What I wanted was another diet plan.

What I wanted was to take another stab at not failing, again, at keeping the weight off.

I didn't expect to gain anything. This was all about loss, right?

Instead, I gained a group of women who went to their knees for me, a total stranger, when I confessed after my first four days that I felt like I was losing my mind. Detox from processed foods, sugar and diet soda is no joke!

Instead, I gained knowledge and insight God really did care what I ate. I thought it didn't matter to Him if I overate ... I mean, He's got bigger things on His mind, right? When I let God into my battle with food, He told me that my overeating was flat out sin. He showed me that I ran to food in times of stress and for comfort instead of Him. I've always said that if I felt about drugs or alcohol the way I feel about food I would be living, toothless, under a freeway overpass somewhere. My food drug of choice was legal and cheap BUT not without ramifications to my body and my relationships. God reminded me that my body was the temple of the Holy Spirit and even though I had read that verse many times before I heard it in a whole new way. My body, the temple of the Holy Spirit deserved better than I was giving it.

Instead, I found peace. I've been released from the shame of failure that always occurred when I fell hard "off plan" after the diet was over because diets are always eventually over. As a recovering perfectionist I'm working on loving my consistency. I consistently strive to make good food choices because I want to be obedient to God and what He has told me. Sometimes, I fall BUT because I no longer have to hold myself to my formerly perfect ideals I no longer feel the need to beat myself up for the whole day.

Oh, I did get the smaller pants but they're just a bonus compared to what I gained at Grace and Strength.

~Gail

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* Individual results may vary.