Whole 30 On the road & PCALT

What do you get when you combine a Whole30 diet and the PCA Women's Ministry Leadership Training?

A slight backslide in physical health goals, but a giant step forward spiritually!

Last week, I was in Atlanta for a PCA* Women's Ministry Leadership Training and so I didn't have complete control over what I ate.  Well, I had control over what I put in my mouth, but I didn't always have control over what what options I had to choose from.

Breakfast was easy - scrambled eggs every day, and some fruit.

Lunches and dinner were whatever was in front of me, minus any bread or rice, or grits!  We're in the south ya'll.

Typically, meals consisted of salad, some kind of meat and steamed vegetables (pictured).

So, minus the sauce on the meat, I think I did pretty well. I was still a bit hungry and night and craved something sweet.

I brought some sunflower seed butter from home.  I packed it in a smaller container because peanut butter doesn't make it through TSA security checkpoints- I've tried that before!

I scooped the sunflower seed butter onto slices of apples that I also brought along.  Delicious.

I also took along the approved but expensive Larabars I had picked up the week before just to have on hand.

All my snacks were delicious and helped fill me up and curb cravings for the desserts!

Speaking of desserts... Cheesecake, cookies, and muffins all called to me each day -- but I refused.

I had to physically walk away from the cheesecake table in order to resist, but I will say I am quite proud of myself for not giving in to that particular temptation!

However, I did make one intentional choice to stray from the Whole30 on the last night.

We had a voucher to use; so I got a White Chocolate Mocha from Starbucks with an extra pump of White Chocolate.

It was a joy to watch my mom in action, as she is the Regional Coordinator
for the Northeast region and has several responsibilities throughout the weekend.

Oh my.
So, so good.
I only regret it a little tiny bit.

So, although I've done pretty well, I haven't kept the diet perfectly.

I am still learning what is allowed, and what is not, and of course still developing self-control and the will to say no!

What I did learn from the Leadership Training in Atlanta was that there are a whole bunch of PCA women in this country who are energized by God's Word and who care deeply for the women of the church.

Some of the women have the same struggles as I do, while others have complete different and unique hardships.

Some women are a part of large congregations with a variety of women's ministries, while others, like me(!) are in small church plants just trying to figure out where to start.

Some women have been in the PCA their whole life, while others are new.

Deep Biblical truths, the challenge to look to Jesus, and the encouragement that we are not alone encompassed the weekend.

What a privilege to soak in the rich history that the Lord has given, to realize the challenges that face us today are not insurmountable, and to rejoice in hope of the things to come!

PCA (Presbyterian Church of America, not PCUSA)