Patsy Lewis - Simply Rejoicing: 12 Months with God

Copyright 2013

by Patsy Lewis

2013 eISBN 978-0-8341-3111-8

Printed in the

United States of America

Cover Design: Darlene Filley

Interior Design: Sharon Page

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All Scripture quotations not otherwise designated are from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation (NLT), copyright 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, IL 60188. All rights reserved.

Permission to quote from the following copyrighted versions of the Bible is acknowledged with appreciation:

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV) copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The New American Standard Bible (NASB) copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995.

The Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV). Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

The New Revised Standard Version (NRSV) of the Bible, copyright 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

The Message (TM). Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

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

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Lewis, Patsy, 1942

Simply rejoicing : 12 months with God / Patsy Lewis.

pages cm

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-0-8341-3093-7 (pbk.)

1 God (Christianity)Worship and love. 2. Spiritual lifeChristianity. 3. Devotional literature. I. Title.

BV4817.L49 2013

242dc23

2013030967

This book is dedicated to

my family,

who has awakened me to innumerable God moments!

To my husband, Curtismy greatest supporter:

You have prayed, loved, and encouraged me through

every adventure that God has ordained.

To my children, Kevin and Lanissamy God-given teachers:

You have taught me more than all my educators combined!

To my daughter-in-law, Michelle, and my son-in-law, Clay:

You are both special gifts to our family!

To my grandchildren:

Marissa, you are full of knowledge beyond your years!

Kiersten, you are capable of accomplishing

everything you set out to do!

Makaila, you fill hearts with joy and exuberance,

including mine!

Calvin, your depth of insight inspires me!

Caleb, your innovations both amaze and thrill me!

Laney, at age four,

you are already making an impact on the world!

CONTENTS

I dont remember praying the prayer that touched my MiMi and inspired her to write her first book, Simply Praying. I have no memory of saying, Jesus, I love you. I love you so much that Im just going to run into your arms when I see you! But thats okay. I enjoy hearing about it from people who do remember, and I can certainly imagine myself running into the arms of Jesus when I see him.

When MiMi wrote Simply Praying, I was so excited. My own MiMi was an author! The book was extra-special to me, and I felt honored since it was inspired by my prayer and dedicated to me. There are billions of people in this world my MiMi could have chosen for the dedication of her book, but she chose me because of a four-year-old granddaughters moving prayer that I dont remember.

All the chapter titles of Simply Praying: 52 Weeks with God begin with an action verb, titles like Shadow Jesus, Celebrate Daily, and Remove the Baggage. These challenge the reader to a different prayer adventure every week.

MiMis second book is called Simply Listening: 12 Months with God. It teaches the readers how to develop spiritual listening skills and hear messages from God.

This idea of a trilogy came to me while I was reading in my bed. I kept it to myself for a few days, thinking no one would listen to a twelve-year-old and her silly thoughts. Finally in an e-mail message to MiMi, I suggested she write a new book encouraging readers to watch for God in stories happening all around them. Although I originally suggested the title be Simply Watching, when we see God at work we cant help but simply rejoice. So here it is: Simply Rejoicing, a book that will lead you on a new adventure as you spend this year watching for God moments that will change your life forever!

Marissa Lewis

My writing journey was a road I never expected to travel. In 2004 when Joyce Williams asked me to write for her book She Cant Even Play the Piano! she repeatedly said, I want a chapterbut you have a book. I couldnt believe her, although others had encouraged me to write. I didnt think I had anything to say that hadnt already been written. At the beginning of 2005, however, it was clear that God was calling me to write a weekly prayer adventure. Without a publisher or professional direction, I set out to complete a chapter a week. Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City accepted my proposal and requested the manuscript by December, with release set for fall 2006. When the book Simply Praying was completed, I told my husband, Curtis, Ive written two booksmy first and my last! He would not accept that response and frequently asked when I planned to start the second book.

Once again I couldnt imagine that another book was forthcoming, yet in late 2007 I knew God was commissioning me to write Simply Listening. My plan was to write a section each month and have the manuscript completed by the end of 2008. I was stunned when I received an e-mail in early March requesting the manuscript by June. My home was sold in mid-March, a couple of days later my brother-in-law died suddenly of a heart attack, and I had a full spring speaking schedule. In the midst of moving, traveling, and family emergencies, I knew that if the book were to be finished by June, God would have to write it. He was faithful!

Book number three was birthed in November 2009 after the fourth Come to the Fire conference, a womens ministry for which I am prayer director. I have a host of prayer partners worldwide who pray for the readers of my books and my ministry. I send them a report after an event for which they have prayed. That early autumn morning following the conference, I awakened with the thought: It would take a book to tell my prayer partners all that has happened the past three days. Then I bolted upright in bed and said, Oh, no! Later that morning when I saw the conference director, Aletha Hinthorn, these words tumbled out: I believe were to write a book! Within weeks Come to the Fire Testimonies was completed. A few days after that manuscript was sent to the publisher, I received an unexpected e-mail from my twelve-year-old granddaughter, Marissa, which prompted the writing of this book. It said

Dear MiMi, I know that you are currently working on a book about experiences, but I have an idea. There is usually one book, a trilogy of books, etc. But see, I dont think I know any series of books that have only two books in them. I think you need to add one more book to your awesome Simply series. You have books on praying and listening, but why not have one on watching? You know, watching for miracles, seeing things through new eyes, seeing the Lord in everything you do, stuff like that. The books could be sold in trilogy packs, something bound to become popular. It was just an idea that popped into my head a few nights ago, and Ive been busting to share it ever since.