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Fasting Journal: Day 4: Getting Stronger By The Day

My 4th day of fasting was fantastic.

I felt stronger than ever. I gave 4 talks today in the retreat—and I just love my audience. In between talks, with Edwin Marcelo holding the camera, I did a few scenes for our daily internet TV show, Preacher In Blue Jeans. (If you haven’t watched that yet, go to http://www.preacherinbluejeans.com/ and be inspired.)

And in between my 4 talks, I didn’t take my siesta. That’s how strong I felt.

Instead, I edited my new book (with an incredibly long title), How To Find Your One True Love 2: Complete Step-By-Step Course On How To Choose, Attract, and Marry The Partner Of Your Dreams. (Whew!) It’s now all written down, but I figure we can launch the book by July 2008. (Sorry singles, you’ll have to wait a while.)

I’m learning a lot from my fast these few days.

For example, I learned that if I feel hungry, all I have to do is drink lukewarm water—and presto, it’s gone.

In fact, you should do this even when you’re not fasting. Doctors say that thirst actually masquerades as hunger. So when you feel hungry, many times, you’re actually thirsty. You see, there are two kinds of thirst: There’s mouth and throat thirst, and then there’s body thirst. We only say yes to mouth and throat thirst, but we rarely quench our body thirst. To help our kidneys and liver, we need at least 8 glasses of water a day. If it’s a hot day, you need more.

Do you know that 80% of the tiredness you feel during the day is actually dehydration? I’ve now learned that every time I feel tired, it’s my body telling me to hydrate myself. So I drink water and I immediately feel refreshed like it was magic.

Here’s what I do every morning: I drink 2 big glasses of water the moment I wake up. (I think I’ve been doing this for a few years now. Side benefit: I can’t read anything anymore on the toilet seat. Ten seconds and I’m done.)

And as I drink, I bless myself! I pray, “Lord, may this water cleanse my body and flush out all the toxins, in Jesus name.”

Can I share with you my philosophy?

Perhaps you may be wondering why I drink 2 glasses of water when I wake up. And why I’m fasting now. And why I journal every morning. And why I’m a veggie and fruit juice addict. And why I’ve been a semi-vegetarian for more than 12 years. And why I exercise each day…

Friends, let me shock you with my answer: Because I love myself.

In fact, I love myself aggressively. For me, healthy self-love is a clear sign of emotional and spiritual maturity. (One of these days, I’ll write an entire book on this.)

I’ve now learned that if I want to love God and others, I have to love myself. Because God values me, I value myself. And thus, I practice radical self-care.

For me, fasting is loving myself. I bless my soul. I bless my body. I deepen my spiritual connection. I deepen my connection with others.

Dear fellow-fasters, what a beautiful gift we’re giving ourselves now!

Abangan…

PS. Here are 2 more juice recipes I got from Cherrie Calbom’s Juicing For Life

1. Waldorf: 1 green apple; 1 stalk celery
2. Maureen’s Spicy Tonic: ¼ pineapple; ½ apple; ¼ inch slice ginger root

PS2. My office staff just started mailing out my newest book, 8 Secrets Of The Truly Rich, to KerygmaFamily members. It’s my Big “Thank You” Gift to those who partner with me in my work for the Lord with at least P300 a month (local) or $20 (international) a month. If you’re NOT yet a member of the KerygmaFamily, you’re missing the mountain load of spiritual nourishment we give away to members for FREE! Monthly Kerygma magazine, daily video talks, daily Bible reflections, and so much more! Click here and join your new spiritual family and support system now!

PS3. More and more people are asking me about homeschooling. Yes, we teach our kids at home. And yes, I started Catholic Filipino Academy, a homeschool center that provides parents who wish to teach their kids at home the training, teacher’s manuals, textbooks, and DepED accreditation for their children. If you want to teach your kids at home, email catholicfilipinoacademy@gmail.com and ask for an article I wrote about homeschooling.

PS4. Do you want a part-time job where you can work from home? WANTED: We need budding school textbook writers. From Kindergarten to Grade 6 subjects. We pay a fixed amount per book project. If you’re interested, email tina@kerygmafamily.com and we’ll interview you to see if there’s a fit in the work to be done.

PS5. Do you have old children’s encyclopaedias, resource books, and story books that you are no longer using and are just collecting dust in your homes—and want to get rid of them? Let other kids read them. Please mail or ship them to CFA c/o Mayette Salvedia, at #60 Chicago St., Cubao, Quezon City (For details, call up Mayette at Tel. (632) 7264709 or email her at catholicfilipinoacademy@gmail.com (Sorry, we have no means of picking them up.)

Fasting is an incredible gift that you give to yourself.
You need to love yourself more.
I call it aggressive self-love and extreme self-care.
Unless you do, you cannot love anyone—not God, not others.

Note: You’ll see us on TV twice this Holy Week! A Holy Week Special of Preacher in Blue Jeans will be shown on ABS-CBN Channel 2, Holy Thursday, April 5, 2007 at 3;30-4:30 P.M. You can also catch me and the Kerygma Preachers on ABC Channel 5, Good Friday, April 6, 2007 at 6:00-7:00 P.M.

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