Podcasts about Genuine

We know there's a danger of handing our agency over to amentor, teacher, authority figure, practitioner, guide. And if you're the one in the room holding space, nobody taught you how to avoid creating that dynamic with your clients or students either. This is a cultural problem, not a personal failing. In this episode, Jayne unpacks the three confusions - Power versus Control, Validation versus Permission, and Guidance versus Dependency - so you can learn from someone (or mentor someone) without perpetuating the exact hierarchy you came to spiritual work to escape.BY THE TIME YOU FINISH LISTENING TO THIS EPISODE, YOU WILLDISCOVER:● Power is not the problem - control masquerading as the guidance is. True power expands someone else's agency and doesn't require hierarchy, dominance, or certainty. When we're connected to something greater than ourself,we can be deeply powerful while allowing complete agency in others. Control, by contrast, needs us to doubt ourselves so it can maintain its position.● Validation of direct experience is not the same as seekingexternal permission. When a teacher names what you're already perceiving (like Sarah's story of energetic bleed), they're helping you stop gaslighting yourself - not giving you permission to trust. One keeps you rooted in your owntruth - the other keeps you dependent on hierarchy and authority positioned above you.● Healthy guidance leaves us more capable of navigatingwithout that person, not less. Genuine mentorship expands our capacity to trust yourself, offers unrestrictive frameworks so we understand what we're experiencing, and asks questions that help us find your own answers. When asystem needs us to keep coming back - always one level below “mastery”, always questioning what you sense - that's covert dependency, not guidance.● The spiritual industry has a massive financial stake inkeeping us dependent on courses, certifications, and hierarchical levels. Once we believe we already have access to what we need to know and trust our own connection to Spirit, the entire gatekeeping structure collapses. Reclaiming ourpower means learning from someone without outsourcing our direct, unmediated spiritual connection to them.And while you're here, I'd love to connect on ⁠Tiktok⁠& ⁠Instagram⁠ @reikiredefined.Also, make sure to tag me in your stories @reikiredefined.Live lead & serve from the power of your own truth -Spirit-led Reiki Pathway: ⁠https://www.reikiredefined.com/spirit-led-reiki-pathway/⁠Stop absorbing your clients' energy: ⁠https://www.reikiredefined.com/stop-absorbing-your-clients-energy/⁠No cost non guru community with no hierarchy or allknowing behaviour: ⁠https://www.reikiredefined.com/free-community/⁠No cost 3 part workshop for energy workers: ⁠https://www.reikiredefined.com/lifting-the-veil-on-reiki/⁠Essays on power, ethics & authority: UNDILUTED(a weekly round up that encourages us to question what we've inherited, trustour direct experience, and remain curious about what we know to be true): ⁠https://reiki-redefined.kit.com/6629991732⁠

Genuine spiritual revival is universally accessible to any group of believers who fully surrender to God, regardless of their location or resources. It identifies intense, persistent prayer and a deep reverence for the Bible as the essential prerequisites for experiencing the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Historical examples from the Moravian movement, the Wesleyan revival, and various missionary fields illustrate how fervent intercession and scriptural fidelity have consistently preceded powerful spiritual awakenings. The text warns against relying on human organization or ecclesiastical efficiency, asserting that these are merely idols that hinder divine intervention. Ultimately, the message calls for a return to absolute dependence on God through prayer and His Word to bring about global evangelization.

In this special episode of the Established Podcast, host Frank Gruber shares a conversation from The MIC, the Monthly Innovation Circle, focused on a question facing entrepreneur support organizations everywhere: How do you design programs that create meaningful, measurable progress for founders and the communities around them? The discussion is moderated by Jamilah Corbitt, VP of Innovation & Engagement at Established, and features Dr. Amy Beaird, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Ecosystem Edge; Ty Smith, Chief Executive Officer and Founder at Go In Now; and Darius Clair, Director at DC Startup & Tech Week. Jamilah brings more than 16 years of experience across entrepreneurship, community building, brand strategy, innovation, and ecosystem work. Amy has more than 18 years of experience spanning entrepreneurship, regional technology clusters, and ecosystem building. Ty brings a research-to-market perspective on business-to-business innovation, HBCU commercialization, and connecting university-led ideas with real market opportunities. Darius brings hands-on experience building community, creating year-round founder support, and connecting entrepreneurs with resources, relationships, and capital. Together, the panel examines what makes a healthy innovation ecosystem in 2026. They describe healthy ecosystems as networks built on flow, collaboration, alignment, shared vision, and the right balance among founders, investors, universities, policymakers, entrepreneur support organizations, researchers, and other stakeholders. They also explore why ecosystem building is long-term work and why entrepreneurs themselves must play a central role in sustaining it. The conversation then turns to how entrepreneur support organizations can find their unique value in a crowded landscape. Rather than building programs around assumptions or familiar formats, the panel argues that organizations should begin with the real needs and gaps in their local ecosystem, understand the founder journey, strengthen handoffs, and invest in the relational infrastructure connecting entrepreneurs to capital, customers, talent, institutions, and one another. The panel also challenges several common elements of startup programming. Founders can become "overcoached and underfunded," and workshops, mentorship, and demo days can consume time without producing meaningful opportunities. A successful program should avoid over-programming founders, create valuable connections throughout the experience, and ensure that momentum continues after the final showcase. Artificial intelligence adds urgency to the conversation. As AI and vibe-coding tools allow entrepreneurs to test ideas, build products, and begin selling faster, traditional accelerator and incubator models may need to evolve. The panel considers how entrepreneur support organizations can meet founders where they are, provide more personalized support, and adapt programs to a world changing much faster than conventional funding cycles and program structures. A central theme is the difference between outputs and outcomes. It is easy to count events, participants, mentorship hours, and demo days. It is much harder, and more important, to measure trust, relationship value, successful handoffs, access to capital, business growth, and community impact. Amy explains Ecosystem Edge's approach to evaluating multiple stakeholder groups through spheres of control, influence, and interest, offering a framework for understanding how ecosystem work contributes to longer-term results. Finally, the group addresses collaboration among entrepreneur support organizations that may also compete for limited funding. Genuine collaboration requires honest dialogue, clear roles, shared value, and investment in the "invisible infrastructure" that holds an ecosystem together. The panel argues that this connective work should be defined, funded, measured, and treated as core ecosystem-building work, not as something organizations are expected to do on the side. Throughout the discussion, Jamilah, Amy, Ty, and Darius offer practical insights for accelerator leaders, incubators, economic development organizations, universities, funders, investors, and community builders seeking to design programs that do more than generate activity. The goal is to create stronger relationships, better founder outcomes, and innovation ecosystems that can adapt and thrive over time. Join The MIC, the Monthly Innovation Circle, held every third Thursday as part of the Established Network: https://est.us/TheMIC2026 Get Involved! Founders, investors, startup teams, entrepreneur support organizations (ESOs), and innovators, we invite you to join the Established Network, our digital hub where creativity, capital, and collaboration collide: https://established.network Watch the episode on the Established YouTube Channel at: https://soty.link/ESTYouTube Thank you for listening, and as always, please check out the Established website and subscribe to the newsletter at: https://www.est.us Subscribe to the Established Podcast: https://theestablishedpodcast.com/ Startup of the Year helps diverse, emerging startups, founding teams, and entrepreneurs push their companies to the next level. We are a competition, a global community, and a resource. Startup of the Year is also a year-long program that searches the country for a geographically diverse set of startups from all backgrounds and pulls them together to compete for the title of Startup of the Year. Check out Startup of the Year at: https://www.startupofyear.com Established is a consultancy focused on helping organizations with innovation, startup, and communication strategies. It is the power behind Startup of the Year. Created by the talent responsible for building the Tech.Co brand, which was acquired by an international publishing company, we are leveraging decades of experience to help our collaborators further or create their brands and accomplish their most important goals. Check out Established at: https://www.established.us Connect with us on X, formerly Twitter: @EstablishedUs Connect with us on Facebook: facebook.com/established.us

A new leader can arrive looking and sounding like the organisation's long-awaited saviour. They are articulate, confident, well presented and comfortable in the media. They say all the right things, reflect the mood of the moment and promise a brighter future. Then a crisis arrives. That is when employees discover whether the leader's values are genuine principles or merely attractive public relations material. Leadership integrity is not established by speeches, slogans or podcast appearances. It is revealed when revenues fall, difficult decisions must be made and the leader has something personal to lose. How does a crisis reveal a leader's true character? A crisis exposes the distance between what a leader says and what they are genuinely prepared to do. During stable periods, almost anyone can sound positive, caring and principled. The organisation is performing, customers are buying and the leader can talk confidently about people, purpose and long-term growth. The COVID-19 pandemic changed that environment almost overnight. Workforces were disrupted, markets moved rapidly and revenue disappeared across industries. Similar pressures emerge during recessions, restructures, acquisitions and technological disruption. A leader facing these conditions has difficult choices to make. Cost reductions may be unavoidable. Roles may disappear. Services may need to change. The integrity test is not whether the leader can prevent every painful decision. It is whether they explain those decisions honestly, accept responsibility and treat people with dignity. Do now: Judge leadership character by behaviour under pressure, not by appearances during comfortable times. Why do unrealistic promises destroy leadership credibility? Employees stop trusting leaders when operational reality clearly contradicts executive promises. A familiar example is the leader who announces substantial staffing reductions while promising that service quality, response times and output levels will remain exactly the same. This may reassure customers or investors temporarily, but it insults the intelligence of the people doing the work. I witnessed this while working for the Australian Government. A Minister announced a major departmental budget reduction while assuring voters that services would continue normally. Staff immediately recognised the contradiction. His credibility collapsed and motivation inside the organisation dropped. The same dynamic applies in private companies, government departments, startups and multinational corporations. Most organisations already operate with limited spare capacity. When experienced people leave, something changes: workloads increase, delivery slows, quality suffers or priorities must be reduced. Leaders do not lose credibility because conditions become difficult. They lose it when they pretend that obvious consequences do not exist. Do now: Explain what will change, what will be protected and what the organisation can no longer realistically deliver. What happens when leadership rhetoric and reality diverge? When words and actions repeatedly conflict, employees begin treating every leadership message with scepticism. A leader may initially build trust through visibility, confident communication and appealing statements about organisational values. Under financial pressure, however, they may become highly legalistic, using contracts, policies and technical rules to justify behaviour that violates the spirit of earlier commitments. Compliance with a contract does not automatically equal ethical leadership. Something can be legally defensible and still feel misleading, unfair or inconsistent with the trust previously established. The problem becomes worse when leaders insist that nothing has changed. Employees compare announcements with their daily experience. They see colleagues disappearing, resources shrinking and expectations remaining untouched. When management attempts to disguise this reality, people feel both unhappy and insulted. This gap between rhetoric and reality creates cynicism. Employees begin interpreting every new announcement as spin, even when later messages are accurate. Do now: Before communicating, ask whether employees can see clear evidence that your actions match your stated principles. Can a leader control damaging information by speaking to people individually? Isolating employees and controlling conversations rarely contains a credibility crisis because people compare experiences. A leader may attempt to minimise organisational damage by dealing with affected employees separately. Each person receives a slightly different explanation, and management hopes no one will assemble the complete picture. That approach almost never works. People talk to colleagues, former employees, customers, suppliers and professional contacts. In Japan, Australia, the United States or Europe, informal communication networks often move faster than official corporate communication. Bad news travels rapidly, particularly when employees believe information is being deliberately withheld. Once inconsistencies emerge, every executive announcement is examined for hidden meaning. The leader may continue appearing in the media, issuing press releases and offering wise commentary about business or society. Inside the company, however, those words ring hollow. The external brand and the internal leadership reputation have separated. No amount of polished communication can permanently conceal that gap. Do now: Assume employees will compare information and communicate one consistent, honest account from the beginning. Why is lost leadership trust so difficult to rebuild? Once employees conclude that a leader lacks integrity, even truthful statements may no longer be believed. Trust develops through repeated evidence that a leader's words, decisions and values are aligned. It can take years to build and only a handful of contradictory actions to destroy. When credibility disappears, rumours fill the vacuum. Genuine facts mix with fear, exaggeration, fantasy and speculation. Previously overlooked behaviour is re-examined and minor concerns acquire greater significance. Employees begin to wonder what else is being concealed. This is why public relations cannot repair a fundamentally internal leadership failure. Press releases, media interviews, town halls and corporate slogans may influence external perceptions temporarily, but employees evaluate what leaders actually do. Even if the economy improves and revenue returns, the damage can remain. The organisation may recover financially while continuing to suffer from low engagement, unwanted turnover, weak collaboration and an urgent desire for leadership change. Do now: Protect trust before it is lost; repairing credibility is far harder than preserving it through honest conduct. How can leaders preserve integrity while making painful decisions? Leaders preserve integrity by taking a long-term view, communicating transparently and sharing the burden of difficult decisions. The central issue is often the leader's time horizon. Leaders focused only on immediate survival may burn, pillage and plunder the organisation to protect their own position. Like a drowning swimmer pushing down a rescuer, they sacrifice everyone around them to remain above water. Transparency is usually the next victim. Ego encourages the leader to pretend everything is under control. Yet when reliable information disappears, rumours and supposition take over the narrative. Honesty creates a different response. Employees may accept sacrifice when they understand the situation, believe the burden is fairly distributed and see leaders accepting personal responsibility. They can work together to protect customers, preserve critical capabilities and help the organisation survive. A crisis can therefore strengthen rather than destroy leadership credibility. Humanity, humility and integrity become visible when they matter most. Do now: Tell people what you know, acknowledge what you do not know and demonstrate that leaders will share the consequences. Conclusion Leadership integrity is not a branding exercise. It is the alignment of words, decisions and conduct, particularly when the organisation is under severe pressure. A leader does not need to promise that nothing will change. That promise may be impossible to keep. The leader needs to describe reality honestly, make necessary decisions fairly and respect employees enough to tell them the truth. Crisis can expose arrogance, short-term thinking and hypocrisy. It can also reveal courage, humility and humanity. The choice lies in how the leader responds. Integrity can be thrown into the rubbish bin with all the goodwill accumulated over many years, or it can be burnished in the fire. The leader who protects it may emerge like a Phoenix: stronger, wiser and supported by people who now know exactly what that leader stands for. Author Bio Dr. Greg Story, Ph.D. in Japanese Decision-Making, is President of Dale Carnegie Tokyo Training and Adjunct Professor at Griffith University. He is a two-time winner of the Dale Carnegie "One Carnegie Award" in 2018 and 2021 and received the Griffith University Business School Outstanding Alumnus Award in 2012. As a Dale Carnegie Master Trainer, Greg is certified to deliver leadership, communication, sales and presentation programmes globally, including Leadership Training for Results. He has written several books, including the best-sellers Japan Business Mastery, Japan Sales Mastery and Japan Presentations Mastery, as well as Japan Leadership Mastery and How to Stop Wasting Money on Training. His Japanese-language works include Za Eigyō (ザ営業), Purezen no Tatsujin (プレゼンの達人), Torēningu de Okane o Muda ni Suru no wa Yamemashō (トレーニングでお金を無駄にするのはやめましょう) and Gendaiban "Hito o Ugokasu" Rīdā(現代版「人を動かす」リーダー). Greg publishes daily business insights on LinkedIn, Facebook and X and hosts six weekly podcasts. On YouTube, he produces The Cutting Edge Japan Business Show, Japan Business Mastery and Japan's Top Business Interviews for executives and professionals seeking practical strategies for succeeding in Japan.

Welcome to episode 261 of Grasp the Bible. In this episode, we will examine the power of a good question — how honest questions open doors to truth, why Jesus redirects us to Scripture's authority, and how our follow-up questions reveal whether we are genuinely seeking or strategically evading.  Key takeaways:    Questions reveal what we are really after. Genuine questions seek truth in order to obey it. Evasive questions seek loopholes in order to avoid it. You can tell the difference by what you do when you get the answer. Jesus did not dismiss the lawyer for testing Him. He engaged the question seriously despite the mixed motives behind it. You do not need perfect sincerity before God will answer. The fact that you are asking means you are open to receiving — and Jesus honors that openness. When the lawyer asked about eternal life, Jesus did not spoon-feed the answer. He redirected him to Scripture: “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” Both questions matter — what the text says and how you interpret it. The authority is Scripture, not feelings, cultural consensus, or personal preference. The lawyer knew the right answer. His problem was not information — it was application. This is often our problem too. We can quote verses, recite doctrine, and explain theology. But knowing and doing are entirely different things. The follow-up question “Who is my neighbor?” was not honest inquiry. Luke tells us he was “wanting to justify himself.” He was not asking to expand his love; he was asking to contract his obligation. Evasive questions seek to define commands narrowly enough to exclude inconvenient people and costly obedience. Jesus reversed the question entirely. Instead of “Who is my neighbor?” — which I can control by definition — He reframed it as “Who acted like a neighbor?” — which requires me to act. The question is not who deserves my love but whether I will love like Jesus did. That eliminates all our careful boundary-drawing. Most of us already know what God requires. We are not confused. We are just looking for reasons not to do it. The honest admission is not “I don't understand” but “I don't want to obey.”  Quotable:   Stop lawyering your way around clear biblical commands. The question is not “Who is my neighbor?” — that is an evasion. The question is “Will I love like Jesus did?” — and that one has no loopholes.  Application:   Bring your honest questions to God and Scripture without fear. What doubts, uncertainties, or struggles have you been afraid to voice because you thought honest questioning made you a bad Christian? Jesus did not rebuke the lawyer for asking — He taught him. Your questions are not obstacles to faith; they are invitations to deeper understanding. Bring them to Scripture, to trusted believers, to God in prayer. Good questions honestly pursued lead to solid faith.  When wrestling with major questions, go to Scripture first. Not pop psychology, not social media, not what makes you comfortable or what culture affirms. Ask: “What does the Bible say?” Jesus' first move was to redirect the lawyer to God's revealed Word. Ground your understanding there. Our feelings change, our opinions shift, cultural norms evolve — but God's Word remains constant. Captivity to Scripture is freedom from confusion.  Audit your follow-up questions. When you get a clear answer from Scripture and your next move is another question — examine why. Are you seeking to understand more deeply so you can obey more fully? Or are you trying to narrow the definition, find the exception, or locate the escape clause? “How far can I go before it's sin?” “Do I really have to forgive them?” “Does God actually expect...?” These are not inquiries. They are negotiations. Name that honestly.  Reframe the question you are actually avoiding. The lawyer asked “Who is my neighbor?” to limit his obligation. Jesus reframed it: “Who acted like a neighbor?” That shift moves the question from definition to action, from category to character. Whatever command you have been trying to manage with careful boundary-drawing — stop asking how little it requires and start asking how fully you can live it. That is the question Jesus put back to the lawyer, and He puts it back to us.  Connect with us:    Web site:  https://springbaptist.org  Facebook:   https://www.facebook.com/SBCKleinCampus (Klein Campus) https://www.facebook.com/SpringBaptist (Spring Campus)  Need us to pray for you? Submit your prayer request to https://springbaptist.org/prayer/  If you haven't already done so, please leave us a rating and review in your podcast provider. 

Looking for daily inspiration?  Get a quote from the top leaders in the industry in your inbox every morning.   What's the one premier event that brings the global attractions industry together? IAAPA Expo 2026, happening in Orlando, Florida, November 16th - 20th. It's where more than forty-thousand professionals come to share the wonder, explore over a thousand innovative exhibitors, and discover future-focused solutions. From education to networking to ideas that drive real business impact, IAAPA Expo is where what's next takes shape.   Register now and save up to 30% at IAAPA.org/IAAPAExpo. Guest experience is often introduced during orientation, reinforced through a training session, and documented somewhere in an SOP or handbook. The challenge is what happens after that. If the standard is not consistently reinforced, coached, recognized, and refreshed, it can quickly become disconnected from daily operations. Building guest experience into an operating system creates a continuous cycle that keeps the standard active while allowing it to evolve as the organization improves. In this minisode, Matt and Josh talk about treating guest experience as an operating system that lives within the daily rhythm of the organization. Guest experience should live in the operation “Guest experience is not simply a standard, not simply a training initiative, and it certainly is not a one-time event.” A guest experience standard provides an important foundation, but the standard needs a system around it to remain relevant. That begins before or on an employee's first day and continues throughout their entire experience with the organization. Rather than treating guest experience as a standalone initiative or department, it becomes part of how employees are selected, trained, coached, recognized, and developed. The standard must translate to the job “They're both personalizing the experience, but they're being done in a very different way.” A consistent guest experience does not mean every employee delivers it identically. Personalization at admissions might include learning and using a guest's name, while a ride operator may have only seconds to notice a shirt, team logo, or other conversation starter. The same standard can look different across roles while remaining anchored to the same expectation. On-the-job training creates the bridge between understanding the standard and knowing how to demonstrate it within a specific position. Reinforcement keeps the standard alive “Are they seen as micro training sessions?” Guest experience cannot rely on everything being taught during orientation. Daily shift meetings, one-on-one conversations, and spot coaching create opportunities for continuous reinforcement. Instead of using every pre-shift meeting exclusively for operational updates, leaders can ask about recent wow moments, guest complaints, or feedback employees have heard. Those conversations turn everyday experiences into training content and continually reconnect the team to the standards they learned on day one. Recognition strengthens the system “You must prioritize recognition over reward.” When employees demonstrate the guest experience standard, recognizing the behavior helps reinforce what the organization wants repeated. Recognition does not need to be transactional or dependent on prizes and gift cards. Genuine appreciation can show employees that leaders notice how the standard is being delivered. Combined with coaching and reinforcement, recognition helps move guest experience beyond a training initiative and into the everyday culture of the organization. Your operating system needs updates “It literally is refreshing the operating system.” Standards should evolve as the organization improves. A handbook that accurately described exceptional service two years ago may no longer represent what the team is capable of delivering today. Periodically reviewing and raising the standard creates a cycle of continuous improvement. Day one leads to on-the-job training, reinforcement and recognition, followed by refreshing the standard and beginning the cycle again. Each pass through the cycle creates greater alignment and momentum. Consistency does not require scripting “The message was consistent, but the delivery was very personal.” A strong operating system creates consistency without eliminating personality. Team members across different departments can deliver the same underlying standard in ways that fit their roles and interactions. A parting pleasantry, for example, may sound different at a ride exit than at the park exit, but both reinforce the same expectation. Guests experience a cohesive standard even when every interaction feels natural and personal.   Guest experience already exists in every organization. The opportunity is to become more intentional about how it operates every day and how it continues to improve. How are you building guest experience into your daily operating rhythm? Find AttractionPros on social media or email attractionpros@gmail.com to share what is working in your organization. To connect with AttractionPros: AttractionPros.com AttractionPros@gmail.com AttractionPros on Facebook AttractionPros on LinkedIn AttractionPros on Instagram AttractionPros on Twitter (X)

 Prayer is not a monologue where we do all the talking. Genuine prayer is a two-way conversations with the God who wants to speak with us. 

Commentator David Bouchier speculates about the mysterious world of antiques.

A PGSDer recently asked me an important question: "How do you know whether you are getting in your own way because of perfectionist thoughts or actually from a genuine skill gap (or lack of knowledge)?" In today's episode, I'm sharing the answer. If you're not sure why you're getting in your own way, today's episode is for you. If you're a perfectionist and you're building a business, you want to listen to this episode today. If you want a little motivational boost from me in your inbox every day, you need to sign up for my daily Perfectionist Power-Up emails: samlaurabrown.com/ppu. If you're ready to get out of your own way in your business, you want to join my coaching program Perfectionists Getting Shit Done (PGSD). Sign up now at samlaurabrown.com/pgsd.  

By Robert Nettles - The need for specific prayer when we are going before God and how genuine repentance is required to make it into the Kingdom of God. Prayer and repentance are the only way we have a relationship with God.

Healthcare can't ask communities to trust systems that haven't earned their trust. In this episode, Harold Phillips, the CEO of NMAC (formerly the National Minority AIDS Council), discusses what HIV reveals about stigma, trust, racial justice, and the communities still being left behind by healthcare. Drawing on his lived experience with HIV and decades of public health leadership, Phillips explores why healthcare must treat the whole person rather than simply the diagnosis. He explains how stigma, misinformation, and mistrust can keep people from accessing care even when effective treatments and prevention tools are available. Phillips also examines the difference between outreach and genuine community partnership, emphasizing the importance of listening to communities and using their lived experiences to shape healthcare systems and policy. Tune in to hear Harold Phillips share what healthcare leaders can learn from communities that have historically been left behind, and how those lessons can help build more equitable, trustworthy systems. IHI Spotlight - Sylvia Trent-Adams: This episode's IHI Spotlight features Sylvia Trent-Adams, President and CEO at the Institute of Healthcare Improvement, who talks about the lessons HIV has taught her about dignity, trust, equity, and person-centered care. Drawing on her experience as a nurse caring for soldiers living with or affected by HIV, she emphasizes that treating a diagnosis and truly seeing a person are not the same thing. She also discusses why healthcare organizations must listen to marginalized communities and act on what they hear, making equity an essential part of quality and safety rather than a separate initiative. About Harold Phillips: Harold J. Phillips is a nationally recognized HIV policy leader and public health strategist with over 30 years of experience advancing equity, access, and innovation in the fight against HIV/AIDS. In 2025, he was appointed CEO of NMAC, where he leads eNorts to center racial justice and community leadership in the national response to HIV. Previously, Phillips served as Director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy (2021–2024), overseeing the implementation of the National HIV/AIDS Strategy and shaping federal policy to accelerate progress toward ending the epidemic. He also held senior roles at the Health Resources and Services Administration's HIV/AIDS Bureau, where he managed key programs including Ryan White, AIDS Education and Training Centers, and PEPFAR-funded initiatives. As a Black gay man living with HIV, Phillips brings lived experience and visionary leadership to his work. His career has been defined by a commitment to uplifting marginalized voices, modernizing HIV policy, and building sustainable systems of care. Things You'll Learn: HIV continues to reveal how stigma, misinformation, and mistrust can create barriers to healthcare access. Treating the whole person requires healthcare systems to address the social and personal circumstances that shape health outcomes. Lived experience should inform healthcare policy, system design, and shared decision-making. Genuine community partnership requires ongoing listening, responsiveness, and action, not one-time outreach or consultation. Healthcare organizations can build trust by listening to communities, adapting their services, and creating systems that center historically marginalized populations. Resources: Connect with and follow Harold Phillips on LinkedIn. Follow NMAC on LinkedIn and explore their website!

Paul says in verse 14: “For you, brethren, became followersof the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus.” The wordtranslated “followers” carries the idea of becoming imitators. The Thessalonianbelievers had never visited those churches in Judaea, but they had somethingvery important in common with them. They were suffering because of their faithin Jesus Christ. Paulcontinues: “For you also have suffered like things of your own countrymen.” Rememberwhat happened when Paul first came to Thessalonica in Acts chapter 17. Paulwent into the synagogue and for three Sabbath days reasoned with them out ofthe Scriptures, explaining and demonstrating that Jesus was the Christ. Somebelieved. A great multitude of devout Greeks believed. And a number of theleading women believed. But almost immediately, opposition arose. A mobgathered. Jason's house was attacked, and eventually Paul and Silas had toleave the city by night. But the persecution did not end when Paul left. Thenew believers were left behind to face it. Think about that. These were youngChristians. They had not known the Lord for many years. They didn't havedecades of Christian experience behind them. Yet when opposition came, theystood firm. That teaches us something very important. Genuine faith is notproven merely by how loudly we praise God when everything is going well.Sometimes it is proven by how faithfully we continue to trust Him whenfollowing Jesus becomes difficult. Paul says in verse 15 concerning those whoopposed the Gospel: “Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets,and have persecuted us.” Paul then tells ussomething particularly serious in verse 16. Their opponents were: “Forbiddingus to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved.” Thatwas the heart of the problem. They weren't satisfied simply to reject theGospel themselves. They wanted to prevent others from hearing it. And noticePaul's words: “That they might be saved.” There is the heart of theGospel! Why did Paul endure beatings, imprisonment, rejection, persecution,hunger, weariness, and eventually martyrdom? Because people need to be saved. Whydo we preach the Gospel? Why do we support missionaries? Why do we send theGospel around the world? Why do we share Christ with our neighbors, ourfriends, our children, and our grandchildren? Because people need to be saved. Paulunderstood that the Gospel is “the power of God unto salvation to everyonethat believeth.” Then Paul closes this section with a very solemn warning.He says that these opponents continued: “To fill up their sins alway: forthe wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.” Persistent rejection ofGod's truth has consequences. God is patient. God is longsuffering. God ismerciful. But God's patience should never be mistaken for God's approval. Therecomes a point when persistent unbelief and rebellion bring judgment. Thisshould not make us proud or self-righteous. It should make us compassionate andurgent about sharing the Gospel. We should never look at someone who rejectsChrist and think, “They deserve judgment.” Instead, our hearts should say,“They need Jesus.” Because apart from God's grace, every one of us would belost. AndI believe there is a wonderful connection between yesterday's verse and today'spassage. Verse 13 tells us that the Word works in those who believe. Verses 14through 16 show us what that working Word can produce. These Thessalonians hadreceived God's Word so deeply that when persecution came, they would notabandon their faith. Their circumstances changed. Their friends may havechanged. Their neighbors may have turned against them. But the Word of God wasstill working in them. Maybe today you are facing opposition or difficultybecause you have chosen to follow Jesus. Remember the Thessalonians. Rememberthe believers in Judaea. Remember Paul. And most importantly, remember Jesus.

Many people sense that something is profoundly wrong with the world they are living in. They feel it before they have words for it: that every system around them, medical, political, financial, the media itself, was built to keep them distracted while the cage went up. They watch the news and feel powerless. They seek help and leave feeling worse. They follow the rules and find that the rules were written by people who never intended to follow them.The powerful are counting on us to stay asleep, divided, afraid, and disconnected from our divine nature. We are your alarm clock, and it's time to wake up.Radically Genuine is becoming the voice of the awakening, speaking to you and for you, if you have remembered who you are. You are a soul, divinely created and deliberately placed, here on purpose and here on time. You chose this life, this body, and this moment knowing exactly what you were walking into. Which means you are not here by accident, and you are not here to comply.Wisdom has been hidden from us. Advancements in healthcare have been suppressed on purpose, because health does not sell the way sickness does. We have been under attack, and none of it was an accident. We are walking toward Agenda 2030 on schedule, and the control mechanisms are not coming. They are already here, already built, already running, and most people have not noticed because they were installed as conveniences.But the real target was never your body. It was your mind. Consciousness is the last frontier in a war for human sovereignty, and it is the one they cannot take unless you hand it over. This is why we bring you consciousness research and post material science, the work showing that awareness is not manufactured by the brain and that a human being is far more than the machine we were told we are. We are unapologetically pro human. We bring you the dissidents, the innovators, the censored scientists, the artists, and those with spiritual gifts, the people building the alternatives and holding the line while the rest of the world looks away.After five years, the show is evolving. This is the first recording from the new studio. Dr. Roger McFillin introduces his new co-host and RadGen Media co-founder, Tracy Thurman: how they found each other, what they have each been shown, and what this platform becomes on October 1st.Your soul chose to wake up. Consider this the alarm.Join the revolution https://radicallygenuine.com/

Have you ever looked back at something you said or did to your spouse and thought, "I don't know if I'll ever forgive myself"? Maybe you lost your temper. Maybe you lied. Maybe you were unfaithful. Maybe you neglected your marriage or made a decision that deeply hurt the person you promised to love. Your spouse has forgiven you. God has forgiven you. But you still can't seem to forgive yourself. In Episode 309 of the Family Meeting Podcast, Thomas and Lysandra Osterkamp talk about how to move beyond guilt and shame after failing your spouse and how to embrace the forgiveness and grace Christ offers. There is a difference between taking responsibility for what you did and allowing what you did to define who you are. Genuine repentance acknowledges the seriousness of our failures, but shame can keep us trapped in mistakes that God has already forgiven. In this episode, we discuss: Why you may struggle to forgive yourself even after receiving forgiveness. The difference between conviction and condemnation. How guilt and shame from your past can continue hurting your marriage today. Why accepting God's grace doesn't mean minimizing what you did. How to take responsibility without allowing failure to become your identity. Practical steps for rebuilding trust after hurting your spouse. How repentance should lead to change rather than endless shame. Biblical truth about forgiveness, grace, healing, and new beginnings. How to move forward after you've seriously failed your spouse. What it looks like to receive the forgiveness Christ offers. Your worst mistake doesn't have to become your identity. You can't change what happened yesterday. You can take responsibility for it. You can repent. You can seek forgiveness. You can make restitution where necessary. You can learn from what happened. And by God's grace, you can become a different spouse moving forward. If you've confessed your sin and received God's forgiveness but continue punishing yourself for what you've done, this conversation is for you. Whether your failure happened recently or years ago, Episode 309 will help you confront shame, accept forgiveness, pursue healing, and move forward with humility and a renewed commitment to love your spouse well. Bonus Resource: Send an email to info@familymeeting.org for our Moving Beyond Guilt: A Biblical Guide to Accepting God's Forgiveness. For more information: https://linktr.ee/familymeeting

“This is how I spend my life: obeying your commandments.” (Psalm 119:56 NLT) What makes you happy? What brings you peace? Where do you find meaning, purpose, and a sense of fulfillment in your life? One of the biggest tragedies of our modern culture is that many people can’t answer these questions. They may find moments of excitement or distraction. They may have fun. But those moments are fleeting and surfacy. There’s nothing deep or lasting about them. Philosopher Eric Hoffer wrote, “The search for happiness is one of the chief sources of unhappiness.” Someone else once said, “There are two sources of unhappiness in life. One is not getting what you want and the other is getting it.” So, for many people today who are searching for happiness, the cold hard truth is that they will never find it. The news stories we see about celebrities seem to confirm it. For all their accomplishments, fame, and money, many of them lead miserable and empty lives. And that’s because they’re searching for happiness in the wrong way. The psalmist revealed the key to the search when he wrote, “This is how I spend my life: obeying your commandments” (Psalm 119:56 NLT). Genuine happiness is always a byproduct of holiness. Get your life right with God and happiness will soon follow. Several other passages in Scripture confirm this: “You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever” (Psalm 16:11 NLT). “Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding. For wisdom is more profitable than silver, and her wages are better than gold. Wisdom is more precious than rubies; nothing you desire can compare with her. She offers you long life in her right hand, and riches and honor in her left. She will guide you down delightful paths; all her ways are satisfying. Wisdom is a tree of life to those who embrace her; happy are those who hold her tightly” (Proverbs 3:13–18 NLT). “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires” (Psalm 37:4 NLT). “Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the Lord will be joyful” (Proverbs 16:20 NLT). “So I decided there is nothing better than to enjoy food and drink and to find satisfaction in work. Then I realized that these pleasures are from the hand of God. For who can eat or enjoy anything apart from him?” (Ecclesiastes 2:24–25 NLT). Unfortunately, unbelievers will never know true happiness. Instead, they will pursue the devil’s cheap counterfeits, facsimiles that seem to offer what they desire. They won’t recognize until it’s too late that the counterfeits are shallow, because they possess no deep well from which to draw. The world’s concept of happiness is dependent on good things happening. The Christian concept of happiness depends on a good God. Choose God’s way. Reflection question: How can you help unbelievers in your life recognize where genuine happiness can be found? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thanks to our Partners, NAPA Auto Care and NAPA TRACS Watch Full Video Episode What makes a good service advisor great? Levi Linseman, performance coach at Autoflow, shares the five human qualities that separate a good service advisor from a truly trusted professional. With 25 years of automotive experience, including 15 years at the service desk, Levi explains why eye contact, a smile, warmth, caring, and humility can turn everyday transactions into long-term customer relationships. The conversation also explores sophisticated professionalism, the role of AI in the customer experience, proactive communication, hiring for coachability, and why the best advisors know when to simply say, "I don't know." What You'll Learn The 5 qualities that define a genuine service advisor.How admitting mistakes can actually increase customer trust.Why AI should support the service advisor, not replace the human connection.How digital vehicle inspections can improve transparency and communication.Why coachability and continuous learning are essential for advisors.How proactive communication reduces customer anxiety.Why setting clear expectations can dramatically improve the customer experience.What shop owners should look for when hiring their next service advisor. Great service advisors do more than sell repairs. They build trust, reduce anxiety, communicate with honesty, and make customers feel cared for. Technology can make the process more efficient, but genuine human connection remains one of the most powerful advantages a shop can offer. Levi Linseman, Performance Coach, Autoflow Learn more about the benefits of being part of the NAPA family by visiting https://www.napaonline.com/en/auto-care NAPA TRACS will move your shop into the SMS fast lane with on-site training and six days a week of support: http://napatracs.com/ Connect with the Podcast: Download Our Mobile App:https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/app/Website:https://remarkableresults.biz/YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/carmcapriottoFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/RemarkableResultsRadioPodcast/LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmcapriotto/Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/remarkableresultsradiopodcast/Join Our Virtual Toastmasters Club:https://remarkableresults.biz/toastmastersJoin Our Private Facebook Community:https://www.facebook.com/groups/1734687266778976Join our Insider List:https://remarkableresults.biz/insiderBooks Page:https://remarkableresults.biz/booksOur Classroom Page:https://remarkableresults.biz/classroomEpisode Collections:https://remarkableresults.biz/collectionsBuy Me a Coffee:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/carm The Automotive Repair Podcast Network: https://automotiverepairpodcastnetwork.com/ Remarkable Results Radio Podcastwith Carm Capriotto:https://remarkableresults.biz/Automotive Field TheorywithMatt Fanslow:https://mattfanslow.captivate.fm/Business by the NumberswithHunt Demarest: https://huntdemarest.captivate.fm/The Auto Repair Marketing Podcastwith Brian and Kim Walker: https://autorepairmarketing.captivate.fm/The Weekly Blitzwith Chris Cotton: https://chriscotton.captivate.fm/Speak Up! Effective Communicationwith Craig O'Neill: https://craigoneill.captivate.fm

In this episode of Better Business, Better Life, Debra Chantry-Taylor explores why another year on the Scorecard should never be treated as just another set of numbers. Instead, it can be an opportunity to recognise progress, strengthen culture & understand what is helping a business succeed. Debra challenges the tendency for leadership teams to focus almost exclusively on what is going wrong. Red numbers, missed targets & Rocks that have fallen off track naturally attract attention, but when leaders only notice failure, they can unintentionally teach their teams that problems get recognised while consistent success simply becomes expected. As her own business approaches its 21st anniversary, Debra reflects on the years of decisions, challenges, mistakes, relationships & achievements that build a business over time. She explores why celebrating success does not mean lowering standards or handing out praise for the sake of it. Genuine recognition is about noticing meaningful results, incremental improvements, courageous behaviours & people living the organisation's Core Values. The conversation also looks at how leaders can use their Scorecard differently. Instead of treating it purely as an exception report for problems, Debra encourages teams to examine what is going well & ask why. When a person or team consistently delivers strong results, understanding what they are doing differently can help turn individual success into a repeatable system that others can learn from. Debra also explores what success looks like in family businesses, where commercial results are only one part of the picture. Healthy succession conversations, clearer boundaries between family & business, and next-generation family members earning their roles through merit can all represent significant wins that deserve recognition. At the heart of the episode is Debra's idea of carefrontational leadership. Great leaders need the courage to address underperformance, but they also need the awareness to acknowledge excellence. By asking questions such as “What are we proud of from the last 90 days?” & “What are we doing now that we used to find difficult?”, leadership teams can create a culture where progress is noticed as well as problems. This episode is a reminder that another year on the Scorecard is more than a collection of targets & results. It is a story of what the business has learned, what its people have achieved & what can be celebrated as it continues to grow.         CONNECT WITH DEBRA:     ___________________________________________          ►Debra Chantry-Taylor is a Certified EOS Implementer® | Entrepreneurial Leadership & Business Coach | Business Owner ►Connect with Debra: debra@businessaction.com.au  ►See how she can help you: https://businessaction.co.nz/  ►Claim Your Free E-Book: https://www.businessaction.co.nz/free-e-book/  ___________________________________________                   Ep 286 Chapters: 00:00 – Introduction 01:23 – The Importance of Noticing Success 05:00 – Lessons from Twenty-One Years 06:50 – Defining Genuine Recognition 08:19 – Using the Scorecard Effectively 12:41 – Building Culture Through Values 14:03 – Success in Family Businesses 16:36 – Implementing Better Leadership Habits

Hold on to your seats this week — the gospel makes a hard right toward Jerusalem and never looks back! This is the immediate turn from last week. Peter has just confessed Jesus as the Messiah. Now Jesus begins to teach what that means — suffering, death, resurrection. Peter is scandalized. Jesus is direct. The way of the cross gets named, and the same disciple who was blessed six verses ago is called Satan for objecting to it.The Old Testament tracks both give us people called to hard tasks. Track One brings us Moses at the burning bush — the divine name revealed, the reluctant prophet given his commission. Track Two brings us Jeremiah's lament — a prophet accusing God of being like a deceitful stream that goes dry when you need it most, and God's bracing rather than soothing response.The Epistle continues Paul's practical instructions in Romans 12. After last week's call to living sacrifice, now come the specifics: let love be genuine, bless those who persecute you, weep with those who weep, and overcome evil with good.For preachers continuing a series: last week's confession is followed this week by its cost. This is the turn from “who is Jesus?” to “what does following this Jesus mean?”The ReadingsExodus 3:1–15First Reading (Track One) — Moses at the Burning BushSummaryMoses is tending his father-in-law's flock in the wilderness of Sinai. He notices a bush that is on fire but not consumed, and turns aside to look. From the bush, God calls his name. God has heard the cry of the Israelites in Egypt; God is sending Moses to bring them out. Moses offers a series of objections — starting with “who am I to go?” and moving to the deeper question, “what is your name?” God's answer to the second is one of the most enigmatic sentences in the Bible: I AM WHO I AM — or I will be who I will be — a name whose tenses refuse to settle.Key Ideas for Preaching* The bush is on fire but not consumed. Moses turns aside to look. That turning aside is the whole beginning of the story. Where in your congregation might God be waiting for a turn of attention that no one has yet made?* Moses's first objection is “who am I?” God does not answer that question. God changes the subject to “I will be with you.” The confidence for the task, in this text, does not come from the sender knowing anything special about himself. It comes from the promise of God's presence. What does it look like to preach a call that does not require self-confidence, only God's promise?* The divine name — “I AM WHO I AM” — is deliberately unfixed. The Hebrew can mean “I am who I am,” “I will be who I will be,” or “I will be what I will be.” The name refuses to settle. Where has your congregation been trying to freeze God into a definition God has refused to be frozen into?* God calls Moses by name — the same Moses whose past includes murder, exile, and running away. This is not a call to a person who has proven himself. It is a call to a person whose past is complicated. Where in your congregation are people quietly assuming their past disqualifies them from what God might be calling them to now?Significant Cautions* The burning bush has become such a familiar image that it can be preached as a metaphor for any inspiring experience. It is more specific than that — a genuine encounter at a particular time and place with a particular commission attached.* “I AM WHO I AM” is contested territory in translation. Do not preach a confident philosophical reading of the divine name; the Hebrew resists that.* Moses's objections to the call are legitimate. He is not portrayed as faithless for offering them, and God takes them seriously. Do not use this passage to shame people who have their own honest objections to what they are being asked to do.Psalm 105:1–6, 23–26, 45cThe Psalm (Track One) — Remember the WondersSummaryThis section of the great remembering psalm focuses on the descent of Jacob's family into Egypt and God's raising up of Moses and Aaron to lead them out. The selected verses call the people to remember the wonders God has done — with Abraham, in Egypt, through Moses — and close with a single “hallelujah.”Key Ideas for Preaching* The psalm remembers Moses's story from a great distance — after everything worked out, after generations have passed. What might it mean for your congregation to make the same practice of long remembering, so that today's uncertain calls can be trusted to become tomorrow's remembered deliverances?* The psalm names Moses as God's “chosen” and Aaron as the one God “sent.” This is theological language for what looked, in the moment, like the reluctant conscription of two brothers who did not want the job. Where in your congregation has “chosen by God” language obscured how much resistance actual calls have met?Significant Cautions* The psalm's cheerful retrospect does not undo the pain the Israelites lived through in Egypt. Do not let the celebration minimize present suffering in your congregation.Jeremiah 15:15–21First Reading (Track Two) — Jeremiah's LamentSummaryJeremiah is in real distress. He accuses God of being unreliable — like a stream that goes dry when you need it most, “deceitful waters that cannot be trusted.” He has been faithful, he says. He has eaten God's words. He has not sat with the merrymakers. And still he is in pain. God's response is bracing rather than tender: if you turn back to me, I will take you back. If you utter what is precious and not what is worthless, you will serve as my mouth. And I will make you a fortified wall of bronze to this people — they will fight against you, but they will not prevail, for I am with you.Photo by Markus Spiske on UnsplashKey Ideas for Preaching* Jeremiah accuses God to God's face — of being unreliable, of failing him, of being like a stream that runs dry. This is not sinful speech; it is the honest lament of a prophet in pain. Where in your congregation has honest complaint to God been mistaken for faithlessness?* God's response is not soothing. It does not include an apology or a comforting explanation. It includes a call to return and a strengthening for the road ahead. What might your sermon do with a God who does not always answer our pain with sympathy but sometimes with a call to keep going?* God promises Jeremiah he will be like a fortified wall of bronze against opposition. Not that opposition will go away. That he will be strong enough for it. Where in your congregation are people needing strength for opposition that is not going away?Significant Cautions* Jeremiah's lament should not be preached as a warmup to a happy ending. The pain is real and the response is a call to keep going, not an assurance that the pain will end.* “Fortified wall of bronze” imagery has been used to encourage rigidity where flexibility was needed. The bronze wall is protection against opposition, not against learning.Psalm 26:1–8The Psalm (Track Two) — I Have Walked in IntegritySummaryA psalm of protested innocence and love for God's house. The psalmist asks God to vindicate him — he has walked in integrity, he does not sit with the wicked, he washes his hands in innocence. And he loves the house where God's glory dwells. It is a confident psalm, close to boasting, and honest about what the psalmist most wants.Key Ideas for Preaching* The psalmist's confidence sounds surprising to modern ears used to more humble language in prayer. But there is a real place in the psalter for asking God to notice when we have tried to be faithful. Where has your congregation been too shy to name, in prayer, the ways they have tried to be honest with God?* “I love the house in which you dwell, O Lord, and the place where your glory abides.” That is unabashed love for the community of worship. What might your sermon do with the specific love of the church as a spiritual practice worth honoring?Significant Cautions* The psalmist's claim of innocence has been used to prop up self-righteousness. Read in context, it is a plea for a fair hearing, not a claim to moral perfection.Romans 12:9–21The Epistle — Let Love Be GenuineSummaryPaul continues the practical section of Romans 12 — one of the most concentrated ethical passages in his letters. Let love be genuine. Hate what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor. Be joyful in hope, patient in suffering, persevering in prayer. Extend hospitality to strangers. Bless those who persecute you — bless, and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. Do not repay evil with evil. So far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. And the closing: do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.Key Ideas for Preaching* “Let love be genuine.” That is Paul's opening. Not “let love be adequate.” Not “let love be present.” Genuine — un-performed, un-simulated, the real thing. Where in your congregation has the love been well-intentioned but not quite genuine, and how might Paul's opening word press on that?* “Weep with those who weep” is often quoted; “rejoice with those who rejoice” is often skipped. Weeping is expected; rejoicing at someone else's joy is harder. Where in your congregation has envy quietly kept people from rejoicing when their neighbors flourish?* The closing — “do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” — is Paul's summary of Christian resistance. Not retaliation. Not passive absorption. Active good, offered in response to what is wrong. What might your sermon do to make that both concrete and credible in a world where retaliation feels satisfying?Significant Cautions* “Bless those who persecute you” has been used to tell people to endure abuse. That is a serious misuse. Paul is describing a posture toward hostility in the world, not endorsing continued relationship with people who are harming you.* “So far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all” contains an important qualifier — “so far as it depends on you.” Some peace is not available because the other party does not want it. Paul does not require Christians to manufacture what the other side refuses.Matthew 16:21–28The Gospel — Get Behind Me, and Take Up Your CrossSummaryImmediately after Peter's confession, Jesus begins to teach the disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, suffer at the hands of the elders and chief priests, be killed, and on the third day be raised. Peter takes him aside and rebukes him: “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.” Jesus turns and says the sharpest word he ever says to a disciple: “Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me, for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.” Then he speaks to all the disciples: those who want to become his followers must deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow him. Those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for his sake will find it. What does it profit to gain the whole world and lose your soul?Key Ideas for Preaching* The turn from last week is immediate and jarring. Peter has just been blessed for confessing Jesus as the Messiah; now he is called Satan for objecting to the Messiah's actual road. Confessing Christ, Matthew is saying, is not the same as following the Christ we have confessed. How might your sermon hold together the great confession of last week and the correction of this one?* Peter's rebuke is not evil; it is protective. He wants to keep Jesus from being killed. But he is setting his mind on human things — a natural, understandable concern for his teacher's safety — and Jesus names it as a stumbling block. Where in your congregation has protective love for a person or an institution quietly blocked what God was doing?* “Take up your cross” is language we have to handle with care. The cross was a real Roman instrument of execution. It was terrifying. Jesus is not offering a metaphor for daily annoyances. He is naming a life that follows him in a direction the world will not always thank you for going. What does it look like to preach this without either domesticating it into inconvenience or making it inaccessible to ordinary lives?* “Those who want to save their life will lose it; those who lose their life for my sake will find it.” This is one of the most repeated sayings of Jesus, and one of the most abused. The saving Jesus promises is not the reward for a sufficiently self-denying life. It is the shape of a life ordered toward him rather than toward self-preservation. Where might your congregation be preserving lives that are already shrinking, when Jesus is inviting them to lose lives that would open?Significant Cautions* “Deny yourself” and “take up your cross” have been used, throughout church history, to tell abused women to stay in dangerous marriages, enslaved people to accept their bondage, and the poor to endure exploitation. This is a grievous misuse. Preachers must be clear that Jesus is speaking to disciples about the cost of following him, not blessing anyone else's exploitation.* “Get behind me, Satan” has sometimes been used as a script for shutting down people who disagree with us. Jesus is speaking to his closest friend about a specific issue — the necessity of the cross. He is not modeling how to end arguments with people whose theology annoys us.* “Gain the whole world and lose your soul” is famous but often preached in a way that reduces it to individual moralism. In Matthew, “life” is closer to “whole self” than to “immortal soul.” The trade-off is not primarily about heaven; it is about what kind of person we are becoming.Thematic ConnectionsThe Gospel is the natural center — the immediate turn from last week's confession to this week's cost. Peter's rock-solid answer is followed by the road Jesus intends to walk with it. This is the pivot in Matthew's Gospel from Galilee toward Jerusalem, and everything else will be read in its light.On Track One, Moses at the burning bush pairs with the Gospel in a specific way. Both texts are about calls that come with resistance. Moses objects that he is not adequate; Peter objects that Jesus should not have to suffer. Both objections are met with a call to trust God's presence rather than the objector's understanding of the situation. The bush that is on fire and not consumed is a picture of the God who calls Jesus to a cross that will not consume him either.On Track Two, Jeremiah's lament and God's bracing response give us a picture of what following God actually feels like from the inside. The prophet in pain, the God who does not soothe but strengthens, the fortified wall against opposition that will not disappear — this is the shape of the road Jesus is naming in the Gospel. Peter wants to keep Jesus off Jeremiah's road. Jesus is walking it deliberately.Romans 12 sits inside the day as the practical extension. If Peter's confession is true and Jesus's road is what the confession means, then Christian community life has to be shaped by this — genuine love, blessing of enemies, overcoming evil with good. Paul is describing what a community of cross-shaped disciples actually looks like.For preachers continuing a series: last week the summer arc reached its climactic confession. This week the confession is corrected — or rather, its true meaning is revealed. Following the Christ we have confessed will not look like keeping him safe. It will look like walking with him toward the road he chose. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lectionarypro.substack.com/subscribe

We rarely have the full story behind someone else's actions, yet we constantly convince ourselves that we understand their exact motives. In "Blinded by Certainty," Ryan Kramer challenges us to confront the hidden trap of self-righteousness and learn how to see people through the eyes of Christ. Drawing from the miracles in Matthew chapter 9, this teaching contrasts the blind faith of two persistent men with the hardened certainty of the Pharisees. While the crowd witnessed the power of God, the Pharisees had already formed their conclusions, interpreting miraculous light as darkness because their hearts were already set. If you have ever felt distance growing between you and a loved one, a coworker, or a friend, the issue may not be their actions, but the story you have attached to them. This message provides a practical roadmap to help you stop making assumptions, identify your personal filters, and invite God to change your heart before demanding change in others. Here are the key takeaways from this message: -- We frequently mistake partial vision for complete truth, convincing ourselves we know the motives, thoughts, and character of others without having all the facts. -- We fall into a dangerous pattern: we see an action, assume the motive, treat our assumption as a conclusion, and interact with that conclusion as absolute truth. -- What we often label as spiritual discernment or God's guidance can actually be personal pride hidden behind a scripture verse. -- Genuine, committed faith continues to pursue Jesus persistently through difficulty, rather than pulling away when answers are not immediate. -- Our past experiences, unhealed hurts, unmet expectations, and insecurities create distorted filters through which we misinterpret the present behavior of others. -- True spiritual maturity begins when we ask God to reveal our own blind spots and transform our hearts instead of focusing entirely on changing someone else. -- We must learn to separate objective facts from the subjective stories and negative interpretations we attach to them. 5. Scriptures for Further Study -- 2 Samuel 7:1-17 -- Matthew 9:27-34 -- Luke 11:9-10 -- John 13:35 -- Ephesians 4:1-2 +++++++ Join us for church this Sunday. For service times and meeting location please visit https://transformtlh.com/

The WIP Morning Team discusses last night's joint practice between the Eagles and Patriots. They discuss the fact that AJ Brown and Jalen Hurts had an interaction yesterday after saying the two have not talked. James Seltzer said, “It didn't feel genuine”

Send us Fan MailIn this episode of Katie on Tonal, I sit down with my coach and mentor, Joe Rodonis, for a conversation that will have so inspired .As a woman who has spent years training, learning, and building muscle, I wanted to talk about what it means to have a coach who truly sees you, believes in you, and helps you become stronger without ever making you feel like you need to become someone else.Joe and I talk about coaching, His Ironman race , family , trust, growth, the lessons I've learned from him, and what it means to have a coach in your corner who genuinely wants to see you succeed.This one is about more than Tonal. It's about mentorship, respect, and the impact a great coach can have on your life.This is Genuine Joe.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/C5536OnOTy_/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

Dog training motivation is not simply about how quickly a dog performs or how intensely they pursue a reward. Does your dog genuinely enjoy training, or have they simply learned to chase the food, ball or tug at the end of it? The difference matters. When the reward is the only valuable part, performance can become dependent on what the dog can see, while the training itself holds very little value. In Episode 372 of The Canine Paradigm, Glenn Cooke and Pat Stuart explore dog training motivation, what actually matters to the individual dog, and how handlers can build training that dogs actively choose to participate in. What Actually Matters to Your Dog? Owners can easily assume they know what their dog values. Some dogs are strongly motivated by food, while others place greater value on play, movement, social interaction, environmental access, relief from pressure or the opportunity to perform the work itself. Understanding dog training motivation requires us to observe the individual dog rather than decide what should motivate them. A reward is only reinforcing if it genuinely increases or strengthens the behaviour that preceded it. Creating Dog Training Motivation That Lasts Creating value in the game means allowing the handler, cues, equipment and opportunity to work to predict worthwhile outcomes. Sessions should be clear, rewarding and short enough to preserve the dog's enthusiasm. Visible lures should gradually disappear. Reward placement and timing should support the next repetition, while difficulty should increase without producing constant failure. The aim is a dog that engages before seeing the payment, persists when challenged and recovers comfortably from mistakes. For sporting and working dogs, intensity alone is not enough. Strong motivation also includes clarity, connection and the ability to settle after the work finishes. Fair pressure and well-timed correction can exist within balanced training, but they cannot compensate for confusing criteria or a game the dog was never taught to value. Key Takeaways Motivation is individual and can change with the situation. Reinforcement is defined by its effect on behaviour, not the handler's intention. A visible reward can support learning, but it should not become the dog's only reason to perform. Genuine engagement includes enthusiasm, clarity, resilience and connection with the handler. The goal is to create a dog that chooses the training game, even before the payment appears. Frequently Asked Questions Does using food mean my dog only works for food? No. Food can help establish a strong reinforcement history. The aim is to prevent the dog from becoming dependent on seeing the food before performing. How can I tell whether my dog enjoys training? Look for voluntary engagement, anticipation, resilience after mistakes and a willingness to participate when the reward is not visible. Can corrections reduce a dog's motivation? Poorly timed, confusing or excessive corrections can create conflict. Fair and understandable communication should clarify the task without overwhelming the value already built into the activity. Further Details For practical training education and foundational health resources, visit our Dog Training and Canine Wellness page. It brings together Serious Dog Business and Canine Ceuticals for dog owners, trainers and handlers. Support The Canine Paradigm and access exclusive content through our Patreon page. Every contribution helps us continue producing the podcast. Explore our complete range of merchandise at our Teespring store. You can also support the podcast by sharing episodes, recommending guests, leaving reviews, and spreading the word within the canine community. For podcast listening options, visit our Subscribe to Podcast page and choose the platform that works best for you. Subscribe to The Canine Paradigm on YouTube for video content, updates, and additional discussions. If you enjoy the podcast, please consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or any other podcast directory you use. Reviews help more dog owners, trainers, and canine professionals find the show. Support Our Supporters Narelle Cooke hosts Natural Health for People and Pets, available on major podcast platforms. For premium human-grade canine supplements, visit Canine Ceuticals. Canine Ceuticals is also now available in the USA. Jason Firmin of Einzweck Dog Quip is another proud supporter of the show. For daycare and heartfelt training services, check out From the Heart Dog Training. Our dear friend and regular contributor, Birdy O'Sheedy, can be found at The Magic in Dogs. Special Thanks A huge thank you to all of our contributing artists. Please take a moment to support their work. Jane StuartAvery KellerZoie Neidy

Most of us have confidence all WRONG (especially in today's self-righteous and entitled culture.) Why do you think even highly successful people starve for validation? How secure are you in the possibility of failure? Let's explore the difference between chasing approval, trying to manufacture your own worth, and receiving an identity that doesn't have to be earned. Resources: Monthly Live Date Night at DYMC: https://www.dearyoungmarriedcouple.com/monthlylivedatenight prEquipped: The DYMC Premarital Course https://www.dearyoungmarriedcouple.com/prequipped Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.” (Psalm 103:12 NLT) Often, people’s reputations precede them. Sometimes that’s a good thing. Sports heroes and other celebrities are welcomed and celebrated in most places. Sometimes, however, it’s not such a good thing. If you’ve ever been in a social setting in which everyone suddenly got quiet when a certain person walked in, you know what I’m talking about. Some people are doomed to be remembered for the lowest point in their lives or for the worst decision they ever made or for the time they didn’t come through for someone else. That can be a tough pill to swallow. What makes it even tougher is when the person doing the remembering is the person whose reputation was ruined. The reality is that many people find it hard to forgive themselves. But that attitude runs counter to the message of Scripture, where forgiveness is found in abundance. The story of the paralyzed man whose friends brought him to Jesus for healing is well-known as an illustration of friendship, determination, and faith. When the friends couldn’t get to Jesus because of the crowd, they cut a hole in the roof and lowered the paralyzed man to Him. Jesus did indeed heal the man’s physical paralysis. But first He did something more amazing and more profoundly important. “Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the man, ‘Young man, your sins are forgiven’” (Luke 5:20 NLT). The word forgiven, in this context, has the basic meaning of sending or driving something away. “Your sins are driven away from you” is what Jesus essentially said. Genuine confession involves more than simply saying, “Oops, my bad”; it also involves repentance, a turning away from the sin. Likewise, genuine forgiveness involves more than simply saying, “No problem”; it also involves a cleansing, a removal of the sin from our lives. King David wrote, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12 AMPC). You can’t get much farther apart than that. As we saw in an earlier devotion, David had very personal reasons to celebrate God’s complete removal of sin. In Hebrews 8:12, God says, “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins” (NLT). If God wipes our sins from His memory, who are we to hold on to guilt and shame over our wrongdoing? There’s no reason for us to have a longer memory than God when it comes to our failings. If you’re guilty of sin, confess it and repent of it. Turn away from your wrongdoing and ask God to forgive you. Then embrace His gracious forgiveness. Release any grudge you may be holding against yourself. Ask God to help you see yourself as He sees you—covered by the righteousness of Christ, spotless before Him. Reflection question: Where do you need to be reminded that you’ve been forgiven? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

"If you're not completely sure about what you want to try to achieve, how will you know you ever achieved it?" - Joseph Postiglione, Sr., Author, Protecting Expected Outcomes in the Age of AI AI investments are accelerating, but many organizations are still struggling to turn promising pilots into the business outcomes they expected. The technology may work as intended, but the original business case can quickly get lost once implementation begins. In this episode, Philip Ideson welcomes back Joseph Postiglione, author of Protecting Expected Outcomes in the Age of AI: Why AI Implementation Must Evolve - And the Emergence of Commercial Control. Drawing on his experience in management consulting and procurement, Joseph explains why organizations need to be more intentional about defining, monitoring, and protecting the outcomes behind their AI investments. Joseph introduces the concept of "commercial control" as a complement to traditional technology implementation methodologies. He and Philip explore what it takes to build stronger business cases, why efficiency gains need a clear plan for how freed capacity will create value, and how AI itself could help organizations identify when expected outcomes begin to drift. They also discuss an important opportunity for procurement: bringing their commercial expertise into enterprise-wide AI investments and helping the business connect technology decisions to measurable results. In this episode, Joseph discusses how to: -Define expected outcomes before an AI implementation begins -Build business cases that go beyond savings and efficiency metrics -Monitor performance and identify why expected outcomes are drifting -Use commercial control to create earlier opportunities to intervene and adjust -Position procurement as a valuable contributor to enterprise technology investments -Turn stronger AI implementation discipline into a source of competitive advantage   Links: Joseph Postiglione on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joepostiglione/  Subscribe to the AOP Newsletter: https://resources.artofprocurement.com/art-of-procurement-podcast-subscribe  Subscribe to Art of Procurement on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ArtofProcurement   

Nick and JP debate whether or not Kirk Herbstreit actually believes Pat McAfee's album is good.

Commercial real estate has had to weather many challenges since the pandemic, with office vacancies, higher interest rates, refinancing concerns, and the health of regional banks all weighing on the asset class. According to Tom Christopoul, Head of Global Real Estate at Guggenheim Investments, the worst is behind us and the market is in a genuine recovery, but it differs sharply by sector, geography, and position in the capital stack. He joins Macro Markets to discuss sector-by-sector opportunities and risks, capital flows, how AI is reshaping real estate fundamentals, and the attractive demographic and technical tailwinds behind senior housing.Related Content:The Advantages of Investing in Infrastructure and Other Real AssetsRead moreThird Quarter 2026 Structured Credit Outlook: Non-Agency RMBS: Income, Convexity, and a Rebuilt MarketRead MoreFixed-Income Strategy While the Market Tests the FedAnne Walsh joins Macro Markets to discuss portfolio strategy, ETFs, and why 2026 will not be like 2022 for bonds.Listen nowThird Quarter 2026 Fixed-Income Sector ViewsSound credit fundamentals and elevated yields to weather tail risks to our outlookRead moreInvesting involves risk, including the possible loss of principal. In general, the value of a fixed-income security falls when interest rates rise and rises when interest rates fall. Longer term bonds are more sensitive to interest rate changes and subject to greater volatility than those with shorter maturities. High yield and unrated debt securities are at a greater risk of default than investment grade bonds and may be less liquid, which may increase volatility. Private debt investments are generally considered illiquid and not quoted on any exchange; thus they are difficult to value. The process of valuing investments for which reliable market quotations are not available is based on inherent uncertainties and may not be accurate. Further, the level of discretion used by an investment manager to value private debt securities could lead to conflicts of interest.This material is distributed for informational or educational purposes only and should not be considered a recommendation of any particular security, strategy, or investment product, or as investing advice of any kind. This material is not provided in a fiduciary capacity, may not be relied upon for or in connection with the making of investment decisions, and does not constitute a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell securities. The content contained herein is not intended to be and should not be construed as legal or tax advice and/or a legal opinion. Always consult a financial, tax and/or legal professional regarding your specific situation.This material contains opinions of the author but not necessarily those of Guggenheim Partners or its subsidiaries. The author's opinions are subject to change without notice. Forward-looking statements, estimates, and certain information contained herein are based upon proprietary and non-proprietary research and other sources. Information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but are not assured as to accuracy. No part of this article may be reproduced in any form, or referred to in any other publication, without express written permission of Guggenheim Partners, LLC. Past performance is not indicative of future results. There is neither representation nor warranty as to the current accuracy of, nor liability for, decisions based on such information.Guggenheim Investments represents the investment management businesses of Guggenheim Partners, LLC. Securities offered through Guggenheim Funds Distributors, LLC.© 2026 Guggenheim Partners, LLC. No part of this material may be reproduced in any form, or referred to in any other publication, without express written permission of Guggenheim Partners, LLC.5841537

"Pillars of Thought" is a Dharma talk offered at Two Hands Sangha on the topic of Intentions, and of moving from stagnant thoughts (Pillars of thought) to actions which have an arc or a lean toward action. How many things in your life have you been meaning to do? Sometimes what we think is an intention may actually just be a pillar of thought. It may be important, but it's standing perfectly still. Genuine intentions lean toward action.https://bio.reverendgeorgebeecher.com

Make sure you subscribe to this channel and follow us on all our platforms to always stay up to date with our latest content!And you can always head over to our website for any general information!https://godspeak.comPrayer/NeedsIf you have any needs, or have a willingness to be used to meet various need in the body, please email info@godspeak.com. Also, let us know if you need prayer for anything.Giving is part of our worship time, and in this season, the easiest way to do that is online. If you go to our website, godspeak.com, you will see the "Give" tab in the top right corner. Or you can simply click this link https://pushpay.com/g/godspeakAny questions?Please feel free to email us, comment here, or DM us on Instagram any questions that you may have.Please Subscribe to this channel and turn on your notifications to be notified when our Livestreams start so you don't miss out! We hope you are blessed by the service!-The Godspeak Team

How can you experience God’s love in your everyday life? Kelly Balarie shares a practical way to recognize God’s love in ordinary moments, experience His presence, and allow His love to transform how you live and love others. God’s love is more than something we learn about—it’s something we can personally experience. In this devotional, Kelly Balarie reflects on Ephesians 3:19 and the importance of moving beyond simply knowing about God’s love to intentionally looking for His presence in the ordinary moments of everyday life. Highlights Discover the difference between knowing about God’s love and personally experiencing it. Learn how ordinary moments can become reminders of God’s presence and love. Consider how phones, distractions, and the noise of the world can keep us from noticing God. See how intentionally looking for God can cultivate greater joy and awareness of His faithfulness. Reflect on how receiving God’s love enables us to love others more genuinely and sacrificially. Practice looking for God’s love in creation, circumstances, people, and everyday experiences. Want more encouragement throughout your week? Subscribe to The Good Word, LifeAudio’s free weekly newsletter. Sign up at LifeAudio.com/thegoodword Do you want to listen ad-free? When you join Crosswalk Plus, you gain access to exclusive, in-depth Bible study guides, devotionals, sound biblical advice, and daily encouragement from trusted pastors and authors—resources designed to strengthen your faith and equip you to live it out boldly. PLUS ad free podcasts! Sign Up Today! Full Transcript Below: A Super-Practical Tip to Encounter God’s Love By Kelly Balarie Bible Reading:“and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].” – Ephesians 3:19 AMPC I wake, deep into the night hour. My mind circles one thought: All that matters is love. I can’t get my mind off this thought. Besides love? Everything else is like a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. In this midnight hour, this thought both consumes me and compels me. I understand the sobering truth; I have one life to live. This is it! One grand stage to go all out for Jesus… It is here. I don’t want the world’s conveniences, accumulation of material items, or online contempt to drive me; I want love of Christ to compel me. I want to be so driven by love that people will reflect upon my life and say, “Wow. That could have only been Jesus.” Wouldn’t that be an amazing legacy: “We saw Jesus in her.” Theology studied will not produce that. Bible verses intellectually memorized will not result in that. More messages heard will not miraculously make this happen. Only love. Real love. Outpouring love. Genuine love. Caring love. Moving love. It is not just what we know; it is the love experienced in Christ Jesus that changes us. “and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the love of Christ which far surpasses [mere] knowledge [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the fullness of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself].” (Eph. 3:19 AMPC) Love transcends the mind to live out from our heart, in real action. This morning, provoked again by this thought, I came to terms with the fact that God’s love is beyond me. But still, He miraculously welcomes me into it. In my day, to see forth Ephesians 3:19, I can do something. I can look for God’s love in the minuscule, in the ordinary, and in the mundane. I can seek Him and find Him.What does it look like? I see a heart in the concrete of the sidewalk I walk on. Many would just see it as a small hole. I see and remember God’s love for me. God, you love me so very much. I notice the waves that are continual; they never stop or end. God’s faithfulness always works. Like those waves will never stop, so do His promises for me never stop or end. I was given grace on a speeding ticket and only given a warning. God, like this warning for a speeding ticket, your mercy has entirely let me off the hook, and your grace, even more, blesses me. I notice the bird with the worm in its mouth. Oh God, you always provide the daily bread needed, right on time. God is encountering me all the time… if I look for Him. And, to seek Him is to find Him. When I receive His love, I am filled with His love. When I am filled with His love, I can impart His love. If He floods me, then I can flood the world. This is life-changing, and even world-changing. The presence of His love is the starting point of real joy, contagious joy. Doing this requires one to move past the distractions of the world, to dive into the intentionality of God’s heart in creation, in people, in circumstances, in the skies above and the world around. He is speaking, though many miss Him. He is telling us, often, of how much He loves us. Intersecting Faith & Life: How does the world distract you? Are you buried in your phone or looking for God wherever you go? What would it look like for you to forgo the world to find His love? Perhaps, today, start with asking God to give you understanding of His love? Ask Him to show you His love. Ask Him to help you to receive His love. Then, keep your eyes open to what God may be doing or saying in your world. Notice Him. Permit Him to love you as He makes His Word come alive in your life. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Sunday Evening, August 16, 2026Given by Dr. Kevin DeYoung | Senior Pastor, Christ Covenant ChurchGenuine RepentanceHeidelberg Catechism Lord's Day 33Watch on YouTubeDownload our mobile app

Heidelberg Catechism—Lord's Day 33

What does it really mean to have faith? Is faith simply believing the right things about God, or should what we believe actually change the way we live? In “Growing Faith,” we look at James 2:14–26 and the challenge to examine the connection between our beliefs and our everyday lives. Genuine faith was never meant to remain something we simply think about or talk about—it is meant to be alive, shaping our choices, relationships, and obedience to God. Listen as we continue our journey through the book of James and discover what it looks like to have a faith that is truly alive.Support the show

Verbally cutting to the chase has become an acceptable business norm. However, in doing so, we often bypass opportunities to ask our customers about their lives. If we know they've battled illness, or tragedy, or have been on cool vacations, or have taken time off, wouldn't it be nice just to ask them how they're doing with any of those subject matters? Don't you think they would appreciate that? Next time you default to start cutting to the chase, pause, and strongly consider asking a couple human interest questions to demonstrate your interest in their world.Support the show

Part of "Proverbs: How to Build a Life," Andy Rodgers picks up the second half of a two-part look at wise counsellors. Last week Grant Clark asked why we need trusted voices and who has permission to tell us something we do not want to hear. This week turns to the follow-on question: once we have discerned that someone is qualified to speak into our life, how do we get the most out of what they say. The message covers therapists, pastors, spiritual fathers and mothers, GC members, and friends.Andy opens by distinguishing two things that are often confused. Therapy is a practice: a trained professional with a set of skills, a licensed person helping a specific person with a specific problem, with ethics, accountability, and evidence based practices behind it. Therapy culture is something else. It is when the language of therapy and a therapeutic orientation become the way you engage every relationship in your life, and when organizations, schools, churches, and the political sphere all route their questions back to what feels good therapeutically rather than what is good. "How does that make you feel?" is an excellent question in a counselling room and a poor one for setting the economic direction of a nation or for asking what a passage of Scripture means.He is explicit that this is not an anti therapy message. Restored started a therapy centre, has subsidised thousands of dollars of therapy for people in the church who could not afford it, and runs the Restored Counselling Network. Good therapists using good practices are very helpful. A number of the people writing against therapy culture are themselves therapists.On reading for authorial intent rather than feeling, he points to Mark Twain, who prefaced a later edition of "Huckleberry Finn" by telling readers the book is not an allegory and asking them not to treat it as one. His English class spent fourteen weeks treating it as an allegory anyway. That is survivable with a novel. It is a real problem with Scripture, and a bigger one when the same instinct is used to determine what marriage is, what your identity is, and what is good and true and beautiful.## Four markers of therapy culture1) Concept creep. Precise language meant to help us see something clearly starts to mean more than it meant, and once it means everything it means nothing. Gaslighting comes from a 1938 play and describes a genuinely abusive man deliberately making his wife doubt her sanity. It is real and it is rare. It now gets used for ordinary cognitive dissonance. Andy walks through a recent scheduling mix up with a fellow pastor where he genuinely felt confused, and notes that memory is fallible and two people can remember the same event differently. Choosing the gaslighting reading would have turned a good friend into someone dangerous who had to be removed from his life. Choosing "maybe I forgot that" carried far less pressure and required villainising no one. The same creep has happened to abuse, to trauma, and to narcissism. Genuine narcissistic personality disorder runs around one percent, so it cannot be everyone's dad, just as borderline personality disorder cannot be everyone's mom. Naming everything as abuse diminishes our ability to help the people actually experiencing it.2) Boundaries become walls. Boundaries are a biblical idea: knowing where you stop and another person begins, holding your values, refusing to be manipulated. To be a Christian you have to have firm boundaries. But for many people boundaries have come to mean cutting out anyone who makes them uncomfortable, which is avoidance, and which most good therapists will tell you leaves you less mature because you never learn to handle difficult people or hard conversations. Seventy three percent of millennials have gone no contact with a close friend or family member in the last two years, half of those tied to their parents' politics. Disagreeing with your parents is normal. Cutting them off is new. Where there is genuine danger or a history of abuse the calculation is different, but the usual work is helping people figure out what they can realistically expect from a relationship and how to show up in it.3) Validation becomes authority. Being heard matters, but being heard is a means, not the end. It creates a space safe enough to look at what is hard to look at. If someone has to tell you that what you want is good, that will keep you from wisdom, because sometimes what you want is dumb. Andy is candid that he has plenty of dumb ideas himself and needs godly, loving, wise people alongside him for exactly that reason.4) Diagnosis becomes identity. Restored is not anti diagnosis. The DSM categories are genuinely useful for describing patterns of behaviour, understanding how someone relates to others, and explaining a tendency. They are never an excuse to hurt people or to continue in sin. Andy speaks openly about his own ADHD, the forgotten texts and missed medications, and the systems he has had to build to take responsibility for it. Most diagnoses people receive are not their fault, but to thrive and love people well they still have to do the work. God's standards do not decrease; some people simply need more help in a given area than the average person.The irony he draws out: something you went to in order to see clearly now makes the world look more threatening than before. Something you went to in order to protect your relationships has produced more isolation. Somewhere you went to be heard has made you unreachable.He notes the same dynamic can quietly reshape a GC, where groups drift into venting and status updates rather than asking what Scripture says and what Jesus is calling us to. It is fine to say a thing is hard. The question is whether the group helps you then go and do it.Two tests run underneath the whole message. If we are engaging counsel in a way that makes us more fragile rather than more resilient over the long term, something is wrong. And if we have adopted a worldview that makes us less open to insight we do not want to hear, it is keeping us from becoming wise.## We get the most out of the counsel we receive when we do five things1) Choose the right story2) Are discerning about who we let counsel us3) Engage honestly4) Work towards a goal5) Seek sanctification over validation## Choose the right storyThere are no neutral worldview people. Everyone speaking into your life is answering a set of questions whether or not they say so out loud: What is a person? What is a man, a woman, a mother, a father? What is parenting? What is marriage? What is sexuality and what is it for? What is actually wrong with us? How do people change, by insight, by empathy, by repentance, or by better tools? And what is the goal of a life, which decides the goal of counselling.The Bible says we are image bearers of God, made with inherent dignity, value, and worth, created to be known and loved. That is a different story from being a bag of chemicals and neurons colliding. Andy is careful that these are not simple either / ors. We are image bearers and we do have physical bodies that God chose for us. Scripture names three broad things that can be wrong: a fallen body in a fallen world, with real physiological realities; sin committed against us by others, which covers much of what people bring to therapy as wounding, shame, and pain, and which is not their fault; and our own sin, the lies we tell ourselves and the ways we try to live independently of God.He pushes back on starting the story at Genesis 3. God made us wonderful, beautiful, and glorious, and sin damaged it. One of the worst things about sin is that it diminishes the good person God created you to be. He is now restoring that, like a fine painting, over years and with patience.Repentance and clinical tools are not rivals. A tool can make repentance easier. Andy uses his own example: externalising what he cannot hold in his head helps him forget less and love his wife better. But the decision to get help in the first place is an issue of the will. Someone whose trauma triggers leave them in fight or flight is not at fault for being triggered, and may still need to deal with the thing they have been avoiding, because the people around them are still getting hurt even when the motive is not bad.The question that matters is what wins when two stories are mutually exclusive. When a view of the world conflicts with the Scriptures, the Scriptures need to win. He works this through cognitive behavioural therapy, the most used approach in talk therapy, whose core claim is that emotions and behaviours run downstream of thoughts. He agrees that is broadly true, finds CBT tools genuinely helpful, and notes that CBT ironically has the most in common with biblical counselling. But Scripture carries a category the therapeutic world often does not: we do not only have bad thoughts, we have bad desires upstream of our thoughts. James says our conflicts come from wanting something and not getting it."The tools are great. They're just not everything. There's not one tool that solves life. The only person who solves all of life is Jesus."## Be discerning about who you let counsel youCounsel in a person's heart is deep water, and a person of understanding draws it out. Good counsellors ask good questions and get beneath the surface.Does a therapist need to be a Christian? Andy says it depends on the issue, and that for some things it is close to vital. Marriage is his clearest example, because a counsellor is helping you understand the story you came from and the story you are building, and it helps enormously if they share a Christian understanding of marriage, sexuality, communication, and desire, even if they use plenty of clinical tools alongside it.Better is open reprimand than concealed love, and the wounds of a friend are trustworthy while the kisses of an enemy are excessive. Friends who only ever validate you are not evil, but they will not help you grow. If you talk about your marriage, do it in an honouring way, and be wary if your friends always take your side. You want someone willing to play devil's advocate and ask what you can do, since you are the only person who can do what you can do.Practical advice for choosing, drawing on Eliza Huie's "How to Get the Most Out of Your Counseling," a sixty page book he recommends. Most people do not know they are allowed to interview a counsellor about their modality, their approach, and their worldview. Questions worth asking:How do you integrate your faith and your work?What do you think is wrong with people?Do you ever talk about sin in the work that you do?Will you ever challenge me, even if I do not love it in the moment?What do you specialise in?Licensure tells you what someone is trained in. It tells you nothing about their worldview and nothing about their character. It is a good place to start, not a place to stop. Be wary of anyone who treats everything, the way some restaurants serve cheeseburgers, spaghetti, and sushi off one menu. Andy helped a friend look for OCD treatment and found that of the hundreds of providers listed who said they treated OCD, none listed ERP, the approach both the International OCD Foundation and the American Psychological Association name as the first line treatment. Claiming to treat OCD without it is like claiming to treat bacterial infections without antibiotics.## Engage honestlyThe one who conceals his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and renounces them will find mercy. Andy points out what the verse does not say. It does not say concealing is wicked. It says concealing does not work. If you want to lose weight without discussing what you eat, or want your knee treated without describing the pain, you will not get far.Two reasons we are not honest. The first is the fear of man, which Proverbs calls a snare, over against the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom. The question is whether you are more aware of what a person thinks of you or what God thinks of you. He notes a related risk: keeping the same therapist for years with no goal, until they function as a friend your insurance covers, at which point you want them to like you and become less honest. The second reason is pride, wanting to be seen a particular way.He also distinguishes being authentic or transparent from being vulnerable. Plenty of people will tell you a great deal, sometimes more than they should about others, without ever being open to having any of it challenged. Vulnerability is being open to someone speaking into it. This cuts the other way too. Not everyone is owed your depths, and dumping ninety minutes of heavy material on a friend who did not ask for it is its own marker of therapy culture.## Work towards a goalThere is profit in all hard work, but endless talk leads only to poverty. A goal means direction rather than a deadline, and it lets a counsellor, pastor, or friend stay within their expertise. Andy cites a clinical psychiatrist who said that having a long term psychologist with no goal is having a bad friend you pay to be your friend.The arithmetic matters. You are awake roughly one hundred and twelve hours a week. A forty five minute session is well under one percent of your life and will not change it on its own. Implementing what you learn during the other ninety nine percent will. It is the personal trainer problem: the workouts do not do themselves.## Seek sanctification over validationA fool does not delight in understanding but only wants to show off his opinions. Wanting to be understood is human and God given. Wanting to change and become like Jesus is a supernatural work of the Spirit. The danger is letting "finding someone who gets me" become the destination of the journey rather than a stage in it, and then asking the church to function as a therapeutic community on those same terms.Andy makes the case that the church has an enormous amount to offer if we engage it rightly. There are people in the room who handle money well and would change your life if you had the humility to open your budget to them. There are people who have worked through hard things in their marriage who could mentor you without being your therapist. He cites Rebecca McLaughlin quoting a Harvard researcher that attending church weekly is "like a miracle drug," with measurable effects on depression, anxiety, self control, addiction, and burnout. Churches are also good places to work through attachment wounds, because good attachment work aims at being able to trust other people rather than depending on one safe person indefinitely, and because Scripture defines how we are allowed to treat one another, which is part of what makes a church safe.He closes on what he calls the most underrated thing, even among Christians: spending time with Jesus. He describes a retreat at a monastery with a group of people mostly in their sixties and seventies, including a retired psychiatric researcher, a doctor and psychiatrist, recently widowed and in real pain, and firmly pro therapy. After several hours of solitude she came back and said she thought she had saved five to ten thousand dollars of therapy in three hours, because it had all been resistance. She knew what she needed to do and did not want to do it."Jesus knows how to lovingly say, I love you, but we got to do this. And he took me by the hand and walked me to where I needed to go. He shepherded me."The flip side he wants to press: when someone says they need help with their marriage, ask whether they have prayed about it, whether they have spent any time asking the Lord how to treat their spouse differently, whether they have looked at what God's word says about parenting or marriage. You may well need tools to obey those commands in a healthy way. The question is whether you started with what God wants.The Spirit is the parakletos, the counsellor, the one who comes alongside, and he loves to give wisdom. James says God gives wisdom generously to those who ask without being double minded, and double minded means you have already made up your mind, so you are not actually open. You want someone to co-sign. You want validation, not revelation."Don't build a life where you protect yourself from hard things that can help you grow."Andy's closing prayer asks that Restored would become a humble people who can receive, and a contemplative people able to sit with an idea or a thought or a passage of Scripture and weigh it in God's presence, rather than running to social media or ChatGPT or a podcast or a friend. Clinical tools can help us do that, but those tools are a sail on a sailboat. We still need God's wind. And it asks that we would believe God's word is better for us than the word of any expert or of ourselves, that his word is not handcuffs but guardrails on a path, keeping us from going off the side of a mountain.Verses referenced:Genesis 3Proverbs 9:8Proverbs 9:10Proverbs 14:23Proverbs 18:2Proverbs 20:5Proverbs 27:5-6Proverbs 28:13Proverbs 29:25Romans 12:2Philippians 4:8James 1:5-8James 4:1-21 Peter 5:7

Sunday, August 16th, 2026

Send us Fan MailSomeone else got the role. The one you had your eye on. The one you had quietly been preparing for.And the hardest part is not even the no. It is that you still have to show up the next morning, lead your team, and be gracious in the hallway while something inside you is genuinely grieving.Being passed over is not a verdict on your worth. It is a moment. And what you do in the 90 days after that moment can shape how the decision affects your career far more than you may realize.In this episode of Communicate to Lead, Kele Belton walks through what to do when you get passed over for a promotion. This is not about the mechanics of the next role. It is about the first 90 days afterward: how to get the real reason instead of the polite one, decide whether to stay or go, and protect your reputation and relationships while you process something that genuinely hurts.What You Will LearnWhy the first 48 hours call for steadiness, not decisions, and the one thing never to do in that window.How to have the conversation that surfaces the real reason you were passed over instead of accepting the polite non-answer.The exact way to open that conversation so your manager can be more honest with you.How to ask for feedback you can actually act on and what to do when the answer stays vague.Why the gap that holds many high-performing women back is visibility, not competence.How to decide whether to stay and reposition or move on from clarity rather than from the wound.How to protect your reputation and handle the person who got the role while you recover.Who This Is ForThis episode is for high-performing women in middle and senior management who were passed over for a promotion they had earned and want to respond in a way that protects their future rather than quietly derailing it.If you are in the middle of this right now—or you want to be prepared if it happens—this episode is for you.Your Action StepIf you were passed over recently and accepted the smooth answer, go back and book the conversation.Open with:“I want to grow into a role like that one. Can you help me understand what would have made me the obvious choice?”Then ask for the one or two specific things that would close the gap, and hold the silence.If it has not happened to you, ask yourself one question instead: If the next role opened tomorrow, would the people making the decision see you as the obvious choice? If you are not sure, that is not a failure. It is useful information you can act on now.Mentioned in This EpisodeThe clean ask and the power of silence in a negotiation, from the previous Thursday episode on negotiating what you are worth.Common Questions About Getting Passed OverWhat should I do first when I get passed over for a promotion?For the first 48 hours, do not make any decision you cannot undo. Give the feeling room away from work, stay steady in the office, and wait until you can decide from clarity rather than from hurt.How do I find out the real reason I did not get promoted?Have the conversation, but open it forward rather than backward. Instead of asking why you did not get it, ask what would have made you the obvious choice. Then ask for the one or two specific things that would close the gap. Framing the question as small and forward-looking makes it easier for your manager to be honest.Should I quit after being passed over?Not from the wound. The decision to stay or go depends on the real reason you uncover, whether the gap is closable where you are, and whether you still trust the people above you. If you stay, set a real deadline and name what has to change by then.How do I stay professional around the person who got the role?Their win is not your loss, even though the two happened in the same moment. Visible resentment can reinforce doubts about your readiness, even when the disappointment itself is completely understandable. Genuine grace in a hard moment demonstrates maturity and protects your future leadership reputation.Related QuestionsHow do you recover from being passed over for a promotion?What do you say to your boss after not getting promoted?Why do high performers get overlooked for promotions?Should you leave a job after being passed over?Ready to Go Deeper?If you are sitting in the middle of this right now—if you were passed over and do not know whether to stay or go, or you want to stay but cannot see how to come back from it—that is exactly the work Kele does with clients.A Leadership Strategy Call is a complimentary 30-minute conversation where you look at your actual situation: the real reason, the decision in front of you, and the plan to make you the obvious choice next time.Let's talk about where you are, where you want to go, and what it will take to get there.Book your Leadership Strategy CallAbout Your HostKele Belton is a communication and leadership facilitator, coach, and consultant who helps high-performing women in middle and senior management move from essential but invisible to seen, sponsored, and promoted through strategic communication. She is the founder of The Tailored Approach and host of Communicate to Lead.Connect with KeleLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kele-ruth-belton/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thetailoredapproach/Website: https://thetailoredapproach.comBook a Leadership Strategy Call: https://calendly.com/kele-thetailoredapproach/leadership-strategy-call

In today's Morning Manna, Rick Wiles and Doc Burkhart examine Proverbs 27:13–14 and two very different mistakes with the same underlying problem: good intentions operating without wisdom. Solomon warns against reckless financial entanglements and then shows how even a sincere blessing can become a curse when delivered at the wrong time and in the wrong manner. This lesson draws a crucial distinction between generosity and recklessness, sincerity and discernment, reminding believers that biblical wisdom considers more than our motives. Genuine love requires us to consider the consequences of our decisions and how our words and actions will actually affect the people receiving them. Lesson 159-2026 Teachers: Rick Wiles and Doc Burkhart You can partner with us by visiting MannaNation.com, calling 1-888-519-4935, or by mail at PO Box 399 Vero Beach, FL 32961 MEGA FIRE reveals the ancient recurring cycles of war and economic collapse that have shaped history for 600 years. These patterns predict America is now entering its most dangerous period since World War II. Get your copy today! www.megafire.world Get high-quality emergency preparedness food today from American Reserves! www.AmericanReserves.com It's the Final Day! The day Jesus Christ bursts into our dimension of time, space, and matter. Now available in eBook and audio formats! Order Final Day from Amazon today! www.Amazon.com/Final-Day Apple users, you can download the audio version on Apple Books! www.books.apple.com/final-day Purchase the 4-part DVD set or start streaming Sacrificing Liberty today. www.Sacrificingliberty.com

What should you do when you discover your own daughter is the one hurting someone else?  No parent wants to receive the phone call, text message, or conversation revealing that their child has been unkind—or worse, has developed a pattern of bullying another girl. While those moments can stir embarrassment, defensiveness, or even shame, they also present a powerful opportunity for discipleship. In this episode, Rachael Culpepper and Natalie Ambrose encourage Christian parents to respond with courage, humility, and a heart committed to both truth and restoration.  Continuing the Raising Godly Girls back-to-school series on bullying, Rachael and Natalie discuss the important distinction between isolated unkindness and repeated bullying behavior, why secrecy allows harmful patterns to grow, and how parents can lovingly guide a daughter toward confession, repentance, and reconciliation. Through a thoughtful Raising Godly Girls Minute from AHG Founder & Executive Director Emeritus Patti Garibay, listeners are reminded that telling the truth isn't an act of betrayal—it's often the very first step toward healing for everyone involved.  The conversation also offers practical, Gospel-centered guidance for parents navigating these difficult situations, including acknowledging the hurt caused, praying for wisdom and discernment, understanding the full scope of the behavior, involving the appropriate adults, and encouraging a daughter to take responsibility for her actions. Rather than minimizing or excusing sinful behavior, Christian parents have the privilege of demonstrating God's mercy by helping their daughters walk the path of genuine repentance and lasting restoration.  If you've ever wondered how to respond when your daughter makes a poor choice, this episode offers hope-filled encouragement that God doesn't waste our parenting challenges. Even difficult conversations can become opportunities to point our girls toward the transforming grace of Jesus Christ.    Three Things to Consider:  Address harmful behavior with honesty and grace. Accountability is an act of love that points your daughter toward lasting heart transformation.  Pray for wisdom before responding. Ask God to help you see the full situation clearly and guide your daughter with both truth and compassion.  Pursue restoration, not simply consequences. Genuine confession, repentance, forgiveness, and reconciliation often take time, but they reflect the heart of the Gospel.    Scriptures Referenced:  Genesis 1:27  Ephesians 4:15  Ephesians 4:29–32  Colossians 3:12–14  James 5:16  Proverbs 28:13  Matthew 18:15–17  Galatians 6:1    Visit raisinggodlygirls.com for more encouragement and faith-based parenting tools.      Learn how to find or start an American Heritage Girls Troop in your community at americanheritagegirls.org.   

In today's Morning Manna, Rick Wiles and Doc Burkhart examine Proverbs 27:11–12, where Solomon connects the joy of seeing wisdom formed in the next generation with one of wisdom's most practical abilities: recognizing danger before it becomes disaster. The prudent person notices warning signs and takes appropriate action, while the simple continue forward and suffer the consequences. This lesson explores why prudence is not fear but trained discernment, how to distinguish avoidable danger from trials that must be faithfully endured, and why biblical warnings should be received as gifts from God. Genuine wisdom does more than understand truth—it teaches us to recognize trouble, respond wisely, and know when to get out of its way. Lesson 158-2026 Teachers: Rick Wiles and Doc Burkhart You can partner with us by visiting MannaNation.com, calling 1-888-519-4935, or by mail at PO Box 399 Vero Beach, FL 32961 MEGA FIRE reveals the ancient recurring cycles of war and economic collapse that have shaped history for 600 years. These patterns predict America is now entering its most dangerous period since World War II. Get your copy today! www.megafire.world Get high-quality emergency preparedness food today from American Reserves! www.AmericanReserves.com It's the Final Day! The day Jesus Christ bursts into our dimension of time, space, and matter. Now available in eBook and audio formats! Order Final Day from Amazon today! www.Amazon.com/Final-Day Apple users, you can download the audio version on Apple Books! www.books.apple.com/final-day Purchase the 4-part DVD set or start streaming Sacrificing Liberty today. www.Sacrificingliberty.com

Are You Working Blind?You have a process. You have a way of doing things. And, if you can't immediately describe it, you're unconsciously following an invisible process. My point is not that it's right or wrong, but that it is a choice to work blind. Process is personal and if anyone aside from you designs it, it's not going to fit.I'm not here to prescribe process. I am here to share three principles to help you ask yourself better questions, so that your process is consciously bespoke according to your answers.1. Make Something and Finish Something DailyWhen I first started producing, I was lucky enough to ask someone who has made it: “What do I do?” Their response was simple: make a new idea every day.The ever expanding responsibilities of the modern musician make it easy to forget that you started making music because you heard music that inspired you to try. The catalog of other artists inspired you to explore your own musical capacity. Your catalog is the best of your ideas, and you find your best ideas by making a new one each day. The first step to building your catalog is documenting your ideas.The only potential downside to making a new idea every day is that you may never finish anything, which is why I suggest developing a daily habit of finishing. It's not a reasonable expectation to complete a song each day, but you can perform an act to nudge it forward.When implementing this practice, define progress and success expansively. Making music is not easy. Genuine effort counts, even more important if this is something you plan to do indefinitely.2. Define Progress in Time-Bound and Input-Based TermsYou know how much time you have to dedicate to music. If you only have five minutes in a day to make music (for more on this, see frequency), don't make yourself feel bad because you don't write a whole new song that day. Apply genuine effort to those five minutes to make a new idea. Maybe all you found was a drum loop that you like. Drop it into a track, save the session, and move on. What you started today, you pick up tomorrow. What you have at the end of any particular session is irrelevant. It is about harnessing momentum and linking sessions together over an extended period of time (for more on this, see the marathon method). The individual session is meaningful because of its representation as commitment. You were here today, you will be back tomorrow.3. Decide what you're going to do beforehand.Know what you're going to do before you sit down. This is especially important when you are working with smaller blocks of time. If you only have 10 minutes available, decide ahead of time that you're going to spend it programming drums or writing a chord progression. For inspiration, here's one of my favorite examples of what can be done in 10min.Counter Argument:“The blocks of time and the wins seem too small to be worth the attention.”I hear that. And this is less about objective progress as much as it is about your mindset and relationship with what work looks like. The difference between unconsciously viewing five available minutes as time to kill versus useful to your creativity represents optimism of what constitutes opportunity. It is acceptance that ideal circumstances don't exist and we therefore seize available moments, not to optimize or squeeze out every last drop, but to express our creativity.Final Thought To Keep In MindWe are not as good at estimating task duration as we think. The only way to improve is experience and observation. As you try this out, it's important not to jump to judgments about something taking longer than it “should.” The goal is not to optimize work, it is to work.ProducerHead is a publication for independent music producers. Subscribe free and get access to Sonic Stimulus Vol. 1 — a free sample pack, The Invisible Instruments — a series of creative frameworks for producers, and The Pocket — behind the scenes production sessions from guests on the show. Get full access to ProducerHead at producerhead.substack.com/subscribe

This summer on Dominate Your Day, we are returning to the episode vault to bring back experts to discuss each of Gallup's five essential areas of wellbeing: Purpose, Social, Financial, Physical, and Community. Today we explore Social Wellbeing what Gallup identifies as having strong relationships and love in your life. According to Gallup, people who are thriving in social wellbeing have several hours of meaningful social interaction every single day. Yet we are living through a loneliness epidemic unlike anything we have seen before. This episode is for every leader who feels it. Dr. Camille Preston business psychologist, executive coach, and author of Living Real discusses the danger of shallowing and why the world is craving real connection. Shari Leid connection coach, friendship expert, author of Table for 51 and Flip the Box, and founder of the Flip the Box Method shares what happened when she shared a meal with a stranger in all 50 states and what it taught her about why we struggle to connect. Andy Lopata professional relationship strategist and author of six books explains the blended mindset that makes relationships work and the Curiosity Cycle that builds trust. Episode Minutes: Minute 4: Life as A Sine Wave Minute 8: What Stops Us From Connecting Minute 16: The Curiosity Cycle Links + Resources from This Episode: Learn more about Dr. Camille Preston's work at www.aimleadership.com Get a copy of Dr. Camille Preston's book, Living Real: Redifining Success, Pretense, and Happiness Get Dr. Camille Preston's Living Real Gathering Kit at www.livingreal.aimleadership.com Learn more about Shari Leid's work at www.animperfectlyperfectlife.com Get a copy of Shari Leid's books Table for 51 and Flip the Box Find Andy Lopata's books, podcast, and assessments here Take the free 3-minute Authentic Imprint™ Assessment Get a copy of Dana's book, The Internal Revolution: Lead Authentically and Build Your Personal Brand from Within Learn more about The Strengths Journal

Have you ever caught yourself thinking, "Maybe this time he really means it" — and then hated yourself for thinking it again? You are not weak. You are not foolish. You are caught in something far more powerful than willpower alone. In this deeply honest and compassionate episode, Leslie Vernick names two forces that work together to keep women stuck in destructive relationships: Hopium — the counterfeit hope dressed in spiritual language — and the trauma bond that keeps feeding it. You will walk away understanding what is actually happening in your mind, your body, and your faith, and you will leave with a clear framework, real questions to ask yourself, and the courage to trade a false hope for a genuine one. Key Takeaways Hopium Is Not Biblical Hope. Hopium sounds like faith. It uses words like trust, submission, forgiveness, and patience — but it places all the weight of your husband's choices onto your faith. True biblical hope, the kind found in Psalm 33, is rooted in God's character alone, not in a husband's potential or his latest promise. Leslie draws a clear and important line: God can change a heart, but God never forces a heart to change. Confusing those two things will crush you. Biblical hope gives you the courage to face reality; Hopium asks you to deny it. Trauma Bonds Are Real, and They Are Not Your Fault A trauma bond is a specific kind of toxic attachment created by three conditions working together: an imbalance of power, intermittent reinforcement (the cycle of warmth and cruelty that hijacks your nervous system), and coercive control, which in Christian settings often includes the weaponizing of Scripture. Leslie explains that trauma bonds are frequently mislabeled as godly virtues — long-suffering, loyalty, unconditional love — which is precisely what makes them so hard to name and so hard to leave. Even the Israelites, after escaping slavery, idealized Egypt and wanted to go back. That is not weakness; that is a predictable, understandable response to long-term trauma. Hopium and Trauma Bonds Feed Each Other These are not two separate problems. The trauma bond creates the neurological and emotional pull toward him regardless of what he does; Hopium gives that pull a spiritual costume. Instead of "I cannot stop wanting him even though he hurts me," it becomes "I believe God will restore this marriage." Instead of "my nervous system is hijacked," it becomes "I just need more faith." Leslie uses the disciples on the road to Emmaus as a powerful anchor: the hope they expected died, but Jesus was still walking right beside them. Your marriage may not become what you prayed for, and that grief is real — but God has not abandoned you. He offers his presence, his truth, and a different kind of hope than the one you expected. How to Tell Whether Change Is Real Leslie answers six listener questions with remarkable clarity, including the one so many women are afraid to ask: how do I know if his change is genuine? She introduces the framework of old history versus new history — what patterns defined the past, and what consistent new patterns are you seeing now, not just during the honeymoon phase and not just when he fears consequences? Genuine change looks like humility without minimizing, ownership without blaming, patience with your healing, and changed behavior that persists even when no one is watching. Using the language of change without the fruit of change is not change — it is manipulation. The HOPE Framework: A Practical Path Forward Leslie closes with a simple, memorable framework to help you take your next step. Honesty: what is actually true right now, what is the real pattern, what is the real impact on you and your children? Ownership: what is his work to do, and what is yours, and what have you been carrying that does not belong to you? Protection: what needs protecting right now: your body, your mind, your children, your finances, your faith? Empowered next step: what is one wise decision you can make today, whether he changes or not? You do not need his transformation to begin your own. Personal Invitation If this episode stirred something in you — if you have been trying harder and praying harder and still feeling crazy, powerless, or trapped — I want you to know there is a next step waiting for you. I am hosting a free webinar called the Four Lies that Make Christian Women Feel Crazy and Powerless in Their Destructive Relationships. We are going to unpack exactly why these beliefs sound so biblical, how they are shaping the way you respond, and what Scripture actually offers instead. This is for the woman who loves God and loves her marriage but is starting to wonder if something has gone deeply wrong. Come and find out what is really true. Register here: https://leslievernick.com/lies Closing Encouragement Wherever you are today — still in the relationship, newly separated, grieving a marriage you never wanted to lose — God sees you. He sees what you have tried. He sees what it has cost you. He sees every time you forgave, waited, hoped, and tried again. He is not asking you to live in denial. He is not asking you to endure destruction and call it faithfulness. Hopium waits for him to change so that you can finally live. Biblical hope helps you live faithfully and wisely whether he changes or not. A trauma bond whispers that you cannot survive without him. The truth is you were made to survive, to heal, and to flourish in the freedom God intended for you from the beginning. That freedom begins with honesty. It grows with wisdom. And it is sustained by a God who is still walking right beside you — even on the road to Emmaus, even when the hope you once carried is gone. You are not alone, and you are not without genuine hope. Take one step this week, and trust that He will meet you there.

Jesus chose you, but following Him still requires a choice. What does it really mean to believe in Jesus, receive His grace, and surrender your life to follow Him? In week two of our message series “Revival Sparks”, Guest Speaker Bob Merritt explores three defining words of the Christian life: chosen, believe, and sacrifice. Jesus chose ordinary people to know Him, follow Him, and bear lasting fruit. Yet Scripture also shows that many encountered Jesus without truly receiving Him. Genuine belief is more than knowing facts about Christ. It means trusting who He is, accepting the life He offers, and allowing that faith to transform how we live. Jesus invites anyone who is spiritually thirsty to come to Him and receive living water. He also calls His followers to deny themselves, take up their cross daily, and follow Him. Grace is freely given, but discipleship requires surrender. Discover what it means to be chosen by Jesus, believe in Him personally, and embrace the sacrifice of faithful discipleship. #Jesus #ChristianSermon #ChosenByGod #BelieveInJesus #Discipleship #ConnectionPointe NEXT STEPSHave you made a decision to follow Jesus and now wondering what your next step is? We want to help! https://www.connectionpointe.org/nextsteps/ ABOUT CONNECTION POINTEAt Connection Pointe, our mission is to connect people to Jesus and each other. Whether you've been around church your whole life or this is a brand new journey, we have a place for you and we hope your journey will include joining us at a Connection Pointe location or online at https://connectionpointe.org/live Find locations, videos, and more info about us at https://www.connectionpointe.org/ FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/connectionpointeInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/connect_cp Find out more about our lead pastor, John S. Dickerson: https://www.connectionpointe.org/leadpastor

Elle Perez is Kaseya's Account Manager of the Year and now leads a team of strategic account managers there. She has been selling since 1997, starting in marketing at Anheuser-Busch before the company told her that moving up meant carrying a quota, and joined Kaseya five years ago as an individual contributor in strategic accounts. This conversation gets specific about the parts of account management that rarely get taught: treating customers as partners rather than accounts, leading with business outcomes instead of product features, and using executive alignment between two C-suites to reopen a stalled relationship. Elle also covers prioritizing a book of business without defaulting to the 80/20 rule, why she believes presence and body language are underrated, and the one habit she wants every seller to pick up this week. Full show notes, the complete transcript and links to everything mentioned: top1.fm/202

We are in the final episode of our summer series Women + The Church. Today, we dive into the question of what it looks like when women are equipped to run on mission - not in theory, but in the day-to-day.Jess and Nick paint a picture of how practical leadership tools can empower a young mom teaching Romans with confidence, a pastor's wife to build rhythms that prevent burnout, and a woman across the world getting trained in communication skills. They've seen firsthand at their own church the security and humility it takes for men and women to lead well together, and how that partnership points toward an Edenic return.It's an honest look at what's possible and an invitation to imagine it for your own church and community.Let's go.Resources & Links We need YOUR help. Join the Founder's Circle for our non-profit: Support the ministry of Go and Tell Gals.You're called. Now it's time to get equipped. The Go + Tell Gals Leadership Certification trains Kingdom women in the 5 Pillars of Genuine & Effective Leadership. Learn more and get on the waitlist here.

Mary Kissel notes diplomatic efforts with Iran currently involve "shuttling messages" through intermediaries like Omanand Qatar. Kissel argues that the Islamic Republic is a revolutionary regime with no interest in genuine strategic peace. The administration's lack of a cohesive strategy has led to declining public support for military action. Meanwhile, the Houthi threat in the Red Sea remains a dangerous Iranian-backed tool for disrupting international shipping. (5)

The Church is full of women ready to lead, and Jess believes it's time to actually equip them. In episode three of our Women + The Church summer series, she's getting into the equipping gap: what it is, why it matters, and how to close it.Jess sits down solo this week to name something she's seen over and over again, coaching women for the last six years: women are trusted with real leadership, but never actually trained for it. She walks through the five pillars that Go and Tell Gals is building its work around, and shares how the shift from coaching certification to leadership certification will help equip the women who need it most.It's an honest look at the gap, an invitation to be part of the solution, and a look at how we can partner in this good work together.Let's go.Resources & Links We need YOUR help. Join the Founder's Circle for our non-profit: Support the ministry of Go and Tell Gals.You're called. Now it's time to get equipped. The Go + Tell Gals Leadership Certification trains Kingdom women in the 5 Pillars of Genuine & Effective Leadership. Learn more and get on the waitlist here.

Peter Earle argues that not all trillions are equal; some represent genuine wealth creation, such as SpaceX's $2 trillion valuation based on future technological potential. However, inflation and government borrowing have also inflated nominal values, potentially leading to a fiscal reckoning. If creditors lose faith in U.S. debt, the government may be forced to print more money, further devaluing the currency. Maintaining prosperity requires ensuring that economic forces focus on creating new wealth rather than merely redistributing it. (6)1945 TOKYO AFTER THE B-29S.