***If this is your first visit to the blog, go the post titled Introduction. Then follow the links on the right side bar and work backwards.***
I apologize if any feels like they were left with a cliff hanger. Life seems to get in the way when you are a busy mom like me.
Some thoughts on the fast and some after effects.
Spiritually:
The fast really made me draw closer to the Lord and deepen my desire for dependence on him. I still need work on this area, and God gently reminds me sometimes that he wants to be my first source, not my last resort. He is the same God who helped David defeat the giant. David's physical circumstances seemed insurmountable, but he fought his battle in the name of the Lord.
My awareness that God is still working things out is mainly evident to me due to the fact that I feel like I'm still being fought by the enemy about as hard as I was during the fast. It does not happen all the time, but when it does, it hits pretty hard.
I do happily report that I received a great many blessings after finishing the fast. I have seen the Lord's abundant grace poured out over and over again on my family. One of the promises in Isaiah 58 (commonly known as the fasting chapter) is that God brings enormous blessings after the fast is over.
Prayer:
I had such a huge prayer list when I began the fast. Some prayers have still not been answered, or I don't seem to see the answers yet. I had prayed about some pretty large needs, mainly in my church. I know the Lord is working out those needs.
I did a lot of praying for personal needs of my family and me. One of the things I prayed about and received direction on was my husband's new business venture. During the fast I received some confirmation from the Lord that my husband was to take some certification classes, which he did in late February. God provided all that was needed financially and the training proved to be a great blessing.
I am happy to report that I have been successful in keeping my habit of early morning prayer before I get out of bed. If you are a parent of young children, then you know what a struggle it can be to have a devotional life regularly, mainly because children do not always wake up on a schedule. lol So I try to make sure I have a season of prayer before I get up or it doesn't happen.
Healthwise:
I was told before breaking my fast that my appetite would return rather quickly. And boy, did it! I also expected a quick weight regain, which also happened. I regained about 15 pounds within just a week or two and stayed there for quite some time. I am losing again on my low carb/high fat diet, which I was on before the fast and continued afterwards.
After the fast ended I had to go shopping for new clothes, obviously! I was in a size 22, or thereabouts before the fast. After the fast I was in a size 16/18. As I said earlier I am managing to lose again and am a size 14/16 in some things. While weight loss was not the reason for the fast, it was certainly a nice side effect. And I am thankful that I have kept it off afterwards.
I had some weird symptoms occur after I broke the fast, mainly dealing with the nerve endings in my lower legs. I noticed when I would touch my calves with a razor or just lightly with my hands, that they would tingle. I'm not sure what to call that, possibly some kind of neuropathy. I am happy to report that has nearly disappeared.
I have had very few candida symptoms since the fast has ended. I have had no gastrointestinal symptoms at all, stomach aches, nausea, flu like symptoms, etc. The surface of my tongue is normal and a healthy pink color with an occasional light white coating, which I have researched to be normal, even when I wake up in the morning. I do have a problem with toenail fungus, but I haven't really tried to treat that. It's not troublesome to me. So, the question is: Is the candida all gone? Apparently not, since I do have a fungal issue, but it is certainly 99 percent better than before the fast. My low carb diet gave me great relief from my symptoms before the fast, but I feel even better than before.
I am no longer coughing up mucus or anything like that. I do not remember if I posted this in the blog during the fast, but I was a smoker for eight years. The Lord miraculously delivered me from cigarettes 5 1/2 years ago. I do believe that all of the excess mucus was my body's attempt to heal all the unfortunate damage done to my lungs with my previous tobacco use.
I plan on posting some links on fasting that I found to be quite helpful, as well as some scriptures on fasting that I found to be encouraging.
