Tag: faith

Christian

We Must Be Real With God

Cindy Dawson

About four months ago, I started writing some of my prayers in a prayer journal. This has really helped me to be more “real” with the Lord. These written prayers, while respectful, have been more open and honest and less formal, more like talking to a close friend.

At first its was a little scary to be less formal with the Lord. I thought that if I was going to talk to the Lord, it should only be about important things. But I have learned that this is not true. I can, and should, talk to Him about all my hopes and fears. I can ask Him about anything because he cares about me and He loves me.

“Casting all your cares [all your anxieties, all your worries, and all your concerns, once and for all] on Him, for He cares about you [with deepest affection, and watches over you very carefully]. 1 Peter 5:7 AMP

Jesus calls us His friends. “I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. (John 15:15).  

Is Jesus really my friend? James 2:23 says that “Abraham … was called God’s friend.”

In John 15:14 Jesus said, “You are my friends if you do what I command you.”

Yes, Jesus wants to be your friend.

A relationship with God is about being real. Jesus explains that no matter how hard we try, we can’t hide who we really are from God anyway.

Jesus taught His disciples saying, “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” (Luke 12:1)

In other words, be on your guard against hypocrisy! Don’t let yourself become a hypocrite! Be vigilant in guarding yourself against it. Why? Because it’s a trap easily fallen into.

So let’s talk about the Pharisees. Do you think the Pharisees knew they were hypocrites? I don’t think they did.

If they started out as “Godly men”, what happened? God sent the Messiah and they hated Him! How is that possible? What happened between the time the Pharisees decided to live a holy life and the time they killed the Messiah?

Maybe they hated Jesus because He (basically) threw a monkey wrench into their whole way of life (what they did and how they thought about things).

The word hypocrite came into English from the Greek word hypokrites, which means “an actor” or “a stage player.” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary)

Yes, I could walk around acting like a Christian. But actually letting God change me on the inside requires that I spend time in His presence. This is how we guard against hypocrisy.

It is impossible to be real with God and at the same time put on an act. You can do one, but not both at the same time.

If we pray to know Him better, He will answer that prayer. He will teach us. He will do it! Our part is always to ask for His help. I believe that the key to avoiding the trap of hypocrisy is to be real with God, to ask Him to help us in all things.

For example, “Lord, help my unbelief. ”

“Lord, help me to hunger for your Word. ”

“Help me to spend time in prayer. ”

Wherever you struggle, He will help you. You don’t have to pretend to be someone you’re not. He knows already where you struggle to be obedient and He loves you anyway. Don’t be afraid to ask Him for help.

“Behold, God is my helper and ally; The Lord is the sustainer of my soul [my upholder].” Psalm 54:4 AMP

With Love, 

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This is My Journey Unscripted.

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

Scripture References:

“And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), to be with you forever— ”  John 14:16 AMP

“But the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you.” John 14:26 AMP

“So we take comfort and are encouraged and confidently say, “The Lord is my Helper [in time of need], I will not be afraid. What will man do to me?” Hebrews 13:6 AMP

“I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” John 15:15 NIV

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! … On the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.” Matthew 23:27-28 NIV

“But there is nothing [so carefully] concealed that it will not be revealed, nor so hidden that it will not be made known. For that reason, whatever you have said in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have whispered behind closed doors will be proclaimed on the housetops.” Luke 12:2-3 AMP

Photo by Gift Habeshaw on Unsplash

realchristianwomen.blog 

Christian

God’s Purpose For Your Blog

Cindy Dawson

The best thing about becoming a blogger is the community of friends I have come to know. I know some of my blogger friends (BFs) better than the friends I actually live around! I sincerely love them and care about them.

I always thought God’s purpose for my blog was to encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ.  But it might be something more than that.

Maybe God’s purpose is for me to develop relationships. I know that He gave me this desire to write a blog and He has put love in my heart for followers I have come to know. When God calls you to love and pray for someone you never met, well that’s God’s love in action.

I know some of my followers well because they have shared their lives and their hearts with all of us. I could know someone my whole life and never find out some of the things I know about my BFs including their battles and their weaknesses.

I started collecting pictures of some of my BF’s to help me keep everyone straight in my mind. When I receive a comment or read their blog, I refer to their picture.

God is putting in my heart a desire to build relationships all through my life – at school – in the community – and on WordPress.

I hope you will join me in an effort to pray for and support people we come to know and love through our adventures in blogging.

With Love, 

Cindy

This is My Journey Unscripted.

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

realchristianwomen.blog 

Christian

The Amazing Night Sky!

Cindy Dawson

Did you know that every star you see in the night sky is bigger and brighter than the Sun? The Sun is a dwarf star, but it’s much closer to us than the stars we see at night. In fact, the bright star Deneb, which is prominent in the evening skies of Fall and Winter, is 19 quadrillion miles away.¹

If we will take the time to contemplate God’s creation – watch it and think about it, His majesty and power will astound us.

You will see things you never noticed before. And that, will bring you closer to the heart of God. So let’s all slow down and take a closer look at what God has made. It’s pretty amazing.

God spoke: “Lights! Come out!
Shine in Heaven’s sky!”²

BOOM!

To see what happened next, watch this dramatic time-lapse video of the night sky.

CAUTION: WATCHING THIS VIDEO CAN MAKE YOU WANT TO QUIT YOUR JOB AND BECOME AN ASTRONOMER!

The Incredible Night Sky

SCRIPTURE REFERENCES

“I sing for joy at the works of your hands.” Psalm 92:4 NIV

“Lord, our Lord,
    how majestic is your name in all the earth!

You have set your glory
    in the heavens…

3 When I consider your heavens,
    the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
    which you have set in place,

4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them,
    human beings that you care for them?” Psalm 8:1,3,4 NIV

What did you think of the video? Are you ready to quit your job?

With Love, Cindy

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

realchristianwomen.blog 

¹http://earthsky.org/space/ten-things-you-may-not-know-about-stars

²Genesis 1:14 MSG

Photo Credit: Ryan Hutton, Unsplash

Christian

Be Still and Know That I Am God

Cindy Dawson

I’m a To-Do List,  planner, scheduled-day kind of person. I didn’t realize how much until recently.

It was early in the morning, about 6:00, when I let my dog, Bella, out the back door. Sunny skies, a gentle breeze, and the sweet sound of birds singing greeted me. I sat down on my little black bench to enjoy it for a minute.

I already had coffee in hand, so I drank it outside instead of hurrying into my office. Suddenly, a hummingbird darted past and paused to drink from the bright pink Hibiscus bloom peaking out from my neighbor’s balcony.

A baby bunny hopped out of the cornfield and looked around. A striking red cardinal flew to my bird feeder and looked me right in the eye. “Are you going to put any seed in this feeder or what?” he seemed to say.

A bright yellow Monarch fluttered by. It was like God had orchestrated his creation to entertain me. I couldn’t leave my seat.

After a while, this Scripture came to me, “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)

I sat peacefully, obediently, enjoying the beauty right outside my door. My brain stopped buzzing around like it was on fire.

Then, God reminded me that His plan is never what a person thinks it will be. Abraham didn’t know that Sarah would give him a son in her old age. Jacob didn’t know he would have to work twenty years for Laban before he could leave with Rachel. And Joseph could never imagined that God’s plan would land him in prison. But all these things were part of God’s plan!

If these men of God were like me, they would have been thinking that it was all their fault that things were working out so badly. But God’s will was being accomplished through ordinary, imperfect men – in spite of their flaws.

I learned something important that day. Sometimes I just need to slow down, quiet my brain, and observe God’s creation. It reminds me that He is God. And I might hear that still, small voice.

“And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; 12 and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.” 1 Kings 19:11-12

With Love, 

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

(Re-posted from July, 2018)

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

realchristianwomen.blog  

Photo by David Clode on Unsplash

Christian

Stirring Up Hope for the Forsaken

Cindy Dawson

Chris G Thelen's avatar140 Character Christian

Wednesday Walk Though the Bible, Matthew 5:1-12 & 7:28-29 (NIV)

#WednesdayWalk, an occasional exploration of what unknown people might have seen or felt when they witnessed the events in the Bible. This post is from the perspective of a person who encounters Jesus teaching the Beatitudes.

It was another hot day. The dust swirled around my sandals as I hurried along the path. Small stones crunched under my feet as I walked on the barren dirt. My mouth was dry from the heat as sweat dripped down my forehead and back. I was focused on fetching the baskets my father needed when I caught a glimpse of a large crowd on a hillside. I stopped and noticed the people were gathered around a man. “Why would so many people stand and listen to this man in heat like this?” I asked myself.

I hesitated a moment, curious as to why…

View original post 409 more words

Christian

The Power of a Smile

Cindy Dawson

Never underestimate the value of a person who can make you smile. Smiles are powerful. They evoke happiness, hope, and well-being. When you smile, you instantly feel better. A smile is a powerful thing that that can completely turn your day around.

Let me tell you about someone who always made me smile.

Mr. Galloway was an older gentleman in my church, whose job was to sit at the information desk on Sunday morning. But, he did a lot more than provide information. I didn’t know him well, but I looked forward to seeing him every Sunday.

When I entered the doors, he would look me straight in the eye, his head always crooked a little to the side, and with enthusiasm and a big smile say, “What-a ya know?”

This would always start a conversation, and even if I was running late (which I usually was), I would stay there and talk to him for a while, unable to pull myself away from all this attention.

“How’s your daughter?” he would ask with enthusiasm and genuine interest.

I would tell him about my daughter’s latest adventures. After all, who doesn’t want to talk about their kids?!

After a few minutes, I would drag myself off to where I was supposed to be. He never failed to brighten my spirits and put a smile on my face.

One Sunday morning, I came through the doors and no one was sitting at the information desk. Later, I found out that Mr. Galloway had suddenly passed away. I was shocked.

I couldn’t believe that someone so full of life, was suddenly gone. Even though I barely knew him, I cried when I found out. There is no one sitting there now. I don’t think anyone will be able take his place entirely.

What part are you in the Body of Christ? Even if you think you are only a small and insignificant part, you are necessary for the body to function properly.

The Bible says, “God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be …  Those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable” 1 Corinthians 12:18 & 22 NIV

I doubt that Mr. Galloway thought he was indispensable, but I did.

With Love, 

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This is My Journey Unscripted.

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

realchristianwomen.blog

Photo by Kyle Loftus on Unsplash

Christian

Nobody Knows Science Like God Does

Cindy Dawson

I discovered the most amazing fact reading my Bible this morning! At first, it didn’t make sense. Normally, I would just skip over it and keep reading, but today I didn’t. After rereading it several times, I searched Google.

I didn’t expect anything useful to turn up, but I gave it a try anyway. But alas, I’m putting the cart before the horse, so let’s start at the beginning. (Genesis 30, paraphrased)

Jacob worked diligently for Laban for 14 years in order to marry Rachel whom he dearly loved. For many years after that, he continued to toil for Laban with all his strength. Laban cheated Jacob many times. After twenty years, Jacob asked Laban to allow him to return to his homeland with his wives and children.

Laban pleaded with Jacob to stay because he had prospered while Jacob tended his flocks. Laban said, “Name your wages and I will pay them.”

So Jacob said, “I will go on tending your flocks if you let me remove from your flocks every speckled or spotted sheep and goat and every dark colored lamb. They will be my wages. Then we will know which are mine and which are yours.”

Laban agreed, but that same day, Laban removed all the spotted sheep and goats and dark colored lambs from his flock. He put them in the care of his sons and separated them from the herds under Jacob’s care.

That was shifty. Now how will Jacob obtain his wages? The spotted goats and sheep have all been removed from the herd.

Obviously, Laban didn’t understand genetics because animals born with a dominant trait (pure white) can still have alleles for the recessive trait, in this case spotted or speckled.

In other words, Jacob didn’t have any spotted animals, but the solid animals could still reproduce a spotted baby. This is where the phenomenon comes in!

“37 Jacob, however, took fresh-cut branches from poplar, almond and plane trees and made white stripes on them by peeling the bark and exposing the white inner wood of the branches. 38 Then he placed the peeled branches in all the watering troughs, so that they would be directly in front of the flocks when they came to drink. When the flocks were in heat and came to drink, 39 they mated in front of the branches. And they bore young that were streaked or speckled or spotted.” Genesis 30:37-39 NIV

Much like my (almost) 3-year old granddaughter, I kept asking, “Why? Why? Why would he do that?” How could the peeled branches affect the color of the offspring?

I asked Google and the answer astounded me.

Recent scientific discoveries reveal that what a parent eats can also affect their genes, and therefore will affect their offspring’s characteristics. It’s not up to genes alone, like we once thought.

For example, “a study published in August (2003) in Molecular and Cellular Biology by Dr. Waterland and Duke’s Randy Jirtle showed that in a particular strain of mice, fortifying the pregnant and nursing mother’s diet with four nutrients shifted babies’ coat color from yellow to brown.”¹

These baby mice were genetically identical, yet a change in the diet of the pregnant and nursing mothers is the reason for the color change in the offspring. Incredible!

One of the nutrients fed to the mice was vitamin B12 found in (you guessed it) almonds!

Jacob placed the almond and other branches in the water whenever the strongest animals were there. That way the strongest animals gave birth to spotted babies. In this way, Jacob grew wealthy and owned large flocks.

Bible scholars believe the book of Genesis was written by Moses between 1446 and 1406 B.C. Today, scientists are starting to understand how diet can affect the color of an animal’s offspring. That’s incredible!

With Love, 

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This is My Journey Unscripted.

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

realchristianwomen.blog 

Photo by Marguerite Rami on Unsplash

Sources:

¹Epigenetics may have many roles, BY SUE GOETNICK AMBROSE, Dallas Morning News 2 NOVEMBER 2003, Dallasnews.com

Genesis 29 and 30

Christian

You Know We’re Running a Race, Right?

Cindy Dawson

As I walked along the cornfield, it was as if the corn was alive. I watched the acres of leaves moving back and forth in the breeze and I was mesmerized. The beauty of nature often takes my thoughts to the Lord and His Word.

This particular morning I was walking Henry and Bella. I noticed how different they are. Bella meanders. She takes forever to walk to the end of the sidewalk. I’m convinced that if she actually attempted to go somewhere, she would eventually end up right where she started! (Remember this later.)

Bella
Bella, the Meanderer

Henry is another story. He runs everywhere he goes! He is one  determined pup!

It made me think about my commitment to God. How am I “running the race”?

The writer of Hebrews said, “Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us …” Hebrews 12:1

Am I meandering along like Bella, or am I running like Henry?

IMG_0481
Henry, the Runner

Paul said, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” 1 Corinthians 9:24

This verse inspires me to earnestly embrace the mission (ministry) God has given me. (To run harder than anyone else!)

Whatever God calls us to do, it will require perseverance. Let’s start running!

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

With Love, 

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This is My Journey Unscripted.

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

realchristianwomen.blog 

1st photo Naassom-Azevedo, Unsplash

Christian

It’s Just About Time – A True Story

Cindy Dawson

When my son was 6 years old, we moved from the quaint rural town of Auburn (population 1,300) to the basketball capital of the world – Lexington, Kentucky!

As a young adult, I had driven in heavy traffic in St. Louis, but apparently you can get rusty and I’ve never had a great sense of direction anyway. 

The city of Lexington, Ky has a highway design that can be confusing if you aren’t used to it (or don’t have a good sense of which way is up). It’s based on circles instead of perpendicular streets and looks like a wagon wheel (Whose idea was this?)

Whenever I drove around the main highway circle (They actually named it New Circle Road) and exited onto one of the “spokes” (other main highways), I had a tough time knowing weather to go left or right.

Considering the fact that there were at least 6 lanes to choose from on the exit, I didn’t want to mess up and head off in the wrong direction! I could be on that circle for a long time before I got back to where I wanted to go. (Are you confused yet?)

One day, clueless as to which lane I should get in, I desperately cried out to my “go-to” navigator, my very precocious 6 year old son Zack. (For reasons I don’t understand, he always knew  which way to go.)

“Zack! Which way do I go?” I cried out in panic!

I will never forget the answer I got after about the millionth time I asked him this.

“I think it’s just about time you figured this out for yourself”, he calmly replied in his sweet little southern accent.

Panicking even more since I had only nano-seconds to claim my lane, I yelled, “Just tell me!”

“That way!” he quickly responded.

Saved again!

I’m thankful my little boy could help me with directions, but I’m even more thankful that when I don’t know which way to turn in life, there is One who will always help me. God never tires of showing us the way. He is always ready to guide us and direct our path. All we need to do is ask Him.

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
    I will counsel you with my loving eye on you … the Lord’s unfailing love
    surrounds the one who trusts in him. (Psalm 32: 8 and 10)

Your word is a lamp for my feet,
    a light on my path. (Psalm 119:105)

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. James 1:5

With Love, 

Cindy

This is My Journey Unscripted.

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

realchristianwomen.blog 

Christian

A Dream Planted By God

Cindy Dawson

“When the dream in our heart is one that God has planted there, a strange happiness flowers into us. At that moment all of the spiritual resources of the universe are released to help us. Our praying is then at one with the will of God and becomes a channel for the Creator’s always joyous, triumphant purposes for us and our world.” Catherine Marshall

Did you ever stop to think about this? That you are working and praying for something that God Himself put in your heart!

This is my desire, that my prayers would be at one with the will of God, and to know that I am praying according to His will.

“Yes, be bold and strong! Banish fear and doubt! For remember, the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 TLB

What is your dream?

With Love, 

AA55AA1F-EA36-49A9-92BE-41FD67348618

This is My Journey Unscripted.

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

realchristianwomen.blog 

1st Photo by Andre Hunter on Unsplash