Starting the Year off Right

Happy New Year! It's a new year and what better way to start the year off than Prayer & Fasting. Prayer and Fasting allows you to draw closer to God and disconnect from the world. When you Pray & Fast, you are able to cut down the noise and distractions of the world and hear the voice of God more clearly. It's a time to clean out all the junk inside (spiritually & physically). 





You can start preparing now by seeking God about what to fast and for how long. See my post Choosing what to Fast for more details. Remember, what you fast is between you and God. What you choose should not be determined by what someone else is doing.

Also, begin thinking about what your Prayer Focus will be during the fast. Seek God and ask him to reveal any areas of weakness in your life. Forgive all who have offended you and ask forgiveness from those you may have offended (Mark 11:25; Luke 11:4; 17:3-4).


I believe that having an understanding about Prayer & Fasting and being prepared are 2 keys for success. I pray that my blog will help you during your fast. I encourage you to read through my older posts and check out the recipes. If you have any recipes you would like to share, let me know. I hope that you find this blog helpful and encouraging.

It's not too late

It's not too late to start fasting! Just because others have started fasting doesn't mean you can't start now. Any time spent seeking God and drawing closer to Him is well worth it. Jeremiah 29:12-13 says, Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.


No more excuses...There is some way you can participate in prayer and fasting. Pray and ask God what He wants you to do.

Not everyone can do the full Daniel Fast and that's ok. I myself need to eat protein for health reasons so I add white meat to my fast. Some people need calcium, so they still eat cheese and drink milk. You can adjust it according to your health needs. 

If you are not ready for the Daniel Fast there are other options. Here are some ideas of things to fast:

• Fast Food
• Social Media - Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. 
• Talk Radio & New channels
• Shopping
• Internet
• Smoking, Alcohol, & drugs
• TV or certain shows
• Starbucks
• Soda & Caffeine
• Sweets
• Junk Food
• Video Games

 It's not all about giving up something. It's about getting closer to God and praying for change. When we read God's word and pray it helps to build our faith. When we have faith and believe God and His Word, Change Happens! That is why we pray and fast. Hebrews 11:6 -  And it is impossible to please God without faith. Hebrews 11:6 -  Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. 

If you don't have a Bible, you can go online to http://www.biblegateway.com or download a FREE Bible App at https://www.bible.com/app. The YouVersion Bible app has different reading plans you can follow if you don't know where to start. There is even a Kids version of the App https://www.bible.com/kids.

Kids can even participate in the fast. Our church has a calendar that the kids follow each day. Throughout the week they give up Candy & Desserts, TV shows (non-educational), Computer (except school), & Video Games. You may be surprised how willing your kids would be to do this. My kids have been doing it for about 4 years now. They actually do really well. We read their daily Bible verse together and talk about what they want to pray for during the fast.

If you missed a day of fasting or got off track, KEEP GOING! Don't give up! Keep praying and fasting until you get an answer. Take time each day to pray and seek God. Prayer is something that is simple yet powerful. Prayer does not have to be a certain amount time or in a certain way. God wants you to talk Him about what's going on in your. It doesn't matter if it's big or small, there is nothing God cannot handle.

Onion Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients

• 1 package of Lipton Recipe Secrets onion soup mix
• 3-4 potatoes, cut into large chunks ( about 2 lbs.)
• 1/3 cup Olive Oil

Directions

1. In large bowl, toss all ingredients until evenly coated.
2. In 13 x 9-inch baking or roasting pan, arrange potatoes.
3. Bake at 450°, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 35 minutes or until potatoes are tender and golden brown.
4. VARIATIONS: Try substituting 2 sweet potatoes for 2 all-purpose potatoes. 

OR Substitute 2 potatoes for 1lb of fresh vegetables. Cook the potatoes for 20 minutes and then add the vegetables. Cook for an additional 15-20 minutes or until potatoes and vegetables are tender. Stirring occasionally.

Oven-Roasted Vegetables

Ingredients

• 1 envelope Lipton Recipe Secrets Savory Herb with Garlic soup mix 
• 1 zucchini
• 1 yellow squash
• 1 red bell peppers or 1 green bell peppers or 1 yellow bell pepper
• 1 carrot
• 1 celery
• 1 small onion
• 8 ounces mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Slice all or any combination of the above vegetables (it's good with all of them!).
3. In a 13 x 9-inch baking or roasting pan, combine all ingredients.
4. Bake uncovered, stirring once, 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Three Bean Salsa Recipe

Three Bean Salsa Recipe

1 can of black beans

1 can of kidney beans

1 or 2 cans of any other beans

1 can of corn

1 can of diced tomatoes

1can of diced tomatoes w/ jalapeno.

1 large sweet onion chopped

1 pkg. of Good Seasons Italian Dressing

Olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

Drain everything in colander. Add onion. Add a splash of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Then add the dry Italian dressing. Blend. Let sit awhile in fridge.

Black Bean Soup Recipe

Black Bean Soup Mexican Style
from www.Daniel-Fast.com

Ingredients:
1 dried ancho or chipotle pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 green sweet pepper, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 large tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon dried oregano

Preparation:
1. Place dried pepper in a medium bowl and cover with boiling water; let stand for 30 minutes until softened; drain and cut pepper into small pieces.
2. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add green pepper, onion and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes.
3. Add remaining ingredients, blending well. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.


Serve as a side dish or main dish.
Yield: three to six servings

Vegetable Chili Recipe

Vegetable Chili Recipe

2 medium potatoes, cubed

1 medium onion, chopped

1 tbs Olive Oil

1 can (14.5oz) Diced tomatoes w/ garlic

1 can (14.5oz) Diced tomatoes w/ green chilies

1 can (15oz) Kidney Beans, drained & rinsed

1 can Black Beans, drained & rinsed

1 small can Whole Kernel Corn (optional)

1 can (15oz) Tomato Sauce

1 pck Chili Seasoning (1/2 pck for less spicy)

1 medium zucchini, cubed

1. Sauté onions in 1tbs of Olive Oil in a 4-quart pot

2. Heat all ingredients except zucchini to boiling, stirring occasionally; Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 13 minutes.

3. Stir in zucchini. Cover and simmer 5 to 7 minutes or until zucchini is tender.

 

Substitution:

You can use any kind of beans that you like…Pinto, navy, chick peas, etc.

Note:

Start with ½ pck of Chili Seasoning and then you can always add more. If you like your Chili not as thick, just add a little water.