“We can trust God’s plans as we realize that His story is being written into ours. His power is perfected in the broken places we consider to be our greatest weaknesses – our most vulnerable emotions we don’t want anyone to know about. In those hiding places, God calls us out of captivity. When we’re willing to let Him, He brings hope for our future despite the pain of our past.” – Chapter 4
Chapter 4 takes a lot of courage. And I’m so proud of you for being here and not giving up, for wanting all He has for you. I know your Heavenly Father is so proud of you too, for your pursuit and your willingness to walk with Him one step at a time. Remember Christ died to forgive our sins but also to heal our souls so that we can live in Him – with HOPE again!
Don’t give up friend, no matter what! Stay close to Jesus. Stay connected here. We’re in this together. HE is so worthy!! And you? You are so worth it!!
Here’s this week’s messages. Please don’t miss it. I want to be able to share with you face to face this. You were on my mind and in my prayers when I filmed this teaching several weeks ago. Please click the arrow below to watch.
Message Notes: You can download video “Message Notes” in a PDF format here or in a MSWord doc here. I encourage you to watch it once and just let God speak to your heart. Then if you want to, watch it a second time and follow along with the message notes which include parts of the message, verses and blanks to fill in. 🙂
I know the timelines I encourage you to do are scary for many. I really do understand. And it takes time. I wish I had shared that more clearly in the book. Today I’m praying for God to give you courage and perseverance to press through any fear that would keep you from starting it. Fear is Satan’s way of keeping us from the freedom God wants in our lives. You don’t have to do a timeline if you don’t want to or if God doesn’t lead you to. The reason I encourage one is because it’s valuable for us to identify memories and emotions caused in the past that play a role in how you see ourselves and others, and how we handle life and relationships today.
In her comments under this post, May shared how she’s been taking it a little at a time and how answering the questions at the end of the chapter has helped her start her timeline.
Connecting in Community: Let’s share with each other what God showed you through our video message? Also, if you feel comfortable, please share some of your answers to questions at end of Chapter 4.
Click “share your thoughts” right below this post and do just that. I’ll be here reading and praying and commenting as time allows. Let’s take a minute today to pray for or encourage someone else as time allows. This chapter is one where it sure is good to know we have friends here to pray and walk beside us, isn’t it? LOVE you guys!!!
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About seven years ago, I took a Post Abortion class at Aid to Women. That class helped set me free of that pain that I carried since I was 19 (when it happened). Since then I have helped lead that class and helped some other women. I share my story to those I know who have had an abortion. I share with them that only God could set me FREE. Yes, at times some painful memories do “flare up” but I open up God’s Words that He has forgive me, that is what matters. I can’t change the past but I HAVE HOPE to help others. Thank you for the reminder to keep helping others in this and other past events that caused me much pain but how God got me through them.
I am realizing that I am slowly falling behind in this study. I am just now allowing myself to really take a look at my past. I am realizing after watching this video for about the 4th time that I am afraid of dealing with my past. It hurts and everything in me wants to leave it where it is, in the past. The problem with that is that I can see how it affects everything in my today. I am praying to God for the strength to give ALL of my past to Him. That is where it needs to stay for me to ever have a future, much less a present day that is filled with joy rather than depression and loneliness. I am learning that God can be my Everything. I do not have to be defined by the divorce I have had to endure. I do not have to be defined by the abuse in my past. Thank you, Renee for the honesty you have allowed yourself to share. And I really am trying to get caught back up. I have everything saved and printed out, so that I can keep going and hopefully be on the same page as everyone else in a week or so.
I ALMOST gave up on this study. I am a few weeks behind. I just finished Chapter 4 tonight. I’m VERY glad that I stayed with it. There’s alot of info in this chapter and I realize I have stuff God still wants me to work on. I’m very excited! 🙂
Ok….so I just finished chapter 4 (reading & half way through the questions). God is revealing so much for me to deal with. Things that I thought I had dealt with years ago in counseling, but today, He helped me realize why I do some of the things that I do. It was a huge eye opener for me! God is soooooo GOOD, I right now, I want to shout it from the mountain tops 🙂
Hi Abbie! I just want to encourage you to keep going! I’m behind as well but I know if we push through something GREAT waits for us on the other side! 🙂
Hi Abbie,
I am behind also and if you read my post below, you will see that mine is from fear if nothing else. I am glad to see that I am not the only one seeing that God is revealing things that we thought we had dealt with. But I know with God, we can get to the foot of the cross and give all these hurts to Him. And LEAVE them there.
I am enjoying the study. I am learning alot right now about TRUSTING a God who is worthy of my trust! Life as a missionary in a M*slim country can be challenging but God is using HIS word to give me strength. I don’t have alot of time on the internet so can’t read all the comments. I am sad that I can’t download the video messages….it keeps giving me an error message. Is there any way to get these messages on a DVD I will be coming state-side this summer. I would love to see the messages. Thanks for the great teaching and for all who share comments.
It is very hard to look back in the past and make a time line of the wrongs and hurt I have had. There has been so much hurt packed into my past 5 years, I don’t know where to begin, but I think it all begins with my yesterdays…divorced parents, falling for an older boy in high school who took advantage, my Father suddenly passing, my Mom being in a mental hospital..
it’s just a lot to process, but I feel guilty about feeling bad for myself when there is so much other suffering in the world:?
Ginny, that is a lot to process. I”m sorry if the thought of writing a timeline overwhelmed you. If I could, I’d re-write that section over in chapter 4 to clarify that what I meant is that it’s important for us to realize there are emotions and memories that have robbed our hope. And if we don’t know what they are, we need to start with a timeline and take time to talk to Jesus about the hurts we still need Him to heal. Otherwise we’ll live wounded.
I’m pray you will give yourself permission and grace to be sad. Don’t let the enemy convince you that what you’ve been through is not as bad as others. You have been through a lot of pain and a lot of loss. It’s okay to be sad and hurt so that you can ask Jesus to be your Comfort, to be your Healer, to be your Hope and Peace. To Redeem those broken places. I hope this helps. Praying for you!
HELP, please. 🙂 This is driving me bananas. On the very bottom of the first page of Chapter 4’s Message Notes, I can’t find the answer to fill in the blank. I’ve watched the video multiple times…how am I missing this? The statement says:
“Take time to… respond to what God is showing you. Time to seek God for your security and hope by letting Him be _________ (what do you need Him to be for you?”
I can think of many things to fill it in…and it’s caused me to think a great deal…but does Renee actually state what goes in this blank, as she does with the rest of the blanks?
That said….Chapter 4 has left me feeling a little raw. So letting go is a “process”…and maybe I haven’t been doing anything wrong, other than being impatient as I ask Jesus for His perspective on my pain and allow His timing as He pours His truth into the wounds and love into my pain and makes me whole.” Paraphrased…but it makes sense in my head.
Looking from Jesus’ perspective…at things that have hurt me. So much to think about.
And here it is, Monday….and Chapter 5 has begun…yet Chapter 4 has me still in deep thought. I’ll move on though! That’s for the best! But PLEASE….tell me what that blank should be filled in with!
Hi K,
So glad you asked and I appreciate you being so honest.
That is a blank just for you to fill in based on your personal need. That’s why I have the question next to it (what do you need Him to be for you?”
For instance, this week I need God’s direction and guidance on some decisions, so I’d put, “seek Him for my security and hope by letting Him be my “Shepherd.” (in my blank) Hope that helps!
As I shared on my blog and in my emails this is a hard chapter. It deals with our hurts and lost hopes, and we could spend weeks in it. But since we’re doing an online study we only have time for one chapter each week. As we go through the rest of the chapters, there will be times for us to consider and process more with each topic we cover.
I’ve been told by so many that this is a book to be read at least twice, maybe three times. You will get so much more out of it each time you read it 🙂 And I’ll probably offer another online study if you want to read it through in community together again – or just on your own.
So glad you are with us and asking great questions!
Renee
Thank you so much! Jeremiah 29:12 and on! Oh my goodness! How that spoke volumes to me. Everytime I start to feel that doubt creep in………..I need to stop and seek God’s purpose and push thru. HE will lead me out of captivity! Thank you so much for this study and for what you do in this ministry.