My sweet friend Sharon Jaynes has written a book I absolutely love! (Especially chapter 6!) If you struggle with confidence, you want "Enough: Silencing the Lies that Steal Your Confidence". Here's Sharon:
When
I was six years old, I skipped off to school with a new box of crayons, a
Swiss–polka dotted dress, and fresh hope that I would be smart. But first grade
only confirmed my greatest fear. I was “not enough.”
As
soon as my first-grade teacher held up that initial spelling flashcard, I knew
I was in trouble. We lined up our miniature wooden chairs in a row like a choo-choo
train. The teacher held up a spelling flashcard for us to identify the word. If
we missed the word, we had to go to the caboose. I spent most of the first
grade in the caboose. I just couldn’t spell to save my life. For some reason, I
especially had trouble with the word the.
I’ll help
her,
my teacher must have thought. She made me a nametag that read
t-h-e, and I had
to wear it for two weeks. Students came up to me and asked, “Why are you
wearing that tag?” “Is your name ‘The’?” “You must be stupid.” “What’s wrong
with you?”
Well,
I learned how to spell the word the,
but that’s not all I learned. I learned I wasn’t as smart as everybody else,
and once again, not enough. And even though I ended up doing well in school,
many times I’ve still felt like that little girl in the caboose of the spelling
train.
Moses
was a man who felt he wasn’t good enough. When God spoke to him through a
burning bush and called him to lead His people out of Egyptian bondage, he had
a big case of the “not good enoughs.”
That’s
when he had a one-sided argument with God. Moses told God he was the wrong man
for the job. He wasn’t brave enough, strong enough, smart enough, eloquent
enough, charismatic enough, or confident enough.
At
one point, Moses said, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, “The
God of your fathers has sent me to you,” and they ask me, “What is his name?”
Then what shall I tell them?
God
said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites:
‘I AM has sent me to you’” (Exodus 3:13-15).
Moses
was 80 years old when he had his argument with God at the burning bush. But even
the weakest knees in the hands of I AM can become a mighty force to be reckoned
with.
I’ll
go out on a limb and say that you too, at one time or another, will struggle
with feelings of inferiority, insecurity, and inadequacy just like Moses did.
And the underlying statement feeding the sense of worthlessness is “I’m not
__________ enough.” You can fill that blank in with any number of qualities.
But
here’s what we need to remember: Whatever we feel we are not, God is. He is the
God who fills in our gaps; He is I AM who fills in our blanks.
·
When
we say, “I’m not strong enough,” God says, “I AM.”
·
When
we say, “I’m not wise enough,” God says, “I AM.”
·
When
we says, “I’m not bold enough,” God says, “I AM.”
·
When
we say, “I’m not smart enough,” God says, “I AM.”
·
When
we say, “I’m not good enough,” God says, “I AM.”
Once
we let go of the lies that we are not enough and take hold of the truth that we
are more than enough because of Jesus’s presence and power in us, then we will
be set free from paralyzing insecurity and be on our way to experiencing courageous
confidence to do everything He calls us to do. It’s time get out of the caboose
and sit up front with the Chief Engineer.
You
want to know something amazing? One of my greatest weakness as a child was
spelling words. And now that is what God has called me to do today…write with words.
I stand with Paul who lamented about his weakness: “But he [God] said to me, ‘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” (2
Corinthians 12:9 NIV).
That’s
what happens when we allow God to fill in our blanks. He turns what we perceive
as our greatest weakness into our greatest strengths.
What
is God calling you to do today? In what areas do you feel that you’re not
enough? Oh friend, because of Jesus Christ’s finished work on the cross, and
His power in you, you are more than enough! Don’t forget it.
Share this
post with 5 or more people, then leave a comment that says, “I did it!” We will
randomly pick one comment to win a FREE Enough” bracelet made
by the ladies of Fashion and Compassion.
TO ENTER GIVEAWAY: Leave a comment that includes your email. One randomly chosen winner will be chosen and notified via email on Friday,
April 6. Sorry, open to U.S. residents only.
Order
Enough: Silencing the Lies that Steal Your Confidence by April 6, 2018 and
you’ll receive 3 FREE eBooks plus more! Click
here for details.
Sharon
Jaynes is an international speaker and best-selling author of 21 books. For
those who know her best, she is a simple southern girl who loves sweet tea,
warm beaches, and helping women live fully and free as a child of God and
co-heir with Christ.

12 comments:
Yes to this “I’m not strong enough,” God says, “I AM.”
jenn56093@ yahoo. com
Done :) bellabrandy@yahoo.com
Done! What an excellent, much needed to hear post! westernrose55@gmail.com
What a revelation! I didn't connect the given name "I AM" with all that we are and need. God made it personal.
Crogers307@gmail.com. I tried to order the book on Amazon- it's sold out
I did it!!!!!! What an absolutely timely message....
Tracey
tkirch@gmail.com
I shared on twitter as tallulahjane65. This was a great blog. I can't wait to read the book.
tallulahjane65(at)yahoo(dot)com
Such a timely post, and one that gives me so much hope
Reading the book will be so encouraging for me :))
lu3921@gmail.com
I did it! What a great reminder we all need! Grocerymoney15@yahoo.com
I did it!!! What a great reminder! I am enough!! 2 Corinthians 12:9 is one of my favorite verses and I love your blog!! tdnewman@mail.com
I am enough!! I shared on Twitter and Facebook. juliebeebe underscore 88 at hotmail dot com
blaineroad@gmail.com Sounds like a beautifully written book that has my name all over it!
Post a Comment