Hi friends! I am so excited to start this “Confident Heart” journey with you!
We have just about 3500, 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 for us!
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 others who have to share theirs — so that we can see again and again that we are not alone in this journey and struggle towards a confident heart.
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.
So, what’s my best advice?? Each time I do something new like this, I ask the Lord what I need to give up – so I can give more to Him. And this time is no different. I’m cutting back on checking emails all throughout my day (which I love to do) and saying no to some fun projects and other time-consumers so I can give more of me TO HIM and to you (for the next 10 weeks)!
Will you pray and block out at least 5 to 10 to 15 minutes every day to let HIM give you all that He has for you?! You are worth it….but more than anything…. JESUS is worth it, right? Are you ready? Here we go:
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(Day 1) Assignment
Please Read the Acknowledgements. This will just give you a peak into more of my current personal life. I think that’s an important part of building community and I’ll be asking you to share more about you later this week 🙂
Please Read Chapter 1. Please highlight verses and sentences that grab your attention or tug on your heart. What is God saying to you though this chapter? Write down what you sense God speaking to your heart in the margins of your book and/or in a journal/notebook that you’ll use throughout this study.
Let’s Connect: What sentences in Chapter 1 connect with you or resonate with your heart? What might you cut back on to make time for Him and yourself these next several weeks?
Click “Share Your Thoughts” below and do just that. {If you’re reading this via email, click here to return to my website/blog and connect with us in community.
Please Check Your Inbox: Our first Online Study Email was sent and in it I explain how our online study will work. Just want to make sure you know it’s there. If you can’t find it, here’s a link to it online.
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Are you on Facebook or Twitter? If so, be sure to join our Confident Heart Facebook Page and follow along on Twitter (@reneesswope) – using the hashtag #AConfidentHeart so we can find each others tweets.
I am going to make this a priority before I start my morning routine of breakfast and such. I have come to realise that God is in control will look to him for help with my self doubt and worry. For years I have acted like nothing bothers me even when people have hurt me or treated me badly. I could never speak up and voice what I was feeling inside. I am learning to change that. I greatly look forward to participating in this study group as it is a first for me. God’s blessings to all.
To build my confidence remove the doubts I need to pray scriptures out loud (I am a silent prayer most of the time) When I pray God’s words out loud and hear them, the Holy Spirit engraves them on my heart and writes them in my thoughts. I internalize God’s truth as my faith grows and I am transformed from the inside out! My desire today is to have the Holy Spirit begin to engraving upon my heart.
“pray scriptures out loud” great idea, willnette! i am definitely going to incorporate that into my devotional time. <3
I am so excited and thankful for discovering your book…after reading just a few paragraphs, I realized that your book is what I need at this precise moment in my life because having a confident heart is something I never thought about but am severely lacking.
Over the next few weeks I am going to practice getting up earlier (and dressed because I’m a stay at home mom of 3 kids between the ages of 3 months and 4 yrs old so getting dressed and out of the house is the last thing on my mind!), eating healthier (I’ve been wanting and needing to lose weight for a few years now), and cutting back on my internet time…wow that’s a lot now that I think about it! But I’m learning to take everything one day at a time 🙂
Good night all and I think I’ll reread chapter 1 before going to bed!
There is not room for doubt and hope in yourheart. I am going to choose hope!
If there’s a like button, i will choose it. Like your comment!
I am so excited and scared about doing this study…Isn’t that statement proof that I NEED this study? I participate in Bible study at my church. We have one that begins in Sept and then another begins the end of January. When I am in an organized study, I have accountability to do my homework and to share with others how God is working through the study. I find myself drifting when I am not in an organized study, so when I saw this study was going to begin a few weeks after our last one ended, I thought, this is it! I have wanted this book, so what better way to dig into the book and to STAY in God’s word but to join in this study. But I have never participated in an online study, and I am doing on my own, so how can that keep me accountable??? Maybe I won’t be able to share my heart with others I don’t know, and on & on the excuses go. My confidence level is like a roller coaster, up one minute, down the next. Constantly in worry mode. My husband kids me by saying that I worry about what I am going to worry about.
I know that may sound a little silly, but I have to admit that is somewhat a true statement. When I read “the unknown is too scary” it echoed inside my head. That is exactly what I deal with daily. Sometimes I allow the “what ifs” in life to keep me from delighting in the good things in my life.
Not once, but twice on page 24, I am reminded that one thing that I must do is “CHOOSE” to believe God’s promises. As a parent, I tell my children that they need to choose the right thing in every situation. It may not seem to be the best choice, but it must be the right choice to match what they know is true to their convictions. They will have to answer for every choice they make. Good or bad. SOooooooo why do I have such a hard time practicing what I preach??? I just need to make the right choice, to choose God’s promises instead of the enemy’s lies. His promises are SO MUCH BETTER!!!
Thanks for doing this & pray I can remain committed!!
Oh…. when I am doing a study… I go to my bedroom an hour early so that I can dig into the study and God’s Word. I am also limiting my facebook and the time I spend blog hopping so that I can be better with my time management.
I have been reading all the post from the women. But yours stuck out to me. From the little information in your post; on the surface I can point out how different our stories are. But what really struck me was how similar our struggles with the “whatifs” are. I am not a parent and on May 7th will celebrate our first anniversary. I have let those “whatifs” steal away joy, peace, and forgiveness from my life. Not because God has not tried to place them in my life but because of doubt and fear.
From your post I gather you need the accountability help Bc you are a wife, mother and …(very busy) . I on the other hand I am unable to work for health reasons. I do not have a problem with having time its that with out having someone to be accountable to I tend to be highly motivated in the beginning and the end. Its the middles I struggle with. I would love to offer up an idea that maybe we could work together on this study. If you are on facebook look me up @ Sarah Gustin Eaton.
So one thing I want to share is a while back I took a pretty intense online course where in addition to regular assignments, the teacher required us to post one of our own comments and reply to at least 3 others DAILY! (Sounds simple, but wasn’t) While at the time, it felt much different than the “easy” online coursework I was expecting, I learned more from that class than most in the classroom. I encourage any one of us who are struggling to connect at any time during the study, just apply that standard – or something similar – and it will change what you get from this!
There was a lot of information that stood out to me in chapter 1. But the one sentence that keeps speaking to me is “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.” That was powerful to me. Being a woman brings a lot of different emotions to the plate daily, between hormones, stress, and self-doubt I sometimes doubt God’s love for me. I forget that He tells me I am fearfully and wonderfully made. This quote from the book reminded me that God still loves me even on my worst day. How I feel does not alter God’s love for me.
It’s 10:30pm EST Monday night. I’m back again reading through almost 100 new comments since I was on earlier today. You all bless me so much with your “thank yous” – I am a words of encouragement girl and you are filling me up. I love leading this study and honestly, just seeing you comment to each other makes my heart so happy. We need each other – we need to know we’re not alone – and when you comment and share your journey or your doubts – another woman reads it and nods her head. You remind her of those very truths. She is not alone. Someone is here who is so much like her.
I wish I could comment on every single one of your comments and some days I might get to but I’m thinking I better get to bed now. My eyes are crossing and I’ve got a big meeting for our P31 devotions all day tomorrow. I’ll be back to catch up with you thought so keep sharing your thoughts from chapter 1 and letting me know what adjustments you are going to give yourself the gift of a little more of God’s love!!
The sentence that really spoke to me was, “He’s led me beyond believing ‘in Him’ to erally ‘believing Him’ by relying on the power of His words and living like they are true no matter what my feelings tell me.” I really struggle with that. I know what I am SUPPOSED to believe… I have been in church my whole life. My Daddy was a Preacher so I know the Sunday School answers. But sometimes I let my feelings rule my beliefs rather than the other way around.
During this study I am believing for some life changing stuff for me and my family. I need to turn off the TV more and spend less time on Facebook. I do both of those things to unwind after a stressful day at work, but in the end they just stress me out worse! I need to devote the time to prayer, Bible study, reading for this study and fasting to see answers for my family. I look forward to this study and getting to know some of you better.
Thank you Renee for doing this online study with us! I am so excited to be here. I had been involved in this study at my church last year, but I wasn’t able to complete it due to a fire that destroyed mine and 6 other townhomes. Since then, I have been consumed with dealing with all the details of rebuilding our lives. I have been putting everything else in front of my relationship with God. One of the sentences that really resonated with me is on p. 24. “we’ll do the most important thing first: spend time digging deep into the heart and character of God so we can learn to depend on His heart toward us.”
I will be giving up tv time and just laying down some of the tasks that still need to be done, but will have to get done during the day or at a later time. I am going to be going to bed earlier so I can get up a little earlier and start my day off by meeting with God and not rushing right into showering and getting kids ready for school.
I am so excited to see what God does here!!
To me, the most powerful words I read in Chapter 1 was the final phrase of Renee’s prayer. I can overcome my insecurities and no longer “shrink back”. What a powerful promise God gives us..hope for the future. I am really hoping to gain more personal tools to use during seasons of doubt in my life. This is my second time reading this book and I am excited to be apart of this study.
It’s not a coincidence that the book and the opportunity to join this book study fell into place. There are many things that have lined up just right and I believe that God is talking to me. This is just one piece of the puzzle of many things I need to work on to get my life to a place where I can enjoy life and live out the path that God has intended me to. I am so excited for this opportunity to grow in my faith and grow as a person.
I will be putting aside the time to do this study and spend time with God. As a mom of two and full time teacher there is always something to o, someone to take to practice, the house to clean, the laundry to be done, a lesson plan to be created. I like I see we are all busy and tend to put ourselves last. Well I am going to put myself first!
In reading chapter one “All things are possible to (her) who believes” I have read this many times and heard this preached many times but this time it spoke to me. All these changes in my life are for the better I am working on the path that he wants be to be on I need to trust in the lord my God that he knows what is best! It will happen! A better day is coming! “All things are possible” 🙂
I was so blessed by the friend who invited me to join her on this adventure. There was already a strong stirring in my heart and since I committed I have already been blessed by encouraging change and revelation in my life. I am excited for more! I am encouraged by the other women who are committing to sleep more! I think that sounds heavenly and could definitely produce positive change in me. 😉 I am going to strive to sleep and pray more. Let’s do this thing. 😉
“my doubt was distorting my thoughts and overpowering my emotions with confusion and questions.”
Oh boy…this line just speaks so clearly to me about how these lies we believe can take over our minds. And the confusion and questions…well sounds like the devil to me!! And he can be so darn convincing sometimes. I love the praying the scriptures too. I’m a 20-year Moms In Prayer (formerly Moms In Touch) prayer. Through this prayer group I really learned the power of praying in God’s Words. Just can’t go wrong when we do that. God bless you as you minister to us all again, Renee!
This is the study I’ve been waiting on my whole life! Insecurities have held me captive for way too long. I’m in constant prayer
I just finished doing this study last month on the first go around, but I need it again! I think I could do it 8 times and still need to hear the godly wisdom that it contains! I am doing it with 2 friends (via email) this time and i am so excited about that! I started reading chapter 1 and was having a hard time focusing and really felt like I needed to stop and pray and write the prayer in my journal- just to get me started on the right foot- here is the prayer!
Lord, I am feeling out of touch with You and I pray that you will speak clearly to me today and every step of the way through this book. My ears are open and my heart is ready for filling up with You…please, Lord.
Speak to me through every single page of the book. I just am having a hard time getting excited, but I know that when I pray, You hear me and give me peace and direction and allow me to hear You and feel Your presence. Surely, the presence of the Lord is in this place, right?
Just sat here thinking about a verse that would speak to this and I was reminded of this one:
if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
So, my job is to humble myself and seek Him and I will hear from Him and He will heal me…right? Trusting in His promises tonight!
Like many others, this statement jumped out at me as I read it:
“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 believe in God, but a recent loss has forced me to re-examine that belief. I am really struggling with doubt after experiencing a miscarriage at 15 weeks, plus issues at school where I reach which have me seriously doubting myself. I’m really hoping through this study I can rebuild that sense of self-worth, but more importantly work on building my relationship with Jesus.
Praying that God reveals Himself to you in a BIG way during this study!!!!
Just wanted to start off thanking Renee for a wonderful experience at Faith Lift in MD. I truly feel like God has been trying to get me to connect with him and a friend pushed me to go to that event and here I am doing this amazing book study. What resonated with me the most was the line “doubt and hope cannot live in our hearts at the same time.” This is something I struggle with CONSTANTLY, I worry about everything and it drives me insane. I know I should put my faith in God and not on the world and trust that God will get me through whatever it is I’m going through. I feel like this study has come to me at the right time to help me get through this tough season.
I know that I really need this study. I struggle with perfectionism and approval addiction. I liked when Renee said ..”when I choose to dwell in the assurance of Whose I am and Who I am in Him, I have a confident heart”. This is my prayer that God’s voice would be louder than the voice of doubt. That I would care more about what He says about me than the opinions of others. I am excited to learn more and to read more of these wonderful comments. Thank you for sharing.
Hi, this is my 1st time participating in an online bible study. Just about 15 minutes ago, I almost gave in to the doubts telling me that this is impossible, I’ll won’t be able to partake in this study in this way. Thank God, His voice said to not give up and try to figure it out. I am excited and look forward to Monday nights. I will allocate 1 hour from 7-8 PM to this study.
I”m so glad you are here Martha!! Don’t let the enemy steal this blessing from you. God wants you here and so do we!
Thank you for sharing this wonderful book. The following sentence resonates with me most from Chapter 1:
“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.”
Recently, I’ve been grateful to experience a faith that is moving beyond believing the stories of old and reports from others about what God has done/is capable of doing…to believing Him for who He is and believing that every word He says is true and applicable, including for me! Both to embrace and to practice His word in my everyday life. Therefore time with Him to hear His voice is precious. And although there are many opportunities for encouragement in the Word on Facebook, Twitter, e-mail, etc., all of that can wait. So I’ve decided to shave some time from these activities to read the book, answer the discussion questions/challenges, and to focus on the scriptures.
The questions at the end of chapter 1 have truly helped me to examine and challenge my hidden thoughts and subtle whispers of insecurities. And after bringing those former thoughts to light and contrasting them with the scriptures provided, the error is loud and clear, and the doubts do not stand a chance against the power and authority of God’s word. It is quite easy to simply react to daily challenges. But thanks to the deliberate mediation of scripture and thoughtful exercises, this week especially, I have experienced comfort, encouragement; feel empowered, and am quicly reminded to practice being a doer of His word…not just a repeat hearer.
I am more excited to hear what God has to say to me through His Word everyday, knowing that whatever He says is trustworthy, and sure. However it is even more exciting to see the results of trusting and obeying His direction.
Gratefully,
JAY
Swope, Renee (2011-08-01). Confident Heart, A (pp. 23-24). Baker Book Group. Kindle Edition.
The entire paragraph is impactful and encouraging…”Over the past few years, I’ve found lasting confidence by living daily in the security of God’s promises. 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. Some days I do better than others, and you will too. But I’ve found that when I choose to dwell in the assurance of Whose I am and who I am in Him, I have a confident heart.”
Swope, Renee (2011-08-01). Confident Heart, A (pp. 23-24). Baker Book Group. Kindle Edition.
Thank you again.
The hardest part of doing any study is the discipline of setting the time aside to do it! I have done Precepts
for about 7 yrs now and it is so hard to give up that time of TV ~ reading ~ or running errands etc~~~
But the joy you have when you start early morning with the Lord makes it worth the sacrifice and the discipline of setting a time aside to refine yourself. Not to say, that some days it just does not happen or your schedule does not gel with what you had planned, but God knows our hearts, and we do the best we can. Prayers for all of us to give it our all and not be overpowered by that big shadow of doubt.
The sentences in chapter one that resonated with me were: “Self doubt blocks the promise of God’s power and truth to change us from the the inside out so that can live with a confident heart.” and We will find our heart’s confidence in Christ as we learn how to rely on the power of His promises in our everyday lives.
I’ve been living with sefl doubt for so many years that the thought of thinking and feeling otherwise is scary. I purchased this book months ago and felt it was the key to changing my preception but I didn’t get far. Self doubt convinced me that I’ll never be able to overcome this as the author has so why continue to read.
I’m not all the way convinced but I’m being prayerful that the holy spirit will speak to my heart and help me to stay on this journey.
Chapter 1 spoke to my heart from the beginning to the end. But what I really see is the “doubt and hope cannot live in our hearts at the same time and “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.”Sometimes I see and feel doubt creeping into my shadow when I continue to say, God is in control, and that everything will work out according to His will, for He knows what is best. I now realize that doubt has keep me from experiencing lots in my life along with being afraid of the outcome whether it be with a new adventure or just on a daily aspect. I have dedicated the next 10 weeks to completing this bible study no matter what comes my way. I will read the chapters once, then a second time to highlight important verses or sentences that talk to my heart. I will give up computer time to seek God’s word, to learn more about His love for me while on this journey for I have a desire to have a confident heart and to rely totally on God’s word for comfort, guidance and peace.
I believe this bible will be life changing for me.
Thank you so much for your honesty and willingness to share your life with all of us Renee.
This is my second attempt to do this great and motivating bible study. I pray God will help me limit the daily temptations that prevent me from following through with this study and from devoting my life and the talents he has given me to glorifying him. I plan to give up reading secular books for the duration of this study.
Loved reading all the posts. I am waiting for book to come but was able to read chapter 1,
Jeremiah 17:7 God is our refuge has stuck with me. Sunday’s sermon was about Jeremiah “The weeping prophet”. He never gave up and if anyone knews about God being our refuge it is Jeremiah. The Bible is proof and I plan on giving up nap after I get home from work to read and learn more from the Bible
Today is my birthday and when I saw the study being offered on something I am working on so hard in my life with right NOW, beginning on my birthday, I knew I had to be a part of it. I am excited to work through this study with all of you. I pray God will touch each of our hearts, throughout this study, let his word penetrate deeply and unite all of us through this technology to encourage and guide each other with the purpose of glorifying Him.
I am reading a chapter a night of the bible and writing down the verses in that chapter I want to memorize on index cards. Then I am working on memorizing them and the reference, something I have always wanted to do. For some reason, I started with Galatians. I have read all 6 chapters and chose 4 verses to memorize that spoke to my heart. I have them memorized and am excited to move to Ephesians.
I am also getting up earlier and beginning with the Lord.
happy birthday, leslie! what a sweet birthday gift to give to yourself 🙂 <3
Happy Birthday!!
Happy Birthday!! May God show you truth through His word!!
Happy birthday!!!!
Happy Birthday!!
Hi ladies– I just wanted to say I have enjoyed reading all of your post. I would love to reply to so many of them but time has not permitted so I thought I would just put in a new note. It has been really nice to share the day with you. I guess I should have mentioned before that this is my 2nd time to do this study– kinda, I came in on the last study at chapter 7– so had to rush through to get caught up. So it will be nice to do this again but as the way it was intended.
Renee, this is wonderful of you to take so much time from your already busy schedule to interact and lead this study the way you do.
When I got home from work I checked a couple links I subscribe to on facebook. I am often amazed by how God uses the different links with verses and inspiration are exactly what I need at that moment or totally line up with my day.
One of them is called “God wants You to Know” this was my post for today…..
Diane, we believe God wants you to know … that worry often gives a small thing a big shadow. Worrying, you get stuck going over the same things over and over again without making any progress. Instead, spend some time with nature to calm your mind and feed your soul.
Doesn’t this go with what we’ve read in chapter 1?
Now that’s confirmation!!
The sentence that most spoke to me was when you said you sensed God’s whisper saying “You can only see the shadow because you have turned away from the light. –Turn back toward the light.” Wow. That speaks so much to what I’m trying to do right now- turn toward the light!
I’m planning on giving up some social media/TV time to make more time for this study. I’m also committing to going to bed earlier/getting up earlier, so I can still stick to my Bible reading schedule.
Several things in chapter one really spoke to me. The first thing is that doubt keeps us from believing things can get better. Doubt convinces us that it’s not worth the effort. The enemy uses doubt to keep us from trusting that God can do things beyond our imagination and that through him we can do awesome things. I feel sometimes that I am not worth anything because all I am is a mom and housewife and I don’t really do anything amazing. But I don’t have to be an actress or a millionaire to be amazing. I am an amazing woman
Being a mom and a wife is amazing! They are the primary roles God has entrusted us with.
I relate to “Doubt convinces us that it’s not worth the effort” as well. Sometimes it does feel that way! I’m looking forward to gaining some insight to overcome those doubts.
heather, as rebekah said…being a momand a wife is amazing! and hard work, too! but oh-so-important as you can lead your children to Jesus and to the Father, and prepare them for lives worthy of the Kingdom! you are an amazing woman! <3
Heather, I’ll add you to my list of Mamas on here who have mentioned struggling with doubt in relation to our roles as wife and mother… I keep it on my fridge so I can pray for us all as I make meals. Being a mother is a ministry in itself!
Wow! I think I have highlighted most of chapter one! If I had to pick one thing I would say God really spoke to me in the way Renee prayed the prayer promise at the end. I love how much confidence it gives me just reading it aloud. My favorite lines are, “take me beyond believing in You to truly believing You”. And ” I will not throw away my confidence, because You say it will be richly rewarded”. I marked that verse in Hebrews in my Bible! I feel the greatness of what God is going to teach me through this study and I am so excited!
I am giving up eating lunch with my friends. I teach kindergarten and lunchtime is my only time of the day where I get adult conversation. I love my amazing co-workers and cherish their godly friendships. But, I am going to go on lunch dates during this study with my Heavenly Father who thinks I am truly amazing!!!
I thought I should say thank you Renee for writing this book. It couldn’t have come at a better, or more needed time in my life! To all of the ladies here, I will be praying for us as a group, and that the Lord will meet all of our needs 🙂 I changed my name up a little here when I remembered its meaning, so sorry about the confusion there 😛 I was just Kyrie before, but it didn’t seem appropriate. Kyrie Eleison means, Lord have mercy, and it fits what I need right now in my Christian life. As I said, I don’t like to use my actual name, as I would be afraid to open my heart like I am. I have been hurt by others too many times…
I became aware of this study halfway through the first series that you did online and was so excited when I saw that you were beginning it new in April. Then, praise God, I bought the book on sale and downloaded to my kindle. I have been so anxious to read it and rightly so. I of all people need a more confident heart! I so enjoyed the first. This is my favorite paragraph from ch. 1
” 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. Some days I do better than others, and you will too. But I’ve found that when I choose to dwell in the assurance of Whose I am and who I am in Him, I have a confident heart.”
My goal is to be able to make this statement from my heart and mean it with all of my heart very soon.
Thanks Renee!
Swope, Renee (2011-08-01). Confident Heart, A (pp. 23-24). Baker Book Group. Kindle Edition.
I will be giving up media time and getting up early. I thank you for the post on facebook that says life does not have to be perfect to be wonderful. I was just asking God how can I live and enjoy my life when things are not going well. and he gave me my answer I can live and enjoy my life because his word says that the joy of the LORD is my strength so I don’t have to wait for things to be perfect when I look to him to give me the strength I need to live each day.
Amen, thank you for sharing. I too will be writing this down to read several times a day, for it is TRUE, because of His word, the joy of the Lord is to be my strength each day. God Bless
first of all, i thank our God for choosing to work within you in the writing of this book/study “to will and to do of His good pleasure” (as it says in philippians, chapter 2). and i thank you, renee, for being His willing servant. i pray that He will provide all that you and your family & loved ones need daily as you spend your time so freely with us.
one paragraph that resonated in my heart is, “these are the voices of insecurity that cast shadows of doubt over our perspective and keep us from becoming the women we want to be—the women God created us 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.” it truly is only the truth recorded in the Scriptures that can fully change my heart. and that is all that i want…quite obviously the various other methods and avenues of change that i have tried have not brought about the freedom that our Lord came to make available. so, i pray–knowing that as i desire what God has promised–to become the woman that God has created me to be.
and, like sooooo many of you sweet ladies, i will also be redeeming time during my day and setting it apart for this study which i believe God will use to purge and change and mold my heart.
i pray for each of us that our hearts and lives will be oh-so-very different in 10 weeks that no one will be able to deny the change in us; and that we will be able to share with them the love and compassion that our God has reached down and ministered to us with. <3
Thank you for your prayer, Colleen. I will join in that prayer with you! God is doing a new thing in all of us! 🙂
“You can only see the shadow because you have turned away from the light. Turn back toward the light.” This really stood out for me because I am always feeling overshadowed by doubt, or guilt, or just about anything negative. I am always wanting to run towards a light but always seem to lose Him. I want to be blinded by that light for life so I don’t have to back into that darkness of the shadow
I am going to be learning to shut off my phone and other electronics for atleast an hour a day in order to draw closer to him.
“Behold I am doing a new thing!” I have struggled with doubt and trust my whole life. I’ve been a Christian, loved God but not believed deep inside that he’s there for me, that he’ll come through for me. He’s shown himself faithful, but my heart has struggled. Now he’s called me to join a small group of local ladies going out to share God’s love with other ladies. I have little confidence in speaking to other ladies, but God has been there to touch lives. I need the confidence to step out and follow him, and not miss opportunities because I see my self as so inadaquite. (I’m not a speller, sorry). Anyway God is calling and he’s given me a testimony of his healing grace and power to share so that other ladies will be incouraged…I need his confidence to go forward! I’m excited about this study, it’s already impacting my life. I’m excited to be with you all and know I’m not alone in this struggle.
“perhaps my self-doubt was a sign I was in the wrong calling. I mean, if God calls you to do something, shouldn’t you feel confident about it?…” … “…here you ar with kids, doubting you have what it takes to be a good mom.”. Pg21. “God doesn’t want us stuck in a cycle of defeat or living in the shadows of doubt” pg 23 these were some comments I underlined.
I started reading this book from the library and then I decided to purchase it for myself and take the study. It’s really spoken to my heart about some things I’ve struggled with for a long time.
Tiffany, Amy A and I also struggle with doubts surrounding our roles as mothers. I will add you to the ‘Mama Prayer List’ on my fridge so I can pray for you as I prepare meals. You are not alone!
I am so excited about the study and I am hoping it will provide me with the confidence I need as I begin my faith-walk. In the last week I have been doubting if I have what it takes to be a follower of Jesus. As a new believer I am so overwhelmed with all there is I need to learn and need to know that I am paralyzed with doubt. I started so hopeful and now I have lost my confidence. So I am hoping this study will be the beginning of a new start for me. I am walking in grace.
Oh Jacqueline, please do not doubt that you have what it takes to be a follower of Jesus. All you need is the desire to love Jesus, to believe He died for your sins and that He loves you!!! Being a follower of Jesus is a life long process, I am still learning things and I have been a follower since I was a baby. It’s all about Him leading you to where He wants you to go. don’t be so hard on yourself. So glad you are here and that you have chosen Jesus. Welcome and know that I will be praying for your throughout the study.
Jacqueline, that’s the beautiful thing about Christ. NONE of us has what it takes (Romans 3:23, Isaiah 53:6), and that is why Christ came to earth- so that His death and resurrection could cover our shortfalls, our sin, our lacking. Jesus says we need to become like children to enter the kingdom of Heaven, He doesn’t say that we need to understand every concept in the Bible to qualify. He loves you where you are, in this moment, and promises that He will never leave you (Hebrews 13:5). You are covered by His love and grace. Welcome to the FAMILY of God- the angels in heaven rejoice over you!
hi, Everyone, Renee, i’m so excited about this study! I thank God for using you to help so many women! I thank you Renee for sharing your heart. I was in the last sesion, but joined very late, so I worked at my own pace at the archives, I even posted some comments, but I did join late, so, I didn’t get any responses. Renee, I too, check my e-mail a lot through the day. I want to see if this study will challenge me to quit the habbit of checking e-mail so much. I said in one of my last posts in the last section, that God is really using this study to challenge me to spend time with him. I do love TV a couple of hours before bed to unwind. I have my prayer time. in the last session, i really worked on getting up early to spend time with God, reading the word, praying, and reading great devotionals. I want to tell you all something amazing about myself. i’m totally blind and have an amazing computer with a speech program, I need to use key stroke commands to read a line at a time and so on and there are short cut key stroke commands. I can do everything almost that a person with a regular computer can do. The speech program reads what’s on the screnn, but I have to know the right key stroke commands. I go on the internet. There are a couple of limitations, the speech program reads word documents and not p.d.f. files, so, I can’t download the book, what helps me is a lot of people that post read some pages in some chapters and I find that helps. I get the e-mails. i’m able to read the block. I’m able to listen to videos no problem. I’m able to post comments and read comments. i would love to be able to download the book so I can read it for myself and participate in the assignments, but I do feel that I’m participating a lot, but I would love to be able to download the book, I pray for it to be in a format that I am able to download, if anyone has any ideas, please let me know. also, I was reading some comments, I didn’t get through all of them, I wanted to post a coment here before the end of the day. Like a lot of people, i am a people pleaser and have started praying for help to not be a people pleaser. I have negative people in my life and it’s hard to be around that. I pray that God will use me to encourage people, and i did notice this afternoon, things were getting better. I had such a peaceful phone conversation with my mother, she is usually not at peace with herself, and it shows in her voice and it’s hard to deal with. i’m very busy. I’m in my church choir. I’m doing a lot of things, and usually my mother is not interested especially when I talk about how I’m doing with the choir, now this afternoon, she was talking about her hobby on renorvating, she is thinking of making it more than a hobby! I’m saying thank you God! He is using me to inspire her! she is always so negative and unpeaceful, and it’s just really hard. I also to, worry a lot and feel guilty about not trusting God and I figure out things on my own and then, stress myself out, instead of trusting God. sorry, to go on so much in my first post. I’m just so excited about this study and sharing with everyone, and hearing everyone share. Thank you Renee!
The two verses that stayed with me and made an impact on me were, “But I have found that when I choose to dwell in the assurance of Whose I am and who I am in Him, I have a confident heart”, and “Yet, doubt and hope cannot live in our hearts at the same time.”
I can honestly say that as much as I’ve always wanted to believe that the positive verses presented were for me, I have always had doubt overcome any feeling that they could be. Somehow I have come to believe that my walk with Him is not good enough, and until it is, none of his promises will be for me. Those promises are for the missionaries, those who never fail to read their Bibles, and have memorized lots of verses, the leaders in women’s group, the list goes on. Not me, who has a hard time disciplining herself to daily read her Bible, who misses church days, doesn’t go to the women’s Bible studies, etc. I am working towards being closer to God, and honestly I feel close to Him, but at the same time not good enough. Does that make sense?
I want so much for the dizzying “what if” thoughts, “no that’s not for me”, and “I could never do that” thoughts to stop. I am paralyzed by fear, and have lost my self-esteem. I am not looking for pity when I say this, please know that. I am only being honest, so that I can perhaps overcome all of this, and maybe to help someone else who feels the same way. I want to be so confident in God I become that little light that I sung about in Sunday school as a child. I want to feel confident in the Lord, so that I can feel His confidence run through me, taking away the poor self-esteem and fear (although I know there will still be those times from time to time. I just don’t want them to define me.). I want to live the life these promises tell me He wants for me. I am just so tired… Please pray for strength for me to do this, and that through Christ I will be changed into the woman he meant me to be. Thanks! Nice to be here, and meet you all through your posts by the way 🙂
Kyrie, I feel so close and relate to you so much!! I read this book as soon as I downloaded it and I could feel a differenve inside myself but still felt so much lacking and that I was still falling so short. I have to keep telling myself that I do not have to and can not EARN God’s love!! That His love is unconditional!! But it is still so hard to believe a lot of the time, especially when I have just heard negative remarks from someone that is suppose to be close to me. And sometimes it is so easy to look at other people and feel that they do not go through any of the same feelings as I do but you have made me see that I am not alone with some of these problems! Thank you so very much. It helps me feel like the changes are going to be made as I keep putting God first and keep trying to live for Him and believe Him!!
Thanks again!!
I am adding a note here because on my 1st post I didn’t add what i would give up to spend more time with God. I had to step away an think. Since my kindle ( and book) are on my pc, I had or will have to arrange how I spend my time on line. I want to use my pc as a tool that gets me closer to God not kill time til something better comes along. When i wake up like many of you I start up my pc and check email and surf the web as I wake up. I could instead pour my coffee and log on to my kindle and read the chapters and answer the questions. If on line surfing is too tempting I can unplug the internet cord until I am done. I am also going to limit t.v time and fill those times when I turn to you tube to choosing to spend that time with God and seeking his Words instead of a You tube Video. ( 1st installment this evening) I may just make a list of times I watch you tube ( not that its bad) and schedule time with God instead. I see God getting a lot more of my time.
I am excited to do this study. I am new to Bible Studies so I am learning as I go. I did read Made to Crave and currently I am in Bible Study Fellowship so I am taking a lot in and learning new things. I was one of the lucky few that was able to get the book Free on Kindle. I am SO HAPPY I did.
What stuck with me in chapter 1 was:
“Question that get replayed over and over in my head”….I tend to do that a lot too
“This was not the first time I’d struggled with self-doubt”
“Although you’ve been miserable, at least the misery is familiar where you are now”
“Things will never change”
“Maybe, like me, you have wondered why you struggle with self-doubt”
You GO Girl! I love seeing your vigor for consuming God’s Word!!
This is 2nd time I’ve done this study. I wanted to do it again because it was hard for me to keep up with all the posting, reading, highlighting that help so much. (Adult ADD). I always wondered how some Christians can be so confident in Christ…some didn’t care at all….I was stuck somewhere in the middle. I thought it must be something you are born with…or done by Osmosis (God just gave you that quality). Now I know it is something like a learned quality. Being confidence in Christ is a learning process (and practicing) just like how you have grown from first becoming a Christian until now.
The Shadow of My Doubts, I have a choice daily, choose to see the shadow or light. “I will turn back toward the light.” Confidence will come when we ask Him for what is already part of His will. God’s will be done! “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” 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 as our faith grows and we are transformed from the inside out! Thanks for all you do.
I’m so excited to get another chance to do this together online. I started at the beginning of the year but it was during the last month before I led a big women’s retreat. I had to put the book down after ch 2 at that time because I found conflict between preparing what God had been leading me in for over a year and what I was reading about love in the book. I didn’t want to allow the enemy to use what God meant for good to be a distraction to the work He would have me do so I set the book down for a month. I started it back up with a couple of ladies from the women’s conf I led and we’ve been enjoying it and challenged by it a ton! I can’t wait to join in here this time around.
I will be giving up my veg time I surf fb & email & twitter & things to make the time for this study.
The sentences that stuck out for me in ch 1 are:
“See, I am doing a new thing!”
“Over the past few years, I’ve found lasting confidence by living daily in the security of God’s promises. 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 feeling tell me.”
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who had been called according to his purpose” Rom 8:28
I read this book on an e-reader then purchased the hard copy (and read it again) as I knew I wanted to share it. Now in reading it again, I find the sentence that has touched me most is “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.” It is that reminder and assurance that I am His that gives me a confident heart.
I spend much time in preparation for several Bible studies but find that I do not always devote the necessary time to just sitting at His feet to feel His presence and to hear words He may or may not speak; therefore, I will sit with just Him as I have coffee time during devotions – with my mind only with Him.
Renee, thank you for listening to Him and following His directions for your life as your life is richly encouraging many as you continue to walk with Him.
You all of my Sisters feel His love deep in your heart and smile at His blessings.
Dear Renee,
I truly identified with your past self doubts since I have struggled with them too. I am an in a transitioning state in my life where everything is shifting, so this study will be a great help to encourage me and restore my confidence in HIM. I do know all I have been gifted with, but I just need to embrace and receive my security from HIm. My book has not arrived, so thank you for link to chapter one. I ordered at Amazon; if ordered is
not received before week 2, do you still have chapter 2 for us “late starters” to read? Thank you, Giselle from Miami