Knowing God More: An Introspective 40 Day Guide

By Dan Holloway

Everyone could use some uplifting inspiration from time to time. This introspective guide allows readers to take bite-sized chunks of spiritual ideas and use them in practical everyday ways to improve their lives by realizing their connection with the divine, with the universe, with God. Through entertaining and stimulating stories and concepts, each day offers new and life-enhancing ways to gain deeper self-awareness and experience greater inner peace and joy.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Apr 13, 2020
• ISBN: 9781532098932

Dan Holloway

Reverend Dan Holloway has been a Unity minister for 27 years, serving churches in Texas, Florida, Nebraska and Virginia. He has served as chair of Unity Worldwide Ministries, and has been a long time contributor of Unity’s Daily Word Magazine. Known for his sense of humor and practical ways of explaining difficult subjects with everyday language, he is able to encourage and inspire people to take charge of their lives. Regardless of circumstances, anyone can apply universal spiritual principles, develop greater self-awareness, and live with meaning and purpose. This happens naturally as one discovers and expands a true feeling of oneness with God. His mission is to demonstrate peace, joy, acceptance and the power of choice.

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Copyright © 2020 Dan Holloway.

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.

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.

The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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ISBN: 978-1-5320-9892-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5320-9893-2 (e)

iUniverse rev. date: 04/09/2020

Contents

Acknowledgments

The Last Will and Testament of God

Awareness

Identity

Day 1: Do-Be-Do-Be-Do

Day 2: You Are Unique, Just like Everyone Else

Day 3: Bloom Where You Are Planted

Perspective

Day 4: All Things Work Together for Good

Day 5: Don’t Give Up — Surrender!

Day 6: Free to Be You and Me

Day 7: We Are Magnets and Mirrors

Living in the Moment

Day 8: On Living in the Moment

Day 9: A Fresh Start

Day 10: Instant Replay

Day 11: Forward Momentum

Day 12: Called Higher

Attitude

Prosperity

Day 13: It’s the Law

Day 14: To Tell the Truth

Gratitude

Day 15: Are You Grateful Enough?

Day 16: Thanks in All Things

Open to Miracles

Day 17: Next Steps

Day 18: Imagine a Miraculous Day/Year/Life

Day 19: Do You Want Fries with That?

Love

Day 20: The Power of Love

Day 21: Love Is the Answer

Day 22: God’s Love in the Form of Grace

Prayer/Guidance

Day 23: RSVP Respond to Spirit’s Voice, Please!

Day 24: Ask the Right Question

Day 25: Coincidence?

Day 26: Beyond Appearances

Day 27: Praying the Perfect Prayer

Action

Faith/Imagination

Day 28: Action Cures Fear

Day 29: The F Word

Day 30: There’s Not a Downside to Looking Up

Change

Day 31: Burn Your Bridges

Day 32: Transformation

Day 33: A Change of Seasons

Day 34: Growing through the Changes in Life

Day 35: New Beginnings

Day 36: We Are Making Progress!

Choice

Day 37: It’s Your Choice

Day 38: A Free Spirit

Day 39: Breaking Murphy’s Law

Day 40: Button-Free Living

Conclusion

Acknowledgments

Ideas shared in this book came from over twenty-five years of presenting Sunday lessons (we don’t call them sermons) at church. More specifically, they come from living life in discovery mode. In order to produce a lesson, I always needed to find a spark – something that made the subject interesting to me. I could not imagine sitting through a boring sermon like I had to when growing up. I needed to find what I called the juice. What new perspective could I find that was exciting to me, and then hopefully exciting to my congregation? I became quite the metaphysical observer. I looked for meaning in circumstances large and small, in people’s reactions and responses to all that life dealt them.

I am grateful to Spirit for opening my eyes, at least somewhat, to what life was offering me. Every Sunday was like a chance to share a new secret to living more fully. It might have been about the power of forgiveness, or an opportunity to prove spiritual principles through combining one’s faith with limitless imagination. So I say Thank You God, for the Juice in my life!

I am also blessed with a loving and patient wife, who provided space for me to do my work and encouragement to move forward, even when I had doubts about my own ability. Thank you, Kathy McManus! (Actually, Rev. Kathy McManus! – She is also an ordained Unity minister.) I probably would not have gotten this book to print without the support of my life coach, Rev. Sharon Connors, who motivated me, and who called me on my stuff and would not let me slide through life. I am also so grateful for my editor, Diane Bressner, for helping to bring order to the chaos of my writing and offering valuable and supportive ideas. Appreciation is also due to Brenda Moreu, my church office manager, whose positive attitude and dedication was a constant mainstay.

Thanks to all who showed me the importance of living a life with purpose and meaning. I am grateful – and I am still learning!

Thank you all!

Rev. Dan Holloway

In the Bible, the number 40 has special significance. Generally speaking, 40 represents the amount of time it takes to accomplish something. Noah’s ark was in the flooded waters for 40 days. Moses led the Israelites through the wilderness for 40 years. Jesus went off by himself for 40 days at the beginning of his ministry.

How long it takes you to read this book and apply the Steps for Deeper Understanding is, of course, up to you. I have simply broken this time down to 40 days in order to allow for time to consider the topic and the questions, as well as to open a process of spiritual evolution. I bless you on your way to know God more!

Let us begin with an exploration of the will of God.

Many times I simply do not understand the big picture. I cannot figure out why certain things happen and other things don’t. For instance, people have asked since the beginning of time why suffering exists, or why life is often so confusing. We would like all of life to make sense so we would know what to do, and how and when to do it.

But life does not work that way. Life happens. We each have our up times and our down times — and occasionally even those times are confusing. I have had many people tell me, You know, at the time, I thought that (whatever: the job loss, illness, divorce) was terrible, but now I see it was a real blessing, perhaps in disguise.

All this confusion has made me wonder what God’s will is, after all. I shared my best answer in a Sunday lesson with my congregants. I told them that I had come across a very old document that explained the will of God. (I may have embellished here.) I submit the following for your consideration.

The Last Will and

Testament of God

Please do not mistakenly think that because my will is being read I am gone. I am always here and available. This is not only the last will and testament but also the first will and testament of God. My will is always the same. It does not change. My will is the creative force. I will, and it is so. This same creative force is in you. What you will, manifests. How and what you apply the power of will to is demonstrated in your world, both the inner and the outer world, the world of cause and of effect, the world of thought and the world of deed.

My will is to be expressed. You can carry out my will. I can and do express in you, and through you, and even as you. You are made in my image and likeness. Just as a child expresses its parents’ traits, so you express mine.

As love, you express through acts of kindness, acceptance of others, forgiveness, and harmony. As strength, you express through courage, commitment, and willingness to grow. As faith, you express as an underlying belief in good, in possibilities for greater things for yourself and for others, and as spiritual understanding which surpasses human intellect.

A testament is a testimony, a proof of sorts. You have heard my will. My will is to be expressed. The testament is where you come in. You are to be and demonstrate the proof of God. You have all that you need to do that: the Christ within. You are the testament. Prove me in your life. Prove me as your life. Let me make your world better through you, one moment, one divine idea, at a time.

My will is your will.

My testament is you.

Signed in the eternal moment,

God

Awareness

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All of our possibilities for positive change must begin with awareness. We cannot address what we do not see. We cannot change what we do not acknowledge. Yet so much of our time is spent on autopilot. We have developed routines — how we travel to work or to a friend’s place, how we begin our day, or even how we react or respond to outer circumstances — and in our robotic ways we give up true awareness. We may notice the light, but not appreciate the sunrise. We may notice the temperature but not really breathe in all the subtleties of the air. So we begin our journey with the simple task of becoming aware first of our surroundings, and