Do you ever feel like you’ll never change?
Maybe you’ve been struggling with the same sin for years. Or you’re stuck in the grip of a negative emotion like worry, anger, or insecurity. Or you’ve been trying to start a habit–like have a daily quiet time–but it’s not happening.
We all know how hopeless that feels because we’ve all been there.
Thankfully, God has a plan. It’s in the Bible. In Romans 12:2 Paul tells us what to do if we want to be transformed: Renew our minds.
What??
But what does that look like? If Paul had said, “Have a quiet time,” we’d know what to do: read our Bibles and pray.
If Paul had said, “Set a goal, make a plan, and get to work,” we’d also know what to do. We’ve heard a lot of teaching on that sort of thing.
Even if Paul had said, “Claim the victory that has already been won!” or “Rely on grace!” or “God will change you in His time!” we could rest easy—because even if we didn’t know exactly what he meant, it would at least be clear that we don’t have to do anything.
But Paul didn’t say any of those things. Instead he said:
Do not be conformed to the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds.
But what does that mean? How do you renew your mind? What does that look like on a practical, day-to-day, situation-by-situation basis?
That’s what we’ll be talking about in The Renewing of the Mind Project. Think of it as a workshop on transformation. Not one of those workshops where you sit for a couple of days, take in a lot of great information, then go home and forget it.
No, this is a hands-on workshop. Where you focus on one area of your life—something you’d really like to change—and learn how to go to God for help with it.
I hope you’ll join me for the journey. I’ve been renewing my mind consistently for fourteen years now, and I can’t tell you how much God has used this discipline in my life. I’ve also had wonderful emails from many of you who have shared your own experiences.
New and Old
If you’ve read my other books and blog posts already, much of the material in this book will be familiar. In a sense, this is an I Deserve a Donut type of book to give to your friend who doesn’t struggle with overeating. But there are a few differences.
First, I have 19 sets of questions and Bible verses for starting a habit or pursuing a goal. These are the questions and Bible verses I’ve been using for the last couple of years to get myself to write. (Some of these questions are in the appendix of Taste for Truth:A 30 Day Weight Loss Bible Study.)
Second, I have 14 sets of questions, Bible verses, and tips on stopping a habit, similar to the questions in I Deserve a Donut, although I do have one new category (opportunity/sneakiness). I’ve also included the emotions questions and Bible verses from that book, but I have changed some of them a bit and also added more Bible verses.
Third, there are several different worksheets and tips you can use work on transformation in other areas of your lives, besides eating. You can use this book to work on letting go of emotions like worry, stress, insecurity, and annoyance, break a habit such as too much Internet, pursue a goal such as writing a book, or start a new habit such as having a quiet time.
And finally, I have a lot more foundational material. The book is 6 X 9, 132 pages, so it’s quite a bit longer than I Deserve a Donut. I’ve also included lots of practical examples of how to renew your mind in areas such as Facebook, insecurity, pornography, worry, and breaking habits.
The Book
I hope the book will be helpful to you. I’ve had the proof at my house for two weeks now, and have already been using the questions and Bible verses consistently just to help me have the courage to actually publish it!
If you’d like to purchase the book, here are the links:
The Renewing of the Mind Project paperback
The Renewing of the Mind Project Kindle (Note: Since this is a resource type of book, it might be easier to use as a paperback. Also, if you order a paperback, you can buy a kindle for 99 cents.)
P.S. If you’d like a free Bible study to go with the book, check out my New Year’s Resolution Bible Study.
Thanks for your faithfulness to encourage other pilgrims in our daily struggles and pursuits.
Thanks, Becca!
I’m in!
Thanks, Floyd!
It’s a great book!
Thanks, TC!
Congratulations Barb! I have loved loved this book!
Thanks, Ngina! I appreciate that!
Barb, I promise I’ll read your book! You always produce such helpful and Biblical material, for which I’m grateful! Looking forward to it!
Thanks, Caleb! And thanks for the encouragement!
Congratulations on the book, Barb!
Thanks, Kari!
Sound like a book for a bible study…will check it out.. Thanks Barb for sharing what God has taught and still teaching you.
Thanks, Betty. I actually have a leader’s guide almost ready for it. If you decide to teach one and need the guide, let me know!
Hey Barb,
It was a pleasure reading this book, and I think it will help many people. I hope the sales go well!
Thanks, Loren!
Your new books looks AMAZING!!! Thank you for using your talents for the kingdom of God. Can’t wait to read it.
Thanks for your encouragement, Dan! I’m excited about it – the nice thing is that instead of having to look for my questions and Bible verses on my computer to make myself work(which then puts me in close reach of procrastination territory wasting time on the Internet) , now I can just pull out my book. :)
:)
I ordered the book, from Amazon.com, it hasn’t arrived, and won’t until midMarch. I am hoping to do the bible study too. How can I order the kindle for 99cents to tie me over. When I go to Amazon they want to charge $4.99 usd ?
Anne, are you from Canada? If you’re from the US, it should show up as 99 cents if you’ve already ordered a book. I’m not sure what happens if you’re not from the US. It just occurred to me though that I have a kindle file and I can just email it to you – have you ever just added a book to your kindle? It’s pretty easy. Just email me through the about tab at the top of the blog and I can email you back a file that you can put on your kindle which will work just like a regular kindle book.
I just started reading your book on renewing of your mind. Just what ii needed. I need tools to help me and your book is perfect. Thank you for sharing your journey and for writing your book in a way that gives us the tools we need to succeed. ?
I’m so glad the book is helpful, Connie! Thanks for letting me know!
Thank you Barb for answering back. I also shared your 13 questions to help you decide Determining God’s Will with my counselor and she loved them and said it was very well written. The best she had heard. Thank you again for having a true servants heart. God Bless!
Aww, that makes me feel good! Thanks so much for the encouragement, Connie! It always makes me happy too to know that the material is helping someone in their walk with God – so I’m so happy to know it’s helping you!!
I just recently purchased this book and I Deserve a Donut as well as A Taste for Truth. I am attempting to TRUTH Journal as we speak. I love this whole concept. I see it as warfare. And I’m gearing myself for the battle. That’s what i see when it comes to your books and strategies. You’re teaching us; giving us surefire practical ways to gear up for battle. In the full armor of God. Thanks so much!
Thanks for the encouragement, Erica! I think it’s so great that you’re working on truth journaling. I know God will use it to change your life and also draw you closer to Him. Excited to see what He’ll do in your life through it! If you get a chance sometime down the road, write back and let me know how you’re doing!