About the Author

Holley Gerth is a Wall Street Journal bestselling author, counselor, and life coach. Her newest release is The Powerful Purpose of Introverts: Why the World Needs You to Be You. She's also wife to Mark, Mom to Lovelle, and Nana to Eula and Clem.

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things we love
& you will too!
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  1. Holley,
    It is so refreshing and encouraging to hear you point out that the enemy attacks us not in our area of weakness, but in our area of strength because he sees our potential there and wants to thwart it. This is really revolutionary. I have wondered why, after writing the books you’ve written, that you still battle with feeling adequate and enough. I see clearly now that encouraging others that they don’t have to earn and strive is your strength. Now you’ve got me thinking about the lies the enemy tells me …. about how my faith isn’t strong enough and is somehow a disappointment to God….Hmmm….wonder what God REALLY thinks? I struggle with the whole being good enough thing as well…wonderful eye-opening post!
    Blessings and thanks,
    Bev

    • Thanks Holley for a new insights. I pray for God’s Grace in always focusing on my strength.

    • Bev, I really appreciate your words here. They’re very thoughtful and I love seeing you process through… Such a good question to ask: What does God say about this?

  2. Thanks so much for this Holley, these lies are what are keeping me from really getting close to God. I mean how could He possibly love me, I’m not good enough, I’m unlovable. I am trying to constantly challenge these lies and some days are better than others, but I do struggle.

    • Ann Marie,

      God loves you no matter what! I’ve struggled with that same problem of feeling like I’m not good enough, and how could God love me–a sinner! The thing is, he does love us, he wouldn’t have sent his son Jesus to die for us if He didn’t. You are enough, and God loves you and always will.
      I pray that the thought that God loves you sinks into your heart and draws you closer to Him!

      You are in my prayers,
      Kathi

  3. I can’t even find the words to describe how much I needed to hear these words this morning as I struggle getting up to face the day. To know that I am not alone is encouraging. Blessings to all!

  4. Holley, this was such a needed reminder for me today. The lie for me right now: I’m letting everyone down – especially God. I am a failure at my calling. But….“No, in Jesus’ name, I am a warrior and I’m going to resist until the day I go home.” Thank you for this VERY timely message.

  5. 2 Timothy 1:7 is a verse I (and many of you) are familiar with — For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity but of power and love and self discipline.

    It is a great verse, full of truth. BUT, when I was studying to teach one day, I went back and looked at it in context. In verse 6, Paul is encouraging Timothy to NOT be afraid of the GIFTS he had been given. He starts off verse 6 addressing Timothy as “you”, but when we gets to verse 7 he refers to “us”. Seems that this attack on our gifts/strengths affected even Paul and Timothy!

    2 Timothy 1:6-7 New Living Translation (NLT)

    6 This is why I remind you to fan into flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid my hands on you. 7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discip

  6. This really hit home ,I’m in a leadership position ,and the lie I hear is your a lousy leader. Thank you for the encouragement and truth,that this is the lie of the enemy.

  7. Holley,
    Your post has really helped me with a recent experience, thank-you. You have reminded me not to be defeated by someone attacking my strengths.

    I hope you all have a blessed day,

    Penny

    • Thank you so much Holley, for these words that I really needed to hear today! I was feeling good this morning, until Satan tried putting thoughts in my head that started making me feel inadequate. I will not allow him to stop me from doing what God has ordained me to do on this earth for Him. Satan tries to make us believe his lies so that we don’t become all we can for Christ.
      Thank you again!! I will use your message during times I need to fight the lies Satan tries to tell me.

      God Bless:)

  8. Thank you for these words. I faced a situation this weekend I avoided since I was a kid. I had a panic attack as a result. I prayed for help in the situation. I felt God say over and over “You are loved.” It wasn’t quite the answer I had hoped for but it was what I got. Then I was reminded that perfect love casts out all fear. So the lie that I was weak, fearful and a wimp for having a panic attack was replaced by the truth of God’s love for me and how He loves me so much that He wants to heal me of deep, deep wounds.

    • Mary, I so love what you shared! (Not that you had a panic attack; I’ve had them too — they’re awful) But how God answered your prayer and carried you through. Thank you to your brave and beautiful self for sharing. It gives me hope to be reminded that God loves us in our hard.

  9. The lie I have believed is that I have to be enough.
    Here’s the truth: I cannot possibly be good enough, strong enough, faithful enough, patient enough. BUT JESUS IS! And He has seen all my “not enoughs” and paid for them and fulfilled them in His perfect sacrifice for me.

    • Love your sharing! I say to myself, “Jesus, you are more than enough and I love You too!”
      🙂 -m

  10. Thanks so much for sharing! It really does make seance that the enemy only attack us in our strengths.
    I am always worrying about if I speak properly or am saying the right things or making myself understood because the enemy tells me that no One wants to hear what I have to say because I am not very smart.
    I know it’s a lie so I have to remind myself often .

  11. I face the lies and the attacks from the enemy every day, always thinking I’m not good enough, smart enough, talented enough, even pretty enough, etc. The worst part is I’m not even sure what my spiritual “gift” is although I’ve heard that we, as believers, all have one (or more). My insecurities go way back but this year in particular I feel particularly useless and more open to attacks. My precious daughter went to heaven in March (she was 34 and my best friend). My son remarried, then moved far away taking my one and only precious granddaughter (who I had cared for daily for over four years). Now it’s just me and my husband again and we are trying hard to focus on each other; however I am now feeling like just a frumpy, old housewife with nothing to offer anyone! In my heart I KNOW that’s not true but the enemy knows my vulnerability! I am waiting on God to show me where he wants me and assurance that I too am a warrior and needed on the battlefield! Instead I find myself retreating and lost. Thank you for the encouraging words today. I will be praying for all of us women who feel the way I do. God bless you all!

    • Oh dearest Cindy…I just want to hug you and have a big glass of wine (or coffee 😉 with you. You sound like such a precious person. What a year you’ve had. I lost my mom in May. Death sucks. I just wish there was a hotline to Heaven..right? You just want to talk to that person. Someday we will Thanks to Jesus. Hard now. So hard.

      I wonder what stirs your heart? What makes you come alive? When you’re doing it..it’s not work…you get lost in it?
      You ARE NEEDED. couple of great books pop into my mind “Waking the Dead” John Eldredge. “Captivating” Stasi Eldredge. “Crashing the Chatterbox” Steven Furtick When I just prayed for you…the book “You were Born for This” by David Wilkinson popped in my head. I haven’t read it it years…but there ya go.

      I believe you are a beautiful, seasoned, gifted Princess Warrior. Ask your King to send you a love-note to remind you of how he sees you. Keep your radar up..because they come in the most unexpected ways.
      Lots of love from Michigan

      • Dearest Mindy,
        I am so sorry about the loss of your precious mom (mine is gone too) and I’m sending you a big hug back right now! You’re so right when you say we just want so much to talk to them again! I’m always telling myself (and my daughter’s boyfriend who is lost without her as well) that we WILL see her again. This world is so temporary and we know the end of the story! We are on the winning team and there will a beautiful reunion one day!

        Thank you SO MUCH for the beautiful, caring and encouraging words you’be sent my way. I also want to thank you for the books you’ve recommended! I am definitely going to check them out!

        Thank you for your prayers and please know I am including you in mine. I love these articles and the responses from sisters in Christ who care so much for one another. You have truly lifted my spirits today; more than you know! God bless you in a very special way!

        Cindy

        • Dearest Cindy,
          Sorry to hear about your loss. As you truely said we will see them one day in heaven thanks to our Lord. Just wanted to say many people long to be like you, have some free time to do what they couldn’t do before due to work or family commitments. You might want to try to see what you enjoy doing right now and give it a go, for example mine is taking a painting classs, helping people in women’s shelter or assisting young mothers with little children or aged people with their chores at home, gardening or baby sitting or even inviting for a coffee at my place 🙂 These are mine, but I’m sure you have yours as well sister.

          Holley has written a great book called you are already amazing that has helped me in this area, combating those lies, you can check it out too.

          Much love from Sydney Australia

        • What a lovely note –thank you Cindy! Yes we KNOW the end of the story!
          You’ve lifted my spirit as well. What a cool little community we create with just a few notes of love.
          This is truly the body of Christ.
          Hugs!!
          Mindy

      • Mindy,

        Losing a parent is never easy. I pray God sends you some peace and comfort. May He ease the pain in your weary soul! I lost my mom back in 2009 – the year she died. I often feel like I lost her two years before when she got really bad dementia and didn’t know anyone unless you showed up regularly.

        You are in my thoughts!

        Blessings 🙂

        • Beth —
          You are so sweet to reach out. Thank you. That TOTALLY sucks about the dementia. (my mom didn’t appreciate me using the word suck lol–but seriously it does!) I was very blessed that in the end she went quickly. Cancer. But you wouldn’t have known it. Some folks in her Sunday School class didn’t even know she was sick. She was a trouper. Lunch at Panera with friends …and a week later…gone. My Dad holding her hand in bed and she passed in the night. Jesus was a rescuer. What a difference it makes to know we’ll see these people in the not so distant future.
          Big Hugs
          Mindy

    • Cindy,

      Sweet sister – I am so sorry about the loss of your daughter. May God bring a peace to your soul. You have the gift of wisdom. You are wise and can encourage and mentor the younger generation. They need to be reminded of God’s goodness. You can be a super prayer warrior. Have you seen War Room yet? It’s about an older women who mentors a young woman to pray for her husband and family and to fight the good fight! God and I see you as a sweet spirit who is full of love. Perhaps you could volunteer and share some of that love you have!

      May God bring a sweetness to your soul and give you a fighting spirit to defeat the evil one! He is crafty and attacks us at our most vulnerable.

      I will be praying for you!

      Blessings 🙂

    • Cindy, what a beautiful picture it is to see all of these comment replies from sisters we may never meet. What a picture of community. I wish I could give you a hug in person, but it seems like Jesus is giving you one through these comments. You are a loved warrior – don’t forget it! XOXO

  12. “The attacks on our lives are more about who the enemy believes we can become than who we are right now.” These words resonated with me today.
    I was reading this blog and kept thinking, this sounds like Holly Gerth, so I looked back at the top and sure enough. You really have a gift Holly, it is such an honor to know you.

  13. Holley I resonate with your truthful words. As a therapist, I see people quelching lies only to have these same lies, or new ones, show their ugly heads again. Lies are all around us ~ outside and within, and attack at the most in opportune times. It sure is true these lies hit us in our areas of gifting. I’m putting together a conference, on this very topic, and I’ve wondered from time to time if it’s really important or helpful to do so. So funny. Thank you for sharing this much much needed truth. I’d like your message to be shouted from the rooftops. Lol. Thanks for writing and posting it. 🙂

  14. There are a couple of discouraging lies that drift through my mind every day. But you’ve given me some truth-arrows to fire back! 1) “That’s a lie, meant to discourage me in an area of gifting.” 2) “I am a warrior who will stand her ground and keep fighting.” 3) “I have brothers and sisters in Christ whose arms are locked together with mine.” Thank you, Holley, for strong truth that encourages and equips!

  15. Holley, thank you so much for sharing this much needed wisdom and vision with us. Lately I’ve found myself attached with those lies due to the physical enemy (two persons) and sprirtual enemy (devil) that I am not good enough, that I never can be the one that I desire to be. But every time I feel those arrows attack me, I keep meditating on the words. God’s grace is sufficient for me! He never fails us nor forsake us. We are more than conqueres in whom we belong to, our Lord Jesus, the son of the most High.

    I read your amazing book, ‘You are already amazing’ and found it really helpful in this battle. Thank your for being by your sisters side with your beautiful heart shared in your books.

  16. Thank you Holley! Thank you also sisters who shared. Each post is like a gift. The support, reminder and encouragement I need, God gave through your sharing. I will face my today with new insights and a refreshed focus as I embark on my endeavour to make a difference for children….book is ready, webpages are set up, but my doubts have held me back from letting others know and clicking the buttons to make things “live”. I will now press that button and give thanks to God for the gifts and praise Him for the dream. Thank you my many sisters in the Lord.

    • Yay!!!! Press that button and know that God laughs at your enemies…and you can as well. Daughter of the Most High King!! Cheers to stepping out of that boat !
      Hugs & Congrats
      Mindy

  17. Wonderful message. I heard it just this afternoon from my psychologist – I am enough and I am good enough. I just need to stop believing the lies.

  18. This is so powerful. I know the enemy is always doing his job by lying since he is the father of lies but I hadn’t made the connection about him lying to me about my gifting. That makes so much sense! Thanks for doing what you do and allowing the Lord to lead you as you share with others.

  19. “The enemy is lying to us in the area of our giftings.” Oh boy, I needed to hear that today.

    That, along with:

    “This does not mean I’m a wimp. This means I’m a warrior.”

    Thanks for the encouragement, Holley!

  20. Holley,

    I hear the lies almost daily. “Not good enough, dumb, not smart, ugly”. It can be a word someone said or a mistake I made. I pray daily reminding myself that I am made in the image of God Almighty! Never thought about it being an attack on my strengths.

    This post also got me thinking about the song “Warrior” by Steven C. Chapman from War Room.
    I see His smoke on the horizon
    I feel my heart pounding in my chest
    I hear the war raging all around me
    Somehow I feel like I was born for this
    I can taste the fear but I choose courage
    As I raise my shield and lift my sword
    And I fall on my knees and I fight like a warrior
    I am a warrior on my knees
    I call on the name of the one who is Conqueror
    I’m more than a conqueror when I believe
    The enemy trembles every time
    He knows the battle is no longer mine
    When I fall on my knees and fight like a warrior
    Like a warrior
    Daughters and sons we can hear you calling
    Broken and weak we can hear your cry
    And even though our enemy roars like a lion
    The Lion of Judah is on our side
    And he will go before us and behind us
    Fighting on the left and on the right
    And I fall on my knees and I fight like a warrior
    I am a warrior on my knees
    I call on the name of the one who is Conqueror
    I’m more than a conqueror when I believe
    The enemy trembles every time
    He knows the battle is no longer mine
    When I fall on my knees and fight like a warrior
    Like a warrior
    Our weapons are trust, our weapons are hope
    In the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords
    He says ‘I am with you, don’t be afraid’
    I’ve already won this war
    So fall on your knees and fight with me
    We are the warriors
    When we’re on our knees the enemy trembles
    And I fall on my knees and I fight like a warrior
    I am a warrior on my knees
    I call on the name of the one who is Conqueror
    I’m more than a conqueror when I believe
    The enemy trembles every time
    He knows the battle is no longer mine
    When I fall on my knees and fight like a warrior
    Like a warrior

    Blessings 🙂

    • Gotta check out this song…I saw the movie but don’t recall the song. Thanks!

  21. Please pray for my Mom. My Mom is in the last few days or hours of her life with Cancer. Its so difficult to see her in so much pain, she didn’t want medicated to the point she didn’t know things but now the pain, and she’s not aware of what is going on. We have kept her home as her wishes. I keep trying to remember the life she had and all the love she’s given. But I can’t imagine how I’m going to live without her. She has been part of my whole life everyday of my life. I’ve told her its ok to go. I told her everything will be ok. I know that she knows we will….but We can’t seem to let go. And I’m afraid to let her go……..Please pray that God will give me strength, Thank you

    • Dearest Dori,

      I’ve been there. I know the tenuous line you’re walking. You hate seeing her in pain, but you don’t want to lose her. It feels like walking down a long dark corridor “knowing” there is a door at the other end, but afraid to go through and see what’s waiting for you on the other side. Someone (in this post even) has said death sucks – well I agree – it does. It is a harsh reality that everyone will have to face one day. But the super good news is that we never have to face it alone. I knew as I was walking down that path that Jesus was walking with us (mom and I) the whole time. I almost didn’t have to ask – He was just there. I felt Him, every time I held her hands or wiped her brow. He gave me the words to “sing” over her and they comforted me as well. He filled me with every ounce of love and peace when I needed it. I’m not saying it didn’t hurt or that it was easy, but having His sweet strength in my heart, soul, and mind is what made letting her go okay. And when she went, He told me that I will see her and hug her again. But He also told me that just because her body died, didn’t mean she died. I will always love her until I see her again. And when I miss her – I love her more!

      But, we are all different. And Jesus knows you, Sister, very well and precisely what you need to get down that hall and through that door. Yes, I will be praying for you!

      May I just add one more thing? He has also blessed me with many “moms” in my life! Beauriful, sweet, treasured women that I have met since her passing – 15 years now – that I love dearly! I have cried many tears with them, and they took such good care of me I know my own momma is smiling in heaven. Happy for me.

      So “be of good cheer” Sister. Not for the pain or hurt you are going through, but that Jesus “has overcome the world!” (Jn 16:33)

      Blessings,
      Sandy

  22. Holly,
    Thank you for rising up to your calling, and blessing us with this much needed, and powerful truth today! As was with so many of my other sisters on here, it was a divine intervention for me as well. I battled during the night ( as I have been for many nights on and off the past 2 1/2 years) with thoughts that I have no more purpose here on this earth, that God is disappointed, doesn’t hear my cries, that I’m worthless…on and on.

    I’m in my late 50’s and have loved being a wife and mother to 4 wonderful adult children. I also, have been called to be an encourager and intercessor, as well. This truth today, ‘that the enemy attacks us where our strengths are’ hits home. Several years back as my husband began to pull away from God, I battled for him, for his heart, for US! I fasted and prayed and tried to be his best cheerleader, but knew his heart was hardening. As he drew farther away, the enemy began to hurl accusations, ‘ look, even your prayers aren’t good enough…YOUR not good enough!’ Then, facing the darkest day of my life 2 1/2 years ago, I allowed myself to believe those lies. I found out the man I believed I would grow old with, was being unfaithful. As he quickly severed any communication with me, all I heard was ‘ your not enough!’ He tossed me aside like trash, for the arms of someone else. I felt, and have felt, worthless.

    I pretty much walked out of our home, (which is where I had also had my office for my business) and moved 300 miles away to be by family. I left what had been my life for 20 years., and stepped into numbness. I have grieved and grieved some more, the reality of losing everything and the life we had…who I was as a wife, business owner, etc.. Now, I find many days, Im wandering aimlessly, trying to figure out who I’m suppose to be at almost 60, trying to find a new job to financially support myself and not succumb to the lies that I’m just useless…that piece of trash, purposeless.

    Yesterday was a dark day and I went to bed feeling weak…wanting someone to Just wrap their arms around me and say, “let me battle for you “…someone to help shoulder My load. I was restless and filled with fear for my future (as I am many days) . Then at 5 am, I cried out to Jesus, ” Please help me. Give me hope!” When I got up the HS spoke in a soft whisper the word ‘Encourage’. My thoughts immediately went to Incourage.me and Wow, when I scrolled down and found this post, HOPE seeped into my heart.

    If there is one truth God has spoken to me, it’s that He says I’m still of value. As I speak into other woman lives about their value and worth as His girls, I should not be surprised when the enemy hurls lies right into my gut that I have no value. Today though, I’m reminded to get up, fight like a warrior and defend my title as his warrior daughter! Today, I have hope again because I have sisters standing next to me as we all connect our shields! Amen. Grateful.