Fasting to the finish

We are only a few days away from finishing out our 21 days of fasting.  I encourage you to take a step out of your comfort zone if you did not fast the entire 21 days and fast the last three, a true Daniel's fast.  I think I left some Ezekial bread and organic OJ at Lowe's food but you might want to go grab it before the snow. 

If you have been fasting over the past 19+ days, wonderful.  It has been an experience that I will never forget and that I will add to my arsenal of spirtual weapons to use just like the prayer. 

To me it was amazing how often my thoughts turned to food, and just how difficult it was to push beyond that.  I seemed to be constantly hungry when I knew good and well I wasn't but Satan wanted to continue to distract and play mind games and keep me from spending time with my Father. 

But God still showed up.  Even when I reached for that Ezekial bread and all natural peanut butter for a snack, again...and I have gotten clarity to some questions that I had and reassurance to a leading that I was feeling on my heart and you know, maybe there is something to all this prayer and fasting and giving (the three responsibilities of a Christian). 

I've said it over and over again on my blog, God loves each of His children and longs to walk through life with each of us.  Praying, giving, and now fasting are wonderful ways to deepen that walk and color your life with vibrant, extrodinary color. 

Again, if you haven't fasted at all, I double dog dare you...(ok, that was to make my WH laugh), but seriously I challenge you, take the step today, set aside the sweets, the meats, and the dairy for the next 3 days and see what happens. 

Leave a comment if you are up for the challenge and we will pray each other to the finish line. 

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.

Fasting for a reason.

As you have read previously (on "One Life To Live"), sorry couldn’t help it), we will be starting a fast on Sunday for 21 days. There are a lot of churches that are starting out the New Year and the new decade fasting.

If you are here from Martha’s blog at http://www.marthafry.org/ welcome! Martha, my pastor’s wife, has put together some great tools to help our church face the fast with less fear and trepidation but with more excitement and equipped to succeed.

I wrote a book review for her blog on Jentenzen Franklin’s book, “fasting” and it really has changed my entire perspective.

Last night at church Pastor Matt (go to his website here, http://www.mattfry.com/ , they are a bit competitive) spoke on how he was so excited about the upcoming fast and I can honestly say he is not the only one. There is a feeling of excitement bubbling in my soul. An apprehension, a holy fear almost about what is to come. Yes, I am nervous, yes, I want to make it to the 31st but more then that I just cannot wait to see what is going to happen in my life, with my family, and in my church during and as a result of this fast.

Last time we fasted I did it because the church did it. If you have read some of the blog entries and reviews on Martha’s blog you will see that I wasn’t alone in this. The church said fast, so I fasted. I didn’t understand the purpose for it and I didn’t understand the mechanics of it. It would be like giving my DD (darling daughter), who is 13-years-old, a brand new car. It is a great tool, will enable her to do things and give her freedom, but there is one problem, she doesn’t know how to drive and so the car would just sit in the driveway. She will have to become old enough (mature), be taught how to drive (given instruction) and then guided onto the road with someone beside her (support) to help until she is fully capable.

That’s what the book on fasting did for me. That is what Martha and the rest of us are working towards with the blog entries and the meal plans, etc. It is to come alongside and instruct and support and yes, there is a certainly maturity in your walk with Christ that is needed for fasting, but you also grow exponentially when you fast.

The other matter that has been weighing on my heart is that there can be many things to fast. Our church is doing the Daniels fast, which is no meat, no bread, and no sweets and I really recommend that you try it. The food is good and the recipes are fun, and if you follow Martha’s meal plan I think it would be cool to know that we are all eating the same thing together every night (is that weird??).

But you can fast other things as well, no television, no computer, no video games, there is even a financial fast as well, no buying ANYTHING not a necessity, I think we might be looking at that as well.

If you want to keep it in the realm of food, then fast no cokes (in the south that means no soft drinks, everything is “coke” and then you specify if you want Mt. Dew, Pepsi, or an actual Coca-Cola), or you can fast no sugar, no meat, no chocolate, etc. But the important thing is that you fast something that will be an impact on your daily life because when you are craving, wanting, desiring that, you go to God instead of the fridge, the pantry, or the drive-thru. 

I enjoy my coffee (ok, huge understatement), I enjoy my chocolate, I enjoy my toast and my steak and ice cream and my sushi but by setting these things aside for the next 21 days, when I get up in the morning and my body wants coffee, I will pray. When I am dragging and want that caffeine kick I will pray. When the afternoon rolls around and I REALLY want a snack, I can have one, (fruits and veggies) but I will be intentional about it and I will pray. After dinner, when I want that ice cream and cookies before bed, I will pray. When you talk with someone that much all day long, you cannot help but become closer. How God will rejoice when He sees His children willing to forego something good to have His best.

The second part of this equation though, is like I said before, know why you are fasting. I have written down very specific things that I am praying about. I’m not just doing it to do it. I want answers to questions about God’s plan:
1. for my life
2. for my writing.
3. for my sons and my daughter.
4. for my husband
5. for our marriage and for the marriages of friends.
6. for our finances
7. for our parents
8. for our friends
9. for our church
10. for our leaders in government
11. Other things

Yes, the list is pretty long. I have 21 days and I have a feeling there will be a lot of prayer time during that time (I told you guys I feel great affection for my coffee). The vital point to this is to take your doubts, fears, questions, needs and wants to God. Offer then up to Him to give you guidance and direction. When you get in the dumps during the fast (and it will happen) go to your list and focus on something/someone there and the hunger will fade, the temptation will abate and you will have won that battle. I’m sure we will be talking a lot more about the fast in the coming days.

Leave a comment if you have fasted before and have any suggestions for me. Cannot wait to see what God is going to do! Have a wonderful blessed Thursday my friends!