“Jesus did not die on the cross just to get us out of hell and into heaven.
He died on the cross to get Himself out of heaven and into us.
It’s what we were we made for. It’s why we long for glory.
The truth is, we were created to reveal glory – just not our own.
God created us in His image to reveal His glory by giving visibility to His invisible character within us. Christ in us is the hope of the glory. (Col 1:27)”
From Chapter 11, A Confident Heart
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Our Word/Phrase for the week is: Created for Glory
Download and print our word for the week in a PDF or in MSWord.
His WORD for us this week: ” I have become its )the church’s) servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Colossians 1:27, NIV)
From My Heart:
I am feeling sad and proud today!! I didn’t want to write this post because it’s our last one Word of the week for this go-round. It’s our last week together in my first online study (so I”m sad) but we did it ( so I’m proud)!!! Even if you aren’t yet reading chapter 11, I’m still proud of you because you’re here today which means you haven’t given up!!:0) Friend, let’s commit to throw off anything that hinders us this week so we can run with endurance and finish strong together — staying connected and committed to the end.
Staying Connected:
Please share your thoughts about what I shared from Chapter 11 at the top of this post. What are your thoughts us being created for glory – but just not our own. What are some other ways God is speaking to you so far in chapter 11. {If you’ve never commented before – I hope today is the day you do!!! And if you are a regular – don’t be shy please. I want to hear from all of YOU!!
{Just Click “share your thoughts” below this post and do just that. And if you are reading this via email click here to connect through the comments on my website!}
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Thank you Renee for doing this study…I was looking back at notes from where I started back in December and where I am now…I know I have made progress but I am still not where I want to be. After i shared some of my heart at a Christian Recovery group last night someone asked me if I ever just got angry at God…I was taken back by that, I am always sad or depressed over things in my life but angry? At God? I don’t think I want to go there…I do know that sadness can be anger turned inward and I am struggling with if that is my issue…I want to believe that I can trust God’s love but I guess I haven’t let myself go there…I am tired of telling my story, tired of feeling like I do…I am “dehydrated” as you put it in a CD you sent me when your husband told you that and you went to the cabin in Tennesee…I am in that place and have been and know that working with other Christian women, still raising children, and having a great Ministry are all things that you have worked hard on yourself to get. I just need purpose and to love myself and allow God’s love in…I am still working on it and doing this study has helped me so much, sometimes I just feel like I am starting all over again all the time and I am weary from it. Please don’t take this as a pity partty, that is the last thing I need anyone to feel about me, so I say very little about me, love to encourage others but Peggyby thesea is still searchign for joy and peace…Thank you for helping me on this journey called life my sweet sister…
Renee, do you really pray for us? When my mother died, one of my first thoughts was –
who will pray for me now?
So, when I read in your book and in the email that you pray for us. I was just wondering.
Lilly I am really glad you asked. Others may wonder the same.
And yes, I really do pray for you all – often. I also prayed for each of you before this study started. And I prayed for each person who would read the words God gave me to write – almost every time when I sat down to write the book. I believe in the power of prayer. I also know how hard life can be and how much prayer can help ease the burden or make the load lighter.
I have also felt the power and gift of the prayers you all have prayed as I walked us through this study and for our family as we walked through so many trials in the past two months.
I will continue to pray for you all too!! I”m asking that He who began this work in you will keep on completing it!! And that you will keep on seeking and surrendering to HIM each day so that you will know and live in the security and assurance of HIS promises no matter what!!
Thank you so very much.
Renee: Thanks very much for offering this study. I’m afraid I wasn’t very good at keeping up so I’ve signed up to start over again in April.
I have so appreciated this study and the book. They have both helped so much. Thank you for taking time to do this for and with us.
Renee,
Thank you for leading us through this study. I did not keep up as well as I thoguht I would with BSF and home activities. I look forward to being more active and completing the book during the enxt online study. I ahve registered! Blessings abound.
Thank you, Renee, for your bible study. It has blessed me tremendously. I have been a Christian for many years, but I continued to have an image of God as a task-master I could never please. Now, I am starting to see that God is patient and longs to use me to glorify His name. I know now, that I first need to get to know Him. I will be striving to do that. I also know now, that He has a plan for me. I’m going to make an effort to discover that plan and bring it to fruition. Thank you, again, for helping me get to this place of hope.
I am sad too that this is the last word of the week. I didn’t go through the book with the study but still loved the word of the week. They were so great to focus my attention on what is true and God centered. I still need to get the book, any chance you will be putting it on the nook as well as the kindle.
Thanks again for walking with us over the past many weeks… I LOVED looking at my fridge at my key word for the week, and sharing them with a friend.
Renee I really enjoyed the book study and I thank GOD for bringing you into so many women lives. This study has truly changed and opened my eyes to a new life. Look forwad to doing the study a second time around. GOD bless you..
My two most favorite paragraphs in the book!!
GLORY!! I loved your paragraph on glory: “Jesus did not die on the cross just to get us out of hell and into heaven. He died on the cross to get Himself out of heaven and into us. It’s what we were we made for. That is why we long for glory. The truth is, we were created to reveal glory – just not our own. God created us in His image to reveal His glory by giving visibility to His invisible character within us. Christ in us is the hope of the glory. (Col 1:27)
“To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” (Col. 1:27)
If the fact that Christ died to get Himself into me doesn’t give me a confident heart … not sure what will! Christ in me – what an amazing truth and promise!! What a privilege to be used by Him to reveal His glory -a broken down mess used by Him for His purposes – to bring Him honor and glory! Our number one purpose in life!! Now that’s a confidence builder!
And then your next paragraph …
“Oh, how the world needs to see, feel and experience Jesus! God wants to give us confidence in Christ that others can see, so they will want Him for themselves. It’s time that we, God’s girls, let Jesus have His way in our lives. Let’s make a promise that every time doubt casts its shadow over us, we will run back to Jesus, turn toward the light, and stand in the shadow of the cross where everything changes.”
For me, standing in the shadow of the cross is where we truly see His glory!
Ok so I am just finishing up chapter 10 and getting ready to start chapter 11 and am working through some other things that are on my heart so I thought I’d share them here with each of you. Please pray for me! This book has been so life changing. Life changing to the point that I am realizing how much I’ve just listened to satan’s lies about me for almost 8 years….just took it. Listened to him say I wasn’t worth it. Listened to him say no one wants to listen to me. Feel him time and time again shove me back down and keep me from what God was trying so hard to give me. You see women’s ministry has always been on my heart. The times of my life that were most joyful when serving God were when I was speaking into the hearts of other women. For the past 7 or 8 years I have stifled that. Become introverted and sad. When by default I am so extroverted its not even funny. It’s a long road to get out of this pit I am in, but the first step is recognizing it. The next is planting God’s truth in my heart to ignore the lies satan is continuing to plant there. There have been times when I have felt small twinges of speaking and writing for God as something he might potentially have me do but it was quickly tossed aside as my doubts and fears crept in and told me I wasn’t good enough to do that. Now that I recognize those doubts and fears for what they are….lies….and I am starting to press through them, I feel satan attacking more than ever. Trying to hold me back. It makes me so curious as I wonder what is so big that he is holding me back from. So please pray ladies…pray for the fight. Pray for the will to press on!
My most earnest prayer is in this….a few years ago I heard about the She Speaks conference through Proverbs 31 and I was so excited about it then but managed to talk myself out of it. It’s been on my heart so much lately. Affirming words have come from many, and really if I want to make it into registration should really do so probably do so soon before its sold out. Would you please boldly pray that God just sets it on my heart profoundly. Without a doubt that I would know he is asking me to go. I am pretty sure I already know what he is saying but the lies satan is trying to attack me with are so strong. Please pray that God would speak clearly even through them.
Thank you so much! It’s been a blessing to share this time with each of you and see how much we’ve all grown through this study!
Blessings,
Bridget
Bridget,
It is already obvious God has put this on your heart to go. GO! Do not let Satan win one more day! 🙂 God is bringing you out, setting the captive free…..to live the abundant life He has JUST for you his precious daughter. You are a daughter of the King!
I am very excited for you. May God continue to give you a most confident heart and heap blessings of life upon you!
Bridget : You are so right; the first step is recognition. Praise God that you’ve come this far! Now I pray that you continue to listen to God whispering in your heart. And step forward with new-found confidence!
Come and go with me!! This will be my first time!! And it’s taken a lot of pushing and pulling my friends at P31 … I’ve written one blog entry for Melissa Taylor with P31 … and I keep telling her that I am a one blog wonder and I’ve shared my testimony publically one time at a ladies retreat in front of maybe 100 women probably 15 years ago ….. so come and go with me … If I can overcome the fear of writing and speaking …. So can you .. we can become conqueorers together!!!
Thank you so much ladies! Donna I am going! I am just waiting for a response back from P31 so I can set up something for payment so I can raise the funds to go. I already had an anonymous donor give me a good chunk of what I need. I am so excited and so at peace about this decision! Cannot wait!!!
This past week has had moments, that in any other point of my life, would have seemed unbearable and rendered me immobile. But now, armed with God’s truths, I’m able to build up my son (when he came home from school crying because he was bullied because of his disability), my daughter (who is overwhelmed with a 2-year illness), my husband (when he’s rejected by his family members), or even myself (fighting exhaustion from illness and stress). I now know that, broken as I am, God loves me unconditionally and is there with me in my battle against the evil one. I have HOPE. Thank you, Renee, for opening my eyes to God’s promises. I will be joining your next Bible study, to make sure that I continue on this right track. (I’ve invited all of my sisters and sisters-in-law to join, too, and purchased your eBook for each of them…no excuses 🙂 May you have a blessed Easter season.
Renee, I have your book in my basket by my bed as a great reference in times of need. Thank YOU for opening your heart and sharing with us your life and Christian faith. You revealed His glory through this study. I pray I’ll do the same now and in the future. God bless you and your ministry.
Sarah Young’s “Jesus Calling: A 365 Day Devotional” has quoted the last part of Col.1:27 today, March 27.
“…Christ in you, the hope of glory!” How amazing is that! The word and verse you have chosen for this week Renee. I love the way God shows His truths and promises so clearly to me/us .
Wow, that is so neat!! I love Jesus Calling but haven’t read today’s post yet. God’s timing and leading is so amaZing and encouraging! Thanks for sharing that Lois!
The thoughts that we were created to reveal His Glory are awesome, but a little scary too! I think this study has really helped me. If you add to it the next time and have your husband in the video;s with you would be great. I am married, so I would really like to hear the man’s perspective as well. I haven’t started reading in Ch. 11 yet, but will definitely do that tonight! I really love this book. I even bought the Kindle version when it was on sale, so I’ll always have a copy handy! I think this is a book that I will review often. Thanks so much for writing and being willing to share all this wonderful stuff with us.
Blessings,
Thank you, Renee, for all your work in writing this book. Before I started this book, I knew I had a problem with perfectionism. But as I read the book, I realized, one, I’m not perfect and never will be; and, two, that’s okay because God is perfect. It seems such a simple concept, but one that is going from head knowledge to heart knowledge for me. My confidence is in God, and it’s in realizing my weaknesses that He is glorified in and through my life.
Thank you Renee for this study! I am so sad that we’re at the end so soon. I’ve learned so much over the past 11 weeks! I notice a difference in me and so do my co-workers, friends and family. I love that I learned how to speak with God daily–not at him, and that He is with me always. I’ve learned to trust Him and no matter what the trials are or the circumstances I am in-He stands with me-always. I’ve learned that I am perfectly imperfect and just exactly who I am because God created me to be so. I now really do understand that no matter what I’ve done in the past or mistakes I may make in the future-God loves me always. I may not know the “why” about many things such as trials I may face in the future but I do know that I will endure and persevere with God by my side. I plan on re-reading this book again and again in the years to come. Again, Thank-You Renee! May God richly bless you and your family.
Hi Renee!
I just want to thank you for listening to God and writing this book, and for sharing from your heart. When I first read about this book through Proverbs 31 Minstries, I knew it was the book for me! I have struggled with self-confidence all of my life. I have discovered amazing truths for my life and have been reminded just how much God loves each of us. My heart can be confident through and with Him. I am so excited about all that I have learned that I really encourage all of my family and friends to read it and to participate in your on-line studies. So, THANK YOU!!! Keep up all the amazing things you are doing for our Lord. God bless you!! P.S… I plan to visit your blog on a regular basis!!
Renee and all the others in our online study….
What a glorious time this has been…learning how to live in the confidence of Jesus Christ amidst our storms and trials in our lives. Renee, you have done your task of writing this book, A Confidant Woman, from your life story and we have been challenged now to go forward in that confidence. To practice it and grow it…thus squashing out our doubts and giving Jesus the victory in our lives! It is sad when a study is over, but now it is time for us to get up and do OUR parts in this journey…your part of writing and encouraging us is past. We have this book and God’s Holy Word to fall into whenever we need that nudge of encouragement when times get messy and we doubt ourselves again. We are in this journey together still and can lift one another up in prayer –even though we are not in an online study together.
I have been so encouraged and challenged throughout the entire book…Chapter 11 was such an encouragement to go forward…to stand up and make a difference to other women whose paths cross ours. Put on this confidence in Christ that we have learned about and grown into…keep it growing by remembering His words to us about being loved, chosen, unique, created for His glory, beloved,etc. Don’t let it end just because we have come to page 220…don’t sink back to who you were when you first began this study, but continue on in the grace of God as the woman that YOU have become, the woman that YOU want to keep becoming:that CONFIDENT woman of God!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bottom of page 204-top of page 205 just says it all for me: about how Renee (and God too) wants us to take all that we have learned from the study and read in Christ and to give it away to other women who need it so that we may become encouragers for them..to help them live in the promises of God’s promises, as it helps reinforce what we have learned here.
Renee, I LOVED your story about the rosebush and how in the process of splitting the roots to replant them for even more growth, that God showed you that is exactly what He wants your little church group to be doing….that is what He wants us all to be doing: spreading out our roots for others growth in Him too. Become a leader for growth and God’s glory to continue to shine in us and in others…to bring more glory to His name.
Thank you, Renee, for the writing of this book–I pray often in thanks to God for Christian authors, as I read a LOT of Christian romance novels and have gotten into reading more nonfiction Christian help books now…how happy I am that several years back that I got connected to Prov31 ministries, getting your challenging devotionals each day in my emails and this is the 4th study online that I have been involved with through Prov31..the 2nd book study. I will be joining again…..!
God bless you all and His anointings on each one of you as you continue on your journey with Him!
Grow….grow…grow!!
Karen Halterman
Osage,Iowa
Hi Renee, I want you to know how much this study has meant to me! It seems like each week that the chapter fit perfectly with what was going on in my life. I know this study has had a significant impact on me. I love the truth in chapter 11 that Christ desires to live in us, this is truly what our life and relationship with Christ should be about! I pray that my life will reflect more of his glory each day, and that my confidence will always be a fruit of GOD’S TRUTH in my life!
I like the image you used Renee of the rosebush .Of all the chapters I can relate to the rosebush the best..because the rosebush you talk about total surrender to God and his way be done in us. I can relate the best because I am Pentecostal and our church talks about surrendering our will to God and let his power flow through us., Thanks for a wonderful study!