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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I can relate to Renee’s feelings regarding her mother. I never really bonded with my mother. I was the 4th daughter and felt I was the 4th disappointment (the son was number 5). My mother was not very affectionate and at times was scary. She was verbally abusive and physically abusive on occasions, not severely so, but being slapped across the face (both sides) during her rages, sure messed with my sense of value.
Renee stated in chapter one that “as a child I doubted I was worth keeping”. That resonated with me, often feeling that if my mother could have sent me back, she would have. However, I was blessed with a wonderful father, who is the one I did bond with. And I am so thankful for him, he was my childhood hero!
I grew up feeling like a big disappointment to my mom and later to my first husband, etc.
But God saved me and revealed to me through one scripture, that I had a purpose and He ordained for me to be born and become His.
That scripture set me free, and it was John 1:13: “children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision, or a husband’s will, but born of God.”
I love the part in the prayer at the end of the chapter that says, “My confidence is in Christ and I am no longer one who shrinks back and is destroyed.” My husband and I have been together for 15 years and are working through infidelity. I’ve felt destroyed and hopeless, but I can see a new day dawning. It’s taken over a year to make our way out of the fog, but God is faithful and is bringing us out. This book/study has happened at the perfect time.
I will be reading Chapter 2 this afternoon when my LO goes down for a nap. I have already felt satan trying to rob me of learning how to be confident. Last night I was in the most depressed state. My husband and I talked for a good while. I told him my doubts as a mom, as a wife, as a daughter in law to his parents who claim they are the worlds most perfect Christians. My husband said the one thing that I believe all this self doubt (in myself) stems from. I had unrealistic expectations of being a wife, a mother, etc. I believe this is so true, especially for my life. Having unrealistic expectations can rob you of enjoying your life just the way God imagined it. Hope you all have a wonderful day.
Please be in prayer that as I continue with the study that satan will lose power over my happiness.
I was so excited about this online study, I couldn’t wait! But now, I got busiest schedule ever! I already doubt I won’t be able to keep up with you. 🙁
This is really something I’d like to do as I’ve been living in a huge shadow of problems and doubts for last 9 months.
Thank you Renee and whole Proverbs31 team for your ministry.
Be blessed!
Renee,
Wow! First, Thank you for this Bible Study
I have been praying about Confidence, Self Doubt and to develop a closer relationship to God. I came across your website I believe “The Lord guided me there”
The First Chapter really resonated and was speaking to me right off the bat.. Like you were writing about me and were in my shoes..
What really touched me was Doubt and Hope can’t live together in our hearts at the same time.. I have said that so many times.
I am so excited to be on this journey. Since, God has given me the direction. Now, it’s up to me to learn all I can and do the work. God Bless
That resonated with me too, Angela. It really makes sense and helps put things in perspective. God Bless you as we start this journey.
Hi Roxanne
You are not a lone beleive me. I’m at where you are and i hope this study changes that for all of us I will get back into my story later to night. My prayers are with all of us on this jounry together.
God Bless
There was a lot that spoke to me in this first chapter. I loved the prayer at the end of the chapter. I plan on writting it down and putting it up on my bathroom mirror. I feel so relieved reading all these posts and seeing that I am not the only one who struggles with these things. I’d love to be able to tell you where it all started, but honestly I have no idea. Ever since I can remember I have had a really bad self image. I never thought I was good enough or pretty enough and I am constantly comparing myself to other people. My parents had me very very young, and my dad wasn’t around much. And if he said he was coming to get me he usually never came.I always wanted that “daddy’s little girl” relationship with him, so I tried everything I could do to please him. Which never worked, he always seemed more interested in what my two brothers were doing. And sadly enough that is still how it is today. That could be where all my self doubt issues came from but i’m not too sure. I tried to find my self worth in what guys thought of me. If they thought I was pretty or attractive I must be right? That only worked until I figured out what they really wanted from me, yet I still tried to find my self worth in every man I met up until I met my husband. Trying to find your worth in many many non-christian guys did a lot of damage to my image of men and A LOT to my trust. My husband is a GREAT christian man and I love him so much. I thank God so much for bringing him into my life and giving him so much patience with me. I have a really hard time trusting him when he has given me no reason not to. He reasures me every day that I am the only one he is interested in, the only one he loves and tells me that he is not leaving me no matter what happens. Yet for some reason I still can’t believe him. I know I have a lot I need to work on. I think starting with having confidence in myself. But for some reason I still see nothing good about me. I feel like I have nothing to offer God or my husband. I feel like my husband can find someone better than me, someone else who has talents or better looking. I’m praying that this book will change my outlook on things. I’ve tried to read it once, but got too busy to finish it. This time I am commiting myself to it, I NEED to start seeing changes. I NEED to start feeling important and like I matter. I know that these are not the thoughts and feelings that God intended me to have. Sorry so long, I tend to be very long winded 🙂
sorry had to go something has come up be back later. please pray for me.
Hi Sisters in Christ
reading chapter 1&2 have really hit some soft spots and made me cry like a baby. I connected the most with Sam, I to have been married 4 times and i also live with a man ( 20 years now) and he has no plans to marry me. He has never been married or had his own kids but he has been a great dad to mine.The son we lost has hit him as hard as me. He don’t think God dose anything he is just something people can give blame or glory to when something happens.
The only thing that really bothers me is he never give me incourgement on anything. He is always telling me I can’t do something
As a 30+ never married woman, I have been filled with self-doubt regarding my purpose as I have an overwhelming desire for love and children. I relate well with Emmylou and agree that I do not believe I am called to be single as God would not have placed those heartfelt desires within me if that were the case. I recently was called back to a wonderful nondenominational church in my area and am inspired after reading the first chapter to get involved with service and small group Bible study within the church community. I know that working past my doubts around my frustrations of being single and childless will not be an easy thing but I trust that this book study will help.
Some of the sentences that I identified with were: p.22 “You can only see the shadow because you have turned away from the light. Turn back toward the light.” And p.23 “Over the past few years, I’ve found lasting confidence by living daily in the security of God’s promises.
My problem is most often consistency. I take my eyes off of Jesus and struggle to live daily in His promises and end up trying to live and change in my own strength. Sometimes I’m frustrated because it seems there is so much for me to “do”. I feel I’ve done all I can and without much result. The reminder to turn back toward the light and to become consistent are a challenge but if I can do that perhaps Jesus can do the rest.
I am so grateful for this study and have already been so blessed by reading the posts from so many women who struggle just like I do. I know that God has provided me with this opportunity to study and be in this community of faith at just the right time! I have struggled with self-doubt my entire life. Growing up, I learned to always expect the worst and be surprised if something good happened.
That being said, the parts of Chapter 1 that resonate with me the most are the imagery of the large shadow of doubt and hearing God whispering “You can only see the shadow because you have turned away from the light. Turn back toward the light.” That is so powerful and I have already found myself hearing those words as doubt has crept into my thoughts today and I was able to turn back toward the Light.
The other part that really challenged me was about finding lasting confidence by living daily in the security of God’s promises where Renee said “He’s lead me beyond believing in Him to really believing Him by relying on the power of His Words and living like they are true no matter what my feelings tell me.” I to pray that I can choose to dwell in the assurance of Whose I am and who I am in Him.
I’m so excited to be on this journey with Renee and all of the wonderful sisters who are a part of this Online study.
Liz,
Your on the right path this is going to be a wonderful journey and am glad we’re on it together. John 14:27 Peace I leave with you; not as the world gives, give I to you. Don’t let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.
When I first heard of this book, I heard the voice of doubt right away. For a long time I had accepted all the thoughts that landed in my head to be mine. Not until a few years ago, was I even aware that “my thoughts” could be coming from the pit. I have to be very intentional and take captive negative thoughts that do not agree with what God says about His people. It is a daily, sometimes hourly practice. What I did not realize was that I was not always believing God. Sure, I believe in God, but did I believe what He said about others also for myself? That was trickier. I purposely Believe Him now, and what a change that has made to my heart. It is in accepting/believing God’s promises for myself that lets God into my heart to do the work that needs to be done. I felt fearful towards the looking back part of this chapter, but I realize that moving forward with victory is not possible unless I let God help me understand the lies that I have been carrying around. God will shine light on those lies, and reveal His truth for me.
Cassandra,
We can no longer let Fear stand in our way we’ve to trust in the LORD and not miss out anymore. My prayers are with you and thank you for being on this journey with me.
Maggie,
I can’t agree with you more God is amazing and we’re on a wonderful journey together.
I am a first time blogger. After reading about other’s who were struggling with the same issues as I, I knew I had to respond. Listening to Doubt’s Whispers (p22) spoke the loudest to me. It was like Renee was reading my mind when she listed those comments. “These are the voices of insecurity”…I thought I was the only one that heard these voices, and “no one but you knows the paralyzing power they have on your life”. I can really pull this one off. Just about every word of Chapter 1 was applicable to my life. I want to claim “He’s led me beyond believing in Him to really believing Him by relying on the power of His words and living like they are true no matter what my feelings tell me”. I’m so excited to begin this journey with all of you. I too want to desperately move out of my doubts and live a life free of depression, anxiety, and fear. Thank you Renee for listening to God and taking time out of your busy life to write your thoughts down so others do not feel alone and know there is hope through Jesus Christ. God Bless.
Thank you for this Bible study! This is just what I need. I have struggled for years wondering if I am truly saved and on my way to Heaven. I know that I have come to Jesus as a sinner and asked for His forgiveness and that the Bible says that I am saved, but I also have alot of insecurities over other things in my life too. Please pray that God will help me to overcome these doubts and fears through this study and that I will be able to live confidently in Him and serve Him the way He wants me to.
I have always found it so much easier to believe God’s promises for everyone but so hard to believe them for myself. I have seen Him move and have prayed for Him to move in other’s lives. Its always been a blessing.
I realize now it’s time to believe for me also. Not just everyone else. That He pursues me and wants to move in MY life as much as I have seen Him do for others. I need to quit dismissing that’s possible. To come to the realization its for me too. I have much to overcome in my own mind. That doubt is really deep within me. I did not realize just how deep until now. Hopefully that means God is getting ready to deal with that.
“Take CAPTIVE EVERY thought to make it obedient to Christ” 2 Corinthians 10:5
I look at it like this: Think of your mind as an airport with lots of runways; the devil likes to send thoughts into your head that are not your thoughts but his lies( i.e. you’re not pretty enough, you’re unlovable etc), if you think of these thoughts as airplanes trying to land on your runway, you can choose to not let them land, because if they land they can become your thoughts. So you have control over what thoughts you accept as truth and what are lies from the devil. When he sends a thought into your head that is a lie, you can rebuke it it by thinking of a passage from scripture and quote it in my head as the truth from God. I don’t underestimate the power of negative thoughts, they draw us away from God and into the web of deceit of the devil. He hates that we are studying the word of God and will work especially hard to get us to quit! “Resist him and he will flee!” James 4:7