Tag: trials

Christian

Under the Quilt

Cindy Dawson

The following is one of the most touching posts I’ve read in a long time. It will bless you! Love, Cindy

Under the Quilt, by Patty, He Said What?!

I heard Aaron’s first seizure at 12:38 this morning.  The second was at 2:37.  As I often say, Aaron would appreciate that I am using the precise time. 

Not long after 4:00 I heard him rustling.  It wasn’t a seizure.  I listened and knew that he was out of bed.  He went to the bathroom and then back to his room.  I heard his door close. 

I got up and went to his room, fairly sure of what I would find.  He had changed his pajamas and was getting ready to climb back into bed. Read the rest of the story here.

With Love, Cindy

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

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Christian

Verses for Meditation, 8/11/22

Cindy Dawson

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,  because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4 NIV Read full chapter

Persevere: to persist in anything undertaken; maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement (Dictionary.com)

With Love, Cindy

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

Photo by Jerry Zhang on Unsplash

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Christian, women

Sunday’s Memory Verse, 7/17/22

Cindy Dawson

“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12 NIV Read full chapter

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

When God Feels Far Away

Cindy Dawson

If I’m going to call my blog “REAL Christian Women”, I’m going to have to get real, right?

So I’m going to tell you about a time, not too long ago, when God felt far away. It seemed like my faith was losing steam, and my zeal and enthusiasm for God were draining away. Have you ever felt like that?

Satan was putting discouraging thoughts in my mind. I kept hearing this: “Who do you think you are?”

I couldn’t feel God. I didn’t feel like praying. I didn’t even feel like going to church. I didn’t feel like reading my Bible. I just wanted to watch TV, play games on my ipad, and eat junk food.

But instead, I did pray (although without emotion). I did go to church. I did read my Bible. And I continued to write my blog. I went through the motions; all the while Satan whispered lies in my ear. (Who do you think you are? You can’t write a Christian blog!) At the time, I was ashamed because I thought they were my thoughts!

But Jesus said, “When (Satan) lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44.

Satan is also called “the accuser”.

Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: “Now have come the salvation and the power
    and the kingdom of our God,
    and the authority of his Messiah.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters,
    who accuses them before our God day and night,
    has been hurled down.” Revelation 12:10 NIV (emphasis mine)

But then God . . .

Then, one Sunday morning in church, we sang, Jesus Draw Me Nearer by Keith Getty. As I sang the words, I knew God was explaining things to me.

May this journey bring a blessing,
May I rise on wings of faith;
And at the end of my heart’s testing,
With Your likeness let me wake.

God was testing my heart! I realized that God was making me stronger. If I lost all emotion, all feeling and joy, would I still pray? Would I still read His Word? Would I still serve Him?

Yes, Lord. I will. Let me pass the test. Make my heart pure. Make me strong.

Did God let Satan test me? I think He did. Once I realized that I was in a test, I became stronger because I knew those thoughts of doubt were lies from Satan. I knew God wanted to make me stronger.

So the next time God seems far away or something happens that you don’t understand – maybe you’re taking the same test. Maybe God is making you stronger!

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,  because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4 NIV

Persevere: to maintain a purpose in spite of difficulty, obstacles, or discouragement; continue steadfastly (Dictionary.com)

“The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart.” Proverbs 17:3 NIV

I am thankful for my church and my pastors, especially my Minister of Music, Ricky Clark, who always seems to be leading us in a song that is straight from the heart of God.

With Love, Cindy

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

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Christian

Quote of the Week, 4/27/22

Cindy Dawson

Friendship is one of the sweetest joys of life. Many might have failed beneath the bitterness of their trial had they not found a friend.”

Charles H. Spurgeon

With Love, Cindy

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

Photo by Omar Lopez on Unsplash

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Christian, women

Friday’s Verse, 10/8/21

Cindy Dawson

“Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.” James 1:12 NIV Read full chapter

With Love, Cindy

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

realchristianwomen.blog  

Christian

When God Feels Far Away

Cindy Dawson

I want to tell you about a time, not long ago, when I felt like God was far away.

I felt like my faith was losing steam and my zeal and enthusiasm for God were draining away.

Satan was putting doubts in my mind. I kept hearing this: “Who do you think you are?”

I couldn’t feel God. I didn’t feel like praying. I didn’t even feel like going to church. I didn’t feel like reading my Bible. I just wanted to watch TV, play games on my ipad, and eat junk food.

But instead, I did pray (although without emotion). I did go to church. I did read my Bible. And I continued to write my blog. I went through the motions; all the while Satan whispered lies in my ear. (Who do you think you are? You can’t write a Christian blog!) At the time, I was ashamed because I thought they were my thoughts!

But Jesus said, “When (Satan) lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44. Satan is also called the accuser of the brethren. (See Revelation 12:10)

But then God . . .

Then, in church, we sang, Jesus Draw Me Nearer by Keith Getty. As I sang the words, I knew God was explaining things to me.

May this journey bring a blessing,
May I rise on wings of faith;
And at the end of my heart’s testing,
With Your likeness let me wake.

God was testing my heart! I realized that God was making me stronger. If I lost all emotion, all feeling and joy, would I still pray? Would I still read His Word? Would I still serve Him?

Yes, Lord. I will. Let me pass the test. Make my heart pure. Make me strong.

Did God let Satan test me? I think He did. Once I realized that I was in a test, I became strong because I knew those thoughts of doubt were lies from Satan. I knew God wanted to make me stronger.

So the next time God seems far away or something happens that you don’t understand – maybe you’re taking the same test. Maybe God is making you stronger!

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,  because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4 NIV

“The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart.” Proverbs 17:3 NIV

I am thankful for my church and my pastors, especially my Minister of Music, Ricky Clark, who always seems to be leading us in a song that is straight from the heart of God.

With Love, Cindy

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

realchristianwomen.blog  

Christian

Tuesday’s Verse, 3/23/21

Cindy Dawson

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. 4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. 5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” Romans 3:3-5 NLT

With Love, Cindy

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

Photo by Quan Nguyen on Unsplash

realchristianwomen.blog  

Christian

When God Feels Far Away

Cindy Dawson

I want to tell you about a time, not long ago, when I felt like God was far away.

I felt like my faith was losing steam and my zeal and enthusiasm for God were draining away.

Satan was putting doubts in my mind. I kept hearing this: “Who do you think you are?”

I couldn’t feel God. I didn’t feel like praying. I didn’t even feel like going to church. I didn’t feel like reading my Bible. I just wanted to watch TV, play games on my ipad, and eat junk food.

But instead, I did pray (although without emotion). I did go to church. I did read my Bible. And I continued to write my blog. I went through the motions; all the while Satan whispered lies in my ear. (Who do you think you are? You can’t write a Christian blog!) At the time, I was ashamed because I thought they were my thoughts!

But Jesus said, “When (Satan) lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44. Satan is also called the accuser of the brethren. (See Revelation 12:10)

But then God . . .

Then, in church, we sang, Jesus Draw Me Nearer by Keith Getty. As I sang the words, I knew God was explaining things to me.

May this journey bring a blessing,
May I rise on wings of faith;
And at the end of my heart’s testing,
With Your likeness let me wake.

God was testing my heart! I realized that God was making me stronger. If I lost all emotion, all feeling and joy, would I still pray? Would I still read His Word? Would I still serve Him?

Yes, Lord. I will. Let me pass the test. Make my heart pure. Make me strong.

Did God let Satan test me? I think He did. Once I realized that I was in a test, I became strong because I knew those thoughts of doubt were lies from Satan. I knew God wanted to make me stronger.

So the next time God seems far away or something happens that you don’t understand – maybe you’re taking the same test. Maybe God is making you stronger!

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,  because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:2-4 NIV

“The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the Lord tests the heart.” Proverbs 17:3 NIV

I am thankful for my church and my pastors, especially my Minister of Music, Ricky Clark, who always seems to be leading us in a song that is straight from the heart of God.

With Love, Cindy

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

realchristianwomen.blog  

Christian

Life Is Not All Fun

Cindy Dawson

Somehow our expectation is that we should have no problems and life should always be smooth sailing. But life is not all fun.

Have you ever felt like you were at the end of your rope? Stressed out, tired, irritable?

I ‘ve been under a great deal of stress over the last year, and especially over the last 3 months. It’s as though the devil has thrown everything he’s got at me.

I have to wonder, “WHY?” Is my Heavenly Father disciplining me as a father disciplines his child? Has Satan outwitted me in some way? Is God pruning the branches?

If God is teaching me, what am I supposed to learn from this? As I always do, I looked for answers in God’s Word. Here’s what I found.

What Does God Say About Trials?

They make us strong, able to endure whatever comes our way.

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,  for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.  And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4 ESV

Steadfast: dependable, unwavering, implies a sureness and continuousness that may be depended upon.

After we are afflicted, we can be used by God to comfort others.

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 ESV

Suffering builds Godly character.

“More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” Romans 5:3-4 

God Is With Us

The other day, Jen Life Beyond #Blessed commented on my re-post from May 5, Ruffled Feathers and Unanswered Prayers by Mitch Teemley. She said, “I, too, often focus on Philippians 4 and praying as Paul instructs. One thing I’ve found particularly helpful is going back to verse 5. Our very ability to be anxious for nothing is grounded in God’s nearness. Focusing on the gift of His presence in any and every circumstance sometimes makes all the difference.” 

When I read Jen’s comment, I knew what God was teaching me. I am supposed to remember that He is always with me, in everything – He is with me! Simple, yet profound, and for me at least, sometimes easy to forget.

When we’re at the end of our rope, do we stop and think, the Lord is with me? From now on, when I’m stressed out, frustrated, or afraid, I will remember that God Himself taught me that I am never alone. He is with me.

“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,  nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38-39 ESV

“If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me.” Psalm 139:10 ESV

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” Psalm 23: ESV

Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” John 14:23 ESV

And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” John 14:16-17 ESV

5 Let all men know and perceive and recognize your unselfishness (your considerateness, your forbearing spirit). The Lord is near [He is coming soon]. 6 Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:4-7 AMPC

Lord, May your nearness be my greatest treasure.

With Love,

Cindy

This Is My Journey Unscripted.

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

P.S. This post first appeared in May, 2019, but seems more appropriate now than ever.

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