Daniel 10:3

No pleasant bread: Anything eaten out of pleasure instead of nourishment. So no sweets, snacks, or fast food, and no eating when I am not hungry.

No flesh: No animal products: meat, eggs, dairy

No wine: easy J

No anointing myself: My Strong’s Concordance says this meant putting on perfumes or lotions. I guess for me personally this would translate to the things I do to make my outward appearance pretty, since this is a time of focusing inward. I have decided that this would mean abstaining from makeup, nail polish, perfume, jewelry, and certain clothing. I guess the clothing thing is hard to describe for others. It is more of a personal decision between me and the Lord each day.

If any of you are planning on following this three week fast with me I would encourage you to study this verse for yourself and modify it to fit your own personal fast.

Daniel's Fast

Daniel 10:12

Then he said unto me, "Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to ubderstand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words...."

What precious words these are to me today. Over that last four years I have felt like I have been more a student of nursing than a student of the Lord. I have hated that my spiritual growth has slowed so much. I know that I could have done better but at least it is almost over now. These verses above come as a promise to me simular to verse 6 of chapter 1 in Philippians that says, "He which hath began a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ."

Daniel 10:3 speaks of a three week fast that he undertook in prayer and supplication for his sins and the sins of his people. I have decided to start this same fast on April 1st in order to start the renewal process in my life, the shift back from being a nursing student to HIS student. I will be spending this time in prayer and study of chapters 9 & 10 of the book of Daniel. Anyone who would like to join me is more than welcome :)

I will be starting by preparing over the next week learning what this fast in verse three included and cutting out caffiene ahead of time so I can do it gradually.