Brighter Tomorrows: Bible Inspired "How To(S)" of Life

By Helen Kennedy-Thomas

This book was written to share with fellow travelers who are lookiing for answers in their daily lives and times of trials. These Bible-inspired messages are meant to give some insight that will strengthen and encourage the answer seekers. May they enlighten your mind, calm the heart and uplift your spirit.

* Does happiness seem to elude you?
* A new look at the healthy life.
* Tired of being pushed beyond yoour limit?
* Exploring pain's role in the process of life'.
* Having a love affair with patience.
* Some songs are hard to come by.
* The storms of life are meant to br Mastered.
* Are you at the bottom looking for a way up?
* Are you happy with the earring you are wearing?
* One, two, three times down, but I'm still holding on.
* Waling humbly requires a strong will, not weak knees.
* Do you long to say "Yes" with all your heart?
* Take my hand, Precious Lord, lead me on.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Jun 9, 2013
• ISBN: 9781481726894

Helen Kennedy-Thomas

Helen Kennedy-Thomas is a newcomer to the book writing field. She is a retired certified minister with the Assemblies of God and has been in church ministry for over 50 years as a Bible teacher. She has designed and written a number of church teaching courses and training materials. Thomas worked in the secular field for five years as a secretary and 16 years as Director of Tri-County Retired and Senior Volunteer Program under South Arkansas Regional Health Center. She launched and supervised a number of local service programs, wrote federal grants and coordinated many volunteer activities in South Arkansas. She retired in 2001 in order to spend more time with her husband of over 56 years. Helen, recently widowed, is mother of two grown children, grandmother of nine grandchildren, and ten great-grandchildren. She lives in Edmond, Oklahoma close to her daughter and son-in-law. She is a 16 year survivor of nasopharyngeal cancer and radiation treatment. Favorite activities include keeping up with the family on the internet, journaling, yard work, writing poetry, one-on-one ministry, reading, and scrapbooking.

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© 2013 by Helen Kennedy-Thomas. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 05/13/2013

ISBN: 978-1-4817-2690-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4817-2689-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013904276

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Dedication

Introduction

How to Have a Happy Life

How to Have a Healthy Life

How to Find Rest amid the Turmoil

How to Look at Pain

How to Love Patience

How to Have a Song in the Darkness

How to Calm the Storm

How to Raise Your Expectations

How to Be a Happy Slave

How to Go Under Without Giving Up

How to Walk Humbly with God

How to Say Yes to God

How to Show the Way

About the Author

Dedication

To the Lord Jesus Christ, God the Father and Holy Spirit who by grace makes it all possible for one who was dead to live and rejoice in that life.

Thanks to Dr. Ronnie S. Morris who mentored and supported my ministry during his seven years as pastor of El Dorado First Assembly of God. You left a Christlike imprint on my life that strengthened me in my quest of being in Christ, not just doing for the Lord. I am truly grateful for your faithfulness in building my faith through ministry of the Word and the Holy Spirit from the pulpit.

Love from the depths of my heart to those dear, wonderful people at El Dorado First Assembly of God who nurtured and loved my family through much of the time covered by this book. Supporters of Senior Adult Ministry (SAMs), you have a special place in my heart because you accepted me and my leadership warts and all.

Last, but not least, to my beloved children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren I dedicate this book as an act of devotion and love so that they might know of God’s mighty works in this person known as Mother, Mam-Maw or Mams.

Introduction

Brighter Tomorrows is written for those hungry to know that there are some answers that are founded in truth to help with life’s circumstances. We are all travelers looking for brighter tomorrows. These messages present hope and that hope is a light that keeps us moving in the right direction through our darkest hours. During our life’s journey we may encounter conditions when life seems overwhelming, answers are elusive and hope seems like a far reach. I offer to you some positive approaches to some of those circumstances. I extend to you hope in the form of manna from the Holy Scriptures.

This book came out of what I started out calling Bible How to(s) of Life which contains thirteen messages on some different aspects of how to live life according to the scriptures in the Holy Bible. One morning during my quiet time with the Lord, I felt impressed in my spirit that He was telling me to research and write down what the Bible says about a list of topics. I grabbed a pen and paper and wrote quickly as the Spirit gave me the titles. That was over six years ago. What I didn’t know was, not only would I do Bible research and write down what I found, but one by one I would have to learn how to do what I call walk it out. I don’t believe you truly learn a lesson to be shared until you have experienced it personally.

I had no idea of what to do with these messages when I finished them last summer. For many years I had been a Bible teacher in church classes, but due to circumstances and health issues I am not able to do that at the present time, so I knew that was not an option. One day I was praying and I ask God what I was supposed to do with the folder of materials that I had written. It wasn’t long until the idea of making it into a book came to mind and just would not go away… so here it is. May it bless you and help you in your search for brighter tomorrows, dear reader.

How to Have a Happy Life was exciting, fun and easy to write. Scriptures were easy to find on the subject. I had studied the scriptures and had matured in my salvation enough that I really was happy in the Lord. Somewhere in the two moves that we made in two years between El Dorado, Arkansas and our present home in Edmond, Oklahoma I lost the original computer manuscript for this chapter and all the printed copies, so I had to rewrite it. I believe that the second version is much more on-target and stronger than the first writing.

We are surrounded and bombarded by messages from many different sources on all kind of exercises and nutrition for a healthy life. Writing How to Have a Healthy Life gave me a new focus on how a healthy life is derived from salvation’s work in the lives of believers. I was fascinated by the new revelations and my mind was debunked of what I had been taught about having a healthy life. Most people equate a healthy life with a perfect body. If that’s you take a close look at this chapter. Biblical truths may set you free from some besetting weights.

Every person, at some time in their life, seeks to find answers for their disturbing multi-faceted problems. In How to Find Rest Amid The Turmoil I make every effort to convey to the reader that diligently seeking God is where you will find rest from all that assaults your spirit, soul (mind, will, emotions and heart) and body. We do live in a world of troubles, turmoil, stress, trials, confusion, pain and heartaches. The Bible points us to believing in and applying the works of Christ on the Cross as our resting place. There is a place of quiet rest for the truth seeker.

Believe me, when I tell you that in researching, writing and living out How to Look at Pain, it was an eye opener for me. Dear reader, if you are in pain, I earnestly hope that you will read this message with an open heart and allow its truths to penetrate through your pain. I write out of the well of my own personal pain in a number of areas in my lifetime. A childhood of rejection, abuse and neglect; a son born with congenital heart defects which resulted in four major open-heart surgeries and, then, he became a wayward son for thirteen years; Nasopharyngeal cancer followed by radiation treatments and coping with the resulting damage for these last 16 years are a few highlights of my painful circumstances. Last year I lost a 35 year old granddaughter in a car crash, my husband of almost 57 years from Alzheimer’s disease and my three year old great-grandson in accidental death. Maybe this message will help you find answers to some of your questions about God’s view and give you encouragement for a brighter tomorrow.

I always feel a deep joy and get a smile on my face when I think about this chapter on How to Love Patience. First, of all, God had to rework my idea of what the message was all about; then came the hard part of unknowingly participating in Spirit-led lessons in the application of patience. The Lord did something that He had never done before as I was finishing this message. He gave me a poem written in triplets. I had written poetry before, but I was not familiar with poetry triplets, so it was a real fun part of the assignment.

You don’t know how to sing or is it too dark for you to feel like singing? Dear reader, take a look at this chapter called How to Have a Song in the Darkness. It contains some very simple, pointed, and lasting insights into: (1) why we so often fail to have a singing spirit, (2) a new believer’s crash course in reality, and (3) encouragement in how we can sing in the darkest of nights and deepest valleys. If your heart is right, you can have a song in your heart even when your lips aren’t moving and the tears are rolling quietly down your cheeks.

Storms can be devastating, sweep away everything that you possess, leave you heartbroken, and with a complete sense of helplessness, but we have a cloud of witnesses that have gone on before us that testify to a power beyond themselves that brought them safely through the storms of life. How to Calm the Storm directs your attention to the One who calms the storm and says, Peace, be still. There really is a safe harbor for anyone who seeks the right haven.

Have you ever seriously considered what your expectations in life are? Take time to get alone and make a list of what you want to be the goals for your life. This will reveal what expectations you really have. Our activities always reflect our expectations. This chapter offers the reader some Bible inspired steps on How to Raise Your Expectations.

Slaves have been used and abused ever since Bible times. America did away with slavery in the 1800s with the signing of the Emancipation Proclamation. Yet, we have to acknowledge that many people are enslaved by things that hurt them and those around them. So, who would want to know How to Be a Happy Slave? The more I studied the Word of God and thought about what it said about being a bondslave, the more I wanted to be sure that I was a slave to the right master. Do read this with a keen eye and an open heart.

How to Go Under Without Giving Up was a personal lesson for me at a very difficult time in my own life when the storm waves of chaos were unending. This chapter contains references speaking to our deepest needs in trying times and a personal word from the Lord to me that I hope that you will benefit from: Without a doubt, Without a fear, Without a tear.

If you have a desire to truly walk with the Lord, this chapter on How to Walk Humbly with The Lord is a must read. Until we understand who He