11 days In

Hello fellow fastsers, today marks the halfway point in ny fast. I truly thank God for this experience because it has been life changing. There is a sense of calm that I have been experiencing that has taken a hold of my soul. I know that ONLY God can give me this kind of peace. I have recieved some bad news, but I don't feel broken or shattered. With all my heart,I trust that God will see me through this trial. If you are hesitant about doing the fast don't be, let the power of God be your strength; let Him carry you.

Week 1 Food Tips

•  Eat a huge salad everyday, it will help you stay fuller longer.
• Vary what you put in your salad everyday, try not to make it the same way, this week I added corn, beans, onion, radishes, carrots, tomato, mushroom,cucumber, artichokes, etc.
• Take your time and eat, over the week you should notice that it will become more difficult to eat all of your salad, that is a good thing, you can save the rest for a snack later.
• Keep water and fruit with you and drink/eat as soon as you feel weak; wait 10-15 minutes, you will probably notice the feeling decrease.
• Eat breakfast everyday, I made a simple fruit salad, I took all of my favorite fruits and sliced them into a bowl.
• Try eating air popped popcorn, you can add hot sauce, salt and pepper this was a very filling snack for me.
• Dinner should also be a hot meal, I like smothered okra, so I ate that several nights, its very filling, also baked potatoes with chives ( you can get them from Wendy’s if your in a hurry)

Are You Hungry?

I purposely have not talked much about food. Frankly, I wasn’t sure how I was going to react to fast. I didn’t know if a piece of chicken was going to send me over the edge or if I was going to down the work room’s spread of my favorite chips, dips, cakes and pies at lightening speed. Anyone who knows me, is very aware that I love food, to eat a variety of meals, to cook, discover new recipes etc. I normally eat 3 times a day chalked with meat, carbs, fat, and the healthy/unhealthy snacks in between. To be completely honest, I was AFRAID of failing myself and God. My family is not on the Daniel fast and I must cook them a regular meal, so I knew that this was going to definitely be a challenge. I guess that is what is what is so good about the fast, God has presented me with a challenge each day and I make it my goal to complete it. So, what is the verdict from the first week? I am HUNGRY, for God’s word. The fast has made me focus more on God’s will for my life and even when I have cravings, I am not as quick to indulge in them. This is a NEW concept for me, for years I have “dieted” for every other reason but for God. Each time I would last two, three days tops, and by Wednesday, I was making excuses as to why I needed to make a run to Eggroll City for Hot n Sour Soup only to end up purchasing Shrimp Kung Pao with Fried Rice and Cheese Wontons. Now I know your wondering, why is this time different? Two Main Points: One, the Daniel Fast is not a diet. When people say “Daniel Fast diet” I think, wait, this is not a diet, I am full, God fulfills me throughout my prayers and devotional time. Also, the food choices are abundant and generally I eat until I am satisfied. What’s more important is that I don’t make excuses as to why I can’t make this sacrifice for God. He has blessed me in so many ways, Phil 4:13 says that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, and I can’t understand why I haven’t leaned on these words more. But its working and God is working on me like he did with Jacob when he changed his name to Israel, straightening me out. (Genesis 35:10)   Two, I am making my choices with God not on my own, before this fast, I was doing everything on my own with what I wanted in mind. God has to be apart of every plan and purpose in my life. Even when preparing food for my family, I have not picked at the edge of a burger or popped a chip in my mouth because the relationship I am creating with God is so much more satisfying.

The Statue Bible: Prayer and Bible Study

I have one bible in the car for church, the other usually sits on my mantle as you enter my home, its one of the first items you see, perched up on the table beckoning for perusal.   Both of my bibles just sit there, begging someone, anyone to enter into ITS word more than Sunday morning and an occasional wedding or funeral. Since adulthood, I have never really established a time during the day for prayer and bible study. I am not sure as to why never made this decision before, but I must say that the fast has shown me that if I can start each day with prayer and bible study, God will make himself more visible in my life. There have been a couple of times during the week when I heard God’s voice so clearly about a decision I was about to make, or at home when I wanted to say on thing, but realized, I need to say something else. I have also realized that I feel better, inside and out and the way I communicate with others is more positive.  So today consider adding prayer and bible study in your life, you HAVE TIME, its just a matter of whether not you want to plan for GOD.

Starting the Daniel Fast

Good morning,

To be honest, I’ve just begun my fast, and God is already showing me a lot about myself, and my life. I purchased a book, THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO the DANIEL FAST by Kristen Feola, ($4.00 available as a hard back or kindle edition via amazon.com)  and it has made all the difference in starting the fast. She outlines a daily devotional that helps sculpt my prayer and bible study, time there are also many recipes available. However, I have not tried them yet; I will provide posts later on regarding the meals. I encourage you to organize your 21 days.What do you want to focus on each week? Day? I organized my prayer and study time into three groups, prayer for family, prayer for others, prayer for self.  Taking the time to do this before I fast has helped me discover issues that where important to me that I hadn’t considered. I also journal, writing down my feelings helps me be remain true as to why I am fasting, and how the fast is affecting me. Feola’ s book, mentions to read Isaiah 58 throughout the fast, and I must agree, I learn a different set of lessons each time read it.

How is your fast going? If you have not started yet, do you have any fears, concerns, questions? Please feel free to post your comments, questions, or suggestions.

Preparing for the Daniel Fast

As you prepare, there are some steps you should take:

1.Make sure you understand what the Daniel Fast is and how it works, check out the following link http://www.gotquestions.org/Daniel-fast.html, I found this website had the best explanation with out being too overwhelming.

2. Consider what you want to focus on during the next 21 days, the fast is not so much about the food, but about the getting your life on track in whatever way you feel necessary. Maybe you want to be more effective with your finances, a better husband/wife, family member, employee, or even parent. Include your personal goals in prayer and bible study each day.

3. Drink LOTS OF WATER. I really must emphasize this, successful fasters drink at least a 1/2 gallon of water each day. I also suggest that you drink water 2-3 days before you begin the fast, this will help you stay hydrated as your body begins to adjust to the changes you are making.

4. Talk with your doctor. Before you begin let your doctor know that you will be completing the Daniel Fast. Anytime you make major changes to diet and/or if you have health issues you should discuss how the fast could affect you individual needs.

5. Take your time. Begin each day anew, you should not feel stressed or in a panic, it is best that you relax and focus.