A sweet little somebody crawled in bed with me the past two nights. She’s been coughing and running a fever. Seems like someone gets better and another one gets sick or injured. If I’m not careful, worry will weazle it’s way into my mind and I’ll start worry about what might go wrong next.
What if Aster gets pneumonia, like Josh did? What if she can’t go to preschool tomorrow and I can’t get those devotions edited for work? What if Andrew’s collar bone doesn’t start healing?
I’m sure you have a lot of what ifs of your own. I wish we could sit in a coffee shop and talk about and pray about things that are weighing you down or worries that are making you weary.
I’d tell you about the year I let my problems pile up and how all that pressure almost took me down. We could laugh about how I accidentally took my dogs medicine.
There are lessons I learned that I want to tell you about because they changed me – and rearranged me.
I learned how to process my worries with Jesus in a way I never had before. The load didn’t get smaller (hardly ever does) but the same but the weight got lighter because I learned how to let God carry it for me.
Since we can’t meet in a coffee shop, I want to share some things in a short video message I filmed weeks ago. I’ve been saving to share with you this week. In it, I’ll share three steps you can take to help you stop your concerns from consuming you and a powerful “visual” you can use to remind you to cast your cares upon the Lord. {Just click the arrow below to watch it.}
Message Notes: You can download this video’s “Message Notes” in a notes in a PDFor in a in a Word doc here. I encourage you to watch it once and just let God speak to your heart. Then if you want to, watch it again and follow along with the message notes which include parts of the message, verses and blanks to fill in. 
***
Lord, help us turn our burdens over to You, and
{rest in knowing} You will take care of us. Psalm 55:22, GW
***
Let’s Connect: I’d love to hear your thoughts and one thing you want to apply after hearing today’s video message.
Also, if you’re in my online study please share some of your answers to the questions from the end of Chapter 9. Click “share your thoughts” right below this post and do just that. 🙂 Let’s turn our burdens over to God and carry them to Him for one another, too, by praying for the person who leaves a comment before ours.
Hi Renee
Shared your prayer with some friends. Your prayers are amazing , how you take the word & pray it through. I’m learning how to do that. What you are doing is amazing.
Rene, Iwant to give u the biggest hug ever and tell u thank u sister for your
Obidient heart. I wwach the video and it was the lord speaking to me threw u
I felt like giving up this week sick tire dealing with house of twelve yet felt
Alone stranded worrying about abcdfg and with out reliazing pushing the lord
Aways asking him why can I feel? Felt forsken? Then the prayer I just read
Wao” music to my spirit, look at our God ¡ our savior being with us just like he
Was with the women when he walk this earth¡ am choke up we are strong
In him heal and restored. “Thank you ” Abba our precious lord and thank u
Rene for letting the lord turn, Our messes into he’s messaged like sam¡ to
To all of my sister in the study love u be bless we are not alone
He is with us¡
I’m not quite to Chapter nine yet, but this last prayer really helped me tonight. I have been having a very difficult time forgiving my ex-boyfriend. He just recently proposed to his girlfriend and we’ve only been apart for six months. It hurts knowing that he led me on for a year and a half, claiming that we were going to get married, only to throw me away after he moved back home for someone who has more money, and who is a doctor to boot. He had always told me that it takes at least a year to get to know someone, but apparently that went out the window the minute he met Chelsey. I am left feeling worthless, alone and angry. I don’t know how to forgive him. I don’t know how to be able to trust men anymore. This prayer that Renee left tonight helped, especially the part about the Lord holding my hand while I know that Victor is holding Chelsey’s hand and is registering for gifts and planning a wedding. Will I ever have that? Will I ever have the Lord holding on to one hand while my other hand is being held by a man who truly loves me?
Hi Pamela,
I can relate to all of what you wrote as a similar thing happened to me. Within weeks of getting ‘dumped’, my ex was with another girl and then was engaged within 6 months. It is terribly painful, so I sympathise with you. Three years on…im still single and it hurts…especially not knowing if this is for life. All I can say is that its a moment by moment decision to let go of that worry and hand it over to God….and its something that you will have to do repeatedly. Its not easy. But God does want what is best for us and despite the heartache and gut wrenching emotions that I know you feel, just TRUST that he does have everything under control and lean into him like you never have before. God will come through for the both of us, in his time. 🙂
WOW! Ask anyone in my family and they will tell you that I am the worrier. I have been my whole life.
I found Matthew 6:34 “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own’ as a little girl. I have recited it many times during my lifetime. I truly do not want to worry. I truly want to give my worries to God.
I like the idea of writing my worries on a note card and giving them to Jesus.
Thank you for sharing.
“Acid in your heart” I have to remember that one. It sticks in a funny way to help me remember satan is acid. I am about 1/2 done with Chapter 9. I wrote in my journal that I have always thought God can handle my “worries” if I just let go of them. But then I find that to be the problem, I can’t let go therefore that is why God isn’t handling it. So it’s my fault. I find I’m blaming myself for a lot of things in my life. I pray that I continue to grow and find ways to let go as I continue to read through your book.
Please also pray for my church. We lost an Awana leader Wednesday night in a car accident. She was on her way bringing her daughter to Cubbies and was killed after hitting a school bus. Praising God that her little girl is okay with only a broken arm. Her family is strong in the Lord, but it is still hard.
I think thanking God and praising him is a real key. It’s important to speak truth out so it can manifest in our lives – that is called FAITH! Just today we had a big set back financially. Chapter 9 is for such a time as this!
Saying a prayer for you today Lori Boruff.
Thank you so much for the video! What is so encouraging is that I am not walking this “hard” time alone!
I am not in Chapter 9 yet(almost)but I look forward to reading it! And thanks for the e-mail “prayer” you sent tonight! What a blessing!
This Chapter spoke loads to me. I have had a revelation about myself that I guess I have been denying or not wanting to accept it. I have been living in fear for so long. Fear of not being like, fear of what other people think of me, fear of me not being good enough. This fear led me to worrying about everything about me. The clothes I wear, the way I do my hair, the way I talk, just everything that I thought regarding myself. Although, I have finally learned to reveal to myself all of these things, I had to really ask God to show me how to deal with them. I guess I have always asked him and he, in his timely way, has revealed to me what I didn’t want to see. Yes, the first step was to really face what was there and why I worry so much. It is a work in progress this Christian walk.
I look at my two-year old and how he does not have a care in the world. So free-spirited, not caring of what others think, but just being him. This is what God wants for me, to trust Him, and to lean on Him, and to just be myself.
Moniqua:
I have recently realized that my struggle is the fear of not being good enough. I will be praying for you.
Thank you for sharing the image of your two-year old. That will be a picture that I will remind myself with – that God wants child-like faith. (No worries!)
Renee. loved the video. STOP worrying and START praying. That’s what spoke the most to me. Also the part about doing things because of our expectations. God says His burden is light. I think I should do more, which is not what God wants. I am behind on the reading. I haven’t started on chapter 9 but will get it read tonight! Thanks so much for your video and book lessons!
Blessings,
Soooooo needed this today, yesterday I found a lump in my breast, trying to not let “worry” overtake me. My husband is the only other person that knows. This is a shock to me but not God. Menopause is bringing many changes to my body and prayerfully this is just a natural part not a cancer thing. Thank you for letting me share this, and thank you for your prayers.
Lord I pray especially for Kim right now. I pray in the precious name of Jesus that this will not be cancer. I pray your healing upon her, and especially your love Jesus, Let her just feel your love and care surround her during this time of uncertainty.
In Jesus Name I pray,
Amen
Thank you Michele.
Praying for you Kim. I”ve had two different scares like you are going through. Last time I had to have two biopsies but both were negative. We have cancer in our family so it was really hard. But I want to encourage you that with two things – one is that hormones do cause all kinds of changes and one of mine ended up being a large fluid cysts which was completely hormone change based. Also, So much progress has been made in breast cancer. The good thing is that you have found this and can find out what it is. Praying you can get to see your Dr soon and in the meantime your heart will be able to give this over to Jesus and know that HE cares for you and He is taking care of you even in this by helping you find it. Praying, praying, praying!!
Thank you so much for the prayers and comforting words. I am fortunate that to date breast cancer isn’t in my family tree. I know God has an end game in this,I just need to keep my focus on Him and follow where He leads. Janie Grace’s song where He leads is great comfort, I really liked the song before now it has new meaning. Again tbank you and others for bringing this before God’s throne.
Kim, I pray that this will not be cancer and that Jesus will calm your fears and help you to rest in Him. Jamie Grace’s song “You Lead” – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFmSzL2ppvg – recently comforts me as well. I identify with the fear you’re going through. It’s so difficult not to worry, isn’t it? The wait in not knowing really wears on a person.
I really love the visuals you share Renee….this week’s idea about writing our worries and concerns on index cards and physically giving them to God is so powerful. I am excited to start this and I have a habitual worrying problem and find myself making things much bigger than they are sometimes by my worry.
Thank you!
I haven’t been keeping up with the study like I should. I am hurting so badly right now. I will have to call an 800 crisis line later tonight. I am waiting for my pastor to call me and pray with me. It’s overwhelming. I have been so much further hurt by my pastoral minister in counseling with him for horrific depression for 2 years. He should have ended the counseling long ago saying he was not qualified to help me but he kept me in. He has posed dual roles with me, coming to my house to do repairs and being my counselor also…and it’s nothing like physical intimacy…it’s the intimacy of the counseling relationship. I confided my deepest darkets thoughts written in my journal to him. he has said tons of hurtful things to me and I am just now remembering them and feeling more hurt from them. The last part of our counseling he had said 3 more hurtful things to me and I had finally had enough. I finally realized he was not helping me (after the horrible cloud of depression disappeared) and I said I was no longer coming back. He emailed me “sorry it didn’t work out”. that’s what I get after being so open and vulnerable and trusting? I have been so ANGRY! I was up all night praying. They are ignoring me. I am seriously thinking about filing a complaint. I don’t know what to do. the paiin is overwhelming….I had already had 4 major tragic things happen to me and have been in horrible derpession for the past 6 years….so now it is hurt on top of hurt….and he has done me more harm. I’m so upset. Just pray for God to be near me and never abandon me like all the people in these tragic events and this counselor who I shared all my thoughts with has done. He has abandoned me and harmed me so much further.
Oh Sherree, I am so sorry. I know how much courage it takes to be that vulnerable and I know you did so because you wanted help. And now you’ve been hurt. I wish I knew what to say but for now I just sense God telling me to pray for you so that is what I want to do here.
Lord, I thank you that you are Sherree’s loving and cariing Father. You are her Mighty Counselor, her confidant and Hope. Her Restorer and Healer. I pray that she would find comfort in You tonight, that she would not allow anyone to have the power to hurt her through their actions or words. I pray that she would know and feel comfort in knowing YOU are the Only One who can be what she needs – and you promise you will NEVER leave her or forsake her, I pray she’s run to you tonight. That she’s open the pages of the Psalms and let Your Words fall on her heart like medicine for her soul. I pray she’d open the pages of A Confident Heart and meet you at the well like Sam in chapter 2-4. Lord I know You brought this book to her and this message for her and you want to use it now in her life and through her healing process. Surround her with wisdom, grace and Your truth. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Thank you so much Renee. I copied this prayer and the one we just got in an email and I am going to pray them every day to get through this. I wish I could be as strong emotionally as you and a girlfriend of mine. I wish I had it all together. I don’t. I hurt easily. When the other person doesn’t care that I hurt easily I get angry. I feel so abandoned. You know when people say, if you were the only person in the world, Jesus would have died for you alone? It just ocurred to me I need to imagine that I AM the only one in the world and that He is all mine! I need so much to know I am important to Him and He will never abandon me like … yes even counselors who have strict ethics not to abandon…but they do and don’t even care. .
I feel so much peace today and last night after midnight. Thank you both for your prayers. I went back and read about the woman at the well. I prayed the prayers Renee has written. I read verses about how Jesus is so near me expecially when I am hurting. Chapters 8 and 9 happened for me at just the right time. I know God brought me to this bible study because I need it so. He loves me so much that he brought this to me. I am at peace that Jesus is my Defender and no one can harm me. He took away the hurt I was feeling last night and I have peace like I’ve never had before.
Sherree,
I also will be praying for you. I read your post and now you are on my heart. I am so sorry for your pain. God never abandon’s you, He is with you. I am sorry for your tragic things. I have had my own share of them, along with depression. I am praying for you.
Thank you so much. I have not hurt this much since my son moved in with his dad when he was 16. This is another major hurt. I really don’t understand why it hurts so bad but that I let myself be transparent and vulnerable and this counselor who is ethically bound not to harm further did harm further. Thank you for your care for me.
Renee – Thank You.
I once called worry my best friend – literally. “How can you trust when worry is your best friend?” I asked, I believed with my whole heart.
No more – worry is not a friend I want to have. I know it won’t be easy, I know I will slip and fall, but at least I dont feel like Im in the dark – like I am not even aware that there is another way. I want so dearly to hold onto this hope.
It is good to be reminded that we do a lot of good things, but they are not always God things. So glad Martha struggled with this. I am reminded of my dear mother who recently passed. As an adult, I used to go home and visit, after supper I would offer to help do the dishes and mother would say oh no let’s go in the den and relax. I can do those when you are gone. She knew what was important. Help me to have my mother’s wisdom.
Words of wisdom here!!
Definitely struggle with worry. Have since I was little. Even though know God has always provided for my needs (easy to see physical needs met) still find myself wondering where money is going to come from, etc. I often give my concerns, etc. to God but too often don’t leave them with Him. Perhaps writing them down would help. Gotten behind & haven’t even read the chapter yet. Great Aunt died Saturday, though I wasn’t real close to her, but then my Granddad died on Monday, which I am really struggling with, and had a medical procedure yesterday which will hopefully help but first few days are worse. I know God cares & is with me, but really wish I had “someone with skin on” right now. Will see everyone for the services on Monday. Sorry I got totally off topic. Anyway, am thankful for this study & thinking will go through it again as there is so much still for me to learn/apply.
When worry consumes, stop, label it, and give it to God. What a great thing to know, and a hard thing to do. My kids have been passing around a book called, “Doing Hard Things”. I think we mom’s need to take a ques from the kids and do the hard thing.
Yesterday I had a list way to long of things to do. I forgot something that I told my daughter I would do for her. She had forgotten to have a school paper signed and I was going to do the running for her to get it taken care of. I called her almost in tears, because I had forgot, what she had also forgot. She said that it was fine and she would take care of it today.
Sometimes, I think we worry about stuff with our kids that God needs to work out. I have had my heart feel as though it was being torn out of my chest, but that is no reason to put on my “fret hat”. God has everything planned and I need to rest in that fact.
Thank you for this reminder about worry. I worry so many about the future in general. But I was really convicted of it when I heard that when I worry I am showing more confidence in my ability to figure things out than in God’s care of me.
I still struggle with trusting God too often, but it is something that He is slowly freeing me from as I pray about it and seek Him.
The other day I was reading 1 Peter about casting my cares upon the Lord. What I had not noticed before was the preceding verse talks about humbling myself before God. There is definitely a connection between humbling myself before God and His ways and being able to cast my anxieties to God.
I have grown so much by your teachings and this video as well as the others have Inspired me to see that Worry robs us of God’s Blessings.I have lerned not to pick it back up once I have left it at The Feet of Jesus.A Wise way to go at this is by saying Spiritual growth takes time we have to learn from our test and trials we go through.We are on a Journey to find our Destination for Eternity.Our Eternity is where we end up after we have have completed His Plan for our Lives.God wants us to share our Life Lessons to help each other grow into the Masterpiece we were created be.Just think a Masterpiece of God He made everything Beautiful and we were no exception we all have been Choosen and designed by the Potter Himself.And God will not let Nothing happen to His Creations.I have learned to Plead the Blood over my Spouse myself my Children Grandchildren my health my finances my home we have the Power in the Name of Jesus left by The Comforter Himself to Conquer and be Overcomers through Him.I am doing more Faith Walking now more then ever.I know that I am Covered and evverything I touch will be Blessed.I ask Him for the Courage to break out of my Comfort zone so He can use me to help build His Kingdom.We all are here for a Purpose and our goal is to fight the good fight till the end of Lifes Journey.I thank God for Sister Renee and p31 Ministries and for all my online Sisters that help Encourage me and many others to not be Weary in well doing.God Bless you all Mighty Warriors.
It took me a very long time to realize that ‘worry’ is a sin. When I worry I am not trusting God…the King of kings and Lord of lords…the One who created me and knows my most inner parts…who knows all the hairs on my head and knows every tear I’ve cried. When I start to worry I try to remember to confess that sin and then ask God to help me trust Him…afterall…He is sovereign…since He chose me he is not going to let me out of His sight…ever!
The hardest thing I’ve ever had to do…and continue to struggle with…is to ask God to show me my sins…in doing that I will have to repent and then ask God for the strength to do what is right. I am always in God’s will…we all are…there is nothing in this world that God does not already know about. When I start to confess my sins and continue to confess my sins and then start doing the right things that is when I have true peace.
Been there – Done that! I think worry ALWAYS makes us weary, and you’re so right – when we learn to turn over our cares to Him and truly live in “Fret Not”, our load is so much lighter!
Thank you, Renee. I am a #1 worrywart!
A couple of months ago as I lay halfway between the world of sleep and wake-up, God reminded me of Martha and Mary. I am so much like Martha, always worried about the little things in life. Always getting myself all wound up. I worry about everything. I worry about what I say or don’t say. I get distracted with negative thoughts from the past or hurts of the present. I feel all upset when I am not understood.
I am even worse than Martha. At least she was fussing over preparing something for Jesus. But maybe that’s it though. She was trying to prepare a meal for Jesus, but she needed to allow Jesus to prepare the way for her. To provide her with His sustenance – as the Bread of Life to fill her hungry soul and the Living Water to quench her thirsty soul.
My problem exactly. I am so busy trying to fix things that are out of my control or to take on burdens that aren’t mine to bear. I’m so busy trying to make things right in my heart or other people’s lives. I try so hard to make everyone else happy, and I forget to turn to the ONE Who has all the answers. The only ONE Who can change things. The only ONE Who can nourish my soul and the souls of others.
What a topic this week! I’ve always been a worrier but slowly letting go of the feeling responsible for everyone’s happiness. It really doesn’t do much good to worry about things, many things, we cannot control.
Thinking and planning vs. worrying is a fine line for women I believe.
The difference is usually in worrying we accept responsibility for things we cannot control no matter what we do. It’s only natural for women to try to “fix” it. Some more than others and I being one of those that tries hard. In the past year I realized I cannot fix some major changes that happened to me.
Worrying is probably an insult to our Father as we take it in our own hands when we should pray more instead. It is a daily struggle for me not to worry about my children. The have been estranged from me for 2 years now and I have no idea why. I have prayed and prayed and feel like letting go means I don’t care.
Actually it was just this past month, I decided to not write them any longer and I have to accept this no matter what. I think worry is fear of what might be and we can’t project all of the future.
This left a hole in my heart with my kids that I can’t fix. Even worrying didn’t change a thing. Sometimes I wonder if praying about it anymore is fruitful or not. I know it’s cast a deep shadow on my heart that no one can fill. It has created a sense of rejection in most any relationship I have had since then.
Jennifer,
I had a similar experience several years ago. I was a single mother, got remarried to a wonderful man, and when my oldest daughter turned 16 she decided she wanted to go live with her father. I was extremely hurt, worried, and concerned about her living full time in a non-Christian household. I had a very hard time adjusting, until I gave it to God; only He could direct her and correct her path. She went through somethings a mother never wants her child to experience. Drinking, drugs, etc. She finally woke up and turned to God to set her paths straight. She and I are very close now, and God has healed our relationship. I had to accept that He would bring her back to living and choosing the right choices for her life. She is now married with a toddler and another one the way.
The Bible says: to teach your children God’s commands, and if they stray from them; they will return back to them. Time does heal our wounds; we need to turn to Jesus during this time.
I’ll be praying for you….Beth
If I could respond to Jennifer….
Jennifer, I would encourage you to keep writing to your kids no matter if they respond or not.
Letting go means you have given up trying to control whether or not they will respond to you.
They will come back to you one day.
Don’t ever let anyone tell you anything else and most importantly don’t tell yourself that they will not come back to you.
Start thanking God that He has already planned their path back to you and Him.
Just keep on loving them!
Debbie
Renee…..sometimes I am just so so overwhelmed with everything I have to do. I have such a demanding job and feel as though that all I do is work, eat, and sleep. I have no time for anything else. I am short tempered with my family and sometimes don’t even like myself. I have prayed and prayed about it and still I find myself in the same frame of mind. Your video and message was so what I needed today. You make me feel like there really is hope and a better life. I just feel like sitting down sometimes and crying my eyes out, but I know that isn’t going to solve anything. My life is such a mess and so unorganized and I feel like I am drowning. Thanks so much for you message. I need your encouraging words. I do wish I could sit down with you at a coffee shop and talk because I feel like I am at the end of my rope.
Lately I have been doing this a lot. Especially when you’re a parent of teenagers. Worried that they will make the right decisions…worried they will take a wrong path. But I have been turning it all over to the Lord. They are in his hands & I must remember that. I sometimes say, “Lord, its too much to handle please some how fix it”.
Thank you for today’s video message.
Wow thank you for the blessing of this message. I needed to hear it more than every today, feels kind of like He wrote it just for me! Facing some strong financial challenges as our basement flooded with water this week, son injured, and there is more. BUT, He has not changed. Praying for the peace that surpasses all understanding for all the ladies you minister to…
Lord I pray for peace for all these wonderful ladies and myself. Reading this chapter which I have not finished, I can relate to Renae’a struggle. I am and have been at that point for an aweful long time. My memory is so bad it scares me. I function and get through the day but it is a struggle. Between finances, four kids, an ailing mother, 3 businesses and working part time at home depot to keep my real estate office open, I am completely drained. I have been feeling God wanting me to get away for a day or two alone but don’t see how that can happen. Pray for me to have a door opened to make it possible. Have a blessed day everyone
Worry is a thing that all women do especially mother’s. Thank you for the scriptures to help me remember what God wants me to do about my worries. Thanks you also for the reminder of these three easy steps to help me with this worry. I have always felt like the “Martha” in my family. The one everyone expects to cook the meals and have all the family gathering. I so want to learn to be a “Mary” To let Jesus be my focus. I am praying for Gods peace about all of these feelings and guidance on how to move my focus back to Him.
This is a powerful chapter. Just watched the video. Love your idea of writing my worries down on a 3×5 card, physically laying it under the cross on (your) table, and surrendering these worries to GOD. Every time I see those cards under that cross — it will be a vivid reminder that “I surrenderred those worries to GOD and need to leave them there.”
Thank you, Rene for being so incredibly transparent and sharing these wonderful life lessons with us. God uses you in such a powerful way.
This topic is a great reminder for me. Just today I walked out of my house with the intention of going to the store. Well I left my keys in the house. I was locked out of my house and car. I panicked, started praying, and asking God to keep me from losing. it. See, this interrupted my plans for the next hour or so. Plus I have done this before. So of course I thought Lord what is wrong wiht me. This word today reminded me to cast that care, problem, dilemma on the altar. And let the Lord calm my mind, spirit, And he did. While I was locked out of my home, siting in the garage, I decided to take that time to pray, do something constructive. I rode my bicycle and begin to read a book. Before long, my daughter came home. Please pray that I learn how to be calm in a dilemma or small storm and not loose control.
That was an awesome way to respond to your little crisis! God, please help Cynthia to always remember you first and remain calm in every storm! Sometimes life is more about the interruptions isn’t it.
I had a lesson on Worrying before with Andy Stanley a few years back.
I love that fact that I don’t have to worry and know that God is in control of every situation.
Many times a see or hear other Christians worry about different things. I give them the advice to stop worrying n pray to God for guidance and a way to see the good side of the situation.
Turn worrying into praying! 😉
I am still working on Chapter 8 and I still haven’t finished the exercises from Chapters 4-7, but I think God wanted me to watch this video today. It is my nature to be such a worrier and these are great lessons…now I just need to apply them. Thanks, Renee!
Thank you, Renee for writing about this today. I tend to let satan’s words overspeak everything I know to be true. I need this constant reminder to trust in the Lord & only hear His words.
At PeggyByTheSea: I, too, felt the same way about cleaning as a little girl. I felt if I cleaned house and was a ‘good girl’ my parents would love me more. I find myself trying to live out that lie in my marriage, i.e. “If I just act right, or look right/attractive, then he’ll love me more”. All lies created by the devil with the intention of keeping me distracted from God and focused on my worry. But no more!!
Hi Amy….I always pray that Jesus would just come and get me…I don’t understand why He allows the things that happen to us as children!! Especially because they affect us throughout life!!! I know it seems the enemy is distracting us, that if I would just pray more, read the Bible more, let go and let God more than all His promises will come to pass….He has cared for me, I have more on the outside than many but inside my heart and soul aches with so many things…I have spent 30 years in Counseling, in treatment, in and out of 12 step Recovery meetings…I have been on countless anti depressants, I can go on and on with the many things I have done or tried to just let Jesus in and do for me…I am my own worst enenmy and beat myself up for just not getting it…I believe it comes down to all the childhood years and the feelings on not being loved, accepted for me, the rejection, the fear and the “it’s better now, everything is going to be better”, only to have it not be so. WHat am I doinmg wrong in this world, I am humbling myself constantly before the Lord, I am doing all the “right things’…I have poured my heart out to Him and yet i fall short…My childhood did major damage to me and I have done everything I know how to be of a sound mind and I am still so broken…I dont know whats left but Jesus come and take me home….
What a wonderful prayer Renee sent through email and something to strive for…..Stop Worrying….Start Praying…Talking to God….that is my favorite part because He is such a good listener even when it is the same thing over and over. Such as give my pain to God get impatient take it back try to fix it, can’t then remember oh yeah give it to God……I think many can relate to the cycle. But I think this might be easy to remember Stop worrying, Start talking (praying) to the One who is always there no matter how many times and remembering to thank Him. I can remember a time when I was very depressed and I would make myself look at the blue skies, any flowers growing nearby, puffy white clouds, etc. anything that would remind me that God makes beautiful things even me and you! God’s peace and blessings to all.
I saw a sign in Oklahoma probably twenty years ago that I have never forgotten, the sign said, “Worry is sin in disguise!” Somedays I forget to cast my burdens on the Lord. Somedays, that is all that I do. My problem with worry, is that I then do not always wait on God to fix the concern. I am a “Fix-it-fox, can any one relate. I am trying to learn to listen to my younger son but not to fix his problems. So with that, I will encourage you with 1 Peter 5:7. Blessings… Diana
Like so many of you, worry has been an almost constant struggle for me. I’ve written out Philippians 6-7 by my computer and find so much comfort and truth in it. But I am amazed by how quickly the world and my fears can steal that peace away from my heart. I have an ongoing struggle with depression which flares up and distorts my thoughts leading me into a place of darkness and lies. For me, spending time in God’s Word is the only way to come back from that and I am so thankful for the insights Renee and so many of you have shared. I pray that He will continue His healing work in each of our lives.
Praying for you today Sandee – praying that every time you feel worry rising and your heart/mind racing Jesus will remind you of the three steps I shared in the video – to Stop worrying, Start praying [talking to God instead of talking to yourself :-)] and Keep thanking God for what He has done and what He will do as you trust Him more than your thoughts about all that concerns you.
If you haven’t seen the video, I hope you will watch it and also consider getting a cross for your desk and your bedside and use the concern cards to cast your cares upon HIM!!
Claiming, praying and believing HIS Promises for you today!
What a wonderful tangible gift from God to show me His presence as He lifts me once more out of the darkness. Thank you and God bless your caring heart. You are a blessing to so many. 🙂
I have been up all night praying and worrying about my son who has left home in anger. My heart is breaking and as you said, yes, i’m wondering if God really cares while at the same time knowing He does. I am thankful for your message today and I am reading and rereading chapter 9 and trying to find the peace that He has for me. I know He loves my son even more than I do. Please pray for me to be able to find the peace in knowing He will take care of my son and turn his life back to the Lord.
Lord Jesus please surround Janetta’s heart with your peace that surpasses her understanding of what is going on and why this is happening. Her heart is so heavy with love and concern for her son. It’s so hard as a mom to let go and entrust our children to you when they mean so very much to us. But Jesus today we acknowledge that YOU are God and we are not. Our children are yours and as they grow older we have to entrust them into Your mighty capable hands. It’s hard but we also know that worrying doesn’t change anything – only prayer and YOU can.
I pray that Janetta’s son would choose YOU. Intervene and interrupt his day with Your plans and show HIM yourself. Break the chains that are holding him and do what ever it takes to turn his heart to You alone. Heal his anger and bring him to a place of surrender.
In the mighty and matchless name of Jesus, Amen!
What a wonderful message and what a difficult topic! I’m trying more and more to turn my worry over to God because I worry about everything. I just have such a hard time of actually letting go of it, but I am making some progress. I was particularly stressed this past Sunday doing a couple of things that were outside my comfort zone. I just had to keep praying and let him take it from me to get through it and I was fine. I’ve not had a chance to read through Chapter 9 yet but I’m looking forward to getting into it and hopeful to be able to make progress with letting go of worry and letting God handle it. Thanks, Renee for your message today. Have a blessed day!
.I am the caregiver for my elderly mother and I worry about her all the time, I’m also single with no children. I have a younger sister but she doesn’t care about my mother or I and I’ve being having to take care of mother alone. I feel overwhelmed sometimes in meeting her needs and my own and in trying to juggle finances, work, and my mother’s care sometimes I feel overwhelmed I don’t have a life of my own. I love my mother dearly, and taking care of her has been a blessing in many ways, but sometimes I wish I had larger support systems that I have now… I wish I had more friends. I am looking to relocate to another are where I can find a better support system, but I can’t quit the job that I have now without finding one in the area I wish to relocate. Please pray for us. Pay that God will hear our prayers to move this area where we feel we will find a larger support system
I just said a prayer for you that the Lord will meet your needs Phillip 4:19 and comfort you at this time with grace and mercy. Also that the Lord would send some caring and Godly friends your way to help you feel connected socially and not so alone. Psalm 84:11 Psalm 68:11 Your willingness to take care of your mom I know is honoring to God and He is pleased withyour service.
Psalm 62, Psalm 68:19 Psalm138 ( My personal favorite 🙂
This is my first year back in the classroom as a kindergarten teacher.. Oh what a year.. I have had concerns after concerns but God has been faithful to meet my needs through Godly relationships and co workers .. but I have had some dry spots along the way.. I had to wait on the Lord and His timing for prayers to be answered and trust his provision and care along the way. I Peter 5 :7
Angela
May the Lord bless and provide for all your and mother’s needs.
Today’s message was truly my life a year ago. I lost my job last year in February due to a company re-organization and the worry set in. I felt like my world was going to come to an end. I was unemployed for an entire year before God placed me in the spot he wanted me to be. In the beginning I kept telling God I couldn’t believe this was happening and expecting him to immediately “fix” everything. What I didn’t know was that once I finally gave all my worries over to him completely did he start working in my life. He was actually already working but I was worring so much I didn’t see what he was doing. I had been under so much stress at work that it was effecting my health and time with my family. My husband and I kept saying that I really needed to look for a new job, but the unknown and at my age of starting a new job was scary. God thought differently and I truly believe he had a plan in me losing my job. I had the entire summer off to go camping and reconnect with Him, my husband and my son. The time off also allowed me to spend extra time with my grandparents who are getting very close to going home to our amazing Father. I will cherish that time with them and would have not had it if I would not have lost my job. I thank God everyday for me losing my job as the things I gained out weigh the things I lost. Me losing my job has actually allowed me to stop worrying so much, praying more and thanking God for what I do have in my life. Your message was right on this morning!!!!
Missy,
Your testimony is amazing. I lost my job last January due to restructuring. It’s been 14 months and I still don’t have a job. My work, too, was high stress as a medical office administrator. My health had been affected. I knew God placed me there 10 years earlier, but I also know that God wanted me to leave and I didn’t have the faith to trust Him. My prayer today is “Thank you God for my current job situation. It may have taken me by surprise, but it didn’t surprise YOU. I wait with anticipation to discover the plan that You have for me”. Through this last year of unemployment, God has changed my heart and given me a desire to help other women walking through this season of life. I would love to hear more of your testimony and some of the specifics of how you handled the emotions of the year. Please feel free to email me at [email protected]. God is so good! God Bless You!
I am so grateful I am not alone in my worry but at the same time it saddens me that we all do worry…As women I believe it is engraved in us on our hearts but it is not what God wants for us…I so identify with all the reasons we worry…i chuckle reading what you wrote Sharon…I am the same way…But, for me it has been that way since i was a child. I start cleaning when i am worried or anxious not even realizing i am doing it. As a child I thought if i cleaned it would make everything OK in my alcoholic parents home…If my mom found a clean house she would love me, soooo now I am still that way…I am tired of worrying about many things, I throw my hands up and let Go and let God…I am weary from the battle and keep pressing on…Praying for all of you my sisters…
I haven’t always been a worrier but I think that it comes with time. I love my husband but he is outwardly very carefree and doesn’t appear to worry about anything so I took all the issues on myself and have become very stressed out about anything and everything. In the last few months, I have been trying to let go of my worry and allow my husband in. We have attended a marriage conference and have started taking some time for ourselves. I have found as I have allowed him in and talked to him about the issue that it may not always fix it but I am not so worried. I also have found that stuff I have worried about have never come to fruition. We have recently changed churches and I have found myself turning to God more and having a new relationship with him now. When I focus on God and the blessings in my day instead of the worry and the trouble all the time, the day is much better and more relaxed. We still have money issues and my kids still have their issues but I feel better able to deal with them and I am a happier person.
Good for you! I think women worry so much more than men. I don’t know why we think it’s our responsibility for everyone’s happiness. There is much to learn in the serenity prayer and there are things we can’t control.
When you get overwhelmed, do concerns ever consume you? If so, what does that look like in your head and heart?
YES! It looks like a swarm of attacking bees…just when you swat one away 3 more come from the other side…
Do you ever catch yourself wondering if God notices everything you are doing?
Or wondering if He cares (which I know is a LIE)…but it feels like it’s true.
Do you ever doubt you can do all He has called you to do? Are there some things in your life He may not expect or want you to be doing?
YES! I have a heart toward LOTS of things…but don’t even know what exactly He is asking of me. Somehow I can’t seem to sort it all out.
And I am so very weary from worry…I would like to make worry a thing of the past…with God all things are possible!
Carla, I will be praying for you that the worry will subside so you will not be weary. It is so emotionally draining to worry. You said it in With God All things are possible.
I can’t believe that worry is what we are studying on this week. This is exactly what my pastor preached on Sunday. He even used the same scripture. I know from experience that worry solves nothing. It is still hard for me not to worry but I do think I have grown in this area. I truly believe that God will take care of me. I may not have it easy in this world but I know that I’m going to spend eternity with God and then all these things in this world won’t matter. Thank you God for all my blessings as I don’t deserve any of them. I pray that I can let you give me confidence to face whatever this world throws at me. “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Jesus (John 16:33)
Dear LORD, Linda is asking that You would grant her confidence to overcome anything that comes her way. That she would have peace in the midst of all that is going on around her. LORD, I agree with her in prayer regarding these things she is asking. Father, grant that she would know You even more…know Your love even more…that it would be the fulness of her life, that guides her, encourages her and strengthens her. That her confidence in Your love would be so firm, so solid that nothing of this world would move her gaze from Your loving face! Help her to do more than she asks or thinks….because of Your great love and power. For You are strong and You O Lord are loving! In Jesus’ mighty name…Amen!
In the beginning of this year I was totally consumed by fear and worry. So many things were new for us and I just didn’t know how to make a single thing come into place and work for all parties concerned. It got so bad, it felt as if I could climb out of my own skin and pull out all my hair. I wasn’t thinking about God at all, my doubt was too big at that moment. But then on my way home after another plan I was trying to make, God whispers loud enough in my ear the plan that has been in front of me this whole entire time!! I couldn’t believe I didn’t see it there!! I was stressing, huffing and puffing all around it…. Well let me tell you, after that I decided, NO MORE WORRYING for me!! I’ve had it!! I cannot control one single thing in this world and I don’t like the way the struggle makes me feel and giving the devil an open doorway as well. I made a conscious decision to let God take over and I will just let Him do what He does best! Plan and organise my life!! I love not having to stress and fall into an anxiety-hole! He WILL take care of us, His Word is full of the promises that He wants to do these things for us!! Praise God for never failing us!
Renee, I really liked the video. It hits home oh so well. I to am guilty of worrying way to much. I like the short 3 statements to stop worrying, start praying and keep thanking God. I am going to remember this though the week when my worries pop up. It is hard not to worry. I have been working on this diligently the past few weeks. Trying to give them to God and concentrate on His promises instead.
I also found comfort in the verse you gave in Philippians 4:6-7.
I am going to make an index card of it and read it though the week. In fact, I think this would be a good one to memorize.
Those 3 statements reached out to me as well. I have been also trying to let go of worry. Only thing is I didn’t consider it worry and it was effecting me and my health. I thank God for an opportunity to see what it was doing to me. I’m praying God will continue to work with me and on me as I remember these three statements. I know that God will help me. I’m praying for you Margie.
Needed to hear this powerful message today; than you.
Lord, I pray for Sharon that she can feel Your promises in her heart. Lord shrink the 18 inches from her head to her heart and let her know You first in her life. Let us all pray Your promises and believe as we pray.
Renee, I truly believe that so much of believing as we pray comes from being still and listening. We are so often too busy trying to be the glue, when all God wants is our attention, then He will glue us, and our lives, together.
I don’t have your book to read, but I am participating through the blog and the videos. Thank you for your faithfulness in leading us closer to Him. Lord, I pray Your blessings on Renee and on this ministry, thank you for touching so many in this way.
My worries? Oh, yes, I worry with the best of them! I worry what others think of me, the person. I worry about what the man I am in relationship with thinks of me, what he wants from me, where we are at in our relationship, and I worry that I will screw it up! I do think I am trying too hard.
Yes, today I will do my best to lay these worries down. This scripture is perfect for me today. I hear God saying to me: if you tell this to one more person! He sounds like an exasperated parent in my ears. So, Renee, thank you, thank you. And girls, let’s all do this together! And Lord, I thank you in advance for the results that WILL come of Your promises made to me today!! Bless you, Renee!
When I am troubled with worry, I stand in awe at God’s beautiful creation. Even more… that He allows us to see it in color! It is here that I feel a release from my troubles.
I struggle with no one in the household can effectively clean a house like me. This causes undo stress that I have to take ownership for. Goodness…I remember a dear friend coming to the house telling me “honey you keep such a clean house I don’t feel I can breathe in it”! Now that it bad…
Renee~ I can see that God is slowly transforming me from the inside out as I pray His promises. I have known many of His promises but didn’t get them from my head to my heart until I began working through this Bible study and began praying them.
This video spoke to me because I am the queen of worry. I feel like that alot and I can relate to page 162 of the book – But If I Don’t Worry, Who Will? lol I am working on letting God take care of all things. I pray about something, then I take it back. Chapter 9 so far is so good. I love this book. Blessings to you, Renee.
enjoyed your video today. I would like to thank god more for what he has done for me through out my life.
Chapter 9 speaks to my biggest problem: WORRY. I must say though that in the past 6 months I have drawn closer to God as I have been thru many storms in the past year. God had remained faithful thru it all. I am the glue that keeps my family together, but I really do think that many women are. Sometimes I wonder if anyone including God notices how much I do to help others lives easier. By the end of my day, which is my quiet time with God…..I can hear him speak to me and calm my anxious heart. I am now trying to take more God breaks during the day so that when I start to get overwhelmed I know that I just need to take a deep breath and speak to or praise God thru that anxious time. YOu know it works too!!! Thank you Renee for the videos, they are very inspiring to me.
I can so agree with you. It’s easy to get overwhelmed and I have definitely been given a handful in the past year but we have to cast our worries on Him and let go. Sometimes I find myself revisiting an issue and realize I’m into worry again. Great video and reminder!
This video is so timely . Worrying will not help me but create more problems.Thank you for tips .
God Bless.