Tag: Christian

Christian

If Disaster Strikes, You Are Not Alone

Cindy Dawson

“Then one day, my world was shattered.” But wait. Let me start at the beginning.

 I was blessed to spend 18 years as a stay-at-home mom. That was the desire of my heart. But my kids started growing up, so at age 47 I decided I would go back to school and become a special education teacher.    

My “ministry” became teaching children with disabilities. I prayed for my students and prayed that God would use me in the public school system.

I hung a starfish on my desk lamp to remind me that I might not be changing the world, but if I could help even one child, my prayer would be answered. (See “The Starfish Story” below.)

Then suddenly my world fell apart. I lost my job because of lies that were told about me by a jealous colleague. It was so unfair! These lies tarnished my record and eventually ended my career. I could not stop crying.  I was completely devastated and faced with a long drive home.

How could this happen? I thought I couldn’t go on. Even though I had become single and needed a retirement, I decided to retire with only seventeen years of experience .

You can imagine the thoughts that went through my mind. I  doubted everything I had previously believed. Teaching must not have been God’s will for me! I should have never done this!  It was all in my head! I’m a failure. And worst of all, I never really helped anyone anyway.)

Have you ever been there? Have you ever questioned everything? When you are hurt, you are vulnerable to the attacks of Satan and can begin to believe his lies. But God lifted me out of the valley of despair. This is what happened:

That very night, I met a friend for dinner, which had been planned several days before. She knew nothing about what happened to me that day, but she had a gift and a note from her son, a former student from 15 years before. The note thanked me for all I had done for him. The gift was a beautiful sparkling starfish on a silver chain.

I was overwhelmed by God’s love and kindness when I saw that sparkling starfish. God was speaking loud and clear to my heart and mind, “I know what is going on. I know your heart is crushed, but I am with you and watching over you. You are not a failure.” 

I realize now that even if God had not sent me such great encouragement, He would have been watching over me just the same. We must always remember that He is with us every single day and He knows our every care. Sometimes He will give us visible reassurance, but most of the time He wants us to believe His promises and stretch our faith.

The Starfish Story

A young girl was walking along a beach upon which thousands of starfish had been washed up during a terrible storm. When she came to each starfish, she would pick it up, and throw it back into the ocean. People watched her with amusement. 

She had been doing this for some time when a man approached her and said, “Little girl, why are you doing this? Look at this beach! You can’t save all these starfish. You can’t begin to make a difference!”

The girl seemed crushed, suddenly deflated. But after a few moments, she bent down, picked up another starfish, and hurled it as far as she could into the ocean. Then she looked up at the man and replied, “Well, I made a difference to that one!”

— Adapted from The Star Thrower
by Loren C. Eiseley

Meditate on God’s promises.

“When you pass through the waters,
    I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
    they will not sweep over you.
When you walk through the fire,
    you will not be burned;
    the flames will not set you ablaze.
 For I am the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, your Savior” Isaiah 43:2-3 NIV

“Do not be afraid, for I am with you” Isaiah 43:5 NIV

“God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1 NIV

“So do not fear, for I am with you;
    do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
    I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10 NIV

In His Love, Cindy

Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you.” Psalm 122:6

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Christian

Are You Praying for Someone to be Saved?

Cindy Dawson

Is your heart heavy because someone you love rejects Jesus as Savior? Perhaps he(she) calls himself an atheist. Or maybe, they just refuse to search for Truth and instead stand stubbornly in the darkness, clinging to “intellectual” arguments that support their atheistic beliefs.

If you’ve been praying for someone for a long time, don’t give up now. Be encouraged and strengthened by the promises of God.

Galatians 6:9 (NIV) says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” 

For a long time, I have been praying faithfully every day that Jay would accept Jesus as Savior. Becoming weary, my prayers have been reduced to “God please help Jay. I don’t know how to pray for him. I don’t even know where he is. You know, Lord.” That is the prayer of someone who is weary in prayer.

After searching God’s Word for encouragement, I was not disappointed. This is what I learned. It is not meant to be a “formula” for prayer, but rather, an encouragement that you are praying according to God’s will and being led by the Holy Spirit. So don’t give up!

Following Paul’s example, simply pray that he will be saved. “Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.” Romans 10:1 NIV

Pray that the Lord will send Christian workers into his life. God uses people to accomplish his will. “What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.” 1 Corinthians 3:5-6 NIV

Pray that God will give him spiritual understanding and that the Lord will lead him to repentance. ” … in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.” 2 Timothy 2:25-26 NIV

Pray that God will open his heart.  “The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul” Acts 16:14 NIV

Pray that God will give him spiritual sight and make His light shine in his heart, as He did yours.

“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” 2 Corinthians 4:4 NIV

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6

Continue to pray with perseverance. God has called you to pray for this person. As you pray, remember to thank God for His love, mercy, kindness, and faithfulness. 

“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving” Colossians 4:2 NIV

“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” Luke 18:1 NIV

Pray with the knowledge that his salvation is God’s will.  

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”  2 Peter 3:9 NIV

(Where did we get the idea that God should be on our timetable?) 

Therefore pray, “your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” Matthew 6:10 NIV

 Pray with confidence, remembering that our God is a God of mercy, love and faithfulness.

“The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power].” James 5:16 AMP

 Your prayer for someone’s salvation is most definitely a spiritual battle. Do not listen to the devil’s lies. Of course Satan will try to discourage you and make you give up. Instead, obey God’s Word and keep praying.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:10-12 NIV

From this study, here is what I have learned: God hears my prayers. It’s not that He isn’t answering them or that He doesn’t hear me. (The devil will try to tell us that!)

My “assignment” to pray for Jay has not ended. The battle is not over. In fact, I am in the heat of the battle. I will keep praying.

When I am praying God’s will, I know He is working even though I haven’t seen the final result yet.

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1 NIV

God’s Word encourages me and strengthens my faith! It will do the same for you.

With Love, Cindy

Do you want to know more about Jesus? Check out my page Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Christian

This World Is Not Your Home

Cindy Dawson

Do you sometimes feel like you don’t fit in? You may need to remind yourself that if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, this world is not your home. Your home is in heaven and you are an ambassador for Christ in a foreign land.

“We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us.” 2 Corinthians 5:20a 

An ambassador is a “diplomatic official of the highest rank sent by one sovereign or state to another as its resident representative”.¹

As a Christian, this is our role. We are ambassadors sent by God. It helps us to live a life worthy of our calling when we think of ourselves as God’s ambassador and representative. How do we do that?

“Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” 1 Peter 2:12

An ambassador is sent to a foreign land to reflect the official message of his country. God has sent us into the world with the message of reconciliation.

“But all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ [making us acceptable to Him] and gave us the ministry of reconciliation [so that by our example we might bring others to Him]” 2 Corinthians 5:18 AMP

“… we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel [that tells the good news of salvation through faith in Christ…” 1 Thessalonians 2:4 AMP

Actions speak louder than words. Talking about Jesus is important, but how we live speaks louder than our words. Loving others demonstrates the love of God.

 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” John 13:34-35

“Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ…” Ephesians 5:2 NLT

We live in a time unlike any other. Many Christians believe that our time is short and the rapture of the Church is near. How shall we obey the command to make disciples?

Jesus said, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20 (emphasis mine)

Making a disciple is more than leading someone in the sinner’s prayer. It includes teaching and supporting them in their faith. To make a disciple is a tall order and not one someone can easily do alone. The Church must work together, each one doing his part. We must ask ourselves: Am I doing my part? Am I fulfilling my role as Christ’s ambassador?

“For this world is not our home; we are looking forward to our everlasting home in heaven.” Hebrews 13:14 TLB

In His Love, Cindy

Do you want to know more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?

All Scripture references are from the NIV unless otherwise noted.

¹ Dictionary.com

Photo by Greg Rosenke on Unsplash

RealChristianWomen.blog  

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Christian

Are You Praying for Someone to be Saved?

Cindy Dawson

Is your heart heavy because someone you love rejects Jesus as Savior? Perhaps he(she) calls himself an atheist. Or maybe, they just refuse to search for Truth and instead stand stubbornly in the darkness, clinging to “intellectual” arguments that support their atheistic beliefs.

If you’ve been praying for someone for a long time, don’t give up now. Be encouraged and strengthened by the promises of God.

Galatians 6:9 (NIV) says, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” 

For a long time, I have been praying faithfully every day that Jay would accept Jesus as Savior. Becoming weary, my prayers have been reduced to “God please help Jay. I don’t know how to pray for him. I don’t even know where he is. You know, Lord.” That is the prayer of someone who is weary in prayer.

After searching God’s Word for encouragement, I was not disappointed. This is what I learned. It is not meant to be a “formula” for prayer, but rather, an encouragement that you are praying according to God’s will and being led by the Holy Spirit. So don’t give up!

Following Paul’s example, simply pray that he will be saved. “Brothers and sisters, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved.” Romans 10:1 NIV

Pray that the Lord will send Christian workers into his life. God uses people to accomplish his will. “What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.” 1 Corinthians 3:5-6 NIV

Pray that God will give him spiritual understanding and that the Lord will lead him to repentance. ” … in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.” 2 Timothy 2:25-26 NIV

Pray that God will open his heart.  “The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul” Acts 16:14 NIV

Pray that God will give him spiritual sight and make His light shine in his heart, as He did yours.

“The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God” 2 Corinthians 4:4 NIV

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6

Continue to pray with perseverance. God has called you to pray for this person. As you pray, remember to thank God for His love, mercy, kindness, and faithfulness. 

“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving” Colossians 4:2 NIV

“Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up.” Luke 18:1 NIV

Pray with the knowledge that his salvation is God’s will.  

“The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”  2 Peter 3:9 NIV

(Where did we get the idea that God should be on our timetable?) 

Therefore pray, “your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” Matthew 6:10 NIV

 Pray with confidence, remembering that our God is a God of mercy, love and faithfulness.

“The heartfelt and persistent prayer of a righteous man (believer) can accomplish much [when put into action and made effective by God—it is dynamic and can have tremendous power].” James 5:16 AMP

 Your prayer for someone’s salvation is most definitely a spiritual battle. Do not listen to the devil’s lies. Of course Satan will try to discourage you and make you give up. Instead, obey God’s Word and keep praying.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” Ephesians 6:10-12 NIV

From this study, here is what I have learned: God hears my prayers. It’s not that He isn’t answering them or that He doesn’t hear me. (The devil will try to tell us that!)

My “assignment” to pray for Jay has not ended. The battle is not over. In fact, I am in the heat of the battle. I will keep praying.

When I am praying God’s will, I know He is working even though I haven’t seen the final result yet.

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1 NIV

God’s Word encourages me and strengthens my faith! It will do the same for you.

With Love, Cindy

Do you want to know more about Jesus? Check out my page Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Christian

Helping One Person at a Time

Cindy Dawson

You may have heard of the devastating tornadoes that destroyed so many lives here in my hometown of Bowling Green, Kentucky.

There are so many people who need our help, it can be overwhelming. Not just tornado victims, we may have family members who need our help, a man begging on the corner, people in our church, and more.

What would happen if our goal were to help just one person at a time? Could it possibly make a difference? Mother Teresa thought so. It’s interesting that someone who helped so many had this philosophy:

Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time and always start with the person nearest you.”

Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa’s words remind me that people who need God’s love are all around me. People who need “a good Samaritan” are all around me. I can’t help all the homeless, but I can give a cup of coffee to one. I can’t feed all the starving children, but I can help one. I can’t help every tornado victim, but I can help one.

Jesus told the Expert in the law that he must love God and love his neighbor as himself. The Expert in the law said, “Who is my neighbor?”  In reply, Jesus told him the story of the Good Samaritan. (Luke 10:25-37)

Jesus’ message was,  “If you see someone that needs your help, help them!”

The Parable of the Good Samaritan

30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 

31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.

33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[c] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’

36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.”

Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”

Let us examine our hearts. Are we more like the priest and the Levite, or the good Samaritan? Do we show the love of Jesus to those around us or do we pass by on the other side?

Lord, Show me how to reach out to my “neighbor”. Lead me along the path that will take me to the one you want me to help. Give me the opportunities to reach out in a personal way and to bring your love to the hurting. In Jesus’ Name, Amen

With Love, Cindy

Do you want to know more about Jesus? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

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Christian

Holiday Blues?

Cindy Dawson

Do the holidays trigger thoughts of what should have been instead of what is? Are you feeling lonely? The strange thing about depression is that it seems to take your mind captive. You may think you can’t stop the downward spiral.

The next thing you know, you’re driving to the grocery to buy food for the holidays and tears begin to well up in your eyes. You hate it. You don’t want to be sad!

I know all about it because I experienced this one day.

I prayed. I asked the Lord to help me.

Just a few minutes later, my daughter called. (You should know, she loves to cook. I mean really cook, like they do on TV Cooking Shows. I, on the other hand, look for the easiest and quickest recipe possible.)

Christina: “Mom, would you get me a butternut squash while you’re at the store?”

Me: “Do you mean like a real vegetable butternut squash?” (I’m thinking does that come in a package?)

Christina: (starts laughing hilariously) “Yes! A real vegetable butternut squash!!”

We both cracked up and had a good belly laugh! It felt so good to laugh!

Guess what? My mood completely changed right then. 

I learned a valuable, yet simple lesson about holiday blues.

  1. Always go to the Lord in prayer.
  2. Find a way to laugh!

“Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” Mathew 6:8

“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5

“A cheerful heart is good medicine.” Proverbs 17:22

A book could be written on this subject, and I know that, but this is what happened to me. Sometimes a person needs a word of encouragement, not the whole book.

Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
    let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving . . . Psalm 25:1-2

Merry Christmas Everyone!

(And laugh a little today!

With Love, Cindy

Do you want to know more about Jesus? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog  

Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash

Christian

Friday’s Verse, 1/22/21

Cindy Dawson

“Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.” 1 Corinthians 15:58b NLT

With Love, Cindy

Click this link to learn more about Jesus: Who Is Jesus?

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

realchristianwomen.blog  

Christian

Practical Ways to Relieve Stress in Today’s World

Cindy Dawson

With the world fighting a pandemic and people cooped up in their homes, we need practical ways to relieve stress and boost our health.

Did you know that LAUGHTER has emotional and physical health benefits? It relieves stress, improves your mood, eases anxiety, and more!

I tend to be very serious and analytical, but I am learning more and more how important it is to laugh every day. At the end, I will share some of the sources I go to when I need to laugh. 

First, check out these research findings from Harvard Medical School and HealthGuide.Org.

Physical health benefits of laughter:

  • Boosts immunity
  • Lowers stress hormones
  • Decreases pain
  • Relaxes your muscles
  • Prevents heart disease

Mental health benefits of laughter:

  • Adds joy and zest to life
  • Eases anxiety and tension
  • Relieves stress
  • Improves mood
  • Strengthens resilience

The Bible says, “A merry heart doeth good like a medicine” Proverbs 17:22 KJV

“This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24 

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, JOY, …” Galatians 5:22

“Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, ‘The Lord has done great things for them’.” Psalm 126:2

Laugh a Little!   

  • If you’re a teacher, like me, or a parent, you will laugh out loud at Elementary School Principal Gerry Brooks. Click here to visit his YouTube channel.
  • Jeff Rab
  • This TV show makes me LOL: Everybody Loves Raymond 
  • Jeanne Robertson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42fmu5LrNog

I pray that your day be filled with laughter and joy. If you have a go-to source of laughter, please share!

With Love, 

Cindy

This is My Journey Unscripted.

Click this link to learn more about Jesus: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog 

Christian

How To Write a Better Blog

Cindy Dawson

Set Goals!

1. Stay focused on your message.

Ask yourself, “In one sentence, what is my message?”. For example, your message might be: “Effectual prayer”, or “Do not fear”. There are millions of good ideas to write about. Once you identify your message, make sure you stay focused on that message. Don’t get side-tracked. Everything you write should contribute to your message. Don’t ramble.

2. Inspire others

Readers want to be inspired and they want to read something that they can apply to their life. Some ideas that might add a little inspiration are a personal story, an anecdote from someone else’s life, or a quotation from a famous person. We are inspired by other people’s achievements and how they have overcome the trials in their lives.

3. Develop a relationship with other bloggers.

Relate to other bloggers. Comment on their posts. What do you think they might want to read about?

4. Move the reader to tears or laughter, and to a new point of understanding.

My goal is to move the reader to tears, laugh out loud, or smile. I want to move the reader to a deeper understanding. I don’t want them to think “blah blah blah…I know that.”

5. Learn the elements of style. (Write well.)

This is BIG! It also takes time. There is a lot to learn about writing that you didn’t learn in school. I have a writer’s notebook that includes things like power words, active voice, catchy titles, synonyms, overused sayings, quotations, etc.

I recommend these books: 

  • The Elements of Style Book and Workbook, by William Strunk and E.B. White
  • Writing for Emotional Impact, by Karl Iglesias
  • On Writing Well, by William Zinsser
  • On Writing, by Stephen King

6. Show it. Don’t tell it.

I have a list of quotes taken from blogs I follow. For example, I recently added these quotes by Julie Dibble. https://juliedibblewrites.wordpress.com/2019/01/11/are-you-looking-for-hope/

“Was His hand gently lifting my chin toward heaven?”

Isn’t that so much better than saying, “I felt better when I looked at the sky.”? Her sentence makes me feel comforted myself. Not to mention, it put a smile on my face. Here are two more from Julie:

“May your faith in few be the glue to tie you tighter to Jesus.”

“… to disable pride in my heart…”

Here’s one from Stephen at Fractured Faith Blog. https://fracturedfaithblog.com

“Some days the words just refuse to flow and you have to drag them kicking and screaming out of your imagination and onto the computer screen.”

Compare that to this: Sometimes I don’t know what to write about.

Stephen’s writing is just plain fun to read. It makes you want to read more. And that is what makes an exceptional writer! I’m hoping that if I read his blogs enough, some of that will rub off on me!

7. Control your word count.

I try to keep my word count under 600 words MAX. 500 is even better. When I think it’s finished, I go back through and make sentences more precise. I usually find several sentences that can say the same thing in half the words. Rewriting is critical to writing well.

8. Read and study your Bible.

Last of all, but most important, if you want to bring a spiritual message, read and study your Bible daily. That way you can recognize the voice of the Holy Spirit. He might cause you to think of a certain Scripture. Obviously, you’ll have to be familiar with God’s Word to recognize His voice.

Once the Holy Spirit brought this Scripture to my mind:

“In humility value others above yourselves…” Philippians 2:3

It came out of the clear blue, but it was the answer to my dilema, and it was Biblical. I eventually wrote a blog about this entitled So You’re Angry.

In Closing …

These are my goals. Do I do them all well? Not yet! But I’m working on it. I know where I’m headed. I know where I want my writing to go. Set your writing goals and your writing can only get better and better!

“Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul), as [something done] for the Lord and not for men …” Colossians 3:23 AMP

With Love, 

Cindy

This is My Journey Unscripted.

Click this link to learn more about Jesus: Who Is Jesus?

realchristianwomen.blog 

Christian

Holiday Blues

Cindy Dawson

Do the holidays trigger thoughts of what should have been instead of what is? Are you feeling lonely? The strange thing about depression is that it seems to take your mind captive. You may think you can’t stop the downward spiral.

The next thing you know, you’re driving to the grocery to buy food for the holidays and tears begin to well up in your eyes. You hate it. You don’t want to be sad!

I know all about it because I experienced this yesterday.

I prayed. I asked the Lord to help me.

Just a few minutes later, my daughter called. (You should know, she loves to cook. I mean really cook, like they do on TV Cooking Shows. I, on the other hand, look for the easiest and quickest recipe possible.)

Chris: “Mom, would you get me a butternut squash while you’re at the store?”

Me: “Do you mean like a real vegetable butternut squash?” (I’m thinking does that come in a package?)

Chris: (starts laughing hilariously) “Yes! A real vegetable butternut squash!!”

We both cracked up and had a good belly laugh! It felt so good to laugh!

Guess what? My mood completely changed right then. 

I learned a valuable, yet simple lesson yesterday about holiday blues.

  1. Always go to the Lord in prayer.
  2. Find a way to laugh!

“Your Father knows what you need before you ask him.” Mathew 6:8

“But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” James 1:5

“A cheerful heart is good medicine.” Proverbs 17:22

A book could be written on this subject, and I know that, but this is what happened to me. Sometimes a person needs a word of encouragement, not the whole book.

Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
    let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving . . . Psalm 25:1-2

Merry Christmas Everyone!

(And laugh a little today!

With Love,

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?

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