You’ve been trying to heal for a long time.
Maybe you even look like you have it all together on the outside.
Maybe those closest to you know — because they love you — that inside you’re a mess.
Sometimes people say things like this:
Just get over it.
Stop talking about it.
Do something.
And you try, because it’s what you want it way more than they do.
Or you stop talking about it and you stuff it down, down, down until it erupts in ways you don’t welcome.
Or you try to do A + B and it equals F- instead of C, as promised.
As we begin this five week study together with Proverbs 31 Ministries OBS team, will you do me a favor?
Rest.
Sure, there are things you can do. Later on this study we’ll talk about how to partner with God in the healing process, but for this week I want you to rest in what has already been done for you.
When I wrote The Mended Heart, I almost made it complicated because that’s what we do. Then I heard the gentle whisper of the Holy Spirit talking to me in that small prayer room.
Suzie, don’t make this complex or hard. Lead them to rest in Me.
So your #TheMendedHeart challenge this week is to NOT DO these three things.
Don’t run or hide or isolate
Just stop right where you are. Let Him meet you right where you are, mess and all. ♥
Don’t try to earn His love
You already have it. It’s why He came.
Don’t try to do this on your own
Isn’t this the hardest? We try to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps (impossible!) or fix ourselves, when God is bigger.
Rest. In. Him.
Take a breath. He’s got this. We’ll walk through it together.
Suzie
To join the study and get all the content and videos (free!), click here.
To order the book, The Mended Heart, click here.
To download the first chapter and Intro free, click here.
I’m so glad you’ve joined this study. You are courageous and brave.
Oh Suzanne!
An answer to my prayer! I wanted & felt led to participate in this study, but I knew that I couldn’t afford to purchase a book before next Friday! Now you have GIVEN me the Introduction and the 1st Chapter, so that I don’t have to miss out! I feel like the Holy Spirit is completely guiding me in this, & making a way possible. I will be back tomorrow, ready & eager to hear what God has laid on your heart! You have made my whole night!
Blessings!
Jessica
Yay Jessica! I’m honored to share the first chapter and Introduction. And I’m so glad you are here with us. Thank you, Lord, for Jessica, and her heart so open to healing. You are amazing. Lord, begin this work right now, today, in this moment.
Amen, and thank you.
Thank you Suzanne for allowing God to use you. I have been praying for God to send someone I can share with and was lead to put myself out there and I have found so many Godly resources that have encouraged me and your book and study seem to be so timely. I am broken because of my sin and I know I’m forgiven but the recovery is a difficult journey. Thank you again and I can’t wait to see what God has in store.
In Him,
Stephanie
Stephanie, I am so glad you are here. Let’s stop and celebrate this step you’ve taken, the forgiveness you’ve received, the new path that you are on. Yes, there are hard choices and new roads ahead, but look back for one moment: where where you? what has God already performed in your heart? what does He have for you?
We often are so focused on where we are going, we fail to celebrate where God has taken us from. Will you do that for me today? Will you celebrate every step forward? Celebrating with you!
What a new way to think about it. Yes I do celebrate where He has taken me from and I will now celebrate every step forward.
Suzie, so excited about your book and that you’re doing an online study here on your blog! Can’t wait for your daily inspiration to mend my broken heart!
I’m all in…and SO glad to know the first weeks homework involves NOT DOING things.There are quite a few actions and repetitive thoughts/attitudes that I know should be left behind.
#themendedheartchallenge this week is to rest in what He has already done for you. : ) Let’s do that together!
I have my book and I am more than ready to get this thing going. I am seeking physical and emotional healing and I don’t know how to NOT try to do things to get God to answer me! Definitely need help
And your perspective. Thank you for listening to God.
We’ll look at this step by step over the next few weeks. Let’s begin with resting in what He has already done. Let’s look at this together all of this week. Your assignment for today is to simply read the Intro and first chapter. : )
I am so tired of how one comment can pierce my heart and send me into a tailspin of questioning myself. My mind then recalls all the times I have experienced rejection and before I know it, I am in the pit of despair, feeling totally worthless.
Lord, thank you for Sandra. She’s tired and in need of rest. Today may the Holy Spirit shift her focus from her strengths or weaknesses to Your love for her. You meet her right where she is. You don’t reject us, but rather you came so that we might live free. Lord, may Sandra experience the love of Christ, though it may seem too great to understand fully. May she be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes through God Ephesians 3:19). I ask this today, joining with her and others, in the powerful and grace-filled, joy-covered, mighty name of Jesus.
Suzie,
I enjoyed your first chapter and ordered the book. I like to read the verse you shared on Jesus’ ministry before I speak to remind myself that Jesus in me will bring good news to the hurting and set the captives free.
So excited! I am overwhelmed with all my other obligations but I can’t move forward until I’ve faced these burdens. Thank you for listening and obeying the call of our Lord.
Looking forward to tomorrow.
I am 65 I am raising my two grandchildren 3 and 5 it is wearing me out. When I first got them I believed God was giving me a second chance to be a good parent but I am not. I have been yelling even cursing and throwing fits. These two kids have been put through a lot of abuse and now I am not doing much better. I love these two precious gifts and I have no idea why I am losing it with the kids. I even been thinking maybe I was never saved cause if I was why would I do all I am doing to these children. I have Ben thinking their is some missing pieces in my life from my past that may have never been healed. I am just wore out I have no one to help me
Lord, please cause this precious gramma to feel Your arms holding her close today. Use this study to encourage her, to equip her and to enliven her hope. Thank you, Jesus. Amen
Lord allow this wonderful grandma to take on this responsibility as a gift to you, She is not doing this for her or their parents . She needs to commit to this and bind it in your name that it is your will. God in Jesus name allow her to realize this is a ministries between you and her,,,,,,,,,,Satan knows her weakness and he will use this to destroy her love for you and the children,
Just sat at Denny’s and read the intro of your book. In the booth next to me was a momma and 4-5 year old boy. She was teaching him how to play tic-tac-toe. She said, “I’m trying to not let you win, and you’re trying to not let me win.” That precious boy said, “But Momma, I want you to win.” I felt the Lord say an AMEN to that. He already did the winning for us…I look forward to learning to live in the victor’s circle! Love your heart, Suzie. Looking forward to this.
Hi Susie. …a friend of mine gave me this book a while back ago and I haven’t read it yet. I just went through a divorce this past October… I separated from my x husband june 2012….it was very heart breaking. ..but now im ready to move on and move forward w my life…im excited to begin this study w you girls even though im a few days late….I can catch up. Can u please let me know if I missed anything or if I have to fo for the last 2 days….
thanks do much….
jackie
Suzie, I love this book! I am praying for God to use this study to change us all:
“Holy Spirit, we open up our cracked places to You. Come in. Mend. Spread Your truth like never before. We give You permission to transform us.”
Suzie, thank you for writing this book. Hope rises in our souls as we read.
Hi Suzie,
I was the last month winner of the give away copy of your book – The Mended Heart… I’m just wondering if the book was already sent/mailed to the address I’ve given you. If so, thank you! Hopefully I could join now your Online Bible study using this book. Once again THANK YOU! Sweet blessings!
Hugs,
Irene
Correction please:
The give away was last APRIL, not last month. So I’m an April winner not last month! : )
Hello Irene, thank you so much for letting me know. I sent this info to my wonderful publisher the day I received your email. I will be so happy to follow up with them!
just ordered your book & sooooooooooooooooo looking forward to do this online study. Where do I sign up for the online study? I am not a Twitter person but I do have Facebook. Thank you for your time & can’t wait to drive into this study. This will be like my 9th Proverbs 31 online study I have done & I just have loved everyone of them & am learning so much about myself & God.
I’m impressed by your writing. Are you a professional or just very kngedwloeable?
My husband told me Saturday night that he is not in love with me and wants a divorce. He moved out last night. Needless to say I am hurting. I still love my husband and want our marriage to work out. Right now he is unbending and I am praying for God to soften his heart. I’m looking forward to getting your book and reading during my time of trial. I feel God led me to this book.
I read your article and saw it was a book study and it couldn’t have come at a better time. I already downloaded the first chapter and have started reading it and ordered the book on Amazon. I have been through physical and emotional abuse and 4 marriages. I’m also a recovering addict and alcoholic but received Jesus into my life in 1989 when I was married to an alcoholic, abusive man. It seems my whole life has been filled with evil until ’89 and then He literally saved my life. I strayed for awhile and got beaten down more but in 2005 everything changed and I married a Christian man who is the love of my life. But I can’t get rid of the low-esteem and the feeling that if my friends in Christ really knew all about me they wouldn’t really feel the same way about me that they do now. I just know this book study is going to help and I’m going through a program at church also called Restoring the Foundation which is about getting rid of the past once and for all. Is the study going to be done on here, your blog? Someone mentioned Twitter, which I am on also, but not as familiar with. I guess I need to know to know what I need to do now.
God bless this study and you for writing the book and helping all these wonderful ladies.
Linda
Oh, Honey!! You sound so much like me! I am in my second marriage and it will be my last. I was lucky and found a good man the second time. After my first divorce, which caused me to lose my home, my children and my very identity, I got mixed up with the wrong people and decided that suicide by drugs or alcohol would be the best option because, obviously, since I’d lost everything that made me “me”, God wasn’t paying much attention to me or it would never have happened, right? Every single day I woke up I considered it a failure because I was STILL breathing. I had gone from a 25 year old mother and wife to a 26 year old drug addict and alcoholic. I absolutely hated life and myself and everything and everyone around me and forget talking to God.
After several months of dangerous and very foolish activity, I looked straight up to the sky and screamed as loud as I could, ” SEE ME! LOOK DOWN FROM THERE AND SEE ME! TAKE ME OUT OF HERE! I DON’T CARE WHERE I GO WHEN I DIE JUST GET THIS OVER WITH ALREADY!!!” Well, of course I’m not dead but He did look down and see me. I was His child and he had always seen me.
I was sitting with a bunch of ‘friends’ a d we were cutting up and getting as a high as possible and I heard a whisper that said, “This is not who you are. You belong to God. You have always been His. He’s waiting on YOU.” As simple as that sounds, I just stopped right there. I went home and cried for a long time. I cried for what I’d lost, I cried for where I was and who I’d become. And I cried for what I’d forgotten I’d always had, the Love of my Heavenly Father.
I cleaned up and got a job and then I met Angel. We’ve been together for eight years and God is visible in my life every day.
Don’t you worry about how people would look at you if they knew the truth of you. You are God’s child and He sees you, He knows every single thing about you and He loves you with a love so great, so powerful and amazing, you have nothing to worry about.
If you would like to talk to a fellow traveler, my email addy is beth_almeida1980(at)Hotmail(dot)(com). I am praying for you and I know this book is going to change the life of the people who will read it. I was in tears on page 19!!
Wow, what a blessing to read these comments and know God is already moving and changing lives. Susie, I am so excited to see how God is going to use you to touch lives and set people free. And I know that will also happen for me as I walk through this study with all the #LiveFree ladies.
Feeling excited and blessed today!
Oh Suzie, this is part of why I love you! In tears over the magnitude of this and cannot wait to walk through this study and journey of healing with so many beautiful sisters!
Couldn’t have heard better words today. I was leaning toward isolation after reading your introductions read in book & on Fb. Everyone is married! Not me. I’m feeling pretty out of place. Thanks for the instructions you just shared.
Judy, there are so many women from all different backgrounds, races, single or married. It’s a bunch of brave girls who love Jesus walking together toward healing. <3
Thanks, Suzie!
LOVE LOVE LOVE that you kick off the study (and your book) with what we DON’T have to do. Thanks Suzie, I’m SOOO excited!
I have been waiting for this study to begin. I have prayed for the Lord to show me how to get past these gaping wounds. I was afraid I didn’t fit in the group after viewing the beginning video. I’m older and haven’t reached the point of being cheerful about these pains from the past. The issues were made worse, once again, as I was recently caring for elderly parents (mom & stepdad). I hoped for some form of relationship … on any terms that would work. I hoped for reconciliation and acceptance … at least a little. Nothing had changed. Accusations, blaming, being called curse words and horrible names and threatening of violence, again. They rage, accuse, blame and reinforce their cruelties since early childhood. I was no contact for 10 years after I required hospitalization after threats to our children years ago. We made certain our children were kept safe and weathered the worst of the storm and then I fell apart. How dare they try to impact our children negatively too! My husband and I, by the grace and blessing of our Heavenly Father, have been married almost 36 years. We have two wonderful children that are grown and both are happily married. The Lord enabled and blessed us to be the parents that loved and nurtured our children. We are now blessed to be grandparents too! With so many blessings, why am I still so crippled by my mom & stepdad and my father and stepmom? All 4 had no use for my sister or I … and the damage they did has left us riddled with pain, insecurities and I find myself withdrawing more and more. I have had treatment and prayed for decades and now find myself exhausted and just wanting it to stop. I am praying and hoping your book and this Bible study is an answer to a cry from my heart and my prayers.
Shelly, thank you for being so open and honest… I pray that your heart is mended. The word of God say to come unto him all that are weary and heavy burdened and He will give you rest. I believe that you will find rest in this study. There are many things I would like to say and maybe throughout the study I will. I’m excited this is a secret page reserved only for those in our group….. I am excited for you and also for myself and each person that is a part of this. Father God, I come before you with an open heart expecting that what you have promised you are able to do. Your word says, ” Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told. Father thank you for preparing a place of rest… one of peace… a place where broken hearts can be mended. I ask that Shelly recogonize that the place has been prepared especially for her…. And as your word tells us even if our mother and father forsake us … you will not … you are a Father to the fatherless. Father God touch our hearts and our minds with your healing… We Love you Father and thank you for bringing us together to study, to encourage and to be mended. Amen