I hated feeling this way…uneasy and so uncertain. If only I knew what what was making my emotions so wobbly. If only I could name it. Then I could figure out what to do about it.
One day He showed me. It was doubt. Not fear or worry, but self-doubt that made me question everything I thought, felt and said. I didn’t like it, but naming it helped me know how to pray. Naming it led me to confessions I needed to make and promises I could claim. Naming it made me feel like I could finally stand up to it.
Recently I spent some time with my friend, Ann Voskamp. Leah and I visited with her family on their farm in Ontario. While we were there, II was reading a chapter in Ann’s book, One Thousand Gifts, where she talks about the power of naming things. How essential it is to our healing and hope.
We spent time on the porch talking and Leah recorded our conversation so we’d be able to share it with you. It’s so good to know we’re not alone in our doubts and fears. As you’ll see, Ann and I had many that overshadowed our lives for so long, but we found healing and hope once we learned to them. Would you join us on the porch? Be sure to turn up the volume. A truck or tractor passes and it gets kind of loud. <Also, if you are reading this via email, just click on the post title to see the video on my website>
I love how Ann shared, “When you don’t have a name for something, you’re haunted by it’s shadows…But when you can name something… It loses it’s mask and you can find a strategy to deal with it.” (One Thousand Gifts)
Join us Friday…Ann and I kept talking, and we’d love for you to join us again on the porch. I could have talked with her all day! We’ll be back Friday to share more. If you’d like a reminder, simply put your email in the update box at the top of my website, and I’ll slip you a note in your inbox when it’s posted.
We have a few gifts… Would you leave us a little note by clicking “Share your thoughts” below this post. We’d love for you to be part of the conversation, too. And I’m giving away 3 signed copies of Ann’s book, so I”ll draw names from the notes you leave here.
One last thing… I wanted to share how Jesus has been working behind the scenes knowing the topic of today’s post. I’ve been receiving notes from many of you reading my Confident Heart devotions in The 7-day Doubt Diet. Just this week, here is what two of you wrote:
_______________________
“Renee, I just finished reading the Introduction and the first chapter of A Confident Heart . Thank you so much for writing a book like this and knowing exactly what it’s called that I’m going and have gone through all my life and didn’t know what it was called. ~ Sharon
“I’ve always doubted myself, but like you I called my different names. It felt so good to know and hear that I am not alone and that I can find my God-Confidence. ~ Megin
_______________________
I smiled, knowing it was all HIM!! You are on His heart and in His thoughts, my friends. And if you are curious, maybe now wanting to read Chapter 1 of my book, I’d love to share it with you.
Remember to “share your thoughts” below so I can choose the winners of the 3 signed copies of Ann Voskamp’s New York Times Best-Seller, One Thousand Gifts . I’ll announce the winners next Monday. And since we talked about overcoming self-doubts, I’ll tuck in a copy of my book with each of Ann’s for the three of you who win.
If you are reading this via email, please click on the post title to “share your thoughts” on my website and enter the drawing.
Bingo! I feel better already. I really felt like God used you to show so many people what they have never been able to name. God bless you!
Ann’s book is such a blessing.
Can so relate to needing a name for what’s holding you back. Seems too often I’m asking myself “what in the world is wrong with you?”
No matter what the issue, doubt, fear, anger, when you can name it you can claim it. And when you claim it you can confess it, pray about it, claim God’s promises and stand up to it. Naming it is so important. Thanks for this reminder
It’s such a relief to know that I’m not the only one who struggles daily with self doubt. The 7 day doubt diet is really great! Thank you! I can’t wait to read your book.
I am so delighted by both you Renee and Ann. I just finished reading One Thousand Gifts and plan to dive back in because it is so full of treasure. I plan to challenge myself to find one thousand gifts in my life, writing them in a journal as Ann did to see God’s love and mercy in my life. I just signed up to get the 7 day doubt diet emails and was so touched and excited by the first intro. I have always struggled with self doubt and have been in a marriage with emotional abuse which really sunk my self worth even lower. I can’t wait to read your book and see how the Lord is going to change me and turn me around to be used for His glory.
Thank you both for your open honesty and devotion to our amazing and loving Savior!!
Thank you both for listening to the Lord and letting him guide you to write these books so many of us need. I look firward to having the opportunity to someday read your books and let them help me through my struggles.
God bless,
Emily
Naming something makes it easier to claim or visualize.
I have been enjoying both of these books as e books, but would love to be able to hold a real copy. I will always prefer paper, but have been using the kindle more because they will be easier to take to the mission field. Thanks for sharing your life with all of us
Thank you to Renee and Ann for writing these books and all your encouraging words! Gods sweetest blessings to you both!
Hi Renee and Ann,
Renee I love the devotions or 7 day doubt diet. I have no confidenceat all I am a self doubter and worry a lot but what I have read so rar has mad an impact on me and how to gain confidecne and throw away self diet. I also like the am and the pm sheet.
I would love to read Anns book and learn how to name everything. My life has changed so much since I found proverbs 31. I thank you for letting me know that I am not alone on the selfdoubt adventure and that I can allow Jesus to change me. Thanks for all your help
ANN
Can’t begin to describe how much your book has meant to me. It was used by God to prepare my husband and I for the “storm “that was coming”…..the “storm” that came this week. My husband…I call him “the trader” : ) found out that he would loose his job….after 24 years. No warning…no time….just good bye. No, he is not old, Yes, he has poured his life into the people and families that work for him. But the lumber industry is going down and they are throwing people overboard in order to stay a float in this wretched economy. To them…my husband is “dispensable”….I know to God he is “indispensable”.
When the news came I was in shock….I believe on Monday…I texted my sister, who quickly texted back…”Read the HOLY EXPERIENCE for today…and there it was…”Behold, I am doing a new thing!” I forwarded it to” the trader”…and immediately we knew… WHAT THEY MEANT FOR HARM, GOD MEANT FOR GOOD. Praise, God…He makes all things new!
So , my eucharisteo #412 new things, new doors, new opportunities, new adventures! Behold, He is doing a new thing!
I am going to be praying for you and your family. Our family went through a very difficult time when my husband, an electrical engineer, was laid off in August 2008. Just this week, he was offered a teaching position in a technology center. He was unemployed for almost three years. During that time, he went back to school, and evenings he and I cleaned offices. I worked during the day also. It was a time of testing and wondering often if God really was there! But I can tell you He is so faithful if we trust Him. He used this time to refine my husband and me—we would not want to go through the experience again—but we wouldn’t trade what He taught us for anything. He does want us to rely totally on Him. At some point while my husband was unemployed I wrote out Isaiah 43:18-19 and taped it to my husband’s computer…”The Lord says, Forget what has happened before. Do not think about the past. Look at the new thing I am going to do. It is already happening. Don’t you see it? I will make a road in the desert. I will make rivers in dry land.” Just yesterday I noticed it was still taped to his computer. I read it and smiled…it is so true. Don’t fear tomorrow, cause God is already there! Keep your faith in God. He will bring you through this and give your husband something better. He already knows His plans for you. He will reveal them in His own time. God bless you!!
i enjoyed your talk.Very inspirational.i would love the books. thanks for being a blessing to me and thanks for shareing your chart with us cant wait to hear more.
What a blessing. Thanks for sharing your chat w/ us all!
Would be lovely to have these books- you are both such a blessing….
It’s so true how giving something a name can help you work out how to face it. The name doesn’t even have to be “right” just representative. It helps to separate it out from yourself so you can see how it works to convince you of things and think in certain ways. It also helps because it means that you can clearly see that *you* are not the problem, the problem is the problem and can tackle the problem, not yourself.
On another note, for the first time I recently noticed a verse in the Bible calling God “the God of hope” and I was blown away. Knowing His names and how they reflect his character can have a huge impact. They can transform our relationship with God.
I read Ann’s book back in the Spring and read her blog daily:) What a gift HE has blessed her with!
I remember studying the Names of God many years ago and how that opened my eyes to the character of God. So now I must learn to name those fears and struggles in my life to know their character and to remove, fight, embrace and accept with grace those things. Thanks for showing me a way to shine light in the dark.
“When you don’t have a name for something, you’re haunted by it’s shadows…But when you can name something… It loses it’s mask and you can find a strategy to deal with it.”
I love love love this quote. I’m looking forward to reading your book, Renee, and would love to read One Thousand Gifts as well.
“Naming” things has freed my husband and I from years of struggle in our marriage and released us into the marriage only God can design! Praise be to God!
I love this idea of calling out a thousand gifts, what a freeing experience. I have struggled with self esteem, body image, self confidence and now you have introduced this idea of self doubt. I never have called it out before. Now my head is trying to differentiate between self doubt and all the other things I HAVE called out. What a gift to begin to find the difference or sameness perhaps between them. Thanks you Renee for provoking these thoughts and giving me this to explore.
I have always struggled with self doubt & have even more so in ministry. I had not thought about it but when I was able to “Name it” it was easier to face … knowing I did not have to have confidence in me but in God that he knows what he is doing.
I look forward to reading Confident Heart with the group I am leading & know that we will be blessed. One Thousand Gifts is on our list for the future as well.
Thank you ladies for sharing the video chat! I’ve read 1,000 gifts and that’s what brought me here. I’d like to read The 7 day Doubt Diet. I am slowly learning what it means to listen only to my Father’s voice and not the many nagging lies and doubts satan tries to get me to listen to and believe.
Naming things helps so much! And as you were both talking about, naming and thanking God for what He’s done or given is giving him glory again….maybe a way to practice what we’ll be doing in heaven, giving our crowns to Jesus because He’s the one who did the work, made the beautiful thing, did the miracle. Saying out loud what is true, HE gave this, HE made this, HE did this.
I would love to read this book. Sounds like a great reminder to be thankful for everything- big or small- that God places in our lives…
Thank you for your inspiring post. I have a copy of Ann’s book which I have highlighted and treasure but would love a copy for my dear friend who is facing tough medical problems right now. God bless!
Just heard about Ann’s book from a friend 2 days ago, would love to win!
I would be glad to have a name for sin that I struggle with in my life. Sometimes you just know the feelings or thoughts you have about something are not aligned with the Gospel of Christ. It would be good to name those things for what they are. Yes, there is freedom in the knowing!
Ann’s book has changed my life.I am constantly reminded to see the blessings all around me and to give thanks for them. I have learned to give thanks for even the hard things. Pain, disappointments and uncertainity of the future! I have already given away my first copy and the second one I bought, I gave to my daughter. I would love to be one to keep for myself that she has signed!
i am so thankful for ann’s book–it is literally changing my life. i would love to win a second copy to pass on to a friend. i was just thinking this morning–“i need to get another copy to give away!” mine is all marked up! 🙂
Just love your writings…Enjoyed and enjoying again and again your book. Also thankful for your website/blog. You are a blessing.
Just read One Thousand Gifts and am now leading a Sunday School with the book – revolutionary for me! And I’m always looking for more good reading material, so yay! for the drawing!
I’m 48 years old now and still not able to answer the two questions you posed in Day 5 of the 7-day Doubt Diet. I’m taking the challenge to ask God what His dreams are for my life but most importantly, what I need to emotionally encourage my heart. My husband has always been a great encourager but it has never been enough and I’ve always had a hard time excepting his praise. I would love to know what resources you would recommend to help discover those passions, gifts and personality traits in me. Thanks for your ministry!!
Wow- I have been reading Ann’s blog, but thanks to her, I stumbled over here, too! I haven’t read Ann’s book, (it’s on hold at my local library) and it looks like I will be putting Renee’s book on hold also! I have been used to in the past to just going out any buying the books I would like to have, but there is no extra $ in the budget for a family of 6 on one income. I am eagerly anticipating reading both books, now. I have been on a journey for the last 2-3 years desperately trying to see myself how my heavenly Father sees me. . . and it seems that these books will encourage me in this journey. Thank you, Renee, for blessing the rest of us with what you have been blessed with!
God has used Ann’s book to radically change how I live out grace in my life- looking for Him in everything, naming these gifts, even the hard ones, has brought me much joy…I have passed this book on to many, and will continue to do so! So enjoyed this conversation, and would very much love to read A Confident Heart, as well!
So encouraged by this! Ann never cease to draw my attention to truths I would never had focused on =)
I have benefitted greatly from the Doubt diet:) I am naming my doubt now too for what it is and have been blessed by God’s promises and Renee’s encouragement. It was neat to hear from Ann via video as well. I haven’t bought the Confident Heart yet, but am anxious to read it and continue on my journey to a confident woman of God. I haven’t purchased Ann’s book either, but have heard of the title:) Thanks to all the ladies on the Proverbs 31 site as it has been such a blessing to me!!!
I thought that the video was very good.I would love to win a copy of the book,so pick me! :)Thanks!
I’m learning about *naming* my feelings and this is how I’m learning to “guard [my] heart” — this helps me to love others more faithfully and more purely versus placing my feelings onto them.
Also, I have found that naming His grace helps me to See and to live closer to His heart in many ways. This has helped me to capture my thoughts and focus on what is true and lovely, pure and right.
New to all this, first time reader…would love to win these books!! Thanks for letting the Holy Spirit use ya’ll as ‘tools’ to encourage and help others (me included) along the way!
A timely reminder of naming things so we can begin to deal with them. You women of God continue to bless in significant ways to so many. So thankful for knowing you all…
Over the past few months, reading from Ann’s blog posts, my perspective has changed. I want to be more like Jesus. I am using ideas she presents for family time, being grateful, taking the moment to look at what God is doing right now. I picked up the book, looked through it at the bookstore, and put it back because it was so expensive. My library doesn’t have a copy yet. But I’m praying that God provides!
Thank you for the beautiful encouragement. Through this process and another book I am reading I have come to see how someone close to me undermines my self worth and causes me to doubt myself. I need to find the way to tell this person how their words affect me, but I can see through my frustration now and not let those words cause me such harm. I plan to purchase the book as soon as I locate it!
Amazing is all I can say!! I love how God has once again spoken the perfect word into my life just when I needed it most!! I have so struggled for way too long now with my doubts, fears and insecurities and it’s so refreshing to hear that I’m not alone!! Plus, there IS victory in overcoming these doubts and insecurities…Praise God!!!
Thank you, thank you for opening yourself up to be used by God to reach out to so many women struggling with this and giving us that hope and victory that is found in our Lord Jesus Christ!
The topics both you and Ann discuss in your books are exactly what I’ve been yearning for as a mother, wife, and Christian trying to be more for God in this needy world. I’ve only just found out about your books and would love to read them–and I’m already loving your websites so much! I thank God he speaks through wonderful people like you!
I really love Ann’s book! I’ve given copies away to friends and plan to use it later this year at a fall retreat. I would really love to have a copy for the library at a women’s drug/alcohol recovery house where I volunteer as a Bible study leader and counselor. I believe the message in the book would speak life-giving words to these ladies who are trying to rebuild their lives.
Thanks!
http://facebook.com/brokenpeople
What a great prize!
Would sure like to win!
Enjoy the She Speaks Conference!!!!
I loved this. Thanks to you , Renee, for taking the time to share this with us, because I can imagine that in the moment this was not easy to do…having an intimate conversation while trying to ignore the video taping aspect. You guys made it feel like we were sitting right there with you. Thank you to God for bringing these two women together and allowing for others to be touched by it as well. Ann’s book really helped me to learn the concept behind naming that starts with Adam, and is continued through us. I know that anyone who has encountered a medical issue, like myself, knows all too well the importance of finding the name for the malady, no matter how “bad” it is. Knowing means you can equip yourself in Christ. Namin means you can call upon Christ for a specific purpose, and you can call upon other Christians to stand beside you in prayer. I am anxious to learn more about Rennee’s book and will add it to my reading list. Thank you again for this.
I happened on to your site via a Facebook friend’s (Grace in the Shadow of the Cross) post. I just recently found out about Ann’s book “One Thousand Gifts” also via a friends’ FB post. I added it to my wishlist of books to purchase. You see, I am in my 2nd season (within the last 2-1/2 years) of unemployment. From a practical standpoint, I need to win the prizes you’re offering.
Thanks for your site. I will visit often. Lord knows I need to learn to live confidently in Christ. Also signed up for your “The 7-Day Doubt Diet” devotions.
Blessings,
Susan
Renee, you will be speaking at our ladies retreat in October….just can’t wait to meet you! What is so wonderful is that our group will be using Ann’s book (1000 Gifts) as part of our study this year! That book has truely changed my life…and I would love to win a free copy to change someone elses life too! Blessings for a wonderful summer!
How wonderful to listen to you tow chat. I am up to #744 in my 1000 Gifts journal. I am looking forward to reading the 7 Day Doubt Diet. Have a lovely day!
Just want to say that I think it very fitting that the two of you are friends. And I’m certain I am not alone in thinking of you both as a gift from God to me for this present time. Prayers of thanksgiving for you both, and for blessings on your ministries, for they are powerful in the lives of many women. Life-changing.