Welcome Encouragement for Today friends! If you hopped over from my P31 devotion “He Cares About You,” Im so glad you’re here. I pray today’s post pours assurance into those places in your heart that just need to know you are not alone. You are deeply loved, pursued and cared for! Also, you can find details about the $40 in FREE Confident Heart Resources at the bottom of this post!
Chosen…I love that word. I don’t know a heart that doesn’t long to be chosen. Yet the disappointments of life and the criticism of others can cause us to forget that we are – chosen, loved, valued and called! “You are a chosen [woman], a royal priesthood, a holy [daughter], a [woman] belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of HIM who has CALLED you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9, NIV I have a song for you today! Please take time to listen and let your heart respond to these truths. Let these words remind you that you are CHOSEN and CALLED – your heart is spoken for. Oh sweet friend, please let these words soak deep into your heart. Watch it again and again until your soul knows it’s true!! Our Word for the week: Chosen Download our word for the week in a PDF or in MSWord. Be sure to print it and post it all over your house or office so you can remember you are chosen and loved. Let’s live loved in His PROMISE for us this week: “But you are a chosen [woman], a royal priesthood, a holy [daughter], God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.” 1 Peter 2:9, NIV Let’s Connect: Is there anything about today’s song that your hearts needed to hear? Click “share your thoughts” below this post and do just that.
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My of my greatest hearts desire over the last years has been to hear the voice of God more clearly. To distinguish His voice from my voice and other voices from other sources. I am excited about your Suggestion Renee of the after this book study on hearing God’s voice. I want to be able to do the two way conversations as well.
Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4
Then will you delight yourself in the Lord and I will make you to ride on the high places of the earth and I will feed you with the heritage (promised to you) of Jacob your father; because the mouth of the Lord has spoken it.
I was so blessed by the song and the slides. I have watched it twice and will watch this one again and again.
Is there any way of enlarging the heart with the names of God on it? I love it!
I also love Mercy Me and this song. I am also one of those who had such good ntentions when starting this study and really needed to do this, yet allowed life to overcrowd my days. I have only checked in one other time way back in the beginning. I am frustrated as well. Life keep sending shots–I don’t recover from one when another hits. I am beaten down and tired and the month of June is looking to be very stressful. I want to desire God, yet I don’t–and that just adds to my feeling like a horrible person. The sermon at our church yesterday was about this subject–how it is God who draws us to himself and gives us the will and desire. I left there so confused and wondering why God hasn’t given me the desire to read his word or pray or grow. I am frustrated and wonder why the Christian life comes so easy to others. People who grew up in the same church as me have this amazing faith and love for God. Bad things happen and they handle it with such grace and faith. We heard the same messages but maybe something is wrong with me.
Becky, please don’t believe the lie of the enemy that something is wrong with you. God made you just the way you are. Most importantly, don’t give up on God! He’s been wooing you and drawing you to Himself all these years. He won’t ever leave you or forsake you or give up on you. Have you tried reading the Word every day and talking to God? I don’t mean reciting little “token prayers,” I mean REALLY TALKING to God from your heart. The more you do that, the closer you will be to Him. If you take one step, He will take ten! Put on some praise music and just sit quietly in His presence. Listen and write down the things He says to you. If you hear a voice in your head saying, “Oh, that’s just my own voice I’m hearing,” don’t believe it! Trust that God will speak to you, and He will. He delights to spend time with His children. Don’t give up, dear sister! God isn’t finished with you yet! And just think, once this is all over and done with, you can help others who don’t feel close to God either! God is preparing you to minister to others! Be encouraged! Love you, dear sister!
Listening to this song gave me the feeling and vision of having God’s arms wrapped around me! I am so blessed that He has chosen me and I pray that I will continue to grow closer to Him as I live out the life that God has chosen for me alone!!! I can’t wait to play it over and over! Thank you Renee for this song….bountiful and beautiful!
Thank you for this song and the beautiful words , Chosen on the poster. I needed a healing balm to pour over me this morning. I woke up feeling tense, fearful and doubt with myself. There will be eleven of us here for a BBQ today, and instead of being excited, fear and doubt began to raise their ugly heads. I will continue to pry scriptures but this song brought peace.
I hope you were able to enjoy your BBQ, Diane:)
Blessings ~
Renee Thanks so much for the reminder of HOW GOD CHOSE ME !! It’s funny, but those words have not really sunk in until now. WOW !!!! God chose ME to be his daughter !!! Absolutely AMAZING when you think about it this way. I have grown leaps and bounds since I started this study. I have been healed in so many ways. One of the most important. Things This study has taught me is that my PAST DOES NOT DEFINE ME!!! This study and you Renee and all of the ladies have been a true gift from God. I am so very sad that it is ending. Thank You from the bottom of my heart.
That is a pretty and nice song….sounds right….sounds like a good concept, but it is just words put to great music when it all comes down to it. What do you do when you realize that in your heart of hearts, deep down in the crevasses of your soul that you dare not speak of, you don’t believe those fundamental things that were pushed on you and programmed into you as a kid that just aren’t cutting it (i.e. God loved me, God is faithful, God is good, God won’t give you more than you can handle)???!!
Because I am not so sure about anything anymore…. No matter how many times I try to convince myself otherwise..
Suzanne, I am a true testimony that God loves us, he is faithful, he is good, and he only gives us what we can handle. The abuse that I suffered as a child would have put me in my grave if GOD had not been watching over me. Yes I used to think why in the world did God not take me from the hell I was in. I asked why would he allow a five year old to suffer so ? I was hungry, beaten, locked in a basement for days with NO food, I was scared. However,, today I know it was God who kept me from being killed !!! So you see focus on HIM and what you have been promised and given. It is through Christ you will be given your true gift. God is teaching me everyday through my past and present experiences, how he has and will comfort me. He is teaching me to accept the past hurts and to use them to comfort others. Psalm 73:23-26
yet I am always with you;you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you. And Earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my potion forever.
Suzanne I am praying for you, If God is not giving you what you want right now it is Gods mercy. Allow him to speak to you. Trust him and spend time listening to him. Allow changes in your heart and life. God will answer prayer, but in his own timing. Remember God’s fulfillment comes after great frustration. Suzanne God does not make mistakes.
@ Chrisinta – thanks for your prayers need all I can get right now…you said:
“If God is not giving you what you want right now it is Gods mercy” – I don’t get what you are saying in that??
I am not Christina, but perhaps she meant that God has your best at His heart, and what you want might not be what you need. God knows our needs and will supply them. He graces us for what is on our “plate,” and has mercy on us by keeping from us what might look good to us, but may, in the long run, be harmful. He sees the big picture when we cannot. Keep your eyes, heart and mind focused on Jesus and His great and deep love for you.
In response to you original inquiry, perhaps you need to find out personally about those things pushed on you and programmed into you as a child. Don’t try to convince yourself. Read God’s Word to you – His love letter to you, and get in His presence and consider these truths and promises. I am praying for you. God bless you richly!
Because of Jesus,
Cindy
God will convince your heart. You are loved beyond measure and no amount of doubt can outweigh his love for you. It’s in the little special moments, in a beautiful sunset, in a smile you didn’t expect to have. Life is trying to defeat you, but you will win. Only you will know when His Spirit is upon you. You are worthy, beloved, and regarded as special in His sight.
I’ve been where you are at, and once I hit rock bottom, there was only one place to go: up.
My words came from my heart when I read your post. No pretty music, no pictures, just my heart speaking to your’s.
That is where I am now too. Make me believe it. Show me why I should.
Today I needed to be reminded of the truth – I am indeed Chosen and Spoken for.. Deep down I know this but it is so refreshing and strengthening to HEAR words of Truth that come from the very heart of God.
Today I soak in those words and ‘ in quietness and trust, shall be my strength’..
Hi ladies. Please be in prayer for me and my family! I am a couple of chapters behind. It has been a hard few weeks. My handicap brother had to have emergency back surgery. The day before he got out of the hospital my daddy had a mild stroke and has had 2 more in the last 2 weeks. It has been hard for my mom so my sister and I are trying to help her. At least as much as she will allow us to! On top of all that my husband was in a wreck with an 18 wheeler and will be having surgery on the 18th with a 6 month recovery time – no working. We are blessed that our daughter and her family will be moving to Texas to help us out on the farm and to help me finish our house. We have been living in a travel trailer while we build our own house. I will be trying to catch up this week.
Have blessed week ladies!
Thank-you,
Christina Beebe
Christina I have added you and your family to my prayer list. May God give you the strength to understand and believe in his healings and timing.
Christina, I will be praying for you! That’s a lot going on at one time! God isn’t taken by surprise, though, and so we know He’s made provision for all of these occurrences. May you be strengthened and find comfort and rest in our Sweet Jesus! Love you, dear sister.
Hi Christina – wow!! You and your family have been through so much – and are continuing. Im praying for you right now.
I would love to encourage you with some things I share in chapter 9 – during what I called our “year of impossible.”
Also, this video is really short – http://reneeswope.com/2013/05/when-problems-pile-up-and-threaten-to-take-you-down/
but I think it might encourage you too. It’s about feeling overwhelmed and how to process our worries and give our cares to Jesus, so that we don’t end up pulled down by al of them.
I pray it will really bless you and we’ll be carrying you and your family in our hearts and in our prayers this week!! LOVE TO YOU!
Thank you all so much! Daddy is slowly getting better. We have taken over his meds – so he takes them at the right time and every day.
Renee – Thank-you! The video has been a HUGE help! I have listened to it several times and each time I have come out feeling less stressed and worried! I am write my worries on an index card and giving them to God!
I feel so blessed to know that I have so many caring and praying sisters-in-Christ! I hope to be caught up in a few weeks (as things are calming down a little).
In Christ’s love,
Christina Beebe
Reading this almost two weeks later. Know that I have prayed and that I will continue to pray for you and the family.
I needed to hear that He chose me, that I’m not alone & He knows me…so I don’t need to get entangled in worldliness to meet my needs…
Robin, I’m so glad that you realize that you are chosen and that you are not alone. He knows you by name and will never leave you or forsake you! The world’s promises are hollow and empty. Only God can give life in abundance. May you be strengthened to resist the temptations of the world as you grow in Him. You can do this because you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you! Blessings on you, dear sister.
Wow! This song confirms just what my PaPa has been saying to me this past week. I have felt and seen such wonders in and around my life just because I simply accepted I AM spoken for. Thank you Renee for sharing this song with us. Thank you for sharing your story with us. A summer of listening for PaPa’s direction and just hearing Him would be fantastic. This study has truly been a blessing in the middle of transition for my family. All praises and glory to the great Creator and Sustained.
To hear God say, this ones mine…His heart is spoken for…..It some times is hard to grasp…but I know he means it…my heart was a bit saddened when I read this study is ending soon…it has been a life line for me and has filled a void….
To read and hear sisters share has made me feel like I have this huge family and fellowship daily… I love that and desire that…my church I am in, is missing that relationship need…once a week is not enough..some times I feel like I am weird and made different…I am the only one who wants this…I feel like they have no time for friendships…like Jesus, you cannot really know me without spending time…
But anyway, I will miss all of you…
And Renee…I love you…Ty for helping me to become more confident….
Patty, your story is not uncommon. There are so many lonely, hurting women out there! I’ve been there too! I prayed and asked God to lead me to people and Bible studies. He has blessed me in abundance! I would encourage you to seek out a Bible Study group at your church or in your community at another church and find some women to meet with on a regular basis. It’s so important for us to meet together so we know we are not alone. But even if we can’t find a group to join or a friend to meet with, God is always with us so we are never alone. He loves talking with us anytime, day or night! I pray for you, dear sister, that as this study ends, you will continue to have fellowship and feel wanted and needed. You are chosen! You are valuable! Blessings on you.
I know where you are coming from. We need each other to be accountable to and to fellowship together and social together and support each other. To build each other up. I hopr you find what you need with others during the week. I really want to see more of it here, where people are in each other’s homes as just part of their daily lifestyles.
My heart is spoken for by my Father God and no one can take that away. He has paid the price for me and no one else can have me. I am his and he has chosen me. “This childs mine” not anyone elses. I can go with him and be safe and secure in his love. The most important person in the world chose me! He wants me, he sees me, he picked me out, he loves me, i’m important, I’m special, I’m unique. His love for me is overwhelming, unfathomable, amazing. I want to praise him and give him all the glory. Thankyou Jesus.
THIS study is coming to an end – b/c we’re in the last chapter – but don’t worry or be sad. Im praying for a topic and through some details about leading another one about listening to God 🙂
And Babs, I have been where you are. In that place where I felt like I needed friendships but others were doing fine and didnt need me. Im praying for you to feel Jesus pursuing you in this time. He wants to be your best friend – and we’ll be here to keep you company too 🙂
We’ve still got this week and next week as well.
I would love to do a summer study, Renee:) I look forward to this every day!
Prayer is the first thing that comes to mind now, the emptiness, the void that I have filled with a number of unhealthy choices rarely raises its ugly head. I am complete but not finished….living in faith instead of fear is the best phrase I have learned so far. I thank God every day for my many blessings.
Thank you for sharing, Mel. Just remember, the past is over and done with. All that matters is from today onward! You are a new creation in Christ Jesus! The old has passed away and the new has come. We’ve all made mistakes we’re not proud of, but when we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us of all unrighteousness! He takes our sins and throws them into the sea of forgetfulness! If God forgets them, why should we hold on to them? Keep going on your journey of healing, dear sister! He loves you and has chosen you. We love you too!
Amen, I wholeheartedly echo Gloria’s encouragement!
Goodmorning and thank you for sharing this wonderful song! I also love Mercy Me …
This is a timely reminder for me, my hope had been to read A Confident Heart again this spring and follow the online study, but things have gotten soooo busy (again)! Sadly, this is the first time I check in since Chapter one!!
Last year I was so moved by the unity of the study group that I was really looking forward to connecting and getting that peace and sense of belonging from it again this spring. However I decided to start a small direct selling business in the little free time I had (hahaha) while trying to managing my already super busy family, and that has taken up a lot more of my time than I anticipated 🙂
With God’s help I pray that I will make more time to spend with Him daily and connect with wonderful ladies like you and Renee!!
Happy Monday
Karen
Karen
It is never too late, over the course of this online study I have fallen behind and just taken my time through it. I urge you to pick up where you left off even if that is at the beginning and even read a part of each chapter just give it even 10 to 15 minutes a day you will be so blessed for doing it. I know I have. Life is so busy it is tough to make that time but it always amazes me how God works my schedule out better than I ever could when i just give him a liittle bit of my time. I hope this does not discourage you my only intention is to encourage you in His love. Trust me I struggle with this too. It is so hard to find balance for everything in our lives.
I loved the collaboration of videos Renee put together for us. They are only 5 minutes long I watched the ones I missed this morning and they were good reminders of what I have read.
I pray God help you find that time. It is so important.
God bless you and your journey,
Michelle
Great encouragement with such thoughtfulness Michelle. It is so hard to keep on track with anything the way life goes and gets busy and so many unplanned circumstances. But, you are so right. Just bite-sized times with Him whether it’s 5-10-15 mins makes such a big difference 🙂
So glad you are both here Karen and Michelle – and all of the rest of you too. Love you BIG!!
Renee’, I took some time today to purposefully read the responses this week. Thank you all for telling us it is ok to be in week 12 and not have read further than we have. I *think* I am in chapter three. I have gotten so much encouragement from the women here, and you, Renee’ that I *will* catch up and take one or two nights during the week to read, even if it is only a few pages. I am happy to know that I am not a ‘bad’ study participant, or not worthy of being in this since I got behind. Thank you for not judging me.
Thank you Michelle and Renee for your welcome words of encouragement!
“Covered by love divine… to hear you say this ones mine… my heart is spoken for…” Sweet balm to my soul this morning – thank you!! Letting go of this world – not needing it anymore – having peace like never before… wow – just such a great reminder of all that I have in being Chosen and being HIS!
I agree Laurie!
What a great reminder, it’s one of those songs I love getting stuck in my head all day 🙂
I need this song stuck in my head all day – every day. It’s been around a long time but I never tire of hearing it. Jesus speaks so tenderly to my heart with each word, satisfying my need for assurance with His love. 🙂
It is very much sweet balm, thats a perfect way of putting it! Thank you.
What a great message from an old favorite of Mercy Me. I love the reminder that I AM “spoken for” and that He has claimed me. I need that because I sometimes struggle with my worth and value in the church. Our church is very clickish and although I have grown so much in the Lord, I don’t know how to pray and change that attitude and mindset. I’m not sure if it’s what we offer to encourage believers in their season that may be causing division? I feel it more because my husband and I have 6 children and I’m seeing the separation even more. So to remember that we are all covered by a love divine and we are all striving to live a life pleasing to God is an encouragement. Thank you Renee for all you are doing for us as women.
Blessings!
Vicky
Vicky, I grew up in a clickish church and as soon as I could I quit going – I would urge you, for the sake of your children, to find a Bible teaching church where you are all welcomed and cherished as brothers and sisters.
Oh, Vicki. I am going through the same thing. Our church is a Bible believing and preaching church. Funny… We don’t have any children so that can happen to anyone. Lately, God has impressed upon my heart that if I look hard enough, there are people that are not in the forefront that are such loving people. After talking to God about it, He has taken people out of the woodwork. Now I’m in the process of connecting with them personally. I’m finding that these people have more of the meek and humble presence of God showing through their lives. It is obvious to me that their service to God is entirely for him, not to impress the others. “Iron sharpens iron”. These are the people that God would want me to hang with anyways. I suggest looking for these folks. We are in our forty’s and God has led Us to people In their fifties and sixties, with kids and empty nesters. Because you have 6 children, you may need to invite people over…. more especially in the beginning. There are people that we are waiting to invite us over because it is just not feasible for us to invite a family with that many kids over to our place. It is rather intimidating for us. We don’t have the space or the toys to be good hosts. It is NOT because we don’t want to get together. Maybe you know some people that may be in the same boat…I encourage you to pray to our Father about this. He wants us to have fellowship together and won’t let us down if we seek Him….Ask anything in His will and He will hear us and give all good things to his Children. I will pray for you as we both reach out to those whom He calls us to!
Dealing with years of abandonement & feeling unworthy & not wanted…being born to a teen mother & a father who abandoned me…I thought no one wanted me. I was an unwanted pregnancy, and my biological father obviously didn’t want me.
To think that I am chosen, loved, & worthy by Christ is overwhelming to me. I was successful in deep therapy to embrace God’s truths about me, and not let my past define who I am today. I am so thankful He chose me. I am so thankful He is my Abba Father. I am so thankful my mother had the courage to have me…alone & shamed by family & friends. I am so thankful God placed my loving husband in my life to know His love here on earth…and to physically experience a man true to his word that he won’t leave me…ever. To let my heart embrace that He was always with with, and that He will never leave me…because I am His.
Tears stream as I type becuase it’s still a process of helaing hurts & reminding myself I am worthy becuase of Him.
I am Beloved…and a chosen heir to the most precious gift. How blessed am I? Thank You Jesus!
Thank you for sharing Jenny, we are sooo blessed! Why is it so hard to be convinced and believe that we are chosen, loved and worthy some times??! My prayer is that we continue with Jesus on this beautiful journey, never alone!!
Thank you for sharing your heart, Jenny. We are all grateful that your mother chose to give you life instead of ending the pregnancy! God has a special purpose for your life and you are chosen and wanted! So thankful you are walking in the truth that God loves you instead of believing the lies of the enemy! Keep up the good work! You are of GREAT VALUE, dear sister!
You are very blessed! I am glad God is touching your life. It is so hard to believe sometimes but I know how gratefull I am he chose me and loves me. I am very encouraged by you sharing.
What a beautiful story of redemption and hope Jenny. Im so glad your mom was brave and brought you in to this world. I have no doubt you are precious blessing to many – including me and all of us!! you are loved!!
I love you, jennyp! Thank you for sharing!
Thank you for sharing you story Jenny. I thank God for your mom, she was strong and brought you, a beautiful blessing, into the world, and with your story you will encourage so many other sisters. Your are Chosen, Beloved, a Masterpiece of our King. God bless you sister
Another song from Mercy Me that will touch your heart is Beautiful.
I love that song too 🙂
What a precious truth….I am His…..but even more precious He is mine…..He is the reason for living
Thats so true Lin, I don’t know where i would be without God right now. Life has no reason, no purpose and is pointless without Him. He is the one I’m living for, he is the one that gives me a purpose to keep pressing on towards the goal….
Me too! I’d be nothing without God’s love for me!
I LOVE Mercy Me, what a powerful video. I enjoyed seeing all the different scenic photographs. The lyrics “peace never felt before” struck me because it is SO true! When you accept Christ as your Lord and Savior and surrender yourself to His purpose, you are free! Being a child of God truly brings about peace and assurance that you are chosen and dearly loved. When you experience that peace, it is like non-other.
Thank you Renee for posting the video!
I second that! I am so glad i am chosen.
Love reading how different parts of the song touched each person in a unique way. I love every word of this song just like all o fyou. It speaks so deeply to my heart!
I’m not always successful at letting words soak into my heart, but God is faithful and I notice as I continue to claim some of the verses over the past weeks, they are becoming the 1st thing to come to my mind in times of doubt. There is much of this journey left, but because I am in Christ, I do not travel alone and I begin to travel with joy.
You are definately not alone, we are part of a very big family! so much so that just thinking about it again makes me get excited.
Amen, amen!!