21 Days of Prayer & Fasting

It’s the start of a new year and one thing I’ve done the past 7 or 8 years with some friends is spend 21 days in January and do a fast of some sort. In the past I’ve fasted from social media, sports radio, secular music, soda, and other things. This year the challenge posed from some friends was that I should do a fast from meat. After praying, thinking, and trying to talk myself out of it I knew it would be a good challenge so I decided to take it on. 

Now, before I get too deep into this post about my 21 day experience, if anyone reading this is unsure about fasting or doesn’t really know a lot about it let me give you a quick rundown about it. Fasting is a spiritual discipline where you simply sacrifice something that you usually do everyday and you replace the time you would be doing that thing and spend some time with God reading the Bible, in prayer, worship, or a myriad of other spiritual disciplines. Fasting is NOT about losing weight and it’s NOT about becoming a “better” Christian than others. It’s about developing self-control and discipline.

So what was my journey like? What does a meat prepper, cooker, and eater like myself do when I withhold the amazing texture, flavor, taste of meat from myself? Well, I did eat a lot more pasta and I ate a lot of breakfast foods. I had some salads. Some veggie pizzas. More chocolate and sweets.

Veggie Pizza from Blaze Pizza

Lentil Soup from IKEA

Veggie Meatballs, Rice, Quinoa, veggies, & curry at IKEA

Fried eggs and veggies

All you can eat pancakes from IHOP

Spinach artichoke dip from Moontown Brewery

Over easy eggs and hashbrowns

Mushroom & Swiss no burger at Whiskey Business

Tower of Onion Rings from Whiskey Business

Hashbrowns, over easy eggs, toast, yogurt & granola from Metro Diner

It was a really fun fast. It forced me to get creative with what I eat when I eat at home. It made me learn some new things about restaurants and making sure there was something that I could eat. I have a new and improved appreciation for spices and sauces…especially Sriracha sauce! Been a life saver for eggs and breakfast quesadillas as they all start to taste the same after a few days. 

In the times of prayer and worship and other spiritual disciplines I was able to hammer down some new goals for this year, reflect on the great year that 2017 was, and discover some new songs for praise & worship. In my years of being a Christian, following Jesus, applying principles from the Bible like pray and obey, I’ve found a great truth to be true throughout it all…GOD IS FAITHFUL! Through all the times of my life…the good times and the bad times, God has always been there for me, He’s surrounded me with awesome people, and never allowed fear to overtake me.