Nothin' But Fine

In this episode, we explore the balance between accepting others with love and grace while trusting God to place people where they truly belong in our lives. Through prayer and discernment, we learn how to welcome others without forcing connections, setting healthy boundaries as we rely on God to guide our relationships. It's a reminder that while we're called to love everyone, not everyone is meant to walk every step of the journey with us. Subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can watch this week's episode and catch up on past episodes!---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

I saw theologian Joel Muddamalle post something about is there judgement for sin here on earth right now back in January. We were in the midst of watching California burn. During those times the question of how a good God can allow things like this to happen always comes up. Along with the editorial comments of “well, God is punishing them for wayward ways.” Joel said, in a nutshell, that yes there is judgement on this earth because this is a fallen earth. Continue reading the rest of this shows notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.Subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can watch this week's episode and catch up on past episodes!---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

Grace recognized. I came across this phrase a few months ago. I loved it immediately and the more I have sat with it, the more I have come to appreciate it. Grace is a word we hear and use a lot. The authors of scripture use it as a greeting and as a goodbye. Have you ever said, “We will see you tomorrow, by the grace of God.” Have you stopped to weigh just what that word means? In the Greek: charis- as a gift or blessing brought to man by Jesus Christ; derived from the Greek verb chairō, meaning to rejoice or be glad. {Friends, do you see that? The definition of joy, chara, includes the phrase grace recognized. It. Is. All. Connected. }In the New Testament, chairs primarily refers to the unmerited favor and kindness of God towards humanity. It encompasses the idea of divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration and sanctification [the process of being made holy/action or process of being freed from sin or purified. Charis is often associated with the concept of salvation as it is by grace through faith believers are saved. It also denotes the graciousness of God in bestowing gifts and blessings upon his people, as well as the grace that believers are to extend to others.Continue reading the rest of this shows notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.Subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can watch this week's episode and catch up on past episodes!---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

The coolest thing about Jesus…after the whole He died for our sins thing, of course…is that he is fully aware that we are going to mess up.We have a new rooster, Louis. He crows all the time. Happy? Crows. Disgruntled? Crows. Freaked out by the stupid bird dogs that sometimes circle the coop if left unattended? Crows. Demanding treats? Crows. There is no rhyme or reason. It is not a strictly sunrise thing. All the crowing reminded me of Peter and how Jesus told him he would deny him three times by the time the rooster crowed. I have always thought that meant by morning. What I now know is that it could have been in 15 minutes.Continue reading the rest of this shows notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.Subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can watch this week's episode and catch up on past episodes!---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

There is a story in Luke 4 about Jesus going back to his home church.  He has just been baptized and in the desert.  He is beginning his public ministry.  He reads scripture during the service.  (FYI he was probably asked by the priest to do this.  This was his priest after all.  He grew up at this synagogue.)  Luke tells us that “the eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him.”  They were impressed by his reading.  Can you imagine hearing Jesus read a portion of Isaiah that is referring to him?  Can you imagine the inflection and authority he would have given the passage?  I am sure the people had never heard the scripture read in such a way before.  And they were surprised.  They commented, “isn't this Joseph's son?”Continue reading the rest of this shows notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.Subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can watch this week's episode and catch up on past episodes!---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

For we have this hope as an anchor…Hope in the Greek means not only hope, but also expectation, trust, confidence.  Is that how you define hope?  Or do you think of it as more of wishful thinking?  If you hope for something do you expect for it to happen?  Are you confident?The writer of Hebrews tells us that we have hope as an anchor and Warren Wiersbe goes further to say anchored heavenward.  Our anchor is in heaven.  Does that change how you view hope?  Christ as our hope means we have assurance, a confidence, because of the certainty of God's faithfulness.  A faithfulness that he will fulfill his promises.  We know he is a God that will do what he says he will do.  Doesn't that give hope in and of itself? Continue reading the rest of this shows notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.Subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can watch this week's episode and catch up on past episodes!---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds… James 1:2 Well, that's happy isn't it. How in the heck are you supposed to count it as joy when you are fighting for your life? By remembering who your joy is rooted in. Our joy is in Christ and he is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. He is our anchor. So when trials come, we know they are going to, that's where we go. He is our safe place to come up for air. No one lives a perfect, unbothered life all the time. Be prepared for trials by knowing where you can turn.Continue reading the rest of this shows notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.Subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can watch this week's episode and catch up on past episodes!---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

The Bible does not promise us happiness.  It does promise joy.  Yes, there is a difference.  Happiness is a feeling.  Joy is a state of being.  The Greek word used in the New Testament for joy is chara and "it is used to describe a deep abiding sense of joy and gladness that is rooted in spiritual realities rather than external circumstances.  It is often associated with the presence of the Holy Spirit and the believer's relationship with God.  It is characterized by a sense of inner peace and contentment that transcends worldly troubles.”    https://biblehub.com/greek/5479.htmContinue reading this shows notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.Subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can watch this week's episode and catch up on past episodes!---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

Satisfied.  That is what we are striving for, right?  If you could just get to…everything would be great.   Then you could relax.  I don't want to be content in that way.  I want to be content the way Paul was content.  He says in Philippians 4:11 that he has “learned to be content whatever the circumstance.”  He says he learned it.  In looking up the Greek I discovered that using learned here shows that Paul has gained this knowledge of contentment through experience.  Keep in mind he was writing from prison.Continue reading the rest of this shows notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.Subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can watch this week's episode and catch up on past episodes!---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

Surrender is a sacrifice.  For us to do what we know, or at least think, God wants us to do we have to let go of what we want or think we want to do.  The baptism of Jesus is such a beautiful picture of this.  At this moment of Jesus's life, he was leaving his privacy behind and starting his public ministry.  This was the beginning of the end.  Baptism is a death of sorts.  And a birth.  You bury your old self under the water and come out raised to new life in Christ.  A new life in Christ.Continue reading the rest of this shows notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.Subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can watch this week's episode and catch up on past episodes!---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

I've been thinking.  If my purpose is to bring glory to the Lord in all that I do and I am delighting myself in the Lord, trusting in him and seeing the desires of my heart change…what next?The point of striving for this is the peace that will come.  And it's not the peace that we think of.  It's not the lack of strife and conflict.  It is a peace that surpasses all understanding.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7 I want to draw your attention to 2 words in this verse and what the original Greek shows us about what this verse means and how it ties into the glory and desires of the Lord.  Continue reading the rest of this shows notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.Subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can watch this week's episode and catch up on past episodes!---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.  Psalm 37:4To quote Inigo Montoya, I do not think that means what you think it means.  We think this verse means that if we love the Lord he will give us whatever we want.  That's what the desires of your heart is, right?  The stuff and circumstances you long for?  Yes and no.  You see if you truly delight in the Lord you will spend time with him.  You will seek out the things that you know please him.  You will be reading your Bible and making prayer time a priority.  Suddenly getting up for church on a Sunday morning isn't as hard as it used to be.  Time and opportunity to serve show up in your schedule.  So the question becomes will delight in the Lord change what the desires of my heart are? Continue reading this shows notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.Subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can watch this week's episode and catch up on past episodes!---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

I have a new friend you guys and I know you will love her too. Besides having a soothing British accent, she is like sunshine pouring through the interwebs. So thankful to be able to introduce you all to her!Laura is the Good Girl Syndrome Coach that you never knew you needed - until now. She grew up in the English countryside, before living & working in the corporate world of London for 15 years, after University. She worked hard to achieve all of her 'good girl goals' for friends, family & colleagues, but ended up suffering from burnout, stress, exhaustion, anxiety & feeling completely overwhelmed, overlooked and lost. So, she decided to transform her life - quitting the rat race in 2022 & retraining as an ICF Coach. Laura now divides her time between England & Argentina, where she is learning Spanish & fulfilling a long held dream to live in Buenos Aires. Continue reading this shows notes and more about Laura on our website Nothin' But Fine.Subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can watch this week's episode and catch up on past episodes!---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

God created us to bring him glory. That is what our top priority should be. It's easy to get lost in the weeds of how and why, but the long and short of it is just do it. It doesn't matter how. It doesn't matter if you want to. It only matters that “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord”. (Colossians 3:23)At first you might think that God sure does sound like an ego maniac. What kind of being creates things for the sole purpose of making themselves look good? I can't even take a compliment without feeling awkward. Upon further reflection though, OF COURSE I SHOULD SPEND EVERY WAKING MINUTE DOING AND SAYING THINGS TO BRING GLORY AND HONOR TO THE ONE THAT SAVED ME.   Sorry to shout. That was a light bulb moment for me. It really shifted my perspective. Angela Duckworth gives this illustration:Three bricklayers are asked, “What are you doing?” The first says, “I am laying bricks.” The second says, “I am building a church.” The third says, “I am building the house of God.” The first bricklayer has a job. The second has a career. The third has a calling.Continue reading the rest of this shows notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.Subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can watch this week's episode and catch up on past episodes!---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

Unsolicited parenting advice. Wait!  Don't turn me off!  Noone asked me how I parent, but I am giving you my opinion anyway.  After some digging in Bible I actually am pretty convicted about how I've done the past 21 years.  We all know the Old Testament says to honor your father and mother.  It's in the Ten Commandments, the BIG rules Israel were given right off the bat.  Upon further study however, us parents have an even heavier load than we thought.  Are you encouraged yet? The long and the short of it is this:  we are our kids first models.  And who should we be modeling?  Jesus.  Continue reading the rest of this shows notes on our website Nothin' But fine.Subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can watch this week's episode and catch up on past episodes!---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

The holidays are a time of happiness.  Right?  What if you aren't happy?  What if you are grieving?  Grief is tricky.  It sneaks up on you sometimes and can roll over you like waves.  It is possible to hold bother grief and joy at the same time.  How do you cope?  What do you do?  My pastor, the Reverand Dr. Shane Green speaks so eloquently on this subject.  It seemed like a good time to have this conversation.  Subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can watch this week's episode and catch up on past episodes!---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

Women are found all throughout the Bible.  Not only are they present, but they have purpose.  Even in this day and age it's hard for women to feel valued and appreciated and understood.  Sure, we have made great strides as humanity, but there is still work to do.   The great thing about looking at the women of the gospels, is that it takes all kinds.  God did not just use a certain type... Continue reading the rest of this shows notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.Subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can watch this week's episode and catch up on past episodes! ---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

Mary Magdalene is one of those people that is a lot is said about, but not necessarily a lot is known about.  That's part of the problem of studying things of ancient history.  They did not write everything down.  Mary and the female followers of Jesus did not have blogs or social media accounts to take us with them.  (Wouldn't that have been great if they had?  I would be a subscriber to all their offerings if I could.) Therefore, there is a lot of room for details to be made up...Continue reading the rest of this shows notes on our website Nothin' But Fine. Subscribe to our YouTube channel where you can watch this week's episode and catch up on past episodes!  ---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

You know why the story of the woman at the well in John 4 is so good?  It's because Jesus knew exactly who this woman was before he ever met her.  He knew all the things she had done.  All the husbands (and not husbands) this woman had had.  And he talked to her anyway.  I argue that he passed through Samaria just to speak to this woman.  This might even be more significant than all the other morally questionable people he associated with.  Why?  Because she was not a Jew. Continue reading the rest of this shows notes on our website Nothin But Fine.---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

John 11 tells about Jesus raising a man, Lazarus, from the dead. He was dead, dead. Been in the tomb for four days. Definitely a miracle. Definitely a great story. However, it's not my favorite part of the story.Lazarus had two sisters, Martha and Mary. Everyone may know that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, but they also know about these two women. See Martha was the one that was distracted and worried about serving Jesus and his friends at her home while Mary sat at Jesus's feet. And Jesus told her that Mary had chosen the better thing. Being at Jesus's feet was Mary's thing. Read the rest of this shows notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

It's exhausting to have people over.  There is so much work to be done.  It's like once you get started the list just grows and grows.  Kind of like “if you give a mouse a cookie, he's going to ask for a glass a milk” and so forth and so on.  Things like clean the baseboards all of a sudden seem very important to your guests' comfort and enjoyment while in your home.  And I am likely to get really irritated if someone comes through and disturbs the cleanliness of the room.  How dare they leave their shoes in the den?!?! I imagine this is how Martha felt when Jesus and his disciples were coming in.  Jesus knew this family well.  They are mentioned three different times in the gospels.  She is busy making sure everything is just so and her sister should be helping her.  But where is she?  Sitting at the feet of Jesus.  Now, you and I know that is where we all should be.  However, Martha is sure that Jesus is going to back her up and tell Mary to get to work.  He does not.  “Martha, Martha, you are worried about many things.  But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:41-42)Continue reading the rest of this shows notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

Mary was so young and so wise.  She was chosen by God to be….his own mother.  The rest of us do not get to choose that.  (If I was given the choice, I would stick with the mama I have if you are wondering.)  Man does this say a lot about the kind of human Mary was.  I mean God knows the number of hairs on my head, but I don't know if he would have chosen me to be his mom. I have really been sitting with the fact that even though Mary knew her son was the Messiah, he was still her little boy.  Finish reading the rest of this shows notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

Can you imagine getting to see baby Jesus?  Like for real.  What if you were in the church like you always were and as you came around the corner there stood a young couple with a new baby.  Suddenly something deep inside of you jumped, and you felt filled with joy and light like you were going to burst.  Feeling a strong desire to nurture and protect yet at the same time being comforted that this tiny child was here to bring salvation. Continue reading the rest of this shows notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

Perhaps this passage is where the insane standard for a woman having it all comes from.  Seriously, this woman in these verses is phenomenal…but really daunting to try to live up to.  It even starts out by saying, “A wife of noble character who can find?”  Now, don't get me wrong.  Scripture exists to teach us and draw us into a closer relationship with God.  There are things we should strive to do.  I wish I was all the things this woman is.  But I am not. I have to admit that I was frustrated with Proverbs 31:10-31.  It was not really what I had always thought it was before I really dug into it.  I was feeling disappointed that the writer had put this on paper and that God thought it pertinent to humanity to include it in His Word.  I had texted my pastor, Dr Shane Green, and I was about to dive into a google search.  I had read several commentaries and had gotten two schools of thought.  Luckily, Shane's response dinged before I plunged into the internet. Continue reading the rest of this shows notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

Esther is one of only two books in the Bible titled by the female main character.  (Ruth is the other one.)  It also does not really reference God. So why do I think it is important?  First of all, a verse that you have probably heard before is in it.  “Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this.” 4:14  I have referenced it many times in my life.  It means that maybe God put you wherever you are for a very specific reason.  In Esther's case, to save the Jewish people in the Persian kingdom from execution.  Continue reading the rest of this shows notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

During the time of the Judges an Israelite family from Bethlehem went across the Jordan into Moab because of famine. Should they have gone? Who knows? Moab was not a place Israelites should be. The Moabites were a constant problem to the Israelites. I'm sure Elimelech did what he thought was best for his wife and children. His two sons were not the healthiest. They were sickly kids. As it turns out Elimelech dies in Moab. His sons take Moabitesses as wives. And then they die. Now the family consists of a widow (Naomi) and her two widowed daughters-in-law (Ruth and Orpah). Three women left to fend for themselves. This was a nightmare scenario for them. Naomi gives the opportunity to Ruth and Orpah to return to their families. She knows she has no means to support them. What would become of them? She knows the young women can remarry and secure better futures without her. They insist that they will stay with her. There is clearly such a bond there. Even in their short time together they have been through so much.Eventually, Naomi determines to go back home. She figures she must have some family that will take pity on her. Again, she insists that Ruth and Orpah return to their families. Orpah does decide to go home, but Ruth says the words that we are all familiar with, ”Where you go, I will go. Your people will be my people. Your God, my God.” Continue reading the rest of this shows notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

Deborah is a nominally well-known bible character.  And rightfully so.  She led the Israelites to victory over an army of 900 iron chariots that had been plaguing them for like twenty years.  (By the way, iron chariots at that time would be like a tank.) This was no small feat.  The opposing army could literally roll right over them and this is pretty much all we know about Deborah.  She is introduced in Judges 4 and 5.  She is a prophetess, wife of Lappidoth, and judge.  She settled disputes among her folks sitting under the Palm of Deborah in between Bethel and Ramah in the hill country of Ephraim.  Under her leadership forty years of peace were enjoyed.  This all sounds great. Until you look at the details through the lens of what was normal at the time.Continue reading the rest of the show notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.  ---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

What is a woman?  This question has come up more than probably necessary.  Or at least been answered in ways…that make you scratch your head.  While I have many opinions on the subject of what makes a biological woman, this isn't about that.  I am a woman, born and raised.  I have never questioned that fact, but I have wondered about purpose and place.  All I ever wanted was to be a wife and mother.  I am a #tradwife.  I subscribe to the traditional definition of gender roles in marriage and homemaking.  I am also a Christian.  I believe Ephesians 5:22 is correct and good advice:  Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.  You may ask how a female in 2024 can believe such misogynistic drivel.  Doesn't this set women back believing poppycock like this?  I believe Ephesians 5:22 because of Ephesians 5:25-28:Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.  In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies.  He who loves his wife loves himself.See?  I am just told to submit.  The husbands are given way more direction.  It is pretty specific to say love your wife as Christ loved the church.  I mean, Christ DIED for the church.  That is a lot more responsibility than submission. Continue reading the rest of the show notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

Claudine and I met through a friend of Jim's.  She came very highly recommended for our upcoming trip to France.  Jim loves a schedule.  We knew she would help us to see Paris efficiently.  We did not know that she would become our friend.  Her knowledge is bottomless.  And she gives interesting facts not just the ones everyone else knows.  She can show you parts of “must see” stops that are hidden gems.  For instance, I am so glad that I got to see the Mona Lisa.  She is stunning.  However, the pieces commissioned by Marie de Medici about herself are beautiful and entertaining and there was no one else in the gallery.  Not to mention that you get to skip the line at the Louvre because Claudine has a member pass.  And yes, she is distantly related to that Hemingway.Claudine Hemingway's lifelong passion for Paris was sparked by her grandparents' first trip to the city in the spring of 1972. Her grandfather, an avid explorer and photographer, documented his adventures in Paris with meticulous notes and countless photos.  Her grandfather's stories and photos of Notre Dame, Napoleon, and Parisian life deeply influenced Claudine. This legacy of exploration and appreciation was passed down to Claudine, shaping her dreams and aspirations. Today, Claudine calls Paris her permanent home. Each step in Paris feels like walking alongside him, bridging past and present. Keep up with Claudine:www.claudinehemingway.comInstagram @claudinebleublonderougeShe is a regular guest (Paris History Avec a Hemingway) on La Vie Creative Paris Podcast---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

He is not here.He has risen.Just as he said.Légō is the word used for as he said in Matthew 28:6. It originally means “lay down to sleep” and used later as “laying an argument to rest” i.e. bringing a message to closure – moving to a conclusion – “laying it to rest”. Case.  Closed.It is finished to just as he said. Wow.  Just wow. Read the rest of the show notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.We are taking a break for the summer and we will be back for the next season of Bible Talk this fall! ---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

The crucifixion is terrible to read. The whole thing actually, from beginning to end. All the events that took place…unsettling. I don't want Jesus to have suffered. The anger I feel when I think of those priests and teachers and elders. The lies they told. Their blood lust. They were supposed to be the ones you could trust. Goodness and morality were key parts of their job. Yet they were the crowd that shouted to crucify. If only things had been different. If only Pilate had refused. But here's the thing. It had to be this way. Jesus came to do one thing. And this was it. It all had to happen. Each piece was crucial. This timing was everything. None of it was by chance. No coincidences. Jesus had to die. Otherwise, we would. This was the only way to defeat death. The only way to bring salvation to sinners. “When Pilate saw that he was getting nowhere, but that an uproar was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. ‘I am innocent of this man's blood', he said. ‘It is your responsibility!'All the people answered, ‘Let his blood be on us and on our children!'” Matthew 27:24-25Continue reading the rest of the show notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

Molly and I literally met at a bar. We were both waiting for our rooms to be ready at the hotel Alt Summit was being held at. We were hungry and tired from our cross-country flights. I never would have spoken. Thank goodness Molly did. I love it when you meet a friend. Molly is such a JOY. I know y'all are going to love her.Molly Balint is a business mentor, speaker, multi-passionate creative, people connector, and founder of the SOFT business movement. She helps women who are ready to ditch hustle culture create a SOFT Business of their own--one that is fluid and flexible and values both a profitable business online and a beautiful life offline. Her mentorship and SOFT Business School helps women uncover the meaningful work they are meant to do, and find their unique voice to help them stand out in a saturated online world. Molly embraces her own SOFT life on her family's 300 acre farm in Maryland with her husband, four girls, and little flock of sheep.Learn more about Molly at her website www.mollybalint.com or follow her on Instagram @molly.balint---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

We are familiar with all those stories.  We are getting to the part of the Bible that we know.  Here is what I notice.  So much of this chapter is about us getting completely off track.  Religious leaders that have gone completely awry, disciples that miss the beauty of the anointing, the meal, the prayer time, and betrayal. I got stuck on Caiaphas and Judas. Caiaphas was the Chief Priest for goodness sake.  But he likely had a good relationship with Rome and Herod which would mean he didn't have a good relationship with the Jews.  He enjoyed a long tenure of being chief priest.  He gained a lot while in the position.  He had a lot to lose by what Jesus was trying to set straight.  He took everything Jesus did personally.  He was out for Jesus's blood.  He didn't just want him to be taught a lesson, he wanted him dead.  Money, prestige, power.  All things that would inspire the anger needed to plot death to a known innocent man. Continue reading the shows notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

Ya'll this is end times stuff. When you read what Jesus said and the conditions surrounding his return, it's like check, check, check. Then look out your window to see if you see him. H says no one knows the hour or even the day. But it feels soon, right? It's going to get worse? Yikes. The Old Testament prophets are all up in this: Daniel, Ezekiel, Joel Isaiah, Zechariah. Jesus quotes them. There are also parallels to Revelation. I have clearly read this passage a lot over the years. I know because I have made lots of notes in the margins. But I must not have paid real close attention to it. Or at least it didn't stick in my brain. Reading it all together, Matthew twenty-four and twenty-five as one piece…I'm shocked.Continue reading the rest of this shows notes on our website Nothin' But Fine. ---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

As Jesus's public ministry/life on earth was drawing to a close there seems to be desperation…or a sense of urgency in Jesus. He had made a dent in meeting people and getting his message out there. But there were so many more souls to reach. Jesus never wavered. He remained steadfast. He never went off brand despite being constantly questioned by the religious leaders who were set on catching him in a lie or at least getting him to answer them in a way that could be misconstrued or taken out of context.  Continue reading the show notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?”“Why do you ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.”Which ones?” the man inquired. Matthew 19:16-18Why didn't Jesus say obey all the commandments when the guy asked which ones? Doesn't that seem like a dumb question with an obvious answer? But Jesus doesn't list all the commandments. He leaves out:  no other gods before me, no idols, do not misuse the name of the Lord, and remember the sabbath and keep it holy. What do these have in common? God. This guy was keeping all the commandments concerning people, man to man (murder, steal, covet, false testimony, respect). He was being a good person. Doing what was right. Jesus sums up these four by saying to him that all he needed to do now was to sell all his stuff and follow Me. Meaning if you love me, prove it. Verse 22 shows us how the young man felt about this. “When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth.” (emphasis mine). This guy had been feeling really good about himself. Oh, I keep all those commandments. He just knew Jesus was going to congratulate him on a job well done. That he had met all the requirements. I mean he was a great guy. But his heart wasn't right. Read the rest of our show notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

“We are all experiencing life for the first time together.”If this isn't the point of Let's Talk and Nothin But Fine in general I don't know what is.  I knew I was going to like Alex before I ever talked to her, but this quote on her website really sealed the deal.  You are going to love her.  She lets us all into her life with such honesty. Alexandra Nolan's Bio: Welcome!  I'm Alexandra Nicole Nolan and I am so happy you are here. As an author (The Unconventional Entrepreneur,) mompreneur (The Aroma Haus,) and lifestyle blogger from Memphis, Tennessee, I fill my days pursuing the dream of being my own boss as a full-time digital entrepreneur, business consultant, and brand developer; while spending my evenings playing super heroes, bathing kiddos, making dinner, and tucking in my littles. I love to cover relatable topics such as beauty hacks for the boss mom, business tips, home and garden décor, lessons on staying healthy when there is no time, unconventional parenting, and my travel diaries (with and without the kiddos). Just as this blog has empowered me to expand in my expertise and experiences, City Chic Living is for the modern woman  who seeks to be empowered through an unconventional lifestyle and exploring the environment and the world in which they live and travel.Check out more about Alexandra here:https://www.alexandranicolenolan.com/https://www.instagram.com/alexandra.nicole/?hl=en---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

I am a product of divorce.  I don't think it created that many issues in my life.  I had a fantastic, happy childhood.  Sure, the older I get I become aware of emotional scars, but we all have them.  I was the only one in my elementary classes whose parents were divorced and a mother that had a career that required travel and long hours.  Brentwood, TN in the 80s was pretty conservative.  However, the divorce was warranted.  The reason was the only one the Bible flat out says is allowed…adultery.  Mama put up with so much.  Let's just say I won't be doing a 23 & Me test.  No telling how many siblings I might have out there.  (I think I know of four, but Mama and I think it could be 7.  Yikes.)  Divorce has always been a touchy subject for me when it comes up in church settings.  I always felt so attacked by the “God hates divorce” reference of Malachi 2:16. That was the statement made in a Bible study I was a part of in my early thirties. I was the youngest attendee by about twenty years.  Mama was also a member.  Half of the women in it were divorced.  I was so upset that they referred to mama's situation as being something God did not approve of.  I argued with them.  I was in tears.  They were unrelenting as I made my case that Mama's decision was made with God's permission and that it had been redeemed in all the good and blessings that had come since.Read the rest of the show notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

Someone always has to be the favorite.  Right?  Why do we do this to ourselves?  My children ask me all the time who my favorite is.  Like I would tell them.  I'm kidding.  I really don't have a favorite because they all take turns being the golden child.  I know my brother is the favorite of my parents.  It's fine.  It's not like there is a prize. You would think that this is a concept that the twelve disciples would have grasped.  Yet, they argued about it. At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”  Matthew 18:1They came to Capernaum.  When he was in the house, he asked them, “what were you arguing about on the road?”  But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest. Mark 9:33-34An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest.  Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. Luke 9:46-47The thing is, Jesus loved them all the same.  He loves us all the same.  There is no greatest.  There is not favorite.  This is so hard to understand.  How could God not have favorites?  I mean Peter and John were clearly the leaders of the group.  I mean Jesus said that Peter would be the rock on which the church would be built.  Or Moses?  God talked to him face to face.  Abraham?  He was chosen to be the father of nations.  David?  A man after God's own heart.  Mary?  The angel actually says she is highly favored.  I mean she bore and birthed the Messiah.  God chose her for that.  Or the martyrs?  Or Billy Graham?  Bill Gaither?  How could God love me as much as these folks…to just name a few. But he does.  God loves you.  So much so that he sent a part of himself to die on a cross so that you could spend eternity with him.  How much more proof do you need?  We are all his favorite. Check out the show notes for this week and past episodes at our website Nothin' But Fine.---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

 Oh to be on the mountain as Jesus becomes JESUS!  Peter, James and John get this opportunity.  He changed before their eyes.  He became his full self.  What a moment.  I mean.  We know Jesus as fully divine. This is the opposite of what we know about Jesus.  We know he was God in a bod.  We know that he came to earth to live a perfect life, to be the unblemished lamb sacrificed for our sin.  Yet, we didn't get to see him in the flesh.  To Peter, James, and John he was the teacher they were following.  Yes, they saw his power in the miraculous things he did and heard the authority with which he spoke.  They believed he was the Son of God, but they had no idea what that looked like.  So we know JESUS and not necessarily Jesus.  Continue the story with our show notes at our website Nothin But Fine.---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

Do you know what transfiguration is?  Now, if you are a fan of Harry Potter (I am, don't argue with me about it.) you will think of changing things into other things.  Like beetles into buttons.  This is not what Jesus does on the mountain with Peter, James, and John.  I mean I knew that, but I decided to look at what the Greek word used in Matthew 17:2 to clarify exactly what happened.  Transfigure: Metamorphoó – changing form in keeping with inner reality; Christ was resplendent with a divine brightness That word looks familiar, doesn't it?  And knowing that metamorphosis is the word that is used made all the difference to me.  I have seen this passage in an entirely new way.  Jesus didn't change into something new.  Jesus simply became ALL he was.  He changed into his true self.  The caterpillar is a butterfly all along, but it has to be a caterpillar first.   This got me thinking.  In order for Jesus to come to earth he had to dim who he was.  He turned down the divine.  Otherwise humans would not have been able to look at him.  Let's take a little journey to the Old Testament.  In Exodus 19, 24, 33, and 34 we see how God appeared to the Israelites.  He was a column of fire by night and pillar of smoke by day.  A cloud would cover the mountain when he spoke to Moses and the Israelites couldn't even touch the mountain or they would die.  However, he appeared to Moses face to face (The LORD would speak to Moses face to face, as a man speaks with his friend. Exodus 33:11).  This resulted in Moses shining so brightly that it scared the people to look at him.  So Moses wore a veil when he was before them.  Exodus 35-40 is all about setting up the tabernacle.  God gave very specific instructions how to build it.  The materials to be used and the exact measurements.  Moses begins to set it up in chapter 40.  The first thing he does is the Ark (chapter 37 gives specifications).  The Ark goes in the Holy of Holies. The Ark is the presence of God amongst the Israelites.  Read the rest of the show notes at our website Nothin' But Fine.---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

So glad that I can call Jane Bertch my friend!  Not only does she have a great business that I really enjoy,  she also has really enviable, glorious hair.  My friend in Paris is so chic.  About Jane: When Jane Bertch was seventeen, her mother took her on a graduation trip to Paris. Thrilled to use her high school French, Jane found her halting attempts greeted with withering condescension by every waiter and shopkeeper she encountered. At the end of the trip, she vowed she would never return.Yet a decade later she found herself back in Paris, transferred there by the American bank she worked for. She became fluent in the language and excelled in her new position. But she had a different dream: to start a cooking school for foreigners like her, who wanted to take a few classes in French cuisine in a friendly setting, then bring their new skills to their kitchens back home. Predictably, Jane faced the skeptical French—how dare an American banker start a cooking school in Paris?—as well as real-estate nightmares, and a long struggle to find and attract clients.Thanks to Jane's perseverance, La Cuisine Paris opened in 2009. Now the school is thriving, welcoming international visitors to come in and knead dough, whisk bechamel, whip meringue, and learn the care, precision, patience, and beauty involved in French cooking.You can read her story in the book,The French Ingredient.---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

Jesus was pestered by the Pharisees over and over again to prove who he was.  Were they completely missing what all he had done?  Clearly, they had.  Every miraculous thing he did they just weren't satisfied by.  They often said it was evil, blasphemous.  They were a distraction and Jesus warned his disciples about their teaching.  He likened it to yeast.  Yeast spread in the b read, eating up the sweet and grows.  It's obvious when it works…the bread rises, and it only takes a little to get the job done.  It's interesting that Matthew tells of this next interaction after this warning.  They had made their way near Caesarea-Philippi (in the territory ruled by Philip, Herod Antipas's brother, nice but decidedly not Jewish letting the pagan temples abound in this city).  The temple of Pan was located here.  I've seen the remnants.  It is impressive and quite beautiful.  It sits at the base of Mt. Hermon and hosts the largest spring that feeds he Jordan River.  Perhaps that is why Jesus asked his disciples who people were saying he was.  They answered John the Baptist, Elijah, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.  Jesus asks who they say he is.  Peter answers, “You are the Christ, the son of the living God.” Read the rest of our show notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

There is a woman in the Bible that you probably don't know.  I know that I had never heard of, or at least never paid attention to her story until a few years ago.  Do you know the Syrophoenician woman in Matthew 15?  (If any of you say absolutely, I'm going to feel a little dumb.). Jesus and the disciples have travelled out of the Jewish area, probably seeking peace and quiet.  They come to the region of Tyre and Sidon thinking that no one would know Jesus here.  This would be in current day Lebanon, one of the oldest continually inhabited areas in the world.  The woman that approaches them is of Canaanite descent, a native of Phoenician seaboard.  She spoke Greek.  Most likely a pagan woman who had grown up worshipping many gods.  She has no connection to Jewish heritage.  But she has heard about Jesus and she needs a miracle. inContinue on with this story with the rest of the show notes at Nothin' But Fine.---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

Imagine you are on a boat on the Sea of Galilee.  You know that this body of water is prone to storms popping up without warning, you've lived and worked around it all your life.  It's the middle of the night and the wind has picked up.  Soon it is howling and there are waves crashing into the sides of the boat.  You are not afraid, but you are wary and certainly not able to sleep or relax.  As you watch the water you think your eyes must be playing tricks on you because there appears to be a man walking towards the boat.  This can't be possible.  You are miles from shore.  One of your friends shouts that it's a ghost.  The “ghost” answers, “It's Me.  Don't be afraid.” So, if you were on that boat, how would you have responded?  I often agree with Peter in biblical stories.  I can see a lot of myself in him.  However, I am pretty sure I would never have said, “oh yeah?  Call me out to you.”  Listen, I do not like being in or even on water.  I prefer to be water adjacent.  I love to look at it, but that's about it unless I need to cool off.  When we visited Israel in February of 2019, I was nervous about getting on a boat on the Sea of Galilee.  It was a calm day and I tried to picture what it would have been like to look out and see Jesus standing there.  It is a very moving experience.  It is heavy with significance.  But I still wouldn't have climbed over the side of the boat. Read the rest of our show notes on Nothin' But Fine.---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

Marcia embarked on her professional journey in the editorial world at Parenting magazine. Her career evolved with roles as a producer at Women.com, a food editor for 7x7 magazine in San Francisco, and as a contributing editor and restaurant critic at Houston magazine. Her freelance articles and recipes have graced the pages of publications such as Cooking Light, Parenting, Houston Chronicle, Sunset, American Health, Rebecca's Garden, Robb Report, Houston, Parenting Travel, BabyTalk, BabyCenter.com, and Safeway magazine. Marcia's writing skills and recipe acumen earned her a spot as a recurring contributor to Cooking Light's Annual Recipes cookbooks. Her Dinner is Done cookbook clinched the 2023 Independent Press Award for Best Cookbook and subsequently appeared on a billboard in Times Square.A familiar face on the screen, Marcia engages viewers with live cooking segments on HoustonLife, an NBC daytime lifestyle show in Houston. She has also appeared on Great Day Houston and Hallmark Home & Family. Beyond the screen, Marcia shares her expertise through interviews on podcasts and lifestyle websites, and she keeps her audience engaged with a newsletter featuring meal plans, cooking tips, and recipes.Her website:https://smartinthekitchen.com/ IG@smartinthekitchen What a fun conversation this was!  Again I have met someone fantastic at The Southern C Summit.  So very thankful that Marcia and I ended up next to each other at our mentor lunch.  She is so precious and fun.  I can't wait for yall to meet her. ---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

It's a Bible story we know so well. We've all heard it numerous times. Jesus feeds 5000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish. This miracle is in all four gospels. Honestly, you can't help but be amazed by it. It's pretty dramatic. Jesus takes a loaf, holds it up, asks the Lord to bless it and begins to break it. Voila. Everyone is fed. Everyone is satisfied. There are twelve baskets left over.The even cooler part is that this is just an affirmation of the character of God. This is not the first time this brand of miracle had been performed. The other cool thing is that the Jews would have known about the previous ones. So it should also have been proof of who Jesus was. Continuing reading the show notes on our website Nothinbutfine.com---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

John the Baptist has been imprisoned by Herod Antipas.  We don't know when exactly this happened, but it is mentioned in Matthew 11.  We do know why he was imprisoned.  You see John the Baptist had a problem with the “Jewish” ruler being married to Herodias because she was first the wife of his brother, Philip.  Now that sounds bad enough on its own, but it gets worse if you dig a little deeper.  I was curious so of course I did. Herod Antipas was the son of Herod the Great.  We know him because he was king when Jesus was born.  He's the one that talked with the Magi back in Matthew 2.  Although he was crazy and sometimes brutal, he is a fascinating character.  An Edomite by birth.  That means not Jewish.  But who were the Edomites?  I'm glad you asked.  Edom is from the line of Esau.  Remember him?  Esau was the twin brother of Jacob…Jacob became Israel.  Father Isaac, Grandfather Abraham.  (Genesis 25:19-34) However, Herod's father converted to Judaism.  His father was also granted Roman citizenship by Julius Caesar. So that makes Herod half Jewish and a Roman citizen.  He started his political career as governor of Galilee and then a tetrarch of Galilee and finally became King of Judea.  He ruled for 32 years.  He did some great things while king.  He rebuilt the Temple and endowed his territory with fortresses and palaces and new cities. Herod the Great had at least 10 wives and 14 children.  He divorced his first wife (Doris) and banished her and his son from court.  He did this because he fell in love with Mariamne, a Hasmonean princess.  It is believed that he truly did love her even though he kept taking more wives.  But then he got jealous and suspicious and had her murdered along with her two sons, her brother, her father, and her mother.  This left some orphans and instead of just kicking them out, Herod espoused them to another member of his family.  Keep this in mind.Read the rest of the show notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

The last verse of Matthew 13 does not mean that Jesus's power has anything to do with us.  It wasn't that Jesus couldn't act in Nazareth.  He does not need us at all to be who he is or do what he can do.  It's not like in the movie Elf when Santa's sleigh can't fly because there aren't enough people that believe in him.  The belief is what makes the sleigh's magic.  The people of Nazareth didn't see miracles because they weren't seeking them.  I'm saying that again.  They did not get the miracles because they weren't seeking them.  They let what they thought they knew about who Jesus was keep them from experiencing who he actually was.   Read more in our show notes at our website Nothin' but Fine.---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

Is there anything worse than having to practice what you preach?Of course, there is, but when you have been encouraging folks to just trust God and his timing, to keep the faith, pray about it then you actually have to follow your own advice?  Man that is tough.  Periodically I have to remind myself of what God has promised.  And that his definitions are not necessarily the same as mine.  When I fuss at him that he said it would be fine, he usually answers, “It is fine.”  He's right of course.  It is.  I just want it to be better and he didn't promise that.  He also did not give me a timeline or a due date. So, I have to practice what I preach.  I have to have faith and wait for God to do what he is going to do. Matthew 13 has a parable about the tares and the wheat.  The story goes that a man sowed good seed in his field, but his enemy came in at night and sowed some tares amongst the wheat.  As it grew it looked just like the wheat until the wheat sprouted and bore grain.  At this point it was obvious that there had been some bad seed sown.  The man knew his seed was good.  He knew that an enemy must have come behind him and sown the bad.  This late in the growing season there was nothing that could be done.  If he had attempted to pull up the tares he would run the risk of also pulling up the wheat.  The only option was to leave it and hope for the best. Read the rest of the show notes on our website Nothin' But Fine.Song mention: I am Blessed ---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!

This week on Let's Talk Emily speaks with Lauran Tuck!A philanthropist and education advocate, Lauran Tuck currently serves on the Board of Directors for Matriculate, a national nonprofit organization focused on college access. Over the years, Lauran has worked in the education sector from coast to coast in many ways; including as an elected official on the Board of Education in Fort Lee, NJ. Lauran was a member of the philanthropic arm of Super Bowl 50, where she was one of the forces behind The Re(a)d Zone in California. Among other efforts, Lauran also led a collaboration with Books for Kids to build full lending libraries inside low-income preschools in Alabama. In addition to her volunteer work, Lauran has worked as an executive consultant in the nonprofit sector, most recently with the Family Success Institute, and she began her career with The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., in Media & Community Relations.Lauran graduated from the University of Notre Dame in 2006 with a degree in Marketing. She went on to earn a Master's degree in Nonprofit Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania in 2012. She remains involved with both institutions, serving on advisory councils and volunteering.Lauran and her husband, Justin, are the proud parents of two sons, Jayce and Jonah.---Check out the Nothin' But Fine blog and website.Follow us on social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter YouTube Want everything in your inbox? Subscribe to the Nothin' But Fine newsletter!