Podcasts about Bethlehem

The 4th of the 10 commandments was quite different than the others. Instead of a “do this” or “don’t do that” directive, it instructed the people to remember something. In this message, I look at the meaning of the sabbath, and how it was to be remembered. 07.06.25.Remember.the.Sabbath.Tim.McCool

Support us - become a CTC Partner: https://crosstocrown.org/partners/Featured playlist: The Church (That Meets in My Home) — https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL5Yobt1jZDd9Zzn8Ufa-BNciyYv04Cl6mMy books:Exalted: Putting Jesus in His Place — https://www.amazon.com/Exalted-Putting-Jesus-His-Place/dp/0985118709/ref=tmm_pap_title_0God's Design for Marriage (Married Edition) — https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Design-Marriage-Married-Amazing/dp/0998786306/ref=sr_1_4?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1493422125&sr=1-4&keywords=god%27s+design+for+marriageGod's Design for Marriage (Pre-married Edition) — https://www.amazon.com/Gods-Design-Marriage-What-Before/dp/0985118725/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_topcrosstocrown.org@DougGoodin

Imagine standing before God and he asks us on what merit are we worthy to enter into Heaven. What would we say? Would we plead our case by telling of our good works or nationality? Would we tell him of our belief or repentance? In this message Brother Luke looks at things that are commonly …

Mini: Let's review the story of the Wise men through the songs "Here We Come to Bethlehem", We Three Kings", and "Into My Heart" with our memory verse Matt.2:11 "They presented their gifts to Him." Recorded and produced by: Ashley B. Larson Don't forget to check out the coloring pages that go along with each lesson! https://startingwithjesus.com/spb-cp/ If you have enjoyed this program and would like to know more, go to our website: www.startingwithjesus.com The Bible and nature story material used in today's devotional podcast has been used with permission from My Bible First. If you would like your own copy, please visit their website-or call 1-877-242-5317. If you would like to purchase your own Memory Verse CD or Songbook, go to Ouachita Hills Store (https://www.ouachitahillsacademy.org/store?page=1&store_category_id=0&sort_by=title&is_ascending=1&search=). Songs from: Little Voices Praise Him, SDA Hymnal, Sabbath Songs For Tiny Tots, New Sabbath Songs For Tiny Tots, Memory Verse Verse Songs for Cradle Roll, Children's Songs For Jesus, and Scripture Songs and Little Lessons All Bible verses are from the NKJV. Singers for this Quarter: Tory, Caleb, and Enoch Hall, Hudson Reeves, Michael and Amy Nelson Editing assist: Dillon Austin and Josh Larson Music Recording and Editing: Rachel Nelson and Kristy Hall Coloring Pages: Rachel Lamming, Lily Canada, and Evie Rodriguez Theme Music: Lindsey Mills- www.lindseymillsmusic.com  God: who gives talents for us to use for Him

This week we studied the opening of Ruth, seeing her as a woman of fierce loyalty and quiet strength. After losing her husband, she chose to stay with her grieving mother-in-law Naomi, returning to Bethlehem as a foreigner and eventually marrying Boaz, becoming part of Christ's lineage. Ruth's story reveals God's providence and redemption through ordinary people, extending His grace to Gentiles and showing women as full heirs of His promises. Naomi, bitter and broken, needed someone to stay with her in her pain—Ruth became that friend, bound to her and to God in covenant love. The meaning of Ruth's name, “friendship,” beautifully points to this: a person nailed to the covenant, finding belonging in God and extending it to others. Like Ruth, we too can root ourselves in Jesus and offer His steadfast friendship to the broken and lonely around us.

Dan shares a conversation between The Flying Vees and Phillip Reese of Your Next Favorite Band. Originally airing back in April, the band members Brechyn Chase, Shannon Vasile, Caitlin Ramsey, and Hannah Taylor talk about how they all met and formed the band back in 2018. Even though they can go a while between times they see each other, they're able to dial in quickly when they get chance to rehearse and perform, and their harmonies and stage show are proof of how naturally this all comes to them.  The Flying Vees have a brand new EP coming out, and they'll be celebrating with a release show on Sunday, July 13th at the Philadelphia Ethical Soceity in Rittenhouse Square (an absolutely gorgeous space to see live music). Show starts at 5pm, so get there early to see the band that long-time Philadelphia music promoter Jesse Lundy prasies as "Cooler than G. G. Allin." Special thanks to Phillip Reese and the team over at Your Next Favorite Band for graciously letting us give this interview an encore release. Check out Your Next Favorite Band to, appropriately, discover your next favorite band. If you're heading to Musikfest up in Bethlehem, PA this August, let YNFB take the guesswork out of who to go see with their daily coverage of the fest, as well as their Musikfest Exordium on July 29th to get you up to speed before the fest starts. 

Week 6 of SUMMER AT BETHLEHEM with our friend, Pastor Mike Linch. Pastor Mike gives us 4 ways that we are called to serve.

Welcometo Pastor's Chat today. It's hard to smile as we begin this chat, thinkingabout what took place this past Friday in Texas with the death of so manychildren and others as those devastating floods hit that state. First, let mejust say I was raised in Texas. I was born in Dallas and lived my first tenyears of life in Texas. All my cousins, aunts, and uncles on both my mother'sand father's sides of the family, which were large families, dozens and dozensof cousins, aunts, and uncles, still live in Texas. It's a dear state. It's awonderful place, and our hearts go out to those who have lost these precious,precious children and other loved ones that have died in this flood. Now,I know we all ask that question: Why would a loving God allow anything likethis to take place? The devil gets on our shoulder and gives us the wronganswers to that question and tells us God doesn't love us. God doesn't care.But that's the furthest thing from the truth. There are so many things wecannot understand. I can't understand when Jesus was born in Bethlehem, andafter He and His parents fled to Egypt, Herod the Great went to the same areaand killed all the male children up to the age of two years old, trying hisbest to make sure he killed the next potential king of Israel. It says thatRachel wailed; all the parents there, great wailing took place as this despotkilled all these children (Matthew 2:16-18). I don't understand that this isallowed to take place and be associated with the birth of Jesus Christ comingto earth to save us from our sins, to give us eternal life.  AsI sat in church on Sunday and thought about what has happened this weekend, Ijust wanted to cry. It affects us. I have four granddaughters who have beenwith us the last several days, and they're precious girls. I can't imaginelosing one of them. And yet, with this tragedy in Texas, so many have beenlost, and we wonder why this would happen. Well, let me just answer thequestion by saying we might not understand why. We might not understand why Godwould allow it, but I can tell you this: God has proven His love to us. For Godso loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Romans 5:8 reminds us ofthis: “But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for uswhile we were still sinners.” Thepassage before us today shows us what love God has given us through His Son,Jesus Christ. "Now the men who heldJesus mocked Him and beat Him. And having blindfolded Him, they struck Him onthe face and asked Him, saying, "Prophesy, who is the one who struckyou?" You can imagine this. Here's the Son of God. Here's the perfect Lambof God. Here is a man who never sinned, neither was there any guile in Hismouth. One who loved the people, cared for the children, healed the sick, raisedthe dead, gave sight to the blind, fed the hungry. Someone who laid down Hislife, came from the glories of heaven, became a human being, lived as aservant, washed His disciples' feet, and they're doing this to Him. They'remocking Him and saying, if you're the Son of God, you should know what my nameis. They mocked Him asking “who struck you”, and many other things that wedon't even know about.  Thenthey all said, "Are you then the Son of God?" So He said to them,"You rightly say that I am." Jesus claimed to be the Son of God. So whenyou hear these cults and others tell you Jesus never claimed to be the Son ofGod, they must be overlooking these verses.Jesusis the Son of God. God loves us. Christ died for us. He went through tremendoussuffering because of His love for us. Don't ever question that. Yes, we canquestion why things happen we might not understand, but we can believe and beassured that God loves us today (John 3:16).  Let'sbelieve this and let's be praying for these families that are going throughthis terrible tragedy in Texas. Godbless!

1 Samuel 17:2-51 (NIV)2 Saul and the Israelites assembled and camped in the Valley of Elah and drew up their battle line to meet the Philistines. 3 The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites another, with the valley between them. 4 A champion named Goliath, who was from Gath, came out of the Philistine camp. His height was six cubits and a span [over 9 ft tall]. 5 He had a bronze helmet on his head and wore a coat of scale armor of bronze weighing five thousand shekels; [126 lbs.] 6 on his legs he wore bronze greaves, and a bronze javelin was slung on his back. 7 His spear shaft was like a weaver's rod, and its iron point weighed six hundred shekels. [15 lbs.] His shield bearer went ahead of him.8 Goliath stood and shouted to the ranks of Israel, “Why do you come out and line up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you not the servants of Saul? Choose a man and have him come down to me. 9 If he is able to fight and kill me, we will become your subjects; but if I overcome him and kill him, you will become our subjects and serve us.” 10 Then the Philistine said, “This day I defy the armies of Israel! [I defy your God] Give me a man and let us fight each other.” 11 On hearing the Philistine's words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified. 12 Now David was the son of an Ephrathite named Jesse, who was from Bethlehem in Judah. Jesse had eight sons, and in Saul's time he was very old. 13 Jesse's three oldest sons had followed Saul to the war: The firstborn was Eliab; the second, Abinadab; and the third, Shammah. 14 David was the youngest. The three oldest followed Saul, 15 but David went back and forth from Saul to tend his father's sheep at Bethlehem. 16 For forty days the Philistine came forward every morning and evening and took his stand. 17 Now Jesse said to his son David, “Take this ephah of roasted grain and these ten loaves of bread for your brothers and hurry to their camp. 18 Take along these ten cheeses to the commander of their unit. See how your brothers are and bring back some assurance from them. 19 They are with Saul and all the men of Israel in the Valley of Elah, fighting against the Philistines.” 20 Early in the morning David left the flock in the care of a shepherd, loaded up and set out, as Jesse had directed. He reached the camp as the army was going out to its battle positions, shouting the war cry. 21 Israel and the Philistines were drawing up their lines facing each other. 22 David left his things with the keeper of supplies, ran to the battle lines and asked his brothers how they were. 23 As he was talking with them, Goliath, the Philistine champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it. 24 Whenever the Israelites saw the man, they all fled from him in great fear. 25 Now the Israelites had been saying, “Do you see how this man keeps coming out? He comes out to defy Israel. The king will give great wealth to the man who kills him. He will also give him his daughter in marriage and will exempt his family from taxes in Israel.” 26 David asked the men standing near him, “What will be done for the man who kills this Philistine and removes this disgrace from Israel? Who is this uncircumcised Philistine that he should defy the armies of the living God?” 27 They repeated to him what they had been saying and told him, “This is what will be done for the man who kills him.” 28 When Eliab, David's oldest brother, heard him speaking with the men, he burned with anger at him and asked, “Why have you come down here? And with whom did you leave those few sheep in the wilderness? I know how conceited you are and how wicked your heart is; you came down only to watch the battle.” 29 “Now what have I done?” said David. “Can't I even speak?” 30 He then turned away to someone else and brought up the same matter, and the men answered him as before.31 What David said was overheard and reported to Saul, and Saul sent for him. 32 David said to Saul, “Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will go and fight him.” 33 Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.” 34 But David said to Saul, “Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. 37 The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.”38 Then Saul dressed David in his own tunic. He put a coat of armor on him and a bronze helmet on his head. 39 David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. “I cannot go in these,” he said to Saul, “because I am not used to them.” So, he took them off. 40 Then he took his staff in his hand, chose five smooth stones from the stream, put them in the pouch of his shepherd's bag and, with his sling in his hand, approached the Philistine. 41 Meanwhile, the Philistine, with his shield bearer in front of him, kept coming closer to David. 42 He looked David over and saw that he was little more than a boy, glowing with health and handsome, and he despised him. 43 He said to David, “Am I a dog, that you come at me with sticks?” And the Philistine cursed David by his gods. 44 “Come here,” he said, “and I'll give your flesh to the birds and the wild animals!” 45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give all of you into our hands.” 48 As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground. 50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. 51 David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine's sword and drew it from the sheath. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran. 4 ways to fight fights that are bigger than us.Fight AwareEphesians 6:11-13 (NIV) 11 Put on the full armor of God [for His precepts are like the splendid armor of a heavily-armed soldier], so that you may be able to [successfully] stand up against all the schemes and the strategies and the deceits of the devil. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood [contending only with physical opponents], but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this [present] darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) places. 13 Therefore, put on the complete armor of God, so that you will be able to [successfully] resist and stand your ground in the evil day [of danger], and having done everything [that the crisis demands], to stand firm [in your place, fully prepared, immovable, victorious].Fighting Aware affords the ability to…Fight Secure in your relationship with God (Helmet of Salvation).Fight Protected in the righteousness of God (breastplate of righteousness).Fight Tight - Held together by the Truth (Belt of Truth). Fight Shielded from the consistent onslaught of the enemy (shield of faith). Fight Wielding the Sword of the Spirit. Fight Anchored with the sure footing of peace the Gospel provides. 4 ways to fight fights that are bigger than us.Fight AwareFight Surrendered“The devil fears a soul in union with God as he fears God Himself” Saint John of the Cross.4 ways to fight fights that are bigger than us.Fight AwareFight SurrenderedFight Prepared“Your servant has been keeping his father's sheep. When a lion or a bear came and carried off a sheep from the flock, 35 I went after it, struck it and rescued the sheep from its mouth. When it turned on me, I seized it by its hair, struck it and killed it.36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. You don't fight and kill a giant without practice. You don't get good with a sling in the heat of the biggest battle of your life. 4 ways to fight fights that are bigger than us.Fight AwareFight SurrenderedFight PreparedFight Forward.45 David said to the Philistine, “You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. 46 This day the Lord will deliver you into my hands, and I'll strike you down and cut off your head. This very day I will give the carcasses of the Philistine army to the birds and the wild animals, and the whole world will know that there is a God in Israel. 47 All those gathered here will know that it is not by sword or spear that the Lord saves; for the battle is the Lord's, and he will give all of you into our hands.”. 48 As the Philistine moved closer to attack him, David ran quickly toward the battle line to meet him. 49 Reaching into his bag and taking out a stone, he slung it and struck the Philistine on the forehead. The stone sank into his forehead, and he fell face down on the ground. 50 So David triumphed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone; without a sword in his hand he struck down the Philistine and killed him. 51 David ran and stood over him. He took hold of the Philistine's sword and drew it from the sheath. After he killed him, he cut off his head with the sword. When the Philistines saw that their hero was dead, they turned and ran. You can't use your weapons effectively running away. God goes before us as we go forward.Deuteronomy 9:1-3 (NIV) Hear, Israel: You are now about to cross the Jordan to go in and dispossess nations greater and stronger than you, with large cities that have walls up to the sky. 2 The people are strong and tall—Anakites! You know about them and have heard it said: “Who can stand up against the Anakites?” 3 But be assured today that the Lord your God is the one who goes across ahead of you like a devouring fire. He will destroy them; he will subdue them before you. And you will drive them out and annihilate them quickly, as the Lord has promised you.3 particular lies work against us when fighting giantsLie #1 “I'm too small.”The intent of personal criticism is to keep you out of the fight. 2 Fight SkillsLearn to recognize a lie when you hear one (fake news). Live in your calling regardless of your position. Lie #2: “It's too BIG.” Lie #3: “I am in this alone.”Fight Aware. Fight Surrendered. Fight Prepared. Fight Forward.

Being an American means something different to everyone. We hear from listeners across the U.S. on what patriotism means to them. And, ALS hasn't stopped John Driskell Hopkins from making or performing music. Hopkins — a founding member of the Zac Brown Band — explains why singing is like breathing. Then, this year's Poetry Out Loud winner, Isavel Mendoza, a high school senior from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, shares what he loves about performing and his dreams for the future.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

This episode is a classic; one to listen to year after year. Long before the Christ child was born in Bethlehem, Isaiah writes prophetically and poetically of the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. The talented Jeff Anderson sings "Laid on Him". Show Notes: Support 1517 Podcast Network Fundraiser! 1517 Podcasts 1517 on Youtube 1517 Podcast Network on Apple Podcasts 1517 Events Schedule 1517 Academy - Free Theological Education What's New from 1517: Sinner Saint by Luke Kjolhaug The Impossible Prize: A Theology of Addiction by Donavan Riley Ditching the Checklist by Mark Mattes Broken Bonds: A Novel of the Reformation, Book 1 of 2 by Amy Mantravadi More from the hosts: Chad Bird Lyrics to "Laid on Him" All we like sheep have gone astray  Everyone has turned to his own way  And the Lord has laid on him All of our iniquity and all our sin Laid on him   Oppressed and afflicted No deceit in Your tongue Castaway with the wicked God's only Son. And the Lord has laid on him All of our iniquity and all our sin Laid on him   Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him;     he has put him to grief Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,     make many to be accounted righteous, when his soul makes an offering for guilt,     he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant,     make many to be accounted righteous, Hallelujah   And the Lord has laid on him All of our iniquity and all our sin Laid on him

He is one of the most reviled and hated men in history. He was the king of the Holy Land during the time of Jesus and is best known for ordering the massacre in Bethlehem of all male children under 2 years old. His name? Herod the GreatBut Herod's cruel reputation has always hidden another side of one of the Bible's greatest villains. He was a prolific builder and architectural mastermind of breathtaking proportions. He built new cities, fortresses, palaces, harbours, aqueducts, theatres, and other public buildings. His most grandiose creation was the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, which he wholly rebuilt. Herod built more and larger monuments than virtually anyone in ancient times, perhaps in all time.Herod the Great, also known as Herod 1, was the Roman-appointed Jewish king of Judea, who was referred to at the time as the Herodian Kingdom. He reigned for 33 years between 37 to 4 BC. Join Gary on a journey back through time as we follow the footsteps of Herod the Great and discover what made him tick, and what made him crazy, and in doing so we'll discover one of the simplest and most successful ways to find lasting inner-peace and happiness. 

With Jacob dead, the brothers fear Joseph's revenge. They even fabricate a message from their father, begging Joseph's forgiveness. But Joseph weeps at their words and speaks one of Scripture's most profound theological statements: "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive." Joseph sees beyond human schemes to divine sovereignty. He promises to provide for them and their children, speaking kindly to comfort their hearts. As Joseph dies at 110, he echoes his father's faith, making his brothers swear to carry his bones out of Egypt when God visits them. Genesis ends with a coffin in Egypt, but with eyes fixed on the promised exodus.  The Rev. Kelly Krieg, pastor of Bethlehem Lutheran Church in Brenham, TX, joins guest host Rev. Doug Griebenaw, Mission Advocate for KFUO Radio, to study Genesis 50:15-26.  To learn more about Bethlehem, visit www.bethlehemwmpenn.org. Genesis isn't just the start of the Bible; it's the foundation of everything. Creation, sin, judgment, grace, covenant, and promise all take root in this remarkable book. The stories are ancient, but their truths are eternal. In this new series from Thy Strong Word, Pastor Phil Booe and his guests walk verse by verse through Genesis, exploring how God reveals Himself as Creator, Judge, and Redeemer. From the grandeur of the cosmos to the struggles of ordinary families, Genesis introduces us to a God who speaks, acts, and keeps His promises. So, whether you've read it a hundred times or are just now cracking it open for a serious look, this series will help you see Genesis with fresh eyes—and a deeper faith. Thy Strong Word, hosted by Rev. Dr. Phil Booe, pastor of St. John Lutheran Church of Luverne, MN, reveals the light of our salvation in Christ through study of God's Word, breaking our darkness with His redeeming light. Each weekday, two pastors fix our eyes on Jesus by considering Holy Scripture, verse by verse, in order to be strengthened in the Word and be equipped to faithfully serve in our daily vocations. Submit comments or questions to: thystrongword@kfuo.org.

The Lord views His church in very unique and specific ways – like a body, like a family, as a bride. In this message, I look at the family aspect of God’s view of His church. Is it even possible to interact as the church of God if we are not embracing the family dynamic? …

******* TW ****** THIS EPISODE DEALS WITH DEATH, VIOLENCE AND THEMES OF WAR THAT SOME PEOPLE MIGHT FIND UPSETTING!!! ****Hello,New episode is out.I hope you have a listen to a rather longer episode than normal, and please let me know your thoughts!Some Palestinian Dishes: Maqluba, Musakhan, Ka'ak, Maamoul, KnafehCookbooks by Palestinian authors or about Palestinian food that Angela Zaher Recommends.Bethlehem by Fadi Kattanhttps://www.waterstones.com/book/bethlehem/fadi-kattan/9781958417287Falastin by Sami Tamimi (and also Boustany)https://www.sami-tamimi.com/cookbooks/falastinYasmin Khan: Zaitoun: Recipes and Stories from the Palestinian Kitchenhttps://www.amazon.co.uk/Zaitoun-Recipes-Stories-Palestinian-Kitchen/dp/1408883848aitoun-Recipes-Stories-Palestinian-Kitchen/dp/1408883848Joudie Kalla: Palestine on A Plate:https://www.palestineonaplate.com/Thank you, much love and see you on the flip side!Thom & The Delicious LegacySupport this show http://supporter.acast.com/the-delicious-legacy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

God sent Samuel to Bethlehem to anoint a replacement for Saul, the failure who sat on the throne, from among Jesse's sons. The elders of the town trembled after hearing of Samuel's summary dispatch of Agag and asked him if he had come in peace. He replied, 'yes'. One by one the seven older brothers pass before him - each one impressive in his features; only for Samuel to be told not to look on the outward appearance (the basis of human judgment), but rather on the heart, which is Yahweh's basis of measurement. At last the youngest, who was not thought worthy of being presented, was brought, chosen and anointed. David was invited to soothe Saul's melancholic moods by playing his harp.Isaiah in chapter 60 the time of Zion's future glory, when the wealth of the nations will pour into her (Psalm 102 verses12-22). Verses 1-3 describe the LORD bringing glory from gloom to the long downtrodden nation of Israel. We are living close to the commencement of that epoch as our above quote from Psalm 102 reveals for Yahweh has restored Israel to their homeland. He has once more given them Jerusalem. Verses 4-9 tell of the flowing of the wealth of the nations into Zion. We are told that many Arab nations will be to the forefront of helping Zion, as will Great Britain through her navy. The maritime power of Tarshish (Britain) will be at the forefront of Zion's restoration. Verses 10-14 speak of the prominence that Israel will experience and those who afflicted her will coming begging for mercy. Verses 15-16 is an acknowledgment of the Almighty's role in Jerusalem's elevation. Verses 17-22 outline the abundance of blessings that will flow to her as she is blessed in Messiah's kingdom. Just as in Revelation 21 Jerusalem's glory will be the LORD God Almighty and his radiant Son.Matthew 5-7 is called "the sermon on the mount". Note from the start that after an arduous climb away from the multitude Jesus prepared a series of talks designed for disciples. It begins with a composite picture of our Lord's own character as the blueprint for all true citizens of Zion. There are 8 beatitudes: verses 2-12 - and the reward for each is the same- just expressed in different terms- that is to be blessed with a place in Messiah's kingdom. The 8 blessings - beatitudes- find their antitheses in the curses, or woes upon the Scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23. Within the 8th blessing (Greek "kairos" - a happiness borne in the knowledge of our Father's overriding love and care for His children) there is a ninth, for those who then heard and were moved to respond to the gracious words which they heard. Verses 13-6 give 2 metaphors which describe the disciple's purpose - to shine forth the gospel to others - and who the disciple truly is - a sincere follower of our Lord Jesus Christ. Verses 17-20 tell us of Christ's mission and as his followers our duty to develop a righteousness of the heart and not one of outward appearance to others. Verses 21-26 tell us to control anger and to reconcile problems, not stir up strife. Verses 27-32 deal with lust and difficulties within marriage. Verses 33-37 ask disciples to tell the truth and avoid oaths. Verses 38-42 ask us to avoid retaliation. Verses 43-48 instruct us to be as our Father and show love at all times. We note in all these words the authority of our Lord: "but I say unto you". This contrasts with the Jewish leaders who would quote one or another rabbinical authority: Matthew 7:28. In all of these segments our Lord goes beyond what the Law requires and goes straight to the issues of the heart. Let us also learn that this is how we should look at the Word of God and the words of His Son. The fifth chapter concludes with an appeal for the Father's children to appreciate and emulate His character (verses 43-48).

Week 5 of SUMMER AT BETHLEHEM with Lead Pastor Jason Britt. Pastor Jason asks us the question: When was the last time I undeniably saw the Spirit at work in or around me?

The Bible tells us to let our moderation be known unto all men. What exactly does that mean? In a time of excessive appetites for activities like youth sports, careers, or hobbies, it is vitally important we understand what moderation is. In the same way the tires on a car need to be balanced to …

Rob has been captivated by the West Branch of the Delaware River since last August when he fished there for the first time. He has been eager to return and this time, he plans to bring his raft and Producer Jason along. The first part of this adventure starts with Rob organizing the trip from home, communicating with Jason over the phone, and preparing his girlfriend for the journey. She'll only be going partway and won't be fishing. Rob and Caitlin make the drive from Northern Virginia to Bethlehem, PA, and then Rob follows Jason to Hancock, NY. They require two vehicles to navigate the river. Tune in as Rob outlines the trip, including packing his FlyCraft for it's inaugural river float, along with the details shared between Rob and Jason. At this point they have no idea where they will eat, sleep, or put the boat in and take it out.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Born in Bethlehem, raised as a shepherd, and slew a giant. David's story foreshadows the story of Jesus, born of Bethlehem, shepherd of our souls, who slew the greatest giant of all - sin.  Sign up for special devotionals at StoriesoftheMessiah.com. As we dive deeply into iconic Bible heroes' enthralling narratives, we find more than just stories of faith and miracles. We discover a recurrent theme, a spiritual undertone that connects each tale to the grandeur of the Gospel. They're not just standalone legends; they're threads in a divine tapestry, weaving a story that foreshadows Jesus Christ, the ultimate hero, the promised Messiah who brings light to the darkest corners of history. For more Bible stories download the Pray.com app.  To learn more about Rabbi Schneider visit https://discoveringthejewishjesus.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scripture: 1 Samuel 16. There are many Biblical characters of faith in the Bible, but none with as many Old Testament chapters devoted to them as David. Abraham - 14 Chapters Joseph - 14 chapters Jacob - 11 chapters Elijah - 10 chapters David - 66 chapters (and this does NOT include the Psalms written by him!) Our story takes place around the year 1025 BC. We read in 1 Samuel 13:14 that God is going to replace the Israelite's first king, King Saul.  In 1 Samuel 13:14 we read about Elijah telling Saul the following, “But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord's command.”  In 1 Samuel 16:1 “The Lord said to Samuel, “How long will you mourn for Saul, since I have rejected him as king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and be on your way; I am sending you to Jesse of Bethlehem. I have chosen one of his sons to be king.” So Samuel sets out for Jesse's home with oil to anoint the next king of Israel.  Samuel arrives at Jesse's home and sees Eliab, Jesse's oldest son, and this is the one he thinks is to be anointed but God has other plans.  We read in this verse, one of the most important verses about God's heart, 1 Samuel 16:7 “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” The world looks at a person's job, wealth, good looks, accomplishments, status, possessions, BUT God looks at the heart of a person. Seven of Jesse's sons come to Samuel but he tells each that they have not been chosen.  Then Samuel asks Jesse if there are any other sons - Jesse says there's one left in the fields with the sheep.  The smallest, least likely of choices, but Samuel has him sent for.  David is found, tending sheep and is then brought before Samuel ho acknowledges him as the Lord's choice, and Samuel anoints David to be the next king of Israel. Today's verses tell us that from that time on, the Spirit of the Lord was upon David.  What is it about David's heart that stands out? How did David reflect God's heart? David's Heart     ⁃    Faith-filled heart - had a heart filled with faith in God. David wrote Psalm 23 - this psalm opens with :The Lord is my shepherd, I have all that I need.” David knew he could depend on God, that God cared for him and so David trusted God. David walked by faith.     ⁃    Humble heart - David wrote Psalm 139:23-24, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” David realized he needed God, relied on the grace of God, wanted God to mold and shape him, wanted God to draw him ever closer to Himself. David not only lived by faith, he walked in humility.     ⁃    Honest heart - In Psalm 78:72 we read the following, “And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.” Not that he was sinless, he was not, but he was honest and had integrity and lead his people that way. We too are called  To walk by faith To be humble before God To be honest and to have integrity Like David we are to have a heart after God's own heart. Now What? Learn about God at https://www.awakeusnow.com EVERYTHING we offer is FREE. Check out this video series from our website: https://www.awakeusnow.com/david-and-gods-heart Join us Sundays  https://www.awakeusnow.com/sunday-service Watch via our app. Text HELLO to 888-364-4483 to download our app.

Wesley Wright Lighthouse Bible Church Sunday, June 29, 2025 Mic 5:1-4 'The remainder of His brethren' We established who the coming ruler of Israel last week. It's Jesus Christ, who 1) was born in Bethlehem and 2) comes from eternity past. That same Ruler will give His people up until the time where she who is in labor has borne a child (Micah 5:3). That Ruler giving His people up refers to a long period of persecution for the people of Israel. Other OT prophets mentioned this, too. You may hear this referred to as the "time of Jacob's trouble" or the "times of the Gentiles" - we'll read both Jer 30:1-10 Luk... for full notes: http://www.lbible.org/index.php?proc=msg&sf=vw&tid=1742

Here we now see the story focusing on Ruth as she looks for grace in this new land and culture, as God works out His sovereign purpose of His redemptive plan in the ordinary events of life

When the frontier was settled in the 1800s, it was common for the wagon trains to “circle the wagons” when under attack and at night for protection, safety and interaction. In this message, I look at how we should follow that example when we are attacked by Satan and faced with trials and tragedies. 06.22.25.Circle.the.Wagons.Tim.McCool

A lively conversation about how surveillance tech, created and tested in Israel & the US, targets climate refugees across the world. And how refugees have much better solutions than more of the same.In this episode the executive director of Climate Refugees, Amali Tower, crosses the globe from Israel/Palestine to the U.S.-Mexico borderlands to look at the technology that connects the seemingly disparate realities of warfare, surveillance, and immigration raids, putting them in the context of climate change and increasing global displacement. When people arrive to the U.S.-Mexico border, Tower says, they get “the same digital fortress, the same technical fortress, the same virtual wall, and the same physical wall that has been battle tested in Palestine and on Palestinians.”Stay to the end of the conversation, when we turn to alternatives and what people can do to make the world a better place. Amali talks about her visit to Arizona and Sonora last year, when we visited the binational fair trade coffee cooperative Café Justo in Agua Prieta. As you'll hear, this is a thriving example of an alternative to border militarization and an assertion of the right to stay home.Amali says that in the 10 years that she's been looking at the intersection of climate and displacement, she sees “blatant hypocrisy from countries seemingly supposedly caring about saving the planet for future generations to come” while they are simultaneously undermining “all those goals and plans and adaptations and all these wonderful things we are supposed to be doing for the so-called existential threat.”Instead, she continues, “When it comes to war and militarism, when it comes to borders, when it comes to keeping people out, it's incredible how we only have language and infrastructure and architecture to do that.”Here are links to sources mentioned in the conversation: a look at climate change in Israel/Palestine, and the IPCC report and one by Amali on the Mediterranean basin as a climate hot spot. And here is Amali's piece written in the aftermath of George Floyd's murder in 2020, “If Black Americans Were to Seek Asylum, They Could Qualify.”The separation wall in Bethlehem, Palestine in 2021. (Photo credit: Amali Tower). 

Thursday with Tabitha 3. Amos Amos was a prophet during the time of King Uzziah of Judah and King Jeroboam of Israel. His prophecy came somewhere roundabout the year 760 BC, give or take a few decades! At this time Israel and Judah were enjoying an unusual spell of prosperity and political stability. This was especially the case in Israel, where the land was very fertile and abundant crops were growing. The threat from the kingdom of Assyria seemed to have lessened, at least for the time being, so life was pretty good. Unfortunately the people of Israel and Judah had wandered far from the standards of holiness that God had intended for them. Idolatry was rampant, the rich were getting richer and more corrupt by the day and the wealthy were exploiting the poor. The Israelites falsely concluded that their prosperity was a sign of God's obvious blessing. They were looking forward to “the Day of the Lord” when God would finally crush their enemies. It is into this environment that Amos was called to prophesy. We're told that Amos came from Tekoa, a small village in Judah, south-east of Bethlehem. He is identified as a shepherd or maybe a sheep breeder. A rather unlikely choice for a prophet on the face of things! Amos begins his message in chapter 1 with a series of proclamations of God's judgement on the neighbours of the Israelites. He has words of judgement for Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Edom, the Ammonites and the people of Moab. These people groups were enemies of the Israelites. The charges against them relate to their violence, cruelty and abuse of other human beings, particularly during times of war and conquest. The Israelites would probably have been nodding along happily until the beginning of chapter 2. At this point Amos suddenly turns his attention to Judah and then to Israel. The judgements leveled against God's people are of a different order altogether. God accuses them of violating the terms of his covenant with them - they are called to a higher standard of moral and spiritual living than the pagan nations around them. Amos doesn't hold back! The sins of the Israelites include oppression and exploitation of the poor, sexual sins, idolatry, misuse of God's temple, abuse and silencing of the prophets, and empty, ritualistic worship. God had patiently tried to warn his people, by sending them prophets and providing examples of holiness in the form of people like the Nazirites, who took vows of holiness and of abstinence from wine. But God's people had not listened and now God would judge them. The main message in the book of Amos is this: God's judgement is universal; Israel and Judah are not immune. Chapters 3 to 6 expand on the initial judgements outlined in the first two chapters. Even the women of Israel are exposed as people who oppress the poor - God likens them to the fat cows that graze in the fields of Bashan! God is appalled at the nature of the people's idolatrous worship. The people had started to offer sacrifices in places other than the temple in Jerusalem and they had appointed priests who were not Levites. These things were deviations from the instructions that God had provided for worship. They had even turned to worshipping golden calves and other idols. The Israelites thought that they were offering worship that was pleasing to God but it was actually detestable to him. In chapter 4 God summarises a series of warning shots that he gave to the people, which were intended to bring them back to him, but the tragic refrain is repeated over and over again: “yet you did not return to me”. In chapter 5 Amos entreats the people to turn back to God, telling them that it's perhaps not too late. God laments over Israel like a father whose virgin daughter has been raped or become a prostitute. In chapter 5 God declares the following: “I hate, I despise your feasts, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the peace offerings of your fattened animals, I will not look upon them. Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. (Amos 5:21-24 ESV) God calls the people to repent and come back to him and seek justice. In chapter 6 further sins are described which include the complacency of the people in the self-indulgence of the rich at the expense of the poor. Chapter 7 to 9 contain a series of visions which Amos has. These visions declare that God's judgement is unavoidable if God is to be just, which he must. The judgement is imminent. The final vision pictures God standing by the altar of the temple shaking it to its foundations. This is a prophecy about the final downfall of Israel. The prophecy was fulfilled very soon after this. Assyria gained power again and conquered Israel in 722 BC. After all the serious judgements and the terrifying reality of the impending downfall of Israel, the book of Amos ends on a tantalizing note of hope. Despite the people's willful disobedience and the depth of their depravity and sin, God is a God of mercy and deliverance. There is a promise of future restoration of the Israelites. God promises to repair the dwellings of David and preserve a remnant of his people for the future. So what can we learn from the book of Amos? Firstly, we learn that God is always just. God is a God of love and he is mercifully patient but he has to judge sin, otherwise he is not really loving at all. Despite appearances to the contrary, nobody is getting away with anything. Every human being who has ever lived or who will ever live must stand before God to be judged. And the truth is that none of us can stand before him with a perfect account, with an unblemished record of our own. However, the message of hope at the end of Amos hints at the salvation that would eventually come through Jesus. God never meant his judgements on Israel and Judah to be the last word. In mercy he preserved a remnant through the line of David through which the Messiah would come. Through Jesus, God has provided the means of our deliverance and restoration. Those who've trusted in Jesus' perfect, sinless record and accepted his payment for their sin (the sacrifice of his own life) will be able to stand before God without fear. Amos's message also shows us that the knowledge of God comes with responsibility. Those who know more of God and his standards of holiness will be held more accountable than those who have never heard about him. God chose the people of Israel out of all the peoples of the earth, but not because they were better or more numerous or more powerful. Quite the opposite in fact! They were chosen by grace alone. God made his covenant with the people of Israel and gave them clear boundaries of ethical and moral conduct and instructions for their spiritual worship. These were for their own protection and their own benefit. Today, as the new covenant people of God we are no longer required to keep all the requirements of the original old Testament law that God gave to Moses. However, Jesus did not come abolish the law but to fulfill it (Matt 5:17). Just because we have been freed from the demands of the law we are not simply free to do whatever we want. In fact as Jesus pointed out we are called to go above and beyond the requirements that the old law demanded. Rather than restraining ourselves to proportional revenge on our enemies we are called to love them. Instead of simply giving the bare minimum required we are called to give extravagantly. Jesus teaches us that the standard of holiness we are called to is so much higher than we would think. We should view sin with such seriousness that hating somebody should feel as bad as murder and lusting after another person should be regarded as adultery in the heart. Amos' words need to speak to us today, reminding us that God's standard of holiness is so much higher than we realize. Instead of passing our own judgement on the sinful Israelites we need to look honestly at our own lives and realize just how similar to them we can be. God calls his people to do justly, love mercy and walk humbly with him (Micah 6:8). Are we doing that? Do we actively look for opportunities to defend the rights of the poor in our society and our world? Do we think carefully about how we worship God? God is so merciful and patient with us – he calls us to come back to him, to abide in his love, to learn from him and to be his hands and feet in the world we live in.   Right Mouse click or tap here to download this episode as an audio mp3 file

On episode 256 of the Atlantic City podcast, Kyle and Craig play “Would You Rather” with some hypothetical slot scenarios, then Craig gives a full report on his day trip... Read more »

It is amazing what we as humans will do to preserve ourselves. Herod, in an attempt to ensure his kingship won't be taken from him after news of the King of the Jews born in Bethlehem, killed all young boys 2 and under in the same and surrounding areas.In this day and age, we're seeing something very similar.Tune in this week as Pastor Thomas continues our series "A Study Through Matthew," and exhorts the listener to take a stand for the Kingdom of God.If you would like to partner with BLVD Church and what we are doing in the community, you can make an investment of support at https://blvd.church/give

Father Edward Looney reads and comments on The Life of Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations: From the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich.Day 41Volume 1THE MOST HOLY INCARNATIONChapter 14: The Kings Arrive At BethlehemLEARN MORE - USE COUPON CODE ACE25 FOR 25% OFFThe Life of Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations: From the Visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich Four-Book Set - https://bit.ly/3QVreIsThe Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ: From the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich - https://bit.ly/4bPsxRmThe Life and Revelations of Anne Catherine Emmerich Two-Book Set - https://bit.ly/3yxaLE5The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary: From the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich - https://bit.ly/3wTRsULMary Magdalen in the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich -https://bit.ly/4brYEXbThe Mystical City of God Four-Book Set - https://bit.ly/44Q9nZbOur Lady of Good Help: Prayer Book for Pilgrims - https://bit.ly/3Ke6O9SThe Life of Jesus Christ in a Year: From the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich is a podcast from TAN that takes you through one of the most extraordinary books ever published. Follow along daily as Father Edward Looney works his way through the classic four-volume set, The Life of Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations, by reading a passage from the book and then giving his commentary. Discover the visions of the famous 19th-century Catholic mystic, Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, a nun who was privileged by God to behold innumerable events of biblical times.Anne Catherine's visions included the birth, life, public ministry, Crucifixion, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, as well as the founding of His Church. Besides describing persons, places, events, and traditions in intimate detail, she also sets forth the mystical significance of these visible realities. Here is the infinite love of God incarnate and made manifest for all to see, made all the more striking and vivid by the accounts Blessed Anne has relayed.Listen and subscribe to The Life of Jesus Christ in a Year: From the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich on your favorite podcast platform or at EmmerichPodcast.com.And for more great ways to deepen your faith, check out all the spiritual resources available at TANBooks.com and use Coupon Code ACE25 for 25% off your next order.

The wonderful story of the Forerunner's conception and birth is told in the first chapter of the Gospel according to Luke. Together with the Most Holy Theotokos and Christ Himself, both his conception and his birth are commemorated as Feasts of the Church. His name, Johanan in Hebrew, means "The Lord is Gracious."   The Prologue adds: "The news of the angel's appearing to Zacharias, of his dumbness and of the loosening of his tongue at the exact moment that he wrote 'John', was carried throughout all Israel, coming to Herod's ears. So, when he sent men to kill all the infants around Bethlehem, he sent men off to Zacharias' family house in the hills, to slay John also. But Elisabeth hid the child in good time. The king was enraged at this, and sent an executioner to the Temple to kill Zacharias (for it was then his turn to serve in the Temple again). Zacharias was killed between the court and the Temple, and his blood clotted and solidified on the paving slabs, and remained as an enduring witness against Herod. Elisabeth hid herself and the child in a cave, where she soon died. The young John remained in the wilderness alone, in the care of God and His angels." See September 5

"Christ loved the church, and gave Himself up for her!" Ephesians 5:25 Thoughts of love nestled in His heart; words of love lingered on His lips; deeds of love flew from His hands; and His steps left behind them, the impress of love! Love threw its soft halo over His cradle at Bethlehem, and it fringed with its mellow splendors, the gloom of the cloud under which He expired on Calvary. Love gave bounds to His reproofs, and pathos to His invitations. Love was the magnet that guided Him in all His wanderings. Love bound Him to the cross and held Him there, and not the iron nails which pierced His hands and His feet! Love thrilled in His bosom, and glistened in His eye! Love prompted Him to impart miraculous aid on every opportunity. His meekness was but one of its features. It clothed itself in forgiveness toward His enemies, and its last pulsation was in a prayer for His murderers. Love was the spiritual atmosphere in which He lived, moved, and had His being. And all this love had His own redeemed people for its central object, around whom it ever hovered with sleepless tenderness and assiduity! "Christ loved the church, and gave Himself up for her!" But those exhibitions of love during His life, are eclipsed by the displays of it in His death! Love shines out with wondrous charms amidst the gloom of death, for it did not shrink from the shame and woe of the cross! His severest anguish was that of His soul. Oh! it was not shame, persecution, or crucifixion--for these terrible sufferings could have been easily borne! It was not the rage and malice of Satan--these also could have been trampled on! But it was the endurance in Himself of the punishment du

Week 4 of SUMMER AT BETHLEHEM with Executive Pastor of Discipleship Kevin Miller. Pastor Kevin leaves us with 3 big questions to reflect on from John 15.

The Bible gives multiple accounts of the dead being raised back to life in this world, but that is not the only type of resurrection we find in the scriptures. We read about our spiritual man being resurrected back to life with the new birth and about the resurrection of our bodies eternally at the end …

Part 3 of James: Gospel Wisdom for the Christian Life

Father Edward Looney reads and comments on The Life of Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations: From the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich.Day 38Volume 1THE MOST HOLY INCARNATIONChapter 11: Journey Of The Three Kings To BethlehemLEARN MORE - USE COUPON CODE ACE25 FOR 25% OFFThe Life of Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations: From the Visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich Four-Book Set - https://bit.ly/3QVreIsThe Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ: From the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich - https://bit.ly/4bPsxRmThe Life and Revelations of Anne Catherine Emmerich Two-Book Set - https://bit.ly/3yxaLE5The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary: From the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich - https://bit.ly/3wTRsULMary Magdalen in the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich -https://bit.ly/4brYEXbThe Mystical City of God Four-Book Set - https://bit.ly/44Q9nZbOur Lady of Good Help: Prayer Book for Pilgrims - https://bit.ly/3Ke6O9SThe Life of Jesus Christ in a Year: From the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich is a podcast from TAN that takes you through one of the most extraordinary books ever published. Follow along daily as Father Edward Looney works his way through the classic four-volume set, The Life of Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations, by reading a passage from the book and then giving his commentary. Discover the visions of the famous 19th-century Catholic mystic, Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, a nun who was privileged by God to behold innumerable events of biblical times.Anne Catherine's visions included the birth, life, public ministry, Crucifixion, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, as well as the founding of His Church. Besides describing persons, places, events, and traditions in intimate detail, she also sets forth the mystical significance of these visible realities. Here is the infinite love of God incarnate and made manifest for all to see, made all the more striking and vivid by the accounts Blessed Anne has relayed.Listen and subscribe to The Life of Jesus Christ in a Year: From the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich on your favorite podcast platform or at EmmerichPodcast.com.And for more great ways to deepen your faith, check out all the spiritual resources available at TANBooks.com and use Coupon Code ACE25 for 25% off your next order.

 In today's episode, I got to catch up with recent AB Tech graduate Ryan Schrader, who just completed a whirlwind tour of craft distilleries and breweries in Pennsylvania, all while helping out his 93-year-old grandfather. Ryan and I tasted through a plethora of bottles he brought back—including unique rye whiskies, innovative cask-finished bourbons, and a standout unaged apple brandy. Our conversation dove deep into Pennsylvania's rye revival, the craft spirit scene, and his own whiskey-making journey at AB Tech. We also looked ahead to his upcoming sensory adventure in Ireland, where Ryan plans to tour iconic distilleries and hunt down rare single malts (with oats, of course) to expand his already impressive palate. Ryan graduated from AB Tech in May 2025 with a passion for craft distillation, whiskey, and lifelong learning. Originally from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, he brings a family history rich in whiskey lore, a home collection of rare decanters, and a keen curiosity about historic and emerging trends in the industry. His hands-on experience at AB Tech includes producing an Irish-style whiskey aged on maple wood—using homemade kiln-dried chunks from a tree in his own backyard. Ryan is always on the lookout for innovative flavors and is dedicated to exploring the global craft spirit community. “My love and passion for distillates has led me not only to become a lifelong learner and seek the associate's degree here at AB Tech, but also to find some pretty rare—well, pretty amazing—distilleries in Pennsylvania.” ~Ryan Schrader Today on Consuming the Craft:Pennsylvania is experiencing a craft spirits renaissance, particularly with rye whiskey, and features innovative distilleries such as Hidden Still Spirits (David E.), Stoll & Wolf, and Bluebird Distilling.Ryan discovered whiskey aged in unique casks, including those made from Umburana (a South American wood) and rum barrels, which added distinct cinnamon and sweet notes.Stoll & Wolf's unaged apple brandy at 107 proof was a standout for its creamy mouthfeel, delicate sweetness, and fresh apple aroma, despite being a clear spirit.Lancaster Brewing Company, with over 30 years of brewing experience, has recently added distilling to its repertoire, including a straight bourbon whiskey finished in its own Wee Heavy ale barrels.Many Pennsylvania craft distillers also provide top-notch food service, contributing to a full sensory experience.Ryan's capstone project involved crafting a traditional Irish whiskey with an innovative maple wood finish using kiln-dried, home-charred local maple.Upcoming plans for Ryan include a distillery-focused trip to Ireland, with visits to notable locations such as Middleton, Pierce Lyons (located in a historic church), and Kilbeggan, with a focus on tracking down oat-infused single malts, including Drumshanbo.The importance of glassware in tasting spirits was discussed, as different shapes bring out subtle variations in aroma and flavor. Resources & Distilleries Mentioned:Hidden Still Spirits (David E.), Hershey, PAStoll & Wolf Distillery, PennsylvaniaLancaster Brewing Company, Lancaster, PABluebird Distilling, Phoenixville, PADrumshanbo Single Malt (Ireland)Laird's Straight Apple Brandy, bottled in bond (NJ/VA)Middleton Distillery, Pierce Lyons, Kilbeggan (Ireland)McConnell Farms (supporter of AB Tech) This episode is brought to you by… McConnell Farms - Taste the Way You Remember. Enjoy homemade ciders and ice cream made from only the best produce on the market. Visit the McConnell Farms website to learn more about our seasonal inventory and the delicious creations you can make with our homegrown produce. Consuming the Craft Thanks for tuning into this week's Consuming the Craft Podcast episode, brought to you by AB Tech's Craft Beverage Institute of the Southeast. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe and leave a review wherever you get your podcasts. Apple Podcasts | GooglePlay  Be sure to share your favorite episodes on social media to help us reach more craft beverage enthusiasts. To learn more about AB Tech and the Craft Beer Institute of the Southeast, visit our website.

Kitrael Chin joins guest host Brooke Taylor sharing the profound impact of performing at the 2025 Jubilee of Persons with Disabilities at the Vatican. Elizabeth Wellendorf is an American nurse dedicating her life to serving disabled children at an orphanage in Bethlehem. Her mother Christina shares about her great work.

Support this conference: http://bit.ly/4l3VltMSummaryPastor Campbell shares a gripping offering message on how giving can unlock spiritual breakthroughs—just like Cornelius' offering in Acts 10 became a memorial before God. This is not about money—it's about destiny.Then, Pastor Greg Mitchell delivers a timely and heart-piercing sermon titled “Water Wars”—a look into David's internal struggle at the well of Bethlehem and how nostalgia, disappointment, and discouragement can lead us to miss the very promises of God we were made for.Whether you're battling weariness, fighting for your calling, or wrestling with your purpose—this message is for you.➡️ Stay until the end for a powerful prayer over discouragement and clarity in your calling.Chapters0:00 – The Spiritual Power of Giving1:55 – Why Cornelius Was Chosen3:45 – Offerings That Become Memorials5:50 – Can God Speak to You About Money?7:30 – Testimony: $2,000 Seed, $33,500 Harvest9:25 – Stirring Men to Radical Generosity10:58 – Will You Obey God with Your Finances?13:46 – Pastor Greg Mitchell Introduced14:00 – Water Wars: The Battle at the Well18:20 – When the Promise Feels Delayed22:00 – Nostalgia vs. Destiny26:30 – Settling for Substitutes30:15 – Dangerous Desires in Disappointment35:15 – Your Choices Affect Generations38:05 – Don't Make Life Decisions Based on Current Struggles40:30 – C.Y. O'Connor's Pipeline and Tragic Miscalculation43:20 – David's Repentance and Right Response45:05 – Surviving the Battle by Doing What's Right47:50 – The Wells of Beersheba: What You Don't See Coming51:00 – Call to Salvation52:40 – Altar Call and Worship55:30 – Prayer for the Discouraged57:35 – Final Encouragement and Victory in Jesushttps://TakingTheLandPodcast.comSUBSCRIBE TO PREMIUM FOR MORE:• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe for only $3/month on Supercast⁠: https://taking-the-land.supercast.com/⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe for only $3.99/month on Spotify⁠: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/taking-the-land/subscribe⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠Subscribe for only $4.99/month on Apple Podcasts⁠: https://apple.co/3vy1s5b⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Show NotesALL PROCEEDS GO TO WORLD EVANGELISMLocate a CFM Church near you: https://cfmmap.orgWe need five-star reviews! Tell the world what you think about this podcast at: • Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://apple.co/3vy1s5b • Podchaser: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/taking-the-land-cfm-sermon-pod-43369

Ruth replied, “Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” — Ruth 1:16 A few years ago Erika's mother passed away from cancer. Erika's mother was a sister to Stephanie, so Stephanie is Erika's aunt. Despite their loss, Erika and Stephanie share a bond that is exceptionally close for an aunt and niece. They cook together, share meals, and travel from Michigan to Chicago nearly every Sunday for worship. On the Sunday when Erika and Stephanie became members at our church, we read the story of Ruth and Naomi, focusing on the line “Where you go I will go. . . . Your people will be my people and your God my God.” Ruth and Naomi experienced deep grief together; Ruth's husband, who had died, was Naomi's son. Yet they chose to embrace one another and face the grief and unknown together as they sought community in Bethlehem, Naomi's old hometown. Grief and hardship can leave you looking around and realizing, “This is it; these are my people. And I can remain bitter, or I can take a step toward healing with the ones God has given me.” Some losses cannot be replaced, and yet opportunities and blessings can emerge as new gifts, offering comfort, hope, and companionship. I'm grateful to God that Naomi and Ruth had each other, and that Erika and Stephanie do too. Whom has God brought into your life, offering gifts and companionship to help you? Lord, guide and comfort us in our grief, and help us to support one another with grace and love. In Jesus, Amen.

We serve a God who goes before us

Dr. Ray Benedetto, DC, DACNB is a sought after functional medicine practitioner, natural thyroid health expert and founder of the Rapid Thyroid Recovery System.     He has been in private practice in Bethlehem, PA for over 20 years. He is most well known for helping those with chronic health conditions, thyroid, and digestive problems in particular, finally discover the root causes of their symptoms and achieve the relief they haven't seen from traditional medical treatment.   His success with his patients and clients stems from years working in the trenches building a busy functional medicine practice that has patients from all of the world seeking his natural and alternative advice. Dr Ray lives and practices with his wife, Dr. Alison Benedetto and their 3 children in Bethlehem PA and consults with clients and patients from all over the US.   To Connect with Dr. Ray - https://www.drraybenedetto.com/home43363912 To get in touch with Tyler - https://www.tylerkamerman.com/

Father Edward Looney reads and comments on The Life of Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations: From the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich.Day 34Volume 1THE MOST HOLY INCARNATIONChapter 7: The Arrival In BethlehemLEARN MORE - USE COUPON CODE ACE25 FOR 25% OFFThe Life of Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations: From the Visions of Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich Four-Book Set - https://bit.ly/3QVreIsThe Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ: From the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich - https://bit.ly/4bPsxRmThe Life and Revelations of Anne Catherine Emmerich Two-Book Set - https://bit.ly/3yxaLE5The Life of the Blessed Virgin Mary: From the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich - https://bit.ly/3wTRsULMary Magdalen in the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich -https://bit.ly/4brYEXbThe Mystical City of God Four-Book Set - https://bit.ly/44Q9nZbOur Lady of Good Help: Prayer Book for Pilgrims -https://bit.ly/3Ke6O9SThe Life of Jesus Christ in a Year: From the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich is a podcast from TAN that takes you through one of the most extraordinary books ever published. Follow along daily as Father Edward Looney works his way through the classic four-volume set, The Life of Jesus Christ and Biblical Revelations, by reading a passage from the book and then giving his commentary. Discover the visions of the famous 19th-century Catholic mystic, Blessed Anne Catherine Emmerich, a nun who was privileged by God to behold innumerable events of biblical times.Anne Catherine's visions included the birth, life, public ministry, Crucifixion, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, as well as the founding of His Church. Besides describing persons, places, events, and traditions in intimate detail, she also sets forth the mystical significance of these visible realities. Here is the infinite love of God incarnate and made manifest for all to see, made all the more striking and vivid by the accounts Blessed Anne has relayed.Listen and subscribe toThe Life of Jesus Christ in a Year: From the Visions of Anne Catherine Emmerich on your favorite podcast platform or at EmmerichPodcast.com.And for more great ways to deepen your faith, check out all the spiritual resources available at TANBooks.com and use Coupon Code ACE25 for 25% off your next order.

Week 3 of SUMMER AT BETHLEHEM with Lead Pastor Jason Britt. We are a people for all people. This is the vision of Bethlehem Church, led by Pastor Jason Britt and based in Bethlehem, GA.

It is easy to lose heart in the face of evil. Sometimes the evil that affects us can be distant – like being frustrated with politics. But sometimes it touches us directly. When it touches us directly, we need to prepare our minds to know how the Lord views and deals with such evil, as …

What started as a holiday workaround turned into a nationwide tour that's touched hundreds of lives. In this behind-the-scenes episode, Lesley Logan and Brad Crowell share the unfiltered origin story of the OPC Tour. From cross-country van trips to pandemic pivots, their journey proves that big dreams are built on small, intentional steps. Tune in to hear how messy action, community love, and a little bit of stubbornness made it all possible.If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co mailto:beit@lesleylogan.co. And as always, if you're enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/#follow-subscribe-free.In this episode you will learn about:How a simple book tour idea inspired a cross-country Pilates tour.Their first cross-country drive and unexpected Instagram interest from fans.The rough logistics and lessons from their 2019 tour across 8 cities.How COVID-19 disrupted plans—and why they still bought a van anyway.The importance of staying persistent and evolving with each tour.Episode References/Links:OPC Summer Tour - https://opc.me/eventsBalanced Body - https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox. https://lovethepodcast.com/BITYSIDEALS! DEALS! DEALS! DEALS! https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentCheck out all our Preferred Vendors & Special Deals from Clair Sparrow, Sensate, Lyfefuel BeeKeeper's Naturals, Sauna Space, HigherDose, AG1 and ToeSox https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/memberships/perks/#equipmentBe in the know with all the workshops at OPC https://workshops.onlinepilatesclasses.com/lp-workshop-waitlistBe It Till You See It Podcast Survey https://pod.lesleylogan.co/be-it-podcasts-surveyBe a part of Lesley's Pilates Mentorship https://lesleylogan.co/elevate/FREE Ditching Busy Webinar https://ditchingbusy.com/ Resources:Watch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gLesley Logan website https://lesleylogan.co/Be It Till You See It Podcast https://lesleylogan.co/podcast/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan https://onlinepilatesclasses.com/Online Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjogqXLnfyhS5VlU4rdzlnQProfitable Pilates https://profitablepilates.com/about/ Follow Us on Social Media:Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lesley.logan/The Be It Till You See It Podcast YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq08HES7xLMvVa3Fy5DR8-gFacebook https://www.facebook.com/llogan.pilatesLinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesley-logan/The OPC YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@OnlinePilatesClasses Episode Transcript:Lesley Logan 0:00  Just try the smallest version of the idea out that has the intentionality of what you want. We wanted to bring the community together, and we wanted to get across the country. Lesley Logan 0:09  Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started.Lesley Logan 0:52  Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast with Brad as my guest. Brad Crowell 0:56  What? Who is here? Lesley Logan 0:57  Have we actually done it where you're my guest?Brad Crowell 1:00  Maybe. I mean, I've been on a couple of episodes where we've had, like, a group with some guests, but, like, has it just been you and I on them? Lesley Logan 1:07  But you're also, no, I don't think so. Brad Crowell 1:09  Maybe this is, I'm making a debut, people. Lesley Logan 1:11  All right, so here's the deal. We actually have to, like, do this as if I was introducing that episode, so that there can be an ad break. Brad Crowell 1:18  All right, go ahead. Lesley Logan 1:19  Hey guys. So today's episode is gonna be a little different, because, yes, as you heard, Brad's on the show, and we're gonna be talking a bit about the tour, and I thought it'd be really fun for us to actually take you back in the history of like, how the OPC tours started, why we do them, and just have some talk about the tour this week, because we're coming up on our eighth tour.Brad Crowell 1:40  I can't believe it's been eight. That's like mind blowing, actually. Lesley Logan 1:43  We're crazy people. Brad Crowell 1:44  Maybe a little bit, maybe just a little bit. Lesley Logan 1:46  Okay. So, Brad, do you remember when we did the first tour? Do you remember how the idea came to be?Brad Crowell 1:52  I do remember how the idea came to be. So you and I were in a coaching group, and there was another couple in the group who had written a book. They were very excited about this book, and they wanted to go around the cities and do a book tour launch slash hosting workshops while they were effectively selling their book. Lesley Logan 2:11  Yeah. And we were like, well, how can we go on a book tour? Because, I mean, yes, I have a book, but I didn't want to, like, go on a tour about the book. I was like, that doesn't really, I don't know if that's something I could do all the time. We're like, what if I, like, what, how can we go on a tour? And then, because you were a touring musician.Brad Crowell 2:25  Right, as soon as I, as soon as I heard them say that, and we started talking, I was like, we could just teach Pilates classes as we drive around on a tour. Like, hello. So obvious. Why did we not think of it before? Lesley Logan 2:37  The year, so we need to go back a year before that, Brad. So the only reason we actually thought we could do a tour in 2019 was because in 2018 I put my feet in the sand and said, I'm not flying home for the holidays. I'm not doing it. I love your family, but I can't do another flight. We've already done 150,000 miles of flying. I've been everywhere, and I hate flying at Christmas time. And also, for some reason, guys, LAX to Philly is almost impossible to find a nonstop flight. It's impossible to find a nonstop flight from Las Vegas to Philly, and so you have to fly red eyes, which is annoying because it's four and a half hours, not six hours, so you're not getting any sleep. And then you land there, and it's 11am somehow, and you're like, how?Brad Crowell 3:22  Yeah, you land at seven, by the time you get back to the house, it's 10:30, yeah, I mean, it's.Lesley Logan 3:26  Annoying. Brad Crowell 3:26  Not great. Lesley Logan 3:26  Anyways. Also, the last time we flew in 2017, I did finally fall asleep. And then, of course, the lights come on and they're like, is there a doctor on the plane? And I was just like, if they land this plane, if someone is not, of course, I want people to live. I'm not an asshole. But also I was finally asleep. So anyways, because we had done a cross-country tour. Brad Crowell 3:50  Trip. Lesley Logan 3:50  Trip, trip, in 2018. Brad Crowell 3:51  We just, we just rented a car, let's just go east, basically. And we didn't have an agenda other than we just had a couple of friends along the way that we were interested in seeing and saying hi to, and that was it. Lesley Logan 4:05  Just kind of based on, like, how many hours we thought, like, together we could drive. And, okay, that gets us here at night. And, oh, we have friends in St Louis. Okay, we can go here. So we have this tiny little car with the two dogs, and we drove. Brad Crowell 4:17  And we rented an SUV. But I was like, oh, you know, I don't need a, I don't need like a huge Tahoe or Chevy Suburban or anything. We could just get a regular SUV. It was so small, y'all. Lesley Logan 4:28  I don't know how they can call it an SUV. You guys, it was like, no, this is not an SUV. If you put a family of five in there, you couldn't have the groceries in the car, like it was so small. But anyways, it was just the two of us and the two dogs. And when we were on this trip, I was like, posting on Instagram, and this is before you really used Instagram for business, but I was posting like, oh, we're here. You know, I feel like, are you teaching here? And I was like, oh, people want us to teach here. I didn't know people would want your class on the holidays. So this had happened in 2018. Brad Crowell 4:56  That's right. Lesley Logan 4:57  Fast forward to October of 2019, and we are hearing this, and we're like, well, how can we do, so we had the, we knew.Brad Crowell 5:04  Kind of like had like I, like, we, we'd been prompted by our members from OPC, but that didn't actually turn into like we're going to do this tour thing next year, until this other couple was talking about their book launch, you're right. So, that was like, the second step to push us, if we're, like, to make it happen. Lesley Logan 5:21  Yeah and because we knew we could do the drive. Brad Crowell 5:22  Right, because we just done it the previous year, and we drove, you know, we drove both ways, you know, back and forth. Lesley Logan 5:28  Yeah. So we actually did the posters on the wall. I should have grabbed it for the visual, but we did, like, eight or nine cities, actually, we did on the very first we did Las Vegas. Brad Crowell 5:37  So that was 2019. Lesley Logan 5:39  We did Las Vegas, Denver, we did. Brad Crowell 5:43  Did we do St Louis? Lesley Logan 5:44  I don't know that we did St Louis. We did, no, we did Libertyville. So we did outside of Chicago, and then we did, like, some other ville, like, which was outside of Cleveland, but not Cleveland. Brad Crowell 5:55  Yeah, it was close to Cleveland, though. Lesley Logan 5:57  And then we did Lehigh Valley. Brad Crowell 6:00  Right, yeah, it was like, basically Bethlehem. Lesley Logan 6:03  And then we did Nashville, and then we did Atlanta. Brad Crowell 6:06  Oh, we did Nashville? Lesley Logan 6:07  Yeah. Brad Crowell 6:08  Oh. Lesley Logan 6:08  It was huge, like, 30 people, and that's why it's so, and people were like are you in Nashville, you guys are not, like, ever since then, not such a great follow up, you guys are not great. Love you. We want to go, trust me, we want to do Nashville. Um, then we did Atlanta, and then we did Austin, and then we did Phoenix. Brad Crowell 6:28  Geez, I don't even know how you remember these things. Lesley Logan 6:30  And then, I know, and then, and then, I don't know that we considered it part of the tour, although very much was. It was in January, we did Redlands, and then the world shut down. And then, so our first tour. Brad Crowell 6:46  We did Scottsdale. It was the last stop. Lesley Logan 6:48  Yeah, yeah, yeah. We did this really cool place in Scottsdale. Brad Crowell 6:51  Yeah. So I actually just pulled up the list. You nailed it, Vegas to Denver, to Chicago, which is Libertyville, to Cleveland, which is Strongsville, your second ville.Lesley Logan 6:58  I said it was another ville. Brad Crowell 6:59  I'm so impressed. Then Lehigh Valley, which is Bethlehem, and then Nashville, Austin and Scottsdale. Yeah. I am impressed. Lesley Logan 7:06  And then there was like, this little post tour stop in Redlands, which was not part of the tour. We added it in after the fact, but it was so fun. And it was like the true die hards, you know, the people who know the band before they make it to Coachella. It was like.Brad Crowell 7:20  Scottsdale was insane to me, that people even came out. It was like, negative 4 million degrees hot, and we had an outdoor venue. Lesley Logan 7:28  It was New Year's Eve. It was New Year's Eve at an outdoor venue. Brad Crowell 7:32  We literally had, like, it was, like, every three mats, there was a space heater, and everyone was like, oh my God, it's so cool. We're doing Pilates outside on January 1st. What are we doing? Lesley Logan 7:40  We all got warm enough, and it was super fun. And it was so great. Brad Crowell 7:44  It was so fun. Lesley Logan 7:45  It was sold out. It was such a great spot. And people, like, came from Canada, there, it was just like crazy. So, at any rate, it was so much fun, and we wanted new, we knew we want to do it again, but then, of course, the pandemic happened. But here's what got to happen, guys, so the pandemic happened, Brad and I still drove across the U.S., but we thought. Brad Crowell 8:01  I was just looking at the ticket sales, we had 133 tickets sold on that first tour.Lesley Logan 8:07  On the first tour, yeah. But we did that with a Tahoe, by the way. Brad Crowell 8:11  What, the second tour? After the first tour.Lesley Logan 8:15  No, no, we went to the Tahoe for the first tour. We went to the Tahoe. Brad Crowell 8:18  2019 yeah, you're right, yeah, because we knew that the tiny little SUV wasn't going to cut it, especially because we were bringing, like, stuff, and it was gonna be a little more of a robust tour. So we rented a Tahoe, and that was fine-ish, you know, it wasn't, it wasn't ideal, though, because, like, there was no real, yes, you could lay down on the back seat. We had this, the back, the middle seat was laid flat, but like, you know, it wasn't comfortable trying to sleep in the passenger seats sucks, like.Lesley Logan 8:45  Yeah, and also, you guys, we also, because we're going to places where we had clients, it wasn't necessarily places where we had friends, and so we were getting hotels. We had a hotel in Denver. We stayed in the financial district. Brad Crowell 8:57  Oh, I forgot we did. Lesley Logan 8:58  And then, in Libertyville we did stay at the host, like, basement, but Gaia had an accident. We're like, my God, we can't stay in people's houses, because Gaia's old. At any rate, it was really fun, and we, like, did it, but then with the pandemic, we obviously couldn't do it again. But what we did do during the year of 2020, was we actually bought the van, and because we knew we wanted a tour vehicle, and thank God we bought it, even though we weren't going on tour that year because they wanted to pay us what we paid for that van, like people were like, clamoring to get that van off our hands. But we got the van, you guys, we took it across the country in less than 48 hours. We drove from Las Vegas.Brad Crowell 9:34  That was 55 on the way home. Yep, 55 hours solid, from Philadelphia to Vegas. Lesley Logan 9:39  We, but on the way there, I don't think that van ever really stopped, because we tried to sleep in Vail on a mattress on the metal base of this cargo van. Brad Crowell 9:50  So okay, so here's what this looks like. We buy a cargo van. A cargo van is an empty box on wheels. Okay? And we bought the longest and the tallest, so it's 23 feet long, it's nine and change tall. And it's a big, it's a big, empty box. Lesley Logan 10:07  We've loaded it up. We have pictures of you and the empty box. Brad Crowell 10:09  The only thing that we did was throw things on the floor. There was nothing else in there. We literally had a mattress with six blankets on it, right? And then we had boxes and suitcases. Lesley Logan 10:21  Everything had to be tied on the walls. Brad Crowell 10:23  We took our, we took our, this is so fun, we raided our own laundry room because in the laundry room we have one of those wheelie situations where you could throw your dirty laundry, but then you could hang clean laundry up at the top. So I took that out of the laundry room, and I zip tied it to the wall of the van, bungee corded it to the wall of the van, and that became like, how did we store? How did we do our clothes, you know? So, like, that was our closet. Lesley Logan 10:49  It was crazy, because then we were driving back with all these boxes, I just felt like everything was gonna fly on us. Anyways, so, Erika Quest shout out to Erika Quest, she had a dream about us the night we were sleeping in Vail, because we're in the Walmart parking in Vail. So we pull into this Walmart parking lot in Vail, and I'm in the bed. Went into the six blankets. We got the three dogs. You're under the blankets. It's great. It's actually fine, because, like, we blasted the heat. Everything's fine. Brad Crowell 11:11  I mean, it was cold, like cold in your face, but it was like the mummy bags when you went camping as a kid. Lesley Logan 11:16  Yeah. So, so great. So anyways, we're halfway through the night, we're sleeping so good and then August stands up to turn around in the bed, and he basically just twists all the blankets off of us. And in that instant, you and I both were awake. Brad Crowell 11:29  I was so angry. Lesley Logan 11:29  And so angry and so cold. Brad Crowell 11:30  Because I had just gone to sleep. It was midnight when I pulled in, and then I was literally asleep for two hours, and then he pulled all the blankets off of all of us by twirling around. And I was so frustrated about it, and it was eight degrees out, and I was like, screw it, we're just gonna continue to drive to Denver.Lesley Logan 11:47  Erika Quest had a dream that night that we were cold. She had a dream that we were really cold. And I said, well, you don't have to worry, because Brad drove us to Denver, where it was a little bit warmer. Brad Crowell 11:56  It was 30 degrees in Denver, it was so much warmer. Lesley Logan 11:58  So much more tolerable to sleep in. At any rate, we, like, got across the country, and people are like, oh, I wish you were doing the tour. And it's like, yeah, well, it's COVID. It's very unsafe, we cannot do it. But we were able to plan how much driving is possible. What do we want to do, and how we want to do this. And then, we did in 2021.Brad Crowell 12:14  We suppose, oh, that was '21. Lesley Logan 12:17  Yeah. So then, 2021, we were vaccinated, we were ready. We planned this whole tour, but we planned a small one. It was actually, I don't think it was as big as our first one, because. Brad Crowell 12:28  No, it was only like. Lesley Logan 12:30  Seven cities or something like that, because we, we, I think our first stop was going to be Pennsylvania.Brad Crowell 12:34  It was Philly, New York, like, city, Atlanta, Miami, Dallas. We were talking about Providence, but we postponed it, so it was only five. Lesley Logan 12:45  It was really small. And we actually had to cancel Philly and New York City, because along the route, I was exposed to COVID. I didn't know that I had it. And thankfully, someone texted me, and everything was going crazy at the time that variant came up. So we still did the tour. It was quite small. The (inaudible) happened and. Brad Crowell 13:03  We have way more time at my parents house than we normally do.Lesley Logan 13:07  A lot of time it was super fun, but we knew we're like, like, we want these tours to be a thing. And I ought to share this with you, because when you're being it till you see it, way of doing things, this is how long goals can take. Brad Crowell 13:17  2018 was our first cross country drive. 2019 was the first tour, 2020 was canceled. 2021 was, was. Lesley Logan 13:25  Was already going to be a smaller tour, because of the pandemic. Brad Crowell 13:29  It was five stops max. Lesley Logan 13:31  And by the way, every stop we picked were like huge spaces that's why they were picked.Brad Crowell 13:35  Yeah, we actually picked large rooms. Lesley Logan 13:37  Huge spaces. The Philly one was like softball, baseball, indoor practice arena, it was like 3000 square feet.Brad Crowell 13:42  I think they only started vaccinating people a couple months prior. Lesley Logan 13:45  No, this summer we got vaccinated. Brad Crowell 13:47  It was the summer, yeah. Six months.Lesley Logan 13:49  Yeah, so, but there was the booster, and then there's the thing. Anyways, because it was the holidays, we wanted to be conscientious. We want to make sure people felt safe. So we're like, these studios are massive, and we're only filling half the spaces. So at any rate, we really kind of got sidelined on that first half of that tour, but we got to do it. We got to do the second half, and we got to do Miami, Atlanta and Dallas, but then we were able to meet up with Balanced Body in the march of the next year. We got to tell them what we were doing. Got to get them really excited, and that's when we actually got to actually start to make our tours even bigger and better and add the Summer Tour.Brad Crowell 14:25  So that was tour number four. Lesley Logan 14:27  Tour number four was our first Summer Tour.Brad Crowell 14:28  It was the first with Balanced Body. That was the first Summer Tour. And we've been telling Balanced Body about these tours from the beginning. Lesley Logan 14:35  October of 2019, I told them what we were doing, and Ken and Al were like, oh, can you put a Reformer in that van? Anyways, all this to say this was like years in the making. And we'll, and next episode, we'll actually go into a bit about, like, why we work with a sponsor, what our tours have like become because they are bigger. They used to be, like, two weeks long, eight cities, five cities, and then they became 14 and 18 and 22 and and now we're getting like, 800 people to come and some amazing things. Lesley Logan 15:05  I want to wrap this up with some, be it action items, because I think that that's what is really important. So you'll do some, Brad, I'll do some. We never get to do, but that's, this will buy me time, because I didn't prepare you for this. One of the best things I could say is take a note of when those little things go, oh, I want to do something like that, even if you're like, wow, that's crazy. Why would I even think of that idea? It's such a crazy idea. Pay attention to those crazy nudges and then make it something that's possible to do now, because a lot of people come with an idea, oh, I'm gonna go on a book tour and I'm gonna have sponsors, and have this, and have this. We literally had like, two prizes. We had no sponsors. Brad Crowell 15:44  Yeah, I think, I think you might have got called Toesox and, or, you know, like.Lesley Logan 15:48  Yeah, I called Toesox and Carbon38. Brad Crowell 15:50  And we just said, hey, can you give us some socks? That was the cool thing. We want to do a giveaway. Lesley Logan 15:55  We didn't have any paid sponsors. We didn't have local vendors coming through. We did not make anything bigger. Brad Crowell 16:01  We also didn't even know that that was what we should turn into. It was more like, initially, it was an excuse to not fly and drive across the country, and then it grew. And each tour became more complex. Lesley Logan 16:16  I think the Be It Action Item was like, don't over complicate something, just try the smallest version of the idea out that has the intentionality of what you want. We wanted to bring the community together, and we wanted to get across the country. And the original tours basically paid for the gas.Brad Crowell 16:32  Not even exaggerating, they paid for the gas. And the one hotel that we stayed at. Initially, that was the vision. It was literally like, how do we pay for gas? Oh, let's teach a class. Great. We made $200 on it, let's pay the gas.Lesley Logan 16:45  How do we make sure the holiday trip is a write off? Let's work a few to have, you, technically it's some work 50% of the trip, and then it's a write off. So make sure you talk to your accountant. But anyways, so my Be It Action Item is do the least complex version of the idea and see if you'd like it. Because each time we did the tour, we'd get from like Philly to Nashville in a night, that was insane we're like we're never doing that again. Lesley Logan 17:09  Like Texarkana or something weird. I remember that. Lesley Logan 17:11  Yes, and we've like 12 hours to get from Nashville to there. Brad Crowell 17:14  We drove 14 hours in one day. That was brutal. Lesley Logan 17:17  Yeah, that was brutal, because we had to teach so, so we learned from by making it not complex, we actually got to learn a lot more. That's really helped us. You'll hear about how the tours have changed. What's your Be It Action Item?Brad Crowell 17:28  Okay. So my Be It Action Item, with that, I was gonna say take messy action but I mean, that's, we're pretty famous for that. I think that persistency, you know, like we didn't know the studio owners that we were trying to teach at? It wasn't like we were calling our friends in random cities and being like, hey, can we teach there? We started just reaching out to people and saying here's what our idea is. Is this of interest to you? And it was because we were persistent that we even found a location. Because I remember it was like, No. It was like, oh, okay, all right. Well, I guess this is the wrong location. No problem. We'll find another. Because for us, we knew, okay, this is the right stop, you know, this is approximately when we would want to be stopping driving for the day, when we should be teaching somewhere near here. How do we find a spot? You know, and working backwards, there's some logic there. But also we still have to find the people. We still have to meet the people, and then we have to be creative with the marketing. I remember at first we were like, We don't know anybody in Libertyville, Ohio. How can we, you know, connect with people, or Strongsville, Ohio, sorry, yeah, you're right. And I remember we started using Instagram hashtags to just hunt down Pilates people in the area and just leave it in voice notes, like. Lesley Logan 18:45  That was very, we were very persistent. You're correct, very persistent. And then I think, just to tack onto that, and then we'll wrap this up, because we'll tell you more on the next episode, not being afraid of rejection. One of the things we had to do was, like, you're gonna have stops turn you away. Like, no, I don't want to do that. We had people go, why are you doing that? They were like, really sketchy about us. Brad Crowell 19:04  We just had it happen yesterday with our eighth tour coming up, where someone you know was like, actually, this is the wrong time of the year for my clients. So no, he's like, oh, okay. Lesley Logan 19:14  It's not personal,. All right, loves. Well, stay tuned for how these tours have gotten to be bigger and even better and better for you, and better for my sleep and all those things in our next episode. Until next time, Be It Till You See It. Brad Crowell 19:29  Bye for now. Lesley Logan 19:31  That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day. Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @BeItPod.Brad Crowell 20:13  It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan, and me, Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan 20:18  It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.co.Brad Crowell 20:23  Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi.Lesley Logan 20:30  Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.Brad Crowell 20:33  Also to Angelina Herico for adding all of our content to our website. And finally to Meridith Root for keeping us all on point and on time.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/be-it-till-you-see-it/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Week 2 of SUMMER AT BETHLEHEM with Executive Pastor Matt Piland. Pastor Matt reminds us that God is always moving us from faith to faithfulness.

In this message, I look at the prayer of true pastors – that the people he preaches to will stand in the truths they are taught. 06.01.25.A.Pastors.Prayer.Tim.McCool.mp3

Did the Catholic Church ever teach reincarnation? Some claim early Christians believed in it, but what does history actually say? In this episode of Catholic Answers Live, we examine the origins of this myth, what the Church Fathers believed, and how Catholic doctrine on the soul and resurrection firmly rejects reincarnation. Karlo Broussard sets the record straight with clarity and charity. Help us reach our goal by donating! Catholicanswersradio.com Join The CA Live Club Newsletter: Click Here Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 02:32 – If Joseph had a home in Bethlehem, why would he need to find a place to stay? 11:17 – Is it true that at one point the Church taught reincarnation? 14:58 – What is the new Jerusalem and the new heaven in Rev. 21? 20:20 – What are your thoughts about pursuing a career in the Church? What jobs with a theology degree do you think are out there where one could raise a family? 23:34 – Was Mark 16:9-20 originally part of the canon? 35:57 – Since DNA is all different, will there be a point when DNA sequences will start repeating, if this happens will it be the end time? 39:15 – How does one self-verify visions that one experiences? 45:30 – What is the bottom line on demons?