I have decided to give up chocolate…for a month. And for me, that’s huge. That’s the equivalent of an alcoholic giving up alcohol for a month.

Why did I decide to do this? Well after becoming more spiritual and much more humble I decided to give up or to fast something I love for a period of time. I also saw “The Daniel Fast” and that’s when I really decided to go for it. You can read about that here. http://www.christ-web.com/missions/farho/daniel-fast

Now that idea is basically giving up something for Lent. I am not Catholic and have never done Lent, but the idea behind it is the same.

In the book of Daniel, Daniel and his 3 fellow Jewish exiles gave up the King Nebuchadnezzer’s feasts of meat and wine for just vegetables and water. After 30 days, Daniel and his friends were healthier and stronger from their meal of vegetables and water than all the men eating the best food and wine of the day from the King’s table.

Now back to the chocolate fast. I decided to give up something I love for a period of time as a show of my faith and humility. In the Bible, fasting is mentioned many times. I had always thought of fasting as giving up all food and water day and night for a certain amount of time. I get thirsty just thinking of that. It would be hard for me to go 3 hours without drinking something. Then I heard you can “fast from something” such as fasting from meat or fasting from sweets.

Now everyone has heard of chocoholics. But I’m a chocaholic on the most severe level possible. If you’ve ever seen the TV Show “Intervention” I should be on that show for chocolate. I am so addicted that I rarely go a whole day without chocolate. I always have to have chocolate for dessert in the evening. On my good days I simply eat a chocolate chip granola bar. On the days I really get to enjoy chocolate I eat rich, premium dark chocolate or maybe M&Ms or hot fudge or brownies. I’ve been trying to reduce the amount of chocolate to only have it on occasion, but will power is hard.

Being so addicted to chocolate and since it’s high in fat and calories I’ve decided to give it up completely for a month. And as a bonus I will lose weight.

It will be different for me not having a chocolate dessert every evening but I know I can do it. Lack of chocolate hasn’t killed anyone or caused any health problems. It won’t cause painful withdrawals like going off of cigarettes or alcohol or drugs. And I’m hoping after a whole month without it, I will lose 10 pounds solely from the chocolate fast and when the month is over I won’t crave it or need it so much.

The longer you go without something, the less you need it.

I’m sure I’ll have cravings, but I will overcome them because I know I made a vow to God and no chocolate is going to make me break a vow to God.

If you want to try a “Daniel Fast” (it doesn’t have to be for Lent) pick something you love to eat or drink and give it up for a certain period of time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MbcYyOsF50&feature=related

A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a
secret.

Proverbs 11:13

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oad8ov10AjY

Nobody said life was fair. It’s not the least bit fair. It never was and never will be. Sometimes life will throw you a big punch in the gut leaving you reeling. Bad things happen, we were wronged, our heart broken, famlies break apart, friendships break off, our security is gone…whatever it is, it’s something bad.

You sit on the floor crying into your arms wishing for comfort. Wishing for things to be ok. Will things ever be ok?

Where is God? Does he love me? Will he comfort me? Will he be there?

Sometimes dark times bring people close to God and they obtain a closeness they never would have gotten without.

True believers know God is there even in dark times and he’ll never let go. Cry out to him and He will hear you.

This is a great song by Matt Redman called “Never Let Go”.It reminds us that He never lets go through the calm or through life’s storms.

Never Let Go by Matt Redman (David Crowder Band)

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your
soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest
commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as
yourself.
– Matthew 22:37-39

Never Let Go

There are many plans in a man’s heart,
Nevertheless the LORD’s counsel–that will stand.

Proverbs 19:21

What a clever idea!

Yes, Christmas cards. This is coming early so that you can

get ready to include an important address to your list.

Want to have some fun this CHRISTMAS? Send the ACLU

a CHRISTMAS CARD this year.

As they are working so very hard to get rid of the

CHRISTMAS part of this holiday, we should all send them a nice,

CHRISTIAN card to brighten up their dark, sad, little world..

Make sure it says “Merry Christmas” on it.

Here’s the address, just don’t be rude or crude. (It’s not the
Christian way, you know.)

ACLU

125 Broad Street

18th Floor

New York , NY 10004

Two tons of Christmas cards would freeze their operations

because they wouldn’t know if any were regular mail

containing contributions. So spend 44 cents and tell the

ACLU to leave Christmas alone. Also tell them that there is

no such thing as a ” Holiday Tree”. . .  It’s always been called

a CHRISTMAS TREE!

And pass this on to your email lists. We really want to

communicate with the ACLU! They really DESERVE us!!

For those of you who aren’t aware of them, the ACLU, (the

American Civil Liberties Union) is the one suing the U.S.

Government to take God, Christmas or anything Christian

away from us.