I lived in a tourist town. People came from all over the world to visit Yosemite National Park – you had the Asians all crowded in the check out line (there were like 30 of them just between the cashier and the candy), the Germans, all bronzed and bleached (because they think we’ll assume they’re Californians that way, despite the visors and fanny-packs), the French, whom you’ll spot dissecting in the wine aisle (with indignant disgust, no doubt) and the hard-core New Yorkers, who move far too fast for the sequoia-hugging, granola-eating, bandana-wearing hippies who actually inhabit the small town. All these people. From all over the world. To see a place they’ve only heard of, and seen in pictures.
And after they’ve seen it for themselves, they’ll buy dozens of postcards – not because they didn’t have cameras (trust me, they do), but because the postcards just look so much better.

And I, as a young teenager, would buy those postcards. Not because I hadn’t seen Yosemite, but because those postcards were so beautiful. And something in me wanted to capture the same thing – the colors, the clarity, I wanted to capture the emotion on my own camera that I felt when I was looking at someone else’s picture.

I.P.S. gave me the foundational tools I needed to do that.

The Institute in Photographic Studies is a group of God-fearing, people-loving individuals who give their all to pass on the vision of photography to their students through their 7-day courses.

IPS will challenge you Spiritually, Photographically, Mentally, and Socially.

Spiritually

When I went to my first course with IPS, I was surprised at the quality of their devotions, which they did as a group, in the morning during breakfast (done with so much reverence and love, that first morning I wondered if I’d accidentally signed up for a course on how to have Bible Studies). One of the leaders would simply select a passage of scripture, and we would take turns reading it, and the leader would discuss it, and there would be a time for prayer. I personally have been spiritually encouraged at every class I’ve gone to (I’ve been to five) – my faith has been strengthened, and my eyes have been opened in many ways.

Photographically

Where can I even start? From the beginning to the end of every class, I am astonished at the difference I see in my photos. Perhaps the most marked difference for me began when I took the Portraiture & Lighting course – I saw photos in a completely different way. I learned to think outside the box, to take creative portraits – to analyze a situation, understand how I saw it, and to then capture that essence in a picture. I learned – and am still learning – how to not take “stupid” pictures. (In other words, you can’t turn off your mind and press the button!)

You will be tossed into a plethora of fun and excitingly diverse circumstances and get the opportunity to capture it on camera!

Mentally

As you are challenged to think outside the box with your photography, you will find your mind stretching. You will observe details you had not noticed before, firmly grasping new concepts, and love every moment.

Socially

Every time I go to a class I have the opportunity to meet wonderful new people – not in an overwhelming way, but in a totally cool, down-to-earth, over-coffee kind of way. When I went to my first class I was 15. I was the social butterfly’s ugly step-sister; I was shy and miserable, and hardly a friend. But those wonderful people loved me anyway and made me feel perfectly at home. I have found myself stretching to new heights at every class, reaching out, and being the one who is reached out to.

In summary?

If you regret it, you can write me a hate letter. I give you permission.

Go to an IPS workshop. Be changed and change your world.

-Anna Kraft

The 2010 Whatever It Takes! Singles Conference is now behind us. Here are a few responses we have received:

“Thank you for investing in our boys in Indy this past weekend. You guys are awesome!!!
All three were so grateful to have a place to go where Christ is glorified and practical help in solving sin issues was the norm. Thank you so much for being real and relatable.”

Sometimes it feels like I’m the only one, but now I know there are many more of like faith and we are continuing to keep in touch and support each other. Thank you, Paul and Jenny, for teaching us so much and bringing us together!”

“I remember meeting one young man when he was checking in. I asked him how he was doing. Surprisingly, he told me that if his life didn’t change this weekend, he was going to give up on Christianity. As I talked to him, I was able to recognize areas in which he was resisting God’s grace. We prayed together and I encouraged him to yield to God and grab hold of the grace being offered to forgive. On Saturday evening he came up to me with a glowing face and said he was free. God had shown him several areas where he was holding back from surrendering himself wholly to God. On Saturday he was finally able to surrender!  Strongholds were broken and those who were in bondage were set free. PTL!” -Paul & Jenny

Boldness: The quality of standing out strongly and distinctly. If you are a true follower of the King of kings, you have a reason to be bold. You are commanded to be different, set apart from the world and to stand out strongly and distinctly.

At one point, my life was dominated by fear. The only concern I had was, “What will others think of me?” I did not take the time of day to question, “What does God think of me and my life?” If being accepted by others meant breaking off fellowship with the God of the Whole Universe, I chose people over God. This got me nowhere. Not only did I let down the people I longed to please, but I also was never able to attain a personal relationship with God, leaving me completely unsatisfied and unfulfilled. Now, if this sounds like you, I have a few words to encourage you with and hopefully guide you toward the right path, the bold path.

Every one of us has a story. A story of how God has worked in your life, how he changed you from what you were, to where you are now, and how he is continually conforming you to the image of His Son. If you have such a story, God has commanded you to speak in the light, and preach on the housetops, to proclaim his truth to all.

In one of Tom Harmon’s recent messages he told the audience of a time in his life where he was ashamed of the word of God. At the time he denied it of course, but when the rubber hit the road, he knew he was guilty of just that. Until one day someone asked him, “You don’t take the word of God literally do you?” That was the last straw for him, he turned around and said proudly and honestly, “I take it literally, laterally, horizontally, vertically, and any way God says it I take it!” This is the kind of boldness I am talking about.

Now, let’s think about this in human perspectives. Say, someone does something for you that you did not expect, something so kind it changed your life forever. Now, would you be ashamed to be friends with this person, to give credit to this person for doing what they did for you? I sure hope not. And in the same way Jesus gave His life for us, changed us, and brought us into His family. We did not deserve it, and we didn’t even ask for it, but He did. How could we ever be ashamed of Him, how could we ever be afraid to say He is our friend and our Savior?

There will always be people in your life that will question you, your faith, and your standards. They will not understand why you must be different. Next time you are questioned, be bold in your answers, do not apologize for what you believe in, and they will wonder what can cause you to speak without fear of consequences or what others may think. If you are not ashamed of Him, He will not be ashamed of you.

Live like you have a purpose. Walk with a spring in your step, and a smile on your face, and always, always be ready to give an answer for the hope that lies within you. People want something to live for and to die for. It is better for a man to die standing than to live on his knees. Remember, your life is not an apology it is a statement!

In In relation to all that I’ve said, I have one word of caution. If you are going to be bold and be strong, make sure you know the one you are defending, personally. If you are secretly in the throes of sin and addiction and someone asks, do you believe in the word of God, are you a follower of Christ? What authority do you have to speak against their ways, or say you know God? Make sure you are right with God, a clear conscience makes for a bold person.

I leave with you this exhortation from our Lord Jesus Christ, Mathew 10:26-33 says to you, “Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.”

Amy Carmichael (1867-1951)

Amy Carmichael was born in North Ireland. When she was 18 her father died and the family went to Belfast where Amy became involved with mission work in Belfast itself.

As a child Amy Carmichael had been strongly influenced by beggars and homeless children. She had organized groups within her church to help children, particularly those who were ill from working in the mills.

Now the desire for missionary work was in her heart. She was accepted by a missionary group and in January 1892 she went to Japan to join a group doing missionary work there. She failed to meet up with this group but was taken in to a family where she learnt the local customs and the language. She fell ill and was sent to China for treatment. From there she went to Ceylon and by 1894 she was back in Japan.

However she was now ready for the work that God had planned for her. She was asked to go to India which she did. In the mountains near Bangalore Amy discovered her work was to set up a home for young girls who had been rescued from the Hindu temples where they had been forced into prostitution. This is a practice still around today! Later she built a house for boys and a community hospital.  She ran these homes for fifty-five years until her death in 1951.

Standing in a church lobby, I overheard two fathers talking:

Dad #1: Where is your son going to college?

Dad #2: Well, I went to UCLA but his mom graduated from USC. He hasn’t made up his mind yet which one he wants to attend.

And I thought, Is that all there is to it? Here are intelligent, godly men who simply assume that when Jim or Susie finishes finish high school, the next stop will be a four-year stay at the nearest university. No further questions asked!

Even in an association like ATI, where parents specialize in hands-on involvement with the training of their sons and daughters, you can still find families whose education planning consists solely in selecting the university where their son or daughter will spend the next four years.

God may lead some families to send their young people to university, but it is unwise to make such a decision without asking a lot of questions, asking the right questions.

Avoid the danger of tunnel vision.

When you look through a tunnel, you can see only a small circle of light. There is a broad landscape that’s just out of view because you are peering through the tunnel. Many families make poor choices about the post-high school years because they have limited themselves to looking through the tunnel of career and college. They look for a career when they could be searching for a calling. And they try to find a college when they might be considering a whole array of possible pathways.

1. Career vs. calling

God has a purpose for your life, and it includes far more than just your career. He has called us to glorify Him in every area of our lives: growing in Christ-like character, leaving the legacy of a godly family, making an impact for Christ’s kingdom. Your job is merely one aspect of God’s calling for you. Therefore, the “college” years are a time to grow in all areas. Luke 2:52 tells us that “Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man” – not just in career skills!

2. College vs. multiple options.

Good stewardship requires that we explore all the creative alternatives available for gaining the training and experience that we will need to prepare for God’s calling. For some, a college degree is the best choice. For others, a combination of other training and learning experiences may be wiser. The wise parent checks all the options.

Four questions to ask before you head for college

For several years, I have used the following questions to help people get a broader view from God’s perspective when they make decisions about training after high school.

1. What is God calling me to do?

Scripture makes it clear that God calls every Christian to be holy, to make disciples (Matthew 28:19), to do good works. But He also calls each of us to glorify Him in specific ways. One person may become a pastor; another may care for orphans; still another may fix cars. One may proclaim Christ through music; another may share the gospel in quiet conversations. You may not know precisely what God has planned for you, but good planning begins when you ask, “How much do I understand about what God is calling me to do?”

2. Where am I now?

Once you know where you’re headed, take inventory and figure out where you are now. The Telos Institute International has published a Life Portfolio Workbook called Experience is a Great Teacher,. which takes you step by step through the process of recording what you have already learned from your life experiences. It’s encouraging to realize how much you’ve already learned!

3. What preparation do I need?

Look at God’s calling – where you want to end up – and your current life experience – where you are now. Then ask, “Where are the gaps between where I am and where I need to be?” Your answer might involve skills or knowledge or character. In any case, the list becomes your agenda for the next years of training.

4. Do I need a college degree? If so, what kind?

Only now are you ready to start making decisions about college. As you answer this question, remember that people go to college for two reasons – to learn something and to get a piece of paper. Consider those two aspects one at a time. First, do you need a professional credential to enter the field for which God has burdened you? To be a surgeon or an elementary school teacher, you probably do need the piece of paper. If you want to run the family farm or start your own company, that diploma will not mean as much. Second, what do you need to learn? Suppose you want to be a pastor – what do you need to know? What character do you need to develop? What skills are important? Once you have clarity about this question, you are in a much better to position to decide whether college is necessary for you. Perhaps you would benefit more from a vocational school or on-the-job training. Or God might lead you to devote part of your youth to single-minded service. There’s no hurry to enter the job market.

5. What specific program(s) should I choose, and when should I take each step?

Notice the (s) in this question! God may lead you to a series of experiences, rather than a single college. It might involve a foundation year of study in Bible and life principles through the Telos Institute, followed by a year of service, teaching character in the schools of Oklahoma City or teaching English in Taiwan. Then you might choose to finish a college degree with the help of Verity Institute or the International Ministerial Institute. There are more options available than most people ever dreamed. Take the time to research the possibilities and ask the Lord for guidance and creativity as you help your sons and daughters launch into adult life.

This series of questions is just part of BLP 080, a 5-week course in Personal Education Strategy offered by The Telos Institute International. For more information about this course, you may contact the Telos office at 317-923-7301 or info@telos.edu.

This article was adapted from a presentation by Dr. John Bechtle to a breakout session at the 2010 ATI Regional Conference in Indianapolis.

“Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” –Proverbs 4:23

photo by Marian

Don and Donna Staddon have homeschooled their family of 10 through the ATI program over the past 25 years. In this testimony from the Indianapolis Regional Conference, Don shares many of the important truths that the Lord has taught their family during this time. His testimony gives refreshing encouragement to homeschooling families and reinforces the foundational principles of the Advanced Training Institute.

You can read testimonies from various members of the Staddon family on their ATI Family Support Link Ministry Family Page.

“The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few…pray ye therefore

the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.”  –Matthew 9:37-38

photo by Marian

A testimony from the 2009 National Bible Bee champion

$100,000! Really?!

I could hardly believe my eyes when I read that this amount of money was the prize for the first-place winner of the 2009 National Bible Bee. What would you do with $100,000? That’s an entire year’s salary if you earn $50 per hour!

Before long, I was consumed with a craving to attain the prize. I was willing to sacrifice my time, effort, and plans to win that $100,000. Then I sensed the Lord’s conviction: “Is money more valuable to you than my Word? Why is it that you didn’t have this excitement about memorizing before you heard of the prize?”

I began to see how misplaced my priorities were. Proverbs 8:11 says, “Wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.” If I truly value the wisdom of Scripture more than rubies, I should have a greater excitement for hiding God’s Word in my heart than for winning any monetary prize.

In the end I signed up for the competition with a new appreciation for the value of God’s Word and an entirely different goal than merely winning the prize money. I was in it to deepen my walk with the Lord—and if I won anything, it would just be icing on the cake!

Adjusting My Priorities

To prepare, we were to study six books of the Bible and memorize nearly 1,500 Bible verses. I like figuring things out, and so I carefully calculated how much I needed to study every day in order to be ready in time. However, it wasn’t long before I began falling farther and farther behind schedule.

In desperation, I began thinking: “Would it be all right if I stopped spending as much time with the family? My younger brothers can do things without me for a while. Also, my morning prayer time isn’t that important, is it? After all, I am studying and memorizing the Bible, right?”

Again I sensed the Lord’s conviction about my priorities. He seemed to be asking me, “Are you going to put that prize above your relationships with me and others?” I remember closing my eyes and telling the Lord: “You know I am not going to be able to prepare like I hoped to, but I purpose to honor my relationships as a higher priority than winning the prize. This means I will not be perfectly ready, so Lord, if I do win, it is going to have to be a miracle of your doing.”

It was thrilling to see how my excitement in preparing came flooding back. Now I was not faced with the drudgery of all that I had to do every day, but rather I had the sense of racing to fit in as much as I possibly could. I was simply doing my best and entrusting the results to the Lord.

Enduring the Tests

The day came when we heard that I had qualified for the national competition in Washington, D.C., and we started planning a family trip to attend the event.

After we arrived, I walked into the grand ballroom of the elaborate Marriott Hotel. Beautiful crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Bright lights illuminated the front stage. I thought: “I can never stand up there in front of all these people! I will die of stage fright!”

The following morning we launched into an intense day of oral and written tests, each one timed and proctored by judges. Because of the time limit, we had to say our verses quickly, but every word we missed meant that points were deducted from our total scores. The following afternoon only twenty-one contestants passed the semi-finals and advanced to the final competition, which lasted over five hours.

The competition intensified even more when we learned that there had been a tie in our age group (the seniors). I cannot explain what I felt as I stood on the main stage, knowing that one word could mean the difference between a $25,000 second-place prize and the $100,000 grand prize—one $75,000 word! I didn’t want it to end, yet I couldn’t stand another second of suspense. I had to keep reminding myself that I was in this for the Lord, not the money. That alone gave me inward peace.

After two grueling tie-breakers, they finally declared that three winners had been clearly identified. However, they wouldn’t announce the winners until after the banquet! That was the hardest meal I ever ate.

Recognizing Life’s True “Competition”

Finally, the moment came. They called the three winners onto the stage. First they announced the third-place winner. Cheers. Applause. Then second-place. More cheers. More applause. It began to dawn on me that I was the only one left!

As they handed me the gold trophy amid the roaring applause and flashing cameras, I remembered that these earthly rewards were nothing compared to the true treasures I had hidden within my heart. Those treasures will never fade or disappear with time. They will be with me for all eternity.

As my Dad likes to say, this was all just practice for the “real thing.” Will I continue to value God’s Word as I should? Will I continue seeking out the rich truths contained in each passage? Will I find the answers in Scripture that apply to the questions, situations, and difficulties I face every day? Will I keep the priority of my relationships with God and others far above personal goals? This “competition” began the day after the Bible Bee ended, and it will continue for the rest of my life.

—Daniel Staddon, age 19

I have expressed many times the challenge to fathers to lead their family in daily family devotions. I know this is a challenge and I also know that most men in the church are not doing this. There are many reasons men are intimidated when it comes to taking on the spiritual leadership of their homes, but I do not want to get into that at this time. What I want to do is to share with you, men, how I lead our family devotional time each evening in hopes that it will encourage you to lead your family as well.

When we began doing family devotions it was awkward and challenging. I was uncomfortable, not communicating well with the kids, and they were not enjoying sitting for long. I decided we would read through a book of the Bible. We would gather together after dinner was cleaned up and read a passage. I would ask questions, trying to be practical and help them understand how the passage related to their lives. It was challenging, but we were struggling through it together. We would follow that time with prayer, and then we would work on a passage we were memorizing together.

This process often took an hour, which we learned was way too much. I wanted this to be a priority, but I needed to be more realistic. I needed to find ways to allow the kids to be more engaged, have more fun, and shorten our time without sacrificing what I wanted to accomplish. I needed to be creative, which is not my strong suite.

Jill helped a lot with all of this, giving me ideas, helping me communicate with the kids and encouraging their participation. We began to act out passages, being silly at times, trying to make the time together more interesting. Over the winter, when it got dark early, we were reading through Mark and came to the transfiguration. To try to capture the light shining from Jesus we turned off the lights and put on silly glasses that were painted with glow-in-the-dark paint. Is this what Jesus looked like? They knew it wasn’t, but they remember that night, and they remember that story. We are currently reading through Genesis and are in the middle of the Joseph story. Different children are reading the different characters in the story. When Pharaoh chooses Joseph to lead the nation he places his ring, a robe, and a gold chain on Joseph. So the person reading Pharaoh’s lines did the same to the person reading Joseph’s lines. She put a ring, a multi-colored towel, and a…oops, I forgot to get a necklace…oh well, on her brother. They remember the story.

When we pray, each child has a journal. The ones who cannot read have a picture journal. Each one has a day and they lead us in prayer. We are also able to give them updates on how God is answering prayer, which encourages them in their prayers all the more. It is a powerful lesson for all of us, and a constant reminder of God’s faithfulness.

We also do Scripture memory. We have changed the way we do this recently, and it is working great. I found a simple Scripture memory system that I introduced to the family that takes just a few minutes each day and allows passages to stick quickly and be repeated often. To learn more about that you can go to http://simplycharlottemason.com/timesavers/memorysys/.

You may read this article and still be intimidated. I want to encourage you to simply try something. You don’t have to do all of this. Just start with something. We now take about 40 minutes for all of this. It is an investment that pays dividends every day. Our children are hiding God’s Word in their hearts, they are experiencing God answering prayer, and they are learning how the Scriptures apply to their lives. These are critical life-long lessons for all of us. Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it (Prov. 22:6). Start training, men.”

-Sean Martin