Has someone ever said something to you that made you feel valued and loved? Affirmations that gave you a sense of meaning and purpose? In my Encouragement for Today devotion, Just the Right Words, I shared a story of how one woman’s words changed the course of another.

Sadly, many of us don’t have people to speak hope and encouragement into our hearts. However, all of us do have Someone who wants to speak just the right words into our lives – every day. Today I have a power-packed {very short} video message where I share how you can position your thoughts to hear and live in God’s promises – every day. Click on the arrow below and discover how to stop letting doubt and discouragement beat you up, and start letting God words build you up instead!

{Download FREE Confident Heart “AM/FM Thoughts Printable here}

Enter TODAY’s GIVEAWAY:

Click “share your thoughts” right below this post and do just that. All commenters will be entered in my “Living in God’s Promises” gift pack giveaway which includes a $10 Starbucks OR  Target Gift Card{you choose}, 2 copies of A Confident Heart, and a copy of my Letting God Fill the Empty Places in Your Heart message on CD!

WEEK 8 Update: My week 8 email update included the wrong link which brought you back to week 7. Sorry about that. Please click here to go to week 8′s word of the week.

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Our word for the week: CONQUEROR

Be sure to print it and post it everywhere! You can download in a PDF or in MSWord. 

God’s WORD for US this week:
“No, in all these things you are more than [a] conqueror through Him who loved you.” Romans 8:37

Share Your Thoughts: As you read Chapter 7 , are there sentences or verse  you’ve underlined or highlighted? Click “Share Your Thoughts” below to give your answers.

Chosen…I love that word. I don’t know a heart that doesn’t long to be chosen?

Yet the disappointments of life and the deep pain of broken relationships can cause us to forget that we are – chosen, loved, and sought after.

“You are a chosen [woman], a royal priesthood, a holy [daughter], a [woman] belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of HIM who has called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9, NIV

Yet, broken hearts and broken circumstances can make us doubt we are valuable, that our future relationships can be healthy, or that anyone would ever want us. Without even realizing it, we begin to see ourselves as disposable. Easily replaced. Not good enough.

As I shared in Chapter 6, this happened to me after my fiance broke our engagement  – twice.

I had always believed I wasn’t good enough and now I had proof.

But God…used it to show me a deep place in my soul that would only be complete when I realized that in His eyes, I was just right. Forever loves and chosen.

“It wasn’t until He was all I had that I realized He was all I needed (really needed). Recovering from the heartbreak of being unwanted and rejected, I started to discover my identity and permanent value in who I was in Christ for the first time. The promise of God’s nearness and the fact that He chose me as His own was the only assurance I could hold on to.” (Chapter 6)

{I have a song that I know without a doubt God picked for me to share with you…and then He led me to this version of the music video. How do I know? Because there are photos in it that I’ve used in different ways over the years, but I didn’t know they were in this video until I watched it. Please take time to listen and let your heart respond to these truths – let this words remind your heart that you are secure, significant and accepted. You are CHOSEN and your heart is spoken for.

Oh sweet friends, I pray you would let these words soak deep into your heart. Watch it again and again until your soul knows it’s true!!

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Today’s Giveaway: Click here for my Chapter 6 – AM/FM Thoughts Download to print and post, and also share with a friend!

And the winners are:

• Last week’s randomly yet prayerfully selected winner of my “Living Loved” give-away is… Rita Walters.
• This week’s winners randomly and prayerfully chosen from over 885 of you who participated in ACH Online Study roll call are:

1. Kimmie – who will receive a year’s subscription to the P31 Woman magazine
2. Stephanie – who will receive an exclusive P31 radio CD with 40 0f our favorite shows
3. Kathy – who will receive a $10 gift card to Target or Starbucks {you choose!}

PS> I know it’s disappointing to not win, and I think it might be as disappointing for me to not to be able to choose every single one of you!! That is why I take forever choosing a winner.  But I also know you’ll be thrilled for each other ’cause that’s just the kind of women you are.  I love that about you {and I”m telling you – Iam seriously enjoying reading our roll call!! It’s so amazing to see where we are all from. In fact, I’m compiling a list to share with you all next week .

Time to Connect: Ok, let’s all share our answer to #7 in the questions at end of Chapter 6. And any others you feel comfortable sharing, too. {I now know you all know how to leave a comment – after 885+ of you participated in our “roll call” here! What a blast I’m having reading all of them!!}

Click  “share your thoughts”  right below this post and do just that. I’ll be here reading and praying and commenting too.  LOVE you guys!!!

Our word for the week: CHOSEN
Download in a PDF or in MSWord. Be sure to print it and post it everywhere so you can remember YOU ARE a CHOSEN child of  God!!

God’s WORD for us this week:
“You are a chosen [woman], a royal priesthood, a holy [daughter], a [woman] belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of HIM who has called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9, NIV

Today’s Assignments:
Please print and post your word and verse for the week. Continue reading chapter 6 and asswer questions 1-3 at the end of the chapter. We’ll chat about them here soon.

Roll Call!! {and a giveaway!}
Let’s  get to know each other better! All who participate will be entered into a fun  GIVEAWAY for year’s subscription to the P31 Woman magazine, an exclusive P31 radio CD with 40 0f our favorite shows, and a $10 gift card to Target or Starbucks {you choose!}

Just answer these 3 simple questions: Where are you from (state or country), what is your age, what do you love to do in your free time?

UPDATE:  This is SO much FUN reading about  you and reading your comments to one another. Ya’ll make my heart smile so big!! {And just in case you wanted to know – I’m 45, live in North Carolina and in my spare time (which I rarely have), I love to watch a movie with my family, read a good book or be outside soaking up the beauty of God’s creation.} I wish I loved to cook and be crafty like so many of you!!

Click on “Share Your Thoughts” below to give your answers.

In chapter 5,  we talk about Gideon who, like us, doubted his strength and abilities. When God called him to defeat his enemy’s immediately Gideon’s insecurities started shouting excuses, listing all his inadequacies. Yet through his story we see God wasn’t limited by Gideon’s limitations, and He’s not limited by ours either.

God could see beyond who Gideon was to who he could become. He promised Gideon he would defeat his enemies, but he would not fight alone. “The Lord answered, ‘I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive’” (Judg. 6:16).

Gideon’s first steps out of the shadow of doubt would require he focus on God’s promise and power, not himself. Eventually, with God’s help, Gideon defeated his enemies and his doubts.  In today’s video message, I share how we can do the same by intentionally identifying our doubts and throwing them away, so that we can take hold of and live in the security of HIS promises instead! Please click the arrow below to watch.

• Don’t Throw Away Your Confidence printable (click here)
• Message Notes: You can download video “Message Notes” in a PDF format here or in a MSWord doc here.  I encourage you to watch it once and just let God speak to your heart. Then if you want to, watch it agagin and follow along with the message notes which include parts of the message, verses and blanks to fill in.

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I don’t know about you, but whew – this chapter was just what I needed this week. God used it to remind me of how good HE is at being strong in my weaknesses – and unlimited by my limitations. Being really sick for two weeks, with an injured teenager and a 3-year old who has sleep/anxiety issues that have caused her to wake up all night for the past three out of five nights will make you think it’s time to resign from just about everything you do {but don’t worry I’m not}.

Connecting in Community: Ok friend, let’s talk. Overwhelming circumstances will send me to the trash every time! What’s tempting you to throw away your confidence this week? Did chapter 5 help you identify your triggers? What promises are you going to take hold of after writing down and throwing away your doubts? Or share other answers to questions 1-7 at the end of the chapter.

Share your thoughts below this post. I really want to hear from you – yes you! You are an important part of our community and conversation!

“We can trust God’s plans as we realize that His story is being written into ours. His power is perfected in the broken places we consider to be our greatest weaknesses – our most vulnerable emotions we don’t want anyone to know about. In those hiding places, God calls us out of captivity. When we’re willing to let Him, He brings hope for our future despite the pain of our past.” – Chapter 4

Chapter 4 takes a lot of courage. And I’m so proud of you for being here and not giving up, for wanting all He has for you. I know your Heavenly Father is so proud of you too, for your pursuit and your willingness to walk with Him one step at a time. Remember Christ died to forgive our sins but also to heal our souls so that we can live in Him – with HOPE again!

Don’t give up friend, no matter what! Stay close to Jesus. Stay connected here. We’re in this together. HE is so worthy!! And you? You are so worth it!!

Here’s this week’s messages. Please don’t miss it. I want to be able to share with you face to face this. You were on my mind and in my prayers when I filmed this teaching several weeks ago. Please click the arrow below to watch.

Message Notes: You can download video “Message Notes” in a PDF format here or in a MSWord doc here.  I encourage you to watch it once and just let God speak to your heart. Then if you want to, watch it a second time and follow along with the message notes which include parts of the message, verses and blanks to fill in.

I know the timelines I encourage you to do are scary for many. I really do understand. And it takes time. I wish I had shared that more clearly in the book. Today I’m praying for God to give you courage and perseverance to press through any fear that would keep you from starting it.  Fear is Satan’s way of keeping us from the freedom God wants in our lives.  You don’t have to do a timeline if you don’t want to or if God doesn’t lead you to. The reason I encourage one is because it’s valuable for us to identify memories and emotions caused in the past that play a role in how you see ourselves and others, and how we handle life and relationships today.

In her comments under this post, May shared how she’s been taking it a little at a time and how answering the questions at the end of the chapter has helped her start her timeline.

Connecting in Community: Let’s share with each other what God showed you through our video message? Also, if you feel comfortable, please share some of your answers to questions at end of Chapter 4.

Click  “share your thoughts”  right below this post and do just that. I’ll be here reading and praying and commenting as time allows. Let’s take a minute today to pray for or encourage someone else as time allows. This chapter is one where it sure is good to know we have friends here to pray and walk beside us, isn’t it? LOVE you guys!!!

“When our questions make us doubt God’s heart, our pain can lead to bitterness and bondage. Yet in the security of our relationship with Christ, God wants us to ask the hard questions and look for answers that usher us into the depths of His redeeming love. He wants us to live in the promise that He offers hope for our future despite the pain of our past. He knows our past and our pain can actually lead us to His plans and hope for our future.”
from Chapter 4, A Confident Heart

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Our Word for the week: HOPE
(Download in a PDF or download in MSWord). Please print it and post it everywhere so you can remember that God’s love can satisfy the thirst of your soul!

HIS Word for us this week:
“May the God of hope fill [me] with all joy and peace as [I] trust in him, so that [I] may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Romans 15:13, NIV

Today’s Assignment:
Start or continue reading chapter 4. Remember, take your time and highlight or underline sentences that resonate in your heart.

Connecting in Community:
Let’s commit to memorize this week’s verse together! If you are in, leave a comment by clicking on “share your thoughts” and tell us how you plan to memorize it. I’m writing mine on my mirror and on a ceramic plate in my kitchen for the week.

I’m still sick today but getting better slowly. Would treasure prayers for total healing. Meeting with video editor today to finalize this week’s message so I can share it with you. I’ll be back with a question or something else to we can talk about soon. I’ll just add it to this post (but I’ll email to let you know when I do. Praying for you today!