Deborah Smith Pegues - 30 Days to a Stronger, More Confident You: Secrets to Bold and Fearless Living

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

EUGENE, OREGON

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Verses marked NLT are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189. All rights reserved.

Verses marked NKJV are from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Verses marked KJV are from the King James Version of the Bible.

Verses marked TLB are from The Living Bible , Copyright 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189 USA. All rights reserved.

Verses marked NASB are from the New American Standard Bible, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Cover by Dugan Design Group, Bloomington, Minnesota

30 DAYS TO A STRONGER, MORE CONFIDENT YOU

Copyright 2005 Deborah Smith Pegues

Published by Harvest House Publishers

Eugene, Oregon 97402

www.harvesthousepublishers.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Pegues, Deborah Smith

[Supreme confidence]

30 days to stronger, more confident you / Deborah Smith Pegues.

pages cm

Revised edition of Supreme confidence / Deborah Smith Pegues. 2008.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-0-7369-6121-9 (pbk.)

ISBN 978-0-7369-6122-6 (eBook)

1. Self-confidenceReligious aspectsChristianity. I. Title. II. Title: Thirty days to a stronger, more confident you.

BV4598.23.P44 2015

248.4dc23

2014022667

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This book is dedicated to my husband, Darnell, my companion, my confidant, and my cheerleader. There is none like you on all the earth.

Special thanks

To the Harvest House family: Bob Hawkins Jr., president, for his humility, his passion, and his commitment to the spiritual development of those who love to read; Terry Glaspey, director of acquisitions and development, who stretched me beyond my comfort zone to do a thorough work; Kim Moore, my editor, who convinced me that I could do it; and the entire staff for the spirit of team that makes the company the powerhouse that it is.

To P.B. Bunny Wilson, for her wisdom and godly example of what an emotionally secure woman really looks like.

To my friends in ministry: Terri McFadden, Theresa McFadden, Sandra Arceneaux, Marilyn Beaubien, and Pat Ashley, for their encouragement.

To my former Bible study group: LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Cookie Johnson, Charlayne Woodard, Akousua Busia, Wanda Vaughn, Andi Chapman, Candida Mobley-Wright, Eula Smith, Jennifer McHenry, Cheri Townsend, Patricia Moore, and Pat Kelly, whose hunger and receptivity for the Word kept me researching the principles discussed herein.

To everyone who participated anonymously so that the world could benefit from your story.

To my family, for your unwavering support of all I do.

To my husband, Darnell, who had to endure my hours of solitude and unavailability in order to bring the book to fruition.

Most of all, to my Lord, who is indeed the author and finisher of this work.

Contents

The Sunday morning worship service was in full swing at Faith Covenant Church. Sherry glanced up from her hymnal just in time to see the usher direct a shapely young woman to the seat on the other side of her husband, John. She cringed as she took in the beauty of the sexy latecomer who looked as if someone had poured her into her way-too-short-for-church spandex knit dress. Sherry silently scolded herself for abandoning her latest diet program. Of course, John was a loving husband who had never been unfaithful and was not prone to wandering eyes. Notwithstanding, Sherry thought of asking him to exchange seats with her, but decided that her motive would have been too obvious.

Across the aisle, Jerry the church plant manager, despite the upbeat singing of the choir, decided to peek into the weekly bulletin. What he saw caused him to turn green with envy. Lois Smith, the latest new hire to the church staff, was featured as Staff Person of the Month. Until the arrival of this highly credentialed superstar, Jerry had been the most esteemed member of the staff. Though he could claim only a high school education, he was one of the founding members of the church. He was faithful in his attendance to scheduled services and was the official go-to person for the majority of the problems that aroseat least he was before the church started to experience mega growth. Now the pastor was hiring seasoned professionals with fancy technical and managerial skills. He was even raising his expectations of all paid and volunteer leaders. To Jerry, it seemed that his status was eroding by the day.

Finally, in the pulpit, Pastor Terry was fretting over the increasing popularity of Elder Moore, the mens Bible study teacher. Why, the attendance in his class was large enough to start a small church! Elder Moore was a great communicator, his messages were relevant, and he was genuinely concerned about the men and their issues. It was no secret that they adored him and considered him their mentor. To boot, he was also a solid and well-balanced family man. Pastor Terry had never heard anyone cast an aspersion on Elder Moores character. In sum, the guy was virtually perfect. Pastor Terry was torn between viewing him as a valuable asset or a potential liability.

What do Sherry, Jerry, and Pastor Terry have in common? They are all battling an unrelenting emotional giant. It is a giant that lives in the mind and causes its victims to feel inadequate, unsure, or doubtful of their abilities to perform in the essential aspects of life. It is the giant of insecurity.

No respecter of persons, insecurity infiltrates and influences every major aspect of a persons life. It attacks individuals from the lowest to the highest rungs of the professional, social, economic, and spiritual ladder. Although it thrives in the mind, insecurity is not a psychological disorder.

Insecurity is an unbelieving mind-set, rooted in fear and nourished by spiritual and natural ignorance. It was once my frequent companion until I found out how to recognize and overcome its many manifestations. Even now, it sneaks in an occasional visit, but my spiritual radar quickly alerts me to its presence and enables me to respond with appropriate firepower from the Word of God. But I am not so naive as to believe that it will ever stop trying to rear its ugly head in one area or another in my life. That is why I am writing this book.

In the following chapters, I will share the truths that God has revealed to me for conquering this giant. You will be introduced to biblical characters and situations, as well as modern-day people who may mirror your own behavior or that of someone you know. Your relationships will improve as you gain insight into the fears that cause you to behave in certain waysat home, at work, and at play. You will learn how to stay on high alert for this insidious enemy and to defeat it each time it rises up in your life.