Reclaiming Joy: Living in the Transforming Power of Reconciliation and Forgiveness

By Rev. Susan Eaton

Are you involved in a quarrelsome or contentious relationship that is keeping you stressed and on guard? Are you holding on to some bitterness rooted in the past? Does the constant barrage of online bickering make you anxious and angry? Do you feel stuck in a place that is stealing your joy?
If you have ever been challenged by any of these issues, then you are in the right place. This study of Genesis 26 will help you explore where you might be stuck. It will ask you to address some common attitudes, habits, and behaviors that are preventing you from living the life of joy God desires for you. Take this prayerful journey of introspection with the Holy Spirit and learn to embrace forgiveness, gain freedom from a painful past, and find healing from the things that are keeping you out of the wide-open space of joyful living.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Sep 6, 2019
• ISBN: 9781973672050

Rev. Susan Eaton

Rev. Susan Eaton is a wife, mom, pastor, speaker, and mentor. She has over twenty years of experience teaching, writing and leading retreats, speaking at youth retreats and conferences, mission events, as well as college and women’s events. Susan holds a Master of Divinity degree from Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, KY. She served in youth ministry for 19 years, both in her home state of Mississippi and in Kentucky. She now serves as Discipleship Pastor at Parkway Heights United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg, MS. For more information visit Susan at revsusaneaton.com.

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Copyright © 2019 Rev. Susan Eaton.

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.

This book is a work of non-fiction. Unless otherwise noted, the author and the publisher make no explicit guarantees as to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and in some cases, names of people and places have been altered to protect their privacy.

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Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

ISBN: 978-1-9736-7206-7 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-9736-7205-0 (e)

WestBow Press rev. date: 09/05/2019

Contents

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Week 1 – Reclaiming Joy in the Face of Fear and Contempt

Day One: The Fear Factor

Day Two: You Know What They Say About Assuming

Day Three: An Ugly Little Attitude Called Contempt

Week 2 – Reclaiming Joy in the Midst of Valleys, Quarreling and Opposition

Day One: Promises and Blessing

Day Two: Into the Valley

Day Three: Unstopping the Wells

Day Four: Quarreling and Opposition

Day Five: A Word About Spiritual Opposition and Harassment

Week 3 – Reclaiming Joy in the Face of Bitterness and Unforgiveness

Day One: A Blast From the Past

Day Two: Hidden Anger

Day Three: The Current of God’s Love

Day Four: Retaining v/s Forgiving

Day Five: A Source of Healing for the World

Endnotes

…the LORD answered me and set me in a broad place.

-Psalm 118:5b (NRSV)

For my Savior

Thank you for teaching

me through healing me.

Acknowledgements

When I chose to start blogging in December 2017, I never imagined I would eventually write a book. Others have encouraged me to do so for a while now, including the beautiful women of Parkway Heights UMC in Hattiesburg, MS and my senior pastor and life coach, Bruce Case. They saw something in me before I did, and helped me believe I could and should share in this way. They are a big reason this study even exists.

One thing I have been reminded of while writing this study is that I am surrounded by incredibly talented people. Thank you, Alex Doleac, for assisting me with the cover design. Your energy and excitement brought joy to my heart. Thank you for gifting your talents to this project. I also need to thank my friends who did a test drive of the study for me. They took the time to work the study and give me valuable feedback that was integral to its final editing. Thank you for helping me make it better than it originally was.

Finally, I need to thank my husband, Stewart, for the countless times he endured me asking for his input or patiently listened while I read portions of what I had written to him. Stewart, you are my rock, my best friend, and my constant supporter. I’m so glad I get to do life with you.

Introduction

Genesis 26 - A Case Study

When I was in seminary I was required to take a supervised ministry class. Each of us became an intern at a ministry setting of our choosing. We worked alongside the leaders, built relationships with those involved, and learned how ministry was done there. This class provided a great opportunity for self-discovery and being stretched out of our comfort zones.

The class also required us to write a case study based on an experience we had at our ministry setting. The most interesting case studies were those about a difficult person someone was working with, a conflict, or other challenging situations. We had to be honest about what happened—what we said, how we reacted or responded, what the other person or people said or did, and what the result was.

We spelled out the situation in our case study, presented it to the class, and then