Living a Life Fully Blessed: Learning to Live the Life That God Intended

By Sharon Otani

If you want to live a life that recognizes and responds to your blessings in an appropriate and meaningful way, you need to read this book. Learn to live a life fully blessed by first understanding the concept of blessing and by adjusting prospective with a focus on God. Living a life fully blessed is possible by following six simple steps of faith. Learn to live the life that God intended!

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Apr 13, 2016
• ISBN: 9781512737929

Sharon Otani

Sharon Otani received her Master of Christian Ministry from Wayland Baptist University, where she learned to search God’s Word from both a scholarly and personal perspective. This call to teach and write came late in life but she has been involved in Women’s Ministry for years within her local church community. She lives in Hawaii with her husband, two of her three sons, and her two dogs, all whom bless her immensely.

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Copyright © 2016 Sharon Otani.

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 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.

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ISBN: 978-1-5127-3793-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-3794-3 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-3792-9 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016905975

WestBow Press rev. date: 04/13/2016

Contents

Acknowledgments

Part 1: Blessed Understanding

Introduction

Chapter 1 The Question

Chapter 2 The Importance

Chapter 3 Adjusting Perspective

Part 2: Learning to Live a Life Fully Blessed

Step 1 Be Quiet

Chapter 4 Be Quiet in Prayer

Chapter 5 Be Quiet in God’s Word

Chapter 6 Be Quiet and Hear God’s Voice

Step 2 Be Aware

Chapter 7 Be Aware of Who God Is

Chapter 8 Be Aware of God’s Expectations

Chapter 9 Be Aware of Who You Are

Chapter 10 Be Aware of the Needs around You

Step 3 Be Thankful

Chapter 11 Be Thankful in Attitude

Chapter 12 Be Thankful for Eternal Blessings

Chapter 13 Be Thankful for Temporal Blessings

Chapter 14 Be Thankful for Blessings in Disguise

Step 4 Be Present

Chapter 15 Be Present with God

Chapter 16 Be Present with Others

Chapter 17 Be Present in Circumstances

Step 5 Be Relational

Chapter 18 Be Relational with God

Chapter 19 Be Relational with Others

Step 6 Be Intentional

Chapter 20 Be Intentional in All Things

Endnotes

Acknowledgments

I want to first thank God for the many blessings he has given me and especially the blessings that have already come and will continue to come as a result of this book project. God has been patient and faithful to me throughout my life, and I am truly grateful.

I thank my husband, Keith, and my sons, David, Chris, and Kyle, for their support through this long process and during the time that I returned to school to prepare for this call. I love you all so much.

I also want to acknowledge the wonderful professors at Wayland Baptist University-Hawaii Campus. Dr. Schlittenhart and Dr. Howle taught me Christian theology and historical and cultural perspectives of the Bible in a challenging way that made the Bible come alive, while also revealing a personal love of Christ through word and action.

Last, but not least, I would like to thank the group of women in my church mini-gathering, who encouraged and prayed for me and even allowed me to try out some of this material on them. God bless each of you.

PART 1

BLESSED UNDERSTANDING

I will bless them and the places surrounding my hill. I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing.

-Ezekiel 34:26

Introduction

Do you want to know how to live a life that is blessed? Even better … how to live a life that is fully blessed? Because that is what God desires for you and for me. He wants us to live a life full of his blessings, a life aware of his blessings, and a life overflowing with blessings. To live a life that responds to his blessings in the appropriate manner—with a heart of thanksgiving, a mouth of praise, and a soul that gives glory to God by spreading those blessing to others.

Is that your desire? It is mine. I have spent considerable time exploring this topic over the past few years, and I have come to believe that I am not alone in this desire.

I have always felt blessed. I have always known that my life has been blessed. It is a thought that has always resonated with me. Not that I have had a perfect life or one without troubles, but I have always recognized the fact that I have been blessed. Since the age of eleven, I have also been aware of the source of my blessings. I know that God has richly blessed my life.

However, I have to confess that I don’t always live as if I am blessed. I often get caught up in my life, my problems, my worries, my whatever—and I just let the days drift by with no acknowledgment or gratitude for the many blessings that I have received. I have periods of time in my life where I behaved as if I am empty of blessings. Times when I have forgotten how blessed I am. Times when I don’t allow my life to be a blessing to others and don’t let others see God in my life.

Even though I know that I am blessed, I don’t always show it. I don’t always live it. And even when I do experience a life that is blessed, I don’t always live a fully blessed life. I want my life to be different. I want the fullness that God has planned for me. I hope that this resonates with you as well.

Over the past few years, God began to place in my heart this idea of writing a book about blessings. I fought it at first. It terrified me. Excuses and fears won out for a while. Then I accepted it as something I was supposed to do. Then I got excited about it. Finally, I prepared for it as best I could. And now, here we are.

We have a choice in how we live our lives. We can choose to live a blessed life. Join me on this journey as we explore the reality of connecting with God and living a life fully blessed.

My desire is that you learn some things about yourself, about God, and about your relationship with God. I also hope and pray that you recognize how much God blesses you each day and that you learn to use those blessings in a meaningful way, allowing them to overflow to those around you. I pray that this book is a blessing to you. I pray that this book will bring glory to God. I invite you to join me on this journey. Allow God to shower you with his blessings! Learn how to live a life fully blessed!

"Now you have been pleased to bless the house of your servant, that it may continue forever in your sight; for you, O Lord, have blessed it, and it will be