Tag: hope

Christian, Jews

Treasures From Job #4: Trust

Cindy Dawson

1-minute devotion for Wednesday, 1/14/26

“Believers talk about trusting the Lord with their whole heart and refusing to lean on their own understanding (Proverbs 3:5), but no one really knows what that means until circumstances cast them headfirst into a dark and painful place. If we give ourselves fully to God in those moments, we will obtain keepsakes of Him to treasure now and forever.” Pastor David Jeremiah

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
 in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

In His Love, Cindy

Would you like to learn more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?

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

All Scripture is from the NIV unless stated otherwise.

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian, Jews

Treasures From Job #3: Redeemer

Cindy Dawson

1-minute devotion for Tuesday, 1/13/26

A day is coming when God Himself will redeem (vindicate) all of our suffering.

“I know that my redeemer lives,
    and that in the end he will stand on the earth.
And after my skin has been destroyed,
    yet in my flesh I will see God;
I myself will see him
    with my own eyes—I, and not another.
    How my heart yearns within me!” Job 19:25-27

In His Love, Cindy

Would you like to learn more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?

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

All Scripture is from the NIV unless stated otherwise.

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian, Jews

Treasures From Job #2: Suffering For Reasons Unknown

Cindy Dawson

1-minute devotion for Monday, 1/12/26

Job’s story is relatable to other believers who have suffered for reasons unknown to them.

Corrie ten Boom is one example. She hid Jews during the Holocaust and saved an estimated 800 people’s lives! The Nazis caught her and imprisoned her (along with her father and sister) in Ravensbrück Concentration Camp.

Corrie ten Boom is known for using the following verse to describe her feelings after she and her family were arrested by the Nazis.

“How I long for the months gone by, for the days when God watched over me…” Job 29:2

Read Corrie’s book, The Hiding Place.

My thoughts: I have endured some painful things that I could not understand at the time, but eventually I came to understand this…

“God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 NASB

In His Love, Cindy

Would you like to learn more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?

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

All Scripture is from the NIV unless stated otherwise.

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian, Jews

Treasures From Job #1: God’s Wisdom

Cindy Dawson

2-minute devotion for Sunday, 1/11/26

Did you know that although it is famous in world literature, Job is one of the least-read books of the Bible? To me, studying the book of Job is analogous to climbing Mt. Everest. And writing about it has been just as challenging. However, I have learned a lot while reading and studying Job, and over the next few days I want to share a few of the insights that seemed especially important to me.

  1. The value of God’s wisdom is beyond our ability to comprehend.

“But where can wisdom be found?
    Where does understanding dwell?
No mortal comprehends its worth …
    
It cannot be bought with the finest gold,
    nor can its price be weighed out in silver.
It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir,
    with precious onyx or lapis lazuli.
Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it,
    nor can it be had for jewels of gold…
    it cannot be bought with pure gold.

Where then does wisdom come from?
    Where does understanding dwell?
… God understands the way to it
    and he alone knows where it dwells,
for he views the ends of the earth
    and sees everything under the heavens.
… he looked at wisdom and appraised it;
    he confirmed it and tested it.
And he said to the human race,
    “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom,
    and to shun evil is understanding.” Job 28:12-13, 15-17, 20, 24, and 28 (emphasis mine) Read full chapter

More to come!

In His Love, Cindy

Would you like to learn more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?

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

All Scripture is from the NIV unless stated otherwise.

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian, women

Choose Faith Over Fear

Cindy Dawson

After church one Wednesday night, my daughter asked me to stop by her house because she had something to tell me. I knew right then I needed to brace myself. I had no idea what she wanted to tell me, but I had a feeling it was going to be something I wouldn’t like.

She sat me down on the couch and with all seriousness she said, “God has called me to be a missionary. I’m going to Africa. My heart practically stopped.

The witness in my spirit said this was of God, but the mother in me froze in fright. She wasn’t going with an established missionary society. She was just going alone. But first, she would be stopping off in Bangladesh. (I reminded myself to breathe.)

She Face-Timed me along the way. “Hi Mom, I’m at the airport in Istanbul!” (Breathe!)

“Hi Mom, I’m in Kisumu. A man just asked Helen how many cows he would need to pay to marry me! (Breathe!)

Then, COVID-19 hit, and all flights to America from Nairobi were canceled. I didn’t know it then, but it would be six months before I would see her again. I’m sure I needed God’s strength more than she did. You’ll understand if you’re a mother.

She had never lived far from me. I thought I could always protect her and keep her from harm. Now she was on the other side of the world. I was in for the greatest spiritual battle of my life – against fear.

I made a conscious decision to trust God and not cave in to fear. I fiercely fought against fear every day, refusing to let it in for even a minute. I refused to entertain thoughts of what could happen. I knew that if I didn’t trust the Lord to bring her home safe and sound, I would never make it.

God gave me the peace that passes understanding. I know that. It wasn’t by my own strength. It was the grace of God.

“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

Clinging to the Lord and His precious promises, I wrote this poem, now a song. Listen below:

🎶 Your Love, Oh God

The Poem, My Prayer

Your love, O God,
Will hold us near.
It shields us from
our darkest fears.

In times of darkness
Where I can't see,
Your loving eye
Will watch for me.

When I can't see
What lies ahead,
I'll trust you, Lord,
And what You've said.

Your promises
Are my delight.
They guide my way.
They are my light.

With my whole heart
I trust in you.
Your loving hands
Will see us through.

Your faithful love
Forever watches
My precious child
In all Earth's places.

In Africa, playing cards with the boys before bedtime.

“God has said, ‘Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.’ So we say with confidence, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid.‘” Hebrews 13:5-6 NIV

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise—in God I trust and am not afraid.” Psalm 56:3-4 NIV

The Lord kept her safe and brought her home again. It was the experience of a lifetime – for both of us!

Maybe you’re wondering, “How? How do I trust and not give in to fear? Here are some practical steps you can take:

  • Write down the Scripture verses that strengthen your faith.
  • Read them whenever doubt starts to creep in.
  • Ask God to give you more faith to believe His promises.
  • Thank God daily for being with you (and her) every step of the way.

In His Love, Cindy

Would you like to learn more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?

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

All Scripture is from the NIV unless stated otherwise.

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

How Can I Overcome Fear?

Cindy Dawson

1-minute devotion for Friday, 1/9/26

“Surely the righteous will never be shaken;
    they will be remembered forever.
 They will have no fear of bad news;
    their hearts are steadfast, trusting in the Lord.” Psalm 112:6-7

Comments: This is one of my favorite Bible verses. It is the key to conquering fear. Don’t focus on controlling fear. Focus, instead, on trusting the Lord. How? One way is to write down all the verses that build your faith and encourage you, like the one above. Do an in-depth study on what happens when we trust God. There are hundreds of verses! Psalms is a good place to start!

In His Love, Cindy

Would you like to learn more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?

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

All Scripture is from the NIV unless stated otherwise.

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian, Jews

Are You Wondering What Will Happen?

Cindy Dawson

1-minute devotion for Thursday, 1/8/26

God said, “I make known the end from the beginning,
    from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say, ‘My purpose will stand,
    and I will do all that I please.” Isaiah 46:10

Commentary: God is in control. His Word reveals what is to come, and He intervenes to accomplish His plan. Are you wondering what has happened to our world? Read Ezekiel, Daniel, and Revelation, and you’ll be off to a great start!

In His Love, Cindy

Would you like to learn more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?

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

All Scripture is from the NIV unless stated otherwise.

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

The Power of God’s Grace in Our Weaknesses

Cindy Dawson

1-minute devotion for Monday, 1-5-25

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (emphasis mine)

Commentary: It is when we are conscious of our own weakness and nothingness that we most depend on the power of God. And it is when we are thus cast on Him in complete dependence that His power is manifested to us, and we are truly strong.

William Wilberforce, who led the fight to abolish slavery in the British Empire, was physically weak and frail, but he had deep faith in God. Boswell said of him, “I saw what seemed to me a shrimp become a whale.” Believer’s Bible Commentary

🎶 New Song: GOD’S GRACE, lyrics by Cindy

In His Love, Cindy

Would you like to learn more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?

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

All Scripture is from the NIV unless stated otherwise.

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

Would You Like To Count The Stars? You Had Better Get Started!

Cindy Dawson

By Pastor and Missionary Jim Thomson

Have you ever been overwhelmed when reading the Bible? Overwhelmed in a good way, that is.

In a glorious way.

It hasn’t been that long ago when I was reading in Psalm 147 when I paused to think about this verse:

“He determines the number of the stars; he gives to all of them their names” (Psalm 147:4).1

When I asked myself how long would it take a person to count all of the stars in the universe if he were to do so at a rate of one per second, I knew I would have to have some help. So, I asked AI. It came up with 317 trillion years. It would actually be longer than that because although a person can say “Ten” in one second, it would take much longer to say, “Three hundred million, twenty-two thousand, four hundred and thirty-six, for example. If we would want to be further astonished, we could then ask how long it would take God to name them. Certainly, that would take even longer. However, we’re asking the wrong questions. He does not dwell in this thing we call time.

I had just been absolutely overwhelmed. The Lord God Almighty is even more wondrous than I had previously thought.

I think David was of the same opinion, because in the next verse he wrote,

“Great is our Lord, and abundant in power; his understanding is beyond measure” (Psalm 147:5).

How can one say anything but “Amen” to that after reading verse four?

If we keep looking through this psalm we will find that we may get a bit dizzy as we read about the wonders of the Lord God Almighty. For example, He makes it rain and the grass grow.

“He covers the heavens with clouds; he prepares rain for the earth; he makes grass grow on the hills” (verse 8).

He makes it snow.

“He gives snow like wool; he scatters frost like ashes” (verse16).

Then He melts the snow.

“He sends out his word and melts them; he makes his wind blow and the waters flow” (verse 18).

So, not only does the Lord count the stars and name them, but He also controls the weather. Please note that He does this by speaking, which is the way He created everything which is what we read in the first chapter of Genesis.

He feeds the birds and the animals.

“He gives to the beasts their food, and to the young ravens that cry” (Psalm 147: 9).

I hadn’t previously thought much about the truth that the Lord actually gives food to all the beasts and birds. He directs them to the prey or the seeds or whatever else it is that beasts and birds eat. As I am writing this, there is a squirrel outside our sliding glass door that goes around during the day, finding the morsels he had hidden earlier in the season. I know that some will say that this rodent “has the ability” to remember where they all are. Right. A squirrel’s brain weighs about 0.21 ounces.2 I am quite sure that we, with our big brains, couldn’t remember like the squirrel does, the spots where we had stashed over the course of a few months unless we made a map at the time. But I didn’t notice that the squirrel was writing anything down. And I know that even Christians may say, “God doesn’t do that.” Well, David, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, wrote that He does.

We can end our look at Psalm 147 with the first three verses of Psalm 145.

“I will extol you, my God and King, and bless your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless you and praise your name forever and ever. Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.”

He is our great God and King. We will bless and praise His name forever and ever. Hopefully, we will bless Him every day. The LORD is great, and His greatness is unsearchable.

Yes. Unsearchable.

Amen. Bless His name.

1All Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (2016). Crossway Bibles

2https://scienceinsights.org/how-big-is-a-squirrel-brain-size-ratio-and-function/

Gif courtesy Tumblr.

………

I found this post by pastor and missionary Jim Thomson so intriguing that I had to share it with you! You can find his blog HERE

In His Love, Cindy

Would you like to learn more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?

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

All Scripture is from the NIV unless stated otherwise.

RealChristianWomen.blog

Christian

Trusting God’s Plan

Cindy Dawson

Quote of the Week for 12/31/25

“When you follow God’s will for your life, you can see how yesterday’s events prepared you for today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities.”

pastor David Jeremiah

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28 NASB

In His Love, Cindy

Would you like to learn more about Jesus? See my page Who Is Jesus?

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

All Scripture is from the NIV unless stated otherwise.

RealChristianWomen.blog