“When our questions make us doubt God’s heart, our pain can lead to bitterness and bondage. Yet in the security of our relationship with Christ, God wants us to ask the hard questions and look for answers that usher us into the depths of His redeeming love. He wants us to live in the promise that He offers hope for our future despite the pain of our past. He knows our past and our pain can actually lead us to His plans and hope for our future.”
from Chapter 4, A Confident Heart
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Our Word for the week: HOPE
(Download in a PDF or download in MSWord). Please print it and post it everywhere so you can remember that God’s love can satisfy the thirst of your soul!
HIS Word for us this week:
“May the God of hope fill [me] with all joy and peace as [I] trust in him, so that [I] may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”
Romans 15:13, NIV
Today’s Assignment:
Start or continue reading chapter 4. Remember, take your time and highlight or underline sentences that resonate in your heart.
Connecting in Community:
Let’s commit to memorize this week’s verse together! If you are in, leave a comment by clicking on “share your thoughts” and tell us how you plan to memorize it. I’m writing mine on my mirror and on a ceramic plate in my kitchen for the week.
I’m still sick today but getting better slowly. Would treasure prayers for total healing. Meeting with video editor today to finalize this week’s message so I can share it with you. I’ll be back with a question or something else to we can talk about soon. I’ll just add it to this post (but I’ll email to let you know when I do. Praying for you today!
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Hi everyone -I had already read this book before I joined this study but have been following the weekly messages. I was feeling very flat and lost 2 days ago and I could not work out why so I sat down and prayed and asked God to show me what was wrong and he led me back to your book to re-read chapter 4. Well I cried so hard my neighbours would have hear me for sure as He peeled back the layers of hurt from my past heart break from men hurting me. My timeline follows… my father left when I was 2. As a child I was always told I was annoying as a because I talked too much, my first boyfriend/love broke my heart betraying me with my best friend, my grandfather stopped talking to me when I got married (I will never know why) my first husband found all the wrong in everything I tried to do right, the next boyfriend beat me up and told me I was worthless and no one would ever love me, then a string of other boyfriends (holding my heart shaped cup out). I didn’t realise all of this left me feeling unlovable and worthless and not worth staying with. Now I am about to marry a wonderful man and I was afraid he will find out I am not really worth it also. Yesterday God revealed that to me and I gave all of it to Jesus whilst reading chapter 4 and affirmed my worth in God! I feel awesome today. I am praying for you Renee and all of you ladies. PS I have bought 15 copies of this book and am giving them to my friends and family and even mentoring them through it. LOVE IT! LOVE YOU for writing it! BLESS YOU BLESS YOU! PPS I am in Australia and I believe God is calling me to work with woman here using the pain of my past, which is way more extensive than the above examples, but He bought me out of my darkness and into His light with divine healing at a time I was ready to check out of this world. Oh and how I praise him for it every day! I love that He is still working in me and healing more every day even when I think I’m fixed, He fixes more. XOX
Thanks for sharing! Your story gives me hope! I had been doing good the first three weeks, really feeling like I’m going to break free and really know how much God loves me. I broke up with my boyfriend before the start of the series and I’m trying to have Jesus fill me and fullfill me but I slipped into a funk over the weekend and I don’t know what’s going on. I quit reading, quit praying, quit reciting the verses. I quit eating, but I’m drinking coffee instead, left work early and went home and slept. I don’t know if Satan is attacking my thoughts or why I feel this unbearable pain inside. All I can do is cry and I don’t even know why. I so desperately want to be held and loved. I know I need to turn to Christ to fill me but I”m all of a sudden so weak and tired. I hate being emotional and the tears just won’t stop. It’s so painful to go through these breakups. I wish I would stop trying so I wasn’t always dealing with grief. My first husband died when my girls were just babies and since then I was married and divorced. I don’t know if that’s why I feel like I’m dying when I grieve or not. I can’t say what my thoughts or feelings are about. My heart just aches. I had been trying to lay my pain at the cross and allow Christ to heal me but I can feel myself starting to withdraw. I know I need to praise God in the storm and hang on tight. I’m thinking Satan may be attacking me so I don’t breakfree. I have felt so hopeful since reading this book and being a part of the bible study.
Hi Lucy, Please dont be discouraged becuase of where you are and how you are feeling right now. This is the time to draw closer to God not withdraw from Him becuase He is right there with you. you say you deperately want to be held and loved, well my friend right now the God that created the universe and you and sent His son to die for you is the one holding you and loving you so much. He says He catches and keeps all your tears and knows what you are feeling, He is also feeling with you and my favourite thing to remember when I have felt like you are now is this. God says His power is made perfect in your weakness, so imagine His amazing loving power flowing through you, He will give you strength and He promises you will NEVER have more than you can handle which is encouraging. He WILL bring you though this and use it for His good becuase you love Him. I now praise him for all of the pain and heartbreak I went through becuase I can see Has kept ALL his promises. I did make it through, He didnt give me more than I could handle and He IS using it for so much good. Hang in there beautiful lady. His promises are faithful, I have seen them all.
Renee has a list of powerful promises on page 221, I encourage you to find the ones that relate to you now and memorise them and believe in them. I also encourage you to read the following scripture that has been the most comfort to me in similar situations and my friend remember when you hand your burdens over to Jesus, dont take them back or He cant carry them while you are still holding them yourself. Trust Him Completely. I have been praying for you and will continue to pray for you to find your comfort in Him.
Check out Some of my favourites – Matthew 11:28, Psalm 23 (i read this over and over and said it out loud every time i felt discouraged) Isiah 43:1-4, 2 Corinthians 12:9, Romans 8:28
He is faithful Lucy and he wont give up on you so dont give up on Him ok. Blessings to you in abundance.
Fiona XOX
Fiona
Your story just touched my heart! God has so much for you friend! You are so loved. So valued. So cherished!!
I am praying for complete healing for you Renee. I just started reading chapter 4 and already it’s speaking to me. I have opted to also write this week bible verse on my bathroom mirror, refridgerator, on my dash in my car, and on my clip board a work to help me remember it. This week I was told that my seven year old son will be taking the ec test at school because he is not meeting second grade reading goals which may be associated with a learning disability. Like Renees friend in chapter 4, I have been having thoughts that I must have done something wrong as a mother. Ive constantly worked with my son and he tries so hard. I broke down and told a long time friend of the family about it and her reply to me was well it will help you financially and help your son educationally. What kind of statement is that? I refuse to make money off of my sons disability of one exist. Sorry gals for the long message but I needed to vent and what better way to? All in all this chapter was made for me. Please keep me and my family in your prayer and I will continue to pray for you girls. xoxo.
Praying for complete healing for you Renee! I’m in for memorizing the new verse. I hang up the one you make in my bedroom and I write in out on an index card and put on the bathroom mirror. I also have a card that I carry with me in my purse that I can read when I get a chance. Any time I can write it out that helps me.
Blessings
God is totally awesome. Renee I can’t say enough on how this book and the timeing of the study is so where I am at. Renee, I know and feel God speaking right through you to me. I find it no accident that God gave me this scripture for this year “2012.” in Isaiah Is. 43:16, 18-19 claiming and knowing that God was telling me that it is time to deal with the past hurts from my childhood in regards to my mom and my sister. A whole new can of worms got opened up when my mom passed Dec. 2010 and my sister caused a lot of drama during this time and opened up another can of worms of my pain. God was telling me it is time to heal and ‘LET GO’ see I am doing a new thing.
As I read further on in the book I couldn’t believe what I was reading not just because I can relate so much and your telling my story but “BAM” again you share the very exact scripture that God gave me when I was in Bolivia speaking at a “YWAM” (Youth with a Mission) base. Again, Isaiah 61:1-3 he gave me this scripture to teach from it but also told me that this is what He is calling me to do. I remember the exact words that He spoke to me, “Cindy This is only the beginning”. I was sharing a part of my story to the Bolivian’s speaking healing into their lives so that God could set them free. I was dumb founded.. The funny thing about this was one of the people from the La Paz, Bolivia YWAM base came to the small remote village that our (YWAM team from Tacoma, Wa.) team was planting a church and asked if any of us would be willing to go to there base and teach. I said “no way” because I am not one that likes to be in front of people-I am terrified of that and plus I didn’t have anything to share. I am not a teacher or speaker. The only way I would go is if God spoke to me directly and tell me what He wanted to share. That night or the next God spoke to me very clearly that I was to share from my experience and he gave me Isaiah 61:1-3 to be a part of my story and so I was obedient with my knees shaking. God honored that time and it was very powerful to see God move and it was then that God said to me that “This is only the beginning”. That was back in 1986 and I felt that I had lost that calling because I have so messed up my life for a period of time since then and now i feel paralyzed because of my woundedness from my past that is flying in my face. All my insecurities and doubts are oozing out my seams and my vessel is totally dry because I really don’t know that it means to truelly know God’s love for me. I know He loves others but for me it is really hard for me to truelly believe. This is a part of my depression.
I don’t know how to thank you enough for writting this book and being open, honest and vulnerable with us which gives me a lot of HOPE knowing that somebody else like me has gone through it (crossing the Red Sea) and the dry, hot wilderness.
Hi Cindy, Don’t forget that your ‘mess ups’ are Gods perfect opportunity to show us His brilliance. Without them he isn’t needed so I have learnt to praise Him for my mess ups and I can’t wait to see what He does with them. Please don’t ever think that because you messed up He doesn’t love you or can’t use you, in fact those of us that mess up the most end up being incredibly valuable for Him to show the world His amazing redeeming and restoring power. Cindy I grew up in church, taught Sunday school, sang in church but drifted in and out, to and fro, and after I had my kids I have severe post natal depression that dragged up a lot of pain from my childhood which I had buried and created a new and better childhood in my mind. This saw me spiral into self-destruction for years. Just 3 years ago my life consisted of partying (at 38 years of age) addicted to alcohol, drugs, gambling, smoking and sex, I was in many unhealthy relationships and with the depression and anxiety I had had enough and asked God to kill me because I was no use to Him or anyone else and didn’t want to commit suicide. He had other plans, plans to prosper me, to give me a hope and a future and within the first few months after that request on my knees crying to him, He healed me of all addictions, I didn’t give them up; He took them from me, no withdrawal, nothing. It all made me physically sick and I couldn’t do it anymore. He healed the depression and anxiety – it just went all the fears and sadness. He drew me closer to Him and I started to have an overwhelming urge to study Him and His word so I went to Theology College. Now I am ministering to friends in need, I am a public speaker for a Post and Anti Natal Depression association and I am writing a book to share Gods amazing healing power and love for us through my story of how He bought me out of my darkness and into his perfect light. He is still healing me bit by bit to this day but I have to wake up every morning and give my day, to him and chose to say I don’t see problems in my life, I see opportunities for God to show me His love if I let Him. Cindy God can and will heal depression and every other hurting places you have. Just hand it over He loves you and He will use you and your story for His Glory.
I will be praying for you.
Fiona xx
Fiona,
What a beautiful story….thanks for sharing…….you are a true example of what God can do…..God is the perfect light in all our darkness. So happy you went towards the light. Your story is a great one of hope and what God can do and now He is using you to bring others out of their darkness.
Fiona,
Thank you for being open and honest to where God has brought you out of darkness to light. You are a blessing.
What Theology school did you go to?
Cindy,
I agree with Fiona. even when we feel we can’t be used by God, He shows us differently. With man it isn’t possible, but with God ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE! God wants us to trust in Him that when we share our stories, it gives Him the Glory. That is when we heal and who knows someone else may heal also from their pain by just hearing our story.
May God bless you and you are in my prayers.
Hi Kimberly –
thankyou for your feedback it is a blessing to me. I went to college here in Australia its called Stirling Theology College. They are all very Spirit filled teachers and it was amazing.
Tammi –
Thankyou for the lovely words also. I love that God has used the pain of my past to bless others. Now I undersand the scripture I was given 3 years ago – which I didnt get at the time but do now well and truely. Isiah 54:2-8 the assurance of not being put to shame allows me to share the dark places I have been to show how fully amazing Gods healing and redeming power is.
Wow, Fiona, what a story! I also am addicted to cigarettes. I cry out to the Lord every day to deliver me from the desire to smoke, but He never does. I can’t lay them down myself; I’ve tried and I know that I just can’t do it. I pray that some day He will take this from me along with the fears and the depression that go along with that. Some people think that I am going to hell because I smoke. What do you guys think?
First of all – thankyou ladies for the feedback it is such a blessing to know God is getting so much glory for the massive tranformation He has made in my life. What a job it must have been but for Him all things are possible.
Robin, someone once said to me that “smoking wont send you to hell, it just makes you smell like you’ve been there” I was both relieved and had a laugh. We did nothing to deserve Gods perfect love, He gave it to us freely and His Son Jesus and We can do nothing to forfeit/lose it so please dont think that. God loves you regardless and He says Nothing can seperate you from His love. Nothing.
Try not to focus so much on the problems you are facing and spend your time focusing on the solution. God. Hand it over and just keep thanking Him for what He can do with it. Nothing is impossible for him but He does have a tendancy to do things in His own time not ours. I will continue to pray for your healing and deliverance from smoking and depression my friend. I know what God can do so I will have faith for you in the meantime.
God bless you.
Fiona
just a PS for Robin. Often God requires us to take the first step towards Him and healing so I encourage you to have a go at quiting and rely on Him for strength, believing that you are worth the health and extra money that goes with not smoking.
Every time you quit it is success even if it is only temporary (for me it has been 3 years now). I believe you CAN do it with God’s help and our prayers, just keep trying and believing He is with you and imagine Him and all of Heaven cheering you on. Dont give up on yourself becuase He will never give up on you. Look where I was and He didnt give up on me. just keep trying. xx
I finished questions 1-3 today. It took me over 2 hours to answer these questions because I asked God to seek my heart. What I have learned this week so far is that I still have times I felt how can God use me for His purpose, because I am a nobody and God needs powerful people. I know that is Satan giving me these thoughts. God doesn’t want me to believe in the lies of Satan. I felt like I was hearing over and over again I am wonderfully made. That is when I looked it up in my Bible (Kindle edition). Psalm 139:14 says “I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are Your works; my soul knows it very well.” Every works of God is wonderful! That includes me.
Kimberly, i totally agree with u!!! i am so thankful that we were created fearfully and wonderfully made…i love knowing that Gods love is unconditional. I too start believing Satan lies when i let my thoughts wonder…i need to keep them captive and obedient to Christ. I WILL KEEP U N MY PRAYERS AS WE ALL TEND TO STRUGGLE WITH OUR THOUGHTS N SATAN LIES.
Just reading through all your notes – to me and to each other. I don’t feel better physically but hanging out here with you sure does make my heart happy. God is so good to us!! I’m so thankful HE planned this online study for us to do together before the foundations of the earth. He knew just what we would need and where we would be in February 2012 and He chose to gather us here in His name!!
I love to see you encourage one another, believing and praying His promises for each other and for yourselves. I just had to tell you how much it makes my heart smile– even when I’m sick. By the way, I broke down and took Benadryl and Extra Strength Mucinex. One tends to upseet my stomach and the other makes me want to sleep for days but I just had to get out the big guns ’cause I’m sick of being sick. I have asthma that gets bad when I get bronchitis and it makes it harder to overcome. Now I”m just trying to stay awake since taking a nap with a 3-yr old is not an option :-).
Anyway, just wanted to say hi and tell you that God has given me such a love for each of you. I”m praying for each of you — those who are sick, those who are hurting, those who are hopeful and all the in between!!
Renee,
I pray that you get a great night rest and that you will feel better in the morning.
I pray that by his stripes you are healed.i thank God for your life,because you made me discovered the hidden treasure in the word of God.That whenever i feel like throwing in the towel i should go back to the word of God.
I have begun re-reading Chapter 4 and have found i am writng “me too” in areas where you had experienced things in which are either in my past or i am going thru them now.
Hi Renee, Sorry to read that you are still not feeling well. I will keep you in my prayers
Praying for you as well. And, thanks for connecting with us in spite of not feeling well. I look forward to this.
Renee,
Praying for your complete healing, in Jesus’ name.
After reading chapter 4, I now know I have a kindred-hearted sister. Spending 37 years embittered by my parents’ divorce, I understand the bondage that creates. Only when I allowed God to touch my heart wounds did I find healing and freedom. God’s restorative power in my life gave me the courage forgive my father face-to-face about four years ago and I cannot tell you the freedom, the joy, and the peace that’s followed. I’ve discovered that when we forgive as God forgives us, we open our hearts and lives to the fullness of His purpose in our lives. Thank you for your courage and honesty.
in the mist of chapter 4 … with many others in a study group … I hope to create some artwork with this verse to help … lock it in. Sending healing prayers in for those of you in need. love is a verb …
I’ve only begun to start reading this chapter. I must admit when I first saw the title of the chapter I was thinking that it wasn’t really going to mean much to me. I had a wonderful, christian upbringing. Not a lot of hurt or anger to deal with, but before I had even got through the first few pages God began speaking to my heart. See, I have lived in fear with panic attacks for 25 years now. I can’t drive, can’t travel, sometimes I can’t even leave my home. Going to church and to the grocery store with my husband is basically my whole life. I used to be in children’s ministry and I used to work full time, but all of that has been taken away from me. I also suffer from the darkness of depression. I was afraid to really do some soul searching and admit that sometimes I feel like God has failed me…and I DESPERATELY want HIS approval by doing more, and by NOT FAILING when I get out and have a panic attack. I feel like “if” I could only trust HIM more, I wouldn’t have panic attacks, so when I get one, I feel guilty like I have failed HIM…I SO need to understand HIS unconditional love. I am believing for a confident heart, and I would appreciate people praying for me to come out on the other side of this a conqueror!! Thanks….
Praying for you Robin. Thats a very difficult existence to live in. I pray that God can give us a confident heart and that we won’t feel like we have failed God when things, such as panic attacks happen that are beyond our control. I pray that we can really comprehend this gift of love and grace he has given us…for free. All the best to you.
Oh Robin, I am praying my heart out for you. I have experienced years of the crippling nature of anxiety/panic attacks. I was unable to go places, even grocery shopping like you, could not go to see friends, cancelled everything last minute and the depression is blinding (it started post-natal/post partum). I have been healed so i want you to know you can be too. trust God to keep His promises, He is now using my experience as a public speaker for depression and anxiety – the promise that He will use all things for Good for those who love Him have been fulfilled. I made it through – the promise that He will never give us more than we can handle, has been fulfilled. I will continue to pray for the same healing for you as He gave me Robin, it has been complete and restoring. I now go everywhere and do everything without thinking about it at all. I will pray for God to replace your fear with its opposite, Faith.
PS you can see a little more of my story below in reply to Cindy. He has healed so much in me and will do for you too.
Fiona xx
Thank you Fiona! I’m thrilled to know that you have been delivered completely from this…that there IS hope. When self doubt keeps creeping in and tells me that things will never change, I keep repeating that HE is doing a NEW thing in me! I’m trying to have the faith it takes to completely believe that, but it’s so hard! Mine started post partum as well, making me wonder if it has something to do with hormones?
I don’t really care why it started. I just want OUT of it!! Thank you for praying for me!
Chapter 4 really spoke to my heart. I allowed me to disclose some hidden secrets I never wanted to address. People see me as the calm, nice and caring person. They don’t know the hurt, shame or disappointments I have gone through or still living because I have masked them. Lord I thank you for allowing this reding to open my heart to healing by finally understanding that the holy spirit is my counselor. A counselor is someone you can talk to to get sound advice. Father thank you for leaving me one that dwells in me and speaks the word of life.
Well put Phyllis! I am finally understanding that the holy spirit is my counselor too and I am praying that everyone in this study is being blessed as much as I am from it.
Not only is Christ my counselor He is also my comforter. To remind me of this I have a picture in my office of Christ sitting with a young woman comforting her (His arm around her shoulder, her head on His shoulder). I have been asked “is this Martha or Mary”. I say that is Katrina, because He is my Comforter and my Rock. { I got the print from Jesusartforyou.com}, I need deep reminders of all Christ is to me always, I can quickly get into self pity if I forget.
To go along with what Katrina said. I have found this beautiful picture of Jesus that depicts how I think he looks, drawn by a child prodigy name Akiana. If you google Akiana’s drawing of Jesus you will see his beautiful face and his eyes full of love that look deep in your soul and fill you with love. It’s my special visual aid to see his face filled with love for me and for us all. He is our comfort and our strength! Praise the Lord for this study and for Renee Swope bringing us together!
Robin Than you for opening up your heart and sharing with us. As far as I know i had never experienced a “panic attack” before in my life and before the other day i would not have understood what those were. The other day my son (22Yrs old) had visited his Big brother that he had not seen in a very long time (about 14 yrs) anyway after the visit the big brother left to go home and left his brother in a park cuz we were trying to get him a place to stay (oh by the way he is in Fla and we are in TN). When I found out what park he was at all of a sudden i could not breath or utter a word. I kept trying to gasp for air and tell my husband what was wrong but i could not! After my husband prayed for me i told him that the park my son was in was where 2 of my friends had been horribly murdered years before. I had not thought about that situation for a long time and then it hit me like a lead brick! This story has a happy ending, we were able to get a hold of a friend in Fla and he went and got my son and took him to his place then took him back to where he was staying the following day. God is ever mindful of our difficulties, He gives us hope like our verse said this week (Jer. 29:11) I have been reading that everyday as well as vs 12-14. i have found that i can trust him for my future and not only that but that of my children. Robin as we travel this journey together we can have hope that God will bring us through those things that are difficult for us. In Isaiah 43:1-3 it says “But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob and He who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you alk through the fire, you shall not be burned. Nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the Lord your God. The Holy One of Israel, Your Savior…..”
I’m away from home for another week so I just posted it on FaceBook, trying to “memorize” it while I typed it. When I get home, I look forward to working on the timeline that you shared in Chap. 4. Many thanks!!!!
I pray that you would know the healing power of our Lord and Savior, and that you would know the gift of good health!!! Amen!!!!!!!
All the chapters including chapter 4 has been so amazing to read and help heal from past.
So thankful for this book and i pray for you to be healed from head to toe in total restoration.
Amen.
Renee, Sending prayers for healing for you and your family. Also, thank you so much for all that you are doing to bring each of us God’s blessing through your writings.
I found by accident that if I use the reference of a scripture for a password it helps me to remember it and the verse also because when I see it, I quote the verse in my head. Romans 15:13 has been a favorite. God Bless You.
That is a great idea!!! I always have trouble remember the “address” of verses. So I may quote a scripture and someone will ask where is that? And I have to say I don’t know!!!! Thanks for the idea!!
Renee,
In your e-mail Sunday you posted Psalm 143:8 “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in You. Show me the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.” “Show me the way to go” really jumped out at me when I read it. Then Mon. I started reading chapter 4 and on pg. 67 I highlighted “ask God to give me a verse to claim as a promise for my life, one that jumped off the page into my heart when I read it.” So I immediately thought of Psalm 143:8 because for 2 1/2 years I have been asking God where I should “Go” in regards to staying with my boyfriend or going home. Right after I wrote the verse down I got a clear message from God. I was astounded. He was saying “Go to Me!” All along until this Bible Study I have been obcessing for an answer of where God wants me to be in regards to living with my boyfriend vs. going back home. I have not been close to Him since this bible study. I have not put Him first in my life. After spending much time so far in this study I am finally getting it. He wants me to Go to Him first and then I will find the answers!
Wow….AMAZING how He works in our lives for the good. This study has been extremely insightful for me. I am learning so much and getting a closer relationship with God through it. I can’t wait to read and study on. I am praying continually for wisdom and a heart filled with God.
Thank you Lord for the gift of Renee and her book and bible study!
Praise to God my Lord and Savior
Yeah Tammi!! I have been in those times of denial and when I finally see what God has in store or the answer to prayers as you I have those great AHA moments. Delightful!!
Lou O,
Thanks…..it’s so obvious to me now…it just took me really searching through this study for God’s wisdom instead of my own or someone elses. This is my first experiance of hearing God say “Run to Me” and you will find the answer. So powerful what God does if we just go to Him. I was so consumed by finding an answer instead of just finding God. He will give me an answer….. I just need to wait on Him.
It was an AHA moment alright!! LOL. As much as I knew this “I couldn’t see the forest for the trees” I guess that was all in His plan, for me to search for Him through this Bible Study. I know now why I didn’t hear from God. I wasn’t listening.
I am praying for all of you who mentioned you have been sick. Especially when you have children and many responsibilities it can be challenging to care for yourself the way you need to! I have underlined so much in this chapter~for doubt is like a chain around my neck at times. Here are a couple of passages that spoke to my heart.
“The pain of our past makes it hard to believe God’s promise of hope for the future….
Hope comes when we allow Jesus to search our hearts and bring truth into our wounded places like Sam did…
stop allowing the past to determine our future.”
I want to truly know God and fully rely on His love for me. Facing my past pain is stretching me and I find myself growing once again.
I’ll be putting mine on my bathroom mirror as well. This week is tough so far but I will perservere.
Renee,
I first want to say that I do hope you get to feeling better soon. Also, I just have to let you know that I absolutely LOVE chapter 3!! This is my 2nd time to read it (went through it with Melissa Taylor)… But it really resonates to my heart. Just wanted to let you know that I love how you broke everything down.. it really helped to open my eyes to see and my ears to hear God’s Word. Thank you.