Daniel Skognes

Once upon a time there was a Rut. He was not happy. His life was boring, monotonous, and meaningless. Every day was a repeat of the day before. Nothing ever changed. He wondered if everyone lived like this, or was it just him?

As luck would have it, this particular day would change his life. As the Rut was going though his daily grind and lamenting his cursed luck, he came across a Groove. This guy was happy, thankful, and full of life. He seemed to have his act together, and frankly, that made the Rut mad! He did not like seeing others happy, and felt like everyone should experience his pain and agony.

He asked the Groove why he was so happy, and you know what he said? He said, “Life is what you make it. You choose whether to be a Rut or a Groove. You get to choose whether you see the glass half empty or the glass half full. You choose whether to embrace changes and obstacles as opportunities or whether to look at them as your enemy. You choose whether to live in fear or faith.”

The Rut was not expecting that answer. He figured the Groove had been given all of his good fortune, but it turned out that the Groove had worked hard for everything he had. This day was the one that changed the Rut’s life forever. He decided that he had control over one thing and that was his attitude. He had the ability to change how he looked at life, and he did! He started by being grateful for all the things God had done for him. He quit complaining and started praising God. He started to focus on the beauty of life and got the focus off of himself. Miraculously, the transformation began as he put aside his fears and chose to live a life of gratitude.

The lesson was simple: If you want things to change, YOU have to change. That is the secret of living a Groovy life. Here’s to getting you Groove on!

Shalom!

Daniel Skognes

Leadership is a much debated topic. One thing is for sure, everyone has an opinion about what makes a good leader or a poor leader. Here is something to consider if you are in a position of leadership or aspire to one:

“You’ll never lead anyone effectively until you learn to lead yourself.” Daniel Skognes

Think of effective leaders you have worked with in the past. I would wager that they share some common traits:

1. Effective leaders are good listeners. They are open to opposing points of view and don’t surround themselves with “yes men.”

2. They empower their people. They hold them accountable, but allow them to make mistakes within appropriate boundaries of authority. They don’t micromanage them.

3. They lead by example. No job is too menial and they put the needs of others ahead of their own ambitions. They lead by serving others.

4. They don’t fall into the trap of thinking, “We will do this because we have always done it this way. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” They anticipate change and embrace it. They don’t operate with a spirit of fear, but with a spirit of faith. They are willing to adapt and overcome.

5. They remain cool under fire. They allow neither their own emotions nor the emotions of others to dictate what they need to do.

6. They see potential in others and help them achieve their goals.

7. They set realistic goals for themselves and others, but always stretch for more.

8. They tell the truth even when it hurts, but they speak the truth in love.

9. They show respect for others even when they don’t deserve it because they understand that showing respect says more about themselves than it does about the other person.

10. They maintain a positive attitude in spite of the problems, obstacles, and attitudes of others.

11. They understand that nobody is perfect and they are transparent about their own shortcomings.

12. They exhibit courage in making decisions.

13. They are able to keep a confidence and they continually work on putting a bridle on their own tongue.

14. They surround themselves with wise advisors, and seek God’s help.

There is a proverb that says that a man who rules his own spirit can rule a city. Next time you observe a leader, think about what you like or dislike about them. The truth is, we all are leaders in some capacity. Whether you lead an organization, a family, a city, a nation, or just yourself, start with the attitude of a servant leader. If you start from a point of humility, you will likely grow and contribute in a positive way to this crazy world we live in. Leading with love comes at a cost, but the rewards are worth it. Don’t allow yourself to be the tyrant that you despise. It starts with you.

Shalom!

Daniel Skognes

Most folks have seen the movie once if not several times, and those who haven’t at least know the story from history. Many people are mistaken, however, in what caused the Titanic to sink. It was not an iceberg. It was the arrogance and pride of the Captain thinking he could force his way through iceberg infested waters.

When we ignore all the warning signs and decide to plow full speed ahead, that can be disastrous if not fatal. It might be a relationship that we foolishly engaged in, a job that we never should have taken, making a fool-hardy investment, or numerous other stupid decisions.

Things did not end well for the people on the Titanic. 1,500 people lost their lives on the maiden voyage. All of the needless loss of lives and property could have been avoided had the Captain just heeded the warnings which were all around him.

If you think, “Damn the torpedoes; full speed ahead,” and the water ahead is filled with icebergs, then you are reaping what you have sown. Don’t blame others for your stubborn pride and be ready for a tragedy that is about to sink you and your plans.

Pay attention to the warning signs and you will find life a lot less painful and much more rewarding financially. John Wayne had a great quote: “Life if tough, but it’s tougher when you’re stupid.” Learn from your mistakes and save yourself a lot of grief. You don’t want to live a life of regret, do you?

Shalom!

Daniel Skognes

Friends can make or break you. They can build you up or tear you down. They can encourage you to do the right thing, or they can lead you to destruction. This is why I tell kids that friends are so important. Be careful who you call friend, because they will influence you in many instances more than your family.

My parents told me many times as I was growing up to be careful of who I decided to hang out with. The funny thing is, I still have to remind myself that who I call friend matters…and I have Grandkids.

I am blessed to have people in my life that share my core values. They love God, love their friends, love their family, and love America. If you have one really good friend, you are truly blessed! I have several, and that makes me rich! I have men in my life that speak truth, encouragement, and accountability. I try to be the kind of friend that is there 24/7 for my friends. We know that we can call each other no matter what the occasion and we will do what we need to do to help.

I have good news for you, even if you don’t have a really good friend. Jesus said that He is our friend! John 15:15 says: “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from My Father I have made known to you.” It does not get any better than that. Talk about a friend in high places! Let God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit be your BFF.

1 John 4:19 says: “We love because He first loved us.”

John 3:16 says: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whosoever would believe in Him would not perish, but have eternal life.”

Proverbs 18:24 says: “A man that has friends must show himself friendly, and there is a friend that sticks closer than a brother.”

Choosing your friends are some of the most important decisions that you will make.

Shalom!

Daniel Skognes

Serve day for me began by serving on the prayer team. We prayed over 70 different service projects that the church was going to do, then we prayed over every seat in the sanctuary. When I left I prayed over the schools…then God put it on my heart to go pray over our new animal shelter in Grapevine. When I got there I was talking to the manager. As I was talking to him, a young couple came in carrying a bag. They asked if the shelter took donations. The manager said they did, so they handed him a grocery bag full of cat food. Their cat had just died. They said they had two boxers at home and one of them was old and not doing well. I mentioned how sorry I was to hear that and asked them if I could pray over them. They said I could. When I was done the wife had tears running down her face. She gave me a hug and they both thanked me for praying for them. We prayed for divine appointments this morning and God delivered. My wife was also very thankful that she was prayed over this morning. It has been a great day to serve the Lord.

Shalom!

Daniel Skognes

When your world is crashing down around you, and you have no where else to turn, you won’t be calling Ghost Busters, trust me. You are going to be crying out to God for deliverance. They say that there are no atheists in foxholes. With bullets flying around your head, people dying all around you, who would YOU cry out to?

I am not sure why so many people have to get to that point before they realize that God is there for them if they will just turn their lives over to Him. There was a commercial years ago for Eggo Waffles. The memorable line in the commercial was, “Let go my Eggo!” Well, I think we need to revise that line to “Let go my EGO!” Too many people think that they have control of their lives. It is pretty ridiculous when you think about how many things we can’t control.

What do you do when:

1. You get that Doctor’s report telling you that you have an incurable disease?

2. You get let go from you job unexpectedly?

3. You have someone that you love betray you?

4. You face financial ruin?

We have all faced tough situations in our lives, and I think we can agree that many of the situations that blew up in our faces were because we did things OUR way and did not seek God’s help. We reaped what was sown. We have also had situations that were not of our making where we were victimized. Either way, God is still God. He is still on His throne and in control. We just have to let Him be God in our lives.

There is an old saying that needs revision. The old saying is, “God is my co-pilot.” I get the gist of the statement, but it is not anywhere close to the truth. He is not my co-pilot. He is God almighty, creator of everything. I am not even the co-pilot. God allows me to be a passenger and occasionally invites me into the cockpit to see what is going on.

Before you face another crisis in your life, consider asking God to help you “Let go of your EGO.” Giving God control is one of the most freeing experiences you can do. You will find peace that passes understanding, and joy in the journey of life. You will find a thankful heart replacing your worries and fears.

If you are in the middle of a crisis, don’t despair. When Jesus was in a boat with His disciples one day, they were surprised by a terrible storm. What did Jesus do? He slept! LOL. The disciples were petrified and woke Jesus up with an attitude of, “What is wrong with you?” How would you like to have that kind of peace in YOUR life? The waves are crashing over the side of your boat and you are about to sink, and you are able to sleep through it! Wow. What a picture of perfect peace. Jesus rebuked the wind and waves and immediately they were safe.

None of us knows what today holds, much less tomorrow. We have to trust God for strength, endurance, wisdom, peace, provision, and protection. Whatever the outcome of the storm, we can trust God. He does not promise us that there will be no storms, but He does promise us that He is with us through the storms. That, my friends, is the meaning of Shalom! Let go…and let God.

Daniel Skognes