Podcasts about despair

Father Dave welcomes friend of the show Greg Willits to discuss how the writings of Saint Louis de Montfort have impacted Greg's mental health journey. He is the founder and executive director of RosaryArmy.com, as well as the host of the Rosary Army podcast with his wife, Jennifer. Greg is the author of "God Doesn't Hate Me, After All: Discovering Louis de Montfort's Love of Eternal Wisdom."  

Emmy and Natalia talk a little bit about what's happening in Minneapolis right now with our Somali community members, and also talk about why this season of Advent is hard but with a strong undercurrent of hope that we should not ignore. www.patreon.com/cafeteriachristian Mary Did You Know: Theologian takes David Gate: A Rebellion of Care  

Our 571st episode, which aired on November 30, 2025, and featured music and conversation with Natalie MacMaster about her new book, I Have A Love Story. Natalie MacMaster – Stumpie, Cape Breton Girl Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy – Tribute to Buddy, One Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy – Dance Arnold Dance, Canvas Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy – Wish You Were Near, Canvas Interview with Natalie MacMaster Natalie MacMaster – Patricia Kelso's, Sketches Natalie MacMaster – Barndances, Sketches Natalie MacMaster – Killiecrankie, Sketches Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy – Fiddler's Despair, One Natalie MacMaster & Donnell Leahy – Joyous Waltz, One

In this conversation, Chase Brown reflects on his Thanksgiving experience, discusses the disappointing performance of the Eagles, and shares insights on the box office success of Zootopia. He also delves into the latest episodes of Chainsaw Man, highlighting character dynamics and plot developments. In this episode, the conversation delves into the complexities of devil contracts, the sacrifices made by characters, and the psychological horror elements present in the series. The hosts explore the dynamics between characters under pressure, particularly in a claustrophobic setting, and highlight moments of heroism and anti-heroism. The discussion culminates in an analysis of the Eternity Devil and the implications of fear in the narrative, showcasing the depth of character development and storytelling in the series. Sound Bites "The Cowboys will climb the ladder to the top." "This offense is so juvenile, it looks like a high school offense." "Zootopia obliterated the box office." "People will still show up to the movies." "I was trying to give this season a serious chance." "Denji approaches power spread out on the toilet." "I touched some boobs for the first time." "You're saying I find and murderize this thing?" "The gun devil hasn't been seen since." "The Eternity Devil laughs at the group." "What's happening to the world and to fight back?" "Most of them are giving up something physical." "Imagine being able to fight when you can portal jump." "You could fuck people up with that." "I have to think of a good one." "It reminded me of that staircase illusion." "You get the lampshade devil." "You have the power of anti-toothpaste." "He sacrificed himself for Denji." "Everything matters in this show." Chapters 00:00 Thanksgiving Reflections and Sports Rivalries 12:12 Box Office Success and Movie Theater Culture 17:57 Chainsaw Man Recap: Episode Highlights and Character Dynamics 39:35 Team Dynamics and Sacrifices 44:48 The Haunted Hotel and Character Development 51:47 Chasing Dreams and Realizations 58:54 The Gun Devil and Societal Reflections 01:06:50 Team Composition and Backstories 01:17:58 The Nature of Devil Contracts 01:22:39 Exploring Powers and Sacrifices 01:26:06 Trapped in a Loop: The Hotel Dilemma 01:30:00 Character Dynamics Under Pressure 01:32:44 The Eternity Devil Unleashed 01:40:24 Sacrifice and Heroism 01:46:57 Denji's Anti-Hero Moment Key Takeaways: Denji realizes that achieving his dreams isn't as fulfilling as the pursuit. The Eternity Devil's power grows with fear, trapping the team in a haunted hotel. Makima manipulates Denji through promises of fulfilling his desires. Aki's backstory reveals his motivations and trauma related to the Gun Devil. The complex dynamics between Denji, Power, and Aki highlight their differing motivations. Himeno's ghost devil powers and her protective instincts towards Aki. The commentary draws parallels between the show's themes and real-world societal issues. Denji's anti-hero persona is emphasized through his actions and motivations. The episodes explore the theme of control and manipulation in relationships. The narrative uses horror elements to enhance the tension and stakes.

The central theme of our discourse revolves around the profound concept of hope, particularly as articulated through the lens of the biblical narrative in Jeremiah 33. We reflect on the dichotomy of hope, elucidating that while a modicum of hope can be beneficial, an excess thereof may engender peril. In a world often engulfed in despair, we draw parallels to dystopian narratives, such as the Hunger Games, to underscore how those in power may seek to ration hope in a manner that maintains control rather than inciting transformation. Furthermore, we traverse the historical landscape of Judah's exile, wherein the remnants of faith appeared to be extinguished, yet we proclaim the enduring promise encapsulated in the prophetic declaration, “The days are surely coming.” This episode invites listeners to embrace a bold and tenacious hope, one that defies the prevailing cynicism and anticipates a future where divine righteousness prevails.The discourse delves into the concept of hope, elucidating its profound significance amidst despair, particularly within the context of historical and contemporary narratives. The speaker invokes the allegorical backdrop of 'The Hunger Games' to illustrate how hope can serve as a double-edged sword—while a modicum of hope can inspire compliance, an excess of it poses a threat to the established order. This notion invites listeners to ponder the delicate balance of hope as it exists in their own lives, paralleling the plight of the Israelites during their exile, when they grappled with feelings of abandonment and despair. The speaker, drawing on the prophetic voice of Jeremiah, proclaims the arrival of a transformative hope that transcends mere survival; this hope is depicted as a radical, divine promise that asserts God's unwavering commitment to His people, suggesting that genuine hope is rooted in the assurance of future redemption.Takeaways: Hope, while a powerful force, can be dangerous when it is abundant and unrestrained. The concept of rationed hope suggests that we must maintain balance to avoid chaos. Jeremiah's prophetic declaration signifies that a time of fulfillment and salvation is assured. In the midst of despair, the statement 'the days are surely coming' serves as a profound reminder of hope. God's covenant with humanity guarantees His faithfulness, regardless of our shortcomings and failures. The promise of Jesus' return embodies the ultimate hope, transcending present struggles and sorrows.

The central theme of this episode revolves around the profound notion that God does not initiate anew from a place of perfection but rather from the remnants of despair and brokenness. We explore the poignant imagery presented in Isaiah 11, wherein a single green shoot emerges defiantly from the desolation of a stump, symbolizing hope amidst despair. This episode invites listeners to reflect on their own personal stumps—those areas of life that appear irrevocably severed and hopeless. Through the lens of Advent, we are reminded that even in the bleakest circumstances, divine renewal is not only possible but already in motion. We encourage each listener to confront their own wounds and embrace the transformative potential that lies within the promise of redemption.In this Advent devotion, Dr. Jeffrey D. Skinner reflects on the themes of hope and redemption during the Advent season. He shares a personal story about a soldier named Caleb who experienced a profound moment of divine presence during a chaotic time. The message emphasizes that hope is not quiet but rather a powerful force that breaks through darkness. The devotion concludes with a prayer for redemption and a call to recognize the light amidst struggles.The discourse presented delves into the profound theme of hope as articulated in the context of Advent, particularly focusing on the metaphor of a resilient shoot emerging from a seemingly lifeless stump. This imagery, drawn from Isaiah 11, serves to illustrate the promise of renewal amidst despair, as the speaker reflects on a personal experience with a desolate landscape in Alabama, where life defied destruction. The narrative unfolds to reveal that, despite the apparent finality of loss, divine intervention instigates a resurgence of vitality and hope, encapsulating the essence of Advent that invites believers to acknowledge and embrace their own stumps—those personal struggles and wounds. Through the poignant illustration of the shoot from the stump of Jesse, the speaker emphasizes that God's renewal often arises not from pristine beginnings but from the very scars of existence, thereby inviting listeners to find solace and strength in the belief that redemption and restoration are possible even in the most desolate circumstances.Takeaways: The metaphor of the stump exemplifies resilience and the emergence of hope amidst despair. Isaiah's prophecy illustrates God's ability to create new life from seemingly dead circumstances. The Advent season calls us to recognize the transformative power found in our deepest scars. In times of adversity, we are encouraged to confront our challenges and seek renewal. The promise of a new branch signifies that redemption is possible even in bleak situations. We must actively look for signs of hope, as they often arise in the most unexpected places. Advent hope, shoot from the stump of Jesse, Isaiah 11, Christian podcast, spiritual growth, Advent reflections, finding hope in despair, God's promises, overcoming challenges, faith and resilience, healing through faith, grace and peace, Christmas season messages, biblical encouragement, church community, prayer and meditation, overcoming adversity, trusting God's plan, renewal and restoration, journey through Advent

Despair was being turned into hope! The great and glorious God of the universe was coming to earth as a Man!

SHOW NOTES:In this powerful episode, Matt Zaun talks with Natalia Zacharin, founder of Zacharin Consulting—an “accounting firm on steroids.” They unpack how fractional CFOs turn messy books into strategic insight, why AI speeds analysis but never replaces human judgment, and how Natalia rebuilt her life (and business) from $7.10/hour to a multi-million-dollar firm.In this episode, they cover:✅ AI in finance (the truth) — great for speed and patterns; still needs humans to classify revenue vs. loans, deposits, and edge cases✅ A trust case study — “400 calls a month” salesperson with zero sales; the numbers exposed fabricated activity✅ Survival tactics when you feel stuck — slash to essentials, stack small wins, and re-engage your mind so you're not trapped in a negative loop✅ Why founders should sell more often — being in the sales process forces you to listen and shape services people actually want...and much more!BIOS:Natalia Zacharin is the founder & CEO of Zacharin Consulting, a full-service accounting firm with controller-level oversight, dedicated payroll specialists, fractional CFO services, and tax strategy. She and her team help clients improve revenue, profit, and cash clarity to build sellable companies. Zacharin Consulting grew 525% in three years (Inc. 5000) and surpassed $2M in annual revenue with a team of 12+.Matt Zaun is an award-winning speaker and strategic storytelling expert who helps leaders inspire action and drive results through the power of story. He's the author of The StoryBank, a practical playbook for using strategic storytelling to build culture, boost sales, strengthen marketing, and become a dynamic public speaker.

In 2019 I posted an article to my new Gnostic Gospel blog called, If All Are Redeemed, Why Not Be Sinful? And I'd like to share that with you today. One of the big heresies of Gnosticism is that all Second Order Powers are redeemed by Christ and all will someday return to the Paradise of the Fullness. Yay! Everyone's going to Heaven! No one is going to hell, not even the Fallen angels. What joy! This seems to fly in the face of Christian orthodoxy that promotes the idea that only those humans who confess a belief in Jesus as the Christ will make it into Heaven, and those who don't believe in Jesus will go to an eternal damnation of suffering in hell. Conventional Christianity states that Jesus came to save humanity, but only those who acknowledge Jesus as the only Son of God and invite Him into their hearts will be saved. This is the basis for all evangelism and all churches that follow the Nicene Creed, which is to say, all Christian churches, whether Catholic or Protestant. This is why Christians are so keen on saving souls. They don't want you to suffer for eternity in hell. The Gnostic Church begs to differ with that common interpretation of Christ's mission. According to the books of the Nag Hammadi library, all of creation will be redeemed and returned to the Fullness and the Father's home in Heaven. All of creation, everyone and everything, will be made clean and pure and holy by the end. As they say, it'll all be good in the end, and if it's not good yet, then it's not yet the end. Gnosis refers to the ability to use reason and logic to arrive at spiritual truth. So, let's think together about this idea of Christ and redemption and who does or does not go to Heaven. First, if Christ's redemption were a matter of your belief, then Christ's mission of salvation would be limited to what you believe. In other words, you would be the one holding the power of salvation, not Christ. Does that make any sense to you? Are you the one who redeems or is Christ? Can you see how making your belief central to redemption actually limits the power of Christ? Can you see how that makes sinful humans more powerful than the mission of Christ's redemption? Limiting Christ to your belief, it seems to me, is the greater heresy than simply trusting Christ to accomplish the mission. It is Christ's job to redeem humanity, not yours. Second, according to Gnostic texts, all creatures great and small will be redeemed. This means that all creatures are going to Heaven. My dog has never professed a belief in Jesus as the Christ, yet my dog is going to Heaven. The fishes in the water, the birds in the air, the insects, the forest animals, all Second Order Powers are redeemed by Christ. It is the job of the Christ to redeem creation, irrespective of creation's ability to confess that fact. Do you think that only good dogs go to Heaven? Or nice fishes? Maybe only herbivores? Perhaps only parrots who can say, Jesus saves! Once we concede that it is only the Christ that can redeem, then what is the point of leading a virtuous life? Why not sin up until the end, have all kinds of fun, and then waltz into Heaven without repentance? Repentance, by the way, means to feel sorrow and regret. Are we allowed to sin willy-nilly with no negative consequences? An even more profound question is, why were we created in the first place? According to the Tripartite Tractate, the Second Order Powers were created in order to rescue the Fallen Aeon known as Logos. The most perfect and complete of the individual Aeons, Logos crowned the top of the aeonic hierarchy. This single Aeon consisted of all the attributes of the good and perfect Fullness rolled up into one individual. And as you know by now from listening to the first eight episodes of Gnostic Insights, Logos had fallen from the Fullness and smashed to smithereens in a lower dimension. The broken bits of Logos scattered into space, forming our material universe along with a host of powers and personalities, including demons, evil djinn, and archons. Logos imagined he could build the Paradise dreamt by the Fullness because he understood all of the plans and possessed all of the necessary talents. However, without the willing support of the Fullness, Logos was unable to give proper glory to the Father. As he reached for the Father, Logos stumbled and fell, shattering himself to bits. Because the isolated glory of Logos was inadequate to the task, everything he produced as a result of that effort fell disastrously short. Where there had been unity with the Son and with his brethren in the Fullness, now there was a division and a turning away. The undiluted will expressed by the Fullness was splintered because Logos, “could not bear to look at the light but looked at the depths, and he faltered.” That's verse 77 of the Tripartite Tractate. Going on to verse 78: “What issued from his presumptuous thought and his arrogance—[by the way, that's another word for ego]—what issued from his ego had existed from something that was itself deficient. And because of that, what was perfect in him left him and went upward to its own in the Fullness, leaving the sicknesses behind in the darkness.” The material space of our universe is known as the deficiency and the imitation in Gnosticism, and it was initially populated by nothing but the lost and fallen shadows of the pleroma of Logos. The part of Logos that stayed behind in the deficiency was his ego, which came to be known as the Demiurge. The fallen ego of Logos was not hated by the Father or the Aeons of the Fullness. The fallen was mourned as lost, as a prodigal son or daughter is mourned by the parents who still love them. The Fullness loves the Fallen and only wants the ego of Logos to be restored to the Fullness. The Second Order Powers were sent into this dimension for the purpose of engaging the Fallen Demiurge and helping it to return home. However, as the Second Order Powers entered this earthly dimension, they were immediately plunged into a never-ending battle with the Fallen. Due to the law of mutual combat, we temporarily forgot our Father in Heaven and our mission of engagement and rescue. We were all infected with a host of fallen influences and fell into lifetimes of fear, regret, lust, and rage. As the Tripartite Tractate puts it in verse 84, “The two orders fought against each other, struggling for command with such a result that they were engulfed by forces and material substances in accordance with the law of mutual combat. And they too acquired lust for domination and all the other passions of this sort. And, consequently, empty vain glory pulls them all toward the desire of lust for domination, and not one of them remembers what is superior or confesses it.” We humans are Second Order Powers infected with many, many fallen influences that blind us to our true natures and our mission. These negative influences prefer the deficiency to the Fullness. These negative powers of the Fall represent the opposite of the All and of all that makes us truly happy and fulfilled. The survival reflex of the imitation requires the Second Order Powers to be miserable and lost, because misery loves company. They influence people to fight against each other rather than fight and resist the evil fallen. Our lives become an endless and fruitless quest to find happiness through selfish pursuits. All you have to do is pop into Facebook or Twitter to find evidence all over the place of these fruitless pursuits that appear to cause happiness, but actually cause misery. At this point in the Gnostic story, the Father and the Aeons of the produced a superior new entity, a Third Order Power called the Christ. It became the mission of the Christ to help the Second Order Powers remember and love the Fallen so that the Fallen could be redeemed. Love is the only power that can redeem the Fallen. Why, then, was a Third Order Power needed to accomplish the task that the Second Order Powers were sent to accomplish? Why populate creation with well-meaning but ignorant and confused Second Order Powers? Why not just send in the Christ to accomplish the redemption of fallen Logos in the first place? What is our function and purpose other than bumbling around in never-ending war with the Fallen? Because the Fallen Logos must be loved and redeemed one fallen piece at a time. Imagine if the original body of Logos resembled a human form, like we might picture an angel in Heaven looking something like us. Now, imagine that the heavenly body of Logos in the Fullness was comprised of the blueprint for every single potential body that would ever come to life in the imitation down here after the Fall. Imagine the body of Logos falling from an immaterial dimension, that being the Fullness or Heaven, and crashing and breaking apart into a lower, slower, thicker dimension, our material universe, and spilling out the blueprints for the material universe. Moreover, our personal stories, the drama that each human life enacts, are also stories of the Fall, stories that need redemption. Every life tells stories of falls and redemption, temptation and overcoming, despair and triumph, and every time an archonic influence is defeated and stripped from your personal life, part of Logos is redeemed. When we live a virtuous life, we are following the principles of the Father and the Fullness in Heaven, and we are participants with Christ in redeeming the Fall of Logos. When we live a sinful life, we are succumbing to the demons of the Fall and contributing to the chaos and despair of the deficiency. And I made up a chart with the values of the imitation or the deficiency on the left, and they are called on the left, and the values of the Father and of the Fullness on the right. And the left is the material, downward pull of the deficiency, and the right is the upward, psychical and spiritual pull of the values of the Father and the Fullness. This chart appears in this particular post, and I know I've said this chart to you before in prior episodes of the Gnostic Insights, so let me just briefly hit a few of them. If you're living on the left, if you're, quote, enjoying a sinful life, and it's not actually enjoyment, because joy does not come from the left side. Joy only comes from the right. The most that you can hope for, if you're living on the deficiency side, is a imitation of joy, which we generally call happiness. But as I believe you know by now, happiness is a never-ending pursuit, and we are often reaching for happiness—oh, let's go here, let's go there, let's buy this, let's buy that, let's eat this, ooh, let's have that, ooh, hey, let's do this drug. You see, everything promises this joy. Sometimes it brings you temporary happiness, but it never fulfills, it never brings satisfaction, never brings satisfaction. Pursuit of material gain always brings more and more desire for more and more material gain. So the values on the left that the sinful are pursuing, these are called vices, and they are such things as impatience, lust, greed, selfishness, cruelty, ruthlessness, anger, resentfulness, rude, obstructionist. (And what I mean by obstructionist is this. Have you ever known someone who, no matter what someone else proposes to do, they go, nah, that'll never work. So an obstructionist, they're like a naysayer, that's what that means. They're wet blankets, they're always pulling down good suggestions. That's what obstructionist means.) Despair, depression, sloth or laziness, chaos, disorder, thoughtless action, greed, envy, arrogance, fear, confusion, gluttony. These are values or vices on the material side of the ledger, and these are the things that generally are promoted in social media, strangely enough. The values on the right actually are virtues that are part of our aeonic inheritance from the Fullness of God, and they are such virtues. Well, you know they say that God is love, right? So love is the number one virtue. Patience, generosity, graciousness, mercy, forgiveness, welcoming, obedience, respect, cooperation as opposed to obstructionism, free choice, hopefulness, joyfulness, truthfulness, industriousness, order, prudence. Prudence, by the way, means knowing what to do at the right time. Logic, charity, kindness, empathy, humility, loyalty, justice, courage, remembrance. These are values on the right side, and you can hear as I read down these values of the right side that these are the types of things that lead to true loving connections between human beings. They are not the kind of thing we generally see on social media, by the way, and we kind of rarely see them in actual walking-around life as well. But this is the goal, is to live on the right side of the ledger, to enact those principles rather than to chase after the emptiness of the vices on the left side. The values of the Demiurge lead to isolation and despair. The values of the Fullness lead to peace and joy. Now, back to my article. Because we are in actuality children of the Fullness, we can only be truly happy when we act out of love, that is, out of virtue. When we forget our place in the Fullness of God, we operate out of ignorance and are subject to the evil influences of the Fall. The Fall can only produce misery, fear, rage, and lust. Never love, never happiness. No good ever comes from rage. No good ever comes from fear. Here is the reason we strive to lead a virtuous life, because only virtue can make you happy. All else leads to despair and depression, because, as they say, the wages of sin is death. And that's what that means. The imitation does not bring happiness. Despite a world full of false promises, vice can only bring ignorance and suffering, isolation and despair. When you dwell in vice rather than virtue, your life is part of the problem and not part of the solution. The Christ brings redemption and remembrance of the Father and the Fullness, one bit, one piece of the Fall at a time. Every time you resist evil and turn a bad habit into a good habit, you have redeemed a piece of the Fall. When you redeem all of your bits and pieces, you will be fully redeemed and regain your home in the Fullness. When all Second Order Powers have accepted the remembrance and the redemption of Christ, then Logos will be fully redeemed and this material universe can pass away. At that point, Paradise, with all of the love, peace and happiness that is implied, will be fully restored. The end goal of redemption is return to the Father's abode, that Paradise dreamed by the Fullness, where there is no death, no disease, no disappointment and no deficiencies, that Paradise where Christ is King and peace reigns supreme, and there is only cooperation, fellowship and true love. In Paradise there is nothing but life, so all the grass is green and flowers blossom endlessly and every soul that has ever lived lives happily forever after with their friends and their families. The Christ will leave no one behind to condemnation and hell. What kind of unholy savior would that be? From a previous article, I wrote, “Thus the called will condemn evil and will turn away from the rage that has consumed them, and they will be healed as they acknowledge that they have an origin of their existence, and they desire to know what that is that exists before them.” The Tripartate says in verse 132, “And even those who were brought forth from the desire of lust for domination, having inside them the seed that is lust for domination, will receive the recompense of good things if they have worked together with those who are predisposed toward good things, and provide they decide to do so deliberately, and are willing to abandon their vain love of temporary glory so as to do the command of the Lord of glory, and instead of that small temporary honor they will inherit the eternal kingdom.” So what this is saying is that you have to step away from ego, you have to take your pleasure-seeking ignorant side off the throne of your personality, and allow the indwelling of the Fullness to reside on the throne of your personality. You can turn your vices into virtues whenever you run across them. Awareness is always the first step, and then you put it into action. Okay, I'll confess something to you. I have a short temper myself, and I often lose my temper even with strangers on the street. It's a kind of a bizarre phenomenon. So I'll be walking along, and I'll see something that makes me angry. Like, for example, someone smoking a cigarette, and they don't put it out, and they just flick it thoughtlessly out into the bushes. I walk up to that person, I go, Who do you think you are? Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. Who's going to pick that up? What if you burn down the place? Are we supposed to look at your cigarette butts? Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. I get angry at total strangers. Okay, this doesn't do any good. I realize this is not a good thing. This is actually a vice and not a virtue. This righteous indignation is the thing that captures the do-gooders of the Second Order Powers into that endless rage, and the war that never ends. We can't win the battle through anger or through na-na-na-na-na. It doesn't work. We have to love these people. I'm trying to figure out how I might approach a person who flings a cigarette butt down in the street with love and kindness and compassion, but I can't figure out yet how to do that, and so I'm just going to stop getting in fights with strangers on the street. And that's been my mission for about the last two years, is to stop having random encounters of righteous indignation, step back, breathe, give praise to God, and go on. I think at some point I will have the wisdom to know how to engage people that would otherwise enrage me, but at the moment I don't quite have that. So that was my confession. Perhaps you are struggling with some other kind of thing. So remember, you have to just drop the thing when you notice it's bad. Drop it. Stop it. These are called vicious cycles in psychology. Just stop doing it. Just stop it. Don't worry about the consequences. The consequences are worse when you do engage in that vicious thing. So just stop it. Whatever it takes, just don't do it. And the more you stop yourself from the bad behavior, the easier it is to embrace the other side of the ledger. You will shift over to the other side once you stop doing that thing on the left side. You cannot grab onto that virtue as long as you embrace the vice. On to verse 133 of Tripartite. “As for those of the imitation who embrace the darkness and deny the light, even they will obtain direct vision so that they will no longer have to believe only on account of a small word produced by a voice that this is how things are. For the restoration back to that which was is a single restoration, even if some are exalted because of this economy, having been set up as a cause for things that happen, unfolding numerous physical forces, and taking pleasure in them, they, angels as well as humans, will obtain the kingdom, the confirmation, and the salvation. [Verse 136 promises,] these too will be provided with dwelling places where they will dwell eternally after they have renounced the downward attraction of deficiency and the power of the Fullness has pulled them upward on account of the great generosity and the sweetness of the preexistent Aeon.” And that is the end of the article from 2019 and the original podcast from May of 2021. Over the past several years I have turned my mind from outrage and righteous indignation as best I can, even as our society has plunged into more and more division and outrage. It is easier to see now than ever before the uselessness of operating out of anger and rejection. Anger cannot produce good results because anger is a vice, not a virtue. Only love can turn hearts around. Onward and upward! And God bless us all. If you are finding these Gnostic Insights helpful to your understanding of Gnosticism, please contribute to the cause. This will be helpful to bringing the word to more people. Thank you! Please Donate

The guys try and determine just how rock bottomy that rock bottom loss was for the Vikings who are at the rock bottom of the standings, Mike Grimm talks keeping the axeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The guys try and determine just how rock bottomy that rock bottom loss was for the Vikings who are at the rock bottom of the standings, Mike Grimm talks keeping the axe

203  "That couple is just so in love…so much more than we are!" "How come we can't communicate like that?"  "What's wrong with our relationship that my husband doesn't look at me like that?" Ever sounded like that in your head? Ever compared your relationship, or your spouse, to other couples or spouses…and then felt even more unhappy about your relationship? Clients ask me about this often. It's so common that there is a term for it: Compare and despair. Today, we are calling it Relationship Compare and Despair, since we will focus in how it affects our love lives. It's a wired-in thing our brains just do as humans, especially if we aren't totally happy in our relationships. But it hurts and disempowers us, and makes our relationships worse.So how do you stop? In this episode I will tell you, and help you turn this habit into something that, instead of making things harder, can help your marriage get better.You will also learn what is driving the despair that often accompanies comparing, as well as the most important shift to make to put an end to most of the pain or upset you feel in your relationship, so you can effectively shape your relationship into one that feels lighter, more loving, and connected and all the things you want…You can stop letting comparison undermine your love and connection. You can use it instead as an opportunity to make your marriage into the very best one it can be. Listen in to learn how. SHOW NOTES:Join Hannah in her special end-of-year 3 session program,  A BETTER MARRIAGE IN 1 MONTH: A Galvanizing Mini 1:1 Marriage Coaching Program For HS Women to start taking charge of what you can in your relationship, and see the power you have to change the whole culture of your marriage for the better. Click here to learn more.  Take The 2 Minute Free Quiz: What's Your Best Next Step To Improve Your Marriage? Find out the most important place for you to focus on to make your unique marriage more loving and connected a sensitive woman.ENJOYING THE SHOW? Don't miss an episode! Subscribe via Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. Leave  a review in Apple Podcasts--we are SO grateful!Get the Podcast Map by becoming a Podcast Supporter, so you can quickly identify the episodes most helpful for your unique relationship, by supporting the podcast (for as little as $3) 

Clinging to God in DespairJuxtaposing the god of the torture of rituals with the Yahweh of love in the Bible, we know who to cling to in despair. Hear who Angie turned to in her despair. Catch up with the rest of her story in "Angie, SRA Victor," on the "Only God Rescued Me" podcast.

We're thankful this week for a full Thanksgiving slate of Europa and Conference League action that delivered some of the best games and storylines of the league phase thus far. In Europa, Ludogorets shocked Celta Vigo with a 3-2 in Bulgaria. How'd they pull one of the biggest surprises of the tournament thus far? We then break down the struggle of Feyenoord, Utrecht, and Go Ahead Eagles, who all lost amidst grueling schedules. What's going wrong for the Dutch sides? Can any of them rebound and qualify for knockouts? Are Robin van Persie and his son up to the challenge? We also touch on Roma's win over Midtjylland, Bologna's impressive run of form, and naturally, the carcass of OG Nice, who now sit rock bottom of the table. There we upsets galore in Conference League, with each of the top 4 league sides falling. Strasbourg got a signature win in their triumph over the visiting Crystal Palace, and we hone in on what made the fixture such an exciting watch and why the clubs have established themselves as clear favorites. Then, we examine Rayo Vallecano's penchant for making life hard on themselves, Mainz's mediocre play catching up with them, and the dismal existence that is Fiorentina. And, naturally, we give Hamrun Spartans some love for becoming the first Maltese club to win a UEFA group-stage match. All that, some table takeaways, more VAR vitriol, and of course, David's Coefficient Corner. Cheers to our old friend Vincenzo Italiano!

Worship led by Jose Murillo

This Advent message opens the season by reminding us that hope is not wishful thinking. It is the steady light of God breaking into even our darkest moments. Drawing from the prophetic words of Isaiah, we're invited to see how God's character and presence speak life into places of loneliness, fear, and deep despair. In this message, Pastor Scott Conner offers a compassionate look at the real struggles people face while pointing us toward the One who brings comfort, strength, and everlasting peace. If you're walking through uncertainty or simply need a reminder that God is near, this message will encourage your heart and renew your hope.

Harrison Kossover // Psalm 42 & 43 // 11.30.2025

We hope you enjoy and benefit from Grace Point Church's messages. Thank you for taking time to listen!

Hope arises amidst despair by actively recalling God's faithfulness. Psalm 42:1-11 Pastor Dave Pack, Associate Pastor Visit our website at www.fremontpres.org Email us at podcast@fremontpres.org

The sermon from the first Sunday of Advent, November 30, 2025, worship service of Atlanta First United Methodist Church by Lead Pastor Rev. Jasmine R. Smothers. “When Light Breaks Our Despair” in the worship series “The Light Is Coming - And Nothing Will Be the Same.” Scripture lessons: Isaiah 2:1-5 (New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition).Download the worship guide at:http://www.atlantafirstumc.org/pdf/25/AFUMC-Worship-25-11-30.pdfSupport the show

Sometimes hope feels hard to hold on to. Sometimes it feels delayed, even forgotten like our prayers are met with silence. We begin our Advent series Heaven Breaks Through with a message entitled “Heaven Breaks Through Despair with Hope.” Our guides are Zechariah and Elizabeth, a faithful couple who had given up on the dream of having a child. They were old, labeled “barren,” and burdened with the sense of disgrace. Their story mirrors the people of Israel, who had been waiting for centuries, weary from silence and longing for God to act.

Exploring the Depths: A Journey into the Subterranean WorldThe story delves into a dark and intense confrontation where one speaker reveals their intentions of harm, expressing deep emotional turmoil and despair. The dialogue captures the rawness of human emotions and the complexities of relationships under extreme stress.In the heart of our bustling cities lies a hidden world, a labyrinth of subways, sub-basements, and man-made caverns. This underworld, often overlooked, serves as the lifeline of our urban landscapes, where little trains scuttle beneath the surface, delivering goods to the towering structures above.The Sub-Basement AdventureOur story begins with a descent into these shadowy depths, a place where the ordinary meets the extraordinary. As we navigate through the dimly lit tunnels, the echoes of our footsteps are the only companions in this subterranean city. It's a world that few have seen, a place where the mundane transforms into the mysterious.A Hidden RealityBeneath the surface, we encounter a network of tunnels, a testament to human ingenuity and the relentless march of progress. These tunnels, once bustling with activity, now stand silent, a reminder of the ever-changing nature of our cities. Yet, within these walls, stories unfold, tales of adventure, mystery, and the occasional brush with the unknown.The Unexpected EncounterAs we delve deeper, the air grows thick with anticipation. What secrets lie hidden in these forgotten corridors? Our journey takes an unexpected turn when we stumble upon a relic of the past, a creature thought to be long extinct. It's a moment that blurs the line between reality and fiction, a reminder that the world beneath our feet holds more than meets the eye.Our subterranean adventure is a journey into the unknown, a reminder of the hidden wonders that lie just beneath the surface. As we emerge from the depths, we carry with us a newfound appreciation for the world below, a place where history and mystery intertwine.Subscribe now to uncover more tales from the hidden corners of our world.TakeawaysThe confrontation reveals deep-seated emotions.Truth can be a powerful and dangerous weapon.Despair can lead to drastic actions.The complexity of relationships is often hidden.Intense emotions can surface unexpectedly.Communication is key in resolving conflicts.Understanding the underlying issues is crucial.Despair can cloud judgment and lead to harmful decisions.The importance of seeking help in times of crisis.Honesty in relationships can be both liberating and terrifying.confrontation, truth, despair, finality, emotional turmoil, conflict, relationships

ShownotesIn this week's episode, Andrea and Jennifer reflect on the impact grief can have on the holidays and share some tips inspired by St. Francis of Assisi's Prayer for Peace.Tips ​Let go of expectations ​Be present for what is vs. what isn't​Be patient with yourself​Do something for someone else​Let go of fear ​Forgive​Give thanks ​Be steadfast and courageous​Have hope ​Be joyful ​Pray St. Francis of Assisi's Prayer for PeaceLord, make me an instrument of your peace:where there is hatred, let me sow love;where there is injury, pardon;where there is doubt, faith;where there is despair, hope;where there is darkness, light;where there is sadness, joy.O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seekto be consoled as to console,to be understood as to understand,to be loved as to love.For it is in giving that we receive,it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.Scripture​Psalm 55:22 ​John 15:4 ​Revelations 21:3 ​1 Corinthians 13:4​Proverbs 28:13 ​1 Thessalonians 5:18 ​1 Corinthians 15:58​Isaiah 40:31 ​Revelations 21:4 ​Nehemiah 8:10 Links​Prayer to St. Francis of Assisi (Prayer for Peace​Quote from C.S. Lewis about fear​Footprints prayer​St. Thérèse of Lisieux Relics Tour◦Jennifer's blog post about her Mourning GloryPrayer for all who are missing loved ones this holiday season and even in the normal every moments Journaling Questions​Which part of the St. Francis of Assisi Prayer for Peace resonated with you most? Is there a particular line of the prayer you find yourself pondering more than others? Ponder it.​Andrea and Jennifer both spoke of the need to let go of expectations. What are some expectations you have been holding on to and why?​Have you ever found yourself “running past a verse,” as Andrea shared? Maybe not even a verse but simply going through the motions of rote prayer instead of taking the time to actually reflect on what God might be trying to communicate with you? Take some time to discern why you may feel compelled to do that.​Andrea shared a quote from C.S. Lewis about the connection between grief and fear. What are some of the fears you associate most with your grief? How can you turn those fears over to the Lord and surrender them to Him?​When was the last time you went to confession? What might be holding you back from going? ​Is there an area of your life where you see hope or where you feel like there is still hope? Take some time to explore that. ​What is your mourning glory? We hope you enjoy this episode of the Mourning Glory Podcast and share it with others who are on a journey through grief. You can find links to all of our episodes including a link to our brand new private online community on our website at www.mourningglorypodcast.com. God Bless!

Sandra and Greg Mundis join Faith and Family Fellowship to share their powerful story from Patient #1. Greg became the very first intubated COVID patient at his hospital, and doctors said there was nothing more they could do. What happened next was a global wave of prayer, a miraculous fight for life, and a testimony of hope that only Jesus could write.This conversation will strengthen your faith, stir your courage, and remind you that no situation is beyond the reach of God.Hosted by Chris Buscher Episode 370 of Faith and Family Fellowship Podcast Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, and more! Learn more today - https://www.mundiswords.com

Professor WHAM returns to talk about troubling current political and cultural events in the context of historical precedents.

Making great beer doesn't automatically mean you're ready to lead people—but in most breweries, that's exactly what happens. Talented brewers, servers, and production crew get promoted into leadership without ever being shown how to actually lead. The result? Frustration, burnout, and team dynamics that drag down quality, morale, and margins.In this session, you'll learn three proven leadership tools that will help you coach, challenge, and develop your team—without losing the heart and vibe that make craft beer special. First, we'll introduce the Support-Challenge Matrix, a simple framework for setting the right tone as a leader. You'll learn how to be “high support, high challenge” and create a culture of empowerment instead of fear or entitlement.Then, we'll walk through the 100X Leader Assessment to help you evaluate not just how well you're performing, but how well you're helping others perform. Finally, we'll break down the Developing Others Square—a step-by-step model to train and grow your team with intention (and avoid the dreaded “Pit of Despair”).You'll leave with practical tools you can use right away and an invitation to take the next step through the new Craft Leader Certification, a professional development path built specifically for leaders in the craft beer industry.Ryan Mayfield is a leadership coach who helps brewery professionals build healthy leaders, strong teams, and thriving cultures. Through Craft Leadership, he equips clients with practical tools to lead with confidence, improve communication, and reduce daily frustrations. Craft has supported top breweries like Other Half, Rhinegeist, and Creature Comforts in navigating leadership and team challenges. Based in Tulsa, Ryan lives with his wife, teenage son, and opinionated beagle, Rooster.Join us in person for CBP Connects New OrleansDecember 8–10, 2025It's never been more important to connect: https://cbpconnects.com/

In this Thanksgiving reflection, Mark Labberton opens up about a period of darkness and despair, when as a younger man he considered ending his life. But when he was invited to share Thanksgiving dinner with a local couple, his eyes were opened to concrete acts of hope, friendship, and joy—all embodied in the simple feast of a community "Friendsgiving" potluck. Every year since, Mark calls these friends on Thanksgiving Day, in gratitude for and celebration of the hospitality, generosity, beauty, friendship, and hope he encountered that day. Here Mark reflects on the emotional and psychological difficulties he was going through, the meaning and beauty of friendship, how every dish of a Thanksgiving dinner is an act of hope and community, and how hospitality and generosity can uplift every member of a community. If you or anyone you know is struggling with depression or considering suicide, there is help available now. Simply call or text 988 to speak with someone right away, share what you're going through, and get the support you need. About Mark Labberton Mark Labberton is the Clifford L. Penner Presidential Chair Emeritus and Professor Emeritus of Preaching at Fuller Seminary. He served as Fuller's fifth president from 2013 to 2022. He's the host of Conversing. Show Notes A story about Thanksgiving Day many years ago, during Mark Labberton's master of divinity degree at Fuller Seminary "… not just overwhelmed, but really undone" " … the possibility of ending my life …" Every Thanksgiving dish as an act of hope and community Beauty of friendship A magnificent extravaganza Sharing not just food but hope "Things had radically changed. And that in fact they had, they had not only changed my mindset, but they had saved my life." "For me, Thanksgiving Day holds this deep and pensive awareness that Thanksgiving doesn't always come easy, that often it's a difficult act, that it involves things that are sometimes impossible for certain people to carry. And at the same time, it's possible for other people to carry them in our place, which is what these friends did for me that day." If you're feeling despair, seek professional help. Call or text 988 for an immediate response with a counsellor. Seek community. "Whether you're in darkness or in light, whether your heart feels full of gratitude or whether it may not, I just hope that you'll be aware that God is with you, that you are not alone, that there are people that want to support you and help you, and that there are people that know you who would welcome you into a circle of celebration and gratitude today." Production Credits Conversing is produced and distributed in partnership with Comment magazine and Fuller Seminary.  

SAM Michelle's Sermon from 11/23/25:  “Series: Hope in the Midst of Despair (week 3)" Scripture Reading: Jeremiah 29:1, 4-14

Let's learn all about the location and history of the heart of Takhisis' empire in Krynn, the evil city of Neraka. You can buy the Dragonlance Campaign Setting here: https://www.dmsguild.com/en/product/28592/dragonlance-campaign-setting-3-5?affiliate_id=50797 https://youtu.be/OB6Z2cN37Ag Transcript Cold Open In the shadowed heart of the Khalkist Mountains… where the land cracks open like wounds in the earth… lies a city whispered in fear across all Ansalon. Intro Welcome to another DragonLance Saga episode. My name is Adam and today I am going to talk about Neraka. I would like to take a moment and thank the DLSaga YouTube members and Patreon patrons, and invite you to consider becoming a member or patron by following the links in the description below. You can even pick up Dragonlance media using my affiliate links. I am referencing DL14 Dragons of Triumph, The Atlas of the Dragonlance World, Tales of the Lance boxed set, War of the Lance, and Dragonlance Campaign Setting sourcebooks for this information. If I leave anything out or misspeak, please leave a comment below! Discussion Neraka lies cradled in a high valley of the Khalkist Mountains, a region infamous for its barren peaks, volcanic scars, and broken, fissured plains. The Plains of Neraka stretch outward like a scar, a yellow-brown wasteland cracked with hundreds of crevasses. Some belch sulfurous smoke or even pillars of flame. Others simply yawn open into darkness. Even the roads leading to Neraka were carved by slaves—fine stone highways that bridge fissures and cut through the hostile terrain toward three major destinations: Sanction to the south, Estwilde to the north, and the scattered mountain tracks to the east and west. The mountains around the city are harsh and dry. Streams vanish into dust, thunderstorms turn the proud roads into rivers of mud, and the volcanic peaks sometimes smoke with an ominous glow. Travelers claim the very land seems hostile… almost alive. It's here—amid harsh rock and sulfur—where Takhisis chose to plant the seed of her empire. The name Neraka is older than the Cataclysm. Long before humans settled the valley, the High Ogres ruled a northern city called Narakid. Humans took the land long before 1300 PC… but when the fiery mountain fell during the Cataclysm, that early Neraka vanished beneath destruction. Centuries later—after the world was broken—settlers found something strange in an isolated glade: a twisted root of stone, all that remained of the Kingpriest's temple from Istar. When they built a settlement around it, they believed that they had rediscovered the original Neraka. But they were wrong. That root had been planted there—intentionally—by Takhisis. In the second century after the Cataclysm, the Dark Queen chose this glade as the birthplace of her return. From the stone root grew the Temple of Darkness, a sprawling, organic, unnatural structure that would become the beating heart of her new empire. And around that temple grew a new Neraka… the Neraka the world would come to fear. Neraka is divided like rings around a wound: 1. The Outer Bailey. The outermost ring is a maze of chaos—dense streets jammed with brothels, slave pens, ramshackle huts, open markets, foul-smelling alleys, and mobs of desperate or dangerous people. Goblins haggle with ogres. Human criminals brush shoulders with mercenaries. And the Dark Knights' barracks stand neatly just beyond the squalor, an unsettling reminder that order here comes only from fear. 2. The Inner Bailey. Inside the first walls, buildings press tightly together under the shadow of watchtowers. Smithies, supply stores, military workshops, and housing for the Dragonarmies fill these cramped quarters. Each army maintains its own heavily guarded district. Rivalries run hot, and even in the city’s prime, fights between soldiers were so common that Takhisis's personal troops often had to break them up. 3. The Heart of the City. At the center once stood the terrible Temple of Darkness—a massive, living fortress where the Dragon Highlords met under the watchful gaze of the Queen of Darkness. After the War of the Lance, the temple collapsed inward, disappearing into a vast sinkhole. Its blackened stones litter the southern valley, poisonous to life even centuries later. Nothing grows where the temple fell—just bleeding rock and sulfurous fumes, a wound on Krynn that refuses to heal. Beneath all three layers lies the Undercity: a spiderweb of caves, tunnels, sewers, and catacombs. It connects the outer districts, inner quarters, and even the forgotten dungeons beneath the Temple. Many use the Undercity to avoid guards—but horrors lurk below, remnants of experiments, monsters, and things twisted by the temple's dark magic. During the Age of Despair, Neraka became the shining—if grotesque—capital of Takhisis's Dragon Empire. Criminals, mercenaries, cultists, and the desperate flocked there. Under Ariakas, the Dragon Highlord, the first Dragonarmies took shape here. By 348 AC, the city pulsed with soldiers, draconians, ogres, goblins, spies, and slaves. Riches from early victories in the War of the Lance poured in. Streets overflowed. Crime flourished. Rival armies brawled openly. And yet—strict order remained whenever the Highlords commanded. This was the heart of the Queen of Darkness herself. The center of evil on Ansalon. And it all came crashing down in 352 AC. When the Whitestone Army closed in, the Heroes of the Lance infiltrated the city. They reached the Temple of Darkness… and destroyed it from within, triggering chaos. The Dragonarmies turned on one another in a frenzy for control, shattering the city in the process. Neraka burned. Its armies scattered. Its goddess vanished. After Takhisis's defeat, Neraka remained a haven for evil—but without unity. The Dark Knights, newly formed and led from Storm's Keep, mostly ignored the broken city. A Lord Mayor ruled for a time… until the rise of Mirielle Abrena. After the Chaos War, she seized Neraka by force, executed the mayor, and declared herself Governor-General. Under Abrena, Neraka again rose in power—until her assassination. Morham Targonne then moved the Knight's capital to Jelek, sending Neraka into decline. But after the War of Souls, the Dark Knights returned once more. Neraka is—once again—their seat of power, grim as ever. Neraka teems with factions: The Nerakan Guard, led by Captain Joras Gelt, maintains harsh order outside the temple grounds. The Red Watch, Blue Watch, Green Regiment, and Black Guard—elite units of sivaks, kapaks, and bozaks—defend the Dragonarmies' interests. The Hidden Light, an underground resistance led by Talent Orren and Lute the Pawnbroker, fights quietly against the influence of darkness. The population is a volatile mix: humans, draconians, ogres, goblins, dwarves, minotaurs, and even the occasional giant. Trade is thriving but grim—slaves, mercenaries, weapons, stolen goods, and black-market items flowing between Sanction, Khur, and Zhakar. Neraka remains a symbol of tyranny and ambition. Its streets are dangerous. Its politics are ruthless. Its shadow stretches across all of Taman Busuk. And yet… it is alive. A boiling cauldron of power, violence, and fear—waiting for history to turn once more. Where darkness gathers, Neraka stands. Outro And that is all I have to say about Neraka. What do you think of this center of evil? Have you ever played the War of the Lance campaign and invaded Neraka? And do you think the town will ever rise again as a center of evil might in the Age of Mortals? Leave a comment below. I would like to invite you to subscribe to this YouTube channel, ring the bell to get notified about upcoming videos, and click the like button. It all helps other Dragonlance fans learn about this channel and its content. Thank you for watching — this has been Adam with DragonLance Saga, and until next time, remember: It is the spirit of the game, not the letter of the rules, which is important.

4th Bowl: The Bowl of Despair v.8-9a 5th Bowl: The Bowl of Darkness v.10 6th Bowl: The Bowl of Deception and     Deployment v.12-16 7th Bowl: The Bowl of Destruction v.18-21 We need to understand… 1. The Sad Commentary of the Condemned v.9 2. The Sad Commentary of the Condemned v.9 3. The Second Cry of Completion v.17    

John Martin and Valerie Peterson visit with Bree Montgomery sharing her Road to Redemption.When the numbing stopped working, Bree didn't find a clever hack—she cried out to God and watched doors open: detox, Path of Grace, a new community, and a daily rhythm that rebuilt what addiction had stolen. We visit with her through the early trauma that bred fear and isolation, the long slide from teenage escapes into a 26-year dependence on pills, and the brutal honesty of admitting she didn't know how to be a mom. Then we trace the hard, hopeful climb that began at fifty: showing up, making amends, learning a work ethic one small choice at a time, and letting Scripture turn guilt and shame into a foundation that could hold in real life.Bree also shares how a job at Sandestin Resort became a calling. She started as a housekeeping dispatcher who couldn't turn on a computer, leaned on patient mentors, earned promotions, and then opened doors for Path of Grace graduates to build careers. That pipeline didn't just change résumés; it changed futures—integrity recognized, pasts redeemed, women thriving in roles across the resort. Along the way we talk practical recovery tools: a nightly inventory, a no‑nonsense sponsor, telling the whole truth to one trusted person, and the simple force of doing the next right thing when grief and setbacks hit hard.If you're feeling too old, too far gone, or too ashamed to start, this conversation brings a steady message: hope is an anchor, and help is a step away. We invite you to listen with an open heart, share it with someone who needs courage today, and join us on the Road to Redemption. Subscribe, leave a review to help others find the show, and tell us: what's your next right step?For more information contact us atrtrdestiny@gmail.com

Many of us have never read the parables of the minas found in the Gospel of Luke because we look it over and think it is the same as the parable of the talents found in the 25th chapter of Matthew. Jesus tells this story after he visits Zacchaeus in Jerricho. It is the last parable before he rides into Jerusalem on a donkey. The parable gives despair but Jesus offers hope.  

In this moving sermon drawn from Luke 24, Pastor Chris Rieber explores the profound encounter between the resurrected Jesus and two disheartened disciples on the road to Emmaus. Devastated and depressed after witnessing the crucifixion, these disciples were walking away from Jerusalem—and their hope. But Jesus meets them in their grief and, beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he shows them how the entirety of the Scriptures points to Him. Pastor Rieber highlights a transformative truth: Christ is the key that unlocks all of Scripture, and He alone is our inexhaustible source of hope. Discover how the proof of the resurrection transforms despair into unshakable confidence, and why a hope rooted in Jesus is a hope you simply cannot keep to yourself.

Gospel Daily with Josh Weidmann (Trusting God in Troubling Times) From the Hallway of Despair to the Room of Deliverance, Part 2Series: Psalms Scripture: Psalm 13 Episode: 1338 Scripture Summary: In Psalm 13, David expresses deep anguish, crying out, "How long, Lord?" as he feels forgotten and overwhelmed by sorrow. He pleads for God to look on him and answer, fearing his enemies will claim victory if God remains silent. Despite his pain, David turns from despair to trust in God's unfailing love, declaring that he will rejoice in God's salvation and sing of the Lord's goodness. Key themes include: honest lament, persistent prayer, trust in God's love, and praise in the midst of struggle.

Gospel Daily with Josh Weidmann (Trusting God in Troubling Times) From the Hallway of Despair to the Room of Deliverance, Part 1Series: Psalms Scripture: Psalm 13 Episode: 1337 Scripture Summary: In Psalm 13, David expresses deep anguish, crying out, "How long, Lord?" as he feels forgotten and overwhelmed by sorrow. He pleads for God to look on him and answer, fearing his enemies will claim victory if God remains silent. Despite his pain, David turns from despair to trust in God's unfailing love, declaring that he will rejoice in God's salvation and sing of the Lord's goodness. Key themes include: honest lament, persistent prayer, trust in God's love, and praise in the midst of struggle.

Pastor Dave's Sermon from 11/16/25:  “Series: Hope in the Midst of Despair (week 2)" Scripture Reading: Isaiah 9:1-7 

Growing up means becoming the new you. And growing always comes with growing pains. This week we discuss mom-growing-pains and how to avoid the steps that lead to the pit of despair. The post It's the Pit of Despair! appeared first on Sheologians.

The Alabama prison system functions like a modern-day plantation: overcrowded, understaffed prisons like Bullock Correctional Facility run on forced labor, violence, and deliberate neglect. In this episode of Rattling the Bars, host Mansa Musa speaks with journalist Matthew Vernon Whalan about his book Bullock: Chronicles of Deprivation and Despair in an American Prison, and about the systematic corruption and inhumane horrors endured daily by incarcerated people in Alabama.Guest:Matthew Vernon Whalan is a writer and oral historian living in New England. He is the author of the book Bullock: Chronicles of Deprivation and Despair in an American Prison, and his work has appeared in Counterpunch Magazine, Alabama Political Reporter, Scheer Post, Jacobin, Eunoia Review, New York Journal of Books, The Brattleboro Reformer, and elsewhere. He runs the publication Hard Times Reviewer.Credits:Producer / Videographer / Post-Production: Cameron GranadinoBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-news-podcast--2952221/support.Help us continue producing radically independent news and in-depth analysis by following us and becoming a monthly sustainer.Follow us on:Bluesky: @therealnews.comFacebook: The Real News NetworkTwitter: @TheRealNewsYouTube: @therealnewsInstagram: @therealnewsnetworkBecome a member and join the Supporters Club for The Real News Podcast today!

On this show, the Laymen discuss 2nd Corinthians 4:7-18.  Want to support the show, check out our website, Laymenscup.com. You can buy merch and buy us a cup of coffee.  If you are listening on iTunes, please subscribe and leave a review.  Laymen on iTunes If you have comments or questions for us, you can email us at laymenscup@gmail.com. Find us on YouTube by searching for LaymensCup. Make sure to subscribe and hit the notification bell! We are on Facebook at www.facebook.com/laymenscup. You can also follow us on Instagram and Twitter @laymenscup. It is always our hope to get the Gospel out to as many people as possible and you can help us by sharing the show. Word of mouth is the greatest way we will get the show out to the masses. Thank you. Please pray for us, as we are praying for you. Kemp, Bob, Shaun, and Ann

When everything feels dead and hope seems lost, can dry bones live again?  In this powerful episode for the Second Sunday of Advent, hosts Rolf Jacobson, Kathryn Schifferdecker, and Craig Koester explore Ezekiel's stunning vision of the valley of dry bones—a message of hope for exiles who believed they were completely cut off from God. The conversation unpacks the rich Hebrew word "ruach" (spirit/breath/wind) that runs throughout Ezekiel 37, revealing how God promises to breathe new life into seemingly hopeless situations. Unlike Jeremiah who wrote from Jerusalem to the exiles, Ezekiel himself was living in exile, speaking directly into the despair of a displaced people whose city had been destroyed and who felt abandoned by God. This isn't just ancient history. Whether you're an individual feeling spiritually dried up, or part of a congregation that seems to have lost its vitality, this text speaks directly to that despair. As the hosts emphasize, the Israelites' lament—"our bones are dried up, our hope is lost, we are cut off completely"—represents the deepest kind of spiritual crisis. Yet God's response through Ezekiel is a vivid, visual promise: I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live. The discussion highlights how Advent functions as a season of holy waiting and exile, longing for home. Kathryn notes Michael Chan's powerful observation that "Ezekiel's audience lives life with an open wound," and that the journey to genuine hope begins with "a hard stare into the eyes of truth."  This isn't false optimism—it's hope grounded in the God of life who has the power to bring resurrection even from death-dealing situations. Whether you're preparing a sermon, teaching a Bible study, or seeking personal encouragement, this episode offers both scholarly insight and pastoral wisdom for one of Scripture's most memorable visions of hope. TIMECODES: 00:00 Advent Life and Exile 02:54 Ezekiel's Vision of Hope 05:52 The Power of God in Despair 09:00 Understanding Yahweh's Promise 11:07 Hope Amidst Exile

Depression is a term that a lot of Christians can be afraid to use as it is not used in the Bible. However, the Bible has plenty of things to say about sadness, sorrow, grief, and despair and how God is a refuge and relief to such feelings.

Bible StudyDon't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon: .Sermon OutlineGod opposes the way of Egypt.God uses the way of Israel.Sermon QuestionsWhat is the way of Egypt? What is the way of Israel?How do you relate to screens?Where are you from?How does the category of "exodus" make sense of what Jesus has done?Resources ConsultedLeon Kass, Founding God's Nation: Reading ExodusPaul Kingsnorth, Against the Machine: On the Unmaking of HumanityAndrew Root, Evangelism in the Age of Despair"Confronting the Technological Society," The New Atlantis "Nick Cave: There is a Kingdom," Word on FireQuestions?Do you have a question about today's sermon? Email Sam Fornecker (SFornecker@standrews.church).

Caleb's friend, former spaces collaborator, and KTC discord mod Corby aka Noumena joins us for a wild ride through the world of r/kitchencels. This episode will be much improved with a visual guide, which can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13teJqhkWba2ej2LWv4l-w-6O-QLXpZhp4pfoZXnGLs0/edit?usp=sharing To see more of Corby's slop meals, Charlemagne Benoit posts, and more Kitchencel content, join the discord at www.Discord.gg/KillTheComputer

This one's heavy, but it's SO important. Recorded during National Physician Suicide Awareness Day, Amanda, Laura, and Kendra dive into the emotions we're taught to push down in medicine: anguish, hopelessness, despair, sadness, and grief. No toxic positivity here—just honest conversation about what it really means to be human while practicing medicine.

We'd love to hear from you! Reach out to us via this Buzzsprout link to let us know what you're thinking about this episode!Note: Hey, Wayward Friends. This episode (as well as Part 2) references an interview conducted at a fan-run convention panel 5 years ago. During the course of our research for this episode, we discovered that the moderator for that panel, Ada, recently passed away. We wanted to take this moment to send love to all that knew Ada and express gratitude to Ada herself for this iconic panel and all she gave to fandom.Chrisha and Catherine continue their exploration of the 5th anniversary of the "I love you" heard around the world by delving into the much-celebrated Spanish Dub of "Despair." To help them better understand the context in which "Y yo a ti, Cas," happened, they bring on Catherine's friend, Elis. Elis hails from Brazil, where they also have a thriving dubbing industry (in Portuguese, of course!). She shares the cultural context of dubbing in non-English speaking countries―as well as a good portion of her fangirl knowledge about the dubbing process!The three also delve into the history of the moment into which the Spanish Dub was released and the context of the interview with the voice actor, Guillermo Rojas (aka Memo), who spoke the unforgettable line.Part 2 of this episode will look at the interview itself.Credits:Audio of Misha Collins at DarkLight Con 2020: @HasnaaAlaa on YoutubeAudio of the Latin American Spanish dub of "The Truth": @heartsmish on XAudio of Misha Collins discussing the "rogue translator": @mishacollins on XHarleyCon Interview with Guillermo Rojas, Dean Winchester's Latin American voice actor: @egoismht on YouTubeFollow us on Bluesky @thefangirlbiz.bsky.socialJoin our Kofi Discord community at $1/month: https://ko-fi.com/thefangirlbiz/tiersSupport our podcast by buying our new merch: https://www.redbubble.com/people/thefangirlbiz/shopThanks for listening!

When faith and mental health collide, many believers feel caught between shame and silence. In this episode of Faith Over Fear, Carol McCracken talks with Chris Morris, author of Resilient and Redeemed: Lessons about Suicidality and Depression from the Psych Ward. Chris shares his raw and redemptive story of battling depression, walking through a crisis of faith, and discovering that God’s grace meets us even in the darkest places. Together, they explore how to dismantle harmful theology, find freedom through honesty, and experience hope that outlasts despair. Resource Discussed: Resilient and Redeemed: Lessons about Suicidality and Depression from the Psych Ward Discussion/Reflective Questions: Chris talked about trying to “power through by sheer will” before realizing something had to change. When have you reached the end of your own strength and discovered the freedom of surrender? Many people tie their identity to productivity or performance. How has God been reshaping your understanding of worth apart from what you do? Chris described a “crisis of faith,” not a loss of faith. What’s the difference for you—and how have moments of doubt actually deepened your faith journey? What are some “theological traps” you’ve encountered—beliefs that sounded spiritual but actually created fear, guilt, or shame rather than freedom? Chris’s friends later asked, “Why didn’t you tell me?” Who in your life could you safely open up to about your struggles, and what would it take to start that conversation? Paul’s story of the “thorn in the flesh” reminded Chris that God’s grace is enough, even when healing looks different than we hoped. How does that truth speak to your current season of pain or waiting? What is one practical step God might be inviting you to take having listened to this podcast episode? Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Fr. Rob Kroll joins Patrick to discuss Hope in Despair (3:28) what is hope as Theological virtue? What is the Despair? (16:53) Jasmin - I struggle with a few things...mainly faith. My son and my marriage also. Really having a hard time to move forward with faith. Confirmed Catholic and went to Catholic School. Always passionate about it, but not always the best Catholic. Find myself falling into the same temptation. How can I be a Peter and not a Judas? (24:41) Break 1 Andi - I'm on my way to spiritual direction with my priest because I've suffered the same thing the previous caller has been through. I'm going to do what I need to do and seek spiritual direction for scrupulosity. (31:42) Joan - Can I be forgiven for not raising my own children because I was homeless and had 3 abortions. I have been to confession, but I don't feel forgiven. (38:12) Break 2 (39:00) Email from Mary – How do you have hope in infertility? Theresa - I went to a lifetime confession. Listed all the sins I ever did and got absolution for everything. That life me so far up. Everyone says God forgets your sins, but what bothers me is talk about the end times and everyone is going to know everyone's sins. If the sins are forgiven, why do they talk about that?

This week, we’ll hear from husband and wife team Jason and Erica Redman. After Jason’s twenty-one years as a Navy SEAL—including surviving severe combat injuries in Iraq—and Erica’s steadfast role as caregiver, entrepreneur, and mother of three, the couple has learned to face life’s toughest battles together. Later in the episode, we’ll hear from Scott Payne, a retired law enforcement officer who spent twenty-eight years serving his community, including twenty-three years with the FBI. Specializing in undercover work, Scott infiltrated gangs, drug cartels, and domestic terrorist groups, constantly stepping into roles far from his true self. Today, he shares how those experiences tested him and shaped who he would become. Links, Products, and Resources Mentioned: Jesus Calling Podcast Jesus Calling Jesus Always Jesus Listens Past interview: Tom and Pam Banwart Upcoming interview: John Kasich Jesus Listens: Prayers for Every Season Jason and Erica Redman Mission: Invincible Marriage Navy SEAL Al-Qaeda www.jasonredman.com Scott Payne South Carolina Criminal Justice Academy Isaiah 41:10 NIV Code Name Pale Horse: How I Went Undercover to Expose America’s Nazis *Signed/personalized copies of Scott’s book can be procured from Union Ave Book in Knoxville, TN: https://unionavebooks.com/book/9781668032909-1 Interview Quotes: “I think you go into a marriage and you say ‘for better or worse, until death do us part,’ but there are a lot of marriages that get put to that test that break.” - Jason Redman “Marriage is continually communicating, continually updating your goals and what your priorities are and how you support each other and how we address the problems we’re facing together, whether those are financial or personal or whatever external things.” - Jason Redman “That night on the battlefield, I think there was no doubt I was dying. I prayed in that moment, ‘Lord, please let me go home to my wife and kids again,’ and I think that was a miracle moment.” - Jason Redman “Jesus is perfect, but it’s really guided me in my job to offer those second chances—third, fourth, fifth chances, twentieth chances.” - Scott Payne “It’s a calling—you take an oath—and in my mind, and the way I see it is, you are a servant. You have a servant’s heart. You are a shepherd. You’re not just a warrior, you’re a shepherd and you protect and you will leave the ninety-nine to go save the one.” - Scott Payne “Throughout my career in law enforcement, there were times my marriage almost didn’t make it. Had it not been for God, prayer, and our small groups—they prayed for me even when I couldn't tell them what was going on—I wouldn’t have made it.” - Scott Payne ________________________ Enjoy watching these additional videos from Jesus Calling YouTube channel! Audio Episodes: https://bit.ly/3zvjbK7 Bonus Podcasts: https://bit.ly/3vfLlGw Jesus Listens: Stories of Prayer: https://bit.ly/3Sd0a6C Peace for Everyday Life: https://bit.ly/3zzwFoj Peace in Uncertain Times: https://bit.ly/3cHfB6u What’s Good? https://bit.ly/3vc2cKj Enneagram: https://bit.ly/3hzRCCY ________________________ Connect with Jesus Calling Instagram Facebook Twitter Pinterest YouTube Website TikTok Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

God's people are not immune to doubt, discouragement, and depression. But even in these dreaded times, we have hope in Christ. Today, Derek Thomas explores one of the darkest yet most profound scenes in The Pilgrim's Progress. For your donation of any amount, receive The Pilgrim's Progress book by John Bunyan, together with Derek Thomas' video teaching series on DVD. You'll also get lifetime digital access to this 19-message series and its study guide: https://gift.renewingyourmind.org/4401/offer   Live outside the U.S. and Canada? Get the digital teaching series and study guide with your donation: https://www.renewingyourmind.org/global   Meet Today's Teacher:   Derek Thomas is a Ligonier Ministries teaching fellow and Chancellor's Professor of Systematic and Pastoral Theology at Reformed Theological Seminary.   Meet the Host:   Nathan W. Bingham is vice president of media for Ligonier Ministries, executive producer and host of Renewing Your Mind, and host of the Ask Ligonier podcast. Renewing Your Mind is a donor-supported outreach of Ligonier Ministries. Explore all of our podcasts: https://www.ligonier.org/podcasts

Show Summary: What is an object in your life that you care deeply about? Maybe it's your wedding ring or a family scrapbook filled with photos of the people you love or a shirt you wore on one of the best days of your life. How would you handle losing that special thing? Over the summer, a family barn filled with countless treasures belonging to Eryn Eddy Adkins' family unexpectedly burned down during a storm. Join host Elisa Morgan as she asks Eryn how she's depending on God after their devastating loss. You do not want to miss this bonus episode of the God Hears Her podcast!  Notes and Quotes: “I'm going to reveal how much this matters to me in my tears.” —Eryn Eddy Adkins  “How beautiful it is to know that there is tragedy and still go toward it. And I think that there is something to take from that when you're in community.” —Eryn Eddy Adkins  “I needed to wrestle with those feelings right away, because I really just wanted to understand Him. I wanted to understand what plan He had for my parents and what He has for my family.” —Eryn Eddy Adkins  “I am so resolved in knowing that the Lord is fully in every detail.” —Eryn Eddy Adkins  “When tragedy strikes, God asks us to be faithful, to trust Him. To not look like some cut out version of Christianity that we've made up, but to simply look for Him.” —Elisa Morgan  Verses:  Jeremiah 31:25  Related Episodes: GHH Ep 41 – Beauty in the Midst of Despair with Ruth Naomi Floyd: https://godhearsher.org/podcast/beauty-in-the-midst-of-despair-with-ruth-naomi-floyd/ GHH Ep 101 – Life After Tragedies with Julia Pinkster: https://godhearsher.org/podcast/life-after-tragedies/  Links:  God Hears Her website: https://go.odb.org/ghh191 Subscribe to the God Hears Her YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@GodHearsHerODBM Discovery Series Booklet: https://www.odbm.org/en/discovery-series/borrowing-gods-calm/borrowing-gods-calm-isaiah-40-and-the-coming-of-the-king