Will Fasting Break the Power of Gluttony? | Previous Challenge Entry

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TITLE: Will Fasting Break the Power of Gluttony? | Previous Challenge Entry
By cindy tilkens jennings
01/16/15
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I was born weighing 10lbs2oz to a mother who would wean me on a white cotton glove filled with sugar in one of the fingers, wet it, and then let me suck on that to keep me quiet and content. I was the original sugar baby. Most of my life I’ve struggled with not feeling nourished and satisfied; and being over-weight. In 2008 I broke my neck, back, crushed my right cheek, de-gloved my right arm, fractured my skull, and coded in the hospital. It changed my life in many ways, including making getting exercise and being healthy a real challenge.

For roughly 30 years on my journey to find an answer to being healthy and slim, I have lost weight, jogged, starved myself on 500 calories a day, and then gained the weight back. Neither health products nor pills helped me to stay thin or change how I look at food. But when my previous husband and I went to a place called Optimum Health Institute, I learned food can heal you. When he remained on their eating program, he was healthy and active three years. When he went off and ate sugar and junk foods, he died quickly. During this period of fighting cancer, I learned a lot about fighting disease naturally. But nothing addressed Gluttony: Over-eating for pure pleasure or emotionally. I’ve learned you do not have to be over-weight to be a glutton. Some gluttons do not gain weight.

But all that aside, this past December I prayed about making permanent changes in my life starting January 1st to begin a fast. I am on a quest to draw closer to God through prayer and fasting. I desire to overcome my own overeating, pray for salvations and for breakthrough and miracles for myself and others. I read “Fasting” by Jantezen Franklin, that helped me to realize that to begin my year fasting would set the tone for the year, with the power to follow through in many areas to gain more discipline in my life. I believe God is enabling me to fast. I may write more about the fasting aspect later in another article. So today is Day 15. I am not fasting from all food, but I am restricting my food to liquids, no sugar, soda, bread, and dairy except a small amount of yogurt in a vitamin smoothie a couple times a week. Water with fresh lemon juice or lime juice or grated ginger root is my main drink. My food is puréed vegetables in chicken broth or beef broth with seasonings. Tonight was kale, roasted garlic, sautéed onion, chard, liquefied in a blender, cooked and seasoned with Italian seasoning and a couple other spices. I did the same with cauliflower last week.

I am weary of my own over eating or wrong eating and feeling sick, so I am creating strategies to change and succeed. My approach on this fast is to have very few choices in order not to be tempted by unhealthy choices. I have heathy drinks and home-made vegetable soup broths that are delicious and full of nutrients. I want to give my body a long rest, but not starve it.

I am considering extending the fast (partial fast) to 40 days or longer because I am looking for something to happen between me and God that I sense will take longer than 21 days. I want to press in and find answers in many areas of my life. I am writing my prayers, and reading God’s Word but still not connecting to God the way I believe He wants me to right now. ‘Life rules me’, instead of ‘Me ruling my life’. Fasting and Prayer brings revelation. I want to see what God will do, and fast till I see breakthrough. Each day I ask for the strength to go on. Two times I have veered off my rules eating tangerines, but I am changing my over-all view about eating. I desire to be clear-minded,healthy,obedient and intimately connected to God.

If you would like me to write again to update you on the fast, let me know. The benefits have been wonderful: My pain is decreased 80%, energy double, twenty five pounds gone. I am now in therapeutic exercise at the pool. And my mind is clear. You see, God is already blessing even this small bit of obedience. I am so thankful!

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