In chapter 3, I share how “our hearts leak and will always end up empty when we find our worth in anything but who we are in Christ. Our value is not measured by what others think of us—but we surely live like it is, don’t we? It’s almost as though we wake up every morning with an empty jar, like Sam, and walk around holding it out to people or things, hoping they will fill us…”
In today’s video message, I talk about the things we look to and illustrate how we can allow God to fill the empty places in our hearts…
Please click the arrow below to watch.
(Optional) Download my “Message Notes” in a PDF format here or in a MSWord doc here. We want you to just watch and let God speak to your heart the first time, but we also knew some of you will want the notes. I even included blanks for you to fill in. 🙂
UPDATE: It’s been quite a week at our house…a trip to the ER with my mom after a bad fall Sunday, I woke up sick on Tuesday and my son Andrew (14) broke his collar bone that same afternoon. Wednesday we found out I had bronchitis and that Andrew’s break was much worse than we expected. Fortunately, we are doing a good bit better today. God’s kept us close to His promises and provided strength and encouragement through so many of your prayers and notes. THANK YOU!!
Connecting in Community: I’d love to hear your thoughts about this week”s video message and your answers to questions at end of Chapter 3. If you left a comment earlier in the week, let’s talk about questions we hadn’t answered yet. Like 4-7. And how the video message ties into the question about finding our “worth-ship” in Christ.
Just click “share your thoughts” right below this post and do just that – share your thoughts, I love to hear them! And I’ll share mine too.
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What a great visual this was indeed. I have seen this same kind of visual but with sand, the water was better. I could see the clear, fresh water, like the Living Water that Jesus has given me. Thank you for this because lately I have felt that emptiness because I was trying to find self-worth in a “dead-end” job. Now I can see the Living Water in me and I can be cleansed and fresh to start over as I allow God to find the right job for me and trust in Him for my needs. I am SATISFIED!
HERE IT IS FEB 16 AND I AM JUST NOW COMMENTING I WATCHED THIS EARLIER BUT DIDN’T DO THE NOTE. UNFAILING LOVE WHAT A GREAT PROMISE.
I HOPE YOU AND YOUR SON ARE DOING A LOT BETTER. I ALSO HAVE BEEN SICK. I KNOW MY BODY HAS BEEN RUN DOWN FROM THE STRESS OF OUR GRANDSON’S PROBLEM AND OUR DAUGHTER BEING SICK. I KNOW THIS A SPIRITUAL BATTLE. I AM ALSO DOING MADE TO CRAVE STUDY. I AM BEHIND ON BOTH BUT I WILL NOT GIVE UP AND I WILL FINSH BOTH. THANK YOU AND ALL THE PROVERBS 31 JESUS GIRLS FOR SHARING WITH US. KAY IN INDIANA
What a wonderful and awesome video!! It spoke volumes to me and I’m coming back to watch it again
The object lesson really helps to make it clear what God wants to do for us. So appreciate this study. I also liked having the notes. Not sure if they were available for previous chapters but hope you will consider having them for subsequent lessons. Thanks again.
I loved the video, I’m new to the state of Charlotte NC and left my family behind. I have be single for 5 years now and I want to date but I was longing for the wrong thing. I was listening to a sermon and this fell right in line to what the pastor was talking about. I need his love right now so he can bring me a love that could be acceptable to him. Thanks Ms. Renee
Thank you for this video Renee. I have read the story many times of the professor who does a jar demonstration with his class, but in that version he pours the sand (God) into the jar with all the other things. I love how you said we have to take out the other things – put them in their place of prominence – so that we can truly be filled by the Holy Spirit – and put God in His place of preeminence.
The video really hits home. I can relate to the jar to where I was caught up in what people thought bout me instead of focusing on God. I had a hard time letting go of the past and satan never lets me forget it either. I have been searching in the wrong places and have always been empty inside. Over 18 years ago my husband committed sucide in front of me and our 11 month old son. I was 5 months pregnant with our daughter when he died. I gave up our daughter for adoption because I was so devastated at the time and had no support of anyone-I even shut out God. For many years I blamed myself for his death and stayed away from people. I know now all those years God was always there for me but I wouldn’t let him in. I was to caught up in I and wouldn’t let God heal me and help me move forward. Thank you for this book for it is helping me to shift my focus and allow God to do his work in me and heal me.
Girls, I just had to share this and I’m not sure how it will work here. It was sung in my church this morning and its one of my favorite songs that a group at my church sings (Faithful Hearts)…this is Point of Grace…http://youtu.be/dhyhxGpnXGs…In the Calm…enjoy
I too liked the video and the jar…it also reminds me that when I fill myself up with all those ‘other things’ I corwd God out…there’s just not space for all of it…I need to be filled more by Jesus…and when He fills me then I don’t have that emptiness that drives me to be filled by less than the best…
Renee,
Thank you for the “Free Resource” section on your site. I am challenged to pray using more scripture and was enlightened with the spiritual gift questionare.
Hi again Renee, forgot to mention I am a teacher and the use of hearing ~ seeing~ and then the reading that was available was great, I just loved the visual and your GRACE sign behind you~~~prayers for your son and your mom after their mishaps~~~~~~Sue
Hi Renee, loved the video, and needed the message you gave about where we need to turn to be filled, sometimes we forget and do turn to the flesh and think it will work and it doesn’t!!! Thank you for your prayers for my son a while ago, he is progressing slowly, but he is getting better. I have tried to let go of the wheel, I feel there is nothing else I can do now and God will have to put other people in play, and He has. His eye dr for his posterior scleritis did a blood test and we found out he does not have crohns but ulcerative colitis, which does not help the fact that he still has an ileostomy to deal with, but they are easier to reverse when it is not crohns. He has a long road ahead of him but I know God is looking after him and leading the way and will be there to help all of us deal with the days ahead and has filled me with peace knowing He is the one who is in control and leading the way~~~~~~~~Sue
This has really been a great week. I too so enjoyed the video and I have watched it a couple of times. I also read the chapter a few times and just let all the information sink into the very depths of my heart and ask Jesus to work in my heart and to show me all those things that are filling the empty places in my heart — Gosh, there is a lot more there than I thought but God is so good and drawing me deeper and deeper into Him.
Wonderful visual~ thank you this will help place this week (and on…) in perspective!
I am praying for a speedy recovery for you and your son!
I so very much want to feel full of God’s unfailing love. I am weary and worn this week and pray that God’s unfailing love will carry me through this week. I know he longs to fill the empty places in my heart. The places I have tried to fill with education, with work, with other’s approval. None of those fill me up like only he can.
I pray that each of us this week will turn our hearts to God and let him fill us up. That he will help us in our weariness and that in our successes we will give him the glory.
Love This Video and want to Thank You Sister Renee for sharing through your Obedience in God helping us see thar we are Searching in all the wrong Places to be Fullfilled all We need Is Jesus,A Personal Relationship with Him.Empty Me is a Song that blesses my Heart.I want More of Him and Less of Myself.I want Him to Fill till my Cup runneth over.I Thank Him For His Precious gift to me Salvation.That is when I began to see My old heart had died and Praise God He gave me A New one that was Secure in who I was as A Child of the King, Also saw my Purpose for being here.He taught Me that Nothing in this World Could Seperate me From The Love of Christ.I now had His Promises His Provision His Protection on My LifeI now new How To be that Servant that Wife that Mother That Grandmother that Friend and Sister in Christ He sent me here to be.I Learned that I was sent Here to Spread the Good news to all that needed assurance that they are Special they are Loved and they have a Purpose in this Life.Thanks for being a Precious Blessing to me Sister Renee and all the Other Women of God that is doing this online Study..
I shared the video with my daughters, ages 7 and 9. My 7 year old wanted to watch it twice in a row. We had a good discussion afterwards.
I know I am guilty of trying to fill my empty places with people and activities. This weekend was hard – my boyfriend was away for work again and I haven’t seen him in a month, my friends were on dates with their husbands or significant others or were doing family activities and my daughters are spending the weekend with their dad. During the day I met up with some people from church and went to the mountains, but sitting at home alone Friday and Saturday night gets me upset at times. I don’t want to go to bars, I don’t want to go out with another man other than my boyfriend, my friends were busy – hard to remember sometimes that I just need God to fill up my hurt places. Thank you for the reminder.
I too shared the video with my 71/2 year old son. Not too much discussion yet, because we haven’t had much time in the car this w/e. That seems to be the place where alot of mature conversations and revelations are made. So Renee’s roadtrip video last week was also very relative. Thanks Heather and hope you were able to stop doing and just be for awhile with Jesus with that valuable alone time. I have felt that empty feeling before when my son has to go to his dad’s too. I didn’t realize I have been using my son to fill some of the spaces till you brought this up thanks Heather.
Renee,
Thank you for posting the video, as well as for writing the book. Like my other new-found friends here, I too have been looking for that unconditional love in all the wrong places. I have always felt like I needed to earn someone’s love and constantly seek for people’s approval. I love how you point out in the video that we need to dump out all of those other things and be filled by Christ alone!
One thing that humored me was when you put in the manly man… you put him in upside down (whether on purpose or not) — which brought me to a realization. Even when the manly men in our lives stand on their heads for us, it is not enough. My husband is a man who would stand on his head if necessary to make me believe that I am loved… and yet I’m always trying to ‘earn’ it by being a better wife, a better mom, a better homemaker… there always has to be more because I’m so aware of my shortfallings. I am trying to learn to live in the light of God’s grace.
Thanks for being so open in your book. I love reading it, but find that I have to be alone at night, because I cry my way through each chapter. That’s a good thing – it means you are hitting me right where I’m at!!
Your visual compliments one of my other favorite visuals of pulling all the weeds in our garden – that also gives more room for God to fill with pretty and beautiful blooms to erase all the weeds and rubble we have in our”garden”. Thank you so much for this study – you are such a blessing to SO MANY OF US…Bless you for following and sharing Gods will for YOUR life…
Beautiful… thanks for sharing!
Wow, the water pouring into the jar was so powerful. I was instantly refreshed and teary-eyed. Thank you Jesus for satisfying my soul.
I AM A VISUAL LEARNER SO THIS LESSON WAS PERFECT FOR MY RETENTION NEEDS!!!
CHILDLIKE FAITH…IT IS SO REFRESHING. MY HEART IS SMILING AND I WILL REMEMBER THIS
LESSON FOREVER.
PRAYING FOR YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
THANK YOU FOR BEING SO AUTHENTIC.
How mighty is our God, how awesome is He. Let’s serve Him with gladness and enter His courts with praise. God puts a song in our hearts, and He lifts us up to His unfailing love, as we draw near to Him. Ps 90:14 Satisfy me in the morning with your unfailing love, that I may sing for joy and be glad all my days. ( can’t you just feel your mood shift, and your perspective turning in a great direction ?) God has something wonderful in store for our thoughts and attitudes and moods today and tomorrow too !
What a awesome video, I got so much revelation from it and the Holy Spirit and shown me how everyday this has been a reality in my life. I will no longer look to things, poeple, position, money or anything but God to fill the empty places in my heart. I know that His unfailing love is more than enough and my heart will forever be changed. Thank you so much Renee I really needed to see that.
Good job, Renee! You might want to use a colored liquid in the future. Just a thought…
WOW!!! that was an amazing message,Thank You. I clearly understood and its soo true!! I must keep preservering in him until I get to that place in him…..
Wow! What a powerful video! Thank you for showing us this, Renee. When you said that when He speaks to our hearts and says “I love you, you are accepted… and when we allow Him to pour His love and promises into our hearts there are no empty places. I knew which Bible verses you were talking about. Today I read day six of your book The 7-day Doubt Diet. I felt compelled to read it first before finishing my questions for this chapter. Now I know why. God wanted me to read day six. His promises are I AM ACCEPTED… Ephesians 1:3-8 I have been chosen by God and adopted as His child. Colossians 1:13-14 I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins. Colossians 2:9-10 I am complete in Christ. I AM SECURE… Romans 8:28 I am assured that God works for my good in ALL CIRCUMSTANCES. Romans 8:31-39 I am free from condemnation. I CANNOT BE SEPARATED FROM GOD’S LOVE. Philippians 1:6 I AM CONFIDENT GOD WILL COMPLETE THE GOOD WORK HE STARTED IN ME. I AM SIGNIFICANT…Ephesians 2:10 I am God’s workmanship. Ephesians 3:12 I MAY APPROACH GOD WITH FREEDOM AND CONFIDENCE. Philippians 4:13 I CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST, WHO STRENGTHENS ME.
God wanted to show me that I struggle with these promises. I have asked God to show me when i feel that these promises are not meant for me. When I feel this, I know that Satan is just a liar and I am not going to let him get to me! Thank you God for showing me who I really am in You, and that I do want you to fill and fulfill my empty spaces.
#2 I have looked to men to fulfill me, then I thought getting married would do the trick. Then having a child might do it. I have come to realize after becoming a Christian and learning about GOD that the #1 and mocst precios relationship O could ever have is the one I am building with my Lord and Savior. But sadly enough I always live as though I totally believe this….but I know it is still true nonetheless. I have discovered this through many trials, much pain, and now healing—glory be to GOD for my healing. I am still a work in progress, my Healing Savior is not through with me yet. I am convinced that this healing is not in me or any one on this earth, but it is in Him and only Him.
#6 Salvation—Christ saves and protects me from harm, risk and destruction and has already done so in my life. Satisfaction—I need to accept Jesus with confidence that He is true and dependable and will be there for me; even when I fail Him–He won’t fail me.
#7 When I start to measure my value by how well I am doing as a friend, Then I will look to Jesus for His example to me in being a friend along with Ruth and Naomi.
I would like to take this time to share something I learned from our teens at church
4 Great Ways of Living
1. Look back and thank GOD
2. Look forward and trust GOD
3. Look around and believe in GOD
4. Look inside and find GOD
I like your “? ditty” from the teens. Going in the notebook as another tool to use with my kids/coworkers etc.Thanks Carolyn!
Hello,
thank-you Renee not only for sharing this teaching which is so valuable but also for making us a part of your life through the prayer requests you had. Thank-you for giving us an opportunity to “hold you up”.
Well, I just purchased the book last night so I feel a little like I’m running to catch up with you ladies but it certainly is going to be well worth the time and investment. I can say this because after reading just the first chapter and praying the prayer and answering the questions at the end it has given me such an insight into myself and how I fit into God’s plan
I love how you emphasize “praying the word” I also believe this is such a powerful tool in seeing prayers answered–and it’s encouraging, as you mentioned.
I too ,like so many others commented , find the visual so helpful in the application portion of this study.
In Christ,
Beth
All
As i read all of these comments to a degree we are all so much alike and it is no wonder we were all drawn by God to take this course. When we finally get it thru our heads, HE IS ALL WE NEED and the rest is just cherries on top what a wonderful life we will live. To go to Him for all that needs answered, he is our source of wisdom and satisfaction. He is our source of self worth, when we can begin to see ourselves not as others and not as we but who we are in HIM, yep I am one of those that turns to food, friends, and working hard to remove those obstacles and go to the PROVIDER the one who fills us with His living water,,, fills all the empty spaces, all the spaces….Thanks for the video and lessons.
Cathi
my mom sent this to me and then my 9 year old gd sent it to me I don’t know if mom created it or if it came in one of the many mailings she receives, but it fit so well in with our studies i am sharing I apologize in advance if I am messing with c/r issues
I Love You
I see you like no one else sees you. I see the things you prefer
others do not see. I see things that you are not even aware of.
there is nothing hidden from Me. I see all and I know all.
I see the parts that you do not like; I see the parts of you that
you reject. I see, and My Love for you is not altered. In the
same way that nothing can separate you from Me, nothing
will ever change My love for you.
I look at you and smile. I desire to be close to you, just as you
desire closeness with others that are important in your life.
I look at you and My heart floods with pride and joy that you
are My child.
I want to put My arms around you and hold you close. I want
to walk with you today. I want to talk to you about the things
that are going on in your life. I want you to know that I am
always here for you.
Even though you may not ‘feel’ or ‘know’ this to be true, I
remain there for you. If you look for Me, I will show Myself
to you, for My heart is for you to know Me.
This is beautiful and so relates to what we are learning here on this bible study. Thank you for sharing this Cathi.
Thank you for sharing, Cathi.
THIS IS SO BEAUTIFUL IT TRULY TOUCHED MY HEART AND WAS SO NEEDED AS A REMIMDER FOR ME THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SHARING THIS WITH US MY FRIEND. GOD BLESS
I am going to this with others. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you for taking the time to send the e-mail on Friday. My week was so busy that I didn’t get to watch the video earlier. I am so glad that I watched it!!! What a blessing it was to have you share this message with us. I am headed out for a run and will begin askng God to help me find what I am looking for and to help me put my gifts in the appropriate place in my life. Thank you again for the e-mail reminder and for all that you do. I am glad that your family is doing well.
Amazing video – having the visual image of what I do on a daily basis is helpful and so powerful. I’ve turned to food rather than God to fill my empty places. This chapter hit hard.
I am so sorry to read about all things that had happened. I hope you, your son and your mom will heal quickly.
Thank you Renee for the powerful message on the video. I needed to hear that this morning.
I to, appreciate the visual aide in getting this message across. I have been struggling all my life to get the love and approval of everyone around me and I find myself constantly searching for the wrong attention that just leads me right into sinful ways. I want to find my unfailing love in God and im even more desperate to get it now and forever. I know its not gonna be easy to get out of my bad habits but with God by my side and his word in my heart, I will find his unfailing love. I am so grateful for this confident heart series and I can’t wait to be able to buy the book. I am so Thankful for you right now, I know that God lead me to you for a reason because he knows that I am searching for his unfailing love….. Im glad that you and your family are doing well and I pray that you all continue to be blessed and a blessing to others.. Thank you, Again!
Praying for you Toya…admire your courage to share a little bit. I can relate to your feelings that you expressed and I’m praying for us as we listen to God’s loving whispers and allow Him to write His Word on our hearts…Keep going girlfriend!
Renee, oh how i loved ch 3.I wouldst put it down once i started reading it. i answered all the questions the nx day as well. It took ne awhile to meditate and gather my thoughts b4 I could respond. Ch 3 really hit home as my mother always taught me to b very independent. She taught me to do every thing on my own n never depend on anyone…esp a man…due to our childhood. i did that most of my life until I got married. just a couple of yrs ago our marriage started having problems. and my confidence and ssecurity started to wither…i had put all of my trust, dependence, self worth, and confidence into my husband instead of Christ. and when my husband let me down i was broken n hurt. I started seeking his approval…if i do this o that he will lover me more . if i look this way and do my hair n nails he will think Im still pretty, if i act this way he will want to b w me more. if Im a super mom he will think Im a great mom. we have worked through alot of our situation but i still find myself looking for his approval and wanting that security n confidence in our marriage. Ch 3 came at the right time as it was a good reminder to me that we are loved and accepted by God and he always desires to give us that unconditional love. He wants us to find our security n confidence in him and not in anybody else. i so long to experience Gods unfailing love agai and i know God is the only one who can give me that kind of love. Ps.63 1-4 really spoke to my heart…because ur love is better then life i will glorify you. that gives me peace! i loved the when then statements and they remind me of Gods promises to me and how i can hold on to themin timesof doubt and fear. i want to have a voicconfident heart that is found in a woman who knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that she is loved no matter what. that lasting security comes when we bring the empty well of our hearts to Jesus and ask him to fill and fulfill us w the security of His unfailing love. Thanks for writing that reminder to us Renee and i ask that u and our sisters would pray for me…that i would allow God to fill me with is love and that i wouldst seek it in the approval of my husband…and that u girls would pray for my husband that he wouldn’t live in his in strength but in the Lords strength again. I look forward to reading Ch 4 and what God has to teach me and show me.
# 4 – I was raised with the motto “Be your own person – don’t be one of the crowd” so the concept of individualism was firmly promoted. That left no room for God to define me so when I came to the Lord, it took years of trying to overcome the notion that I can do all things.
#6 – Salvation is the decision to place my heart and life into God’s Hands acknowledging my need for Him- usually a one-time decision. Satisfaction is Christ is on-going, a place of peace and resting in Him and His ability to save me from myself! It is something I need to cultivate and desire with all my heart and spending time in His Presence and in His Word is crucial to the proces..
What a powerful deliverance of Gods love. I received each word you gave on today, thank you! My heart actually melted listening to this message. I want others to hear it as well. Praise God for this word, Renee he has truly used you to touch others and help them open that place they need him to enter in.
I fail to do a lot of things because I don’t have confidence in myself. I’m trying to learn to just let God lead me and give me the confidence I need. Here’s and example. I had to do training at work and I don’t have as much education as the others in my office. We had a test at the end and when I started reading the questions I didn’t know a lot of the answers. I was so upset because I knew that everyone was going to know just how dumb I was. So I prayed and asked God to help me with the test and to help me to find my worth in Him instead of what they would think of me at work. I took the test and submitted it. Later that day I heard some of my coworkers talking about their scores and I had made one of the highest scores. I just praised God and asked Him to forgive me for putting my worth in what others think of me. I want so desperately to let God be what fills me. Thank you for helping me to deal with all this stuff that is standing in the way of letting God’s spirit fill my heart.
Linda, I love how you turned to God and asked Him to help you AND then after drew even closer to Him asking Him to forgive you for the way your heart was drawn to put your worth in what others think of you…I am so taking this practical application and applying it in my journey…thank you! I too am so prone to do the same thing and realize I spend WAY too much time thinking about what others may be thinking about me. Praying for us as we seek Him and clean out our hearts 🙂
Great video Renee! I underlined what you wrote in Chapter 3 “When we worship something or someone, we give them great worth in our lives and oftentimes we find our worth in them.” I recognize I am tempted to put my worth in other opinions of me–and it is rooted deep from a childhood scarred from abuse. Whether it was my daddy or another person in authority over my life, I natually looked to them for approval; I seek affirmation to the many questions of my heart, i.e.”Am I doing this right, Are you pleased with my work?–God has shown me that they will never love perfectly, encourage perfectly or shepherd me perfectly. I’m learning to lean into my Chief Shepherd first and slowly God’s love is penetrating my heart, teaching me to live confidently by hearing His loving affirmations first–asking Him and seeking His approval. When I hear Him, the other voices in the world are not so loud–whether others are cheering for me or cursing me or silent (and silent means I am visualizing them cursing me in my own head.) (Funny, when you put the items in the jar, I thought for sure you were going to pour something over all of it and let it fill in all the cracks…I think for me God is showing that “Yes, your daddy was wrong to withhold love and yes that person there was wrong to withhold favor–and Yes, it was natural for your heart to desire encouragement from each of them–just let Me…I picture God’s loving water pouring over all of the things and people that are naturally in my circular vase and Love is drowning out all of the imperfections in my heart and theirs, slowly, suffocating the wrong we all are capable of) As I embrace more and more of His love and live more confidently in Him, I am also finding my heart capable of more love itself–forgiving, asking God to forgive me for my sins as I forgive them for theirs. Why would I look to anyone else for my worth than the One who created me? God help me look to YOU ONLY for my worth and worship you alone. Thank you Renee for looking to Him and pointing your readers to Him…you sharing your journey is helping me with mine.
This was a very meaningful video and I thank you Renee from the bottom of my heart. I love your book and what you are doing to inspire and encourage me to rely upon Jesus. I have reflected upon your video lots this week, and I have referred many to your website in hopes that they will listen to the video also. Renee, you are influencing thousands and thousands of people to reach out to the healing and loving spirit of Jesus Christ. It seems like you need much prayer, because of your huge influence to encourage all of us to lean on Jesus, the enemy is making your life very challenging. Let’s cover Renee with our prayers in the blood of Jesus and in the safety of His Holy Spirit. The enemy is upset, because we are all turning to trust Jesus in a deeper way. Renee, may the love and safety of His power be with you as you do this bible study, and thank you for your book and your video, and for doing the work of Jesus. I shower you with love and prayers now.
Dianne, i pray your prayer for Renee too. May she be covered with the Lord’s protection.
Thank you Dianne for your prayer.
I am praying in agreement with this prayer also. Amen!
Karen C
Thank you for the video Renee. A picture really does help put things into perspective. I’ve tried to find my worth in parenting, my job and my volunteer work yet I feel so lonely at the end of the day. Already into this study I find myself wanting to connect more with God and learn and read the scriptures. Thank you and everyone for their posts to help us all feel like we are not alone in this journey.