Podcasts about finding value

Send us a textSpaceCadets! Don't worry. I didn't demote you. I just needed a different intro. Keeping it fresh. Because today, we talk about how you can focus on the right things and maybe things won't suck as much as we think. Listen in and be grateful for The Manspace. Keywordsmarriage, communication, technology, gratitude, positivity, relationships, therapy, education, self-confidence, parentingTakeawaysHumor can be a powerful tool in parenting and relationships.Education and degrees can influence perceptions in therapy.Practicing gratitude can enhance overall well-being.Overthinking emotions can lead to unnecessary stress.Finding the good in relationships can improve connection.Adaptability is key to navigating life changes.Daily gratitude practices can shift your mindset.Positivity can be cultivated through intentional actions.Sound bites"You can learn this stuff.""Practice gratitude every day.""You have to do this every day."Chapters00:00 Navigating Relationships and Communication10:10 The Importance of Positive Thinking15:17 Recognizing Support in Relationships17:15 Embracing Change and Adaptability19:29 The Power of Positivity and Confidence23:54 Practicing Gratitude in Daily Life28:27 Finding Value in Relationships33:27 The Discipline of PositivitySpread the word! The Manspace is Rad!!

In this episode of The Reformed Brotherhood, Tony Arsenal and Jesse Schwamb dive deep into the intersection of pop culture, entertainment, and the Christian life. They explore how Christians can engage with leisure and media in a way that glorifies God, applying biblical principles like those found in 1 Corinthians 10:31 and Ecclesiastes 3. The hosts emphasize the importance of balancing Christian liberty and holiness, while also recognizing the practical role of rest and recreation in human flourishing. Through personal anecdotes and theological insights, they provide listeners with a framework for discerning entertainment choices, encouraging believers to enjoy God's good gifts without compromising their faith. Key Takeaways: Entertainment is a Gift from God: Leisure and entertainment, when approached rightly, are part of God's common grace meant to refresh and restore us. Biblical Principles for Consumption: 1 Corinthians 10:31 reminds Christians that all activities, including entertainment, should glorify God. If an activity cannot do so, it may be unlawful. Christian Liberty and Prudence: Decisions about pop culture often fall under the domain of Christian liberty, constrained by wisdom and prudence rather than legalistic rules. The Importance of Rest: Rest is not just about recharging for productivity; it is a God-given means of worship and human flourishing in its own right. Guarding Against Sinful Influences: Christians should be cautious of consuming media that promotes sin, as it can subtly shape their worldview and lead them astray. Personal Convictions and Context Matter: What is permissible for one believer may not be wise or beneficial for another, depending on individual struggles and contexts. Recreation Should Point Back to God: Whether through beauty, creativity, or storytelling, entertainment can lead Christians to worship God when consumed with discernment. Entertainment as a Gift from God Tony and Jesse emphasize that entertainment, when properly enjoyed, is a part of God's common grace. This means that activities like watching a movie, playing a video game, or reading a novel are not inherently sinful but can serve as vehicles for rest and refreshment. Drawing from Ecclesiastes 3, they highlight that God has ordained seasons for both work and rest. True rest, they argue, is not about escaping responsibilities but about enjoying God's gifts in ways that glorify Him and restore our energy to serve others. When approached with discernment, even "secular" forms of entertainment can reflect God's creativity and goodness. Applying Biblical Principles to Entertainment The hosts discuss how 1 Corinthians 10:31 provides a litmus test for media consumption: "Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." This principle challenges believers to ask whether their entertainment choices align with God's glory. For example, content that promotes or glamorizes sin—whether through violence, sexual immorality, or blasphemy—should give Christians pause. However, they also note that some depictions of sin in fiction can serve a redemptive purpose, such as illustrating the consequences of sin or the beauty of redemption. The key is to thoughtfully evaluate whether the media being consumed inclines the heart toward holiness or pulls it away from God. Christian Liberty and Prudence Tony and Jesse stress the importance of Christian liberty in deciding on entertainment choices, while cautioning against legalism. They explain that Christian liberty does not mean a license to sin but rather the freedom to make God-honoring decisions in areas where Scripture does not provide explicit commands. Prudence and wisdom must guide these decisions. For instance, a particular TV show or game may be permissible for one believer but harmful for another, depending on their personal struggles or circumstances. This underscores the need for self-awareness and reliance on the Holy Spirit to discern what is spiritually beneficial. Quotes: "Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. If we cannot glorify God in an activity, it's likely unlawful for us as Christians." – Jesse Schwamb "Recreation is not just about recharging for productivity; it has its own value in glorifying God and enjoying His good gifts." – Tony Arsenal "Every story worth telling reflects, in some way, the greatest story ever told: redemption through Christ." – Jesse Schwamb Full Transcript: [00:00:30] Introduction and Episode Overview [00:00:30] Jesse Schwamb: Welcome to episode 457 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse. [00:00:37] Tony Arsenal: And I'm Tony. And this is the podcast where sound doctrine meets brotherly love. Hey brother. [00:00:44] Jesse Schwamb: Hey brother. So we're in a whole series of little one-off conversations, all kinds of things that just pop into our head, or we've had on a list somewhere that we thought, you know what? [00:00:55] Jesse Schwamb: Someday we should talk about that. And I think we've got another great. Conversation coming up on this episode, we're gonna get into a little bit about how Christians should interact with and consume pop culture maybe, and especially things like entertainment. And I know that there are gonna be people out there thinking, wow, these guys are gonna do what reform people always do. [00:01:15] Jesse Schwamb: They're just gonna come out into their lawn, they're gonna shake their fists angrily at the sky, they're gonna yell at the birds. It might not be that way, loved ones, but you're gonna have to wait. We're gonna talk about it. It's gonna be good. We're gonna get after it. We all do it. Everybody loves a bit of a to consume pop culture. [00:01:31] Jesse Schwamb: Is it possible it might be somewhat of a gift that God has given us? Who knows? Maybe it is, maybe it's not, but we'll get to that. But first, let's affirm with or denying against something in the world. So what have you got for us on this episode, Tony? [00:01:45] Tony's Frustrating Customer Service Experience [00:01:45] Tony Arsenal: I'm gonna keep mine super short. It was a frustrating customer service experience, uh, that I had today. [00:01:52] Tony Arsenal: In general, I, I have, uh, Comcast or Xfinity Internet in general. I'm actually very pleased. Their service. Um, I, I actually find them to be responsive. Um, I've managed to get a decent price. I don't have Comcast television, so that's probably part of it. Um, but I, my cable modem. Slash router, which I've had, I don't know, probably for like eight years. [00:02:13] Tony Arsenal: Um, it finally died, so I bit the bullet and bought a brand new one. And those man, those things have gotten expensive and um, you know, it's supposed to be a super easy installation. You plug it in, you do the little thing on the app and it didn't work. So I had to connect with customer service through the app, and. [00:02:30] Tony Arsenal: It seemed like everything was going fine. And then all of a sudden I get a link in my text message and the lady who's chatting with me on the thing says, well just, just scroll down and click on where it says accept and then hit okay. And I was like, that seems sketchy. So I read it and she was, she had sent me a link to change my internet service. [00:02:51] Tony Arsenal: Uh, she was giving me a 90, an $80 promotional price for the first year. Uh, but then it went up to $140 after the first year. Wow. So I went back to the chat app and I said, I'm sorry, I, I must have miscommunicated something. I don't need to change my service. I just need to activate my modem. She said, oh, no, no, you're not changing your service. [00:03:11] Tony Arsenal: And I said, no, I, I definitely am. She goes, let me explain this to you. And she went through and tried, like, she went through and she's like, your speed is this and you're paying this. And I said, and I said, with all due respect, I'm not stupid. I can see that you're trying to change my service and I'm just not interested. [00:03:27] Tony Arsenal: And I had to fight with her for like 10 minutes before I finally said, just activate my modem, please. I'm not interested. Full stop. So I, I guess I'm just denying. I get, I get it. Like, you gotta try to upsell. I used to be in sales. I don't have any problem with you trying to upsell. I, I don't even necessarily have a problem with you trying to be clever and like, you know, intentional about how you upsell. [00:03:48] Tony Arsenal: Like there are ways that you can do that without being deceptive. This was just deceptive. So I'm not denying Comcast. I'm pleased with my service. I'm denying this particular person and this really just underhanded tactic. It was really, really upsetting. I mean, [00:04:02] Jesse Schwamb: there is nothing like good customer service, right? [00:04:04] Jesse Schwamb: I mean, the converse of that is what a blessing it is, and it's kind of a lesson to all of us and how we treat one another. That is whether we're providing the service or we ourselves are consuming it. It is just such a blessing. It's like so easy and so light when you get somebody who really wants to help you. [00:04:21] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah, for sure. And. You know, I would not have changed my service, but I can imagine that somebody who was looking and was interested, if she had just said straightforwardly, like your internet that you have is far slower than the modem that you're, you're installing, right? Um, we can get you a faster internet speed and give you a, a large discount for the first year. [00:04:42] Tony Arsenal: Are you interested in that? I think a good portion of people would just say yes. Even if they didn't think it through, they would just say, oh yeah, sure. Faster speed, less money. They, they wouldn't think it through. That's not deceptive. If you present an option, honestly, to a consumer and they take it and they didn't understand the terms, that's not deception. [00:04:58] Tony Arsenal: That's on them as the consumer for not thinking through what they're purchasing. This was just straight out, like, don't read it, just click on it, it's fine. Totally underhanded, deceptive. Um, and, and you know, I work in. Sort of a kind of customer service and I just can't imagine ever doing something that shady and calling it customer service. [00:05:15] Tony Arsenal: I was, I was very disappointed. [00:05:17] Jesse Schwamb: But I mean, everybody has customers, right? Yeah. Everybody has somebody they're responsible to, and everybody has people to whom they should be responsible in the kind of care. Whatever you provide to somebody, whether it's your family, it's in your church, it's in your job, so, right. [00:05:30] Jesse Schwamb: I like that. It's a good reminder because again, there's nothing like walking away from experience and being like, wow, that was so easy, or that person was so good to help me. Yeah. Or like they really got me to the end that I was looking for and they did it and I felt better afterwards than I did before I called. [00:05:43] Jesse Schwamb: That should be like our goal, like what does great look like in every interaction that we can have with somebody. [00:05:48] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Jesse, what are you affirming or denying tonight? [00:05:52] Jesse's Affirmation: The Plana App for Plant Care [00:05:52] Jesse Schwamb: I'm going back to the app. Well, and by that was a really weird saying of just, I'm gonna affirm with another app. So I really love a good house plant, but I'm no good at the house plants. [00:06:02] Jesse Schwamb: I really like the way they look. It's a lot of pressure with house plans. Maybe people feel this way. Maybe you've not purchased a house plant or been like, I can't be that person. So here's something that I can confirm with for you. Loved one, it's a app called Plana. It's a Swedish plant care app, and it's designed to help both like novice people like me and I guess really experienced plant owners keep their house and garden plants healthy, which I know sounds super boring, but hear me out on this. [00:06:27] Jesse Schwamb: This is what's cool about this. It offers smart, personalized care reminders for things like watering, fertilizing, misting, repotting, and it has all these things where if you, there's paid subscription for this as well, which I do not have, but I looked at all the options. There's some super cool things like you can use your phone to sense where your plan is sitting, how much light it's getting to really tell you, is this the right spot for my plant? [00:06:49] Jesse Schwamb: Because you know, like some plants are like, we need partial sunlight and partial shade and afternoon sun and direct sun, and you need to water me, but not too much and not so often, but just the right amount. It's a lot of pressure. So it's got all these fun features in it, including like an AI doctor. So you can take a look or a picture of your plant rather, and not only will it describe what plants you have, of course, but it will help you say like, Hey, this thing is not healthy. [00:07:08] Jesse Schwamb: Here's what you should do. So the plant app is, might be your foray into feeling more confident about having some greenery in your house. [00:07:16] Tony Arsenal: Yeah, I, um, I could kill a plastic plant. I could kill like a fake plant, uh, without trying, uh, but I might check this out. You, you've seen my, my home. You've been here? [00:07:26] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Um, my, my house is, it's a, a mobile home and so it's, it's just one long line and it's situated like almost directly east, west. So I get direct sunlight over the top of the house pretty much the entire day. And we have really beautiful, um. Violet cone plants and some other like lilies on one end of the house, um, that the previous owner planted. [00:07:46] Tony Arsenal: They're very beautiful, but um, they just get baked in the sun and there's gotta be something that can be done to sort of help them through this. Maybe it's more water or something like that. So maybe I'll check this out and see if that can help. 'cause they're not, they're not doing great. Um, they, they didn't bloom very well this year. [00:08:00] Tony Arsenal: Mm-hmm. And I'm, I'm wondering if it might be, I dunno, it's been kind of dry, um, this part of the year, more than usual, so I'll check that out. That sounds like a good recommendation. There's a couple of different apps. This one sounds good. [00:08:10] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, it's, there's certainly a lot of stuff that you can get free in it. [00:08:14] Jesse Schwamb: Of course, they want to upsell you like you just talked about. They're, no, no, they're no Comcast, but they definitely would like you to purchase all their other features, and I bet for the right person, it's totally worth it. But I feel so much more confident now. Mainly just the watering. If you surprised how like much pressure. [00:08:30] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah, like aloe plants and also I'm learning the names of my plants finally, which makes me feel more connected. This, this is, listen, this is like the app to help you take dominion in your house over house plants, which sounds like the lowest form of taking dominion, but honestly still shows how complex and complicated life can be and how God has made everything in this really wonderful way. [00:08:52] Jesse Schwamb: So I'm feeling more empowered to love my plants and to hopefully keep them growing. I was gonna say for generations, but I doubt that I'll be passing on links, plants for generations, but hopefully getting just lots more greenery into our living spaces, which is always super fun. [00:09:06] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. I, I, um, I would like to have more plants, but I just, with between toddlers and dogs and my ability to kill anything green that is in my home, uh, I don't think it would be good. [00:09:19] Tony Arsenal: That's your, your sister who is My wife does a good job with plants, but even the, yeah, she does, even, even that the plants die just because they're around me. I'm not sure what it is. I have like a, I hear it, listen, an aura of some sort that just kills plants. [00:09:32] Discussing Christians and Pop Culture [00:09:32] Jesse Schwamb: It's, it's difficult sometimes to grow in soil, which is, I, one of the things I presume Christians often feel like when they're in the culture and when, mm-hmm. [00:09:41] Jesse Schwamb: Do. Do you like that segue? We're so good with this. I do. And when you are consuming, let me say pop culture, or you find yourself in a place where you want entertainment and you want to rest, and I think if you're a Christian for any length of time, you start to ask yourself, okay, so what's my place in all of this? [00:09:59] Jesse Schwamb: And what's interesting when I thought about this topic, which you graciously put forward for us, was that I think several times we've mentioned kind of cultural things often in the affirmation and denial section. Yeah. Where we've. Maybe come hard alongside something and said, this seems good. And other times we've definitely said, this seems very, very bad. [00:10:17] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. But we've never really had just a pretty honest conversation about, okay, so how does the Christian discern, what is the Christian's role in making that discernment? And how can we, like our house plants grow and flourish in that kind of environment to such a degree that we are actually bearing fruit by the power of the Holy Spirit. [00:10:36] Jesse Schwamb: And yet, of course, separate. From that culture in which we still find ourselves. [00:10:41] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. And I, you know, I think it bears saying, um, much of popular culture, media, whatever it might be, a lot of it is going to be a matter of Christian prudence and liberty. And I think it's important to say that because I think, you know, we'll talk about, we'll probably talk about like principles we use to try to determine whether we, you know, individually or, or whatever. [00:11:04] Tony Arsenal: We're going to watch something or listen to something, but. The, the Bible doesn't say like thou shalt, and I'm gonna say this example, and it's a little bit ironic because this is actually a show that I think is pretty black and white. But it, it's not like the Bible says, thou shalt not watch Game of Thrones. [00:11:20] Tony Arsenal: Right. Um. Right. Like thou shalt not. Listen to, I don't know who the kids are listening to. Britney Spears like tells you when The last time I listened to popular music was, is Britney Spears is the name on my mind. But like thou shalt not listen to, I dunno, Paramore, I don't know name. Name your pop culture band. [00:11:37] Tony Arsenal: The Bible doesn't give us explicit instructions about specific bands. Movies, shows, insert, pop, you know, novels, whatever it might be. It does give us some wisdom principles. And then of course, there's God's moral law, uh, but even God's moral law does not. Necessarily apply directly to every pop culture choice we might make. [00:12:04] Tony Arsenal: So I'm sure Jesse and I don't have identical opinions. I'm gonna guess that our thoughts are probably pretty close just because, you know, we're influenced by the same people and we, we are running in the same broader theological circles, but they're probably not identical. There are probably things that Jesse would watch that I'd go, oh, I don't know if that's such a great thing for me. [00:12:22] Tony Arsenal: And there's probably things I would feel comfortable with that Jesse might say, eh, I'm not so sure about that. This is usually a matter of Christian liberty constrained by Christian prudence and wisdom. So before we get into any of the nitty gritty or any specific talk of anything particular, I wanna get that out there because yes, we have to be wise, we have to. [00:12:44] Tony Arsenal: Apply God's law, but we are not able to bind other people's conscience and you are not able to bind other people's conscience based on your own particular opinion about something or your own interpretation of how the Bible is to be applied to a particular decision. Um. You know, again, you can speak into a situation. [00:13:03] Tony Arsenal: You, especially if you have a relationship with someone, you can say, Hey, I don't think this is healthy. I don't think this is in conformity with God's law, but at the end of the day, that is between that Christian and God as to whether or not they are applying God's law appropriately and, and in to an extent, and to a great extent between them and their elders. [00:13:21] Tony Arsenal: Right? The elders have a, a different role of authority in a, in a Christian's life than other Christians do. And [00:13:27] Jesse Schwamb: it might be worth saying as we begin that we're kind of talking about this, I think in part because we all feel that pull to consume pop culture, and what I kind of teased at the beginning is this idea, is it possible that, I think we're really speaking about consuming that in a kind of a way of entertainment of like rest and relaxation. [00:13:45] Jesse Schwamb: Principally there. There are other reasons I think as well, and that might be to edify, to educate, but I think principally when we feel this compulsion to say, well, I like you, just give great examples. Listen to music, watch a sporting event, watch tv, read something fiction or nonfiction. I think what we're after there is this idea that we want to rest and that understanding that entertainment is a part of the rest that God intends for us to enjoy from our labors is by itself, full stop, a legitimate thing. [00:14:13] Jesse Schwamb: So the question is. A little bit more nuanced. Where is that line? You already gave, I think a pretty good example of something that you and I would agree on would say that that's a bridge to fight across. Don't watch that thing, right? Yeah, do something else. But the question is how did we get to that place in making that judgment? [00:14:28] Jesse Schwamb: And is there a place in there where we would say, well, the Bible is an explicit about, let's say certain medium or even like specific things within that medium that it is outspoken enough that we ought to say. No, we will not do that. So I think this is what we're after in part, is this proper use of entertainment involving, of course, analyzing worldviews, appreciating elements of beauty and creativity, acknowledging reflections of truth. [00:14:53] Jesse Schwamb: But that also that in some way, all of this is God's gift to us. That while the Bible does not give us a great deal of explicit statements about how believers are to view entertainment, there is much we can draw out to scripture by way of good and necessary consequence to borrow language from somewhere else. [00:15:10] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. [00:15:11] Applying Biblical Principles to Entertainment Choices [00:15:11] Tony Arsenal: And I also think too, like this is a question that often is presented as very simple and very like cut and dry, but it can be a lot more complicated than you think. And here's an example, and we don't have to get into this particular example, but let's do it. You know, I think a lot of times people, um, will take the example of blasphemy. [00:15:32] Tony Arsenal: Right, and a show that is, or a, a video game, whatever it is, content that is intentionally blaspheming, God is something that at a bare minimum, Christians should be very wary of participating in and consuming just because it, it's something that openly dishonors God is probably not something Christians should be eager to participate in or to consume, but. [00:15:56] Tony Arsenal: Um, there, there are instances where a, a show or a, a video game or a book contains a fictionalized blast swimming of God that actually may serve the greater purpose of glorifying God. So if you think of like, um. Think of a, a book or a a movie where there is a character who is a non-Christian, and over the course of the book, they are shown to be blaspheming God, and then they experience a conversion. [00:16:24] Tony Arsenal: And the purpose of the, the purpose of the book is to glorify God through this conversion redemption story. That it character in that fictionalized universe is blasphemy God within that universe, right? Or within that fictionalized story. But the purpose of that blasphemy is actually to serve the greater purpose of glorifying God. [00:16:46] Tony Arsenal: So that's not to say that automatically anything like that gets a pass, right? That can be done well, that can be done poorly. That can be done in a way that actually glorifies God. It can be done in a way that doesn't actually hit the mark. But it's not as simple as to say, this character in this show. [00:17:00] Tony Arsenal: Engaged in blasphemy. Therefore, we should never consume that show. We have to do some actual thinking and some actual analysis of what's going on in order to. Understand whether or not it actually is violating God's law. Now there are probably some things, um, you know, like graphic sex scenes. There's really no reason, um, for Christians to feel drawn to shows that contain that. [00:17:25] Tony Arsenal: Again, this is, this is, um, I, I, at this point in my life and I, in earlier periods in my life, I might have been more black and white on this. I am not here to tell you what you can and can't watch. That's not my role. I'm not the Holy Spirit. I'm not your pastor. I'm not any of the persons or people who have an obligation to tell you what is or isn't, right? [00:17:46] Tony Arsenal: Like I'm not that person. But I cannot think of personally a reason why a Christian would, would need to, or should ever participate in like enjoying a show that contains graphic sex scenes. Um. The people making those have to sin in order to make those scenes right. So there are, there are things we should consider. [00:18:12] Tony Arsenal: Are kind of always off board, right? It's always off board to do physical harm to somebody in the service of making a movie, right? So if you have a movie where people are, are actively trying to hurt each other in order to produce the film, I'm not sure that we should participate in that. I wouldn't feel comfortable if I knew that was going on in a film. [00:18:28] Tony Arsenal: I don't, I don't, you know, again, other Christians might, and we can have a conversation about that, but we have to think about those things. Do the actors. Do the people who are creating the content, do they have to sin in order to create it? If that, if the answer is yes, we as Christians, I think should be extremely, extremely wary of, of even watching or consuming those things. [00:18:49] Tony Arsenal: So those are the kinds of questions and situations that I think need to be list like thought about as we approach pop culture. But I also think, Jesse, you know, you made the point to that. Popular culture, entertainment broadly is a gift from God for us to enjoy. Right? And it's okay to enjoy it. It's okay for us to participate in that. [00:19:09] Tony Arsenal: You know, we're not, we're not the people who are gonna say to you like, well, you know, every minute you spend, uh, reading, I don't know, uh, reading will of the many, every minute you spend reading Will of the many you could spend witnessing to people, right? So therefore, you should never read Will of the many or The Hobbit or whatever it might be. [00:19:27] Tony Arsenal: Um, but we should think carefully about what we consume, how much of it we consume, when we consume it, all those are questions that the Christian needs to ask themselves. [00:19:35] Jesse Schwamb: I agree. I think the broad test here is actually not that difficult to comprehend. It's probably more that we sometimes hesitate to apply it because we're afraid of what it might mean for the stuff that we're consuming. [00:19:46] Jesse Schwamb: So again, like ceasing from our work in order to rest holds us together like that, that is something that God gives us as a pattern relaxation that we should take joy in. It must be the right amounts of lawful entertainment or consumption of all of this stuff in pop culture, but it is there. I think like even God gives it our own cultures as a means for us to find that kind of rest and to find some comradery and solidarity even with those in whom we interact and live with. [00:20:13] Jesse Schwamb: I think all of that's fine. Like you've said, it gets a little tricky when we start thinking about, well, where is that appropriate line? What is our conviction? But I think part of the problem with that is that we might not be seeking out conviction for ourselves. We not be asking because we hate to find that there is conviction in things that we're watching because there's gonna be a lot of things'. [00:20:31] Jesse Schwamb: That society's gonna be preoccupied with for entertainment for its own sake. And again, it's an indicator that everybody, men and women, even children, are seeking rest from the burden of their work and that rest is okay. Even that itself, like you're saying, Tony, it's interesting. I think so much we're gonna come back to is this idea of it. [00:20:47] Jesse Schwamb: Is, are we redeeming what we're doing in this process? Are we being not just thoughtful about discerning, adjudicating, or interrogating what we're watching and listening and reading, but as we do it, are we thoughtful people? Are we seeing the themes even in those joyous things that we find as entertainment that draw us back to the goodness of God that explains something about the world he's created or his own character finding? [00:21:10] Jesse Schwamb: Of course, that in every story is just a reflection of the greatest story ever told. Like, yeah, all of those themes, all the things we are drawn to that we gravitate towards. That move us. All of those things still come from God. And so therefore, even our entertainment can serve this purpose of not just alleviating our minds and bodies from the burden of ongoing labor in a fallen world, but can also draw, draw us back to God's common grace and his particular grace for his people who are always sinners. [00:21:34] Jesse Schwamb: So here's the the first test. I think it's the most simple one. And everybody's gonna throw their listening devices at the wall because it's the one that's the most straightforward. It's the one you might've been thinking you're gonna get to eventually, and let's just get it out of the way. I don't say that because it's not worthwhile. [00:21:49] Jesse Schwamb: I say it because it's exactly the kind of worthwhile test that we should apply, and it applies perfectly in every situation. And that's the Apostle Paul setting out in one Corinthians 10 31. Here it is. This is like. You know, top 20 reform verses whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. [00:22:07] Jesse Schwamb: So the beauty of this is I think just first pass, first blush, top of the house. If we cannot engage in an entertaining activity in such a way as to glorify God, then it's just unlawful. And by way of contrast, if you can, then we're justified in viewing it as a gift of God's common grace. I, I just throw it out there to start with. [00:22:26] Jesse Schwamb: I, I think that it's not that we found that this particular test has been tried and left wanting, but rather we haven't tried it very well. Oftentimes. Yeah. At least for my own sake. And instead we say, well, the Bible just isn't clear. But if you're, watch your point, Tony. If you're watching something that is gratuitous in any way, and you stop and say. [00:22:44] Jesse Schwamb: Am I glorifying God in the consumption of this? I think it's really difficult to make a strong argument that in some way you are actively, not just passively and saying like, well, it's okay and there's gonna be a redeeming story plot in here somewhere, I hope. But are we actively, whenever, whenever we're doing or we're consuming these things, are we actually glorifying God? [00:23:02] Jesse Schwamb: Is God glorified in. What's happening with my mind, my thoughts, my body, my eyes, my conversations, how this shapes me, how this changes my worldview. If we have to answer that God is not glorified there, then to my view, it's unlawful. And I think also in the eyes of the Apostle Paul. [00:23:19] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. [00:23:20] Personal Convictions and Christian Liberty [00:23:20] Tony Arsenal: And you know, I think something that is important to, um. [00:23:24] Tony Arsenal: Comment on and think about when we sort of apply that test, that test really has more to do with what's going on in our heart. Yes. When we are consuming any particular part, you know, any particular media than it necessarily has to do with the media itself. I think there are some things, um, that. Just cannot be consumed to the glory of God. [00:23:46] Tony Arsenal: Right? You can't watch pornography to the glory of God, like you just can't do it. Um, you can't, you can't watch people murder each other for, you know, to the glory of God. But the vast majority of things that are out there, um, the, the, the question you're asking is not primarily grounded in the content itself. [00:24:07] Tony Arsenal: It's, it's grounded in. What the content does to us and in us and how we process it. And I think that's why I, you know, I always wanna say for most things, this goes back to Christian Liberty and. Christian Liberty is not a license to sin. It's, it's a freedom to, um, to obey, right? It's a freedom and it's a range of possibilities to obey God in different ways, in different situations, rather than some tightly constrained, tightly restricted behavioral code, right? [00:24:39] Tony Arsenal: There is a law. God gives us a law. We talked about this at length when we did the 10 commandment series. He gives us a law, but this law is a set of 10 principles for godly living. Not a, an exhaustive list of do this, don't do that. Right? So the seventh commandment, you know, for media. Is this inclining my mind towards chastity and purity of thought, right? [00:25:02] Tony Arsenal: For those of us who are married, is this likely to, um, create a barrier in my relationship with my wife, or is this likely to enhance the relationship I have with my wife? Is this. Particular thing I'm doing, this video game that I play, is this likely to draw my attention away from my children when they need me? [00:25:19] Tony Arsenal: Or is it something that I have that is likely to increase my ability to pay attention to my children? Or am I able to properly balance the demands that my children have and the needs my children have while I still play this video game, just as an example. So we can still use those 10 principles to help guide us, but the way that those. [00:25:38] Tony Arsenal: The way that the law is applied to these questions and how it is, is gonna be unique, I think almost, almost across the board for things. It's gonna be unique to each individual, right? One person may be able to, yeah, like my big thing and I like, okay, I'm just gonna put this out there. I'm just gonna lay myself bare here. [00:25:55] Tony Arsenal: If I could say that I have one actual real addiction in life, it's probably World of Warcraft, and I know that sounds probably really silly, but even me saying and saying the phrase World of Warcraft, in my mind I'm like, could I figure out a way that I could go back in and play that game? Like they call it World of Warcraft for a reason. [00:26:14] Tony Arsenal: It is super addictive and it's very easy to fall back into it. I'm sure there are people out there who can perfectly just fine, could manage their life of having children and a wife and a job and, you know, service to the church and still play World of Warcraft for a couple hours a week or, or an hour every night and still be just fine. [00:26:33] Tony Arsenal: I cannot do that. If I subscribe to World of Warcraft, it will imbalance my life such that something that God is calling me to, that I know God is calling me to, is going to be pushed out of the way for that. So for me. I cannot fulfill my obligations and participate in that particular element of pop culture. [00:26:52] Tony Arsenal: And I think there's probably something like that for most of us. Again, someone else may be able to do that just fine. There are probably many people who can do that just fine. That's a problem in my own heart. And the way I address that is by saying, this is just not healthy for me, so I'm not gonna do it. [00:27:05] Tony Arsenal: And whether that's a TV show or a a book series. I know people who won't read certain books because they get so immersed in it and it sort of like shapes their worldview in really unhealthy ways. They just won't pick up a particular set of novels or a particular book series. Um, you know, I've told this story that I, I don't remember where I was flying. [00:27:24] Tony Arsenal: Um, it wasn't. I must have been flying to Minnesota. That's the only place I've traveled by air for quite a long time. Um, I stopped in the, the bookstore, the, you know, the, the souvenir store, whatever. And I forgot a, I forgot a book at home of all the people to forget a book. And I was like, you know, there's this big hub lu about Game of Thrones and you know, maybe the book is better than the show. [00:27:43] Tony Arsenal: And like, you know, I can control what I'm imagining and it's easier for me to skip over parts and nobody is having to make graphic sex scenes. Even if they're sort of portrayed in the book. I can maybe do this. I got like. A chapter and a half into the book and was like, I can't, this is not healthy for me. [00:27:57] Tony Arsenal: It's not helpful. It doesn't glorify God. It's not true. It's not noble, it's not honorable, it's not worthy of praise. Right. I'm just gonna, and I just threw the book away. I spent like $15 on a book and then I just threw it in the garbage. Um, and I don't say that to like prop myself up as some bastion of self control. [00:28:10] Tony Arsenal: That's just in that moment I made the right decision. But there are things like that, that you are gonna have to look at your own self to say, I cannot participate in this, even if someone else might be able to. I personally cannot. And I think that's really the more the question we need to ask then. Are there universal principles that say, I can't do A, B, or C? [00:28:30] Tony Arsenal: It's really about my heart in the moment and how my heart is affected by a given thing. [00:28:36] Jesse Schwamb: Much like the 10 Commandments. This whole conversation in the scriptural, I think admonishment here is very much about freeing us up to enjoy freedom, to have joy in these things. It's not about just saying, well, here's a list of things that you can't do. [00:28:51] Jesse Schwamb: Isn't that unfortunate? Everybody else can do them, but you can't enjoy them. Instead, Scott saying like you're talking about Tony, no put to death all these evil, selfish things that are in your life that actually destruct. And instead, enjoy entertainment and pop culture in such a way that not only glorifies him, but does truly refresh you so that you're not drawn back into patterns of selfish behavior or sinful thinking, or all kinds of, you know, sexual frivolity that's going to lead your mind and your body and your heart astray or into places that you'll end up getting hurt. [00:29:25] Jesse Schwamb: I think. The beauty of this is it just provides us with a way to think and discern about the stuff that we're consuming so that we're ensured. Then it's fulfilling the right purpose that God has for in our lives, and that's freeing. When you get to a place where the scripture says like, here's the way walking it, then you know that you can walk confidently and you can enjoy that very thing. [00:29:46] Jesse Schwamb: One great example, I think that sit on both sides, we can talk about in some ways how there's like a, a lack of, or like kinda a, a moral perspective with certain types of medium of expression. One of those I think famously is, is music. Luther famously said, musical performance is principle among the entertainment that God has graciously given us to enjoy in life. [00:30:06] Jesse Schwamb: And yet who hasn't been part of either music that has been absolutely refreshing, absolutely life-giving, absolutely calming and beautiful in the same way that like David played before King Saul when he was distressed. And maybe you've had this experience where there's some kind of soothing melody that was just a bomb to your soul and your condition in that state. [00:30:25] Jesse Schwamb: And then also. On the other side, who hasn't listened even to some really catchy music that's been filled with like sexual perversion, misogyny, violence themes that at the end of it, you may have enjoyed the beat, but it's, it's just left you kind of feeling gross. And disgusted. Yeah. Even with yourself for enjoying it. [00:30:45] Jesse Schwamb: I, I think that's what we're after here is like to be freed up to enjoy this kind of entertainment in a way that it is truly the gift that God has given rather than something that enslaves us. And I'm gonna argue that it often does. Not because it's just addictive, though. [00:30:59] The Influence of Entertainment on Our Lives [00:30:59] Jesse Schwamb: It can be, but because it does actually influence us deeply and, and I think one thing is clear is that all the things we're talking about here that's present in entertainment, and I'm talking all the way back to things like athletic performance, all of this beauty and creativity, art expressed both in film literature and in music, that all of those things God has given us for our good and for his glory. [00:31:22] Jesse Schwamb: So he wants us to enjoy them. But sin is of course gonna take all those things and pervert them and twist them in such a way that they no longer become life-giving or become life taking. The problem is they take life incrementally and on the margin. Yeah. And so that you rarely feel that that's going on. [00:31:37] Jesse Schwamb: You rarely sense the divide of the chasm that's creating in your thought patterns, in the way that you interact with people, even the way that you interact with God until, not that it's too late, but that's, you wake up and you think, my goodness, how far have I gone from what I think this is really intended to be in my life? [00:31:52] Jesse Schwamb: Then maybe addiction does crop up in such a place that you're like this. This has gone too far. But I think, again, like many things in life, when God says no, what he's saying is, do not hurt yourself. I know better. I want you to enjoy these things. So I see this as like our opportunity to like empower to come with the scriptures, bearing full weights on what we consume, not because we need more laundry lists of things to avoid, but because we need direction on what is best to sink our entertainment time and resources into. [00:32:20] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. And I, I think that's a good, um, that's a good, maybe a next test right? [00:32:25] Balancing Time and Entertainment Choices [00:32:25] Tony Arsenal: Is we only have a finite amount of time. We, we, and, and I'm not even just talking about like in general, we have a, I'm, I'm talking about like we have a finite amount of discretionary time. We all have commitments, we have jobs, we have families, we have church commitments, we have friends that we wanna maintain relationships with. [00:32:43] Tony Arsenal: The amount of time we have to just like sit down and consume pop culture is limited no matter, no matter who you are. Some people have more, some people have less. Um, we can consume. Ev, every time we say yes to one thing, we're saying no to another thing, right? There is, um, there is popular culture or content out there that absolutely is encouraging, right? [00:33:05] Tony Arsenal: And absolutely is going to enhance your life, and it's going to enhance your piety and your devotion to God, right? And I'm not just talking about like Christian content. There's decent Christian content out there. There's decent Christian films, there's decent Christian music, there's decent Christian fiction writing. [00:33:22] Tony Arsenal: Um, there's probably even decent Christian video games, although I haven't run into them, I'm sure they're out there. Um. But that's not even what I'm talking about. [00:33:30] Finding Value in Non-Christian Content [00:33:30] Tony Arsenal: There there are, there are non quote, non-Christian, um, right there. There's General grace. Common grace works out there that will, they'll, they'll make you smarter. [00:33:41] Tony Arsenal: It will make you healthier. It'll help you enhance your life. It'll help you enjoy your world more. It'll help you enjoy and see the beauty in God's creation. More I've, I've commented, um. At length, and this isn't necessarily pop culture, although it kind of bridges the gap a little bit. I've commented at length on how beneficial in my life, Ryan holiday's, writings have been. [00:33:58] Tony Arsenal: Right? Right. That's what he doesn't get everything right. There are some things he gets very wrong, um, but. I, I read, um, Ryan Holiday's, stoic. Stoic Works, and I wouldn't say he's a scholar of stoicism. He's more like a modern day stoic philosopher. I read his works and I benefit from him. It makes my life better. [00:34:17] Tony Arsenal: It makes my devotion to God better. It makes my piety better. It makes me a better husband and a better father, and a better employee just in general. It makes me a better person. Not because Ryan Holiday is some special thing, but because he seems to have tapped into common grace principles that other writers haven't, I have a choice. [00:34:33] Tony Arsenal: You know? Do I wanna read that or do I wanna read some? Um, and don't get me wrong, I enjoy manga, but like, do I wanna read some. Meaningless, pointless manga that is just the same story over and over again with different animation. You know, some people might find that the reading the manga is the right thing for them and that enhances their life. [00:34:51] Tony Arsenal: Right? But for me, I've had to make that calculation. I only have so much time. I only have so much time to read. Um, and, and this is might be a shock to people. There are times where I'll have the decision between reading a theology book and. Being caught up on my reading in Daily Stoic, I most often will take time to read the Daily Stoic instead of reading something. [00:35:10] Tony Arsenal: For example, I'm way behind on Daily Devotion or Daily Doctrine by Kevin De Young Way Behind, but I'm not behind on, on Daily Dad or daily Stoic from Ryan Holiday. That's not because one, one thing is better than the other necessarily, but what I need in my life and what God is calling me to. The writings by di by Ryan Holiday right now are more effective in a, in accomplishing those tasks and into shaping me into who I believe God wants me to be. [00:35:37] Tony Arsenal: So that's the other question we have to ask is what? [00:35:40] The Importance of Rest and Leisure [00:35:40] Tony Arsenal: What is the most beneficial thing for us at the moment? It could be some sort of mindless cotton, candy entertainment. There's nothing wrong with that. This isn't, this isn't me saying like find, this isn't like hustle culture for pop culture. Like sometimes you just need to veg out and do something that doesn't require any brain power, and that's what God is, is giving you as a gift for your rest and your re recuperation. [00:36:04] Tony Arsenal: Sometimes it's a hard hitting. Heavy theology. Sometimes you need to sit down and read some Bob Ink again, not that that's pop culture, but I think the broader principle applies. Maybe you need to sit down and read some Turin, or maybe you need to like scroll Instagram for a little while and watch funny cat videos, right? [00:36:19] Tony Arsenal: All of those things are good things. They're all gifts from God in the proper proportions and at the proper time, and that's why this can be such a complicated question is because we have to have a good, robust. Honest reflection of who we are and what we need in order to make these, these decisions. Um, and it really is about what do we need in the moment? [00:36:37] Tony Arsenal: What is God calling us to? What is the wise thing to do right now, the wise thing to consume right now? Um, and, and I think that's a good test. Is this the most effective thing and accomplishing in my life what needs to be accomplished, right? That could be all sorts of goals, but is this the most effective thing to accomplish that at my life right now? [00:36:57] Tony Arsenal: If so, and it's not sinful, and then have at it enjoy. You know, I think those are the kinds of questions we need to ask, and I don't think we often ask that. I think we are often passive. And neutral in decisions about what we're gonna watch for pop culture. We're driven by what is the most popular thing on Netflix? [00:37:15] Tony Arsenal: What does the algorithm recommend for us? Or what is being talked about at work? Or what do I have on hand? What do I have easy access to? Um, I think we need to be more active and intentional in our decisions on this towards those ends. [00:37:29] Jesse Schwamb: Right on. And there's no accounting for taste, right? I mean, part, part of time we get caught up in that, so we'll just say, well, maybe what I'm experiencing, because I'm a Christian, I'm trying to process this, has to do more about like particular medium or the taste or the type of genre or something. [00:37:44] Jesse Schwamb: I'd encourage us to not get too caught up in that. I think what you're saying is really, really helpful. The idea here I think is more about embracing the fact that we don't have to be productive all the time. And that we don't have to be, and I use this with great love like puritanical in the sense that, you know, well, if Jonathan Edwards didn't laugh and the Lord sakes that was inappropriate, then I shouldn't either. [00:38:05] Jesse Schwamb: And by virtue of that fact, then I should really have this incredible puritanical work ethic where even when I'm at home or every second that I have, I should be reading something. And if I'm gonna read something, it should be productive. Or if I'm watch tv, it should be something kinda documentary. I need to learn and fill my mind and make use and redeem every second of that time. [00:38:18] Jesse Schwamb: What if part of that redemption. Is enjoying entertainment for the way that God intended it to be, and that when he makes beauty and creativity and artistic expression, and again, we're presuming that this is the right amount of a lawful entertainment, that all of those things are for their own enjoyment because they point back to the creator. [00:38:40] Jesse Schwamb: Just by themselves. Like there doesn't have to be an ulterior motive. You don't have to justify it. You don't even have to feel guilty about it. That in fact, because we're contingent beings and therefore we have limited energy supply and unlimited amount of time and space, that all those things com continue to propel us towards some kind of desire for a lawful entertainment that leads us into rest. [00:39:02] Jesse Schwamb: Even as you're saying Tony, if that's rest for 10 or 15 minutes before, it's the next thing to feel this compulsion instead. To have to again quote unquote redeem. That time by being super productive is I think a fool's errand because we are as much made to work as we are made to rest. And in that rest, I think sometimes we actually find for some of us an easier time identifying and worshiping God in that risk. [00:39:26] Jesse Schwamb: Because in our work, we are busy in our work and we often get caught up in our work thinking all of our work is all of us. And so we rest and we find enjoyment in something. We take a walk, we listen to a beautiful piece of music. We spend some times just conversing about nothing with friends. We sit outside and enjoy beverages together that something happens sometimes in that space. [00:39:46] Jesse Schwamb: We're in the pause of that in the fact that there is beauty that seemingly is without productive purpose, even though I'd argue there is one. It's just hidden behind it and we fail to see it. We are drawn to the fact drawn to say, God, are you not good? For all of your gifts. And of course he's good in our gifts of work. [00:40:02] Jesse Schwamb: He's also good in our, our gifts of rest. But he's given us this gift as a form of entertainment in our own pop culture for us really to enjoy. But you're right, if we get it twisted such that we consume too much of it, or if we misapply that, I think we're just gonna live a less abundant life. So again, like the task here is not, don't do any entertainment. [00:40:23] Jesse Schwamb: Get all, get away from all the entertainments. Like what? Like your point, Tony, I, and I've heard Christian say this, I think there can be a brow beating here where it's like, well, couldn't you have used that time more productive? Like they had a couple more minutes, like maybe you really should have prayed harder or. [00:40:38] Jesse Schwamb: Maybe you should have read that other chapter in the Bible. Maybe you should gone back through your genealogies again and read those because you know that you don't read those particularly well. Or maybe you should have studied this thing or that thing. And instead is there a kind of worship that truly gives itself over to resting in God in the form of appreciating entertainment as he's created it for us to give us that kind of rest? [00:40:59] Jesse Schwamb: I would say yes. It's just that we often don't talk about it and sometimes we do talk about it. It's hard to bring it up 'cause you're gonna. You're gonna feel guilty. Like, can you imagine somebody saying to you, you know what? I'm just finding so much rest these days in this, uh, little game on my phone that I get to play. [00:41:15] Jesse Schwamb: You would be like, you, you might, if you're, if you're like, you know that person, well, you might be like, that's weird. I guarantee though, if that happened to me, I'd walk away and then when I was with my wife later, I'd be like, let me tell you what this weird thing this person said. You know what I mean? [00:41:27] Jesse Schwamb: But what, what, yeah. We need to think more like that. Not as a liberty to forsake or abdicate responsibility, but instead to actually be well rested for the responsibility in the task, the good works that God has created for us. [00:41:42] Tony Arsenal: Yeah. Yeah. [00:41:42] Personal Experiences with Entertainment [00:41:42] Tony Arsenal: And maybe here's like a concrete example is, um. You know, I, um, I work at a local hospital and my job is relatively intense. [00:41:53] Tony Arsenal: Um, in terms of emotional investment, I'm a patient relations supervisor, so I, I'm in charge of the department that hears all of the complaints from patients, which means we often hear some really frustrating stories about people's healthcare, and it can be very emotionally draining. And so I also, um, I also ride the bus home now. [00:42:15] Tony Arsenal: My, my vehicle is broken right now. Hopefully we're gonna get fixed soon, but I ride the bus home and for the first couple, I don't know, for the first week that I was riding the bus, I was like, I gotta use this time. I gotta read something. I gotta make sure I'm doing that right. And what I've learned actually is if I just take the 45 minutes that I'm on the bus and waiting for the bus and I just sort of zone out and play Pokemon Go. [00:42:39] Tony Arsenal: By the time I get home, I'm ready to engage with my kids better. I'm ready to engage with my wife better. I'm less likely to feel, uh, just drained and tired because I'm actually letting my brain sort of reset and I'm building that buffer. So something as simple as like. Playing a relatively mindless game on my phone for a half hour, 45 minutes while I ride the bus and wait for the bus, um, helps me to fulfill my obligations as a father and a husband in a more present way. [00:43:09] Tony Arsenal: Again, like if you wanna ride the bus and you wanna read a fiction, or you wanna do theology, like that's on you, that's your decision to make. But. I know people who would say to me, um, you really should be using that time for something more productive than playing Pokemon Go. And, and yeah, maybe like, maybe there are times that I should be more productive and maybe there are times that other people should be less productive. [00:43:32] Tony Arsenal: Like I think that's kind of what we're getting at here is. Productivity or spiritual growth or pi, like those categories are, each of those are good categories. Like productivity is not a bad thing. Um, personal devotion is certainly not a bad thing. [00:43:47] Jesse Schwamb: Yes. [00:43:47] Tony Arsenal: But it's not the only thing. And we also, I think we act as though our lives can be this sort of like perfect integrated balance when really like we have to be able to sort of recognize that. [00:44:02] Tony Arsenal: Sometimes doing nothing has its own utility. Like that feels like a weird thing to say, but I I, I'm with you here and, and maybe this is kind of how we bring the episode down to an end is I do think. There is this, obviously the Sabbath principle, the rest principle. Um, but God also gives us rest in these other small ways. [00:44:25] Tony Arsenal: Sometimes not so small, but small ways in the rest of our life. And I don't think that we should bear any shame or guilt or feel like we're less Christian because we take advantage of or make use of those. Those sort of like smaller opportunities to rest and you know, recreation is recreation. Like that's, that's that etymology is not a false etymology. [00:44:49] Tony Arsenal: That's where the word comes from. And it's because we often need to do these sort of leisurely things in order to be able to then go back and put forward the effort that we need. And the other thing just, I feel like we're tying. Leisure to the ability to produce in a way that may actually also be unhealthy. [00:45:09] Tony Arsenal: Leisure is not necessarily the ends, the means to being able to be productive. Right? Leisure serves its own purpose. It has its own use, its own way to glorify God. Yes, it does enable us often to be able to come back and put our nose to the grindstone, but we shouldn't just think about it as like, well, this is just, this is just my recharge period. [00:45:30] Tony Arsenal: We don't think about sleep that way. I don't think we think about sleep in, in a fashion of saying like, well, I've gotta sleep so that I can just get up and go to work the next day. And productive. I think we recognize that our bodies need to rest and there's a blessing and a joy in being able to close our eyes and sort of drift off and have dreams and rest, and that our body recuperates itself, I think we should think of leisure in a similar sense, and recreation and pop culture all kind of play into that. [00:45:53] Jesse Schwamb: I think that's right on. I mean, it's one of those things where we're certainly not saying that there isn't rest in prayer and in daily worship and consuming and studying the scriptures, there's certainly a rest in all those activities too. In some ways, I think we're presuming that we are trying to incorporate a balance into our lives, and that part of that balance is just rest for its own sake. [00:46:12] Jesse Schwamb: The enjoyment of that and when you're truly, I think, enjoying that rest, whatever it is, one we do not long feel guilty because we have processed. And pass everything to the sve of the scriptures and say, this is glorifying to God is for my goodness, for his glory. So therefore there's no, as it were like condemnation for me in this because I have a clear conscience about it. [00:46:31] Jesse Schwamb: And then in addition to that, it does provide us with perhaps, again, that lovely contrast between working hard and then having. Some period of which we are abstaining from that work and from that labor. And in so doing we find different ways to please and to worship God. We find that we see his character reflected in different ways. [00:46:49] Jesse Schwamb: And so in that way too, it reminds us that we are, like I said before, like completely contingent, we get tired, we get exhausted. Like there's only so much the mind can do and so much it can handle. And so by. Willingly accepting and leaning into that, not again, in a way that takes us away. We use as liberty to say, well, I, you know, I really should spend some time before the Lord in prayer. [00:47:10] Jesse Schwamb: I really should spend some time in, in daily particular worship, but you know what? I really need to rest instead. Like of, of course, that itself, we should be convicted about, uh, because then we're using entertainment such a way to distract us. Suppose this. Way from God rather than toward him. But the Bible is so clear, like you're saying, Tony, that there's all these seasons in life and the more I think about those seasons, the more I wonder if we tend to treat them too discreetly. [00:47:34] Jesse Schwamb: And in these two, like, kind of like prolonged periods, what if a season is for an hour? What if a season is for a day? What if a season is for five minutes? So famously, of course, when we have the teacher writing. Ecclesiastes chapter three, some of these famous words, I think we just fail to take them to heart. [00:47:51] Jesse Schwamb: Listen to this beautiful contrast, and I think it really fits in with what we're saying here about the, the ability to rightly consume entertainment and pop culture in such a way that it is glorifying to God and our understanding of it in our application of how it gives us true rest. So it writes things like this. [00:48:09] Jesse Schwamb: There's a time to kill and the time to heal. A time to break down, a time to build up, a time to weep, and a time to laugh, A time to mourn and a time to dance. A time to cast away stones and a time to gather stones together. A time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing a time to seek and a time to lose. [00:48:26] Jesse Schwamb: A time to keep, and a time to cast away. A time to tear. A time to sow, a time to keep silence and a time to speak, a time to love, and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. So it's very clear that God has given us, I think all of these wonderful things to enjoy as part of his character, as demonstrations of the fact that he is a God who is loving and love always leads to giving. [00:48:51] Jesse Schwamb: And so he gives us beauty in arts. In music, in literature, in screen, and of course then we should recognize because those are things from God and we ought to that. Every good and perfect gift comes down from the Heavenly Father who is above that. It is the prerogative of the devil to twist and bend those things in such a way that we feel to see them as God's gifts and said, see them as our rightful consumption. [00:49:12] Jesse Schwamb: Such a way that enslaves. Changes our mindset, pulls us farther away from God. So I think part of it's just going into everything with the pun intended, with eyes wide open. So hopefully some of these tests have been helpful. I think people probably have, because like you said, Tony, there's a lot of Christian liberty here and maybe some point. [00:49:29] Jesse Schwamb: Well, I was gonna ask you like what's I, I'm not gonna ask you this because I know you're gonna ask it back to me, but like what would be maybe something you consume that others might be able. Ooh. Um, but I don't want you to ask that back to me. We could do that. We could do that if you want to. [00:49:42] Tony Arsenal: Um, yeah, let's, let's do that in a future episode. [00:49:43] Tony Arsenal: I think that'd be fun. Well, we'll [00:49:44] Jesse Schwamb: save that for another time. So everybody keeps listening. [00:49:46] Encouraging Community Engagement [00:49:46] Jesse Schwamb: But I think one of the things that we should be encouraging our listeners to do, the people who are part of the reform brotherhoodhood, is come hang out online. In this place called Telegram, which is just a chat messaging app and we have a little corner, a protected corner of the world. [00:50:00] Jesse Schwamb: There is a group of people who are like-minded listening to our conversations and participating in their own. And the way they participate with us is you can message in the app, they've got a bunch of channels of different topics, so you can get there by going to t.me/reform brotherhood. I bring this up now, not just to advertise as usual. [00:50:17] Jesse Schwamb: Because we want you to come be a part of this, but I would love to hear from others because we have a channel in there that's just about the conversations we're having on the podcast. Come share some of the practical things that you use, the tests that you have, the conversations that you bring forward to help you discern what kind of pop culture you're consuming. [00:50:37] Jesse Schwamb: Yeah. Don't just take our word for it. Let's hear what the Holy Spirit. How he is leadi

In this episode of Excess Returns, we welcome back Tobias Carlisle — author, host of Value After Hours, and manager of the Acquirers Funds. Toby shares his candid perspective on market valuations, value investing's long struggle, and why he still believes mean reversion will eventually swing back in favor of small caps and value stocks. We also dive into AI, global markets, the Fed, housing, and where investors might find opportunity outside today's expensive U.S. mega-caps.Market valuations: why today's market may be more expensive than 1929, 2000, or 2020The pitfalls of relying on single-year P/E ratios and better long-term valuation measuresThe divergence between the “Magnificent 10” and the rest of the marketSmall caps, mid caps, and value: where Toby sees opportunity despite an earnings recessionAI as both a transformative force and a potential bubble-like capital cycleU.S. vs. international markets: structural advantages of American capitalism and where China is catching upThe Fed, interest rates, inflation, and how they really matter for value investorsHousing affordability and demographics as headwinds for the U.S. economyWhy Toby believes the “value vs. growth jaws” will eventually close00:00 – Are markets more expensive than 1929 and 2000?04:00 – Breaking down valuation charts: S&P, Russell, and mid/small caps10:00 – Why single-year P/Es mislead investors14:00 – Lessons from past bubbles: Nifty 50, dot-com era, and now19:00 – Large vs. small: the longest run for growth in history24:00 – AI's impact: transformative technology or capital cycle trap?32:00 – Toby's personal experience with AI (and why it disappoints him so far)33:00 – U.S. advantages vs. international markets and China's rise41:00 – Are today's U.S. valuations justified?45:00 – The Fed, interest rates, and speculation46:00 – Housing affordability and demographics as headwinds55:00 – Should value investors care about macro?59:00 – Closing question: Toby's contrarian belief on value vs. growth

Money Talks is hosted by Ryder Taff, Portfolio Manager at New Perspectives. In this episode, we talk about rising food prices, moving stocks from one broker to another, finding value in purchases and saving money while shopping. To email a question to the show, send it to money@mpbonline.org. If you enjoy listening to this podcast, please consider contributing to MPB. https://donate.mpbfoundation.org/mspb/podcast. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Scripture: Matthew 13:44-46

Brought to you by Paranormal Underground Radio Episode Date: 7.30.2025 Hosts: Karen Frazier, Chuckie G, and Cheryl Knight-Wilson Show Summary: In this episode of “Mindful Mystics,” we dive deep into the roller coaster of motivation — why it's so hard to get started, even harder to stay consistent, and what actually works when willpower alone doesn't cut it. Karen introduces a surprisingly simple formula for motivation: expectation × value ÷ cost), and together we break it down with real-life examples — from workout routines and health goals to creative projects and the everyday “I'll start tomorrow” trap. Along the way, Cheryl opens up about her own perfectionist hurdles with writing, Chuck shares how he manages motivation one tiny step at a time, and Karen explores how reframing expectations can shift everything. If you've ever felt stuck or uninspired, this episode offers a path forward — one small step at a time. Check out our hosts online at: Paranormal Underground magazine: https://paranormalunderground.net/ Author and psychic medium Karen Frazier: https://www.authorkarenfrazier.com/#/ Paranormal Investigator and psychic medium Chuckie G: https://chuckieg.net/ Show Highlights: [00:53] The Formula for Motivation Karen introduces the expectation × value ÷ cost equation and explains how it applies to everyday goals. [04:42] Finding Value in the Work Karen shares how her love of hiking makes exercise meaningful, proving that value is as important as effort. [09:56] Chuck on Health as Motivation Chuck opens up about managing diabetes and why working out isn't about looks but about staying alive and well. [13:43] Step-by-Step Strategy Karen explains how she tackles tough workouts by motivating herself in five-minute increments. [16:12] Motivation as Self-Sales Chuck reframes motivation as an inner sales pitch — convincing yourself the payoff is worth the cost. [17:18] Cheryl and the Perfectionism Trap Cheryl discusses how perfectionism blocks her from building consistent routines and trying new practices. [23:35] Small Goals, Big Progress Karen shares her intentional weight loss journey, emphasizing bite-sized goals and written charts to track progress. [24:48] Cheryl's Writing Roadblock Cheryl admits her book project stalled because the expectation feels too big — and the group helps her reframe it. [27:39] Fear of Rejection as Hidden Cost We unpack how “what if nothing comes of it” thinking can paralyze motivation before it even starts. [30:01] Redefining Success Karen reminds Cheryl that writing the book itself is an accomplishment, regardless of publishing outcomes. [33:09] Practical Takeaway: Chart It Out We outline a simple exercise: List expectation, value, and cost in three columns to see what needs adjusting. [34:07] A Motivating Finale Cheryl leaves the episode ready to try the chart method herself.

While the favorite is obvious, Kenny has found tremendous value. Download the latest episode of Cash the Ticket today. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

AEW's Chief Investment Officer and Head of Private Equity and Private Debt in North America, Mike Byrne and CBRE's Vice Chairman and Co-Head of US Large Loans in Debt & Structured Finance, Tom Traynor provide insights on how real estate investors today can mitigate risk and uncover opportunities by strategically deploying capital across diverse asset classes and regions.insights on deploying global capital:· Today's market demands flexible investment strategies that can adapt quickly to geopolitical shifts, interest rate changes and capital market volatility.· High-quality office assets in prime locations are piquing investor interest, offering potential upside while demand for class B/C assets remains muted.· Debt capital availability is improving, with both traditional capital sources and alternative lenders actively competing to finance deals.· Investors are increasingly targeting high-growth submarkets, prioritizing local demand drivers over broad asset class preferences.· Technology and AI are influencing investment decisions, with growing potential to enhance underwriting and portfolio strategy.

Welcome to the Christian Bible Study Ministry Podcast, where we explore the profound concept of value through the lens of faith. In this episode, we delve into the biblical teachings that emphasize our intrinsic worth in the eyes of God, regardless of our past actions or current circumstances. Through insightful discussions and scriptural references, including John 3:14-16, we are reminded of the everlasting love and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, which bestows eternal value upon each one of us. We reflect on historical figures like King David, Zacchaeus, Peter, and Ishmael, examining their stories to unveil the divine value and purpose instilled in every individual. Whether facing personal struggles, self-doubt, or societal judgments, listeners are encouraged to embrace the objective truth of God's love and mercy. Amidst the tragedies affecting communities today, prayers and hope are extended to those in distress, highlighting the need for compassion and support. Join us in understanding the unmitigated facts of God's love and how they assure us of our undeniable worth in His eyes.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Sultan Ameerali for this week's Value Hive Podcast. Sultan is a self-taught investor specializing in industries and companies others hate. We covered A LOT in this podcast. We chatted mining stocks, Comstock (LODE), Fat Brands (FATBP), AI, hockey, journalism, and boxing.I thoroughly enjoyed this podcast and I hope you will, too. Finally, a big thanks to the following sponsors for making the podcast a reality.MitimcoThis episode is brought to you by MIT Investment Management Company, also known as MITIMCo, the investment office of MIT. Each year, MITIMCo invests in a handful of new emerging managers who it believes can earn exceptional long-term returns in support of MIT's mission. To help the emerging manager community more broadly, they created ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠emergingmanagers.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, a website for emerging manager stockpickers.For those looking to start a stock-picking fund or just looking to learn about how others have done it, I highly recommend the site. You'll find essays and interviews by successful emerging managers, service providers used by MIT's own managers, essays MITIMCo has written for emerging managers and more!TegusTegus has the world's largest collection of instantly available interviews on all the public and private companies you care about. Tegus actually makes primary research fun and effortless, too. Instead of weeks and months, you can learn a new industry or company in hours, and all from those that know it best.I spend nearly all my time reading Tegus calls on existing holdings and new ideas. And I know you will too. So if you're interested, head on over to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠tegus.co/valuehive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for a free trial to see for yourself.TIKRTIKR is THE BEST resource for all stock market data, I use TIKR every day in my process, and I know you will too. Make sure to check them out at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TIKR.com/hive⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

In this episode, Pastor Steve Perez and Pastor John Mullings explore the vital connection between family unity and church unity. They discuss God's design for families, the importance of heart checks, and how parents can instill values in their children. The conversation emphasizes the need for consistency in parenting, the impact of words and attitudes on children, and the significance of serving in the church. Ultimately, they encourage parents to be bold in speaking truth and modeling a life of faith for their children.Show: Family ImpactHost: Pastor Steve PerezGuest: Pastor Jon MullingsThe Fountain Apostolic Churchone_ (2025)June 4, 2025Learn more at tfachurch.com/plusTakeaways:Families can thrive or struggle based on their priorities.God's design for family emphasizes togetherness and partnership.Heart checks are essential for healthy family dynamics.Words and attitudes of parents significantly influence children.Parents should model consistency in their faith and actions.Instilling values in children requires intentionality and prayer.Children should be encouraged to serve in the church from a young age.Finding security in serving God leads to fulfillment in ministry.Parents must be bold in speaking truth to their children.Consistency in parenting is crucial for long-term spiritual growth.Chapters:00:00 Facing Fear Together00:20 Introduction to Family and Church Unity01:46 Pastor Mullings' Background and Experience04:37 The Importance of Family Decisions06:04 God's Design for Family Unity09:28 Heart Checks and Their Importance10:55 Treasures of the Heart12:51 The Impact of a Corrupted Heart14:47 Legacy and Family Influence17:22 The Role of Accountability19:46 Teaching from the Heart28:52 Influencing the Local Church30:00 Nurturing Positive Self-Esteem in Children32:50 Raising Godly Kids: Values Over Popularity35:26 Identifying and Cultivating Spiritual Gifts40:10 The Importance of Unity in Parenting42:48 Finding Value in Service and Leadership47:09 Mindset Shift: From Obligation to Opportunity49:48 Modeling Consistency in Faith55:36 Speaking Truth in a Conflicted Culture

IntroThis week I go free flow on a topic that I believe is important right now - recognising and knowing that you matter, your contribution matters, your work matters, your life matters...Feeling a bit lost or like your life doesn't matter? Well, buckle up, because we're diving deep into the big questions today! I'm Heather Masters, and in this episode, we're tackling the essentials of life: Did you live? Did you love? Did you matter? It's a stream of consciousness kinda vibe as we explore the chaos of our world and how it's affecting our sense of value and connection. Whether you're feeling isolated or just need a little pep talk to remind you that you absolutely matter, this episode is packed with reflections and insights that'll help you shine a light on your own worth. So grab your favourite cuppa and snack, kick back, and let's get contemplative.The Details:Ever felt like you're just going through the motions of life? Like, did I even really live today? Well, Heather Masters sure knows that feeling all too well! In this enlightening episode of the Choosing Happy Podcast, she opens up a can of contemplative worms—asking all the juicy questions about our existence. It's not just a casual chit-chat; it's a heartfelt exploration that nudges listeners to reflect on their lives. Heather's stream of consciousness takes us through her own journeys of love, loss, and the quest for meaning. She expertly weaves in her experiences of being a caregiver, a traveller, and a mom, making it relatable to anyone who's ever paused and wondered, “What's the point?” Throughout the episode, we are reminded that life can sometimes throw us curveballs that make us feel isolated, especially during tough times. It's a wild world out there, and Heather captures the essence of that chaos while also shining a light on the importance of self-worth. She digs into the idea that while the world seems to reward the wrong things, we need to flip the script on how we view our value. With her playful humour, she encourages us to take an honest inventory of our lives, to see where we have lived, loved, and truly mattered. And guess what? It doesn't take a grand gesture to make a difference—sometimes it's the little things that count! As we wrap up this thought-provoking chat, Heather leaves us with a powerful message: we matter! Your existence is a beautiful miracle, and it's time to celebrate that. So if you're ready to feel uplifted and inspired, tune in for a dose of positivity and laughter that will remind you to cherish your journey and choose happiness every single day. Trust me, you won't want to miss it!Takeaways: In a world where chaos reigns, remember that your life has value and purpose. Feeling isolated is a common challenge, but you are not alone in this struggle. Contemplate your existence: have you lived, loved, and truly mattered to others? It's crucial to audit where you give your energy; keep your cup full, my friend! Value yourself first, because you can only help others when you're at your best. Life is a wild ride; embrace the journey and find joy in your unique experiences. Chapters:00:10 - Contemplating Value and Connection01:45 - Navigating Life's Challenges04:38 - Reflections on Love and Loss11:00 - The Importance of Self-Value13:16 - Finding Your Energy and Purpose16:40 - Finding Value in Your LifeLet me know your biggest takeaways from this episode!Share on social and please like, share and subscribe. It really helps the podcast, and I so appreciate it!----------------------------------------------------------------------If you would like more content like this sign up for my Sunday Newsletter...

In this episode, Haley and Dustin are joined by Kari Trent Stageberg, CEO of Strong Families and co-author of The Blessing, alongside her father, Dr. John Trent. Kari shares her powerful hope story of finding healing and restoration after leaving an abusive relationship – and how the love of God and His Word brought her through a journey of renewal and recovery. Together, they explore the importance of healthy attachment, especially our attachment to Christ, and why it's foundational for emotional and spiritual healing. Kari offers practical steps for overcoming lies, reclaiming your God-given value, and replacing negative thoughts with truth. They also discuss key principles from The Blessing and provide practical ways to bless and encourage others each day. This is an encouraging and insightful conversation for anyone looking to heal from past pain. Subscribe to the podcast and tune in each week as Haley and Dustin share with you what the Bible says about real-life issues with compassion, warmth, and wit.   So you have every reason for hope, for every challenge in life. Because hope means everything.   Hope Talks is a podcast of the ministry of Hope for the Heart.   Listen in to learn more : (00:00) - Finding Hope in Challenging Times (04:04) - Building Attachment (08:07) - Healing and Rebuilding Healthy Attachments (15:20) - Finding Closure and Healing Relationships (21:00) - Shifting the Narrative of Self-Worth (26:05) - Finding Value and Healing Past Mistakes (35:22) - Embracing God's Delight and Attachment (44:27) - Practicing Blessing in Daily Life -------------- Resources from Kari Trent Stageberg   Learn more about Kari Trent Stageberg: https://www.karitrentstageberg.com/ Get a copy of the book, The Blessing: https://tinyurl.com/58v5ukac Get a copy of Kari's book, The Merge for Marriage: https://tinyurl.com/2x4bvjtx Learn more about Kari's life coaching: https://camelbacklifecoaching.com/ See Kari's Christian Life Coaching courses with ICCI: https://iccicoaching.com/mentoring/kari-trent/ -------------- Hope for the Heart resources.   Learn about our summer event on Mental Health and the Church: https://resource.hopefortheheart.org/mental-health-and-the-church   Connect with Hope for the Heart on social!    Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hopefortheheart   Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hopefortheheart    Learn more about the ministry and resources of Hope for the Heart: https://www.hopefortheheart.org/    Learn more about Hope Talks and catch up on past episodes: https://www.hopefortheheart.org/hopetalks/    Want to talk with June Hunt on Hope in the Night about a difficult life issue? Schedule a time here: https://resource.hopefortheheart.org/talk-with-june-hope-in-the-night   God's plan for you: https://www.hopefortheheart.org/gods-plan-for-you/   Give to the ministry of Hope for the Heart: https://raisedonors.com/hopefortheheart/givehope?sc=HTPDON    Sign up for our fall Hope Together conference: https://hopetogether.com/  ---------------------------- Bible verses mentioned in this episode   Psalm 103:12 – “as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Isaiah 43:1 – “But now, this is what the Lord says—he who created you, Jacob, he who formed you, Israel: “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.”   Luke 15:10 – “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” John 18:18 & 21:9 -- Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter was also with them, standing and warming himself. …. When they got out on land, they saw a charcoal fire in place, with fish laid out on it, and bread. Hebrews 13:5 – “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” ----------------------------

Brandon Kravitz and Mike Bianchi cross paths on the Crossover discussing the Orlando Magic's latest pick and how much value there is to be had in the NBA Draft if you play your cards right. Plus, youth league dad's and FSU follies.

In this episode, we celebrate their return and dive into various topics, including nostalgia for school days, the cinematic experience of 'Godzilla Minus One', the impact of Will Smith's infamous slap, and the evolution of artists like Jim Jones. They also discuss the age debate in hip hop, the influence of social media on music, and the culture of hot takes that has emerged in today's music scene. In this conversation, the speakers delve into the current state of the music industry, discussing the challenges artists face today, including financial struggles, the impact of social media, and the evolution of artist identity. They reflect on the nostalgia of music discovery in the past, the importance of the business side of music, and how modern content creation has changed the landscape for artists. The conversation highlights the need for artists to adapt and find new ways to connect with their audience in a rapidly changing industry.The Return of the Trifecta (02:49) School Days and Headings (05:36) Godzilla Minus One: A Cinematic Experience (08:19) The Deeper Meaning of Godzilla (11:12) Will Smith's Career and Public Perception (13:55) Jim Jones and the Evolution of Artists (17:15) The Age Debate in Hip Hop (18:55)Perceptions of Rappers' Ages (21:11) Success After 30 in Hip Hop (22:15) The Role of Media in Hip Hop Culture (24:00) Shock Value and Trolling in Rap Battles (25:59) The Evolution of Hip Hop Culture (26:38) The Impact of Social Media on Music Consumption (30:25) Cultural Expectations and Music Preferences (34:13) The Influence of Wealth on Public Perception (36:30) Finding Value in Unexpected Places (41:30) The State of Music Today (44:04) Understanding the Business of Music (46:43) The Reality of Local Artists (49:35) Navigating the Industry's Challenges (56:14)The Missing Piece in Success (59:27) The Shift in Hip-Hop Dynamics (01:02:37) Finding New Avenues for Expression (01:07:56) The Future of Content Creation

Looking for work is never easy but if you work in IT, Project Management or Agile and you're looking for a gig this may totally feel like the darkest timeline. In this conversation, Ed Stockwell joins drunkenpm to discuss the current challenges in the job market, particularly for those in project management and Agile roles. Ed and Dave explore the importance of networking, volunteering, and maintaining mental health during the job search process. Ed shares his experiences and strategies for navigating the job landscape, including leveraging AI tools, the significance of community support, and the necessity of clarity in job seeking. They also touch on the importance of personal routines and the role of physical activity in maintaining a positive mindset. Throughout the discussion, Ed emphasizes the value of being of service to others and the power of relationships in finding new opportunities. To Contact Ed: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edstockwell/ Web: https://www.edstockwell.com Chapters 03:08 Navigating the Job Market Landscape 05:38 The Importance of Networking and Volunteering 08:30 Balancing Traditional and Agile Project Management 11:35 The Role of Physical and Mental Well-being 14:28 Finding Value in Volunteering 17:37 Building Relationships and Offering Value 20:35 Coping with Job Search Challenges 31:18 The Power of Clarity in Communication 31:45 Crafting Your Personal Narrative 33:30 Leveraging AI for Personal Growth 34:38 AI's Impact on Work Efficiency 37:18 Daily Routines and Personal Management 39:02 Using Kanban for Relationship Management 43:05 Self-Reflection and Personal Growth 44:29 Job Search Strategies and Networking 49:08 Navigating Emotional Challenges 50:53 Advice for the Recently Laid Off Dave's Upcoming Classes: https://tinyurl.com/53bpy3my Sign up for updates on Dave's new book: https://www.stuartyoung.uk/copy-of-human-skills-1

“I got to the point where if I was going to [be a speaker] I have to be serious about it and I'm going to have to invest in myself. I had to get to the ‘I'm worth it' mindset, and The Speaker Lab [helped me with that].”Making an impact as a speaker isn't just about your time on stage—it's about the courage to own your story and use it to help others. This week, teen resilience speaker, Kimberly Clark, shares her powerful journey from addiction and trauma to inspiring change in the lives of young people. What sets Kimberly apart isn't just her willingness to be real and raw—it's her focus on turning pain into practical solutions for the teens she serves. Rather than settling for telling her story for free, she learned to recognize her true value, invest in her own growth, and help her audience move from inspiration to action. Her message? People aren't just looking for a story—they want help navigating their own challenges.Kimberly gets honest about the hurdles every speaker faces, from self-doubt to the emotions that come with pricing your expertise. Through relentless learning, seeking mentorship, and redefining her approach, she's built a speaking business rooted in authentic connection and actionable takeaways. For anyone wondering if their story is enough, Kimberly is proof that leadership starts with authenticity and the courage to ask for your worth. If you want your message to create lasting change, Kimberly's journey is all the inspiration—and practical advice—you need to start!You'll learn:Methods for finding gigs: cold and warm outreach, word-of-mouthBalancing a speaking career with a day jobKimberly's personal story and inspiration for speakingPerseverance when results are lackingThe empowering aspects of authorshipGetting past inhibiting mindsets and investing in yourselfOvercoming fear and gaining confidence as a speakerThe importance of mentorship and the business side of speakingAnd much, much more!“I thought telling my story was enough, but people aren't paying you to tell your story. People want thought leadership. People want you to solve their problems…so I had to figure out what's in my story that's valuable and marketable.”Episode ResourcesKimberly's Website2 Day Booked and Paid BootcampGet Free Speaker ResourcesBook a Call with The Speaker LabCalculate Your Speaking FeeJoin The Speaker Lab Community on FacebookSubscribe on Apple PodcastsSubscribe on SpotifySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This episode meticulously examines the 2011 cinematic endeavor, "Green Lantern," which has garnered a dismal rating of 25% on Rotten Tomatoes. We engage in a thorough analysis to ascertain the film's merits and explore whether its negative reception is indeed warranted. The film features Ryan Reynolds in the titular role, embodying Hal Jordan, a character whose journey through the Green Lantern Corps is rife with challenges and existential dilemmas. While the film has often been critiqued for its visual effects and narrative coherence, we endeavor to unearth the underlying themes and values that may have been overlooked. Join us as we reflect on the film's complexities and its place within the superhero genre, contemplating the intersection of fear, willpower, and heroism in a universe teeming with possibilities.Embarking on an analytical journey, Andy Walsh and Will Rose delve into the cinematic landscape of the 2011 film 'Green Lantern,' a production that has garnered a dismal 25% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. This episode of the Summer Drive-In series seeks to uncover the intrinsic merits of the film, despite its critical reception. The hosts initiate their discourse by juxtaposing the film with contemporary superhero narratives, particularly drawing parallels to 'Guardians of the Galaxy,' which had not yet graced the screen at the time of 'Green Lantern's' release. They ruminate on the character of Hal Jordan, portrayed by Ryan Reynolds, and how his characterization diverges from the conventional depiction of the Green Lantern in comic lore. The discussion navigates through thematic elements such as fear and willpower, ultimately positing that the film, while flawed, embodies a certain charm and ambition that merits reconsideration. As they dissect the film's visual aesthetics, character arcs, and narrative structures, they invite listeners to reassess their views on a film often dismissed as subpar, ultimately questioning whether it truly deserved its unfortunate fate in the annals of superhero cinema.Takeaways: Listeners are invited to engage with the Drive-In series by accessing a playlist or subscribing to the podcast for more content. The hosts discuss their reactions to the 2011 Green Lantern movie, emphasizing its perceived shortcomings and strengths within the superhero genre. The conversation highlights the film's connection to broader themes in superhero narratives, particularly the exploration of fear and willpower. The hosts reflect on the casting choices, particularly Ryan Reynolds as Hal Jordan, and how these choices align with the character's established comic book traits. The episode concludes with a discussion of the Green Lantern oath, underscoring the thematic depth of willpower and moral responsibility in the narrative. .We discuss all this and more in this one! Join in the conversation with us on Discord now!.Support our show on Captivate or Patreon, or by purchasing a comfy T-Shirt in our store!.Check out the rest of our Rotten Films 2025 Summer Drive-In series:https://player.captivate.fm/collection/949652f2-fee2-4b3e-acbf-e2bb8dcdcddc.Listen to other episodes on DC:

In this episode, Ashley Augkhopinee, Fox Sports Operations/Production Manager and Seattle Mariners In-Game Host, shares tips on navigating seasons of change and chasing Jesus above career goals. She also illuminates the importance of servanthood and overcoming envy. We discuss singleness, engagement, and marriage for sports industry professionals and the joys of cultivating a lifestyle that honors family while working in a busy industry. All of this and more on the Uncommon Podcast! Learn more about ⁠⁠Uncommon Sports Group⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠connect with our community⁠⁠.⁠⁠⁠⁠Register⁠⁠ for the third annual CWS Conference!⁠⁠⁠⁠Watch⁠⁠ this episode on our YouTube channel.

Ecclesiastes 7:1–14 1 A good name is better than fine perfume, and the day of death better than the day of birth. 2 It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of everyone; the living should take this to heart. 3 Frustration is better than laughter,…

Emerging markets present the opportunity to invest in developing nations with fast-growing economies. In 2025, emerging markets have attracted significant investor interest, particularly in parts of Asia, Latin America and emerging Europe. Chinese equities have had a strong year, driven by fiscal stimulus and a recovery in large-cap tech stocks. But how will policy uncertainty and geopolitical tensions impact emerging markets? Will tariffs or the fluctuating U.S. dollar play a part? Host Pamela Ritchie is joined today by Abhijeet Singh, institutional portfolio manager, to discuss all of this and more.  Recorded on May 28, 2025. At Fidelity, our mission is to build a better future for Canadian investors and help them stay ahead. We offer investors and institutions a range of innovative and trusted investment portfolios to help them reach their financial and life goals. Fidelity mutual funds and ETFs are available by working with a financial advisor or through an online brokerage account. Visit fidelity.ca/howtobuy for more information. For a fourth year in a row, FidelityConnects by Fidelity Investments Canada was ranked #1 podcast by Canadian financial advisors in the 2024 Environics' Advisor Digital Experience Study.

In this episode, Boomguy is joined by Astrodar to discuss the classic ally, Groot! Astrodar brings some lore for the character and we dive into how much we like him, and combinations we enjoy playing with him.  Enjoy! Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Groot and the Podcast 02:55 Community Engagement and Con Experience 04:56 Content Creator Recommendations 06:56 Recent Gameplay and Hero Exploration 10:03 Chump Blocking and Game Mechanics Discussion 12:53 Play Styles and Game Strategies 15:32 Turtle vs. Tempo Play 18:16 Exploring Deadpool and Aggression Decks 20:59 Finding Value in Underappreciated Cards 23:54 Groot Lore and Character Background 30:48 The Evolution of Groot in Comics 32:13 Understanding Groot's Species and Background 35:30 Groot's Unique Communication Style 38:29 Analyzing Groot's Card and Abilities 40:06 Artistic Representation of Groot 43:09 Thematic Elements of Groot's Character 44:17 Groot's Role in Gameplay and Strategy 47:16 The Implications of Trait Locking in Gameplay 54:01 Balancing Strength in Gameplay 56:12 Evaluating Cost and Effectiveness 57:27 Comparing Guardian Allies 01:00:05 Fun Factor of Groot 01:03:37 Thematic Elements and Gameplay Mechanics 01:10:14 Final Thoughts and Ratings 01:18:13 Outro

Rachel Springate is the founding general partner of Muse Capital, an early-stage venture fund focused on overlooked sectors like women's health, wellness, parenting, gaming, and sustainability. In this episode, she shares her strategy for finding value where other investors aren't looking, explains how Muse assesses early traction in non-traditional markets, and breaks down the persistent funding gap facing women founders. We also discuss: How AI could transform women's health Why traditional VCs struggle to spot these opportunities What needs to change to solve the “2% problem” in venture capital Whether you're fundraising or building for an underserved market, this conversation offers tactical insights you can apply right now. RUNTIME 49:49 EPISODE BREAKDOWN (1:57) How Rachel connected with Muse Capital Founding Partner Assia Grazioli-Venier (3:43) Why “care, live and play” are the sectors they're most interested in (8:04) “ Entrepreneurs struggle in this space because typically the people that are building are female or diverse — building for their own.” (11:45) Many investors still don't recognize that women's health is a “ massive market opportunity.” (14:52) What are some of the signals that tell her a founder is ready to work with investors? (17:06) When it comes to domain expertise, “ our bar is pretty high.” (19:47) Muse Capital's process for analyzing market opportunities and evaluating founders (24:26) How seed-stage founders should prepare for their first VC meeting (27:10) “When a founder comes in and says, ‘nobody's doing what we're doing,' I'm like, ‘red flag.'” (29:33) When it comes to women's health, “ there's really interesting things that can be done with AI around unique data or proprietary data sets.” (34:44) How is the current political environment impacting innovation/investment in women's health? (37:44) Why less than 2% of venture capital goes to startups led by women (42:52) “ I do think we are going in the right direction. It's just gonna take a lot.” (44:45) How to get more women into the VC pipeline (47:45)  If you could snap your fingers today and change one thing about VC, what would it be? LINKS Rachel Springate Assia Grazioli-Venier Muse Capital SUBSCRIBE

Debt can feel like a never-ending trap, especially with rising inflation and maxed-out credit cards draining financial freedom. Many find themselves stuck in a cycle of high interest rates, minimum payments, and growing stress. But breaking free is possible. In this episode, we'll explore practical strategies for crushing debt with cofounder and CEO of TruthinEquity Bill Westrom. He is the mind behind Credit Line Banking, a revolutionary financial strategy designed to help American consumers regain control over finances, and build true independence. Whether you're overwhelmed by credit card balances or looking for a fresh start, our episode today will give ideas for small, intentional steps that can lead to lasting financial freedom. Get the full article at: https://goalsforyourlife.com/crushing-debt  Contact Bill at: Bill@truthinequity.com Make sure you're getting all our podcast updates and articles! Get them here: https://goalsforyourlife.com/newsletter Resources with tools and guidance for mid-career individuals, professionals & those at the halftime of life seeking growth and fulfillment: http://HalftimeSuccess.com #debtconsolidation #financialfreedom #financialeducation #debtmanagementplan #financialliteracy CHAPTERS: 00:00 - Introduction 01:50 - Bill Westrom 05:06 - Credit Card Debt Solutions 11:17 - Saving Money on Interest Rates 15:10 - Establishing Good Financial Habits 18:45 - Finding Value in Financial Advice 21:00 - Understanding Money Sources 23:10 - Obtaining a Line of Credit 28:28 - Financial Advice for Americans 31:50 - Investment Strategies 36:04 - Contacting Bill Westrom 38:39 - Final Thoughts on Finances 41:20 - Thank You for Watching 43:18 - Sign Off Quick recap:  Bill, the CEO of Truth in Equity, discussed strategies for managing debt and achieving financial freedom with Deborah, emphasizing the importance of education and smart banking practices. They explored topics such as credit line banking, the impact of debt on different age groups, and the significance of financial transparency with children. The conversation concluded with Bill offering personalized financial guidance and both speakers agreeing on the importance of making financial topics accessible to listeners.

In Hour 2 of YBYB Jared and PJ talk all things MLB, they dive into the MLB Division Markets. They are joined by Steve Phillips to get more amazing baseball insight! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the shadow of the tragic murder of two young Israeli diplomats, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, who dedicated their lives to peace, we confront the heart-wrenching questions: Are we still the Chosen People? Can we still believe in humanity when humanity seems to fall apart? This week's Torah portion, Bechukotai, addresses blessings and brutal curses, followed by the surprising laws of erchin, evaluating human worth. From this strange juxtaposition, Chassidic masters draw a powerful truth: even after unspeakable loss, the value of a human soul remains eternal and divine. Through stories of survival and sacred resistance, from Auschwitz to Washington D.C. we rediscover that our calling is not diminished by darkness, but rather revealed by it. This class is dedicated to the memory of Yaron and Sarah, may G-d avenge their blood. Takeaways:The antidote to darkness is dignity. The Torah teaches us that even after curses, we must return to affirming the value of each soul.Giving heals. The symbolic 143 shekel of erchin counters the 143 curses, showing the power of charity and sacred commitment.Pain does not diminish worth. Jewish identity is not dependent on external conditions. We remain chosen not despite suffering, but in how we respond to it.A moral education saves lives. The solution to violence isn't only policy—it's character, conscience, and responsibility to G-d.We rise because we remember. From the bloodied streets of exile to the halls of peace diplomacy, the Jewish soul remembers who it is and why it's here.#YaronLischinsky #SarahMilgrim #Torah #Bible #BibleStudy #TorahLessons #TorahPortion #Bechukotai #MoralResponsibility #Chosen #Kabbalah #Sermon #Israel #Antisemitism #chosenpeople #humanworth Join us for a special evening exploring:•⁠ ⁠The rise and trials of David HaMelech as told in Tanach•⁠ ⁠What Kabbalah and classical commentaries reveal behind the scenesRSVP HERE https://ndg.chabadsuite.net/civicrm/event/register?reset=1&id=77Support the showGot your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at rabbi@jewishndg.com or http://www.theloverabbi.comSingle? You can make a profile on www.JMontreal.com and Rabbi Bernath will help you find that special someone.Donate and support Rabbi Bernath's work http://www.jewishndg.com/donateFollow Rabbi Bernath's YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/ybernathAccess Rabbi Bernath's Articles on Relationships https://medium.com/@loverabbi

Send us a textIn the shadow of the tragic murder of two young Israeli diplomats, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, who dedicated their lives to peace, we confront the heart-wrenching questions: Are we still the Chosen People? Can we still believe in humanity when humanity seems to fall apart? This week's Torah portion, Bechukotai, addresses blessings and brutal curses, followed by the surprising laws of erchin, evaluating human worth. From this strange juxtaposition, Chassidic masters draw a powerful truth: even after unspeakable loss, the value of a human soul remains eternal and divine. Through stories of survival and sacred resistance, from Auschwitz to Washington D.C. we rediscover that our calling is not diminished by darkness, but rather revealed by it. This class is dedicated to the memory of Yaron and Sarah, may G-d avenge their blood. Takeaways:The antidote to darkness is dignity. The Torah teaches us that even after curses, we must return to affirming the value of each soul.Giving heals. The symbolic 143 shekel of erchin counters the 143 curses, showing the power of charity and sacred commitment.Pain does not diminish worth. Jewish identity is not dependent on external conditions. We remain chosen not despite suffering, but in how we respond to it.A moral education saves lives. The solution to violence isn't only policy—it's character, conscience, and responsibility to G-d.We rise because we remember. From the bloodied streets of exile to the halls of peace diplomacy, the Jewish soul remembers who it is and why it's here.#YaronLischinsky #SarahMilgrim #Torah #Bible #BibleStudy #TorahLessons #TorahPortion #Bechukotai #MoralResponsibility #Chosen #Kabbalah #Sermon #Israel #Antisemitism #chosenpeople #humanworth While Hollywood may offer drama the real story more profound. A shepherd boy who became a king, a warrior who wrote Psalms, and a flawed soul who never stopped seeking G-d.RSVP HERE https://ndg.chabadsuite.net/civicrm/event/register?reset=1&id=77Support the showGot your own question for Rabbi Bernath? He can be reached at rabbi@jewishndg.com or http://www.theloverabbi.comSingle? You can make a profile on www.JMontreal.com and Rabbi Bernath will help you find that special someone.Donate and support Rabbi Bernath's work http://www.jewishndg.com/donateFollow Rabbi Bernath's YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/user/ybernathAccess Rabbi Bernath's Articles on Relationships https://medium.com/@loverabbi

Send us a textIn this empowering episode of Teachers in Transition, Vanessa delves into the transformative journey of recognizing and embracing your unique value, especially during career transitions. Drawing inspiration from Secretariat's legendary Triple Crown victory, we explore how traits perceived as different or even weird can be your greatest strengths. We also discuss the challenges teachers face in valuing their worth and provide practical strategies to manage time effectively amidst life's distractions.Key Takeaways:Embrace Your Uniqueness: Just as Secretariat's distinct traits made him a champion, your unique qualities can set you apart in your career journey.Recognize Your Value: Teachers often undervalue their skills due to systemic norms. It's crucial to reassess and acknowledge your true worth beyond the classroom.Time Management Strategies: Learn to identify and navigate "side quests," "task cascades," and "productivity goblins" to maintain focus and productivity.Find the Right Environment: Like the rare car in the story, being in the right setting is essential for your value to be recognized and appreciated.Secretariat's Historic Races:Experience the races of Secretariat through these videos:1973 Belmont Stakes Victory: Witness Secretariat's record-breaking 31-length win at the Belmont Stakes. Triple Crown Races Compilation: Watch all three of Secretariat's Triple Crown races in one video compilation.1973 Kentucky Derby Full Race: Watch Secretariat's remarkable run in the Kentucky Derby, the first jewel of his Triple Crown triumph.  Connect with VanessaVanessa@TeachersinTransition.comLeave a voicemail or text at 512-640-9099Connect with Vanessa on LinkedIn!Schedule a free Discovery Session with Vanessa hereFollow Vanessa on Bluesky @beyondteaching.bsky.socialVisit the homepage at TeachersinTransition.com to learn more! Help Grow the Podcast!Please share this podcast with someone that you think might like what it has to say.  People find new podcasts mostly because they've been recommended by someone they know, and it would really help Teachers in Transition to grow if you could share with at least two other people. The transcript to this podcast is found on the episode's homepage at Buzzspout

#Featured #FindingValue #KentuckyDerby #DerbyDay

#Featured #FindingValue #KentuckyOaks #HorseRacing

Hear from Lindsey Rubinstein and Neil Datta about how their families are managing the many changes in the family office sector

#featured #oaklawnpark #findingvalue #horseracing

This week the crew tackles a stacked card at Oaklawn, including the $1.25M Oaklawn Handicap. Can First Mission deliver, or is an upset brewing? Tracy takes a bold swing on a 15-1 shot in a wild maiden sprint, and the team digs into the Bathhouse Row Stakes for possible Preakness sleepers. Don't miss the sharp plays and smart bets! #FindingValue #HorseRacing #Oaklawn

Wins Above Fantasy – Van Burnett (@Van_Verified) and Steve Gesuele (@stav8818) look for valuable changes in pitchers' approaches early in the season.Intro 0:00Chris Bassitt 5:40Tyler Mahle 16:25Luis L. Ortiz 23:46Bryan Woo 30:35Andre Pallante 31:31Edward Cabrera 35:50Hayden Wesneski 42:19Max Meyer 49:02Joe Boyle 54:06 Join: PL+ | PL ProProud member of the Pitcher List Podcast Network

Wins Above Fantasy – Van Burnett (@Van_Verified) and Steve Gesuele (@stav8818) look for valuable changes in pitchers' approaches early in the season.Intro 0:00Chris Bassitt 5:40Tyler Mahle 16:25Luis L. Ortiz 23:46Bryan Woo 30:35Andre Pallante 31:31Edward Cabrera 35:50Hayden Wesneski 42:19Max Meyer 49:02Joe Boyle 54:06

Wins Above Fantasy – Van Burnett (@Van_Verified) and Steve Gesuele (@stav8818) look for valuable changes in pitchers' approaches early in the season.Intro 0:00Chris Bassitt 5:40Tyler Mahle 16:25Luis L. Ortiz 23:46Bryan Woo 30:35Andre Pallante 31:31Edward Cabrera 35:50Hayden Wesneski 42:19Max Meyer 49:02Joe Boyle 54:06 Join: PL+ | PL ProProud member of the Pitcher List Podcast Network

Wins Above Fantasy – Van Burnett (@Van_Verified) and Steve Gesuele (@stav8818) look for valuable changes in hitters' approaches early in the season.0:00 Intro Starts6:17 Jordan Walker15:35 Ke'Bryan Hayes22:28 Brendan Rodgers29:26 Kyle Schwarber39:28 Maikel Garcia45:28 Nick Castellanos49:28 Cody Bellinger56:33 Spencer Torkelson1:01:00 Kyren Paris1:09:04 Jorge Polanco Join: PL+ | PL ProProud member of the Pitcher List Podcast Network

#FindingValue #HorseRacing #LexingtonStakes #AppleBlossom

Wins Above Fantasy – Van Burnett (@Van_Verified) and Steve Gesuele (@stav8818) look for valuable changes in hitters' approaches early in the season.0:00 Intro Starts6:17 Jordan Walker15:35 Ke'Bryan Hayes22:28 Brendan Rodgers29:26 Kyle Schwarber39:28 Maikel Garcia45:28 Nick Castellanos49:28 Cody Bellinger56:33 Spencer Torkelson1:01:00 Kyren Paris1:09:04 Jorge Polanco

If you want to read a letter I wrote to clients and friends of the firm, please send me a quick email [bogumil AT talkingbillions.co (not com)] with a few words about yourself, and I'll send it over. Thank you! Here you will find the audio version of my this week's article, find it on Substack: https://bogumilbaranowski.substack.com/ -- subscribe there for all content, not to miss anything.Also, it's super important! I'll be in Omaha in a few weeks, if you want to say hello, send me a quick email bogumil AT talkingbillions.co (not com) or if you just want to say hello, use the same email. Curious to hear from you! Podcast Program – Disclosure StatementBlue Infinitas Capital, LLC is a registered investment adviser and the opinions expressed by the Firm's employees and podcast guests on this show are their own and do not reflect the opinions of Blue Infinitas Capital, LLC. All statements and opinions expressed are based upon information considered reliable although it should not be relied upon as such. Any statements or opinions are subject to change without notice.Information presented is for educational purposes only and does not intend to make an offer or solicitation for the sale or purchase of any specific securities, investments, or investment strategies. Investments involve risk and unless otherwise stated, are not guaranteed.Information expressed does not take into account your specific situation or objectives, and is not intended as recommendations appropriate for any individual. Listeners are encouraged to seek advice from a qualified tax, legal, or investment adviser to determine whether any information presented may be suitable for their specific situation. Past performance is not indicative of future performance.

Wins Above Fantasy – Van Burnett (@Van_Verified) and Steve Gesuele (@stav8818) look for valuable changes in hitters' approaches early in the season.0:00 Intro Starts6:17 Jordan Walker15:35 Ke'Bryan Hayes22:28 Brendan Rodgers29:26 Kyle Schwarber39:28 Maikel Garcia45:28 Nick Castellanos49:28 Cody Bellinger56:33 Spencer Torkelson1:01:00 Kyren Paris1:09:04 Jorge Polanco Join: PL+ | PL ProProud member of the Pitcher List Podcast Network

#FindingValue #DerbyPrep #HorseRacing #OaklawnPark  

Fan Favorite: This episode originally aired on May 11, 2018. What up, everyone! It's Lisa Bilyeu here, and I'm pumped to welcome you to another episode of the Women of Impact podcast! Today, Tom and I are diving deep into something we've been getting asked about a ton – the dynamics of alpha and beta roles in relationships. Trust me, this episode is a game-changer if you've ever felt like you and your partner are butting heads or if you're just curious about how to harmonize your relationship dynamics. We're unpacking the defining traits of these roles and whether they're set in stone or something you can work on and adapt. And we're not stopping there! We're also tackling how these roles play out in real life, dissecting everything from leadership within the relationship to how these roles affect decision-making and execution. Guys, whether you see yourself as an alpha, a beta, or you're still figuring it out, this conversation is sure to bring you clarity and maybe even transform the way you approach your relationship dynamics. So grab your favorite hot drink, sit back, and get ready to soak in some serious wisdom on how to own your role and support your partner in theirs! SHOWNOTES 00:00 Welcome to Relationship Theory Live 00:05 The Exciting Topic of Alpha and Beta Roles 00:54 Courtney Locke's Two-Part Question 01:42 Defining Characteristics of Alpha and Beta 02:20 Nelson Mandela: A Model for Alpha Leadership 03:31 Lessons in Leadership from Lord Shackleton 05:42 Debunking Misconceptions About Beta Roles 08:45 Are Relationship Roles Innate or Changeable? 09:23 Tom's Journey from Beta to Alpha 10:07 Lisa's Alpha Past and Her Evolving Role 13:46 Communicating Role Dynamics in Relationships 15:06 How Situational Leadership Plays a Role 15:30 Establishing Clear Roles in Emergencies 18:32 The Porous Nature of Alpha and Beta Roles 21:38 Questions on Identifying Roles in a Relationship 23:11 Finding Value and Comfort in Your Role 25:41 The Impact of Cultural Baggage on Role Perception 28:47 The Importance of Role Clarity and Communication 33:19 Real-Life Examples of Alpha-Beta Dynamics 36:18 Closing Thoughts on Successful Relationship Dynamics 46:12 How to Support Us and What's Next CHECK OUT OUR SPONSORS Audible: Sign up for a free 30-day trial at https://audible.com/WOI  Vital Proteins: Get 20% off by going to https://www.vitalproteins.com and entering promo code WOI at check out.  SKIMS: Check out the Fits Everybody Collection at https://www.skims.com/woi  #skimspartner  Kettle & Fire: Get 20% off at https://kettleandfire.com/lisa with code LISA Quince: Check out Quince: https://quince.com/woi  Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at https://shopify.com/lisa NPR Fresh Air: Tune into Fresh Air from NPR to hear some of the most insightful interviews anywhere—wherever you get your podcasts.  Join Tom live on his Twitch stream. He's live daily from 6:30 to 8:30 am PT at www.twitch.tv/tombilyeu ********************************************************************** FOLLOW TOM: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tombilyeu/ Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tombilyeu?lang=en Twitter: https://twitter.com/tombilyeu YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TomBilyeu ********************************************************************** LISTEN TO WOMEN OF IMPACT AD FREE + BONUS EPISODES on APPLE PODCASTS:  apple.co/womenofimpact ********************************************************************** FOLLOW LISA: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisabilyeu/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/lisabilyeu YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/womenofimpact Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lisa_bilyeu?lang=en Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this season 5 episode of First Look ETF, Stephanie Stanton ‪@etfguide‬ examines the latest ETF marketplace trends with NYSE and guests. The guest lineup for this episode includes:1. Maital Legum, NYSE2. Robert Bierig, Partner, Portfolio Manager, Harris | Oakmark3. Brian Ferguson, Senior Portfolio Manager, Newton Investment Management4. Adam Patti, CEO, VistaShares*********First Look ETF is sponsored by the New York Stock ExchangeLearn more at https://www.ETFCentral.comWatch us on YouTube (Link http://www.youtube.com/etfguide)Follow us on Twitter @ETFguide (Link https://twitter.com/etfguide)Visit us at ETFguide.com (https://www.etfguide.com)

#featured #espnarkansas #16thpoleracing #horseracing #oaklawnpark #findingvalue #arkansasderby

https://youtu.be/Fka2npq2Kjg Marcus Hamaker, CEO of [bu:st] USA, is driven by a passion for helping small businesses find their pursuit of value by simplifying projects, optimizing processes, and streamlining operations for sustainable growth. We learn about Marcus's journey from growing up in a family business to leading [bu:st] USA, where he applies lean principles to help organizations improve alignment, communication, and execution. He explains the 5 Steps to Finding Value framework—Organizational Alignment, Communication, SOPs, Change Management, and Project Controls—guiding businesses to remove inefficiencies and drive sustainable growth. He also shares how the Boost Method ensures teams operate with clarity and purpose, emphasizing fastest time to value as a key metric for success. He highlights key leadership lessons and the mindset shifts entrepreneurs need to scale effectively. --- Pursuit Value with Marcus Hamaker Good day, dear listeners. Steve Preda here with the Management Blueprint Podcast. And my guest today is Marcus Hamaker, the CEO of [bu:st] USA, a consulting firm that helps you simplify your projects, optimize your processes and streamline your organization. He is also the host of The Pursuit of Value Podcast. Marcus, welcome to the show.  Hey, Steve, how are you? Thanks for having me.  Yeah, I am super pumped to have you. It's going to be a great episode and we are going to start as usual with the 'Why', because that's what powers great entrepreneurs. They have a strong 'Why'. So what is your personal 'Why', Marcus, and what are you doing to manifest it in [bu:st] or any of your businesses? Yeah. So, my personal 'Why' is just to make companies better. Ever since I was younger, growing up in the family business, watching my dad work hard. I'm very intrigued by business and it's really interesting to me why one business can succeed exponentially and another business really struggles to get off the ground. And so what we do at [bu:st] USA, what my podcast is about, The Pursuit of Value, is really helping small businesses be better.Share on X Real simple. And I also believe that small business has the power to change the world. I believe that business is and can be the greatest force for good in the world today because of just the entity and the formation of it. Also, not only what you can do with your employees internally, but how you can embrace the environment that you're in. Wherever that's in Italy, whether it's here in the United States, you have the ability and the responsibility and the opportunity to impact wherever your business sits. And so I really love small business.  Yeah. And small businesses are always exposed to market forces and there's no way to take it easy and you always have to strive to be competitive and make a profit and definitely is a powerful force for reducing waste. And I'm making this point because one of the things that [bu:st] does is to apply Lean principles. Tell me a little bit about the [bu:st] method that your company, your group developed, and how do you bring in Lean?  Yeah, so when we talk about Lean, it really has to do with value and it has to do with defining what is valuable to the company. So what's valuable to a manufacturer might be very different to what's valuable to a service company, right? So in our [bu:st] method, we always want to start with defining the future picture. What is success to that company? Or more simply, what is the solution to the problem that they're running into? So you define the future picture, you define the targets, you build the roadmap.  And through that whole process of defining the value, you also want to throw out what's not valuable. And that's where it lines up with Lean. And we always really try to focus on making every step, every process as efficient as possible. And that's what's really important. And that's what we do really well at [bu:st] USA. 

Roppy Brackets is back

#FindingValue #OaklawnPark #EssexStakes #LouisianaDerby #HorseRacing #featured

In Episode 398 of Hidden Forces, Demetri Kofinas speaks with Kennox Strategic Value Fund investment directors Charles Heenan and Geoff Legg about their investment framework and macro worldview. Known for their focus on top-quality, sector-leading companies, Charles and Geoff share valuable insights about what it takes to build and manage a portfolio with a long-term, value-driven perspective. This conversation explores the challenge of finding value in a world that seems to have gone absolutely insane. Not only are developed economies facing challenges and confronting headwinds that require us to think differently about investment risk, but many market participants seem to be increasingly indifferent to value as an anchor for assessing an asset's investment worthiness and the price they are willing to pay in order to own it. In the first hour, Demetri asks Charles Heenan and Geoff Legg about their value investment framework and how it informs—and is shaped by—their macro worldview. They also delve into the process and philosophy guiding their investment decisions, including how they are positioning themselves for a world characterized by structurally high inflation, geopolitical risk, and capital controls. In the second hour, the discussion takes a deeper dive into investment philosophy and the qualities required to be a successful investor. Topics include the distinction between luck and skill, the balance between action and patience, the importance of being risk-focused rather than optimizing for returns, and why the skills that generate success as an entrepreneur or founder could be detrimental to your performance as an investor. The audience also gets a first-hand look into Charles' and Geoff's rigorous process for evaluating potential investments. They share their perspectives on various sectors and asset classes, including energy companies, gold miners, telecom providers, retailers, and other businesses across the United States, Europe, and Asia. You can subscribe to our premium content and access our premium feed, episode transcripts, and Intelligence Reports at HiddenForces.io/subscribe. If you want to join in on the conversation and become a member of the Hidden Forces Genius community, which includes Q&A calls with guests, access to special research and analysis, in-person events, and dinners, you can also do that on our subscriber page at HiddenForces.io/subscribe. If you enjoyed listening to today's episode of Hidden Forces, you can help support the show by doing the following: Subscribe on Apple Podcasts | YouTube | Spotify | Stitcher | SoundCloud | CastBox | RSS Feed Write us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify Subscribe to our mailing list at https://hiddenforces.io/newsletter/ Producer & Host: Demetri Kofinas Editor & Engineer: Stylianos Nicolaou Subscribe and Support the Podcast at https://hiddenforces.io Join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at @hiddenforcespod Follow Demetri on Twitter at @Kofinas Episode Recorded on 01/20/2025