I am going to blog a bit from our Wednesday night church sermon. If you do not want to hear me preaching this is NOT the message for you! I found it encouraging and relevant for my own insecurities and wanted to share some insights that might help.
It was really an eye opener for me. Special thanks to James River Assembly, Pastor John Lindell for your leadership! For more info or to hear the message first hand go to jamesriver.org
Tonight the message was on insecurity. This is a big topic for women. We have had over 11,000 women join Jordan Essentials bath and body in 11 years. The one common thread I have seen is that if they have self confidence they have long term success, if they don’t they will struggle and most times quit.
Here are the 7 points made that point to insecurity and a life without joy, peace and enjoying all God has to offer.
1. Focus on yourself. If you focus on yourself all the time you will miss what the Lord has to offer. Your eyes need to be on what He has for you. Insecure people are always looking at everyone else.
2. Feeling of inadequacy. Oh this is where it really hit home for many of the women I have met. We are not good enough, cannot be enough, cannot rest until we have achieved enough and even if we did we would feel guilty about it!
3. Loneliness. Feeling like we are all alone in the world is just not true. We have a heavenly Father who loves us. He says I am with you ALWAYS. When we realize we are never alone, we will not be lonely. This is one I struggle with. People who know me would think this is odd. I know tons of people. I have 4 kids and a loving husband, how can I ever be lonely? Well it happens. I forget and I let little words creep into my head that give me a feeling of being very alone in this world. the key is to speak truth and life into our lives, the truth the Lord has for us.
4. Fear. I had someone work for me once who lived is such great fear it strangled her from a normal life. I know my daughter has great fear because of the abuse and life she had in an orphanage. If anyone could have a reason to have fear it would be her. But the Lord teaches us we have nothing to fear. We can have a peace that passes all understanding and just one word and our fear can be gone. That word is Jesus. When we got Annya from Russia she was petrified and riddled with fear. I tried everything and it was not until I began to sing Jesus, Jesus, Jesus over and over again that she calmed down. There is power in the name that calms all fear.
5. Inability to accept coaching. Coaching is a good thing. We can learn from people who want to help us. When we put up a wall, think we have nothing to learn or we think we are too good to learn anything that is a sign of insecurity. Friends coach, friends help each other and a good friend can be priceless when she helps in love.
6. Competition. If your life revolves around winning everything you can, something is wrong. Healthy competition is one thing, winning to be the best and conquer others is not.
7. Control. This is a big one also for many people including me! Learning to let go of control while still doing our best gives us peace. I really learned this in January of this year. Jordan Essentials had been growing at an odd pace. We have been moving forward at a good clip and I began to get some old feelings like when Country Bunny began and I had felt then like my life was out of control. I quickly re centered myself knowing I am in Gods will in my life and began to enjoy the ride. Enjoy knowing I am in God’s plan and it feels great. Jeremiah 29:11 is one of my life’s verses so it was cool when it was quoted tonight: For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper and to not harm you. Plans for a hope and a future.
God knows our future. He has everything in control
Here are 3 things suggested to help us with our insecurities:
1. Confess it to God. If you are insecure tell Him about it. Pray for him to help you with that. It is a great place to begin.
2. Have a scripture to help you. Ah this has been a good key for me. I do not do well memorizing so I sing songs. Many Christian songs are scriptures and you just need to crank up the tunes and sing along! It is my little trick you can borrow. Drive along with the windows down and sing your little heart out.
3. Accept God made you the way you are and enjoy it. We are wonderfully made. Have some joy knowing the creator of the universe made you. He likes what he has made.
I heard John Maxwell say “God gave me potential. It is now up to me to use it!” What a gift we have! Do not waste Gods potential he gave you.
I pray this little message blessed you like it did me. I do struggle with the little voice in my head that tells me I am not enough. I am just a little house wife from the midwest who am I to do anything great? The answer to that is, I am a daughter of the king of the universe!
Keep your head up and wear your confidence proudly and enjoy the life of joy and peace God has for you!
Many Blessings of favor and confidence,
Nanc
