Lysa TerKeurst's Blog

A 5-Day Devotional Just For You!

Do you ever feel like who you are is not enough to carry out God’s purposes for your life?

Our insecurities may differ, but we all have them. These qualities about ourselves that make us lack confidence or assurance can be a positive call to action to make healthy changes in our lives. However, insecurities can also hold us back from stepping into the assignments God calls us to.

Through many decades of life and ministry, I’ve learned an important truth: God loves to take ordinary people and do extraordinary things in them, through them and with them. And that includes you.

Using scriptural truths and personal stories, I’m excited to share a collection of gut-honest devotions I put together called, “Chosen, Called & Confident: 5 Days of Believing God Can Use You.” 

These devotions will equip you to:

Stop feeling like you’re not good enough by understanding you have been handpicked by the God of the universe to help carry out His plans.Break free from the traps of comparison and envy by embracing the beautiful, unique gifts the Lord has placed specifically inside of you.Overcome the lie that you are disqualified by your past as you discover how God can use even your worst mistakes for great impact.

Get your free copy today! 

A new season of Therapy & Theology is here!

Trust is the oxygen of all human relationships. But it’s also what trips you up after you’ve been burned.

Maybe a friend constantly lets you down. A leader or organization you respect turns out to be different from what they portray themselves to be. A loved one betrays you. You’re becoming exhausted by other people’s choices and starting to question your own discernment. And you’re wondering, If God let this happen, can He even be trusted?

I truly understand this and know so many of us are struggling with what to do next. That’s why we’re dedicating an entire season of Therapy & Theology to conversations about trust.

Through each episode of this new season, Jim, Joel and I will give you the scriptural and therapeutic wisdom you need to feel safe enough to connect deeply with people who are trustworthy, process the doubts you have about God, and find the courage to walk into the future full of hope and possibility.

Click the episodes in Season 7 to listen!

I’m Afraid I’m Being BetrayedWhat Do I Do With My Trust Issues?How Can I Trust God When I Don’t Understand What He Allows?Are There Some People We Shouldn’t Trust Again?Am I Trying to Control What Is Actually Out Of My Control?How to Be Brave When You Don’t Feel Brave

Friend, I pray that listening to this season of Therapy & Theology will help you navigate relationships with those closest to you and also give you courage as you seek and trust God with them! 

Much love,

Let’s read my new book together!

My new book, I Want to Trust You, but I Don’t, officially released a couple of weeks ago!

If I’m being honest, as I came to terms with my own trust issues, I wanted to withdraw from others. My heart was fragile. My mind had been working in overdrive for so long that the least little thing could trigger a flood of fear and emotions in me. I often questioned whether or not the people I was in relationship with could be trusted. After all, when someone significant breaks your trust, it can bring into question everyone else’s intentions too. 

I was wondering if the only solution was to live life in isolation. 

I shared these honest feelings and hesitations with my team here at Proverbs 31 Ministries as I began to write this book. And you know what happened? Not only did they make me feel less alone, but they also played a big part in my healing journey.

I wrote this book in community. And that’s also the way I want this book to be read — in a community of people who are all committed to building healthy trust together.

That’s why I’m so excited that I Want to Trust You, but I Don’t is Circle 31 Book Club’s November pick!

When trust has been broken in a relationship, trust issues can only be worked on in the context of relationship. That doesn’t mean we must return to that previous relationship where we got hurt to work on trust. (If that’s possible, then that’s great. However, sometimes that may not be possible or safe.) But what it does mean is we can’t isolate ourselves and work on repairing trust alone.

Let’s start moving forward together, friend. Join Circle 31 and start reading with us on November 1!

My new book is here! Today only … A special discount

It’s release day for my new book, “I Want to Trust You, but I Don’t”! I’m so excited to celebrate with you. 

Today only, when you order your copy from Proverbs 31 Ministries, you can get the P31 exclusive edition of “I Want to Trust You, but I Don’t” for 30% off! This exclusive edition includes a bonus resource in the back called, “3 Steps To Release Skepticism and Try Trusting Again”. 

But that’s not all! With this purchase from P31 today, you’ll also receive a free download of a declaration I wrote called, “You’re Braver Than You Think.” Order your copy here.

And if you want to join in on the release-day fun … Tune in to a free, behind-the-scenes Q&A on my Facebook page today at 11:00 a.m. ET. The replay will remain there for you to watch later, so no worries if you aren’t able to attend live!

I’ve never really considered myself a controlling person.

Life is unexpected sometimes. We know this. And yet … we still have a driving sense inside of us that if we just know enough, worry enough, research enough, plan enough, arrange enough, talk things through enough, and stay ahead of things enough, we will be OK, our people will be safe, and life can go on like it should.

Can you relate?

It’s wise to plan for the future and be responsible. But when our desire to be responsible crosses over into the impossible task of controlling the uncontrollable, we will find ourselves exhausted, on the edge of burnout, with high stress and anxiety levels. The good news is that we can rest in this truth: There will always be gaps in the trust we have with people, but there are no gaps in the trustworthiness of God.

If this speaks to you like it does to me, I hope you’ll sign up to receive my free resource — “Am I Trying To Control the Uncontrollable?” — Within its pages, it will help you:

Debunk the myth that you have to identify as a “control freak” in order to struggle with control by learning the sneaky ways it shows up in our thoughts and behaviors.Discern the paper-thin line between wise, responsible habits (which produce peace) and controlling tendencies (which breed chaos) by answering specific prompts and questions.Stop carrying the weight of holding everything and everybody together by surrendering what you’re most worried about into God’s fully capable hands.

However control plays out for you and whatever shaped your distrust, please know that trying to keep things under control in responsible and reasonable ways is a good quality. But if we clench our jaws throughout our days, it will be really hard to smile about and enjoy our lives.

God has a better way for us, and I’m excited to dive into His wisdom with you, friend. This is a safe space to go all in with your raw, honest thoughts. So don’t hold back. Let’s get started!

SIGN UP FOR FREE TODAY! 

When the person who hurt you got away with it…

When others blatantly hurt us but never seem to suffer consequences for any of it, the unfairness of it all can stir up bitterness and send us spiraling. On top of that, it can increase our distrust of people or even of God as we question what He will allow next. 

If you’ve found yourself dealing with the aftermath of what someone else has done, wondering if things will eventually be made right, I’ve created a free resource just for you.

Sign up to receive “When the Person Who Hurt You Got Away With It: 3 Days to Moving Forward,” and you’ll be equipped to:

Process the pain of unfair situations you’ve experienced with daily devotions and prayers that will help you fight against bitterness and resentment.Release the heavy mental and emotional weight of what you think someone deserves for their actions by understanding how God’s justice will always prevail.Identify hidden doubts you have about the Lord, and make progress in trusting Him through biblical truths that will never change.

Together, we’ll have a space to acknowledge our hurt, ask some hard questions, and find the healing perspectives we need. Because we don’t have to let the one who broke our trust, break us. 

GET YOUR FREE COPY TODAY!

Introducing my new book …

Hi friend …  I wanted to be sure you were among the very first to know about my new book (drumroll please!) …

I Want to Trust You, but I Don’t: Moving Forward When You’re Skeptical of Others, Afraid of What God Will Allow, and Doubtful of Your Own Discernment

Preorder now!

Most of us know the pain of relationships that suddenly become confusing, are hard, and cause us angst. We want the people we love and care about to always be there. But sometimes we walk through friendship breakups, betrayals by family members, or even a painful split from an organization we trusted. 

We hurt. We grieve. And we wonder why this happened. We may even wrestle with why God would allow such heartbreak.

Can you relate?

In the pages of this book, I will fully acknowledge how hard broken trust can be on your heart and mine. And I’ll also leave space for raw emotion that can so easily come to the surface when talking about events that you may be still processing. But, mostly, I want to gently pass along something I’ve learned that you can hang on to:

The trauma of having your trust broken by people you thought would never betray you is life-altering. But it doesn’t have to be life-ruining. 

In I Want to Trust You, but I Don’t, I will help you:

Understand what discernment is and how to better use it when you have concerns about whether someone is telling the truth.Identify which of the eleven relational red flags are stirring up distrust, so you can pinpoint why you’re feeling uneasy.Stop having more faith in your fears coming true than God coming through for you by asking crucial “what if” questions to better process your doubts.Recognize when a fractured relationship can be repaired by considering a reasonable list of characteristics necessary for rebuilding trust.Unpack the physical, emotional, and neurological impact of the betrayals you’ve experienced and start healing from the inside out.

For me personally, the road I’ve walked has not been easy. There has been lots of counseling. Internal work. Praying and seeking. Perspective shifts and healing. New hope. New discoveries. And finding a life that’s so different from what I thought my future would look like. But I’m finally realizing that different can be wildly beautiful, and I know the same is possible for you.

Preorder your copy, and we’ll send you 3 chapters so you can start reading right away!

Many blessings,

P.S. When you purchase your copy of I Want to Trust You, but I Don’t from the P31 Bookstore, you’ll receive the Proverbs 31 Ministries exclusive edition that includes a resource called “3 Steps To Release Skepticism and Try Trusting Again” you can’t get anywhere else. Copies are limited, so get yours today!

God has you on assignment.

In case fear has told you something differently lately … I want you to know this truth: God has you on assignment.

You may take unlikely paths or experience seasons where you wrestle with doubting your purpose. In the harder moments, you might question God: Why do other people’s callings seem so much more fast-tracked than mine?

I’ve been there.

But here’s what almost 30 years in ministry has taught me: God’s preparation of you in the smaller assignments will be the saving of you in the bigger assignments.

Big or small — it’s all significant to Him. That’s why our job today is being obedient to God. God’s job is everything else. He will open the right doors at the right time for you.

And what if that next door He’s opening for you is

That message stirring inside of you to speak … the book you know you’re supposed to write but haven’t known how to start … the desire you have to grow your social media platforms or your podcast reach … Oh friend, don’t let fear steal these dreams from you. If the Lord spoke it to your heart, my team and I want to help you find your way forward at She Speaks 2024.

Register now.

You are brilliant and special and amazing in a million different ways. Purpose is woven into everything God creates, and though you may struggle to believe it sometimes, you are no exception. 

This is your moment. This is your next step. This is your assignment. I’ll see you at She Speaks 2024!

Love,

When life demands too much from you

For the girl going to bed tonight feeling …

Weighed down by fear and worst-case scenario thinking.Consumed with anxiety because of situations you don’t know how to fix.Stressed out, maxed out and worn out by all that’s on your plate right now.

Hold on to this promise tonight: God not only has the whole world in His hands; He’s holding the details of your life in His faithful hands as well. While He may not always fix everything right away, we can fix our thoughts on the truths in His Word. 

If you need help daily walking this out … I’ve joined my fellow writers at Proverbs 31 Ministries to put together a new devotional just for you: Clear Mind, Peaceful Heart: 50 Devotions for Sleeping Well in a World Full of Worry.

Designed to be read at bedtime, the scripture and encouragement inside this devotional will help you fight sleepless nights and quiet runaway worries. When you preorder now, you’ll receive a free resource I put together called,  “A Prayer to Read Before You Go to Sleep“! 

Friend, I know life can demand so much from you and you constantly feel like you have to keep up. But Jesus wants better for us than a life of crawling into our beds at night exhausted, depleted and dreading tomorrow.

Listen to this invitation from your Savior: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 NIV). You see, the kind of soul-rest we need won’t come from endlessly scrolling, taking more vacation days, or pretending we’re ok. No, it’s Jesus Himself who provides rest to our weary souls. 

PREORDER YOUR COPY HERE

If you’ve been feeling alone in this season …

When the very people you thought you could count on hurt you …

When it seems like no one understands you or the struggles you’re facing …

When you’re surrounded by others but still feel incredibly lonely …

It’s tempting to wonder, Jesus, are You here? Do You care?

Oh, friend, we may feel alone in our difficult circumstances, but Jesus assures us we are not. Even when we can’t see Him, He is here. Even when we don’t hear Him, He isn’t silent.

How can we know this for sure? Because Jesus is never absent throughout Scripture, and He’s certainly not absent in our lives either.

And now, Dr. Joel Muddamalle and I have written a new Bible study to help you see more of Jesus in 30 days than you ever have before, 30 Days With Jesus: Experiencing His Presence Throughout the Old and New Testaments.

In this study, we will help you:

Reframe your questions and doubts as opportunities to look for Jesus with greater intentionality throughout your day.Make connections between the Old and New Testaments so you can understand the Bible as one complete story.Overcome dread or confusion toward studying Scripture as you receive six weeks of guided readings, reflection questions and relevant takeaways.

If you’re looking for a Christmas gift for a friend who’s hurting or who longs to know that Jesus is near, this might be just the thing her heart needs. Maybe you could even go through the study together in the New Year!

GET YOUR COPY TODAY

You’re definitely not alone, friend, and I can’t wait for you to see more of Jesus as you study His Word!