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Psalm 119:67, which says, “Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word.”   *Transcription Below*   Doug Rumbold is a child of the living God, a loving husband to Jessica, and father to Jada, Oliver, and Pierce. Currently he is the Pastor of Counseling & Discipleship at Northfield Christian Fellowship where he has pastored since 2006. He desires for others to be transformed into Christlikeness through authentic relationships. He holds a biblical counseling certificate from CCEF, a Bachelor's in Youth Ministry/ Adolescent Studies, and a Master's of Ministry in Theology.   Connect with Doug on Instagram, Facebook, or schedule a counseling session through his website or order Doug's Book.   Presence over Pain Podcast When did you experienced your first major loss? What are the three types of suffering you see laid out in the Bible? Will you share one of your conversations with the Lord where He responded with alliteration?   Thank You to Our Sponsors: Chick-fil-A East Peoria and The Savvy Sauce Charities (and donate online here)   Connect with The Savvy Sauce on Facebook or Instagram or Our Website   Gospel Scripture: (all NIV)   Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”   Romans 3:24 “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”   Romans 3:25 (a) “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.”   Hebrews 9:22 (b) “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”   Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”   Romans 5:11 “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”   John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”   Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”   Luke 15:10 says “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”   Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”   Ephesians 1:13–14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of his glory.”   Ephesians 1:15–23 “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”   Ephesians 2:8–10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God‘s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.“   Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.“   Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”   *Transcription*   Music: (0:00 – 0:09)   Laura Dugger: (0:09 - 1:38) Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, where we have practical chats for intentional living. I'm your host, Laura Dugger, and I'm so glad you're here.    I want to say a huge thank you to today's sponsors for this episode, Chick-fil-A East Peoria, and Savvy Sauce Charities.   Are you interested in a free college education for you or someone you know? Stay tuned for details coming later in this episode from today's sponsor, Chick-fil-A, East Peoria. You can also visit their website today at https://www.chick-fil-a.com/locations/il/east-peoria.    Doug Rumbold is my guest today. He is a pastor of counseling and discipleship, and he has recently written a book entitled Presence Over Pain. With Doug's biblical foundation and his sense of humor, he's now going to share some personal stories of suffering and God's continued faithfulness.   He illustrates how a yearness of God is oftentimes born through trial. So, regardless of what each of us are walking through today, Doug's going to remind us that we have the opportunity to turn toward Christ. Here's our chat.   Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, Doug.   Doug Rumbold: (1:39 - 1:42) It's exciting to be here, even virtually.   Laura Dugger: (1:42 - 2:02) Well, and its always kind of special to have a local friend join me as a guest on the podcast. But for those who don't know you yet, I think it would be really helpful to hear your story and gain some context around what led you to write this book. So, will you just begin by sharing your story with us?   Doug Rumbold: (2:03 - 6:09) Yeah, I love stories in general. I think when I look at Scripture, three-quarters of it, roughly, is a narrative. It's a story.   And so, God's heart for story is just critical, even in His communication of truth and His love for us. So, it means everybody's story matters. So, my little story matters.   And I think mine's an interesting one. To begin with, I was born and raised in Morton, Illinois. And I was born the seventh of eight children.   So, my parent's kind of did this, like, unbelievable quantity of births in a short amount of time. I'm not a woman, so I don't understand how this works. But I assume that having eight children in 10 years is crazy.   And they somehow managed to do that. So, I grew up in a loving Christian home. My dad was a phenomenal example of intention and direct when it came to conflict, merciful and forgiving when it needed to be called upon.   My mom was and still is somebody who she could have a conversation with anyone. I love my mom, her ability to just dive deep into conversation. I remember my college years.   My friends from college would actually love to come home to be with my parents, which is kind of odd. A bunch of college guys like, “Hey, can we come back from the big city of Chicago and go hang with your parents in the farm town?” Sure.   Yeah, enjoy. So, I grew up seventh of eight. My oldest sister passed away before I was born at the age of four.   She was actually buried on her fourth birthday, sadly. She passed away from leukemia. And then my youngest brother passed away my freshman year of college, which I talk about in the book a little bit.   So, for all of my growing up years, there were seven of us, not eight. And then the family just kind of continued to expand. Everybody eventually got married and had children.   And now on my side of the family, there's 35 grandkids. So, those are like pre-Medicaid type family backgrounds. You know, like you get together and everybody's going to take a Tylenol before because it's gonna be nice and loud and crazy.   But I would say from just a believing perspective at eight years old, I remember being in the basement of my church in Morton. My Sunday school teacher just giving a really compelling description, not just of how like, oh, you're going to burn, but more of a what does it look like to be separated from God for eternity? What might that be like?   And I was terrified but also had enough of these people pleasing mentality that I also didn't want to be the person who asked another question and held the class up. So, later on, I found out that it was easier for me to have that conversation. I think my mom discovered me kind of in tears, maybe even later that day.   And it was like, I don't think I know Jesus. And she's like, well, we can like, let's have a conversation. What's that look like?   And let's pray together. And so, at eight was when that became a reality in my life. And then really at 15 years old, coming home from a mission trip to Mexico, I ended up having just an awesome experience there and got baptized by a minister from our church.   His name was Dwayne. He was awesome. And then as I think through just, I mean, I mentioned it already, our family is really well acquainted with loss.   My oldest sister, my youngest brother, and then just some of our ongoing journey. My wife has an ongoing illness that requires a lot. It is a challenge for sure for her.   And then I think all of that kind of balls up together to frame a lot of where the content from my book comes from. Just living a life of non-ease has really kind of brought me to this place of if it's not going to go away or if it hasn't been taken away, what is it that sustains and how do I move through it and past it?   Laura Dugger: (6:09 - 6:32) And I definitely want to hear more elements of the book. But first, I'm just thinking through this. You said seven of eight and your youngest brother and you all are close in age.   So, to bring us into your story further, what age were you when you suffered that major loss of your brother and how did he pass away?   Doug Rumbold: (6:32 - 9:06) Yeah, that's a great question. So, my parents had all of us in 10 years. So, in 1969, they were married.   1970 is when they started cranking out children. And then 1980 was when my brother after me was born. And then it was 1997.   So, it's actually Halloween night of 1997. So, I was a freshman in college. I just moved away.   This was before cell phones. It's almost hard to imagine. But I was lying in my bed at night.   And my brother, my other brother, Ed, was at college with me as well as my sister, Jennifer, in the West suburbs in Elgin. And my brother tried to contact me because Ben had been in a car accident. So, he had been taking a walk with this girl he was getting to know.   And we live out in the country in Morton. So, you'll recognize these road names just because we're local. But if you know Tennessee, Tennessee and Harding, there's that intersection.   And my family grew up on Harding. But going down Tennessee Avenue, going north, a gentleman who actually ended up being our neighbor was coming over top of the hill. And he was changing a cassette tape, also a relic of the past.   And he was changing the cassette tape. And my brother was walking on the side of the road with traffic. So, his back was to oncoming traffic.   And the car struck him from behind. And he was essentially and effectively dead at the scene, but kind of for the benefit. And I will talk about this in the book a little bit.   The benefit of us, my other two siblings and I in Chicago, they, you know, rushed him straight to the hospital and then put him on life support. But he never had brain activity or anything from the moment that he arrived at the hospital till the following morning. We were asked, you know, how we wanted to continue.   And probably in the hardest decision that I've watched my dad make was to pull the power cord on life support. I mean, my dad was all about responsibility and he wasn't going to let somebody else do that. And my dad was also very quick in his ability to make a decision, even if the decision was hard.   And so, he just knew this was not, you know, technically Ben could have survived on life support. But he would have none of the vitality that he had had his entire 17 years prior. And so, that just was not an option.   Laura Dugger: (9:07 - 9:29) Goodness, Doug, I can't imagine that's one of those decisions you hope to never have to make as a parent. And then with your family grieving this sudden loss and then also working through forgiveness of a neighbor. What did that look like?   Doug Rumbold: (9:30 - 14:14) That's actually one of the most redeeming. I mean, again, God does this where he just kind of the Genesis 50 moment where it's like what the devil intended for harm. God meant for good.   And I remember his name was Mark. He's since passed. It happened in 97.   And I remember him coming to the door, you know, how people come to your house, and they provide condolences after a loss. And so, Ben was well known at high school. He worked with special needs children and was in the performing arts.   And so, he was just really well liked. And so, there was a high school kid. So, there's a steady stream of people coming, grieving kids, all that.   And I remember coming back from college and I remember not saying, I literally did not say a word for three days. My way of processing then was very inward. And so, I just remember being very silent.   I should correct myself. I didn't say a word other than what I'm about to tell you. Mark came to the house and Mark was in his mid-40s at the time.   And he was crushed. I mean, can you imagine what that would be like? And so, he shows up at the house.   And as he's coming up to the door, I remember my dad saying he pulls all of us kids aside. He says, “I want to tell you something. Mark is here.   He's coming up to the door. And right now, you have a choice. Forgiveness is never about how you feel.   It's about obedience. If you will forgive him now, I promise you will never struggle with bitterness toward him in this way. But it is an act of your will.   You must choose to forgive. But I'm not going to make you do so, like if you don't want to forgive him, that's fine. But I'm telling you right now, forgiveness is key.”   And I remember walking out to the door and greeting Mark and just giving him a hug and then looking at him in the eyes as a 19-year-old freshman in college and saying, “hey, Mark, I've done what you've done 100 times. You know, I've swerved off the side of the road. And so, I just want to let you know, I hold no ill will against you, and I completely forgive you.”   And he didn't really know what to say, just kind of mumbled some level of gratitude, I think. But it was kind of quiet. I had no idea the power in that moment that was happening where I was not bound to hold it against him.   And my dad was right. How many years are we removed from this? And I still had I never once thought, oh, what a jerk.   I can't believe you. I never struggled with anger toward God over the loss of my brother. These were things that I think could have happened had I held on to not being forgiven and not released Mark from that.   And probably the greater redemption happened over the years where over the next seven years, he would see my parents or my family around town, and he would always kind of hang his head. And my dad would always make it a point to say hi and to try to contact him and be kind. But Mark was just sullen, and it was difficult.   And then later on, Mark ended up having a pretty aggressive form of cancer. And by this point, my wife and I got married in January before. And I'll never forget.   We went to Carolina Beach. We lived in North Carolina at the time for just a quick getaway, the two of us. And we were coming back.   And on the drive back, I remember receiving a call from my dad and he's crying on the phone. He says, “Well, Mark just passed away.” And he goes, “but before he did, he invited your mother and I up to his hospital room.”   And when we walked in the room, he looked at me, he said, “Gary, I have I have often wondered why and how. Why would you forgive me? How did you muster the strength to do such a thing?”   And my dad, in his simplicity or whatever, was like, “Well, it's easy. I've you know, I've been forgiven. Do you know how much I've done?   Do you know what hurt I've caused other people?” And he says, “It's only natural that I should forgive you for what happened. It wasn't your intention.   Jesus forgave me. And so, I forgive you. Just real simple.”   And in that moment, Mark then began to ask what motivates. And my dad got to explain a relationship with Jesus Christ. And so, literally on his deathbed, just prior to passing, Mark turned his heart over to the Lord.   I mean, it was awesome. And so, just such a powerful story of forgiveness.   Laura Dugger: (14:16 - 19:48) And now a brief message from our sponsor. Did you know you can go to college tuition free just by being a team member at Chick-fil-A East Peoria? Yes, you heard that right.   Free college education. All Chick-fil-A East Peoria team members in good standing are immediately eligible for a free college education through Point University. Point University is a fully accredited private Christian college located in West Point, Georgia.   This online self-paced program includes 13 associates degrees, 17 bachelor's degrees and two master's programs, including an MBA. College courses are fully transferable both in and out of this program. 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We are all about sharing around here, sharing resources, sharing joy and sharing the good news about Jesus Christ.   We ask that you also will share by sharing financially, sharing The Savvy Sauce podcast episodes, and sharing a five-star rating and review. You can also share any of our social media posts on Instagram or Facebook. We are grateful for all of it, and we just love partnering together with you.   Now, back to the show. What are the three types of suffering you see laid out in the Bible?   Doug Rumbold: (19:50 - 21:29) Yeah, I'm not a theologian by any stretch, and so I'm sure I might be missing some. But I think when I look at all of Scripture, I guess I just kind of come away with three different forms of suffering. I see the first one that you kind of come across is the most poignant one is the suffering of Job.   Here's somebody who didn't do anything wrong, and he experiences catastrophic pain. So, the suffering that God allows in his sovereignty is the first form. The second one is the suffering that I caused.   Now, obviously, this is the one we first confront in Scripture, in the narrative. We see it in Genesis 3. But the story that most poignantly points this out to me is the story of David and Bathsheba.   Here's a king who has everything he needs and wants, and he should be out protecting and defending his kingdom. And instead, he's on his rooftop looking and taking what is not his. And so, there's suffering that I cause.   My pastor in college used to say, “You choose to sin, you choose to suffer.” And I think it's an apt description. And then the third form of suffering is the suffering that my faith brings.   I think about the apostles where they are called in by the council and arrested and beaten and told not to speak in the name. And what do they do? They walk out rejoicing, like, yes, we've been counted worthy to suffer.   Like, yeah, that's so different than the American version of Christianity at the present moment. We don't necessarily think that way. So, in short order, the suffering that God allows in his sovereignty, the suffering I cause in my sin, and the suffering my faith brings with persecution would be the three.   Laura Dugger: (21:30 - 21:42) Well, and I loved one of your quotes where you write, the earnest desire of my heart is that you come to understand the presence of God in and through suffering, no matter its cause.   Doug Rumbold: (21:43 - 22:03) Well, when I think about that, think of your own life, Laura. When you go back through ever since you just you surrendered your heart to Jesus, can you point to where were the deepest learning moments for you? What do you think? How would you answer that question?   Laura Dugger: (22:04 - 22:26) I do feel like I may be an anomaly here because some of it is from those seasons of grief or searing loss. But also, I would say in the really good times, the gratitude and joy that he provides, those have been some of my greatest leaps in faith.   Doug Rumbold: (22:28 - 24:32) Yeah, I think that's huge. I think it's one of those reasons why you see in Scripture this idea of we're supposed to be people who are thanking God even through our suffering. I think it's that rhythm or that habit of gratitude that can transform even what may appear hard or difficult.   In the book, that quote that you just read, I think comes from this idea that God communicates his presence to us in different ways because of the form of suffering or hardship that we're facing. If I'm somebody who is suffering because of what God has allowed, I look at the idea of our daughter with cancer, for example, and I think, okay, the hardship that she faced, it would not make sense for her to frame her life and her hardship with suffering in terms of confession and forgiveness of sin. She didn't sin to get sick.   And so, the idea of how God's going to communicate his presence to her in the suffering that he allows is more about what does it mean to endure with patience and joy? How does she endure hardship with patience and joy? In those ways, in that way, rather, I think that's how God begins to communicate his presence to her.   His nearness to her means he's not far because something is wrong with her and she needs to be discarded. It's more that he is quite near, and it's the recognition of that. It's this like my heart can be glossed over by the pain I'm facing, whether God allows it, I cause it, or my faith brings it.   It can be glossed over if I have an inward curve, if I have like this inward turn of sin and I can miss. How does God want to communicate his presence to me through this? I think that overall, most of us focus more on the suffering that we're experiencing at times than we do on God's provided presence.   Laura Dugger: (24:33 - 24:54) And that reminds me of something else where you later write about Psalm 119:67, which says, “Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I keep your word.” So, Doug, how did you experience the truth of this scripture through your experience with your daughter Jada?   Doug Rumbold: (24:56 - 27:57) Yeah, I think probably the safest and quickest description is pain has a way of getting our attention. Like your toe is just fine when you're walking to the kitchen at 2:00 a.m. to grab a drink of water and go back to bed. And then your toe makes its presence known when you kick the chair, right?   And you're like, oh, and then you're acutely aware of it. You know, you go back to bed and it's throbbing. You might put some ice on it.   Now it's cold. And pain is like that where it gets my attention when it's hit. And so, I was not aware, I don't think, of the depth of my self-reliance until every bit of control was removed from me.   So, particularly when I think of Jada's challenge, you know that before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I keep your word. There's this mercy in suffering that says ever so slightly, we are people who easily turn to ourselves and our resources before we will turn to God. My wife would say it this way, and I agree with her.   I think it's an excellent understanding of parenting. We both view parenting as a form of stewardship. So, if I get paid, which I do, you know, for my work as a pastor, I get paid, I steward that money.   It's not my money. The Lord owns the cattle on a thousand hills, right? So, if he owns everything, he owns even the finances that are put into my back pocket.   And the way that I steward it is the degree to which I am surrendered to him. And so, parenting is like that. God has given you the currency of children, and you have children that you are to steward back to God as an offering to him.   And my wife would say this, I just didn't know. I'm supposed to lay them down every day before the feet of God in full reliance and trust that he is a better parent than I will ever be. What happened in particular with our daughter showed how quickly we will take them back again, how quickly we will be people who will say, “Oh, well, I actually think I can make a better decision here than the Lord will.”   We would never say that out loud, but our control and our actions will illustrate that every day. It's one of the reasons why it's so easy to get offended when your kid sins against you. It's one of the reasons why it's so easy to be overwhelmed when your kid is far from you.   We can get to a place where though we are to steward our children back to God, like finances given to us, like children given to us, there's this idea we are supposed to be stewards. And so, I learned that I went astray from God. And I still do every day.   It's a thousand opportunities to return to him. Does that make sense or am I talking crazy?   Laura Dugger: (27:58 - 28:24) No, that makes that makes sense. And even I think you're talking about something probably a lot of us are relating to as parents of certain times where we really grasp we are not in control. So, will you even take us to that day where that first became a realization for you? Because you're a parent of I believe she was a five-year-old at the time. Is that right?   Doug Rumbold: (28:25 - 37:11) Yes, that day was awful. I would never want to repeat it. Jessica had it's not really a day, but a kind of a progression from kind of like a Thanksgiving time frame until January.   So, the short order is my wife was pregnant with our youngest and her date for delivery was supposed to be right after January 1st, because I remember thinking, are you kidding me? I'm going to miss the cutoff for claiming this dependent. And anyway, Thanksgiving, we had gone down to visit some dear friends of ours.   So, a shout out to John and Katrina. I'm sure they'll listen to this who live in Oklahoma. It's where I did my internship in college on like this orphan boys ranch.   It was awesome. I loved it and grew a great friendship with them. So, we were down there visiting them.   And my wife has this gallbladder attack. And the way she describes it, she felt like she was dying. And of course, she didn't wake me up because, you know, women can apparently experience pain and not make a big deal of it.   Men, that doesn't work. So, there's definitely a gender difference there. And so, she realizes as she's homeschooling Jada, this is not tenable.   I can't keep this up, especially if I'm going to have a child and everything. And so, we decided, oh, no big deal. We'll have just come back from our trip and decided we were going to put Jada in public school just for the last part of kindergarten.   And Jessica was going to give birth to the child and hopefully get the treatment that she needed because we took an ultrasound, and they discovered a bunch of gallstones. And it was rough. And so, we get back, and we go to the school, get the forms.   And basically, it was just filling out a couple of forms. Oh, yes. A bunch of check marks here, and a bunch of check marks there.   Get the dental form and all that. You need one last thing that we can't just sign away. You need to do a quick physical.   Now, Jada was feeling great doing everything. You know, all of her markers were fine. We go to a doctor from our church at the Tremont Medical Clinic and he performed just a simple physical.   And Jada was, you know, everything was just fine. And as he's palpating around her stomach, he's just kind of pressing there. And I don't know how doctors do this where they, you know, press on your stomach and they're like, OK, your organs are in the right place.   OK, I trust you. So, his face, like his countenance, just shifted. And Jessica and I were both in the room and he just kind of looks at me because I just can't reconcile this.   But to rule anything out, we're just going to have her get an ultrasound and be on our way. I remember thinking I had a hernia when I was young, maybe six months or something. I can't remember how old I was.   And so, Jessica and I went home that night and I mean, we were shedding tears like, oh, my goodness. Our sweet daughter has a hernia. Can't believe it.   What does this mean? She's going to have surgery, all this stuff. And never were we prepared for what happened next.   You know, the next morning she wakes up, and she takes Jada and Oliver, who's two at the time, to get the ultrasound in Peoria at a place called Peoria Imaging. And I stayed home. I was writing a sermon.   So, I'm sitting there working on a sermon from Mark, Chapter eight. And Jessica goes and I'm not hearing from her. I'm not hearing from her.   And then about three hours later, I got a call and she's like, so, they did an ultrasound and then they did like another one. And then they ordered a CT, and they just got done with the CT. And she goes and I just looked out in the waiting room and it's full and nobody's coming in.   And now they said that she needs an MRI. And I'm like, “What?” This doesn't seem like a hernia.   And she said, “Honey, I just asked the nurse, and they won't commit.” “Like they won't say anything,” I asked.   I kept asking if it's a hernia. And finally, I just asked one of the nurses, “Is it bad?” And the nurse said, “That she thinks it's significant.”   And I'm like, oh. And I remember that day then calling my dad or my parents and just kind of giving them updates along the way. Like, okay, you know, Jay is going in for a quick ultrasound, probably a hernia.   But then I remember calling my dad and my dad's on the phone with me right after I got off with Jess. And I just said, “So, it went from just a quick ultrasound to CT to an MRI.” And I said, “They just finished the MRI or they're in process.”   And they said, “That after the MRI, they want to send her to the hospital for blood work.” And my dad's only response was, “Oh, boy. I mean, it was just like,” and his voice quivered.   You know, the quiver of like the I don't know if I'm ready for this sort of quiver. And I can only imagine what's going through his head, having already lost two children and particularly one to cancer. He knows that feeling.   So, the day only got longer from there. I got a ride over there with my sister-in-law to Puri Imaging. And then we went to the hospital together and had to get blood drawn and all that stuff.   And that's a whole story in and of itself, the trauma of that for her. But I remember leaving the hospital and Jessica and I know at this point with the full weight of this is not a hernia, but we still don't have answers. Like every time I'm asking a question to a doctor or a nurse, they are deferring and deferring and deferring.   And my anger internally is kind of growing. And so, I'm a little, I'm not aggressive, but I'm assertive. And I remember driving away from OSF in Peoria.   And as we're driving away, Jade is just in the back seat looking out the window. And Jessica and I are in the front seat, just crying, but trying to hold it together, you know. And I look in my rearview mirror.   I'm like, “Hey, sweetie.” And she's like, “Yeah.” “Like, what are you thinking about?”   She goes well. I just can't decide what smoothie I want at Smoothie King. That was the day where they, you know, the scan that she had to have was an NPO, which means she can't have any food or liquid unless it's clear.   And so, she was starving. And at this point it was like 6:30 at night. So, she's super hungry.   And so, we went to the first location and the second location. They were all closed between Christmas and New Year's. So, no Smoothie King for her.   And that was the last time we remember eating at McDonald's as a family. And then that night the diagnosis finally came. We got back home.   We were home for 10 minutes. And we received a call from what ended up being her surgeon from Illinois Medical Clinic. And we were asked to come back into an after-hours appointment, which those are never good.   And so, we walk in the door. We sit down. There's not even a secretary.   The lights in the building are off. We were walking down this hallway to this last, you know, exam room. And Jada is just sitting there on the table.   Jessica is about ready to pop pregnancy-wise. And the doctor walks in and says, so, I assume you know why you're here. And I said, actually, we haven't been able to get a straight answer.   And we have no idea what's happening. And she goes, are you kidding me? She's like, I have to be the one to tell you this, that your daughter has kidney cancer.   And I think the thing that caught me was Jessica sitting on a chair kind of at the foot of the exam table. And instinctively, I mean, it was like it wasn't even – it was no coaching. There was no – Jada just kind of crumbled and her body just kind of fell onto Jess.   And Jess's mom has walked through cancer twice. And so, Jessica has lived this journey as well, just the difficulty of it. And so, for her, she's just like I know what this required of me when my mom had it.   And I had to take care of her when I was in junior high and then again when I was in college. And now I'm pregnant and now my daughter has cancer. It was unreal.   And then I wrote about it in the book, but the walk from the front door to the van where Jada's face was buried in my neck. And the warmth of her tears and just her body just kind of melted into mine as we're walking back to the van. And it's like I never want to forget that because the usefulness of it, how helpful it is for me to recall some things, to live in that place of like this is what you redeem, this is what you restore.   But it was hard as heck. And so, that would be what I remember from the day of diagnosis.   Laura Dugger: (37:13 - 37:26) It is so hard to imagine what that would look like to get that news. And I'm just wondering for you and Jess, what did your faith look like and what were your conversations like with the Lord at that point?   Doug Rumbold: (37:29 - 39:10) You know, I – because of the loss of my brother earlier, I don't – I mean that's a great question. And I don't mean this how it might sound or come across, but my faith was never – I don't think that my faith was an issue in terms of am I still going to cling to Jesus. It was just more of a – it was just – it was so hard.   I really wish I had words for it. I talk about this in another podcast that I did. I remember just feeling so overwhelmed and more of a feeling like we were treading water in the middle of an ocean.   And someone – you're like begging for a life raft and they hand you a cinder block. And you're like, not helpful. So, my faith, our conversations with the Lord, they were hard, and we were certainly super sad.   My wife would probably talk about how she was broken and quiet and learning afresh what it means to surrender. But she is methodical and consistent in her pursuit of the Lord and extremely faithful. And so, hers was sitting in solitude and just waiting and cry and lament and work through it all and then come out the other side stronger.   I process things a little bit more verbally. But I think our faith was strong. We were just shattered for the pain that she was experiencing for sure.   Laura Dugger: (39:11 - 39:35) That's a great way of putting it. And just like He promises, I have spoken – Mark and I have talked with you and Jess before. And you've shared how God continued to be an ever-present help in these times of trouble.   But will you share one of your conversations with the Lord where he responded to you with alliteration?   Doug Rumbold: (39:35 - 45:50) Yeah, the one that I think of is – and I write about it a little bit in my book. But I just remember thinking kind of two questions that I would ask. One was right after Pierce was born and we obviously weren't having any sleep.   So, if you look at the timeline, Jada was diagnosed on the 30th of December. The 2nd of January was Jessica and my anniversary. The 3rd was Jada's surgery.   The 10th was when her pathology came back. And the diagnosis went from 95, 98% cure rate, survival rate just fine to like 40 to 60% survival rate. And a different stage of cancer and the size of the tumor was much larger than they originally anticipated.   And so, we came home that night from the pathology report and wept and wept and wept. And then Jessica started labor that night. And it was a blizzard.   Our midwife didn't make the birth. And then Pierce is born on the morning of the 11th, which is the same morning that Jada and I were supposed to go back in now to have more MRIs, more blood work to determine had the cancer metastasized throughout her whole body instead of just in that one tumor. And it was assumed that it had and so, that's why they were checking everything.   And so, it was an urgent, you need to get there for this. I just kind of felt like the one question, one of two questions I was asking, but one of them was with conversation with the Lord was when will you relent? Won't you just relent?   So, I was never like struggling in my faith to the degree that I was going to toss it, but I was angry with God. I was like, come on, like, how does this work? Can you give, throw me a bone, basically.   So, that was one conversation. But the conversation that's most poignant is after he started to frame those things up a little bit and give more of a trellis to build on. I remember treatment had begun, which timeline, if you're looking at it, the 11th is when Pierce is born.   The 13th is when Jada started treatment. So, from like the 13th to the 18th, she had radiation. And then after that, for the rest of the year, eight months, whatever, she had chemo.   I remember one morning I never slept at the hospital. It was just not comfortable. It was always beeping, stuff like that.   So, I would often go down to the playroom. There's an activity room at the end of the hall on the sixth floor there at OSF. And I'd be down there with a lackluster cup of coffee and my Bible and journal.   And I'd watch the sunrise over the city of Peoria. And it would just be kind of like; I really couldn't hardly read. It would be more of me just like, because no one was awake.   That was the only time when it was semi quiet. And I would just have these out loud conversations with the Lord. Like, what's happening?   And the conversation, the question that I kept asking was, Lord, how in the world are we going to do this? How in the world are we going to make it through? That's really when he began to kind of press back in.   And I'm not, I don't know how to explain this, but more of a, I had a very tangible sense that as I'm sitting there on the sixth floor, that he was almost in the chair next to me. And he's just, he's like, okay, tell me more about your struggle. What's it like?   Help me to understand the pain of your heart. And so, I'm, I'm unloading these things to Him. And all of a sudden I noticed the time and it's like, oh, Jada is going to be waking up soon.   I need to get back there before they do rounds, you know, and the whole dance starts again. And so, I kind of like, oh, I want to return. It's like when you wake up from a dream and you're like, oh no, I want to finish the dream.   And you try to go back to sleep quickly. That's a little bit of how that conversation was working out. And I remember going back to the room and jotting a few more things down in my journal.   And then after that it goes, okay. The day was now full of motion. And I had forgotten about the conversation quite honestly.   And until that evening, I was like, okay, I'm just gonna, I told Jada, I'm like, “Honey, I'm going to run home real quick and shower, get a change of clothes and maybe get some real food. And then I'll be back. Okay.”   Don't worry. And so, I hopped in my car, I turned on my headlights, and I got out of the parking garage, and I got on 74. And right as I was getting on the bridge to cross over the Illinois to go back toward Tremont, it was, I mean, I don't know how people feel about this.   So, sorry if I start a theological controversy on your podcast, but, um, I, as I'm sitting there as audible as you and I talking back and forth, there's this sense of my spirit of like, you asked how you're going to get through Christ community and confession. But there was really beyond that, there was really no discussion. You know, it was more just like those three words got tossed out.   And so, I remember driving down the highway and almost like, uh, you're in a zone where it's like, you see the headlights, you know, going like right past you and, and nothing is distracting to me. And I remember thinking some of those things made sense to me, like, you know, yes, Christ suffered. Yes.   I need community around me, things like that. But confession was the one that I struggled with the most. Like what do you mean by that?   You know, because I had a courtroom idea of confession, like, okay, I got caught doing something I shouldn't have. I need to confess. What I did was wrong.   And there definitely is that element. But I came to learn later that confession is the Hebrew word. One of the Hebrew words for it actually means praise.   And so, there's this, there's this idea of caught up, being caught up in understanding the presence of God and you're confessing. It's the word that actually, more accurately, fits is declaration. And so, I'm like, oh, wow.   Okay. So, what you're saying then is these scriptures that I've been studying for years now, I I'm actually, it's about declaring them in praise over my life, over my circumstances, over my daughter as a way of help to get us through. Okay.   Laura Dugger: (45:51 - 47:09) By now, I hope you've checked out our updated website, thesavvysauce.com so that you can have access to all the additional freebies we are offering, including all of our previous articles and all of our previous episodes, which now include transcriptions. You will be equipped to have your own practical chats for intentional living. When you read all the recommended questions in the articles or gain insight from expert guests and past episodes, as you read through the transcriptions, because many people have shared with us that they want to take notes on previous episodes, or maybe their spouse prefers to read our conversations rather than listen to them.   We heard all of that and we now have provided transcripts for all our episodes. Just visit thesavvysauce.com. All of this is conveniently located under the tab show notes on our website.   Happy reading. And I just want to go back to something that you said, because you use the word relent. God, how long until you relent?   And yet he flipped that word and taught you that he will relentlessly continue to pursue you with his presence.   Doug Rumbold: (47:10 - 49:26) I'm glad that you draw that out because I think the relentless pursuit is in that question of when will you relent? It was one of our darker moments, even in marriage where my wife and I were both stretched to the max, totally thin and struggling. And it was an argument, you know, where I'm lying on the ground after my wife and I had just kind of like, I need you to take care of this.   And she's asking me to take care of something I'm not wanting to, and I'm holding my ground and I'm tired. She's tired. And aren't your best moments between midnight and 7am anyway?   And so, I remember laying on the ground. That moment was laying on the ground at the foot of my son's crib in our bedroom. And he was not sleeping.   He's a newborn. Newborns don't sleep easily. And I remember pounding the ground and actually saying, you know, when, when will you relent God?   Like when will you let up? And to see the connection between my question was the assumption that God had left the building that God had kind of punched the clock. Okay.   I'll be back by five. You know, like when instead, the way that He wants to communicate His presence to me in my suffering shows that He's relentlessly digging through every bit of self-reliance that I've set up to try to manufacture outcomes. And so, there, there's a way that His relentless presence is like, like waves on a shore one after the other, the rhythmic nature of it, the dependable nature of it, you can't stop it.   Nature of it is the way that He can and will use any circumstance trial in your life to communicate His presence to you. So, yeah, that's right. Its relenting is a releasing and letting go, but relentless pursuit is also this like dogged pursuit of us.   it's been said before that, that God or Christ is the hound of heaven, you know, like a blood hound with your scent who won't give up until He finds you. And so, similar to our experience for sure.   Laura Dugger: (49:27 - 50:00) Well, and you go into these stories and then also offer hope and offer so much scripture where you have poured over to help us make sense of suffering. And even see things where it's a very upside-down economy as God often has, where there's blessing in the affliction, but yet to close the loop on this story. Can you give us a picture of where your family is at today? Even the ages of your children and Jada's status?   Doug Rumbold: (50:01 - 52:27) Yeah, for sure. So, it's been a long journey for sure. Jada now is 18 and we are in preparation for her.   She is going to be going to Arizona Christian University in the fall. So, a nice short 24-hour drive away. And so, again, we're learning afresh what it looks like to lay down our children, but we're super excited about it.   We are super excited about the new friends she'll make. My wife and I have always said Jada is a spread your wings and fly sort of girl and cancer only proved that. So, we're super excited about that for her.   Our son, Oliver, who was two at the time, is now 14 where he's a freshman. He turns 15 this summer and I'm sure we'll be driving soon after. No concerns there.   And then my son, Pierce, is in sixth grade. And yeah, they all have their own interest's kind of across the board. Jada loves music and singing and playing piano.    Oliver is relationally. He's just this guy who enjoys mature conversation. So, like when we get together with our life group, you'll find him talking to the adult men just because he fits there. He's more of an old soul.   Pierce is our creative kid. He's always doing trick shots. And I mean, it's pretty crazy the stuff that he does. He's kind of fun like that and loves fishing and things of this nature.    So, yeah, all of my kids are very interesting and different like that. My wife is doing homeschooling for the boys, and she continues to be somebody who is a silent influencer in the lives of many, usually and primarily through prayer.   But I am amazed at how often the Lord uses her in the lives of other people to bring about change and transformation. She's just an excellent gifted counselor of people with the word of God and prayer. So, that's kind of where our family's at.   I've been at the time that Jada was ill, I was the youth pastor at Northfield and I'm still at Northfield though. I'm in a different role. I'm pastor of counseling and discipleship here at Northfield.   So, I have never left this community. So, I'm trying to think if there's anything else update wise. I don't think so.   I think it's pretty much it.   Laura Dugger: (52:27 - 52:30) And so, Jada is in remission.   Doug Rumbold: (52:30 - 55:11) Yes. She did have one other occurrence where she started having really acute headaches in 2013. Then, those acute headaches turned into taking her back for a checkup and the checkup revealed a lesion on her frontal lobe. So, a brain tumor.   We had to wait eight weeks to scan again. Those eight weeks were the hardest and worst that I think we've faced even from the first cancer. It was like, “Oh my goodness, we're going to have to go through this again.”   And then we had this season of waiting, you know, the eight weeks and then she was going back in for another scan to determine scope and growth. Also, you know, what type of craniotomy or brain surgery they were going to perform, to address it or whether it was going to be treated medically. Or how was that going to happen? And so, that all took place. Then, they did the scan, and we had to wait.   Normally we would have these scans, and it would be like a four-to-eight-hour turnaround. And you know that same day or even the next day we get a call from the St. Jude office, and they would say all clear. This one went one day, that was two days.   And I called and they said, “Oh, well, you know, the doctor will call you.” And I'm like, “Come on Beth.” You know, she was the head nurse that I've had relationship with for a while.   And she's like, “No, you know, the doctor will tell you.” And I'm like, “That's never good.” And come to find out, we had to wait until the end of that week.   So, it was not one day, not two days, not three days, not four days, but five. So, it went from Monday to Friday. And on Friday, the doctor called me after hours.   And I thought for sure it was, you know, here we go treatment time. And, um, she called back and said, the reason it's taken so long is because I had to have conference calls with, uh, Memphis, DC, LA, all these different cancer centers and looking at the imaging together. But when, when we laid the last image that shows the lesion over the newest one, the newest one shows nothing like it's completely gone.   And she goes, and it's definitely here. It's definitely something that requires intervention. And now it doesn't.   And so, she goes, I just wanted to confirm the anomaly. I'm like, that's not an anomaly. That's a healing.   And so, uh, Jada has been in remission, ever since. So, she's been, she's been doing good. In fact, her last cancer follow-up appointment was like three weeks ago and got the all clear.   So, praise God.   Laura Dugger: (55:11 - 55:44) Praise God. What an awesome, miraculous healing. I'm so thankful you shared that and really Doug with your unique career that you're in and the journey that you and Jess have been through and your love of scripture, you're putting all of this together and it really is such a gift, this book that you've written.   So, can you tell us just a little bit more of who this book is for and what people could expect to find when they read it?   Doug Rumbold: (55:45 - 57:54) Yeah. So, the book is for anyone because, and you would know this as well, but you're either heading into a trial, you're in the middle of a trial or you're on the backside of a trial. And there's never a moment in which you can say, “Oh, okay, well now I've learned and now I've arrived and now we're good.”   I do think that the preparation of our heart for trial is critical because it's going to come like we are going to face suffering of some form at some point. And so, it's good to know how to approach it. It's for anybody who wants to learn and grow and be encouraged.   But specifically, one of the things that I struggled with during our trial, and it's ongoing, you know, because of some of the stuff that we mentioned before ongoing health issues in our family and stuff like that. But I, what I found was people would be like, “Oh, here's a book.” It's only 320 pages on suffering.   I'm like, really? Thanks for that. I've got no capacity to do that.   So, I purposely wanted to write a book that you could personally sit and read like in an afternoon. It's so, it's short. It's like, you know, a hundred pages and it's digestible.   So, you could jump from one chapter to the eighth chapter if you wanted, and you would, you would still hopefully gain something. So, I wanted to make it uniquely accessible and heart focused. So, you'll find kind of like throughout the chapters, I have these like, so, truth to life.   And what I'm basically doing is trying to say, “Okay, we talked about something at a 30,000-foot view. What does it look like boots on the ground here?” I don't usually just spell it out for you.   I usually ask questions that are going to force you to address heart issues because scripture is pretty clear that all of our conduct flows from a heart that's filled with good or bad. So, people can expect to be challenged. They can expect to not have something that's too long and too hard to read, but they can also expect to find it kind of built around story a little bit.   That's one of the reasons why I use those different stories from scripture. I think we relate well and explain things well in a story.   Laura Dugger: (57:55 - 58:14) Definitely agree. We learn so much from Jesus's stories. Those stick with us and yours do too.   So, thank you for sharing all of those today. And if anyone desires more help and healing after today's conversation, where would you direct them?   Doug Rumbold: (58:15 - 59:59) The first thing that I would do is just encourage prayer. The idea of silence and solitude is where you can be begun to become aware of the healing that you may need and being able to just journal it down and have it right in front of you. That is probably one of the first steps.   Second thing I would say is to lean into community. COVID has kind of wrecked things in some ways where some people have gotten used to this idea of either online attendance or whatever. Nothing, nothing, nothing replaces the body of Christ in the tangible way.   And so, the idea of being with and around other like-minded believers is critical. But in terms of myself, the book that I wrote, it's available on Walmart, Amazon, Barnes and Noble. You can just search Presence Over Pain in a search engine and find it pretty easily.   I am currently in the works of working through like an audio version of it because some people prefer that. So, that will be forthcoming. You can find me on Facebook or Instagram.   I provide biblical counseling in person or virtually so, people can contact me through those platforms if they want to have a conversation. And the cool thing is those things happen. There's a number of different connections that God has made where people have either read the book or they know someone who read the book and my name was recommended and here I am a couple of months later having a conversation with someone who found me online.   And I love technology for that purpose. How can we come together and build around something in Christ? It's pretty awesome.   Laura Dugger: (59:59 - 1:00:31) That is awesome. And we will certainly add all of those links in the show notes for today's episode. In addition to the link to your own podcast where you dig a little bit deeper into the book.   And the name of that is also Presence Over Pain podcast. And Doug, you know that our podcast is called The Savvy Sauce because savvy is synonymous with practical knowledge. And so, as my final question for you today, what is your Savvy Sauce?   Doug Rumbold: (1:00:32 - 1:04:48) I love the question because practical is helpful. So, I think probably just some brief stories and then a couple of suggestions. So, I remember when I was younger, all seven of us children kind of growing up in the same house.   My dad had such a passion for us to know the word of God that he wanted us to all like sit down at the same time. And he was going to read a chapter of Proverbs. Well, can you imagine seven kids on a Tuesday morning trying to get ready for school?   And then your father saying, “Okay, everybody sit down.” Like nobody's going to be able to do that. And so, after a few failed attempts, what my dad did was he would, he would have a section that he was going to read, and he would start with the oldest child, and he would follow them around literally like follow them.   And he would just, he would read the word of God to them and then he would move to the next one and to the next one and to the next one and the next one. And I have memories of like even walking out the door, going to get on the bus and my dad following me right up to the door, reading the last bit of Proverbs to us. And so, practically speaking, you really cannot underestimate the value of intentionally diving into God's word daily personally.   Like don't let somebody else do it for you. It's so, personal. It's so, needed.   And just when you feel like it's not going to matter, the fruit of it will come forth. So, that's, that's one. And then the other story that kind of points to a practical reality is my wife grew up through her parents splitting up when she was, I think, second or third grade.   And just the difficulty of that, like the life of a single mom as she and her sister watched her mom go through that. But Jessica tells a story often of like not understanding and now understanding, but like she would knock on her mom's door and she would hear her mom crying and she would, she'd open the door and her mom would be face down on the floor, just, just praying and weeping. And she's like, hold on, honey.   Mommy just needs to be with Jesus. And it communicated this idea. And my wife has carried this on in our own family and in her practice of just like prayer and particularly prayers of lament are huge.   And so, practically speaking, what's that look like? I mean, I have an exercise. I'm sure you are being a counselor by nature would, would appreciate this.   But one of the things that you can do to learn how to lament is to look at a good number of the Psalms are lament Psalms. Like they're sad Psalms. Like Lord, my life stinks.   The wheels have fallen off and you're nowhere to be found. So, being honest with God is critical, but a simple assignment would be to read a lament Psalm, like Psalm 13 or Psalm 88 or Psalm 77, Psalm 42, any of those. And then as you read that Psalm, just the simple assignment is to like write your own Psalm of lament and then read it back to the Lord. You know, Lord, I felt like you were absent when my daughter was diagnosed with cancer, but I am going to trust in your unfailing love.   Like you see those pictures all throughout the Psalm. So, that's a practical, simple way to engage God. I think the last thing that I would say in terms of practical is the idea of rest from a perspective, you know, biblically it's called Sabbath.   Do you have a 24-hour period of rest? Because what you do when you Sabbath is you say something to God and to everyone else. It doesn't depend on me.   When I choose to rest, I'm choosing not to be productive. I'm choosing not to perform. I'm choosing only to receive.   I'm choosing to rest. I'm choosing to fall back into his arms. Rhythmically reminding ourselves of that for me, the way that that works out is like, you know, I'm a pastor.   So, Sundays are a workday. So, once I get home after Sunday until like noon, the following day is the time when it's like, okay, this is where I'm not going to be on my screen. I'm going to take a walk with the family.   We're going to have dinner together. Things that are filling and receiving are critically helpful. And I would say savvy.   Laura Dugger: (1:04:49 - 1:05:08) That's so good. And Doug, Mark and I are just so grateful to know you and Jess. We learn from both of you, and we've learned from your stories. They've been so impactful today.   So, thank you for writing this resource and thank you for being my guest today.   Doug Rumbold: (1:05:09 - 1:05:11) It was a total pleasure. Thank you for having me on.   Laura Dugger: (1:05:12 - 1:08:54) One more thing before you go. Have you heard the term gospel before?   It simply means good news. And I want to share the best news with you. But it starts with the bad news.   Every single one of us were born sinners, but Christ desires to rescue us from our sin, which is something we cannot do for ourselves. This means there is absolutely no chance we can make it to heaven on our own. So, for you and for me, it means we deserve death, and we can never pay back the sacrifice we owe to be saved.   We need a savior. But God loved us so much, he made a way for his only son to willingly die in our place as the perfect substitute. This gives us hope of life forever in right relationship with him.   That is good news. Jesus lived the perfect life we could never live and died in our place for our sin. This was God's plan to make a way to reconcile with us so that God can look at us and see Jesus.   We can be covered and justified through the work Jesus finished if we choose to receive what He has done for us. Romans 10:9 says, “That if you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” So, would you pray with me now?   Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Jesus to take our place. I pray someone today right now is touched and chooses to turn their life over to you. Will you clearly guide them and help them take their next step in faith to declare you as Lord of their life?   We trust you to work and change lives now for eternity. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.   If you prayed that prayer, you are declaring him for me, so me for him. You get the opportunity to live your life for him. And at this podcast, we're called The Savvy Sauce for a reason.   We want to give you practical tools to im

Send us a textWhen a false shark sighting shut down Carolina Beach, the confusion that followed revealed something deeper: how much we rely on the local National Weather Service office and its communication networks to keep coastal communities safe. In this episode, Shoresides speaks with Stephen Pfaff, meteorologist-in-charge at the NWS-Wilmington, about the challenges of misinformation, the delicate partnerships that power coastal safety alerts, and why clear, effective communication can save lives.Links:Statement issued after increased shark activity observed in Carolina Beach surfhttps://www.wect.com/2025/07/07/statement-issued-after-increased-shark-activity-observed-carolina-beach-surf/Miscommunication over shark activity causes confusion at Carolina Beachhttps://www.wect.com/2025/07/08/miscommunication-over-shark-activity-causes-confusion-carolina-beach/Support the showwww.shoresides.org

No tunes, just a track of a thunder storm I recorded one night on May of 2025 on an Island in North Carolina. Here are some ways you can support the show: You can support the Podcast by joining the Patreon page at https://www.patreon.com/wetootwaag You can also take a minute to leave a review of the podcast if you listen on Itunes! Tell your piping and history friends about the podcast! Checkout my Merch Store on Bagpipeswag: https://www.bagpipeswag.com/wetootwaag You can also support me by Buying my Albums on Bandcamp: https://jeremykingsbury.bandcamp.com/ You can now buy physical CDs of my albums using this Kunaki link: https://kunaki.com/msales.asp?PublisherId=166528&pp=1 You can just send me an email at wetootwaag@gmail.com letting me know what you thought of the episode! Listener mail keeps me going! Finally I have some other support options here: https://www.wetootwaag.com/support Thanks! Listen on Itunes/Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wetootwaags-bagpipe-and-history-podcast/id129776677 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5QxzqrSm0pu6v8y8pLsv5j?si=QLiG0L1pT1eu7B5_FDmgGA

AP correspondent Jennifer King reports on a mass shooting in South Carolina.

#realconversations #beachmusic #UofGeorgia #bobbytomlinson#journalism #corporateaffairs #author CONVERSATIONS WITH CALVIN WE THE SPECIESMeet CHRIS JONES; “I met Chris Jones a month ago on ourweekly author hour on Bold Authors Network with best-selling author Kae Wagner.This is a plug for Kae. Besides bolstering authors on journeys, which is how Imet Chris, Kae has been transformative in my author's life, which is also aboutselling books. And I've done it all this past year. Kae is. Chris dropped me a chat, and a week later we Zoomed. Asoutherner and a northeastern guy bonded. Commonalities abounded. We'recontemporaries. Chris is worldly, beginning in those precious college days.Music and radio were a part of his early life. Mine too. I could listen toChris for hours. His stories and, most importantly, his journey to co-writing‘The Embers: The Bobby Tomlinson Story,' in part documenting the Carolina beachmusic scene. He's charming, passionate, and humorous. Worldly keeps coming up.Chris' story of his evolution as an author makes for this very specialinterview. “  Calvinhttps://www.youtube.com/c/ConversationswithCalvinWetheSpecIEs508 Interviews/Videos  9000 SUBSCRIBERSGLOBAL Reach. Earth Life. Amazing People.  PLEASE SUBSCRIBE  CHRIS JONES; Retired;Co-Author, ‘The Embers: The Bobby Tomlinson Story;' (Carolina Beach Music);Corporate Public Affairs; Journalism; U of GeorgiaYouTube:  https://youtu.be/UJuvHP-mzgwLINKS: Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/w-chris-jones-a0983b297/Facebook- The Embers book: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61569316977232AMAZON BOOK:  https://bit.ly/43VyefM**BIO: Chris Jones (1950 - Present) was born in Alma, GA.After a 40-year corporate public affairs career detour, which involved workingwith regulatory and legislative leaders and politicians on behalf of thecorporation, Jones returned to his journalistic roots in 2022. A retiree livingnear Athens, GA, Jones contributed an Epilogue and helped a friend convert hisout-of-print book to an eBook. Bitten by the writing bug, he wrote an articlefor a regional magazine on the overlooked early days of the Athens music scene."White Fraternities and Black Music in the 60s" went viral and waslater reprinted in a UK music magazine. In 2024, the article received a topaward in the Feature Writing Division A category from the National AmericanMature Publishers Association (NAMPA).In November 2024, Jones co-authored his first book, TheEmbers: The Bobby Tomlinson Story, published by McBryde Publishing, whichchronicles the iconic band's six-decade journey through the eyes of foundingdrummer Bobby Tomlinson. His first job was as a radio deejay in high school,and he became a news and sports reporter before entering corporate publicaffairs. Jones and his wife, Toni, reside near Athens, GA.**WE ARE ALSO ON AUDIOAUDIO “Conversations with Calvin; WE the SpecIEs”ANCHOR https://lnkd.in/g4jcUPqSPOTIFY https://lnkd.in/ghuMFeCAPPLE PODCASTSBREAKER https://lnkd.in/g62StzJGOOGLE PODCASTS https://lnkd.in/gpd3XfMPOCKET CASTS https://pca.st/bmjmzaitRADIO PUBLIC https://lnkd.in/gxueFZw

This is the story of a beach storm no one saw coming—and the lessons we can't afford to forget. In this episode of Storm Stories, Mayor Lynn Barbie of Carolina Beach helps us look back at the intense rainfall that hit Carolina Beach last year—a slow-motion disaster with no howling winds, no storm surge, just rising water and a community left to pick up the pieces. As the media focused on the devastating impacts of Helene and Milton, this storm and how it affected coastal North Carolina was easy to miss, as well as what happened after.Three steps we can take to build resilience and foster community collaboration:1. Advocate for Improved Stormwater Management• Residents can attend town hall meetings and voice support for investments in stormwater infrastructure, including upgrading drainage systems, retention ponds, and permeable surfaces.• Encourage local officials to apply for state and federal grants focused on flood mitigation.2. Promote Community Flood Preparedness• Form or join a local resilience task force to develop neighborhood-based flood preparedness plans.• Organize workshops with local meteorologists and emergency managers to educate residents on flood insurance, evacuation procedures, and emergency supply kits.3. Support Sustainable Land Use Policies• Advocate for responsible zoning laws that limit development in low-lying, flood-prone areas.• Encourage nature-based solutions like restoring wetlands, increasing green spaces, and maintaining coastal vegetation to absorb excess water.• Partner with environmental organizations to monitor and maintain stormwater management systems.Taking these steps would not only build resilience within the community but also foster collaboration between residents, policymakers, and environmental expertsPhotographer: Callaghan O'Hare/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesSupport the show

Naomi loves mob movies and Johnny Depp, so Donnie Brasco is the perfect match! Listen as she takes us through her first time watching, how she wanted it to end, and her thoughts on the actual ending! Plus, TV show workplaces, an update on our plants, and Carolina Beach! And now you're "a friend of ours"...

Send us a Text Message.Welcome to Episode 290 of The Over 50 Health & Wellness Show! In this episode, Kevin English sits down with his good friend and long-time waterman, Alex Torres, to dive into a fun-filled conversation about the ocean, surfing, and the unique world of body surfing. Get ready for a blast of nostalgia, stoke, and insights into staying youthful and passionate about life. Highlights:Introduction to Alex: Alex shares his early memories of the ocean and his journey from a beach-loving kid to a seasoned waterman.Surf Culture of the 70s and 80s: A trip down memory lane as Alex reminisces about the surf and skate scenes in Southern California, touching on the vibrant and rebellious surf culture.The Birth of Whomporama: Alex recounts the hilarious and serendipitous beginnings of the intergalactic body surfing championship known as Whomporama, and its evolution into a beloved annual event.Event Details: Whomporama 2024 will be held on August 10th, 2024 at Hamlet Avenue, Carolina Beach, NC. The event is a fun-filled, volunteer-driven body surfing competition with creative categories and unique, often bizarre trophies.Keeping the Stoke Alive: Alex shares his secrets to maintaining his passion for the ocean and surfing, emphasizing the importance of staying active and having fun. Call to Action:Join the Fun: Whether you're a seasoned body surfer or a complete novice, come join the Whomporama for a day of fun, creativity, and community spirit. Stay Updated: Follow the Whomporama Facebook page for the latest updates and information on the event.Support the Cause: All proceeds from the Whomporama go to local charities, so your participation helps support great causes in the Carolina Beach community. Tune in and catch the wave of excitement in this lively and entertaining episode! Whether you're a water enthusiast or just love a good story, this episode is sure to leave you inspired and smiling. Whomporama FB Page - https://www.facebook.com/groups/423296137722790 Connect with Alex on FB - https://www.facebook.com/surf.wise.1/ Resources and Shout-outs:Dog Town & Z Boys Movie - https://www.amazon.com/Dogtown-Z-Boys-Sean-Penn/dp/B000I8ERUSCome Hell or High Water - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbVvTLHZFWoLife Rolls On - https://liferollson.org/northcarolinaState of Shaka - https://stateofshaka.comWant to rewrite the narrative of your life and health? Visit the link below to see if our 1:1 coaching services are a perfect fit for your long term goals: https://calendly.com/thesilveredge/coaching-inquiry Want more over 50 health and wellness goodness? Check out our private Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/silveredgefitness

Happy July, I am super excited about my 30-days of sober sunrise project I am doing this month at Carolina Beach, NC. You can read about it here, https://www.angelamascenik.com/blog I'll be updating it everyday. I'm celebrating 6 years of alcohol free lifestyle this summer and I wanted to do something big. This episode explains the project and the work involved in setting myself up to do it. It's not 'easy.' Just like stopping over-drinking isn't easy or changing any behavior we have been doing for years. And, I'd argue it shouldn't be easy. It should take effort, because that is what makes life interesting. The work you put into it is difficult, there are failures and obstacles along the way, but when you do the thing you have been wanting to, it makes all that work worth it. And maybe it shouldn't be easy for our kids either. We all want better lives for our kids and we want to infuse our wisdom of life experiences into them, so they don't make mistakes or struggle. But when we push too hard and get so upset when they don't do what we think they should, it causes us unnecessary discomfort and suffering, which is no fun. Life if full of challenges, and mistakes, and obstacles and that is how we learn. Listen to my previous podcast episodes on this topic here: Stop Over-drinking and Start Living, Episode 63, REBEL against Easyhttps://www.angelamascenik.com/podcasts/stop-over-drinking-and-start-living/episodes/2147641514 Stop Over-drinking and Start Living, Episode 244, Easier not Betterhttps://www.angelamascenik.com/podcasts/stop-over-drinking-and-start-living/episodes/2148136574 Check out Alive AF! here:https://www.angelamascenik.com/aliveaf Grab the last few Cancun Retreat Spots here:http://www.angelamascenik.com/2024retreatsandcoaching Apply to work with me privately here:https://form.typeform.com/to/x8tcz6lm Tags:Stop Over-drinking, Angela Mascenik, stop drinking podcast, how to feel, how to overcome addiction, how to drink less wine, change your relationship with alcohol, coach for women who want to drink less alcohol, help to stop over-drinking, stop over-drinking, life coach to help stop over-drinking, self-love, importance of self-love, online membership to stop over-drinking, program to help quit alcohol, how to quit drinking, spouses, partners, food, overeating, moderation, sober retreat, how to prioritize yourself, make yourself a priority to drink less, mental health, mental health and alcohol use, mental health awareness month, how to stop over-drinking, how to stop drinking so much wine, life coach for women who drink too much, discomfort, current discomfort, easy, shouldn't be easy, challenges, mistakes, sunrise

Welcome to Pastor Wayne Sutton's latest episode of 'Straight Talk', an enlightening and impactful platform aimed at offering prophetic revelations, Christian news, and prayer. As part of TheSecondAdam.com, Pastor Wayne encourages you to drink from the pool of these inspiring messages filled with hope and divine glory, and to share them far and wide. In this quick podcast session, significant changes are unveiled that come as a response to divine inspiration. First on the cards is embracing the roots of prophetic counseling and life coaching sessions, aimed at both personal and business realms. This initiative is designed to provide a more focused and quality service to a select number of individuals. Brimming with enthusiasm, Pastor Wayne revisits the good old days of StraightTalkWithWayne.com, where he interacted with the Christian forerunners of the previous era. Driven by this past passion, more live interviews have been chalked down for the near future. Moreover, actual live teachings and possible live counseling are also part of the renewed agenda. Despite the range of new initiatives, the importance of family and home ministry doesn't slip away from Pastor Wayne's eyes. He believes ministry begins at home and considered it a holy responsibility. The same spirit is reflected in his decision to reserve evenings for his Wilmington, Carolina Beach area ministry and family. With a heartfelt thank you for all the support, Pastor Wayne also introduces his new YouTube channel destined to usher in this new movement guided by God. For more on prophetic happenings, resources, and updates, simply sign up at yourprophecynews.com. Lastly, for those seeking prayer, counseling, or personal prophetic ministry, thesecondadam.com is ready to receive you. God Bless!

You can reach us at artbirdgallery@gmail.com

Welcome to the season 6 opener of the Carolinas Luxury Real Estate Podcast. On today's episode #74 we talk with Quinn Marlow the President and Founder of Marlow Construction in Wilmington, NC and Tracy Pray Bradshaw an experienced agent at Ivester Jackson Coastal Christie's about the "New Luxury Development and Expansion at Carolina Beach". Quinn Marlow marlowconstruction.com     Tracy Pray Bradshaw Phone: 336.906.0943 Email: gobradshaw@ivesterjackson.com Insta: @gobradshaw     You can find more Information on the firm at www.ivesterjackson.com

Hey!!!!!!!!!!!!! We missed yall! The last two weeks have been crazy busy and we were glad to be a part of all of it. From our own team finishing 2nd in the East Coat Got 'Em On to all the fun that goes into volunteering and heloping promote and also fishing in The Hooked On Miracles tournament in Charleston, Capt. E and the entire family spent the 3 days of HOM volunteering and enjoying all the fun of raising money for such a great cause. We also got to enjoy watching our own partner, Freeman Boatworks bring home the win for the 3rd straight year in Charleston. But before that weekend our guys were busy bringing home some hardware themselves in the Carolina Beach, East Coast Got 'Em On. This is the oldest king tourney in the southeast and to finish 2nd against some of the best in the sport was an honor for our team. Capt Lucas, Capt. E, Capt, Jay Baisch, Winston, and McClure Hopkins were able to enjoy a prolific bite for two days and managed to top it off with a 42.66lb missile. Capt. E discusses just how the weekend played out and our special guest this week is no stranger to finishing at the top in king tourneys. This week Capt. Marc Pincus joins Capt. E to talk about the SC HUK Satlwater Series and exactly what it offers tournament anglers and why he started the 3 event series. We hope you enjoy the show and please like, share, and download the episode on whatever platform you choose to listen to it on. Tight Lines!!!!!!!!!!

The US Marine Corps Beach Wrestling National Championships are set for Carolina Beach, North Carolina on May 20. Event Director Ed Duncan is joined by master wrestling promoter Frank Lipoli of the Virginia Challenge to talk about the event, the fun in the sun and the opportunities beach wrestling brings to the sport and to the masses.For more information on the Beach Wrestling Tour of America and beach events, check out usabeachwrestling.com. Links to FollowJoin the Discord: https://www.mattalkonline.com/discordDaily Wrestling Newsletter: https://www.mattalkonline.com/newsContribute: https://www.mattalkonline.com/contributePatreon: https://www.patreon.com/mattalkonline The Short Time Time Wrestling Podcast is proudly supported by Compound Sportswear: https://www.mattalkonline.com/compound Quick Subscribe: https://www.Podfollow.com/shorttime Short Time Wrestling Podcast: Episode 730 – May 19, 2023

The Audio The US Marine Corps Beach Wrestling National Championships are set for Carolina Beach, North Carolina on May 20. Event Director Ed Duncan is joined by master wrestling promoter Frank Lipoli of the Virginia Challenge to talk about the event, the fun in the sun and the opportunities beach wrestling brings to the sport and to the masses.  For more information on the Beach Wrestling Tour of America and beach events, check out usabeachwrestling.com.  Links to Follow Join the Discord: https://www.mattalkonline.com/discord  Daily Wrestling Newsletter: https://www.mattalkonline.com/news Contribute: https://www.mattalkonline.com/contribute Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mattalkonline The Short Time Time Wrestling Podcast is proudly supported by Compound Sportswear: https://www.mattalkonline.com/compound Quick Subscribe: https://www.Podfollow.com/shorttime Short Time Wrestling Podcast: Episode 730 – May 19, 2023

A look back on the 1991 murder of Heather Stigliano, the disappearance of Heather Elvis, and two mysteries from Carolina Beach and Oak Island. Show Sponsors: https://shopxerin.com/collections/fit-rocker-chick-skin Use code MISSINGCAROLINAS10 for 10 percent off your order WOW! Women on Writing https://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/contest.php

Born and raised in Canada, Co-Founder Matt Piccinin grew up vacationing in Carolina Beach, NC. After moving to the states, he eventually settled in Carolina Beach and completed his B.A. in Business and Marketing at the University of NC Wilmington. Matt started his career in construction but soon realized his dream of opening his own […] The post Matt Piccinin with Shuckin Shack Restaurant Franchise appeared first on Business RadioX ®.

All in on Short Term Rentals with Joe Prillaman Joe Prillaman is a real estate investor and agent with The Short Term Shop. He's been investing since 2018 in long term rentals, short term rentals, and mid term rentals across North Carolina. He was born and raised here and loves helping people get started. He's still house hacking on Carolina Beach and trying to get a little better each day. HIGHLIGHTS IN THIS EPISODE 00:00 - Intro 02:53 - Joe's Background 03:59 - Current Short Term Rental Market 06:25 - Are People Still Buying? 06:47 - Current Interest Rates 07:38 - Is there a bubble in Short Term Rentals that will burst? 09:31 - Key to Success - Who is crushing it today? 11:14 - The Importance of an Incredible Listing 11:37 - What Joe Is Working On Now 12:06 - Optimization 12:54 - The Importance Of Building A Foundation 13:29 - Short Term Rental is an Active Investment Space 14:09 - Joe's Portfolio 15:32 - Property Management 17:18 - What Joe Wished He Knew From The Beginning 18:58 - Masterminds 21:09 - Biggest Mistakes and Lessons Learned 23:49 - Long Term Benefits of Investing 26:12 - Taking Risks 27:46 - Advice for the new STR investor 29:24 - Joe's Goals 30:57 - Accountability 36:12 - Focus On One Thing 39:28 - Connect with Joe CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST: Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/joe.prillaman Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/joe.prillaman.9/ Email - joe@theshorttermshop.com MENTIONED IN THIS SHOW: Short Term Shop - https://theshorttermshop.com/ Joe's Podcast with Yonah Weiss - https://podcasts.apple.com/il/podcast/taking-the-leap-and-reaping-the-rewards-with-joe-prillaman/id1515387561?i=1000609147751 Joe's Podcast with Avery Carl with the Short Term Shop - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIQe1VutGx4 Joe featured on BiggerPockets - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UsgpXbtK4I Biggerpockets - https://www.biggerpockets.com/ Gobundance - https://www.gobundance.com/ Knox County NE - https://www.facebook.com/KnoxCountyNE/videos/your-town-wausa-nebraska-video-brought-to-you-by-knox-county-improvement-and-pro/352342996371832/ CONNECT WITH OUR HOST: Derek is a real estate investor with over 30 years in the hospitality industry. He and his wife own both long term and short term rentals and offer management and consulting services to other short term rental property owners.  Please reach out to connect with Derek at https://www.linkedin.com/in/derekfelch or email him at derek.felch@gmail.com. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Follow us on social media @the.gentle.art.of.crushing.itListen, like, subscribe, comment: http://thegentleartofcrushingit.com/

In this episode I am joined by Loretta Wilkins who will teach us how to close the year and reflect. Loretta talks about how to set goals and intentions for the new year, how to have a growth mindset, how to declutter your home, create a vision board and so much more!  You have an 80% chance to succeed and manifest when you visualize and see your vision board! Loretta has a long history in Northeast Ohio. She currently lives in Carolina Beach, North Carolina with her husband, Scott. Over 20 years ago, she discovered the power of plant-based nutrition and gained the knowledge that food is medicine. Loretta sold a company in the business world and pursued her passion and purpose to inspire people to Breakthrough to Better Health. She is a Certified Personal Trainer and Wellness Coach and recently completed her certification as a John Maxwell trainer, teacher, and coach. She has addressed hundreds of audiences with her message of health and hope.  She was known as " A Mom on a Mission" for many years and now has three grown adult kids, a daughter in law, and a son in law.  Thirteen years ago, Loretta became a National Marketing Director with Juice Plus Company and has been nominated for 4 prestigious awards for her contribution to this mission.  You can find Loretta on Instagram: www.instagram.com/lorettavwilkins You can find me on Instagram: www.instagram.com/fitfunandfrazzledpodcast and www.instagram.com/nikkilanigan.yogaandwellness

SOTA SI - Ep 28- Maddie Deiters: The girl behind the brush     Maddie Deiters is a local artist who has finished 3 mural projects here in Marion and has done others in Herrin, Murphysboro, Belleville IL, and Carolina Beach, NC. Join us in our conversation as we explore her approach, what challenges she has faced, and what the work itself represents and means for the community.    Connect with Maddie and see her work at www.facebook.com/threelineart  or  www.instagram.com/threelineart   Connect with us and follow the podcast here https://linktr.ee/marioncivic

This show aired on Tuesday, November 1st, 2022 on 107.9 and 980 The WAAV in Wilmington, NC. Guests include DaQuawn Bruce and Melissa Mason. UNC's Race-Based Admissions, Parking Changes in Carolina Beach and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Erik Hemingway, the co-founder of Nomad Capital, is passionate about helping people achieve freedom, wealth, and a ‘nomadic' lifestyle through investing in commercial real estate. He used income from personal commercial investments to take his family on a 5 year, living abroad adventure. He brings a creative approach to seeing the value add opportunities others missed, and is not afraid to roll up his sleeves to see projects to successful completion. He has been married for 31 years and has 6 children and 3 grandchildren.   [00:00 - 06:56] Storage Rates Soar Nationwide in 2021 Erik Hemingway got into real estate and has been opportunistic in his own right,buying unique hotel properties, short-term rentals, and heavier lift projects  He's currently looking for an opportunity in the self-storage market.   [06:57 - 14:02] Storage company finds success in converting undervalued buildings It's under the radar and then all of a sudden there's a building in the middle of town that becomes the storage and commercial space. The company, Storage Concepts, doesn't have to compete with other developers for this asset and can bring its heavy value to add as general contractors. Storage Concepts has been successful in converting buildings in Arizona 16 years ago and now has experience with storage projects.   [14:02 - 21:15] Cash Flow Investors Find Opportunities in Storage Erik's experience in the storage industry and how they are using a new approach to get into the market, focusing on cash flow-producing assets. Erik talks about their experience with hotels and how they are using a boutique style to shift to more of an Airbnb model. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------   Tweetable Quotes:   “If you're going to develop a site somewhere, You do a feasibility study. And what we like about the conversions is they're typically on Locations.” - Erik Hemingway   Connect with Erik Hemingway by visiting their website at https://www.nomadcapital.us/ Or personally reach out to him via Email: erik@nomadcapital.us Resource Mentioned:   Traction: Get a Grip on Your Business   Connect with me:   I love helping others place money outside of traditional investments that both diversify a strategy and provide solid predictable returns.     Facebook   LinkedIn   Like, subscribe, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or whatever platform you listen on.  Thank you for tuning in!   Email me → sam@brickeninvestmentgroup.com Want to read the full show notes of the episode? Check it out below: [00:00:39] Sam Wilson: Eric Hemingway is a great friend of mine based in Wilmington, North Carolina. This will be a little bit different show today. I think it's gonna be a lot of fun because I've known Eric, gosh, what, five going on six years at this point, Eric? Yes, sir. And I, I got to hear your story when you guys, and we probably won't get into that too much today, but your story of how you'd used real. To then fund your guys' kind of family experience as you guys traveled the world. It was a very an absolutely compelling story that you told I when I met you in 2017. And since then, you guys have come back here to the states. You've been kicking butt, taking names in all sorts of different real estate asset classes, and have just certainly enjoyed our friendship. And then just watching you guys grow. Here in the real estate world. So it's an absolute pleasure to have you on. For our guests that don't know you or haven't met you before, Eric, there's three questions I ask every guest who comes on the show. In 90 seconds or less, can you tell me where did you start? Where are you now, and how [00:01:35] Erik Hemingway: did you get there? Okay, perfect. Yeah, great to see you, Sam, and thanks for having me on. Yeah, so got into real estate way back when, I guess 25 years ago, 26 years, something like that. Young, my wife and I got married young. We had two young kids, and real estate was, I've pushed a broom, Doug ditches, all that worked my way up. I've been on my own since 2001, so 21 years or so. General contractors spec homes. Got into commercial real estate in 2005. Built my first self storage in Arizona. So that's where we were. Where I am is my son and I started a company called Nomad Capital, where we are syndicating self storage projects specifically big box conversions. We like conversions. You know, big box stores, grocery stores abandoned buildings, and there's plenty of those in the southeast. Started in Arizona, but we wound up in Wilmington, North Carolina, as you said. And where we're going is just having a ball. It's a new chapter but still ties into the real estate and we're really excited to see where it's going. So we've got some lofty goals, but we're building the team and ready to tackle it. [00:02:38] Sam Wilson: A and you, and you've left some of the asset classes. I think one of the things that I've always admired about you is that yes, you have had a focus on storage, but yet you've also been opportunistic in its own right. Like, I've watched you buy some unique hotel properties, some short term rental stuff, some heavier lift projects like that, that somehow you just saw the. In those, [00:03:01] Erik Hemingway: Can you talk about those for me? Yeah. Yes, for sure. Absolutely. So that's, that's what I love, you know, I mean, that's my favorite part of this business is kind of seeing the diamond in the rough and kinda, you know, kinda look past what other people pass on. And to me, I, you know, as soon as I walk on a property, it just seems to pop. Like renovated or converted or whatever. And really love that aspect of it. As far as the asset classes, you know, my son and I joke probably every week about, it's like we just do the next thing, you know, and this opens a door to the next thing and that opens the door to the next thing. So we just feel like you know, the you mo movie Yes Man. Where you just kind of say yes and let's see where it goes. And you know, obviously There's some missteps, but I think just plowing forward is the way to go. So, we've just been super blessed to find some great opportunities and continue to find them. And so there you go. [00:03:51] Sam Wilson: What are you doing right now to find opportunity? I know you talked a little bit about the self storage doing, doing kind of abandoned building, if you will. [00:04:01] Erik Hemingway: Conversion mm-hmm. . [00:04:02] Sam Wilson: Yeah. what sparked the idea, and then how did you know you were onto. . [00:04:06] Erik Hemingway: So our first one back in Wilmington was my wife and I were having a beer at a brewery and there was a my son and I had been doing renovations here when we, when we got from our boat adventure, which we can talk about later or whatever. But relocated to Wilmington and my son and I were doing renovations in old Gross. Rotted houses, and just killing ourselves. And we thought, you know, by now the, the storage in Arizona was kicking off some great cash flow and we thought, let's get back into storage. So my wife and I had a brewery having a beer sitting outside at the picnic tables and there's a building across the street. Used to be a printing company and it's all brick, no windows. It's got a loading dock and I'm like, That would be perfect for storage. We had just talked about getting into storage and I called the broker the next day and the building had been for sale for, or been empty for eight years, for sale for four years. Nobody wanted it and when I, we first met the broker, he showed up with two estimates. To demolish the building. He's like, I know you're gonna wanna tear it down. Here's two proposals, you know, 120 grand, 90 grand to demolish this thing. And, and my broker. This was the selling broker. My broker and I looked at each other like, We're not telling 'em about anything like this is perfect. So that was our first foray into conversion because we just bought it for way below replacement and gutted it, repainted the interior, put storage in there, and we were off to the races. So they haven't all been conversions, but that's certainly a niche that we, we really like. And I'd say that makes up probably 80% of the projects we're we're looking at right now. [00:05:35] Sam Wilson: How do you underwrite or how do you even project like, Hey, we're going to look at this vacant. Abandoned building. Nobody has wanted for the last four years, but we're gonna turn it into storage and it's gonna [00:05:45] Erik Hemingway: pencil. So it's pretty much the same as you would evaluate, you know, conventional ground up storage you know, if you're gonna develop a site somewhere, right? You, you did a feasibility study done. And what we like about the conversions is they're typically on. Locations. I mean like at Kmart they were put there for a reason. Right? Great, great visibility, great traffic counts. So a lot of that stuff is already, checks the boxes and then we just start doing our due diligence. We've got an underwriter on our team, he's fantastic. Graduated from U N C W. Shout out to Drake Masa. But he, he does, you know, spreadsheets and he dives in and gets forensic with what's the rents we can charge, How long is it gonna take to lease up? You know, we're on Radius Plus and Yardi, Matrix and CoStar seeing what storage is around as the market, undersupplied, oversupplied, you know, just typical kind of underwriting stuff. And if it starts checking all those boxes, then we're, we're excited to go. As you know, the past couple years in self storage has. Just on fire. And every email I get from brokers is call for offers. Call for offers. And you know, there's 20 bids and it's over asking and all this stuff. And what we like about the conversions, it's pretty stealthy. It's kind of under the radar. And then all of a sudden there's a building in the middle of town that all of a sudden becomes storage and. There you go. So we didn't have to, we didn't have to get in the dog fight with everybody else. And we also get to bring the heavy value add aspect as we are general contractors. Commercial unlimited license. So it's in our wheelhouse to do the build out. We're not relying on a, a gc and we know all the issues with supply chain and inflation and blah, blah, blah. I mean, we're feeling all those pains, but certainly would've been a lot worse had we had to hire that. Oh, for sure. That's, that's kind of our secret sauce is, is we can spot 'em you know, we can underwrite 'em, and then we have the GC part to, to build them. [00:07:36] Sam Wilson: Right. No, that's a, that's a, that's a, that's an awesome combination there. What, what is the typical from buy to break, even occupancy? Like what that timeline [00:07:49] Erik Hemingway: do you look at across? Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. So we look, you know, this year has been frustrating cuz projects have taken longer than we projected which is frustrating for us and. So we're, we're, now, we're underwriting basically when we close on the property, figure renting units 10 to 12 months from that day. And then depending on the market lease up, and we're probably covering the nut about 12 to 18 months after that. Mm-hmm. . So, so from closing on the deal to, to, in the black, let's call it 30 months. 30 [00:08:19] Sam Wilson: months. How does a lender look at that? Or do you guys private finance this? Do you finance it yourself? What's, what's that look [00:08:26] Erik Hemingway: like on these deals? Yeah, we're going through local banks. We've got relationships with local banks credit unions, that kind of thing. And yeah, we're, we're financing 75 to 80% of the loan to cost. Because they know, you know, typically all of our appraisals have shown. In some cases we're buying the building under appraised value, so we're already walking in the door with a little bit of equity. As soon as we get the build out done, which is on us to do there's a big jump in equity. And then of course, as you lease up and stabilize it, That's the biggest. So you kind get a little piece of equity along the way. And so banks like it and that we've got a track record now, so it helped having built storage in Arizona 16 years ago and, and now it's, you know, we've got a several conversions under our belt that we can say, Look, we're, we're doing it and we've done it, and here's where we. [00:09:16] Sam Wilson: Did it take did it take a lot of lender shopping in order to find one that understood what it was you were trying to do? [00:09:23] Erik Hemingway: No, I mean, there's, there's certainly lenders out there that like storage and we just basically show them our underwriting feasibility study, show them that we've done our homework and we're the group to, to be able to do it. And, I mean, L different lenders have buckets, right? That they get full and hey, we're really putting a pause on develop storage development right now. If you wanna buy an existing facility, we'll be happy to talk, but, Right. We've got too many ground up projects going, so we're probably gonna cool off on that. And so we'll just pop over to another lender and say, Hey, what's your appetite for, for storage development? And so I. I hear stories of guys, you know, calling 15, 20, 20 lenders that we've had nothing, nothing like that. Of course, there's brokers in this space and that's, we've used those guys in a couple cases and they can help weed out, excuse me, some of the, you know, wasted time. They already know some of the players in, in the southeast that are. That are hungry for storage and get it and and mean it's, the asset classes come a long ways in, in 15, 20 years. Right. I mean, lenders didn't wanna touch it 20 years ago cause it was just weird and looked like, you know, temporary buildings, Why, why are we loaning on this? And now it's you know, they. So it's, it's survived two recessions and we'll see if it survives this one. Right, right, [00:10:42] Sam Wilson: right. Absolutely. When it come, I know, I know. Getting out of the dog fight with everybody else, for everybody, you know, fighting over the same asset. You guys have found your own unique way to get in. What do you estimate your cost? I'm gonna use the word savings, or maybe the, the price difference between what if you went out and bought something on market versus what you guys can convert a building [00:11:05] Erik Hemingway: and then put in storage for, It's, it's a little tough. I, I, I see what you're asking there. It's a little tough to nail it down just because different markets are you know, there's storage that is typically sold for a hundred, $110 a square foot. Rentable space is typically how they price it. There's stuff that's sold for a hundred. You know, dollars a square foot, depending on if you're downtown Charlotte or Raleigh or Atlanta or what have you. So, typically our projects we're buying the building under $20 a square foot, which. You can't even replace for that. Right? So we're into that and then our conversion is crept up to close to 40. So we're about all in for about 60, $65 a square foot, including soft costs. So we figure we're still at 60%, 50% loan to value. [00:11:51] Sam Wilson: Wow. That's [00:11:52] Erik Hemingway: awesome. Yeah. That's awesome. It's, it's strong. [00:11:55] Sam Wilson: What, So one of the things that we talk about a lot on this show is, and it goes, it's right in the name of it, which is scalability. The ability to go and, and wash, rinse, repeat. Is that possible in your model or is it, you know, Hey, we're gonna buy the building across the street from the brewery, and oh, by the way, there's a Kmart and then building X. It seems like each of those would be its own unique project and not necessarily have repeatable. Steps in it, or am I missing [00:12:22] Erik Hemingway: something? No, it, it's surprising. You know, it's sec storage is pretty unsexy and pretty, you know, non-glamorous. There's not a lot of moving parts to it, right? So when we find these Kmarts we just underwrite that we're gonna have to replace the roof. We're gonna get the whole building, we're gonna paint it inside and out, replace all the H V A C, all l e d lighting, and then you put in storage units. So, Eight 10 subs tops. Right, right. Subcontractors and so there is some metrics we can use there. You know, some of the dials turn a little bit depending on what, what we find, but it's surprising how much the projects are similar. It's like, well, we already know what's go, what it's gonna take to do this. We already know what's gonna cost to do this. Let's plug it in and we underwrite Drake underwrites very conservatively. Let's say we think it's gonna lease up in 18 months, let's say 23 months. We think it's gonna cost x to, to build this out. Let's give ourselves a contingency of 20% or 15% or whatever, just because we don't wanna, we never want to do a capital call with investors. We never wanna get behind the eight balls, so we always write very conservatively. And if it pencils. Then it's a go. So [00:13:33] Sam Wilson: what's it been like finding subs that understand, hey, we're building storage inside an existing building. I mean, that's a little bit different. [00:13:42] Erik Hemingway: Different. It is. Yeah. I mean, we're still using Janus. They're the biggest in the world for, for storage. They do a lot of conversions. They've done our last three conversions and they're a great contractor, Great source. We are using a project manager that's kind of tackling three different projects for us right now, and he's kind of bouncing around between him. He's been in the business a long time from North Carolina. He's got a great pile of resources of subs that he's worked with in the past. Commercial guys electricians, H V A C guys and, and what have you. So Did that answer the question? [00:14:12] Sam Wilson: It did, it did. Yeah. Just, I mean, when you get in and it's like, Okay, well we now we're gonna have to figure out a way to put storage units inside of a k. How does this work? I mean, you guys reworking entrances, are you reworking, you know, front? Are you, [00:14:24] Erik Hemingway: I mean, what you call it in some cases? Yeah, one, one, Kmart. We're doing, we're doing a drive through concept where there's a high speed roll up door on the front and back. People can actually drive through the building. Park inside, unload their stuff. And the next one we're doing, we're not doing that, but you know, the first step is the architect. And we've got a great architect, not in house, but that we worked with, and he's, he used to work for Janus, so he's very familiar with the storage industry. Been in it for. A long time and he can really maximize the square footage. I mean, we use a rule of thumb, so if you've got a 50,000 square foot building, you can figure about 75% of that is gonna be your net rentable by the time you take out hallways and entrances and what have you, Office what, whatever. [00:15:09] Sam Wilson: Right. And, and do you, can you go, I guess on a, on a Kmart, the ceilings aren't tall enough, there's no multi-level storage [00:15:17] Erik Hemingway: or is. No, not typically. I mean, I guess if you tore the, the, the T grid ceiling, the acoustic ceiling out, you probably could. But these, these buildings are already so big. I mean, one of them's 87,001 is 102,000 square feet, so to, to bring in, you know, basically with your 75%, you're talking about 150,000 square foot of storage. It's a lot, right? So that's more than the market can handle. So we're content with just going with the footprint that's there, right? We're gonna get 75,000 square feet in here, give or take. And then here's what we're expecting to get for rental rates. Again, it's another dial we can turn. We, we look at a competitors, what are they getting for a 10 by 10? A 10 by 20. And then we go below that. We're like, let's not assume we can get that, that, although that is the market rate let's go below that just to be safe. Maybe things turn, whatever. And then that's one more. Kind of buffer there, that that helps The project only helps the project and investors. Right? [00:16:17] Sam Wilson: Well, for sure. If you're, I mean, again, if you're, if you're buying, renovating and filling at 60% of what everybody, of the cost of everyone else, you're, you're able to do that and then probably [00:16:29] Erik Hemingway: split your returns. Yeah, exactly. [00:16:31] Sam Wilson: Yeah. That's fantastic. I, I love the, the kind of, I mean, it's definitely a nuanced approach, but it's, it's just a brand new way of thinking about. How to get into the storage game. Cause I mean, that's something, right now there's, I'm part of a part of a deal that has a project here in Tennessee and just watching, I mean, we bought this, what, a year, a year ago, and we're getting an extra $2 million more for the project than what we paid for it. I mean, Wow. Not a whole lot in, in you know, rebranding or renovating the property or, I mean, it's. As just storage is on [00:17:08] Erik Hemingway: fire. Yeah. Is this a storage property? [00:17:11] Sam Wilson: Yeah, it's a storage property. Yeah. It's great. Great. And I'm involved only really as, as a, as a passive investor on it, but it's just crazy to watch. That go down. It's like, this is nuts. So you fear I know. Yeah. I, I don't, I don't know how they're making it work is really the conclusion, . It's like, I don't know who's buying this or how they're making this work, but I'm happy. But my goodness, this is crazy. [00:17:34] Erik Hemingway: So, yes, that, that, yeah. It is crazy. Well, I think, you know, the, the kind of stuff that springboard. Those crazy evaluations was 2021 was just an a crazy year for storage. I think rental rates went up nationwide. 24 to 26%. Yep. In one year, which is obviously not sustainable. And could correct and all of that. But I mean, even if you just follow inflation at 8%, that's still a really healthy rate climb every year. And if you're, and if institutional buyers are buying it and they're borrowing it 2% or less. Huh. They're just happy with the spread. Correct. So they can pay whatever, whatever they need to pay, cuz they're just, they're just excited about the spread they're gonna make. Exactly. [00:18:16] Sam Wilson: Yeah. And that's, that's the, the wild times that we're living in. And I think, you know, right now being a cash flow investor, which it sounds like that's what you're doing, is building just a portfolio of cash producing [00:18:28] Erik Hemingway: assets. Mm. Yep. [00:18:30] Sam Wilson: That's the goal. Talk to me about your hotels. I know, Okay. I'd love to hear kind of your thought process behind that. How you guys are locating what you're doing with them. The [00:18:39] Erik Hemingway: business plan as a whole. Yeah. Yeah. So it's, it's very boutique style properties. I've been in the Airbnb world for probably seven or eight years as a host, and you. Thousand plus guests over a couple different properties We had in, in Wilmington here and had an opportunity to buy a five room boutique motel on the beach in c beach ca North Carolina. And we renovated it. We were able to convert it to nine rooms and just opened it not quite even two years ago. Actually made a connection to Best Ever. And David Acosta is my partner. You, I'm sure you know David, but he and I partnered on the next one. And these are all, all of our properties are on one island in just outside of Wilmington Keary Beach and Carolina Beach. And. So we bought a next, the other one, then another one, and just kind of rolling it into the next one. And I think we're up to 85, 90 doors now across the four properties three of which are on the beach, like on the sand. And then one is kind of in downtown Carolina Beach that. That we just did a pretty major overhaul on when we bought it. It was pretty run down and we just kind of went through and freshened everything up and so yeah, we're excited to see that we've got an asset manager on the island and. He's in charge of kind of monitoring the property managers, but we really wanted to try to try to shift to more of the Airbnb model cuz I saw how that worked and how people like that. And so what we did on all the properties is convert 'em all to keyless locks and keypads are the software we're using as cloud beds. It's fantastic. It integrates with other software that can push code. To to the guest. So they get a code to access the room at check in, and then the code stops working when they need to check out. So, so it's kind of a hybrid of the Airbnb and the hotel. We don't have a front desk that we're obligated to staff. Seven days a week, you know, 12 hours a day, people don't lose keys cuz they've got the code in their phone and you know, they come and go and, and it's been working great. So we're still, obviously that's not my background, so we're still trying to iron out the processes all around that and maintenance and, you know, laundry and all those kinds of things. Housekeeping, we've got some great staff. So we're, we're just kind of seeing. Arm of the, of the business goes. We're just kind of taking a pause right now with interest rates and we feel like we got some, some great properties in while it, while it was good, and we'll see how these, we want to get this really fine tuned before we try to scale it. [00:21:08] Sam Wilson: Yeah. And again, this is, this is one of the reasons I love chatting with you. Like before we, but we won't get it fine tuned before we scale it. And you're at 85 or 90 doors on this already, Eric, so [00:21:18] Erik Hemingway: I. I think, but that might be it. I don't know. We, we might have a, a circle up and say, You know what, we're, we're happy with these. Let's just, let's just go back to storage . [00:21:26] Sam Wilson: Yeah. And that's, that's the that's the fun part about this business is just all of the opportunity. And, and you answer yes. Kind of my question and I think I, or a question I would've had for you, which is how do you. How are you scaling all these different asset classes? And it, it comes down to people [00:21:42] Erik Hemingway: is what it sounds like. People. Yes. We're in the process of, we bought a building in downtown Wilmington that we're renovating right now for our office. We were in a very small office right now and everybody's kind of on top of each other, so we're hopefully getting to there in the next six weeks or so. And and then we have some more folks that we are bringing on board once we get in there. And yeah, just trying to get people a huge thing for us was the book Traction. Gina Wickman, Levi and I read that after Best ever last year, I think, or a year ago, right when we started Nomad Capital. It's just over a year old and just going through that book, It's the Bible right now, Paige, you know, if he says have a meeting on Tuesday, we're having meetings on Tuesday. If he says they last 90 minutes, we're doing it for 90. You know, we're basically just going play by play with that book. And that's been huge. We'll say. That has definitely streamlined a lot of stuff for us. So, huge shout out to him. And I know Brandon Turner's a big fan of the book and, and everybody I know that, that reads it is like, this is, it's a real tools to. Into your business so that you're working on your business and less into it. And we're trying to get to the point where you know, in a, in a, in a world we see someday, like Levi and I come to the Tuesday meeting, we can sit there for an hour and a half, two hours and have a really good pulse on. What's the biggest problems we're facing? Where are we at? What's our lease up? Where's our cash flow? Where's our, our payables? You know, and we've, we're implementing the scorecards he talks about, and it's been it's been fantastic. So highly recommend that. [00:23:12] Sam Wilson: Man. That's awesome. Eric. I love what you guys are doing. I, I've always appreciated you're kind of, left or right, a center approach, [00:23:20] Erik Hemingway: to finding that's ex That's exactly right. It's swerving. We're swerving around the line. , [00:23:26] Sam Wilson: you're, you're [00:23:26] Erik Hemingway: swerving approach. It's left and right. Yeah, no, we, we, we often joke that we're building the plane while we're flying and it, and some days it does feel like that, but we really feel like. This is the tip of the iceberg. You know, we feel like there's a lot of runway for what we're doing and just excited to build out the team to help us do that. And our guys are, you know, guys and gals are super excited about what we're doing and we're trying to really create a fun culture and. People seem to love it. This new office will have golf simulator, cator, you know, that kind of stuff. So we're definitely gonna be yeah, enjoying it, enjoying the ride as we go. So. Well, yeah, we're excited. [00:24:05] Sam Wilson: That's awesome, man. Certainly certainly appreciate you taking the time to come on the show today. Absolutely. Tell us. How you're finding opportunity and value and, and just, yeah, it's been, it's been tons of fun, obviously, the last five to six years getting to know you and then watching, watching you guys grow. If our listeners want to get in touch with you or learn more about you, what is [00:24:24] Erik Hemingway: the best way to do that? Yes. Perfect. So a website is nomad capital.us. And you can see stuff there. You can make an investor portal, you can see what projects we have coming up what we've done, portfolio, all that good stuff. You wanna reach out to me personally Erik, e r i k@nomadcapital.us is email and cell phone. You want that or? Yeah, sure. Nine ten four three one three eight five five. Happy to chat about storage conversions. Life boutique motels or anything else? I don't know. I don't know about , [00:24:57] Sam Wilson: politics, religion, [00:24:59] Erik Hemingway: anything else? Yeah, sure. Weather. Let's hear it all. . [00:25:02] Sam Wilson: Yeah. Eric, thank you again. Certainly appreciate your [00:25:05] Erik Hemingway: time today. Absolutely. Thanks Sam.

After covering the habitats and conditions conducive for speckled trout success, this episode then moves to the best lure selections and techniques to apply to those habitats and conditions.  

Show Date 9/07/2022 Welcome back to another exciting episode of KHM Today. We have talked about the importance of education and industry events in the past, but here at KHM Travel Group we offer our agents education events put on by our team of travel experts. Coming up in October we will be hosting Boot Camp 2.0, perfect for the higher-level agents. Hear from some of our agents as they talk about why this event was valuable to them. Space is limited, so sign up today! Agents with KHM Travel Group, see MyTravelAgentPortal.com for details.  Derek Stweart joins us for the first time to talk about some of the things you might not have known about American Airlines Vacations. Moving can be a hassle, but more so when you own your own business. Now that you are not living in the same city, how do you make sure your travel clients don't forget about you? One of our Regional Coordinators, Shaliece Moser, has recently gone through this and shares with us how she has handled the process. We hope you had fun with up this week. Join us next week for some marketing tips, LIVE from Carolina Beach.Become an agent with KHM Travel Group today! Check out our website to learn more: www.KHMTravel.com  Have a question for #AskKHMToday? Want to be featured on the show, or have feedback to share? Let us know! www.KHMToday.com

Black Knight is a 2001 American fantasy adventure buddy comedy film directed by Gil Junger and starring Martin Lawrence. In addition to Lawrence, Black Knight had a supporting cast of Marsha Thomason, Tom Wilkinson, Vincent Regan, and Kevin Conway. In the film, Lawrence plays Jamal, a theme park employee who is transported through time to medieval England. The film was shot at various locations in North Carolina, mainly Wilmington and Carolina Beach. Black Knight was theatrically released on November 21, 2001 SUBSCRIBE & RATE the Millennial Classics Podcast: Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/millennial-classics/id1465771231 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3HQRybW5lYJXyC3I6aqlPS Google Podcast: https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9iYTgxYWRjL3BvZGNhc3QvcnNz Stitcher: https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/anchor-podcasts/millennial-classics Anchor: https://anchor.fm/millennialclassics ****** Follow Us Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/millennial_classics/

Danielle is a second generation real estate agent with a passion for helping others, investing and all things real estate. To say that she has been doing this career since she was in diapers is no metaphor. Danielle was born and raised in Toledo, Ohio where her family enjoyed taking advantage of the great lakes, the changing seasons and the opportunities in the glass city. Danielle received her MBA from the University of Toledo with a concentration in finance, so finding a good deal or making one of her own is definitely her thing. Danielle and her husband Bret moved to Wilmington when they decided it was time for a change and not living at the beach was no longer an option. They traveled their way along the east coast looking for a new city to call home. It was important to them that they find a community where they could become established and really make an impact. Once they stumbled upon Wilmington, there was no going back, they knew they had found their home where they could grow their roots deep and wide. She enjoys living the island life in Carolina Beach and taking their two doodles to the beach! Danielle enjoys traveling the world, trying new recipes and spending quality time at the gym. Her friends would say that she is driven, genuine, has a strong work ethic and likes to have a good time. Catch her on https://www.hgtv.com/shows/island-life (HGTV, Island Life)! To learn more, and for the complete show notes, visit: http://thanksforvisiting.me Resources: http://www.daniellegillespiehomes.com/ (DanielleGillespieHomes.com) https://www.instagram.com/wilmingtonncbroker/?hl=en (Danielle on Instagram) #STRShareSunday: https://www.instagram.com/lodgenoir/ (@LodgeNoir) Thanks for Visiting is produced by http://crate.media/ (Crate Media). Mentioned in this episode: Breezeway http://breezeway.io/tfv (Visit Breezeway.io/TFV to automate communications with your guests using Breezeway's Smart Messaging.) Hostfully https://hostfully.com?utm_source=tfv&utm_campaign=tfv_podcast&utm_content=julyaugust2022 (Sign up today at Hostfully.com and use coupon code THANKSFORVISITING to get 2 Free Guidebooks!) Join us in Las Vegas! http://ThanksForVisiting.me/Vegas (Thanks For Visiting is heading to the Sahara Las Vegas October 22 & 23. Learn from us and amazing guests from across the country at this actionable in-person workshop. Get your tickets at ThanksForVisiting.me/Vegas.)

Shuckin' Shack Oyster Bar was founded in 2007 in Carolina Beach, North Carolina, and found success with its laid-back attitude and a menu of oysters, lobster rolls, and low country boils. Today, the restaurant has expanded to 16 locations across North Carolina,  South Carolina, Georgia, Maryland, and Florida, Jonathan joined Shuckin' Shack in 2014 and quickly rose to the rank of CEO. In that role, Jonathan got the bar and grill off the ground as a franchise ownership opportunity. Jonathan and his team market Shuckin' Shack by looking beyond oysters to promote the experience that the restaurant delivers. The integrity of the seafood product used by Shuckin' Shack is critical to maintaining quality and safety. The oysters often arrive at restaurants within days after being taken from the water. Shuckin' Shack knows that customers value the experience over convenience. The restaurant has made a conscious decision to deemphasize delivery. Shuckin' Shack was able to reduce staff turnover by 38% by placing an emphasis on employee happiness and making some key changes to how employees are compensated and rewarded. Quotes “We're sourcing product that go into our restaurants that have really high integrity, that taste better, come straight out of the water, into the steamer and onto the plate.” (Jonathan) “We're kind of in this right-place-right-time moment. Oysters have become extremely popular, especially in the past five years. You see a lot of places adding oysters to their menus or doing limited time offerings, so for us we view seafood as the way of the future.” (Jonathan) “(Franchisees) can be difficult, especially because they've invested their own money – they're entrepreneurs as a result – if they see slippage or they see an opportunity to do something cheaper, they love to dive at that.” (Joseph) “We allow our franchisees some lanes of operation, and that's really, really important. We're giving you choices for how you operate within those lanes.” (Jonathan) “We aren't doing a lot of delivery because we don't have to. We have doubled down on customer experience and we have doubled down on being the trusted source of seafood. We believe that our customers will pull up to our restaurant if they want our food and they have consistently proven that they will do that.” (Jonathan) “Some places just suck to work at.” (Joseph)

Episode 30 Traveling and embracing where you should be in the world, takes a lot of getting comfortable with the unknown. My guest today, Amy Russell, learned this as she started traveling after she completed my 6-week group experience, Passport to Purpose. Her experience after learning about the energy in different places has inspired her to downgrade her house, embark on a spiritual journey, and start traveling. Amy is a Working Nurse based in Carolina Beach, NC that is continuing her education. Through her spiritual journey, she keeps her options open to new and exciting things. She's a mother to one son. We will cover Traveling to other countries Feeling the connection to certain locations The process of downgrading Connecting to different cultures Links and Resources: Connect with Melissa Follow Melissa on Instagram Get your copy of Lineage Speaks Get your copy of Legacy Speaks Follow Amy on Instagram

Jeanne Rietzke decided that it was time to make a difference in children's lives with a unique series of books.   You can join Caroline, a baby green sea turtle, as she begins her life's journey. Her adventures lead her from Carolina Beach, North Carolina to Key West, Florida. Along the way, she meets many colorful creatures and learns some very important lessons about accepting differences. But how does she become The Painted Turtle? Read along to find out.   Jeanne majored in fine art in college and was a full-time artist from 1992-1998. That career became part-time for too many years! Her colorful, marine life watercolors have sold nationally and internationally and won numerous awards. She has gone back to being a full-time artist. Most recently, she has written and illustrated two children's books.   The books are available for purchase at these major retailers:   Barnes and Noble: http://barnesandnoble.com/s/Caroline,%20The%20Painted%20Turtle (barnesandnoble.com/s/Caroline,%20The%20Painted%20Turtle)   Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=caroline+the+painted+turtle&crid=YZFBJKNHTKE1&sprefix=Caroline%2C+The+Painted%2Caps%2C131&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_21 (https://www.amazon.com/s?k=caroline+the+painted+turtle&crid=YZFBJKNHTKE1&sprefix=Caroline%2C+The+Painted%2Caps%2C131&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_1_21)   Walmart: https://www.walmart.com/search?q=Caroline%2C+The+Painted+Turtle (https://www.walmart.com/search?q=Caroline%2C+The+Painted+Turtle)   Books a Million: https://www.booksamillion.com/search?filter=&id=8577560863624&query=Caroline%2C+The+Painted+Turtle (https://www.booksamillion.com/search?filter=&id=8577560863624&query=Caroline%2C+The+Painted+Turtle)   Books and turtles can be purchased locally in Wilmington, NC at Cape Fear Antiques and Jewelry, The Wrightsville Beach Museum, CAM Art Museum, and Barnes and Noble Mayfaire. Books and Books in Key West, FL also carries them.   The plush turtle is also sold through me and is easy to purchase on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/PaintedByHandILM (https://www.etsy.com/shop/PaintedByHandILM)

This show aired on Tuesday, July 5th, 2022 on 107.9 and 980 The WAAV in Wilmington, NC. Guests include Steven Rabb and Gannon Medwick. Shooting in Carolina Beach, Wild Weekend Weather, and ILM Traffic.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This show aired on Tuesday, June 21st, 2022 on 107.9 and 980 The WAAV in Wilmington, NC. Guests include Bruce Kemp with the New Hanover County Board of Elections and NHC Sheriff Candidate Matt Rhodes. Manhunt Underway in Carolina Beach and City and County Bail Out Housing Authority.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In today's Table Talk episode of "Coffee with Keith," I sit down with church planter, Gayle Tabor, to talk about the journey from Evangelical Child to out minister within the United Methodist Church.  Gayle is a firm believer in the necessity of equity and inclusion for all. Currently in June Gayle will be commissioned as a provisional elder in the United Methodist Church. Gayle is actively working to plant a progressive congregation in Wilmington NC. Gayle is currently the Director of Church Planting and Outreach for St Paul's UMC in Carolina Beach NC. Currently Gayle leads two churches; one that meets in the summer on the boardwalk in Carolina Beach and another that meets at Waterman's Brewery on Sunday evenings. Gayle lives with  wife, Jenn,  and dog Marshall in Wilmington, North Carolina.I am sure you will enjoy this fantastic conversation I had with Gayle.  Thanks for listening to Coffee with Keith.To connect with Gayle:Instagram: @pub.pastorwww.Pubpastor.lifeTo connect with me:To connect with me on Instagram, visit here.Free Support Group:  Christian Rainbow GroupFree Support Group:  Christian Parents of LGBTQ+ ChildrenFree Support Group:  Christian 4 UnityChurch Trauma Package (1-1, 6-week coaching for LGBTQ+)Coaching for the Parent of a LGBTQ+ Child of any ageBoundary Setting 101: Single Coaching SessionBrand New Digital Course (low intro price) Boundary Setting 101Support the show with a $5 gift.To visit my website and get all my freebies, visit here.Visit www.jkeithbrown.com and look at the top of the landing page to grab your FREE copy of this .pdf worksheet. Then, simply go through the steps and you will be better interpreting Scripture immediately. If you need more help, consider joining one of my Rainbow Champions group coaching journey. I think we all suffer stress in the crazy days. I wanted to offer you a FREE copy of my Create Your Calm guided meditation. Just click HERE to grab your copy.

Back in 2007, Shuckin' Shack co-Founders Matt Piccinin and Sean Cook had a craving for fresh oysters. Living in the sleepy coastal town of Carolina Beach, North Carolina, they figured it shouldn't be too hard to find an oyster bar, right? WRONG. Realizing they'd stumbled onto an unmet need in their local restaurant scene, Matt and Sean hatched a plan to open their own fresh oyster bar and seafood restaurant. Through cases of beer and plans scrawled on napkins, the pair's dream materialized as a 900-square-foot monument to domestic seafood, cold beer, and laid-back fun for the locals.  Shuckin' Shack was an instant hit, but things didn't really get cooking until Jonathan Weathington joined the crew in 2014 in franchise development, then quickly becoming CEO.  Shuckin Shack features fresh, high quality seafood like you'd find in white tablecloth establishments, but in an atmosphere more like a beach shack and certainly way upstream from what you'd expect from fast food.   What impresses me most about this brand is it's leader, and all the right things he's doing to sustain the growth as he scales this brand. That's why Jonathan Weathington is this month's Rising Star.

We round out our month-long elections coverage with a look at the races for mayor in New Hanover County's beach towns.

Amy Cole has her entire life mapped out by her mother, Catherine. Finish high school, attend Juilliard School in New York and become a famous concert violinist. Amy reluctantly agrees to her mother's plans. Everything changes during summer break after her junior year of high school. That's when she meets Mason at Carolina Beach. Mason is most unique guy she has ever known. Their innocent summer romance evolves into falling deeply in love. Amy and Mason are subjected to a series of schemes orchestrated by her mother to end their relationship. They are eventually torn apart. Years later, Mason receives a mysterious letter written by Amy's aunt. The letter sends Mason on a quest to visit a mailbox on a beach Amy spoke frequently about. Known as Kindred Spirit at Sunset Beach, Amy and her aunt would frequently visit the mailbox to read the expressions of love and loss left by people from all over the world. What will happen when Mason accepts the letter's request to be at the Kindred Spirit Mailbox on a certain day and time? It's an ending that will stay with you a long time. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/robofudge/support

DJ Kingblind presents The Big Beat online radio show Podcast- This week we talk about & play the best music in a themed Podcast called "Carolina Shag Dance Party" Though primarily confined to a small regional fan base, specifically to "Grand Strand" communities such as Myrtle Beach, Carolina Beach, and the Golden Isles of Georgia, in its early days what is now known as Carolina beach music or Carolina shag was instrumental in bringing about wider acceptance of R&B music among the white population nationwide. Thus it was a contributory factor in both the birth of rock and roll and the later development of soul music as a subgenre of R&B. #podcastsonamazonmusic #podcast #music #glam #uk #rock #djkingblind #applepodcasts #googlepodcasts  #singer  #dj  #musician  #danceparty  #dancingmachine  #soul  #mind  #spirit  #spirituality  #spiritual  #funk  #enlightenment  #rnb  #dancelife  #dancefloor  #dancers  #instadance  #dancehall  #rock  #metal  #rocknroll #northcarolina #southcarolina #georgiaFind all links for DJ Kingblind here: https://linktr.ee/kingblindSupport the show

Experts on making your environment productive and ride-or-die friends, Andrea Anderson and Kerry Thomas, prove to us that we must “be careful what we keep” in all areas of our lives, from what's on our desks to the people in our lives. Andrea and Kerry highlight the profound ability of women to not only network in business to support and facilitate one another's success, but they exemplify the truth that loyal, thriving friendships happen when and where you least expect. These two dynamos even share some productivity life hacks you won't want to miss! Remember to share your biggest take-away from this episode, SHARE it in your Instagram Story, TAG @dr.sherrispeaks and use #ThrivingThoughtswithDrSherri to be entered into a drawing for a personally autographed copy of Dr. Sherri's most recent book, Breakup Breakthroughs. About Andrea Anderson, CEO of Productive Environment Institute Andrea started her career in education before moving to work as an in-home family counselor helping troubled children and their families. With a strong focus on family systems, this was the start of what would become her life's calling. Though she found being a counselor gratifying, what called to her most was the opportunity to organize and streamline her company's operational systems. Soon she found herself organizing the administrative offices and working as the Operations Manager.  It was the perfect segue to meeting The Paper Tiger Lady, and eventually helping to launch the worldwide Certified Productive Environment Specialist™ program, in partnership with Barbara Hemphil at the Productive Environment Institute. Andrea lives with her two dogs, Charlie, adopted from the streets of Kuwait, and Buddy, adopted locally from Canines for Service. She regularly hosts business colleagues at her home, also known as the Productive Environment Center in Carolina Beach, NC. Connect with Andrea on Social: https://www.facebook.com/productiveenvironment https://www.linkedin.com/company/productive-environment-institute https://www.linkedin.com/in/andreaganderson/ Visit Andrea's Website: www.ProductiveEnvironment.com  Want to learn more about how to access Productive Environment services OR learn how to become a specialist yourself? Organiz-ees: Get your Productive Environment Score at: www.ProductiveEnvironmentScore.com  Organiz-ers: Become a Certified Productive Environment Specialist™ www.BecomeASpecialist.com  About Kerry Thomas, Owner of Conquer the Chaos Kerry Thomas, owner of Conquer the Chaos, attended the University of Florida where she received her Bachelor's and Masters degrees in Special Education. She taught for eight years before a career change brought her to Professional Organizing, and her business was launched in 2007. In 2014, she completed a rigorous training program and became a Certified Productive Environment Specialist™, focusing on office organization.  Kerry's education background gives her a unique perspective on how learning styles impact organization, time management, and productivity. She helps her clients create and maintain systems to combat overwhelm. She specializes in small business owners and leaders with ADD, and believes that anyone can have a productive environment, all it takes is the right combination of tools and techniques.  In 2017 Kerry gave a TEDx talk on “From Clutter to Clarity,” and she is passionate about helping clients eliminate all types of clutter: physical, digital, mental, emotional and more from their lives so they experience productivity and peace of mind. Connect with Kerry on Social: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/conquer.the.chaos.productivity Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/conquer_the_chaos/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/conquerthechaos/ If you're ready for “Less Clutter and More Peace,” check out her Facebook group! https://www.facebook.com/groups/lesscluttermorepeace Visit Kerry's Website: https://www.ctcorganizing.com/ _____ It's not too late to become an EXCLUSIVE SUPPORTER!!!! Do you want to be the EXCLUSIVE SUPPORTER for Season 5? Dr. Sherri created an opportunity for the right partner to invest in the show in order to broaden the listening and viewing audience and provide valuable and relevant products or services to the Thriving Thoughts community. In return, Dr. Sherri has developed a comprehensive 16-week package of audio, video, social media, and interview exposure for the Exclusive Supporter. To learn more and talk directly with Dr. Sherri about this partnership opportunity, email Dr. Sherri at drsherrispeaks@gmail.com or message her on Facebook or Instagram. ___ Friends, there are so many ways to listen to the show. SHARE, SUBSCRIBE, and WRITE a 5-STAR REVIEW! Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/thriving-thoughts-with-dr-sherri/id1474876807 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4p3dGacL22QYcKj0IPPtxi Podbean: https://thrivingthoughts.podbean.com/ Google: https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkLnBvZGJlYW4uY29tL3Rocml2aW5ndGhvdWdodHMvZmVlZC54bWw?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwjol6W2itrsAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQAQ&hl=en Dr. Sherri's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCXu6Q74W79WAqSIkPSkkGc _____ Get YOUR copy of my new book, Breakup Breakthroughs, right here on Amazon! It's for every woman (and many men who've had the courage to read the book and write a review!) who has EVER believed the lie that she's not worth fighting for! Get the paperback version, the Kindle version, AND the "It'll Take Work" Book with BONUS mini-book at the end, When People Say Things That Hurt!  _____ If you've been encouraged by today's episode, will you please share this episode with someone you know who would love some additional thriving thoughts? And, if you're an Apple user, help us get in front of even more listeners to encourage them to thrive by clicking 5 stars! Be sure to follow me on FB @dr.sherri and Instagram @dr.sherrispeaks _____ Do you want to receive thriving thoughts straight from Dr. Sherri right to your text messaging inbox?  Simply text THRIVE to 540-369-2139 to sign up! You'll get a FREE 14-day trial. After that, it's just $9.99 per month, or save with the $99 Annual plan! _____ Join the thriving thoughts movement! #littleliesbigtruths #thrivingthoughtswithdrsherri #thrivingthoughtspodcast #feelingsareinformationnotfacts _____ Connect with Derek Kretzer, creator of the music for Thriving Thoughts!  Follow him on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/derekkretzer/ or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/derek.kretzer  

With the General Assembly on a holiday break this week, the podcast records from Carolina Beach and includes a visit from fellow beach vacationer President George W. Bush. The week before recess, Brian and Skye recorded a conversation with Rep. Vernetta Alston, a Durham Democrat, who talks about her transition from local government service to serving in the General Assembly, her work as a death penalty lawyer, balancing family as a legislator, and how she would improve North Carolina politics.   The podcast also reviews Governor Cooper's veto of the unemployment bill, his signature of the Farm Act, and tells the story of how Tomato Sandwich Day at the General Assembly began.      

In this podcast episode I had a chance to connect with Rod and Barry of ThePaddleChannel. Rod and Barry have progressed from SUP to OC to SURFSKI and their YouTube channel documents, in full transparency, the trials and tribulations of their journey along the way. They are both super passionate about paddling and more so about downwind. Their videos bring a great perspective that should resonate with both new paddlers and those transitioning across paddling disciplines. Many of you may have heard of the Carolina Cup, which is one of the biggest paddle events in the US (possibly just behind the Gorge and Chattajack). This race is put on by the Wrightsville Paddle Club which is about a 45 minute drive North of where Rod and Barry paddle at Carolina Beach. Rod and Barry have an 8 mile downwind that they typically run starting at Fort Fisher and finishing at Carolina Beach or in the Carolina Beach Inlet. This run takes advantage of the the prevailing south/southwest winds that run throughout the summer. There aren't any points, bays, shoals, or other factors to greatly influence the wave conditions along the route, so conditions remain pretty consistent. The biggest challenges are in launching and landing. The launch is directly off the beach, so there is often a surf break to navigate. They have the option of either finishing on the beach or in the inlet, both have their pros and cons which we discuss in detail during the podcast. Carolina Beach is a busy beach town in the summer, but in the spring and fall things quiet down, but the water is still warm and the wind still blows, making this an excellent time to take a paddling vacation. There aren't many other paddlers or paddle businesses in the area, so your best bet is to take your boat, but you can always get in touch with Barry or Rod and they will be more than happy to help you with finding a boat if possible. The detailed Google Maps discussion starts at around minute 24:00 on the video and in the podcast. I hope you enjoy this podcast as much as I enjoyed putting it together. Carolina Beach is now on my short list of downwind destinations. I really like the idea of an April or May trip when Lake Michigan is struggling to get above 40 degrees :-) https://youtu.be/PLTKGs7Y7Es

May 10, 1941. Carolina Beach, North Carolina. 36-year old Leila Bryan and her three-year old daughter, Mary Rachel Bryan, leave their home in the family car in order to drive to a nearby store, but never return. After they are reported missing, an extensive search fails to turn up any trace of them or their car, but Leila's family suspects that her husband, E.C. Bryan, might be responsible for the disappearances. Decades later, investigators perform a dig under the concrete foundation of E.C.'s former residence, but fail to turn up anything, so Leila and Mary Rachel remain missing persons. At the request of Leila's great grand-niece, this week's episode of “The Trail Went Cold” will be commemorating the 80th anniversary of the baffling unsolved disappearance of a mother and daughter. If you have any information about this case, please contact the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation at (919) 662-4500. Join us on Saturday, May 15 at 8:00pm ET for an online streaming marathon where we will be watching classic segments from “Unsolved Mysteries”. You can enter our screening room by clicking on this link. Download Best Fiends FREE today on the Apple App Store or Google Play. Additional Reading: https://charleyproject.org/case/lelia-lewis-bryan https://charleyproject.org/case/mary-rachel-bryan https://ncmissingpersons.org/mary-rachel-bryan/ https://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20081113/News/605097408 https://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20090106/News/605093045 https://www.wral.com/nc-wanted-75-years-later-questions-remain-in-case-of-missing-mother-daughter/15890760/ https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/kp4k2j/left_to_buy_a_bra_and_was_never_seen_or_heard/ https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/3uv7si/left_to_buy_a_bra_and_was_never_seen_or_heard/ “The Trail Went Cold” is on Patreon! Visit www.patreon.com/thetrailwentcold to become a patron and gain access to our exclusive bonus content. “The Trail Went Cold” is going to be appearing on podcast row at “Crimecon UK” at the Leonardo Royal Hotel &  Spa in London on September 25-26, 2021. To get a 10 % discount on the  purchase of tickets to either event, please use our specialized promo  code, “COLD21”, by visiting https://www.crimecon.co.uk. “The Trail Went Cold” is now doing a weekly livestream show on  GetVokl every Thursday from 7:00-8:00 PM ET as part of their “True  Crime Thursday” line-up. For more information, please visit their website. The Trail Went Cold is produced and edited by Magill Foote. All music is composed by Vince Nitro.

May 10, 1941. Carolina Beach, North Carolina. 36-year old Leila Bryan and her three-year old daughter, Mary Rachel Bryan, leave their home in the family car in order to drive to a nearby store, but never return. After they are reported missing, an extensive search fails to turn up any trace of them or their […]

Preached Sunday morning, April 25, 2021.

Carolina Beach & ESA competitive surfer, Isaiah takes us to Aguadilla, PR to a famous break called Wilderness where his wave was just what he needed but not the way you think.

Tonight's special guest is Barbara Hemphill. Barbara Hemphill, aka the “Paper Tiger Lady,” because of her bestselling book Taming the Paper Tiger, is the founder of Productive Environment Institute, with offices in Raleigh and Carolina Beach, NC, and a team of Certified Productive Environment Specialists who work virtually worldwide.

Talking to Elaine Henson and author, who talks about old postcards. Who wrote her book called Carolina Beach.

Kai (the masked grom) shares his wave of his life from Surfers Beach, Puerto Rico. A competitive surfer from Carolina Beach shares east coast surf and his travel to the distant shores of India.

Pastor Andy Davis preaches a sermon on Job 1-2. He covers the suffering that Job experienced in the first two chapters of the book and applies it to the ways that Christians will suffer in their earthly lives. Earthly suffering is used by God to sanctify us and teach us patience. - SERMON TRANSCRIPT - Turn your Bibles to Job chapter one. We'll be looking this morning at the first two chapters of this incredible book. We begin walking through this masterpiece of Hebrew wisdom, this incomparably deep book of Job. This morning, we're going to stand alongside this godly man, Job, and watch him go through the greatest avalanche of sorrows that ever crashed down on any living man in a single day. This morning, we're going to peer, as you're doing maybe even right now, on the cold words on the page that recount a blazing hot trial in the life of a godly man poured out on him by a loving and sovereign God, poured out on the choicest servant of God that lived at that time. The cold words, black and white on the page, will become living lessons burned into our hearts only by the ministry of the Holy Spirit. However, as we, this morning, read the account of Job's sufferings, we do so from the perspective of life beyond the grave, beyond the cross and the empty grave of Jesus Christ. We seek to learn the timeless lessons of suffering given to us by this old Testament book, Job, but as we do, we don't forget what we've learned from the new Testament of Christ, of his sufferings in his triumph over the grave. From that perspective, we look back at this book. So, this morning, we look back at the immeasurable sorrows of a godly man, having ourselves been blessed by the infinite sorrows of a perfect man, Jesus Christ, whose sufferings on the cross atones for the sins of all who believe and whose resurrection victory answers all of the deepest questions of our souls, and the questions of earthly suffering. Yet, even knowing that Christ died for our sins, that he rose for our glory, we still have much to learn about suffering don't we? We still have much to learn. We are not done with our salvation yet. Salvation is a process. Salvation comes to us in stages. That's even true for some of you that are listening to me who are not yet Christians, who are, the scripture says, "Dead in your transgressions and sins." That God, when he works in the heart of a lost person to eventually bring them to Christ, it's a process that could go on for years. The process of drawing of a magnetic pull that results finally in coming to Christ and finding forgiveness of sins. And if you are, as yet, outside of Christ, it is good for you to understand that the sufferings that Job went through are nothing compared to the eternal torments of hell. The Bible's very clear about the perfect wrath and justice of God and hell, and that there is one and only one remedy for that, and that is faith in Jesus Christ. Now, up to this point, if you're not a Christian, if you've heard the gospel. You're here today, or maybe listening by live stream, you're aware of the gospel, but there may yet be still a process before you're ready to give your life to Christ. That process will involve pain and suffering. You will be stripped of the illusion of this world as bringing ultimate pleasure and joy to you and you'll realize it's all empty, as the author to Ecclesiastes said, "Vanity of vanities." At some point you'll realize that you're facing the judgment of God and then flee to Christ. That's my prayer for you today. Now the rest of you have already found Christ. You've already come to faith in Christ. You know that you're a sinner. You have been saved by grace through faith. You have received the gift of justification, of full forgiveness of all sins past, present, and future by simple faith in Christ. That's already happened to you, but you're not done being saved yet either. There's still a process going on in your life. The journey of holiness, of sanctification. God is in the process of purifying your hearts and your lives from the pervasive effects of sin. And the fires of suffering are necessary; they're essential to that journey of salvation that we're on even after we've come to faith in Christ. We do not make much progress in holiness during the times of sunshine and hot fudge sundaes. That's not when we make a lot of pro... however enjoyable those things are, for God has given us all things richly to enjoy. And we should enjoy them, but we don't make a lot of progress and sanctification at those times. God must, it seems, hurt us in order to fully save us. We must, through many tribulations, enter the kingdom of God; it's not easy. We have to go through the refiner's fire so that the corruption of sin can be burned from our hearts, from our mixed and changeful hearts, we have to go through the fires. And so, we're told in a later book of the Bible, in the book of James, chapter 1:2-4. "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance, and perseverance must finish its work so that you will be mature and complete and not lacking in anything." That word mature means Christ-like, sanctified. We have to go through trials, hard times in order to be sanctified and Christ-like. Now that text, James 1:2-4, will be central to our meditations, God willing, over the number of weeks and beyond that we walk through this entire book of Job. Because the problem of pain and sorrow and suffering is, I guess, the most poignant of all of the theological problems on earth. We have to walk through it. We have to study it. It's not a light, quick study: this issue of suffering. When we hurt ourselves, when loved ones hurt or are dying, or even have died, and we've walked through that experience, that's when our souls can be most rocked by temptations toward dark thoughts about God. Is he really wise, or is he really powerful, or does he really love me? Is he really good? And we can start listening to Satan and wonder about one or more of those attributes that are so clearly taught in the Bible, but we start to wonder and we start to doubt. We need the book of Job. We need to walk through these chapters and understand them. So, this morning we're going to begin that process of walking through this incomparable drama with Job one and two. Now, we start with the clear teaching about who Job was, the greatness of Job. I. The Greatness of Job Look at verses one through five in chapter one, “In the land of Uz, there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright. He feared God and shunned evil. He had seven sons and three daughters, and he owned 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yolk of oxen, 500 donkeys, a large number of servants. He was the greatest man among all the people of the east. His sons used to take turns holding feasts in their homes and they would invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would send and have them purified. Early in the morning, he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, ‘Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.’ This was Job's regular custom.” All right so, Job's greatness is asserted here by the Holy Spirit in the text. He was the greatest man in the east. Job's greatness is asserted by God himself in these two chapters. In Job 1:8, “the Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him. He is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil,’’ Job 1:8. That's God speaking about Job. And then again in chapter two, verse three, “the Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him. He is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil and he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him, without any reason.’” So twice, almighty God asserts the greatness of this man, Job. For me, it's remarkable, really amazing, how much pride God takes in his own creation work. He delights in what he's made. He looks at what he's made in Genesis and sees that it's very good, and he delights in it. And at the end, when God speaks out of a whirlwind, he spends a lot of time boasting about his creatures, effectively saying, "Have you considered the wild donkey that runs free out in the desert? Have you considered the ostrich, how fast she is? Have you considered the horse and its courage of heart, and the way it snorts and stamps? Have you considered the Eagle the way it sores free in the air?" But none of God's creations bring him as much pride and delight as human beings created in his image, and his redeemed children, redeemed by the blood of Christ. I actually believe when God says to Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job?" that that is a foretaste of some innumerable, even infinite moments there will be in heaven when God will effectively say that in reference to all of his children. We have plenty of time in heaven. And how God will hold up various servants so that we'll understand the grace God did in their lives and through their lives to others, that great network of good works, but there are some people that are elevated above the norm. They are the great heroes and heroines of redemptive history. They're unique. They go through a high level of suffering. There's a high level of fruitfulness in their lives. They're just unique individuals. They will receive proportional honor, and God saying, "Have you considered my servant so and so?" Job was one of those. He was a unique individual, the greatest man in the east. Now, what are the attributes of Job's greatness? Well, it says right away, he is blameless and upright, that he feared God and shunned evil. Blameless means that there is no record against him of wrongdoing. Satan himself doesn't question this. Satan is the accuser and he doesn't bring any accusation about Job's sinfulness. He had nothing to say; he's a blameless man. No witness for the prosecution could be brought forth at that moment. He is upright, that is, he is righteous; he lives according to the standard of God, of God's moral law. He feared God; he was a pious man. He feared sin because of what God would do to him, and because how it would dishonor God. He later is going to say to God, at that moment, somewhat disrespectfully, but he's going to say, "Will you never look away from me for a moment, oh watcher of men?" He lived every moment aware that God is watching him, every moment, and that he would have to give an account for his actions on judgment day. He feared God. He feared his power and judgment, and so he feared sin, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,” as we read in book of Proverbs, chapter nine, verse 10. So he shunned evil. He stayed away from evil. He hated evil. Later, he will assert, “I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl.” He wouldn't defraud anyone. He wouldn't hurt anyone. Anything that was evil, he stayed away from it. He shunned it. Turned aside. He also had a secret piety, and he understood the importance of secret piety. He was not a whitewashed tomb looking good on the outside, but corrupt on the inside. You remember the whole thing with his children, “He wondered if some of them might have cursed God in their hearts. So he got up early in the morning to offer sacrifices for them, and would send and have them purified,” it says. And so, this is remarkable. This may be one of the best accounts of a fatherly action in the whole Bible. Maybe I would put it even ahead of some of what we see in father Abraham's life. Although similar, what Abraham did with Isaac: remarkable. But he continued to shepherd his grown children after they were grown, and to care about their piety and their holiness, and he offered sacrifices for them at times of feasting. He knew that feasting could bring on corruption. Celebration, pleasure could, it could be a time of weakness. He would do this. It says it was his regular custom. He had the habit of doing this. Now, we need to keep this in mind when his so-called friends start wrangling with him over the issue of their perception of morality and what's really going on with all of his suffering, and the only thing they can surmise is he must be a very great sinner in private. They don't have any accusation; they have no evidence. He's blameless with them, but all they see is his suffering. They reason he must be a secret sinner, and a great one, but we have the alternate truth here. We know that he was not a whitewashed tomb, but he was what he appeared to be. So for me, I'm going to apply all of this at the end, but I just want to break off and apply this to you Christian fathers, and just say, study Job as a pattern for fathering. That you would be a role model, both in your public life and your private life, that you would keep on shepherding your children in their older years, even when they're not minors anymore, that you would actually care about what's going on in their hearts and their lives, asking them challenging questions, praying for them secretly. These are things that Job gives us a role model for. "Christian fathers study Job as a pattern for fathering. That you would be a role model, both in your public life and your private life, that you would keep on shepherding your children in their older years." And he had prosperity; he was wealthy in the way that you look at wealth and success. He had family prosperity, 10 children: seven sons and three daughters, so it seemed like his family lineage was set. And material prosperity; in that agrarian society all of this livestock that's listed in great detail would've made for wealth back in those agrarian society. For me, I wouldn't know what to do with one camel, never mind, 3,000 camels. What did 3,000 camels eat in a day? And what does that even look like? In my geeky way, I figured out it's somewhat like a matrix of 55 camels wide by 55 camels deep, that's what it... so picture that. But I don't know how wide 55 camels is. What is it? It's bigger than my property. So, this was a wealthy man. 500 yolk of oxen, that's a thousand oxen. He was wealthy. This was Job. II. Satan’s First Test of Job Now, let's talk about Satan's first test of Job in Job 1:6-19. Satan approaches, “There was a day,” verse six, “when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan also came among them.” This is what's often seen to be the heavenly council. It's in the heavenly realms; not something could have been seen with the naked eye. God ruling in the heavenly realms. One translation just simply says angels, and they, I think, were angels, the sons of God. The text, the Hebrew, says sons of God, but in Job 38:7, it says that the sons of God were celebrating and worshiping when he laid the foundations of the earth. There were no human beings at that point. We don't know exactly, in Genesis one, it's not accounted when he created the angels, spirit beings, but he did and they watched him make the physical universe. So the heavenly council, I believe, involves God descending from the region above creation, if you could picture it that way: heaven, even the highest heavens. Christ, in the book of Hebrews, moves through the heavens above all that, so God is not part even of the heavens; he's above everything. But you get the sense of him descending and setting up his throne amongst the angels. And they come and the Holy angels assemble around him to stand in his presence ready to serve him, to bow down in his presence, to worship him, this is what's going on. And Satan comes as well, so there's a sense that he's an outlier, not ordinarily there perhaps, or not welcome, in one sense he's not included in them, but he comes. Satan is a fallen angel. He is an angel that thought, it seems, from Isaiah 14, that he could ascend and topple God from his throne, preposterous, but he was arrogant in that sense and thought that he could do that. So he comes and Satan comes as well. God, then, questions, Satan: “The Lord said to Satan,” verse seven, “‘From where have you come from?’ Satan answered the Lord, ‘From going to and fro on the earth, and from walking up and down on it.’” This is a picture of the restless roaming of Satan. It's his nature to be restless and to roam and to move around, moving back and forth over it. Charles Spurgeon said that Satan marched everywhere like a king in his own dominions, unhindered and unchallenged. So that's the confident Satan who just dominates the earth, like when Satan takes Jesus to a very high mountain and shows him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. He said, "All this has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want. If you'll bow down and worship me, it'll all be yours." You remember that moment. So there's that sense that Satan runs planet earth, but Revelation 12 we get more of the full story, where it seems that Satan, as he was leading a rebellion of maybe a third of the Holy angels against the throne of God, fought a battle and lost and was hurled to the earth, lost his place in heaven and was hurled. And it says that he's filled with rage because he knows that his time is short. If you study the gospels, the demons, in their encounters with Jesus, are terrified of Jesus. They're absolutely terrified; there's zero doubt about his power over them. They're afraid that he's going to throw them into the pit to be tortured before the final judgment where they'll be cast into the lake of fire, where they are not now, but they will be at the end of time. And so yeah, in some sense, Satan's confident, roaming around, other sense, filled with rage because he knows his time is short. And Jesus said of demons, “When an evil spirit goes out of a man,” Matthew 12:43, “it goes through arid places seeking rest.” You picture demons as, well, restless, roaming around. Says in Isaiah 57, speaking of people, but it's also true of demons and of Satan, “The wicked are like the tossing sea, which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud. There is no peace, says my God, for the wicked.” So when you think restless, Satan is restless. I've also seen how when he is tempting us, he makes us restless and discontent as well. Just, when that's going on in your soul you know where that's coming from. So Satan has a deep-seated hatred for God and for God's people. Relentless. Relentless malice, and he has vast powers of destruction at his disposal. So, God boasts about Satan in verse eight, as we've seen, “The Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him. He is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.’" He says that to Satan. Now, it's key that Satan doesn't say, what about this? What about that? What about the other? There is nothing he can say. It's just true, but what does he say? Look at the accusation, verse nine through 11. "‘Does Job fear God for nothing?’ Satan replied. ‘Have you not put a hedge around him and his household, and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands so that his flock and herds are spread throughout the land, but stretch out your hand and strike everything he has and he will surely curse you to your face.’" Like I said, Satan means accuser. It's an actual... the Satan, in a court trial, would be the prosecuting attorney; that's what the Hebrew word means. But here, it's just the name that we've taken over in English. He is the accuser. He says that Job is essentially in it for the money. He's a mercenary. He's basically accusing Job of being a prosperity gospel man. Meaning he's just in it for worldly goods. And he accuses God for abetting it, “You're paying off your friends, God.” Now this shows one of the key points that I'm going to make later this morning, it's vital, but I think repetition is helpful. Satan is restricted in his access to the people of God. He's restricted. He's like a lion on a leash. God is faithful to his children and he will not let any of them be tempted beyond what they can bear. I'm going to say that many times this morning, but it's first time I said it this morning. You just need to understand that. "Satan is restricted in his access to the people of God. He's restricted. He's like a lion on a leash. God is faithful to his children and he will not let any of them be tempted beyond what they can bear." So, God erects a protective wall around Job and everything he has, called a hedge, something that he cannot penetrate. And Satan has to ask permission to get at Job, at every step. Permission. This is vital for us to realize. All of Satan's approaches to us are filtered through the throne of God. He zealously guards his children, his adopted children. He zealously guards them, but he will allow some flaming arrows of temptations, and then accusations, to come through from time to time. And he trains us to put on a spiritual armor and lift up the shield of faith, and he works with, but understand: everything has had to go through him, God. And also, Satan's accusation here is really repulsive, “If you take away everything, he will curse you to your face.” There's so many dimensions of wickedness about that. Effectively, “God, there's nothing about you worth worshiping.” There's so many things in Job, himself, being essentially a deceiver. Well, then God grants Satan permission, but he limits it. Verse 12, “The Lord said to Satan, ‘Behold, all that he has is in your hand. Only against him, do not stretch out your hand.’” Now, we need to understand this, I Corinthians 10:13 says: “no temptation has seized you, except what is common to man. And God is faithful. He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear, but with the temptation, will provide a way out so you can stand up under it.” So when you're being assaulted, understand, God had to give permission for that, so take it back up to God. What are you intending, Lord, in this? What are your purposes? You are very wise and loving to me. You're going to bring it back to God. There's intentionality in whatever God permits. So then Satan goes out from the presence of the Lord, verse 12. Satan and his demons, we should not imagine, are continually in the presence of God, and see him, and whatever. Not at all. Actually, we learned in the book of James, where it says, "You believe that there is one God, good, even the demons," what? "Believe that." That means they don't see him; they got to believe that there is one God. God is higher than the highest heavens. He's above all of them. He reveals himself as he chooses. It's interesting how, in the Bible, angels and demons fight it out on roughly equal terms. We see it in the book of Daniel. It's really quite remarkable, but God and his sovereignty rules over all of these things. So, Satan goes out, verse 12, from the Lord's presence and the avalanche of sorrow starts. The avalanche, wave upon wave, upon wave of sorrow comes down on this man. One day. In one day, all of his possessions are lost. He loses, when the first messenger comes, all of his oxygen and his donkeys. The Sabaeans came in, and they're raiders, and they came in and they took everything, slaughtered the servants, and I'm the only one left. While he's speaking, then the next messenger comes, and the sheep and the servants, the shepherds, are taken by the fire of God from the sky. Lightning, I guess, some electrical storm might have started a prairie fire, I don't know, but the fire of God comes down, it was called, killing them all. While that messenger's still speaking, then the next wave comes. Chaldeans swept in and stole all 3,000 camels; gone in an instant, and they slaughtered the servants as well. While that messenger's still speaking, the next avalanche comes down and the worst of all, the worst of all. Verse 18 and 19, “your sons and daughters were feasting and drinking wine at the oldest brother's house when suddenly a mighty wind swept in from the desert and struck all four corners of the house and it collapsed on them and they're dead and I'm the only one who has escaped to tell you.” Could be, I would think, what any parent fears the most, which is vulnerable. We can't keep our kids safe perfectly in this world. We know it. It's one of the greatest sorrows there is in this world, is parents burying a child. Well, he didn't have one to bury, he had 10, in one day. An avalanche of sorrows, and then we see what James calls the patience of Job. III. The Patience of Job Verse 20 through 22, “At this, Job got up, tore his robe, shaved his head, then he fell to the ground in worship and said, ‘Naked, I came from my mother's womb and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. May the name of the Lord be praised.’ In all this, Job did not sin by charging God with wrongdoing.” This really is one of the greatest moments in redemptive history. Very, very unique, that a man would receive that kind of news and respond like that. Incredible. He humbled himself under God's mighty hand. He tore his clothes. He shaved his head. This deeply hurt him. There's no doubt about it, but he's very aware of his own mortality, and of the temporary nature of all of the earthy blessings that God gave him. He said, "Naked, I entered the world, and naked I will depart." What this says to me, if you ponder this carefully, what this says to me is every last one of us will experience, in some way, what Job experienced at the end of our lives. One of my best friends in this church, over the years, was a man named Mac Woody. Mac was on the search committee that brought me here, Godly man, one of the most consistently cheerful men that I've ever met. He loved his wife, Eileen. He loved his three children, his multiple grandchildren. Sweet man. Consistently cheerful. The last time that I saw him, I visited him at Croasdaile Nursing Home. Mac had three homes. He had a home on Garrett road, simple home that he lived with Eileen for many years. Then he had her ancestral home out in Otto, North Carolina, the Western part of the state in a beautiful part of the mountainous area out there, very simple home, but it’s a very pretty area. Later in life, he acquired a beach home at Carolina Beach, got an amazing deal on it. He just let our family go to the mountain home or the beach home whenever we wanted. Very generous, and I remember seeing him, visiting him that last time and he knew, I knew where he was at physically and that the end was very near, but he was cheerful as always, filled with the faith of the gospel. But it occurred to me, he will never live in any of those homes again. Probably never see them again in this world… done. It's all gone. I didn't say that to him, but it was in my mind. It was just a lesson on how to die well. I just want you all to be ready for what's coming to you, and I want to be ready for what's coming to me. We don't know when, but it's going to come. Naked, we entered this world and naked we will leave it. And the Bible's very honest about that. We need to be ready for that. We need to have the faith of the faith-filled men and women that are celebrated in the hall of faith in Hebrews 11, who when they reached the end of their lives, realized that all of the best promises were still yet to come. They died in faith, Hebrews 11:13 and 16 says, "All of these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised. They only saw them and welcomed them from a distance and they admitted that they were aliens and strangers in this world." That's what naked I entered and naked I will leave, that's what it means. Aliens and strangers. We just moved through. They were longing for a better country, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. God has prepared a country, and a city, and he's going to give that to us through faith in Christ. So you're going to reach the end of your life and all of your earthly stuff's going to be taken away. And if you're strong in the faith, like I hope you will be, it won't bother you at all. You will rejoice and say, "All of my best blessings are yet to come. They're in the future." So Job's patience means that he worshiped God, he trusted God, he did not question God, he did not challenge him, or charge him with wrongdoing. Now, people ask me, “Pastor, is it ever okay to just be angry at God?” What do you think the book of Job's answer to that question is? Absolutely not, ever. "People ask me, “Pastor, is it ever okay to just be angry at God?” What do you think the book of Job's answer to that question is? Absolutely not, ever." We are never okay to challenge God, or charge God with wrongdoing. God never does anything wrong. And I just think it's part of the trial that we go through, that Satan tries to slip that in and teach us it's okay to be angry with God sometimes. No it isn't. God loves you and sent his only begotten son to die for you. His love for you is... the credentials are impeccable. No, it's not okay. It won't do you any good to be angry at God. Now, I believe that there's some things percolating inside Job at this point. Do you sense it? You've read the book. You know what's happening. It's going to start bubbling to the surface, but it's not there yet. He doesn't charge God with wrongdoing, and he worships. IV. Satan’s Second Test of Job All right, second test of Job, chapter two. Satan's relentless, “On another day, the angels came to present themselves before the Lord and Satan came also with them to present himself before him and the Lord said to Satan, ‘Where have you come from?’ Satan answered the Lord, ‘From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it.’” He is so proud. He can never admit he was wrong. Just a proud being, too proud to admit failure. He's never going to think differently about anything for repentance is a gift of God's grace. And he's not going to repent; Satan doesn't repent of anything, just comes out at a different angle. He does what he does, and what does he do? He's a thief that comes to steal, and kill, and destroy, John 10:10. That's what he does. Well, God vindicates Job, as we've seen. Chapter two, verse three, “the Lord said to Satan, ‘Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him. He is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil and he still maintains his integrity, though you incited me against him to ruin him without any reason.’” Well, Satan renews his accusation, despite his failure to get Job to blaspheme. But Satan does know human nature. He has studied us. He knows our weaknesses. And what does he say? Look at verse four and five. “‘Skin for skin,’ Satan replied. ‘A man will give all he has for his own life, but stretch out your hand and strike his flesh and his bones and he will surely curse you to your face.’” Basically, what Satan saying is fundamentally, fundamentally, without our health we can't enjoy any blessings in this world, and we will actually trade all of our earthly blessings to get our health back. There's a sense in which that's really true. There are spiritual blessings that are not tied to our health, and we can enjoy those anytime, but it's hard to enjoy the physical blessings of life if you're in deep physical pain; if you're in agony, it's hard to enjoy them. People will spend a lot of money on their health. The last normal medical year, before COVID, in the United States alone, people spent $3.5 trillion on healthcare in one year. That's an average of $11,000 per citizen. That's how much we value our health and how much we... and Job, in his physical misery, lost his appetite. He didn't want to eat anything. Even an egg white tasted terrible to him. He says in Job 6:6 and 7, "Is tasteless food eaten without salt, or is there flavor in the white of an egg? I refuse to touch it. Such food makes me ill." You can't enjoy anything when you're hurting, when you're physically sick. So God permits Satan, but limits him again. Verse six through eight, “The Lord said to Satan, ‘Very well then. He is in your hands, but you must spare his life.’ So Satan went out from the presence of the Lord and afflicted Job with painful sores, from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes.” hard to even imagine what that's like. We're going to talk, God willing, in weeks to come, about what he was physically feeling, and what kinds of suffering he was going through. But then Job's wife comes to him in verse nine and his wife said to him, "Are you still holding onto your integrity? Curse God and die." We don't know much about her, but those are her children too. It's just hard. It's hard. It's painful. But what she said was wrong. At that point, she's almost, it seems, coming at from the same angle that Satan was. The devil can take us captive to do his will. We can actually say things the devil wants us to say. We just need to be really, really careful. We all can do that. We all can do that. And then Job's friends come. We're going to get to know them, God willing, over the next number of weeks. Interesting people, all I can say about them at this point, “Job's three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him. They set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him. They began to weep aloud. They tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. They sat there on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him because they saw how great his suffering was.” we'll just leave it there. It is through this paragraph here we sense just how great Job's suffering is. They can't even recognize him. V. The Patience of Job Deepened The patience of Job is deepened and broadened. In verse 10, as his wife said, “‘Are you still holding onto your integrity? Curse God and die.’ He replied, ‘You're talking like a foolish woman. Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?’ In all this, Job did not sin in what he said.” Now, that's an interesting statement. You know, first chapter is he didn't sin by charging God with wrongdoing, now he didn't sin in anything he said, but he is thinking some thoughts. How do we know that? Because he says them, over the subsequent chapters, just not yet. So it's percolating in there, and I think this is part of God's purpose, in Job's life. There is a basic corruption deep inside this blameless man and it's going to come bubbling to the surface and God's going to deal with it and heal him from it, but it's going to take time. The rest of us, it would have come a lot quicker, almost right away. With Job, look at all he went through before, but he didn't sin in what he said. He said, like in Psalms 141:3, "Set a guard over my mouth, oh Lord. Keep watch over the door of my lips." He's going to say later, "I put my hand over my mouth." sometimes, that's the best thing you can do. "I'm not going to say anything." Good choice, but he's thinking it. VI. Ten Lessons and Their Applications All right. I want to just give you 10 quick lessons and one word applications, because we're going to see these lessons again and again. I'm just going to say it and apply it quickly. First, earthly prosperity is temporary, so store up your treasure in heaven. Second, God is sovereign, so humble yourself under his mighty hand. Third, Satan is a powerful adversary, so study his schemes. Paul says, "We're not unaware of his schemes. Study what he does." Fourth, the heavenly realms, the realms of angels and demons, are hidden from us, but they're impactful on our lives. Fifth, human godliness is precious to God, so pursue it. Pursue it. Say, "I would like five years from now, 10 years from now, to be more like Job in which it could be said, blameless and upright. Someone who fears God and shuns, shuns, evil. Six, God limits Satan's power, so rely on God's protection. Understand God has a hedge, a wall, around you too. He is protecting you. Understand that. And he's limiting Satan's power, and God knows how to do that. Seven, suffering is deep and inevitable, so prepare for it and suffer well when it comes. Don't act like it's a surprise. Don't act like these things, you didn't know this was coming. It's going to come. Get ready for it. You may say, how do I do that? Suffer well on the little things. He who is faithful in little, be faithful in much. Bear traffic annoyances better than you do. I mean all humor aside, just do that. Be more patient in your life. Be more patient with little annoyances that happen along the way. Say, "God, get me ready for the big one." You say, "But I don't want the big one, so if I ask God for patience, he's going to start doing stuff to me." Friend, he's going to do things to you anyway. The question is, are you going to react well or poorly? So, if you can get ready now and ask God to build patience in you now, then you'll be more ready to suffer well when that time comes. So number eight, patience in suffering is essential, so develop it in that way. Develop your patience. Number nine, Providence is meticulous, so learn the doctrine of Providence and trust in it, “A sparrow doesn't fall to the ground, apart from the will of God.” Ten, God is good and loving, so draw near to him in Christ. Draw near to him in Christ. I'm going to finish the sermon by just meditating with you briefly on Christ, as contrasted with Job. Christ shines radiantly against the black backdrop of human sin and human suffering. Christ shines. Job was, in some sense, the best our human race had to offer. He was blameless and upright, who feared God and shunned evil. Jesus is infinitely greater than Job. Perfect in all respects. Completely sinless. He is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being. He loves righteousness and hates wickedness, that's Jesus. He was wholly at a level Job couldn't even touch. Job was vastly wealthy and lost everything without any cause at all. Jesus was infinitely wealthier. He was on a throne of glory in heaven. He was rich, and for our sakes, he became poor, so that we, through his poverty, might become rich. So everything was taken from Jesus too, but he did it so that we might have eternal life. Job was afflicted with terrible sores from the sole of his feet to the top of his head, but he survived; Satan was not permitted to take his life, but Jesus is different. Jesus willingly laid down his life in death for us. He made himself nothing and became obedient to God. Even to death, even to death on a cross, he allowed Satan to take his life. He put himself in Satan's power to some degree, because Judas was inhabited with Satan, and Jesus went with him. Satan is a murderer and Jesus died, but in so doing, he destroyed Satan, who held the power of death. Job eventually would question God's justice. We'll get there, but he does. Jesus displayed God's perfect justice, perfectly, for all time, Romans 3:25 and 26, “God presented Jesus as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice because in his forbearance, he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished. He did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just, and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.” By his death on the cross, the only begotten son of God, sinless, but our sin substitute, by his death, he perfectly displays for all time, God's justice. So Job's example can teach us patience and suffering, but Jesus is the only savior. Job can't save us. He's an example, but Jesus is a savior, so trust in him. I'm going to close the sermon time in prayer, and then we'll go to a time of the Lord supper, celebrating the Lord supper. Let's pray together. Father, thank you for this time in God's word. We thank you for the truth of the book of Job. There's so many deep lessons for us here. Help us, oh Lord, to take them to heart. We thank you for the ministry of the word. Now, as we turn to the ministry of this ordinance, we pray that you would bless it as well. In Jesus name, amen.

In this Episode I am joined by Courtney Mininno, Realtor for Carolina One Real Estate in Charleston SC. We talk about being new to the business, gymnastics, entrepreneurship, and of course the South Carolina area. Listen as Courtney shares some great success strategies with us!    Courtney's Bio "I'm Courtney, a born and raised Carolina girl. I grew up on the coast of North Carolina on a small island in a town called Carolina Beach. I pull for the N.C. State Wolfpack and the Carolina Panthers! I'm a huge music junkie, I listen to everything under the sun from Ace of Base to ZZ Top. When i'm not working in real estate I'm coaching gymnastics preschool age and up or hanging out with my boyfriend and our two fur babies; Cooper our dog and Nala our cat. I also enjoy getting lost in the corner of a local coffee shop, my goal is to try every single shop in the Charleston area. Lets grab a coffee and get to know each other!" Contact Courtney-  1.843.608.1046 Email- courtney.mininno@carolinaoneplus.com Website- Courtney's Website Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/courtney.mininno

Shea and Kristen are on a girls weekend in Carolina Beach and after 13 hours of day drinking, things don't always go as planned! The girls welcome Shea's sister, Stephanie, to talk about... whatever comes to mind. And lets be honest, they don't remember what they talked about!