March Blog Madness

My blog readers, my blog has made the March Madness List on SBC Voices.  Please head on over to SBC Voices Blog Madness and vote for my blog!  Thanks everyone!

Post Fast Reflections

I have been out of the Daniel Fast for a while, and my diet is mostly back to normal.  I have added a little more fruit, but the biggest difference is the amount of sugar I have continued to cut out of my diet.  It doesn't mean I don't succumb once in a while to the tasty treats, but I have decreased my overall sugar consumption.

On the spiritual side, I realized how I have to change my outlook.  When I started the fast, I noticed how I missed the things I couldn't have, especially caffeine.  My body told me that I went from 2 to 3 cups a day to 0.  Post-fast reflections, I realize how much I depend upon the approval of others, like a drug to my ego.  If someone is disappointed in me, if they don't approve, if I feel like I have let them down, it causes me a large deal of anguish.  Why?  Pride and ego mostly, but also because I need to learn to have more sufficiency in God.  I depend way to much on others to make me feel like I have worth or value, but I have value in God.  I put way too much emphasis on if the people at church approve of me.  that is not to say that I shouldn't strive to be the best at what I do, but at the end of the day, I am secure in God's love.

As I look back at the fast, I think it was a great experience.  I may do it again someday.  It didn't go as I had planned, it didn't have the effect I thought it would, but I am learning more about myself.  I am seeing my frailty for what it really is, and seeing the areas where I need to continue to work.  I hope on your journey with God, you are finding new revelations about yourself as you draw nearer to Him.

Daniel Fast, day 21

Well today is my last day of the fast.  In some ways it seemed to go fast.  I lost some weight, still not sure how much.  Had some trials, the discipline was hard, had a trip for some training and eating away is hard. There was a lot of temptation, but I stuck it all the way though.

I went into this fast thinking that I was going to experience and learn something profound.  I didn't, instead I learned something much more valuable.  Stead, consistency and moving forward one step at a time is much better than some profound experience.  Mountain top experiences are great, but you can't sustain them forever.  You end up in the valley, the key is learning to be stead.  You may miss the peaks, but you will also avoid that valleys.

Through this time, I went to work, read my Bible, prayed, enjoyed time with my family, aside from what I ate, my life didn't change a great deal.  As I searched and long for some epiphany, some great truth, a profound experience with God, I realized that I wasn't going to have a profound experience with God, and that was my profound experience.  I live in connect with God every day, I am in His word, I am praying (not enough) and I am studying.  I live with God in my life, so why I was expecting something unique and profound is beyond me.

I feel pretty good, and I have lost some weight.  I am glad I did this fast, and I will probably try to increase my vegetable consumption in the future.  I do miss sandwiches, and I plan to hit Jimmy Johns tomorrow for lunch.

I didn't blog as much as I wanted too during this experience, but the reality is that life continued to happen, and I ran out of time.  It was a good fast, it was a good experience.  It's later in the afternoon on the 21st day, I'll make me some veggie dinner and will finish the day with prayer and time with family.  It was a good experience, I may do it again someday.

Fast day 14

Daniel Fast day 14.  I didn't blog as much as I thought or planned too.  I have done two weeks and I have lost some weight.  I feel pretty good, still seeking what God is teaching me.  I am learning to be content with all sorts of food, having discipline and walking away from things I really want. . . like burgers and donuts.  It has been a good exercise, I am going out of town this week.  It will be interesting to see what happens when I travel.  Pastor's Lunch has been difficult enough, but I have made it though.  I guess I will see what happens.  When I get on a scale, I'll let you all know how much weight I have lost.  When God finally brings all the pieces together I will also tell you the divine revelation I've had.

fast, day 3

Well its day three of my 21 day fast. I feel pretty worn out and letargic. I really think if I can survive through day 5 I will be good. I did make some mushroom, tomato, green pepper and red bean dinner. It wad tasty. For now it's bedtime.

21 Days. Day 1

Today I begin the 21 day Daniel Fast with some other folks. As I begin, I have decided that my perspective is that of thankfulness. I can focus on all the things I can't eat and I'm missing, but I am choosing to be thankful for what I have. I have clean water always available. I have fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and other things always available to me. I have more than most of the world's population has access too. I am thankful for my blessings.

In doing this fast, I have been asked why. My primary answer is "to be supportive" because I have a friend who asked me, and I am going to support him. In the mail, I got a free book called 21 Days with Jesus. This book is a journey though John's Gospel, so maybe God has something else is store for me during these 21 days. Day one. John chapter 1. Jesus calls His disciples, and they told others and said "come and see". We don't just learn about Jesus, we experience Jesus. We don't just look at grace, we come to grace. We are called to "come and see".

I Am a Follower, by Leonard Sweet. A Review

I just read the book "I Am a Follower" by Leonard Sweet. This is a concept that I already embraced after hearing Chris Tomlian talk about the concept of being a "Lead Worshiper" instead of a worship leader. This idea that we are leaders is redundant, because we have a leader. Jesus is our Leader, we need to be the first follower! The book shares a video that I have watched online about the First Follower, which is a powerful idea.

Often in the church, we get too many leaders and not enough followers. We need to follow, be willing to be the first follower and follow Jesus. This is a great book, and I would recommend it to everyone. There was some things in the book, theologically, that I didn't completely agree with. None of it was substantial enough for me to miss or lose the main focus of the book. All in all, I really enjoyed this one, check it out.