Podcasts about Cross

In today's episode of the Atheist Experience, The Cross Examiner and JMike tackle the subtle "little things" of Christian nationalism and the liberating reality of secular mental health! From the Pentagon's reclassification of Mormonism to a personal struggle with depression, the hosts dismantle the idea that faith is a viable substitute for evidence or professional care. Can we find a better grounding for reality than ancient forgeries and emotional placeholders?Levi in LA questions why he shouldn't believe in a higher power if it provides comfort, such as a positive outlook during illness. The hosts use the "diamond in the backyard" analogy to explore the high cost of religious tithing and emotional energy spent on unsupported claims. They emphasize that a lack of evidence should lead to agnosticism rather than conviction. What happens to your resources when the promise of a diamond never materializes?Michel in NY asks if the fame of the Gospels proves Jesus was a historical figure rather than a myth. The hosts compare this reasoning to the popularity of King Arthur or Robin Hood, noting that legendary status doesn't establish physical reality. The conversation briefly touches on apocryphal texts and modern gender commentary before being identified as potential trolling for its lack of substance. Can the popularity of a story ever serve as a reliable yardstick for historical truth?Marcos in New Zealand presents a trilemma regarding children and free will on Judgment Day. He also cites documented witnesses of Ellen White as proof for his theism. The hosts challenge this "hearsay of hearsay" by comparing it to the modern "James River Church toes" miracle, which lacked independent verification despite multiple claims of witnessing the divine. They urge applying a consistent standard of evidence to all extraordinary stories. Why do ancient legends receive a special pass from skepticism?Thank you for joining us this week! We will see you next time!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-atheist-experience--3254896/support.

Roman Yampolskiy has spent two decades trying to prove that superintelligent AI can be controlled. He couldn't. I invited him on to make his case. Subscribe if you want science with evidence, not speculation. Roman is a professor of computer science at the University of Louisville and one of the earliest researchers in AI safety. His book AI: Unexplainable, Unpredictable, Uncontrollable started as an attempt to solve the alignment problem. After decades of work, it became a proof that the problem cannot be solved. Not difficult. Mathematically impossible. I push back hard. We go after the Einstein test: can a large language model trained only on pre-1911 physics reproduce what Einstein did with the same data? We ran that experiment. It failed. Roman and I disagree about what that means. We also get into the halting problem and what it actually tells us about predicting smarter-than-human behavior, whether value alignment is a real problem or a well-funded category error, the case for a government moratorium on frontier model development, and why Roman thinks giving an AI agent access to your computer is the dumbest thing a smart person can do. What you'll hear: Whether AI control is mathematically impossible or just unsolved Why Roman thinks all current AI safety work is security theater What the halting problem actually means for superintelligence The alignment problem: real issue or well-funded category error Why Roman wants a moratorium on frontier model development What to tell your kids about careers in a world where Roman might be right If you listen to other people, the best you can become is average. CHAPTERS 00:00 Creating a mind without an off switch 01:34 Solving problems beyond our own intelligence 04:08 Einstein's epiphany and the limit of AI intuition 08:18 Assessing the Einstein test: Why the experiment failed 12:22 Path dependency: Are LLMs and GPUs our QWERTY? 16:10 The barriers preventing AI from solving physics 21:54 Safety vs. Capability: Why toddlers are safe but teens are not 23:06 The halting problem: Predicting agents smarter than us 25:58 The impossibility of a system proving its own integrity 28:18 Regulation: Genuine safety or a gift to oligarchs? 33:28 Is human cognition non-computable? Penrose vs. the field 39:00 Ethical duties: Must we treat AI with humanity? 43:00 From internet memes to monsters: Decoding the book cover 46:22 Customized realities: Can everyone have their perfect world? 49:50 Von Neumann probes and the panspermia hypothesis 55:02 Categorizing AI: The one version that should terrify you 58:22 Pause AI: The movement for a development moratorium 59:58 Career advice for kids in a post-professional world 01:07:58 Cross-examining Sam Altman 01:15:48 Roman's dream debate 01:19:50 Lessons for a younger self Substack: https://briankeating.substack.com Get the transcript, fascinating bonus content, and my Monday M.A.G.I.C. Message: https://briankeating.com/yt Have a .edu email and live in the USA? You automatically win a meteorite: https://BrianKeating.com/edu Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/DrBrianKeating?sub_confirmation=1 Support Into the Impossible on Patreon, get my weekly M.A.G.I.C. Message, unfiltered bonus content, and live monthly Office Hours with me: https://www.patreon.com/drbriankeating Join this channel for perks, monthly Office Hours, and your name in the Member Roster at the end of every episode: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCmXH_moPhfkqCk6S3b9RWuw/join Featured Guest: Roman Yampolskiy on Twitter/X: https://x.com/romanyam?lang=en AI: Unexplainable, Unpredictable, Uncontrollable: https://www.romanyampolskiy.com/books/ My books: Losing the Nobel Prize (memoir): http://amzn.to/2sa5UpA Think Like a Nobel Prize Winner: https://a.co/d/03ezQFu Focus Like a Nobel Prize Winner: https://a.co/d/hi50U9U Galileo's Dialogue (first-ever audiobook): https://a.co/d/iZPi9Un Twitter/X: https://x.com/BrianKeating Substack: https://briankeating.substack.com Blog: https://briankeating.com/blog Audio-only: https://briankeating.com/podcast #intotheimpossible #briankeating #AIrisk #artificialintelligence #aisafety #podcast #superintelligence #RomanYampolskiy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How can horror writing help readers — and writers — work through psychological trauma? Why does cross-genre fiction take longer to find an audience, but pay off in the long run? Is running a direct sales store actually worth the inventory, postage, and learning curve? And how can SubStack work for fiction authors? With psychotherapist and award-winning author P.D. Alleva. In the intro, thoughts on why in-person conferences are still worth it, even when they are a challenge for sensitive introverts! and tips for making the best of conferences [Self-Publishing Show]. Today's show is sponsored by Draft2Digital, self-publishing with support, where you can get free formatting, free distribution to multiple stores, and a host of other benefits. Just go to www.draft2digital.com to get started. This show is also supported by my Patrons. Join my Community at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn P.D. Alleva is the award-winning author of horror, sci-fi, thrillers, and fantasy books. He's also a psychotherapist. You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below. Show Notes Why horror puts the human condition on display better than any other genre Emotional trauma as the silent psychological killer most people overlook The pros and challenges of cross-genre writing and finding your audience Practical lessons from running a direct store, including integration and signed-copy fulfilment How a 3 a.m. writing routine keeps the writing separate from the marketing and admin Serialising fiction on Substack, multiple newsletters, and avoiding paid subscriber promotions Why Facebook groups, TikTok Lives, and the three-to-one rule are working right now You can find P.D. at PDAlleva.com or on Substack. Transcript of the interview with P.D. Alleva Jo: P.D. Alleva is the award-winning author of horror, sci-fi, thrillers, and fantasy books. He's also a psychotherapist. So welcome, Paul. PD: Thank you very much. Thank you for having me. This is a great opportunity. I love doing interviews, and I love talking to great people. Jo: Oh, good. Well, first up— Tell us a bit more about you and how you got into writing and being an indie author. PD: So I've been writing since I was a kid, at least second grade and more than likely even before that. I've always had that creative itch. Getting into indie author publishing, I published my first book in 2011. At the time I was also operating my own business, which took up about 24 hours of my time every single day. Then I kind of got through that and sold that in 2016, and I'm like, you know what? The time has come. I'd always written books, poetry, short stories, but never really did anything with them because I just didn't have the time. So in 2017, that's when I really came out and said, all right, the time is now. Indie publishing was doing great. The one good thing I do love about Amazon is they allowed us to come out there and start showing our craft to people. So in 2017, I just started—let's do this. Let's write full time. Let's put books out there. Let's be creative. Let's really get those juices flowing. Plus, I was getting a little bit old, and I was like, now is definitely the time to do this. Since then I've been publishing consistently, and most of my books are horror books, but I dabble. I have a sci-fi series, and I'm starting to get into psychological thrillers too. I've got a new psychological thriller that'll be published in early 2027 called Girl on a Mission. For the most part, I'm definitely into the horror genre—books, short stories, all that good fun stuff. Jo: Right, so a couple of follow-ups. You said you're a bit old. Can you give us what decade you're in at least? PD: Well, I'm 51, so born in 1971. Jo: Oh, there you go. Same age as me. PD: All right, good. See that? So we're going head-to-head there. Jo: I don't think that's old at all. Also, you mentioned you sold your business in 2016. So what was your business before? Because I think business experience is so important. PD: Agreed 100%. So I'm a psychotherapist, and I had owned a treatment centre for mental health and addiction. That was started in 2011, and in 2016 is when it sold. Since then, my wife and I started a private practice. So I still, even to this day—well, about a year and a half ago is when I stopped. I specialise in trauma, PTSD, and addiction. Trauma mostly. Most of my caseload has always been trauma, PTSD, sexual abuse, psychological abuse, war-type trauma. I was doing that mostly individually since 2016 in private practice, and I'll still go into treatment centres and see patients there too, specifically for trauma. About a year and a half ago is when I started wanting to do writing 100% full time. I thought about becoming a professor, maybe going to college, but then I wasn't sure if I wanted to get into that full time, as far as a caseload and school and everything like that. So I decided to just do group therapy, group facilitation, and I've been doing that consistently since then. It may be 15 hours a week. I do love to give back, and to me, it's more what I teach. I specialise in neuro-linguistic programming, bilateral stimulation or EMDR, hypnotherapy, science of mind concepts, psychopharmacology, biological bases of behaviour—which is pretty much how your brain works—ancient wisdom, quantum physics. I do this in a drug addiction treatment centre mostly, also mental health. And of course, just living an addictive lifestyle is traumatic, too, in and of itself. So pretty much I'm teaching them. Behaviour modification is a big part of what I'm teaching during that time. You'll see that, too, if you read my books. There's two things you can figure out from my books. You can figure out how to murder people and get away with it, and two, you can figure out how to overcome trauma as well. The whole “murder people and get away with it” comes from my upbringing. I have a very sorted past, let's put it that way. My upbringing was very different than what most people grow up in. Jo: Oh, can you give us any more than that? Now everyone's like, “Oh.” PD: “What's going on with this guy, right?” So I grew up, let's say, quote unquote, “in an Italian New York family.” Jo: Okay. All right. PD: That might give people ideas, right? Jo: That's going to give people a lot of ideas. PD: If you've ever seen the movie Goodfellas, I kind of grew up in that atmosphere, and with even some of those people too. My family had connections to those people in that movie, which I find very funny. If you watch that movie with me, you get a very different perspective on what's going on in the movie. Jo: Wow. So you're an interesting guy with an interesting background, with a very interesting backstory job as well. Some people are like, “Well, of course he's writing horror because horror is just awful and full of slasher gore and all that.” I often have to say to people who don't read horror, “Look, it's not like that.” Maybe some of it is, sure. But most of it isn't. Could you talk about how reading and writing horror can also be psychologically healthy? How do these worlds intertwine for you? PD: Well, sure. It 100% can be healthy. Especially over the last few years, there's a trend going on out there right now where people are taking their trauma and putting it into a creative process through poems, short stories, and even novels. They're taking their trauma and giving it a face, like a monster, where people are overcoming that monster within the creative process. I always say that horror is the genre that puts on display, better than any other genre out there, the human condition. Why is that? When people are in a terrifying situation, you really see who they are. You get to the heart of the matter of who that person is by putting them in these horrific but undefinable situations where it's like, what are they going to come out as? That real true personality needs to come out, and that courage comes out. That's huge in horror, and I think horror gets such a bad name. Now, I know there's the extreme horror and the splatterpunk, and that has its kind of role too in what I'm saying, but that's where horror is getting its bad reputation out there with the over-the-top type of gore. For the most part, that's a small part of the horror genre. It's a subgenre for a reason. It has its readership, and that's fine. Nothing wrong with it. I read it all the time. I find a lot of joy in it, a lot of excitement. However, for the most part, any horror novel that is not completely with the gore and stuff like splatterpunk can be seen as a psychological thriller, and a lot of psychological thrillers can be seen as a horror novel. Look at books like The Silence of the Lambs, Red Dragon. That's horrific as well, but if you read the novel, it's in there. It just gets that bad rap right now, and it's not all gore. Most horror novels that I read today are psychological horror. It's tame on the gore, and the psychological aspect is there. I always see that psychological aspect—it's like psychological trauma. Most people, even in my industry, when people are out there and you mention trauma, PTSD, they're thinking about sexual abuse, physical abuse, or war-type trauma. The silent psychological one—I once wrote an article called “Emotional Trauma: The Silent Psychological Killer.” The one that's out there is the psychological trauma, the emotional trauma that is widespread. Most people go through that, and it could even be from parent to child, and most people don't understand that that's a traumatic experience. It's like a distortion of reality that you're experiencing that then creates a belief system in your brain, and you're constantly acting out that belief system. That's where the psychological component of horror really comes out. People breaking through that psychological belief system that was created through a traumatic experience by reaching courage and coming out through a horrific situation. Jo: Yes, it really annoys me, because with romance, of course people understand that romance is a huge genre. Something like a small town sweet romance is a world away from the bully romantasy, dark, or mafia. Mafia romance is a really big thing with very dark themes. I'm like, well, how can you understand that romance is a huge genre with all these different subgenres, and not think that horror or thriller or fantasy or sci-fi all have so many different subgenres within them? I personally read a lot of supernatural horror, but rarely the slasher gore kind of stuff. So I'm really glad you said that, and hopefully more people will open up a bit more. I did also want to ask you about what you write. You write all these different things. You write standalone—I mean, often horror is standalone—but you also have some series. How do you balance it? What are the benefits of cross-genre writing, but also the challenges of it? PD: Okay. So obviously I love cross-genre writing. To me, I use fantasy to explain the supernatural elements. I blend mostly a tad of fantasy to help explain the supernatural components in my supernatural novels. When I write sci-fi, specifically sci-fi, that has the fantasy element in it too, but there's also a tad of horror in there as well. It's just who I am. When I grew up, I had a lot of different influences. I had Star Wars on one side, and then I'm watching B-rated '80s slasher films on the other side. Those two mixes just kind of followed me throughout my life, and that's why I like putting them into my novels. As I tell my patients, don't limit yourself. Never limit yourself. If you're just limiting yourself to one genre, you're missing out on so much more that's out there. So I love the blend of mixing genres. It just gets my goat each and every time. It is a challenge though. I remember when I first started getting into indie publishing, I was never big into Facebook and social media up until I started becoming an indie author. Before that, with my type of upbringing, you don't advertise yourself. You don't advertise where you're going. That's a big no-no. So I always had this aversion to social media. I'll tell you a funny story. It was the late 2000s, probably 2006. I was a full-time single father at that time, and I was living in Florida. My family—brothers and sisters-in-law—were living in New York, and my sister-in-law said, “Get a Facebook account so we can see pictures of the kids.” I said, “Oh.” I didn't want to do it, but I said, “Okay,” so I did it. And I'm thinking, looking at this Facebook thing, “How do I put pictures on here?” So I figured out how to put pictures in folders. Then I phone called her, and I'm like, “Okay, so they're on there.” And they're like, “Well, where are they?” I'm like, “I put them in these folders. You can go and look at them.” She's like, “No, you've got to post them.” That to me was like, “I'm not posting pictures of my kids.” That was a big no-no. It didn't click. When I got on there finally in 2016, 2017, I'm like, “Okay, so I need to figure out social media. As an indie author, I need to be on there, so I need to get through this aversion and get on there.” I started noticing how people are so particular with their genres. If they're reading a romance, it had to be very specific with that exact type of romance, and if you deviated from it, they're not going to like it. So that was the challenge. I was like, “All right, number one, I'm not going to dilute myself” and say, “All right, take things out of my writing or out of my novel just so I could cater to a certain type of audience.” I'm like, “I'm not going to do that.” I know with me, myself, as a reader, I'll read everything. I don't limit myself to a specific genre. I'll read psychological thrillers. I'll read romance. I've been doing that all my life. So I'm like, if there's a person like me out there—and look at this, I just met like four other people who also read cross genres—then I know that there's at least another 30,000 people, and I know that at least then there's 300,000, then there's three million people out there. So just write the books that you're writing and find your audience. Now, that takes longer. So you've got to chip away. Chip away. You're going to find readers here and there, and then that reader kind of tells a few people about you, and then you've got a few more readers. Then you keep going, and you go on these Facebook groups, and you do a whole bunch of different things, and then you gather a few more readers. Then they're telling some friends, and then you've got more. The process takes a lot longer, yes, 100% agreed, but I would say be true to yourself and you can never go wrong. Jo: Yes, I agree. I write cross-genre as well, and I've browsed your collection. Golem was the one I was like, “Ooh, yes, I like that one.” I haven't read it yet, it's on my list. I think when you're cross-genre, my people come to my store as well, and it's like, “Okay, I'm interested in lots of things, but this is the one by this author that I'm interested in.” Whereas with other authors who only write one type of thing, then I might not like any of their stuff. So I think there are definitely pros and cons and different ways into our world. I also wanted to ask you about the differences in business. Obviously you ran this treatment centre and there were physical humans on all sides, and now you've got a business as an author. So what have you learned in business from what you used to do and what you do now? PD: Okay. You're right. The treatment centre industry is very different from what I'm doing now, but it's still people. Treat those people right, have integrity. If you say you're going to do something, follow through with it. My word is my bond type of thing. That definitely has fed into the writing and publishing industry that I'm in now in a huge way. Just connecting with people is, to me, the biggest part of it. I mean, treatment centres, you've got to connect with people. When I would market the treatment centre, where would I go? I would go to hospitals, residential facilities, detoxes, and talk to them about my programme and why they should be referring clients there. It's the same thing here. Why should you be reading my books? You get there through interviews like what I'm doing here with you. Other podcasts. You get there by doing Facebook Lives, TikTok. I haven't started TikTok Lives yet, but I actually love that platform. I'm falling in love with it. IG Lives, anything like that where you're talking to people and you're making a connection with those people. Through that, I've gathered so many different types of readers who are like, “Yes, I'll give this book a shot.” And then they read it and they're like, “Hey, this is really good, and I'm going to read another book.” With my books, I have very different books. Golem is my psychological horror novel. It's my slow-burn psychological horror novel, heavily inspired by Frankenstein and the Pygmalion myth. It's my first true horror book that I published. Then there's Jigglyspot and the Zero Intellect, which is inspired by B-rated '80s horror movies and the old grindhouse movies of the '70s, and it's mind manipulation. It's just wild and bizarre. And then The Sleepy Hollow Incident is my Gothic tale—it's like a dark romance mixed in with Gothic horror. So I always try to put something for everyone that's out there. To me, when I'm writing, it's got to be about depth, psychological depth. I always refer to my books to be like peeling layers off a Texas-sized onion. The more you read, the more in-depth you get into not only the characters, but the story. It's just something that comes out of me. It's part of me. That's the way I always have to do it. I always have to put that depth in there. To me, that's good storytelling. When I grew up, I read a lot of classic literature. Yes, Edgar Allan Poe, but also Dante's Inferno, Milton's Paradise Lost, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, the Brontë sisters. Keep going. Ray Bradbury, Ayn Rand, Daphne du Maurier, Shirley Jackson. Those to me are my books that I absolutely love. So there's a sweet science in today's fast-paced, social media type of world in marrying the depth of the old classic literature and the entertainment value that is required today for being an author. There's that sweet science behind it, and I love just hitting that nail on the head every time. Jo: So did you ever pitch traditional publishing, or have you thought about going that way? Because I also find that a lot of horror actually sits very close to literary. Like, I read a lot more literary horror than I do in some of the other genres. PD: Correct. So in the beginning, yes. Not in a long time. I maybe went to a couple of indie publishers, but as far as traditional, the Big Five publishers, I have an aversion to them for a big reason. I know people who have worked in that industry that have told me some pretty bad horror stories about those places. So I haven't sent anything to that type of place in a very, very long time. Maybe close to 20 years. Indie publishers, the small presses, yes, here and there, but even then, I'm always moving at a fast pace. So if I've got a book and I'm sending it out as a query letter, by the time that query letter is even read, I'm almost done publishing. I love that aspect of it. The control of my story, where I know where this character's going. And listen, I've got my beta readers, I've got my ARC readers. They're there to tell me, “Hey, maybe you should change this or change that.” Whether I take that advice or not, of course my editor too, is really up to me. I always put out the book that I know is the one I want to read. And to me, I haven't gone wrong in doing so. I know with traditional publishing, you sometimes get too many thoughts in the pot there. Let's put it that way. Jo: Okay, so coming back to being indie then. You mentioned Amazon earlier, but you have a store where you sell direct. Many authors are doing this now, but it can be a challenge. So what have you found are the pros and cons of your direct store? What's working? Any lessons there? PD: Okay. So I use a place called Big Cartel. They're the platform where the books are on. They're hosting my website, PDAlleva.com. The big challenge was actually just starting it. It was so overwhelming. How do I put this on there? At the time, I've got all these books, so how do I present them? I'm even going to be doing another revamp with it too, because I want better pictures—taking pictures of the books, stuff like that, instead of just having the covers on there. I also have a lot of shirts that I'm selling. So I think the biggest challenge is just getting on there and starting it. Then of course, you've got to learn a whole new platform, and the mechanics, and how people are going to be downloading, and how that's done on an e-book versus a print version of the book. So it's a huge learning curve that you've really got to put your focus on and give it time. What most people like in indie publishing is signed copies. It's a huge part of indie publishing, selling those signed copies. People love a signed copy, and that's primarily what my website is for. You can order signed copies from me. I also use a place called IngramSpark, and they're more like a distributor. They're used by everyone. They've been around for a very long time. Traditional publishing uses them too, and they're just distributing your novel. I'd say about a year ago, maybe two years ago, they started where you can sell your books on discount through them as well. So I have that on my website too, where you're just clicking on the book and you're pretty much going directly to their site and you're buying paperbacks and hardbacks at a discount. That's going well too. For the most part, people are definitely coming to my site because they want the signed copies. A good thing with indie publishing is limited editions, first print copies, special editions. That type of stuff really just takes off. People love to see that, especially in the indie community. You can sell them too. I go to a few different book conventions during the year, and the limited editions are there. Like I said, people love the signed copies. They love being a part of that and getting that signed copy. They treasure it, just like I treasure my books too. I'm not referring to my books that I've written, but books that I have as well. I love my e-reader, don't get me wrong, but I still prefer the physical copy—the paperback, and even more so than the paperback, the hardback. So people love those signed copies, and that's why I created the website, to sell on there for them. Jo: Yes, I mean, we're getting to a point now though where I think some people are questioning the pros and cons of it. For example, you doing the signed copies—I don't do that from my Shopify store because I don't want to hold stock and I don't want to deal with postage. So I only do it when I do a Kickstarter. I've just finished one recently, Bones of the Deep, and I'm going up to the printer, and I'm going to sign a couple of hundred copies and then they do the postage. That's the only way I'm willing to do it because of the pain of getting books to your house, signing them, getting them in the post. So how do you manage that practically? PD: Okay, so the inventory's there. I don't go and sign everything right away. I just keep the inventory. Once somebody buys the book, then I'll pull out the book, log it and all that good fun stuff, sign it, and then ship it out immediately. Here in my country, we get discounts at the United States Post Office because they're books. So they pass that shipping cost over to the reader too, so it's a little bit cheaper for shipping. I'll just take books once or twice a week over to the United States Postal Service and ship those books out. I don't sign them until I actually get that order. Jo: How many do you have in your house? It's the holding stock of all the backlist that is the problem. PD: Ooh, gotcha. All right. That's why I have a two-car garage. But here's the thing, I won't order 500 at a time. I'll order 20 at a time. Jo: Okay. Right. PD: When I see that inventory's getting low, I'll order another 20 at a time. Jo: And you get those from IngramSpark? PD: Correct. When the new one comes out, maybe at that time I'm just selling those, bringing those to conventions that I go to. Or maybe doing a sale on those books at that time to get rid of the inventory so it's not sitting around anymore. Jo: I think that's so important. Then like you mentioned, you do T-shirts or shirts. That is also really hard because of sizing. So is that all print on demand? PD: Yes. So I don't really hold the stock on the shirts. When I get an order, whatever the size is at that time, I go directly to the place and order it. I use a place called Sublimation Station that's here in Orlando. They do great all-over print T-shirts. They're fantastic. I just did one for The Sleepy Hollow Incident. So The Sleepy Hollow Incident is one long story, and it's broken up into four books. Each book has its own. The covers are fantastic. I use a lady named Cherie Foxley. She's a phenomenal cover designer. So the shirts are, like, book one is on the front of one shirt with book two on the back, and then the second shirt is book three on the cover and book four on the back. However, I can customise those. I just did a giveaway in my Facebook group and I let people know I could customise them, and she wanted book one and book four, so I just got that and sent it out to her. Now, if people go ahead and order that on the website, I can just order it right away from them, boom, and that place will get it shipped right then and there. Jo: Right, so they do the shipping. These are all sort of practical things that people need to answer because I feel like sometimes it's like, “Oh, yes, having a direct store is great,” but there's actually quite a lot of work that goes into it, isn't there? PD: There is. There's a lot of work. You're pretty much opening almost like your own brick-and-mortar store at that point. You just don't have walk-in traffic coming in—your traffic is all coming online. So there is a lot to it, but it's worth it. If you're a self-published author or even a small indie press, it's good to have. Because like I said, people love the signed copies. Jo: When you say it's worth it, is it worth it financially or just because you like to serve the customers in that way? PD: Both. Jo: Right. So it is financially worth it for you? PD: Yes. Jo: I was talking to a friend of mine and saying, are you valuing your time in terms of things like taking the books to the post office and stuff like that? Do you find it eats into your writing at all, or do you just manage it all separately? PD: No, I manage it separately. So I'm an early morning riser. I get up at 3:00 in the morning, and that's when I write my books or do editing or brainstorming. I'm about to write a new novella now called The Adam and Eve Story, which is actually based on a little-known CIA shelved book from the 1990s called The Adam and Eve Story as well. So I've been brainstorming that, and I was doing that this morning. I get up at 3:00 a.m. and I do my writing, and by the time the kids are up and by the time the wife is up, it's like 8:00 a.m. is rolling around and I'm pretty much done at that point. Then I have my days. Tuesday I'm completely working from home and I do my thing in the morning, and then the rest of the day is marketing, fulfilling orders, stuff like that. On the days when I'm going to do group facilitation, I'll of course still get up at 3:00 o'clock in the morning, and then I'll plan out the day. I've got an hour between this group and I can go ahead and do that, and I'm already there so it's not a problem. The post office is right around the corner. You kind of figure out all the logistics for yourself. There are some days, like on Monday, I don't facilitate groups until the afternoon, so I've got the whole morning to work on marketing and do other things, and fulfilment. Then of course Saturday's a big day for that too. Jo: Oh, that's good. I feel like people always need to know how to balance their time, but it sounds like you manage, because at 3:00 a.m., as you say, there's not much else to do other than write. You mentioned marketing, and you have a Substack, pdsalternativefiction.substack.com. Talk about that and serialising fiction and how Substack works. Because I feel like a load of people are jumping in but might not necessarily know how it works, especially for fiction. PD: Correct. It is becoming quite popular out there. I think the one before that was Patreon, and Patreon is pretty big for that too, kind of the same thing. I wanted to start something and just get the work out there. I was very interested when Amazon came out a few years ago with what was called Vella. They kind of started that. I was like, “This is kind of cool.” Couple chapters at a time. I'm writing the books anyway, so why don't we kick this off and see how it goes—a type of experiment. I had a lot of fun doing it. I started on October 4th, 2024. I've done four novels so far. One is still going, which is Volume 3 of my Dark Veil serie— that's a sci-fi series. I wrote three other novels. The Hypnotist, which is a thriller, heavy on the sci-fi and a tad of horror in there too. And then I wrote Girl on a Mission, which is my psychological thriller, and then Cat Fight, which is a horror novel—all within that time. I think I finished all three of those novels in January, and then the first week of February they were all pretty much done. Now what I'm doing is, I went paid recently on the Substack. It's like everything else that's out there—chip away, chip away. I fell into that hole where they say, “Hey, we can promote you and get people to sign up for your newsletter.” And I'll be honest with you, don't do it. It's not worth it. You spend money, and what happens is they're what I refer to as dead leads. They don't click. You wind up shuffling them off after three to six months, because they're just not clicking. Everybody gets a star rating, so you know—are they clicking, are they staying on, are they not? So I got rid of pretty much all of those people, and I'll never do that again. It's got to be done organically. That's why when you read my books, especially the new books, towards the end it'll say, “Sign up for my newsletter.” I do more with that newsletter too. If you're on the free tier, every month I do a monthly newsletter, which is just me talking about updates, things going on in the publishing industry, things going on with me. My daughter puts together a weekly Horror and Sci-Fi Chronicles newsletter, which gives what's going on in new releases in the industry—sci-fi, horror, books, movies, television. She does deep dives into industry tropes, historical tidbits, and a weekly quiz. I also do a monthly Terrors and Tales newsletter. I started this last year, and it was a quarterly newsletter. It's other authors who are new, upcoming, never been published before, looking to get published. It's a chance for them to be on the newsletter where they have a flash fiction story or poem or even a short story that I publish for them. It's called the Terrors and Tales newsletter. What happened is I would put out calls for submissions. And a place called Duotrope—I don't even know who these people are, but all of a sudden I got an email from them stating, “Hey, we found that you're looking for submissions, and we posted your link. We hope you don't mind.” I'm like, “No, of course I don't mind.” I got so many submissions from that one link. I'm like, “Okay.” Do I really want to deny people? I'm not like that. I want to help promote other authors. I know what it's like when you're new and upcoming, no matter what age you are, to say, “Hey, here's a platform for you to see your stuff in print.” Obviously, I read through them just to make sure they're up to a certain standard, but for the most part, if you submit, you're getting in there. With Duotrope, I'm like, I have enough here to put out one a month. So in May 2026, the first one goes out, and then I'll have one each month until December, and then who knows? In 2027 I might go back to quarterly. I might get enough submissions to just keep it going once a month. So that's the Terrors and Tales newsletter, and it usually comes out towards the end of the month—the last two weeks. I have nothing to do with it in terms of content. None of my stories are on there. None of my poems are on there. None of my flash fiction. It's all other authors, just for them to see their name in print, see their work in print, share it with their friends, and put something on their resume, and to encourage people to keep reading and keep the craft going. Jo: When you say in print, you don't mean in physical print? PD: Oh, I mean in the newsletter. I'm sorry. Jo: I think that's important, or you're going to get a lot more submissions, and you will need to do publishing contracts and all that kind of thing. I think that's the difficult thing with a Substack newsletter approach—it's difficult to know where to categorise it. Is it marketing? Is it publishing? It's all of these things, I suppose. A bit like this podcast, it's all kinds of things. In terms of Substack actually making money on its own or leading to book sales that make money, do you think it does serve that purpose? PD: I think I've gotten more book sales through it, and also ARC readers who are enjoying the books and giving reviews. As far as the paid tiers, that's kind of a little bit slow, and that's where I'm saying chip away at it. Keep it up there. Keep it going. Over time, you're going to build that type of audience where it's going to be like, “Hey, this is financially feasible for me to continue to do this.” That's the response that I'm getting out there. Jo: Yes. Before, you mentioned you were doing Facebook Lives and you're looking at TikTok, but— Is anything else working for you in book marketing? If people have a few books and they're like, “What is working for book marketing right now?”—what do you recommend? PD: Okay. For me, the thing that has made the most sense is making sure the reader knows the book is out there through some sort of social media. I've had really good success on TikTok since the beginning of this year especially. I started it about a year ago, year and a half ago, but then my father got sick and passed away, and it was a new venture and I put it off to the side. I really got the flavour going at the beginning of this year. February, March of this year. It seems to be going really well, and I've noticed an uptick in sales from just getting the videos out there and getting it in front of people's eyes. There's an event I'm going to in August called ShiverCon, which is a pretty big event. After that event, I'm going to look to see what type of inventory I have left over from the event, and I'm going to start doing TikTok Lives. I'm very comfortable being on camera. So I'm like, “Yeah, that seems like a good way to go.” I know there's a few other horror authors who are doing it and having good success with TikTok Lives as well. A guy named Jason Davis is doing really well with TikTok Lives, and a few other authors too. I'm like, “Yes, I could definitely do that.” I want to get up to a certain number of people, and I want these events. I'm going to one in July, and then ShiverCon in August. Once those are done, I'm going to have more time to do the TikTok Lives. As far as Facebook is concerned, what I've had really great success with on Facebook is being in the groups and meeting other authors. That's not always about my book per se, but whatever books I'm reading, I'm posting my reviews about those books in those groups and meeting readers. Then obviously, they always say the three-to-one rule. Post about three different books and then post about your own book, whether you're doing a sale or a new release or a re-release or whatever. I've found success through that just by interacting with readers. When they post a book, I'll comment, “Hey, I've read that book,” or, “Hey, that book looks really cool. I like the review.” Commenting on it so you start these relationships with people who are out there in these Facebook groups. I've recently started my own Facebook reader group. I kind of go with the same thing. Last night, we did a live reading for another author. I like other authors to be on there. I always like to think, what does the reader need? What do I want to see as a reader? I would love to hear live readings from authors. So I kind of learn about them, learn about the book, and get a live reading. To me, that's a good way to go. So I started that recently, and it seems to be going well. I've got a new folk horror coming out soon, and I put out a call for ARC readers and got a fantastic response from that. That kind of drives the sales anyway, because when you get those reviews, then people see it gives credibility to the book, and then other people see it, and then they're buying it too. So that comes from the groups. There's so many wheels to spin in this industry as an indie author when you're doing this, especially when you're doing 99% of it on your own. You've got to get out there. No one's going to know your book exists if you don't get out there and tell somebody about it. Jo: Brilliant. Well, tell us— Where can people find you and your books online? PD: All right. Perfect. So obviously I'm on Amazon like everyone. Most of my books are worldwide, so you'll find them in Barnes & Noble as well. And of course, if you want the signed copies or discount print books, I always lead people straight to my website, PDAlleva.com. Then, of course, if you go to my Substack, you'll get all the updates, and you'll get all the links to purchase or find out where they are on Amazon and Barnes & Noble and things like that too. Jo: Brilliant. Well, thanks so much for your time, Paul. That was great. PD: Thank you very much for having me. It was great chatting with you. The post Writing Cross-Genre, Selling Direct, And Serialising On SubStack With P.D. Alleva first appeared on The Creative Penn.

Jesus said to his disciples: “You have heard that it was said, You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father… So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Matthew 5:43–45, 48The Law of Moses, contained in the first five books of the Old Testament, taught the importance of loving one's neighbor: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself. I am the LORD” (Leviticus 19:18). “Neighbor” in this context primarily referred to fellow Israelites, reinforcing the bonds of charity and unity among God's chosen people. However, the Law also commanded kindness toward foreigners: “When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not oppress him. He shall be to you as the native among you, and you shall love him as yourself” (Leviticus 19:33–34). God's command to love was never meant to be limited to Israel alone.As centuries passed, some teachers of the Law began to distort its meaning. Jesus identifies one such misinterpretation in today's Gospel: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'” While the command to love one's neighbor was indeed found in the Torah, the phrase “hate your enemy” was not. Rather, it was a human distortion that had taken root in certain circles. Some Jewish sects, like the Essenes, promoted separation from outsiders, even calling them “sons of darkness” (1QS 1:10). While the Pharisees weren't as extreme, they often limited love to their own religious and ethnic communities.Jesus corrects this error by revealing the fullness of divine love: “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” Perfect charity is a high calling. It is not selective but reflects the boundless love of God, who “makes his sun rise on the bad and the good, and causes rain to fall on the just and the unjust” (Matthew 5:45). Christ calls His followers to move beyond natural human affection to a supernatural charity that embraces even those who persecute us. This love is not merely a feeling but an act of the will, a participation in the very perfection of God: “So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect.”It's important, however, to distinguish between the charity that we offer everyone unconditionally and the bonds of unity forged by love that is reciprocal. When charity is offered to those who persecute us, it might feel uncomfortable at first. This form of love, though painful and challenging, has great transformative power. It extends an invitation to the persecutor to turn away from cruelty, repent, and offer love in return.Love of neighbor takes on a deeper dimension when our neighbor also loves God and reciprocates that love to us. This mutual love is not only naturally consoling but also supernaturally unifying, strengthening both individuals as they grow in holiness together.Jesus Himself demonstrated the radical nature of the love He commanded on the Cross when He prayed for His persecutors: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). To love as God loves is to transcend worldly divisions and become true children of the Father, offering love to everyone, no matter how they treat us. Though this perfection is difficult to attain, we must never tire of striving for that ideal in our daily lives. Reflect today on those whom you love. Begin by savoring the consolation and strength you receive from relationships that are mutually reflective of God's perfect love. Then turn to those who are difficult to love. Resolve to love them and pray for them. Ask God to purify your heart of any hurt or resentment, and strive to reflect the Father's love. Let His compassion flow through you, like the rain that falls on both the just and the unjust, making you a true child of your Father in Heaven. God of all perfection, Your love knows no bounds; it is freely offered to all, both the good and the bad alike. Those who receive and reciprocate Your divine love are drawn into communion with You, sharing in Your very life, while those who reject it remain trapped in the darkness of sin. Please free me from all bitterness and resentment, purify my heart, and teach me to love as You love, so that I may truly be Your beloved child. Jesus, I trust in You.  Source: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

Is retatrutide, the new triple agonist GLP-1, the next big thing in weight loss (or even rapid fat loss)?That depends on how the drug works, what the results are, the reality between the headlines and the evidence, and what happens to your weight when you stop.This episode breaks down retatrutide, the GLP-1, GIP, and glucagon triple agonist behind the largest weight loss numbers ever recorded in this class. It covers the Phase 2 obesity trial and the Phase 3 Triumph results, plus why cross-trial comparisons to semaglutide and tirzepatide deserve skepticism.We examine the body composition data (or lack thereof), and why a bigger number on the scale just amplifies the stakes for muscle mass, weight regain, and the off-ramp. Especially relevant for adults over 40 who are taking, considering, or planning to come off a GLP-1.Enroll in Eat More Lift Heavy, the 26-week coached program where adults over 40 build the nutrition and training skills to preserve muscle, lose fat, and manage their physique for life, including support for lifestyle changes needed while taking GLP-1s (and to come off them if desired).Timestamps:0:00 - Retatrutide and the biggest question for GLP-1 users 3:08 - How this new triple agonist works 4:46 - Phase 2 and Phase 3 weight loss numbers 5:38 - Cross-trial comparisons and their limits 6:23 - Fat, muscle, and what the trial did NOT measure 8:30 - Strength training over 40 and accelerated muscle loss 10:07 - Building the lifestyle (alongside using the drug) 14:10 - Resistance training and protein 16:00 - Rate of loss on a powerful drug like retatrutide 17:30 - The off-ramp when you stop 18:23 - Weight regain and body fat overshooting 22:03 - Retatrutide access and the gray market 24:11 - Bonus: 3-question test to keep your resultsEpisode Mentioned:Sometimes More Is More (The Sedentary Lifter Problem)

Southeast Baptist Podcast features the preaching and teaching of Pastor John Ray, the senior pastor of Southeast Baptist Tabernacle in Indianapolis, IN. His preaching is biblical, conversational, and encouraging as you pursue a Christlike walk.

While we live in an imperfect and broken world and await a perfect place...heaven, God has given us His Holy Spirit. We only need to surrender and align our will to His will, choose to abide in Him and in doing so, we will live a victorious and joy filled life this side of heaven.  By Dave Bartlett

Shawn, Justin and special guest Damon discuss this passage and why being involved with your church is so important.

Don't worry, we'll be back to Bahnsen next week. But first, policy expert Jeff Park and Patrick have to encourage Christian fathers to take an active and central role in the education of their children - even if they're not the primary teacher, although they are primarily responsible.

The Letter to the Romans shows how God's love is revealed through the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, inspiring us to follow the Lord for sacrificial service in the world. (Lectionary #91) June 13, 2026 - St. William Catholic Church - Foxboro, WI Fr. Andrew Ricci - www.studyprayserve.com  

The Old Testament reading for this Sunday is the enigmatic story of Abraham and his three mysterious guests while he was living in tents under the oaks of Mamre. It's a story laden with theological implications…and tinged with a bit of humor.

Pastor Miles DeBenedictis Exodus 34:6–7 Miles DeBenedictispastormiles.com

Daniel Lam analyses the latest price action in gold and highlights why it is important to follow the investment rationale of central banks – the biggest buyers of gold. Listen in to learn how to position your investment portfolio for what's ahead.Speaker: - Daniel Lam, Head, Cross-asset Derivative Strategy, Standard Chartered BankFor the latest market insights, visit our on-the-go Market Views or subscribe to Standard Chartered Wealth Insights on YouTube.

Today we present “Tom ‘an Mac” a poem by Corran Orreaux, who has some neat stuff on The Voice of Dog, and you can find more of his stories on random trees in the woods, but also Fur Affinity.Read for you by Rob MacWolf — werewolf hitchhiker.Instrumental arrangement by Cross, a Composed Hyena.thevoice.dog | Apple podcasts | Spotify | Google PodcastsIf you have a story you think would be a good fit, you can check out the requirements, fill out the submission template and get in touch with us.https://thevoice.dog/episode/tom-an-mac-by-corran-orreaux

Stan took us through the final episode of the Cross to Crown series on General Epistles and Revelation. The three pillars of endurance. One being suffering in the book of Hebrews, James, and 1 Peter that through physical trials, God's grace preserves, refines, and establishes the believer. The second one is Truth on 2 Peter, Jude, 1-3 John; guarding the truth and active love protects the flock against deception. The last pillar is Hope, shared in the book of Revelation. Trust the victory. history ends in the Kingdom of Christ, guaranteeing the ultimate restoration of creation.

Devotional Time - Luke 24:44-48Repairing our Understanding - Do This In Remembrance of MeSound Words - To Live is ChristTruth from the Timeless Text - We All Have a Cross to BearJust a Minute - Jesus, The Light of the WorldHave a Bible Question - Is it wrong for a church to ask for money?

In every area of life, examples matter. Athletes study great athletes. Students imitate great teachers. Children imitate their parents. Whether we realize it or not, we are always following someone. That is why Paul begins this passage with a call to imitation. the Christian life is often caught before…

Mat Rogers joins the show to review and recap the fifteenth round of NRL action, Warriors losing to the Sharks, Rabbitohs demolishing the Broncos, Eels overcoming the Raiders, State of Origin Game 2 this Wednesday and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

While you go about your summer activities and errands, join us for Open Line. Each Saturday, Dr. Michael Rydelnik answers yours questions about the Bible, God, and the spiritual life. Hope you can join us! Learn more about resources mentioned:Open Line Live TourChosen People Ministries free giftFEBC podcastMoody Bible Commentary May/June thank you gift:Hitler’s Cross: How the Cross Was Used to Promote the Nazi Agenda by Erwin W. Lutzer Open Line is listener-supported. To support the program, click here.Become a Kitchen Table Partner: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/openline/partnersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Summer schedules, vacation, kids at home, more sunlight – all of these can throw your regular time in the Scriptures off or make it more challenging. While you enjoy this weekend, we hope you'll join Dr. Michael Rydelnik for Open Line this Saturday. We dig into the Bible and answer your questions, from the broad to the narrow. If you’re having difficulties with a verse or passage, join us this weekend for Open Line with Dr. Michael Rydelnik. Learn more about resources mentioned:Open Line Live TourChosen People Ministries free giftFEBC podcastMoody Bible Commentary May/June thank you gift:Hitler’s Cross: How the Cross Was Used to Promote the Nazi Agenda by Erwin W. Lutzer Open Line is listener-supported. To support the program, click here.Become a Kitchen Table Partner: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/openline/partnersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Friends of the Rosary,Today, Saturday, June 13, the day after the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we celebrate the Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.The Immaculate Heart of Mary reminds us of purity, love, and devotion. It symbolizes Mary's unwavering faith, compassion, and deep connection to God's will.Her heart, untouched by sin, is a model of holiness for all.Through her heart, we find a perfect reflection of God's mercy and grace, guiding us toward a deeper relationship. We seek Mary's intercession to live with love and humility and grow closer to Christ Our Savior.The feast was established in 1944, in the midst of World War II, by Pope Pius XII, who consecrated the world and placed it under the special protection of the Virgin Mary.Pius XII's Decree of May 4, 1944. asked her intercession to obtain "peace among nations, freedom for the Church, the conversion of sinners, the love of purity and the practice of virtue."But the devotion to the Immaculate Heart of Mary wasn't new.Christians were early attracted by the love and virtues of the Heart of Mary.Simeon's prophecy that Mary's heart would be pierced with a sword paved the way for this devotion. Moreover, Mary was not passive at the foot of the Cross; "she cooperated through charity," as St. Augustine says, "in the work of our redemption."The meditations on the Ave Maria and the Salve Regina date back to the Eleventh century.In the seventeenth century, St. John Eudes preached it together with that of the Sacred Heart.In 1830, during the revelation of the "miraculous medal," the Virgin Mary showed to Catherine Laboure the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus united.In the nineteenth century, Pius VII and Pius IX allowed several churches to celebrate a feast of the Pure Heart of Mary.Ave Maria!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• ⁠June 13, 2026, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

00:00 Cross talk, World Cup underway, Jonathan Cooper arrested again.33:35 John Tortorella doesn't like a question.

St. Anthony's preaching reminds us that the heart of Christianity is not a moral code but the crucified love of Jesus Christ.Every night, join Father Joseph Matlak as he ends the day with prayer and reflection. In a few short minutes, Father Matlak guides you in prayer and shares a brief reflection and a thorough examination of conscience providing you with the encouragement necessary to go forward with peace and strength. Join us each day in your inbox https://www.goodcatholic.com/nightprayer________________

On this episode of Trending with Timmerie: Episode Guide Consecration to the Sacred Heart (2:19) The World Cup starts today! A human centered approach to management – Brenden Aaronson’s marriage (11:16) Gennine on Instagram – I heard you mention your girls go to dance class. What are your thoughts on dancing? (24:27) Aliens & talking dolphins who capture a man – belief in the unbelievable...(32:33) A Catholic take: sentient AI, ET, or smart dolphins (42:41) Resources mentioned: Prayer to the Sacred Heart of Jesus https://relevantradio.com/2026/06/prayer-to-the-sacred-heart-of-jesus/ Catechism of the Catholic Church 65 ”In giving us his Son, his only Word (for he possesses no other), he spoke everything to us at once in this sole Word — and he has no more to say... because what he spoke before to the prophets in parts, he has now spoken all at once by giving us the All Who is His Son. Any person questioning God or desiring some vision or revelation would be guilty not only of foolish behavior but also of offending him, by not fixing his eyes entirely upon Christ and by living with the desire for some other novelty.27 (”St. John of the Cross)

They conduct their weekly "Worst Take" segment, nominating Knicks fans for rowdy behavior and Matthew Stafford for his placement in legacy rankings. The conversation shifts to college football legal battles involving Brendan Sorsby before diving into current NFL legal headlines. Cross-talk with K&C Masterpiece explores Jalen Brunson's championship potential and World Cup broadcast restrictions. 01:50 - Worst Take Nominees 05:05 - Knicks Fan Behavior 07:39 - Stafford Legacy Debate 12:25 - Peyton Russell Nominated 19:53 - Texas Tech Legal 25:48 - NFL Legal News 29:44 - Soccer Watch Party 37:15 - NBA Championship Scale 45:30 - FIFA Highlight Restrictions

00:00 Cross talk, Knicks win thrilling Game 4 over Spurs.22:15 Nate asks Joe Sakic about the Avalanche goaltending.36:05 Sean Payton gets a contract extension.

There are many people today who say they believe in God, however, they have a dullness of heart and lack interest in having a real friendship with Him through the Lord Jesus Christ.

*Listen to the Show notes and podcast transcript with this multi-language player. Summary This conversation focuses on the mystery of God's redemptive plan and the necessity of remaining open to the ongoing revelation of the Holy Spirit. The speakers discuss God's covenant promises concerning Israel, acknowledging that some scriptures appear difficult to reconcile through natural understanding alone. Rather than forcing God's Word into fixed doctrinal conclusions, believers are encouraged to trust what God has spoken and allow Him to reveal His purposes in His timing. The discussion also highlights God's ultimate purpose of creating a new humanity in Christ that transcends all natural distinctions. The family emphasizes humility, spiritual openness, and dependence upon the mind of Christ rather than human reasoning. Through grace, repentance, and daily surrender to the Father, believers are being transformed into His image and prepared to participate in His greater purpose for all creation. Show Notes • The family discusses the mystery surrounding God's covenant promise that "all Israel will be saved." • The family explores how seemingly conflicting scriptures are often a result of human misunderstanding rather than contradiction within God's Word. • God's promises stand because of His faithfulness and His name, not because of human merit or understanding. • Believers are encouraged to resist the temptation to force scripture into rigid doctrinal systems. • The Holy Spirit is the source of revelation and understanding. • God is bringing forth a new creation that transcends traditional distinctions of Jew and Gentile. • Spiritual growth requires remaining teachable and open to fresh revelation. • Ken warns against the danger of the independent spirit that believes it already has all the answers. • Dale emphasizes developing a relationship with the Father and allowing the mind of Christ to replace natural reasoning. • Grace is presented as God's means of transforming humanity into His image. • The conversation concludes with the call to daily surrender and continual openness to God's leading. Key Quotes • "All Israel will be saved. That's a covenant. That's a promise from God." — Ron • "They're not conflicting scriptures. They're only conflicting in our minds." — Ron • "Whether I get it or not is not the point. The point is You said it." — Ron • "Be open, be open, be open, be open." — Ron • "We think we've got the whole thing wired, and we have no clue." — Ken • "When Christ is revealed, we're going to find out exactly what God meant and how it's going to work." — Ken • "It's so important not to snap judge about anything." — Ken • "We keep our spirits open, and we don't lock ourselves into anything." — Ken • "The greatest enemy of the church is the independent spirit." — Ken • "We have to stay open to what the Lord's speaking on a continual basis." — Ken • "The human mind is not capable of being led by the Spirit yet. You can always trade it in for the mind of Christ." — Dale • "You're getting a nature change. We're being created in His image." — Dale • "Lord, show me. Show me what You want today. I'm Yours." — Dale Scriptural References God's Covenant Promise to Israel • Romans — Paul reveals the mystery that a partial hardening has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles comes in, and declares, "All Israel shall be saved." He emphasizes that God's gifts and calling are irrevocable. • Ezekiel — God declares that He will restore and cleanse Israel for His holy name's sake, not because they deserve it. He promises to remove their uncleanness, give them a new heart, and put His Spirit within them. Salvation Through Christ Alone • John — Jesus declares, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." • Acts — Peter proclaims that there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Gentiles Grafted Into God's Covenant Purposes • Romans — Paul describes Gentile believers as wild olive branches grafted into God's cultivated olive tree, sharing in the covenant promises given to Israel. The New Creation and One New Humanity • 2 Corinthians — Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation; old things pass away and all things become new. • Galatians — In Christ there is neither Jew nor Greek, bond nor free, male nor female, for all are one in Him. • Ephesians — Christ breaks down the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile and creates "one new man" through His sacrifice. Remaining Open to God's Revelation • Isaiah — God's thoughts and ways are higher than human thoughts and ways. • 1 Corinthians — Spiritual things are discerned through the Spirit of God, and believers are called to receive the mind of Christ. • John — The Spirit of Truth guides believers into all truth and reveals what is yet to come. Elijah and the Remnant • 1 Kings — Elijah believes he is the only faithful servant left, but God reveals that He has preserved seven thousand who have not bowed to Baal. • Romans — Paul uses Elijah's experience as an example of God's faithful remnant preserved by grace. Taking Up the Cross and Following Christ • Luke — Jesus calls His followers to deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow Him. •

31 Then the Jews, (because it was the parasceve,) that the bodies might not remain on the cross on the sabbath day, (for that was a great sabbath day,) besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away.Judaei ergo ( quoniam parasceve erat) ut non remanerent in cruce corpora sabbato ( erat enim magnus dies ille sabbati), rogaverunt Pilatum ut frangerentur eorum crura, et tollerentur. 32 The soldiers therefore came; and they broke the legs of the first, and of the other that was crucified with him.Venerunt ergo milites : et primi quidem fregerunt crura, et alterius, qui crucifixus est cum eo. 33 But after they were come to Jesus, when they saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs.Ad Jesum autem cum venissent, ut viderunt eum jam mortuum, non fregerunt ejus crura, 34 But one of the soldiers with a spear opened his side, and immediately there came out blood and water.sed unus militum lancea latus ejus aperuit, et continuo exivit sanguis et aqua. 35 And he that saw it, hath given testimony, and his testimony is true. And he knoweth that he saith true; that you also may believe.Et qui vidit, testimonium perhibuit : et verum est testimonium ejus. Et ille scit quia vera dicit : ut et vos credatis. 36 For these things were done, that the scripture might be fulfilled: You shall not break a bone of him.Facta sunt enim haec ut Scriptura impleretur : Os non comminuetis ex eo. 37 And again another scripture saith: They shall look on him whom they pierced.Et iterum alia Scriptura dicit : Videbunt in quem transfixerunt.The Sacred Heart of our Lord is opened on the Cross by the soldier's lance to manifest to us His love.

Send us a comment or question!Calvary Chapel Franklin: http://calvarychapelfranklin.com/  Email: info@calvarychapelfranklin.com  Telegram: https://t.me/parsonspadpodcastTwitter/X: https://twitter.com/ccfranklintn Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CalvaryChapelFranklin/  Subscribe to the audio podcast: https://parsonspad.buzzsprout.com/  iTunes: Parson's Pad Podcast Calvary Chapel Franklin meets at: Sunday mornings / Wednesday Evenings: 415 Franklin Rd, Franklin TN 37069 Mail: PO Box 1993 Spring Hill TN 37174 If you need a Bible, please download the free Gideon's app for iPhone or Android: https://gideons.org/  Calvary Chapel Franklin is a 501c3 tax exempt religious organization. If you would like to donate to support this ministry, please click here: https://calvarychapelfranklin.churchcenter.com/giving 

A new MP3 sermon from The Word and the Cross is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: All of Grace, 4 Subtitle: Spurgeon sermons Speaker: C. H. Spurgeon Broadcaster: The Word and the Cross Event: Teaching Date: 6/13/2026 Length: 14 min.

On this week's issue of the Bugle, Andy is joined by Sara Barron and the long awaited return of Chris Addison, as the three jump straight into the week's news discussing the 47th president of the United States, late night rage call to Netanyahu, the possible impending ban on social media, the US banning entry to Somalian official Omar Artan and news on the latest Bond and are producers bias? All this in issue 4382 of The Bugle!

A shocking and confusing story is emerging out of Chicago’s Grant Park. There is video everywhere of the large cross engulfed in flames, in broad daylight, along a busy street. Surveillance video captured a young man running from the scene wearing no shirt, dark pants and white sneakers. While police search for the mystery man, many have taken to social media claiming the cross burning is either a hoax or perpetrated by the Southern Poverty Law Center.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Robach and Holmes cover the latest news headlines and entertainment updates and give perspective on current events in their daily “Morning Run.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Robach and Holmes cover the latest news headlines and entertainment updates and give perspective on current events in their daily “Morning Run.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A shocking and confusing story is emerging out of Chicago’s Grant Park. There is video everywhere of the large cross engulfed in flames, in broad daylight, along a busy street. Surveillance video captured a young man running from the scene wearing no shirt, dark pants and white sneakers. While police search for the mystery man, many have taken to social media claiming the cross burning is either a hoax or perpetrated by the Southern Poverty Law Center.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

What does it take for young people to thrive? In this first episode of a six-part series, host Gloria Riviera sits down with Lisa Lawson, President and CEO of the Annie E. Casey Foundation and author of Thrive: How the Science of the Adolescent Brain Helps Us Imagine a Better Future for All Children. Lisa makes the case that adolescence is a powerful period of growth, and shares what the science and on-the-ground work tell us about supporting the 48 million young people in America between the ages of 14 and 24. She also introduces the five pillars shaping the path to adulthood that will guide the rest of the series: basic needs, permanent connections, education and credentials, financial stability and well-being, and youth leadership. This episode was made possible with support from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, an organization that develops solutions to build a brighter future for children, youth, families and communities. Learn more at aecf.org. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A shocking and confusing story is emerging out of Chicago’s Grant Park. There is video everywhere of the large cross engulfed in flames, in broad daylight, along a busy street. Surveillance video captured a young man running from the scene wearing no shirt, dark pants and white sneakers. While police search for the mystery man, many have taken to social media claiming the cross burning is either a hoax or perpetrated by the Southern Poverty Law Center.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Robach and Holmes cover the latest news headlines and entertainment updates and give perspective on current events in their daily “Morning Run.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Rickey Smiley Morning Show delivered a powerful mix of sports, culture, and real conversation, starting with the New York Knicks making NBA history with a jaw-dropping comeback—rallying from 29 points down to stun the Spurs 107-106, capped by OG Anunoby’s game-winning tip-in with just seconds left. The show also highlighted a feel-good moment in hip-hop as Lil Baby surprised a Spelman College graduate by paying off over $24,000 in student loans—four years after she first reached out for help, turning persistence into a life-changing blessing. Meanwhile, Rick Ross reflected on legacy as he celebrates 20 years of Port of Miami, the debut album that launched his career and topped the Billboard 200, now marking two decades of influence in hip-hop. The conversation also turned serious with news out of Chicago, where police are investigating a disturbing incident involving a burning cross discovered in Grant Park—an act widely recognized as a symbol of hate and intimidation, with authorities searching for a suspect and offering a reward for information. Alongside these headlines, the crew kept listeners engaged with trending entertainment stories, celebrity moments, and honest discussions about community, responsibility, and resilience—blending humor, heart, and real talk in a way only The Rickey Smiley Morning Show can deliver. Website: https://www.urban1podcasts.com/rickey-smiley-morning-show See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In too many cafes we find staff trained only in the areas they work in with minimal to no knowledge or understanding in other parts of the business. This derails a cafes growth and effectiveness. Staff in the front are not equipped to speak with understanding and confidence to customers and those those who work in the back or in production areas are isolated from the up-steam results of their work.  Today on Shift Break we will be talking about why cross training staff is the way forward for fostering understanding between departments, effective sales and hospitality, and a deeper bench of talent to draw from across your employees. This is especially important for FOH staff as they are the ones representing all you offer to the customer.    Sign up for 1:1 CONSULTING AND COACHING If you are a cafe owner and want to work one on one with me to bring your shop to its next level and help bring you joy and freedom in the process then email chris@keystothshop.com OR... book a free call now to talk about working together https://calendly.com/chrisdeferio/30min  Related Episodes: 424: Developing Menu and Hospitality Guides Taste the Rainbow! : Menu knowledge, tasting, flavor, coffee cupping approach to your offerings Taste the Rainbow! : Menu knowledge, tasting, flavor, coffee cupping approach to your offerings 582: Maximizing Existing Opportunities in Your Cafe The Key to Up-Selling 583: Unifying Teams Across Multiple Cafes SHIFT BREAK! How to Have Healthy Communication Between your Cafe's Departments

ZAC POONEN TEACHES 4 THINGS JESUS ACCOMPLISHED ON THE CROSS

Wednesday, June 10, 2026 - Week 24   #NightOfImpact was 15 Days ago! Photos: https://jeaniehorton.pixieset.com/curesyngap1nightofimpact2026/ Impact: $800k+, of which $300 was our match.  Industry: Multiple Academics & Clinicians: Stanford, Berkeley & UCSF.  Cross-pollination is always good. Speakers: Ash, John, Kathryn, Helen Willsey & Me.  Only got a video of John, which was a mistake. If you took one, please share.  Here is John: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/graglia_still-reflecting-on-our-inaugural-cure-syngap1-ugcPost-7467439971294048256-cUf9/    Dr. Willsey Rocks. Willsey Press Release https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1130924 (both were at NoI). A few other points on HRW, as we call her.  Simons: https://curesyngap1.org/blog/future-research-for-syngap1-how-helen-willsey-broke-new-ground-frogs-in-hand/ Willsey in Neuron 2021: https://www.cell.com/neuron/pdf/S0896-6273(21)00002-7.pdf (Frogs) Birtele in Nature Neuroscience 2023: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-023-01477-3 (Confirms) McCluskey in Nature Communications 2025: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-57342-3 (GI) Kostyanovskaya in BioRxiv 2025: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39677731 (cilium)   5TH SCRAMBLE FOR SYNGAP, SC – 114 days Classic case of a small event becoming an institution! cureSYNGAP1.org/Scramble26   CURE SYNGAP1 CONFERENCE - 175 days cureSYNGAP1.org/Pre    USA: use your ICD-10, F78.A1: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/epi.70142   PUBMED Pubmed 2026 is at 35. +11 vs the week. (61 last year was +9) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=syngap1&filter=years.2026-2026&sort=date   SOCIAL MATTERS 5,045 LinkedIn.  https://www.linkedin.com/company/curesyngap1 1.58k YouTube.  https://www.youtube.com/@CureSYNGAP1 11.1k Twitter https://twitter.com/cureSYNGAP1 45k Insta https://www.instagram.com/curesyngap1   $CAMP closed at $4.34 today. https://www.google.com/finance/beta/quote/CAMP:NASDAQ   Like and subscribe to this podcast wherever you listen. https://curesyngap1.org/podcasts/syngap10 Episode 209 of #Syngap10 #SYNGAP1 #CureSYNGAP1 #Podcast #PatientAdvocacy

A shocking and confusing story is emerging out of Chicago’s Grant Park. There is video everywhere of the large cross engulfed in flames, in broad daylight, along a busy street. Surveillance video captured a young man running from the scene wearing no shirt, dark pants and white sneakers. While police search for the mystery man, many have taken to social media claiming the cross burning is either a hoax or perpetrated by the Southern Poverty Law Center.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Robach and Holmes cover the latest news headlines and entertainment updates and give perspective on current events in their daily “Morning Run.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How can we accept them and what if we don't?

Patrick questions the spiritual status of hypothetical extraterrestrial life, wrestles with the nature of rational souls and universal concepts, and guides a listener through the weighty fog of adolescent loneliness, urging genuine action and seeking help. Holy water rituals come under scrutiny—salt or not, blessings from priests and laity untangled. Threaded through it all: stories of public penance in ancient times, military chaplaincy pressures, and the raw, sometimes messy search for meaning. Isaac (11-year-old) – Would aliens have a right to be mad at God if they don’t have eternal souls? (00:40) John (email) - I believe the previous caller was asking whether holy water should contain salt as well. Not all priests use the full ritual for making holy water, which includes exorcised salt. I suspect most simply make the sign of the Cross over the water. (06:40) Wade - I thought a person could not bless themselves with Holy water, that someone else has to bless them. (08:09) Email – Does holy water expire? Emmanuel (17-years-old) - I've been feeling more alone and pushing people away more. I was not like this growing up, but now I'm like this at my new high school. (14:51) Leonard (email) - I was in same situation back in 1996. I moved from all my friends who I grew up with since elementary, then in 11th grade I moved to a new school (24:49) Jaun (email) - If I was unable to receive the sacrament of reconciliation and not in a state of Grace while attending Mass, should I approach the altar for Holy Communion, cross my arms over my chest and receive a blessing from the Priest, or is it best I stay kneeling in the pew and pray for forgiveness? (32:18) Mary - Can you explain and elaborate more on Catholic Chaplains in the military? (41:07) Angie (email) - I went to an Episcopalian wedding where the minister said she would give a blessing to those who couldn’t receive. Did I do the right thing to not go up? (46:13)