Hello my Brothers, Sisters, Friends, and Family.
This journey over the last month has been absolutely wonderful. I have lost 33-34 pounds now, and that has seemed to have stopped dropping the last couple of days. I have been drinking fluids in and above abundance hoping to gain some energy from somewhere.
This will be my last update as the journey of this “40 day Fast” will end in just a couple of days. So I will give everyone a slight over view.
Days 1-3 began as the worst. There was headaches that woke me up at night, and eating was missed, and on my mind. The Spiritual Journey had not really began.
Days 4-22 was the most enlightening and joyful. I did not notice a great loss of energy. Everything was a gain. My body felt better then ever. I slept very well and awoke well rested every morning. My aches and pains had disappeared. Toxins seemed to have left my body, and I just felt great. My spiritual life and relationship was ever so progressive in communication and understanding.
Days 23-30 was the fastest week for me. I began to notice a slight energy loss, and I noticed that my “stamina” was depleting. Spiritually I felt questions being laid upon me without answers. I started feeling a more openness of people hurting. I have a heart that aches for people that are hurting, but this week it seemed that I would notice a hurt of anyone I talked to or looked at. It is at this time that I think I could have ended the “Fast” as I had felt that God had Spoken to me, I had been given answers and Direction. I feel the journey continuing was about a time frame instead of the journey. I continue for a couple of reasons, one is God sent me on this journey. Two to continue to walk with my friend on this Journey. Three to see how it finishes. But I do want to say that to go beyond these days I feel has a lot to do with finishing 40 days. I think my son joined me on this journey for a while and he had the greatest wisdom ” I start this journey with you dad because I feel God wants me to walk it for a while, I will not say it is going to be 40 days I am going to do it until God says this is enough or stop”. Well I feel I could stop.
Day 31-current day has been very taxing. I am not sure what has happened but overnight it seems that all of my energy has went away. I think that part of this has to be mental. You get into a place that the finish line is so far away so you do not look at it, but then when you get to a place that you are almost finished, or that you are going to make it, then it becomes harder. I have seen this happen many times in life but the easiest to relate it to is running or hiking long distance.
I am completely out of energy. I still sleep very well, I still wake up feeling very rested. But the fun ends there. Getting out of bed and walking to the shower is taxing, brushing teeth is taxing, picking up and playing with Malachi is taxing.
I have found that much of this is in the mind because I will feel like I just could not walk, but I finished my rounds of visitation Monday and when I visited the first person I did not feel like I could walk down the long hallway (at 9am). I made it all day and that night at 8pm I was still walking outside working around the barn, but I did run completely out of energy and just could not walk or work any longer. So I do say that the taxing of this journey began for me at day 31 and with just a couple of days left my reserve fuel tank is empty. I have over lifted some weights and work and have pulled a muscle in my back.
I do want to note that I have not just sat around during this journey I have did my job completely, and I have tried to work as hard as normal for keeping up the house and horses.
Spiritually I have came to a different place. I am again stuck into a slump. I have been on this fast, I also have been studying the last 24 hours of Jesus life for 6 weeks now, I also have been in study of early Christianity. So I am not sure if any or all of this takes part. But, I have a longing heart for those that are hurting, yet self-imposed hurt is weighing on me. As I look around this world I find many that are hurting for many reasons, but there are some that the greatest reason behind their hurt is arrogance. I am finding difficulty right now dealing with the attitude of arrogance.
I will close with these thoughts;
Anyone can do a fast and I encourage everyone to do at least a 21 day fast as the gains physically and Spiritually are overhwelming. If nothing else make Fasting a weekly routine.
I am getting very close to the ending of this 40 day fast and I have found more questions then I have found answers. I think that is part of our journey as we may not know all the answers we can continue to seek the questions and answers.
I have found that arrogance bothers me very much.
I have found that going 40 days without food is easier then encouraging those that call themselves Christian to tell others about Jesus.
I have found that we need to add to our daily prayers, and our Hymnals an “Affirmation of Faith” that says: God is God and I am not! O’ if we could just learn that as a people, God is God and we are not, then maybe we could begin to do the work of Jesus.
I have really enjoyed this journey and I look forward to the next meal I get to eat with each and every one of you.
Help me spread the Good News.
Peace in Christ,
Chuck