There’s something about the end of the year and Christmas that stirs up stories in my heart.
Stories that make me laugh.
Stories that make me grateful.
Stories that make me shake my head in disbelief. {i.e. head-on collisions with monkey bars}
Today, in my Proverbs 31 Encouragement for Today devotion, I told the story of my melt-down Christmas several years ago. It wasn’t my best day, but God intersected that story and used my hard place to show me more of His heart and His perspective. He redeemed that day and it completely changed the way the story ended. {If you’d like to enter the giveaway and download the Christmas Prayer, I’ll share how at the end of this post.}
Do you ever think about your story and wonder what it would be like without Jesus?
Today, I’ve invited my very good friend, Melissa Taylor, director of P31 Online Bible Studies, to join me as we share a story God’s been writing for a while – in our lives and the lives of countless other. And, because you’re here today with us, I have a feeling you are part of this story too!
I wish I could sit with you over coffee and hear your story today.
I would love for us to talk about how “we” can link our ARMS, our HEARTS and our PRAYERS together and ask God to do something immeasurably more through us. Will you seek Him with us for prayer and provision as we raise money needed in our ministry to keep bringing Jesus’ hope, truth and love to women and families around the world.
It’s a big number [$300,000]. An intimidating number. But it’s not too big for God.Will you be part of God’s story with us today?Every amount MAKES A DIFFERENCE: $5, $10, $25, $50, $500
Every gift MATTERS.
If you feel called to give, I’d love to be able to thank you.
Click “share your thoughts” and let me know in a comment under this post.
Also, just this week a Foundation offered a MATCHING GIFT!!
You can find out more at these links below:
Give a One-Time Gift
Become a Monthly-Partner
My Gift to YOU: Download my Christmas Prayer to print or share.
Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us. Ephesians 3:20
Christ-Centered Christmas GIVEAWAY worth OVER $35!
Whether you give or not – I’d love to hear from you today!
Is there a way God has used Proverbs 31 Ministries to impact your life and shape your story?
Each of you who leave a comments or story under today’s post will be entered into my Christ-Centered Christmas GIVEAWAY worth over $35! It includes a copy of my NEW Confident Heart Devotional book, A new P31 Women’s Devotional Bible, and Laura Story’s new CD – “The God Of Every Story.”
So many of the devotions have spoke to my heart. Definitely have helped my faith deepen and give me courage to be bold in my faith. All for His glory!! Today’s was what I needed as I always feel lonely at this time of year due to family living 10 hours away and I needed that reminder of unwrapping the most important gift Jesus!!
I have been receiving your Proverbs 31 daily devotions for a few years now. Proverbs 31 has helped me get through some very difficult times in my life and get a closer walk with Christ! I am so thankful for you ladies. Reading your personal real life struggles and how you get through them has helped me get through some of my struggles in life. They have also helped me to see everyone struggles, I am not alone, even though some look as though they go through life with ease. Thank you! Bless all of you!
Thank you. I have often passed along devotionals from P31 that encouraged my heart….I am especially thankful that you all share about real life struggles….it makes the journey of life a bit easier knowing that we all walk together toward Jesus…
God bless you…
With prayers of blessing
Your sister
What an amazing devotional today…..and love the Christmas prayer! I am like you…..where everything must be perfect. This spoke straight to my anxious heart. Thank you!!
hi renee, I have been reading the posts for a long time now. I really enjoy them, it is so uplifting and comforting to read other women’s stories and inspirations. makes one realize none of us are alone in the things that occur in our lives, our reactions, emotions, spirits. I have taken to reading the bible every morning [ most days ], and I can definitely say that I usually find God speaking directly to me a lot of the time. the other day, my knees were hurting so bad [ arthritis and injuries ] that I prayed to God, ”please God, I am freaking out, there is so much to do to prepare for the day of Your Son’s birth. how will I manage with this pain. I am years behind in clutter control due to deaths, surgeries, etc.. I cannot get all this done with no help in time ! ” well, well………..I got up, my knees stopped hurting and my anxiety was quelled. it is a joy and a wonder when God performs these tangible miracles for me. I am joyous, then also I think, how can You be so good to me, so many need You even when they are not even aware of it. anyway, have a merry Christmas. we , all of us, can have a ”happy holiday” on George Washington’s birthday or valentine’s day. di
Thanks!
Thank you for your devotional in my email every week day 🙂 It is such an encouraging part of my day!! Blessings to you and all the staff of Proverbs 31. May God continue to bless your ministry!!
This blog and today’s devotional really touched my heart. The first decoration I dig out each year is a little plastic nativity that my mom always had on the bookshelf when I was growing up. A couple of the figures on it have been glued back more than once, but it is still precious to me – because it represents what Christmas is supposed to be about: God’s gift to us.
I was getting so ashamed of how materialistic Christmas has become that I determined to focus my family on Jesus. Each year I wrote a simple play for the grandchildren to perform centering on Him. I had everyone write down a good act they had done and place it in a gift box for Jesus. Each year-they all brought something to give to the needy-shoes, clothes,blankets. We sang happy birthday to Jesus and then we opened our gifts! This year I made a shirt to wear while out and about:the front reads”message on back may offend”–the back reads “Merry Christmas” Christians need to become bolder in these immoral times-the joy of the Lord is our strength. God ,make your people bold.
My story……August of 2009 I was going through a separation which ultimately ended in divorce after being married only 4 years. A friend of mine sent me a devotion from Proverbs 31 ministries which she felt was a Word from God for me. I was so moved how the devotions helped me daily so I signed up to receive them in my email and made it my daily devotions that I would read after or along with my regular Bible reading during quiet times.
I was also in a place where the Lord had spoke to me several times in the year to leave my job, I being the stubborn child I am would not listen and one day I read a devotion about listening to the whisper of the Lord (I’m not sure of the exact title) so I left my job after much prayer and consideration trusting God to take care of me and my children being a single mom…..yet again. For three months those devotions encouraged me and helped me like a close friend does in person. It was like each woman that was writing that day was holding my hand while Christ was holding my other hand walking me through the day and telling me it was going to be ok. I found a job took a 10, 000 a year pay cut which is big for a single mother with 4 girls and one of them entering college. It was the third best decision I made in my life, after accepting Christ and quitting the previous job. I work where I am happy and the atmosphere is a joyous one and I am off when my children are off.
I am not at a point in my life financially where I can give back but when I am I will be pouring into this ministry with more than just prayers. Thank you so much for your daily encouragement and for your obedience…..all of the ladies that contribute to the devotions and your blogs. may the Lord continue to richly bless you!
I’m so grateful for the Proverbs 31 Ministries devotionals, and all the women that help make this ministry what it is today. I live for these awesome, encouraging life-changing devotionals. I make sure I get all my other emails opened, read, and responded to, so I can sit back and relax and totally be focused on what God is saying through all these amazing women/writers.
I want to give back to this ministry with a monetary blessing, such a little price to pay for encouraging words coming right into my inbox!
Thank you Proverbs 31 ladies!
May He continue to bless this ministry beyond measure!
AS ALWAYS RIGHT ON TIME, THANKS FOR THE ENCOURAGEMENT AND THE REMINDER TO KEEP OUR FOCUS ON OUR PRECIOUS GIFT.
You are welcome. Christmas blessings to you Yvonne!
I just got baptized in April, wonderful day! Then my sister followed and just two weekends ago, she asked me to baptize her. It made it the best day ever. Just bringing people to God, to me, is the greatest gift. I feel so blessed have many friends/family in my life, reminding me to pray and follow God’s unconditional love. Proverbs 31 has been my morning “go-to” before I start my day. I love reading the daily devotional, and I was so excited when it was you, Renee!!! I was so excited, because I am on week 3 of A Confident Heart book study, with my sister (yay!) and one of my good friends. We are loving it! I know I already have this book that you’re giving away, but I would give it to another friend who is a recent follower of Christ. I love having/reading all this, as it reminds me throughout the day to portray God’s love.
Hey Heather! I’ve seen your emails with Donna and love that you are reading A Confident Heart with your sister and good friend. It’s been such a sweet encouragement to me to picture you talking about it together 🙂
Christmas blessings!!
I love to start my work day with a Prov 31 devotion. There is such care, wisdom and support that radiates from these devotionals. I have already shared the ministry with others.
I love this ministry and the fact it changes lives. I have grown in faith because of you. Thanks.
I started with Proverbs 31 OBS with When a woman says Yes to God and I was Sold I learned so much about me and my Walk with the Lord, Then came A Confident Women , I was blessed with the book and couldn’t wait to get my book, At the same time my family was going through some rough spots like my husband wasn’t working and we were behind in our bills ETC. Doing the OBS made my day each day I would get up and listen to the Video and read the chapter and answer the questions…What I loved most were the Facebook parties and the small groups where U can go and ask for Prayer and know that there are many women all over Praying for you making it easier to make it though Ur struggles.
Thank-you Proverb 31 Staff and Women
It started with the Encouragement for Today devotionals for me. I have been receiving them for at least 3 years. This is the first year that I have done an OBS, and I did two — “When Women Say Yes to God” and “A Confident Heart”. One just flowed seamlessly into the other. I loved the daily emails, assignments, printables, projects, and those Fb parties!! I really felt like I was a part of a larger community of women who were struggling with the same things I was. Before the first OBS this summer, I felt stuck, depleted, and totally confused, wondering where God was and why couldn’t I hear Him??? These two OBS have “unstuck” me. I now hear more God more clearly and readily. He has calmed my heart and has brought hope back into my life. All life’s struggles are still there, but there is calm and direction in the storm. Thank you Proverbs 31 for listening to God and being bold enough to follow His leading. You have changed my life.
Thank you Renee! I am so excited to have a copy of this story and your prayer to share with others. I heard you speak at the PJ party on Friday and you are very encouraging and inspiring. Thank you to you and all of the women of Proverbs 31 Ministires, you all are a wonderful tool that God is using to spread His message and encourage so many women. I cannot give today, but I will try and give to support this truly worthwhile minitry sometime this month. Thank you again!! 🙂
The daily messages are very encouraging and uplifting. Blessings to all the writers for listening to God prompting sand sharing with each of us.
I have been getting email devotionals from P31 for quite a while and they encourage me very much each day. I have also read many of the books and done a few of the bible studies, which has been a tremendous blessing to me. Thank you for everything that ya’ll do and have a very Merry Christmas!
Thank you for your story and PS31. It has been a huge encouragement for me and others to whom I forward
Melissa & Renee,
This ministry has had a huge impact on my life over the past couple of months. I had been searching for a bible study locally, but just couldn’t find one that fit my crazy schedule in our small town. Plus, I have just been craving authentic Christian friendships and wanting to go deeper – to know what God’s plan and purpose is for my life. I have been seeking!! As a worship leader part-time as well as working another full-time management position, it can sometimes be lonely.
Starting my 1st P31 OBS has allowed me to connect with so many women, including yourselves!, that have the same struggles… it’s so freeing to know that I am not alone. A Confident Heart has given me the tools to move forward in peace and confidence, and especially with a renewed commitment to follow God daily – even when others around me are not. I can be strong and confident and hopefully a light to those who need to see Christ through me. And when I fail, as I know I will, I will not crumble. I will go back and open up A Confident Heart and reclaim what I know to be true!
Many blessings and a Merry Christmas to you both!
I discovered P31 on the radio a few months ago, and look forward to the inspiration I receive every morning on my way to work. I am still trying to figure out where I belong in this world, and how I am supposed to use my gifts to make a difference, so I keep praying for an answer. I am just not sure when or in what form that answer will come. Today was the first day I looked up you up online and just signed up for my first ever online Bible Study. Praying for a change in my life, so I can be happy.
I don’t remember how I came to know about Proverbs 31 ministries. I have been on your various newsletters for probable a little over a year. I have been blessed by your books and letters. I maybe one of your oldest members year wise but we never outgrow our need for wisdom and encouragement. Thank you. I will be mailing a gift to the ministry.
I am new to Proverbs 31, but I will be back. My life is full of chaos right now and I found myself focusing on secular Christmas activities. Your blog reminded me to slow down and centre my focus on Christ alone this Christmas season. Thank you.
Renee…God used your book and on line study to help me always remember to turn to the Light…that He is the source of our strength and hope… What a great convenant keeping God we serve. I have given many Confident Heart books away to encourage and help others…Thank you for sharing.
Hi Renee! Proverbs 31 has become a very integral part of my life over the last year. In early 2013, God called me to “go bigger.” About the time I started figuring out what He meant, COMPEL, Proverbs 31’s new writing workshops, came along. I am rediscovering my love of writing as well as the gift of writing that God blessed me with that I have not been consistently using to further His kingdom. He has called me to write; and thanks to Proverbs 31, I am able to develop this skill. This very week, I am planing to launch my own blog plus I am going to revive our Women’s Ministry Enewsletter here at our church in 2014. Thank you to all the ladies of Proverbs 31 Ministries for your thoughtful and inspirational daily messages!
Thank you so much for making this Christmas a true Christ Centered one. It’s been a hard year and thru counseling and your PS31 postings I have turned to truly trusting God in my life.
There are so many times when I would be discouraged or worried about something and then open up my Proverbs 31 email only to find such words of encouragement and insight. I realize there are others out there that go through the same things I do. I am not alone. I share a lot of the emails on my Facebook page. Thank you for your faithfulness.
Peace
Refreshed
Overjoyed
Very grateful
Excited
Rededicated
Blessed
Saved
These simple words do not grasp the significant impact that Proverbs 31 Ministries has had on my life for the last 3 years. I am alive and all of the above thanks to the words of encouragement shared by this ministry. Thank you for sharing your stories and God’s provision in real life so, that those of us in a pit may see the LIGHT and God’s direction out of the pit.. Thank you for your OBS, A Confident Heart. It is my 1st OBS and while I haven’t been as active as I would like, I have been BLESSED! THANK YOU from me and my family! MERRY CHRISTMAS!
I could not make it through the day without my Proverbs 31 daily encouragement. I try to read these each morning before my hectic work day gets started. They are always a blessing to me and I frequently share them with my co-workers. I can always relate to them and I was truly blessed when I took the time one day to send a direct email to one of the ladies, they responded!!! Thank you for the blessing that you are to me and to some many other ladies.
I started giving $10.00 monthly some time ago to P31 Ministries and I’m not wealthy but my life has and is always impacted by the devotions I read daily from P31. You do an amazing ministry to women and others who read your devotionals. They sometimes are speaking right to my heart that day. I am grateful for you and God’s messages you send in my life and I share these messages when I feel they will help someone else who is going through difficulties.
I try really hard to keep Christ in the center of my life. But I struggle everyday. I look at other Christian women and wonder why I am so different. I still struggle to be happy everyday. But I love Jesus and completely trust in Him to continue guiding me. Thank you for your story.
I had to laugh at the devotional today. We are having all the family in for Christmas this year (29 of us.) Our tree that usually has only white lights, is not full of colored lights. There may not be a lot of wrapped gifts under the tree, but our gifts are the ability for everyone to come home for Christmas. So this devotional was a reminder not to get too involved in our making it the perfect Christmas, but let God who gave us the perfect Christmas years ago, fill our time together with joy!
I sort of stumbled onto P31 about two years ago. I loved the devotions, the warmth of the women and the ease with which I connected to this powerful and loving ministry. About a year and a half ago, my brother and sister-in-law came back to town. I had never met his wife — who was a wounded and unhappy woman at that time. I introduced her to this ministry by forwarding a link the the Confident Heart study. It changed her life! She has faithfully participated in every study since. She has connected with other women, developed her relationship with the Lord and is growing in leaps and bounds. I see her receiving healing for life’s hurts as she walks along her path — with the faithful and loving women online through P31. It is such a blessing to me. This ministry is so precious and powerful as it extends the love of Jesus and teaches about our loving, Almighty God and His will to draw each of us to Him through all of the messiness of living in a fallen world. I pray huge blessings on you all! I know the Lord is in this ministry and he is not going to let the need for money shut it down! He is going to bless you above and beyond your need to great abundance!
Thank you for sharing your Christmas Prayer it is what I needed to hear. To keep Christ the center of it all.
May God richly bless your ministry.
Danitra Belisle
christ? Danitra Belisle? you were sleeping with my fiance Charles for 6 months before I found out about it…yep you sure have Christ in your life
Thank you for sharing, p31 had helped me in too many ways to count, not the least of which was staying through the hard times in my marriage, rather than walking away. I am truly grateful for the daily message.
what a gift to be part of your story. May God richly bless you and your marriage this Christmas!! You are loved!
This is the first Christmas in a long time that I am looking forward to. I have been through so much and have been in so much emotional pain. I finally stopped thinking about me and what I don’t have and all my problems and remembered the true meaning of Christmas.
Im so proud of you Maria. That choice to change your focus is life-changing. My heart is so touched by your post. Im praying for you to keep feeling that joy He brings when we focus on Him — all He is and all He’s provided. Christmas blessings to YOU!
Thank you for sharing your story and Gods word. I needed that. God bless!
Merry Christmas Debbie!
Renee and Melissa,
Thank you so much for sharing your stories today of how the Lord connected you with Proverbs 31 Ministries. Although I am miles away from P31 headquarters, I feel as though I have been fully connected to the ladies there and have grown with amazing friends and mentors. Yes, Renee, like you I was searching for friends and mentors but didn’t even realize it. My journey with P31 began two years ago when I stumbled upon a small book on the Christian Book Distributors website. I was looking for a book to take a small group of college girls through, and we voted on “What Happens When Women Say Yes to God” by Lysa TerKeurst. I had no idea who she was, what her ministry was, or even how to pronounce her last name. But, we selected the book. And after the first chapter, I was hooked. I had to learn more. And then I found P31. This came at a perfect time in my life when I was feeling very alone. My husband was very ill with issues related to mental illness and addiction and I felt like I had no one in my life. Over the last two years, the women of P31 and the Online Bible Study community have come along side of me and seen me through some of my darkest hours. The morning devotionals, the various books by Lysa, Renee, and Karen, and the Online Bible Study community with Melissa have truly changed my life. My passion and dream to be a writer and speaker has been re-ignited, and I am learning how to use the hurts and the dark hours to actually minister to other women. Thank you P31 for giving me a new vision and a new and refreshed walk with the Lord. I will be eternally grateful.
I love seeing the long and winding P31 path God has had you on. What a gift it is to each of us to be a character and play a role of the story He is writing in your life. We are blessed!
I love the Christmas season but this year my heart seems to be hurting and filled with bitterness, I’m praying that God can help me work through this pain to fully enjoy Christ Jesus as the meaning of Christmas this year.
Praying for you too Amber. Praying nothing can steal the peace and comfort and joy Jesus came to give to you!
Today’s devotion truly spoke to my heart. I, too, struggle with the “perfect” Christmas. I dream of having all my shopping done, presents wrapped, and decorations completed well in advance of Christmas so that I can just relax and enjoy the season. Each year something “steps on” my happy & I start dreading Christmas. Oh how I needed to hear how you paused, read the scripture and meditated on Christ’s birth. As Christians we all know the Christmas story, but we too, tend to let commercialism overtake our thoughts and actions. I will make intentional decisions to focus on Jesus and the “reason for the season”. Thank you for your devotion and downloadable prayer. Proverbs 31 is such a blessing to me.
It’s so easy to depend on what we know in our head — but then get so busy we forget to really pause and ponder all that Jesus birth means to us personally. He came to us so we could come to Him – Immanuel {God with us!}
I have enjoyed the Bible study even though I had to miss a lot with my mother’ being in and out of the hospital and my not being well. I think the chapters were so good and the videos showed that we are not alone with the many things we think we are. I have fears that cripple my life and have been ill for the past 5 years to the point I never know if I can do anything or not because I may get too sick to keep going. Very discouraging and discouraged that others judge by how much you do not by how well you do what you can. Thankful for God and that His love isunconditional. I’m praying for a great Christmas this year, the past years there have not been a lot of happy memories.
Praying for you to know the peace of Christ’s love, acceptance and delight in you!! You are HIS and that makes all the difference. Praying for joy in the midst of the holiday and each and every day of 2014!
The encouragement I receive from you and others who share their stories are such a blessing to me and remind me of the hope I have in Christ alone.
Merry Christmas Marge. We are blessed to have you as a part of the P31 family!
Dear Renee and Melissa, thank you for your message this morning, and yes, I will be giving a gift to the ministry. Two months ago, I was invited to a womens retreat with my two dearest friends, from Kindergarten. We celebrated our 50 year relationship together at this retreat. We were challenged to begin each day with The Lord, to put Him first in our lives, each day, not stick Him in when we could find down time. I took this challenge seriously because I knew my relationship with God had cooled off and I wanted to be close again. At the retreat, I felt in my heart that I wanted to be a better wife to Tony. I turned to Proverbs 31 and prayed. When I returned from the retreat, I spent my first morning with The Lord and googled Provbers 31 and guess what I found…YOU! I signed up with the ministry and have spent my mornings with The Lord praying, learning, reading, worshipping. Today is my 60 day “anniversary” for beginning each day with The Lord first, and what a blessing it has been. The study on “A Confident Heart” was EXACTLY what I needed. My God knew what I needed and provided it for me. Today is also my last day of counseling; after 14 months I feel like I can let go of that, as I learn to depend on God for my strenght. Big step for me, but it is time. So yes, I will be sending a gift this year to help this ministry to continue, to reach women around the world to find the peace that passes all understanding, Christ. Thank you for letting me tell my story, I feel like we are friends and look forward each morning to say “Hi” and “Let’s pray, because God is good”. Blessings to you all. Linda
WOW!! Thank you so much for the gift of your words, the sharing of your heart and your story and the gift of helping us do what we do as a ministry. We treasure each dollar and even more so – each and every prayer!
Christmas blessings!
I learned of Proverbs 31 way back when they still
Had a magazine. I subscribed for awhile when I was a new Christian. I loved the articles and learned so much from the ladies who shared their lives in that magazine.
Fast forward many years. I saw a post on a friends page about an online bible study through Proverbs 31. I decided to join in and I am so glad I did. I have participated in 2 studies so far and have signed up for a third. I have the most amazing group of ladies to share in my journey. I am blessed. Thanks to everyone at Proverbs 31 for answering the call.
Don’t you just love how God works. I love that He brought you back to P31 through our online studies and has giving you such an amazing group to study His word together!
Merry Christmas!
I have been part of Proverbs 31 for sometime now. This is my third bible study. Each and everyone of these studies has made a difference in my life. They have helped me gain a better, closer relationship with my Savior. Changed the way I view many issues and helped me let go of past experiences that keep me down. The holiday’s are hard for many people and that is because we have gotten away from the true meaning. They feel obligated to spend and buy more than they really can, they are without family. My prayer is that we can celebrated more for the birth of the baby Jesus and what a wonderful gift he gave us. Let us return the gift through our love and devotion to Jesus. Reach out to those that can be helped by knowing the Savior….thank you Proverbs 31 …..
Thank you JR. I love what you shared and we join you in that prayers! Sweet blessings!
Renee, I am so grateful to all of you at P31 for enriching my life and my walk with God. I am a monthly partner, and I study with Wendy on her RTW site. We have studied several of the books offered by P31, and each one has been a blessing in its own way. In short, you have changed my life and reordered my priorities…day by day…choice by choice. Love and Blessings to each of you this Christmas!! – Julie
Sweet Julie, your note means so much. I love how God has connected your heart to ours through Wendy’s RTW blog!! Christmas blessings!
Renee, & Melissa,
Thanks so much for you sharing. No I cannot imagine my story without Christ being th center point. I really don’t know how I would have made it this far with the loss of my mom, sister and my health. With Christ i know that there is hope for the eternal life where there will be no more sorrows are pains. just pure delight and joy in serving, living and worshipping him. Have a wonderful and Merry Christmas!
In His Hands,
We’re so glad you stopped by to be with us today Karen. :Praying for you and wishing you a very Merry Christmas!
I’m subscribed to Proverbs 31, and get a new, uplifting message each morning. Christmas is a time when they really speak to me the most. I can see how people get so caught up in everything else that it becomes less and less about celebrating the birth of Jesus. I’m also reminded how much that now, more than ever, worshipping the Savior is more important!
Thank you so much for your note Laura. Im so glad you stopped by today. Praying for His presence and peace to surround you today!