Podcasts about guided

6 Short Segments- Strive, It Is Never Too Late, Guided Safely Home, Dangerous Tides, Enemy Territory and Our Eternal Potential. ACU Sunday Series. 

844 I Hid Myself Because I Was Naked, A Guided Christian Meditation on Genesis 3:8-10 with the Recenter With Christ app The purpose of this podcast is to help you find more peace in  and connect with the true source of peace, Jesus Christ.  Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization.  You can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tense or unrel axing.  If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes.   Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation:   Breathe and direct your thoughts to connecting with God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate,  deflate. Scripture for Meditation Genesis 3 NIV 8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, "Where are you?" 10 He answered, "I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid." KJV 8 And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God amongst the trees of the garden. 9 And the Lord God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou? 10 And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself. Reflection on Scripture: What an interesting turn of events. When Adam and Eve ate from the tree from which they were commanded against, the scripture does not say they hid because they disobeyed God. It says they hid because they were naked. It seems like the wrong thing to be fearful that the Lord sees. God created their naked bodies. God has already seen their nakedness and yet this is the motivation for hiding from God.  Aside from the silliness of trying to hide from God, it seems the wrong reason to hide from God. It also seems like a wonderful deception for Satan. To foul their understanding of their sexual identity before the Lord quite literally. In the final day of active creation God created Adam, then as his culminating act of creation, he created Eve. In this act of creation he invited Adam and Eve to participate with Him in the act of creation of human bodies. The sexual acts that create their offspring is a literal usage of this gift for its intended purpose. Satan did not want them to develop a healthy relationship with this power. He wanted to immediately corrupt their perception. Their sexual bodies were incorrectly seen as an embarrassment before God.  Satan has waged a full fledged war against the correct perception and usage of this sacred creative power represented by their nudity. He tries to make the whole world mock, cheapen, objectify, and minimize the gift of sexuality. And on top of that, after he has done that, he seeks to heap on shame for it at the same time. God would have us reject the perspective of Satan, and the world. I believe God would prefer for us to protect the sacredness of this gift while also rejecting the shame the enemy would place upon it. Embrace the sacredness that God has put into you. Don't misuse it. Don't hide from the Lord when you fear or make errors. Let us not be in a place where God ever has to ask, where are you? Let us always seek His face, especially when we fall short, that he can redeem us.  Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Final Question: If you consider the invitation and command to persevere in the faith, what change in your life does that bring to your mind?  FIND ME ON: Download my free app: Recenter with Christ Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: jared@christianmeditationpodcast.com Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/christianmeditationpodcast Youtube.com/christianmeditaitonpodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod      

Hello Beautiful, I'm so grateful you're here with me.

A daily quote to inspire the mind, gratitude to warm the soul, and guided breathing to energize the body. Quote: "Things may come to those who wait, but only the things left by those who hustle." - Abraham Lincoln Gratitude: Art. To quote Ani Difranco, "Art is why I get up in the morning." Guided Breathing: Equal Breathing. Visit TheDailyRefresh.com to share your unique piece of gratitude which will be featured on an upcoming episode, and make sure to watch the tutorial of how to make The Daily Refresh part of your Alexa Flash Briefings! Call to action: If there's something unique YOU are grateful for, let me know and I'll share it on an upcoming episode. Simply visit TheDailyRefresh.com and click the word 'Gratitude e' in the Nav bar!

Welcome to today's Guided Prayer, where we invite you to find a quiet space to still your mind and body.  Guided Prayers are a daily 5–10 minute, intentionally created moment to slow down and meet with God—through scripture, reflection, and honest prayer.It's not a program you attend.It's a pathway you practice.A guided space where people can stop, breathe, and connect with Jesus—every single day.

Choose to surrender all to the Lord so your actions can bring Him glory.

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO to this Guided Prayer on Vimeo (no ads)CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO on YouTube (with ads)In this ABIDE prayer, we enter the raw and honest story of Job—a faithful servant who trusted God even when everything familiar was taken away. Job reminds us that true faith is not the absence of questions, doubt, or pain, but the courage to remain with God in the midst of them. When suffering feels unfair, when prayers seem unanswered, and when God feels silent, this prayer invites us to stay rooted in trust and surrender. As we pray together, we place our burdens before the God who sees the whole story, who is present even in silence, and who remains faithful through every chapter of our lives. May this prayer strengthen your trust and renew your hope in the God who never lets go. 

A daily quote to inspire the mind, gratitude to warm the soul, and guided breathing to energize the body. Quote: "The successful person has the habit of doing the things failures don't like to do." - Thomas Edison Gratitude: Magic. Just read a quote saying magic is in everything. So true! Guided Breathing: Equal Breathing. Visit TheDailyRefresh.com to share your unique piece of gratitude which will be featured on an upcoming episode, and make sure to watch the tutorial of how to make The Daily Refresh part of your Alexa Flash Briefings! Call to action: If you're interested in launching your very own Podcast, visit FreePodcastCourse.com/ and this completely free training will teach you EVERYTHING you need to know! So visit FreePodcastCourse.com.

Welcome to today's Guided Prayer, where we invite you to find a quiet space to still your mind and body.  Guided Prayers are a daily 5–10 minute, intentionally created moment to slow down and meet with God—through scripture, reflection, and honest prayer.It's not a program you attend.It's a pathway you practice.A guided space where people can stop, breathe, and connect with Jesus—every single day.

Are you feeling stuck in survival mode, battling a racing heart, or overwhelmed by digital overload? In today's episode, we step away from the noise and focus on somatic healing to bring your body back to a state of safety.Using Coherent Breathing, a science-backed biological hack, we aim to balance your heart rate variability and exit the "fight or flight" response. This is Part 1 of our organic 3-part series designed to help you move from immediate panic attack relief to long-term nervous system regulation.What You'll Experience:The Somatic Manual Override: A guided walkthrough of Coherent Breathing ($5$s inhale / $5$s exhale) to stop shallow chest breathing and signal safety to your brain.The Anchor Visualization: A powerful mental tool to help you remain steady amidst fragmented attention and external chaos.Affirmations for Stability: Internalize phrases like "I am the calm center of my own life" to reclaim your self-worth and peace.Daily Affirmations Included:"I am the calm center of my own life.""I am returning to my natural state of peace.""I release the need to control things that are not mine to carry."3 Daily Caring Tips for a Happier Life:The Two-Minute Tech Fast: Prioritize silence before engaging with digital feeds to reduce cortisol spikes.Soften the Gaze: Look at the horizon to tell your brain there is no immediate threat, a simple hack for hypervigilance.Hydrate with Intent: Use the sensation of drinking water as a somatic grounding technique to stay present.Listen now to begin your journey from panic to peace. ---Timestamps:00:00 – Immediate Panic Relief: Entering a safe space.01:30 – Coherent Breathing: The biological hack for anxiety relief.05:00 – Guided Visualization: Building your internal anchor.07:30 – Affirmations for Mental Clarity.09:00 – 3 Tips for a Happier Life.Resources:Find the full Anxiety Breaker Course at calminganxiety.fm.Be kind to yourself.

A daily quote to inspire the mind, gratitude to warm the soul, and guided breathing to energize the body. Quote: "If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to meet it." - Jonathan Winters Gratitude: Color. As you can probably tell from my site, I'm obsessed with it! Guided Breathing: Equal Breathing. Visit TheDailyRefresh.com to share your unique piece of gratitude which will be featured on an upcoming episode, and make sure to watch the tutorial of how to make The Daily Refresh part of your Alexa Flash Briefings! Call to action: If you're ready to master productivity, discipline and focus in 100 days, visit TheMasteryJournal.com and you'll have the step by step guidance to do just that. Use promo code 'refresh' as a thank you for listening to The Daily Refresh.

Dean's Chat hosts, Drs. Jensen and Richey, welcome Dr. Arman Kirakosian to the Podcast!Dr. Arman Kirakosian is a board-certified foot and ankle surgeon whose journey into podiatric medicine began after sustaining an injury while playing professional soccer at Titan Stadium in 1999. Originally from Armenia, Dr. Kirakosian immigrated to the United States at the age of 13 with his parents and younger brother, bringing with him the resilience and determination that would later define his career.This episode is sponsored by the American Podiatric Medical Association!He completed his three-year surgical residency at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in San Francisco from 2007 to 2010. Following residency, he established private practices in San Carlos and San Bruno, earning recognition for his skill in complex foot and ankle pathology and contributing to the field through multiple peer-reviewed publications.In 2015, Dr. Kirakosian returned to the VA San Francisco as a staff podiatric surgeon. By 2017, he was appointed Director of the Podiatric Surgical and Medical Residency Program, where he currently mentors six residents and numerous podiatric medical students. A passionate educator, he taught Gross Anatomy at San Francisco State University from 2006 to 2024, blending academic teaching with real-world surgical experience.Dr. Kirakosian also serves as Team Podiatrist for the Sacramento Republic FC (USL) and was named Team Podiatrist for the San Jose Earthquakes (MLS) in 2021. He has traveled internationally as the primary team doctor for the Armenian Women's National Soccer Team during World Cup and Euro Cup qualifying competitions.Guided by mentors such as Dr. Thomas Chang, Dr. Kirakosian remains dedicated to teaching, advancing sports medicine, and giving back to the profession that once cared for him as a young athlete. Enjoy this podcast!!Dr. Arman Kirakosian, D.P.M. FABPM, FAAFASABPM Diplomate, American Board of Podiatric Medicine Diplomate with Certification of Added Qualification in Sports MedicineResidency Director of Podiatric Medicine and Surgery | DVA San Francisco Medical CenterTeam Podiatrist | San Jose Earthquakes, Sacramento Republic FC, Armenian Women's National Soccer Team AAPSM Fellow | American Academy of Podiatric Sports MedicineACSM Member | American College of Sports Medicine CPMA President | California Podiatric Medical Association

Welcome to today's Guided Prayer, where we invite you to find a quiet space to still your mind and body.  Guided Prayers are a daily 5–10 minute, intentionally created moment to slow down and meet with God—through scripture, reflection, and honest prayer.It's not a program you attend.It's a pathway you practice.A guided space where people can stop, breathe, and connect with Jesus—every single day.

A daily quote to inspire the mind, gratitude to warm the soul, and guided breathing to energize the body. Quote: "If you have enough push, you don't have to worry about the pull." - Zig Ziglar Gratitude: Music. It's one of those things I literally cannot live without. Guided Breathing: Equal Breathing. Visit TheDailyRefresh.com to share your unique piece of gratitude which will be featured on an upcoming episode, and make sure to watch the tutorial of how to make The Daily Refresh part of your Alexa Flash Briefings! Call to action: If you want to take your life to the next level, check out my Free Training; 3 Hours to your big idea. In just 3 hours, you'll have THE BIG idea that you can go all in on, and the best part, the entire training is free! Visit YourBigIdea.io to start today!

Welcome back to another episode of the unSeminary podcast. We're talking with Dr. Allen Holmes, Senior Pastor of Definition Church. Allen has served at Definition for 25 years, leading it from a congregation of 30 people to one of the fastest-growing churches in the country. But in this conversation, we don't start with strategy—we start with the soul. Allen shares how a personal marriage crisis early in ministry exposed deep character issues and launched him on a decades-long journey of spiritual formation that has shaped both his leadership and his church. Is it possible that the greatest lid on your ministry isn't your strategy—but your inner life? Allen challenges leaders to rethink success, crisis, and longevity through the lens of character formation. Pressure reveals who you really are. // Leadership rarely collapses because of incompetence—it collapses because pressure exposes unaddressed character issues. Early in seminary and marriage, Allen's wife told him she didn't love him and didn't want to remain in ministry. The crisis shattered his sense of calling and identity. Allen—by God's grace—was able to ask: What in me has produced this? That shift from defensiveness to humility marked the beginning of deep transformation. From gifted producer to formed leader. // Allen explains that many leaders are rewarded for production, not formation. A gifted communicator can build a crowd while remaining insecure, defensive, and relationally immature. You can be a great producer and a poor leader. True leadership requires learning to lead yourself. For Allen, that meant confronting independence, insecurity, and relational blind spots—issues rooted in his upbringing that were sabotaging both marriage and ministry. Prioritizing presence over performance. // The turning point in Allen's growth was deceptively simple: he began prioritizing his relationship with Jesus. Guided by a mentor, he learned to read Scripture for formation rather than information and to cultivate rhythms of prayer, worship, and dependence on the Holy Spirit. Ministry leaders face an occupational hazard—handling Scripture transactionally for sermons while neglecting personal communion with Christ. For Allen, consistent morning surrender became the foundation for long-term sustainability. Marriage as spiritual formation. // Allen describes marriage as God's primary classroom for sanctification. Drawing from the biblical metaphor of Christ and the Church, he explains how learning to live in the presence of his wife taught him how to live in the presence of God. Simple daily rhythms—morning prayer, consistent check-ins, shared meals, evening walks, praying together—have sustained their relationship for decades. Rather than competing with ministry, his marriage strengthens it. What God forms privately shapes what leaders produce publicly. Culture flows from character. // Over 25 years, Allen's commitment to personal formation has shaped Definition Church's culture. Every staff member has a “rule of life” and an intentional growth plan. Personal development is written into job descriptions as the number-one responsibility. Staff are given monthly retreat days to spend extended time alone with Jesus. Spiritual practices are embedded into the life of the church. Allen believes you reproduce who and what you are—so the greatest contribution a leader can make is becoming more like Christ. The power of staying. // Allen notes that lasting impact often requires long tenure. His senior leadership team has served together for decades, building trust and shared formation. In a skeptical culture, credibility grows through consistency. But longevity without formation is dangerous. The process prepares leaders for the purpose; bypassing the process risks collapse. Like Joseph's journey from entitlement to anointing in the Old Testament, leaders must pass through refining seasons before they can steward influence well. To learn more about Definition Church, explore their resources, and connect with Allen, visit definition.church. 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: Portable Church Your church is doing really well right now, and your leadership team is looking for solutions to keep momentum going! It could be time to start a new location. Maybe you have hesitated in the past few years, but you know it's time to step out in faith again and launch that next location. Portable Church has assembled a bundle of resources to help you leverage your growing momentum into a new location by sending a part of your congregation back to their neighborhood on Mission. This bundle of resources will give you a step-by-step plan to launch that new or next location, and a 5 minute readiness tool that will help you know your church is ready to do it! Click here to watch the free webinar “Launch a New Location in 150 Days or Less” and grab the bundle of resources for your church! Episode Transcript Rich Birch — Hey friends, welcome to the unSeminary podcast. So glad that you have decided to tune in. Today’s going to be a really good conversation. It’s one of those conversations that I think we all need to have, looked carefully at, think about ourselves, think about the teams we lead. I really do think it’s one of those make or break kind of conversations. And so you’ll be rewarded for tuning in today. Rich Birch — Excited to have Dr. Allen Holmes with us. He’s a senior pastor of a church called Definition Church. He’s been there since 2000, so a few years. They’re located in North Carolina and is one of the fastest growing churches in the country. They have a residency program as well that’s called to train and develop next generation of mission-minded ministry leaders. And believing that generosity is a privilege, Definition Church also partners with a number of other ministries, churches, and organizations to really serve their community. Dr. Allen, so glad you’re here. Thanks for being here today.Allen Holmes — Wow. Well, I’m so excited to be here, Rich, and appreciate the invitation.Rich Birch — Oh, this is going to be a fun conversation. Why don’t you kind of fill out the picture?Allen Holmes — Yeah.Rich Birch — Tell us a little bit about Definition. Kind of tell us the story. Give us a sense of the church.Allen Holmes — Well, my wife and I, we grew up down in Wilmington, which is on the coast of North Carolina. In 2000, we were finishing seminary and looking for a church, really looking for a city where we could plant our life and stay in one place kind of forever. And we were in a small town. Our first church was in a small town of about 1500. And Greensboro was one of the cities we visited, and there was a church here that had lost their pastor. They only had about 30 people.Allen Holmes — And the truth is that was safe and kind of gave us a a lot of freedom to make mistakes and learn and grow as leaders and as a man and a woman, as a married couple, as parents, you know, all the things without mistakes, really the pressure of a big church and a lot of expectations. And that was perfect for us. And and we fell in love with the city and it’s been 25 years now. It’s hard to believe that. And and but we love it here. Greensboro’s home now and and Definition’s been great to us.Rich Birch — So good. Well, I want to take advantage of the fact that you’ve been at your location, at your church for a number of years. When you look back over two and a half decades of ministry, and you know you’ve seen a lot of churches in your community, and then just even wider you know across the country, that sort of thing. Where have you seen leadership fall apart in churches? We’ll start with the negative to start.Allen Holmes — Yeah.Rich Birch — When’s it break down most often? Why does, you know, why do the wheels come off? Where have you seen that happen?Allen Holmes — You know, I think generally it’s just anything that creates pressure. So I think we have a tendency to train and prepare as leaders when there’s no pressure.Rich Birch — Right.Allen Holmes — And then all of a sudden we find ourselves in a situation where there’s a tremendous amount of pressure. And in those moments, it’s not what we know that matters, but who we are. Rich Birch — So true.Allen Holmes — It kind of gets it gets exposed. And this happened for me the first time I was in seminary. It was my second semester. My wife, Tina, and I had just gotten married. So we were five months into marriage. I was living my dream. I mean, seminary for, you know, somebody who wants to be a pastor is like Disney World, right? I mean, I’m in class every day studying the Bible, surrounded by all these people that love Jesus. I’ve got this vision for changing the world. I mean, it was just wonderful.Allen Holmes — And in month five, towards the end of that second semester, I came home and and my wife wasn’t doing well. I didn’t realize, you know, how bad it was. But that day I came home and she said, I don’t love you. Rich Birch — Wow.Allen Holmes — And I don’t want to be married. I will never be in the ministry. I'm going home.Rich Birch — Wow.Allen Holmes — And it’s like, all of a sudden, my whole world just began to fall apart. You know, at that stage of life, the only thing that really mattered to me was ministry. You know I had this call, this sense of calling. And my marriage.Allen Holmes — I really I grew up in a broken home, really didn’t have any family. And my wife and actually her family were family to me.Rich Birch — Right.Allen Holmes — And so in that moment, it felt like I was losing everything that mattered. Rich Birch — Wow. Allen Holmes — And I realized that despite all of my gifts and my zeal and my passion and my good intentions, beneath the surface, I had all of this on all of these unaddressed issues from my life story that were now coming to the surface and creating a mess in my marriage. And that crisis, that pressure exposed those things and created an opportunity for me to learn and grow. And by God’s grace, we dropped out of seminary, we moved back home. And I met Dr. Bennett, who became a mentor to me. He was a retired pastor.Allen Holmes — And I just started this journey of instead of being focused on just what I do and what I could produce, which is all I knew up until that moment, to really asking some deeper questions about who am I? And what’s driving all of this behavior and what’s creating this problem in my marriage? And how do I invite Christ to really do a deeper work in my heart and life and character? And and I’ve been on that journey now for almost 30 years.Rich Birch — Wow. That’s incredibly compelling. One of my mentors, he talks about how he burnt out early and he had kind of, you know, ended up on the side of the road and, you know, in a really bad spot in life. And he says, he looks back on that and says, wow, by by God’s grace, that happened. Allen Holmes — Right. Rich Birch — You know, and, and wow, that, you know, his whole, it changed the whole trajectory of you know his life and he made a whole bunch of changes. And he feels really, in a weird sort of way, thankful for for that, if even though you’re thankful, it feels like a weird emotion to have around such a crisis you know in you know in your life. Allen Holmes — Right.Rich Birch — Now, so many leaders, we’re so focused on the mission. We’re so focused on leading others. We’re so focused on pushing forward. We miss this stuff. There's there are these things bubbling under the surface. And and we haven’t had the grace of a wife who would raise her hand and say, hey, this enough is enough. Why do you think that gap is so common in ministry? Why is this just like a thing we see all the time?Allen Holmes — Well, I think to your point, in ministry, just like not just in ministry, but any organizational leadership, you’re rewarded and celebrated for what you produce. And the truth is that’s all most people can see. I mean, when my marriage blew up, if you would have gone around and interviewed my friends, my family, Tina’s family, my professors, if you would have asked anybody about me, they would have said, Allen's a rising star. He loves God. I mean, he he’s doing all the stuff. He’s checking all the boxes. This guy’s going to really be somebody one day.Allen Holmes — But what you couldn’t see is that beneath the surface, I didn’t know who I was. And I was insecure. I was defensive. I was independent. I really didn’t know how to do relationships well. I was insensitive.Allen Holmes — I didn’t have like a bad, ugly heart. I mean, I loved and cared about people. I just had all of these unaddressed, unfinished issues in my life. But my giftedness would allow me to produce despite that.Allen Holmes — You know, I think sometimes people um wonder why are leaders great at leading, but, you know, they struggle to lead themselves. I’m not sure that’s really a real thing. What leaders are good at doing is they’re great at producing. They’re not great at leading if they're not great at leading themselves. In other words, I can be a great producer and a bad leader.Rich Birch — Right. Right.Allen Holmes — I can be great on stage and draw a crowd and kind of be a slave-driving leader. And it might, from a numbers perspective and people that aren’t close, they look at it and think, wow, this is wildly successful. But the people on the inner circle know better, that the culture is unhealthy and and this person’s, you know, shallow or he’s a tyrant or whatever the, you know, whatever the case might be.Allen Holmes — There’s all kinds of ways to build a crowd in American culture today that have very little to do with Jesus. And we’ve seen that over and over and over again. So I think in order to be a great leader, you have to be able and willing to lead yourself.Rich Birch — So what did that process look like for you the kind of internal journey of trying to name what your wife had or or define maybe what your wife had named to really get clarity on that? Maybe unpack that step a little bit first before we get on to what changed. You know, how how did you, what did that look like? How, what kind of space did you have to create? What, what, did where did that, what did that part of the journey take you?Allen Holmes — Yeah, that’s a great question. You know, when I look back on all this, I’m, you know, I’m just so grateful for God’s grace because I didn’t even understand the process I was in. I mean, you know, I was just in it and trying to navigate it. But by God’s grace, I decided to ask the question, what in my character has produced this in my marriage. And what’s really shocking about that is all of my seminary buddies were saying, what is wrong with your wife? Rich Birch — Right.Allen Holmes — And I, by God’s grace, was saying, what’s wrong with me?I had enough humility to look at my wife and go, you know, I married this woman because she was so full of grace and kind and gentle, this beautiful soul, this beautiful person. So if she’s reacting this way, chances are she’s not the problem. You know, sometimes.Rich Birch — Wow. Wow.Allen Holmes — Something about our relationship is producing that. And actually, so what it was is, my wife grew up in this really great, healthy family, parent, two-parent home, siblings, people in her house all the time. Her mom cooked every night. I ate at their house five nights a week. I mean, it’s like their family became my family.Rich Birch — Right.Allen Holmes — Well, I grew up with none of that. I grew up with a single mom, basically all by myself, raising myself. And those two worlds just collided. So when we went seminary, I was doing school full-time and working full-time, and she was working full-time. And I thought, well, that was normal. That’s what I’d been doing for years and years. I’d worked my way through college. I’d been and on my own since I was 18.Allen Holmes — And so that seemed normal. But for Tina, it’s like she went from living in this beautiful community to being all by herself at seminary, and I’m not even there. Rich Birch — Right, right. Wow.Allen Holmes — And she’s and so she was relationally just dying, and I didn’t know how to be sensitive to that. You know, I wanted to just say, you know, get over it. Life’s hard…Rich Birch — Right.Allen Holmes — …which would not have worked. Rich Birch — Right. Yes. Allen Holmes — You know But I just had enough grace to begin asking, God, what are you trying to do in my heart? And and like you were saying earlier about your buddy, the thing I would say today, if I would have married a woman strong enough to tolerate that moment, I would have been I would have never survived in ministry because I would have been a driven, legalistic, judgmental, demanding kind of pastor that that really, I think, used the Bible to beat people up.Allen Holmes — And I mean, instead of being a man who really actually experienced, I guess, an inner this inner, deeper work and can invite people into something that is deeply spiritual and transformational and life-giving, you know, I would have just been this ugly, difficult pastor to be with. And so I’m so grateful. I mean, that that really began this journey that just changed and has literally touched everything about my life and ministry and our marriage today. I mean, it’s amazing.Rich Birch — Yeah. So what, what changed? What, how did you change your, you know, approach to making decisions, to dealing with the pressure, dealing with the pace? You know, obviously we were kind of at the point in the journey where you took a pause and made some changes, but eventually, you know, you ended up back on that path and back into ministry and have been leading and the ministry has been flourishing. So what were some of the, the kind of shifts that you made that were that, in hindsight seemed like that was, those were keystone decisions.Allen Holmes — Well, this sounds so silly to even say it, especially to Christian leaders, but I had to prioritize my relationship with Jesus.Rich Birch — Right, right.Allen Holmes — Well, there’s a good idea.Rich Birch — Right. Yeah, exactly. Write that down. What did he say? No but that’s true, though. Lean in on that because you know that there are…Allen Holmes — Yes.Rich Birch — Listen, we all know we go, we all go through seasons where that our relationship goes colder. Some of us, we, you know, we just, it’s been like years, decades since we feel like we’ve had a thriving relationship. So lean in on that.Allen Holmes — Well, you know, it’s interesting when I when we moved back to Wilmington and I started spending time with Dr. Bennett, he just he just pressed me on that all the time. Give your mornings to Jesus. Give your mornings to Jesus. And I just began learning how do I develop a meaningful time with Jesus every day? How do I read the Bible for formation instead of information.Rich Birch — That’s good.Allen Holmes — And how, you know, how do I worship for formation? How do I what is my relationship to the Holy Spirit and inviting him into those moments to help me see and to understand, to teach and to heal and to counsel me into healing, wholeness, growth, all those things.Allen Holmes — You know, how do I press into community? You know, I was so independent. And the truth is, I mean, 30 years later, I’m still working on this.Rich Birch — Right.Allen Holmes — I was so trained to be independent and I liked being independent. I wasn’t unhappy independent… Rich Birch — Right. Allen Holmes — …but independence allows you to hold on to your immaturity because nobody’s challenging it.Rich Birch — Nobody’s in your business.Allen Holmes — Nobody’s confronted. That’s right. And so I just began really developing that time with Jesus and just fell in love with spending time with Jesus. And again, that that changed everything. And again, as silly as that sounds, I’ve been in so many groups. It’s kind of shocking how often I’m with pastors and they just say, I just, I don’t have time to read my Bible.Rich Birch — Right.Allen Holmes — I don’t have time to worship. I can’t give 15 or 20 minutes in the mornings to the Lord. And it’s like, if that if that’s true, then something is just so out of order about our life and ministry. And we’ve not learned to juggle all of that. And because we’re not handling that well, so many pastors, they don’t finish in ministry. Rich Birch —Right.Allen Holmes — Ministry chews them up and spits them out. And so we have to make that the priority. So important. So important.Rich Birch — Yeah, I really appreciate that. I appreciate you leaning in on that. And this is an area where it’s an occupational hazard in what we’ve picked to do…Allen Holmes — Oh, yeah. That’s right.Rich Birch — …because our our job is to produce that in other people. And so we have to handle the scripture in in a way, you know, it’s like a part of what we do to produce the content we produce or whatever that is. And it can become very transactional if we don’t watch. And so I really appreciate you leaning in on that.Allen Holmes — That’s exactly right.Rich Birch — What about on the married side? What advice would you give? Again, you’ve, you’ve are happily married today and you know, all these years later.Allen Holmes — Yeah, that’s right.Rich Birch — And, what, what rhythms have you found that have worked well for you and your wife, for you to continue to lead and to lead, you know, at a high level. The reason why we’re talking is because you’re leading a fast-growing church.Allen Holmes — Yeah.Rich Birch — But, you know, you’re doing that and keeping your marriage. What are some of the rhythms that you, that you help coach other, maybe younger leaders to, to really instill on that side, to, to, to be, to be whole on that side?Allen Holmes — One of the things that was so helpful early on is recognizing that my marriage was God’s gift to me to learn, not just to grow and to mature as a man, but even to learn to walk with God.Allen Holmes — And one of the things you see in Scripture over and over and over again is the primary metaphor God uses to describe our relationship with Him as a husband and a wife, that we’re the bride of Christ.Allen Holmes — And what I found is that my marriage and my relationship with Jesus were running in parallel. So if I learned something with Tina, it strengthened my relationship with Jesus. And when I would learn something with Jesus, it would actually strengthen my relationship with Tina, that they were you know playing off of each other that way.Allen Holmes — And so as Tina and I started working on our marriage, I mean, it was it was as simple like even when I think about giving my mornings to God. When I wake up every day, the first thing I do is I roll over on my knees. I acknowledge Jesus, you are my king, king of my heart and life.Allen Holmes — I invite the Holy Spirit to fill me fresh for that day. And I probably pray there three to five minutes, and then I roll over on my back and put my hand on my sleeping wife. And I just take a minute and begin praying and and blessing my wife.Allen Holmes — And then I’ll get up and I’ll I’ll kind of have of usually a couple hours where I can just be in the Word, I can worship, I can be in so have silence and solitude and just allow God to minister to my soul. And then i don’t ever leave the house without giving my wife a kiss, telling her I love her, embracing her.Allen Holmes — During the day, I’m going to check in two or three times. How’s your day going? What’s going on with you? You know, if I’m driving somewhere or between meetings, you know, little quick touches. Rich Birch — That's good.Allen Holmes — When I get home, I’m going to walk in the house. The first thing I’m going do is I’m going to find Tina. We’re going to eat dinner together that night. At the end of the day, we’re going to maybe go on a walk that night. We may get in bed and just both be reading a book for a little bit. We might talk about our day or what’s going on with our kids or life.Allen Holmes — Before we go to bed, before we go to sleep, we’ll pray together. And again, I want to make sure that I’m affirming my love for… When I describe all of that to people and what I try to tell them is have a response. The Christian life is learning to live in the presence of God. And marriage is learning to live in the presence of your wife.Allen Holmes — And so I know throughout the day what’s going on in the heart of my wife and how to love and serve her well, even when I’m here at work. And as a Christian, I’ve got to learn how do I live in the presence of God and recognize he’s always with me. And I want to bring Jesus into every moment, every meeting, every decision. And versus I have devotional time and I leave God at home. And then I come to work and do my work.Allen Holmes — So that’s just one example. As I learned how to do that with Tina, I saw how to apply to my relationship with God and vice versa.Rich Birch — That's so good. Yeah, that’s so helpful. Let’s talk about how your internal life and your own growth and your own staying close to him, what impact has that had on the church, on your team, on the people you lead? How do you see those two, you know, working together?Allen Holmes — Yeah, that’s a great question. So part of it is you reproduce who and what you are. Rich Birch — True. Allen Holmes — So what we’re describing, and of course, I’ve got 25 years of this, and so that gives me a little bit of an advantage in that regard because this takes time to build. You know, it doesn’t happen overnight. But when this has been kind of the direction of your life for over 25 years, then it becomes the direction of the organization and the people that you lead. And so on our on our church staff and our church and the way we do ministry, the way our we you know our mission is all affected by what we’re talking about.Allen Holmes — And so our staff, that you know, they all have a rule of life. They all have a very intentional plan a plan for their spiritual and personal and leadership growth in their life. And and we work as a team to to facilitate that. In fact, in our job descriptions, their number one responsibility is their personal growth and development. And we tell them all the time, the greatest thing you can do for everyone in your life is to learn and grow as a leader. That’s the greatest contribution you can make. When you do that, you everybody comes up. you You bless everybody. So work harder on who you are than what you’re building.Allen Holmes — And so we just emphasize that. And and then we do little things like, you know, in our in our church culture, we once a month, they have a retreat day where they’re required to go and be alone with Jesus for a whole day. And they’re being paid to do it. Rich Birch — Right.Allen Holmes — It’s their, you know, it’s part of their job. We emphasize a spiritual practice every month, and we’re doing that in all of our groups, and we model that as a staff. Like in January, our spiritual practice is fasting, and we’re about to begin you know a season of prayer and fasting like a lot of churches do in January. And so that’s integrated into everything that we’re doing as a church and to our staff. They’re encouraged to do that, and so we’re just constantly making sure that they’re learning and growing. And then that begins to shape the culture your church. It shapes your ability to actually make disciples in your church. I mean, at the end of the day, if on a scale of 1 to 10, as a follower of Christ, if I’m a five, I can only lead three and fours… Rich Birch — Right. Allen Holmes — …and I can only attract twos.Rich Birch — Right.Allen Holmes — And then there’s nobody that I can help, right?Rich Birch — Right. Yes. Yes.Allen Holmes — Because I’m already at the bottom.Rich Birch — Right. Right. Yeah.Allen Holmes — But if I can be an eight and lead sixes and sevens and attract four and fives, then we can reach down and help the two and threes get up, you know. So my what God is doing in me, and that’s true for everybody on our team, is the greatest contribution they can make, and it brings everybody up. And so that’s just really worked into our culture.Rich Birch — Think at like from a diagnostic point of view. A church calls you up and they feel stuck organizationally. They feel like, man, things are just, they’re not going well. When you take a call like that, is your reflex to go towards, well, where are things with the with the leadership team internally?Rich Birch — Or you know do we start organizationally? Hey, let’s fix a couple of things. Help us talk think Help us think through um how do you handle that kind of conversation? Or how does this conversation inform a conversation like that when it comes your way?Allen Holmes — That’s a great question. I mean, generally my response will be, I’ll tell people really, if you need organizational, just kind of practical, how do I do it information, I just give them some resources, you know, so I’ll send them, go to the Grow Conference. They’re probably the best in the world at it. Rich Birch — Yeah, they're so good.Allen Holmes — They can tell you how to do these different things. But then I want to come back to the thing I think we can help you with is really the soul of your organization, which is a reflection of what God’s doing in you. So let’s talk about who you are as a leader, the way you live your life, the way you lead your staff, the culture that you’re building and creating. Because ultimately, if you get all these systems, but you don’t have culture, culture trumps systems every single time.Rich Birch — Right.Allen Holmes — And when you get the systems and the culture right, you begin, everybody’s attracted to that. In fact, I think maybe one of the big problems in Western culture, and this is hard to admit, but I think the church has to admit this, is that people, people are not going to church. Church attendance is on decline, but it’s not because people don’t want God. They’re just not convinced they can find him at church.Rich Birch — Right. Yeah, that’s so true. Yeah.Allen Holmes — I mean, they’re they’re spiritually hungry, but the cultures of our church, people come into that culture and what they kind of intuitively know is that this doesn’t feel healthy or spiritual. So you can create all the systems you want and send out flyers and do all kinds of things. But if people show up at your church and what they intuitively know is that this isn’t healthy and spiritual, you can’t grow your church. So you have to begin there.Allen Holmes —It’s also true if it is healthy and spiritual, even if your systems are a little suspect, people will tolerate a lot of a lot of that because they’re so spiritually hungry. And I think that’s more true than ever before.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s very true. Yeah. Well, yeah, my good friend, Carey Nieuwhof, he says like, man, it would be so sad if people came to our churches and all they found was us, right? You know, at the end of the day, right? Like we were trying to point them to Jesus and as as kind of elementary as it sounds, but it’s just so true.Rich Birch — If there isn’t something happening there that’s bigger than just what they can get anywhere else, why would they come to us? Why would they engage in our churches? Yeah, that’s that’s…Allen Holmes — You know, we just came through Christmas, and and one of the things that I think Protestants miss is is when we think about Christmas, we think about Emmanuel, God with us. We think about the incarnation, God became flesh, and we think that’s something that happened 2,000 years ago. And the truth is, that’s supposed to be true of the church today. We are the body of Christ.Rich Birch — Yes.Allen Holmes — God in us. And when that’s true, people, when they show up at our churches or show up at our dinner table, they should experience Jesus when they’re with us because we’re becoming more and more like him.Rich Birch — Yes. Yeah, it’s good.Allen Holmes — And then our life gives validity to our message.Rich Birch — Well, one of the things I’m working on a book for for churches about breaking the 2,000 barrier. And one of the interesting stats that we’ve bumped into is that oftentimes the, when a church breaks the 2,000 barrier, the senior leader and often the senior leadership team have been there for going on two decades, 18 years, 19 years, 22 years. Like it’s just a really common pattern you see.Rich Birch — Now that’s not the perception. Our perception is like, oh, there’s like the just add water mega fast church that just explodes and it all happens. But that actually isn’t the normative pattern. the Normative pattern is it’s it takes a long time. You’ve been at your church for 25 years. Talk us through how longevity, how does that tie into this conversation? How does it tie into the impact you’re seeing, you know, at Definition? Talk us through that.Allen Holmes — Yeah. You know, it’s interesting when I, one of the other real key moments for me is I went back to do my doctorate of ministry degree at Gordon-Conwell in redemptive leadership. And so much of what we were studying is how God works in the crisis, in these pressure moments to, you know, expose the unfinished places in our character so that we can grow and become more like Jesus and therefore maximize our kingdom impact in the world.Allen Holmes — And one of my professors, Dr. Powers, he actually wrote a book called Redemptive Leadership. It’s a simple little book, but profound, where he describes leadership development in five stages. And stage one is is a skilled leader where you get a leadership role just based on your skill. So maybe the ability to preach. And so they call you to be the pastor. That’s how I became the pastor of my first church. I could preach. I hadn’t done anything else. But they let me be a pastor because I can preach.Allen Holmes — And then the second stage is a principal leader where you begin to understand why you do what you do. But the third stage, which is so important, is the character stage. And in order for a leader to go through the character stage, God always uses a crisis to bring him into that stage. But when he comes into that stage, he has a choice.Allen Holmes — In that stage, he can open his heart and allow God to do that deeper work, or he can go back and hide behind his skills and principle. And that’s what pastors do a lot of times. The reason you see this turnover every, you know, depending on what statistic you read, every two to four years, pastors are leaving churches is because they come into a church and they have this honeymoon season, and then all of a sudden there’s a crisis that exposes some things, and they start floating their resume and hiding behind their skill, rather than allowing God to deal with their character so that they can advance and become a transformative, redemptive leader. Rich Birch — That’s so good.Allen Holmes — So I think one of the things that’s been so true for us is we’ve just tried to say to people, when there’s a crisis, don’t panic, don’t run away, see it as an opportunity.Rich Birch — Right.Allen Holmes — In fact, I ended up doing my dissertation on the idea that if we could teach this model to leaders, that it would cause them to respond differently in the crisis. Instead of running from it, they would run to it and open their heart, and God could use that to really propel them into their redemptive future. And the research said that was true.Allen Holmes — And so we’ve tried to really work that in our culture to understand when something goes wrong, don’t run away and don’t hide.Rich Birch — Right.Allen Holmes — Let’s run into it and trust God to meet us there so that this thing, God works redemptively to use it for your benefit and to launch you into your future. And because that’s been our culture, people have stuck around. I mean, my lead team, Rick has been here 25 years. He’s actually here two Sundays longer than I’ve been here. Rich Birch — Love it.Allen Holmes — Eric’s been here 24 years. Jonathan’s been here 19 years. Steve’s been Chelsea’s been here almost this year will be 14 years. Steve’s been here 10 years. I mean, so they’ve just been here a long, long, long time, and that but that’s why, is that they’ve seen these moments and we’ve helped them to find God in it so that actually works for us instead of against us.Rich Birch — Yeah, that’s that’s great. I love that. You know, I think if more churches, if more leaders had the mindset, even as we led our people that like, hey, if they come to us and it feels like there’s a crisis brewing here, I do feel like our culture is so bent towards like, it’s not just them leaving, it’s us leaving them. It’s like, okay, time’s up, you’re done, like move on. We would never say it that way because we’re better Christians and we know, but but that’s the vibe we give people.Allen Holmes — Right.Rich Birch — And And I do think it’s been interesting as we’ve been looking really from a church growth point of view, this is a really sticky trend that we see that it’s like you, the key leaders have to be here for a long time. And it makes sense on lots of levels. Allen Holmes — Right. Rich Birch — This level, it makes sense. It makes sense on just like community influence. Like you you have to be around for a long time. People are super suspicious of the church and they’re not You know, they don’t come like that maybe 30 years ago, people trusted the church. Well, that’s just not true anymore. Allen Holmes — Right. Rich Birch — And so when you’re around for a long time that, you know, that makes a difference. And it’s hard to, it’s not like a really pithy bullet point because it’s like, well, just stick around. But it is, it’s critically important to the, you know, to the overall mix.Allen Holmes — Yeah, you know, that make that reminds me of a couple of things. One, one of the, think, things we have to be careful about today is I think we are doing such a good job of planting churches. We’re all for church planting. We just help the church in our city plant. We’re about to launch somebody out next year to plant under the church. I mean, that’s a fantastic thing, but we’ve gotten so good at it.Allen Holmes — If you’re a 30-year-old and you plant a church and you start with 500 on day one, it could be detrimental to your spiritual journey. And we just have to kind of recognize that.Rich Birch — Talk more about that. Why would that be?Allen Holmes — Well, like when I think about myself, when I came to Definition, we had about 30 people, and we did not average 100 for an entire year until my seventh year here.Rich Birch — Right. Right.Allen Holmes — Now, during those seven years, I thought it was the greatest church in America. I mean, we were having a good time, and we were basically a college ministry more than a church back then. When I came, we had an older congregation, but my first Sunday, 15 college students showed up.Rich Birch — Okay.Allen Holmes — And, of course, I was only 26, and so I naturally gravitated towards them. We kind of became this college ministry, and it wasn’t until several years later that they were old enough to get married and start having babies that we actually became a real church. And, uh, but during that time, the truth is God, I just believe God was in that because I was still so young and inexperienced and immature as a man and leader that the last thing I needed was any more success.Allen Holmes — It would have really, success can really blind you to your areas of, you know, where you need really need to grow. In fact, one of the things that you see in several places in Scripture, and one of the things that we tell our church all that time, that the Christian life is a lifelong, transformational journey with Christ. Rich Birch — Yep.Allen Holmes — And you see this in several places in Scripture. Let me give you a couple examples. You think about Joseph. I don’t if you’ve ever thought about this story, but I was preaching on it a couple of years ago, and I realized in this story, there are three times that Joseph has a coat. His first coat as a child is a coat of entitlement, and it needs to be ripped off.Rich Birch — Yes.Allen Holmes — His next coat was given by Pharaoh. It’s a coat of self-sufficiency. It needs to be ripped off, and Potiphar’s wife took it off. And then third, there’s a coat of anointing where he’s come through this crucible. He’s come through these seasons of pain and struggle and wrestling and and suffering that has produced this character. And now God can elevate him and give him almost unlimited power and authority without the threat of him abusing it.Allen Holmes — Well, without that process, God could never. If God puts any man in that position without that process, it destroys you. I mean, you you’re not prepared. You can’t handle that. You know, tell people all the time that one of the reasons God doesn’t just tell us our future, you know, people are always wanting to know, you know, what’s God going to do?Allen Holmes — And the truth is, if God told us what we were going to be doing in 10 years, we’d try to go there tomorrow. And the process prepares us for our purpose. You cannot bypass the process… Rich Birch — That’s good. Allen Holmes — …and still fulfill your purpose.Rich Birch — That’s so good.Allen Holmes — And so God works in that that challenge. I think about Psalm 23, and I think Psalm 23 describes three stages. First stage is that I’m this child. I’m very young and immature in my faith. And then I become this warrior. And then I eventually become friend. But I have to go through the valley of the shadow of death to get up that mountain in order to be a friend of God. Allen Holmes — And there’s no way to bypass that. it’s seeing you You see this over and over and over again in scripture. And it’s just part of our sanctification. It’s the way God works in our lives.Rich Birch — It’s so good.Allen Holmes — Now, one of the things that sometimes somebody might hear all this and they go, well, I know so-and-so. I’ll give you a great example, classic example of this. Chris Hodges is one of the most respected pastors in America.Rich Birch — Yeah, for sure.Allen Holmes — And he he has pastored one of the fastest growing churches in in America. But there is a reason he has been so fruitful. And the reason is before he ever became a pastor, he didn’t start that church until he was 40.Allen Holmes — And before becoming that pastor, he’d served under two of the best pastors and two of the strongest churches in America. So he was so much more mature than the average church planter when he started. And I’m 53, I don’t think I’m where Chris was at 40 when he started that church.Rich Birch — Right. Right.Allen Holmes — So that was a big advantage in why they’ve been able to be so consistently fruitful for such a long period of time. And we just have to recognize that. And again, that’s why it’s so important that we’re focused on what God is doing in us… Rich Birch — So good. Allen Holmes — …because over time, that’s what produces the best results. It’s just a mature man or woman of God.Rich Birch — Yeah, it’s so good. Love it. Well, Allen, thank you so much for today’s conversation. This has been a great, it’s been really rich conversation. There’s a lot more we could we could talk about, but I really appreciate you giving us the time today. As we wrap up today’s episode, what any kind of final words you’d give to a leader, as they’re thinking about reflecting on this kind of inner life, leading themselves, you know, trying to align who they are outside with who they are inside. Help us Help us with the kind of final word as we kind of wrap up today’s call.Allen Holmes — Yeah, you know, I was reading a book recently, and and this quote, I’ve just been meditating on it the last couple of weeks, and it the quote is, God loves us as we are, not as we should be, for none of us are as we should be.Rich Birch — It’s good. Oh wow that's good.Allen Holmes — And I say that just to say I think so many pastors are trying so hard like the older brother in the prodigal story. They’re trying so hard to work for God and to prove something. And I just think we got to begin with falling in love with him and trust he’s better at producing than we are. And if we just fall in love with Jesus and allow him to make us more like that father, his kids will come running home.Rich Birch — That’s so good.Allen Holmes — because they’re looking for fathers. They’re they’re looking for that place of grace and life and hope. And so that characterizes who we are in our soul. And people are just so attracted to that. So I would just say to all the pastors and leaders listening, God is crazy about you. You can’t do anything about that. You don’t have to earn it and none of us deserve it. And if we can learn to really receive that and fall in love with Jesus again, it just changes everything.Rich Birch — So good. Well, sir, I appreciate you being on today’s episode. If people want, if we want to send people online somewhere to track with you or with definition, where do we want to send them so they they could connect with you?Allen Holmes — Yeah, they can just Google Definition Church. And I do have a website. There’s not much on it yet. There’s probably not anything there that’s going to help them. But I need to do a better job of developing some content and getting it out there. But the best place to look would be just to go to our website. There are some resources there for churches.Rich Birch — That’s great.Allen Holmes — And of course, you know, we’d love to hear from them. And we really appreciate you just letting us, inviting us to be on the show today and to get to encourage leaders is such a such a privilege.Rich Birch — No, I appreciate you. I just want to honor you. You know, publicly. We reach out to churches like this, frankly, because you end up on the fastest growing church list. And we’re like, hey, what’s God using? And I love where this conversation went today. I think super helpful for people. So thanks so much, Allen. Appreciate being on today.Allen Holmes — Thanks, Rich. Have a great day.

Welcome to today's Guided Prayer, where we invite you to find a quiet space to still your mind and body.  Guided Prayers are a daily 5–10 minute, intentionally created moment to slow down and meet with God—through scripture, reflection, and honest prayer.It's not a program you attend.It's a pathway you practice.A guided space where people can stop, breathe, and connect with Jesus—every single day.

In this episode of On Rare: Innovators, hosts David Rintell, Head of Patient Advocacy at BridgeBio, and Mandy Rohrig, Senior Director of Patient Advocacy at BridgeBio, speak with Kat Bryant Knudson, Founder and CEO of the Speak Foundation and a leader in the limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD) community. Diagnosed as a child after experiencing early symptoms of muscle breakdown, Kat spent years searching for answers before receiving a definitive genetic diagnosis. What began as a personal journey to understand her condition evolved into a lifelong commitment to ensuring that no one with LGMD faces that journey alone. From founding the Speak Foundation in an unexpected twist of fate to organizing groundbreaking scientific workshops that bring patients, researchers, industry, and the FDA to the same table, Kat has helped reshape how the LGMD community connects, advocates, and advances research. Guided by the belief that people with lived experience should have the loudest voice in the room, Kat continues to innovate on behalf of a diverse and growing rare disease community. Kat's story is a reminder that progress begins with connection, shared experience, and the courage to speak up. Pantene is a third-party trademark. BridgeBio is not affiliated with or endorsed by Pantene or Procter & Gamble, and this reference is for storytelling purposes only.

Find new insights from our incredible guest, Rachael Denhollander.  "How much is a little girl worth?" Guided by a strong sense of justice since she was young, Rachael decided at ten that she wanted to be an attorney. However, her experience reporting abuse in her church comes with a terrible lesson: don't report unless you can prove it. Taking this to heart, when her gymnastics coach Larry Nassar sexually assaults her, she stays silent.  16 years later, supported by investigative journalists and public outrage, she reports her abuse, becoming the first whistleblower and rallying an army of survivors to bring Larry Nassar to justice. Today, Rachael Denhollander speaks across the country to make change in institutions ranging from the government to religious organizations, pursuing survivor healing and institutional transformation.  Host: Katie Koestner Editor: Benter Oluoch Producers: Catrina Aglubat and Emily Wang

A guided morning mindfulness meditation centered on an body scan to energize, uplift, and wake you up for an amazing day. #meditation #guidedmeditation #morningmeditation #bodyscan Check out the Wake Me Up Positivity Coach app: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://studio.com/wakemeup⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You get: Full Access to the WMU catalog; a personal growth plan based on my guidance and coaching; simple, daily tasks (5-10 minutes a day) to guide you through your own personal transformation; your plan evolves with you as you and your life change. It's the most effective way to digest the content in Wake Me Up for creating personal change! Get ad-free access to the entire WMU catalog + bonus content by joining the WMU Premium Feed. Grab a 7-day free trial of Wake Me Up premium: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://goodpeoplestuff.supercast.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ About Wake Me Up Wake Me Up is the # 1 guided morning routine podcast. Our guided morning wake ups offer affirmations, mindfulness, meditation, yoga, and motivation specifically designed to help you get out of bed and start your day with a positive mindset. Stop pressing the snooze button all morning long, and turn on an episode of Wake Me Up instead. You will be happier and more successful at everything in life because of it! Try out our different kinds of episodes to see what you like. And add it into your morning routine every day. Each day, you will be happier than the day before :)   Check out my sleep meditation podcast, Sleep Escape on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon Music⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠   I make this channel to serve you. Part of that is creating tools like journals and courses to dive deeper into certain topics, all of which you can find here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://stan.store/goodpplstuff⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Wake Me Up on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Youtube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Amazon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Podchaser⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Say hi or request an episode at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.wakemeuppodcast.com/contact⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. See visual guides for the yoga and stretches in WMU episodes at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.wakemeuppodcast.com/stretches⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. **Only partake in the physical movements suggested in Wake Me Up episodes if you are physically able and in safe surroundings. All movements are done at the individual's own risk. Be safe, and always consult a doctor if you have any questions or concerns.** Have a wonderful day

🧭 REBEL Rundown 🔑Key Points Try the coffee nap! Where you combine caffeine and a 30-minute nap to then have that boost energy and alertness by the time it kicks in.💤 Sleep isn’t optional—it’s crucial for memory, mood regulation, and physical recovery. It is fundamentally different from rest❌ Replacing sleep with caffeine isn’t effective and can have negative health impacts. Make getting enough sleep a priority🌞 Sunlight exposure is important for maintaining circadian rhythms and sleep quality. This applies even if you work as a nocturnist💡 Creating a personalized sleep system enhances quality and consistency. It gives you back control of a schedule that you may feel like is out of your hands.🧩 If you’ve tried these strategies and you’re still struggling, consider true sleep pathology (insomnia, shift work disorder, sleep apnea) and get help—this is not a “be tougher” problem.🩺 Better sleep isn’t just about feeling good; it’s directly tied to error reduction, patient safety, and longevity in EM/ICU careers. Click here for Direct Download of the Podcast. 👀Previously Covered and Related Content: REBEL Core Cast: Sleep HygieneREBEL MIND: Rest Is Not Sleep: The Seven Dimensions of True RecoveryRebellion in EM: Care For Yourself – Sleep HygieneFirst10EM: Some Evidence For Working Night ShiftsREBEL MIND: Dunning Kruger Effect 📝 Introduction Welcome to this episode of REBEL MIND, where MIND stands for Mastering Internal Negativity during Difficulty. Here we sharpen the person behind the practitioner by focusing on things that improve our performance, optimizing team dynamics and the human behavior that embodies the hidden curriculum of medicine. Today we are exploring the imperative topic of rest and why it’s not just about sleeping. The second of a two part series, hosted by Dr. Mark Ramzy with guests Dr. Maureen Aiad and Dr. Amil Badoolah, continue our discussion but this time on the multifaceted nature of sleep, how it serves as medicine and how we can use our tools deliberately to get more of it! Cognitive Question How would your clinical performance, patience with families, and long-term career sustainability change if you treated sleep as a non-negotiable clinical intervention rather than a flexible “nice-to-have”? 💤How is Sleep Different From Rest? 1. Rest reduces load; sleep repairs systemsWe previously talked about the 7 types of rest and you can check that out hereExamples of physical rest include: pausing tasks, stepping away from the monitor, taking a walk, stretching, breathing, journaling, connecting with a colleague. This lightens your cognitive/emotional burden.Sleep is fundamentally different in that it’s an active biologic process that helps:Consolidates memory and learning (yes, including the tough cases from last night).Regulates mood, impulse control, and emotional reactivity.Supports immunity, metabolic health, and cardiovascular function.Repairs tissue, replenishes neurotransmitters, and fine-tunes neural networks.You can have “rested but underslept” days (you took breaks but got 4 hours in bed), and “slept but unrested” days (you got hours, but all junk sleep). Both matter, but they are not interchangeable.2. Sleep architecture vs. “knocking out”True restorative sleep cycles through NREM and REM in predictable patterns.Alcohol, late caffeine, and fragmented nights may help you fall asleep faster but:Suppress REM.Shorten deep sleep.Increase awakenings and light sleep.The result: you technically slept, but your brain didn’t get the “software updates” it needed.Biology isn’t built for your scheduleCircadian rhythms were designed for light-day / dark-night cycles, not:10 pm–7 am ED shifts.24-hour calls.6 nights in a row followed by days.Your body can adapt partially, but not instantly and not perfectly. That’s why:You can feel “jet-lagged” even when you haven’t traveled.Sleep before and after nights feels odd and fragile.Recognizing that “this is biologically unnatural” is key: you’re not weak; you’re fighting physiology. 🏥How This Applies to the Emergency Department or ICU? Performance & safetySleep deprivation:Slows reaction time and increases error rate.Impairs risk assessment and complex decision-making.Drops your frustration tolerance with consultants, families, and staff.In both emergency medicine and critical care, that translates into:Anchoring on the wrong diagnosis.Missing subtle clinical changes.Snapping at a tech, nurse or resident and damaging team culture. Chronic health for chronic shift workLong-term sleep disruption is associated with:Hypertension, diabetes, obesity.Depression, anxiety, burnout.Arrhythmias (e.g., AFib) and increased stroke risk.Possibly increased all-cause mortality.You’re already in a high-stress, high-exposure specialty. Chronically poor sleep amplifies that risk profile and can end a career early—or make you miserable while you’re still in it.Culture of “heroics” vs. healthSkipping sleep to pick up extra shifts, late meetings, or “just one more note” is often praised.We rarely celebrate:The attending who says “no” to a 2 pm meeting post-nights.The resident who defends their blackout-curtains-and-earplugs routine. 🛏️Different Ways to Improve Your Sleep Clarify your “sleep non-negotiables”Decide how many hours you realistically need to function (e.g., 7–9 on off days, realistic blocks on nights).Treat those hours as you would a procedure time—blocked, protected, and respected.Use caffeine like a drug, not a reflexAim for ≤ 2 cups equivalent on most days.Avoid caffeine within 4–6 hours of your planned sleep time (remember: it can hang around up to 12 hours).Consider scheduling caffeine for:Early in the shift for alertness.Strategic “coffee naps” (see below), not late-night chugging.Respect alcohol’s impact on sleepRecognize that even small to moderate doses degrade sleep architecture.Avoid using alcohol as a “sleep aid”—you’ll fall asleep faster but sleep worse.If you do drink, separate it from bedtime and keep it modest.Optimize food and fluid timingHydrate consistently on shift, but taper fluids ~4 hours before bed to reduce nocturnal bathroom trips.Avoid heavy, spicy, or large meals within 2–3 hours of sleep to decrease reflux and discomfort.Plan a light, balanced “pre-sleep” snack if going to bed hungry keeps you awake.Move your body (but not right before bed)Regular exercise improves sleep depth and latency.Try to avoid intense workouts within 2 hours of bedtime.On shift: micro-movement (stairs, brisk walks between pods, quick stretch sessions) can help alertness without wrecking sleep later.Control light exposureMaximize sunlight or bright light after waking (even if that’s 3–4 pm after a night).Minimize bright light and screens before sleep:Dim lights.Use night mode/blue-light filters if you must scroll.For daytime sleep:Use blackout curtains, tinfoil, cardboard, or sleep masks.Yes seriously use tinfoil if you have to, we talk about it on the podcast episode!Aim for “I might be blind” darkness—so dark you can’t see your hand in front of your face.Dial in your sleep environmentCool room temperature (fan or AC if possible).White noise or sound machine to mask household/traffic noise.Earplugs and eye masks as needed.Bed used primarily for sleep (and sex)—not for charting, doom scrolling, or email.Strategic power napsKeep naps ≤ 20–30 minutes to avoid sleep inertia.Prefer early-afternoon or pre-night-shift naps.Coffee nap strategy:Drink a small coffee.Immediately lie down for a 20–30 min nap.Wake up as the caffeine kicks in, combining nap benefit + stimulant.Thoughtful melatonin useRemember melatonin is a hormone, not a vitamin gummy.Lower doses often work as well as (or better than) large OTC doses.Use it intentionally and intermittently, not as a crutch every night.Over-reliance may reduce your own natural production and its effectiveness over time.Build pre-sleep ritualsRepeated, calming habits signal your body it’s time to downshift:Warm shower, gentle stretching, or yoga.Guided breathing or body scan.Brief journaling or “brain dump” of tasks to get them out of your head and onto paper.Protect from pathologic patternsIf despite consistent effort you:Snore heavily, stop breathing, or gasp in sleep.Feel excessively sleepy driving home or at work.Cannot fall asleep or stay asleep for weeks to months.Consider evaluation for sleep apnea, insomnia, or shift-work sleep disorder with your physician or sleep specialist. ⏩Immediate Action Steps for Before/During/After Your Next Shift 1. **Before the Shift**: Plan a 20–90 minute nap before your first night shift (many clinicians find 3–5 hours earlier in the day is ideal).I treat ED and ICU shifts very differently. I always sleep 3-5 hours before my night shifts aiming for the full 5 (sometimes 6 or more) hours for my ED shifts because you always have to be “on”. Depending on the ICU I’m working in, I may have a bit more downtime so 3 to 5 hours is plenty.Set a caffeine plan: decide in advance when your last dose will be (e.g., none after 2–3 am if sleeping at 8–9 am).Tell your household, “This is my sleep block” and agree on a plan for kids, pets, deliveries, etc.On my calendar, I completely block off time called “Pre-call sleep” so no meetings can be scheduled and then put my phone in airplane mode2. **During the Shift** Hydrate early; taper fluids in the last 3–4 hours of your shift Eat something light but adequate; avoid “last-minute” heavy meals right before sign-out.Build in micro-breaks and movement: one or two short walks, a few stretches, even a quick stair run if safe.Get outside or near a window for a few minutes of light exposure if possible.3. **After the Shift**On the way home:Use sunglasses to reduce bright morning light if you’re aiming for sleep soon.Avoid “just checking” email or messages; shift into wind-down mode.At home:Do a brief, calming decompression (shower, light snack, 10–15 minutes of low-stimulation TV or reading).Make your room cold, quiet, and dark (blackout curtains, tinfoil/cardboard, white noise, fan).Put your phone on Do Not Disturb and physically place it away from the bed.On my calendar, I completely block off time called “Post-call sleep” so again no meetings can be scheduled and then I personally don’t just put my phone on Do Not Disturb but rather in airplane mode and WIFI OFF If you can’t sleep after ~20–30 minutes:Get out of bed, do something calming in dim light (breathing, gentle stretching, journaling).Return to bed when sleepy—this trains your brain to associate bed with sleep, not frustration. Conclusion Rest and sleep are both critical—but they’re not interchangeable. Rest helps you step out of the constant “on” of our jobs, while sleep is the biological intervention that restores your ability to show up safely and sustainably. Rest ≠ sleep. Rest reduces load; sleep repairs your brain and body. You need both, on purpose.As EM and ICU clinicians, we’re trying to perform formula-one-level medicine with engines that often only see half their maintenance. You won’t fix shift work. You can build a sleep system that respects your biology, your schedule, and your life at home.That system starts with valuing sleep, then prioritizing it, personalizing it, trusting the process when it’s imperfect, and actively protecting both your routine and your mindset. 🚨 Clinical Bottom Line Sleep is medicine. Shift work is biologically unnatural. Struggling does not mean you’re weak; it means you’re human fighting physiology. Use your tools deliberately. Caffeine, naps, light, food, movement, melatonin, and environment can be leveraged—or can quietly sabotage you. Build and defend a personalized sleep routine. Communicate it, normalize it, and protect it from casual encroachment. You can’t control every trauma, code, or admission—but you can control how seriously you take your own recovery. Your patients, your team, and your future self all benefit when you do. Further Reading Espie CA. The ‘5 principles’ of good sleep health. J Sleep Res. 2022 Jun; PMID: 34676592Solodar, J“Sleep hygiene: Simple practices for better rest.” Harvard Health, 31 January 2025 Link is HereSuni, E.“Mastering Sleep Hygiene: Your Path to Quality Sleep.” Sleep Foundation, 7 July 2025, Link is Here Meet the Authors Mark Ramzy, DO Co-Editor-in-Chief Cardiothoracic Intensivist and EM Attending RWJBH / Rutgers Health, Newark, NJ Maureen Aiad, DO Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine, New York Amil Badoolah, DO Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine, New York REBEL Core Cast 119.0 – Sleep Hygiene REBEL Core Cast 119.0 – Sleep Hygiene Click here for Direct Download of ... Read More The post REBEL MIND – How to Sleep When the World Says You Can't appeared first on REBEL EM - Emergency Medicine Blog.

A daily quote to inspire the mind, gratitude to warm the soul, and guided breathing to energize the body. Quote: "A goal properly set is halfway reached." - Zig Ziglar Gratitude: Choice. I love that every day I can choose to be happy. Fabulous! Guided Breathing: Equal Breathing. Visit TheDailyRefresh.com to share your unique piece of gratitude which will be featured on an upcoming episode, and make sure to watch the tutorial of how to make The Daily Refresh part of your Alexa Flash Briefings! Call to action: If you're not listening to this on your Alexa, you should be! Visit TheDailyRefresh.com and click on the word Alexa in the Nav bar for a tutorial on making The Daily Refresh one of your Flash Briefings.

Welcome to today's Guided Prayer, where we invite you to find a quiet space to still your mind and body.  Guided Prayers are a daily 5–10 minute, intentionally created moment to slow down and meet with God—through scripture, reflection, and honest prayer.It's not a program you attend.It's a pathway you practice.A guided space where people can stop, breathe, and connect with Jesus—every single day.

Think you know Demi Moore? Think again. My friend, Mackenzie, and I peel back the tabloid myths to trace a far more gripping arc: a child who found safety in hospital routines because home was chaos, a teenager forced to protect herself when the adults failed, and an artist who spent years equating value with a number on the scale while breaking box‑office ceilings and cultural taboos. Guided by Demi's memoir Inside Out, we connect the dots between early trauma, addiction, codependence, and the relentless body scrutiny of Hollywood—and how those patterns transform when you finally choose yourself.If this moved you, tap follow, share with a friend who loves smart memoir deep dives, and leave a quick review so more listeners can find the show. Your support helps us bring you more conversations that go beyond the headlines.Support the show:On Patreon Buy us a book Buy cute merch Subscribe to the Babes in Bookland SubstackLink to this episode's book: Demi Moore's "Inside Out"Other links:What is Kabbalah?Demi Moore's Vanity Fair cover & articleXx, AlexConnect with us and suggest a great memoir!Follow us on instagram! @babesinbooklandpod

The readings for this homily: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/030326.cfmFather Matthew Tomeny, MIC, reminds us that true love begins with God and flows outward to every human soul. He explains that those who love themselves more than God impose heavy burdens on those around them, while those who love God above all seek to lift the weight from others. In this spirit, St. Katharine Drexel, born into immense wealth in 1858, chose to see the world through God's eyes.Educated by devout parents, she inherited more than $7 million — a fortune that would equal hundreds of millions today. Yet she recognized that money was not as valuable as the good works it could perform.. Guided by the prophetic call “wash yourselves clean … make justice your aim,” she turned her inheritance into works of mercy for orphans, widows, African‑American families, and the Native‑American peoples.She requested missionaries for Wyoming from the Holy See, and the Pope's reply — “why don't you become a missionary?” — sparked a radical conversion. She surrendered her fortune, prompting headlines that read “Drexel Gives Up $7 Million.” From that surrender sprang 51convents, 60schools, and 145 missions across the United States, including Xavier University, the first historically Black Catholic university.For St. Katharine, the Eucharist was the living source of every act of charity. She taught that when we behold Christ hidden in the Sacrament, we also see Him hidden in each person we serve. The humble sacrifice of the Mass empowers us to love without selfish gain, inspiring and enabling her own life of self‑offering. ★ Support this podcast ★

We'd love to hear from you, send us a text about your favorite show!Feeling a little emotionally stretched by the state of the world lately? Same. The headlines are loud, the energy is weird, and even if you're trying to stay grounded, it can still feel like there's a lot in the air. Sensitive and intuitive people often feel that pressure first—and sometimes we end up carrying way more of it than is healthy.In this episode, we'll talk about that strange tension many spiritually aware people feel during funky times—the pull to stay compassionate and aware without letting the stress of everything drain your energy. There's a middle space where you can care about what's happening in the world and still stay connected within.Christina shares three ways to work with your oracle cards when the collective energy feels a little funky. Not the usual “what's going to happen next?” questions. These are the kinds of card pulls that help you reconnect with your Soul, remember the strength you brought into this lifetime, and notice the support that is everpresent.***2026 in-person Reiki classes in Sedona are scheduled! Join us in-personChristina Wooten helps you access the wisdom and support of the Spirit World to elevate your life.She is a Certified Psychic Medium and Reiki Master Teacher.  Christina is the owner of Sedona Medium and co-host of Modern Life and Spirit podcast.She offers Psychic Medium Readings, Soul Readings, and teaches how you can start communicating and receiving messages from your Spirit Guides - through her program.Learn more about her offerings here>>>>>>Please rate, review, and subscribe to show your support, be informed of new episodes and stay connected with the conversation

In this Leading With Strengths interview, Russell Cox, president and CEO of Norton Healthcare, discusses how he leads with purpose and authentic optimism. Guided by his top CliftonStrengths — Woo®, Positivity®, Achiever®, Futuristic® and Learner® — Cox demonstrates how leaders who consistently focus on purpose can sustain engagement, navigate pressure and develop people through times of change. Discover how Cox's 38+ years of executive experience in healthcare has shaped his leadership style and why listening, learning and leading with strengths changes everything. The world needs great leaders who know their strengths and use them to create lasting impact. Leading With Strengths, Gallup's global leadership study, explores how the world's most influential leaders use their strengths to change the world. Subscribe to receive new Leading With Strengths interviews and learn more at www.gallup.com/leading-with-strengths. #leadingwithstrengths #leadershipdevelopment #strengthsbasedleadership #cliftonstrengths #leadership #leadershipskills 

There's a moment when someone says “just meditate” and your whole body tightens. Because you've tried. You've sat there. You've gotten more distracted. More frustrated. More convinced that mindfulness just isn't for your ADHD brain. But what if the problem was never you? So many high-achieving ADHD women are stuck in burnout cycles, emotional overwhelm, and nervous system dysregulation — and then handed tools that were never adapted for executive function differences or trauma-informed care. Traditional mindfulness can unintentionally reinforce shame when it's framed as “clear your mind” or “sit still.” When we understand ADHD neurobiology and how attention regulation actually works, mindfulness becomes something very different. It becomes a tool for nervous system regulation. For widening the space between stimulus and response. For interrupting reactivity before it spirals into overcommitment, shutdown, or emotional flooding. And when practiced in an ADHD-aligned way, it can strengthen the exact executive function skills many of us struggle with — without demanding perfection. But there's one subtle shift most people never hear about… and without it, mindfulness will continue to feel impossible. • Why “quiet your mind” is the wrong goal • The attention muscle most ADHD women aren't training • Nervous system regulation vs. forced calm • The moment that changes everything What if the distraction isn't failure… but the actual doorway? ✨Mentioned in the Episode In this episode I mentioned the free app Insight Timer.  There are tens of thousands of free guided meditations as well as a timer.  Find it in the app store that your phone has.  Or, find it here:  https://insighttimer.com/   —CHAPTERS— 00:00 ADHD Mindfulness Reframed 00:41 Podcast Welcome and Who Its For 01:44 Why Traditional Mindfulness Fails 03:06 Benefits for the ADHD Brain 05:34 Start Small Drop Expectations 07:32 External Focus 5-4-3-2-1 09:05 Mindful Objects and Distraction 10:35 Movement Based Mindfulness 13:43 When You Dont Notice Drift 15:20 Guided and Seated Meditation 18:12 Breath Focus One Minute Demo 20:23 Visualization and Mantra Options 22:15 Alternate Nostril Breathing 26:02 Wrap Up and Call to Action   ✨ If you found this episode helpful… Please follow, subscribe, and share it with another ADHD woman who needs support!  

A daily quote to inspire the mind, gratitude to warm the soul, and guided breathing to energize the body. Quote: "Change the way you look at things, and the things you look at change." - Wayne Dyer Gratitude: Words. They are literally my life line. I would not be me without them. Guided Breathing: Equal Breathing. Visit TheDailyRefresh.com to share your unique piece of gratitude which will be featured on an upcoming episode, and make sure to watch the tutorial of how to make The Daily Refresh part of your Alexa Flash Briefings! Call to action: If there's something unique YOU are grateful for, let me know and I'll share it on an upcoming episode. Simply visit TheDailyRefresh.com and click the word 'Gratitude e' in the Nav bar!

In today's Spiritual Foundation Episode, I talk about Romans 4: 1-5, 13-17 and John 3: 1-17. I share how we are called to reflect on Abraham in struggling with our relationship with God. I also talk about how Nicodemus struggles just as we do.   Show Notes and Resources.   Want to be a guest on Inspired Stewardship? Send Scott Maderer a message on PodMatch, here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/scottmaderer

Welcome to today's Guided Prayer, where we invite you to find a quiet space to still your mind and body.  Guided Prayers are a daily 5–10 minute, intentionally created moment to slow down and meet with God—through scripture, reflection, and honest prayer.It's not a program you attend.It's a pathway you practice.A guided space where people can stop, breathe, and connect with Jesus—every single day.

Surprise! This episode is being releaed two days early because there are some time sensitive things to share. After doing some reflecting this past weekend, Ashley speaks about how much she has changed over the past few months and a common theme that is both simple but confronting: our greatest fear is not failure. It is our own light. Ashley also shares some things that have been inspiring her lately (links below) and well, this episode wasn't planned to be shared this way, it just was. May it meet you in the heart and be felt throughout your entire being.  ********** The North Node: Take One of the Last Spots (beginning March 4) Full Moon Session with Juuso (March 3)  ALN Live Events through March  Fascia Flossing: the video Ashley has been doing daily  Awaken your inner guide within our GUIDED membership Book a Journey Home Akashic Records Reading with Faith O'Higgins  Path to Home on iOS Path to Home on Android How to do the Line Activation  Receive a FREE Line Activation  Follow on Instagram @alnwithin and TikTok @alnwithin

If you’re feeling restless or weighed down tonight, you’re not alone. This biblical sleep meditation, narrated by Tyler Boss, is designed to help your body relax and your mind rest in the peace of God’s Word. Let this sleep story comfort you with peaceful images of mountain paths winding through beautiful forests created for your enjoyment. What a blessing to be included in God’s message revealed to us through His Son—His timeless message of life, hope, and peace. Abide is a Christian meditation app offering biblically grounded meditations and sleep stories to help you experience the peace of Christ and find rest for your soul. Try Abide free for 30 days and explore our premium, ad-free sleep content here: https://abide.com/peaceDiscover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us

A daily quote to inspire the mind, gratitude to warm the soul, and guided breathing to energize the body. Quote: "So much of what we call management consists of making it difficult for people to work." - Peter Drucker Gratitude: Love. It's completely magical and amazing, isn't it? Guided Breathing: Equal Breathing. Visit TheDailyRefresh.com to share your unique piece of gratitude which will be featured on an upcoming episode, and make sure to watch the tutorial of how to make The Daily Refresh part of your Alexa Flash Briefings! Call to action: If you're interested in launching your very own Podcast, visit FreePodcastCourse.com/ and this completely free training will teach you EVERYTHING you need to know! So visit FreePodcastCourse.com.

Welcome to today's Guided Prayer, where we invite you to find a quiet space to still your mind and body.  Guided Prayers are a daily 5–10 minute, intentionally created moment to slow down and meet with God—through scripture, reflection, and honest prayer.It's not a program you attend.It's a pathway you practice.A guided space where people can stop, breathe, and connect with Jesus—every single day.

A warm welcome to this soothing sleep meditation, where you will take an enchanting journey down the River of Dreams. You will float effortlessly through the calm, tranquil waters, and enter a world of peace and comfort. Eventually you will start to drift through your favourite place in the world, before being slowly guided into a deep relaxation and sleep.  *With the rise of AI generated content, I feel it appropriate to reassure you that I am a human creator, with a deep love of storytelling, meditation and sleep. I work on my own to bring you as many varied tracks as possible, and I hope you continue to enjoy my creations!* If you would like to enjoy ad-free content, exclusive sleep stories, live readings and more, then you can join our wonderful Patreon community here: https://www.patreon.com/sleepycatmeditations Music by Cindy Locher (https://www.TheRelaxationWorks.com)

Happy Mindful Monday Everyone! We've been sold a lie that a packed calendar is a badge of honor. But what if your "hustle" is actually the very thing standing in the way of your highest performance? In this episode, Allie sits down with Peggy Sullivan, a self-described "business addict in recovery" who has turned the corporate world on its head. Peggy's TEDx talk has reached millions, and her bestselling book, Beyond Busyness, has become the manual for organizations and individuals who are tired of the grind and ready for the purpose. Together, Allie and Peggy deconstruct the "Busy Busting" framework, a system trusted by giants like Google, Bank of America, and Johns Hopkins. They discuss how to reclaim your time, move from frantic "doing" to intentional "being," and why the most productive thing you can do for your career is to finally stop sacrificing your well-being on the altar of a to-do list. In this epsiode they discuss: The Anatomy of Time Poverty: Defining what "time poverty" actually is and how it silently manifests in our daily routines and organizational cultures. The Hamster Wheel Report: Insights and alarming statistics from the Workplace Busyness Report, including why 78% of professionals feel trapped in a cycle of motion without progress. The Silent Addiction: Exploring the psychology behind why busyness is addictive and why individuals and companies struggle to break free from the "Hustle High." The Busy Busting Process: An introductory deep dive into Peggy's signature framework and the core components required to reclaim your schedule. The Busy Barometer: How to use this diagnostic tool to identify, measure, and ultimately eliminate the low-value activities draining your team's energy. The Strategy of Subtraction: Practical methods for eliminating low-value transactions and creating "white space" in a crowded calendar. Mojo Making: Science-backed techniques for igniting deep focus, true productivity, and authentic employee engagement. Values Vibing: Leveraging your core values as a non-negotiable filter for decision-making to combat time poverty at the root. How To Connect w| Peggy Website Instagram MILLENIAL LIFE COACHES TECH & EMPOWERMENT SUMMITMarch 17-19FREE REGISTRATION HEREFormat: Live on Zoom + replay availableCost: FREEHost: Millennial Life CoachesAudience: Coaches at all stages (life, business, wellness, leadership, empowerment)Focus: Tech, AI, systems, empowerment, confidence, sustainable coaching businesses The Growth METHOD. FREE Membership◦ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join Here!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 1:1⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ GROWTH MINDSET COACHING PROGRAMS!◦ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Application Form ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ What are the coaching sessions like?⁠⁠• Tailored weekly discussion questions and activities to spark introspection and self-discovery.• Guided reflections to help you delve deeper into your thoughts and feelings.• Thoughtfully facilitated sessions to provide maximum support, accountability, and growth.• Please apply for a FREE discovery call with me!• Allie's Socials• Instagram:@thegrowthmindsetgal• TikTok: @growthmindsetgal• Email: thegrowthmindsetgal@gmail.comLinks from the episode• Growth Mindset Gang ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Broadcast Channel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• Growth Mindset Gang ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Newsletter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• Growth Mindset Gal ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• Better Help Link: Save 10%SubstackDonate to GLOWIGloci 10% off Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Alicia Ponce, AIA, NCARB, LEED AP BD+C, is the Founder and Design Principal of APMonarch, an award-winning Chicago based architecture firm celebrated for its leadership in sustainable design and adaptive reuse architecture. Guided by her ethos of “Lift as you Climb,” Alicia is the founder of Arquitina, a national nonprofit with a mission to go above and beyond the 1% of licensed Latina architects in the U.S. She has published 3 books: Latinas in Architecture Volume I, II, and III which feature the inspiring stories of 60 architects. Her honors include the 2025 AIA Chicago Distinguished Service Award for her work with Arquitina, 2023 Breaking Glass Award from the Chicago Women in Architecture Foundation, Crain's Notable Leaders in Sustainability, and the 2022 Landmarks Illinois Influencer Award. Alicia serves on the boards of Arquitina, United Way Metro Chicago, Professional Women in Construction, and is a Chicago Landmarks Commissioner. We talk about:- The mentors who encouraged Alicia to attend architecture school, the formative experience of studying abroad in Versailles, and how global travel reshaped her understanding of culture, history, and architectural potential.- The dynamics of working directly with Santiago Calatrava on the Chicago O'Hare International Airport competition and how her knowledge of Spanish and sustainable building practices gave her an edge during the collaboration process.- Alicia recounts the story of founding her firm after being laid off, finding her first client, and building a practice rooted in sustainability. - The origins of Arquitina and how Alicia's experiences during entrepreneurship, licensure, and motherhood helped her create a program that encourages participants to release shame, embrace their heritage, and achieve their goals in the profession. >>>Connect with Alicia:https://apmonarch.com/https://www.arquitina.org/@alicia_ponce_architect@arquitina@apmonarch>>>Thank you to our Sponsor:⁠⁠Arcol ⁠⁠is a collaborative building design tool built for modern teams. Arcol streamlines your design process by keeping your model, data, and presentations in sync- enabling your team to work together seamlessly. Learn more about Arcol on their ⁠⁠Website⁠⁠, ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠, ⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠, ⁠⁠X⁠⁠, and ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠.>>>Connect with Architectette:- Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.architectette.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Learn more)- Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @architectette⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (See more)- Newsletter:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ www.architectette.com/newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Behind the Scenes Content)- LinkedIn:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Architectette Podcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Page and/or⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Caitlin Brady⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠>>> Support Architectette:- Leave us a rating and review!>>>Music by⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ AlexGrohl⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pixabay⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Embracing God's Grace while Rejecting Satan's Shame, A Guided Christian Meditation on Genesis 3:4-7 with the Recenter With Christ app The purpose of this podcast is to help you find more peace in  and connect with the true source of peace, Jesus Christ.  Outline: Relaxation, Reading, Meditation, Prayer, Contemplation and Visualization.  You can sit comfortably and uninterrupted for about 20 minutes.You should hopefully not be driving or anything tense or unrelaxing.  If you feel comfortable to do so, I invite you to close your eyes.   Guided Relaxation / Guided Meditation:   Breathe and direct your thoughts to connecting with God. Let your stomach be a balloon inflate,  deflate. Scripture for Meditation Genesis 3 RSV 4 But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." 6 So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate; and she also gave some to her husband, and he ate. 7 Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves aprons. NET 4 The serpent said to the woman, "Surely you will not die, 5 for God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will open and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." 6 When the woman saw that the tree produced fruit that was good for food, was attractive to the eye, and was desirable for making one wise, she took some of its fruit and ate it. She also gave some of it to her husband who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them opened, and they knew they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Reflection on Scripture: Satan directly rejects what God taught Adam and Eve. Although in one way Satan put some truth in his lie. Their eyes were in fact opened when the partook of the fruit of the tree. Yet the ultimate point is they faced spiritual death when they ate of the fruit, which is separation from the presence of God, and they became subject to physical death. God's word was fulfilled. This scripture also begins to point out the beginning of shame. When we act in contrast to what God has told us to, we feel a conviction of our guilt from God. This can be a good and Godly influence. God's desire for us is not to retain this bad feeling and live in it. His desire is really aimed at bringing our hearts back in line with His will. He wants us to feel forgiven. He wants us to feel welcome back to his presence. So I think we should be aware of the effects of sin and seek to actively reject sin.  Satan is aware of God's grace. He knows God will forgive us when we turn to, and trust in Jesus as the source of forgiveness and salvation. He wants to actively deny that. He would prefer that we become immobilized by shame. He wants us to hide our sin from God which we will talk more about next week. Satan wants to turn our attention away from our God who longs to pour out forgiveness and guide us to overcome sin. So my invitation to you is to ponder, do you allow Satan to use shame to take your focus away from the forgiveness that God freely offers? Equally destructive is do you reject any negative emotions associated with your guilt because you feel sad about it? Rejoice in any guilt that draws your heart back to the Lord and reject the shame of the enemy who seeks to destroy your hope in a glorious forgiveness.  Meditation of Prayer: Pray as directed by the Spirit. Dedicate these moments to the patient waiting, when you feel ready ask God for understanding you desire from Him. Meditation of God and His Glory / Hesychasm: I invite you to sit in silence feeling patient for your own faults and trials. Summarize what insights you have gained during this meditation and meditate and visualize positive change in your life: This is a listener funded podcast at patreon.com/christianmeditationpodcast Final Question: If you consider the invitation and command to persevere in the faith, what change in your life does that bring to your mind?  FIND ME ON: Download my free app: Recenter with Christ Website - ChristianMeditationPodcast.com Voicemail - (602) 888-3795 Email: jared@christianmeditationpodcast.com Apple Podcasts - Christian Meditation Podcast Facebook.com/christianmeditationpodcast Youtube.com/christianmeditaitonpodcast Twitter - @ChristianMedPod    

Hello Beautiful, I'm so grateful you're here with me.

Are you carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders? In this 10-minute guided meditation for anxiety, host Martin leads you through a powerful spring reset designed to physically guide your body back to safety. If you are struggling with stress relief, fatigue, or a buzzing nervous system, this session offers you the "permission to let it all go".Through a combination of deep vagus nerve breathing, golden light visualization, and powerful daily affirmations, you will learn how to release "winter weight" and return to your natural state of peace. Perfect for listeners seeking mindfulness, mental health support, and practical anxiety relief in 2026.Time Chapters00:00 – Welcome to the Spring Reset: Finding stillness within.01:08 – Grounding: Letting the floor take your weight.01:21 – The Vagus Nerve Reset: Deep inhales and audible sighs.02:02 – Golden Light Visualization: Relaxing the jaw and shoulders.04:38 – The Mind's Eye: Visualizing your inner spring garden.05:36 – Affirmations for Inner Peace.08:01 – 3 Daily Tips to Protect Your Peace.09:18 – Gentle Awakening & Closing Thoughts.Guided AffirmationsRepeat these silently or out loud to shift your mindset:"I am safe enough to let my guard down.""I release the need to control things that are not mine to carry.""My worth is not defined by my productivity, but by my presence.""I am returning to my natural state of peace."3 Daily Tips to Protect Your PeaceImplement these "superpowers" throughout your day to manage stress:The 30-Second Shake: Stand up and literally shake your limbs to discharge stuck stress from your muscles.The "Let Them" Rule: If others are acting out, simply say "let them" to save your energy for your own inner garden.Nature's Microdose: Spend two minutes looking at something green or the sky to lower cortisol instantly.Support the Show Enjoyed this session? Please Subscribe and leave a Review on Apple Podcasts—it helps others find their calm. For deeper dives, join our Supporters Club via the link below.

A daily quote to inspire the mind, gratitude to warm the soul, and guided breathing to energize the body. Quote: "Successful people are simply those with successful habits" - Brian Tracy Gratitude: Family. We have our ups and downs, but they really are my foundation. Guided Breathing: Equal Breathing. Visit TheDailyRefresh.com to share your unique piece of gratitude which will be featured on an upcoming episode, and make sure to watch the tutorial of how to make The Daily Refresh part of your Alexa Flash Briefings! Call to action: If you're ready to master productivity, discipline and focus in 100 days, visit TheMasteryJournal.com and you'll have the step by step guidance to do just that. Use promo code 'refresh' as a thank you for listening to The Daily Refresh.

Join us for our Bio Hacking series, where Mike and Mark explore one of the most essential pillars of human health: sleep. Guided by the groundbreaking research of Dr. Matthew Walker, author of Why We Sleep, the hosts explore why sleep is a critical component of physical and mental performance, emotional well-being, and long-term health.The episode begins by exploring the importance of sleep in memory, learning, and decision-making. Walker explains that sleep is not simply “downtime” but a fundamental process that helps store information and reset the brain for the next day.The hosts then transition into the science of sleep, discussing how aging impacts sleep quality and how a lack of restorative sleep can accelerate cognitive decline. They also cover Walker's research on how insufficient sleep weakens the immune system, increasing your risk of developing chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer.But it's not all science – this episode is packed with practical tips for improving sleep hygiene. Walker outlines simple yet effective strategies to optimize your sleep:✅ Maintain regular sleep patterns✅ Make your room dark and cool✅ Avoid caffeine and alcohol before bed✅ Get out of bed if you can't sleep – reset and try againThe hosts conclude with a compelling message from Walker: Sleep is not a luxury – it's a biological necessity. It is your Swiss Army knife for health, affecting every system in your body and brain.

Welcome to today's Guided Prayer, where we invite you to find a quiet space to still your mind and body.  Guided Prayers are a daily 5–10 minute, intentionally created moment to slow down and meet with God—through scripture, reflection, and honest prayer.It's not a program you attend.It's a pathway you practice.A guided space where people can stop, breathe, and connect with Jesus—every single day.

2026.02.10 Govardhana Retreat Center EN

2026.02.11 Govardhana Retreat Center EN

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Hello Beautiful, I'm so grateful you're here with me.

NOTESThis is a quiet meditation in our ABIDE GUIDED PRAYER series.CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO TO THIS PRAYERThe Bible reminds us that with God nothing is impossible. Every closed door, every barren season, every shattered dream can be turned into a testimony of divine intervention. Today, as we lift our hearts in prayer, we are not praying to a weak God or a distant God.We are praying to the miracle worker, the way maker, the one who parts seas, raises the dead, and turns impossibilities into reality. If you are standing in front of an impossible situation this day, prepare your heart, because the God who cannot fail is about to step in. Declare He can work wonders...

Hello Beautiful, I'm so grateful you're here with me.