Daniel Fast Week 1

I started the Daniel Fast last Monday morning. This is the first time I’ve ever done a fast of any kind, although I’ve been feeling like I needed to for quite some time now.

I chose Monday to start because it’s a 21 day fast and I will break the fast on the first day of the new month. I like numbers and dates, so that seemed to make good sense to me.

I didn’t do much research. On Sunday morning, I decided I’d start the next day. I looked up 1 website and got the info on what I was supposed to eat and not eat. This website said, “Fruits, Veggies, Fruit Juice and Water.”

I spent the first 2 days absolutely miserable with a horrible headache from caffeine withdrawal and probably a drop in my blood sugar as well. I had gotten off of my healthy eating in the past couple months and I was eating way too much sugar, snacks, etc. For those first 2 days I felt like I ate constantly, but was starving 24/7. I woke up both nights several times with a rumbling stomach and was hungrier than I can remember being in a long time. I was still suffering from the awful headache and I prayed alot. I had no idea how I was going to make it through 28 more days like this.

I woke up Wednesday morning, had a banana and did a little research online. I looked at a couple more online resources and found that the first bit of information that I had was incomplete because, in actuality, on the Daniel Fast you are allowed to eat nuts and whole grains as well. Yay!

I promptly grabbed a handful of nuts and devoured them. I felt “full” for the first time in 48 hours!

In hindsight, I think it was a good thing. Eating only the veggies and fruits for the first 2 days was a good “detox” and really helped me to appreciate the items that I was going to get to add in.

I went to the health food store later that afternoon and purchased a few items. Some brown rice rice cakes, all natural peanut butter (only ingredient is peanuts!) and some whole wheat/whole grain crackers that are ingredient friendly for the fast. (They taste like cardboard! But, I’m going to try them with some of the pb on them this week for a snack.)

I’ve been doing pretty well since then. On the afternoon of the 3rd day, my headache went away and I’ve been headache free until Sunday afternoon. But, I think it was a sinus headache and not related to my fast.

I’ve found some good recipes that I can’t wait to try out for week 2, which begins tomorrow.

I’ve read almost a month’s worth of my daily bible readings and have devoted much more quiet time for prayer and reflection as well, which has been very nice. Far too often, I consider myself “too busy” to set aside more time to spend alone with the Lord, but I’m purposely making it a priority during this time of fasting and it’s been wonderful. I want to continue to spend more time in bible study and prayer than “my usual” after the fast.

The week seemed to be filled with trial after trial- I’ve concluded that Satan isn’t a fan of my fasting for the Lord!

But I’m excited and hopeful to see what God is going to do in the next 2 weeks. I’m hopeful and expectant that I will see earnest prayers answered.

I just want to honor Him in all I do.

I pray that each of you has a wonderful week!