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Renee Swope

Encouraging and equipping moms to parent with God's grace and confidence.

Read An Excerpt: Chapter 1 & 2

Praying God’s Promises

Praying God’s promises — it’s changed me.

That’s why I included a prayer, at the end of each chapter, weaving together Scriptures from that chapter and others I sensed God wanted us to engrave on our hearts.

“Praying God’s Word has been one of the most life-changing ways I’ve learned to live in the security of His promises…and isn’t what we all want?

“One way God tells us that confidence will come is when we ask Him for what is already part of His will. ‘This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us’ (1 John 5:14 NASB). So there you go: we can be confident we are praying God’s will when we pray God’s Word!” p.25

But that’s not all.

Romans 10:17 tells us that “faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” so let’s pray these promises out loud again and again.

Out loud. Yes, even if it seems weird. Find somewhere you can be alone and speak these truths to God and let them echo in your heart

Trust me, it makes a difference.

“When we pray God’s words out loud, and hear them, the Holy Spirit engraves them on our hearts and writes them in our thoughts. We internalize God’s truth and our faith grows as we are transformed from the inside out!” p.25

Let’s pray this week’s prayer {together}:

Lord, I pray that You would give me a confident heart in Christ. Take me beyond believing in You to truly believing You. Help me rely on the power of Your promises and live like they are true. You say blessed is the one who trusts in You and whose hope and confidence are found in You. Those who hope in You will not be disappointed, because You work all things together for good for those who love You and are called according to Your purpose.

When self-doubt tells me I can’t overcome my insecurities, I will believe Your promise that all things are possible to whoever believes. I will not throw away my confidence, because You say it will be richly rewarded. I will persevere so that when I have done the will of God, I will receive what You have promised. My confidence is in Christ and I am no longer one who shrinks back and is destroyed, but one who believes and is saved! In Jesus’ name, Amen.  {See Jeremiah 17:7; Isaiah 49:23; Romans 8:28; Mark 9:23; Hebrews 10:35–36, 39}

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A Song of Prayer

My friend, award-winning composer and pianist , Chad Lawson, has graciously shared his beautiful, Spirit-filled Song of Prayer below. Watch and listen below for FREE  and soak in this God-gift that was filmed while Chad listened to the Holy Spirit for 32 minutes and simply played what He laid on his heart. You’ll see the joy of Christ in Chad’s smile but more than anything, you’ll experience the peace of God’s presence through his music.

Download  Song of Prayer: You can find it on Itunes ($1.99) or  Amazon ($.89)

Today’s Give-Away: 3 Special Order Song of Prayer CDs

To enter to win one: Click “share your thoughts” below this post and describe how you felt or what you sensed God whisper as you listened to Chad’s Song of Prayer. Also share one or two of your answers to questions at the end of Chapter 1.

If you’re reading this via email: Scroll to the top of your email and click the title “Praying God’s Promises” to go back to my website. All entries must be put in the “share your thoughts” section.

Comments

  1. How blessed this song is, the peace you feel when you close your eyes and listen only to the notes that are being played. what a amazing prayer, and awesome God we have , I think what hinders me the most is not keeping the confidence thtat the Lord will never leave me, especially when I want to sing about his grace, but feel like i’m not good enough in the eyes of others. which should not matter, Need to stay in his word more and quit doubting myself.

  2. I love listening to the piano. This song is so peaceful!!! it forces you to be calm!!
    I actually don’t remember doubting myself until this past year, when the stress of my mom’s Alzheimer’s and my dad’s end stage kidney disease took it;s toll on me. Looking back, I can see God put me through these experiences, so I could draw near to him. I am thankful for them now. I see that’s how much he loves me. I am slowly coming back from the dark hole of fear and anxiety, because I am learning he has plans for me, plans to prosper!! : )

  4. A Song of Prayer is beautiful! I would love to have this playing in the background each day as I go about my responsibilities. It is so relaxing, and encourages me to slow down and experience the Lord in EVERY moment of my day.
    Insecurity has kept me from doing many things throughout my life. I’m tired of living in this prison. When doubt whispers it’s lies I feel defeated, discouraged, and depressed. However, I can see the Lord working in my weaknesses. God is so good! His faithfulness endures forever.
    I love that you pray God’s promises, Renee. What you said in your post about the blessings of doing such is so true. It reaffirms His truths within our hearts. Thank you for sharing this very practical way of praying to our Lord. God bless you, your family, and your ministry.

  5. Chad’s song bought peace to my heart and soul. I passed it onto my 29 yr old son who has met Jesus before but when his dad died when he was 14yrs old he has been fighting bitterness,guilt, sorrow and anger for such a long time. He himself is a pianist. I pray that it calms his heart and soul as well! Thank you Lord for speaking to us in so many different ways!

  6. Listening to the song just made my heart and mind so peaceful! I felt like God was telling me he is here, he is always here and not matter what I am dealing with he will always be here to help me through it! Love piano music! Makes me feel so relaxed!
    Chapter 1 question 1. I remember doubting myself already in grade school. I wanted to be smart, have a lot of friends, be popular and have teachers like me. I feel like I lived so many years of my life being fake. Not being me. Now that I am older I feel I still have a tendency to be fake around some people but I feel lke I am stronger in my Faith and if you can’t like me for who I am then I don’t want you as a friend. It is hard though when you do want to be in a certain group but you just don’t fit in!

  7. My 12 year old son was killed 1 1/2 years ago in a tragic accident. He loved Jesus so much and he would worship often by playing the piano – He played both worship songs he knew and songs he just made up. The piano in our home sits mostly in silence since his death. Chad’s music brought it all back – just how much I miss my son’s worship and I don’t think I realized that when my son played I worshiped with him. Chad’s music has settled my heart into worship this afternoon in such a beautiful way, letting go, filling my soul, allowing God to breathe for me.

    God has done a mighty work in me since my son’s death. He has revealed himself intimately and I believe with all my heart in (Rom. 8:28) “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” Responding to this post is hard for me. I am very shy and I lack confidence in sharing who I am. I am usually a lurker on blogs, gleaning from others, and yet not feeling confident that I have anything to offer back, that I could encourage other women or that they could learn anything from my experiences.

    #7 Jer. 17:7 But blessed is the one who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.
    It has been my prayer in the past few weeks that I would truly learn how to hear God’s voice. God has answered and I have recognized his voice. Now I am learning about obedience and that means being confident in my heart that I am hearing him. I have been amazed at the peace I feel when I trust his voice and obey.

    • Bless you girl for sharing that!! Wow, you really have my respect!! I am so glad that you got the confidence to share your testimony!! Very touching!! I think your response will touch many women’s hearts!! It did mine!! Bless you!!

    • God knows just what we need, even when we don’t. Music often speaks when words won’t tell the wornder or glory of the Lord. God loves you and blessed you with his song. Thank you for sharing from your heart! May God richly bless you!

    • Teresa, I’m so sorry for the loss of your son’s presence and his worship music on the piano. I’m sure this struck a deep chord, but I pray that your sweet testimony and boldness to share (instead of lurk) will be a stepping stone for you and bring healing and minister to others. Thank you for sharing! I am deeply touched…I’m so glad that your prayer to hear God’s voice has been answered and now may you be confident and obey! God bless you and may Chad’s music continue to comfort, bring peace and remembrance that delights your heart as you breathe deeply in God’s presence and your son’s.

    • Teresa,

      You are in my prayers. May God’s peace be with you. I agree with Peggy in saying that I also pray that you will be able to be a help to so many others who are hurting. When you minister to others you are ministering to yourself.

    • Teresa, sweet sister – thank you for sharing. I love how the Lord just meets us where we are and loves on us and gives us intimacy with Him. I just thank Him tonight that He loves us. Press on Sister! There are women that need you!

  8. My earliest recollection of being insecure was probably at the age of 3. My father died in a car accident and my brother and I were left with my mother who didn’t exactly know how to nurture or embrace us. I suppose that was the beginning of my insecure life.

  9. The chimes at the beginning sounded like God calling me to come. Rest was the word I heard as the meolody quietly took over and the joy of just leaning back in the strength of the Almighty–my hearts longing)
    In all knowing that his strength was whispering calm cool refreshment as HE always promises. Thank you.

    Kathy Sturgis

  10. As I listened to the song I heard God whisper to me, “be still, listen to My Word, and there is Hope!” In question 5 from chapter 1, I think what hinders me most from living with God-confidence in the work place is the feeling that others take charge and have control over what is decided. The promise that speaks to my greatest need right now would be, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose.”

  11. I so needed this today. I’m sitting at my computer wanting to cry! Out three year old son had his tonsils and adenoids removed yesterday morning and since the moment I woke up yesterday I have been a ball of nerves, not only because my baby was going under soon, but because I would be leaving our other two at my moms house on a school night, because I would be leaving my home unattended over night and because my “before surgery” to-do list was far from complete. The surgery went well. My older two were ok. And my house was fine even thought I didn’t remember leaving it that junky. We arrived home to kids who didn’t want to clean their room, medicine that kept wearing off way to quick and with me running off of almost no sleep, and looking forward to a night of waking up every three hours to administer pain meds to my little guy. I was feeling beat, and inadequate. I wanted to curl up in my bed and sleep and cry. I decided to jump online because my mailbox was overflowing. I missed yesterdays post so I went straight to today’s. I love inexpensive things and jumped on the .89 download price. THANK GOD and THANK YOU!!! The sound began coming out of my computer. I think I’m breathing for the first time in 2 days. I thank God for the surgical team’s hands. I thank God for the awesome nursing staff. I thank God for family and friends. I thank God for strength to push forward. I thank God for helping me put my house back in order. And I thank God for peace. I will never be able to check off every box on my before surgery checklist or any other checklist for that matter as long as my confidence is on myself to be the best. I did not place my confidence in the surgeon’s hands yesterday as he was working on my baby. I placed my confidence in God. I’m not going to place my confidence in my hands this next week as my son recovers I’m placing my confidence in God. And this evening when we’re working on our home, my confidence is not to going to be in my family, but in God. To continue to help me as a mother make my house a home for my husband and my kids. Question #4 asked what we felt when reading certain scriptures. Isaiah 49:23 “Those who hope in me will not be disappointed” My hope is in God. My home and life may not be perfect but I am never disappointed. I believe that God gives us things and allows circumstances when we need them. For that I am thankful.
    I am going to put my cloud player on my phone, put my headphones on, play this song again and clean my kitchen.

    • Well stated!! I can relate to all the feelings and anxieties you were feeling.. sometimes I feel that I need to fix everything…but then I am placing my confidence in me and not GOD…then I become very tired and disappointed when I can’t do it all successfully. Thanks for your honesty and I pray your son is feeling well and healing well!! Big Deal for a 3 year old!! But NOTHING too big for our God!! Bless you girl!!

      • I’ve been very “tired and disappointed” lately and my family can feel it as strongly as I can. He is doing better than expected. He’s a tough little guy. 🙂 Thanks.

    • Thanks “Tonya E.” for sharing your heart. I’m also guilty of trusting in myself and wanting to have all the answers and fix things taking my confidence off God and onto myself. We have to trust him with the big things and the little things in our life.

      • It seems easier for me to trust Him in the big things, but it’s the little things that are hard for me to stop trusting my self and trust God. My plan is to take more intentional steps in my days and reach for Him more often.

    • Tonya,

      Thank you! I like how you said in everything you are going to put your confidence in God. Amen!

  12. Thank you for posting this awesome song As I listened to the music at times I felt as if I was being cradled in God’s arms, other times it’s like running through a field and coming upon a beautiful waterfall.

    A confident woman would walk with her head held high and have poise and grace flow out of her. I long to be this woman. The book and this song are helping me see that it can be a reality for me.

  13. I just want to stay focused on this study and God! I feel if I can do these 2 things slowly but surely my confidence in God will return and then He will take care of my confidence in myself.

  14. I have struggled all day with conflicting thoughts…Letting go of old thought processes is tough. Listening to music helps soothe my soul, I so need to believe God’s truths, as that is what will set me free. My head knows, let’s get it to my heart! One of the questions was our earliest memory of feeling insecure, I don’t remember a time I have not felt insecure. From being the last one picked to play a game in grade school, to having no dates in high school and the list goes on. I am so tired of feeling alone, afraid, unknown…I long to feel God’s arms around me and the security that goes with it. I am tired of always trying to please others with what I do or say…I need to focus on God’s truths and promises. I am trying but been a tough day.

    • Kim, I can honestly say I know how you fell. The girl you described was me!! I am married with children and grandchildren now, and I still suffer with those same emotions. I know in my head God’s promises, His truth’s and His word. I need in my heart. I need to feel him reach down and hold me and the security that he promises. I need it in m heart now. I am praying this study helps me gain just that!

      The music was absolutely peaceful, beautiful and brings peace to my heart and soul. Thank you for sharing that!

      • Kim and Linda L.,

        I am praying for both of you right now. I too have been there also. I am so glad that all of us are in this study together. My prayer is that God shows us that despite what we have been through in our lives, He wants us to know that He is there with us always. May God bless you in this study and forever.

    • Kim, I am sorry for the tough day you were having. I understand, as well. I can know it in my head but my heart still hurts so very much. I can’t wait for that day for Him to hold me in His arms… I just need a way to get through this life now.

  15. Authorine says 1-20-12

    Question#1 My first year in high school.
    A women with a confident heart, she is a strong women with hope and believe in the Words of God,knowming
    that God has her in his hand and will see her through her situation.

  16. Chad’s song is the still of listening – a peace we all search for. I could listen all day. Thank You for sharing this song. Beautiful Peace of our Lord!

  17. I recently spent some time in prayer asking God what was blocking me from fulfilling his desire for my life. The words that came to me were “Not enough.” It struck me with such force it brought tears to my eyes. That was exactly enough. I have been stuck in a rut of thinking I am not enough – not doing enough, not being enough, always falling short. It is a miserable place to be and has been blocking me from receiving his joy. I asked God what I needed to do and sensed the word “patience”. I’m trying to step back. To be more mindful and live in each moment fully. I can’t say I always succeed, but at least I have a starting point. Chad’s beautiful song will be a wonderful backdrop for some much needed quiet time. Thank you.

    • I can so relate to this Jill! I recently realized that in both my personal and professional life I suffer from “not enough” syndrome. I’m not quite good enough at my job, I’m not quite as good a wife or mom as I should be, and I definitely am “not enough” of a housekeeper! The only thing I am good enough at is cooking/baking, and that’s just made me fluffy, so I’m also not thin enough! I would love to be one of the godly women in my church that I so admire, exuding the peace and beauty of Christ – showing that they KNOW him so well. However, having grown up in a hypocritical, and critical, church (and hating the hypocrisy), I feel like I can’t speak out to people I know about my faith because then, when I am not perfect at some point (say about 2 minutes from any given time! lol), I will be being one of those hypocritical people who so turned me off growing up. I don’t want to be the cause of turning anyone off on Christ. The problem is, this same feeling of not being enough is preventing me from turning anyone ON to Christ. I have been praying and trying to show Christ in my daily life wherever I can, without worrying about being good enough. I will continue to pray that both of us may find our “good enough” in Him!

    • Thanks for sharing – it reminded me of last week when He asked me – Sherry, am I enough? Yes, Lord, you are enough & I’m sorry for acting like you aren’t!

  18. What hinders me from living a God confident life is simply fear! I spend way too much time in the shadow of doubt. It is so paralyzing that I can’t even make decisions sometimes. I doubt myself so much more than anyone else has ever done. Other people have confidene in me but I don’t have it in myself. I fear I won’t live up to the expectations. I don’t want to disappoint anyone. I want everyone to get along and be happy : ))So, the promise that speaks to me right now is “…those who hope in me will not be disappointed” Isaiah 49:23b. Thank you Renee for sharing what God has put on your heart and enabling us to share it here. Thank you Chad Lawson for playing God’s music. He’s the most incredible artist, isn’t he? 🙂

  19. That was the best I have felt all week…just sitting and listening and waiting on God to direct me. Chad has a wonderful talent. I’m sure everyone that listen to his music felt the Lord with them.

    #2 Has insecurity ever kept you from doing something? OH Yes, all the time. I wanted to be a cheerleader in high school but was afraid to try-out was afraid someone would make fun of me. Then my senior year in school I was working in a hospital and wanted to be a nurse but I was afraid I couldn’t do that. Now, I want to buy a business and I am afraid to step out and do it. But now have someone that is bigger than anyone that will help me. I have been praying that if it is meant to be that the Lord will open the doors for me. I know that doesn’t mean I won’t have any troubles, but I know that the Lord will not put more on me than I can stand. That is His word.

  20. The music brings me peace and helps me to focus.

    In answering Q #1: Insecurity and doubt are two of the earliest feelings I remember having.

    Q#5: Isaiah 43:19 Behold, I will do a new thing, Now it shall spring forth; Shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

    Mark 9:23 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

  21. Chad’s music is so peaceful. Made me simply stop..and breathe. Something I don’t do often enough.

    I can’t remember a time when I didn’t doubt myself or have feelings of insecurity. Even as a child I just felt like I never fit in; like I was on the outside looking in. My self doubts have kept me from doing many things over the years although I have gotten better at pushing through them the last several years.

  22. First of all, the music is incredible! I want so much to just lie down on the floor and let it wash over me; I want to get lost in the beauty of it. Secondly, I must share that I actually DID listen to the Lord’s voice on Christmas Day and was soooo richly and amazingly blessed. At 10:45 AM, with just my elderly mother and I in the house for a little while, I was upstairs in my bathroom trying to “fluff and puff” a bit before the rest of the family arrived and was prompted to go look out of the skylight in the bathroom. How odd!….so I ignored it. Until the prompting came again moments later. I walked to the skylight, looked up, and there in a totally cloudless, blue sky was a RAINBOW. How could it be?! Was it some kind of prism effect from moisture on the glass? No. I ran downstairs to share the news with my mom; ran back upstairs and stood there in awe, watching it until it slowly dissolved. A Christmas miracle! A beautiful reminder of His presence…His Gift. What a GIFT!!! What I would have missed had I not listened! “Be still, and know that I am God.”

  23. #6 a Woman with a confident heart…one who does not measure herself by herself or compare herself. She truly knows that she is a child of God’s and can accept herself the way God created her…in His image. She has discovered her spiritual gifts and is using them for the glory of God. She knows she will fail and struggle but through the power of God, she gets up again and tries again.

    Thank you, Renee for your love, prayers and valuable resources!!

  24. The music is sooooooooo incredibly anointed and peaceful…. Thank you for sharing…. I love it.
    Question #1 – I don’t ever remember feeling confident or secure……. 🙁
    Question #5 – what hinders me from living a God-confident life consistently is that I know what the Word says, I just doubt it will be so for me… I have prayed prayers that have gone unanswered for so very long and feel a lot of times I have been overlooked by God or I missed out somehow without knowing how I did. I feel very unimportant and powerless.

    • Hey Jean; I love your honesty.. I too feel the same way you do… I know that God is awesome, I know He is there, however after praying and praying and not having the prayer answered makes me wonder too if I am doing something wrong in my journey. I still feel HIS blessings in my life, but the areas I need HIM most to show up, I seem to be missing HIM… I will pray for you right now!!

      • Jean, I too feel this way many times. However I think that God has his own time in answering prayers and sometimes he has to wait for us to ask for what he wants us to have. I know it an be very frustrating but my two favorite sayings are :let go let God and God is in control” !

        • Interesting…we talked about this very thing this morning in SS. One of the ladies shared years ago about infertility & how God changed her prayer and her heart from please let me conceive to Lord, help me accept your will even if it means I will never have children. It really got my attention. I’m praying for a godly husband and He keeps giving me Ruth 3:18. My natural born tendency is to take matters in my own hands and make things happen and move on to something else but through this, He is teaching me to be still and let him work it out. He and I have been wrestling the thing out for months now and just last week he said to me – Cease striving and know that I am God. My prayer is changing to Lord, you know I want a man who is sold out to Jesus – lock, stock, and barrel. Lord, help me to accept your will, say yes to you no matter what it is, submit this desire to you, and lay it at the foot of the cross. I know it’s not really about me Lord, it’s about you. I’ve learned during this time that He wants to be my first love….I have grown more over the past 6 months than anytime I can recall in my journey.

  25. A woman with a confident heart knows that God has her back, that no matter what “it” will all work out. God will turn dark into light. A woman with a confident heart will speak what God is prompting and he will give the words that need to be spoke and/ or give what is needed at that time.

  26. I have early childhood memories of being told not to try out for things because I was not going to make it or be able to complete the task because it would be too hard for me. And because of this now as an adult there are projects or events that I will not due because I do not think that I can do them or am worthy of attending. I think that I am not worthy sometimes to live with God-confindence afriad that I will disappoint God for the way that I am.
    But when I read isaiah 49:23 (the last part): Then you will know that I am the Lord. Anyone who trust in me will not be disappointed.

  28. I have been walking with the Lord a very long time and have done things I never thought I would be able to do, just by focusing on what the Lord says. Now a very difficult time has come where the odds are way way against me and my family..financial circumstances that are completely impossible in most people’s eyes, but with God all things are possible. The timing of your study coupled with the “impossible circumstances” remind me to latch onto His word even more, depend on Him more and renew my trust in Him that He is my only hope. As it says in the Amplified Bible in Hebrews: faith is perceiving as fact that which is not revealed to the senses. That is true faith! Thank you for hearing Him!

  29. I find my self getting distracted with everyday life things. I have printed our the memory verse and have repeated out loud during the day. I long to believe God and the promises he makes us not just to believe in him. I never thought about it that way before thank you for repeating that and praying that.

  30. I’m in my office, snow is coming down in Chicago and listening to the piano music makes me feel as if I’m in a Holy Spirit filled snowglobe. Praise be to God for He is good and in THIS place, in MY heart and in Him I am free. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow! This is the day that the Lord has made, thank you to Chris for such a lovely blessing on my snow filled winter wonderland day at work. ~ Sarah

    • You are so right!!! LOL, it’s great looking out the window at the snow listening to this music. God is so good. He is true to his promises. I look forward to getting that into my heart and not just my head.

  32. Renee! I am so excited to open your emails with a new surprise each day! I can;’t wait to see what special message of learning you have to share. THAT makes me want to share too!

  33. #4 Romans 8: 28 “and we know in all things god works for the good of those who love him, who have
    been called according to his purpose” speaks to me. I have to remind my self and trust gods word.
    God works “in all things” not just isolated incidents for our good. I have to remember that it doesn’t
    mean all that happens is good, evil is prevalent in our fallen world. But faith in god reminds me that he can turn every circumstance areo

  34. My respons to question # 4 – When I read those scriptures, I feel hope rising up in my heart. I am reminded that God will never fail me and that I have new things to look forward to. I’m reminded that God can take whatever happens in my life (my mistakes, difficult circumstances, trials, etc.) and redeem them to bring about good. I’m reminded that absolutely nothing is impossible with God. So, in my heart I begin to more clearly understand and see that if I put my confidence in Him, I have no reason to doubt or shrink back.

    Thanks, Renee for sharing this beautiful prayer song. Recently my daughter and I have been spending time in a homeschool day just playing instruments and singing whatever is in out heart to the Lord. What a precious time with the Lord when we can just bask in His love and worship Him from our heart using our voices and musical instruments. God is so good! I love Him so much and thank Him for you and what He’s doing in you and all the other women’s lives that you are touching.

  35. Question 1: My earliest memory of feeling insecure/doubting myself. When did I not?! My dad left us when I was only 2 1/2 and that left me feeling very insecure about everything, esp separation from my mom. I cried every day the first week of school…so much that they had a high school girl come into the class and let me sit on her lap. 🙁

    Question 2: YES! 🙂

    Would love to win a CD. Beautiful song!

  36. 6. A woman with a confident heart knows she is fully loved by God and is free to look “foolish” in the eyes of the world…for His Names sake–She is a woman of courage and faith.

    • Carla….thank you for these words. They spoke directly to my heart. I have felt foolish for many years…but I am beginning to see God develop a confident heart in me.

  37. I am hindered by voices from the past and past failures; I lack confidence because I have tried many times and failed, but I have started to notice more of a difference in my life when I read scriptures. “See, I am doing something new!”

  38. To me, A woman with a confident heart knows the Lord with every fiber of her being. She knows who she is in Christ. She trusts her decisions and believes what she is doing is good and right because she is directed by the Holy Spirit. She loves to help others and knows she is doing her best. God is her refuge and she lives in the stronghold of God. It is her home. Thank you for asking that question. It has made me think of the kind of woman I want to be.

  39. 5. The thing that hinders me most from living with God-confidence on a consistent basis is not spending enough time with the LORD and I therefore give in to the negative. The verse that really speaks to me is “Those who hope in me will not be disappointed” (Isaiah 49:23)

    6. A woman with a confident heart would be someone who is in communion with the Lord on a consistent basis. She would be joy filled and at peace.

  40. 4.Describe what happens when you read God’s Word.
    a. Those who Hope in me will not be disappointed Isa:49:23….Lightheartedness comes over me.
    b. See, I am doing a new thing…..Isa:43:19……I feel fresh and renewed.
    c.And we know that in all things, God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His prupose Rom 8:28…..I feel I am needed and improtant
    d. All things are possible to (her) who believes Mark 9:23….I feel hopeful
    All these scripture are uplifting and give me a light and open feeling. No darkness here.
    And this music is so beautiful……

  41. #5 – I believe the fear of failure hinders me most from living with God-confidence on a cosistent basis…BUT He is doing a NEW thing! He is making a way in the wilderness AND rivers in the desert!!! Praise the Lord! Right now I am learning the piano…last night was my 2nd practice…when I first got there I was almost in tears. I truly felt that it wasn’t going to do me any good to even try…I would never get it. Guess what? I decided to press through and before I left there, I was pretty much playing an entire worship song!!!! Praise the Lord!

    Renee, thank you so much for this book and this study…God has already began doing amazing things through it for me!

    In Him, Tasha

    • I struggle with fear of failure also…..I also know that failure is what others think not God. Fear does not come from God…..it is from Satan. Hope I can get past the fear. Or maybe my fear is only coming from me and not what others think. Does that make sense?

      • Yes That makes sense! 🙂 I have also been having to remind myself that we are to be God pleasers, not man pleasers!

    • Tasha…….I understand fear well and feel like I am finally starting to overcome it. What helps me most is realizing God does not want me to have a spirit it of fear and it is not from him. When I feel afraid, I tell myself “God didn’t give this to you, He doesn’t want you to be afraid”. It does help!! : )

    • Tasha, way to go on the piano lessons! I always wanted to learn to play when I was young but never had the opportunity. I still think about it from time to time. I think it is awesome and you are rockin’ it!! Good for you!!

    • You keep pressing through! Before you know it you will be able to play a lot of worship songs! I agree with Sherry, you are rocking it!
      I used to play the piano when I was young, but got away from it. I feel that God wants me to start again.
      Where do you get your lessons? I am going to look into getting lessons in my area.
      Thank you for sharing this with us.

  42. #1 & #2 i can remeber being 10 years old and active in girl scouts. i was working on achieve my song writing badge. When it came time to share what I had written with the rest of the troop, I panicked thinking … “They’re gonna laugh and make fun of me i can’t do this. i’m scared.” So needless to say I never achieved that badge, nor any badge that required individual effort. I loved badges that we got for working as a group, but I always lacked in the self confidence needed to just do it on my own. If I have to do it on my own i just don’t bother. A good idea is just that. I have always been imprisoned by my own insecurity.

  43. 4. I feel so good when I think of Isa. 49:23 “Those who hope in me will not be disappointed.”

    5. What hinders me most is “I can’t do this” & “Things will never change”

    I have “allowed” the actions of humans to keep me from having a confident heart. I love this study. I am keeping my eye of the sparrow.

    As I was listening to Chad Lawson play it was as if I was hearing my father (God) say “Susan, I am here, relaxed and enjoy our dance.” It feels good.

  44. I love the prayer at the end of chapter 1. It is my prayer for the ‘new thing’ God has called me to do this spring. I have printed it out and placed it in my journal to read often and claim God’s promises.
    Question # 6. I would describe a woman with a confident heart as one who has great joy in the Lord and great freedom in the Lord.

  45. #4/#5 Those who hope in Me will not be disappointed. Isa 49:23. People disappoint us, but God never will. And He sees our disappointment when it happens, how it happened, and why it happened. I can trust His Word in Psalm 18:16-36 , that “He will recompense me according to my righteousness” (I just may have to start praying those promises even now :>). He is my strong defense and my shelter of protection, and He has never failled to be.

    So probably to live confidently I should take Renee’s advice and begin praying/speaking out loud those promises over my life and over this “situation” today. I’ll cast this burden upon the shoulder of God’s Word and let the power of the Word do the work, producing faith each time I hear it. Time to cast down some arguements.

    • Peace – a confident heart would mean peace like this music. I think this would help me feel peace and confidence.

      • I agree with you. This music is peace and a confident heart would mean peace. I need to feel both right now.

    • Psalm 18: 30…The Word of the Lord is PROVEN….He is a shield to all who trust in Him. My translation: Trust in His Word, and He’ll prove it to ya. How I love my GOD!!!

    • self-doubt, low self-esteem—this is my life thru your book and thru God i am trying to lead a more confident life. Thru years of emotional and mental abuse, I have self destructed. When I thought it was all behind me it blew up in my face again. I am finding that by reading the word of God and by trusting in him, I do better, but I want more. I want to be with a confident heart, I want to drink in God’s love and grace. I want to throw it all to him and trust that he will take care of me. I love my God, now I want to just know how to do more with it?!?!
      The music was ablsolutely heavenly, so much peace thank you for sharing

      • Amen! I like that you said that you find that reading God’s word more and by trusting in him, you do better. I also like how you said you want more. To me because you said you want more you are on the path of being a confident woman in Christ. You are an inspiration to me and wanting me to strive to be the woman God wants from me.

  46. #5. I am my own worst enemy! I let my own low self-esteem and fears get in the way of living with God-confidence. God tells me to put my trust in Him, but life has taught me that trusting people is risky. That people who you trust will let you down and hurt you, time and time again. Do I think God will do this? Heck No! But that doesn’t change my initial reaction. That gut instinct. If I could get out of my own way, and put my trust in Him, truly and completely, I am sure amazing things would start happening. Romans 8:28: “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to HIS purpose.”

    • I too know that God will not hurt me… but I am sometimes not so certain that is true. My head knows (or is it my heart) the truth, but sometimes my heart (or is it the other way around?)

      I am trying to trust and have confidence, but there is so far to go….

      Maybe it’s a “Beth” thing?

      • Beth, I’m right there with you. I know that God loves me and will not hurt me but I have been through so much in the last year I’m having a difficult time totally letting all control go and completely, utterly trusting that He will protect me, not hurt me and wants good things for me. My challenge is having absolute confidence in Him. That is my prayer every day and you will be in my prayers, too! This Bible study and fellowship will be a wonderful, wonderful way for you and I (and sooooo many others)to gain the confidence and hope He desperately wants us to have! I’m so excited to be studying this very topic with all of you.

      • Beth,

        It’s not a Beth thing, it’s a lot of us, including me. When people learn that I am on dialysis and they ask me why do I not just believe that God will heal my remaining kidney. I don’t know what to say. This week I have learned that God is with us even when we think He is not.

    • I have had low self esteem ever since i can remember. I grew up with an alchoholic father, and that just made it worse. I never wanted to go anywhere or stay with any friends due to my low self body image and worrying that my dad may hurt mom. Even though i was in church and knew God was there…i just couldn’t let go of it all. But finally in 2000, my faith grew stronger. In 2001 mom and i were in a car accident…my esteem went back down hill. I had lacerasions all over my face so i jsut felt i couldn’t even go to church. I was letting satan win. In 2002, i started feeling the nudge to go back …so i did; there wasn’t one person that ever looked at me funny….it was all in my mind. My dad passed at the end of that year. It took all those years for me to forgive him for all the stuff he had done. I am now 45. I have grown tremendously and am so thankful to you Renee and other bible studies that i do. It is because of your loving heart for others that so many people are healing. God has truly blessed you in this area.

      As for the music; i love the piano(even tho i can’t play)…..i felt like i was laying on a blanket under the beautiful sky with puffy clouds…talking with my Lord and Savior.

      • God bless you Jerri, for sharing your heart. You are a blessing as well. Keep on praising the Lord!

      • Jerrie

        I have similiar story. My father is an alcoholic and I have no relationship with him at all. I struggle terribly with many issues. But somehow I have lost all confidence in my self and continuously dooubt myself. I found this book by chance. I believe in Jesus Christ and I know through the Holy Spirit he is guiding me to do this bible study. I thank you for sharing. I look forward to learning about myself and to get to a better place…a place of belief that I am God’s child and that He loves me…

      • Thank you for sharing. I like how you said that thinking others would look at you funny and when you went back to church they welcomed you.
        Today I went to a church for the first time in a very long time. The service was over being who we are in God and coming as we are.
        I see that you are coming as you are and you are being the woman God wants you to be.

    • I can relate to being my own worst enemy. I have often let past insecurities get to me and have carried them with me through my adult years. I was never good enough for my mother as a child so she left me when I was 8 years old. It fell upon my young shoulders to care for my three brothers..ages 7, 2 and 12 months. I was sexually molested as a young child at the age of 7 by a neighbor. He was the husband of my mother’s best friend. Of course she did nto believe me so I was scolded for lying.

      I was afraid to love anyone for fear that they would leave. I was fiercely protective of my brothers and woudn’t let my step-mother near them. I didn’t want them to be hurt if she should leave us too for not being “good.”

      I carried that with me through my school years and on into my married life. I was abused by my ex-husband and I thought I deserved that. I tried to be the perfect daughter (failed), the perfect sister (my baby brother committed suicide and I thought he would still be around if I was “good”), the perfect wife (failed), the perfect mother (failed–other wise my oldest son would have still been with me instead of going to live with his father at the time of our divorce), etc. It took me a long time to realize that I am NOT perfect and the things that happened to me were beyond my control. I feel that all of these things have made me into the person that I am today. I still suffer from insecurities but I am slowly working on that. I take it one day at a time and I know longer play the victim. I am the VICTOR!!!! Is my heart confident-not quite but each day, I strive for that feeling of feeling good about myself and who I am and what I believe. Each day, I try not to allow anyone to take that from me. God made me in his image, so I must be okay.

      As I sat typing and listening to the piano music in the background, I felt this incredible peace settle within myself. Within my heart. My face relaxed, my shoulders relaxed, the pain and tenseness in my neck was lessening and if I sat here with my eyes closed I felt as if I were back in my safe place-the beach back home and I could feel the waves rolling into shore. The peace and serenity that everything was okay in my world. I could sense the beauty and the power of the waves. The glow of the sun setting upon the water as God was slowly tucking the sun in and the moon was taking it’s place.

      With the turmoil and the storms that have engulfed me and my family this past year, this feeling is wonderful.

      • Mary Ann,
        Thanks for sharing your heart and the pain of your past. You are so right that God made us in His image. Keep truly believing that and trusting in Him daily!

      • Mary Ann,
        Thank you for sharing. Insecurities are so the enemy. While I flux between confidence and insecurities, I too remember I am made in His image. I often read, write, and journal Ephesians 2:10. “For 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.”. (NLT). I often still myself, and think, we are His masterpiece……..so powerful.

      • Mary Ann,

        Thank you so much for sharing. I too had a difficult childhood with my mom. Only, she didn’t leave, but she was never really there. She really disliked my dad and was always sad. I thought it was normal to be sad all of the time. I became her counselor and friend. She would tell me she never wanted kids. I remember at 5 years old wanting to lay in bed and cry all day. I too was molested as a kid by a neighbor, but never told anyone because I didn’t think my mom would do anything about it. For a few years, I was so close with God, but this past year has tried me more than anything. My grandma died in April (she was more of a mom to me), my dad died in June, and another close family member died in November. I feel so alone sometimes, my dad was really the only parent I had. I guess I’m healing from my broken childhood. I’m tired of feeling like I have to be the perfect child who can handle everything. I always dreamed that my mom would be a mom to me. That she would tell me I was wonderful for who I was, not for what I accomplished. In my heart, I know it will never happen. I’m just struggling to find out now who I really am. The person God meant for me to be. I, too, am deeply in need of this study. Thank you Renee. Thank you for helping all of us see and know who God truly is and the healing he provides.

        The music is beautiful. I too am a pianist and sometimes don’t want to be because my mom is also.

        • Andrea and Mary Ann, My heart breaks for both of you. The one thing I can pass on from what I’ve learned is that forgiveness is the key. Whether you feel like it or not, make a conscious effort to forgive them. God will help you. He’s called us to forgive others as He’s forgiven us. The feelings will come in time, but the forgiveness needs to take place for it to all start. I’m praying for you both!

          • God is our perfect parent. He is everything we long for in our earthly parents. He can fill all of the holes and dark places in our hearts. We just need to ask Him to come in to those places and fill us with His light. It is so hard to not get what we long for from our earthly parents, but they are not perfect. We are all full of sin. We can let God become that perfect parent and ask Him to give us all of the things we need and are searching for. He delights in us! He loves us! He is Perfect! I will be praying for you!!! Much love to you both!!!!

      • Your situation sounds similar to my mom’s & trust me when I say that there’s if there’s anything I want more than my own confident heart, it’s for my mom to have a confident heart as well. You are loved and precious in His sight. Thank you for sharing.

    • Beth R.,

      I totally understand where you are coming from. I’m in the process of learning to trust GOD as well. We just have to remember that GOD is not like man, and HIS aim is not to harm us, but to give us LIFE and not just LIFE but an ABUNDANT LIFE. In order for us to fully trust GOD we have to ignore our feelings and lean on HIS WORD (This takes faith….and remember…without faith it is impossible to please GOD). We have to believe what the WORD says about who GOD is and what HIS character is like. Once we learn to trust GOD, GOD will give us the discernment we need to know who we can and who we can’t trust.

  47. I fight insecurity everyday. And no confidence. I’m praying your prayers daily and trying to memorize Jer 17:7

    • Dawn, I’m praying for you. I used to feel like that a lot and with persistence, reaching out and prayer it’s getting better! You are doing such great work just by participating in this Bible study and memorizing the verse. Hebrews 10: 35 “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.”

    • Dawn, I feel the same. I am so worried because I have GERD and inspite of taking the Nexium 40mg 2x a day as prescribed by my doctor in Canada , it still come and go. My husband’s job is in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil right now and if possible i don’t want to see a doctor here because of their language, Portuguese, and also medecines here don’t have English translations. We just had our Christmas vacation and my doctor in Canada told me that if it won’t improve , She has to refer me again to my specialist doctor there. Please pray that soon we can go back home. I praise and thank our Lord for Renee for this study and for all of you ladies. I cry out loud the prayer …..

  48. In answering question 4, I wrote in my study journal, that ” Reading God’s Words make me want and crave hope. I know God’s words are truth – but I sometimes (most of the time lately) am afraid I am not good enough for Him to help me.

    Thank you so much for the prayers that lead us to pray His Word. I know that this is most helpful, but I have never been able to figure out how to really feel like I was actually praying His Word. It always felt forced. What you have given us to pray is so calming and not forced at all.
    I do so want the confidence that God has for me. I am believing with all my heart that this study is the way back for me.

  49. I can’t think of a specific event growing up where I felt insecure or doubtful of myself.  I was the carefree little girl who would sing at the drop of a hat and ham it up in front of any sized crowd.  I always thought I would grow up to be a singer…but as graduation got closer, the doubts crept in and I chose the safer route.  Instead of pursuing my love of singing and the stage, I studied to become a DCE {a big fancy title for children, youth, and family minister}.  Oh, I still sang and acted, but it became my hobby instead of my passion.  Now, I have a new passion God has put on my heart, but those doubts still call out the same lies, urging me to put the “risky” choice aside and stick with what I know, what is safe.  

    I want to be that woman who exudes confidence.  Who knows just what God is calling her to do next…and what step He is leading her to take, no matter the “risk.”  Above all, I want to seek His heart before my own desires.  He has put a fire in me for a reason; I just don’t know how He wants me to move now.

    <3 Heather

    • Heather,
      I can relate to your post a great deal. I share the same thoughts, hopes, and dreams about living out my passion for God instead of staying in my comfort zone. I will pray for you as I do for myself that God will direct each step and that you will have the faith you need to follow.

      • Heather and Casey,
        My heart is right beside you both. I am so thankful for God’s neverending grace and He is not just our Jehovah but our Abba – gracious heavenly father, especially when we do not have an earthly father to trust or lean on. God’s plans, hopes and dreams for us do not change, even when we move away from them to stay in our comfort zone. I pray we will all live in the Grace and Confidence that He desires for us so that we will step into His plans for us and live in the gifts He has showered us all with. Thank you, Jesus, for Renee and her Confident Heart and obedience to share Your love and heart with us so graciously to help us move with You and not away from you out of fear.

  50. How blessed to sit on a rainy afternoon and listen to such beautiful music and be still with the Lord, pondering the verses from today.
    Must say, my favorite page in the book so far has been page 55…..have told several other friends who are doing the study too, you have to read page 55.

    • I’m dancing for the Lord on a lake of ice in my bare feet. My dress is silver chiffon, and as I spin around endlessly, my skirt flows and whirls with me. I smile with each turn, for I know that Jesus is watching with
      great pleasure. He whispers to me from the banks, “You dance so beautifully, my precious child, and I love
      you so.” And my smile grows, and tears stream down my face, to know that my Savior loves me. And I leap
      across the ice with great joy, with my toes pointed for the heavens. And then He whispers to me, “But, even
      if you couldn’t dance, I would still love you so…” And I stop leaping, and I stand facing away from Him, my
      back arched and my arms at my side. “Did I hear Him correctly? Did I understand Him to say, I don’t have to
      be a ‘human doing’ for Him to love me?” I can hardly believe my ears! I turn in place and I want to run to Him and jump in His lap! But, He is nowhere to be found. Ah, yes, He is in my heart…forevermore.

          • Yes, like Sherry said…Beauty from Ashes.. I am trying to restrain my tears at my desk at work~Very beautiful. I really felt hopeless this morning after a night of hardly any sleep (over a situation going on)…and to the point where I doubt my salvation because I am so stuck in my anxiousness and fear. I know that everyday we have is a learning process…I hate feeling so stuck in a rut almost everyday on things. I am glad that I am a part of this study.

          • Amy – your words “I am so stuck in my anxiousness and fear” really struck a chord with me. I too have been feeling this lately and it scares me because if I call myself a believer, why do I feel like this? Thank you for showing your heart – you are not alone. This song of prayer is just so peaceful to be me – healing water for my soul. Thank you Rene for posting it.

          • Thank you Leslie. I think on my path of following Jesus, I went from a “doing machine” before knowing Christ to a “being machine” (just wanting to pray, read and meditate in all my spare time) after encountering Him. And maybe I have gotten out of balance in the other way and/or are afraid of going back to being that “doing” person. Your message reminds me that I can glorify God in the doing as well as in simply being his child.

            God certainly pushed me out of my comfort zone this year by placing me in a demanding secular job where I often feel cut off from His presence due to the pace, culture and values of my workplace. My prayer today, for myself and everyone, is that I can learn to better integrate these two ways of worshiping and serving. Thank you again for this insight.

      • How Beautiful Leslie !! I REALLY love this Bible Study and am also doing the Made to Crave study. I really need both of these studies right now. I am divorced and Remarried w 11 yr old Boy/ Girl twins from my previous marriage. My ex husband is Really filling their heads and having them Reak havvock in our home My husband and I are praying and trying everything we can to keep the chaos under control We have given an ultimatum Shape up or they must go live w father Of course this is not what me nor my husband want but they need to know that we r in control not them Unfortunately they r in control at father’s house I know if they did go w father, they would be destroyed I know the Devil is preying on them, especially their father and my Son We really need prayers and I need faith that God is in control Thank You I am praying for all of u also God Bless Tara

        • Tara…stay strong in the lord and the power of his might! Clearly the enemy is attacking your family. Pray the scriptures faithfully over your girls. See them as God sees them. Continue to show them love and affection and don’t allow them to push your buttons. God has won the battle for you! Be encouraged 🙂

          • Lakecia. Thank You So Much for the encouraging words. The Devil is trying to get to us, bit God is All Powerful and I know he is with is. I know God led me to these Bible Studies and to all u Wonderful Ladies. God Bless U and all the Bible Study Ladies
            Tara

        • Tara, My prayers are with you sister. It is extremely tough when you have children from a previous marriage. I have two step sons that didn’t have any respect for me nor our home and we had to do the same thing to one of them. We sat him down, gave him the rules and told him how much we loved him and that he either had to abide by our rules or he would have to go live with his mom. She never helped the situation either, they were told from the beginning they didn’t have to mind me, I was not their mother. Needless to say, he went to live with his mom, and even today there is a strain on the relationship and he is now 21. But at some point you have to bring peace to your home. God bless you and just like Lakecia I believe this enemy is attacking more families than ever before. I pray a hedge of protection around your home, your children’s mind, you relationship and your marriage. Put up an imaginary cross in between you and whatever the enemy tries to attack and speak out loud that he will have to come through the cross first. Prayers to you friend. Kristie

          • Tara, I feel your pain. I too am going through extremely difficult times in our family with a stepson. Things are causing my marriage to fall apart with no communication or quality family time. I too am in need of a house of peace. I have come closer to God in the past few years because of many family and marital issues. This study is hopefully bringing me back the confidence, peace and reliance on God that I desperately need. I want to transform myself into the Jesus Girl that God created me to be, I just haven’t known how. I pray that we all will find these things during this study and while I hate that you are in turmoil also, it is comforting to me to know it is not just me.

        • Tara – Stay strong in the Lord!! Because you are striving to be closer than ever to Jesus, Satan is feeling threatened and attacking. I am also doing the MTC at the same time as this one and really finding they tie in nicely together. Prayers and hugs out to you and your family. God’s got this!! 🙂

        • Tara-Divorce is tough on everyone involved. I have been through a simular situation, and I am sorry you are going through this. Satan dosen’t attack those he already had, but he attacks those that are a threat to him. Give your children totally to God…what better place to have them?? Even when things seem totally out of control, He is still there, walking w/ you. He tells us “Cast all your cares upon Me, because I careth for you.”
          Be encouraged by the scripture,”Bring up a child in the way he should go, and they will not depart from it”. The Holy Spirit will suround your children. Stay steadfast in His word, put your trust Him in in all times, know that he has a plan and a purpose, and praise Him always…..love, your sister in Christ, karen

          • Tara: I’ve been throught a similar situation some 14 years ago. I remarried and my 13yr.old son would not obey us at all. After quite some time we told him he had to obey or go live with his father. He would not obey and we had to have him go live with his father. It was the most heartbreaking thing I could go through. My son ended up in jail twice. He’s 27 now and has 2 beatiful children and has really turned his life around. We have a good relationship now. He is still not walking with the Lord but I know one day he will. Our God is faithful and always with us. He is with you and will get you through this. Don’t let your children walk all over you. They will always come back if you yourself are walking in obedience. I pray for you now.

        • I was in a situation similar to yours many years ago. I will keep you and your family in my prayers. I have a framed picture that has the “Footprints in the Sand” poem on it. It reminded me then that God was with me always.There will be days that nothing makes sense and you feel abandonned by God, but keep verses in your heart that will help you through. Look at Psalm 25, verses 1 through7. He will be with you always!

        • Tara, this prayer is for you.
          Dear El-Channum (gracious God), I pray for Tara & her family right now! I pray that Your ultimate power of peace & comfort will fall on them right now. I pray as they raise these twins in Your Word, that it would not return void. Work Holy Spirit in these children & her ex. Stir their heart toward You. Show Tara that You are El Hanne ’eman (The Faithful God), El Shaddai (All-Sufficient God), Jehovah Jireh (The Lord who provides), Jehovah Shammah (The Lord who is there for them), & the Jehovah Shalom (the Lord of Peace)! Work a mighty miracle in this precious family. I ask this in Jesus Name! AMEN
          Be blessed this week Tara & keep teaching and sharing Jesus to your kids (& ex) ,oh and yeah, if you have to – use words.

        • Tara – I am in a similar situation. I have 2 of my own children that live with their father during the week and are with my husband and I on ther weekends and holidays/school breaks. Their father was very bitter from the divorce (plus has OCD and anger issues) and placed the children in the middle of things far too often. However – Praise the Lord – he has reformed his attitiude because…and this part gives me chills…both of my children have accepted the Lord while attending Church with my husband and I. Because of THEIR witness, their father is starting to see things differently and is much more reasonable in dealing with them and in his interactions with me.

          I also have a 17-year old stepson who is an avid atheist and openly argues with my husband about faith. He believes it is akin to mental illness. However, we have “made” him attend youth group as a contigent to getting his driver’s learner permit. He has bonded with our Youth Pastor and we are praying that the devil’s hold on him will be released soon.

          I wil pray for your precious children to learn by your example and for you and your husband to be surrounded by Godly counselors who can offer guidence.

          • I have a 20-year-old son, Dillon, who has abandoned his faith, since he went away to college. He thinks his life is perfect and that he is the one controlling it. Dillon is a great kid, getting good grades and having made his own decision not to drink or smoke. But, I have to pray every day that he will come back to his faith…and plant seeds intermittently.

            As far as what touched me the most in Chapter 2, my childhood was a carbon copy of Renée’s, in terms of my relationship with my father. Just like her, I thought if I got the best grades, did everything as perfectly as possible, he would finally love me…but, he didn’t. I actually labored under the assumption that perfect was an option! When I grew up, I even majored in his field of work, Marketing. As a result of my need to be perfect, I had a severe eating disorder in my 20’s, which plagues me to this day in the form of distorted body concept. I would give just about anything to get to the point where my body doesn’t dictate my self-worth. Anyone else deal with this? As a child, my concept of God was, just like Renée, made in the image of my father. i saw Him as unapproachable, judgmental, unloving and inaccessible. I am so blessed to be able to say today that my Father in heaven is my Abba Daddy! He is loving, compassionate and there for me whenever I need Him.

      • Oh my goodness Leslie … what a beautiful metaphor you painted with your words … I could shut my eyes and see the whole scene and God’s arms reaching down to help you float along that lake … thank you for sharing.

      • Absolutely wonderful..brought tears to my eyes as I read…to think, He loves us that much! It is hard to grasp, when we as humans love so conditionally. May I learn to love, “in spite of”, as He loves me!

      • Wow! What beautiful picture you painted with this message. To know that He loves and cares for us that much. God is so good.
        Thanks for sharing.
        I

      • hey leslie! I want to say I love your picture that you painted for us about jesus watching you dance. I want that picture. I am totally blind and it’s harder for me to sit still and visual. Sometimes, I try to hard and it doesn’t work. i’m going to try to hear the music again, and when I hear it, I’m going to dance, and then, Picture Jesus. I’m going to physically dance and then picture him that way ssee if that will work I’ll let you know!

      • hey, Leslie remember me. I responded to your post yesterday. I’m the one who is blind totally blind. I was saying what a beautiful picture you painted of Jesus watching you when you dance. I said I wanted that picture! So right after I responded to your post, i put the music on and got up and danced and then, was able to picture Jesus easier when I actually got up and danced, now whenever there is pauses in the music, I really sense God speaking to my heart to tell me to be still and I think of psalm 46 be still and know that I am God Now this mornign, i put on the music again, I was struggling with a situation. i couldn’t relax about it. God was telling me to relax. I had the music on and was crying, and god was saying to me let everything out and I felt better after! Crying is Good Now, I need some help. I just got a great e-mail from you Renee about getting your book for free! Wow. I would like to download it. I think your book is a p.d.f. file, and is there any way I can get it in to a word file. Remember, in past posts, I was talking about my computer with the speech program that by using key stroke commands, i can do almost anything! Now like any computer, it sometimes doesn’t do what I want. I don’t know how to go about downloading a free Kindle. I don’t even know what a kindle is! I would love to be able to participate in this free opportunity! I would love to have this book on my computer! I’m praying for God to send someone to help me on such short notice. I got a great idea to ask here for help! I hope someone can help me to give me suggestions on how to go about downloading a free kindle so that i can download the book and if the book is in a word file, that I need to know two! I hope someone can help! I am going to have faith! Thank you Renee! this study is so cool for me! God is really using this study to challenge me to spend time with him! Renee, I want to tel you back in chapter one, when you were talking about ways that you spend time with god and encourageing us, I want to say, I loved the picture you painted about having lunch with the Lord! I tried it today! No radio! which I love my music I tried it today no radio! nothing just peace! and I loved it! thnaks! you are such an encouragement! and I love reading all the comments, as I read the comments, God is really speaking to my heart and he is challenging me to open to him about all the fears i’ve been hiding! Thank you! everyone
        ! I’ve never attended a study like this before! Thank you!

    • After reading this again this morning. I began thinking to myself how well it is fitting into my life right now. I have had a hard decision to make this week and confidence played a tremendous part in making a choice, I had to pray that God gave me the confidence to make an honest and fatithful choice to go to inpatient treatment or not to go. I didn’t believe in myself and making the right choice and without the help of prayers and many talks with God I couldn’t of made the right choice or had the confidence that I could make it through the program.. But just after this week and many prayers it gave me the confidence to do so. Thank God for the music as well. It helped to calm my nerves alot. Thank you so much Renee also for the feedback..