My Daniel Fast

After much consideration, I've concluded that this past semester has held a lot of trials, and subsequent triumph, that deserve much praise. This blog will be used to document the personal and spiritual journey of a (now) 20 year old female college student. I encourage you to feel free to jump on in for the ride. I don't mean for this to be an exclamation of miracles, or of my awesomeness (though sometimes my ego gets the best of me). I simply desire this journal of sorts to be a testimony of my unyielding faith, and the love my God has for me. Come and go as you please; I will still be here.

It's Day 1 of my Daniel fast. What's a Daniel fast, you ask?

"In those days I, Daniel, was mourning three full weeks.  I ate no pleasant food, no meat or wine came into my mouth, nor did I anoint myself at all, till three whole weeks were fulfilled." Daniel 10:2-3

Essentially, you consume nothing but liquids for the first three days. For the rest of the 21-day fast, you eat nothing but fruits and vegetables. And all the while, you are devoting time to praise, worship, and talk with God. Otherwise, your fast would be nothing more than a diet :-P This isn't required of Christians, and there isn't anything that says that if you break your fast you are sinning. I'm making a CHOICE to fast and pray with the intention that the combination will bring me closer to Him every day. It's going to be a heck of a fasting period (being as this is my first fasting experience!), but I am very excited about the up and coming conversations that I will get to have, and that which will be revealed to me.

My spiritual goals this year: get more comfortable praying out loud in public, practice what I preach (and not just the stuff that is convenient for me), and read the Word more regularly.

Today after church, I stopped by Borders to pick up Passion and Purity by Elizabeth Elliot. It was recommended to me as a book that would help me deal with Justin leaving for officer school in May. She also recommended that we get 365 day devotional books for couples (one for each of us) so that while we're not able to write or communicate when he's in Rhode Island, we'll be able to stay connected spiritually. It seemed like a wonderful idea, and I was happy that Justin agreed.

It breaks my heart that he has to go...but this is the life that he chose. Which means that this is the life that I chose as well. I can only pray that he gets stationed somewhere in the States after OCS graduation in August, at least until I'm finished with graduate school. I sense that this semester will be very difficult indeed.