40 Days Fasting
2016 is my Year of Crazy, Radical Faith. There were some things I was relying on God to work out and that meant that I had to do my part and build my faith. In keeping with this thrust, I embarked on a special fast for 40 days. It started on Ash Wednesday and ended Palm Sunday.
What was involved in the food fast: no flour, no sugar, no rice. The former two are pretty much in all processed foods which was the essence of my fast. This also meant no yogurt, no almond or soy milk, no juices from concentrate, etc. It also showed me how many of our foods are processed and contain these ingredients...quite a bit.
What I could eat: all things natural, regardless of the preparation method. Milk (good ole cow's milk), banana, plantain, potatoes, oats, cornmeal, etc were included. As to proteins, I could eat fish, chicken, and nuts.
The more important part of the fast was praying and spending more time in devotion. I tried to wake up for devotion on weekday mornings vs just praying as I usually do. I did fail a few times...I am NOT a morning person. I persisted, however. I made a conscious effort to change my mindset, to reflect on what's important, and to see the beauty in challenging situations. So...was it worth it?
Absolutely! I admit I did not get some of the clarity on some things I wanted, but I also admit I hadn't committed enough time to praying specifically about them. The outcome of some situations went contrary to what I prayed, but even so, the future is now ripe with opportunities because of the outcome. The biggest victory of this season was learning more of what trusting God means...I got a glimpse of what crazy, radical faith looks like. It's knowing that the future may not go how I envision it, but knowing things will be good to great! It's recognising that there will be challenges, but I will overcome them with some Divine guidance and strength. The song that best speaks about this is from Lauren Daigle - Trust In You. It captures how I felt (and still feel) going through this journey.
40 days of fasting...40 days of growing. The last week was the hardest, particularly with all the temptations (pastries, etc). But I remained faithful. It's the least I could do for a faithful God! Crazy, Radical Faith-building is beyond 40 days of fasting, but I hope to build on the season past for the seasons ahead. After, all I know who's with me every step :-)
What was involved in the food fast: no flour, no sugar, no rice. The former two are pretty much in all processed foods which was the essence of my fast. This also meant no yogurt, no almond or soy milk, no juices from concentrate, etc. It also showed me how many of our foods are processed and contain these ingredients...quite a bit.
What I could eat: all things natural, regardless of the preparation method. Milk (good ole cow's milk), banana, plantain, potatoes, oats, cornmeal, etc were included. As to proteins, I could eat fish, chicken, and nuts.
The more important part of the fast was praying and spending more time in devotion. I tried to wake up for devotion on weekday mornings vs just praying as I usually do. I did fail a few times...I am NOT a morning person. I persisted, however. I made a conscious effort to change my mindset, to reflect on what's important, and to see the beauty in challenging situations. So...was it worth it?
Absolutely! I admit I did not get some of the clarity on some things I wanted, but I also admit I hadn't committed enough time to praying specifically about them. The outcome of some situations went contrary to what I prayed, but even so, the future is now ripe with opportunities because of the outcome. The biggest victory of this season was learning more of what trusting God means...I got a glimpse of what crazy, radical faith looks like. It's knowing that the future may not go how I envision it, but knowing things will be good to great! It's recognising that there will be challenges, but I will overcome them with some Divine guidance and strength. The song that best speaks about this is from Lauren Daigle - Trust In You. It captures how I felt (and still feel) going through this journey.
40 days of fasting...40 days of growing. The last week was the hardest, particularly with all the temptations (pastries, etc). But I remained faithful. It's the least I could do for a faithful God! Crazy, Radical Faith-building is beyond 40 days of fasting, but I hope to build on the season past for the seasons ahead. After, all I know who's with me every step :-)
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