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 more I read this book I feel like wow did God tell Renee about my life and my feelings and put them in a book to help me walk through all of this. I have always tried to fill my heart with whatever I could, especially men since I was 3. I am very educated, despite not liking school, because I always felt being very educated and having a respectable job would bring me the accolades I so desperately desired from anyone who would give them to me. I just wanted to be significant to someone, anyone. I am now learning that I can only be whole and have my full worth and unconditional love from God, no man can or ever meet that need, not even if I am to get married. I, like Renee, thought drinking enough could numb it out, and even smoking pot, but it got to the point that my pain just increased with consumption and enough was never enough to take away the pain. I am in the healing process today and even though the future isn’t clear I feel hope today. I am still struggling thinking about men but God is doing a work and letting me know that only he can fulfill and a husband is a gift not what defines me.
Well I am a little late posting here and am running a little behind with the study. I have read the foreword and really enjoyed it. I plan on catching up the rest of the way this weekend.
Well I just finished the first chapter, and I have to say thank God I am not in this alone. I looked deep into different insecurity issues. I can’t wait to keep going to see what is next!
It is so nice knowing we are not alone, I feel a sense of relief and comfort.
when i read the line that said “go ahead and give up, just close the book and give up” i understood. i have been putting off doing this, reading even the first chapter because its easier to give up. but i need a change and i cant change by myself, i need a confident heart, one that does remind me i am a child of God and that he does love me and wants to give me all His blessings. please pray for me that i will continue with this study and not give up and will allow God to show me how to have a confident heart.
God bless you for such great work you are doing in life of women.
Sorry for commenting so late. I just got my book! I praise God that he brought this book into my life. I had a friend who shared this bible study on facebook and that is how I found out about it. This book is me! Just reading the foreword I started crying! This book speaks to me on a level that speaks to the very core of my heart. I highlighted alot in chapter 1! Its weird for me to do this by myself but I am hoping that since so many women are doing this that I will get feedback and support! God bless
Hey!
I’m kind of late but I’ll answer the question anyway!
the thing that really spoke to me was realizing that … -It’s not Supposed to be this way- I really am able to fight with doubt and those other bad feelings.
I relate to your story in the father part. Because I grew up without a father. He left us when I was 2 and made suicide when I was 5!
Hello All,
I am really looking forward to this study! Confidence has been a lifelong struggle for me and frankly I’m tired of the battle. It’s time to overcome and conquer this once and for all. As I read the first chapter what struck me most, and made me feel as if Renee was writing about my own life, was this line: “moving from believing in God to believing in God.” That’s my life in a nutshell. My inability to believe God’s promises apply to me has directly impacted my ability to feel confident and secure, and has led to choices I otherwise would not have made were I healthier and bolder. I look forward to the change that is to come and praise God in advance.
– Rochelle
What sentences in Chapter 1 resonate with your heart or speak to you in a personal way?
Renee God whispered to your heart: You can only see the shadow because you have turned away from the light. Turn back toward the light.
ALTHOUGH I DIDN’T THINK I’D TURNED, IT HAPPENED! DISTRACTION AFTER DISTRACTION CAUSED ME TO LOSE FOCUS!
If you are looking for a friend you can trust with the things of your heart, this book is a great place to start.
THAT’S ME!
I RELATE TO THIS STORY BECAUSE I KNOW DOUBTING AND BEING INSECURE IS NOT HOW IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE. GOD IS SHARING THROUGH YOU THAT YES IT’S REAL IN OUR HUMANITY BUT HE’S THE OUTLET, IN WAYS I’VE YET TO DISCOVER. BECAUSE I WANT TO, HE’S HELPING ME EVEN NOW!
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?
A lot of Chapter 1 resonated with me. I highlighted a lot of the negative or doubtful thoughts that were mentioned because it portrays exactly how I have felt and still feel at times: “What’s wrong with me?”, “I hated feeling this way,” “I avoided some great opportunities because they brought the risk of rejection,” “Now here I was years later, a grown woman in ministry, doubting myself again. It was getting old,” “Or maybe you’ve sensed God calling you to serve Him in a way that requires steps of faith, but insecurity has convinced you that you’re not smart enough or gifted enough,” “The unknown is too scary. Although you’e been miserable, at least the misery is familiar where you are now,” “Just like my shadow on the wall was distorting my shape, my doubt was distorting my thoughts and overpowering my emotions with confusion and questions. The shadow of doubt had become bigger than what I doubted–myself.” The list goes on and on. I also highlighted where it talks about how I can only see the shadow because I have turned away from the light, and I need to turn back toward the Light, and I highlighted the Scriptures. One of my all time favorite verses is Isaiah 43:19, and Romans 8:28 is another. There is so much that I highlighted in this chapter that I can’t put it all here because I would be hogging up too much space (as I’ve probably already done), but I, too, have found that as I dwell on God’s truths, I am more at peace and my doubt withers away. Whereas when I dwell on my circumstances, my doubt grows and becomes a towering shadow above me that I feel unable to escape. I related to the story in this chapter because I have doubted myself in far too many ways, for far too long. It helps because it lets me know that I’m not alone and hopefully not as crazy as I feel like I am sometimes when I go through doubts and mood swings, and that there is hope and that just as you have overcome, Renee, I can also overcome continually, and not just some of the time, but all of the time, as I trust in and rely upon my Savior.
This study inspired me to start blogging again. I have posted my answers to the questions there for you to read. http://wildntexas.blogspot.com/2013/04/ch-1-discovering-shadow-of-my-doubts.html
The sentences that struck me most while reading are:
“In the shadow of doubt, insecurity paralyzes us”
“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.”
“Doubt and hope cannot live in our hearts at the same time. As God’s girls, we need to know and believe that change is possible. We need to hope that life can be different. Otherwise, doubt will win every time and our hearts will be eroded by attitudes and emotions of defeat – but it is not supposed to be this way.”
“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.” Those words resonated with me and I’ve also found reading scripture aloud helps me to focus on not only the words but also the meaning.
I could also relate to your public speaking dilemma. And loved your hearing God say, “Turn back toward the light.” Amen!
As I read over some of the previous posts I realize that the feelings I have had for most of my life are not unique. I went to Sunday School and children’s church every Sunday. Went on Sunday and Wednesday nights only on special occasions. I prayed for salvation long before I truly understood and renewed my commitment many times over. I never had anyone to lead me beyond salvation to relationship with God. I was baptized in high school and felt like I was moving closer but then was lost again in college. Self doubt has been a part of my life since high school. My father and step mother always told me I was lazy and gettingor to get fat because I would rather read than run around outside. No matter how hard I worked in school I never felt good enough. Now I am in a wonderful loving relationship with 3 children and I struggle daily with whether or not I am doing my best as a mother and wife . I am also just barely starting to understand how to study the Bible and grow closer in my relationship with God. Praying this study helps my confidence in daily life and helps me move “beyond believing in Him to really believing Him by relying on the power of His words …”
I think one (out of many) things I got out of this weeks lessons was going below the surface with God. In the many years I have been saved I don’t feel that I have ever really developed that deep down relationship with GOD. I have always known God was a part of my life but I have not known Him like I should. I let hurt feelings from some close church friends judging me get in the way of my relationship with the Lord and shake my confidence in many ways.
I have had times when my parents have not spoken to me for years at a time for one reason or another. It is comforting to know that Jesus is always there for me. He will never leave me.
I want to start going below the surface with God and gain the confidence to be the woman I’m supposed to be and live the Godly life I should have been living. He knows the desires of my heart better than anyone.
I can relate to so many stories posted. I am so happy to be taking this journey with you all.
Hi Mary B. – It is so good that you are trying this again. I will pray for you to make the time needed to connect with the study group. I believe that anytime we try to come closer to God or make our relationship with him better, Satan does intercede and try to make it difficult, if not impossible. I will pray that you see any distractions for what they really are. So glad to see you Mary B!
Tammmy
Loved the waterskiing example Renee. I suffered from severe separation anxiety as a child (and just plain ole anxiety now). Fear of being left behind enveloped me; school was a nightmare. Because of this, other kids would laugh stare and make me an outcast. I would develop a pattern of never trying new things for fear of rejection and failure. That has followed me into adulthood. I won’t even attend an exercise class because I’m afraid of being watched. Since becoming chronically ill seven years ago, I’m even afraid to “try” things that I used to excel at, for fear of not being able to perform as well as I once did, bringing on further thoughts and feelings on failure. The verses and questions give me hope! A reminder that Jesus knows it all before I even come to Him.
Hi, I’m from Wisconsin, in my mid-40’s and have been a single women all my life. I have been told by others that I’m very resilient and seem to successfully make it through any situation I’ve encountered (i.e. owning a house and being unemployed, etc.). I’ve also been told I’m a risk taker which I definitely don’t believe.
To answer the 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?”
The sentence that is most profound to me in Chapter 1 is at the top of page 24, “beyond believing IN Him to really BELIEVING in Him by relying on the power of His words and living like they are true no matter what my feelings tell me.” I want to learn to do this, but am not sure I know how.
I also related to the first chapter with the idea of being all excited about a speaking engagement, social party, etc., but when the time comes I have changed my mind and want to stay home. It is comforting to know that others feel the same way that I do, but it is also saddens me to feel this way.
I’ve tried to do this study before but life was busy & I wasn’t able to finish. As I start again I already see why this is God’s time that I go through it now. Immediately the first verse jumped out to me. This week I have prayed Hebrews 10:35-36 for a friend & for myself. I have also reminded myself “…when I choose to dwell in the assurance of Whose I am & who I am in Him, I have a confident heart.
I really had planned to start this study on the 1st of April when it began. It is now the 5th of April and have finally sat down to begin. I am going to change my priorities and make this top of my list. I need this shot in the arm. I want to be more confident. I had the opportunity to go hear a christian band tonight but I stayed home because of my insecurities. But the positive side is that I got into this study!!!!!
I really like this book so far, I of course couldn’t find women to do it with me so this is the next best thing, I was sooo excited I started it and well it was hard to not stop! so I have stopped where I was and gone back to go slower with this study. this book speaks to me and is helping me fill those gaps in my heart and spirit. it is real life a great read easy to grasp concepts and I am so glad I got it and am able to better myself, for myself and for the betterment of God and his will for my life. it’s been a long time since I was excited and challenged by our church but I am getting it with this book! I also love the study questions and writing my answers out…thinking and learning through it, its an amazing feeling!