Welcome to my NEW website!! I’m so glad you stopped by today! If you found your way here from the Proverbs 31 Ministries invitation to join us on The 7-day Doubt Diet, click here for more details or simply sign up in my sidebar.
If you’re visiting after reading my P31 devotion, “When Worry Makes Me Wonder”, thanks for hopping over. In my devotion, I shared how a few years ago I felt like I was suffocating under everything that was going on in my life. Have you ever been there?
Slowly, I let worry weave it’s way into my thoughts and wear me down. Eventually, I came to a point where I was exhausted and ready to resign from just about everything…life, ministry, etc.
I ran out of fuel and felt like I didn’t have enough energy to handle all of my roles, relationships and responsibilities.
I also ran out of faith. I started doubting my ability to to hear God clearly and to do all I assumed He wanted me to do.
All my worries started making me weary. And they made me wonder… I wondered if I could manage my life. I wondered if God noticed and cared about all I was doing for Him, and others. And I wondered why God wasn’t doing something to make my life easier.
One day I was reading in Luke 10 and noticed Martha felt the same way. She couldn’t get everything done and it was making her come undone. That day I noticed something. She went to Jesus. Yes she was freaking out, but she went to Him about it.
And she asked Him the same question I’d been asking in my heart:‘Lord, don’t you care?
“She came to Him and asked, ‘Lord, don’t you care?that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’” Luke 10:40b (NIV)
And how did Jesus respond to Martha’s doubts and demands? “’Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.’” (NIV)
I knew God wanted the same for me. He did care. He did notice. He’d left a note for me right there in scripture to show me what was going on in my own heart. And He’s done the same for you.
I sensed He wanted me to come to Him and talk to Him, instead of talking to myself (in my head) which only made me worry more. And when I did come to Him with my concerns, He replaced my thoughts with His thoughts. He replaced my worries with His peace.
Some days I needed to do more than pray. I needed to give my worries to Him. So I wrote them down on index cards and put them under a cross I have next to my bedside. Physically placing them there, and giving them to Jesus was so powerful.
I also looked up promises in scripture to replace my worries and doubts. I found verses like Psalm 55:22 that says: “Give your burdens to the LORD, and he will take care of you…” (NLT) I also found 1 Peter 5:7 that reminded me: “Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.” (NLT)
We need God’s presence and the promise of His care as a dwelling place for our hearts. And on those days when we we just can’t do it all and we wonder if God notices how hard we’re trying, He wants us to know He notices and He does care. He cares about us and He loves taking care of us and all that concerns us, too.
I’ve got a list of “Peace-giving Promises I’d love to share with you on my FREE resources page. And I’d love to pray for you today, too. Be sure to leave “share your thoughts” below and let me know one worry you want to leave with Jesus and I’ll pray for that concern. And also be sure to enter my drawing for my “Contagious Confidence” Give-aways.
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Peace-Giving Promises GIVE-AWAY!
In my book, A Confident Heart, I share in chapter 9 how we can turn our fear-filled thinking into faith-filled believing and stop Satan from stealing the confident peace that’s meant to be ours in Christ. Today, I’m giving away 5 copies of A Confident Heart to ONE of you – along with a Free “Confident Heart” Q&A Conference Call. That way you can gather some friends to go through the book together and we can talk about it if you want to! And, because I want more than one winner, I’m giving away 2 more Advanced copies to another one of you, too.
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I would love for you to join me in sharing God ‘s peace-giving promises today! Here are a few things you can do to enter today’s give-aways:
1. Share this post or a link to the “Peace-giving Promises via email, Twitter, your blog or Facebook. Let’s encourage as many women as we can and disarm the enemy from his weapon of worry. My “Tell a Friend” buttons below makes it really easy.
2. Sign up for the 7-day Doubt Diet (if you haven’t already) and invite friends too! It includes a week’s worth of devotions with more powerful promises, personal encouragement and scripture-based prayers to help you lose the weight of worry and doubt so you can gain a confident heart!
3. Sign up for my email updates in the little box at the top of my website to receive news on give-aways, free resources, blog posts and more! I’ve got all kinds of announcements coming up!
Leave a comment by clicking “Share Your Thoughts” below and tell me how I can pray for you. Also, let me know which or all of these you are doing to share God’s peace-giving promises today. Your comment will enter you into the drawings. I’ll announce the winner on Monday, July 18th!
And be sure to download your copy of more “Peace-giving Promises. “
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I have been so blessed by finding you! I know God uses others to reach the area that we are most needing to look at. I have found peace and comfort knowing we all struggle and I am not alone. Satan wants division between us and God and the best way to do that is with doubt and fear. I pray that God continues to bless you in all that you do.
I have a lot on my shoulder at this time, I am trying to get a job but because my credit score is so low no one will hire me, i am behind in my house notes, I know in my heart that God has an answer for me, I love to help people, so I do a lot of volenteer work, I know God hears my cries, but it hurt so bad, I also look after my mother who is in a Senior residents. I don’t mind at all she is the only mother I have ever had. She is 92. I know God hears my prayers but I am doing something that is keeping me from my blessing. It is a blessing to wake up everyday. And I thank God for that. I have made some not-so-good choices in my life, nothing for jail or any tye crime, I mean finiacial wise. Please pray that God give me the knowledge and the strength with his blessing, to get a job and get back on my feet. And a finincial bless to get me statrted. I love the Lord God with all my heart.
I have done all three~I have even suggested your book to work through in Sunday School. Prayer request for me is to embrace every change as it comes without doubting and fear. Life seems to be changing so quickly in so many areas and I have never been fond of change at all.
I signed up for the 7 Day Doubt Diet and it has been amazing. The timing of each devotional was incredible! God truly used your words to touch my heart. I cannot wait to read the book! Thanks for listening to God’s voice and being obedient to Him. I know there are times as a Christian in the public eye, you receive criticism (also from brothers and sister in Christ, sadly) but please keep your head up because you are doing amazing things for His Kingdom!
Renee;
I am living every word you wrote. I am weary and I am trying to take God at His word.
Please pray for increase in finances as I work part-time and attend seminary full-time and want to get out a financial hole. Pray for peace and confidence to take the place of doubt, fear and worry and the willingness to be obedient to our heavenly Father.
Thanks,
Monica
Thank you for the words of encouragement. I especially love how writing down your worries on index cards clears up any confusion in your mind and then physically placing them at the foot of the cross lets you know they are being taken care of by my God who is in control.
Hi Renee,
I too have done all 3! I printed out all the devotions for the 7day diet….I’ve never been confident in anything. I know this study is replacing the lies of the enemy with the word of truth in my life. Thank you!
I need your prayers for financial problems. I am to the point of feeling like nothing good can happen to me now. We are in such dire straights. I need help praying, I don’t know how to pray anymore. :,(
Hi Renee! I did the 7 Day Doubt Diet as part of the Hidden Joy study. I loved the Doubt Diet devotions and have saved the e-mails so I can go back to them later.
I have to admit – I am a worrier. I worry about everything. My Mom was a worrier so I think I get it from her. And it will wear you OUT to worry all the time! Not to mention the head-aches it will give you! I had never made the connection between everything I worried about and my lack of faith. It is kind of a control issue, I guess. If I worry all the time, somehow I feel like I am in control – rather than giving it all to God and let Him be in control and let Him do the worrying. Why do we do that? HE is the only one that has the power to change any situation we have on our list of things to worry about! Talking to ourselves (even in our heads) gets us nowhere, does it?
I have enough on my mind with trying to deal with all that “stuff” from my childhood – – I don’t need to add today’s things over which I have no control. Thank you for your devotion – your Doubt Diet – and your ministry.God bless!!
I also wanted to say that one worry I want to give to God is my children’s schooling choice. We were homeschooling, then last winter sent them to our local Christian school and I just can’t let the decision alone. I want to keep mulling it over and over and over and even throwing in our public school as an option. I want to give it to Him. And rest. It is so confusing for me when it is a decision that my husband and I have to make, God won’t make it for us. And, does the unrest in my mind mean we are doing the wrong thing? Ah! It goes around and around. Today, though, I’m giving it to Him. Thanks for the prayers in this!
Thank you for generously giving away advanced copies of “A Confident Heart.” I’ve had it in my Amazon cart for weeks now, waiting for it to be available! Can’t wait! 🙂
Today, if you could pray for me to actually receive and accept the love God pours out to me daily, and not worry about what friends or foes say that make it hard to believe God likes me just this way…that would be a blessing. Thank you.
God bless your ministry!
I loved the 7 Day Doubt Diet! Hoping to win a copy! I shared via facebook.
What a timely message. Your book holds so many truths, and you point back to Jesus and His Word at every step. I signed up for the 7 Day Diet and have enjoyed it immensely. Sometimes we have to take a hard look at ourselves and remember that we are made in the image of God. As long as we accept His truths and know Jesus as our personal savior, nothing on this earth can separate us from God’s love. Thank you for sharing this message!
So thankful for the message. I would love to do the study with my women’s group! I entered via email. Thank you so much for being obedient to what God has for you. It ministers to us!
Hi Renee!
How exciting this is! I have done all of the above! What an encouragement you and P31 have been to me! When I saw your new book I just knew it was meant for me! I can’t wait to read it and I know through your words God is gonna do a work in my life that I soooo long for! Blessings to you!!!
Christy
I signed up for your 7 day doubt diet. I’m very excited about your new book. Thanks!
I am signing up for the 7-day diet and sending the “Promises” link for my friends via email. Thank you for hitting the nail on the head today, this is my life. I have just about run out of steam and patience and why is it when we feel totally drained that we find ourselves dealing with disrespectful children, crammed schedule, interrupted plans, curve ball after curve ball. I need a catches mitt that is 5’8″ tall!!!!!!!!!!! Help and thank you, I’d love your prayers and I am going to print todays message and keep it handy when life zaps my energy! Blessings sweet Renee!
Karen g
I have signed up for your emails, have already done the Doubt Diet and can’t figure out how to share your Peace Giving Promises. 🙂 I did about 2 or 3 days of the Doubt Diet and realized that a *huge* part of my problem with looking down on others, my own indecision concerning my children, and my trouble with depression stems from insecurity! I cannot wait for your study with Melissa’s Online Bible Study and have my copy pre-ordered on Amazon. I would love to win a copy right now though!
I am a big worry wart! Big one. My husband lost his job last month, but he is also a seminary student. 2 days later, the seminary called and needed him to take an internship a year earlier than planned and said this would help him graduate a semester early also as his requirements will all be done then. So… I guess God has the plans and I have to stop being a worry head! We will be ok, we have planned for this time in our life for 5 years, but actually being to this point is scary. I need those peace verses very much! Thank you!
I would love to win a copy of your book. I constantaly deal with low self esteem and confidence. I can’t wait to read your book and share it with my daughter!! I have signed up for the 7 day doubt diet and cant’ wait to get a glimpse of your book with chapter 1!!! Thank You!!