So here is the deal:  I took time to read in 2012.  I ended up reading about 13 books.  That’s huge, considering I’ve probably read 13 books in the previous eight years combined.  No lie.My favorite read of 2012:  Seven by Jen Hatmaker.  And guess what…my Bible Study is kicking off the spring semester by going through the The Seven Experiment.  How did I get so lucky??This first week, the fast is from food.  I must admit, as we discussed this last week, I felt pricked.  I mean, how am I supposed to fast from food when 1)  I’m pregnant and 2)  I’ve had major body image issues wrapped up in a lovely eating disorder that weighed me down for ten years?!After discussing my options with Jason and our fearless bible study leader, Jenny, I decided to focus on purchasing local food.  My reasoning?  I just finished my first read of 2013, Animal Vegetable Miracle and I can’t get over what that book tells me.For instance, did you know that if we all ate one meal a week from local resources, we would save 1.1 million barrels (not gallons, but barrels) of oil per week?I have to say it was actually fun and didn’t seem like too much of a fast.  Jason and I selected two restaurants to eat at that serve primarily local food.  One of the places we ate at was Sazza.  I enjoyed a bowl of butternut squash soup and delicious pizza and would you believe the squash came from just one mile down the road?We also purchased milk at Whole Foods from a dairy less than two hours away.  The milk is delicious and it’s just as cheap as the organic milk we were purchasing from King Soops that came from….well, who knows where.Before you get too impressed, please know I’ve also been eating produce from Mexico this week.  If I truly only ate local in mid- January in Denver, I’d be living on potatoes and onions and people, this pregnant momma wouldn’t be happy.  Baby steps.My take away after week 1:  I am so thankful to have the resources to be able to purchase good quality food.  I wonder what the pregnant women do in this world, in this state, in this city that go hungry.  I can’t imagine and I’m thinking I want to help one of them.  Sadly, I’m not sure where they are.Second, although fasting from food in some ways feels like quite the trigger for me, I think this week I was able to sense a small perspective shift, which is centering me towards a well balanced place.  Jen speaks to this and she says it so well, I will leave you with this (from pg 43)

“This is my one life.  God chose these few years for my turn on earth.  This is it.  This is the heart He gave me, created to carry me through my tasks.  I’m counting on these lungs to tell of His goodness, to sing my worship, to mother my children, to speak good news.  These hands have much work to do.  This is the vessel God gave me to tell His story, to love His people, to champion the kingdom.”

What are your thoughts on fasting from food?  Any success?  Any revelations?  I’d love to hear your thoughts!