Podcasts about as matthew

As Matthew and DJ are going through the book of Acts over on Thrive Deeper, we are getting questions around the work of the Holy Spirit. This week the men embark on a discussion about what the Bible says about the work about the third person of the Trinity. Please consider becoming a financial supporter of everything we do - you can do that here.

How can a blind person learn gestures when he's never seen them? As Matthew prepares for a TEDx Talk, he makes his first foray into learning body language. Blind Guy Travels is a production of Radiotopia from PRX and part of Radiotopia Presents, a podcast feed debuting limited-run, artist-owned series from new and original voices. Learn more about Blind Guy Travels and access transcripts at radiotopiapresents.fm and discover more shows from across the Radiotopia network at radiotopia.fm.

As Matthew and Paul approach the 5-year anniversary of their first date on June 10th. 2016, they revisit one of their favorite episodes of His and His called “Our First Date: Sex and Smoothies”.Join the His and His Family on Patreon.com/hisandhis

As Matthew closes this first section of his gospel, he highlights the Galilean nature of Jesus’ early ministry. Matthew summarizes Jesus’ early ministry as marked by healing and teaching. Lecture... What the Bible means and how we know. For more information WednesdayintheWord.com

A couple of days ago, we discussed that most people enjoy being praised and applauded. I think this is a key part of our human nature. Sure, some people get carried away craving approval and applause. But the desire for approval is basically good. In fact, Jesus promises recognition and praise to his faithful followers. In Matthew 25, Jesus tells the parable of the man who left and entrusted wealth to his servants – usually called the Parable of the Talents. In the story, the man eventually returns to settle accounts. He praised the faithful servants who used his wealth to gain more. He said to them, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" Later, Jesus talked about the Day of Judgement, comparing it to separating sheep from goats. What a setting -- multitudes gathered for judgement before Jesus! We usually think of this scene as sentencing in a court -- that's why we use the word judgement to describe it. But it is also a public recognition where Jesus will bestow praise on his faithful followers. As Matthew 25:34 (NIV) says, "The King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world." Stop for a moment and look at all the faithful followers of Jesus you know. If you are looking for whatever is praiseworthy, you can find it in faithfulness to Jesus. Please provide feedback and suggestions at: https://www.sparkingfaith.com/feedback/ Bumper music “Landing Place” performed by Mark July, used under license from Shutterstock.

As Matthew 24 consolidates the fall of Jerusalem (and therefore, the fall of Rome) the centrality of St. Paul’s teaching of the Cross comes clearly into view. The glory of God’s Kingdom can only be present to us through the destruction of human infrastructure and might. Richard and Fr. Marc discuss Matthew 24:29-31. Episode 376 Matthew 24:29-31; Music: Edm Detection Mode by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4987-edm-detection-mode License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

As Matthew 5:16 states, we are called to shine our light before others to glorify God. This episode discusses how exactly we can do that, with our hosts from IMPRINT Leicester sharing their personal examples.

Last November, Matthew Fox had a riveting (and too brief) Awakin Calls conversation, hosted by Rahul Brown and Aryae Coopersmith, on the topic of "Fidelity vs Faith: Bowing to the Heart Over Authority." Matthew is a spiritual theologian and scholar of mystic spirituality whose theology of creation spirituality was systematically singled out and denounced by two successive Popes, only to see a third Pope incorporate it into Church doctrine. Now he returns, this time in conversation with Pavi Mehta and Cynthia Li, for a deeper exploration of his powerful views on the divine feminine. His most recent book, Julian of Norwich: Wisdom in a Time of Pandemic--and Beyond, is about a female medieval mystic who lived through the plague of the Black Death, drawing out timeless wisdom relevant to our modern COVID-19 era. "A theologian way ahead of her time," he writes, "Julian develops a feminist understanding of God as mother at the heart of nature’s goodness." As Matthew said during his November call: "Wisdom is different from knowledge. It doesn't exclude knowledge, but wisdom is bigger. First of all, she's feminine. ... Patriarchy and the reptilian brain are very aligned, maybe something to do with testosterone. The divine feminine is so important to balance things .... So when we get into the right side of our brains -- that hemisphere that is about intuition and creativity -- that balances the rational. Then you get a healthy dynamic. ... I don't think we're going to survive [as a species] without the feminine reasserting itself and the masculine cleaning itself up. I think that we men have been deceived with pseudo versions of masculinity, and we need to get more real. After all, the people we admire -- Gandhi or a Mandela or Martin Luther King -- these people have dealt with their inner selves. They've dealt with fear, disappointment and enemies; not by lashing back like the reptilian brain does, but by processing and trying to turn anger into love." Join Pavi Mehta and Cynthia Li in continued conversation with this fascinating thinker and theologian.

Do the right thing. This is an admonition we have heard all our life. We have heard it from parents, pastors, teachers and mentors. If we all did the right thing all the time, we have this hope that the world would be much different. However, reality teaches us that it isn't always that straightforward. Different perspectives and different motives about what constitute the “right” thing can lead to vastly different results. As a consequence, the conflicts and divisions continue, and the battle lines are reinforced. To make easier to digest, even the church can resort to platitudes about simply performing right actions instead of doing the deeper work that is called for by the Gospel. As Matthew concludes Jesus' teaching with the third parable of Matthew 25, The Judgment of the Nations, he is emphasizing more than doing the right thing. Jesus reveals that to be aligned with God requires more of us than right action. He is calling for a redrawing of relationships. Jesus' ministry was a lab school in drawing into the Beloved Community those who had been marginalized. In a bold stroke to make sure we move beyond a charity model he regards these persons as members of his own family. If we would claim to be part of Jesus' family and of his inheritance, relationship with the marginalized is inescapable. In a fractured world, we are being called to redraw the boundaries by drawing in those who have been pushed to the margins.

This week your host and quiz master Zach Williams is joined by podcaster, twitch streamer, video game enthusiast and, most importantly, friend MATTHEW HURLOW OF YOUR LIVES IN GAMING!!! Matthew is here to compete for what I hope will be the biggest prize in podcasting - the title of my CO-HOST WITH THE MO-HOST. As Matthew is a long time friend, and supposed fan of the show (even going as far as stealing my games for his own podcast!) will he have what it takes to knock Zach and Josh of The Midwest Meltdown off the top of the leader board with their impressive 106 points? Or will he be forced in to bank rolling my next movie project? Tune-in to find out! You can check out the Your Lives in Gaming podcast, as well as Matthew's Twitch stream via the links below: Your Lives in Gaming: anchor.fm/ylig-podcast Twitch: twitch.tv/mrddraig --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/most-best-podcast/message

Visit http://JohnBlakeAudio.com to Learn How to DOUBLE Your Enquiry-to-Sale Conversion with The Lead Flow You Already Have. Today I’m super excited because we have an amazing guest with us, Matthew Peters. He is the CEO and founder of Asynd Media, an Academy Award winner, and two-time Amazon bestseller and he’s helping elite-level entrepreneurs become the preeminent voice in their space. His media and messaging strategies focus on clear communication and compelling calls to action.  Matthew has a lot of experience in modern media and has gone very deep into all sorts of the different aspects of producing videos, podcasts, magazines, books, and this December, his first Documentary Film. So, I thought it would be really valuable for you to listen to what he has to say about the three core elements of creating maximum impact with your message.   He's actually the producer of my podcast and he has helped me a lot in this journey, so I am convinced that his way of doing things works.  If you happen to be a content creator (or if you are interested in becoming one), you have to know some things about how to get your best content out there in front of as many of your key prospects as possible. You also have to have a deep understanding of your content and your role as a leader because those elements are key in having your message spread throughout the world.   As Matthew says, ‘no one is going to follow a wanderer.’ As human beings, we constantly look towards people with certainty. When someone doesn’t have it, we notice, and we distance ourselves from it. If you don’t project certainty, your chances of producing deep connections and meaningful interactions are reduced significantly.  So, as you can see, there are a lot of elements involved in being able to get your voice to be heard. Often the process can be discouraging if you don’t see any progress after investing some time and effort in your message through blog posts, podcasts, videos, or even books. The thing is, dedicating your energy to creating content without the proper knowledge and assessment is very likely going to get you stuck and keep you there indefinitely.  So, what can you do about it?   Fortunately, Matthew is here to illustrate how you can carry on with this process in a way that works well for you and your audience. We’re going to be talking about each one of the core elements in detail so you have a better understanding of how modern media works and how you can take advantage of it, save heaps of time and propel yourself out there into the marketplace.   If you are interested, I really encourage you to listen to this interview.  To learn more about how Matthew and the great people at Asynd Media can help you get your message super clear, your calls to action even more compelling and your presence elevated and your influence expanded, reach out to him over at https://AsyndMedia.com  To DOUBLE your lead-to-sale CONVERSION with the leads you already have, go to http://JohnBlakeAudio.com for his exclusive, free, no-fluff, audio training and companion PDF guide. Inside you’ll get word-for-word email follow-up templates, phone scripts, and more that you can put to use today.

This week, hear the second part of our mini-series about couples who farm together. As Matthew looked for opportunities to discuss balancing hard work and affection, he knew Monica Ponce and Russell Honderd would have a lot to say, given that they have farmed together on the isolated Cumberland Island. Monica shares how they met and why she was surprised to end up with a fellow farmer, and Russell explains how they have come to divide their chores and responsibilities. They also talk about the job’s biggest rewards and share their plans for building a worker cooperative at Love is Love Farm.Photo Courtesy of Tyleen SnowdenHeritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Japan Eats by becoming a member!Jupiter’s Almanac is Powered by Simplecast.

S5 Ep 61: In this episode, go behind the mic with Academy Award-winning actor Matthew McConaughey, actor and humorist Nick Offerman, and Tony Award-winning song writer Anaïs Mitchell. Step into the recording booth and hear what it was like for these artists to write and record their audiobooks, how the experience of reading their work affected them, and what they’re most excited to share with listeners. As Matthew says, “here we go, here we go, here we go!” Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/635407/greenlights/?ref=PRHD9DF6A1939 All Rise by Nick Offerman: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/671284/all-rise/ Working on a Song by Anaïs Mitchell: https://www.penguinrandomhouseaudio.com/book/635882/working-on-a-song/

As Matthew's Gospel continues there is increasing conflict with religious authorities. In this passage Jesus faces the question of the most important commandment.

PODCAST EPISODE 22: Matthew Waltner-Toews, Unspun Honey, Mount Gambier, Australia I love imperfections in nature, especially honey. As a natural beekeeper, I take my hat off to businesses that privilege the wellbeing of the bee over all else. That's what makes Unspun Honey one of my favourite ventures. Located in the Mount Gambier region, Unspun Honey is owned and operated by Matthew Waltner-Toews and his family – a lovely pack of first-generation, self-taught beekeepers who started in 2014 and now have themselves an ethical business that honours bees, sustainability and the environment. I am inspired by people who don't come from the world of beekeeping, yet take it on with such gusto and warm-hearted passion that everything they do touch seems to turn to gold (or honey, which is the same thing really): “No-one in our family has, to the best of our knowledge, ever kept bees before”. What gems. And it's for these reasons I am so thrilled to welcome Matthew to the BEES WITH BEN beekeeping podcast for episode For anyone that isn't certain, natural beekeeping aims to replicate, or mimic, the nest structure that would usually be found in the wild. By doing this, the colony is made to feel as comfortable as possible, and the intricate and sophisticated processes carried out by bees can continue. This encourages the superorganism to communicate as effectively as possible and adapt to external conditions as they arise, from a disease to an environmental shift. Therefore, we see that natural beekeeping allows the bees to do all their everyday tasks and activities as naturally as possible – be that reproduce, build honeycomb, make honey or source food. Anti-chemical and pro-nature, this approach knows that bee health and happiness is always central to a good beekeeping practice. As Matthew explains, “Our business is one of only a few at the forefront of natural beekeeping and true, local artisan honey production. We strongly believe that the high quality of our product is a direct result of our unconventional philosophy: compassion and ethical treatment of our bees.” Listen in to episode 22 to hear Mathew and I speak about Unspun Honey, the remarkable Warre beehive, the characteristics and charm of raw honey, and the beauty of simple beekeeping method. https://unspunhoney.com/ https://www.bensbees.com.au/

On Episode 271: Bigfoot Jumped Into My Life, we talk with Matthew who at a very young age literally had a bigfoot jump down in front of him. From that point on he and bigfoot had ongoing run-ins. As Matthew got older he started looking into these creatures to learn more about them, especially as one night he found himself face to face with one alongside his bed! Matthew’s first encounter would leave you feeling like these are just giant creatures running around the woods. But as his experiences grew with these things, it leaves you wondering if there is something more to bigfoot than meets the eye. BECOME A MEMBER AND GET ADDITIONAL SHOWS: https://www.theconfessionalspodcast.com/join Get Emergency Food Supplies: http://www.preparewiththeconfessionals.com (http://www.preparewiththeconfessionals.com/) Get Beard Oil: https://bit.ly/2FbOhN5 Subscribe to our YouTube: https://bit.ly/2TlREaI Subscribe to the Newsletter: https://www.theconfessionalspodcast.com/the-newsletter Website: www.theconfessionalspodcast.com (http://www.theconfessionalspodcast.com/) Email: theconfessionalspodcast@gmail.com Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/TheConfessionalsPodcast Twitter: @TConfessionals (https://twitter.com/TConfessionals) Tony's Twitter: @tony_merkel Audio Trailer: Dalton Boyd (https://soundcloud.com/yxngbxyd)

As Matthew states in this episode, the two most significant days in your life are the day you were born and the day you realize what your purpose in life is. Finding your "Unique Ability" is a process. Easier for some than others. But getting there is the difference between living a life fulfilled vs living a life of challenge. Settling into a life wrapped around your unique ability is both discussed and demonstrated in this episode. The value understanding your purpose and living in that space as much as possible frees you from doing the things you would prefer not to be doing thus freeing you to, do those things you both enjoy and that come much easier for you. The outcome is personal fulfillment and that translates into a better understanding of personal wealth. Both how you earn and how you spend. For more information, visit www.yourfinancialsobriety.com.

Essential Days: Living in Anticipation of His ReturnSo many are obsessed with asking have we reached the end times? Is the Lord returning soon? Many are trying to find clues and signs of the end of the world. As Matthew 24:36 says, "But about the day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father."So lets no ask "Are we in the last days?" Instead, lets ask "In the last days, until the coming of the Lord, what does God want in my life?" Today we'll look at 4 things out of the book of James that God wants in our life until His return.

As Matthew and Sydney dicuss the 4 Stages of a Relationship: Find out if you're in the friend-zone, in love or in a power struggle.

Colton is going fishing! For sharks! On a 4-foot boat! As Matthew questions the legality and safety of this excursion, thoughts turn to plans for meeting again. Read Matthew's blog about plans for meeting again at: www.RenewalChurch.net

Chapter markers:Matthew || 26 - 1:10 || 27 - 13:48 || 28 - 24:20 ||Psalm || 70 - 27:37 ||As Matthew’s very Jewish-minded account comes to a close we have seen Jesus lauded as the coming King, we have seen the builders reject the cornerstone, and today we will see the Lamb of God who brings a greater Passover and a greater deliverance. Like Abraham’s firstborn, the Son of God is offered to God as a sacrifice, but he also the substitute offered so that we might live. A Jewish audience would have heard and understood all the parallels to Psalm 22, and recalled from Isaiah that the wounds of the suffering servant bring healing. Thankfully, his crucifixion is not the end. Jesus rises from the grave, just as he had said.:::Christian Standard Bible translation.All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross.Co-produced by Eric Williamson.facebook.com/commuterbibleinstagram.com/commuter_bibletwitter.com/CommuterPodpatreon.com/commuterbibleadmin@commuterbible.org

As Matthew records the second "discourse" or teaching of Jesus we are given insight into the purpose of the church. Jesus gives specific instructions to His followers. This is the mission you are on, take this message and these acts of mercy out into the world, this is how I will supply you, and this is how you are to go. Urgently!

As Matthew begins to wrap up his case for Jesus being the Jewish Messiah, he leaves a few loose ends.... There are some head-scratchers in the final section of the Gospel according to Matthew, and Jim will point out a few of them - for example, that detail about other dead people coming out of their tombs at the Lord's resurrection. You may remember that, at the very beginning of our study, Jim taught us to look for the phrase, "When Jesus had finished" this or that - it indicates that we're entering a new section. Here's Part 1 of Tips from an Insider. Listen to Right Start Radio every Monday through Friday on WCVX 1160AM (Cincinnati, OH) at 9:30am, WHKC 91.5FM (Columbus, OH) at 5:00pm, WRFD 880AM (Columbus, OH) at 9:00am and WRZN 720AM (Gainesville & Ocala, FL) at 7:30am. Right Start can also be heard on One Christian Radio 107.7FM & 87.6FM in New Plymouth, New Zealand. You can purchase a copy of this message, unsegmented for broadcasting and in its entirety, for just $7 on a single CD or $2 as an MP3 download. RS04062020_0.mp3Scripture References: Matthew 26-28

April 5, 2020. The people walking along with Jesus on his triumphant entry into Jerusalem were yelling out, "Hosanna!" This was not so much a cry of joy, though, as it was a cry for help. Palm Sunday this year is different from other years, isn't it? Here we are a week away from Easter, dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020, and we are crying out for help that we know only God can give.Reading: Matthew 21:1-11*** Transcript ***We tend to think of Palm Sunday as a parade like St. Patrick's Day, a big street party with lots of music and dancing and food, a time of exuberant celebration, and unbridled fun. And that was certainly part of it, that day so long ago, when Jesus was entering Jerusalem. The people gathered spontaneously to sing and wave branches, and to walk along the road together as a community.My favorite Twin Cities parade, before it was canceled a few years ago, was always the Holidazzle Parade. It would take place every night from Thanksgiving through Christmas, outside — yes, we are crazy like that in Minnesota! — and people would come hours early to eat downtown, to go to the Macy's Eighth-Floor Holiday Display, and then line up on the street to watch the parade after it was dark. All the floats and even the costumes were lit, and the costumes and music were amazing. It was a great chance for the community to come together in defiance of the winter snow and ice and cold. What's your favorite parade?There is more to this parade though, this Palm Sunday parade, this triumphant entry into Jerusalem, than what appears at first glance. Because this was a parade not to celebrate an anniversary or a heritage or a season or even a community. The people, Matthew tells us, were shouting "Hosanna!" as they walked with Jesus into the city. It can be understood to be an exclamation of praise and honor, and it is. But interestingly, most closely translated, hosanna means "save us." Think about that for a moment. The people walking along with Jesus were crying out to be saved. Jesus was the focal point of this parade, the whole reason for the spontaneous gathering. And those who gathered there were poor, oppressed, beaten down by the occupying forces. And they were yelling out, "Hosanna!" This was not so much a cry of joy as it was a cry for help, from a people who believed that Jesus could save them.This gathering of people claiming their right to be heard, and their faith in the possibility of freedom and justice, was probably more like the March on Selma for basic rights and freedom for black people led by Martin Luther King, Jr. and other black leaders, or the historic demonstration for LGBTQ rights and lives at Stonewall that was led by queer trans women, than it was like your typical St. Patrick's Day parade. This was an act of resistance to the injustice and despair in their world, an act of hope, of community standing together in solidarity with one another, welcoming the one they believed could change their lives. As Matthew tells the story, this is emphasized by the passage from Zachariah that Matthew quotes: "Your king is coming to you, mounted on a donkey and a colt," claiming Jesus as that king who would save God's people — not the Roman emperor, but Jesus, God come to us in human form, to fulfill God's promise.This Palm Sunday is different from other years, isn't it? Here we are a week away from Easter, knowing we'll be experiencing a Lent of sorts for a while, as we all do everything we can to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020. This year, more than other years, we are fully aware that we need more than our own efforts, more than our local and national rulers can do, to bring us through this crisis that is impacting all of humanity. We know this year, more than most, the limits to our human capacity. We know more than ever that we need one another and that we need God to save us. This year, more than most, we join the crowd that gathered around Jesus and claimed him as the king come to save God's people. We cry out with those most vulnerable to becoming ill, those who do not have access to what they need at this time, those whose jobs have ended, those waiting for basic protective equipment but continuing to heal and serve, those who are painfully lonely in this time of physical separation.Let us together — in joy and desperation, in hope and determination and faith, across time and space and Zoom — add our voices to the voices of resistance crying, "Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" Grab your noisemakers, friends. It is time for a parade. Or you may have something to wave, or you may wave your palms as John Hoffmann likes to say, or you may just choose to watch the parade as it goes in front of you. Let us celebrate together.*** Keywords ***2020, Christ Lutheran Church, Webster Groves, sermon, podcast, transcript, Pastor Meagan McLaughlin, Matthew 21:1-11, Zechariah 9:9, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, coronavirus

As Matthew continues to show Jesus’ authority, we also see a framework for Jesus' ministry and ours. I. Why we minister II. How we minister

As Matthew moves the narrative along we pick up some important themes in chapter 12:  Opposition to Jesus is building The "kingdom" is turning out differently than people might have expected This kingdom is moving beyond a relatively small audience in Israel; the Gentiles will also have hope.   Study notes are here.

In Part 7 of our Loved Series, we explore the topic of gender identity and we look at God's gift of the body, how we are called to follow Jesus in our body, and how we are to live as a people of compassion in His body. As Matthew mentioned in this message, he had recorded a special bonus podcast episode to further the conversation of this message with NLCC Worship Pastor Cory Alstad. Listen to the Podcast

This devotional episode is based on 1 Peter 4:7-11. We wanted to share how Love covers a multitude of sins and why it is so important that we love with this level of eagerness.1 Peter 4:7-11 The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.PrayerDear Lord,We lift up our hearts to you right now and ask that you would make us a people who love others earnestly. Holy Spirit direct our hearts and remind us of your word. We pray we would above all things love others. We pray we would love our spouse, our children, our friends, and those who are in our life. May your love pour out of us. May your love pouring out of us transform our marriages. We pray others would be impacted by the love we share. We pray we would be able to love so deeply that it covers a multitude of sin. We pray that instead of shame or guilt, people would feel undoubtedly loved by us and by you. We pray for your word to be fulfilled through our choices to walk in love and that your will would be done.In Jesus’ name, amen! READ TRANSCRIPT- [Aaron] Hey, we're Aaron and Jennifer Smith, with "Marriage After God." - [Jennifer] Helping you cultivate an extraordinary marriage. - [Aaron] And today we're gonna talk about how love covers a multitude of sin. Welcome to the "Marriage After God" podcast where we believe that marriage was meant for more than just happily ever after. - [Jennifer] I'm Jennifer, also known as Unveiled Wife. - [Aaron] And I'm Aaron, also known as Husband Revolution. - [Jennifer] We have been married over a decade. - [Aaron] And so far, we have four young children. - [Jennifer] We have been doing marriage ministry online for over seven years through blogging and social media. - [Aaron] With a desire to inspire couples to keep God at the center of their marriage, encouraging them to walk in faith every day. - [Jennifer] We believe that Christian marriage should be an extraordinary one, full of life, - Love, - And power, - [Aaron] That can only be found by chasing after God, - [Jennifer] Together. - [Aaron] Thank you for joining us on this journey as we chase boldly after God's will for our life together. - [Jennifer] This is "Marriage After God." Okay Aaron, so we, we survived kind of a hard week. - [Aaron] We did survive. - I mean, - We're barely coming on - Our kids survived. - The other side of it, yes. - [Jennifer] But we're not the only ones going through this, so we thought we would just give you guys a little update of our family and hopefully encourage some of you out there who it might be hitting as well. - [Aaron] Yeah, our whole family got the flu. It was bad, but not bad. It was kind of a weird thing. - [Jennifer] Well, I'll say this, the Lord spared me and gave me the grace to be able to help everyone. 'Cause I felt-- - And you didn't even really get sick, you got some of the, like you felt sick. - Yeah you know the gut pain? - [Aaron] But you didn't have any other symptoms, which was awesome. - And the rosy cheeks. I felt like every once in a while, like I really don't feel good right now, I need to go lay down, but for the most part, I was able to be there to help everyone. Which made me really nervous, because people were, you and the kids were throwing up and I just thought, me, at this stage of the game in pregnancy, throwing up would not go over well with my body. - No and so-- - That woulda been terrible. - [Aaron] We're definitely thanking God, which we did a lot of, oddly. But not to be too graphic, but I'm pretty sure I put a rib out from how hard I was throwing up. - [Jennifer] That sucks. - [Aaron] Yeah, it still is really sore. But, what's awesome is, a couple of things, I just wanna praise you Jennifer, because I feel like you handled everyone being sick, and the inconvenience of it so well. I think I even told you, I was like, "I can tell you're walking in the spirit." Like your attitude was good, how much cleaning had to be done. - [Jennifer] It was a lot of work. - [Aaron] It's no fun when literally all the boys are throwing up and it's like, there's no clean blankets. - [Jennifer] It's all at the same time. - [Aaron] Yeah, so we, but we survived, we're coming on the other side of that. But one thing we practiced, I don't think we've ever done it before, not that we're not thankful to God. - [Jennifer] Not in this kind of circumstance, it's not at the forefront of our minds. - [Aaron] I did a post a couple weeks ago encouraging men to thank God for everything, if they get cut off in traffic, if something bad happens, even-- - [Jennifer] You didn't say if your whole family comes down with sickness, did you? - [Aaron] I know, if something good happens, I just said, say, whatever it is that happens today, thank God for it. And I tried practicing that. And so I'm literally in the fetal position in the bathtub, and I'm trying to thank God. I'm like, "Okay God, thank you. "Thank you for being sick." And I was like, why am I thanking God for this? Well, thank you for reminding me that I'm human. Like I'm fragile. Thank you for reminding me that one day I'm not gonna have this sickness. - [Jennifer] Or that we need to pray. - [Aaron] Yeah thank you for reminding, - Ask him. - Humbling me, showing me that my weakness. So there was a lot of things to thank God for for being sick, and I directly thanked God for being sick. And then we of course have thanked God for healing us and sparing our family from being even worse, 'cause it probably could have been worse. - [Jennifer] Something that really stood out to me is I didn't know you had this perspective kind of going into everyone being sick, and I wouldn't say I was there with you in those beginning moments, but you brought the family to the living room, and you said, "You know what, we're gonna pray, "and we're just gonna thank God today." And I think even one of the kids asked, "Why are we thanking God?" - [Aaron] Doesn't make any sense. - [Jennifer] But I was questioning it in my own heart too, like, okay, where's this going? But it was so beautiful to hear your prayer and you starting out saying, "God, thank you for this sickness." And it was humbling for me and for my heart to go, "oh yeah" you know? And to have that perspective before him. And then, I gotta share this other experience is just a friend of mine who, their family also got it really bad. - [Aaron] Pretty much our whole church got sick. - [Jennifer] But I met up with her for coffee when it was all past and she goes, "You know I just found, we found our whole family "just worshiping God through it." And it was so cool, kinda the same thing. And I said, "I didn't really worship him through it, "but at the end of all the laundry being done, "all the bathrooms being cleaned, "and having taken a shower, I came out singing "'Victory in Jesus' so, that was awesome." - [Aaron] But it is worship. Thanking God is worship. So whatever he gives, I think Job says it, "Should we not thank God for the good and the evil?" Like the bad things that happen? We thank God for those too, because he's God and he deserves our thanksgiving. And at the end of the day, salvation is so much greater than anything that we can go through. So, at minimum you can be like, "God, thank you so much "that one day I'm gonna be with you." That is so good. - [Jennifer] So if your family happens to get hit by whatever bug this is, - [Aaron] It's going around, yeah. - [Jennifer] Whatever's going around, we just wanted to encourage you guys to move forward with a thankful heart and to trust God and to be prayerful. And also just to be patient, because we know it's an inconvenience, we know it's hard, it takes away from your work schedule, it takes away from things on your to-do list that maybe you were hoping to do or whatever it is. We know it's hard, but if God's allowing it to happen, we can trust him and walk through it with him. - [Aaron] Yeah, so that was just a little update on our flu campaign. But we wanna encourage you. We have a new challenge. We've been doing a lot of these lately, a lot of new downloads and challenges and free things that you guys can get from us. And our new one's called the parentingprayerchallenge.com. We launched it last week and this week you get to do it. We're still encouraging parents to sign up to pray for either their daughter or their son or both. So if you haven't signed up for the Parenting Prayer Challenge, it's completely free. We're gonna send you 31 prompts every day, encouraging you to pray for different things for your child. - Over 31 days. - Over 31 days. - [Jennifer] Not 31 emails in one day. - [Aaron] Yeah, that's happened one time. Yeah, one a day, and the whole idea is that at the end of the 31 days you've built a habit of praying for your children. I'm sure all you parents love to pray for your children, but we just wanted to give this resource to encourage you to pray more, to pray deeper, to pray more consistently and give you ideas on what other things to pray for for your kids. - [Jennifer] Yeah, and I'll add this, it goes hand in hand with our books, "31 prayers for your son and for your daughter." And if you have those books, oh this'll be an incredible reminder. It's kinda like an alarm, right? Because your email comes through and then you're like, "Oh yeah." So you can get the book and go along with it that way too. - [Aaron] Mm-hmm, so parentingprayerchallenge.com, all one word, spelled the way you would think it's spelled. And sign up for free today. All right guys, we've been doing this new thing, we've mentioned it a few times this season. We're trying to do a marriage episode, we're doing a devotional style episode, a Q&A, we're trying to give a little bit more diversity on the kinds of things we're bringing up and this episode's gonna be a devotional style. We're gonna talk about some scripture. And something that we've been learning, something that I taught on at church. And so we hope it encourages you and why don't you, Jennifer start off by reading-- - [Jennifer] Oh, I was gonna sit back and let you teach for 30 minutes, yeah. - [Aaron] Oh, I'll just do it? No. - Go for it. - [Aaron] Why don't you read the scripture that we're gonna be talking about, - Okay. - And then we'll go into it. - [Jennifer] So it's 1 Peter 4:7-11 and it says this, "The end of all things is at hand, "therefore be self controlled "and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. "Above all, keep loving one another earnestly "since love covers a multitude of sins." - [Aaron] This is a great scripture in 1 Peter and we're excited to talk about it and what it means for us as believers, not only in our marriages, but just in life in general and walking in the body of Christ. And the power that is in our love for one another. And what that means and looks like. So we're gonna dig into this, these few scriptures, and kinda break it down and talk about some stuff and Jennifer you might have some questions. But we're just gonna break it down and see how this applies to us in our life. So the first thing I wanna point out is where our perspective should be. And Jennifer you read it, the very first thing it says in verse seven is "The end of all things is at hand." - [Jennifer] I feel like there should be an exclamation mark. - [Aaron] And it's almost is, it's a semicolon which says everything I'm about to say is attached to this statement. The end of all things is at hand, and so, we can easily, quickly think this is talking about Jesus coming back, or the end of days, right? But in the New Testament when it talks about the end of days or all things at hand or the end of the generation, it's mostly talking about all of the things that needed to take place, they needed to occur for the salvation story, for redemption, God's plan for redemption that he's been planning and preparing since Adam and Eve in the garden. And so, when Peter says the end of all things is at hand, he's saying that essentially, Christ has been born, he's died, and he's resurrected. - [Jennifer] Like we have what we need. - [Aaron] The thing that God has planned to take place has taken place. - Yeah. - [Aaron] Which means a lot. It means that we can now draw near to God. It means that we now can have salvation and a right relationship with God. Because without the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and his ascension and him sending the holy spirit there is no, like we can't be made right with God. So all of those things, the end of all things is at hand. The end of everything that God planned for salvation has been done, as Jesus says on the cross, it is finished. So it didn't necessarily mean that hey, the end of the world is tomorrow. But it's also an allusion, it alludes to Christ returning. Because now that the church age has begun, the spirit is living in man, we're made right with God, the bride of Christ is growing, we have an expectation of Christ's return. So we're in this imminent return zone. Like at any moment Christ can come back. - [Jennifer] And we are, we're called to walk a certain way. - [Aaron] Yeah. And so that's kinda, he starts off these statements with here's how you should be thinking. Realize first and foremost you have everything you need because Christ died and resurrected. He's given you his spirit, so now you can walk in his spirit and not the flesh. Like the things that we need to accomplish what he's about to tell us have already happened and are already available to us and been given to us. So that's our perspective in our relationships with our spouse, our children, our church body. That the end of all things is at hand. Like first and foremost, I have everything I need in Christ Jesus, to walk this way that we're about to talk about. And I walk this way because I look forward to Christ coming back, and I wanna not be ashamed at his return, I wanna stand boldly at his return. I wanna be excited for his return. - [Jennifer] It gives those relationships a lot of depth and purpose, how we interact with each other and how we're supposed to be in those relationships with each other. - [Aaron] Right and so, if you think about your marriage. You say, "Well, I just can't because my husband "is this, this, this." - [Jennifer] Or together you're just facing a really hard circumstance. - [Aaron] Yeah, like we went through stuff. And it's like, oh, our love for each other is stifled because of this hard circumstance or these character traits in the other person. But if our mindsets are on wow, first of all I can, because Christ did, and I should, because Christ is coming. My perspective and the way I treated you and the way we treat others would totally be transformed because we're no longer thinking of this immediate, well how did you treat me and how am I gonna treat you? - [Jennifer] Well, it's not about us. - Exactly. - Right? - [Aaron] Which is a powerful thing. And this is being taught to the believer, but the ramifications for this is in every aspect of your life. Most directly in your marriage and then also most directly in all of your relationships with other believers in the church. We need to have this perspective. - [Jennifer] Okay, so, then moving on in that verse, the next word is therefore. - [Aaron] Yeah and-- - [Jennifer] So the end of all things is at hand, - [Both] Therefore. - [Aaron] Yeah, and someone always says, "What's therefore there for?" I mean you ask yourself, "Well, why is that there?" And it's attached to the last statement. So, since the end of all things is at hand, be this way. And what does it say right there, Jennifer? - [Jennifer] Be self controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. - [Aaron] So, in relation to our relationships and in our life and in the way we interact in this world, self-controlled, how often do we say the word self-controlled in our house? - [Jennifer] Well, we're in the beginning stages of training our kids, so I feel like we say it all the time, multiple times a day. - [Aaron] 150,000 times a day. Are you being self-controlled? - Remember, self-control. - [Aaron] Be self-controlled, you're not being self-controlled. You must have self-control. Like over and over and over again. 'Cause that's, I mean our kids are learning to have control over themselves, that's the point. But self-controlled meaning, in my life, am I in control or is my flesh in control? 'Cause when my flesh is in control, we are not self-controlled. We're gonna eat as much as-- - We just give way - We want. - To whatever we want, yeah. - [Aaron] When I'm angry, I'm just gonna say what I wanna say. Oh, well, I was angry, that's why I said that. Well, that's not self-controlled. That's just blurting out what's coming to your mind because you're angry, rather than considering the other person. - [Jennifer] Which the mind is the next thing it says. - [Aaron] Yeah, sober-minded, which yes, this is talking about sobriety, not on drugs, not drunk with alcohol, but sober-minded is much more than just, we talked about this in another episode. I can't remember the name of the other episode, but it's having a right way of thinking. A clear way of thinking. So if you think about, we just talked about anger. You know Jennifer, you do something that really frustrates me and then I get so angry I just start saying whatever I want, like I'm not being sober-minded. I'm letting my wrath and my anger control my words and my actions, rather than my mind. - [Jennifer] It's like being self-controlled of your mind specifically. - Right. - [Jennifer] Like being able to have those thought processes and walk yourself through it mentally. - [Aaron] Another example of being sober-minded is fear. So, there's nothing wrong with natural fear, like you know fire's gonna burn you, so you don't touch it, but we're talking about like there's something going on in the world and it's causing us to have this anxiety and fear which causes us to make decisions and not seek out wisdom and oh, we're gonna go do this thing because XYZ over here, I don't know how that's gonna turn out, therefore we're gonna. And so that's not sober-minded either. Instead of thinking through what is reality, thinking through what is the repercussions if XYZ happens or if we don't have what we need or if, like thinking sober-minded is rather than operating in the fear and just making decisions off that, you're operating in knowledge and wisdom and you seek counsel and you're slow to act, slow to speak. So that's the idea of sober-minded. So since we know that the end of all things is at hand, meaning we have everything we need in Christ, meaning all of the things that God planned for redemption has happened, you have the holy spirit, be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. - [Jennifer] So real quick, I just have to, just hearing you repeat that, it says, "Be self-controlled and sober-minded "for the sake of your prayers," that means you're praying. So it's almost like it's saying be self-controlled and sober-minded and prayerful. Like be a person of prayer. - [Aaron] Right, and we just talked about being sick. If our minds were in this position of thankfulness and we were just wallowing in the suffering, 'cause throwing up's not fun, not feeling good is not fun, and we could just sit there and be like woe is us. And we're not even being sober-minded in that. But instead we're like, "Thank you Lord." It actually helped us elevate above our current circumstances to be able to see it from a heavenly position. Like, okay, well, just because this thing is happening, doesn't mean I stop being a Christian. Doesn't mean I can now act XYZ, be this way, say these things. No, I actually even in this, can walk this out. Because we know all things have been fulfilled in Christ, and his return is imminent, even in my sickness I get to say, "Well if Christ was to come right now, "I wanna be like him, wanna look like him." This is how we must live as people who claim the name of Jesus. We can't claim the name, but not walk it out. - [Jennifer] Mm-hmm, okay so before you move on, I feel like maybe some of our listeners would have the same question, and that is, it says "for the sake of your prayers" so does that mean your prayers are in trouble if you're not being self-controlled or you're not being sober-minded? What does that mean? - [Aaron] Yeah, I mean, in 1 Peter I think we get another picture of that when it talks about husbands walking with their wives in an understanding way, it says for the sake of your prayers. So, there is a way that the believer can walk that would hinder our prayers. And it could be put this way, someone told me once, "God's not gonna tell you "to do a new thing until you've done the old thing." Like the thing he's asked you to do already. And so it's almost like this, we're looking for a new word from the Lord, we're looking for guidance and wisdom. And he's like, well, but you're not even loving your wife right now. - Mm-hmm, I have a really good example of this when it comes to kids. Olive, just I think it was yesterday, she came up to me and she was like, "Mom, I don't have anything to do." And so I gave her something to do, it was a small task. And she turned around really quickly and said, "I don't wanna do that." - [Aaron] What else can I do? - [Jennifer] What else can I do? And I looked at her, I said, "Sweetheart, "can you go do what Mommy asked you to do?" - [Aaron] Right. Yeah, and there's even a scripture that says, "Go back and do the first things "that you've been told to do." Like you've left your first love, we learned in Revelations. There's this idea of like, God's already given us some commands, given us some things to do as believers. In his power, to do it, and we wanna skip over those things and we're gonna talk about this. We wanna skip over those things to get to the other things. We're like, "Well, I don't wanna do that thing." Loving that person's difficult. Or, praying for that person, ehh, let's pray for this big thing over here. - [Jennifer] Or how about, "I'll be self-controlled, "but I don't care about being sober-minded." - Exactly yeah. - You know what I mean? - [Aaron] Which doesn't make any sense because, - [Jennifer] I know. - [Aaron] If you're not sober, like let's talk about being drunk, you're not in self-control either. Those things go hand in hand. So yes, the Bible teaches that our prayers can be hindered. I don't know exactly what that means, does that mean that God doesn't hear 'em at all? Or is it that I am hindered? Like I'm not gonna want to pray more. I don't have a desire to, I'm frustrated. No, Lord, I don't want to. It's like when our, like you said our kids, when they have an attitude, Wyatt crosses his arms, puts his head down, it's like he doesn't wanna look at us. - [Jennifer] Or like that example you gave of us being sick, if we weren't sober-minded and self-controlled, we wouldn't have prayed in thankfulness, so yeah, hindered in a way that if we're not walking that way and we're not being that way then we won't be praying at all. - Yeah so, - We won't be a people of prayer. - Regardless of how it plays out, I don't want either of those things. I wanna be able to come to God boldly and I also want God to receive me and hear my prayers. The Bible tells us that the prayers of a righteous man availeth much, it's in James. And I want my prayers heard. I want them to avail much. And when I pray for my family, when I pray for health, when I pray for opportunities, when I pray for other, my family members, when I pray for the lost, I want those prayers to be heard and to have power with God. So, God says, "Well be sober-minded and self-controlled "so that your prayers won't be hindered." Then I should just do that. - [Jennifer] Do it. - [Aaron] It's not easy all the time, but that's what we get to do, because the end of all things is at hand, so I should be able to do it. Okay, so let's move on to this next part of this verse. - [Jennifer] Well the next verse. - [Aaron] Yeah, the next verse, there ya go. Verse eight starts off, it says, "Above all." Okay, and I just wanted to highlight this idea, so if you're in your Bible, which that'd be awesome if you were, you should be. It says, "Above all," comma, "keep loving one another earnestly." And I just wrote down some ideas of what's the all? Like above all, above how generous you might be financially, like, "I've given so much." Above being right, like "Well I know "that this scripture means this." Above memorizing every scripture, above being debt free, above your health, above your safety, above all. Above everything that you see as good, 'cause these things are good, for the most part, don't neglect to do this thing. So, above all, do this thing, right? - [Jennifer] Do you think it's easy for us in our flesh to justify like, "Well, I don't have to love that person, "and we don't even get along, but I'm doing this "over here, so, I'm good with God because this over here." Do you hear what I'm saying? - [Aaron] Yeah, we do this all the time, and there's a scripture that I'll bring up that shows this hypocrisy. Like, "Well no, that person doesn't need to be in my life, "because of XY and Z, but, you know what? "But I read every day, I'm in the word every day." "Oh but I pray, I'll pray for that person. "I don't have to love 'em, but I'll pray for 'em." I think something that I've heard a lot, and it doesn't make any sense, but we say this, "Oh, I love him, I just don't like him." Almost as if love is this general like, yeah we're in the same city, but I'm never gonna talk to him, I'm not gonna be kind to him, I'm not gonna be cordial, I'm not gonna even, I don't wanna go out of my way for them. I'm not gonna give to them, I'm not gonna help them, I'm not gonna. So what love is that? - [Jennifer] If you're doing that, I was gonna say, what's your definition of love? - [Aaron] And that's my point is we, okay, I'll just do this. So the point of everything I said above all, or not that we shouldn't do those other things, 'cause I never want someone to be like, "Well, all we have to do is love others, "and we don't have to be generous, "and we don't have to read our word and memorize scripture." These things that are actually really good for us. "And my health and my, all these things don't matter, "as long as I just love." No. All of those things matter, but we don't neglect this one thing, and often it's the one thing we neglect. We work on all those other things, 'cause we have, those are easier, those are personal. We can control 'em. We can't control other people and that's why it's so hard. And I think of this in Matthew 23:23 Jesus says this, he says, "Woe to you scribes and pharisees, hypocrites, "for you tithe mint and dill and cumin, "and have neglected the weightier matters of the law." And then get what he says, "Justice, mercy and faithfulness. "These you ought to have done "without neglecting the others." - [Jennifer] Like do it all. - [Aaron] He's like, "Yeah, you spent time, "you outwardly show all these good things that you do, "yet you've neglected justice, like you don't care "about those in your midst who need justice "and you've been unjust." Or showing mercy and faithfulness. You haven't remained faithful to your spouses, you haven't remained faithful to your people, you haven't remained faithful to, and he's saying these things you should have done without neglecting those other things that you do. And so that was the point I was getting at is like yeah, all those other things are good, but we cannot throw out loving one another earnestly. - [Jennifer] So you used the word earnestly, why don't you define that, just for our listeners really quick? - [Aaron] Okay, 'cause it's a pretty powerful word and it's how he wants us to love each other. It's not like, "Hey, I love you, yeah I'll see you later. "Oh yeah, we're good buddies." It's something deeper than that. He says, "Love one another earnestly." And the definition of earnestly means with sincere and intense conviction. It's so powerful. It's not just a, in passing a word you just say about someone, it's a life lived out way of loving. It's a my actions and the way I think reflect the deepness of my conviction and belief about how I love you. And so a perfect example is in marriage. I love you, and it's not just a word. I show you by how I take care of you. And how I show up every day and how I sit and talk with you. And how I ask for forgiveness, and I'm patient, and all these things are the actions of my love for you. - [Jennifer] Yeah, I think that's really important to point out, because I think in marriage specifically, you can text each other back and forth, I love you, or say it at the end of a phone call, conversation. Saying it in passing or before you leave to go to work. But are your actions proving what those words actually mean? So you've convinced yourself in your mind, yeah, of course I love my husband, of course I love my wife. And I tell them every day. - [Aaron] How do they know? - [Jennifer] But, are your actions supporting your words? - [Aaron] Yeah, and so let's break down this definition a little bit, it says with a sincere and intense conviction, that's the earnestness. Sincere means free from pretense or deceit. Proceeding from genuine feelings. So I don't just say it, it's not just a word that I use so that I look good with my other Christian friends and brothers and sisters. - Or that you know you should use because you're married. - [Aaron] Yeah, like, "Oh yeah, of course I love so-and-so." But yet, you don't truly believe it in your heart. You struggle with believing, like well, do I love him? I mean, I could move on. I'm not going to, 'cause I don't wanna look bad. That's not love, it's a free from pretense or deceit. So there's nothing, you're not saying it to receive anything like, "Oh good, so good that you love that person." And you're not saying it out of, it's not a lie. When you say you love someone it's truthful. It's a genuine, genuineness, a real thing from with inside of you. And then that second part, intense conviction. And I smashed two definitions together, 'cause the word intense and conviction I put them together and it's a highly concentrated and firmly held belief in what you are doing, right? So, it's not going away. My love for my brothers and sisters in Christ, my love for others in the world, my love for my wife, it's real and it's going to drive my actions and my decisions and my attitudes and it's gonna cause me to repent and it's gonna cause me to change and grow because that conviction is solid. It's there, and when I'm challenged in that conviction, when the listener is challenged in that conviction of love, they get to ask themselves, "Well do I truly love so-and-so?" And then they get to remember, well, the end of all things is at hand, I must love so-and-so, regardless. Without pretense, it needs to be truthful and powerful. That's what that word earnestly means. - [Jennifer] I love that definition of intense conviction that you shared, and it makes me think how intentional this type of love truly is, because-- - [Aaron] That's a good word, intentional. - [Jennifer] Yeah, it's intentional because you're motivated by your, like it said, "firmly held belief in what you are doing" so everything that I do in our home, everything I do with our kids, everything I do with you, comes out and is an overflow of this belief that I have that I truly love you and that genuine feeling that you talked about earlier. And that's such a different situation when you compare it to just saying the words I love you or just going about your day without any motivations as to why you're doing those things, you know? It makes me think of the type of motivational speaking you hear when it comes to entrepreneurship, where it's like, "You gotta know your why." You gotta know your why. - Yeah, what's your why? - [Jennifer] What's your why? So it makes me go there when I think about in marriage, why are you doing all the little things that you do throughout your day? It's because you love that person. - [Aaron] Mm-hmm, and it's not superficial, and it's not just a word, but it's an actual held belief. Like "No, I love my wife. "I love John over there." Like truly love them, not just, "We're Christians "and we love each other." - Right. And if we truly consider this you guys, then when we get into a hard spot in marriage, when we get into conflict or something happens unexpectedly that you don't desire, you can continue on, because there's this hope knowing that, "Well no, I love them. "You know, I know this is hard, but God's given me "a love for them." - [Aaron] Yeah. What I think is really cool, I just thought about this, often we think about this idea of growing in love, which we do, we change and our level of love deepens. - It deepens, yeah. - [Aaron] But it's actually, the way this is stated, it's actually a starting point. We start at this basis of love for one another. Not build into it. It starts at this place and I thought that was really cool. I just was, - I like that. - [Aaron] I was just thinking it's like it's not, yeah, it does grow over time, but it's also, like you said, even in those hard times, you default to that position of love. Not default to, well we're not in love because, or we're building in love and the default position is no love. That's not actually, I mean marriage starts, usually, for the most part, with a deep conviction of love. And so the default position is love. And I didn't have the scripture originally here, but I thought about this and I think it goes perfectly well. What this level of love is supposed to look like, it's supposed to be remarkable. It's not supposed to look like the love of the world. Like the world loves itself. There's people that they love their own and they do a good job of that, but the love that Christians are supposed to have for one another is supposed to be remarkable, miraculous. And Jesus puts it this way in John 13:34. "A new commandment I give to you, "that you love one another. "Just as I have loved you, "you also are to love one another. "By this all people will know that you are my disciples "if you have love for one another." So it's not like, if we do these great things, or if we have this great band, or if we preach this great message, it says if you love one another the way I loved you, the whole world will know, oh that's a disciple of Christ. - [Jennifer] Yeah. - [Aaron] That's remarkable. So I get, the question I have in your marriage, in your relationships at church, would the world look at how you love them as remarkable? Like that's a remarkable love. How could he love like that? How could she love like that after so much has happened to her, after this or that? It's a remarkable love and it can only be done with Jesus Christ. That's what he says, "If you love as I have loved you." Which is an amazing, amazing kind of love. It's literally remarkable. And I have some notes here and this is, this is exactly why churches fall apart. This is why friendships dissolve, this is why marriages end. When we let the intensity of our conviction to love each other soften. We got to that point a few years into our marriage. Our conviction to love one another, because of the things we were going through, got weakened. - [Jennifer] I was gonna say, I don't feel like softens is just the right word because it sounds mushy-gushy, but I mean we're talking about the dissolving of that belief and conviction. - [Aaron] Yeah. And it's not that those things that were happening had some external power to weaken our love for each other superficially, - We chose that. - We let our love, yeah we chose it, that's a good word. And so, I just wanna ask you, as we get into this, have you let your love, the earnestness of your love for your spouse, for other believers, weaken? For whatever reason, because someone hurt you, because someone said something harmful about you, because someone didn't pay you back? - [Jennifer] The relationship's messy or hard or challenging and you just wanna, - Walk away. - Walk away. - It'd be easier. - Yeah. - [Aaron] There's been so many times I've thought to myself, it would just be easier to move. - [Jennifer] Well, we thought that in the beginning of our marriage when we were facing hardship and we got to the point at the end of three and a half years where we were, so incredibly close to walking away convinced in our selfish flesh that it would be better for each other if we just separated. - [Aaron] Move on. - [Jennifer] And instead, God got ahold of our hearts in a remarkable way and, I mean he brought the message to you first and then to me, but it's a choice. - [Aaron] Yeah. - [Jennifer] And are we gonna let our circumstances dictate that choice or are we gonna choose it in our hearts and move past the circumstances? Or even if we have to deal with the circumstances for the rest of our life, and that was the commitment we had to choose. There came this pivotal moment where, people who've read our books, they know what I'm talking about, but we're standing in church, Aaron, and you're sharing this heart that God has given you for our marriage to continue on regardless if anything changed. That is remarkable. And that saved us, that saved our marriage. - [Aaron] And here's the difference in the types of love. The love that the world has for itself, and the love that we are to have for our brothers and sisters and our spouse. The love that Christ gave to us was unconditional. The love that we try and walk in is often transactional. You do this, I'll do this. You give me this, I'll give you that. Oh you didn't do the thing, or you weren't the certain way? Then I'm not going to. Jesus it says, "Yet while we were still sinners died for us." So even when we were weakest, when we couldn't save ourselves, Christ died. Christ gave himself up for his bride. And this is the message that Christ gave me that day, reminding me, he's like, "Hey are you gonna love "your wife unconditionally, or transactionally? "Are you gonna love her regardless if she ever gives you "what you think you deserve, what you ought to have? "Or are you gonna love her like I did "when you could do nothing for me, "and I still died for you?" - [Jennifer] John 13 comes back to my mind like you said. Jesus says, "Love as I loved you." - [Aaron] And you know what this sincerity and intensity, this earnestness sounds very familiar to how Jesus said we would worship God. He says this to the woman at the well, in John 4:24, he says, "God is spirit "and those who worship him must worship "in spirit and truth." Spirit and truth. And this isn't talking about worshiping each other. But it's how we love each other, in spirit and in truth. - [Jennifer] It reminds me of the definition going back earlier to those genuine feelings. - [Aaron] Mm-hmm, it's not from pretense or deceit. It's no, I genuinely love you. I may not know how to do it well, but I'm going to default to love, I'm going to default to giving you the benefit of the doubt. I'm going to love you regardless if you give me what I deserve. And then in Matthew 22 verse 37-48 says this, "And he said to him, 'You shall love the lord your God "'with all your heart and with all your soul "'and with all your mind. "'This is there greatest and first commandment. "'And a second is like it, you shall love your neighbor "'as yourself, on these two commandments "'depend all the law and the prophets.'" - [Jennifer] I remember we read this verse to our kids and they got really confused, because we've taught them the 10 Commandments. - Yeah. - And they were like, "No no no, that's not the." - [Aaron] No, you have to honor your mom and dad. Like, yes. And what I explained to 'em is, and this is what Jesus says, he says, "Anyone who does these won't break any of the laws." Because when you love your neighbor, you're not gonna steal from them. When you love your neighbor, you're not gonna lie to them. When you love your neighbor, you're not gonna covet their things. You're gonna say praise God that you've given them those things, God. Praise God. They're gonna use 'em for you, I hope. We don't covet. When we love God we don't dishonor our parents. When you love your parents you're not gonna dishonor them. And so, that's the kind of love that we get to have for one another. And it's actually, it's one of the greatest commandments, to love God with all our heart, mind and soul and to love each other as ourselves. To love each other with that intensity. Okay, so we're getting up to the last part of this section of scripture and it's the most powerful one. It's actually the title of this episode. And it's the reason why Peter is commanding us to love each other in the first place. It's the reason why he's saying to do these things, it's the reason why he gave us the mindset of hey, the end of all things is at hand, be this way, love this way. So before I move on to this next portion of this scripture, I'm gonna read the whole scripture again. It's 1 Peter 4:7-11. "The end of all things is at hand, "therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded "for the sake of your prayers. "Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, "since love covers a multitude of sins." Okay, so here's the-- - You slowed down there at the end Aaron, - I know it's, - [Jennifer] Is that important? - [Aaron] Well, it's the most powerful section of this scripture, I believe. And what's amazing about this is it's the opportunity that believers have to love like Christ. What did Christ's love do? - [Jennifer] Saved us. - [Aaron] It covered us. We've just been teaching the kids through Adam and Eve, the story of Adam and Eve and how they were to, God told that surely on the day that you eat of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, you will die. And guess what. - [Jennifer] Well the kids asked the question, - They're like, - But they didn't die! - [Aaron] Yeah, they didn't die. Here's what's amazing is something died instead. They covered themselves with fig leaves, God covered them in skins. So an animal had to die. So even then, way back in the beginning, in the very first people, God showed his redemption plan. That he was gonna substitute the death that we deserve for another. And so it was a picture right then and there of what Christ was gonna do. And this is what the believer gets to do. This is the remarkable love that the world's gonna see and be like, whoa, those people are God's, Christ's disciples, because Christ died for them, and look how they love each other. - [Jennifer] They wouldn't be able to do it without him. - [Aaron] Yeah, and so love covers a multitude of sins. So here's a question, I taught this at church and I asked this question, and it was hard for me to get it out without crying. But I said, "Who doesn't want their sins covered?" I said, "Raise your hand." How many hands do you think went up? None. So I ask the listener, do you want your sins covered? Do you thank God that his son Jesus and the blood that he shed covers your sins completely? That you are made white as snow? That you are clean before God? Okay, so if we can answer that question with "Yes, praise God," then our love should do the same. Our love has that same power. I personally love the fact that God no longer sees my sin. I personally love that who I was before Christ is now dead and buried. But, what we often do is we highlight other people's sins. And what it does is it raises us up and puts them down. Oh so-and-so, I can't believe they would treat me that way. You can't believe it? I mean how else do we deserve to be treated, really? We deserve hell. That's what the human state deserves. - [Jennifer] There's other times in marriage that we hold their sin against them. - [Aaron] Absolutely, yeah. - [Jennifer] So, whether it's for ammunition later, or maybe you're not intentionally thinking that, but all the sudden it comes up again, and you haven't covered their sin in love. You've been hanging on to it out of bitterness and anger, and you're gonna spew it out back in their face to make them feel a certain way. - [Aaron] Or waiting for them to trip up and it makes you feel better, because as long as their sin is greater than your sin then you're not a sinner. That's like the logic we use. I know that we struggled with this. You believed because I struggled with certain things you didn't even wanna see your own sin. Things that you were dealing with, your own pride, your own bitterness, your own angers, 'cause I was the sinner in the relationship. I was the one that needed to repent, I was the one that needed to change. And I did, I mean it's not like I didn't. But we do that, we look, we long for the sin in others. Oh, since they're that way, I can be this way. Rather than wanting to cover those sins. Rather than wanting to overlook them and remind those people of who they are in Christ, without pretense, without this idea of like, I'm gonna point this out, because I wanna hurt them. Or I wanna feel better. - [Jennifer] I think just kind of glancing back over those first few years of marriage, something else that I've struggled with is holding on to the sins that you struggled with even after saying I forgive you or trying to make up and resolve things. Because I had this belief about you that you were gonna fail me. So I was building a case, right? - [Aaron] You were waiting for me to, yeah. - [Jennifer] The next time you messed up, I go, "See, this is the type of person that you are." And I held up a mirror to show you your sin instead of pointing you to God and saying, "But he's redeemed you." You know what I mean? I didn't give you-- - Why you acting like this? God's redeemed you. - I didn't give you the positive message, because I truly cared about restoration at that point I was looking for a case in order to get out. To leave, to say, "You're this way, and I can't handle it." - [Aaron] Yeah. And that leads me to this question, do we see our spouse's sins against us as special or less deserving of forgiveness and grace? Do we see the sins and shortcomings of others towards us as less deserving, as special? Yeah, yeah, I've done things, I get it, God forgives me, but what they've done? No, what they've done is not forgivable. What they've done is, you can't tell me to love that person. Well, you know what, I don't. I'm not telling you anything. God says it, okay? When you give that word picture, 'cause I think it perfectly sums up this idea of when we love the way Christ loves, what it does. - [Jennifer] Well, I was just thinking about this idea of covering a multitude of sins by our love, the word picture that I got in my mind to help me understand that is a blanket and it's function. When you think about a blanket and being wrapped up and curled up on the couch with it, it provides warmth and comfort and padding and it consumes you. - It protects you. - [Jennifer] It protects you, it's just all around you and it was a really beautiful picture for me to understand how God covers us. Kinda like even as you said, going back to Adam and Eve, how he covered them, ya know? - [Aaron] And then the picture I got, and the Bible even uses it, says that our sins are made white as snow. And we live in a place that snows. And you see all the landscape, there's all the colors, the grass, the concrete, the trees, the houses. - [Jennifer] Pretty soon everything starts to fade away. - [Aaron] It snows and guess what. Everything's the same color. - Everything's white. - Everything's white. And beautiful and it could be on the dirtiest, muddiest area, and it's a beautiful white field. And that's what Christ's blood does is it covers us. And out of our thankfulness for that, we get to love others the same way. And this isn't an overlooking of sin, this isn't a pretending sin hasn't happened. And I'll talk about that in a second. But it's the way we love that no one, no one's sin is special that doesn't deserve our forgiveness, because what we've done is so worthy of punishment. The littlest sin we've done is detrimental to our own nature. And Christ has forgiven that in us. And I was reading in Leviticus this morning, and it was talking about all of the sacrifices and all the atonements and the priest is supposed to do this and all, it was so weird, I'm reading, I was like, "I wanna watch a video on this." So I watched the Bible Project's video on atonement. - [Jennifer] Oh they're good. - [Aaron] Yeah, it was good. And I almost started crying in Starbucks, 'cause I go to Starbucks after the gym, watching it because it was explaining how the atonement was a replacement and it was talking about the two types of evil, it was the sin against your brother or God. And it washes that away. But the other thing is the broken relationship aspect. Let's say you stole something, you paid it back, right? But there's also now distrust and fear that's in the relationship. And so that has to be atoned for as well. And so there's this picture of the priest sprinkling blood over the temple and the Tent of Meeting, right? And it showed this picture of, there was all this black looking weeds on the ground, and every time the blood hit the ground it turned to normal. And it said the blood also brought us into a safe relationship and a love relationship. And that's what this love does when it's covering. It's not just pretending things didn't happen, it's actually mending relationships so that we can walk with people not in fear, not in angst or anxiety, but we can actually walk with people in freedom and in love and in purity. That's what this does. And I wanted to share that 'cause it literally almost made me cry when I was thinking what God's done for me, and how he's, he didn't just fix the offense, he also fixed the relationship that was broken because of the offense. - [Jennifer] It's remarkable. - [Aaron] Yeah. So, I just wanna quickly, we talked through a lot of the scriptures, but I wanted to quickly say, this isn't to say we ignore sin, because that actually is unloving. Ignoring someone's sin is unloving. The loving thing to do is to address the sin, not out of our own vindication, trying to get something paid back to us, but out of, like you said, pointing them back to the truth of what God said about them. Or if they're not a believer, to repentance and salvation. So the loving way to, we deal with sin lovingly. And we come to people in truth and our position is of we wanna see the best for you. We want you to be in a right relationship with us. As Matthew 18 says, it's like you've won your brother. That's what you go to them for is for the purpose of winning your brother, not for winning the argument or winning the, oh see, all I want is an apology and we'll be good. No, you're going with the intention of hey, this is broken right now. We need to fix this. Love covering a multitude of sins isn't to say that the sins just disappear. It's to say that we deal with them the biblical way, the loving way for the purpose of reconciliation, 'cause that is the ministry we've been given is reconciliation. - [Jennifer] And we do this for people because we desire the same reciprocation, right? Of love? - I want it. - [Jennifer] I want people to overlook and cover the sins that I've committed, even the slightest or smallest, there's no degree. It doesn't matter. If I'm imperfect, I want someone to love me still. And I think that's important to remember, especially in marriage. - [Aaron] So I hope that bit of scripture encourages you in your walk. As usual we pray before signing off, so we're gonna pray. Dear lord, we lift up our hearts to you right now and ask that you would make us a people who love others earnestly. Holy spirit direct our hearts and remind us of your word. We pray we would above all things, love others. We pray we would love our spouse, our children, our friends and those who are in our life. May your love pour out of us. May your love pouring out of us transform our marriages. We pray others would be impacted by the love we share. We pray we'd be able to love so deeply that it covers a multitude of sin. We pray that instead of shame or guilt, people would feel undoubtedly loved by us and by you. We pray for your word to be fulfilled through our choices to walk in love and that your will would be done. In Jesus name, amen. Hey thanks for joining us for this episode. We pray it blessed you, of course. And don't forget to join the Parenting Prayer Challenge. That's parentingprayerchallenge.com It's completely free and we pray it blesses you. See you next week. Did you enjoy today's show? If you did, it would mean the world to us if you could leave us a review on iTunes. Also, if you're interested, you can find many more encouraging stories and resources at marriageaftergod.com, and let us help you cultivate an extraordinary marriage.

Understanding our current food system, where it came from and especially where it might go is much easier if one understands history. Our field needs historians, thoughtful scholars who can do deep exploration of what has preceded the snapshot in time that represents what we're experiencing today. This is why an exciting development was the recent publication of a book entitled Food Fights edited by two historians at North Carolina State University, Charles Ludington and Matthew Booker. We're joined today by both of the editors. About Charles Ludington and Matthew Booker Charles Ludington is teaching associate professor in the department of history at North Carolina State University. He has taught and written about food history including the book entitled The Politics of Wine In Britain, The New Cultural History. Matthew Booker is associate professor of environmental history at North Carolina State university. He has written about oyster growers and oyster pirates, that would be interesting to talk about. This current book explores the rise and fall of aquaculture in American industrial cities.   Interview Summary Guys, thanks very much for joining us. And let's begin with the following question. Food Fights, your book, is described as a book that looks at food and food related debates through a historical lens. What does that mean, looking at things through a historical lens? The basic idea is that we think that looking at the past of the current debates that we're having, the origins of these debates, that helps us to understand a little more why we are here in the first place. For example, why it is we have the Farm Bill. So, looking at the past and the origins of the Farm Bill helps us to, I think, take some heat off the pressure of the debate and people blaming each other for this and that and neither side seeing things in wholly black and white terms. The idea is to take a variety of debates that we think are prominent in society, today and looking at their origins in order to understand why we're here and hopefully by doing that we can move forward. Yeah, just to pile on, I think Chad has really explained the point of the thing, which is that as historians, we always feel that there are roots and often invisible roots to the questions we debate in the present. Many of our current problems today are actually the results of solutions of yesteryear. Chad mentioned the Farm Bill, the origins of food subsidies in the United States. Food subsidies today are very unpopular on the extreme right and on the left of American politics, but those subsidies exist because in the 1930s the United States faced a real crisis for agriculture for farmers. So, there are good historical reasons why we have those subsidies. They may no longer serve exactly the purposes they were originally intended for, but there are good historical reasons why they exist. So Matthew, there are a lot of things historians could choose to look at. Why have folks decided to look at food as a way of looking at the history and vice versa? We both, I think I'm speaking for Chad here, we both feel that food as something that occupies every human being on a daily level is an absolutely perfect way to get through and into the deepest questions we ask as people. In other words, food is a kind of repository for all of the hopes and dreams and fears of modern society. If you're interested in policy for example of any kind, you can find some of our most interesting policy debates in the questions we ask about what shall we eat? Who should produce it? And under what conditions? If you're interested in the role of gender and class and race as we are as historians, all of those things are inherent in the way that we produce and consume food. And then of course, our questions of the way we relate to the world around us, the environmental questions they're all caught up in our food system, which is a major contributor to climate change and is also perhaps a path to a less carbon dense future. Why did you decide to set the book up as a series of debates between leading scholars and food and agriculture? That's an excellent question. We wanted to do that because first of all, the book itself stems from a conference that we had at NC State that Matthew and I organized at NC State. And in taking all these ideas, we realized we had a number of divergent opinions and that the best way to present these might be a series of debates in which the authors actually speak to each other, hopefully thereby providing an example of civil discourse. Not that scholars generally have a problem with that, but I would say in broader society that's becoming more and more difficult. By having these debates showing that there are multiple valid sides to these arguments, that it's not necessarily black and white. In fact, it's almost never black and white, we thought this format would be both engaging for the reader and also educational in as much as people would understand that these ideas are held very passionately by historians who spend a lot of time studying these issues and that we're not going to simply solve the problem by declaring one side the Victor and the other side evil. We have to move forward with these debates. So, let's go ahead and have a book that actually sets out these debates, not necessarily attacking each other's points, but certainly pointing out strengths and weaknesses. And hopefully that way we can, over time, begin to build a consensus about how we might move forward. Can you give us some examples of some of the topics covered in the book? A woman named Margaret Mellon who is both a scientist and a lawyer by training, she writes about genetic modification or genetic engineering, as she prefers to call it, and suggests that it's not delivered on almost all the promises that it made back in the 70s and 80s when it was really emerging as a field. At the same time, she doesn't condemn it also, but says that there's a place for genetically engineered food, but it's not nearly as great as many in the food industry might claim that, nor is there an evil. We move onto, from there, Peter Coclanis, a professor at UNC, goes on to defend a big ag, as it's called, saying that big ag has done wonders for the American economy. It's a huge success story and that in the 19th century we envisioned a world in which agriculture was run as it is today. And we now produce huge amounts of food and the American family spends, broadly speaking, around 10% of their income on food, which is historically speaking a very, very low figure. And he suggests our system might not be perfect, but in many ways it's done exactly what we as a society in the 19th century and the early 20th century wanted it to do and we should be very proud of that fact, despite the imperfections. And then Steve Striffler (University of Massachussets-Boston) who says, "Well wait a minute though, all of these things overlook workers. Our food system has the biggest problem and the fact that labor is so often overlooked." So, that section on producing food really takes on some major, major arguments. Especially Steve's argument is particularly interesting in my mind because he tackles the very food movement of which the book itself was a product, but he tackled it from the left basically saying that the big problem is the capitalist system itself and the way it treats workers. And none of the attempts at organic food, the organic food movement and food co-ops and all of this, none of these things will actually address the major problems, which is the way that the workers are treated, the way the animals are treated. Because most of our food movements are all consumer-based and we need to move away from that to worker-based or producer-based food movement. So, right away we get into some very contentious debates. Choosing food, has number of articles about taste and taste and social class and nutrition and the way that nutrition changes very often. And Charlotte Biltekoff (University of California-Davis) argues there is that nutrition, in many ways, follows both the desires and the values of elites in society. And that's why it often changes. Matthew's chapter is on food safety. My wife Sarah Ludington has written on food subsidies. And then section four is gendering food, babies and baby food and also on who cooks at home. And then finally cooking and eating food. Is it important to cook? The Michael Pollan, Mark Bittman on the one side as represented by Ken Albala (University of the Pacific) in his essay. And then Rachel Laudan (University of Texas-Austin) chimes in with a response saying, "Yeah, that's a very romantic notion of the kitchen and of food and we need to move beyond that." So, Matthew, let me ask you this question. What are some of the key ideas in the book that address the issue of how we think of a healthy meal? Throughout the book there's a basic assumption and it's inherent in the title that there are reasonable and thoughtful positions on most of the major debates. We wanted to present the best arguments for, for example, cheap processed food and the best arguments against cheap processed food. We wanted those to be there so that readers whom we imagine as undergraduates, as well as the broad public, could make up their own minds and have evidence to do it. So that they're not operating from a set of opinions or just one side on the issue. To get back to your question about the home cooked meal or about what is a good meal, our final essays are this wonderful back and forth between two extremely strong voices on the topic of the home cooked meal. The first is by Ken Abala, who is a food study scholar, widely published, a really interesting thoughtful person. His is called A Plea For Culinary Luddism and so he's arguing that cooking food at home and cooking for others, in particular, gives us joy. It really is a way of connecting with other people. It's an act of love and that we should all do it as much of it as we can. And that's kind of his argument. But it's followed by Rachel Laudan, who's a quite well known food studies scholar in her own right. She's rewritten her famous essay actually in food studies. She's retitled it A Plea For Culinary Modernism, Why We Should Love Fast Modern Processed Food. And Rachel Laudan points out that it is beautiful and wonderful to cook for others, but that much of the time that cooking is done by people who are overworked, who are underpaid and who are working a second shift or sometimes a third shift. And in other words, women. And that the modern fast processed food system has given American workers and American working class people and women in particular, this enormous gift of time. Sometimes time to be with their families. So, what does a good meal turns out to be a fairly rich question and one that is not simple. It's not as simple as, we should all cook more at home. A woman named Margo Finn at Michigan argues that it's social class more than anything else that determines taste and that tastes changes over time precisely because when something becomes popular, say sushi, which might be a mark of distinction 15 years ago because it's foreign, so it gives you social cachet. You travel, as it were, when you eat sushi. There was a time when sushi was consumed largely by wealthy Americans, but that as it's become popularized, the elite move on to some other type of food in order to stay ahead of the game and she sees most of tastes as being a product of that. She also argues that taste and what we eat is something that helps to position us in society and at a time in American society when there's ever greater disparity in incomes, tastes and eating and food is something that has relatively low entry cost for consumers. So that those people with a great deal of cultural capital but not a great deal of financial capital can nevertheless place themselves fairly high up in society by eating organic foods and going to the farmer's market and doing things that give them, again, a certain cultural cache. I come along in my essay and say that class is very much a part of taste and what determines what we think is best. But it's not simply that food is gendered and so often make decisions based on how we want to define ourselves as men, as women or as non-binary. Because food itself has a gender that we give it. I talk about authenticity in the way that we often eat in order to be perceived as authentic and to think of ourselves as authentic. I write about taste for beer in America and on the one hand you have people who drink craft beer. Well, they might like craft beer, but part of it too is to say that, "I'm drinking a beer that has a history, this is the way beer used to be made. And so therefore, I myself am more authentic when I drink this craft beer." Well, of course, others come along and say, "I actually drink Bud Light because that's a real beer. It's none of this hoity-toity stuff. This is what gives me authenticity, is by drinking, Bud Light." Authenticity, gender, social class, ethnicity. All of these things come into play and help to determine what forms our taste. It's quite complex, but it's an ever moving target also because, as you know, what we're eating today probably won't be what we're eating five, 10 years from now. I'd like to end with asking you each the following question. Then Matthew, why don't we hear from you first. What were your favorite anecdotes or stories in the book or things that surprised you the most? I especially loved essays by Sarah Ludington and Peter Coclanis, but those two especially appealed to me. And in Peter's case, it's the humor that he brought with him to the topic. He's defending industrial agriculture, which is not frequently done, it isn't. And if it is done in American popular writing or in academic writing for that matter, Peter's case is very different. He's defending industrial agriculture as an economist and historian. But his larger point is that this is a field, this is an industry, our first national industry, agriculture, that has driven almost all of our other industries. That innovation, for example, much of American innovation comes out of agriculture. And so, if you look at the patent office postings filings from the 19th century, what you see is thousands and thousands of different innovations, patents for agricultural implements, but also bread slicers and apple corers. And so I think that's the anecdote that sticks with me. I'm a big fan of my wife's essay, not simply because she is my wife, but because it's a really wonderful history that hasn't been written before. It's a very straightforward history of the Farm Bill and food subsidies. And it really simplifies the story so that people can understand why the Farm Bill emerged, what it does today, and I think that that's going to be a very important essay. As Matthew pointed out earlier, both on the right and left, there's a lot of critiques of the Farm Bill and of food subsidies because, of course, the Farm Bill is not only about subsidizing farmers, roughly 80%. It's about the SNAP program, what we used to call food stamps. That essay I think is really going to be very important the way that it just takes this issue on without a political agenda and helps to explain both sides. I also really like Rachel Laudan's postscript, because the essay that she wrote for is a reprint of a very famous essay that she wrote, I think, first back in 2001. This new postscript helps to describe what she thinks are the four different ways in which people think about food. She calls one the aristocratic, was the old European way of looking at it. Then there's the Republican philosophy of food, which she says is broadly speaking, a lowercase R Republican. It is the American way of looking at food, which is food should be plentiful, that we should share it together, et cetera, et cetera. And then she goes on to talk about the romantic conception of food and the socialist conception of food. And in many ways, she's absolutely right. When we think about ourselves as individuals and how we imagine cooking and eating and producing food, we almost all fall into one of these four categories. And so it really helps us get broader picture about both the past, but also the present.

Grace to you and peace from God and Jesus, our advocate, Lord, and Savior. Amen. Please pray with me. Lord, we are called to be advocates for all your children especially those who are vulnerable in society. Open our minds and hearts so that your word may be made clearer to us. Help us to hear the message of love, peace, and unity, so that we may be strong advocates for your kin-dom of wholeness on Earth. Amen.   Imagine for a moment that you are at your daily job. Just sitting or standing doing your daily work - teaching, working on a computer, driving around, whatever it is you do on a daily basis. Then, out of the blue comes this strange man, maybe a little rough looking, someone you haven’t seen before. He stops you in what you are doing and tells you to follow him and he’ll give you a new job of working to make people’s lives better. He wants you to drop everything, your job, your family, your friends, your whole life and just follow him to do something strange and new. Do you? Do you suddenly upset your whole life simply because a stranger asks you to? If you are anything like me, I’m sure you are thinking - “No way! I’d never do that!”   This is apparently what happens in the second part of today’s Gospel reading. A story that is well known to most people. Where Jesus starts calling his disciples to follow him to be fishers of people. The story clearly states “immediately they left their nets and followed him” (Matthew 4:20) and “Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.” (Matthew 4:22).   For many people and many interpretations, this is clear cut for people. If we truly want to be followers of Christ we must give up our lives and completely devote them to following Christ and God. Even if it means leaving everything we know and love and changing our lives completely. I don’t know about you, but this seems quite hard for me to believe, that we would be expected to uproot our lives like that for the sake of the Gospel. I mean, why would God give us our lives we already have if we are just supposed to push them aside and leave everything to devote ourselves solely for God? I’ll get back to this later.   Now, let’s take a look at why Jesus was calling them in the first place. In verse 23 of the reading, we hear that “Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and curing every disease and every sickness among the people.” At a quick glance, it sounds like he did three things: taught, proclaimed, and cured people. But are they really three separate things? Or are they really just one? Could it be that they are all forms of advocacy?   The Oxford dictionary defines an advocate as “a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause or policy”. Well Jesus certainly did things publicly and encouraged others to do so as well. His particular cause or policy? Simply that the good news of God’s love, is for all. All of Jesus’s actions were around this. He wanted to bring the wholeness, the completeness, that only is fully realized when we know that God’s love is here and now and for all people, that everyone gets to experience a full and complete life. Without people being able to have a full and complete life, then God’s kin-dom isn’t fully realized.   In the Old Testament there is the focus on God’s chosen people and a lot of laws that were set down for these people. At the time, these laws made perfect sense to ensure that people could lead full and complete lives. Over time these laws became so ingrained in the faith that people believed that the only way to be saved and be right in God’s eyes was to follow these laws (created for a certain time and place) to the exact letter. One might even say they worshiped the laws more than God, since in their eyes one could only get to God through the laws. Often times these laws were even changed or given more detailed rules and rituals that had to be followed to be considered meeting the letter of the law. This left people not being able to “access” God anymore because this access was being controlled by the church and all their laws and rituals. Jesus came to advocate for these people to show them that there is a different way. A way that allows “access” to God for all.   How does advocacy tie into when Matthew says that Jesus taught, proclaimed, and healed? First, Jesus’s teachings. He knew that the way to reach some of the people is   to meet them where they were most comfortable. With the old testament, the history and the laws. He met them in the synagogues where they were comfortable. However, he then took their readings they were so used to hearing and challenged them to think about them in new ways. Ways that would help them see there is a new way that God is working, a way that opens up God’s love and wholeness to all by looking at the laws in a new way and understanding the reason the laws were created in the first place. Next, Jesus proclaimed the good news. He did this in his everyday life with everyday people around him. Making sure that everyone would hear his message of a new way of life with God. A way that is open to all. For example, in several cases Jesus was accused of working on the Sabbath which people viewed as being against the commandments. He healed several times on the Sabbath and also allowed his disciples to pick corn on the Sabbath. According to the strict interpretations of the laws that the religious leaders created, Jesus was sinning. From a commentary by David Pratte: “The Pharisees criticized the act, not as stealing, but as a violation of the Sabbath. This was the first of a whole series of conflicts between Jesus and the Pharisees about the Sabbath. Two things must be remembered. (1) The Pharisees, as they had done with other things (Matthew 15:1-14), had added a whole complex system of traditions about Sabbath observance. Much of this was intricate and detailed; but above all it was based on their own ideas, not on what God's law really said. (2) They were motivated in their criticisms, not by sincere concern for the Sabbath, but by a desire to trap Jesus (v10).” ( https://www.gospelway.com/topics/bible/jesus_sabbath.php )   So Jesus is working to show people that our actions must be done in a way that shows forth God’s kin-dom, not by other motivations or human made laws and customs. Jesus’s whole life was about proclaiming this Good News that our connection with God, is just that - a connection with God, not one that has to be made through laws and sacrifices and that if we don’t do something “just right” that connection is gone, but instead that connection is made by God and is permanent and unbreakable.   Now the third activity that Matthew says Jesus did - healing people. The biggest part of this isn’t that Jesus healed, but who he healed. As Matthew says in verse 23, Jesus was “curing every disease and every sickness among the people.” Nothing about “the deserving people” or “people who go to synagogue every Sabbath” or “people who have followed every law perfectly” or “people who have been deemed by society to be male” or “people who have a certain skin tone” or “people from certain countries”. Nope, none of this - he healed everyone who needed it. And most of the time these people that needed healing were the lowest of the people in society at the time. The people who were lacking food or money or status or were shunned by society once they became ill.  None of this mattered to Jesus - he healed all.   Wow - he was a busy person! And - he is asking us, as individuals and as the church body, to follow him and do all this? To be advocates for everyone in society? To publicly support this cause? To make sure that God’s love and fullness of his kin-dom are available and accessible to all? Those are some big sandals to fill.   Yes, it is a lot to do, but that is what we are called to be, to be advocates for all of society, especially those most vulnerable, those fleeing persecution, those who are shunned from society, including members of the LBGTQIA+ community, those who are hungry or poor. Anyone who does not have the means to live their lives fully and freely to experience the true wholeness and love of God. It is hard work. But yet, we are called.   Many times, people say church and politics shouldn’t be mixed, but that simply can’t be, if we are to fully live into our call to be advocates. Just like Jesus challenged the religious and governmental system of his time, we need to challenge our system. If that means teaching others so they better understand the minorities in society by holding community forums and movie screenings, do that. If it means spreading the good news of God’s love for all at Pride events, do that. If it means healing or helping people in need by providing shelter in our parish house and taking care of all their needs, do that. Writing letters to elected officials, protesting, signing petitions to amend state law so that people can’t get fired for simply being gay, do that. And, hopefully we don’t need to, but if it calls for some rage and throwing over some tables and demanding change, as Jesus did in the temple with the money changers, then maybe we do that.   No matter what form our advocacy takes, we are called and cannot sit silently in our chairs inside these walls and do nothing. We must publicly support God’s call for us to share his kin-dom of love and wholeness for all. How can we fully feel God’s love in us knowing that others are prevented from living fully into their lives? To share the Gospel, the Good News of God’s love for all, we must be strong advocates for all.   Now, back to panicking that to do all this we must drop everything, leave our jobs and families, and follow Jesus immediately and uproot our lives, as we heard in today’s Gospel. Well, here is the Good News - that isn’t what the Gospel says. Without getting into too much detail (more info at https://www.answers.com/Q/Did_disciples_know_Jesus_before_being_called), remember that in Jesus’s time, the world population was a lot smaller, and that the disciples had certainly heard about Jesus before he came up to him, in fact many were most likely related to him. So it wasn’t a complete stranger, it was someone they knew and most likely already had a personal connection to. It would be like asking your friends and family to join you in a project of yours that you find valuable, to sign a petition, to march in a parade or rally, to build a house, and more.   Also, again without getting into detail (more info at http://blog.michaelhalcomb.com/2007/07/did-disciples-know-jesus-before-he-them.html ) the disciples didn’t drop everything and never return to their lives they were living. There are stories in the bible where they still met with their families and they still had their boats, etc.   So instead of a stranger asking people to completely drop everything in their current lives and do new work, this story is about advocacy. About hearing God’s call to be an advocate for ensuring that God’s kin-dom is available for all, and then using your skills and talents God has given you, so that you can do the needed work, and then get your friends and family, and maybe a stranger or two, to do the work with you.   Wow! This is so much better - and much easier to say “Yes!” to. Yes! I can work with you to create some cards to make a senior’s life a bit better. Yes! I can work to take some actions at home to reduce my carbon footprint or release some butterflies. Yes! I can go march in the pride parade this summer. Yes! I can donate to help provide for the needs of the young people living in our parish house.   And since God’s grace, love, and forgiveness is freely given to all, we don’t have to focus on how to “win God over” and be right with God, since Jesus ensured this is already done for all of us, we can focus on doing the advocacy needed to bring God’s kin-dom to fruition.   We, as individuals and as a community of Faith, are currently doing advocacy all the time. Is there more we can do - certainly, but we need to celebrate what we have and currently do, learn from it, and then work to do even more in this broken world that for many fall way short of being whole and complete, so that God’s love, hope, and dream for all may be made fully known, so that His kin-dom can truly come to us and God’s will be done on Earth. Amen.

This may be the most important and most urgent book review we have done to date. As Matthew wrote, "If the lesser magistrates do not stand against the tyranny and injustice of this Federal beast, America is doomed." The stakes couldn't be much higher.However, this is much more than an ordinary book review. We will talk about the doctrine of the lesser magistrates, and we will look at powerful video footage of several modern examples of this doctrine as we will dig into three of the most controversial topics of our day.Given all that is at stake in the evil days we are living in, Christians must become reacquainted with a proper resistance to tyranny. So, check out our review, read this book, and share this with others!#DefyTyrants20205 Solas Studios5solasstudios.comConfessional Wearconfessionalwear.comKingsmen Grooming Productskingsmengroomingpros.comEnter coupon code "5Solas" for a 10% discount!

For the next two hours, we cover the final three movies of the newly named Skywalker Saga. As Matthew's favorite movie series, he takes a passionate look at The Force Awakens, The Last Jedi, and The Rise of Skywalker while Nancy brings balance to the conversation about the ups and downs of the films and the fandom that has brought the good, the bad and the ugly to the surface. May the force be with you.

[Intro: 10:23 | Outro: 1:38:01] In this episode, I speak with yoga practitioner, teacher, and author of ‘Practice and All Is Coming: Abuse, Cult Dynamics, and Healing in Yoga and Beyond’ Matthew Remski. As Matthew revealed in his article ‘Yoga’s Culture of Sexual Abuse: Nine Women Tell Their Stories’ published at The Walrus, contemporary yoga has an appalling and pervasive sexual abuse problem. “Modern yoga has been fraught with stories of charismatic male yoga teachers who promoted their teachings as spiritually pure and later abused, or otherwise took advantage of, students who believed their mentors were gurus or saints.” (http://bit.ly/2SFaNT8) Not only is sexual misconduct and abuse an all-to-common occurrence in countless yoga studios around the world, “somatic dominance” (as Matthew has termed it) is often employed by yoga instructors to assert control over their students, creating a dynamic that leads to “trauma bonding” — a crucial process that occurs between cult leaders and their followers as a means of obscuring abuse. In this interview, Matthew explains what these dynamics look like in practice, and how these dynamics can, and do, manifest in all kinds of contexts, including within collapse-conscious activist and support groups (at least potentially). As we enter into a more climate disrupted future, various cult-like groups and charismatic figures will likely emerge to take advantage of people’s yearnings for spiritual guidance and counseling. Matthew provides much-needed insight into spotting these abusive cult dynamics in group contexts, insights that will prove to be increasingly useful in addressing the complex outcomes of the various crises manifesting in the world today. Matthew Remski writes and presents on yoga and ayurveda in the shadows of capitalism and climate change. He is the author of eight books of poetry, fiction, and non-fiction and has practiced meditation and yoga since 1996, learning from teachers from the Tibetan Buddhist, Kripalu, Ashtanga, and Iyengar streams. He currently facilitates programming for yoga trainings internationally, focusing on yoga philosophy, culture, and the social psychology of healthy communities. In all subject areas, Matthew encourages students to explore how yoga practice can resist the psychic and material dominance of neoliberalism, and the quickening pace of environmental destruction. Episode Notes: - Learn more about Matthew and his work: http://matthewremski.com - Read his article ‘Yoga’s Culture of Sexual Abuse: Nine Women Tell Their Stories’ published at The Walrus: http://bit.ly/2SFaNT8 - Learn more about his book ‘Practice and All Is Coming: Abuse, Cult Dynamics, and Healing in Yoga and Beyond’: http://bit.ly/2QykG2x - Learn more about and sign up for his upcoming course ‘6 Critical Problems in Modern Yoga, and How to Work with Them’: http://bit.ly/2QeJSw3 - The songs featured in this episode are “Mirror Memory” and “Shells” by Teebs from the album Anicca. WEBSITE: https://www.lastborninthewilderness.com PATREON: https://www.patreon.com/lastborninthewilderness DONATE: https://www.paypal.me/lastbornpodcast DROP ME A LINE: Call (208) 918-2837 or http://bit.ly/LBWfiledrop EVERYTHING ELSE: https://linktr.ee/patterns.of.behavior

As Matthew’s murder investigation got broader, it kept turning up shady characters, and the Valley went from being this outwardly idyllic place, to a dark place once investigators scratched the surface, with all this terrible stuff going on underneath.

View all sermons by Andrew Baker Matthew Chapter 1 — As Matthew begins his gospel he places the coming of messiah firmly within the context of family. Scripture continually reveals a God who covenants with family, works through families, and fulfils his promises through family. Having said that, Matthews family tree is not a picture of perfect families, rather it is a picture of perfected grace working in the midst of imperfect people. As we approach a time when family becomes front and centre join us as we rediscover Gods great plan for family and allow God's grace to be perfected in the midst of our families.

It's time to do some SELF-EXAMINATION and REFLECTION. As Matthew 7:5 so joltingly tells us "Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye." (w/song "Here's My Heart" by Casting Crowns)

Our interview is with Sultan Meghji, CEO of Neocova. We cover the large Chinese investment in quantum technology and what it means for the United States. It's possible that Chinese physicists are even better than American physicists at extracting funding from their government. Indeed, it looks as though some quantum tech, such as the use of entangled particles to identify eavesdropping, may turn out to have dubious military value. But not all. Sultan thinks the threat of special purpose quantum computing to break encryption poses a real, near-term threat to U.S. financial institutions' security. In the News Roundup, we cover the new California Consumer Privacy Act regulations, which devote a surprising amount of their 24 pages to fixing problems caused by the Act's feel-good promise that consumers can access and delete the information companies have on them. Speaking of feel-good laws that are full of liability land mines for companies, the Supreme Court has let stand a Ninth Circuit ruling that allows blind people to sue under the Americans with Disabilities Act if websites don't accommodate their needs. Nick Weaver and I explore the risks of making law by retroactively imposing liability. Weirdly for a populist administration that says it hates the big social platforms for restricting speech, the Trump trade negotiators are actually expanding Section 230 immunities for Silicon Valley that both left and right have begun to question. The expansion is buried in hard-to-amend and even-harder-to-repeal trade agreements. By way of explanation, I explain the Realpolitik of trade deals. As if to prove my point, the U.S. and Japan have signed a Digital Trade Agreement that has much the same provision. Nick and I muse on the rise of Commerce Department sanctions on individual companies. In a way, such sanctions are a less harsh alternative to OFAC boycotts, but like antibiotics, they either destroy the target or teach it to develop better resistance for the future. Does TLS stand for “Tough Luck, Sucker?” That's the message of a new and clever form of malware, softly attributed to the Russian FSB. Apple, having banned, then unbanned an app that locates police activity in Hong Kong, has re-banned it. Tim Cook's explanation triggers Nick's bovine excrement detection system. In a Final Four of Hypocritical Surrender, LeBron and the NBA give ESPN a run for its money. South Park fails to qualify. Matthew Heiman and I discuss India's effort to create a national facial recognition system. Naturally BuzzFeed News thinks it's evil. Nick and I consider DHS's request for the power to subpoena ISPs to identify owners of compromised systems. I critique Herb Lin's suggestion that the ISPs can solve the problem without giving data to DHS. As Matthew notes, it was just last month that the French government gave the world a stiff-necked little lecture on respecting sovereignty in cyberspace. So why are French police helping reprogram computers in Latin America? Because it's different when the French are doing it than when it's done to them, I surmise. A recent “good guy with a keyboard” story offers me one more chance to ask why someone who's rescued hundreds from ransomware should have to worry for one minute about liability for the compromised C2 machines he re-compromised in the rescue. Matthew and I try to simplify a complex ruling from two FISA courts. Among the takeaways: The FBI has been running a lot of searches against 702 databases (3.1 million a year!), and the FISA courts are overusing the Fourth Amendment, which in FISA minimization cases is like trying to do brain surgery with a chainsaw. Argh! That embarrassing Bloomberg Supermicro story is back. Sort of. Wired has shown that something like this could really be done. Which, Nick points out, we already knew. I give a shoutout to Jennifer Daskal and Peter Swire for their useful overview of the U.K.-U.S. CLOUD Act, but I wonder if mutual “no targeting of the other country's nationals” assurances are a scalable solution. Finally, Matthew reviews the second volume of the Senate Intelligence Committee's investigation into Russian election interference. The TL;DR? The Russians did what you think they did. Mildly surprising: After starting out just trying to hurt Hillary, by the end the Russians seem to have been trying to help Trump too.   Download the 282nd Episode (mp3). You can subscribe to The Cyberlaw Podcast using iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, Pocket Casts, or our RSS feed! As always, The Cyberlaw Podcast is open to feedback. Be sure to engage with @stewartbaker on Twitter. Send your questions, comments, and suggestions for topics or interviewees to CyberlawPodcast@steptoe.com. Remember: If your suggested guest appears on the show, we will send you a highly coveted Cyberlaw Podcast mug! The views expressed in this podcast are those of the speakers and do not reflect the opinions of the firm.

In this lesson we learn of John the Baptist, a prophet who was compared to Elijah and who helped prepare the people to receive Jesus.  After 400 years recovering from exile, submitting to the rule of multiple conquering nations and experiencing extreme religious persecution and corruption, the people were blessed with a prophet!  This was good news preparing for Good News! As Matthew reminds us, he was the (partial) fulfillment of Isaiah 40. The video of the pertinent section of Handel's The Messiah that covers this passage is found here. A reasonably concise review of the intertestamental period is found here. Study notes are found here.

Is there anyone online who hasn’t seen Pilea peperomioides? For a plant that has graced Scandinavian window sills since the 1940s, but wasn’t described in science until the 1980s, it has an explosive impact on the global houseplant community in the last few years. As Matthew says, the Pilea is so easy to propagate that they should be free. The Plant Daddies have grown it for years, and have opinions to dish about the Chinese Money Plant, Pancake Plant, UFO Plant, Missionary Plant, Pass-it-Along Plant etc.

In this episode of the Weekly Defence Podcast, we consider growth in the artillery and air defence market, hear from L3Harris Technologies about the company's MAST 13 ASV and look at all the news from across the defence sector.News Roundup (00:45)On the news this week…The team consider the implications and ramifications of the Saudi Arabia's missile defence systems being unable to prevent the drone and cruise missile attack against some of the kingdom's most important oil infrastructure.Elsewhere, in the air domain, Tim Martin explains that despite making the AW149 the centrepiece of its exhibit at DSEI, manufacturer Leonardo is still unwilling to confirm that a reported deal for 20 of the helicopters to Egypt is underway.Production aircraft are currently being assembled for military operators and the model is in service, although the company has not disclosed which party is using the helicopters – despite the Royal Thai Army initially set to become a launch customer by way of an order for five of the 8t-class type, placed in 2016.Out at sea, Richard Thomas outlines how a €1 billion ($1.1 billion) deal managed to slip under the defence carpets at DSEI, as Saudi Arabian Military Industries (SAMI) and Navantia agreed a deal through their joint venture for the development and technology transfer of the Catiz combat management system (CMS) and its integration onto the Royal Saudi Naval Forces Avante 2200 corvettes.Beth Maundrill, meanwhile, explains how in its A$10-15 billion ($7-10.4 billion) Project Land 400 Phase 3 competition, Australia has clearly professed a predilection for animal names, with the Hanwha Redback and Rheinmetall Lynx being down-selected for further trials at the expense of the General Dynamics Land Systems Ajax and BAE Systems Hägglunds  CV90 as announced on 16 September.Deep Dive – Artillery and air defence market (16:07)Director of Analysis Matthew Smith outlines how a renewed focus on high intensity, conventional warfare has reshaped the artillery and Air Defence market, Shephard Media's Defence Insight team has discovered.As Matthew explains, a study of 220 procurement programmes has found that the total value of the market will be $160 billion over next ten years, although this will be front loaded, with air defence and self-propelled artillery forecast to dominate.Interview – L3Harris and its MAST-13 (28:20)VP Content Tony Skinner speaks to Tim O'Neill, Defence Technical Sales manager at L3Harris (ASV, UK), about the company's Maritime Autonomy Surface Testbed (MAST) 13 autonomous surface vehicle (ASV) it recently delivered to the Royal Navy.The 13-meter (41ft) long high-speed ASV is capable of fully autonomous navigation, using L3Harris' ASView proprietary autonomous control system and advanced algorithms developed for the UK's Defence Science and Technology Laboratory. The system will be used as a testbed to support the development of new capabilities for the Royal NavyNew content teaser – Five Eyes Connectivity podcast (37:06)We preview Shephard Media's special series on Five Eyes Connectivity, sponsored by our partner Viasat.Over next three episodes, we will look at the changing face of modern warfare across the land, sea and air domains through the prism of three key technology areas:

Our Fishing Team goes to the Colorado River near Austin, hunting the state fish, the Guadalupe bass. Not to spoil anything, but from the pics you can see that they did indeed catch a Guadalupe. As Matthew and Jamey were a bit giddy from a live podcast taping at Armadillocon the night before, there’s more Read More The post Ep43: Fishing in the Danger Zone – Colorado River Guadalupe Bass appeared first on Last Cast Podcast.

In verses 27-31, rather than focusing on the details of Jesus' scourging, Matthew spends his time describing the verbal flogging Jesus received as the Roman soldiers mocked his supremacy utilizing props- a mock robe, a crown of thorns, and a reed for a scepter. The soldiers knelt down before him in mock obeisance - an ironic foreshadow of how one day every human being will bow before Christ the King -Philippians 2-10-. In an ironic insult to the Jews, in verse 37, Pilate had Jesus' charge placed on an inscription over His head on the cross- it read, -This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.- This sentence, officially inscribed over the suffering Christ, is the core message of the Gospel- Little did Pilate realize that his placard actually preached the Gospel---The placard, however, became the impetus of more mockery- after all, how is it possible that a king, with all his privilege and pageantry, suffer such an excruciating and shameful death- As Matthew reports the crucifixion of Christ in verses 32-44, once again his emphasis is more on the mockery than the physical suffering. In fact, none of the Gospel writers focus much on the physical pain that Jesus endured on the cross. Instead, the evangelists' attention is on the demonic character of human cruelty, particularly manifested in their words. All of these instances of mockery only serve to remind us of the Hebrew Scriptures which are fulfilled. Remind yourself of these prophecies by reading Psalm 22-1-18, Psalm 69-1-21, and Isaiah 53.

Dear Teacher, When I was in my ninth year of teaching, out of the 180 I was contracted to spend in front of my students, I was out of the classroom for 33 of them. For thirty of those days, I was out of the classroom for one of the three district committees I was participating in. I'm ashamed to admit, that the other three were due to illness and the birth of my third child! Luckily, for our family, she was born at the very beginning of a break in the calendar. At the end of the year, I had to look at my situation and ask, "Am I saying 'yes' to too many things?" Several months ago, I started interacting with Matthew M. Johnson. Beginning a friendship around the content we publish online, we eventually learned one another's stories about the twists and turns of our teaching careers. There were a few stand out parallels, and I asked him if he would be willing to share about the time he almost left the teaching. As Matthew learned what opportunities to say 'yes' to--and which ones to pass on--not only did he become a better, more focused teacher, he was also able to make time for what mattered most: his loved ones. With the little time what little time remains on his calendar, he writes about how writing teachers can give timely feedback, deeply improving student writing, all while make it home in time for dinner each night. If you're looking to make your writing instruction feedback loop tighter and more robust, you can reach Matthew in the following ways: Website: matthewmjohnson.com Twitter: @a2matthew If you are currently working in education and have ever thought about leaving, or right now, you’re a classroom teacher looking for the nearest exit, I want to hear your story. Please, find me at… Email: makethemmasterit@gmail.com Twitter: @MakeThemMastrIt

As Matthew’s very Jewish-minded account comes to a close we have seen Jesus lauded as the coming King, we have seen the builders reject the cornerstone, and today we will see the Lamb who brings a greater Passover and a greater deliverance. The firstborn of God lays His life down, and by the wounds of the suffering servant, God’s people are healed. His crucifixion is not the end of the story, for just as predicted publicly, Jesus rises from the dead as a conquering King. ::: Christian Standard Bible translation. All music written and produced by John Burgess Ross. Co-produced by Eric Williamson. facebook.com/commuterbible twitter.com/CommuterPod patreon.com/commuterbible

After 20 years of a global explosion with day & night prayer, the global worship & prayer movement is transitioning into a new era. As Matthew shares in this episode, the major shift has been confirmed through multiple prophetic voices. This is not just a new season, but a new [...]

ADOW S1E8In every ending, there is a new beginning; it's time to witness this end, and anticipate the new beginning.EPISODE 8From the press release:Matthew’s attempt to rescue Diana from Juliette goes horribly wrong and Diana finally discovers just how lethal her magical powers can be. As Matthew lies dying, Diana must strike a dreadful bargain with the goddess and make the ultimate sacrificial pact with enduring consequences. A failed coup at the Congregation sees its most powerful and terrifying members go rogue, as they close in fast on Madison, where a group of daemons, vampires and witches are now residing together. Baldwin tries to alert Matthew that time is up but he can’t reach him. It’s a deadly race against time for Diana to take flight with Matthew before their pursuers arrive.See full show notes: go.DaemonsDiscuss.com/S1E8Join us on Patreon (as little as $2 monthly will gain you access to extra episodes + different level incentives for those who join at higher tiers!)A Discovery of Witches TV News info (Continually updated; scenes, sets, trailer video, official photographs, casting + more)All Souls Universe Book News for 2018 (Continually updated: The World of All Souls and Time's Convert - formally known as "The Marcus Book" - news; cover reveals, release dates, descriptions, tour info + more)Become a Discusser (contact info located there as well), or for US listeners: text ADOW to 444999Email us directly: DaemonsDiscuss@gmail.comCall & Leave a voicemail! 1 (360) 519-7836 or hit us up on SpeakPipe Our Podcast Page: DaemonsDiscuss.com Our Main Site: DaemonsDomain.com Join our Facebook Group: Daemonic Discussers (the word is "F***ing Firedrake" - be sure to answer the second question as well. We are increasing screening to discourage unwanted lurking/monitoring by people who don't actually listen to/enjoy this show. The group is for listeners - like YOU!)Social Media: Twitter - @DaemonsDiscuss, Facebook - Daemons Discuss & Instagram - @daemonsdiscussInformational Links:A Discovery of Witches soundtrack on iTunes/Apple music & SpotifyThe show, A Discovery of Witches, is available on SundanceNow and Shudder (in the US/Canada! Other countries, we aren't leaving you out -- it's just that the majority of our listeners reside in the US/Canada. Those of you in the UK/Ireland and have never heard of the series (what?!) it will be available for you on SkyOne and NowTV. Please check with your television providers outside of the countries we mentionedAll Souls Con Tickets -- there are a few left! Get them while you can! 'Fuck This Shit I'm Out! '- Clips from this YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5FjWe31S_0gSpecial thanks . . . to all of our patrons; those of you who just joined us, and our veterans. Bless! To become a patron all you need to do is visit us at Patreon.com/DaemonsDiscuss and become a member. See what level tier you'd like to join us! All tier levels will receive access to our exclusive Daemons Discuss! The Aftershow podcast.Credits/Copyright Information *DISCLAIMER: Daemons Discuss! (by extension, Daemons Domain) is independent, non-profit, and is not affiliated with BadWolf, SkyOne, NowTV, SundanceNow, Shudder or any of the production/broadcast entities associated with A Discovery of Witches. 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As Matthew and Athos recover from the exhausting journey to Ram's home, Athos begins to reveal the history of what made his kind the creatures that they are. Where did they come from? Why are they here? Written and directed by Skye Thorleifson. Executive produced by Skye Thorleifson, Al & Loretta Thorleifson, Dan Sawatsky, Rob & Rosemarie Mauer, Ken & Marlene Kroeker, Winnie McNabb, and Ed & Millie Hildebrand. Music composed and produced by Donovan Jonk. Logo designed by Alyssa Etsell. Starring Robert Zirk, Brandon Vink, James Carter, Chuck Fefchak, Skye Thorleifson, and Feben Teka. Follow us on social media. Twitter: @echopodcast2019 Instagram: @echopodcast2019 Facebook: Echo Podcast Visit our website. https://www.echopodcast2019.com

Lucky Town Brewing Company, Jackson’s only craft brewery, recently announced it was shutting its doors after 6 years in operation. Lauren, Paul, and Matthew discuss not only the impact Lucky Town had on Jackson, but the impact the brewery had on the craft beer industry in Mississippi. As Matthew describes some of the struggles and challenges that breweries are facing throughout the United States and in Mississippi, Lauren and Paul draw comparisons to operating their own businesses in other beverage categories.

As Matthew and Athos continue their trek through the cave, Matthew indulges his life on the surface: where he learned the stories he tells, how the people of Snowkeep treated him, and what drove them to leave him for dead in such a remote place. Written and directed by Skye Thorleifson. Executive produced by Skye Thorleifson, Al & Loretta Thorleifson, Dan Sawatsky, Rob & Rosemarie Mauer, Ken & Marlene Kroeker, Winnie McNabb, and Ed & Millie Hildebrand. Music composed and produced by Donovan Jonk. Logo designed by Alyssa Etsell. Starring Robert Zirk, Brandon Vink, Toby Zheng, James Carter, Chuck Fefchak, Skye Thorleifson, and Feben Teka. Follow us on social media. Twitter: @echopodcast2019 Instagram: @echopodcast2019 Facebook: Echo Podcast Visit our website. https://www.echopodcast2019.com

Matthew Adams founded Motosign (https://motosign.com.au) in 2004 and has grown a business that is passionate about everything to do with signage - vehicle signage, car wraps, shop front signage, wall graphics, outdoor banners and much more. Matthew joined our Board of Directors 12 program in 2017, and within one year, the business has achieved phenomenal growth, including doubling their revenue within a year, growing their team from 4 to 7 and doubling their Average Dollar Sale. Matthew Adams explains the change in his in mindset and identity he's experienced in his first year as part of our Board of Directors 12 Program - and what that has done not only for his business, but also his family and personal life. As Matthew mentions: "My mindset has improved 1000% in the last year.” My wife pointed out that since joining Business Benchmark Group, she could see the change in me. Having things like cashflow under control keeps a lot of pressure off the family. Paying for the kids schooling, paying off the house, paying for holidays... since our crisis point, it has freed things up a lot. The sky is the limit. We would have never have even thought about a million dollars turnover three years ago!" MotoSign continues it's exceptional growth, and is progressing and diversifying in all areas of the business. This episode is full of inspiration and advice for business owners at all stages of business. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Need a business coach? Visit businessbenchmarkgroup.com.au. Email info@businessbenchmarkgroup.com.au Subscribe to our podcast: iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/business-benchmark-group-podcast/id1372652118?mt=2 SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/businessbenchmarkgroup iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-Business-Benchmark-29372537/ Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/business-benchmark-group-podcast PodBean: https://www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/yi4rd-6bc65/Business-Benchmark-Group-Podcast ACast: https://acast.com/businessbenchmarkgroup Our Website: http://businessbenchmarkgroup.com.au/resources/podcasts/

Colin talks about the time he was stuck in traffic and called Brian Butler (http://dumboxministries.com/ourstaff/) to talk business, but instead, he was invited to say a Rosary, and had a beautiful moment of peace with God in the middle of a stressful situation. Check out Colin’s brand new collaboration with Fr. Mike Schmitz, Quick Catholic Lessons! (https://shop.ascensionpress.com/collections/quick-catholic-lessons) We should intercede for our loved ones, the whole Church, the whole world, even our enemies. As Matthew 5:44 says, “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Praying with others, though, can be even more effective, even if it is a bit intimidating. It is one thing to pray for someone. It is another to stop and pray with someone on the spot. But most things worth doing are hard. Colin shares some ways to overcome that feeling of weirdness or uncertainty and just do it! Incorporate your family into your prayer life by setting an attainable goal and following it through for a solid month. It might be something as simple as changing the time and place of family prayer, or adding a new dimension to it. Instead of offering to pray for someone at some indistinct point in the future, stop, take a deep breath, and offer to pray with them on the spot. Caught in traffic? Call Brian Butler…or any Ascension presenter … or any good friend, really…and ask them to pray the Rosary with you. Check out Brian’s work with Ascension! YOU: Life, Love, and The Theology of the Body (https://shop.ascensionpress.com/collections/you-life-love-and-the-theology-of-the-body) and Theology of the Body for Teens: Middle School Edition (https://shop.ascensionpress.com/collections/theology-of-the-body-for-teens-middle-school-edition). "If you stop and pray with someone, especially somebody who is not expecting it, who knows what can happen!"

Whats better than a classical violinist or a beautiful shirtless man? Well, I’ll tell ya… how about a beautiful shirtless man who plays the classical violin? Yeah, the imagery, right? Today you’re in luck! Let me introduce you to Matthew. Matthew grew up from a very young age playing the violin and it’s followed him throughout his life, all the way into his 30’s. His violin has been the catalyst to performing in local malls and also to the heartwarming story of how he met his now boyfriend. However, like so many of our guest, and many LGBTQ people around the world, Matthew faced a lot of rejection for being gay from the religious people in his life. You’ll hear him talk about this more in debt, but part of it is losing the support of his loving family, eventually leading to the demise of his relationship with his mother for sometime when he came out to her. As Matthew navigated his twenties and early thirties as a gay man looking for love. Soon he finds himself enamored by an unexpected love that lasts to this day. As the relationship progressed his partner suggested Matthew begin recording videos of himself playing the violin and posting them on YouTube. It is one small suggestion that plummeted Matthew into being who we now know as, The Shirtless Violinist.  This episode brings me a lot of joy. I’m happy to share a story on the show that is filled with more happiness and joy than heartache and pain. I’m pleased to share a story that about a healthy, loving partnership between two kind and gentle men. It’s amazing to show how something as simple as music can be so ingrained throughout the fabric of someone's life only to shape who they are so many decades later. So, this episode goes out to all the relationships out there. Straight or homosexual relationships; cheers to you for committing to your partners through endless thick and thin times. We need more of this in the world. And those of you who were like me as a child who daydreamed about having a loving partner to walk through life with, never stop dreaming for if you can dream it, how will it ever materialize. Peace, love, and happiness. Keep loving one another.   Follow Matthew on social media Instagram Twitter   Follow Kevin on social media www.kevingerdes.com Facebook Instagram Twitter   Want to be on our show or press inquiries email us at lgbtpodcast@gmail.com

Key Links John Barron's LinkedIn profile --------------------------------------- In this episode, John Barron shares the importance of replacing old systems with new ones. Most business owners take a plateau personally or as a sign of having mismanaged their business, but Barron says this is not true. The culprit is often that there are systems in place that are not consistent—somewhere along the way, X stopped being X and became Y instead, even though what was really needed all along was Z. Or as Barron says, “a Toyota factory can't produce a giraffe.” Perspectives are just as important as systems because if you are an entrepreneur who has been “down in the weeds,” and you are suffering from tunnel vision because of it, often you need an outside agent to provide a more balanced viewpoint; a coach can help one obtain this crucial vantage point. Procrastination can also be just as powerful a tool as well. As Matthew, the host of the podcast shares in this episode, he works more efficiently when a deadline looms near. Putting things off to the last minute actually helps him get work done at a faster rate.

Matthew O’Toole (@MatthewOToole2) worked in the centre of government during the biggest crisis in modern British politics. He was a senior press officer for both David Cameron and Theresa May, focusing especially on Europe. He is comfortable with his complicated Irish identity, and he tried to persuade both Prime Ministers to engage more with Ireland. Unfortunately, whereas Cameron wanted the Remain campaign to be all about facts and figures, May was more interested in internal Tory politics. As Matthew notes, Ireland has always frustrated the Conservatives’ vision of Britain as a peaceful and wholly sovereign state. This is why it’s the most difficult problem in the Brexit negotiations. Matthew and Aaron (@aaronhughellis) also discuss their favourite Coen brothers’ films... You can read about Matthew’s time in No. 10 here: https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/ireland-an-afterthought-during-brexit-campaign-when-i-was-cameron-adviser-1.3242732?mode=amp ‘Open Country’ is over halfway to its £1000 fundraising goal. If you would like to help us reach it, just click this link and donate: https://www.crowdpac.co.uk/campaigns/3882/podcast-for-progressives If you would like to get in touch, email our new address open@ulixes.co.uk Music: ‘Surprising Power’ by Art of Escapism

As Matthew begins his narrative of Jesus' ministry, we observe three ways this mission is accomplished. (Text: Matthew 4:12-25)

On this episode of Fantasy Football Freak Nation, I start with the daily headlines and that Jay Cutler is a new member of the Miami Dolphins. Then, I started talking about my wide receiver rankings and got a surprise visit from my brother Matthew. Together we argued about the values of Odell Beckham jr., Julio Jones, etc. as well as agreed on some receivers as well. As Matthew left the podcast, I talked about a few more receivers before wrapping up the podcast.

As Matthew 6 transitions from Jesus encouragement for his followers to develop and pursue spiritual maturity (perfection) from Matthew 5; Jesus follows up with a warning. He warns his followers here in Matthew 6 to be on their guard not to fall into the same trap that had ensnared the Pharisees when it came to their spiritual disciplines. Using the examples of prayer, fasting and the giving of our resources; he reminds us that it is not the act, but rather the heart and motive behind the act that counts. This mornings message focuses on "giving" and how we can allow it to both lose it's power and cause us to miss out on the rewards if we are not careful. Learning to give of our resources is not so much dependent on our ability to open our wallets or write a check as it is completely submitting our hearts to the Holy Spirit. Listen in to learn about the true rewards of giving as well as how to test your motives when it comes to being obedient. From Matthew 6:1-4.

Wisdom-Trek / Creating a LegacyWelcome to Day 504 of our Wisdom-Trek, and thank you for joining me.This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to WisdomFinish Each Day Well Thank you for joining us for our 5 days per week wisdom and legacy building podcast. This is Day 504 of our trek, and today is Motivation Monday. Every Monday we explore a quote that will encourage and motivate you to live a rich and satisfying life this week. Today let us hike the trail called Finish Each Day Well. We are broadcasting from our studio at The Big House in Marietta, Ohio. If all goes according to plan, we will finish up the leaf harvest this weekend, just in time to relax and celebrate Christmas. I have always enjoyed the celebration of Christmas and focusing on the fact that God, through Jesus Christ, became human so that we can be made right before God through Him. Since this is the last week of 2016 and we are finishing up another year, let me ask you, how was your year? Are you looking forward to 2017? The way to guarantee that 2017 is better than this year is to… Finish Each Day WellThe quote we want to explore today is from Ralph Waldo Emerson who said, “Finish each day and be done with it…you have done what you could; some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; you shall begin it well and serenely.” The only way to make sure that each week, each year, and indeed, your entire life will be rich and satisfying is to live every hour of each day well. That means you must live life to the fullest. To live with integrity, with honor, with kindness, and most important with love both for God and for everyone that you have an impact on. Live in such a way that when you lay down to sleep at night, you can rest knowing that you have lived well for that day. Realize also that at the end of each day, regardless of how you lived and how it turned out, that the day is finished and tomorrow is a new day, a blank slate to start over again even better. Begin each day well so that you will have an opportunity to finish each day well. Doing well in the small things of life will allow you to do well with more. As Matthew 25:21 tells us, “The master was full of praise. ‘Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let's celebrate together!'” As we finish our trek for today, let me ask you, what can you do today to both start and finish well? On tomorrow's trek, we will explore another wisdom quote. This 3-minute wisdom supplement will assist you in becoming healthy, wealthy, and wise each day. Thank you for joining me on this trek called life. Encourage your friends and family to join us, and then come along tomorrow for another day of our Wisdom-Trek, Creating a Legacy. If you would like to listen to any of the past daily treks or read the daily journal, they are available at https://wisdom-trek.com (Wisdom-Trek.com). Thank you for allowing me to be your guide, mentor, and most of all your friend as I serve you through the Wisdom-Trek podcast and journal. As we take this trek of life together, let us always: Live Abundantly (Fully) Love Unconditionally Listen Intentionally Learn Continuously Lend to others Generously Lead with Integrity Leave a Living Legacy Each Day This is Guthrie Chamberlain reminding you to Keep Moving Forward, Enjoy Your Journey, and Create a Great Day Every Day! See you tomorrow!

Identity – it is how we define ourselves and how we are viewed by others. As Matthew begins his gospel he works to unveil the identity of Jesus. Before Jesus begins his ministry, he meets John the Baptist who has been preparing the way for the Messiah. John the Baptist is a fiery figure, calling for […]

Alan Dein travels to Nottingham to meet with the 4th & 5th generations of a family firm of Funeral Directors (with a 6th generation already on the horizon). When furniture maker and dealer Arthur William Lymn started 'undertaking' funerals with his son Harold Percy in 1907, their first premises were on Goosegate - next door to a man selling potions and lotions. Although Arthur and Harold could not match the subsequent success of their next-door-neighbours, the Boots Pure Drug Company Ltd, AW Lymn did have to move to larger premises in 1915. And in the hundred years since they have continued to grow, now operating out of 25 offices, employing 110 staff and conducting 3,500 funeral every year. Last year a brain tumour forced Harold's grandson, Nigel Lymn Rose to hand over the reins of the company to his son Matthew while he underwent brain surgery and recuperated. This summer, fully recovered and back at work, this temporary arrangement was made permanent. As Matthew and Nigel work out the parameters of their new roles within the company (alongside Matthew's aunt, Jackie, and sister Chloe - all also involved in the family firm), Alan Dein goes behind the scenes with them to discover what goes on beyond the formal funeral attire of top hats and tails and Roll Royce hearses. With them he visits the hospital morgue to pick up recently deceased 'patients', enters the world of the firm's embalmers and observes them in the chapels of rest - to find out what it's like to deal with death on a daily basis. Producer: Paul Kobrak.

Once upon a time, before baseball drew crowds to America’s ballparks and English workers spent their Saturdays at the football grounds, one of the most popular spectator events in both countries was watching people walk. Pedestrianism had its start outdoors, as walkers set off on long-distance treks for the simple challenge of it–or to win a bet. In the 1870s, the sport moved indoors. Tens of thousands of spectators filled the great exhibition halls of industrial cities to watch pedestrians circle a track on the floor. The big event was the six-day race, in which racers competed to see who could cover the greatest distance in the allotted time. Winners typically exceeded 500 miles. In his book Pedestrianism: When Watching People Walk Was America’s Favorite Spectator Sport (Chicago Review Press, 2014), Matthew Algeo offers an engaging account of this curious chapter in the history of sport. As Matthew points out, 19th-century pedestrianism is a revealing episode in the history of the industrial age, as promoters launched new events and venues to entertain growing urban populations. Walking races also had many of the same features as contemporary sports culture, from doping scandals to merchandise featuring the star walkers. Pedestrianism was short-lived. But while the sport lasted, the great long-distance walkers were featured in newspapers and on cigarette cards, and crowds followed the races in massive halls and at local telegraph stations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Once upon a time, before baseball drew crowds to America’s ballparks and English workers spent their Saturdays at the football grounds, one of the most popular spectator events in both countries was watching people walk. Pedestrianism had its start outdoors, as walkers set off on long-distance treks for the simple challenge of it–or to win a bet. In the 1870s, the sport moved indoors. Tens of thousands of spectators filled the great exhibition halls of industrial cities to watch pedestrians circle a track on the floor. The big event was the six-day race, in which racers competed to see who could cover the greatest distance in the allotted time. Winners typically exceeded 500 miles. In his book Pedestrianism: When Watching People Walk Was America’s Favorite Spectator Sport (Chicago Review Press, 2014), Matthew Algeo offers an engaging account of this curious chapter in the history of sport. As Matthew points out, 19th-century pedestrianism is a revealing episode in the history of the industrial age, as promoters launched new events and venues to entertain growing urban populations. Walking races also had many of the same features as contemporary sports culture, from doping scandals to merchandise featuring the star walkers. Pedestrianism was short-lived. But while the sport lasted, the great long-distance walkers were featured in newspapers and on cigarette cards, and crowds followed the races in massive halls and at local telegraph stations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Once upon a time, before baseball drew crowds to America’s ballparks and English workers spent their Saturdays at the football grounds, one of the most popular spectator events in both countries was watching people walk. Pedestrianism had its start outdoors, as walkers set off on long-distance treks for the simple challenge of it–or to win a bet. In the 1870s, the sport moved indoors. Tens of thousands of spectators filled the great exhibition halls of industrial cities to watch pedestrians circle a track on the floor. The big event was the six-day race, in which racers competed to see who could cover the greatest distance in the allotted time. Winners typically exceeded 500 miles. In his book Pedestrianism: When Watching People Walk Was America’s Favorite Spectator Sport (Chicago Review Press, 2014), Matthew Algeo offers an engaging account of this curious chapter in the history of sport. As Matthew points out, 19th-century pedestrianism is a revealing episode in the history of the industrial age, as promoters launched new events and venues to entertain growing urban populations. Walking races also had many of the same features as contemporary sports culture, from doping scandals to merchandise featuring the star walkers. Pedestrianism was short-lived. But while the sport lasted, the great long-distance walkers were featured in newspapers and on cigarette cards, and crowds followed the races in massive halls and at local telegraph stations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

As Matthew interprets the birth of Jesus through his understanding of the words of the prophet Isaiah, we see one come into the world whose message of love for God and neighbor inspires us to light the Candle of Love in our Advent wreath.

As Matthew interprets the birth of Jesus through his understanding of the words of the prophet Isaiah, we see one come into the world whose message of love for God and neighbor inspires us to light the Candle of Love in our Advent wreath.

This issue: As Matthew wraps up his fourth year at Major Spoilers, the crew discusses the comics that influenced them the most and why. Contact us at podcast@majorspoilers.com A big Thank You goes out to everyone who downloads, subscribes, listens, and supports this show. We really appreciate you taking the time to listen to our ramblings each week. Tell your friends about the podcast, get them to subscribe and, be sure to visit the Major Spoilers site and forums.

This issue: As Matthew wraps up his fourth year at Major Spoilers, the crew discusses the comics that influenced them the most and why. Contact us at podcast@majorspoilers.com A big Thank You goes out to everyone who downloads, subscribes, listens, and supports this show. We really appreciate you taking the time to listen to our ramblings each week. Tell your friends about the podcast, get them to subscribe and, be sure to visit the Major Spoilers site and forums.

Dear God I'm Grateful For Hair . Today is wash day and if you know anything about natural hair care, wash day typically takes the entire day. . It can take hours untwisting, detangling, shampooing, deep conditioning, conditioning, drying, re-twisting, moisturizing, trimming, styling and wrapping the hair once finished. I usually like to set aside at least 8 hours for this process as, although it may seem long, it's ultimately relaxing to set time aside to give my body and hair some tender love and care. . I find it amazing that God created all of us in his image. Even with every shade, color, height, texture, age, and complexion, we all created in the image of Jesus Christ and we are all wonderfully made. . “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” -Psalms‬ ‭139:13-14‬ ‭NIV‬‬ . But God didn't stop there, he also knows us inside and out. In fact, he knows us so well, that He even knows exactly how much hair we have on our head. As Matthew 10:30 says “And the very hairs on your head are all numbered.” . So on days like today, I care for the hair that God has given me and find rest in knowing that he knows me more than I know myself. With every strand on my head, I thank him, and will take care of the very vessel that he has blessed me with. . #DearGodImGrateful #Linkinbio #IronWifey #DGIG #haircare #hair #madeinGodsimage #imagebearers #youarebeautiful #fearfullyandwonderfullymade #gratitudechallenge #Jesus #Ironwifeymagazine #God #ironwifeypodcastnetwork #christianpodcast #podcastersofinstagram #podcast . STAY UP-TO-DATE WITH ALL THINGS IRONWIFEY: Instagram: @deargodimgrateful | @ironwifey_ | @ironwifeymagazine Twitter: @ironwifey_ Facebook: IronWifey IronWifey Magazine & Podcasts: https://www.ironwifeymagazine.com ( https://www.ironwifeymagazine.com/ ) Please Rate & Review, Like , Comment, & Subscribe! FEATURED MUSIC: Track: SkyHigh — Enine [Audio Library Release] Music provided by Audio Library Plus Watch: https://youtu.be/q-lf6x9cVXw Free Download / Stream: https://alplus.io/skyhigh