Resources for “In the Shadow of the Cross” including Scripture reading plan, book sample, prayer challenge, and worship playlist

If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed, take a few moments to read through these 10 Scriptures and allow God to speak to your heart.

In all of the busyness and hurry, we can get overwhelmed with the ‘doing’ and forget about just ‘being’.

How can we slow our pace and become more intentional and focused on the birth of Jesus—Immanuel, God with us—the newborn King?

Jehovah Jireh occurs only once in the Bible. We see it in the story of Abraham as he embarks up a mountainside in obedience to God to sacrifice his son, Issac

El Shaddai is the name God uses to identify Himself to Abram as All-Sufficient One, Lord God Almighty

Rapha (râphâʼ) is a verb meaning to heal, make healthful, sew together or mend, cure.

El Roi is found in only one place in the Old Testament. In Genesis 16, Hagar has run away from Sarai’s harsh treatment after she becomes pregnant by Abram. As Hagar runs through the wilderness, the angel of the LORD finds her beside a spring and begins to speak God’s promises for the child to…

In the title “LORD, Most High” the Hebrew words for Elohim and Yahweh are used. Scripture refers to El Elyon as The LORD Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.

Adonai is used by many throughout Scripture to show reverence to God and acknowledges the nature of their relationship where they are willingly a servant to the Lord and recipient of God’s provision for protection, guidance, and care for His people. 

I AM is the way God chose to reveal himself to Moses and, therefore, to the children of Israel. Before this, God’s people had referred to Him as Elohim. But Elohim is more of a characteristic of God and not a name. So now, here we have God revealing His personal name. 

The name Yahweh is considered so sacred, Hebrew scholars refused to speak or write it. Instead, they would often only write the consonants for Yahweh, as YHWH, and use the word Adonai, meaning Lord, when speaking. 

Elohim is the first name given to God in the Bible. In Genesis 1, before any mention of creation, God reveals Himself as Elohim: Eternal Creator.  

A two-time widow, forgiven and used to establish the lineage of Jesus.

Rahab trusted the stories she heard about Him, which fueled her courage, and that courage saved her and her family, as she placed her faith in an unseen God.

Mary Magdalene was set free from her past and accepted by Christ. She became a devoted disciple serving Jesus during His ministry.

Women in the Word Series: Eve
Eve was the first woman, first wife, and first mother in history. She was a trailblazer, but it wasn’t always easy. Here is her story.

We each have a God-given personality. Do you struggle with your personality? Are you wondering how in the world God could use someone like you? If sarcasm was a girl, we would be best friends.  The kind where you run wild and get into more trouble than you care to think about.  And my sarcastic…

Everyone has a story to tell. When we share God’s goodness and faithfulness in our messy issues, others find strength to believe.

The great commission is an invitation to be a partner in ministry, not just with other believers, but with Jesus Himself. It is a Co-Mission in partnership with the Holy Spirit to share the gospel message in our little corner of the world.

There I stood in the kitchen asking myself, “Why on earth do I pray?” The reason became so numerous, I put pen to paper to make a list.

“Does it matter if we pray?” That kind of question will silence you for a bit, especially if your prayers feel unanswered.

You may not think of yourself as an influencer, but your people have a front row seat to the beautiful work of Jesus in your life

Encouraging and serving others is challenging while navigating through hard times. Here are 4 reasons to keep sharing Jesus, especially when the world feels upside down.

Here are 5 verses you can pray when life is hard

I believe there is the same longing for something more planted deep within each of us, knowing this isn’t our home.

How to compare Bible versions and types to help decide which Bible is right for you.

Whether you are a brand new christian or just find yourself looking for a new Bible, this guide will help you find the right Bible for you.

There they sit, in silence and grief. Their friend is gone. They feel the loss. The emptiness. The heaviness of the…previous day.

And the one person who can make it all better…Gone.

There is silence…just a gaping hole in their heart – and deafening silence…

Grief isn’t a one time event. Yes, it hangs on tight in the early days, but slowly loosens it grip over time, while never truly letting go. Over the years something will trigger its grip to tighten and the tears flow again.

As Christ lives in us and guides us to serve others, we must be healthy in all facets of our lives – spiritually, physically, emotionally, mentally, and yes, even financially – ready in whatever way He calls us to serve.

If we allow Jesus to fill the insecurity we feel over the perceived shortcomings of our home, we can throw open wide the doors, invite others in, and let Jesus use our home as a vessel to love others.

Just like I had done with all the clutter in my home, I had taken emotional junk – hurts, struggles, doubts, and fears – and crammed it into hiding places within my heart and closed it off so others wouldn’t see my messy struggles. Here’s the hard truth: when I shut the door to…

We can spend too much time and energy doing some very good things, but if it is not what God has called us to, we are not being obedient.

It was my focus on Jesus that kept me from lashing out and doing even more damage in the wake of the hurt and betrayal I felt.

As Christ’s followers, it is our job to diligently protect others. It’s what love does. There are times when protecting someone is easy, but then there are times when protecting another stretches us.

When we fail to love as God does, we create controversy, but when we let His love shine through us, we promote peace, we bring a little of our hoped-for heaven to earth.

We must come to know AND believe the love that God has for us and we must trust the goodness of His love.

For 2018 we are ADDING to our ONE WORD from last year.

Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the LORD, our Maker! Psalm 95:6 ESV by Stephanie K Adams It seems each year the holiday season begins earlier than the year before and it gets more stressful as the demands to pull off a Pinterest-perfect event of epic portions weighs heavily on the…

Feeding and nurturing our spirit is the foundation to overall health. And true refreshing comes from time spent alone – with God.

We cannot continue at a frantic pace without stopping to take time to refill and refuel.

  by Gwen Williams Contributing Writer Intentional prayer and listening prayer can happen successfully when you practice embracing the gift of quiet time. We know that Jesus went up into the mountains away from the people in order to hear the voice of God. We also know that if we rush around and pack our…

God longs to fellowship with us and He wants to be an important part of our every day. Being intentional in our conversations with Him, not only gives Him joy, but gives us so much more.

We can stop robbing God. Don’t believe me? Then test God’s generosity and start giving. Start small and watch how He provides

We can find strength and wisdom to survive and even thrive by focusing on Who God is and the many promises He has given to us

Jesus humbled Himself in front of each one of the disciples knowing they would scatter and abandon Him during His last hours. He bowed Himself low, took on the role of a servant and loved them to the end.

Admittedly, it is hard to trust God with our future. We know He has good plans for us (Jeremiah 29:11), but when times get tough our hearts can struggle to hold on to faith.

Thanksgiving: What our thoughts focus on impacts our perspective, our feelings, and our responses to everything we encounter

We can walk into a new morning with the comfort in knowing that God has wiped the slate clean

Our ‘thank you’ will never fill the void, but maybe it will reach beyond the silence and let them know we see their sacrifice.

On this particular day when I reacted to my son’s meltdown by barking orders at him and demanding he pull himself together I expected shame and regret to be ushered in, but as I sat quietly before the Lord I felt Him ministering to my soul.

Be kind to people in the way Jesus showed kindness

Words are unnecessary – God hears your heart

Baby Grace was born just a couple of weeks after I wept on my bathroom floor as I realized the heartbreaking truth I had exchanged for lies.

I am not naturally gifted at “mom-ing”. I come with a heap of baggage & insecurities. As I lived broken, God’s undeserving grace broke me again.

A gloriously diverse and beautiful group of women sharing their unique gifts and talents, compliment and contrast each other in a way that brings beauty to the group as a whole

We were simply created to serve specific people or situations wherever God plants us in order to spread the seeds of faith

  BLOOM – Where He Plants You by Liz Giertz, Contributing Writer I recently planted what I thought were Impatiens in some pots on my front porch. I grew up with these flowers around my house and knew they would bloom in shady areas. But as I was freeing the last seedling from it’s carrier…

Pruning things from our lives ensures we have the energy to accomplish God’s calling

Seasons of Rest serve a great purpose. It us the opportunity to replenish our strength through the Word and prayer

God has prepared good works for each of us to walk in but only He knows when the time is right.

Let’s nourish our souls with the Word of God, and grow our faith so we can BLOOM and become the masterpiece God created us to be!

It’s time we shed the ‘mean girl’ mentality and become real women developing relationships based on encouragement, accountability to God’s word, and love for each other.

Has God planted a dream in your heart?
A deep-seeded desire that you just can’t seem to shake.
Have you been waiting for what feels like an eternity for your desire to take root? For sprouts to emerge proving progress? For it to finally bear fruit?

For many of us the hidden scars of life pierce our heart leaving it to either harden or heal, but either way they will change us.

When we compare ourselves to others, we are taking our eyes off of God and putting them on man. Let’s stop comparing ourselves to others. Let us have a complete and biblical understanding of our value in Christ.

Through Kara’s own words, you will experience joy through the small moments of life as she shares how to live fully, love big, and die well. And, you will discover Jesus in mundane moments of a life lived beautifully.

Grace. Overflowing.

A sinner, undeserving of Christ’s love. Yet, His Grace overflows, spilling into every hidden, shameful corner of the soul. Bringing Faith and Love to the unloveable, unbelieving, and broken.

Grace. Overflowing. For Me.

I re-read the letter. It has become a ritual. A letter penned through the cries of praise.  Every year, at the same time – February – the date of my cancer diagnosis. I re-read the letter to remember. Remember the miracle God did through a battle for my life, and my soul.  I take just a moment…

There are certain life moments etched within us which require us to glance back through time and remember. To be reminded how far we have traveled through the struggles and trials with God faithfully by our side.

I want my sons to be a part of a forgiving generation; to search after God with all their heart, soul, and mind. If they can learn how to forgive as children, it will be easier forgiving as adults.

Most of us don’t think about making a plan for our spiritual growth, but just as we would make a workout plan, a healthy meal plan, or a to-do list of projects to complete, we should also make a strategy for our spiritual health.

To celebrate today’s release of her new Bible Study, “I Know His Name, I’d love to share with you A Conversation with Wendy Blight about her passion for Bible Study.

Without prayer, we will never get to know the promise-keeping side of God. In order to know our Promise-Keeper, we’ve got to interact with Him. Pray to Him. And more than just pray, pray His promises … His Word … back to Him.

5 Suggestions to Get You Started in Bible Study

My friend, Wendy Blight, is releasing a new Bible Study, I Know His Name: Discovering Power in the Names of God. Wendy teaches how the very names of God reveal His character and heart. I’d love to share with you part one of “A Conversation with Wendy Blight” about Writing Books and Bible Studies

Whether you are new to studying the Bible or have been reading it for years, here are 4 ways to prepare before you start.

Now more than ever Christians must know what the Word of God says. We won’t learn what He says through browsing social media and letting someone else do our Bible studying for us, regurgitating their version of the Word (and, yes, that even includes this blog and all of the writers here at Real…

Although our struggles in America, as real and as important as they are, can in no way compare to the suffering of Christians around the world, all of us can find comfort in the Word of God given through Peter in this letter.

God is worthy of our worship because He is our LIVING HOPE – alive and actively participating in bringing help into desperate situations.

God could have given up on us, turned His back and walked away. But instead He gave; gave all He had to give. He risked it all on the Cross in the hope that one day we would say “Yes” to Him.

Each day is unique, with it’s own rare challenges, and He gives us the portion we need for our assigned undertaking for each specific day.

God is the same today as He has always been. His promises do not change. If His Word has promised something, then it is still a promise to day.

Continually dwelling in His Word and presence will help us prevent being depleted and working in our own strength.

Gathering a community of women to seek God and His Word

New year, New Look, New Opportunities for Bible Study

Hope—God’s greatest gift—came to us wrapped in a simple baby blanket, full of joy, life, and love.

The loss of a parent, grandparent, spouse, sibling, niece or nephew, in-law, friend or child creates a hole begging to be filled and a seat at the table that remains empty.

What do you say on that day when hearts are broken and feelings are frayed? I learned three things that matter.

My family had no way of knowing or understanding the raging disconnect inside my heart. I wanted so badly to fit in, to find a place that acknowledged my differences, and still welcomed me in.

She would have been fifteen.

For some reason I just assume that I only make girls.

She would have been fifteen.

For some reason I just assume that I only make girls. Being a self-professed girly girl, I soak in all the sugar and spice. Fairy tales and make believe, chasing after dreams like clouds thinking if…

It’s so easy to be consumed by the demands this world urges me to grab on to relating to this blessed season, which has been hijacked by the compulsion to prove something; that I’ve hosted the best parties, prepared the yummiest food, purchased the greatest gifts, strung up the most beautiful decorations, found the ugliest…

Centuries of believers of all ages, languages, cultures, economic groups, and more have been united in a common hope that binds us all together.

I am not responsible for holding my life together.

“We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” Hebrews 6:19

Allowing ourselves to be broken in front of others brings forth a twofold gift.

Afraid to hope in the promise that God has a plan and a future for you? Struggling with relationships in your life? Sin, pain, and hurt familiar companions? Life can be different.

Something beautiful happens when we are 100% empty….and we allow God to take over.

What a wonderful gift God has given us in hope!

A strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls, to hold us firmly in place even in the midst of life’s storms.

the next time your find your hope broken or disappointed, remember to tap into the one who is eternal hope. The only one who will never disappoint. The only one who can meet all your needs – Jesus.

Our hope can stand on the fact that He sends His word out and it does not return void, it accomplishes what it set out to do.

Hope makes people wonder. Wonder about you. Wonder about your situation. Wonder why you are they way you are. Wonder about your hope.

That night was probably anything but silent, because pain cries out. Suffering is rarely silent.