Hi friends! I am so excited to start this “Confident Heart” journey with you!
We have almost 8000 women from around the US and the world signed up! I’ve been closing my eyes and picturing us gathering together in small groups (cause I’m a small group kinda girl). Anyhow, it’s so amazing to be here with YOU learning how we can live beyond our doubts by finding our security and confidence in the power of God’s loves and promises!
The first thing I want you to remember is: This is YOUR journey.
You’ll be reading the chapters. You will be asking and listening for God to speak to your heart. You’ll be the one who takes time to highlight sentences, promises and quotes you want to remember.
You’ll be looking for ways to apply and live what you are learning. You’ll be answering reflection questions and interacting with the group.
You’ll be doing the faith-work of not only believing in God, but really believing God.
I’ll be shepherding, leading, praying, encouraging, connecting and pacing us. I’ll be sharing more of my story – and inviting co-leaders who are helping me with the study to share theirs.
I’ll be praying for you, encouraging you, believing in you and challenging you – but you will make the heart investment and be the one who gets out pretty close to as much as you put in.
Here are a few IMPORTANT reminders:
What’s Needed: A copy of the book, a notebook, a Bible, and a ready-for-God- to-do-a-new-thing in you attitude!
When We’ll Meet: Because we’ll meet online, you can check in at your convenience any time of the day and week.
(Day 1) Assignment
Read the Acknowledgements. This will give you a peak into my current personal life and I’ll be asking you to share about yourself later this week too. 🙂
Read Chapter 1.
- If you don’t have your book yet, you can click here to read Chapter 1 .
- Highlight verses and sentences that grab your attention or tug on your heart.
- Write down what you sense God is speaking to your heart in the margins of your book or in a journal/notebook.
- If you’ve already read chapter 1, share your thoughts here. And then take time to look up the verses mentioned in the chapter prayer and answer the questions at the end of the chapter.
Connecting in Community: Click “Share Your Thoughts” below and let’s all answer this question:
What sentences in Chapter 1 resonate with your heart or speak to you in a personal way? How did you relate to my story in this chapter?
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The sentence that stood out the most was “doubt and hope cannot live in our hearts at the same time.” I am 46 and have had what I thought was a strong faith for many years until my daughter started having anxiety and depression three years ago. She is 15 now and still struggling and missing a lot of school because of her anxiety. The last three years have shown me how weak my faith really is, and I have allowed so much doubt to enter into my heart. I have felt so much anger at God for not helping her or show me how to help her. I can handle bad things happening to me but not to my child. I am hopeful after reading the first chapter that I can have hope again and believe that He works all things together for good.
The verse that spoke to me was Isa. 49:23. As a 29yr old woman I have a strong desire to get married and start a family. This area in my life has been such a disappointment for me. This verse went straight to my heart. I know God’s timing is perfect but there are days where it becomes overwhelming and I become unsure of God’s goodness. I don’t believe He is calling me to be single. Doubt creeps in and whispers lies. I am ready to embark on obtaining a confident heart and I am excited to read the next couple of chapters!!
I’m so glad that God not only encourages us to have faith…. (faith in what His son’s life, death and resurrection can do in, through and for us), but that He has faith Himself. I have hope today because God has faith for me(us) and in me(us). It’s truly amazing seeing we can’t do one single thing to help ourselves but its true, God believes that we can make it. I asked Him today to give me ‘vision’ and to increase my capacity to ‘hear’ the truth, His truth which always comes with hope.
Val
Good Morning,
Thank you Renee and all of you wonderful ladies for the things that you have shared here. They are all so encouraging! I too have been through a divorce, have been abused by others and myself – we tend to be our own worst abuser sometimes. I did finally learn that none of those things will fill that void like God can. Indeed we were created for relationship – most of us spend a lot of our lives [me included] trying to fill that space and need for relationship with our Loving Father, with many other types of relationships. I am a social worker and I see it everyday – desperation in people’s lives and constant searching. Our God is selfish … He wants us to love Him above all. Once we reach that place of being completely and totally in love with Him that’s when the ride really begins – but we seem to not care because He has it all covered. The journey from where we are to where God wants us to be will not be easy, but oh so worth it! I am so excited to start this journey with all of you … have a great day!!!
I keep looking at the verse about “Those that put their trust in me will not be put to shame” I felt so rejected when I lost my job. My husband is retired as he lost his job two years ago. He’s not a Christian so I fell that I am responsible to keep up a good front saying how God will provide me a job. But inside – inside I am feeling that no way am I good enough, no way will I deserve God’s help.
These are all untrue thoughts. I can’t say I never have victory over self loathing and evil thoughts of just end it. But I am grateful for this study because Jesus was already victorious and i can be too in him.
I need to know and trust that God will indeed provide the job when the time is right and that not being hired after an interveiw is just practice 🙂
Most of my thoughts are you stupid loser. Wrong so wrong. So I want to change to be who God wants me to be and all the rest will follow.
For me also, I did not just see one sentence that stood out in my mind. I saw myself in what I read. Since 1988 I have had feelings of insecurities and self doubt. I have been married twice. My first divorce was in 1988, after 7 years of marriage and no clue. I finally thought I met someone, we had one child and when he was 3 divorced. He was mentally and physically abusive. After awhile after much soul searching and thinking that he had changed, we reconciled and we had another child. Well, he didn’t change and a year later we split up again and for good this time. That was in 2004. My children are 18 and 10. I am still trying to forgive him, but I can’t. After all the years of abuse (mentally and physically) and all the mind games that he did on my oldest son. He also does not have anything to do with my second child. It is very hard to forgive. I am trying, but it is so hard.
Thank you Renee for writing A Confident Heart! I can’t wait to dive into the book and start learning.
So much spoke to me… So much to embrace & lean towards when I feel unworthy & defeated . ” doubt & hope cannot live In. Our hearts at the same time”. Doubtful thoughts are the weeds which fight to strangle our flowers of hope & when struggling with this world , with a rocky marriage and it feels lately even easier to let the uncertainties & fears control our minds. Hoping through this study I can hear Gods truth over all the noise of self doubt & live like the confidant woman / child of the King he created me to be. “Self-doubt blocks the promise of God’s power and truth to change us from the inside out so that we can live with a confident heart.”
I really need this. I really want to LIVE this … I’m always asking God to show me what He wants me to do, but then I let my doubt speak louder than Him. I hope that this study helps me to hear God & find my security in the promises He has for me & my family. I want to be a good confidant example to my children & my husband of Gods love
I am struggling with a situation now. I am filled with self doubt. Page 23 says that self doubt keeps us from believing things can get better. This is so true! I felt as though I should just give up. Although I am a committed Christian, self doubt robs me of joy. I plan to use scripture in my prayers as is written on page 25…”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”. Thank you for these words of wisdom and hope in the Lord!
Okay, so I must have been looking at the wrong week 1 earlier, I saw the comments from last year and was confused. But what I was saying, was, Renee, thank you for the devotional this morning, from Encouragement for Today. It spoke volumes to me this morning. I am slowly getting started on the book and study, but starting none the less and going to complete. Thank you again.
As I am reading more of the posts, I recall what my pastor said this Easter Sunday. He was talking how the devil tries to lie to us, such as “I am no good”, “I’ ugly” or in my case “I am not worthy”. We need to laugh at the devil and let him know he has NO authority over us! I did that last night. Doubts seem to come at night when I am tired. This time I did not allow it to stay. I am looking forward on going on this journey with all of you and looking forward to what God is going to do in our lives! Have a wonderful and blessed day and week!
Reading chapter 1 these words/verses really challenged and spoke to my heart. “You can only see the shadow (of self doubt) because you have turned away from the light. Turn back to the light.” This brings to mind Psalm 27:1a-The LORD is my light and my salvation, so why should I be afraid? Through this study and spending time in His word may I learn to rely/rest in the power of His words and really live like they are true no matter what I am feeling (because they are) and choose to keep my focus on Him and Whose I am and who I am in Him. When the enemy comes in and whispers in my ear “I can’t do this.” May my reply be I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.
I am excited about this study.
Waiting on God is so hard for me. I like to have it all planned out and as a soon-to-be college graduate, I especially want to know NOW what He has planned for my life. I want to follow Him and will do whatever it is He calls me to do in a heartbeat, even if its hard. I just want to know!
The very first page of chapter 1 has Hebrews 10:25-26…”You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God you will receive what He has promised.” I want to truly have confidence that God will come through even when I can’t see Him working. When I don’t have this confidence, I feel purposeless and depressed. I want to turn away from focusing on my doubtful shadows and experience His light. Nothing can hold us down when we are focused on Whose we are assured of who we are in Him. I have read A Confident Heart before, but I need to be reminded of the security in Him and HOW to turn away from my doubts and rest in His love.
What resonated with me the most was the statement, my uncertainty had cast a huge shadow of doubt. This like your story is a reminder that no matter what stage of life or “stage of our calling” we are in these shadows can still creap in.
Thank u Renee 4 opening up ur story about self-doubt & writing “A Confident Heart!” I am very encouraged by what God is going 2 teach me during ur Bible study.
“Doubt and hope cannot live in our hearts at the same time”
So true! When we see Jesus for who He truly is, and know our identity in Him, there is NO way to doubt. Nothing can hold you down in depression when Jesus is in your heart.
With me it wasn’t my dad but my mom. I understand her situation a lot better now, and I have a daughter of my own whom I adore. Still, it was hard. I’m going to work on this study, but I’m also going to try to trust God to change me – because He’s the only one who can, really. I’m sick of doubt rotting me from the inside – on the outside I look great, but it’s not reality. I’m hoping that I really can learn to “take every thought captive to Christ” and let what Jesus tells me guide my feelings, not what my demons tell me.
I can relate with some of women here… the forward too spoke to me, It was my dad. Although I know my dad loves me and still does, he didn’t outwardly show it to me growing up and I sought seeking love from other avenues. I am truly looking forward to this journey! Revealing the Woman of God that I know lives in me and believing it by the Word He wrote!
I didn’t have just one sentence that stuck out to me because I was just realizing how much of me I was reading about. I have struggled with self-doubt most of my life. So the words these pages were really hitting home and I can’t wait to dive into this study!!!
I agree with Libby. The statement that resonated with me was that “doubt and hope cannot live in our hearts at the same time.” The enemy is so good at tempting us to do the things that will tear at our assurance and confidence, and then, after we give in to that temptation, he’s so good at smashing us down with condemnation. But, doubt can’t live in the same space as hope, so I’m going to choose to hang onto hope. I think that’s what it takes; a daily decision to hang onto hope and let go of self-doubt. God is the Master Carpenter, the Potter, and He doesn’t make junk! We are His workmanship, created for good things in Christ. No matter what satan himself declares, I can choose to grab hold of hope and not let go. It’s my choice!
When I first saw this study I wasn’t sure if it was for me, God has done a lot of healing, but then God really placed it on my heart to do the study after all and I have realized that I really needed it. The sentenced that captured me the most was “As a child I doubted I was worth keeping.” You see, just a week ago I pinpointed my biggest insecurity, I have always felt unwanted. My father left when I was three to never return, I saw him twice between 3 and 21. I figured if my father didn’t want me how could anyone else, especially men. This has been a huge battle for me and eventually turned itself into a weight issue because now it is how can a man want a fat woman. I feel because of the original insecurity, which was too painful to handle, I found something that was easier to cling to and embrace, after all it fit the world’s standards of acceptable unwantedness. This journey, I feel, is going to be life altering. Thanks.
My uncertainty had created a huge shadow of doubt. I often question my choices and wonder if I’m doing the right thing. I struggle with insecurities and fear of my choices. I often let new opportunities pass me by because I fear rejection. I also fear meeting new people. I just want to be accepted and I feel sometimes people won’t except me for who I am. I’m also having a hard time just typing this post, but I want to reach iut and move past this doubt and gain some confidence.
I have let plenty of new opportunities pass me for the same reasons, I often feel like I have missed out on a lot because of it.