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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I read your devotion the day it came and have referred back to it mentally many times since. I’m going through a very stressful period at work, and while I didn’t think I was worrying, I am too weary to rest in Him. This reminder is needed so much, and I think I will share this as my devotional this week at my women’s group.
I listed to a song called “Say Goodbye” by Mandisa today that I thought said a lot of the things that Renee’s book is. It really lifted me up, and I wanted to share the lyrics, and the song http://youtu.be/UG6Aa3DIg9Q. Or if you just want to read the lyrics here they are 🙂 I hope it will lift all of you up too! 🙂
“Say Goodbye”
To the voice to the liar in the mirror
Sayin you can’t ever change
To the guilt that’s sittin on your shoulder
Always keepin you locked in chains
To the past that you can’t undo
To the pain that you’re walkin through
To the small and the big mistakes
This is what love wants to say
Say goodbye
Say goodbye
To the one that used to be
Say goodbye
Say goodbye
Everyday is a brand new mercy
Hello
Hello
This is where it starts now
Hello
Hello
Everything can turn around
In a moment, here’s your moment
You can say goodbye
There is grace that you can’t imagine
There is love that you can’t out run
There is peace that you can hold onto
When your world is comin undone
You don’t have give into the fear
Don’t have to have let your story stop here
And when the hand tries to pull you back
You don’t have to back, you don’t have to go back
Say goodbye
Say goodbye
To the one that used to be
Say goodbye
Say goodbye
Everyday is a brand new mercy
Hello
Hello
This is where it starts now
Hello
Hello
Everything can turn around
In a moment, here’s your moment
You can say goodbye
To everything that breaks you down
It doesn’t have to define you now
Jesus came to take it all away
Say goodbye
Say goodbye
To the one that used to be
Say goodbye
Say goodbye
Everyday is a brand new mercy
Hello
Hello
This is where it starts now
Hello
Hello
Everything can turn around
In a moment, here’s your moment
You can say goodbye
Say goodbye
Say goodbye
You’re not the one you used to be
Say goodbye
Say goodbye
Everyday is a brand new mercy
Hello
Hello
This is where it starts now
Hello
Hello
Everything can turn around
In a moment, here’s the moment
Where you say goodbye
Say goodbye
Say goodbye
Say goodbye
Say goodbye
Thanks for sharing this song. I have never heard this songs before. The lyrics are beautiful. “Everyday is a brand new mercy hello hello This is where it starts now.” I love it. This is just what I needed to hear today. I love Mandisa and all her songs. I love her song “Good Morning” and “Stronger.” I shall check this song soon. Thank you very much.
Blessings
Anna
You’re welcome! I’m glad it could be of help to you Anna 🙂 It ministered to me just when I needed it as well, so I couldn’t help but share! 🙂 I love Mandisa too. Her songs are so encouraging!
Thanks for this reminder sometimes I worry rather than trusting God and I have found it is because I have always been a people pleaser so now a recovering people pleaser at times it still rears it’s ugly head and the worry of what others think is still at times there . I must instead only be concerned with what God thinks of me!!! Thanks Renee
Thanks so much for your encouraging words today. Just what I needed to hear today–stop worrying, about a job, about a place to live, about my husband on his hiking trip–and just stop worrying, start praying, and keep thanking God. So easy! I am going to get by 3×5 card and write down all my worries, and give them to God.
worring has never changed anything…. but reminding each other that He has it all in control… and that if we leave it at the foot of the cross…then the stress will lessen, and peace will take its rightful place. It seems as the days and details get out of control or slowly become chaotic, that’s just the time when we need to remind ourselves to take a step back, a deep breath, and close our eyes , remembering His promises. Thank you so much for amazing devotionals which stir our hearts and spirit to think with Him.
Blessed and inspired,
Cathy B*****y pbprojecthope at yahoo dot com
palmbreezeliving.blogspot.com
So encouraged that many times I feel overwhelmed not by having too much to do but a mind that keeps trying to figure things out and worrying. Thank you for the encouragement!
D.A.T.E Determine a Time Every Day!! I like this achronym Sp?)!!! It will be a great reminder to me to make a D.A.T.E w/the one who made me and can’t wait to spend time w/me. Take a few minutes to let that one sink it-makes me weak in the knees EVERY single time!! I’m so thankful that He cares about me!! PTL!! 🙂
I am struggling with many things lately and even though I try not to worry, it is easier said than done. I have prayed about and made many changes in my life this past year and have felt that this was where God was leading me and wanting me to be….but I am still struggling. I try to be patient and know that things are God’s timing not mine, yet I still worry! Thank you for this study. It has helped me in so many ways and I pray for strength and wisdom and most of all patience.
Thanks for showing so many truths through the video. Yes, satan does whisper to us to keep worrying and makes us feel that when we worry we are somehow doing something about the problem. I love how you say when worrying thoughts take precedence in our brains, we can press the “pause button on our consuming concerns, stop talking to ourselves and start talking to God.” I love all the practical solutions for stopping worry, —-thanking God, praying and asking God if there are things we are doing that are against God’s will for us and making a list of our cares and actually laying them at the cross. What awesome ideas. Thank you very very much
Blessings
Anna
With so much over my head I feel like I am barely treading water…I am trying to keep God as my center, but it is sometimes a minute by minute choice…Looking for time to getting things back on track….
Writing in a journal is new to me, but it has helped me “release” the worries in my head & on my heart…as does praying Gods promises, like the ones you listed in Chapter 9, especially from Psalm 91:1-2 & Psalm 73: 28 & Ps.138…and from what you wrote: “God doesn’t promise understanding; He promises peace in the midst of NOT understanding….He wants to surpass our need to understand with promises that are BIGGER than our problems.” We just have to “boss our heart around” to truly believing that!
i quickly found an app on my phone for audio Bible reading. I downloaded it just before heading to the gym and listened to God’s word while doing cardio 🙂 Thankful you shared how you sometimes begin your day running while listening to God’s word!
Thanks Renee, loved the idea about putting our cares at the foot of the cross, I need to find me a table top cross to put by my bedside~~~great idea! Also on page 173 where you talk about Martha bossing Jesus around, I never thought of it like that but you opened my eyes to that and it gives things a different look. Psalm 103 is my favorite Psalm it kind of grounds me when things get out of hand, also repeating that God is my help so I sing in the shadow of HIs wings, which brings me back to reality that I can’t do things on my own and I need to ask for help all the time and be thankful all the time for even the smallest thing like seeing a hummingbird out my bathroom window~~~have a good weekend~Sue
I have the opposite problem. I was practically having panic attacks about going on vacation. I don’t like to travel, both kids were sick the week before, and I was afraid I would come down with what they had while traveling. Of course most things we worry about never happen, and of course I was healthy. I prayed for trust, peace, and wrote down as many verses I could find about fear in the Bible. I drove (which helped keep my mind busy) and listened to praise music the whole way. God was my faithful strong tower as usual. Like others, I love the idea of the cross for the nightstand. Cant wait to shop for one! Thanks for all you do~
I’m one of many that thinks this chapter was written just for me. A few friends and I get together each week to talk about the chapters, what we are learning, what we are struggling with and how God is working through this study for our lives…this week I said I don’t know what God wants me to give up, all I have is softball and this study? My friends laughed! They said, really??? What about you working full-time, going to at least 3 softball games a week, taking kids every where they need to go, cleaning the house, talking with friends, worrying about your mom, your sisters, worrying about whether your husband gets a job, money issues? You mean to tell me you don’t have a lot on your plate?? I sat there convicted by my friends’ words that I did have a lot going on and I was holding on to all of it tightly, because if I didn’t do it then it wouldn’t get done. Then your words about needing to seek first his kingdom! I can’t say I’m less of a worrier, but I challenged all of the ladies to go to God first with our cares rather than each other. I can say I am going to Him first instead of my friends. I can say I’m still struggling and failing more often than not about relinquishing control, but I’m trying! thanks for the encouraging words!!
Thank you for this simple reminder to STOP and START… i loved the concept on those two words and to use visual reminders to write down your worries.As someone who faces anxiety on a daily basis, this is a wonderful simple way to help get through the day. Thank you and God Bless you for your ministry!!!
Renee, thank you for sharing your gift of grace with us all. I can do all things through Him who give me strength.
Love the idea of laying my concerns at a cross at my bedside! I have a lot of trouble sleeping and I think this would help a lot with that issue.
I really needed to hear the message about worry. I think I am the queen of worry! I am also very good at giving it to God and taking it back from Him……I have 2graduate classes, a job change, 3 kids, and my husband works out of state! I am very thamkful for it all, but worry seems to consume me. Definitely going to put this into practice.
Thank you for posting this…I constantly need the reminder that I am NOT supposed to carry the weight of my problems, and this was just so timely for me. GOD was speaking LOUD & CLEAR!