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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Hello Renee!
I signed up for the 7-Day Diet and I cant wait to start receiving it! Todays devotional surely reminds me that I too need to trust and have faith. I have always struggled with faith and trust, and now more because My youngest daughter Ysabel, who is 7 is going through some health issues and although we are doing everything in our power to get her better, it seems like the more I pray about it it, something else comes up. I pray everyday that GOD (who I know) is taking care of her continues to show me that he is in control and not I. Deep down inside I know it will all work out and she WILL get better, However, when I think “ok GOD you are in control and I believe in everything you say in your book of greatness! (The Bible)” Satan always gets the better of me and starts putting the doubt and the “what ifs” back in my head. I ask for your prayers as well if possible and I Thank you for your encouraging words that I need so much at this time in my life! I pray that GOD continues to bless you and your ministry to reach out to all GODs girls! Thank you so much ! Martha
Just signed up for the 7 Day Doubt Diet, and read Chapter 1 of your new book. Loved it. Can’t wait to get the daily devotionals and get started. Would love to be in the drawing to receive the book. God bless you.
Thanks for the opportunity to win your book…..it sounds great! I signed up for your newsletter. I will continue to enjoy your blogs and when you are on Proverbs 31. I try to use scripture to help when I am down. My request for prayer is for daughter in her struggles as single Mom, job, finances, troubles with EX, health, and job for her friend….just laid off. Thanks and blessings~~
signed up for your emails and have already received the 7 day diet and loved it! Can’t wait for the book. Thank you for all you do!!! GOD Bless!
Thanks so much for sharing this Renee… we are just going thru some things and waiting on the Lord in other areas…
Worry definetly takes over in stead of just trusting Him …. Satan has his heydays,,,,,,
God always uses something or someone to remind me that I just need to trust Him because He will always come thru and I just need to let it go….
Please pray for us… we have some very imminent financial needs that have to be taken care of asap….. we know He has a plan…..
I already get your email updates..have gotten the 7 day doubt diet emails and shared the link to todays devotional….
I pray that the Lord continues to bless you as you serve Him..
Chrissy
My life came to a screeching halt 17 years ago with deep depression. I had been spending a ton of time with God in prayer and in His Word but only felt worse about myself. I would read some scripture and try real hard to do what it said but would only fail and then feel worse about myself. I couldn’t figure out why other people seemed to be able to handle life but I couldn’t… thus feeling worse. Plus, I didn’t feel like a Christian should be struggling with depression.
I finally got into counseling and a recovery group in our church. I worked through some deep pain in my past with a lot of help from a counselor and started taking better care of myself. Before this, I never said no to anything and felt that the more I did, the more God would love me. (I don’t think I could have verbalized this at that point but that was how I was living my life.) I read the book “Boundaries” and it helped alot. Then I got into a Conquering Codependency Christ Centered group in my church. We went through a 8 month weekly workbook with a small group of equally worn out women. This changed my life. I started covering over the lies I was believing with truths of God.
I began to be able to Rest as Jesus says “Come unto Me all you weary and burdened and I will give you rest.” Matt 11:28
The material was so life changing that I have now run 5 different Conquering Codependency groups with worn out burdened women and seen God transform their lives from bondage to freedom. I would highly recommend this to anyone struggling with these kinds of issues. There is help from people that understand!
Isaiah 61:1-3 says:
1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
because the Lord has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
to proclaim freedom for the captives
and release from darkness for the prisoners,
2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness
instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the Lord
for the display of his splendor.
thankful for God’s help and healing,
Merry
Letting go so God can handle my worries is what came to mind as I read your devotion. I am a perfectionist who needs routine in her life and when it gets chaotic I worry and the whole nine yards. So I am trying to learn to let go. God can handle it. I will be signing up for your 7 day devo.
Thank you for doing this. I’m looking forward to working through the 7 day devotional, and would love to get the book, too. I’m pretty sure I need this right now.
Oh, I do grow weary from worry. Your blog and book exerpt was a pointed reminder that God is in control…to be still and know that He is God.
I have done all three things that you suggested above. I was telling Pastor Dawn about your book today and told her that I can not wait to read it. She was interested in it as well. I would love to be able to go through your book with a small group of women from our church. I do have a prayer request today also. My husband recently lost his job and I ask that you pray with us that God will help him to find the right job. Thank you for your wonderful blog and sharing with all of us! I love reading your posts and so many of them really touch my heart!
We need rain so bad in the Texas Panhandle. Our crops are suffering. Thank you for your words of encouragement today.
I am doing all three of the ideas!
I am overwhelmed with the number of comments that are already on here just today. I could list several prayer requests, but, if I need to do just one it would be to overcome the stress in my life. It has caused a lot of health problems. I have been a Christian for 40 years, read my Bible and pray daily, am active in my church, love to do volunteer work helping others. And yet, I am always tense and have a hard time giving up worrying. In need of finding a job and at age 57 in this economy, don’t even know where to start. Guess that is already two prayer requests. Enough for now! 🙂
Renee, I LOVE your new site! It is really terrific! Can’t wait to come back frequently…See you soon! Lynn
I just finished your 7-day Doubt Diet. I also shared your free resource page on my facebook wall! I began praying several months ago that God would use my husband and I, and the phrase that kept coming to mind was that I wanted to be “profoundly effective” in doing His work. Since then, our life has been turned upside down as we have faced faith challenges on every side. (I should have expected this, right?) BUT in the midst of all the “stuff” going on around us, God has opened doors for ministry (in our church) and we are learning to serve Him even while the storms rage around us! We are strangers, but your ministry has been a great encouragement to me! I will continue to share your devotions, book, etc. with my friends!
Thank you for the reminder.
Shared post via Twitter and signed up for email newsletter/devotions. Love the new site and the focus of this book! I struggle with worrying about provision and what God wants me to do ministry wise. Trying to surrender and let go, and just trust!
This devotion came to my inbox at just the perfect time…I could use prayers for peace.
Thanks!!
I woud read this with my adult daughter. Her husband wants a divorce after 6 years of marraige. Please pray for Megan.
Thank you …I am looking forward to reading this. I loved the 7 day devotionals you sent. I do NOT have a confident heart. I am insecure, but working on it with the help from some wonderful friends. I am looking for balance in my life….priorities…getting God back to the center. Being a wife, mom of 2 wonderful kiddos, full-time work outside the home (summers off), volunteer in children’s ministry at church, 2 Bible studies, serving in the community, trying to lose weight and be more like Jesus…I get weary!
Thank you for your inspiring words! I am looking forward to reading your book.