A series of blogs on the process of eating the CDED (Crohn’s Disease Exclusion Diet) – a medically prescribed diet to treat Crohn’s disease that involves a very limited range of mandatory foods (2 eggs, 2 bananas, potatoes, 1 chicken breast, 1 apple plus a liquid meal replacement), designed to reduce inflammation in the body – and offering it as a spiritual fast.


After I wrote my last post about how it was easier than expected things got harder. I started finding it harder to go without all the food that I love, and I started to feel sorry for myself. Then I realised that I had stopped doing the things that I had done in the first couple of weeks. I stopped asking God to help me, I stopped practicing gratitude, I stopped giving God my desires and asking him to increase my desire for him and I stopped being mindful. And surprise, surprise, I found it harder.

It’s a weird progression. I know I need God’s strength, so I ask for it and he gives it to me. Then I can do the thing so I forget that I needed God, and start to think that I can do this thing, and it all comes crashing down. I think I do this a lot, and it’s a good reminder that I need to keep relying on God, not just when things are new. So, I’ve been trying to go back to focusing on God, and giving him my desires and my weakness. It’s hard though, cause sometimes I just don’t want to.

Apart from remembering my God focus, something else that has been helping is changing my self-talk from I can’t to I choose not to, because I choose health.  I can eat whatever I like. No one is stopping me. But I am choosing a chance at medication free good health over the pleasure of chocolate or coffee or bread. I haven’t given that power to anyone else – I can choose what I want the most. I’m not being deprived, I’m choosing life. And I am feeling better, slowly but surely.

I’ve also been intentionally thanking God for the gift of my digestive system, and asking him to bless it. When you think about all the many and varied things that we put in our mouths (not so much me at the moment, but still), and the way that the digestive system processes it all and extracts from it what the body needs, it is something to be grateful for. Mine isn’t working quite as it should at the moment, but it is still doing a sterling job every day! I’m aware, too, of the way that my tummy reacts to my stress, and so I’m trying to do calming things like deep breathing and opening myself to God’s presence.

Two more weeks of the strictest part of the CDED (Crohn’s Disease Exclusion Diet), and then I move to Stage 2. And I can have a slice of bread every day! I can’t wait (I’ve been very surprised at how much I’ve missed bread!).


Hi, I'm Chris!

I'm an Australian Christian author, blogger and speaker who has published one book - Diamonds from the King - which is a book of stories from my life of ways that God has worked to bring precious diamonds from suffering, disappointment and confusion.

I'm a mum, granny and wife and I love spending time with my grown kids and my four and counting grandkids, but my greatest passion is to get to know God better, and to share his wonder with the world.