Like having coffee with a friend and mentor, Renee’s authentic style and soul-stirring messages draw women closer to the heart of God and each other. As a national speaker, author and co-host of Proverbs 31 Ministries’ international radio program, Renee connects with women of all ages and stages in life. She has a unique way of knitting women’s hearts together, inspiring them to no longer compare and compete but to encourage and complete one another. Sprinkled with humor and saturated with Truth, Renee’s messages help women:
• Discern God’s voice and apply His Truth in their lives
• Exchange insecurity and self-doubt with God-fidence and trust
• See beyond who they are to who they can become in Christ
Renee serves as Proverbs 31 Ministries’ Executive Director of Radio and Devotions. She is a regularly featured writer for Encouragement for Today devotions and a contributing author to Leading Women to the Heart of God and God’s Purpose for Every Woman. She has written for the P31 Woman Magazine, Christian Women Online and Focus on Your Child, a division of Focus on the Family. Her highly anticipated book “A Confident Heart” will be released in July 2011!
From Renee’s Heart
I love to laugh. I love being with my family. And I love having fun with my girlfriends. Oh, and I really love coffee – especially sugar free cinnamon dulce or pumpkin spiced lattes!
I am a southern girl with a mix of Louisiana sass and North Carolina sweet – I think it’s the iced tea we drink. I was born in New Orleans and grew up there until my mom re-married when I was twelve-years old. We moved to N.C. and I love it here. We are nestled right between my two favorite places to experience God’s presence – the mountains and the beach.
I fell in love with Jesus when I was a senior in college. He took my breath away when I found out how much He loved me and I have never been the same.
Soon after, I felt God calling me to share my story with other women. My journey included years of struggling with clinical depression and days that were so dark it seemed that suicide was the only way out. But God rescued me from that pit, and from a whole lot of other things that had led me down the path that finally led to Him. I knew that was the story He wanted me to share, but fear of rejection and failure paralyzed me from telling my story for 10 years.
In 1999, I finally devoted my life to fulfill the life verses (Is. 61:1-3) that God had given to me in 1989, the summer after I surrendered to Him as my Savior. I finally said,”Ok Lord, I will trust you. I will tell your story. Even to just one, even to a small Bible study and even if you call me to a share with a larger group. I will do whatever you want me to do for you have set my heart free! I want to be a display of your splendor, not my own.”
For the past several years I have gone wherever He has called me to “bring good news to the poor…to bind up the broken hearted and proclaim freedom to the captives and release to the prisoners of darkness…to proclaim God’s favor…to bestow on them a crown of beauty…the oil of gladness and a garment of praise…so they will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of His splendor.” Isaiah 61:1-3
Sometimes it’s to one…my neighbor, my child, my friend…sometimes it’s to many. Wherever He takes me, whatever He asks me to say, all I want is to make Him famous and help others fall in love with my Jesus. My prayer is that my love for Him and His Word will be contagious and that women will leaving wanting to know Him, be known by Him, and make Him known…to one, to some or to many!
Here I am with my favorite people in the whole wide world – my best friend and husband, J.J., our sons Joshua (15), Andrew (13) and Aster (2yrs). They make me laugh, tell me I’m beautiful without make-up and remind me every day of what matters most – family!
I am blessed to co-host the Proverbs 31 Ministries’ international radio show with with my dear friend, Lysa TerKeurst. Our show airs on over 3000 stations across the world each weekday. Click here to listen to a minute of God’s peace, perspective and purpose that we pray will linger for a lifetime.
My Statement of Faith ~ I believe in:
One God in three persons—Father, Son and Holy Spirit
Jesus Christ’s deity, virgin birth, sinless humanity, substitutionary death, atoning blood, bodily resurrection and ascension to heaven
The entire Bible is God’s infallible revelation to man
Salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone
The resurrection of the body: eternal glory for believers in heaven and everlasting punishment for unbelievers in hell
The one true church, the body of Christ, consisting of all believers
Obedience to our Lord’s command to lead people of all nations to faith in Christ and to grow in Christ-likeness
Christ’s personal return to establish His Kingdom on earth
The Holy Spirit indwells and empowers believers and is given as a seal and a pledge of our inheritance in Christ Jesus
Discover more from Renee Swope
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WOW! Reading some of the posts really stirred my heart for you sisters who are struggling with depression and other issues. And Renee, sharing your story empowers those of us to do likewise. How freeing (and scary)it is to give up the mask and get real with what our lives are about. I have 17 years clean and sober. Spent nearly 4 years on different antidepressants, antipsyotics the whole deal, including twice weekly counseling sessions and group therapy. NOTHING worked. I gained 40 lbs from the meds as I ate and ate still running from the pain not understanding honesty and the courage to change.I had had enough. The pain deep inside that ate at me was the anger and hurt in growing up in an angry, alcoholic and abusive home where I was the "lost" child.
I thought God had given up on me. Was I wrong; I gave up on God.Tears came easily at any time of day but inside I was screaming. Well meaning people pried me with self-help books and I would start reading them and say to my self "yup, know this already, so what do I do now?" One day something flooded over me and I threw out all those secular books, dusted off my Bible and began to talk God. It wasn't easy at first, yet the more I read, the easier it became to talk to God. In one of those "ah-ha" moments, I came to understand God already knew my heart and being honest with my feelings and hurts and dreams flowed more freely.With a wacky work schedule, I would wake up in the wee hours and start typing. As I wrote stories about my life, tears were all over my keyboard and desk yet to put on paper began to take the sting out of the wounds. Gradually I felt a lifting of things from my past that held me in the cycle of pain. Guess that was the 90's version of blogging for me.LOL!
I know this is long, but I too have been there. Aside from God's mercy and grace, one big thing that is the memory imprinted on my heart of my then 13 year old stepson's face as I was admitted to a psychiatric facility; with such a sad face that said "where did my stepmom go.? That was 20 years ago.Yes, sometimes we do need the right medication, but Renee you are so right on, a trusted Biblical counseling that you feel good about. And when in doubt, He is always there to talk, cry and yell out to.
I pray this encourages just one sister to know there are a lot of us out there to bring light to what seems so dark. Peace and blessings.
Thank you so much Judy for your prayers and your note. It really encouraged me today! Looking forward to meeting you in January too.
Hi Renee
Keep sharing your story! There are so many women in our communities who need your God given encouragement.
Can't wait to see you in January. Praying for you!
Carolyn,
I loved your story!! It brought a huge smile to my face this morning. I can just see your daddy's big grin when he smelled the "fruit" in the air. Thanks for sharing!
~Renee