I’ve got 10 MORE BOOK GIVEAWAYS this month!
To find out when I have a giveaway, sign up in my sidebar where it says “Receive Email Updates.”
“What a [woman] desires is unfailing love …” Proverbs 19:22a (NIV)
I had everything I wanted yet felt empty and confused.
My life was full of relationships and accomplishments I’d worked hard to gain, but none could fill or fulfill me.
Frustrated by my aching emptiness, tears streamed down my face as I thought about the guy I dated through high school and college. Our future plans had crumbled under the pressure of me expecting him to be all I needed.
I had been crazy about him — a little too crazy.
Like the time a friend mentioned my ex-boyfriend was heading to our hometown for the weekend. We worked near each other, so Friday afternoon I parked by his office and waited for him to leave.
We both “happened” to be at the same fast food restaurant, at the same time and bumped into each other. After getting my order, I got in my car and followed behind him, hoping he’d see me, realize he couldn’t live without me and signal to pull over so we could talk.
Seriously, what was I thinking? As you can guess, he never stopped. I was hopeless and humiliated…
A few weeks later, I was taking a walk around my college campus. My eyes drifted to the buildings, dorms and other landmarks of memories. Suddenly my mind filled with a collage of faces, reminding me of my efforts to win the approval of advisors, friends and professors — hoping their affirmation could fill my emptiness.
Although I was graduating soon, had a few great job offers and achieved success in many ways, my heart still felt restless. And I couldn’t help but wonder: Why was all that I had never enough?
A thought rushed through my soul, stringing together two words I had never put next to each other. I sensed God answering me.
Renee, all you have ever wanted is unconditional love.
Unconditional love? I didn’t know there was such a thing. Then God whispered into my soul: You’ll never find the love you long for in anyone or anything but Me. I AM the unconditional love you’re looking for.
The thought of God loving me without any conditions was inconceivable, yet something deep in my soul told me it was true. I’d been looking for love that didn’t have to be earned. Love I didn’t have to fear losing.
Honestly, it was hard to see how God’s love could fill the emptiness in my heart. It took time, but I came to understand that God created me with that need for fulfillment so He could meet it.
Proverbs 19:22a, says, “What a person desires is unfailing love.”
The word “desire” comes from the Hebrew word ta’avah, which means: to greatly long for, deeply desire or crave. Interestingly, unfailing love is mentioned over 30 times in the Bible, and not once is it in reference to a person. It is only attributed to God.
Could it be that God gave us a desire for unfailing love, because He knew it could lead us back to Him?
If today’s post resonated with you, I hope you’ll ENTER TO WIN (This giveaway has ended, but I’d still love to hear from you!)
a copy of my new Confident Heart Devotional. I truly believe the stories and truths in it will change your life {like they have mine}!
Based on honest struggles we all have with comparison, self-doubt, fear of failing, and the life-changing lessons God’s taught me and ten other women, {whose stories are in the book} you will discover how to change the way you feel by changing the way you think – which will transform the way you live!
Expanding on what readers of my first book LOVED most: “When I say … God says …” statements, I’ve written 60 new devotions and new {WISGS} statements to equip you with a new a thought map and a promise – to live in every day!
ENTER TO WIN (This giveaway has ended, but I’d still love to hear from you!)
Share your thoughts in the comments below to WIN one of 5 copies of my A Confident Heart Devotional or a copy of The Five Love Languages: Singles Edition for you or a friend. Be sure to let us know which book you’d like to win!
Discover more from Renee Swope
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Love, love, love this!
Confidence can be tricky. You live so much of your life without it that once you begin to learn what it is and how to have it in your own life, it doesn’t take much to revert back to your old self. This has been something I’ve been dealing with for several months. Thought I knew where God was leading me but now I’m not so sure.
I love the direction the Bible gives us when we understand what is being told to us. I get excited when I see passages indicating we do this, then God will do that such as Philippians 4:6-8. Look forward to reading Confident Heart. Thank you for the chance to win a copy.
I would love to have a copy of this new devo book. This writing struck a chord with me – I too have looked and at times DO look for unconditional love in the wrong places.
Oh Father forgive me!! You, Lord are right there waiting!
Thank you Renee for helping to remind me of this. May God continue to use you and strengthen you to you h womens hearts and souls.
Winning either the Five Love Languages for Singles or Confident Heart would be wonderful!!! I really loved the post. Like many, I always want more (the right guy to settle down with, the right job, etc.). I need to work on surrendering to God in ALL areas of my life because He has control and He has a plan for me.
For as long as I can remember I have struggled with unconditional love. I don’t understand how anyone even Christ can love unconditionally. I always rationalize my way through thoughts that defeat what the Bible says. While I know the words convincing my heart of Gods love for me is another matter all together. It is almost like my heart can’t stand it if for some reason God would let me down even when my head knows he never will. I think both books would help me to understand Gods love and to open my heart to Him.
I would love to win a copy of your devotional, i am reading your book, have recommend it to friends. It just seemed to meet me where i am at right now.
I am going through the most difficult time in my marriage, even my life. After 22 years of marriage I have to learn that he felt rejected, disrespected, unloved and needs distance. After one year of living away from home he now knows that he cannot, doesn’t want to come back home, and therefore he filed for divorce. His emotional, physical expectations of a fulfilling married life had not been met. His love for me then was conditional whileI had expected him to love me with all my weaknesses and shortcomings. The last 8 months there was no sign of affection – it hurt so badly! And I realize how much I long to be loved…and also to be allowed to give love to the man I vowed to spend my life with. I know God loves me and he will never ever leave me. But I often cannot feel it. … I think I would enjoy reading the devotions to direct my focus daily to Him whose love is unconditional.
I saw this on facebook and am entering to win the devotional. I have read.five love languages and own the book. It is wonderful. I am an addict in recovery and have been struggling. I have been raised in the assemblies of God church but for years turned my back on God. Any inspiration and knowledge I can gain will be amazing. Thank you for this opportunity
This was so on the mark for me. I have been following this path most of my life (in my 50’s now) and just over the last 2 years have found that God is all I need to crave and not everyone’s acceptance. Reading Proverbs 31 Ministries daily devotions, seeing the blogs and involving myself in the OBS’s has been live changing and live saving.
I would love to receive a copy of “The Confident Heart Devotional” to help me continue of this path to listening and “hearing” what God has for me.
Thank you and God bless you Renee. 🙂
I would love to win your devotional book. I have read you book and loved it.
Unconditional love is not easy to fully grasp. If it was, I could comfortably hand the reigns to Jesus and sit back and relax. I would truly know in my heart that anything that He brings me to He will bring me through. He is still working on me.
I really struggle with unconditional love. I truly want to love this way, but first, I have to know God’s unconditional love myself! I somehow try to ‘skip’ this step, and then I get so discouraged when time and time again, I fail to walk in love! My prayer is that God would make me a vessel for His love. That it would flow through me to others. That I would stop trying to love others in my own strength. That I would remember that, “apart from God, I can do nothing.”
My sister and I have been thinking for quite some time to start a small bible study at my house. We finally decided to take a leap of faith to do it. As we began searching for a good devotional to use to share at the bible study she found the crosswalk website, which lead us to the piece written by Renee. The message was for me and I’m really excited about getting the daily messages from her. Of course winning a copy of the book would be awesome, not just because I’m excited to get to know her heart but I seriously think it maybe a real good resource for the bible study. Thank you Renee for being bold enough to share your story. It is comforting to know that I’m not the only one and I’m certain there are so many other woman who feel the same way. Thank you and God bless!!
I really enjoyed your post…it spoke to me. Thank you
God has been working on me to fully surrender every area of my life to him. i have been feeling so much peace knowing he is in control of everything.
I loved Confident Heart. The devotional would be a great tool. I want to develop a closer relationship with God and go to him first for the love instead of others or things.
I do seek God but find I have compartments where He fits into my life. How I long for Him to fill me completely and allow me to know His love – His unconditional love. This is my prayer. I would be blessed to get “The Confident Heart Devotional” to help me with my journey.
You have to be content with yourself and love yourself first before you can allow someone else to love you as well. Love is not meant to complete each other but compliment each other. Thats why I don’t watch shows like “The Bachelor” watching all those desperate women makes me sad. You complete you and God completes you!!!
I am very interested in winning your Confident Heart Devotional. Until I read today’s Proverbs 31 Ministries devotional I did not realize that is what I am constantly doing, looking for unfailing love, and sometimes that leads me to push people away, or as my husband say it makes me look as if I lack self confidence. Thank you so much this makes me want to read your book. I have been a Christian for years now, but not really because it is only recently that I have been actually making efforts to walk along side Jesus. During this journey I am learning so much about myself and although some of it isn’t making me proud, it is making me excited on how I can change and develop my relationship with our Savior. Thank you for the opportunity to win and Many Blessing to you and your loved ones.
Found this via your Facebook page. I really enjoy your posts, quotes, and beautiful photographs.
I struggle with separating my “who” from my “do” and think I’d relate to and benefit from A Confident Heart. Thank you for hosting this GiveAway!