Fasting for Hunger

My husband and I are finishing our first week of another Daniel Fast today. We will continue for another two weeks.

I strongly felt that I needed to reset my heart and habits regarding food and my choices that are effecting my health.  So many ways that life has presented upheaval, stress, challenges in the last two years, but especially in the last few months have left me making the exceptions to my healthful choices the new normal.  And I was feeling it all over.

This fast has been wonderful so far.  We have chosen a Daniel Fast because it's a long-term focus on keeping foods healthful, simple, and centered on God's provision.  It's long enough for me to really dig in and deal with the sinful habits that are surfacing.  We've altered it a bit to provide more time to focus on prayer and the word so that our time fasting is truly not about bread alone but every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.

Our Daniel Fast plan for June 2016

Read together John Piper's book, Hunger for God, discuss and journal
(I'm also having an email discussion on this book with a dear friend for added encouragement and accountability)

I'm reading Psalm 73, journaling

Rising at 5:30 for a morning walk together

Limiting computer time to once in the morning for checking emails, groups, and other internet related needs/uses

Food plan:
Daniel fast foods for breakfast (basically, breakfast salad)
Fasting lunch (not eating at all)
Daniel fast food for dinner
Water only to drink

We chose to skip lunch to cause us to really see this as a fast and a reason to have a focus on the Lord. To create hunger, so to speak, since the Daniel Fast isn't really all that different from our "normal" diet. (though we've drifted too much from that normal in the last few months)

We also wanted to skip a meal to provide a way to allow more time for prayer, study, and reflection on what the Lord is teaching us.  This isn't always feasible during the busy lunch time, but I'm learning to at least pray and keep my heart on the Lord as I battle those lunch time cravings and those late afternoon hunger signals.

I have become consistent in a time of morning devotions with the Lord. That has been a huge blessing. We've also enjoyed our morning walks together and evening reading and prayer.  In short, this time of fasting has created a lot more time for us to be together and be together focused on the Lord. That's really creating a special bond between us.

So, we press on.  We both are feeling much better. My first three days were a struggle. Headaches and fatigue that left me feeling awful.  That seemed to lift by day 4 and I'm beginning to feel more energy and strength as the days move on.  We are both less sluggish, bloated, and our clothes are feeling loose.

Even more, we are so encouraged by our time with the Lord.  So many beautiful ways we are learning that God is enough.  He is our portion.  He is the Rock of my heart.  He is the Giver of all these abundant gifts that surround us and we are learning to long for Him above those precious gifts.

As John Piper states in his book, "Food is good. God is better."  This time of chosen testing causes me to sing this to my own soul daily.