I wish we could sit in a coffee shop and chat today.
I’d love to talk with you about things that may be weighing you down. They always seem to lighten when shared with a friend.
I’d tell you about the year I let my problems pile up… and how all that pressure almost took me down. It’s all in chapter 9 of my book, A Confident Heart, including the story about the time I accidentally took my dogs medicine. Yes ma’am. I sure did.
At the end of every chapter, I also share a prayer – weaving my tangled thoughts and sometimes-consuming concerns with His Words and wisdom. Praying in this way helps me to take my cares to Him with confidence, knowing when I pray His Word I am praying His will for me {and others}. Here’s the prayer that was birthed out of my piling up and tumbling down year:
Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way. When concerns consume me, remind me that You are with me, holding me by my right hand and guiding me with Your counsel. Though my flesh and my heart may fail, You are the strength of my heart and my portion forever. Help me turn my burdens over to You, knowing that You will take care of me.
Because You are my shepherd, I shall not be in want. You promise that when I dwell in the shelter of the Most High, I can rest in the shadow of the Almighty. You are my refuge and fortress, my God in whom I trust. Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve my life; You stretch out Your hand against the anger of my foes, and with Your right hand You save me. Thank You for making known to me the path of life and filling me with joy and peace in Your presence. In Jesus’ name, Amen. {See Psalms 139:23–24; 73:23–26; 55:22; 23:1; 91:1–2; 138:7; 16:11.}
From A Confident Heart by Renee Swope, Chapter 9
© 2013 by Baker Revell Publishing. All rights reserved.
Over the past few years God has been changing me and rearranging me. He’s taught me how to use prayer to turn my worry into worship. He’s also given me a practical way to physically hand Him my concerns! Since we can’t chat in a coffee shop today, I’d love to share them with you through this short video message:
Message Notes: You can download my “Video Message Notes” in a PDF here or in a Word doc here. They include the points of my message, verses and blanks to fill in. {If you’d like to watch more FREE Confident Heart videos based on my book, click here.}
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Update on My Mom:
Thank you for your prayers for my mom. She’s had ups and downs but her kidney pain is less and less each day. Ive been concerned she had gotten pneumonia because she started running a fever, coughing, has had pain in her lower lung and some breathing issues {plus she has a history or pulmonary embolisms and has been off of her blood thinners for surgery.} We’ll be seeing her doctor on Monday to check on her kidney and lungs. I think she’s okay but it will be good to hear the doctor confirm that. 🙂
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Thank you for the words of inspiration. I struggle a lot about worries and concerns in my life. I need to let go more and give it to God. I can feel like so much a control freak from times because i want it to go just so. He has taught that i am not in control through circumstances in my life. I purchased a cross in November to put by my bed after suffering my second miscarriage. It has helped me through some days and especially nights, but i am going to try writing down those concerns and lay them by the cross. I believe that will heal more than i can imagine. Thank you.
It seems for the last ten years I have been struggling with exactly what you are talking about. Stress of divorce and an illness that will be life long struggle. I found Jesus during that time. But, feel, I need a deeper understanding. Bless you for your aticle!
This video really hit home! I find myself worrying about things and have been making a conscious effort the last couple of years to stop and hand the worries over to God. This has reinforced the fact that I am doing the right thing! I need to hide the scripture in my heart that tells me to do so; I’m sure that will readily come forward in my mind PRIOR to excessive worry! It is such a difficult thing to do, more so as a woman who is used to taking care of everything. The rewards that I have reaped by letting go have been amazing! Letting go has allowed me to leave horrible events from my past behind to find true peace and happiness in my present. It has also helped me communicate better, so there are fewer misunderstandings with others. Thank you Renee, for being so open with yourself and guiding us to the places we need to be with God. Many blessings to you!
Renee Thank you so much for this inspiring word this morning. I sit down to do bills this morning and was so discouraged and called my husband to tell him how much I had left to buy groceries and I was so upset. He said it will be okay, here you go with your worry again. When I hung up the phone I thought here I am doing a study about worry this week and I am not letting it help me. I need to cast all my care on him. I get overwhelmed and if I would cast it all to Jesus it would be so much easier. I really needed this, this morning. Thank you. Please add me to your prayers today.
The past 4 1/2 years have been really tough on our family with employment problems, and now my husband needs to have an emergency surgery. I know in my heart that even though I don’t always understand what is going on, it is God’s plan for us. I ask him to calm my nerves and trust Him that this path is His plan for us no matter how hard it is. Time is always a great thing to give you perspective on your past. I have a stronger relationship with God than I did 4 1/2 years ago, and my husband and I are also stronger in our relationship because we trust God more.
I love when people pray and you can just sense God’s presence in the room just by that person praying. I know it is a testament to their relationship with God but even when I feel like I am close to God I still do not pray like that. I love the idea of praying through scriptures hoping this can help me be more intentional in my praying.
omgoodness! i needed to watch that video blog today! i have been looking for an answer to everything that has been going on around here and when you gave the reading from Philippians 4 it felt like God was screaming in my head…”THIS IS IT! THIS IS IT! THIS IS IT!” This is what God has been wanting me to sit down and be still and concentrate on this particular scripture. I have read Philippians many times and dont ever remember this being in there. God wanted to save it for when I really needed to see it….which was today. This video has really opened my eyes…mind you I just had a fall out with my husband. Bless you Renee for the Godly woman you are because you are helping so many women (me being one of them) that feel out of place and don’t feel worthy or not good enough.
Renee, I love your bedside cross and how you cast your cares at the foot of His Cross by writing out your burdens/prayer requests and placing them under the Cross. I am going to copy your wonderful idea! Thank you, Renee 🙂
I have always found it hard to pray not knowing what to say..put it into words. Just clunky. I have recently started a journey of falling in love with Christ and a real relationship as I have never known before and I see a thirst for prayer I have never had before and I have heard that praying using Bible verses was a great way and I really understood how you explained it. Thank you so much! I am so excited to start using His Living Word to pray with in a more dynamic way of intimately speaking with my Heavenly Father.
Today’s video really impressed upon my heart the importance of not only serving God but seeking him. I need more of him and less of me. I am definitely going to try the index cards to physically give my worries to Jesus!
Renee, thanks for the cup of coffee and encouraging words! You reminded me that it is good to SERVE, but better to SEEK God. Sometimes I can get caught up in volunteering at the church, church on Sunday, and bible study on Wednesday. I have to remember to spend some time with alone time with God. I need to talk with him and thank Him for works that are done and for things to come. God is happy that I am doing things for him and spreading his words, but more importantly to give me my personal and alone time.
Also, something that I have been struggling with is how to pray. I pray all day everyday, but I am wondering am I doing it right? I just talk to God like he’s sitting in front of me and I tell him all my concerns and praying for people and situations. But I wondering am I asking right? Am I wording it right? Is there a proper protocol? I am sincere when I talk and pray to God, I just want to make sure its right. 🙂
Read today’s blog about prayer. Thanks so much for that. A very dear cousin is having surgery today for a possible cancerous thryoid. I will boldly pray God’s will in her life as he brings her through this surgery. Thank you for your guidance. I am looking forward to reading your book. God Bless.
I want to implement the prayers and specifically Bible verses prayed on my behalf. Thanks for making it real to me.
There is one particular area that I have given to God over and over…and it is our finances! We tithe and try to stay on top of our bills, and then BAM! something unexpected … like my daughter just got very ill and we were back and forth to the doctors, medication, emergency room, etc., and we are set back! We decided that God was speaking to us about regularly tithing…every single month. Now this month, with all of our unexpected bills, we are wondering how in the world are we going to pay our rent, food, utilities, let alone our tithe. So today I am going to be in prayer and giving this BACK to the Lord and asking for his wisdom and guidance! Thank you, Rene!
Praying scriptures is new to me, but I am finding a huge difference in the way I feel when I’m done. I actually feel like I’ve given my concern or worry away. Thank you for this Bible Study and the time you devote to it.
Blessings to you!
Praise God for you, Renee, and for this message. I wrote down concerns, as we were directed in Chapter nine. I listed three, I think. Seeking God’s face, staying before Him, has been a recurring topic of late for me. Be still and know He is God. Let Him transform us as we sit quietly, listen and converse with our loving Savior and God. What an awesome thing we are able to do. I absolutely agree that we need to set that “d. a. t. e.” 🙂 Thank you for being transparent with us and helping us grow thereby. 🙂
I have wanted to read this book and do a study on this for quite some time.
Thank you for the encouraging word today. 2 things jumped out to me that were a great reminder; praying scripture is so powerful! And to just talk to God instead of trying to find the right words. Thank you!
In the past, I had trouble praying and would get stressed out all the time. Than I went on an Emmaus walk and joined a fouth day group. They taught me to treat God as a friend and to have daily talks with him. So now, when I get a moment, I sit down and talk to him just as I would a friend. “Don’t worry, be happy” with the quote from Jesus to Martha is one of my favorite tee-shirts. God’s Peace.
So right on today!!!! God knew I needed this message soooo badly today!!!! I am feeling so overwhelmed and nearly broken by all my worries and concerns this morning!! I came into work seeking him and found him and what he needed me to hear through you! Bless you and thank you and please continue to minister to us through him!