6/11/13

Day 11: It's been a while since I've posted avoid redundancies. I'm still delighted to have this pleasure to write to you all about my physical progress as well as some of the spiritual progresses. I say some because it is hard to explain some of the things that God is doing in my life on a day to day basis. Sometimes I don't even know what it is, and other times it is so huge that I can't even comprehend what he is doing until it slowly comes into fruition bits at a time. Then there are things that are deep in a lady's heart that just do not need to be revealed. Right now, though, my precious Savior is teaching me that fasting is so much more than I could ever know. It's a practice that has become "Westernized" and has very little to coming under the Lord to listen what he has to say, and more about seeking a result. What I mean by this is that we tend to say to God, "I'm in need of _____, and I'm going to fast until You give it to me." In the bible times it was intended to be a time of grieving and saying, "God, please teach me what you have for me, I'm in need of Your direction. I will listen to Your instruction." In fasting there are usually results during or at the end, but we need to learn that isn't what is important. It's focusing on God.

The other thing I need reminded of is that fasting is not about me. It was perfectly said when St. Augustine said in The Usefulness of Fasting, "Because it is sometime necessary to check the delight of the flesh in respect to licit pleasures in order to keep it from yielding to illicit joys." He is right! We will ourselves up with so much other stuff that we do not give God full authority over our lives.

I just want to take this time to repent of that to Him right now:

Father, I repent for not giving You the full portion of what is Yours. Please take the authority back from my hands and guide my ways. I don't want to form to the pattern of this world. I want what You have for me.
Amen

Shifting gears, here, I'll conclude with how I am doing physically. Usually when I wake up I'm pretty energetic, and usually not very hungry. But occasionally throughout the day I will get really hungry and will need some juice to curb it. The emptiness never really goes away, but then I remember who my provider is. My digestive system is no longer is use and my body is using the fat storage to give itself energy. Can I just take a second to say how amazing our bodies are!? Perfectly created by a God who loves us! Evolution? I think not.

My whole purpose in this blog is to encourage someone that needs encouragement. If I'm able to bless one person then I'm successful.

Love you guys!