Where were the women??? {Fasting series}

Honest answer: Have you ever “researched” a million different options, even though you already knew, deep down, what you were supposed to do?

Ok, if you said no then you’re lying. 

For me, it was researching exactly what we should or shouldn’t eat/fast for 40 days so that we wouldn’t shrivel up and die, or get angry, or pass out. Those sorts of things.

Of course, He’d already told us what to do. But I kept waiting for God to give me “the rest of the plan.” Sure, he’d said Shake, Smoothie, Rice/Spinach. I got that down. But, wasn’t there more? Perhaps that was just the rough draft and maybe we’d add a few things in later?

Right? Lord, isn’t there more? 

Silence.

So, I started “researching.” (Ha!)

My main concern, which seemed completely legitimate, was that I’m a woman, and I had never talked to another woman who engaged in a 40-day fast of this kind. I’d read great fasting books–by John Piper, Richard Foster, Lou Engle, Bill Bright–but I’d never been able to find a book on fasting by a woman. Not trying to be a wimp, but women in general are a bit more delicate physically. I know Jeff can “forget” to eat all day and be absolutely fine. I’ve never forgotten to eat. He can go on 5 hours of sleep, I need at least 8. I get lightheaded and tired much more easily than Jeff.

So sure, I love John and Bill’s perspective, but they’re dudes.

Where were the women??

So, embarrassing confession: I startled googling: “Fasting for women” and “Women fasting 40 days” and “40-day fast made for moms.” Of course there were plenty of things out there about fasting for weight-management and diet reasons. But spiritual fasting? Biblical fasting?

Nothing.

Finally, I hit a jackpot. I found this great blog by a Christian woman, who looked about my age. She had an article called “How to Fast For 40 Days.” Yes!!!  I jumped right in. I was amazed. It was fabulous.

For one, it was super in-depth on all the Scripture references for fasting, giving a thorough foundation for the importance of this discipline. Then it went into a very detailed description of this 40-day juice fast, how much activity is ok to exert, what it was like, the symptoms experienced, and then the glorious results. There were quotes from doctors, practical considerations, and helpful tips and tricks.

But then, something caught my attention that didn’t seem right. I read something about how fasting had been the most impacting thing, “since our Savior changed my life in 1944.”

Umm… Say, what?! I looked at the lady’s picture at the top of the blog. Even if the Savior changed her life at the age of 5, there ain’t no way Donna was seventy-seven years old.

And if she WAS then I needed to fast more often! 🙂

I quickly scrolled down the rest of the article to the very bottom.

Yep. Wouldn’t you know:

Copyright Campus Crusade for Christ.

Written by Bill Bright.

Argh!!!!

The entire article was just cut and pasted from Bill Bright’s fasting booklet. I was thankful for the information, but this even further reinforced my frustration at not finding other women who had done this themselves.

Thankfully, I knew that in the Bible Esther fasted and Anna fasted. These may not have been 40-days, but I also wasn’t doing an absolute fast, so I needed to quit looking for comparisons or examples, and just humbly submit to the plan God had given me. Clearly, He knew my body better than anyone else.

I didn’t need a prescription from another female, I already had a prescription from my Father. 

In fact, one day I was mentally figuring out whether I’d be getting “enough” protein and fiber, etc. and very clearly, the Holy Spirit interrupted my calculations with a gentle rebuke: “This is not a diet, this is a fast.”

Meaning, it didn’t matter if I had “enough.” It didn’t matter if the protein-to-carb ratio was just right. It didn’t matter if the amount wasn’t sufficient to satisfy me all day. The whole point was that this was a sacrifice. The whole point was that this would create hunger.

Fasting makes us desperate. The problem was, if I was honest, I was scared of desperation. I didn’t want to be desperate for that long. I didn’t want to be weak.

Then I’d have to really rely on God. 

{More to come… Thanks so much for reading.}

*If you’re interested in the article written by Bill Bright 😉 … here it is: http://www.donnapartow.com/how-to-fast-for-forty-days/)