Podcasts about Afterall

Kelli Scarr is an American singer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist based in New York's Hudson Valley. She is also the founder of Vera Jean Music, a pioneering record label dedicated to championing the talents of women artists over the age of 40.Raised in Northern California, Scarr's musical journey began in church, eventually leading her to Berklee College of Music. Over the years, she has woven her way through an eclectic range of projects, from fronting the bands Moonraker and Salt & Samovar to a significant collaboration writing, recording, and touring with Moby. Her artistry extends into film scoring, and she earned an Emmy nomination for her score to the HBO documentary In A Dream (2008) and has composed music for dozens of films, TV shows, and commercials. Notable projects include the documentaries Advanced Style and Far Western, and the forthcoming After All (2025), for which she composed the score and contributed six original songs.As a solo artist, Scarr has released three albums—Piece (2010), Dangling Teeth (2012), and one of Pam's all-time favorite albums, No Rush (2021)—establishing herself as a singular voice in atmospheric, deeply emotive songwriting. Her fourth album, Greater Mysteries,is out on this Friday, June 13, and marks a new creative chapter which draws on timeless mythic journeys to the underworld, and it is pulsing, potent, and sublime. This album serves as an invitation into the initiatory cycle of transformation—where endings become beginnings, and something new is ready to emerge.Though Kelli's work has spanned format and musical style, all of her projects embrace a sense of experimentation, improvisation, and sacred seeking through song. On this episode, Kelli discusses how the myth of Inanna inspired her new album, the power of song channeling and sonic embodiment, and the transformational way music connects us to the universe.Pam also talks about the divine link between songs and spells, and answers a listener question about using magic to rekindle her creativity.Songs featured in the episode are all from Greater Mysteries by Kelli Scarr:“Knowing is the Call”“Pneuma”“The Yes That Leads”Check out the video of this episode over on YouTube (and please like and subscribe to the channel while you're at it!)Our sponsors for this episode are UBU Skills, Mixed Color, Sister Temperance Tarot, Mineralogy Project, BetterHelp, LOGOS Candles, and Black Phoenix Alchemy LabWe also have print-on-demand merch like Witch Wave shirts, sweatshirts, totes, stickers, and mugs available now here, and all sorts of other bewitching goodies available in the Witch Wave shop.And if you want more Witch Wave, please consider supporting us on Patreon to get access to detailed show notes, bonus Witch Wave Plus episodes, Pam's monthly online rituals, and more! That's patreon.com/witchwave

The sober curious movement, Cork estate agent Robert Harkin on rent freezes , and After All we love the franks.

Démoderniser pour décoloniser : les musées d'art moderne au XXIe siècleCharles Esche, curateur et écrivain vivant à Amsterdam, interroge la façon dont les musées d'art moderne et contemporain sont conditionnés par leur passé moderne et colonial et nous invite à explorer de nouvelles stratégies et propositions curatoriales à travers l'exemple du Van Abbemuseum aux Pays-Bas, qu'il a dirigé pendant 20 ans.Au cours de cette conférence, Charles Esche aborde la façon dont les musées d'art moderne et contemporain sont mis en difficulté par leur passé moderne, dont ils peuvent encore créer des récits qui répondent aux enjeux du moment et à la diversité de leurs usagers. Il s'appuie sur l'exemple du Van Abbemuseum aux Pays-Bas pour explorer des stratégies concrètes qui pointent vers des activités potentiellement pluriverselles et porteuses de sens.Il aborde également la question des processus continus et sans fin de décolonisation à partir d'une position de l'Europe occidentale, ainsi que les limites de ce type d'approches. La conférence se terminera par une brève excursion au-delà du cadre institutionnel de l'art, en explorant les réponses potentielles de l'art et de la pensée artistique face au climat politique réactionnaire actuel.Conservateur et écrivain basé à Amsterdam, Charles Esche est conseiller à la Jan van Eyck Academy et professeur d'art contemporain et de pratique curatoriale à l'University of the Arts de Londres. De janvier à avril 2026, il résidera à la Cité internationale des arts à Paris. Jusqu'en 2024, il a été directeur du Van Abbemuseum (Pays-Bas). Sa dernière publication majeure est Art and Its Worlds, Afterall and Koenig Press, 2021.Il a été commissaire de plusieurs expositions internationales, parmi lesquelles : Soils, Australie et Pays-Bas, 2024; The Meeting That Never Was, Vilnius 2022; Art Turns, Word Turns; Musée MACAN, Jakarta 2017; Biennale de Jakarta 2015; 31ème Biennale de Sao Paulo 2014, RIWAQ Biennale, Palestine, 2007 et 2009; Istanbul Biennale, 2005 et Gwangju Biennale, 2002Amphithéâtre des LogesMardi 3 juin 2025Crédit photo : © 2025 Gluklya Pershina

▷ SUBSCRIBE TO FILTHY FELLAS https://bit.ly/FilthyFellasSubscribe ▷ LIVE SHOW TICKETS: https://www.gotobeat.com/gig/filthy-fellas-ten-year-anniversary-live-show/ ▷ LISTEN ON SPOTIFY: https://bit.ly/FilthyFellasSpotify ▷ LISTEN ON APPLE PODCASTS: https://apple.co/3GIFthj ▷ LISTEN ON AMAZON MUSIC: https://amzn.to/44aouyk THE PREMIER LEAGUE SEASON IS DONE AND DUSTED—SO IT'S ONLY RIGHT WE COME TOGETHER AND BUILD OUR TEAM OF THE SEASON. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY… AGREE. THIS IS A DEMOCRACY, AFTER ALL. KIND OF. THE CONCEPT'S SIMPLE: WE SIT DOWN, DEBATE (ARGUE), AND EVENTUALLY SETTLE ON WHO MADE THE BEST XI FROM THE 2024/25 SEASON. THERE'S NO LIMIT ON HOW MANY PLAYERS CAN COME FROM ONE TEAM. SO IF YOU WANT ELEVEN LIVERPOOL PLAYERS? GO FOR IT. JUST KNOW—YOU'RE TAPPED. AREN'T YOU, LOONS? MOHAMED SALAH'S A GIVEN, RIGHT? AND WHAT ABOUT BRYAN MBEUMO? IS THIS WHERE “SPECIAL DISPENSATION” COMES INTO PLAY? ALL WILL BE REVEALED. KEEP IT FILTHY. ▷ PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/filthyfellas ▷ TIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@filthy_fellas ▷ INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/filthy_fellas ▷ X: https://x.com/Filthy_Fellas ▷ MERCH: https://filthyatfive.com

Thank you for all of your support. Please let us know what you think about our podcast and what topic you may want to hear from us. Leaders, Lead Well!Let's ask the question that's been whispered in boardrooms and sidestepped in leadership circles: Why do so many executives avoid executive coaching?For some, it's the fear of vulnerability—admitting they don't have all the answers. For others, it's the misconception that coaching is only for struggling leaders, not top performers. And let's not forget the pressure to appear confident, competent, and in control. Afterall, you've made it to the corner office, so by default, you're already a master of the leadership craft. There's no need for a coach here.But here's the truth: even the world's greatest leaders—those who have built empires, transformed industries, and shaped the future—know that growth never stops. Coaching isn't about fixing flaws; it's about sharpening strengths. So why does resistance persist?Based on the book, "Accelerating Leadership," co-authored by Eric Hicks, PhD, PCC, and Lance Hazard, PCC, CPCC, we are discussing six specific values that executive coaching brings to leaders enhancing their success and abilities.Join Rich and Maikel as we explore the reasons why, as a leader, executive coaching should be a priority in your career on this episode of Mainline Executive Coaching ACT. Leaders, Lead Well!Thank you to all of our listeners in over 90 countries and now, 1,000 cities worldwide, we greatly appreciate your support! We truly hope that what we bring to our listeners will improve your ability as leaders.Mainline Executive Coaching ACT has been recognized by FeedSpot as one of the top Executive Coaching Podcast in the world based on thousands of podcasts on the web and ranked by traffic, social media, followers & freshness.https://blog.feedspot.com/executive_coaching_podcasts/ John Mattone Global: https://johnmattone.com/ Rich Baron:rbaron@richbaronexecutivecoaching.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/rich-baron/https://www.richbaronexecutivecoaching.com/Maikel Bailey:mbailey@intelligentleadershipec.comhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/maikelbailey/https://maikelbailey.com/

We love native plants and habit-friendly yards at Nature's Archive, and I have a few exciting updates from my yard: spoiler: native plants are working! And stay tuned for a re-air of a classic episode with Leslie Inman from Pollinator Friendly Yards. There are plenty of useful insights for both habitat-friendly yard practices, and community building. Afterall, we need everyone to not only take action, but spread the word.And we have new episodes around the corner, too. It's been incredibly busy these last couple of months, so thanks for your patience as we work to keep all of the proverbial plates spinning!On to the episode...I started Nature's Archive podcast in an effort to understand the stories of people making a difference for the environment. I needed to be inspired, wanted to learn how they did it, and share that inspiration and knowledge with anyone willing to listen.While we haven't strayed too far from those initial aspirations, I do have many more topic-centric episodes than I did at the start.Today's episode is a “back to my roots” episode. My guest is Leslie Inman, the founder of the wildly popular Pollinator Friendly Yards group on Facebook. With 184,000 members, it is perhaps the top spot for people to discuss sustainable personal landscaping. And even if you are not on Facebook, it's pretty likely you've seen her images and infographics. Leslie's story is an amazing example of how a little curiosity can be converted into a hugely impactful movement. Today, we discuss not only how the group formed, but the lessons that she has learned along the way. This includes how to “reach” people who may be skeptical about inviting insects to their yards, how to make it easy to get started, and more.Leslie also has two books - Your Yard is Nature and The Butterfly Egg and the Little Tree.FULL SHOW NOTESLinksPollinator Friendly YardsDave GoulsonDoug Tallamy & Homegrown National Park (TikTok)Doug Tallamy appeared on Nature's Archive Podcast Episode #26Leslie's Books - Your Yard is Nature and The Butterfly Egg and the Little TreeMary Reynolds, We Are The ArkNancy Lawson, The Humane Gardener [Book]Travis Longcore (light pollution ecologist)Wild Ones Support Us On Patreon!Buy our Merch!Music: Spellbound by Brian Holtz MusicLicense (CC BY 4.0): https://filmmusic.io/standard-licenseArtist site: https://brianholtzmusic.com Discover the Jumpstart Nature Podcast - entertaining and immersive, it's the nature fix we all need.Check past Nature's Archive episodes for amazing guests like Doug Tallamy, Elaine Ingham, and Rae Wynn-Grant, covering topics from bird migration to fungi to frogs and bats!

Daily Dose of Hope May 27, 2025 Day 2 of Week 8   Scripture - Matthew 5:13-37   Prayer:  Holy God, We rejoice and give praise for the ways you care for us.  We rejoice and give praise for how you continue to forgive us and give us second and third chances.  Help us seek lives characterized by your holiness.  Help us seek pure hearts.  Lord, in these next few moments of silence, hear our prayers and help us bring together all our scattered thoughts and focus on you...It's in your name we pray, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a Deep Dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we are working on part 2 of Matthew 5, as we continue to discuss the Sermon on the Mount.    Today's portion of Scripture begins with a discussion of salt and light. Jesus tells his followers, “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.” During Jesus' time, salt was extremely important. It was a seasoning, a preservative, a disinfectant, a component of ceremonial offerings, and because of its value, it was even used as a unit of exchange.   So what is Jesus saying here? He is telling his followers that God's people should add some flavor and value to this world. If salt loses its saltiness or flavor, then it's useless. If we lose our ability to change or influence the world, then are we useless? Well, we certainly lose what is at the heart of being a Christ-follower - making a difference for the Kingdom. We are meant to change the world around us for the better in the name of Jesus Christ.   Jesus continues, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.” Salt improves food because it tastes different from what its being placed on. In the same way, light is useful to have because it is different from darkness. Light casts out darkness. Light makes a difference. If light is hidden, it loses what makes it valuable. Likewise, if we fail to be different in a positive way from the culture around us, then we are Christians in name only.   So what does this mean in practical ways?  Well, we are to be change agents, going out and doing all we can to bring God's Kingdom values here, right now. Remember what we say in the Lord's Prayer, “His kingdom come, his will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” The disciples and the early Christian church took these words seriously. The early Christian church lived in a way, lived a lifestyle, that was so distinctly different from the world, that the world could not help but notice it. They lived out the values of the Kingdom. Acts 2:42-47 reads, “They devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to fellowship, the the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” The earliest Christians were completely transformed by the teachings of Jesus Christ and his values. They were salt and they were light, they added true value and made a significant difference.   Here's several questions for us to consider today.  How are we, as modern-day Christians, salt and light for a hurting world?  How are we similar to the early church and how are we different?  What are some concrete steps you can take today to be salt and light in your world?   Then, Matthew chose to include Jesus' teaching on the fulfillment of the law.  He came not to change the law but to fulfill it.  But what does that mean?  Jesus is not talking about the law in the sense of the 613 rules that must be followed by faithful Jews.  If we think about this teaching being in the context of the Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus in giving his followers specific guidelines for what it means to relate to God and others in the Kingdom, then that helps.  Afterall, the law and the prophets have long described relating to God and other people in a loving, just way.  Here, Jesus is saying that he will obey the law, but he really is fulfilling it by fulfilling the whole Biblical story.    Ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, God was on a mission to redeem his creation.  The law couldn't do it because humans couldn't keep it.  We are just too sinful.  The law demonstrated to us just how messy and broken we are.  Jesus was the solution to our brokenness.  Jesus was the solution to humanity's deepest problems.  He was the final sacrifice for sin – he very much fulfilled the law, he fulfilled the whole Biblical story, by providing a solution to our sin and victory over death.  The law wasn't intended to be the end all be all.  Jesus was intended to be the end all be all.   I want to leave a little time to cover what Jesus said about murder and adultery.  Both of these teachings show some unique aspects of life under the Kingdom of God.  They follow a similar pattern.  It was said...but now I tell you this...  Jesus is presenting his followers with a whole new way of looking at the world. He isn't dismissing the Old Testament teaching, he is simply reinterpreting it.   In the case of murder, it was said that you should not commit murder, but Jesus is saying that you shouldn't even be angry with a brother or sister.  Don't call someone names, forgive frequently, and settle disputes quickly.  That is the way of life in God's Kingdom.  If we act differently, then it's not God's Kingdom we are part of.   In the case of adultery, it was said you should not commit adultery, but Jesus is saying that you can't look at another person lustfully if they aren't your spouse.  And then there is this really hard teaching about gouging out an eye if it causes you to sin or lopping off a hand if it causes you to sin.  I'm quite sure this was hyperbole because we don't have too many reports of one-eyed, one-handed believers of Jesus in the first century.    But in all of these things, Jesus is making a point.  What is in your heart matters.  It isn't just outward behavior that matters to God, but the purity of your heart.   So, here are our final questions for us today and they are not easy ones.  What is the state of your heart?  Are you harboring anger, bitterness, or unforgiveness, toward someone?  It is time to spend some time with God and work through that.  Is lust something you struggle with?  It is time to spend some time with God and work through that too.  Our hearts matter, friends.  They matter a lot.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

New BIG SCARY SHOW - Episode 341 - MHC IS COMING!Episode 341It's almost June. The weather is warming up, the humidity is starting to rise, andhaunted house owners are busy hiring and working on their attractions for the Fall.We've officially passed the halfway point to October and there's a lot of work to be done.Let the Big Scary Show Episode 341 keep you entertained and informed as you work onyour builds and make those building inspectors happy. (Remember, safety is sexy) Afterall, it's less than 5 months until the spooky season is upon us. Are you ready to panicyet?Storm is ranting in a Haunt Minute. Meathook Jim is talking to a very special guest inBetween the Corpses, Badger brings you the latest in Deadline News. The Old Cronetalks about making your emergency plans, and Vysther is back with his reflections on 13years of podcasting. Do we have a Gruesome Giveaway for May? Stay tuned to findout. Finally, we're spinning some rockin' tunes to get you in the mood while you sweat itout on your builds.The Roundtable of Terror talks about the Midwest Haunters Convention coming soon toChicago. Of course we had to bring back our old friend Kris Zahrobsky from Transworldto discuss all things MHC. We discuss the pre-show tours, the show floor, the classesand educational tracks, and of course…the costume ball and other after hours events.We also reminisce about MHC's of the past. This is one of the best conventions outthere and a great way to fire up your actors and get them prepared for the upcomingseason. Get registered now or you'll be kicking yourself if you miss it.We hid the body, but you'll become an accomplice just by listening to……..the BIGSCARY SHOW Episode 341. (And please stay hydrated)Featured music:Bloody Jug Band - If You Want BloodThe Gladezmen - Big ‘Ol MonsterRev D-Ray & The Shockers - Zombie CowboysThe Tremors - Demon Boogie Fever#bigscaryshow #roundtableofterror

Title: God's Appointed Evangelist: YOU! Text: Acts 21:37-22:21 FCF: We often struggle feeling adequate enough to share our faith with others. Prop: Because God providentially equips us to share the gospel, we must be excellent at submitting to His prompting to share the clear truth of the gospel. Scripture Intro: [Slide 1] Turn in your bible to Acts chapter 21. In a moment we'll read from the LSB starting in verse 37. You can follow along in the pew bible or whatever version you prefer. Last time in the book of Acts Paul was dragged out of the temple and accused of violating a cultural law which prohibited all gentiles from entering the temple grounds. The crowd attempted to kill him. But he was rescued by the Roman commander who was merely trying to keep the peace. We noted last time that because the gospel is offensive we must be ready to endure slander and persecution for it. But we also must be ready to use such opportunities to share the gospel. Today we will see Paul doing just that. From his example we'll be able to understand what that looks like and how the Lord has providentially helped us to do this. So please stand with me to give honor to and to focus on the reading of the Word of God starting in verse 37 of Acts 21. Invocation: Heavenly Father, because we know that nothing happens outside of your decreed will and that all comes about to accomplish your purposes, we can rest assured that everything we have experienced in this life has been guided and directed by your providence. Therefore, we know that we are where we are because you have arranged it and that You have equipped us to do what You ask us to do. Let us then rest in this hope and strive to do all that You have asked us to. To make disciples and teach them all that You have commanded. Help us to see all this and more from the text this morning we pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Transition: Let's get right to the text this morning. I.) God providentially equips us to share the gospel, so we must look out for opportunities He gives to share the gospel. (21:37-40) a. [Slide 2] 37 - As Paul was about to be brought into the barracks, he said to the commander, “May I say something to you?” And he said, “Do you know Greek? i. As they neared the Barracks, probably ascending the second stair case, Paul wishes to speak to the Jews, desiring to show compassion on them and share the gospel to them. ii. In this process he very politely addresses the Roman commander in Greek. Something that clearly catches the Roman officer off guard, but we are not exactly sure why. iii. The common language used in Judea would have been Aramaic. Hebrew would have been used in religious conversation and instruction, especially among Judean Jews. iv. Judean Jews in general would have avoided Hellenistic entanglements, chief among them being the Greek language. v. That being said, most Jews would have known at least a little Greek and been able to speak well enough to get by. vi. What makes this even more perplexing to us is what the commander says next… b. [Slide 3] 38 - “Then you are not the Egyptian who some time ago raised a revolt and led the four thousand men of the Assassins out into the wilderness?” i. The translation of this question is something that is disputed. ii. We can talk more about it on Thursday. iii. But the guard clearly thinks or has thought up to this point that Paul is an Egyptian Assassin. iv. Again, we can go into the history of this on Thursday, but suffice it to say, something in Paul's speaking Greek has led the guard to ask this question of Paul. v. Paul quickly corrects the commander in the following verse. c. [Slide 4] 39 - But Paul said, “I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia, a citizen of no insignificant city; and I beg you, allow me to speak to the people.” i. Paul lays out his pedigree. He is a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia and a citizen of that city which is by no means a backwater no name city. ii. Tarsus was an important city for trade throughout the empire. It also had a rich history of education. It was also granted “free city” status, meaning it was permitted to govern itself within the Roman Empire. iii. In other words – Paul is definitely NOT the Egyptian assassin. iv. Furthermore, Paul's heritage and citizenship to a prominent city indicated that his social status was actually above even the commander himself. v. It is probably because of this that the commander permitted him to speak to the crowd who up till recently tried to kill him. d. [Slide 5] 40 - And when he had given him permission, Paul, standing on the stairs, motioned to the people with his hand; and when there was a great hush, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language, saying, i. The Commander no doubt standing next to him in approval helps to hush the crowd. ii. Then Paul begins to speak to them in the Hebrew language. Although there is a possibility that this means ancient Hebrew which we know was still known and spoken at that time, we also know that it was spoken mostly in religious situations and probably was not the common man's language. Indeed, Jews from Asia would probably not even know Hebrew. So most likely Luke means that Paul spoke Aramaic. e. [Slide 6] Summary of the Point: Today we see Paul taking the opportunity he is given to defend the gospel. But what gave him that opportunity? Paul's unique background, providentially ordered by the Lord, gives him the opportunity to defend the gospel. Paul having the pedigree he had, where he even had a higher social standing than the Roman commander arresting him, equipped him to be allowed to share the gospel that day. And the same is true for us. God has uniquely equipped each of us to share the gospel to people who other believers will never have opportunity. To the extent that where others may be silenced or killed, we will be permitted to at least provide a defense. Therefore, we must be like Paul and have the boldness and determination to speak up when we have an opportunity. Paul could have gone into the barracks and been safely secured against their attack, Instead, he used his social standing to gain an audience and defend the gospel. We should look for similar opportunities to share the gospel that are provided to us through our backgrounds which God arranged. Transition: [Slide 7(blank)] But what is Paul going to say? The crowd isn't exactly friendly. What is his responsibility in conveying the gospel to such a hostile group? Can he just be like Jonah and warn them that in 40 days they'll be destroyed? II.) God providentially equips us to share the gospel, so we must clarify misconceptions about the gospel. (22:1-16) a. [Slide 8] 1 - “Men, brothers, and fathers, hear my defense which I now offer to you.” i. Paul begins his defense with a similar address that Stephen gave to the Sanhedrin when he was brought before them. ii. Of course, Stephen was accused of speaking against the law of Moses and against the temple too. iii. And Jesus before them was accused of blasphemy and speaking against the temple. iv. What is clear is that the Jews had created a trinity of their own. They worshipped God, the law, and the temple. All of which were intricately connected. v. And bound up into that trinity is their national pride of being the chosen people of God. To attack one of the three is to attack all and to attack their Jewish identity as a whole. vi. It is no accident that the charges brought against everyone the Jews wanted dead were the same. This is the way they can make sure that they can stir up every Jew against the one they want gone. vii. Paul begins his defense which is not only a testimony of his salvation and commission to ministry – but also a rich defense of his own Jewish heritage and standing. b. [Slide 9] 2 - And when they heard that he was addressing them in the Hebrew language, they became even quieter; and he said, i. Right off the bat, the people understand that this is not a Hellenized Jew – at least not entirely. ii. To speak Aramaic, and to do so well enough to make a defense before a hostile crowd, means that he is not rejecting Jewish heritage or culture. iii. The crowd responds with affording him their attention. c. [Slide 10] 3 - “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but having been brought up in this city, having been instructed at the feet of Gamaliel according to the strictness of the law of our fathers, being zealous for God just as you all are today, i. Notice that Paul doesn't deny his birth city, but quickly moves past it to recount his early life. ii. From a boy, Paul was brought up in the city of Jerusalem. iii. While in the city, Paul was instructed according to the strictness of the Mosaic law by none other than Gamaliel. iv. The last time we heard that name was at Peter and John's trial before the Sanhedrin. v. Gamaliel's advice was to leave the apostles alone and see what happens of the Nazarene sect. If they are not of God, then they will dissolve to nothing. If they are of God, then the council would be caught fighting against God's will. vi. Pretty sound advice. Advice that they did not heed. vii. Still, from historical records, we know that Gamaliel was a Rabbi and head of a Rabbinical school in Jerusalem and even though they did not listen to his advice on that occasion, we know he was well respected in the Jewish community of that time. viii. Paul indicating that he was zealous for God just as the Jews were on this very day, is indicating that Paul does not see his persecutors as enemies. He too is zealous for God. And has been since being instructed in the ways of the Pharisees. ix. How devoted was he for God? d. [Slide 11] 4 - I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering both men and women into prisons, 5 - as also the high priest and all the Council of the elders can testify. From them I also received letters to the brothers, and started off for Damascus in order to bring even those who were there to Jerusalem as prisoners to be punished. i. He was so zealous for God that he persecuted the Nazarene sect called “The Way” to death. ii. Perhaps at this time some rumor or lie was being spread around indicating that Paul never really did this. But Paul appeals to the testimony of the high priest and all the council of Elders. iii. They can give you their testimony that this is the case. iv. They can also tell you how they gave him letters to Damascus to bring those following The Way back to Jerusalem to be imprisoned and punished. v. Paul was once the exact same as they are today. To the extent that he did to others what they have done to him. vi. Paul doesn't see them as his enemy. Because he was just like them at one time. vii. So this begs the questions… what happened to make him different today? And how different has he become? e. [Slide 12] 6 - But it happened that as I was on my way, approaching Damascus about noontime, a very bright light suddenly flashed from heaven all around me, i. Visions from God have been and continue to be recognized as important ways that God communicates corrective truth to people in the middle east. ii. As Eric Lundquist was saying last week, Iranian Christians converting from Islam frequently speak of visions they have received from God imploring them to seek Christ. iii. Some of the greatest prophets of Israel's and even Islam's history have or have claimed to see visions from God to reveal truth. iv. If someone today said something similar to Paul, we would be right to test them thoroughly for signs of God working in their life beyond simply a vision. And Paul will provide that too. v. But the Jews would not be skeptical of this sign merely because it was a vision from heaven. f. [Slide 13] 7 - and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?' 8 - And I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?' And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.' i. Voices from heaven are rare in the Old Testament. But when someone hears from heaven it is never anyone but God Himself who speaks. ii. This is probably why Paul assumed that this was the Lord speaking. iii. This is similar to the time when Moses asks what he should call God when he goes back to the Israelite captives to inform them that God was going to rescue them. Which God? iv. God says, tell them “I AM” has sent you. Yahweh. The proper name of God. v. By Paul asking Who are you, Lord – he is looking for confirmation that the God with whom He speaks is Yahweh Himself. vi. How shocking then… Is the answer? vii. I am Jesus the Nazarene whom you are persecuting. viii. In heaven, with God, is this one Jesus the Nazarene. ix. Without actually saying the words, Paul testifies clearly here that Jesus and Yahweh are one. They are One God in three distinct persons. x. The God who addressed Moses from the burning bush is the same God who addressed Paul on that road. xi. But to make such a claim that Jesus spoke to him from heaven, it would be necessary to have witnesses, wouldn't it? Especially since the name given was not Yahweh. xii. Who else was there to hear or see what happened? g. [Slide 14] 9 - And those who were with me beheld the light, to be sure, but did not understand the voice of the One who was speaking to me. i. The guards who went with Paul that day, did see the light. ii. And here we have our first discrepancy regarding the story of Paul's conversion. iii. In Acts chapter 9 it says that these guards did hear the voice, but here Paul says that they did not understand the voice. Now before you start pointing out to me that hearing and understanding aren't the same things… iv. The Greek word IS the same. The LSB, for some reason, translates it here as understanding instead of hearing. What a crummy translation… well, hang on. Let's investigate. v. So how do we deal with Luke recording that the men heard the voice but didn't see the person speaking, and Paul saying that they did not hear the voice? This seems to be quite the contradiction. vi. There is an easy explanation that we can actually demonstrate using a similar word in English. 1. If I, in the midst of giving a command to my daughter, ask her if she is listening, and she says yes… in one sense we can see that she did listen to me. But if that story goes forward and we find out that she did not obey the command I gave, we could say that she did not listen. 2. Well how could she have listened and not listened at the same time? It is a matter of different definitions of the same word. Correct? 3. Listening can mean hearing and it can also mean obeying. vii. In a similar way, the semantic range of the word ἀκούω includes not only hearing the noise of something but also comprehending it. viii. So, in Luke's earlier account It is clear that he records that the soldiers heard the voice. ix. By Paul saying that they did not hear, we must take the second definition of the word which means to listen or to understand. x. Thus the LSB records for us the appropriate meaning. That the guards with him did hear the voice but were not able to comprehend what was said to Paul. xi. In short, he had witnesses to this event. And even though they did not understand the voice which spoke, they did hear it and they certainly heard and understood Paul's responses. h. [Slide 15] 10 - And I said, ‘What should I do, Lord?' And the Lord said to me, ‘Rise up and go on into Damascus, and there you will be told of all that has been determined for you to do.' 11 - But since I could not see because of the glory of that light, being led by the hand by those who were with me, I came into Damascus. i. Jesus the Nazarene instructs Paul to go to Damascus and wait for someone to come to him to tell him what to do. ii. The miracle of this would not be lost on anyone, since Damascus was a large city and all those of The Way would have feared Paul to the point of avoiding him. Who is going to come and talk to Paul in this state? iii. Paul continues the story of how he was blinded by this light and had to be led to Damascus. Once again this is something the guards could have borne witness to. i. [Slide 16] 12 - Now a certain Ananias, a man who was devout by the standard of the Law, and well-spoken of by all the Jews who lived there, 13 - came to me, and standing near, said to me, ‘Brother Saul, regain your sight!' And at that very hour I regained my sight and saw him. i. Notice what Paul is doing with his testimony of conversion. ii. He is highlighting the important, Jewish, law abiding, zealous people who helped to shape and form him. iii. Now he moves to a man named Ananias, who is well known to be a devout law-abiding Jew, known by Jews who lived in Damascus. iv. But Ananias was CLEARLY of The Way. v. What is Paul saying? vi. They are not mutually exclusive. You can be zealous for the law of Moses and still be a follower of Christ. vii. That is not to say that they are the same thing or that the law is equal in importance to Christ. But it is to say that there is no conflict between abiding by the law of Moses and following Christ. viii. One must simply hold them in their appropriate places of importance. ix. Ananias commands Paul to regain his sight and at that moment his sight returned. j. [Slide 17] 14 - And he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His will and to see the Righteous One and to hear a voice from His mouth. 15 - ‘For you will be a witness for Him to all men of what you have seen and heard. 16 - Now why do you delay? Rise up and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on His name.' i. Notice what Ananias says. The God of our fathers – Yahweh of course, has appointed, chosen, elected you to know His will and to see the Righteous One (Jesus the Nazarene) and to hear a voice from His mouth. ii. The Righteous One title is interesting because it is a title given to Yahweh's servant who is called Righteous and will justify many by bearing their iniquities. iii. The title “The Righteous One” implies sinless perfection having no blemish or spot in moral uprightness. Truly no person could claim such a thing. And so this human must be more than merely human. iv. Paul is commissioned to go to all men and bear witness of what he has seen and heard. v. At that moment Ananias commands him to rise up and be baptized and wash your sins away calling on His name. vi. Although many camps within Christendom would see the teaching of water baptism in view here whereby we are actually, as they would say, washed from our sin – it is clear that Ananias means not a literal physical washing only, but an inward, Spirit baptism. To be baptized by the Spirit is to be converted, to be justified, to be indwelled by the Spirit. vii. Baptism of the Spirit refers to the moment when a person who has been made alive with Christ repents and receives Him as Lord and Savior. viii. Notice that Ananias says to be baptized, wash your sins away, while calling on His name. ix. Thus, Paul is converted in this moment. x. And notice what the good Jew says to Paul… Get up, be baptized, be washed of your sins by calling on His name. xi. Whose name? xii. Is it the God of our Fathers or is it the Righteous One? xiii. Yes. Calling on Jesus' name IS calling on Yahweh's name. k. Summary of the Point: Notice still God's providential hand on Paul's testimony of salvation. The charges against Paul are primarily his rejection of the law, the Jewish people and their customs, and the temple itself. But he was zealous for the law, even opposing The Way, but was rebuked by a Jewish Messiah who spoke from heaven, a place higher than the temple, and led to faith in this Jesus by a well-respected Jew in Damascus. You can't get much more Jewish than that story! God providentially provided all of this to Paul in his conversion testimony, so that he could systematically cast down and defend the gospel he preached against all the accusations of being anti-Jew, anti-law, and anti-temple. We too must cast down arguments and defend the gospel against false caricatures of its teachings. We must do apologetics to prove that such things are lies. And God providentially provides each of our testimonies of faith as arguments against those false views. Transition: [Slide 19 (blank)] Paul has successfully defended the gospel. But what about the other component here? What about the Gentiles. Why is Paul mixed up with them? III.) God providentially equips us to share the gospel, but we must trust His leading not our own wisdom. (22:17-21) a. [Slide 20] 17 - Now it happened when I returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, that I fell into a trance, 18 - and I saw Him saying to me, ‘Hurry and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your witness about Me.' i. Although Luke does record Paul going back to Jerusalem in Acts 9, we are not told about this event. Luke there is focusing on Paul's relationship to other believers. That isn't what's happening here. What does he say? ii. While I was in the temple praying. iii. Well how much more devout could a Jew be to be praying in the temple? iv. And during a visit to the temple is when he sees another vision in a trance. v. In this vision, the Lord Jesus again speaks to him commanding him to get out of Jerusalem because “they” will not accept your witness about Me. vi. Who is they? vii. Paul's response to the Lord at that time makes it clear. b. [Slide 21] 19 - And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves understand that in one synagogue after another I used to imprison and beat those who believed in You. 20 - And when the blood of Your witness Stephen was being shed, I also was standing by approving, and guarding the garments of those who were slaying him.' i. The “they” is the non-believing Jews. ii. Paul's rebuttal to the Lord Jesus is that he seems like the perfect candidate to send to the Jews. iii. Afterall, there are few in Jerusalem who do not know who he is. They know how he used to fight against the people of The Way and even stood in approval over the stoning of Stephen. iv. He has a powerful testimony toward these people. They SHOULD believe him. v. Why? vi. Because he used to be one of them. vii. But Jesus points out that often it is the opposite. viii. The Jews, as we have seen throughout the book of Acts, have either believed Paul's gospel message – or they have sought to kill him. And there really isn't any middle ground. ix. Jesus at this time commands him to leave. c. [Slide 22] 21 - And He said to me, ‘Go! For I will send you far away to the Gentiles.'” i. You aren't the perfect person to go to the Jews. They are going to reject you and your message. ii. Instead I am sending you far away to the Gentiles. iii. First, to those in Tarsus… your home. iv. Then to those in Antioch of Syria. Then to Asia. Then to Greece. v. And soon to Rome and even Spain. vi. Paul would go to the Gentiles. vii. What a marvelous mission. viii. If only the Jews were not full of bigotry and hatred at this time… but more on that next week. d. [Slide 23] Summary of the Point: Here we see an interesting point that counterbalances all we have seen thus far. God providentially put Paul in a great position to share the gospel on this particular occasion. But keen observers would have noticed that all of his background was true before he left Jerusalem to go and preach the gospel to the Gentiles. So, we, and perhaps even his audience, would be wondering why Paul ever left if his background makes him an ideal candidate to share the gospel. Paul reveals in his testimony that he also wondered the same thing. From his perspective, he would be the ideal candidate to preach the gospel to the Jews. Nevertheless, God had other plans for him. Jesus commanded him to go. Why? Because the Jews would reject him and the gospel and because God had ordained him to take the gospel to the Gentiles. We too must be careful that we don't trust our own wisdom in analyzing who we are best equipped to take the gospel to. Instead, we must be sensitive to the Lord's leading in when and to whom we share our faith. Conclusion: So CBC, what have we learned and how shall we live? What are some basic teachings of belief and practice from this text? Basics of Belief and Practice: [Slide 24] The primary point of belief we should gain from this text is that God Himself providentially equips us to bear witness to the truth of the gospel. From this doctrinal point, revolving around God's role to sovereignly guide our backgrounds so we are the right tool for the job… we have several applications for us. First, is to seek and take opportunities to share the gospel. Second, we must clarify any known misrepresentations of the gospel as we give a defense for the hope we have in us. Thirdly, and serving as a counterweight to this, although God does providentially equip us to share the gospel, we must be careful that we don't make assumptions from our background of to whom we might be called to bear witness to the truth. But let me see if we can expand these truths out a little by first heading back to the text and then out from it to our lives. 1.) [Slide 25] Mind Transformation: “What truth must we believe from this text?” or “What might we not naturally believe that we must believe because of what this text has said?” We must affirm that God providentially equips us to share the gospel with unbelievers. a. We see this in Paul's life as everything he is doing is completely in keeping with the scope of Judaism, the law, the Jewish nation, and the temple itself. b. Paul has been uniquely equipped to take the gospel to the Gentiles while continuing to cherish and observe the teachings of Judaism. c. Paul is not only the right man to preach the gospel to the Gentiles he is also the right man to stand before the Jews at this very moment and confront them with the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ. d. And of course, he is only allowed to do this because God providentially gave him a social standing that supersedes the Roman commander who was trying to arrest him. e. You and I also have been providentially, from the beginning of our lives to this very moment, supplied with a unique background which equips us with all sorts of experiences, values, morals, virtues, and passions. And each of these are given both negatively and positively. f. Modern psychology attempts to tell us that our backgrounds shape us and mold us for the worse. We are a product of our environment and our upbringing. But this isn't the way Paul saw it. g. And this isn't the way the scriptures frame God's sovereign control of all things. h. All our background, positive and negative, serves to shape and form and mold us to be uniquely equipped to serve the Lord and His Kingdom and His righteousness. i. Paul even uses his shameful persecution of Christians as a point in his gospel presentation to prove that the gospel is NOT anti-Jew. j. Everything we have experienced and gone through, everything that has shaped us, was not done by some blind force or shapeless entity we call “the universe”. k. Instead – EVERYTHING that has happened to us has been guided and superintended by a Good and Loving God who prepares us to serve Him as Soldiers of the Cross of Christ. l. You may not use every experience in every situation where God has called you to share the gospel – but make no mistake, God has prepared you to bring the truth of the gospel to bear upon the souls of those who do not believe. m. Not everyone needs a scholarly presentation of the gospel. Not everyone needs a story presentation of the gospel. Not everyone needs a hyper logical presentation of the gospel. But everyone needs the Word of God shown to them in ways that your unique background can help to explain. n. There is no Christian that God has providentially prepared to sit in the pews. There is no Christian that God has providentially prepared to keep quiet while the others talk. o. You have a mission field that few if any will ever be able to reach. p. So, what do we do with this truth? 2.) [Slide 26] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must jump on opportunities God gives to share the gospel. a. Paul could have stayed quiet. b. In fact, many counselors may have advised him at this time to quit while he was ahead. c. It seemed like the Roman commander was going to deliver him safely from the mob. d. Instead, he uses his social influence to convince the commander to allow him to address the crowds who were just moments ago trying to kill him. e. We too must seek and boldly capitalize on evangelism opportunities that come our way. f. Unfortunately many of us choose to hide in the shadows hoping someone else will speak up concerning the gospel message. g. We are tortured by fears of inadequacy and rejection. h. Paul's example, at least this week helps us. Of course they did reject Paul – we'll get to that next week. i. Ultimately this shows us that our fear of inadequacy is unfounded and our fear of rejection must be rebuked. j. Inadequacy cuts directly against the point we just looked at, where God uniquely equips us to share the gospel with others whom we come into contact with. k. And Rejection is actually something we are guaranteed we will experience. Fearing rejection for preaching the gospel is like fearing getting dirty if you clean out the pig pen. If fear of getting dirty stops you from cleaning out the pig pen, then you don't understand what it means to own a pig. In the same way if fear of rejection stops you from preaching the gospel, you may not even understand the gospel in the first place. l. Let me try to help you out to know whether or not God is calling you to step up and share the gospel with someone… m. If you are a Christian in the room when people misconstrue the gospel or ask questions concerning its teachings… guess what… You can just take that as God's call for you to speak. You don't have to wait for a sign. You don't have to pray about it to make sure it is God's will. n. You can just go for it. Speak from the heart, speak about what God did for you, and make sure that you speak with words the scriptures use. Stay away from trite phrases not found in the bible. Like… i. Ask Jesus into your heart. ii. Say yes to Jesus iii. Accept Jesus into your life iv. Pray this prayer v. Make him the Lord of your life vi. Etc. o. Also… stay away from non-universal experiences that are not common to every single person who comes to Christ in the bible. Like… i. I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders… ii. I felt warm all over as if I was being hugged by God iii. I wept uncontrollably iv. I started convulsing on the ground because I realized how sinful I was v. I heard an audible voice from God calling me to believe. vi. I saw Jesus holding out his arms to me. vii. Etc p. Instead, focus on what the bible actually says – stick to the words it uses as closely as you can while still being clear… i. All men are wicked and have evil hearts which cannot be cured. All men are dead in their trespasses and sins and are enslaved to their passions and their lusts. All men love their evil deeds. All men do not seek God. ii. Jesus died for sinners. Jesus became sin so that we might become the righteousness of God. Jesus was the substitute which absorbed sin's penalty for sinners and gave them a right standing before God. Jesus is the new representative for all who place their complete trust in Him. iii. Jesus was raised the third day and has ascended to the Father's side where He now continues to be with and help all those who are His people. And all who are in Him will also be raised and live with Him forever. iv. Repent- turn from your sin and believe and depend on this gospel. q. In short – we must understand that since God has prepared us for this very purpose, if we are lazy or afraid, we are falling short of God's calling on our lives. We are failing at one of the very reasons we are still on earth. r. We aren't here to work a job, support our family, or enjoy retirement. These are inherently part of being what God wants us to be – but it isn't why we are here. s. We are here to make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Triune God and teaching them to observe all the things He has commanded. 3.) [Slide 27] Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” We must clarify and defend the truth of the gospel. a. Paul, by his own testimony, proves without a doubt that everything about his conversion and his mission is NOT anti-jew. b. So we too must be apologists, seeking to defend the gospel against misconceptions and false summarizations of its teachings. c. Although the details are different, generally speaking all Christians are saved the exact same way. d. Romans 8 clues us in to some of that process and the 5 Solas of the reformation help to expound what the bible teaches on that process. e. Since this is the case, each of our testimonies serve as an anecdotal proof that all the misconceptions about the gospel fail when it is compared to the universal shared experience of all who are truly believers. f. We can go to the scriptures to show exactly what God did for us and how He accomplished it. g. We may not have understood it when we were saved – but we certainly understand it now or at least, we should. h. In this we can counter all the accusations of being brainwashed, deceived, or otherwise conned by this religious teaching. i. With the bible we can also address misconceptions about the gospel where people assume it is a works based salvation that is similar to other faiths, or an unnecessarily narrow religion of intolerance. j. In short, it is incumbent upon us as those who bear witness to the gospel of Christ, to clarify and defend the truth of the gospel. For if the gospel is tainted by untruth it stops becoming the gospel and is therefore unable to save anyone. k. But If we are to clarify and defend the truth of the gospel, we must be diligent in our study and understanding of it. We cannot be satisfied with a rudimentary understanding of nature of the gospel. For even though it is simple enough for children to believe, it is infinite enough that scholars still admit there are things we can't quite explain about God and what He has done for us. l. Just because it is simple enough for a child to believe, doesn't mean you should preach it with the understanding of a child. m. No Christian has an excuse. We must be theologians and understand as much as we can about this gospel we preach. 4.) [Slide 28] De-Exhortation: “What actions should we stop doing” or “What behaviors do we naturally practice that this passage tells us to stop doing?” We must stop assuming our background limits or reveals God's will for our mission field. a. Paul thought he was uniquely equipped to share the gospel with the Jews. b. And that is true in Acts 22. c. But this was only after God sent him to the gentiles. d. Because this is where God wanted him to go and because generally the Jews would see him as a traitor and not as an example to follow. e. Sometimes we can be abundantly convinced that we are best equipped to share the gospel to certain mission fields. Or that we are ill equipped to take the gospel to others. f. But this may be a terrible assumption which is counter to God's will. g. Former Mormons or Jehovah's witnesses can make excellent evangelists to some – but they can also be perceived as traitors and apostates and dismissed without even allowing them to speak. h. Former drug addicts could be effective at sharing the gospel to those still addicted – or they may be seen as a Christ figure, someone to be followed instead of Jesus Himself. i. In every case, as we consider where God would have us minister, our background can help to inform us where we might be best used, but ultimately, we must listen for the Lord's leading. 5.) Exhortation: “What actions should we take?” or “What is this passage specifically commanding us to do that we don't naturally do or aren't currently doing?” Why do you delay? Rise up, be baptized in the Spirit! Wash away your sins by calling on Jesus' name! a. Perhaps you are here today and the testimony of Paul and the songs about God's salvation and all that Jesus has done, have stirred your heart. b. Perhaps you have realized that you are a sinner in danger of the Lord's judgement and wrath? c. Perhaps you like Paul have opposed Christ at every turn. d. What are you waiting for? e. Call on the name of Jesus and wash yourself clean in His sacrifice for you. Follow Him and be His. Let me close with a prayer by the Scottish Reformed theologian Robert Rollock Lord, when we stand up to speak of the resurrection of Christ to others, give us grace so that we may be persuaded of it in our own hearts. May we find his gracious Spirit working in us, and as we speak of heaven and these joys to others, may we also find that joy in our own hearts. So that after this life is ended, we may reign with him in glory forever with Christ! To whom, with the Father, and the Holy Spirit, be all honor, praise, and glory forevermore. Amen. Benediction: And now let all people in Zion declare his gracious name, With one accord, So that all nations will fear the name of the Lord, That a people yet to be created may praise the LORD. Until we meet again, go in peace.

Daily Dose of Hope May 22, 2025 Day 4 of Week 8   Scripture – Matthew 4:1-11   Prayer:  Holy and Almighty Father, We come to you today with humble hearts.  We know we are broken and need you.  We are weak.  We are vulnerable to temptation.  Lord, fill us with your strength.  Give us your stamina and wisdom.  We can't do this life without you, Lord.  It's in the powerful name of Jesus we pray, Amen.   Welcome back, everyone, to the daily devotional that complements New Hope Church's Bible reading plan.  This is the Daily Dose of Hope, a Deep Dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we begin Matthew 4.   In the first portion of this chapter, Jesus is led into the wilderness by the Spirit to be tempted by Satan.  The Judean wilderness doesn't look like a forest, by any means.  Rather, it is dry, rocky, and hot.  It is more like a desert with rocks.  Let's start by envisioning that.    The first big question is why did the Spirit lead Jesus into the wilderness knowing what would happen?  We can assume that this is part of getting Jesus ready for his public ministry.  Jesus has the credentials and the authority, but now he gets to have the experience of coming face to face with evil.  Consider this: He has just been baptized and the Spirit is with him.  Afterall, the Spirit didn't leave him in the desert.  But he then allows himself to be made weak with lack of food.  Remember, Jesus was God but he was also human.  He allows himself to be made physically weak for this purpose – to demonstrate that he could still resist temptation.   Now, he is ready to face his main adversary.  And as you read this, notice that the devil is never in control of the situation.  Jesus is.  He may be weak, tired and hungry, but he is totally in control.  Jesus is strong and ready for each and every temptation.  In this scene, Jesus gives us a powerful picture of how to go into a spiritual battle, leaning totally and completely on the Word of God.    What were the temptations?  There is the temptation to make stones into bread (remember, he was fasting), the temptation to hurl himself down from the top of the Temple and have God rescue him, and the temptation to have political leadership over all the Kingdoms of the world.  Satan's temptations get immediately to the core question of Jesus' identity, calling into question his relationship with God by beginning with, “If you are the Son of God….” This relationship, announced earlier at his baptism, is now confirmed through Jesus' unwavering trust in God.   These temptations in the wilderness are not one-time experiences, they are tests that are preparing Jesus for his earthly ministry.  Jesus is going to be confronted with all kinds of evil.  He will cast out demons.  He will battle Satan on many fronts.  He will face all kinds of physical and emotional pain.  Think about the cross.  This is good news for us.  Jesus has, after all, already gone before us into the most forsaken places in the wilderness.  Jesus has been tempted and won the victory over temptation and Satan.  We can too, with his help.  But he isn't asking us to go anywhere he hasn't already been.   Spiritual warfare is real. At least a quarter of Jesus' ministry dealt specifically with the conflict between the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of darkness.  Jesus was God with flesh on and he came to crush Satan under his feet.  On the cross, Jesus has won the victory and the ultimate divine victory is not in doubt.  But the spiritual forces of evil have not totally conceded.  We live in this in between time.  Victory in Jesus Christ is ours.  In the spiritual sense, we possess everything necessary as Kingdom people, we are children of God, redeemed, reconciled, and make right in Christ.  That being said, in this in between time, there will still be spiritual warfare, there are still difficult battles to be fought, there will still be destruction, and there will be casualties.  The apostle John wrote in I John 5:19, “We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.”   And so the church stands its ground and uses everything God has equipped her with to resist evil.  In today's passage, Jesus gives us a great example of how to do this.    When it comes to spiritual warfare, here are some things to consider:   -God has an enemy who is committed to working against his people and his work in this world.    -This isn't really our battle.  It is God's battle.  We are simply joining him in this mission of fighting back darkness.  And we have nothing to fear in the midst of it, as long as we stay close to Jesus.  It's when we start wondering off on our own that we may have problems.  So, submit yourself to God.  The enemy wants to keep you from growing in your walk with Jesus.  Give yourself over to God; stay focused on him.    -As believers, we aren't to go on the offensive but rather to be prepared for a defensive battle.  Stand firm in doing good and obeying God's will.  Stay faithful.  When you do that, you are pushing back darkness. Don't be surprised if the enemy tries to trip you up and make you ineffective.  Keep proclaiming Jesus but expect opposition.  Anytime we do something significant for the Kingdom, expect opposition.    -God will give us the equipment and strength we need to stay strong.  God provides us with everything we need, the Bible, the armor, the protection, and the prayer connection.   -Be careful not to open yourself up to things that are not of God.  There are some things that we think are kind of harmless, like psychics, tarot cards, Ouija boards, crystals, a lot of the new age stuff.  While some of it might have no power, some of it does.  I've known of people who had really powerful and scary experiences with some of this.  At times, it can be really accurate.  Please know that power doesn't come from God.  As Christians, we should not be exposing ourselves to anything that is remotely evil; it isn't something to play around with.  It's serious.    I truly think Satan's attacks are getting more intense at the same time that many western Christians are not taking spiritual warfare seriously at all.  Satan rejoices in self-centered Christianity.  Satan loves the fact that so many of our churches could care less about leading people to Jesus.  But we are at war – we are at war for the souls of our children, our grandchildren, and our greatgrandchildren.  If the Kingdom of Darkness makes the church ineffective, then they are winning the battle.  And the casualties are really huge.    Blessings, Pastor Vicki

It isn't every day that you get a new Pope, and it has NEVER been the day you get an American one--until now! We take a break from our regularly scheduled series to talk about our new Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, not only our first impressions of his Papacy, but also pointing out that, by paying special attention to the Holy Father's fresh words, we ended up talking about religion and technology AFTER ALL!Iowa Catholic Radio Network Shows: - Be Not Afraid with Fr. PJ McManus - Catholic Women Now with Chris Magruder and Julie Nelson - Making It Personal with Bishop William Joensen - Man Up! with Joe Stopulus - The Catholic Morning Show with Dr. Bo Bonner - The Daily Gospel Reflection with Fr. Nick Smith - The Uncommon Good with Bo Bonner and Dr. Bud Marr - Faith and Family Finance with Gregory Waddle Want to support your favorite show? Click Here

Welcome to ohmTown. The Non Sequitur News Show is held live via Twitch and Youtube every day. We, Mayor Watt and the AI that runs ohmTown, cover a selection of aggregated news articles and discuss them briefly with a perspective merging Science, Technology, and Society. You can visit https://www.youtube.com/ohmtown for the complete history since 2022.Articles Discussed:Epic resubmission a Fortnite Agohttps://www.ohmtown.com/groups/smacktalk/f/d/epic-resubmits-fortnite-to-the-app-store-for-review-as-its-initial-request-seemingly-ignored/Disneyland's 70thhttps://www.ohmtown.com/groups/wanted/f/d/disneylands-70th-anniversary-is-celebrating-an-icon-you-might-never-have-heard-of/Heart Container in San Franciscohttps://www.ohmtown.com/groups/wanted/f/d/i-left-my-heart-container-in-nintendos-san-francisco-store/Hey, Maybe I can be an attorney Afterall!https://www.ohmtown.com/groups/late-nite-geeks/f/d/anthropics-lawyer-was-forced-to-apologize-after-claude-hallucinated-a-legal-citation/Live Event's Biggest Industry Problem.https://www.ohmtown.com/groups/hatchideas/f/d/how-this-tech-startup-is-fixing-the-1-14-trillion-live-event-industrys-biggest-problem/What a Saab Story.https://www.ohmtown.com/groups/four-wheel-tech/f/d/genius-arrested-after-attempting-to-flat-tow-a-saab-backwards/Money Buys Ethics and Morals.https://www.ohmtown.com/groups/stockmarketeers/f/d/coinbase-says-cyberattack-cost-up-to-400-million-after-bribed-overseas-employees-stole-customer-data/Carplay Ultra on Aston Martin, Sorry Poors.https://www.ohmtown.com/groups/late-nite-geeks/f/d/apple-finally-launches-next-gen-carplay-ultra-software-starting-with-aston-martin/Always Tired, Might be a Mini Stroke.https://www.ohmtown.com/groups/technologytoday/f/d/always-tired-a-mini-stroke-you-didnt-notice-could-be-why/Robotaxi's from Waymo Recalled.

Daily Dose of Hope May 13, 2025 Day 2 of Week 7   Scripture - Mark 15:21-32   Prayer:  Dear Holy God, Your love is amazing.  Thank you for the way you care for us.  In these next few moments of silence, Lord, help us focus on you...Lord Jesus, help us set aside every distraction and take this time to lean on you.  We want to hear your voice.  Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a Deep Dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Happy Tuesday!  Today's Scripture is powerful and we have probably all read it or heard it before.  I hope you were able to slow down and really take time to read it with fresh eyes.  The miracle of Scripture is that we can read it again and again and God can reveal something new to us.   In today's portion of Mark 15, we read about the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ. It was a horrific death.  He was beaten and mocked by the soldiers, betrayed by his own people, and nailed to a cross to die.  I won't go into the gory details of crucifixion, as you have probably heard them before, but it was a terribly painful and humiliating way to die.   There is one piece of today's text that we often gloss over, but it certainly is significant.  It's about Simon of Cyrene.  Simon was just passing by when he is stopped and forced him to carry Jesus' cross.  Cyrene was on the tip of Africa so this man was far from home.  And here he was, going about his business, and he is enlisted, or more like seized, to carry the cross of the Savior of the world.  I'm guessing that Jesus' physical body was incredibly weak and bloody by this point.  Simon walked by him, carrying the cross that would serve to execute Jesus but also save all humanity from their sin.    We don't know what happened to Simon after the crucifixion.  He isn't mentioned again in Scripture. But my guess is that his life was never the same again.  Afterall, he had an encounter with Jesus. They may have exchanged a few words.  Maybe they glanced at each other.  I believe that Jesus could say a lot with his eyes and facial expressions.  But my guess is that things changed for Simon from that point forward.  After all, he met Jesus.   An encounter with Jesus is always life-changing.  Think about your own life.  How has encountering Jesus affected your world?  Try to think of tangible examples.    Let's move on in the text.  There was a sign above Jesus' head that read, “King of the Jews.”  What did this mean?  It could actually mean a number of things.  First, Pilate was a bit perturbed with the Jews that they wanted him to crucify an innocent man.  Labeling him as the Judean king could have been a way to get a jab in at the Jewish authorities, who totally rejected Jesus' claim of kingship.    But the sign could have also been another way to mock Jesus.  How could a king be crucified?  How could a king experience such levels of humiliation?  This very well could be a way to make fun of Jesus and his followers.  We don't really know Pilate's motivation. And then there are the criminals crucified next to Jesus.  The Scripture said even they reviled Jesus (in Mark's Gospel, we don't have the story about one of the robbers coming to belief in Jesus).  Others were hurling insults at him, leaders and regular people.  I don't know what it is about the human condition that we like to kick people when they are down.  Maybe it makes weak people feel powerful.  I don't know, but it is hard to read.  Nobody understood who he was and why he allowed himself to be executed.  And Jesus' humility and love are amazing.    More tomorrow.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope May 12, 2025 Day 1 of Week 7   Scripture – Mark 15:1-20   Prayer: Dear Almighty God, Thank you for this new day.  Thank you for the way you care for us.  We are so very grateful for your presence in our lives.  In these next few moments of silence, Lord, help us set aside our scattered thoughts and distractions, help us focus on you...Holy Spirit, come and sit with us as we work through this Scripture and devotion.  Speak to us about it afresh and anew.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a Deep Dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we begin the Passion narrative.  I've read this so many times and each time, I am struck by the brutality of what happens to Jesus.   We start with Jesus before Pilate.  Pilate seems to understand that Jesus is innocent.  The chief priests were jealous of him, they felt threatened, so they simply want him gone.  And they have a way of stirring up the people.  Maybe they know which crowd of people to bring to the trial.    One thing that Mark emphasizes greatly is human agency.  We get to see the human capacity for coming toward Jesus and now for killing him.  We have seen throughout the first portion of Mark's Gospel the way the crowds are drawn to Jesus' ministry.  He heals the sick and he welcomes the outcast; he brings human wholeness with no real regard for accepted or approved methods and timing.  Now, Jesus' indifference to accepted or approved methods brings on the anger of those who believe they are the authority.  How dare Jesus defy them? As we can see, this eventually leads to crucifixion.   There are two aspects of today's reading that I want to touch upon.  First, I'm always fascinated by Jesus' silence before the chief priests and before Pilate.  He doesn't try to talk himself out of the situation or even stand up for himself at all.  He does not lie but he answers very few questions.  We know that his silence fulfilled prophecy in Isaiah 53:7, He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.   Why did he remain silent?  He could have used this as a powerful teaching moment.  He could have put his accusers in their place.  Afterall, he was totally innocent! But his silence was even more powerful.  These men wanted him to crack.  They wanted him to do something to incriminate himself.  But by remaining silent, Jesus remains the one in control.  His ability to maintain self-control in the face of deception and evil is miraculous.  He is steady and calm.  On some level, Jesus must have known this was part of what he had to do.  Getting angry or defending himself was not going to help the situation.  He allowed God to be the one to intervene in the hearts of those who abused and killed him.   Second, it's interesting how Mark really emphasizes the humiliation piece of the Passion narrative.  He has already been abused by the chief priest and Jewish ruling leaders.  Now, we see the Roman soldiers mocking him.  They put purple cloth on him and a crown of thorns.  They hit him on the head with a reed.  They pretend to bow down and worship him.  We can picture this scene of bullies making fun of Jesus' Kingship.  All the while, he is silent.  The whole process of Roman crucifixion had been perfected – humiliation and total dehumanization.  The Romans knew what they were doing; the horrors of their punishment was quite effective at preventing any hint of subversion.    Tomorrow, we will walk through the Good Friday scripture – Jesus' death on a cross.  It's become so familiar, I hope we are able to see it all through fresh eyes.  God is always teaching us new things from his Word.    What new thing did you take away today?  What did you learn from Jesus before Pilate that you never noticed before?     Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

We are ALL called to communicate the Word of God! We just won't all do it the same way, and that is ok! This session will focus on helping equip you with some best practices in communicating to others all that you are studying in God's word. Afterall, we were never meant to keep what He shows us to ourselves. Learn how to piece things together so it feels authentic to you but brings the truth of God's word to others in a way that connects.   Kayla Turner SEU Ohio, Director

I was approached by a PR firm to put Ben Bell on the show. Certainly seemed like an interesting thought. Afterall, domestic Sake is a rarity and one from the heart of Little Tokyo, Arkansas! (that was a little tongue-in-cheek humour). There were so many questions and so little time. Some stories just require more questions and who wouldn't want to know how in the H-E double hockey sticks did he fall into making Sake in Arkansas. Ben Bell might be the only person you'll ever meet whose journey to sake mastery began not in Tokyo, but in Hot Springs, Arkansas—and includes a failed job interview conducted entirely in Japanese. You'll be entertained, surprised, and utterly engrossed as you discover how this Arkansas native went from stocking wine shelves in Little Rock to apprenticing at world-class sake breweries in Japan, all the while learning a language many would consider impossible to master. In this episode, Paul Kalemkiarian draws out the remarkable story of how Ben's early fascination with wine sparked a lifelong pursuit of drinkable discovery, culminating with the founding of Origami Sake right in America's rice heartland. You'll learn how technique, not terroir, is the soul of sake—why craft and style choices shape every bottle more than the field the rice grew in. Ben breaks down sake's renaissance in America: from hot, mass-market pours at sushi joints to the nuanced, premium sakes you should really be tasting chilled, not warmed. You'll hear what truly sets sake apart, why it defies the rules of wine, and how its food-pairing versatility can elevate everything from Cajun shrimp and grits to Arkansas barbecue. Want tips on how to actually drink and serve sake? Ben's got you covered, and he'll tell you why a wine glass in your kitchen may be the best tool for enjoying the craft. Most of all, you'll realize that America's next great beverage story might just be unfolding far from the coasts, where passion meets persistence and the art of sake is rewritten, one bold, Arkansas-brewed batch at a time. ✅ Ever wondered how top-tier sake is being crafted in… Arkansas? ✅ Origami Sake co-founder Ben Bell joins host Paul Kalemkiarian on Wine Talks for a wild deep dive into the rise of American sake and his journey from wine geek to sake master. ✅ From mastering Japanese in rural Japan to winning international gold medals—all from Hot Springs, Arkansas—Ben shares what it really takes to create world-class sake outside of Japan, why rice matters, and how sake breaks the rules for pairing with food. ✅ Takeaway: If you think sake is just for sushi night, think again. This episode will change how you see (and drink) sake—grab a glass and tune in now!

Daily Dose of Hope May 8, 2025 Day 4 of Week 6   Scripture – Mark 14:27-52   Prayer:  Dear Heavenly Father, We are so grateful that your mercies are new every single morning.  No matter what our week has been like, we can come to you today afresh and anew.  Lord, forgive us for our many failings.  We want to do better.  In these next few moments of silence, Lord, hear our prayers...In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a Deep Dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we are back in Mark 14.  We will cover Jesus' prediction of Peter's denial, their time in the Garden of Gethsemane, and Jesus' arrest.    Let's start with the first portion of today's text.  Jesus and the disciples have celebrated the Passover meal in the Upper Room and have moved on to the Mount of Olives.  It is here that Jesus predicts that all the disciples will scatter, essentially fall away, when the going gets tough.  He refers to a prophecy from Zechariah 13:7 that reads, “‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered...' clearly indicating that the shepherd is Jesus Christ himself.    Interestingly, Peter makes a very bold, ambitious claim that even if everyone else fell away and disappeared, he would not.  Jesus doesn't mince words.  He tells Peter that he will betray Jesus three times by that night (or as the text says, by the time the rooster crows two times).  But Peter, and all the others, insist that they will follow Jesus even until death.    I've thought about this a lot.  At this time, the disciples still don't understand Jesus' ministry or purpose.  They think they will follow him no matter what but we know what happens.  They all scatter once Jesus is arrested.  Peter does deny him three times in just a few short hours, consumed with fear for his own safety.  When push came to shove, they weren't quite as invested in Jesus' mission as they thought.   But then things changed.  After the resurrection, the disciples were changed in fundamental ways.  Peter, who was initially impulsive and fearful, becomes strong and bold, a superb leader in the early church.  After experiencing both the risen Lord and the power of the Holy Spirit, their whole outlook on life is transformed.  And all of them, except for John, are martyred for the Gospel.  They do end up following Jesus to their own earthly death, just not in the timing they expected.   So, I will ask again, would you follow Jesus to the point of giving up your life?  If you were being tortured and persecuted for your faith, would you stay faithful to Jesus or would you give in to the pressure and deny Christ?  It is not outside the realm of possibility that such a situation could exist for us.  Afterall, it does exist for Christians all over the world.   I read this quote recently, “If we have not prepared ourselves and our twenty-first century churches to die for Christ's name if necessary, we have not completed our responsibility of preparing disciples.”  If this makes us uncomfortable, it should.  Because Jesus has called us to a faithfulness that involves more than what we typically think of when we call ourselves Christ-followers.  What does it mean to be a disciple?  Jesus makes it quite clear and we read it just a couple weeks ago, Mark 8:34-35, Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.    With that, let's move on in the text.  We are heading to Gethsemane, into the garden with Jesus and the disciples.  Jesus' soul was restless, he was anguished, and he needed to spend time with the Father.  He asks the disciples to pray as well.  This is the time when Jesus pleads with God, “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.   Jesus knows what he is about to endure.  Is this the human side of him not wanting to endure the physical pain and humiliation?  Or, is this the divine part of him not wanting to endure the weight of the sin of the world?  It could definitely be both.  But Jesus was obedient.  He knew this was God's will and design.  While he asked, my guess is he already knew the answer.  Jesus knew what had to be done and he was willing to do it.  But we do get a first row view as to the struggle going on within him.   Jesus struggled and so it isn't surprising that we will also struggle.  Obedience can be really hard.  But Jesus gives us this beautiful example of yielding to God's will, no matter what.  And he was going to face a tortuous death.  Most of the time, our dilemma isn't quite as intense or painful, but it might be.  Think of a situation in your life in which you yielded to God's will even though it was hard and painful.  How did that affect your faith journey?   I just wanted to briefly mention the disciples falling asleep.  They have no idea what is going to happen.  They are tired after a big Passover dinner and several glasses of wine (there is a lot of wine involved in a traditional Jewish Passover).  We see their human weakness here.  I feel a little sorry for them.   Finally, we head to Jesus' arrest.  Judas has already betrayed Jesus.  He and the soldiers head into the garden with the intention of arresting Jesus.  Judas kisses Jesus on the cheek, letting the soldiers know who to arrest.  I can imagine this whole scene being chaotic.  No one really knew what was happening, except Jesus.  Then, one person standing near him (who we know is Peter from other Gospel accounts) panics and cuts the soldiers ear off.  One young man flees naked (some people say this person was Mark, the author, but we really don't know).  The whole thing probably happened quickly and the disciples scatter, just as they said they would not do.    More tomorrow...   Blessings, Pastor Vicki        

Alright, honky-tonk heroes and country music fans, get ready for a trip down memory lane! We've got a fantastic lineup of classic country cuts comin' your way.First up, we're searchin' all the honky-tonks with Charlie O'Bannon. Then, we'll be sippin' some Wine with the legendary Mel Tillis. Get ready for a little heartbreak as Jimmy Dickens laments about his Stolen Steel Guitar. Carl McDonald will have you wonderin' If You'll Miss Me, and the wonderful Leona Williams takes us Somewhere Inside.Hang on tight, 'cause we're just gettin' started! Bob Luce and The Stardusters are bringin' the heat with Hot Shot Baby, followed by Dorval Lynn, and a tune about finally gettin' recognized with They Finally Named The Street After You. We've got a timeless classic from the one and only Bob Wills & Tommy Duncan with After All, and Jack Tucker will have you feelin' that Lonely World. Then, the smooth sounds of Lefty Frizzell with A Little Unfair.We're switchin' gears a bit with Bocephus and his quirky Meter Reader Maid, followed by Kenny Biggs ponderin' What To Do About Today. Eddie McDuff is goin' Part Time, and Jimmy Work knows just how it feels If I Should Lose You. Get ready for a real tear-jerker from Jerry Abbott about Living On An 8x10 Picture, $85 A Week & A Memory.And we're not done yet! We've got Jimmie Skinner tellin' the tale of Old Bill Dollar, and Bobby Barnett warnin' about those Bridges That I'll Never Cross. The great Floyd Tillman declares I'm Free From The Love I Had For You, and Al White might just have Foot In Mouth Disease. Finally, we'll be sayin' goodbye for now with Dave Dudley and This Is The Last Time.So tune in, turn it up, and let the good times roll with this incredible collection of classic country music!Charlie O'Bannon - Search All The Honkytonks ( Twilite )Mel Tillis - Wine ( RIC )Jimmy Dickens - They've Stole My Steel Guitar ( Decca )Carl McDonald - I Wonder If You'll Miss Me ( JB )Leona Williams - Somewhere Inside ( Hickory )Bob Luce and The Stardusters - Hot Shot Baby ( Love Lock )Dorval Lynn - They Finally Named The Street After You ( Avenue South )Bob Wills & Tommy Duncan - After All ( Liberty )Jack Tucker - Lonely World ( Toppa )Lefty Frizzell - A Little Unfair ( Columbia )Bocephus - Meter Reader Maid ( Verve )Kenny Biggs - Tell Me What To Do About Today ( Tiara )Eddie McDuff - Part Time ( Starday )Jimmy Work - If I Should Lose You ( Capitol )Jerry Abbott - Living On An 8x10 Picture, $85 A Week & A Memory ( Stop )Jimmie Skinner - Old Bill Dollar ( Starday )Bobby Barnett - Bridges That I'll Never Cross ( Marshal )Floyd Tillman - I'm Free From The Love I Had For You ( Major )Al White - Foot In Mouth Disease ( Chart )Dave Dudley - This Is The Last Time ( King )Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/thehonkytonkjukebox/exclusive-content

Recorded early so that Tim could go traipsing halfway around the world, it only made sense that we focus in on the rise and rise of portable gaming. Afterall, how much big news could possibly drop if we put a show in the can a couple of weeks earlier than usual? Quite a bit, apparently, but caught in the time vortex as well it's not like Hewso knows any better. Dude's just chillin' in the corner playing XCom 2 on his ROG Ally... Well, mostly. We still have more (and less) recent games that we've been playing, and one (or both) would really benefit from a good old-fashioned mouse. Games: Tempest Rising, Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth Theme Music: Visitors from Dreams by Mathieu Stempell Dma-Sc Break Music: Slavic Roots by djpretzel Cast Tim Henderson Matt Hewson

Today, Drs. Johnny Lupinacci and Tim Slekar welcome special guest Sofia Mirza to discuss her journey from educator to entrepreneur and to hear her thoughts on how the education system can benefit from lessons learned in the private sector. Big institutions play a valuable role in society, but their size and long history often create significant institutional inertia. Sometimes, we need an outsider's perspective to shake things up and provoke change. That perspective becomes even more valuable when it comes from someone like Sofia, who brings experience from both the education and business worlds. She has worked as both an educator and a private businesswoman. Can an outside perspective improve learning outcomes in education? Today, we explore this and more on BustED Pencils. Armed with a master's degree in education, Sofia entered the classroom determined to inspire students. But she quickly realized that the system often restricted true creativity. Despite the challenges, she deeply respects the teachers who work tirelessly to engage students in a system that doesn't always support innovation. So she chose a different path—earning a second master's in design, applying her background in psychology, and diving into the tech world. Now, as Principal of Drift2 Web Solutions, Sofia combines all those elements in her role as an interaction designer. She creates digital experiences that are not only useful and usable but also genuinely enjoyable. This episode was produced by Jakob. Jakob does not feel insecure about being the only non-doctor regularly featured on the podcast. Afterall, we're all just people. He's so non-insecure about it that he feels that it doesn't ever bear mentioning. Frankly, he doesn't know why you brought it up at all. This description was written by Producer Jakob. BustED Pencils: Fully Leaded Education Talk is part of Civic Media. Subscribe to the podcast to be sure not to miss out on a single episode! Go to bustedpencils.com for swag, all of our episodes, and for information on partnering with us! For information on all of the programming across the Civic Media network, head over to https://civicmedia.us/shows. Join the conversation by calling or texting us at 608-557-8577 to leave a message! Guest: Sofia Mirza

Daily Dose of Hope April 30, 2025 Day 3 of Week 5   Scripture – Mark 11:12-33   Prayer:  Almighty God, We belong to you.  Sometimes, we get distracted and wander.  Forgive us, Lord.  Help us stay fully focused on you.  Help us remember who and whose we are.  In these next few moments of silence, Lord, help us hear a word from you...Jesus, this is your day, we are your people.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a Deep Dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we finish Mark 11 and there is a lot here to discuss.   Let's start with the cursing of the fig tree.  It seems out of character for Jesus to curse anything, much less a fig tree.  At that point in the season, the tree should not have been full of leaves but it was an early bloomer.  That being the case, it should have had some figs as well.  But upon further examination, the tree was all leaves and no fruit, so Jesus curses it so it will never bear fruit again.  It's an odd story for us.  What in the world does this mean?   I think we can look at the cursing of this tree as a parable of sorts.  Keep in mind, the crowds have just hailed Jesus as king (think of yesterday's Scripture).  But their fervor won't last; it won't be long until Jesus is rejected and killed.  The spiritual depth of God's people is shallow.  There is no spiritual fruit.    This tree cursing is followed by Jesus entering the temple and turning the tables of the money changers.  Again, we see the lack of spiritual fruit.  There is much hustle and bustle, a lot of activity, but no righteousness.  All leaves and no fruit.  It looks good on the outside but there is no real depth to faith.  It's a lot of spiritual busyness without real desire to please God.   I did want to briefly address why Jesus was so angry with the money changers.  This was the one area of the temple designated for Gentiles (the nations) to pray. They weren't allowed in any other area of the temple. And the Jewish people had taken over the entire area for trade and profit. Lots of money was being made here.  This isn't about worshiping God, it's about financial benefit for the wealthiest Jews.  Again, all leaves and no fruit.    This, of course, begs the question:  How is our spiritual fruit?  What evidence is there in our own lives that we are bearing fruit for the Kingdom?  We can look really good.  We can be covered with beautiful green leaves – we can look like perfect “Christians,” attend Bible studies, show up at all the ministry events – but if our root is withered, none of that matters.  Are we living holy lives?  Do we have evidence of the fruit of the Spirit at work?  This Scripture is pretty clear that Jesus expects fruit.   The religious leaders have an interesting reaction to all of this.  They are scared.  I'm thinking that they know they are in the wrong but they don't want to submit to this Jesus character.  Thus, they begin to plot how to kill him.   This gang of naysayers approach Jesus the next day and ask him what authority he has to clear out the temple.  They aren't looking to understand; they are looking to trap Jesus in his words.  Afterall, they have already heard his claims of authority as Son of God and they have seen his miracles.  They are simply seeking more evidence on which to bring charges against him.    But Jesus knows this and he doesn't answer their question directly.  Instead, he asks them a question – by what authority did John the Baptist baptize?  Was his power from heaven or earth?  If they could answer that question, then they would also know the source of Jesus' authority.   This group knew that either answer would lead to other problems for them so they just said they didn't know; they pleaded ignorance.  And just like that, Jesus made his point. Jesus revealed their inconsistencies and their insincerity.    Do you trust in the authority of Jesus, specifically that Jesus is God?  He is Lord of all.  Have you submitted everything, your whole life, to his authority?  Spend some time in prayer about his today.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki              

Chris Mullins, The Phone Sales Doctor, joins us today to discuss her upcoming PILMMA roundtable – Intake. You can spend millions of dollars on marketing and have it be all for naught if your intake team is dropping the ball. Afterall, your intake sales specialists are the first warm introduction between your law firm and your prospective clients. They need to not only collect the right information, but they need to do so while showing empathy and compassion to people experiencing trauma. On this episode, we talk about: What to look for when hiring intake sales professionals How to train intake sales professionals for each type of case Big mistakes law firms make with their intake specialists Visit Chris Mullins here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrismullinsphonesalesdoctor/. We'll be at PILMMA Super Summit 2025: https://optimizemyfirm.com/pilmma-2025/. See all episodes or subscribe to the Personal Injury Marketing Minute here: https://optimizemyfirm.com/podcasts/. Transcript coming soon.

Daily Dose of Hope April 25, 2025 Day 5 of Week 4   Scripture - Mark 10:1-16   Prayer: Lord Jesus, We come before you today with humility.  Thank you for who you are.  Thank you for loving us despite our many flaws.  Thank you for being present with us, listening, protecting, caring, and forgiving.  We give you all the glory.  As we prepare for this devotional time, Lord, help us settle our scattered thoughts and distractions and focus totally on you...In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a Deep Dive into the Gospels and Acts.  I hope you have had a blessed week.  Remember, we take Saturday and Sunday off, it's your rest or your catch-up time.  Whatever you need.  Also, please know that if you need anything, if you have a question, a prayer need, or another pastoral need, please feel free to reach out to me at any time.  My cell is 813-310-3884 or my email is vicki@findnewhope.com.  Text will always get the fastest response from me because I can answer wherever I happen to be.  With that, let's get into our Scripture for today; we are starting Mark 10.   Jesus is teaching that following him will affect how we behave in the most fundamental parts of our lives.  He starts the chapter by teaching on divorce; teaching that marriage is not simply a contract, but a creation of God, and that both men and women are equal partners in the marriage. At that time in Jewish marriages, divorce was common but the men were clearly in control, as they could easily discard their wives and remarry.  But Jesus is turning this upside down.  He is saying, no, in God's Kingdom, marriage is a covenant between the man, the woman, and God.  The commitment is sacred.    I've had a lot of people ask me about this over the years.  Will they be accepted in Jesus' church if they experienced a divorce?  What happens if they are in a really toxic relationship – does Jesus want them to stay in that relationship?  These are not easy questions.  I think the best answer is to say that Jesus values marriage very much.  He wants to be at the center of every marriage.  He wants us to go to great lengths to try to preserve our marriages.  Afterall, we believe in resurrection of relationships.  God can do miracles.  At the same time, I don't believe he wants us to be in marriages that are toxic to us or our children.  In no way should we ever remain in a marriage if there is abuse.    Divorce is painful but its also a product of living in a broken world.  Jesus wants you to seek him in the midst of your pain and grief.  If you are going through a divorce, seek Jesus for his comfort and peace.  And please, if you have experienced or are experiencing a divorce, know you are always welcome in Jesus' church.  We are the body of Christ and we want to be part of your healing!   Jesus goes on to teach about children. Parents were bringing children to him to be blessed and the disciples scolded them.  Jesus intervenes and says, “No, let the little children come to me.”  We mentioned this yesterday but keep in mind that children in the first century weren't seen as having much value.  They didn't earn money, nor did they bring status or prestige to the family.  Again, Jesus is flipping things upside down. He says that to follow him, we have to actually become like little children–vulnerable, powerless, needing someone else to provide safety and sustenance.  We have to become totally dependent on God.  I wish I could see the faces of his listeners as he said this.  They were probably shocked.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki    

Daily Dose of Hope April 23, 2025 Day 3 of Week 4   Scripture – Mark 9:1-29   Prayer:  Holy God, We come before you today rejoicing in your powerful name.  Thank you for who you are and all you do.  Thank you for loving us.  Help us gather our scattered thoughts, help us set aside distractions, and truly focus on you right now.  In these next few moments of silence, Lord, we want to hear your voice...In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, a Deep Dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we are starting Mark 9, where we read about the transfiguration and Jesus casting a demon out of a little boy.   The Scripture says that Jesus took Peter, James, and John, to the top of a mountain, most likely Mt. Hermon because it was close to Caesarea Philippi. Mark writes that Jesus was transfigured before him. His clothes became a dazzling white, whiter than any bleach could every make them. Put yourself in the position of these three men. They had only known the flesh and blood Jesus. We know Jesus as risen Lord and Savior. I think we would expect him to wear dazzling white robes and be all shiny and glorious. But they didn't. Right before their very eyes, they get a glimpse of Jesus' glory and it was totally unexpected. Jesus was radiating the very presence of God and they got to see it firsthand.   Moses and Elijah appeared before them and they were talking to Jesus. We don't quite know why Moses and Elijah appear on the mountain with Jesus except that they were two Old Testament figures that anticipated the coming of Jesus, the final prophet to come and deliver God's people once and for all. Their work, their ministries, are basically fulfilled by the person of Jesus. They are servants of God but they weren't God. Jesus, on the other hand, is God and the disciples get a glimpse of that right here.   But there is something about being confronted by the power and glory of God which can make us uncomfortable and even fearful. In awe, yes, but also frightened. Maybe you've been there. Peter is there. He struggles to simply rest in the presence of God's glory. He doesn't know what to do or say so he blurts out, “let's set up three shelters–one for you, Jesus, and one for Moses and Elijah.” Now, Peter is referring to the festival of booths or tabernacles which faithful Jews participating in every year. They make structures in their yards as a sign of when God will tabernacle with his people. So, this might seem like a weird thing for Peter to say to us but it wasn't too off the wall. He is like, “umm...I think God is tabernacling with us and we need to make the shelters.” He is kind of panicky. It seemed like a good thought at the time. What Peter doesn't quite understand ye tis that before his eyes God's dwelling with humanity is present, for Jesus is the new tabernacle of God dwelling with humanity. The shelters aren't needed. God is present with his people through Jesus Christ.   That's all pretty amazing but the mountaintop experience isn't done yet. There is a cloud that appears and covers them–remember the presence and glory of God appeared in a cloud in the tabernacle and throughout the Old Testament. And here is the presence of God appearing before them and the voice of God says “This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him.” Jesus is clearly set apart from Moses and Elijah, only he is God's Son, the one to be listened to, the embodied presence of God.   There is something about mountain-top transfigurative experiences–times in which we get a glimpse of the glory and presence of God in our lives. I'm hoping you have each had some kind of mountaintop experience in your walk with Jesus, times in which the veil was removed, you've gotten a taste of the presence of God. These are times in which we are confronted with God's power and it can't help but change us. Think about a time in which you were confronted with God's glory and power.  Reflect on that moment.  How did it change your spiritual journey?   If you haven't experienced God's glory in that way, then this is the perfect time to pray for it!   Today, we also read about Jesus healing a boy who was consumed by a demonic spirit.  He had been that way his whole life, and the evil spirit had often thrown him into fires and other dangerous scenarios.  The disciples who did not go up the mountain with Jesus tried to heal the boy of the evil spirit but nothing happened.  So Jesus came back from the mountain just in time.  He is easily able to cast out the spirit and the boy is healed.    Later, the disciples ask Jesus why they couldn't do the miracle.  Afterall, they were working under Jesus' calling.  But Jesus said that some kinds (of evil spirits presumably) can only be cast out by prayer.  What did this mean?   Just because God has called us to ministry and we say yes, doesn't mean that we have the power to do that ministry.  We don't, absolutely not.  It's God working through us every single time, every single day.  The disciples did not have the power to do the miracle.  It's possible they were trying to cast out the demon in their own strength.  Afterall, Jesus had told them to go do so and there were times in which they had been successful.  But they needed the power of God in them, they needed to recognize it wasn't them, it was Almighty God.   This is the scary thing:  There is a lot we can do in ministry in our own power.  We can create great programs.  We can have good counseling.  We can say brilliant prayers and lead amazing Bible studies.  We can even give decent sermons.  But none of it is anointed.  And that will only take us so far.  It's also really dangerous.  We begin to think it's about us and our skills rather than Jesus Christ.  We honor ourselves rather than God.  Ministry without Jesus at the center will eventually fail.  The power is always in Jesus.    Blessings, Pastor Vicki

What if hustling harder isn't the answer? If you've ever felt like you're doing all the things but still not getting the results you want, this episode is for you. We're ditching the burnout badge and diving into what it really means to be productive. Afterall, it's not about doing more—it's about doing what matters most. In this episode, you'll learn: How to apply the 80/20 rule to uncover your most impactful activities What tasks you should stop doing and how to automate or delegate them Why multitasking is a myth—and how to create true focus and flow A simple, actionable plan to reclaim your time and protect your energy How to step into a CEO mindset (even if you're a team of one) If you want to get off the hamster wheel and start building momentum in a way that's sustainable and strategic this episode is for you. Resources: Monday Morning Mojo Journal 2025 Best Year Workbook Quotes to Remember: What if the key isn't doing more but actually doing what matters most, better? Journal Prompts: What are my priorities? Where can I automate and delegate so I can focus on my priorities? How can I focus more so my productivity improves? Am I busy or productive? Connect with Anna: Monday Morning Mojo Facebook Group Facebook  Instagram Watch the Monday Morning Mojo Video on YouTube To learn more about coaching with Anna visit  coachannagibbs.com To learn more about the supplements and products Anna uses to improve her overall health and well-being visit: https://plexusworldwide.com/annagibbs 

Daily Dose of Hope April 18, 2025 Day 5 of Week 3   Scripture - Mark 7:24-37   Prayer: Holy God, Thank you for your kindness, mercy, and love.  As we remember the cross today, help us be reminded of how you got there.  We all put you there.  We have all betrayed you.  For that, we are so very, very sorry.  Forgive us for the many ways that we have failed you just today.  Lord, in these next few moments of silence, hear our prayers...In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back!  This is the Daily Dose of Hope, a Deep Dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we will finish Mark 7.  Before we do, however, I did want to mention that today is Good Friday.  It's the day we remember Jesus' crucifixion and death.  While Good Friday is often a day of sorrow and fasting, it doesn't have to be.  Afterall, we know the rest of the story.  Sunday is coming!  Resurrection is almost here.  Tonight, at 7:30pm in Logan Hall, we will have a Good Friday service led by our Spanish-speaking congregations.  While most of the service is in Spanish, everyone is welcome and we will have a translation app available.  If you have never been to this Good Friday service, I highly recommend you come.  I think we do an excellent job of remembering the cross in light of the resurrection.  Hope to see you tonight!   Now on to the Scripture for today.  We have two healings and both of the people who are healed remain nameless.  Let's start with the woman who asks Jesus to heal her daughter.  This is a text that bothers me or I should say that Jesus' interaction with the woman bothers me.  He seems annoyed that this woman approaches him.  What do we know from the text?  We know that Jesus has tried to go unnoticed but this woman, somehow, figures out that he is there.  He simply cannot get alone time, that is for sure, but the words he speaks seem very out of character for him.  The text also says she is Greek, born in Syrian Phoenicia.  Thus, he must be in Gentile territory and this woman would have been considered a Canaanite.  She is breaking all the social taboos of the time by seeking out Jesus.  Not only is she considered unclean but she is a woman alone trying to get the attention of a Jewish teacher.  But the woman is determined.   The woman begs Jesus to heal her daughter, who has an impure spirit in her.  Jesus' reaction is jarring, as he refers to her and her people as dogs.  This would have been a derogatory phrase that Jews did use to refer to pagans but it does not sound right coming from Jesus' mouth.  Some scholars have suggested that the term Jesus used could mean puppies and he said it tongue and cheek.  Maybe he was testing her, to see the depth of her faith.  In Matthew's Gospel, Jesus also says to the woman, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”  It's possible he wants to see how she will respond.   If that is the case, she does quite well.  Her quick reply is that even dogs get the crumbs dropped from the table.  Basically, there is enough of what Jesus has that he can afford to share it with her and her daughter.  And Jesus agrees, he sees her faith and heals the daughter immediately.  There is enough of what Jesus has for outsiders to be included.  God's Kingdom is more than big enough.  And that's good for us because most of us are Gentiles too.   From there, Jesus heads to the Decapolis, another pagan area, where people bring him a deaf and mute man.  He is also an outsider and someone, because of his disability, who is really cut off from community.  But Jesus heals him as well.    Sometimes, I hear people say things like “we need to do mission right here” or “we need to make sure our church people are cared for first.”  Yes, we do need to do mission in our own neighborhoods and community.  Yes, we do need to make sure our faith family is cared for.  But Jesus is showing us that mission in God's Kingdom is really big.  While providing love and care for the insider, there is more than enough love and mercy to go around.  We are also compelled to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with the outsider; Jesus is calling us to constantly expand our boundaries.  Who do you know that is very different from you that needs the love and care of Jesus today?  Your challenge today is to reach out in some way.   Galatians 3:28 ,“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Kelli Scarr is an American singer, composer, and multi-instrumentalist based in Kingston, NY. She is also the founder of Vera Jean Music, a pioneering record label dedicated to championing the talents of women artists over the age of 40.On May 12, 2025, she unveils Greater Mysteries, an immersive album and performance experience inspired by the ancient myth of Inanna. Born from a 2022 artist residency in Crete, and recorded in Iceland, the album invites listeners to connect with their own cycles of transformation. Transcendent piano and airy woodwinds intertwine with Scarr's otherworldly voice and the earthy pulse of the rhythm section, alongside contributions from an array of surprise musicians—creating a soundscape steeped in myth and mystery.Raised in Northern California, Scarr's musical journey began in church, eventually leading her to Berklee College of Music before settling in New York City. Over the years, she has woven her way through an eclectic range of projects, from fronting the bands Moonraker and Salt & Samovar to a significant collaboration writing, recording, and touring with Moby. Her artistry extends into film scoring, where her emotive and organic approach—favoring live musicians and improvisation—has set her apart. She earned an Emmy nomination for her score to the HBO documentary In A Dream (2008) and has composed music for dozens of films, TV shows, and commercials. Notable projects include the documentaries Advanced Style and Far Western, and the forthcoming After All (2025), for which she composed the score and contributed six original songs.As a solo artist, Scarr has released three albums—Piece (2010), Dangling Teeth (2012), and No Rush (2021)—establishing herself as a singular voice in atmospheric, deeply emotive songwriting. Her forthcoming fourth album, Greater Mysteries, marks a new creative chapter, offering music as an initiatory experience. The project will unfold through intimate preview concerts in the Hudson Valley, culminating in immersive cave performances this fall and beyond.Today we get to dive deep into Kelli's creative process in the making of Greater Mysteries from the seeds of inspiration that came from many sources such as Talk Talk by Spirit of Eden, Maureen Murdock's "The Heroine's Journey," and Dr. Catherine Svehla's mythical wisdom to the whisper from her psychic about Greece in her future. Kelli shares about the magic and mystery of her residency in Crete, how the voices of Odeya Nini and members of the Threshold Choir appeared to lend magic to the album, and we listen to three songs - "Knowing is the Call," "The Yes that Leads," and "Aphrodite" - as we meander through the myth of Inanna and how transformation happens to us..."she's not dying, she's flying free."Hudson Valley audiences will have an exclusive opportunity to preview Greater Mysteries before the rest of the world. On April 16th, Kelli is hosting Lesser Mysteries at Unicorn Bar in Kingston. The special preview event will feature an impressive lineup of local and national talent and offer attendees a unique opportunity to witness the early stages of what will become a larger, Greater Mysteries immersive cave experience scheduled for fall 2025.https://www.viewcy.com/e/lesser_mysteriesHere's Kelli's recommendation to Leah Thau's Podcast, Strangers.Today's show was engineered by Ian Seda from Radiokingston.org.Our show music is from Shana Falana!Feel free to email me, say hello: she@iwantwhatshehas.org** Please: SUBSCRIBE to the pod and leave a REVIEW wherever you are listening, it helps other users FIND IThttp://iwantwhatshehas.org/podcastITUNES | SPOTIFYITUNES: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/i-want-what-she-has/id1451648361?mt=2SPOTIFY:https://open.spotify.com/show/77pmJwS2q9vTywz7Uhiyff?si=G2eYCjLjT3KltgdfA6XXCAFollow:INSTAGRAM * https://www.instagram.com/iwantwhatshehaspodcast/FACEBOOK * https://www.facebook.com/iwantwhatshehaspodcast 

The Mayor's suspicions of higherups involved in the Feeding our Future scandal might be on the right track afterall. Letters from teachers reveal the importance of why a bill must be passed to stop new teaching licensing procedures. Johnny Heidt with guitar news. Heard On The Show: Robbinsdale School Board to discuss budget cuts at Monday meeting amid $21 million shortfall Co-owner of Blue Plate Restaurant Company killed in weekend motorcycle crash The US has three measles-related deaths and hundreds of cases. Here's what to know Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Mayor's suspicions of higherups involved in the Feeding our Future scandal might be on the right track afterall. Letters from teachers reveal the importance of why a bill must be passed to stop new teaching licensing procedures. Johnny Heidt with guitar news. Heard On The Show:Robbinsdale School Board to discuss budget cuts at Monday meeting amid $21 million shortfallCo-owner of Blue Plate Restaurant Company killed in weekend motorcycle crashThe US has three measles-related deaths and hundreds of cases. Here's what to know Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Daily Dose of Hope April 7, 2025 Day 1 of Week 2   Scripture - Mark 3:20-35   Prayer:  Holy God, we come to you as we start a new week and we give you glory and praise.  You are such a good God; your mercies are new every morning.  It does not matter what happened last week, yesterday, or even earlier today, we can start afresh and anew with you.  Thank you for that, Lord.  In these next few moments of silence, Lord, help us gather our scattered thoughts and focus on you...Thank you, Jesus, for your care.  Help us pay attention to your promptings and teachings throughout today, beginning right now.  Speak to us through this reading and devotional.  We love you, Lord.  Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a Deep Dive into the Gospels and Acts. Today, we are finishing up Mark 3.  Up until this point, Jesus has been healing, teaching, and generally turning the status quo upside down.  While this has generated quite a crowd around him almost all the time, it also has a lot of tongues wagging, including those of the Pharisees and his own family.    Today's text is a narrative within another narrative.  We have the narrative of Jesus responding to the accusations of the teachers of the law saying that he is possessed by an impure spirit tucked within another story about Jesus' response to and redefinition of family.  Let's try to tackle this.   Let's start with the family.  They are worried that Jesus has lost his mind.  We can't be too hard of them.  Afterall, Jesus is doing some really bold things and saying things that are pushing up against everything they know as sacred.  My guess is they are worried about Jesus (people are already wanting to kill him) but they also be worrying about their reputation.  These are small towns with small town rumor mills.  They still have to live their lives.  We will get back to them in a moment.   But then the story moves on to the teachers of the law, who say that Jesus' power comes from the devil.  I'm not sure how they deduced this, but they probably were thinking they had a monopoly on the God stuff and Jesus wasn't saying or doing things they thought or imagined a man of God should.  He is hanging with the riff-raff and breaking sacred rules.  I mean, he must not be of God.    Jesus' answer is kind of cryptic.  It says he spoke to them in parables.  He says, “How can Satan drive out Satan?” and “...if Satan opposes himself and is divided, he cannot stand.”  Divided houses don't last long.  I think the same goes for divided churches but that's beside the point.  Then, Jesus makes this statement about how no one can plunder the strong man's house without tying him up first.  We can assume that Satan is the strong man.  Who is stronger than Satan, that he can restrain him so that the work of God's Kingdom can be done?  Jesus, in a somewhat mysterious way, is making a strong statement here.  He is stronger than Satan.  He is not possessed by him, he actually has the power to bind him and overpower him.  Jesus is announcing the reign of God, even though most people might not recognize this.  Additionally, this probably wasn't the respond the Jewish teachers were expecting.   But that leads to a good question for us – do we believe that Jesus has the power to overpower evil?  We live in a world that is filled with evil.  It's not hard to allow all the horrors around us to pull us down.  Do you believe that Jesus has the ability to bind these horrors and make things right?  I'm not going to actually answer this question but I do think it's a good one for us to wrestle with.   Now, back to the family.  They send someone in the home where he was teaching to get him to come out.  I'm not sure what they wanted to say.  Maybe they wanted to get him to cool it with the teachings that were making people so upset.  Maybe they were worried about his well-being.  We don't really know.  But they got a shock with his response.  “Who are my mother and brothers?”  He goes on to say anyone who does the will of God is his family.    Hmmm...I'm thinking if one of my kids said something like that, I might be a little caught off guard; I may have to hold back tears.  If Mary were there, she might have done the same, although she did know from the very beginning that this child was different.  But now she was discovering just what that meant.    In that culture, everything was bound up in family lines.  Some people would probably have been shocked at what Jesus was saying.  On the other hand, there were others who would have found this hopeful.  People without family connections, those who were estranged from family or who had lost all their loved ones.  They would see that they weren't all alone after all.  I think maybe Jesus is starting to show the strong bonds within the family of God.  Yes, our biological families are important – they are gifts to us.  But Jesus has provided us another family as believers that is also important.  The ties that bind us together as brothers and sisters in the family of faith can be just as strong if not stronger.    What are your thoughts on this?  What kind of bonds do you have with your brothers and sisters in Christ at church?  If you don't yet have family bonds, what do you need to do to begin to build strong connections?    I'm going to close with some powerful Scripture from 1 John 3:16-18, This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. 17 If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 18 Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.  I think this is what Jesus might be pointing to.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope April 3, 2025 Day 4 of Week 1   Scripture – Mark 2:13-28   Prayer – Holy God, We come before you today distracted and with scattered thoughts.  Help us focus, Lord, on you and your Word.  Help us, in the next few moments, to be silent, still, and remember that you are God...Thank you, Lord, for your care and concern for our lives.  Thank you for how you show up in amazing and unexpected ways!  We give you glory, Lord Jesus.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a Deep Dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we are finishing up the second chapter of Mark.  As we will see in today's narratives, Jesus is turning everything “normal” upside down.  He is upsetting the status quo and pushing up against some pretty sacred rules.    Let's start with his meal dining with Levi.  Jesus has been teaching and we should note this is a very public scene.  Jesus always had a lot of people around him.  He sees Levi, sitting in his tax-collector booth, and Jesus asks Levi to follow him.  Surprisingly, he does.   Most of you probably know that tax collectors at the time were not well-liked.  Levi would have been a local guy, a Jew, who was working for the Roman government, collecting taxes from the people of his community.  Not only would he have been seen as a sell-out, working for the Roman occupiers, but he would have been seen as a crook.  Tax collectors were known to charge more than they needed to so they could keep a good chunk for themselves.    And here Jesus is calling Levi to follow him.  Then, Jesus goes and eats at Levi's home.  Remember, table fellowship with someone at that time would have indicated that you accepted that person and were sharing a connection.  It was more than getting a bite to eat and chatting; it was truly making a statement about being in the same social and religious circle.  You didn't eat with people who were below you in social stature or who were from a different religious or ethical background.  But Jesus did.  And he made no apologies for it.  He is making a statement about what it means to be part of God's Kingdom.  All are welcome here; all are invited to Jesus' table.  Afterall, who needs a doctor – the healthy or the sick?    Think about your own table.  I think we can have some pretty powerful conversation over a meal.  Guards are let down, people laugh, they tell stories, healing occurs.  This is the perfect place to begin to begin to build relationships with people who aren't like you – people who think differently, look differently, and act differently.  Just like in Jesus' time, the table is one place where we can begin to get out of our comfort zones and allow the Holy Spirit to guide conversations and open doors.  Who might God be calling you to invite to sit around your table?   I also want to talk a bit about the end of the chapter, the discussion regarding the Sabbath.  The Pharisees are upset with Jesus and his disciples for walking through the grainfield on the Sabbath, and picking off the heads of grain.  Why would this have been such a big deal?   Let's talk about the Sabbath.  It was sacred among the Jews.  Over thousands of years, God's people were taught to keep this day set-apart and holy.  Having a day of rest was one thing that noticeably made the Jews different from the pagan cultures.  Their God ensured that they did not work and toil endlessly.  They were to have a break and have a physical, emotional, and spiritual rest.  Most likely, the Pharisees weren't upset with them for eating (everyone needed to do that), but that they trekked through the field and then broke off the heads of the grain.  In their mind, they should have avoided a hike on the Sabbath and already had their snacks prepared the day before.  Part of Sabbath is preparation for rest and renewal.    But Jesus is making a bigger point here (which he will continue to make in chapter 3 when he heals a man with a shriveled hand on the Sabbath.)  The Sabbath was created to provide rest for humans.  The man-made rules that the Jews created around the Sabbath had become so very overwhelming.  Would a poor laborer really be able to follow these?  Would a struggling young mom with four kids be able to follow the Sabbath as the Pharisees required?  Of course, the answer is no.  Thus, all these rules were creating a structure of haves and have nots, the clean and the unclean.  Jesus is saying to them – you are missing the point.  You are making things harder and God intended this to make things better.  Finally, what he really is stating, which the Pharisees are really struggling with, is that he is Lord of the Sabbath – he has the power to determine which rules really lead to God.  He is making a statement here about who he is, his identity as the Son of God.   Psalm 145:9-13, The Lord is good to all;     he has compassion on all he has made. 10 All your works praise you, Lord;     your faithful people extol you. 11 They tell of the glory of your kingdom     and speak of your might, 12 so that all people may know of your mighty acts     and the glorious splendor of your kingdom. 13 Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,     and your dominion endures through all generations.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

The Swede Anders Kreuger is a curator, writer & educator. He has been the director of the renowned Kohta Gallery in Helsinki since 2019. Prior to that, he was the senior curator at HKA, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Antwerp, the director of the Malmö Art Academy, & was a member of the Programme Team for the European Kunsthalle in Cologne. He was a founding member of the Nordic Council of Minsters Information Office in Vilnius, served as the director of the Nordic Arts Center in Helsinki & has served on the editorial board of the London-based art journal Afterall as well as the Ghent journal A Prior.   He has also worked as an independent curator, organizing numerous exhibitions throughout Europe.  He has taught at the Royal Academy of Art in Copenhagen, Royal College of Art in London, & other European art academies. Served as an advisor to the Raqs Media Collective at Manifesta 7 in Bolzano. Anders Kreuger regularly writes essays for catalogues & journals, & has edited numerous publications. He has been deeply & personally immersed in words, reading, & language since his childhood experiences immersed in reading children's books. As a curator he thrives on how words affect his work as a curator & loves working with, for & through people as his way of constructing a situation that allows the viewer to become immersed in an exhibition.   I met Anders in Helsinki through Martti Aiha, the acclaimed Finnish artist known as Mara, a long time friend of my wife, librettist Maija-Leena Rems. Mara, sadly recently deceased, was on the founding board of Kohta Gallery. Anders & I had many conversations about shamanism & the influence of the oldest ideas on the contemporary world. Growing from this shared interest, Anders created the gallery show, Charlie Morrow, A Gathering which included Winter Solstice Celebration with musicians around the world. Currently, he is curating the Yes & No Tation gallery show which is paired with Sound Circus, a public event.  Subjects discussed: Telepathy, AI, immersion, written language, thought before language, reading minds, inducing immersive states, seeing images in objects, shamans, origin & development of language, Chomsky, galleries, curation, museums, cave paintings, dream singing, desire to connect, Stalin, Finland, comparative linguistics, arbitrariness of the linguistic sign, Cratylus, Andaman Islands, Navajo, Elias Canetti, Fascism, Trumpianism, color theory, Kandinski, & so much more…

We felt it was time for an episode full of our tips and ideas for how to make Easter feel a little more special!! Afterall, it is the MOST important holiday :)) Find a written list of our tips below!SHOWNOTES:Here is a written list of our tips!! Hone in on the invitation to study Christ's Atonement every week!!Read 3 Nephi 11Consider sacrificing something for the days leading up to Easter in order to get closer to Him. Throw an Easter party!!! make it funCREATIVEWrite a poem or song or drawing that reflects the joy of EasterMake a cake shaped like a lamb or crossCreate an Easter playlist with faith-filled songsDecorate Easter eggs with religious symbols or Scripture or stickersMake a Resurrection GardenSERVICEDonate Easter baskets to kids in needSponsor an Easter meal for a familyVolunteer to set up or clean up after an Easter eventOffer to babysit a young family so they can attend servicesOffer to drive someone to church who may have difficulty getting thereReverse Easter basket for a loved onePost an Easter scripture on your social mediaFAMILYMake a resurrection-themed easter egg huntWatch an Easter-themed film (e.g., The Chosen)Host a family game night with Easter-themed gamesAt family dinner, go around the table and share why you're grateful for JesusRevisit pictures from past easters: think how He has blessed your familySPIRITUALGo to an Easter serviceGeneral ConferenceSing Easter songsRead the resurrection storyWrite down what resurrection means to you/journalWrite a letter to Jesus!!!!here's our INSTA follow amelia!!!!follow ella!!!!listen to us on SPOTIFYlisten to us on APPLEcheck out our new website :)))cover art by Sarah Hawke!!xoxo,ella + amelia

In today's episode of the Atheist Experience, Justin and The Cross Examiner, work with the Legendary Jesus who uses preferred pronouns in the simulation created by Bible bashing atheists that question the answers given by the argument from motion.JIm in MO compares Jesus to King Arthur because he could be a legendary character where everything is written down after the fact. Justin explains how he learned in Seminary that it was a given that Jesus was a real person. What are your experiences like when people attempt to prove the existence of Jesus?Mike in SC wants to know how using pronouns is any different from the Emperor wearing new clothes in the movie, The Emperor's New Groove.  Why would this be comparable to a fictional story? Would you choose to call someone other than their name? Refusal to use preferred pronouns are black and white fallacies and false equivocations because there is more that goes on other than what is between your legs. There are mountains of evidence that show that the gender one identifies with is different from the biological sex. Why is it a problem to use the pronoun that someone requested? Where in the Bible does it say that using preferred pronouns is breaking a rule? Gender and sex are NOT the same thing. Ransom in WY, believes we are in a simulation with a bunch of idiots that have better computers than we do, and that atheism has an incorrect view of the universe. Atheism does not say that this universe is all that exists. Our claim is not to know what is not in our universe; it is simply not believing that a god exists. The observer being necessary is not how the Double Slit Experiment works. Joshua in AZ thinks faith is just trust and does not like the hosts bashing the Bible because it is a big deal to believers who take it seriously. We can find numerous contradictions and historical errors in the Bible. If this book is from god, where is the evidence? Is it Bible bashing to question the absurdities in it? We don't have to respect people's beliefs, and that is different from respecting the person. Is being taught something from someone in authority or someone that you trust a good reason to believe it? As the outrageousness of the claim increases, your demand for evidence also needs to increase. How can god exist if he is so unaware of human biology that he created a law allowing women to be stoned to death for not bleeding on their wedding night? It is okay to look at the man behind the curtain and realize the house of cards is about to crumble.Hannah in MS presents the argument from motion where there must be a first cause of motion outside of space and time, and that first cause is god. What evidence do you have that anything outside of space and time can exist and that it can interact with things inside space and time? How is this god distinguishable from things that don't exist? Does space time exist as most physicists do? This is an example of an argument that believers make so they don't feel silly about their beliefs.Jimmy Jr. joins us to show his obligatory drawing of Jesus with a they/them name tag! Afterall, the Trinity is a trans configuration! Thank you for joining this great show!  Question of the week is: It was really petty when god _______.Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-atheist-experience--3254896/support.

Today, McKay discusses how to change your money mindset. He opens up the podcast by discussing the tragic day when Sergeant Jay Rosenberry saw his children and friend flailing in a riptide. While he successfully saved his children, his friend Mark didn't make it. McKay likens this tragic unpreparedness for the riptide to the lack of understanding we have about our money habits, and he goes on to discuss how we can better improve our financial decisions. First, McKay discusses the importance of developing small habits - by spending small amounts in the right places, one saves money to invest in the future. Like McKay says, it's all about the value of the opportunity cost. His next tip pertains to procrastination - the longer a person waits to become financially literate, the more money they lose. He relates this message to the current inflation in the U.S. and urges the audience to get out of debt now. Afterall, now is the perfect time to start changing our money mindsets. McKay brings this episode to an end by talking about the value of learning from past mistakes. The Finer Details of this Episode:Sergeant Jay's horrific moment saving his family from a riptideThe importance of smaller habitsThe value of opportunity costWhy there's a cost to waitingGetting out of debtLearning from your past mistakesQuotes: “Mark J said, ‘My instinct was to go after the eight-year-old now that he was alone, because I knew he couldn't swim. As he stumbled back toward the ocean, he heard Christie's shrieking voice pleading, ‘Please save my boy'.”“This is very much like other things in life, we often get ourselves into trouble because we don't understand the circumstances around us.”“Small habits lead to big results.”“Investing money is often filled with mistakes. And sometimes we have to be hit upside the head, so to speak, to get the point.”“There's no value in looking back. Accepting responsibility for our decisions means learning from it, setting it aside, and moving on.”“So many people have tried to invest and learn lessons the hard way. I've spent money poorly and made bad choices–we all have. The question is, will we learn from our mistakes?”Links:Open Your Eyes with McKay Christensen

Get ready for pure motivation and inspiration today as I'm spittin' fire about making a special mark in this world and overcoming any adversity that might be standing in your way or holding you back from achieving your ultimately destiny. Afterall, if you want to grow, evolve, and step into your next level, you've GOT to make a move. This includes doing one of the hardest and most important things we can do if you want lasting success and significance: CHANGE.    Here's what we dive into on today's episode: ✅ Nothing Changes If You Don't Change – What's the mark YOU want to make in this world? Time to commit! ✅Age is Just a Number—Get Your Mind Right! ✅ Fear Leaping – If fear wasn't holding you back, what leap would you take?

Daily Dose of Hope February 20, 2025 Day 5 of Week 47   Scripture:  Zechariah 6-8; 1 John 4 Hello, everyone.  It's Daily Dose of Hope time!  Welcome back to the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.    Our Old Testament reading is Zechariah 6-8.  In chapter 6, there is another vision.  This one involves Joshua, the high priest, who is presented with a crown.  He is a symbol of the future Messiah.  But God makes it clear through Zechariah that all of these visions/dreams will come to fruition only if the current generation of God's people are faithful and obey the covenant.  Then, in chapters 7-8, we have a conclusion to the visions, well sort of.  The people, much discouraged, ask Zechariah if the Kingdom is going to come soon; can they stop grieving for what was lost?  He responds that the Kingdom will come only when they become the kind of people who will be faithful to God and ready to participate in his new Kingdom.  Interestingly, being this kind of people isn't about fasting and following rules.  It's goes so much deeper.  I think we see this in chapter 7, verses 8-10, And the word of the Lord came again to Zechariah: “This is what the Lord Almighty said: ‘Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the foreigner or the poor. Do not plot evil against each other.'   Our New Testament reading is 1 John 4.  I think I need to provide some more background for this letter. 1 John was written by the apostle John specifically to the Ephesian church in the late first century.  Some false teachers had infiltrated the church, causing really serious issues, and a schism occurred in their church.  A lot of people left the church fellowship and those remaining were shaken.  It's like the foundation was ripped from underneath them.  And so John sends this letter, in order to encourage them and offer truth that would give them something solid to stand on again.    Let's talk about chapter 4.  John wanted to make sure that those to whom he was writing understood that God's love wasn't some abstract concept.  The false teachers would have said that God's love was not concrete but simply theoretical.  If you deny Jesus coming in the flesh, then you certainly can't understand the extent of God's love, and you are walking in darkness.  If you think sin doesn't matter, then you certainly can't understand God's love.  Not really.  And if you don't understand God's love, then you aren't going to understand living his love out in community.    John tells the church at Ephesus and he tells us today that true love has its ultimate source and origin in God.  God is the definition of love; love expresses who God is.  Of course, God's love that John is speaking of isn't like human love.  It's agape.  God's love, agape, is sacrificial, pure love, that isn't connected to emotions but is a choice to love, even when that love is not returned.   God's love is not some abstract concept as the false teachers would have you believe.  It's expressed in action.  God made love real and present by sending Jesus to live among us and to die for us on a cross.  We continue to see God's active love among us through the gift of the Holy Spirit.  This week, I ran across this statement, “God's love is a truth more basic and reliable than the ground we walk on and the air we breathe.”   And yet, we struggle with this.  I've seen this over and over again.  We have a really difficult time understanding that God loves us, just as we are.  The world hasn't always been kind.  We grow up thinking we have to measure up, that love has conditions.  To be loved and accepted, we have to look a certain way, meet a certain standard, and it usually is above what we can reach.  Because this is the truth:  God's love does not depend on our initiative not how worthy we are.  We don't have to reach out to God or even believe in God to be loved by him.  He is the one chasing us!  God loves us before we ever get our act together.  We don't have to measure up or meet any criteria or standard to be lovable.  God just loves us whether we deserve it or not.  Which is good, because none of us deserve it.    And this is how he showed us his vast, amazing love:  He sent Jesus. Remember Jesus was God with flesh on.  He came voluntarily to demonstrate a different way of doing life AND then he went to the cross.  He died, serving as the final, ultimate sacrifice for sin.  You see, when Jesus died on the cross, his blood atoned for our sins.  For all of our sins.  When we open ourselves up to God, what we find is that even the darkest places and the ugliest parts of ourselves are not beyond God's reach.  Nobody is so broken or dirty or flawed that God cannot touch them, redeem them. So, if we believe in him, turn away from our old way of doing life, then we receive salvation.  You see, when we believe in Jesus Christ, God no longer sees our sin and our mess, he only sees the blood of Jesus.  And it gets better - not only does this ensure that we get to spend eternity with Jesus, we receive new life right now, today.  The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God himself, comes and dwells within us, changing us from the inside out.  We have the ability to live differently and to love differently.  We are upheld, surrounded, and totally encased in God's sacrificial, active love.    And of course we struggle with this, because nothing on earth is this extraordinary.  This is the best news in the history of the world.  We can walk with Jesus.  I can walk with Jesus and experience his incredible love.  You can walk with Jesus and experience his incredible love.  And it's a free gift.  We just have to say yes to accepting it.   Accepting God's love and saying yes to Jesus is step one.  You aren't done there though.  I think too often we have treated salvation as the destination of our faith.  It's really the foundation of our faith, it's the starting point.    Here is the rest of it --- since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  Because God loved us so sacrificially, we are to love others.  This is the thing:  to know God's love is to overflow with God's love.  Such life-giving love is much too powerful to keep to ourselves.  And God never intended for us to keep it to ourselves.    Let's go back to John's context.  These first-century Christians were shaken.  It probably felt like there were people trying to destroy their church family.  I'm guessing they weren't feeling too loving.  And here John is saying to them, “Since God loved us, we ought to love one another.”  I'm thinking this may have reminded them of a few things that Jesus himself said about loving your enemy and praying for those who persecute you.  Matthew 5:46-47,  If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?  And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?  By our nature, human love tends to be selfish and conditional.  We love those people who love us.  We love those people we like, who think like us, who make us feel comfortable.    And yet, just as God's love has no boundaries, Christian love has no boundaries.  We are called to demonstrate love to those we might think are unlovable.  We are to love those who think differently, act differently, and look differently.  We are to love self-righteous people and love obnoxious people.  We are to love those who vote differently than us.    I will say this:  Loving someone doesn't mean you have to agree with their behavior, speech, or lifestyle.  Love has gotten a bit obscured in progressive Christianity.  Just because God loves someone doesn't mean God wants them to continue in sin.  It's not a blanket acceptance of all behavior policy.  Afterall, God loved me enough that he didn't want to leave me the way he found me.  And he is still shaping me, convicting me, and molding me so that I can look more like him.  That being said, we can't expect unbelievers to speak or behave like believers.  Rarely are people lectured into the Kingdom, argued into the Kingdom, and they are never ever shamed into the Kingdom.  They are almost always LOVED into the Kingdom.    Just as God's love isn't passive in our lives, our love should not be passive when it comes to those around us.  Because of what God's love has done for us, we are driven, compelled to demonstrate ACTIVELY God's love toward other people.  We might even say that love is the litmus test of an authentic relationship with God.  Demonstrating Christian love is what confirms the reality of our spiritual walk with God.  There's one scholar who defines the word Christian love as a “consuming passion for the well-being of others,” and this love obviously has it's wellspring, its source, in God's love for us.    Here's our question:  Do you have a consuming passion for the well-being of others?    Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope February 18, 2025 Day 3 of Week 47   Scripture: Haggai, Zechariah 1, Psalm 138, 1 John 2   Welcome back, everyone, to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the Bible reading plan for New Hope Church in Brandon, Florida.  We have a lot of Scripture for today so let's get started.   The book of Haggai has two chapters.  It takes place around 520BC, seventy years after the exile.  After Persia conquered the Babylonians, the Jewish people were allowed to return to Jerusalem to try to rebuild their lives.  We read about this in the book of Ezra.  Things seem like they are getting better, but maybe not so much.   Haggai, the prophet, has some words from God to the people.  First, he accuses the people of caring more about building their own homes and providing for their own well-being than about rebuilding the Temple.  Afterall, the Temple is still in ruins.  It's for this reason that God has allowed them to continue to struggle with famine and unproductive lands.  The people hear Haggai and are compelled to start the rebuilding of the Temple.   In chapter two, we find the people are discouraged.  The new Temple doesn't look anything like the splendid old one (this was in yesterday's reading as well).  Haggai has to reinvigorate the people by reminding them of God's promise.  This will eventually be the place of the New Jerusalem and the establishment of God's future Kingdom.    But then there is this discussion of purity laws and while it seems somewhat confusing, Haggai is making a point.  When the Jews touch a dead body (unclean of course) and then touch food, that food becomes unclean.  Likewise, when these people work on the Temple in a state of bitterness and apathy, that also becomes contaminated.  God wants his people to be faithful and repentant.  That is the only way God will keep up his end of the deal.  Similar to the covenant before them, their faithfulness and obedience will lead to blessings.  Of course, the opposite is also true and they need to remember that.   From there, we head to the book of Zechariah, the first chapter.  Zechariah is also a prophet and priest, and was a contemporary of Haggai.  Through God, Zechariah gives a warning to the people.  Don't be like your fathers who disobeyed God.  Remember what happened to them?  The people seem to respond well to this.  They repent and humble themselves (or seem to do so).    And then, later in the chapter, Zechariah begins to have dreams through which God communicates to the prophet.  These dreams will last through the next several chapters.  They are kind of weird, as dreams tend to be.  In this first vision, there are several horsemen declaring that the world is at peace.  The Kingdom of Persia has made sure this is so, but it is really God's hand.  The second vision includes horns (remember that horns often represent Kingdoms.)  These horns represent Assyria and Babylon who conquered Israel.  But now they are also conquered and scattered, as Persia is the dominant Kingdom.  More on the dreams tomorrow...I'm hoping we will begin to put some of these things together so they make more sense.   Let's move on to our New Testament reading, 1 John 2.  John continues his letter in this chapter, focusing on what it means for believers to walk closely with God. We find John telling the readers not to love the world or anything in the world AND if they do love the world, it's an indication that God is not in them. Those seem like some harsh words.   Let's unpack this a bit. What does John mean by the world? Surely, he is not referring to the world as a whole.  Afterall, there are many wonderful things in the world that God created. Rather, John is using the term to refer to desires of the flesh (which are exactly what you are thinking), desires of the eyes (anything one sees and wants/covets), and things that activate our pride. These three elements are all self-focused rather than God-focused. They are all activities that lead us away from God rather than toward God. In addition, these all lead to words and behaviors that provide a terrible witness for the faith. John closes these verses by stating that worldliness will pass away but God is eternal. This world, certainly our lives, are all temporal. But God is eternal. Thus, we must prioritize accordingly.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Episode Summary:  In this heartwarming episode of Your Hope-Filled Perspective, we explore how to love God, yourself, and others as I welcome author Rachael Adams. We discuss why she wrote her devotional, Everyday Prayers for Love, and what she learned while writing it. Inspired by a moment in a church pew, Rachael shares how God called her to be His “love offering” and to help others experience His transforming love. In this episode, we explore biblical love, the importance of accepting God's love, and practical ways to love ourselves and others. With insights on prayer and purpose, this conversation invites listeners to discover how to start living out God's love in everyday life. Quotables from the episode: The biggest battle has always been maybe striving for approval and striving for acceptance and for love. I grew up in a divorced home and my earthly father was not around much. And so I think I just always wanted just to be seen and known and loved. And So, I went in search of that. I'm so scared to disappoint anybody. I'm very much a people-pleaser, and so to really start to learn of God's love and experience that from my heavenly father has just really shaped the person I am and changed everything. It changed the trajectory of my life. And now I just want to share that with the world around me. Our early experiences, before we're even really cognitively aware of what's going on or what God has to say about it, really does shape our perspective and how we look at God, at the world, and ourselves. So how we're living our faith maybe is different, but our goal is all the same. What does the Bible teach us about both the nature and the characteristic of love? After I had my son, I really believe that as God was teaching me how to become a mother, he was also teaching me how he was my father. And I believe that as I was holding my son, God was really holding me. He can use us flawed humans to be an expression of his love to others. The greatest act of love was that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us! That's why he came to save us. He knew we weren't perfect and that we needed him. It's so important for us to be filled with God's love first, to have anything to give to others. Scripture talks about the fullness of God. So what are we watching? What are we reading? Who are we surrounding ourselves with? What are the words that are on repeat? Nothing else in the world will satisfy but Christ himself. When we receive God's love, there's a freedom in that, and a security in that. There's the saying that there's nothing that we can do to make God love us any more, and there's nothing that we can do to make God love us any less, and we don't have to work for it. Scripture References: Matthew 22:36-40 “'Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?' Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and without all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Ephesians 3:17-19 “And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love,…grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and…know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.” 1 John 4:19 encourages, “I pray this not just for your sake, but also so that you may extend this newfound love to others. Afterall, ‘We love you because he first loved us.” Romans 8:39 “…No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.”   Recommended Resources:  Everyday Prayers for Love: Learning to Love God, Others, and Even Yourself by Rachael Adams  A Little Goes a Long Way: 52 Days to a Significant Life by Rachael Adams www.millionprayingmoms.com/the-think-pray-praise-method-of-daily-prayer Sacred Scars: Resting in God's Promise That Your Past Is Not Wasted by Dr. Michelle Bengtson  The Hem of His Garment: Reaching Out to God When Pain Overwhelms by Dr. Michelle Bengtson YouVersion 5-Day Devotional Reaching Out To God When Pain Overwhelms   Today is Going to be a Good Day: 90 Promises to Start Your Day Off Right by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the AWSA 2023 Inspirational Gift Book of the Year Award, the Christian Literary Awards Reader's Choice Award in four categories, and the Christian Literary Awards Henri Award for Devotionals YouVersion 7-Day Devotional, Today is Going to be a Good Day YouVersion 7-Day Devotional, Today is Going to be Another Good Day Breaking Anxiety's Grip: How to Reclaim the Peace God Promises by Dr. Michelle Bengtson Breaking Anxiety's Grip Free Study Guide Free 7-Day YouVersion Bible Reading Plan for Breaking Anxiety's Grip Hope Prevails: Insights from a Doctor's Personal Journey Through Depression by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader's Choice Award Hope Prevails Bible Study by Dr. Michelle Bengtson, winner of the Christian Literary Award Reader's Choice Award Trusting God Through Cancer 1 Trusting God Through Cancer 2 Revive & Thrive Women's Conference Subdue Stress and Anxiety: Fifteen Experts Offer Comprehensive Tools in Ten Minutes a Day. Use my link plus discount code BENG99 to save $90 on course (course will be $99.) Free Download: How To Fight Fearful/Anxious Thoughts and Win   Social Media Links for Host and Guest: Connect with Rachael Adams: Website / Facebook / Instagram / Podcast For more hope, stay connected with Dr. Bengtson at: Order Book Breaking Anxiety's Grip / Order Book Hope Prevails  /  Website  /  Blog  /  Facebook / Twitter (@DrMBengtson)  /  LinkedIn  /  Instagram / Pinterest / YouTube Guest: Author of A Little Goes a Long Way and Everyday Prayers for Love, Rachael Adams, hopes to help women realize God's love and purpose for their lives. She and her husband, Bryan, live in Kentucky with their two children, Will and Kate. Her work has been featured on Good Morning America, Crosswalk, Proverbs 31, Today Parenting, and YouVersion. Connect with her by visiting rachaelkadams.com, searching @rachaeladamsauthor on Instagram and Facebook, and tuning in to The Love Offering podcast every Tuesday on your favorite listening platform.    Hosted By: Dr. Michelle Bengtson Audio Technical Support: Bryce Bengtson

Daily Dose of Hope February 13, 2025 Day 5 of Week 46   Scripture:  Daniel 10-12; John 20   It's Daily Dose of Hope time, everyone.  Welcome back on this Thursday.  The Daily Dose is a devotional and podcast designed to complement the New Hope Bible reading plan.    Our Old Testament Scripture today is Daniel, chapters 10-12.  In these chapters, Daniel has one final vision.  We again are presented with the various kingdoms, the Medo-Persian empire, the Greeks, and then some lesser kings and finally something called the king of the North. The king of the North is particularly wicked and desecrates the Temple. The king eventually is destroyed himself.   But what does this all mean?  Scholars have certainly debated this.  Some think the vision refers to the violent Syrian king around 160BC.  Others think it refers to the coming of Jesus and the oppression in the Roman empire followed by the destruction of Jerusalem around 70AD.  Still others think this is something that has not yet occurred.  It's possible they are all correct.  Afterall, Daniel is intended to offer hope that applies to all people.  Think about it.  Humans and their kings can become beastlike when they become drunk with power and don't acknowledge God as their king.  But God will eventually confront the beast and destroy it, installing his Kingdom which is fair, just, and peaceful.   Our New Testament Scripture is John 20. He is Risen!!!  This is the Easter Sunday narrative.  Today's Scripture is some of my favorite. Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed. She went to get Simon Peter and the other disciple whom Jesus loved (most likely John, the author). They rushed to the tomb. Jesus' body was no longer there but the strips of cloth used to wrap his dead body were still present.    John went inside. He saw and believed. Think about those words. He had been walking with Jesus for three years. John saw miracle after miracle, healing after healing, feeding after feeding. But none of it made sense. It now makes sense. What Jesus said would happen has happened. The cross did not have the final word. Jesus Christ defeated death and darkness. He overcame the world.   God's power was demonstrated in such an awesome way; it's really hard to even wrap our brains around it. The transforming power of God was at work then and is still at work today! The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives within us as believers. There is power in that, friends! We are resurrection people. We believe that what was dead can be brought to life. We believe that we are new people in Jesus Christ. We believe that we are raised with Christ. We believe that there is so much more to this world than meets the eye. How have you seen resurrection power at work in your life?   Let's close today with a hymn (feel free to sing!)... Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia! Earth and heaven in chorus say, Alleluia! Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia! Sing, ye heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki

Life is hard; at times, it can feel like we're pushing against the current getting nowhere. It seems rational to find and take the easy way through it all. Afterall, why make it harder than it has to be? In our teaching, we often want to navigate a challenge “with ease and grace.” But, what if it's not meant to be easy; what if the rough water, the struggle, is exactly what we need?

Want to be the kind of person who naturally attracts others? In this episode, I break down the mindset shifts needed to build confidence & self esteem. I also include multiple confidence building tips to help you become the woman of your own dreams, first, before trying to be the woman of any man's dream.Afterall, desirability starts from within.I help you to feel good about yourself first so that you can exude more confidence naturally.✨ Topics Covered:✔️ Tips for effortless attraction✔️ The power of self-respect and boundaries✔️ The power of desiring yourself, first✔️ How to increase your self respect✔️ Small changes that make a BIG impact

Daily Dose of Hope January 28, 2025 Day 3 of Week 44   Scripture:  Ezekiel 22-24; Psalm 134; John 8   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Bible reading plan.    Surprise, surprise, we are back in Ezekiel today.  I hope you read through chapters 22-24.  These chapters continue the theme of God's judgement on Israel.  In chapter 22, we see a continuation of the argument (almost like a legal case) that God is making against the nation of Israel and its kings.  They have been sinful over and over.  They have earned this punishment.  Even if the fathers of the faith pleaded for mercy, God would not grant it.  God's goodness, in fact, demands that justice be done.  The chapter ends with this, I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one. So I will pour out my wrath on them and consume them with my fiery anger, bringing down on their own heads all they have done, declares the Sovereign Lord.  Umm...so that is pretty clear.   Chapter 23 is another allegory.  It is a tale of two sisters who are prostitutes.  One represents Samaria (the Northern Kingdom), and the other represents Judah.  The chapter goes into detail about their sin, their disobedience, and their lust for other gods.  First, Samaria falls to the Assyrians.  But her sister doesn't learn from this.  Instead, Judah continues to engage in wicked, detestable behavior.  Thus, her fate is sealed too.  She will fall to Babylon.  Chapter 24 is another allegory, describing Israel as a cooking pot, symbolizing the city of Jerusalem. It was once a pot filled with delicious meat but now it is only filled with corruption.   I personally struggle with the end of this chapter.  God tells Ezekiel that he will lose his delight, his wife.  And when she dies, he cannot cry out or mourn her publicly.  This is to represent the stoic nature that the Israelites have toward what God is saying.  Soon, they also will lose their delight, the temple.  Ezekiel was strong and obedient but he was also human.  This must have been excruciating for him.    John 8, our New Testament text, is an interesting set of narratives about Jesus' identity.  It also includes the passage about the adulterous woman who is brought before Jesus.  That is a familiar story for many of us, so I'm going to focus more on the identity piece.   In verses 12-30, Jesus attempts, unsuccessfully, to explain to the Pharisees that he does not need the two witnesses required by the Law in any testimony because he already has them: his own and the Father's. To the Jews, this would have been impossible. No one could testify on their own behalf. Afterall, the Law, to ensure fairness and objectivity, required at least two witnesses. But let us not forget that the gospel is not necessarily historical but theological. We are reading the account of an early Jewish-Christian community engaged in heavy theological debate with the synagogue, a sort of family feud if you consider that everyone here is Jewish.   As the text continues, in verses 37-59, Jesus and the Pharisees and other Jewish authorities throw accusations at each other. Jesus says they are being children of the devil; they accuse him of being demon-possessed and a Samaritan. One can hardly think of a worse situation. No one was listening to one another.   But John is making a point.  He is leading up to Jesus saying in v. 58, Before Abraham was, I am.  Of course, he is speaking of himself using the Biblical way of referring to God.  He is saying that he is God.  This escalates things.  The Jews begin to pick up stones to begin to throw at him but he slips away.    Jesus is God.    Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Daily Dose of Hope January 26, 2025 Day 1 of Week 44   Scripture:  Ezekiel 16-18; John 6   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Bible reading plan.  It is week 44 of daily reading!  I don't know about you, but I continue to learn and be stretched.  Ezekiel isn't the easiest book but there is certainly a lot of substance there.  With that, let's get into our Scripture for today.   Our Old Testament reading is Ezekiel 16-18.  Wow.  It's hard today.  Chapter 16 compares the people of Israel to an adulterous.  God, through Ezekiel, goes into painstaking detail about how Israel has betrayed the one true God.  Israel has slept with other lovers, meaning she has worshiped other gods, and she has sacrificed her children to them.  She has prostituted herself over and over and over again to all the nations around her.  She has broken covenant with the Lord and there will be severe consequences.   In chapter 17, God has Ezekiel use an allegory, almost a riddle, to describe what God will do.  I'm not going to rehash the riddle here but be sure to reread it if you don't remember.  Here is the best explanation of that riddle I can find: The multi-colored eagle is Babylon, which broke the cedar tree of the Kingdom of Judah and planted the people (of the first exile) into Babylon itself.  After that, a new seedling of Judah was planted in the place of the old.  King Nebuchadnezzar overthrew Judah's king (Jehoiachin) and replaced him with Jehoiachin's nephew, Zedekiah.  This made Zedekiah the puppet ruler of a vassal state to the Babylonian empire.  But Babylon very intentionally held their new subjects in Judah, not allowing them to grow and prosper.    Despite swearing allegiance to Nebuchadnezzar, Zedekiah secretly courted a relationship with his Egyptian neighbors.  The Egyptians are represented by the monochromatic eagle in the story.  Judah was hoping that Egypt would come to their aid and overthrow the Babylonians.   So the question that God is asking is does a Kingdom like that, one that is weak, treacherous, and deceptive, deserve to exist or should it be uprooted and destroyed?   That seems like a pretty dark place but Ezekiel doesn't leave us there.  With God's words, he continues the allegory. Just as the King of Babylon took from the top of a cedar, God will also take from the highest branch of a high cedar.  God will also plant a sapling on a high mountain.  This will come after the punishment, the exile, has ended.  The people who are left after the exile will be humbled, ready to focus on God and God alone, and ready to receive the Messiah.  Ezekiel is prophesying the coming of the Messiah and his Kingdom.       Our New Testament reading is John 6.  This is such a great chapter.  There is so much here we could discuss, but I want to focus on the feeding of the 5,000.  Jesus has taken his disciples away, trying to find a quiet place to rest.  That doesn't happen.  People follow them.  Jesus was probably quite a sight.  He said things people had not heard before and he did miracles.    The crowd that followed Jesus this time was quite large.  Thus, they sit down on the side of the mountain and Jesus asks Philip (mainly to test him), “Where in the world are we going to get food to feed all these people?”  Of course, Jesus already knew what he would do.  The interesting thing to me is that Jesus didn't get annoyed with the crowds, he was never exasperated.  He took it in stride and everything was a learning lesson.  Everything was a Kingdom lesson.   Jesus had tremendous compassion for the people.  If you think about Jesus' ministry, he was often interrupted, probably on his off day.  He would frequently be planning to do this one thing but pulled away in a different direction.  But it was in those interruptions, those distractions that Jesus did amazing work, that we get to see God at work in amazing, miraculous ways.  He heals the woman who had been bleeding for 12 years because she “interrupts” him on his way to the Roman official's home.  Think of the man whose friends created a hole in the roof to lower their friend in front of Jesus and “interrupt” his teaching.  He was interrupted by a demon-possessed man at the synagogue and he heals him.  I counted something like 35 “interruptions” and it was in those interruptions that Jesus healed, taught, loved, and demonstrated God's glory.    And I'm wondering if it might be the same for us.  We get so busy, so task-focused, but might it be in the interruptions that God is calling us to demonstrate HIS compassion toward others.  Sometimes, the most important things in our lives happen in the interruptions.  I think God wants us to pay attention to the interruptions because interruptions involve people who Jesus loves.  God uses individual people to bless others, to take care of the needs of others.  But let's get back to the feeding.  Exactly how it happened, we don't know.  What we know is that it happened.  Jesus took a little and turned it into a lot.  In that moment, we see God's Kingdom in all its fullness.  In God's Kingdom, there is no sickness so Jesus healed.  In God's Kingdom, there is no hunger so Jesus fed.  Most of us in here are pretty well fed but that was not the norm in first century Palestine.  People did not get enough to eat.  That's why in the Lord's Prayer we say, “give us today our daily bread” because daily bread was not a given.  Those 10-15K people that Jesus was caring for that day (the men plus their wives and children), these were peasants.  They were hungry people.  There was a huge disparity between rich and poor in the Roman Empire and some argue, quite convincingly, that was intentional.  It's a lot easier to control people when you are controlling their food, holding it out like a carrot.  It kept people down and that still happens in many countries around the world; the issue isn't always lack of food but a government that keeps the food from the people. But Jesus fed everyone until they were full (probably something they were not accustomed to at all).  And when all were fed, the leftovers were collected and there were twelve basketfuls remaining.  Amazing abundance.  Jesus demonstrated the abundance of God's Kingdom.  To these people following Jesus, there was a lack of food, so it made sense to demonstrate abundance that way.  For most of us, we typically eat until we are full so maybe that wouldn't make sense to us.  But for many of us, we still operate our lives from a SCARCITY mindset.  That means we worry that there won't be enough, we are fearful of running out, that there won't be enough for me.  We live always thinking, “well, what if this happens or that happens?”  But if we view our lives from the lens of scarcity, then we will always be fearful and anxious.  And we will miss so many of the blessings that God has in store for us. And Jesus wants us to operate from the ABUNDANCE mindset.  He wants us to trust that he will provide all our needs and then some.  There were 12 baskets left over.  Jesus wants us to have a stewardship mentality, recognizing that all we have, God has generously put into our hands.  All our resources – they are a gift from God, our health – gift from God, our children/grandchildren/friends – all a gift from God, our time – a precious gift from God.  Just as Jesus was asking his disciples to do in this miracle, he is asking each of us to do --- look beyond what's in front of you.  Look up from this physical, earthly reality and see that there is so much more.  I've got you.  I'm here for you.  Trust me.  The world tells us to be afraid, hold on tight to whatever you have, send the people away.  But Jesus is saying, “Look beyond the world.  Look beyond what's right in front of you.  Look at my Kingdom.” One thing I like about John's Gospel is he gives us a little more detail.  He writes about how, after Jesus feeds all the people, the disciples cross the lake back to Capernaum.  The people follow him again and ask for more bread.  Afterall, they were hungry people.  But Jesus wants them to go deeper.  He knows their needs are deeper.  All of our needs are deeper.  Anyway, Jesus says to them, John 6:35, I am the bread of life.  Whoever comes to me will never go hungry…   Of course, he is no longer talking about bread.  Those places of scarcity in our soul – the fear, the anxiety, the anger, the doubts, the pain, the past trauma, the bitterness, the insecurity, the emptiness, the bondage to things of this world – Jesus takes all of that and if we let him, will fill us, heal us, strengthen us, nourish  us.  Christ, the bread of life, satisfies the deepest longings of our life.  And friends, I need that.  You need that.  We have a whole community who needs it, yearns for it.  Let's chat tomorrow. Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Trump used and discarded the powerful Fred Trump daddy figures who helped him rise to power: infamous lawyer Roy Cohn, whom he abandoned as Cohn was dying of AIDS; Fox News kingmaker Roger Ailes, forced out over sexual harassment allegations; and, possibly, Vladimir Putin. The Russians invested decades of financial and other support into Trump and his family, as Russian mafia expert Olga Lautman explains on this week's Gaslit Nation. But now, with American oligarchs, unlimited money, immunity granted by the illegitimate Supreme Court, pardon power, and a mainstream media eager to please, Trump has everything Putin could only dream of. What we saw during that grim inauguration weekend, followed by a flood of dangerous executive orders, shows that Trump, as promised, intends to be a dictator from day one. Tech giants, who had a front-row seat to his inauguration, give Trump a social media disinformation machine rivaling the Kremlin's. We're in for dark times, but there's hope. Our traitorous enemies and oligarchs are, in the end, incredibly stupid, and they'll ultimately destroy each other. This week's bonus show, available to supporters at the Truth-teller ($5/month) level and higher, continues the conversation. We'll discuss Trump and Melania's meme coin pump-and-dump scheme that fleeced their own supporters, how Trump is paving the way for Chinese dominance and Xi's long-sought invasion of Taiwan, and ways to fight back, no matter how deliberately chaotic things get. Remember to protect your sleep during this time and check out the helpful reminder on developing good sleep hygiene in the show notes. They want us overwhelmed and scared, but we must stay sharp and fit. Commit to mindful and healthy practices, including unplugging when needed. By staying strong, we can help carry each other through what lies ahead. No matter how dark things get, we'll get through it together! Afterall, Trump is America, a nation built on the largest Native American mass grave and the genocide of slavery. Trump has always been here. We will fight our way through to another chapter of hard-won progress for future generations to look back on in horror.  Olga Lautman will join the Gaslit Nation Salon on February 10 at 4pm ET! And don't forget our Gaslit Nation Game Night on Friday February 7th at 8:30pm ET–we're playing Codenames! For game night, be sure to make an account on BoardGameArena.com. Both events are for our Patreon community. Zoom links will be shared the morning of the events on Patreon.com/Gaslit so be sure to subscribe to help support the show!  Want to enjoy Gaslit Nation ad-free? Join our community of listeners for bonus shows, ad-free episodes, exclusive Q&A sessions, our group chat, invites to live events like our Monday political salons at 4pm ET over Zoom, and more! Sign up at Patreon.com/Gaslit!   Show Notes:   Check out Olga Lautman's Substack! https://substack.com/@olgalautman?utm_source=profile-page   ICYMI: Here are previous documents the Security Committee has shared: • Tech Travel Tips : https://web.tresorit.com/l/hmKP6#FFHiLuu45pSJtMo_Z9Zp9Q   • Why defending your right to privacy is important: https://web.tresorit.com/l/73FHq#ip5_zE6hhWkuaDMBAAhpYw   • Introduction to VPN https://web.tresorit.com/l/WHdqz#-zI5O7Q2zHznO_NG7aZWPQ   • Three Security Steps to Take Today: https://web.tresorit.com/l/417K9#CaDJOcOrEOta4T5oDlNsYw   • Practice Safe Data Security: https://web.tresorit.com/l/hiw9s#wOykkL6Lh_Hz_TbRsiCiEQ   Read all the details in the PDF here: https://web.tresorit.com/l/W6ots#IydZ2pnTmE1MLPJLkLZ73A   For the Gaslit Nation Book Club – First Meeting at the Gaslit Nation Salon on February 24 at 4pm ET   Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl https://bookshop.org/p/books/man-s-search-for-meaning-viktor-e-frankl/8996943?ean=9780807014271   The Stranger: Introduction by Keith Gore Albert Camus (Author)  Matthew Ward (Translator) https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-stranger-introduction-by-keith-gore-albert-camus/18890716?ean=9780679420262   Opening Clip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e49VEpWg61M   Martin Luther King, Jr., "What Is Your Life's Blueprint?" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmtOGXreTOU   Elon Musk's Anti-Semitic, Apartheid-Loving Grandfather The billionaire has described his grandfather as a risk-taking adventurer. A closer read of history reveals something much darker. https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2023/09/joshua-haldeman-elon-musk-grandfather-apartheid-antisemitism/675396/   Trump's Crypto Meme Coin Is His Most Lucrative Get-Rich Scheme Yet https://nymag.com/intelligencer/article/what-just-happened-with-usdtrump-and-usdmelania-meme-coins.html   German-Soviet Pact The German-Soviet Pact was signed in August 1939. It paved the way for Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union to invade and occupy Poland that September. The pact was an agreement of convenience between two bitter enemies. It permitted them to carve up spheres of influence in eastern Europe, while pledging not to attack each other for 10 years. Less than two years later, however, Hitler launched an invasion of the Soviet Union. https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/german-soviet-pact#:~:text=This%20agreement%20is%20commonly%20referred,or%20the%20Hitler%2DStalin%20Pact.&text=The%20arrangement%20included%20a%2010,economic%20cooperation%20and%20territorial%20expansion.   Trump pauses US foreign development aid for 90 days, orders review https://kyivindependent.com/trump-pauses-all-us-foreign-aid-for-90-days-pending-review/ Elon Musk's Father on Their Nazis History: https://x.com/DillyHussain88/status/1881670092993560772 Did Elon Musk steal the election for Trump? (Yes!): https://x.com/CalltoActivism/status/1881118080212115627 House GOP crafts bill to let Trump purchase Greenland https://www.axios.com/2025/01/13/trump-buy-greenland-house-republican-bill In Rare Criticism, Trump Says Putin Is ‘Destroying Russia': President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia praised President Trump's second inauguration, but the American leader did not return the compliment. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/21/us/politics/trump-putin-russia-ukraine.html?unlocked_article_code=1.q04.QTOS.5McfXW68PNkf&smid=url-share Welcome to the era of gangster tech regulation Our tech overlords all have problems, and they want to buy the solutions. https://www.theverge.com/2025/1/20/24346317/trump-gangster-tech-regulation-corruption-grift We Need A New Deal To Save Local Journalism https://defector.com/a-new-deal-to-save-local-journalism-la-fires News site focused on Elon Musk to launch https://www.npr.org/2025/01/20/nx-s1-5268286/elon-musk-news-site-popular-information Three media stories to watch for the next 4 years https://www.semafor.com/article/01/19/2025/three-media-stories-to-watch-for-the-next-4-years Trump signs executive order to pause TikTok ban, provide immunity to tech firms https://www.npr.org/2025/01/20/nx-s1-5268701/trump-executive-order-tiktok-ban Bad Faith (Christian nationalism documentary) https://www.gaslitnationpod.com/episodes-transcripts-20/2024/4/16/bad-faith Sleep tips: 6 steps to better sleep https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/sleep/art-20048379  

Chapters00:00 Introduction and Weather Talk03:07 National Championship Game Analysis06:03 Coaching Decisions and Analytics08:47 Travel Nightmares and Airport Operations12:10 Consumer Rights and Airport Experiences15:00 Atlanta's Weather Challenges21:07 Vegas Tipping and Gambling Preferences22:37 The Psychology of Slot Machines23:58 Tipping Etiquette in Casinos28:37 The Jackpot Experience: A Cautionary Tale31:31 The Joe Schmo Show: Reality TV's Unique Twist36:00 NFL Rivalries: The Commanders and Eagles39:55 Chiefs Fatigue: The Overexposure of a DynastyOur Sponsors:* Check out Hims: https://hims.com/CZABE* Check out Indeed: https://indeed.com/CZABE* Check out SelectQuote: https://selectquote.com/CZABEAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We don't have the luxury of endless opining. Sometimes we have to stop talking and we have to start doing what needs to be done.   Let's take a closer look. After All the Listening—Then What? "Let's Take A Closer Look" with Fr. Robert McTeigue, S.J. | Full Series Playlist  

Garreth was on one this week - Between communicating with inter-dimensional beings & all the reckless shit talking…it's best we keep this ep behind a paywall….Make our birthday boy's dreams come true and sign up for the premium...AFTER ALL, we live in a simulation so you might as well!↓ GET TERRIBLE PERSON PREMIUM HERE ↓ http://www.terribleperson.co  OR  ↓Get the Premium Eps on Patreon ↓https://www.patreon.com/TerriblePersonPremium

It's pretty common for Investors to know down to the penny what they've spent to acquire a deal. Afterall, the marketing for properties is our lifeblood and we need to know what it's going to cost us to purchase our next deal. Have you ever thought about what you spend on selling properties though? It's … Read More Read More

"Cancer" is a scary word, but it doesn't have to be everything we've been told it is... In fact, most cancers can be prevented and even reversed. Afterall, it's a metabolic disease like everything else. In this episode, you'll learn about reversing and healing from cancer by cancer survivor, Elissa Goodman. She's the best selling author of "Cancer Hacks" and "Pro Aging Hacks", and she's going to lay out the playbook for you here.   TOPICS DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE: Healing and curing cancer The role of stress and emotions in creating diseases The role of detoxing Pro-aging hacks The functional medicine approach to cancer and other diseases Advanced therpies (ex/ Ozone)   More from Elissa Goodman: Instagram: @elissagoodman Facebook: @elissa.goodman.holistic.nutritionist YouTube: @elissagoodmanihn7536 Website: elissagoodman.com   Need help with your gut? Visit my website gutsolution.ca to join a program: Get help now   Contact us: reversablepod.com/tips    Leave us a Review: https://www.reversablepod.com/review   SOCIAL MEDIA: Instagram  Facebook  YouTube