Day 1: Journey to Victory

We all have our weaknesses, the little things that seem to be calling our name around every corner as we search for an excuse to reward ourselves.  My weakness is food, mostly in the form of desserts and late night nibbles.  For the past few months, I've put my struggle with food under a microscope because I didn't want it to keep me from winning the coveted Miss California crown.

We live in a culture that loves the New Years Resolution concept.  We set lofty goals to achieve self betterment, imagine living a life free from our weakness/temptation, and put the plan into action.  Just as the gym population goes from overcrowded in the month of January back down to normal in February, sticking to the plan goes out the window.  Discipline is hard, self control...even harder.

I may have found the secret to sticking to the goal: fasting. If I'm giving up dessert to look good in a bikini, although I may try hard at first, sooner or later I'll be hungry and find a way to rationalize and cave into splurging. After all, the only person I'm letting down is me! But, when I set aside something to sacrifice for God, that is someone I sure don't want to let down.

Jesus said "If you want to be perfect [whole], go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then, come follow me." -Matthew 19:21. After some contemplation, this verse hit me--Jesus is talking about more than just money. He is referring to any abundance we have. We are to give up the one thing we crave, desire, or want on a daily basis more than we want God.

Food has been used as temptation from long ago. After Jesus fasted 40 days in the desert, he was tempted with food, and responded: "Scripture says: People need more than bread for their life; they must feed on every word of God." -Matthew 4:4 NLT.

So, what's the point of these random thoughts? They have led me to dedicate the next 40 days to denying the temptation of certain foods.  This is about more than winning a crown, this journey is about removing a big roadblock on my walk of faith in order to grow closer to God...and that is the best prize!