What the 7 Poorest Countries Eat Daily

I want so badly right now to be able to tell you what all I have learned about each of these countries through my research.  BUT, I think I am supposed to wait to share all of this in the month of Prayer.  I want to focus this month on Food.  I will continue to pray for each of these countries each day while I "fast" and I will give you a little history about each of these, but I am not going to share everything I have learned.  So, to see what all I have learned about these countries, and to see how they have broken my heart and touched my heart you will have to wait until the final month, which is the month of Prayer.

What countries are considered the poorest?  What do these countries eat daily?  How often a day do they get to eat?

Glad you asked!!!  :)

The 7 poorest countries in order are:
1.  Haiti
2.  Equatorial Guinea
3.  Zimbabwe
4.  Congo
5.  Swaziland
6.  Eritrea
7.  Madagascar

Haiti is by far the poorest country.  The majority of their population lives on less than $2 a day.  They eat one meal a day (and ONLY one meal!).  Typically the father/husband will work a full days worth of labor and then stop by a market or stand for rice or beans.  He will then take it home to his family and they will each divide it out accordingly.  If he does not work that day then they will not eat.  If he gets sick and is unable to work.... then they do not eat.  For widows it becomes rather difficult to feed their families.  Often times they have to do things that they do not want to do so that they can provide for their children.  It is sickening and heart breaking to hear what these women, who are single parents, have to go through to be able to feed their babies.  I can't imagine!  I also can't imagine only being able to eat rice and beans for my entire life.  These people will never be able to enjoy things that we take for granted, or things that are at our disposal.  For instance....a donut.  A small circular sugary food that most Americans love.  And they will never know what it tastes like. My daughter, who is not even 3 yet, can tell her Pa Paw that she wants a donut because she has had so many in her short life time!  And I am sure that there are adults in Haiti that don't even know what a donut is.  Is it the end of the world to not be able to eat a donut?  No.  That is not what I am saying.  But for them to not even know of all of the wonderful foods that are available across the world.  That is sad. 

Equatorial Guinea is the second poorest country in the world according to The World Bank.  They have a population of 700,000 and 76.8% of them live in poverty.  Do you know how many Americans live in poverty?  15%  That is a HUGE difference!!  Of course we have more people in our country, but the majority of our country is considered to live in wealth.  This means that 75% of Americans live lives out of poverty, and 13.2% of people from Equatorial Guinea live out of poverty.  That is a huge difference!!!  The people of Equatorial Guinea eat a lot like those in Haiti.  Whenever the husband or provider of the family is paid then they are able to purchase food for the entire family.  Their diet normally consists of bananas, rice, and cassava.  It is a little bit better than Haiti, but still nothing like what we are able to eat in the US. 

The 3rd poorest country in the world is Zimbabwe.  With a 95% unemployment rate the people are searching for some way to feed their families.  The majority of this country has no running water.  There have been massive breakouts of Cholera due to the water supply problems and the majority of these people only live to be 37 years old.  This would mean that all of my grandparents would be dead right now...and my parents.  I can't imagine being able to spend such short of a time with my loved ones.  The people of Zimbabwe normally eat kale, spinach, pumpkin, and sadza (a stiff porridge made from cornmeal).  The rich eat chicken, and the poor eat this occasionally when they have guests.

Congo.  The fourth poorest country in the world has lost 5 million people to death in the last 15 years due to violence, famine and disease.  And out of 1,000 children 111 will die before their 1st birthday.  These people go by this motto: "Today we eat.  Tomorrow we don't."  The majority of the population eats cassava, sweet potato, and imported frozen fish.  They get their protein mostly from caterpillars, locust, and termites that they are able to catch on their own.  There is a tree that is full of vitamins and minerals that is grown in Congo, but many do not know about it.  It is called the Moringa Tree, and it is consumed by eating the leaves.  Congo Helping Hands is trying to plant more of these trees in Congo and educate the Conogolese about the benefits of eating the leaves.  See the picture below, from Trees For Life,  to see the benefits of eating these leaves:

The 5th poorest country in the world is Swaziland.  Their poverty rate is 69.2%, and their life expectancy is 48 years old.  The majority of the people eat maize, rice, peanuts, and some goat meat.  This country has the highest rate of HIV/AIDS in the world.  1 in 4 people in this country are infected.  There are drugs that are available to the people of this country that are infected with HIV/AIDS... but not enough.  And most people who actually get access to the medication often live far away so they are unable to receive each dose that their body needs.

Eritrea is the 6th poorest country in the world, and they are located along the Red Sea.  Their poverty rate is very close to that of Swaziland at 69%.  Their primary school enrollment is 33.5%, which is the 3rd lowest in the world (it is thought to be so low because the majority of the people live rurally).  Their diet consists of sorghum(a pancake-like bread that has a spicy sauce dipped with it), and porridge made of sorghum.  The people in the urban centers eat primarily Italian based foods.  Their economy is totally dependent on their agriculture.  They do not trade much with other countries so it is extremely important for them to grow their own crops and raise their own livestock.  Because of the extreme need for agriculture 75% of the people live rurally. 

And last but not least, the 7th poorest country in Madagascar.  Oh how my kids love the Madagascar movies!!!  "Polka dot, Polka dot, Afro!"  Okay, if you haven't seen these movies you have to!  They are hilarious!!  This country is located in the Indian Ocean East of Africa, and their poverty rate is 68.7%.  The people of Madagascar eat rice and kabaka (a protein dish made primarily of fish, chicken, beans or meat).  There is a wide range of fruits and vegetables available in the country, but most do not get to enjoy the diversity.  The lack of transportation makes it difficult for the people of Madagascar to have access to other fruits and vegetables.  Primarily people live in rural areas so the percentage of children that get to go to school is very small. 




So what does all of this mean to me? Well for starters it tells me that we have entirely too much food!  Also, it tells me that I should be more thankful for all of the dietary options I have as an American.  Even our poorest of poor people eat better than these other countries.  At least the people standing on the side of the street with a sign will get a couple of burgers from McDonalds.  Most of the people in these other countries will never even know what a burger, or McDonalds is.

Oh how we are so unbelievably blessed!!  Thank you Lord that we were born here in America, and help me to remember how blessed I am so I can share with others that are less fortunate!

Prayer and the 7 Poorest Countries in the World

Through this challenge I want to learn about the 7 poorest countries in the world.  I want to get to know them better so that I can be able to pray for specific areas of their country.  Being specific in our prayer is very important.  I know as kids we were taught short little prayers that we could easily remember. My favorite as a child was, "God is good. God is great. Let us thank Him for our food. AMEN."  BUT, I am now an adult and growing in my walk with the Lord.  It is now time that I pray prayers that come from my heart that are genuine and true.  I believe that prayer is POWERFUL!  I have spent so much of my life saying quick prayers so that I can pat myself on the back and say, "Alright, I'm prayed up for the day!"  But how wrong is that!  Not only are my prayers normally lacking in length, but they lack in earnestness, and passion.  God created this entire world, and He placed me in one of the richest countries in the world.  I am so beyond blessed!  I owe Him more than just 5 minutes, or 5 seconds a day with Him.  I owe Him my everything!  I am trying so hard to spend more time in prayer with the Lord!  No, this month is not Prayer.  BUT!  Prayer is something that I should do all of the time as a Christian!  I am sure that I will learn more than I can imagine in the month of Prayer! 

Before I begin praying for these countries I need to make sure that my heart is right with the Lord.  Let me explain...

Psalm 66:18 says "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear."  Make sure that you are repenting and asking for forgiveness before you go into a time of prayer.  Yes, we are forgiven as Christians and we can talk directly to God.  BUT, we are still sinners and have to still ask for forgiveness daily!  Mark 11: 24-25 says, " Whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses."  God takes this asking for forgiveness thing pretty seriously!  We need to make sure that our hearts are right before we go into our time of prayer with Him. 


According to The World Bank the 7 poorest countries in the world are:
1.  Haiti
2.  Equatorial Guinea
3.  Zimbabwe
4.  Congo
5.  Swaziland
6.  Eritrea
7.  Madagascar

There are several things that these countries have in common but the main thing is poverty.  What kind of poverty do they live in you ask?  Well... allow me to let you read something that broke my heart.  This comes from project81haiti.org and the writer is writing to a Haitian:
 

"...your entire family survives and endures this extreme form of poverty. You go about your daily life rarely complaining.  You simply are happy to have your relative health, a place to sleep, and a meal to eat.  You are aware other people in the world live a nicer life but you cannot possibly imagine the often excessive and wasteful lives they live.  You cannot fathom the oceans of belongings they possess. In your life everything has a purpose and nothing is wasted.  You cannot comprehend the amount of wealth they squander. You only hope that some resources will be shared with you.

You simply endure. That is all a person can do is endure and hold out hope that someday things will get better.  You have faith that day by day, one small step at a time, things in your country will improve.   You are always fighting to survive this day, and living for a better tomorrow."

You cannot comprehend the amount of wealth they squander.  OUCH!  Those words sting!  We have sooooo soooo much more in one day than what they could ever imagine for in their entire lives.  We are so blessed and what are we doing with all of our blessings?  Are we taking advantage of the blessings God has given to us?  Oh how this hearts my soul...  I want to do something drastic for these people now!  And right now it is prayer!! 





For more information on poverty in the world you can visit: http://www.globalissues.org/article/26/poverty-facts-and-stats
Be sure to scroll down past graph to view


7 Poorest Countries in order came from an article that 24/7 Wall Street published, "24/7 Wall St. relied on World Bank data for the percentage of residents who are living below their national poverty lines. Data was only available for 112 developing nations. In addition, we considered GDP per capita, gross domestic product, HIV/AIDS prevalence, life expectancy, unemployment, infant mortality and primary school enrollment — all from the World Bank."  You can view this yourself at http://247wallst.com/2012/09/14/the-10-poorest-countries-in-the-world/

"I Think I Can, I Think I Can, I Think I Can"

 

I have been repeating to myself, "I Think I Can, I Think I Can, I Think I Can" from one of the poems I remembered as a child.  I was not able to remember the entire poem so I decided to look it up.  It is interesting how we remember certain quotes or tidbits from our childhood!  I thought that I would instantly remember this poem as soon as I looked it up.  Man!  Was I wrong!

 The Little Blue Engine

by  Shel Silverstein  (1930-1999)

The little blue engine looked up at the hill.
His light was weak, his whistle was shrill.
He was tired and small, and the hill was tall,
And his face blushed red as he softly said,
“I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.”
So he started up with a chug and a strain,
And he puffed and pulled with might and main.
And slowly he climbed, a foot at a time,
And his engine coughed as he whispered soft,
“I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.”With a squeak and a creak and a toot and a sigh,
With an extra hope and an extra try,
He would not stop — now he neared the top —
And strong and proud he cried out loud,
“I think I can, I think I can, I think I can!”He was almost there, when — CRASH! SMASH! BASH!
He slid down and mashed into engine hash
On the rocks below... which goes to show
If the track is tough and the hill is rough,
THINKING you can just ain’t enough!

Seriously!!!???  "Thinking you can just ain't enough!"  Are these the original words?!  If not someone please tell me!  I googled this poem every way I know how and this is what I come up with every time!  Do we really read this poem to kids?  How horrible!!!

I guess that is why I should rely on God's word to help me through things instead of a childhood poem!  I think that instead of repeating to myself "I Think I Can, I Think I Can, I Think I Can", I will repeat "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13.


Glad I looked that one up! 

"Indian Outlaw" By Tim McGraw

Today is day 2 of my month of Food, and my seven food choices were:
1.  Chicken
2.  Quinoa
3.  Apples
4.  Bananas
5.  Brussel Sprouts
6.  Eggs
7.  Sweet Potatoes

My sweet husband...Oh Jeremy how I love you!!  Last night.... I HATED YOU!!!  Don't worry for his safety anyone!  He is safe!!  HA!  He and I were watching a movie after the kids had gone to bed and he decided to get a late night snack.  And what was that snack?!  Chocolate covered pretzels!  I mean seriously?!  This is what you pick?!  Out of all of the candy that my adorable husband has he decides to pick something that I like.  No.  Something that I love!  Sweet and salty, oh how I LOVE YOU!
Okay, I truly do have a problem when it comes to sweet and salty foods.  My favorite thing to do (which it is actually embarrassing to share) is to grab a hand full of Mini M&M's, throw them in my mouth, and then grab some goldfish, throw them in my mouth, and eat them all at the same time.  I'm serious it is amazing!!!  You will have to try it one day!  But, I resisted...angrily. 

So what was it that I ate last night for dinner?  I had a sweet potato and some Quinoa.  And just for the record, it is not pronounced, "kwuh-NO-uh".  It is actually pronounced "KEEN-wah".  Sounds strange to me, but apparently not to my husband.  He has added it into a song!  On our way home from the grocery store he begins to sing....

"Cause I'm an Indian outlaw
Half Cherokee and Choctaw
My baby she only eats the Quinoa!
She's a one of a kind"

LO-stinkin-L!  I have to admit it is pretty cute!

So once again....for the 3rd time in 2 days I am off to eat my Quinoa!



Let's see how long I can make it!  EEK!

Laziness-Selfishness I'M EAT UP WITH IT!

I want so badly to become closer to God.  So close that nothing else distracts me.  To the point where I am completely "Sold Out" for Christ.  I want it so badly.... but do I really?  You see, I had surgery about 2 weeks ago and I am slowly recovering.  I am no longer in crazy amounts of pain, so I can walk around the house, feed myself, etc.  But for some reason I keep finding myself wanting to just sit and watch TV, or play on my phone.  Is there anything wrong with wanting to relax?  Did Jesus say we are not allowed to relax?  No.  But, do these things bring me closer to the Lord?  That is a BIG FAT NO!  See the problem is that if I spend the majority of my day filling my mind and my heart with things that do not glorify God, or bring me closer to God then I am further away from Him than when I began.  This is not what I want!  I am tired of being the Christian that gets "high" on Christ and then eventually it all fades away.  I don't want to be a mediocre Christian.  I want to completely give myself to Christ.  I want to stop thinking only about the things that I want and make me happy.  I want to want what He wants!  The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 10:31, " So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God."  I HAVE NOT been doing this. 

One of my favorite songs!!
"All of me" by Matt Hammitt
Afraid to love
Something that could break
Could I move on
If you were torn away
And I'm so close
To what I can't control
I can't give you half my heart
And pray He makes you whole

You're gonna have all of me
You're gonna have all of me
'Cause you're worth every falling tear
You're worth facing any fear
You're gonna know all my love
Even if it's not enough
Enough to mend our broken hearts
But giving you all of me
Is where I'll start

I won't let sadness
Steal you from my arms
I won't let pain keep you from my heart
I'll trade the fear of all that I could lose
For every moment I'll share with you

You're gonna have all of me
You're gonna have all of me
'Cause you're worth every falling tear
You're worth facing any fear
You're gonna know all my love
Even if it's not enough
Enough to mend our broken hearts
But giving you all of me
Is where I'll start

Heaven brought you to this moment
It's too wonderful to speak
You're worth all of me
You're worth all of me
So let me recklessly love you
Even if I bleed
You're worth all of me
You're worth all of me

We can't half way give our hearts to the Lord.  If we are halfway giving then we are halfway receiving and half way being heard and used by God.  I want to be used by the Lord.  This song is by Matt Hammitt and he is writing about his son who was to be born with HLHS (a serious heart condition that leads to multiple surgeries and long hospital stays).  In Matt's autobiography he talks about guarding his heart and building a wall because he was scared of what was to come.  He was scared to love something and have it taken away. 

There are things in life that make us uncomfortable and scared.  Well, being a Christian completely on fire for God makes me nervous as snot!  Why you ask?  Well, sometimes God commands us to do things that put us out of our comfort zones.  I don't know about you but I don't like being outside of my comfort zone!  No siree! 

Let me share a story with you where God has MADE ME UNCOMFORTABLE.  It all started on Valentine's Day this year.  I was sick the day before and didn't eat much so I wanted to get something extra yummy to eat.  I knew exactly where I wanted to go!  Zaxby's!!!  YUMM-O!  So, I got in my car and drove towards our nearest Zaxby's in Cabot.  At one of the stop lights I noticed that people were slowing down on the other side of the road.  I was curious just what it was that everyone was looking at.  Well, there was a man holding a sign that simply said, "You Are Loved."    I noticed that he was wearing a t-shirt with Christian sayings on it.  I was imagining what he was trying to say to the people of Cabot.  I thought he was saying, "God loves you!  Even if it seems like no one else loves you!  God does!  He loves you in a way that no one else can!"  So, I thought Good for him! Now on to Zaxby's for my yummy dinner!  Then I heard it!  UGH!!!  I was frustrated!  God said, get him some food from Zaxby's and take it to him.  Umm... Excuse me God? You want me to do what?  Can I roll down my window and throw it at him?  I don't want people looking at me!!!!  So, I get to Zaxby's, order my delicious sandwich with fries, and I order the guy a kids meal.  I mean Zaxby's isn't the cheapest place in the world!  God will understand!  Right?? I get to closer to the street corner where the man is standing and I hear it again!  UGH!!!  I felt like God was telling me to get out of my car, take the food, to him and talk to him.  I did it!!  I felt like the entire world was staring at me!  But, then I felt like God was calming my spirit and it was like none of the other cars were around.  I asked the man what he meant by his sign.  He told me and I said that I through it was great what he was doing and what he stood for.  I told him I felt like God wanted me to give him something to eat.  And wait a minute!  Not again!!!  God said loud and clear (and no I do not mean in an audible voice!) "Lauren give your yummy sandwich to the man and YOU eat the kids meal."  I have to tell you!  I was not too excited.  I am proud to say that I gave him my yummy sandwich.  But, I regret the attitude that I had... My heart was not right.  I was not giving the way that the Lord wanted me to.  The Bible says in Deuteronomy 15:10 "Give generously to him and do so without a grudging heart; then because of this the Lord your God will bless you in all your work and in everything you put your hand to."  I was going about all of this so wrong!  I should have taken the opportunity and been happy that I could do something for God!  I was being so completely selfish and only thinking about myself!

Do I think that the guy needed the sandwich?  Not sure.  It looked like he had a car that he drove to get him to that spot.  Did God want me to stop so that the guy didn't feel silly himself?  Was I supposed to be the one to let the guy know that he is appreciated in holding a sign on a street corner?  Or!  Was God giving me an opportunity to come closer to Christ?  I'm not sure.  But, I know that for now on I will do my best to NOT pass those opportunities up! 

Time to share ladies and gentlemen!  If you are given the opportunity are you going to share?  I promise you will be blessed!

Our sweet daughter trying to decide if she wants to share with the animals!  :)  Love it!

 

My 7 Foods--Month One

Okay...so my 7 foods are!!!!!!!

Quinoa
Chicken
Apples
Eggs
Brussel sprouts
Bananas
Sweet potatoes

I will be using salt, seasoned salt, mayo, and olive oil.  Don't judge me!  Hey, at least I am attempting all of this!  HA! I have contemplated whether or not I should include the mayo and I think that I SHOULD!!  I want to make it through the month so I am giving myself a little bit of lee-way.  So be nice to me!!

I have been looking at recipes that include several of my choices and there are A TON of options.  Sadly though none of these options sound good without the cream sauce, or the pasta, or the onion, or the tomatoes.  OH!!!  I CAN DO THIS!!!!

TOMORROW IS THE BIG DAY!!  I will only be eating these foods for the next 30 days and I am hoping that by the end of the month I will not hate these foods!  I am the type of person that if I find something I really really like to eat then I "wear it out".  I will eat that food like crazy and all the stinkin' time!  And it never seems to fail that eventually I grow tired of that dish or specific type of food.  So, hopefully I do not grow to hate chicken, or apples, or eggs.  I LOVE these foods! 

THOUGHT--as I am typing this I begin to feel selfish.  Dang it!!  Shame on me. The people of Haiti eat one meal a day and generally their food is the same day in and day out.  And I am sitting here complaining about my 7 food choices that I will get to eat as much of as I want all day long.  Time to refocus and stop complaining.  OKAY!  Ready! Set! Go!  I'm refocused!

Philippians 4:13 says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  I believe this one hundred percent and I am going to keep repeating this verse to myself!


Bring on the quinoa!! 
 

Our NORMAL Diet is Killing Us!

What we put into our bodies is killing us NOW!  We eat things that we should not eat.  We eat things that are unhealthy for us and are slowly but surely killing us.  How are these foods killing us? Well 4 of the top 10 causes of death in America are:  Coronary Heart Disease, Diabetes, Stroke and Cancer. These diseases can be caused by what we eat! We will look at these disease later on in the month.   


First, let's see what Jesus ate while he walked the earth....

His diet consisted of: fresh fruit, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fish, olives/olive oil, figs and dates.

Now, I am going to be completely honest with you.  I am THE WORST about what I put into my body.  I love me some sweet tea (with extra sugar please), chocolate, pasta, cookies, Dr. Pepper, and anything sweet.  I am however trying to change these things.  I know that when this challenge begins I will no longer be able to eat these things anymore that I oh so dearly enjoy.  Will I be hungry?  Probably.  Will I be starving?  No.  I might say that I am starving, but hopefully I will be able to remind myself of what real starvation is like.  Will I have more energy and be able to focus on the task at hand?  I sure think so!  We will just have to wait and see!

Here are a few questions I have been asking myself:
Don't you think that Jesus ate things that would give Him energy?  Don't you think that He would avoid foods that would make Him ill?  My answer is YES!  I seriously doubt that He would go down to His local Mexican restaurant and eat a huge bowl of cheese dip (with extra salt added to the chips), have a large refillable Dr. Pepper, and order the Chicken and Steak Fajita's with extra cheese (and heaven forbid there be any vegetables on the plate!!!  Have to send that right back, Jack!).  Do you think that Jesus would eat all of that right before He plans to go out and preach the gospel?  NO SIR!  That is what my husband orders!! Ha!  And does my husband get sick every single time?!  Yes he does!  Is my husband able to enjoy himself the rest of the day?  NOPE!  That is why it is so important for us to fill our bodies with nutritious food.

I want you to understand though--I am not saying that we should never have a meal that we can truly enjoy.  I don't think that it is a sin to enjoy the finer foods of this world.  But to eat this way every single stinkin' day?  Probably not the best idea! 


Okay, so let's look individually at these foods that Jesus ate and see why they are good for our bodies.

1.  Fresh fruit- Contains vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants
Duh!!  We all know that right?! But can we add salt to our watermelon, or powdered sugar to our strawberries?  NO!  Not this month at least!  :)
2.  Vegetables-fat free, cholesterol free, come from the earth, full of vitamins and minerals, low in calorie, and are full of phytonutrients. (Phytonutrients are health building substances.)  Also, cancer researchers say that veggies are natures best health foods.
3.  Whole Grains- good source of fiber, selenium, potassium, and magnesium. The Mayo Clinic has said that whole grains have been linked to a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers and other health problems.  What is a whole grain?  They are single foods that have not yet been stripped of their nutrients.  Examples are brown rice, popcorn, and quinoa.
4.  Legumes- contains fiber and iron; is high in folic acid--Hey Preggers!!  This is good for you!  Legumes are low in fat, conatin no cholesterol, high in potassium and magnesium and are a healthy substitute to meat.  So what is a legume you ask?  Well, a Legume can be black beans, chickpeas (hummus), edamame, black-eyed peas, lentils, etc. Bring on the Gas-X!!
5.  Fish- Full of Omega-3 Fatty Acids.  The Omega-3 Fatty Acids can help reduce the risk of dying of heart disease and boosts your body's energy production.  It has been said that these fatty acids are good for your skin and hair, and can reduce signs and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and Alzheimer's Disease. 
6.  Olives/Olive Oil- Good source of monosaturated fat, full of antioxidants, has been known to prevent heart disease, has anti-inflammatory effects, and can help control blood pressure. It is recommended that we ingest 8-10 olives or 2-3 tbsp. of Extra Virgin Olive Oil each day.
7.  Figs- Full of fiber; high in calcium, iron and potassium. And is a good source of antioxidants.
8.  Dates- High in fiber; good source of potassium and calcium.  Be careful!  These are high in calories.

Honestly His diet sounds a little bland and boring to me!  But, if this diet was good enough for Jesus then it is good enough for Lauren!

So, back to the title of this post... "Our NORMAL Diet is Killing Us!"  We...I...eat crap for a living and need to change up my habits not only for this challenge, but because it is healthier for me.  Why the need and want to be healthier?  Well, if we are not filling our bodies with the healthy foods then we do not have the energy that we need to be able to share the gospel, to be able to spend time with the Lord, to be able to live our lives completely and fully for Him.  I have learned that if I continue to eat foods that are not healthy and that make me sick to my stomach then I can not truly serve the Lord.  There are too many times that I say, "My stomach hurts so I am just not going to go to church tonight".  Or, "My stomach isn't agreeing with what I ate earlier so I am not going to go witness".  And sometimes I even say, "Well, I ate too much and now I am exhausted so I think I will just go to bed early instead."  THIS IS NOT OKAY!!!  We were called to disciple, to tell others about the Lord.  The Bible says in Matthew 28:19-20  "¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” 

Mark 10:45 says, "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

 Ephesians 4:1-3 says, "I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, ² with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, ³ eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."

I am committing right now that I will continue to eat better so that I have the energy that I need to be able to serve the Lord.  I know that this will be difficult; but, with the Lord's help I can do it! 



Next time I will share with you which 7 foods I have chosen for my month of fasting!





Just a little extra!  How to use a dried-fig purée as a substitute for fat or sweetener when baking.  I found this interesting!  I will have to try this when I am off of my 1st month of fasting with 7 specific foods!

www.livestrong.com says, "Mix in a blender two cups dried figs with 3/4 cup water and 2 tsp. vanilla. When using as shortening, measure half the amount called for in the recipe. Because they contain a natural humectant, dried figs retain moisture and extend the freshness of your baked goods."

LOVE TO ALL! MuAh  mUah!!