Daniel Fast

I have been praying for some time about doing another fast and I had a youth pastor friend of mine tell me about the Daniel Fast. It is one that causes us to deny ourselves on the physical level in order to focus on the Spiritual. I have prayed and decided to journal what God is teaching me on the blog as an encouragement to others. I noticed when searching the internet for information on the Daniel fast that there are a lot of people that need some encouraement on fasting and also have some questions regarding different fasting. Please be in prayer with me that God would clearly show us vision on what He has in store for us as we seek to minister to those around us.

I will be starting the fast on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2007 and continuing until Wed. Evening March 7, 2007.

Fasting Guidelines (Taken from Fellowship Church)

FOCUS The fast, as explained in the weekend service, is a spiritual discipline designed to better connect us with God. As a church, we are fasting in order to deepen our relationship with God and to walk in step with His plan and purpose. The best way to do this is to redirect our food source. This is accomplished through substituting our regular food intake with Bible reading, praying and journaling. The overall goal is to experience a genuine hunger for spending time with God.

TIMELINE

1st Day is a 24-hour Liquid Fast We will drink water, natural fruit juice and herbal caffeine-free tea (lunch will be our last meal and we will resume meals at dinner on Monday).

2nd Day: Begin the “Daniel Fast”At dinner, we will begin to introduce meals with pure foods of fruits and vegetables.

This plan will continue for the next 20 days.

MENU The Daniel Fast is a partial fast, which means that we will eliminate some common things from our daily diet, but will have generous options available. We will focus on eating fruits and vegetables that are pure and simple. We have included a list of foods to eat and foods to avoid.

If you have any condition which would prohibit you from being a part of the Daniel Fast, there are other options. Choose something from your daily routine (i.e. specific foods or beverages, television, other technology, etc.) and fast in that manner for the next 21 days. Remember, the details are not as important as the spirit in which you participate.

*If you have any known medical conditions or suspect such conditions, consult your doctor before beginning the fast.

Foods to Eat

WHOLE GRAINS: Brown Rice, Oats, Barley

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

FRUITS: Apples, Apricots, Bananas, Blackberries, Blueberries, Boysenberries, Cantaloupe, Cherries, Cranberries, Figs, Grapefruit, Grapes, Guava, Honeydew Melon, Kiwi, Lemons, Limes, Mangoes, Nectarines, Papayas, Peaches, Pears, Pineapples, Plums, Prunes, Raisins, Raspberries, Strawberries, Tangelos, Tangerines, Watermelon

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

LIQUIDS: Water (as much as possible), Unsweetened Soy Milk, Herbal (caffeine free) Tea, Natural Fruit Juice (no added sugar)Extra-Virgin Olive Oil (small quantities), Honey

Foods to Avoid

• Meat, Poultry, Fish• White Rice• Fried Foods• Caffeine, Coffee, Tea (including decaf)• Carbonated Beverages• Foods Containing Preservatives or Additives• Refined Sugar or Sugar Substitutes• White Flour• Margarine, Shortening, High Fat Products• All Breads• Dairy (milk, butter, cheese, yogurt, etc.)