Grace Overcomes Today

By Sharilynn Hunt

Grace Overcomes Today contains a thirty-one-day devotional study. This book captures the struggles, decisions, and victories of a modern-day person comparable to a similar profile during biblical times. Our journey through life may include crisis, change of relationships, or new job opportunities. You will read about a hopeless prostitute, broken relationships, a homeless alcoholic, an unexpected father, a retired man who lost everything, and more. God's grace and favor intervened to overcome their circumstances. These daily devotionals are a reminder of the powerful grace and favor available in our life through Christ every day-not just in desperate times. In these daily profiles, you may recognize your own situation or someone you know. Use the applications for the prayer focus of the day. You will begin to identify the favor of God upon your own life. Look for it! "When you read this book you will agree that Sharilynn Hunt was called by God to write these devotions to help us in our everyday life. Only God could give Sharilynn the courage and wisdom to share her faith with us. These special messages are a gift to a people who need his guidance and above all his love." Susan Reichert, Editor-in-Chief of Southern Writers Magazine.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 11, 2018
• ISBN: 9781640799714

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Grace Overcomes Today

Sharilynn Hunt

ISBN 978-1-64079-970-7 (paperback)

ISBN 978-1-64079-971-4 (digital)

Copyright © 2017 by Sharilynn Hunt

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Scripture taken from the New King James Version, Copyright©1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations are taken from The Living Bible copyright©1971 Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream IL 60188.

Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version, MARKED CHAIN-REFERENCE BIBLE is published by special arrangement with Holt, Rinehart and Winston, Inc. New York 17, New York. Edition 1963. Copyright©1928. Used by permission.

Scripture taken from THE MESSAGE. Copyright©1993, 1994,1995,1996,2000,2001,2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Disclaimer: Modern characters, businesses, and places are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons or events are coincidental and fictitious.

Printed in the United States of America

Acknowledgements

It takes a community of support to write a book. I appreciate the prayers and encouragement from my loving children Shelley (Jerry) Copeland and Aaron (Kristi) Hunt. A special thanks to my husband, David, who willingly withstood my hours writing in my ‘Cove’ to produce these pages.

My appreciation to my prayer armor bearers (Linda Beavers, Cheryl Wickline, Kris Clinton, and Pastor James Farmer) who faithfully prayed into this project with words of encouragement and divine strength on many occasions.

Many thanks to my writing friends. Thank you, Susan Reichert, Editor of Southern Writers Magazine, who introduced me to the thought of writing a devotional for the public eyes. To Lin Johnson, of ACW Mentoring Retreat, who helped me cement my thoughts for this book. To Denise George and Carolyn Tomlin, authors of several books, for your wonderful Boot Camps for writers. To my local friends of the Bartlett Writers Group and Collierville Writers Group for their writing support. A special thanks for my monthly KCW critique group who patiently critiqued my writing flaws with helpful suggestions. I am forever grateful to Georgia Satcher-Jones and Melissa Farmer with their editing skills. Thank you, Christian Faith Publishing Company, for releasing this message.

A humble gratitude and praise to my Lord Jesus Christ. He continues to teach me the power of grace in my own life and allows me the privilege to share the message with others.

Dedicated to Daniel, Hayden, Graham, and Hannah, who are on their own journey of grace.

Introduction

Welcome to Grace Overcomes Today!

We sing about grace and hear pastors preach about it. Many people say grace before a meal. We speed through life, and suddenly there appears a hurdle, an obstacle, a death, or an event that slows our pace, causes us pain, or hurls us toward defeat before the day ends. We say, God, I need help!

This thirty-one-day devotional study illustrates contemporary and biblical profiles in victory through raw, demanding moments of life. Why? Because God’s grace sustains us today just as in times past.

During the writing of this book, I trusted God to undergird me through six years of medical issues and deaths of both parents. My mother had a stroke four days after my father died. When I stood overwhelmed in the hospital elevator at 4:30 a.m., I cried aloud for God’s grace to sustain me for the moment. He lovingly gave me strength and walked with me during those dark hours and months ahead.

His grace continues for you today. Look for it and receive it. Remember this promise, Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

Grace and peace to you.

Sharilynn Hunt

Day 1

Grace for the Truth

And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32)

Jack said the party group would help them relax, have fun, and put a kick in their marriage—all with recreational drugs. Well, who wouldn’t want more laughs and fun on the weekends? Lindsey agreed, but now the fights with addictions had turned a marriage of love into a selfish one.

Lindsey found the note on the bed telling her Jack had left. No! You scum! she yelled and slid to the floor in tears.

The eviction notice came the next day. Did Jack use his salary for drugs instead of the rent? Lindsey threw the notice in the trash. I can’t take this anymore. We’re leaving too. She and the two children packed the van and left their suburban life. While driving ninety miles to her parents’ home, everyone cried.

I’ll be back when I get things straightened out, she said. Lindsey hugged her kids tightly and covered them with kisses. It will only be a few months.

Lindsey moved in with Shayla, a new party friend who introduced her to Malcolm and the adult entertainment business. Shayla, I can quit this life whenever I save up enough money to get back on my feet, she said.

Men paid Malcolm good money for her services of ill repute. Drugs were plentiful, and months turned into two years of bondage. Her life became a daily struggle for survival.

The events of the party seemed hazy, but the alcohol, illicit sex, and drugs were part of the night’s activities before the cops arrived. Later, she stood before a judge and received a misdemeanor sentence for drug possession and prostitution. The verdict—a monetary fine and several months in a Christian rehabilitation facility outside of town. Bitterness fueled her anger. Where was Malcolm now?

Lindsey hated the required chapel services and recovery groups. But in time, the songs and messages in the services began to replace her bitter feelings with tears of repentance. Then one day, in a session of prayer, she met her Savior who gave her unconditional love and grace. Lindsey wondered. Can I put the pieces of my life back together?

After one year, Lindsey completed her rehabilitation sentence as a different person and mother with a new direction. When she met another young woman who lived on the streets, Lindsey gladly shared about her life of deception versus the truth of God’s love.

Bible Reading: Genesis 2:15–3:24

Another woman exchanged the divine truth for a lie.

Eve lived the perfect life with Adam in God’s garden with no house to clean, bills to pay, or responsibilities of hard work. God gave Adam dominion over the garden and freedom to eat anything—except the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Eating the forbidden fruit would open his eyes to right and wrong. The curse of the forbidden fruit would separate Adam from God with a life of hard work until his death.

Adam shared the warning with Eve. What did she not understand when she met her new friend, the serpent? The luscious fruit made her mouth water. Satan questioned Eve’s explanation. She told him they could not eat or touch the fruit, or they would