Some days my written words come easily. Other days I need to show and tell you what’s on my heart. Today is one of those days.
Please {like pretty please even if you don’t normally watch video posts} click the arrow below to “hear” today’s message from my heart to yours. I don’t want another day to go by without you knowing this…
{Are you a note-taker? If so, I created “Video Message Notes” in a PDF and in MSWord just for you. Even included blanks to fill in. 🙂
Today’s Giveaway:
Two friends of mine who serve behind the scenes and are part of our online study, [thank you Donna & Veronica] have donated copies of my book to giveaway today. Together we created 5 gift packs for 5 of you. Each one includes a copy of my book, A Confident Heart {for you or a friend?} and my testimony/teaching message on CD, Letting God Fill My Empty Places.
Let’s Connect {and how to enter today’s drawing}:
I’d love to hear your thoughts about today’s message… and this is an easy way to enter today’s giveaway too. Just click “share your thoughts” right below this post and do just that – share your thoughts. {I love to read them! And pray over you when I do.} I’ll be there reading and sharing my heart with you too.
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Wow, this was so on point for me today. Just this morning during my devotion time, I began to cry to the point of no return. I could not understand why I could not stop crying. Finally it hit me that I was not allowing God to be my everything and my “everything” was falling apart right before my eyes. The more I cried, the more I realized how much I need my Father and the more empty I felt. I wanted to run away, but where? I can’t get away from the empty feeling. For a minute, I thought I was loosing my mind, but what I was really loosing was the illusion that I was in control of my life.
Thank you for this message. I have been leading a young women’s bible study and this really fits in with our lesson! I know that if I keep hearing the same message from multiple places, God is speaking to me. I know I need to apply this to my life.
Thank you for this wonderful reminder! I have always struggled with confidence….I have never had a lot of confidence, and I long to understand in my heart what it feels like when you define yourself through God and not through others. I have always understood in my mind that was what I should be working towards, but it is difficult to understand how that actually works! That is a great example of just how true it is that I am looking for something, but I don’t know exactly what it is. I long to be more confident and teach my future children the same. Many times, I feel it is insulting to God that I don’t have more confidence in myself, His creation. I am sure that is hurtful to Him! I don’t want that at all. Thank you for sharing this message…it is a wonderful starting point for me.
Great message. God has been showing me this very thing. He is all we need; not all the “stuff”, etc. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you for graphically showing how I place importance on the gifts rather than the giver of gifts!
Karen and Dallena,
Thank you for your kind words. It’s good to hear from people who share the same experience! I feel less alone in this growth process. I am so glad we are all in this together, and can listen to each other, and learn so much. I know I have learned a wealth of information from so many wonderful people here, and felt their support too! Thanks Karen and Dallena, and thanks for your prayers Dallena! I will be praying for you, and all of the ladies here as well 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom. I enjoyed the jar full of water and the realization that “there are no empty places” when we put God first. Thankfully, He’s all we need.
This is such a hard one for me. I try and try and try to let God be enough and I really struggle with it, especially on days when I am feeling alone and lonely. Thank you for sharing this, I really appreciate the words, they are an encouragement to me.
I have used this demonstration with my children and with some friends who were searching, since I saw it the first time we went through the book. It is wonderful and the visual of the emptiness that still remains after we fill and fill and fill with all of life’s “stuff” is great! Thank you, again, for sharing!
I love your messages Renee!
I have been struggling with this very thing! Looking to be filled in all the wrong faces and places. Such a timely message from God that He wants me to realize that He is enough, and ALL I need. Thank you for sharing this with us and thanks for the chance to win your book, I would love to have the chance to read and share it with my girlfriends!
This makes so much sense Renee; thanks for reminding us all since it’s so easy to get caught up in trying to fill our emptiness with material possessions or people in our lives.
I’m so thankful for this Bible Study right now. God always leads me to the right thing at the right time. Thanks for your words and illustrations of encouragement. God bless. Here’s me cup, Lord. Fill it up, Lord…with unconditional love. 🙂
I love it, Renee! This is my second time through your book (and your study) and I can’t get enough of this message. Reading your story about everything you looked to for fulfillment is like reading my own story. I thank God that He lead me to your book, and thank Him that He has set me free! I am a new creation now that I have learned to stand on his promises and believe what He says.
wow…that is so me. I’ve tried to fill my jar with everything you just mentioned…and yet I continue to feel like “I’m missing something”!! For years I have said “if I get one more degree” or “if I get this promotion” or “if my husband would just…”, THEN I’d have IT (whatever IT was)! I see now that IT is NOT those things!! I am currently reading this chapter in the book…I stopped part way through last night & closed my eyes & prayed that God would help me see what I have been trying to fill my life with and that I would place those things/people back in their rightful position & seek after God wholeheartedly to fill me. As I was praying I must have fallen asleep. I had the most beautiful dream last night of someone (who must have been Christ) saying to me “I’ve been waiting for you” and I felt so relieved – like the weight of the world was off my shoulders and I KNEW who I was and that everything was just as it should be!! Thank you Lord, for Renee and this Bible study! Thank you, Father, for giving her your words to say. And please help us to have open hearts & ears ready to hear! Prepare us for what you are about to do & continue to do your good work in each of us! Amen.
I love your visual on filling your heart with Gods love. I lost my biological mother when I was 7 and now in my 40’s have in the past 6 years have lost my step mother who raised me and my father and it is very lonely without them. There isn’t a day that goes by that they aren’t on my mind. I think because of this I do try to fill that God sized hole in my heart with things and food, sometimes alcohol to numb the pain and loneliness. I want to fill my heart with Gods love and know that his love is the only thing that will truly fulfill me. What an awesome article and visual. I believe God was talking to me through you. What a wonderful service and gift you are providing to all of your many followers. Thank you! Angie
Greetings from NC Renee!
Back in the 90s me, my husband, & son had everything, a nice house; money; travel; cars; etc. We thought we had everything. Then a promotion for my husband led us to NC. From that point on everything went to nothing. We were borrowing from Paul to pay Peter. What we didn’t know was that the Lord was stripping us of everything but the essentials. He is the only essential we need. I so appreciate your video message. Because I don’t ask the Lord to fill me with his living water. I will incorporate this into my daily prayer life. There was another point you made that made sense to me: “Shift our dependence from the gifts to the Giver.” I can see how the Lord is changing my life inch by inch. Now if I could just find a church home! Thanks again Renee for all you do! Blessings to you & your family.
Kind regards,
Kathie
This has been such a good object lesson for me. I am learning to take the longings to him and I am even beginning to understand the longings so I can take them to Him sooner. Thanks!!!
I have been guilty of just this, seeking love and fulfillment in areas that will never be able to totally satisfy the need I have for unfailing love. I know in my mind that only God can fulfill this need, but it is my heart that keeps trying to find love elsewhere as it longs to be filled. I want to find myself enraptured by God’s love, acceptance and desire of me so that I no longer feel the need to search for it elsewhere. I know that until I am happy with just Jesus and me…anything else that comes my way will suffer until that relationship gets right. Like His word says, He is the giver of every good and perfect gift and He adds no sorrow with them. I definitely want to pursue God for His gifts, rather than trying to purchase them on my own. Thank you for this message and I will definitely be seeking God first to fill my empty places, and prayerfully, I can pass this along to my children so that they doe not follow in my footsteps. Thank you once again. God bless.
Dear Renee, Thank you for your devotional today. You speak straight to my heart. I appreciate the Message notes and am grateful for all your effort and teaching and your generous heart to share with us. This reminder to “shift my dependence from the gifts to the Giver” and to “bring the empty well of my heart to Jesus and ask Him to fill and fulfill me with the promise of His unfailing love”, has ministered deeply to me. I am grateful for your ministry.
On a side note, If there is some way for you to share with me where your “grace” wood cut out came from, I would be ever so happy. I have a need for some tangible Grace. The time I say you holding it while speaking moved me deeply.
With High Regard and Deep Appreciation.
Sue
Thank you for today’s message. I have a whole in my heart that needs filled and I ask Jesus to fill it.
Bless you Teena! He is the only One who can.
Renee,
I know God is speaking to me through your study. I feel so much is falling into place and I’m finally on the right road. For 19 years I filled my empty heart with education and work. I loved what I was doing – most of the time. There were times I would get very depressed and seek a professional counselor. I was able to block out my feelings and move on. Church attendance was erractic. When I got a teaching position at a community college, my life took a positive turn. One of my students heard I was looking for a church and recommended the church she attended. Attending that church was the beginning of my rebuilding my relationship with the Lord. I still was a workaholic. Due to some family issues, my stress level was over the top. My marriage was on shaky ground. Our lives did settle down and we had no present drama. Then 6 years ago I was diagnosed with ALS. Strangely enough I knew God had a plan for me. I don’t believe God gave me ALS but I knew He would use it for His glory. My empty place has been filled but is not full. Everyday I learn more and more. There is a downside, however. At times, I still experience insecurities. That’s why I love this book. It reminds me that my ‘stinkin – thinkin’ is not from God. Thank you Renee
Hah! “stinkin’-thinkin’.” I love that!
I think allowing Jesus to fill us and fulfill us is a daily, no, make that a minute by minute, choice. Sometimes life is hard and, to be honest, it down right stinks.
There have been times when I feel like life’s reality has completely broken my jar and everything inside, including Jesus, has spilled out. Once I’ve gotten the jar all glued back together, I have to start the filling process all over again, and the space Jesus once occupied can so easily get stuffed with all the stuff you mentioned.
But, I’m sad to sad, one thing you didn’t mention is pain. Yes, sometimes I think we can be so badly hurt that the only thing we feel like we can stuff in our empty jar is more pain, disappointment, and failure. We tell ourselves that we are not even worthy of a new outfit, an education, relationships, etc. If we don’t think we even deserve a nice dress, then we certainly feel like Jesus wouldn’t want to fill a broken jug that has been glued over and over and over again. But, He doesn’t mind a broken jug. Really.
The idea of asking God to show me the empty places, what I’m really needing, and what I need to remove to make room for Him, has encouraged me. But I am going to have to remind myself to do it not once, not twice, but CONTINUALLY. Thanks.
Lavonda,
I agree, sometimes we fill ourselves with bad emotions. Even to the point I find myself at, can I muster enough courage to let the positive have a place?
Thanks for your honesty!! I think you helped me pinpoint what it is I have been filling myself with!! He wouldn’t have us here if He wasn’t wanting to help us overcome all this crud in our hearts!! Praying much overcoming for you!!! (& me) 🙂
Thank you Renee for this video. Wonderful illustration with water filling up the jar. Spoke to my heart, as I’ve been struggling with the issues you mention. Looking for my significance in all the wrong places. Thank you for the powerful reminder to always look to God.
Wow..everything you had talked about is just a big reinforcer for me at this moment. I am going thru a season of lonlinesss which I haven’t felt before even though I have a beautiful son and a wonderful husband , there is a sense of lonliness . Like you said, I have tried to fill by jars thinking friends, family , awards , human approval, and have even tried living in a difrrent location lol ! but, i stii feel the same. God finally and literally just a few days ago spoke to me ..that i need to focus on his love for me and how he sees me , not the world . It’s a work in progress, but as i have been praying reading what god says about his love for me and his ways over and over again these past few days.. I feel little by little my empty spaces being filled and that lonliness being filled . I am finally getting to know as what brennan manning puts it god’s “furious love ” for ALL of us ! god bless and thank you renee!
Thank you Renee for this visual reminder! This is my second time doing your online study, and I am getting so much more out of it this time, I am guilty of looking to people to fill me, to make me feel special and loved. I am also guilty of wanting to be recognized for all that I do, as a simple hard working stay at home mom. Lately, I have been struggling with feeling loved – I have felt empty, and not connected to others (deep spiritual relationships)….. My closest, best friends are separated by the miles between us. I came home from church last week in tears, but then, I also read this chapter, that God is the only one who can meet our most intimate, deepest needs. I realized I had been focusing on my relationships with others, and not on the one that could meet my needs! Praise God He showed me that at the right time, so I didn’t wallow in my self pity. Instead I am focusing on spending time with Him, feeling loved in His Presence, and trusting Him to help me build the spiritual relationships I long for.
I also loved the visual of how when we fill our life with everything else, it is cluttered, and complicated…..but, with Jesus…..it is pure, simple, and peaceful!!!!!!! I love that!!!!!!!!
Thank you again Renee for this great study, and all that you do to help us all be confident in Christ!
Jackie, as a fellow SAH mom, know that you are not alone in your struggles! Thank you for this: ” when we fill our life with everything else, it is cluttered, and complicated…..but, with Jesus…..it is pure, simple, and peaceful!” This adds so much to what I got from watching the video!
Wow. That really spoke to me. I have spent my entire life looking to other people and things to fill my heart. And you are right, now matter how much love I receive from my husband, children and friends; no matter how well I do at work; no matter how clean my house is or how thin I am, it is never enough. I will pray today for God’s guidance to show me how to begin looking to Him. Thank you for doing what you do.
Renee,
I wanted to share that in my quiet time this morning this was the very thing that I was pouring my heart out to God over. I so often look to the things of the world instead of to God. I know where I should go, I just dont go to get the Living Water that He has for me. Tears welled in my eyes as I opened my Proverbs 31 encouragement for today. The very issue that seems to be the torment in my life you were addressing. After reading the encouragement I saw the link for “A Confident Heart” and found your video. Thank you! I am such a visual person and your gift box and vase made it perfectly clear. Now I have to empty my vase, put the gifts in their rightful place and ask Jesus to pour His Living Water into me.
God bless you for all that you do for so many of us in this journey. It’s so comforting to know, I am not alone and can link armor with someone else in this battle
How many times have I heard and read that verse? Who knows. But today, just as God so often does, He spoke it to me in a new way that really resonnated in the message where she had to go back everyday for more; but in Jesus we are filled up eternally. Don’t we do that when we say we turn things over to God? We let Satan defeat us and convince us once wasn’t enough, placing doubts in us and sending us back seeking forgiveness over and over for things that He doesn’t even remember!! They have been tossed out and forgotten. He says to us – what are you talking about ? I have no record of that! With Jesus – once was required of Him and that is all he requires of us.
I am so grateful that my daily devotional lead me to your website. What a timely and beautiful message to share. God is so good. This is exactly what I needed to hear today. Please pray that I will learn to find and seek all that I desire in God because He is the only one that can fill that space.
It’s amazing how God positions the right messages at the right time. I’ve been struggling with this empty feeling of loneliness for a long time. I’ve felt like I needed more friends, or more recognition, or SOMETHING to fill this hole. I’ve used food a lot to deal with it. It stuffs the spaces very temporarily. Looking for love in all the wrong places, when God was there the whole time, offering unconditional love, and just waiting for me. Today, I receive it!
Thank you so very much Renee. Your video devotional truly spoke to my heart. I needed to be reminded that only the Lord can truly fill my empty places. Only God can do this, no one or anything else can. It’s amazing how quickly we forget, and how our flesh quickly wants to latch on to someone or something. This is just another example of how important it is to stay in Gods word, because it is the word that heals and changes us to be all that God wants us to be. : )
Today I was doing my daily devotional which lead to your blog. I love these pleasant surprises that God puts in front of me that leads to the thing he his trying to say to me. I enjoyed this lesson but really enjoyed the message that you presented. I needed to hear this!!!! I have been searching for a long time and in all the wrong places. I know what needs to be done but just havent given Him the power. He has been telling me over and over this message. Pray for me that I will give into Him and allow him to be my driver. Thank you for all you do.
Thank you for the video message. I know that my longing and desire for a husband often gets put ahead for my longing for Jesus. God will give me my husband when it is the right time. Two things you said stand out for me, “Shift our dependence from the gifts to the Giver” and “Bring the empty well of my heart to Jesus. Ask Him to fill me with His unfailing love.” Some days are so hard, but by letting Jesus fill me and focusing on Him, His love and His Gifts, my heart is as full as it will ever need to be.
Lord God please fill me today, I know that You alone are all I need, Thank you for blessing me, Amen
Yes, Karen, it is SO important to find a place of fulfillment in Christ at that point in your life because, if God so chooses- when/if a husband comes into your life, he will still let you down and fail you at times. Your foundation needs to be in Christ so that you can extend grace to the man God gifts to you! (I’m preaching to myself as a married woman here- a good reminder).
I realized last week, when reading about Sam, that although I thought I wasn’t putting on the mask of “fine” or looking to other things to fill me, that I was in denial. I think the reason I struggle so much with friendships isn’t “the church ladies”, like I thought it was before, or that I have trusted the wrong people. The reason is that I held all of these people to a standard they could never reach as friends, I told them too much in a desire, and an attempt to have them “fill me up”, and take away my pain. As soon as someone couldn’t reach my standard, I became afraid that they would leave me, the way I felt my father left me as a little girl (He was physically there after the divorce, but not emotionally). I didn’t want to feel that pain again, and I felt I deserved to be filled up. That if they were good friends, they would do that. So off again I went, time and time again, searching for that friend that would fill me up. Then when they couldn’t I just stopped trying for friendships. Then I shifted the “fill up” need to my husband and child. I wanted my husband to be my everything, plus be the head of the house, the provider, and on and on. It was just too much for him, and our marriage suffered for it. I have been searching for a fill up since I can remember. My mom worked a lot, and worked nights, so we only really spent time with her a couple of days a week when we were little. We stayed with my grandparents, and my grandma, much like my mom, wasn’t an affectionate person. They both showed their love through things, gifts. My grandpa then became my everything, but he worked too, and only had minimal time at night to share his love with me. I felt unloved a lot of the time. I craved more hugs, more time with my mom and dad, and I didn’t understand at the time why none of them could give me a “fill up”. As a young person I looked to boys, and I wanted them to give me a “fill up”. They would tell me what I wanted to hear, just to get something they wanted, but I was too young and nieve to know they weren’t telling me the truth. Please don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t loose, but I sure wish that I hadn’t even had one partner before my husband. I wish that I had felt filled up by God, which I feel would have given me the self-esteem, and confidence I needed to wait for my one true love.
This week I changed how I think about the people in my life. I am going to stop holding it against my mom that she is unable to show me love in the way I want it, and stop holding the past against her. I have e-mailed each person I let go from my life, because they couldn’t fill me up, and asked for their forgiveness. My husband and I have made a commitment to stay together no matter what, and although he should meet some of my emotional needs of course, I am not going to expect him to meet them all anymore. We watched Fireproof together this week, and it changed our whole outlook on our marriage, so together with your book, and most of all God, our marriage is on it’s way to getting stronger.
I am amazed I didn’t see all of it sooner! I particularly liked the quote in your video, “Acknowledge we’ve looked to the gifts instead of Him as the giver” to fill us up. Oh my goodness! I have done that my whole life. All of the people, things, and on and on that God blessed me with was never enough, and why, I was only seeing those gifts! I forgot all about the giver, Jesus! Before I started reading your book though, the Bible was more head knowledge than anything, and an obligation, something I did to be a good Christian woman. I didn’t think of The Giver’s promises, I never really felt the gift of them, of His love. I now read the Bible in a very different way. I think of the Bible as a collection of love letters. Jesus loves me so much, and he wants the best for me. The best is Him! I need to remember to ask God to fill me daily with His living water, and like you said in the video, each time we do that our feeling of lasting security will increase. I want to get to the point where it isn’t even a thought in my head to go to anything, or anyone else to fill me up. I want to just instinctively go to Jesus, who I now know is the only one who can give a “fill up” that lasts, and is a true “fill up”. Thank you so very much for this book, this message, it is all changing my life slowly, but more than any other Bible study ever has! God bless you and your work Renee!
Kyrie, Thank you for sharing your story. I too had been looking for a “fill up” everywhere and from everyone but the right “One” until I came to know Jesus one year ago. I too want to “instinctively go to Jesus” Blessing to you.
Kyrie,
Thanks so much for posting that. That is exactly how I feel. I’m a talker and I do joke around alot. I’ve depended on others to fill me up. I wrote “Look to the giver-He is enough and put it under my monitors at work. I was thinking and praying about all of this earlier. It’s amazing how he is drawing all sorts of scriptures together and it is all fitting perfecting. I felt him speaking to be right before lunch today about being filled with him “what if you don’t think I’m enough-what is the choice-feeling empty and discontent or feeling content and at peace”? I’ll be praying for you and my other sweet ACH sisters
Dallena
I want to get to this point too! Automatically turn to God, but I don’t think we’ll do it perfectly every time until we’re in heaven, so I thank God for His mercy and grace! Jesus has made us perfect, blameless with His blood! Now if I can just keep this at the forefront of my thoughts. Alas, I need God’s help continually! And praise Him, He is always willing to help!
Kyrie,
Thank you for your openness. Your post has truly ministered to me and is helping me put some things in perspective. I think I have had such a struggle understanding this because I refuse to deal with the pain of my past. Thank you for helping me as I put things in perspective. May God bless you, your husband, and family.
Thank you, Kyrie for blessing me today!
I am humbled by your growth and I praise God for HIS revelation to me through YOU. Thank you for responding as the vessel to His call.
I am excited to see God’s work in your life.
Kyrie,
Thank you for your post and your honesty. I too have spent my whole life expecting others to fill a void that only God can fill. I was placing a lot of responsibility on the people in my life. But no more, I am looking to the Lord to fill the empty places and I KNOW I will be completely satisfied. God bless you and your family.
WOW Kyrie, I have been ‘following’ your story since the beginning of this study three weeks ago- and what a HUGE change I can sense in your spirit as I read this today. I sense hope- real, God-breathed hope. My heart is so full of joy for you and your marriage and your life! I love your statement about “…He wants the best for me. And the best is Jesus!” Oh, if we could, as you say, cement this truth in our hearts to battle our own selfishness- what a difference it would make for us all! I will be continuing to pray for you as we press on in this study- your transparence and vulnerability is a blessing. Thank you.
Thank you for your words and the jar visual!
I love this word picture- it is the story of my life- I have always looked to others to meet my needs- my parents, my friendships, people at church and mostly my husband of 17 years. Now I am learning to put my focus and trust In Jesus alone as the only one who can meet all of my needs. I have learned the hard way that people will fail me because they were never meant to fulfill the places that only God can fill. I appreciate your heart and ministry which has helped me along my journey in going deeper with Christ.
This study has touched me in the empty places and brought me back to a daily time with God. Thank you for sharing your life and gifts. I have looked to fill my empty places with mindless activity to keep from focusing on the trials I am faced with right now. I have felt more at peace since I started this study time-first thing in the morning to start my day off on the right foot. I look forward to each lesson.
Wow, what a powerful message and so spoke to my heart. The story of the woman at the well has come to my mind so many times in the past year; however, I wasn’t applying it to myself. I was applying it to someone else. Thank you for sharing and thank the good LORD above HE has means to get messages to those in need. God was showing me it’s not about the sins, it is all about letting HIM fill us up completely. For almost three years now, I have had several things happen and struggle each day to feel wanted and needed . Your message today clearly shows that only God can fill us completely. Thank you so much for sharing and telling your story. I have not read your book and would love to be entered to win.
Renee thank you so much for your words today. I am desperately searching for something but never seemed to know what it was until today. I struggle with letting myself feel the emotions I need to feel to get real with myself. I have always ignored things and just would hope that whatever was troubling me would go away. This is how I was brought up and it can be hard to make changes but I am working very hard to do just that “change”. With God’s love and the support of my friends and now this study things are changing. Thank you again. God Bless.
Wow Renee! That was a visual that helps me realize that maybe i’ve slipped a little and was starting to use food to fill in those little voids. I will continue to seek God to build yet a stronger relationship with him so that i can feel fulfilled. It’s those self doubts that continue to get the upper hand! God will prevail. Thank you for helping me see that today! God bless!
As a widow, I find I have a lot of empty spaces that ache. I talk to God alot but I think your message tells me something I’ve longed to hear. Maybe I need to spend more time listening and learning to just let Him fill my empty spaces. It already sounds more peaceful.
As tears sting my eyes, I wonder why reading something that we already have heard brings such emotion. Even after seeing the object lesson to your message today, there should be no reason that we continue to take the living water that only Christ can provide for granted. We have experienced the joy of knowing that we are completely His and are unconditionally love by our Lord and our God, yet the tangible things, the verbal affirmations seems more desirable. It is oh so important that we fully embrace God’s love with every ounce of our being and hold on to Hebrews 11:1 where there is truly evidence of things not seen. The Living Water takes away the thirst for more of nothing and gives us the desire for the Bread of Life that is indeed more filling.
Jesus’ cup overflows with love for us and he gives i freely to us. We fill our vessels with worldly “stuff”. If we empty our cups of worldy things, we then would have room to fill it with HIM.
Renee, thank you so much for this post. Unfortunately, this is something I need to be reminded of constantly. I hope and pray and I can finally give my heart, my whole heart, to Jesus and let Him fill the empty spaces.
Thank-you for this Bible Study. it has come at a perfect time in my life. I look forward to hearing this message when I get to our library. We have dial-up on our home computer so we can’t watch videos. However, judging by some of the comments, I know I am going to like the message. Thank-you for sharing your life and wisdom with the rest of us.
I am so glad I found(God directed me too this ministry. I am amazed at how much I relate to most all the topics. I find it so easy to fill my jar/schedule with things that detract from my real needs and purpose. It is so easy as a wife and mother to do that and then wonder why I feel so inept at my performance. Thank you for your real life open & honest ministry, its nice to know we are all in this together.
Thank you for this. What my heart needed today. We are all on a journey, i can totally relate to your visual with the jar and looking for fulfillment. It was beautiful with the word “GRACE” in the background. I’m working on my timeline of life, it’s a painful process going back to some of those places but i know God wants to shine His light in the darkness of my past and set me free. God Bless you!
Wow, Renee I pray that you know how much you changed my perspective today. Only through God was He able to use your voice to tell me things I really needed to hear. You see I have been searching for the unconditional love that I have wanted since I was a small girl with no Daddy, now at 29 and 5 children of my own, I cannot love or be loved unconditional because I do not know what that kind of love looks like. I was admitted into a hospital two weeks ago for suicide attempt, I had given up on life and my constant longing for love. After 5 days they released me but only to come home to a home that had not changed, I did not feel any more loved that night than I had 5 days prior. Now I am taking one step at a time moving past the hurt toward realizing the unconditional love that God gives me as one of His children, and the love my children desperately need for me to give them.
Thank you Renee for being obedient to the works God has placed on your heart, for your sharing IS making a difference in His Kingdom.
In Agape Love,
Jennifer
So touched by your note. Thank you for sharing such life-giving and encouraging words. Praying about writing a devotion book based on my book and your words brought sweet affirmation today!
As much as God radiates from your life through what you say and write (and how you live) I know, if it is His will, that a devotion book would be a huge blessing for so many. Just wanted to share that when I read your comment.
Thank you so very much, Renee. This message has been repeated in my life almost daily as I am going through The Lord’s Table. I use food to try to fill those empty spaces, and, what a surprise! – It doesn’t work! I have used relationships with friends, my husband, and even my kids at times to try to fill those empty spaces as well. I have even used serving in various ministries to try to fill up the emptiness. Thank you for this reminder that only He can truly satisfy all the longings of our heart and fill those empty spaces.