40 Days and 40 Nights

Many of you know that I decided to extend my Daniel Fast to 40 days. There are a few reasons I decided to do this.

My main concern when leading the fast is the community that joins each year. I strive to ensure everyone is good – that ya’ll have the proper information you need, some bomb recipes and an inspirational devotional.

This year I also wanted to ensure that I connected with the community as much as possible so I did a bunch of Facebook and Instagram lives. I continued to post recipes, write blogs and create my first eBook.

It was no small feat but I’m so grateful that God has given it to me. It really brings together my passion and purpose and has been such a blessing.

Because my focus is on the community the first 21 days, I knew I needed to get some Daniel Fast time in where I could focus on where God was leading me this year, decade and beyond.

Jesus, Moses and Elijah all fasted for 40 days and 40 nights (what better spiritual guides than them?). Plus I’m also turning 40 this year so it only seemed right.

Rewind back to the summer when I prayed for God to reveal to me what the theme for the 2020 Daniel Fast should be. He undoubtedly showed me that Good Fruit was it and that it should focus on the fruit of the spirit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self control.

He knew good fruit needed to be planted in you and me. He guided me through the process of creating the devotional. He used my work to speak through me to you.

What I didn’t realize is that he was also going to use those same words to speak directly to me in the most profound way.

But I found that out during this 40 days.

The devotional for day 2 of the Daniel Fast this year was titled, “The Pruning Process.” In it I wrote,

Why do gardeners prune plants or shrubs? The answer is to remove damaged or diseased branches that will stress the plant…

Pruning of the damaged and diseased areas of our lives that cause us stress can be painful.

Whether it’s breaking an addiction, ending a toxic relationship or facing the results of the havoc we’ve wreaked in our own lives, having our ugly areas pruned is truly tough work.

But i’s necessary.

After those damaged and diseased branches are removed, we are healthier and ready for new growth.

Whitney Miner, Good Fruit Daniel Fast Devotional (Day 2: The Pruning Process)

I remember the feeling that came over me as I finished writing the words above. I thought to myself, this is really going to bless someone. And as long as it helped just one person, it was worth it.

Little did I know that one person was me.

God started me on this journey with Eat Plants & Prosper and has done some amazing things. Like literal miracles in my life and those that have been impacted by my story.

All good right? Positive impact is happening so just keep going at this pace, right Lord?

But what I have heard and felt so clearly during this 40 days is that I need to be pruned in order to go to where he is taking me.

Layers of past pain, shame, hurt and trauma need to be shed. Past failures of others and myself had to be forgiven. Years of lack of self love and self awareness needed to be addressed. Where did it come from? Why did I hold on to it for so long? How has it impacted my life and the lives of those around me?

All the hard stuff that I’ve been running from for years. The stuff that had me jumping from one relationship to the next so I wouldn’t have to be alone to face it. The stuff that kept me from holding on to good people and understanding how real love shows up.

Wash, rinse and repeat. For years. Running…from myself.

Oh no darling, God said. You can’t move to the next level until you deal with this here devil.

It’s been ugly. Not gonna lie. Heart breaking and gut wrenching. Ground shifting soul work is tough.

A few days into it, I realized what God had done. Giving me the theme back in the summer. Planting the seed back then for what was to come today. Giving the words He gave me to write for you, were for me too.

And that’s when I stopped fighting it. I starting to flow with it, trusting God’s plan and his process. That’s when the magic started happening. My eyes were opened and I started being able to truly do the work that needs to be done.

He knew back then that I would write this blog post to you.

Not sure who you are but what you are going through is just a pruning process. It’s preparing you for the all the beautiful newness that is coming your way. You’re leveling up.

Just remember, you’re being planted. Not buried.

If this is you, say this prayer (from Day 2 of the devotional with me):

Lord, we are so grateful that you know what’s best for us. Reveal areas in our lives that are diseased and damaged. Open our hearts tot he pruning necessary so that we can bear more fruit. Amen

Whitney Miner, Good Fruit Daniel Fast Devotional (Day 2: The Pruning Process)

Now watch him work…