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Renee Swope

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

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!

Discover more from Renee Swope

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Comments

  1. I am signing up for the study and also will purchase the book in the event I do not win a copy. Will share on Facebook as well. This book seems very noteworthy and a help in the way I react to negative situations (rather then respond in a godly way). Love, Kat

  2. Oh you dont know how much I need this book, especially coming into Christmas when things aren’t so merry and bright 🙁

  5. I have joined the challenge and shared on facebook..As a TBI survivor, I have problems with controlling many emotions, and have tried to constantly keep them in check. So pleased with this new book and the challenge of many of God’s strong people in striving to be more of what He wants us to be…My prayer today is for us all to be the People of and For God in this day and hour…

  6. Wow I’m psyched. Signed up for the 5 day challenge. I clicked on the link that said “The Today Show” but couldn’t find any info on Lysa’s interview. It says 9am on Mon and 10am on Tues, but what time zone is that in?

  7. I signed up for the 5 day challenge because what Lysa describes is what I live on and off. I have days of good and then days of horrible. I stress and fear and then I yell and scream at my husband and kids. I want to win because I need to read this book and then I want to share it with some women in my church!

  8. Just yesterday I was at home with my kids & something happened where I blew up at them. Ended up going to church last night instead of this morning as I felt we all needed God at that moment. Looking forward to the helpful hints to diffuse my short circuit during troubled times. Thanks for letting me know I’m not alone in this. Hoping to glean much from the 5 day challenge. Will be DVR’ing the shows as I work during the day.

  13. I signed up for the challenge, bought the book last month….and hoping the you will have another “online”
    book study that I can participate in this time. Also planning to set up my dvr to record Lysa tomorrow and Tues so I won’t forget about it. Thanks!!!!

  14. I can identify with Lysa. I certainly would have had a sarcastic come-back if someone said to me, “Is it too much to ask for a clean towel?” However….in addition to Lysa’s book, a particular blog I came across might also help to understand what is going on behind the scenes. I found it informative and am passing it along.

    http://annaldavis.net/2012/10/30/through-arid-places-seek-and-destroy/

    When you look at it in terms of a virus, you can see how it spreads and who is the perpetrator. After all, satan just has to strike the match and we are ready kindling for a big fire. Anna Davis is doing a four part series on this that is well worth reading. Understanding it from this perspective also helps blow out the match!

  15. I just finished the Melissa Taylor’s book study of this book. It was AMAZING! I am on the 5 day challenge. If I won a book, I would LOVE to give it to someone who can’t afford it! <3

  16. I signed up for the 5 day challenge. I read the words and thought wow that sounds just like me. I try to hold in my anger but then after awhile it erupts just like a volcano. The guilt that follows is horrible but the knowledge of the pain that I’ve caused to the ones who received my “lava” is beyond horrific. It isn’t fair to them. I would love to find a way to chanel my emotions and concerns. That way I can use my words in a better way to help all of us grow without resentment or guilt. Through growth with God, He will be able to use us more and we will be able to allow His light to shine through us!