I hated feeling so uneasy and uncertain. Lost within my own heart. If only I knew what was making my emotions so wobbly. If only I could name it. Then I could figure out what to do about it. One morning, Jesus whispered it’s name in the quiet of my heart. It was doubt. It wasn’t fear. It wasn’t worry. Self-doubt was making me question everything I thought, felt and said. Naming it helped me know how to pray. Naming it led me to confessions I needed to make and promises I could claim. Naming it made me feel like I could finally stand up to it. Two summers ago, I got to visit the Farm and sit on the porch with my friend, Ann Voskamp. We talked about the power of naming things- the hard and the holy everyday grace things. How essential it is to our healing. We shared how doubt and fear had overshadowed our lives for so long, but how we both found hope and freedom once we learned to name them. Would you join us on the porch? {Be sure to turn up the volume. A tractor passes by and it gets kind of loud.} If you’re reading this via email, click here to view the video on my website.
“When you don’t have a name for something, you’re haunted by it’s shadows…But when you can name something… It loses it’s mask and you can find a strategy to deal with it.” (One Thousand Gifts)
Just days after Ann and I chatted on the porch, I received these two notes. “Renee, I just finished reading the first chapter of A Confident Heart . Thank you so much for writing a book like this and knowing exactly what it’s called that I’m going and have gone through all my life and didn’t know what it was called. ~ Sharon “I’ve always doubted myself, but like you I called mine different names. It felt so good to know and hear that I am not alone and that I can find my God-Confidence. ~ Megin
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Lord, thank you for showing us just how much we need to name that doubt, that fear, that worry – so we can find a strategy to overcome it with You! There is power in Your Name, and power in naming the things that hold us captive. Give us wisdom and insight to name them, and courage to claim and walk in the overcoming power that is ours in Christ. In Jesus Name Amen! Join Us On The Porch Slip a note in the comments below this post by clicking “Share your thoughts.” As a special gift, each of you who join Ann and my conversation will be entered for a chance win one of three copies of A Confident Heart and one copy of Ann Voskamp’s New York Times Best-Seller, One Thousand Gifts. 
Meet Us On the Porch Again This Week? Ann and I kept talking, and we’d love for you to join us on the porch again on Thursday, when we’ll share more. If you’d like a little reminder, enter your email in the box in my sidebar that says
RECEIVE EMAIL UPDATES and I’ll slip a note in your inbox when it’s posted.
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I am so smitten with the idea of naming, specifying, as God had Adam name the animals. I remember a sermon I once heard – Jesse Duplantis, perhaps – talking about how God had Adam name the animals as a confirmation of his being made in the image of God. When Adam said “Giraffe”, God said, “Yes, Adam, that’s right.” That the names were already IN Adam because he was made in the image of God, but it took a “Light be!”-like expression to establish their existence and Adam’s hegemony. It’s tough to be afraid of something you can name. And then use the name to cast it out. 🙂 Glory.
Thank you for naming what I didn’t even know I wasn’t naming! So much work to do! So grateful to be doing it with women like you!
With recent major changes in my husband’s and my life, I would welcome some guidance to a confident heart.
Hi sweet friends, I am so moved by God’s timing of this post and what He’s doing in your lives through it. Im reading through your notes and plan to come back to share in the conversation tomorrow. Dinner needs to be fixed and we have a group of friends from church coming over for small group tonight. You are tucked in my thoughts and prayers.
I love doing online community life here with you!!
Renee
This message is confirmation to me that this process I’m dealing with has so much more to do with me, and less to do with anyone else. The Lord took me through this naming process 1 or 2 days ago and I was telling some friends how cleansing it was. He had me to list several different things, and then He told me to put only one name on it. Even though there was some not so cute things inside of me I needed God to reveal it to me for me to really be free. Thank y’all so much for sharing this with us. I’m definitely going to make a habit of putting a name on things. God Bless!
Ann’s book (which I borrowed) and this short video have rocked my world! To think, that simply in naming the very things that we struggle with or , in turn, are blessed by, that that naming will unlock our true connectness to God, wow! Thank you for sharing that momental truth in this video. The quote above will be placed on my mirror today as a reminder of that! Praise God!
This has prompted tears, and soul searching. I’m writing out thoughts and feelings with a Word document open in another computer window. I didn’t want to share it here. But I look forward to your post on Thursday, and would like a chance at the book giveaway of One Thousand Gifts. I participated in your online study of A Confident Heart, but I feel I’ll probably be reading the book again soon, after intense honesty with myself. Sometimes, honesty with oneself is too painful to face until you’re at the end of your rope, and then you have to.
I am reading the confident heart book now during my devotional time with God and really learning a lot. I plan on joining you on the porch for the conversation. The other book One Thousand Gifts looks interesting as well.
Good reminder and lesson that I need to apply to my life. I try to not think about the bad but I should name it and bring it to light instead of repressing. Thank you.
Thanks you so much for sharing this. I was halfway through this video and decided to share this on my page on Facebook. As a single mother of 3 children, ages 12,5 & 3, I encounter some major challenges in life. I decided about 3 years ago to make my relationship with God closer. I realized as I was approaching 30 that some decisions had to change. I began serving at my church despite what my circumstances were at the time. I decided to attend our group sessions every 1st and 3rd week so that I stay connected with God’s people so that I am held accountable for my walk with God. At some points in our lives we have to decide what to do even when it feels uncomfortable. Now as I have been committed to my relationship/walk with God I can face my challenges knowing God sees everything. So as I listened to this video I began to realize what I needed to do to put things into perspective as I am encountering this ongoing challenge I face. I know now to name this thing, confess it to God, pray to God for strength and perseverance and know that he will take care of it all. Thanks again for sharing.
I just love it and for the words of encouragement and to see to wonderful girlfriend’s talking to each other!!!!
Wow what an awesome idea!! I am getting ready to go for a walk and plan to start giving my fears and doubts names and thanking God also for all the blessings He has given to me .
Thank you for sharing. I have been praying the last few weeks for God to help me identify the source of my anxiety/fear/worry.
I am so glad I found this. Great encouragement for me as I have struggled with this all of my life. I look forward to more conversations that may lead me in the right direction. Thank you!
I’m learning to name and submit my thoughts to the Lord both good and bad, and is so comforting to know that He’s there to help me and give me strength to overcome anything and everything.
Emma
God has been teaching me these past few weeks all about His timing…devotionals, little bits of wisdom, sermons, provisions, and your video. All have come at just the exact time I need them, just when I’m struggling with an issue. I’m battling Stage 4 Colorectal Cancer. The doctor has told me that I will be on chemo the rest of my life and that my life may be as short as 2 years. But I don’t accept that. I know my God is still a healing God. I know that in His time He will manifest my healing with physical proof. Until then, I will continue to praise Him and thank Him for my healing. I will be grateful and thankful for the many blessings He gives me everyday. And when the enemy comes against me, I use your AM/FM formula, Renee, from the 7 Day Doubt Diet, to stand firm on God’s word and promises. I struggle with doubt and fear daily but I trust God to see me through.
I think naming the negative is important because we face what it is that is overwhelming us. We call it what it is. And as Ann said we recognize whatever it is, God is bigger, able to handle it.
Naming the positive is being thankful for each detail we have been blessed with. It’s like recognizing all the qualities in our children instead of just saying. Jessica is amazing. It’s itemizing why.
I also think it is childlike which is what we are encouraged to be. When I pray with my grandsons they mention each little thing, as well as each little fear.
Naming things is so powerful. This simply truth although difficult at times has set me free!
Love the idea of calling out these negative thoughts from my brain and shooting them down with God’s Word. So thankful Renee and Ann for being obedient to God and sharing their struggles.
Love this, naming our gifts from God helps us to realize he is living in us, we aren’t alone, and good or bad, he is there. Thank you.