Days of Joy

By Bob Steinkamp

Days of Joy is a collection of brief essays was written by Bob Steinkamp while traveling the thoroughfares and back roads of our country during the days leading up to Christmas. In essence, these stories are the author's gift of love and hope to all of the world's prodigals and standers. In other words, to those individuals who have either walked out on a marriage or have been left behind. But it is also written to encourage anyone who longs to know the joy that Christ alone can provide.

With a blend of candor and gentleness that has come to characterize his writing, Bob Steinkamp has woven together yet another tapestry of tales that are sure to remind the reader of reasons for joy in his or her own life. In addition, these stories will kindle one's desire to bring joy to others, especially during the holiday season. At times Bob accomplishes this with humor, as in "I Told You So," in which he concludes his story with "Things You Can Do While Traveling Alone." Equally amusing is his tale of trying to locate a pigpen in "Where O Where Has My Prodigal Gone?" At other times, he touches the reader's heartstrings, as in "Elina," the memorable, haunting story of a young hitchhiker who has left home to find her dad.

In essence, the underlying theme of "Days of Joy" is one of hope and reconciliation. No matter the situation, how dire the current circumstances that surround us, God's joy is ours for the asking. We have but to believe and to accept it with a grateful heart. Positive changes in our circumstances may indeed contribute to our happiness in this world, and are to be hoped and prayed for, but true joy, the joy of the Lord, isn't dependent on such changes. May God's joy envelop all His children. Merry Christmas!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.
• Release date: Nov 23, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301460915

Book preview

DAYS OF JOY

By Bob Steinkamp

Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.

Post Office Box 10548

Pompano Beach, FL 33061 USA

http://rejoiceministries.org/

All rights reserved under International Copyright Law. Contents may not be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without the express written consent of the publisher.

Scripture Quotations are from the King James Version or the Holy Bible, New International Version. Copyright 1984, International Bible Society. Used by permission.

Published by Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.

Smashwords Edition

Copyright © 2000 by Rejoice Marriage Ministries, Inc.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Chapter 1 - Ready to Go In Pompano

Chapter 2 - The Story of the Prodigal Purse

Chapter 3 - Stops and Doors

Chapter 4 - Truck Drivers and Temptation

Chapter 5 - Wandering in West Palm

Chapter 6 - Only One

Chapter 7 - Yes, Lord, Yes

Chapter 8 - Breakfast with The Bad Boys

Chapter 9 - Up In Smoke

Chapter 10 - Heartland Happiness

Chapter 11 - Holopaw Heartbreaker

Chapter 12 - Sparks

Chapter 13 - Wondering In Williston

Chapter 14 - Mr. Robinson's Samples

Chapter 15 - Playing By the Rules

Chapter 16 - It's Bob, Not Dave

Chapter 17 - Clean

Chapter 18 - Fog and Factories

Chapter 19 - Secret Successful Standers

Chapter 20 - Manchester, TN

Chapter 21 - Elina

Chapter 22 - The Path Is Not Always Straight

Chapter 23 - On the Map

Chapter 24 - Ham and Eggs

Chapter 25 - Carrying Prisoners

Chapter 26 - I Told You So

Chapter 27 - What Is the Temperature Of Your Stand

Chapter 28 - Speaking Of Sleeping

Chapter 29 - Words That Last A Lifetime

Chapter 30 - Merry Christmas, Good Buddy

Chapter 31 - A Steinkamp Night Before Christmas

Chapter 32 - Under Construction

Chapter 33 - Love Is Not Dead

Chapter 34 - Skid Marks

Chapter 35 - The Sun Will Rise Again

Chapter 36 - On the Way Home

Chapter 37 - When God Says Go and Man Says No

Chapter 38 - Where O Where Has My Prodigal Gone

Chapter 39 - Holy Boldness - Carts and Horses

Chapter 40 - Be an Example

Chapter 41 - The Letter

Meet the Steinkamps

The Greatest News

Ten Sources of Help

Connect with Rejoice Ministries

INTRODUCTION

Down our way it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas. The fact that the time remaining until Christmas can be counted in days impacted me last Monday evening after our Bible study had ended. While I walked to the parking lot of the church where we meet, I saw that many of the neighboring homes had outdoor Christmas displays. The temperature had dropped into the sixties, a welcomed relief from our customary eighty degrees here in south Florida.

My wife, Charlyne and I, meet each week with men and women who are praying and trusting God for the restoration of their failed marriages. All around them, others are saying, Forget it. Get over it and get on with your life. Nevertheless, each man and woman there has heard from the Lord about not giving up on their prodigal spouse.

The spiritual battle that each individual is fighting is not for the sake of having a husband or wife at home. The results of that, as grand as they might, could last only fifty or sixty years, at best. The stand these people, as well thousands of others, have taken, is not for the physical homecoming of their mate, as much as it is for the spiritual homecoming of the one they love. Those results will be measured not in years, but in eternity, after a prodigal spouse finds their way back to the Lord.

Due to our schedules, most weeks Charlyne and I drive to Bible study in separate cars. Last week I observed those standers getting into their cars. I could look forward to going home to my wife, sitting down to relax, and reviewing the evening with the woman I love. Almost without exception, the people getting into those cars could expect to go alone to their apartment or home. Many faced huge financial problems due to divorce, and some have legal problems. One is expecting a child. Every person there was facing Christmas alone, or with wrangling over children and visitation with the one from whom they prayed.

Christmas is about hope, and standers, as we refer to those refuse to hand their marriage over to the enemy, are some of the most hopeful people around. What could we give someone such as that for Christmas? Charlyne and I prepared a 90 minute Christmas message on cassette, and the Lord helped us to send a copy to everyone on our mailing list. A fictional story about marriage restoration will also be sent to each stander before Christmas. Lord, what else would you have us to do to encourage these special children of yours? They are so hurting, yet so hopeful.

Although it is too late for this year, I can start now to write a new book of Christmas encouragement for our standers for Christmas 2000. The Holy Spirit began to plan this book for me. Charlyne gave her blessings to the project. During these pre-Christmas days, I am taking Rejoice on the Road once again.

My purpose in traveling is two-fold. First, I am asking the Lord to give me His illustrations to encourage standers at Christmas. Secondly, I want to be an encouragement to others during the hectic and often rushed holidays. This might mean speaking to a toll collector or holding the door for a stranger. It may include passing along one of the twenty five dollar bills that I am taking with me. Regardless of the encouragement involving a door or a dollar, I want the recipient to know of the love of Jesus Christ, the One whose birthday we are preparing to celebrate.

The is a good supply of Rejoice books in the back, but the front passenger seat is empty, and you are invited to come travel with me, to wherever the Lord leads, as we take Rejoice on the Road during these Days of Joy.

Back To Table Of Contents

CHAPTER 1

READY TO GO IN POMPANO

Last summer, when Rejoice on the Road was being written, I traveled in Charlyne's minivan. You and I have another vehicle to travel in this Christmas. Another book now being written is an epilog to A Day of Freedom. In that story, the fictional Taylor family obtains a huge Ford van.

A few months ago, I had taken a visiting stander to the Fort Lauderdale airport. On the way home, I passed a used car lot that had a van for sale that was almost identical to the one I had been writing about. After several trips back and forth to the dealership, and one trip to the credit union, Charlyne and I traded in my nine year old car. We were not anticipating car payments, but the Lord has given me the perfect vehicle for traveling and writing.

We have a Christian friend who has an upholstery shop. He used to install interiors in buses in Nashville that were used by gospel group. We removed two of the back seats and Art constructed me a sofa where I can rest while I travel. There is still plenty of room for cases of books. I can open the rear doors, if the weather permits, put my chair on the ground and have a desk for typing. By the way, I first met Art several years ago on the evening a prodigal daughter renewed her wedding vows with her covenant husband. Art still fixes furniture in Florida, but his kids are serving the Lord full time at a church in Pennsylvania. The Lord has blessed them with another child. You will read it in these pages more than once, but Prodigals Do Come Home.

The front license plate displays only one word: REJOICE. If sometime this Christmas season, if a huge silver van with that Rejoice plate passes you, please wave and I will honk the air horns back at you. It will be driven by a guy with a grin, happy to be serving the Lord and traveling for Him. You can be assured that I will be home for Christmas. That was decided thirteen years ago when I remarried Charlyne two years after our divorce. How did that happen, you ask? Because a woman prayed, and continued to love me even when I was not worth loving, according to the world's standards. I pray that every prodigal spouse might enjoy that same unconditional love from their covenant mate this Christmas.

Back To Table Of Contents

CHAPTER 2

THE STORY OF THE PRODIGAL PURSE

When loading the van, there is one item than cannot be forgotten. It is my black satchel. The pouch is made of leather. It is wide enough to hold a sheet of paper. The top snaps shut by tension. It has two compartments inside and a zippered pocket on the outside. The satchel is carried by a sturdy black handle. If you have ever met Charlyne