Praying God’s promises — it’s changed me.
That’s why I included a prayer, at the end of each chapter, weaving together Scriptures from that chapter and others I sensed God wanted us to engrave on our hearts.
“Praying God’s Word has been one of the most life-changing ways I’ve learned to live in the security of His promises…and isn’t that what we all want?
“One way God tells us that confidence will come is when we ask Him for what is already part of His will. ‘This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us’ (1 John 5:14 NASB). So there you go: we can be confident we are praying God’s will when we pray God’s Word!” p.25
But that’s not all.
Romans 10:17 tells us that “faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” so let’s pray these promises out loud again and again.
Out loud. Yes, even if it seems weird. Find somewhere you can be alone to speak these truths where you can hear them, and let them echo in your heart
Trust me, it makes a difference.
“When we pray God’s words out loud, and hear them, the Holy Spirit engraves them on our hearts and writes them in our thoughts. We internalize God’s truth and our faith grows as we are transformed from the inside out!” p.25
Let’s pray this week’s prayer {together}:
Lord, I pray that You would give me a confident heart in Christ. Take me beyond believing in You to truly believing You. Help me rely on the power of Your promises and live like they are true. You say blessed is the one who trusts in You and whose hope and confidence are found in You. Those who hope in You will not be disappointed, because You work all things together for good for those who love You and are called according to Your purpose.
When self-doubt tells me I can’t overcome my insecurities, I will believe Your promise that all things are possible to whoever believes. I will not throw away my confidence, because You say it will be richly rewarded. I will persevere so that when I have done the will of God, I will receive what You have promised. My confidence is in Christ and I am no longer one who shrinks back and is destroyed, but one who believes and is saved! In Jesus’ name, Amen. {See Jeremiah 17:7; Isaiah 49:23; Romans 8:28; Mark 9:23; Hebrews 10:35–36, 39}
_____________________
{Special Gift & GiveAway}
Chad Lawson, my friend, award-winning composer and pianist , has graciously shared his beautiful, Spirit-filled Song of Prayer below. Watch and listen below for FREE. {If you’re reading this via email please click here to visit my website to watch}.Friend, you don’t want to miss this – trust me.
Even though it will probably be hard at first, please pause to soak in this God-gift that was filmed while Chad listened to the Holy Spirit. Chad simply played what God laid on his heart. You’ll see the joy of Christ in Chad’s smile but more than anything, you’ll experience the peace of God’s presence through his music.
You can find and download A Song of Prayer on Itunes ($1.99) or Amazon ($.89)
{Today’s Give-Away}
3 Special Order Song of Prayer CDs
To enter to win one: Click “share your thoughts” below this post and describe how you felt or what you sensed God whisper as you listened to Chad’s Song of Prayer. Also share one or two of your answers to questions you feel comfortable sharing about from the end of Chapter 1.
Remember, if you’re reading this via email please click here to visit my website and participate. All entries must be put in the “share your thoughts” section.
Discover more from Renee Swope
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
This is beautiful! I play the piano & organ. I would love to do something like this. It is also so relaxing, peaceful & soothing. The Lord speaks through this. Beautiful!
This is what obedience looks like. He inhabits the praise of His people. The song brought peace, the comfort of a throw around the shoulders for warmth, and the image of a moving brook with tinkling water moving and pulsing down a mountain. I have trouble sitting very long in one place. Truly enjoyed one of God’s creations♥
such an emotional song. cried through most of it as I pondered where I have been, where I am at and where I am going. Chad put such inspiration into this piece and every woman in the world needs to hear this piece and keep it with them constantly even if they are only able to listen to it a little at a time. Wonderful thank you so much for sharing.
AMAZING! I was moved to tears of joy for the love of our Father. It made me feel loved beyond measure, peaceful and GOD just saying come sit with me, rest in me, I AM HERE!
Thanks so much for sharing! What a way to end my work day!
What a beautiful way to express prayer!!!! It gives me comfort and peace as I listen to it. I feel that no matter the trials of my day, week, month, year, it’s all going to be okay. Thank you for posting this beautiful song!!!
Wow. This is a great song. I am listening to it right now. God is showing me that is hard for me to just quietly sit in his presence and do nothing. It was okay for the first couple minutes, but then my mind starts racing through all the things I should be doing or all the things that are on my to do list. Why is it so hard to just sit at the feet of Jesus? This reminds me of the story of Martha and Mary. It is hard to just sit at Jesus feet. As I listen the song has different tempos throughout it. It reminds me of the racing thoughts that are going through my head that are from my flesh, and the slower pace of the song represents the time when I am just listening. Not trying to make the song go faster so I can move onto the next thing I do, but isn’t thing how life is. When we finish one task, we move right into the next one. Not even taking the time to enjoy the accomplishment. This reminds me of prayer also. When I pray, I am usually giving a list of things that I want God to do for me. When instead, I should be thanking God for all the things He has already done. If He never does anything else for me, what He has already done should already be enough. Jesus gave me His life, and sometimes I don’t even take 5 minutes a day to spend in fellowship, prayer, or Bible study because I have to get through the things that are due that day. The least I can do is to sit as his feet for this time and just worship Him. To tell Him how awesome He is. Wow, I didn’t realize all this would come out of this song. When I saw the 32 minutes, I was thinking I don’t have 32 minutes, that is a really long time to sit here and do nothing but listen. This all goes back to my point. How important is Jesus and God and my relationship with them? They were both willing to sacrifice the most precious thing, life. The least I can do is that this time to just be with them.
I totally resonate with how you felt too! I’m always so tempted to “go go go go go”
Song,
That is interesting. I am not a go, go, go person, but I feel like I should be. I feel like everyone else is so busy, and I am so not. lol
Jessica, I can totally relate: “I am not a go, go, go person, but I feel like I should be.” I do feel busy, but I also feel like it only feels busy to me, and that other people could do the things that I do without thinking about it, but to me it seems like so much. So I have a hard time sitting still too, but the song definitely made it easier, once I just sat back and relaxed and let the music pour over me.
Beautiful!
What beautiful piano “soaking” music. Thank you, Chad (& Renee), for that gift. I had to watch him play for a bit, first, because it was precious. I could see his lips move, & felt he was praying, listening, & then putting both into his fingers & onto the keyboard. Lovely! Then I was able to close my eyes, get into the Father’s presence, & just stay there. As I listened, & became still, I could hear the still, small voice, ebbing & flowing with the music, saying, “I’m here, Daughter. Wherever you are, whatever is happening, I’m here.”
That’s an important message for me. My earliest memory is that of feeling insecure, cowering in my bed at night, wondering if “he” would sneak into my room again. It was so horrible, & went on for so long. I was so young, & while I have forgiven him, I still haven’t worked through the emotions & questions about my Heavenly Father. I was young & innocent, so why did He allow that to happen (for example). When I read Isaiah 49:23, that “Those who hope in me will not be disappointed,” even though I do not want to feel disappointed, I do feel that. It makes me sad…& insecure, once again. I do love Him; I just don’t understand.
Mary, I’m so sorry you experienced that abuse. Know that I understand, because I, too, was abused by a grandfather for years, as were most of the females in his family, I am now finding out many years later. And, yes, I can’t even remember when it started, but I know that is when my feelings of insecurity began, too. We can’t understand it, but I just know that my heavenly father loves me, and us, more than I can even imagine. Though we were so deeply wounded in our childhood, we will not be disappointed in spending eternity with Him.
Thank you, Vicky. You’re so right…there will be no disappointment once we reach the other side & see Him. I’m so thankful for that.
I am so sorry to hear that you went through such a life changing event at an early age. I can totaly relate to you because i too went through a similar pain that wounded my childhood, teenage years and into my adulthood. I spent many many years hating and mistrusting everyone but also blaming God for “allowing” it to happen to me. It wasnt until a few years ago that God placed something upon my heart….he didnt allow it to happen to me…he didnt put me through it but he was there holding me and keeping me strong so that one day I could use my story to help others. I realized that every bad thing in my life has happened for a reason but I needed to turn the negative into a positive for his glory. I have since become a Social Worker and am currently working on my Masters degree to do Christian Counseling with the hopes of help other women. Since I learned to use my “test” and turned it into my testemony…God has helped heal my pains. My advice to you is figure for yourself how to use your pain for His glory and Kingdom….its really worth it in the end. Best wishes to you as you figure where you journey can and will lead you.
Blessings, I love music from small like i mention before so does my youngest and Dj,
for some reason i cant get to hear it i am waiting for it to upload on youtube hear it, however listen to some of it it reminds me of the Lords Prayer (letting His will be done on earth as it is in heaven) just trusting Him to do His will, if each of us knows to meaning of His true love for us, how He meets our needs always, Christian or not, but most imporantly the intimitcy with Him. for me its when i write songs then i can feel that intimitcy with Him.
My challenge right now is loosing a baby and not knowing what and when it happen, I had two baby showers one at work and the other at church, i have been home from work for almost two months and no one checks up on me even though the knows of loosing the baby, church it hurts to see that you request prayer from your pastor and never once call to do so, yes i got pregnant out of marrige but the most i can say is my timing and Gods timing is not the same. after all this i stop wanting to be out in public i did not want to go church, still he (pasot) never call to see if i was ok or that its all going to be ok, i started to here God speaking to me to work on a empty appartment and set it up His way, i have no money no job how am i going to do so. one Sunday morning i got up start cleaning out the room wash the walls remove all the tiles off the floor a done deal, slowly he provides what needed again His timing and mine is not the same. both myself and the girls was woundering what color to paint the room i told them cream and brown so i turn and said Lord that was my baby colors what You think all of a sounding i hear purple, so i said ok a soft purple with white and gold, but guess what i dont have nothing to buy them. as i was reading the bible later in the day i heard His voice saying go on the northside dumpster so i did (i never went there before not even to throw trash) as we (with my girls) got there it was so clean a car pull up in front of me. Now being that it looked so clean from the front i went towards the back again clean i looked up and said no please tell me what You send me for is not in the trash, so i started back to the car as i walk pass where the one car had pull up earlier there was 2 boxes on the floor one had dishes (which i did not need) and the other one had 5 small cans of white paint 4 fill and 1 half, we thank God for them and went home and painted the roof white with the 4, the next day i wanted more of this hearing God voice but not until 1pm is when He send me by a brother from the church more like a dad, but i had no idea why He sent me to him. when i got there the geentleman said to me for some reason every moring when he shaves and for some reason he see my face in the mirror, he was hoping all was well with me and the delivery but did not know how to reach me, he said here i had this for you, when i looked he gave me $100.00, i wanted to cry. Dj called and i told him all that was happening (some people says because the lost of the baby i think i am talking to God) i told him if you dont believe please dont say it but he surprise me when he said he saw a purple room but royal in his dreams once but i told him no this room carries a soft purple, anyway we only have home depot and paint depot here so i research on line the color that when he go buy it, it will be the correct one. listen he call three times telling me it dont have his color nor mine, but if i trust him he will but a nice own. i wanted to take control and tell him forget it i will look for it myself but Gods voice said tell him ok bring it, when i see the color i was not happy but we painted half the room with it then called it a day, as the morning was coming on i could not sleep i went down to see the room to see how the color look, it was pretty but not what i understood it to be so i start telling God i am sorry for not giving Him what He wanted as i sat there looking at the wall i hear God saying my child you did great you still have the small half can of white paint get it pore the purple in it till i say stop, and i did until He said stop. now close it and shake it till I say stop again i did, when i open the can i started to cry the soft purple that we could not find, at that time i finished painting the wall, when Dj came over he asked where did i get the paint and i told him, all he said was God is working with you He has a plan for you just listen and trust Him and i always whated a woman that will be obiedent to Gods voice, thank you for showing me that there is still one that can listen. honestly i dont know why i am writing you this, there is much more to be done in the appartment, the bath / kitchen / living & dinning room yea there is much more. but what i learn from all this is its not only negative things gives one a confedent heart, see i lossed a baby i could have walk away from God because He did not save me from that pain, i remember asking Him why did He hate me, knowing that i want to serve Him, as i was crying in my room refusing to come out i saw His tears and it hit me His tears of when He had to watch His Son hurting for all of us. yes i dont have it to finish the room but i have God to lead me each step of the way, His timing and mine is not the same all we need is a confident heart. Thanks Renee & Chad, God Blessing to all.
Dear Angie,
I’m praying for you. “He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you can hide. His truth will be your shield and protection” Psalm 91:4 blessings to you.
jenni
It’s so easy to believe that God doesn’t love you, when His people (the church) are not there for you. But keep believing that He does love you. I too have been hurt without help from the church. But I have learned to depend on GOD, not people. He will always provide more than we need or could even imagine.
As I listen to the beautiful music notes of “Song of Prayer” I hear a calm and peaceful melody with the a lively spirit winding through to show us all that life itself is a wonderful journey full o peace w God along our side and with Him close to our hearts. As I listened closely with my eyes closed, I could hear God whispering to me, you are my child, I will take care of what is needed according to my will for I have a planned journey for you, my child. This in turn brought tears of joy to know that God loves me flaws and all. For Chapter #1, my earliest memory of doubt and insecurity was in 3rd grade: from always being chosen last in PE for team games,due to my weight and when I need glasses (reason being remarks made by my teacher). So I know now that doubt and insecurities in my life have keep me from trying different things (activities/adventures) all through my life. Me description of a woman with a confident heart: she is a women of faith even through ups and downs, not afraid to share her growth with the Lord, she shares her testimonial too all, opens her home to all with a glad heart, she never loses hope, friends are just like family to her no matter what color, size, or age, not afraid to pray aloud, and this to me shows her love for Christ and shows her confident heart…..
Amazing! The first word that comes to mind is “peace”. Thank you for sharing!
Healing from the inside…what peace
God gives…very thankful for the hope He gives
Ah, I so love the music–it is such a blessing! I felt God saying, “Come to me, and I will give you rest . . . and so much more.”
When doubts flood my mind, I feel helpless, lonely (especially since I became a sudden widow several years ago at the age of 55), and somewhat afraid. I believe God’s promises are true, but sometimes it’s difficult to believe they are true for ME. I hinder myself by not staying consistently in God’s Word!
I hear God telling me that I’m worth it, that I matter, that this icky phase I’m going through will pass and make me stronger….Tears are okay!
my earliest memory of doubting myself, kindergarten…it’s been with me ever since….I’m 44
Bless you, Gail! He will make you stronger.
The music was beautiful. I felt peaceful and sensed that I’m loved and am special. I sensed God telling me-don’t be afraid-i have plans for your life.
One of my gifts is that I’m an encourager. however, it’s hard to enourage myself and i second quess myself alot. i tend to be a people pleaser. It seems that i can be anxious and lose confidence in myself. I’m really looking forward to the rest of this study.
Dallena, its like you were writing the words in my head! I too am an encourager who struggles to encourage herself, who second guesses herself a lot, am anxious and lose confidence in myself.
We are not alone and the Lord is reaching to us through this study and other means to encourage us! I am looking forward to Him transforming me, US, from self-doubting, anxious persons to confident women of in Christ!
Wow! I truly enjoyed the quiet nature of the song and time with God. He was wispering to me that I am worthy, loved and beauty. I need to start speaking my prayers out loud so I can hear them and when am talking to God. Your are right Renee, it does sound weird. But I know if it has helped you so much, I would be foolish not to listen to your guideance. Thank you so much for this study. You have come to mean so much to me just listen to your understanding and confidence in Christ that it gives me hope that one day I will have that as well. Thank you again from the bottom of my heart! Travel safe and enjoy your weekend! ~ Erin
Erin, Praying out loud is a great way to gain confindence, it is a way to find our voice. I have had fear of praying out loud in public, when asked to pray. I couldn’t. So I started practicing by praying alone out loud, alot. God is so good, He builds us up, gives us everything we need.
The song is beautiful, I too felt the Holy Spirit washing over me, as I listen. Thank you for sharing this amazing piece.
” The Peace of God” This timely instrumental is just what I needed to hear as I seek God for direction. Thank you for obeying the Holy Spirit.
I’m still currently listening to it, but as it built and faded, built and faded, I pondered about how my confidence does that. Slowly but surely God’s confidence builds in my heart. I start to act hesitantly just playing a few notes of the song he is wanting me to play or sing but as that confidence builds I slowly get lost in the song he’s playing in me and it’s a beautiful thing that I never want to stop.
As for the questions from chapter 1. I initially started reading/working through this book a few weeks ago. It’s interesting to look back at those questions and see what God has been building in me since then. I’ve especially been clinging to Jeremiah 17:5-8 as reminders in the first few verses that when I depend on and draw strength from mere flesh, it’s always lacking, but as I depend on God, I am blessed more than I can imagine.
Beautiful, Bekah!
Oh my. Just beautiful. The peace of God washing over me. Thank you Chad, and Renee for the opportunity to listen.
My biggest hindrance is my tendency toward self-sufficiency–the illusion that I’m in control of my life so that everything must be planned and scheduled.
A woman who has a confident heart is courageous, optimistic, grateful, joyous and gracious.
Love the music.
I am right with you. This control thing is such a huge HINDERANCE. But our God is bigger if I would just let Him!!!!
I so agree. I love to help people, but I am not great at accepting help from others.
Please practice accepting help from others graciously. We know we are blessed when we help others and we are depriving someone else of that blessing if we don’t accept graciously 🙂 I had to learn how to do this too!
Mary- this is the same struggle I have. It’s great to know you’re not alone & our precious Savior is working out His plan for our lives!
Wow! Beautiful God certainly speaks through Chad with his music doing the talking. Thank you for sharing!
I am sitting listening to the this beautiful song. I have my eyes closed and am thinking of my father in law who went to be with the Lord Sunday evening. He was a godly man and loved the Lord. I can only imagine him being swept away into the clouds and now seeing his loved ones. The music seems like it is being played on the clouds. Oh I thank you Lord for dad and what a legacy he has left for us to see. Thank you Lord.
Prayers for you and your family, Shelia.
praying, also, for your family, sheila. “grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 corinthians 1:2-4).”
What did I feel as I listned to the song? Overwhelmed with His love. I often close my eyes and go to Jesus in my mind, usually when I go there and I lay on his lap and look at him and he looks back. He can see in my eyes my hurts and my insecure nature( there are no words necessary). He usually holds me and He just knows. Today as I listened to that beautiful musical piece I closed my eyes and went to my sweet Jesus and Idanced for him. I laughed and he delighted in me. I am usually a little girl when I go to Jesus in my mind. I think that its because this is when my insecurities began. I can not pinpoint the moment in which I felt a lack of confidence. I have lived lacking confidence and insecure for as long as I can remember. A woman with a confident heart is one that can admit they are not confident in themselves and can openly disclose that…but they are confident because of God. A confidant woman can admits to their errors and apoligize. A confident woman knows the word of God.
Diana,
I really wanted to comment on your post, but all I can say is WOW! Your comment leaves me speechless. It is awesome to hear about your amazing and intimate relationship with God. 🙂 Thanks for sharing. 🙂
I too have lacked confidence my whole life and cannot remember when I first felt this way. I pray that this study will help me to be a confident person and that I will learn to trust God and know the plans that he has for my life. I need to remember that he is in control. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and feelings. May we all grow in Christ through this study and become the confident women that he wants us to be.
Wow!
Diana, I too have envisioned myself as the little girl at her Daddy’s feet. Then, to his lap where he loves me through. Now, as I sing to him and worship him, we dance. And it is so filled with love and laughter that I can’t help but smile and feel such joy in him. It really is amazing to draw confidence from our One True Love, Jesus, my King!
Diana:
Your words ” I am usually a little girl when I go to Jesus in my mind. I think that its because this is when my insecurities began. I can not pinpoint the moment in which I felt a lack of confidence. I have lived lacking confidence and insecure for as long as I can remember” are exactly how I feel. I don’t remember when my insecurities and lack of confidence began. But I have blocked out the first 5 1/2 years of my life. Thank you for sharing that and I am looking forward to A CONFIDENT HEART IN JESUS AND WHO I AM IN JESUS! 🙂
Thanks!
Tobi
I blocked alot of my childhood out due to all the things I should have not saw and have done to me and my siblings. Your words Diana brings joy and tears to my eyes. I have always felt like I was nothing but reading the end of your comment makes my heart sore! I no longer feel I’m the only women who feels this way. Thanks for sharing. Blessings!
Chad’s music is soothing, peaceful and comforting. I would love to listen to it over and over again. He is very talented.
total peace and serenity, and calmness!
What a soothing melodic sound, and on a day when I really need it.. As I close my eyes and listen I feel relaxed and at total peace. Thank you Lord for your anointing on Chad’s life and allowing him to share his gift with us.
Oh my goodness, what a beautiful song of prayer that really touched and spoke to the deepest part of my inner being. It was not hard at all to listen to this anointed music and I became deeply engrossed it in it very quickly. It was alluring, soothing and I experienced the peace and the presence of God in the room as I was listening to Chad playing. It also brought many images and scenes to my mind as I was listening to the subtle transitions in the music. For example , in one part, I was taken back to my childhood days when I used to twirl around and dance in the rain. In another spot, I felt as though I was laying in a verdant, green pasture with my eyes closed feeling the warmth of the sunshine on my face and also listening to the rippling brook at edge of the pasture. It was also a beautiful mixture of the prophetic leading of the Holy Spirit intertwined with some familiar hymns in certain places. It made me feel lighthearted and carefree and I am so blessed that you share your friend’s amazing gift with us and I will pray that all that He poured out will be multiplied back to him a thousandfold. You and He both are truly an inspiration to me and I pray that I will learn to be pliable in His hands as both of you are so that I can fulfill the His plan for my life and not mine own. Thank you and God bless you Chad and Renee!!!