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.}
I think that Jeremiah 17:7 is just what I needed to be reminded of. However, the previous verses let me know why I am in such the state I am in now. I have WASTED my trust and my Confidence in Man, particularly my husband. But even though I know the problem, I am not sure that I am comfortable with “maintaining the solution long term” and being completely conformed by the renewing of my mind. I have been this way (trusting in man) too long.
Doubts, insecurities, and feelings of inadequacy as a mother and wife EAT AWAY AT ME every single day. It is horrific to describe the defeat I feel on an almost daily basis when I disappoint (disrespect and not appreciate) my husband, when I disappoint my children. Fear of my husband having Enough and losing his love for me………which has already seemed to begin its course.
Terrified, absolutely terrified. Am I being punished for putting my confidence in Man?
Melanie, I don’t think you’re being punished but I do think you are probably experiencing what the Lord warns us of — what will happen when we put our trust and hope in man. You are in such fear and there is no freedom there. No way to flourish. Just take this one day at a time, one chapter at a time. So much more to come in the next chapter and the next. This isn’t just something we can decide to do. We need God’s power, God’s love to lure us into His heart and replace our need for man’s approval with HIS approval and acceptance that is truly what we were created for!!
It has amazed me how the shadow has lowered and darkened since I began to address this issue in my life. Lack of confidence is such a deeply ingrained habit. It is causing me problems in my relationship and it is time to replace the shadow with the Light.
This speaks so much to not only my life, but also where I work. In life we often rely on each other for approval instead of looking to God for approval. When we start giving man the power, we are only causing harm for us. Just as the shadow was large representing the doubt, we also make man larger than it is. We often give man more power and control than they deserve.
Good morning study partners
I have awakened this morning to find a shift in me. Halelujah!
Page 23 Line 20 says; “We NEED (my emphasis) to hope that life can be different.
Page 24 Line 8 (end); “Are you ready to let His Word change the way you think which
will determine the way you feel and eventually transform the way you live (Rom. 12:2)?
I understand that in order to persevere HOPE is required. Myself, I quickly spend my hope up front (pockets turned inside out) cause I am jumping around in the starting box looking this way and that
so excited to push through the starting gate. Then, like a SHOT I am out………… soon I find that I am crawling whimpering doubting whining far far before the finish line. You may even find me curled up in a
ball as you sprint past me crossing that finish line.
Well, today I found a compost bin to step up on and I’ve taken a good look around. My HOPE (Grace and Mercy offered by God) is God through You!!! Sheesh, look at all of you hungry to be transformed looking for other women to align with in order to make it over that finish line to the Victory Circle!!!
Believing in God………………………….BELIEVE GOD!!!
Amen,
Blessed
Melanie C
AMEN!!! Believing God and in Him, too!!! Being blessed and transformed…Hallelujah! Great encouragement Melanie! Thanks!
Thanks so much, Renee, for doing this online study. It’s exactly what I need right now in my life. I know it’s only the beginning of the study, but it’s been such a blessing so far. Can’t wait to get your next email.
My favorite: “Then you will KNOW (emphasis mine) I am the Lord. Those who trust in me will NOT be disappointed.”Isaiah 49:23
There are so many hurting women in this chat. I am praying so much over you. I struggle, too, with confidence and know it has held me back in so many things out of stupid fear.
The devil is good at what he does, isn’t he? As I was reading the comments, I noticed many times I read that the person doesn’t believe that God’s promise of a plan for their life are for them, but only for “other people”. I’m there, too. Yet, it occurs to me, that if so many of us feel that way…who are the “other people” that the promise is for? That is such a lie from the devil and he individualizes the lie to attack our most vulnerable spot. For me, the lie that is told, is that God does not have a plan for my life because I’m just not smart enough. This is a very vulnerable point because I did not go to college and the devil knows how much that bothers me, and therefore know how to zing me. Sure, I can pray about it, but the lie, coupled with my circumstances of doing “nothing” makes it very difficult to believe day in and day out, that something big is coming from God for my life.
Hold on to HIS PROMISES Melissa and any time you hear that lie or sense it in your spirit, speak forth verses like the one you have from Isaiah 49:23 or Jeremiah 29:11… let those blot out and block those lies,
you are smart enough, you are able, you can believe in yourself and your place in Christ Jesus! I pray that this study brings you (and all of us) a more CONFIDENT HEART… I can already see seeds being planted.
You are not vulnerable and will not receive those lies or false beliefs because you are accepted and significant in God’s eyes and in His family with us… the enemy and his tactics are cunning but you are greater and more than a conqueror!
Thank you so much Peggy! 🙂
I have never done an online Bible Study before. I am overwhelmed with the amount of women whose hearts are reaching for a closer walk with Christ. I have been reading a book called Becoming a Woman of Simplicity. Together with this study, God is really calling me to give up things in my life that are taking me away from Him and to join Him where He is working. This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it! Praise God for showing us how blessed we are! Praise Him for so many women with a heart for God!
It’s been amazing reading through a few of the comments here. It’s clear that God is already working, and the lives of entire families and communities will be changed because God is going to give someone a breakthrough. When I read the Bible verse for today (Jeremiah), I think I was stunned because I didn’t know the Bible was so clear about not putting your trust in people – I was raised to do just that! Literally in the past maybe 3 years has my view started to change a bit, and it is a scary place to be, because Ive just done what my parents taught me to, but when I sat and considered all that this bible verse was saying to me, I could do nothing but agree wholeheartedly that it is indeed a curse to look to someone else to understand about how you feel about yourself. That is a prison with self made walls, and I have been trapped inside my self-made prison for so long – too long. Everyday will be a struggle, everyday will be a fight to stop seeking the approval of others, and start putting my full trust in the Lord, and my need to please only for Him, but I know that I won’t be alone, because He will help me through if I ask.
Ive felt so poorly thinking about how much time Ive lost on trusting what someone else thinks and killing myself to please others, but I understand that I could not have understood it any better than I can right now. God is an on time God and I couldnt have understood it any better than I can right now.
. I always thought I was completely alone in my feelings – to see so many other women have similar feelings, is so amazing to me. I just do not want to run away from all that I am feeling and seeing and learning. I ask the Lord to keep all ov us faithful to learning what He has for us.
Amen!! Im praying the same and what God is showing you individually is exactly what He showed me years ago. It’s a day by day, doubt by doubt process to transfer our dependence on others to a new deep and abiding dependence on Jesus. We just have to ask for HIS help each step of the way. Glad you are here with us Max!
WOW! Amazing–thank you Renee for this–almost so overwhelming to see so many women in one place to connect with and this reminds me too that accepting God’s love can be so overwhelming for a broken heart. The last sentence of the 1st paragraph on page 24 of Chapter 1, “…when I choose to dwell in the assurance of Whose I am and who I am in Him, I have a confident heart, jumped out at me when I read it last week–I’ve underlined and written in the margin so many things–and then this morning God brought me to Psalm 91:1…and I remembered your BIG shadow which I can so relate to…So looking forward to focusing on Him and His love for me these next few weeks and learn more of how to dwell with Him and rest in His shadow…not my shadow of doubt. Blessed are we!!!!
Hello Everyone,
After reading some of the posts, I am shocked that so many women here feel the same way I do. There were so many things said in the first chapter that stuck with me. If I mentioned them all, I would take up so much space. But the main thing was that someone else had the same feelings – I’m not alone. I too have felt as if I weren’t good enough to receive God’s blessings. I struggle with depending on other people to make me feel worthy. If I were just -er! Prettier, smarter, funnier, stronger, nicer etc. If I were all those things, I would be whole. This mornng, while I prayed the prayer again at the end of chapter 1, I realized that God says He loves me even when I’m not -er. He loves me before I was anything on this Earth. But, I started hearing those nagging thoughts creep in – you are not worth what He gave and those promises are not for you.
That feeling is so depressing. I want to believe in God’s promises and make my life better through Him. He is the only one I can depend on. Everyone on earth will let you down at some point, but not God. It’s just getting to the point that I believe what He says, and believe that I am worthy of those promises.
Thank you all for sharing! And, thank you, Renee, for starting this Bible study.
My word of focus is trust. Trust has been an issue my entire life. It began when I was a little girl, on the day that the man I was suppose to be able to trust the most stole my innocence. Now 40 years later I can see how the enemy to us all, has spoken those words of doubt to me that I read about in chapter one. Each time I listened and believed those words which were meant to destroy my self confidence, my ability to trust suffered a little more.
This morning as I read Renee’s words that said, “take time to notice this week when you’re tempted to put your hope and find your confidence in the wrong things and people”. It dawned on me how often I have turned to other people in order to gain self confidence rather than turning to God. Each time I looked to people in an attempt to find self confidence, more often than not my hope was shattered and lack of trust deepened.
I see I will need to pray earnestly and without ceasing, as every moment I can feel the enemy trying to pull me away. I so want to be enveloped by God. Trust is my issue.
Thank you Renee for bringing this Bible study to each one of us.
@ all the women noting the word Focus….thank you! I stumbled across this study by chance while in the middle of particiating (and I use that word lightly) in a David study wiith some women at my church. As I signed up for this study words of doubt already flooded my mind…..”You are just going to get partially through this study then quit. Why are you even pretending like this study will be different than the 10 other study books on the shelf that you vowed to complete, but have gone partially read” Even as I grabbed a notebook off my shelf to start journaling my thoughts on A Confident Heart I was bombarded with entries from past sutdies left undone. Although my laundry list of “undone” studies is a fact, it does not have to dictate my future performance in this and/or other studies. I guess it proves I’m in the right place as those thoughts are definitely rooted in lies & self doubt. Although the first chapter is chock full of good verses & insights from Renee, the one verse that really resonated in my heart was Isaiah 43:18-19 “Forget the former things do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing!” I am a worrier and I am an eternal realist (or what my husband calls a pessimist-LOL). I hesitate to dream of what could be because I am lacking in faith and God’s ability or desire to change me and my ways. They have been in place for 28 years now and seem set with no chance of swaying. But the verses in Isaiah remind me that I can FORGET the past and stop dwelling on the studies left undone. I have been commanded by God to do so. But not just to forget those things; to then SEE the new things HE is doing in me, for me and through me! Upon deeper examination, I can see not only old journal entires left unfinished, but I can see God working. I am so glad I date my entries. I was able to see valleys and peaks of faith and to see God answering prayers over the last year & a half. So this week, rather than FOCUSING on the past and allowing that to dictate how my future will unfold I am challenging myself to FOCUS on the new things God has in store for me. To look a little deeper, to think outside the box so I may allow myself to see him working in my life.
I have a lot of trouble in this area. I worry way too much about what people think. About how I look, decisions I make, things I do. My confidence is tied to others, I have no doubt. I pray now to the Lord that he lifts this from me. Help me focus on you Jesus. I want to be pleasing to you and no longer the world. You know me better than I know myself, “they” don’t know me at all. Please remind me what matters. My confidence is in you. Help me Jesus.
Does anyone have tips on how to not get overwhelmed in this comment/discussion section? I really want to read and participate but its SO much! Any advice from seasons studiers would be great, thanks!
Michelle, It works out best for me if I comment on what is on my heart after my praying/reading/listening on the lesson and I usually sleep on it before commenting. I do pick a few of the comments out and read but I do not have time for all of them or it would take up all my spare time in which I could be doing something else. So use it for your journey and what you are learning. Linda
Thank you Linda!
Great advice Linda! SO glad you are here Michelle and glad you asked. I’m sure others are wondering too! Great question.
Renee, I’ve been waiting for confirmation of the Jeremiah 17 scripture. Another internationally known pastor had said those verses describe what God is doing in 2012. And when someone makes a “prophetic” statement like that I always look for it to come up through other sources.
In the middle of the night God gave me a revelation that I think will prove to be a huge thing for me. He showed me a picture of a ladder leaned against a building and I was trying to climb it. Then I heard the words, “Your ladder is against the wrong building.” He told me that at the top of the building are all the people whose standards that I am trying to live up to. He told me to move my ladder to a building across the way. This biulding has Him at the top. He was reaching His hand down to help me climb the ladder. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. He will give me grace and strength to live up to His standards. I was never meant to live up to the standards of another person. My challenge now is to keep a constant check on my thoughts to see where I am leaning my ladder. I am going to have to learn how to seek His standards and not be constantly trying to live up to those standards of my coworkers, friends, family etc My confidence in Him and what He is doing in me and through me..
Brenda, what a beautiful image you created. Thank you for sharing your revelation.
Wow! Its so amazing how God works in our lives! I was out for my walk yesterday and that is one of my times to walk and talk with God. Of course, we talk about some of the trouble areas in life, and as I was doing this I realized that I was not trusting God completely in this area of my life. I stopped dead in my tracks when I realized that I was trying to fix it too while telling God all about it. I need to put Jeremiah 17: 5-8 deep into my heart so I can remind myself everytime I want to fix something or trust someone else to fix something that “Cursed be man that trusteth in man.”
Hi! i too have been a people person and always trying to help and please others. for a very long time people have depended on me but when it comes to my turn there is no one to help me. i have been reading the bible but i felt empty. then in December i got the online bible study and decided to sigh up,i’m so glad i did because its my second day , Jeramiah 17:7 just touched my heart,i realized that this verse is directed to me. last two weeks have been difficult,the person i trusted broke my trust and i felt so hurt but i realized it all my fault for trusting her. i’m cursed because i did’t listen to God’s small voice.
Thank you Renee for having such a programe for people like me. yes i want to trust in God and have Godly wisdom.
I want to be blessed by trusting in the Lord. I know that my lack of confidence if from Satan. He always wants to tear me down so I won’t do things for the Lord. I want to have confidence that even when I fail it is just a way for me to grow and depend on the Lord. I don’t do well in the desert because I have my mind set on how things are suppose to be instead of relying on God to teach me how He wants things to be. I pray that by taking this study I will depend on God and have Godly confidence. Thank you for taking the time to do this study.
Jeremiah 17:7 made me realize that God alone deserves our trust, and that we are to constantly live for His approval rather than man’s attention. What matters is not what others think we ought to be but how the Lord sees us as we are and will be when He has completed His work in us.
I’ve lived in fear and self-doubt for what seemed like ages. Thank you, Renee, for being God’s instrument in helping me finally live with confidence in Him. Looking forward to experiencing more of Him in and through this study.
Just loved viewing the video message this morning. Like many others, this online study is the first that I have been involved with & hence, have nothing to compare this with. But from what I’ve experienced so far I have enjoyed the sense of community that these blogs bring & the intimacy/personal connection that Renee brings with her video message. It’s as though she is speaking directly to me & my situation.
I am grateful to be reminded today that ALL of my hope & confidence should 100% remain in the Lord, as too often I find myself placing my trust, confidence & need for acceptance in my close friends. It is then that I find that they are unable to meet my standards & bring me what I so deeply long for. I am thankful for the wonderful people in my life but I am now reminded that if I solely rely on them for my needs, I will be CURSED. Only God can ‘fill my tank’ & BLESS me & only He knows exactly what it is that I need. Thank you for this wonderful & very timely reminder!!
I thank God for you Renee, and what he is doing through you.
I seriously needed this book of encouragement in this time of my life. My catching phrase for chapter 1 is the aspect of avoiding great opportunities that have come my way because i doubted myself and thinking of the risk of rejection, but like Jere:17:7 says blessed is he who trusts in God and places his confidence in him , i have realized all this fear was cropping from trusting in myself to do everything, so if i cant it just makes me so miserable and feel so incompetent.
Thank you ladies for all the sharing, looking forward to connect to all of u as we share.
God bless you all
Winnie
Hi Everyone!
I’m nervous posting online, but here it goes…
I’m a day late with the posting regarding what words in chapter one spoke to me.
I would like to say the words that spoke to me most were ” Are you ready to take God’s hand and trust his heart?”
This painted such a vivid picture in my mind of God always standing in front of me with his hand extended to me. His heart is so full of love for me that it beats with his passion for me. When I’m tempted to put my trust in things or people this is the image I will try to picture in my mind to steer me away from the lies, whispers, and shadows.
Hi Cathy…..I love how you picture God standing in front of you holding His hand. I also picture God patting me on the head and telling me He is pleased with my journey. So….if you had not posted that, I probably wouldn’t have either. Thanks because I love it when He pats my head.
The comment you wrote Renee, that really stands out for me was….”Self doubt blocks the promise of God’s power and truth to change us from inside out so that we can live with a confident heart!!”
i have let Satan have a foothold on my heart and doubt has stopped me dead in my tracks from allowing God to change me…..from the inside out. Not anyone!!!!!
I want to be BLESSED….not CURSED!!
The word “doubt” just keeps ringing in my head! In my years on this earth I can’t think of a time where I did not doubt. Even now, I doubt I’ll finish my degree, my boss will understand my circumstances, and my place as one of the leaders at my campuses InterVarsity Christian Fellowship chapter. I am sick and tire of this doubt!!! I want to feel the peace and joy that comes from finding my confidence in the Lord!
“Wao” , am excited already for this journey of a confident heart. As i was reading chapter one i so identified with u just wanting to shrink back an not go to the conference. “fear of rejection is my battle” . i was blown away with one of your questions at the end of the chapter the earliest memory of feeling insecure or doughting myself. I was shock to recall being around five years old.
It’s funny because I really didn’t know if I needed this study, but I didn’t think I needed the 7 day Doubt Diet and it was like and arrow to the heart. I needed that and it really hit me in ways I wasn’t prepared for but I enjoyed it and signed up for this study. I feel confident a lot of times and can really take things on but I realized after reading just Chapter 1 and some of the posts from others that my confidence is shaky and it’s really self-intrusting not God-intrusting. I didn’t have an easy childhood and I know a lot of us didn’t but it was more famine that feast in our home and we had to fight for our own survival. Fighting for our own survival luckily didn’t keep me down as an adult but it made me have a very independent spirit. God has already been working with me to STOP relying on myself so much and when I pray, REALLY give it over to him. This study is one more reinforcement of him working on me in this. Once again, he knows what I need far better than I do. God Bless Renee for doing a study like this and for each one of you as you are pouring out your hearts and souls. My prayers are with each of you that the mending can begin.
Jenni….I am so sorry that you are in a dark place. I have been there so many times that I’ve lost count. It’s a scarey, hopeless feeling but God is sending you help. Through years of depressions, I have learned that God will always bring me through to a lighter place. Just hang on to the lifeline that He is holding out to you and pray. My tendency has been to withdraw because I worry about what others will think of me. I am hoping that this online study will help me to place more focus on God and less on others. I am holding out a hand of friendship and hope that we can become healthier and more confident together.
Renee, is there a way to edit our comments after we have posted them? I forgot a couple of words in my last post.
Diane – Thank you for your sweet words. I treasure them.
In reading the intro and first chapter, the first quote that spoke out to me was “Doubt and Hope can not live in our hearts at the same time”. One of the things that I’ve noticed about myself is that doubt has only crept into my life within the past 8 years or so. As a child I had so much confidence in myself, in my abilities, and I wasn’t worried about pleasing other people. I don’t know when in my life things changed. There are definitely incidents in my life that I suspect had an impact on me. I hope to start feeling confident from within and stop looking to other people for acceptance.
I know God wants me to be a part of this study. He told me to sign up, so I did. Then I ran out of time to find a book. I even went to the Christian bookstore in town and it had closed for the weekend. But God kept speaking to my heart all day. I found a version that would download to my computer through Kindle. So I read the first day today.
I have been in a dark place too. Some days I just wish God would take me to heaven. I long to be there. My life has been full of change, unpredictability and disappointment. I feel overwhelmed to hold it together. Some days it truly feels like it will never get better. I read the list of lies and I knew most of them. I try to focus on God’s truth. But I struggle with if this verse or that verse is really for me. I was glad to see that you included Is. 49:23 “Those who hope in me will not be disappointed.” I read that verse often. I hope the study will be a healing balm to my heart.
Jenni…please read my note below…I wasn’t sure how to get my message to you.
I have struggled with doubt all my life. Even after knowing Christ for thirty years I still struggle. It’s something my husband doesn’t understand. He is a newer believer and when he hears he moves. He has been encouraging me to go back to school for a couple of years now and I haven’t done it yet because I didn’t trust or have confidence in what we were both hearing from God. My heart is to encourage women and I have not been living my heart because I doubt my place in life. I’m so excited for this study because I know God is already at work telling me to let go and trust him. I can honestly say that I am afraid. Fear has been my constant companion for years and while I want to let it go I have doubt that I’ll succeed. I am taking a step of faith that I’m where God wants me to be to break the chains that hold me down.
Thank you for this study and for your prayers.
I hate that I feel this way but when I lost my husband to cancer I also lost my confidence in who I am. I have tried to remain involved in our church and continually ask the Lord to help me know what it is I am supposed to do with my life now without my husband. I feel like my life hasn’t moved forward much in the last 3 1/2 years and I do doubt myself in areas I never did before. I found this online study through a friend that is battling cancer and it seemed like something that God was showing me I needed. I am really hoping I can learn to trust the Lord with my life so I can feel blessed and have the hope and confidence I need to do whatever it is God has in store for my life.
{{{Hugs}}} to you sweet sister!
Renee, I can’t thank you enough for doing this Bible study. It couldn’t have come at a better time for me and where I stand today.
My shadowing and doubt is that I’m not good enough…I wasn’t good enough for my own birth mother to keep me, nor was I good enough for the family that adopted me, I wasn’t good enough to take places, or to be seen, not to mention nothing I said was ever good enough. I am the “Sam” ( Samaritan) in more way than one. After all her failed marriages no one wanted to do anything with her but talk about her. I stood at that well waiting for God, finally taking off my armor ( not His armor) and met God.
my story so that when I leave comments you have some understanding if I’m negative . I was abandoned at two weeks old in a house that was going to be she wanted to adopt me and her husband divorced her as well. She had 7 of her own natural kids, one with cerebral palsy. (She had a heart) I never really heard of God…we went to church on Sunday’s but when back at home God was no where to be found. My brothers and sister was always drinking and doing drugs causing a lot of trouble. I can remember being hiding away when her family comes to visit. The holidays to this day are very painful for me, when she would go see her family during those times I was locked in the trunk of the car and was told never to say a word. If my brothers and sisters had friends over them would lock me in the closet. I would wet and mess my clothes and in return get a whipping for that. I was never in any of their family portraits. My nickname was the “negro baby”. I cry as I write this. Condemned, neighborhood kids out playing heard a baby crying. I assume the proper steps where taking but no one seems to have paperwork to back it up. I am a mixed child, and they family that adopted me are white. (I am not one for the color fights….God made us ALL) My mom was divorced from her family because Life back then was such a horror. Mom let a man move in before I started school, while she was at work this man she loved would sexually abuse me. I would run to tell her and in return I would get a whipping and she would let him whip me as well because I was telling lies. This went on til my 5th grade year. During the summer time I was sexually abused by a brother and a cousin. At 16yrs old I was raped. Things just never seemed to go away.
I never knew what a confident heart was or if I even had one…still to this day I search for that heart, I can say this if it was for sale I would have bought mine a long time ago.
My daughter brought me to God, and now for 8 years I live to get closer to God and be the woman he made me to be.
Today I know I am a Child of God and no matter what others do or say……He is my mother and father!!
But, I need that Confident Heart.
Blessed
It is so hard to have a loving image of God the father when you didn’t have a great image of one yourself. I did not have it nearly as rough as you but it wasn’t easy. The Love Letter from God did amazing things for my heart and if you haven’t read it, I highly recommend it (it’s one page so it’s short).
http://www.fathersloveletter.com/Media/FLL_single.pdf
My prayers are with you that this will bring ABUNDANT blessings.
I can’t thank you enough for sharing this letter by our Father!
thank you
Thank you for sharing this. A few months ago I was struggling with the fact that I do not have a relationship with my father, and soon realized that I do have a relationship with my Heavenly Father.
Thank you for sharing this. I have never seen it before, but WOW!!!!!!
Patricia, thanks for sharing this too!
Michelle, my heart cries for you, dear sister! Oh how He loves us & no one can love us like Him!
Thank you Sherry!! I hold to Him tightly 🙂
Hi Renee and everyone,
I pre-ordered this book months ago and when it arrived I never made the time to read it. For many years I was lost. For the past 2 years I have not been able to get the devil out of my head. I listen too much to his lies and allow too many negative thoughts into my head. I not only doubted myself, but I doubted God also. When I prayed and didn’t get the answer I wanted, I blamed him for everything wrong in my life. I expected God to do more for me than I was willing to do for myself. I need this study so I can learn to stop doubting myself and to put my trust in God. To put God first in my life and really listen to what he wants for me… not what I want for myself. I love the word Blessed. When I stop to think about it, I’ve had a blessed life. I just need to stop listening to the negative voices telling me how non-blessed I am.
Wow! There are so many things about this book and you Renee, that connect directly to my past and my present. I have always been so insecure, so self-doubting and so hungry for approval that it is just very sad. Last year’s vision for our church was to be trees planted in deep waters to be fruitful… and I hear it again here. God has great things for me in this study. Just reading the acknowledgements… I cried, it hit me and I honestly open my heart and share that I am always living under a shadow of deep and sad doubts about myself and God. It is time for my breakthrough! My heart is full of joy as I start this journey! Thank you for this book and for reaching out to those, who like me are striving to be free and trust the Lord!
P.S I live 3 years in Ethiopia…. love your little Aster!!!
Renee, I wanted to let you know how excited I am to take part in this online study. It’s been several years since I have been a part of a small group Bible study, so I am looking forward to connecting with other women and going deeper with the Lord. Two of my best friends are doing the study with me as we live far away from each other and would never be able to join a group together in person. I am excited at how God is going to use this book to deepen our faiths and our friendship. Isn’t technology amazing??
A part that sticks w/ me is: Listening to Doubts Whispers. Especially ” I can’t do this.” What stands out so much to me is “how quickly these thoughts weasel their way into our minds and disguise their voices to sound like ours.” How easily this happens to me. For yrs I’ve been dealing w/ this. I have improved but wow are they subtle and hard to notice. It’s frequently w/ my performance at work, intelligence in general or capability and being liked/accepted by people. But I’m learning that my security and confidence doesn’t come from my performance at work, what my boss thinks of me or whether so and so likes me . I constantly think someone doesn’t like me and it really bothers me. Part of me wants to say to myself “well if so and so doesn’t like me, that’s just too bad,” but that’s probably not a healthy thought either.
I have felt God Stirring me recently to lay aside a few things and to find time to spend alone with him. It is very difficult to find this time but I know that without it we became stale in our relationship with God. As I listened to your video tonight I knew it was confirmation that I have to do this to truly receive the full meaure of God’s blessing for my life so that I can be a blessing to others. It is easy to dine off of what others recieve but I believe that God is calling us up higher to dine directly with him. Thank you Renee for sharing from your heart and helping us rekindle the fire within us. Many blessings !
I thought of the lyrics to this song tonight as I read through everyone’s comments:
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
Amen! And Amen!!
I love this song……..thank you!!!!!
This is my first time going thru this book and I am so excited what God is going to teach me. Last night I had the privilege of listening to a message by one of our pastors. He spoke on the sermon on the mount. He defined blessed as “being in a position of favor with God.” I thought it was very interesting how this study and that message focus on the same word! It just made it clear that this is the study I need to be doing! Thank you Renee for writing this book and leading this study!
I am learning more each day and want to not only believe in Him, but believe Him. I have never had a transparent relationship with anyone. There have always been strings attached to love. I want to know this transparency that God has to offer, love as it is meant to be! Love that only God can give!
Very cool! I had forgotten that I signed up for this online study. In the last month and a half or so I became sick of all of my excuses, my good reasons and doubts about doing that “one thing” that I believe God has been nudging me to do for awhile. Too busy, too old, too young, not qualified, not together enough, too tired, too undisciplined, what if I fail, what if I can’t— all cover ups for my lack of confidence. OR perhaps my lack of confidence in Him being able to empower me. As I stood in the hot shower pontificating, my mind fast forwarded to 10 years from now. Do I want to still be having this internal dialogue with myself in ten years or am I going to launch out—– The next day I launched into that “one thing”. Not sure how it it will go but it doesn’t matter. All that matters is that I keep obeying and trust Him with the results.
And so—- when I got my email reminding me about this study—- well, it is certainly timely!
Looking forward to all God has for me in this study!
This is my 2nd time attempting to read this book. The first time I was overwhelmed by how Renee seemed to be writing my life story. I am excited to begin reading again and hearing what Renee and others have to say.
I took each verse that was mentioned in chapter one and rewrote them in my journal inserting my name. I also marked each verse in my Bible with a little pink heart to remind myself of the truths I need to come to when I become fearful.
I’ve spent so much of my time in circles where worth is measured by performance and where there is such pressure to be “perfect” that it has become way too easy to forget that this is not how God evaluates us. I’ve read chapters 1 and 2 so far, and I am so thankful for this study. The biblical reminders of why we can be confident of our identities in Christ are so humbling, and the prayers at the end of the chapters have really spoken to me. Looking forward to reading more!
Thanks, Renee, for doing this study. I tried to do it a few months ago, but many distractions got in the way, including a second job. I no longer have the second job, and I hope to be more focused and get farther than 2 chapters this time. I really need this study and I am hopeful it will change my life. I have never ever felt good about myself, no matter what I hear from others. The voice inside never agrees. I want to fight that voice and convince myself that God’s truths evern apply to ME.
Thank you for your video Renee. You gave me hope in finding time when you said to give a little. Step by step, little by little, I can find myself in God’s presence. I am very busy; no cliche here: wife, mother of 2 adorable little children, full time teacher, and doctoral student. I put my hope and confidence in the Lord that He will help me daily. Without Him, I’m empty.
Today was great. God answered my morning prayer. Now, I’ll go and dive into his word before I call it the night.
Good night everyone. God bless and keep you till we meet again here.
It is as if Renee has been looking at my life. Chapter 6 is my life. Chapter 9 is my mother’s. A friend and I are doing this study as prayer partners and accountability partners. I can’t wait for the next lesson.
Thank you Renee for doing this online study. Your prayer at the end of chapter one “take me beyond believing in you to truly believing you” spoke to my heart. The confidence I need is in gods word. This
journey will help bring me closer to him.
Hi Renee and group!
Am glad to be part of this study … just watched the video and the thing that really spoke to my heart was to make time to spend with just the Lord – reading His word, talking to Him, listening to Him and just loving on Him – especially hearing the part that God can take a little and make it alot. I have a difficult time just sitting still and loving the Lord but I’m about to start practicing doing just that.
The same message resonated with me too. Sometimes we just fill we need to give a lot; we do, but one step at a time will get us further. Have a great journey here with all of us.
I am so thankful for this study. The enemy has plagued me with doubts about my abilities since as long as I can remember. When I was a student, I never had confidence that I could do the work. Now as a teacher of almost 20 years I still struggle with the feeling that I do not have what it takes to do a good job, even though others see the opposite. When I think about being a wife and mother, I get fearful of whether or not I can do it. I try to tell myself that God has equipped me and I can do all things through Him but I still have not been able to break through these doubts and fears. I am SO tired of living this way. I want to REALLY believe God and stop letting the enemy steal from me. I want to be able to walk with Him confidently no matter what He calls me to do. I told God I want to fight these doubts and fears until they no longer have power over my life. I don’t want to settle for less than God has for me.
I am so blessed to be apart of this Bible study and I know we will never be the same when it is over, God is going a new thing and He is calling his daughters to the light of his word. Renee thank you for sharing your life with us . God bless !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!