Small Blessings: A Year of Devotional Thinking

By Duane A. Gallop

Are you stressed out? Are you anxious? Confused? Does the Bible have anything to say about that? Well yes it does! Step by step we unpack Gods anxiety vaccine -- Philippians 4:8. Small Blessings is a journey into the heart of God and His desire for you to think on things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy, instead of worrying about the future and dreading the past. If you never knew God cared about your fears or if you just want a reminder, this book is for you.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Dec 16, 2016
• ISBN: 9781512760064

Duane A. Gallop

I have been reading Duane A. Gallop’s writings for over two decades. Duane has always amazed me with his ability to capture one’s imagination through his written works. His commitment to his short stories, novels, and freelance writings has left readers – both men and women – to think that there is a better way of viewing your circumstances. Since elementary school, he has been commended on his sense of character development, tying in characters to a consistent plot and providing a fulfilling climatic scene. He has won four Honorable Mentions from Writer’s Digest Annual Fiction Writing Competition. He has various feature articles in two New York City non for profit newspapers. He has written numerous articles for his church’s publication and runs a blog based on the dealings of his church’s men’s ministry. And yet, with all this, Duane is most proud of this particular work. I have personally seen how easy it is for Duane to write, but this work didn’t get finished because of his talent. Our Lord and Savior allowed him to labor over this work for seven years. That’s seven years in prayer, waiting for answers and applying them. He has lived out every part of this work and has become a better man for all of it. He has learned how to put Philippians 4:8-9 into practice. I have this confidence: not in my husband’s talent, but in the gift that this writing will bless the reader immensely. Stephanie Gallop

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Copyright © 2016 Duane A. Gallop.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. All rights reserved worldwide. Used by permission. NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION® and NIV® are registered trademarks of Biblica, Inc. Use of either trademark for the offering of goods or services requires the prior written consent of Biblica US, Inc.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

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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.

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ISBN: 978-1-5127-6007-1 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-6008-8 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-6006-4 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016916867

WestBow Press rev. date: 12/16/2016

Contents

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Preface

Week 1: Why Small Blessings?

Week 2: Blessings: What Are They, Anyway?

Week 3: Thinking on These Things

Whatever Is True

Week 4: Jesus Is Truth

Week 5: Being True to Yourself

Week 6: Thy Word Is Truth

Week 7: Truth as Alethes

Week 8: God’s Promise to You

Week 9: Absolute Truth

Week 10: Denying the Truth

Whatever Is Noble

Week 11: Differences Between Truth and Honesty

Week 12: Who Are You, Lord?

Week 13: The Same at All Times

Week 14: Church Hurt

Week 15: NOBLE: Nothing but Obedience Brings Life Eternal

Week 16: Open-Door Policy

Week 17: Even If It Hurts

Whatever Is Right

Week 18: Rest Is Right

Week 19: Tithing Is Right

Week 20: Witnessing Is Right

Week 21: Marriage Is Right

Week 22: Spiritual Bank Accounts

Week 23: Apologies: Better Late than Never!

Week 24: Attitude of Gratitude

Whatever Is Pure

Week 25: Religion the Father Accepts

Week 26: Purity of Heart

Week 27: Purity of Mind

Week 28: Sexual Purity

Week 29: Natural Purity via Consecration

Week 30: Natural Purity via Sanctification (The HIP Life)

Week 31: One Hundred Percent Pure Love

Whatever Is Lovely

Week 32: God’s Mercy and Grace Are Lovely for the Unbeliever

Week 33: God’s Grace and Mercy Are Lovely for the Believer

Week 34: The Subjectiveness of Loveliness

Week 35: Friendship through Forgiveness

Week 36: Nature Walks in the City

Week 37: The Sound of Music

Week 38: The Art of the Dance

Whatever Is Admirable

Week 39: Accountability Partners

Week 40: Pursing Greatness

Week 41: Hallelujah Anyhow

Week 42: Good Reports

Week 43: Whom Do You Admire?

Week 44: Someone’s Admiring You

Week 45: Seize the Day

Excellent and Praiseworthy

Week 46: P Stands for Power

Week 47: R Stands for Resistance

Week 48: A Stands for Acts of God

Week 49: I Stands for Inspired Praise

Week 50: S Is for Secret Praise, Public Blessing

Week 51: E is for Earned versus Rewards

Week 52: Summary

Acknowledgments

W HERE DO I begin? There’s so many people to thank when publishing a first book, but I’ll try to do it justice. Here it goes!

Thanks be to God for the Westbow Press team! Thank you for an unbelievable, thorough and professional experience. Thank you for a venue that allows authors with stories to tell to have a safe and Christ-like venue to tell them! I pray this book will be worthy of your family.

Bishop Carlton T. Brown, pastor of my home church -- Bethel Gospel Assembly in Harlem, NY. Thank you for being such an encouragement to my wife and I and for creating an atmosphere of creativity. It’s a pleasure to serve at BGA under your leadership. And Head Deacon Mel Hazel, thank you for your insight and patience with us throughout the years. Pastor Mimsie Robinson, thank you for being the big brother I never had and never knew I wanted and for launching me out in men’s ministry.

Audrey Griffith, thank you for being such a friend and the first reader of the work. And words can’t express how much your friendship has meant to my wife and I throughout the years. We love you.

My ace Hampton Mills and his wife and Raven Mills, thank you guys for changing our lives forever. Life wouldn’t have been the same without you. And we’re all waiting for you two to write YOUR book that will encourage the Body of Christ.

My man Ronne Haynie, thank you for the editing and always checking in to see how things were going. You’re a great writer with a lot of great stories to tell. I pray you always find encouragement in Jesus Christ.

Thanks, Tris Skelly, for the long talks and constant encouragement at work. You’re definitely different than most in your generation. Your mother would be proud of the man you’ve become.

To Ricard Big L Listhrop, for always being a godly example, a true friend and NY Giants fan. Your leadership anointing follows you where ever you go, so don’t ever change. Oh and by the way, I still haven’t forgotten about the double date.

And to my cousin Sean Joynes, the best bass player in the world, who led me to Christ in the first place. More like a brother to me, you have always been one of the biggest supporters of my dream to be a writer. This book is a small thank you for everything you’ve ever meant to me man.

Last but certainly not least, thank you to the best wife a man could dream of. Stephanie, thank you for encouraging me when I didn’t have a clue what to do with this idea; for standing by me when I had nothing; for dealing with me as I wrestled with things; for never complaining, never degrading, never discouraging. Living with you has been nothing short of Heavenly. Everything and everyone is a distant second when it comes to you. I love you and I’m so grateful to have gotten love and marriage right the first time. I pray we enjoy the fruit of this work together – Stephiegirl.

Preface

T HANK YOU FOR reading this. Whether it was given to you or you actually went out and bought it, thank you. Whether you bought it because you just desired another devotional or because you thought this was a book about babies or little people, or some other kind of book, well, thank you. And I pray that you receive everything God intended you to receive out of this.

I read somewhere that sending out your published work is akin to sending your baby off to his or her first day of school. You knew that that day would come, but it still makes you nervous. You hope your child will be accepted, embraced, and nurtured. I must admit, I feel the same way. And I don’t feel this way because I want people (yes, that means you, reader) to think I’m a wonderful writer and perhaps the greatest one living. No, but this is a highly personal book that took seven years and two apartments to finish.

So yeah, I kind of want everyone to like it.

That said, this is not meant to be a workbook or a replacement for any Christian course. I don’t liken myself to a teacher or a counselor, but to an encourager. This is for the person who already believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, the only way to heaven, and in the Holy Bible as the Word of God. This is for that brother or sister who wants to have a devotional life but doesn’t really know where to start. My wonderful wife, Stephanie, deserves credit here—she came up with most of the focus of the week lessons. I am really blessed to be her husband.

All quotations are from the NIV unless otherwise noted.

I pray you enjoy this. I had the time of my life writing it.

WEEK 1

Why Small Blessings?

I N THE SPRING of 2007, I wrote an article for my church magazine that I called Small Blessings. The Sunday that the article was published, I was approached by my pastor’s wife, Elder Lorna Brown, a prophetess and wife of Bishop Carlton T. Brown, senior pastor of Bethel Gospel Assembly in Harlem. She told me to write a book entitled Small Blessings. I knew how to do this like I knew how to fly the space shuttle. Where would I begin? Why would I write something like this? Who would even read it?

Suffering from writer’s block, I decided to pray and let God reveal His will to me. As 2007 progressed, every part of my life grew more and more difficult. My wife had eye surgery early in the year and had a tough time for the first few months afterward. Her boss had told her that she couldn’t do any more overtime and almost tried to bait her into arguments after finding out that Stephanie was a born-again believer. Then I found a new job that I loved, but the hours took me away from church—for the first time in my life, I had to work on Sunday afternoons. We were back and forth in housing court because we owed back rent. Even now, three weeks before Christmas at the time of this writing, another court date looms ominously. We also owed the IRS money, and it seemed as if we were going to pay them off just before Jesus’s coming! On top of that, my grandmother’s kidneys failed, and none of her children or grandchildren were a match for a transplant.

What was God saying here? He blessed us more than ever and yet allowed more difficulties to come at us than I have ever felt. In 2007, perhaps more than ever, I learned the value of small blessings. Did I do it by ignoring my problems? Did I use God like some kind of spiritual drug? No. God is not squeamish; He is no punk. Instead, I learned how to use the scriptures to put my heart at peace. Proverbs 4:23 says that we are to guard our hearts above all things that we do. But it is the apostle Paul who teaches us how to do this.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:6–7).

Prayer, petition, and thanksgiving lead to peace that will guard your hearts and minds. I figured out that if I just trust God and pray and give Him thanks, I will have peace. But then I got off my knees and found myself anxious again. And then, just in case the Philippian church was just as anxious as I could be, Paul gives us some of the most practical advice ever written.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things (Philippians 4:8).

This is where I really learned what I have come to call the glorious sequence of obtaining the mind of Christ.

A. Pray about what you need.

B. Worship God for who He is and praise Him for what He’s done.

C. Renew your mind.

Once I had prayed, once I had placed everything in God’s hands, and once I had received His peace, I had to learn how not to give it back. Jesus left His peace with us (John 14:27), and Paul tells us how to keep it. By thinking of these things, by embracing the small stuff, we rest in God’s peace. His peace kept me when my management company wanted to evict us, when my grandmother passed out on the bus after a dialysis treatment, and when I missed every good event in church that I wanted to attend.

You see, God can bless big, but He can also bless small. Children understand that way better than we do. How many times have you