Hey, Girls! You are doing such a fabulous job with your group discussion. I’ve especially loved watching you respond to one another. You really are such a tremendous and unique community of women. I’m honored to journey with you here. Let’s continue hearing from all those who have been active from the beginning but let’s also hear from more of you out there who are watching and reading but haven’t really jumped in here and participated. I promise you that when we wrap this thing up, you will be far more satisfied with the experience if you personally invested in it.
We are reaching the halfway point in our journey and have arrived at a place of utmost importance in our pursuit of wholeness. Your assignment this week is based on only one chapter of the book: CHAPTER 9. As you will soon discover, it is not a chapter you just read. It’s a chapter you actually do. A chapter you actually pray. Please take it seriously. Everything ahead of us hinges on this experience. It is placed at this point in the journey prior to the prescriptive and practical phase of the book so that the way is cleared and our dignity restored enough to move forward. It will help place us in a posture God can bless with the rich kind of confidence He wants for His people and activate the power we have within us to think and FEEL differently. That’s essentially where the remainder of the book heads.
Here are your very simple assignments this week:
1. Do (don’t just read but actually do) Chapter Nine. In your comment to this post, simply reflect back on your time with God and share anything specific that you received from it.
2. Go to last Saturday’s post (3/6/10) and look at all the verses in the comment section. You will find a wellspring! Pick five Scriptures that speak most powerfully to you right now – five that you feel like you need the most – and write them on the inside of the back cover of the book. (This should be a lot less intimidating than what I asked you to write inside the front cover at the beginning of our journey!)
And that’s it for this week! I want the prayer journey to stand by itself and clear the way for mighty works ahead. We have some of our most eye-opening moments in the second half so stay with it, Girls!
Since we only have one chapter this week, this is a great time for many of us to play catch-up!
I am packing this very moment and about to head to Toronto for our first 2010 Living Proof Live. We can’t wait to see a God-show in Canada! Come on, Canadian Sisters! We’ve got plenty of room for you!
I love all of you very much.
Rachel 
I just finished Chapter 9. I had to wait for the quiet time and it was wonderful. I started with tears and ended with quiet feeling of healing. Such a sense of peace. When I started I could not even find peace with the way I was sitting. Finally God told me He would hear me no matter how I was sitting. That's how insecure I was.
God Bless You
Pat
Married
60's
Alabama
As I worked & prayed through Chapter 9, I kept reflecting on the idea of Dignity. The truth of what God wants for me, for all Christian women, has been sinking in deeply as I read this book. We have allowed ourselves to be pulled so far, distracted so greatly from the whole, capable selves He wants us to be. To quote another of your studies, Beth, we need to COPE! (Can Operate Power-packed Emotionally)! As i think about this & fit it together with a piece from earlier in the book– the truth that Christ inside us is infinitely, perfectly healthy– it starts to begin to seem possible. After all, if it's God's will for me, & I ask him for it, of course he will bring it to fruition! I am so excited that the Lord never "reveals something he's unwilling to heal." I have taken the next step of healing by simply confessing my sinful attitudes, believing that God will empower me to change, & clinging to His promise.
Gah. I'm Rachel, 28 in MD, married.
Sandi
39
Marion, NC
Married
I think the part of the prayer in chapter 9 that hit me the most were the sections about repenting for being so focused on myself and making every thing all about me because I am insecure. I prayed for forgiveness for these things. This chapter was a blessing to me, and I will read it over and over. Although I am behind in the study, I believe it was of God that I read it this morning. I am experiencing lots of uncertainty and insecurity in several areas of my life and I really needed the encouragement of the prayer and the repentance for my insecurity and what it has caused for other people.
Thank you Beth!!
I prayed through chapter 9 and it was a blessing. It is also a great resource to come back to if insecurity sneaks back up on me over time. I wanted to share an answer to prayer. My sister, who just had a bad break-up, wants to read this book! Normally she would scoff at a book like this, but I told her I was reading it and going to the simulcast and she wanted to take a copy home (to the west coast) with her. I had sneakily purchased an extra copy and put it on the dresser of the guest room where she was staying. I told her that it was for someone else going with me to the simulcast, but if she wanted it, she could take it. And she did!! Now I'm praying that she reads it. Huge step that she wanted to take it!!!!
30s
married
east coast
I’m doing the same thing for my sister in law! I pray that they do read these. So glad this book came out. I don’t know a woman who doesn’t need this.
I think the thing that I have realized most is that the enemy does not want me clothed with strength and dignity and does his best to have me in the opposite state. I sometimes forget that it is a battle and then I put my armor down…but I AM clothed with strength to fight! And with dignity! Because of HIM.
Melissa
Asheville, NC
Hi Melissa….
Asheville girl myself!
This prayer touched me in so many ways. I do believe God has set me up to be free of my fear now. One line stood out so powerfully to me that I wrote it down in all capital letters: NOTHING HAS THROWN OFF THE PLAN. I often believe the lie that I have made choices that will make it impossible to receive all God has for my life. It feels so good to throw that lie out of my life.
A heartfelt thank you Beth, for following God's leading to write this book. I am finally starting to feel the courage to seek out and follow God's will for my life so that those in my realm of influence can see His light reflected through me.
Kristi
Montana
30's
married
These are the 5 verses tht I chose to write in the back of my book. There are from the NLT Bible.
Psalm 105:4
Search for the Lord and for His strength; continually seek Him.
Psalm 130:5
I am counting on the Lord; yes, I am counting on Him. I have put my hope in His Word.
Deuteronomy 31:8
Do not be afraid of discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor abandon you.
2 Thessalonians 1:11
So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of His call. May He give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do.
Deuteronomy 20:5
For the Lord your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and He will give you victory.
I'm catching up a bit, but wanted to post that I did complete the prayer on the 18th. It was obvious that the prayer was inspired by God.
Kristin
AL
30's
Married
1. I’m trying to do and be everything and cannot – I cannot be a perfect wife or mom or friend. But I have to remind myself that I do not have to be perfect. I need to turn to God to help me identify what is important and what is not. And to stop trying to do and be everything. My insecurities about my weight and not being able to do everything hold me back.
Niki
30’s
Married
Overland Park, KS
I just finished going through chapter 9’s prayer and the verses to add to the back of my book. The pray hit home in so many areas. I not only filled in the blank areas, but I filled most of the margins with specific things I needed to say along with the prayer, and about half of it is underlined now – the phrases that I especially wanted to declare to God. It was a little scary writing out my fears and confession in the book, knowing that someone else could see what I wrote (insecure, perhaps?), but I’m glad I did it. I was praying just yesterday that God would help me learn how to deal with the insecurities, since I now am far more aware of when they creep up than ever before. So praise HIM for providing His words of encouragement and support.
My pastor has for a few months now been reminding us that the same power and Spirit that raised Christ from the dead is in US. That we have power and authority to conquer all of those obstacles and trials and problems that come our way. How awesome is it that His Spirit gives us power to conquer our insecurities. I’m so excited to move forward!
Rachel, 28, single, Tucson
Anna
DFW, Texas
20’s
Single
Still playing catch-up!! Almost there!! =P
1. I am a tender-hearted person, and cry easily and often. But I cannot remember the last time I cried this hard. Throughout this chapter, I went through open-heart surgery. God used this time to dig out some infection that had been hiding back in the corners and expose it for the harmful junk that it is. The point where I was knocked backwards by the power of the truth was on page 167 “You see every fissure in my soul, and You look beyond the point of my failure to the depth of my need.” Praise You, Lord.
2. This was SO COOL!!! I wasn’t able to participate in the actual post, March 6th was the day of my brother’s wedding (and the biggest reason for my falling so behind in the reading – the planning of the wedding consumed way too much of our lives!), but my skin is aching right now for holding goose bumps for so long!! I couldn’t bring it down to just 5, but the verses I chose were:
a. Galatians 5:1
b. Psalm 105:4
c. Isaiah 46:4
d. Psalm 34:4
e. Isaiah 44:3
f. 2 Chronicles 20:12-15, 17
God is good!! The prayers could have some straight from my mouth and my heart and it hurt to write the confessions and the things I struggle with outright…seeing them in print they looked black and ugly. And they are as they are completely opposite of what He wants for me, has given to me, created me to be. I will read these prayers over and over and over. Funny how I never looked at the pride, the envy, the self-absorbtion, the comparisons to others as “insecurity”. It’s been a wonderful time of openness and healing.
Dawn for PA
Married
50s
The parts of the prayer that spoke to me as I was reading through it aloud to God were the parts about the “hidden” me. So much of my insecurity is rooted in what I hide from other people and what I think I’m hiding, or at the very least disguising from God: those things I rationalize away. My favorite phrase from the prayer was this: “Help me to trust that You only shed light where You’re willing to heal.” The parts about insecurity of my own making was excellent too. So many times I am quick to point the finger the other way and
(continued–my daughter’s pink puppy accidentally hit the send button) look to blame others for insecurity when ultimately it’s of my own making. I felt very refreshed and almost excited as I was finished. It helped me to verbalize much of what I have been hashing through in the course of reading this book. Thank you Lord, and thank you Beth for being His funnel!
Catherine
St Paul, MN
40’s
Married
I started this book one week ago, and have used it with my daily devotional time. I’ve been trying to “catch up”, to participate in this amazing community of women. I feel full to overflowing with the blessing of this book. I also have to confess that I wondered if {having only discovered Beth Moore almost 2 years ago, and just recently finding this blog} I was making an idol of Beth! Today, reflecting on this most precious day, Good Friday, the Lord made clear that I have not made an idol of you. Beth, you are a precious woman of God. What I so admire in you and see in you is the very face of Jesus, throwing open His arms and pouring out His love for us through a tiny, adorable, knowledgeable, Godly woman with a heart {and hair?} the size of Texas itself.
Beth, should you ever read this, let me just tell you what a powerful word it is that the Lord gave you in Chapter 9. Truly, from the moment the words started coming, I was overwhelmed at the presence of the Father. We talked a long time. A hushed, whispered prayer, halted at times by my weeping and tears – holy tears, of healing, of release, of gentle correction and reprimand, of tender words of love and affection. Truly, truly, you were and are His vessel, and it is because of your gift and your obedience to our Father that I am blessed today.
Of my 5 verses, here is a favorite;
“I call on you, O God, for you will answer me; give ear to me and hear my prayer.
Show the wonder of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes.
Keep me as the apple of your eye;hide me in the shelter of your wings.”
-Psalm 17:6-8 NIV
God’s blessings upon you!
Robin
PA
31
Married
Wow, so much resonated with me! Just to pick a few, here are my top three:
“Forgive me for my relentless pursuit of control and for my futile attempts at doing YOUR job.”
“YOU know why I think like I do and why I feel like I do”.
“And Lord, where I’ve otherwise lapsed into self-adoration and self-centeredness instead, help me to recognize my narcissism and no longer tolerate it.”
29, married
West Olive, MI
I went to a baby shower with work friends last night. And all of the sudden, I was back into the pit of insecurity. I thought I had been doing so well, and I was so disheartened to find I was still struggling. I did read chapter 9, but I’ll be re-reading it again this morning. Thanks to those who posted reminders to me of being clothed in strength and dignity, and to the one who is walking ‘millisecond by millisecond’. I’m realizing today, that’s myself as well.
tula – houston, tx – 30 – single
1- Father, help me to see where I am overly sensitive & where I put too much pressure on relationships….keep me from growing hardened…real affection cannot be coerced. Because of your mercy, Lord, I am no fool.
Only a wise woman shifts her trust to You.
1. I am really fighting the battle to believe God on this one..to no longer dwell in the self created thought patterns of my insecurity, but 100% GOD’S WORD. I am asking for mercy and help in this. In “doing” this chapter, I felt a very sure sense of God’s love for me and His presence as I pleaded my case. He has equipped me with every needed (and more!) to believe on my security……
2. “We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us” 1 John 4:16a
“He gives power to the weak, and to those who have no might He increases strength” Is. 40:29
“You give me Your shield of victory, You stoop down to make me great” 2 Sam. 22:36
“She will have no fear of bad news, her heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord, her heart is secure, she will have no fear, and in the end, she will look in triumph on her adversaries” Psalm 112:7-8
“He is your constant source of stability, He abundantly provides safety and great wisdom, He gives all this to those who fear Him” Isaiah 33:6
north carolina
20s
married
Well, well well….chapter 9!! Beth…this must be the most Holy Spirit thing you have ever written. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAS BEEN TIED UP IN MY HEART THAT COULD NOT GET OUT!! Praise Him! Oh as the words flowed I was in ahhhh of how they were all exactly my thoughts and desires but could have never voiced them on my own.
1) Specifics I recieved are many but here are a couple. God sees my need beyond the point of my failure. Seek Him to have my needs met. He is the only one that can. What freedom there is in that….Oh please Lord help me to live that our day by day!
This is big one…still chewing on it…it is so entangled into my life…Hanging onto loss by hanging onto grief. I am hanging on alright and my finger nails are about to pop off. Please Lord show me how to let go completly!!…in that moment to moment basis! OHHH how this is where I struggle.
Mom married three times in my childhood…lots of loss..not just of people but of stability, security and safety.
Minister Husband had a affair with my friend…more loss…trust, friends, church, job, stablity, security,
2) Deut. 2:3 You have circled this mountain long enough. Now turn north!
Heb. 10:35-36 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will recieve what he has promised.
Judges 6:12 The Lord is with you mighty warrior.
II Corinthians 12: 8-9 My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.
Isaiah 33:6 He is our constant source of stability. He abundantly provides safety and great wisdom, He gives all this to those who fear Him.
What a powerful prayer..I’m just aching (a good ache). So much spoke to me….”licking my wounds until they won’t heal” because I’m afraid of who I will be without them, which goes along with not trusting God in His plan for my life. I asked for “healthy grief that does not fight the pain or the process of healing”. I don’t want it to be said “I loved myself too much to fully love anyone else”. It pains me to think that I could leave that kind of legacy. 🙁 Additionally, I don’t want any of the people God has seen fit to put in my life set up for failure because I might give them charge of my security. I need to see myself as God sees me. And as part of that, I refuse to be “defined by the media”. So, I vowed to “deliberately and actively seek Him”. Phew!
As I read through the prayer in chapter 9 I was able to read it out loud and despite crying through most of it I felt an overwhelming since of love from God. I felt safe and secure to fill in the blanks. I felt as though I true could find my security in Him alone.
Cara
Riverview, FL
married. 30’s.
1. Sweet time with God even through the tears. What resonated most with me is the truth that He only sheds light where He is willing to heal. He has shed light on things that were not forgotten but were a mystery to me and healing has begun. He knows the rational beginning of my irrational fears. He reminded me that He is with me and has always been with me. I know His hand is healing every broken place… He is healing my wounded heart.
2. 2 Samuel 22:33; Isaiah 41:10, 13; Deuteronomy 31:8; 2 Thessalonians 3:3;Psalm 29:11
and Deuteronomy 2:3 You have circled this mountain long enough. Now turn north.
North Attleboro, MA
60s
married
Married
38 yrs. old
two teenagers
I am behind, but am so very thankful for this bible study. In particular this chapter. I shed many layers and many more tears, but felt so loved, so much stronger when I finished. I drew on this prayer and have repeated it on the time since I first did it. One of my children got into quite a bit of trouble, it would have broken me before, but this time I have put it into Gods capable hands and let it go. Thank you Lord!! Thank you sweet Beth!
Emily
Battle Creek, MI
34 Married 10 years.
I went through chapter 9 and I just cried. It was a releasing wonderful cry. I had so many corners of my soul that I had filled with junk, lies and self hate. Without knowing, I had developed the ability to ignore and deny them. Like a careful toothbrush, this prayer had scrubbed each corner. I had felt lighter in my spirit than I have in a long time. I went to teach my college class a few hours later with an ambivalence that was soothing. Sounds funny, but this new teaching assignment has made the perfectionist in me feel nauseated before each class. The fact that I walked in with out that overwhelming insecurity about my teaching ability is a sign that this is the beginning of something amazing. I’m so encouraged!
Eau Claire, WI
30’s (late)
married
1. I DID chapter nine. This is good stuff. Complete. Thank you Lord for working a transformation in me. I plan on it. I claim it in the precious name of Jesus!
2. I read all the entries from Saturday’s post and entered 10 verses into the back cover of my book.
(why does everyone have little blue quilted pictures?? i liked everyone’s faces…)
katie, 20’s, wewak PNG, single
i was extremely blessed and encouraged and moved to tears as i prayed through chapter 9 this morning. i still didn’t even realize something until i was praying it and started crying because i realized i meant it, and it was real in my history. the whole chunk on Him knowing every single place where instability has touched my life and rocked me and made me scared. this major root of mine is surfaced again right now so it was fresh for the tender dealing-with of the Lord. yowsa. and the part about losing a home and needing the internal unshakable sense of belonging from Him… having my family fall apart now, even when i am supposed to be grown up is still so unsettling and “proves” the fragile house-of-cards feeling/suspicion things were not ever safe. OH praise to our ever-stable, ever-secure ALL MIGHTY God for the shelter of His wings. our strong tower and true Home.
thanks sweet beth, for hearing this from the Lord and getting it on paper for us to be blessed with, for faithfully administering God’s grace. love you!
This was one of my favorite chapters. It just brought a lot of “negative” stuff to an end. This prayer freed me!!! Thank you, Jesus!!!
Dear Beth, thank you sooo much for putting this prayer into this book! It has meant everything to me. May the LORD give you strength & courage for Saturday’s simulcast. So looking forward toward it.
In Christ, Meggie
40’s married disabled
love to you all sisters…see some of you saturday
Ok! I picked up where I left off (a few weeks ago!). Chapter 9 … WOW!
I just finished my prayer time. A miracle – PRAISE GOD – that this Mommy of 4 found 30 mins in the middle of the day to be alone and to pray. No planning! It all just worked out. Imagine that! Again … THANK YOU JESUS!
What a beautiful gift – that prayer journey! Thank you!
Since I already attended the SLI simulcast on Saturday and now that I’ve read through chapter 9 and had this prayer time, I’m feeling more secure already!
Thank you, Lord, for the gift you’ve given Beth and for using her to reach us!
Rachael
36
married, 4 kids
O-H-I-O
A reflection about I came to read Chapter 9… I know, I know.. I turned the page after Chapter 8..LOL But… there is more. Last weekend, after working a 12 hr night shift in the ER and taking a 4 hr nap, I was attempting to study for final exams. I was tired and grumpy, my house was a mess, my hair was a mess and my 5 yo daughter was not the least bit interested in helping me study Patho Physiology. I gave up on the books and threw myself across the bed, my eyes burning with tears.. so many thoughts were running through my mind.. Can I do this, Why am I doing this… What is it all for…. I ‘m nothing but a failure… Who am I trying to fool, everyone knows what a joke I am… I begged God to give me a sign, anything to reassure me.
In an attempt to salvage some part of the day, I threw on the nearest pair of shorts and a tank top, grabbed my book and took my daughter to the park.. Sitting there, alone under a tree I opened to the next page.. Chapter 9. I just want to say, reading that prayer, under a tree by the river.. while watching my daughter play.. well it was one of the most profound experiences I have had in my life. She is THE reason I said enough and something has to change. It crushes my heart to think that she could ever feel the things I have felt or tolerate the abuse I have endured.
Thank You Beth…
Thank You!
The bottom half of 168. I actively and deliberately receive…it is my choice.
Yep, drinking beer and smoking cigarettes is pretty awesome
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