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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This is a great study. I haven’t received my book I ordered yet so I went on Amazon and got the Kindle edition so I could get started. I like the sentence that says you can only see the shadow when you have turned away from the light. It’s like Peter taking HIs eyes off of Jesus who is the light. Looking forward to becoming a woman with a confident heart.
us, too, stephanie! <3
I am so excited for this study! Due to the very odd schedule I keep at work, I am unable to join in with my Ladies’ Bible Study at church. I was blessed knowing just how many other people are joining this online journey together. It doesn’t matter that I can’t see you…your words are amazing!
TRUST & HOPE are two words weighing on my heart lately. So this paragraph was impactful. “These are the voices of insecurity that cast shadows of doubt over our perspective and keep up 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.”
I hear God calling me closer to Him but something is holding me back. Satan knows Christ can make a living difference in me and those around me. He’s trying to weave his way into my thoughts. It’s been a consuming thing these past few weeks. Thinking about all the negative and things that could go wrong. I’m tired of it. This study has come at just the right time.
Granted, my work schedule is gearing up these next few weeks. But I’m wanting to use the odd breaks in my day to work through this study and encounter God in a whole new way!
Oh…I absolutely love this statement: “…we can be confident we are praying God’s will when we pray God’s Word!”
Missi, We are so excited that you’re joining us for this study! God wants to free you from those “negative and what if” thoughts. I believe we can all find hope and joy as we keep our hearts focused on Jesus and turned away from the shadows of doubt.
Thanks for the encouragement Leah! Have a blessed day 🙂
I’ve been reading your comments this morning and love the way y’all are encouraging one another. It’s so wonderful to see Jesus’ girls supporting each other!!
I enjoyed this chapter a lot. One thing that really stood out to me right away was on p. 22 when Renee wrote, “You can only see the shadow because you have turned away from the light.” That is SO true! When we turn our focus off away from God, that is when we are most susceptibleto attacks and hearing those voices of insecurity.
I enjoyed the scripture passages for this chapter as well, especially Jeremiah 17:7. I actually read Jeremiah 17:5-10 and that is a very powerful passage! God knows our hearts and the true us. We can put up fronts for other people and pretend like things are just great, but God truly knows all and sees all. Yet, I know that there are times that I try to put up a front with God – silly me! It is time to get real and time to let Him truly take the lead and use me as He wants.
I also really appreciated the prayer at the end of the chapter. I think I am going to type it up and put it by the door of my bedroom so I can see and pray it daily. Thanks, Renee!
Shari,
I love your idea of posting the prayer on your bedroom door so that you can be reminded of God’s promises every morning before you start your day! Great idea 🙂
I am so thankful for this study. I purchased the book when it first came out and started reading it, but stopped and went on to another study. I believe this is the time God wants me to get out of the shadows of doubting my self-worth and my worth to Him. I have lived in that big nine foot shadow all my life, never feeling good enough to be worthy of anything, much less God’s love. He is bringing me through a journey that I’ve been on for the last couple of years with family problems, unemployment, battling my life-long weight issues, and now cancer. But I know He is in control and this is the time He wanted me to do this study. I pray that I will be able to have that confident heart that I desire and that I can believe Him, not just believe in Him. So many memories from 50+ years ago came rushing back when I read your fears of being left at the carousel or in the lake skiing. I am so thankful for you Renee and for the work God IS going to do in me and other women in this study. I am going to give up mindless time on the computer in my sewing forums and replace it with something that will give me eternal peace. Time with Lord. I want to be a woman who lives it and truly believes in my heart that I am worth God’s love. Thank you again.
Angie, We are praying for you, sweet Sister! Asking Jesus to be your Almighty Healer and to remove the cancer from your body. Oh, that He would be your Comforter when your heart is heavy and your body feels weak. Thank you for doing this study with us. We love that you’re joining us and choosing to walk in the confidence of God’s promises!
thank you so much. The prayers of Godly women has so much worth, much more than anything on this earth.
I will be praying for you. I am so glad you are here and doing this study.
thankful for your commitment to see this through, angie! also praying for you and for God to bless you and heal you. <3
thank you Veronica.
coleen – thank you so much for the prayers. God bless each woman who is taking the steps to get her confidence in Him.
MY biggest take away for me was the sentence…”to go beyond believing IN him to believing HIM!! I know Jesus is my Lord and savior but to rest in his promises and that they actually apply to me! that is huge for me.
as for what I will give up…I will commit to this every day, I will not do anything before I do my lesson each day is my sacrifice. To not do the housework or watch tv or Facebook etc..
There were several lines that spoke to my heart. I am going through a long and difficult divorce. I struggle with anxiety attacks daily. Here are the lines that spoke to me.
The unknown is too scary. Although you have been miserable, at least the misery is familiar with where you are now.
Take me beyond believing in You to truly believing You. Those who hope in You will not be disappointed
becasue You work all things together for those who love You and are called according to Your purpose.
I will be giving up computer time to immerse myself in this study. I feel a hope in my soul that I have not felt in such a long time
Connie-
I, too, have been dealing with anxiety recently. I will be praying for you. It’s scary.
And yet I found a new hope last week in the fact that God is using this to tell me I need to trust Him more. Odd, isn’t it?!
Connie I struggle with anxiety and depression. The anxiety came first, and then the depression. I have been suffering anxiety for over 15 years, so I understand how horrible attacks can be. I am so glad this study is giving you hope. I am feeling good about this study too. I will be praying for you, please pray for me too. I could really use prayer right now…
Kyrie, Connie, & Missi, I also struggle with anxiety, panic attacks, and depression. I am like you Kyrie, my anxiety & panic attacks came first and I have been dealing with them for about 20 years and for depression about 10. I feel good about this study as well. I will be praying for you girls. I have written your names down. Please pray for me as well.
I am a stay at home Mommy and lately I have been wondering about what I am going to do or what God wants me to do or be once my kids start school. I am constantly worrying about unnecessary issues and always think the what ifs of every situation so that I am always prepared! So I have been praying to ask God to help with these questions and worries I have and His answer this online book study!! I didn’t realize it was an answer to pray until I was reading and praying about it last night. There were many lines and verses that touched me but one in particular I liked was ‘As God’s girls, we need to know and BELIEVE that change is possible!”
Amanda, I am so glad God led you here. I used to be a constant “prepared” worrier too, funny thing is, it never kept me prepared it just made me exhausted. I was so exhausted I couldn’t deal with any of the real problems I needed focus on. One Scripture that helped me each time I worried is “Cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.” I would repeat that each time I started to worry. Good luck and I will be praying for you during the study.
Thank you!
The sentences that really impact me at the beginning chapter 1 is: “My uncertainty had created a huge shadow of doubt…. my doubt was distorting my thoughts and OVERPOWERING my emotions with CONFUSION and QUESTIONS.” After twenty plus yrs of marriage and serving the Lord with all my heart, a huge shadow of doubt, confusion,relentless misery want to take over my foundation in the Lord. Its been very hard because include my husband and children, one of the most precious posession God has allow me to have. through the Word , prayer, praising and the reading of this book, I know the Good Lord will empowering me again to have more confident in myself and all the strenght I used to have before this storm.
Julia, I feel your pain. I don’t know what started this “storm” but I do know God will get you through it. You used the word storm which especially struck me, because I just put a background on my iPad that says, “Though my heart is torn I will praise You in this storm.”
“He’s lead me to beyond believing in Him to REALLY believing Him by relying on the power of His Word and living like they are true no matter what my feelings tell me.”
This one sentence spoke volumes to me. I have believed i God my whole life. I submitted to his calling when I was 15 years old, but I have never totally trusted Him.
After typing this, I have froze. Did I really just admit that? Will I actually hit post for others to read what I just wrote?
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9 So yes I guess I am!
I am doing this study as I also do Windy blight’s “Hidden Joy” study. I am amazed daily how God uses both studies to speak to me right where I am. I have been struggling to forgive a particular person for six days now. I could not figure out why I just couldn’t do it. Well, now I know. i haven’t fully trusted God to keep my heart safe from this person after I forgive them. I also have not trusted Him to heal it if or when I get hurt again. No one has ever loved me unconditionally (another concept I have been studying in the Love dare Devotion). It is a concept I have a hard time grasping. I have never been good enough to be loved, but God wants to love me anyway. I just have to receive it.
I commit to less electronics (TV/Computer) for the next few weeks to spend more time with God and learn how to accept His gift of unconditional love and learn to trust Him completely with my heart. So now in obedience, I will post this so satan no longer has a grip on my lack of trust. I TRUST YOU FATHER!
Angel, I so understand your statement that you submitted to God when you were young, but never totally trusted Him. I gave my hear to the Lord when I was a teenager, and it seemed so much easier then. But as I got older, I kept taking little pieces of things back, thinking He needs my help. My prayer is that all of us will be able to let go of the worry and realize that only God can take care of all the issues we faith. That we can’t do anything about them other than turn them over to Him. God bless you and all of the women doing this study.
Thank you so much for your encouragement.
Well, this is no easy task. As soon as I post and promise to spend more time with God, all I do today is email and facebook. I am thankful however that I have a forgiving God who loves me in spite of myself. I will take another step forward and try again.
There were several things that resonated with me from chapter 1.
1. “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 am my own worst enemy!
2. “Perhaps you are good at hiding your doubts and no one but you knows the paralyzing power they have on your life.” I have gotten very good at hiding my doubts and “appearing” quite confident. However I (& my husband) know the true devastation that doubt has caused to my heart.
3. “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.” I know this to be true and believe it for other people but there are a few areas in my life that doubt is winning every time…year after year after year.
I love God’s perfect timing! He has me here for a reason!
Heather V, your post looks very similar to my very own journal entry! Right down to “being my own worst enemy” to “my husband and I both know…” and believing that it all sounds good for others but trying to work it in to reality in my day to day life has not been so successful.
The similarity is uncanny!
Wow…I am giving up being self-reliant. I am going to trust God to lead me to find His confident heart within me without my fleshy logic. The phrase/verse that spoke to me was Jeremiah 17:7. I now hope in the Lord instead of myself. Peace and every good ladies.
Alyssa, I struggle with this too! So much. I am my family’s breadwinner right now and everyone depends on me. As well, I depend on myself to “get the job done” wherever needed. But sometimes, I just need to let God do the work. Some of the situations God has allowed me to be in the past few years have really made me realize that He is trying to teach me to trust in Him and not in myself nor man. I think this study came at the perfect time. God bless.
I was feeling quite depressed a few weeks ago and came across this book and read it in a week and it really encouraged me and actually helped me pull me out if it (beginning stages of depression). Now I’m really excited about doing a more in depth study and actually digging it and fully dealing with the issues that were getting me down. Thank you for providing this opportunity.
Christina, We’re celebrating with you! It’s great to hear that those feelings of depression have lifted and that you’re ready to go deeper in your study of Scripture while you continue to claim God’s promises over your life circumstances. You go girl!
I just stumbled upon your website and am so glad I did. I’m needing a new devotional book and I think I may be just in time to jump on board with this group study! From the comments, it looks like it’s a great book.
It’s an awesome book, hope you will join the study!!! It’s a life changing experience.
The verse in Hebrews is what caught my attention. Especially the part about the need for endurance, to persevere. I have been walking with God for over 40 years. I know His word, I know His promises are true, but I have days of wanting to give up the fight. I often “do the right the things”, but I am empty if I don’t fill myself with Him. So, as I continue walking with God, I want to keep walking, keep pursuing, keep believing, keep pressing on toward the Prize. I want Him to be my focus, not the everyday circumstances I find myself in. And honestly, I know my everyday circumstances are 10 times better than most.:-) God has blessed me with so much!
I’m going to give up solitary game time. Frivolous games that I play alone on the Kindle.
Shelly, I know exactly what you are describing. Some days I just get so exhausted, but I have come to realize those are the days that I am trying to do His job and my job – just b/c I want to LOL. I have learned to let go and to trust in Him, have faith in Him and see the positives instead of circumstances. I pray that you will be completely filled up by Him during this study!!! Will be praying for you.
I didn’t put what I’ll be giving up, before, but now I see it will have to be reading all these comments.
During this study I am committing to Scripture memory…the verses that really jump out and speak to my heart. Beginning with Isaiah 49:23c “Then you will know that I am the LORD, and those who hope in Me will not be disappointed.” This study is coming at the perfect time. I know it has been orchestrated by God Himself!
Love that!!!! Great thought on how to let the Scripture verses really soak in!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
The line that resonates most with me is to turn back toward the light. Every day I become caught up in the swirl of “busyness” and forget to focus on the One who loves me more than anything!
It’s so easy to do isn’t it??? I have that problem too – I have been going more to God though lately asking Him to show me exactly what He wants me to do and what can wait.
Yes – too easy! When I remember to seek Him first it’s usually, “but hurry, please!”
I have been walking with God for 13 years now and recently began to see that I don’t trust Him with my heart. I have a hard time opening myself to Him. I can let Him show me what He sees that needs worked on, but I struggle to just let Him love me. My hope in this study is that I would learn to have confidence In Him and His love for me.
LeDena, God loves you so much and He wants you to trust that His love for you is real and personal. God loves you with an everlasting love that never fades. Trust Him sweet friend and know that you are forever His!
Thank you Leah!
I truly think I have suffered from self-doubt my whole life. Because of that, I have made decisions that were not of the best quality because I was trying to please the whole. The statement that most tugged at my heart strings and soul was “when I choose to dwell in the assurance of Whose I am and who I am in Him, I have a confident heart.”. It’s all about God and my relationship….that’s all that really matters. Pleasing Him.