“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NIV
With Love, Cindy
Do you want to know more about Jesus? Check out my page Who Is Jesus?
Photo by Phillip Goldsberry on Unsplash
realchristianwomen.blog
Are you ever too hard on yourself? When confronted with our failures or weaknesses, we can feel like we’re not good enough, not measuring up. I struggle with this sometimes, especially when I have been too harsh with my middle school students. Why can’t I be more patient?
When we’re too hard on ourselves, we get discouraged and feel like giving up. Nothing could make Satan happier! Remember: Satan is “the accuser of the brethren.” and “a liar” (Revelation 12:10, John 8:44) But the promise of God is this:
“There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1 NIV
Sunday in church, I was feeling discouraged. We sang the song His Mercy is More. As we sang, the Holy Spirit comforted my soul like only He can. The lyrics say, “Our sins they are many. His mercy is more.”
I felt the love of God embrace me. God is not a hard taskmaster. He is loving, merciful, and kind. No matter how many times we mess up, He still loves us more than we will ever understand. Let the Holy Spirit, our Comforter, speak to your heart through God’s Word.
“Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 NIV
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning;” Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV
His mercy and love are greater than all our failures, mess-ups, and shortcomings.
“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love.” 1 John 4:16 NIV
The Apostle Paul wrote, “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power …… to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge.” Ephesians 3:17-19 NIV
“Though the mountains be shaken
and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,”
says the Lord, who has compassion on you.” Isaiah 54:10
“You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.” Psalm 86:5 NIV
This is our God. If you need His encouragement today, I urge you to listen to and sing, this beautiful song. I pray that it will comfort you as much as it comforted me. God’s love is reaching out to us every day.
Lord, may we have a deeper revelation of your love.
With Love,
Cindy
This Is My Journey Unscripted.
Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?
realchristianwomen.blog
“God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NLT Read full chapter
With Love, Cindy
Click this link to learn more about Jesus: Who Is Jesus?
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
realchristianwomen.blog
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-5 NIV
With Love, Cindy
Click this link to learn more about Jesus: Who Is Jesus?
Photo by Timothy Eberly on Unsplash
realchristianwomen.blog
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4: 6 & 7
Psalm 91: “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust.” (verses 1 & 2)
If you make the Most High your dwelling … then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;
They will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. (verses 9-12)
‘Because he loves me,’ says the Lord, ‘I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.’ (verse 14)
Today, we are blessed to have access to so many beautiful songs of praise to our God. I play Christian music through Pandora every day. It puts my focus on the Lord and gives me peace. Try some of these stations on Pandora:
The Hymn (O What Mercy) Radio
Bill and Gloria Gaither
Christian Contemporary Radio
Hillsong United Radio
Hymns 4 Worship Radio
Laura Story Radio
Phillips Craig & Dean
Praise & Worship Medley Radio
Sandy Patty Radio
Selah Radio
Today’s Christian Hits Radio
Kari Jobe Radio
Laura Story Radio
Hymns on Piano Radio
Country Hymns Radio
With Love,
Cindy
My Journey Unscripted
Click this link to learn more about Jesus: Who Is Jesus?
realchristianwomen.blog
Are you ever too hard on yourself? When confronted with our failures or weaknesses, we can feel like we’re not good enough, not measuring up. I struggle with this sometimes, especially when I have been too harsh with my middle school students. Why can’t I be more patient?
When we’re too hard on ourselves, we get discouraged and feel like giving up. Nothing could make Satan happier! Remember: Satan is “the accuser of the brethren.” and “a liar” (Revelation 12:10, John 8:44) But the promise of God is this:
“There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1 NIV
Sunday in church, I was feeling discouraged. We sang the song His Mercy is More. As we sang, the Holy Spirit comforted my soul like only He can. The lyrics say, “Our sins they are many. His mercy is more.”
I felt the love of God embrace me. God is not a hard taskmaster. He is loving, merciful, and kind. No matter how many times we mess up, He still loves us more than we will ever understand. Let the Holy Spirit, our Comforter, speak to your heart through God’s Word.
“Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 NIV
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning;” Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV
His mercy and love are greater than all our failures, mess-ups, and shortcomings.
“And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love.” 1 John 4:16 NIV
The Apostle Paul wrote, “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power …… to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge.” Ephesians 3:17-19 NIV
“Though the mountains be shaken
and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,”
says the Lord, who has compassion on you.” Isaiah 54:10
“You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you.” Psalm 86:5 NIV
This is our God. If you need His encouragement today, I urge you to listen to and sing, this beautiful song. I pray that it will comfort you as much as it comforted me. God’s love is reaching out to us every day.
Lord, may we have a deeper revelation of your love.
With Love,
Cindy
This Is My Journey Unscripted.
Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?
realchristianwomen.blog
Is it possible to be rich and not know it? That would be sad, wouldn’t it? Let me introduce you to Jane, a woman born with a silver spoon in her mouth and a billion dollars in the bank.
Every day Jane orders more stuff to make her happy. Monday she ordered a diamond ring and bracelet. Tuesday, a bigger swimming pool. Wednesday, 5 new cars. And Thursday, 1000 pairs of shoes.
But Jane isn’t happy. She’s been locked up in a mansion with servants to wait on her all her life and she has no one to compare her life to. She only knows she wants what she can’t have! And that is – out of the mansion!
Poor Jane. She’s rich, but she doesn’t know it…. If you’re talking about money, that is!
But is she really rich? Does having lots of money make you rich? One definition of rich is “abundantly supplied with resources”.
Jane has money and lots of possessions, but she doesn’t have contentment. She doesn’t have the resources she needs to be happy or content. In spite of all her money, she is miserable.
To be content means “to be satisfied with what one is or has and not wanting more or anything else.” Hmmmmm.
What is our abundant supply of resources?
It is Christ. He is the Bread of Life. He is the Living Water. He is the source of all we need.
No matter what problems we face, He is our wisdom.
No matter what battle we fight, He is our Defender.
No matter what sadness we face, He is our Comforter.
No matter what fears we have, He is our Refuge and our Fortress.
If you have a relationship with Jesus Christ, you are rich because you have all the resources you need to have a life of peace, joy, and contentment.
Are you rich, but you didn’t know it? Thank God for all you have every day, and find a way to help others who have less. Soon you will realize you have been rich for a long time. You just didn’t know it!
With Love,
Click this link to learn more about Jesus: Who Is Jesus?
Scripture References:
“…Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God…” 1 Corinthians 1:30 NIV
“How I love you, Lord! You are my defender. The Lord is my protector; he is my strong fortress. My God is my protection, and with him I am safe. He protects me like a shield; He defends me and keeps me safe.” Psalm 18:1-2 GNT
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.”
2 Corinthians 1:3-5 NIV
“I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust … He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge … For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;” Psalm 91: 2,4,11 NIV
Jesus said, “Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” John 4:14 NIV
“The bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world… Then Jesus declared, I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” John 6:33:35 NIV
“But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that … ” 1 Timothy 6:6-8 NIV
“Don’t weary yourself trying to get rich. Why waste your time? For riches can disappear as though they had the wings of a bird!” Proverbs 23:4-5 TLB
“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” 1 Timothy 6:17-19 NIV
Photo by Lucas Lenzi on Unsplash
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A friend of mine lost her husband in a motorcycle accident. He wasn’t racing. He wasn’t even speeding. He was riding in a charity event for abused children. It happened in front of her eyes. The man she loved, gone like that in a freak accident. How quickly our lives can change.
Many of us have experienced great loss or we will at some time in the future. It has happened to me. How does anyone survive without the Lord? He is the only one who can comfort and heal our heart.
“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted … to comfort all who mourn … ” Isaiah 61:1-2
A broken heart is like a giant wave, drowning you in sadness and pain, but God’s word is a soothing salve that heals. Not only will God heal your broken heart, He will care for the wounds left behind. Healing may not happen over night. It didn’t for me. Deep wounds heal over time, but they do heal. The Great Physician will bandage your wounds and heal your broken heart. Ask Him.
“Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise Him …. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars, and calls them each by name. Great is our God and mighty in power, His understanding has no limit …. The Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in his unfailing love.” Psalm 147:3-5 and 11)
He is able! He knows the number of stars and has called them all by name. How much more does He know every detail of your heartache! Sing praises to His name and put your trust in His unfailing love. I believe that the act of praising Him and spending time in His presence delivers the soothing balm that heals. He is delighted when you put your hope in His love. Spend time with Him by prayer, studying His Word and singing praises.
“Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7
“Cast your cares on the Lord, and He will sustain you..” Psalm 55:22
“The Lord is close to the broken-hearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” Psalm 34:18
I pray for my friend, that she may know the comfort that only He can provide.
With Love,
This Is My Journey Unscripted.
Do you want to become a Christian? Click this link to learn more: Who Is Jesus?
realchristianwomen.blog
Photo by Yuris Alhumaydy on Unsplash
It really hurt my feelings. It was like stopping by your best friend’s house only to discover she was having a big party and you hadn’t been invited! I felt so left out and hurt. I felt like crying.
That morning, I had walked in to the Women’s Bible Study and there were all my friends having a pot luck that no one had told me about! Maybe I was being overly sensitive, and maybe this was an area of vulnerability for me, but I was very offended.
The Bible study teacher recognized that I was upset, and the next time I saw her she gave me an index card with some Scripture references on it. She probably had no idea that it was going to change my life. As I opened my heart to God’s Word, something wonderful happened! The Truth set me free! These are the Scriptures:
“A man’s wisdom gives him patience; it is to his glory to OVERLOOK AN OFFENSE.” Proverbs 19:11
“He who covers over an offense promotes love, but whoever repeats the matter separates close friends.” Proverbs 17:9
“A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult.” Proverbs 12:16
This happened to me over 30 years ago, but the devil has used the same tactics since the beginning of time to battle against God’s people. He has used it on me. He will use it on you. He used it in the past.
Read about David in I Samuel, chapters 16 and 17. Count the number of times David overlooked an offense before he slew the giant. Satan tried to stop God’s plan for David, but he couldn’t do it because David overlooked the offense.
Over the years, God has continued to reveal to me how powerful it is to walk in love, and that means overlooking offenses.
“(Love) is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured.” I Corinthians 13:5 AMP
The devil will send offenses our way, but when we choose God’s way and walk in love, Satan’s attack will not prevail.
“Be of sober mind, be watchful. Your adversary who is a slanderer, namely the devil, as a lion roaring in fierce hunger, is constantly walking about, always seeking someone to be devouring.” 1 Peter 5:8 (Wuest)
Has anyone ever offended you? Insulted you? Put you down? If so, consider this: Love is strong spiritual warfare!
You may be thinking, “How is this spiritual warfare?”
Consider the evil attack on Jesus when he was crucified.
“… Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.
22 “He committed no sin,
and no deceit was found in his mouth.”
23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. 1 Peter 2:21-23
It is following Him and walking in his steps that empowers us for spiritual battle.
The Bible says, “He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.” Proverbs 25:28
It is only as we recognize that anger, resentment, self-pity, and unforgiveness are nothing but the attack launched against us by the devil, that we can refuse to be offended. This is spiritual warfare: Love vs. Evil. We can not allow our emotions to govern our life or we will be like a city without walls (defenseless).
The Apostle Paul said, “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ … Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory…” Ephesians 3:18-20
With Love,
Cindy
Do you know Jesus?
If you have never asked Jesus to be your Savior, you can do it now. He loves you more than you can comprehend, and it will change your life forever.
“IF YOU CONFESS WITH YOUR MOUTH, ‘JESUS IS LORD,’ AND BELIEVE IN YOUR HEART THAT GOD RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, YOU WILL BE SAVED. FOR IT IS WITH YOUR HEART THAT YOU BELIEVE AND ARE JUSTIFIED, AND IT IS WITH YOUR MOUTH THAT YOU CONFESS AND ARE SAVED. AS THE SCRIPTURE SAYS, ANYONE WHO TRUSTS IN HIM WILL NEVER BE PUT TO SHAME.” ROMANS 10:9-11
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” … Then one day, my world was shattered.”
But wait. Let’s 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 was falling apart. I lost my job because of lies that were told about me. These lies tarnished my record and eventually ended my career. With my emotions in high gear, I could not stop crying. I was completely devastated and left with a long drive home.How could this happen? I thought I couldn’t go on. In an emotional state of mind, I made the decision 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. (Surely teaching had not been God’s will. 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.)
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.
When I saw that sparkling starfish, I was overwhelmed by God’s love and kindness. 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 a 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.
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.
Continue reading “When Disaster Strikes, You Are Not Alone”
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