Day one of fasting, 9/5/11– First thing in the morning my host mom gives me a big piece of cake. Now trying to tell someone who speaks no English that I can’t have it is impossible. So I ate a little of it to make her happy, and then said I have to go to the church. It made me feel like I had already lost and I felt discouraged. Then Sean told me I should not turn down something I am offered because it is rude. This was encouraging and I knew I could keep going.
I started to have a kind of withdraw from sugar in the afternoon. I started to get jumpy and jittery. I so wanted a chocolate bar, or anything with sugar. I never really knew how much sugar I would consume in a day, or in a week until I can’t have any.
Day two of fasting, 9/6//11– I got up on Tuesday morning very hungry. I felt like I wanted to eat anything and everything in sight. With my body deprived of sugar, it was starting to burn the carbs. So I started to eat more fruit which has sugar in it, but I wasn’t adding to it like I did before. Sugar can be very addictive, so if it is suddenly eliminated from the diet, it can lead to sugar cravings, poor energy levels and stress and anxiety in a person. One example is Tuesday night I was so jumpy and even thou I had just ate dinner I was so hungry and all I wanted was something to eat, or chocolate. Sounds funny, but really it wasn’t. I stepped back and really looked. I realized that, I consume way to much sugar a day. When I get a sugar withdrawal headache then that is telling me something.
I plan to limit my sugar intake, now that I know I have the strength and the willpower. God is telling me to slow down from eating sugar or there will be subsequently effects when I get older. I was reading the book of John, and I totally got a new perspective. Jesus died on the cross because he knew it was his time to go back to his father. That he gave his life so that we may be forgiving of our sins. I’m saying eating sugar is a sin, but Jesus gave his life up so that we may live. I am giving only one life to live. I don’t want to end up with diabetes, or heart problems. I want to have the best chance at life.
Day three of fasting, 9/7/11– It feels like its getting better every day. I don’t really feel compelled to have sugar; I don’t feel like I need chocolate. Yes I do crave some sugar now and then, but it’s not as bad as it was. I am strong, and with God’s help I can overcome anything. I have more energy, I can focus way more, and I feel better about myself, and just in general.
Fasting is the greatest spiritual self-control for wanting to get closer to God. Combined with prayer they together make up the most critical weapons of spiritual warfare and freedom in our lives. Fasting has really opened my eyes to great possibilities. This will not be the last time I will fast from something. I will continue to challenge myself more and more. With God I will not fail.
