Someone sent me "twenty tips for better living in the new year." I liked it so much I taped it up on my desk so that I could read it every day.

Here it is for your enjoyment:

Here are twenty tips for better living in the New Year (shamelessly copied from Daily Encounter!)

1. Rise and pray every day: "Again today, dear God, I commit and trust my life and way to you. I'm available. Please use me to be 'as Jesus' to every life I touch."
2. Don't sweat the small stuff.
3. Remember these simple sentences: "I was wrong." "I am sorry." "Please forgive me." "Thank you." Say them whenever needed and say "I love you" often — whether needed or not.
4. Come apart and rest a while before you come apart — stress is a killer.
5. Remember, "Nothing changes if nothing changes."
6. Don't nurse grudges: "Failing to forgive is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die."
7. Carpe diem. Seize the day. "Opportunity comes to pass — not to pause."
8. Quit the blame-game — "choice, not chance, determines destiny."
9. Control your thinking or your thinking will control you. "What the mind dwells on the body acts on."
10. Invest your life in a worthwhile cause by having a noble purpose for which to live—one that is bigger than yourself—one that will help make your world a better place in which to live.
11. Be a positive realist. You will always see what you are looking for: "Two men look out the same prison bars. One sees mud, the other stars."
12. The greatest abilities are availability, dependability, and responsibility."
13. "There is no pillow as soft as a clear conscience."
14. "Smooth seas never make skillful sailors."
15. When God is silent. "I believe in the sun even when it isn't shining. I believe in love even when I am alone. I believe in God even when he is silent."
16. Cry when needed. "Every unshed tear is a prism through which all of life's hurts are distorted."
17. Laugh a lot. It's still the best medicine.
18. Remember, "The bumps are what we climb on."
19. Fear not. At least 95 percent of the things we fear never happen. Trust God for the other five percent.
20. Have faith and put God first with your time, talents, and tithe (money).

The following stories I shared with each of our 14 classrooms during our time there in the fall.

Story:  “Someone in This House.”

"There is someone in this house."

A few years ago on a crisp fall night in Tbilisi, these were the words I spoke. What happened after I spoke them may make your hair stand on end. Mine did and I couldn’t move after I said them! It is amazing my heart kept beating! Let’s back up a bit and let me catch you up on where we were and what was happening to us.

It was around 5 a.m. and still dark for it was late October. Earl and I were sleeping soundly when I heard glass breaking. At first I thought I was dreaming and then I thought, “Oh no! The beautiful chandelier in the living room has fallen and is broken on the wooden floor!"

I woke Earl and whispered, "Did you hear glass breaking?"

He whispered back, "Yes, I think I did!"

Then, we heard another sound and saw a flash of light like that of a match being lit. The sound was a chair moving on the kitchen floor. That is when I whispered these fearful words, “There is someone in this house!”  I froze in fear!

Earl, on the other hand, sprang to his feet; hands in fists were all he had for protection and he ran out into the hall with a loud “HEY!”

Some scuffling and then… it was perfectly quiet!

I thought, “They killed him and they will be coming in here any second! I waited, paralyzed! Hardly able to breathe and more frightened than I had ever been in my entire life! I truly thought that we would both die that day!

Then,  I heard  the sweetest sound ever: “Jan Honey, come out here!”

Earl was calling to me. He was alive! I ran to him and looked out the open window where our polite “cat burglar” had jumped. I say “polite” because as he ran to jump out of the window, he repeated over and over,   “Bodishe! Bodishe! Bodishe!", which is of course, “I’m sorry! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

We thanked God for His protection and that we only were left with a broken window from this harrowing experience.

Now, as to what happened the last time we were in Tbilisi, Georgia. It was again in October and around five o'clock in the morning when I felt, or did I see?... light upon my face.

I knew that it was true again: “There is Someone in this house!” However, although these words were my first thoughts and I felt certain that there was someone shining a light on me, this time there was no real fear for I felt, no I knew that the Someone who was calling me to come meet with Him was Jesus Christ.

In the Bible (Matthew 11:28) Jesus said, "Come to me, all  you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest."

I firmly believe that Jesus is calling us all to come to Him. He says to us, “Yes! I want to live in your house. Your body-house, your soul, your family-house, your school-house and I am waiting for you to invite Me in. I will never leave you and I will never forsake you! Do not fear My coming to your house for I only want what is best for you. I came to give you life, to show you 'The Way' and to teach you the truth. If you will only open the door and let Me come in, I will bring you joy and peace like you have never known. My love for You is so deep you can only begin to know it completely."

Yes! The thief comes to kill, steal and destroy, but Jesus comes to give us an abundant life, full of hope, peace, and contentment. There is great joy in having Him in your house, your heart - always! I pray that you will say with me, "There is Someone in my house today and always. Not only in me, but in my family, my school, my country, and my world."

The Bible also tells the story of the three Hebrew young men that would not back down and worship King Nebuchadnezzar who was the king of Babylon, even though they knew that their refusal to worship him instead of their God would cause them to be thrown into a fiery pit. When the king looked into the fire he said,  "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire? Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed and the fourth looks like a son of the gods." And when he called them to come out, not even a smell of smoke was upon them.

There was Someone in the fire with them and His name is Jesus.

I love what they said when the king told them that they must worship him or be thrown into a blazing furnace:  "If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us from your hand, O king. BUT even if He does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your  gods or worship your image of gold."

These young men were very brave and wise. They had a deep faith in their God. And, yes, there was someone in the fire with them. The same Someone who is here with us today.

P.S. One of our younger students raised his hand after I left their classroom. He asked the teacher, "Did  anyone tell our school director that Jesus is in our school?"

(Daniel 3 and John 10 NKJV)

I awoke at midnight and couldn’t sleep.
The Master was calling…His love is so deep.

The words… they were coming…I must write them down.
It sounds like a whirlwind of love notes going around and around.

For the Baby became a man.
Bringing fulfillment to God’s plan.

The words are like music, but more like a prayer.
A song to sing with the angels as they worship Him there.

The King of Kings born in a lowly manger our hearts do sing
To remember the Christ Child was born for salvation to bring.

Holy!  Holy!  Holy!  All the heavens are filled with Your glory.
And all the earth tells Your awesome love story.

No one need fear the coming days.
When You speak we are filled with praise.

Yes… the Baby became a man.
Bringing fulfillment to God’s incredible plan.

You obeyed Your Father as a little child.
…and when He looked at You, He always smiled.

For the Baby became a man.
Bringing fulfillment to God’s plan.

Be exalted high and lifted up
For the Child became the man
who drank the bitter cup.

Oh, come.  Let us worship Him, our Adored!
Christ the baby Jesus is Christ Jesus our Savior and Lord.

October 31, 2011

There are times to go and a time to stay and wisdom knows the difference.

We arrived home last night after a very long trip from Vienna where Daniel, Reeta, Alex, Ben and Gracie left us at the lovely Airport Hotel. With them, we had traveled across the Czech Republic, Austria, and into Southern Germany in a rented nine-passenger van for three wonderful days!

It was a week ago that we had flown into Vienna from Tbilisi where we had spent nearly two blessed months with our staff and students of the School of Tomorrow. School began with 275 students enrolled.  We were grateful for the strong, orderly beginning to the new school year.

As I visited our 14 English classes and walked the halls of our school, I was again aware that we must have the most wonderful school in all of Georgia. I may be somewhat prejudiced but I think you would agree if you could visit our school this year. Our staff is doing a great job and students are really working hard on their goals each day.

We were glad for the opportunity to spend time with Daniel’s family in their rented house in Vsetín, Czech. We met some of their new friends, attended the classes they are teaching, and walked the streets in this lovely old town where God has sent them to share His love with the Czech people.

We are totally certain that many prayers and much support from our family and friends made this time of going-forth fruitful and even possible. The words 'thank you' don't do a very good job of expressing what is in our hearts - to God and to those beautiful folks who support and stand with us. Our appreciation knows no bounds!

He says, “Go and I will be with you.” And we know there is nothing to fear. He keeps His promises, though not always as we expect or that is easy for us. There were struggles and pain. Moments of wondering if we could keep on. But always when we continue to say “Yes, Lord” He comes with a miracle and makes a way just as He promises.

When the disciples came back from a missionary journey they were rejoicing because they said, “Even the devils are subject to us.”  And Jesus said, “Don’t rejoice in successful service", but rather He said “the secret to successful service is that you are rightly related to Me.”

I love the words to the old hymn’s chorus:  “Here am I Lord. Is it I Lord?  I have heard you calling in the night. I will go, Lord, if You lead me. I will hold Your people in my heart.”

So, it is with joy and anticipation that we look into the future and we say, “Take us on the upward path, Lord. Guide us on each step we take. Give us eyes to see the way, Lord. And make us worthy vessels for Thy sake.”

My book, “Following the Shepherd” is here! We have a number of books for our family and friends. We will make them available with a suggested donation of twelve dollars. After the expenses for publishing, all donations will go into our Mark IV Harvest ministry to Georgia and other ministries, such as our church's outreach to Uganda and our son, David and Heka’s Little Lights Homes in Nagaland, as well.

My book may also be purchased at WestBow Press, Amazon, Barns and Nobel, etc.

HOPE
It is with joy and anticipation that we look into the future and we say,
“Take us on the upward path, Lord.
Guide us on each step we take.
Give us eyes to see Thy way, Lord.
And make us worthy vessels for Thy sake."

JT