Podcasts about encouraging

In this episode of Dear Church, Chris McCurley is joined by Kathy Pollard and Carla Moore, hosts of the Looking Up!podcast, for a conversation about resources, encouragement, and practical tools for Christian women. Together, they discuss ways the church can better equip and support women in their spiritual growth, highlight helpful resources available today, and share insights into encouraging faithfulness in every season of life. This episode offers practical guidance and thoughtful encouragement for women seeking to grow deeper in Christ and for churches desiring to strengthen the women within their congregations.       Connect with Us: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dearchurch_podcast/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61564673680147 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DearChurch   Have a question? Email Chris at chris.mccurley@rippleoflight.com.   #DearChurchPodcast #ChristianWomen #WomenInTheChurch #WomensMinistry #LookingUpPodcast #FaithAndGrowth #ChristianResources #SpiritualGrowth #EncouragingWomen #ChristianPodcast #BibleStudyTools #WomenOfFaith #ChurchSupport #Discipleship #ChristianLiving

This episode opens with an improvised serialized scene called “The Rusted Lantern” — a short noir novella-style reading performed live — then unfolds into a wide-ranging, candid conversation about auditions, writing, producing indie films, creative burnout, social-media monetization, sobriety, pacing your career, and practical tips for makers trying to get work done with limited time and money. The trio (Jen Bartels, Caitlin Brodnick, Isaac Abrams) balance a playful creative exercise with honest, useful career talk for actors, writers, creators and anyone making art in the modern media ecosystem.Episode highlights and expanded description- Live novella performance: Isaac prompts an AI-style 90-second soap-opera novella; the group performs multiple takes of a moody scene set in a corner table at “The Rustic Lantern.” - Performance craft & acting advice: After the reading the hosts debrief on cold reads, self-tape auditions, the tension between following explicit direction vs. owning the moment, and strategies for staying present in auditions. - Writing & making your own work: The hosts discuss how to move from performer to creator — startup routines for writing a script or short, how to attack a seemingly overwhelming feature project (write the small scene you can't stop thinking about), using collaboration and iterative drafts, and practical tools (writer-duet workflows, co-writing in a room, and the value of deadlines).- Indie filmmaking realities: Low-budget production advice — how to make content when money is scarce- Encouraging closing: the hosts emphasize longevity in creative careers — the importance of craft, tenacity, and staying connected to why you started. They invite listeners to submit novella prompts, short scenes, and theme-song ideas for future episodes.video chapters00:00 — Opening banter & show settling (names, tone) 02:50 — Novella setup: prompt, characters, and format explained 03:50 — First full read: “The Rusted Lantern” — take one (moody intro) 06:15 — Key reveal: leather case, Cassandra Hale photograph, stakes established 07:10 — Cliffhanger note & “To be continued” title card 07:40 — Take two: refined performance, additional screen-direction beats 11:10 — Performance debrief: cold reads vs acting-from-truth, practical audition tactics 13:30 — Audition horror stories and director/room etiquette (what to expect) 16:00 — Writing advice: micro-goals, “write the scene you can't stop thinking about” technique 18:10 — Indie film logistics: crew, budget tiers, attaching names & fundraising realities 21:30 — Monetization talk: social clout, viral jingles, content reuse issues and legal basics 24:15 — Vertical platforms vs long-form: pros, cons, and creative strategies 27:40 — Personal check-in: sobriety, routines, naps, and creative energy management 31:05 — Genre tastes, movie talk, and quick career anecdotes (commercials, background work) 34:20 — Creative collaboration: building teams, finding faithful collaborators vs “traders” 37:50 — Tools & workflow: writing software, co-write sessions, timeline tips for busy creators 40:30 — Closing: production ideas, call for submissions (theme songs, novella prompts), final banter#Podcast #Improv #Screenwriting #IndieFilmmaking #AuditionTips #VerticalVideo #CreativeBurnout #Sobriety #ContentCreationClosing note and inviteWe close by inviting listeners to submit short novellas, two-line scene prompts, theme-song demos, or project ideas — whether you're an actor, writer, director or first-time creator. We'll sample listener submissions, read prompts on air, and possibly develop serialized shorts based on the best seeds. If you want to contribute, email goodtoseeyoupodcast@gmail.com or DM the show on Instagram with your clip or idea.Thanks for listening — if this episode sparked even one idea or made you feel less alone in the hustle, subscribe and drop a rating.

Get all set for the Second Sunday of Lent with Fr. Peter MarshallSummaryA lively and humorous discussion on Lent, church traditions, suffering, and church community practices. Father Peter and Scott Williams explore how to embrace Lent joyfully, the significance of suffering, and humorous takes on church customs.TakeawaysLent practices and greetings.The significance of suffering in faith.Biblical reflections on Abraham, Moses, and Jesus.Humorous church customs and traditions.Encouraging joyful participation in faith activities.Chapters02:46 Second Sunday in Lent: Biblical Foundations04:29 Paul's Message on Suffering and Grace05:49 The Transfiguration: Jesus as the New Moses07:31 Preaching on Lent and Christ's Fulfillment08:46 Understanding Suffering in Faith10:29 God, Suffering, and Meaning11:42 The Role of Grace in Overcoming Suffering12:41 Fasting, Suffering, and Spiritual Clarity13:56 Humor in Church: Celebrating Sacraments17:55 Encouraging Joy and Humor in Worship

Corinna Stukan, Product Leader and Founder of Fintech marketplace Bizzy, lays out practical advice for connecting your product roadmap to business goals. She explains how a metrics one-pager aligns day-to-day product decisions with company goals, why understanding whether your business is in growth, acquisition or cost-control mode should shape every prioritisation call, and how to frame initiatives so stakeholders see commercial impact, not just better UX.Chapters4:00 — Why product people should care about business acumen6:01 — Organisational causes of weak commercial context for PMs8:10 — What business acumen means in practice9:10 — Wake-up story: prioritisation shifted after asking the CEO about revenue drivers11:05 — Misalignment: company goals vs team OKRs12:13 — How to run the metrics one-pager and link product to business goals14:37 — Strategy: where we are, where we're going, how we'll get there15:03 — Encouraging ideas while setting business context17:01 — Running collaborative bets before creating the roadmap19:20 — Communicating value: turn “better onboarding” into business impact22:08 — Avoiding over-attribution and internal attribution fights23:05 — Example: marketing's 12 touchpoints and joint contribution to acquisition24:26 — Practising stakeholder storytelling; where LLMs help and don't29:17 — Presentation craft: fewer slides, start with numbers, end with actions31:03 — Using LLMs for synthesis, not hOur HostsLily Smith enjoys working as a consultant product manager with early-stage and growing startups and as a mentor to other product managers. She's currently Chief Product Officer at BBC Maestro, and has spent 13 years in the tech industry working with startups in the SaaS and mobile space. She's worked on a diverse range of products – leading the product teams through discovery, prototyping, testing and delivery. Lily also founded ProductTank Bristol and runs ProductCamp in Bristol and Bath. Randy Silver is a Leadership & Product Coach and Consultant. He gets teams unstuck, helping you to supercharge your results. Randy's held interim CPO and Leadership roles at scale-ups and SMEs, advised start-ups, and been Head of Product at HSBC and Sainsbury's. He participated in Silicon Valley Product Group's Coaching the Coaches forum, and speaks frequently at conferences and events. You can join one of communities he runs for CPOs (CPO Circles), Product Managers (Product In the {A}ether) and Product Coaches. He's the author of What Do We Do Now? A Product Manager's Guide to Strategy in the Time of COVID-19. A recovering music journalist and editor, Randy also launched Amazon's music stores in the US & UK.

Remember God loves you so much he sent his Son Jesus Christ to take the punishment for your sins. You are of great value. Jesus loves you and He is just a prayer away! 

Is AI likely to result in a dystopian future for health professionals and patients – or could it be used to free up more hours in the day for pharmacists to do their jobs? AJP Podcast host Carlene McMaugh sits down with Michael Bakker, chief pharmacy information officer for SA Pharmacy, about the barriers to digital transformation for pharmacists, overcoming resistance to change, and what the future might look like. The pair discuss common misconceptions about AI – including that it could replace key health workers such as pharmacists. “We're not talking about robo pharmacists, right?” says Bakker. “There's tasks and processes that will be impacted by the advent of AI, but they could also happen with non-AI things. “If we took one task and process just to kind of put it under the microscope, a hospital pharmacy service spends probably about a third of their clinical workforce time on performing medication histories. “And so you could go, ‘well, there's many different ways that digitally, we could do that a lot better now if we just had better linked data or atomic data around medicines where it’s easy to go, oh, this person’s on perindopril five milligrams once a day, and it's easy to convert that over to your hospital system. “And you can see the dispensing record for the patient, and if we had all of the dispensing records and prescribing records going up to My Health Record, it's pretty easy to conceptualise a way where you go, ‘well, I can see that they're on that regularly. I'm just going to convert that to their hospital medicine and just continue that there'. “That could be done without any AI. “The technology is not the barrier there. It's the investment and the prioritisation of that development work that needs to be there and having the high quality data sitting in my health record to be able to reutilise it. “They might sound like big things, but they're quite small. It's not like we're waiting for some technology to come along that doesn't exist yet. “The AI ones that I think scare people is around the decision making and to be able to decide what to do, and the door's starting to open there as to what that future state might look like to my network.” Bakker told McMaugh he had recently posted to LinkedIn about the United States having opened the policy door to having AI agents being able to prescribe for patients. “It's just a very interesting concept that it's not an automated thing that they can do this, they need to undergo all of their approvals through the FDA.” While he is not aware of this happening in practice, Bakker says it poses the question: what would this look like? “Is that going to be an AI agent is taking an action on behalf of say a prescriber when they're talking to their patient. So they're saying, ‘I'm going to give you amoxicillin 500mg four times a day' and then it's just going to generate the prescription. “And so that's kind of minimally invasive and risky. You have to prove quality and things like that so that it's not going to mistake the drug name or anything; or is it going to be far more dystopian where it's going to diagnose and take action to prescribe a recommended therapy for a patient, which is a little bit more scary? “So not everything is a one or a zero or a yes and a no. “There's lots of gradients in between in there, and so I think people get very alarmed and rightfully so as to what the really crazy dystopian future might look like and what's my role going to be in that if these things come about. “But there's a lot of work in between where we can just see the chipping away at tasks and processes through better technology, that are things that take an enormous amount of time, as good as the pharmacy workforce is at doing these types of things thoroughly… “If we were reviewing information that was presented to us that was kind of curated so that we don't have to go and do a preliminary history for a patient, then go into the patient room and validate it with them, then come out, reconcile it with what they're actually on and then get it changed, we can walk straight in going, ‘well, I can see what you're normally taking, but can you help me understand how you're actually using these on a day to day?' “You could be saving an hour a day for a clinical pharmacist that can be redirected into other tasks.” Highlights include: 00:56 – “Digital maturity can mean lots of things.” 02:24 – Getting started 03:27 – Barriers to digital transformation 06:44 – Insights from developing the Australian practice standard for pharmacy informatics 10:03 – How is AI currently being used to manage medicine safety, especially in rural or remote areas? 13:43 – No robo pharmacists 19:22 – How can pharmacists who are not tech experts start to build their digital literacy and become effective champions for changing their workplaces? 22:23 – Retaining the human touch 25:44 – Encouraging buy-in, including from pharmacists who have concerns 28:20 – “Soft skills are crucial.” 29:51 – Using AI to build a strong business case for new initiatives 32:56 – The most exciting emerging AI and digital trends 34:53 – As pharmacy workflows become more digitalised, what new types of dispensing and prescribing errors are we seeing and how can we mitigate them? 37:51 – “Get great at pharmacy first at all areas of pharmacy.” 39:27 – How could pharmacy look in 10 to 15 years? 41:46 – Learning from other sectors You can access the full transcript of this podcast here. While we endeavour to ensure all important words and phrases are correct, please note there may be some minor inaccuracies in the transcription. ACCESS PODCAST TRANSCRIPT Go here for the full list of active AJP podcasts. These can also be accessed via Apple Podcasts and Spotify  Carlene McMaugh

In this episode of the Radical Radiance Podcast, host Rebecca George speaks with Elizabeth Urbanowicz about her new book, 'Helping Your Kids Know God's Good Design.' They discuss the fears parents face regarding conversations about sexuality and gender, the importance of starting these discussions early, and practical strategies for parents to engage their children in meaningful dialogue. Elizabeth emphasizes the need for ongoing conversations rather than a single 'talk' and provides foundational topics for parents to cover with their kids. The conversation also touches on how to help children think critically about cultural messages and the goodness of God's design in sexuality and gender.Helping Your Kids Know God's Good Design on AmazonTakeawaysParents often fear the overwhelming information about sexuality and gender.Starting conversations about sexuality early can ease awkwardness.It's important to shift from 'the talk' to ongoing discussions.Understanding the source of shame can help parents guide their children.Foundational conversations about genitalia, sex, and reproduction are crucial.Using analogies, like a bike, can help explain God's design.Parents should model grace while addressing cultural challenges.Encouraging critical thinking in children is essential.Daily discussions about God's design can reinforce positive messages.Parents should focus on healthy boundaries and relationships for their children.Sound bitesChapters00:00 Introduction to Radical Radiance Podcast01:01 Understanding Parental Fears on Sexuality and Gender03:49 Encouraging Early Conversations with Children06:44 Practical Steps for Starting Conversations13:33 Building Critical Thinking in Children19:24 Navigating Cultural Challenges with Grace24:59 Conclusion and Resources for ParentsSponsors:Live Oak Integrative Health:Visit ⁠⁠⁠liveoakintegrativehealth.com/radiance⁠⁠⁠ — and as a Radical Radiance listener, you'll receive a discounted rate on service packages.Christian Standard Bible:Pre-order your ⁠⁠⁠She Reads Truth spiral bound volumes now⁠⁠⁠ and start reading with clarity, space to journal, and joy!

Just because it's trending doesn't make it true. Cliches and platitudes abound, such as "you do you." "God never gives you more than you can handle." "You deserve to be happy!" This season, we will hold up trite sayings alongside truth. And because we are prone to wander and forget, we will give you an enCouraging phone screen saver with a daily reorienting truth to share here: https://women.pcacdm.org/just-because-its-trending/

Encouraging others to their very center

Remember God loves you so much he sent his Son Jesus Christ to take the punishment for your sins. You are of great value. Jesus loves you and He is just a prayer away! 

What really changes after active shooter response training? In this episode, Mary Dexter, Facilities Manager at National Association of State Boards of Accountancy (NASBA), shares her "before and after" perspective following Defend Systems training. Mary explains why she felt compelled to bring the training to her leadership team, and what shifted across her organization once employees experienced it. From facility walkthroughs to rapid response medical training, she discusses the practical value of preparation and why this training is about empowerment, not fear. If you're a business leader, facilities manager, or everyday civilian wondering whether this training is worth the time, this episode offers a firsthand look at what it actually feels like to go through it, and why Mary says there's no reason not to equip people with knowledge that could save a life. 3:20 — Why this episode exists: hearing from an everyday civilian about empowerment, not fear 4:16 — Why Mary advocated to bring active shooter response training to NASBA 7:20 — Who initiates security training and why it's now viewed like disaster preparedness 12:50 — Mary's view on the time commitment 15:10 — Considering the risk of employees regularly exposed to public environments 16:39 — You never know the final trigger in a person in crisis 18:00 — Three confirmed life-saves from rapid response medical training 19:15 — No one wants to face this, but it's necessary 20:14 — Why Mary calls the training empowering, not fear-based 26:00 — Emotional investment without causing trauma 31:14 — Why laws and codes haven't caught up 32:59 — Encouraging listeners to contact elected representatives 34:49 — No reason not to empower people with life-saving knowledge 37:19 — Perishable skills and training your primitive brain 38:38 — Addressing prior trauma and offering pre-conversations with employees 41:42 — Those who trained may have to care for those who didn't 43:10 — A skillset that lasts a lifetime

Hello, friend. Welcome back to another Encouraging Word.  In Luke 23 we read the account of Jesus appearing before Pilate, of Pilate finding no evidence to charge him, and the crowd demanding the release of another prisoner in exchange for Jesus. It's a remarkable—and literal—picture of what Christ has done for us. He who was blameless took the place of he who was condemned. 

The Pitt basketball team broke its losing streak with a win over Notre Dame on Saturday, and on today's edition of the Morning Pitt, we're talking about a few individual players who have been playing well, what the Panthers need to have happen if they're going to make the ACC Tournament and a lot more.

Hello, friend. Welcome back to another Encouraging Word. In Luke 23 we read the account of Jesus appearing before Pilate, of Pilate finding no evidence to charge him, and the crowd demanding the release of another prisoner in exchange for Jesus. It's a remarkable—and literal—picture of what Christ has done for us. He who was blameless took the place of he who was condemned. 

In this episode, Kristi Bush discusses the identity crisis faced by teens in the age of social media. She explores how social media fractures self-concept, the impact of parasocial relationships with influencers, and the dangers of performance-based identity. Kristi emphasizes the importance of authenticity in identity development and provides strategies for parents to support their teens in navigating these challenges. The conversation highlights the need for deeper discussions about identity and self-worth in a digital world.TakeawaysSocial media can fracture a teen's self-concept.Teens often present multiple versions of themselves online.Lower self-concept clarity leads to identity confusion.Parasocial relationships with influencers can be harmful.Teens feel pressured to present idealized versions of themselves.Engagement metrics can distort a teen's sense of worth.Authenticity is crucial for healthy identity development.Parents should focus on identity development over screen time limits.Encouraging offline experiences can help teens explore their identity.Open discussions about social media and authenticity are essential!www.knbcommunications.com

Send a textJames Shin is the founder and CEO of Blue Koi Global Partners, bringing over 25 years of experience in leading rapid and sustainable growth in global markets. He has a PhD in industrial engineering from Penn State, specializing in transforming operations, supply chains, and business models. James is also the author of "The Leader's Soul," a book exploring how leaders can find deeper meaning and reconnect with their purpose.James shares his unique perspectives on leadership, emphasizing the importance of authenticity and soulfulness in driving effective leadership. Through his insights and experiences, James presents a fresh take on what it means to be a leader in today's fast-paced world.Throughout the discussion, James Shin touches on the significance of vision, systems, and people in leadership. He elaborates on his book, revealing the importance of the soul in leadership. Emphasizing personal growth, creativity, and curiosity, James shares personal anecdotes and reflections, showcasing how leaders can find strength through vulnerability and purpose. This episode encourages listeners to embrace a more holistic approach to leadership, focusing on personal connection and continuous improvement.Key Takeaways:Authentic leadership involves aligning personal values with actions and prioritizing human connections over mere results.Emphasizing creativity and curiosity can lead to significant personal and professional growth for leaders.Small, intentional actions and reflections are vital for effective leadership, fostering better decision-making and team impact.Pause and reflection are essential practices that help leaders reconnect with their purpose and make clearer decisions.Encouraging the development of future leaders and focusing on people can lead to more profound and sustainable organizational success.Notable Quotes:"The soul is what keeps you grounded when everything else is moving fast, especially in challenging times." – James Shin"It's all about people. People follow you because of who you are, not because of what you do." – James Shin"Leadership is not just about big actions. It's the simple actions every day, impacting people and other things along the way." – James Shin"Think about who you have around you, and then reach out, being honest, being vulnerable." – James Shin"Creativity and curiosity make leadership better. They help you pay attention to new aspects and connect the dots." – James ShinResources:James Shin's Book: "The Leader's Soul" – Available on Amazon.All episodes and guest requests can be found at:www.leadershipmomentspodcast.comFollow Stacey Caster on Instagram @staceycaster_Follow Tracy-Ann Palmer on Instagram @tracy_ann_palmer

This message is all about the joy and encouragement that is found when you spend time in the Lord's presence.

Remember God loves you so much he sent his Son Jesus Christ to take the punishment for your sins. You are of great value. Jesus loves you and He is just a prayer away! 

Join in with Elsee as she explores the sounds and sights of the train station, through games of I Spy and I Hear with my little ear. Encouraging listeners to play along by using their imagination and knowledge of the world around them.

Bombers show some encouraging signs v Tigers by The Lunchtime Catch Up

Remember God loves you so much he sent his Son Jesus Christ to take the punishment for your sins. You are of great value. Jesus loves you and He is just a prayer away! 

“Truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do. And he will do even greater works than these, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” John 14:12-14 CSBJesus is speaking to his disciples after the Passover Feast - the last supper - and he's telling them he's leaving but they can't follow him yet. Thomas says, “We don't know where you are going? How can we know the way?” John 14:5Jesus, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. If you know me, you will also know my father. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” John 14:6Jesus, “The words I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who lives in me does His works. Believe me that I am in the father and the father is in me. Otherwise, believe because of the works themselves.” John 14:10-11“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”Philippians 2:5-8(ESV)All that Jesus did, God did through him. Jesus is telling us that we have access to the Father through Him, and in Him we can do greater works than even Jesus did. Do you feel qualified? God Qualifies the Called“God does not call the qualified. He qualifies the called.” Mark Batterson, The Circle Maker: Praying Circles Around Your Biggest Dreams and Greatest FearsWe see this throughout scripture. Here are just a few examples: Joseph - A despised younger brother sold into slavery then imprisoned. Genesis 37, 39 God helps him interpret dreams - saves his family and Egypt from a famine. Gen. 39, 41Moses - Not eloquent, slow of speech and tongue - killed someone Exodus 4:10-12 2:1-12 God calls him to lead the people out of Egypt. Exodus 3:10-12David - A shepherd boy and the youngest son. 1 Samuel 16:11 God gives him strength and courage to kill a giant - becomes King 1 Samuel 17:45-47The First Disciples - Fishermen, a tax collector, other unspecified jobs - Matt. 3:18-21 Jesus calls them to be fishers of men. Matthew 4:19 Jesus commissions them to make disciples of all nations. Matt. 28:16-20 Jesus sends them to preach, to have authority to cast out demons. Mark 3:14-15Saul/Paul - Persecuted early Christians and tried to destroy the church Gal. 1:13 Preaches that Jesus is the Son of God and spreads the gospel to gentiles Acts 9:20 Romans 3:23 NIV “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” God Qualified Peter to do the Miraculous Fisherman turned disciple - Matt. 4:18-20Walked on water - Matt. 14:28-31Renamed Peter (Rock) from Simon - John 1:42 Matt. 16:18Confesses Jesus is the Messiah - Matt. 16:18Rebuked Jesus and was corrected - Matt. 16:21-23 Saw Jesus Transfigured - Matt. 17:1-5Cut off the servant's ear - John 18:10Denied knowing Jesus 3 times - Matt. 26:69–75, Mark 14:66–72, Luke 22:55–62, and John 18:15-27Restored by Jesus (Feed my sheep) - John 21:15-19-------------------------------- Preached at Pentecost- first sermon - 3,000 people come to believe - Acts 2 Healed a lame man - Acts 3:1-10Preached in Solomon's Colonnade - second sermon - 5,000 believe - Acts 3:11- Acts 4:4Arrested and testified about Jesus before the Sanhedrin - Acts 4:1-22 Judgment resulting in death of Ananias and Sapphira - Acts 5:1-10Healed the sick and those with “unclean spirits” - Acts 5:12-16Arrested, put on trial and flogged - Acts 5:17-42Healed a paralyzed man, Aeneas - Acts 9:32-35Raised Tabitha (Dorcas) from the dead - Acts 9:36-43Received a vision, then defended the gospel being for Gentiles too- Acts 10 - Acts 11:18 Imprisoned again then rescued by an angel - Acts 12:1-18 Writes 1 & 2 Peter Crucified around 66 yrs. OldNotes From Time Before Jesus Ascended: During his time as a disciple of Jesus, Peter saw many miracles and experienced some directly - walking on water - coin in the fish's mouth - mother-in-law healed. Disciples were given authority to heal and cast out demons. Matt. 10, Luke 9Reasonable to think Peter had done miracles while Jesus was alive too. The specific miracles Peter does begin in Acts, after the resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Notes About Peter's Specific Miracles First sermon: after the Holy Spirit descended upon them and they started speaking in different tongues. Some sneered and tried to say they were drunk. Peter spoke up and and rebuke them and gave his first sermon. Takes a lot to speak in front of a large group. Jerry Sinfield joke: people would rather be the one in the coffin than giving the eulogy. 3,000 people were baptized after his message! Healed a lame man: A man who couldn't walk since birth was carried to the temple so he could beg as people came by. Peter and John walked by and he asked them for money. Peter said, “I don't have silver or gold but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk! Then, taking him by the right hand he raised him up, and at once his feet and ankles became strong.” Acts 3:6-7 Peter was doing as Jesus did! BY FAITH: Acts 3:16 Peter tells the people, “By faith in his name, his name has made this man strong…” Judgment resulting in death of Ananias and Sapphira: Acts 5:1-10Ananias and his wife Sapphira sold some property but decided to keep some for themselves. Shows Peter had supernatural knowledge of the actual amount Ananias and Sapphira sold their property for. When Ananias came in and lied to the Holy Spirit he died. After Sapphira came in and lied about the amount too, Peter prophesied she would die too. Healed the sick and those with “unclean spirits”: Acts 5:12-16Many signs and wonders were being done among the people through the hands of the apostles. They were all together in Solomon's Colonnade. 13 No one else dared to join them, but the people spoke well of them. 14 Believers were added to the Lord in increasing numbers—multitudes of both men and women. 15 As a result, they would carry the sick out into the streets and lay them on cots and mats so that when Peter came by, at least his shadow might fall on some of them. 16 In addition, a multitude came together from the towns surrounding Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed.Healing Aeneas a paralyzed and bedridden man of 8 years.Acts 9:34 “Peter said to him, “Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and make your bed, and immediately he got up.” Raised Tabitha (Dorcas) from the dead! Dorcas was a disciple - a follower of Jesus She became sick and diedTwo other disciples went and got Peter who was in a nearby town.He sent everyone out of the room. He knelt, prayed and told her to get up! Peter went from being a fisherman to a fisher of men! Jesus called Peter and Peter followed him until the day Peter died around 66 years old. God Calls Us to Follow Him And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19 "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me" Luke 9:23, Matthew 16:24 "Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" John 8:12 "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me" John 10:27 "If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also" John 12:26 Notes: Peter started off as a fisherman. He was called to follow Jesus and he did.Through walking and talking with Jesus and watching and listening, Peter learned who Jesus was. After 3 years, it didn't stop him from making mistakes. Called out many times He kept believing and learning and growing. He kept followingAfter Jesus ascended into Heaven and the disciples were in the upper room, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and then Peter started to lead.Do as Jesus did! Matthew 28:19-20 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and of the son and of the holy spirit teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember I am with you always to the end of the age.” We've been commissioned to go out into the world to do miraculous things. Leading people into the fullness of forgiveness and redemption and who they are called to be in Christ is no less than miraculous! Jesus dying, defeating death, and redeeming us from our sins is a miracle! The fullness of that miracle won't fully be realized until we die but there is nothing more miraculous than being made clean and living with our creator. God Equips Us With different gifts Romans 12:6-8 Prophesying, Serving, Teaching, Encouraging, Giving, Leading, Showing Mercy“We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully”Through the Holy Spirit 1 Corinthians 12:7-11A message of wisdom, a message of knowledge, faith, gifts of healing, miraculous powers, prophecy, distinguishing between spirits, speaking in tongues, interpreting tongues“Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.”Through the grace given to us through Jesus 2 Timothy 1:9-10“…not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace….”“He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, 10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.”With qualities that keep us from being unfruitful 2 Peter 1:3-8 Faith, Goodness, Self-Control, Endurance, Godliness, Brotherly Affection, Love“His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4 By these he has given us very great and precious promises, so that through them you may share in the divine nature, escaping the corruption that is in the world because of evil desire. 5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge, 6 knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with godliness, 7 godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 8 For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being useless or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”John 15:1-8 Jesus is the vine and we are the branches. Those who remain in him will produce much fruit, because we can do nothing without him. Romans 8:11 “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, then he who raised Christ from the dead will also bring your mortal bodies to life through his Spirit who lives in you.”If the Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you - (Romans 8:11) then you don't have to do this in your own strength. You have the strength of God with you. No matter how strong you are on your own, you are not strong enough without the power of God living inside you. He's given us everything we need to live for Him! God is calling you to follow Him! As you step out in faith and obedience, he equips you with what you need and qualifies you for what he calls you to do. Acts 4:13 NIV - When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.

Remember God loves you so much he sent his Son Jesus Christ to take the punishment for your sins. You are of great value. Jesus loves you and He is just a prayer away! 

How can we encourage our husband's leadership in our homes? In this episode, Doug joins me for an honest conversation about spiritual leadership in the home. We talk about how wives can strengthen their husbands through prayer, encouragement, respect, and trusting God's sovereignty. We walk through nine practical ways to build up leadership in our homes and remind ourselves that Jesus Christ is the true Head of our home. Obedience in the small, everyday moments really does strengthen a marriage — and we hope this episode encourages you in yours. Head over to ThankfulHomemaker.com for full show notes on all the links and resources mentioned in today's episode.  Homemaking Matters: Living for God's Glory in the Ordinary Marriage Series on the Podcast & Blog Submission Posts & Podcasts 40-Week Husband Encouragement (Free PDF for Wives) EP 179: Encouraging Your Husband: Biblical Wisdom for Building Him Up with Grace Common Struggles Wives Face in Encouraging Their Husband's Leadership RESOURCES: Join Thankful Homemaker for access to the Free Library of Resources Follow ThankfulHomemaker on Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest & Instagram Join the Thankful Homemaker Facebook Group Subscribe to the Podcast on Your Favorite App  Online Courses & Printables Thankful Homemaker Merchandise Buy Marci a Cup of Coffee xo     

ITB's Eagles beat reporter Andrew DiCecco gives his insights from covering the Eagles on a daily basis.In this episode, he goes inside developments on the Birds' O-line, with Lane Johnson and Landon Dickerson expected to return in 2026.► Subscribe to our Patreon Channel for exclusive information not seen or heard anywhere else and become among smartest Birds fans out there (just ask our members!!) + get all of our shows commercial free!!https://www.patreon.com/insidethebirds► Sign up for our newsletter! • Visit http://eepurl.com/hZU4_n.►Support our sponsors!!► Simpli Safe Home Alert System: https://simplisafe.com/BIRDS for 60% OFF!► Camden Apothecary: https://camdenapothecary.com/► Soul Out of Office Gummies: https://getsoul.com. Use Promo Code: BIRDS for 30% off► Sky Motor Cars: https://www.skymotorcars.com/► Download Cash App Today: https://cash.app/ Use code SECURE10 and send $5 to a friend to earn $10.Follow the Hosts!► Follow our Podcast on Twitter: https://twitter.com/InsideBirds► Follow Geoff Mosher on Twitter: https://twitter.com/geoffpmosher► Follow Adam Caplan on Twitter: https://twitter.com/caplannfl► Follow Andrew DiCecco on Twitter: https://twitter.com/andrewdiceccoNFL insider veterans take an in-depth look that no other show can offer! Be sure to subscribe to stay up to date with the latest news, rumors, and discussions.For more, be sure to check out our official website: https://www.insidethebirds.com.

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comSally is a journalist, columnist, TV commentator, author, wife to Ben Bradlee, and legendary DC hostess. Who better to talk to about the implosion of The Washington Post? She also founded the Post's religion website, “On Faith.” She's the author of six books, including the spiritual memoir Finding Magic, and We're Going to Make You a Star — about her time at “CBS Morning News.” Her latest novel is Silent Retreat, and she's now working on a memoir called Never Invite Sally Quinn. Her energy at 84 is, well, humbling. We had a blast.For two clips of our convo — on Sally's initial impression of Bezos, and the time Bill Clinton called her the b-word — head to our YouTube page.Other topics: born in Savannah, GA, and learning voodoo as a kid; moving as an Army brat; her general dad who captured Göring and helped create the CIA; at Smith College wanting to be an actress; rebelling against Vietnam and the wishes of her dad by marrying Bradlee; the Georgetown party circuit and how it's grown more partisan; throwing a pajama party for Goldwater; dating Hunter S. Thompson; Watergate and Woodstein; the Grahams; Tom Stoppard; Hitchens; Howell Raines; Newt's revolution; Bill's womanizing; Hillary defending her cheater; the Monica frenzy; Obama rising on merit; Barack the introvert; Jerry Brown; the catastrophe of Biden running in 2024; Dr. Jill's complicity and cruelty; Jon Meacham; Maureen Dowd; David Ignatius; Bradlee's dementia; declining trust in journalism; Bezos nixing the Harris endorsement; his life with Lauren Sanchez; sucking up to Trump; the Will Lewis debacle; Sally's spiritual life; silent retreats; Zen meditation; the humor in Buddhism; the denial of death; debating the the Golden Rule; children in Gaza; and the need more than ever for in-person gatherings.Browse the Dishcast archive for an episode you might enjoy. Coming up: Jeffrey Toobin on the pardon power, Michael Pollan on consciousness, Derek Thompson on abundance, Matt Goodwin on the UK political earthquake, Jonah Goldberg on the state of conservatism, Tom Holland on the Christian roots of liberalism, Tiffany Jenkins on privacy, Adrian Wooldridge on “the lost genius of liberalism,” and Kathryn Paige Harden on the genetics of vice. As always, please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com. A listener writes:Thanks for all these good episodes. Is Vivek still planning to be a guest soon? I have been looking forward to that episode.He got cold feet. Too bad. On the other hand, I tend to avoid active politicians. Because they're rarely as candid as I'd like a guest to be. Oh well.A fan of last week's pod who lives near Atlanta writes, “The longtime Dishheads on the Mableton cul-de-sac definitely approve of your interview with homegrown talent Zaid Jilani”:I agree with his description of Mableton as a bit like the United Nations; I see that diversity in our grocery stores and local restaurants. He mentioned how he was often the only Pakistani and thus perceived as a nonthreatening minority. It makes me wonder how much the diversity mix affects how people perceive immigration? If a large group from one country arrives, does that seem more like an invasion? If a similar number arrives but from a wide range of locations, does that seem more like the normal American melting pot?After 30 years of living in Mableton, this may partly explain why I am not bothered by immigration in the way that you are, Andrew. I expect to see and hear all sorts of people wherever I go in my neighborhood. Today the teller at the bank spoke accented English. There are regular clerks at my grocery store who are immigrants. Our new HVAC was installed by immigrants. As an Atlanta suburb, there are many people descended from African slaves. European ancestry is merely one possibility off the long colorful menu around here.I think pace and numbers matter. A slower pace and fewer — with no massive homogenous populations arriving at once. And a new emphasis on Americanization over “multiculturalism”.From a listener who wants to “Make Democrats Great Again”:Great conversation with Zaid Jilani last week. I am very concerned that hardly any Democrats are being at all introspective, trying to figure out where they went wrong and how to become a party that can actually win elections — maybe even hearts and minds. They are only defined as anti-Trump, and their only hope is for Trump to go down in flames — which he very well might, but all they aspire to is winning as the least-worst party.The policy directions for reclaiming sanity and moderate voters are obvious (to me, at least). Here are my top three issues:1. AffordabilityThe longest lever to affect affordability is housing. Democrats have been complete failures in this regard, with strongholds like California and NYC being the least affordable places. When they talk about “affordable housing,” they only mean housing that is forced below market rate for the few poor people lucky enough to get it. They offer no solutions for the middle class or young people.The solution is obvious: build more. Plough through the various restrictions that are preventing housing from being built. There is no reason housing can't be cheap, except for NIMBY politics. Scott Weiner in California has been doing great work on this.Health care is the second-longest affordability lever. Obamacare made some progress, but not nearly enough, especially in terms of keeping costs down. But I'm not sure we're ready for another push on this; I say focus on housing.2. ImmigrationObviously there should be some immigration, and obviously we have structured our economy such that many jobs are only done by immigrants. But the Democrats' policy of simply not enforcing immigration law is untenable, especially for a group asking to be put in charge of law enforcement. We need those migrant workers, so find a way for them be here legally. Not through amnesty, but through some sort of bureaucratic process: have the employers fill out a form; have the prospective worker fill out a form in some office in Mexico; have someone process the form; and give them a green card.This is simple stuff! And yes, it would be helpful to admit that open borders, sanctuary cities, and subverting the law were not good ideas.3. CultureEnd wokeness. America is not a country consumed by white supremacy, and the people who voted for Trump are not racists. There are hardly any racists! And drop the other insanities, like the trans stuff.The message needs to be, “We are the Democrats and we want to help anybody from any state who needs help.” Hard to convince struggling white people in the South that you're going to help them when you seem to despise them. Love your brother, for crying out loud. And naturally, today's woke Democrats would be much more accepting of this message if it came from a racial minority candidate.Another wanted to hear more:I wish you had asked Zaid about Josh Shapiro. Also, when Zaid talked about affordability, he never mentioned housing — which is why there are so many ex-Californians in his home state of Georgia and elsewhere. “Build Baby Build” should be the slogan of the Democratic Party, rather than gaslighting Americans into believing housing prices will come down because we are getting rid of immigrants (Vance).Here's a dissent:About 20:30 into your interview with Zaid Jilani, he said that the root of all the Abrahamic faiths is that the meek have rights. You replied that this applied more to Christianity and Islam than to Judaism. I say this neither rhetorically nor to admonish you, but how much do you know about Judaism? Your comment is completely mistaken. Just what do you think Judaism says about the meek?Another has examples:In Genesis, you find that all humans were created b'tzelem Elohim (in the image of God). Moreover, Jewish texts consistently frame care for the poor as a legal obligation and moral imperative, not mere charity. Every Jewish child learns that promoting economic justice is mandated. It is called tzedakah.This religious mandate has manifested itself in the real world. Jews have been disproportionately represented in social justice movements aimed at promoting human equality. It wasn't an accident that two of three civil rights movement activists murdered in Neshoba County, Mississippi by the Ku Klux Klan were Jewish.Points taken. Big generalizations in a chat can be dumb. My quarrel may be semantic: the meek is not merely the weak. It's about the quiet people, those easily trampled upon. Like many of Jesus' innovations, it takes a Jewish idea further.Another listener on the Zaid pod:I wonder if you ever play the game of “which time would you like to go back to”? I do! And only half-jokingly, I often say 1994 in DC. Something about, for example, Christopher Hitchens on CSPAN in a dreary suit jacket discussing such *trivial* aspects of politics in a serious way. How perfect! When I listened to your episode with Zaid Jilani about how the left can win, it seemed dated to about this period in the early ‘90s.Ah yes, the Nineties. They were heady times and I think we all kinda realized it at the time. The economy was booming, crime was plummeting, Annie Leibovitz took my picture, and we had the luxury of an impeachment over a b*****b. Good times.On another episode, a listener says I have a “rose-colored view of President Obama”:In your conversation with Jason Willick, you said that Obama was a stickler for proper procedure and doing things the right way. I might instance, on the other side:* Evading the constitutional requirements on treaties in pursuit of the Iran deal (an evasion that the Republicans were stupid enough to go along with)* Encouraging the regulatory gambit of “sue and settle”* The “Dear Colleague” letter* “I've got a pen and a phone”Points taken. Especially the DACA move. But compared to Biden and Trump? Much better. One more listener email:I've been following you for years, but more recently I became a subscriber, and it's a decision I don't regret! I usually listen to the Dishcast over the weekend, and I always find it extremely stimulating, but there is also something relaxing about the length and scope of your conversations.I want to respond to something you said in your Claire Berlinski episode on the subject of Ukraine. Although I appreciate your position in defence of international law, you implied that Russia's claim to Ukrainian land is somehow “historically legitimate.” This is not only problematic from a logical standpoint (does Sweden have a historically legitimate claim to Finland and Norway, or does the UK have a claim to the Republic of Ireland, the US, and all its former colonies?), but also not based on historical reality.Unfortunately, this is not the first time your comments on Ukraine seem come through the prism of a Russian lens. I am sure it's not intentional; perhaps that's not a subject you have invested much time in, which is legitimate. However, I find it a bit surprising that, as we approach the fifth year of Russia's full-scale invasion, you still don't seem to have had the curiosity to explore this and invite any specialist on Ukraine. If Timothy Snyder is too political these days, I would recommend Serhii Plokhy — possibly the most eminent historian of Ukraine — or Yaroslav Hrytsak. They would each be a very interesting conversation.The Dishcast has featured many guests with expertise on the Ukraine war, including Anne Applebaum (twice), John Mearsheimer, Samuel Ramani (twice), Edward Luttwak, Fiona Hill (twice), Robert Wright, Robert Kaplan, Fareed Zakaria, Douglas Murray, Edward Luce, and Niall Ferguson.A reader responds to last week's column, “The President Of The 0.00001 Percent”:Like you, I'm not against people getting rich. A lot of good is done by a few people who have enough money to seed research and the arts, and pursue things that ordinary worker bees would never have the margin of time or resources to pursue. Good so far.But all strong forces need regulation and/or protective barriers, whether it's the weather, sex, patriotism, or capitalism. What's going on now is obscene. Progressive taxation is a social good: it doesn't stop anyone from getting richer and richer; it doesn't remove the positive motivators for success; it just means that the farther they get, the higher their proportionate contribution to the system that lets them get there. There are various ways to tweak the dials, but there is nothing philosophically wrong with tweaking them in a way the sets some outer limit. Let it be very high, but let it not be infinite.Here's a familiar dissent:You were right to torch the nihilism of the .00001 class. You were right to call out moral evasions. But when you referred to “the IDF's massacre of children in Gaza,” you collapsed a morally and legally distinct reality into a slogan. Words matter. “Massacre” implies intent. It suggests that the deliberate killing of children is policy rather than tragic consequence. That is a serious charge, and it deserves serious evidence.The governing reality in Gaza is not that Israel woke up one morning and decided to target children.

The panel starts out by discussing a major deal for Apple TV and what it could mean for their content ambitions. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Jeff Gamet, Jim Rea, Web Bixby, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Eric Bolden, Marty Jencius, Mark Fuccio, and Norbert Frassa debate encryption initiatives, comparing Signal and Messages security, including open source, metadata, and device safety considerations. The session wraps with commentary on the apparent abandonment of about 8K TVs due to cost, lack of content, and limited real-world viewing benefits.  This edition of MacVoices is brought to you by the MacVoices Dispatch, our weekly newsletter that keeps you up-to-date on any and all MacVoices-related information. Subscribe today and don't miss a thing. Show Notes: Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and show context 12:00 Discussion of Hollywood trends and feel-good films 24:00 Messaging security debate: Signal vs. iMessage 36:00 Rise of decentralized social platforms 48:00 Weekly tech coverage across related shows 54:00 Wrap-up and social media presence Links: Apple TV may have found its Game of Thrones https://www.applemust.com/apple-tv-may-have-found-its-game-of-thrones/ Electronic Frontier Foundation wants tech companies like Apple to ‘Encrypt It Already' https://appleworld.today/2026/01/electronic-frontier-foundation-wants-tech-companies-like-apple-to-encrypt-it-already Everybody Has Something To Hide by Guy Kawasaki https://amzn.to/4atZG7i The TV industry finally concedes that the future may not be in 8K https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/01/lg-joins-the-rest-of-the-world-accepts-that-people-dont-want-8k-tvs/ Comcast keeps losing customers despite price guarantee and unlimited data https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/01/comcast-keeps-losing-customers-despite-price-guarantee-and-unlimited-data/ Guests: Web Bixby has been in the insurance business for 40 years and has been an Apple user for longer than that.You can catch up with him on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, but prefers Bluesky. Eric Bolden is into macOS, plants, sci-fi, food, and is a rural internet supporter. You can connect with him on Twitter, by email at embolden@mac.com, on Mastodon at @eabolden@techhub.social, on his blog, Trending At Work, and as co-host on The Vision ProFiles podcast. Brian Flanigan-Arthurs is an educator with a passion for providing results-driven, innovative learning strategies for all students, but particularly those who are at-risk. He is also a tech enthusiast who has a particular affinity for Apple since he first used the Apple IIGS as a student. You can contact Brian on twitter as @brian8944. He also recently opened a Mastodon account at @brian8944@mastodon.cloud. Norbert Frassa is a technology “man about town”. Follow him on Twitter and see what he's up to. Mark Fuccio is actively involved in high tech startup companies, both as a principle at piqsure.com, or as a marketing advisor through his consulting practice Tactics Sells High Tech, Inc. Mark was a proud investor in Microsoft from the mid-1990's selling in mid 2000, and hopes one day that MSFT will be again an attractive investment. You can contact Mark through Twitter, LinkedIn, or on Mastodon. Jeff Gamet is a technology blogger, podcaster, author, and public speaker. Previously, he was The Mac Observer's Managing Editor, and the TextExpander Evangelist for Smile. He has presented at Macworld Expo, RSA Conference, several WordCamp events, along with many other conferences. You can find him on several podcasts such as The Mac Show, The Big Show, MacVoices, Mac OS Ken, This Week in iOS, and more. Jeff is easy to find on social media as @jgamet on Twitter and Instagram, jeffgamet on LinkedIn., @jgamet@mastodon.social on Mastodon, and on his YouTube Channel at YouTube.com/jgamet. David Ginsburg is the host of the weekly podcast In Touch With iOS where he discusses all things iOS, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch, and related technologies. He is an IT professional supporting Mac, iOS and Windows users. Visit his YouTube channel at https://youtube.com/daveg65 and find and follow him on Twitter @daveg65 and on Mastodon at @daveg65@mastodon.cloud. Dr. Marty Jencius has been an Associate Professor of Counseling at Kent State University since 2000. He has over 120 publications in books, chapters, journal articles, and others, along with 200 podcasts related to counseling, counselor education, and faculty life. His technology interest led him to develop the counseling profession ‘firsts,' including listservs, a web-based peer-reviewed journal, The Journal of Technology in Counseling, teaching and conferencing in virtual worlds as the founder of Counselor Education in Second Life, and podcast founder/producer of CounselorAudioSource.net and ThePodTalk.net. Currently, he produces a podcast about counseling and life questions, the Circular Firing Squad, and digital video interviews with legacies capturing the history of the counseling field. This is also co-host of The Vision ProFiles podcast. Generally, Marty is chasing the newest tech trends, which explains his interest in A.I. for teaching, research, and productivity. Marty is an active presenter and past president of the NorthEast Ohio Apple Corp (NEOAC). Jim Rea built his own computer from scratch in 1975, started programming in 1977, and has been an independent Mac developer continuously since 1984. He is the founder of ProVUE Development, and the author of Panorama X, ProVUE's ultra fast RAM based database software for the macOS platform. He's been a speaker at MacTech, MacWorld Expo and other industry conferences. Follow Jim at provue.com and via @provuejim@techhub.social on Mastodon. Support: Become a MacVoices Patron on Patreon      http://patreon.com/macvoices      Enjoy this episode? Make a one-time donation with PayPal Connect: Web:      http://macvoices.com Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/chuckjoiner      http://www.twitter.com/macvoices Mastodon:      https://mastodon.cloud/@chuckjoiner Facebook:      http://www.facebook.com/chuck.joiner MacVoices Page on Facebook:      http://www.facebook.com/macvoices/ MacVoices Group on Facebook:      http://www.facebook.com/groups/macvoice LinkedIn:      https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckjoiner/ Instagram:      https://www.instagram.com/chuckjoiner/ Subscribe:      Audio in iTunes      Video in iTunes      Subscribe manually via iTunes or any podcatcher: Audio: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesrss      Video: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesvideorss

The panel starts out by discussing a major deal for Apple TV and what it could mean for their content ambitions. Chuck Joiner, David Ginsburg, Jeff Gamet, Jim Rea, Web Bixby, Brian Flanigan-Arthurs, Eric Bolden, Marty Jencius, Mark Fuccio, and Norbert Frassa debate encryption initiatives, comparing Signal and Messages security, including open source, metadata, and device safety considerations. The session wraps with commentary on the apparent abandonment of about 8K TVs due to cost, lack of content, and limited real-world viewing benefits.  This edition of MacVoices is brought to you by the MacVoices Dispatch, our weekly newsletter that keeps you up-to-date on any and all MacVoices-related information. Subscribe today and don't miss a thing. Show Notes: Chapters: 00:00 Introduction and show context 12:00 Discussion of Hollywood trends and feel-good films 24:00 Messaging security debate: Signal vs. iMessage 36:00 Rise of decentralized social platforms 48:00 Weekly tech coverage across related shows 54:00 Wrap-up and social media presence Links: Apple TV may have found its Game of Thrones https://www.applemust.com/apple-tv-may-have-found-its-game-of-thrones/ Electronic Frontier Foundation wants tech companies like Apple to 'Encrypt It Already' https://appleworld.today/2026/01/electronic-frontier-foundation-wants-tech-companies-like-apple-to-encrypt-it-already Everybody Has Something To Hide by Guy Kawasaki https://amzn.to/4atZG7i The TV industry finally concedes that the future may not be in 8K https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2026/01/lg-joins-the-rest-of-the-world-accepts-that-people-dont-want-8k-tvs/ Comcast keeps losing customers despite price guarantee and unlimited data https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/01/comcast-keeps-losing-customers-despite-price-guarantee-and-unlimited-data/ Guests: Web Bixby has been in the insurance business for 40 years and has been an Apple user for longer than that.You can catch up with him on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, but prefers Bluesky. Eric Bolden is into macOS, plants, sci-fi, food, and is a rural internet supporter. You can connect with him on Twitter, by email at embolden@mac.com, on Mastodon at @eabolden@techhub.social, on his blog, Trending At Work, and as co-host on The Vision ProFiles podcast. Brian Flanigan-Arthurs is an educator with a passion for providing results-driven, innovative learning strategies for all students, but particularly those who are at-risk. He is also a tech enthusiast who has a particular affinity for Apple since he first used the Apple IIGS as a student. You can contact Brian on twitter as @brian8944. He also recently opened a Mastodon account at @brian8944@mastodon.cloud. Norbert Frassa is a technology "man about town". Follow him on Twitter and see what he's up to. Mark Fuccio is actively involved in high tech startup companies, both as a principle at piqsure.com, or as a marketing advisor through his consulting practice Tactics Sells High Tech, Inc. Mark was a proud investor in Microsoft from the mid-1990's selling in mid 2000, and hopes one day that MSFT will be again an attractive investment. You can contact Mark through Twitter, LinkedIn, or on Mastodon. Jeff Gamet is a technology blogger, podcaster, author, and public speaker. Previously, he was The Mac Observer's Managing Editor, and the TextExpander Evangelist for Smile. He has presented at Macworld Expo, RSA Conference, several WordCamp events, along with many other conferences. You can find him on several podcasts such as The Mac Show, The Big Show, MacVoices, Mac OS Ken, This Week in iOS, and more. Jeff is easy to find on social media as @jgamet on Twitter and Instagram, jeffgamet on LinkedIn., @jgamet@mastodon.social on Mastodon, and on his YouTube Channel at YouTube.com/jgamet. David Ginsburg is the host of the weekly podcast In Touch With iOS where he discusses all things iOS, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Apple Watch, and related technologies. He is an IT professional supporting Mac, iOS and Windows users. Visit his YouTube channel at https://youtube.com/daveg65 and find and follow him on Twitter @daveg65 and on Mastodon at @daveg65@mastodon.cloud. Dr. Marty Jencius has been an Associate Professor of Counseling at Kent State University since 2000. He has over 120 publications in books, chapters, journal articles, and others, along with 200 podcasts related to counseling, counselor education, and faculty life. His technology interest led him to develop the counseling profession 'firsts,' including listservs, a web-based peer-reviewed journal, The Journal of Technology in Counseling, teaching and conferencing in virtual worlds as the founder of Counselor Education in Second Life, and podcast founder/producer of CounselorAudioSource.net and ThePodTalk.net. Currently, he produces a podcast about counseling and life questions, the Circular Firing Squad, and digital video interviews with legacies capturing the history of the counseling field. This is also co-host of The Vision ProFiles podcast. Generally, Marty is chasing the newest tech trends, which explains his interest in A.I. for teaching, research, and productivity. Marty is an active presenter and past president of the NorthEast Ohio Apple Corp (NEOAC). Jim Rea built his own computer from scratch in 1975, started programming in 1977, and has been an independent Mac developer continuously since 1984. He is the founder of ProVUE Development, and the author of Panorama X, ProVUE's ultra fast RAM based database software for the macOS platform. He's been a speaker at MacTech, MacWorld Expo and other industry conferences. Follow Jim at provue.com and via @provuejim@techhub.social on Mastodon. Support:      Become a MacVoices Patron on Patreon      http://patreon.com/macvoices      Enjoy this episode? Make a one-time donation with PayPal Connect:      Web:      http://macvoices.com      Twitter:      http://www.twitter.com/chuckjoiner      http://www.twitter.com/macvoices      Mastodon:      https://mastodon.cloud/@chuckjoiner      Facebook:      http://www.facebook.com/chuck.joiner      MacVoices Page on Facebook:      http://www.facebook.com/macvoices/      MacVoices Group on Facebook:      http://www.facebook.com/groups/macvoice      LinkedIn:      https://www.linkedin.com/in/chuckjoiner/      Instagram:      https://www.instagram.com/chuckjoiner/ Subscribe:      Audio in iTunes      Video in iTunes      Subscribe manually via iTunes or any podcatcher:      Audio: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesrss      Video: http://www.macvoices.com/rss/macvoicesvideorss

Remember God loves you so much he sent his Son Jesus Christ to take the punishment for your sins. You are of great value. Jesus loves you and He is just a prayer away! 

Younger investors are reshaping the markets—from crypto and AI to ETFs and gaming. But with so many new platforms, trends, and voices competing for attention, how can believers invest wisely across generations?Matt Bell, Managing Editor at Sound Mind Investing, has been tracking these shifts closely, and he joins the show today to share his insights and highlight both what's changing and what remains timeless—especially when biblical wisdom guides our financial decisions.The Surge of Younger InvestorsSince 2020, millions of new investment accounts have been opened—many by Gen Z and millennials. In fact, a significant portion of today's investors entered the market during the early pandemic years, despite dramatic market volatility. Why? Several factors converged:Extra time at home during lockdownsStimulus payments and increased savingsCommission-free trading platformsSocial media influencers showcasing day tradingApps that made investing feel simple—even entertainingInstead of retreating when markets dropped, many younger investors leaned in.How Younger Investors Are Engaging the Market DifferentlyCompared to previous generations, younger investors tend to:Use mobile apps as their primary investment toolsExplore emerging sectors like crypto, AI, and fintechGet advice from social media and peers rather than advisorsTrade more frequentlyFavor ETFs over traditional mutual fundsETFs, in particular, appeal to younger investors because they trade like stocks, often have lower costs, and allow for more active participation.At the same time, themes like cryptocurrency, gaming-related funds, and sports gambling investments show the sharpest generational divide—drawing the most interest from the youngest investors.A Cultural Shift in InvestingInterest in newer asset classes isn't limited to younger investors anymore. Crypto, AI, and alternative investments are gaining traction across all age groups.Major developments—such as the approval of Bitcoin ETFs and growing conversations about private equity in retirement plans—signal that the investing culture is evolving rapidly.But rapid access can create risk.Availability and hype can outpace understanding. New investment options often carry complexity, and without careful research, investors may unknowingly take on risks they don't fully grasp.The Social Media EffectOne of the most defining features of today's investing landscape is the role of social media.Anyone can build a following and offer financial advice—even without credentials. In a crowded digital space, the loudest voices often gain the most attention, not necessarily the wisest ones.That's why discernment matters. Before acting on advice:Check credentialsEvaluate track recordsSeek multiple perspectivesCompare guidance against long-term principlesWise investing has always required counsel, patience, and humility—traits that don't trend easily online.The Opportunity of Starting YoungDespite the risks, the growing interest in investing among younger generations is largely positive.Time is one of the most powerful tools in investing. Starting early allows compounding to work over decades, creating opportunities for steady growth and long-term stability.Encouraging young investors to begin is wise. Helping them begin wisely is even more important.How Parents and Mentors Can Guide the Next GenerationFor parents, grandparents, and mentors, the goal isn't to criticize younger investors—it's to walk alongside them.Start by affirming their interest. Then introduce principles that shape a healthier approach:DiversificationLong-term thinkingWise counselProcess-driven investingOngoing learningThese conversations can help shift the focus from chasing trends to building a thoughtful strategy.Why Process Matters More Than TrendsIn fast-moving markets, a clear investment process becomes essential.Emotion—fear when markets fall and greed when they rise—is one of the greatest risks investors face. A disciplined strategy helps guard against impulsive decisions.For believers, process also reflects stewardship. The money we manage ultimately belongs to God, and our responsibility is to steward it wisely and intentionally.A thoughtful plan helps investors stay grounded when markets—and headlines—shift.Understanding What You OwnOne practical test of wise investing is simple: can you clearly explain what you own and why?If an investment can't be explained in plain language, it may not be fully understood. And stewardship requires understanding.Clarity leads to better decisions. It also protects against blindly following trends or hype.When Investing Starts to Feel Like GamblingModern platforms often blur the line between investing and entertainment. Frequent trading, instant feedback, and gamified interfaces can encourage short-term thinking.But Scripture points to a different path:Ecclesiastes 11:2 encourages diversification.Proverbs 21:5 praises steady, disciplined planning.1 Timothy 6:10 warns against the love of money and reckless pursuit of wealth.These principles emphasize patience, wisdom, and restraint—not speculation.What Never ChangesEvery generation invests differently. Technology evolves. Markets shift. New asset classes emerge.But God's principles for stewardship remain steady.Wise investing is not about chasing what's trending. It's about:Purpose over hypePatience over speedProcess over impulseFaithfulness over fear or greedWhen portfolios are shaped by those values, investing becomes more than a financial activity—it becomes an act of stewardship.And that's a strategy that transcends generations.On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:My husband is retiring next year and plans to roll his 401(k) into a Roth IRA. I also have a small 401(k). Can we combine our accounts? Also, I'm a retired teacher with a pension and a small 403(b). Would it make sense to withdraw the funds, invest them elsewhere, and give them to my sons?I'd like to set up a 529 plan for my new great-grandson. How does it work? Can I make his parents the owners or beneficiaries, and can other family members contribute if I make a one-time gift?Resources Mentioned:Faithful Steward: FaithFi's Quarterly Magazine (Become a FaithFi Partner)Sound Mind InvestingNot Your Father's Portfolio—A Generational Divide in Investment Preferences (Article by Matt Bell at SoundMindInvesting.com)SavingForCollege.comOur Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful StewardshipWisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on MoneyLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every workday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God's resources. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On today's Consumer Finance Monitor podcast, we are releasing an episode about a timely and wide-ranging discussion on one of the most significant and fastest-evolving developments in commercial finance: the rapid "consumerization" of small business lending law. In this episode, host Alan Kaplinsky welcomes Louis Caditz-Peck, Executive Director of the Responsible Business Lending Coalition (RBLC), for an in-depth conversation about the proliferation of state small business lending protection statutes, the policy debates driving them, and what they mean for lenders, fintechs, banks, and small business borrowers. From Self-Regulation to State Law: How We Got Here For decades, commercial lending operated under a fundamentally different regulatory framework than consumer credit. The prevailing assumption was that business borrowers were sophisticated, negotiated their transactions, and did not need standardized disclosures or suitability-type protections. That assumption has eroded. As Louis explains, since the financial crisis, and particularly with the growth of online and fintech lending, small business financing has changed dramatically. Community banks have pulled back. Non-bank online platforms have expanded. New products, including merchant cash advances and other revenue-based financing arrangements, have proliferated. At the same time, concerns have grown about: Opaque pricing structures Misleading "interest rate" representations Broker incentives that steer borrowers into higher-cost products Repeated refinancing of unaffordable obligations These concerns led to the development of the Small Business Borrower's Bill of Rights, a set of industry standards first launched in 2015 at the Aspen Institute by a coalition of lenders, small business groups, and nonprofit advocates. What began as a voluntary, self-regulatory effort quickly became a blueprint for legislation. California's SB 1235 in 2018 marked the first major small business truth-in-lending law. Since then, according to Louis, 19 small business financial protection laws have been enacted across multiple states, with California and New York leading the way. The "Consumerization" of Small Business Lending A central theme of the episode is whether we are witnessing the "consumerization" of small business lending. Many of the new state laws borrow heavily from consumer credit concepts, including: APR-style cost disclosures Total cost of financing disclosures Payment schedule requirements Prepayment and fee transparency Restrictions on certain contractual provisions Some states have layered on licensing or registration requirements for small business finance providers. Others incorporate or supplement state UDAP (unfair and deceptive acts and practices) standards, which may apply to certain business-to-business transactions as well as consumer transactions. The policy rationale is straightforward: many "Main Street" businesses are effectively sole proprietorships or closely-held operations without in-house finance or legal teams. Legislators increasingly view these borrowers as closer to consumers than to large corporations with treasury departments and inside or outside counsel. As Alan and Louis discuss, the regulatory shift raises serious operational and compliance challenges, particularly given the state-by-state patchwork of requirements. The Compliance Conundrum: Patchwork and Harmonization A recurring concern is whether the proliferation of state laws imposes disproportionate burdens on smaller lenders and startups, especially compared to large institutions with robust legal and compliance infrastructures. Louis emphasizes that RBLC has actively worked to promote interstate harmonization, particularly between California and New York. For example: Advocating for standardized disclosure forms that can be used in multiple states Aligning definitions and disclosure triggers Encouraging estimated APR calculations for revenue-based financing However, not all states have followed a harmonized approach. Some laws, particularly those focused narrowly on merchant cash advances, have created divergent requirements, complicating multi-state compliance. As Alan notes, the trend presents both risk and opportunity for lenders and their counsel. The regulatory environment is no longer static. Companies offering small business financing must assume that: Cost disclosures will likely be required in more states Registration or licensing may apply Enforcement risk—particularly under state UDAP statutes—will increase Section 1071 and Federal Uncertainty The episode also explores the role of the CFPB under Section 1071 of the Dodd-Frank Act, which requires data collection on small business lending to: 1.     Identify potential discrimination, and 2.     Assess whether certain markets are underserved. The CFPB finalized its 1071 rule in 2023 under then Director Rohit Chopra. Multiple legal challenges followed. Under the current administration, a notice of proposed rulemaking has sought to scale back and slow implementation. At the same time, the Federal Trade Commission has signaled an interest in using its enforcement authority to address unfair or deceptive acts or practices affecting small businesses—underscoring an intriguing tension within federal regulatory policy. As Louis observes, the debate is not simply about reducing or expanding government. It is about how government authority will be used and whether transparency and enforcement will be advanced through rulemaking, litigation, or state initiatives. Merchant Cash Advances and Revenue-Based Financing A particularly nuanced part of the discussion focuses on merchant cash advances (MCAs) and other sales-based financing products. These arrangements typically involve: An advance of funds in exchange for a fixed repayment amount Payments tied to a percentage of daily or periodic sales Variable duration depending on business performance RBLC's position, as Louis explains, is product neutral. The coalition does not advocate banning product categories or imposing rate caps. Instead, it focuses on responsible practices, including transparent pricing and assessment of ability to repay. Importantly, none of the major state lending protection laws impose interest rate caps. The emphasis is on disclosure and market transparency rather than price regulation. Who Is Covered—and Who Is Not? Most state small business truth-in-lending statutes apply to financing of $500,000 or less (with some variation, such as New York's $2.5 million threshold following gubernatorial revision). Coverage often includes: Closed-end loans Open-end lines of credit Sales-based financing/MCAs Factoring (in some states) Banks are generally exempt from these statutes, though non-bank "providers" presenting the offer of credit may still have disclosure obligations even in bank partnership models. As Alan highlights, this raises interesting competitive and policy questions about level playing fields across banks and non-banks. Looking Ahead to 2026 Both speakers agree: this trend is not going away. With significant percentages of small business owners reporting difficulty accessing affordable capital—and a substantial minority reporting harm from predatory practices—state legislators remain motivated to act. The key policy question is not whether regulation will expand, but how. Well-designed transparency frameworks can: Promote price competition Reward responsible innovation Improve borrower decision-making Poorly harmonized or overly rigid frameworks, however, risk increasing compliance costs and reducing credit availability. As Alan notes in his closing remarks, small business finance regulation is becoming a core area of growth for law firms and compliance professionals historically focused on consumer financial services. The line between consumer and commercial finance continues to blur.  Alan noted that the Consumer Financial Services Group which he founded and chaired for 25 years has counseled and represented small business lenders for decades. For lenders, fintechs, banks, and their advisors, understanding these developments is no longer optional—it is essential. Consumer Finance Monitor is hosted by Alan Kaplinsky, Senior Counsel at Ballard Spahr, and the founder and former chair of the firm's Consumer Financial Services Group. We encourage listeners to subscribe to the podcast on their preferred platform for weekly insights into developments in the consumer finance industry.

Remember God loves you so much he sent his Son Jesus Christ to take the punishment for your sins. You are of great value. Jesus loves you and He is just a prayer away! 

This episode is all about taking risks, not just as teachers, but also as something we can encourage in our students. To take risks and experiment can be liberating and extremely beneficial for learning. Our guest, Associate Professor Helen Marshall (School of Communication and Arts, The University of Queensland), shares with us how she fosters risk taking and a spirit of experimentation in her creative writing courses. 

Reflection on Preaching and Unworthiness Feeling unworthy to preach, considering the great men who have preached before. Feeling like “the least of the least.” Finding strength in God’s presence and help. Acknowledging dependence on God, stating, “It has to be God in it or nothing good will come out of it.” Requesting prayers due to feeling unwell and facing spiritual opposition. Experiencing difficulties in studying due to various distractions. Finding peace through God’s assurance: “I’ve got you. We can do this.” Focusing on magnifying God through testimony. Sharing personal testimony as a way to magnify God. Experiencing blessings from God for this approach. Testimony of Past Struggles and Salvation Having a tough life and experiencing bad things. Being raised in church with a preacher father, but still making wrong choices. Acknowledging that upbringing doesn’t guarantee salvation. Recognizing personal responsibility for choices. Experiencing a difficult breakup 25 years ago and seeking to fill a void. Turning to drugs and alcohol, which provided temporary relief but worsened problems. Facing dangerous situations and engaging in harmful behaviors. Having guns pulled, being stabbed, and experiencing jail time. Acknowledging having done “about every bad thing you can do.” Experiencing a turning point about a year ago when God intervened. Overdosing on drugs and being revived multiple times. Feeling death approaching and hearing a voice offering a choice between God and goodbye. Promising to live for God if given another chance. Waking up in the hospital without withdrawal symptoms or cravings. Experiencing no withdrawal symptoms from heroin addiction. Having no desire to return to a former lifestyle. Being called to preach and share testimony. Seeking to share testimony in jail to prevent others from making similar mistakes. Expressing gratitude for God’s unwavering hold and protection. Believing that God maintains a “hedge of protection” even when one strays. Scripture Reading and Prayer Reading Proverbs 3:5-9 about trusting in the Lord, acknowledging Him, and honoring Him with substance. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thy own understanding.” “In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” “Honor the Lord with thy substance, and with the firstfruits of thine increase.” Offering a prayer for guidance and help in delivering God’s message. Feeling inadequate but acknowledging that “little is much when you’re in it, God.” Asking God to remove self and use Brother Dan to help others avoid a destructive path. Praying for God to anoint Brother Dan and use the message for His purpose. God’s Plan and Protection Reflecting on God’s goodness and protection even during times of sin. Recognizing God’s “shield of protection” during past sinful behavior. Believing God knew Brother Dan would return and live for Him. Emphasizing God’s plan for everyone and His ability to redirect those who stray. Referencing James 4:8: “Draw near to God and He’ll draw near to you. Submit yourselves to God and resist the devil and he’ll flee.” Highlighting the need for faith, trust, and reliance on God. Asserting that God is the answer to every problem, including drug addiction. Sharing personal experience as proof of God’s power to overcome addiction. Expressing gratitude for prayers offered during times of living in the world. Acknowledging the impact of prayers from family and others. Recognizing the importance of serving God fully and consistently. Feeling convicted about not always giving 100% to serving God. Emphasizing the need to serve God not only for oneself but also for loved ones and co-workers. Highlighting the importance of living a consistent Christian life. Recognizing that one may be the only “Bible” some people read. Promises of God and Personal Reliance Reading Psalm 91 about dwelling in God’s secret place and finding refuge. “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” “I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust.” Trusting in God more and experiencing positive changes. Noting that things work out when relying on God, unlike when living for the devil. Describing the deceptive nature of worldly temptations. Drugs initially seem good but ultimately lead to destruction. Emphasizing that God sees the whole picture and desires what is best. Recognizing that God’s plan may differ from personal desires but is ultimately better. Acknowledging God’s deliverance from the snare of the fowler. Expressing gratitude for being delivered from the devil’s grip. Realizing that personal stubbornness and the devil’s influence contributed to past struggles. Taking responsibility for past choices and acknowledging the importance of staying near God. Stating, “God didn’t put me there. I put myself there.” Highlighting the importance of being a doer of the word, not just a hearer. Referencing Hebrews on the importance of acting on what is heard. Overcoming Temptation and Sin Recognizing the tendency to be mentally absent during church services. Acknowledging the struggle with the “old flesh” that resists participation. Finding prayer as an escape route from temptation. Believing that God provides a way out of temptation. Understanding that sin separates us from God. Referencing Isaiah 59:1-2 about iniquities separating us from God. Emphasizing the importance of repentance and forgiveness. Recognizing that living in sin leads to missed blessings. Expressing gratitude for the Holy Spirit’s guidance and conviction. Appreciating the conscience that helps in making good decisions. Finding protection under God’s wings and truth as a shield. “He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.” Letting God Work and the Assurance of Salvation Recognizing that we often hinder God’s work due to worldly desires. Prioritizing work over church and making excuses to avoid serving God. Highlighting God’s care, guidance, and protection. Acknowledging God’s role in making crooked places straight. Sharing personal experiences of God’s faithfulness and protection. Recalling near-death experiences where God intervened. Emphasizing the importance of prayer and righteous living for the salvation of loved ones. Recognizing the power of prayer and its impact on daily life. Understanding that trials grow faith. Comparing trials to working out muscles at the gym. Expressing gratitude for God’s sacrifice and the promise of heaven. Knowing that God created heaven for everyone, even sinners. Reiterating that God will do anything for our betterment if we trust and believe. Encouraging everyone to have the assurance of salvation. Inviting those without assurance to seek guidance. Expressing hope that something said will be helpful. Acknowledging the message may be scattered but trusting God’s word will accomplish its purpose. Offering encouragement to those struggling with addiction or having loved ones who are. Believing that the same God who delivered Brother Dan can deliver others. Urging the church to focus on serving God and living righteously. Emphasizing the importance of speaking boldly about God.

In this special fireside chat, Shannon Jamail, Alison, and Erin pull back the curtain on the evolving energy of the Retreat Industry Forum — and why this year's attendee profile looks different than ever before. What started as a vision to elevate the retreat industry is quickly becoming a high-level gathering of experienced retreat leaders, business owners, venue operators, and industry professionals ready to scale smarter and connect strategically. The trio discusses: The shift toward seasoned retreat professionals attending Why the Forum is not a beginner workshop — it's a growth accelerator The power of investing in events (and the real ROI that follows) High-caliber speakers with proven track records The importance of treating retreats like a business Technology, AI, and SEO shaping the future of the industry The synergy and collaboration behind the Forum itself Early planning conversations for 2027 If you're serious about growing your retreat business and surrounding yourself with leaders who are playing at a higher level - this episode will show you why the Retreat Industry Forum is different. Key Takeaways The Retreat Industry Forum is attracting experienced, growth-focused retreat leaders. High-level networking creates exponential business returns. Investing in events often yields significantly higher ROI than expected. Professional standards matter — retreats must operate like businesses. AI, SEO, and technology are shaping the next phase of retreat visibility. Collaboration and in-person relationships accelerate opportunity. The Forum is about elevation — not entry-level learning.   The Retreat Leaders Podcast Resources and Links: Learn to Host Retreats Join our private Facebook Group Get your legal docs for retreats Join Shannon in Denver at the Retreat Industry Forum  Join our LinkedIn Group Apply to be a guest on our show Get Shannon's newest book : Retreat Business Marketing   Thanks for tuning into the Retreat Leaders Podcast. Remember to subscribe for more insightful episodes, and visit our website for additional resources. Let's create a vibrant retreat community together!   Subscribe:  Apple Podcast | Google Podcast | Spotify ------- TIMESTAMPS Fireside Chat Introduction (00:00:55) Shannon previews the fireside chat with Alison and Aaron about the upcoming Retreat Industry Forum in Denver. Forum Purpose & Audience (00:02:02) Discussion on the Retreat Industry Forum's focus on seasoned retreat professionals and what sets it apart from other events. Shift in Attendees & Market Gap (00:03:35) Noticing a shift toward experienced attendees and identifying the lack of advanced spaces for established retreat leaders. Value of Being an Attendee (00:07:15) Exploring the benefits of attending events as a participant versus as a speaker, including networking and business growth. Investment & Value Proposition (00:12:13) Emphasizing the importance of investing in high-quality events and the return on investment for attendees. Speaker Selection & Event Quality (00:13:05) Explaining the intentional recruitment and payment of expert speakers to ensure high-caliber content and credibility. Opportunities for Future Speakers (00:15:49) Clarifying the process for becoming a future speaker and the importance of first attending and engaging with the forum. Power of In-Person Collaboration (00:17:09) Sharing personal stories of how in-person investments and collaborations led to meaningful partnerships and growth. Commitment & Decision-Making (00:19:09) Discussing the necessity of decisive action and commitment to personal and professional growth through event participation. Synergy & Magic of Collaboration (00:22:12) Reflecting on the unique synergy among the hosts and the "magic" that emerges from curated, high-level gatherings. Diversity in the Retreat Industry (00:24:19) Highlighting the wide range of retreat types and the inclusive, non-gendered, and non-wellness-specific nature of the forum. Technology, AI, and Industry Evolution (00:25:10) Addressing the impact of AI, SEO, and technology on retreat business visibility and the need to adapt to new trends. Business Mindset in Retreats (00:28:59) Advocating for treating retreats as serious businesses, not just passion projects, and integrating standard business practices. Profit, Impact, and Industry Elevation (00:30:53) Encouraging profit as a means to greater impact, and challenging the stigma around making money in the retreat industry. Professionalism & Structure (00:31:55) Describing the forum's professional approach, honoring agreements, and the importance of structure and accountability. Networking & Attendee Caliber (00:33:54) Anticipating high-level networking and the value of relationships formed among experienced, successful attendees. Call to Action & Forum Expansion (00:35:04) Encouraging listeners to join, envisioning business growth, and announcing future forums in Paris and other locations. Podcast Closing (00:35:54) Shannon wraps up, inviting listeners to subscribe, review, and access free resources for retreat leaders.  

Chad opens the hour with two segments on a trio of topical and serious issues before Stephanie March of MSP Magazine joins to share about the Salt Cure fund she created and why tonight is the night we should all get out to support struggling local restaurants.

Show NotesKeywords: self-motivation, encouragement, faith, personal growth, discipline, spiritual maturity, inner strength, self-talk, goal setting, resilienceSummary: In this episode, Ms. G emphasizes the importance of self-motivation and encouraging oneself while maintaining a focus on God as the ultimate source of strength. She discusses the pitfalls of relying on external validation and offers practical steps for building inner strength and resilience. Through personal anecdotes and biblical references, she illustrates how self-encouragement can lead to spiritual and emotional maturity, urging listeners to celebrate small wins and stay consistent in their goals.TakeawaysStop relying on others for motivation.You have to learn how to motivate yourself.Encouraging yourself doesn't mean you become prideful.Discipline within yourself is a necessity.Celebrate your small wins.Comparison would kill your self-encouragement.Your confidence is rooted in something eternal.You don't need applause to be effective.The strongest encouragement is the truth you speak over yourself.Stay consistent even when no one is watching.Empower Yourself: The Journey to Self-MotivationFinding Strength Within: A Faith-Based ApproachSound Bites"Stop relying on others for motivation.""Celebrate your small wins.""You don't need applause to be effective."

Remember God loves you so much he sent his Son Jesus Christ to take the punishment for your sins. You are of great value. Jesus loves you and He is just a prayer away! 

Just because it's trending doesn't make it true. Cliches and platitudes abound, such as "you do you." "God never gives you more than you can handle." "You deserve to be happy!" This season, we will hold up trite sayings alongside truth. And because we are prone to wander and forget, we will give you an enCouraging phone screen saver with a daily reorienting truth to share here: https://women.pcacdm.org/just-because-its-trending/

Every writer faces this moment: staring at a bloated manuscript, knowing something has to go, but terrified of making the wrong call. The usual advice—"kill your darlings," "cut ruthlessly"—doesn't help. You need a way to see what's actually weighing your story down. This episode gives you a diagnostic framework that takes the guesswork out of what to leave in, what to leave out. Episode Web Page10 Questions First Time Novelists Ask, and Encouraging, Practical Answers to Help You Finish Your BookWant to join a community of like-minded writers? Need inspiration and support? Join us in our private Writer Unleashed Community Facebook Group. It's totally free to join.

Remember God loves you so much he sent his Son Jesus Christ to take the punishment for your sins. You are of great value. Jesus loves you and He is just a prayer away! 

Hi, friend! Thanks for joining me today on the podcast. The world invites us to work hard, achieve, and prove our worth – society kind of demands we do. The problem is, no one can tell us how much is enough. How many accomplishments or good deeds does it take to offset our blunders and bad days? We'll find the answer in Ephesians 2:8: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves; it is the gift of God.”

Hi, friend! Thanks for joining me today on the podcast. The world invites us to work hard, achieve, and prove our worth – society kind of demands we do. The problem is, no one can tell us how much is enough. How many accomplishments or good deeds does it take to offset our blunders and bad days? We'll find the answer in Ephesians 2:8: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves; it is the gift of God.”

Liverpool's form is improving and the numbers back it up. David Lynch analyses the Brighton win, Salah's resurgence, Szoboszlai's brilliance and whether Arne Slot's side are finally building real momentum. Encouraging signs are there, but consistency remains the ultimate test. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Episode #1097 How do you encourage your partner to grow… without making them feel like they're not enough? That's the question we're digging into in this episode A lot of men make this mistake. They start doing personal development. They feel better. They see the benefits. Then they turn to their wife and say, "You should do this too." What she hears is, "Something's wrong with you." And that's where the resistance starts. We talk about why pushing growth almost always backfires, and what actually works instead. It starts with being the example. Not in a holier-than-thou way. Not in a "I've figured it out" way. But in a grounded, consistent way where you just live it. When you're doing the work, sharing what you're learning, and applying it in your own life, it becomes contagious. We also get into the idea of judgment and the gap. The gap between where you are and where you think you or your partner should be. When you focus on that gap, it creates tension. When you own your own growth and detach from how it should look for them, things shift. This conversation is honest. I share examples from my own marriage, including times I tried to hand my wife the "right" book and it went nowhere. Not because she didn't care, but because it wasn't hers. Growth has to be chosen. You can't force it. If you want your partner to rise, rise first. Lead your home by who you are, not by what you tell her to fix. If you're ready to stop talking about growth and actually live it, get the free training on how to shift the scales in your marriage. It's direct, practical, and will show you what to focus on first. Go here and get the free training: https://fixmarriage.thepowerfulman.com/scales

Encouraging, realistic and engouraging investment talk with Dennis Kneale, former CNBC and Fox Business Host, managing editor at Forbes and writer at the Wall Street Journal. Dennis presents a look inside the world of financial journalism as only he can do! He also gives us a sneak peek at his upcoming book, Ore-goners!  This is a must listen for anyone interested in investing and the Amercan economy.  A refreshing alternative view point concerning the investing business in America.

Many high performers still stay in a cycle they created themselves. They look successful, but they are tired because they are the only ones doing the work.That is the difference between being an operator and being an owner. Operators do all the heavy lifting, and the moment they stop, the income stops.One reason this happens is that leaders always need to be helpful. It feels good to have the answers and to jump in and help a team member close a deal. But every time you do the work for someone else, you are stopping them from growing. You are teaching them to depend on you.In this Diamond Life Mentor Uncut episode, Balazs W Kardos shares how a leader transforms from being an operator to an owner through leadership strategies.You will hear powerful insights and motivation around:Encouraging self-reliance in your teamLeveraging team success without you operating 100%Shifting from operator to owner in network marketingCreating a safe environment for the team to empower growthBalazs wants you to teach your team how to apply what you've trained them in. When someone asks for help, encourage them to share what they have tried so far. This approach encourages team members to work towards solving their own problems before asking for help.In addition to the royalty model in network marketing, you share all your experience and insights with your team without holding back. This approach ensures that your success ties to theirs, and you earn when they succeed. This way, you generate income from your team's achievements without having to do all the work yourself.That's how you become the owner of the business with a team that lives the lifestyle you dreamed of."If you continue doing that very intentionally, your team will grow fast. They will start to really step out of their comfort zone and out of that shell." - Balazs W KardosStop doing all the work and start leading your team. Listen to Episode 157 of DLM Uncut: The Shift from Operator to Owner—available now on all platforms.

1. Super Bowl & Cultural Commentary The discussion opens with dismissive reactions to the Super Bowl halftime show, particularly focusing on Bad Bunny. The Celebrity political signaling is a cultural backlash as exaggerated or performative. Cultural change is being pushed by elites rather than organically embraced. 2. California Tax Policy Critique California’s tax system punishes high earners and visiting performers, especially athletes. Example cited: NFL player bonuses allegedly being taxed at levels exceeding the bonus itself due to “duty day” rules. California is economically self-destructive, encouraging talent and businesses to leave the state. Texas and other low-tax states are contrasted as more economically rational alternatives. 3. “Follow the Money” – DEI & Philanthropy Mellon funding is: Promoting DEI-focused hiring Encouraging identity-based academic disciplines Influencing faculty pipelines from undergraduate fellowships through tenure-track positions This funding results in racial discrimination, ideological conformity, and activist scholarship, rather than academic merit. 4. Transformation of Higher Education Universities are depicted as having shifted from traditional scholarship toward activist-driven ideologies. Fields like military history or classical studies are framed as marginalized, while intersectional or abolitionist studies are favored. Philanthropic foundations are blamed for reshaping academia without democratic accountability. 5. Political Activism & Protest Funding Anti-ICE protests are described as organized, rehearsed, and financially backed, not grassroots. Protesters allegedly admit to being paid, reinforcing the claim that activism is professionally funded. This is framed as evidence of manufactured dissent and coordinated political agitation. 6. Virginia Governance & Immigration Policy Virginia’s Democratic leadership is accused of: Cutting cooperation with ICE Releasing criminal undocumented immigrants Advancing aggressive redistricting reforms These actions are framed as an “assault on democracy” and a warning sign ahead of future elections. There is no longer a meaningful distinction between moderate and radical Democrats. Please Hit Subscribe to this podcast Right Now. Also Please Subscribe to the 47 Morning Update with Ben Ferguson and The Ben Ferguson Show Podcast Wherever You get You're Podcasts. And don't forget to follow the show on Social Media so you never miss a moment! Thanks for Listening YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VerdictwithTedCruz/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/verdictwithtedcruz X: https://x.com/tedcruz X: https://x.com/benfergusonshowYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@VerdictwithTedCruzSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hello, friend! I hope you're doing well. In today's Encouraging Word, we're taking a look at the first appearance of grace in Scripture, and you might be surprised where it shows up. But the message is unchanged: grace is not up to the one receiving it. It's up to the One giving it.

Don and Tom step away from pure investing talk to explore how AI, layoffs, and stagnant wages are reshaping career paths—especially for young people and midlife career changers. Drawing on a Wall Street Journal article, they make the case that skilled trades and blue-collar careers are increasingly attractive alternatives to vulnerable white-collar jobs. They discuss service advisor roles, union trades, and apprenticeship paths, then pivot to listener questions on Robinhood bonuses, switching to financial advising later in life, and the risks of moving from AVGE to AVGV. Throughout, they emphasize self-knowledge, discipline, and long-term thinking—whether choosing a career or building a portfolio. 0:04 Why this episode is about earning money, not just investing 0:31 Encouraging parents to rethink college-only career paths 1:15 AI, layoffs, and the shrinking white-collar job market 2:32 Crash Champions and the rise of service advisor careers 3:31 Don's dealership days and why he left the car business 5:12 Learning to drive stick shift the hard way 6:46 Apprenticeships, $60K starting pay, and growth potential 7:34 Work-life balance in blue-collar vs. white-collar jobs 8:36 Why contractors struggle with communication and planning 9:05 Demand for skilled trades and handyman services 9:47 Labor shortages: factory, construction, and auto techs 10:36 Demographics and the retirement of skilled workers 11:35 Pensions, unions, and taking responsibility for retirement 12:45 Finding yourself in your 20s and career experimentation 13:04 New Tales Told plug and early radio career story 14:23 Listener: Robinhood bonuses and disciplined investing 15:41 Why Robinhood encourages risky behavior 17:23 Listener: Becoming a financial advisor at 55 18:31 Barriers to entry and starting an independent RIA 19:14 Why people skills matter more than math skills 20:45 How AI will reshape the advisory profession 22:07 Shift from brokerage to fiduciary advising 23:18 Listener: Switching from AVGE to AVGV 24:47 Risk tolerance and fund volatility 26:31 Splitting funds and managing behavioral risk Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices