My story

56 year’s old well-known man. Former head coach of Slovak national ice hockey team and Vicepresident of Slovak ice hockey association.

Faith brings values into life

I am Jan, 56 year’s old (well-known man, former head coach of Slovak national ice hockey team - notice from editor). I would like to talk of meeting Jesus Christ. It is nice to talk about success and about a persons´ effort, but we often forget that if it was not blessed by our Lord, if our steps would not be lead by Him - our life would not fill us.

My childhood was very nice; I spent it in a real Christian family. My memory is full of the captivating moments we were expecting the Baby Jesus and everything nice He was bringing: decorated Christmas tree, many beautiful details that made our life nicer in that poor life circumstances. Our parents tried to bring us up so that we realised – that Jesus Christ is present in everything – in the good deeds and as well in the Christmas moments. We were to remember this also in the age, after we found out that it is not Baby Jesus, who brings the Christmas presents. (*note: in Slovakia it was - and mostly still is - Baby Jesus who brings the presents under the Christmas tree; it is not Santa) 

Unfortunately it happened later that my parents got divorced and the inner peaceful atmosphere was slowly waned. It was in that “normalization” communist period (after y.1968). The things concerning faith were getting redundant, as they were not the part of an ordinary life. I was in the middle of my own problems, starting my own family – and there was time when we did not feel Jesus´ presence in life. However, I was lucky, as my wife comes from a Christian family. Her values were based firmly on the faith to the Lord. The marriage and our children birth brought happiness into the days and I finally realised that it is the part of God’s plan. Christ had protected us by His hand and he had been helping us to overcome everyday stress and all the challenges that a young family had to face.

Nowadays I notice that young people have problems in the family life since the very beginning and they are not able to cope with them - I think the reason is the absence of faith. They are not aware of the fundamental love to a person, as a God´s creation. On the contrary, the economical impacts seem to direct modern life and the change of the lifestyle forms really mundane and fleshly values. For us, the faith was the source of real happiness. When I with my wife were thinking of next steps of our existence, we inclined to the “gold” we found while sitting together in the church or at Christmas dinner or we had our Sunday meal with our grandparents. In these circumstances we were able not to think just of daily problems but also focus on the profound sense of life. We found more and more reasons for bringing up our children with God and show them all the values based in Christ. I think they are now adults, who can get ahead, who try to live real values, who are able to cooperate very well with others. If we see they and their children are able to keep & live Christ´s values, we will be very happy grandparents. I do not have a bigger desire than to live a peaceful and happy life being watched by the Loving One (who wants us to know how to live happily).

I am sure, that many, who are facing serious problems & negative sides of life would be able to cope them more easily, If they would spend more time to think of higher values. People often break basic principles just because of a certain level of scepticism or because of fear. But Christ has died for them as well; he had showed the way of life also for critical periods.

I often go and relax at the church where I can join Christ in the world. Once I was thinking what will happen with the empty churches when the old generation dies. I understood that we are the new generation who is searching Christ; we will find it when we dedicate our time to searching.

I think the sooner we find the way to God through Christ - the sooner we will find real values for life.

A transcription from the CD “O zivote (ne)obycajnych ludi”/ “About the life of (extra)ordinary people”)