Podcasts about guarding

This episode boldly confronts the spirit of playing small, challenging faith-driven leaders to examine not just their intentions, but the very seeds they're sowing in their leadership, relationships, and business ventures. Are you sowing sparingly, or with an abundance that reflects Kingdom purpose?With spiritual authority and raw vulnerability, Lovell Casiero invites you to consider what it truly means to surrender and sow with purpose, not just effort—because in God's economy, the seed determines the scale.Ready to trade comfort for calling? Tune in and let your faith be confronted and transformed."Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously." –2 Corinthians 9:6Episode Highlights:03:47 - Sometimes it looks like playing it safe when God wants you to expand. Withholding mentorship because no one helped you. Guarding your ideas instead of empowering your team. And giving God leftovers instead of the first fruits. I was raised in 4 generations of ministry. When you're sowing with God, whether you're sowing prayer, alms, or your time, you need to give God the first fruits.06:46 - That was a moment where I was like, wait a minute, this isn't about title. This isn't about money. This is about the people that I have impact on, the influence and the legacy that I am leaving behind. So I really started to think about that and I started to be more intentional in how I was investing in the teams that I was leading. 24:18 - So let me leave you with this: if you don't like what you're harvesting right now, don't curse the season. Check the seed. Perhaps you're not sowing the right seed. Perhaps you're not sowing in abundance. Perhaps you're not sowing generously. Perhaps you are holding back.Connect with Lovell CasieroLinkedInWebsiteFacebookInstagramYouTubeX

In this episode of Built For Life, Not Just Wealth, Ryan Burklo delves into the application of Schopenhauer's philosophy to wealth-building and achieving a fulfilled life. He presents six actionable steps designed to transform your mindset: detach from the perpetual cycle of desires and concentrate on goals that truly matter. This approach not only aligns financial growth with personal values but also emphasizes the importance of intentional living and reducing unnecessary suffering.   Check out our website:  https://www.builtforlifenotjustwealth.com/ Find us on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@builtforlifenotjustwealth/ Subscribe to our newsletter: https://www.quantifiedfinancial.com/subscribe-now Check out our Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanburklofinance?igsh=ZTJzN3Jnajd5M2Mw Ryan Burklo's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryanburklo/ Alex Collin's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandercollins/ For a quick assessment of your current financial life go to: https://www.livingbalancesheet.com/lbsVision/lite/RyanBurklo   #BuiltForLifeNotJustWealth #Wealth #Philosophy #Schopenhauer #Mindset #Personaldevelopment #Financialplanning #Stressreduction #lifegoals   Takeaways Understanding Schopenhauer's concept of the insatiable will helps reframe wealth as a tool, not an end. Setting finite goals and detaching from endless desires reduces stress and increases fulfillment. Using nature and hobbies as a way to recharge and gain perspective. Practicing compassion in financial decisions aligns wealth with personal values. Automating and cutting non-essential expenses frees up resources for what truly matters. Regularly reviewing your big picture keeps you aligned with your core values. Guarding your mind from negativity and distraction is crucial for mental clarity and focus. Building wealth deliberately involves minimizing unnecessary stress and suffering. Applying philosophical insights can lead to a more intentional and satisfying life.   Chapters 00:00 The Quest for Meaning in Wealth 05:40 Setting Finite Goals and Finding Balance

Have you ever felt like you've done everything you know to do… and nothing changes?You've prayed.You've worked.You've tried every solution you can think of.Yet the situation keeps showing up in your life day after day.In this powerful episode, Amy shares a deeply personal story about walking through nearly 20 years of chronic back pain and the lessons she learned about persistence, faith, and refusing to quit.Sometimes the biggest breakthroughs in life don't happen quickly. They come through seasons where you keep showing up, keep believing, and keep doing the right things—even when there's no visible evidence that anything is changing.Amy explores the biblical principle of “pray yet again.” Just like Elijah prayed again for rain, and the woman with the issue of blood pursued healing for twelve years, many of the most powerful breakthroughs in life come after long seasons of persistence.The truth is, the most meaningful things in life rarely happen overnight. They are developed in the dark seasons—when no one is watching, when the pressure is high, and when quitting would be easier than continuing.But something powerful is happening in those moments.Character is being built.Faith is being strengthened.And the foundation for your future is being formed.If you're facing a challenge that hasn't shifted yet—whether it's health, relationships, finances, or purpose—this episode will remind you that your story isn't over.Sometimes the breakthrough comes one prayer later, one step later, one moment later.So whatever you're facing right now…Pray yet again.Connect With Us:Website: https://www.youaremore.comFree Download: 5 Steps to Win Through AdversitySocial Media: Follow us on Facebook and InstagramEmail: amy@amywienands.comEpisode Minute By Minute:00:00 – When you've prayed and nothing seems to change00:40 – Amy's 20-year struggle with chronic back pain01:50 – Trying every solution: chiropractors, supplements, and prayer02:20 – The Bible principle: “Pray yet again”03:05 – Discovering celery juice and unexpected healing04:05 – Ask, seek, knock: persistence in faith04:50 – The problems that keep showing up in life05:35 – Why the most important things require persistence06:10 – When everyday life becomes difficult07:00 – The woman with the issue of blood: pursuing breakthrough07:45 – Why the greatest things are built in the dark08:35 – What persistence develops inside of you09:05 – Your latter days can be better than your former days10:00 – Speaking faith and declaring God's promises10:55 – The truth about “overnight success”11:30 – There is a set time when everything shifts12:05 – Encouraging yourself when no one else can13:05 – You and God are a majority14:00 – Wrestling seasons and being close to breakthrough14:55 – Guarding your heart from bitterness and cynicism15:35 – Keep your heart right, your mouth right, and keep showing up16:30 – Your expectation will not be cut offBe intentional, stay focused, and remember you are more!

Welcome back to another episode of the unSeminary podcast. We're talking with Brandon Boyd, Executive Pastor at Quay Church in Windermere, Florida—one of the fastest-growing churches in the country. What began as a struggling congregation marked by multiple splits has experienced dramatic renewal and growth since a 2022 replant under Lead Pastor Luke Lazon. Is your church experiencing rapid growth that feels both exciting and overwhelming? Wondering how to scale systems, structure, and culture without losing spiritual health? Tune in as Brandon shares how Quay Church is stewarding momentum while building clarity, accountability, and lasting impact. From flat structure to scalable leadership. // When Brandon arrived in 2024, Quay had grown from 400 to 1,500 people, but its internal structure hadn't caught up. Meetings were crowded, decisions were unclear, and Sunday services were running long due to lack of coordination. The church had been operating as a flat organization where everyone contributed to every decision. That worked at a smaller size but became chaotic during rapid growth. Quay implemented tiered leadership levels: elders at 50,000 feet guarding mission and doctrine, an executive team at 40,000 feet solving forward-facing challenges, and a lead team at 30,000 feet ensuring weekly ministry execution. This created clarity in decision-making and allowed the church to scale effectively. Systems in many places leads to excellence. // A guiding philosophy Brandon has is SIMPLE—Systems In Many Places Leads to Excellence. Brandon introduced tools like Asana for project management, Slack for communication, and Otter for meeting documentation. Agendas are shared ahead of time, action items are clearly assigned, and meeting notes are converted into trackable tasks. Each meeting is defined by purpose—innovation, execution, or decision—so participants know what is expected. The tools support clarity, but the real goal is alignment and accountability. Guarding culture during rapid growth. // Growth creates urgency that can easily become chaos. Quay combats this with clearly defined staff values: Kingdom over castles. Nimble over fragile. Sled dogs over show dogs. Slow is smooth and smooth is fast. Burn the ships. These values act as decision filters. Everyone owns the broader mission, not just their ministry lane. Staff lead by example—serving first, giving first, even parking farther away to prioritize guests. A 2026 staff covenant outlines expectations for spiritual leadership, generosity, and ownership, ensuring alignment as the church continues to grow. Spiritual health beyond attendance growth. // While attendance has surged to nearly 2,700 adults weekly, Brandon points to transformation as the real marker of health. Spontaneous altar ministry has become a defining feature of services—not manufactured, but Spirit-led. People regularly respond in repentance, prayer, and life change. One man publicly confessed infidelity and committed to reconciliation. The church just celebrated 188 baptisms last year, reinforcing that growth is not just numeric but spiritual. Leading through overwhelm. // Brandon closes with a vulnerable reminder: rapid growth can be overwhelming. Leaders must acknowledge that reality rather than pretending to be superhuman. Honest conversations with lead pastors, elders, and trusted peers help prevent burnout. When God calls, He equips—but leaders must stay transparent and supported during demanding seasons. To learn more about Quay Church, visit quaychurch.org or follow @quaychurch on social media. You can connect with Brandon on Instagram at @bgboyd. Thank You for Tuning In! There are a lot of podcasts you could be tuning into today, but you chose unSeminary, and I'm grateful for that. If you enjoyed today's show, please share it by using the social media buttons you see at the left hand side of this page. Also, kindly consider taking the 60-seconds it takes to leave an honest review and rating for the podcast on iTunes, they're extremely helpful when it comes to the ranking of the show and you can bet that I read every single one of them personally! Lastly, don't forget to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, to get automatic updates every time a new episode goes live! Thank You to This Episode’s Sponsor: Risepointe Do you feel like your church’s or school's facility could be preventing growth? Are you frustrated or possibly overwhelmed at the thought of a complicated or costly building project? Are the limitations of your building becoming obstacles in the path of expanding your ministry? Have you ever felt that you could reach more people if only the facility was better suited to the community’s needs? Well, the team over at Risepointe can help! As former ministry staff and church leaders, they understand how to prioritize and help lead you to a place where the building is a ministry multiplier. Your mission should not be held back by your building. Their team of architects, interior designers and project managers have the professional experience to incorporate creative design solutions to help move YOUR mission forward. Check them out at risepointe.com/unseminary and while you’re there, schedule a FREE call to explore possibilities for your needs, vision and future…Risepointe believes that God still uses spaces…and they're here to help. Episode Transcript Rich Birch — Hey friends, welcome to the unSeminary podcast. So glad that you have decided to tune in today, and you’re definitely going to be rewarded for that. Today, we’re talking with a church that I like to say has platinum problems. Like every church wants to be a fast-growing church. They want to be, or you’ll hear leaders talk about in a season where they’re growing, where we’re capturing a church and a leader in the midst of that right now.Rich Birch — And I’m really excited to talk to Brandon Boyd. He is at Quay Church in Windermere, Florida. This is a fast-growing church. It’s one of the fastest-growing churches in the country. He serves as the XP. And I’m really looking forward to unpacking the story a little bit. Tell us a little bit about Quay and the history there, the story, what’s going on. Tell us, bring us up to speed.Brandon Boyd — Yeah, Rich, thanks for having me on the podcast today. Just such a joy to chat with you and tell all the incredible things that the Lord’s doing at Quay. So I’ve only been at Quay for about like 15 months. And so previously, I’m a native Texan, grew up in Dallas, served my home church in Dallas and another church in the Dallas, North Dallas area. And then the Lord transplanted us all the way out here to Orlando, Florida – Windermere, suburb of Orlando, which is on the north side of Disney World, which is pretty fun. And so I’m married and I’ve got three daughters. I live in a sorority, basically, which is really fun. Rich Birch — Love it.Brandon Boyd — And so when the Lord said, hey, I’m taking you to Windermere, was pretty easy yes for our family, for what the Lord had for us. And so, you know, Quay is a little bit of a replant. And so our church was initially started in the early 2000s and went through like two or three church splits. And we shouldn’t really have a church just because of those splits and what was occurring at that time period. Brandon Boyd — And I would say our church got replanted in 2022 when Luke Lazon, who was our young adult pastor at the time when he became the lead pastor. At that time, there was basically like 400 people that were calling our church home. We were known as Lifebridge Church at the time.Brandon Boyd — And then you fast forward to when I got here in May of 2024, we had grown to 1,500 adults. And then this past weekend, we had 2,700 adults with us, and then about 500 kids and students. And so it’s just been a wild ride these last three years. And I’ve just been fortunate to be a part of it in the past like 15 months.Rich Birch — Well I, yeah, I want to acknowledge that, you know, that kind of growth is, it’s exciting and fun and and have lived through similar seasons in the past, but there is also comes with a lot of challenges and a lot of like real world problems. And so I appreciate that you’ve taken time to, you know, help us think through these issues today. And even just before the call started, we were talking about stuff literally from last weekend that was like, well, there’s a new problem. We got to figure that one out. So excited for this. Rich Birch — Well, let’s talk about when you stepped into the role. So you you you arrive, you know, the church is obviously growing, had experienced incredible growth in the couple years before you got here, went from 400 to 1500. When did you realize that maybe not just that it was growing, but maybe the qualitative, the kind of what kind of growth Quay was having was was maybe a little bit different and was kind of going to inform the next couple of years. Help us think through what was that like when you first arrived, unpack that, you know, those first weeks or months.Brandon Boyd — Yeah. So my my first Sunday was Mother’s Day in 2024. And on that day, we had communion, we had baptism, we had a parent-child moment. And I looked up to us and I said, we’re just not communicating well. So we can’t have all these elements in a worship gathering taking place at the same time.Brandon Boyd — And so I started talking with our XP over worship and creative. And I just said, help me understand your planning process through the week. And so I took that first week just to ask a lot of questions like, how are we sitting together? How are we working together? What’s not working? And then what we started to do was start to organize our meetings behind the scenes. So we really took that summer of 2024 and start putting some processes in place that would help us kind of scale up well.Brandon Boyd — And part of that was we use a project management tool on the back end to make sure that everything is operating well. We use Asana. And some of this is what I learned in Dallas with our team there. And I took that and brought it here and scaled it. And so everything runs through a project through us on the back end. Worship is a project. All of our events are a project. And so everybody knows what is expected of them today. What is expected of them tomorrow, two weeks from now. And it’s also our accountability tool.Brandon Boyd — So back to that first Sunday, when we realized that we had all these things going on, Luke still preached for 40 minutes. And then they looked at me and said, Hey, we’re just always over time on our gatherings. Well, everything’s got to be spelled out. And so that was an initial thought that I said, this can’t be the Wild West anymore. Rich Birch — Right.Brandon Boyd — Because of the rapid growth that we had going on, knowing that we’ve got natural growth cycles coming up, whether it’s in the fall when school starts, and in January. And that’s kind of what we saw happen at Quay in that first year in 2024.Rich Birch — Yeah, there’s a lot there I want to unpack. And I want to get to meetings and and project management. I want to really dive into some of those details. But one of the things I’ve been, as I’ve kind of watched from afar, what’s happened at Quay, you guys have done a good job balancing the past, even just how you talked about there, kind of balancing, talking about the past, but then you know, projecting forward and kind of casting vision for the future, how did the church’s past really approach your, or has that, ah you know, kind of ah impacted your leadership as you’ve approached leading here in the, even in the current, or as you think to the future, how are those two connected together?Brandon Boyd — Yeah, I think just an axiom I live by is I always want to speak respectfully about the past, be honest about what’s going on presently, and optimistically about the future.Rich Birch — That’s good.Brandon Boyd — And so we’re super grateful for the people that went ahead of us that helped start this and plant this church way back in the early 2000s, and then had the foresight to kind of buy this piece of property in Windermere.Brandon Boyd — We’ve got part of our property is not developed yet. And we had a developer show up the other day that offered $5 million dollars for our grass kind of parking lot where we’re going to expand our campus on. But I couldn’t imagine unloading and reloading everything into an elementary school or a high school right now. So we’re super grateful for the people that went ahead of us, not only the pastoral leadership, elders, but also the people that called this church home, that hung on for the hope that something better was coming in the future.Brandon Boyd — And so they’ve been on this wild ride, up and down of, splits, attendance, differences, whatever else, but knowing that, you know, there ought to be a church in this part of Windermere, that there should be a gospel presence, especially in a place that’s so known for entertainment. Like you can stand on our roof at nighttime and see the fireworks from Disney World.Rich Birch — Right.Brandon Boyd — If the wind, if the wind is blowing just right, you can hear the whistle from the train at the Magic Kingdom. I mean, that’s how close we are. Rich Birch — Right.Brandon Boyd — So for a spot in Orlando that’s known for entertainment, why shouldn’t there be a place that is a flag spot for the gospel. And so knowing that those people went before us, knowing that you’ve got people moving here on a daily and weekly basis, we appreciate that, but we also got to look forward to the future.Brandon Boyd — And so we had this opportunity to kind of rebrand our church. So our church was named after our young adult ministry Quay. And a quay is a literal thing. Like it’s a place where ships unload and reload their cargo. And that’s just a metaphor for the church – that the church a place where people can unload the things and that are burdensome and get refilled up with the message of Jesus and take that out into their places of influence, to their schools, to their work places.Brandon Boyd — And so when we cast that vision early in 2025, the people that had been here when all the ups and downs of the church really saw, like this is the moment. And then they saw this surge of people that were coming in to hear the gospel message. We baptized this past year 188 people. Rich Birch — That’s great.Brandon Boyd — That’s adults, children, kids. Rich Birch — Fantastic. Brandon Boyd — I got to baptize my own daughter this past year, which is super exciting. But to see life change. So you go from this really small remnant that was left to see this surge and explosion, to see people, their lives being transformed for the gospel, I think is how they’ve just seen, all right, what’s next? What’s next, Lord, for us? And we’ve got this phrase here that stewardship is our responsibility, that we’re just merely stewards of what the Lord has provided to us. Rich Birch — Right. Good.Brandon Boyd — And so we’re just stewarding this moment. And we really want to set it up well for the people that follow me, that follow Pastor Luke, that follow any of us, that we want to leave it better than we found it.Rich Birch —Yeah, that’s so good. And I just want to honor you for how you guys even publicly are handling all that. Because I think particularly with the growth that you’ve seen, it would be easy to be like, man, isn’t it incredible what’s happening now, but even kind of just forgetting what’s gone in the past. So, you know, honor you for what you’re doing there. I think that’s that’s incredible. Rich Birch —Well, let’s get back to some of those rhythms. So one of the things you talked about was like, hey, we realized, oh, maybe these, ah you know, the meetings, we just, we didn’t have the right, maybe the right flow of information. Brandon Boyd — Yeah.Rich Birch — So let’s talk through what did that look like? How did you how did you pick that apart, diagnose the problem maybe first? And then how did we make some shifts towards the kind of system you’re currently running?Brandon Boyd — So our organization was a flat organization. So when I got here, everybody was involved in every single decision. Everybody, like there was a weekly staff meeting where everybody was there and they were pitching ideas left and right about what we need to do on Sunday, what we need to do for our student ministry programming. And then we had a weekly meeting where everybody was involved with all the event processes and everything else.Brandon Boyd — And so I think another obstacle that we were trying to work past was Luke went from, like I said, young adult pastor to lead pastor. So he went from a peer on the hall to the boss. And so I knew that we had to put some structures in place and we had to scale the organization, and had to put some meeting structures around that. So we created an executive team meeting that meets on Mondays. We created a lead team that meets on Tuesdays. And we put people in those meetings that had influence or had certain gift sets, or we took Working Genius. And so we’ve kind of started to strategize our meetings around Working Genius and putting people in meetings where they thrive. Brandon Boyd — So if they’re an innovator, if they’re a wonderer, then we may need to put them on the front side of work. If they’re more of an implementer and they’re more of somebody that can get the tasks done, they don’t need to be in all these meetings. So what we’ve tried to do moving forward is really name what the meeting is before it’s even called, so people know what the expectation is.Brandon Boyd — So what what we’ve tried to do over the past year is really provide clarity and expectation.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good. Brandon Boyd — So when somebody comes to a meeting, they know what they need to prepare, but then they also know what their expectation is in the conversation.Rich Birch — That’s great. A couple things I want to unpack there. First, ah for listeners, we had Patrick Lencioni on talking about Working Genius. If you should go back and listen to that episode, if you don’t know Working Genius, it’s a fantastic tool. Here’s an example of a church is actually putting it into practice, not just like reading the book and putting it on the shelf.Rich Birch — So can you pull apart the, when you say executive team and lead team, the kind of Monday and Tuesday, how do you, what’s the like 30 second definition between those two and their roles and responsibilities between those two groups and who’s kind of comprises those, those teams.Brandon Boyd — Yeah. So our exec, well, it really starts with our elder team. So for a period of time, like our elders had to be really involved just because of the nature of what was going on in our church. But they have since decided that they needed to fly at a higher level. So we’ll we’ll just talk 50,000 feet.Brandon Boyd — So the elders are at the 50,000 feet. They’re really guarding the mission and vision of the church. Rich Birch — Yep.Brandon Boyd — And then you come down to the executive team, which flies at 40,000 feet. And they’re really tasked at making sure that from an executive level, we’ve got you know all the the problems that need to be solved, that we’re looking at the vision forward, that we’re not only looking at the current week, but we’re looking six weeks out. We just wrapped up Christmas. We’re already talking about Easter. and We’re talking about Christmas already for 2026. Brandon Boyd — And then you step down to the lead team. They’re at 30,000 feet. And what they’re doing is making sure that our ministries are humming and running on a weekly basis and making sure that those budgets, ministry resources, calendars, everything are executing.Brandon Boyd — So what we’ve done is the executive team is obviously our lead pastor. We’ve got myself as executive pastor. We’ve got the other executive pastor of worship and creative, Justin Melton. And then we added our spiritual formation pastor, Mike Brook on that team.Brandon Boyd — Our lead team is the executive team, plus our project manager, plus our young adult pastor. Cause young adults are so important and and vibrant to our house.Rich Birch — Sure.Brandon Boyd — And that’s kind of like the impetus for the rebirth of our church. And then we’ve got like people in charge of kind our crews, which is our small groups and then kind of our volunteer teams in that. And so that’s kind of those teams.Brandon Boyd — And then out of that, you’ve got ministry teams that run on a weekly basis. And then our staff gathers for once a month where we pray together. we have some fun together. We eat lunch. And so let’s kind of put some meeting structures that we put in place and the purpose of them.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s cool.Brandon Boyd — So we’ve kind of walked through 50, 40, 30, 20, 10, all the way down to zero. So everybody knows what the purpose of each of those meetings are.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good. I’m assuming so you go executive to lead and then is there then like a weekly team meeting? So each of those people that are on the executive, or on the the lead team, they would then have their, you know, kind of trickle that down that information throughout the organization. Brandon Boyd — Yep.Rich Birch — Is that what that looks like basically?Brandon Boyd — Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s great.Brandon Boyd — You’re exactly right. So those ministry teams meet on a weekly basis. Rich Birch — Right. Brandon Boyd — And so, yep.Rich Birch — Okay. One other thing you said that caught my attention, which is a small, it’s like, since we’re sticking with the the quay metaphor, the the nautical metaphor, it’s a small, like a rudder. It’s not that big, but it’s it’s a huge deal. Actually, people knowing what we’re talking about in the upcoming meeting and being prepared for those meetings can be transformational in an organization. So talk me through what does that look like? What’s your expectation? And then when it’s running perfect, what is the kind of goal that we’re, we’re trying to go towards on that, you know, on that front, obviously that we don’t, we don’t bat a hundred, but I’m not even sure I’m mixing metaphors. Now we don’t bat a thousand. I think it is.Brandon Boyd — Yeah.Rich Birch — What is that? You know, what, what does that look like?Brandon Boyd — Yeah. If you’re batting a hundred, I think you’re batting pretty bad. Rich Birch — Yeah, yeah, exactly. Exactly.Brandon Boyd — And so what what we try to do, I mean, we’re not afraid of tools. And so we use several different tools.Rich Birch — Right.Brandon Boyd — Already talked about Asana. We use Slack for internal communication. So we we really try to strive that we’ve got to get our agendas out ahead of time and then understand if there is an action item in the agenda so that people can understand what’s expected of them.Brandon Boyd — We use another tool called Otter that helps make minutes and notes. And then we disseminate those to the people so they know what’s expected of them. Otter does a great job of recognizing voices and then they’ll also tag people. Then we take that and dump it into Asana. Brandon Boyd — So if we’re having, we’ll just use our student ministry. If we’re having like our weekly Wednesday night student ministry programming for middle schoolers, they’ll know what’s expected of them from what our middle school director is speaking on to what’s expected from production to what’s expected from our creative team to what’s expected from our communications team on the website, social media, some of those other things.Brandon Boyd — And so we use, we’re we’re not shy to use tools. Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s great. Brandon Boyd — And so we use those tools just to make sure that everybody understands what’s expected before the meeting and after the meeting.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s so good. I’m an Otter user as well. Brandon Boyd — Yeah. Rich Birch — Use it in my coaching. And it’s it’s ah it’s transformed my own personal interaction with the churches I work with. And then I’ve actually had a number of churches pick it up and start using it. I had an XP, this was before Christmas, texted me after just one week. He was like, dude, this has changed our game because it’s like having someone, it’s like in every meeting having like an incredibly detailed assistant that’s writing notes on everything that’s going on and they don’t they don’t miss anything or miss very little, which is, you know, incredible. Rich Birch — So now let’s talk about so from there. So like I get the idea you’re using Asana, get that Slack, Otter, tools are together. How do you ensure that things keep simple and streamlined rather than becoming con, you know, yeah really complicated and, you know, were just bolting on stuff. How do you think about those issues as, as you’re growing?Brandon Boyd — So I’ve got a phrase that I learned at one of my churches in Texas, and it’s actually an acronym. It’s for SIMPLE. So, systems in many places leads to excellence.Brandon Boyd — So we just try to keep things simple. Like we launch a fourth gathering here. We’re at max capacity on Sunday mornings with all three of our gatherings from 8:15 and 11:45. So we’re we’re launching a fourth one here in a few weeks at Sunday night at 5 p.m. And so if we just take what’s replicable from the Sunday morning experience and add it to the the evening experience. But it’s just the basic thing. Brandon Boyd — So yes, we’ve got tools. Yes, we’ve got Asana. Yes, we’ve got Slack… [inaudible] to call a stand-up meeting and just to make sure everybody’s understand what’s going on and just have a conversation. Like my door, I’ve got an open door policy. And if my door’s open, just come on in and ask a question to make sure that you understand what’s going on.Rich Birch — Right.Brandon Boyd — I think it’s just the basic thing. Rich Birch — Right. Brandon Boyd — A lot of times we can hide behind email, we can hide behind Slack, we can hide behind text messages, but we’ve we’ve just got to be more proactive than reactive and say…hey, if you don’t understand something, then it’s okay to come ask a question because I may miss something because we’re involved at a different level.Brandon Boyd — And so what we try to do is just make sure that we’ve got avenues for people to ask questions, whether that’s having quick standup meetings before we run to a big initiative. We also run things where it’s kind of an integration meeting. So if we’re looking at Christmas, Easter, if we’re looking at another objective where we’re going to get everybody on the table and we’re going to walk through a checklist just to make sure even the most small, minute details are taken care of.Rich Birch — That’s good.Brandon Boyd — Part of it is like we’re a stickler for excellence. So we would say excellence is our standard. And part of that is just kind where we are with Disney and Universal and theme parks all over everywhere that everybody that goes to our church already has an excellence experience whenever they go to that. So why can’t they have the same excellence level when they come to church on Sundays?Rich Birch — Sure. Yeah.Brandon Boyd — So.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good. A big issue in growing churches is, you know, the people side. So it’s related to what we’re talking about. But as you’re scaling, you know, your team has to continue to grow as people. They have to, you know, step up their game as growth has accelerated. How are you accelerating whether people are operating at their best contribution? They’re kind of really leaning in, you know, and they’re kind of performing at their highest. How how have you been able to keep an eye on that?Brandon Boyd — Yeah, I think this a growing thing for us. I’ve got a “no freak out” policy.Rich Birch — Right. Good. Brandon Boyd — So we’ve we’ve just got to talk through it.Rich Birch — Right.Brandon Boyd — We’ve only got about 20 full time equivalents behind the scene. Rich Birch — That’s great. Brandon Boyd — So when you’re in a church that’s twenty seven hundred and then you add in kids, you’re easily at thirty two hundred on a weekend basis. We have to run lean and mean knowing that we’re trying to project out for when we need to hire additional staff members or we need to hire some part-time.Brandon Boyd — We’re launching an internship program. And so what we’re trying to do is making sure that our staff team feels taken care of, feels heard, feels supported. And I think a lot of that is being accomplished by when we went from a flat organization, nobody, everybody knew who their boss was, but their boss didn’t know maybe what specifically what their directions were. So as we created the executive team, as we created the lead team, as we’ve got those ministry teams, we’ve created avenues for people to be able to feel supported and cared for.Brandon Boyd — And so what I’ve said to our team is you’re caring for the people just down the rung for us. Obviously, Luke and I are caring for our entire team. But just making sure that we’ve got avenues for feedback, avenues for just encouragement, avenues for conversation.Brandon Boyd — And then what we’re trying to figure out next is how do we hold people accountable? So how do we, yes, we’ve told people what’s expected from them. We actually created like a staff covenant for 2026. Like here here’s our expectations, just in case you’re you’re curious about what’s expected from you. And in case you’re caring, well, I was hired under this pastor and this was what the agreement was, that’s out the door. But as 2026 for Quay Church, just so we’re all entirely clear… Rich Birch — That’s cool. Brandon Boyd — …this is what we’re covenanting, not only, from us as a team, but to the Lord. And so we’ve got that. We’ve got accountability.Rich Birch — What are some of the, just before we leave that, what what are some of the things that landed in that? You don’t have to get into this… Brandon Boyd — Yeah. Rich Birch —…but, you know kind of categories of things that you’re, you’re recovenanting around?Brandon Boyd — We kind of made a joke that it sometimes we just, our volunteers, which we call stewards, they kind of outwork us.Rich Birch — Right.Brandon Boyd — And so like, hello, like we, we want to be the first one in and the last one out. And so in the covenant, it just talks about, Hey, we’re we’re going to be here for all the gatherings and we’re going to set the table and make sure that our house is ready to go before people show up.Brandon Boyd — We’re going to covenant. If we’re going to ask our church family to do something, whether be in a group or tithe or whatever, those things that we ask from the platform, we’re going to do it first. So one of the things that I just said to our staff team today is, we need to give up parking in our staff parking lot and we need to park in the farthest spots away on our grass parking a lot.Rich Birch — 100%, yep.Brandon Boyd — So those spots are ready to go for people. And so it’s just little things like that, just making sure that we’re super clear so that there’s no shadow of a doubt that as we go into 2026 and we kind of anticipated that we would have another growth wave based upon what we saw in 2024 and 2025, that in 2026, we just need to be clear what was expected from them as people stepped into it.Rich Birch — That’s cool. Well, when, you know, everything in a growth phase that you’re in, it can get chaotic pretty quickly, because everything feels urgent. It’s like, you know literally, even just the situation we talked about, and before we jumped on the call. It’s like, oh, my goodness, you know, we had a bunch of new more people show up that we’re excited they’re with us, but now we’ve got figure out how to keep them plugged in and all that. Rich Birch — How do you keep from the urgency turning into chaos? What are you doing to try to really push back in some ways and and keep your team focused? And I like that no freak out, you know, no freak out policy. Like, hey, let’s not freak out. We’ll figure it out. But but what’s that functionally look like?Brandon Boyd — I think part of it is it just goes back to our staff values. And so when we were looking, when I first came on board on this, on the church staff, Luke was like, Hey, we got to rebrand the church now. And I said, that’s a longer conversation that we need to roll out in a smart and healthy way. And also gives us time to cast vision. Brandon Boyd — But that first fall that I was here in the fall of 2024, we rolled out staff values and we really go back to those staff values to help people understand they’re not just phrases that we stick up on a wall, but it’s who we are as ah as a culture, as a people. And so one of our values is that we want to build a kingdom over castles. Rich Birch — Good. Brandon Boyd — So we’re more interested in obviously the kingdom of the church, the kingdom of the Lord, and not your own necessary small little ministry thing at Quay Church. So everybody is all in on the broader conversation of the church. Like I told our staff team this past week, as we look towards the launch of the fourth gathering here in a few weeks: No matter what your role is, you’re all jumping in and helping make sure that facilities is ready to go the next day. No matter what your role is, we’re all going to be nimble and shift to it.Brandon Boyd — Another phrase that we like to use is that we’re nimble over fragile. And so we don’t really hold on to things that that that we’re, that we created. We’re we we’re open-handed and open-palmed. It goes back to what I said earlier about stewardship. We’re just stewarding this whole thing. This isn’t ours. This is the Lord’s.Rich Birch — That’s good.Brandon Boyd — That comes down from our lead pastor to our team. He models that so well. And so we really just kind of run with the staff values. Our other staff values are: we take the risk And so we’re willing to take risks for the gospel, whatever that looks like. We’re willing to push that forward. We want to be sled dogs over show dogs. Rich Birch — That’s good.Brandon Boyd — And so we want to put in the good work and all pulled together in the same direction. “Slow is smooth and smooth is fast” is another one of our staff values. We believe that, yes, we can take time to make a decision, but once we make the decision, then we can run so much faster because we’ve got clarity. “Kingdom over castle” I already talked about. “Nimble over fragile.”Brandon Boyd — And then a last one is we just want to burn the ships. And so this is the day that the Lord has for us. And so while we do look back in the past from time, the past is in the past, and we’ve got today. We’re not promised for tomorrow, obviously. And so what can we do now with what the Lord is doing in our church to make sure that the message of Jesus is available to people not only in this part of Windermere, but also throughout the other Orlando regions?Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s so cool. When you think about Quay today, what tells you that the church is becoming healthier not just bigger? i know there can be like criticisms of, and listen, that comes from a place of h being on the other side of these questions when I’ve led before where there’s like this criticism. They look at something like Quay and they’re like, oh, like that’s just whatever. It’s a fad. It’s going, you know, but that’s not the case. What are some of those, either metrics, or stories, or things that you see happening that say like, oh no, things are actually heading, not just bigger, but also healthier.Brandon Boyd — It’s not like we have a growth strategy on my whiteboard over here and we’re like, hey, we got to hit this marker and this marker by then.Rich Birch — Yes. Right.Brandon Boyd — But I think what’s, I’ll just tell you a quick story.Rich Birch — Yeah.Brandon Boyd — We’re in a collection of what we call Sermon Series Collection of Conversations. So we’re in a conversation about Song of Songs right now. We call it Divine Desire, and we’re walking through that.Brandon Boyd — And the Lord has really blessed what we would call altar ministry. And so at the end of our gathering, especially during the last song, after the message has been communicated, people just come down to the front of the altar for prayer. Rich Birch — That’s great.Brandon Boyd — And we’ve got pastors, we’ve got elders, we’ve got deacons. And some of those things that are being communicated in those moments, like last fall, we had a gentleman come down and he said that he was cheating on his spouse and was repentant. And he’s like, I got to go get her now. And we’ve got to share this right now in this moment.Rich Birch — Wow.Brandon Boyd — So I think we’re seeing like real life transformation take place in the gatherings, obviously through the movement of the Holy Spirit. But then the Spirit is directing people to make inroads right now in that moment. Like don’t leave this building today before you’ve had a conversation with the Lord and you’ve confessed your sin. Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s good. Brandon Boyd — So I think from that perspective, I’ve just been able to see that happen and to see people really take their faith seriously in that moment, rather than just like coming to a worship gathering, getting in their car and going home.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s so good. I love that. That’s great. Any, you know, the talk to me a little bit more about the response time, the altar time. I would say this for sure is a “trends” may be the wrong word, but like we see more and more churches, you know, employing that, that tactic. What have you learned from just managing that as a normal part of your worship experience? What, what has been, and has that been an add in the last couple of years or has it always been there?Brandon Boyd — I think it’s I think it’s been an add, but it hasn’t been like a programmatic element… Rich Birch — Right. Brandon Boyd — …that we’ve said, we’ve got to have altar ministry. I think it’s just been a movement of the Lord. So last spring we had we had this moment where it was our last gathering of the morning was at 11:45. And then we had this altar ministry where people just stayed and prayed after the end. And I don’t even remember what Luke spoke on. That started at 1:00 basically, and didn’t wrap up till 6 p.m. that night.Rich Birch — Wow.Brandon Boyd — So we’re not manufacturing any of this.Rich Birch — No. Yeah, yeah.Brandon Boyd — I think it’s just the Lord. And I think it’s just being sensitive to what the Lord is doing. And I think it’s the courage of not only Luke, our pastor, but other people that fill the pulpit when Luke isn’t there, that says, hey, don’t leave this room.Brandon Boyd — Our worship pastor, Justin Melton, does a great job of this at the end of each gathering. Don’t leave this room before you’ve talked to somebody, if the Lord is prompting that. So I think from a programmatic standpoint, we just want to be open-handed and just provide opportunities for people either to come forward or go to the next step space to have a conversation. And so it’s just been really remarkable to watch. Brandon Boyd — Like at first, I was kind of like, what in the world is going on? These people are just getting out of their seats and coming down front. But that altar ministry is not only prevalent in our Sunday morning worship gatherings, it’s prevalent in our student gatherings, whether that’s Wednesday night for middle school or Sunday nights for high school, and Thursday nights for our young adults. So it’s just something that the Lord is kind of stirring in and through our church.Rich Birch — Yeah, I was visiting, maybe 18 months ago, I was visiting a church. It was, the year before it was the second fastest growing church in the country. And showed up, and there was nothing about the kind of my pre-experience with this church that would have led me to believe that like, oh, altar time was going to be a part of their experience. And but very similarly, at the end of the the service, it was very like nonchalant is is the wrong word, but it wasn’t it was not a programmatic. We are, you know people know what we’re talking about. Brandon Boyd — Yeah, yeah. Rich Birch — Like we’re not, we’re not trying to, we’re not doing anything to get people to respond. And I would say, I don’t know, two thirds of the room got up and came down or, you know, half the room, it was like a huge portion of the room got up and came down. And I remember talking to the lead guy the next thing, he’s a good friend of mine. And I was like, like trying to pick it apart and understand it from a process point of view. And he was like, Rich man, the fact that we don’t totally understand it is a part of what we think that God’s using, right? Which is is beautiful. So that’s, that’s great to hear. That’s cool. Rich Birch — Are you doing anything with your elders or staff team to train towards that? Because you want to make sure that, you know, the people that are receiving some of that, you know, are kind of thought about it ahead of time before they got down there. Is anything you’re doing on that front?Brandon Boyd — Yeah, we’ve had training conversations and just how to be receptive to what people are sharing and knowing that we’ve we’ve done that with our elders, with our deacons and our staff team and pastors. andRich Birch — Sure.Brandon Boyd — But some of that is obviously there’s there’s going to be greater needs that extend past a Sunday.Rich Birch — Right.Brandon Boyd — So what is the immediate conversation that we need to have? But then if it’s a counseling issue, how can we refer them to a counseling partner? Rich Birch — Right.Brandon Boyd — Are there things that we can handle internally? Part of it is like we’ve just had this rapid growth in our church where it’s like you would assume if you come to our church that we would have this ministry, this handoff, this handoff. So another thing that we’ve had to do this past year is kind of build those handoffs as we’ve experienced some of these altar ministry things.Rich Birch — Sure.Brandon Boyd — Yeah.Rich Birch — That’s cool. Well, it’s been a fantastic conversation. What kind of final words would you have or encouragement would you have to a leader who’s maybe experiencing, obviously what you’re experiencing is super unique across the country, but is maybe experiencing a season of growth that there’s, Hey, there’s, we’re experiencing more momentum. We’re seeing this across the country in a number of churches, but what would you, what would your kind of final words be to them as we wrap up today’s conversation?Brandon Boyd — I think for me, just the final thing that I’d like to say, Rich, is it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Rich Birch — That’s good.Brandon Boyd — I’ve felt overwhelmed in this season, and it’s okay to acknowledge that. And so just to have that space with my lead pastor where I can go into him and just say, look, I’m overwhelmed. I’m going to be okay. But I just want you to know that I am overwhelmed. And then being able to be transparent with our elder board about that. I think that’s just ah a feeling of, as if you’re in a fast-growing church like this situation or other situations, where it’s okay just to acknowledge we’re humans. You don’t have to act like a superhuman, that everything is okay.Rich Birch — RightBrandon Boyd — But just to say, hey, I’m overwhelmed and it’s a season. And then being able to express that not only to your lead pastor, to your elders, but I’ve got friends outside of Orlando that are in pastoral ministry that understand what that feels like. So just creating that network of being able to say that. Because what my fear is that people can just get overwhelmed and can get burned out and can say like, I hate the church. I don’t want to be a pastor anymore. And I believe that the when the Lord calls you, he’s also going to equip you. And so at the same time, you just need to be able to voice that and just say like, I am overwhelmed. We are going to make it through it, but here’s some things that I need help on.Rich Birch — That’s so good. Brandon, I really appreciate you being on today and taking time out of your schedule, packed schedule, I’m sure, to help us today.Brandon Boyd — Yeah.Rich Birch — So I really appreciate that. If people want to connect with Quay, connect with you, kind of track with the story, where do we want to send them online?Brandon Boyd — Yeah, so you can go to our social media. That’s @quaychurch, Q-U-A-Y Church. Also, quaychurch.org. And then I’m on Instagram @bgboyd.Rich Birch — Nice. That’s great. Thanks so much for being here today.Brandon Boyd — Yep, my pleasure.

Guarding the Attorney Client Privilege is an in-house fundamental, but it's also tricky. As we "level up" as in-house lawyers, taking on new functions and becoming a "strategic advisor," the lines are blurred.In this episode, veteran white collar litigator Diana Feinstein is back in The Legal Department to share step by step tips on how to maintain ACP and work product protections as an in-house attorney. We talk about the basic blocking and tackling of privilege hygiene and explore how AI is impacting this core legal protection.This is Diana's second tour of duty in The Legal Department--check her out on Episode 3!

When life gets hard, faith isn’t meant to disappear—it’s meant to deepen. In this message, Pastor Bo shares practical and biblical wisdom on how to walk through difficult seasons without losing heart. Trials are not foreign to faith—they are often the very fire that forms it. Through personal testimony from the early challenges of planting CityLight Church, Pastor Bo shows how seasons of pressure can actually expand our capacity for what God wants to do in and through us.This message encourages believers to fix their eyes on Jesus, guard their minds, refuse isolation, and surrender the outcome to God. With honesty and encouragement, Pastor Bo reminds listeners that setbacks don’t define them—their identity as children of God does. Hard times may shake us, but with faith, community, and perseverance, they can also shape us into stronger, steadier followers of Christ.(00:00) Introduction and prayer for nations(04:01) The importance of spiritual discernment(07:52) Why hardship is part of the Christian life(11:03) Understanding the source of suffering(14:00) Growth and spiritual capacity through trials(16:27) Fixing our eyes on Jesus during difficulty(22:22) Guarding the mind against destructive thoughts(27:08) Speaking God’s truth in anxious moments(33:04) The danger of isolation during hardship(38:54) Trusting God with outcomeshttps://citylightnyc.com/ 

This is a Grave Talks CLASSIC EPISODE! PART TWOA quiet fishing trip with his grandfather became one of the most traumatic moments of Dave Spinks' life. What began as an ordinary day on the river shifted when they heard something impossible—massive boulders crashing into the water from somewhere beyond their sightline. When they went to investigate, what they encountered sent them running. In the aftermath, Dave's grandfather made him swear never to tell the story.Years later, Dave reflects not only on that experience but on his time working within the prison system—an environment where darkness can feel less metaphorical and more tangible. He shares his thoughts on whether demonic influence, oppression, or possession may play a role in some of the lives he witnessed behind bars.It's a conversation about fear, secrecy, generational warnings, and what happens when experiences defy easy explanation. Some promises are made out of protection. Others are made out of fear.#TheGraveTalks #Paranormal #ParanormalEncounter #UnexplainedMystery #RiverHaunting #WildernessEncounter #DemonicInfluence #PrisonHauntings #Supernatural #HauntedExperiences Love real ghost stories? Want even more?Become a supporter and unlock exclusive extras, ad-free episodes, and advanced access:

In Nehemiah 13:1-31 we see that God's work continues to flourish when devotion to Him is guarded and hearts are renewed by His grace.

Resource guarding is one of those behaviors that gets treated like it's one simple problem with one simple fix.Just add abundance.Just countercondition it.Just follow this protocol.Except… it's not that simple.In this episode of Enrichment for the Real World, Emily is joined by Haylee Heisel to unpack why “guarding” is a label, and why treating it like a one-size-fits-all issue can make things worse.We talk about:Why dumping a trash bag of tennis balls into a yard is not the same thing as creating securityHow pain, stress, attachment, hormones, neurochemistry, and environment all influence guarding behaviorWhy prescriptive formulas fall apart in real lifeAnd what it actually looks like to take a descriptive, needs-based approach insteadFrom sanctuary dogs guarding light switches and metal buckets… to puppies guarding during heat cycles… to cases where angry voices were the real trigger, this episode is a deep dive into the messy, nuanced reality of behavior.Because treating guarding isn't about “the thing”, it's about the why. When we slow down enough to find the why, the path forward gets clearer.TLDL (too long, didn't listen): 3 Key Takeaways 1️⃣ “Guarding” is a label, not a diagnosis - Many different behaviors get lumped under resource guarding, and they can happen for completely different reasons. If you treat them all the same, you'll miss the actual unmet need driving the behavior.2️⃣ Abundance is not the same thing as security - Meeting needs absolutely matters. But more stuff doesn't automatically equal safety. Pain, stress, attachment history, hormones, environment, and neurochemistry can all fuel guarding in ways that extra resources won't fix.3️⃣ Prescriptive formulas break down while descriptive thinking holds up -  Instead of “if guarding, then do X,” ask: What's driving this? What changed? What does this individual need right now? When you treat the root cause, guarding often shifts.For the full episode show notes, including the resources mentioned in this episode, go here.

Veterinary careers rarely unfold according to plan. They evolve through opportunity, relationships, timing — and often through saying yes before we feel fully ready. In this episode of Choose People Love Pets, Dr. Gary Marshall — practice owner, feline-focused entrepreneur, and longtime contributor to organized veterinary medicine — reflects on the winding path of a decades-long career. From building “Cat Class” for students across six continents to navigating leadership roles and professional transitions, Gary shares what saying yes created… and what it cost. This conversation explores: The hidden trade-offs of opportunity The cost of always saying yes — and the cost of always saying no Loneliness in leadership, even in rooms full of thousands Why customer service will matter more in a shifting economic landscape What younger generations are teaching the profession about agency How culture moves from philosophy to business infrastructure As veterinary medicine moves out of survival mode and into a more uncertain market environment, the question isn't just how to grow — but how to evolve. This episode is about discernment, relevance, and building a career that reflects who you are — not just the titles you collect.  Key Takeaways • Saying yes can shape your career in ways you can't predict — but every yes carries a cost. • Guarding boundaries is important, but rigidity can limit growth. • Leadership can be deeply lonely — belonging requires intention. • Culture isn't soft — it's structural to retention, client trust, and financial resilience. • Economic shifts will reward practices that never stopped prioritizing experience. • Younger veterinarians are modeling agency — and the profession is evolving because of it.  About Dr. Gary Marshall Dr. Gary Marshall is a veterinary practice owner and longtime leader in organized veterinary medicine. Over the course of his career, he has contributed to professional organizations, mentored students across the globe through “Cat Class,” and built a feline-focused practice aligned with his values and vision for modern veterinary care. Email: gmarshall@avma.orgLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garymarshalldvm/ Instagram: @it.might.get.weird  Podcast: It Might Get Weird: Journeys In Veterinary Medicine Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/3nzCLsF3xiIGeytyp8qDJW?si=08e194c78287445f Itmightgetweird.buzzsprout.com  Follow CPLP Podcast for more:  FB: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61556480229406&mibextid=LQQJ4d⁠  IG: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/choosepeoplelovepets?igsh=MTVzZjc4ZHE4MWd2NQ%3D%3D&utm_source=qr⁠  LI: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/choose-people-love-pets/⁠  

Proverbs 4:1-27

This is a Grave Talks CLASSIC EPISODE!A quiet fishing trip with his grandfather became one of the most traumatic moments of Dave Spinks' life. What began as an ordinary day on the river shifted when they heard something impossible—massive boulders crashing into the water from somewhere beyond their sightline. When they went to investigate, what they encountered sent them running. In the aftermath, Dave's grandfather made him swear never to tell the story.Years later, Dave reflects not only on that experience but on his time working within the prison system—an environment where darkness can feel less metaphorical and more tangible. He shares his thoughts on whether demonic influence, oppression, or possession may play a role in some of the lives he witnessed behind bars.It's a conversation about fear, secrecy, generational warnings, and what happens when experiences defy easy explanation. Some promises are made out of protection. Others are made out of fear.#TheGraveTalks #Paranormal #ParanormalEncounter #UnexplainedMystery #RiverHaunting #WildernessEncounter #DemonicInfluence #PrisonHauntings #Supernatural #HauntedExperiences Love real ghost stories? Want even more?Become a supporter and unlock exclusive extras, ad-free episodes, and advanced access:

Pastor Kevin Bryan preaches on 1 Timothy 1:18-20.

Legal expert Andrew Stoltman joins Karen Conti to discuss various internet scams and how to detect them. Andrew talks about being careful when investing in cryptocurrency and other forms of investment, finding the right financial advisor, and how lottery winners can become lottery losers due to fraud.

Romans 16:17-20

TDP Welcomes Back KALEB BENCH (Skinwalker Ranch)- A Veteran of the U.S Marine Corps. and Current Law Enforcement officer- Kaleb Is known for his Role as Security on The Infamous Paranormal-Otherworldly hotspot, Skinwalker Ranch. The Hit Series "Secret Of Skinwalker Ranch" can be seen on The History Channel. #SkinwalkerRanch #UFOs #TotalDisclosureOne of my favorite things to do, as someone who doesn't drink alcohol- but also wants to decompress, and relax- is pop open a cannabis seltzer:

Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/your-daily-portion-with-l-david-harris--2912188/support.About Your Daily PortionYour Daily Portion with L. David Harris is a Bible-centered teaching ministry committed to helping people engage Scripture daily with clarity and purpose. This program is a service of Your Daily Portion Ministries, Inc., and is made possible through the faithful support of listeners and viewers.If this teaching blesses you, consider supporting the work so it can continue reaching others around the world through radio, podcasts, and digital platforms.Support the ministry:

Why Guarding Your Heart & Mind Is EssentialScripture: Proverbs 4:23 — “Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it spring the issues of life.”Proverbs doesn't say to guard your heart casually. It says, “with all diligence.” That means intentionally, consistently, and seriously. Why? Because everything in your life flows from what you allow into your heart and mind.Accept Jesus Today: https://youtube.com/shorts/bIwAUlz7Kg4?si=BNOhv44iLWIR4eVJIf you would like to accept Jesus into your heart today, pray this simple prayer:****God, I have sinned against You. I believe that Jesus is Your Son, who died and rose for my sake. I ask you to forgive me for my sin. I place my trust in You for salvation. I receive you as my Lord and Savior. In Jesus' name, I am forgiven! Amen!"****Congratulations! You are now a child of the most high. John 1:12 says, But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. If you just prayed this prayer to receive Jesus Christ as your Savior, I welcome you to the family of God. Subscribe to my channel and type in the comments right now, “I just prayed that prayer.” I would love to connect with you and chat with you about all the amazing things God is doing in your life.Click here for FREE eBook Download: https://tinyurl.com/ISAIDTHEPRAYERShow your love, support the channel:*PayPal: PayPal.me/malachimitchellministry*Cashapp: https://cash.app/$MalachiMitchNote Journals and Puzzles: https://tinyurl.com/WalkinFaithPublishingAuthored Books: https://tinyurl.com/BooksofMalachiJoin Our Support Club: https://tinyurl.com/Support-ClubInvesting Opportunity: https://coinholders.hnocoin.com/signup/?refer=Malachi2uFREE Ways to Support Me:

To get a copy of our new book "Embracing the Truth" or to have TS Wright speak at your event or conference or if you simply want spiritual or life coaching or just a consultation visit:www.tswrightspeaks.comVisit our website to learn more about The God Centered Concept. The God Centered Concept is designed to bring real discipleship and spreading the Gospel to help spark the Great Harvest, a revival in this generation.www.godcenteredconcept.comKingdom Cross Roads Podcast is a part of The God Centered Concept.In this conversation, TS Wright and Lori Yarbrough explore the intersection of marriage and social media, discussing how technology can impact intimacy and connection in relationships. They delve into the effects of comparison, the importance of attention, and practical strategies for guarding marriages against the subtle erosions caused by social media. The discussion also touches on the broader implications of social media on youth and mental health, emphasizing the need for intentional connection and unplugging from devices.http://loriyarbrough.com/TakeawaysSocial media can erode intimacy in marriages.Attention is a vital gift in relationships.Comparison on social media fuels dissatisfaction.Micro-moments are essential for connection.Neglect, not social media, is the real villain.Setting boundaries can protect relationships.Unplugging can enhance spiritual and emotional connections.Social media can impact youth mental health.Intentional affirmation strengthens marriages.Creating no-phone zones fosters deeper connections.

Season 6, Episode 9 | Pastor Chad sits down with his daughter Jayne to explore 1 Timothy 4:1-5, highlighting the Spirit's warning of departing from faith through deceitful spirits and demonic teachings, false restrictions on marriage and foods, and the goodness of God's creation when received with thanksgiving and prayer.

Maybe charging a US consulate wasn't the best idea. Going down to your local republican headquarters. Some unexpected honesty. Judges attacking the system at holds up civilization. Follow The Jesse Kelly Show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheJesseKellyShowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on I Am Redemption, Shawn Livingston sits down with Air Force Special Operations veteran Clayton McMurry for one of the most powerful conversations we've had to date.Clayton shares what it was like guarding President Donald Trump, deploying on high level missions, and operating inside the world of Special Forces.We talk about the global cave rescue mission that captured the attention of the world and what it feels like to go on mission when the stakes are life and death. But this episode goes deeper.Clayton opens up about watching his brother battle myocarditis and the hope he continues to see as his brother fights to regain strength.We dive into his water company, the personal battles he has faced, and how his faith in God continues to fuel his mission.This is about brotherhood. This is about leadership. This is about purpose under pressure.This is I Am Redemption. Built different by pain. Powered different by purpose. We are what comes after.THE I AM REDEMPTION MISSIONI Am Redemption is a nonprofit and media movement founded by Shawn Livingston. Our mission is simple: Turn pain into purpose. Build stronger men and women. Create community. Show what is possible after addiction, trauma, failure, and loss. We are what comes after. Through powerful conversations, endurance events, community runs, men's meetings, and film projects, we are building a movement rooted in faith, discipline, and service. If this episode moved you, share it. If it challenged you, comment. If it helped you, send it to someone who needs it.

Are your “standards” protecting your peace… or protecting your fear?In this episode of Uncomfortable Questions High-Achieving Women Avoid, Dr. Nicole Monteiro explores the powerful tension between discernment and emotional self-protection.High-achieving women are often praised for having high standards. But what happens when those standards quietly become walls?In this episode, we unpack:• The difference between healthy discernment and emotional armor • Why strong women overcorrect after heartbreak • How hyper-independence can block intimacy • The nervous system roots of rigid boundaries • How to maintain standards without building isolationThis conversation is not about lowering your standards.It's about asking: Are your standards aligned with clarity — or fear?If you are: – Independent but emotionally guarded – “High standards” but disconnected – Protective after past betrayal – Tired of bracing in relationshipsThis episode is for you.✨ Reflective question: “Is this boundary… or is this a bruise talking?”Subscribe for more conversations on feminine energy, boundaries, nervous system healing, and relationships for high-achieving women.Sign up for the Banish Burnout and Build Bliss Masterclass at www.theblissworkshop.comGet the Damsel Me, Please 30-Day Journal at: https://www.drnicolemonteiro.com/damsel-me-please#HighStandards #FeminineEnergy #HealthyBoundaries #WomenInRelationships #HyperIndependence #EmotionalHealing #WomenWhoLeadSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-secret-formula-of-femininity/exclusive-content

Mike Fehlauer, from New Life Church in Corpus Christi, TX, shares a message of forgiveness and redemption, reminding us to cleanse ourselves of the sins of the flesh AND the sins of the spirit. Because it can determine how one sees the world around them, the heart is very important. With the help and love of Jesus, we can guard our hearts and choose to walk in love and forgiveness not judgement and bitterness.

497. Ecclesiastes: Ancient Wisdom for a World Losing its Way - Guarding the Threshold // Janice Chiern by The City, Singapore

Stay the Course, Being Steady in the Lord in the Mist of a Volatile World • Sunday Service Website: www.PastorTodd.org To give: www.ToddCoconato.com/give We are living in a time when everything around us seems to be shaking. Nations are shaking, economies are shaking, families are under pressure, and even within the visible church there is instability and compromise. Headlines change by the hour, but the Word of God has not changed. The Lord is raising up a people who will not be driven by fear, trends, or the latest crisis, but who will stay the course and remain steady in Him even when the world is volatile. God is not surprised by this hour. He has already prepared a path for His people. He has given us His Spirit, His Word, and His promises so that we can stand firm, endure, and even flourish when others are losing hope. 1. Steadfast when everything is shaking First, God calls us to be steadfast and unmovable. He does not want a fearful, fragile church, but a steadfast people who know whom they have believed. 1 Corinthians 15:58 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” 2. Running with patience, eyes on Jesus To stay the course in a volatile world, we must run the race God has set before us with patience and with a clear focus on Jesus Himself. Hebrews 12:1 2 “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 3. Guarding your heart and mind with peace In a volatile world, anxiety comes knocking each day. But the Lord has given us a way to walk in supernatural peace in the middle of chaos. Philippians 4:6 7 “Be careful for nothing but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Isaiah 26:3 “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee.” 4. God is our refuge when the earth trembles There are times when the shaking is not just emotional or personal, but global. Even then, God promises to be our refuge and strength. Psalm 46:1 3 “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.” John 16:33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation but be of good cheer I have overcome the world.” 5. Trials that refine instead of destroy Some of the volatility we face is not just out there in the world, it is in the form of personal trials. But in the kingdom, trials are not just random attacks. God uses them to refine, mature, and strengthen us. James 1:2 4 “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.” Galatians 6:9 “And let us not be weary in well doing for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” 6. Not troubled by the signs of the times The Lord even spoke about the volatility of the last days. He told us about wars, rumors of wars, and shaking, yet He also told us how to posture our hearts. Matthew 24:6 “And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars see that ye be not troubled for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” Matthew 24:13 “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”   7. Planted, not blown around In a volatile world, many people are tossed like leaves in the wind. But the righteous are called to be planted like trees by rivers of water. Psalm 1:1 3 “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season his leaf also shall not wither and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” Colossians 1:23 “If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven whereof I Paul am made a minister.” We are living in a volatile world. There are shaking events, confusing voices, and real pressures on every side. Yet in this very hour, God is calling His people to stay the course. To be steadfast and unmovable. To keep our eyes on Jesus. To trade anxiety for prayer and thanksgiving. To let His peace guard our hearts and minds. To refuse to waste our trials and instead allow them to refine us. To endure to the end. To delight in His Word until we are like trees planted by rivers of living water. To stay steady in the Lord in this kind of world is not something we can do in our own strength. We need the Holy Spirit. We need the Word of God dwelling richly in us. We need fellowship with other believers who are also set on finishing well. So today, ask yourself, where have I been shaken. Where have I let fear, offense, or weariness push me off course. Where have I been listening more to the world than to the Word. Bring those areas back to the feet of Jesus. Surrender again. Say from your heart, “Lord, I choose to stay the course. Make me steadfast. Guard my mind with Your peace. Plant me deep in Your Word. Help me endure and finish my race well.” As you do, the same God who steadied Joseph in a foreign land, Daniel in a hostile empire, and the early church in a time of persecution will steady you in this generation. The world may be volatile, but your God is not. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and in Him you can stand firm until the very end.

GUARDING THE GATES OF THE GIFT is not a manual for limiting prophetic expression. It is not a framework for silencing voices that make institutions uncomfortable. It is not a defense of hierarchical systems that use accountability as a mask for control. This book is a call to fortification.  It is an invitation into the ancient Hebrew wisdom that understands that every powerful thing requires structure — not to diminish its power, but to direct it. Water without a riverbed is a flood Fire without a hearth is a house consumed Wind without sails is just weather But governed, directed, structured: Water carves canyons Fire forges iron Wind carries ships across seas Your gift is powerful. This book is about making that power sustainable. What You'll Discover Inside Within each chapter, you and I will journey through ten Hebrew concepts that form the scaffolding of prophetic governance. We will examine: ✓ The architecture of authority ✓ The power of the tongue ✓ The necessity of covenant ✓ The danger of unhealed trauma operating through a gifted vessel We will study men and women in Scripture who were governed well and those who suffered the consequences of ungoverned gifting. Most importantly, we will establish a framework that takes your gift seriously enough to protect it. Not from God. Not from the world. But from the most dangerous opponent your gift will ever face: an ungoverned version of yourself. Rooted in Hebrew Wisdom Throughout this book, you and I will engage deeply with Hebrew words and concepts. This is intentional. The prophetic tradition does not originate in Western theological frameworks. It is rooted in the Hebrew covenant culture — a culture that understood: Words as substance Gates as thresholds of power Order as the environment where glory dwells When we recover the Hebrew understanding of these concepts, we recover the original architecture of prophetic governance. We move from religious abstraction to covenantal reality. We move from good intentions to structural transformation. Engage with each Hebrew word as though it were a key. Because in many ways, it is. A Word to Every Prophet To every prophet who chose the altar over the platform, who submitted when elevation called, who allowed the wound to be treated before the word was released: Your governance is not your limitation. It is your legacy. Get Your Copy Today My reasonable service is to teach you how to guard this powerful, sacred gift. Get your copy of GUARDING THE GATES OF THE GIFT from my Teaching Vault at DrDelisaRodgers.com today. Transform your gift from powerful to sustainable. From impactful to lasting. From anointed to governed. Order Now at DrDelisaRodgers.com

https://jo.my/m7nlmyBuilding Hand Safety AwarenessHand safety sounds simple until you see how fast it can go wrong. One quick reach into a rack. One loose glove near a moving part. One pinched finger between a pallet and a guard rail. Cuts, pinches, and caught-in hazards are some of the most common hand injury risks in a facility. They also tend to happen during “normal” work. That's the tricky part.The goal this week is awareness you can feel. You should be able to spot a hand hazard the same way you spot a spill. Fast. Automatic. If you've ever finished a shift with sore knuckles or a small slice you ignored, that's your warning sign. Small injuries are often the precursor.Here are a few tips to assist you with hand safety and reduce cuts, pinches, and caught-in hazards:Build quick hand safety talks into the start of shifts. Keep it short. Two minutes. Pick one task for the day and ask, “Where could hands get hurt here?” Then name the control. Guarding, tool use, spacing, or gloves.Get workers involved in hazard spotting. The people doing the job see the risks first. Ask for one caught-in hazard per area each week. Think conveyors, dock plates, pallet jacks, shrink wrap, and racking. Write it down. Fix it. Report back.Use real stories to make it real. Share a short incident or near-miss from your facility or industry. What was the task? Where were the hands? What should've happened instead? People remember stories more than rules.Make personal accountability non-negotiable. Keep hands out of pinch points. Use push sticks, hooks, or tools instead of fingers. If you can't see your hands, stop. Reposition. Don't “feel around” near moving parts.Recognize safe hand habits out loud. Call out the person who paused to lock out the equipment. Or the team that added a spacer on a load. Public recognition builds the kind of culture that sticks.As always, these are potential tips. Please be sure to follow the rules and regulations of your specific facility.Keep your hands in the safe zone.Hand safety is a daily choice, not a poster on the wall. Look for tight gaps. Listen for movement. Feel the vibration in the equipment. Those are signals. Slow down before the risky moment, not after it.If you see a cut hazard, fix the edge or cover it. If you see a pinch point, create space or change the path. If you see a caught-in risk, stop the motion and control the energy. Simple thinking. Strong habits.Thank you for being part of another episode of Warehouse Safety Tips.Until we meet next time - have a great week, and STAY SAFE!#Safety #SafetyCulture #StaySafe #SafetyFirst #SafetyTips #StayAlert #HandSafety #CaughtInHazards #PinchPointSafety #CutPrevention #NearMissReporting #PPE #SafetyAwareness 

St. Benedict warns that careless words wound charity and disturb peace. This episode reflects on guarding the tongue as a path to freedom and interior strength. The post BW7 – Guarding the Tongue – The Rule of St. Benedict for Daily Life with Kris McGregor – Discerning Hearts Podcasts appeared first on Discerning Hearts Catholic Podcasts.

We do not conquer sin and death by figuring out the techniques that Jesus used. Instead, we conquer sin and death by joining Jesus in HIS victory over sin and death. Guard your mind, words, and actions this Lent, because your identity is at stake.

This episode centers on one phrase: don't give it placement. What does it mean to “neither give place”? It means don't give it a seat. Don't let it get a feature on the album of your life. Using the music industry analogy, the conversation unpacks how producers fight for placement on an album because placement brings royalties, influence, and identification. In the same way, thoughts, rhythms, fears, relationships, and cultural narratives fight for placement in your heart. And once something gets placement, it gets plays — every time your life runs, that track runs with it.The focus shifts from morality to alignment. This isn't about being “good” or “bad.” It's about the God-version of you — the sharp, aware, maximized version — versus the dulled, synced, system-shaped version. Music, inebriation, fear, and even popular narratives can act like a subtle potion for perception, slowly syncing you to a rhythm that isn't yours. Guarding your heart means protecting your ear gate and eye gate because whatever enters your heart will issue your life. If something has gotten placement, it doesn't have to stay. Albums can be remixed. Tracks can be deleted. When you submit your heart back to the Producer, the original sound — the version God wrote — begins to play again. Get full access to Donavan Montrell at www.donavanmontrell.com/subscribe

Kent Nighswander

Send a textEpisode 101 of 'The Open Forum' where Christians, Atheists are invited to join the discussion. Guests will be invited on a first come first serve basis. Please note we can only have a maximum of 10 panelists (including efdawah panelists) at any one time.Link to join the panel: TEARS OF GAZA Donation Link: https://givebrite.com/gazacrisis© 2026 EFDawah All Rights ReservedDonate to Ijaz's medical expenses: https://buymeacoffee.com/ijazthetriniWebsite : https://efdawah.com/https://www.patreon.com/EFDawahhttps://gofund.me/7cb27d17https://www.paypal.me/EFDawahhttps://www.facebook.com/efdawah/Timestamps:00:00 - Intro01:05 - EF Dawah Panel join: Format of the Stream03:50 - Issue of Rise in the Abuse of Women07:15 - Discourse on the Epstein files 13:55 - Exposing the dark reality of modern society20:26 - Problem of Exploitation of Women today26:58 - Protection of Women: Islam vs Society32:35 - Encouragement of Sins in modern society37:11 - Guarding of Women's Dignity in Islam39:14 - Observations in the Epstein Files 40:39 - Message to Muslim Men42:16 - Borz (Agnostic) joins: shares his beliefs44:22 - Issue of social isolation of reverts 46:17 - Aftermath of the Epstein Files 48:13 - Prevention of Abuse & Injustice in Islam50:10 - Probelm of hyper-s3xualization of society 52:33 - Solutions of societal problems in Islam55:04 - Discussion on the Western Society1:00:49 - Exposing the evil elites & corrupt media1:05:44 - Fairness & Justice in Islam1:08:53 - Lessons from the Epstein Files1:13:08 - Advice to Borz1:15:05 - Br. Sarmad joins1:18:10 - Uncovering the hypocrisy of the West1:26:20 - Rajeeyah (Muslim) joins: shares her beliefs1:27:57 - Discussion on the End Times1:31:49 - Connecting with Allah ﷻ in hard times1:35:19 - Reality of women in western society1:38:33 - Issue of Breakdown of the Family Units1:42:07 - Br. Dawah Trucker joins: Chinwag1:47:01 - Mone (Muslim) joins: Applauds the panel1:48:41 - Self examination & fair judgement in Islam2:00:41 - Advice about Good Intentions & Sincerity2:14:05 - Jamal (Muslim) joins2:15:07 - Linking up with righteous influential people 2:17:52 - Building independent islamic systems2:26:29 - Giammarino joins2:27:32 - Giammarino's Journey to Islam2:31:49 - Uncovering the propoganda against Islam2:36:50 - Discourse on Dawah in modern times2:59:48 - Keeping the oppressed in our prayers3:03:07 - Closing Remarks & Wrapping UpSupport the show

This is a Grave Talks CLASSIC EPISODE! PART TWOA quiet fishing trip with his grandfather became one of the most traumatic moments of Dave Spinks' life. What began as an ordinary day on the river shifted when they heard something impossible—massive boulders crashing into the water from somewhere beyond their sightline. When they went to investigate, what they encountered sent them running. In the aftermath, Dave's grandfather made him swear never to tell the story.Years later, Dave reflects not only on that experience but on his time working within the prison system—an environment where darkness can feel less metaphorical and more tangible. He shares his thoughts on whether demonic influence, oppression, or possession may play a role in some of the lives he witnessed behind bars.It's a conversation about fear, secrecy, generational warnings, and what happens when experiences defy easy explanation. Some promises are made out of protection. Others are made out of fear.#TheGraveTalks #Paranormal #ParanormalEncounter #UnexplainedMystery #RiverHaunting #WildernessEncounter #DemonicInfluence #PrisonHauntings #Supernatural #HauntedExperiences Love real ghost stories? Want even more?Become a supporter and unlock exclusive extras, ad-free episodes, and advanced access:

This is a Grave Talks CLASSIC EPISODE!A quiet fishing trip with his grandfather became one of the most traumatic moments of Dave Spinks' life. What began as an ordinary day on the river shifted when they heard something impossible—massive boulders crashing into the water from somewhere beyond their sightline. When they went to investigate, what they encountered sent them running. In the aftermath, Dave's grandfather made him swear never to tell the story.Years later, Dave reflects not only on that experience but on his time working within the prison system—an environment where darkness can feel less metaphorical and more tangible. He shares his thoughts on whether demonic influence, oppression, or possession may play a role in some of the lives he witnessed behind bars.It's a conversation about fear, secrecy, generational warnings, and what happens when experiences defy easy explanation. Some promises are made out of protection. Others are made out of fear.#TheGraveTalks #Paranormal #ParanormalEncounter #UnexplainedMystery #RiverHaunting #WildernessEncounter #DemonicInfluence #PrisonHauntings #Supernatural #HauntedExperiences Love real ghost stories? Want even more?Become a supporter and unlock exclusive extras, ad-free episodes, and advanced access:

Your marriage should tell the story of the gospel — but irritation and busyness often drag it off course, especially once you have kids. The panel talks about practical ways to cultivate friendship and affection with your wife (both physically and emotionally)…fostering oneness and guarding intimacy…and maintaining margin for each other without neglecting work and children.

Mike Neighbors, assistant coach for the LA Sparks, shared his insights on transitioning from college to professional coaching, emphasizing the importance of pace, player development, and feedback loops in the WNBA. Neighbors discussed his philosophy on assistant coaching, highlighting the need for clear communication and alignment with players' roles.He also touched on the challenges and opportunities in women's basketball, including the impact of social media and financial pressures on young players. The conversation covered Neighbors' approach to defensive strategies, practice efficiency, and the evolving role of analytics in coaching. The episode concluded with Neighbors expressing his excitement about joining the Dallas Wings and continuing to contribute to the growth of women's basketball.Episode Breakdown:01:46 College to WNBA: Why the Transition Felt Like Being a Rookie Again03:06 Assistant Coach Best Practices: The 5 Things You Want / 5 Things You Don't09:30 Sustaining a 30-Year Coaching Career (and What Happens When You Lose a Job)12:17 Playing Fast the Right Way: Pace, Shot Quality, and Transition Defense15:54 When to Tap the Brakes: Turnovers, Bad Shots, and Shot Distribution Rules23:29 Short Roll Playmaking as a Superpower (and Why It's Hard at Lower Levels)25:52 Coaching Confident Scorers: Green Lights, Shot Selection, and Immediate Feedback30:44 Conceptual Offense: Triads, Sequencing Actions & Creating Flow34:30 Offensive Rebounding vs. Transition Defense (WNBA Lessons)36:35 Efficient Practices: Combo Drills, No Lines & Maximizing Every Minute39:21 Motivate vs. Inspire + The ‘Curse of the Clinic' (Make It Fit Your Team)42:21 Defense in the Pros: Versatility, Guarding the Ball & ‘Death Shots'47:04 If I Went Back to College: Faster Feedback Loops, Standards & Protecting Players

What holds your family, friendships, and community together when life feels scattered?In today's episode, host Lauren Alessi invites us to explore the heart of biblical love and the power it has to unite us in perfect harmony. Together, we'll reflect on verses like 1 Peter 4:8 and Colossians 3:14, uncovering how genuine love (more than rules, routines, or even good intentions) is what binds our faith, hope, and trust.Let's discover how applying love in our daily lives can transform our homes, relationships, and even our churches. Join our community in prayer and devotion as we seek a deeper understanding of love that reflects God's ultimate example for us.Tap HERE to send us a text! BECOME A FOUNDING "MY MORNING DEVOTIONAL" MEMBERIf you enjoy your 5 minute daily dose of heaven, we would appreciate your support, and we have a fun way for you to partner with the MMD community! We've launched our "Buy Me a Coffee" membership where you can buy us a latte, OR become a founding member and get monthly bonus video episodes! To donate, go to mymorningdevo.co/join! Support the showNEW VIDEO EPISODES! You can watch our new video episodes on YouTube! Watch Our Video Devotionals NEW TO MY MORNING DEVOTIONAL? We're so glad you're here! We're the Alessis, a ministry family working together in a church in Miami, FL, and we're so blessed to partner with the My Morning Devotional community and continue the great work done by the show's creator and our friend, Alison Delamota. We pray our personal reflections and devotions will empower you to grow your faith in God, and that you'll join us every morning in prayer! HELP US GROW THE MMD COMMUNITY Subscribe to the show on this app Share this with a friend Join our newsletter Follow Us on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠Facebook⁠ ⁠Leave a review Support Our Friends and Family Connect with the original host of MMD Alison Delamota Follow our family's podcast The Family Business with The Alessis

We're living in a digital battlefield and most men don't even know they're fighting. The time we spend on our devices is unreal, and if it's free, you're the product. Algorithms and machine learning are engineered to hijack your attention, erode focus, and create compulsive habits. Today we're talking about auditing your digital life, removing the noise to find the signal, and building the discipline to guard your mind in an age of constant distraction. Joining me is Richard Ryan, author of The Warrior's Garden, built on the principle that it's better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war. We discuss digital detox, delayed gratification, accountability, and reclaiming the smallest locus of control so you can't be manipulated by the forces competing for your attention. SHOW HIGHLIGHTS 00:00 - Recording Begins & Digital Reality Check 00:50 - The Attention Economy: You Are the Product 03:00 - Negativity Bias & Why Outrage Wins Online 07:00 - Screen Time Audit: The Lifetime Cost 10:00 - Subscription Culture & Hidden Digital Leakage 12:30 - AI & Cognitive Atrophy: Guarding Your Mind 14:00 - Digital Detox & Withdrawal Symptoms 16:00 - The "Dead Internet" Theory 20:45 - Expediency & The Death of Delayed Gratification 22:30 - The Marshmallow Study & Impulse Control 28:00 - Compulsive App Use & "First Pickups" 31:00 - Addiction Substitution & Dopamine Traps 36:00 - Accountability & Why 95% Succeed With It 38:00 - Gratitude as Mental Armor 41:30 - Optimism, Awareness & Opportunity 49:00 - Incentives Drive Outcomes (Politics & Power) 55:00 - Personal Responsibility Over Group Dependency 58:00 - True Diversity: Strength Through Capability 1:02:30 - Warriors Garden & Closing Thoughts Battle Planners: Pick yours up today! Order Ryan's new book, The Masculinity Manifesto. For more information on the Iron Council brotherhood. Want maximum health, wealth, relationships, and abundance in your life? Sign up for our free course, 30 Days to Battle Ready

Monks and money don't seem to go together—but maybe they should. Early Christian monastics developed a biblical approach to possessions that offered freedom from fear and created space for generosity. Their example continues to resonate with believers navigating modern financial pressures.Dr. Shane Enete, Chair of the Finance Department at Biola University, joins the show today to help us explore what he calls “monk finances,” drawing on early Christian history to uncover insights that remain strikingly relevant today.Why Monks and Finances Feel Like OppositesFor many people, the idea of monks and money in the same sentence feels contradictory. That perception has historical roots.In the early centuries of the church, some believers reacted to growing spiritual complacency by withdrawing from society. These early monks sought lives of radical devotion and discipline. In extreme cases, they rejected material possessions entirely, viewing the physical world—and even the body itself—as spiritually dangerous.But this wasn't the final word on monastic life.Leaders like St. Anthony and St. Benedict helped reshape the movement. They recognized that God created the material world before the fall; therefore, possessions, work, and even money could be used for His glory. Instead of rejecting material things, they began developing thoughtful, disciplined ways to steward them.Out of that shift came a surprisingly rich theology of money.Recovering a Biblical View of PossessionsAs monastic communities formed, they began to rethink how Christians should live with resources.Rather than treating money as evil, they saw it as necessary for life—but not as a source of identity or security. Their approach emphasized moderation, equality, and shared responsibility.Their guiding principle was simple: Meet your needs, then help meet the needs of others.Money became a tool for self-sufficiency that led to hospitality, not a means of achieving independence from God. This perspective echoed the Apostle Paul's teaching to the early church, especially in communities wrestling with wealth and inequality.In many ways, the monks' worldview stands in contrast to modern financial culture. Where today's systems often prioritize accumulation and long-term personal security, the monastic tradition emphasized dependence on God and care for neighbor.Economic Sufficiency vs. Economic SecurityOne of the most striking insights from monastic life is the distinction between economic sufficiency and economic security.The monks worked hard. They cultivated gardens, produced goods, and provided for themselves. But they intentionally stopped short of building wealth for personal protection. Their goal was sufficiency—having enough to live and to share.A well-known story about St. Anthony illustrates this progression. After initially living in isolation, he began growing food to avoid burdening others. Eventually, he expanded his efforts to feed visitors and care for those who came seeking wisdom. His work produced enough for his needs and created margin for generosity. That pattern shaped monastic communities:Work diligentlyMeet basic needsCreate marginPractice hospitalityThey believed the danger came when financial planning shifted from provision to self-protection—when wealth began to replace trust in God.Guarding the Heart from the Love of MoneyMonks viewed wealth with a sober realism. They saw it as useful but spiritually risky.Money, they believed, has a way of whispering false assurances: “You're safe. You're secure. You don't need God.”To guard against this, monastic communities developed “rules of living”—structured rhythms that shaped how they worked, spent, and shared. These practices served as guardrails, protecting their hearts from drifting into consumption and self-reliance.The goal wasn't deprivation. It was clarity. They wanted money to remain a servant, never a master.The Power of an “Economy of Excess”One of the most compelling ideas to emerge from monastic life is what might be called an “economy of excess.”In many monasteries, individuals were trained not to consume everything they were given. Instead, they intentionally left a portion unused—placing it at the center of the table for others.Imagine a community of dozens of people, each holding back a small amount. The result was abundance. Tables overflowed, and anyone in need could be cared for.This practice created margin without requiring wealth.It also mirrors biblical principles found throughout Scripture. In the Old Testament, landowners were instructed not to harvest their fields to the edges so the poor could gather what remained. The design was intentional: leave space for others, and generosity becomes woven into everyday life.When consumption stops short of the limit, community flourishes.Freedom from Financial AnxietyThe monks' approach offers a powerful corrective to modern financial anxiety.Today's culture often promotes endless striving—more income, more savings, more security. Yet the pursuit rarely ends. Wants expand, expectations rise, and contentment slips further away.Monastic wisdom points in another direction: simplify, define “enough,” and trust God with the rest.There is a surprising freedom in that posture. When life is not driven by maximizing consumption, gratitude grows. When security is not tied solely to accounts and assets, dependence on God deepens.Their example reminds us that peace is not found in having everything, but in needing less and sharing more.What We Can Learn TodayThe monks did not reject money. They reoriented it. They used resources to:Depend on GodCare for their communitiesPractice hospitalityServe the poorTheir lives challenge modern assumptions about success, security, and sufficiency. They invite believers to examine not just how money is used, but what role it plays in shaping the heart.Perhaps their most enduring lesson is this: Financial wisdom is not measured by accumulation, but by alignment—with God, with others, and with the purposes of His Kingdom.Ancient as it may seem, that vision speaks directly to our moment.———————————————————————————————————————Dr. Shane Enete's full article, “Monk Finances: The Economic Brilliance of Early Christian Monks,” appears in the latest issue of Faithful Steward magazine. When you become a FaithFi Partner with a monthly gift of $35 (or $400 annually), you'll receive Faithful Steward magazine and other exclusive resources to help you grow as a faithful steward. Visit FaithFi.com/Partner to learn more.On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:I'm working with a new financial advisor who's recommending an Allianz Index Advantage Plus annuity. He says it offers downside protection, no fees to us, and growth potential with gains that can be locked in several times a year. I'm not familiar with this—what should I know?My mom, my sister, and I all own a home together. When my mom passes away, will her share automatically be divided between us, or does something else happen legally?Resources Mentioned:Faithful Steward: FaithFi's Quarterly Magazine (Become a FaithFi Partner)Monk Finances: The Economic Brilliance of Early Christian Monks - Article by Dr. Shane Enete - Faithful Steward: Issue 4)Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful StewardshipWisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on MoneyLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every workday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God's resources. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. 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Adultery is devastating and affects not just the couple involved but the entire family. How can you heal after such a deep hurt? How can you trust your spouse again? And if you're the offender, can your spouse forgive you? “The road to restoration with your spouse is never guaranteed, but God's hope is,” Robert Jones reminds us. Former pastor and decades-long counselor, Robert is the author of My Spouse Was Unfaithful: Finding Strength in God's Presence. His book helps readers understand their suffering and guard against bitterness and a vengeful spirit, while pointing them to their truest hope: God alone. Robert addresses both the offender and the victim in cases of adultery, providing tips on how to communicate after suffering such massive trauma and how to walk through the healing process.TAKEAWAYSAfter infidelity, couples should individually put their focus on Christ to begin the restoration process and not immediately talk to each otherThe church should be involved in bringing a resolution when dealing with cases such as infidelityPsalm 46:1 reminds those who are suffering that God is a refuge and help in all conflicts and crisesAdultery is a very serious sin: it's a sin against one's own body, breaking of the marriage covenant, and sinning against God

GUEST: TOM WILLIS https://tomwillis.com/West Virginia U.S. Senate candidate Tom Willis joins Ann Vandersteel for a hard-hitting conversation on restoring constitutional order, confronting the fallout from the Epstein files, securing America's energy future in the age of artificial intelligence, and defending the Republic from federal overreach.Willis is an active-duty National Guardsman, Special Forces Green Beret, constitutional attorney, and West Virginia State Senator. Tonight, we go beyond campaign slogans. We press into power, accountability, and the question every American is asking:Who will actually fight?This is not about promises. It's about action — now.This is Steel News where truth survives pressure.Follow Ann Vandersteel on Pickax - https://pickax.com/annvandersteel Follow: ANN VANDERSTEEL https://AnnVandersteel.comORDER ANN'S NEW BOOK: CPS PIPELINE. STATE SANCTIONED KIDPNAPPINGhttps://www.amazon.com/CPS-Pipeline-State-Sanctioned-Kidnapping/dp/B0GG1M3VXTSPONSORS:https://AmericanMadeFoundation.orghttps://AmericanMadeAction.orgHEALTHY FOOD & BEAUTYSUPERFOODS https://VandersteelHealth.comReady to save big on your superfoods purchase? Made in America, non GMO superfoods for your whole family and pets.SLEEP & MORE with My Pillow!https://MyPillow.com PROMO CODE “AV”C60 EVO HEALTH AND BEAUTY SECREThttps://www.c60evo.com/annvandersteel/ PROMO CODE “EVAV” 10% for radiant energy & mental focus, increased flexibility, immunity & longevity for people & petsRICHARDSON NUTRITIONAL STORE – laetrille / apricot seeds for healthhttps://RNCStore.com PROMO CODE “AV”RNC promotes wellness and healthy living through the use of safe and effective dietary supplements that support the body's natural healing processes.YOU TUBE https://www.youtube.com/@RealAnnVandersteelYOU TUBE https://www.youtube.com/@Ann-VandersteelRUMBLE https://rumble.com/c/SteelNewsRUMBLE https://rumble.com/c/AnnVandersteelGETTR https://gettr.com/user/annvandersteelFACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/RightNowAnn/TWITTER https://x.com/annvandersteelPlease consider supporting Operation Burning Edgehttps://givesendgo.com/burningedgeThis effort lead to the exposure of weaponized mass migration into the illegal migrants ravaging AmericaMAIL:Ann Vandersteel℅ P.O. BOX 386Palm City, Florida [34991]FOLLOW & SUBSCRIBE:https://AnnVandersteel.Substack.comhttps://x.com/annvandersteelhttps://truthsocial.com/@annvandersteelhttps://gettr.com/i/annvandersteelhttps://t.me/AnnVandersteelTruthhttps://annvandersteel.locals.comhttps://app.clouthub.com/#/users/u/AnnVandersteel/postshttps://gab.com/AnnVandersteelhttps://facebook.com/annvandersteelhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/ann-vandersteel-312310260/FAIR USE NOTICE These pages may contain copyrighted material the use of which has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, such material has been referenced to advance understanding of political, human rights, ecological, economic, scientific, moral, ethical, and social justice issues. This constitutes a "fair use" of any such material as provided for in section 107 of the US Copyright Law.

Saying yes to God is often presented as inspiring and exciting. What's talked about less is the weight, responsibility, resistance, and formation required to actually carry what God entrusts.   In this teaching, we walk through the realities of stewarding a God dream:   – Why following the Lord can feel lonely in transition seasons – The difference between a personal ambition and a God assignment – What changes relationally when your capacity increases – Why early seasons require more structure, not less – How pressure exposes where formation is still needed – Staying aligned when opposition or misunderstanding surfaces – Guarding your heart and your assignment with maturity   This message is for those in a formation season—when something is being built, stretched, or restructured internally.     If this message resonates with your current season:   Subscribe for weekly teachings on formation, capacity, and Spirit-led leadership. Share this with someone who is stewarding a calling right now. Leave a comment: What has God asked you to carry in this season?     Join the Full Capacity Live Journey: https://julianapage.info/fullcapacity   Register for the Full Capacity Book Launch Event: https://julianapage.info/fullcapacitylaunch

Saying yes to God is often presented as inspiring and exciting. What's talked about less is the weight, responsibility, resistance, and formation required to actually carry what God entrusts.   In this teaching, we walk through the realities of stewarding a God dream:   – Why following the Lord can feel lonely in transition seasons – The difference between a personal ambition and a God assignment – What changes relationally when your capacity increases – Why early seasons require more structure, not less – How pressure exposes where formation is still needed – Staying aligned when opposition or misunderstanding surfaces – Guarding your heart and your assignment with maturity   This message is for those in a formation season—when something is being built, stretched, or restructured internally.     If this message resonates with your current season:   Subscribe for weekly teachings on formation, capacity, and Spirit-led leadership. Share this with someone who is stewarding a calling right now. Leave a comment: What has God asked you to carry in this season?     Join the Full Capacity Live Journey: https://julianapage.info/fullcapacity   Register for the Full Capacity Book Launch Event: https://julianapage.info/fullcapacitylaunch

It’s easy to assume that being compassionate means carrying everyone else’s emotions as if they’re our own. When we love people deeply, we naturally want to help them through their struggles. We listen, we empathize, we pray, and sometimes we even absorb their fear, anxiety, and heaviness without realizing it. This devotional is a reminder that while God calls us to bear one another’s burdens, He doesn’t call us to be emotionally overtaken by everything happening around us. The world is full of brokenness, and people are often hurting—but we cannot control their circumstances or fix every problem. What we can control is how we respond and how we protect what’s happening inside of us. Proverbs 4:23 reminds us that our heart is the source from which everything flows. If our heart becomes polluted by negativity, bitterness, fear, or constant emotional overload, it becomes difficult to live with peace, wisdom, and spiritual strength. Guarding your heart doesn’t mean shutting people out. It means staying rooted in Christ while you walk with others through their pain. God can help you be compassionate without becoming consumed. When you keep Jesus at the center, your heart stays healthy soil—ready to bear good fruit, even in hard seasons. Main Takeaways Compassion is biblical, but absorbing everyone else’s anxiety is not sustainable. You can support others without letting their burdens overwhelm your spirit. Guarding your heart is essential because your words, actions, and choices flow from it. Scripture helps keep your emotions grounded when life feels heavy. Staying close to Jesus allows you to offer comfort without losing your own peace. Today’s Bible Verse “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Proverbs 4:23, NIV). Your Daily Prayer Prayer excerpt for listeners: “Help me see when others’ trials have overwhelmed me emotionally. Please provide me with a biblical perspective so that I am not swept away by my emotions.” Listen to the full prayer here, or to read the full devotional and prayer, visit the resources below. Find more encouragement and devotionals here: LifeAudio.com – Christian podcasts, devotionals, and prayer resources Crosswalk.com – Faith articles, Bible study tools, and devotionals This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today. Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.orgTrinityCredit – Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments, Trinity has the knowledge and resources to make a difference. https://trinitycredit.org Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

In 2011, CrowdStrike launched with an innovative vision: using cloud-based software to provide cybersecurity. They attracted big clients, including Fortune 500 companies and critical government agencies. And along the way, they investigated notorious hacks, like the North Korean breach of Sony Pictures, and the 2016 hack of the Democratic National Committee. But in 2024, they faced their biggest test of all, when a bug in their own software created the largest I.T outage in world history. Be the first to know about Wondery's newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletterListen to Business Wars on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App or on Apple Podcasts. Start your free trial today by visiting wondery.com/links/business-wars/ now.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.