Some people live their lives, struggling everyday and fighting with themselves and everyone around them. This is not the way life is supposed to be; life is not to be filled with unnecessary strife. Life is to be stress-free and exciting. It just seems some people struggle everyday through their walk of life. They find no pleasures in the things that have already been provided to them.

To live a happy and prospering life, we should make simple choices. Make those struggles be a thing of the past. Learn to live a joyful, successful and vibrant life. We often come across too many people, who complain and grumble about what they do not have; the problem here is they haven’t been doing their part by sowing or giving the seed that they desire. We must all understand that the old saying, “We reap what we sow” is so true. Everyone wants to prosper continually but very few are willing to take the steps that will guarantee their continued prosperity. If a farmer plants only a few seeds he will only get a small harvest; but if he plants a lot of seeds, he will reap a bigger harvest. In other words we will only get back what we put into life. If we want to continually enjoy the pleasures of prospering, we must understand that living in prosperity in not instantaneous. We must continue to feed and water the seeds we sow. As we do, we’ll see beyond the physical realm and the harvest will surely be bountiful.

Something that makes me happy is shining the light of God on others. Helping them see the light and repent with God makes me feel like I am spreading the joy that God has to offer.

I can remember when I first went to church. It was a brand new experience for me. I didn’t know anything about proper church conduct or behavior. I didn’t know if I should sit or stand, to take communion or not (didn’t even know what communion was). When the preacher talked about baptism, I had no idea what it meant. I think I’ve matured a little since those days.

To me religion has become more than just religion – it’s a spiritual relationship. My view of the world becomes brighter through having a relationship with the Father, His Son, and Holy Spirit. It makes me feel peaceful and spiritually able to do what pleases God. I am grateful for having accepted God. I can’t imagine growing older without having Him to believe. With all that’s going on in the world around us, it’s comforting to know that God still loves us, and His will shall be done. It doesn’t matter what the naysayers say; someday we all will give an account to God.

Fellowshipping with God and other believers is a priority with me. That’s the tradition I want to pass on to my children and their children.

The thing I love most in life is God, my family, and my country. Let me give you a little background. The wife (Doris) and I have three children; two were hers from a previous marriage. Her first husband was killed in a car crash. She had been a widow for eight years when I came along. Then we had Deron. He was a big hit with Rick and Lisa. I told Rick that I chose his mother and him, but that I didn’t have a choice with Deron. Lisa was old enough to babysit when we brought him home from the hospital. How convenient was that!

Rick and his wife, Penny, have seven children. Their oldest has a son – Alex. Lisa and Dave have two children. Their oldest has two boys – Jarrod and Connor. Deron’s wife, Sherry, brought two children with her into the marriage. So let’s see, that’s three for us, with eleven grandchildren, and three greatgrandsons. Believe me, we’ve had our ups and downs like most families. Even so, I don’t think I can put in words the pleasure and joy I feel because of my family. I could go on and on all day, telling you all the things that I am happy and grateful for, but like I said at the beginning: the thing I love most in life is God, my country, and the pleasures of my family.

One of the greatest pleasures in life for me is teaching the Word of God. Through teaching, I have been able to guide people who are looking for answers or just give them guidance to a better life. Teaching or the study of the Bible unlocks many doors to wonderful relationships which only continue to grow with time. The study of the Word of God and His truths once applied to life should open our eyes so that we can see the scriptures come alive as we observe what is written.

Teaching the Bible has been one of the greatest pleasures of my Christian walk. It is very rewarding to lead people into a deeper study of the Bible. If you are interested in studying the Bible, I would suggest starting with the Gospel of John. It has been said that it is shallow enough for a child to wade in and deep enough for an elephant to bathe in! It deals with all of the basics. Another suggestion is the book of beginnings- the book of Genesis. Really, you can start anywhere; just let the Holy Spirit lead you. He always knows best, if you’re listening. My personal prayer is that Jesus would reveal and teach His Word to you in ways that you could never have imagined.

There are some days that teaching the Bible can be very trying, and I sometimes ask myself, why am I here? Don’t get me wrong; I love teaching. It’s just that some days, it’s like the words spoken seem to fall to the floor. What a joy, when one student ’s eyes light up from seeing the truth as It answers the questions and transforms a life.

I love what I do and I believe that teaching the Word is one of the most rewarding experiences there is. There are pleasures of watching students grow and gain confidence in their knowledge of the Word. It is rewarding when I see students master problems that had previously caused difficulty.

The pleasures of teaching just ‘fill me up’. The feeling is overwhelming to know that I can have an impact in others’ lives. Each day brings new adventures and reminds me why I love to teach so much. I just pray that one day all my students will mature spiritually and be able to have an everlasting positive effect on those they interact with or with all they contact. But, if not all of them, well, just one would make it worthwhile!