David Bordon - Lifes Simple Guide to Happiness: Inspirational Insights for Experiencing True Joy

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Lifes Simple Guide to Happiness: Inspirational Insights for Experiencing True Joy

Copyright 2007 Bordon-Winters LLC

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.

Product developed by Bordon Books, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Concept: David Bordon and Tom Winters

Project Writing: Rebecca Currington, Kathryn Deering, Lisa Freeman, Vickie Phelps, and Robin Schmitt in association with SnapdragonGroupsm Editorial Services.

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First eBook Edition: April 2009

ISBN 978-0-446-56105-1

Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible: New International Version. NIV. (North American Edition). Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked AMP are taken from The Amplified Bible, Old Testament. Copyright 1965, 1987 by Zondervan Corporation, Grand Rapids, Michigan. New Testament copyright 1958, 1987 by the Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from The Message. Copyright by Eugene H. Peterson, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation. Copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Incorporated, Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NRSV are taken from The New Revised Standard Version of the Bible. Copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America and are used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked CEV are taken from the Contemporary English Version. Copyright 1991, 1992, 1995 by the American Bible Society. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked GNB are taken from The Good News Bible, Second Edition, Todays English Version. Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NCV are taken from The Holy Bible, New Century Version, copyright 1987, 1988, 1991, 2005 by Word Publishing, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from The Holy Bible, New King James Version. Copyright 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission.

Happinessso simple and yet, so elusive. Some people strive for it all their lives and never find it, believing that if they work hard enough, get enough lucky breaks, meet the right people, and find the right job, happiness will become a reality for them. Typically, they find that with time, they grow olderbut rarely happier.

Is there a secret to happiness? In fact there is! That secret is hidden in plain sight. It is the eternal theme of the most popular book ever writtenthe Bible. Lifes Simple Guide to Happiness: Inspirational Tips for Experiencing True Joy was designed to expose the secrets to be found in that magnificent book.

You may be surprised to see how practical, how commonplace those secrets are. Certainly, they often contradict the conventional wisdom of many happiness gurus. But they line up perfectly with Gods plan for those who seek and find Him. Read it with your heart as well as your head, and you may well become one of those fortunate people everyone admiresa happy person!

If you want to be happy, be.

ALEXEI TOLSTOY

Since the creation of the world Gods invisible qualitieshis eternal power and divine naturehave been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

ROMANS 1:20

Our heavenly Father has given us a big, bright, wonderful world with an infinite number of opportunities for happiness. All we need to do is take a break from the frenetic business of life and look around.

Just to illustrate this point, glance outside your window at the trees in your yard. See them in a way you havent beforeas unique creations, boasting of Gods artistic talent and constant care. Notice the lines of the trunks and the configurations of the branches. If your trees are wearing flowering buds or promising fruit, allow yourself to rejoice in the miracle of life begetting life. If your tree is soaking up the raineach leaf grabbing hold of the dropsrest happily in the knowledge that God continues to sustain His handiwork. If your tree is covered with a fluffy blanket of snow, remind yourself that God has covered all His creation with His love.

When youve tired of studying the trees, move on to the flowers, plants, birds, animalsboth great and smalloceans bright and mountain splendor. Lift your eyes to the sky to see white puffy clouds dotting a tranquil blue canopy or rolling gray-black in a powerful display of Gods sovereignty. Its a never-ending God-scape, just waiting for your eyes to behold it.

Happiness is not something that happens to you. Its something that surrounds you every day of your life. Happiness is being able to see Gods artwork whenever you want. Open your eyes and take it all in. Its His gift to you.

SIMPLY SPEAKING

Think of the number of trees and blades of grass and flowers, the extravagant wealth of beauty no one ever sees! Think of the sunrises and sunsets we never look at! God is lavish in every degree.

OSWALD CHAMBERS

LIVING THE HAPPY LIFE

T ry spending some time outdoors today, soaking in the beauty of Gods creation.

Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well.

3 JOHN 2

In an average day, your body spontaneously performsgive or take a little for age, size, and genderall of the following tasks:

You exercise 7 million brain cells.

Your heart beats 103,689 times.

Your hair grows .01717 of an inch.

Your blood travels 168,000,000 miles.

Your nails grow .000046 of an inch.

You move 750 major muscles.

You inhale 438 cubic feet of air.

You speak 48,000 words.

You eat 3.25 pounds of food.

You turn in your sleep 2530 times.

You drink 2.9 pounds of liquids.

You give off 85.6 degrees Farenheit of heat.

You perspire 1.43 pints!

Add to that remarkable list the things you will your body to do each day. No doubt about it, your soul is being housed at present in magnificent surroundings. How well do you take care of this gift God has given you? Your happiness quotient depends on your doing all you can.