A Confident Heart {Devotional Giveaway}
I’m thrilled to have my friend Renee Swope guest posting today, sharing from her new A Confident Heart Devotional, and giving away 2 copies! This devotional a wonderful tool to help grow your relationship with God. It is filled with 60 encouraging devotionals from Renee (and a few from her friends, including me!) Be sure to enter today’s drawing and find out more about another HUGE giveaway Renee is doing on her blog {details below}.
“I had everything I wanted yet felt empty and confused. Although my life was full of relationships and accomplishments I’d worked hard to gain, none could fill or fulfill me.
Frustrated by my aching emptiness, tears streamed down my face as I thought about the guy I dated through high school and college. Our future plans had crumbled under the pressure of me expecting him to be all I needed. I had been crazy about him — a little too crazy.
I’ll never forget the time a friend mentioned my ex-boyfriend was heading to our hometown for the weekend. We worked near each other, so Friday afternoon I parked by his office and waited for him to leave.
We both “happened” to be at the same fast food restaurant, at the same time and bumped into each other. After getting my order, I got in my car and followed behind him, hoping he’d see me, realize he couldn’t live without me and signal to pull over so we could talk.
Seriously, what was I thinking? As you can guess, he never stopped. I was hopeless and humiliated.
A few weeks later, I was taking a walk around my college campus. My eyes drifted to the buildings, dorms and other landmarks of memories. Suddenly my mind filled with a collage of faces, reminding me of my efforts to win the approval of advisors, friends and professors — hoping their affirmation could fill my emptiness.
Although I was graduating soon, had a few great job offers and achieved success in many ways, my heart still felt restless. And I couldn’t help but wonder: Why was all that I had never enough?
A thought rushed through my soul, stringing together two words I had never put next to each other, and I sensed God answering me.
Renee, all you have ever wanted is unconditional love.
Unconditional love? I didn’t know there was such a thing. Then God whispered into my soul: You’ll never find the love you long for in anyone or anything but Me. I AM the unconditional love you’re looking for.
The thought of God loving me without any conditions was inconceivable, yet something deep in my soul told me it was true. I’d been looking for love that didn’t have to be earned. Love I didn’t have to fear losing.
Honestly, it was hard to see how God’s love could fill the emptiness in my heart. It took time, but I came to understand that God created me with a need for fulfillment so He could meet it.
Proverbs 19:22a, says, “What a person desires is unfailing love.” That word “desire” comes from the Hebrew word ta’avah, which means: to greatly long for, deeply desire or crave. Interestingly, unfailing love is mentioned over 30 times in the Bible, and not once is it referencing a person. It is only attributed to God.
God gave us a desire for unfailing love because He knew it would lead us back to Him.
His love draws us to Him. Only we can stop God from reaching the deep and hidden parts within us that need Him most.
Let’s invite Jesus to look into our hearts today so He can show us what, who and where we might be looking to be fulfilled. Then let’s ask Him to fill us with the promise and reality of His unfailing love instead.
When I say… I’ll never be content.
God says… Let My unfailing love satisfy the longings of your heart.
“What a [woman] desires is unfailing love. Proverbs 19:22″
* Today’s post by Renee Swope is a partial excerpt from her NEW A ConfidentHeart Devotional. Used with Permission from Revell Books.
About Renee’s NEW Confident Heart Devotional:
Expanding on her popular “When I say–God says” statements from her best-selling book, A Confident Heart, Renee Swope has written a new 60-day devotional that will encourage, empower and equip you to overcome your most common and crippling self–doubts so you can live confidently in your God-given roles, relationships, and responsibilities! Each devotion features a “When I Say…God Says…” statement, prayer and a promise to guide your thoughts and emotions that day, and an easy-reference chart that includes all sixty ”When I Say…God Says…” statements in the back of the book!
Enter to WIN a copy TODAY!
Enter to win one of 2 copies of Renee’s new A ConfidentHeart Devotional book in today’s comments: Share why you’d like to win a copy and let us know what friend you’d give it to, if you won 2 copies. Winners will be announced Friday. Giveaway extended through Sunday night.Winners announced Monday, Feb. 17th.
ENTER the Let God Love You Contest:
Enter to WIN a $50 gift card, 2 additional signed copies of Renee’s A ConfidentHeart Devotional and more at www.ReneeSwope.com
I would give it to my cherished friend Trudy.
I would give the books to two friends—Rachel who is my sister in Christ and prays for me and to Grace, my daughter, who is a newlywed. Thanks for this opportunity to bless someone in my life!
I am continually reminded to be humble and content with what God has given my family- yet there are times that I feel constricted by the budget, want to be able to just go away for a weekend and not worry how much it costs and on and on. But I would share with my best friend who seems to be chasing money rather than God and seems very frustrated with life.
The beginning of this post sounded like it was me…I have everything that I could wish for but still feel empty sometimes. I would love to read this devotion and begin my day with the positive news that God loves me unconditionally…and that with Him all things are possible. If I was blessed to win 2 copies of this devotion I would share one with my sister in Christ who also feels much like I do…I guess that is why God put us together…to help and lean on each other.
Wonderful ministry…Blessings to all…
Smiles & Blessings, Robin :)
Renee, your book changed me life….Since the beginning of last year when I did the Confident Heart OBS, I have been on a journey with God that has been amazing. I love your book and I’m so grateful to you for writing it, it is yellowed all over and notes everywhere, I reference back to it for scripture and just parts that I remember and re-read. I would love to share your devotional with my oldest daughter, she is not only my daughter, but also my friend. During her teen years I never would have thought this would ever be possible. But with “God anything is possible”….
Thank You Karen….. ;o)
Blessings Anna
I think I would like to share this one with my Mom who really is one of my best friends!
Oooh, one to my mom!
Honestly, I’d probably use it as a giveaway at one of our church’s women events. The Truth in A Confident Heart is so good. I almost have a difficult time picking which specific friend to choose!
I’d give a copy to my sister :)
I’d share one with my stress and anxiety group friends.
Thank you so much for your generousness. I would give a copy to my cousin who struggles with a lack of confidence and lots of family issues. I think it would help her a lot. I also would love my own copy to read. I struggle to accept and love myself so i think this would be an encouragement to me also. Have a great day!
I would give a copy to my daughter.
I’d give a copy to my dear friend, Danni, whom I miss terribly!
This would be perfect for my best friend and I.
I would give a copy to a sweet girl at my church who has just left an abusive relationship.
I would give one to my daughter. She struggles with self-esteem issues and I know she would benefit from it. Thanks for this giveaway.
Well, I honestly don’t have a friend(no, really–I’ve been praying about that for years now). I would give my oldest daughter the second copy, though. Thank you.
I’d give it to my best friend. We are the last two single ladies in our group of childhood/HS friends and we both have issues w/believing in that unconditional love from God
I love love her book and can’t wait to get a copy of the devotional book. I would give the copy to my daughter-in-law – she is in the midst of a lot of hurt and disappointment and she needs to know she is treasured and loved by God Almighty.
Renee is so incredible and I always feel she is speaking right to me! Every time I feel that there is an area that “I just do not struggle too much in”, I realize after reading her words that I was in TOTAL denial! My dear friend and I work through devotionals together and this would be a wonderful addition to our studying and encouraging one another! Thank you for the sweet, tender, and loving words! I can hear Jesus speaking through you!
It will be a tough choice between my three grown daughters, but I think I’d have to pick #2 this time:)
I would love to have this devotional and share with a dear friend who has medical issues. I am excited to read it.
It would be so exciting to win this book! I can hardly wait to read it!! If I win I will share the other copy with my mom who has struggled with insecurities her entire life. My heart hurts for her.
I did A Confident Heart study last year and got so much out of it. My pastor asked me to take another lady through it.
Going through it again with someone else has been even more helpful to me as well as her. I would give a copy to this lovely lady I’m working with who has been crushed by her abusers
I would give one to my life long friend Carrie who is always questioning herself about life, parenting, career choices and friendships. She is beautiful inside and out and I think this would be so wonderful for her. I might get it for her either way.