to eat after the fast, and there just seemed to be an enormous focus on the food. I have become hyper aware of the amount of food related activities, promotion, commercials, websites, books, etc. surround us daily. It’s almost like food has become it’s own idol in our lives, ranking right up there with money, sex, and beauty. Food has it’s own industry and it’s own language and it’s own culture.


I had to push beyond the food cravings to get to the other side in order to pray and speak to my heavenly Father because I do love God more than coffee, more than chocolate and more than chicken (hey, my own C3, lol). I have learned so much and am anxious to see what the next 11 days will bring as I lean in to hear from God and take God out of the box and put my appetite into one. A very small box. I want the cravings that I have for things of this world to be transformed into a craving for a closer relationship with my heavenly Father. To crave, to want, to desire to be closer with Him. I pray that is one hunger that never gets satisfied but that I constantly feed.  Lean in my friends, His word are sweet and filling.

3 comments:

Zoe Elmore said...

Amazing friend. I'm so excited for you and everything you are learning. You go girlie. I love your new cravings!

Megan Hutchings said...

This is so wonderful. Thank you for sharing. I've done a few long term fasts myself, but it's so refreshing to hear how the Lord is using it the lives of other people, especially since it doesn't seem to be an integral part of the lives of most Christians today. Thank you!

Leigh said...

Thanks Zoe for stopping by. You have been on my heart for a while. Hope everything is going well.

Tisa thanks for commenting. Fasting has been amazing. I do believe that it's something that the church should turn back to. The only fast I knew about growing up was what you fasted before surgery. LOL. This has been a great experience.