Today is another day where I can’t just write what I want to say – I need to “show and tell” you. In today’s short video message below I share how God walked me through a process of looking back with courage – so I could move forward with hope. He helped me identify things I didn’t even know were affecting me and gently led my heart on a journey towards freedom – showing me how to of let go of the pain from my yesterdays so I could live with confident hope in my todays… and tomorrows.
{Are you a note-taker? If so, I created “Video Message Notes” in a PDF format here or in a MSWord doc here, just for you. Even included key verses and blanks to fill in.} 🙂
Today’s Giveaway:
I’m giving away 3 Confident Heart gift packs for 3 of you. Each one includes a copy of my book, A Confident Heart {for you or a friend?}, my “Rest Assured” message on CD and a Starbucks gift card!
Let’s Connect {and how to enter today’s drawing}:
I’d love to hear how God speaks to you through today’s video message… and this is an easy way to enter today’s giveaway too. Just click “share your thoughts” right below this post and do just that. I’ll be here reading and praying over each of you and your stories. {Also, I know the timelines I encourage you to create might sound overwhelming or scary, so I recorded a little video message to talk/walk you through that process – If you’d like to hear more click here to watch it after you share your thoughts below.}
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I receive your devotional by e-mail, but today I was led to this site to listen to your words … I know my time line … it is filled with rejection after rejection after rejection. Thirty-two years ago I married a man who loves me and I love him … neither of us knew the Lord then. By the time our first child was celebrating his first birthday, my husband began to pull away and reject me … after our second son, my husband deserted me but stays in our home … I love him so much and I know that he loves me … I have faced death many times and at those times, he lets go and I can see the love…but then the walls go back up. There are days and days that go by without speaking. I sought the Lord and He is my saviour. Just recently my husband agreed to come with me to see my Psychiatrist … he was willing to go if it would ‘fix’ me … after two visits, he has refused to go back with me as “he knows what to do” … I feel like I am disappearing and my hope is gone … I get through my days by repeatedly reminding myself to just breath … when I speak, I am not heard unless the words I say are what he wants to hear … I have no idea why I am even sharing this … desperation perhaps. Anyway, thank you for your words … I hope your message will touch many lives. God bless you … and thank you for meeting me every morning …
Your comment at the top “{like pretty please even if you don’t normally watch video posts}” must have been for me. I don’t normally watch video posts preferring instead to read. But it is a wonderful message at a very appropriate time. My husband and I are struggling in our marriage and I have been struggling with the question of why God. Your post spoke truth into that question and had helpful suggestions that I will try. Thank you.
As I continue to read “A confident Heart” and all of the comments that are posted here by other readers what sticks out in my mind more than anything is how there are so many other women who have experienced the same kinds of hurts, the same kinds of pain and heart aches as I have. I don’t know why I thought I was the only one; I don’t know why I hid my pain and disappointments behind the mask for so long……. but then again, I do. Shame, guilt, humiliation. Since beginning this study so many things have come to light that I had forgotten or perhaps maybe I had suppressed them so I would not remember. My step father who wanted to have sex with me when I was 13 and then who also thought it ok that he could pass me around to his friends as well, rape by gunpoint when I was 18; my own blood uncle who tried to molest me, my first husband who would beat me for even making eye contact with another man and accused me of being a lesbian if I was friends with a woman. I think of the relationships I have had where the man always had a reason why they did not want to marry me but when our relationship was no longer they found it easy to commit to the new woman in their lives. What was or is wrong with me that I am never good enough, always the bridesmaid but never the bride. Was I only good enough just to play house with but not for the real thing??? I guess these things; these memories that have re-surfaced have a lot to do with the tears that just won’t stop flowing as I read. I don’t want to keep going around the same o’le mountain over and over again. I want to experience the healing that I know God has for me and I guess He could never really do that until I allowed it to come to light. Thank you Renee for being obedient to the call that God has placed on your life. Thank you for sharing your story thru this book and your devotions and the videos. I thank God that even though you may have run from or avoided your calling for so many years that He has chosen this time and this place to use you. I pray for restoration, I pray for healing, I pray for the wonderful promises that I know God has for me. Jeremiah 29:11 has always been a favorite scripture for me along with Ephesians 3:20 but I’d never read verses 12-14. Now I know that God is waiting for me to get really serious about seeking Him and to want it more than anything else, then and only will He make sure that I won’t be disappointed.
Sweet Renee, thank you for sharing your heart with us! God is using your transparency to help so many including me! Thank you!
Thanks I like the hope you said of working through the pain of today and allowing God to fill us and work with that pain.
THANKS FOR THIS DEVOTIONAL.AS I PRAYED THIS MORNING I WAS TELLING GOD ABOUT HOW I DID NOT WANT TO DOUBT HIM BECAUSE I PUT ALL MY TRUST AND FAITH INTO HIM .BUT SOMETIMES THE DEVIL TRYS TO PUT THAT DOUBT IN YOUR MIND.BUT I AM STILL TRUSTING IN GOD .MY SON IS ABOUT TO GRADUATE TOMORROW AND GO OUT INTO THE WORLD.I VE BEEN THERE AND EXPERIENCED THING AND ALL WERE NOT GOOD THING AND ITS JUST SCARY TO KNOW THAT HES ABOUT TO GO OUT INTO A WORLD IN WHICH THERE IS NO LOVE .BUT THANK GOD FOR THIS CONFRIMATION LETTING ME KNOW THAT GOD HAS A PLAN FOR HIM BUT NOT ONLY HIM BUT ALL OF US.TO GOD BE THE GLORY.AMEN
I bought a hard copy of your book for a friend at Christmas-time. Then I got it for myself on my Kindle when it was on sale. Now I’m doing the study with you.:-) Thanks for being obedient to God and sharing your story! I have dealt with some of my past hurts over the years and as I was thinking about my sins that have brought such shame on my family, myself, and my God, He reminded me that where sin abounds, grace abounds even more. I have specific memories of such grace that remind me of His love. I am so undeserving, but He means what He says…”If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Thank you, Jesus!
Thank you for sharing your story and letting us into the deepness of your heart. Today has been a rough day, one fully of humility, pain, all part of the healing process. I was cleaning my kitchen and just felt led to read a different devotion today, which led me to this video. I am going to go watch it now without distraction and try to let Jesus walk with me.
As I was reading ch 4 the statement being knocked off or feet struck up thoughts of my childhood, During those times of being knocked down I had no problem getting up – I did not know Jesus yet- so what came to mind was so profound as I reflect on how I felt. A one point I had said I am going thru this abuse because God knew I was strong enough to deal with it. As I sit here and write these words in my journal it dawned on me it was God’s strength that made me strong. It was only thru God that I could even attempt to get back up after being knocked down. It was only thru God I could continue to take one step in front of the other, Praise God !!! Because it was His Strength that sustained me and kept me going. In Him I had the power not to give up and give in. And yes there were moments i wanted to throw away the book but its on my kindle which is on my pc , so I couldn’t do that,, hehe. So glad i’m doing this study.
Renee thank you for your ministry. I read through many different life situations other women are/have dealt with. I have felt so utterly alone and angry at God for allowing hurtful event after hurtful event in my life. The one that has “taken the cake” so to speak has been my relationship with my husband. The second day of our marriage we began to deal with the effects of his past before Christ in addiction to pornography and his unrealistic expectations of what he thought his future wife’s body would be like. I didn’t meet the criteria and he admitted he was disappointed in me. He admitted that he didn’t really deal with his disappointment in taking it to God but avoided it expecting it to vanish. Before our wedding night he had never had sex. Only a past riddled with sexual sin and exposure to nakedness that reduced women to body parts rather than eternal souls. The expectations he had buried inside resurfaced and I was very sensitive to his response to me. My husband does find me beautiful and wants only me. He has repented and is asking God to renew his mind through His word at what the most important things are to Him because my husband really believes God brought us together for HIS purposes. It has just been under two months and I am still grieving the hurt.
We are both growing in Christ and love His Word and are striving to live holy lives that are pleasing to Him. Thus we are great targets for Satan to deceive us, cause division amongst us and stir up feelings of inadequacy and bitterness. The hardest thing for me to do has been to look to Jesus to remind me that I have been made adequate by the blood of the cross and that I am much more than just what I look like on the outside. Which used to be pretty nice in my eyes prior to all this.
All of this has led me down a road of asking God “Why?!” Why has life always been painful? Why has everyone important in my life always treated me like I wasn’t good enough?”
My current struggle is that church is the hardest place to be. It USED to be my favorite place, a place of freedom and joy. My husband has struggled with interest in other women physically (and at times lust) and comparing me to other women and we both get caught in a web of him being afraid of where his eyes are because I’m super sensitive to where he is looking and blame myself for not being enough. I hate church at times and I especially start to hate other women because I compare myself to them and at times I believe that my husband finds them more beautiful than me and that I am chopped liver and can never measure up. It’s a complete battle because I used to love being a part of the women’s ministry and so enjoyed getting to know other women and encourage them in their identity in Christ. I now approach much in fear and insecurity.
I have, in my pain and discouragement, turned to smoking cigarettes after 7 years of being free from its grip and now struggle with condemnation and walking without a clear conscience wondering what people would think if they knew.
I haven’t been running to God because I have been angry with Him.
BUT. Yesterday morning I prayed for the first time in a whileand told God that I missed the sheer JOY I used to have in just knowing and experiencing Jesus. I couldn’t sleep at all last night. I opened my bible with the right heart for the first time in a while. I spent three hours immersed in 1 Peter chapter 1. It was as if God was answering my heart’s cry: He would NOT let me sleep because He wanted me more than I even wanted Him.
He wanted to reassure me that my faith is being tested for a purpose. He reminded me that when my faith is being tested by various trials and distresses, if I ENDURE and hold on to Christ, this faith is proved genuine. He showed me that PRAISE, GLORY and HONOR are all the result of faith that has been stretched and gone through fire because the outcome of genuine faith in Jesus Christ is SALVATION of my soul. He revealed CHRIST to me afresh and in doing so reminded me of what is MOST important: not that my husband would meet all of my needs or vice versa, but that I SUBMIT my life and my whole self to the GOD who laid down His life for such a wretched sinner as myself. I owe Him everything.
This truth has renewed my mind to realize that while I struggle with bitterness that it seems as though I never had a “honeymoon” period in my marriage, God DOES have a future and a hope. And HIS idea of what that will be is so beyond my scope of understanding or short term sight. And the truth is that as believers, our best days are yet ahead. We are all just passing through this earth while God is transforming us from glory to glory making us more and more like His Son. It’s going to be painful, it’s going to be difficult, it’s going to not make sense. Because we are being changed from what we are and were into something otherworldly. But it’s going to be worth it all. And in the midst of it we can either die to ourselves and our dreams and expectations and praise God and proclaim to others the TRUTH about who He is OR we can shrink back in to self pity and allow ourselves and our dreams to continue to occupy the thrones of our hearts. Even still God has more compassion, mercy and grace than we could ever try to articulate and He knows just how hard each person’s battle is. He can meet us there if we ask Him to come in.
I have grown up in church and i made some wrong decisions in life, so when i thought i had made the right decisions ( without the councel of God, but they sounded right), i thought God was going to bless me and my family. But it all fell apart and i was so hurt that i dont know how to get back to fully trusting in God. I want to… But i just cant see myself being prosperous again… This book would help me a lot! Thanks for your words!
Jeremiah 29:11 is my favorite verse. Seven years ago my husband abandoned my kids and I for meth. He was abusive both physcially and mentally. I believe that I went through this trial to have a closer relationship with Him. He was with me through the struggles of my divorce and has been with me everyday since then. He has blessed me so much. Just this year, I was listening to a Steven Curtis Chapman song that brought me to my knees and I forgave my ex. I believe that God was speaking to me through that song. I have no contact with him but I still continue to pray for his salvation. I have forgiven but I still struggle with the pain of low-self-esteem and insecurities. There are some days I still can’t look in the mirror. As long as I stay in the word and continue to pray, God is right there helping me grow. I trust in Him. Renee, thank you for this study. It is great. I am praying for you and for all the women doing this study.
Hi Renee,
Even though I already have gone through your study once, I was intrigued by your e-mail’s this week, so decided in spite all the things I have to face and do, I would take some time today to read through Chapter 4. As I have gone through it so far, I am so glad I did. it has brought such encouragement, hope, help at just the right time for me. Your words on the pages are helping me to keep carrying on to face and do the many difficult and not so fun things in my life. I had a feeling It would be helpful for me to skim back and also follow along some this time. I can tell I am at a little different place than the first time going through your study, so it is helpful in that way too. Thank you so much Renee for your love, honesty, perseverance, joy. You have been an encouragement today.
This has been such a blessing. Yesterday as I was reading chapter 4 the Lord highlighted many things to me and then I also felt compelled to tune in to a message streaming live online… right when I connected it was talking about the same exact thing God had just ministered to my heart. I originally downloaded the e-version of this book because I seen a link that it was free, but then I went ahead and bought the paperback book so I could have a copy in my own hands. I was not expecting to have as much breakthrough as I have had. If anyone is having trouble going through chapter 4 I encourage you to DO IT! I received tremendous breakthrough, not just because of the words written in the chapter, but because the Holy Spirit breathed on some of the things written in the chapter and expounded on them as I prayed and asked the questions the chapter suggested. Thank you for the message of hope you shared today. God truly is using you Renee!
God Bless
Joslyn
Thank you Renee for your video today. I am slowing starting to realize how my past is affecting my current thoughts and feelings. I’ve grown up always being shown “a better way” of doing things. While my father meant well, I always felt that no matter what I did, I was never good enough. I am starting to see that in my relationships and situations today that many of my feelings of inadequacy probably stem back to childhood. I feel like I’m not good enough to have certain friends, do certain things, act certain ways, I’m starting to think they are all lies from satan. Now for the hard part, to overcome them. Thankfully I can ask God to overcome satan.
Thank you again Renee for your encouragement.
Hi Renee,
Today I woke up with a bit of discouragement and I’ve been reading the devotionals on a daily basis. This one in particular really spoke to me. Its funny because I’ve been reading Jeremiah 29:11 this whole week and everytime I read it, I always get something different from it. It reminds me that God cares very much about the things that matter so much to me in life. Especially about the hurt from my yesterdays. I believe I’m going through a healing process right now, but it gets very difficult at times. God has removed many things that were standing in a way from getting closer to him, and let me tell you it hurt a lot. Now that those “distractions” aren’t in my life any longer I’ve become much closer to Him. But I know that He still has to work a lot in me. I learned a while back from a really good friend of mine, that healing is a process. It takes time, and when you mentioned it in your video, I thought of my friends’ words. There are times when I feel so alone, like no one understands me, but then God shows me different. There are sisters of mine, like you, who have gone through what I’m going through rite now. He’s always reminding me that I am not alone, that He loves me with an Everlasting and Perfect Love and that He is always with me. Thank you so much for today’s devotional, it was such a blessing and I thank God for using you in such a beautiful way to touch women all over the world.
God Bless you
-Jennifer
What powerful scripture! There is pain from my past that I need to talk to God about. I so needed to hear this. Thank you for sharing.
Renee once again you are speaking directly to my heart. I’ve had a lot of hurt and loss in my life and I know I have resentments because of it. I do ask God why me and know he has a greater plan for me. Thanks for reminding me of Gods great love. Angie
Thank you, Renee, for another timely encouragement and reminder to have confidence in the Lord. It’s scary to purposely go reminding myself of past hurts but you are right, God is there with me to love me through it.
I was doing really good with this chapter until yesterday. Yesterday my husband was fired from his job and with it went our insurance. Our oldest son is on multiple medications each day so this is devastating for us. But the verse you put in the chapter…”for I know the plans you have for me. Plans to prosper me and not to harm me.” This struck so hard because right now I am overwhelmed with being the primary breadwinner and knowing I don’t make enough to make ends meet. I also felt that the word HOPE was so right on, too…because my hope has to be in God to see us through this! Thanks for your amazing words of encouragement!!
In the past year I have been called every name in the book and said I am someone I am not just to get my son taken away from me! please pray that I get my son back!
Wow – I didn’t even realize how much of my past is affecting my personality today. What an amazing revelation. I’ve heard of the timeline before but have never done one. It’s a great idea. Thank you for sharing your story. Now to tackle my past 🙂
Thank you for such an encouraging word today!! Gods purpose for my life I know has not been fulfilled but there is one!! There is so much hope in that verse alone!! No matter who we are are where we have been we serve a forgiving God that loves us more than our human bodies and minds will ever understand!! Without him my life has no purpose!! God is so Good!!
I am 21 years old and have been struggling with sex, lust, pornogrophy, masturbation, faithfulness in relationships with people and with God. I know why I have been struggling with these things but IDK how to deal with the core of my issues. I have had a hard time doing the timeline and answering the reflection questions about my past because I don’t remember much of it. My biological older sister molested me from a very young age until around the time I was 13 and started having sex. Nobody ever knew until I was 20 when I decided to tell my current boyfriend and eventually my mother. This lead to us finding out why my sister did those things to me… She was molested by her go sister and one of our aunts. This also lead to us finding out therewas a generational curse of incest in our family. This video revealed to me that this and the fact that my father wasn’t there for me, cheated on my mother for about 15 years of their marriage and has never really been a father to me, the sexual abuse as a child, a series of relationships and 35 sexual partners, failures and disappontments throughout my life have led to my struggle of not being able to have a consistent relationship with God. I do not want to deal with any of this but I am tired of wearing a mask and living my life in silent pain covered with a smile. Thank you for sharing your story and writing this book. I know it is time for me to deal with this tremendous amount of pain so all of you reading this PLEASE pray for me as I take this journey to freedom…
*godsister
Jalisa,
I will pray for you. Know that God is with you and that there is nothing that you could have done, that could change God’s Love for you. I can relate with you on a certain level, and I know the pain it brings to reopen that wound in order to heal. Many times in my life, I’ve felt so uncomfortable even thinking about my past because the pain and guilt was so unbearable. So I went about my life trying to ignore that past and pain. But recently God has revealed to me that it is that particular thing among others that have affected my relationships in life. But I know God isn’t doing that in order to hurt me, but to heal me. In order to be able to speak openly about it someday to other woman and minister to them through my pain and healing. Remember sister, that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, those who have been called according to his purpose Romans 8:28. God always uses our ashes and turns them into something beautiful…its just a matter of giving them to Him first.
God Bless you
-Jennifer
Jalisa-
I pray for you that there will be a great healing within you- that God will shower you with his love and give you the courage to face your past and let the healing begin. May your future be full of sunshine that will chase all your cloudy dark skies away for good. In Jesus Name I Pray. Amen
I think your already on your way…. Be Blessed!
Aloha from Hawaiixoxoxoxo
Oh Jalisa, sweet friend I am so so very sorry for all that you have been through and the deep pain of each wound you have shared with us. What courage you have and what precious value you hold to our Father who wants to scoop you up and hold you close. He knows all the thou have done and all that has been done to you and He wants to wipe it all away with His redeeming, cleansing grace, mercy, love, forgiveness and healing. I am going to come back here to pray for you tomorrow – as it’s really late and I need to get to bed. BUt just know you are not alone, all of us who read your story are going to pray for you. Healing and redemption are yours in Christ if you have received His gift of life through His death.
I want to make sure you have my book? If not, I would love to send you a copy. Calling on Jesus on your behalf tonight!!!
Renee,
The wisdom in this chapter is amazing. God has already started me on a journey to look at my past and see those things that have caused me to be insecure and doubtful. I never thought that I would need to do that. I’m a missionary kid and come from a wonderful family. Nevertheless, given the enemy and our sinful nature, we can turn even good examples into unrealistic expectations for ourselves and always come up short of who we think we should be.
I want to encourage those reading, that on the one hand, they shouldn’t ignore the timeline if they don’t think there’s anything “traumatic” that has happened in their life. On the other hand, I wan those who have suffered more significant trauma and mourned their whole lives that they have not had a “good childhood,” that a perfect childhood does not exist. We are all human. We are all flawed. Recognizing this has given me the freedom I needed to forgive people I held dear and looked up to.
I am still on this journey and God is still revealing things that have affected me 8 months later. I am beginning to taste freedom and I love it. Thank you for this chapter, this book. Let us hold on to the hope we have in HIm. He loves us so much. I love the example of Aster you gave in the video – it makes sense, my sister has three adopted kids. I
Thanks again – Annette
Thank you for your openness, and willingness to share what God has done in your life. Your insights are an encouragement to me as I go through the process of healing from wounds that I have not dealt with from the past. Jeremiah 29:11 is an encouragement to me, along with God’s promise to never leave us or forsake us. Thank you.
Thank you, Renee for giving each and everyone of us hope from our loving Father.
One line in this weeks lesson spoke loudly to me. “He wants us to live in the promise that He offers hope for our future despite the pain of our past.”
Thank you, too, for taking me beyond God and His plans and showing how to come out of captivity! Amazing promises.
I love the story of “Sam.” She gives us hope.
Gwen
Renee, I’m learning through this study so far that God is wanting to heal me. He’s wanting to heal those past wounds and hurts that people or sin has affected me in my life. I want God to use my story to help other people find the true freedom that comes in knowing Him… I am learning that’s its okay to trust God and be vulnerable to Him. He knows me, and everything he does is good. It’s okay to have a story, for we all have one. But it’s how we use our own story to help lead others to make their stories turn out good with making wiser decisions than what we have. I want people to see how much Jesus truly loves them… if only we could truly grasp how much he loves us. It’s beyond our understanding, but I want to see God’s love everyday in my life, for his healing hand and touch of unconditional love are the only things that can help us move forward, and face the past to draw courage like you said, and see and hit the future head on!
working on the time line. and want to be on the contest list ^J^
This study really speaks to me and has allowed me to reflect, react and know God is speaking to me in so many ways, through you. Thanks Renee for allowing God to use you to touch our lives.
Love
Aretha
After reading chapter 4 and some of the comments I have a lot to think about. I may not do the timeline right now because I’m not feeling called to. I have given my testimony several times at Celebrate Recovery a Christian 12 step program for anyone with “hurts, habits or hangups” and have found a lot of healing in sharing what I thought were painful secrets. I will start to think about what God wants me to do and what I can now allow Him to do with me. One woman called Jesus her Knight in Shinning Armor and it struck me I’ve never felt that. There are many things I need to transfer from my head to my heart and I know this is a safe place to do that. Thank you Renee for providing this safe place for growth. Since my best friend died in December 2011 I’ve lost that safe feeling. I think God is urging me to find more safety in Him through this bible study. Thanks to all the women who are willing share their stories.
Thanks for sharing your life. So much seems to happen in life. The last year has been challenging with my husband’s injury, which he still is recovering from — it’s been challenging for both of us as well as our young daughters. The last month has been challenging with my shoulder dislocation and my husband’s ankle surgery and then having both my daughters comes down with strep throat this past week. It’s easy with all that is going on to just shut off the emotions and keep persevering. I am encouraged by the assignment to do a timeline to examine past hurts/events which have molded me and still cause me doubts…a lot which stems from my childhood and things that were said to me. Denying it does not make things go away! Amen, that we always have HOPE from God!
Thank you for your sharing, Renee! I have been having a “boot camp” of a season the past year. Been through a tough patch but looking back, I could see that God was dealing with me on my past. And truly, He is faithful to take us through all our hurts and pains if only we allow Him to. I may not have liked the journey somewhat, but through the tears, God is slowly mending this broken heart of mine to wholeness. He does have a plan for our lives, and a good and perfect plan too.
Hey Renee:
I have went through some of the very things you are talking about as far as our past goes. I didn’t really till recently that I was harboring pain from my past. Things happened when I was a young teen, that forever changed me. I didn’t turn to God, but others, who didn’t necessarily give me the best advise. It changed my life forever and not in ways I am proud of. As I have went through several painful events, I have discovered that some of the hurt was not coming from the current situation, but from my past. We all need to examine our lifes to the point of figuring out who we are and mostly who God wants us to be. Think back to events in your life that changed you and see what effect they have had own you. Once you realize where the pain is coming from, you can give it to God and he will free you. Jeremiah 29:11 is my life verse and continues to bless me often. My church home that I had been searching for became obvious because this was their life verse on their bulletin. Also as you concluded, the verses that follow are all part of God’s plans for our lifes. Give all your concerns, hurts, pains, joy; whatever it is, to God. He does forgive and he forgets! He wipes our slate clean to become to christians he wants us to be. Choose to grow your faith and trust him completely, he will bless you beyond measure.
Sister in Christ
It is very difficult for me to find hope, due to the many things that have happened to me throughout my life. But, I have been trying to find that hope since returning to the Lord a couple of years ago. Though this is a difficult journey, I know He will be there for me.
So much of what you are saying is exactly what I am struggling with. All the questions, doubt, and wondering if I will ever heal and feel normal again. Thank you.
Hi Renee,
Thanks for sharing your heart. I am 53 years old and I am finding myself at this age with a very low self-esteem because of all that has happened to me in my life. My life certainly has not turned out the way I planned. Those words sound so silly to see in print because I know my life is not my plan but God”s plan for me. Even knowing this, I keep asking the hard questions, “Why have these things happened to me?” At 53 years old I am divorced my husband left me 10 years ago and I am an empty nester, my 4 girls are raised. I am all alone and it is scary to be all alone. I know God is always with me but when I come home, the house is empty. I ask God, “Why am I alone. You said it is not good for man to be alone and yet I am alone!” Hurts from my childhood and dealing with a narcissistic mother further adds to my poor self-image. I think what is wrong with me because I pray and I love God and then I saw your Encouragement for Today message which led me to this blog. Your message gives me hope. I don’t want to live the rest of my life trapped with these insecurities. I want to give it to Jesus but even thought I want to, I seem to fail at actually doing just that. Right now my financial situation is not good so I would be so blessed to received your book as a gift. Thank you for praying for me and considering me for your generous offer. God Bless You! :o)
I love your openness and transparency. It really goes a long way in making us realize we are not alone in our struggles. Thank you for your willingness to follow God’s path for yourself and in the process bring such blessings to the rest of us.
Jeremiah 29:11 is something special to me. I’ve had friend who instructs Zumba but what she doesn’t know but maybe she does that the month even though I was getting helped I was thinking about ending my life due to job hunting and moving back home, loosing indepedence it was hard and I felt like I couldn’t succeed and I was letting my parents down that is how I felt. That verse “God has a plan full of hope for me” I was like why. She even announced Bible Studies that has helped me strengthen my faith and trust in God and I was not going insane. I felt like I was going insane due to a Church I was attending hurt me so much that I didn’t want to go to Church and said I should go to the hospital. I even told my counselor that and she said “You don’t need that” However, it took me almost half a year to back to Church I wanted too and tried to get in my car but I just cried and than I would be upset that I’m crying again. I even got to the parking lot of the Church but couldn’t get out of the car and yes started crying again. Finally, I went to 3 different Churches and still didn’t feel right but one day I overslept one Mass and I had something going on that I couldn’t go to the later Service. So I went to one that is close and I just knew that was the place for me. I still get worried but I’m singing in the choir and wow what wonderful caring director that God has placed in my life. So I was a little nervous about those Bible Studies but I’ve learned that we all go thru struggles. Again, I have been laid off a second time, but due to the Zumba class where the instructor reads a scriptures and we have 15 minute devotion afterwards. I know I will get through this time too because God sent me to this class and I’m so glad He did. In addition, the Jeremiah 29:11 verse has appeared almost every other day especially when I feel down. Furthermore, if I didn’t take those Bible courses I wouldn’t have taken this course and oh my God’s love is amazing and I will persevere because of His grace and love.” Thank you Renee for writing this book it has helped me and I’ve shared some of this with some of my friends and strangers. God Bless you!
Renee,
WOW – What an on-time word for me. Jeremiah 29:11 is my favorite scripture and hearing it again today by you and your story just reminds me even the more that I have a future and a hope. I’ve had a habit of not going pass verse 11 and today I’m reminded to include 12-14 each time I think of or read my favorite scripture. I can relate so much to your story as my childhood was a painful one. God is truly doing a work in me, but I must be even more willing to allow Him complete access to my heart at all times. I’m so ready for all that He has for me and I certainly don’t want to be a hinderance. I bless God for causing me to click on your link because your story has so encouraged my heart. May the Lord Bless you and Keep YOU and May He Smile upon YOU everyday!
Abundant Grace,
Donna
I began reading chapter 4, then saw your VIP message and thought to my self… “some people must be REALLY sensitive. Then I got further into the chapter and saw that you, (really God) is speaking straight to me! I have cried so hard with this. I have felt like a failure since I was 5 years old. Forty four years is a long time to feel this way. I am so ready to have His hope. I have not done my time line yet, but I may put on it (or make another) the times I have hurt a loved.
Thank you so much Renee. I have been in such a pit for so long, and I want to get out without the pain of my past, but I think I am ready to deal with it. How can I not if I want to do what God is calling me? ( I would like to hear his plan(s) for me. I think I would feel better, get motivated and be able BELIEVE Him more!)
Hi Renee
Listening to you was like listening to myself. Thank you for sharing because it is through sharing we learn we are not along in our struggles.
Blessings.
Oh my this has so touched something deep in me. In a couple of days I will be 66. Sometimes I feel like its too late to change why bother after all these years. My Mom abandon me at birth. Unbeknown to my Dad I was given to my adoptive parents when I was less than 24hrs old. When Dad came to the hospital the next day I was gone. PTL I found him 51 yrs later. Together we discoveed that Mom had passed away 8 yrs earlier. So I will never know why. My adoptive Mom really wasnt cut out to be a Mom. She tried to fit my square peg into a round hole. I became an emotional eater. And now struggle with being really overweight. I cant imagine what the pain would feel like if I let it out & that scares me. Plus by keeping my mind blank I dont have to deal with the pain. Just realizing that somewhere in life I have shut down. I function very well no one would be able to know. I have never taken care of me. I dont even know who me is. However, I am going to get Confident Heart and try to let the process begin. HOPE. This is the word that keeps coming to me. Thank you for sharing your life with us. It has opened a door that I pray will not close no matter what the pain.
thank you, renee, thank you. i sit here endeavoring to type the words that would adequately describe what is brewing in my heart…and failing. but that’s ok ’cause my Father knows (oh! HOW He KNOWS!) and, as i pray for you and each of us working our way together through this study, He will apply my prayers to each heart as He sees fit…as He knows each need…as He perfectly supplies through the holy spirit. i am thankful, renee, for His choosing to work through you. may the Lord bless you and yours today. <3
Your devotion today was such a huge encouragement to my heart today. Yesterday I wen to see a Specialist and had some tests done and the results did not come back well at all. As I sat there in the doctors office after the tests were done and we were going over the results and what needs to be done I felt so overwhelmed and alone. Thank You so much Renee for sharing from your heart because today you have truly blessed mine in a very special way!
Thank you for sharing your message, it was what I really needed to help me realize I can let go of past hurts and learn from them!
I really love your message today!!! I am having a really hard time with my daughter, see doesn’t talk to me in person or on the phone she will text me. I just want the relationship that w once had back. Don’t know why she hates me so much. She is married has two grown sons. She seams to want to hurt me in every way she can.
I can definitely see that I am going to have to get this book. I believe that the message within this book could really help me get past some of the obstacles that I am facing in my life right now. I definitely need a healing touch from God and for his Holy Spirit to help me deal with stings from the past. From a broken home to broken relationships, I am battling low self-worth, insecurity, and this completely affects my current job and relationships. Please pray for God’s healing touch in my life. I know that He has a plan for my life. By faith, I believe that! I just have to draw closer to Him and let him show me His plan.
Proverbs 31 ministraies and Renee…thanks for all the comforting words and stories. Your message was heartfelt. I struggle to allow God to be in control, not me. My neighbors who are youth pastors at my church are also struggling right now. Finances aren’t growing as fast as the needs of the church and mixed with economy…you can guess the outcome 🙁 Everyone’s past – even if they are still climbing the mountain – can be paving the way for a better future. We all just have to trust in God and know that he DOES has great plans for us and we should be anxious for nothing!
Wishing everyone the best and remember to place your hope in God, not wordly things and people.
Geanna
Some of it sounds too easy or something. I’m working through with a counselor right now that my marriage is an abusive relationship. I also grew up with an abusive mom. Is it just the brevity of your video that makes this sound like a “quick fix”?