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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As women we take on so many roles and we expect so much from ourselves. As nuturers we automatically do too much. I realized last night how I think I do EVERYTHING in the house. But who’s to blame if I don’t let the “boys” (includes hubby) know what I expect them to do. While feeling dismayed, I then told myself to count my blessings and be grateful for them and be grateful that I can do and am healthy enough to do these things. And after all it’s me that wants things a certain way. God bless! -Ellen
Hi Renee,
This devotional was perfect for me this morning! my marriage of 5 years is falling apart and struggle with staying the way things are. My husband Todd is working two jobs 6 days a week because he won’t make a career decision, and I work part-time, he has ocd, our finances are a mess, i live away from home, we argue when we do see each other and there are some Sundays he does not even want to go to church with me. We live in a small apartment, and it is hard for me to watch others moving up who have been married for less time than us. I grew up in a Christian home and learned about contentment, but I also don’t believe the Lord wants us to be unhappy. I am attending a Christian counselor, but she has encouraged me that I have to make changes. I am now working on myself but the enemy is discouraging me not only that but i also have no other women friends of encouragement.
Sad and lonely,
Lisa
Lisa,
I will be praying that the Lord places whatever or whomever is necessary in your life at this time to help ease the pain; someone who can share His goodness with you and encourage you to continue to walk with Him and trust Him to see you through. Remember, He is a God of restoration! God bless you and your family!
This is such great timing! I’ve been worrying about finding a job and a few other really pressing things. I have also been slacking on my prayer life. I needed your message! And love the idea of writing down my worries and physically giving them to God. I also need to finish your book!! It’s great but I lost the time to finish it. I’ll pick it up today! 🙂 thanks!!
Thank you for your concrete advice and wisdom from God today! I too,like other women have posted, have just been overwhelmed with worry and really questioning where God is in my life. I needed an activity that I can do to retrain myself from going into the downward spiral that Satan sets off with worry. I am reminded that God is real and can take our burdens from us. I will be keeping today’s devotion close!
Thank you for your blog post!I came here through the P31 post, and I just wanted to say I can totally relate, especially with the sabbatical part! I know God has plans for me and he showed me some of those plans, but he hasn’t shared yet when the time will be to put feet to those plans. I find myself getting impatient, and saying, “But if I can do this now, it would make it so much easier and better for me and my family!” But I remind myself that God’s timing is best, and to trust Him, even when it doesn’t make sense.
Thanks so much for your post, it was very uplifting and right-on-time! I woke up with with a headache and feeling tense. I know that God is in control, and that he loves me. He promises to work ALL things out for my good. Please pray for my health (phisically and mentally), and our finances.
O how much I needed to hear this today. In this world that demands so much of my attention, I get so overwhelmed in how I will get everything on my to do list done. Those are times I need to remind myself to just let the Holy Spirit guide me and direct my steps.
I just finished reading your devotional and watching the msg. video. I wanted to share what I experienced a couple weeks ago while sitting waiting for my husband to get his bloodwork done & fill out a status form at the Cancer Center’s kiosk before seeing the specialist. I was finding myself becoming really impatient with the whole process as well the nurses had called him twice already and he wasn’t available yet. I even went over to the kiosk and asked is this really necessary? Silly, huh. After we got his CT scan results which were such a relief to now knowing he was clear of cancer, I was surprised at my level of impatience. After having been so a peace, at rest, and patient throughout the treatment of chemo & radiation and recovery period (which is still a process), I knew I needed to ask God what was going on with me emotionally. Anxiety! Worry! Fear! Whew! Okay…lay my burdens down! When we got home, I went right to my prayer corner & just confessed, let my hands drop to my side and verbally spoke each burden aloud, giving them the Jesus. The peace flooded my soul like a river! Sharing with trusted sisters in Christ, and my precious husband, really helped to get my focus back on the Sovereign One Who has kept us strong, full of courage, and hopeful every step of the way. Ever Faithful One!! So unchanging! God Bless you! Thanks for allowing me to share..Jeanine.
Renee thank you!! I just got off the phone with my husband after yet another conversation about all my worries, feeling pulled too thin, upset because he’s had a long stretch of work travel, etc. etc. etc.. He said he would be praying for me today and I thanked him as I was at the same time putting in a load of laundry, gathering my work supplies, figuring out what dinner will be, responding to an email, and checking facebook. So I sat down at my home office computer to dive into work and saw my daily Proverbs 31 email; I almost didn’t open it because I felt I didn’t have time!! Obviously the Lord pushed my hand to click that email open and I am so grateful HE did! It was just the message and reminder that I needed. Thank you for your ministry!
Thank you so much for this message! I so needed to hear this right now at this moment. I am signing off and going to get a notebook and make my list of things on my plate or should I say my buffet table! 😀
Thank you and God Bless you for all you are doing!
I love your idea of writing your worries on cards and putting them at the cross! I will definitely do it! And your devotional was just what I needed and at the perfect time.
God was speaking right to me through your devotional today! Thank you for your insight and willingness to share your own experiences. I have felt so overwhelmed lately that I am physically exhausted. I was just telling my husband this morning that I am so tired. It is the worry that is draining me. Thank you for letting God use you in this devotional. I have gained a lot of peace just by listening to your experiences, the verses you quoted, and the pointers you gave to let go of worry.
There are so many times that I let fear and worry take over my day, thank you for your insight, for your daily devotions I needed to be reminded daily of where to take my worries, I wish I could say it is easy to let Go and let God. My faith journey needs a lot of work, thank you for being a daily reminder
I don’t know what to do with myself when I DON’T have a pressing deadline. I act as if worry was active problem solving, but I know that it is not. Worry is only an illusion of activity. Worry is lack of confidence that God can or will intervene or help me.
I read that when you rehearse something in your brain, the neurological chemical response is exactly the same as when the event happens. That explains a lot actually; no wonder stress eats away at our health.
This is a chapter I’ll need to read and mark up several times. One thing that is an immediate take away is the writing down and laying it at the cross. I think my mind needs that object lesson to let go. Thank you.
Renee
Thank you for the reminder to trust God when you feel worn out. I get this overwhelming feeling some days.
I currently take care of my 94 year old mother who is total care and was looking forward to a little vacation but that is not to be. Financially I cannot do it and am now forced to find at least a part time job because my husband does not make enough on his own to cover expenses. I feel so guilty at the thought of leaving my mother to work but it has to be. Haven’t found any type of work and I keep thinking that God doesn’t want me to work, that I should be here with my mother. Thank you for the works of encouragement and reminder that with God all things are possible.
I listened to your video and I know that I sometimes forget that God is there for me and he is holding my hand. I have worried way to much about a job and how I am going to pay bills. But recently I have given my worry to him. I read my Bible everyday. I spend every morning with God. I know that he speaks to me and guides me and since I have given my worries to him I feel that I can breath again. In the last couple of weeks I have been happy and content and I know that he has my back. I have read your book and I just love it. I know I have a Confident Heart. Thank you for your inspiration.
Renee thank you for allowing God to use you. Your words are a reminder to me that God is there. I need to slow down and focus on what he is trying to say to me.
Hello Renee
Your book has changed the way I look at myself and the way I look at God in my life! Chapter 9 is one of those chapters that I read over and over again, because like you I’ve done ‘crazy’ things, like wearing different type of socks to work, leaving home without shoes on, etc… because I’m worried about everything..my problems, the World problems and everything in between! Good gave you a wonderful gift and I’m so glad you have decided to share it with us… You are changing many lives with your books, materials and devotions! Thanks so much for showing us a God that loves us not matter what and a God that give us rest in the middle of our crazy lives.
God Bless!
Thank you so much for this video. I really needed to hear this today as I sit amongst the piles on my desk and surrounded by overwhelming to-do-lists. I am so weary from worry all the time and need to take the time to stop and let Jesus take some of the load. I love your bedside cross and idea of leaving your worries for Him!
Thank you so much for sharing practical advice from God’s word. Advice that we can put into action!!!
This devotion just hit me over the head – because I too have believe God has been telling me it’s not my schedule – work, church, writing – that’s overhwhelming me – it’s the never ending chatter in my mind that’s overwhelming and exhausting. I spend more time worrying how I’m going to get everything done – than just trusting that God is right here with me helping me to do it.
I spend more time worrying about whether this or that is going to happen (it really got worse after my son’s murder in 2005) than I do trusting that God has never failed me nor forsaken me.
So thank you for confirmation of what God is trying to get me to see – it’s me oh Lord standing in the need of prayer, repair and love from the Master.
Thank you so much for this! I have allowed worry to overtake me. When in my heart I know that God has always taken care of me! He has never failed and he loves me!
Praise the Lord for allowing His thoughts to enter in and for your obedience to share them. They were just the words from the Lord that I needed to hear at this very moment this morning.
God is calling…me up out of a bed that I didn’t want to leave, up out of the doubt and worry that plagues me, up out of the dark thoughts that I have allowed to invade and consume me, up to trust that He already knows my struggles and has them under control, up to simply obey and trust Him.
Pray I will do just that!
Thank you so!
Philippians 4:4-7 has long been a passage I read at least once a week, as worry often seems to consume my life. I want to add 1 Peter 5:7 to my “go to” verse! Also, I plan to share this devotion with a friend, who has been experiencing a lot of stress in her life lately. I know it will encourage her as it did me. Last, I love the idea of physically “handing my worries over” to Christ at the end of the day.
Thank you for your thoughts today!
Nancy
I know worrying is wrong but since God doesn’t seem to answer any of our personal prayers, I think worrying will help. It obviously doesn’t but what else is there to do? I have finally decided to just do what needs to be done and see what happens. Stop worrying? That will take a lot of training and I almost feel to weary to do it. Great devotion, thanks!
Renee,
Worry is my middle name. I also find myself worrying all the time. I am a mother of two Middle schoolers and I am married. Several years ago my husband was unfaithful and every day I try to put it out of my mind and make our marriage work. I love my husband and don’t want my children to grow up without both of us. I pray daily that God will help me forgive and and just when I think I am over that hill, Satan jumps in and fills my head full of doubts, resentment, anger and worry. Worry that if I was giving everything I had before and it wasn’t enough to keep my husband from straying, then how is what I am giving now enough. I Worry that if he tells me that it is over I will just break. I talk to God throughout the day but I can’t seem to leave my cares there with Him. I always pick them back up and carry them with me. I want to be able to be confident again and I know that casting my cares on Jesus is the only way. Everyone makes it seem so easy but it is so difficult for me. Thank you for your devotion.
Thanks for the reminder to let God lead me to the issue instead of me leading myself. With two kids in college, 2 jobs, the bills, the house, etc., etc., there’s plenty to stress over and be anxious about. But, your kind words bring the focus back where it needs to be. On our Lord!! Praise Him!!!
Renee,
Thank you so much for your practical insights and encouragement today. I was just reviewing Chap. 8 of your book today during devotional time and was so blessed. “Why worry when you can pray” was a little song I learned as a child. God is so much bigger than our worries and He really does give peace when we bring our concerns to Him. Your message today was just what so many of us needed to hear. Thanks!!!
I have so enjoyed reading your devotionals since I signed up for the P31 emails. It’s so easy to get caught up in worry about things, and to depend too much on myself and not enough on God for strength. Thanks for the reminder that He wants me to always cast my cares on Him, not just when I feel like they’re too big for me to handle. 🙂
Thank you so much for your Godly wisdom. It’s always so timely. Often I’m serving rather than seeking. I tell God what He should do, and if He doesn’t listen I take control. He calls me to rest in Him, to stop worrying and start praying and to keep thanking Him. He calls me to cast my cares on Him. Godly peace is what refreshes.
Thank you. Just what I needed to hear today. I need to give my worries over to God and quit carrying them around like I’ve got all the answers.
Thank You Renee. I have been struggling with worry and have been praying, seeking, and thanking GOD for all he has done and but the devil brings the doubts back and I have to keep giving it back to GOD. I will do the cross and remember Calvary. It is nice to know their are other women going through this and I am not alone.
I am so glad I found this website today! May husband and I lost our jobs where we have been at the same ministry for 11 and 18 years respectively. In spite of the extensive hurt involved, I managed to do and say “the right things” at first knowing the feelings would catch up. Well, after 4 months, I am weary and find myself right in today’s devotion. I take everything to Him, lay out my concerns and then very neatly pick everything back up again. Thank you for the very practical encouragement today. I will begin to pray scripture today. That is something I can pick up and take with me.
Just read your P31 devotional . . . it was exactly where I am today and what I needed to hear/read. I often get overburdened with worry about what all I have to accomplish and let the worry take over.
Thank you for leading me back.
Thank you so much for your ministry! I have read this scripture numerous times, but haven’t broken it down to 3 steps nor have I considered how the enemy tells us to do the complete opposite of what God says, stop worrying, start praying, keep thanking God. May the Lord continue to minister through your amazing words! God bless you & your family!
This was just too perfect for me today. Just last night I was asking God if things were ever going to start to get better for me. I don’t know if the will, but this reminds me that I need to trust God, that He has good things stored up for me. I will be OK if I can just place my life in His hands!
That devotion, especially the choice of Scriptures really touched me today. My daughter’s very abusive father has reappeared after 11 years and he is suing me for joint custody and visitation. At first, I completely fell apart as I began to relive terrible memories. I could barely get out of bed for the first few days as I allowed fear to consume me. I am in my last online class before I finish my degree, I have a family to care for, I teach Sunday School, and I am in the middle of a move to another state to attend grad school. I begged God to stop this, but He reminded me that even faithful Christians (in the Bible it would be ‘especially) suffer. He has been reminding me daily to trust in His protection and stop worrying. Like this morning’s devotional said, I should cast my burdens upon Him. That is what enables a Christian to be a living witness to others while in the midst of something unpleasant. I am realizing that I need to get better at trials and in order to have a New Testament kind of faith, I need to grow in my faith through trials as I learn to lean on Him more and trust Him more. The enemy wants us to worry and be fearful because we stop walking forward and we lose effectiveness when we are consumed with them. The Lord who loves us wants us to trust Him and wants to give us His peace and rest.
Thank you, Heavenly Father, for putting this on Ms. Renee’s heart and having it for the devotion today!! Thank you, Ms. Renee, for the reminder that it is the devil that encourages out doubt that God can take care of everything when I give it to Him and leave it there.
Hello Renee,
Thank you for your words of wisdom. I am going through so much distress in my life. I am past the worry stage and to the “I just want to end it all.” I know that this is not the answer and God is keeping me from making this choice. I know he is the answer. I also know that he can turn “something bad into good.” But after a year of bad I am so weary. Please pray for me and ask God to give me and my family direction and guidance. It is so hard to know what to do when God is silent.
Thank you for your ministry.
Hi Pam,
Just reading through the posts and saw yours. Thanks so much for your honesty. I understand how you feel and have felt the same at various times in my life. Please know that God loves you and you are exactly where you need to be. He ordained all the days of your life before you were born. No matter how bad it seems to get, He promised He would never leave you nor forsake you. He loves you and He is working it out for your good! I’m praying for you and your family as well as many others I am sure who are you reading your post.
Thanks so much Renee for the wonderful post. It is a very “on-time” word!
Thank you =)
I am thankful for your insights and encouragement! I am trying to work out of a cycle of worry consuming me & effecting my attitude.
My precious mom had me memorize Phil. 4:6-8 as a child. Those are still my favorite verses!
I am trying to be more intentional about following Phil. 4:8, and fix my thoughts on
What is true, good, and right and to think about all I can praise God for and
be glad about!
Today’s post was right on time.At times I feel overwhelmed with the things I have to do.Trying to continue school at my age(43),with the lost of my job recently and having to search for another,trying to be the one in the family thats looking out for everyone else.I don’t see how I’m still able to function.But you reminded me how faithful our God is,and He is waiting on me to just give it all to Him.And I loved the idea about writing down the cares on post cards,that helped a lot.Thank you so much for your encouragement. God bless you!
This is a perfect message for me. Worry and concern because I feel out of control have consumed me recently. I find myself grasping at anything to help me feel like I am worth what God has promised is mine. I feel like I don’t deserve his Grace or his Peace, and the fact that He gives it anyway makes me feel guilty. I recently returned to my Husband of 15 years after choosing to give up on our marriage. He was graceful enough to welcome me back. Now I am striuggling to allow him to forgive me. I have struggled with alcohol and tobacco abuse, and worry that I won’t have the strength to overcome these addictions. I worry that my faith that God can do anything will not be strong enough to overcome my total lack of faith in myself. I recently lost my job and have chosen to use this as a positive force. I am devoting my time to seek God, and be the wife, mother, daughter and sister that he can be proud of. It is overwhelming everyday, but I am committed to tell him out loud everyday that I am struggling, scared and tired. I will also thank him for loving me and believing in me and for walking before me and with me through this.
In 1984, suicidal from a physically abusive husband, I finally escaped the horror. Terrified from fear of him bursting in to my new-found life, I fell to my knees with Bible in hand and prayed “Father, please lead me in Your Word, specifically. Give me peace and some rest before I leave this life. I opened my Bible, and I have no doubt, God guided my fingers and my heart to Matthew 11:28. It has been my “Life Verse” from that day forward. I was so amazed how He worked a miracle that night, and I have had many, many since. Life is stil full of struggles, but I am reminded constantly of “Come to Me all who are weary and I will give you rest”… and of God’s hope and grace and mercy. Thank you for this rich reading today, Renee. You are a blessing, along with all of the women of Proverbs 31. Thanks be to God.
What a praise, Judy!! Blessings to you today.
Oh My!! This was just what I needed to hear today. I fought with my husband last night over all I have to do before we go on vacation – my husband pointed out we don’t leave until the very end of July and he couldn’t believe my schedule was so packed that I couldn’t get things done before then. Of course that irritated me, but I know it shouldn’t have, he was right. I’m just concerned about the fact that we are going on vacation so close to the beginning of the school year and how that is going to impact everything that needs to get done.
I am currently trying to do your “Confident Heart” study. I can’t seem to find the time to do it, but now I realize that it is probably my thoughts of not having the time to do everything holding me back.
Thank you Renee for all you do to bring God’s message to the world! You are such a blessing!!!
Linda
Thank you for this, Renee. I’m really having a rough year with my daughter having development delays in speech. My worry and anxiety have been terrible and I keep giving it all to God. I like the concern card card and cross idea! I’m so thankful for our loving Father who cares so much.
I am so glad that I found you through Proverbs 31 Ministries. The way you relate scripture to daily life is so helpful. Worry is my number one problem, and your words and suggestions will definitely help me to work on worrying less and trusting God more.
I just watched your video. It came at just the right time. My twin boys are graduating from high school today and then college orientation is just a few days away. Working full time and trying to make sure that my family–including my husband–is where they need to be with all the proper documentation, is definitely making me weary. I am going to try talking to God more about all my thoughts and see if some peace comes my way! Thank you so much for your insight.
I needed this today, thank you for sharing. God always seems to answer my prayers for clarification where I least expect it.
Your post today really hit home. My husband and I don’t always see eye to eye on what I have on my to do list. He doesn’t go to church. I have church obligations, bringing up our two sons to go to church. I also need time for me. My thoughts cut back where?
I am the ultimate worrier, struggling my whole life to NOT try to take control and “fix” every situation – for my kids, my spouse, my friends. I hear what you are saying, and it makes total and complete sense, yet I still have such a hard time trusting that God will indeed take care of everything. I love the idea of writing down my worries and physically giving them to Jesus. I am going to pray, pray, pray for God’s help in giving him my cares, and I am going to write them all down and give them over. Thank you for sharing – it’s so good to hear I am not the only one who is struggling with this 🙂