This is my personal daily log of my 40 day fasting experience. I tried to keep them brief because I really want you to read through the progression. I didn’t go into the really spiritual side because I have some personal stuff there that I just didn’t feel led to share. So I focused mainly on the physical because I want you to know that it is physically possible. This is something that you can do WHEN GOD LEADS YOU TO. (Emphasis added again and again and again).

Not everybody is called to a 40 day fast but we are all called to fast. It is good for the spirit, the mind and the body. If I didn’t think it would be creepy I had considered doing a photo journal as well but with a thin 5′-8″ frame to start, it is easy to imagine the progression. So enjoy reading about the last 40 Days of my life as I have set out to give Jesus the gift of me for His birthday.

(As a continuation to the follow-up I have posted comments for a couple of days to give you the aftermath)

Day 1 - 157.0 lbs- Headache from 2:00 throught the remainder of the day. Probably due to the types of food I have been eating and the amount of caffeine I have been drinking. In hindsight I should have cut out caffeine and sugar a while ago and making a chocolate chip cookie the last thing I ate… not brilliant.

Day 2 - 155.2 lbs - Beginning of mental attack. Why am I doing this? What is the purpose? Will it really change anything?

Day 3 - 152.7 lbs - Slight stiffness and soreness throughout my body. Some is usual given the set-up and tear down at church but a lot more than usual today. Lusted over my sons breakfast today. Remembering from my previous 30 day fast getting past the first 3-4 days is the biggest challenge so I am gutting it out.

Day 4 - 150.8 lbs - Today I am feeling my first real hunger pains. I also am having a little bit of “laziness” in my muscles, specifically my legs. I feel like God dropped another purpose to fast in my spirit. I was taking part in the 40 days with our church but this season may take a more personal direction.

Day 5 - 149.2 lbs. - Really sluggish start to the day but the brisk motorcycle ride in today really got the blood flowing. Yesterday was a company lunch which is always really good. I don’t feel the physical need to eat as strong as the mental need to eat. Sounds strange but frankly I like to eat more than I need to eat.

Day 6 - 148.8lbs - I am glad the weight loss slowed down a little today. Today I feel the best that I have felt so far. Company birthday breakfasts two days in a row… you have got to be kidding me! Struggling a little to force myself to drink enough water to stay hydrated. Simply tired of the taste and going pee all the time. I know that it will make the difference between my success and failure so I had better get used to it.

Day 7 - 147.2lbs - Today has been the best morning yet. Very little uncomfortableness or sluggishness. I feel like my mind is clear and can really focus on the purpose of this fast. If I remember from my 30 day there is potentially another rough patch at +/-20 days but we’ll see. For now I am excited to be on this spiritual journey as God strengthens me in this process of beating this earthly flesh into submission.

As a side note: Sneezing with an empty stomach is pretty painful.

Day 8 - 146.4lbs - This fast is forcing me to get some more rest which is good.

Day 9 - 145.8lbs - Found myself easily winded at set-up today. Operated for most of the day on pure adrenalin. With that said I believe it was one of the best Sunday’s we have had in a while. I confirmed it with my wife because I couldn’t believe how focused I was during message delivery. By evening I was cooked but my favorite TV show helped me wind down: 24 Redemption. In reality I didn’t need any help winding down, I was pooped.

Day 10 - 143.6lbs - This is the second biggest weight loss day right behind last Sunday. This has me a little concerned because we are headed into the holidays and some of our college student help will be leaving which almost guarantees me a spot on the set-up team. I had anticipated losing 20-25lbs and I am already at 13 lbs just one quarter of the way through.

Day 11 - 143.4lbs - Thought this number would take another big hit after emptying out our storage unit yesterday. God has provided me some amazing physical strength through this. I am excited to see what this season will bring on the spiritual side.

Day 12 - 142.4lbs - I heard God’s voice (not audibly) clearer than I have ever heard Him this morning. I know it was God because He didn’t say “go eat something, this is crazy”.

Day 13 - 142.0lbs - Thanksgiving Day… enough said.

Day 14 - 141.5lbs - Weird challenge over the last couple of days has been LEFTOVERS. It isn’t that I have been tempted to eat them but I have been emotionally hurting because I know they can’t possibly be eaten. The bad thing is I find myself trying to get my son to over eat. I said clean your plate more times in the last two days than I have said in the previous 4 years of his life…

Day 15 - 140.5lbs - Good day of travel back to South Florida. Should be able to get into a routine again for a few weeks which is a big help.

Day 16 - 140.2lbs - Didn’t get quite as wiped out during set-up this week. Did struggle with some severe dry mouthedness. I was trying to welcome people today but could barely pull my lips apart. Weird feeling!

Day 17 - 139.2lbs - Start of the move today. Interested to see how the body responds. I have high hopes because so far God has given me strength and stamina. In some reading I did I discovered that after day 5 or so your stomach doesn’t hurt until somewhere between days 21 and 40. The reason is that is when starvation sets in and your body has depleted all its reserves. I pray it holds off until 40.

Day 18 - No weight record today because scale is in a box. I am going to guess 138.8lbs but it could be a little less. Probably unrelated to the fast but God really spoke something to me today through a friend. Exposed something that I had never really thought about but caused me to repent. I am shocked at how we can keep ourselves from being free without even knowing it.

Day 19 - 138.6lbs - A new issue has arrived and it is going to sound very non-religious. I am bored with not eating. I had forgotten how old it gets drinking water all day everyday. I have added lemon and lime. My wife has even hooked me up with some gourmet mint and cucumber water but at the end of the day it is water. You would think that fasting would be a physical test but right now I am finding it to be more mental.

Day 20 - 138.0lbs - HALF WAY! There have been certain points when I didn’t think I would make it this far but today I feel GREAT! So it has been almost 3 weeks and almost 20lbs and you’re thinking how can you feel great.  To be honest I don’t really know but I just have to believe it is God’s grace. So we will continue one day at a time and as long as I have His grace I’ll make it.

Day 21 - 139.6lbs - No that isn’t a misprint… I checked it twice. I don’t even know how that happened. No I didn’t sneak a cheeseburger… Best I can figure is water weight because I did work extra hard trying to stay hydrated yesterday. But on an amazing note my fast has shown its first real breakthrough… Last night I lead a gentlemen to Christ. It is just a really cool story that I can’t wait to share.

Day 22 - 138.6lbs - Today was Owen’s 5th birthday party and a pizza party and the movie theater popcorn really didn’t even phase me. His guests parents expected to have to call 911 after hearing how long it had been since I had ate but it was a great teaching time.

Day 23 - 136.4lbs - The carts that I used to wheel around so easily are now wheeling me around. Set-up was pretty tough today and I really am going to have to make sure we have some extra help the next two weeks. On the plus side I did get to talk today to a friend who had completed a 40 day fast which was encouragement.

Day 24 - 134.8 lbs - Today my wife brought up my attitude around people who are eating. I am trying to get better and practice some restraint. We don’t force my son to clean his plate because we believe that it promotes over eating but after 24 days I find myself really frustrated with that. I realize that my wife is going to take what he doesn’t and put it in the fridge and serve it to him again but I just want to scream… “EAT YOUR FOOD”.

Day 25 - 134.8 lbs - Yeh no more weight loss! I have got to stay focused on drinking water because it really does help me maintain weight a little better. On the negative side I have to get up every two hours or so to go to the bathroom. One other big plus is it seems like my hair isn’t growing as fast (at least on my face).

Day 26 - 136.2 lbs. - (See what happens when you drink extra water) Only two weeks left. I know that for some that may feel like an eternity to fast but when you have already fasted for almost 4 weeks… The mental challenges are coming back and I think in part they are based on the physical signs. I bruise really easy now is one thing. I am sure this has to do with lack of iron but… The obvious one is that I haven’t weighed this since probably middle school and have never been this thin… I wore “huskies”.

Day 27 - 135.4lbs - It took 22lbs before somebody noticed at work that I had lost some weight. Somewhat comical but is probably a sign of how oblivious we are to the potential needs of those around us. Frankly I am starting to look a little like I have an eating disorder. I am wondering how many issues I have overlooked by failing to really pay attention to those around me.

Day 28 - 135.6lbs - Today I feel absolutely great! I know this just seems crazy but I am really fighting a battle of the mind and spirit not the body. The body is really an innocent by standard. But today I got some closure on a spiritual battle that I was going through and I just want to give God some glory!

Day 29 - 132.4lbs - Church Christmas party at our house today. So we worked liked dogs getting things set-up. Had a great time and really enjoyed being able to serve everyone. My fast was a great witness tonight to a guy that I hadn’t met before who some people invited. Many people believe that the Bible says you shouldn’t even talk about it. In Matthew 6 it does talk about doing things in secret but it also talks about looking sombre. Sombre I am not, I rejoice in the grace that God has shown me so far.

Day 30 - 130.4lbs Today was the next to last Sunday that I have during my fast and it was brutal. We faught an incredible battle today. Anything that could go wrong pretty much did. But at the end of the day we found out why. Four first time families were with us today and for us that is huge. Satan and I had a knock down drag out fight and at the end today was another one for God! And my birthday present for Jesus is still intact…me.

Day 31 - 130.2lbs - I am beginning to call these hangover Monday’s. But I’m taking the boy to see Santa tonight at Dolphin Mall so I need to suck it up. A little suprised by the small loss in weight because we were short handed on teardown. There has been a substantial amount of physical exersion over the past two days.

Day 32 - 130.8lbs - I think for the first time I feel fragile today. My friend Carl (who I see once a week) said today I look like a stick man. But I have been doing some reading on ending my fast (diet, excersice, etc.). Honestly there isn’t that much on the web. I know there are some good books (or so I have heard) but I am way too far along now to read a book.

One interesting blog I came across talked about the temptation after the fast was over. He referenced Jesus obviously being tempted after the completion of His fast. He said he ate one thing and it was like his fleshly man woke up and said “FEED ME” and he wanted to eat everything in site. He said it was really scary how powerful these urges were. He found himself praying for more self control after the fast than during. During the fast you are fixed on the goal and you keep a tight leash on your fleshly man but when you give it an inch it wants a mile…

Day 33 - 131.4lbs - So far today my tummy hasn’t been very happy. I am praying that this isn’t the beginning of the hunger pains and the setting in of starvation. The good news is that I only have three days of work left this year (counting today) which means that I can really relax a little and get some rest.

Day 34 - 129.6lbs - When I started out I didn’t see myself weighing under 130lbs and I certainly didn’t have an image of what that would look like. Man am I skinny! The only issue is that it isn’t in a healthy fit sort of way it is in a you belong in a casket after spending a bunch of time in the hospital sort of way. I know that the weight will come back pretty quickly but it is weird looking at myself in the mirror.

The crazy thing is I still can lose another 6lbs before I am considered underweight by a BMI (Body Mass Index) Calculator. I have felt underweight for the past 10lbs and would view me at 124lbs as a skeleton. But based on my average weight loss I may actually get to find out.

Stomach is uneasy like yesterday but today I think I experienced some minor hunger pains. I say think because I don’t know if I remember exactly what they felt like. I feel empty inside and rightly so but it is weird to feel something going on in there when there really hasn’t been for weeks now.

Day 35 - 129.0lbs - Well this is my last day at work during this fast. Word got out yesterday to a few people what I was doing. I am not sure how many thought I was crazy but the fact that I was able to hide it for 30+ days made me feel that I had complied with Matthew 6. It was ultimately the weight loss that gave me away no matter how many layers of clothes I wore.

My prayer is that it will open some lines of communication with people and enable me to share with people the grace of God from a different perspective. Being able to say that it was God’s grace that sustained me, His love empowered and His mercy kept me for 40 days. In my mind at least that says a lot about what God is capable of and just how much He cares.

My wife is fasting the last week with me to give me support. In case you ever wondered what makes for a great wife… here is just one of the many that make my wife just that.

Day 36 - 127.0lbs - Well it looks like I am going to have to change my title because there goes 30lbs. In the mornings I have been feeling really terrible. On work days the brisk motorcycle ride to work has woke up my mind but I am going to have to find something else to wake me up mentally.

Day 37 - 124.8lbs - Thankfully our guys at church gave me an early Christmas gift and took care of all the set-up. Physically I am just incredibly weak and really considered breaking the fast to ensure the ability to deliver the Christmas message I had. Thankfully I felt stronger during preaching than I did even last week. We had some more first time guests this weak and even some returns from last week which was really encouraging.

I am so excited about what God is doing in my life and also in the life of InDependence. Being that this is our first Christmas as a church I know that it will forever have a special place for me. But this year (due in large to the fast) has made me incredibly sensitive to the true meaning and how significant it is to be able to celebrate the birth of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Day 38 - 125.4lbs - It was a lot easier to get up this morning. A dull headache but not the overwhelming sense of exhaustion. I found a comfortable way to sleep and if it wasn’t for the consistant trips to the bathroom every couple of hours it would have been a pretty good night sleep.

The exciting thing is that two people gave their hearts to Christ yeterday. We will follow up today with the one that we have contact information for. This is why I did this, no not the fasting, but this is why I accepted the call of God to preach His Word. It can change lives. So I praise Him today for victory in two’s…

Day 39 -124.4lbs - I had a great day today. I started the day with a wonderful time of prayer with my friend Carl. We meet every Tuesday for breakfast but today we did a phone meeting and God showed up. I think for the first time today I really am understanding the magnitude of what God has enabled and allowed me to do.

Day 40 - 123.6lbs - The day has finally arrived. So I woke up early with the intention of being the first person to Honey Baked Ham. Then I had a much better idea. So I rushed off to the beach for the dawn of a new day. In reality I was probably about 10 minutes late but there was a thick layer of clouds that rose high over the ocean horizon.

Thick enough that there was no sight of the sun at all. So as I sat there on the very windy beach (which was somewhat cold) I just had a time to really thank God for the end of this time and thank Him for what I believe will be the results. As the strong wind continued to blow these thick clouds in, it wasn’t long before I realized I wasn’t going to see any sun rise today.

Somewhat disappointed I sat there a while longer and just stared at the crashing waves. But as this thick layer of clouds was being seperated by the wind I could see how the sun would light the tops of the clouds and they would be a bright yellow, while the more visible side would be a charcoal grey.

God spoke to my heart and he showed me that even when the clouds come there is always the Son on the other side. I eventually got to see the sun partially poke from behind the clouds. Sure it was 2 hours later and I was no longer at the beach but in the end the sun always comes in the morning. You just can’t always see it. So in the end God gave me a sign that said even though the clouds of life will come and appear to block Him they will eventually pass and His light will come through.

As one intersting weird thing that happened: I lost 33-1/3 lbs which equals the years that Jesus was on this earth…. ??????

Wrap-up - Happy Birthday Jesus! I know it is a little early but I have successfully prepared the gift that I set out 40 days ago for You and I just can’t wait for You to have it. It started out in a little bigger package but after I got all of the self out of the way You are left with just 124lb frame of a man but I am completely Yours for the making.

Thank You for helping me prepare this gift. Thank You for sustaining me. Thank You strengthening me. Thank You for giving me hope that I could and would make it through. This fast has been the most amazing 960 hrs, or unbelievable 57,600 min, or 3,456,000 sec of journey. It has been a journey of highs and lows and struggles and victories. One that although relieved it is over, will gratefully take again when asked.

I love you Jesus! Happy Birthday!