I recently shared a video of how I was called to quit sugar for 30 days and it changed my life, for real! So many wonderful things on the horizon as a result of saying “yes” and obeying The One who called me to do it.
With that being said, I wanted to shared 6 behind-the-scenes tips that I believe will help you if you feel a similar pull. Whether it’s to quit sugar for 30 days, or fast from another food pleasure… this post is just for you. Be sure to pass it along to another sis, who you know needs this!
1 Pray! Seek Holy Spirit for Guidance. And embrace God’s strength to do this!
The first thing you’re going to do is pray. You’re going to ask the Lord to help you, and give you the strength and discipline to stay the course of what He’s calling you to do over the next 30 days. Seek the Lord and ask Him for strength. That was the first thing that I had to do.
What I didn’t really get into in that video is that your girl had a serious addiction.
I remember being postpartum with my 3rd and eating nearly 10 bags of Twizzlers in a week. Yes, a week. A whole sugary hot mess that I enjoyed way too much. That was in addition to all the cupcakes, and cookies and other yummy, sweet treats I would consume regularly. I LOVED sweets. I hate to admit it, but I had a problem and didn’t even know it. I thought that as long as my waistline was snatched I was fine. Chi, it’s so much deeper than that. Anything that has us caught up like that is toeing the line of being an idol. And God is NEVER okay with that. So, I knew that my relationship with sugar needed to be addressed and this #30daynosugarchallenge was something that had to be done. Nothing should have our affections so gripped up, other than Jesus.
2 Grab pen & paper, and WRITE DOWN exactly what Holy Spirit is leading you to REMOVE. Be Specific.
The second thing you’re going to do is get your notebook, pen and paper. Go old school. You’re going to write down whatever the Holy Spirit is leading you to do. For me, it was “I am not going to consume processed sugar for 30 days, as unto the Lord”. And then I had to get very detailed about what that meant. Why? Because the way that my FLESH is set up, I will make excuses and say, “Oh, this isn’t really processed. It’s sugar. It’s sweet, but it’s fine. I’ll be okay.” No, Theresa! What did the Lord say?! That’s what we’re going to do. Period. Help me Holy Ghost!
So, I got very, very specific about what that meant. Get your pen and paper, go old school, and write down what you know you are being called to do.
3 Grab pen & paper and WRITE DOWN what you’re going to FOCUS ON. BE SPECIFIC.
The third thing you’re going to do is write down what you’re going to actually focus on. You’re going to say, “Okay, Father, help me to replace those things that I thought I needed with more of You and more of what pleases you.” For me this meant I needed to focus more on fueling my body with real whole nutrient dense foods. So I wrote them down. You need to do the same. What are you going to focus on? More fruit? Veggies? Organic? Raw? Drink more water? Whatever it is, Write it down. Be specific.
4 Ask, “Lord, when is this supposed to start”? Remove what Doesn’t Belong… IMMEDIATELY.
Don’t put off for tomorrow, what is meant for today! Ask God. Don’t just say “Oh I’ll start next month” because it’s the middle of the month. Or “I’ll start next week” because it’s a Wednesday right now. God is rarely concerned about all of that. If He says “start now”, and it’s 3:23pm on a Tuesday afternoon, write it down and START NOW!
I’m in a “right now” season with God, where when He guides me and leads me to do something it usually requires my obedience right in that very moment. So let’s give God our immediate “yes” and obey. This removes the opportunity for our flesh to get in the way.
5 Move in Silence WITH the Lord
This had to be something that I did in silence. I did not share it with anybody other than my husband. I didn’t go around blabbing about it saying, “Hey, I’m on this journey for 30 days. I’m on it over here. Yaasss! Join me.” Even when I went to different parties and events where they had all kinds of delightful treats, I simply said “no thank you”, and I kept it moving. This was something between me and the Lord. So, I kept it cute and kept it to myself and I want to encourage you to do the same.
And just a word of encouragement, resist the temptation of your flesh that may try to convince you that it’s okay to “do it this one time” at that one event, because no one else knows what you’re doing. News Flash…God knows. Don’t give in. Resist, and take God’s way of escape (1 For 10:13) to stay the course and obey!
6 Document what the Lord is showing you and how He is moving in your life!
Document each day for 30 days, what the Lord is doing in your life. When you remove things that have become idols, or things that are in the way keeping you from being who God called you to be… write it down. Mark the moment. As you continue to obey, and exercise that self-control to say, “No, I’m not going to do this in Jesus’ name.” Trust and believe you’re going to hear Him more clearly. So document what the Lord is saying to you during this time. And I promise you at the end of 30 days, you will be a different person. Amen
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not on thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV
“Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the[a]hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you [b]openly.” Matthew 6:16-18 NKJV
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