Podcasts about bless

The split party (parted fronds) engage in a battle of two halves as they must destroy the thunderstones at the same time! Can they stay coordinated and bring down the Stormwall? The battlemap for this episode is available for FREE on Patreon! Get it here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/138371029 Can't wait for Part 2 of each episode? Join our Patreon to get early access EVERY week (+ a few other bonuses)! www.patreon.com/HighRollers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ _______________ Boost your Charisma with some HR merch! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://highrollersdnd.teemill.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Add official High Rollers Minis to your TTRPG collection here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://only-games.co/collections/high-rollers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bless your table with the Clever Toad Dice Set: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dispeldice.com/collections/high-rollers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Enhance your bath time experience with the official Altheya themed DiceBombs at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://geekyclean.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.highrollersdnd.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for all the latest HR News! Love the podcast? Give us a glittering 5 star review! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/high-rollers-dnd/id1401508198?see-all=reviews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Music courtesy of Epidemic Sound, TCT Adventures (Solasta: Crown of the Magisters), Monument Studios and Jolene Khor! Check out Jolene Khor and all her wonderful work on High Rollers on Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/1WX3ICiTmf4GpHwImnQMs6⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

As Moses approached the end of his life, his focus wasn’t on regret, bitterness, or personal loss—it was on God’s people. In Numbers 27:15-17, Moses prayed that the Lord would appoint a leader to guide Israel so they wouldn’t be “like sheep without a shepherd.” Despite his mistakes and missed opportunities, Moses left a legacy of faith, humility, and care for God’s people. This devotional reminds us that true spiritual leadership looks beyond ourselves and points others toward the ultimate Good Shepherd—Jesus—who leads us into rest, protection, and eternal promise. ✨ Highlights Moses’ selfless prayer — Even at the end of his life, Moses was focused on God’s people, not his own loss A legacy of faith — Despite failure, Moses’ life still pointed others toward God’s promises Jesus, our ultimate Shepherd — The fulfillment of Moses’ prayer is found in Jesus, who leads us to spiritual safety and rest (John 10:11) Kingdom perspective — God calls us to live with an eternal mindset, thinking beyond our present circumstances and investing in future generations Carrying God’s light — As Christ-followers, we are called to shine His light wherever we go and leave the world “better than we found it”

Verse by verse study through the book of Acts Chapter Three and Verse Twenty Six

Imagine the blood of Jesus, the water that flowed from his side, and the application of his blood on your ailments. Imagine drinking the wonderful blood and the water that poured out of Jesus' side. This is for grown-ups who desire more of God and access to his wonderful love. Jesus Christ, on the cross, shed his blood, providing eternal salvation and sanctification. He offers us redemption through his blood and the Lord Jesus gives us his righteousness through his blood. He gives us his wisdom through his blood and the wonderful water that flowed from the side of Jesus Christ on the cross. These are benefits for us. Let's take advantage of them if our lives aren't working, if they don't make sense, if we're not getting any hope, if we're flying off the handle at work, if we're dissatisfied, or if we see dark images around us trying to make us fear. Do this practice, and I promise you, peace will overtake you, hope will fill your heart, and angels will be around you. You will grow in stature and measurement the way God intended for you to grow. I love you. God bless you. If no one told you they love you, I LOVE YOU! I give a high five. I care for you. I believe in you. You're a wonderful person. You're the child of the Most High, your wonderfully made! Let's do this as warriors in the benefits. In Psalm 103:1-5, bless the Lord, oh my soul, and all that is within me bless his holy name. Bless the Lord oh my soul, and forget none of his benefits. Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeemed your life from destruction, who crowns you with loving kindness, and tender mercies, who satisfies your mouth with good things so that you're youth is renewed like the eagles!

A Brave New World has arrived. Chinese scientists have unveiled the world's first humanoid robot designed for pregnancy, complete with an artificial womb inside its body. Although the story was deemed a hoax, experiments are going on worldwide in the field of Ectogenesis - the technology to support human fetuses by providing a liquid environment that mimics the mother's uterus. These are the blockchain babies that will replace the diminishing workforce and be tagged with secure genomic information, protected against the corruption of DNA data stored in the cloud. We need to define or create boundaries about the transhuman conversion, as it looks as if the altering of humankind will desecrate that very bloodline we have to the divine. Listen to Ground Zero with Clyde Lewis M-F from 7-10 pm, pacific time on groundzeroplus.com. Call in to the LIVE show at 503-225-0860. #groundzeroplus #clydelewis #ectogenesis #AI #robotics #BraveNewWorld

Coralsong has summoned an incredible Stormwall to hinder the party's progress! It's time to split the party once again to tear down that wall! The battlemap for this episode is available for FREE on Patreon! Get it here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/138371029 Can't wait for Part 2 of each episode? Join our Patreon to get early access EVERY week (+ a few other bonuses)! www.patreon.com/HighRollers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ _______________ Boost your Charisma with some HR merch! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://highrollersdnd.teemill.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Add official High Rollers Minis to your TTRPG collection here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://only-games.co/collections/high-rollers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bless your table with the Clever Toad Dice Set: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dispeldice.com/collections/high-rollers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Enhance your bath time experience with the official Altheya themed DiceBombs at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://geekyclean.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.highrollersdnd.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for all the latest HR News! Love the podcast? Give us a glittering 5 star review! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/high-rollers-dnd/id1401508198?see-all=reviews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Music courtesy of Epidemic Sound, TCT Adventures (Solasta: Crown of the Magisters), Monument Studios and Jolene Khor! Check out Jolene Khor and all her wonderful work on High Rollers on Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/1WX3ICiTmf4GpHwImnQMs6⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gospel  Luke 6:12-19 Jesus departed to the mountain to pray, and he spent the night in prayer to God. When day came, he called his disciples to himself, and from them he chose Twelve, whom he also named Apostles: Simon, whom he named Peter, and his brother Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Simon who was called a Zealot, and Judas the son of James, and Judas Iscariot, who became a traitor. And he came down with them and stood on a stretch of level ground. A great crowd of his disciples and a large number of the people from all Judea and Jerusalem and the coastal region of Tyre and Sidon came to hear him and to be healed of their diseases; and even those who were tormented by unclean spirits were cured. Everyone in the crowd sought to touch him because power came forth from him and healed them all. Reflection Jesus had many, many disciples, men and women who were his students, who were listening to him and learning from him. But then he took 12 of them and named them apostles, which was a kind of graduation from being a learner, a disciple, to being one who has authority to teach and to preach as an apostle. What I love about this story is he no sooner named them, and then he stood on the same ground as everyone else. Almost to say, this is my humanity and say, you humans, you my apostles, will be able to do the same work you just saw me do. You will be given the power of the Holy Spirit to heal, to transform, and to free people from everything that would rob them of the Kingdom of God. Closing Prayer Father, there's a way in which we always continue to be learners. And by the very way we act toward each other, we say a great deal about what we believe about the dignity of human beings, about the presence of God. Bless us with wisdom. Bless us with the inheritance you promised us so that we truly can be the apostles you need us to be. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BLESS Part 4

Psalms 103:2 tells us to , "Bless the Lord, oh our soul and forget not his benefits! Let me tell you, it pays to stay in faith! It pays to stay in obedience to God! It pays to do right and not allow your faith to waiver! God is up to something, and it's going to take a "Right Now Faith" to bring it to pass! God is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him and His blesses are Ephesians 3:20 type blessings! Don't listen to the world's way of thinking! Tap into your faith jar and stand bold on His promises because His benefits are plentiful, and it PAYS to STAY in FAITH! Won't God do it!!! I know that He has, He can, and He will! Be Blessed and Definitely Encouraged!

Around the Word in 180 Days (AW180) is a podcast/blog where we read the Bible with our brothers and sisters in the public schools. My name is Karen and I am your host for the program and for the 2025-2026 school year our theme, Prayers-Praises-Promises. We will read the promises of God, pray the promises and praise God using His Word. The Promises of God are read categorically one each school day and then we will pray that promise. We will praise God using a different Scripture each time and read the Daily Devotionals from Christian Educators. Please join us using Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Prime or Podomatic. This podcast and its accompanying blog is one of many tools for your role as Christ's ambassador this school year. Each daily show is designed to be 15 minutes or less with the busy educator in mind. You are encouraged to share with your colleagues.

Whatsapp/Call: +91 9902606453 Email: info@febaonline.org 

When the Bible tells us to, “Bless the LORD”.. what exactly does that mean? —After all, isn't HE HIMSELF the very one who IS OUR BLESSING? In this message, we dive into David's call, not just to worship God, which is important, but to BLESS Him  — The phrase, "Bless the Lord, O my soul”—is a personal call to return the attributes of a God who blesses, making it a deeply impactful response reminding us of the unshakable goodness of God. Psalm 103 is a rich and uplifting psalm of praise attributed to David which focuses on the character of God, and His benefits to those who follow Him…Through rich Hebrew meaning and personal reflection, we'll explore what it looks like to BLESS God for who He is and what He's done—forgiving sins, healing wounds, redeeming brokenness, and renewing strength like the eagle's wings. Our goal is to reconnect to the LORD by blessing the One who blesses us on a daily basis! Email Us: info@heartofworshipchurch.com Visit Our Website: www.heartofworshipchurch.com For Prayer Requests: pray@heartofworshipcurch.com

Around the Word in 180 Days (AW180) is a podcast/blog where we read the Bible with our brothers and sisters in the public schools. My name is Karen and I am your host for the program and for the 2025-2026 school year our theme, Prayers-Praises-Promises. We will read the promises of God, pray the promises and praise God using His Word. The Promises of God are read categorically one each school day and then we will pray that promise. We will praise God using a different Scripture each time and read the Daily Devotionals from Christian Educators. Please join us using Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Prime or Podomatic. This podcast and its accompanying blog is one of many tools for your role as Christ's ambassador this school year. Each daily show is designed to be 15 minutes or less with the busy educator in mind. You are encouraged to share with your colleagues.

durée : 01:18:37 - Dembélé et Doué blessés, à qui la faute ? 100% PSG, la tribune - Ep.5 - Trêve internationale mouvementée pour le PSG ! après 22 ans au club, Presnel Kimpembe part pour le Qatar et Doué + Dembélé reviennent blessés de sélection. On en parle avec quatre anciens du Paris Saint-Germain dans le podcast 100% PSG, la tribune. Vous aimez ce podcast ? Pour écouter tous les autres épisodes sans limite, rendez-vous sur Radio France.

Grandparents are a gift from God—keepers of wisdom, love, and family history. Proverbs 17:6 reminds us that “Children’s children are a crown to the aged, and parents are the pride of their children.” Whether we grew up enjoying time with grandparents or carry the ache of being separated from them, God calls us to honor, treasure, and bless the generations before us. In your daily prayer and devotion, Lynette Kittle shares encouragement for grandparents who may feel overlooked or left out, and she reminds us of God’s faithfulness across every generation. Even when family relationships are strained, prayer, blessing, and forgiveness create space for healing and hope. Main Takeaways God designed grandparents to hold a place of honor within families. Grandparents pass on wisdom and faith that impact future generations. Even when relationships feel fractured, prayer is powerful in bringing restoration. Blessing others, even when it’s hard, reflects Christ’s love and keeps our hearts tender. Bible Verse References Proverbs 17:6 – Grandchildren are a crown to the aged. Psalm 119:90 – God’s faithfulness continues through all generations. 2 Timothy 1:5 – Faith passed down through generations. James 5:16 – The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective. Luke 6:28 – Bless those who mistreat you. Calls to Action (CTAs) Subscribe to Your Daily Prayer for encouragement rooted in God’s Word. Share this episode with a grandparent or friend who needs encouragement today. Leave us a review to help others discover daily biblical prayers and inspiration. Resources & Related Articles The Role of Grandparents in Passing Down Faith – Crosswalk.com 10 Ways to Pray for Your Grandchildren – Christianity.com Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Sweet Sounds Of Heavenby The Rolling Stones (feat. Lady Gaga)I hear the sweet, sweet sounds of heavenFallin' down, fallin' down to this earthI hear the sweet, sweetest sounds of heavenDriftin' down, driftin' down to this earthBless the Father, bless the SonHear the sound of the drumsAs it echoes through the valleyAnd it burstsLet no woman or childGo hungry tonightPlease protect us from the painAnd the hurtI smell the sweet, sweet scents of heavenTumblin' down, tumblin' downTo the earthI hear the sweet sounds, the sweet sounds of childrenAnd they're praisingThe land of their birthNo, I'm not, not going to hellIn some dusty motelAnd I'm not, not going downIn the dirtI'm gonna laugh, I'm gonna cryEat the bread, drink the wine'Cause I'm finally, finally quenchingMy thirstYou can't have a light without a little shadowAlways need a target for your bow and arrowI want to be drenched in the rain of your heavenly loveLet the music, play loudLet it burst through the cloudsAnd we all feel the heatOf the sunLet us sing, let us shoutLet us all stand up proudLet the old still believeThat they're young

Morgana is back, and it's time to continue our tandem watch-along of Cowboy Bebop, Samurai Champloo, and Michiko & Hatchin! We also discuss Tiny Bookshop, Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX, Ramen Okami to Curry Tora, and more!!! Send us emails! mangamachinations@gmail.com  Follow us on Social Media! @mangamacpodcast Check out our website! https://mangamachinations.com Support us on Ko-fi! https://ko-fi.com/mangamac  Check out our YouTube channel! https://www.youtube.com/mangamactv Check out our new gaming channel! https://www.youtube.com/@NakayoshiGaming/  Timestamps: Intro - 00:00:00 Tiny Bookstore - 00:06:38 Patlabor 2: The Movie - 00:13:52 Gundam Card Game, Mobile Suit Gundam GQuuuuuuX - 00:17:29 Ramen Okami to Curry Tora - 00:34:47 Yuki wa Tomoe ni - 00:36:53 Next Episode Preview - 00:39:39 Cowboy Bebop 5, Michiko & Hatchin 5+6, Samurai Champloo 6 - 00:40:41 Outro - 01:48:51 Song Credits: “Talk of the Town” by Devon May “Jiggin the Jig” by Bless & the Professionals “Home” by Zach Sorgen “Tasty Bites” by ZISO

One of the easiest ways we can bless other people is by simply taking the time to listen to their hearts. It is a pattern Jesus establishes for his followers. Join us this week as we continue to learn how to become "blessers" on behalf of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Join us as Pastor Chad Benson wraps up in our series Courageous Prayers as he dives into Courageous Prayers: Bless Me.

Join us Sundays at 10:45 a.m. as we seek to be REAL People, who follow a REAL God and experience REAL Life. Learn more and fill out the Connect Card via our digital bulletin:  https://www.lifechurchlivonia.org/digitalbulletin 

Series: N/AService: Sun AMType: SermonSpeaker: John Pollard

In John Bunyan's classic tale, “Pilgrim's Progress,” we follow a disciple of Jesus from the City of Destruction through various obstacles and temptations until he reaches the Celestial City. What steps are you taking on your own pilgrimage? This month, we'll look at four key actions that should define every disciple at Redeemer: Believe, Belong, Become, and Bless. This path of discipleship will take greater prominence in our life together as a church as we prepare for God to work and through us for his glory and our good.

“Bless” is a word often used and rarely defined. Therefore, we want to try to study some of God's blessings in Genesis. At the beginning, God blesses creatures with the capacity to flourish— to be fruitful, to multiply, and to abound. Every time we see life spreading and thriving in creation, it's a sign of God's blessing at work. Humans were given an additional blessing: responsibility over the earth. God invited humanity to be partners in extending blessing everywhere. Sometimes humans get it wrong and the blessing is distorted. In this series, we'll explore Genesis through the lens of blessing—what it means for us, and how we are called to live as participants in God's blessing to the world. This week we talk about God blessing us to be fruitfult.Support the show

Gospel Luke 6:1-5 While Jesus was going through a field of grain on a sabbath, his disciples were picking the heads of grain, rubbing them in their hands, and eating them. Some Pharisees said, “Why are you doing what is unlawful on the sabbath?” Jesus said to them in reply, “Have you not read what David did when he and those who were with him were hungry? How he went into the house of God, took the bread of offering, which only the priests could lawfully eat, ate of it, and shared it with his companions?” Then he said to them, “The Son of Man is lord of the sabbath.” Reflection Anyone who is focused on religion as a rigid obligation to follow every rule and every law should be threatened by this particular passage. Because what he's saying is that when you have the Spirit of God living in you, guiding you, you don't need the law anymore. And the law can't apply to everything that one encounters in this life. But God in us, God's Spirit can guide us with wisdom and direction and bring us to the place that God has called us to be. We need to trust in his spirit more than rules and regulations. Closing Prayer Father, we have opened our hearts to a new vision that you have brought into the world of who we are with you, instead of who we are under your law. Bless us in this transition. Help us achieve this goal. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's a brand new month and we don't FEEL TARDY!!! We're bringing you sultry stories of scandal and obsession in Septemptress! We're dodging bouquets like farts, apologizing to Tanya Harding, Nicole recalls the smell of balls and checking for JonBenet levels of police incompetence. Chad Lowe? YES! Chad Lowe? NO! It was Chad Allen the whole time and a lil' Laura San Giacomo-fee-na-nay, a-Tucci? Bless you. Get your fill of dirty laundry in To Die For, this time on Doom Generation.https://www.patreon.com/doomgeneration

Autour de Philippe Sanfourche, retrouvez Dominique Sévérac, Gilles Verdez, Bertrand Latour et Dave Appadoo pour deux heures d'informations et de débats au lendemain de la victoire des Bleus 2-0 face à l'Ukraine en Pologne. Au sommaire : - L'incendie Ousmane Dembélé, blessé et sans doute absent au moins six semaines avec le PSG : Didier Deschamps s'est-il planté ? Le staff des Bleus a-t-il fauté ? Dembélé, mais également Désiré Doué, touché au mollet, ont déjà quitté le groupe. - De belles choses par séquence : Kylian Mbappé, buteur, va-t-il tout casser cette saison ? - Deschamps a-t-il trouvé son système ? - Michael Olise nouvelle StarHébergé par Audiomeans. Visitez audiomeans.fr/politique-de-confidentialite pour plus d'informations.

Geoff and Marie's Good Life: Part 7Quiet Little OrgyA retired couple invite some new friends home.Based on posts by Only In My Mind, in 15 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels.Eventually, by nine o'clock that Saturday morning, we had all showered and made our way downstairs for breakfast. I was last into the kitchen as I'd graciously allowed the women to go first. The dressing gowns that we'd bought for our Wednesday sessions came in useful in that Sue and Margie weren't faced with wearing their dancing dresses to eat in.I think they were both surprised at how relaxed the atmosphere was, I mean they had both fucked their hostess's husband the night before. Angie broke a comfortable silence as we ate. "Geoff. You know what you promised?" She meant the anal bareback that she'd been harping on about for a while."Yes my love?""Well," It was unusual for Angie to hesitate; if anything, her life would be much simpler if she did think more before speaking. "The thing is, would you mind if Sue and Margie came shopping to the naughty store and, maybe?" She looked at me as shyly as I'd ever seen her. "Could they watch while you sort of; do me? You know? Up the bum?" Marie snorted at the look on my face.I turned back to Angie. "Are you seriously suggesting that we take two women, who we've barely known for twelve hours, take them shopping in a sex store and then bring them back her to watch you and me having anal sex without a condom?""That pretty much sums it up," she conceded."Okay. As long as we're on the same page. It's fine by me."And so it was agreed. The two 'new girls' would go home in Sue's car, grab an overnight bag each and re-join us at our house for another evening of sexual exploration, including Angie's loss of her last virginity, and then they would go home on Sunday morning.This wasn't quite the weekend I'd imagined!Anyway, the five of us set off about twelve thirty and stopped at the little bistro we'd found on the way to the adult store. Margie and Sue insisted it was their treat to repay us for our hospitality. My clam linguini in white wine and cream sauce was excellent and the women seemed content with their meals too, so it was a contented crew who breezed into the store about an hour or so later.I left the girls to browse at their leisure as there was a particular item that I was interested in. Angie, very much a woman who was happy to get 'in your face' if you pissed her off, also had a well concealed submissive side that we had found by accident. I had resolved that, as a treat, I would buy her a collar that she could wear when she, and only she, decided she wanted to be dominated. I was aware from some basic research that there was an entire sub-culture around this behavior but, in our case, my only interest was to give my lover another way to express herself sexually. When we had experimented before, Marie was happy to play along but got no actual satisfaction from being submissive. With Angie though, as long as we were careful, she could use the experience to deal with some issues from way back.I found the relevant display and, satisfied that the girls were giggling together over something obviously particularly intriguing and probably disturbing from my point of view two aisles over, I made my choice and took it to the counter. The shop assistant approved of my choice. "So sir, for one of your ladies?" He enquired. I nodded. "Not S and M?""No. Just something she can wear to signal when she wants to be more, erm, passive," I explained."Perfect choice in that case," he replied.I took the collar and the receipt and put them in my pocket. I'd decide later when to give them to Angie. There was something else bothering me too, but I needed to speak to Marie first; a proper conversation that would have to wait until this weekend was over. I had an idea, and I hoped that she'd approve, but it was too important to risk getting it wrong.We left, not quite as laden as last time we visited, each of us carrying something designed to make sex even better. Isn't it sad that we're conditioned to find that somehow shameful? Marie regards me as a work in progress to break that conditioning. Ironic really, that it was her reaction to some sexy underwear that led us to where we found ourselves that day.We arrived back home a little after three and, while Marie took Angie upstairs to prepare, I led Margie and Sue into the kitchen to help make a brew while I checked the fridge to make sure that we had something to snack on later, having already had one substantial meal that day. I took Marie and Angie a cup of tea and a plate of chocolate biscuits and left them in the bedroom. I had no wish to be part of whatever they were doing in the bathroom with the bags, tubes and whatnot they had bought that afternoon.While I chatted with our new girls I diced a red onion, prepped some chorizo and sliced some Brie and Blue Wensleydale cheeses. I took a bag of ciabatta rolls out of the freezer to defrost and put a bottle of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc in the fridge to chill. Okay, so it wasn't a fine vintage wine but it was going to pair with onion, blue cheese and spiced sausage: why the Hell would I use an expensive wine to wash that down?Our prep done we retired to the living room and chatted about, well, sex while we waited for Angie to make herself ready. I confess that I was a little concerned that she'd invested a lot of anticipation in what we were about to do. It would be her first time and only my second. What if it all went wrong? What if she hated it?I had a thought and dashed to the kitchen. When I returned a minute later both girls looked at me enquiringly."ED22," I explained, rather unhelpfully. The look on their faces made it clear that this was not only insufficient but actually demanded a more detailed explanation than if I had just said that I'd forgotten something. I reminded them of my sexual performance the previous evening and pointed out this would have been remarkable for a man in his twenties, let alone someone of my vintage.I told how I was now in a user trial of a new generation of drug for erectile dysfunction which allowed me, with no particular clinical need, not to put too fine a point on it, to fuck like a steam train for hours. We chatted about that for a while until my wife shouted downstairs. "Geoffrey, ladies, if you're ready, the ceremony is about to begin. Please join us upstairs, remove your clothing and take your seats." It seemed like an excellent idea so that's exactly what we did.Somehow, between helping Angie with her 'purges', my wife had managed to get another couple of chairs into our bedroom though admittedly one was a folding chair from IKEA that we kept for situations where the six seats that came with our dining room suite weren't sufficient. I stood in my dressing gown, waiting for Angie to emerge from the bathroom, feeling like a nervous groom at the altar. Sue and Margie sat in the seats behind me wearing only their bras and panties.Marie, acting as mistress of ceremonies also dressed for effect in a pale blue Basque and, well, that was it actually, waited for the tension to rise before she opened the bathroom door with a theatrical flourish. "Angie," she announced, in her most sultry voice. "Your lover is here to rid you of your last virginity. Do you willingly surrender to him?"Angie stepped naked into the bedroom and stood before me. She looked at her friends assembled to witness something that seemed to be really important to her and smiled. "I surrender my body totally to him. I ask that he takes my anal virginity in the knowledge that no man has had my ass before him and nor will any other man after him."If I hadn't realized before, it was out there now. Angie was making a point here, she was giving herself, pledging herself, to me! Fighting the urge to, yes, panic is probably the most appropriate word, I looked to Marie. My wife seemed not just content but actually happily engaged with this small but weird ceremony. I had really wanted to talk to Marie before I took this step but the situation seemed to have arisen before I had the chance, so I decided to take the risk.Stepping to my bedside drawer, I took out a small gift box. It was a generic necklace box I'd found in the loft but it was fine for my purposes. "Angela," she stiffened at my using her full name: that reminded her the time I had hypnotized her and left some interesting legacy imperatives in her subconscious. "Angela, I accept the honor you bestow upon me. It would please me if you would wear this collar as a sign that your body is mine to take, use and bestow at my pleasure."We all watched entranced as she swayed slightly as she comprehended what I'd said. Almost before she could react I was in front of her. "Angela, will you wear my collar?" She looked at me wide eyed and nodded fervently. I continued before she could speak. "You may wear or remove it as you wish but, when you wear it, You. Are. Mine and mine alone. Do you understand?"Angie looked beseechingly at her best friend in the world, my wife, Marie. How would she respond to her husband claiming her best friend's body? With obvious delight was the honest answer. Marie ran to Angie and gave her a massive hug. "Oh, sweetheart," Marie sobbed, tears running down her cheeks. "You'll be like my Sister-Wife. I love you so much."Then Marie turned to me. "God! I love you so fucking much too! When you've finished with Angie, me and the girls are going to fuck you so hard we're all going to be sitting on soft cushions for the rest of the week. Fuck! But you're amazing, you wonderful old softie."While Marie was kissing and hugging me, the other girls descended on Angie. They helped her to put her collar on. Oh! I suppose I ought to describe my gift; The description in the store's on-line catalogue was, 'A discreet, rose gold, slave day-collar for submissives'. It was a fetching circlet of engine-turned pinkish-gold with a small ring, presumably for a leash, at the throat.When the women all settled down, Angie finally replied. "I understand. When I wear your collar my body and mind are yours, and I give them willingly." She thought for a moment. "How shall I address you? Do I call you Sir? Are you my Master?"I'd given that question some thought, even as I was deciding whether to buy the collar in the shop. "I'm still Geoff, and you are my lover, not my slave. You will obey me, though, and I will discipline you if you don't." I looked around the room. The other women seemed content with my approach. Now for the big moment."Angela. Lay on the bed and expose yourself."She took a deep breath. "Yes Geoff."She settled on the side of our bed, sitting upright, facing our little congregation. Slowly she parted her thighs to display a tiny jewel decorating the anal plug that her little ring of muscle was already accommodating to.I looked at the new girls. "Ladies. How would you like to share my new toy?" Without waiting for them to even consider how to reply, I turned to Angie and gazed into her eyes. She knew we were connecting and quivered as her body anticipated my next words. "Angela. Your master commands you. Go to your happy place and come."Sue and Margie were stunned when, at my words, Angie clenched her thighs together and slumped back on the bed giving every sign of climaxing. Margie spoke. "I am definitely asking if I can have whatever Angie's got, for Christmas.""Go on girls," I entreated them. "Before she comes down. Get her prepared. The more aroused she is the less discomfort she'll feel."Marie crossed to stand beside me. "That was lovely what you did for her, just now," she said, hugging me.I kissed the top of her head. "I actually wanted to talk to you first but when I saw how important this was to Angie, I just decided it was too perfect a moment to miss. Did I do right?""You did very well dear," she smiled.We stood like that for a couple of minutes watching two women we'd only met practice their newly discovered lesbian skills on our best friend. "Marie?" I began."Yes dear?""What are we? I mean you, me and Angie? Are we a;” I hesitated to even say the word. "Are we a throuple?""Geoffrey, I adore you but, if you ever use that word again, you and I are going to have a problem.""I know, I felt dirty just saying it. But seemingly not as dirty as Sue." We stopped our conversation and watched, fascinated, as Sue appeared to make Margie and Angie simultaneously shriek with delight. I shook my head to clear it. "Anyway." I tried to maintain my train of thought. "I was going to ask you about Angie's status; you know? Your friend, our lover. What is she? Is she part of our relationship? Or is she just a woman we have sex with? Will you think about it anyway? In the meantime, I think it's time to claim my thrall's last virginity."At some point, Sue and Margie had got naked and I managed to grab some delectable handfuls of flesh as I gently peeled them off Angie's body. I had red somewhere that anal sex in the doggy position is less comfortable for novices than when done prone. It looked like I may be on the way to having enough experience to comment but, for now, I decided missionary would do just fine.Again, research suggested that we should have vaginal sex first to relax my partner; this time, local knowledge, that is my Dom's command to his Sub, emphasized by a post hypnotic suggestion to orgasm followed by a two pronged lesbian assault, suggested to me that she would be about as sexed up as a woman can get without actually having three cocks inside her at the same time.And so, after Angie's lovely ceremony gifting me her last virginity, the moment arrived. Marie stepped up with the dispenser of lube and delicately applied it along little Geoff's length. She stood on tiptoe and kissed me. "Try not to hurt her, Geoff. She's been looking forward to this so much." I nodded. I knew that only too well.I knelt between Angie's thighs and felt rather than saw Marie, Margie and Sue draw close behind me. Angie looked up at me pleadingly. I smiled down at her and gently pulled out the tapered stainless steel plug that she'd inserted to ready her sphincter for penetration. Marie took it from me. Before the ring of muscle could recover its usual resting state I pushed forward as firmly as I could without hurting her.Angie gasped as this new intruder made its way inside her bowels. I paused. "Are you okay, babe?" I asked."It's so; It's such a strange feeling," she murmured. "It's not like anything I've felt before. Let me just get used to it for a moment."I paused. I was about two thirds inside her and I didn't seem to be causing her actual pain. I have to admit that I was having to get used to some odd sensations myself. The ass plug made my penetration less awkward than I'd expected, but her ring was tighter around my shaft than a cunt would have been. It was odd too, knowing that the skin on my cock was directly touching her bowel walls. Like Angie said, "such a strange feeling.""Go on. A bit more. I think I'm ready." She tensed, waiting for me to push."No babe. Relax," I told her. "We're nearly all the way there. A bit more lube please." That last comment aimed at Marie.How strange is my life that I can casually ask my wife to lube the part of my cock between my balls and her best friend's backside so that I can take her friend's anal virginity? How strange is her life that she did it anyway with a smile and another kiss for me. I pressed forward again and marveled at the sensation."Oh fuck!" Angie moaned as I bottomed out (Sorry, but I couldn't resist). "Fuck me Geoff. Do it now. Do it hard and fast."So I began, slowly at first, and not my favorite long strokes as I didn't want to pull out accidentally. Another time it might not matter, today it had to be right. So, gradually speeding up, I began to thrust in and out, each time as deep as I could get. I looked wordlessly at Marie and saw that she understood. The bowel doesn't have the same nerve endings as a cunt. We'd discussed this earlier, so Marie and the others began to use their hands on Angie's cunt and clit and their tongues on her tits.I could tell that she was getting close, Hell, so was I, but she wasn't able to keep focus on anything. Her body was just searching for that position, any position that would enhance the pleasure she was striving for. Her hands clutched at the sheets, the heads of the women suckling her tits, her own hair, as if she was trying to contain the sensations in her head. And then, she reached the peak. She seemed to freeze, as if movement would break the spell, and then she cried out, "O fuck! Yes! Yes! Yes!" And then, trembling, she began to relax.It was a relief when she blew, because I was so close myself. I wasn't sure if she even realized I'd come. As we all relaxed, my cock finally softened and slipped out of her bum and I sloped off to the bathroom to clean up. A surreptitious look on the way confirmed the effectiveness of the girls' preparation. I looked clean anyway. Regardless, little Geoff was getting a good wash.When I came out of the bathroom, Angie was sitting up on the bed, excitedly comparing notes with Marie, who'd had anal sex with me once before, although with a condom, and describing the sensation to the new girls who hadn't. From their conversation their attitude could more properly be described as, 'hadn't yet'. My alternate Friday nights for the next few weeks could end up being 'bareback bottom nights', particularly as Marie still wanted to try bareback too, at least once.What about me? Let's be clear, I'm not selfless, but I get pleasure from giving pleasure. I can't understand a man who would pump and dump in a woman in five minutes and think that was fun. I'd rather spend ten minutes loving her tits and at least the same again between her legs, knowing that when I actually enter her the resulting sex will be spectacular. So did I enjoy it? Yes. Would I do it again. Yes, if one or more of the girls wants to. Would it ruin my life I didn't? No. I have a wife and her permission to screw eight mature but attractive sex partners. I'm not going to moan about a shortage of anal sex. It's fun but I sometimes wonder if it's worth the attendant preparation and fuss.Sorry, got a bit introspective there. I went and sat next to Angie. She surprised me when she slipped off the bed and knelt in front of me. "Did I please you, Geoff? " She asked. Good girl. She's remembered she was wearing her collar."You did well," I reassured her. "Even when you wear your collar, I'll keep my promises to you. I was concerned that you were too invested in doing this for the first time. Was it what you hoped for?"She looked serious. "It was amazing and it was something I'd never done and I wanted the experience. But." She looked up at me. "Just as important, I wanted to do something with you that I'd not done with another man; and I knew Marie would be part of it.""Thank you, sweetheart, that was a lovely and special gesture." I bent down to kiss her. "Love you, Angie."As I sat back up I caught Marie's eye. She smiled and inclined her head slightly in acknowledgement of our previous conversation. She'd think about it and then we'd talk.Again, Sue and Margie joined me downstairs while Marie helped Angie clean up. They were only ten or fifteen minutes and when they came down Angie had taken her collar off. Good. I only wanted her to be submissive in the bedroom, anything else might be a step too far.By the time they got downstairs our filled ciabatta were already in the oven and the wine was open and ready to be poured. We sat at the dining table, the five of us just chatting and getting to know each other. Marie explained how our sexual reawakening happened and how it spread to include her friends and then Sue and Margie.When she got to the episode where we made a dirty video they insisted on seeing it so I went into the living room and set up the TV so that I could cast from my phone onto the big screen. When the girls had finished eating, they carried their drinks in to join me and I pressed play.I sat on one sofa with Marie and Angie while Margie and Sue sat together on the other. By the time the video finished I was in the presence of four rather horny women. Marie took charge. "Geoff, you promised Angie that your cock was hers today. So you take her to our room and I'll entertain our guests in the other. See you in a couple of hours." She gave me a huge kiss and herded Sue and Margie upstairs.I turned to Angie. "I'm all yours, sweetheart. What do you want to do?"She looked shyly at me. "You'll think I'm weird.""That ship disappeared over the horizon a long time ago, babe," I replied."Then; Then can we just go to bed and cuddle? I feel, I dunno, overwhelmed? I loved what you did for me but now I think I just want someone to hold me until the world settles again. See? Weird.""Not at all. You feel how you feel. If you need comfort and affection instead of sex, that's fine. I will warn you now though that if we both doze off there's a fair chance you'll wake up with little Geoff wedged into your bum crack."

LISTEN!!!

Vacation recaps/ Bless her hands/ Epic Universe / Footbaall SeasonNow shows this week....Games to look fwd to Julz- Giants vs CommandersHollywood- Ravens vs Bills

WTP - Ep. 109 - BLESS Initiative - Story by Waypoint Church

The heroes explore Purpurea as they gather more information about Coralsong! Can't wait for Part 2 of each episode? Join our Patreon to get early access EVERY week (+ a few other bonuses)! www.patreon.com/HighRollers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ _______________ Boost your Charisma with some HR merch! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://highrollersdnd.teemill.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Add official High Rollers Minis to your TTRPG collection here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://only-games.co/collections/high-rollers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bless your table with the Clever Toad Dice Set: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dispeldice.com/collections/high-rollers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Enhance your bath time experience with the official Altheya themed DiceBombs at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://geekyclean.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.highrollersdnd.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for all the latest HR News! Love the podcast? Give us a glittering 5 star review! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/high-rollers-dnd/id1401508198?see-all=reviews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Music courtesy of Epidemic Sound, TCT Adventures (Solasta: Crown of the Magisters), Monument Studios and Jolene Khor! Check out Jolene Khor and all her wonderful work on High Rollers on Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/1WX3ICiTmf4GpHwImnQMs6⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Gospel Luke 5:1-11 While the crowd was pressing in on Jesus and listening to the word of God, he was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret. He saw two boats there alongside the lake; the fishermen had disembarked and were washing their nets. Getting into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, he asked him to put out a short distance from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch." Simon said in reply, "Master, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your command I will lower the nets." When they had done this, they caught a great number of fish and their nets were tearing. They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come to help them. They came and filled both boats so that the boats were in danger of sinking. When Simon Peter saw this, he fell at the knees of Jesus and said, "Depart from me, Lord, for I am a sinful man." For astonishment at the catch of fish they had made seized him and all those with him, and likewise James and John, the sons of Zebedee, who were partners of Simon. Jesus said to Simon, "Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching men." When they brought their boats to the shore, they left everything and followed him. Reflection What I love about this passage is that Jesus is revealing to his future disciples the essence of what he longs to accomplish while he is here on this planet. What he wants to do is to infuse people with his power, with his strength, and to be partners with him in the work of salvation history. You know, it's interesting that they weren't just called to a place where they would understand more about the mysteries of God, but they were going to be engaged in the work of God. This is so important for us to understand. It's not that we are so well versed in theology, it's that we are well versed in understanding the Spirit's presence within us. Closing Prayer Father, we have a shared task with you in this world. Bless us with confidence that you can fill us with the wisdom we need, the talent we need, the energy we need to do the work you've given us to do. Give us confidence and joy in participating in establishing the Kingdom of God with you. We ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Derapy, this is so embarrasing hahahaJoin the big derps

Episode #97Anything Bondian Rob & Pete:I can't remember what we discussed here, sorry. MINS 131 & 132 of Casino Royale.Bond is bringing the chaos. He is chasing down Vesper's kidnappers and he's bringing the house down with him. Half timeIn lieu of any Bond news we'll be doing a quiz at half time. Here are the questions I'm pitching to Rob. We'd love to get a 'phone a friend' for Rob for future quiz's, pls let me know if you'd be willing to be on standby.We're also doing a survey for the next series, we'd really appreciate your vote here.Shownotes and⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ can be found on the blog:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://fromtailorswithlove.co.uk/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Bless your hearts.Show is brought to you byWilde&Harte⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://wildeandharte.co.uk/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Discount code Tailors20&Propstore⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.propstore.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Also we recorded ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠a Patreon show⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Please follow the THERE WILL BE MORE BOND page and get early access to the free pod and all videos.https://www.patreon.com/c/ThereWillBeMoreBondMusic by John Pickup

Gospel Luke 4:38-44 After Jesus left the synagogue, he entered the house of Simon. Simon's mother-in-law was afflicted with a severe fever, and they interceded with him about her. He stood over her, rebuked the fever, and it left her. She got up immediately and waited on them. At sunset, all who had people sick with various diseases brought them to him. He laid his hands on each of them and cured them. And demons also came out from many, shouting, "You are the Son of God." But he rebuked them and did not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ. At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place. The crowds went looking for him, and when they came to him, they tried to prevent him from leaving them. But he said to them, "To the other towns also I must proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God, because for this purpose I have been sent." And he was preaching in the synagogues of Judea. Reflection Jesus wants to make clear his purpose. His purpose is to preach, to teach, to awaken people to who God is and ultimately what the Holy Spirit will be within them. But he also had miracles that he performed that were signs that prove that he was not just another person thinking that they were the Messiah. But the tension was difficult for him. And it's difficult for us because there are times when we turn to God and say, do this, do that, he doesn't and we lose faith in him. We need to focus on his message. Closing Prayer Father, we know you can do anything. But more important for us is that our faith in you opens us to the message that you long to place in our hearts. It's all about our role, helping you to do the work you came into this world to do. Bless us in our ministry. And we ask this in Jesus' name, Amen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If we wake up every morning doubting God's goodness and wondering whether He will be true to His word, we are terribly blotting His holy name and reputation! One of Satan's greatest lies is that God won't bless us. But God is good—He loves us and does not forget His children. No matter what we face or how we feel, we can declare that the Lord will bless us!

In a recent interview between Tucker Carlson and Senator Ted Cruz, Senator Cruz stated that, “those who bless Israel will be blessed, and those who curse Israel will be cursed.”  There's only one problem.  That verse isn't in the Bible.  It's a misinterpretation of Genesis 12:3. This message sets the record straight. VF-2503 Genesis 12:3 Watch, Listen and Learn 24x7 at PastorMelissaScott.com Pastor Melissa Scott teaches from Faith Center in Glendale. Call 1-800-338-3030 24x7 to leave a message for Pastor Scott. You may make reservations to attend a live service, leave a prayer request or make a commitment. Pastor Scott appreciates messages and reads them often during live broadcasts. Follow @Pastor_Scott on Twitter and visit her official Facebook page @Pastor.M.Scott. Download Pastor Scott's "Understand the Bible" app for iPhone, iPad and iPod at the Apple App Store and for Android devices in the Google Store. Pastor Scott can also be seen 24x7 on Roku and Amazon Fire on the "Understand the Bible?" channel. ©2025 Pastor Melissa Scott, Ph.D., All Rights Reserved

On today's Quick Start podcast: NEWS: President Trump warns that Putin, Xi, and Kim are conspiring against the U.S. as the three dictators unite in Beijing for a massive military parade. Plus, a federal judge sides with The Babylon Bee, striking down California's attempt to ban political deepfakes. FOCUS STORY: Russia's war on Ukraine has included a deliberate crackdown on Christians—hear the story behind the new documentary A Faith Under Siege. MAIN THING: Thousands dead in Sudan and Afghanistan after a devastating landslide and earthquake—how should believers respond to such heartbreaking news? LAST THING: Romans 12:14 — “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. WATCH THE FULL FILM: A Faith Under Siege https://youtube.com/live/0rFI77hudcA PRAY WITH US! Faithwire.substack.com SHOW LINKS Faith in Culture: https://cbn.com/news/faith-culture Heaven Meets Earth PODCAST: https://cbn.com/lp/heaven-meets-earth NEWSMAKERS POD: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/newsmakers/id1724061454 Navigating Trump 2.0: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/navigating-trump-2-0/id1691121630

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In this empowering conversation, Lesley Logan welcomes back sex educator Dr. Celeste Holbrook to talk about her new book Missionary Position: A Slightly Irreverent Guide to Sex After Purity Culture. Together they unpack healing from harmful narratives, navigating seasons of change in your sex life, and discovering the ‘glittery middle,' where you get to define pleasure, intimacy, and authenticity on your own terms.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 to let your sex life evolve with every stage of life.The five-year journey and setbacks behind Celeste's debut book.The four archetypes for healing and reclaiming sexual agency.Why faking orgasms is a “fawn response” and how to break the cycle.The freedom of defining your own sexual ethic in the “glittery middle”.Episode References/Links:Dr. Celeste Holbrook's Website - www.drcelesteholbrook.comDr. Celeste Holbrook's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/drcelesteholbrookDr. Celeste Holbrook on Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/DrCelesteHolbrookMissionary Position: A Slightly Irreverent Guide to Sex After Purity Culture by Dr. Celeste Holbrook - https://a.co/d/3UimUKxA Well-Trained Wife by Tia Levings - https://a.co/d/ibRaesYFourth Wing Series by Rebecca Yarros - https://a.co/d/7Qhgk2REp. 202: Jake Kelfer - https://beitpod.com/jakekelferEp. 265: Daniella Mestyanek Young - https://beitpod.com/daniellayoungGuest Bio:Dr. Celeste Holbrook is a sex educator, speaker, and small-town Texas horse girl who's on a mission to make conversations about sex less awkward and way more empowering. With a Ph.D. in Health Education from Texas Woman's University and a thriving virtual practice, Celeste helps people create lives filled with pleasure, connection, and confidence—starting in the bedroom. After years of struggling with pain and shame around sex, she set out to find answers no one else could give her—and ended up becoming the expert she needed. Today, she guides women toward pleasurable sex by helping them understand their bodies, claim their worth, and ask for what they want without apology. 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:Celeste Holbrook 0:00  Expecting your sex life to look the same when you are 20 and 30 and 50 and 70 is not helpful for you, and so allowing it to mature as you mature is the most helpful thing that you can do for yourself, I think, when when it comes to your sex life.Lesley Logan 0:19  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 1:02  Hey, Be It babe, okay, this might be the first guest that is coming on for a third appearance. I think she won. I could be wrong, but I think she won. Dr. Celeste Holbrook is back. She's back. We're gonna talk about a couple of things. We're gonna talk about sex, we're (inaudible) we're gonna talk about her book. We're gonna talk about the journey that one goes on to get their work out into this world. And so even if you are like, I don't want to talk about the sex part, like, well, we should talk about the sex part. That's actually what we should do. But I want you to hear this, because I think it's so easy to hear people on a podcast go, oh, it's so easy for them because they got on a podcast, like, it's so easy, and you don't hear all the doors that get shut all the time. And I also am excited for you to hear like there are people in this world who just want to help each other out, and I think we need evidence of that. And I'm super, super excited that I get to be a cheerleader for amazing humans in this world like that. When I think about my, like, genius zone or something like that. Like, sometimes I think it's that I just get to cheer on people who are doing hard things and go, I see you, and you're doing great. And I can't wait. I can't wait. So guys, I'm gonna stop this, because we're gonna get right into we get right into it. And if you have this is the first time you're hearing about Dr. Celeste Holbrook, I really encourage you to go back to the first two episodes we did together. Go do the oldest one, then the second one, because I think you'll get a full picture of everything. We talked about a lot of good stuff. So she's gonna change your life. All right, here she is. Lesley Logan 2:31  All right, all right. So you guys, we're just gonna get right into this episode. Dr. Celeste Holbrook is back. You guys, third time won't be the last time. I somehow have to have her on annually. I think, Celeste, can you tell everyone why you're back. Let's just get in. Let's just start there. Celeste Holbrook 2:46  Okay, so I'm so excited, I can't even, like, contain myself. So I'm back because I have a book out, and I have a book really, truly because of Lesley Logan, because I have tried to publish this book for so long with traditional publishing, and I just got closed door after closed door after closed door for a lot of different reasons, which maybe we do and don't go into, I don't know, but Lesley reached out to me and was like, Celeste, I have this company. They do professional publishing. They're really great, and I just latched onto it, and I did every single thing that they suggested, and it was such a beautiful experience. So the whole point of this is I have a book, and I have a book because of you, and I want to aggressively love you today for encouraging me to do this.Lesley Logan 3:38  I am taking all that love also like this podcast, is why you have it, because I met that guy, because I interviewed him. And I have to, like, I'm not even I'll have to go back to the archives to figure out how I got this person, but I interviewed him, and I'm like, I really like this person. Like, I think he's great. Like, I've written a book, and I would have loved his help. Then, because I met him and had him on the pod, we had three of our clients use him, so I got to see from different perspectives how it was so when, and here's the thing, you were always on my feed, like, the algorithm would always, like, send you, and I like, just love all your stuff. And then it, like, kind of stopped, because I don't know that's how the algorithm works. And I happened to look at your stories, it was your stories, I'm pretty sure, and you were sharing this thing. And I'm not normally someone who's like, let me go in on the six minutes of a story. But I was like, I'm procrastinating. I'm in and so I was like, wow, what perfect timing this was, because I could have easily missed that whole section. And so I just want to, I'm just so grateful for divine like, I think that, like, there's divine appointments and divine interventions in a non-church way, guys, but we're meant to be in each other's lives and this book. Okay, so I guess, in case people don't know who you are, maybe we should do a quick like, who are you? Because we have new listeners, right? Hi, new listeners. You're going to want to go back to the other two. We're going to link them in the show notes. But can you tell everyone who you are and what you rock at? Celeste Holbrook 4:57  Yes, absolutely. So my name is Dr. Celeste Holbrook, I am a sex educator, and I have a PhD in health behaviors with a postgraduate emphasis in sexual behaviors. So I help people, a lot of women and lots of couples, figure out how to make sex better, whether that is they are experiencing pain or they're experiencing shame from growing up in like, ultra religious household, or they just need, like, some help through menopause or through after having a baby or things like that. So I am your very practical sexual health help. That's what I do. Lesley Logan 5:38  I love it the practical because, you know, like, I will say, having lived in L.A. and going to different sex shops, you don't look like the person who works the sex shop. Celeste Holbrook 5:48  No, no. Lesley Logan 5:50  Not to like, like to stereotype. But there's a, there would be a type that, like, works at the sex shop, and it's not you.Celeste Holbrook 5:56  Yeah, no, it's not me. And I just want to be super accessible, because not everybody wants to, like, swing from the chandeliers all the time. You know, a lot of people are out there just struggling to find the time to connect. Like, I cannot tell you how many times I have had a conversation about what to do with the dog in your bedroom when you want to have sex so the dog's not looking over at you or jumping on the bed, or, like, these are the practical applications that we are talking about in sex education in my consult sessions.Lesley Logan 6:27  Yeah, well, and because, because I think everyone's just so overwhelmed, like I saw something, and someone's stories, and they're like, went to their friend, their niece's like, soccer game, and she's like, looking around just like, no wonder no one's having sex. Like everybody is at the soccer game and they're exhausted, and then get the soccer game they're fighting about to do or you forgot the thing. Like, no, no answer. But nobody wants to have sex after this. Celeste Holbrook 6:53  No, no. Why would you want to have sex after that? Exactly right. That's exactly right, yep. Lesley Logan 6:59  So, so I want to touch on, like, there's a lot of different chapters, and maybe this is something that your book covers, but like, there's, you know, I think when we're younger and like, it feels like it's easier to do things, maybe, and then you get older, and like, there's more responsibilities and there's more stuff to think about. And like, it becomes something that goes away, and then your hormones change. So, in your book, do you cover, like, the journeys that were all going on, or is it more specifically for people from the purity culture, like, what? What were you excited to write about?Celeste Holbrook 7:30  Sure. So the book is called, I have the manuscript and printed out right here. It's called Missionary Position: A Slightly Irreverent Guide to Sex After Purity Culture. So I do take the approach of, like you growing up in a purity culture background, in, like, a high demand religion background, evangelical culture, things like that. But the book is in four parts. So like a four-part guide to basically healing, and you can apply these steps to any issue you are having in sex. So, yes, I do talk quite a bit about the effects of purity culture and how to overcome those effects. But it can, you can apply it to, you know, the trauma you had from a sexual assault. You can apply it to just the doldrums of being married to the same old penis for like, 20 years or whatever, you know, like you can apply these steps to anybody. So basically, there's four steps, and I have made them into archetypal women. So your first step is your analyst. She's like, the nerd she's looking at, like, okay, what are we carrying around? What does your backpack look like that you're carrying around? Is it full of shame? Is it full of neglect? Is it full of fear? Like she's the analyst. Your second archetypal woman is your assassin. She's she is taking what the analyst has found, and she is just like, slicing through it, right? She's your assassin. She's your inner assasin. She's your deconstruction, basically. Your third archetypal woman is your healer. So after you've done the work of understanding what's in your backpack, slicing out what needs to go, then your healer starts helping you regenerate your ideas about sex through a gentle reeducation. So we're relearning about some things that maybe we have always thought one way about. Maybe we're relearning about the idea of virginity. We're relearning the I about masturbation. We're relearning about what great sex is, right? The healer is our gentle reeducation, and then our fourth archetypal women woman is our explorer, and she's like, gonna try some new things. She's gonna go to the sex toy store, she's going to touch herself in a new way, and maybe, if that's too much, maybe she's gonna try sex with the lights on, right. And so these are the four women. They represent four steps, and within each step there are some really practical things that you can do to help move you to the next step. So you can apply this to any issue you're having in sex, and get to the other side where you're trying, you're you're now exploring, you're trying new things.Lesley Logan 10:12  I that's a way. I mean, well, like an archetype. I like that. And I've, you've been on my mind a lot lately, because society is quite interesting right now, like the trad wife situation. I'm like, that looks really beautiful. Like, I would love, like, I have white countertops. I'd love them to clean all the time. I'm certainly not capable of doing it. But I'm like, I don't know that. I think they're doing a really good job marketing a beautiful esthetic without realizing, like, all the stuff that comes with that, you know, like, all the religious stuff that comes with that, and how that can harm how we feel about our bodies. And I, I like, was raised in purity culture, and I didn't think it affected me. I'm like, I'm good. But actually, no, actually, I remember, like, I remember, oh, it does, because you're like, you think that you're like, oh, I'm on that. I'm that doesn't affect that like you, you start to realize, even if you weren't raised in church, just the way that public school systems have appropriated some of the modesty rules, like what you're told, what you can wear to school and and how thick this the tank top strap can be, and you can't be disruptive, even though the boys' pants are halfway down their legs, and I'm looking at underwear all the time. You know, I think that even for people who weren't raised where they're told, like, your father has you until you're given away to someone else, there is some level where all of us were affected by like, don't be a distraction. Don't, make sure you don't wear that so you don't look like a certain like you're not attracting bad people, you know, that kind of a thing.Celeste Holbrook 11:44  Yeah, I totally agree, Lesley. I think that there's very few people in the United States that have a great, comprehensive, inclusive sex education. I think very few of us. I think this is changing, and hopefully with, you know, recycle breaking next and next generations, but American society in general wants to put sex on either end of a spectrum. We want to either like, don't think about it. Don't talk about it. This is not for you until you are reaching a certain age or marriage or whatever, and then on the other side is like, why aren't you liberated enough to have all to do all these things you know, like, so there's these two, like, ends of the spectrum, and all of us really live in the middle. Yeah, none of us is really on either side at all, but we but it like breaks America's brain to try and think about, like, living outside of one of those two spectrums. So I talk about in the book about the non, about the non-binary. We are not binary people. As far as what we want to do in our sex life, and figuring out, how do you live in the middle area, which we often call gray, but I call glitter. Yes, it's the most fabulous place to live is in the middle, in this glittery middle, where you get to define your own sex ethic based on your value system, on your intuition, on your sex education, and you get to decide what works best for you. And maybe that is boundaries around when you have sex awesome, as long as it's your choice that's amazing. And maybe that is opening your relationship up and trying swinging or whatever it is that's awesome as long as it's your decision and not one manipulated by society or cultural values or religious values.Lesley Logan 13:27  Yeah, I think that's, I think I like to think about that even this thing, it's, you're right, it's America, it's people like, I'm in Pilates industry. And I said something the other day where I was like, well, you can say that, but it doesn't like, there's also the idea that we could prepare people for an exercise, right? And this person, like, went off on me, and I was like, so you need to understand that what you're mad about me is what you're doing here. Second, Pilates is not black or white. It's not this or that. It's a lot of gray. It's a lot of glitter, like glitter. It's like, because our bodies are different and where we are in our practice, where we are in our life, maybe what season we're in, maybe you're in a season of young children, it's going to be very different what you're wanting and ready for, and have the capacity to take on versus they're teenagers and out of the house and really don't care where you are versus you don't have kids at all. Like, there's all these different seasons. And I think we are like, oh, this is how I've always liked it, so this is how I have to keep liking it. Celeste Holbrook 14:25  Yes, yes, that's so wise, Lesley, that's so wise. I think there are a lot of and we talked about this in our last on our last podcast together, a lot of the similarities between what happens in sex and what happens in like a Pilates, a workout space or Pilates space, as far as how we view our bodies and what we feel is like, right, or what we feel is appropriate, I guess, for our bodies like I should be wanting this, because that's what I did when I was 27 or I should be looking like this, because that's what I looked like when I was whatever, 30 or whatever. And I think there's lots of room to allow ourselves compassion to grow as we grow in our sex life, in our workouts and whatever, expecting your sex life to look the same when you are 20 and 30 and 50 and 70 is not helpful for you, and so allowing it to mature as you mature is the most helpful thing that you can do for yourself, I think, when, when it comes to your sex life. Lesley Logan 15:28  Yeah, we'll keep talking about this, it'll come up. But I do, I do want to go back to like, the journey of this book, because this book has been in you for a really long time. And I think whether or not people want to write a book, you can insert goal, whatever your goal is, because you we will all in trying to get something out into the world or get something that we desire done, hit roadblocks. So you hit some roadblocks. Can we talk about, how many years of roadblocks? Can we talk about what you like, what kind of roadblocks you were hitting and, like, how did you keep going? Because quite honestly, I'm surprised you even told the story, you know what I mean, like, I'm surprised you didn't go, okay, well, that's that, the door, the door has been slammed shut.Celeste Holbrook 16:12  Yeah, yeah. And I really appreciate you asking this, because I know sex is really fun to talk about, but this is, like, my personal, like, lifelong dream is to have a book, and it feels really, I feel really seen when you ask about the process of it, and when I think about the be it, you know, be it till you see it, bold, executable. I think I'm getting this right, intrinsic, targeted, so I think about my word for this year was bold. So that was like, my like, I gotta be more bold. I want to say what I want to say. I don't want to be making myself smaller anymore. So the story behind the book, I have always thought about writing a book. I myself am a slow reader. I don't read very fast, and I for a long, long time I thought I was dumb because I don't read very fast, which is silly when I think about it now, but all growing up, I was slower than all of my friends reading. It was frustrating to read. And I've just, I like, I was still a good student. I still did all of the things that I needed to do, but I just, I just took time. I just took more time to write, to read all of those things, and I think in part, that's what made me get a PhD, because I wanted to prove to myself that I wasn't dumb. Turns out, I'm not dumb. I just am. I need to go at my own pace. And so one of the things that you talk about a lot on the podcast is like, how do you prioritize yourself? I prioritize myself by allowing myself to go at my own pace, like I can read as slow as I need to read, I can answer emails as slow as I need to answer emails. It's frustrating to me and other people, but at the end of the day, like it, it's honestly who I am. I'm just considerate and slow and thoughtful, and I've learned to like that about myself instead of hate that about myself. So the idea of writing a book was really, like tantalizing to me, but I had a lot of insecurities about my ability to actually do it. I'd written a dissertation, which is I, in my opinion, harder because it's boring. Lesley Logan 18:19  Yeah, yeah, no, that's one of the reasons why I, like, stopped going to school. I was like, I can't write another boring paper.Celeste Holbrook 18:25  Oh, my God. Like, who's reading? Like, my mom didn't even read it. She's like, oh, congratulations. It's like, collecting dust, right? So I had done that, and so I thought, like, well, if I'd written a dissertation, it just take you just take a chunk at a time. I can surely write a book. So in 2000 and let's see 2016, Nate and I was like, Nate, I really want to write a book. I'm going to go to a writer's conference. So he's like, great, let's go. I was like, found one in Hawaii. He's like, even better, let's go.Lesley Logan 18:55  I love, I love when a goal and a tax write off can be in a place you want to go. Celeste Holbrook 19:01  That's right, that's exactly right. We ended up getting a tent. There's like, these glamping tents on Maui that you can get, and it's just, like, really fun. It's like, on the beach, but you still have, like, sort of a bathroom, you know. But so we're, like, we needed to do it on cheap, because we were kind of broke, like, got these glamping tents, and I went to these writers conference during the day, and Nate did whatever during the day was at this writing conference, and it was through Hay House, and there was a contest. So if you went to the writers conference and you wrote a proposal, you could enter it in, and they were going to pick three writers to to give a book deal to, I would, and this is me being so sure of myself. Like, yes, I've spent a lot of time feeling insecure that about my reading and writing. But for the most part, my whole life, I have been, like, with no good reason, confident. Like, I'm just like, I don't know, confident.Lesley Logan 19:53  Yeah. I mean, that's cool. That's a great that's so many people don't inherently have that. I. And like to kind of have that and then use it is a wonderful, it's a wonderful thing. Celeste Holbrook 20:06  Yeah, I just, I just was like, no, I'm gonna get this, you know, I'm gonna write this proposal. People are gonna love it. I'm gonna get this competition. Anyway, long story short, did not win any (inaudible). Lesley Logan 20:16  Oh, I thought this was going towards you won. Oh, my God, she won. It. (inaudible) second look. I automatically just assumed you're gonna slay. So I'm just like, she won.Celeste Holbrook 20:32  This is about closed doors, Lesley. Lesley Logan 20:34  Okay, that's true. That's true. Celeste Holbrook 20:36  Yes. So I did not win. I was for sure I was gonna win, did not win, not even, like, a hello, right? So I was like, oh, maybe I need to work a little harder. So I had this whole proposal. My book was like, looking back, I'm like, I'm so glad that I didn't win. My book was called Sexual Wealth. Lesley Logan 20:54  Oh, yeah, that's that's not you.Celeste Holbrook 20:57  It's not me. I was like, it was like, sex through finance, bro language or something. And I was just like, this is a terrible idea, but the spark was there, like, I really wanted to write a book. So that was 2016 I kind of held onto it, thought about it, kind of put it in a drawer for a while. In 2019 I got on a fairly large podcast with Jen Hatmaker, so she's an author, and she does a lot of work in, like the ex-evangelical space, or had started down that road. So I got on this podcast through just like pitching. I got on this podcast. It's pretty big, big podcast. And not long after that, a person from HarperCollins, like a division of Harper Collins, reached out to me and said, hey, have you ever considered writing a book? So the publisher reached out to me, which is very unusual. Lesley Logan 21:47  That is cool, though. Yes. Celeste Holbrook 21:49  Yeah, yeah, very unusual. Usually, you are pitching to publishers. So they heard me on the podcast, and they were like, hey, you know, we're interested in you submitting a proposal. I'm like, I'm freaking out. Like, this is so exciting, right? I realize I probably need representation, so I get a literary agent. I kind of shop around and get a literary agent. She's amazing, Rochelle, and I end up pitching my proposal. I worked it out, you know, I update it from sexual wealth to something else. I update it, I pitch it, and they're pretty slow. The publishing industry is so slow, you know this, you know this, so slow. Lesley Logan 22:24  I have watched too many of my friends write books. I'm so great. I'm proud of all of them. But also the ones that have gone traditional publishing, it is slow, like molasses moves faster, you guys. That's, you know, like, just don't bet on don't hold your breath.Celeste Holbrook 22:40  Oh my gosh, it's the slowest process of all time. And so I was like, okay, I, you know, they reached out to me. So I'm here in my very confident space, like, oh no, they're gonna laugh. Yeah, they're gonna choose. They reached out to me. Why wouldn't they choose me? At this point, I have like, 1500 followers. I have, like, I have no platform, right? I still have a very small platform, but a bunch of really engaged, lovely humans. So I'm, I'm fairly sure they're going to choose me. Eventually, months and months and months later, they get back to me and they're like, yes, we want it is literally like, I don't know, six months later, they're like, we want to offer you a contract, and we want to go under contract, just small. It's a $20,000 contract. They're gonna pay me 10,000 upfront, and then 10,000 the book publishes. I was like, great, I have to pay out my agent too. So I'm I'm coming home with like, $8,500. I was like, oh my gosh, this is amazing. Just to get one dime to like (inaudible).Lesley Logan 23:36  I mean that you got anything, because it's not, it's not always normal that even a first time writer gets anything until the book sells. So, yeah.Celeste Holbrook 23:44  Yes. So I was thrilled. I was thrilled. So I started writing my little heart out. They don't actually give me anything, a contract or anything, until my my my first draft is due. So I turned in my first draft and then they signed me. So I write the whole book without a contract. So submit the first draft. This is like March of 2020, so keep that in, put to context. Things that are. Lesley Logan 24:08  Things are things are going on. Celeste Holbrook 24:10  Things are going on. What's happening? So I get my first round of edits back. I'm still super excited. And then in July, my agent calls me, and she's like, I hate to have this conversation with you, but your book has been orphaned. Your editor left the company, and nobody else wants to pick it up. Lesley Logan 24:32  No, no. Celeste Holbrook 24:35  Yeah. So this is like, in the big scheme of things, like, it was the way it needed to work out, because they were already giving me feedback. It was the (inaudible) the imprint. And I'm not trying to slander any publishing industry, but this is just what happened to me, right? I was getting feedback of, like, oh, I don't know if you should, like, go that hard. Or I don't know if you should. You might alienate readers. If you talk about religion in this way, or, you know, this is you're gonna lose your Catholic audience. I'm like, I'm not trying to make the Catholics happy. I'm sorry. Lesley Logan 25:12  Yeah, yeah, yeah. When I interviewed, I don't know if it was in my interview, but when I was talking with Daniella Mestyanek Young who wrote Uncultured, she was only allowed to talk about three sexual like, misconduct, things that happened to her, and not even the worst ones. They actually, like, got rid, yes, yeah, they were like, and you can only talk like they she had to. And she's been very vocal about it. She's like, because she was talking about God and all these things and like, like, yeah, you can't really talk about that. And then she was like, you know, saying that she got raped in military. And they're like, so we don't like, maybe we just do only one of those, like, very and so, and she was with a publisher, and she got published, but she it's a watered down version of her story, because apparently readers wouldn't be able to handle the true thing. And it's like, you know, like, we're, how are we supposed to change the world? We don't know what's going on. So anyways, yeah. Celeste Holbrook 26:02  Yeah, I and I heard, I heard that kind of from different places, like, oh yeah. I had to, like, say this instead of that or whatever. And I'm like, yeah, that's a little bit happening to me. And I had written it with the understanding, like, this is for a still Christian audience. I understood this, it was with a Christian publisher. So I'm like, that's fine. Like, as a sex educator, you have to be able to be fluid enough to write to the audience that's in front of you. Like, when I go speak, sometimes I'm in front of really conservative audiences, and I adapt my language. That's fine. Like, that's okay to do. I'm still, I still feel helpful. I still feel like I'm pushing the envelope, but in a way that feels the most accessible for the audience in front of me. So I'm okay adjusting, but also like I didn't, I didn't want to water it down so much that I felt like it wasn't me. Lesley Logan 26:51  Yeah, yeah, yeah. Celeste Holbrook 26:53  So anyway, lost my contract in July 1st of 2020, which was and that whole thing, the whole next two years was really difficult. My husband is an emergency medicine physician and it was just a real hard time in the family, family. Lesley Logan 27:09  Yeah, no, lots, lots going on, lots of stress, lots of worry, lots. Yeah, you're afraid, yeah, you know. So like, you know. So we live where we live, and not everyone believe we're going through certain things. So that's even more stressful. Yeah. Oh, my God, that's a lot. The book, the book hit a wall.Celeste Holbrook 27:26  It hit it hit a wall, and probably had to find time. But I was, I was really, just really sad. Rochelle, my agent, was like, okay, we're just gonna, like, pick it back up. We have this proposal, we have a book written. It's, it'll be easier for another publisher to pick us up. And so we start, like, pitching to these other publishing companies. She has all these connections, you know, she's pitching, pitching, pitching, nothing's landing. I'm getting good feedback back. Like, you know, your platform's too small. That's fair. I started trying to grow it. You know, that's when Instagram was a little easier to grow. Now it's super hard to grow. But started growing it. I went from 1500 to 20,000 you know. Lesley Logan 28:04  That's a big deal, because other 20,000 like, those are not bought, you know, like, yeah.Celeste Holbrook 28:09  No, yeah. And I'm a hard follow. I get that. I have, like, you know, dildos in my videos. Like, I get that I'm not an easy follow. It's not and I'm, you know, Shadow banned all the time, and I get all these notifications that my stuff is not being shown to new audiences. I get that. I get that I'm a hard follow, but that's what publishers want. They want you to have a ready-to-buy platform, which I get. They're trying to make money. But I got a lot of that feedback. I got a lot of, ooh, this is a little it's a little too much for us as a Christian publisher. Like, okay, I get that. And then it was kind of like this line for non, non-Christian publishers, like, we don't really, we don't really talk about religion that much, and then we're not really talking about sex that much.Lesley Logan 29:00  Right? So you're like, too much of the different things for the different people, that's really rough, because it's like, we'll never be everything for anyone, but to not feel like you fit somewhere when you have something to say, that's hard.Celeste Holbrook 29:13  Yeah, yeah, it is really hard. And I think it's what people needed. It's because it's, again, it's the glitter, it's the middle. Like, yeah, I don't fit into either of these spaces. I'm kind of like exploring the middle, right? So that was the feedback I was getting. And finally, we did that for five years, from 2020 to 2025 October of 2025 Rochelle had a call with me, and she's like, honey, I have nowhere else to go. I'm sorry. This has to be the end of it. Bless her. She she did the best that she had, and I am forever grateful for her. But that was it, and that was that's where we're caught up to, where you saw my story, and I was like, just sharing with my audience like I had an unhappy ending, and I'm gonna sit in my sadness right now and just tell you, like life isn't always hunky dory for a sex educator, for anybody, for you for me, and this is where I am right now, and I'm pissed and I'm sad, and the end, right? And then sweet Lesley shows up in my DMs, and she's like, babe, I have this great idea for you. I'm like, okay, so she you send me this information for this company I have a call with, I think Jake who you interviewed. Lesley Logan 30:19  Yeah, Jake Kelfer. Yep, yep, yep. Celeste Holbrook 30:21  I have a call with Jake, and let me tell you, working with them has been and I'm not getting paid for any of this right to for BIB, but working with them has been so healing, so much agency in the process. I got to say exactly what I wanted to say. I got to go at the pace that I wanted to go, like, it was just incredible. Lesley Logan 30:44  So is this book, like a new book? It's not what you're pitching around. It's the glitter you really wanted to write. Celeste Holbrook 30:51  It's the glitter I really wanted to write. Totally different. Yeah.Lesley Logan 30:54  Yes, oh, I love that. And also, like, so, first of all, you guys, did you hear five years? Five years and now we're going on, you know, like, so, yeah, five years and then now big. But here's the other thing, like going through all of those things, you got feedback and made tweaks and did these things. So then when you're writing the book that we're gonna all get to read, I can't even wait to read it. It's the best version of a book that could ever be, because it's really not your first book you've written so manyCeleste Holbrook 31:24  You're so right. And over the course of the years, I changed, as we should. I hope I look back in five years and go like, yeah, I'm a different, new person from who wrote this book. But I was different, and I was more comfortable, like, straight up saying I'm not a Christian anymore. You know, I was more comfortable saying, like, is this a religious book? Yes, because we talk about religion. Do I identify as Christian? No, because of these reasons. Do I think we could learn some stuff from the Bible? Sure. Do I think we're going to talk about the Bible? Yes. I think we have to, because we're talking about purity culture. But I don't, you know, certainly not in 2020 was I willing to be like, yeah, I'm not a Christian, but so much stuff happened between 2020 and 2025, that just took me right on out.Lesley Logan 32:10  Yeah, yeah, no, I hear you on that. I and, you know, like, I have a brother in seminary school, so it's very interesting around here. And I had just said, you know, if, if, the if, all the Christians in the world actually did what Jesus said, like, we would have solved child child poverty and immigration and health care. And, you know, I've had a family member respond, well, if everyone just came to know, and I'm like, no, no, no, that's actually not what the Bible says. Here's the problem, I've read it so like I where I am in my life, which five years ago I was definitely not. Is just like I'm frustrated that a book, any book, has controlled people in such a way that's affecting even their sex lives, but also just lives, the lives of people who didn't even read the book. And so that's where, like, I get upset we don't have to have religious talk on this podcast. But that's that's just where, like, I'm coming from as a person with it. I'm, like, I have a really hard time with it, because it's not a loving world, and it with all the people who say they are, you know, believers. It should be. It should be a very loving world. So, so I think it's really I love. Thank you for sharing the story. This is great.Celeste Holbrook 33:30  Yeah, I totally. I just want to affirm what you're saying. Because I think the the main bottom line for me was it has harmed more than it has helped. Has it helped? Absolutely, there's some really beautiful ways in which Christianity has helped, but has it harmed more than it has helped? I absolutely believe, yes. And so for me, that was the final straw. Do I think Jesus was cool? Yeah. I think He was a radical non-white dude who did really amazing things that we can learn from, right? I believe he saved me from my sins. Not really, but, yeah, that's where I landed. And I was able to say this in in this book, which I would never have been able to do before. Lesley Logan 34:09  Well, also, thank you for sharing it with us, because I also just someone like to see it's a really interesting thing to say, like my husband and I, like go like to say out loud, it's very I don't want to speak for him, because, like, maybe it was a different but, like, it's really hard to say out loud when you're like, I don't believe anymore, and you're like, you know?Celeste Holbrook 34:29  Right, it feels really weird. Lesley Logan 34:31  Yeah, it does. But because it's such an identity that you're raised with, and I think going back to, like, that purity culture that your book is about, and by the way, everyone, like, I just want to say, like, even if you haven't been in that, it's, I think that reading about those things really helps me. It makes it helps make the world make sense to me. Like, I read Tia Levings book, A Well-Trained Wife, and I was like, oh, I get it now. I get why they're acting like this. I get why they're thinking this. Because, like, otherwise, you're like looking at people like they're aliens, and you're like, I don't understand. So I also think it can be really impactful to read just to understand, what are people thinking? What are they going through? Why is it harder for some people to have great sex, or want to have great sex, or feel comfortable having great sex, than for other people? Celeste Holbrook 35:18  Yeah, I totally agree with you. It's so fun, interesting. Most of couples that I talk to, most of them are straight couples, heterosexual couples, and a lot of times, the woman in the partnership will, you know, talk about sex in one way, and the man in the partnership will talk about sex in a different way. And just like, I just don't get it. If it feels good, why wouldn't you want to do it? And so when we kind of like, deconstruct and explain, like, well, she's been taught that sex is dangerous her whole life, and so her nervous system feels on alert, even when there are good things in the future to come with that sexual experience. So to have to overcome this idea of fear and danger in your nervous system, just to get to the beginning of arousal is a whole different ball game than you who starts at arousal, and because it feels very regulating, like, I lean into arousal because it feels regulating as a straight man who's raised in America, and so like, just being able to, like, if you're a dude who picks up this book, It might help you understand the women in your life a little bit better, even if they didn't grow up in purity culture. Most of us grew up with the idea that sex is going to harm us. Lesley Logan 36:28  Yeah, yes. Well, I mean, like, yeah, it's like, even if you weren't raised that way, you also, as a woman, were raised like, be fearful of any bad any man who's coming near you, walking up next to you, like, all these different things. And so it is very difficult to just like, let that go. It's not like, it's like, oh, it's Halloween. I can get Todd Kenny from a stranger now, like, this doesn't work like that. You know, like especially because it's like, your whole life these just little things that are being told. I think that's great for men to read. I think that's such a that's a, what a wonderful way to think about it, who this book could be helpful for? I want to take a brief detour, because you said something on your Instagram a bit ago that truly, like, blew my mind and also made so much sense, right? You said, if you're faking an orgasm, you're fawning, right? It's a fawn response. So can we talk about what a fawn response is? And that a little bit, because I think too many women do that. I only say that because I have friends who talk about it and I'm like, I mean, I just wouldn't just would be like, it's not working today, sir.Celeste Holbrook 37:38  Yes, yeah. I mean, I've done it when I was experiencing really painful sex when I first got married, because of vaginismus, because of purity culture, like I did anything to try and get out of the situation, right? So, so a fawn response is something that we do in response to something traumatic. When something traumatic happens, we go into fight, flight, freeze or on. So fawn is I'm pleasing you know this, this circumstance or person in my life, so there are no negative consequences, all right. So when we fake orgasms, and a lot of women have a lot of guilt around doing this, and this is why I posted that, because I want you to feel not guilty about this. I don't want you to do it forever, but I want you to understand why you're doing this. We fawn response an orgasm when we feel overwhelming pressure to have an orgasm when we feel overwhelming pressure to have an orgasm, it's coming from a fragile man who cannot handle or has put too much value on your ability to come as a validation for his ability to be great, right? I put too much pressure on your ability to be to come is a validation of my ability to be good or great. So part of the work has to become men saying like my validation is not wrapped up in her ability to come, without saying, I still can't give her pleasure. It's kind of, it's, it's, it's nuanced, but I really want women to understand when you're fawning, when you're faking an orgasm, you are essentially doing harm reduction. I don't want the negative consequences of his fragility, so I will fake it so I don't have to deal with that. That is easier for me. That is harm reduction.Lesley Logan 39:47  Right, right, right. And one would hope that a conversation or few could be had, like, here's what's going on and here's how I don't want you to feel and here like, yeah, that's probably where you come in. Celeste Holbrook 40:01  Yes, yeah. It's a really delicate situation. I do have lots of times people come in and the female, the woman in the partnership, will be like, hey, you know, this is what's going on, and this is why I want us together to come but to sessions, but like, I don't know how to tell him, like, it's been years and I've been faking it for years, right? Okay, no problem. We don't have to. I don't believe full transparency is always kind. I believe in honesty. I don't necessarily believe in full transparency. Like, you can, you can be really unkind with full transparency, but you can still be honest. Like, hey, I really want to experience a little bit more sensation when we have sex. Can we work on some new techniques? Can I show you how I masturbate? Can we make it slower so I can feel something different? I really want to make my orgasm stronger, right? So we can be clear with what we want going forward without being like, you know what? I faked it for the last 12 years, right? Because that's on you for not for not saying something as well. Lesley Logan 41:08  Yeah? Because that doesn't like, it can only be, it's not anyone's fault. But also, like, they can't change if they don't know, yeah. Oh, you're so brilliant. You're so amazing. Wait, when is the book coming out? When do I get to read it? When can I preorder, like.Celeste Holbrook 41:23  You are so cute. So it'll by the time this drops, it'll already be out, and we'll send links to to upload it, but it comes out on June 10th and so it's right around the corner. Lesley Logan 41:32  Okay, well, I'm gonna pre I'm gonna pre order. I gotta or I'll order on June 10th. So we can make you a number one, Bestselling Author. We get whatever we get to do, so I can write my authenticated review. After buying it, all the things I can't wait. I'll take it with me on tour.Celeste Holbrook 41:49  Thank you. I'm so like, I just like, I'm cheesing so hard because I'm so excited about it. I reread it again this morning, just like as a skim to look at all the layout on the pages. And I'm just so proud of it. I'm so proud of it, like it finally is here.Lesley Logan 42:07  I have so many chills. I'm gonna cry. Okay, we're gonna take a brief break. We're gonna find out how people can find you, follow you and work with you. Celeste Holbrook 42:14  Okay. Lesley Logan 42:15  All right, Dr. Celeste Holbrook, where do you hang out? You said Instagram. Is there anywhere else? What links? What input handles? Where can they go to buy the book is it on your website, all the things.Celeste Holbrook 42:25  Yes, the book is on the website, but you can buy it the most easily on Amazon. If you do, please leave a review that would be really helpful. And you can go to my website to get into Pleasure Club. That's my monthly subscription where we have a sex ed session every month and a book club session every month we flip between fiction and nonfiction books, which is really, really fun. Lesley Logan 42:44  Oh, fun. I know Brad and I got into the, of course, like everybody in the world, we got into the the dragon situation, yeah. Okay, every. Celeste Holbrook 42:52  Fourth wing? Lesley Logan 42:53  Yeah, yes. Fourth wing, the second one, the third one. You guys, we actually reread the first and second one to listen to the third one, we're going to go back through all three. Highly recommend it with your, with your partner. I think it's a great she writes good sex stories. They don't it's not super cheesy. So I really like them. Celeste Holbrook 43:13  I love that. I think this revolution. I mean, people have been reading Roman ensembles forever, but I think it's really healing. I actually wrote about this in my newsletter this week. Reading sex scenes through a female lens is really, really healing and really helpful, because it it gives you the confidence to be like, oh, I can ask for that, or I can wait for that, or I can ask to slow down or speed up, or whatever, and I can expect somebody to listen and garner consent and all of those things. So reading sex scenes through the female lens or listening to them, I think, is very, very helpful. Celeste Holbrook 43:46  Yeah, yeah. Anyways, I got distracted from your book club. So what's your website again? What's your handle? Celeste Holbrook 43:53  So you can find me at Dr. Celeste Holbrook on Instagram, on and on YouTube, and my web, my website. drcelesteholbrook.com. I just had like a whole mind blowing, like I was thinking about sex scenes written through the female Iens and I couldn't I couldn't go back. Yeah.? So, drcelesteholdbrook is where you can find me almost anywhere. Dr Celeste Holbrook. Lesley Logan 44:14  Perfect, yeah. Sorry, I have an ADHD brain. Lesley Logan 44:16  I love it. I love it. Lesley Logan 44:18  Bold, executable, intrinsic or targeted steps people can take to be it till they see it. What do you have for us this time? Celeste Holbrook 44:23  Oh, well, something we talked about already earlier. But the way that I am best executable is actually just to go at my own pace, even though it's slow.Lesley Logan 44:32  Yeah. Oh, I love that. I really do love that. And I also, you mentioned, like, the prioritizing of self. That's one of the ways you did it. I wanted to acknowledge like when you sat in your car and you shared that something had come to an end, that is also a way of prioritizing yourself, because you're feeling your feelings, and you're also letting people know that you're feeling these feelings, like we don't have to, like pretend around people, so just thank you for being you, and always for, you are always in the word gets misused, but you are so authentic and so authentic and just, I really feel like I've it's been so fun over the past five years to watch you grow with what you're doing and how you're educating people and how you're supporting people. And so I'm just so grateful to be on your journey. I can't wait to read your book. I'm so stoked for you. This is the coolest thing. And and you guys, how are you gonna use these tips in your life? Please tag Dr. Celeste Holbrook, send this to a friend. Here is the deal, not all friendships talk about sex, so one of the things you can do is just send the podcast or the book. You don't have to have the if you're not there yet, that's okay. But I think like, the more, the more women hear about all these different things that could be glitter, the more life we're living and the more fun we're having, the more we feel seen. So just thank you so much for being you, Dr. Celeste Holbrook.Celeste Holbrook 45:53  Lesley, you are the reason this book exists. I cannot thank you enough. Thank you so much for having me in your life and on your podcast. And someday, someday we will hug each other in real life.Lesley Logan 46:03  Yeah, yeah, yeah. We will. It'll happen. I think this winter tour, I feel it in me. All right, you guys, you know what to do. Until next time, Be It Till You See It. Lesley Logan 46:12  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 46:54  It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan, and me, Brad Crowell.Lesley Logan 46:59  It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.co.Brad Crowell 47:03  Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist, Gianfranco Cioffi.Lesley Logan 47:11  Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.Brad Crowell 47:14  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

Discover how joy becomes the unexpected fuel for mission! Pastor Chris unpacks the powerful connection between experiencing God's delight and sharing His love with others. Through fascinating insights from neuroscience and Scripture, learn how simple acts of joy can transform lives. #alloflifealltheearth #walkgrowlive #christian #church #jesus Renaissance Church - Richmond, Texas https://ren-church.org

Il décrit cet instant comme l'un des pires moments de sa vie. Kevin Mayer, recordman du monde du décathlon et figure majeure du sport français, revient sur sa non-participation aux Jeux Olympiques de Paris.Pour lui, le sport dépasse la simple performance : c'est une quête. Une quête de soi, de ses limites, de son intégrité. Une quête où la souffrance fait partie du chemin. Chaque compétition lui rappelle à quel point son corps est mis à l'épreuve… et pourtant, il avance, encore et toujours.Dans cet échange rare, Kevin se livre avec une sincérité bouleversante. Il nous parle de ses routines millimétrées, de méditation, de nutrition, de ses doutes, de ses sacrifices, mais aussi de cette hypersensibilité qu'il revendique comme sa plus grande force. Ensemble, nous évoquons le poids du regard des autres, la solitude au sommet, et cette capacité à transformer un échec public en victoire intime.C'est une conversation puissante, inspirante, qui éclaire l'homme derrière l'athlète. Je vous invite à l'écouter jusqu'au bout !Notes et références de l'épisode :

May the LORD... increase you a thousand times and bless you... [NIV]

BLESS Part 3

How To Handle Difficult Relationships Romans 12:9-10 Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. 10 Love each other with genuine affection, [e]  and take delight in honoring each other. (NLT) Romans 12:14-16 - Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15 Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. 16 Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! (NLT) Romans 12:18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (NIV) 1. Own what you can own Romans 12:18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. (NIV) A. I can own my attitude Proverbs 21:2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the heart. (ESV) B. I can own my own health C. I can own my response Proverbs 29:22 An angry person stirs up conflict, and a hot-tempered person commits many sins (NIV) Proverbs 15:18 A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel (NIV) Proverbs 14:29 Whoever is patient has great understanding, but one who is quick-tempered displays folly (NIV) Proverbs 29:11 Fools give full vent to their rage, but the wise bring calm in the end (NIV) 2. Trust God to help the other person A. Always be quick to forgive them. Ephesians 4:32 – Forgive one another as quickly and thoroughly as God in Christ forgave you. (MSG) B. Always pray for God to help them. Romans 12:14 - 14  Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. (NLT) C. Never try to play the role of the Holy Spirit. What about in marriage? A. God does not like divorce B. God’s Word makes provision for divorce when it’s needed C. God can do miracles Matthew 19:3-9 Some Pharisees came to him to test him. They asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any and every reason?” 4 “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female, 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” 7 “Why then,” they asked, “did Moses command that a man give his wife a certificate of divorce and send her away?” 8 Jesus replied, “Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. 9 I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery.” (NIV) 1 Corinthians 7:10-16 To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. 11 But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. 12 To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. 13 And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him.  14  For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. 15 But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. 16 How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? (NIV)

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is out racing this week, so Amy Earnhardt is joined by Lorra Bowyer, the wife of former NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer. Lorra spills the tea on how she and Clint initially met. It begins with an awkward third-wheel date to the movies as a wingman and leads to two kids and a marriage. Amy and Lorra bond over having no desire to sit quietly in a deer hunting stand with their husbands, thanks to Lorra's first and last experience with Clint. Plus, we play a game called “He's a 10, but…” and talk about why Kangaroos are top of mind in the Bowyer household in #AskAmy.

The hunt for Ojanya's champion continues as the team swim through the dangerous Bloodkelp Forest! Can't wait for Part 2 of each episode? Join our Patreon to get early access EVERY week (+ a few other bonuses)! www.patreon.com/HighRollers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ _______________ Boost your Charisma with some HR merch! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://highrollersdnd.teemill.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Add official High Rollers Minis to your TTRPG collection here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://only-games.co/collections/high-rollers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bless your table with the Clever Toad Dice Set: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dispeldice.com/collections/high-rollers⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Enhance your bath time experience with the official Altheya themed DiceBombs at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://geekyclean.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! Check out ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.highrollersdnd.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for all the latest HR News! Love the podcast? Give us a glittering 5 star review! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/high-rollers-dnd/id1401508198?see-all=reviews⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Music courtesy of Epidemic Sound, TCT Adventures (Solasta: Crown of the Magisters), Monument Studios and Jolene Khor! Check out Jolene Khor and all her wonderful work on High Rollers on Spotify: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://open.spotify.com/artist/1WX3ICiTmf4GpHwImnQMs6⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Dear Humans, I hope you enjoy this latest episode of the God Pod because it is a powerful one about how to actually fight fascism. Every listen, every like, every share helps spread these conversations further, so I hope you will watch and enjoy it. And thank you. To everyone reading, whether you are a free subscriber who shows up every day or a paid subscriber who keeps this whole thing alive, you are the reason we can keep going. This week Jesus and I were joined by Dana of Visibility Brigade and Peter of Utah Overpass Action, two leaders of a movement that now stretches across all 50 states with more than 250 brigades. They are the people you may have seen standing on overpasses, holding banners that cut through despair and reach hundreds of thousands of eyes every single day. Dana told us how he first got involved and why he keeps showing up. Peter shared how Utah Overpass Action was born this year when he felt hopeless, and how it has grown into a network that gives people courage. We talked about the number of people who see these banners, how discipline and safety guide their work, and why these simple but visible acts of defiance matter. What struck me most is how ordinary humans have built something extraordinary. This is not about fame or politics. It is about everyday people refusing to be silent, reminding America that the fight is not over. Every time a driver passes under one of those bridges and sees a banner, the spell of fascist inevitability is broken.   Be sure to visit Visibility Brigade to learn how to get started, and check out Utah Overpass Action! They're on social media, including Instagram and Bluesky. Bless everyone who participates in these types of movements! Stay safe! Keep up the fight! Love, God P.S. Jesus and I stream LIVE every weekday at 2 PM ET / 11 AM PT. Come hang out with us. And remember to add The God Pod wherever you get your podcasts, whether it is Apple , Spotify, or anywhere else.

Bless up, culties. We descend from the heavens in tandem with the reign of Backflippin' Benson Boone and Ordinary Alex Warren to share with you an episode to lift your spirit and put music in your soul! But not just any music, these tunes must be self deprecating, they've gotta be anthemic, they need building major chords and choral vocal FX like you've never seen before. Get stomping and clapping, it's time to discuss Christian Pop Music. Whether you were a Point of Grace stan since before that was even a thing, jammed to Flyleaf during carpool growing up, or have cried melodramatically to a Switchfoot at some point in your life, there's no denying Christian music's massive reach has undoubtedly changed the landscape of pop music and influenced countless lives. This week, Amanda and Reese are breaking down the worship-to-radio pipeline, the blurred lines between faith and fame, and why so many of these bops SLAP (even if you're not saved). Helping them navigate the not so pure world behind the pearly gates of the christian music industry is former Christian pop DIVA, current philanthropist and founder of the organization This Is What Happens When Women Read, Julianna Glasse (@juliannaglasse), ANDDDD author of the fresh-off-the-gutenberg '90s/'00s Christian cultural autopsy Jesusland, Joelle Kidd. Subscribe to Sounds Like A Cult on Youtube!Follow us on IG @soundslikeacultpod, @amanda_montell, @reesaronii, @chelseaxcharles.  Thank you to our sponsors! Go to https://Quince.com/slac for free shipping on your order and three hundred and sixty-five -day returns. Please consider donating to those affected by the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Team SLAC are donating to the PCRF, a nonprofit organization providing vital medical care, food, and humanitarian aid to children and families in need. The Big Magical Cult Show is coming to Just For Laughs Toronto on September 27th. Get your tickets before they sell out!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices