THE CAMINO DE SANTIAGO IS A BEAUTIFUL 500-MILE TREK ACROSS NORTHERN Spain. Thousands of people complete this pilgrimage every year, and most begin preparing for it months in advance. In addition to physical conditioning, it’s essential for walkers to have the appropriate gear for a thirty- to forty-day walk — sturdy boots, a few pairs of thick socks, a good backpack, and comfortable hiking clothes.
I (Susan) had long dreamed of making this trek and finally got my chance a couple years ago. The first day was grueling as I slowly made my way up the steep trail through the Pyrenees Mountains that divide France from Spain. In the space of thirteen miles, the elevation of the trail rises from 600 feet to more than 4,700 feet. I had trained for the long-distance trek and had good boots and equipment, but I hadn’t anticipated how challenging that first day would be. I was fatigued, but I also had confidence that the time I’d invested in preparation and training had given me the stamina I needed to keep moving forward, step by step.
Along the way, I met a thirty-something woman from Canada who was also struggling — and it wasn’t hard to see why. Instead of good walking boots with a sturdy tread, she wore white Keds — a lightweight canvas sneaker with thin rubber soles. Instead of a backpack, she was pulling a rolling suitcase — yes, the kind designed as carry-on luggage for air travel. Clearly, she was not prepared for a 500-mile, month-long trek through the mountains and across the plains.
I stopped where she was resting and we chatted for a few minutes. Her decision to embark on the 500-mile walk had been motivated by a recent breakup with a long-time boyfriend. She thought the experience would take her mind off her troubles. We talked a little about her equipment, but she didn’t seem too concerned and was sure her determination was enough to keep her going. As we parted, I told her I looked forward to seeing her at the little hostel along the trail where we had both planned to stop for the night.
Several hours after I reached the hostel, my Canadian friend finally hobbled in. Her feet were covered with blisters, and she was so exhausted she could barely hold up her head. The owner of the hostel checked her in and then advised her to discontinue the walk. He offered to make arrangements to have a car come the next morning and return her to the little village at the base of the mountains where she could rest and decide what to do next. I’m glad she heard the wisdom in the hostel owner’s words and accepted his offer.
Perhaps you already understand why I tell this story. The invitation of the Daniel Cure is to embark on a beautiful journey — one that may include spiritual, emotional, and physical challenges. The experience people have on the journey is determined in large part by how well they prepare for it. Like my Canadian friend on the Camino de Santiago, those who fail to adequately prepare mentally, spiritually, and physically — whether for a twenty-one-day Daniel Fast or for the Daniel Cure lifestyle plan — may begin with high hopes and great determination, but there is a reasonably good chance they’ll make it only a couple of days before they call it quits.
Lack of preparation is the biggest reason people quit. I often receive emails from people who confess to feeling defeated, weak, and ashamed when they fail to complete the twenty-one-day Daniel Fast. When they ask for counsel, my response is always the same: “Try again.” But before they do, I encourage them to learn from their mistakes. Before trying again, they must prepare and equip themselves with the necessary tools to ensure success. As Maya Angelou teaches, “When you know better, you do better.”
As you anticipate your initial fast and the lifestyle approach that follows, try thinking of it as you might think about planning for an extended vacation or an overseas journey. These aren’t typically the kinds of trips we decide to take at the last minute. Invest in yourself and in your journey by taking time to prepare for the amazing faith adventure the Lord has in store for you. Preparing for the Daniel Fast includes identifying your purpose and spiritual practices, preparing yourself logistically and physically, planning meals, and consecrating yourself and your fast to God.
The Daniel Cure involves a lifelong approach to healthy living — including both spiritual and physical components — and we would like for you to begin this lifelong approach with a twenty-one-day Daniel Fast. The same general guidelines and suggestions can be followed as you transition from a twenty-one-day Daniel Fast into the Daniel Cure lifestyle.
Because your fast is a journey, it’s essential before you begin to be very clear about where you want to go and how you will get there. You do that by identifying the central purpose of your fast and making decisions about how you will act and what tools you will use.
One way to think about the purpose of your fast is to consider your challenges, needs, and desires. For example, are there obstacles — physical, emotional, and spiritual — that keep you from growing or moving forward in some area of your life? Have you come to that place where you know it’s time to honor your physical body and get healthy? Do you have a loved one with a specific need? Are you facing a major decision and desire to seek the Lord’s guidance? Do you want to experience greater intimacy with God or develop a more consistent practice of daily prayer and study? Is there a self-defeating behavior you’re struggling to overcome? What is it you hope God might change — in you, your relationships, your circumstances — as a result of your fast?
I hear from many people who feel drawn to use their fast to intercede for a friend or family member, as Rick’s wife Chrissy did when she prayed for their daughter’s health during her initial fast. Others pray that a husband or wife will find a job. Parents pray for rebellious children. Couples pray for their marriage or other family relationships — perhaps a major decision that needs to be made. Still others focus on someone they care about who needs healing, guidance, or salvation. In addition, you might use your fast strictly as a form of praise, giving thanks to the Father for all the good he has done, is doing, and will do in your life.
Rick and I both routinely fast at the beginning of each year. I focused my most recent fast on health for my spirit, soul, and body. Specifically, I asked the Lord to show me anything that might be keeping me from living the kingdom-of-God life Jesus died to give me. During my twenty-one days, I deepened my commitment to physical health and well-being by identifying areas in my eating and exercising habits that needed attention. I also targeted work and home projects I wanted to complete so I could decrease distractions, increase simplicity, and focus more of my time and energy on fulfilling the call Jesus has for me. This commitment included reading through the One Year Chronological Bible, attending a Christian conference, joining an association of Christian authors, business owners, and pastors, and continuing my morning time of prayer, mediation, and study. My commitments to health were to drop those stubborn unwanted pounds … walk ten miles each week … and to not purchase potato chips (my greatest weakness) for at least a year.
As you consider the purpose of your fast, resist the temptation to take on too many goals. Focus on just one or two — three at the most. If you have trouble narrowing your focus, make a list of everything that comes to mind and then pray through your list. Which ones stand out most to you? If you don’t have a strong sense about what to focus on during your fast, continue to seek the Lord’s guidance and open your heart to him. Every time I’ve done this, the Holy Spirit has revealed the answer to me within a matter of days. He is faithful to lead us as we put our trust in him.
1. Start with a twenty-one-day traditional Daniel Fast. This will allow you to dedicate yourself to the Lord and to ask for his strength and guidance as you begin your new healthy eating plan. The twenty-one-day fast will also teach you about the new foods that you will be eating (and those you will not be eating), which makes it easier to comply with the Daniel Cure way of eating.
2. Start each day with prayer, asking for God’s strength as you encounter potential difficulties and temptations. We all need help, and God is the greatest of all Helpers. Why would you ever attempt to do this in your own strength alone?
3. Make exercise a regular part of your week — ideally set aside a specific time for a specific activity three to five days per week. Aside from such formal exercise, remain as physically active as you can every day.
4. Once your twenty-one-day Daniel Fast is complete, you can begin to include additional healthy foods in your overall dietary plan, such as lean meats and low-fat dairy products. You may also want to schedule regular “cheat” meals/snacks into your overall dietary plan. This means one or two such meals or snacks per week, including an occasional dessert. Remember, the goal is long-term progress, not perfection. Eating clean is important, but you should enjoy your life too — and food (including dessert) is part of that enjoyment. Do not overlook this important aspect of long-term dietary success.
5. Consider informing the people who make up your social support system about your newly adopted dietary plans. Doing so may help to keep you accountable. Some may even choose to adopt the same dietary approach. Set short-term and long-term goals, reassess and make changes as needed, and stay focused. You really can do this!
Write down your purpose in a journal or on a piece of paper you can place in your Bible. Then listen with your spiritual ears as the Holy Spirit confirms your commitment and continues to guide and support you in this desire.
Once you’ve identified the purpose of your fast, consider the spiritual practices you’ll use throughout the experience. Daily fellowship with God and prayer along with study are the foundational disciplines of every fast, but there are nearly limitless ways to practice both. For example, do you want to practice a specific kind of prayer, such as silent prayer, praying through Scripture, or using your body in prayer (raising hands, kneeling, lying down)? Do you want to focus your Bible study on the Beatitudes, reading through one of the Gospels, or on passages about a specific issue or theme?
In addition to prayer and Bible study, are there other spiritual disciplines that would support the purpose of your fast? For example, keeping a journal, taking a one-day silent retreat, or donating time or resources to a nonprofit or ministry organization. Keep in mind that additional spiritual disciplines may not be necessary or even advisable. The goal is not to pile up spiritual activity, but to choose the spiritual practices that best support the purpose of your fast.
It’s wise to also make a specific commitment about the time and duration of the spiritual practices you choose. For example, you could choose to pray and study for thirty minutes every morning before breakfast, to read Scripture for ten minutes on your lunch hour each day, or to devote fifteen minutes every morning and evening to silent prayer. Depending on your situation, you might establish one pattern for weekdays and another for weekends. Whatever you choose, keep your commitment simple, specific, and doable.
I first started journaling decades ago when I gave my life to Christ. I use my journal primarily for prayer, and so all my entries start with “Dear Father.” Then I write about whatever is on my mind. I’m frequently stunned by the wisdom that comes as I journal — and I know it’s not from me, but from the Spirit of God working in me. I open my heart to God and write until I sense it’s time to sign off. Although many people later go back and reread their journals, I rarely do. Instead, I use my journal primarily as a tool that helps me to communicate with my heavenly Father in the moment.
In addition to using a journal as a tool for prayer, you might also use it to reflect on your physical, emotional, and spiritual experiences during the fast. For example, during the first week of the fast, you might make observations like these: “I really miss my coffee — and so does my body. I was so tired this afternoon!” “My body is craving sugar. I never realized I was so addicted to the sweet stuff.” “I was feeling discouraged this morning, but the praise music I listened to at lunch helped to redirect my focus to God.”
Now it’s time to gather the soul-nourishing resources you’ll need to sustain yourself during the fast. I sometimes think about my fast as a college-level course in the powerful truths of the gospel. During my time in “higher learning,” I choose a study tool that helps me to feast on God’s Word. My “professors” might be authors of Christian books or Bible teachers who share their knowledge on DVDs, CDs, podcasts, or online videos.
In addition to your Bible, what other resources would best support the purpose and spiritual practices of your fast? Do some research by asking trusted friends for recommendations or by investigating appropriate resources online. We’ve included a twenty-one-day devotional in part 5 of this book to support you during your fast. Perhaps there is a Bible study course you want to use each morning in your quiet time. Or a book that will teach you practical how-to steps for prayer, studying the Bible, or learning more about patience or self-control.
As you consider what you might need, don’t limit yourself to just one kind of worship or study resource or even a once-a-day study. For example, I sometimes listen to recorded Bible teaching while I’m creating meals. Several years ago, I prepared for an upcoming fast by installing a small CD player on a shelf in my kitchen. Now all I need for my “higher learning” class is to pop in a CD while I’m cooking. Rick listens to sermons in his car while driving to and from work, and he occasionally uses his audio player to listen to Bible teaching while working out at the gym.
And don’t forget music! Tap into the abundance of great worship and praise music for your fast. I have a playlist of favorite inspirational music loaded into my iPhone and often listen to it on my morning walks outside, on the treadmill, or sometimes through the car stereo when I’m driving. Praise music is a great encouragement throughout the fast and can usher us into a place of sweet worship as we focus our minds on God and his glory.
Consider establishing a specific place in your home where you’ll meet with the Lord each day. I call this my “secret place,” after the psalmist’s words, “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1 NKJV). My secret place is a loveseat in my bedroom with a nearby end table and lamp. Next to the loveseat is a basket that holds my Bible, journal, study books, notepaper, pens, and colored markers. When I’m fasting, I nestle into my secret place with a cup of hot water with lemon slices (no coffee or tea on the Daniel Fast) and begin each day with prayer.
One problem I often hear about is people trying to fit the fast into their already too busy lifestyles. As much as possible, you need to plan logistically for your fast so it can be the center of your daily life.
Most people use the Daniel Fast for twenty-one days, based on the prophet Daniel’s fasting experience recorded in Daniel 10:2–3. I have used the fast for as few as seven days and for as many as fifty days. In the midst of a fast, don’t be surprised if you sense the Lord prompting you to fast longer. Not long ago, I had committed to fasting for twenty-one days but sensed the Holy Spirit leading me to fast an additional three days. On another occasion, I felt the Lord prompting me to add an additional ten days to my fast.
Since your health is one of the priorities for using the Daniel Cure, we encourage you to fast for at least twenty-one days. This will give your body enough time to experience the amazing physical benefits of the Daniel Fast. You can then make the transition into the Daniel Cure lifestyle plan, as discussed in the next chapter.
Review your calendar and choose an optimal time for your fast. The best time to schedule your fast is when you can limit your daily commitments and, ideally, avoid traveling away from home. After choosing the best time for your fast — including sufficient time to prepare — mark the days on your calendar and make plans for that start date.
While you can easily engage in activities and keep appointments during your fast, we encourage you to limit your commitments and activities. This will not only enable you to devote more time to prayer and study but also free up time for preparing meals and getting sufficient rest.
Limiting activities is one of my biggest challenges. For example, my love of learning is a strength, but it can also be a weakness when I am trying to simplify my days and create more space for quiet time, rest, and prayer. I can’t count the times when I’ve gone web surfing for something specific, only to look up and realize two hours have vaporized into the abyss of lost time. I can also lose myself in “quality” television — especially British dramas. The story lines are rich, the sets enchanting, the costuming stunning, and the performances excellent. What’s not to like?
I know these things about myself, and so I have to be intentional about countering these distractions with simple routines and habits. I have my quiet time with the Lord first thing in the morning, before I can be sidelined by distractions. I limit the time I watch television, record favorite shows to watch later, and have a set time in the evening for prayer and study. Rick prefers to eliminate nighttime television when he fasts, with the goal of using his evenings to study and spend quiet time with the Lord.
Take a few days to observe yourself and how you spend your time. Identify any routine obligations you can cancel or reschedule until after the fast. Note the distractions that tend to eat up time on your schedule and limit or eliminate the distractions you can control. Set up some boundaries or routines that will protect the time you need for quiet time, prayer, and digging into God’s Word.
Your fast is between you and God, but it also impacts your relationships. You honor your friends and family members when you include them in your fast. Including them could be as simple as letting them know in advance about your decision to fast so they understand why you might be bowing out of things like the weekly pizza lunch or late-night movie marathon.
If you’re the only person fasting in your family or circle of friends, be gracious in responding to social invitations and accommodating the needs of others where you can. When I am invited out for meals or parties, I sometimes eat at home and then have just a salad or a side of vegetables at the restaurant. When I am invited to someone’s home for a meal, I explain that I’m fasting and ask if we can either get together after the fast or if they don’t mind preparing vegan foods for me. My experience is that friends and family members are not only respectful of my requests but also very interested to learn more about the fast.
If possible, we encourage you to go beyond just telling others about your decision to fast by actively enlisting their support.* Ask a close friend or your small group to pray for you. Consider gathering with others for dedicated times of worship, prayer, and study. If your church is fasting, take advantage of any additional resources or worship experiences that might be offered to support those who are fasting.
Note that your fast could also impact those who don’t know Christ. I’ve heard from many people who said their fast was a powerful witness to their “pre-Christian” family members. One woman wrote to me about the impact the fast had on her husband. “He noticed that I was much more peaceful during my fast and more loving toward him,” she wrote. “This was an unexpected blessing for me and taught me a lot about the ministry I have within my own marriage and family.”
A common reason people compromise or quit the Daniel Fast is because they fail to adequately prepare their bodies. Two key factors in preparing yourself physically are anticipating withdrawals and getting sufficient rest.
The biggest culprit in the withdrawal category is caffeine, found primarily in the coffee so many of us drink every day, and to a lesser extent in tea and soft drinks. Caffeine withdrawals are well-documented and the pain can range from mild to excruciating, with headaches being the most common symptom. Some people also feel pain in their lower back or leg cramps. There have been times when I’ve had no withdrawal symptoms and other times when the discomfort and fatigue have been severe. The lesson I’ve learned? Always prepare for withdrawals by tapering off of caffeine ahead of time.
To minimize caffeine withdrawal, begin decreasing your caffeine intake at least one week before your fast. Start by mixing in some decaf with your regular coffee, and cut back on sodas and tea. Begin the habit of making water your beverage of choice. Continue to taper off until you’re totally free of all caffeine the day you begin your fast. Not only will you minimize the harsher symptoms of cold-turkey caffeine withdrawal, you’ll also feel less fatigued during the first few days of your fast, which is a common complaint of many caffeine users.
Sugary and highly processed foods are also withdrawal culprits. If you regularly consume sugar-rich or highly processed convenience foods,* you’ll want to begin tapering off these as well. For example, exchange a sugary breakfast cereal or pastry for soy yogurt and fresh berries. Instead of chips or candy, try snacking on a handful of almonds or a piece of fruit. Avoid foods typically considered “fast food” and opt for a salad or other whole foods for lunch. Drink more water. If you follow these simple guidelines, you’ll be less likely to experience withdrawal and fatigue and will enter into your fast well prepared.
Even if you do experience withdrawals, they will likely pass in a few days. You’ll soon begin to feel more alert and stronger, and your sense of well-being will increase. It’s at this point in the Daniel Fast that people write me emails like this: “I have not felt this good in more than fifteen years. I can’t believe the food I was eating had such an impact on me! I want to feel this good all the time.” The same will likely be true for you. Within a short amount of time, your body will respond positively to healthy foods and adequate water, and withdrawals will be behind you.
When you enter your fast, do so well rested. Again, think of this in terms of starting a journey. Just as you wouldn’t embark on a 500-mile walk in a stressed, fatigued, and harried state, don’t start your fast that way.
Life is challenging and often unpredictable, so you may not always be able to get the ideal amount of rest you need during the fast. But starting the fast in a sleep-deprived state is a setup for failure. For at least a week prior to starting your fast, plan to be in bed early enough to get seven to eight hours of sleep. No late-night cramming for work or school, no midnight movie marathons, no web surfing into the wee hours. Clear your calendar of evening commitments. Rearrange your schedule if necessary. Adequate rest is essential — both in preparing for the fast and in maintaining it.
Keep one word at the forefront of your mind as you plan what you’ll eat during your Daniel Fast: balance. Over and over, I’ve seen people who get so caught up in the foods they can and can’t have and in the details of meal planning that they miss the life-changing power of fasting.
Yes, this is a partial fast that allows us to eat food, and enjoying meals is a good thing. But if we devote most of our time, energy, and thought to worrying about food, preparing complicated recipes, or using the fast primarily to experiment with new foods, we can soon find ourselves on a diet rather than a fast. Experimenting with new ways of preparing and enjoying food is definitely part of the Daniel Fast, but we lose balance when food itself becomes the primary focus of the fast.
I find that people who flourish on the Daniel Fast are those who choose about three breakfast meals, three lunch meals, six to eight dinner meals, and a few snack recipes. (See chapter 11 about eating five or six small meals throughout the day.) Studies show that this is how people eat most of the time anyway. We have our favorites and those foods make up most of our meals. We might try a new recipe from time to time and may even find we like it so much that we add it to our regular rotation. But for the most part, we need only a few recipes to satisfy our desire for an enjoyable variety of meals.
Part 4 of this book includes plenty of recipes to get you started on your Daniel Fast. And you’ll find even more on our website (www.DanielCure.com) and in my previous book, The Daniel Fast: Feed Your Soul, Strengthen Your Spirit, and Renew Your Body. Both sources provide a variety of recipes you can consider for your personal collection. We’ll also go into greater detail about meal planning and preparation in chapter 12.
Fasting is a time of consecration. To consecrate something is to set it apart for a holy purpose.* That’s what we do when we fast — we consecrate the time and ourselves to God, asking him to use our fast for a holy purpose. In committing to the Daniel Fast, we submit all of who we are to the Lord. We use the fast as a means of surrender, to “offer [our] bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God” (Romans 12:1).
The psalmist describes the kind of “living sacrifice” that pleases God: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart — these, O God, You will not despise” (Psalm 51:17 NKJV). God wants us to be wholly his so we can be united with him, set apart for his purposes, and a living demonstration of the love of Christ.
Your Daniel Fast is intended to be a powerful time of growth and renewal — for your spirit, soul, and body. The Daniel Cure extends this short-term fast into a lifestyle of health and continued growth. (See “Daniel Cure Steps to Success” on page 92.) Prepare yourself to commune with the Lord and thank God in advance for all he will show you as you put your trust in him and begin your journey.
1 Get out your calendar and identify a specific block of time this week to think and pray about the purpose of your upcoming Daniel Fast.
2 Choose a start date for your twenty-one-day Daniel Fast. Select a three-week period when you foresee no major distractions and will have sufficient time to study, meditate, and prepare your meals.
3 Select and gather the tools you want to use to support you during your fast. Purchase a journal if you plan to journal during your fast. Find books or other study materials that you will use over the twenty-one days.
* We understand Jesus’ words in Matthew 6:16 when he teaches about fasting as a private discipline. We are in no way suggesting that you attempt to seek glory for yourself by informing others of your fasting practice. We simply believe that a support system may help you — and informing others may provide an opportunity to teach them about fasting. That said, if you feel more comfortable doing your fast in private, this is your choice.
* So-called convenience foods are commercially prepared foods designed to be ready to eat right out of the package or with minimal preparation. They can be room temperature, refrigerated, or frozen. They are typically low in nutrients and high in fat, sugar, sodium, and chemical additives.
* The Old Testament writers described how God’s people consecrated such things as altars, priests, firstborn sons, animal sacrifices, fasts, monetary gains, and themselves. In the New Testament, we read that it is Jesus who consecrates us: “Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water” (Hebrews 10:19–22). Jesus consecrated a new way of living by shedding his blood, making it possible for us to come to God as clean, pure, and righteous.