Committed

November 12, 2018

Today I start the Daniel’s Fast. Not only do I start this, but so do my girls. By my girls I mean the Community Group that meets in my home each week. We’re not confined to the walls of my house. We also meet at locally-owned coffee houses, soccer fields, volleyball courts, and over some scrumptious meals – anywhere we can come together to support, uplift, and love. Nothing is ever too much, too little, too embarrassing. We show up. We come to the table.

When I first proposed the Daniel’s Fast to the co-leader of the group, she didn’t just support the idea, but committed to do it alongside me. Those actions sum up the bond of this group like words can never touch. No one batted an eye as they voiced their pledges to fast not only according to Daniel 1, but went above the call to surrender other vices that have taken their attention and time away from God. Our hearts are breaking over the distance we have created from our Father. From the tops of our heads to the tips of our toes, our bodies are craving obedience to His goodness.

This fast isn’t about the pounds we hope to shed (though we receive them in Jesus’ name!), it is about obedience to the One who has our best in His every plan for us. This fast is about cleansing ourselves of the junk, instant gratification, distractions, and the ways we avoid the hardships of life. After the most sincere, transparent sharing, one of our leaders so sweetly yet powerfully proclaimed, “we can do hard things.” That has become the group’s battle cry.

I chose the Daniel’s Fast because it incorporates all that I believe when it comes to nutrition. Natural, colorful foods that energize and empower your body, heart, and mind to “to do hard things.” It is about balance. Daniel asked to do this for ten days in efforts to commit his obedience to God over all else. In my non-expertise opinion, meats, breads (oh baby), sweets, and alcohol aren’t totally off the list. Some of these things do the body some good, but in intentional portions and not as a part of everyday habits. Each person is unique in their makeup (so cool in God’s creation) and we all are striving towards different goals – losing weight, gaining weight, cardio improvement, strength building, endurance versus speed, immune system building, and on and on. I love that we achieve these things through what God has created, and He did so just for us. This portion of the blog is how to realistically maintain the Daniel’s Fast’s lifestyle beyond the ten days, while adding a balance of our favorite things (hello, Thanksgiving is next week).

If you find yourself relating to much of the above, join our group whether physically or from afar. Goals are made more achievable in a community setting.

We invite you to come to the table.