A Student of Life

By Sally Stierhoff

“The Great Commission commands us to make Disciples, not Converts. In the Christian context a Disciple is most commonly referred to as a follower of Jesus. In its most literal context a disciple is a ‘learner.’ In either case we’re not talking about an event, but rather a process or lifestyle. Sally’s story and stories of life garnered experience are both wisdom and practical next steps for the serious disciple. A Student of Life is a Discipleship Primer that will both inspire, instruct, and enlighten the reader as they establish their own life story.”
Pastor Steven S. Harman, Th.D. Retired church plant pastor, current volunteer missionary with: A Time to Revive and Revive Ohio Ministries
In Sally Steirhoff’s most recent work, A Student of Life, she invites her readers to share an intimate stroll with her Savior. The conversation pairs insightful stories with lessons for living with each page being gently sprinkled with Scripture. Take time, as I did, to enjoy its many flavors. I guarantee you’ll be amply rewarded with refreshing insights that linger long in your soul.
Dr. Wayne Cordeiro, Author and Sr. Pastor
New Hope Church & College
Eugene, Oregon

A Student of Life conveys wisdom and practical advice on topics such as fear, anger and grief, marriage and blended families, self-worth and personal growth, and finding true happiness and peace.
Life can be a journey of adventures and challenges—and how you deal with them determines your level of success and joy. In this book, the author draws on her life experiences and observations to convey the unlimited love of God. She answers questions such as:
How can you ask for God’s help when you need it?
What are the benefits of spending time in prayer?
How can you overcome past mistakes?
Why should you surrender yourself to Christ?
As a student of life, the Lord has revealed many wonderful things to the author. By learning about them, you’ll find an easier road to travel.
Evaluate your life, ignite your faith, and enjoy the benefits that go along with knowing how much God loves you with the lessons in this book.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jul 14, 2022
• ISBN: 9781664269583

Sally Stierhoff

Sally Stierhoff retired from the business world in 2013 and began pursuing her passion for writing and intercessory prayer full-time. She leads several prayer groups and has been a guest on Christian radio stations. She is an avid gardener and enjoys art, decorating, and reading. Her greatest joy is making memories with her family and friends and developing and encouraging spiritual growth in others. She is also the author of S.O.A.P. How To Clean Up Your Stinking Thinking One Day at a Time.

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Copyright © 2022 Sally Stierhoff.

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WestBow Press

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and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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Interior Image Credit: Shelly Stout

ISBN: 978-1-6642-6957-6 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-6959-0 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-6958-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022911425

WestBow Press rev. date: 07/12/2022

Unless otherwise noted, all scripture references are fromThe Holy Bible (NIV),

New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica,

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Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation,

copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission

of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scriptures marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

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© 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked TPT are from The Passion Translation®.

Copyright © 2017, 2018, 2020 by Passion & Fire Ministries, Inc. Used

by permission. All rights reserved. ThePassionTranslation.com.

Scripture quotations marked KJ21 are taken from the 21st Century

King James Version®, copyright © 1994. Used by permission of Deuel

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Scripture quotations marked MSG are taken from THE MESSAGE,

copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of

NavPress, represented by Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

Contents

In Memory of Mark Stierhoff

Dedication

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Prologue

My Companion

A Solid Foundation for Life

We Are Pottery in Process

Effective Bible Study

Reflections of Myself

Recycle—Refurbish—Reinvent

All That I Am

Understanding Anger

Fear, Lies, and Jail Cells

Walking in the Truth, Led by the Spirit of God

The Gift of Compassion

An Instrument of Your Peace

Philippians 4:13

Where Is True Happiness?

A Perfect Day

The Secrets to Enduring Love

Blended Family of Books

Children: A Treasure Entrusted to Us

Once Again

Living in a Spirit-Filled World

It’s All about Prayer

Eternity without God

A Life-Altering Situation

An Invitation

Notes

In Memory of Mark Stierhoff

My husband, Mark, died while I was finishing this book, so in memory of him and all that he brought to my life, I want to acknowledge his contributions. He was a gift from God to me. This book would not be anything like it is if I had not married this wonderful man and experienced so many things with him over the years. God guided us to each other; then we grew in our faith together. I am so very grateful for the life Mark gave me and for the children. I am thankful for his contributions and advice on this book.

Thank you, love, until we meet again in that heavenly realm.

Dedication

I dedicate this book first to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The relationship I have developed through my faith in Him has sustained me through many challenging times in my life.

Second, I dedicate this book to my husband and our four grown children and their families. I also dedicate it to my extended families and my wonderful friends.

You may ask why I dedicate this book to so many people. It is because I have learned from them and even more people who have come in and out of my life. All my relationships and experiences have made me who I am today. They all have taught me what I’m about to share with you in the pages of this book.

So I thank You and give You praise, Lord. I thank my cherished family and friends as well; you know who you are. God has blessed me so much, and I am eternally grateful for having you in my life.

Preface

A Student of Life is a book that will challenge you. It will encourage deeper spiritual thought and discussion. Wisdom comes to us from time spent with the Lord and in His Word, the Holy Bible. It also comes from a willingness to evaluate and learn from our experiences.

As a student of life, the Lord has revealed many wonderful things to me, and I am compelled to share what I have learned with you. Maybe by doing so, you will have an easier road to travel.

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17)

Acknowledgments

I would love to recognize the many people who have advised me, reviewed and proofed my manuscript, and supplied me with beautiful artwork. Without their hard work and dedication to the Lord, this book would not have been possible. I thank them from the bottom of my heart. I pray this book glorifies the Lord and that His presence is felt when it is read. May the name of the Lord be praised:

Marge Bailey, Pastor Mark Burd, Dr. Wayne Cordeiro, Pastor Steve S. Harman ThD, Pam Henry, Heather Hunt, Kimber Lee Kinney, Debbie Purk, Mark Stierhoff, and Shelly Stout.

Introduction

Oh, how I wish I could go back in time and give this book to my younger self. It would have helped me tremendously. But I guess I had to go through many things in order to learn some valuable life lessons.

This book may be a little different than others. It is filled with chapters on everything from raising a blended family to prayer. It is a kaleidoscope of compositions that will bring the reader a literary picture of what walking through life in the presence of the Lord can look like.

My first book, SOAP How to Clean Up Your Stinking Thinking One Day at a Time, was simple and straightforward. While writing A Student of Life, I found myself struggling as I tried to put this book into a format similar to other books on the market. I felt so boxed in. It squelched my creativity to the point that I almost quit writing. After some time, I felt the Lord remind me that I was uniquely made, not like anyone else, so my book should be created in the same manner. This revelation allowed me the freedom to express myself as I felt the Lord directed.

In this book I share fictional stories, observations, experiences, poems, and a few of my favorite quotes from other people. I may even use a scripture or a phrase more than once if it fits into the subject that I am writing about. My goal is to inspire and encourage you, the reader, to evaluate your life, establish meaningful relationships, and to truly understand how much God loves you.

Most of us have to face consequences because of our poor decisions. But take heart; it is never too late to turn and start on a new path. Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22–23).

The secret to our success is in knowing ourselves and our Creator. It’s also in understanding our enemy, Satan, and how he attacks. We need to keep our eyes open as we go through life, recognizing the minefields, reflecting on the knowledge and wisdom we are obtaining, and building a strong foundation of faith as we study God’s Word. It’s up to us to choose to do these things. Just as we choose whether to live a happy life or a bitter one. It’s all part of the decision to be a student of life or a casualty of it.

Prologue

On July 7, 2020, I woke up and went into my office to study the Word and pray. Instead, I felt the Lord downloading words upon words. I was groggy, sleepy, and not the least bit feeling like writing or being poetic. But the words were coming, and I did not want to lose a single one. I could feel His presence as I tried to capture those words. I quickly picked up a pad of paper and a pen and started writing as fast as I could, trying to keep up. This barrage of words was flowing and spilling over in my mind and out of my pen. I felt like His thoughts were mixing with my experiences on earth, and suddenly, several pages of the pad of paper were full. As I typed it up, I was amazed at the words, the feelings, and the meanings. So softly and tenderly He was comforting me with His thoughts. I believe He was reminding me of His presence every minute of every day.

While I typed this explanation, He filled my mind with more. I believe He was conveying a message to me that I should not fret but realize that things are only temporary. He has overcome the world, and I need to trust Him. In my spirit I know that I am safe in His care. Throughout my life, studying the Bible, I know that I should not fear or fret but stay in prayer and in His presence. He reminds me in so many ways that I am His companion.

Some people still do not believe God conveys things to them, but if they press in and want that kind of companion relationship, He will bless them with it. I know what I know, and one of the things I know is that this sometimes stubborn, sometimes-a-little grouchy-first-thing-in-the-morning person could not even begin to come up with those words. I believe they were inspired by God because they glorify Him. This psalm to me highlights His presence in creation and in my life. They are like a gentle touch—warm and comforting, caring and loving—telling me what I needed to hear during the trying times we were experiencing in the year 2020. They are a gentle reminder of all the things He has made, the very things I love. He dumped His heart into mine and carefully guided my writing. He knows my heart better than anyone on earth, and He knows how to reach me; He often reaches me in this manner. This book is evidence of that. I believe the reason is so that I will share it with others.

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in Him. (Psalm 34:8)

My Companion

L ord, Your greatness and