Our word for the week: LIGHT (You can download it in a PDF or download in MSWord). Please print it and post it everywhere as you allow His word to light your path this week.
His WORD for us this week: “I am the light of the world. If you follow Me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” John 8:12, NLT
Today’s Assignment: Start or continue reading chapter 5. This is a shorter chapter but oh so important!! Be sure to highlight or underline anything that resonates in your heart and journal what you sense God is showing you.
Connecting: What are one or two things you’ve read so far in Chapter 5 that you sense God’s bringing to “light” for you? Are there verses or sentences you’ve underlined or highlighted? Click “share your thoughts” just below this post and do just that.
Giveaway Winners:
The winners of my May 9th giveaway are: Kristen B, Tara, Audrey, Mary M. and Carolyn K
You will each receive a copy of A Confident Heart and my testimony/teaching message Letting God Fill My Empty Places.
The winners of last Wednesday’s May 16th giveaway are: Kristi Stirler, Amy Martin & Kim S.
You will each receive a copy of A Confident Heart, my “Rest Assured” message on CD and a Starbucks gift card.
The winners of Rachel’s Ebook, The Scent of Prayer are: Roberta D, Tatia, Laura Y, Belinda & Debbie.
You will receive a free Ebook download.
*We have all of your emails so we’ll be in touch with details about your gifts this week.
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Renee I pray that you are restored to full health quickly. Our Father is an amazing healer. This week in chapter 5, the turning point is what stuck with me. Choosing to turn to God (my source), toward the light of His promises & turning away from all my doubts & fears.
When i was reading Donna’s story, it made me think of my relationship with my daughters father. He moved to another state and doesn’t pay any child support. I often feel like he has abandoned my child and must not love her. But I pray for him daily and I have learned to accept him for who he is. I also chose to live in the Light of Jesus so I can have the freedom and security of a confident heart.
I agree with most of the comments here. It really is when we think and dwell on ourselves that we start feeling discouraged, trapped, helpless and that nothing will ever change. But, thank you Lord Jesus – you ARE changing me, you ARE changing us in your time and in your ways. I choose to trust Him even though we are between jobs right now and we are not sure where God is leading us.
I thank and praise God my worth is not in what others think of me, and not even in what I think of myself! 🙂 It blows my mind to know that God not only loves me, he showers me with promises and gives me a new name, even when I don’ t live up to it all the time.
So thankful to be a part of this study
Please pray for me, just starting messy divorce,need support n prayer,i am a daughter of the King
Praying for you right now, Carol~
I am very thankful to be doing this study alongside all of you. Have never done one online and love the comments and care found here. Doubt & insecurity have filled my life in so many ways. I did a study on insecurity about a year ago —- funny how quickly the truths and promises of God can be washed away when I’m turned to face the Shadow. But I’m turning. Turning away from trying to do this life on my own and rebelling against what God wants for me….to the light of his promise and power. I loved the section on Gideon “…God was going to conquer the Midianites, but he invited Gideon to join Him.” How powerful is that! I’m turning toward God and planning to join Him.
Blessings, this chapter is so true, see we tend to look for fulfillment in the eyes of anyone that will say they love you especially if your lacking it from small, and like me if you’ve been hurt one too many time you block that from anyone that is will to truly love you including God, I know that God loves me but at times I wonder if He do why don’t I have my baby today, or why must I choose between the one person that I open up to and truly love and Him, see we are not married and I was pregnant for him like I mention before after all that happen he (Dj) stated that God is giving us the chance to do it right, still yet even thou we agree to wait for intimacy we tend to still do it, at one point I told him I feel like I have to scarifies our love to get closer to God and he agreed however there are days we lay next to each other and we are fine nothing happens but now I stop him from staying past 11:00pm do to he start desiring me once we’re sleeping which was not happening before. I truly want to please God and for the first time I am truly in love with this man that I feel God blessed me and the kids with, he loves God as well and rather me leaving him and keep my focus on God. He admit once before that he has a spirit of fornication (not the cheating one just that if he loves someone and plans to wait for marriage he tends to still have that desire to make love were as this has not been happening to him for awhile until we met. Please keep us in your prayers that God will do His will with us and we learn to fight this fornication until God bless us on that special day.
Chapt 5 and this online studies comments help remind me that its that easy (or not) to put our focus on the Light and quit all our stinkin thinkin FOR THE GLORY OF OUR KING. How?? Practical daily steps??
I think it kinda boils down to our daily walk and putting Him in first place.
I have been a bit hesitant to post my feelings and my thoughts on this book but I felt that today I needed too. I guess a little self doubt creeping through. Each chapter I have been reading and doing the questions and praying but it wasn’t until chapter 4 that it all hit me. I could barely get through the chapter bc of the tears that seemed to just keep coming and coming. I realized that a great deal of my lack of confidence has come from some of the situations in my past that I have let eat at me and in doing so I have put up walls towards the Lord and my family. In those moments of pain and heartache I wish that I would have listened and let them go a long time ago but I guess it’s part of the journey and learning to be a confident woman. I have stared reading chapter 5 now and it reminds me of the little song this little light I’m going to let it shine!! I am pray that as I learn to lean on God more for everything in my life that His Light will shine through me! Whew, that was big for me to write and post. I also would like to ask for prayer for tomorrow( big of me to do as well, so silly). I am having surgery tomorrow and I pray for a speedy recovery so that I can get back to taking care of my husband and two little ones. Thank you!! And thank you for your thoughts and stories and words of hope and wisdom.
Amanda, your post touched me so much. I sense how very much courage it took for you to open your heart. Thank you for being brave and letting us in. I’m proud of you and so very thankful that Jesus is showing you all that has been going on in your heart for so long. I know this journey of uncovering what’s been hidden isn’t easy but I assure you freedom is coming. Hope comes when we let Him enter into those wounded hurting places and show us the lies we’ve believed – because in seeing the lies we can begin to replace them with truth. We can acknowledge the hurt but lay claim to the fact that those hurts were instances – not definitive moments in our lives that get to have a say over everything else.
Keep turning away from the dark and towards the light friend. Freedom and confidence that comes with it is drawing near. Keep persevering – and I”m praying for a speedy recovery for you too!!! Blessings and hugs, Renee
Renee,
Thank you so very much for the encouraging words and prayers!!
Hehe. ThPk!snawede naman siguro, sis. Kaya lang lemon gives a distinct taste in dishes so iba pa rin talaga. Pwede naman siguro olive oil or kahit yung regular lang, pero syempre iba ang lasa at bango ng sesame oil eh. Panalo.
Yes, they could go either way in the short term, but long term they’ll almost surely maintain value better than the dollar, and there’s a finite supply of them.
Great insight! That’s the answer we’ve been looking for.
Stu, on hummus, just make your own, it’s almost always better, especially if you don’t use canned beans. pop the ingredients in the food processor and your done, also the oil and tahini you buy is generally of a higher quality than what is used in the containers.
I thought it was interesting that Obama won Utah. I do think Mormons prefer a black man and the chance to show their non-racist side to voting for a woman.Or they just hate Clinton and love Obama’s personality. Personally I couldn’t care less he is black. He’s a great guy from everything I can see. I just wish he were a small government conservative. (bg)
Well, I basically highlighted this entire chapter and I can’t even express how excited I am to see how God is working in all our lives through this study. I plan on reading this chapter many more times!!!
Renee, I thank God for the work He has done through you and subsequently, through your readers. I am praying for renewed strength and healing for you.
Thank you Julie!! Your post encouraged my heart so much!! I love how He’s moving in me and you and all of us!!
Should read: I CANNOT tell you anything. Also on Monday, my husband seemed to have the day of no worries…
I have not completely read Chapter 5, but the phrase ” When we follow Him, we find our confidence in Him and our lives become a message about Him, the One who came t illuminate our darkness with His redeeming love.” This phrase to me is so comforting, it reminds me that at all times, my focus needs to be on God. Sunday here at home, was a very difficult time for my husband, as he was not looking forward to his workman’s comp doctor appointment. I could feel the tension and the worry just with being in the same room with him. And for myself on Sunday, it was a non worry day for me, even though his mood seemed to rub off on me. I did not have any worry or ask myself what if, like he did. But then Monday came: I had no stress until we where in the doctors office. The doctor came into the room and basically said, hello, I am here to evaluate your foot sir and ask some question. I can not tell you what I think or give your any advise. So now my focus turned to my husband and myself, this is where I felt the tension and aggravation start.ed. I have never experience any doctor saying I can tell you anything. After getting home and having some time to look at what had happened today, I just continue to tell myself, everything is going to okay, God is in control. When I focused on God and not ourselves, I found peace. I did not find the answers I was looking for, but I did feel confident, that the Lord knows what is best for us and that He will take care of us, like He has always done. So yes, I do have days that doubt creeps in, but as soon as I can refocus on God, my heart is filled with confidence and this is when the light in my life starts to shine for everyone to see, just as the childhood songs says: “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine….” so I pray that all my sister in Christ, will be able to focus on God daily, and shine their light just as the love of Christ has shined for us. God Bless
I am struggling in my marriage my husband continues to look at porn sites just a few months ago he decided he did need help so we started meeting with our Pastor. Then today I got his phone and there was a whole new email of his with woman… OMG I am broken we just moved into our first rented house I was yelling at him… I hate him. Why should I forgive him 77xs I just can’t he discusses me. My pastor is on vacation and I don’t know anyone who knows what I am going through. How I am supposed to feel beautiful when he keeps turning to these woman. I am tired of going through this.. I love God so much and I am glad he brings our sin to the surface but I am getting weak and it’s not making me fall more on love with my husband… I need verses I need A voice from God what does he want me to do
Bonnie, God loves us when we are at our weakest. You are never alone in His presence. Go to Him with an open heart and ask Him what He wants you to do then trust in Him with all your heart. Be prepared for the fact that what His plans are, might not necessarily be what you want at the moment, but He knows what’s best for us and if you trust that wholeheartedly, He will see you through to the end. I will be praying for you.
Besides fear and doubt, the consistent darkness in my life has been sadness/depression. For the last few weeks I’ve been very down (for no specific reason) and one night I was reminded of a dream I had almost 15 years ago. I don’t remember the details of the dream very much, but I remember darkness, and an evil voice (or person) saying that my mother and I both had a spirit of depression. At the time, I was a teenager and didn’t grasp the enormity of the dream and I hadn’t remembered the dream for many years until now. This time, I tell myself to go towards God, the light…and I remind myself, that nothing that is said to or about me is true, unless it lines up with the word of God. I still have days where I don’t want to get out of bed, but I make different choices..I journal about my feelings, I exercise to lift my spirits, I listen to Christian music, and I just decide to go in the other direction when I feel angry or sad.
Thank SNP about what you said” nothing that is said to or about me is true, unless it lines up with the word of God” God bless you
I have started writing a personal prayer of the day on index cards. Today, I used the prayer in this chapter as my prayer of the day as it was something that I could agree with from my heart. I haven’t answered the questions at the end of the chapter yet, but it is my next step.
A quote from chapter five that struck me the most is
” Instead of waiting for God to zap us with confidence and remove our doubts, let us ask God to use our doubts to draw us into a deeper place of dependence on Him and His promises.”
I often wish that God would just zap me with confidence in certain areas of my life. I’ve realized though that God is much more interested in taking me on a journey with Him than just quickly fixing my problems.
I love how Renee talks about “turning” “Turning away from doubt and turning towards truth. Turning away from self and turning towards God.”
I’m learning how much of a process this is.
Hi friends. I’ve ended up with a bad case pf bronchitis so I’m gonna try to rest a lot this week. I have a guest for tomorrow but I may be a little more quiet than usual.
Although I feel awful right now, reading how God is encouraging you each of you and showing you His direction for your hearts is like medicine to me — a sweet does of joy to my weary “wishing i was better” self.
I’ll be here reading your comments, praying and watching God lead you closer and closer to His heart as you turn more and more towards the Light of truth HE has spoken over you!!
This is a short chapter but one I hope we’ll all read a few times because it really can be a TURNING POINT in our journeys. Love to you! ~Renee
Lifting up prayers for you Renee, that the Lord will comfort you during this time of sickness and will heal your body quickly. God Bless
continuing to pray for you, renee! asking the Lord to heal you and make you whole. God bless you and keep you! <3
Wow. In this chapter I felt quite a bit of conviction. Turn to His thoughts, not mine. And really, His are so much greater!
My insecurities are how easily I am deceived and how afraid I am to ask tough questions. The first is most likely the product of the second. I have always been too shy to ask questions, all through school, in the workplace…actually, too afraid to ask. I saw myself as a coward and this past Lenten season, decided I would give up cowardice. Easier said than done, still working on it. During that journey, I realized where this fear came from. God showed me the memory of “Insecurities from my past.”
I remember as a little girl hearing a foul word on the playground. I knew I could ask my daddy anything, so I asked him what “it” meant. His immediate reaction hearing that word from my mouth was a slap across the face. I remember hurt, physical and emotional. And my father was never violent. Except for this instance, I don’t remember him ever hitting any of us 5 kids. And rarely even raising his voice. He is a wonderful, God loving man. Looking back, I think his reaction shocked him as much as it did me. But I was a little girl, and it scared me so bad. And I stopped asking questions. Not on purpose. Just happened. Became a habit. A familiar fear came over me whenever I wanted to ask a question, especially a tough one.
I am 40 years old now, and praising God that He showed me the source of my anxiety. That it is unnecesary. That, to be ridiculously simple, if I want to know something I need to ask. That the response from my asking questions is not something I need to fear. To see the light in this, I think I’ve been blessed in that I’ve learned to stop and think and pray before asking my questions. Hopefully that will also help with my discerning ability.
My dad’s reaction was not intentional. I’m sure if I spoke to him about it today, I would see sorrow in his eyes.I think he would hug me and tell me he loves me. I think my fathers welcome my questions. Ask. Seek. Knock. Because more than anything, I believe both of my abbas want me to know I am loved!! 🙂
LeeAnne, I am thankful that you have forgiven your dad and for the insights that you shared-God bless you
“It’s important for us to realize that damaged emotions and insecurities from our past have a powerful influence over how we see ourselves today.” Wow, what a powerful statement! SO TRUE!! The Lord has been working on my heart all this year through various online studies to help me work through childhood pain. It truly has affected how I have lived my life. Praise Him that He is ready for me to “turn north” and grow into the woman that He can more fully worth through!
Two sentences caught my attention – “the insecurities from my past are not the truth in my life” & “God sees beyond who I am to who I can become”. Powerful thoughts! Too often I let the insecurities of my past become the truth in my life. It is so encouraging to know that God can see beyond what I am right now & has a future planned for me. Absolutely awesome!
Cynda, those two sentences were the ones that spoke to me through this study also. Doing the timeline really helped me to see an overall theme in my insecurites. I have reviewed my life before through other books, counselors, etc. but it helped me to see how things repeat themselves…. I am recently divorced (tried everything before that point…almost all the books, christian marriage courses, counselors, etc.) and am all my own trying to start over and trying to trust God…instead of trying to rely on myself. I pray for all of us doing this study that we may find what we need and accept God into our hearts.
What spoke most to me in this chapter was, “Turning would be crucial.”
“You have circled this mountain long enough. Now turn north.” Deuteronomy 2:3
I heard God whisper to me recently that it was time to turn…turn towards the light. I had been going around the same mountain for too long. It was when I heard His words that I choose to completely surrender to him. It was then that after 13 years of struggling with an eating disorder that I was finally able to turn towards the light and let go of the darkness.
Turning truly has been crucial for me!!!
Thank you for sharing your heart. I continue to be transformed by your book.
(((hugs)))