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.}
FREE DOWNLOADS:
Download my “Printable Prayers Collection: How to Pray for Those You Love from Head to Toe.” Today, I’m offering “Praying for Your Husband from Head to Toe” {click here to download}YOU CAN also RECEIVE “Praying for Yourself from Head to Toe” and “Praying for Your Children from Head to Toe” when you sign up here to enter your name and email. Then come back so you can enter to win today’s giveaway below!
TODAY’s GIVEAWAY:
Share one thought or something you want to apply after reading today’s devotion, blog post or hearing my video message. Click “share your thoughts” right below this post and do just that. 🙂
Enter to Win one of 4 copies of A Confident Heart, OR the grand prize which includes A Confident Heart book PLUS a coffee shop gift card and a Godiva chocolate bar.
$40 in Confident Heart Resources {FREE}!! When You Purchase A Confident Heart this month, you can receive over $40 in FREE RESOURCES and EXCLUSIVE downloads.
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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God knows exactly what I need so He allowed me to join this Confident Heart online Bible study. Thank you so much Renee for this great opportunity! The Lord has greatly use your book to change the wrong thoughs/ the negative perspective I have on myself which in turn impacted my family in a positive way. I know there’s so much more to learn. A million thanks once again! Sweetest blessings!
Yesterday was a really bad day. Today my heart is heavy with worry and fear. I want to pray and hand my worries over to God but the words don’t come and the tears overflow. I know he is there and I know he will listen if only I could speak. The bad part of all of my worry is that today is our 20th anniversary and I want to be happy and express joy for this monumental occassion but yesterday was a really bad day. Maybe tomorrow will be better.
God knows the pray deep in our hearts, even we cannot express it with words sister
Praying for you dear Tracy! Sometimes we don’t have to speak…just sit or even lay at Jesus feet and let Him pour His love over you. He knows your hurts. He will guard you and keep you in perfect and constant peace as you keep your mind on him (Isaiah 26:3- a verse I’ve clung too) hang in there, your days will get better!
Hi Renee, coming across this blog of course is no “accident”. My life was changed in a matter of 5 minutes after arriving at my job. The person left in charge of the company wanted me out since she found out she would have to answer to me in regards to my position there. This woman is of an atheistic background and had been plotting against me for a while. She slowly started replacing others, with those she could control, and i was her next victim. it happened so fast my head was spinning! The center’s president, my boss, was called to another country for a couple of months and could only communicate via Sype and the internet. Well, it wasn’t always possible and so i never even got to talk to him. i was devastated to say the least. God made a way to vindicate me over this past month through the board of directors and i have my job back yet she still wants me out of there. Remee, my job is being stolen from me after 5 yrs of loyal service. i was told i have till the end of June to leave. i know God has His reason’s for everything so i really don’t know what’s going on. i have been reduced to 2 days a week and my finances are going down fast. i don’t know where to go or what to do so you can imagine how listening to you about not worrying was something i was desperate to hear. Now i have to apply it. i have a ceramic of Jesus praying in the Garden. i am now going to put my worries on cards and put them under it. Thank you Renee for caring like you do. God bless..
Renee: Thank you for your thoughts and words about praying. I struggle with that all the time. I never know if I am praying the right way or saying the right things. I worry so much about every little thing and your words of advice on just leaving those worries/concerns at the cross have encouraged me. I am going to start writing down my worries and just leave them at the cross. God Bless you and thank you. Rebecca G.
Pray the scripture, lay down your worries to God! I like the idea of writing down my worries placing on the nightstand under the cross. Great idea! Thank you so much!
I Found Your Blog Today After Starting To Receive The Encouragement For Today Emails. The Timing Couldn’t Be Better as i Have Found Myself Lately Relying On The Holy Spirit to intercede On my Behalf When i Couldn’t Even Begin To Pray. i Can’t Wait To Stay Praying Scriptures.Good is Great And Always Shows Us What we need, When we need it. Thank You, Thank You For a Wonderful Blog!!
I don’t know about you – but, having 1 Peter 5:7 posted to keep me focused helps – Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
What a great way that you worded : changing and rearranging me – loved that.
Also, you could make a decorative poster for your words: worry into worship.
We all have worries and I do plan to get the table cross and note cards – this would have to change the way you look and respond to things.
If I may, ask for prayer concerning an “unmentioned” prayer request. The Lord, already knows.
Thanks everybody for all the prayers and support that everyone’s comments help in some way.
Renee, if you read this – keep up the wonderful job you are doing and helping so many women!!
God Bless
Thank you! You ladies may never know his much you help, but God does and we do!
I LOVE this devotional today. It was written JUST for me. I have been letting things pile to the point.t that they are affecting my health. They are literally killing me. I was diagnosed with pseudotumor cerebri in January. No one knows the cause but for some reason my body thinks I am tumors on my brain and no one knows why. I am trying eliminate stress, but it seems like the tinest things make me irrationally angry. I needed to pray that prayer today. I blacked out 3 times Sunday for no cause other than being too upset. Once I actually hit the floor. I am anxiously awaiting.g the download to pray for myself head to toe. I can’t thank you enough for this today. It was JUST what I needed! God bless you all and keep up the good work. It is helping us out here.
there is a reason that God tells us to bring our burdens to Him, and so often we just don’t do that. I am working on this!
Thank you Renee for giving me new insight on how to pray! I like the way you mix Scripture with your own words.
🙂
Hey ladies– Renee wanted me to let you know that she is in the hospital right now with her sweet mom. Please pray for them both and know that as soon as she is able Renee will be here to comment. Her mom is having some complications and will most likely be admitted to the hospital today. Thanks for your prayers and patience! We at Proverbs 31 appreciate you!!!
Thanks for letting us know. My prayers are with Renee’s mom and her family. May God’s healing touch heal and bless her.
Oh my! Prayers! We all here for ya!
prayers.
I received a call from a friend who needs help. I am fairly new to my walk with Christ and I wanted to send her an encouraging word. I found it in your daily devotional. Which then led me to your blog regarding praying with confidence. This struck me because I feel I don’t know how to pray or how to use scripture to pray. I found encouragement that it doesn’t have to be perfect. The downloadable head to toe was just what I needed! Thank you!
Renee, thank you for this study. This chapter, devotion and video are just what I needed! Worries about my marriage have left me weary. After worrying and worrying, and trying every way imaginable (except God’s way) to fix things myself, I have come close to giving up. It’s only recently that I have begun to try to really turn this over to God and I am finding peace. It is still a struggle, because I’ve found that the enemy’s voice comes through loud and clear and tries to take me down a defeated and selfish path of destruction. I’m becoming much better at recognizing those times and turning back toward God in prayer. Those are precisely the times when I say to myself, “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.” If I give my worries over to Him, I’m becoming more confident in His promise to use this part of my journey for good.
I love that you write down your concerns at the end of the day and lay them at your cross beside your bed. I have a cross on my bedside table, too and I am going to do that.
This was a great chapter. Thank you for that list in Chapter 12. After writing down all my worries, I research the verses corresponding to each one from that list. Now I can go to it whenever worry starts to creep in and retrain my mind to dwell on the truth of God’s word instead of the lies that Satan wants me to believe. Instead of stop, drop, and rolling in my worries, I am determined to boss my heart into obey God’s instruction to Pause, Pray, and Praise!
Hi Renee,
I really enjoyed listening to the message. It made me realize just because something is a good thing does not mean it’s what God called me to do. That is something I will have to pray about. I also am going to on purpose hit the pause button when I feel i am starting to worry about somthing and pray because God is in control. He already know the plan for my life and I know it’s for my good (Jeremiah 29:11). I am at a phase in my life that my daughter is about to graduate from HS and God has blessed me as a single mom with a chronic illness to be here for her and be used as a vessel for him right where I am at. keep me in pray about seeking God more than serving. I want to know what God really wants me to do because it is stressful trying to do everything and be everything to everyone. God bless you for your words of wisdom. I love the index card idea.
I never thought about using scripture to turn my thoughts and worries into prayers to God. I think this is an excellent tool for my prayer life. I found your blog through Proverbs 31 ministries and I am thankful for that! Waiting on God’s timing for some life changes and trying not to be anxious….
Thank you, Renee, for reminding us that if we seek his comfort, we will always find it. I find that when I’m most troubled, and I quietly pray, I’m instantly soothed. It’s just amazing when you allow it to sink in, and realize it’s GREAT BIG power! Blessings to you! 🙂
Thank you Renee for the video..I love what you suggested about the worries and the cross, My dad gave me a beautiful cross before he passed away, I’m going to take it from where it is and place it on my night stand…there I will place my worries, at the foot of the cross…Thank you, Thank you..I have hung on to Phillipians 4:4-7 for so long, I just love it, Your right the enemy whispers for us to worry, with this study I have started seeking God more thru prayer, I thank Him so much that I started this study with you, It has changed me as a person, mother and wife, the healing as a daughter is coming along. I still get weary, there’s alot to do, but, I want to be a Mary….. God’s does promise us peace, and rest…One thing I have really worked on that I do, is “rewinding” things going over, over and over again in my mind. That will be my first index card…I will do it after I post this. thank you for putting the scriptures on the message notes:
1Peter 5:7 Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.
You are right. If I would do what I know is right and keep casting my worries, problems to Him and let them go I wouldn’t feel so stressed. Your idea of writing them down is great. I justtry to say it to Him but actually doing it will help me see Him work for me. I thank God that this was but on your heart to share. I know that He pomised nothing but goodness for me. This book and blogs help strengthn my walk with Him and blesses me daily.