Simply Blessed E-Book

Kim Chaffin

• Herausgeber: BroadStreet Publishing Group, LLC
• Kategorie: Religion und Spiritualität
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018

Seitenzahl: 173

Beschreibung

Enjoy each day with God Why study the Bible? Who are the patriarchs? Am I really saved? Is there a special way to pray? New believers have many questions. But even the most experienced believers can overcomplicate life and fill the day with more busyness than meaning. Often the little things of life show us the true character of God. In Him we can find joy and blessing if we are willing to look. Simply Blessed contains thirty-one heartfelt devotional stories for the woman seeking to know God for who He is: a loving God who longs to have a relationship with her. Kim focuses on the foundation of a woman's faith, tackling issues she faces on a daily basis and providing joyful and practical lessons for a woman's heart. Discover a God of relationship not religion. He is never too busy. In the humorous, frustrating, and mundane parts of life, God is pouring out His love on you.

Leseprobe

BroadStreet Publishing Group, LLC

Racine, Wisconsin, USA

BroadStreetPublishing.com

Simply Blessed: Finding Joy in the Little Things

Copyright © 2018 Kim Chaffin

ISBN 978-1-4245-5602-1 (softcover)

ISBN 978-1-4245-5603-8 (e-book)

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Unless noted otherwise, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB). Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. www.Lockman.org. Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked ESV are taken from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Scripture marked KJV is taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

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Printed in the United States of America

18 19 20 21 22 5 4 3 2 1

To my daughter, Hanna.

She is the strongest person I know because

she has found her strength in her weakness.

“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 12:10)

I would like to acknowledge Barb Hollace

for her prayers, wisdom, and editing.

This book could not have been written without her.

She is to me like Aaron was to Moses.

CONTENTS

GETTING STARTED

1

Finding God in the Mundane

REDEEMED

2

Off-Road Driving

3

Rags to Riches

4

You Are More Than the Choices You Make

5

God Loves Even Pigpen

6

God Is the Gardener of Our Hearts

7

Profitable Living

8

Gossip Is Like a Drain

9

In God’s Eyes, I Am …

WHERE THE HEALING BEGINS

10

Check Your Burdens at the Cross

11

Clean Out the Cushions

12

Failure to Thrive

13

Shhh … Daddy Is Here

14

God Is Like an All-You-Can-Eat Buffet

15

You Can’t Control Everything

16

From Zero to Irrational in Less Than Three Seconds

17

Fear Is Not from God

18

The Blessing Box

STANDING FIRM

19

What Are You Plugged Into?

20

Foggles

21

Cottonwood Christianity

22

He Is the God of Constant Opposites

23

Don’t Bite into the Apple

24

Never Leave Wiggle Room for Doubt

25

Let No Ivy Take Root

26

You Can’t Be in Two Places at Once

27

Take Your Battle Stance

IT’S MORE THAN A BUILDING

28

Why Church?

29

You Can’t Build a House Without Nails

30

What’s Really Behind Your Smile?

31

Let Go of the Offense

Epilogue

About the Author

GETTING STARTED

God does not call the qualified; he qualifies the called. For me, writing a book is the perfect example of this. Spelling and proper grammar are not my strong suits. I once wrote a phone message to my dad from a man who wanted a quote on some “rough castings,” and I wrote “ruff castings.” My dad called me into his office and began barking like a dog when he saw the way I had spelled “rough.”

Even with the “ruff” beginning, I was excited about the joy I found in writing. Now what was I to do with it? God often gives me great ideas while I’m in the shower. One day in the shower, as I prayed for clarity about what to do with my writing, I felt him speaking to my heart to write a blog. He dropped the name of it into my head and my heart as I washed the shampoo out of my hair: Heartfelt Ramblings of a Midlife Domestic Goddess. I laughed out loud!

“Domestic goddess” is what I called myself for years because I thought it sounded more exciting than “stay-at-home mom,” “homemaker,” or “taxicab driver.” And it was much more professional when I cleaned spit-up off my shirt, picked a horse hoof out of the dryer (courtesy of my daughter), and cleaned up a rotting cow’s head my dogs had dragged into the driveway from a nearby field. My husband laughed so hard when I called him and said, “Can you tell me where in the Domestic Goddess Handbook it says, ‘Cow’s head cleanup’?” Despite the repulsiveness of those chores, it was in those moments that I learned to laugh and give thanks to God, because in him we can find joy in all things.

My heartfelt ramblings within the pages of Simply Blessed are not deep theology, and I have a few reasons that I wrote the book the way I did. When I was a new believer, I was filled with so many questions. Sitting in my first Bible study, I remember feeling overwhelmed by the fact that everyone else seemed to know who the patriarchs were, while I was not even sure if I was really saved or if there was some special way I should be praying. I learned so much from Beth Moore’s beautifully written The Patriarchs, but I still walked away wishing there was a book that covered the basics, the nuts and bolts, to help me understand. I felt like a kid who was pushed into the deep end of the pool with those who already knew how to swim. As they enjoyed their time in the water, I was frantically dog-paddling, trying to keep up. I needed a foundation I could set my feet on.

In this thirty-one-day collection of short devotional stories that go back to the nuts and bolts of Christianity, I hope you see God for who he is: God. He is not a religion like the one we have made him into. He is the God of relationship. He is comfortable, like your favorite Saturday sweatpants.

The second reason I wrote this book the way I did is because even the most expert swimmer can use a refresher course from time to time. There is something about being in the presence of a new believer that renews you. To see the newfound joy in them is exhilarating. This thirty-one-day jaunt with God is meant to bring the most seasoned believer back to the shallow end of the pool for a bit and give someone who is just coming to know God a firm foundation to stand on.

Please do not rush through this book. Take one day at a time and complete the simple “Pray It,” “Do It,” “Write It,” “Think About It,” or similarly named tasks at the end of each day. You will also find a journal page at the end of each day for any other thoughts you want to write down. Feel free to use it in addition to the journal/notepad I ask you to buy in the following pages. If you miss a day because life gets crazy, don’t try to cram in two days. Just pick up where you left off and keep moving forward. Enjoy your journey with God!

Day 1

Finding God in the Mundane

We can easily get so wrapped up in religion that we forget to look for God in everything, even the little things. Often, it is the littlest things that show us the true character of God. In the everyday moments (as well as in times of heartache), I think we can find joy if we are willing to look for it. God is never too busy for us. In the funny, painful, and even mundane moments, he is waiting to pour out his love and forgiveness on each of us.

For years, I believed there was a God—but I lived under the misconception that he was this unapproachable, almighty, and powerful heavenly being that you prayed to only if something was wrong. I treated him like he was the all-powerful Wizard of Oz, and I laid my requests before him with the same uneasiness Dorothy felt before the wizard.

When my son was in kindergarten, I knew something needed to change in my life. It was as if something was missing. I found myself thinking a lot about God. I started feeling that maybe he was what was missing from my life.

One particular Friday afternoon, I had to make a parenting decision and stick to it. I told my son that if he did not stop misbehaving, he would not get to go to the lake for the weekend with the rest of the family. He was warned that the two of us would stay home. My son was five years old and did not think I would really do that. He was wrong.

That weekend, while we were home alone, God continued to convict me about going to church. He put a particular little church on my mind and reminded me that several years ago, I had met a woman who attended there. I checked the service time and on Sunday, my son and I went to church. Much to my surprise, the woman God had reminded me of still went there. That Sunday morning, as the pastor gave his sermon, my heart began to feel so much love. There was an altar call, and I went forward and told God I needed him in my life.

That day, in that little church, God changed me. That was the moment I let go of my Wizard of Oz misconception and God began to show me he wanted to be involved in all parts of my life. I began to see him in even the most mundane things.

God is with us in everything, even our daily tasks—the everyday, often boring or trivial things of life that we take for granted. For example, I saw God in my pile of ironing one day. Okay, not literally, but figuratively.

As I stood at the ironing board with a huge pile of my husband’s button-downs and a sour attitude, God showed me how blessed I was to have a husband. Not only did I have a husband, but I had a husband who had a job that allowed me to stay home and take care of our family. In that pile of ironing, something so little in the scheme of life, I found happiness. All of a sudden, what felt like a bothersome job became a joy to me, and I prayed for my husband as I ironed that pile of shirts. God is with us in everything, even the mundane things of life. Look around you—he is there.

Pray It

Today, say a prayer asking God to guide you as you do this study. If you are not sure how to pray, I will get you started and you can finish in your own words:

Dear Lord, please help me find joy in all things. I want to know you better, Lord.

Do It

Think about your normal day. What is going to be the best time for you to read this book without interruption? Make a game plan and do your best to stick with it. I know life happens, so be intentional about taking each day to seek God.

If you don’t have a Bible, please go to your local Christian bookstore and get one. I love the NIV translation, but there are so many good translations to choose from. Don’t be afraid to ask for help at the store when picking out your Bible.

Grab a notebook or a journal while you are out today or tomorrow. It doesn’t need to be fancy. A spiral notebook will work just fine.

Blessings

You are on your way to a new habit, a new place with God. Look for him today. He is there in the little things: the spilled milk, the dirty laundry, the sound of silence. From the most mundane things to the most painful things, you can find unexpected joy if you take the time to look for it. I’m looking forward to joining you tomorrow.

REDEEMED

In Christ, we are made new. We are clothed in his righteousness (Isaiah 61:10); the sin-stained rags from our past are gone. The enemy (satan) wants nothing more than to trip us up with lies, which cause us to stumble. If we believe the lie that we are not worthy of God’s love and compassion, we may pursue things that are not in our best interest.

The readings in this section give us a glimpse of how we can overcome any obstacle with God. The short lessons will give you hope and remind you how much God loves you while showing you that God has much better things planned for you than what the world offers. I pray that after reading these short lessons, you will have the courage to tell the enemy to take a hike when he comes knocking at your door.

Day 2

Off-Road Driving

We dipped our toes in the water yesterday, and today we’re going to get all the way into the proverbial pool I talked about in my introduction. God has some awesome things for us, so what are you waiting for? Jump in, the water is perfect.

I live in the Pacific Northwest, and it is common to see big trucks or Jeeps covered in mud from a day of off-road driving. Much of the area where I live has not been touched by the development of homes or strip malls, so it’s the perfect place to have some fun.

One day I saw a Jeep with the doors off. The driver as well as the Jeep was covered with mud. My daughter and I both had a good laugh when we saw him. What a joy it must be to play in the mud, to have the freedom to just get dirty, laugh, and enjoy the thrill of the ride.

A short time after seeing that Jeep, my husband and I took his truck into the mountains of Idaho for a hike to Hunt Lake. In order to get to the trailhead, we had to take a logging road up the mountain. I was thankful that my husband was behind the wheel, because I was in a bit of a panic about how narrow the road was and how steep the drop-off was at times. (When it comes to panic, I am an expert.)

On those rough logging roads, the Forest Service makes “kelly humps,” which are drainage ditches big enough to swallow a little car. At one point during our ride, we hit a bump that bounced my husband so hard, he hit the ignition with his leg and turned the truck off. At first we didn’t realize what had happened. I had the “What now?” feeling in my stomach. We were in the mountains with no cell service and a broken-down truck. We had a good laugh once we figured out what had happened.

We didn’t find any mud pits that day, but the truck was dirty and I had one of the best days ever with my husband as we drove over a few trees and through the kelly humps.

There is a different kind of off-road driving that seems exhilarating at first—but the excitement doesn’t last long. We go off-road driving when we let sin take hold of the wheel and we just roll with it. Eventually, sin takes us right down into the biggest kelly humps ever. We are stuck in a giant pit, and it seems like there is no way to get out.

Unlike the mud that flies from the tires of the trucks and Jeeps that go off-road driving, it is shame, a feeling of unworthiness and helplessness, that is kicked up when we let sin drive us off the road. Temptation grabs the wheel and pushes us out of the driver’s seat, and we find ourselves broken, covered in the dirtiness of our sin, lost, and alone. You can bet that the sin that drove us there is not going to help us out of the kelly hump. As a matter of fact, it is going to stand there and kick dirt on us, laughing like the bully on the playground. If we look back, it is often clear to us where we took a wrong turn and went off the road we were supposed to stay on. When that happens, it is time to ask God to take the wheel. Only God can get us out of the mud pit of sin and shame.

Think of God as a powerful car wash. Let him wash you clean: “Generous in love—God, give grace! Huge in mercy—wipe out my bad record. Scrub away my guilt, soak out my sins in your laundry” (Psalm 51:1–2 MSG).”

When we leave a car wash, we leave the dirt and grime behind. We can do the same with our mistakes and poor choices when we bring them to God. The road is going to be bumpy from time to time, but with God in the driver’s seat, you’ll always stay on the right road. Someday, I hope to get real dirty when mud flies from the wheels of my Jeep as I am safely buckled in—but in my day-to-day life, I’ll keep my eyes focused on Jesus and let God take the wheel.

Will I get off on the wrong road from time to time? Yes, I will—and so will you, because we are not perfect. We all fall short from time to time, and we need to remember that our repentance washes us clean. Given God’s forgiveness, we go from our dirty rags to his glorious riches.

Pray It

I invite you to say a simple prayer asking God to show you what needs to be washed away from your life. Don’t rush your prayer. Take some time to sit quietly and let God show you what he wants to wash away. If you are not sure how to start a prayer, I will get you started and you can finish in your own words:

Father, I am not perfect. I know there have been times I have gone off the course you have set for me. Please take the wheel and steer me back to the road that you have chosen for me, because I know it is good. I have sinned and I need you to wash me from the inside out. Lord, you are generous in love, full of grace, and huge in mercy, so I am asking that you would scrub away my guilt and soak me in your forgiveness.

Think About It

Take some time to think about what you just read. Did God show you any areas in your life that need to be washed clean?

Write It

Please turn to the next page and take a moment to write what is on your heart. What is it you need washed out of your life? I believe that when we have been cleansed of a spiritual stain, the enemy loses control over it.

Day 3

Rags to Riches

Yesterday we looked at how we can get off the road—or course—that God has planned for us and how he is like our spiritual “car wash.” God doesn’t stop there. That is just the beginning of our journey with him. Today I want to look at the story of a young girl named Annie. This story will help paint a picture of what God has for each of us.

Annie