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Rogue Magic Wands Cause Sex Chaos.by jane700bond. Listen to the Podcast at Steamy Stories.Meanwhile in the college infirmary office, Madame Priscilla-Cane and Henry now rapidly getting past foreplay and looked as though they needed to indulge in some urgent sex. The nurse left the magic wand in her cunt to its own devices and took more and more of Henry's enormous dick into her generous mouth, smearing the end with her bright scarlet lipstick as she sucked and licked and chewed. With her hands, she ripped open the poppers of her uniform, leaving herself naked except for the enormous bra that was pulled down exposing her great full melons to Henry's greedy eyes.Henry deposited his kilt on the floor and climbed on to the nurse, his rod, now covered with her saliva, he aimed between the nurse's cleavage. He fondled the monsters and pushed them together so he could tit-fuck her with hard and urgent thrusts. Then with them both breathing hard, Henry moved down the nurse's body until he could aim his spear into her dripping cunt. Gently, at first, he thrust forward, his dick perfectly aimed to slide smoothly and deeply into her vagina. Henry suddenly realized his dick was not alone in Madam's hot cunt, the magic wand slid in deeply alongside him and exploded with magic. The chair shook as the pair fucked, Henry's arse sticking in the air and then ploughing back-into the hot deep cavern.Back in their bedroom, Doctor Snake pointed his wand at Sabrina and Priti and told them both to strip naked. Slowly, and with more reluctance on Sabrina's part, the two gals obeyed as Snake ogled their hairless cunt's and goggled their emerging breasts.Now, as Ariella's sex glamour built towards a climax across the way, Sabrina and Priti could not resist getting turned on. Priti who had been fucked by Henry's massive monster the day before found her breathing getting shorter in anticipation of another dick pounding her cunt. Sabrina was both fearing what was about to happen, but still becoming more and more turned on.Both gals had noticeable damp patches on their panties as they pulled them down in front of the teacher and Snake could smell their young sex. He in turn was feeling evermore randy and his skin was radiating heat."Undress me!" he commanded and Priti came forward and started to loosen his belt whilst Sabrina started on his shirt cuffs and then the rest of his shirt buttons. Her hands caressed his chest as she pulled the shirt back and off and then stood there as Priti, grappled to release the rock-hard cock from his pants. Eventually it bounced out free into the cool air of the bedroom and pushed hard against her flat breast. Priti being only five foot tall and Snake being six foot six, Priti found her mouth close to the pulsing dick that was now rubbing one of her guyish nipples and could not resist first licking its tip and then taking it into her mouth eagerly.Sabrina pulled Snake's trousers right down and, whilst keeping his rocket man in Priti's soft moist mouth, he kicked off his shoes and stepped out of his trousers to stand completely naked in a students' bedroom for the second time that morning.He made a sudden grab for Sabrina's cunt and rubbed his fingers along the line of her damp cunt. In shock, Sabrina moved back instinctively and nearly hit him, but then the man's thumb found the hard bump of her clit which sent an electric shock through her inexperience body and the blow never fell. All the time, the tiny Priti was getting more enthusiastic with blowing Snake's cock, bubbles of saliva escaping from her mouth and running down her chest.Snake indicated to Sabrina that she should lie back across her bed and open her legs, exposing her vulva which now showed a deep slash of red as it began to open. Then, now overexcited, Snake grabbed the pigtails on either side of Priti's head and thrust hard and deep into her mouth several times, as though in revenge for her humiliating him earlier. She choked and pulled her away, more saliva dripping down her chin. He circled the babe's mouth and nose with his cock, spreading the wetness, before pushing Priti towards Sabrina. He made her bend her head so it was in contact with Sabrina's opening slit and pushed Priti's mouth onto the other gal's cunt. Sabrina gasped as her friend's tongue plunge into her love tunnel and Priti's nose made contact with her hardened clit.Snake stepped over the back of the tiny Priti and used his hands to move her head so as to rub her nose up and down Sabrina's slit. Then, as Sabrina gasped and groaned, he stepped back behind Priti, and lifted her legs up, her face remaining glued to Sabrina's cunt. When her ass was at the height of his mouth, he licked the moistening slit and pushed his tongue in as deep as it would go. Sabrina leant forward and started massaging Priti's tiny breast as Snake greedily licked her cunt and made it red hot in anticipation for the fuck that was inevitably going to follow.After Priti's eagerness became obvious by the widening of her vagina, Snake lowered her legs until he could maneuver his broomstick hard cock into the eighteen-year-old's slippery cunt. On the very first stroke he plunged roughly into the hot love tunnel right up to the hilt. Priti screamed as Snake's thrust pushed her back into Sabrina's cunt. Sabrina pulled roughly at Priti's tiny tits as she was pushed backward, making the nipples red and prominent.With each hard plunge deep into her cunt Snake was making Priti ever more excited, she was loving the roughness and urgency of each fuck. She took a one hand and brought it back to her own clit and then lifting her head slightly to Sabrina's clit, thrust her other small hand deep into Sabrina and started to fuck her in rhythm with Snake, her teeth nipping the clit and pulling at the lips of the other gal's vulva. If the screams had been loud before, they were meteoric now as the babes advanced on the path to orgasm.Back in the infirmary things were not very quiet either. Madame Priscilla-Cane had previously experimented with her magic wand as a sex-toy, but usually in the privacy of her own room and at night. She would fantasize about a great blond muscled Elfin warrior, hung like a horse, fucking her with deep strokes until her whole body exploded in an orgasm that could last ten minutes or more. Now, here in her office, she was being fucked by an 18-year-old senior pupil, who actually was hung like a horse. Not that she cared at that particular moment.This lapse in her usual standards of behavior was actually down to Lucille, the French new dame who deep into black magic had drunk poor George dry of sperm, like some sperm vampire and then, dribbled a coating back onto his face, whilst enchanting it with her own wild sex charm. Madam Priscilla-Cane had no idea of the danger she was in when she carefully removed the dried spunk from the poor guy's face with a flannel, breathing deeply the smell of revitalized sex. Inevitably, as she cleaned away, the enchantment had its effect and this is why we find the illustrious big-boobed and sexy nurse in her office screaming in delight as Henry fucked her with the abandon of a stallion.The combination of enormous plonker and magic wand was having an effect on both of them. Sparks of magic from the wand flew out of the nurse's cunt as Henry withdrew before thrusting in again and with each spark there was a mind-blowing orgasm that filled both of them with a rising need for the final event. As he went in and out, Henry buried his head into Madame's boobs, licking, caressing, tweaking continually, wanting to drink their milk, as the sex madness overwhelmed their consciousnesses.Eventually, the reservoir of spunk in Henry's ball-sack reached capacity and with a final detonation of magic, he, the nurse and the magic wand all came together.Henry's cum shot deep into the nurse and then as the vagina was filled to capacity, slowly came bubbling out around his embedded cock to dribble and drip between her legs. Madame closed her eyes, sighed and fell into an erotic dream-filled sleep. Henry, with his boner still firm inside her, fell asleep too, head on her breasts and suckling an enormous teat. The magic wand slowly slipped down the cum covered love tunnel and escaped by following the flow of sperm into a sticky mess on the floor.It was at this point that a somewhat revived George entered the office and then immediately fled back to his bed and pulled the covers up over his head and began to shiver and shake again. George never wanted anything to do with sex again!At about the same time in the Briarwood womens dorm tower, Ariella was discovering that having a magic wand on the loose deep inside her vagina was an experience she might on future occasions forgo for simpler pleasures. Peggy was discovering for the first time, just how deep her hand needed to explore inside a cunt in order to free it of said pesky magic wand. It kept getting away and Peggy and the wand fucked Ariella ever deeper into her love tunnel while Peggy tried to grab the rebellious stick. Of course, she needed to keep everything lubricated and so was using a lot of saliva to lick around Ariella's delicious cunt lips and clit to add to Ariella's natural oils which, the magic wand luckily kept activating and which tasted irresistible.Peggy, was now nearly as turned on as it was possible to be and it was lucky, she had a spare hand to pleasure herself at the same time as magic wand chasing in Ariella's magic tunnel. Ariella's earlier enormous ejaculation had covered her face and breasts with silky-smooth goo and she used this now to stimulate herself.Suddenly Peggy had the wand in her hand and she held on despite it being so slippery and treacherous. She could feel the magic coursing down her arm, but she held on tight. She called out to the wand "Let go!" and it did. It let go an enormous flash of magic that lifted both gals off the bed. Ariella, screamed with delight and sex juices coursed down Peggy's arm as she pulled the sparkling stick out of Ariella's cunt and, without thinking, plunged it into her own. Wanting to experience an orgasm like her friend's, again, she shouted "Let go!"Peggie firmly held on to the wand as the magic orgasm fully hit her. Finally, she pulled the wand out and leapt onto Ariella, grinding her body into the other babe's, breasts, sliding over each other with the magic lubrication. Peggy kissed Ariella fully and deeply each tongue fighting each other for dominance as the shudders of orgasm gradually subsided and sleep overcame them.It was at this point that the house-elf, Gertrude, teleported into the room and stood staring at the two beautiful teen human gals as they slept peacefully with limbs entwined, skin still glistening with their cunt juices.Also about this time, Snake stopped fucking Priti and lifted the coed onto the bed besides Sabrina. Both gals sat side by side, with legs spread and glistening wet pussies. Like a man possessed he climbed onto the bed, his legs on either side of Sabrina's hips and presented his engorged snakehead first to the young lesbian breasts, smearing the nipples with Priti's juices and then to Sabrina's mouth. Despite the attractive aroma of Priti on Snake's dick, Sabrina kept her lips closed. She was not attracted to men, and was not a fan of hard boners.Snake rubbed her closed lips with his penis, his breath heavy and his heart pounding. Sabrina was the more attractive of the two and is his current state, enchanted by Ariella's sex charm, he really wanted to fuck her silly. He lowered his dick to her breasts and caressed them again gently with the bulbous head, making Sabrina gasp.Then Priti moved from her position and put one hand between Sabrina's legs and took a nipple in her mouth to suck. Sabrina gasped again and the ministrations from Priti started to work. Snake again presented his cock to Sabrina's mouth which involuntarily opened as she moaned as Priti rubbed her clit. Snake rubbed the cock across her now moist lips and they opened further to reveal firmly closed pearly white teeth. He now rubbed the teeth as Priti worked her magic and with a final gasp Sabrina opened her mouth and licked the tip of Snakes penis which was again oozing precum. Then as her own excitement mounted, she opened her mouth fully and took in a good few inches of the monstrous boner and started working on it roughly, making Snake wince.In moments Priti was beside her and they worked on the teacher's cock together, sliding their mouths along its length and then kissing each other deeply as they came to the tip. Snake was finding this too exciting and he still wanted his cock inside the lesbian Sabrina. Moving backwards, he stood on the floor between Sabrina's legs and lay forward and covered her naked body, his hands and tongue fondling and suckling her delicious breasts. As he did this, he knelt and move his cock towards his final goal, the wet and sopping cunt that had never had a cock inside.As if hiding what Snake was trying to do, Priti turned and presented her cunt to Sabrina's eager mouth which engaged willingly with her cunt and clit.Snake raised himself from Sabrina's now wet and aroused breasts and started to kiss Priti deeply as his cock moved resolutely towards Sabrina's sacred place. He gently rubbed the chick's engorged clit with the tip and Sabrina wriggled with mounting excitement. Then just as carefully, he moved his dick up and down the length of Sabrina's slit, massaging it as Priti started on her clit.After some minutes of patient work, Snake found the widening hole and pushed gently, the vagina expanding gradually to let him in and then he was there thrusting into the 18-year-old's cunt with long slow thrusts. He felt Sabrina's muscles tighten around him and they got into rhythm, all the time Sabrina working her tongue on Priti and Priti played with her clit and cunt lips and Snake's snake moved slowly in and out.Sabrina who by this time was enjoying the thrusting cock as she made love to Priti, began to whimper and moan and the thrusts became more urgent until with a scream and a cackle Sabrina came in a double orgasm, she finger-fucked Priti as the orgasm spread through her and Priti also screamed as an orgasm hit her.Snake withdrew before he came inside Sabrina and Priti slid down next to her friend, her arm around the shoulder of the other gal. Their lips met and mouths opened as a shower of cum was released by Snake straight into their faces and dripping down onto their tits. The gals kissed deeply then eagerly licked the sperm from each other's faces before kissing again. Then they started on each other's breasts, sucking sperm of each other's nipples and then sharing it again in wet spermy kisses.Snake was becoming aroused again at this too erotic sight and grabbing and lifting the petite Priti as if she were a sack of apples, he plunged into her doggy style, while she lay on top of Sabrina. Sabrina squirmed revealing to him her still open cunt and pulling out of Priti, he dived into Sabrina once more and then went from one gal's cunt to the other until finally he spasmed sperm into Priti's love hole all and all three collapsed in a heap.After a few minutes as they slowly disentangled their sweaty bodies the door of the bedroom swung open and a voice said in shock "Dr. Snake!"Sue was a typical 18-year-old Briarwood gal. Not too good and not that evil. Her full name was Suzanna De Silva Von Großer Zauberer, but everyone called her "Sue".The Großer Zauberer were on the wrong side in the Dark Lord Wars and Sue's parents had died attacking the very college Suzanna De Silva Von Großer Zauberer was now studying at. This might explain why she was known simply as "Sue"!She carried herself with a certain Germanic aristocratic poise, but she was not of blonde Prussian stock. She came from darker more southern German roots. This showed in her fine chestnut hair and olive touch to her skin, the dimple when she smiled and her sense of humor. Her eyes were a pale-grey, an unusual color that tended to look white and haunting in the dark.Sue and other senior pupils had arrived at their advanced potions class and were waiting patiently the arrival of Doctor Snake to take the class. Most unusually, Doctor Snake was late, so Sue daydreamed idly of using her magical powers to seduce the rather attractive Falcon House guy, Eustace, sitting next to her.She doodled on her pad. Unlike most of the Slither-In gals Sue had not used her magic-wand to create a perfectly smooth hairless pubis, but instead had created an exquisite lightning bolt of short chestnut pubes that pointed directly to her clit. "Give him a clue!" she had thought. She drew the design on her pad and added the detail of her vagina and where to find the clit before it emerged in excitement. Eustace looked at her drawing with interest, and edged a little closer on the bench, so that their legs were touching.Lucille l'Astique, had been getting increasingly impatient in Snake's absence and decided that her French aristocratic patience had run its course. The beautiful strawberry-blonde, with honey-gold skin and a body to die for, rose from her seat and asked "Anyone want to make the best love potion in the world? We need not wait for the late Snake, I know the recipe."There was a general consent from the class that this would be a good idea, at least until Snake appeared.Lucille began to exuded her sex glamour and then explained that the potion they were making was a bit daring and would require for a little female nudity. The two senior guys obviously did not object as a knowing smirk reached their lips. However, there was some little reticence from the two Falcon and one Honeybun gals - although a buzz of excitement was growing inside each of them.With a shiver of anticipation, Suzanna De Silva Von Großer Zauberer stood up to her full 5'6" and announced, that being from a family of do-darers and experimenters, and, even if she was only now known as "Sue", she would volunteer to be naked for the experiment. Of course there was to be no hanky-panky!Because of the sex glamour the students began to forget about the possibility of Snake appearing, the teacher's table was cleared and with encouragement from Lucille and an excited Eustace, Sue carefully stripped and laid herself with aristocratic languor the length of it, her lightning-bolt pointing directly to the top of her slit.It might be said that at this point that Eustace's tongue was hanging out hoping to find itself at the tip of the lightning bolt, but there you go, when you have a naked Sue to drool over, nature takes its course."Now!" said Lucille, "The first part of the potion is freshly made cunt oil and we all know where that comes from!"Eustace and his fellow Falconer, Redford, looked at little confused - there were no cats in the lab as far as they knew. Sue pointed to the lightning bolt and Eustace's eyes widened. The Honeybun gal, Stella, was shocked. "You are not going to masturbate her are you?" she asked, outraged."Non, ma petite! We will make it produce itself by magic - no touching allowed!"Lucille got the three other gals and the four guys to form a semi-circle around the desk and she herself, closed the circle at the bottom, where she could look up between the beautiful thighs to the tight thin line of Sue's tightly closed vagina.Eustace and Redford stood by Sue's hips, Janette and Jill from Falcon stood by her naked breasts, while Stella stood nervously at Sue's head.Lucille took her magic wand and, mumbling an incantation under her breath, lowered the wand within an cat's paw of Sue's clit. Sue started to writhe and Lucille instructed the other pupils to hold Sue's arms and legs so she could not move.Sue closed her eyes as ecstasy overwhelmed her, a fiery androgynous figure appeared to float above her and a long fiery tongue extended from the phantom to her clit, teasing it and making it spring forth from the folds of her vulva. She shuddered in a frenzy of excitement and gasped aloud.As Sue's excitement rose, Eustace, holding gently onto Sue's smooth naked thigh, felt an unstoppable erection push up the front of his kilt, he found he was overcome with a desire to fuck someone and someone now, but managed to hold his place. He looked into Redford's eyes on the other side of Sue and knew he was experiencing the same desire.Sue's vagina suddenly flooded with juices along the length of her slit, a clear fluid appeared as in her dreamlike state she neared orgasm from the phantom's probing tongue. She stopped writhing and lay still with a great smirk on her beautiful face.Using her wand, Lucille collected the liquid which clung in the air for a moment in a shining translucent ball and transferred it to a beaker. The aroma of Sue's sex juices filled the room and everyone was filled with sexual longing. "Now", she said, "for the second part. You two guys and gals, swap places."Eustace, his penis rock hard, let go of Sue's thigh and moved very slowly around Janette, his engorged boner pressing into her ass as he inched around. Janette, who's own pants were beginning to stain with her love juices did not object and moved a hand around to lift both the guy's kilt and her own skirt so she could feel the hard oak on her skin as he very slowly moved about her.On the other side of the desk, a similar occurrence was happening, except Jill had grabbed Redford's boner and in a few moments of deft maneuvering had got him to enter her from behind. Seemingly without any embarrassment, she squealed loudly as his cock plunged deep into her and they started to fuck with abandon, Jill bending over Sue's naked body as he thrust in and out. Lucille was not expecting such a rapid reaction to her whiles, but was very pleased - more support for her Sex Goddess campaign.Stella, all alone at Sue's head, also got caught up in the increasing sexual frenzy, started to massage Sue's naked breasts with one hand and thrust the other into her panties to relieve the increasing urge for sex."Stop!" shouted Lucille just as Eustace was about to start fucking Janette. "We are only half way there! We still need the other half of the potion. guys remove those ridiculous kilts and place your beautiful dicks, one on each of Sue's nipples."The guy's, excitement running through them like an eel in water, gave up on the disappointed Falcon gals and came to the table. Ceremoniously, they plonked their erect and hard snakes one on each of Sue's erect nipples. Janette, Jill and Stella watched and slowly began to masturbate unconsciously as they watched on in fascination, licking their lips in anticipation of what those cocks could do inside their now soaking cunts.Sue, in her dream state, dreamt was being massaged by a dozen gentle hands, her nipples now rising engorged and hard as invisible angels drove her to further ecstasy.Lucille instructed Redford and Eustace to circle the crowns of their dicks around the nipples and soon precum appeared from the top of each boner, lubricating Sue's nipples with a shiny gleam. She then took her wand and started to transfer Eustace's sex oil into the test tube with Sue's. However, before she could come to Redford, he gave a great gasp and sperm spurted out over the teen gal's erect tits as, with no control left, he came.Eustace nearly followed and there were gasps from the gals as they rubbed ever harder at their overexcited clits. "Idiot!" screamed "Lucille, luckily I got the oil from Eustace before you lost control. Stella, please lick clean this cum so we can continue."The previously innocent Honeybun gal, Stella, was finding the current situation rather overwhelming, a virgin with little knowledge of sex, she found herself filled with almost uncontrollable desires. Without being asked, she slowly and deliberately, she removed her blouse and bra and with ample tits pressing into Sue's face leant forward to start the job of licking clean the spunk covered tits. She paused at the first taste of cum and considered its salty, almost fishy taste. Finding is agreeable, she set forth with gusto, the spunk covering her lips as she sucked and licked.Janette and Eustace began to kiss deeply and Eustace deftly removed the gal's blouse and bra to reveal a beautiful pair of breasts which he went on to suckle with enthusiasm as the gal grabbed and started to tug at his cock.Redford was rather embarrassed at his premature ejaculation and went and sat on one of the chairs, cock shrinking and floppy. Jill now was even more desperate for a fuck and kneeling between his legs took the soft member into her mouth, tasting the last of his cum and started to work the guy back to excitement.Lucille told a reluctant Stella to remove herself from Sue and ordered the others back to their places around the desk. By this time Lucille was the only one who was in anyway dressed and she smiled wickedly to herself as the desperate 18 year olds fought the desire simply to fuck each other stupid.She held up the beaker and in a stage whisper said "Nearly ready!" Parting Sue's legs, she bent down to the gal's dripping vagina and sucked the love juices into her mouth, mixed it with her saliva and spat the mix into the beaker. It glowed a brilliant green. Touching it with her magic wand, the mixture bubbled and increased in volume until the beaker was filled. "Now!", she said "to taste. Each of you take a sip."But, as she approached Eustace, the door was suddenly flung open and Doctor Snake appeared in the doorway. Lucille raised her wand and thrust the potion into Eustace's hand.Snake, quickly taking in the scene and knowing the cause of it hit Lucille's wand with an "Expelliarmus!" As the wand flew through the air Lucille charged forward to try and grab it before it reached the teacher, but Snake was too fast and had her trapped in a magic net, which tripped her and she fell to the floor bound tightly.

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Geoff and Marie's Good Life: Part 15The Live Sex ShowGeoffrey performs in public.Based on posts by Only In My Mind, in 15 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels.We were sitting cuddling together on the sofa when Colin arrived, with Mia in tow. Angie had offered to cook that afternoon and we were trying to decide what we fancied. I suggested a chilli con carne with rice. Angie decided otherwise."Kids," she called. They wandered in from the kitchen with glasses of milk and a chocolate biscuit each."If I go shopping for ingredients, would you two help me cook tea tonight?" The two teens shared a look and agreed. "Right," she announced, standing up. "Go and sort out your homework with grandad; I'll go shopping."I stood and went to get my wallet. She glared at me. "Go on. Do it," she challenged me. "I bloody dare you to offer me money to get food for the people I care about."I carefully closed the drawer and apologized for my insensitivity. "I just don't want you to think that we take you for granted," I explained.Her expression softened. "And if I ever feel that way, I'll say something, but right now it's my turn to give. Please allow me that."I went and pulled her into a hug. "Sorry Angie. You know I wouldn't deliberately upset you. Am I forgiven?"She returned my hug. "You were never in trouble. I was just reminding you that we're family now and I want to contribute too."She gave me another squeeze, a brief kiss and she left. I turned to the kids, who had watched our exchange, fascinated. "What?" I asked.Colin shook his head. "Not sure about this whole adult relationship stuff," he griped. "They are all weird." Mia smiled at his comment, but didn't argue. To be fair, the lad had a point."Okay." I clapped my hands. "Homework?"It turned out that they were studying climate change. Their teacher had given the class three questions and they were free to choose which one to answer. I suggested that Colin and Mia avoided answering the same question so they weren't accused of copying, and sent them off to the study.Angie was back and in the kitchen laying out her ingredients when the teens finally reappeared. Colin, ever the gentleman, had allowed Mia to use our laptop for her slides, while he had used my tablet. That was fine; it wasn't as though we regularly used our devices to cruise porn sites. Besides, I had made sure that Marie knew to use private tabs if she was viewing adult content. The kids were old enough to start learning about relationships. Images of explicit sex were not on their agenda for some years to come.I sent them in to the kitchen and, with their permission, went to check over their homework. I was reassured. If I had seen job applications written that thoughtfully, they both definitely would have qualified for an interview.I joined the others in the kitchen, only to find that I was redundant. Colin was slicing an onion, Mia was chopping mushrooms and Angie was trimming what looked like a pork fillet. She looked up and shook he head, smiling. "The sous chefs are doing fine," she explained. "I want them to feel confident that they can work without being micro-managed."I watched Colin. He was doing well. Slow, perhaps, but careful. Mia was taking equal care to have all the slices of mushroom a similar thickness."Shall I set the table then?" I suggested. The consensus was that yes, I could perhaps make myself useful that way."Set for a starter, main and dessert, please," Angie advised me. "We have a full menu planned.""Wine?""A nice white, maybe an oaked chardonnay," suggested Colin. "I checked on my phone," he explained, in response to my surprised expression.I grunted and went to set about my assigned tasks, and that was how Marie found me when she returned from work. "That's my job when you're the cook," she observed."I have been supplanted by our wicked betrothed and her evil teen minions," I sulked."That's nice, dear," she said, absently, as she bustled about putting her coat away.We went into the kitchen together once I had finished. My wife walked up behind Angie and gave her a big hug. "Geoffrey is feeling emasculated," she told her friend. The minions looked on in amusement.Angie gave a derisive snort. "It's my turn to cook with the kids because I'm here today. Geoff can take his turn any day.""There you go, Geoff," my wife reassured me. "We still enjoy your cooking, it's just that Angie gets less opportunity." Seeing as how I was only pretending to be upset, it was easy to pretend that all was forgiven. I accepted the explanation with a kiss for both of my girls and went off in search of a bottle of wine.I sat and red, while Marie and Angie caught up in the kitchen. Marie joined me ten minutes later. "Angie's bursting to tell me about her day, but all she dare say in front of the kids is that you and she had a pleasant afternoon."I glanced at the door. "I don't think we should have this conversation here and now. If one of the youngsters walks in, the guilty silence will just be uncomfortable for everyone. So how was your day?"And so we sat and I listened to her accounts of generous donors, sweet natured old ladies and the occasional twat who tried to bargain down the price on the ticket. For Fuck's sake! It's a charity shop. And Marie was clear; the worst offenders were most obviously not short of change. They were just tight bastards. Not that my beloved ever capitulated. She would just smile sweetly and remind them where they were, pointing out that they were welcome to try the same approach in John Lewis with her full support.We made the occasional foray to the kitchen but our offers of help were politely, but firmly, rebuffed. To be fair, the atmosphere was relaxed. I asked about the menu and, after looking to the chef for approval, Mia ran through it. "We are starting with cubes of baked breaded brie on a bed of salad with a lingonberry relish. Then there is pork stroganoff with green vegetables and rice. For dessert we are having individual warm pear frangipane tartlets with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream." She paused. "Oh, yes," she continued. "If anyone is still hungry there's a selection of cheeses as well as olives, and some nice bread to go with dipping oils and vinegars."I did a quick calculation in my head. "At today's prices, I reckon that meal would come in at about £50 plus per head just in a country pub." Mia just grinned at me. I carried on. "Can I afford to get used to eating like this?"I looked around the kitchen brigade and saw three unreasonably happy cooks. Angie was obviously less demanding of the children and seemed thrilled to be able to pass on her knowledge. Colin just loved cooking and Mia seemed to be determined to learn so that she could help her mum.I turned to Angie. "This all smells wonderful. Wendy and Linda should both be here well before six. Is that okay, Chef?"Angie looked at her team. "Starters on the pass for six o'clock.""Yes Chef!" They shouted in unison. We shook our heads and left them to it.Wendy arrived first. Mia had sent her a text to say that they were eating at our place again. Wendy tried to apologize for intruding but we, particularly Marie, were having none of it. "We love having Mia with us. I know she's very mature but, as Colin is here anyway, it makes no sense for her to be at home, alone," my wife told her. "In addition, Angie is doing a cookery masterclass and she is way more tolerant of the kids than she is with me, so it's easier just to let them get on with it."Mia must have heard her mum's voice because she left the kitchen, briefly, to give her mum a hug before apologizing. "Sorry mum, but I need to turn the tarts so they brown evenly." And, with that, she dashed back to the kitchen. We led a bemused Wendy to the living room, sat her down and asked about her day. Her eyes filled as she explained just how grateful she was not to come home to have to start cooking a meal, even just for one night. She had a decent job in the Civil Service so money wasn't too much of a problem. She just struggled finding time to be the wage earner, housekeeper and mum. She felt guilty too that Mia seemed to feel obliged to sacrifice her spare time to help around the house rather than being a teenager.Marie glanced at me. We're not telepathic but I was certain we were thinking the same thing. Wendy was so caught up in being the perfect single parent, she had forgotten how to be Wendy.We never really got the chance, that evening anyway, to pursue that thought as we heard the front door open to herald our daughter's arrival. What followed, by then, seemed oddly familiar. Hearing his mother greeting us, Colin emerged from the kitchen, hugged his mum, and promptly departed, shouting over his shoulder, "Sorry mum. Got to dash. I can't let the rice overcook. Love you."Linda appeared as flummoxed as Wendy had. "I don't know what it is about this house, but there always seems to be something odd going on just lately." Wendy looked at her in surprise. "What?" my daughter retorted. "How many other throuple weddings have you been invited to? Even more particularly, how many with a Star Wars dress code?" She shook her head. "Christ, I hope it isn't genetic; otherwise I'm well and truly fucked!" She put her hand to her mouth guiltily and checked to see that neither of the youngsters had overheard. "Sorry all. That just slipped out," she apologized. "I've had a weird day at work too. Some half-wit manager wanted me to;” She did the 'air-quotes' with her fingers. "; Expedite a delivery to an important client in Nice.""Let's sit down and you can vent in comfort," I suggested. I led our daughter through and Marie followed with Wendy. "Now, go on. Story so far, idiot, big words, France. New readers start here."She explained that, in order to cover his ass for something that his team had screwed up, said half-wit tried to make it Linda's problem to solve. The vehicle in question was already in France and the driver had to observe French law. The only way to 'expedite' the delivery would be to exceed his permitted hours or fly another driver out to take over; neither was going to happen. Being Marie's daughter, of course she just picked up the phone and asked the operations manager for a cost code for the air fare from Gatwick to Lyon. Apparently the idiot had just assumed that Linda, being a woman could just, who knows? Make it go away?Ops manager had obviously queried the request and Linda, quite disingenuously, told him. It was not well received. She sighed. "On the upside, I got the problem back where it belongs. On the other hand, now I have to watch my back in case he tries to retaliate." She took a deep breath and sat back. "Thank you." We must have looked puzzled. "For just listening and not telling me what I should have done," she explained. She thought for a moment. "This place is still weird though."As she finished that thought, Colin appeared from the kitchen with a white napkin over his arm, to invite us take our places at the table. Linda looked at me. "See?" She mouthed. I could only grin in reply.We took our seats as directed and were joined by Angie and Mia. Colin disappeared to the kitchen and returned with the bottle of wine I had selected and placed in the fridge earlier. Handing it to me to open he returned to the kitchen. Angie cleared her throat. "Wendy, Linda; would you be prepared to let Mia and Colin have a small glass of wine with their meal? They have put their hearts into preparing it; it seems unfair that they miss out on that one component."Mia sat, apparently startled, and watched as her mother considered Angie's request. Wendy nodded slowly. "That seems fair. I'd rather she experienced alcohol in a civilized setting like this." She looked around the table. "Rather than getting hammered at her first student party at Uni."Linda nodded in agreement. "I'll get some glasses for them." Colin reappeared carrying three plates that he placed in front of Angie, Marie and Wendy. He made the journey again, this time serving Linda, Mia and me. He made the final trip for his own starter. As he sat, I reached across and poured a half measure of wine into his glass. He looked to his mum for reassurance. She smiled in acknowledgement. I poured a similar glass for Mia and then shared the remainder amongst the adults.I picked up my glass. "Ladies, Colin, a toast to the Chef and her crew." We four non-cooks raised our glasses in tribute; the cooks acknowledged our compliment and then joined in the toast. Then we attacked the food. The brie was delicious and matched beautifully with the sweet fruit jam. I watched surreptitiously as Colin finished a mouthful and self-consciously took a sip of wine. His brow furrowed as he reconciled the flavors of the wine and the food. He went back to his food looking thoughtful. We finished the starter and complimented the cooks on the flavor and the presentation. It had looked as good as it tasted.We moved onto the main course. Angie and Mia plated up in the kitchen, while Colin worked 'front of house'. Again, the meal was delicious. Angie's version was discs of pork in an onion and mushroom sauce made with crème fraiche, Dijon mustard and smoked paprika, finished with a hint of lemon juice. The plain white rice was perfect for soaking up the sauce.Colin sipped his wine again. "It tastes different with this course," he commented. "It still works but in a different way." He looked to Mia for opinion."Is it because the lingonberry was so sweet that the wine tasted sharper?" She asked me.I shrugged. "Probably. It might even be something to do with the lactic acid in the crème fraiche. What matters is whether you like it.""I do," she smiled and turned to Angie. "Thank you;” She hesitated. "I'm sorry. But I don't know what to call you.""Grangie," offered Colin."Or Angie," suggested our fiancée.Wendy seemed uncomfortable. "Isn't that a bit familiar? Wouldn't Mrs. and your surname be more appropriate?""Technically," interjected Linda. "If you were going to insist that we stand on ceremony, Mia should address Angie as Professor Weston." She frowned at the thought. "Nope. This place is weird enough already. Angie or Grangie. He's Geoff or grandad; that's Marie or grandma and I'm Linda. We want you and Mia to be comfortable here."Mia considered. "Thank you Angie for getting mum and Linda to let us have wine with the meal.""You both earned it dear," Angie assured her. "Now. Desserts, I think."Again, the two girls plated as Colin served. The tartlets looked amazing; a light short crust pastry filled with an almond flavored sponge topped with poached pear cubes. On each plate there was a swirl of chocolate sauce over a generous quenelle of vanilla ice-cream, starting to melt where it touched the still warm tart. I knew where Angie had gone shopping for the ingredients for the meal, and the small fragrant black specks confirmed that she had not economized on cheap ice-cream. This was made with actual vanilla pods. The aroma from the plate was amazing; it was all that I could do not to dive straight in. Still, manners required that I wait until everyone was served, so that's what I did.Once Colin was seated, we began. The taste was amazing. I glanced towards Angie in inquiry. "Star anise as well as cinnamon," she clarified. I nodded, impressed, and turned back to my dessert and savored the remainder. I watched as Colin took another sip of his wine and then Mia as she followed suit. Colin actually shuddered. Mia merely looked disappointed."Have a sip of water," I suggested. "And then wait a couple of minutes after you've finished eating."After the seven plates were all but polished clean, we thanked our catering team. It had been an absolutely lovely meal and the final course had been a triumph. Linda and Marie stood to clear the table, but returned immediately to sit with our guests and chat as we finished our wine."I've never eaten like that before," Wendy admitted."At home, you mean?" Asked Linda.Wendy shook her head. "Ever. My husband didn't like 'fancy foreign muck' so it was fish and chips, takeaways or just ready meals." Her voice cracked with emotion. "Even now, most of our meals are out of the freezer. I can boil potatoes and grill sausages and reheat tinned or frozen veg. My dad just liked the same old stuff too, so that's all my mum taught me. That's about my limit. At this moment," she admitted, sadly, "Mia's almost certainly a better cook than I am."Angie surprised me. She isn't always the most diplomatic of us. "Being untutored is not the same as being a failure." She reached for Wendy's hand. "Tell us how we can help, and between us, you have a group of capable cooks here who are happy to teach you whatever we can."Marie and I finished our drinks and Linda joined us in the kitchen. The brigade had washed and tidied as they went so there was only really the crockery to deal with. That went in the dishwasher. We cleaned the hob and worktops and sorted out the saucepans then returned to the living room. The teens had disappeared, leaving Angie and Wendy talking about food.When Wendy confessed that she would struggle to even shop for a meal such as we'd just had, Linda made a contribution. "A girl I work with wanted to branch out from the same old stuff she always cooks, so she orders from one of those on-line delivery companies. She swears by them now." She picked up her phone. "I can call her and if you decide to do it and say she recommended them to you, then you'll both get a discount."Wendy looked uncertain. The poor woman had no self-confidence at all. Linda left the room and returned two minutes later scrolling on her phone. "Here," she said, passing her phone to Wendy. "Jan told me how to install their app. Pick four meals for two people from this menu list and you'll get everything you need delivered next week, along with recipe cards. Jan said the instructions are dead simple and she's actually learning to cook from doing it."Wend called for Mia to come and choose with her and, together they picked four meals that they thought they might enjoy cooking together. While they did, Colin and I chatted about his first experience of wine with a meal. "It tasted nice, except with dessert," he told me. "Would a sweeter wine have been nicer?""Probably," I acknowledged. "There's a lot of snobbery and nonsense about wine, but some types do go with some foods better than others. I didn't find it clashed to the extent that you did, so personal preference and experience play a part too."At that point Mia called him over to see what she and her mum had chosen for the following week. He pointed to one selection. "Grandma makes that sometimes. It's ace."Wendy passed the phone back to Linda and the pair completed the sign up and the first order, making sure to claim the discount. Wendy seemed conflicted. "I'm a bit nervous about having to make something I've never done before," she confessed. "But I'm excited at the same time.""Think of this," my wife suggested. "As long as you have a loaf of bread, a tin of baked beans and some cheese in the house, even if it all goes horribly wrong, at least you won't starve."The conversations about food carried on until Wendy looked at her watch. "Oh goodness," she exclaimed. "Look at the time!" And after collecting Mia and thanking us for our hospitality, within ten minutes they were gone.Linda pulled me into the kitchen. "That poor girl's husband did a proper number on her: the bastard," she spat. "She copes okay at work because she knows her job. But as a person;” She paused, speechless."I know, sweetheart. We all do. And she's such a lovely woman too."She stared at me, suspiciously. "Are you three planning something?""No," I answered, sort of honestly. "But if an opportunity presents itself, we would probably try to help her see what a worthy person she is."

Guest: Andy Kim, Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame 2025 inductee

Join Premium! Ready for an ad-free meditation experience? Join Premium now and get every episode from ALL of our podcasts completely ad-free now! Just a few clicks makes it easy for you to listen on your favorite podcast player.  Become a PREMIUM member today by going to --> https://WomensMeditationNetwork.com/premium Gently close your eyes, and take a long, slow breath in…  Let the air fill your lungs, and as you exhale,  Feel the stress begin to leave your body.  This is your time to release, your time to let go. PAUSE... Your body seeks rest, Your mind seeks peace, Let them both soften, As relaxation begins to increase. LONG PAUSE... Begin with your toes—let them relax, one by one.  Picture a soft light wrapping around each toe,  Gently warming and soothing them.  Feel the tension dissolve, leaving your toes at ease. Join our Premium Sleep for Women Channel on Apple Podcasts and get ALL 5 of our Sleep podcasts completely ad-free! Join Premium now on Apple here --> https://bit.ly/sleepforwomen  Join our Premium Meditation for Kids Channel on Apple Podcasts and get ALL 5 of our Kids podcasts completely ad-free! Join Premium now on Apple here → https://bit.ly/meditationforkidsapple Hey, I'm so glad you're taking the time to be with us today. My team and I are dedicated to making sure you have all the meditations you need throughout all the seasons of your life.  If there's a meditation you desire, but can't find, email us at Katie Krimitsos to make a request. We'd love to create what you want!  Namaste, Beautiful,

Gently remove your sleepy Sunday slippers while Scoots talks about how this season came together and where it ended up going.The show really needs your support right now. Please consider joining Sleep With Me Plus so we can keep coming out free for everyone. Start a free trial at sleepwithmepodcast.com/plusGet your Sleep With Me SleepPhones. Use "sleepwithme" for $5 off!!Are you looking for Story Only versions or two more nights of Sleep With Me a week? Then check out Bedtime Stories from Sleep With MeLearn more about producer Russell aka Rusty Biscuit at russellsperberg.com and @BabyTeethLA on IG.Show Artwork by Emily TatGoing through a hard time? You can find support at the Crisis Textline and see more global helplines here.HELIX SLEEP - Take the 2-minute sleep quiz and they'll match you to a customized mattress that'll give you the best sleep of your life. Visit helixsleep.com/sleep and get a special deal exclusive for SWM listeners!ZOCDOC - With Zocdoc, you can search for local doctors who take your insurance, read verified patient reviews and book an appointment, in-person or video chat. Download the Zocdoc app to sign-up for FREE at zocdoc.com/sleep PROGRESSIVE - With the Name Your Price tool, you tell Progressive how much you want to pay for car insurance, and they'll show you coverage options that fit your budget. Get your quote today at progressive.comQUINCE - Quince sells luxurious, ethically-made clothes and bedding at an affordable price. Transition your bed for the season with soft, breathable bedding from Quince. Go to Quince.com/sleep to get free shipping and 365-day returns on your next order. ODOO - Odoo is an all-in-one management platform with a suite of user-friendly applications designed to simplify and connect every aspect of your company in one, easy-to-use software. Odoo is the affordable, all-in-one management software with a library of fully-integrated business applications that help you get MORE done in LESS time for a FRACTION of the price.To learn more, visit www.odoo.com/withme Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Father's Day Beef with Café de Paris butter Cook time: 5 minutes Prep time: 20 minutes Serves: 6 6 x beef steaks Flaky salt Cracked pepper 150 gm unsalted butter 1 tbsp tomato ketchup 1 tbsp Dijon mustard 1 tbsp capers, chopped 1/4 cup onions, finely diced 1/4 cup parsley, chopped 1 tbsp thyme leaves 2 cloves garlic, crushed 2 anchovy fillets 1/2 tbsp brandy 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire 1/2 tsp paprika powder 1/2 tsp curry powder 1/2 tsp seasalt Crack of pepper Shoestring fries 1 pkt watercress Preheat a oven to 180*c. Cut the butter into small dice and place into a mixing bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients starting from the top to the bottom. And mix to combine. Laying out a 30 cm piece of greaseproof paper, spoon the butter mixture across the paper about a third of the way up. Gently roll the paper over to form a cylinder. Then wrap again in cling-film to help roll tight. Store in fridge to harden. Season the steaks with a good amount of salt and pepper. Either cook the steaks in a hot cast-iron pan or place into a BBQ. Cook to required wellness, I would go medium rear or 54*C. Remove the butter from the fridge and slice circles through the cling-film and paper, peel off wrapping and serve one round of butter on top of each steak. Serve the steak to Dad with good amount of shoestrings and watercress. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

n this solo episode of The Reformed Brotherhood, Jesse Schwamb dives into a theological exploration of work as an extension of Christian calling that extends far beyond paid employment. Building upon their previous discussion about vocational choices for Christians, Jesse addresses the question: "Does a Christian's work ever cease?" Through careful examination of Ephesians 2:8-10 and other passages, he argues that while the nature of our work may change through different seasons of life—including retirement, caregiving, or illness—God has prepared good works for believers to walk in throughout their entire earthly journey. The episode offers both theological foundations and practical guidance on how Christians can approach all forms of labor as worship, finding purpose and meaning in every season of life. Key Takeaways Good works are not the basis of salvation but its goal—Christians are saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8-9), not by works, yet they are saved for good works that God has prepared in advance (Ephesians 2:10). The Christian's work never ceases but changes form—Whether in paid employment, retirement, caregiving, or even during illness, God has prepared meaningful work for believers in every season of life. All work has spiritual value when done unto the Lord—The Reformed tradition elevates all forms of work, not just paid employment, as having potential to glorify God. Prayer is a significant and valuable form of work—Even those who cannot engage in physical labor can participate in the vital spiritual work of intercessory prayer. Good works offer multiple benefits to believers—According to the Westminster Confession, good works manifest gratitude to God, bolster assurance of faith, encourage other Christians, adorn Christian doctrine, silence critics, and glorify God. Christian workers should be distinctively different—Believers can stand out in the workplace by being fair and committed, genuinely caring for others, demonstrating generosity, remaining calm under pressure, and being authentic about their faith. Finding our identity in Christ transforms our approach to work—When we place our ultimate treasure in heaven rather than earthly gain, we can approach our labors with greater peace, purpose, and freedom from anxiety. Elaboration on Key Points The Christian's Work Never Ceases but Changes Form Jesse challenges the modern Western notion that work is merely a season of life that eventually ends with retirement. Instead, he presents a more ancient and biblical perspective: that work never ceases but merely takes different forms throughout our lives. Using Paul's metaphor of "walking" in the good works God has prepared (Ephesians 2:10), Jesse explains that our journey continues throughout life, with the landscape changing as we move through different seasons. Whether we're in paid employment, caring for loved ones, serving in retirement, or confined to a bed during illness, God has prepared meaningful work for us to do. Even those who are physically limited can engage in the vital work of intercessory prayer, which Jesse describes as "the kind of work that is so glorious... that while it exhausts us, it exhausts us in a way that brings us the greatest kind of sleep or refreshment." This perspective eliminates the anxiety many Christians feel about the purpose of their later years and affirms the ongoing value of their contributions to God's kingdom regardless of their physical capacity or economic productivity. Good Works Offer Multiple Benefits to Believers Drawing from the Westminster Confession of Faith, Jesse outlines six significant benefits of good works in the Christian life. First, good works manifest our gratitude to God for the gift of His Son—they become tangible expressions of thankfulness for salvation. Second, they bolster assurance of faith by providing evidence of God's work in our lives. Third, good works encourage other Christians toward greater acts of Christ-centered love, as we witness the transforming power of the gospel in one another. Fourth, they adorn the doctrine of God our Savior, making abstract theological truths visible and attractive to others. Fifth, good works silence critics who devalue biblical Christianity by demonstrating its positive impact. Finally, they glorify God by displaying His transformative work of love in our lives. These benefits apply to all forms of work—paid or unpaid—and give eternal significance to even the most mundane tasks when done unto the Lord. As Jesse emphasizes, "There are no mundane things. There are no small works... There are just these small things that come alongside with the great work that God has done already in our lives." Memorable Quotes "Good works aren't bad when they're seen as the goal of salvation, not its ground. The goal, because it's worthwhile to want to worship God and to obey him by doing good works." "Keep walking on that journey knowing that God all along the way has already prepared good works for you to do because he loves you and because this is our opportunity to worship him together in everything that we do." "When we are performing this work for God, he assures our faith. He refreshes us in it. He exhausts us in the best possible way so that we might love him more, cherish him more, encourage one another more, and really come to understand his character more forthrightly."   Full Transcript [00:00:08] Jesse Schwamb: Keep walking on that journey knowing that God all along the way has already prepared good works for you to do because he loves you and because this is our opportunity to worship him together and everything that we do. [00:00:32] Jesse Schwamb: Welcome to episode 459 of The Reformed Brotherhood. I'm Jesse, and this is the podcast where the tulip never wilts. Hey, brothers and sisters. [00:00:48] Recap of Previous Episode [00:00:48] Jesse Schwamb: So in this episode of The Reformed Brotherhood, this solo episode, I'm gonna wrap up a conversation that Tony and I just had in the last episode and set us up, wet Your Appetite for a whole brand new series. [00:01:03] Jesse Schwamb: That's gonna be starting in the next episode. So you find yourself bookended by two really great things. One, a great conversation we just had about the Christian and work. Are there jobs that really Christians shouldn't have? Because it takes us away from what it means to serve the Lord vocationally, as strange as that sounds. [00:01:22] Jesse Schwamb: So if you didn't hear that, you're gonna wanna go check that out before you listen to me, wrap all of us up right now. In fact, here's what you should do. Stop everything you're doing, unless it's operating a vehicle or a backhoe. Power those things down. Get off the side of the road, then go to reformed brotherhood.com and you can find all of the episodes living out there that we've ever recorded, including the one from last week, and I believe will be greatly blessed by hanging out with some of those conversations. [00:01:49] Jesse Schwamb: So go and do that first. [00:01:51] The Christian's Work and Retirement [00:01:51] Jesse Schwamb: On this episode, I'm gonna talk a little bit as a follow up about. Does the Christian's work ever cease? Is there a time, because we just spoke about vocational work and work for which we're remunerated, where once that goes away, what happens next? Is it a different kind of work? [00:02:07] Jesse Schwamb: Is it no work? Should we be the kind of people that are trying to pursue an end to that remunerated work as quick as possible? Is that okay? What happens if we can't be compensated for our work anymore? What happens? We're gonna reason from the scriptures a little bit more about work, our calling and all of that by way of vocation. [00:02:26] Jesse Schwamb: And part of this conversation has actually come from a larger conversation. So one of the greatest and best things about this podcast, something I wanna boast in right now, because it has nothing to do with Tony or me, and that is. There are lots of people listening, brothers and sisters from all over the world who gathered together and debrief. [00:02:47] Jesse Schwamb: Talk about the episodes, hang out and talk about life, share funny stories, share prayer requests, support one another. And you can do that by joining our little group on a messaging app called Telegram. So in fact, here's the second thing you should do. If you go to T Me Reform Brotherhood one more time, T Me Back slash Reform Brotherhood, slap that bad boy in your favorite browser, and that'll give you a link to our little corner of this messaging app. [00:03:13] Jesse Schwamb: And there's a channel within that app just to talk about. The various episodes as a way of interacting with all of us, and as a result of the episode that we recorded last about this idea of vocational work and calling, how does that all come together? Brother Joshua posed an excellent question, which is in part the reason for the conversation I'm about to have with you all, and that is what happens. [00:03:33] Jesse Schwamb: When we retire, or what happens when we desire to set aside sufficient resources if we can, so that we can get to that place as soon as possible. What then what about work or what if we have to care for a sick, sick, loved one? Or what if we have to come and take responsibility for our family in a different or unique way that takes us away from work where we're not being paid for things in the same way anymore? [00:03:52] Jesse Schwamb: What happens then? So we are going to get to all of that on this little brief little episode that's gonna sit in between the end of our conversation on work and the beginning of our brand new series, which, you know, you want me to tell you what it is, but I'm not gonna do it. It's just not gonna happen on this episode. [00:04:09] Jesse Schwamb: So you're just gonna have to sit in that anticipation waiting. Waiting for it to come next week, but for now, let's talk a little bit more about work. [00:04:17] Good Works and Salvation [00:04:17] Jesse Schwamb: And let me start with a, a phrase that's like so obvious, but you can say it with me if you want, because we have to agree on this. At least that good works aren't bad. [00:04:27] Jesse Schwamb: I mean, good works aren't bad. They're good. By definition it seems like self-reinforcing. And as Christians, we should want to do those good works. Now, I haven't said what the good works are, haven't even explained really. Although we, Tony and I talked about this before, how they really fit into that pattern and that normative behavior of the Christian life. [00:04:44] Jesse Schwamb: But can we just agree that if the Bible is saying there are good works for us to do, then they must be good. And they must be there for a purpose. They must be there for a reason and we can't debate that. Just because we're not saved according to our works doesn't mean that we shouldn't be concerned about pursuing a life of joyful obedience to God's word. [00:05:01] Jesse Schwamb: I mean, this is why Jesus like emphatically states in the gospel. If you love me, you'll keep my commandments in obedience. However frail it is. However much we stumble, however feeble we are in actually executing it is our evidence. Our love for God and for his son Jesus Christ. So far from undermining the gospel of grace, good works are the perfect compliment to the gospel, and this is why good works are good. [00:05:29] Jesse Schwamb: So to be clear, good works are bad when they're seen as the basis of salvation. And I think if you've been with us for any length of time or you're familiar with the reform. Theological movement. If you've been steeped in the scriptures, you're gonna find that kind of compulsion, that pull that says like, well, I understand that when I use my good works as a means of somehow Meritoriously earning my salvation, they cease to be good. [00:05:54] Jesse Schwamb: This is why, of course, Jonathan Edwards called Good works of this nature, only glittering sin because they're, they have no power to redeem. They have no power to save. They have no power to. Transition yourself into some kind of a righteous sense or rubric. It's impossible. They will not do that. They do not serve that purpose. [00:06:12] Jesse Schwamb: A person is not saved by works, but by God's grace through faith in Christ. [00:06:17] The Role of Good Works in Christian Life [00:06:17] Jesse Schwamb: So this is the time where we have to love ones. Go to Ephesians chapter two. It's impossible for me to continue without at least sharing this good news. If you need to hear this again, and this may be a well rehearsed verse or a well rehearsed writing from the Apostle Paul to you, but I ask that you hear it again. [00:06:32] Jesse Schwamb: If you can with these ears that are unstopped, that are almost fresh with excitement for this really good news, this is what Paul writes to the church and Ephesus for. By grace, you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, not as a result of works so that no one may boast. [00:06:51] Jesse Schwamb: For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them. I mean, there's so much there that is. Lovely and refreshing. And freeing. It's not works righteousness, it's not meritorious. Salvation is clearly not of our own doing. It's not the result of these works, even the faith through which we receive salvation is a gracious, gracious gift from God. [00:07:21] Jesse Schwamb: So what a just burden taken off of our shoulders. The mantle has been removed from us. To somehow even equate or think that, well, if I have a good day and I've done a lot for God, he must love me more. I must be more ingratiated towards him, even if I have the sense that. I feel closer to him. Hopefully that closeness is the sense of joy and obedience. [00:07:40] Jesse Schwamb: And now where we get the sense that, well, because I've done something for God, he ought to do something for me or me more favorably disposed towards me. All of that is nonsense and that way just. Total foolishness and madness lies. Instead, when we turn that into our rejoicing first for the faith itself by which we receive from God, that grants us access to this great salvation. [00:08:02] Jesse Schwamb: When we see that as a gift first, then all of this other mongering for responsibility and trying to placate through the things that we can do and having this sense of guilt in our minds about what we should have done or what we did not accomplish, or even if in our own obedience toward Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, we've fallen short. [00:08:20] Jesse Schwamb: We can still find there is this gift for us and the gift of salvation is ours in Christ through faith, not by works. It's very, very clear in what Paul writes to the church here as fallen creatures, even our best efforts are completely laced with sin. This also is, by the way, a really great kindness of God that we can never really be contrite enough in our coming before him and, and even in our humility, we probably can never be humble enough. [00:08:47] Jesse Schwamb: So the fact that God accepts because of Christ us into the family of God without having to put upon us this burden that you must be sorry enough for your sin, or you're not repentant enough, you haven't expressed the severe and necessary amount of contrition to really placate and understand that you have cosmically committed treason against the all powerful God of the universe. [00:09:13] Jesse Schwamb: Who could stand underneath that kind of weight. And the answer is no one, but by the grace of God through Jesus. So it's amazing. That when we start to think about work, what we find is that God is first doing all of the work in us, and we see that the first work is not our work, but his work, the secondary work, this means of obedience, of showing, our gratitude of expressing praise and worship. [00:09:37] Jesse Schwamb: Must, I think, necessarily be manifest in work that is labor of some kind, because God has first expressed himself in that kind of labor. And second, he's given it to us to do as an experience into his very being and his character, but also in service to him and to those who are around us. I promise I'm getting to all of this good stuff about what does this practically mean, but all this I think is so necessary for us. [00:10:02] Jesse Schwamb: To really set the proper understanding for what it means to have good work to do and to do this work. So these good works provide no basis for boasting because they're utterly worthless to save. They have worth in other ways, but it just turns out they're worthless In this way. It's a bit like if you take your, take your, whatever your domestic currency is, whatever the currency you, you transact in, I live and hang out in the United States, so my currency is the US dollar. [00:10:24] Jesse Schwamb: If I take a bunch of dollars with me and I go travel almost anywhere else in the world. There's a small chance they'll be accepted. And I realize I've picked the wrong currency for this metaphor at this point, but if I let, let's say, let's just pick a different one. Let's say that you live in Zimbabwe or you just happen to have a bunch of Zimbabwean dollars hanging out in your pocket. [00:10:42] Jesse Schwamb: I'm sure some of you do, and you take that currency and you come to the United States and you wanna go buy something, those dollars will not work. They just won't work. Nobody will accept them. They're worthless. They're without value. Now, do they have value? In a certain sense, of course they do. In that domestic currency, in that homeland they do. [00:10:59] Jesse Schwamb: And in the same way, though, of course, slightly different here, our works are these expression of. Obedience of love for God. But the minute we try to exchange them for salvation, what we're gonna find is God says that's worthless here. And it again, is a fool's errand to build your entire life on some kinda system or belief that says, what I'm doing is earning these dollars, making these good works, performing these things. [00:11:22] Jesse Schwamb: So I'll have gathered to myself all of this currency, which I'm then going to use to buy my salvation now, I think even in my own ears, that sounds ridiculous to say, and yet so many of us. Get caught up in that. And if we don't get caught up in whole, we sometimes get caught up in it peace wise, because again, we have a sense that, well, if I've been a particularly good Christian today, doesn't that mean that God is more happy with me? [00:11:45] Jesse Schwamb: And Paul says, no, you have been saved as a gift of God. It is his gracious act that through faith you have been given salvation, and that faith was not of your own. That itself as well was a gift. It's gift upon gift upon gift. And so even the work itself is shaped. By the sense that all that God gives us and him doing all the verbs is his gifting. [00:12:09] Jesse Schwamb: So good works are gonna provide no basis for boasting because they are worthless to save. And the only foundation for salvation is Christ, we're saved by his works, not ours. If you're looking for that good, that first, that perfect work, the thing that you could latch onto, the thing that you would say this, I'm gonna hang my hat. [00:12:27] Jesse Schwamb: And all of my life on the work that you're looking for is not the one that you can accomplish. It is the one that Jesus has already done on your behalf. So that's why I always think when I see those W wait, they're not as prevalent anymore I suppose. But do you remember a time loved ones when like the ubiquity of the WAJD bracelet and I always thought about the question, what would Jesus do? [00:12:49] Jesse Schwamb: And to me, the answer I give now somewhat tongue in cheek is everything and it's already been done. And so that is really the promise. The great blessing of the gospel that now we are saved for works and boy does that preposition make a difference. Like we should be underlining that, like putting that gilded gold in our Bibles like we are saved now for God works good, works are not bad then when they're seen as the goal of salvation, not its ground. [00:13:14] Jesse Schwamb: I wanna say that again because I think that might sound a little bit funny to some, but I've long really come to cherish this idea that it is the goal but not the ground. The goal, because it's worthwhile to want to worship God. And to obey him by doing good works. And Paul gives us an avenue in which to travel and to understand this and to reason it from the scripture so that we can be confident that that's exactly what God intends for us. [00:13:37] Jesse Schwamb: And so again, while these good works aren't meritorious salvation, they are a necessary component of Christian faith. And the first important thing that we ought to mention here. Is that when we think about work, it's not that like the reform tradition, that that theological perspective has somehow elevated work for remuneration. [00:13:55] Jesse Schwamb: I, I don't think that entirely was the whole emphasis of talking about vocation in that kind of theological sphere. That is, we have a bunch of Christians and they have to do work to survive, and some of them are cobblers and of them are cooks and some of them are cleaners. And so what we really need to do here is make sure that people understand that whatever you're getting paid for God has made you to do. [00:14:15] Jesse Schwamb: And that is not a great thing. That's all true, but the goal wasn't just to elevate that style or type of work that is the work for which you get compensated. It was to elevate all work, all work of every kind, all labor of every kind, because God is big enough that every bit of labor paid or unpaid in direct service for somebody. [00:14:34] Jesse Schwamb: Fortunately, there is no compensation or in service to someone for which there is that all of that work. It does give God glory if we mean it to. And so this is why they do all things. Whatever you do, whether you eat or whether you drink, all of even these tiny things roll up into this argument from the lesser to the greater all of work is for God's glory. [00:14:53] Jesse Schwamb: And so to tip my hat a little bit here, then I think an answer to, to Brother Joshua's question, and in a nice compliment to what Tony and I were talking about last week, there is no end to the Christian's work. There's just different types of work. Oh, we'll get to that. I'm a little bit ahead of myself here. [00:15:08] Jesse Schwamb: But of course we find in Ephesians two, it's important to understand this because there's so much of the dynamic of good works in the Christian life that are being explained there. And of course we learn that good works are the result and not the cause of being new creations, and they're testifying to the fact that we have been redeemed. [00:15:24] Jesse Schwamb: So our lives might reflect craftsmanship and character of God. So amazing, isn't it? That God has given work, that work is not a four letter word, that labor is good labor of all kinds. Is good because it's reflecting the craftsmanship in character of God in unique ways. That is like apart from doing work from this work which God has called us to, from traveling in it through our lives and participating in all kinds of different work, that there's something that would be missing in our exemplifying, the craftsmanship in character of God. [00:15:56] Jesse Schwamb: And so we see that apart from Christ. We can do nothing that pleases God, but in Christ. And here's a great promise. We are created to perform God honoring acts of obedience in Christ. We can be confident that God accepts our weak and wobbly efforts. You know, Paul further goes on to talk about good works, a result of God's pattern for the Christian life. [00:16:15] Jesse Schwamb: We don't need to wonder what God requires from us. He's told us in his word, good works are deeds done in conformity to God's word. Now the beauty of that is. That we have this pattern for the Christian life in which Paul is saying, and I think this is really helpful for our conversation, that all of the things that God has given us to do, he's already prepared. [00:16:39] Jesse Schwamb: He's already me and plus it. He's already set the table for us. He's already put all the things in place. He's already organized all the details. And he says that because he's done that we are now free to walk in them. And I interpret that walk as this idea, which I think is very particular to the way that Paul is writing here. [00:16:57] Jesse Schwamb: It's a word of encouragement that is speaking of more of a marathon and rather a sprint. So of course, like a lot of times in the West, we think of our work as a season of life in which we're doing something in service for a company and for others, creating value, which is good. All of these things can be in service to God, of course, especially when they're in honoring. [00:17:15] Jesse Schwamb: With a full counsel of the scriptures and that when we do those things, that time will end and then we start to think about what work do have left. Whereas really, of course, a more ancient way of thinking about work was that it never ceased. It was of different kinds, and we know it was of different kinds because of this idea of walking that is like you never says stop the walk. [00:17:32] Jesse Schwamb: It never says take a break. It says you're gonna continue throughout your life in this metaphor of. Your journey of life being a walk, and as that walk changes, as the landscape undulates, as you move and transverse over different geographies on this walk in this metaphor, there's no doubt that the work will be different. [00:17:50] Jesse Schwamb: And there may be a season when you no longer have to work and be compensated, but it doesn't mean, of course, that the work ends. In fact, the work is still there. It's a different kind. And we don't want it to go away, in fact, and we don't want it to feel, uh, like it should be a, a lesser thing because it's not because we've been given in this verse the sense that this is the pattern that's been given to us. [00:18:12] Jesse Schwamb: It's the value of walking the pathway of obedience. And Paul makes it manifold. In fact, the Westminster Confession of Faith, which I'm 17 minutes in and you can mark your clock. That's the first time I mentioned it. I've gotten there already. Loved ones. Don't worry, we're always gonna bring in a confession. [00:18:27] Encouragement and Assurance Through Good Works [00:18:27] Jesse Schwamb: And on this week, it's the confession of faith from the Westminster states that there are at least six benefits of good work. So here these out, this is just my quick rundown of what the Westminster puts forward thinking about these good works and when you hear these benefits. Think about them in the broadest way. [00:18:41] Jesse Schwamb: That is like, think about how these benefits apply to all kinds of work, not just like your nine to five, but like of course your family society and the church and your work there is needed both because it is an exemplification of obedience to Christ, but also because it is accomplishing good and creating value. [00:18:58] Jesse Schwamb: So the first is that good works manifest our gratitude to God for the gift of his son. Now think about this. If that's true, that this in a concrete way. No matter what, we're able to do that we, if we're doing these good works, we're showing gratitude to God. Why would we ever want those good works to go away? [00:19:14] Jesse Schwamb: Why do we wanna break that pattern? We don't want to. And again, this gives a, a high level, a high calling to all the things that we can do, both like again, in our paid work and then thereafter. Or even if we, we never have paid work that all of these things, there's something for us to do here and it manifests our gratitude to God and the gift of his son. [00:19:32] Jesse Schwamb: The second thing is good work's, bolster assurances of faith. So it is the Christian who in obedience to Christ has a compulsion is as Paul would say elsewhere, hemmed in by the love of God to work towards a specific end in love and service toward others. That is a good work. And when we're doing that good work, there's a mutual kind of reinforcement that occurs that as we humble ourselves before God and that we work to. [00:19:57] Jesse Schwamb: Or to obey him and that we walk in the good works that he has prepared for us, that we find that we are sure that God is who he is, that his character and craftsmanship is, is in fact manifest in us and demonstrated by us. And in this way as we worship him, we find that our faith grows. Especially perhaps when we're called to do things that are difficult or we're called to participate in work, especially in the church, that requires some kind of leap of faith and we're in so doing where we must trust God forthrightly. [00:20:27] Jesse Schwamb: We find that doing those good works bolster our assurance of faith. Number three. Good works are a means of encouraging other Christians toward greater acts of Christ-centered love. There's so much in Hebrews chapter 10 that we could talk about there. This is an incredible idea that when we work towards obeying God laboring on his behalf in all of the spheres of life, to which he has given us to participate in that Christians receive this as a. [00:20:55] Jesse Schwamb: Form of encouragement. You know, think about how you've seen the testifying work of somebody else in your church, in their patience, in their kind behavior. You know, we often speak about a person who is graceful, and by that of course, we mean there's a beauty to their outer movement, as it were. That's maybe they're a graceful dancer. [00:21:11] Jesse Schwamb: Maybe they're a grace or a baseball player, but you'll find that you can apply this word in so many ways whenever you are trying to really show that somebody in their outward movements does things particularly well, or just with ease or in a way that conveys a certain kind of beauty. When we say that somebody is gracious, what we essentially mean is that there's a beauty to their inner movement that is, that the exemplification of who they are in Christ is so firmly rooted in solid, that the way they behave in situations and circumstances clearly shows. [00:21:43] Jesse Schwamb: That there's something different about the way that they process the world and in the way that they work. And when we see that we are prone to be encouraged to see that God is real, that he does intervene and interact in situations that he does, in fact still do the most miraculous thing ever, which is take the sinner, take the gospel abuser, take the unregenerate, and perform that surgical movement. [00:22:05] Jesse Schwamb: Where that heart of stone is replaced with one of flesh, it's the greatest miracle in the entire universe. And so when we're seeing that work exemplified, we're allowing ourselves to participate in encouraging our brothers and sisters. Fourth good works are concrete avenues for adorning the doctrine of God, our savior in life, in ministry. [00:22:25] Jesse Schwamb: So again, it's uniting this idea of who we are, that we say we are, who we are in our transformation regeneration, marrying that up with work. And this is, again, why a. All of this reform of theology elevates work to this place of saying, whatever you do, you can do it to the glory of God and you ought to, you ought to be thinking that way because this is the way God intended all the things that we do to be done. [00:22:47] Jesse Schwamb: So idea of like when Paul says, like, pray without ceasing, be constantly in the Lord. I think in some ways what he's saying is. When you shift your mindset to recognize that there are no mundane things to do because God has prepared all those things ahead of time, they're, they're mundane, maybe in their smallness, in our own like really myopic kind of human natural man perspective. [00:23:06] Jesse Schwamb: They are certainly not mundane with respect to the power of love that may be communicated in them with the encouragement that flows out of them, and with the expression of gratitude for God, our savior and his son. All of those things are high and lifted up worthy of exaltation and call worthy of all of our efforts. [00:23:23] Jesse Schwamb: And so there we find that there are really no mundane things. There are no small works as it were. There are just these small things that come alongside with the great work that God has done already in our lives and our expression of that first work that he has done. So Fifth Good Works, silence critics who devalue the goodness of biblical Christianity. [00:23:43] Jesse Schwamb: You know, there's a lot here that we could talk about. Jesus was so outspoken about what it meant for his followers to adorn themselves to be in Christ, and in so doing, they were gonna be these lights set on a, like a city on a hill for all to see. And sometimes as Christians, we get a little, eh, strange about this kind of thing, don't we? [00:24:01] Jesse Schwamb: Because we, we wanna be careful that we need to be humble. You know, we, we want to make sure that as we're serving God, that we are not boasting in that in any kind of way, and yet there is something here where we ought to be giving and testifying to why we do certain things. I've been thinking about this a lot because I think it's one thing for us to say, well, we wanna live in such a manner. [00:24:21] Jesse Schwamb: We wanna do our work in such a manner, whatever that is, so others know there's something different and, and this is noble and honorable. I think what's even better is to let them know why it's different. Sometimes you shouldn't wait for somebody to ask. You know, if it's clear that you're doing something and you wanna express why we're doing it, say, I'm, I'm doing this 'cause Jesus loves me, he's changed me, and Jesus loves you. [00:24:39] Jesse Schwamb: I mean, this is okay to say loved ones. And I think in doing that, making that connection clear, what it's gonna do is it's going to make sure that those who would say like the, the Bible is antiquated out wounded document. It's a document that's filled with strife. It's a document that pits won't people against one another. [00:24:54] Jesse Schwamb: It's a document that is not progressive enough. What they'll find instead is. When our good works, our truly good works are accompanied by a verbal testimony of why we do these works in obedience to God for, because of his great love for us. It will discredit those who would say all of those things. It turns away a. [00:25:14] Jesse Schwamb: All of the critics would say that the Bible is, is not relevant, that Christians are too, uh, bigoted, that we are the kind of people that are too hypocritical. Instead, when we acknowledge that we are far from perfect, but that we have a perfect savior when we talk about our weak faith, but that our, the faith that we have is not in its size, but in the size of the savior. [00:25:34] Jesse Schwamb: When we can say all these things alongside of our efforts to be obedient. Being humble, asking for forgiveness, seeking repentance from those whom we hurt, that in this way, we are again doing all of the things that are the theology of the cross, that even in our small weaknesses, even in our great failures, what we find is God does more than just to fill in the gaps He overflows with through the power of His Holy Spirit into a powerful testimony into the lives of others with whom we interact, and especially in the things that we do. [00:26:05] Jesse Schwamb: So six. And lastly, this is from the Westminster. These benefits of good works. Last Good works glorify God by displaying his work of love in our lives. I think we often forget about this. That God has given us work because he loves us. Of course, God is always working. There's something beautiful about the fact that God is ever present in our lives working in our hearts. [00:26:29] Jesse Schwamb: And sometimes of course, as the, the older reformers have said, he lays us over the Anil, as it were, and he hammers on us, and those are painful times. And other times he's really polishing up our sharp edges or sanding off those places where we need a little bit of attention. But everywhere he's working in us and what a blessing that he never stops, isn't it that he comes to us constantly because he loves us. [00:26:51] Jesse Schwamb: He refuses to leave us in a state that is less than the abundant life. Now we know that we will never accomplish that, this side of glory. But what a benefit that God never gives up on us. That he continues to show his great love for us in how he attentively comes into our lives to hone us in this progressive sanctification, whereby his work doesn't stop. [00:27:13] The Unending Nature of Work [00:27:13] Jesse Schwamb: And so because his work doesn't stop. Neither does ours. So the beauty of this is for anybody else, for us, for brother Joshua, for those who are thinking about, you know, what if I, I want to maybe try to set aside more resources now so I can stop my work of re of compensation to do other things, I would say. [00:27:31] Jesse Schwamb: Well, Godspeed by, by the power of God, I, I hope that happens for you. And what about those who would say, well, my work is gonna have to be caring for a loved one who's ill? I would say that is great and good work. What about those for who are retiring now or thinking about retirement? What's left? Tons. Of good work. [00:27:48] Jesse Schwamb: I think we know this. Now, what about for those who are in the final stages of their life, those who are not ambulatory, maybe those who are weak, maybe those who are ill themselves. There is still good work because the work that God gives us is not the heavy kind that causes our bodies or our minds to be crushed in despair, to have to till the ground as it were in such a way that it leaves us lacking replenishment instead, even for those. [00:28:16] Jesse Schwamb: Who are saying, what is my place when my body is wasting away? [00:28:21] The Value of Prayer in Our Work [00:28:21] Jesse Schwamb: When I'm having a, a season of sickness and I feel like there's nothing I can do, there is so much that the church needs from you in particular, especially your work in prayer. And again, I think we've been outspoken. Prayer is absolutely a work. [00:28:34] Jesse Schwamb: If you don't believe me, just. Try to pray. So just being able to participate in something like that, which is in many ways maybe the greatest calling. I, I always think about this phrase, when we work, we work, when we pray, God works. And so just the act of saying I'm gonna devote myself in prayer, in intercessory prayer for my church, for my community, for my family, is a kind of work that is unparalleled. [00:28:58] Jesse Schwamb: And so if that's the work that God has given you to walk in right now. Then would you please do it? Because it is the season to which he's called you because he's with you on that journey. And Paul says, wherever you go, wherever you are walking, God has already prepared before you get to the next stop sign, before you get to the next wave point, before you get to the next pin drop. [00:29:17] Jesse Schwamb: God has already prepared for you good works, and you're mealing to walk in them. [00:29:22] Finding Joy and Refreshment in Labor [00:29:22] Jesse Schwamb: And so the work of prayer by itself is the kind of work that is so glorious, like all the work of Christ that we find refreshment and it changes. There's a theme here, like all of our work changes because when we are doing it onto the Lord, we're doing it with him in mind when we're understanding that this is our obligation, but also our greatest privilege, that while it exhausts us. [00:29:41] Jesse Schwamb: It exhausts us in a way that brings us the greatest kind of sleep or refreshment. Does that make sense? We ever had like a really great day at work where, you know, I, I worked hard and I did work worth doing, and in that I felt that there was a sweetness. In fact, Ecclesiastes five 12 says, sweet is the sleep of a laborer, whether he eats little or much, but the full stomach of the rich man will not let him sleep. [00:30:05] Jesse Schwamb: This idea that. Why as we work, as we labor for God, that he does restore us, he gives us joy and satisfaction in that work. And again, there's this, all this mutual reinforcement, this kind of self-fulfilling and reinforcing idea that. When we are performing this work for God, he assures our faith. He refreshes us in it. [00:30:24] Jesse Schwamb: He exhausts us in the best possible way so that we might love him more, cherish him more, encourage one another more, and to really come and understand his character more forthrightly. [00:30:34] Living Quietly and Minding Your Affairs [00:30:34] Jesse Schwamb: I like what Paul says in one Thessalonians chapter four, aspire to live quietly and to mind your own affairs. I mean, that's. [00:30:42] Jesse Schwamb: Good advice for all of us, mind your own affairs and to work with your hands as we instructed you, so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one. So we talked before about what it means, that really in our work, we ought to care for those who we love. We ought to make sure that we can provide for them, but there will also be seasons. [00:30:59] Jesse Schwamb: One, there will be others who need to provide for us. And so in so doing, again, we're honoring God by walking in this path that he has given us, uh, to do. I like this. There's a couple of other great verses I think that are helpful for us to really think about what it means to have good work to do and to understand that good work. [00:31:17] The Blessing of Giving [00:31:17] Jesse Schwamb: Here's from Acts chapter 20. Paul says, in all things I've shown you that by working hard in this way, we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus. How He himself said, it is more blessed to give than to receive. So think about that there. There is an expression right there about work and what is this working hard. [00:31:35] Jesse Schwamb: It's to help the weak and to remember the words of Lord Jesus Christ. It is more blessed to give, to receive than to receive. Love always leads to giving for God. So love the world that he. Gave, and I think part of this good work that God calls us to is just giving. And so like right now, you may be in a season where you are giving of your labor in return for compensation, for that labor, but presumably there will, and there should come a time when you'll be giving it and you'll not be receiving that. [00:32:00] Jesse Schwamb: But it doesn't lessen the work. It doesn't take it away. It doesn't mean that it's not necessary anymore. We ought to continue to pursue that because love always leads to giving. Now I want to just finish our short little time together today as we've reasoned, hopefully. [00:32:15] Practical Ways to Exemplify Christian Values at Work [00:32:15] Jesse Schwamb: In a profound way from the scriptures helping us to be encouraged in this work by just a couple of things that if you are thinking in the sense of what can I do right now in my work of all kinds to exemplify and to be driven by unique view of humanity and a love rooted in the wisdom of the cross to stand out, what, what can we do as Christians, practically speaking. [00:32:37] Jesse Schwamb: To take everything that Paul has just given us here, appreciating this beautiful pattern that work is just gonna be part of our lives forever. And by the way, loved ones I, I have a strong conviction that in the new heavens and new Earth, that work will still be present there in a fully orbed and fully expressed, fully realized way that it's not capable today because of everything being mined by sin. [00:32:59] Jesse Schwamb: But then we're gonna find that this is just like an amm bush. It's the taste that. The thing that's coming for us, the appetizer of how work is gonna be fully satisfying, fully encouraging, fully joyful, and a full expression of how God has made us to do things. One of those things again are laboring in prayer, laboring on the construction site, laboring on a desk, laboring in the education and the teaching and ammunition of children. [00:33:24] Jesse Schwamb: All of these things are just really, really good. So what are a couple of things that we can do? Well, here's some things that that come to my mind. The first is that I think Christians can be known as the most care fairing and committed kind of people. So. Think about it this way, driven by the father's love and his acceptance of us through Jesus, we can be the kind of people that are known as fair, caring, and committed to others. [00:33:52] Jesse Schwamb: Since we know the depths of our own sin and the magnitude of God's grace to us, we can be ready to forgive and reconcile with others, and we should be quick to do so if we're doing that in their work environments. Whatever that environment is, there's no doubt this is gonna draw some fair amount of attention. [00:34:07] Jesse Schwamb: We may actually, and this is gonna sound a little bit wild. We may even have opportunities to take risks for the benefit of others. Now imagine it this way. Let's say that everybody has somebody to whom they're responsible and almost everybody else has somebody who's responsible to them. So think of it this way, if you are leading any kind of group of people, formerly or informally, you may have a unique opportunity to take risks on the behalf of those people. [00:34:30] Jesse Schwamb: Now, that may be may mean advocating for them. It could mean yielding to them, even if you have a hierarchical position that's above them. But more than anything, it could mean that you actually take a risk to take responsibility at times. So it's possible that let's say you're a leading a team and you're a place of work, and one of the people who is responsible to you, that is one of the people who reports to you, makes a mistake. [00:34:52] Jesse Schwamb: Let's say that the person that you are responsible to, your boss finds out about this. There's lots of ways you could go about this. Now, you may feel that you want to be easy just to say, well, this wasn't me. It was their fault. But consider how a Christian might approach this in love. It's possible that it may be entirely appropriate for that leader to take responsibility for the mistake, not taking blame for it, but taking responsibility for it as an act and expression of what it means to be fair, caring, and committed to others. [00:35:20] Jesse Schwamb: And now this may mean that if you were that person, you might lose a little bit of cloud to the organization. You might use a little bit of reputation or ability to maneuver within the organization, but there could be a very powerful, could be testimony in your ability to risk yourself for others in a way that I believe, again, is walking in this path of good works and that you are reasonable people. [00:35:41] Jesse Schwamb: You can sort out, I think in a situation like that. What kind of responsibility you might have, but I think it's important for us to consider that we may have that kind of responsibility and that to be known as fair, caring and committed to others. To advocate for them to again, forgive and to reconcile, and then sometimes to take risks of opportunity for the benefit of others is something that is unique to the Christian. [00:36:00] Jesse Schwamb: I think we at least agree on that, that kind of response to a s. We'll be wholeheartedly unique. [00:36:06] Generosity and Kingdom Living [00:36:06] Jesse Schwamb: I think we also need to be known as generous and depending on the context and opportunity, generosity at work can be expressed in so many different ways. Managers can be generous with their advice, their access, their investment in people. [00:36:17] Jesse Schwamb: All of us can be generous with our time, our money sharing our resources. Sacrificially. If you're a small business owner, and this is gonna sound wild, but let's, let's talk about kingdom living for a second. Loved ones like I presumably you're listening to this because we're not just satisfied with the small things. [00:36:31] Jesse Schwamb: We wanna think big in what it means. For the gospel to go out, for Jesus to be known. And so in this context of being generous, maybe it means if you're a small business owner, that you're willing to take less personal profit to benefit your neighbors or your customers or your employees. You know, I think of this company called a Go. [00:36:47] Jesse Schwamb: Which is a wooden toy company and it's, it was founded by a couple of Christians and driven by their Christian faith. They intentionally take smaller profit margins to benefit the people of Honduras where the wood is sourced and to create an employee savings program for them. I mean, that what a remarkable thing what, what a counter-cultural expression of what it means to be doing good. [00:37:08] Jesse Schwamb: Work. And so we can also grow and show our generosity to our colleagues by loving them outside work. You know, cooking a meal, preparing a meal for them when they have a child or attending a funeral if they lose a loved one, grabbing dinner with them if they're struggling, joining their club sports team, attending their wedding. [00:37:23] Jesse Schwamb: You know, generosity during, after work hours is a testimony of love. It shows that you see them as a whole person, not merely as like a productive asset or just a colleague. So I think we should push back a little bit on being generous and maybe sometimes I, I wanna say this. Gently because we are a benefit ourselves in this podcast of this, but not just with your money, especially with your time and maybe with like your attentional focus, maybe with your prayer time. [00:37:47] Jesse Schwamb: Maybe with your labor, in your prayer closet, that of all the things you could focus on, how often are we praying for our colleagues, like really praying that they would come to see the gospel in us, that we would be courageous in expressing that gospel and that God would arrest their hearts, which snatch them up and bring them into his kingdom so that all of our workplaces would be filled, uh, with Christians, that they would be everywhere. [00:38:08] Jesse Schwamb: Doing all kinds of things in som, much as God calls us to those things in submission to him, an expression of who he is and in obedience to what he's done for us. Here's another thing. I think this is a big one. It's one that I struggle with in my own life. [00:38:23] The Importance of Calmness and Authenticity [00:38:23] Jesse Schwamb: So I think another place, another way in which we can really stand out as Christians in our good work is to be known as calm. [00:38:30] Jesse Schwamb: Poised in the face of difficulty, failure or struggle. This might be the most telling way to judge if a person is drawing on the resources of the gospel and the development of their character. And this goes back to this idea of like, what does the a voracious person mean? It's, it's somebody who has like that inner. [00:38:47] Jesse Schwamb: Beauty expression of inner inner beauty. You know, how do we act when our boss passes over us for a promotion? How do we act if we fail to get that bonus we expected or, or if like a colleague is placed on a team we want to be on, how do we respond to those things really reveals where we placed our hope and identity. [00:39:03] Jesse Schwamb: And that can be a whole nother. Podcast. But if it's true that we have rooted ourselves, grounded ourselves, securely in Christ, then that is the supreme treasure that we have, and then everything else should be like, oh, that's no big deal. It's not to say that we're not gonna have big emotions, but even as we experience those big emotions, part of what it means to be humble is to come before God and say, God, I'm feeling this way. [00:39:26] Jesse Schwamb: And I'm a contingent being and I'm upset about this. Would you help me to reveal your gospel in this situation? And what a blessing in our progressive sanctification where God moves us into that space so that what becomes normative is when everybody else is losing their minds, when everybody else is gossiping, when everybody else is complaining. [00:39:46] Jesse Schwamb: What everybody else is pushing back here is the Christian who is resolute in firm and is speaking words of life. Encouragement into their workplace or those whom they're doing their work, who is speaking the gospel to them, who is calm and is poised and is ready to lead in such a way that brings value to everybody, helps 'em to find the true security in the situation and is not willing to compromise by participating in a meaningless backtalk. [00:40:12] Jesse Schwamb: That is an incredible testimony, and there's no doubt it's gonna cause us to stand out. There is something about this placing value that I think is important to mention. And I think I mentioned this before, but Tony's not here and I'm just talking. And so my experience, my professional career is all in the realm of finance. [00:40:30] Jesse Schwamb: So I've gotta use this because I think about this a lot and it's certainly relevant to us thinking about where is our value. [00:40:38] The Concept of True Treasure [00:40:38] Jesse Schwamb: I find it so interesting. That in the sermon on the mound. And when Jesus is speaking about treasures, he doesn't completely say that we should forsake treasures. Have you ever thought about that? [00:40:50] Jesse Schwamb: So instead of saying, you know, listen, don't worry about the treasure, just focus on me. Don't try to go after things. Just focus on me. And somebody says, listen. Listen, listen. You're going after the wrong treasure. So don't go after treasure where you know a moth or Russ is gonna destroy it or where like you're gonna be worried. [00:41:09] Jesse Schwamb: A thief is gonna break in and steal it. All those things are not just temporal, they can be taken from you. In fact, they, they will be taken from you. This is the wild part to me. He says instead, rather than do that, here's what you should do. Seek after the treasure that's in heaven. In other words, the proclivity to want to grab hold of valuable things and to keep them close to you, that is not bad in and of itself. [00:41:32] Jesse Schwamb: It's that you are focusing on the wrong thing that you want to grab and hold close. Seek after those treasures in heaven. And I can tell you why. This just shows the brilliancy with which Jesus knows us because he has created us loved ones, and in our fallen state, he's so kind to condescend to be like us, yet of course, without sin. [00:41:50] Jesse Schwamb: And in that he expresses a great knowledge of who we are and how we are. So. There's a very famous study done, actually very many versions of this study done, and what they'll do, and you can play along, I know I've done this before, but as you're sitting there listening to my voice play along with the scenario that I'm about to give you, and you can answer for yourself what you would do in this situation. [00:42:11] Jesse Schwamb: There's no right or wrong answer. So here's the situation. Researchers gave per people two options. They said, you, I can either give you a thousand dollars for sure, or. Or we can play a game. We'll flip a coin. If the coin is heads, you get $2,000, but if the coin comes up, tails, you get nothing. So the choices were you could have a sure thousand dollars or you could risk it. [00:42:39] Jesse Schwamb: And with a coin flip, a fair coin flip, you could get either $2,000 or zero. Now I'll pause. What would you prefer if you're like most people? You would take the sure $1,000 because you'd rather have for sure a thousand dollars in your pocket than giving up the gamble. Even though you could get twice as much the gamble of $2,000 or zero, who wants to walk away with zero when somebody's like, I'll give you a thousand dollars for certain. [00:43:06] Jesse Schwamb: Most people would prefer the certainty. Now those who are like keen have a turn of mind for mathematics are gonna realize that on average, those two options are exactly the same. So whether you get a thousand dollars. For certain, you got the a thousand dollars on the other option, half the time you'll get zero. [00:43:23] Jesse Schwamb: Half the time you'll get a $2,000. If you average those out, that's sequel to a thousand dollars over the long term. So there's something interesting there too, isn't it? See how our minds are working that we prefer, we are loss averse. In other words, we do not like loss. In fact, there's a very famous. [00:43:39] Jesse Schwamb: Theorem about this that says the pain of losing a dollar is twice as great as the pain of gaining one. And this is why it's so hard. If you have a retirement account, you have investments somewhere. When you look at your accounts and the numbers are down, you feel particularly awful. And when they're up, you feel good, but not that great. [00:43:54] Jesse Schwamb: Uh, this is the idea of. Being a loss averse. Now, here's the other thing that these researchers did. They flipped the whole scenario, and I'm gonna give you one more thing to think about. So rather than talking about gains, they said these people, okay, here's your choice, and you have to choose one of these. [00:44:09] Jesse Schwamb: Either you can take a sure loss of a thousand dollars, or you can take a gamble. And you can take a, we'll flip a coin and if it comes up heads, you'll lose $2,000. But if it comes up tails, you will lose zero. So again, here are the two options, but now we're talking about losses. You either have to take a loss of a thousand dollars for certain, or you could take the gamble, flip a fail fair coin, and you could lose $2,000 or you might lose nothing if it comes up tails. [00:44:42] Jesse Schwamb: Now what would you do? Now if you're like most people, what these researchers found is people gravitated toward taking the risk. That is, they chose the option when they said, let me flip the coin, because at least if I flip the coin, there's a chance I might not lose anything. I know I might lose $2,000, but I would rather take the risk of losing 2000, but have the opportunity to lose nothing than take the sure loss of a thousand dollars. [00:45:05] Jesse Schwamb: So here's what's crazy about all this. Here's what it teaches us, is we make the wrong choices all the time. You know, technically speaking, when it comes to gains, we should prefer the risk, the risk of zero, because you started out with zero, so you're not better. You're not worse off by having zero, and if you win, you get $2,000. [00:45:22] Jesse Schwamb: But when it comes to the loss, we should take the sure loss of a thousand dollars because we might end up having a loss of $2,000. We tend to behave poorly given the situations. This is an example of loss aversion and risk aversion, and Jesus knows this. That's the brilliance of it, of course, because he says, I know that your hearts will be troubled by losing your treasure. [00:45:45] Jesse Schwamb: So here's the thing. It's not the treasure that's bad, it's that you're putting your faith, you're going after the wrong thing. So loved ones. When we find ourselves rooted in Christ, when we find our identity right there in him, when we are sure that all that we have is in the heavenly realms and therefore everything else can float and fl away, then we find ourselves able to be the kind of people in our workplaces where we're calm, poised in the face of difficulty failure, or all kinds of challenges. [00:46:14] Jesse Schwamb: One more thing I would encourage you with, and that is just be known as authentic and integrated. This goes back to something Tony and I have really challenged ourselves with so much, and that is some Christians aren't very open about their faith at work and others talk about it all the time, but act and speak in ways that marginalize nonbelievers. [00:46:30] Jesse Schwamb: We should, of course, be really wise about how we share the reason for the hope that we're, we have when we're at work. But staying silent isn't an option. If we wanna be authentic people, we have to bring our whole selves to work. I think this is where we all, at times could use a little work. I, I've barely been encouraged by brothers and sisters who are far better at this than I, where. [00:46:50] Jesse Schwamb: They're really good at explaining why they do something, and perhaps they've been building a relationship with non-believers, serving them, working with them. And, but when the right opportunity approaches when the moment arrives, they're right there with their explanation. They're quick to say, it's because Jesus loves me. [00:47:06] Jesse Schwamb: They're quick to talk about the transforming power of the gospel. And it's not in a way that's overbearing. It's not in a way that seems disingenuous or somehow like they're, they're shoehorning in some kind of, you know, bully pulpit testimony. Instead, it's a natural expression. Because they were ready and willing and brave. [00:47:22] Jesse Schwamb: To do that. So we've got to be known as authentic and integrated, and that integration is just as important as the authenticity. What, what is the good, what is the point of doing many of these good works if there is not a commensurate explanation or expression of why we are doing them, because. Plenty of people who are non-believers also do good work. [00:47:42] Jesse Schwamb: This is part of the common grace that God has given to all of our world and to the entire universe writ large. So in that being said, sometimes we just need to say, this is why I'm doing it. And it's possible that probably people are sometimes thinking, I have no idea why this person is doing this, but I'm not gonna ask them. [00:47:57] Jesse Schwamb: 'cause that's super weird. So by us stepping forward and saying, listen, I love you, God is good to me, uh, there there's a God over the universe who saved me. I was in this pit of despair and he's taken me out of that pit. My work, the things I do, I do now for him. I do it not just because I wanna provide for my family, but because I love God. [00:48:16] Jesse Schwamb: I want to be obedient in worshiping him, and part of how I worship him is doing my work this particular way. That's why you see me. Work like this. What a beautiful thing. Loved ones. [00:48:25] Final Thoughts and Encouragement [00:48:25] Jesse Schwamb: So there's so much I think for us to think about here. I could go on and on, and at this point, this is no longer a short episode. [00:48:32] Jesse Schwamb: You've gotten almost 50 minutes of me just talking. So I want to thank some people for good works right now. And that is. For those of you who have joined in the Telegram chat and are hanging out. Thank you. I really appreciate that. And there's so much good conversation going on there. Again, I gotta plug it. [00:48:48] Jesse Schwamb: If you haven't, if you're not in there, you're really missing out on this experience. It's not just hearing Tony and I talk. It's coming alongside and being integrated with all kinds of other brothers and sisters. So do yourself and us a favor and go to T Me Rhyme, see t me slash reform brotherhood and come hang out with us in addition. [00:49:10] Jesse Schwamb: I'm so grateful for all those who contribute to the podcast financially to make sure that just keeps going. If you've ever wondered like, how is this all free, and there's a website where I can go surf the back catalog@reformbrotherhood.com and it just shows up in my podcast feed, and it doesn't sound like they're in a tin can somewhere or in a hurricane recording this. [00:49:28] Jesse Schwamb: How does all of that happened? It happens because there's so many lovely brothers and sisters who's come alongside and said. Yeah, you know what? After all my responsibilities, I have a little bit left over and I wanna make sure that this thing just continues to keep going. And so I say to you, thank you so much. [00:49:43] Jesse Schwamb: If you would like to be a part of that and I challenge you, come join us in giving toward the podcast, Tony and I do. And there's somebody I love, our brothers and sisters who do as well. That's what makes this happen. You can go to patreon.com, reformed brotherhood, so we've got all kinds of good stuff coming up. [00:49:59] Jesse Schwamb: I love the fall season, autumn in the Western hemisphere here, because it feels like a reset in many ways. Like the kids go back to school, the weather changes depending on where you are, the

Forget Mission: Impossible-style hacking - today's cyber crooks are all about manners. In this episode, we unravel how asking “pretty please” can crack open digital doors faster than any brute force attack. With tips, tales, and a touch of panic, we break down the importance of knowing your personal risk profile, locking down your accounts, and yes - finally turning on that MFA you've been ignoring. More info at HelpMeWithHIPAA.com/525

Are you tired? So am I! When our tank is low and we feel like we're running on fumes, it's time to pause and prioritize sacred rest. Rest is not a privilege reserved for a select few, it is an absolute essential for all human beings. Sacred rest is accessible, nourishing, and steeped in simplicity; it's found in the quiet moments that feed our bodies and spirits. As we listen to the sounds of the night, consider your energy tank, are you running on empty? It may be time to center sacred rest in your life. What am I reading?The Rainfall Market by Yeong-Gwang translated Slin Jung https://bookshop.org/a/111301/9780593952665The Scandinavian Guide to Happiness by Tim Rayborn https://bookshop.org/a/111301/9781951511210https://bookshop.org/shop/witchywomanwalkingWhat's playing on repeat?Don't Come Around Here No More by Tom Petty and the HeartbreakersWhat's for dinner?Creamy Chicken Orzo SoupIngredients:Olive oilButterAll purpose flourChicken breastOnionsGarlicCeleryCarrotsOrzoChicken brothCoconut milkHerbs de ProvenceSalt and pepperRed pepper flakes Instructions: Heat tablespoon of butter and olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, both sides. Brown chicken on both sides. Remove from heat, cut chicken into pieces, set aside. Melt another tablespoon of olive oil and butter in soup pot, add onions, garlic, carrots, and celery, season with salt and pepper. Sauté until veggies start to get soft, sprinkle a tablespoon of flour over veggies, coat thoroughly. Add broth, bring to boil, add orzo, boil for five minutes. Add chicken and coconut milk, allow soup to simmer until chicken is fully cooked. Season with herbs de Provence, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!Cherry Chocolate Chip CookiesIngredients:1/2 cup butter melted over medium heat until brown and fragrant1 cup coconut sugar or brown sugar1 large egg1 tablespoon vanilla extract1-1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats1 cup white whole wheat flour1 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/4 teaspoon salt1 cup semisweet chocolate chips1 cup dried cherries choppedInstructions:Preheat oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.Place browned butter and sugar in the bowl of a large stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until smooth. Add egg and vanilla to bowl and mix until smooth.Add oats, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt to mixer and mix on medium speed until dough comes together. (dough will be slightly sticky) Gently stir in chocolate chips and cherries.Using a cookie scoop, scoop dough into 1-in balls and place on prepared baking sheets 1-2 inches apart. Bake cookies at 350F 9-10 minutes or until edges are golden (cookies will appear underdone in the middle---this ok) Cool cookies 5 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to a wire cooling rack. Enjoy cookies warm while the chocolate is gooey!https://wholeandheavenlyoven.com/2017/02/14/browned-butter-oatmeal-cherry-chocolate-chip-cookies/#wprm-recipe-container-24134Support the show

Join Premium! Ready for an ad-free meditation experience? Join Premium now and get every episode from ALL of our podcasts completely ad-free now! Just a few clicks makes it easy for you to listen on your favorite podcast player.  Become a PREMIUM member today by going to --> https://WomensMeditationNetwork.com/premium Close your eyes and come with me as the sound of gentle raindrops trickle over you tonight. Covering you with warmth and comfort.  Sleep is here for you, beautiful, And tonight, her music is the rain. Observe your breath, The faint, breezy sounds of your nose for every breath in and out.  The growing of your chest and stomach as you breathe in, And the shrinking as you breathe out. The natural slowing down of your body as you breathe in a little longer,  And breathe out a little more.  The increased warmth within you as you flood your body with oxygen. Breathe… PAUSE… As your body melts deeper into your bed,  See if you can notice the soft sounds of the raindrops in the background.  Gently tapping on your window, As if each raindrop is reminding you that you are safe, You are free, And you are invited to surrender to sleep.  PAUSE… Gradually, the raindrops become just a little louder,  Creating a calming orchestra of sounds, As they sing you to sleep. Be here with them for the remainder of the meditation, And let them carry you into the deep sleep awaiting you.  And if your mind begins to wander, just bring yourself back to the soothing rhythm of your breath, And then back onto the sounds of the gentle raindrops. Join our Premium Sleep for Women Channel on Apple Podcasts and get ALL 5 of our Sleep podcasts completely ad-free! Join Premium now on Apple here --> https://bit.ly/sleepforwomen  Join our Premium Meditation for Kids Channel on Apple Podcasts and get ALL 5 of our Kids podcasts completely ad-free! Join Premium now on Apple here → https://bit.ly/meditationforkidsapple Hey, I'm so glad you're taking the time to be with us today. My team and I are dedicated to making sure you have all the meditations you need throughout all the seasons of your life.  If there's a meditation you desire, but can't find, email us at Katie Krimitsos to make a request. We'd love to create what you want!  Namaste, Beautiful,

Join Premium! Ready for an ad-free meditation experience? Join Premium now and get every episode from ALL of our podcasts completely ad-free now! Just a few clicks makes it easy for you to listen on your favorite podcast player.  Become a PREMIUM member today by going to --> https://WomensMeditationNetwork.com/premium Close your eyes, And let the noise fall away. Let the thoughts settle like leaves Floating down to still ground. PAUSE You don't need to figure anything out right now. You don't need to choose, or plan, or reach. You only need to listen. Gently. Lovingly. Like you're listening for a whisper In a quiet room. PAUSE Take a slow breath in…And slowly exhale. Feel your body soften. Feel your mind release its grip. Join our Premium Sleep for Women Channel on Apple Podcasts and get ALL 5 of our Sleep podcasts completely ad-free! Join Premium now on Apple here --> https://bit.ly/sleepforwomen  Join our Premium Meditation for Kids Channel on Apple Podcasts and get ALL 5 of our Kids podcasts completely ad-free! Join Premium now on Apple here → https://bit.ly/meditationforkidsapple Hey, I'm so glad you're taking the time to be with us today. My team and I are dedicated to making sure you have all the meditations you need throughout all the seasons of your life.  If there's a meditation you desire, but can't find, email us at Katie Krimitsos to make a request. We'd love to create what you want!  Namaste, Beautiful,

Welcome to The Healing You Method Podcast, where we bridge the gap between ancient wisdom and modern science to decode the science of soul healing.   In this episode, we dive deep into the overachieving patterns that often fuel success—but at the cost of burnout, emotional suppression, or disconnection.   Through a lens of healing through science, we uncover the hidden patterns of success in science that not only drive achievement but can also catalyze profound soul growth.   Discover how transformative science concepts can reveal the inner mechanics of your behavior, and how the science behind self-improvement helps you evolve with more clarity, alignment, and intention.   This is your space to understand the patterns of healing in psychology, and how rewiring your inner blueprint can help you achieve more with science—not by doing more, but by healing more.   Because true transformation doesn't come from hustle. It comes from understanding the pattern behind why you hustle in the first place.   For more such content, follow me on:   Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/healing_you... LinkedIn-   / glorialybecker     Website- https://glorialybeckercoaching.com   Gail Donohue - https://www.gaildonohuecoaching.com   Keep shining and living from your heart.   #HorsesAndLifeLessons, #ResettingAfterFailure, #EquineWisdom, #LessonsFromHorses, #OvercomingFumbles, #MindfulnessWithHorses, #EquestrianLifeSkills, #EmotionalResilience, #HorseInspiredGrowth, #FumblingForward

Geoff and Marie's Good Life: Part 3Busy WeekCan a retired couple's plan for sharing hubby work?Based on posts by Only In My Mind, in 15 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels.List of main characters.Geoff:   retired materials scientist. Mid-sixties. 5 foot 10 inch, ex amateur rugby player, still swims, runs and walks to keep fit. More than adequately equipped to satisfy his wife.Marie:   retired modern languages lecturer. Same age as her husband, Geoff. 5 foot 2 inch voluptuous build, with D cup tits and proportionate bum and hips. Shoulder length brown hair, brown eyes and olive skin inherited from her French grandmother.Angie:   possibly retired mathematician (may still be involved in intelligence gathering, she won't discuss her work). Early sixties. 5 foot 10 inch, slender athletic build. Firm B cup tits, brown hair and famously dirty mind.Mike:   research biochemist. Mid-fifties. 6 foot 1 inch, also rugby player. Good looking for his age.After they had left I wandered into the living room and started scrolling through the TV guide. Marie eventually joined me. I acknowledged her, but didn't speak. I got a feeling that any comment, at all, from me would be dissected, analyzed and found wanting."Say something then," she snapped."Okay," I replied. "Which would you rather watch, The News or House Of Games?""You know what I meant," she almost snarled."Do you know?" I responded. "I don't think that I do. I was willing to join a trial of a brand new drug, that I only need because you have this insane idea that my cock is the sexual equivalent of a charitable food bank: But do I get any thanks? Do I fuck! I just get attitude."I asked Mike out for a drink to get his opinion on vitamins and supplements to help a man in his sixties have better sex. He offered the trial place. You and Angie were both too drunk to talk sense to on the way home and we spent the rest of the time until you left this morning playing sex games with your mate or asleep."So, if my little Mediterranean princess isn't happy, the answer is simple. You ring Angie and tell her this weekend was a one-off and will never happen again. I will ring Craig and tell him I won't need his fucking drug after all, and the girls will have to find their own source of cock: Because you're having a tantrum."Now, I'm off to the pub. At least people will talk to me in a civil tone of voice there. Good job we made the bed in the spare room. I assume that's where I'll be sleeping for the foreseeable future. Enjoy the rest of your evening."And I left.I spent a couple of hours at the pub, though I only had two pints. I wasn't there to get hammered, just to calm down. The problem Marie and I have is reflected in our fields of study. She is about language; she can translate complex emotions by choosing the right words so that the true meanings are transferred between folks with no common tongue. I admire that. But sometimes she thinks that words can tell you everything.I am a scientist; I don't trust just words to tell me what I need to know; people have their own agendas: They use words to aggrandize themselves or for mischief, profit or power. I need data; evidence.Marie's concerns about new drugs were valid in part, but had been blown up by half-truths and downright lies on the internet. I had gone to a biochemist who actually understood the science and was familiar with the data and I asked for his advice. How did that work out for me? I was sat on my own in the pub while my wife was at home hating me.I looked at my watch. Half past eight. Honestly, I couldn't face another pint so I strolled home. I took out my key and opened the door; at least she hadn't changed the locks. I resisted the temptation to call out, "Hi, honey. I'm home." Probably too soon for that. I settled for, "It's only me."No reply, but there was a light on in the living room so I looked in. Marie was kneeling on the floor in the center of the room, hands in her lap, facing the door. When I moved forwards to see what was going on, she bent her head as if in prayer. What the fuck?"I'm sorry," she said quietly, straightening up. "I'm not going to ask you to spank me the way you did Angie yesterday, that was a game. This is too serious."She looked angry, but at herself. "I have spent decades of my life campaigning for women's right to control their own bodies and reproductive choices. But the first time I am confronted by you, a man, making a similar choice, I abuse you. If nothing else, that was total hypocrisy. Again, I'm so sorry."You have been nothing but supportive of my wish to make my friends happy, even though you've had your own concerns. I know the thought of having other women in your bed must have intrigued you, but you've always been more worried about damaging our marriage and resisted all the way."I am genuinely worried that this drug may damage you somehow but, if you give your word that you have considered the risks, I will leave the decision with you. Can you accept my apology?"I held out my hand and helped her to her feet. "Thank you. That was the most sincere apology I've ever heard. Of course, I accept. But why did you decide to make it like that? On your knees?"She thought before she replied. "When we were playing submissive spanky games with Angie, I didn't; engage with it the way she did, but I did feel different. I had chosen to give control to you because I trust you and I was; content."I was a bitch to you this afternoon, when you didn't deserve it so I decided to show you how much I regretted it. I decided to kneel in front of you to show the same respect today. I trust you. I should have trusted your decision. I needed you to see, as well as hear the words, how sorry I am."She looked carefully at me. "Tomorrow morning we either do or do not make those telephone calls. I've forfeited the right to choose," she said. "Do you want me to call Angie?"Honestly, I wasn't sure. Was this just the first of many arguments that we could avoid by just ditching the whole dumb idea? She looked stricken when I didn't respond straight away, but she said nothing as I weighed up the risks. I was balancing my marriage, my wife's happiness and my health against unknown outcomes. Even Angie admitted that her super-brain couldn't predict what would happen if we went ahead.I took a deep breath. "Fuck it! Let's just do it. I love you and if I get to fuck four, five or even all six of your friends to make you happy, I'd be insane not to. You must understand, though. If my enthusiasm for having sex with your friends starts to make you doubt my love for you, you have to tell me and we have to stop."In return, if I think that you are becoming emotionally over-attached to one or more of the women you are fucking. We stop. Are we agreed?"She stepped up and put her arms around me. "Agreed. Now, do you want to come upstairs and let me give you a more; intimate apology? I seem to remember that you were rejected twice this morning. That doesn't seem fair. As you aren't going to be in the spare bed tonight after all, I could practice those oral sex techniques that Angie showed me on you."As we made our way upstairs I told Marie that I needed the bathroom before we did anything else and Marie asked if I had ever considered 'water-sports'. For a confused moment I puzzled over why we were suddenly discussing paddle-boarding as a prelude to sex. Then I got the reference."Where the fuck did that come from?" I asked, stunned. After all, she'd never seen anything dirtier than Game Of Thrones until last month."You showed me how to access porn safely on the internet and I've found sites that describe and show people using piss in sex games," she replied airily. "If you have a bladder full of beer and you want to try, then I'm willing to submit as part of my atonement.""But do you find that arousing?" I asked.She was silent while she thought carefully. "I didn't at the time, but now I wonder if I might like to try one day. Maybe not now, unless you want to.""No. Not today." I said, "This gorgeous brunette with big boobs has promised me a blow-job to remember. Let's revisit this conversation another day."In the bathroom I unloaded my two pints of craft beer down the toilet bowl, rather than over my wife, then, after giving little (not that little) Geoffrey a good shake and a wash, I went to the bedroom, to find Marie sitting naked on our bed. She gestured for me to go to her and it seemed rude not to, so I did.She smiled at me as she started to unbuckle my belt. "Do you enjoy it when your wife wants only to submit and to pleasure you?""To be honest," I replied. "It's pretty much freaking me out." She looked at me quizzically. "Well," I said, a bit defensively, "It's not something I'm used to, I don't understand the boundaries and I know it isn't a role that particularly turns you on."By now she had my trousers unfastened and had them and my underwear around my ankles. I stepped out and pulled my polo shirt off. We were both naked and little Geoff was getting bigger."I understand," she said. "Games later; sex now." She started by licking my shaft from base to tip.Now, Marie has never shied away from sucking my cock, and I had never had anyone better to use as a comparison, until Angie the previous morning. Angie has always been hugely competitive so, when it came to oral sex, she had to be the best; and she was; she was Olympic standard. Fortunately she was also a generous friend who gave my wife a master-class (mistress-class?) only twenty four hours ago.Marie was a quick learner. Rather than going straight down on me, as I would have been delighted with previously, now she tormented me; licking along my length; vacuuming my balls into her mouth and molding them with her tongue. Eventually, when I was about to burst with exquisite frustration, she took me in her mouth and massaged my bulb with her tongue. Then she, literally, swallowed me. Her nose was pressed up against my belly and my balls were on her chin. Where the fuck my cock was, I truly could not imagine. But it felt fucking amazing.It felt good but, on the other hand, it sounded awful; all I could hear was her choking and gagging as she worked me back and forth into her throat but I couldn't pull away: she wouldn't let go of me. At last she slackened her hold on my hips and I pulled out of her mouth. Covered in pints of drool.She looked up at me, almost shyly, as if seeking approval. I wasn't going to make her ask. "That was fucking amazing. Now I want to taste you."Some people think that this is such a cliché: Woman sucks man, man sucks woman, then they fuck. If I had put my cock into Marie at that moment, I would have come before I was halfway in. So not only was I giving my wife pleasure, and I love going down on her anyway, but I was giving myself a moment to recover in order to extend our love-making.Normally I would have laid between her thighs to kiss her cunt, but we seemed to be pushing boundaries of late, so I got her to roll onto her belly with her bum raised. If you have never gone down on your woman like this, do it at least once if only for the view. My view was spectacular. My wife's glorious round ass with her truly adorable vulva peeking between her cheeks. It gave me an almost spiritual joy to behold.I started with her labia, acknowledging her clit but not over-stimulating it, and then moving to her anus. We've never really played bottom games before, but Marie's fascination tonight with; unconventional sex prompted me to experiment. Tonight I truly focused my oral attention on that little sphincter though my hands were permanently up to mischief elsewhere. Once I was satisfied she was happy with my efforts, I straightened up and rubbed my cock at her front door."About fucking time," she gasped. "I was going to start without you.""Oh, be quiet you randy old tart," I replied cheerfully as I slid completely into her. "If you're just going to complain, I won't do this."So saying I pushed my index finger, already well lubricated courtesy of Marie's cunt, into her tight little bum hole.She squealed with a mixture of horror and delight as my digit slipped easily into that place where the sun truly don't shine. At this point I was wishing that her hair was long enough for a pony tail for me to pull on, not just because that seemed to be a common trope in anal sex porn, but because I only had one hand left to pull her onto my cock and, honestly, I thought using the finger up her ass to do it seemed; crude.On the up side though, because we weren't actually 'doggy-style', I was fucking my wife down into the pillow so I consoled myself by just putting my spare hand on her bum, more to support me than anything else.So there we were, Marie with her head on the pillow and her ass in the air, me kneeling behind her with my cock in her cunt and my finger in her bum, both of us naked, horny, and loving every minute of this. No kids to burst in on us mid-fuck, no fear of pregnancy and no need to give a shit what the neighbors would think. We were putting the 'sex' into 'sexagenarian'.I started moving my cock in and out in my favorite long strokes. I think I'd read that the vagina is most sensitive near its entrance so I wanted to get the widest part of my cock stimulating her there as much as possible. Then I'd push my entire length in so she would feel full. I tried to move my finger in and out of her anus at the same time. I did my best, but it was like trying to rub your belly while you're patting your head. Still, Marie seemed to appreciate the effort. She was so wet with arousal that there seemed hardly any friction between us but her vaginal muscles were gripping me like an internal fist. She grunted as she pushed back against me as well as she could. We lasted longer than I expected but eventually we both got there."Oh, fuck;” She gasped, "I'm so; So close; Just touch me; There; Oh, yes; Just; Like; Ah!"Her orgasm was so intense and she gripped me so hard that I came too within less than a minute. I hadn't realized that vaginal and anal muscles seem to be on the same circuit. But when Marie's cunt muscles gripped my cock, her sphincter clamped onto my finger too. I managed to extract the offending digit from his naughty place and collapsed on the bed next to my wife, both of us trying to catch our breath."You dirty old bugger," she said. "What made you decide to do that now?""I'm not altogether sure," I replied truthfully. "But it's occurred to me a couple of times this weekend that I've kissed that little opening while I've been pleasuring both you and Angie, but I've never really done more than that. And I wanted to do it with you. Tonight seemed like the right time.""Mmm," she responded. "Well, just so you know, it's okay to keep that in your repertoire."I made a quick trip to the bathroom to wash hands and cock then climbed into bed to spoon my drowsy wife. As she dozed off, while I played with her boobs I started to think about what having sex with different women would mean to me. I mean, come on, different libidos, different erogenous zones, potentially different 'no-go' areas and, more interestingly different kinks. Marie had a well-intentioned idea, but muggins here had to deliver. And I wanted to do it properly so I slowly and surely drew my plans.TuesdayWe slept in a little that morning so we only had time for a quick missionary fuck to greet the day. Then we used the bathroom and went down to breakfast together. Over tea and toast we chatted about plans for the day. Now UK readers of a certain age will understand, but for everyone else, you might need to know this. British garden centers are often a weekly destination of choice for retirees. Yes they sell plants, and Brits are inveterate gardeners, but they also sell seasonal goods, artisan produce and have great coffee shops. Today though, I offered an alternative to our usual haunt."I think that we should go to a naughty shop." I suggested."Because?" Prompted Marie."Well, last night, after shagging you into unconsciousness, I was thinking about your, our, plan." I paused. "So far we have proved that you can cope seeing me screw another woman, and you can take pleasure with another woman yourself, and we've prepped the beds for lots of sex but;” I hesitated again."Go on," she urged me gently. "Let me see where you're going with this.""It's just that I barely know most of your friends, apart from Angie, and the reality is that we aren't even going on a date before I fuck them. I've no idea what turns them on or anything. Talk about going in unprepared. So I thought, we'd need lube and stuff, so why not a few toys too, to lighten the mood?"She sat back, "Oh, shit! Now I understand why you've not been nearly as excited as I expected. I've been so caught up in this fantasy of my friends all having the same great sex as me," she looked embarrassed. "But I did just what Angie said. She said we were discussing you the same way that the men we despised talk about women. But instead of tits and cunts, just as a cock with a man attached!"She burst into tears. "I'm supposed to be your wife," she sobbed. "I'm supposed to cherish you. But no, I'm just so excited about pimping you out to my friends that I forgot all about your feelings and fears. Fuck! What a bitch I am. Why do you even stay with me?"She ran from the room, tears streaming down her face. Maybe I should have gone after her, but she knew where I was when she was ready. Obviously, being British I made a cup of tea for myself and got one ready for Marie for when she emerged. After I'd finished my drink and eaten my Hobnob biscuit I went past our bedroom on the way to the loo and I could hear her speaking softly on her phone, her voice still breaking with emotion.On the way back downstairs I tapped on the door and looked in. She glanced up through tear stained eyes. I asked her if she wanted me to make her a cuppa. She nodded and told me that she'd be down shortly, after she'd been to the bathroom.She looked a little better when she came down. I shouted to her that I'd got her drink in the living room and she joined me there.She sighed. "We can't keep on like this, can we? I ruined our day yesterday, I've sobbed my heart out this morning for treating you like a whore and tomorrow you're going to join a drug trial: When all you actually wanted was to make love to your wife again."I said; nothing. She needed to work through this herself. Platitudes wouldn't help. Eventually she looked at me. "Geoff, tell me honestly, do you want to sleep with my friends?"I sat forward in my seat. "You have offered me most men's fantasy. A nearly open marriage where I am allowed to have sex with multiple women, and I don't have to think about you with other men. But I worry about the cost. What if this isn't a fantasy but a nightmare? What if it splits us up? What if you can't face living with me anymore after you've seen my cock in all of your friends? Where will we live? How do we explain to our family why we aren't together anymore? I keep trying to introduce reality into this fantasy, but I'm just not convinced that you 'get it' yet." And, yes, I did the air quotes."I suggested the rules, not you, I thought about the need for erection supplements, I bought the bedding. I've been thinking about stuff like sex toys, lube, boundaries for fuck's sake! I need you on the same page or this is a disaster waiting to happen."She sipped her tea. "You've thought about this, haven't you? What do you think could go wrong?""Okay, fair enough," I replied. "Imagine this. One of your fri

If you would like all this lovely content without the adverts then follow the link https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/calming-anxiety--4110266/supportBook your one on one hypnotherapy with Martin - https://calendar.app.google/rXHMt8sRYft5iWma8Take back control over your negative thoughts and calm pain and anxiety with this beautiful course in conjunction with The Physio Crew - https://offers.thephysiocrew.co.uk/home-pain Don't forget the app and now all our podcasts are also on YouTube.Gift the app to a loved one, friend or colleague - https://www.martinhewlett.co.uk/shop/calming-anxiety-gift-subscription/Try out the new , beautiful and simple breathing challenge to help you relax.https://www.martinhewlett.co.uk/breathing-challenge/Don't forget to download app....Calming Anxiety for IOS - https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/calming-anxiety/id1576159331Calming Anxiety for Android - https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=digital.waterfront.calming.anxiety&hl=en-GBPlease download and enjoy.If you have found benefit from my podcast I do have a "buy me a coffee" page which helps to fund the hosting costs and all the time. :)https://www.buymeacoffee.com/calminganxietyI am always open to requests and tips as I try to help as many people as possible .My email is calminganxiety@martinhewlett.co.ukFor those younger listeners struggling with the stress of social media, do check out this amazing website. https://www.icanhelp.net/If you have found benefit in any of our podcasts then it would really help if you could subscribe as well to our YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/c/martinhewlett?sub_confirmation=1Backing Music by Chris Collins============Affiliate links to the gear I use the items that give me a more tranquil life.Rode Podmic - https://amzn.to/3LN1JEdZoom Livetrak L8 - https://amzn.to/36UCIbySony ZV 1 - https://amzn.to/3JvDUPTGoPro Hero 8 Black - https://amzn.to/372rzFlDJI Mini 2 - https://amzn.to/3NQfMdY=============================Items I use for a more relaxed way of life :)

What's this episode about?In this episode of A Meaningful Mess, I dive into the often-overlooked process of gifted onboarding. I explain why helping learners understand the realities of their giftedness is essential and introduces the three Rs, reality, retention, and resilience, that can shape a meaningful and supportive educational experience.

In this English lesson, you'll learn 26 everyday words related to warmth, heat, and being hot—from things in your kitchen to natural disasters like volcanoes. Each word has a simple definition and sentence to help English learners understand and use it in real life.✅ I can be your speaking partner https://brentspeak.as.me/

I'd been a vegetarian for over a decade, when a desert survival trip changed how I thought about food. This episode explores the hidden costs behind everything we eat and asks, “If we must kill to live, how should we live in return?" Here's a link to Tovar Cerulli's The Mindful Carnivore. You should check it out. You could order it online ... but it would be more awesome if you ordered it through your local bookshop.

Zzz. . . Gently drift off to this midweek short story – "A Gala Dress" by Mary E. Wilkins zzz For an ad-free version of Sleepy, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/sleepyradio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and donate $2! Or click the blue Sleepy logo on the banner of this Spotify page.  Awesome Sleepy sponsor deals: Quince: Go to Quince.com/sleepy for free shipping and 365-day returns BetterHelp: Visit BetterHelp.com/SLEEPY today to get 10% off your first month. GreenChef: GreenChef.com/50SLEEPY and use code "50SLEEPY" to get 50% percent off your first month, then twenty percent off for two months with free shipping. ButcherBox: Sign up at butcherbox.com/sleepy and use code "sleepy" OneSkin: Get 15% off OneSkin with the code SLEEPY at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.oneskin.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ #oneskinpod GhostBed: Go to GhostBed.com/sleepy and use promo code “SLEEPY” at checkout for 50% off! Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at Shopify.com/otis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

THE FANTASTIC POUR Brett welcomes fellow FW All-Star Ryan Daly to the Fantasti-Lounge to talk G.I. Joe! We enjoy a Summer Bourbon Cocktail and read G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero issue #16. Join us in the Fantasti-Lounge for a Battle-Sized episode as we discuss: What are Ryan's favorite G.I. Joe toys? Why is Torpedo wearing flippers in the city? Wait, the Weather Dominator in a nativity scene? And much, much more! Secret Pour-igins: Our Bourbon at War Cocktail: You Too, Scar Face! Ingredients 2 oz. Bourbon 1/2 oz. Lemon Juice 3 dashes Aromatic Bitters to 10 Mint Leaves 2 Lemon Wheels Ginger Beer Garnish Lemon Twist Mint Sprig Instructions In shaker, add five to ten mint leaves, 2 lemon wheels, ½ oz. lemon juice, and 3 dashes of bitters Gently muddle Add Bourbon and stir Strain into rocks glass or highball with ice already in it Top with ginger beer Garnish with lemon twist and mint sprig Non-Alcoholic You Too, Scar Face! Ingredients 1/2 oz. Lemon Juice 3 dashes Aromatic Bitters to 10 Mint Leaves 2 Lemon Wheels Ginger Beer Garnish Lemon Twist Mint Sprig Instructions In glass add five to ten mint leaves, 2 lemon wheels, ½ oz. lemon juice, and 3 dashes of bitters. Gently muddle. Add ice Top with ginger beer Garnish with lemon twist and mint sprig Comic: G.I. Joe: A Real American Hero #16, Marvel Comics, 1983 Fantasti-Lounge House Band music: Neil Daly "Bullets & Beer" Check out his YouTube Page for more Have a question or comment? E-MAIL: fwpodcasts@gmail.com You can find The Fantastic Pour on these platforms: Apple Podcasts Amazon Music Spotify The Fantastic Pour podcast is a proud member of the FIRE AND WATER PODCAST NETWORK: Fire & Water website: http://fireandwaterpodcast.com Fire & Water Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/FWPodcastNetwork Fire & Water on Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/fwpodcasts.bsky.social Fire & Water Podcast Network on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/fwpodcasts Use our HASHTAG online: #FWPodcasts

Is there a way to talk about finances that isn't stressful or disconnecting? Yes — start having regular money dates! In this episode, Dr. Alexandra Stockwell shares how couples can turn financial conversations into intimate, collaborative, and even playful experiences. Inspired by a conversation with her newlywed daughter, Dr. Alexandra offers a simple, flexible framework for celebrating wins, reviewing your finances, and setting meaningful goals together — all while deepening love, trust, and understanding.  Whether you've been together for a few months or many decades, you'll discover how money dates can strengthen both your relationship and your future.   Key insights: How to weave connection and love into financial conversations  A simple, step-by-step approach for meaningful and enjoyable money dates Begin with celebrations to set a positive, collaborative tone Gently review and organize your finances together Create shared goals that inspire your future as a couple

According to the New Testament, Christians are instructed to work together as a community. Even more than that, we are instructed to care for one another as a family, humbly serve one another and protect one another as soldiers in battle - even to the point of being willing to sacrifice ourselves. All of this is to be put in place while we each are dedicated to following the clear and godly teachings of Jesus in Scripture. So, how do we go about making all of this happen? In Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians, he gives us a list of practical ways we should take care of one another. While this list is not comprehensive, it alerts us to several of the foundational principles of sound Christian conduct. This episode of our Christian Conduct Series focuses on how each believer can actively contribute to the health of their church community. Drawing from 1 Thessalonians 5:12–15, we can see the Apostle Paul lays out a blueprint for mutual care, beginning with honoring spiritual leaders and extending to everyday interactions within the body of Christ. These instructions aren't just ideals—they're actionable steps rooted in humility, empathy and discipleship. Paul's list includes five key responsibilities that shape a spiritually vibrant church. Each of these reflects the character of Christ and reinforces the interdependence of believers. A major foundational point here is that these contributions are not optional niceties but essential disciplines for anyone seeking to live out their faith within the Christian community. Key Contributions to a Healthy Church • Admonish the unruly: Gently correct those who are out of step with Christian principles, aiming for restoration—not shame. • Encourage the fainthearted: Comfort those who are timid, anxious, or overwhelmed with emotional and spiritual support. • Help the weak: Cling to and support those who lack strength—physically, morally, or spiritually—through loyal, spiritually based companionship. • Be patient with everyone: Practice forbearance by restraining reactive impulses and allowing space for small steps of growth. • Seek good for all: Reject retaliation and pursue what benefits others, modeling the selfless love of Jesus. By living these principles, we can create a healthy church with a culture of compassion, accountability and spiritual resilience. The message is clear: mutual contribution isn't just about helping others—it's about embodying Christ in every relationship.

Hi Bakers,Want a cake with so many peaches it might just be a serving of fruit? Well, not quite, but it's a delicious breakfast anyway! Make this gluten-free bake if you want a hearty, moist cake that's lightly sweet, packed with peaches, and lots of streusel too. I love that it's sweet enough to feel like a treat but not so sweet that I feel like I shouldn't have a slice in the morning. This is the perfect companion to a nice cup of tea or coffee. My one complaint about this is that it takes a LONG time to bake. I expected about an hour, but it was closer to 1.5 hours… I still feel like it's worth making, but factor in time for a long bake. If you can't find peaches, nectarines work just as well and often have better flavor. I hope you try this one and enjoy savoring a slice before you start your day! ~CarolynGluten-Free Peach Streusel Breakfast CakeMakes one 8”x8” cakeStreusel Topping3/4 cup Cup4Cup gluten-free multipurpose flour1/4 cup blanched almond flour2 teaspoons sweet rice flour1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed1/4 teaspoon salt3 tablespoons melted butter1 teaspoon each ground ginger and cardamomDry ingredients1 3/4 cups Cup4Cup Multipurpose Flour (original blend that contains milk powder)1/4 cup blanched almond flour or Cup4Cup flour if you can't have nuts1 teaspoon sweet rice flour2 teaspoons baking powder1/2 teaspoon saltWet1/2 cup butter, softened1 cup granulated sugar1 large egg + 1 large egg yolk1/4 cup 1/2&1/21/4 cup unsweetened applesauce1/2 teaspoon vanilla1/4 teaspoon almond extract2 cups fresh peaches or nectarines, cut into 1/2” piecesOptional garnishpowdered sugarthinly sliced peachesmint or lavender sprigPreheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking dish with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk together streusel ingredients except for the butter. Cut the butter into the mixture until it resembles bread crumbs and has no large chunks. Set aside.In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients and set aside. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until well mixed. Add half the dry mixture to the butter and sugar. Mix egg, yolk, 1/2 & 1/2, applesauce, almond extract, and vanilla together in a small bowl. Add the egg mixture to the butter mixture. Next, mix in the remaining flour mixture until just combined. Gently stir in the peaches. The batter will be very thick. Scoop and fill the baking pan with half the batter and smooth out the top. Sprinkle half the streusel on top and then add the rest of the batter. Smooth into the corners and sprinkle with the remaining streusel. Press in a bit with a knife. Top the cake with some thin peach slices in a pretty pattern. Bake for about 45 minutes and then check your cake for doneness. Bake until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out with just a few crumbs on it. For this bake, my cake took one and a half hours, which is crazy long! I have no explanation as to why this version of cake took much longer than usual. Let cool for about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with a light dusting of powdered sugar. If you are eating the cake right away, I recommend adding some fresh-cut peaches on top. Warning! Do not store the cake with fresh sliced fruit on top, or it will get soggy. Enjoy!

Sports Daily Full Show 19 August 2025

In this episode of The Life Transformer Show, Tara answers your questions and discusses habits to help you get back on track and focus. She discusses steps and movement each day through walking and how motivating this can be to meeting your goals. Tara also talks about food, meal planning and refers to her own temptations from the environment. Tara mentions schedules of workouts and how to stick to them when on holiday and how to adapt with equipment you have access to. Tara makes suggestions on how to improve sleep and emphasises the importance of lifting weights and eating protein as we get older.  What You Will Learn In This Episode: Realistic step targets and making daily steps a habit. How to plan meals and snacks effectively.  The importance of routines throughout the day, including bedtime routines.  How to stay healthy and strong for years to come.    How To Contact Tara Hammett: tarahammett.com Facebook  

This meditation is a prayer of gratitude and is a peaceful, Scripture-based reflection designed to help you slow down, draw near to God, and rest in your identity in Christ, concluding with deep, restful peace for sleep.Gently guided with biblical truth and thanksgiving for both children and adults alike, including a confession of sins, this meditation offers comfort, reminding you that you are complete and fully loved and forgiven in Jesus. Perfect for drawing near to God when you are feeling lost or forgotten your value in Christ.For more on Anna's work as a Kids' Anxiety Life Coach, please visit annaware.com.au

You might feel completely exhausted at night, but if your nervous system is still “on,” your body won't fully let go into rest.

How can we rebuke without compromising love and show gentleness without diminishing truth? Pastor John gives counsel for speaking with emotional wholeness.

There's a tapping practice shown to ease stress, balance emotions, and support healing. We explore the science behind Emotional Freedom Technique, or EFT.Summary: Emerging research shows that a body-tapping technique called Emotional Freedom Technique, or EFT, can help calm the nervous system, improve emotional awareness, and support healing from trauma. In this episode of The Science of Happiness, we follow illustrator Minnie Phan's journey of using this evidence-based practice to connect with herself, care for her mental health, and create from a place of resilience.How To Do This Practice:  Identify the issue: Choose one specific feeling, thought, or physical sensation that's bothering you, such as stress, sadness, or tension in your body. Rate the intensity: On a scale of 0 to 10 (with 10 being the most intense), rate how strongly you feel it right now. This will help you notice changes as you tap. Create your setup statement: Say a phrase that names your feeling and affirms self-acceptance, such as: "Even though I feel anxious, I fully and completely accept myself." Gently tap 5–7 times on each point: Side of hand, inner eyebrow above your nose, side of eye, under eye, under nose, chin, collarbone, under arm, and top of head. Repeat while tapping: As you tap each point, repeat a shortened reminder phrase (e.g., “I feel anxious” or “I accept myself”) while taking slow, steady breaths. Reassess and repeat if needed: Pause, take a breath, and rate your intensity again. Continue another round or two until you notice a shift toward more calm or ease. Scroll down for a transcription of this episode.Today's Guests:MINNIE PHAN is an illustrator and publisher of the picture book, The Yellow Áo Dài. Phan has also collaborated with Pulitzer Prize winning author Viet Thanh Nguyen on the book, Simone. Learn more about Minnie Phan here: https://www.minniephan.com/Follow Minnie Phan on Instagram: @minnie_phan DR. PETA STAPLETON is a world-leading researcher in the Emotional Freedom Technique. Learn more about Dr. Peta Stapleton here: https://www.petastapleton.com/Follow Dr. Peta Stapleton on LinkedIn: @petastapletonRelated The Science of Happiness episodes:  How Holding Yourself Can Reduce Stress: https://tinyurl.com/2hvhkwe6The Science of Humming: https://tinyurl.com/4esyy6ndRelated Happiness Breaks:Tap into the Joy That Surrounds You: https://tinyurl.com/2pb8ye9xThe Healing Power of Your Own Touch: https://tinyurl.com/y4ze59h8Tell us about your experience with this practice. Email us at happinesspod@berkeley.edu or follow on Instagram @HappinessPod.Help us share The Science of Happiness! Leave us a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and share this link with someone who might like the show: https://tinyurl.com/2p9h5aapTranscription to come.

Journey to Deep Rest Series | The Creator | Nova Nidra for Self-Expression + Inner CourageJoin Ayla Nova and experience the power of non-sleep deep rest, also known as NSDR, to promote relaxation and nervous system reset. Newsletter subscribers gain access to exclusive content and offers. This practice is a powerful tool for inner peace and wellbeing.00:00 Introduction00:12 Welcoming Words from Ayla Nova02:00 Preparing for Yoga Nidra03:00 The Practice of Yoga Nidra Begins Now

Caught myself walking-not-talking a lot this morning. What little I did say concerned writing, reading, and playing Factorio. Also, I forgot to turn on airplane mode and shut off the bluetooth and wifi. Might be some extra noise.

As hosts of the Happy Wife Happy Life podcast, comedians/writers/actors Kendahl Landreth and Jordan Myrick help their listeners navigate everything related to relationships. Here on our show, in this episode, they bring that gift of harmony to society's views of chihuahuas, especially their own rescue dog, Angel. As you drift off to sleep, you'll hear about Angel's peculiarities, why these dogs are not necessarily annoying but possibly misunderstood, and you'll hear the surprising information that one of Paris Hilton's chihuahuas was 23 dang years old when it finally passed away. 23. Can you believe that? Turns out, Paris was an excellent tiny dog caretaker. You'll love spending your sleepytime with Kendahl, Jordan, and Angel who doesn't bark at all during show. Not so yappy at all, you see.Listen to and or watch the Happy Wife Happy Lifepodcast on Youtube or on the podcatcher of your choice. Learn more about Kendahl, her TikTok, and her further work by visiting her website, www.KendahlLandreth.com. Learn more about Jordan, her Dropout series, and her further work by visiting her website, www.JordanMyrick.com.Go to www.maximumfun.org/join and select Sleeping with Celebrities to support our show.Hey Sleepy Heads, is there anyone whose voice you'd like to drift off to, or do you have suggestions on things we could do to aid your slumber?Email us at: sleepwithcelebs@maximumfun.org.Follow the Show on:Instagram @sleepwcelebsBluesky @sleepwithcelebsTikTok @SleepWithCelebsJohn is on Bluesky @JohnMoeJohn's acclaimed, best-selling memoir, The Hilarious World of Depression, is now available in paperback.

In this gentle IFS (Internal Family Systems) meditation, you're invited to connect with a part of you that may still be holding on to a memory from the past. Whether it's a part that pushes you to stay busy or one that panics when you try to rest, this practice helps you approach it with curiosity—not judgment.You'll be guided to:Ground into your Self-energyNotice what part may be carrying a past experienceListen with compassion and offer gentle presenceNo need to fix anything—just be with what's here.This meditation is ideal for anyone exploring parts work, emotional healing, or spiritual growth through the IFS model.

This is a companion podcast for this morning's mantra. Chasing your dreams can feel scary, especially when change impacts the people you love. This meditation helps you move through fear with gentle, steady steps — one at a time — toward what matters most. Jennifer Cray is a life coach, meditation teacher and yoga teacher for Living Lit Up, based in Brisbane. You can deepen your meditation practices with her on Insight Timer. Insight Timer See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The old gray mare don't taste like it used to. Black Lotus Shampoo. I'm Pro Crastinating. Yokel Adjacent. A Pet Is For Life, Not For Dinner. More ceiling = less head. Two Ns In My Anus. All Marmaduke all the time. Otaku Flame. Touching The Fuzzy. Hold that lav in your hand like nature intended. Your Hamsters, Your Gerbils, Your Teeming Masses. M stands for mandelbrot? Beast on the streets, brilliant in the heat. Nonsense generators with Wendi and more on this episode of The Morning Stream. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The old gray mare don't taste like it used to. Black Lotus Shampoo. I'm Pro Crastinating. Yokel Adjacent. A Pet Is For Life, Not For Dinner. More ceiling = less head. Two Ns In My Anus. All Marmaduke all the time. Otaku Flame. Touching The Fuzzy. Hold that lav in your hand like nature intended. Your Hamsters, Your Gerbils, Your Teeming Masses. M stands for mandelbrot? Beast on the streets, brilliant in the heat. Nonsense generators with Wendi and more on this episode of The Morning Stream. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We've said it before and we'll say it again, vodka is having its moment and to prove it, we're sampling two bottles of the good stuff in this episode. We begin with the brand new offering from Jo Malone CBE – yes, THAT Jo Malone, who now lends her winning ways with fragrance to the spirit world with a trilogy of top notch vodkas bought to life through her super power, synesthesia.Then there's Dirty Brew, the latest expression from Belvedere, combining organic rye vodka livened with deep and delicious robusto coffee bean for your drinking pleasure.Bookwise, we're dipping in to the appropriately titled Distilled Knowledge – The Science Behind Drinking's Greatest Myths, Legends and Unanswered Questions by Brian D. Hoefling, while the name of this week's bar might need a bit more explaining, it's All My Gods, a new take on the classic dive bar, which opened in London last week.And on to the tonic part: we're joined by drinks powerhouses Iain McPherson and Millie Tang talking all things Schweppes Pioneers, the new advocacy programme they're proudly spearheading along with Vasilis Kyritsis and Simone Caporale for Schweppes.For more from The Cocktail Lovers, visit thecocktaillovers.comFor the products featured in this episode, see websites below:What we're drinkingCampari & IPA or IPA & Campari (the ingredients say it all!)45ml Campari180ml IPATwist of lemon to garnishMethod:Pour ingredients into an ice-filled Collins glass. Gently combine, spritz with lemon peel and add to glass.In celebration of International IPA Day (7th July)All My GodsBelvedere Dirty BrewDistilled Knowledge – The Science Behind Drinking's Greatest Myths, Legends and Unanswered Questions by Brian D. HoeflingJo VodkaFor more information on the Schweppes Pioneers advocacy programme, see @schweppes_gbFor our review of 'The Cocktail Parlour – How Women Brought The Cocktail Home' by Nicola Nice, listen hereWith thanks to our partners:The Can MakersSchweppes PioneersThe Cocktail Lovers theme music is by Travis 'T-Bone' WatsonEdited by Christian Fox Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In May 2025, a former player is upset by the sacking of Head Coach Tom Cleverley — causing wider ramifications in the Watford Football Club afterlife. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Chasing your dreams can feel scary, especially when change impacts the people you love. This meditation helps you move through fear with gentle, steady steps — one at a time — toward what matters most. Jennifer Cray is a life coach, meditation teacher and yoga teacher for Living Lit Up, based in Brisbane. You can deepen your meditation practices with her on Insight Timer. Insight Timer See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Gently observe where you might be resisting reality or clinging to how things "should be." This session offers practices to soften resistance and surrender to the natural flow of life, creating space for peace to emerge. WELCOME TO THIS WEEK'S Truth's Embrace: Finding Peace in Reality's Flow Welcome to "Truth's Embrace: Finding Peace in Reality's Flow," a journey designed to anchor you in the authentic calm of the present moment. In a world of constant change and swirling perceptions, discovering peace often means aligning with what is, rather than resisting. Each episode will gently guide you to release illusions, embrace reality, and uncover the profound serenity that blossoms when you live in harmony with truth. This is a replay of a series I released a few years ago! I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed recording it for you. As always, I'll be listening to the series along with you. This is day 4 of a 7-day meditation series, "Truth's Embrace: Finding Peace in Reality's Flow," episodes 1480-1486. YOUR WEEKLY CHALLENGE You're Invited To Take Part In Quest to Trust Yourself! Every day this week, start your day by tuning into your intuition. Trust your intuition. Continuously tune into your intuition as you go about your day. YOUR MEDITATION JOURNEY DURING THIS WEEK'S SERIES This is episode 4 of a 7-day meditation series, "Truth's Embrace: Finding Peace in Reality's Flow." Day 1:   Truth Visualization Day 2:  Truth Affirmation Day 3:  Your Breath as an Anchor Day 4:  Mudra to Trust Yourself Day 5:  Trust Chakra Focus Day 6: Flow meditation combining the week's techniques Day 7:  Weekly review meditation and closure SHARE YOUR MEDITATION JOURNEY WITH YOUR FELLOW MEDITATORS Let's connect and inspire each other! Please share a little about how meditation has helped you by reaching out to me at Mary@SipandOm.com or better yet -- direct message me on https://www.instagram.com/sip.and.om. We'd love to hear about your meditation ritual!  WAYS TO SUPPORT THE DAILY MEDITATION PODCAST SUBSCRIBE so you don't miss a single episode. Consistency is the KEY to a successful meditation ritual. SHARE the podcast with someone who could use a little extra support. I'd be honored if you left me a podcast review. If you do, please email me at Mary@sipandom.com and let me know a little about yourself and how meditation has helped you. I'd love to share your journey to inspire fellow meditators on the podcast! All meditations are created by Mary Meckley and are her original content. Please request permission to use any of Mary's content by sending an email to Mary@sipandom.com. FOR DAILY EXTRA SUPPORT OUTSIDE THE PODCAST Each day's meditation techniques are shared at: sip.and.om Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sip.and.om/ sip and om Facebook https://www.facebook.com/SipandOm/ SIP AND OM MEDITATION APP Looking for a little more support? If you're ready for a more in-depth meditation experience, allow Mary to guide you in daily 30-minute guided meditations on the Sip and Om meditation app. Give it a whirl for 7-days free! Receive access to 2,000+ 30-minute guided meditations customized around a weekly theme to help you manage emotions. Receive a Clarity Journal and a Slow Down Guide customized for each weekly theme.  2-Week's Free Access on iOS https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sip-and-om/id1216664612?platform=iphone&preserveScrollPosition=true#platform/iphone All meditations are created by Mary Meckley and are her original content. Please request permission to use any of Mary's content by sending an email to Mary@sipandom.com.Let go of repetitive negative thoughts. The beach waves were composed by Mike Koenig. Music composed by Christopher Lloyd Clark licensed by RoyaltyFreeMusic.com, and also by musician Greg Keller.

Today we are honored to sit down with retired DEA Agent and Founder, lead facilitator of Wake Up/Level Up Margaret Bedolla. Margaret walks us through her journey, growing up the daughter of an Agent, and living abroad and being exposed to true poverty and the excitement of the hidden dangers of her father's work in a different country. Starting the DEA at 24 she found herself working on the tragic and high profile case of the kidnapping and murder of DEA Agent Kiki Camarena. Dedicating her life to the Administration and immersing herself in several long term cases she found a passion and knack for expanding investigations to hunt down the source of the drug trade. As her career unfolded, she found another unique talent, which her natural compassion and empathy complimented, in working in the DEA EAP program. Like everything she does she puts her heart and soul into helping others on the Trauma Team to help her peers and their families that were struggling with the daily grind of the job and critical incident response. After leaving the DEA she continued serving to provide education with Wake Up/Level Up leadership courses as she travels the country meeting with different organizations and first responder agencies to help them look at leadership through a different lens. Margaret and retired DEA SAC, David Downing, are now presenting their unique leadership courses to the Dallas Police Command Staff. She is extremely humble, extremely fierce, and still after over three decades, still leading with a servant's heart. Wake Up Level Up- Facilitated Leadership Conversations  Investigation discussed: Enrique "Kiki" Camarena Salazar was a DEA agent who was kidnapped and murdered by the Guadalajara Cartel in Mexico in 1985. His death sparked a major U.S. investigation and strained relations with Mexico. The case has been the subject of various media, including the miniseries "Drug Wars: The Camarena Story" and the docuseries "The Last Narc"  

Join Premium! Ready for an ad-free meditation experience? Join Premium now and get every episode from ALL of our podcasts completely ad-free now! Just a few clicks makes it easy for you to listen on your favorite podcast player.  Become a PREMIUM member today by going to --> https://WomensMeditationNetwork.com/premium Take a gentle, steady breath. With each exhale, let the weight of the day drift further away, Leaving you here, in this quiet, sacred space. PAUSE... Feel your body begin to soften, starting with your feet. Let them grow heavy, sinking into the comfort beneath you. Allow this feeling to move upward, Gently relaxing your legs, your hips, and your belly. Each breath brings a sense of calm, a quiet invitation to rest. PAUSE... Feel your chest rise and fall in an easy rhythm, And with each exhale, let your shoulders drop, Releasing the day's burdens, letting them melt away. Join our Premium Sleep for Women Channel on Apple Podcasts and get ALL 5 of our Sleep podcasts completely ad-free! Join Premium now on Apple here --> https://bit.ly/sleepforwomen  Join our Premium Meditation for Kids Channel on Apple Podcasts and get ALL 5 of our Kids podcasts completely ad-free! Join Premium now on Apple here → https://bit.ly/meditationforkidsapple Hey, I'm so glad you're taking the time to be with us today. My team and I are dedicated to making sure you have all the meditations you need throughout all the seasons of your life.  If there's a meditation you desire, but can't find, email us at Katie Krimitsos to make a request. We'd love to create what you want!  Namaste, Beautiful,

What if your emotions aren't the problem? What if it's the resistance to them that's making everything feel harder?

RESOURCES- Want to be text friends and receive weekly inspiration? You can send JOY at +1 833 217 2760CONNECT WITH DANETTEInstagram: @thedanettemayFacebook: Danette MayTikTok: @thedanettemayNEW TV Show on Youtube: @TheDanetteMayListen to The Danette May ShowRead my book: danettemay.com/embraceabundancebookGet The Rise book: therisebook.comWork with Danette: danettemay.comIn this deeply transformative episode of The Danette May Show, I guide you through a heart-centered guided visualization for clarity, inner peace, and emotional healing. This practice is designed to activate your intuition, help you connect with your future self, and raise your frequency.As you close your eyes and settle into your breath, you'll journey through body relaxation, heart expansion, and powerful visualization techniques that support emotional regulation, energetic alignment, and manifestation. Whether you're new to meditation or a seasoned practitioner, this session will help you ground your energy, reduce stress, and create a sense of inner balance to carry with you throughout your day.IN THIS EPISODE:(0:10) Getting into a relaxed position(0:26) Deep breathing and full body relaxation(2:42) Opening and connecting with your heart space(3:04) Visualizing your ideal emotional state(4:36) Expanding your heart's light beyond the body(5:57) Meeting and integrating with your future self(7:42) Gently returning to the present moment(08:28) Anchoring in your vision and applying it to your life

This week I'm joined by Zach Morris for a thoughtful conversation about the challenges of parenting neurodivergent teens who are approaching adulthood. We dig into a listener question about an almost-18-year-old who's still really struggling, despite years of support. Zach and I explore the pressures parents face, the grief that can come up, how to hold boundaries with empathy, and why we need to rethink what success and failure actually mean. We also talk about the importance of understanding each child's unique developmental timeline—and how to give ourselves and our kids space to pause, regroup, and keep going.   About Debbie: Debbie Reber, MA is a parenting activist, bestselling author, speaker, and the CEO and founder of TiLT Parenting, a resource, top-performing podcast, consultancy, and community with a focus on shifting the paradigm for parents raising and embracing neurodivergent children. A regular contributor to Psychology Today and ADDitude Magazine, and the author of more than a dozen books for children and teens, Debbie's most recent book is Differently Wired: A Parent's Guide to Raising an Atypical Child with Confidence and Hope. About Zach Zach Morris is a thought leader in education who is committed to helping people increase compassion, collaboration, and learning. Zach supports individuals, families, and organizations who aim to develop a greater sense of safety and empowerment in themselves, in their relationships, and in their communities. Gently guiding humans through the resistance they encounter is at the core of Zach's work. Learn more about Zach here   Things You'll Learn from This Episode Why parenting neurodivergent teens near adulthood requires extra patience, flexibility, and a long-view approach How societal expectations can increase stress and make it harder to trust our child's unique path Why processing grief is a necessary part of coming to terms with unmet expectations and ongoing struggles How setting and holding clear, compassionate boundaries helps support both safety and autonomy Why redefining success and failure can reduce pressure and create space for authentic growth How taking breaks, leaning on support, and staying attuned to our child's timeline can nurture long-term resilience  Resources Mentioned The Self-Driven Children with William Stixrud and Ned Johnson (Tilt Parenting Podcast) Dr. Dan Peters on The Teen Years & Preparing to Launch (Tilt Parenting Podcast) The Autistic Burnout Workbook: Your Guide to Your Personal Recovery Plan by Dr. Megan Anna Neff A Conversation with Dr. Megan Anna Neff About Autistic Burnout (Tilt Parenting Podcast) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Join Premium! Ready for an ad-free meditation experience? Join Premium now and get every episode from ALL of our podcasts completely ad-free now! Just a few clicks makes it easy for you to listen on your favorite podcast player.  Become a PREMIUM member today by going to --> https://WomensMeditationNetwork.com/premium Step away from the day's demands, From the bustling energy of your waking hours, From the thoughts that race through your mind. Let's embark, Gently, Softly, On a serene journey into the night. PAUSE… Come inward, Where the gentle night enfolds you, And the whisper of darkness calls your heart to rest. The world outside has hushed, Now is the moment for relaxation, For peace, For deep, restorative sleep. PAUSE… Feel the calming embrace of the night, Inviting you to surrender, To breathe deeply, Finding the tranquil rhythm of stillness with each breath. Join our Premium Sleep for Women Channel on Apple Podcasts and get ALL 5 of our Sleep podcasts completely ad-free! Join Premium now on Apple here --> https://bit.ly/sleepforwomen  Join our Premium Meditation for Kids Channel on Apple Podcasts and get ALL 5 of our Kids podcasts completely ad-free! Join Premium now on Apple here → https://bit.ly/meditationforkidsapple Hey, I'm so glad you're taking the time to be with us today. My team and I are dedicated to making sure you have all the meditations you need throughout all the seasons of your life.  If there's a meditation you desire, but can't find, email us at Katie Krimitsos to make a request. We'd love to create what you want!  Namaste, Beautiful,