Pauline and I have special cars. They have a stencil on them which reads OHMS.
For any of you that lived, or lives in England, you will know that the letters stand for ON HIS MAJESTY'S SERVICE.
They are vehicles that belong to the government and are employed in some branch of service.
You might ask "Do you and your wife work for the government?"
As a matter of fact we do. Since we were married in 1968 we have been jointly involved in building the Kingdom of God. Firstly in England and later in the Foreign Office overseas.
The best part about driving government vehicles is that H.Q. takes care of the bills: gas, maintenance, repairs and replacement.
But should this surprise us? Since Jesus said:
"Seek ye FIRST the Kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added unto you."
We have found this promise to hold true for the last forty five years, and expect that it will continue to be so until both we, and the vehicles, go in for re-cycling!
Jubilate.
Ian
It just came across NBC News: January 7th is the hardest day of the year to get out of bed. A depression has set in.
There are four reasons.
1) Christmas and New Year are behind us. The celebrations are over..
2) The bills for our over-spending in November and December have arrived on the kitchen table.
3)Winter is here in earnest. It is frigid outside and the car is in the driveway covered in snow.
4)Work and the prospect of another six months without vacation awaits us.
There is a powerful urge to pull the sheets over our head and stay where we are in bed.
If you are listed above, I have included a picture of my "Eagles Rug" that I picked up on my travels.
When I get up in the morning I "hit the eagles".
I am reminded of Isaiah 40:40
"They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings of eagles"
Some day it takes a little longer than others to get airborne, but by mid-morning I have usually 'caught the thermals' and am flying 'above the circumstances'
Want an Eagle Rug ? Ali Musharraf has a stall on the road to Khyber, just North of Peshawar.
He will sell you one for about $20:00; a bargain at the price if it helps you to get airborne on January 7th.
Jubilate.
Ian
For thirty years I have set goals for the year ahead.
These are not resolutions but targets that I believe I can reach in the coming year. They have been an incredible help in keeping my focus and a source of personal encouragement.
Allow me to share seven steps that I hope will be a true help in your own daily walk.
All goals are fueled by the powerful emotion of DESIRE. So the first step in setting your goal is to allow your heart to dream and to articulate what you desire.
Secondly, to your desire, you must add FAITH. Faith releases the power of God to assist you in attaining the desire of your heart.
Mark 11 verse 24. reads:
"Therefore I say unto you, what things soever you desire, when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you shall have them."
These are the most remarkable words that you could ever cherish in your heart.
Thirdly, write down in precise language your goals, understanding that things that are committed to writing have a BINDING effect on the human mind.
Fourthly, to bring accountability to bear, share your goals with a spouse or close friend.
Also, as step five, be prepared to ask for help if need be.
Step six is to break down the larger goal into smaller, achievable steps.
And lastly, reward yourself from time to time when you reach an intermediate target.
Apply these steps to everything from getting out of debt to getting rid of excess weight and, always ask God to help you.
See you further down the road.
Ian
