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Renee Swope

Encouraging and equipping moms to parent with God's grace and confidence.

Read An Excerpt: Chapter 1 & 2

About Our Doubts

Click here to complete my mini-survey and for a chance to win a book!You are blessings me to pieces with all your comments and surveys. I’m going to leave this up through the weekend and make some big announcements on Monday. Have a great weekend my faithful and wonderful friends!!

Welcome to those linking over from my P31 devotion. As I shared, my heart needs lots of repairs and Jesus is always there offering to do them. But sometimes it’s to doubt it’s possible. Or we doubt ourselves and our futures when our lives feel broken; our dreams shattered. For years I allowed the pain of my past to keep me from believing God had hope for my future. I let insecurities and doubts keep me from living in the assurance of God’s promises and the confidence of God’s love.

Give-away and Mini-Survey
Now I sense God calling me to help other women walk out of the shadows of their doubts and live in the confidence of who God has created and called them to be. I’m writing a book on the topic of a woman’s doubts. I know that publishers want to hear what a woman is thinking and feeling, and needing for encouragement. So, I created a mini-survey (6 questions) that will help determine the focus of each chapter.

Pretty please, would you take two minutes to complete the short survey and then come back to let me know you did. As my thanks to you, I’ll be giving away 4 autographed copies of Who Holds the Key to Your Heart? So, please take the survey and leave a comment below this post telling me you did it. I’m praying for 500+ responses!!! You can help by telling friends and sending a link. If you get others to complete it, tell me and you’ll have two chances to win. I’ll do the drawing Monday! THANK YOU so much!!!

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More encouragement for today…

When God Takes Broken and Makes it Beautiful

My dearest friend’s husband, one of my favorite pastors, had been told his position was being eliminated. She would be moving – hours away. This was the woman who had believed in me. Invested in me. Encouraged me. Prayed for me, and stood beside me as I walked through my fears and doubts to follow God’s calling to write and speak.

This was my women’s ministry leader. The one I was going to serve alongside until we both shriveled up and went to be with Jesus. This was the woman had built one of the most amazing women’s ministries in the country. And now it was broken!

My heart was broken, too. I didn’t know how to process my pain.

I thought yard work might be a good distraction for my despair. As I walked into our backyard, I noticed a rose bush the previous homeowner had planted in the center of our split rail fence. It was in full bloom, expressing her glory through the display of gorgeous pink blossoms across the center of the fence.

How did that happen? I wondered.

Although I’d never used it, I knew we had rose food in our shed so I decided to fertilize the bush to help her sustain her blossoms.

As I pulled the weeds back, clearing the way for plant food to sink into the soil, I noticed the root ball divided into four sections. Then a thought ran through my mind. Should I leave them all together, or pull them apart and place them at different posts on the fence? If I separated them and planted the sections in fertile soil at separate posts, their vines would eventually connect and create a blanket of pink draped across the whole fence.

I knelt before the blossoming beauty and pressed my hands into the dirt, trying to find the right places to separate the root ball. That’s when I felt God whisper to my heart.

Renee, do you see this plant? It’s what I see when I look at you and the women’s ministry you love. Each of you serving on the ministry team has been carefully planted in your giftedness, nurtured and encouraged through prayer, equipped through training, fertilized by opportunities to serve and you have produced fruit…fruit that will last!

But, like this plant, you have reached the fullness of My glory in your current soil. You and the rest of the team are ready to divided into separate plants so that my glory in each of you will be more fully displayed as you are uniquely and individually planted in new places of ministry.

What? Surely MaryAnn leaving wasn’t the only uprooting I was about to experience? I couldn’t bear the thought. More pruning? More breaking up of what has taken years to establish?

I had just gotten to where I was comfortable and felt courage to step and do more in ministry. I was surrounded by women who loved me. We were a team and I just couldn’t do it without them. Yet, as I imagined God’s glory like that of the rose bush being more fully displayed, my heart settled into a place that felt very right. It wasn’t my plan, but if it was for His glory, wasn’t that what I wanted? Would I trust Him to heal the brokenness and pain and bring something good from it?

That day I knelt on Holy ground in front of my rose bush and surrendered the broken dreams in my heart. Even if it meant letting go of what I loved so deeply, it would be worth it if others would see HIM more clearly. Somehow I knew that with God’s care, our vines would cross again in the Kingdom, and His beauty would be more gloriously seen in these new places where He was about to plant each of us.

That was five years ago. I honestly don’t think I’d be who I am today if God had not uprooted my plans and redefined my dreams.

It’s hard when God allows our hopes to be shattered, our hearts to be broken, our relationships to be fractured, our fears to be realized. I really doubted any good could come from such loss. I doubted that I could make it through the pain.

Like the uprooting of that rose bush some of my leaves wilted, some stems were cut back, petals fell to the ground and some branches had more thorns than blossoms for a while. It took time for me to get re-established in new soil. But God plan for His glory became evident each day that I surrendered to His power and trusted His plans more than mine.

I didn’t think I could make it but God took my doubts and created absolute dependence on Him. I pray that somehow today you see His glory more fully in me and in yourself as we depend more fully on Him, to take our broken and make something beautiful.

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If you haven’t yet, please complete my short survey and then leave a comment below so I can enter you for a chance in the give-away! My hope and prayer is to have 500 surveys for my book research. THANK YOU!!!

Comments

  1. Thank you for your openess in writing your blog. I am a faithful reader of P31 but had not ventured over to any of the individual blogs. I read the blurb in regards to your survey and felt compelled to participate. I completed the survey and I wish you blessings in reaching your goal.

  3. Had no idea how many doubts i had until actually completing the survey! I think we can all benefit from this book about doubt and how we let it control us!

    Thanks for your encouragement!

  4. Wow! I cannot wait until your book is finally published! It’s coming!!! Thank you for your transperancy in your many testimonies…they realy do encourage me. GOD IS NOT DONE WITH YOU YET!!!

    Warmly,
    Carmen

  6. Thank you for your devotional this morning. God ministered to my heart and the brokeness that I am feeling as I am undergoing a similiar change in ministry as your story.

  7. Hi Renee,
    Your devotional is always timely for me and I know your book will be a much sought after item. I finished the survey. God does want to take our doubts, fears and brokenness away. God bless.

  9. Thank you so much for your words of inspiration and encouragement! I have completed the survery

  10. I completed the survey. These Proverbs 31 devotionals are such an inspiration and encouragement to me on a daily basis! Thank you for this resource!

    Pam

  11. I completed the survey. I look so forward to your devotionals each morning. They often give me the encouragement I need to get the day started.

  13. Completed the survey and look forward to reading the book! Thanks so much for sharing your experiences with us. God bless you!

  14. My survey is completed!!! But I “doubt” I’ll win a book. 🙂 Thanks for the devotionals.
    Gail

  16. I did it, Renee!! What a great subject for a book. I can not wait to read it! You are special! See you at She Speaks!

    Lara O’Brien

  19. I appreciate your ministry. I receive your devotionals through Crosswalk.com and each that I’ve read has been encouraging. Thank you for your faithfulness to the Lord and the ministry He’s given you.
    I also completed the survey, which I hope is helpful as you write your new book.

  21. I completed the survey. Really got me to thinking honestly about the causes of my doubts. Thanks. Looking forward to your book.

    -Gloria

  22. I completed your survey. I’m sure all women experience some of the doubts described in your survey.

    Thanks,
    Kim

  23. Thank you for your devotionals. I am reminded that though God’s ways are not my ways, He is trustworthy and faithful. He has a plan in all of this. Your survey revealed to me areas I had taken back into my own hands rather than trusting Him. Thank you for allowing God to use you to bless so many women. I truly appreciate your dedication to God.
    Loretta

  24. REnee,
    I went and did the survey. I didn’t realize how much doubt effected me. I guess i have some things to work on in my heart and life. I will be adding this to my prayer list as well.
    Thank you
    Tara

  26. Thank you very much for your encouraging words today! I have completed the survey and look forward to your book!

    Wendy

  27. I completed the survey, hope it helps in your research. I think this will be a great book and am excited to read it as this is definitly an area where I struggle and need help. Thank you for taking the time to research and write about it. I pray that your work will be a blessing for many women.

    Katie ([email protected])

  28. I completed the survey. Your devotion today was something I really needed to hear. Girls, please pray for me. I’m trying so hard but don’t know how much longer I can keep going. My life is crazy. I’m so tired.

    In Christ,
    Dana

  30. Survey done. My thinking seems to be quite different than most women….always has been, so not sure how your book will relate to the issues I seem to have with doubt….(I don't have doubt in myself…..others around me as they never seem to end giving me reason to doubt them). Eg…home care person neighbor & friend of my Mothers boyfriend from church who stole her ID, stole valuables from the house & abused my Mother when she was dying of cancer (lucky I was there to protect her….but it still happened as it took time to figure out what was happening, eg2…ID stolen & truck broken into while driving back to California…eg3…friend suggested I use the same person he was using to put in heat pump….the guy ended up being totally incompetent…still after 6+ months don't have a working NEW system & ended up with a huge electric bill I can't pay….& this is not really the end…the list continues)….none of these situations has the law or anyone else been able to hold the people accountable…..I have had more than enough in my life to doubt everyone around me…..Know God has purposes for everything….but sure not really understanding all of this.

  33. Thank you so much for todays devotional it really spoke to my heart. My husband who promised “till death do we part” just spoke the same words to another woman. God is in control and will work even this out for His honor and glory. I also took the survey. God bless your new book.
    God bless you.
    Kathy
    [email protected]

  35. Your message was very timely. I’m going through a divorce that I do NOT want, but my husband is adamant. I’m devastated beyond words for many reasons. I’ve always been strong and able to pick myself up and go on, but now I just want to die. There are so many challenges I face with starting a new life and supporting myself and my beloved animals. I know God is good, and loves us, but right now I just can’t see it happening to me.

  37. Hi.. I did finished the survey. The book would be really helpful, thanks for giving a few away.

    God bless!

    Deb

  39. Thanks for allowing me to contribute to your book by doing your survey. Every day I have doubts about something; what will people think, am I doing a good job at work, established friendships dwendling and new ones beginning. I am a people pleaser and want everyone to be happy so doubt seems to always be present. I’m sure your book will help someone like me improve my life and bring me closer to God. Thank you for all you do, it is appreciated !!!!

  41. I completed the survey and I’m looking forward to reading the book that God has put in your heart. Thank you.

  43. I did the survey and was surprised that I had so many feeling of doubt. It’s been a crazy last few months at work so not completely shocking but I hadn’t really thought about it. Thanks.

    Rebecca

  45. Thanks so much for your kind words. I pray that God gives you the words for your book and also pray that it helps and encourages many women. God bless you as you are His vessel. I have completed the survey. Thank you again for your ministry. Terra at [email protected]

  50. I’ve completed the survey. The questions led me to reflect on how I have felt in the past and how I feel today. I came to realize that the more time I spend with my Father the fewer doubts I have. It was encouraging!