Surviving Leah: When Giving Up Isn’t an Option

By Jeremy Tyner

Have you ever experienced unexplainable moments of worry or frustration that suddenly appear out of nowhere? The moments that leave you feeling all alone with nothing but pain and agony to keep you company. These times of weariness can leave you questioning more than just your decisions but will also have you doubting if relief is ever coming.

Our attention can be focused on the pain instead of what the pain is producing. We are usually more aware and respond to the hurt and fail to acknowledge the blessing born in these difficult moments.

Leah, the wife of Jacob in the Old Testament, is arguably the most powerful yet overlooked person in the Bible. She was the one that was despised and hated, even by her husband. Leah lived in a world where disappointment and pain followed her everywhere. However, it was in these moments that Leah birthed the very things that shifted and changed the foundation of the world.

God desires us to live a beautiful life, one resembling the life of Rachel, Leah’s sister. However, He will introduce you to Leah seasons that bring weariness and frustration, where a spectacular purpose is waiting to be born.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Jan 8, 2024
• ISBN: 9798891303782

Book preview

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Surviving Leah

When Giving Up IsnaEUR(tm)t an Option

Jeremy Tyner

ISBN 979-8-89130-376-8 (paperback)

ISBN 979-8-89130-377-5 (hardcover)

ISBN 979-8-89130-378-2 (digital)

Copyright © 2023 by Jeremy Tyner

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

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Bible note: All scripture references are English Standard Version (ESV) except for chapter 7, using MSG for a set of scriptures.

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Nina, Cohen, Ellie, and Victoria—thank you for encouraging me when I wanted to stop and for keeping the noise down while I wrote. I love you more than you'll ever know.

Foreword

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1

Jacob's Promise

Chapter 2

At First Sight

Chapter 3

Happens Suddenly

Chapter 4

Purpose of Leah

Chapter 5

Reuben

Chapter 6

Simeon

Chapter 7

Levi

Chapter 8

Judah

Chapter 9

Rename the Pain

Chapter 10

Your Promise

Chapter 11

Memory of Leah

Chapter 12

Go Already

About the Author

Nina, Cohen, Ellie, and Victoria—thank you for encouraging me when I wanted to stop and for keeping the noise down while I wrote. I love you more than you'll ever know.

Foreword

In the pages of this book, my friend, colleague, and son in the Gospel, Pastor Jeremy Tyner, explores the journey of triumph over adversity and the immense strength found within the human spirit.

I was privileged to have a front-row seat when Jeremy preached this as a sermon at Oasis Church. My wife, Stephanie, and I kept hitting each other as he was preaching, saying, This has to be a book. This has to be a book. Jeremy is an incredible preacher, but the relevance and revelation from this message were so fresh and profound that we knew it was bigger than just one congregation.

In this book that came from the sermon, Surviving Leah, Jeremy beautifully captures the essence of Leah's story, taking his readers on a compelling journey through the actual life of Leah, a woman who faced insurmountable challenges yet emerged victorious. Jeremy masterfully weaves a tale that resonates with our own struggles, offering invaluable lessons on perseverance, faith, and the power of resilience.

Having had a front-row seat not only to the sermon but to the lives of Jeremy, his precious wife (Nina), and their family, I have witnessed how they have navigated the challenges of life and ministry. This is a message birthed out of his own pain and triumph in life and ministry.

We all have lived through our Leah seasons. May the revelation and fresh insight from these pages not only encourage but empower you for your journey and unique destiny in Christ and His kingdom.

Sincerely,

Bishop Jonathan Suber

Acknowledgments

I want to thank the people who encouraged me during this incredible journey. Without you, Surviving Leah would not have been possible.

Bishop Jonathan and Stephanie Suber—this would've stayed a sermon if it were not for the two of you. Your support and encouragement have propelled my family to new heights.

Oasis Church—thank you for making me believe that I'm a decent preacher and for not laughing too hard at me when I butcher the English language. Thank you for making us part of your family.

Dr. Phil Brassfield and the entire Destiny family—thank you for always being in our corner and investing in my family. I love you all dearly!

Larry Leinenger—your generosity is unmatched and unparalleled by anyone I know. Thank you for everything.

Chapter 1

Jacob's Promise

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

—Isaiah 41:10 ESV

I love promises. I really do! Well, I love the promises that happen or take place. I am not a fan of broken promises but those that bring me excitement and joy. You know the ones I am talking about. The kind of promises that gets you excited and counting down the days. An exciting, fulfilled promise is a gift. It's something that I do not take for granted because I've experienced broken ones.

When you give someone a promise, you assure them that you will follow through with what you said or intended. It's a pledge, vow, or better yet, guarantee that you will uphold your word. When a promise is broken, so is the credibility of the person who broke the bond.

How often have we said, I promise, trying to buy credibility to the person asking us a question? Growing up, when asked if I had taken out the trash or mowed the yard, my usual response was, Not yet, but I will. After getting a look of disbelief from my parents, I tried to cement my word with an I promise I will.

During my childhood, I loved going and visiting my grandparents. Even though they were divorced and remarried to other people, they made my time with them magical.

My grandmother always went out of her way to make me feel like I was her favorite. Because I was the oldest of my cousins, she often said, You're the king of my grandkids, Jeremy. You're the oldest, so all your cousins will always look up to you. Even though I was made to feel like royalty, I was only qualified due to my age. However, I will say it did make me walk with a little more swagger.

Some of my best memories occurred in a small midwestern town called Muncie, Indiana. My grandmother had her own company and was in the insurance business. Sometimes she would take my sister, Jessicah, and I to the office with her if we stayed over during the week. My aunt was her secretary, which meant the three of us would have a full day making prank phone calls to unsuspecting residents of central Indiana. The funniest days were when Jessicah would call the same radio station repeatedly, requesting the same song. Looking back now, going to work with my grandmother was the highlight of my summers.

Do not get me started on the holidays. My grandmother loved her family, and some of my favorite memories were during a holiday break. Somehow she made each Christmas better than the previous. As a child, I thought the presents by the tree would tower over any mountain or building. During the holidays, she would make the best buckeyes that I have ever tasted. Since I still hold the title of king of the grandchildren, she sends me a care package each year. My wife and I will fight our children over my grandmother's buckeyes.

Living about thirty minutes away was my grandfather. Whenever I would visit him, he always took me out for pizza, bowling, and shopping for toys. I do not think I ever heard him say no to my ambitious requests.

When I was eleven, my grandfather promised I would get his truck when I turned sixteen. I would run into his garage and sit in the driver's seat whenever I visited. For a kid, this truck was the most beautiful vehicle I had ever seen. It was even nicer than the car my parents drove.

The truck was a white GMC with red-and-black racing stripes. It had running boards on the side and a solid red bed cover. The interior was entirely red and only contained a bench seat with a stick shift. I don't believe that truck had over ten thousand miles on it; they usually only drove it to antique road shows.

I drove to Florida, Chicago, and New York. I drove across town in this truck to get my favorite ice cream. It may have only been in my mind, but I imagined all the places I would go with this beauty. This truck would make me famous, play professional baseball, and bring me everything I wanted. Loaded in this shiny GMC truck bed were my hopes and dreams for the future. It's incredible what a twelve- or thirteen-year-old can imagine.

Finally, my sixteenth birthday arrived. The only thing I wanted to do was go to my grandfather's house. I couldn't get there quickly enough. Forget cutting the cake! No need to sing me the most annoying song in the world. I had only one thing on my mind: It was the fulfillment of a promise that I had waited almost five years for. I had it all planned out. The first thing I would do with the truck was take my grandfather out for pizza; this time, it would be on me.

We arrived, and they had all my favorite food and snacks on the table like usual. Sitting in the same seat I had sat in from previous Christmas and birthday celebrations, I waited patiently. It seemed like every passing second felt like an eternity. Then the moment came. Sitting across the table, my grandfather gave me a small golden cardboard box.

My mind told me this was it! The box was the perfect shape and size to hold keys inside. Even though I rehearsed several times throughout the years how I would respond and what I would say when I was given the keys, all that practice went out the window. I was overcome with sheer joy and excitement! It was a promise-fulfilling moment!

When I opened the box, I wanted to leap for joy. It was a metal golden key tag with the letter T engraved on the center. As I rushed to pull it out of the box, my excitement quickly transferred to disappointment. The keyring attached to the beautifully engraved tag was empty—no truck keys were to be found.

He told me he still needed the truck for his antique shows. The large boxes he transported wouldn't fit in the car they