Starting the Year off Right.

I apologize for my disappearance, my MIA, but I entered the year with a bit of instrospection, I mean everyone should. 2015 was a great year, but 2016 will be an even greater year. As a believer, I know that my life is really not my own, neither are my plans and since I believe in someone bigger than me, I wanted to dedicate the first month of this year to God because at the end of the day, or year, all that I succeed in is because he allows.

Most  churches including my own do a fast at the beginning of the year and I decided this is definitely something I should do. Is this something that you should do? Well ask yourself

1. Do I need direction?
2. Do I need clarity?
3. Do I need power?
4. Do I need peace?

If your answers were yes then I say go for it. There is no time frame or limit, just a time you set aside to get the answers that you need. That being said I decided to fast from meat. I love meat and for some reason that was the one thing I said I would give up and so I did. 21 days with no meat. My first few days were tough. I promise you I had withdrawals and just wanted to pounce on some chicken wings, or a good steak, but I had to remind myself why I was doing this and this was not about the food but about denying myself for clarity, direction, peace and control/power.

So did I get what I needed? The year will tell.

Below are a few pics of what I ate. I am a visual person and with food, if it looks good to me I won't have a problem eating it and that was how I survived without meat. Another key is preparation. Decide what you want to eat before hand, get the ingredients and make it. The hardest times I had was when me and my husband would eat out. I realized not many restaurants offer meat free options, and that is a shame. I hope to continue to lessen my meat intake and cut off all "commercial" meat. That is beef, chicken and pork . We will see how this journey goes.

Have you considered fasting? If not I encourage you to. It may not be meat, it may be something else that you need to cut off to get your focus away from that "thing", to give you more time to focus on God.

Happy 2016 and I hope it is filled with success and favor.