Scripture quotations marked (NKJV) are from New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982. Used by permission of Thomans Nelson, Inc. All rights Reserved.
Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc. TM Used by permission of Zondavan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com.
Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are from the King James Version of the Bible.
This book is dedicated
to the memory of my father
Odeefuo Owusu Amoaye (The late Appiaduhene)
and my mother
Oheneyere Yaa Serwaa (Mary Osei).
May your souls rest in perfect peace.
I am grateful for the person I have become
through your love, support and prayers.
Acknowledgements
The joy of the Lord is my strength (Nehemiah 8:10). I thank God for His unfailing word and the strength He gives in all situations.
My father in the Lord Prophet Victor Kusi Boateng, I am grateful for your love and support through this season and always. God bless you Sir.
To everyone who worked tirelessly to bring this project to fruition: Prophet Abraham Mapazire, Eugenia Marembo, Amanda Mayengehama, Eva Batsilas, Vivian Gichia and Ornella Nishimwe, may the Lord never forget your labour.
My GPM church family, I love and appreciate every one of you. You make GPM a wonderful place to call home.
Introduction
We were only five days into 2019 when I received the phone call that many people truly hope they never have to take. It was the phone call in which I was told my father had passed away. My father and I had a very special relationship and bond that went beyond being a father and son. I am the only one that bears his full name and I am the first son he had with my mother.
In the latter years of his life we had become such close and good friends. We regularly caught up over the phone and whenever my father had something important to think through or make a decision on, he would speak to me. I had become a sounding board for his thoughts, a trusted ear and a confidante he could share some of his thoughts with. After I gave my life to Christ, my father played an instrumental role in my journey as a believer. In the early days of my ministry and life as a minister, he supported me financially as I travelled the globe to preach the Word of God. He took it upon himself to ensure I had what I needed as he firmly believed that his role was to see to it that I was never in financial need. The news of his passing was very difficult to take. I knew that I would no longer be able to reach out and speak with him as we had always done, and my trips back home would never be same.
My father’s passing and the process of laying him to rest would be more challenging than the norm. This was because he was a traditional ruler, a leader to the people of Appiadu of the Asante Kingdom in present day Ghana. His stature and status in the community meant that his burial would require several customs and traditions be observed and there would be several things that would be out of our control as a family. As a result, it took about eight months before he was laid to rest.
Two weeks after I returned from my father’s burial, the unimaginable happened. Another phone call came, and the news delivered was that my mother whom I loved dearly had passed away. I had not anticipated receiving such news having only returned from saying farewell to my father. I was very close to both my parents and I had never thought that the year would begin with my father’s passing and conclude with the passing of my mother. It was certainly challenging and there were many trying moments in that season.
As I went through the loss of my parents, I found consolation in the Word of God and there were scriptures that stood out to me a lot more like James 1:2 which says, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience” (NKJV); and Psalm 30:5 which ends with the statement, “Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.”
Even though I was going through the most challenging times, I realised in my darkest hours and days that there remained a deep seated joy in my heart. This joy kept pushing me up, and it overshadowed the pain I felt. It was a joy that did not allow the pain of the present to be the driving force. I saw light shining in the midst of the darkness and this light was the Joy of the Lord. Most people confuse joy and happiness. The idea of happiness is engraved in our sub conscience and many see happiness as the ultimate aim and goal in life. In fact, many pursue happiness without realising that happiness is elusive. It is an emotion that we feel in response to a situation. It is easy to evoke happiness; however, the emotion is short lived. Many appear happy on the outside, yet they may be experiencing misery or sorrow on the inside.
Joy on the other hand propels you forward in spite of everything else that may be happening on the outside. It comes from the Lord and cannot be purchased with anything material. Joy is a seed that is given to us through our relationship with Christ. It is a seed, the root of which reaches deep within us when we receive it. It’s unchanging and unwavering regardless of the circumstances we find ourselves in. It is an internal disposition that stems from our relationship with God. It is nourished by His love and the grace that He has made available for us through His son Jesus Christ and the gift of salvation.
In the season I lost both my parents, I realised that through such a painful experience I had a deep rooted joy that came from living a 3 life inspired by God’s purpose and will. It was a life solely committed to Him and Him alone. In arguably some of the most difficult days, I found love, peace and joy. It was a joy that helped me acknowledge my circumstances, yet was not attached to a person, a place or any other material thing. It was a joy that came from a place where only God can be. This joy is deeply rooted in Christ and can only be experienced through the relationship we have with Christ. It is a joy that is unchanging and unwavering. It is a joy I truly believe God desires for us as His children to have.
This devotional speaks to finding substantive joy. It is a joy that comes from living an intentional life that is centred around purpose and the fulfilment of your Godly assignment. Drawing inspiration from the tribe of Asher, my hope is that this devotional will challenge you and usher you into finding true joy. A joy that goes beyond the circumstances you will find yourself faced with daily.
How to get the best from this devotional
Asʜᴇʀ ᴡᴀs ᴏɴᴇ of the twelve sons of Jacob and the father to the Tribe of Asher. His name means happiness. This devotional draws inspiration from the meaning behind the name of Asher and the blessings pronounced to the Tribe of Asher by Jacob and Moses.
This devotional is broken down into six sections. Each section speaks to an aspect that affects our joy in both the positive and negative circumstances in our lives. Each day begins with a scripture from the Bible. This is followed by a ‘take home’ which is a summation of the key points for you to reflect on as you go through the day.
The daily devotions conclude with a prayer that is intended to serve as a starter for you. For the young believer this is designed to help you focus your prayer for the day based
