Participants: Shelley Quinn (Host), Doris Gothard
Series Code: IAA
Program Code: IAA000457A
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00:29 Hello, I'm Shelley Quinn
00:30 and we welcome you once again to Issues and Answers. 00:34 This program, we try to talk about topics 00:36 that many times it's topics that you have suggested, 00:40 it's issues that are relevant to you in the world today. 00:44 And we're going to be talking about something 00:47 that it's really important today 00:48 and that is the power of having the right attitude, 00:52 the power of a new attitude. 00:56 If we are new creations in Christ, 00:58 we should have renewed minds and a renewed attitude. 01:03 Let me introduce to you our special guest 01:06 who is returning and we're just... 01:08 She's just becoming a fixture around here, 01:11 we'd like to have her around more 01:13 and that is Doris Gothard. 01:14 Doris, it is so good to have you here. 01:16 Thank you for having me. 01:18 Thank you for inviting me. 01:19 You know, there's something 01:21 that we've never really talked about yet 01:23 and that is you have a degree 01:25 in pure mathematics and engineering, 01:26 you were a corporate manager 01:28 for General Motors Electronic Data Systems, 01:34 had a corporate career of leadership team building 01:37 and certainly you can speak to attitude. 01:40 But let me just back up for a second and ask you 01:43 how, you know, mathematics was my favorite topic, 01:48 and I wish I had pursued a different major. 01:52 What drove you toward getting your degree 01:55 in mathematics and engineering? 01:58 That's a great question. 02:01 I think it was because, it was a field at that time 02:07 that few females 02:12 were encouraged to enter into 02:16 and I grew up with most of my... 02:19 I grew up on a farm as a matter of fact, 02:20 let me just tell you that. 02:21 Did you really? Yes, I grew up on a farm. 02:23 And so some might say that I was like a tomboy 02:27 but most of my cousins that lived next door to me 02:31 on my grandfather's farm were boys. 02:34 And so every game that I played, 02:36 I played football, basketball with them 02:39 it was always with the boys. 02:40 And so when I made the decision, 02:44 of course, not going to college was not an option. 02:47 Even though we lived on a farm 02:50 and even though I worked on the farm, 02:52 education was important 02:53 and we were taught that 02:55 from the time that I could remember. 02:57 But I chose a field because keep in mind, 03:01 I had always worked with boys on the farm, 03:05 played with boys, all of my cousins were boys, 03:08 there were no girls at that time. 03:11 And I wanted to choose a field in college 03:15 where there were very few girls if any in my class. 03:18 Ah, that's so funny. 03:20 But you must've had a love for math. 03:22 Listen, I had a love for math and I did well. 03:25 If I could attribute it to a person, 03:28 I believe Miss Balner was her name, 03:30 the greatest math teacher ever. 03:33 And she was the one that instilled in me 03:37 that you could use your mind to think through 03:40 and solve problems without ever saying a word 03:44 and that was what attracted me to mathematics. 03:47 I could actually be in any place at any time 03:52 and work on a math problem 03:54 that I may have been unable to solve the day before. 03:58 And my mind would continue to work on it 04:01 even though I might have been doing a chore. 04:04 I loved mathematics 04:06 and it was a mind thing with me, 04:08 it really was. 04:09 And the fact that it was a class 04:11 that I wouldn't be too distracted 04:13 because I'd be in there with mostly boys. 04:16 Okay, so you weren't a girly girl at this point. 04:18 I wasn't a girly girl at that point. 04:20 But you are such a girly girl now. 04:22 Thank you very much. 04:24 Thank you very much. 04:25 Did you always... 04:27 One thing that attracted me to you when we met 04:31 was you are an exuberant personality, 04:34 you have a joyful personality, 04:37 and you have a very optimistic personality, 04:40 you have a great attitude. 04:43 Did you grow up... 04:44 was your family Christian? 04:46 Yes, they were Christian. Okay. 04:48 But they were not of the same religion 04:51 or denomination that I am today 04:53 because I am a Seventh-day Adventist today. 04:55 And my experience was, 04:59 because I was raised by my grandparents, 05:01 they were, one was Methodist and the other was Baptist 05:07 and we went to church on Sunday. 05:09 And because I love both of my grandparents, 05:11 I love them dearly, what do you think I did? 05:14 One Sunday I was with my grandfather 05:17 and then the next Sunday I was with my grandmother. 05:19 But it all worked out well 05:20 because there was nothing but love 05:22 and Jesus was at the center. 05:23 Wonderful. Wonderful. 05:25 So you are also an author, 05:27 I think you've written six books. 05:29 And one book that you've written about is attitude 05:31 and I know that 2 Corinthians 5:17 05:34 was kind of your foundational scripture. 05:37 You want to share that with us? 05:38 Yes, as a matter of fact 05:40 the subject of attitude is a passion 05:43 and I think every person should find out what your passion is 05:48 because if you know what your passion is, 05:50 then that's what you would do well at. 05:52 I have written more than one book, 05:53 I think maybe three books on attitude 05:55 because I learned 05:59 at the very early stage of my corporate career 06:02 that if i wanted to be successful 06:05 in my goal of being a part of the leadership team 06:08 which I was blessed 06:10 and I served for many years as a leader, 06:13 that attitude was key. 06:15 And I knew then 06:17 that attitude is a reflection of the person inside. 06:22 So when you see the smile is on my face 06:25 and you described me in other ways that are, 06:27 you know, I had like, I have joy 06:29 and I'm always, you know, just kind of upbeat, 06:32 that's truly who I am as a person, 06:35 that's the reflection of who I really am inside. 06:39 Shelley, I have inside of me 06:43 that which causes you to see what's on the outside of me. 06:47 What's inside is Jesus. 06:49 Amen. 06:51 He doesn't have a bad attitude. 06:52 Never. 06:54 Jesus never has a bad attitude. 06:56 And so I'm really just reflecting who it is 06:59 that I invite to live inside of me each and every day. 07:03 I'm really delighted to just share 07:05 my passionate subject on the subject of attitude 07:08 because I think it is the key to success. 07:11 I agree with you very much, 07:13 and I would like if I may to read 2 Corinthians 5:17. 07:16 Please. 07:17 Because this is our springboard for today's topic on attitude, 07:24 and Paul writes to the Corinthians saying, 07:26 "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, 07:29 he is a new creation. 07:31 Old things have passed away, 07:34 behold, all things have become new." 07:37 So those old attitudes, old which lead to habits, 07:43 you know, actions and habits, all of those are really dead, 07:47 that is the whole idea of baptism 07:49 is that we were buried with Christ, 07:51 those were buried 07:52 and then we are resurrected to a new way of life. 07:55 Now, of course, we know 07:56 sometimes things spring forward, 07:58 you know, old attitudes can come up. 08:02 Romans 4:17 Paul says, "God calls things 08:05 that are not as though they already were." 08:07 So when he says, "All things have become new," 08:09 we have to accept that by faith, 08:11 but renewing our minds 08:13 through reading the Scripture, through prayer, 08:15 becoming a new creation in Christ as you said, 08:18 inviting the Holy Spirit to dwell in you day by day, 08:23 so that Christ may live in your heart by faith. 08:26 These are important 08:29 and it's something that's not just important for leaders 08:33 or important for people in our church, 08:36 the mature members, 08:37 what I think we need to do 08:39 and I'm sure this is where you're headed 08:42 from some things you've told me. 08:44 We need to impress upon our youth, 08:47 how important having a Christ like attitude is 08:52 and how this can make you successful 08:55 not just in the kingdom but here on earth. 08:58 I agree with you, I couldn't have said it better, Shelley. 09:02 But let's go back because you get the spirit 09:07 of how the Holy Spirit was leading me 09:08 to write about this subject 09:10 because we live in a world 09:13 where we read about many things 09:15 and we see many things. 09:16 And each book that I have written 09:19 passionately from my heart 09:20 on the subject of attitude 09:22 really was inspired by this scripture. 09:24 Yes. 09:25 But the part that I want us to focus on is 09:27 not just to read the scripture and skip over. 09:31 What I think is really the gem there. 09:33 And that is inherent in this text, at least for me, 09:38 and as the Holy Spirit has impressed me 09:40 is a most precious gift. 09:42 There's a gift. 09:43 Yes. 09:44 I mean, if anyone in Christ, 09:47 He's getting ready to do something 09:51 but He is also getting ready to give us the most precious gift 09:55 and that gift I believe is the power 09:59 in having a new attitude, a new attitude in Christ. 10:04 Attitude is really the key. 10:07 It is the secret to success 10:09 for what so many of our young people have a desire for. 10:13 You know, it's interesting, 10:15 here's the attitude that I have. 10:17 I believe that every parent who has a child 10:21 regardless as to what their religion is, 10:25 whether they have faith or not, 10:27 what community they live in, 10:28 whether they live in a big house 10:30 or a small house or an apartment, 10:32 whether they have no home 10:33 if they have children they have some... 10:36 their attitude is this, 10:37 they have some of the same wants and desires 10:41 as those who are more abundant if you will 10:46 and some of the things that they have been 10:47 able to acquire on this earth. 10:49 But God is a God of great promise 10:53 and He is the best gift giver I know. 10:55 He gave us Jesus, didn't He? Amen. 10:57 And He certainly has a power to recreate us into something new 11:03 and along with that that recreation, 11:06 with that new creation comes a most precious gift. 11:09 And so today is just appropriate, 11:11 I titled the book The Power of a New Attitude. 11:14 Nothing can stop a person. 11:17 I like what you say 11:18 that we need to choose a positive attitude. 11:21 I mean, day by day we have to choose 11:23 whom we're going to serve, is that not true? 11:25 That is very true. 11:27 So we have to choose to, when we get up to surrender, 11:31 control of our life to the Lord 11:32 and to know that He's in control, 11:36 if we will allow Him, 11:37 He will instill this attitude in us. 11:40 Let me tell you something. 11:42 There's no person exempt from waking up one day 11:49 and you think everything is going fine 11:51 but before the end of that day 11:53 you have encountered a challenge, 11:55 even here at the studio. 11:57 I know that there are many in our listening audience 12:00 who pray for this telecast all the time, 12:03 daily they make it as a matter of their prayer. 12:05 But you have to admit 12:06 that prior to our taping earlier today, 12:09 there was little technical problem. 12:11 Sometimes computers don't work, 12:14 sometimes our telephones don't work, 12:16 sometimes we have challenges in life. 12:19 But let me tell you something, for me the attitude that I have 12:25 because some of these things that we go through, 12:27 you and I sat here with a smile on our face, 12:29 you said a prayer, the Lord answered 12:32 and the technical problems were fixed 12:33 and even the technician acknowledged your prayer 12:36 and thanked you for it 12:37 and said, "God answered, the problem is fixed." 12:40 And I was just praising the Lord along with you 12:44 and with everybody else. 12:45 But let me just say this, this is just my personal view 12:48 about the subject of attitude which I'm passionate about. 12:51 I just don't like to really be around 12:54 people who have negative attitudes all the time. 12:59 Your attitude about the little stuff 13:03 is a great indicator 13:05 about the attitude that you'll have 13:07 about the bigger stuff. 13:10 And if you and I live long enough, 13:12 I mean, small problem 13:14 that's little stuff to have a little technical problem, 13:17 we've got very smart technician that can work through that. 13:21 But in life, sometimes, 13:25 some big problems can happen to good people. 13:29 Yes. 13:30 And it's our attitude about the little stuff, 13:33 those small things that will determine 13:36 how we'll handle the bigger stuff. 13:40 You know, I'm thinking 13:42 when you say that of Isaiah 26:3. 13:46 God says that if we will keep our eyes focused on Him, 13:50 trusting in Him, 13:52 He promises to give us perfect peace. 13:54 When you have perfect peace, 13:56 if you choose to have an attitude of trust in God, 14:00 then you will have that peace in your heart 14:03 and it seems that to me people who trust in God, 14:07 the reason I like being around them 14:08 is they're much more optimistic. 14:10 And when it comes to problems, 14:12 you know, everybody has problems 14:14 as you said everybody. 14:16 They come in different shapes and sizes... 14:19 In Reader's Digest I once read, Doris, 14:21 where they said, if you could put... 14:24 Let's say that you've got 12 problems, 14:26 I've got 12 problems 14:27 and we put them in a pile with everybody else's problems 14:31 that nine times out of ten 14:33 when you look at everyone else's problems, 14:35 you would choose the 12 you're dealing with. 14:37 You're right. 14:39 And that's so interesting. 14:40 But as a Christian, part of our attitude, 14:44 it is trusting in the Lord. 14:46 It keeps us optimistic. 14:48 We have hope. That's true. 14:49 I don't know how people who don't have the Lord 14:51 go through the problems. 14:53 Well, I believe that that's one blessing of the Christian life. 14:57 That's one of the reasons 15:00 why the Lord has blessed us with 3ABN 15:03 so that we can share with the world... 15:04 Amen. 15:06 That God is a God who sees everything 15:10 and He cares about every detail in our lives 15:14 whether it's small or big God cares. 15:18 You know, Shelley, this... 15:20 and sometimes in life about attitude 15:24 we all have to do a little self talk from time to time. 15:27 I was just getting ready to say. 15:29 And I do, the longer I live 15:32 I'm doing more and more self talk. 15:34 And I'll give you example of one of the things 15:36 that I am doing some self talk about. 15:40 I want to have as my life progresses 15:44 and we don't know always whether or not 15:46 we will be challenged with a major health problem 15:52 or something to that nature, 15:53 but there may be someone listening today 15:55 and I hope that this attitude conversation 15:57 that you and I will have will be encouraging to them. 16:00 But I say to myself and in my prayer 16:03 as I'm just having a conversation 16:04 with Jesus about it. 16:06 I don't know of anything 16:08 that I should be concerned about 16:10 that's going on in my body now. 16:12 But what I do know that I can speak about is, 16:16 "Jesus, I love You. 16:17 I love You for more than I can express 16:22 for all that You have done for me, 16:24 and where You have brought me from." 16:26 Amen. 16:28 "But I thank you for the life that I have today," 16:30 that's how I began my prayer as I told you earlier. 16:33 When I recognize and I'm alive every day, 16:35 I fall on my knees and I, that's attitude, 16:38 and I'm thanking God for life, 16:42 for the provision of another day. 16:45 I don't know how the whole day is going to progress, 16:49 but I start out and I'm putting Him first, 16:51 and then I start praying for other specific needs, 16:53 but certainly my husband and my family, 16:55 and then I have very special friends, 16:57 we all have friends in ministry, 16:59 and we're praying for them 17:00 that they and their families will be successful in ministry. 17:03 And then I go now praying for every elder in my church, 17:05 praying for the pastor of my church, 17:07 praying for the leader of my conference, 17:08 praying, praying, praying, praying, 17:10 I'm down there on my knees for some period of time. 17:13 But I say to the Lord, 17:15 "I'm thankful for the degree of health 17:17 that I have today. 17:19 I'm thankful for life. 17:21 But Lord, if I should live 17:25 and be challenged 17:27 with something major 17:30 that's nothing positive," you know, 17:33 then I pray that, "My faith will keep me strong 17:37 that I will not let go of the joy 17:40 that I'm experiencing with you right now." 17:43 And so that's attitude and that's my prayer 17:47 that how I'm handling the small little things, 17:50 maybe a little headache every now and then 17:52 or maybe an ache or pain that, 17:55 you know, I'm wondering, "Well, why do I have this?" 17:56 No, don't let that be all consuming, just say, 17:59 "Lord, you know and I know you can handle it, 18:03 but if I happen to be challenged 18:05 with some bigger stuff, 18:07 I pray that I will be able 18:08 to demonstrate the same kind of faith 18:10 that I am demonstrating to you today." 18:12 Amen. That's attitude. 18:14 But you are, your attitude there as well 18:16 if I may identify that you have an attitude of thanksgiving. 18:19 It reminds me of what Paul wrote to the Philippians 18:22 in chapter 5, you know, to be thankful always. 18:25 And I think what you're saying right now, 18:27 I'm thinking of a precious little soul 18:30 who lives in Colorado. 18:31 I've not met her but we talk frequently 18:34 and she has become my Aunty Lorna. 18:36 And, Aunty Lorna, if you are watching, 18:38 "Hello, and I love you." 18:40 But this precious saint is she's up in years but... 18:45 and I know she has so many health challenges 18:49 but she never complains. 18:51 She is always focusing on how good God is. 18:55 Now that's power in her attitude. 18:56 Oh, she has most positive attitude 18:59 and love, I mean, she chooses to love everyone. 19:02 She opens her heart, 19:04 let God, lets, allows God to pour His love 19:06 into her heart for others 19:08 and she has an attitude of thanksgiving, 19:11 an attitude of love 19:13 and just her appreciation for everything 19:16 that sometimes I'll ask her, 19:18 "How are you doing today, Aunty Lorna?" 19:20 And she'll say, "Oh, honey, I'll be better, 19:24 I'll be getting better." 19:25 So she'll never say, "Oh, I'm down, I'm alone, 19:28 or I'm lonely," or... 19:29 She's just an amazing woman. 19:32 And I'll tell you something, it's interesting. 19:35 My aunt once told me that she had a friend 19:38 whose children did not want to talk with her. 19:41 They avoided phone conversations, 19:43 they lived out of town. 19:45 And the friend said to her, 19:46 "I don't know what's wrong with me 19:48 but, you know, my kids, 19:49 I don't know what's wrong with my kids 19:51 they won't call me." 19:52 And she said I finally had to tell her one day 19:54 perhaps they're not calling you 19:56 because all you do is whine and complain. 19:58 She said that was the way the conversation always went. 20:02 This is a different aunt that's telling me this, 20:04 but this is something that's so true 20:07 that I think the reason 20:08 that people were attracted to Jesus 20:11 is because He had this attitude 20:15 of love and joy, and... 20:17 Hope. 20:19 Hope and peace. 20:20 And healing. 20:21 And this is what attracts people to you. 20:24 It attracts people, 20:26 I mean, this is what makes me love Aunty Lorna. 20:28 I'm always eager to speak with her 20:30 because I end up being so blessed by the conversation. 20:35 So attitude is important in your self-talk. 20:39 Sometimes we just have to change 20:40 your perspective on things, don't we? 20:42 Yes, we do. Yes, we do. 20:44 May I share with you a couple of other thoughts 20:46 if we have the time? Surely. 20:48 Not sure how much time we have. 20:49 But one of the things that I would share 20:51 with my employees 20:54 was I think I had done 20:56 one, two, three, four, five step 20:57 and I think I would share them. 20:58 And that's, you know what, 21:00 I know who I am, 21:02 you know, as a person. 21:05 I've given time to think about 21:08 what it is I want to do in life, 21:11 what it is I want to become, 21:14 and I have made the decision 21:15 that I'm going to do everything that I can. 21:17 No one makes it in any degree of success 21:23 without having someone 21:25 who has helped them along the way. 21:26 So whatever accomplishments 21:28 I've been able to make in my life 21:30 I know that there were individuals, 21:32 certainly grandmothers, and my mother, and my parents, 21:37 and aunts and uncles who were always there praying for me. 21:41 People need people. Amen. 21:43 We need the Lord most of all. 21:45 But while I was praying for myself, 21:46 I know that there were many others who were praying. 21:48 But I would say to myself 21:49 and this was that self-talk 21:51 in having that positive attitude, 21:54 "I know who I am as a person. 21:56 I know that I'm doing the very best possible job 21:59 that I can do in the assignment that I have been given." 22:02 And I had one experience early on 22:05 that set me on the path to the successful career 22:09 that I believe I had in leadership and it was this. 22:13 No one really enjoys an evaluation, 22:17 and it doesn't happen so much, 22:19 you know, in churches 22:22 maybe we do a little of this in our homes, 22:24 but we had to undergo 22:26 an annual or a yearly performance job appraisal. 22:31 That was not a time that I would look forward to 22:34 but I learned that I needed to change my attitude 22:37 about having to go through that period 22:39 that was challenging, 22:41 my experience, and this was early on before 22:43 I ever was placed in a leadership position 22:46 was it seemed as though 22:49 no matter what I did on my job 22:51 in working for that particular leader at the time 22:54 was never quite good enough. 22:56 It was never enough. 22:59 And year after year I would go and sit for that hour review 23:03 and I knew that at the very end there would be a long list of, 23:08 "But, you know, you need to improve in this area, 23:11 but you need to improve in that area." 23:14 And the attitude 23:15 that I demonstrated in that session, 23:18 I think was a key contributor to me 23:21 having that same experience year after year. 23:24 Are you following me? Yes. 23:26 I changed my attitude 23:28 because you can't change the attitude of another person. 23:30 No. That's a good point. 23:31 That set me on a different path, 23:34 it set me on a journey 23:36 of success after success after success. 23:39 And here is what I did, I changed my attitude. 23:43 I prayed about it 23:44 and I said, "Lord, give me a new attitude, 23:49 just a new spirit 23:51 so that when I walk in that door 23:52 no matter what negative comes out, 23:57 my response is going to be, 24:00 "Thank you for bringing that to my attention." 24:02 Good. 24:04 "I'm committed, I'm going to work on it." 24:07 And I made note of all of those 24:09 negative, negative, negative things 24:11 and I was intentional about it. 24:13 And from time to time I would request a meeting 24:17 to go over those areas 24:18 that were identified as improvements. 24:20 With the change in my attitude, 24:23 you already know 24:24 that there was a change in my performance review. 24:27 From that point on 24:29 I learned that people reflect back to us 24:33 the attitude that we demonstrate to them. 24:36 So I no longer carry it around within me 24:40 an attitude that said, "I don't have a good leader. 24:44 This leader is not this, 24:45 this leader doesn't treat me right," 24:47 or using some difference that there may have been 24:51 between me and the leader to suggest 24:54 that there was some unfair treatment. 24:56 When you change the way you see things, 24:59 then the things you see will change. 25:02 I changed my attitude and things changed. 25:05 And, you know, this just makes... 25:07 we're just down to the last couple of minutes 25:09 but I have to make it application to the church. 25:12 Christians, many have an identity crisis, 25:16 they don't know who they are in Christ. 25:18 You said, you knew who you were. 25:20 You came to know that... Yes. 25:21 And I think if we come to know as we get into His word 25:25 and read His promises, 25:26 if we understand who we are in Christ Jesus 25:31 that will change our attitude. 25:34 And when we have that attitude even when we're in the church 25:37 when someone comes to us 25:39 maybe with a critical or judgmental remark, 25:42 you know, when we're reflecting Christ 25:44 and He is in our heart, it will be much the same, 25:48 "Thank you for bringing me that to my attention. 25:50 I'll work on that." 25:51 It should be, you know, even if it's, 25:54 you think it's unfair criticism, 25:57 that poor person needs... 26:01 they need to have something 26:02 Christ like demonstrated to them. 26:04 But that's where you... 26:06 if you go into a church 26:08 where you find a good attitude in the church, 26:11 you know this is a church that is going to grow, 26:15 it is going to attract like a magnet would attract lead, 26:21 it attracts success. 26:23 And that's what happened with you. 26:25 Well, you know, I began by saying 26:27 that I believe that attitude 26:29 is a reflection of the person inside. 26:31 Amen. 26:33 And so when Jesus is inside, you can't hide a light. 26:37 That positive attitude will be reflected 26:40 from the first person to the least. 26:43 Whenever there is a visitor or a member 26:46 who comes to our door, or to the church, 26:48 or within your work environment, 26:50 they will know who is inside 26:53 by what is being reflected 26:54 in the attitude that you show to them. 26:56 Amen. 26:58 I just thank you so much for bringing this to us 27:01 and I just can't express enough of, 27:06 I mean, the word is escaping me right now 27:09 but I just cannot emphasize enough 27:13 how important it is that you, 27:16 if you're a parent or grandparent 27:17 teach your children how important attitude is 27:21 because there's an old saying 27:23 that your attitude determine your altitude. 27:26 If you think you're a chicken, 27:27 you're not going to soar with the eagles 27:30 and God wants us to soar with the eagles. 27:31 Yes, He does. 27:33 Doris, thank you for being here today. 27:35 My pleasure. And wonderful again. 27:37 And for those of you at home, may God richly bless you 27:41 and increase His mercies and compassions to you. 27:43 Thanks for joining us. 27:45 Good bye. |
Revised 2017-09-18