So excited to start this “Confident Heart” journey with you!
The first thing I want you to remember: This is YOUR journey. You’ll be reading the chapters, listening to God speak to your heart, highlighting sentences, promises and quotes you want to remember and apply. You’ll be answering reflection questions and interacting with the group.
You’ll be doing the work of believing God!
I’ll be shepherding, leading, encouraging, connecting and pacing us. I’ll be sharing my heart and more of my story…because I want you to see you are not alone and give you courage to see and share yours. I’ll be praying for you and challenging you – but you’ll only get out as much as you put in.
Today, I asked the Lord what I needed to give up – so I can give more to Him – and this study. I immediately sensed Him whispering “work.” And I knew it was Him. I love my job and I’ve been working too many late night hours after the kids go to bed. So I’m cutting back the next several weeks to consecrate more of me TO HIM and to you!
What will you cut back on to make time for Him and yourself these next several weeks? I’m really going to challenge you and give you permission to block out at least a little bit of time each day to concentrate on replacing the OLD with the NEW He has for you! Ready? Here we go:
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A Confident Heart Online Study (Day 1)
Read the Acknowledgements (I’ll explain tomorrow why I wanted you to do this).
Read Chapter 1. Please highlight verses and sentences that grab your attention or tug on your heart. What is God saying to you though this chapter? Write down what you sense God speaking to your heart in the margins of your book, or in a journal/notebook that you’ll use throughout this study.
A video message from my heart to yours is coming later tonight. I’ll post it on my website later since I’m not quite ready to post it yet. But I wanted to go ahead get this loaded so you can get started!
I’ll send an email and post on our Confident Heart Facebook page to let you know when the video is up and ready for viewing.
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GROUP CHAT: What sentences in Chapter 1 resonate with you or tug at your heart?
Click “Share Your Thoughts” below (or click here and scroll to the bottom of this post) if you’re reading this via email).
Also, please share one or two on our Confident Heart Facebook Page or on Twitter (@reneesswope) using the hashtag #AConfidentHeart.
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“Doubt keeps us from believing things can get better.” “Doubt and hope cannot live in our hearts at the same time.” Sometimes I feel overwhelmed, and I realize it’s because I have replaced my hope in God with the shadow of doubt. Thank you for this book and this study!
The forward, acknowledgements, and chapter One spoke loud. I’ve prayed the verse, “Lord, I believe. Help my unbelief” daily and found it written in a different way in the study. God wants us to believe that change is possible and life CAN be different. My earliest memory is that of my parents always fighting and thinking it was my fault because I wasn’t a “good enough” daughter. The “If only” internal conversation started very, very early in life. It was validated by my father’s comments that “I wasn’t pretty enough, no one would ever love me”, and so many others.
I have struggled with doubt and insecurity my whole life. What really struck my heart tonight as I read Chapter one is that God really does want me to be confident and bold. I feel like He is saying to me that it is time for change. Time to let Him heal me as only He can. And all I have to do is turn on the light.
Hey ladies. I’m so excited that God allowed me to find this study and after reading the first chapter, it was divine intervention. I haven’t been able to identify a specific sentence that really spoke to me because I could identify with all of it. I have second guessed myself in one way or another for the better part of my life. Inadequate. Silly. Stupid. Lonely. Foolish. Just a few words that have been used to describe me. Sadly, those words came from no one else. I said them to myself. This study is an answer to a prayer that has been said daily for many years. Now its time to change. Praying for all of us to have open hearts and minds.
My earliest menory of feeling self doubt and feeling insecure was when my Mom & Dad divorced and thinkng is was all my fault and worried about if we were going to be poor.I went looking in all the wrong places to prove I could be loved. I have since learned all I needed was to ask my Heavenly Father for the love I was seeking.
The things that jumped out to me while reading chapter one was on page 23 ~ As girls we need to know and believe that change is possible.I liked praying God.s word and that oneway God tells us that confidence will come is when we ask Him for what is alreasdy part of His will.
Looking forward to what this journey brings.
I am so looking forward to this book study. This past week I have felt a lot of self-doubt. See I have trouble with pronunciation of some words. My career, I have to speak alot in front of groups, and my supervisor told me this past week that due to the fact I have trouble with pronunciation of words it might keep me from advancing in my career. This has been the first time anyone had every said anyting about the way I talk. Boy has this left me with alot of self doubting and worthlless feelings. So right now I really can use this book.
Trust God’s plan for you!!
Father, please create in me a new heart. Send your Holy Spirit to fill me and free me. Help me, Lord Jesus, to trust you at work in my life this week. Thank you that when I invite you into my heart, I find you are already there. In Jesus name, Amen
I find it comforting to know that I am not the only one who has doubts and insecurities. In Chapter One when it said “Perhaps you are good at hiding your doubts and no one but you know the paralyzing power they have on your life” really hit home with me. I have struggled with doubt & insecurity most of my life. As a result many times I have paralyzed myself and simply do not have the confidence in myself to move forward. Doubt and insecurity had me convinced that my life would never change so why try. I’ve always believed in God but have never really believed God and his promises-I pray that God through this study will help me to overcome my doubt and insecurities and become all that He has called me to be!
Some sentences that I related to very well were: (pg 21 doubting you have what it takes to be a good mom.) I have 4 kids and home school them, and I feel I’m not a good mom most of the time. (pg 22, insecurity paralyzes us with statements) I feel paralyzed and that’s just the best word I can find for now.
pg 24 When I choose to dwell in the assurance of Whose I am and who I am in Him. Gave me something to focus on.
Also on page 24 to the top of 25 you talked a lot about what we are going to do. learn to depend on His heart, understand who God is and who we are in Him, identify triggers, learn how to live beyond, holding each of our insecurities up, and learn to actively trust. I’m hoping so much in these steps to learn how to deal with my doubt, depression, and negative thoughts.
Thank you
This study is also coming at a time that is so needed. I also loved the shadow story. I allow so much of my fear and insecurity to dictate my thoughts and even tear at my faith. No matter how much the Lord shows me over and over again how He is there with me thru ALL things, good or bad? I still question myself and His will. I look forward to this study of growth and trust!!
This first chapter spoke so much truth to me, and I was really tugged by the the last couple of sentences of the second to last paragraph on page 25. Where it mentions, “when we pray God’s words out loud, and hear them, the Holy Spirit engraves them on our hearts and writes them on our thoughts. We internalize God’s truth as our faith grows and we are transformed from the inside out.” This personally is my struggle. When I am in a battle and find myself seeking Christ, the enemy puts so much doubt in my mind, but the minute I start declaring God’s word out loud, those thoughts leave!
Agree!
Hi Ladies, praying for all as we go through this study together and of course with our heavenly Father.
I have felt very much like not going and doing what I have been asked to do sometimes, staying home and ordering pizza sounds good but…..He does not want us to stay where we are when it comes to walking alongside Him.
Well……….I haven’t been able to read the first chapter as of yet…but on my way. Church service was off the chain this morning and then time with the family and then cell group.God sure shows up and moves like no other! Hope each of you had an AWESOME SONday in the Lord’s house.
I have read each of the comments and WOW…this is going to be a Godsome!! study!! I can’t wait 🙂
Have a Godtastic week everyone!!
Blessed
There are a few things that popped out to me – Doubt has robbed me of joy – . The voice of insecurity cast shadows of doubt over our perspective & keep us from becoming women we want to be. Doubt and hope can not live in our hearts at the same time – I choose hope to be in my heart. And with choosing hope and having confidence in the Lord I will make changes in my life and become a more confident women.
Assignment from chapter 1 Study:
My primary remedy was to find someone or something that would make me feel secure and significant.— from lysa TerKeurst’s forward. Man, I’m doing that everyday and I need to figure out a way to stop and just let God be who He is supposed to be. As for Chapter 1: “Go ahead and give up, just close the book now and walk away” That struck me, hard! Let’s not give up, let’s go through with this study expecting something great to happen.
After my divorce 4 years ago I struggled with letting a man fill me, complete me, make me happy, instead of letting God heal my brokenness. I have grown some in the past year, but I want more of God. I want to be confident in the abilities God gave me and reach out to those who have gone through the same struggles I have. I want and need God more now than I ever have. With the insecurities I feel I haven’t been able to do much. I want to do more all for the glory of God.
I have been crying out to God for direction and discernment in a particular situation I’m going through. I kept thinking if I was where God wanted me to be it wouldn’t hurt so much and I wouldn’t be so unsure I was on the right path. I’ve been praying about the same thing for almost 2 years so I often think I’ve just misheard God and am only doing what I want not what God wants..after all if I was in His will things would change, right? Well today, like so often, I felt God tell me to trust Him, He was doing a new thing and it would be. When I read in A Confident Heart tonight that “God declares with confidence that things can change-See, I am doing a new thing” that gave me confidence that I do hear God and to keep persevering regardless of my pain and exhaustion!
I understand the struggle with hoping you are understanding God’s desire for you even though it is painful. I wonder every day if I am living God’s plan for my life. I am happy to have this “community” to remind me I am not alone and this wonderful book and Bible study to strengthen me!
I feel like I can be more transparent on the blog than posting on FB but will post there from time to time too. One thing that sticks out with me about self doubt is when I fully believe God is speaking to me and He continues to say it over and over but when I share with friends, the majority think I am nuts. I am sure I will share more about that later and in more detail. What continues to help me refocus is LT stating in one of her books that NO ONE but You knows what God says to you. So, all that said – Jeremiah 17:7 spoke to me. You asking God to take away your uncertaintys spoke to me as I have continually done the same thing for months. Isaiah 49:23 and especially Mark 9:23 – – All things are possible to her who believes. My struggle has been one day being rock solid sure of what He says, and the next day wondering if I made it up! I keep wavering. It’s not that I don’t believe Him, it’s me – – with the self doubt! Did He really say that or am I reading someting more into what I think I’ve heard?!?
That is completely fine. You do what is most comfortable for you. The blog is really where we’re going to gather in community, share our hearts, pray for each other and share some of our stories (as we feel led and comfortable) But, I’d love for us to encourage one another through FB by sharing quotes and verses so we can keep God’s truth and promises before us all day- and share them with others. 🙂
Thank u for sharing this because I feel the exact same way!!!!
Baby girls asleep and my video is loaded but YouTube said it would take a while before it’s processed so I”ll load it here in the morning. Night friends!!
Remember this….We’re all broken in some way but He chose us, adopted us, restored us and wants to do some something beautiful even in our brokenness — revealing His unfailing love in the midst of our failures and frailties. You are loved by an ALMIGHTY God!! His goodness makes you good enough!
Amazing Love, isn’t it?! That He created us, chose us, loves us…humbles me and fills me with joy!
“He’s led me beyond believing in Him to believing Him…..” pg.24
Wow that hit me like a Mack truck! Of course I believe IN God but I don’t always believe God. When he says he loves me, that he has a plan for my life or when he showers me in blessings all I can think is, ” but I’m not worthy Lord. I don’t deserve you or your love or your blessings.” He really opened my eyes with Renee’s statement. It’s not enough to believe in Him and love him. I need to believe Him and what he says and promises. I never realized that before. I find it kind of funny because of all people He is the only who isn’t going lie or exaggerate and here I am having trouble trusting what he says 🙂
You are not alone Candace – I think we all come to that realization and like you said – it hits us like a truck!! Oh that we would believe HIM and live like HIS promises are true in OUR LIVES – no matter what our circumstance or emotions tell us. We have been blessed with every spiritual blessing through CHRIST!!