Just for Me

This last week I have begun preparations for my church family’s annual Daniel Fast. I already lead a plant-based dietary lifestyle. So, what to do? I decided to go back to raw vegan meals, especially a week of smoothies.

Along with thoughts about food, I looked at my life this year. What would I change? What would I add? My assessment continually asked “But what have you done just for you?” I heard all my children’s voices asking, Mom what did you do for you?

I realize I have a difficult time to do for me. So I’ve decided to do more just for me in 2020. I now have to figure out what that looks like.

Any thoughts?

Looking in Daniel’s Mirror

Every new year many churches participate in some version of Daniel’s fast. This year my church was no different but my fast was. I lead a plant-based dietary lifestyle so I had to sacrifice or do something different. I chose to fast from social media and devote that time to studying the man, Daniel. I thought there would be a long lists of lessons about his character but he was so consistent in his behavior that it is a short but powerful list.

Daniel reminded me what my God favors.

  1. Prayer
  2. Unwavering Commitment to God even into death
  3. Unquestioned loyalty to God and friends
  4. Humility
  5. Continual Prayer
  6. Confidence in God
  7. Care and concern for others
  8. PRAYER

God responded with favor, wisdom and power.

I, now, stand facing this mirror.

Who I Am and Why I Blog

I have several strong interest presently. They are nutrition, mental wellness and the Bible.

Several years ago my husband and I did a Daniel Fast. That fast is based on the dietary practice of the prophet Daniel and his friends in the book of Daniel. In one instance, they ate only plant-based foods for 21 days. The results for them were clarity of thinking and glowing countenance. The result of our fast was an elimination of beef and pork. The following year it was an elimination of chicken. The other result was an interest in vegetarian cooking. My new interest is vegan cooking because of the dairy free recipes. I am lactose intolerant. I still eat turkey and fish, so I am not truly vegan. The reasons for vegan recipes have increased to include gluten-free, soy-free, certified organic foods. You can thank GMOs for that. I am decidedly moving in the non-GMO direction as much as possible.

My community activities are in the area of decreasing the stigma associated with mental illness and therapy in the black community. I have a heart for helping black boys become strong black men. One of the obstacles they face is learning style. I have encountered so many who have felt that they cannot learn, when the problem was not theirs. It was our school system. Studies have shown black and brown young men flourish in an activity filled learning environment. They have to touch it, feel it, build it, explore it. In other words, the “sit still” lecture environment is not that helpful to the majority of them. In this endeavor, I have discovered that nutrition is a factor in our academic success. As I learn about brain and emotional health’s relationship to food, I would like to share that.
My biblical belief is the foundation and framework for all that I do and I would like to share my new finds as a I study.
I can’t wait to converse with you all.