A new school year is just around the corner and I am starting to get pumped to meet my new students, create new relationships and impart Tennessee History and Bible. I also know students will be coming back with varied emotions and life situations. Such is the reality within teacher and student relationships. But we will meet the challenges together and hopefully leave each other better than we found each other.

Personally, I have three goals as a teacher:

1) For my students to be better citizens when they leave my class than when they entered.
2) For my students to be thankful they live in the United States, Tennessee and Warren County.
3) For my students to see Jesus Christ through me in my words and deeds.

I know this doesn’t make me better than anyone in status or that I will not err in something along the way, but if I can lead my students to these three goals, then I have succeeded. (At least to me.) 

So, I solicit your prayers as our new school year begins. Pray for all stakeholders on this journey. Pray for a safe year. Pray especially for peace in our students lives. 

Love & peace my friends… Steve

John Jay is arguably one of the greatest Americans of all time. He is one of my favorites! Many things could be said of Jay, among which are elected President of the 2nd Continental Congress, Co-Author of The Federalist Papers and the 1st Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, just to name a few. He genuinely was a Founding Father. Jay was also President of another institution important to United States history, the American Bible Society. He was a firm believer in the importance of studying the Bible. In correspondence with his son, Jay told him “The Bible is the best of all books, for it is the word of God and teaches us the way to be happy in this world and in the next. Continue therefore to read it and to regulate your life by its precepts.” May we all heed that advice for ourselves! 

The word of God…
• will endure forever (1 Peter 1:25)
• is nothing to be ashamed of (2 Timothy 2:15)
• is sharp enough to pierce into our soul (Hebrews 4:12) 
• came to us by the power of the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21)

There is a reason God wanted us to know His thoughts (1 Corinthians 2:6-16.)

So, if you dig into His word you will find treasure with an eternal purpose for your soul. Truly, the Bible is the “best of all books.”

Love & peace my friends… Stevo

When I am asked about what I love most about teaching, my answer is always the same; the relationships we build. The teacher and student relationship is built not just on teaching but on laughing, crying, confiding, and getting angry with each other. So, over many months seeing each other 5 days a week and 7 hours a day, we learn how to get along, regardless of the cultural boundaries. We find a common peace with each other.

When we are at peace with family and friends, life is so much more bearable. All barriers to communication are usually gone and open discussion can pursue. Life is breathable you might say. But that striving for peace also allows us the opportunity to better live the holy life God expects for us. A life of holiness is not so easy to attain, but if we can find peace with those within our influence, the task is simplified.

My prayer for all of us today is that you are at peace in your life, so God can live more gloriously through you.

Love & peace my friends… Stevo

The Bible paints a bleak picture of the world and the dangers of trusting in it and not Jehovah. We must live in the world, but we are not to walk hand-in-hand with the world. The world leads to lust and pride (1 John 2:15-16) and separates us more and more from the one our focus should really be on, Jesus.

IF we are walking with God, Jesus is a part of that walk too and He lights our world. The truth is if we are one with Jesus the world can’t control us and thus darkness will not reign in us. 

Fighting the pull of the world is just as tough as the mythical sailors being lured by the siren’s song bringing them to a sure death. But that does not have to be us! To live by the light of Jesus means that sin has been exposed for what it is, spiritual death. May we help each other to walk in the light of Jesus each and every day to keep worldly darkness out of our souls.

Love & peace my friends… Stevo

There is a reason why love is the greatest:

• God is love. The very essence of God is love. (1 John 4:8)
• God demonstrates love. God has a plan to save us just so we can live in His eternal home of love. (Jude 21)
• God sacrificed for love. Jesus was given as a ransom payment for our sins because He loved us. (Romans 5:8-9)
• Love proves obedience. When we keep the commandments of Jesus we show Him we love Him. (John 14:15)
• Love leads to faith. The deeper we fall in love with the word the deeper we fall in love with Jesus. (Romans 10:17)
• Love secures our hope. Our destiny hinges on how much we love God and love each other. (Mark 12:3-31)

Christian love is not solely based on emotion, does not necessarily do the natural thing, or is spent only on those close to us. But when we truly practice this type of love, we can know we are in tune with the love that Jesus had for us. 

Let us all love like Jesus.

Love and peace my friends… Stevo

Harry Houdini is considered one of the great escape artists of all time. For example, he escaped from milk cans, jails, straightjackets (while suspended upside down), and of course his most famous the Chinese Water Torture Cell. Obviously these were tricks, but great skill with physical and mental stamina were needed in escaping these various devices.

Paul lets us know that we have the opportunity to perform escapes greater than any Houdini ever accomplished! What an incredible promise God has given!!

Temptations are real. Even Jesus Himself was tempted (Hebrews 4:10.) We all struggle with that “sin which so easily ensnares us” (Hebrews 12:2.) Yet God’s promise remains and is true. When temptation knocks and wants in our mind, we are promised that we can handle it and will be given an escape opportunity from it.

When we realize that each time a temptation attacks our mind and we find that escape route from it, a battle is won toward the ultimate goal of honoring our Savior and heaven. So, surrender your mind to Jesus (2 Corinthians 10:5.)

Love & peace my friends…Stevo