Here are David Coe’s reflections on his day of fasting:
Monday, July 6, 2009
8:00 Last meal was 6pm last night. 14 hours and not a bit hungry. This is going to be easy.
12:00 First hunger pang. Not much of a pang and it goes away. I usually skip breakfast so this is not surprising. Starting a 5 hour drive home from the mountains.
4:00 After 4 hours on the road I have my first major hunger pang. Does not go away. All of a sudden all I can think about is how hungry I am.
4:15 Still hungry. Getting a headache and I’m tired. I’m starting to worry about my ability to drive safely.
4:20 Aargh! Ran a red light. Shoot! Dilemma: do I stop and eat or do I keep on driving? I don’t want Pastor Dave to have my death on his conscience.
4:25 Yikes! Almost ran another red light. Why do they put lights out here in the middle of nowhere?
4:30 I am able to remember that there is only one more red light between here and home. I will be ready for it. I am impressed with my ability to reason out a plan to get home safely given my current state of mind.
4:35 The red light comes and goes smooth as can be. Nice. I pat myself on the back.
4:37 Oh no!! Another red light! I stop OK but I’m no longer impressed with reasoning skills.
4:40 I hear the news on the radio about Sara Palin quitting her job as Governor of Alaska. After several painstaking analytical attempts I decide that it’s a good thing that she is not our Vice President. I will double check this conclusion with me tomorrow.
5:00 Made it home. Obviously I decided to be stupid and to keep driving. Still hungry but its no worse than it was an hour ago. I decide to write up my notes from the last hour before I forget what happened.
5:10 Done with my notes but I can’t remember everything that happened. I remember thinking that being starved makes me funny but I can’t remember why. Kind of like how a couple of beers makes me think that I’m debonair. It’s good that I don’t have any responsibilities this evening.
Going to check Dave’s instructions on what I’m supposed to be doing while I’m fasting.
5:15 Checked out the tile job that Don White did in the bathroom while I was gone. Man is he good!
6:30 Finished a long conversation with Doreen getting caught up on the events of the last few days (I’ve been away since last Thursday). Great conversation. I thought that I was going to get a little prickly but I just couldn’t because she was so cute hiding her dinner from me and showing off her very cool new outfit for an upcoming wedding and her new hairdo.
6:45 Beyond hunger now. Starting to feel physically ill, like I might puke.
7:10 Watched Perpetuum Jazille doing an amazing acappella version of The Rain In Africa on YouTube (http://www.flixxy.com/perpetuum-jazzile-real-group-africa.htm) . Actually made me forget my hunger for about 4 minutes! The first part is extremely quiet if you decide to watch it.
7:30 I found the questions from Pastor Dave. Will respond when the day is done. I don’t feel sick anymore. Just very hungry. I’m thinking about going to bed very early in an attempt to bring this to an end.
7:55 Spent several minutes trying to meditate, read the Bible, and pray. See comments below.
8:10 Just read Dave and Coby’s fasting journals. They are both so positive and I am so negative. The only positive thing in my day so far is Doreen and the fact that I lived to tell the tale.
9:15 Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise. Good night. I hope.
9:20 Found it easy to meditate and pray while lying still in bed. Felt close to Jesus. Forgot about hunger while praying.
4:20 It’s a little after 4 in the morning. I have not slept at all. I have lain awake for 7 hours, checking the clock every few minutes. I’ve tried everything and I can’t get to sleep. It has been 34 hours since I’ve eaten or had anything to drink other than water and coffee. Now I can’t sleep. I feel horrible and I’m getting depressed. Time to get up and eat something. I will start with apple juice and crackers.
10:20 4 crackers, a glass of apple juice, reading the paper, and a sleeping pill was all it took. I fell asleep just fine at 5:30 and slept until Doreen woke me at 10:20. Just ate a bagle and I feel great. Kind of cleansed. If I ever do this again I will allow a cracker or two and some juice.
PS – I was right about Palin.
Responses to Pastor Dave’s questions.
What does it feel like to be hungry?
It hurts. I cannot focus. I am easily distracted. I cannot sleep.
What is your body saying to you?
Feed me. Why would you do such a thing?
Did you experience any spiritual benefit to fasting?
Don’t think so. I tried to meditate – all I could do was think about food. I tried to read the Bible – I just kept reading the same sentence over and over again.
How did it affect your praying?
At first I tried to pray and I couldn’t say a simple prayer. I would get distracted and start thinking about something totally unrelated to what I was praying about. The harder I tried to concentrate on a conversation with God the worse it got. Later, in bed, I found it easy to pray and felt close to Jesus – more so than normal
Did your experience of fasting change how you view people who are in great need?
Yes.
Doreen and I support Compassion, a group that helps disadvantaged young people with food, clothing, and education in a Christ based way. This experience will help me to more fully appreciate why we’re doing that. I also plan to become a regular contributor to the Kitchen, something we’ve never done.
Throughout the day I knew that I always had the option to break my fast which I ultimately did at 4:20 am when I couldn’t take it anymore. The thought of not having that ability is sort of terrifying. I cannot get my mind around the idea that millions of people have to live with that pain and fear with no way to stop it.
I have long been grateful for the bounty that I enjoy through the grace of God. I think that I now have a better understanding of my responsibility to share all that God has given to me.




