A is for Attitude

A is for Attitude

With all the chaos and uncertainty surrounding the world right now, people are finding themselves spending more time at home with their families. Families are wonderful. Yet, there is something about families that is unique. They have an uncanny ability to drive each other up the walls. 

You know what it’s like to walk into a room with a brilliant smile. Everything is going great! You finished a project, you fixed your hair in a new style, and you’re ready to roll! Then, some family member walks by you. Maybe they raise an eyebrow at your hair, or make a comment about your cooking, and whether their tone, or their look, something they do sends your smile to last week.

Family has the irritating ability to bring out attitudes that we didn’t know we possessed, and today, we’re going to look at three attributes of our attitudes, and then a few attitudes we should have.

1. Your attitude affects those around you.

Just like that sulky sibling has a way of ruining your day, your attitude affects those you come in contact with. Proverbs 27:15 says that an argumentative attitude, is like a continual dripping on a rainy day. Something that affects the entire house. But it works both ways, Proverbs 17:22 says that a merry heart does good like a medicine! Bad attitudes drag on the people around you, but good attitudes can lift the spirits around you.


2. Your attitude is a reflection of your heart.

Proverbs 23:7 says, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he:” If you’re thinking selfish thoughts, that’s going to come out in your attitude, because as you think in your heart, that’s how you’re going to be. Which is why we need to strive to obey Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” If we’re thinking in our heart about these things, it’s going to show in our attitudes.

One of my favorite moments in the movie Facing the Giants, is when Coach Taylor is giving his football team a talk, and he says . . .

  “Your attitude, is the aroma of your heart. If your attitude stinks, it means your heart’s not right.”

That is SO true. If you find your attitude is a constant drain on those around you, maybe it’s time to do some serious praying and ask God to point out what areas of your life need work. God wants us to be

3. You can control your attitude. 

Yes, you read that right. You CAN control your attitude. So much of our life, is out of our control. The weather. Circumstances in life such as our age, our family, our birth-order, our race, and our height. Sickness. Death. SO much is out of our control. At work, the boss is in control. At school, the teachers. At sporting events, the refs make the calls. And so on. But your attitude is one thing that no one but you has the control over.

No one can make you have a good or a bad day, because no one controls your attitude. That’s your choice. Proverbs 25:28 says, “He that hath no rule over his own spirit is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.” Basically, if you don’t control your attitudes, you’re like a city with no defense and any enemy who wants can walk in. On the other hand, if you control your spirit, Proverbs 16:32 says, “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” Controlling your attitude is better than being able to take a city!
But, as point two says, our attitude is a reflection of our heart. If you want to control your attitude, you’re going to have to control what your heart thinks on. You can’t expect to be able to harbor sin in your heart, and have a good attitude at the same time.

So, we’re supposed to control our attitudes, which starts with fixing out heart, but perhaps you’ve dealt with all the known sin in your life, an you’re just trying to control your attitude. What kinds of attitudes should you be striving after? Here are just a few.

1. An attitude of Thankfulness.
1 Thess. 5:18 says, “In EVERYTHING give thanks, for this is the will of God, in Christ Jesus, concerning you.” Yes. God’s will for your life is to give thanks.

2. An attitude of diligence
Colossians 3:23 “And whatsoever ye do, do it HEARTILY, as to the Lord, and not unto men;” Notice, it says heartily, NOT hardly. Heartily means with great heart. Romans 12:11 puts it as “Fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.”

3. An attitude of love.
1 Corinthians 13 has a LOT to say about what a loving Christian should look like, and John 13:35 says, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.”

4. An attitude of humility.
Philippians 2:3 “Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”

5. An attitude of meekness.
Ephesians 4:1-2 “I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and MEEKNESS, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;”


6. An attitude of boldness.
Hebrews 13:6 “So that we may BOLDLY say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”

7. An attitude of Trust and confidence in God.
Proverbs 3:5 “TRUST in the LORD with all thine heart And lean not unto thine own understanding.”
Psalm 56:11 “In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.”
John 14:1 “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.”

And these are juts a few. So, whether you’re stuck in your home, or going out and working in these troubled times, take a moment to consider your attitudes. Are they pleasing to God? Are they hurting those around you? Is there anything in your attitude that you could change to help those around you see Christ?

The Dog Fight Within

  An old Indian Chief had two dogs. A large grey one, and a large white one. Every week, he'd hold a dog fight, and tell people which dog would win. People came from all around to watch and see if he was right, and every week, he was right. Whichever dog he predicted would win, it won.
    One day, after watching these fights for many months, an old preacher approached the chief and begged to be told how the chief did it. "Every week, you're right! Yet they are the same dogs. How do you know which one will win?"
    The chief responded. "It's easy. Whichever dog I feed that week, is the one that wins."
    The preacher was amazed at the simplicity of the chief's knowledge, but also with it's spiritual significance. "Do you know why you can't seem to win the battle of following Christ?" he asked.
   The chief shrugged. "I don't know why. I fight, but never seem to win."
   "It's because, my friend, you're feeding the wrong dog." The preacher pointed at the dogs. "You have two dogs inside of you. One is the old man full of anger, greed, self-pity, guilt, resentment, lies, and sin. The other, is the new man God wants you to be. With love, joy, peace, longsuffering,gentleness, goodness, faith and truth. If you feed the old man, the flesh will win, but if you feed yourself on the things of God, the spirit will win. Whichever dog you feed, will win."
 

   I'm not sure where the origin of this story is . . . I've heard it in multiple different ways as a sermon illustration, and at campfire services, but every time I hear it, it gets me thinking. So often, we get discouraged, and focused on the pain, despair, and heartache. And we feel like the pain will beat us. But don't let it. Don't feed the old man by allowing it to dwell on wrong things.
   Instead, feed the new man in Christ. Give thanks for everything. Rejoice. Cast your care on Him, Wait on Him, and look to Him. We can't expect to overcome the problems of our flesh, when we feed the desires of stewing, complaining, and hopelessness. It's only when we feed ourselves the truth of God, that the spirit can beat the flesh. The flesh wars against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and these are contrary the one to the other! But TASTE and see that the Lord IS GOOD!!!!

A few pics . . .

I used to hate the fall. . . it meant it was getting colder, and winter was coming, and all the crazy busy maze season, and I've never really cared for the fall colors, or pumpkin spice, or anything that has to do with fall . . . but these past few years have made me a lot more nostalgic. 

Now, I'm learning to LOVE the fall! First, it means Christmas is COMING!!!! :) And I've developed a tolerance/appreciation for all the fall things. I've even learned to like a bit of the Pumpkin spice rage. 

Above all, I've learned to like the memories we make in the fall. 

Dad's birthday is in October, and so is his favorite hunting season!! He took some of the grandkids goose/duck hunting for his birthday. I love listening to the kids telling about the things they saw on the hunt, and how excited they get about the smallest things.

The maze is going in full swing, and I'm SO thankful for the help I have in the food area!!!! I couldn't do it without these wonderful people! We miss you, Krystal!!!

I found this in my photo roll on my phone. As fall closes, and winter hits, a lot of people struggle with depression. As the days shorten, we don't feel like being thankful. It's easy to forget that God is good. It's easy to think about ourselves and all of our problems. But don't let the colder weather stop you from focusing on God! He's commanded us to be THANKFUL!! And to Rejoice!! Sometimes, life seems so hard. So bleak. So hopeless. But don't forget that God is still the victor in the valleys. He hasn't lost a battle yet, and if you're losing a battle, perhaps it's because you're doing too much of your own fighting. Let go, and let God take the wheel.

Here's a flashback from around nine years ago!

Before Hosanna left, she planted some flowers, and they're just now blooming! Despite all the freezing weather, and the 8 inches of rain, these flowers are blooming!!

We took some of the kids to the maze the other day (BEFORE all the rain) to water the flowers. Here we are in Paul Bunyan's chair.

And a flashback from camp! It's not every day you get to tie up the camp director! Don't worry, it was part of a game and we let him lose afterwards. :) :)

On another note, I pulled out my laptop after a summer with no writing and editing, and started again. It feels REALLY good to be back on the keyboard. It's been a strange fall for me . . . adjusting to life without my roommate and sister of 22 years . . . all the rain . . . the maze . . . and a large amount of strange events. But through it all, God has been so good. I've been learning just how important it is to choose to glorify God and be thankful. It's far too easy to dwell in the dark valley's of the past, or our mind, or current trials, instead of choosing to lift up our eyes unto the hills from whence cometh our help. But no matter what the struggles are that we face, God commands us to rejoice and to give thanks. The more we focus on our problems, and how we feel, the smaller God seems, and the more we hurt. But when we take our eyes and put them on God, and choose to glorify Him, we realize just how small we really are, and the joy of the Lord can be our strength.

Until next time, this is Priscilla J. Krahn reminding you to choose to do the right thing. Even when it's hard. Especially when it's hard.

5 Ways to Develop Your Own Convictions

  So, I told you all when I posted my 'list' that I was going to go over some of the things on the list and explain to you why I stand where I stand. But after some thought, I decided that it doesn't really matter why I stand where I stand. The important thing is . . . do you know why you stand where you stand?
   If there were things on my list that you'd really like to hear my thoughts on, go ahead and mention it in the comments, and I'll be sure to share with you all, but for now, I'd like to focus on you.
     Obviously, if you're going to be getting married, you should have a list of convictions in mind BEFORE you start dating . . . or even BEFORE you meet someone who could be an option. Because, if you wait to decide what is important to you till AFTER you've met someone, then you'll automatically make your list of requirements based off of that person, instead of the Scripture.
 
     Marriage aside, we should know what we believe and why. I've spent time working with other believers in a variety of ministries, and it seems that everywhere I go, there are godly, committed believers who have different convictions than I do. Why? Are they sinning, or am I being legalistic? Or is something a sin for one and not for another? I remember one summer working with a godly girl who disagreed with me on pretty much EVERYTHING, and we enjoyed some great conversations as we discussed our differences. If I didn't know why I stand where I stand, it would have ruined me. I would have come away confused, disoriented, and questioning everything I believe. As it was, it simply strengthened my convictions. The key, is to know WHY you believe.

 So, how do you develop your own convictions? Here are six ways I find to be extremely helpful in developing convictions that you can stand by.

 1.  What Does the Bible Say? When something is clearly stated in the Bible, follow it. When it says 'Honor thy father and thy mother,' you don't have to stress over whether or not to honor your parents because God made it clear. There are a LOT of things that the Bible makes clear. When it says in 2 Corinthians 6:14 "Be ye NOT unequally yoked together with un-believers . . ." We don't have to stress over whether it's okay to date an unsaved person, because the Bible makes it clear that it's NOT okay. Mathew 5:32 says, "And whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. . ." So, we don't have to debate whether it's okay to marry a divorced person because the Bible makes it clear that it's adultery.
   What about the areas that the Bible doesn't give specifics? Like music. The Bible does NOT say . . . "Thou shalt not listen to CCM." However, even in these areas where the Bible doesn't have a clear cut line, it DOES have clear cut principles. Search the Scriptures for principles. This is where a lot of confusion comes in, because people can interpret principles in different ways. But the Scripture has basic principles for everything. Which leads to point two.

  2. Choose Whatever Gives God the Most Glory. Biblical principles can be defined in different ways, but we should always choose the path that gives God the most glory. Our lives are short, 'but a vapor', James says, and EVERYTHING we do, in word or deed should bring glory to God. We're commanded to do ALL for the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31) Something I find disturbing when I hear people discussing things like dress, music, language, etc, is how they often ask . . . "What's wrong with this thing?" When that's not really the point. The point is to bring ALL glory to God. We should be asking ourselves . . . "How can I glorify God the most through this?" We get so caught up in our rights, and what makes us look popular, and fit in, that we miss the point. We're not here to fit in. We're here to glorify God. If dressing a certain way to fit in is simply to fit in, then it's not really for God's glory, and we're commanded to do ALL for HIS glory. It's not about us, and what makes us feel good, it's ALL about HIM, and how we can best glorify HIM.

  3. As MUCH as Possible, Don't Offend Other Believers. We're commanded to, as much as possible, "to live peaceably with ALL men." (Romans 12:18) There are things that might not seem "wrong" to you, but if they're causing problems for other Christians, then it's probably not glorifying God. God wants us to 'keep the peace' so too speak, so if you're offending other believers, then you're probably not glorifying God.

 4. Don't Follow the Christians Who Are Following the World. My dad talked to some missionaries who were away for four years, then back to furlough, then away for four years, then back in the States. And they said that every time they came back, they were shocked at how the church had slipped. The church today, is doing what the world did ten years ago. The church today, is embracing the things that they preached against twenty years ago. Why? Are we chasing the world? The truth is, the committed believer, won't follow the world, but when the less committed Christian goes towards the world, then the committed Christian, can follow the worldly Christians. We don't look at the world and say we want to do what they do, but we look at worldly Christians, and BECAUSE they're a Christian, we assume whatever they do is okay. Because we don't want to believe that a fellow Christian is sinning. When in fact, we Christians do sin, but we don't have to follow other Christians sin. It's easy to look at another believer and question what they're doing, but remember, we're NOT all at the same level of knowledge. If you've had a godly home all your life, and godly grandparents who've been glorifying God for generations, you can't expect yourself to have the same convictions as someone who is a first-generation Christian, and saved from a worldly life. We need to be patient with new believers, and gracious, but at the same time, we don't have to change our convictions to fit theirs.

5. Prayer. James 1:5 says that if we lack wisdom, we're to ask! God doesn't want us to be confused, and He WILL give wisdom. He WILL give understanding. Proverbs talks about seeking wisdom and understanding. It IS important to seek wisdom.


Colossians 3:23 And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;

1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

Stop Wasting Your Time Waiting for Mr. Right . . .

  I had a conversation with a young woman the other day who told me that she didn't think she wanted to commit to doing something because she might get married in the next year. The thing was, she didn't have any prospects. She didn't even KNOW any young men that were options. Yet, she was turning down an amazing opportunity, for the possibility that a guy MIGHT show up.

     A year ago, I committed to doing a convention this spring. Had I hesitated, because I didn't know where I would be a year from then, I wouldn't be doing it next month.

   Am I saying to forget about getting married and forge ahead into opportunities and dreams? NO! I'm saying, don't waste the years that God has given you as a single adult holding out on other opportunities that God gives you, while waiting for something that God may not have for you for many years.

 1 Corinthians 7 says, "But I would have you without carefulness. He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife. There is difference also between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman careth for the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit: but she that is married careth for the things of the world, how she may please her husband."

  Singleness is NOT a curse! I've heard many young people moaning about how they're waiting for the right one to come along, and wasting time doing it! If you're single, don't waste it! God doesn't give you singleness to waste on waiting for someone. Instead, we ought to use our single years to wait on God. Like the verses above, the unmarried can serve God in a unique way because they don't have to focus on serving a spouse.

Is it wrong to hope and dream of one day getting married? Absolutely not. Marriage is a wonderful thing that God has designed! But God designed it for a time, and if it's not that time of your life yet, then don't waste the single years God has given you.

  My challenge to you? Use your time for HIM. Forge ahead into serving Him until He gives you a different direction, and don't put off serving Him till you find a spouse. We don't know the future, but we know who holds our future. Trust God's timing, and enjoy the adventure of singleness! Enjoy these years where you can serve God with no distractions. These years aren't a curse from God because we're not 'good enough' to be married, or anything like that. These years are a gift. A gift to be used wisely.

On another note, I had an AWESOME birthday with my sisters, family, and friends!

I took my oldest three nephews skating the other day and had some fun playing hockey.

You Become Like the People you Hang Around . . .

  As most of you know, I've just returned home from a trip to Northland Camp in WI where we were doing some winter projects.
   
    On the way home, I was humming/whistling. (Making music in a really weird way!) And my sister said . . . "You've been hanging out with so-and-so too much! You sound just like her!"

   Later, looking at pictures, I realized that I am VERY influenced by the people I'm with. If they're smiling, I'm smiling, if they're climbing walls, I'm helping! If they're drinking coffee, I drink coffee. If they're working hard, I work hard.

When you have friends who love God, hanging out with them is an AWESOME adventure of exciting expeditions and surprises, but also, it's filled with encouragement. Your friends can help you seek God more. Help you understand HIM more, and help you Love HIM more. And that's a GOOD THING!!!!! But what if the people around you aren't living for God?

  Have you ever had anyone say something similar to you? "You sound like ___________!"

The people you hang around with, affect you. A lot. If you hang around people who use slang, you'll probably start using it. If you hang around with people who complain, you'll probably start complaining, if you hang around people who are ALWAYS cheerful, you might find yourself being more cheerful. If you hang out with hard workers, you'll start to work harder.

In a later text conversation, TOTALLY unrelated to my thoughts on friends, I mentioned that I wished I could be more like Jesus, and he responded. "Maybe you should hang out with HIM more."

   I'd NEVER thought of it like that before. If we want to be like Christ, if we want to demonstrate HIS love, if we want HIS joy to shine through, we've got to hang out with HIM! Just like I become like the people I hang out with, I can hang out with Jesus to become like HIM. Now . . . 'Hang out with Jesus' isn't the kind of phrase I would usually use, but I think it gets an awesome point across! We can become like Jesus simply by spending a lot of time with HIM!

    My question for you is . . . Who are you hanging out with? Are the people around you going to drag you down? 1 Corinthians 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. Or are you striving to be with people who will encourage you to do right? Sometimes, we have to seek for good influences around older people instead of our peers. And MOST IMPORTANTLY, are you spending time with Jesus? You can NEVER live the love of Christ, the joy of Christ, and the peace of Christ, if you're not spending time WITH Christ.

 

Attitude Check?

I saw these quotes today, and was reminded of how important our attitude is. How's your's been?"

 

"Attitude is a little thing that makes a BIG difference." - Winston Churchill

"A bad attitude is like a flat tire. If you don't change it, you won't go anywhere."

"Your attitude is the aroma of your heart. If your attitude stinks, it means your hearts not right." - Coach Taylor

"There is nothing so sour that it can't be sweetened with a good attitude."

Psalm 42:5 "Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted in me? hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance."

1 Thessalonians 5:18 "In EVERYTHING Give thanks, for this is the will of God, in Christ Jesus concerning you."

Philippians 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS: and again I say, REJOICE!"

Proverbs 17:22 "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones."

The Beginning . . .

  Last fall, I wrote a post about The End, of my fall, with pictures of fall, and a bit about an average fall. I didn't want to repeat that post, although much of it is the same this fall. So, instead of looking at the end of my summer/fall, I'm looking at the beginning of winter.

The snow's been coming down pretty hard all morning.

So much for a walk in the crunching leaves!

While I don't know if this snow will stay all winter or not, and it's kind of hindering with some of the harvest, I'm still thankful for it. Thankful that God can cover the mud with clean snow. Looking into my own life, I'm glad God covers my 'muddy' sins with his clean snow of righteousness. The AWESOME part? HIS whiteness doesn't melt!!!! And it not only covers the mud, it completely removes the mud!

I don't know what my future holds. I'm not sure where I'll be a few months from now, and honestly, I don't really care. Oh, I have dreams! I have hopes, and I have fears. But I know that wherever HE takes me, it will be an adventure.

Each day is the beginning of the rest of our lives. Today's decisions will determine who I am ten years from now. Today's choices, will determine how committed I am in the future. So, take the time today, to be in the WORD of GOD. Make choices that will help you be a strong christian in the future. God has provided us with the armor to fight and WIN! But if we sit back, and wait to put it on till we need it, more often than not, when we need it, we don't want it. Keep it on! Keep allowing God to 'temper the steel' and keep pointing others to HIM.

This winter, I have dreams and goals . . . I'm planning on having The Fudge Up Murder published by Christmas. I'd like to attend a few homeschool conventions with a vendor booth. I'd like to do more memorizing, writing, piano, and a dozen other things! But as this winter begins, I want more than anything, to stay focused on God.

 It's far too easy to let Satan lie to us. It's far too easy to sit back and be apathetic. As this winter begins, DON'T let Satan discourage you! God is working. We can be a part of it. We can have victory in Jesus! 

FUN FACT - We made Jewish Tabouli in pocket bread the other day. (We hadn't done this in a REALLY long time.)

FIRST TIME - I had someone at the maze talking about the author of my books with me, and they had NO idea that I wrote them!

  FUNNY STORY - (at least, I thought it was funny at the time.) On Sunday, at church, during Scripture reading, I was following along, in Revelation 19. In verse seventeen, I zoned out for a bit, and I heard the part about an angel calling . . . ". . . for the supper of the great God . . ." And then into verse 18, "That you may eat the flesh of kings, the flesh of captaains, the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, both small and great." WHAT!?!?!?! I couldn't believe it! I thought we were still talking about the marriage supper of the Lamb!!!! I did a double take, and went back. As it turns out, the angel was talking to the birds. . . And how the BIRDS are going to clean up after the battle of Armageddon. 

    MORAL to the story - DO NOT zone out while reading Scripture! It can give you a TOTALLY WRONG view! When I realized my mistake, I almost laughed. 

   Pastor pointed out that it listed kings to slaves, and how in the end, all of their fates were going to be the same regardless of their rank, wealth, or social status. It doesn't matter what position we are in life, what matters, is do we know Jesus as OUR personal savior? If so, then we've got a LOT to look forward to! If not . . . well, the birds will do their thing.

Flying in a Cloud

    I don't understand life. There are problems that I can't fix. Pains I can't heal. Sorrows that I can't mend. Questions that I can't answer. Decisions that I can't make. And a future that I can't see.

    I had a long conversation with my 'brother' the other day, about how hard it is to do the right thing when you don't know why things happen. When you don't understand what's happening in your life.
      We talked about people in the Bible. Job, and the pain he went through, with no understanding of why. Joseph in prison, with every right to be discouraged, depressed, and unhappy. Abraham, who picked up and moved without knowing where he was going. We have an awesome view of their lives, because we have the whole picture. We see where God led them, and what He did in their lives. But we often forget that they didn't know what God was doing at the time. They felt just like us. Lost, discouraged, unsure of the future, doubting their decisions. Yet, in the end, they did the right thing.
       How? How did these ordinary people end up where they did, when they couldn't see where they were going?
      My 'brother' compared it to flying in a cloud. When you're flying in a cloud, you can't see where you're going. Sometimes, you can't even see the tips of your wings. Your feelings get out of wack, and instinct, will make you respond wrongly. Make you send the plane into a Graveyard Spiral.
     In our life, we can't see the future. We can't see the big picture. Instinct makes us want to make decisions sometimes that can leave us with regrets. Leave us like David, with a lifetime of consequences from our sin.
       When flying in a cloud, you can't trust yourself. You can't trust your instincts. You HAVE to rely on the instruments. No matter how wrong it feels, you have to forget your instinct, and trust your instruments. They will help you get safely through the clouds. They will help you land without crashing. They will help get you to where you need to go.
     In life, we have GOT to trust our instruments if we don't want to end up in a Graveyard Spiral. Our instruments? The Bible. We may not be able to see our wings, or the future, or the end of our nose, but we can trust our instruments. The Bible is a light to our feet, and a light to our path. It gives us commands, and when we don't know what to do, we can always do what we know. The obvious commands, like being thankful, and the other gauges will fall into place.
    Whether we have a Mayday call, Pan-Pan call, or just need to talk, God is our ATC. We can talk at any time, and He will help. We have HIS WORD as our instruments to guide us, and free access to Him at ALL times. We NEVER have to worry about being on a wrong frequency, HE ALWAYS hears us!
    So, if you feel like you're in a cloud right now, like you can't see your wings, and you can't see any purpose, or end in sight, and like the big picture isn't ever going to show up, relax. Trust your instruments. Focus on them, not on the clouds. Talk to God, and follow your instruments. Don't let the clouds distract you and make you do things that you'll regret. Follow your instruments.

Apart from good conversations, I've been kept busy with corn maze season. In the 'Granary' gift shop, Mom lets me display my books.

Despite the corn maze season, I still manage to spend a little time on my computer with some writing.

I have no idea what I'm talking about in this picture, but our church had our 25th anniversary this year, and we had a banquet meal. It was REALLY awesome to get to see everyone and share a 'family style' meal together.

Standing in line and visiting with my family in Christ is always a blessing!

Us young people sang a few songs during the service and it was such a blessing to think on the words of the songs. 

Back at the maze, I don't normally get to talk very much to people at the maze, but once in a while, I get a second to grab a selfie with a friend! I LOVE our workers, who also happen to by my best friends. It's AWESOME working with them!!!! :):):) (And if we look bundled up, it's because it was REALLY cold! We had snow off and on.)

And while working in the Granary, I often get visited by cousins!

Our church had a campfire service at the maze, with a time of s'mores, hot cider, hot chocolate, hayrides, and fellowship afterwards. It is ALWAYS so encouraging to see people coming out in the cold and singing together to praise God. We had a prayer time, and Dad shared a devotional on Proverbs 27:1-2. It reminded me of a devotional he shared not to long ago. One that I think is crucial to understand in the Christian life.

     Satan wants us to blow it spiritually. He wants us to live with regrets. He wants us to sin. If Satan tempted us with outright sin, we'd probably be able to resist a lot easier, but he doesn't normally say things like . . . "Go kill someone." "Go rob a bank." "Go commit adultery." "Go dress immodestly." "Go burn your Bible."

     Instead, he tempts us by saying things like . . . "A little bit won't hurt you."  "Just one lie isn't a problem."  "You can handle looking at one bad picture."  "You can hide one lie."  "If you miss your Bible reading today, it's okay."   "If you forget to pray for a few days, it's okay."   "Talking back this once won't hurt."  "Wearing something a 'little' immodest isn't a problem." Proverbs 16:25 "There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death."

    He follows these lies, with his second lie. "You've already blown it, so why try?"   "You've already lied once, why not again?"   "You've already disrespected your parents in secret, why not in public?"    "You've already broken your commitment of a pure mind, why keep a pure body?"    "You've already blown it, so just give in."

   WATCH OUT for these lies! A little sin DOES hurt you!!!! And if you do sin, it's NEVER to late to get forgiveness. You're NEVER beyond God's love. You will never be able to blow it so bad that forgiveness isn't possible. Consequences may follow you forever, but God's love will also follow you.

   My challenge to you, and to myself, is to keep your instruments in focus, not the clouds. Don't let Satan convince you that a little sin won't hurt you, and don't let him convince you that you've gone to far for forgiveness. Don't make soft choices. Make the hard decisions that will bring you through the cloud, and to a place where you can look back and say "I have fought a GOOD fight, I have finished the course, I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH!"

     Look down the road. Ten years from now, where do you want to be spiritually? Are you doing things today to get you there? Are you saying no to the easy choices to slack of in your prayer life, and in your devotions, and making the hard decisions to seek God, and trust your instruments? Are you doing things that will help you down the road glorify God?
    Until next time, this is Priscilla J. Krahn reminding you to stay STRONG in the LORD, and weak in self. We don't get life, but God's got it. He can get you through.

The cat came back . . .

I know this is not the normal time of year to start a year long project, but I just started a read through the Bible chronologically in one year challenge using www.bibleinayear.org. I've never actually read through the Bible chronologically, so I'm excited about that.
   We all want to increase in our faith. Well, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God, so if we want faith, we need to be in the Word of God. If daily devotions isn't something you do, I encourage you to start that. It's a time of devotion to God, encouragement, gaining focus, and hearing from God.
     Honestly, one of the reasons that I started wanting to read my Bible, was because of a letter than one of my sisters wrote me when I was somewhere between 10-12 years old. If you have a younger sibling who may be struggling to read their Bible, don't be afraid to step in and encourage them. You never realize the influence you have over your younger siblings. Use it for God!!!

Okay, so, I'm not really a cat person, but the other day, I was sitting in the gift shop at the corn maze, and this kitten wandered through. I was kind of busy, so I didn't notice it at first, but it climbed up into my lap and crawled all over me. :( 

And then fell asleep in my lap. It eventually woke up and left, and then returned for round two and three. Apparently, it decided it likes me . . . Like I said, I'm not really a cat person, but I figured you might enjoy seeing the pictures anyways. :) 

When Doubts Come . . .

     I know many of you out there in blog-reader-land, are just like me. You grew up in a Christian home. You knew the gospel before you knew the alphabet. You could quote John 3:16, and it was easy to "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ . . ." (Acts 16:31)

      You knew that, "Christ died for OUR sin, according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures . . ." (1 Corinthians 15:3b-4) You knew we'd all sinned. (Romans 3:23) You knew the punishment for your sin was death. (Romans 6:23)You never doubted that, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners . . ." (1 Tim. 1:15) And you knew that,  "Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." (Romans 10:13)

      It was EASY for you to call upon Jesus. It was logical. It was Simple. It was True.

THEN . . .the doubts came.

And everything you knew to be true, came into question. For some of you, you never experienced doubts, and that is AWESOME, but I know that many of us struggled in our childhood, younger teen years, or even our older years with doubts. Doubts we couldn't explain away. Doubts we couldn't answer.

   When I was 3 1/2 years old, I accepted Christ. I remember it. I gave my life to God, and I knew I was saved. But when I got older, I struggled a LOT with doubts. It wasn't until I was 16 years old, that I KNEW with certainty that I was saved.

    I heard the voices of doubt in my head. "What if you didn't mean it last time?" So I prayed over and over. I heard other doubts . . . "Why would God save you? Why would a Holy God love you?" I struggled. I KNEW the truth, but I struggled. I could tell myself what the Bible said . . . but I still struggled.

    Why?

Because at some point in my Christian life, I took my eyes off of the cross. I doubted, because I was looking to the wrong person. Like Peter, my eyes were off the Savior, and on the waves. I looked at my faith, and doubted, because my faith was weak. Then I realized, it's NOT how hard I believe that saves me!!!! It's God that saves me. I can pray. I can beg God to help me MEAN it this time. I can try to have faith, but if my eyes are on my pitiful attempts at faith, I'm going to DOUBT!

   I had to step back . . . and give it to God. I had to come to the place where I could say . . . "God, I know you love me. I know you died for me, and I know you saved me because I called upon you in faith. Right now, I doubt MYSELF, but I'm SURE of YOUR LOVE."

    God is the SAME yesterday, today, and forever!

God doesn't say one day, "Call unto me and I'll answer thee!" And say the next day. "Figure it out yourself." God WANTS you to KNOW that you're saved.

    So, for me, I doubted because my eyes were off of Christ. What about you?



   I'm sure I'm missing a few, but from my limited experience, people doubt because of one of three things.

1. Feelings.

They don't FEEL saved. Well, feelings lie. Our feelings change from day to day, but God DOESN'T. Think back to a time in your life when you felt close to God. Guess what? He's still the same. He's still there. He hasn't left. If your feelings have changed, it's not reason to doubt God, it just means you're an emotional person! Don't trust your feelings. Feelings change, God NEVER CHANGES!

2. Sin in Your Life.

From personal experience, I can say that when there is sin in my life, I can't maintain a good relationship with God. When we're not in a good relationship with God, we're going to have doubts. We NEED to stay close to God. If there is sin in your life that's holding you back from loving God the way you should, DEAL WITH IT!!! There is NO sin that is worth holding onto instead of God.

3. You're Not Saved.

It's possible to grow up in a Christian home and know all the facts, and not be saved. Your faith cannot be in your family's Christian status. Your faith can't be in your church, or your pastor, or your parents. Your faith can't be in a prayer you said, or even in your own faith. Your faith MUST be in GOD, and GOD alone! If you're not sure about your salvation, MAKE SURE!!!! We don't know how much time we have left on this earth, and we need to KNOW that we know that we know we're saved. God wants to hear from you. He stands, offering the living water to all. If you're thirsty, COME TO HIM!



Maybe you're not sure? Maybe you're having doubts, but you don't think it's related to any of the above three things. That's okay. Whatever the issue is between you and God. Take it to Him!



    Do you want to know a secret? God actually gave us a book so that we could know if we were saved or not. Ever read 1st John? "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that yehave eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God." 1 John 5:13.



  READ 1st John. There are SO MANY things in 1st John about KNOWING we're saved.

You Can KNOW!

What if you know you're saved, but you're confused . . . you don't have a date where you can say you got saved because you were so young, and maybe you've heard someone say you have to know the date. Well, just like a child being born, there is an EXACT day, where you were born again spiritually, but remember, there are many people in the world, who don't actually know what day is their birthday is. Some cultures don't keep track, some children's parents never told anyone before they died. So, I'm NOT worried about the date, what I am worried about is . . . DID it happen? Can you say with certainty that there was a time when you put your faith in Christ? Maybe you don't remember because you were so young. Do you have faith in God now? Then there was a day when you put your trust in God. When it happened is not important. DID it happen? Is the important question.



   Maybe you've never done that. Don't put it off. Talk to God! If you have questions, ask them! Talk to your pastor, or parents. Feel free to ask questions here! Get the answers you need.



   If you're saved, and you're doubting it, let go, and trust God. If there's sin, deal with it, if there's doubts, cling to Christ.

Ministry Training

A few of them aren't in the picture, but this is most of my nieces and nephews. They're an AWESOME bunch, and I enjoy being the 'Crazy Aunt' or 'Auntie Silly,' as they call me.

This last weekend, we had ministry training. Basically, it's two days of training for VBS, our church's fair ministry, and sharing the gospel. We had a great group, and had a lot of fun. The theme was from Ephesians 6, with the armor of God.

We also did a bunch of 'one-on-one practice'. Here, I'm playing the part of an unsaved kid who wants to get saved, and Matt is showing me how to get saved.

In addition to all the basic 'sharing the gospel' training, we also were encouraged by hearing different people's testimonies, and some challenging devotionals about applying the armor of God.

The Bible says to  "Be ready ALWAYS to give an answer . . ." Are you prepared? If someone stopped you on the street and asked you why you're different, would you be able to share the gospel with them? Would they even notice a difference in you?

I commented to one of my cousins about how he didn't eat as much now that he is done growing. For the first time, it made sense to me why sometimes we quit growing spiritually, it's for the same reason, we stop growing physically. When we're growing, either physically, or spiritually, we're hungry. When we're not hungry for the Word of God, we quit growing spiritually. Whenever you catch yourself losing your appetite for the things of God, make sure you take the time to dig back in so that you can keep growing. It's been said . . . "The more you read the Word of God, the more you want to read it, and the less you read it, the less you want to read it." Let's make sure we're reading it more, and keeping our spiritual appetite strong so we can grow in Christ.

Memorizing God's Word

   For me, there's never been any doubt that I ought to be memorizing and meditating on God's Word. Obviously, God commands us to hide His Word in our hearts, and mediate on it day and night, but that's WAY easier said, than done. I've been reading a book lately where the people don't have the Word of God in writing. They only have what they've memorized, and it really gets me thinking. If I was suddenly unable to read the written Word of God, how much of the Scripture would I have?

     When I'm completely on my own, trying to memorize, I find that I don't get much done. It seems that no matter how much I preach at myself, and want to do it, it just doesn't happen. But, like the rest of our Christian life, we don't have to do it alone. With the body of Christ to help, we can keep each other accountable.

  How does that look in my life? Well, before I was 19, I was in the Bible Bee. (www.biblebee.org) Some summers, I memorized up to 800 verses, and while I don't still know them all today, some of them have stuck. If you're 7-18, and wanting to memorize more, the Bible Bee is a GREAT tool to motivate you!

  Since I'm too old for the Bible Bee now, I've had a hard time staying consistent in memorizing. Here are a couple of things that have helped me.

Number one - the kitchen marker board. Miriam is very good at putting verses up, and making sure that we learn them. Often, she motivates us with treats like ice cream or something, and sometimes she goes so far as to say, "No supper till you've learned the verse!" It's very effective, and I've learned a LOT of verses this way. 

And number two - A church Bible memory program. Recently, our church has been doing the Scripture Memory Fellowship Bible memory books. We all get to pick our book, and we're assigned someone to quote verses to on Sunday.

When you know someone is going to check in on you EVERY Sunday, and you have to quote them to them, it helps motivate you to learn them!

If you can memorize on your own, without encouragement, go for it, but if you're like most of us, and you need extra encouragement, find something to keep you accountable, and stick to it. The Word of God is a treasure, and we're commanded to memorize, so find something that works for you, and get to it!

What are you doing today . . .

To use your talents for God?

 

4 Statements That Aren't As True As They Seem

 You've all heard it said . . . "Just be you!" "Follow your heart!" "Do what makes you feel good!" and "If people don't like you, forget about them." These statements and statements like them, have become a part of our culture, but are they true?

 Number 1.  - "Just be you!"

    Have you ever been nervous about something . . . worried that someone won't like you or that something will go wrong, and a friend told you to "Just be you,"? I know I've said that to people, but as I think about it, this is NOT good advice.
   First of all, when you're 'just being you,' and people don't like 'you' it brings frustration, rejection, and self-image problems. I mean if people don't like me just the way I am, then don't I have to change? Absolutely NOT! The problem with just being yourself, is that the real 'YOU' isn't a very nice person. Ouch. That statement hurts, but it's true. Our natural sinful personality is NOT something that people enjoy being around! The real 'YOU' in and of yourself, is a sinner. A selfish, proud, disobedient, lying, and rude individual!
We should never want to just be ourselves.
      But if I can't just be me, then who should I be? 1 Corinthians 6:19  says, "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?" And in Philippians 1:21, Paul boldly declares that Christ is his life! Throughout Scripture, we can find example after example of men and women who put aside their own personal preferences, and served Christ. Do you think Stephen wanted to be stoned? Do you think he got up that morning and said, "I'm going to just be me today! I think I'll be stoned for it, but I'll do it anyways." NO! Stephen wasn't trying to promote his own personality. He was only concerned with glorifying God.
     God gives each of us different and unique personalities, desires, hobbies, etc... but even though God gave us all differences, He doesn't want us using our differences to make us feel good. To make us live for us! Rather than 'just being you', God gives us the privilege of being able to yield ourselves to HIM, and the privilege of being able to, as Paul said, 'Keep under ourselves and bring ourselves into subjection, so that God can use us. It's not about being you, it's about letting Christ shine through us. When people look at you, do they see 'just you,' or do they see Christ shining through you?

Number 2. - "Follow Your Heart!"

       WHAT!!?!?!?!?! Seriously? Jeremiah 17:9  says "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" So the Bible tells us that our heart is deceitful and wicked, and now we're supposed to follow it? According to the Bible, we're not supposed to be following our hearts, we're supposed to be following Christ.
     The Bible doesn't just tell us to follow Christ instead of our heart, it gives us examples. Samson followed his heart and pursued Delilah and it resulted in his death. Jonah followed his heart and ran from Nineveh, and he ended up in the belly of a whale. Noah followed God's command to build an ark, even though it probably sounded crazy, even though it probably wasn't his life dream, and God blessed him for it. Peter, followed God's command to bring the gospel to the gentiles even though it wasn't what he had dreamed of doing with his life.
     Consistently, throughout Scripture, when people follow their hearts without God's blessing, they have heartache, trouble, and pain. But when people follow God, and the things that He commands and asks of us, it brings a joy, peace, and satisfaction.

Number 3. - "Do what makes you feel good."

We all know that feelings lie. Jesus didn't 'feel like' being crucified, but because of His love for us, He ignored His feelings and did what He knew had to be done. With Christ as our example, we can ignore the lie of doing what makes us feel good, and instead, do what we know God wants us to do.

Number 4. - "If People Don't Like You, Forget About Them."

    If you've ever been insulted by someone. Deeply hurt so that you don't want to ever trust that person again? If you were to ask advice from most of the world, they would tell you that you need to just forget about the person that offended you. They can't be a real friend, so forget about them. Ignore them and forget the pain. If you don't ignore them, they'll hurt you again. But Jesus said "LOVE your enemies, DO GOOD to them that hate you and PRAY FOR THEM that despite fully use you and persecute you." That doesn't sound like forgetting them. That doesn't sound like ignoring them. If someone doesn't like you, or hurts you, God requires us to respond with love. In Mathew 5:11-12 Jesus tells us that we're blessed when people treat us wrong. It's nothing new, they hated others who lived for Christ as well. As we follow Christ, we should expect some people to not like us, but rather than take it as a personal insult and be offended that they don't like our personality, we should love them back. We should show the love of Christ.

  So how are you doing today? Are you living like Jesus would want you to, or are you following your own ways and the advice of the world?

Psalm 101:3

Psalm 101:3 "I will set no wicked thing before mine eyes . . ."

Just a quick thought for today. Have you been keeping your eyes, mind and heart pure? Do you have an accountability partner to make sure that you keep yourself pure?

R.S.C.

In case you're wondering what R.S.C. stands for, it stands for Regional Student Convention. Every year, there's an AMAZING convention for students using A.C.E. (Accelerated Christian Education) full of GREAT preaching, fun competition, and LOTS of FELLOWSHIP!! Although I'm too old to compete, I had the opportunity to attend with a few students and was able to help serve at the convention! Unfortunately, I didn't have a great camera, so I only got a few pictures, but I hope you enjoy them!!

That's me helping serve lunch. You may also recognize the other people facing the camera. That's Evangelist Steve Piggot (who was the convention speaker,) and Dad.

As I mentioned above, Evangelist Steve Piggot was the speaker and he preached some GREAT sermons that were challenging, encouraging, and convicting. I was so blessed to be able to be there! This is him with two of our students!!

I mentioned the fellowship!! This is me visiting with one of the MANY people I was blessed to visit with!!!

At one of the churches we used, there was a man who carved this watermelon for us!!!!!

And that's all the pictures I have for you today! If you're interested in more pictures from other years, you can check out this post from last year with my take on the awards ceremony, or this post on my mom's blog from two years ago!!!

When God Asked Me To Quit Writing

       I became serious about my writing when I was thirteen. I knew it was something that God wanted me to do, and I wasn’t going to let anything stop me.
     
        I began spending so much time at my laptop doing research and writing, that I was spending less time reading the Bible. Days would go by where I didn’t read at all. Sitting in church, all I could think about was my books, and I was starting to not care about spiritual things.
     
       Then one night, God had a talk with me. Now obviously, God wasn’t verbally speaking to me, but as I lay in bed that night, unable to sleep, I felt as if God whispered in my heart. “Do you love me more than your writing?”
     
        I didn’t want God to think that I wasn’t spiritual, so I quickly responded with a “Yes! Of course I love you more than my writing!”
     
       “Then why can’t you spend even ten minutes a day with me? Why are you always at your laptop?” The still small voice asked.
     
        I tossed and turned. This was not the kind of conversation that I wanted to have late Saturday night. “You know that I love you,” I insisted.
     
       “If you really love me, then stop writing.”

        “No! I’m not giving up my writing!” I argued back. “You’re the one that called me to write! You’re the one that gave me my dreams and allowed me to get my laptop.” I promised to make more time to read the Bible and pray, but God ignored my pathetic arguments. He just held out his hand and asked for my laptop.

        I promised not to write for at least a week, but that didn’t work. God wanted me to quit writing forever.

        Tears streamed down my cheeks. “I can’t give you my writing!”

        In that moment, I realized that if I didn’t let go, my writing would mean nothing. If God wasn’t blessing me, I would never have a chance at fulfilling my dreams of being published.

        I was confused. Why would God take this away from me when He was the one that gave it to me? Despite all my arguing, God still held out His hand.

        I began to physically tremble as I realized who I was arguing with. God Almighty, who was giving me my every breath, was asking me to yield one area of my life to Him, and I was saying no.

        Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. “Okay, God, you can have my writing.” A wave of peace washed over me. Here I had been so worried that God would make me miserable, and I hadn’t even realized that I was the one making myself miserable.

        First thing the next morning, I grabbed my laptop, and all of my USB flash drives, and headed downstairs. I knew that if I didn’t get rid of my USB flash drives with my books, then I could go back to them even without the laptop.

        I set my laptop and the flash drives on the entryway floor, and started looking for a sledge hammer. That’s when Mom came in and asked me what I was doing.

       “I’m going to smash my laptop,” I said. 

       “Why? Is there something wrong with it?” she asked.

       “It’s too important to me,” was all I could say without breaking down in tears.

       My wise mother told me to put my laptop in her room and go get ready for church.

       At first, I was mad. Here I was trying to give it to God and Mom stepped in and stopped me.
I had another small argument with God but, like always, He won. I felt genuinely happy for the first time in weeks.

       I don’t remember what the sermon was about that morning but it caused another fight in my heart.

      “When you get home, I want you to write.”

      I felt sure that I had misheard the still small voice. God couldn’t possibly have changed His mind so fast! But the thought kept coming back. I fought it. “God, I gave it to you! I don’t want to ever touch my laptop again!”

      But God just repeated the command. I was reminded of the verse in 2 Corinthians 5:15 “And that he died for all, that they which live should NOT henceforth live unto themselves, BUT UNTO HIM which died for them, and rose again.” It was as if God was saying. “You were writing for yourself, and so I stopped you, but now that you’ve given it to me, I want you to write for me.”

       I went home and started writing again but, this time, it wasn’t for me. I still struggle with making sure that my writing doesn’t become too important to me. It’s a struggle because I REALLY love writing! But I’ve learned that no matter how much I love writing, or how much it means to me, it can never become more important than my daily devotions. I can write hard, but I have to pray harder.