Daniel Skognes

The origin of the term “Face the Music” is not clear…but the meaning of it is: We have to face our problems (and the consequences of our actions) at some point.

My wife said something very profound today:

“You can’t run from your problems, they run with you.” Vicki Skognes

Everybody has problems. The question is, what do you do with them? Many people think drugs, alcohol, sex, other addictions, and even a change of scenery is going to make the problems go away.

Please, if you don’t ever listen to anything else I say, hear this: You can’t run from your problems! They will stay with you till you confront them and find a viable solution to them.

We can bury our heads in the sand and wish that life were different…or…we can actually do what we need to do: confront our issues head on. That is not easy. It is not without some pain and discomfort, but the alternative is just insanity! Aren’t you crazy enough without putting gas on the fire?

We typically don’t want to confront our problems for several reasons:

• We fear the outcome. *Living in fear is never good and results in misery for all involved.
• We hope the problems go away on their own. *They rarely do, by the way.
• We want someone else to confront them for us. *That is unrealistic to expect someone else to bail you out of your problems. That is called: “Passing the buck,” and it will catch up with you.
• We think that nobody will notice the storm we are creating. *Hello…are you that naive? Everyone seems to notice except you.

There is an old saying that is worth repeating: “You can run, but you can’t hide.” At some point you have to come face to face with your problems…whatever they are, and quit making excuses, quit running, and face the facts. As uncomfortable and heartless as this may sound, it is some of the best advice you have heard if you are running from your problems. Face the music now so you can enjoy the next chapter of your life. The ball is in your court. Are you going to continue to dribble, foul, pass, or go for the goal?

Shalom!

Daniel Skognes

Many things teach us throughout life. Here are just a few:

Success teaches us the value of setting goals and perseverance.

Failure teaches us that it is not fatal unless we give up. It also teaches what did not work, when to give up, and when to endure.

Death teaches us the brevity of life, the value of relationships, and that nobody is immune to it.

Dogs (and pets in general) teach us to love God’s creation, and also how to love unselfishly.

Creation teaches us to revere God.

Family teaches us that we can’t choose the family we are born in to, but we can do our best to love them even when they are crazy.

Friends teach us that we have a need for like-minded people built in to us.

Marriage teaches us Finance 101, how to serve one another, how to compromise and negotiate, how to forgive, how to admit fault, how to ask for forgiveness, and that the wife rules the nest.

Kids teach us to love unselfishly and share what we have learned.

Grandkids teach us that they are one of the the best gifts our kids can give us.

Laughter teaches us that we can find things to laugh about even in the darkest hour, and that it is indeed good medicine.

Tears teach us that they are a lot like rain. They fall sometimes unexpectedly, they have a way of cleansing the air, and they are necessary to the balance of life.

The tongue teaches us very little because it constantly wants to be a dictator, and nobody can tame it.

Work teaches us the value of the dollar.

Relaxing teaches us the value of recharging our batteries.

Worry teaches us that it has no value whatsoever.

Fear teaches us to have no faith.

Faith teaches us to have no fear.

Hope teaches us to expect the best regardless of what we see, what we feel, or what we think.

God teaches us love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Pride teaches us that it repels others.

Humility teaches us that it attracts others.

A thankful heart teaches us to give thanks in all things.

A complaining heart teaches us that we need to learn to be thankful.

Truth teaches us that it is something we must seek, we must live by, and we must embrace at all costs.

Lies teach us that they come in many forms and always seek to steal, kill, or destroy us.

The battles we face teach us that they are spiritual in nature, so we have to put on the full armor of God if we expect to win.

Christ teaches us the way to the Father, servant leadership, and self-sacrifice.

The Bible teaches us to hear God, follow Him, love and respect Him, trust Him, and praise Him for who He is and all He has done in the past and will do for us now and in the future.

Feel free to share any other teachers you might have had.

Shalom!

Daniel Skognes

Life is not always easy, but it can be easier. If I told you that you could make your life easier with some simple things, wouldn’t you want to do it? I know some of you are already skeptical and thinking that nothing in life is simple. Well, the things I am going to give you are indeed simple. It is the doing them that sometimes trips us up. Sometimes we are our own worst enemy.

1. Put God first in everything you do. If you put yourself or other people first, then you will fall short of living out the best life that God intends for each of us.
2. After God, put the needs of others before your own needs. Having an empathetic heart will help you understand the struggles that other people are facing.
3. Life is harder if you’re stupid. Don’t make stupid decisions. If you ignore the red flags warning you not to do something, then it is on you and you will suffer the consequences.
4. Learn the lesson the first time. Why do you do the same thing over and over and expect different results? Stop that. It makes no sense.
5. Live within your means and quit comparing yourselves to others. We live in very materialistic times and it is easy to get caught up in what you don’t have. Be grateful for what you do have and be a good steward of it.
6. Don’t expect others to change. You can’t change anyone. You got your hands full just trying to change yourself. You work on you and let God help you be the best version of you that you can be. Only God can change other people. Let Him do His job and you do yours.
7. Control your tongue. That is one of the hardest things to do, but if you can learn that one thing alone, it can change the course of your life and all of your relationships. Respond instead of react. When you respond, you think before you speak.

See how simple those are? They are simple yet profound truths that we all need to practice.

You’re welcome!

Daniel Skognes

Our words have power…more than we may realize. What we say either holds a blessing or a curse, and yet how often we say things that are not good, edifying, or even truthful. Proverbs 18:21 says: “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”

When you are facing the problems of the day, what do you say to yourself? What are you saying to others? The words you say to yourself may be even more important than what you tell others because they will forge your belief system. They will determine whether you walk in faith or in fear.

This Covid thing has so many people freaked out. I get it. I understand it is serious, but I don’t choose to walk in fear! That is a choice we make every day. I was speaking with a friend of mine recently who was literally making himself sick with worry over the Covid virus. I told him, “We can’t live in fear.” He said, “That is what my Father told me!” LOL. I hope he got the message.

Worry does no good. It eats away at our peace until we choose to speak life! I know life can be brutal at times, and I am not minimizing any of the pain and suffering that people go through, but I don’t understand why anyone would choose to prolong the pain and suffering.

Next time you or someone you know is going through something difficult, listen carefully to the words that are spoken. 2 Corinthians 10:5 says: “We take every thought captive to make it obedient to Christ.” I know this is easier said than done, but sometimes you just need someone to remind you (or even to remind yourself) that “This too shall pass,” and think before you speak.

Don’t be afraid to ask someone to pray with you. Don’t be ashamed or embarrassed if are feeling overwhelmed. It can happen to anyone walking this planet. We all have days that we need someone to lift us up, dust us off, and walk beside us. That is what friends and family are for.

I will leave you with a powerful word of encouragement. 2 Corinthians 4:7-9 says: “But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;”

Speak life to yourself and to others. We all need it!

Shalom!

Daniel Skognes

Dear Heavenly Father, I come before you to lift up our President. We are at such a critical time in history, and I can only imagine the weight he carries on his shoulders every day for our country. I don’t know what the future holds for him, but I pray that we as a country become united. I pray that those who call themselves “Believers” repent and return to YOU, Father. I pray that You will direct him, our Congress, our Governors, our Mayors, and our Courts. Heal our land, Father, and restore what the locusts have stolen. Surround him with your angels to protect him. Give him the counselors he needs to help make decisions on our behalf. Help him to know who is being truthful and who is lying to him. Protect him and his family from those who hate and seek to destroy him. Protect him from enemies foreign, domestic, and those in the spirit realm. Help him, Father to lead our country with courage, integrity, and wisdom. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.

Shalom!

Daniel Skognes

danskognes.com

There are many things that make life worth living for me. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Faith in God
• Hope for today and tomorrow
• Love for God and others
• My family
• My friends
• A sense of purpose
• Children (our hope for the future)
• The opportunity to never stop learning
• Teaching and encouraging others
• Laughter and tears, especially when they are together
• Giving myself to God and to others
• Music, art, and writing
• Fishing
• Traveling
• Chocolate! :o)

What makes life worth living for you?

Shalom!

Daniel Skognes

Here we are rounding the bend in 2020 towards the end of the year, and I bet you have wished we could have a reset button more than once this year. Not that we want to repeat the painful things we have gone through, but we want a do-over. We want a different outcome!

Well, I have good news for you: As long as you have breath, you have a reset button you can push. What does it do for you?

• It gives you the ability to reset your focus on the opportunities, not just the problems you are facing.
• It gives you a chance to change your course so you don’t keep making the same mistakes.
• It gives you the opportunity to mend fences in your relationships.
• It gives you the time to heal your heart and renew your mind.

Those are all pretty powerful tools that we have available to us every day if we will just use them! Why don’t people use the reset button that is available to them? Pride, stubbornness, stupidity, and ignorance may all play a part, but what about lies? A friend of mine gave me a good quote that his dad used to say to him: “Stop believing the lies you tell yourself.” I like the quote, but I got to thinking there is more to it than that. How about if we just stop believing lies period? It really doesn’t matter if we are believing the lies we tell ourselves, or if we believe the lies from others, from social media, or from the Devil himself.

Lies are still lies and here is something to think about:

“If you buy into a lie, it will cost you more than you ever thought. If you hold on to the lie, it can cost you everything you’ve got.” Daniel Skognes

Don’t let lies keep you from the truth. You can’t be a person of integrity and be a liar. If you have lied, just admit it and ask for forgiveness. We need to be truth tellers. It is not your truth or my truth that matters, it is THE truth. Be willing to challenge your opinions, what you’ve been taught, and any lie you’ve bought. The truth shall set you free.

One of the things I loved about the Superman series when I was growing up was that he stood for: “Truth, Justice, and the American Way!” Maybe it is the patriot coming out in me, but wouldn’t this country be a better place if people stood for that? Wouldn’t the world be a better place if they understood and believed in truth? I think so. Call me an idealist if you like, but I am an eternal optimist and I am learning to hit the reset button as often as necessary to not just survive…but to thrive.

Shalom!

Daniel Skognes