We all love new beginnings! There is something about a new day, a second chance, a new year. The turning of the calendar often has us rethinking where we are in life. Rarely, do I hear anyone say, “I don’t want to grow, I’m good.” We have a compulsion to want more, to grow, to succeed.
And as we stand in this season of assessing ourselves and considering the new year before us, I’d like to introduce you to Jen Avellaneda, who I have recently connected with through her blog, “Rich Faith Rising.” I hope you take the opportunity to get to know her, she’s an inspirational woman!
As you read through her articles it won’t take you long to pick up on to her humble heart. Immediately, I was intrigued and inspired as I read Jen’s bio and her story. She has birthed, adopted and fostered oodles of children and has a heart to encourage others in all areas of life through her writing, speaking and mission work. Basically, everything she does!
As we begin a new year, I knew I had to share one of Jen’s articles with you where she shares a story about the alder trees, and how humbling ourselves through fasting can help us with a healthy perspective. A perfect way to begin a new season…
We all long for more. Fasting is the perfect tool to help us slow down and get a clear view of our hearts, our goals, and God’s heart and God’s goals for our lives.
Join me in reading Jen’s article:
Slaying the Food-God and other Idols
by Jen Avellaneda
We are yeast.
Let’s just say it. We inflate, grow, and tend to expand just naturally without anyone prompting us.
Our nature is to elevate.
Rise. Be seen. Increase.
Because in this life, we are simply carnal, fallible human beings.
Yet, our Lord was born unseen by the world in a manger. He died like a lamb going to the slaughter. He rose. Still never forcing anyone else to exalt Him.
He chose weakness as His strength, committed His spirit to God’s Lordship, and willingly bowed low, giving up His flesh as the humblest of men.
Still – we build castles to self, continuing to build them, if nobody stops us…if we don’t stop ourselves.
We have a few acres of alder trees on our land. They line our pond, and separate us from the neighbors who live close by us.
We have Evergreen trees too. They stand like soldiers around our five acres, protecting us from wind, and declaring this as the boundaries God has so graciously given us.
We like the Evergreens, but get so irritated by the alders. The alders are like wild, uncontrollable weeds, multiplying tenaciously on our field, hindering our view, and from us using our land for noble purposes.
Still we cut them repeatedly, the wood pointing vertical in winter. But by spring, there are multiple trees, or just one huge, overgrown alder bush, even more horrendous.
The work to remove the overgrowth that comes after cutting is even worse than if we just left the eye-sore on our land in the first place. And to be honest, sometimes it seems easier to ignoring their presence, pretending the weed-trees just doesn’t exist.
Yes, it seems nothing can keep these alders back. Like flies drawn to sweetness, they grow and keep growing unstoppable.
That is why we fast. We fast because the Bible says it breaks every yoke. Fasting not only trims our sins, just to have them return in multiplication….or cuts sin low where no one sees it….but fasting actually has the power to remove all unwanted undergrowth.
It’s easy to go to church. To repent and keep repenting. But then the same sins seem to return and keep returning. Don’t they?
Fasting regenerates our spirit, speeds the process of sanctification, and can eliminate all together the vain heavy yoke of the same sins that over and over continually seem to be weighing on us.
Fasting brings breakthrough, not only in us, but in the lives of those we love, in a way praying and petitioning, and begging and pleading with God alone just simply won’t do.
Still we should never fast for power. We don’t fast to get, be seen, or wield some sword by our surrender. We fast to humble ourselves, to acknowledge our pride, and to simply confess that blessed are the poor in spirit, and that we need intimacy, a sensitivity to God that we can’t get when we are living, indulging our flesh and feeding the enemy of our souls….our pride.
So, I go lower. This year, like each year, I take this time to give God the first fruits of the 365 days ahead.
And after all, if Jesus…fully God…felt it necessary to venture to the desert to fast and pray for forty days…being tempted by the enemy in every way. .
Shouldn’t I?
Still our flesh always wants to fossilize. We want to grow large, then petrify…living so called content lives, thinking,“Why fast, I am fine, just the way I am?”
But don’t we all know, God has something more? Don’t we all feel that moving current deep, really deep somewhere at the core of us? Don’t we all hear that cry that God is not through with us yet?
And yet, we must choose….
to go low and crack the petrified states of our souls….or
to live a marginal, apathetic life that chooses to “just live” with nothing more than what we have….
And in retrospect, I don’t want to miss the fullness of what He has. I don’t want to die sad because I choose complacency and fear as the bars that held me captive….
I want renewel, revival, transformation of my eternal spirit.
For I remember Essau giving away His birthright for simply a bowl of soup. Or the mother of our flesh, Eve, letting sin enter the world because she choose to consume something as simple as an apple.
And if…
- The Jews were saved through Esther because they chose to fast
- Moses chose surrender by not eating for forty days and nights upon the mountain
- Saul who would be Paul in his blind state failed to eat three days and three nights
- Daniel found earthly favor by controlling his flesh through His diet….
Shouldn’t I?
After all, God didn’t give us territory, just for us to let weeds grow carelessly on it, or for us to keep hacking down the same old sins continually in vain.
Scripture tells us, through the power of the blood of Jesus and through prayer and fasting, even the biggest strongholds can be broken, the greatest mountains in our lives can be moved as we seek and surrender to His Lordship.
And we don’t have to keep expanding. We don’t have to let our egos grow, our sin keep expanding, and the pride of our souls be our own destruction. We can move mountains; we can get even closer to our most gracious Lord if we fast and pray, surrendering all we are, all we want, to what He is doing….
To a God who desires to be ever near to us. A God who is bigger and so much greater than the God who can be our stomachs.
What are your thoughts and/or experiences with fasting?
Jen Allevaneda has a heart for others. She is a wife, writer, speaker, missionary and mom to almost two dozen children through birth, adoption and fostering who loves to encourage others in the Lord.
Take some time to get to know Jen at her blog Rich Faith Rising – You will leave inspired and encouraged!! You can also connect with her by clicking on her social media links: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
If you’d like to link up your articles, I’d love to read them and share them with my readers. Please be sure to visit at least two other bloggers in our linkup party!
Praying that the Lord blesses you with a bounty of His blessings in 2018!
Cheryl says
I am currently on a two week fast for medical reasons; however, I chose to begin it before the first of the year in order to clear the slate, so to speak. Fasting is difficult but it has increased my mental clarity while allowing my body to detox from sugar. I feel fasting has provided me with a freedom to focus on more important things in my life aside from food.
Char says
Happy New Year Cheryl!! What a perfect way to ease into the new year. Fasting does help me to focus too. On what’s important and what isn’t important! And it always puts me in a state of cleansing – spiritually, mentally and physically. Thanks for sharing and I pray that in these two weeks you are renewed.
Michele Morin says
Thank you for sharing Jen’s inspirational words. I especially appreciate her thoughts on “going lower” — so counter cultural in a world that counts and preaches platform and holler “look at me!” in loud letters.
Blessings to you, Char, as you come into a new year with all the new beginnings that are part of this grace-filled life.
Jamie@TheMomGene says
Wow. Thank you for sharing Jen’s words. There’s so much wisdom there, especially as we kick off the new year and EVERYBODY wants a “new and better” version of themselves that usually translates into altering the outside without a thought to the inside.
Char says
Happy 2018 Jamie! You’re spot on- can’t really change the outside unless we take a good look at our hearts!
Joanne Viola says
So wonderful to see Jen’s writing here. I have often found encouragement in reading her blog posts. This was a wonderful reminder to get low before the Lord and to surrender to His ways. May we decrease so that He can increase. May we become less and He become greater in 2018. Blessings to you in 2018, Char!
Char says
Hi Joanne, I love that verse that you quoted. A great reminder who God is and who isn’t God (me).
Cheryl Blinston says
Beautifully written. I don’t love fasting, but I do it anyway. So many things that are good for us are difficult and God makes us stronger as we strive, struggle and obey. Thank you for a beautiful reminder.
Char says
Thanks for your honesty Cheryl. There are soooo many things that are difficult that are good for us. Fasting is a great “reset” for me to remember who is running the universe…. :}
Lyli @ 3dlessons4life.com says
Happy New Year, Char and Jen. It’s so lovely to see that two of my favorite people on the internet have connected. 🙂
Jen, thank you for this timely word. I’ve long been burdened for several family members who do not know Christ, and the one thing I keep hearing from the Lord is “This does not come out except by prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17).
Char says
Hi Lyli! Happy 2018! I pray this is the year you see the fruit of your prayers and God glorified!
Marilyn Lesniak says
Thank you for hosting. I linked some nachos, a taco trifle, and an egg nog pie. I hope you enjoy them! Have a happy holiday! #OverTheMoon #WWBlogHop #ThursdayFavoriteThings
Anita Ojeda says
I had to change my diet before a medical procedure—Blane foods, no protein or fiber, and then 24 hours of liquids. Not good. I suffer from hypoglycemia—by the second day, I couldn’t drive or think straight. I would have to hole up alone with no responsibilities in order to fast 😲.
Char says
That’s a good point Anita. I would never encourage a fast when your body isn’t up for it. We should always be sure we don’t jeopardize our health. I remember reading a book years ago where the author fasted one meal a day. Even then, with hypoglycemia – you may not be able to. Good to check with a dr. first friends!!! Thanks for the reminder Anita! Happy 2018!
Debbie Williams says
Thank you. Love the part about going lower. I find the more I know Him the lower I go.
Lisa notes says
“But don’t we all know, God has something more?” This is such a hopeful beginning to our new year. As good as God has been to us, He always has more ahead. Thanks for sharing.
Char says
It is Lisa! And I am so excited to see what the new year unfolds. Congrats on your 1st grandbaby coming in 2018!!!!
Robin says
I do feel the moving current and I look forward to God’s plans…I know He has something more!
Happy New Year!
Char says
Me too!! Happy New Beginnings Robin!
Maree Dee says
Love Jen’s writing, thank you for sharing it with us. Yes, I want more and I am so thankful God is not done with me yet.
SUSAN SHIPE says
Char, I’ve made a new discovery today – YOU! Visiting from Kristin’s, we are parked next to one another. I linked up with you also. When does your linkup go live? Let me know, ok?
Char says
Hi Susan,
So glad you stopped by!! TrekkingThru goes live on Tuesday morning at 7am EST. Thanks for linking up!!