Divine Drift; Navigate Rough Seas With God's Power

By Jeannie Schmidt

Experience the victory and calm of a purpose-filled life

Propelled by God's Divine Drift.

 

• Language: English
• Publisher: Author Academy Elite
• Release date: Oct 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9781647467425

Book preview

In her new book, Divine Drift, Jeannie becomes your guide through the rough seas in your life. She elegantly intertwines her personal life stories with stories of old, all to help you chart a course for your Divine purpose. Coins, cancer, control, and Moses flow from her pen as she weaves her life into a tapestry that is understandable and usable in your life. She will help you create a navigation system for smooth sailing when the winds and waves are fierce. Her love for helping people through the choppy waters is evident through her willingness to be transparent with her own life experiences. You will smile, cry, and laugh as she challenges you to decide which type of Drift you will choose in your life journey. You will be inspired by her passion for life and family.

—Randy Spence

Lead Pastor, Freedom Church, Salem, VA

—Donette Spence

Author of Seeds of Success

Lead Pastor, Freedom Church, Salem, VA

Jeannie takes us on a voyage from insignificant drifting to divine drifting. Divine drifting is flowing along in God’s plans for us. She unabashedly shares her own story, adds questions for reflection, and simple plans for action. I enjoyed this book and learned from this unique perspective.

—Mary Stegmiller

Author of Life Lessons from King David and Grandma

Alivewiththebible.com

Divine Drift touched me on so many levels. Jeannie’s vulnerability and authenticity carry the reader along the current to a destination of healing and restoration by lovingly reminding us to allow God to be the navigator of our lives. As a health and wellness professional, I understand how healing past trauma is essential for physical healing in the present. Jeannie beautifully illustrates this concept throughout. There are so many nuggets in here! This is one of those books I’ll read again!

—Michele Stanford

M.Ed., CHC, FDN-P

Founder, Living Life Nourished

Has life gone exactly as you planned? Mine hasn’t. If you’re frustrated or feeling out of control over where life’s path is taking you, Divine Drift is the book for you. Jeannie opens her heart and shares how seeking God’s direction can set you on the right course. You can have a real relationship with a Creator who will stay beside you through all life’s obstacles, even if you choose to detour from the path he chose for you. Divine Drift will help you navigate the obstacles in front of you and gives you a guide to help you find your way back to the path God has planned.

—Chellie Phillips

www.chelliephillips.com

Creator of The Career Accelerator and

Author of When In Doubt, Delete It! and Get Noticed, Get Hired

As stated in Divine Drift, it is estimated that 85 percent of people in America do not like their jobs, but few are taking action to change. When people hear the words you have cancer, one of the thoughts they battle is: I will never have time to discover the life I really want to live. This is critical piece that many never dare to explore.

I spent the past 30 years of my life helping people with a serious or short time diagnosis understand that those words do not have to mean the beginning of the end. Some even hear a doctor say, I’m sorry, which compounds their pain and sense of hopelessness.

The approach Jeannie uses is so encouraging. Honesty, penetrating questions, purpose filled choices, thrive, genuine, sincere, and learning to listen to call out a few things. And because the battle with cancer can be so difficult, even some of the strongest people we know will drift, maybe numbers of times.

But we do have choices. Jeannie puts forth three truly clear ones that every patient can make. First, be disengaged, go with the flow, and let doctors and the disease have their way wherever that takes them, which usually isn’t too great. Second, be determined and think you can tough it out on your own, but this path is often fraught with many disappointments of all kinds, not just medical. And the final choice is to understand how the Divine wants to engage and walk with you, and I see this as a winning path. Cancer is certainly bigger than most understand but NOT bigger than God.

And then there is The Invisible Gorilla (see Chapter 8). We so often miss the obvious in life, and this factor is critical in helping us identify what our heavenly Father has created for us to do in this life.

Bottom line for me is this author has touched on the importance of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual choices, and dealing in all those areas to reach a healthy outcome. With the final choice being probably the most important: Face your fears, trust God, and I believe you will reach a favorable outcome. It is my experience with countless patients.

I have been in ministry for 48 years. I have had 18 family members deal with cancer and serious heart disease. I am married to Judy. We have six children and eight grandchildren. Jim is also deeply involved in men’s ministry and missions.

—James W. (Jim) Henry

M.Div., D.Min

Founder of The Life Givers Network® (www.tlgn.org,)

Author of After Diagnosis: LIFE

The Life Giver Experience

James Henry Counseling Associates

Beyond The Limits, LLC

Divine Drift

Navigate Rough Seas with God’s Power

Jeannie Schmidt

Divine Drift © 2021 by Jeannie Schmidt.

All rights reserved.

Published by Author Academy Elite

PO Box 43, Powell, OH 43065

www.AuthorAcademyElite.com

All rights reserved. This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without express written permission from the author.

Identifiers:

LCCN: 2021904638

Paperback ISBN: 978-1-946114-20-4

Hardback ISBN: 978-1-946114-21-1

Ebook: 978-1-64746-742-5

Available in paperback, hardback, e-book and audiobook

Scripture quotations marked NIV are from Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked NASB are from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. The Passion Translation®. Copyright © 2017 by BroadStreet Publishing® Group, LLC. Used by permission. All rights reserved. thePassionTranslation.com

Any Internet addresses (websites, blogs, etc.) and telephone numbers printed in this book are offered as a resource. They are not intended in any way to be or imply an endorsement by Author Academy Elite, nor does Author Academy Elite vouch for the content of these sites and numbers for the life of this book.

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To Dave, my amazing husband, greatest supporter, and best friend.

Thank you for staying the course through the rough seas, calm waters, and everything in-between as I navigated the creation of Divine Drift.

The adventure has just begun.

Contents

Chapter 1: EXPLORE DIVINE DRIFT

Chapter 2: SCAN THE HORIZON

Chapter 3: CHOOSE ANOTHER STREET

Chapter 4: CHOOSE YOUR CREW

Chapter 5: BRIDGE THE GAP

Chapter 6: POSITIONED FOR PURPOSE

Chapter 7: NAVIGATE THE EMPTY

Chapter 8: EMBRACE THE NEW DIRECTION

Chapter 9: FACE YOUR FEARS

Chapter 10: ENJOY THE JOURNEY

INTRODUCTION

You have cancer.

Stunned and shaken by these three words, I dropped into one of the wooden kitchen chairs.

Are you okay? the surgeon asked. I’m not even sure how I responded—I felt numb and separated from reality.

I must have said something because the surgeon began to describe the findings and options for the next steps. My brain was incapable of holding onto rational thought. I knew that if I didn’t write it down, I’d never recall what he said. I frantically motioned to my husband to find a paper and pencil so I could take notes. My hands shook as I captured his words.

Margins

Surgery

Chemotherapy

I hung up about ten minutes later with my heart in my stomach. I looked up at my husband with tears pouring down my face. I stood as he reached out to me. We held each other tight, trying to fathom the impact of the words you have cancer.

DISENGAGED DRIFT

In the first 13 years of my life, I lived in 15 different houses in 12 different cities. Being the Navy radar technician’s daughter meant never knowing when we would get the next manila envelope telling us it was time to move.

Over time, I adapted to a life of drifting from place to place. Each time we moved, I did my best to blend in and lay low to avoid the drama of being the new kid on the block. I discovered the best strategy was to settle in and conform to a new environment. This unhealthy pattern continued well into my life as a wife and mother. Raising children, working my way up in several companies, starting several businesses, and serving others—I had plenty on my plate, and, by most people’s standards, I was very successful. But the truth was, my life was out of control. I wasn’t always sure how I ended up where I was and often felt like I struggled to keep my head above water. For the most part, I drifted through life, disengaged, riding the current wherever it took me.

I was one of the countless people adrift in the sea of life, floating without a clear sense of purpose or direction.

I was a manager at what was then the world’s largest independent credit card issuer. In my first six years, I had been promoted four times and had a corner office overlooking the atrium. I was living the dream. Yet I operated with a sense of impending dread that they would discover what I felt to be the truth, that I was an imposter.

I felt inadequate. My college education was limited to a few courses. They were entry-level and had little to do with technology or the management role I held. The majority of my co-workers had a bachelor’s degree; some even had a master’s degree. I had a high school diploma.

I knew some of them believed I didn’t deserve the position or the awards and recognition I’d received over the years. Since I never dreamt of having the type of success I was experiencing, I battled internal voices telling me I’d drifted into the position and didn’t deserve it.

Despite self-doubts, I managed to keep my head above the ever-changing currents of a corporate work environment. On the surface, I appeared to be drifting along nicely. But the truth lay beneath my carefully guarded image, where I struggled against the raging current of mind games that threatened to take me under.

As an overachiever and people-pleaser, I did everything I knew to stay afloat and ride the currents without sinking. Like that little girl who moved around so much, I just tried to fit in. I worked crazy hours to get everything done, sacrificing time with my husband and teenage children. Most nights involved getting home late, exhausted from ten- to 12- hours at the office.

The days flowed endlessly from one to another. Early morning conference calls while I drove to work, never-ending meetings, lunch at my desk, and countless unanswered emails. Sometimes I’d get away long enough for a choir concert or to watch one of our sons’ many sporting events. I’ll never forget sitting on an ice-coated aluminum bleacher in the dead of winter wearing a skirted suit and high heels. I sat shivering as I took work calls while cheering for my son, the goalie for the high school soccer team. I was devoted to my kids, giving them as much as I had left, but I knew it wasn’t enough.

My husband was in management at a large utility company and had his share of challenges at home and work. It wasn’t uncommon for him to have fill in where a Mom should have been. The strain on my marriage took its toll.

I drifted from day to day without knowing where it all would lead, and I think I would have drifted for a long time—if I hadn’t heard those three words at the age of 39.

You have cancer.

Until then, I was determined to make things work the best I could. I was somewhat successful at making it look as though I had everything under control, but in reality, my life had no clear sense of purpose or direction. Despite outer appearances, I was living an unfulfilled life, and now I might be dying.

In the course of my journey, I was surprised to discover that fewer than 20% of adults worldwide consider themselves to be thriving in well-being.

In a State of Global Well-Being report by Gallupi, it was reported that the majority of people did not like what they were doing each day, nor were they motivated to achieve their goals. They were drifting.

My heart aches when I hear this because we are meant to live a thriving purpose-filled life.

DIVINE DRIFT

Divine Drift is a thriving purpose-filled life with far less paddling than the upstream battle you may be waging. Don’t wait for a life-changing medical diagnosis, the loss of a loved one, or some disaster to be the wake-up call for you to live the life you were meant to live.

Join me on the journey to learn how Disengaged Drift, Determined Drift, and Divine Drift affect your life and limit or help you pursue your dreams.

1

EXPLORE DIVINE DRIFT

I’m not usually a morning person, but today is special. I awoke early, eager to rejoice in the beauty of daybreak across Lake Habeeb, known for having the bluest water in the state of Maryland. I push the curtains aside and take in the view of massive Evergreen trees and blue skies dotted with white clouds. I don’t want to miss a moment.

I dress quickly and make my way to the coffee shop for much-needed caffeine. I feel giddy as I push through the lodge’s large doors and search for a path to the lake. My reward comes into view as I spy a well-worn trail leading through the Evergreens. Although I’m a little nervous, I choose to be adventurous and see where it leads. I walk slowly and quietly, taking the time to treasure the blessings of my surroundings—a turtle crossing the path, geese swimming on the lake, and mounds of pink and white flowers. The twists and turns ultimately lead me to an overgrown path at the water’s edge. I take each step carefully to avoid tripping on tree-roots, which seem to reach for the life-giving water.

A sense of peace overcomes me as I gaze across the lake. Off in the distance,