Podcasts about Good Friday

During the events of Good Friday, a random man named Simon was unexpectedly pulled into history's greatest moment. He had no way of knowing that this "divine interruption" would transform generations and become one of scripture's most vivid pictures of following Jesus. Join us as Pastor Amber shares how one encounter with Christ can transform your HEART, HEAD and HANDS! -- GIVE: Visit www.connectcalgary.ca/give to help share #LifeOverflowing across Canada.

Jesus tells one of his most violent parables: tenants seize a vineyard, attack the servants sent to them, and finally kill the landowner's son. But who actually calls for vengeance at the end of the story? Peter Walsh and Elizabeth Garnsey explore the Parable of the Wicked Tenants, its roots in the Hebrew Scriptures, the danger of treating God as something religion can own or control, and why this passage should never become a story about Christianity replacing Judaism. Ultimately, the parable turns the question back on us: If the vineyard has been entrusted to our care, what kind of tenants are we?Questions for ReflectionThemes & ApplicationPeter suggests that the tenants' fundamental mistake is believing that the vineyard belongs to them. Where can religious communities make the same mistake with God, faith, tradition, or the Church? Elizabeth notices that when Jesus asks what should happen to the violent tenants, it is his listeners who say they should be put to a “miserable death.” Jesus instead turns to the rejected stone becoming the cornerstone. How does noticing who proposes the violent ending change the way you understand this parable? Peter eventually turns the parable toward the Church itself. Rather than assuming Christians have simply inherited the vineyard, he asks whether we are actually producing its fruit. What would good stewardship of God's vineyard look like for the Church today? Personal ReflectionWhere are you most tempted to become a gatekeeper? Are there people, beliefs, experiences, or ways of encountering God that you find yourself wanting to declare inside or outside the boundaries?When someone challenges something you deeply believe, what is your first instinct? Do you listen, defend, withdraw, attack, or become curious?Where do you see the “fruits of the kingdom” growing in your own life? Where might the vineyard need more tending?Broader Spiritual ConsiderationsWhat would it mean to think of the Kingdom of God as the “culture of God”? If mercy, reconciliation, healing, relationship, and love characterize God's culture, how might that culture challenge the assumptions of the cultures in which we live?The conversation about supersessionism highlights how interpretations of Scripture can have consequences far beyond Bible study. What responsibility do Christians have to consider the history and consequences of the ways Scripture has been interpreted?Peter and Elizabeth repeatedly return to the danger of assuming that our institution, tradition, or interpretation has everything right. How can a religious community hold deep convictions while remaining open to correction, transformation, and the possibility that God is speaking through someone outside its boundaries? References & ResourcesVocabularySupersessionism / Replacement Theology: The Christian theological belief that the Church has replaced Israel as God's covenant people.Zionism: A movement supporting Jewish self-determination and a Jewish homeland in the historic Land of Israel.Hermeneutics: The practice and principles of interpreting Scripture or other texts.ScriptureIsaiah 5:1–7: The Song of the Vineyard: Elizabeth explains that Jesus' vineyard imagery draws directly from the Hebrew Bible's portrayal of Israel as God's vineyard.Biblical Scholarship & Theology Robert Farrar Capon, The Parables of Judgment: Elizabeth draws on Capon when she explores what the tenants have actually been entrusted with and the danger of religious authorities becoming gatekeepers who act as though access to God belongs to them. (Read the book)Episcopal Church ResourcesThe Episcopal Church's Alternative Good Friday Liturgy: The Episcopal Church authorized a new alternative Good Friday liturgy in 2024, following several years of development. The revised texts explicitly affirm that God's covenant with the Jewish people has never been broken, acknowledge the harm Christians have caused Jewish people, and include prayers for Jewish flourishing and safety. (Read it )Learn more about St. Mark's at https://www.stmarksnewcanaan.org

Links For The Occult Rejectshttps://linktr.ee/theoccultrejectsOccult Research Institutehttps://www.occultresearchinstitute.org/Substackhttps://substack.com/@theoccultrejects?r=7auau0&utm_campaign=profile&utm_medium=profile-pageCash Apphttps://cash.app/$theoccultrejectsVenmo@TheOccultRejectsBuy Me A Coffeebuymeacoffee.com/TheOccultRejectsPatreonhttps://www.patreon.com/TheOccultRejectsBIBLIOGRAPHYBrown, Peter. The Cult of the Saints: Its Rise and Function in Latin Christianity. University of Chicago Press, 1981.Brown, Peter. The Body and Society: Men, Women, and Sexual Renunciation in Early Christianity. Columbia University Press, 1988.Brown, Peter. The Rise of Western Christendom: Triumph and Diversity, A.D. 200–1000. Wiley-Blackwell, 2013.Wiśniewski, Robert. The Beginnings of the Cult of Relics. Oxford University Press, 2019.Yasin, Ann Marie. Saints and Church Spaces in the Late Antique Mediterranean: Architecture, Cult, and Community. Cambridge University Press, 2009.Saxer, Victor. Morts, martyrs, reliques en Afrique chrétienne aux premiers siècles. Beauchesne, 1980.Trout, Dennis E. Paulinus of Nola: Life, Letters, and Poems. University of California Press, 1999.Rapp, Claudia. Holy Bishops in Late Antiquity: The Nature of Christian Leadership in an Age of Transition. University of California Press, 2005.Hahn, Cynthia. Strange Beauty: Issues in the Making and Meaning of Reliquaries, 400–circa 1204. Pennsylvania State University Press, 2012.Hahn, Cynthia. “Seeing and Believing: The Construction of Sanctity in Early-Medieval Saints' Shrines.” Speculum, vol. 72, no. 4, 1997, pp. 1079–1106.Geary, Patrick J. Furta Sacra: Thefts of Relics in the Central Middle Ages. Princeton University Press, 1978.Vikan, Gary. Early Byzantine Pilgrimage Art. Dumbarton Oaks, 1982.Vikan, Gary. Sacred Images and Sacred Power in Byzantium. Ashgate, 2003.Bitton-Ashkelony, Brouria. Encountering the Sacred: The Debate on Christian Pilgrimage in Late Antiquity. University of California Press, 2005.Hunt, E. D. Holy Land Pilgrimage in the Later Roman Empire AD 312–460. Clarendon Press, 1982.Wilkinson, John. Jerusalem Pilgrims Before the Crusades. Aris & Phillips, 1977.Wilkinson, John. Egeria's Travels to the Holy Land. 3rd ed., Aris & Phillips, 1999.Egeria. Egeria: Diary of a Pilgrimage. Translated by George E. Gingras. Newman Press, 1970.Egeria. The Pilgrimage of Egeria: A New Translation of the Itinerarium Egeriae with Introduction and Commentary. Translated by Anne McGowan and Paul F. Bradshaw. Liturgical Press, 2018.Sivan, Hagith. “Who Was Egeria? Piety and Pilgrimage in the Age of Gratian.” Harvard Theological Review, vol. 81, no. 1, 1988, pp. 59–72.Biddle, Martin. The Tomb of Christ. Sutton Publishing, 1999.Coüasnon, Charles. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Oxford University Press, 1974.Gibson, Shimon, and Joan E. Taylor. Beneath the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem: The Archaeology and Early History of Traditional Golgotha. Palestine Exploration Fund, 1994.Ousterhout, Robert. “Architecture as Relic and the Construction of Sanctity: The Stones of the Holy Sepulchre.” Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians, vol. 62, no. 1, 2003, pp. 4–23.Krautheimer, Richard. Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture. Yale University Press, 1986.Grabar, André. Martyrium: Recherches sur le culte des reliques et l'art chrétien antique. Collège de France, 1946.Jensen, Robin M. Understanding Early Christian Art. Routledge, 2000.Jensen, Robin M. Baptismal Imagery in Early Christianity: Ritual, Visual, and Theological Dimensions. Baker Academic, 2012.Webb, Matilda. The Churches and Catacombs of Early Christian Rome: A Comprehensive Guide. Sussex Academic Press, 2001.Bowes, Kim. Private Worship, Public Values, and Religious Change in Late Antiquity. Cambridge University Press, 2008.MacCormack, Sabine. Art and Ceremony in Late Antiquity. University of California Press, 1981.Bradshaw, Paul F. The Search for the Origins of Christian Worship: Sources and Methods for the Study of Early Liturgy. Oxford University Press, 2002.Bradshaw, Paul F., and Maxwell E. Johnson. The Origins of Feasts, Fasts and Seasons in Early Christianity. Liturgical Press, 2011.Taft, Robert F. The Liturgy of the Hours in East and West: The Origins of the Divine Office and Its Meaning for Today. Liturgical Press, 1986.Mango, Cyril. Byzantine Architecture. Electa/Rizzoli, 1976.Ousterhout, Robert. Eastern Medieval Architecture: The Building Traditions of Byzantium and Neighboring Lands. Oxford University Press, 2019.Useful Primary and Late Antique SourcesEgeria. Itinerarium Egeriae, also known as The Pilgrimage of Egeria. Essential for Holy Land pilgrimage, Jerusalem liturgy, Good Friday veneration of the Cross, and the relationship between Scripture, ritual, and place.Cyril of Jerusalem. Catechetical Lectures. Useful for fourth-century Jerusalem, initiation, baptismal theology, and the sacred environment of late antique Christian teaching.Jerome. Letters. Useful for pilgrimage, sacred geography, ascetic networks, and Christian devotion to the Holy Land.Paulinus of Nola. Letters and Poems. Useful for relic devotion, saintly patronage, shrine culture, and the cult of Felix at Nola.Augustine. City of God. Useful for Christian interpretations of paganism, sacred history, relic miracles, and the theology of the heavenly and earthly cities.Augustine. Sermons. Useful for martyr feasts, relic devotion, Christian memory, and the pastoral handling of saint veneration.Theodoret of Cyrrhus. The Cure of Pagan Maladies. Useful for late antique Christian arguments against paganism and for understanding the Christian replacement of older sacred forms.Gregory of Nyssa. Life of Macrina and related writings. Useful for Christian death, sanctity, holy bodies, and late antique attitudes toward ascetic holiness.Also want to remind people about the website, if you're into reading we have tons of information by multiple contributors, and we got t-shirts up on the site if you're interested. Fun fact, the art is all based on the eyeball. 

Step into a raw, tender, and profoundly moving conversation with Wayne Barkus, men's empowerment facilitator, men's coach, founder of SVRN1 Menswear, and teacher of initiatory experiences dedicated to helping men transform their lives, on this episode of Intimate Conversations: Dark Night to Divine Light. Wayne's work lives at the intersection of emotional mastery, relational strength, masculine initiation, and community, creating spaces where men can stop performing, reconnect with themselves, and begin becoming the men they know they are capable of being. Wayne vulnerably shares the series of dark nights that cracked him open. A marriage that had been quietly collapsing. A body screaming from decades of inflammation and self-neglect. And then the moment it all gave way. Sitting on the couch of his half-million-dollar home, surrounded by the appearance of a perfect life, he asked himself a question that changed everything: Who am I without all of this? What he found beneath the surface was not who he wanted to be. And standing on the edge of becoming a single father to a four-year-old and a one-year-old, he knew he had no choice but to discover who he could become. That descent became the beginning of a hero's journey. From joining his first men's group and witnessing what sovereign, embodied men actually looked like, to building his own men's circles from three guys in a room to forty, to holding initiatory experiences across North America, Wayne's path is a living testament to what becomes possible when a man stops toughing it out alone and steps into community. We also explore the tender story of a Good Friday parking lot, where grief cracked Wayne open in front of his daughters, and how that moment of surrender deepened their bond in ways years of holding it together never could. He also shares how his partner's own embodiment journey, her altar, her boundaries, and her becoming became the quiet permission slip that first showed him what healing could look like. We also talk about: The initiatory descent every man will face and how to navigate it Why men are incredibly sensitive and what happens when that sensitivity finally opens Isolation, shame, and the invisible epidemic of men suffering alone How feminine embodiment can become a catalyst for masculine awakening The power of one meditation session to crack open decades of emotional suppression Tracking cycles, practicing curiosity, and navigating conflict in conscious partnership Grief as one of the richest and most transformative emotions available to men The tribal practice of singing a man's song when he forgets who he is Why programs can help, but community is essential to lasting transformation Divorced fatherhood, presence, and the gift of being an imprint of love Wayne's eight-week initiation program and the cohort that continues the journey What it means to excavate before rebuilding Why men often already know who they want to become, but need the right space to remember This episode is a reminder that healing is not a destination. It is a practice, a process, and most powerfully, a shared one. Wayne's work calls men back from isolation and into the kind of community where truth can be spoken, grief can be held, and the song of who they truly are can finally be sung back to them. ABOUT WAYNE BARKUS Wayne Barkus is a Men's empowerment facilitator, founder of SVRN1 Menswear, and teacher of Initiatory experiences dedicated to helping Men transform their lives. Through men's work, coaching, community, and initiatory experiences, Wayne creates spaces for men to reconnect with their truth, deepen their relationships, and step into greater sovereignty. CONNECT WITH WAYNE Website: www.waynebarkus.com Instagram: @asacredking Free Gift: The SVRN1 Morning Blueprint Go deeper with me inside The Intimate World. patreon.com/AllanaPratt #TheIntimateWorld ——————————————————————————————————————————

Because sometimes the “good” days come with a little Bad Behavior. In this episode of Bad Behavior, we get into the stories, and moments that make Friday feel anything but ordinary. Funny, honest, and unapologetic.

They Were Quick To Do Good | Friday Sermon by Bilal Elsakka

What happens when we stop thinking of art as something created in isolation and start seeing it as a way to build community, nurture hope, and create change?In this episode of Holy Shenanigans, recorded live at Wild Goose Festival 2026, Tara talks with artist and creative visionary Sarah Skinner, Lumen Solis at Instagram, about the transformative power of art. She shares the story of the Witnessing Wall, a collaborative art project that grew from grief and resistance into a living expression of connection, hope, and beloved community.Together, Tara and Lumen explore what happens when we let go of control, invite others into the creative process, and allow our art—and ourselves—to ripple out into the world. They talk about creativity as a spiritual and even liturgical practice, the courage to face difficult realities, and the unexpected ways community can catch us when life gets hard.And, of course, there are a few holy shenanigans along the way—including a goose with wings and bells.You don't have to think of yourself as an artist to join this conversation. You simply have to be willing to make something beautiful, share your gifts, and discover what happens when creativity calls us back into community.Blessed Are the Burned-OutApr 7, 2025Written By Sarah SkinnerBefore the palms, before the cross, before the sunrise—this is for you.For the hands tending Sacred Refuge,for those who feel they must be more than human—this is your invitation to pause.To remember that you are holy.That you are human.That you are held.In my work in ministry,I have walked alongside hundreds of pastors and church workers.And I know:You are tired.This blessing is one small offering in return—a moment of restoration in the Holy Currency of Wellness.A reminder that you, too, are part of the ecosystem of grace.Let me take your hands, and place this blessing in them.Blessed are the burned-out,the ones with sermon notes in the margins of bulletins,who haven't sat through a full worship service in yearsbecause they're always making it happen for someone else.Blessed are the ones who stayed late to fold bulletins,to run through sound checks, to clean up candle wax—so someone else could experience sacredness.Blessed are the ones who can't cry during the Good Friday servicebecause they know they have to lead the Easter one.Blessed are the cracked-voiced singers,the undercaffeinated liturgists,the ones whose hearts are full of beautyand whose bodies are just so tired.Blessed are the pastors who write resurrection sermonswhile quietly grieving the loss no one else knows they're carrying.Blessed are the ones who bring communion to others,not remembering the last time someone blessed them with bread.Blessed are you—in your imperfection, your overwhelm, your quiet ache.You are not failing.You are not alone.You are not unseen.You are standing at the edge of something holy.And so—before the week begins,before you take up basin and towel,before you preach the cross and sing the tomb open—Come.Not as leader. Not as shepherd.But simply as you.Breathe.Be held.Let this blessing carry you for once.You do not have to resurrect the world.Just remain. Just be. Just breathe.The presence of the Holy One is already here.You are not the tomb's keeper.You are not the dawn's engine.You are the one the Holy One would sit besidein the garden—before the palms, before the cross, before the sunrise—just to say:“You are enough.Let me hold your hand awhile.”Send Tara a Text MessageSupport the showRev. Tara Lamont Eastman is a pastor, podcaster and host of Holy Shenanigans since September of 2020.  Eastman combines her love of ministry with her love of writing, music and visual arts. She is a graduate of Wartburg Theological Seminary's Theological Education for Emerging Ministry Program and the Youth and Theology Certificate Program at Princeton Seminary. She has served in various ministry and pastoral roles over the last thirty years in the ELCA (Evangelical Lutheran Church in America) and PCUSA (Presbyterian Church of America).  She is the pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Warren Pennsylvania. She has presented workshops on the topics of faith and creativity at the Wild Goose Festival. She is a trainer for Soul Shop Suicide Prevention for Church Communities.

Kuzey İrlanda, Galler ve İskoçya'daki özerk yönetimlerin liderleri dün Londra'daki hükümete bağımsızlık konusunda referandum yapılmasının yolunu açması çağrısında bulundu. Birleşik Krallık Başbakanı Andy Burnham ne yapacak? Ayrılık mümkün mü? Anadolu Ajansı Londra Muhabiri Behlül Çetinkaya ile konuştuk.

DDD Good Friday Appeal has some events coming up in October they are looking for people's help with. If you are able, think about donating!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Bob Schmucker, is an author from Joliet, IL, but he's been in Appalachia long enough we consider him a native. Bob shares the story "A Good Friday I'll Never Forget" from the archives of his memory. Bob is the "head cheese" of 3rd Street Coffeehouse in Roanoke, VA. Learn more about Bob Schmucker: https://tales-that-might-be-true.blogspot.com/Appalachian Vibes Radio Show from WNCW is listener nominated, you can nominate an artist by emailing Amanda at appalachianvibes@gmail.com. Appalachian Vibes Radio Show is created and produced by Amanda Bocchi, a neo soul singer-songwriter, multi instrumentalist and journalist hailing from the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia. 

Full Text of Readings Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross Lectionary: 638 The Saint of the day is Exaltation of the Holy Cross The Story of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross Early in the fourth century, Saint Helena, mother of the Roman Emperor Constantine, went to Jerusalem in search of the holy places of Christ's life. She razed the second-century Temple of Aphrodite, which tradition held was built over the Savior's tomb, and her son built the Basilica of the Holy Sepulcher on that spot. During the excavation, workers found three crosses. Legend has it that the one on which Jesus died was identified when its touch healed a dying woman. The cross immediately became an object of veneration. At a Good Friday celebration in Jerusalem toward the end of the fourth century, according to an eyewitness, the wood was taken out of its silver container and placed on a table together with the inscription Pilate ordered placed above Jesus' head: Then “all the people pass through one by one; all of them bow down, touching the cross and the inscription, first with their foreheads, then with their eyes; and, after kissing the cross, they move on.” To this day, the Eastern Churches, Catholic and Orthodox alike, celebrate the Exaltation of the Holy Cross on the September anniversary of the basilica's dedication. The feast entered the Western calendar in the seventh century after Emperor Heraclius recovered the cross from the Persians, who had carried it off in 614, 15 years earlier. According to the story, the emperor intended to carry the cross back into Jerusalem himself, but was unable to move forward until he took off his imperial garb and became a barefoot pilgrim. Reflection The cross is today the universal image of Christian belief. Countless generations of artists have turned it into a thing of beauty to be carried in procession or worn as jewelry. To the eyes of the first Christians, it had no beauty. It stood outside too many city walls, decorated only with decaying corpses, as a threat to anyone who defied Rome's authority—including Christians who refused sacrifice to Roman gods. Although believers spoke of the cross as the instrument of salvation, it seldom appeared in Christian art unless disguised as an anchor or the Chi-Rho until after Constantine's edict of toleration.Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

This interview first aired on Friday the 11th of September, 2026 on ONE FM 98.5 Shepparton. One FM announcer Josh Revens interviews Paul Durden from the Devenish, Dookie & Districts Good Friday Appeal. They are raising funds for The Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday Appeal. The Sheep & Lamb Drive & the Cattle Auction both scheduled for Tuesday the 13th October 2026. Every dollar raised goes to help the sick kids at the Royal Children's Hospital. To donate or to find out more about the events they are running including the auctions head to https://www.facebook.com/dddgoodfridayappeal Listen to Josh Revens on One FM Friday mornings from 9am - 12am. Contact the station on admin@fm985.com.au or (+613) 58313131 The ONE FM 98.5 Community Radio podcast page operates under the license of Goulburn Valley Community Radio Inc. (ONE FM) Number 1385226/1. PRA AMCOS (Australasian Performing Right Association Limited and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society) that covers Simulcasting and Online content including podcasts with musical content, that we pay every year. This licence number is 1385226/1

At Jesus' Crucifixion and Death, the “Temple Veil” Was Torn; After Jesus Easter Resurrection, You Now Pray Directly with God MESSAGE SUMMARY:  Think about the magnitude of your direct and personal access to God that your prayers give you, through Jesus, if you will only pray. Before Jesus, ordinary people did not have direct access to God, through the Throne Room of God, with a direct personal relationship with God. In Old Testament times, people would come to the priests; and the priest would offer up a sacrifice on behalf of the people. The priests, and not the people, were communing directly with God. On Good Friday and at Jesus death on the cross, the “Temple Veil” was torn from top to bottom (i.e. “Temple Vail” was a large, very thick, and very heavy barrier that divided that portion of the Temple accessible by those wishing to sacrifice for prayer and the “Holy of Holies” where the only the High Priest could meet with God and pray on behalf of the people of God.). At Jesus Resurrection, no longer was an intermediary (e.g., a Priest) required for direct prayer with God by the people in Christ (i.e. Jesus Followers).  Because Jesus created a New Covenant relationship with His followers, now your prayers are in direct communion with God, the Creator of the Universe. Everyone, who is in Christ, may have access to the Throne Room of God in the name of Jesus. What a privilege this direct access to God is for those who are in Christ. The author of Hebrews, in Hebrews 4:16, tells Jesus Followers that, because of the Gospel, you have direct access to God's “throne of Grace” for your needs: “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.".   TODAY'S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM A CHILD OF GOD. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. John 1:12f SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Philippians 4:1-13; John 15:9-10; Revelation 4:1-2; Psalms 69c:25-36. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Is What You “SAY” About Your Priorities In Alignment with What You “DO”?”, at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/    DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Doubt. The day between Good Friday and Easter Sunday: Saturday. The day of confusion and doubt. That is the day we live most of our lives in - the days in between how we thought things were supposed to turn out and how they really did turn out. Join us as we look at what to do with our own personal "Saturdays!"

We rightly celebrate the birth of Christ at Christmas and the death and resurrection of Christ on Good Friday and Easter. But if that's all we celebrate we're missing half the story. The gospel is not complete until Jesus ascends and the Spirit descends. The ascension of Christ and the pouring out of the Holy Spirit are not add-ons to the gospel. They are essential to it. More than that, they are essential to understanding our identity as the church, the body of Christ. In this episode of Understanding Acts we look at the two pivotal moments of the ascension and Pentecost and how they set the stage for the rest of Acts.   

The Lord's DaySeries: Divine RestScripture: Luke 23:50–24:12 (Common English Bible)Preacher: Rev. Sarah Harrison-McQueenWhat if the pauses in our lives are not empty spaces, but an essential part of the story God is writing?In this message from the Divine Rest sermon series, we explore the Sabbath between Good Friday and Easter Sunday—the day when Jesus lay in the tomb, the women waited in grief, and the world seemed to stand still.The sermon begins with a simple illustration from music: a rest is a pause between notes, but that pause is not meaningless. Rests give music its rhythm and meaning. In the same way, the spaces and pauses in our lives can give meaning to what happens around them.Luke's account of Holy Week gives us one of those important pauses. After Jesus' crucifixion, his body is placed in a tomb, and the women return home and rest on the Sabbath according to the commandment. They are living in grief and uncertainty, waiting without knowing what will happen next.The Sabbath gives them permission to pause. They do not have to immediately move past the pain of Good Friday or fill the silence with activity. They simply rest faithfully, even when that rest may feel more like endurance than peace.And then Sunday comes.The women go to the tomb expecting to find death. Instead, they find the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. The resurrection arrives in confusion, wonder, and the startling realization that God is doing something new.The first day of the new week became the Lord's Day for the early Christians—the day when followers of Jesus gathered to celebrate the resurrection and the new creation God had begun.Every Sunday when we gather for worship, we echo that first resurrection morning. We proclaim that the tomb is empty, death is not the final word, and new creation has begun.Sunday worship is more than a weekly habit or another item on the calendar. It is a weekly theological statement. It is a chance to gather as the body of Christ and become a visible sign of God's new creation.John Wesley described gathered worship as one of the means of grace—not because attending worship earns us points with God, but because something happens when the people of Christ gather together. We become a glimpse of God's kingdom and a sign of what God is doing in the world.But we can become so accustomed to Sunday worship that we forget how remarkable it is. We can arrive exhausted or distracted, already thinking about everything that comes after worship. The rhythm of rest creates space for us to notice what God is doing.Just as the women went to the tomb expecting death but encountered life, we are invited to come to worship with a sense of anticipation and wonder:What is God doing today?As we continue through Divine Rest, we are invited to consider the holy pauses in our own lives—the places where waiting, rest, and stillness may not feel productive, but may be creating space for us to notice God's presence and receive the new life God is bringing.Reflection Questions:• The women rested faithfully on the Sabbath, even though that day was saturated with grief and uncertainty. Have you ever had to be faithful through a season of waiting when obedience felt more like endurance than peace? What did you learn from it?• The sermon described Sunday worship as a weekly theological statement: the tomb is empty, death is not the final word, and new creation has begun. Does that description match how you actually experience Sunday morning? What would need to change if it doesn't?• If the rests in a piece of music are what give the notes their meaning, where in your own life do you see the opportunity for rests to add meaning to your life? Support the show

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260831fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: Matthew 16:21-26 Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Matthew 16:24 The Weight Is Worth It In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. What is the heaviest thing you have ever carried? Was it a gallon of milk because you insisted on pouring it yourself into your cereal? Was it your backpack as you got older and started getting more homework? Was it dumbbells as you started training for a sport? Let me ask one more question: Was it worth it? No matter what the object was, was there a good reason to carry something so heavy? Jesus tells us that following him sometimes means carrying something heavy—and that following him is always worth it. He calls that heavy burden a “cross.” When we think of Jesus and a cross, we probably think of how he died on a cross on Good Friday. And we should! In fact, Jesus wanted his disciples to think about that, too. He predicted his death when he said in our reading that he needed to go to Jerusalem to “suffer many things” and to “be killed.” One of the things Jesus suffered on Good Friday was carrying his own cross to Mount Calvary. But Jesus knew that all of his suffering would be worth it. He knew that “on the third day” he would “be raised to life.” On Easter Sunday, he rose from the dead, and he still lives! Because Jesus suffered and died in your place, your sins are forgiven. Because he rose, you will live forever with him. Even when you face death, your heart can be at peace. Jesus willingly carried his cross because he loves you and wanted to save you. And now Jesus tells us to take up our crosses and follow him. You can't weigh these crosses like a gallon of milk, a backpack, or dumbbells. But they can still feel heavy. That's because a Christian's cross is something painful or difficult that comes from following Jesus. Sometimes it's the struggle to say no to sin. Sometimes it's being made fun of because of our faith. Sometimes it's feeling like you're missing out because other people are doing something that God says is wrong. Carrying a cross does not earn us a place in heaven. Jesus already did everything necessary to save us. But because Jesus saved us, we follow him—even when following him is hard. And we never carry our crosses alone. The same Jesus who carried his cross for us walks beside us, strengthens us, and promises to bring us safely home. Some burdens feel heavy. But Jesus is worth following. He carried the weight that saved us, and he will help us carry every cross along the way. The weight is worth it because Jesus is worth it. Prayer: Dear Jesus, because you carried your cross for us and in our place, give our souls courage and strength to pick up our crosses each day and follow you. Give us confidence that you will lead us to eternal life. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children What are some things that are heavy to carry? Jesus carried his cross because he loves you. How does it make you feel to know that Jesus loves you that much? Questions for Elementary Age Children What is a “cross” that someone your age might carry because he or she follows Jesus? What can you remember about Jesus when following him feels difficult? Questions for Middle School and Above Why didn't Peter want Jesus to suffer and die? Why was Jesus' cross necessary for our salvation? Jesus asked, “What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?” What might someone your age be tempted to gain by turning away from Jesus—and why would it never be worth the cost? Download Family Devotions Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

John 18:31 So Pilate said to them, "Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law." The Jews said to him, "We are not permitted to put anyone to death," Pilate's statement here represents a change in what was arranged the night before between Caiaphas and Pilate. On Thursday night Pilate was all in with the plan to execute Jesus under Roman law. Then he got his wife's, Claudia's, message about her dream, warning him to have nothing to do with this righteous man. You can see that's exactly what Pilate was trying to do. He was trying to put it back on them. "Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law." They probably had the same conversation the night before. The Romans were needed in order to get rid of Jesus once and for all. Jewish law did not permit them to execute Jesus for anything He had done. Sometimes we know something doesn't feel right. There's a nagging pang deep within telling us, “Don't do it.” “Don't say it.” Deep down we know we should put on the brakes and turn around. Go another way. But we don't. That's where Pilate was that Good Friday morning. I hope we can pause today and remind ourselves to seek the Lord's mercy and forgiveness for times we ignored His gracious warnings and purpose going forward that we will stop and turn away from temptation. It's loving Jesus with our whole hearts. Acknowledgment: Music from “Carried by the Father” by Eric Terlizzi. www.ericterlizzi.com

For nearly 25 years, Leonard Louviere has been one of the most familiar faces in Lafayette's restaurant community, serving as general manager and an investor in Zea Rotisserie & Bar. But Leonard's story in hospitality began long before Zea opened its doors in Lafayette. In this episode of Discover Lafayette, Leonard joins Jan Swift to share his journey from working in restaurants, bars and hotels while attending USL, to spending 15 years overseeing food and beverage operations at the Cajundome, and ultimately taking a leap of faith that would shape the next chapter of his life. This is a special edition of Discover Lafayette in partnership with Lafayette Travel and Eat Lafayette. We thank them for their support! “I ended up loving working in restaurants,” Leonard recalled of his college years. “The people I worked with, we worked hard. We were paying our way through everything, including school, and it was always in me to do that.” From the Cajundome to Zea After graduating from USL, Leonard briefly went into construction, building a few spec houses, but he knew food and beverage was where he belonged. The newly built Cajundome offered that opportunity. Leonard initially applied for an assistant food and beverage position and was invited to work one night as something of an audition. Several people were being considered. By the end of the week, management told him, “Nobody worked like you. We want you to come and do this.” That one-night opportunity turned into a 15-year career at the Cajundome, where Leonard eventually became food and beverage director. His next chapter began at a restaurant industry show in Chicago, where Bryan McLain, owner of Louisiana Market, introduced Leonard to the men behind the Taste Buds: Gary Darling, Greg Reggio and Hans Limburg. The longtime friends and business partners had created Semolina and were developing a newer concept, Zea. McLain had a Lafayette building. The Taste Buds had the restaurant concept. Leonard had deep roots in Lafayette, restaurant experience, and the desire to invest and work. Within about a week, they decided to make it happen. Leonard didn’t just take a management position. He invested his life savings in the Lafayette restaurant. “I was scared,” he admits. But nearly 25 years later, that leap of faith has more than paid off. The “Magic” of the Zea Menu So how does Leonard describe Zea’s food? It isn’t easily placed into one category. The menu reflects influences from around the world, but Leonard says there are Southern flavors and seasonings woven throughout, whether it’s the Thai ribs, Asian almond shrimp or corn grits. And four dishes stand above the rest. “The magic. It's Thai ribs, corn grits, Asian almond shrimp, spinach salad.” “We can’t make recipes that incredible again,” Leonard says. “We’ll never lose those four.” Consistency is critical to Zea’s success. Recipes are followed precisely, from the ingredients and proportions in the spinach salad to the preparation of every entrée. Kitchen employees are trained to meet exact specifications because a guest should receive the same dish each time they visit. Interestingly, Leonard readily admits that he doesn’t cook. What he does know how to do is hire people who are better than he is at what they do. He points to longtime kitchen manager Heath Lemoine, who has been with him for 24 years, and a management team whose members have worked together for more than two decades. “I hire people better than me,” Leonard says. “It is the reason I have succeeded.” Building a Culture Where People Stay Long-term employees can be unusual in the restaurant industry, but at Zea Lafayette, Leonard’s management team has remained remarkably stable. “We truly do love each other, without a doubt,” he says. That doesn’t mean a busy restaurant isn’t intense. It is. But Leonard draws a clear distinction between the urgency surrounding food and service and the way employees treat one another. Respect remains paramount. When hiring, Leonard says character and personality often matter more than experience. “You have to be a nice person. You have to want to deal with the public.” Employees need a sense of urgency, an understanding of teamwork, and a genuine desire to serve others. When something goes wrong with a guest, Leonard doesn’t want employees explaining or making excuses. He wants them asking a simple question: “How can I fix this?” Leonard believes everyone would benefit from working as a restaurant server for six months. Why? Because serving teaches you how demanding it can be to work with the public, how to put someone else’s needs first, and what hospitality really means. “I’m a servant. I invested my life savings, I’ve done well, but that’s all I am. I serve people. That’s it.” A Long-Awaited Transformation For nearly a decade, Leonard pushed his partners to make a major investment in the Lafayette Zea. He wanted a larger, more functional bar and a restaurant that felt fresh, comfortable and exciting. Eventually, his partners agreed, and architect Kirby Pécot helped create the dramatic renovation and expansion that guests see today. The bar was moved to the front and greatly expanded, additional seating and private dining areas were created, and acoustic panels were installed to reduce noise and make conversation easier. Leonard says the multimillion-dollar investment has delivered exactly what he believed it would: sales have increased by approximately 25 percent since the expansion. The Lafayette restaurant now employs about 150 people, up from approximately 95 before the expansion, and receives roughly 70 employment applications each week. The expansion also gives Zea more flexibility for gatherings and private events. Leonard says the restaurant has spaces capable of accommodating everything from small groups of 12 to larger events of 50 or 60 people. Creating Good Employees What is the most difficult part of running a restaurant today? Leonard didn’t say finding employees. He said, “Helping employees develop self-esteem.” His goal is to help people become proud of their work, recognize their own value and learn to do the right thing even when no one is watching. “Our one and only job is to create self-esteem for our employees.” Leonard uses a simple example in employee orientation. If he walks through the parking lot at midnight and sees trash, he picks it up because it will still be there tomorrow if he doesn’t. “Do the right thing even when no one is looking,” he tells his team. He encourages employees to learn additional positions, work harder and become more valuable so they can advance to shift leader, part-time manager and beyond. It is a philosophy that turns the conventional restaurant-industry complaint about finding good employees on its head. Leonard is focused on creating good employees by giving them an environment in which they can grow. Hospitality Extends Beyond the Restaurant Leonard’s commitment to serving others doesn’t end when he leaves Zea. For approximately 24 years, he has supported Hospice of Acadiana, including hosting a Good Friday crawfish boil at his home that most recently drew about 225 people and raised approximately $8,000 for Hospice. He also volunteers each Tuesday in Hospice of Acadiana’s Food with Love kitchen, working alongside Kent Zeringue and other volunteers to prepare approximately 750 meals for hospice patients. Delivery volunteers then bring those meals directly to patients. “I like to gather people together and do things,” Leonard says. That is true in his personal life as well. He loves entertaining at his home, eating out at local restaurants, listening to live music, dancing and especially zydeco. “I love a good zydeco band and I love a place to go and dance, without a doubt.” His love for gathering people together may be the thread connecting everything Leonard Louviere does, from his backyard to his volunteer work to a bustling dining room at Zea. “You Have to Love Every Aspect of It” For anyone dreaming of opening a restaurant, Leonard offers a dose of reality. Loving to cook isn’t enough. “You have to love every aspect of it,” he says. That means schedules, employees, long nights, teamwork, criticism, financial pressures and the intense first months of a new restaurant. Adequate capital is essential, as is experience actually working in hospitality. Most importantly, Leonard says, you need a team. “You have to hire people better than you that can do a lot of things because you can’t do it all.” After decades in the hospitality business, Leonard Louvierre still works nights and weekends, still eats Zea’s food, still walks the dining room checking on guests, and still sees himself first and foremost as someone there to serve. (Photo by Robin May.) And perhaps that explains why Zea has become more than simply a successful Lafayette restaurant. Under Leonard’s leadership, it has become a gathering place where generations of Acadiana families return, employees build careers, and hospitality is rooted in something remarkably simple: “Be kind. Treat people with respect. Do the right thing when no one is looking. And take care of the people who walk through your door.” For more information and to order their delicious food, visit https://zearestaurants.com/location/lafayette/.

It's Tuesday, August 25th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Kevin Swanson and Timothy Reed Indonesian pastor sentenced for citing Mohammed's polygamy An Indonesian pastor has been sentenced to two years in prison for pointing out Mohammad's polygamy. At the time of his death, the founder of Islam had nine wives. Dedi Saputra was falsely accused of “hostility, hatred or incitement” with a “potential of causing unrest.”  Like Dedi, the Apostle Paul ran into troubles along the way as well.  In Acts 17:4-5, Luke writes, “And some of them [in Thessalonica] were persuaded; and a great multitude of the devout Greeks, and not a few of the leading women, joined Paul and Silas. “But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar.”     Surrogate mother speaks up for choosing life Baby Gabriel, the child in the middle of a massive rent-a-womb controversy, has survived his first heart surgery since being born two weeks ago. The child's surrogate mother, McKenna West, refused to abort him despite being sued by his biological parents, Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed. However, Baby Gabriel is now in the custody of the very parents who sought to have him killed!  In the New York Post, Miss West wrote, “No woman should be forced to kill the baby inside her. Most importantly, every child deserves a chance to live. As a cardiac nurse, I knew this little one had a great shot at survival if given the opportunity to receive the necessary treatment. “After I communicated to the contracting couple that I could not end this baby's life, their lawyer, and my own former lawyer, sent me letters threatening six-figure penalties if I didn't comply with their demand to terminate. The contracting couple cut off my payments, and I covered the rest of the pregnancy expenses myself.” Here's what Miss West told Lila Rose in the Live Action podcast.  WEST: “A diagnosis does not automatically mean that there is no hope or that somebody cannot live. But I knew that this baby boy that I was carrying, that I was feeling move, that he deserved that chance.” Listen to this word for our day from Exodus 22:22-24. “You shall not afflict any widow or fatherless child.  If you afflict them in any way, and they cry at all to Me, I will surely hear their cry; and My wrath will become hot, and I will kill you with the sword; your wives shall be widows, and your children fatherless.” America and Canada at a stalemate in trade war The United States and Canada are in another trade war. The White House has announced that the U.S. will impose 50% tariffs on certain Canadian products like vehicles and steel imports. And now, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada will “hit back.”  Here's what Carney said in a press conference on Saturday: “You're at war when you're attacked, and we got attacked.” He added this. CARNEY: “We cannot accept what they've offered and we will not give what they've asked.”  (Read the transcript of Carney's remarks) Trump added this on Truth Social on Sunday: “Canada wants the benefits of being a State, without being one!!! They have also charged our great farmers, for many years, massive amounts of tariffs. No more!!!” United States to buy back its own bonds to lower inflation U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced that the federal government will be buying back its own bonds in an effort to rein in inflation and reduce the interest on the bonds, reports CNBC. That means that the government will use its $1 trillion checking account -- which happens to be borrowed money to begin with -- to buy its long-term bonds, in an artificial attempt to reduce interest rates. U.S. debt topped $40 trillion The United States federal debt topped $40 trillion last week, reports CBS News. (Check out the eye-opening website www.USDebtClock.org) The market responded. According to Fortune Magazine, gold is back up to $4,650 an ounce and silver is scraping $70 an ounce. Condo prices sinking Condo prices are sinking like a rock in 33 major city markets including in Florida, California, Texas, Colorado, and Washington state.  Wolf Street estimates a 29% average drop since the 2022 peak. Add inflation into that and that's a 38% drop in condominium prices. Condo prices can signal housing stress before the rest of the market collapses.  Divorce rate up for those over 55 U.S. divorce rates are way up for people older than 55 years of age. In fact, they've doubled since 1990. And,  among those over 65, the divorce rate has increase five-fold since 1990.   A recent Bowling Green University study found that the 50+ crowd now accounts for nearly 40% of all people getting divorced. That was only 8% in 1990. 2032 is Social security depletion date The Social Security depletion date has moved up another three months, now targeted for 2032. The ratio of workers paying into Social Security per retiree has plummeted from more than 5-to-1 in 1960 to 2.9-to-1 today. Mel Gibson to release Resurrection movies in 2027 Film producer and director Mel Gibson is wrapping up a 10-year project — a production of the sequel for The Passion of the Christ. The project is slated to be released as a two-part series on the Resurrection sometime in March and May next year — Good Friday and Ascension Day on the Christian calendar. The films were shot in Rome. Spiderman: Brand New Day misuses God's name 16 times And finally, the blockbuster film, Spiderman: Brand New Day, is #1 at the box office for its fourth week -- now at $2.2 billion worldwide. That's a record for the franchise. But Focus on the Family's PluggedIn.com and Ted Baehr's MovieGuide.org both warn of foul language, the single most concerning drawback for families. God's name and Jesus' name are misused a total of 16 times in the movie.  Exodus 20:7 says, “You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Tuesday, August 25th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ. Extra Print Water systems, connected to internet, vulnerable to hackers. Water systems connected to the internet are vulnerable, as systems in many states across the country have been hacked, according to the FBI and Environmental Protection Agency.  CBS News reported that some water systems lost pressure, while others lost their remote-control capabilities. According to officials, no drinking water has been directly affected. Water hackers have been linked to Iran and China.

This weekend, we're revisiting the foundational concept of the "gospel" tomove beyond a limited understanding and embrace it as the life-alteringannouncement that "Jesus is Lord"—a reality that calls us to rearrange ourentire lives around His kingdom and teachings.Join us next weekend at The Branch Church and invite your friends and family!Find out what's going on at The Branch here: https://thebranch.org/eventsTo support this ministry, click here — https://rb.gy/rc53uxDownload Our App – http://thebranch.org/appCheck In — https://rb.gy/htq0qySermon Notes —https://notes.subsplash.com/fill-in/view?page=Hy8NwPiLfxSermon-Based Bible Study — https://thebranch.org/studyRequest Prayer — http://thebranch.org/prayerLike and SUBSCRIBE on YouTube — https://rb.gy/atpff4Like and Follow on Vimeo — https://rebrand.ly/d1ibt93Website — https://thebranch.org/Facebook — https://rb.gy/m4vhz6Instagram — https://rb.gy/p8g1blTwitter — https://rb.gy/xiwg68YouTube — https://rb.gy/icv7x2

This weekend, we're revisiting the foundational concept of the "gospel" tomove beyond a limited understanding and embrace it as the life-alteringannouncement that "Jesus is Lord"—a reality that calls us to rearrange ourentire lives around His kingdom and teachings.Join us next weekend at The Branch Church and invite your friends and family!Find out what's going on at The Branch here: https://thebranch.org/eventsTo support this ministry, click here — https://rb.gy/rc53uxDownload Our App – http://thebranch.org/appCheck In — https://rb.gy/htq0qySermon Notes —https://notes.subsplash.com/fill-in/view?page=Hy8NwPiLfxSermon-Based Bible Study — https://thebranch.org/studyRequest Prayer — http://thebranch.org/prayerLike and SUBSCRIBE on YouTube — https://rb.gy/atpff4Like and Follow on Vimeo — https://rebrand.ly/d1ibt93Website — https://thebranch.org/Facebook — https://rb.gy/m4vhz6Instagram — https://rb.gy/p8g1blTwitter — https://rb.gy/xiwg68YouTube — https://rb.gy/icv7x2

"Stop Living Like You're Running Out" Pastor Rhonda Davis Subtitle: No Scarcity in the Father's House I. Defining the Scarcity Mindset The World's Definition of Scarcity: Scarcity occurs when demand outpaces available resources, creating shortages, panic, and cutthroat competition. The Herd Mentality & Modern Panics: Pastor Rhonda illustrated scarcity using two real-world examples: The 2020 Toilet Paper Panic: How uncertainty and herd mentality caused citizens to clear store shelves out of irrational fear during the pandemic. The November 28, 2008, Black Friday Tragedy: A Long Island, New York Walmart where a worker was tragically trampled to death by a crowd driven by the panic of missing out on limited electronics. Even after announcements declared a death in the store, shoppers kept shopping. Black Friday vs. Good Friday: The world operates on a "Black Friday" mentality—driven by insufficient supply where one must fight, push, and kick to get theirs. Believers, however, live in a "Good Friday" reality. A decree has gone across the Earth that a Man died for us, paying the full price, so we no longer need to desperately "shop the aisles of the world." Four Pillar Truths of Divine Abundance Pastor Rhonda outlined four foundational pillars showing why scarcity has no place in the life of a believer: 1. You Are Chosen Before the Earth Was Formed: According to Ephesians 1:4-5, God loved us and chose us to be holy and blameless before the creation of the world. Adopting us into His family gave Him great pleasure. Sonship Over Scarcity: A scarcity mindset makes you tightly grasp what is in your own hand; a sonship mindset teaches you to rest in and trust what is in your Father's hand. 2. You Are Accepted Accepted in the Beloved: Citing Ephesians 1:6, believers are fully accepted in Christ. Human acceptance is fickle, but divine approval is settled. Antidote to Insecurity: Accepting at the core of our being that we are chosen by God is the divine antidote for insecurity, neurotic fear, and the exhausting drive for human validation. Personal White House Testimony: Pastor Rhonda shared about her recent invitation to the Eisenhower Executive Office Building at the White House for a Women of Faith briefing. Despite initial thoughts of insecurity ("Who am I to be here?"), she covered her mind in prayer, walked in as a daughter of the Most High God, and experienced divine favor, connections, and peace without needing to jockey for position or prove herself. 3. You Are Redeemed The Redeemer's Business: Redemption (Jehovah Goel) means to buy back, pay a ransom, restore, and atone for mistakes. God specializes in cleaning up what humans mess up. The Expiration Date on Trials: Citing Isaiah 43:1-2 and Jeremiah 29:11, Pastor Rhonda declared that whatever hard situation a believer is facing does not have the right to own them. In God's economy, every trial and season of suffering has an expiration date. Kairos Time vs. Kronos Time: Humans live in linear time (Kronos), but God operates in appointed, strategic time (Kairos). God can accelerate restoration and make up for years of lost ground in a matter of days. 4. You Are Adopted From Chains to the Table: Citing John 1:12-13 and Romans 8, adoption gives us the Father's name, a seat at His table, and joint-heir status with Christ. Redemption breaks the chains, but adoption brings us into the family. The Story of Josiah Brian Giles: To illustrate adoption and restoration, Pastor Rhonda shared the powerful story of her nephew, Josiah: In 1996, her brother Brian visited Romania and was moved by an infant named John Christmas, who was rocking himself in an orphanage bed. Brian adopted him, changed his legal name to Josiah Brian Giles ("Josiah" meaning God will heal/support), and brought him home to Tennessee. Despite being adopted into a loving family, life brought complicated turns, including a parental divorce and years of separation from the family. Father's Day & Deathbed Restoration: After years of silence, an 18-year-old Josiah unexpectedly walked back into the family homestead on Father's Day. Years later, on August 13, 2025, as Pastor Rhonda's father lay unconscious in hospice, Josiah entered the room. For two hours, aunt and nephew sat together, poured out their hearts, cried, laughed, and reconciled. Shortly after Josiah kissed his grandfather goodbye and declared he would see him in eternity, their father passed peacefully into heaven. Full Restoration: Pastor Rhonda presented a photo of all the grandchildren restored together at her father's gravesite—a living picture of how God restores lost prodigals and completes family stories. Scripture Index Here are the primary scriptures read, cited, or expounded upon during the service: Galatians 4:4-5 > "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." 2 Corinthians 9:8 > "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work." Ephesians 1:4-6 > "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world... Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself... To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved." Isaiah 47:4 > "As for our redeemer, the Lord of hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel." Isaiah 44:6 > "Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God." Isaiah 43:1-2 > "But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee..." Jeremiah 29:11 > "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end." Jeremiah 50:34 > "Their Redeemer is strong; the Lord of hosts is his name: he shall thoroughly plead their cause..." John 1:14 > "And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth." Matthew 20:28 > "Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many."   1 Peter 1:18-19 > "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold... But with the precious blood of Christ..."   John 1:12-13 > "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."   1 John 3:1 > "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God..."   "Thanks for listening! For more information, visit churchoftheharvest.com. Don't forget to follow us on Facebook and YouTube @cothcleveland.

Good Friday Sermon; April 3, 2026; Robert Gardner

*Original Airdate: April '25 Upgrade to the Ad Free Premium Podcast Experience - https://rachelhollis.supercast.com Get your copy of Rachel's Book Here: Audible, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Millon, Bookshop.org, or wherever books are sold! To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices In this throwback episode of The Rachel Hollis Podcast, Rachel shares the foods she always keeps in her kitchen to make healthy eating easier and more consistent for herself and her family. From fruits, vegetables, nuts, and pantry staples to frozen proteins and smoothie ingredients, she explains how keeping familiar, nutrient-dense foods on hand removes the guesswork from meals and makes healthier choices more convenient. Rach emphasizes that healthy eating is a learned skill and encourages listeners to find nutritious foods they genuinely enjoy, create reliable go-to meals and snacks, and plan ahead so healthy choices fit naturally into everyday life. *Friday Favorites are a collection of our all-time most popular episodes replayed for the newest members of the community and anyone who wants a relisten. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

At Jesus' Crucifixion and Death, the “Temple Veil” Was Torn; After Jesus Easter Resurrection, You Now Pray Directly with God MESSAGE SUMMARY:  Think about the magnitude of your direct and personal access to God that your prayers give you, through Jesus, if you will only pray. Before Jesus, ordinary people did not have direct access to God, through the Throne Room of God, with a direct personal relationship with God. In Old Testament times, people would come to the priests; and the priest would offer up a sacrifice on behalf of the people. The priests, and not the people, were communing directly with God. On Good Friday and at Jesus death on the cross, the “Temple Veil” was torn from top to bottom (i.e. “Temple Vail” was a large, very thick, and very heavy barrier that divided that portion of the Temple accessible by those wishing to sacrifice for prayer and the “Holy of Holies” where the only the High Priest could meet with God and pray on behalf of the people of God.). At Jesus Resurrection, no longer was an intermediary (e.g., a Priest) required for direct prayer with God by the people in Christ (i.e. Jesus Followers).  Because Jesus created a New Covenant relationship with His followers, now your prayers are in direct communion with God, the Creator of the Universe. Everyone, who is in Christ, may have access to the Throne Room of God in the name of Jesus. What a privilege this direct access to God is for those who are in Christ. The author of Hebrews, in Hebrews 4:16, tells Jesus Followers that, because of the Gospel, you have direct access to God's “throne of Grace” for your needs: “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.".   TODAY'S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! Luke 11:13 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Philippians 4:1-13; John 15:9-10; Revelation 4:1-2; Psalms 69c:25-36. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Stop Making Excuses for Not Following Jesus and Follow Him Without Reservations” at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/    DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Good morning. You're listening to this, so the chances are you're not on holiday. You may be enjoying a staycation and devoted to early-morning radio, even when you don't have to go to work; but for many Brits this is the peak season for getting out of the country, and indulging the luxury of a lie-in, as the summer loosens our usual routines. I really feel for those whose holidaying plans have been disrupted recently by travel companies collapsing into bankruptcy. Holidays are good for us, psychologically and physically; and though it's less often noted, spiritually too. In which context, it's worth remembering those countless other people around the world for whom they are simply an impossibility. The word holiday comes from the Old English and literally means “holy day”; and in a colloquial sense, many of us continue to think of our holidays as something sacred. But the old Christian holy days meant more than just time off work. They included formal worship, processions, pilgrimage. Their moods varied – from fasting and mourning, as on Good Friday, to feasting and celebration, as at Christmas or a saint's day – but they all had a definite religious focus. A world away, in other words, from pina coladas on a sun-drenched beach, the cliché contemporary breakaway that's focused instead on personal pleasure. That said, supposedly secular forms of escapism can sometimes offer spiritual nourishment too. J. R. R. Tolkien made the point that escaping from the immediate demands of your life can take very different forms. Whereas we might deplore the military deserter who abandons the fight he ought to face, Tolkien says, the flight of the person who's been falsely imprisoned might be courageous and good. Reading certain works of fiction can, he thought, offer that positive sort of escapism. So too, it might be argued, can a beautiful walk, an intimate conversation, laughing with friends. Imaginative flights of all sorts grant glimpses of truth and goodness, refreshment for our souls. Andy Burnham has been criticised by some for taking a holiday this week – just six weeks after taking office. But his escape with his family on Monday may well provide him more than leisure, in the sense of doing nothing. His flight from Downing Street might, as Tolkien understood it, offer the kind of freedom that's positively enabling. Whimsically, given that he's Britain's first Catholic prime minister, I like to think he'll spend at least some of his holiday plotting a revival of merry old England's medieval holy days. More seriously, and leaving all party-politics aside, perhaps everyone who loves this country should hope that time relaxing with loved ones will nourish his soul as well as his mind and body. There will surely be work requiring moral leadership awaiting him on his return.

A year ago, Kevin Smith joined us to share how a stranger returning his lost wallet on Good Friday sparked a movement that would connect communities worldwide through the simple but powerful act of kindness. That episode resonated deeply with our audience — and we knew we had to bring him back. In this conversation, we catch up with Kevin to find out what has transpired since we last spoke. How has Kindness Worldwide grown? What unexpected doors has the mission opened? And what has Kevin learned about the ripple effect of compassion over the past year? If you believed in this mission then, you'll be inspired by where it is today. Episode Highlights: 04:29 Award Winning Documentary 08:18 Growth And Tipping Point 09:23 Kindness Week Framework 10:28 ROK Platform Launch 12:06 Defining Kindness Deeper 21:04 Building The Nonprofit 26:00 Empathy Erosion And Hope 31:30 How to Connect with Kevin Smith Show Links:  KindnessWorldwide.org rokindness.org

At Jesus' Crucifixion and Death, the “Temple Veil” Was Torn; After Jesus Easter Resurrection, You Now Pray Directly with God MESSAGE SUMMARY:  Think about the magnitude of your direct and personal access to God that your prayers give you, through Jesus, if you will only pray. Before Jesus, ordinary people did not have direct access to God, through the Throne Room of God, with a direct personal relationship with God. In Old Testament times, people would come to the priests; and the priest would offer up a sacrifice on behalf of the people. The priests, and not the people, were communing directly with God. On Good Friday and at Jesus death on the cross, the “Temple Veil” was torn from top to bottom (i.e. “Temple Vail” was a large, very thick, and very heavy barrier that divided that portion of the Temple accessible by those wishing to sacrifice for prayer and the “Holy of Holies” where the only the High Priest could meet with God and pray on behalf of the people of God.). At Jesus Resurrection, no longer was an intermediary (e.g., a Priest) required for direct prayer with God by the people in Christ (i.e. Jesus Followers).  Because Jesus created a New Covenant relationship with His followers, now your prayers are in direct communion with God, the Creator of the Universe. Everyone, who is in Christ, may have access to the Throne Room of God in the name of Jesus. What a privilege this direct access to God is for those who are in Christ. The author of Hebrews, in Hebrews 4:16, tells Jesus Followers that, because of the Gospel, you have direct access to God's “throne of Grace” for your needs: “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.".   TODAY'S PRAYER: Keeping the Sabbath, Lord, will require a lot of changes in the way I am living life. Teach me, Lord, how to take the next step with this in a way that fits my unique personality and situation. Help me to trust you with all that will remain unfinished and to enjoy my humble place in your very large world. In Jesus' name, amen. Scazzero, Peter. Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day (p. 129). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. TODAY'S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! Luke 11:13 SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Philippians 4:1-13; John 15:9-10; Revelation 4:1-2; Psalms 69c:25-36. A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org. THIS SUNDAY'S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach's Current Sunday Sermon: “Christians in the Church Must Become Christians in the Marketplace of Unbelievers” , at our Website: https://awordfromthelord.org/listen/    DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

In this podcast episode, Victor M. Jackson provides updates concerning his move to Arkansas to complete his doctoral research and degree. He gives a glimpse of some of his research, such as providing language for the aftermath of trauma. Christians have language for Good Friday and Resurrection Sunday, but lack language for the Saturday in between the Cross and the Resurrection. How to find God in the aftermath of trauma? When you are not in the traumatic event, neither are you in victory. Jackson answers this question and points forward to more research and content to come.

You've listened to Neville's words. Now practice living from them. Join Unlock God Mode at unlockgodmode.org and begin a 30-day journey into state, assumption, self-concept, and conscious creation.  ------------------------ Start here: nevillegoddard.com – download Neville Goddard's most powerful book free and receive weekly insights to help you manifest.  ------------------------ NEW PODCAST: Follow the brand new Neville Goddard Podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favourite podcast platform. The Neville Goddard Podcast is dedicated to bringing Neville's timeless ideas into a modern, immersive format you can return to again and again. This is a modern faithful interpretation of Neville Goddard's most powerful teachings. Listen to Episode 1 on Spotify → Listen to Episode 1 on Apple Podcasts →   ---------Neville once said, “Assumption, if persisted in, will harden into fact.” That one truth is enough to change your life. The question is, how do you live from that place, day by day? That's exactly what Unlock God Mode was created to help you do.If you've been waiting for a sign to take Neville's teachings deeper and make them the rhythm of your daily life, this is it. Start your journey now: unlockgodmode.org. ---------Good Friday – Easter (Neville Goddard, 1954 Lecture) ***Download the free Neville Goddard PDF Guide at manifestwithneville.com - Discover the transformative power of Neville Goddard's wisdom with this FREE 60-page guide on his 12 timeless principles of manifestation and reality creation.★ Follow the podcast for daily lectures from the mystic Neville Goddard ★FREE RESOURCES:• Join the FREE Neville Goddard newsletter• Join the FREE Telegram Channel• Feeling is the Secret • Full Audiobook* * *The James Xander Trip Podcast:• Listen on Spotify• Listen on Apple Podcasts• Listen on YouTubeDIVE DEEPER:• The Unlock God Mode Course• The Infinite Wealth Guided Meditation* * *ABOUT NEVILLE GODDARD:Neville Goddard (1905-1972), was an English writer, speaker and mystic. He grew up in Barbados and moved to the United States of America as a young adult. Neville Goddard was perhaps the last century's most intellectually substantive and charismatic purveyor of the philosophy generally called New Thought. He wrote more than ten books under the solitary pen name Neville, and was a popular speaker on metaphysical themes from the late 1930s until his death in 1972.Possessed of a self-educated and uncommonly sharp intellect, Neville espoused a spiritual vision that was bold and total: Everything you see and experience, including other people, is the result of your own thoughts and emotional states. Each of us dreams into existence an infinitude of realities and outcomes. When you realize this, Neville taught, you will discover yourself to be a slumbering branch of the Creator clothed in human form, and at the helm of limitless possibilities.Neville's thought system influenced a wide range of spiritual thinkers and writers, from bestselling author Dr. Joseph Murphy to Rhonda Byrne and Wayne Dyer.He has inspired and continues to inspire millions of readers around the world.* * *SOCIALS:• Neville Goddard Newsletter• Neville Goddard Telegram• Neville Goddard Instagram• Neville Goddard Threads• Neville Goddard Twitter• Neville Goddard YouTube* * *ABOUT THE COURSEUnlock God Mode is a transformative 30-day course designed to accelerate your journey towards greater wealth, love, and success through a deeper understanding and manipulation of your reality.  Comprising of 30 audio lessons, this course unfolds as a self-paced, introspective expedition into reality creation, aiding you in elevating your consciousness to what's referred to as the God Mode. Throughout this journey, practical tools will be provided daily to help enrich your life with more love, money, and success by altering your mental models and perceptions. This course combines theory and hands-on experience to create a unique deep dive into manifestation, consciousness, and reality creation. Join me on an extraordinary, 30-day adventure (1 lesson per day) and watch your reality transform. Begin the Unlock God Mode experience today »* * *Follow Neville Goddard on Telegram, Instagram, Threads, Twitter, and YouTube.★ Join the FREE Neville Goddard newsletter ★» For the Neville Goddard listener: Access the 30-Day Unlock God Mode Program «----------

Send us Fan MailCandlelight, silence, and a question that won't go away: what if getting close to Jesus means getting close to his wounds? We explore Saint Bridget of Sweden, the 14th-century wife, mother, widow, and Catholic mystic whose Heavenly Revelations draw the Church back to the Cross with startling intimacy and hope. Her life shows that sanctity is not reserved for the sheltered or the carefree. It's forged in ordinary responsibilities, real grief, and the daily decision to keep praying. We trace Bridget's journey from noble birth and early visions of the Passion to the upheaval of widowhood, her surrender of status, and her mission in Rome. Along the way, we reflect on why her revelations matter: they don't treat Good Friday as distant history. They invite us to “come and see,” to contemplate Christ's suffering with the empathy of a friend and the faith of a child, and to discover how Marian devotion naturally grows when we stay near Mary at the foot of the Cross. We also dig into the Fifteen Prayers of Saint Bridget, a devotion prayed day by day, wound by wound, training the heart in contrition, perseverance, and love. The conversation turns practical and personal: how to unite our own trials to Jesus, why Christian suffering is never wasted when offered with him, and how Bridget's vision deepens Eucharistic faith by reminding us that Christ's sacrifice is made present at every Mass. If you've been searching for a Catholic prayer practice that's honest about pain and stubborn about hope, this is your invitation. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs courage, and leave a review. What part of the Passion do you find hardest to sit with in prayer?Open by Steve Bailey Support the showJourneys of Faith brings you Super Saints PodcastsChat with US 24/7 Ask us anything https://chatting.page/mjxs9aerrtgm3lmpndlcepmbyosntrjnDownload Journeys of Faith App for Iphone or Android FREE https://journeysoffaith.com/pages/download-our-appPlease consider subscribing to this podcast or making a donation to Journeys of Faith Help us Grow!Journeys of Faith is blessed to provide Catholic media, including podcasts and inspirational content, free of charge across multiple media platforms for viewers and listeners around the world. While access to this content remains free, there are significant and continually increasing costs associated with producing, hosting, and distributing these programs. Your support helps us continue sharing the beauty of the Catholic faith with souls everywhere. We want to reach more souls and you can help us do that by becoming a Mission Angel. Make a Donation Any AmountRefer a FriendYou can help us ...

Friends of the Rosary,Today, July 22, we celebrate the Feast of Saint Mary Magdalene, the Apostle of the Apostles, the first recorded witness to the Resurrection, and announcer of the message of the Resurrection of the Lord, like the other apostles.Mary Magdalene had indeed the honor of being the "prima testis" to the resurrection of the Lord, the first to see the empty tomb and the first to hear the truth of His resurrection. She fulfilled the mandate the Risen Christ gave her: "Go to my brothers and say to them." Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord” — and that he had said these things to her.In this way she became an evangelist, or, as Rabano Mauro and St. Thomas Aquinas said, "apostolorum apostola", as she announces to the apostles what they in turn will announce to all the world.She was from Magdala, a small fishing town on the Sea of Galilee, between Capernaum and Tiberias. She was known to be a "great sinner," a woman of the streets who heard Jesus speak of the mercy and forgiveness of God and changed her life completely.Christ had a special consideration and mercy for this woman, who showed her love for Him with "lacrimas humilitatis", as St. Anselm said.She stood with the Virgin Mary at the foot of the Cross on that brutal Good Friday afternoon and had been by the side of Mary during these difficult hours.Ave Maria!Come, Holy Spirit, come!To Jesus through Mary!Here I am, Lord; I come to do your will.Please give us the grace to respond with joy!+ Mikel Amigot w/ María Blanca | RosaryNetwork.com, New YorkEnhance your faith with the new Holy Rosary University app:Apple iOS | New! Android Google Play• ⁠June 22, 2026, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

A serial killer who kept his victims' heads, a woman held under a waterbed for seven years, and a phantom passenger who vanishes from the back seat — the open road has taken more than its share.EPISODE BLOG PAGE (includes sources): https://weirddarkness.com/HitchhikingHorrorsREAD or DOWNLOAD the full transcript of this episode: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/29xmnbkaFEATURED STORIES IN THIS EPISODE: The open road is a beautiful place where you can make friends that you'd otherwise never meet and have adventures that will change your life. But there are also extreme dangers to traveling with strangers on highways and backroads. No matter how trustworthy or well-intentioned a driver might seem, it's nearly impossible to tell if they are actually a predator or murderer, preying upon innocent hitchhikers. Creepy, true hitchhiker stories can make you think twice before picking up that stranger at the side of the road - or trying to "thumb it" yourself.LISTEN ON PODCAST APPS: Look for this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Amazon Music, Pandora, TuneIn Radio, and other podcast apps. Get a list of free listening apps here: https://weirddarkness.com/wdapps*No AI Voices Are Used In The Narration Of This Podcast*SOURCES and RESOURCES:“The Hitchhiker” original story at the beginning of this episode was written by HoneyBunny00:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p8b53e2“Hitchhiking Horror Stories” by Isadora Teich for Ranker.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/3yj8t3ka, by Jacob Shelton for Ranker.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2s4a2wkz, Eric Redding for ThoughtCatalog.com:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/hk8pn8rf, and from ScaryCarries.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2aead59t“Phantom Hitchhikers” posted at Anomalien.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/y4dxkv7m, Kelly Agan for Medium.com: https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/36wucpzm, Paul Adams for The History Press:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/2p8z538u, and Krystal DeCosta for ScientificAmerican.com:https://weirddarkness.tiny.us/mr29nkpa(Over time links may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2026, Weird Darkness.Originally aired: January, 2021Weird Darkness gathers the true horrors of the open road and the ghosts said to haunt it, moving from real hitchhiker murders across the United States and abroad to the phantom passengers who vanish from the back seat before the ride is over.It opens with the account of a newly married couple driving through a rainstorm who stop for a soaked hitchhiker, drop him at a crossroads, and later break down on a dark stretch of highway, only for the wife to wake to police floodlights and the sight of the same man atop their car with a machete over her husband's dismembered body, an escaped prison inmate cut down by gunfire moments after she runs.From there the show turns to a long run of documented and reported cases. Jacci Ansell-Lamb was last seen hitchhiking from London toward Manchester in May 1970 and found sexually assaulted and strangled with electrical wire outside Knutsford, England, a killing police have linked to serial murderer Peter Tobin though no suspect was ever charged. A German traveler on foot near Timaru, New Zealand had all his belongings stolen by a man in a white Honda in February 2016. Along Australia's outback near the cattle town of Hughenden, as many as twelve hitchhikers including eighteen-year-old Catherine Graham and thirty-two-year-old Tony Jones turned up dead over roughly two decades on a stretch dubbed the Highway of Death, the murders still unsolved. On May 19, 1977, twenty-year-old Colleen Stan was hitchhiking to a friend's birthday in California when Cameron Hooker picked her up and held her as a sex slave for seven years, keeping her in a box beneath his waterbed until his wife helped her escape in 1984 and Hooker drew a 104-year sentence.Next comes the case of Edmund Kemper, the six-foot-nine "Co-ed Killer" born December 18, 1948, who shot his grandmother and grandfather at fifteen, was released from a psychiatric hospital into his mother's care, and between May 1972 and February 1973 picked up hitchhiking female students, killed and decapitated them, and had sex with the corpses before murdering his mother with a claw hammer on Good Friday 1973 and phoning the same local police he drank with to confess. Woven among these are firsthand accounts shared online, among them a driver whose kindness reportedly talked a would-be killer out of his plan, a New Zealand couple who vanished in 1989 near Thames leading to the disputed conviction of David Tamihere, and a backpacker in Austria who fled a trucker's advances barefoot at a gas station.From there the episode moves deeper into unsolved and predatory cases. Between 1972 and 1973 the Santa Rosa Hitchhiker Murders claimed at least seven women in Sonoma County, California, beginning with nineteen-year-old Kim Wendy Allen found bound and strangled in a creek bed on March 5, 1972, and including twelve-year-olds Maureen Sterling and Yvonne Weber, thirteen-year-old Lori Lee Kursa, fourteen-year-old Carolyn Davis, and twenty-three-year-old Theresa Walsh, the case never closed. The segment also gathers the crimes of clown-costumed killer John Wayne Gacy, trucker Keith Hunter Jesperson who dragged one victim beneath his rig, photographer Joseph Naso the "Alphabet Killer," the spree killers Douglas Gretzler and Willie Steelman, and sadistic trucker Ben Rhoades, caught when an Arizona trooper found a shackled woman inside his cab.The episode closes on the phantom hitchhiker, tracing the folk formula of the vanishing passenger before laying out the strongest real-world cases. One belongs to Maria Roux, killed on the N9 near Uniondale, South Africa on Good Friday 1968, whose specter was reported by driver Anton Le Grange in 1976 and motorcyclist Dawie Van Jaarsveld in 1978, her rear door seen opening and closing by a following officer. Another is "Lydia" of Jamestown, North Carolina, the white-gowned figure sighted at a railroad underpass since the 1920s and possibly rooted in the 1920 traffic death of Annie Jackson on the High Point Road. The final account belongs to carpet fitter Roy Fulton of Dunstable, England, who picked up a silent young man on Station Road near Stanbridge on October 12, 1979, turned to offer him a cigarette, and found the seat empty, a story he repeated without change on Arthur C. Clarke's World of Strange Powers in 1985.

Tariffs have been front page news since the 2024 presidential campaign. In February 2025 (and again in April 2025), President Donald Trump issued executive orders levying tariffs that threatened small and large businesses alike. But only one CEO of a small family business stepped forward...with only one major law firm.In this episode, Rick Woldenberg, CEO of Learning Resources, Inc. and Hand2Mind, and his counsel, Pratik Shah, Head of the Supreme Court and Appellate Practice at Akin Gump tell the impossible story of how they overturned the Trump tariffs in less than a year.Woldenberg and Shah met on Good Friday in April 2025 and by Tuesday after Easter weekend, filed a complaint in District Court challenging the tariffs, having never met each other in person. This is a story about how aligning on goals, committing to clear and honest feedback, and being engaged and open to other opinions can be rocket fuel for a successful client relationship (and result).

A Sunday morning sermon by Pastor Brett Deal.Lent always takes us lower than we could ever fathom. On the journey to the cross we are confronted with our own spiritual deformation—how we've exchanged the image of God in our lives for “the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life” (1 John 2.16). The Lenten season is like a pumice stone against the cold and calloused death enveloping our hearts. As we follow Jesus to the cross, our sin and death are laid bare before the Lord, and there on the hill where Jesus died, all our guilt and shame is placed on His shoulders (1 Peter 2.24; Isaiah 53.6). Every year, on Good Friday, as I extinguish the candles on the high altar, I cannot help but cry. There on the cross, Jesus dies my death (1 Peter 3.18; Isaiah 53.5).Yes, Lent takes us lower than we could ever fathom but as we follow Jesus to the cross and through the tomb, Lent also lifts us higher than we could ever imagine! Every year, I am swept up in the marvelous resurrection of our Lord! The One who proclaims to us, “I AM the resurrection and the life” is forever risen and dwells in His absolute glory (John 11.25-26, Hebrews 1.3)! Everything Jesus taught us now takes on newer, fuller, richer vibrancy in His resurrection. Every sign, every wonder, everything Jesus said and did is now seen anew through His resurrection. This year, as we make our way to Jesus' ascension (May 14) and the outpouring of His Holy Spirit (May 24), let's devote ourselves to being re-formed by His resurrection. Let's dedicate time to prayer and fellowship, seeking to be conformed more into His image and transformed more by His Spirit's indwelling work (Romans 8.29; 2 Corinthians 3.18). Let's seek, like His disciples on the way to Pentecost, to see the revelation of God's Word (in Joel and the Psalms) through the lens of our Lord's glorious resurrection (Acts 2.14-41).Beloved, God the Father has promised more for us in the light of Christ's resurrection, but too often we live disempowered lives—lacking real spiritual transformation—because we fail to be reshaped in His resurrection. Today is not too late. Let's make our way together to Pentecost.

What a thought challenging chapter we have today in Matthew. When Jesus asked, “To what shall I compare this generation?” 11 v.16] we can see in his answer close comparisons to most people living today. Jesus said they were “like children sitting in the market places calling to their playmates, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.”There is constant “calling” to one another these days via Facebook, Twitter, etc reporting and commenting on this and that, but so very little, indeed rarely anything of substance. Nearly all dismiss any appreciation of Christmas and Easter! Good Friday is supposed to be a remembrance of the Saviour's death – but do any ‘mourn.'?Jesus said, “Everyone to whom much was given much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.” [Luke 12 v.48] Conversely, to whom little is given, much less is expected so we need to see the point in Jesus' comment in today's chapter in v.23, that “if the mighty works done (by me) had been done in Sodom it would have remained until this day. But I tell you it will be more tolerable in the day of judgement for the land of Sodom than for you.”When God's word was first widely preached and again when it was first printed and widely circulated it had such an impact – it created a great reformation in human thinking and belief. So many acted and lived according to their new found beliefs and convictions of heart. Yes, ‘too whom much is given'! Many responded as they should.The climax in today's chapter is in words, which we see as a prayer of Jesus, “I thank you, Father; Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from (those who think they are) the wise and understanding, and revealed them to little children … no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden … ” [v.25-27]How many who are “heavy laden” in our world look to Jesus to help them journey through the kind of life that now exists? Jesus knows! What kind of person does Jesus choose “to reveal” the Father to – and make known the real meaning of their life? Is it those who sit “in the market place calling … “? Can they be classified as “little children” whom Jesus seeks to have a relationship with – and who come to fully appreciate the wonder of the Father's ultimate purpose in creation?Let us more clearly hear the voice of Jesus saying, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart and you will find rest for your souls.” [v.29] and the “market place” will have little or no meaning or role in our lives. 

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Sermon by The Reverend Christopher McAbee

What took place in the time in between Jesus' death on Good Friday and his resurrection on Easter Sunday? We see how Jesus' disciples loved him and sought to honor him in death. We see the hopelessness and sadness of that Holy Saturday and what God was doing when he seemed so absent. This message was preached by Pastor Erick Cobb on June 21, 2026.

On the evening of April 20, 2000, 23-year-old Sara Cameron left a pub in Newcastle city centre after celebrating with friends. A talented athlete, multilingual student and aspiring sports administrator, Sara was just days away from flying to Australia to begin a dream placement connected to the Sydney Olympic Games. With an exciting international career seemingly within reach, she boarded the last Metro train home towards Whitley Bay, expecting nothing more than a short walk back to her flat. She never arrived.Born in Helsinki to a Finnish mother and British father, Sara had already achieved more than many people do in a lifetime. She had represented Finland in athletics, worked at major international sporting events, spoke five languages, and was studying Sports Management at Northumbria University. Friends described her as intelligent, confident and outgoing, while her family saw a young woman with limitless potential. When her body was discovered less than 100 yards from her front door on Good Friday morning, the murder shocked the North East and left detectives facing one of the most complex investigations in Northumbria Police's history.In this episode of British Murders with Stuart Blues, we examine the murder of Sara Cameron and the four-year hunt to identify her killer. We explore Sara's life, ambitions and connection to the Olympic movement, the events of her final night, the extensive police investigation involving CCTV appeals, witness sightings, one of the region's largest DNA screening operations, and the breakthrough that finally brought her killer to justice. We also look at the lasting impact of Sara's murder on her family and the wider community. This is the story of a remarkable young woman whose future was filled with promise, and the painstaking investigation that ensured she would not be forgotten.Exclusive content:Patreon - Ad Free, Early Access, Exclusive EpisodesFollow the show:British Murders with Stuart BluesDisclaimer:The case discussed in this podcast episode is real and represents the worst day in many people's lives. I aim to cover such stories with a victim-focused approach, using information from publicly available sources. While I strive for accuracy, some details may vary depending on the sources used. Due to the nature of the content, listener discretion is advised. Thank you for your understanding and support. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A Fortune 250 company's Salesman of the Year. Devoted husband. Faithful Catholic father and a 17-year addiction no one knew about, including his wife. John Edwards spent nearly two decades living two lives at once. He closed sales by day, chased down his dealer by afternoon, and kept the mask on at home so well that no one knew. It held together right up until the morning he sat in a jail cell on Good Friday with nothing left to control. This is the story of how a man hits the absolute bottom and finds out it was never the end of his story. Today, John Heinen and Devin Schadt sit down with John to talk about what actually drives addiction, why isolation is the devil's first move on a man, and how the wound of "am I enough" sends so many men looking for affirmation in all the wrong places. John Edwards is the founder of Pew Ministries and host of the Just a Guy in the Pew podcast. Get a signed copy of John Edwards' book: https://store.justaguyinthepew.com/collections/frontpage/products/power-made-perfect-finding-true-strength-in-christ-autographed-book Learn more - https://justaguyinthepew.com

Lou Lynn shares a medical crisis in which she became unconscious, heard Jesus tell her to go to the hospital, and experienced an "in-between" place she calls "the great white," filled with His love and peace. As she felt herself being pulled away, Jesus told her He would let her live to raise her children. She awoke with a pulse in the 20s, received a life-saving pacemaker on Good Friday, and later faced years of chronic decline, fainting, and multiple diagnoses while continuing adoptions and family life. Over time she describes spiritual gifts, visions, learning Scripture, renewed marriage commitment, and a worldview focused on spiritual warfare. She emphasizes contentment without complacency, stopping the chase for an "ever-elusive miracle," and trusting Jesus to use suffering while believing for healing. To contact Lou for speaking or interviews: Justloulynn@gmail.com 00:00 The Great White Encounter  01:09 Meet Lou and Her Family 01:58 Broken Past and Early Faith 03:11 Years of Health Struggles 05:44 Crisis Day and God's Voice 08:45 In Between With Jesus 11:55 Swirling Shift and Mercy 13:41 Pacemaker and Good Friday 15:53 Gifts Awakening and Visions 17:56 Marriage Turning Point 18:32 Church Revival and Bible Hunger 23:30 Healing Trauma and Spiritual War 28:33 Decline, Adoption, and Endurance 33:45 Pacemaker Events and New Diagnoses 36:53 Metabolic Reset Wins 38:16 Final Surgery Decision 39:27 Pacemaker Progress Update 40:52 Faith Amid Suffering 42:52 Temporary Discomfort Lens 46:43 Spiritual Warfare Boundaries 48:14 Core Testimony Takeaway 51:17 Stop Chasing Miracles 58:16 Do It Anyway Steps 01:02:58 Let Him Pull You Out 01:05:32 Prayer and Blessing

Cinema Brake Pedal, Mid-Convo Hello, Freaky Good Friday, Tradie Jesus, F.Art, Ailzheimer's, Gold Rush, Brain Wipe, Robot Reality Island, Who'll Gong the Gong?You can purchase A Listener hats by emailing twointhethinktank@gmail.comCatch up on the 500th episode hereCheck out the sketch spreadsheet by Will Runt hereAnd visit the Think Tank Institute website:Check out our comics on instagram with Peader Thomas at Pants IllustratedOrder Gustav & Henri from Andy and Pete's very own online shopYou can support the pod by chipping in to our patreon here (thank you!)Join the other TITTT scholars on the TITTT discord server hereHey, why not listen to Al's meditation/comedy podcast ShusherAlasdair Tremblay-Birchall: @alasdairtb and instaAnd you can find us on the Facebook right here(Oh, and we love you) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This episode contains discussions of murder, execution, racial violence, and a botched public hanging. If you need to skip any section, the chapter markers below will help you find your way around. Support resources are listed at the end of these notes.This EpisodeSeason 40 of Foul Play covers America's forgotten crimes — fifty states, 250 years, and the stories that slipped out of the history books. Episode 8 closes out the season with a double portrait. One case from New Hampshire. One from Colorado. Eleven years apart. Two thousand miles between them. The same question at the center of both: when the law finally catches up with a killer, does it actually deliver justice?This is historical true crime at its most uncomfortable.Case A: The Great Falls National Bank Murder — New Hampshire , 1897Joseph A. Stickney was sixty-eight years old when a man walked into his bank on Good Friday morning, April 16, 1897, and cut his throat.Stickney was the cashier of the Great Falls National Bank in Somersworth, New Hampshire — a mill city of seven thousand people where the Salmon Falls River dropped one hundred feet over a mile and powered seven textile mills. The bank had operated since 1865. On a holiday morning, with the mills closed and families walking to Mass, Stickney was alone at his desk with $150,000 in money and securities behind him.The man who killed him was Joseph E. Kelley, twenty-four years old, born in Amesbury, Massachusetts. Kelley had been convicted in Somersworth five years earlier for breaking and entering. He had studied the bank's routine. He walked in with a blackjack, knocked Stickney to the floor, cut his throat, and left with approximately $6,000 in cash — leaving $144,000 behind.The historical murder investigation moved fast. Kelley hired a horse team from Whitten's Stable. The team was found the next day at Phoenix Stables. On April 29, investigators searched a boarding house in Berwick, Maine, where they found a box containing a false mustache and goatee. Kelley had already crossed into Quebec on a Boston & Maine train. He was caught in a Montreal brothel, seated between two prostitutes, still wearing a woman's dress he had purchased for $10 in gold from a hotelkeeper in Quebec.At trial in Dover, New Hampshire, in November 1897, Kelley changed his plea to guilty — but only if the hanging could be scheduled for January 16, 1898. He had a contract with the Devil, he explained, that expired January 15.Dr. Charles Bancroft of the New Hampshire State Asylum for the Insane examined Kelley multiple times and concluded he had the instincts of a man but the judgment and capacity of a child of nine. Expert after expert called him a "high-grade imbecile. " Chief Justice Alonzo P. Carpenter, who had served as Chief Justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court since 1896, presided over a bench that ultimately found Kelley guilty of second-degree murder — thirty years in state prison. Kelley was reportedly disappointed. He had wanted to hang.Case B: The Trolley Murder of Joseph C. Whitnah — Colorado , 1886On the night of May 19, 1886, Joseph C. Whitnah was driving a horse-drawn streetcar along the Broadway line of the Denver City Railway when two men approached his car at the southern terminus at Broadway and Alameda.Whitnah was a streetcar operator in a city mid-boom. Denver's population tripled between 1880 and 1890, from roughly 35,000 to more than 106,000. The Denver City Railway operated forty-five coaches across sixteen miles of track.Andrew Green, twenty-five years old, and his associate John "Kansas" Withers had been waiting for Whitnah's car. Green fired two shots from a .38 caliber revolver. The first shot was accidental — triggered when Whitnah screamed. The second was deliberate, close-range, through the heart. Whitnah died on the spot. The $14 in fares in his cashbox went untouched.The true crime investigation broke in six days. On May 21, a private detective received a tip at the G.A.R. Saloon on Larimer Street — the Grand Army of the Republic, a fraternal organization for Union veterans. Withers confessed almost immediately and identified Green as the shooter. Green was arrested and confessed on May 25. He told investigators he had been promised the death penalty would be taken off the table if he cooperated.That promise was never confirmed or denied.Green stood trial before an all-white jury. This was Denver six years after a mob of 3,000 attacked the city's Chinese quarter and lynched a man named Look Young. Defense attorney Edgar Caypless worked pro bono. He argued that no robbery had actually been completed, that Green's confession was coerced by a false promise, and that the first shot was accidental. The jury deliberated a little over an hour — was polled four times, one juror holding out for second- degree — and returned a verdict of guilty of first-degree murder. Death.On July 27, 1886, Sheriff Frederick Cramer of Arapahoe County cut the main rope at 2:24 PM before fifteen to twenty thousand spectators gathered between the Broadway and Colfax bridges. Vendors sold lemonade. Families had brought picnic lunches. Children were in the crowd.Green's neck did not snap. Twelve minutes after the jerk-up, doctors could still feel a pulse at his wrist. At 3:45 PM — eighty-one minutes after Cramer cut the rope — undertakers removed Andrew Green from the gallows and placed him in a casket bound for the "colored" section of Riverside Cemetery.The execution was condemned by nearly every Denver newspaper. In 1889, Colorado moved all executions to the state prison in Canon City, limited witnesses, and commissioned a new gallows design. In 1897 — the same year Joseph Stickney was murdered in New Hampshire — Colorado abolished the death penalty. It was reinstated in 1901.Historical ContextBoth cases arrived during the same decade, when American law was negotiating what justice was supposed to look like. In New Hampshire, a court grappled with whether a man who could plan a murder could simultaneously lack the mental capacity to stand fully accountable for it. In Colorado, a court asked whether a Black man could get a fair trial six years after his city had watched a lynch mob go unpunished.Neither question has a clean answer. Both still echo.This is Season 40 of Foul Play: America's 250th Anniversary — the crimes that didn't make the monuments.Our Sponsors:* Check out Kensington Publishing: https://www.kensingtonbooks.com* Check out Mood and use my code SHANE for a great deal: https://mood.comAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (05/14/26), Hank shares on the unintended consequences of immigration, the experience of racism, and the world's attempts to justify the sin through Darwinian Evolution.Hank also answers the following questions:What languages did Jesus understand? I heard He knew Hebrew, Aramaic, and a few words of Greek. Elaine - Cecil, OH (7:26)Explain Jesus' instructions to Mary not to touch Him in John 20:17? What does it mean when we say the Son is eternally begotten of the Father? Rose - Charlotte, NC (9:10)Explain the Son of Man being three days and three nights in the earth, and how does that calculate from Good Friday to Easter Sunday? Phil - Ogden, UT (15:13)How important is it to have a firm and strong eschatology? Phil - Fayetteville, AR (17:44)

In this engaging episode of John Solomon Reports, we dive into the latest developments in American politics and policy, with a special focus on the War on Drugs. John Solomon welcomes Sara Carter, the White House Drug Czar, who discusses the significant updates to the national drug strategy, emphasizing the urgent need to address the opioid crisis and the evolving tactics of drug cartels. Carter's insights shed light on how the administration is modernizing its approach to combatting drug-related issues in today's landscape.Listeners will also hear about the latest economic news, as job creation exceeded expectations, with 115,000 new jobs reported in April. Solomon highlights the implications of this data amidst ongoing global tensions, including the Iran war and rising gas prices.In a groundbreaking ruling, the Virginia Supreme Court declared the recent redistricting unconstitutional, a decision that could reshape the political landscape in favor of Republicans. Attorney General Alan Wilson of South Carolina joins the show to discuss the ramifications of this ruling and the ongoing redistricting efforts in his state, particularly concerning Congressman Jim Clyburn's seat.To round out the episode, Cliff Maloney shares his perspectives on the current political climate and the initiatives he's championing. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.