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Renee Swope

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

Read An Excerpt: Chapter 1 & 2

When You Need A New Script

 

If there’s one thing that throws me into a ditch of self-doubt and discouragement, it’s when I act ugly with the ones I love. 

Today, I’ve asked my amazing friend Lysa, who is also president of Proverbs 31 Ministries, to share how “losing it” with her loved ones effects her. It’s something she talks about in her New York Times Best-selling book, Unglued,

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I’m sad because of the way I acted today. Disappointed in my lack of self-control. And the more I relive my emotionally driven tirade, the more my brain refuses sleep.

I have to figure this out. What is my problem? Why can’t I seem to control my reactions?

I stuff. I explode. And I don’t know how to get a handle on this. But God help me if I don’t get a handle on this. I will destroy the relationships I value most and weave into my life permanent threads of short-temperedness, shame, fear, and frustration.

Is that what I really want? Do I want my headstone to read, “Well, on the days she was nice she was really nice. But on the days she wasn’t, rest assured, hell hath no fury like the woman who lies beneath the ground right here”?

No. That’s not what I want. Not at all. I don’t want the script of my life to be written that way.

So, at 2:08 a.m., I vow to do better tomorrow. But better proves illusive and my vows wear thin in the face of daily annoyances and other unpleasant realities. Tears slip, and I’m worn out from trying. Always trying.

I feel broken. Unglued, actually. I have vowed to do better at 2:08 a.m. and 8:14 a.m. and 3:37 p.m. and 9:49 p.m. and many other minutes in between. So why aren’t things getting better? Why aren’t my reactions tamer?

I know what it’s like to praise God one minute and in the next minute yell and scream at my child—and then to feel both the burden of my destructive behavior and the shame of my powerlessness to stop it.

The emotional demands keep on coming. Unrelenting insecurity. Wondering if anyone appreciates me. Feeling tired, stressed, and hormonal.

 Feeling unglued is really all I’ve ever known. And I’m starting to wonder if maybe it’s all I’ll ever be.

Those were the defeating thoughts I couldn’t escape. Maybe you can relate. If you relate to my hurt, I pray you will also relate to my hope.

While unglued is all I’ve really known, I believe that with God’s help, today my life can be different. That’s my personal revelation of hope.

Today, I’d like to invite you to take the you the “Unglued Challenge” for the next 5 days {you can find out more below and enter Renee’s giveaway}. In my 5-days To Better Reactions challenge, you’ll find encouragement and a safe place to talk about our tendencies to stuff, explode, or react somewhere in between.

I am both a stuffer and an exploder. And I’ve experienced God’s tender mercies and grace given so many times it almost seems scandalous. How can our God be so patient? I don’t know. But He is.

Today, He’s offering us the fresh start our souls desperately need. Isaiah 41:13 promises He will help us. We can be different. A slate wiped clean. A page crisp-white. A chance to start rewriting the old scripts of past failures.

For me. For you. Together. We can do this.

Prayer: God, thank You that this is a new twenty-four hours. Today, I want to believe I can start writing a new script for my life. Help me to overcome the disbelief I have from my past failures. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Thought for the Day: While feeling unglued is all I’ve really known, today my life can be different.

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Today’ post is from Day 1 of Lysa TerKeurst’s 5-day Unglued Challenge that includes FREE devotions from Unglued- Making Wise Choices in the Midst of Raw Emotions. If you want to learn how to respond with no regrets by managing your tendencies to stuff, explode, or react somewhere in between get Unglued, for 25% OFF through Proverbs31 Ministries today. 

 THE UNGLUED GIVEAWAY
Just do ONE or ALL of the following:

For EACH thing you do, leave a different comment. You’ll be entered to win each time!

Purchase the book for 25% off {or any Unglued resource}

Sign up for the 5-day Challenge {see right sidebar}.

Share this post via email, Facebook or Twitter {see buttons below}

Watch Lysa TerKeurst on The Today Show {Yes, The Today SHOW! We’re so excited!!} She’ll be on Monday (9am segment) and Tues (10am segment) Eastern Standard Time.

Click “Share Your Thoughts” to tell me which ones you did and why you want to win!


Grand Prize Winner  will receive 2 books
+ 1 DVD curriculum and participants guide.
And I’ll give away 3 more books to 3 more winners!

Comments

  1. I just finished watching Lysa Terkeust on the Today show and I was so connected to what she was saying. I could relate so well to being in the process of allowing the Holy Spirit to guide me with my high altitude emotions. I enjoyed her so much that I friended her on facebook and did a little research into her blog, a Bible study she suggested online and finally after looking through her all of her inspiring post came across your giveaway.
    I would love to win your giveaway, I woman starting her life over. I am an ex convict, ex drug addict that has been renewed and restored by the love of my Savior. Within the last few years He has taken through many different facets of changes BUT at this moment the ladder has been going upward!!! I am just shy of a year before I get my degree in Psychology with a minor in Christian counseling and Life Coaching, on July 14,2012 I was ordained in Ministry, I am in the process and mentoring and speaking at Rockdale CO. Jail, Conyers, Ga (trying to give back in the jail that I was incarcerated in and saved at by the Apostle that recently ordained me, and just this week I was contacted by the Chaplian at the jail to come to a Board Meeting at One Heart Ministries which he directs and was asked to attend his church today to see if I would be interested in overseeing their young girls Ministry to help guide at risk young ladies. God is moving so swiftly right now in my life to give back from the very area that almost took me out! After listening this morning and reading not only many of Lisa’s blogs but yours as well you too ladies bring alot to the table that would help guide me, give me clarity, open me up to some areas that I still need help on myself and I believe being able to share some of these thoughts with my girls could make a great impact. I very much want to win all of these resources but even more I am glad that I found the both of you;}. If there are any other directions or resources that you might be able to shed light on for me I would love to hear from you. thank you for you blogs, information and your contest. may God Bless you and keep you spreading His joy and light!!!!

  2. I would like to receive a copy of Let it go book, because, I am sure there are a lot things that we really dont let it go, and I am willing to learn what else I need to let go, for the 2nd copy, would be a great free gift to someone, specially now that me and my husband are unemployed.

  4. Ladies, how many of us try to control…EVERYTHING…in our lives, just like our original mother Eve! I would love a copy to read and share with my two daughters as well as other ladies to help us with our CONTROL ISSUES! Thanks so much for helping us all to grow more Christ-like in our walk. God Bless you all!
    Jenny

  5. I signed up for the Unglued 5 day challenge and I’m looking forward to what God will teach me through it. I have a lot of unglued moments lately as I’m dealing with a struggling marriage, my husbands work which is taking him out of town a lot and attitudes and struggles with the four younger of our eight children. Stress seems to be a daily occurance. Can’t wait to see how God is going to work and how He’s going to grow me through all this.

  6. I bough the book! I would love to win so I could do a bible study with my mom! We’ve never worshiped together, and I think this would be a great start!! PICK ME!!!!!

  7. It’s 2:36 am and I’m entering to win this book and DVD. I am starting a small group for single moms in January 2013 and this study material would come in very handy for them. Especially because as single moms the money and time are tight which just adds to the burden of our plight. Being able to do it all and still love our children without blowing up at what is normally a minor infraction would help lessen the guilt we feel from the day to day issues. We are more than conquerors through Christ who strengthens us.

  8. I own the book and just got the participants guide. Would love the DVD and to share this important message with others

  11. Today was a bad day. When I saw this and read it I felt like she was reading my thoughts and putting them to paper (or screen). I’ve gone to counseling for my anger/yelling. And desperately want to act right when I feel “raw emotions.”

  12. I signed up for the Unglued Challenge. I miss my opportunity to see her on the Today show but would have loved too!!!

    • Also, I ordered the book and subscribed to the challenge/emails a few months ago. Lysa has been a GODSEND for me! I feel like God has really used her words to impact me over and over again and help me through a rough time after I had my son. I am an elder at my church and my husband and I also lead a bible study. I feel like so many other women in my life could benefit from Lysa’s words of wisdom!

  16. I watched her on TODAY show! Wish they let her talk more about her book. But glad to see her getting mainstream coverage. I would love to win just so I can give them all away! I’m reading it now and leading and there’s so many women that are interested in it and can’t afford the books.

  17. I own and have read the book. It was so real and helpful. I plan on keeping it handy as there is a lot of passages that I will keep referring to. God has used Lysa in a mighty way!

  19. I watched her on Monday and Tuesday – she did a great job!!!! Also just signed up for the challenge!! I would LOVE this book – have done a few of her other studies and REALLY NEED this one – something I struggle with every day. . . .

  21. and finally sharing via Facebook. Why I want to win….I DESPERATELY need the journey through this book for my currently chaotic life and I really want to get a small group of moms together to do this in support of one another to rewrite a currently worn out script of coming unglued on a daily basis!!!

  22. I watched both Monday and Tuesday on the today show and Lysa is AMAZING … wish we could have heard more from her — the time was TOO SHORT!!! =)

  25. I shared on facebook. This is a really good book and I would love to do a Bible study with our Divine Diva’s. We are just finishing up a study on Made to Crave. Lysa is awesome!!!

  26. I signed up for the challenge yesterday. I so know what she means by stuffing and exploding. I am right in the middle of a stiuation that I am stuffing, now! Lysa’s words are so encouraging to me! Would love to read the book.

  27. I signed up for the challenge! I’m sure my 3yr old will appreciate this as much as anyone!

  29. I shared on FB. I would like to win because I have had so many people tell me how amazing this book is!

  30. I signed up for the 5 day challenge! (I already have the book ;). I would like to win the book for a dear (unsaved) friend of mine who has asked to borrow my copy (my sister was already in line to borrow my copy).

  31. I signed up for the 5 day challenge. I am reading Made to Crave right now and loving it! I can’t wait to read more of her inspiring books!

  33. I watched an extra hour of TV this morning to catch you on the TODAY SHOW. Short but sweet, hope you get your own segment sometime:)

    • + Why I want to win? – I have seen the first lesson on line and it was just what I was needing at that moment. Would love to study it myself and then maybe use it for a small group.

  34. I subscribed to the daily! Looking forward to each day. Last week I got some news that had me distraught. In a frantic search to watch or listen to something that would point me in the right direction, I came across a link to the first DVD lesson in the Unglued Series. It was from a devotional on 2 Chron. 20, which I had just been reading and have read many times in the last year as we are in a battle for our teen daughters life, she suffers from bad choices made and depression. All that to say the lesson from Unglued was just what I needed for that moment. I took notes that helped me that very afternoon and keep them handy to reread. I am looking forward to getting the book and complete DVD series. Thank you!

    • + Why I want to win? – I have seen the first lesson on line and it was just what I was needing at that moment. Would love to study it myself and then maybe use it for a small group.

  35. I want to win because I need this book! I come unglued so easily and often that I can’t stand myself much of the time. The tiniest things can set me off. I want to blame it on hormones, on being about to turn 50, and being about to lose my job. But, as my pastor said yesterday, we can’t control what happens to us, but we can control how we react to what happens. So, it my responsibility to react in a Godly way. I really need help with this 🙂 !

  38. Just signed up for the 5-day challenge. I know I need the Lord’s help to be a exemplify His behavior and be a good example to my children and grandchildren. Thank you Lysa for the opportunity to learn from what God has taught you.

  39. Watched Lysa on the Today show. Wish she had had a chance to share more of her Spirit inspired wisdom but it was great to see her recognized.

  40. I just signed up for the five day challenge. I would love to win the book because it is where I am right know. I try every morning to start fresh,but I failnevery time and don’t feel like I can get out of it. Looking forward to learning from the five day challenge and need to read the book.

  42. Oh my… do I need this book! 😉 I am having a conflict with my next door neighbor that has been going on for months… and I started it because I exploded. ugh!! I would love to win!