{An Untangled Summer Bible study} – What’s tangling you up?

I couldn’t believe I saw it!

My book – Untangled – was sitting right there on the shelf of my local bookstore. And in that instant, the emotions that came with being so vulnerable in sharing my story and the patience it took to birth this book flooded my heart. Father, you really did this.

I wanted to burst into tears, do the happy dance, and scream with joy at the top of my lungs… all at the same time. The past several times I’d stopped in, the book had been on back-order. And since its release on June 2nd… the only shelf I’d seen my book sitting on was in my own house. #boring

But I kept all those crazy emotions tucked in, and instead just smiled with a deep sense of God’s favor and love.

Even though I’d grown up feeling worthless, God never felt that way. He had designed a life of purpose for me, and never stopped working His plan.

My insecurities never scared Him away or made God second guess the call He built me for.

And while I’ve struggled to feel good enough as far back as I can remember, Untangled has been a powerful tool God has used to loosen the knot of worthlessness that’s been bruising my heart. Thank you for this tangible evidence of the value You see in me, Lord.

My husband saw that revelation all over my face, and in that moment he snapped a picture of me holding the book.

Within seconds, I posted it to Facebook. And then I texted it to 12 of my people who aren’t super social media savvy. I just knew they’d celebrate with me. 

But… I didn’t get any response.

Hours passed. And with each one… the tangle of worthlessness tightened.

No Woot or Yippee! No Love It or So Excited!

Nothing.

Here I was… holding the result of my blood, sweat and tears… clinging to the pages that shared my deepest secrets… grasping the typed words of stories that had kept me tangled for years… and not one my 12 acknowledged it.

Sweet friend, what is your story?

Where are you craving for others to notice you? Who are you striving to be? Where are you looking for approval? What hurtful messages are you working to prove wrong?

When you look back on your life, what has bruised your heart? 

~ A parent who never gave you the time of day?

~ The feeling that nothing about you is good?

~ Times others have hurt you and didn’t seem to care?

~ The belief that your needs and wants weren’t important?

~ Trying to prove your worth, but never finding the approval you desperately wanted? 

All of these situations, circumstances, and influencers have contributed to your tangled heart. Add to that the Enemy’s manipulation of the world to create an unattainable standard of perfection, and your self-worth has been knotted in insecurity.

So has mine.

I’m so glad you’ve said YES to this summer study. I’m just so done with feeling inadequate. It sounds like you are, too. Honestly, aren’t we all ready to find the confidence to be who God created us to be?

Do I hear an AMEN in the house?

So here is where we start.

1) Make sure you purchase your book! You’ll need it! Click HERE to purchase on Amazon, or visit your local bookstore. Don’t tarry.

2) Join the Untangled Women Facebook community. Click HERE. This is where we’ll post questions, interact with each other, share prayer requests, and encourage one another. You don’t want to be left out.

3) Take the online quiz at UntangledWomen to find out what your tangle is. Click HERE and I’ll take you there. We have to know what we’re dealing with, and chances are you’ll be surprised by the results. 

4) Right after you take the quiz, I’ll send you a short video and a set of devotions specific to your tangle. Between now and Tuesday, try to watch and read. And then — and most importantly — I want you to find some sacred space to sit with God and let Him speak to you about your tangle. If you like to journal, do so. It can be so cathartic.

On Tuesday, Julie Thomas from Women Who Believe will unpack the tangle of shame. It’s that pesky 5-letter word that feels more like a 4-letter word.

All of the details will be here and in the Untangled Women Facebook community. I hope to see you there!

Oh, and even if you take the online quiz and shame isn’t your tangle, I can almost guarantee that God will reveal some nooks and crannies where shame has been hiding. Truth is, you’ll find yourself in every tangle we chew on through this study.

And my hope is that you will let God loosen all of them.

Well come to find out, every one of the 12 texts messages I sent with my Untangled-book-discovering photo were answered. All of them. My phone just chose not to receive and display them until the next morning. 

God always gives me plenty of opportunities to walk out this untangling journey. And I’m grateful (sort-of, not really).

But deep down, I know the only way to live a joy-filled, tangle-free life is to let God heal my bruised heart.

So let’s do this thang.