Art Source: Brianna from wordplusdesign.com
“When God looks at you, He sees someone He loves. In Isaiah 43:4, God says, “You are precious and honored in my sight . . . and I love you.” When God looks at you, He also sees someone He knows. David said in Psalm 139:1, “You have searched me, LORD, and you know me.” You are not just one of millions of others, but are uniquely you. You are God’s prized possession, a valued treasure of great worth.” ~ Chapter 8, A Confident Heart
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Our word for the week: MASTERPIECE
Our verse for the week:
“We are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.” Ephesians 2:10, NLT
Be sure to print it and post this week’s download everywhere! You can download in a PDF or in MSWord.
According to Distionary.com a masterpiece is:
- a person’s greatest piece of work, as in art
- anything done with masterly skill
- a consummate example of skill or excellence of any kind
Let’s Connect: As you begin or continue to read Chapter 8 {depending on your personal pace}, I’d love for us to share thoughts about the first few sections of the chapter. Are there sentences or verses you’ve underlined? Thoughts you’ve highlighted? How are you doing?
Click “Share Your Thoughts” below. Can’t wait to hear and pray over you today. Even though I don’t get to comment all the time, I am reading and praying over your comments. As time allows in my day, I’ll leave a note when I can. 🙂
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Here is a link to the page The Masterpiece that is on my website.
http://www.angel45-2b.com/themasterpiece.html
I have been busy listening to some gospel music while doing some of my chores this week and God has been speaking to my heart through the music. Had to wipe the tears away a few times, but this isn’t the first time that it has happened to me. God has been reminding me of the many blessings that I have received over the years and calling to mind the ministry that I was a part of many years ago. Through the reminder many of my questions were answered and for the first time I was able to understand and sweep up the pieces and carry on. I have learned to make web pages and have a web site that I have posted many stories and poems on and going through the files tonight sorting them out so that I can organize the site better. I came across a web page that I put together in the early 2000 and the title of it is The Masterpiece. I need to make a few changes in the graphics and hopefully will be able to share it in another message here. I am really enjoying and learning from this study, but haven’t posted except for a couple comments here and there. Thank you Renee for taking up the call.
I have compared myself to others for such a long time. I remember the first time was in 3rd grade! I have felt like I couldn’t possibly be like the people I admired, and I see, finally, God isn’t asking me to. One of the questions at the end of the chapter asks how to change this way of thinking, and it is going to take a lot! How are some of you overcoming this challenge? I am praying for God to reveal the personality He gave me and that may help me to focus on who He created me to be. I want to like that person!
This is such an important chapter in learning how not to compare ourselves with other women…their talents, their abilities, their gifts…and ‘heaven forbid’, even the way they look. 🙂 I think this needs to be the forefront on our minds every day – that God made us unique – and that we are supposed to be ‘us’, not anyone else. We have that talent, or gift or ability that we are supposed to have to balance out the Body of Christ, to use our gifts to fulfil our role in life. No one can do our job either! 🙂
Thanks Renee, for such a great reminder and teaching us how to view ourselves as Christ views us
Blessings to you all as we strive together to be the women God created us to be! 🙂
My favorite part so far is—–“When God looks at you, He sees someone He loves. When God looks at you, He also sees someone He knows”
I have heard that sound countless times…and never have I paid any attention to the message it gives. This really struck home with me today. I’ve been spending a lot of time in Isaiah lately, and am truly learning about the Lord’s emotions for me. As a divorced, single mom, it has been easy to feel ‘not good enough’ and that I have nothing to offer. This whole study has been showing me my true worth, that which is found in my Saviour alone. I have struggled with this chapter. Being so caught up in ‘life’ for so long, I don’t even remember what I truly love anymore. I have no idea what I really enjoy doing. This chapter has forced me to start to re-evaluate where I spend my time. Maybe it’s ok to say no to the supposed obligations and put some focus and energy into figuring out what really is important to me after God, and my daughter…
The verse about being God’s masterpiece just came across my path in another book. I confess I haven’t had the diligence to post any of the other weekly words around my home, although I kept them in mind. This week I decided to do morning devotions with my four older kids as I am fighting the fear of sending them into the world each day, so I liked the idea of posting that we are His masterpiece around our home.The kids loved it, and here it is again. The marvelous thing about being His masterpiece to me isn’t that we are so grand, but that He created us, on purpose, in detail, for a purpose. No matter what is going on in the world around us, we are right where He has led us if we follow Him. We are doing just what He created us for, and He will equip us for anything He leads us into.
Oh by the way the song made me cry and think how God really sees me. thanks I need that today of all days. right on time God is. In Christ Love
Hi Every one been away a while been real sick, but I still read my chapters. Chapter 8 really hit home, I do live my life according to others needs. I don’t think I have anything to offer with special gifts. Iam going to get the book you talked about Renee. Even if I don’t win one from you. I have done the spiritual gift assessment and I find it saids I am Giving, mercy, helps,serving, with some administration. I really don,t see my self like this.I still cannot get it thoughtmy head that God loves me after all I have done. I think I’m forgiving for some of the things I have done but how can he forgive everything? I done some really bad things and now I’m being ask to talk to middle school and high school kids about drinking and druging and what it can do to your life and what it has done to mine in the past before I gave myself to God. I don’t know what to do. I have been praying about it but don’t feel like he is telling me anything as of yet. Anyone got any advice for me?
My very FAVORITE part of chapter 8 is on page 143. “As we find our deepest delight in our personal relationship with God and allow His Word to shape our thinking and plans, the Lord promises to shape our desires as well. There is a connection between our delighting in God and discovering our heart’s desires.” The part about allowing His Word to shape our thinking and plans gave me a new perspective on Psalm 37:4.
I echo all these women about your words speaking straight to them, Renee. This study has impacted me so much and is totally redefining my thought life using the promises of God’s word. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
I love our word for this week, “MASTERPIECE”. It jumps out at me and has really meant a lot. I memorized Ephesians 2:10 a few months back and I love that verse, but writing the word down in caps and seeing this here and there in my house seems to take on a whole new meaning. It makes me smile!!!
I don’t know how to dream around other people’s expectations… First of all I don’t fit personality profiles. My favorite subjects in school were math AND English!!! I love people. I enjoy being with people but if I don’t have some time by myself then I feel like I want to jump out of my skin. I am EXTREMELY organized with my time and with people and my groups I’m involved in. ( Other people always comment on how “together” I am.) Yet my housekeeping is a mess!!!! But I have my financial files and organization stuff perfectly organized and filed… I love leading, especially when no one wants to take charge. But I also do tons of stuff behind the scenes that just needs to be done… WHAT AM I???????
And then… I homeschool and take care of my husband with his very demanding job . I took care of my father for 5 years ( lived with us some) before he died all the while homeschooling my 3. As my oldest is flying the nest and the other 2 are not far behind, I’ve realized I want to follow my dreams.. But what are they? I have such varied interests and what CAN I do? My husband is fine with my hobbies as long as they don’t interfere with him and what he wants to do. He wants to be able to take tons of mission trips and family vacations so I can’t take some kind of paid position because I couldn’t be gone that much. I would love to sing and speak places, but he wouldn’t want me to travel without him and he would only want to travel as a family or to our missions…. I’ve lived my life around his career…. When is my turn??? Or is that not a submissive attitude? Plus our parents are getting older and will need our help. How do you do what YOU want to do while still serving all of those people around you????? I’ve just about given up dreaming because nothing I want to do seems possible with the demands of everyone else….
I can your relate to your frustration Elizabeth, I only just rediscovered doing things for myself and what I enjoy( which is what good has come out of my circumstances ) and I hope you can make time for yourself to do what you want and voice your concerns. If you are doing something you feel fullfilled in you will be a better person for your husband and family. I hope you find yourself because I am still finding myself after doing everything around my husband,children and friends and forgetting about myself.
WoW! good chapter again. Several things stood out to me. not comparing my insides to others outsides,
-to embrace the reason you are who you are p137. Early in life I fell into the “spending my life to fulfill the desires of others” pg 143 As I was quite often told ‘help mom, poor mom”, then” help sis, poor sis needs help; then it was help bro, poor bro he needs help” ” you must take care of them”. =equaling to the loss of myself…-life was about me being in the shadows of others; being their caretaker. As I did move into the more who I should be, it was hard and I was harsh with family at times as I needed to cut the ‘ole habits cords….. then I sought years working towards and in the area of my talent, hoping believing and striving…yet life stepped in and made big changes that seamed to take it all away and I too began to wonder did I have this info right? was that from God or not? Having the sense of loss is rather discouraging. As I have been reading through genesis and exodus there are plenty of life stories that seemed to go in a different way. I have been so encouraged by the sharing and the encouragement in here. Keep at it ladies. Eph 2:10 stood out today ‘God prepared in advanced for us to do”…..
Thanks for sharing! I can relate that sometimes, people just expect us to help them with everything. There are things they are fully capable of doing themselves and yet they want help. I struggled with codependency for years without even realizing it, and had a hard time with boundaries. God has helped me to have healthier boundaries, and to take care of myself so I can give to others more freely. I’ve learned that if I tap into His strength, I can do a lot more than if I just try to serve others on my own. Now, I try to pray before offering help, to make sure that I’m acting within the will of God. May He bless you in your journey as you discover your talents and wait upon God’s timing.
I love “She (a confident woman) knows God can use her brokenness to do something beautiful, because the cracks allow His light to shine through and His living water to pour out.” I have never thought of it like this before, and don’t know that I am quite there yet, but the potential is enough to keep me pressing on:)
I like that too!
Love! Love! Love! this line in the book!
“When I don’t know what my heart’s desires are, I will spend my life fulfilling the desires of others.”
This really stuck with me! For a long time I was a “people-pleaser” , which is kind of wrong as there is no way to please everyone! Since I was sort of drifting along, without a purpose, it made more sense to go along with everyone else than to go with my heart!
Now that I’m a recovering attempting-to-please-people person, it is a little easier to see what things God is preparing for me to accomplish, and what things are for someone else!
Hi, Karen:
I like your statement that you are a “recovering atttempting-to-please-people person. 😀 I am, too. Your last sentence is good, too. Great! Thank you, and God bless you richly!
Renee,
Thank you again, As the chapters continue the more I read I feel lke your speaking about me. I can definitely relate to your situation in each chapter.
I feel after reading this book it has given me Hope and Determination.The light bulb went on. I am concentrating on the prayers, questions at the end of each chapter and watching the video’s. I finally feel I can build a relationship with God. I can live a good life. I don’t have to compare myself to anyone or listen to doubt. I can replace what I hear in my head with God’s Messages.
God Bless
After reading this chapter it comes to me that we have been made to compete since we were kids. Comments like; why can’t you be more like them, do you see what they did, that wouldn’t look good on you, they are so smart, etc. No wonder we grow up comparing ourselves with others. So we put ourselves down. I might find myself wishing I could be more like someone, but now as an adult I am starting to find I like myself more today. And with friends and my fiance I do complete our relationship. Our separate personalities are what makes US. It’s to bad it takes so long sometimes to realize this but I guess that is part of growing up. Question? Do you think men really struggle like women in competing with each other.
Oh, Renee
Your the best…this book and study has sown and shown me how to be bold be strong and courageous !
Thank you
I love the reading, hearing, seeing, knowing I am HIS masterpiece…it makes me feel like without me his puzzle would not be completed. I say that because of knowing my parents did not want another child, and being told I was a mistake, even though they kept me, it still leaves that thought…
So I was made by the Masters hand in my mothers womb…created for His purpose and plan…so ladies I am that perfect piece of the puzzle of The Lord…and no one or nothing can take that away…
Blessings
Patty
I love what I’ve read so far. I cried a lot when I read this because I have always thought everyone was better than me and never thought I could even come close to comparing myself. It’s really awesome to know that God knows me and I don’t have to compare myself to anyone. I don’t cry but today hit a major spot and i couldn’t stop crying. I really think this chapter hit a place I never realized was that strong. I have a long way to go but I do know that I am not where I was and am able to go to Chapter 12 and read all the things I am and know that no matter what I think or feel, God doesn’t think or feel that way. Thank you Renee.