Daniel Fast

Beginning January 7 through January 28, my church is going to participate in a Daniel Fast. We’ve done this before, but I didn’t participate fully. This time I’ve decided that I will. I’ve found some information on it and our pastor will also gives us more information, as well as a devotional that he has put together so that all of us can mediate and pray on the same scriptures as a body. Our world needs prayer and this will be a time to focus on praying for the needs of our church, city, nation and world; to find what God would say to us as a body and as individual sons and daughters. I’ve already decided that this is doable for me. Some things may be a struggle, but the best things are usually never easy. Here are foods and liquids that should be eaten on a Daniel Fast.

Whole Grains: Brown Rice, Oats, Barley

Legumes: Dried Beans, Pinto Beans, Split Peas, Lentils, Black Eyed Peas

Fruits: Apples, Apricots, Bananas, Blackberries, Blueberries, Boysenberries, Cantalope, Cherries, Cranberries, Oats, Figs, Grapefruit, Grapes, Guava, Honeydew Melon, Kiwi, Lemons, Limes, Mangoes, Nectarines, Papayas, Peaches, Pears, Pineapples, Plums, Prunes, Raisins, Rasberries, Strawberries, Tangeloes, Tangerines, Watermelon

Vegetables: Artichokes, Asparagus, Beets, Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Carrots, Cauliflower, Celery, Chili Peppers, Corn, Cucumbers, Eggplant, Garlic, Gingerroot, Kale, Leeks, Lettuce, Mushrooms, Mustard Greens, Okra, Onions, Parsley, Potatoes, Radishes, Rutabagas, Scallions, Spinach, Sprouts, Squashes, Sweet Potatoes, Tomatoes, Turnips, Watercress, Yams, Zucchini

Seeds, Nuts, Sprouts

Liquids: Spring Water, Distilled Water, 100% All-Natural Fruit Juices, 100% All Natural Vegetable Juices

Here are foods to avoid:
Meat
White Rice
Fried Foods
Caffeine
Carbonated Beverages
Foods Containing Preservatives or Additives
Refined Sugar
Sugar Substitutes
White Flour and All Products Using It
Margarine, Shortening, High Fat Products

As for caffeine, I usually drink different flavored teas and it seems that I can continue to do that, though I will avoid caffeine as much as I can.

There are spiritual gains and answers that I plan to get from praying and fasting. Beyond that though, I want to yield myself to God’s plan for my life. How can I best serve Him? Where do I fall short? What am I doing right that I should continue? What do I need to stop doing that isn’t in His will for me? Have I neglected anything that He’s already given me? I believe that finding the answers to these are not just for my individual walk, but they impact upon my marriage, my family, my neighbors, my church and my work. These are the areas that comprise my life and I want to make a difference in every one of them. Mostly, I want to see people saved and delivered that are not now. I want my marriage to be the best that it can be. I want to be the wife that my husband needs so that he too can serve the Lord fully. I want my family to grow in the Lord and in our relationships with one another. I want to reflect Jesus to my neighbors and I want to see my Jewish co-workers come to know Jesus as their Messiah. Whew, a tall order , but not for God!

I’ll write more about all this, because there will be a lot of ground to cover during the next four weeks! As always, I'll need God's mercy, both to get and to give!