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
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Hi Karen! Renee Swope sent me :)
I am always needing upliftment, ancouragement and positive reinforcement as I feel Satan is always just too close and waiting for one misstep to try to take me down the wrong road. I can use this in the morning, at night or even in the middle of the day, to help thwart his efforts against me. I would share this with my friend’s wife. Satan is working uber hard on both my friend and his wife. I would give it to her because if Momma ain’t happay , ain’t no one happay. And she deserves much happiness. :)
Why would I like to receive the book and what friend you’d give it to, if you won 2 copies.
I’d love to receive the books as gifts for the friends I’d give them to –
my 2 Amys ! Daughter and Daughter in Love
Thank you for hosting and for Renee’s generosity for offering =)
Thank you for sharing Renee’s blog for her book givaway. I would love so much to have one for my friend and myself. It was my first bible study and I loved it. Then Friday I got the devotional. Awesome!! Heading back to Renee’s blog. Thanks Again!!
I have read Renee’s book 2 times and have had the opportunity to hear her speak. I love her honesty. I would give one of the books to the church libarary.
I am currently leading the confident heart study and this week we talked about Gods unconditional love and the when/then statements. I will be posting them on my refrigerator. I would love to share the devotional with my daughter so that she can be reminded of Gods unconditional love for her. As a new mom, I want her to have as much information on Gods love that she can. Love the book!
Hi Karen, I am hopping over to you from Renee Swope’s Blog to thank you, along with Renee, for sharing an excerpt on her and her “A Confident Heart Devotional: book. I got the e-book FREE on Valentine’s Day and I love it? I hope a lot of people read it. It has a very encouraging message on God’s LOVE and helps on self-doubt. Thanks again!
Hi Karen,
I love your contributions to Proverbs 31 Ministries – so encouraging! I hopped on over here from Renee’s site. :) I loved Renee’s book, after going through it with our women’s small group bible study. After seeing it online, we knew we had to order it for the group – and we were not disappointed! If I won 2 copies I would give them both away, one to Allison and one to Paula.
Blessings to you!
Susan
Hi! I linked over from Renee Swopes page. Thanks for sharing. I’m reading A Confident Heart and would love copies of the devotional. I have more than one person I can think of to give a copy to so I can’t narrow it down.
Renee’s writings always speak right to me….and I would love this book!
The second copy would go to a dear friend, former pastor’s wife, who is a special blessing to me.
Lack of self-confidence is something that I’ve always struggled with–not being good enough . . . Even through counseling, it is a challenge that I face almost daily inwardly, which is (hopefully) not noticeable to my friends and family. Renee’s P31 Devotionals have spoken to me for many years & I’m sure this book would do the same! I would love a copy for me and for my mom.
Karen, I just loved “A Confident Heart” It was my first OBS and what changes happened in my life through the book and the study! I would love to read the devotional! If I won 2 copies, I would give one to my daughter who is beginning her journey in relationship with Jesus! It would be great for her to feel the confidence, to have a confident heart through Christ!
Anything positive and uplifting is welcome in my house right now. I have a pre teen daughter who is really going through an emotional time right now. I am fighting hard to not get pulled into the negativity. I am struggling to keep her focused and in a positive mindset. With all of this going on, I am certainly doubting my abilities as a mom!
uff, that’s a tough one to narrow down on :) …I think one copy I’d give to a friend who over the years over and over again became discouraged in her personal life because of failing love relationships- and perhaps seeing her value and life satisfaction thru a fresh prism of God’s love will serve her as a necessary boost for the daily optimism in life despite her ‘social’ status. Another one, after I read it myself, of course I’d probably give to a close friend of mine who has not made final sole commitment yet to Jesus. I think this kind of real life ‘story-book’ filled with testimonies may give her a new perspective on why our God is the only true God.
I would give a copy of the book to my friend Terri. Her father has Alzheimer’s and she and her siblings are struggling with what to do with him/for him. She’s very stressed and doubting herself right now. I think the book would be a comfort to her. Thank you for the opportunity to win.
Our Bible study group is going through this study right now so I would give it to one of the ladies in our group.
I would give the second copy to my mom so she would live her life with the knowledge of who she is in the eyes of God.
I would give the other copy to my friend also named Sherry. We have worked together for 10 years and been through terrible divorces and deaths of our parents. We both are rebuilding and I think this book would be great for us.