Book Review - Fasting: The Ancient Practices Series

I just finished reading Scot McKnight's book Fasting, this book is one of the eight books in the Ancinet Practices Series and I thought it was excellent. Editor Phyllis Tickle warns in her forward that this book is not a book for the cowardly, instead it is for the corageous Christian who seeks to more fully understand and serve God. I think that is an appropriate warning.
Scot starts off his book talking about fasting through different Christian voice through history. He talks about how fasting for King David, and everyone in the Bible, was a whole-body experience. He also talks about the prophet Isaiah and his warning to Isreal reminding them that fasting isn't about us, what we give up when we fast should be given to others. He also quotes John Calvin, "whenever men are to pray to God concerning any great matter, it would be expedient to appoint fasting along with prayer. Their sole purpose in this kind of fasting is to render themselves more eager and unencumbered for prayer...with a full stomach our mind is not so lifted up to God." He also points to recent reminders of fasting from authors such as Dallas Willard and John Piper.
Scot then goes on to give his definition of fasting: Fasting is the natural, inevitable response of a person to a grievous sacred moment in life.
He really unpacks this definition with the analogy that A -> B -> C, so A (sacred moment) leads us to B (fasting) that leads us to C (results). He explains that often times we try to get the results that we want from fasting and jump to B -> C, but reminds the reader that the Bible presents a responsive view of fasting. I fully agree with him about this statement, often times we try to use fasting as an instrument for results rather than a response to God.
Scot then goes on to unpack the different forms of fasting. He really drives home his point that fasting is a whole-body experience, he explains that the Western mind tries to separate the body and spirit, we have a spiritual life and we have our regular life. The soul and the body are separate, the soul is spiritual and the body is of this world, which is why it is so difficult for us to see the importance in fasting, because that has a direct impact on the body, we don't see how it ties into our spiritual side. Scot talks about our body image and does a great job of reminding us that we are created in the image of God!
In the next section of the book, McKnight unpacks the different types of fasting. He starts with Body Turning, the most common form of fasting is in response to the kind of sacred moment when Israel is called to confess sin.
Body Plea, in the Bible, pleas and supplications and prayers were accompanied by the embodied act of fasting.
Body Grief, overwhelmed by the sacredness of a moment we choose not to eat in order to sanctify our communion with God and participate fully in one of life's grievous moments.
Body Discipline, the scheduled practice of fasting
Body Calendar, vital fasts that respond properly to the story of God's redemptive ways that are observed in the church calendar.
Body Poverty, response to injustice in our world.
Body Contact, fasting to experience intimacies with God
Body Hope, fasting because of the hope of Christ's return
Scot finishes the book up with a section called Wisdom and Fasting, he unpacks the benefits of fasting such as making room for God, but also gives a warning about fasting in terms of health and extremes.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book. I have been interested in the topic of fasting and curious to why it has fallen be the way side in our present day. Scot does a great job of unpacking fasting and all the benefits of returning to this ancient practice. I would highly recommend this book.


I received this book free from the Thomas Nelson Publishers "Booksneeze" book review program. I was under no obligation to provide a positive review.

Happy Anniversary...number 5!

It's hard to believe that 5 years ago today we were getting married. Two days before our wedding I took my last college final and closed the "books" on my college career. One month before our wedding we bought our first house and the day after our wedding we hoped a plane to Hawaii for our honeymoon. What a whirlwind...don't we look like little kids?
Our wedding day was great! I love everything about Christmas and so our wedding was kind of like a big Christmas party and included Christmas Trees - fresh snow - Christmas ornaments for party favors - Christmas desserts - family and tour of Christmas lights in a huge stretch Lincoln Navigator limo. I love each anniversary looking back at our wedding album and watching our wedding video - what a special day.

As we left the church all our guests lined the sidewalk with sparklers - it was beautiful...and cold but our excitement helped us forget how chilly it was. 3 years and 3 days after our first date we'd sealed the deal and officially became Mr. and Mrs. Comfort!

I am so blessed to say that I have the best husband! He has an incredible servants heart, he's very handy, makes me dinner almost every night, and is truly my best friend. I give thanks each day for the man he is - I love you babe!

...more like Christmas

Here are a few more Christmas decorations that we put up around the house. The trees we made found a good spot in the front planter. We used some of the clippings from our tree to spruce it up a bit.
There wasn't enough room for all three trees, so one of them stayed inside, we found a good place for it our this shelf!

We added a splash of color with some red berry twigs...

...and a few more in this vase with some ornaments!

We just love decorating for the holiday's! Merry Christmas!

makes me smile

Have you seen this YouTube video of Mike Tompkins singing his cover of Dynamite...it's Awesome, and with over 3 million views and being featured on the Today Show, I am sure you have seen it...all the same, it's awesome and makes me smile!

O Christmas Tree

Every year Heather and I get a real tree for our "main" tree. There is a church up the street and their youth group sells Christmas trees to raise money for their mission trips. Last weekend Heather and I headed up there and found a tree!

Heather had the idea to try and make garland out of ornaments for the tree this year. So after Christmas last year, we bought a bunch of red ornaments that were dirt cheap. We strung them together on some red ribbon.... ...we wrapped them around the tree
...and made a topper for the top.
...and here is the tree!

Merry Christmas!

Milestone

So we hit a milestone with our vehicle...99,999
...to 100,000

I kind of feel like there should have been more of a celebration...maybe a party!

Book Review - The Sacred Journey

I just finished reading the book, The Sacred Journey by Charles Foster; this is one of the 7 or 8 books in the Ancient Practices Series. Editor Phyllis Tickle warns the reader that every person who reads this book will disagree with at least something that Foster writes about. I think this is a good "warning" because he does make some bold statements, but overall I thought this was a great book!

I really enjoyed the topic of a pilgrimage. It reminds me of a sermon series that I listened to from Pastor Kevin Korver at Third Reformed Church in Pella. Kevin also talks about the importance of a pilgrimage. Having that fresh in my mind, I really enjoyed this book. Both are calling out the importance of slowing down our lives and truly following Jesus call when he says "Follow me". I also like how Foster addresses that fact that a pilgrimage doesn't always need to be to the Holy City, it can be, but a pilgrimage can even happen on your way to church. In Kevin's sermon he challenged his congregation to walk to church as a way to prepare for worship. Foster challenges the reader that the "where" isn't as important as the journey. This book isn't so much a "how-to" be on a journey, rather it is a challenge as to "why" we are on this journey. Foster also warns us that we will be changed by a pilgrimage, which I think is a good reminder.
All in all, I really like this book.

*disclaimer, i was given this book free through BookSneeze.com