Tag: DEVOTIONAL

Christian

Trust in the Lord: Renew Your Strength

Cindy Dawson

1-minute read Monday’s Verse, 3/24/25

“The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of all the earth.
He never grows weak or weary.
    No one can measure the depths of his understanding.
He gives power to the weak
    and strength to the powerless.
Even youths will become weak and tired,
    and young men will fall in exhaustion.
But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
    They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
    They will walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:28-31 NLT

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

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

Empowering Students: A Teacher’s Inspiring Fictional Journey

Cindy Dawson

1-minute read

I know a teacher who wrote a fictional story about the students in her 7th-grade English Class. The story took place in the future and revealed what each student did with their life.

She read a chapter every few days and the students always wanted to hear more, eager to find out who they would become. One boy (who could be a challege) became a war hero. One of the girls became the first female president of the U.S. Another boy became the town Fire Chief and saved many lives. Each student became an important contributor to society, a person who helped others and was well-respected.

The best part was each student’s reaction to the part of the story about themselves. Maybe they had never imagined themselves becoming an important person. Maybe they had never imagined their classmates would become important people. But they did now.

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up…” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 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

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

Jonah’s Miracle: Whale Encounter in Chile

Cindy Dawson

1-minute read Verses for Meditation, 3/20/25

“In my distress I called to the Lord,
    and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help,
    and you listened to my cry.
 But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
    will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
    I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’” Jonah 2:2, 9 NIV

Skeptics scoff at the story of Jonah being swallowed by a whale, but recently a man in Chile experienced just that! And his father captured it on camera.

See my post Don’t Run From God: A Lesson From Jonah

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

RealChristianWomen.blog  

Christian

Standing in the Gap: Intercessory Prayer Explained

Cindy Dawson

1-minute read Tuesday’s Verse, 3/18/25

 “I looked for someone who might rebuild the wall of righteousness that guards the land. I searched for someone to stand in the gap in the wall so I wouldn’t have to destroy the land, but I found no one. So now I will pour out my fury on them, consuming them with the fire of my anger. I will heap on their heads the full penalty for all their sins. I, the Sovereign Lord, have spoken!” Ezekiel 22:30-31 NLT

Commentary: This is a vivid way to show how a human intercessor appeals to a holy, angry God and convinces Him not to destroy His people but to extend mercy to them …. God is predisposed to show mercy, even when judgment is deserved. (Jeremiah Study Bible Notes)

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

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

Understanding ‘For My Name’s Sake’

Cindy Dawson

1-minute read Monday’s Verse, 3/17/25

“You will know that I am the Lord, when I deal with you for my name’s sake and not according to your evil ways and your corrupt practices, you people of Israel, declares the Sovereign Lord.’” Ezekiel 20:44 NIV

Comments: As I read through the book of Ezekiel, I noticed that the prophecies frequently said that God would deal with the people “for my name’s sake” and not according to what they have done. Pastor David Jeremiah explains:

“When God says that He deals with Israel for my name’s sake, He means that He interacts with the people on the basis of who He is – a holy, righteous, sovereign, patient, gracious, wise, and omnipotent God – not on the basis of who they are or according to their evil ways or corrupt practices. God shows us grace and showers us with His mercy because of His character, not because of our behavior. It is because of His unchanging character that we can place our trust in Him.” (Jeremiah Study Bible Notes)

Photo by Gary Fultz on Unsplash and https://garyfultz.com/

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

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

Overcoming Worry

Cindy Dawson

1-minute read Sunday’s Memory Verse, 3/16/25

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, 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 NIV

The opposite of peace is worry. The Greek word for anxious means to have “a mind divided” between legitimate thoughts and destructive thoughts. Destructive thoughts will choke out the Word of God and cause believers to abandon trust. (Jeremiah Study Bible Notes)

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

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

Stork Migration in Israel: A Spring Spectacle

Cindy Dawson

Spring has unofficially arrived in Israel!

The first flock of storks stopped at the Hula small lake (Agmon) for a night’s rest. Approximately 600,000 storks will pass over the skies of Israel in the coming weeks! (Amir Tsarfati, Behold Israel)

“There the birds make their nests;
    the stork has its home in the junipers.” Psalm 104:17 NIV

Both parents regurgitate water over the chicks to cool them off in the heat of the day. This is often accompanied by one of the parents extending one or two wings to block the sun and create shade for the young chicks, sometimes for hours.

Storks are mentioned in the Bible five times. The Hebrew word for “stork” is Hasidah and is related to the word hesed, which is the main term for the kindness, love, mercy, and goodness of Yahweh, the God of Israel. The stork is remarkable for its tender care, not only for its young but also for the aged. 

As the hundreds of thousands of storks arrive in Israel, may she be reminded of God’s great love for His people!

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 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

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

Seeking the Lord with All Your Heart

Cindy Dawson

1-minute read Friday’s Verse, 3/14/25

“You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” Jeremiah 29:13 NIV

Comment: May we seek the Lord, not casually, but with our whole heart. When we do that, we will find Him and know Him.

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

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian, Women

The Power of Worship

Cindy Dawson

1-minute read Verses for Meditation, 3/13/25

“Because your love is better than life,
    my lips will glorify you.
 I will praise you as long as I live,
    and in your name I will lift up my hands.” Psalm 63:3-4 NIV (A song of David) Read full chapter

My daughter, Christiana (vocal) and her husband, Isai (on keyboard) Woodlands Church, Woodlands, Texas

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

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

Quote of the Week, 3/12/25

Cindy Dawson

“When we long for life without difficulties, remind us that oaks grow strong in contrary winds and diamonds are made under pressure.”

Peter Marshall

A Little About Peter Marshall

Peter Marshall was born in Coatbridge, Scotland, a poverty-stricken coal-mining community, where he was reared by his mother and stepfather. From an early age, he decided he would be a missionary to China. To meet the educational requirements, he enrolled in evening classes while working in the mines by day, but his progress was slow. In 1927, a cousin offered to pay Peter’s way to the U.S., where he could receive proper ministerial training. He graduated from Columbia Theological Seminary in 1931. He went on to become pastor of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC, and was appointed as Chaplain of the United States Senate in 1946. 

Catherine Marshall wrote a biography of her husband, A Man Called Peter (1951), which was a popular success. It was adapted as a movie and released in 1955 and was nominated for an Oscar. You can watch the movie here.

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

RealChristianWomen.blog