637: Year-End Musings

This past week I had a great Christmas holiday with my family and friends and now I am off for a few days of rest and relaxation. I was going to write a Memo based on my thoughts after seeing the great movie Saving Mr. Banks, but I will hold that until next week and close out 2013 with some year-end musings.

1. I turned in my resignation effective January 31 for my day-to-day church position. I love my church but it's been five years and I thought it was time to do some other things. I hope to stay connected there by doing some work in publishing and communications.
2. It seems the Lord puts me through a transition every five years; it has been that way all my adult life.
3. I have no other job to pursue and won't look, but I will consider whatever God sends. I turn 64 next year and want to publish and broadcast, and help others do both in the years to come.
4. I just finished my 2013 Purpose Pearls daily devotional. That makes four years or 1400-plus consecutive days I have written something. My goal is 2,600 consecutive days, since that is the record number of consecutive games played by one pro baseball player. If he can do that for baseball, I can write that long for Jesus.
5. My 2014 devotional project will be Leadership Walk. I have already mapped out about 100 days of verses and will spend the remaining holiday time identifying some more.
6. When sit behind a phone or mike for a radio broadcast, I sense God's pleasure. Therefore I want to do more of that in 2014, with plans to start a fourth weekly show in February called Urban Heroes.
7. I am scheduled to teach four classes in January; I love teaching, especially leadership concepts and classes.
8. I am of Ukrainian descent, and feel a stirring to get back into learning Ukraininan. I can already read and write, but now have a ton of work to do on my conversational skills.
9. I still want to study biblical Hebrew. I had started but had to stop when my mother got sick five years ago; maybe it's time to get back into it.
10. I will conduct four purpose seminars in Pittsburgh in 2014, and one in Ambridge, PA. If you would like to sponsor one in your home or area, please write and let's plan one.
11. There could be a wedding in the Stanko family in 2014 - just sayin'.
12. With your help, I have raised $100,000 for Kenya relief work since 2008. God is good and you are fantastic to help.

That's about it from my end. My family and I wish you a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

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KENYA: If you are looking for a worthy cause to which you can make a year-end contribution, may I recommend my work in Kenya. I am going back with a team on February 27, and I would love to take an abundant blessing with me to distribute. You can contribute by making a check payable to PurposeQuest. PO Box 8882, Pittsburgh, PA 15221-0882 or by giving via PayPal through my website. Thank you for your generosity.

THE PACIFIC INSTITUTE: The training I recieved in cognitive and social learning has change my life and now it can change yours, too. I am hosting a seminar here in Pittsburgh on January 23 and 24, and then February 20 and 21 (it's a four-day seminar). Write for more information and then plan to attend. Invest in yourself as 2014 begins.