Podcasts about Dear Father

Your Nightly Prayer

Send us a textGood morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)Youtube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comJohn 5 Jesus returns to Jerusalem and heals a man who has been lame for 38 years. The Jews begin to persecute Jesus for healing on the Sabbath day. Jesus responds by proclaiming that He is carrying out His Father's work. The leaders understand Jesus to be claiming a special relationship with God, so they seek to kill Him. Jesus claims to be sent by God and presents testimony to prove it. Firstly, the preaching of John the Baptist verifies the deity of Jesus. Secondly, the miracles of Jesus prove His heavenly power. Thirdly, the Old Testament scripture, including the teachings of Moses, prophesy concerning Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus has the authority to speak for God and He will be the final judge over all men on the last day! It must have been incredible to be healed by Jesus after 38 years of illness. Jesus levels a powerful message to the healed man: “Do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you.” Surely this man lived the rest of his days in faithfulness to God. The Jewish leaders were too busy arguing about Sabbath rules to see the amazing things Christ was doing. We must be like the healed man and not the Pharisees. We are healed from a life of sin by Jesus. And we are charged with faithfulness in His honor. Jesus has proven His power to save and direct us. If we stay humble, we will have compassion for everyone who needs Jesus.  Dear Father, before Jesus found us, we were burdened by sin and unable to stand justified on our own. But Your Son has saved us by His grace. Help us to live every day in thankfulness to Him. He has also directed us to flee from sin and honor His Lordship. Please teach us how to do those things joyfully. Strengthen us to have hearts of faith that believe the testimony about Jesus, and hearts that lovingly adore Him and care about others as much as He does. We will love Him and live in readiness for His return. Thought Questions: -       What has Jesus healed in you that was previously a heavy burden? Are you thankful enough to “not sin anymore” in His honor? -       Jesus provided testimony to prove His Lordship. What evidence would you provide to convince someone Jesus is God? -       Jesus is coming again in the final judgment. Are you ready for that day to come? How do you do your best to stay ready?

Send us a textGood morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)Youtube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comLuke 5 This chapter opens with three miracles of Jesus: filling the fishermen's nets with fish, healing a man filled with leprosy, and healing and forgiving the man who is lowered down through the roof. These works of God are among people of faith, as the result of faith, and lead to powerful results. The fishermen leave their nets and follow Jesus. The healed leper tells others about Jesus. The lame man goes away on foot, but most importantly he has his sins taken away. Amid this wonderful time, the Pharisees begin questioning Jesus. They accuse Him of blasphemy for forgiving sins. They question Him for eating with sinners at Matthew's house. They wonder why His disciples do not fast. Jesus explains that these are to be times of joy and feasting! There is a great amount of faith and humility in these events. Peter says, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man!” The leper implores Jesus saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” And the lame man tasks several friends to tear a hole in the roof of a house to see Jesus. This contrasts strongly with the jealous, suspicious, self-centered Pharisees who looked for reasons to disbelieve. That group spent time fasting in sorrow when they should have been rejoicing in Jesus. Which of the contrasting groups best describes us? As disciples forgiven by Christ, we should be the most joyful, thankful, and evangelistic people on earth.  Dear Father, what a joy it must have been to sit and hear Jesus preach, to watch Him fill nets and cure leprosy, and to see Him forgive sins and sit with sinners to save their souls. Thank You for preserving these stories in the Bible so we can learn of His mighty works. We call upon Jesus' name for healing. But even more so, we ask for Him to forgive our sins. Help us to be so grateful for that gift that we tell others. And keep us rejoicing and feasting, even in the face of trials. -       There is action by the faithful in all our stories today. What action will you take today because Jesus is the Healer and Forgiver? -       Jesus touched a leper, and later He dined with sinners. What does this teach you about how deeply Jesus cares for the hurting and the lost? -       Jesus teaches it would be inappropriate to fast in sorrow while He is with them. Is He with you? So, should we be fasting or feasting? 

Dear Father, help me find my way.

Send us a textGood morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)Youtube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comMark 13 Jesus leaves the temple and announces that it will be completely torn down. His four closest apostles later ask Him about this devastating event. Jesus tells them that many things must happen first, and they should not believe those who claim to know the time of the temple's destruction. The gospel must first be preached. The apostles would face heavy persecution before it happened. But when the attack draws near, He warns them to flee to the mountains and get far away from Jerusalem. It will be a judgment on the Jews and the destruction will be accomplished by Jesus. These things would happen during their generation. The disciples are warned not to be misled by false teachers, but to stay alert. No one knows the day or the hour.  Jesus describes the destruction of Jerusalem. It was the judgment of Christ after He ascended to heaven, but it was carried out by the Roman government. Jerusalem was destroyed, many Jews were killed, and the temple was completely dismantled. This was God's punishment upon the Jews for killing His Son and refusing His kingdom. This took place in 70 A.D. Leading up to it, there were rumors and false prophecies. Jesus was warning about that decades in advance. The key was to stay alert and ready to go. This has clear parallels to the destruction that is coming in the final judgment and our need to be alert and prepared. No one knows the day or the hour.  Dear Father, we know You took no joy in the destruction of the Jewish city, temple, and people. Your judgment was forced by their refusal to honor Christ. They were warned, and most did not listen. Great God, we pray for open hearts and ears. Help us to commit to Christ and to wait for His return. Sadly, it will also be a judgment day against the ungodly, and it will come on a day no one knows. We want to be ready. Please discipline us to be on the alert, so we will be saved when that day comes.     Thought Questions: -       God destroyed His temple because of unbelief among the Jews. What does that tell you about how serious the Father is about faithful living? -       Before the judgment day of God, the apostles would have to face persecution and trust in the Spirit. Are you prepared to do the same today? -       There is a final day of judgment coming. What are the daily things you think and do to make sure you are always prepared for His return?

This podcast tells two stories of women who felt forgotten and left behind. I met them while they were doing their daily work. I was on the receiving end of their good work until they were on the receiving end of God's good work. He leads in common things like spas, salons and tea parties. Everyone is waiting for consolation and invitation I tell you these two stories because you never know who is ready to make a new friend or needs to meet the Friend who never forgets His children.    Someone wrote,“The friendship connection is more than the way to health and memory; it is the call of God to be people who create community and bring those who have been forgotten into our hearts.”   To bring those who have been forgotten into our hearts.   You may feel forgotten yourself. God will use your life experience to help someone else. Your pain is never wasted, unless you keep it to yourself.   You may not be called to go to Korea or Mongolia, but we are all called to make connections.  To reach out, gently, tentatively, like dipping our toes into the steaming water for a pedicure, asking one question followed by another which might lead to a simple invitation: “Would you like to get together for coffee? I've got some great scones from Trader Joe's.”    Look for opportunities for coming alongside. And, go to the Beauty College. Think of a time when you felt overwhelmed by circumstances.   Did God send a friend or a stranger to strengthen and comfort you?       3. What did you learn about yourself?       4. What did you learn about God?   A prayer for your day (and maybe someone else's!) Dear Father, Thank you for seeing my pain and loneliness. My name is written on your hands so I know I'm never alone. Please help me be alert to another who may feel all alone in their difficulties. Nothing is hidden from you and I'm grateful. Strengthen us both according to your word. Thank you and amen. A reminder from the Word: “See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me” (Isaiah 49:16)        

Your Daily Prayer

Send us a textGood morning! Thank you for taking a few minutes to listen. If you are interested in the Daily Bible Devotional, you can find it at the links below:Amazon - (paperback, hardcover, and Kindle)Spiritbuilding.com - (premium quality paperback)Youtube Video Introducing the ContentFeel free to reach out with any questions: emersonk78@me.comMatthew 23In the final week before Christ's crucifixion, He tells His disciples about the dangers of the scribes and Pharisees. After three years of patiently teaching these men, it is time to tell the world about them. Jesus first tells disciples to observe what the scribes teach if it is from God. But Christ warns them not to do what the Pharisees do. They seek to be noticed by men and to have places of honor because they lack humility. Jesus calls them hypocrites repeatedly, speaking about their lack of mercy and the underlying desire of their hearts to serve themselves. He addresses them openly and directly as “serpents”! And yet, as Jesus looks at them and all of Jerusalem, He is sorrowful that they will not repent and be gathered to Him and saved.  It is easy to read this chapter and think about other people. But it is wiser to use this list of the Pharisees' failures as a test for our own lives. In Matthew 5, Jesus told His disciples their righteousness must exceed the Pharisees if they are to be in His kingdom. These men were self-righteous. Jesus calls us to be humble servants. They were hypocritical. Jesus asks us to live out our faith. They were legalistic. We must be led to obey from a God-like heart of mercy. They were superficial. We must be honest about what's happening in our hearts. They became obstacles for others. We must live and speak to draw people to Christ.  Dear Father, we call upon Your help today, to be honest with ourselves and willing to evaluate our motives. Jesus taught so diligently to soften the hearts of the Pharisees, and they fought Him at every turn. Glorious Lord, help us to listen and to learn. May we be humble servants. Empower us to live out our faith with integrity. Build in us compassion and mercy for others. Will You create opportunities for us to help people and show them the way to Jesus? Most of all, reveal to us how much Jesus loves and yearns to save everyone.  Thought Questions:  -       Will you do the hard thing today of looking for Pharisaical tendencies in your own life? How can this be incredibly healthy and needful? -       How would you define “legalism”? Can you see how some focus so intensely on the letter of the law that they miss the love that encircles it? -       What does it feel like to realize that Jesus is always yearning to gather you to Him, no matter what you have done? How will you respond?

December 19, 2024Today's Reading: Catechism: The First CommandmentDaily Lectionary: Isaiah 40:1-17; Revelation 7:1-17You shall have no other gods. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. This commandment shouldn't actually be that hard. There's only one God. He's literally the only God there is. There was a piece of fruit on a tree, and we made a god out of it. The fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil was not God, but we imagined it was so that we could not need Him anymore. It didn't work, but we've never stopped trying to get rid of the real God who loves us to chase after the fake ones that don't.  This commandment is at the root of every other sin. We do not fear, love, and trust in God above all things. If we did, we'd stop taking the good Gifts He gives us and turning them into replacements for Him.  This commandment might be at the root of our sinful desires, but the root of this commandment is that God actually wants to be God to you. He insists on being the God of sinners. He insists on giving you good Gifts. He insists on calling you back to Him over and over. He calls us not to treat the things that can't save us like they can. Don't trust in imaginary gods. Don't trust in creation as if it was the creator. Don't trust in yourself to save yourself. None of that works. None of it needs to, though; He already has. He bore the cross to forgive your idolatry. He insists you have no other source of salvation than Him. Trust only that. Love only Him. From there, even the fear part comes into right understanding. Fear, love, and trust in God above all things. Fear doesn't just mean healthy respect. We downplay it because it seems like it doesn't go along with love and trust. Fear means realizing you can't control God. That's the First Commandent all over again. The desire to control God is the desire to be God. To fear God is to recognize that we can't control Him but to love and trust in Him is to recognize that we don't need to. He wants to be God to you.  In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O LORD God, Dear Father in Heaven, You have given us the Law for our good, calling us to fear, love, and trust in You above all things. Rejoicing that You would insist on being God to us, help us to cast aside all idols and follow you alone, through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. -Rev. Harrison Goodman, content executive for Higher Things.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, KY.What makes a church "good?" Come join the fictional family as they test out eight different churches in their brand-new town and answer this question along the way. Will the Real Church Please Stand Up? by Matthew Richard, now available from Concordia Publishing House.

Among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. — Ephesians 5:3 One major difficulty for many believers is to try to live up to the Bible's high standard for purity. The morals of the societies we live in—along with the internet and other media—do not make it easy to live God's way. In Africa, many of my fellow believers are first-generation Christians in our families. We are often the children of our father's second or third wife. My own father, for example, married nearly ten wives, and my mother was his second wife. As you can see, the way sexuality was treated in my family is extremely different from what I read in the Bible. Yet Paul says that Christians must not have even a hint of sexual immorality, other impurity, or greed. Here Paul is addressing the desires of our hearts. What drives you? What is most important to you? What is your greatest desire? Does it match with what God's Word calls you to be? Our view of sexuality, and of desires in general, must be constantly renewed in a personal relationship with the Lord and his Word. This is true for all Christians, no matter where we live. The apostle reminds us that we are holy through our union with Christ. And, as a result, we are called to new life that is marked with a deep desire for God's kingdom. Dear Father, thank you for making us holy through your Son, Jesus Christ. Help us to live for you in the choices we make, following the instructions in your Word. In Jesus' name, Amen.

One of the most fascinating conversations recorded in Jesus's life was with the “rich, young ruler,” evidently a young man that “had it all.” Matthew 19:16-22 NLT Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” “Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.” “Which ones?” the man asked. And Jesus replied: “‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.'” “I've obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?” Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. This young man's life was all about what he had, what he had done, and what he hadn't done. His focus was on behavior, not his heart. How things looked to others, not how things actually were. Jesus knew his treasure was not in pleasing God, so He challenged the man to find a greater, more valuable life than the one he had. For many of us, we treasure how things look, how we are perceived and how we measure up to others. Imagine this conversation is with you and Jesus asks you to let go of all worldly possessions and perceptions... How do you respond? What comes to mind as the hardest thing to let go of? You are not alone... in our current culture, how we look, what we have, and what we want can be more important than a relationship with Jesus. For our purposes in this time together, let's close with a focus on Jesus's words: “You will have treasure in Heaven when You follow Me.” Can we be satisfied with that? Will you allow His treasure be enough today? Let's pray: “Dear Father, I am grateful that when I first encountered You, I said ‘yes' and didn't walk away. But help me every day to keep saying ‘yes' to You, to put You before money, stuff, and the things of this world that distract and attract. Help me to keep selling out for You and following You. As above, so below.”

Romans 6:12-14 NLT Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace. Granting forgiveness, experiencing total freedom, and letting go for good is a mental, emotional, and spiritual experience. And yes, it can even be physical. Holding onto bitterness affects our ability to smile, facial expressions, countenance, and body language. When our hearts are closed, we look closed off. Giving ourselves completely to God, as Paul tells us here, is as much as about what we let go of as what we take up. To block forgiveness from someone is to allow sin to be our master and keep us under the law, not under grace. And when we can't give grace, we can't embrace grace. If there is someone you struggle to let go of and forgive, think about how this makes you feel, even physically, how it affects your being in every manner? Refusing to let go creates more pain as we work harder to hold on. Listen once again to Paul's commands: Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace. (Romans 6:12-14 NLT) Forgiveness and letting go diminishes sin's control, allowing us the freedom to give ourselves completely to God, to glorify Him, for Him to be our Master, not sin. To live under the freedom of God's grace. Pray with me, using Paul's words: “Dear Father, help me to not let sin control the way I live; to not give in to sinful desires, to not let any part of my body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Help me to give myself completely to You and experience new life, to use my whole body as an instrument to do what is right for Your glory. I do not want sin to be my master or live under the requirements of the law. Instead, let me live under the freedom of Your grace. As above, so below.”

Today's meditation is Psalm 8. This Psalm reminds us to look up. To stand for a few minutes in awe of the skies and nature. To realize the Creator of it all, made us to rule with Him! He entrusted us with this world. It should make us stop and wonder – who are we that the God of the universe would care, would bother with us! Dear Father, forgive us for not paying attention; for not noticing the intricacies and details of life around us. Give us wisdom to know we need You to teach us how to care for creation, how to care for each other – how to care about what You care about… Daylight Meditations is a daily podcast from CFO North America. Please visit CFONorthAmerica.org to learn more about our retreats, and online courses. If you are encouraged by this podcast, please consider supporting us. Contributors: Michelle DeChant, Nancy Holland, and Adam Maddock

Delivered by Father Peter Tukan, SDB from Salesian Don Bosco Gerak in the Diocese of Labuan Bajo, Indonesia. Nahum 1: 15; 2: 2; 3: 1-3.6-7; Rs psalm Deut 32: 35cd-36ab.39abcd.41; Matthew 16: 24-28 LOSS OF LIFE FOR THE LORD   The theme for our meditation today is: Loss of Life for the Lord. There was a Parish Priest who met one of his parishioners who was working in the rice field. The Priest greeted him and said, “You are very persistent and diligent in working in your rice field. The results are amazing: the rice grows well, the embankments are green and neat, other plants on the edge of the rice fields are flowering and bearing fruit abundantly.” The farmer responded, “All of this must be done with so much sacrifice of time, energy, money, thoughts and feelings poured out for this rice field. This sacrifice is not an easy one.”   The farmer continued, “Dear Father, you preach so well every time you celebrate Mass. You are very diligent in teaching and guiding us so that we grow stronger in our faith in God. You warmly welcome our children and young people, that they consider the church and the parish rectory as their second home.” The Parish Priest responded by saying, “I achieved all of them through training and effort that was not easy. I needed a lot of sacrifice of time, energy, thoughts, feelings and continuous prayer. This sacrifice is truly not easy.”   The two illustrations above give us two similar realities, namely an achievement and success to be proud off and of course to be grateful for, then the second reality is a sacrifice that is not easy to achieve such success. In general conversation, this is often referred to as “There is no success without sacrifice”. We, followers of Christ, often also refer to this as “There is no glory without a cross.” Today's Gospel reading emphasizes this by highlighting the teaching of Jesus Christ about “losing one's life for the Lord” which is the main path of Christian discipleship.   An experience of losing one's life or dying must be said to be the peak of the way of the cross as done by our Lord Jesus Christ. He went through all kinds of suffering until His death on the cross, and on that cross He surrendered His life to the Father, with one word from His mouth, “It is finished”. The way of the cross is the experience of us Christians and followers of Christ who experience various kinds of suffering, which today's Gospel calls self-denial. The main motivation or reason we deny ourselves is because we want to be consistent and diligent in hearing God's Word and diligently carrying out His commandments. To be able to fulfil this task, we must be able to resist all the temptations and deceptions of Satan.   A Christian who loses his life for God is actually carrying out the highest way of practicing faith and a very noble offering to God. He offers his life. For example, a husband and wife are committed to living a holy life in their marriage, they know very well that their reason is because of God. They maintain it until death do them apart, and this is an example of living with self-denial. This is a way of losing one's life for God.   Let's pray. In the name of the Father... O Lord, strengthen us always so that we remain committed to diligently serving You. Hail Mary... In the name of the Father...

In this episode of the Success is a Choice podcast, our guest is Larry Elder (radio personality, author, and former candidate for California Governor and U.S. President).   Twitter - @LarryElder Website - LarryElder.com Facebook - Facebook.com/TakeBackThisCountry Instagram - @LarryElderShow YouTube - youtube.com/@LarryElderHighlights Freedom Chat - Freedomchat.com/elder Larry Elder covers a lot of ground in this conversation including ... Thoughts on racism, social justice, and oppression Police and black America Controlling what you can control Having a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame ... and much more!!! The "Sage from South Central" is a New York Times best-selling author, award-winning documentary filmmaker, and one of the best-known media figures in America today. His flagship daily radio program, “The Larry Elder Show,” was heard every weekday in all 50 states and on more than 300 stations. Larry was voted one of the "The Top 25 Most Influential Talk-Radio Hosts" by NewsMax magazine in 2008. He also won a Los Angeles area Emmy. Larry was born and raised in South Central Los Angeles, and his family's story represents every bit of the American Dream. His father was born in Athens, Georgia, served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II, and moved to California to open his own restaurant—Elder's Snack Bar. Larry's mother, originally from Huntsville, Alabama, was a clerical worker for the U.S. Department of War (now the U.S. Department of Defense) and raised three boys as a stay-at-home mom. Larry ultimately received a bachelor's degree from Brown University and his law degree from the University of Michigan. After running for Governor of California in 2021 and securing millions of votes, Larry announced his presidency for U.S. President. He's also produced the documentaries "Uncle Tom" and "Uncle Tom II".  Some of his books include "Dear Father, Dear Son", "The Ten Things You Can't Say in America", "A Lot Like Me: A Father and Son's Journey to Reconcilliation", and "As Goes California". Episode Timestamps: 1:30 - Deciding what to wear when speaking 2:15 - Larry's tough background 8:00 - Hard work 10:15 - Racism his father faced 12:00 - Message to educators, coaches, and parents 14:00 - Black Lives Matter 18:20 - Debating Mom regularly on his radio show 22:20 - Childhood friend losing a scholarship because he was a "coach killer" 25:20 - How to be a success in life 26:30 - Star on Hollywood Walk of Fame - - - - Each week, the SUCCESS IS A CHOICE podcasting network brings you leadership expert Jamy Bechler and guest experts who provide valuable insights, tips, and guidance on how to maximize your potential, build a stronger culture, develop good leadership, create a healthy vision, optimize results, and inspire those around you. - - - -  Please follow Jamy on Twitter @CoachBechler for positive insights and tips on leadership, success, culture, and teamwork. Check out our virtual sessions for parents, coaches, students, and administrators at FreeLeadershipWorkshop.com. These sessions are free and cover a variety of topics. - - - -  The Success is a Choice podcast network is made possible by TheLeadershipPlaybook.com. Great teams have great teammates and everyone can be a person of influence. Whether you're a coach, athletic director, or athlete, you can benefit from this program and now you can get 25% off the price when you use the coupon code CHOICE at checkout. Build a stronger culture today with better teammates and more positive leaders.  If you like quotes, then you'll want to check out Jamy Bechler's new book "The Coach's Bulletin Board". It contains thousands of insights, thoughts, and quotes are contained in this book. Please visit JamyBechler.com/BulletinBoardBook to get your signed copy. - - - -  Please consider rating the podcast with 5 stars and leaving a quick review on iTunes.  Ratings and reviews are the lifeblood of a podcast. This helps tremendously in bringing the podcast to the attention of others. Thanks again for listening and remember that “Success is a choice. What choice will you make today?” - - - -  Jamy Bechler is the author of five books including "The Captain" and "The Bus Trip", host of the "Success is a Choice Podcast", professional speaker, and trains organizations on creating championship cultures. He previously spent 20 years as a college basketball coach and administrator.  TheLeadershipPlaybook.com is Bechler's online program that helps athletes become better teammates and more positive leaders while strengthening a team's culture. As a certified John Maxwell leadership coach, Bechler has worked with businesses and teams, including the NBA. Follow him on Twitter at @CoachBechler. To connect with him via email or find out about his services, please contact speaking@CoachBechler.com. You can also subscribe to his insights on success and leadership by visiting JamyBechler.com/newsletter.

Acts 11:25-26 Then Barnabas went on to Tarsus to look for Saul. When he found him, he brought him back to Antioch…(It was at Antioch that the believers were first called Christians.) Barnabas' famous gift of encouragement was not only expressed in words; he also took action. Antioch, in Syria, was a busy commercial centre with a very mixed population. There were many Jews in the city and an increasing number of people from a non-Jewish background who were following Christ. It was crucial that a good leader was found and Barnabas was sure that Saul had exactly the right qualifications. So he set off to search for him in his home town of Tarsus in southern Turkey, as it's known today. It was 14 years since Saul's conversion and so he had had ample time in which to grow as a follower of Christ and develop his teaching ministry. Having tracked down Saul, Barnabas took him back to Antioch. There they spent a year working alongside one another in the church, which was to be the springboard for the mission to the Gentile, or non-Jewish, world. It was in cosmopolitan Antioch that the followers of Christ were first called Christians. This was probably used originally as a term of contempt, but the Christians were proud to be associated with their Lord and Master and were happy to bear his name. It is so significant that the title ‘Christian' is totally focused on a person. We are members of the Church, but it would be horribly misleading if we were known as ‘churchites' or ‘churchians'. Christian faith is rooted in a personal relationship with Jesus Christ himself. The Church is a large and complex organisation made up of human beings who regularly get a great deal wrong. But Jesus never lets us down and we can be proud to bear his name. Question What does the word Christian mean to you? Prayer Dear Father, thank you for your son Jesus Christ and for the privilege of being his follower. Amen

Join us this week as Trooth, is finally joined by Javie and Rachel & Dulce from Dear Father along with "Crowd Control" and catch up on everything from Javies and Dulce's pregnancy announcements and so much more! Please Comment any and all feedback! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/trooth-be-told/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/trooth-be-told/support

Acts 9:17 Ananias went and found Saul. He laid his hands on him and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road, has sent me so that you might regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” I find this declaration from Ananias one of the most moving sentences in the whole of the Bible. He had been asked by God to go and meet Saul. Ananias was fully aware of Saul's reputation and that he was on a mission to arrest the followers of Jesus. He was bound to think that there must be some mistake (v13). But the Lord informed him that Saul had been appointed to take the gospel to the non-Jewish world (v15). In obedience to the Lord, Ananias courageously headed off to the house in Straight Street, placed his hands on Saul and called him brother. How amazing! The story of Saul's conversion should be a warning to us all not to put a limit on what God can do. I invite you to think of people whom you know who are completely dismissive of Christian faith. Perhaps they laugh at you for your faith. Or they love trying to prove that Christianity is just a lot of sentimental nonsense. Maybe, like many people, they are not remotely interested in anything connected with the Church. It is very tempting to assume that it is a waste of time sharing our faith with them, and that we should focus our attention on the people who show some interest. I suggest that we need to pray for everyone we know, whether they are interested or not, as God loves everyone and invites them all to follow him, however antagonistic they may be. When someone becomes a Christian, they don't need to go through a ceremony or complete a course of instruction; they are instantly part of God's eternal family. How incredible. Question Are you willing to share your Christian faith with people who are opposed to it? Prayer Dear Father, thank you that you are a God of miracles and want to welcome everyone to yourself. Amen

Nehemiah 8:6 Then Ezra praised the Lord, the great God, and all the people chanted, “Amen! Amen!” as they lifted their hands. Then they bowed down and worshiped the Lord with their faces to the ground. The rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem in just 52 days was an amazing achievement. But Nehemiah was quite clear that there was something that was even more important - ensuring that God was at the centre of the city's life. In this chapter, Ezra the priest addresses all the people, bringing out the book of the Law of Moses. This may refer to the whole of the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible) or perhaps just the book of Deuteronomy. What we know for certain is that Ezra read for three hours. This was quite a marathon, but it is recorded that the “people listened closely to the Book of the Law” (v3) We read that Ezra stood above the people and, as he opened the book, the people all stood up and praised God. What an amazing moment that must have been as the people lifted up their hands in worship and shouted: “Amen! Amen!” and then bowed down with their faces to the ground. It is, of course, possible for us to worship God by ourselves, but to do so in a corporate setting is such a great encouragement. It is a powerful expression of our unity and our shared dependence upon God. God's people have always worshipped together and we must treasure every opportunity we are given to do so. We learned a great deal during the pandemic about the importance of worshipping together. Who would ever have thought that the day might come when we would not be able to gather in our churches? And in those times when we were able to meet, that it would be illegal to sing songs of worship? But, despite all the restrictions, God's people continued to worship him. What an amazing testimony it was to our nation that, even when we were not able to worship together in one place, we continued to worship God together online. You simply can't stop God's people from praising him! Question Why is worshipping God together important to you? Prayer Dear Father, thank you for the privilege of being able to worship you. Help me to treasure every opportunity of worshipping with my Christian brothers and sisters. Amen

Carl Jackson is in again for Officer Tatum;  Ignore the polls... Republicans have a major voter turnout problem; The Supreme Court strikes down on Bump Stock ban; SECOND HOUR GUEST: Author and radio legend, Larry Elder, joins the program to talk about his New York Times best-selling book "Dear Father, Dear Son" https://amzn.to/3VpGKxN right before Father's Day weekend; THIRD HOUR GUEST: Supply chain consultant and writer for Daily Wire and Washington Examiner, Jim Nelles; Homeownership costs in the US surged 26% since the start of 2020. The Officer Tatum Show is now available on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and SalemPodcastNetwork.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome back to another episode of your favorite sex and relationship podcast. We finally have a new episode for y'all that we hope you enjoy. This Trooth sits down with 2 of the girls from the Dear Father podcast (coming soon?) to discuss Trooth's breakup and how he has been dealing with it and life since it happen. This episode is more of a catch up but we will return with our regularly scheduled shenanigans soon! STAY TUNED! --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/trooth-be-told/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/trooth-be-told/support

In this episode Keith Wallen joins the podcast. Keith talks about his new solo album “Infinity Now” (May 3rd), working with Kevin Thrasher, the heavy history behind “Dear Father”, making a music video with a living wolf, his love for Adam Gontier, writing with Saint Asonia, doing opening and headline sets on the same tour, possible new music from Breaking Benjamin, writing with Benjamin Brunley, love for Myles Kennedy, Frank Sidoris, performing on Shiprocked, and a ton more! This episode is brought to you by DEB Concerts. Follow DEB on Facebook and Twitter to get updates on upcoming shows including Rocklahoma's Roadhouse Stage, and more! This episode is also brought to you by Sunset Tattoo Tulsa. Sunset Tattoo has over 25 years of experience, and is located at 3146 E. 15th St. in Tulsa, OK. Native owned, and a female tattoo artist in house. The tattoos are "Done Good and Proper" so be sure to like their facebook page for more details. Stream us anytime everywhere podcasts are heard.

Luke 15:20-21 Of all the stories that Jesus told, the parable of the prodigal son is perhaps the most famous. It is a story that takes us to the heart of the good news. Can you think of anything worse than a son asking for his inheritance while his father is still alive? Having secured the money, he then went off and squandered it, ending up completely broke. In his desperation, all he could do was to find a job feeding pigs – and, for a Jew, you couldn't imagine a worse job because they were banned from eating pork. The people would have listened to Jesus with rapt attention. But they also knew how the story should end. When they heard that the son planned to return home and ask his father for a job, they knew that any self-respecting father would give him a hiding. He would punish him severely. Everyone could see that's what he deserved. But this father was different. Even though he had been horribly abused, he threw his arms around his wayward son and welcomed him home. He then gave him the best robe, put a ring on his finger and threw a big party. This is precisely the good news that Jesus came to bring. We have all strayed from God's ways and treated him appallingly. We don't deserve to be loved by God. Punishment would be entirely appropriate. But, incredibly, God throws his arms around us and welcomes us home. Question What does this parable say to you personally? Prayer Dear Father, thank you that even though I have done so many things that are wrong, you are willing to forgive me and give me a new life. Amen

Luke 9:51 There's a wonderful description of the servant of the Lord in Isaiah 50:7 in which it says that he set his “face like flint”. That is to say, he was absolutely resolute in his obedience to the Lord. That's precisely what we see here in Luke's Gospel. Jesus knew that the Jewish leaders were determined to kill him and yet, even so, he headed into the city where his life would be under greatest threat. If anyone had done a risk assessment of the situation, Jesus would have been advised to avoid the area and head back up north to Galilee. Jesus' complete commitment to his Father's will is awe-inspiring. He could have chosen to avoid the dangers,
but his desire was to be obedient and, so, he headed south to Jerusalem. He had no fear and took a route that no Jewish person would ever have taken, walking through Samaria (whose people despised the Jews). Predictably, the Samaritan people kicked up a fuss when they heard Jesus was heading to Jerusalem. This angered James and John, who suggested calling down fire from heaven to destroy the people. But Jesus rebuked them. As they continued on the road to Jerusalem, a man told Jesus that he would follow him wherever he went. Jesus' response was to inform him that “Foxes have dens to live in, and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place even to lay his head” (Luke 9:58). Jesus invited the man to follow him, but he wanted to ensure he had no illusions: it would require a single-minded commitment, nothing less. He was calling on all his followers to set their faces like flint, and that's exactly the same invitation that he gives to
us today. Question Have you set your face like flint in obedience to Christ? Prayer Dear Father, thank you that you invite me to live a life of obedience to you. Give me strength today to head resolutely in the direction you want me to go. Amen

2 Corinthians 1:12 Life isn't always easy. It certainly wasn't for Paul, whose ministry often came under vicious attack. His relationship with the church in Corinth was, at times, particularly painful, especially as he had helped to establish it. He loved the Corinthians passionately and was desperate for them to grow and thrive in the Lord. However, time and again, they were a great disappointment to him. It got even worse when they started making cruel and unfounded accusations against him. Nothing is harder than people falsely accusing you. It is so incredibly painful. When you know that you have acted out of love and concern, it is agonising to be accused of acting out of self-interest. Paul's response is that he is absolutely convinced he has acted in the right way towards God. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter what other people make of our ministry. What matters is what God makes of it, and Paul is utterly convinced that he has ministered in the right way. I have had the privilege of working with hundreds of church leaders over the years and have often seen them accused by others. It is always painful and difficult. In those moments, it is easy to focus on the detail of the accusation. But what matters most is coming before God and assessing where we are before him. If we are, like Paul, convinced that we have acted in a way that is honouring to God, we should give thanks and enjoy the peace which God gives us. It is still appropriate to answer our critics, but we will not be doing so in our own strength and wisdom but in God's. Question What would you do if you were falsely accused? Prayer Dear Father, thank you that you don't leave me when times are hard. Help me always to respond to criticism with grace, wisdom and love. Amen

Robin Askwith is probably best known as Timothy Lea in the “Confessions of a…” film series. He has appeared in many other films including as Keating in the Lindsey Anderson film ‘if…', Otley, Alfred the Great, Nicholas and Alexandra, The Canterbury Tales, the comedy films Bless This House, Carry On Girls and No Sex Please, We're British. Robin appeared on television in series' such as Randall and Hopkirk (Deceased), Father, Dear Father and a recurring role as Eddie in Please Sir! and its spin-off The Fenn Street Gang. His most recent television roles include Emmerdale, Benidorm and In 2021, he joined the cast of Channel 5's drama series The Madame Blanc Mysteries appearing alongside Sue Holderness, Sally Lindsay and Steve Edge as a series regular.Robin Askwith is guest number 349 on My Time Capsule and chats to Michael Fenton Stevens about the five things he'd like to put in a time capsule; four he'd like to preserve and one he'd like to bury and never have to think about again .Follow Robin Askwith on Twitter @Robin_Askwith .Follow My Time Capsule on Twitter, Instagram & Facebook: @MyTCpod .Follow Michael Fenton Stevens on Twitter: @fentonstevens & Instagram @mikefentonstevens .Produced and edited by John Fenton-Stevens for Cast Off Productions .Music by Pass The Peas Music .Artwork by matthewboxall.com .This podcast is proud to be associated with the charity Viva! Providing theatrical opportunities for hundreds of young people. Get bonus episodes and ad-free listening by becoming a team member with Acast+! Your support will help us to keep making My Time Capsule. Join our team now! https://plus.acast.com/s/mytimecapsule. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Luke 2:4-5 If you travel from Nazareth to Bethlehem these days it is a relatively easy journey. The roads are good, and you should get there by car in about two and half hours. Mary and Joseph's experience would have been completely different. On foot the 90-mile journey would have been arduous and dangerous. They would probably have gone down the Jordan Valley which, at the time, was heavily wooded and was home to wolves, lions and wild boar. They posed a significant threat to the young couple but, in addition, they had to face the ever-present threat from robbers. The journey would normally take walkers about five days but, because Mary was in the last stages of her pregnancy, they may well have taken a few days longer than that. The weather would also have been a challenge. During the day it would have been hot and at night it would often have been freezing. The young couple must have been absolutely exhausted when they finally arrived in Bethlehem. It is valuable for us to remind ourselves of the circumstances of Jesus' birth to emphasise the point that there were absolutely no special privileges surrounding his coming into the world. The romanticised pictures of Jesus' birth could easily lull us into thinking that all was sweetness and light, but that was far from the case. When John wrote in his gospel that “the Word became human and made his home among us” (John 1:14) he was telling us that God fully took upon himself the vulnerabilities and awkwardnesses of human life. He received no special treatment. As we celebrate Christmas we need to praise God that in the sending of Jesus into the world we see the full extent of his love for us. Question What do the circumstances of Jesus' birth tell you about the nature of God? Prayer Dear Father, I thank you for your willingness to send Jesus into our world, with all its challenges and difficulties. Amen

In the last week of our series, Dear Father, Brennen lands the plane by looking at David's coronation. Rather than entering as a king, David enters as a humble and lowly servant, whose aim is to bring prayer back to the people of God. How does David's coronation exalt God rather than himself? What rhythms/habits/practices do we need to keep prayer at the center of our life? Message Delivered: 12/3/23

Brennen kicks off our Dear Father series examining four false beliefs we have about prayer. Whether we struggle to find the time, or struggle to believe that God hears and works through our prayers, we are invited to listen and learn how we can step into the presence of God today. What is a false belief I have about prayer? How does access to God's presence change/modify the way I see him? Message Delivered: 10/29/23

One of the most fascinating conversations recorded in Jesus's life was with the “rich, young ruler,” evidently a young man that “had it all.” Matthew 19:16-22 NLT Someone came to Jesus with this question: “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” “Why ask me about what is good?” Jesus replied. “There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments.” “Which ones?” the man asked. And Jesus replied: “‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. Honor your father and mother. Love your neighbor as yourself.'” “I've obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?” Jesus told him, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions. This young man's life was all about what he had, what he had done, and what he hadn't done. His focus was on behavior, not his heart. How things looked to others, not how things actually were. Jesus knew his treasure was not in pleasing God, so He challenged the man to find a greater, more valuable life than the one he had. For many of us, we treasure how things look, how we are perceived and how we measure up to others. Imagine this conversation is with you and Jesus asks you to let go of all worldly possessions and perceptions... How do you respond? What comes to mind as the hardest thing to let go of? You are not alone... in our current culture, how we look, what we have, and what we want can be more important than a relationship with Jesus. For our purposes in this time together, let's close with a focus on Jesus's words: “You will have treasure in Heaven when You follow Me.” Can we be satisfied with that? Will you allow His treasure be enough today? Let's pray: “Dear Father, I am grateful that when I first encountered You, I said ‘yes' and didn't walk away. But help me every day to keep saying ‘yes' to You, to put You before money, stuff, and the things of this world that distract and attract. Help me to keep selling out for You and following You. As above, so below.”

Romans 6:12-14 NLT Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace. Granting forgiveness, experiencing total freedom, and letting go for good is a mental, emotional, and spiritual experience. And yes, it can even be physical. Holding onto bitterness affects our ability to smile, facial expressions, countenance, and body language. When our hearts are closed, we look closed off. Giving ourselves completely to God, as Paul tells us here, is as much as about what we let go of as what we take up. To block forgiveness from someone is to allow sin to be our master and keep us under the law, not under grace. And when we can't give grace, we can't embrace grace. If there is someone you struggle to let go of and forgive, think about how this makes you feel, even physically, how it affects your being in every manner? Refusing to let go creates more pain as we work harder to hold on. Listen once again to Paul's commands: Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace. (Romans 6:12-14 NLT) Forgiveness and letting go diminishes sin's control, allowing us the freedom to give ourselves completely to God, to glorify Him, for Him to be our Master, not sin. To live under the freedom of God's grace. Pray with me, using Paul's words: “Dear Father, help me to not let sin control the way I live; to not give in to sinful desires, to not let any part of my body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Help me to give myself completely to You and experience new life, to use my whole body as an instrument to do what is right for Your glory. I do not want sin to be my master or live under the requirements of the law. Instead, let me live under the freedom of Your grace. As above, so below.”

Today's meditation is Psalm 8. This Psalm reminds us to look up. To stand for a few minutes in awe of the skies and nature. To realize the Creator of it all, made us to rule with Him! He entrusted us with this world. It should make us stop and wonder – who are we that the God of the universe would care, would bother with us! Dear Father, forgive us for not paying attention; for not noticing the intricacies and details of life around us. Give us wisdom to know we need You to teach us how to care for creation, how to care for each other – how to care about what You care about… Daylight Meditations is a daily podcast from CFO North America.  Please visit CFONorthAmerica.org to learn more about our retreats, and online courses. If you are encouraged by this podcast, please consider supporting us. Contributors: Michelle DeChant, Nancy Holland, and Adam Maddock

Jesus tells us, in no uncertain terms, that we are to seek the lost. Who is He talking about and what does He mean? The depth of His answer might surprise you. Join Julie Jenkins for a study of Luke 15. *****   Welcome to Walking in the Word, the biblical teaching arm of the Women World Leaders' Podcast. My name is Julie Jenkins and I am so happy you have joined us today as we continue our walk through the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. It is June 2023 as I record this. If you are a regular monthly donor to Women World Leaders, please make sure to check your mailbox in the coming days for our newly released 12th edition of Voice of Truth. If you are new to the ministry and are not familiar with Voice of Truth magazine, I encourage you to go to our website, www.womenworldleaders.com, and check it out. We have all the back issues available digitally, and the new edition will be up within a week. We send out a physical copy of this beautiful, full-color, 100+ page magazine to each of our regular donors as a thank you, because saying thank you for supporting this ministry just doesn't seem like enough! By supporting Women World Leaders, YOU are reaching women across the globe – offering them the gospel message and giving them tools and support to walk in their God-given purpose. Personally, I don't believe there is a greater mission than that. God is the master organizer and coordinator – and although He can do ANYTHING in the blink of an eye, He often uses us, His children, to partner with Him. If we EACH were to respond to Him by fulfilling the role He designed us for, imagine how beautiful the world would be. So you might say our underlying goal at Women World Leaders is to help steer the world into the beautiful place God created it to be. Does that sound lofty? Well…our God is amazing…and nothing is beyond Him! So, thank you to our donors and our leaders for believing for the lofty with us! Let's dive in, shall we? Today's teaching comes from the 15th chapter of the book of Luke. Let's begin in prayer. Dear Most Holy God, We thank you for meeting us each where we are today – for guiding us a leading us in the path you have ordained for each of us. Father, I thank you for Women World Leaders! I thank you for the donors, the leaders, and the opportunity to share your Word with the world. Guide us as we open Scripture together, and teach us what you want us to know today. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen. As we continue walking through the gospels, we are currently studying the book of Luke together. Most recently, we saw Jesus attend a dinner at the home of a Pharisee and then later teach the large crowds who were following Him what it means to truly be His disciples. Today, we continue to follow Jesus as He continues teaching using parables. Chapter 15 from the New Living Translation begins… Tax collectors and other notorious sinners often came to listen to Jesus teach. 2 This made the Pharisees and teachers of religious law complain that he was associating with such sinful people—even eating with them! These verses are important to this chapter because it sets up Jesus to share three parables – The Lost Sheep, The Lost Coin, and The Lost Son. The sinners were flocking to Jesus, and the Pharisees were calling Jesus out for hanging out with the sinners – those who were deemed unclean. As we study the Bible, we tend to see the Pharisees from a single, harsh angle. They were the rabble-rousers—the prideful, arrogant religious leaders who positioned themselves above everyone else. But the reality is, they have gotten a much worse reputation through the course of history. They, after all, were men who had devoted their lives to following God, and deemed the best way to do that was to follow the law of Moses. They WERE trying to hold to scripture, and even though we can see they went overboard and many of them missed Jesus' calling to follow Him, we should be careful to recognize that their attitude was very complex and is one that many of us fall into today. We, as the Christian church, are in danger of becoming the Pharisees of today. That's a tough statement. And it is one we should recognize fight against on an individual level—just as Jesus called the Pharisees to confront their own sins, He calls us to look at ourselves. As a Christian, it is imperative that I ask myself regularly, “Do I love others as Jesus did? Do I love others as Jesus does? Am I willing to look past the someone else's sin and see the person God made them to be? Do I choose to love EVEN and ESPECIALLY those who are CHOOSING to sin, recognizing that MY sin is no greater than theirs and God that has given me the HONOR to love them and meet them where they are?” Pride and arrogance are as rampant in the Christian church today as they were in the days of the Pharisees. So as you listen to Jesus teaching – ask yourself, what does God want ME to do differently in my life? Jesus first told a parable targeted to the men, beginning in verse 4… “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won't he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? 5 And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders. 6 When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.' 7 In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven't strayed away! We see a theme developing here that carries all through chapter 15 – something was lost, the owner did everything possible to find the one missing piece, and then joyful celebration broke out. The first story is the story of the sheep, who was lost through his own foolishness. The shepherd, who represents God, was responsible for EACH of the sheep. But not only was He responsible for each sheep, He also loved each sheep dearly—enough to step away from the faithful flock so He could find the one who had strayed. How often do we remain in our bubble of Christianity, afraid to step out to find those who have set themselves apart? Over and over, I hear parents say that they want to protect their children from the evils of society. Parents – if we pull our God-loving children out of society to protect them, who is going to be the light of God to those children who don't come from a Christian home? Every child is different, but I encourage you to take a moment and think – what if I empower my child to make a difference in their school or club or organization rather than simply trying to protect them? What if I, instead, walk with my child into the unknown, traveling alongside them and spending time tutoring or leading a Christian club or simply being available to those who may not have another Christian influence? Jesus put it all on the line to go after the one. Are we willing to do the same? Then Jesus moves from shepherding to taking care of the home – something the women in the crowd would be more familiar with. “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins[a] and loses one. Won't she light a lamp and sweep the entire house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she will call in her friends and neighbors and say, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost coin.' 10 In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God's angels when even one sinner repents.” The coin, although it was a single coin that wasn't worth much, was important to the woman, and so it became a priority for her to find it. She did what was necessary to recover her lost treasure. She lit a lamp, she swept, and then she searched carefully. In our world, we are given a purpose to make others our priority – even those who don't seem all that important to us or the world. The sinners – the tax collectors and those who were not following the law of Moses to the nth degree—were deemed unimportant and even disposable by the Pharisees. In this parable, Jesus marks the importance of every individual. Who, in our society, have we as Christians deemed unimportant or disposable? Who do we dismiss and maybe even try to avoid? Let me ask you some difficult questions. Do you believe in God? Do you have faith that He will protect you? Do you trust Him when He tells you where you should go? Christian, Jesus, in no uncertain terms, is telling us to LOVE the marginalized in society. He is telling us to speak to the sinners, to embrace those we aren't following scripture. And what is our agenda to be when we do? Simply to love them! To open our hearts. And to trust GOD. Just as there was no coin that was unimportant in the woman's eye, so there is NO individual who is unimportant in God's eyes. And finally, scripture says, “to illustrate the point further,” Jesus told the story of the Lost Son. Let me paraphrase… A man had two sons…the younger one decided he wanted his inheritance early. So the father gave the young man his inheritance, likely a third of all he owned. The son then sold the property and left town with the money. You probably know the story…after he wasted away all his money and was so hungry that his mouth was watering after the pigs' slop, he returned to his father. When his father saw him coming, he RAN TO HIM! How beautiful is that? The sheep was lost to foolishness, the coin was lost to carelessness, but the son was lost because of his own willfulness. The father had every right to turn away from the son who had willfully disengaged with him. The son had damaged his father. He had asked for his inheritance, basically telling the him ‘I wish you were dead,' took the family land and SOLD it – not even using it for his own long-term gain – that must have stabbed the father. And then he went silent. There were no cell phones or email or Facebook. The father grieved the loss of his child, truly not knowing if he was dead or alive. And then the son returned. And when he saw him, the father dropped all his dignity and pretension and RAN to his son. Not only did he run because he was thrilled to see him, but he ran to him to protect him. The young man had completely disrespected his father and his family, and by all rights, should have been stoned…so the man ran, knowing that if he was beside his son, no one would dare hurt him. The father welcomed the young man by giving him his robe – a symbol of honor and authority, a ring—a symbol of belonging in the family, and sandals—which identified him as a son. The father – representing God, welcomed this young man who had hurt him, sinned against him, and left him. But who also CHOSE to return. And then a joyful celebration broke out – just like when the shepherd found the lost sheep and the woman found the lost coin. Doing the work of Jesus – reaching out to the least of these and welcoming them into the Christian fold, is the BEST reason for celebration there is. But do you know who wasn't joyful in this last parable? The oldest son. The one who had remained by the father's side and waited patiently for his inheritance was now jealous and angry. He had steadfastly remained by his father, and now his wayward, sinful brother was being welcomed back? We don't know the end of the story. The brother went to the father and voiced his frustration. And his father replied… ‘Look, dear son, you have always stayed by me, and everything I have is yours. 32 We had to celebrate this happy day. For your brother was dead and has come back to life! He was lost, but now he is found!'” I think Jesus left this open-ended intentionally. Remember, He was speaking to the Pharisees. By not delineating the older sons actions, Jesus was making them aware of their choice: You can be happy that I am hanging out with sinners and welcoming them into the kingdom, or you can be bitter and go your own way. Although it seems that many Pharisees held to the letter of the law, dismissing the importance of love, we do know that some understood and began to trust Jesus. It is not our job as Christians to make SURE an individual CHOOSES to follow Jesus, any more than it was the father's job to chase down his lost son or demand joy from the son who had stayed by his side. God has gifted us, as Christians, with the joy of searching for and loving all others—saints and sinners alike and PRESENTING them with a different way of life – for THEIR choosing. We can trust God's provision and protection as we follow His call. But oh the joy when we join in the celebration of each homecoming, because there is NO ONE who is too small to celebrate. Let's pray… Dear Father – thank you for seeking US out each time we stray. God, we confess that, at times, WE have been the stumbling block for others to come to you. Father, we seek your forgiveness even as we thank you for running to us with open arms of love and protection. Guide each of us today to step into your calling as we seek to love the unloved, opening our arms and hearts in unexpected and amazing ways. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.

Let's Have A Conversation With Our Heavenly FatherPsalm 145:8 “The Lord is gracious and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”I heard this as the verse of the day on KLOVE radio last night when I was picking Sam up from work.  I instantly knew it was one I wanted to talk about because I have been thinking a lot about God lately and who we think He is.  I have heard several people say lately that they think of God as a task master in the sky who is watching us carefully and He is just waiting for us to mess us so he can punish us.  I can't say that I ever thought of God in this way.  However, I did used to think I needed to do the right thing or say the right thing in order to make God happy, in order to earn his love or his approval.  I can also see how one can look at God like He is up there waiting to judge us.  I mean we are taught to fear God and yet I don't think we are taught what that actually means.  When it says we should fear God it actually means to have reverence for God.  Our fear of God is not negative, but a positive attitude of reverence, which helps us ascribe to God His due Omnipotence, Sovereignty and Supremacy.I now think God is Love.  I know God loves me.  I know He delights in me and that He is pleased with me.  I know I am His beloved daughter.  I know I don't have to do anything to earn these feelings, they are freely given.  I know he is not up there waiting for me to mess up so that he can punish me, although he is waiting with open arms for me when I mess up so that I can come back to Him.  When I try to think about how I know this, I am not too sure.  When I was on the Big Life New Year's Retreat I was reading one of my journal entries to two of the ladies there and I felt like the Holy Spirit said to me, “This is how you know.  This is where your confidence in yourself and in my love for you comes from.”  I took a minute to think about it and I knew He was right.  I mean, He is the Holy Spirit, so of course he was right.  But I could see how He was right.  I learned about writing letters to God in my journal and then asking Him to write back to me using my pen in 2019 when I was learning to be a life coach and a spiritual coach.  I started doing this regularly at some point in 2020.  I was listening to the Bible in A Year Podcast and Father Mike was talking about how if we want a more intimate relationship with God we could start by speaking to Him more intimately.  I am not sure what he said exactly but that is what I heard.  I started writing in my journal as if it was a letter to God.  I started addressing it Dear Father, because Dad felt to informal and I wanted to make sure I was being reverent.  However, over the days to come I experimented with other terms, Dad, Daddy, Papa.  It felt strange at first but the more I did it the more comfortable I felt with it.  I did feel as though I was growing closer to Him.  I went back and looked in my journal.  I am not sure which journal I used before this one, but his one starts May 1, 2020.  It seems I was writing pretty often during this time. That is probably because it was during Covid and so the world kind of slowed down and we had more time.  The first time that I can see in this journal that I asked God to answer me through my pen was June 2, 2020.  This is what I felt He said to me:“Dear Holy One, I love you!  I do not feel you lack trust.  You are a good and faithful servant.  Thank you for getting the prayer group online.  I missed you ladies and the praise and worship.  I am here for you, lean into me.  I love you my daughter.  I love what you are becoming.  I will mold you if you let me.  Help the leaders of the prayer group as the leaders are tired.  You can bring a new energy into the group.  The workshop is a good idea.”Can you see how hearing words like this from your heavenly Father would help build you see that God is love?  Can you see how it would help build your confidence and help you realize more about who He is and more about who you are in his eyes?  It is not always super positive.  It is not as if the letters are always filled with compliments and that is it.  Sometimes we need correction and guidance and sometimes we don't want to hear that.  However, when it is coming from God correction is given with love and grace.  When you spend time listen to what God is actually saying, you realize He is not a mean task master waiting for us to screw up.  He is a loving Father wanting to help us and protect us.  Here is an example from June 24, 2020.  This is the second time in this journal that I asked to hear from God.  This is just a portion of what I felt He was saying:“You will do a great many things.  I will show you when you are ready, stay the course.  Your work pleases me.  Your effort pleases me.  Notice the good more in Tony.  Point out the light you see.  Live by “will this matter in 5 years.”  Help bring more light into your family instead of darkness.  No sarcasm, no teasing, just building each other up.  You are better than that.  Be a good listener, put first things first.  You are doing great, keep going.  I love you my daughter and I am with you, I know your name.  I love you.”Again can you see the love in His words?  I know that every single word might not be from God.  Sometimes our own thoughts can get mixed in as well.  However, I asked God to answer me and when we ask God He answers, so I trust most of this is from God.  Another way you can tell when you are writing that the words are not mostly from you is because we are not this kind to ourselves.  We are own worst critic and we don't believe in ourselves like God does.  We don't say nice things to ourselves like God does.  God loves you and He wants to tell you how much, we are just too busy to listen.  I have found, sometimes even when I do sit down and find quiet time to listen to God, I can't hear anything.  I think for me, this is because I get too much in my head.  I tell myself I won't hear anything or I question everything.  This is why, for me, writing letters to and from God helps me hear him better.  When I am writing I am not thinking too much.  I am not questioning or over analyzing.  I am just writing all that comes into my head. Sometimes it was a few things and sometimes it was longer.  There were times when we had a conversation back and forth.  I would write something then I would write what I felt God said in reply and then I would write again and so on.  It was amazing!  Have you ever wanted to sit down and have a conversation with God.  A real back and forth conversation, you can.  All you have to do is start it and then listen for God's reply.  If you are listening and you can't hear Him, try writing down what comes into your mind.  We don't usually hear God's voice as a loud booming voice from the sky.  Usually He sounds more like your own voice in your head.  It is more like a thought than an audible voice.  Writing these letters to God and having Him write back has been amazing.  I truly think it has helped to cement my knowledge in who I am in His eyes.  I have less stress and anxiety because I don't just think God is looking out for me, I know He is because He tells me often.  I don't just think that God loves me, I know he does because He tells me often.  I don't wonder if He is proud of me or if I am doing a good job, Know I am because He tells me often.  He is longing to tell you too.  All you have to do is ask and then listen for His response.  Give it a try, I know you will be blown away by the love He gives you.  If you give it a try and nothing happens, please reach out to me.  I would love to help you with this as I know God is longing to talk to each one of us individually.  He tells me often, and also tells us at prayer group that His people aren't listening to Him.  If you struggle to see God as a loving Father, start writing letters to Him and ask Him to reply.  You will see just how much He loves you and who couldn't use more love in their life?Dear Heavenly Father I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode today.  Lord, I ask you that you show each person listening who they are in your eyes.  I thank you for all the times you have answered my letters and I ask you encourage others to write to you as well.  Lord, I pray that each person listening begins to listen more to what you have to say.  I pray that your words will fill their soul and they will see just how amazing you are.  I pray they will see that you are not waiting for us to screw up so you can punish us, you are waiting to welcome us back with open arms.  You are a good good Father and I pray that every person listening  will be able to see that for themselves, not just take my word for it. We love you Lord and we ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus' holy name, Amen!Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk Boldly with Jesus.  I am looking forward to bringing you a witness tomorrow from my friend Anne Trufant.  I met Anne on a Military Council of the Catholic Woman's conference.  She is a Catholic speaker, singer, and she and her husband run a summer camp. Anne was such a great speaker we hired her to come back the following year.  I have had the pleasure of hearing her speak at at least five conference/retreats.  At the very first one I bought one of her CD's.  It was amazing.  I didn't really know Christian music was a thing before her CD.  I listened to it every day. It was so good.  The next year I bought the other 2 or 3 that she had.  I was hooked! I know you will love Anne as much as I do.  She has so many great stories of encounters with the Lord.  Tomorrow she will tell us about her first real up close and personal encounter.  It is pretty amazing, you won't want to miss it. I will see you tomorrow.  Remember, Jesus love you, and so do I.  Have a blessed day! 

10-2, 10-2, SHOW NOTES & COPYRIGHTS, (Scheduled 2/23/23) Today we have poems about prayer and a poem competition that I think I lost years ago.The first poem is unpublished and was written in September of 2020.AN ANSWER TO PRAYERI thought I could stopThe up and down hopGoing on in my mind.Could peace again I find?Speak upShut upWhat is rightNot what mightSo, I knelt and began to pray.The answer, “do not betrayYour fellow believers,Expose the deceivers.”There are momentsI hear commentsSaying words I've writtenShould never be hidden.As my mind started to wander,I knew it was time to pray.Tilting my head I looked yonderAnd asked God, “what do I say?”I see the world in a haze,With so many in a daze,Not knowing where the truth laysToo many yays, too few nays.I said, “Lord, what can be done?”He answered, “it is simple my son.Read the book of prophecy.Not books of philosophy.”“Today you prayTo know the way.You already know it,Now you must share it.”So, I will continue to writeOf how yesterday and todayHave and still explain tomorrow,As the “god of this world” brings sorrow. (2 Cor. 4:4)I was left with this:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Put on the full armor of God, so you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For your struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. (Ephesians :10-16, NIV)9/19,20/2021, tcarterDiscussion:The next poem is also unpublished and was written in August of 2022.WORDS FROM A PRAYERWords to write on this night,I had a thought of what they oughtThis night to say, first I must pray.Dear Father in Heaven above,I pray this night for words of love,The words I can shareExpressing Your care.The words of thanksgiving,The life I am living,My tomorrowWithout sorrow.May the wordI have heardBe what I writeThis blessed night.In Jesus' name I pray.Amen, again this day.Thank You Lord.I have...

Hey, friend! If you're feeling stuck and in need of direction, start by going to God and seeking Him. That's what I do, and that's what I did on January 29, 2023. Here's a snippet of that prayer.  Tune in to listen to the full conversation with God. Dear Father, You know that when I write books, I like to see the big picture and know where the story is going and how it ends before I start writing. You also know that I'm the same way when setting goals. I'm a big picture gal. I like to plan things and start with the end in mind. But I'm not sure where this podcast is going. I don't know what the finish line looks like. I just know that You want me to talk to You about You and me and dreams and work and writing. And I know You want me to share these prayers or conversations of ours through this podcast for the foreseeable future. So instead of waiting to see the big picture and understand where You are taking me and my listeners, I'm starting. I'm obeying even though I don't quite understand or have a grand and detailed plan. What do You want this show to be? Why do you want me to document my journey from a stuck dreamer to a strong and courageous action taker? How can you speak through me to encourage others to get into writing action? How can You change me through these prayers and encourage me to get into both writing and teaching action?   Connect with me at www.BonnieJeanSchaefer.com.

Gratitude is the only thing that has been found to actually increase your baseline happiness, called dispositional happiness. Other things, such as self-medication, will cause a temporary increase in happiness, but then you return to the baseline. But over time gratitude increases dispositional well-being, or happiness, permanently! Thank you to my newest Friends of the Show, Jennifer M; Deborah W; and Maureen G, for loving and lifting me! Friends of the Show get all Premium Content and monthly meet-ups with Sonja in our Bible study on the Book of Romans! LOVE the Word® is a Bible study method based on Mary's own practice: lectio without the Latin. Get the book based on Sonja's method in the right margin, How to Pray Like Mary.   L | Listen (Receive the Word via audio or video.)  O | Observe (Connect the passage to your life and recent events.) Which of the strategies for practicing gratitude do you feel most drawn to? Can you implement each one? Is it surprising that God made thanksgiving good for us? What do you want to say to Him about that?  V | Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.) Remembering that He loves you and that you are in His presence, talk to God about the particulars of your O – Observe step. You may want to write your reflections in your LOVE the Word® journal. Or, get a free journal page and guide in the right-hand margin. E | Entrust (May it be done to me according to your word!) Father in Heaven, Creator of all and source of all goodness and love, please look kindly upon us and receive our heartfelt gratitude. Thank you for all of the graces and blessings You have bestowed upon us, spiritual and temporal: our faith and religious heritage; our food and shelter; our health; the loves we have for one another, our families and friends. Dear Father, in Your infinite generosity, please grant us continued graces and blessings throughout the coming year. This we ask in the Name of Jesus, Your Son and our Savior, through Whom all blessing from You is possible. Amen. + It's Time for You to Be Healed Connect Join me in the Sacred Healing community  for healing prayer livestreams, Bible studies, LOVE the Word® takeaways, a healing masterclass and other courses, a dynamic phone app, and a flourishing community to help you experience deeper healing.  What We Discussed | Show Notes Links to 198 studies on gratitude. Overview: Minutes 00:00-12:00 –  reviewing the difference between gratitude and thanksgiving; understanding dispositional gratitude and dispositional happiness  Minutes 12:01-24:00 – research findings on how and why gratitude affects happiness  Minutes 24:01-36:00 – more studies and their findings; strategies for practicing gratitude: saying "thank you," writing letters, gratitude journal Minutes 36:01-48:00 – Ignatius Examen, counting the steps, smile, reframing, random acts of kindness (love bombs); the meaning of charity; creation thanks God Transcript Click here for a transcript of the show. 

According to the Scriptures, complaining and thanksgiving are both multipliers. Complaining multiplies scarcity, fear, futility, and purposelessness; while thanksgiving multiplies a few loaves and fishes to feed all who are present, with plenty left over.   Thank you to my newest Friends of the Show, Jannifer S, and Carolyn McK, for loving and lifting me! Friends of the Show get all Premium Content and monthly meet-ups with Sonja in our Bible study on the Book of Romans! LOVE the Word® is a Bible study method based on Mary's own practice: lectio without the Latin. Get the book based on Sonja's method in the right margin, How to Pray Like Mary.   L | Listen (Receive the Word via audio or video.)  O | Observe (Connect the passage to your life and recent events.) Have you thought about how thanksgiving for what "little" you might have could actually be the catalyst for receiving more from God as a gift? What has the Lord said to you about that through this episode?  V | Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.) Remembering that He loves you and that you are in His presence, talk to God about the particulars of your O – Observe step. You may want to write your reflections in your LOVE the Word® journal. Or, get a free journal page and guide in the right-hand margin. E | Entrust (May it be done to me according to your word!) Father in Heaven, Creator of all and source of all goodness and love, please look kindly upon us and receive our heartfelt gratitude. Thank you for all of the graces and blessings You have bestowed upon us, spiritual and temporal: our faith and religious heritage; our food and shelter; our health; the loves we have for one another, our families and friends. Dear Father, in Your infinite generosity, please grant us continued graces and blessings throughout the coming year. This we ask in the Name of Jesus, Your Son and our Savior, through Whom all blessing from You is possible. Amen. + It's Time for You to Be Healed Connect Join me in the Sacred Healing community  for healing prayer livestreams, Bible studies, LOVE the Word® takeaways, a healing masterclass and other courses, a dynamic phone app, and a flourishing community to help you experience deeper healing.  What We Discussed | Show Notes Overview: Minutes 00:00-12:00 –  overview of NT prayers of thanksgiving in the Gospels and Paul  Minutes 12:01-24:00 – Jesus' prayers of thanksgiving and what they brought forth Minutes 24:01-36:00 – thanksgiving is not for God; what God desires from us in thanksgiving, and what happens when we are properly thankful, especially in suffering Minutes 36:01-48:00 – an overview of "thanksgiving" in the Catechism Transcript Click here for a transcript of the show. 

Once, when wallowing in suffering and complaining to God, "Why me?", He answered me with, "Why not you?" It was a sobering question that re-ordered my negative thinking toward thankfulness for all the terrible things I didn't have that I could. That was when I realized it can always be worse, a reality I remind myself of every time something "bad" happens.  The Jewish practice of praying the Eighteen Benedictions, or The Amidah, taught them that everything in life is ultimately a gift - undeserved and unmerited - from the great Benefactor, Who is gift Himself. Such a practice of constant thanksgiving centers one's life on eternity and prevents the faith-killing entitlement that leads to futility, purposelessness, negativity, and finally hell. Because the truth is, everything is gift, and we don't deserve any gift whatsoever.  Thank you to my newest Friends of the Show, Ashley L; Tina S; Holly A; Amanda S; Beth W; Peggy H; Glora C; G&H E; Mary S*, Mary P; Jennifer A*; Anita C; Elizabeth P*; Diana R*; Debby F; Dawn M; Maria H; Theresa H; Stella V; Kerry K; and Christina S, for loving and lifting me! *A special "thank you" for your generosity! Friends of the Show get all Premium Content and monthly meet-ups with Sonja: Our Bible study on the Book of Romans meets January 9! LOVE the Word® is a Bible study method based on Mary's own practice: lectio without the Latin. Get the book based on Sonja's method in the right margin, How to Pray Like Mary.   L | Listen (Receive the Word via audio or video.) O | Observe (Connect the passage to your life and recent events.) The familiar Mass prayer, "Blessed are You, Lord God of all creation, through Your goodness we have received this bread to offer..." is a traditional prayer of blessing over a meal. Do you say a blessing over your meals? Always? In public? What is the Holy Spirit saying to you about that? V | Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.) Remembering that He loves you and that you are in His presence, talk to God about the particulars of your O – Observe step. You may want to write your reflections in your LOVE the Word® journal. Or, get a free journal page and guide in the right-hand margin. E | Entrust (May it be done to me according to your word!) Father in Heaven, Creator of all and source of all goodness and love, please look kindly upon us and receive our heartfelt gratitude. Thank you for all of the graces and blessings You have bestowed upon us, spiritual and temporal: our faith and religious heritage; our food and shelter; our health; the loves we have for one another, our families and friends. Dear Father, in Your infinite generosity, please grant us continued graces and blessings throughout the coming year. This we ask in the Name of Jesus, Your Son and our Savior, through Whom all blessing from You is possible. Amen. + It's Time for You to Be Healed Connect Join me in the Sacred Healing community  for healing prayer livestreams, Bible studies, LOVE the Word® takeaways, a healing masterclass and other courses, a dynamic phone app, and a flourishing community to help you experience deeper healing.  What We Discussed | Show Notes Previous episode on the Our Father Overview: Minutes 00:00-12:00 –  Jewish prayers of thanksgiving, or blessing; The Amidah, or Eighteen Benedictions Minutes 12:01-24:00 – life is all blessing Minutes 24:01-36:00 – the biblical connections between gratitude and humility, ingratitude and futility and purposelessness Minutes 36:01-48:00 – the biblical connection between gratitude and wisdom and rest Transcript Click here for a transcript of the show. 

85, 9-5, SHOW NOTES & COPYRIGHTS, (Scheduled 1/5/2023) Today we have a mix of poems. Three are poems written on the Notes app on my phone and one is from Living In God's Rhyme. The theme that ties them all together is Jesus.BROKEN HEALINGThinking of words that rhymeYes, I do this all the timeThere's that voiceThere's a choiceThen . . .When . . .I'm not sureThere's a cureSo I endureKnowing in the endPatience will mendMy broken thoughtsBattles are foughtAnd ultimately wonAs I pray to God's SonFor the peace of mindIn Him I will findI will follow JesusThe wayThe truthAnd the lifetcarter, 9/18/2022, 8:37 pmDiscussion:WORDS FROM A PRAYERWords to write on this night,I had a thought of what they oughtThis night to say, first I must pray.Dear Father in Heaven above,I pray this night for words of love,The words I can shareExpressing Your care.The words of thanksgiving,The life I am living,My tomorrowWithout sorrow.May the wordI have heardBe what I writeThis blessed night.In Jesus' name I pray.Amen, again this day.Thank You Lord.I have adoredThe rhymes You are givingAnd the life I am living.May I now be led to shareThe blessing of Your loving care.tcarter, 8/8/2022, 10:49 pmDiscussion:The next poem is found on page 135 in Living in God's Rhyme.An Eternal HeartTherefore we do no lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away,yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.2 Corinthians 4:16As our years pass our outer body shows age.In the book we write of life every year turns a page,But with God every day our soul he renews.The outside and inside present different views.For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us and eternal glorythat far outweighs them all. 2 Corinthians 4:17In the earthly life we live we will faceTrials and troubles that will test our faith.It is in each trial and trouble that we findAn answer from God that is beyond our mindTo understand because his ways are not ours.He loves us all for all time through all the hours.The strength of our faith will growAs his seeds God does sow,Seeds of love for him in those who are meekSo that at all times, in all things it is him that we seek.So we fix eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen,since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:18It is only with God that we can look at the unseenWith the hope and promise that goes beyond our being.We have the promise through Jesus, God's Son,That after our death, for eternity with him we will be one.We live in a temporary state in these jars of clayKnowing that we will be with God at the end of our days.Through eternity and beyond we will be foreverWith our Heavenly Father, we will live forever.Discussion:We'll...

Gratitude is a worldview, but is it a secular worldview or a sacred one? If gratitude is so obviously good for us, emotionally and physically, why are we so ungrateful? And why are Christians who have so much to be grateful for as negative and as physically unhealthy as the godless? Biblical gratitude helps us return our hearts to the eternal. Living in the midst of so many evils, temptations, and sins, the problem becomes losing sight of the eternal, of becoming distracted. Gratitude helps us focus properly, and that's why it heals. In this episode, we look at the etymology of the word gratitude, "the three benes," the differences between the secular and sacred views of gratitude, and the number one reason why we should be grateful.  Thank you to my newest Friends of the Show, Cheri M, Sheila H, and Frances P, for loving and lifting me! Friends of the Show get all Premium Content and monthly meet-ups with Sonja: Our Bible study on the Book of Romans meets January 9! LOVE the Word® is a Bible study method based on Mary's own practice: lectio without the Latin. Get the book based on Sonja's method in the right margin, How to Pray Like Mary.   L | Listen (Receive the Word via audio or video.)   O | Observe (Connect the passage to your life and recent events.) Do you seek the Lord "diligently"? Do God's words to Abram, "I am your exceedingly great reward" fall flat for you in the face of your suffering? What do you want to say to Him about that? V | Verbalize (Pray about your thoughts and emotions.) Remembering that He loves you and that you are in His presence, talk to God about the particulars of your O – Observe step. You may want to write your reflections in your LOVE the Word® journal. Or, get a free journal page and guide in the right-hand margin. E | Entrust (May it be done to me according to your word!) Father in Heaven, Creator of all and source of all goodness and love, please look kindly upon us and receive our heartfelt gratitude. Thank you for all of the graces and blessings You have bestowed upon us, spiritual and temporal: our faith and religious heritage; our food and shelter; our health; the loves we have for one another, our family and friends. Dear Father, in Your infinite generosity, please grant us continued graces and blessing throughout the coming year. This we ask in the Name of Jesus, Your Son and our Savior. Amen. + It's Time for You to Be Healed Connect Join me in the Sacred Healing community  for healing prayer livestreams, Bible studies, LOVE the Word® takeaways, a healing masterclass and other courses, a dynamic phone app, and a flourishing community to help you experience deeper healing.  What We Discussed | Show Notes Overview: Minutes 00:00-12:00 –  secular and sacred views of gratitude; the problem with Cain's offering Minutes 12:01-24:00 – Old Testament and New Testament evolution of the concept of thanksgiving; the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin language roots of the term "gratitude" Minutes 24:01-36:00 – the three benes Minutes 36:01-48:00 – God's "goodness" to Abram; the number one reason to be grateful Transcript Click here for a transcript of the show. 

Prayer is speaking to God in words and thoughts. This speaking shows that He is the one who has established this relationship in Christ. God is not some unknowable object, but the true God who tenderly invites us to trust in Him and talk to Him. This Triune God listens like a dear, loving, and compassionate Father who is always available, gives full confidentiality, and promises to answer our prayers with perfect grace and mercy. Keep praying saints of our Lord! Rev. Tysen Bibb, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Norborne, MO joins Rev. Brady Finnern to study the Introduction of the Lord's Prayer. Find your copy of the Book of Concord - Concordia Reader's Edition at cph.org or read online at bookofconcord.org. Study the Lutheran Confession of Faith found in the Book of Concord with lively discussions led by host Rev. Brady Finnern, President of the LCMS Minnesota North District, and guest LCMS pastors. Join us as these Christ-confessing Concordians read through and discuss our Lutheran doctrine in the Book of Concord in order to gain a deeper understanding of our Lutheran faith and practical application for our vocations.

Thoughts about Thanks Ps. 100 #nightlight #RTTBROS Thoughts On Thanks Ps. 100:1-6 #nightlight #rttbros Dear Father above we are so prone to grumble and quick to complain. Please forgive us and redirect our lips and lives to thanks and praise especially on this day. Today as a nation we collectively gather to remember your goodness to us as a nation and in our lives. This great nation was founded to worship freely and you have blessed us beyond measure. We live in warm houses and have access to transportation. Thanks for even the hard things in our lives because they force us to grow. Be in a special way with those not able to gather around the family table as they are defending us or keeping us safe and secure, like the military, and first responders. Be with family that have lost loved ones this year we know these holidays can be hard on them, give a peace that passes understanding. Help us all draw close to each other as we be never know how long we are loaned our loved ones. Most of all draw us all close to you we need you so much more than the stuff we will be buying during this next month. Help us find the truth godliness with contentment is great gain. We ask this in the mighty name of Jesus Amen.

Romans 6:12-14 NLT Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace. Granting forgiveness, experiencing total freedom, and letting go for good is a mental, emotional, and spiritual experience. And yes, it can even be physical. Holding onto bitterness affects our ability to smile, facial expressions, countenance, and body language. When our hearts are closed, we look closed off. Giving ourselves completely to God, as Paul tells us here, is as much as about what we let go of as what we take up. To block forgiveness from someone is to allow sin to be our master and keep us under the law, not under grace. And when we can't give grace, we can't embrace grace. If there is someone you struggle to let go of and forgive, think about how this makes you feel, even physically, how it affects your being in every manner? Refusing to let go creates more pain as we work harder to hold on. Listen once again to Paul's commands: Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace. (Romans 6:12-14 NLT) Forgiveness and letting go diminishes sin's control, allowing us the freedom to give ourselves completely to God, to glorify Him, for Him to be our Master, not sin. To live under the freedom of God's grace. Pray with me, using Paul's words: “Dear Father, help me to not let sin control the way I live; to not give in to sinful desires, to not let any part of my body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Help me to give myself completely to You and experience new life, to use my whole body as an instrument to do what is right for Your glory. I do not want sin to be my master or live under the requirements of the law. Instead, let me live under the freedom of Your grace. As above, so below.”

Today we celebrate Ep 150 by turning our hearts and minds to our great Savior, Lord and King with "31 Days of Uncomplicated Prayers." They are brief—brief holds my attention—I don't think it's my age, but it could be. And anytime I attend to my relationship with God, He pays attention. God is so very good. He created us to relate with us, and praying is a great way to keep our relationship fresh and strong even when we don't feel fresh or strong. If you'd like a prayer to drop in your inbox every day for 31 days, sign up here. My relationship with God isn't complicated. He makes things simple: “Love Me, Sue. That's it. And, your neighbor. That's all.” He's clear, even gentle, as He bids me follow and obey. I'm the one who makes it complicated.   Hear "31 Days of Uncomplicated Prayers" on today's podcast episode. These simple prayers will help you love God more and your neighbors well. Some excerpts: Father, I'm always trying to figure out what's next. This constant striving to know what's around the corner shows I have trust issues. With You. Lord, when I'm about to say something that isn't really a good idea, please (please) keep these lips closed. Use duct tape, if necessary. Dear Father, is it wrong to pray for something I want, but may not need? Like, a housekeeper? Father, it's totally beyond me how this problem I'm facing is going to get sorted out. I've run out of ideas. I'm pretty smart, but You're wise. And, Your ideas are much bigger than mine. Why does that continue to surprise me?   When asked, "What's the greatest commandment?" Jesus replied simply: "Love God, love your neighbor." I imagine He was thinking,"It's not rocket science" or "What's not to like?" or  "It's not complicated." He was right, it's not complicated. I make it complicated. I need to pray daily to uncomplicate what He says is best for me and best for others. That's why I wrote 31 Days of Uncomplicated Prayers, and once I pray them through, I start over again.  You can too. Sign up HERE to receive 31 Days of Uncomplicated Prayers to take the "complicated" out of the simple commands of Jesus. Love God. Love your neighbor. It's not complicated.   Prayer Journal available in SHOP. If interested in viewing the prayer journal that includes all 31 prayers, view in SHOP.    

Rev. Robert Sirico, co-founder and president of the Acton Institute, joins the Remnant to discuss his new book, The Economics of the Parables, which uses Biblical stories to offer economic advice. With many on the right now embracing theocracy, it's tempting to argue that the Catholic intellectual tradition is inherently at odds with capitalism. But Rev. Sirico disagrees, and he also isn't convinced by the common left-wing argument that Jesus was a socialist. How can we heal the American heart? Should religion influence politics? And which of Rev. Sirico's relatives might have Jonah whacked for the end of this podcast?Show Notes:- The Economics of the Parables, Rev. Sirico's new book- Rev. Sirico's column- Jonah on the microcosm and the macrocosm- Understanding Voegelin- Arthur Brooks' Who Really Cares?

Dear Father in heaven, No matter where my child is headed next, I thank You that Your presence goes with her. Leave a comment or your prayer: https://incourage.me/?p=224255Need some hope? We've got you, friend. Join our summer (in)courage Bible study and let's go through the Create in Me a Heart of Hope Bible Study, together. We'll learn where real hope comes from, and the difference it can make in our lives and hearts. Get your copy and sign up today at incourage.me/podcast – click hope!The (in)courage podcast is brought to you by DaySpring, makers of your favorite cards, books, and gifts. Visit them today at DaySpring.com.

Fuad Saif, a writer, stand-up comedic, and father, joins abdikarrim and Idris to have a much-needed conversation surrounding fatherhood. We discuss the unfortunate impacts of absent fathers, using writing to cope, laughing to keep from crying, and navigating divorce. We also reflect on our relationships with our fathers and think about what sort of dads we want to be for our children going forward. If you benefited, consider liking, sharing, and subscribing.We look forward to hearing from you!Instagram/TikTok/ Twitter/Facebook@talkyahaqqFuad SaifIG @homegrownimmigrantEquipment:Sony A6400: https://amzn.to/359XorrKey light: https://amzn.to/3goqW9VColor LED Background Lights: https://amzn.to/3wbvIyeRode PodMic: https://amzn.to/358nsTCAputure RGB Lights: https://amzn.to/3v4PytC