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:
______________________________________
(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.
***
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.
Discover more from Renee Swope
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Renee, God amazes me with his goodness and timing. Your book and timing is SO on target. You have no idea! I have tried to start a ladies encouragement ministry group for several years now and for whatever reason the doors kept closing and I thought I had failed. Without going into all the details I no longer believe that and believe it’s all about God’s timing. Man or woman may get in the way, but God always has the last word. Your book has helped me to see that.
A couple ladies leading Women’s Ministry at my church approached me to start up the encouragement group. I kept saying no. I would just say, “I’ll pray about it.” My flesh was saying no. I kept saying, I don’t feel it….I can’t do this. What if the anointing is not there? I can’t do this without the Lord’s anointing. I’m not smart enough! I’ve got this Senior thing called ‘short term memory loss’. Ha…not funny, but funny…ha! What if I start this ministry and I can’t do it? If I start this and quit, I’ll be letting all those ladies down? What if I don’t connect with the ladies? Fear…fear and should I say doubt…doubt. Somewhere around 4-7 weeks ago, I went to my pastor’s wife and told her to pray for me because I just don’t feel it. I know it’s not all about a feeling, but I didn’t feel the passion I once had. We talked about how I may have walls up from past hurts and pain. I told her I don’t want to have to stand before God one day and hear him ask, “why didn’t you do what I called you to do?” I continually kept questioning myself and I kept thinking in my mind, “I can’t do this!”
As I began reading the 1st Chapter I couldn’t believe what I was reading! The very EXACT fear and doubt whispers you were dealing with in that big shadow was me.. … right down to the very last whisper! Wow…I’ve been living in that BIG shadow!
Renee, I had so many, what ifs? Then while praying about it and seeking the Lord, I finally told the ladies, yes. But Renee, deep down inside I still had this fear. I was taking a big leap of faith in believing God will equip me. I kept thinking, “oh God, you better be with me or this is going to be a disaster!”
Then just a few weeks ago, I began researching and I came across your website and this book! God is sooooo good to me! I can do NOTHING without Him! When I began reading it I couldn’t believe it! This is me!!! Same exact fears and whispers! Without a shadow of doubt, I KNOW God placed you and this book before me for such a time as this! His timing is amazing!
Thank you, thank you! I’m looking forward to the rest of this study. :o)
The sentence from chapter one which most resonates with me 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” (p. 24). God used this particular lesson in another Bible study about 6 years ago, and it has transformed my relationship with Him. My past tells me I am worthless, damaged, stupid, unwanted, wickedly rebellious, mentally insane, and flat out dangerous to my children (not to mention some slang identifiers that are no longer part of my vocabulary). But God is bigger than my past, and His Word tells me that I am blessed, chosen, adopted, accepted, redeemed, and forgiven in Christ’s love (Ephesians 1:2-7).
To participate in this study, I will be sacrificing my social networking time. In spite of the above, there are still many days where I spend far too much time online trying to ensure that others have the same opinion of me as God does. But as a student completing my degree in college, I will need to axe much of my social networking time to truly engage in this study.
To the lady who spoke of checking her emails and fb before time with the Lord — I can see this as a positive as this is where I learn of things, person, situations that need prayer. Therefore during my quiet time with the Lord, I can share with Him their needs. The problem would be if you checked them and never spent time with the Lord. My fb friends provide me with such encouragement, scriptures, and testimony that sometimes just reading them is worship time as we see God’s faithfulness, love, mercy and grace.
What caught my attention right away was the first seven words of Hebrews 10:35-36: “So do not throw away your confidence.” Seven represents perfection and these words are perfection for me to remember. I like to play tennis with a group of fun and feisty women. If I miss a few weeks of matches, my footwork is the first thing to go and I am off balance. This is the same in my spiritual life. If I miss out on my quiet time with God, then my footwork off the court vanishes and I am off balance in every area of my life.
What might I cut back on to make time for Him and me during these next several weeks? I am going to cut back on the amount of time I spend rethinking/overthinking/and second guessing what I do and the decisions I make.
I am really excited about this class, Renee, your book is wonderful!
Helen 🙂
I am so excited to do this bible study. I have stopped doing the womwns bible studies at my church becasue I feel so inadequate. I feel like I mightnot be wrighting neat enough. That I might spell a word wrong or just plain not good enough. When I read about this study I knew it was for me. This is my chance to grow in my faith, grow in confidence and just cry out for GOD to help me. I have had a very difficult year so far and really need some direction. I need that Christ focus! Thank you so much for allowing me to be part of your group.
Blessings,
Julie
“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.” As a relatively new stay-at-home mom, I can totally related to self-doubt on a daily basis. Every day, I struggle with feeling inadequate and that I haven’t gotten enough done or crossed off enough of my to-do list. I found that my need to get things done was causing me to sacrifice valuable time with my children. I am hoping, through this study, to find some sort of balance to my day so that I can be confident as a wife and mom.
Amy, I am right there with you. I am a stay-at-home mom as well, and struggle with that ‘balance.’ If I have a day when I feel accomplished as a house keeper, I inevitably feel like a lousy mother because of the time it took. And vice versa- if I spend a lot of time with my kids, I feel like a bad wife because my house is not a haven for my husband when he gets home. Such a HUGE area of self-doubt for me! I’m encouraged to see I’m not alone, and I hope you are encouraged to know that you are not alone.
I want to add- I wrote your name up on my refrigerator so that I see it and can pray for you as I make meals. I also would encourage you to look and see if there is a MOPS group near you (assuming your children are younger) to find encouragement from other Mamas in your area!
One of the things that stood out for me is the reminder that “doubt and hope cannot live in our hearts at the same time”. That is so true! I confess, I’ve probably become more doubtful in my life than even I can stand, so as I came across this part in the chapter I “chose” to be hopeful and at that very moment noticed a change. It reminds me that some days it’s a choice and through prayer and reading the Word, it will become less of a choice and more of a lifestyle/GIFT from Him! I’m so EXCITED!
Yes! So often I think we women feel that the doubt controls us, or takes over us and we are passive victims. Yet there is a choice involved to let the doubt take hold. I missed that the first time through this chapter, but the emphasis on daily choice jumped out at me today!
I have just been in one of the best seasons of my life – spending quality time with God and really feeling led by Him and finding joy in service and starting to take step out of my comfort zone until 6 weeks ago someone in authority, who does not know me, unjustly criticized my ministry efforts and I have not been the same since. Other peoples opinions of me seem to carry more weight than what I am receiving from God and self-doubt sets in. I feel like I am just going through the motions. I am praying that this study will help me to keep my focus on what God thinks and break the cycle of perfection and approval addiction. Renee said something in chapter one that I believe is true and gives me hope…”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 what I need to chose, but I hear Satan loudly whispering messages of doubt. I am looking forward to reading more of the book and learning from all of your comments – thank you for sharing your journey.
I hear you Cathy. One word of criticism and I lose focus. I like the line a little before the one you chose, “living like His words are true no matter what my feelings tell me.” It’s learning to reject the feelings and negative thoughts. Realizing they are from Satan and I don’t have to own them.
Right away in the beginning of Chapter 1 I loved the simple, yet profound sentence of: “You can only see the shadow because you have turned away from the light.” Reading that whole first part of the book made me realize that I’m not CRAZY!!! I’m a woman who struggles with self-assurance and confidence. Reading your same feelings struggles makes me feel less alone. I’m only only chapter 2 and this book has already helped me immensely!!!!
As I read I was really struck by how God is really working on this my heart and journey with Him. I am not resting in or relying on God’s loving promises. I think I have doubted in His love because of my self-doubt and self-sabotage. “God declares with confidence that things can change!” praise be to God the author and creator, who isn’t finished with me, but is seeking to make me more and more like Christ;) I plan to cut back on TV and fb-ing, which is an all day event for me. I am so thirsty for others’ approval…and fb really feeds that in me. I need to fill up on God’s promises and loving approval that will ease my drought.
Looking forward to new growth and a deeper faith…
Shawna
I am by no means a speaker, but I truly believe that we all have things to share and sometimes we stay quiet when what God wants us to share is just what someone else may need to hear. If I am asked to share, I pray about it, and if I feel God lays something on my heart to share, then I feel I am saying no to Him if I decline. BUT the closer it gets to the time to share, no matter how much I have prayed and asked God to give me the words, I still doubt and say “I can’t do this” or “who am I to think I have something to say” and then I remember that the thing I want to share is something the Lord gave me strength to get through. One thing that spoke to me from Chapter 1 is “You can only see the shadow because you have turned away from the light. Turn back toward the light.” When I turn to the shadow of doubt and away from the light (Jesus), then Satan is in the darkness feeding more lies. I have to keep my focus on Jesus and stay in the Word. I lack so much confidence in so many areas, but I want to gain confidence throught His promises. I am excited about this study!
I’m right there with ya on the “praying for the words.” So glad you are here!
It never ceases to amaze me how God works in my life! I had purchased your book on your website before it was available, (I actually have an autographed copy!!) but had yet to read it or follow along the first time around. I have always struggled with self confidence but it seems that certain times are worse than others. Yesterday was one of those times. For no reason worth noting, I was assaulted by all of these negative feelings. Last night, I dug out your book. I was reading it on my lunch hour today and just as I had finished the first chapter, I received your email! God has perfect timing! I look forward to reading this book along with so many others and hearing their stories. It’s so nice to know I am not alone in these feelings.
This is just what I needed. I have been struggling with doubt. Not all self-doubt, but doubt in what God can do with my marriage and my family. I want so bad to see a change and I know that God is working in me and I will learn to trust that He will erase the doubt as I trust in His promises. I will be dwelling on the promises of God and holding on to the truths and getting them to influence my day. Thanks
Sarah, I also have been struggling with doubt regarding whether my marriage will ever get to where “I” want it to be. Of course, I have been convicted that it needs to be what God wants it to be first and foremost. Yet how amazing it is that God’s promises give hope to those with self-doubt, hope to those with doubts regarding situations changing, or people changing. His promises are not limited by our situation and are all-encompassing. How amazing!
“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’ve known for a long time that I was the reason that I wasn’t making real progress in my spiritual growth. I just didn’t really understand what was blocking me. While I am sure there may be multiple things I need to work on to move forward in my walk, this so resonated with me today. Ironically my best friend brought up something from my past this weekend that I had no desire to ever recall. The self-doubt hit me like a ton of bricks and my weekend was ruined with all of my bad decisions and actions in high school invading my every thought. I signed up for this study not really knowing what it was about but Satan sure did. I realize now he was on full alert and wanted me to crumble and not even start this study. Every word of this chapter spoke to me and was eye opening. I can’t wait to see what God does for all of us over these next weeks. Thank you Renee for following God’s purpose and blessing us with this.
This chapter starts out with “Don’t throw away your confidence”. I started the book when I got the free version, and have been wondering how to get back the confidence that I haven’t had in years. Today, rereading this chapter, and then skimming through my highlighted parts, I see this: “THIS is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” (1 John 5:14) I may have lost confidence in myself, but I have confidence in Christ!
I read the book when it first came out…before the initial study. It was awesome and helped me alot. I fully intended to do the study with everyone; then, holidays etc. got in the way and I never did that study. Since that time, each study offer has touched my heart and I have intended to take it…but have not done it once. My good intentions have been sideswiped each time.
Now I have tons of time and for some reason unknown to me, I have lost all interest in taking the study. I can’t seem to get myself up and motivated.
I see only one reason for this, and we all know who he is.
I am asking for prayer please. I need prayer so that I can pick myself up and get reading. I initially bought the book on my ereader so I have the ability to read it anywhere I go….and I have appointments this week…many of them. Three for my truck and three for me. Tons of time to read while I sit in waiting areas.
Please pray for me.
Thank you.
I will pray for you Judi. I always have good intentions as well and then sometimes never get started or make it through a study. And you are right about who steals our joy and takes our minds off the things of Christ. I don’t want to give him any credit….but he will make us feel defeated and that we won’t make it though this study. But I am praying for you and myself that we will do it!!! With Christ all things are possible!
Robin, thank you for your prayers. I very much appreciate them. I will pray for you as well.
I did bring up my book on my ereader last night and I have a pen along with a sheet of paper for comments or questions I might want to jot down while in waiting rooms this week. Your prayers are working! :0)
Praise the Lord! I will keep praying. Also praying for your truck and for the appointments for yourself & the reasons you are in waiting rooms! Hang in there and be strong! I have your name written in my notebook and I will be praying for you!
I will pray for you, Robin, and us all that we are able to stay focused on the Lord and that we are kept from distractions.
Wow! I can feel God tugging at me even just as we are starting. I can also feel doubt tugging too. 🙁
Some of the sentence that resonate with me are… “Shouldn’t self -assurance be part of God’ equiping?” I know this is satan trying to turn my heart from God. Why should I doubt what God is saying/ asking of me yet I do.
Also the two situations described in the book ring true for me. I have always wanted to be a mother and now that it has finally happened I doubt my abilities to take care of this child. And now I doubt myself that I can take care of a second child even though I want another baby so bad.
And the job situation is true as well. I was miserable in my job but I knew the commute, the routine, etc. I was scared of the change. But I am so glad that my husband finally pushed me just to put my resume out there because now 2 jobs & 7 years later, I am happy and I really enjoy my current job.
I am doing this study because I feel paralyzed in big situations but also every day decisions. My husband tells me over & over, you just can’t make a decision. You are stuck. This goes for everything, what to have for dinner, what to wear, how to organize my house. I can’t even tweak a recipe for fear that it will fail. 🙂
I plan to “give up” reading secular books and devote my personal reading time to this book & the study.
I cannot make decisions either! Including what to have for dinner, what to wear, how to organize or decorate my house! I doubt every decision I do make and I ask everyone’s opinions which of course when you do that, you will get a different opinion from each person and then I am more confused! I think I need to pray and really listen to God’s answers. Sometimes I pray but don’t take time to listen. I pray we both grow in confidence throught this study!
The sentence that resonates with me is God whispering to your heart: You can only see the shadow because you have turned away from the light. Turn back towards the light. So many times I feel this is the truth in my life and what is going wrong is I have stepped out of the light and begin to believe the lies again. I thank you so much for writing this book, I feel you know me personally and are telling my story too. Thanks for your faithfulness I am so excited to see what God does in my heart and life! I will spend less time mindlessly sitting at this computer on facebook , or watching TV and dig into what God has for me, I know he has great plans for my life and I am ready to chase after what he wants for me and let him lead me and truly be Lord of my life!!! I want to live with a confident heart I am tired of feeling like I am not enough and always doubting that I don’t have what it takes!!
I am so excited to be starting this study. I received the book free on Kindle, and thank you so much for it. It came to me at exactly the time I needed it most, and feel like it is a gift from God. As I was reading the first and second chapters, I cried so much. I felt that Jesus was telling me that he sent this message to me because I was at a place where I was ashamed to seek Him as much because I wasn’t being obedient. This book is reminding me how much He loves us and wants us to be a new creation in Him, ridding us of the self-doubt that we receive by believing what the world tells us. I choose to believe in His promises, which are true.
The part of Chapter 1 that spoke loudly to me was: “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.”
Also, “When I choose to dwell in the assurance of Whose I am and who I am in Him, I have a confident heart.”
When I remember that we are His and that He loves us and has a good plan for our lives, it helps me to let go of what the world tells me and really soak in the truth of His Word. It helps me to believe His promises and feel His love for me.
I love the Scripture Jeremiah 17:7 from the chapter, but read on to 17:8 as well, which really spoke to my heart:
“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7-8
God bless!
Kim, I also loved Jeremiah 17:7-8. YOU HAVE TO CHECK OUT Proverbs 31 Ministries’ website where it has “freebies.” It has a BEAUTIFUL picture of a stream with the verse Jeremiah 17:7-8 that you can save as on your computer as your desktop background. I read this over and over at work to remind me of His truth. Since you liked that verse I know you’ll like the picture! Thanks Proverbs 31 Ministries for your beautiful desktop background freebies!
I am very thankful to doing through this study! I know that I am not the only one that worries too much or compares what I think, do, or look like with others. Those are the big things for myself. I am having a hard time know who I am and what I am going to be for the rest of my life. I have a hard time just giving it all to God and letting Him take care of things and to show me the way on His terms and perfect timing. I want to be able to put Him first before anything else. I would like what I do for a living to glorify Him! So I will praise the Lord knowing that I am not alone in my journey! God Bless everyone!
Michelle, I too have had some of the same experiences as you. I desire each day to be pleasing to the Lord, to witness to others with my words and actions. I do fall short on days, but I then I pray to Lord, acknowledge my short comings and ask for help in the days to come. It is very hard not to compare, not worry and not to think about others think about a situation, but it is the Lords desire for us to be confident and to have peace with each day of our lives. I have experience many different difficulties in my life and the hardest thing for me to accomplish was to forgive myself when I made a mistake. Giving everything to God is also hard because we are ladies, mothers, wives, daughters and friends to so many, we feel that we should be able to take care of everything, but we must all remember the without the Lord we have nothing and would be nothing, All the glory and praise is to the Lord. I will pray that is study will touch you deep in your heart and that with sharing with other Christian women of the Lord, you will find what you need to fully give everything to the Lord and that confidence strengthens in all that you do. God Bless