We will begin fasting on Monday,
January 9th and join together in believing for the SUPER NATURAL favor of God
for 21 days and the remainder of 2012. A book came highly recommended to read called "The Fasting Edge" by Jentzen Franklin.
I have never done this personally and am learning as I go. I've always wanted to understand more about fasting so I am humbled and looking forward to this journey. What I have come to understand so far is fasting and prayer are a way of helping you to sever addictions. I liked in the book when it referred to fasting as " the spiritual DRANO that unclogs the flow of the living water in our soul." It also said that fasting does not just pertain to what you put in your stomach, but what you feed your soul and spirit as well. I found this LINK helpful.
So I am sitting here thinking, I don't have addictions like the book talks about. I am not addicted to drugs, alcohol, tobacco...... On a funny note I may be addicted to Starbucks. Does that count? Maybe I can use my addiction to cakes or cookies? I am not making light of this by any means. I am just thinking. I want this to be life changing and meaningful. I want to grow stronger in my faith. Stronger in my personal relationship with God. I think it's a great opportunity to learn my strength on different levels. Seeing how that is my focus this year (One Little Word, I posted about this a couple days ago). My prayers and areas of focus will be restoring areas of my marriage ~ direction and guidence when dealing with family issues. I am positive it will go deeper and beyond just those two areas.
If fasting should break the routine then I think my fast will include the following:
NO FAST FOOD!!!! Meals will be prepared in our home daily. Regardless of events that are taking place in our life right now (baseball practice starts this week and we have basketball Thursday & Saturdays) I also want to make it a point to sit at our table to eat dinner. We too often are "on the run" and some of us eat in the living room, one might be at the table and sadly even in the bedroom (while boys are into a video game). So, to answer my question earlier regarding Starbucks, I am omitting that from my usual daily routine. NO McDonald's, NO All American Pizza, NO Braums, NO Chili's. NO Canton's (oh my!) YOU GET THE CONCEPT. This is VERY different for us and our normal routines.
NO COKE or SWEET TEA!!!! COKE, now that was a serious addiction of mine a couple years ago. Like I had to have some daily and several times daily. Now I can go days without it but when I do have some Coke it's like my body requires it. It's stupid, I know. Sweet tea is something I know I am addicted to and drink EVERY DAY. It is usually in a Route 44 Sonic cup (with extra extra ice) that I carry all day or Red Diamond plastic bottle like a water bottle. It is my water! As I type this it sounds so trivial and SAD.
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