Has someone ever said something to you that made you feel valued and loved? Affirmations that gave you a sense of meaning and purpose? In my Encouragement for Today devotion, Just the Right Words, I shared a story of how one woman’s words changed the course of another.
Sadly, many of us don’t have people to speak hope and encouragement into our hearts. However, all of us do have Someone who wants to speak just the right words into our lives – every day. Today I have a power-packed {very short} video message where I share how you can position your thoughts to hear and live in God’s promises – every day. Click on the arrow below and discover how to stop letting doubt and discouragement beat you up, and start letting God words build you up instead!
{Download FREE Confident Heart “AM/FM Thoughts Printable here}
Enter TODAY’s GIVEAWAY:
Click “share your thoughts” right below this post and do just that. All commenters will be entered in my “Living in God’s Promises” gift pack giveaway which includes a $10 Starbucks OR Target Gift Card{you choose}, 2 copies of A Confident Heart, and a copy of my Letting God Fill the Empty Places in Your Heart message on CD!
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Thanks so much for this video! It really helped Chapter 6 come alive – such a great chapter, with amazing truths! I am so grateful that you allowed God to use you to help others just like me. Someday I hope to be in the same position, so, through God, I too can lead others to His Truth. 🙂
Renee,
I haven’t been following along very well with the study, but I do watch the videos some and I have been reading the book. I’ve actually had the book since December, and I’m just now on chapter 9. But let me tell you… I’ve been unemployed for a month now (first time in 25 years), and this week I started to become REALLY anxious, stressed, and depressed, and feeling like “where are you God? Don’t you care??” Then I picked up your book and guess what chapter was next for me to read? Chapter 9- When Doubt Whispers “I Can’t Stop Worrying.” I haven’t even finished it yet, but God knew this is where I’d be right at this time and I feel like you are saying ALL of the things I am feeling and your words (and God’s Word) have been like a soothing balm over my anxious heart. I’m still fighting the anxiety/worry some….but I’m better. THANK YOU my friend! <3
Renee, thank you so much for the video it has really encouraged me today. God loves us so much , he already knows all the mistakes we have made and will make in the future because we are not perfect but we are a work in progress and He still wants relationship with his daughters. This is so wonderful to me and I am learing to live in His love daily. God bless!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for the uplifting encouraging words. It keeps me from dwelling on the negative which is what I tend to do at times but you have made my day a little brighter and I thank you for that! God bless you! 🙂
Isn’t it wonderful to have a God who whispers to our hearts when we need it most! God has been whispering to me lately whether it be in an email or from the book or where ever. I’m a little behind in the study but I’m keeping up with the emails and God even uses your weekly emails to remind me of His truths. I know I’m right where God wants me to be despite all of satan’s lies.
Thank you for this bible study and ALL the words of encouragement 🙂
Hey Renee,
Thank you for sharing God’s truth with me. And for being a woman after God’s own hear. I so forget that Satan desire to sift us as wheat , that goes around seeking whom he can devour. It is in that that I forgot to safe guard my heart and mind with God’s truths. I love, love your AM/PM approach when Satan comes after us with his lies. Thank you reminding me that whem doubts says I cant, God’s word says, “I am HIS workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which GOD prepared in advance for me to do.”
Eph 2:10.
Blessings.
P.S. Praying for you this weekend.
Renee, I just want to thank you for your faithfulness & dedication, despite such a busy schedule. May the Lord richly bless.(Numbers 6:24-26) This is the first on line study I have done & didn’t know what to expect. After some bumps in the road on my part, (still learning all this smart phone technology), it has really been a blessing. Thank you again for ALL your time you put in, &for ALL your prayer.
Renee, thank you so much for listening to God’s calling and writing this book but also for posting this online study! I have been seeking God to help me battle depression and negative thoughts for many years and have gradually changed. I read several posts today where women had just begun on this journey and just wanted to say “don’t give up”! Keep on seeking and knocking on the door of God’s word and He will continue to lead you. I know at first, I didn’t think I would get victory, but over time God works the old ways and thoughts out of us if we keep seeking Him. Renee, I appreciate how you communicate with us weekly even though you have been through many trials since we began. I am praying for you, specifically for of the problems with your back. I have had problems with my back for 20 years and I know this would be a prime time for Satan to tempt you to doubt and be discouraged. But thank God, His plans for us are for our good not our harm and we have a counselor who is there to encourage us! I am really thankful for the “AM/FM thoughts” sheet. What a great tool to remind us to take captive those thoughts that are not God’s thoughts for us and replace with His words to us!
Hello Renee,
Just finished watching the video about Kimberly. I was extremely touched by it. So much that it made me cry because I have felt the same way. There were so many reasons why i was so unloveable that i felt that there was no way God could use me. Music means a lot to me. When i hear it i literally melt. I can feel the Lord wrap his loving arms around me and just hold me. So when i found that the Lord blessed me with a musical talent i couldn’t believe it. (i am not real good at expressing myself in words so please hear my heart) The one thing i felt close to God with he blessed me with and i just could not believe it! So instead of using this gift i ran from it i found other avenues to do what i thought God wanted me to do because He just could not use me in that way! Besides i already blew it by not singing when asked. I was condemned by my own words, and like Kimberly said “unfit for use or service.” Like Kimberly, i know that the Lord loves me. Then i read that scripture that she and you shared John 3:17. and really read it over and over again. He came NOT to condemn the world, BUT that the world through Him might be saved. How refreshing to read this and now know this!!! Thank you Renee and Kimberly for sharing this and your stories so others may also be free from condemnation!!!!!
P. 122 “…instead of believing his (Satan’s) accusations, we need to let them lead us straight to Jesus so He can have the final say.” This was PERFECT for me to have read today! It confirmed a thought I had this morning I was thinking had come from God. Instead of allowing myself to dwell on, become unglued, obsess about, or spend time trying to understand how in the world could my ex (who never tried to get our marriage back on track or speak to me the entire year that we were separated before the divorce– that he did not even come to) show up opening the curtain of an ER room I was sitting in last night!! I thought I was hallucinating! I hadn’t seen him in four years, and there he stood. It was traumatizing to me; I was speechless. He just said, “Hi, I work here now,” with a grin. Utter shock. Well, when all the ugly obsessions began flooding my mind about it this morning, I had an overwhelming thought. Even if this was the enemy’s (Satan’s) way of messing with me, I’m going to turn this around and see it through God’s thoughts. God showed me I was strong enough to handle such an event, that I could face this fear I had of one day running into him without coming unglued or undone. It was a totally different way of looking at an unpleasant situation. It’s like I felt Jesus cheering for me, “YOU DID IT! You made it through, Mary! I was right there with you and you did awesome!” This is how I began my morning. And THEN I read this in chapter 7, Renee. It confirmed that God put that thought in my head and heart! Another way I know it was from God is it was not negative, only positive, and He was building (me) up, not tearing (him, ex) down. Praise You, Father, for Your loving ways, how You speak to us and cause us to grow in strength and love! By the way, I am okay, was just there getting fluids–been sick with flu or something too long.
WOW! GOD IS GREAT! I needed to hear this! I have been making crosses lately and am going to start selling them for Easter at this Christian bookstore called the Living Room Bookstore in Bastrop. I was working really hard on both my small ones and the large ones. The large ones had the different names of God on them. Last night (even though I now know he didn’t mean to) my husband pointed out every flaw in my large crosses. He said that I needed to do it God’s way and the way he (my husband) showed me and no longer the “Kimmie” way. (That’s his nickname for me). I got frustrated and tried to fix what I felt needed to be perfect now! That is when I kept thinking I wasn’t good enough for any of this! Why did I agree to start selling these crosses? I felt defeated. That is when I kept saying in my mind I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! I ended up saying it in my mind over and over again. That is when I went up to him and told him that sometimes and a lot lately I have felt I wasn’t good enough of a wife to him. I knew this was the time where I had to come to him and tell him how I felt in regards to my dialysis also. I needed to be open to him and let him know why I felt like this and that is when he looked really shocked and told me he was sorry for criticizing me. It was really good to know that I do matter to him, and he wants the best for me. He just didn’t realize I felt that he was criticizing me. It was a time for healing for both of us. I am so glad that I opened up and talked with him! I felt God leading me for awhile to do this, but at first was afraid to. What was I afraid of was rejection. With God all of us are never rejected He loves us and wants us to know how much He loves us. He gave me a great husband who loves me, but does make mistakes. When he realizes how much he has hurt me at times, he always asks for forgiveness. God is good!
I’m having a bad week and would really appreciate prayer. I started exclusively seeing someone on Monday night. Tuesday I crashed my car and totaled it. I’m OK but neck hurts as my head hit the driver’s window really hard. Today, Thursday, the new boyfriend called and broke it off. It’s OK as I was wondering too if I didn’t rush in too fast after my last relationship. It still leaves me feeling rejected and like there is something wrong with me. I just listened to Renee’s video and oh, so much what I needed to hear. I’ve kept saying all week, the Lord is my hope and confidence. I need to focus on God not my circumstances. He has a plan for me and I can trust him. I just really feel thrown out of my zone right now. Kind of lost. I need to hear that… GOD IS FOR ME! He will never leave me or foresake me!
Sweet Lucy, I am praying for you, sister. He will never ever leave you. He goes ahead of you and walks alongside of you. Deuteronomy 31:8 New International Reader’s Version
“The Lord himself will go ahead of you. He will be with you. He will never leave you. He’ll never desert you. So don’t be afraid. Don’t lose hope.” I thank Him that you made it through that accident alive and not hurt more seriously. See, He is with you, for you, protecting you. He has His reasons for the new one breaking up with you. He is protecting you, Lucy, GOD IS FOR YOU, HE IS WITH YOU! Take care of yourself. xo
Thank you so much Mary! I wrote down the bible verse and what you said on a index card and I’m going to keep it with me. It feels very comforting.
I really enjoyed Just the right words. I just finished writing a devotional thought encouraging my sisters to take the time this month to use their words and deeds of encouragement as an undercover agent for God. I know Just the right words changed my life. I hope they will take the challenge and possibly change someone else’s.
I dont think often enough of God’s thoughts towards me. I think if I did, it would be easier not to slip into distress as often as I sometimes do.
Have to learn to feel God’s feelings towards me in my heart.
I’m behind in this study and have been saving emails with links to messages to read in order….. However, this really spoke to me this evening. I have too many of AM thoughts and not enough FM thoughts. Thank you for reminding me that God is always For Me!
You are so right, Renee. I am too often in that AM mode, and can be my own worst enemy. I have a wonderful, but very challenging career as a nonprofit director. I said, when I took on this role 2 years ago that I was entrusting it to Him. But inevitably I get tunnel vision trying to get it all done and do it perfectly. I was betrayed by someone close to me in this work and I never feel like I measure up. God has been reminding me lately how important it is to just let go and really truly trust Him. I have to believe that He is FM (for me), before I can be for myself. It is a work in progress.
Renee, I cant tell you how much this book and study are helping me. Not only am I learning how to deal with past hurts and forgive, but also with current ones. The past couple of weeks have been ones filled with failure as a mother. My daughter is an adult, with children of her own, has seemily come into conflict with me. Needless to say that left me feeling less than perfect and heartbroken. I have been praying about the situation and now realize it is not me but in fact her life and situation. She has slipped back into negative behaviors and when I try to show her a Godly life she can’t accept it. So I learned to leave in the Good Lord’s hands and continue to pray for her and her family that they will change. I continue to love and pray for her, as well as look for and show her the gold nuggets in her.
Continued Prayes for you in your healing.
Praying for you Renee!! That you get a complete healing!
While it may be easy to recognize when others are against us (AM) in their words or deeds…those are the moments that Satan uses to plant seeds of doubt in our minds. Thankfully we can look to GOD and HIS truth to determine FOR ME thoughts… I am so thankful that God places others in our lives, whether explicitly or implicitly to help hold us accountable and to keep us on HIS path with HIS promises, because GOD is for us! I am so grateful for this study and…
“I am sure of this, that He who started a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” Philippians 1:6.
I just wanted to thank you for encouraging me. I look forward to reading your messages.
Have a kind of different example of how changing thinking, changes feelings. Am dealing with a significant health problem right now. Begining of 2012 I decided I was going to start each day focusing on God instead of how I was feeling. Can’t take oral antiinflammatories so have a topical liquid that takes a while to dry. Rather than reading a novel, I read verses & sayings I have on index cards. On bad days it is very tempting to reach for a novel instead, but if I don’t, while the pain doesn’t change, my whole outlook does. Definitely need to work on AM/FM thoughts as well.