Podcasts about adopted

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.Today, we are tackling a question that comes up a lot for parents and caregivers in our community – what do you do with a picky eater? Resources: Food IssuesMy Foster Child Only Eats Junk FoodPractical Solutions to Typical Food Issues with Adopted and Foster KidsSupport the showPlease leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content: Weekly podcasts Weekly articles/blog posts Resource pages on all aspects of family building

God has sealed us with His Spirit, the Arrabon, a part payment certifying us as authentically His, until we receive our full inheritance. He has granted both authority and power as the equipment for service, and it is important to both know and understand how to use it. This includes wielding the Sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God, by which we will make it through.VF-2100 Ephesians 1:13-14 Watch, Listen and Learn 24x7 at PastorMelissaScott.com Pastor Melissa Scott teaches from Faith Center in Glendale. Call 1-800-338-3030 24x7 to leave a message for Pastor Scott. You may make reservations to attend a live service, leave a prayer request or make a commitment. Pastor Scott appreciates messages and reads them often during live broadcasts. Follow @Pastor_Scott on Twitter and visit her official Facebook page @Pastor.M.Scott. Download Pastor Scott's "Understand the Bible" app for iPhone, iPad and iPod at the Apple App Store and for Android devices in the Google Store. Pastor Scott can also be seen 24x7 on Roku and Amazon Fire on the "Understand the Bible?" channel. ©2025 Pastor Melissa Scott, Ph.D., All Rights Reserved

Teen Gets Adopted After Almost 15 Years In Foster CareAn Arkansas teen's life was changed forever when he was adopted after almost 15 years in foster care.Cozy, 19, had been in foster care for 5,429 days and was the longest-waiting person in the Arkansas foster care system, per local news outlet KARK.com. Tim and Anna Dietrich adopted Cozy on Monday, Aug. 25.Anna works for the nonprofit Project Zero, which helps connect foster children with permanent homes. She met Cozy through the organization, per the outlet. “The Lord made it very clear that we were supposed to all-out adopt him. We're supposed to give him our name, give him our family, give him our whole hearts," she said in a press conference filmed by TVH 11. How to connect with AgileDad:- [website] https://www.agiledad.com/- [instagram] https://www.instagram.com/agile_coach/- [facebook] https://www.facebook.com/RealAgileDad/- [Linkedin] https://www.linkedin.com/in/leehenson/

Send us a textKaliegh River shares her journey of survival, resilience, and healing after years of intimate partner violence, addiction, and intergenerational trauma. From escaping a life-threatening relationship to finding her voice through poetry, Kaliegh speaks on breaking cycles, reclaiming culture, and raising her daughter in sobriety. Her story is one of perseverance, spirituality, and truth.=============✅ Adopted into a family carrying intergenerational trauma and silence✅ Survived years of manipulation, violence, and near-death experiences✅ Escaped abuse and began recovery through therapy and writing✅ Turned journaling into a book of poetry, She Rises ✅ Speaks on resilience, spirituality, and raising her daughter in sobriety=============Key Learning Points:How intergenerational trauma and silence shape childhood and identityThe dynamics of coercive control, isolation, and manipulation in abusive relationshipsWhy strangulation is a critical red flag in intimate partner violenceThe role of therapy, writing, and spirituality in breaking cyclesHealing as responsibility to self, family, and communityBuilding resilience and reclaiming voice through poetry=============✅ Buy us a coffee!✅ Need HKT Merch?✅ Check SEIU West✅ Bunny Hugs and Mental Health✅ Wellness News=============Follow & Support Kaliegh River:She Rises – available on AmazonKaleigh on Facebook Support the showCheck out the speakeasy podcast Follow Daniel Unmanageable on Facebook Follow Project Sparky We've got fresh merch and it's amazing! Pick yours up HERE For business or speaking inquiries: Daniel@hardknoxtalks.com Follow Hard Knox TalksFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/hardknoxtalkspodcast/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hardknoxtalks/TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hardknoxtalks?lang=en Are you getting something from our content? Tap here and buy us a coffee to say thanks and help us keep this train on the tracks! Check us out on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@hardknoxtalksWant to watch our episodes uncensored? Become a channel member here!

She's got three legs and he is missing an arm. They are a perfect match! STORY: https://www.wdjx.com/three-legged-dog-finds-her-perfect-match/

People matter more than position, and leadership starts with taking care of others. Doing that right means a million acts. SUMMARY Those are lessons Lt. Col. Steven “Meathead” Mount '08 shares with listeners in the Season 4 premier of Long Blue Leadership. For Col. Mount, becoming a pilot was a major milestone, but becoming a husband and father had the biggest impact. Don't wait, listen today and become a better leader tomorrow.   SHARE THIS PODCAST FACEBOOK  |  LINKEDIN   COL. MOUNT'S TOP LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS Adoption shaped my understanding of support and love. Leadership is about lifting others to achieve their best. Mentorship plays a crucial role in personal and professional growth. Balancing family and career is a continuous challenge. It's important to have tough conversations as a leader. Resilience is key to overcoming setbacks in life and career. Listening more than talking is essential for effective leadership. Recognizing the importance of support systems can enhance leadership effectiveness. Leadership is defined by consistent, everyday actions. The military community thrives on teamwork and mutual support.   CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction to Leadership Lessons 06:43 The Impact of Adoption on Leadership 14:53 Navigating Challenges at the Academy 22:49 Career Path and Opportunities in Aviation 33:31 Balancing Family and Military Career 44:18 Continuous Improvement as a Leader     ABOUT COL. MOUNT BIO Lt. Col. Steven “Meathead” Mount is a decorated officer in the United States Air Force with a career marked by leadership, operational excellence, and a deep commitment to mentoring the next generation. A command pilot with thousands of flight hours, he has served in a variety of demanding roles across multiple aircraft and theaters, bringing a wealth of experience in both combat and peacetime operations. Beyond the cockpit, Lt. Col. Mount is widely recognized for his ability to lead diverse teams through complex challenges, foster innovation, and develop leaders at every level. His career reflects not only technical expertise but also a people-first leadership philosophy that emphasizes accountability, resilience, and service. Known by his call sign “Meathead,” he brings both humility and humor to the serious business of leading Airmen. His story is one of dedication to mission and country, but also of shaping culture, inspiring others, and leaving a lasting impact on the Air Force community.   CONNECT WITH THE LONG BLUE LEADERSHIP PODCAST NETWORK TEAM Send your feedback or nominate a guest: socialmedia@usafa.org Ted Robertson | Producer and Editor:  Ted.Robertson@USAFA.org    Ryan Hall | Director:  Ryan.Hall@USAFA.org  Bryan Grossman | Copy Editor:  Bryan.Grossman@USAFA.org Wyatt Hornsby | Executive Producer:  Wyatt.Hornsby@USAFA.org      ALL PAST LBL EPISODES  |  ALL LBLPN PRODUCTIONS AVAILABLE ON ALL MAJOR PODCAST PLATFORMS     TRANSCRIPT SPEAKERS Guest, Lt. Col. Steven Mount '08  |  Host, Lt. Col. Naviere Walkewicz '99   Naviere Walkewicz Welcome to the first episode of Season 4 of Long Blue Leadership, the podcast where we share insights on leadership through the lives and experiences of Air Force Academy graduates. I'm Naviere Walkewicz, Class of '99. We're kicking off this season with a story that shows how our earliest experiences can shape the kind of leaders we become. Lt. Col. Steve Mount, Class of 2008, call sign “Meathead,” didn't fully realize that truth until later in life. Adopted as an infant, he came to understand that love and support aren't guaranteed. They're gifts. Over his 17-year career, Col. Mount has flown missions across a wide range of aircraft, from the C-130 to special operations to the U-2. And today, he's in command. But through every stage, one belief has stayed with him: People succeed not only through their own efforts, but because someone believed in them. In this conversation, we'll talk about how those early lessons have shaped criminal mom's approach to leading airmen, mentoring the next generation of pilots, balancing mission and family and building teams that are rooted in trust. His story is a powerful reminder that leadership isn't about the me game, it's about lifting others so they can achieve their best. So what better way to start our new season? Col. Mount, welcome to Long Blue Leadership. Lt. Col. Steven Mount Thank you so much, ma'am for having me. I really do appreciate this opportunity to at least try to share some of my stories, experiences and honestly, if anything touches base with those who listen in and resonates, that's why I'm glad to be here. Naviere Walkewicz Well, let's start right with a way for them to connect with you. You mentioned your call sign is Meathead. Let's start there. Lt. Col. Steven Mount OK, I'll do my best to tell the story as quickly as I can. And the fun thing about being a pilot — but also I think this plays true in any type of storytelling environment — is, you know, only 10% of the story has to be true when it comes to your call signs. So to start… Oh my gosh— I know there's some friends out there who are going to laugh at this, especially of mine. Going through pilot training… The last part of the pilot training, when I was in the T-1s, when you get to that last part, you know, after you've gone through all the ups and downs, you kind of celebrate a little bit more. And that's what I've done. I had gone out with a couple of my rugby brothers that I played with at the Academy, and we'd gone out to just a country, a little country dance hall, and, you know, we're just enjoying and celebrating. And one of my rugby brothers introduced me to one of his friends through his wife, and this individual, who I didn't know much about at the time, had said— I said, “Yeah, I'm starting T-1s here and all that good stuff. And I immediately, immediately — especially in the celebratory mood I was in — thought, “Oh, this is another awesome student that's coming through. Like, hey, let me start giving you the tidbits. Let me start laying out what to expect.” And that's how I treated this individual for the rest of that evening. You know, we're dancing and having fun and just talking it up. And it was a good evening. It was really good evening. Come Monday morning, I get the word I'm flying with this new instructor in the T- 1s. And I had no idea who this individual was. I did not recognize the name at all. And I asked our flight schedule, like, “Who's this?” Is like, “Oh, it's a new person coming in. I think you're one of his first flights back in the T-1s training wise.” And I was like, “Well, OK, I'm ready to go.” And I sit down, and then this instructor sits down right across from me, and it's a major and sure enough, it's this, the person I thought was a student at the Texas dance, the country dance hall that we were at.   Naviere Walkewicz Oh boy!   Lt. Col. Steven Mount He looks me up and down. Oh, it was one of those moments of shock, of like, “What do I… Where do I go from here?” And he looks me up and down, he goes, and he laughs, and he goes, “Man, you are just such a meathead.” And so that's where it started. And call signs and nicknames— sometimes, some people like, wanna try change it throughout their careers and try to like, “No, that's not who I am. I don't want that to define me.” So as I'm leaving pilot training at Laughlin Air Force Base, Del Rio, I'm heading towards my first assignment in Tucson, Arizona for the EC-130 and I'm like, “OK, here we go. I'm gonna start fresh. I'm not that meathead that went through the Academy playing rugby. I'm not that meathead in pilot training to I just like to have fun. Just like to have fun. I do my own thing, and I'm gonna start fresh.” And I get out, and one of the very first meetings I had in the new squadron was with the DO, Lt. Col. Reimer. He sits down with me, and he says, “Come on in, because I'm in blues. He goes, come on in. Sit down. And then he's just quiet. I'm like, this is interesting. He looks me up and down and goes, “Yeah, you definitely look like a meathead.” And I'm like, “Whoa.” So sure enough, the major that I flew with was really good friends and had flown with this squadron, told this DO about me, and the DO got through his spiel, introduced me to my first flight commander before I deployed in Afghanistan, and goes, “Hey, this is Meathead. Take care of him. He's a good one.” I was like, “No, no, everyone, please, let's stop.” And then throughout the years, things kept happening that just reinforced the call sign, Meathead. I got into U-2s, me and a buddy, also pilots. We popped both tires on a T-38 at Long Beach Airport, and we closed down the airport for about five hours. It was on the local news. Not happy about that. And then there were multiple times where I tried to, like, get rid of the Meathead persona, the callsign, but I think it was finally solidified on a CNN interview on one of my U-2 deployments, where the lady interviewing us goes, “OK, we can't use your real name. So what name should we use? And before I could even say anything, one of my buddies just pops up and goes, “ It's Meathead.CNN lady, use Meathead.” And I was like, “OK.” And then international news in that interview, I am Capt. Meathead. And I never got away from the call sign, Meathead.   Naviere Walkewicz We are gonna find that clip of Capt. Meathead.   Lt. Col. Steven Mount It is out there, just U-2… I think the article under CNN: “U-2 spy plane carries out the mission against terrorist organizations.” You know, not that I didn't remember what it was called.   Naviere Walkewicz Well, I would say you heard it here first, but you didn't. You heard it maybe, if you heard it in the U-2 world or what have you. But we're gonna find it again. And so we're gonna resurrect here first, but we're so glad you're here. Yes, yes, this is awesome. And you know, I think one of the things I really enjoyed in our early conversation, and what we're gonna share today is how you kind of look back and you are very grateful and thankful for the upbringing you have. And so let's kind of go back to the fact, you know, not a lot of our guests share kind of their background, and the fact that you share that you were adopted. What did that kind of, what role did that play in your life? And, you know, was it insignificant? Or, you know, what did you glean from that? Lt. Col. Steven Mount Yeah, I really appreciate that question. And honestly, I really appreciate you giving the opportunity to kind of share that. It has played a huge role in my life. Adopted 11 months. And what it did for me is set the foundation of the family. It may not necessarily be one you have, it's the one who who's there for you, who supports you, who loves you. And then, honestly, the other part about being adopted, which I kind of— there were struggles, like, it wasn't perfect, but there were struggles in my mind where I wanted to show that those who adopted me, I wanted to show them that I could be more and thank them, you know, on a daily basis, for everything they had done for me, supporting me. So that drove me, that motivated me to get into the Academy, or even— back up, even like, do well in high school, get into the Academy, become a pilot. All of that was the basis of— I want to show that in a weird way, I want to show that your investment was worth it. You know, you found me, you gave me the love and support. So I'm going to give back to you by showing you what you were able to, you know, give a second chance, small, little child. And then the— but the other side of that, and I don't know how many of those who are adopted, who feel like this sometimes. Can't be the only one, but I can at least convey it here. There's a sense of, you know, “Why? Why was I adopted?” You know, what really happened in the sense that those who biologically brought me into this world, was I not worthy enough? Was I just a bad situation. And so there's that part I keep motivational wise to be like, “Well, I'm going to show them what they're missing out on.” And I know that's more of the negative kind of side of the whole internal conflict of being adopted. But I would be lying if I didn't say that that was part of the drive that kept me going throughout those years.   Naviere Walkewicz Something that came to my mind when you were saying that was, you know— when did you find out? And how old were you to kind of start having those, those thoughts and questions, you know, not only why, but how do I show that I am worthy?   Lt. Col. Steven Mount Yes, so my mother and father did an amazing job of, I remember, I can't remember the name of this particular book, but there was a book that she had given me that she read to me, and that, throughout the years, as I she utilized, helped me start reading and whatnot. And the basis of the book was, you know, cartoon with a little bit of words, is, “You were not purchased, you know, you were not bought at a store. You know you were, you were brought in and chosen and to be a part of a family.” So she, she wanted to have this idea that I always knew, that was adopted. She never wanted to surprise me, or she never wanted to be like, one day, like, “Hey, just so you know…” She did an awesome job of leading into that, Hey, you were adopted. But don't look at it as this, ‘We went to the store and we picked out the one we liked.' It's more of a, ‘We wanted you in our family.' And that's where it started.” It started, “We wanted a bigger family.” Whether they were, at the time, not able to grow or have themselves, they decided that, “We still want to grow a family. So let's look through adoption as a means.” So she had that book, I remember that book, and then the other book, which I still love to this day, and I got a copy for my kids, I Love You Forever, and how she would read that book to me every single night with the words, “…and I love you forever, like you for always. As long as you're living, my baby, you'll be.” That showed me that it didn't matter where I came from. This was my mom, you know, this was my family. So she did a really good job laying that foundation for me, for who I've become to be.   Naviere Walkewicz So would you put your parents in that bucket of inspirational leaders for you that have shaped you? And are there others?   Lt. Col. Steven Mount One-hundred percent. Like I said, the foundational piece of being that inspirational leader, to me in the sense of working on it all the time, right? It's not simple but accepting people for who they are. Where they're at in life. Accept them for their faults, accept them for the things that they don't like about themselves, but just accepting them and giving them the support, giving them the love that they need to show them, that they can do anything, I like to think for the most part, I'm an example of that because of what my parents did for me.   Naviere Walkewicz So, as a young boy, and you talked a little bit about this, you wanted to prove to them. So Was that something you feel over time, you continue to develop this desire to show your worth? And where have you seen that show up I guess even throughout your going— maybe even at the Academy, how has that kind of formed you as a leader individually?   Lt. Col. Steven Mount Yes, yes. So the showing the worth, the showing the value, or paying it back and showing my parents, once again, I use the word “investment” like it was good— I was good investment. Like I was a good return on investment. But it's helped when I've gone through those struggles, when I've gone— because the first time I put in for the Academy and… back up just a little bit. My dad likes to tell a story that I even told my fifth-grade teacher that she was, you know, “What do you want to do?” I was like, “I'm gonna be a pilot.” I said nothing else. Like, I want to be pilot. I want to fly. And then I had had an awesome mentor whose son, at the time, was going through the process of the Academy, sophomore year in high school, and she helped me with that. Good ol' Mrs. Williams, amazing. When I first initially applied for the Academy, I did not get it. I got a “Sorry, you are not competitive at this time.” Here starts some of those moments in your life to where, like, “OK. How can I bounce back? Do I accept the rejection, or do I find another means?” And even when that happened, that first time, my parents, they were like, “It's OK, it's OK. You don't need to…” They were always like, “You don't need to prove anything else. We love you, regardless.” I was like, “No, I need to prove this.” So I found other means, and I was, I will say, blessed in the sense that at that time, my running back coach for the high school reached out to the Academy. This happened early my senior year, and reached out and was like, “Hey, we have, I have someone who I think might do well for your program.” And then, sure enough, I got invited to come out for a football recruiting visit and I sat down with Fisher Deberry, and he just goes, “Would you like to play for this program?” And once again, I was like, “Wait a minute. No, no. I already got rejected. You know, I already gotten the…” But obviously I was going through my head, but all I said was, “Yes, sir, I would love to play for this program. I'd love to go the Academy.” And he made it happen. And I got recruited, and I got the invite to come out, to go the United States Air Force Academy. Wow. And once again, that only happened because my parents, they said, “Hey, we don't care what happens. We love you. Support you. You make the decision and we're here behind you.” And then I had a coach who was like, “I got you. I've seen what you do. I support this.” And went out on a limb for me. And then, in a sense, I guess Fisher DeBerry was also like, “I'm taking this football recruit, I hope he makes it through the Academy. So the love and support is, was there throughout.   Naviere Walkewicz What a path, I mean, that is quite unique. And, yeah, that's something to just kind of sit in a little bit, right? You know, the path of to your point, it just comes from support. And obviously you have to do the things to make sure that when the opportunity presents itself, you're ready to take that step, but what an incredible story of those who have supported you. Let's talk about a little bit before we kind of get into I think, what I think is the next real moment in your life — when you talk about becoming a father in your family. But while you're at the Academy, I'm just curious what more you learned about yourself as a leader, because you no longer had to prove to your parents that you were worthy of their investment, right? Like this is investment, right? Like this is a new season of your life. What did that look like for you as a leader?   Lt. Col. Steven Mount The challenges and the experiences I had the Academy — and I know I talked about this in one of my interviews previously with the foundation — was that I had to I went through my sophomore year and the rigors of academics, of the military side, of sports. It was taking this toll. I will say this many times. I'll continue to say I'm not the smartest crayon in the shed.   Naviere Walkewicz Wait, did you say crayon in the shed?   Lt. Col. Steven Mount I did. A little mixture of the sharpest tool in the box, exactly. I love it! I'm glad someone caught it. That's perfect! But yes, hard work was probably the foundation of what the Academy taught me was you persevere by hard work. You do the day in; you do the day out. You get after it. Because I was not getting after it after sophomore year. My GPA was not the best, and I had to approach my sophomore year, which very fortunate, because I had done my best to put in the time with the football program. But obviously I was losing ground in the academic side and that came back to almost biting, in the sense that I could have failed out. So I had had one of those— Once again, my father being an amazing mentor himself, whether he knows it or not. And I talked to him, and I said, “Dad, I think I have to quit football. I don't think I can continue with this, the rigors of all of this with the Academy.” And he goes, “Well, what was your dream?” I was like, “My dream was to fly.” He goes, “Well, did you go there to play football? Or did you go there to fly?” And that was an easy answer. But then I was thinking about all those coaches and mentors and those who helped me get to where I was, and I never really quit at something, and that's what it felt like. It really felt like I was quitting. I was quitting my teammates. I was quitting my coaches. And that weighs heavy on your soul, for all those out there who just are struggling, like, “Should I continue?” But my dad was right. My priorities weren't to become a football player, because I wasn't gonna be. I wasn't going to be. I wasn't going to become, you know, some — who can I name drop? — Chad Hall, you know, going to the NFL, doing amazing things. I wasn't going to be out there starting on, maybe third if they still have fourth string… maybe fourth string. So my dad helped me with those priorities by, once again, just being supportive. He never said one way or the other. He said, “What do you want to do?” And so I had that hard conversation with him, and went down to the Field House, and I said, “I apologize. I have to quit so I can concentrate on what I want to do for my dreams.” And once we had that was hard, that was very difficult. So that was one of the challenges at the Academy presented, and how I bounced back from that was you always go two ways. You always go into the woe is me and you know, just kind of beat yourself up and just hold on to that, that pride and ego being shattered. Or you can find a community, a support group, that will be there with you. And I found that almost immediately with my rugby brothers. They're just like me. They're like, “Hey, we just like to hang out at our own little table at Mitchell Hall. We like to just come out, play the sport, do what you love to do, athletic wise, and you'll have some more free time, obviously, for academics.” Not that I'd utilize that correctly still, but that's what it took to get me through those next couple years, that and my amazing roommates. I think all of us Academy grads and those who are going through right now, a support of a good roommate is huge. I that, uh, I appreciate the question, because now it's just dawning on me how much I just really appreciate my roommates at the Academy for their support as well. Very similar to my parents, it's like, “Hey, I don't care what you do, but I'm here to support you, love you regardless.” So I got a lot of that the Academy, and that's what helped get me through.   Naviere Walkewicz That's amazing. I think there's a couple of things I want to dig into a little bit. The first one is, you know, I think deciding to have that tough conversation where, one, you felt like you're already prideful, and you're having to, I'm putting in air quotes, “quit.” Can you talk about how you approached that, other than, I know you went and did it. But I think sometimes one of the most challenging things we can do as leaders is have a tough conversation when it involves us either stepping back or taking a step down from what seems to be the trajectory of what's next. And so I'm just— if you could just share a little bit more about that, I think that would be helpful.   Lt. Col. Steven Mount So, and I just want to clarify: As leaders, we have to recognize and we have to have the courage to have the tough conversations, because that wouldn't be the first time that I'd have to make a decision in that regard, or have the tough conversations to where it was gonna affect me personally or those around me. You deal with it understanding, one, give yourself a little bit of grace. Give yourself a little bit of grace in the sense that whatever tough decision you have to make, you're not alone. And I imagine you might not always be the first person who had either to make that decision or was going through something like that. I was not the only one going through something at that time like that. I didn't know that. And so I've had other conversations where others were like, “Yeah, I also, you know how to make that type of call to not play anymore or give up something, because my priority was this...” You know, what was driving me to succeed was something else, and that followed me well throughout my career, because I've had many, many tough conversations. I've had the tough talk as a leader. I've had to tell someone that, “I'm sorry, your dreams to become a pilot…” It's not going to happen because of their performance. I've had conversations on how to get through those tough moments and said how to get on the other side. And I know it's like a broken record, but it just comes through with the support of being there for that individual or being there to guide them to the next step. And I had that. I had that when I made that tough decision. I had someone want to give myself grace. Two, I realized I was not alone. And three, I had the support to get from this side of that tough decision bridge to the other side. And because that support was there, I learned that, and I learned to pass that on from all my leadership opportunities, to be like, “Let me be the one who guides you over this bridge. It's not gonna be fun. There's gonna be parts are gonna hurt. It's gonna be painful. But I will be next to you to get to the other side, to where we can get back to a good place. We get back to what really matters and get back to succeed in maybe another sense.” So the tough convos as leaders, you have to have those tough convos. Do not shy away from them. They're gonna happen, whether you like it or not.   Naviere Walkewicz I'm really glad you shared it that way, because I think it created a pathway to how to approach it, to your point. You know, it they're not comfortable, they're not designed to be that way. But if you start it with, you know, being that support in mind, and how to get someone, even if you're giving the worst news, the worst news where, “This was your dream, you're not gonna be able to do it because of this. And here's now where we're at, and how can I help you succeed through that?” I think that's what a wonderful lesson you just shared. And so I want to dive now into your career, because you had a really broad career, one that's not a traditional path, and I want to understand why it looked that way. So C-130, EC-130, Special Ops, you— talk a little bit about how you navigated that and what was the driving reasons behind that navigation?   Lt. Col. Steven Mount Yes, ma'am. So something you said earlier, which I really liked, I really love to try to convey to those around me, and actually, I've gone through some of these conversations over the last month and a half with younger instructor pilots. Luck is just the crossroad of opportunity and being prepared, and I'm pretty sure someone super smarter than me said that. I barely remembered. But the opportunities that present themselves to me for what I wanted to do, for my goals in the Air Force. So thankfully, even getting through pilot training, that was, in itself, amazing, transformational. Getting those wings, right? Getting those wings because pilot training, just like my Academy career, I had some ups and downs and some challenges but was able to get through because the sense of me becoming a pilot was first and foremost to fly. I want to be up there in the sky. I want to rush past the clouds. I want to touch the highest point I can. I want to be a pilot's pilot. And then right behind that was I want to accomplish the mission for whatever platform or whatever weapon system I'm given, aircraft wise. So those are my two biggest priorities. And that helped me understand that I had some failures of pilot training when I got to my first assignment, EC-130s. But that was perfect for me. That was— I never knew that. I never knew that in pilot training, that the EC-130 would fulfill me in that sense of my sense of purpose as much as it did. And I'm and getting out there, like said, four or five deployments to Afghanistan, as well as multiple TDYs. I was doing the mission, and I was happy, because I was— that's exactly what I wanted to do. That's exactly what young Meathead Mount was built for. But there were parts of me that still wanted to do more. Like, I felt like I could do more. I could be— I could help out more. I could— it's just itching, or not itching, but just burning in the back. It's like, “Hey, you are built for so much more. You can do more. Let's look for those opportunities.” So, funny enough, the first opportunity I had at that time, or I thought I had, was I reached out to— it's no longer around — but the 6th Special Operations Squadron at Duke Field. It was a combat aviation advisory mission. These individuals got to travel the world. I got to learn languages. Literally, they were sent to school to learn languages, to embed with other nations, to build those relationships, to be on the ground but still flying multiple different aircraft. I was like, “That's awesome. That sounds like me. That sounds like something I can do, and I can bring value to the table, and all the above.” So I put in my application; it was immediately rejected. In their eyes, I did not have the experience yet. I did not have what they were looking for, understandable. So here I am in another situation to where, like, “OK, well, what do I— is there any other means or ways that I can continue to fulfill my purpose as a pilot and get after the mission? Because that's what I really wanted to do, get after mission, whatever that looks like. I thought the sticks was an opportunity. They had said no to me, that's fine. And then I had an amazing friend reach out. He goes, “Hey, I heard you're getting a little long winded out there at EC-130s. You should put an application in for the U-2.” And I was like, “What are you talking about? I have no jet experience, other than the T-1. I don't have that background to be that type of caliber pilot.” He goes, “Nope, nope. They're looking for good guys and girls. They're looking for those who are motivated to do the mission. And if you could fly, you can fly, if you can't, well, you know, they'll figure that out, and they'll send you home.” And I was like, “OK.” And so I submitted for the U-2, put my application in, they call me out, and it's a two-week interview. The first week they have you in service dress, and you meet all the leadership, and you meet all the other pilots, and just have conversations. That's all, they just wanna get to know you. You know, “What's your true motivation for being here?” And I explained it, just like I've explained to you: “I wanna fly. I wanna do the mission. I wanna be a pilot's pilot. I wanna do all the cool stuff.” And they go, “OK.” Well, week two, they put you in U-2, a two-seater. They have two-seater trainers. They put you in a U-2. They give you all the weekend prior to study, and they say, “Cool, let's see what you got.” And they have an instructor, he instructs, he does his best to give you tidbits on how to safely land the U-2. And you have three days. You have two training flights and then a sort of assessment evaluation flight on that third day, and oh my gosh, did I ever humble myself as a pilot when I realized how horrible I truly was. I felt like I could not land the U-2 safely. I felt like I was messing everything up. I felt like— as soon as we got done with that third day of flying, and we got back into the squadron, and I remember the IP just being like, and then, you know, walks away because they have to talk to the squadron commanders. They have to go talk to the other leadership there. And once again, I find myself like, “OK, I 100% failed. I mean, I gave it my best. I gave it everything I had. But, you know, here I am gonna fall short again.” And they do this. And I realized this afterwards, that they do this, they do that like wait game, you know, they keep you in suspense for a reason. And I waited, it felt like hours and hours and hours. I imagine it probably might only be like hour, hour and a half. And a squadron commander called me in. He goes, “Yeah, the IP definitely didn't like some of this, some of these, these type of landings, some of this airmanship you're showing. I didn't really like this. But overall, he says you're a nice enough guy, so do you want the job?” And I was like, “Whoa.” And it blew my mind. And that was awesome. That was awesome because once again, leading up to that moment, it was the support of my friend who reached out. It was the support of my wife being like, “Yeah, I think you can do this.” And I had even called, my parents were like, “I had this opportunity to fly this really unique aircraft. It's going to be challenging. What do y'all think?” They're like, “Hey, we love you. Go get it.” And I was like, no other words of advice, no other like, inspiring — you know, my dad, a Florida farm man, was just like, “No, I think he'll do fine. We love you and just let us know how it goes.” I was like, man, I'm really missing out in motivational speeches. But you know what? The sentiment is there, and that's all I need. So I got that position, did a few years with the U-2. And then towards the end of the U-2 career, I got word from another friend saying the 6th Special Operations Squadron is growing. “We are looking for readily qualified and experienced people.”   Naviere Walkewicz And this is the one that rejected you.   Lt. Col. Steven Mount Yes, ma'am, I got rejected last time. He goes, “It's OK. Put in another application. You know, you're a little more experienced now, you've got a little bit more under your belt.” And I said, “OK,” and I put in an application, it got rejected again, and here I am, like, “What is going on?” My buddy reached out to me—   Naviere Walkewicz Your name is blacklisted in that group across the board. Like, “Oh, there's that Mount guy. Cross it out.”   Lt. Col. Steven Mount But I think that ended up being somewhat of a blessing. It was like, “Wow, This guy is motivated to come out here.” Because they had seen the last application years ago. They'd seen this one. And I think the word finally got around that's like, “Hey, he's actually really motivated to come try out, at least for this mission.” And so once again, from good mentors, they're like, “Go ahead, try it out. Put the application in one more time, see what happens.” I did, got picked up for assessment selection. It's another week, week and a half interview. They challenge you mentally, they challenge you physically. They put you in situations to see how you react. I don't wanna give too much away for that process, even though, you know, unfortunately that process is not there anymore. But after that grueling week, they once again, here I am in front of another squadron commander, and here they are opening my life in front of them, and they're saying, “Well, we don't like this. We definitely don't like this. Tell us a little more about this,” you know. And that was about an hour interview, sit down, and it's not just the squadron commander. It was leadership — four or five individuals. It was an Army lieutenant colonel's flight doc behind them, you know, kind of doing that very watching, waiting, assessing, and another one of the situations, I'm like, oh, “Here we go. I don't think it's gonna happen.” But then at the end of that interview, they sit down, squadron commander stands up and goes, “Welcome to the 6th.” And the only things I can think of — and I know a lot of listeners or viewers out there do the same thing, and I tell this to my young when they get their wings, I tell them this as well — think of that first person, or persons, that when something amazing happens to you, you immediately reach out to them and you tell them, “Thank you for the support, thank you for the love, thank you for believing in me when others didn't.” And that's exactly what I did after that one. I called my wife, and I called my parents. I said, “It happened. We got it. I got it,” you know, because it wasn't just me, and I know those experiences going from one mission to the next, and those setbacks have— I get to share these stories all the time with these young instructor pilots that I'm with, as well as students, because I get to utilize it as a leadership tool to be like, “Don't give up on yourself. That's first and foremost. And then even if you believe you might give up on yourself, trust me, there's someone like me or your family members or your squadmates, they won't give up on you. And just remember that.” And that's why I get to share these stories throughout my career, of like, “Hey, I failed at this. Look where I'm at now, because I had the support and because I kept going, Hey, I failed at this. Look how it played out. I'm here.” So a lot of my transition from different platforms and different experiences has helped shape that leadership side of me to say, simply put, “It's OK to fail, all right?” I mean, you're never going to succeed if you have this tried and failed a couple times, right? So, right,   Naviere Walkewicz Wow. Well, I want to go into— because you've mentioned this a couple times. We've talked about your parents, but you know, to have a career that's successful and to navigate that, you talked about your wife. So I'm curious if you can share with listeners who have to maybe the word is not choose between. But how do you navigate the importance of your marriage and that relationship with your profession, and trying to succeed in that trajectory, whatever that trajectory is for you. So maybe you can talk a little bit about how that, how that worked throughout all of those transitions.   Lt. Col. Steven Mount Oh, OK. I usually do better at this from a better half nearby, which she is, in a sense. She's trying to work out and give me her working space right now, which I love. I'm gonna start with this. It's not easy. It is work. It is reps, the day in, the day out. It's not easy. I don't believe I've ever had a convo with someone when they're trying to balance the work and family life to where it's like, “Oh, that was easy, you know, I just do this and they do this, and we're good to go.” No, it is constant conflict of schedules. It is sharing what's going on. It's the ups and downs. So I'd like to start with that: It's not easy. And if anyone ever tells you it is easy, please ask them how they're doing it, and then spread their wise words of wisdom to all of us. Because that's probably the first thing: It's not easy. Once you recognize that you can get past understanding like, “OK, I'm not alone in this, that this is not easy, and I can start talking and sharing my experiences and seeing from those who seem to have it together. What are they doing to make it work? So I start there. It's not easy. Second, you have to be a team. I think there's a lot of us that think that, and my wife definitely did initially, and that was on me, that she thought that my career was the most important, that what I did and how I executed the mission and where I was going, that that was the No. 1 priority. And I found it that's not the case. I found that's not the case, because, sure, when we didn't have kids yet, and we were in Tucson, it's a little easier, because I would go on my deployments, and she would go to the job, she would go to work, and she had and she supported that, because I was out there, you know, fighting the good fight, accomplishing a mission, doing everything the Air Force needed me to do. And that's what she knew was important for me. So she supported that through and throughout, and she supported it to where I imagined, to the sense of she didn't feel like she could speak to say things that maybe I would like in the sense of me doing my mission, or coming home from Afghanistan with some of my experiences. Ahe felt that maybe sometimes, that she didn't have a word to convey to like, “Hey, this really scared me.” Or, “Hey, when you were gone, I saw the news and I was frightened. And you know, when I saw this happen, I just wanted to reach out to you, and I just want to make sure you're OK.” And she never felt initially like that she could convey those feelings, because it might affect me. It might affect my, you know, mentality while being overseas and down range. So she held that in, she held it in. She kept strong. She put on the “I'm here to support you” and I feel bad, you know, thinking back on that, that I should have given her the space to like, “Tell me what you're feeling. Tell me what you're going through. I don't want you to, I don't want you to struggle in silence. If you know you see something or there's something that scares you, let me know.” And unfortunately, I didn't learn that lesson until way, way later in my career, because she'd always kept that strength in and even when we started having kids, she still did. I kick myself all the time now that— we got to California, in the U-2s, we had an incident down range to where they needed me to bump up my deployment out there, to get out there to take care of the situation. And I'd asked, I was like, “Well, how much sooner do you need me?” Because we had just had our first son. You know, the dynamic's changing. The family dynamic is changing, and especially with your first born. And they said, “We need you to leave in about a week.” Here I was once again. And I know we have kind of kind of mentioned that I was I was in the mean mentality I was in. I was gonna be a pilot's pilot. I was gonna get the mission done. I was going to do everything I could to prove myself, and if my country needs me to be out there in a week to take care of this mission, that my family and my wife will understand. And that was that was not the way I should look at it. It really wasn't. But because I was not seeing her as a teammate, and she held it in — and thank goodness we had her mother-in-law. We had some family come out and support with a new baby. But I could tell that was one of the first times to where looking back on it now that maybe I could have said, “Can you find someone else?” You know, maybe I should have what I'm doing, hopefully you're doing now and teaching others. You have to balance that family with mission and the prioritize what is truly important at that moment. And that's something I failed to do at that time. It would happen again later on, but thankfully— so when I got to the 6th Special Operations Squadron, and at this time, especially after we had our second child in California, the wife had mentioned more. She started coming out of the shell like, “Hey, I do need you a little bit more now. I need you, and I need to be able to express and convey what I do and don't like.” And I was listening, but I was not listening the way she needed me to listen. I was not being that teammate on my side. So I heard, “Hey, I just need more support with the family. So whatever career decision we make next, let's align that.” And I was in my head, I was like, “Yes, you're absolutely right.” That's why the 6th Special Operations Squadron, when I got that interview and I picked up, it was so important, because I had family in that area, and family could get to us easier. So I was thinking, “Awesome. I have the support system for you there. I got the assignment. You're going to be taken care of.” I can tell that's not yet what she was wanting. And I will credit good old Col. Valentino. I was spinning up to go to Lebanon with the team, and we're about to have our third child. And here I was once again, like, “Yep, gotta get back to the mission. Gotta show my value. Gotta get in there, do it.” And the wife understands. We have two kids already. We're gonna have a third. So we've already had two. We kind of know how this goes. We're good to go. But I could tell, once again, looking back, everything's— that she wasn't happy, but she was ready to put up that wall again, to be like, “OK, I have to support him. Have to support what he does, and I have to, because that's what the military is asking me. That's what this new community…” And then Col Valentino, he came down. He goes, “Hey, are you about to have another child?” And I was like, “Yes, sir.” He goes, “When?” And I gave him the date. And he goes, “Your deployment date is like, a month after that.” I was like, “Yes, sir. This is our third child. We'll be good to go. I have the support system for the wife now, and she'll be taken care of. Good to go.” And he goes, “No, you're staying home. I don't need you.” He goes, “Did you want to ask me if there's anyone else wants to go so you can be there for your wife and your family?” And that blew my mind, that just, I don't know. It came out of nowhere for someone in a leadership role to say, “No, I'm not gonna send you on this deployment. I want you to be there with your family.” And that held in tight, and from then on, everything changed, and how I led and how I would push the mission. But I wouldn't do it to the extent of, could I not help someone balance their family life with their mission? And that took too long for me to realize. So what I say to everyone out there, it's not easy, but you come home from a long day and you're mentally exhausted and the mission is not going good, or you're getting ready for deployment, take a moment, sit down and just talk with your teammate at home. You have to look at it as teammates. They are your partner. They will be just like I mentioned before. They will be your support system through thick and thin, because they've probably seen you at your worst, and they want you to be at your best. But you can't do that unless you take care of that home front and treat them as your teammate. Because I am still, to this day, trying my best to become the man that I hope that she sees in me and that she wants me to be one day, but I had to fail in seeing it back then so that could see it now. And I think that's one of these things I want to convey. Not easy, and they have to be your teammates.   Naviere Walkewicz Thank you for sharing that. And I think to have a leader that showed you that, which is, now you've imprinted that in your leadership style. You're thinking about the airmen that you come across and how to help them navigate some of those tough choices, but doing it with a, you know, a bigger view of not just the mission, but, like, how do you fit in that with your family? I think that's so powerful, and I'm really glad you shared that, because I know that some of our listeners and our viewers, that's gonna resonate with them as well, because they're gonna remember a time when, “Wow, I didn't even ask if I didn't have to go, or if I didn't have to do this, just because I'm so used to jumping when you say, jump,” right? And I think sometimes it's OK. It's OK. Just a question, like, I'm willing and ready to jump. I just want to make sure is someone else able to do it too because of these reasons, right? So I love that you share that.   Lt. Col. Steven Mount And those leaders have to know their people enough in that regard to also know because ultimately, when you get the mission, then yes, that's what we signed up for, yes. But those leaders know their people, and they know what situation they're in. For example, there's a few times in Special Operations to where we're going on another deployment. But we knew our people, and we knew that some did not have the balance at home, and things were not looking the best they could. “Hey, we can help you out. We can give you all the resources you need. We don't need you on this deployment.” But that takes good leaders, recognizing and taking care of their people and understanding that these individuals cannot be effective down range or where they go if their home life is not taken care of. So, I know that is something that's been talked about for all my leadership training for all the years, but actually applying it is going to start with our future leaders coming up to realize, know your people, know where you can take care of them so that they can take care of the mission.   Naviere Walkewicz That's right. That's right. So this has been incredible. I think the underlying lesson that you shared with us is, obviously having belief in yourself and doing the work and proving your worth, so to speak. But I think it's also recognizing that support network. So if I may ask, you, I have two questions. The first one is, what are you doing to be a better leader every day? Yourself, like, what is something you are actually doing to be a better leader?   Lt. Col. Steven Mount Oh my gosh. Well, I'm recognizing I know I'm not doing it right. Knowing that I'm about taking command already has the underlying nervousness and anxiety, and I realized taking command, why I have these emotions is because I'm afraid to fail, which that makes sense. That makes sense to any logical human being out there. That's like, yeah, I get that. But I have to realize, in that same token, it's OK to fail. It's OK to make mistakes. It's OK that some days you go in there, you're not gonna get it all right. This last year as a director of operations, I've walked out of that building, and there's days been like I didn't accomplish anything. I've messed things up. I didn't do this right. Why am I here? They could have found someone better. And then there were days where, like, yes, I did it, right? I got something accomplished. And on those days, I realized it's because I was taking care of the people and people's needs. And once again, when that happened, they were able to take care of the mission. And that's one of the things that every day I go into work and I ask myself, “Who can I help out? Who needs the motivational kick? Who needs someone to just talk with them? Who needs to share their story?” Because that's what leaders, ultimately, are. We take care of the people. And if I can go in there and just help one person every single day, I would like to think that that's a small success. So that's one thing I'm constantly working on. And it is an effort. It's not easy. It's not easy because you are taking so much and leaders, I don't care what level you're on, all the way from your very first flight command, all the way to your mission command, aircraft commander, all the way to where I am now. You're going to take a lot on your shoulders. You're going to bear, you know, the burden of others, pains, their grief, their successes, their failures. So I guess that's also answer that question. Get ready for that. OK? Because a good leader will do that. They will bear they will help hold the weight. They will support those who need it the most. And we got to do it day in, day out, the reps they have to. So I think I answered the first question, I apologize, was it was.   Naviere Walkewicz The second question is coming. So you're good, you're good. OK. What's something that you know now after having your 17-plus years in the in the military, but also just your life experience — but what's something you know now that you would share with a leader to kind of shorten that timeframe of, like learning those painful things to be better, right? So what would be something you'd share?   Lt. Col. Steven Mount Something I'd share to close that learning gap? Because once again, my call sign is Meathead— I learned lessons the hard way. Do your best to listen more than you talk. Do your best to just take the experiences of others, talk to others, but just listen. Just hear them. Just hear them. I believe that a lot of the things that I could have prevented may have already been told to me, or may have already been, you know, mentored to me, but I just didn't listen. Maybe they said something and “I was like, well, that doesn't jive with being cool or being a pilot, so I'm not gonna listen to that.” I'm pretty sure all of these lessons that hopefully either conveying or passing on, in a sense, I think I learned them early on. I just, I just didn't listen. So for all the leaders out there, do your best to listen, listen more than you talk. It will be wonders. Naviere Walkewicz Oh my gosh, that's just outstanding. And I what I really appreciate about that is, you know, you talked about how you're doing things to get better every day, but even just in the moment, you recognize like that's such an important piece of that is taking the time to listen and reflect so that you can actually really pick up on those cues, maybe, that someone needs your support. So yes, well, this has been incredible. As we wrap up today's episode, I keep coming back to something you said, which was all someone needs to do is just support you. Yeah. So here's the takeaway, leadership is found in how we show up for our people and how we believe in them, and how we remind them that they are capable for more than what they think they are. The question we can always ask ourselves today is, who needs me to believe in them right now? And you actually said that really well. So Col. Mount, I just want to thank you for joining us for this episode of Long Blue Leadership. Is there anything else you want to leave with our listeners today? Lt. Col. Steven Mount Yes. I don't think I'll ever be that leader that does one great act, and everyone's like, that's a great leader. I don't think I'll ever be that leader that gives like, one great speech, like, that's it. He nailed it. He's a great leader. No, if I'm gonna leave something with all of those you know at the Academy and the leaders in the Air Force now — which, by the way, thanks all of you. Me too, man, thank you for your service. You have no idea how much the world needs us right now, so you get out there and see it. So sorry. That was an aside. But thank you to everyone who's at the Academy now, who have served, whose families have served and will continue to serve. But one thing I'll leave to all those young leaders: Your leadership is defined by the acts, the million acts every day, not just by one act, not just by, like I said, not just by one amazing thing that you do. It's defined on you being there, and a million acts per day over a lifetime of your career, of showing up, showing that you care. That's huge, showing that you're fair and consistent. And they will see that your people will see that that those million acts day in day out, of how you treat them, and how you present yourself as a leader. And they will watch. They will watch, and if they can see that you care, and if they can see that you are doing those million acts day in, day out, and you're in there and you're in the grind and you're in the mud with them, they will give you everything, they will, and it's amazing to see, it really is, but that starts with you as the leader. So yeah, that's it, it's those million acts every day of a lifetime career that shows that you're a leader.   Naviere Walkewicz Well, we are so glad that you're out there leading and influencing so many. We're grateful for all of your years and more that you will do. Thank you so much.   Lt. Col. Steven Mount Thank you so much for the opportunity. I really, really enjoyed this. Thank you.   Naviere Walkewicz Good. Thank you for joining us for this edition of Long Blue Leadership. The podcast drops every two weeks on Tuesdays and is available on all your favorite podcast apps. Send your comments and guest ideas to us at socialmedia@usafa.org, and listen to past episodes at longblueleadership.org.   KEYWORDS Leadership, Resilience, Mentorship, Adoption / Family Foundation, Support Network, Perseverance, Tough Conversations, Mission & Family Balance, Trust, Listening       The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation      

Episode #223 features Lisa Sthalekar — 4x World Cup Winner and Inductee into both the ICC and Australian Cricket Halls of Fame, recognised as one of the most influential figures in the history of women's cricket (the first woman to have scored over 1000 runs and taken 100 wickets). +++This episode is part of a special series in partnership with the Australian Government and their Centre for Australia–India Relations. These episodes highlight the growing ties between Australia and India across tech, business, media, culture, and sport. With around one million people of Indian heritage now in Australia—the fastest growing large diaspora—this series shares the untold stories of change makers shaping both nations' futures.+++To support this podcast, check out our some of our sponsors & get discounts:→ $1,000 off Vanta: Your compliance superpower — vanta.com/high→ Get up to 6 months of Notion's Business plan for free with Notion AI included (worth $12K): Go to - https://ntn.so/highflyers & click “Apply Now”If you're keen to discuss sponsorship and partnering with us or recommend future guests, email us at contact@curiositycentre.com today!Join our stable of commercial partners including the Australian Government, Google, KPMG, University of Melbourne and more. ***CLICK HERE to read show notes from this conversation. Please enjoy!***Follow us on Instagram, LinkedIn or TwitterGet in touch with our Founder and Host, Vidit Agarwal directly hereContact us via our website to discuss sponsorship opportunities, recommend future guests or share feedback, we love hearing how to improve! Thank you for rating / reviewing this podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, it helps others find us and convince guests to come on the show! ***The High Flyers Podcast is described as a "meticulously researched biography" that uncovers the untold stories of remarkable people and companies -- redefining the "high flyer". Launched in 2020, we have ranked in the global top ten podcasts for past two years, with listeners in 27 countries and over 200 episodes released. Excerpts of the podcast have been featured in Forbes, AFR, Daily Telegraph, and showcased at SXSW.200+ guests have joined host, Vidit Agarwal on the show from 15+ countries, including The CEO's of multi-billion dollar companies like Bunnings, Australia Post, Woolworths, Airwallex, Eucalyptus etc; Board Members at Macquarie Bank, ANZ, Reserve Bank etc; Former Prime Minister of Australia; Globally renowned Tech CEO's from Google, Microsoft, Xero etc, Successful Venture Capital and Family Office Investors; CIO's at the world's biggest superannuation funds; Leading Entertainers; Olympic Gold Medal Winning Athletes and interesting minds you wouldn't have heard of that are changing the world. Our parent company, Curiosity Centre is your on-demand intelligence hub for knowledge, connections and growth to achieve your potential, everyday. Join 200,000+ Investors, Founders, Functional Leaders, CEOs and Emerging Leaders. Learn with the world's best and be 1% better everyday at https://curiositycentre.com***   

"We are all adopted, into nations, into families, and into God's Kingdom."In this powerful Father's Day message, Pastor Diane speaks on spiritual adoption and our identity as sons and daughters of God. No matter where you're from, this message is for you.

TWELVE CHIMES, IT'S MIDNIGHT Episode 5: Adopted Ghost  Great apartments at a great price are hard to come by in San Francisco. To keep them, people will put up with almost anything. Join us now for a play of discovery, death, and one cranky cat in the play Adopted Ghost.  CREDITS: Writer/Producer/Director: Aimee Pavy Narrator: Josh Horowitz Jeanette: Crystal Why Mrs. Whiskers: Aimee Pavy Sean: Scott Louis Mrs. Campbell: Beth Abdallah Mike: Cameron Eng Fred: the Cast Cover Art: Jeff Heermann Logo Design: Michael Dern

Grace Free Lutheran Church Maple Grove, MN Pastor Mark Molstre

In this episode of the Redding City Council, Steve breaks down the key highlights from the September 2, 2025, meeting. Topics include:The Council's decision to appoint an interim city manager as Barry Tippin prepares for retirementCommunity concerns over Motorsports ParkApproval of new infrastructure and trail projectsAdoption of a tobacco retail license feeFinancial assistance for Advance Redding to support the Civic AuditoriumStay informed on the decisions shaping Redding.For full agenda details or to submit podcast questions, visit cityofredding.gov or email podcast@cityofredding.org.View the agenda >>Watch the Council video >>Contact the City of Redding Podcast Team Email us at podcast@cityofredding.org Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram Visit the City of Redding website Love the podcast? The best way to spread the word is to rate and review!

In this episode of The Healers Café, Manon Bolliger, FCAH, RBHT (facilitator and retired naturopath with 30+ years of practice) speaks to Jeff about the need to reimagine policing in the 21st Century, emphasizing the importance of incorporating community input and addressing societal expectations. He highlights the critical failure of law enforcement in managing the narrative post-incidents, which erodes public trust. Weninger notes that 36% of officer-involved shootings involve individuals in mental health crises, and stresses the need for better training and de-escalation tactics. He advocates for hiring practices that prioritize education and empathy, and suggests incorporating civilian experts to improve law enforcement's effectiveness and public perception. For the transcript and full story go to: https://www.drmanonbolliger.com/jeff-wenninger     Highlights from today's episode include: Jeff advocats for reimagining policing by prioritizing transparency, community involvement, and honest conversations about law enforcement's role and culture. Jeff recommends adopting hiring and training practices similar to Nordic countries, emphasizing empathy, critical thinking, and multi-year training to reduce use-of-force incidents. Manon drew a parallel between the challenges in law enforcement and medicine, stressing the importance of maintaining the heart and soul of a profession despite institutional pressures.   ABOUT JEFF WENNINGER: Jeff Wenninger is a nationally recognized expert in law enforcement as a retired Lieutenant with over 33 years of experience primarily with the LAPD. As the Founder & CEO of Law Enforcement Consultants, LLC, Jeff draws from his vast experience in the investigation and adjudication of police use of force incidents, crowd management and control, school and campus safety, and the development of police management best practices. His work focuses on aligning police methods with societal expectations and improving public trust by administering comprehensive evaluations and recommendations to police departments, municipalities, and universities aimed at enhancing police training, reducing liability, improving safety, and fostering better community efficacy. Jeff is a recognized court use of force expert with experience testifying in criminal and civil cases as well as administrative hearings. Having worked the LAPD elite Metropolitan Division, Jeff obtained extensive experience working with the Secret Service and U.S. State Department in coordinating dignitary protection details for the President, Vice President, First Lady, and any Head of State visiting Los Angeles. With this experience, he later oversaw the security of some prominent entertainers, and the venue security of a Major League Baseball team. Despite challenges in his youth to overcome dyslexia and a speech impediment, Jeff excelled athletically and academically, earning a college scholarship for ice hockey and obtaining degrees in sociology, psychology and criminal justice. Jeff recognizes the historical value of traditional policing, but also appreciates the empirical evidence which supports that equally, if not more importantly, how research data can significantly impact the future of law enforcement. He built a distinguished career in law enforcement, beginning with receiving the Certificate of Merit for having the highest level of achievement of overall performance while in the academy & i.e. academics, physical fitness, firearms proficiency, and leadership. Throughout his career, Jeff was selected for coveted positions that included working in the elite LAPD Metropolitan Division, supervising the Rampart Gang Enforcement Detail, and managing police lethal force investigations used in evaluating potential criminal culpability on the part of the involved officers and the department adjudication of the police actions. Jeff's contributions to law enforcement have been recognized with prestigious awards, including the LAPD Medal of Valor, Police Star, and Meritorious Unit Citation. His dedication to excellence is also reflected in his athletic achievements, having served as the captain of the LAPD hockey team and winning multiple medals in police sports competitions at national and international levels. Jeff's insights and experiences have informed his forthcoming book, which proposes actionable solutions for improving law enforcement practices. Adopted and raised in a diverse and civic-minded family, Jeff's commitment to community service extends beyond his professional life. He has been involved in numerous community initiatives, including animal welfare and charitable projects, school safety programs, serving on numerous boards, and volunteering as a school crossing guard. Jeff is a regular contributor to NPR and a law enforcement print media guest columnist, which has spurred international attention. Jeff currently lives in Ohio with his son. Core purpose/passion: To educate the public about policing in the 21st century and help officers with their mental health and well-being. What can they be doing actively that will help them overcome trauma once they retire? Website | LinkedIn |    ABOUT MANON BOLLIGER, FCAH, RBHT  As a de-registered (2021) board-certified naturopathic physician & in practice since 1992, I've seen an average of 150 patients per week and have helped people ranging from rural farmers in Nova Scotia to stressed out CEOs in Toronto to tri-athletes here in Vancouver.  My resolve to educate, empower and engage people to take charge of their own health is evident in my best-selling books:  'What Patients Don't Say if Doctors Don't Ask: The Mindful Patient-Doctor Relationship' and 'A Healer in Every Household: Simple Solutions for Stress'.  I also teach BowenFirst™ Therapy through and hold transformational workshops to achieve these goals. So, when I share with you that LISTENING to Your body is a game changer in the healing process, I am speaking from expertise and direct experience". Manon's Mission: A Healer in Every Household!  For more great information to go to her weekly blog:  http://bowencollege.com/blog.  For tips on health & healing go to: https://www.drmanonbolliger.com/tips  Follow Manon on Social – Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | Twitter | Linktr.ee | Rumble   ABOUT THE HEALERS CAFÉ:  Manon's show is the #1 show for medical practitioners and holistic healers to have heart to heart conversations about their day to day lives.   Subscribe and review on your favourite platform: iTunes | Google Play | Spotify | Libsyn | iHeartRadio | Gaana | The Healers Cafe | Radio.com | Medioq |   Follow The Healers Café on FB: https://www.facebook.com/thehealerscafe   Remember to subscribe if you like our videos. Click the bell if you want to be one of the first people notified of a new release. * De-Registered, revoked & retired naturopathic physician after 30 years of practice in healthcare. Now resourceful & resolved to share with you all the tools to take care of your health & vitality!

Fulfill your role as a child of God today.

Send us a textThis week on Leave Your Mark, I sit down with Keenan — CEO, entrepreneur, father, and the author of Gap Selling. But this conversation isn't about sales tactics. Instead, we dive into his remarkable life story: growing up adopted in a mixed-race family in Boston, chasing dreams of football and modeling, finding his way into sales, and becoming a father of three daughters.Keenan shares what selling really means (hint: it's about helping, not convincing), how curiosity shapes his life, and why teaching — not protecting — has been his guiding philosophy as a parent. We also unpack how sales thinking translates into human performance, coaching, and leadership.This episode is full of lessons about resilience, curiosity, and creating your own path.Keenan is the CEO of a sales training and consulting company, widely known for his best-selling book Gap Selling. Beyond business, he's an entrepreneur, speaker, and father of three daughters. Adopted into a mixed-race family in Boston in the late 1960s, Keenan has built a life defined by curiosity, courage, and an uncompromising commitment to living on his own terms.This is where you can find anything and everything he's into!https://salesgrowth.com/keenan/If you liked this EP, please take the time to rate and comment, share with a friend, and connect with us on social channels IG @Kingopain, TW @BuiltbyScott, LI+FB Scott Livingston. You can find all things LYM at www.LYMLab.com, download your free Life Lab Starter Kit today and get busy living https://lymlab.com/free-lym-lab-starter/Please take the time to visit and connect with our sponsors, they are an essential part of our success:www.ReconditioningHQ.comwww.FreePainGuide.com

Astrid Castro, founder and CEO of Adoption Mosaic—an adoptee-led, BIPOC woman-founded nonprofit—has dedicated over three decades to serving the adoption constellation through innovative, adoptee-centered programs, events, courses, and consultations. Adopted from Colombia at the age of four (along with her older sister), Astrid's life's work and interest in adoption shifted dramatically after reuniting with her birth/first mother in 2011, when she discovered she had been kidnapped and sold through the black market of adoption. Everything changed from that moment, reshaping not only her personal journey but also her professional commitment. Prior to creating Adoption Mosaic, Astrid worked in both the private and public sectors of adoption, including at the Oregon Post Adoption Resource Center (ORPARC), Holt International, and the Rocky Mountain Adoption Exchange. Her work continues to highlight the adoptee experience and expand access to essential post-adoption services for individuals and families.https://adoptionmosaic.com/Nomi Kaie is a Black same race domestic adoptee who enjoys connecting with others, daydreaming, delicious meals, the arts, and running fast, to name a few interests. https://www.onceuponatimeinadopteeland.com/episode/31-nomi-an-adoptee-and-writer-who-is-new-to-the-adoption-communityMusic by Corey Quinn

If you’re a child of God, adopted into His family, your life should reflect Him as your Father and not the sins that you left behind. Think about it: When people see you, listen to you, hang out with you; what should they see/hear that might give them reason to believe God is your Father?

Pastor Daniel Longmore | Ephesians 1:1-14 | GI Free Church

Some Christians live life in spiritual slavery—not truly believing God has already set them free. In this message, Dr. Tony Evans explains what it means to be adopted by grace and fully embraced as sons and daughters of God.

Some Christians live life in spiritual slavery—not truly believing God has already set them free. In this message, Dr. Tony Evans explains what it means to be adopted by grace and fully embraced as sons and daughters of God.

Some Christians live life in spiritual slavery—not truly believing God has already set them free. In this message, Dr. Tony Evans explains what it means to be adopted by grace and fully embraced as sons and daughters of God.

Some Christians live life in spiritual slavery—not truly believing God has already set them free. In this message, Dr. Tony Evans explains what it means to be adopted by grace and fully embraced as sons and daughters of God.

Listen to all my reddit storytime episodes in the background in this easy playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_wX8l9EBnOM303JyilY8TTSrLz2e2kRGThis is the Redditor podcast! Here you will find all of Redditor's best Reddit stories from his YouTube channel. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Click here to send us a topic idea or question for Weekend Wisdom.Are you educated and informed on the issues around weed and vaping, including THC, nicotine, and the signs of addiction? Listen to this interview with Dr. Krishna White. She is an attending physician at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, with board certifications in Pediatrics, Adolescent Medicine, and Addiction Medicine. In this episode, we discuss:Can you explain why kids who've experienced trauma, prenatal substance exposure, or who are neurodivergent may be at greater risk for turning to substances like marijuana or vaping?How are kids typically using marijuana today? (edibles, vaping THC, traditional smoking, oils)Are kids generally aware of what they're consuming, especially when it comes to the potency of today's marijuana?What are some of the short-term effects of marijuana use in adolescents?What long-term impacts are you seeing in your clinical practice, especially for kids whose brains are still developing?Now let's move to vaping – what it is, why it's so popular, and what we need to know about how kids are using it. Can you break down what vaping is and what substances kids may be inhaling?Why is vaping so appealing to tweens and teens, even those who've never used another substance?What are some of the immediate health concerns tied to vaping in young people?And long-term—what are you most worried about when it comes to kids who are vaping regularly?What strategies can adoptive, foster, or kinship caregivers use to help buffer or “substance-proof” their kids?How early should conversations about marijuana and vaping begin?For kids who already have a higher vulnerability, what are some protective factors or environments that help reduce their risk?What are some signs that a child might be using marijuana or vaping—even if they're trying to hide it?If a child has already started using, how can caregivers respond in a way that's both firm and supportive?When does occasional experimentation cross the line into something that needs professional help?What are nicotine pouches – why are they appealing and what are the short or long term impacts we should know about?What would you say to a caregiver who's feeling overwhelmed or ashamed that this is part of their child's story?If you could offer just one piece of advice to a caregiver trying to navigate this with their teen, what would it be?Resources:Prenatal Exposure, Part 2: Parenting Tweens and TeensAre Kids Exposed Prenatally More Likely to Abuse Alcohol & Drugs?Preventing Teen Substance Abuse - Center for Parent and Teen CommunicSupport the showPlease leave us a rating or review. This podcast is produced by www.CreatingaFamily.org. We are a national non-profit with the mission to strengthen and inspire adoptive, foster & kinship parents and the professionals who support them.Creating a Family brings you the following trauma-informed, expert-based content: Weekly podcasts Weekly articles/blog posts Resource pages on all aspects of family building

Preached at Gospel Lighthouse in Bossier City, La.www.Churchlighthouse.com

Bonnie Corcoran will talk about her beloved daughter Brenna who was diagnosed with DIPG, just 8 months after Bonnie and her husband Robert had taken custody of her, then adopted her when she was 3 1/2 years old. Brenna was born with a Cocaine addiction thanks to a family member and was welcomed by Brenna, her husband Robert, and their 5 other children, all of whom were at least 10 years older then she was. Brenna fought her DIPG as much as she could, before passing away on September 6th of 2022. 

Chase Gilbert examines Hebrews 2, explaining why Jesus chose to become lower than angels by taking human form. He emphasizes that His intentional incarnation was necessary for our salvation, adoption into God's family, and His ability to empathize with human struggles.

In 2017, David Leavitt drove to the Northern Cheyenne reservation in Montana to adopt a baby girl. A few years later, during an interview with a documentary filmmaker, Leavitt, a wealthy Utah politician, told a startling story about how he went about getting physical custody of that child. He describes going to the tribe's president and offering to use his connections to broker an international sale of the tribe's buffalo. At the same time, he was asking the president for his blessing to adopt the child.That video eventually leaked to a local TV station, and the adoption became the subject of a federal investigation into bribery. To others, the adoption story seemed to run afoul of a federal law meant to protect Native children from being removed from their tribes' care in favor of non-Native families.  This week on Reveal, reporters Andrew Becker and Bernice Yeung dig into the story of this complicated and controversial adoption, how it circumvented the mission of the Indian Child Welfare Act, and why some of the baby's Native family and tribe were left feeling that a child was taken from them. This episode was produced in collaboration with the Investigative Reporting Program at UC Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism.This is an update of an episode that originally aired in August 2024. Support Reveal's journalism at Revealnews.org/donatenow Subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get the scoop on new episodes at Revealnews.org/newsletter Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

"If you were a kid, would you rather be raised by loving, everyday parents—or adopted by a young, ultra-famous celebrity couple with a team of nannies and a private jet?"In this hilarious and thought-provoking segment of The Ben and Skin Show, hosts Ben Rogers, Jeff “Skin” Wade, Kevin “KT” Turner, and Krystina Ray dive into the unexpected news of Millie Bobby Brown and Jake Bongiovi adopting a baby girl—and KT's wild hypothetical takes it to a whole new level.

Whenwe look at the words “election” or being “chosen” in theScriptures, we're speaking of the fact that God has a special people set apartfor a specific purpose. Just like He chose Abraham and chose the people ofIsrael to be His people. It didn't mean that they were all saved. It means thatthey were called to as a special people to special purpose. As believers, weare born into the family of God. But as His sons and daughters we are chosen byHim to be holy, to be a “chosen” people, an “elect” people, a people that has thepurpose of reflecting His glory as His church to the world around us.  Inverse five, it says, "Having predestined us to adoption as sons byJesus Christ to Himself according to the good pleasure of His will."  Here we meet this word called predestination. Themeaning of this word has caused many divisions amongst believers. This shouldnot be the case, especially when you look at the context in which it is used inthe New Testament. We should not misunderstand this word. This word as it isused in the Bible refers primarily to what God does for saved people. Nowherein the Bible are we taught that people are predestined to hell or even toheaven, because this word is already referring to those who are saved who havebeen born into the family of God.  Theword simply means to ordain beforehand to predetermine. As we said electionseems to refer to people while predestination refers to purposes. And when youlook at scripture, you find that the events connected with the crucifixion ofJesus Christ were predestined. Read Acts 4:25-28. Jesus was slain from thefoundation of the world as the Lamb of God. God has predestined us to adoption(Ephesians 1:5). God has predestined us to conformity to Christ (Romans 8:29-30).“For whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image ofHis Son”.  Goddidn't predestine us to be saved or to be lost, to go to heaven or go to hell.He predestined us to be like His Son. And my friend, one day we ultimately willbe just like Him. God also predestined our future inheritance. This is foundhere in Ephesians 1:11, “In Him also we've obtained an inheritance beingpredestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according tothe council of His will”. This has to do with our future inheritance thatwe have when we see Jesus Christ at His coming.  Adoption,when you look at it in scripture, has a dual meaning, both present and future.You do not get into God's family by adoption. You get into God's family byregeneration, the new birth. John 3:1-18. You see this also in 1 Peter 1, we'reborn again by the Word of God through the Holy Spirit of God into the family ofGod. Adoption in scripture is the act of God by which He gives His “born ones”an adult standing in the family. Why does He do this? That's because we mightimmediately begin to claim our inheritance and enjoy our spiritual wealth rightnow. A baby cannot legally use his inheritance. Galatians 4:1-7. But an adultson can and should. It means that you do not have to wait till you become anold saint before you can claim your riches in Christ Jesus. You can claim themnow as a brand-new believer.  Thefuture aspect of adoption is found in Romans 8:22-23. Again this is speaking ofthe glorified body that we will have when Jesus Christ returns and we meet Himface to face and we're like Him even in our glorified bodies. We already havean adult standing before God. But the world can't see that. When Christreturns, this private adoption will be made public for everyone to see. As Paulsays in Romans 8, we look forward to that day! My friend. I believe Jesus'coming is just around the corner. Today,are you claiming and enjoying the riches of the glory of your inheritance in ChristJesus? (Ephesians 1:15) Godbless!

In a world where we define ourselves by our jobs, roles, and accomplishments, it’s easy to forget the most important truth about our identity—we are children of God. In today’s prayer and devotional, Kristine Brown takes us to Ephesians 1 to rediscover what God says about who we are: loved, chosen, adopted into His family, and showered with His kindness. If life has worn you down and you’ve been living from a place of defeat instead of victory, this prayer will help you stand tall and confident in your God-given identity. Main Takeaways Your true identity is not found in titles, roles, or accomplishments—it’s found in being a child of God. Ephesians 1 reminds us that we are: Loved and chosen before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4) Adopted into God’s family through Christ (Ephesians 1:5) Showered with God’s kindness, wisdom, and understanding (Ephesians 1:8) When we remember who God says we are, we can face challenges from a place of victory rather than defeat. God’s light floods our hearts so we can live with confident hope as His rich and glorious inheritance. Bible Verse Reference Ephesians 1:18 – “I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.” Calls to Action Subscribe to Your Daily Prayer for more daily encouragement rooted in Scripture. Share this episode with someone who needs a reminder of their identity in Christ. Read more devotionals on knowing your worth in God at Crosswalk.com. Leave a review to help more listeners discover God’s truth. Relevant Links & Resources Related article: What Does the Bible Say About Identity in Christ? Bible Study Tools – Ephesians 1 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Sign up for the latest podcast info - https://laylo.com/willclarke/uqFWnJKaPodcast Overview: In this engaging conversation, Timo Maas shares insights from his extensive career in the music industry, discussing his daily routines, the evolution of the industry, and the importance of hard work and authenticity. He reflects on the challenges faced by older artists in a youth-driven market and emphasizes the need for continuous adaptation and relevance. Timo also introduces a new platform aimed at supporting aspiring artists, highlighting the significance of community and collaboration in achieving success. In this conversation, Will Clarke and Timo discuss the evolution of the music industry, particularly focusing on the transition from a subculture to a mainstream career path for DJs. They explore the impact of technology, algorithms, and social media on the industry, as well as the importance of mentorship and authenticity in music production. Timo reflects on his experiences in Ibiza, the significance of early club culture, and the legacy of his iconic track 'Dooms Night'. The discussion highlights the challenges and realities of success in the music business, emphasizing the need for genuine passion and connection with the audience. In this conversation, Timo and Will Clarke explore the evolution of DJing, the nostalgia for vinyl records, and the importance of authenticity and uniqueness in music. Timo reflects on the power a DJ holds in shaping the energy of a crowd and shares his experiences from the early days of electronic music. They discuss the shift from physical records to digital music, the search for unique tracks, and the significance of charisma in performance. The conversation emphasizes the need for artists to be authentic and to create music that stands out in a crowded industry.Who is Timo Maas: Timo Maas has been on a 30-year quest to deliver his musical wizardry to the world. In fact, music is such an intrinsic part of his DNA that it's one of his main modes of communication. From a residency at the groundbreaking Circoloco at DC10 in Ibiza, where he has been entrenched for over 15 years, to tours around Europe and the rest of the world, Timo Maas maintains a high level of performance. The visionary German also dedicates his time to conjuring up fresh new productions in his studio. His international recognition began with his seminal remix of ‘Dooms Night' by Azzido Da Bass. Adopted by the UK's garage scene, it launched him on to the world stage and he was soon being courted by a plethora of superstars from Madonna to Depeche Mode and Fatboy Slim to Muse.Join for updates: https://laylo.com/willclarke⏲ Follow Will Clarke ⏱https://djwillclarke.com/https://open.spotify.com/artist/1OmOdgwIzub8DYPxQYbbbi?si=hEx8GCJAR3mhhhWd_iSuewhttps://www.instagram.com/djwillclarkehttps://www.facebook.com/willclarkedjhttps://twitter.com/djwillclarkehttps://www.tiktok.com/@djwillclarke Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Salvation, the Holy Spirit's Work, Security, and Assurance are the main themes running through Romans 8. Here in the middle of the chapter we discover the implications of being adopted into sonship, and a new bittersweet theme joins the chorus that will take us through the rest of the chapter. 1 - Because Slavery and Fear are Behind You (15a) 2 - Because You Are Adopted (15b) 3 - Because You Are God's Children (16) 4 - Because You Are Fellow Heirs With Christ (17a) 5 - What's Included In Your Inheritance? (17b)

On today's episode of The Tea Podcast, we are talking with Traci Pécot, local entrepreneur behind Paws & Paw Paws and Adopted Dog Brewing. We are talking about how she turned a childhood fear of dogs into a full-blown mission to bring joy to both pups and people, her unique approach to pet care that includes senior engagement, and how she and her husband created one of Lafayette's most welcoming craft breweries with a community-first mindset.Websites:https://Pawsandpawpaws.comhttps://Adopteddogbrewing.com⸻

Mohd Wasi alleges his adopted son's case is stuck as India's adoption agency was dragging its feet even though laws give High Commission the power to issue visas or OCIs.  

The Foul Hooked Whitey returns ranting about Jesus Christ in the Outfitter business as well as other Blue Ribbon fisheries being over fished and the regulations that are being adopted to combat the onslaught…..#flyfishing #eastrosebudthermop#eastrosebud2025#eastrosebudflyandtackle#eastrosebudtwopointzero

The Foul Hooked Whitey returns ranting about Jesus Christ in the Outfitter business as well as other Blue Ribbon fisheries being over fished and the regulations that are being adopted to combat the onslaught…..#flyfishing #eastrosebudthermop#eastrosebud2025#eastrosebudflyandtackle#eastrosebudtwopointzero

What do you do when you're adopted into a loving Christian family… but you still feel like a reject? When you smile in church but go home to a voice in your head saying, “You're not enough. You were never enough.”When you've been told Jesus loves you, but deep down you believe He couldn't possibly want someone like you?That was Andrew Yook's life.Loved, but lonely. Surrounded, but unseen. Adopted, but still feeling abandoned.The emptiness drove him to choices that almost killed him—addiction, shame, self-destruction.And yet… Jesus came for him right there. In the middle of the mess. In the relapse. In the hopelessness.This is not a polished, sanitized Christian story.This is rejection, rage, relapse, rock bottom.It's meeting Jesus when you have nothing left to give.It's watching Him dig you out of the ashes—not just to save you, but to use your scars to heal someone else.In this episode, we rip the mask off and talk about:What “unwanted” feels like, even in a good homeWhy being told Jesus loves you isn't enough—you have to meet HimCarrying shame you didn't deserve, and the shame you createdThe lie of “i'm too far gone” and how to kill itWhy ignoring your mental health will wreck your soul and body tooHow to turn your most shameful chapters into weapons of hopeThe daily fight to shut down the voice that says you're worthlessIf you've ever felt like you can't outrun your past, that you'll never measure up, or that your pain has disqualified you—listen to this.Because Andrew's story is proof:You're not too far gone.You're not too broken.You are not alone.And if all you can manage right now is a whisper, let it be this:“Jesus, i need You.”Because the moment you speak it, He's already on His way.

In this bonus episode, Jill and Ross touch upon two main themes significantly impacting the district: enrollment decline and graduation standards. We discuss how enrollment has dropped over the past half-decade and dive into those numbers. Ross and Jill then use analysis and insight from some of our first episodes in 2019 to touch on the key components of MassCore and why they matter for Boston Public Schools.  Enrollment Losses, A Startling Decline: Since the 2019–2020 school year, BPS has lost over 4,000 students, a 9.4% drop, making it one of the fastest shrinking large school districts in the country. Recent data from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education suggests the trend may be even worse. At the same time, staffing in the district has grown by 12.7%, primarily driven by increases in non-teaching roles like administrators and paraprofessionals. This mismatch, fewer students, more staff, raises major questions about resource alignment and what the City and district are doing to stem the loss of students across BPS.  A New Graduation Standard - MassCore in 2025 On the academic front, BPS is in a moment of transition following Massachusetts' recent vote to remove MCAS as a graduation requirement. With local control now shaping graduation standards, BPS has chosen MassCore, a state-recommended framework aimed at aligning high school coursework with college readiness. Interestingly, this question links closely with a major study from the Boston Globe relating to how our district prepares our brightest students for the future. We are still awaiting data from this year about graduation rates and are keen to analyze how the similar standards for this past graduating class impacted rates. Adopted in 2021, MassCore includes requirements in math, English, history, foreign language, the arts, and more. However, implementation has been uneven: while MassCore completion rates have doubled in Boston, they still trail the state average by 30 percentage points. With no statewide graduation mandate in place, how BPS chooses to implement MassCore will significantly influence whether the district can deliver on its promise to offer our children a quality education.  Looking Ahead! Over the course of the next three weeks, we will be dropping our “Deep Dives” series about MassCore on our feed. These re-releases will build upon our discussion in this episode and expand into some other areas well!  The first school committee meeting of the 2025-2026 school year will be on September 10th at 6pm. We will be watching, listening, and recording! Until then, we hope you enjoy the final days of summer. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are We Adopted or Born Again? LIVE Q&A for August 7, 2025 https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/07312025.mp3 The post Are We Adopted or Born Again? LIVE Q&A for August 7, 2025 appeared first on Enduring Word. https://enduringword.com/are-we-adopted-or-born-again-live-qa-for-august-7-2025/feed/ 0 Are We Adopted or Born Again? LIVE Q&A for August 7, 2025 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkkhWxD0sKg - https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/q-and-a/07312025.mp3 Are We Adopted or Born Again? LIVE Q&A for August 7, 2025 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkkhWxD0sKg

https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/devotional/Devotional08052025.mp3 The post Redeemed and Adopted – Galatians 4:4-5 – August 5, 2025 appeared first on Enduring Word. https://enduringword.com/redeemed-and-adopted-galatians-44-5-august-5-2025/feed/ 0 https://storage.googleapis.com/enduring-word-media/devotional

Pastor David Jay Webber of Bethany Lutheran-Princeton, MN Pr. Webber's Series on Eastern Orthodoxy The post The Lutheran-Orthodox “Common Statement on the Filioque” Adopted by Evangelical Lutheran Church of America – Pr. David Jay Webber, 8/4/25 (2163) first appeared on Issues, Etc..

On “Giants Talk,” hosts Cole Kuiper and Alex Pavlovic break down San Francisco's moves as the 2025 MLB trade deadline comes to a close. Plus, Alex and Laura Britt sit down with Giants president of baseball operations, Buster Posey.--(2:00) - Intro and overview of Giants' trade deadline(4:00) - Alex Pavlovic, Laura Britt sit down with Buster Posey(26:00) - Why Giants adopted "sell" mentality at deadline(33:00) - Breaking down Camilo Doval's trade to New York(41:15) - Breaking down Mike Yastrzemski's trade to Kansas City(54:00) - A look at the NL West, MLB as the trade window closes 

A curious young child who crawled into a claw machine is rescued soon after, thank goodness. AND The story begins, as the best stories do, with love and loss—and a dog’s biological father. To see videos and photos referenced in this episode, visit GodUpdates! https://www.godtube.com/blog/child-crawled-into-a-claw-machine.html https://www.godtube.com/blog/adopted-dogs-biological-father.html Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

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Send us a textEmbracing your identity and heritage ~ Building a positive relationship with your hair type Jessica Parrish founded her brand, Shedid & Parrish, to make curly hair easy and a joy to look after.Jessica is adopted and mixed race, so she gives her unique perspective on identity & why it's so important to who we are. Adopted to white parents in the 1970s at 10 days old, she had some challenges as a child in her environment.There was noone to help her manage & understand her curly big hair. In her later years, she spent time in the U.S, where she found a lot more products for afro/ textured hair, but they were marketed based on skin tones, not hair types, and a lot of the products had toxic chemicals in.She wanted to make things easier and more accessible for those with textured or curly hair with products ingredients that are good for the health of the haior, not just cosmetic.'Connect with Jessica:InstagramTiktokWebsiteWorld Afro DayDocumentary- hair on set Hair & Scalp Salon Specialist course Support the showConnect with Hair therapy: Facebook Instagram Twitter Clubhouse- @Hair.Therapy Donate towards the podcast Start your own podcastHair & Scalp Salon Specialist Course ~ Book now to become an expert!

On this episode of the BobbyCast, Bobby sits down with country music singer/songwriter, Rodney Atkins. Rodney openly discussed his story as a kid and how he found out he was adopted at the age of 5. Plus, he talked about his birth family, why he didn't want to meet his birth father, and him and his birth mom being close today. Bobby and Rodney also discussed NBA star Jimmy Butler requesting to meet him when he was in Chicago. And Rodney told the story of the time he delivered wood to Alan Jackson and how that led to a huge career moment in his journey. Rodney also told Bobby why he refused to change his name, and much more! Follow on Instagram: @TheBobbyCast Follow on TikTok: @TheBobbyCast Watch this Episode on YoutubeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

“You can tell for sure that you are now fully adopted as his own children because God sent the Spirit...

What if the worst thing that ever happened to you started before you could walk, before you even knew it happened? In this episode, Dee shares a chilling lifetime of misfortune, eerie sightings, and shadowy figures that all trace back to one moment: a pair of glowing red eyes in a basement window. Adopted into a family steeped in superstition, Dee's experiences defy logic—even for a psychology major. But after a terrifying near-death experience and a visit to a psychic, a disturbing truth comes to light: this might all be the result of a curse. And it may still be active. If you have a real ghost story or supernatural event to report, please write into our show at http://www.realghoststoriesonline.com/ or call 1-855-853-4802! Want AD-FREE & ADVANCE RELEASE EPISODES? Become a Premium Subscriber Through Apple Podcasts now!!! https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/real-ghost-stories-online/id880791662?mt=2&uo=4&ls=1 Or Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/realghoststories Or Our Website: http://www.ghostpodcast.com/?page_id=118