Eight Days a Lifetime: The Scripture-Based Guide to Life’s Midcourse Correction

By Roger Cox

It may sound cliché, but life is indeed a journey. If you feel a bit off course, you are not alone. For many of us, the process of “adulting” can be challenging, and it’s easy to get a bit off-track. Any journey requires a series of deliberate acts to stay on course—but where do you start? In Eight Days a Lifetime, you’ll find eight simple concepts that are scripture-based and simple to grasp when tackled one at a time.

Together, these concepts form the basis for a virtual road map with step-by-step instructions for getting back on track. Simply devote one day to each passage. The result will be improved relationships, conquered anxiety, and a new spiritual life for the long term. This journey starts with a willingness to change your approach to relationships, letting go of certain negative things to which we tend to cling, and learning the habit of giving and getting forgiveness.

The simple concept of letting go of perceived wrongs while ridding yourself of worry about tomorrow is at the heart of this guidebook. Through these eight grouped scripture passages, you will see and feel the power of God’s forgiveness. You will experience how putting forgiveness into effect can free you so you can make mid-course corrections and live so that today is truly the best day of your life.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Mar 24, 2024
• ISBN: 9798385011513

Roger Cox

Roger Cox is a soon-to-be retired lawyer who has graduated from writing law books that no one reads to works that can have a profound impact on the lives of his readers. Roger is the husband of Susan, father of Andrew (Avery) and Madison (Marc), and “Gramps” to Campbell, James, and future gifts from God. Dog friends have included Dave, Dingo, Rod, Reilly, Walker, Spencer, George, and the beloved Karsten.

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Copyright © 2024 Roger Cox.

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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.

WestBow Press

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

All scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

ISBN: 979-8-3850-1149-0 (sc)

ISBN: 979-8-3850-1150-6 (hc)

ISBN: 979-8-3850-1151-3 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023921012

WestBow Press rev. date: 2/23/2023

Dedication

To my wife and best friend, Susan.

To our immediate family: Andew and wife, Avery, Madison and husband, Marc, our grandchildren, Campbell and James. Susan and I pray for continued blessings on this extraordinary bunch.

Finally, to our niece, Kelln. Kelln lived her life in a way that enriched every person she met, every day of her life.

Contents

Introduction

A Brief Look at the Eight Days That Can Change Your Life

Part 1: Preparation

Day 1. Change—Repent

Day 2. Believe—Faith

Part 2: Letting Go

Day 3. Anxiety—Worry

Day 4. Give—Let go!

Day 5. Forgive—Really let go

Part 3: Living a Lifetime Spirit Filled

Day 6. Living in the Spirit

Day 7. Words

Day 8. The Power of Prayer

What Did We Just Learn?

Day 9 and a Lifetime

The Golden Rule and the Greatest Commandment

The Sermon on the Mount: Matthew Chapters 5–7

The Gospels

Book of Acts (Follows Right after the Gospels)

Epistles

Speaking of the Epistles: Paul’s Letter to the Colossians

Everything Else

One More Thing

The Author’s Prayer for You

Introduction

How’s life?

Are your relationships intact and flourishing? Have you left the impact on the world that you dreamed of in your youth? Was today a good day? Will tomorrow be even better?

If you die in your sleep tonight, what will be left undone? Any unspoken apologies? Who would come to your funeral? What would your legacy be? Is your spiritual life in order? Do you even have a spiritual life?

Most likely, life has happened. If you are like most people, you may have gotten a bit off track somewhere along the way. Maybe there are relationships that, if not broken, could sure stand some repair.

And how many things just got stuck on the back burner?

How about a reboot? Sometime just flipping that power button can do the trick for a computer, but we are not machines; rather, we need long-term direction, not just a quick jolt. We need a compass, not a power strip.

It may sound cliché, but life is indeed a journey. If you feel a bit off course, you are not alone. For many of us, the process of adulting can be challenging, and it is easy to get a bit off track. Any journey requires a series of deliberate acts to stay on course. Imagine a car without a steering wheel or a boat without a rudder, much less heading somewhere you’ve never been without a map (or Google Maps). And do you ever really go from point A to point B in a straight line?

In a literal sense, we have no steering wheel or rudder. Rather, we have to make our own personal adjustments—our midcourse corrections, so to speak. But with no compass and no road map, how do we know when or how to make these adjustments?

What (or who) is your compass? Do you have a road map? Do you live in the present? What do you do when you look up and wonder where you have been or, more importantly, where you are going? Are you too proud to turn to God for help?

No doubt someone has sent you to the Bible. Go to the Word, they say. Or Study scripture. You’ll find the answers there. Maybe they will say, You need a personal relationship with Jesus.

Well, they’re correct; so much guidance can be found in the Bible. And nothing can compare with an active spiritual life and, in the case of Christians, having a personal relationship with Jesus.

But where do you start? How do you start? With two testaments and sixty-six books, it’s a daunting task. And everyone’s a biblical scholar these days, so the only thing more intimidating than staring a two-inch thick Bible in the face is actually asking someone where to dive in.

In these pages, you’ll find eight simple concepts that are scripture based and that are simple and that should be easy to grasp when tackled one at a time. Together, they form the basis for a virtual road map with step-by-step instructions for getting back on track. Simply devote one day to each passage as suggested below.

But this is not merely a guide to the Bible as self-help book. Picking up a few clues without committing to belief and an active prayer life is not an option. But to get started on this eight-day, lifetime journey, you need only grasp eight simple scripture passages and the concepts they present.

Through this, we hope you will not only find some answers to where you are on your own journey, but you’ll also get a meaningful taste of what is in scripture, how profoundly it will impact your life, and before you know it, you’ll be head and heart deep in God’s Word as you live a new, more meaningful life.

All you need to get started is eight days. Eight days.

A Brief Look at the Eight Days That Can Change Your Life

At its core, this book is about change, forgiveness, controlling your tongue, learning to be just a bit humble, and living in the present, the effect of which will be improved relationships in your life, supported by a new spiritual life for the long term.

This all starts with a more humble approach to life, a willingness to change your approach where needed, and letting go of certain things to which we tend to cling: stuff, grudges, control, and a quick tongue, to name a few. Learning the habit of giving and getting (primarily giving) forgiveness. The idea of letting go of perceived wrongs (and with them, the crushing weight of the past), while ridding yourself of worry about tomorrow (anxiety—see below), is at the heart of this exercise. Through eight grouped scripture passages, you will see and feel (and start to believe and have faith in) the power of God’s forgiveness. You will see how putting your own forgiveness into effect can free you so you can make those midcourse corrections and learn to live so that today is truly the best day of your life.

As we begin this life change, we must also take on our anxiety. Before totally embracing forgiveness, before letting go of anything, you must conquer anxiety. Easier said than done, and it takes a bit of faith, and perhaps an understanding of grace, but in a scripture-driven life, it is possible.

We can all become anxious about something, and we worry. Boy, do we worry.