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Renee Swope

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

Read An Excerpt: Chapter 1 & 2

You’re Beautiful

I know you sometimes feel ordinary but you’re not.

You are one of a kind ~ a unique and beautiful blend of all God wants you to be.

You are God’s prized possession, a valued treasure of great worth.

You may feel invisible…like you are just one of millions of others.

But God sees you.

And when God sees you, He sees someone He loves.

In Isaiah 43:4, God says, “You are precious and honored in my sight …. and I love you.”

He sees someone He knows.

David said in Psalm 139:1, “You have searched me, LORD, and you know me.” God knows you, too.

Since God knows you, has a purpose for you and loves you just the way He made you, I have no doubt He wants you to feel the same way.

He’ll do whatever it takes to help you get to a place of accepting and embracing your His heart for you so you can become the woman HE created you to be!

Here is the song I feel like God chose for you this week. I hope you’ll take a few minutes to watch, listen and let Him tell you just how beautiful you are! {If you are reading this via email, click here to watch it since it’s not viewable thru email.}

You really are…

Beautiful

Loved

Cherished

Chosen

Treasured

Sacred

You are His!

May God’s sweet affirmations replace all those comparisons. As you identify, understand and embrace who HE created you to be, I’m praying that, like the psalmist, you’re learning to say with confidence, “Lord, You created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb, I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well” (Ps. 139:13-14)

***

To celebrate God’s heart for you —  my friends at DaySpring have graciously given me 5 sets of  “God’s Heart For You” giveaways to share with 5 of you!! {{so excited!!}}

To enter the “God’s Heart for You” GiveAway share your answer to one or more of the questions at the end of the chapter 8. OR if you haven’t read that far yet, share your thoughts about today’s music video or blog post. Can’t want to hear from your heart :-).

Comments

  1. Renee- You’re blog and video really hit home for me today. I’m doing this bible study for the 2nd time, The first time was with Melissa. The truth of this bible study is starting to penetrate the thick walls I’ve put up around me for security and protection. This is such an emotional journey, and it has taken me to uncomfortable places, but it’s much needed. I need God’s truth every single day penetrating my mind and heart, and I’m starting to believe that “I’m His” and that He truly does love me and has created me for a unique purpose. Thank you for opening your heart to me and to woman across the country with your book. I’m forever thankful.

  2. This song has always been a favorite of mine. No matter what happens in my life, God is always there and loves me no matter what. I am beautiful to him, even when I don’t feel beautiful! Thank you for the reminder Renee.

  3. Everytime I hear this song it reminds me of how God thinks of me regardless of what I think or what others think….I AM BEAUTIFUL to my heavenly Father. With my hands raised in praise to the only one that matters when it comes to my life, I give Him all the glory, honor, and praise for who I am in Him. God thank you for letting me know each and everyday how much you love me and desire for me to be all I can be for you, thru YOU. THANK YOU Renee for sharing this music video with us and God bless you for writing this book and leading us in this online study together. God never ceases to amaze me.

  4. WOW! every word this week is your beautiful. My thoughts this week are will anyone love me like that. HE Already did and does. that is what is so neat about my Jesus… he loves me past present and future and I am so glad He is in my life. Its all because of HIM i am alive. He wants me around to Know and talk to? Lil ol me that tries to hide behind her job, her kids, her smile? He wants to be my everything and I look in the world and try to fill my Heart with ALL the distractions than CANNOT ever compare to his LOVE that fills my heart with HIM! JESUS LOVER OF MY SOUL!

  5. I love this song. I hear it on the radio sometimes on my way to work. It is a great reminder of what God thinks of me. Thanks so much!
    Becky

  6. I absolutely love that song! I just had to buy it and downloaded it on my phone and computer. For the past several months I have really been struggling with my self worth and believing that I’m ugly. I am slowly realizing that its nothing more than a lie. Its so easy for me to pick out the flaws and imperfections in myself and beating myself up for them. I love it when I hear from God telling me that He doesn’t expect perfectionism from me b/c its impossible from me. To be loved unconditionally is a truly amazing gift!

    Renee, you have been like a BFF to me although we have never meet and I hope that I may get the chance! You have lifted me up in ways you could have never imagined. THANK YOU!!

  7. Dear Renee,

    Thank you so much for yet another deeply insightful and sometimes difficult step on this journey that you are walking us all through, and thank you for doing so in such a tender reassuring fashion. “I surrender my personality, heart’s desires, abilities, spiritual gifts to Your purposes. I delight myself in You, Lord, trusting You to shape the desires of my heart to match Yours.” This is my prayer so that I can serve Jesus in all I do.

  8. So much to sift through and so many events during the day to question how what we are learning through this study fits with different events. Yesterday I had a run in with a colleague that I don’t really have a great relationship with and in this particular situation (definitely not all situations) have more training/knowledge but did my confidence sink in the aftermath! So it was very helpful to practice leaning on God (and I say practice because as usual I tend to give Him my problems/conflicts and then take them back) and just rest in his peace……once I truly let go which was actually hours later. But ultimately I had a good nights rest and woke up reassured that I did move in the best interest of another who was the source of the conflict. It is so nice to remember how much we are loved and treasured by God when it seems that there is no one else that feels remotely the same. Thank-you Renee for this study. Its really nice to read how others are also growing from this study. Thanks to all for sharing and blessings to all.

  9. God was trying to get the words from that video thru to me today as I heard it on the way to work, it was a cool down during my first Zumba class and now here. My husband and I are empty nesters and I have been telling friends here of late, I just don’t do anything for myself. That is what drove me to start this bible study.
    My dad was pretty verbally abusive and always called me dummy, and I grew up thinking I was dumb and fat – so this has been a great way to learn that my Heavenly Father – the big Daddy of them all – loves me as I am and has gifts bestowed upon me that I should be using to help others rather than wallering in my past.
    God put our eyes in the front of our head for a reason – to look forward, not backward!!
    Thank you all for blessing me with you!!

  10. “You matter. You hear me? You matter and you are loved.” Those two babies are so precious…and it makes me think of my dear friend, who encouraged me to do this study. We’re doing it together….but we live far, far apart. She’s been ministering to me today through emails…and these two babies made me think of her. I’m struggling with chapter 8. I don’t know my gifts. I don’t see them. I don’t feel like a masterpiece of God’s.

    I’ve known her for about 13 years. We met online through a tiny “support” group. That’s how long we’ve been talking to each other. But we’ve never met, in person. Oh….the things we’ve laughed and cried through…together.

    So I’m struggling to find my worth…..but I’m blessed with an amazing friend. 🙂

    • Wow, you really are blessed to have such a sweet and special friendship!!! Praying those kinds of friendships might also form here in our little community online. I see the prayers and words of encouragement shared and know it’s such a gift even if some never meet. Thank you for sharing about your sweet friendship!

      Praying you will see the little things you do as valuable gifts you can offer to the King and to those all around you each day. Sometimes we wait for the bigger gifts, the “better” things we see others doing and wonder why we don’t have those gifts. Even me? I’m an author now but my writing started with a thank you note that someone commented on. What if I had never just written notes and been faithful with that? I may never had gotten the courage to write a devotion or an article which all led to a blog and then 10 years later a book. I pray that my small offerings will encourage each of you to offer yours. He is so worthy and so willing to use what ever we will offer HIM!!! Praying we won’t listen to Defeat or the lies of comparison and let them diminish the value of our gifts any more.

  11. I am beautiful and wonderfully made. I am one of a kind. I am finally beginning to believe all this and I am so thankful for your book and your study. This is probably the 1st time in a long time that I have followed through and kept up with something. I am so looking forward to meeting you this month. I have signed up for your conference in Fulton, MD @ Grace Community Church.
    Blessings, Elaine

  12. I NEEDED to hear these words of encouragement today. Just had the joy of having our sweet baby but am feeling particularly frumpy and un-pretty. Thank you!

  13. Answers to chapter 7 questions

    1. 2
    2. At times.
    3. Comforted, reassured, hopeful
    4. Yes. Restvin god’s promised and trust HIm to lead me in the paths of righeteous. I will reach for god’s hand and rise again.
    5. Condemnation-generalized statement: usually judgmental, criticial. Conviction-reveal’s a specific attitude and how instructs you on how to change it.
    6. I felt condemned by a ex boyfriend who wasvjudgemental, abusive, and controlling. I would have gotten out of the relationship sooner instead of staying in and getting hurt.

    I love these statements in chapter 7. When I trust in His power and rely on His promises, I am a woman who is growing to become more like Jesus each day. Becoming a woman who is not perfect, but who is surrendering to God’s perfect power and love at work in her.

    A confident woman trusts this truth. Even when she falls, she doesn’t stay down. Instead she reaches for God’s hand and rises again.

    God reminds me that I am a work in progress, and as I rely on Christ in me, I am moving forward even when I have a setback.

    Failure produces wisdom when we ask for it and maturity when we learn from it, failure can be hurtful, but it can also be beneficial.

  14. Last year I took my then 9 year old daughter to see Mercy Me in concert and the lead singer explained the inspiration for the song. I was so overcome with wanting to give my daughter the reassurance that she is BEAUTIFUL in God’s eyes all of the time. You see my daughter’s father died in 2008. She has a lot of life events to deal with. A lot of things in life telling her she doesn’t measure up…she’s broken. She sang along with the song during the concert…got a necklace that said “Beatutiful” and wore it every day until it turned her neck green. To know we are beautiful to our Heavenly Father is sooooo important. I don’t want my daughter to have to be 47 years old and read a book to come back to knowing this fact in her mind and in her heart.

    • And I showed it to my 10 year old grandson with very similar circumstances tonight. I think it’s powerful! May your daughter ALWAYS know she IS beautiful by the power of the holy spirit!

  15. Our worship series through Lent is Journey to Hope and our message last Sunday was a perfect fit with Chapter 8 and with this discussion we are having about who we are vs. who we let others, the world, the enemy tell us that we are. Comparison really is an ugly word and does so much to damage us. Listening to anything but who God says we are can be so damaging. We are all the things you share in this post…we are daughters of the King!
    We were purposefully created…the creation of the Almighty and that gives us power and authority, strength and the beautiful Godfidence that we are learning to embrace!

  17. There is no doubt HE is working HIS good in our lives and in the lives of those around us as we continue traveling this unemployment journey. Just when we think we cannot take another step, HIS faithfulness shines through. I am not the same as I was when this all began over a year ago, and I’m confident I will grow even more before this journey ends. HE is already using us in powerful ways to encourage those who are walking this same path. HE has a purpose in this that is far from ordinary. And as Reepicheep said to Eustace in The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, “Extraordinary things happen to extraordinary people.”

    Another powerful chapter, Renee, that has spoken to my heart. This week’s verse is taped to my bathroom mirror and has been exactly what I’ve needed to read over and over and over. HIS truths are seeping down deep into my heart through this study : )

  18. Who won the other giveaways? I wanted some of your books to give away at my up-coming brunch.
    oh, it is really awesome how God uses ordinary people to do extra-ordinary things sometimes. I think
    one reason I like Jeremiah so much is He never gave up and He was a success in God’s eyes because
    He obeyed Him.
    Thank you for all you do in the Lord. One day I hope we will meet, you are so special.
    I love all the Proverbs 31 women.

  20. I loved the song Beatiful. I think all of us women struggle with not feeling pretty…but with God’s word we can be filled and renewed. Thank you for sharing!!

  21. John 3:16 – the core of Christian Godly Love – He loved me enough to die on my behalf – Thank you Jesus for always being there for me and for taking my place in true display of how beautiful your love is for me!

  22. Very inspirational video and message and it’s a great reminder to me that God is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. His love for us unending and powerful.

  23. I love Psalm 139 and it is so wonderful and comforting to know that God loves us so much. loved the masterpiece post too!

  24. It has taken God a long time to convince me, but I KNOW that I am beautiful to HIM because of what Jesus has chosen to do for me (die for my sins). Isaiah 43 has some verses that make me believe I am special. I know that I am living in His plan but I feel like there is more treasures to be opened. Praise Him!

  25. What a beautiful song and video Renee! Thank you so much for your inspiring posts and writings as God always seems to speak just to me in a miraculous way! Just what I needed tonight – a reminder that I am forever beautiful in God’s eyes!

  26. God’s Love is absolutely amazing to me! His love is unconditional and eternal and He is always there for me waiting – even if I’m not there yet. Life is hard and I remember that God is sovereign and faithful!

  27. Comparison…wow, this has been a good chapter for me to revisit! Just yesterday I shared these thoughts on Kimberly’s blog – “Comparison is such a sin and I do it way too much and all it does is leave me feeling defeated! To add to it just yesterday my little Joy was doing the same thing!! Renee is so right…amazes me to see how many women relate to this chapter. Some are the very ones others are comparing themselves too…if we’d all choose to believe, we’d be so much better and God would get so much more glory!!”

    And this song it always takes me back to nearly a year ago when I read ACH for the first time, so good! But tonight I sat with my 7 year old daughter and had her listen to the lyrics as well. Pray they sink in a little more for both of us!!

    Thanks again Renee!! Love, Jill

  28. I loved the music beautiful because it reminded me how God sees me. The love he has for us is so amazing and even overwhelming. Sometimes it’s hard to believe that he loves me that much.

  29. Thank you for the video. I needed that reminder. I feel like such a slacker with this devotion study I am still on chapter 3. I am really struggling to continue but I love it posts and encouragement.

  30. Has God allowed you to walk through experiences through which you can see Him working for good in your life or in the lives of others? Do you, or will you, use these experiences to minister to others you meet along the way?

    I remember when I was in school, one day my psychology professor asked to talk to me after class, he took the time out to encourage me about my writing. No one had ever done that before, and all of this time later, I still remember it. Just this month I recalling those memories, I encouraged other women to pause and encourage someone else.
    I try to encourage young people when I can. This world is so different than the one I grew up in, and sometimes a positive encouraging word is all it takes to help someone’s spirit for the day or for years to come. I didn’t always understand why God chose me to go through some of the things that I do, why it is I cannot really relate to my peers on many levels, but I see now that God is fine tuning me and my unique characteristics to encourage other young people with health issues to stay strong, have hope, and not quit. To take a pause in a busy day to remind someone that God is always near. Maybe if I were able to keep up with my peers – maybe I’d be too busy to pause and remind someone of God’s faithfulness to us. God doesnt make mistakes. Never ever.

  31. I needed to hear that song today. Today was a rough day. I am in a job that i feel i m so inadequate. Hopeless and drained. Trying not to let the enemy destroy me. I have confidence in God. I am so grateful for his love and knowing that he sees me and will take care of me.

  32. I loved this blog post. It is comforting to know that god values me and that he formed me before I was born. To know I am chosen and His is so encouraging.

  33. Thank you for sharing this song today Renee I have heard it many time and I absolutly love it. The first time I heard it I was in tears, I couldn’t believe that some one could love me so much but God surely does. And i am so grateful for His love and how much He has taught me about love, that I didn’t know before.

  34. This book is wonderful and Chapter 8 is a “milestone” chapter. This is about my 4th trip through the book. Once on my own, Melissa’s study, my study with women at church and your study, Renee. Everytime I ready the book, I get something new out of it. Question 7 has a different answer this time around it than it did the first time. I have been through such a journey with God over the past year and a half and I am now starting to see through the clouds. I know that God has taken me through experiences that I will be able to use to help minister others. I have already seen that. I now know and understand how God uses our trials and hard times to turn around and help others. I hope and pray that God will continue to work through me and that I will be able to do things that honor and glorify Him. Renee you are a true blessing to so many women. I am thankful that God led me to Proverbs 31 Ministries back last August and then to your book. It has changed my life.

  35. Thank you for uplifting a tired lady. It has been one of those weeks and the song and video were just what I needed. But than God always knows what we need. Just an additional quick thanks Renee for all your time and effort. This bible study really is speaking to my heart.

  36. In my Tuesday night H.O.P.E. class we have been speaking these words to each other. Saying them outloud is powerful. I shared this verse “You have stolen my heart with one glance of your eyes…” from Song of Songs 4:9 Your worship towards God makes His heart beat faster. His passion for you is all consuming.

    My dear sisters in Christ and I have shared tears as we speak Christ’s love into each other! Very powerful.

    Thank you for this affirmation and reminder (it helps to hear it everyday).

  37. Your words have touched my heart. I don’t see myself as being beautiful. I believe a lot of it stems from when I was in my teens and I used to sing, “Why am I so beautiful?” My Dad asked me why I always sing that and if I was trying to convince myself. I was so embarrassed and hurt to hear those words from my Dad and they did a lot to shape how I have seen myself even now in my 50’s. It is time for me to believe in my heart that I am beautiful.

  38. Wow! What a video! Tears….. I absolutely love the words an pictures at the phrase ‘you are His.’
    So powerful! Even for a 38 yr old. God has laid it on my heart to share rhis with one of our youth whose own mother tells her differently. Thanks for sharing so that I may not only receive but pay it forward. To the Glory of God.

  39. “…for all the lies you’ve held inside so long…” I love that verse! “They are nothing in the shadow of the cross.” I am going through a prayer ministry right now, sort of like the looking back that you talked about earlier in the book. It is very painful but I know freedom will come. Thank you for your testimony throughout your book. You encourage me to press on through the pain of my past. God is good and I know I am not alone.

  40. Thinking about everything I’ve been through in the last 3 years….unemployment, estranged siblings, death of my mother, estate battles and now marital issues….I have to bury myself in good reading such as your book AND the word of God to remind me that I am His… I am worthy of love, I am worthy of God’s love. Bless you for all you do.

  41. I haven’t had time to do much with this lesson but working on what my gifts are and what God wants me to do with them. We are on vacation.

  42. Thank You so much for posting the video…today has been really hard..and I sure don’t feel beautiful…but the video…made feel special and loved…thank you…It so nice to know that God loves me…
    God Bless

  44. I haven’t gotten to the questions yet. but I remember taking a class a few years ago about gifts and I started thinking – what was mine? I completely understand your memory of being in the class and “hoping to get some ideas from others” as they came around to you. What are my gifts? What would I do with my free time if I had some? I’m struggling to answer those questions. I know I can organize because I do that a lot and would love to have my house organized (it’s to small for us to have a spot for everything). I also know that I can lead others, from my Awana experience. I just don’t know what my dream is. What do I want to be when I grow up? I don’t know, I don’t know how to live completely happy or content in what I am doing. I’m looking forward to the questions and the rest of the chapter to discover gifts.

  46. My son has been to Iraq 3 times and he has been struggling to fit back into society without all the adrenaline rush he’s used to. This last sunday I sent him a text that had these scriptures in them and he texted me back saying that I had stopped him from making a bad decision. He said he was laying in bed with his pistol asking God to forgive him for all the things he had done and was about to do and to take care of his family. These scriptures literally saved my son, bless his heart form putting that gun to his head and pulling the trigger! I had read them in the chapter and the Holy Spirit moved me to send them to my son and I am ever so thankful that I was obedient! This study has literally saved lives and I thank you and the Father above! Please keep Joshua in your prayers, I already lost my 21 year old daughter, dont think I can handle losing another of my kids.

    • wow – praying for you and your son – a heavy weight to bear for both of you.

    • Kari-
      May God’s presence be VERY near your son and you. Please God, help them continue to feel you, see you, know you, trust you. Bring him from despair to healing! Bless Joshua abundantly. Help him to find help and his purpose. Thank you, Father.

      I am SO sorry you have lost a daughter.

      • Thank you Karen so much for your prayers and I agree in prayer with you, that God will bring him from despair to healing, that both him and I will continue to feel Him. see Him, know Him and trust Him. Thank you Lord for blessing Joshua abundantly and upholding him with Your righteous right Hand! Continue to put Your hedge of protection around his mind and keep the whispering lies of the enemy out of his head, heart and ears! Let me continue to hear Your precious leading where it comes to encouraging and strengthening with Your words that will touch and penetrate His heart. Lord its not about my confidence in who I am as a person but my confidence in Who You are in and through me and my obedience that will give confidence to those who need You so much more than me. Oh I need You Lord but there are so many others out there hurting worse than me and I just lift them all to You. Let them know they are precious, they are loved, they are sacred and they are Yours! In Jesus Name Amen!

  47. Question #7…At this very moment I am in a situation that I know God will use for good but it is one of the most difficult things I have ever had to endure in my 54 yrs. of life. My daughter gave birth to our first granddaughter back in July and since then she has systematically cut us out of her life. She is about 2,100 miles away so I can’t go over there and fight it out with her and she won’t return my calls. The song reminded me of how God feels about me b/c most of the time I’m feeling very rejected and unloved. Like I said I know this is not permanent b/c I serve a God that is good and He WILL turn this around and I have learned a LOT about myself through all of this so that is good too. I just keep telling her through emails and texts that I love her no matter what!!!

  48. I love the song, “Beautiful!” I have struggled my whole life with self esteem issues.
    I don’t think I’ve ever considered myself beautiful.
    Thank you for reminding me that God thinks I am beautiful.

  49. It’s a hard concept for me to think God made me unique with my own gifts and abilities. I wasn’t raised that way. I know it with my heart that God loves me so much. I’ve been homebound for 5 months due to surgeries and recuperating. Please pray for me. The longer I stay in the house the less I want to go anywhere where there is people or even answer the phone. I know that’s not good and God wouldn’t want that. I was very active before. I just don’t know how to get going again.

    • I will be praying for you Sharon – I am sending a prayer up now. I know what “homebound” feels like. Can you walk? Or sit by the window? Praying for sunshine in your life.

    • Stopping and praying for you, too, Sharon! I am so sorry you are homebound right now. I know that the Lord works all things together for good for those who love Him…so I am praising Him that He WILL use this time of being homebound for good in your life. I pray that this will be a time of growing closer to Him. I pray that as the enemy would want to take this time and use it to make you feel totally isolated that the Lord would take this time and use it to cause your roots to go down deeper in Him. Praying the Lord strengthen and encourage your heart by His Word and His tender presence!

  50. The illustration of sitting down with the ingredients to bake a cake and some being sweet, bitter, etc. reminded me of Forest Gump “life is like a box of chocolates”. You never know what you are going to get. When I was a child I would poke my finger in the bottom of a chocolate to see what I was getting! As an adult, I still want that luxury with life experience;however,. God’s promise to be faithful to complete the work he began in me gives me the confidence to move forward even when I am afraid.