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Renee Swope

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

A Wing and a Prayer

“Let me find refuge and trust in the shelter of Your wings.” Psalm 61:4b (Amp)

Today I’m asking God to help me find shelter under His wings. I’m being stretched to believe I can rest in God’s sovereignty and choose inactivity (on my part). Instead of working on something I need to do, God’s challenging me pray instead…to be still, talk to Him and trust He is working when I am not. This is where believing God and doubting play tug-o-war. When a deadline and responsibility hangs over my head and something keeps me from moving toward it, it makes me…

Doubt I can get it done.
Doubt I heard God right.
Doubt God’s perfect plans and timing.
Doubt my ability to follow through.

Satan wants us to doubt ourselves
But God wants us to believe HIM and trust Him! This is where we learn to live in the power of HIS promises. It’s the only way to live beyond the shadow of our doubts as we walk forward or rest in faith. But it’s hard when you’re having a bad day. Like the one one that just culminated with a run-away dog this afternoon, and me crying ’cause I didn’t think I’d find her since she didn’t have her tags on her new collar.

I drove around my neighborhood and surrounding area with my windows down crying out, “Daaaaaaaaisy, Daiseeeeey!” And saying, “God, please don’t let this happen. Not today. Not Daisy. You know she’ll run forever. She’s a beagle whose nose will lead her to SC and she won’t even know she left home. This is the last thing I need today. Pleeeaase help me find her.”

Finally a man who lives near us brought her home while I was out looking for her. He told mom it took a piece of bologna to get Daisy to come to him. I could’ve strangled that bologna-eating dog when I got home. But she was smiling and jumping on me like she’d gotten back from a friends house.

I know, life happens! But I sure do wish it would coordinate itself with my needs and deadlines. Today was a writing day and now my brain feels like a sledge hammer is pounding on it. Why do things like this happen on the days I block out time to write my book? Seriously. And can I be honest with you? It’s frustrating. I can’t write every day so when I can, I really need to.

Sometimes it feels like I am living in the middle of impossible.

So what do we do in the middle of impossible? I am still trying to figure that out but the past several months have given me lots of opportunities to try a few things. First, I am learning to cling to the promise- With God all things are possible! Then I am learning to ask Him to give me a very specific “word” (a promise or a principle) from His Word to act on and put my trust in. Then I look for what next step He wants me to take.

For example, before all this craziness happened today, I was stressing a little about my book deadline and blocking out time to write until I meet it. This weekend He gave me 2 Timothy 1:12b, “For I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I’ve entrusted to Him for that day.”

Then today He challenged me (gave me the opportunity) to walk it out: to be convinced that He is able to guard what I’ve entrusted to Him for this day. For me it means that I am entrusting Him with the chapter I feel like I should be writing, and the words that are now stuck inside my pounding head.

As far as a step to take, the Holy Spirit reminded again today that God’s been nudging me to for a while to ask friends to pray for me and the message of “A Confident Heart” and the women who will read it – until it’s written. He’s reminded me that the enemy is not happy about what God is up to on the pages of this book and that he will do all he can to stop me.

So, today I am walking out 2 Tim 1:12, and then taking the next step of obedience by asking some friends to pray with me.

Would you’d like to be part of the “Confident Heart” prayer team?
I think it’d be so wonderful to seek Christ’ heart with you and ask Him together to make Himself famous through this book. Leah (my assistant and dear friend) and I are excited to see who God will gather with us. We’ll collect names/emails to send requests and we’ll also be praying for them too! To join us, leave a comment below with your email address and we’ll send you updates, probably once a week. (Or email [email protected] with “Prayer Team” in the subject line.)

Now that I’ve written all of this, I have a feeling God is writing a chapter right here in the middle of impossible. I’d love to know if you ever feel like you are living in the middle of impossible? What are some promises you cling to and some steps you take to help you get out of that hard place?

I love to hear from you! (and pray for you, too)

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UPDATE: Thank you so much for blessing me with your words of affirmation, ideas, suggestions and perspectives for the subtitle of “A Confident Heart.” It was the best feedback I could have gotten!! You make me want to write this book even when it gets hard! Random integer chose Stephanie Pace as the winner of the $20 giftcard. So sorry it took me a day to count the names and get it posted. Congratulations Stephanie!

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Comments

  1. Renee – I can relate with this post on oh-so-many fronts. I would love to partner with you in prayer for your book. Would LOVE.

    emily

  2. Renee,

    The last few months have been living the impossible for me. Since my husband told me he wanted to end our marriage – no great surprise to me really – all the issues that come with that I've tried to handle very logically and with a sound wrestling with the Word to make sure I, at least, am abiding by God's instructions.

    In that situation, I have found 1 Cor 7:13-15. I have taken great refuge in that verse because it describes our situation to a tee and I know that I have done all that God has required of me as a wife. I can now move on.

    I've also come to believe that God has amazing plans for me and he has brought me to a place where another transition is coming in regards to ministry as well.

    I also struggle with scheduling. I'm a freelance writer and editor, while trying to raise a toddler and 13-year-old who will be starting high school next year. I always have my week laid out, just so, but something always comes up to throw a kink in it. I think I've had one day where everything on my schedule actually happened as I planned it.

    Every time I look at my schedule, though, I see that I haven't any of my own writing time. I have found lately that's what I really long for. The Lord has always been faithful in providing the desires of my heart. I have no doubt He will also work this out.

    Looking forward to your book, Renee!

  3. I would love to be a part of your prayer team too!

    I have those days…Mostly I feel impossibile during pms. But I have had my share of anxiety…and since Joy is my friend, I read her comment…it reminded me of Oswald Chambers when he says anxiety is "calculating without God" (I have done that. A time or two~lol)

    But~it is my weakness, I will rejoice all the more in my weakness, because when I am weak, then He is strong!

    Love and prayers! You are more than a conquorer in Christ Jesus! Stand Stand Stand and when you have done all to Stand Stand firm!
    Kathy

  4. Well… that's amazing but to be honest i have a hard time determining it… wonder how others think about this..

  5. Renee,
    It is always a blessing to see a woman being so thoroughly wrapped in her Saviour's arms. You are dead on when you said that Satan wants us to doubt ourselves. You are doing the absolute right and essential thing in shelter under God's protection in prayer. Our pastor is preaching on the power of prayer in his current sermon series. There are so many accounts in scripture of so many who have struggled and yet been thoroughly sustained by hearing from the Father.

    It would be an honor and privilege to lift you up as you write.
    Stephanie
    [email protected]

  7. Would be honored to be a Prayer Warrior for you and your success with reaching others with your book.

    Carol Cox

  8. Dear Renee,

    Please count me in as a member of your prayer team. Your message was very encouraging and I've learned that if all I can do is pray, then I am doing a great job and am entrusted with an awesome responsibility!

    Prayers,
    Teresa Oshvalda

  11. The easiest way I have found to deal with "living in impossible" is to just surrender everyday to the lord, giving him all our worries and concerns, reminding ourselves that GOD is in control of every situation no matter what. I pray about everything no matter how small the issue and I find strength in knowing I can't change the situation but my GOD can. When I step out of bed each morning, I recite the verse Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you not to harm you, plans of future and a hope". Once I totally surrender my day to the lord and realize GOD is my leader for that day everything seems to fall right into place. When I try to control my day, it never works. We have to die to self every day so that we can humble ourselves before our King.

    God is so good and I personally find it exciting to serve him because with each new day you never know what gift GOD has for you that day.

    Thanks,

    Evonne J. McCaffrey

  12. I wanted to make sure I don't only comment on giveaway posts! 🙂 Just wanted to say thank you for your post today- I woke up and had a bad start to the day, and much of what you said really spoke to me.

  13. Oh Renee, I could just sit and cry along beside you. I have been so in the middle of "impossible" right now…but a very dear friend has been opening my eyes to something that I want to share with you too.

    When I'm in the "middle of impossible" it's because my eyes are fixed on circumstances instead of on God. God says that with Him NOTHING is impossible, so if I'm choosing to sit in the middle of impossible, I have removed God from the equation. I see 'can't' and He sees 'can'. I see 'no way' and He sees 'the way'. I see 'visible' and He sees 'invisible'. So much is happening around me that I can't see and I cannot…cannot give up hope and remain in the middle of impossible.

    Renee, I'm writing that to me. I've been drowning in the middle of impossible, but a friend threw a life-line and as I'm still floating out at sea, I am trying to rest and trust the process and in that floating I am strangely secure. (Just to give you an idea: http://ponderinginhispresence.blogspot.com/2010/03/found-at-sea.html )

    Praying for you…and I'd love to join with your prayer team…I'm praying for you already anyway 🙂

    Hugs,
    Joy
    [email protected]

  14. Hi Renee

    For MANY years, I have said "yes'" to anything that people or organizations have asked….serving on a board here, a committee there, and a fundraiser or two. I felt unfulfilled and not exactly where God wanted me to be. Last year, I started saying "no, thank you" more, and asking God "where do you want me to be" more. It has been a lonely place, I must tell you, because it has taken me away from the "busyness" of all the meetings, telephone calls and e-mails, and discussions about what color ribbon to use for this or that. In the quiet, I have realized that waiting on God's direction is just where He wants me to be. I am on a journey! Today, your words …"God's challenging me to find shelter under His wings through prayer….to be still, talk to Him and trust He is working when I am not."…struck a familiar chord with me. The word "challenging" notes something that is difficult…a mountain to climb. For me, sitting still, spending time in prayer, IS a challenge.

    We met at the St. John the Divine Women's Retreat in February, and I really enjoyed your messages, and also love getting your devotionals via e-mail. Would love to be a part of your prayer team too!

    Barbara Schusterman

  15. Please add me to your prayer team. I will definitely be praying for this book and for you as I know it will be a blessing from God. With love,

    Tasha Cantrell, Oklahoma

  16. I would love to be a part of your prayer team Renee. I so enjoy your writings. I have learned so much through you and I know God is up to something awesome with you and with your book 🙂 I can't wait to read it.

    Have a blessed day girlfriend!

    Rejoicing in Him,
    Suzanne Tyria

  19. Count me in! 🙂

    Myrlande Desulme

    "With God, the impossible is possible!"

  20. Count me in! 🙂

    Myrlande Desulme

    "With God, the impossible is possible!"