I have a P31 devotion today and want to say hello and “welcome” if you found your way here through it! I’m so glad you stopped by!
I wish we could sit in a coffee shop and chat today.
I’d love to talk with you about things that are weighing you down or worries that are making you weary. They always seem to lighten when shared with a friend.
I’d tell you about the year I let my problems pile up and how all that pressure almost took me down. It’s all in chapter 9 of my book including the story about how I accidentally took my dogs medicine one morning.
In my devotion, I shared how God has been changing me and rearranging me. I also promised to share three steps to overcome worry and a practical way to physically give God your concerns! Since we can’t chat in a coffee shop today, I decided to share my heart in a short video post.
Message Notes: You can download my “Video Message Notes” in a PDF here or in a Word doc here. They include the points of my message, verses and blanks to fill in. {If you’d like to watch more FREE Confident Heart videos based on my book, click here.}
Let’s Connect & A Giveaway: I’d love to hear your thoughts and one thing you want to apply after reading today’s devotion and hearing the video message. Click “share your thoughts” right below this post and do just that. 🙂
Your comment enters you in today’s “Come to Me” stress-relief gift pack giveaway which ncludes a Bath & Body Works Eucalyptus Mint candle, God-iva Dark Chocolate and an Chamomile Lavender scented Anti-Stress Comfort Wrap that can be refrigerated or microwaved depending on your preference – my favorite home spa treatment!!
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Love this video and is much needed for me today. The past week or so I’ve just been weary… very tired. I honestly don’t do anything to be tired but work. Usually after I come home from work I just sit around and relax the rest of the evening. But God keeps saying to me, Come to me Kim, you are weary and heavy laden… I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart. I shall find rest for my souls. Rest comes from trusting in God and like you said giving all your worries and cares to God. I need your all’s prayers today… But I know God will help me. I am going to apply the writing down whenever a worry comes into my heart or mind… and write it down and give it to God. Easier said than done I know… so I could use prayers for giving it all to God and not picking it back up again. Love this study and it seems to be right on time for me in this season of my life, where my faith is being tested. God bless you Renee and others, and thank God for this study!
This hit home so drastically. I don’t even realize that I worry about EVERYTHING. It is pointed out for me. I have been working on recognzing “my stressers” and de-tangling myself from them. This devotion, showed me where to go in GOD’s word to find refuge. I am new to the Proverbs31 ministries, having found Melissa Taylor’s bible studies. I am so blessed to have stumled upon your ministry. All ready in such a short time I have been blessed. Trying to organize the “inner me” with God’s directions, and blessings.
May GOD bless each and everyone of you leaders, and you bless each of us in way you don’t even know.
Elaina
Phil 4:6-7 is a life verse for me, and I teach it to my kids. Renee, I love your ministry, you are so gifted, and genuine! Thank you for your ever timely devotionals, and for sharing yourself and your heart with us!
Peace and Blessings to you!
I like the idea of giving my worries and doubts to God at the cross. Maybe for me, instead of a cross (I have too much clutter!), I’ll get a journal with a cross on the cover, because Jesus has my worries “covered”. I really do need to start praying more. Oh, I do pray occasionally (“help!”) but I can’t seem to fit in time for real prayers. I’m just not sure how to teach my family to give me some time for it. They all want or need something constantly and it’s hard to carve out any time for myself.
Raschelle,
I don’t know if you work or not, but I pray for about an hour on my way to work every morning. Well, inbetween songs, but you get the point.
I have 3 kiddos, a hubby and a very very very needy 85lb lap dog- so when I’m at home I pray when I actually get to shower alone, or when I’m swapping laundry in the utility room- cause I’m definitely the only one in that room of the house!
I feel very ‘me time’ deprived like you and I have began praying more for God to show me how I can get that ME time when there already isn’t enough time in the day for everything else.
Your sister in Christ,
Tiffany
I worry about many things. Phil. 4:6-7 is one of my favorite verses. I love the idea of writing own your worries and leaving them at the cross. Thank you so much for sharing this devotional.
It was no mistake that I “stumbled” onto your devotion today. This is my first time. It was God. For the past few months (more like 6 months) I have been dealing with issues stemming from the loss of my husband’s job 2 years ago, the loss of our house and finally a bancruptcy that has turned our lives upsidedown. It has been a struggle for us to “get back on our feet” and right now we are both working, but part time and it just doesn’t seem to be enough to make us breathe easier. My heart and mind have been full of me and mine that I really haven’t been able to “happy” about anyone or any thing else. The summer months are harder. I lose most of my students (I teach piano) during the summer and my income is cut almost by 3/4. It picks back up in the fall but we really struggle in summer. Your devotion today was no accident. I prayed last night for God to help me get my “happy” back. To help me deal with my stresses in a more productive and positive way. I know it isn’t going to happen overnight. But it will, I know. Thank you for your words today.
Praying for you Ginger and so sorry for your husband’s job loss and your’s. I love leaning into God’s promise in Philippians 4:19 “And this same God, who takes care of me will supply all your needs from His glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” Praying for God to provide for you in such amazing ways that you know it’s all from Him.
Ginger I pray your strength in the Lord during this temporary set back. I can relate because we went through some of the same things as you and your family. As a matter of fact, June 26th it will be two years that we have been homeless. Things have not been as I would have hem, but God has been faithful and provided ALL of our needs just as He promised in His Word. I would worry and get anxious about something, God would send an unexpected blessing P31 ministries keeps me encouraged even when I just want to wallow in self-pity. The devotions are always just what I needed for that particular moment. I pray for increase, overflow, and peace in your life and that of your family. I thank and praise Him for all He is doing and about to do in your life! You are VICTORIOUS my sister. Peace, Love, and many Blessings!
Thanks for your inspired words. I’m moving my family from Ga to Minnesota the day after tomorrow and to say I’m stressed is an understatement.
Melinda, are you from MN or will this be your first time to the state? Remember, you can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens you!
To what city/town will you be moving? I live here and can give you tips if you need.
Hang in there!
I totally needed your devotion. I read it yesterday & then wasn’t able to comment per the kids, so now I am commenting after such a difficult morning that I sometimes worry about my sanity:) All joking aside, the Lord used your devotion in my life! ~Blessings~
Sometimes I feel I am asking the same thing from God day after day @ the SAme worry. I am going to try & write these worries on the cards & then reflect back on them bc at times I am afraid i’ll forget one. Then I can look back through them to thank God for the ones I no longer worry about. : )
The thing that bothers me about my worrying is the hardness I feel in my heart towards God. After so much worrying and seemingly unanswered prayers, this devo, along with Ch 9 in the book is going to take some real practice. Praying these words, teaching and scriptures will permeate my heart and become a daily reality!
I just read the Proverbs 31 devotional, right after waking up and beginning the day with worry over work situations. I know this was God’s care in His perfect timing. I was reading through the comments and love how one comment generates another and this seems to be a community of care and concern.
Summer is always a time of potential financial stress and “worry” for our family since my husband teaches at a small Christian school and doesn’t receive his normal paycheck for two months. He and I also have part-time jobs, but they don’t have any guaranteed hours. We have always seen God provide, in different ways each year, and I am slowly learning to release my worry and “I have to do something” tendencies and embrace God’s promises. Thank you for your reminders of His faithfulness.
Oh boy, you’ve “hit the nail on the head” for me, dear sister! Life has been difficult for the past several months…with 3 deaths (one very close) and major life-changing events coming up in 3 of my four children’s lives…
There’s plenty to “worry” about…and like you, I think-think-think. Worry does make me weary. I believe I was born worrying (at least it was there when I was small, because people I know mentioned it to me.) It will take an act of God to change me…to renew my mind. But I am willing…because it is SO true that worry steals our energy and keeps us from doing what is important…by paralyzing us.
As for your message…yep, I get it. God bless us, every one!
Oh, and I too like the idea of a cross to put my worries to…I have one that says “TRUST” on it…and I have put the name of one of my children who has been struggling under the cross…Thanks for the reminders to go back to God…to sit with Him like Mary did…I am weary and just need time to rest in His presence…
I really needed to read this today. My brain is wired to think, think, think & usually it’s multiple things at once & I’m always going over possible outcomes of this or that or how I’m going to deal with this or that & a lot of things that really just end up amounting to worry. I struggle with finding energy to manage my life & constantly struggle with having confidence and deal with a lot of neck tension (which doesn’t help that I already have TMJ) and I’ve even been stressed out about the neck & back trouble I’ve had over the last week. After reading this article I’m pretty sure that it is truly rooted in stress and worry. So, soon as I finish commenting I’m going to write in my journal and talk to God and find things to be thankful for and give the worrying & over thinking a rest.
God has been working on me about this very issue!!! I have been hospitalized 3 times and almost died all 3 times over the past 7 or 8 years from the stress of everything and now my husband has lost his job again. Now my daughter has recently been diagnosed with OCD. The only good thing about his losing his job was that it qualified us for a childrens health plan for only $7.00 a month for full coverage and only $5.00 co pays. I could have never afforded to pay for the kind of help she needs when my husband was working as we were barely making it as it was. So I see gods hand in this and I just have to keep telling myself to let go and let god and stop trying to take things back because he does know what he is doing !!!!
I love your honesty…that encourages me!
I am so glad that I turned on my laptop tonight. I just underwent surgery yesterday and felt God’s presence with me prior to and after the procedure. Today however I had a minor setback and as I lie in bed tonight worry overcame me. I began to doubt whether or not I should have undertake the surgery and started to worry about the outcome. Since I could not sleep I decided to check out Renee’s post which reminded me that there is no sense in worrying and God is in control. I am now feeling like I can go to sleep and rest in that assurance.
Blessing to all who are struggling with worry 🙂
Praying God’s healing for you!
You are reading my mail! This is me lately. Worry has paralyzed me so many times in my life. I need to rely on God. He’s been working on my trust in him lately, and I have so much more to learn. I think the cross on my nightstand is a great idea. I think worry banishing scripture would be better;) thanks for the resources… Time for more trusting and less worry! Step by step….
God bless my sisters;)
Love ya!
Dear Renee,
I feel that God was speaking to me through you tonight. I have been worried so much about surviving next school year, that I can’t even enjoy my days off from teaching this summer. I only have a month left. (Our school begins the first of August). I have been praying to God for energy, strength and wisdom about my teaching job. I love to teach but the job is getting so hard in other ways. Last year I worked 10 hours or more daily and most weekends. I couldn’t figure out how to do the job any other way.
I am going to try your suggestion and try to write all my teaching responsiblities and duties etc down and ask God to show me how to do eliminate some of it. God Bless you and your ministry. I hope you realize how much your words mean to many of us. rose
Thanks for the resources you share today! I have been worrying about my two younger daughters. The youngest has been involved with a group of friends who are making poor choices with self hurting behaviors. The next to the youngest has made some very poor choices, took her step-mothers car without permission, yet she got an excellent report card ??? I can only make suggestions to their father on how to discipline the girls and I worried all day yesterday, then I was mad at God because I tried to do all the right things as they we’re growing up, then I started praying.