august contents

2 A Confident Heart

4 Confessions of a Helicopter Mom

6 It is What it is

8 A Stingy Gift

10 Carving with the Master

12 Sunday After Sunday

15 Ministry News

Cover photo by

Julie Staley

In His Image Photography

by Julie

www.inhisimagebyjulie.com

Get to Know Renee SwopeIf I were an animal, I’d be a dog because I love to

sleep and I like to make people feel loved.

My favorite ice cream flavor is raspberry sorbet.

If I could go anywhere in the world, it would be onan Alaskan Cruise.

My favorite flower is a tulip.

If I had a day to do anything I wanted to do, Iwould go snow skiing with my family and thencurl up with a good book by the fire that night.

Mountains or beach? Mountains.

2 P31 Woman | august 2011

Istood in front of my bathroom mirror, squinting from thebright lights while trying to open my eyes so I could applymy mascara. My mouth opened too, almost instinctively.

I wondered why opening my mouth also opened my eyes. It didn’t make sense, and neither did the way I was feeling.I was plagued with self-doubt about speaking at a

women’s event the next day. Although I was honored andexcited when the event leader called months before, I nowquestioned why I had accepted the invitation. I needed to finish packing and go to the airport. Instead,

I wanted to do something predictable like fold laundry, orderpizza and watch a movie with my kids – something less riskythan speaking in front of 500 women. I continued putting on my makeup, while begging God –

once again – to please take away my uncertainty. Sadly myinternal dialogue was relentless … What if I forget what I amgoing to say? What if my points aren’t that powerful? What if theydon’t connect with my stories or laugh at my humor? What if … ?This wasn’t the first time I’d struggled with self-doubt. In

fact, it was something I’d dealt with more times than I wantedto recount. As a child I doubted I was worth keeping. Myinsecurity even kept me from riding the carousel at an amuse-ment park, because I doubted my dad would wait for me.

continued on page 14

www.Proverbs31.org 3

Doubt robbed me of the joy of water-skiing as a young girl. I refused to trybecause I wasn’t sure my family wouldcome back to get me once I dropped therope. I feared failure while in college andmissed many great opportunities becausethey came with risk of rejection. Even as a young bride, I doubted my husband’sfaithfulness. Our newlywed memoriesinclude a lot of arguments about trust.Maybe you know exactly what I’m

talking about. Perhaps you dreamed aboutbeing a mother, and here you are with kids,doubting you have what it takes to be a goodmom. Or maybe you’ve sensed God callingyou to serve Him in a way that requires bigsteps of faith, but insecurity has convincedyou you’re not gifted enough. Perhapsyou’ve wanted to change jobs for a while andyou now have the opportunity, but you don’twant to go. The unknown is too scary.Although you’re miserable where you arenow, at least it is familiar.

In the Shadow of DoubtWhen I finished my mascara, I turned to put

my makeup in the suitcase behind me and noticed ahuge nine-foot shadow on the wall. I was surprisedhow much bigger my shadow was than my five-foot-two-inch frame. It distorted my image on the wall,making my body look much bigger than it was. All of a sudden, it dawned on me that my uncertainty

had also created a huge shadow – of doubt. Just like my shadow on the wall was distorting my shape, mydoubt was distorting my thoughts and overpoweringmy emotions with confusion and questions. I stood there looking at the humongous shadow.

Then I bent down to put my makeup bag in my suitcaseand sensed God whispering to my heart: You can only seethe shadow because you have turned away from the light. Turnback toward the light. As I stood up and turned backtoward the light above the mirror, I realized I was nolonger standing in the shadow.In the shadow of doubt, insecurity paralyzes us

with statements like:• “I can’t do this.”• “I’m such a failure.”• “I’m not good enough.”• “I don’t have what it takes.”

That day, as I turned around andfaced the mirror in my bathroom, notonly did I realize I was no longerstanding in the shadow, I also recog-nized I’d created the shadow byblocking the light. Shadows are created all around us

when something blocks light. And so itis with the shadow of doubt. When we focus on our insecurities,

we cast a shadow of doubt in our minds byblocking the light of God’s truth in our hearts.Yet we weren’t designed to block the light, or to bethe light. We were created to live in the light and leadothers to the light.

In the Light of God’s Promises I love how John the Baptist is described as “a witness to

testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to thelight” (John 1:7–8). The same is true for you and me. Jesussaid, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will neverwalk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).

by Renee Swope

When we focus on our insecurities, we blockthe light of God’s truth in our hearts and castshadows of doubt over our minds. Yet we werecreated for so much more. We can learn tolive beyond doubt’s shadow and find a confidentheart. Here’s how.

The Swope family: Andrew, Renee,J.J., Aster and Joshua

Want to lose the weight of

self-doubt? Join Renee for “The

7-day Doubt Diet” – a FREE devotional companion to “A

Confident Heart.” Visitwww.ReneeSwope.com

to sign up.

Radio co-hosts Lysa TerKeurst andRenee Swope

www.Proverbs31.org 15

For more information on these and other P31 speakers, please visit www.Proverbs31.org and click on “Speaking Ministry.”

14 P31 Woman | august 2011

Recently, I’ve taken on a new role at Proverbs 31

Ministries that brings a smile to my face on a

regular basis. I get to call radio stations that play

our show to tell them how much we appreciate the air

time they give to Proverbs 31 Ministries. And I get to ask

if there is any way our ministry can serve them.

I love to hear their responses! I have talked to station

programming directors across the United States and Canada

this year and have been blessed to hear how our radio show,

with Lysa and Renee’s one-minute teaching, is impacting

the lives of hundreds of thousands of women and men with

the hope and wisdom found in God’s Word.

In return, our ministry is honored to encourage and

serve the radio stations that spread the Gospel through

the airwaves. This month we wanted to invite you to join

us in thanking and blessing our stations. Here are a few

ways you can:

• When you hear the lead-in song for the Proverbs 31

Ministries radio show pray for that station and each

person who is hearing the message.

• Call your station, post a note on their Facebook wall or

send an email to thank and encourage them. They love

hearing from listeners. And be sure to let them know what

the Proverbs 31 Ministries radio show has meant to you.

• When you listen to our shows, consider how you can

personally apply the message and who in your life would

be encouraged by it. You can send them a link to our

show online at www.oneplace.com/ministries/proverbs-

31-ministries/.

• If the P31 show is not on

the air in your area,

consider sending an email

requesting they add it.

You could send them a

link, too. And then pray

for God to open that door.

We also want to invite you

to pause and join us for

a minute of encouragement and

inspiration we pray will linger

with you for a lifetime. To see if

our radio show airs in your area

visit www.Proverbs31.org and

click on the Radio Ministry bar

on the left and then the Radio

Stations Listing option. or you

can also listen online at

http://www.oneplace.com/

ministries/Proverbs_31.

Thank you for partnering with us to encourage and inspire

the hearts of women through our radio ministry. vBlessings,

Amy CarrollAmy Carroll

Radio Ministry Project Assistant

RAdio MiniStRy UPdAte

When we follow Jesus, we find our confidence inHim and our lives become a message about Him, theOne who came to illuminate our darkness with thelight of His truth and grace. The day I discovered theshadow of my doubt, I realized I had not beenfollowing Jesus – not completely. If I had stayed closeto Him in my thoughts, I would have been thinkingabout what the women at the event were going tothink about Him, not about me.

Oftentimes we find ourselves in the shadow ofdoubt because our thoughts are mostly aboutourselves: how we’re performing and what others arethinking about us. So, how do we live beyond the shadow of our

self-doubts and find a confident heart? That day inthe bathroom, I asked God to show me.He used the imagery of the light and the distorted

shadow to teach me a powerful lesson. When feelingsof self-doubt come over me, I need to recognize I’vebecome too focused on myself. Then I need to shiftmy focus off my insecurities and focus on the lastingsecurity of God’s truth. That day I made a list of my self-doubts and found

verses to help me replace my thoughts towards myselfwith God’s thoughts towards me. In my book, “AConfident Heart,” I share several of our most commonfeelings of doubt along with corresponding verses wecan keep close by to help us live in the light of God’spromises. Here are a few of my favorites:

�♥ When self-doubt overshadows my thoughts, makingme feel I’m not good enough, I will focus on thepromise that I’m fearfully and wonderfully made;all of God’s works are wonderful, and I am one ofthem (Ps. 139:14).

♥ When self-doubt makes me feel like I’m weakand all alone, I will focus on how God tells me tobe strong and courageous because the Lord myGod is with me. He will never leave me norforsake me (Deut. 31:6).

�♥ When self-doubt tells me I shouldn’t get my hopesup because I’ll only be disappointed, I will focus onGod’s promise that He has plans for my life that arefilled with purpose and hope (Jer. 29:11).

By learning to live in the security of God’s promises, I’ve found a lasting confidence I neverthought I could have. God has led me beyond believingin Him to really believing Him by showing me how torely on the power of His Words and live like they aretrue – no matter what my feelings tell me. When we choose to dwell in the assurance of

Whose we are and who we are in Him, we can livewith a confident heart!v

Renee Swope is a national conference speaker, co-host

of Proverbs 31 Ministries’ international radio program

and author of “A Confident Heart.” For the past 16

years, Renee has served on our ministries’ leadership

team and currently serves as Executive Director of

Devotions and Radio. But her favorite titles are wife to

J.J. and mom to Joshua (16), Andrew (13) and Aster (2).

Be sure to visit Renee’s new website at www.ReneeSwope.com

where you’ll find lots of FREE resources and encourage-

ment. Be sure to sign up for “The 7-day Doubt Diet” —

a week of FREE “A Confident Heart” devotionals to help

you lose the weight of self-doubt.

We celebrate the release of

Renee’s new book,

“A Confident Heart.” Please

consider using this resource in

your church or small group this

fall. See the back page for

ordering information.

A Confident Heart … continued from page 3AUGUST 19-20Lysa TerkeurstPortland, TN

AUGUST 26-27Renee SwopePrinceton, WV

AUGUST 26-27Lysa TerkeurstMidland, TX

SePTeMBeR 9-10Lysa TerkeurstCharleston, WV

SePTeMBeR 10 Micca CampbellPurvis, MS

SePTeMBeR 15Renee SwopeGibsonville, NC

SePTeMBeR 16-18Whitney CappsAmelia Island, FL

SePTeMBeR 16-18Melissa TaylorBoomer, NC

SePTeMBeR 16-17Lysa TerkeurstGreenwood, IN

SePTeMBeR 17Renee SwopeAthens, GA

SePTeMBeR 23-24Micca CampbellRogersville, TN

SePTeMBeR 23-25Lynn CowellLake Tahoe, NV

SePTeMBeR 23-25Rachel olsenPacific Grove, CA

SePTeMBeR 24Lysa TerkeurstFindlay, oH

SePTeMBeR 24Renee SwopeWooster, oH

SePTeMBeR 25Lynn CowellReno, NV

SePTeMBeR 29Lysa TerkeurstNashville, TN

SePTeMBeR 29-oCToBeR 1Wendy PopePigeon Forge, TN

SePTeMBeR 30 -oCToBeR 1Lysa TerkeurstSt. Charles, Mo

When we focus on our insecurities, we cast a shadow of doubt in our minds by blocking the light of God’s truth in our hearts.

UPCoMING SPeAkING eNGAGeMeNTS

Radio co-hosts Lysa TerKeurstand Renee Swope