Chaos: Overcoming the Overwhelming

By Noah Asher

Why did you choose to read this book description? Is it because of the cool cover? It’s okay...we have all judged a book by its cover at one time or another. Or is it because the word Chaos completely describes your life right now? Or maybe, just maybe, you thought the author was awesome and decided this book would be a New York Times Bestseller? Probably not the last scenario. If I had to guess, I’d say it has something to do with that overwhelming stress weighing down on you. Reality is, there are many people in this world facing hard times: Anxiety, incarceration, loss, addiction, divorce, sickness, and I could go on, but I need this description to fit on the back of the book...
How do we overcome these overwhelming times? Great question. I don’t have all the right words, which probably isn’t what you want to hear from an author. But I know Who does. His Name is Jesus. And He is the only One Who can bring unexplainable peace in the midst of your Chaos. Whether you are reading this behind prison bars, in the hospital room, at the funeral home, or on the awesome World Wide Web, I hope you choose to read this book. Chaos is inevitable. It comes like a thief in the night— stealing, killing, and destroying all we hold dear. But there is hope. Where the enemy comes to destroy, God comes to rebuild. He comes to restore. He comes to bring life and joy. This book isn’t some self-help book. Nor is it an autobiography. It’s a collaboration of real people experiencing real pain, learning how to overcome the overwhelming. Jesus isn’t just the center of this book. He’s the beginning, middle, and end. And spoiler alert: He always wins.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Jan 12, 2024
• ISBN: 9798385015351

Noah Asher

Noah Asher is an author, Chaos-survivor, business owner, and communicator. Noah helps people find purpose within their pain and their past. His new book, CHAOS: Overcoming the Overwhelming, is a guide on how to navigate through difficult times and come out stronger on the other side. Noah believes that everyone has a purpose, and he is dedicated to helping people find it. We’d love to connect with you: www.thenoahasher.com    *All proceeds of this book will be used to purchase copies for prison libraries and rehab centers across America. 

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Copyright © 2024 Noah Asher.

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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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ISBN: 979-8-3850-1492-7 (sc)

ISBN: 979-8-3850-1493-4 (hc)

ISBN: 979-8-3850-1535-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023924294

WestBow Press rev. date: 01/10/2024

Scripture quotations marked NIV are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked MSG or The Message are taken from The Message. Copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NLV are taken from the New Life Version Copyright © 1969, 2003 by Barbour Publishing, Inc.

CONTENTS

Introduction: PEP TALK

PART I | PREPARE

CHAPTER 1: Prepare

CHAPTER 2: The Jabbok

CHAPTER 3: I’ve Seen Fire and I’ve Seen Rain

CHAPTER 4: Who’s Your Daddy?

CHAPTER 5: Allies

PART II | IN THE MIDST

CHAPTER 6: Time

CHAPTER 7: Eeyore Syndrome

CHAPTER 8: Rollercoasters

CHAPTER 9: #TheIsraelGames

CHAPTER 10: The Embracer

CHAPTER 11: Just Keep Swimming

CHAPTER 12: The Mummy

CHAPTER 13: Let it Burn

PART III | THE AFTERMATH

CHAPTER 14: The Aftermath

CHAPTER 15: What’s Your Target?

CHAPTER 16: Haters Gonna Hate

CHAPTER 17: Live Love

CHAPTER 18: Grace Filter

CHAPTER 19: Fix-It Felix

CHAPTER 20: Lions, Giants, and Bears…Oh My!

CHAPTER 21: It is Finished

PART IV | THE EPILOGUE

EPILOGUE: He-Brews Coffeeshop

About the Author

To my special grandmother, Laurel Smith:

You have inspired me in more ways than you’ll ever know.

To my father, who left this earth too soon:

Your belief in me and your continual support kept me

going, even when I wanted to throw in the towel.

This book, my aftermath, is your legacy.

Pep Talk:

I Wish You Would Step Back

from that Ledge, My Friend

Repeat after me: Hee-hee-hoo. Wait.

Or is it: Breathe in, breathe out ?

Or maybe: Close your eyes and count to ten ?

I always get these mixed up.

Well, what I’m trying to say is: chill, relax. Chillax. Chaos is stressful, depressing, painful and many other frustrating adjectives, but you will make it through. It may not seem like it now, but the storm will dissipate and the enemy will retreat. You will see brighter days.

When I look back on my greatest Chaos, I think of what I needed most in the midst of my scariest storm and biggest battle. This section of the book is a result of what I thought would have kept me from losing my mind (or my faith).

This is no normal introduction. This is an added portion at the beginning of this book, written with the sole purpose of comforting and calming you before we ever even hit the main points. It’s like a coach’s pep talk before the game. The coach wants to inspire and encourage you before he/ she ever starts talking logistics on how to win the big game. That’s what this is. This is the pep talk. A breather. An encouraging letter. I call it: I Wish You Would Step Back from that Ledge, My Friend section. For you traditionalists out there, call it an Introduction if you’d like. For you hipsters, call it the Opening Monologue or something cooler. Whatever floats your metaphorical boat. And if you sang this section title to Third Eye Blind’s song, we can be friends.

I spent time on these short stories in this section because I understand how you’re feeling if your life is in Chaos right now. Chaos isn’t something you stream on Disney +…more like HBO Max; it’s defeating and makes you feel paralyzed with fear and unknown obscurities. You need some encouragement just to stay afloat. You need to know there is hope. There is; and we will see in God’s Word how true that statement is.

CHAOS is split into three sections:

Prepare: Before the storm rages and the enemy army arrives, there are things we can do to be ready for the attack. This section speaks on ways to prepare our hearts, minds, and spirits before Chaos ever comes.

In the Midst: This is the meat of the book. Most people who pick up a book on Chaos are most likely experiencing some sort of pain. This section helps us walk through it with power and victory in mind.

The Aftermath: Once the storm leaves and the enemy retreats, we are often left with some rebuilding to do. This portion is designed to help readers pick up the bricks and move forward, finding purpose in their lives again.

Don’t worry...this isn’t some story about how my life got flip-turned upside down and now I live with my uncle. That story is reserved for the Freshest of Princes. This is not some autobiography; that would be a boring read and would include tons of embarrassing moments typically involving caffeine and sugar. Though I mention some of my own personal story, I also share stories of others—famous and not—who all have one thing in common: Chaos.

Before we go further, let’s start with the basics: God is with you and He is fighting for you. I know this sounds overly simple, but it is crucial to hold on to this fact while experiencing Chaos. This is certainly the Lighthouse you focus on and swim toward as twelve-foot waves of turmoil surround you. No matter how distant or closed off you feel, He is with you, He was with you, and He will always be with you.

God is with you and He is fighting for you.

It is easy to get wrapped up into the idea you are alone in this and that no one understands what you are going through. But Jesus can relate. He can relate to your Chaos better than anyone else. He has been there, done that. And has the holes in His hands to prove it. While Jesus was on this earth, he experienced pain, deception, loss, struggle. He knows the importance of preparing. He knows what it means to walk in the midst. He knows what it looks like to come out on the other side victorious. He relates because He’s been through it Himself. And He’s with you here now during this overwhelming time.

His Word promises He will never leave or abandon us (Deuteronomy 31:6). God doesn’t write in small-print at the bottom of the page that this only applies to those who are good or perfect or pretty. There is no asterisk or special clause. He will never leave the saint or the sinner. He is there—in your bedroom, in your hospital room, in your cell, at the funeral home. To continue on, you gotta first let this sink in, then you must accept it. It does not matter what you’ve done or what’s been done to you; Jesus is never going to leave you. Like Nationwide, He is on your side!

Rainbows

One of the last messages I spoke on before being arrested was about Noah. Yes, you read correctly—arrested. Please don’t let that one word frighten you or distance you. As you can see in the Bible, God uses some of the most unworthy people throughout History. In fact, we are all unworthy, but He loves us anyway. We will get into more detail on this later. For now, I’ll let Mr. C.S. Lewis intervene: Think of me as a fellow-patient in the same hospital who, having been admitted a little earlier, could give some advice.¹ Some reading this may now feel obligated to return this book (or burn it), I understand. Until I experienced Chaos for myself, I probably would not have wanted to read a book from a sinner like myself. I truly didn’t understand Grace until I had nothing else to cling to. And for this reason, I debated on whether to be upfront and vulnerable about my past so early on. I prayed and prayed. The answer I kept getting was: this book isn’t for the ones who have it altogether or want to pretend as if they have it altogether.

I have traveled and spoken at so many events lately and one statement I never hear is, You just don’t know what I’m going through. It’s because I do. Our Chaos may look different, but Chaos overwhelms us all. I know what it’s like to get arrested. I know what it’s like to lose a family member. I know what it’s like to get diagnosed with Lupus and be unable to walk for weeks. I know what it’s like to be depressed. I know what it’s like for a loved one to just walk out the door without warning. I know these things well because they have all left me (at different times) wanting to throw in the towel. But I also know how God has been there to help me pass through overwhelming to overcoming. So, I hope you will continue to read!

Now, back to Noah.

This is one of those easier-said-than-done lessons...

And God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant I am making between me and you and every living creature with you, a covenant for all generations to come: I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.’

Genesis 9:12-15 NIV

It’s fair to say Noah was a pretty normal guy. He had a wife and three kids, he had personal struggles like you and I (his happened to be alcohol), and although we aren’t 100% sure, most scholars believe he was just an ordinary farmer before the flood. He wasn’t rich. He wasn’t a politician. He wasn’t a pastor. But God used him.

God saw the world Noah lived in as corrupt so He brought a flood to cleanse/ wash the filth away—to begin anew. To set things right, a storm was needed. He ushered in a storm, lasting forty days/ forty nights (Genesis 7:12). Before the rains came, Noah built an ark for his family and a pair of each animal on earth. Too bad he brought along pesky mosquitos, which I’m pretty frustrated with, but I digress.

When Noah finished building and loading the ark, the storm came and the waters rose. Noah faced flooding; and you today may be experiencing your own form of flooding or storm. Suffering can make you feel overwhelmed and can cause you to feel as if you were drowning. But as we see in the story of Noah, storms are only temporary.

It is important in this moment for us to see what God did after the storm had ceased.

He provided a rainbow.

Kinda anticlimactic, aye? Or was it…

The rainbow was more than just a hunt for a pot of gold; this was God’s way of showing Noah (and us) about His awesome Beauty and Grace. He used a rainbow to say, Noah, the storm is over. It wasn’t always peaceful or easy, but look now at what the rains brought. Something beautiful—a rainbow. God saw an opportunity to wash away the sin of the world and to start over. And He could be doing the same through your Chaos and suffering right now.

Your present storm may seem like a Category-5 Hurricane. It’s no fun; been there myself. There was a time when the waves seemed so strong and so big, I couldn’t see the shore. I couldn’t see a boat. I couldn’t see any sign of life or hope. I was overwhelmed and drowning, but I made a choice: to stay above the waters; to stay afloat. Why? Because I was holding out for what I believed the rains would bring: a rainbow.

God promised Noah a sign that the storm was over; He promised something beautiful once the Chaos was finished. And I believe He does the same for us. And as Dolly Parton would say, if you want the rainbow you gotta put up with the rain…

I don’t know how extreme your suffering is; I’m truly sorry you even have to experience such pain, but know this: every beginning has an end. No matter how big your storm may seem, it will dissipate. Your wounds will heal. The sun will rise. The Chaos will let up. And not only does God promise to never abandon us during the storm, He also promises something beautiful afterwards. (Check out 1 Peter 1:6-7.)

Not only does God promise to never abandon us during the storm, He also promises something beautiful afterwards.

You gotta hold on. You gotta be willing to fight against the crashing waves. God reigns over the rain. He’s greater than any storm. And His arsenal is bigger than the enemy’s.

This is starting to sound like a real Pep-Talk now! Let’s keep going.

All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt

My family and I have always loved traveling. Some spend money on large houses and nice vehicles, but my parents taught me to spend money on more important life-investments like adventure. I’ve written out a list of goals I want to accomplish before I die and most involve places to visit.

One of my family’s favorite places to vacation is Hawaii. My family loves the island, Maui. We’ve been there many times, but the first was the most memorable.

There’s an adventure like no other called, The Road to Hana. This road is built to wrap around a mountain, close to the cliff’s edge. People call it a scenic route; I call it a death route. Most of it is a one-lane road and very intense—picture yourself coming up on a blind curve and meeting a car headed in the opposite direction…one of you has to pull over to the edge to let the other pass by—let’s just say Twenty One Pilots knows nothing about being Stressed Out! We saw so many abandoned vehicles which had slid or fallen down off the side of the mountain and were left there to rust. This road is known for being dangerous. Once you get to the small town of Hana—well, if you make it (insert scary horror music here)—there’s all sorts of souvenir shops that sell random, cheap items with phrases like, I survived the Road to Hana and all I got was this lousy t-shirt, which my dad just had to have…

The drive was intense. Once we got to Hana, we realized the excitement was in the journey.

The city of Hana was very small, and I was pretty bummed that there was nothing to do. We ate lunch there, shopped, and chilled on a beach—which we could have done at many other places close to our condo without risking our lives.

Let’s do the math: four hours of driving on a road only 52 miles long with turtles passing us, then we spent two hours on the beach before beginning the long trek back. Hmmm…doesn’t add up. But the drive back was even scarier. Not only was it beginning to get dark, it also started to rain. We—along with many other tourists with death wishes—were on the road when it started to pour. The speed limit was only like 10 MPH, but even that was impossible due to the heavy rain. We basically had to stop on the road and wait for it to pass. It didn’t last long, but it felt like forever. I had been stuck in a rental car under intense circumstances all day it felt like; my brother and I were arguing, so our nerves were on edge (much like our vehicle).

The storm caused fear. The storm delayed our plans that evening, where I later met the dude who played Greg Brady. The Brady Bunch at a luau—where else?

Anyways, the storm blinded us from seeing the path ahead. But the storm did not last.

You may seem blinded. Your plans may seem delayed. Your temper may be on edge. And you may feel fearful and worried. All very normal symptoms. Fear actually coincides with Chaos; it’s like the peanut butter to Chaos’ jelly! Storms cause emotional stress and no matter what anyone says, it’s okay to cry and vent to God. Don’t mask your pain. Instead, tell Him how you honestly feel.

I’m afraid if we aren’t honest with God, we definitely won’t be honest with ourselves. Until we can acknowledge our emotions, we can’t keep driving through the storm to the other side. How can we expect to turn from our Chaos if we aren’t willing to face it? It’s healthy to be open with our Maker. We sometimes forget God is our Father. Throughout Psalms, you can read some prayers from King David. I love how real he is. He’s so blunt. (Check out Psalm 69.) He speaks from his heart. He isn’t disrespectful—he’s just honest. I’m not encouraging you to walk around defeated. What I am recommending is authenticity with God and your loved ones. God is with you in the storm—tell Him how you feel about it. He’s the best Counselor there is…plus, He’s free! #JesusPaiditAll

How can we expect to turn from our Chaos if we aren’t willing to face it?

Maybe you feel like "knock and it shall be opened" (Matthew 7:7-8) isn’t working so you resort to kicking the door down yourself, but still asking, "Where’s God? – Not home? On vacation?"

When the storm is strong and the water is deep, it’s hard to see any hope in sight. And you may feel like God’s not there and if He is, He’s got some headphones on because He’s not responding fast enough. We are not always able to see Him or the rainbow through the thick clouds of turmoil, but this doesn’t mean He isn’t there or working on our behalf. We have to hold out for what He’s got up His sleeves.

Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’ve called your name. You’re mine. When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end— Because I am GOD, your personal God, The Holy of Israel, your Savior. I paid a huge price for you: all of Egypt, with rich Cush and Seba thrown in! That’s how much you mean to me! That’s how much I love you! I’d sell off the whole world to get you back, trade the creation just for you.

Isaiah 43:1-4 (MSG)

This scripture would be perfect to have on some Road to Hana shirts! He meets us in the storm, on the edge of cliffs, at dead ends, and even scary roads in Hawaii.

Great Expectations

Unfortunately, Chaos doesn’t just affect you; it comes after your friends and family too. You may be the one locked up or going through a divorce or getting bullied constantly, but understand your loved ones are also experiencing pain—they’re hurting because you are. We need to open up the airways with our Father, but also our support team. Share with them your struggles and your heartaches. I should probably clarify this isn’t a pass to go around saying, Woe is me…death…misery….destruction… This makes you sound like a bad Shakespearean play, first off. Secondly, it gives too much credit to your suffering it does not deserve.

I only even add this to our Pep Talk because many Christians have kept their hurt private so others won’t judge. This makes no sense. Jesus actually tells us there will be hard times because we belong to Him. Somehow along the way, we have adopted an idea that better Christians live stress-free lives. Ha-ha. Funny. David was a man after God’s own heart and went through plenty of Chaos. This doesn’t give us a pass to walk around defeated, but we can at least stop pretending that all is well. Being genuine and being defeated are different concepts. I’ll give you an answer to the question at church this Sunday, How are you? Not good…I know God is with me, but I’m struggling and I need prayer like never before…

Proverbs 24:10 says, If you fall to pieces in a crisis, there wasn’t much to you in the first place. (MSG)

Stand your ground. Hold on to Jesus and His promises as the wind of the enemy tries to blow you away.

The storm will end. A rainbow is coming! Proclaim it! Declare it in Jesus’ Name! Until then, call on Him and call on your support team to pray on your behalf.

Speaking truth about how you feel is healthy. But there is a difference in saying how you feel and talking defeat over your situation.

Here’s another Proverb for us: The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21 NIV

This may be hard to believe, but your tongue plays a huge role in your present suffering. You can’t talk defeat and expect victory.

In other words, don’t pray and ask for God to calm your storm and then walk around speaking like it’ll never happen. I’m guilty of this myself. I will pray, Oh God, please end this. Please deliver me out of this mess… and then turn around and tell a friend, This is never going to end…ugh!

You can’t talk defeat and expect victory.

We will hit these subjects harder throughout the book, but we need this Pep Talk to keep us strong enough to endure until we get to the rest of our chaotic journey together. For now, remember to lean on Jesus and your support team; they are on your side. Explain your feelings to them and keep them informed. There’s no need to keep up some white-picket fence that was swept away in your chaos; let it be torn down. Own it. We cannot get through chaos until we accept that it is happening. We also cannot get through unless we believe victory is coming!

Raining Hippos and Elephants

Let’s go ahead and talk about the other elephant in the room: As sin is equal in God’s eyes, so is our Chaos. To Him, no one has it worse off. He cares deeply about our pain no matter how big or small it may seem. And when we hurt, He hurts. (Check out Isaiah 63:9.)

As sin is equal in God’s eyes, so is our Chaos.

Don’t compare your Chaos to someone else’s. You may feel like it’s raining cats and dogs on your friend while it rains hippos and elephants on you—or the other way around—but both storms are equally important to our Father. He will make sure everyone is protected under the umbrella of His Grace no matter the magnitude of the rainfall.

My friend does this well. Kerry shows so much love and grace to everyone. She serves in the youth ministry. She has to be ready to deal with blood, whining, and more whining. I do not have this gift, but Kerry does.

It doesn’t matter if they are playing dodgeball or coloring a piece of paper, someone always seems to get hurt. There is only one response when someone gets hurt: Go see Mrs. Kerry.

I don’t know anyone who would ask me for medical advice. I give the same answer for everything.

Your head hurts? Go walk it off.

You’re bleeding? Go walk it off.

You cut your arm off? Go walk it off.

I’m very gracious when I counsel, but my level