Health and Daily Living – Page 12 – REACHING HURTING WOMEN MINISTRIES

SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINES: habits that nurture spiritual growth; exercises unto godliness.

FASTING: voluntary denial of a normal function for the purpose of intense spiritual activity.

“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting… But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” ~ Matthew 6:16-18

“Like all the Spiritual Disciplines, fasting hoists the sails of the soul in hopes of experiencing the gracious wind of God’s Spirit.” ~ Donald S. Whitney

The spiritual discipline of fasting is often misunderstood, causing avoidance altogether. If we do hear teaching on it, it’s usually in relationship to food. But there are many ways to fast that can be as effective, if not more effective, than fasting from food. Personally, I have trouble fasting from meals because of blood sugar issues. So I look for other ways that I can deprive myself in order to deepen my relationship with God.

TYPES OF FASTING:

- Abstain from food, drink, shopping, desserts, etc… to intentionally spend time with God.
- Abstain from media: television, music, computers and games to hear God’s voice.
- Abstain from comfort habits: reading, sports, elevators to give God your undivided attention.

IF YOU WANT TO HAVE A TRADITIONAL FOOD FAST HERE ARE SOME SUGGESTIONS:

Pray to be certain of God’s direction for your fast.
Don’t fast when you are sick, pregnant or nursing.
If you have any health issues, consult your doctor before fasting.
Start small. Begin by fasting for one meal. Then work up to longer fasts.
Always drink plenty of liquids.
Don’t break your fast with a large meal. The longer the fast the gentler you should break it.

When we fast we lay down an appetite, placing that time and energy on spiritual things. Through our self-denial we begin to recognize areas of our life that control us. When we are willing to set aside something we enjoy and be attentive to God’s voice we will receive grace and nourishment we can’t get on our own.

In what way can you deny yourself in order to spend more time with God?

RESOURCES:

Celebration of Discipline by Richard Foster
The Spirit of the Disciplines by Dallas Willard
Spiritual Disciplines Handbook by Adele Ahlberg Calhoun
Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life by Donald S. Whitney

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The End of Overeating:

Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite

by
@DavidAKesslerMD

Rodale, Inc. 2009

330 pp

While scanning the Internet for blog material, I ran across this book. The title was intriguing and seemed to fit my research needs, so I placed my Amazon order. Upon it’s arrival, I was so overcome with the shocking information being revealed to me that I consumed the book as fast as I could.

Do you have an overpowering urge to eat an entire bag of chips while surfing late night TV?

Does the dessert tray at your dinner date call your name long before your entree has arrived?

In The End of Overeating Dr. David Kessler explains in fascinating, but scary, details why the food industry’s conniving scientific, “tricked-out” recipes keep us coming back again and again to foods that are not at all in our best interest.

The End of Overeating is timely and brilliant… disturbing but vitally important! Well written with engaging short chapters that keep you cruising through the book at an amazing pace. The information is concise and life changing! We can get off this overeating roller coaster if we take heed and do the work Dr. Kessler carefully lays out.

In studying sexual addiction I knew that food addiction was similar. But not until reading this book have I seen it so clearly. I’ve never read a book that so closely describes sexual addiction!

Among the many internal conflicts that plague us—the unwanted thoughts, the anxieties, the compulsions and impulses that too often seem beyond our power to quiet–the struggle over what we eat is, for millions of people, the most daunting. (from the Foreword)

A few years ago this controversial former FDA commissioner, Dr. Kessler exposed the tobacco industry. Today he is taking on another business that’s making us sick– the “big food industry” who manipulates our tastebuds to get to our pocket books with scientifically designed recipes that keep us coming back for more.

I will never look at a restaurant menu the same. Thank you Dr. Kessler!

For the sake of your health and your family’s health— Read this book!!

Check out this interesting interview with Dr. Kessler: http://youtu.be/3OqJhbSeUI8