Happy Monday! It’s day 2 in the first week of our Online Study and I”m so glad you are here!
Here’s today’s message: Please click the arrow below to watch it. I share how we can make sure our lives are BLESSED and not cursed as well as some share things God’s laid on my heart for us. I also announce our key word and verse for the week!
After viewing it, be sure to read below. I’ve got an assignment and answers to many of the questions you all have sent in about the study :-).
[If you’re reading this via email, CLICK HERE to find the video on my website.]
Todays’ Assignment:
Download our Word for the Week: BLESSED (double click the word) to download your FREE printable promise and word for the week, as many times as you want. Stick it everywhere and live like it’s true, girl, cause God wants this for you!
Please read Jeremiah 17:5-8. As you read it, ask God to show You His truth in this passage as it applies to your life – and how it relates to Chapter One where I listed the lies “doubt” whispers or shouts from the sidelines. They really are curses aren’t they?
Journal your thoughts in your notebook and ask God to help you notice this week when you’re tempted to put your hope and find your confidence in the wrong things and people. Then ask Him to help you turn to Him each time for confidence and security that comes from His approval, acceptance and unconditional love.
Don’t Get Overwhelmed if you haven’t read Chapter One yet. I want you to do that first, then watch the video. If you have time answer today’s question. The rest of the week we we’ll be getting to know one another, reviewing the chapter, answering questions at the end of the chapter and discussing them here.
Connect in Community: If you feel comfortable, I’d love for you to be part of the community we’re building here! I want to pray for you. I want to hear from you. Seriously, your thoughts matter to me!! When you have time, share them and read others’. Feel free to stop back by any time. Click “share your thoughts” below this post to be part of today’s conversation.
How Our Online Study Will Work (since I know it might be confusing)
My blog/website will be the “living room” of our online study. We’ll meet here to read my posts, watch videos, find out our assignments and download free resources for the week. The primary place to share our thoughts, prayers and questions will be in the comments section under each post.
As time allows for those who want to, we’ll linger “in the foyer” on Facebook and Twitter. Some will and some won’t. It’s totally up to you! I’ll be there at least a little bit almost every day. BUT the most important gathering place will be right here on my blog.
How will you know when it’s time to connect here? I’ll notify you four different ways.
I’ll Facebook and Tweet it. I’ll send you a note through the Online Study list and include a link back to the post. And, if you’re signed up for Email Website Updates, you’ll receive the whole post in an email that day too. But you’ll need to click on a link to come back to my website to watch videos, download extras or comment and connect.
Remember this is a journey and we’re just getting started. Give yourself time to read today’s assignment and yesterday’s, memorize this week’s verse, pray it out loud and let God love on you! Click “Share Your Thoughts” to do just that!
{Remember, if you’re reading this via email, CLICK HERE to find the video and leave your comments on my website.}
These verses from Jeremiah remind of what I already know. Too often I make a decision then ask other people’s opinion about it which causes me to doubt the decision I made/intend to make. What I have to remember is that as long I have prayed and talked with God about what it is I need to do, then it doesn’t really matter what others think or have to say about it. I only need God’s approval and go ahead. Including him in the decision making process will make the outcome far better than I could have ever imagined it could be.
I so relate to your comment, Sandra. I am always doubting myself. Even after I have stuck my neck out and done something, I review it over and over in my mind and tell myself, “Oh Cindi, you should have…” Like tonight I left a comment earlier about the scripture then doubted that anyone would even agree with it, if they even read it. It’s encouraging to know I am not alone. I look forward to learning from each of you ladies.
Incredible first video as I just put in an extra four hours to get “caught up” at a God given job THAT I LOVE! Can so relate to needing to relax more, spend time with God more and work less.
I have pondered our verses and readings for the day. When I even think of the word cursed I feel hindered and dark. When I think of the word blessed, I feel light and airy. Just the words themselves evoke feelings in my heart. I also realize that they are choices. We can choose to live in darkness of doubt or we can turn toward God and light. We can choose to be blessed by looking to God. One way I know to stay in the light of God is to stay in the Word, to know Him, to take refuge in Him and live in His stronghold!! So this is a perfect study to keep us looking toward light, to know and understand how God wants to bless us, how He wants to protect us. We just have to let Him!! Thank you, Renee, for taking the time to minister to us through your book. I have gained alot of insight from everyone’s posts. Thank you for allowing me to read them.
The moment I saw this book being advertised I wanted to be a part of a bible study using it. Thanks so much for doing this online study, the flexibility is a blessing in and of itself.
I have fought doubt all my life. No matter what type of success I had, I let Satan tell me that was not good enough that I could never succeed. I feel so blessed to be a part of this study. I am looking forward to “A Confident Heart”
Hi ladies! This is my first online bible study and I am excited about what will come out of my time spent in this devotion and with the Lord: I too am one that desires to know God on a deeper level and to trust and have confidence in the Lord. Despite my past God still blesses me me in so many ways. At times I wonder how he could love a sinner like me. Then I am reminded that I am his child. A parent loves their child no matter what and. Will continue to stir then in the right direction. Entering this study I. Pray that we all have the confidence and faith to know that he who began a good work in us will complete it.
Renee I am drowing in self doubt, self loathing and not sure where to turn next. My marriage is in trouble, my homeschooling efforts feel useless, and focus is always so difficult. I am desperate to share with someone to get some advice. Can I privately email you, can you help me sort things out?
John 10:10 tells us that satan comes to kill, steal & destroy. We have to learn these signs. Daily reading of our fathers word is important. When we bathe ourselves in his word and fill our souls with his word, we are putting on our battle gear. Hang in there with us.
I agree…..we must read the Word of God to get to know Him. When we know Him, we will be able to discern if something is from God or Satan. If we know the Father’s nature, we will know it is Him speaking to us. Not Satan. Very good point.
Wondering how you are today? I thought of you often. Praying.
Susan thank you for your words of encouragement and for thinking of me today. Most importantly praying for me today. Today was a better day I would say but mostly due to the fact that my husband and I didn’t talk much today. You see no one has done anything stupid like having an affair or anything, but the connection between the two of us isn’t the same. Being together for 23 years and 15 of those as a married couple as been a blessing. There have been ups and downs but our love as always seen us through. I am more willing to say that it is the 3 fold cord – us and God together that has gotten us through tough days. My husband is a man who is changing, and on his way up in this career. He is no longer the man who was reserved and quiet but the man who is extremely confident, and more out going. Now I am proud of him for any accomplishment in his life, but when you fill your life with other things and crowd out God, I think it can set you up to fall and fail. We are so far apart right now and it is like my left arm is removed from my body. He doens’t define who I am as a person because only Christ and Christ alone can do this, but he does complete me. I love him with ever fiber of my being, but when working out and spending time at the gym is more on his mind then spending time with me, then it is a concern. I even asked him if he was having an affair, his response was that he wasn’t that stupid and that he always promised me that he would end it first. This is a promise that we both made to each other instead of humilating each other. I don’t think that he done anything of the sort, but when men place their family second and a bigger problem is when God is not first and they seem so obsessed about something then one begins to question. I am afraid that I am in the battle of my life today. I am also doing the Love Dare book to help me understand him better but honestly it is teaching me how to fix my issues and trust in God to help me along the way. But every day there is a dare that I can never complete because my hurt is so deep. We have always been so insparable and now he wishes to spend time doing other things that make him feel good and enjoyable. Now dont’ get me wrong nothing wrong with taking care of yourself, but when your demeanor is pleasant and happy around others but a battle zone around your wife than something isn’t right. My heart is torn and so heavy right now. I have question myself, my looks, my weight, my being a Mom & wife and it all boils down to the fact that he just wants to be disconnected from me. You see it will be 3 years in May since I had a miscarriage and I became depressed. I have only one child after doctors saying I could have none and then to get pregnant 11 years later and to lose it was so sad. So he didn’t know how to deal with the situation and the poor guy would go to the gym to get away from it all. I relate so much with Renee where she speaks of doubting her husbands faithfulness when there was nothing to question. My husband is supportive, has made sacrifices for this family, and loves our child dearly. All of the spats we have are effecting us and the worst part his though we are behind closed doors, our child will hear it sometimes. So for is sake I am learning to just let it go, but my bruised heart is aching and I don’t understand why he would become so cold towards me. I know that acusing someone of doing something that they haven’t done is not easy to live with and he holds a lot of resentment toward me because how I have made him feel. But this all started that same year, and then it was running and training with co-workers who were women for a marathon. The hurt really comes from the fact that I had been told by other women in my walking group that he had been running with another lady and he didn’t tell me about that. I was mortified and if there ever was a time that I thought I would vomit, pass out, and my head explode at the same time it was then. I don’t mean to add to drama to this but it was how I felt. So I guess though we talked it out and I truly understood it was innocent, my heart was broken because he never keeps anything away from me. He wanted to do this greatly, and knew that if he told me that I would be upset. Well, my opinion on that is that if it is something that your wife thinks doesn’t look right and will effect your witness than don’t do it. So it proved to me that the running was a greater love and obession than me. No, I don’t want to be anyone’s obession, but if I had only knew instead of some women telling me in my walking group. I have no problem with him running with a group of ladies, but when it is a single lady and just the two of you then no. Maybe I am old fashion, but where I come from, if this is going to look bad in the community, and make your spouse upset than you shouldn’t do it. The worst thing is that our child found out about this and was freaked out and became depressed. So now I feel just numb inside. I try to do what I can to stop the arguing but after we talk it just seems that there is even a bigger divide between us. I know it is an issue of trust, but more than anything it is the need for him to have Christ has the center of is life like before. That was the thing that drew me to him, – his faith in Christ. Now I just don’t know where he stands. I try to make him understand my feelings, but it just comes out wrong and then he gets defensive. He makes fun of my faith and the fact that Christ is the only one constant thing in my life. Even then I feel like I have even failed Him. I know that Jesus just wants me to be quiet and not say a word but I do good for a day or two, he then does something that is rude or cold, and I just pop. Bad idea. You see we have always been very loving and affectionate towards each other and the one thing that breaks my hurt is the coldness he has towards me. He won’t even come up and hug me from behind like he use to do. My heart is breaking and I don’t know how much more I can deal with here. I just love him so much. I know that I have to put my kids needs first and to just stop talking, but in the mean time I should be praying, but when your husband tells you that you think your all holy and that you are so perfect that you sit next to God in heaven, then the condemening words haunt and walk the coridors of your thoughts at night, robbing you of sleep and just leaving foot prints of poison and destruction. No matter what fun he will make of me I will not give up on Christ. Sorry to go on and on here, but like so many others have said, I feel that this book was written just for me. I tried to start it with the other lady but my heart was in such a state of frenzy that I couldn’t focus, couldn’t even function. Most days it was just easy to stay in bed but because I homeschool and made that commiment I still pushed through each day. Painting on a happy smile for my child but dying on the inside. So Susan please remember me in prayer. Pray that God will bring my husband back to a greater knowledge of who He truly is in Christ. Maybe he is dealing with depression too due to financial issues and my nit picking, I am not sure, but he is dealiing with self worth issues as well. I know that Renee isn’t able to contact each of us individually because she is such a busy woman, but that first post here was a desperate day, a day when the voices became so loud, the rudness so heartless, and the attitude of just being tolerated unbearable that I felt like walking. Help us Lord Jesus has only you can do. I know I have issues too and only God can help me to fix them. Asking for prayers from anyone willing to bear my situation up because I so need them. Blessings.
Morning, I pray for blessings for you today. I had a wise “sister in Christ” tell me one time: Does he see Christ ( husband was boyfriend at time) in you? My husband has been married several times. So I ask you:
1. Is GOD first?
2. Does your husband see God in you?
3. If satan is whispering to you, what do you think he is whispering to your husband?
satan has had 2000 years to practice. Someone said last night at our meeting, while you are taking care of business at the front door, satan is coming through the back door.
God is good. Praise him in your “STORM”.
Susan thanks for these words, but these questions are not new to me. I have asked myself the same questions many times and when the answer comes, Satan takes them and uses them against me. To tell me I am a failure in all I do and that no matter how hard I try I am the one who is messed up here, though it takes two to fight. I don’t know maybe I am just fighting against myself here. I know that God is dealing with me and that the hurt has caused me to react in negative ways and hurt & pain will do that, but I am trying to make that right. Like I heard Renee say on an interview on 100 Huntley street, we can be a Christian and believe in it, but do we truly believe what God says and own it. I guess I need to dig into the word more, deal with my own selfishness, and learn to believe what He says about who I am in Him. I love waht you said about Satan at the back door. Yes, I believe that to be true indeed. Blessings to you Susan.
My friend told me about this online study group! Thank you Yo! Anyway, I was reading the 1st chapter–thank you for the download. I bought the book and should have it this week. I have been wondering if I am doing what God wants me to do. I feel like I am because he has opened so many doors for me to be where I am today. I need to focus on relying and trusting in God. I tend to get in the driver’s seat and drive. It’s more comfortable for me. I am a retired military officer who is now serving as an elementary teacher. I see so many good things other teachers are able to do so easily and I begin to doubt myself because I have so much to learn. I need to focus on God’s will for me and be open to listening to his guidance. Thank you!
I put my hope in others approval; my confidence depends on what I think they think of me. I seek words of approval, constant encouragement and continuous love from others to keep myself from doubting and when I don’t get those, my confidence comes crashing down. I need to turn to the Lord for my confidence.
I have read the book twice through and have many highlighted and tagged pages in the book. This is my first time to try an online bible study. I am at a point in my life as a mom when I am needed less.Last kid at home getting ready to graduate and move 3 hours away my husband started working over 3 hours away 3 years and both older sons live about that far away too. I am so excited for them and for where the are in their life but am I have been feeling less confidence in where my life will be in the future with them all leaving and living far from home. With tears I am praying for a new hope and a new strength in doing this bible study. Any help from empty nesters.
Tina:
I’m an empty nester as well. Stay with this study. God is doing a new thing in all of us!
Renee, I just got my book squeezed in my P.O. Box. I have just finally got to listen to your message for today even though I loaded it at 9 ish this morning. A trip to the town to the north this morning for Insurance with my daughter (#2) a 60 mile round trip. Then up to Wal Mart for some alone time and to check my PO Box another 30 mile round trip. The late afternoon had 2 trips to our local hardware store. Still don’t have a workable bathroom sink. Now it is time to make dinner….yep this is a school Holiday. Tomorrow I take my son to school and back to the hardware store. I am an intern at the JC and don’t start classes until Thursday. Mom of 4, wife of 1, dog mom of 1 and cat mom of 4. I need to not be in doubt of what God is doing in my life. Being a mom of teenage girls it easy to feel doubt.
I am looking forward to this study.
Thanks you. Shalom.
I’m really thinking about how the curse of trusting in man has been bearing bad fruit in my life, in two ways. One is that I am an assistant professor of English, and one way “worth” is measured in this profession is through publications. People I went to grad school with have books out, and articles, and some have enough for the next highest rank of professor and haven’t even graduated yet! And here I am, with almost nothing. That comparison game is really easy to fall into and Satan is really good at exploiting it. I also have been aware of how I am telling myself lies about my marriage and where contentment in marriage comes from. God has shown me the lies I am telling, and shown me specifically where they are coming from, and I am so thankful that He has made me aware of those, and has reminded me (and us) in Jeremiah 17:9: “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?” I am thankful that He has blessed us with scripture to undeceive ourselves and help us think right thoughts!
Blessed: I am very blessed, but I am often tempted to forget it. I focus on the wrong things and end up feeling jealous and judgmental. God has been pointing that out to me for a few months now – sure is a hard thing to overcome!
I am so ready for this study. I always say I give God all the glory and do his will. But in reality I do what I wantt to do and hope it pleases God. I hope to slow down and become more disciplined in listening to the Lord. I so want that.
I have been looking forward to this study ever since I listened to Renee Swope talk about this book on a radio interview as I was driving to a conference for work. I bought the book soon after getting back home, have read it once by myself and then have bought it for two of my sisters as well. I have invited different ones from our church to do this online study but am not sure if it’s working out for anyone else yet.
I grew up in a Christian home and thought that I became a Christian as a young girl but never really believed/trusted in the Lord until this past August. I am so excited to be doing my first complete Bible study -and am hoping and trusting to be faithful to doing this study completely. I am so excited about what the Lord has begun in my life. I am so struck by the contrast between trusting in man versus trusting in the Lord. I am excited about the hope that this gives me.
Thank you so much for doing this study. I just finished reading chapter 1 and see so much of me in that chapter. As I am trying to go through your site I can already see satan trying to get me to give up. Here is a few examples in just the last hour that I have been going through:
1. My computer is running very very slow.
2. I am already feeling very fustrated.
3. And I allready am doubting my self that I can do this.
I definitely need pray, I want to learn to be more confident and learn about God more and more each day.
Andrea–our God is faithful and just. He has given you the ability to know when Satan is working on you, and with that awareness you can pray against Satan. God will help you–He’s way bigger than Satan. Cast your cares on him. He can help you do this! Satan has been working on me, too–we need to turn him and our worries and our doubts over to God!
I’m so thankful for this study, it’s time to be confident in the LORD! I’m tired of Satan overwhelming my thoughts of self doubt and insecurity. It’s been a struggle for years and I’m ready to re-program this thinking. Renee, I felt God tug at my heart strings with this study and that I needed to do it. Not only am I doing it, but I’ve asked some of the girls from church to join me so we can use it as a bonding time and have some face to face accountability. It’s amazing how many of us do struggle with confidence and try to hide it. Thank you for your obedience to God in writing this book to share with other women.
This is such a blessing to me to be a part of this journey. I have recently came back to serving the LORD after falling for a few years. And I am struggling with confidence, getting to know GOD on a personal level, satan knows where my weakness is, and it’s a constent struggle. I dought myself sometimes, I think I don’t deservewhat HE has given me but I know it’s the enemy trying to pull me back down. That verse in Jeremiah is so true and it is time to put All Faith in our LORD. The word for this week is just what I needed to hear, the Lord always knows what his children need and I am very thankful for putting u in my path Renee. Going t have an open heart and open ear, n see what GOD has plan for me.
Amen, Sister!
I have known for awhile that earning approval from others takes priority over trusting God in all things. It is hard to live in a world that is focused on the superficial. I struggle with finding my place in a world where I do not fit in, especially in a church environment. Being a single woman in my 40s when the majority of my peers have entirely different lifestyles as wives and mothers is not easy. The church can be especially limiting when it comes to what is considered normal and expected. I live by myself and sometimes just really want someone else to tell me that I am ok as a human being and am appreciated for who I am. I know that I need to learn to constantly turn back to God who loves me unconditionally and who does not look at me the way the world does.
Jennifer, you just pointed something out that was profound to me – for me, it is seeking other approval of what God is telling me. I also understand the feelings of being single in my 40’s. At times, I really struggle with this season of singleness. However, God has grown me as never before and I wouldnt exchange what He has taught me during this time for anything.
Sherry, I keep looking for your posts, we have singleness (although I’m 52) in common and I am an imperfect woman who has also grown A LOT over the last couple of years via trials that occurred as a result of becoming single again. I now know that God was squeezing me to get back on the right path. I can’t believe I’m saying this now but the feelings of joy and trust that I now know are so much sweeter, I think as a result of the trials I went through. I feel so relieved and almost physically lightened! And He is now blessing me by reaching out to me with this study, he knows I’ve struggled with self-consciousness and worrying about what others think throughout my life and wants to free me from that. I can’t wait to dig in to this study over the coming weeks!
Hi Suzanne,
I never thought I would be in a season of singleness but I am! (43) He is teaching me to internalize His love. No one can love me like Him. Let’s definitely keep in touch! I’d love to chat.
Sherry, I would love to e-mail and/or chat. It would be awesome to encourage/receive encouragement from someone else who is in a similar season in life, boy do I need that. Pretty busy during my work week but I’ll catch up to you by this weekend for sure! [email protected]
This passage caused me to ask myself this question – Am I trusting in you Lord, or man? He knows what I have been dealing with so this was PROFOUND to me! When He speaks, I need to trust – trust that He cares about every intricate detail of my life and He cares enough to have a discussion with me about it. I too thought of 2 Corinthians 10:5 – we demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of Christ, and we take very thoguht captive to the obedience of Christ.
Very good. Love 2 Cor 10:5 also. It goes right along with what so many of us struggle with. Allowing Satan to sneak in there and put the doubt there. We must turn toward God and trust Him, and know Him. We need to always be thinking about Him. When He is on our mind, there can be no doubt. And I love your statement about how God cares about every detail of our lives and cares enough to have a discussion with us. How much of a blessing is that. To have a discussion with the Creator!! Thanks for the great insight.
I keep erasing this message and retyping it because I’m not sure what I want to share… so excuse me if this is a ramble. LOL
I struggle with confidence. I struggle with loving myself. I struggle with instant gratification when it comes to food or overspending or procrastinating. I struggle with anger. I struggle with getting to know God on a personal level. I struggle with using the gifts He has given me because I’m not really sure I deserve them. I struggle with being a good wife and mother and friend… because deep down, I don’t think I really deserve these awesome people in my life.
I struggle with overcoming all that crap.
But better to struggle with it than surrender to it, right?
I’ve spent most of my adult life trying to overcome all those evil little voices in my head. The ones telling me I’m stupid and worthless and destined for failure.
I’m soooooooo much better than I was a few years ago. I’m learning to be confident and I’m learning to accept the good things that God gives me. But it’s so hard to quiet those voices, with their hate and venom… the voices that turn to pure sugar… here, buy this. You can’t afford it, but you DESERVE it… And once you give in, they laugh and say, “See? You have no self control!”
Ick.
I’m not totally sure what my point is – I guess that I’m thankful to be going through this study (I’m also doing the Made to Crave study), and I’m learning to lean on God. I haven’t been able to shut those voices up, but He surely can, I just need to trust in Him.
Carrie, I have been there. Satan knows where our weaknesses are – think of when Jesus was tempted by Satan – he used the same ways on Him that he used for us but He overcame by using Scripture. The lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the boastful pride of life. He has taught me over the past 6 months that my identity is in Him, not in things & in doing so, I am free from some of the things that used to drive me – such as shopping, spending, etc. The way He did it was helping me to focus on Him by spending time with Him. As time wore on, and the more time I spent with Him, those things became less important. Do I still struggle with other things, yes, but He is helping me to see that He is all I really need. Keep your chin up girflriend! Hang on and let’s see this new thing He is doing in us!
Carrie:
I am with you on the ugly voices. Years of listening to them made me believe them! I’m so glad that you have kept on fighting!
Here’s something that I do – talk back to the voices. I carry around flash cards with words of affirmation that I can say to myself in response to the negative voice. Yes, at first it’s sort of awkward but after a while when you’ve memorized the cards it becomes more automatic to fire back at my negative thoughts. The things we say to ourselves become what we believe.
Love the flash cards!! What a great idea.
Wow… where do I begin. Sometimes I feel as if I’m on an emotional roller coaster. So many expectations and disappointments. I let them guide my moods and let me tell you, it’s not pretty. Just this morning I felt defeated because I had yet to read Chapter one. After all, I am the master procrastinator. I always start with good intentions, but end up falling short. How refreshing to know that I am not alone in doubting myself. I think in the back of my mind I’ve always known that, but none the less I always feel alone in it. I often ask myself, what’s wrong with me? Why can’t I get it together. You see, I am a woman driven by my feelings and emotions. Therefore, it’s not a surprise that the sentence that stood out to me most in the first chapter was “He’s led me beyond believing in Him to really believing Him by relying on the power of His Words and living like they are true no matter what my feelings tell me.” You see, my feelings tell me things are hopeless. My feelings send me into a hole I can’t get out of. You know what? Today, I commit every feeling and emotion I have to God. This scripture is brought to mind although it wasn’t included in chapter 1. “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” – 2Corinthians 10:5
I look forward to taking this journey with all of you and I wait with an expectant heart of what God is going to do.
My name is Yolanda and I am BLESSED!
This line stood out to me too. Being able to move from believing in Him to believing Him through His word how wonderful. This is my pray that through this study that the Lord will help not just me but all of us to be confident and not rely on our feelings. That He will move us into believing Him and Him alone.
God’s promise- “those who hope in ME will not be disappointed”. If that hope gets misdirected to “man”we will be disappointed. I have often times had my confidence built up in other people and things-but that is only a temporary confidence. The confidence we receive from God is lasting and that is the kind of confidence I desire to have.
Me too….Amen and amen!!
Those are verses that speak volumes to this heart of mine! My prayer for this year actually is that the Lord will help me to break free from the constant need for man’s approval. So glad to be reading through your book again and to be pressing in closer to the Lord!
I KNOW what needs to go for me to have more time with Him (and my family), and that is computer time…specifically Facebook. Not completely gone BUT much, much more in balance than it is right now!
Love you bunches!
K
For so long I have struggled to let go of things and let God handle them. It’s a daily, well probably more like hourly, struggle to fully trust God to handle the issues of my life. I am learning day by day to see God as my Father, the one who loves me and will protect me. Todays verse really struck a cord with me, realizing that when I trust God, I don’t have to worry about anything, because my Father has me covered! Through this study I need to be able to release myself of the lies that Satan has told me for many years. My prayer is to hear my Father’s voice instead of the lies that Satan tells.
I am with you on this one Natalie…esp the hourly part! It is so hard to let go of things…the worry and the control. I hope to learn to release things to Him more through this study.
I really feel like the Lord led me to this study. You see, I grew up without a relationship with my real father. Now don’t get me wrong, I have a wonderful step dad, sent I believe, from God straight to our family. However, I spent many years searching for someone or something to fill the void that I felt. I still to this day long for that picture perfect relationship with my father that every girl dreams of. My prayer is that through this study I will find healing. I want to drench myself in the love of my Heavenly Father. I want to be the woman, wife and mother that he intended me to be. I want to be confident in His love for me and my relationship and love for Him.
Hello Ladies! So happy to being doing this study together! So neat to hear you mention Jeremiah. Our Sunday School class is studying Jeremiah. Guess who the teacher is.. My husband! God’s word is awesome Living and breathing!
((HUGS))
Kelly K
believingin1.blogspot.com
Thank you for blessing me (and us) with this online bible study. I am looking forward to words of encouragement and ways to have a confident heart.
Angela
I am so happy to be a part of this. I don’t want doubt and insecurities to run my life as it has in the past.
I discovered that my constant ability to be distracted has lead me in a life where I refuse to focus. Very little has my attention for too long. Not being able to focus has caused many problems. I’m not saying I can’t focus. I simply have allowed this bad habit to grow and take over how I do things in life. One mad rush from one thing to the next. That lack of focus is filled with self-doubt. Perhaps I rush so I do not ave to see my flaws along the way. I’ve lost a few great opportunities and later can’t ever understand why things worked out the way they did. I plan to slow down and really take focus on what the Lord’s will is for me instead me grabbing those reins. Thank you for creating this Bible study Renee.
Thank You for this study! I was excited to see this weeks verse on being blessed, that if we trust in the Lord we will be fruitful because the Lord has been speaking to me about focusing on my blessings and claiming my blessings in Christ. I am learning to put my trust and confidence in him. I have had a lot of fears to over come and need to focus more on his love and grace and know that i am blessed as a child of God. I want to trust him more and not let fear rule my life any more .I need your prayers. Thanks and God Bless.
Renee, I can’t begin to tell you how timely this message/study is for me. I just recently lost my mother to lung cancer and during this time my sister caused a lot of drama for me. In all of what happened it brought up a lot of ugly feelings and lies that were told to me as a child and realised that I still believe those lies that I am not good enough or I will never measure up to anything. I can’t believe all the lies that I have been listening to. I have found that it has affects me as a person a daughter of the King to fully live as God desires and has designed for me. I am now in obedience to God taking time off from ministry to deal with some issues right now be it medical, mental and spritiual.
The spirtitual part is deleving into God’s word as to who I am in Him. Your study couldn’t have come at a better time. I am now commiting myself to dive into his word and allow him to renew my mind and to inscribe his word into my heart. So that as a broken and empty vessle can be healed and used to the fullist of what God has for me. I am so looking forward to this study. Thank you,
God has truly blessed me and my family over the years, even when I see times as hard he always makes a way. Jeremiah 17:5-8 reminded me that if I trust in the Lord and place my confidence in Him that I will be blessed. To me that means that I will be blessed more than I’ve already been! I am truly excited about this study and I am more than willing to re-learn how to put my confidence in the Lord, rather than worldly things and people like I have been. My confidence has been lacking because I have placed in in the wrong person and the wrong things.
I am so very thankful for this study! This year I have been increasingly aware that my ten year old daughter has started to adopt insecurity from me. As horrible as I felt having no confidence in myself, it was unbearable to see my daughter shrink back from parties or extra curricular activities because she is afraid. I finally decided we were going to beat this and I got out the Word to do battle! My New Year’s resolution was to stop CONSTANTLY second guessing myself and to gain confidence for myself and my children. This book was a gift from the LORD and at just the right time!
I’m amazed to see how many of us want freedom in this area of our lives; Satan wants us to believe it’s just us…alone in this. Thank you Jesus that You have come to set us free!! Keeping us all in prayer!
I know exactly how you feel! I have known for a very long time that fear and insecurity are huge strongholds in my life but I have never looked at it from the outside and truly seen how it robs a person’s life of joy and peace as when I watch my 11 year old step-daughter shrink away from EVERYTHING because of fear and insecurity. My husband tells me that when her mom decided to walk away from the family about 5 years ago my step-daugher completely changed. She is so afraid of failure and rejection that she avoids anything and anyone new. She was so anxious about starting middle school that it began to affect her stomach…which really resonates with me because when I was in high school I was diagnosed with a chronic digestive disease that comes from…stress/anxiety. It breaks my heart to see her robbed of so much at such an early age and I know how Satan will continue to use it to keep her from the abundant life God has Promised to each of us. I know that her insecurity has not come directly from me but it makes me so much more aware of my fear/insecurity and how I want to be free of it so that I can battle for her freedom. I don’t want to strengthen that stronghold…I want to blast it with the WORD and TRUTH.
Audra,
We are so much alike! I was diagnosed with IBS from anxiety at age 13. I have been completely healed of it since 2003, but not healed of the insecurity part. I just said those words to my daughter this morning that you said about satan robbing us of the abundant life God wants us to have. I want her to stand proud of herself and know that she is worthy but yet I completely contradict what I teach her when I’m afraid to call for pizza and make someone else do it! (That’s a silly example but it’s true). I will be praying for you and your step-daughter as we go through this. It’s nice to have someone else to believe with!
I was encouraged by your video today. In my morning devotions I read Gal 1:10 about Paul saying he did not try to please people. God convicted me that my heart’s desire is for approval and acceptance from people more than Him. I worry too much about what people think rather than being confident in what God is doing. And then your words about seeking approval — and the step further about being cursed when we seek something other than God. Thank you for sharing God’s truth. I’m convicted, but I’m also hopeful. I feel that I know what enemy I’m facing and know God will help me to overcome.
I am truly excited to read and study God’s Word using this book. I have fought feelings of inadequacy and doubt for years. And I love Renee’ s comment about when “we give a little; God seems to make it a lot!” My family has just come through some trying times in the past 6 months and the word “BLESSED” truly expresses my heart. God has shown Himself strong and mighty in some amazing ways and I want all He can be in my life. I already love the book of Jeremiah (29:11 is my favorite verse) so I can’t wait to see what God has in store for us!!!
Our God is an amazing God!!!
This year the Lord indicated that He was pulling me into dry-dock to repair gaping holes in the hull of my spiritual life so that we can launch out together. I expected something very different than what has been happening.
I’m going through no less than 4 different studies at the moment and have already finished at least 1 (it’s only January 16!!!). Right now each one (!) is pointing to exactly the contrast you talked about in the video–cursed are those who rely on their own strength and on the strength of man; blessed are those who rely on the Lord. He brought my awareness to this point first at a national scale, but it applies at every scale. It is interesting how the reliance on our own resources or the dependence on human resources in defiance of God’s provision generates the fuel for our own destruction. Just as children defiantly cry out, “Me do it!”, I have been less guilty of fear or hesitation than of rebellious independence–and cursed is not too strong a response to my rebelliousness. As any parent knows, rebellion is the ultimate defiance of authority and good parents respond accordingly to protect their children from their own consequences and attitude.
I repent in dust and ashes and choose to respond to His provision as my only source. I now recognize the destruction my defiance has wrought. He is enough and will always be enough.
My soul has had the following cry for the last decade:
“God, I’m capable of a lot, but it is nothing in comparison to what You can do. Show me what You can do. What I can do will never be good enough for me, for my family, my church, my community and my world.” I have known him intimately for as long as my memories exist. Five years ago, He taught me how to trust Him. In the last year, He has taught me to see Him as sufficient for all my needs. He is teaching me now to rely on Him alone and intercede for that transition for others. It feels like shifting weight from crutches to my healing feet, and I’m not a little scared–but it’s good.
Thanks for being a part of it…
I am an avid reader … of very good christian books but for months now God has been saying “Get in my word”. I read your book Renee “A Confident Heart” and love it. I am so glad you are having this online study that I can be a part of. Your book puts me in “The Word” and makes me hear it and feel it. What you wrote about the looming shadow when we look away from our light source is awesome. I need to go to the light daily and not turn away ever. Thank you.
For as long as I can remember I have always been concerned about what others thought or how they perceived me. Somewhere in there I began to lose who I am and who God created me to be. I want to be done with ‘putting my hope and confidence in wrong things and people’. I want to be free from replaying my day and every thing I said or did, wondering what others thought, struggling between confidence and doubt, joy and frustration, adequate versus inadequate, blessed or not good enough. God created me for more and that is what I am believing!
Isaiah 43:19 See I am doing a new thing!
Amen girl! 🙂
In feel so blessed to be part of this study. I need to get back in touch with the Lord and start spending time with him on daily basis. I need more confidence. Thanks for taking the time to do this for me.
I put my trust in humans (live in the flesh) and this does turn me away from God and this does make me feel stunted, stuck and unable to grow and live confidently….Amazing how simple it all sounds when our Lord points this out to us; yet, so hard to make these changes. With God, all things are possible and that is what I want for my life.
sometimes; lotsa times, i think my sin is too great and too secret to overcome, and i lose my confidence. i have repented, but ‘my sin is ever before me’ . i live in the shadow of ‘what if’ ALL THE TIME. i long for confidence and knowing that for sure God has forgiven me. oh the freedom that would bring.
Dear J,
You say that your sin is ever before you, but if you have asked God to forgive you, He promises to:
1 John 1:9 – If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. He also promises: Isaiah 43:25 New King James Version (NKJV)
25 “ I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake;
And I will not remember your sins.
If you keep bringing up your sin, then your sin is ever before you. Once He forgives, He no longer remembers your sin. It’s our job to refuse the lie of the enemy who keeps accusing us and bringing up the past to torment us. He loves you and so do I.
Be Blessed.
Love,
Michelle.
thank you MIchelle; sometimes i remember that the devil is behind all of that! then sometimes i forget! thanks for lovin me sight unseen! i love you back! i am encouraged to walking this study with women like you 🙂 i pray for a more confident heart as a result.
I SO NEEDED TO HEAR THIS!!!! It’s no coincidence that it just happened to be the one comment I see as I sit down at my desk… I’m wondering if God scrolled to this comment while I was gone! LOL As I type, I am just amazed at how the devil ALWAYS tries to bring up my past… whether it be from someone who knows my past talking about it to others to try and start confusion OR by me thinking back to what I have done in my past. As I try to grow closer to God, I feel the enemy finds a way to try a seperate me from God and from the truth. When I learned that “my enemy” has started AGAIN to talk about my past and bad mouth me I wonder: should i say something?? then i hear God whisper, resist the devil and he will flee, vegence is mine, God is not the author of confusion, seperate yourself from those that try to cause confusion. Then I wonder: well how in the world am I ever going to get my enemy to shut up if i don’t confront him! I struggle with this and still don’t have all the answers. Just hanging onto the fact that God has cast my sins as far as the east is from the west and he remembers them no more!! I’m not and won’t go back to the shadows of my ugly past… no matter what people say or think about me! I am a blessed child of God! what i did years ago does not define who I am today or who God will continue to have me be! Blessings to each of you as we all grow to be women with confident hearts!
I am looking forward to this study and getting to meet with everyone on line. Have a blessed week everyone!
Kat
After reading Jeremiah 17:5-8, I realized that I am not trusting the Lord in all areas of my life. I am trusting him without doubt in areas of my career. I have learned to wait on the Lord because he has blessed me so much in my career. However, I have created curses in other areas because I have not waited on him. Thanks for starting me out on this journey I can feel that I will be broken of the some curses in my life.
My husband and I are separated, and over the last few months, God is revealing things to me. Namely, that my relationship with my husband had become more important than my relationship with Him. When we place our security in someone other than God, they will always disappoint us. It’s also a very heavy burden to place on someone.
I became a part of this study because I want to be different. I want to learn HOW to “make the Lord my hope and confidence”.
I’m in the same place Jennifer. I need to get my confidence back and also set a good example for my teenage daughter.
The book title along was my revelation. I immediately knew this is we’re God needed me to be. God spoke the word confidence to me in December 2011. I always took the back seat to everything and viewed this as being meek. God told me different and I knew this is the area I needed to work on but just did not know when or how to start. Thank God for Renee and her obedience to write such an awesome book. Chapter one has already opened my eyes and the focus scripture jere 17: 7 is truly a blessing. The word for the week and the scripture go hand in hand. We are receiving a blessing from the promise of God’s word.
(Added this to FB page also) I can so relate to the Woman at the Well (‘Sam’)…the shame of my brokeness and the fear with it to express myself to others……from pg #43 “The only way that we will have a confident heart is if we move beyond knowing about God to knowing and relying on Him-to depending on His word with our whole heart, mind and soul.” For me, this has always been hard to “internalize” it, to live it.
I am looking forward to this study so I don’t have to live in fear anymore on what others may think about me, etc
I read today’s reading in the amplified version also, and in Jeremiah 17:8, it read “…and it shall not see and fear when heat comes…” This goes to what you were saying about the shadow. If our trust and hope and confidence are in the Lord, we don’t see the negative because our eyes are on Him. And because He is worthy of our trust, our lives will be “green” and “fruitful” when we place our trust in Him.
I like that!
Karen C.
Hi, I am really looking forward to this study. I need some technical assistance though. I have tried several times over the last year to download free printables from Renee’s blog, etc, but for some reason I can’t get the downloads. So when I clicked onto the word “Blessing” today the usualy happened. Windows tries to open it but then stops the process. Subsequently, I can’t get the info.
I am able to get other downloads from other sites, but I have never been able to access the resources from Renee’s site. Can anyone offer me some advice?
I’m not very techy either, but you could try right clicking it and put save link or save target as. That’s how I have to do it on my old computer or it never comes up. Try and see, if that doesn’t work maybe someone else can lend some advice.
Blessings,
Hello Renee and ladies!
This will be my second time going through A Confident Heart book and online Bible study. I was tremendously blessed the first time around. Certain truths and statements in the book totally transformed my thinking which elevated me to higher level of confidence and security in Christ. I can promise you that if you take the message of this book as not merely head knowledge but Christ’s Words personally to you, and allow it to deliver you, heal you, restore you, capture you, empower you, and transform you, it will do it. When we act on Christ’s promises-living as if they are true, God supplies the fact. He makes it a reality in our experience. Just wanted to encourage every one to not give up. It will be well worth it to complete the study. God bless.
Karen C
hey, I just got my email, i guess it was just running late! Thanks again
I definitely want to be blessed and not cursed! I want to have the confidence that the verse in Jeremiah said about not worrying even in a drought and knowing I’ll still produce fruit! That is the blessing I want by placing my faith and confidence in God alone.
I didn’t get an email yet, but just checked in and soon as my internet finally came available. Praise God for the blessing!