25 Encouraging Bible Verses for Women Who Struggle with Self-Worth

Posted on October 18, 2016 by Lynn

gods-masterpieceI was reading a book the other day that talked at length about “Impostor Syndrome” and it definitely rang a bell with me.  Impostor syndrome (also known as impostor phenomenon or fraud syndrome) is a term coined in 1978 by clinical psychologists Dr. Pauline R. Clance and Suzanne A. Imes referring to high-achieving individuals marked by an inability to internalize their accomplishments and a persistent fear of being exposed as a “fraud”.  “Impostor syndrome can be defined as a collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist even in face of information that indicates that the opposite is true. It is experienced internally as chronic self-doubt, and feelings of intellectual fraudulence.”  (Caltech Counseling Center)  Basically it means that you have feelings that you’re not good enough, smart enough, successful enough and that you are only posing as such when the total opposite is true.  Although this is also true of men, women tend to experience these feelings more profoundly especially if they struggle with low self-esteem and self-worth.   The enemy likes to lay huge guilt trips on us: we’re not good enough mothers and wives and that inner voice whispers loudly at us as we look in the mirror that we’re not pretty enough, or worthy enough for love.  For you gals who really struggle with feelings of inadequacy and low self-worth here are some encouraging verses that tell us that God loves us for WHO WE ARE in Him.  We are created Masterpieces in His eyes!

Ephesians 2:10  “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Isaiah 64:8  “Yet you, Lord, are our Father.  We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.”

Psalm 139:14  “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

Psalm 46:5  “God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.”

Psalm 28:7  “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.  My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.”

Psalm 5:8  “Lead me, Lord, in your righteousness because of my enemies—make your way straight before me.”

Joshua 1:9  “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

1 Peter 5:6  “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”

Psalm 9:1  “I will give thanks to you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all your wonderful deeds.”

Luke 1:45  “Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

1 Peter 3:3-4  “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry or fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.”

Psalm 143:8  “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love, for I have put my trust in you. Show me the way I should go, for to you I entrust my life.”

Colossians 2:10  “and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority.”

Proverbs 31:10-31  “A wife of noble character who can find?  She is worth far more than rubies.  Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value.  She brings him good, not harm, all the days of her life.  She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.  She is like the merchant ships, bringing her food from afar.  She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants. She considers a field and buys it; out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.  She sets about her work vigorously; her arms are strong for her tasks.  She sees that her trading is profitable, and her lamp does not go out at night.  In her hand she holds the distaff and grasps the spindle with her fingers.  She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy.  When it snows, she has no fear for her household; for all of them are clothed in scarlet.  She makes coverings for her bed; she is clothed in fine linen and purple.  Her husband is respected at the city gate, where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.  She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes.  She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come.  She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue.  She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.  Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”  Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.  Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.”

Proverbs 3:15-18  “She is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her.  Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor.  Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace.  She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her; those who hold her fast will be blessed.”

Song of Songs 4:7  “You are altogether beautiful, my darling; there is no flaw in you.”

2 Timothy 1:7  “For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”

Ephesians 2:19-22  “Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit.”

Joshua 1:5  “No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Romans 5:1-5  “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

Psalm 27:14  “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.”

Psalm 73:26  “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

1 Chronicles 16:11  “Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.”

Isaiah 43:1  “But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”

Matthew 11:28-30  “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

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Simply Happy

Posted on October 17, 2016 by Lynn

It has been a privilege for me to have seven of my stories published in Chicken Soup for the Soul (CSS) books.  I was a fan of the books long before I even submitted my first article.  Many of the stories have brought tears to my eyes, poignant accounts of personal stories that clutch at the heart strings of my mother’s heart, or made me laugh out loud at the comedic zaniness of everyday life.  For those who love the books, as I do, there are well over 150 book titles that address hundreds of topics.  In each book there are 101 stories written by 101 different writers who share little snippets of their life stories to give readers some sage advice, humour and inspiration.  My stories, for those who are interested, are included in the following titles: Parenthood, Devotional Stories for Wives, O’ Canada: the Wonders of Winter, Miracles Happen, The Multitasking Mom’s Survival Guide, Reboot Your Life, and Christmas in Canada.

When my first story about my daughter being teased when she got glasses, “Do Angels Wear Glasses?” was published in CSS: Parenthood, I got an email from a father who lived in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.  For a small-town, Canadian gal, I could not believe someone from so far away was reading one of my stories!  His words humbled me, and brought me to tears:

What a beautiful story you have written, Lynn. I received it from the Chicken Soup’s daily newsletter to which I subscribed more than 7 years ago. My heart ached and filled with deep sadness for what had happened to Carmen and how she was crushed by the rude comment of ‘Angels don’t wear glasses,’ said by the little girl. But it eventually swelled with pride for the tenderness and kindness you treated her with. In fact, mothers are the one who should be called Angels. It is not flesh or blood, but the heart that makes them mothers. The heart of a mother is the loveliest masterpiece of God’s heart. The heart of a mother is a deep abyss at the bottom of which we will always find love. To the world, you are just a person. But to Carmen, you are the whole world.
My daughters were sitting on my lap as I was reading the story. With each word I read, I gave them soft kisses on their cheeks, hugged them tightly to my heart, and cherished each and every precious moment I shared with them. My eyes filled with tears of gratitude for still having them on earth.

 

Have a peaceful weekend,

Hamsa

 

I can honestly say, I have never in my life felt such joy as a writer, as when I read his letter, and Chicken Soup for the Soul made that experience possible!  It is no wonder then that I continue to write for the franchise and I most recently jumped at the chance to review the editor-in-chief’s book, Simply Happy – A Crash Course in Chicken Soup for the Soul Advice and Wisdom by Amy Newmark.

Nine years ago, Amy and her husband, Bill took over the extremely successful Chicken Soup for the Soul franchise from founders Jackchicken-soup-for-the-soul-simply-happy-9781611599497_hr Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen.  Amy, a successful Wall Street analyst, decided before taking on the huge responsibility of CSS that she would read the 10,000 plus stories from the books published from 1993 on.  “That was my crash course in Chicken Soup for the Soul advice and wisdom, and it was life changing,” she writes in the introduction.  “I had never seen anything like this before, so much selfless sharing by people who were willing to pass on their best tips and their life experiences so that others could tweak or even completely reboot their own lives.”  It encouraged her to take CSS to the next level staying true to the legacy that Canfield and Hansen had left for her.

Her book Simply Happy is different from all other CSS books because there are not 101 contributors to this book.  She is the sole author, but she shares the main pieces of advice and wisdom she has gleaned from all of the stories in the CSS books that have been published.  It is a “Crash Course” of meaningful, easy-to-implement advice and strategies to allow the reader to become more positive and purposeful about life in general.  Using excerpts from some of her favorite stories, as well as using her own life experiences, Amy has penned a feel-good book that is uplifting and practical.  It is not necessarily a “self-help” book, although it does give some sound advice to follow, but it more so embraces the life stories of those writers who have contributed to the books over these many years.

I read the book in one sitting, something I rarely do unless completely enthralled by the content of a book.  I found that much of what Amy said I could relate to in a timely way.  She talks about the “Impostor Syndrome” in chapter three that hit me right between the eyes!  I have always been my biggest critic and as she shares about her A-type personality, dealing personally with negative self-talk and the like, I felt the tears tumble acknowledging she could easily have been talking about me.  She repeats throughout the book about “counting your blessings” and indeed I try to do that, but there are times I struggle with perfectionism and she addressed that neatly as she relates the story of a woman who decided to give thanks every time she used a possession, or saw a stain on her carpet, or ding on her furniture, remembering that it was the imperfections in life that made the most memories.

Much of her principles for happy living, although not stated implicitly, have a solid basis in Biblical teaching.  Whether that was intended by her or not “Treat others as you would have others treat you” is a common theme in the book.  Chapter 21 – It’s Not About You speaks to the fact that as my Pastor used to say: “Hurt people, hurt people.”  Sometimes when people are nasty to you, it really has nothing to do with you, it’s just you happen to be available for them to vent to.  Amy says to “not take it personally”, and “don’t get angry about it”.  Jesus would say, “Turn the other cheek.”  I am reminded of the scripture verse: “A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.”  (Proverbs 15:1).  Amy also talks about forgiveness and the power of gratitude, important themes in the Bible.

I highly recommend reading this life-affirming book.  It is filled with inspiring stories, quotes and anecdotes, and if you love the CSS books, you will certainly love reading Amy Newmark’s insights about what she has personally learned from reading and now contributing to the many books in this franchise.

 

 

 

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I Suck at Praying

Posted on October 6, 2016 by Lynn

Have you noticed how many books have been written over the years that teach us about prayer?  There’s a good reason for that.  For many of us (including myself), prayer is not something we’re particularly good at.  Oh, sure, I know all about the importance of prayer, the power of prayer, even the purpose of prayer but I still really suck at praying.

I hear about how you should be persistent in prayer.  Pray without ceasing, bring all your requests before God and He WILL answer them.  I know all about that and I believe that to be true with all my heart but yet I can’t say I pray unceasingly.

I know that it is a vital discipline to draw close to God and seek His Will but I still find myself at wits end to pray the right words at the right time.  I listen to others pray and I marvel at how easily the words seem to slip easily from their lips.  The eloquent words of others praying leaves me breathless and I can’t help but feel even more inadequate at expressing myself to God in prayer especially in front of others.  I’m a writer but a pray-er?  Uh, uh.

I often ask others to pray for me and my needs because I’m so bad at it myself.    I’m terrible at ad-libbing.  I stumble, stutter and lose focus and can’t seem to remember all the people (by name) to pray for, or to express how magnificent and worthy of worship God is (like David does in Psalms).  I get so tongue-tied, I feel like I’ve gone in a big circle of repeating myself and feel flustered and frustrated by my inability to express myself.  I WANT to pray, but I just suck at it.

I had been lamenting my inability to pray cohesively when our Pastor gave a couple of messages about praying the Lord’s Prayer.  “Everything”, he said, “that we need to pray about is encapsulated in that one prayer.”

14b1fc420aba44b85049debed881f830(Matthew 6: 9-13  NKJV) 

As I have been praying these words regularly during my quiet time, I have drawn closer to the Father as never before:

“Our Father” (You are amazing.  Your works are masterful.  Your creation is beautiful.)

“in heaven,”  (You are Lord of Heaven and Earth.  I cannot fathom Your greatness.  You love me with all my faults and died for me so that I may one day be with You in Heaven.  I am so unworthy of Your grace but You abound in grace!)

“Hallowed be Your name.”  (Your Name is above ALL names.  I am so honoured and privileged to come to You in all humbleness, knowing that whatever I request in Your Name will be done according to Your perfect will.)

“Your kingdom come.”  (I long to dwell with You throughout eternity!  The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!  Hasten that day, but show me how to redeem the time here in the meantime, so I can be used of You while I am walking this journey road on earth.)

“Your will be done”  (I sometimes have a long “wish list”, Lord.  You know my needs before I even speak them.  Give me patience and faith to know that You have heard me, You WILL answer, but only according to Your will and timing because You know what is best for me.)

“On earth as it is in heaven.”  (Father, grow me up so that my life will show Christ living in me.  Allow me to experience You in Your fullness here on earth as well as in heaven.  Give me a passion for Your Word!)

“Give us this day our daily bread.”  (You are the Bread of Life.  You are all I need.)

“And forgive us our debts,”  (Forgive the many things I do each day that may disappoint and not be honouring to You.)

“As we forgive our debtors.”  (Allow me to show the same kind of love and forgiveness to others as You have shown to me.)

“And do not lead us into temptation,”  (I fall into the trap of sin when I am not close to You as I should be.  Draw me close, keep me focused on You!)

“But deliver us from the evil one.”  (The enemy prowls around like a hungry lion waiting to devour me.  I must be always on my guard against him.  If I submit to You, Lord and resist the devil, he will flee!)

“For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.”  (You are the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End.  I need not fear because You are in control now and forever.  Your rod and Your staff comforts me!)

“Amen.”  (May the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable to You, O’Lord, my strength and my redeemer.  Psalm 19:14)

 

 

 

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