Podcast appearances and mentions of judy bloom

The young but wise Lovie Simone is best known for “Selah and The Spades” and “The Craft: Legacy.” Now she stars in the hit Netflix series “Forever,” an adaptation of the Judy Bloom book. On this episode, she talks about the giant role music plays in her preparation, why having a Black hair & make-up person on set is crucial to work, “importance over relevance,” “quality over quantity,” her love of words “and the weight of each word,” the “accidental” way she and Michael Cooper Jr. built their “Forever” chemistry, plus much more. Back To One is the in-depth, no-nonsense, actors-on-acting podcast from  Filmmaker Magazine. In each episode, host Peter Rinaldi invites one working actor to do a deep dive into their unique process, psychology, and approach to the craft.  Follow Back To One on Instagram

Comedian Jen Kober always knew why she felt an affinity with Mindy Cohn's Natalie on The Facts of Life. Natalie was the rare bigger girl on TV in the 1980s, and yet that wasn't a huge part of her character -- she was smart, goofy, and beloved by her friends. As for Jodie Foster's tomboy teen in the original Freaky Friday movie? Sure, it was good to see a rough-housing girl at odds with her mom for not being girly enough. But there was just something else about young Jodie Foster that made sense... Presented with our apologies to any emotionally intelligent men out there ;) The Jordan has one quick thing about the new trailer for Y2KJen's special is called 'No Flies on Me,' From 800 Pound Gorilla Media. You can find out where she's performing next at her website.  ***With Jordan Crucchiola and Jen Kober

In this week's MuggleCast, we're setting book 4 down and picking up on real world controversy that was happening RIGHT as Goblet of Fire was first published, in July of 2000. At issue was whether the series, quickly gaining national publicity in the US, was instructing young readers to take up witchcraft, join the devil and abandon God. It's HP vs Christianity on MuggleCast 666! New episodes of MuggleCast will now be released in full video on our YouTube channel, right when they are released on our podcast feed! For today's Main Discussion, Eric has compiled a PDF of sources from the late 90's to 2007 news media. The polished PDF is available via this link. By July of 2000, Harry Potter had gained massive popularity in the US, and raise alarm bells with some concerned parents. Were any of the hosts told not to read the HP books on religious grounds? The controversy may be categorized as a moral panic, not unlike the Satanic Panic phenomenon of the 80's/90's, which unfortunately had large ramifications. Why was HP targeted? And why were evangelicals in particular caught up in it? We discuss four main arguments against the Potter books: that they will make children want to do witchcraft or join the occult; that they make children susceptible to evil by downplaying the danger of magic; that the books themselves are intentionally demonic; that the books are just plain immoral! (We find it hard to disagree with the last point). Is there any evidence that kids joined the occult after reading the books? Years later in 2005, what did Georgia parent Laura Mallory add to the discussion surrounding the books? We review our own attempts on MuggleCast to get a hold of Mrs. Mallory. As late as 2019, the argument was still being used to ban books. What lessons can we learn from these events? Be sure to subscribe to MuggleCast Gold via Apple Podcasts, or join our Patreon for access to Bonus MuggleCast segments. Visit mugglecast.com for transcripts, social media links, our full episode archive, favorite episodes and more! A very special thank you to Connie Neal, Judy Bloom, Rainbow Rowell and others for extolling the virtues of the Harry Potter series when we were all children and too young to do so in print media. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our #imaginaryboyfriend, Dean Butler (aka Almanzo) is back for Part 2 of this insightful conversation. We learn how Dean started his acting training and career, the nearly impossible feat of booking Judy Bloom's "Forever" and how that prepared him for his Little House life.  Dean talks about his very daunting first experience with Michael Landon on the set of Little House, and his thoughts about his fellow Little House cast members.  He shares his experience at the recent Simi Valley 50th Anniversary Festival, and we do a fun rapid fire q&a! Dean's memoir, "Prairie Man" launches on June 25th and he's doing lots of book signing events, so check out his social media. You'll want your copy if you want all things Manly! It's so good!For more info go to:www.LittleHouse50Podcast.com to connect with our hosts and link to their websites.*The merch shop is under renovation - we will keep you posted on the status!*www.LivinOnaPrairieTV.com  Check out this Award Winning Series created by Pamela Bob, with special guest stars Alison Arngrim and Charlotte Stewart.Little House 50th Anniversary Bus Tours - www.SimiValleyChamber.org  select Little House 50th Anniversary and then Bus TicketsFacebook/Instagram/TikTok:Dean Butler @officialdeanbutlerAlison Arngrim @alisonarngrimPamela Bob @thepamelabob, @prairietv

After she became a mom, journalist Angela Garbes shifted her focus from food to the invisible, unpaid labor that goes into raising children. On the podcast Your Mama's Kitchen, beloved author Judy Bloom opens her mother's recipe box and reveals her kitchen anxiety dreams. After traveling the world at a young age, Priya Krishna presents global recipes for a new generation of eaters. Climate advocate Puneeta Chhitwal-Varma shares low-waste recipes for maintaining a healthy diet and planet.  Finally, Meredith Bell from Autonomy Farms balances raising animals and a daughter.

Lee and Simon talk about men they are attracted to. Also, Lee takes away Simon's last pleasure in life and they accidentally hang up on each other.Some other details from the episode: Cirque de Soleil, Lee's parents visiting, Norman Miller's (postcard sized) book of life, more on Lee's Swytch wheel, bad Australian accents, Alan Watts (definitely dead), cut glass English accents, inner beauty, jumping the shark (again), Lee's gently (gender) fluid ways, Jack Reacher's bottom, (little) Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher, Tom Holland and not Tom Daley, Timothée Chalamet, Alan Ritchson, wrestling to see who gets to be on top (and television sex scenes in general), erogenous zones, releasing fingers while coming, Rachel McAdams, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret (and the Judy Bloom novel), Keanu Reeves being untouchable, Viggo Mortensen, Eastern Promises, Mads Mikkelsen, Morten Harket (from a-ha), slightly dirty looking men, John Wick, nice smelling men, Brad Pitt not changing his underpants, New Year's Eve (non) plans, NYE in the southern hemisphere, Prince's 1999, Mount Maunganui, and (not) pashing Chris Robinson.--- Related links (and necessary corrections):Alan Watts: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_WattsLee Child Reacher novels: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Reacher_(book_series)Morten Harket: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morten_HarketPrince album 1999 (from 1982): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1999_(Prince_album)Mount Maunganui: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_MaunganuiGet in touch with Lee and Simon at info@midlifing.net. ---The Midlifing logo is adapted from an original image by H.L.I.T: https://www.flickr.com/photos/29311691@N05/8571921679 (CC BY 2.0)

As late bloomers to Judy Bloom's Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, our hosts discuss what it was like going through puberty themselves, how Margaret's journey to find religion was mature for her age, and why Bloom's fearless approach to openly talking about being a woman is so difficult and still an important lesson for today! We must, we must, we must increase...ingly eradicate the shame of discussing women's issues!

In this episode, the Mama's discuss a favorite young adult fiction book, Are You There God? It's Me, Margret by Judy Bloom. Listen as they discuss the book, their own adolecence, faith, and their takes on society.

Are You There, God? It's Me Margaret is the film adaption of the beloved Judy Bloom book starring Abby Ryder Fortson. Rachel McAdams, Benny Safdie and Kathy Bates I talk about it on this podcast, enjoy! 

This week we're looking at Judy Bloom's beloved book turned-film adaptation Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. We also catch up on some WGA Strike updates and discuss the new Kraven: The Hunter Trailer! Movie Info Eleven-year-old Margaret moves to a new town and contemplates everything about life, friendship, and adolescence. She relies on her mother, Barbara, who offers loving support, and her grandmother, Sylvia, who's coming to terms with finding happiness in the next phase of her life. Questions of identity, one's place in the world, and what brings meaning to life soon bring them closer together than ever. Starring: Abby Ryder Fortson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, and Benny Safdie  Directed By: Kelly Fremon Craig --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/16mm-film-crew/support

On this episode of Pause to Go, host Bree Luck introduces the fourth season of the podcast, which will focus on midlife concerns and adventures, particularly perimenopause and menopause. Bree explains that she started the podcast to better understand what was happening in her own body and brain, and to explore the societal aspects of being a woman in midlife. Throughout the season, listeners can expect to hear heartfelt conversations, personal stories, and expert insights on making the most of life's transitions. Join Bree as she cycles back to where it all began, explores the ups and downs of midlife, and lists the top 34 side effects of perimenopause. *** [00:01:30] Midlife transitions. [00:07:31] Redoing puberty in midlife. [00:09:17] Hot flashes vs. cold flashes. [00:13:21] Perimenopause and the 34 most common side effects [00:21:38] Cold flashes. [00:22:23] Midlife can be great.   If you liked this episode, check these out next! "What Fresh Hell is This? Perimenopause, Menopause, Other Indignities, and You" with Author Heather Corinna https://open.spotify.com/episode/2aonZKgjANRCde6ISaRDhL?si=E5fjxNsgSYGYKsiLqbSR4w From Princess to Queen, A Maven's Journey Through a Healthy Perimenopause with Dominique Cocuzza https://open.spotify.com/episode/09kK18v6GUHksiZ7GCS1PV?si=T7IjrWP7R_Oqm4Wy-KvdHA   Did you like this episode? Here are three things that you can do next: Leave a 5 star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify! (Every 5-star review helps to spread the news about having a healthy midlife!) Subscribe or follow this podcast wherever you like to catch your episodes! Leave me a message at HTTP://www.pausetogopodcast.com  Special thanks to Codebase CoWorking and WTJU radio for their support!  This has been an Awkward Sage Production. Transcript of Episode: (Please note that this transcript was generated by a bot, and has not been edited by a sentient human. Any errors are a reminder of how incredible humans are!) [00:00:00] Where is the manual for that y'all? Where is the what to expect when that baby grows up and has their own ideas and ventures out into the world and you're left to create a new identity while also rooting for your kid and releasing all expectations about them? That's the book that I want to read. [00:00:22] Welcome to Pause To Go, the podcast that's all about making the most of life's transitions from middle school through menopause. I'm your host, Bree Luck joining you as we embark on a journey of self-discovery. And questionable decisions. Get ready for heartfelt conversations, expert insights and personal stories that'll have you laughing, crying, and saying, thank goodness I'm not alone. [00:00:50] If you've lost your midlife crisis survival kit, we've got you covered. So join me, won't you, and together we can pause to go. [00:01:05] So we are now beginning season four of the Pause To Go podcast, and in this season I am actually going to, excuse the pun, cycle back to where we began, and that is with perimenopause and menopause and all the other midlife concerns and foibles and adventures and breakdowns and advantages throughout the season. [00:01:30] You see, I started. Pause to go talking about perimenopause and menopause because it kept coming up with my clients and in my community. And also, frankly, I had just turned 48 then, and I really, really, really wanted to have a better understanding of what the heck was going on in my body and in my brain. [00:01:51] And how I could make sense of that. And I was also really interested in exploring the societal aspects of being. For me, being a woman in midlife, I'm gonna try not to use gendered language as much in the exploration this season. I probably will sometimes, but we know that lots of people with ovaries, lots of people. [00:02:17] Who are going through menopause do not identify as women. So, There we go. So I'm gonna try to do a better job of being more representative this season in my imperfect, but what is it? Ambitious way. So, lemme go back a little bit. In the first season of Pause To Go, we had all sorts of people come on to talk about perimenopause and menopause, from sexuality to career changes to health concerns. [00:02:48] We talked about hot flashes and invisibility and how to find a spark in your relationship, and you all sent so much great feedback about it. I still get messages about those episodes and then at the end of that season, We moved on to two more seasons that we're looking at different aspects of transitions. [00:03:10] So season two was all about creative change makers, and season three was about time, and I love those seasons too. But when I send out questions or requests for topics that listeners wanna hear on social media, what I hear the most is. Hey, can you gimme more stories about perimenopause and menopause? And so here we are and I'm turning 50 this summer. [00:03:40] It's exciting. There's so much going on. My kids are both gonna be out of the house soon. My older daughter just graduated from college. My younger daughter just graduated from high school last week, and the younger daughter, it's not like she's heading to college an hour or so away. No, she's moving off to Ireland in September. [00:04:01] I mean, that's far. I live in Virginia, for those of you who don't know, and I'm really feeling this transition. Most of that is about the emotional impact of midlife transitions. I'm caught up in the family changes that are happening. I've lost some family members and friends who were very, very dear to me in the last year. [00:04:25] So I'm just acutely aware of endings and beginnings and shifting relationships and all that stuff. And speaking of which, I'm super excited because I'm gonna have a marvelous new friend of mine. Carol Michigan on to talk about how to use our language to cultivate new relationships with our adult children. [00:04:51] Like where's the manual for that y'all? Where is the what to expect when that baby grows up and has their own ideas and ventures out into the world and you're left to create a new identity while also rooting for your kid and releasing all expectations about them? That's the book that I want to read. [00:05:09] But instead, I'll host this podcast and bring on people who can help us navigate those relationships to time and self and our bodies that are shifting, and our children help us muddle through that mess. I know that we learn the most when we can attach facts or concepts to story. And so as we return to perimenopause and menopause with our midlife concerns, we will talk to experts, but we're really gonna focus on real life stories, stories of people with ovaries and uteruses who have been through or are going through perimenopause or menopause. [00:05:55] Uh, I'll tell stories. Guests will share their experiences, and I want you to share your stories too. I also. Recently took my younger daughter, the one who just graduated, and we went to see the new film based on the classic Tweenage book. Are you there? God, it's me, Margaret. I just wanna say thank you, Judy Bloom. [00:06:18] Oh gosh. I'll be honest. I really just balled the hallway through the film. I thought about my childhood best friend Margaret, and our first experiences when we got our periods. The first time we used tampons, I think it was in a department store. Oh my gosh, Margaret, I'm sorry. I won't, I won't talk about your period, but I'm so glad that we went through getting our periods together, that we went through the beginning of puberty together and all of its complications. [00:06:52] It was so important to have someone to share in our awkward adolescent way what we were going through, and so my hope is that this podcast will do the same for you because in many ways, Perimenopause is a lot like puberty. We're having all of these major hormonal shifts. The world is seeing us differently. [00:07:17] Our whole bodies and brains are earthquake and we are just trying to like hang in there and figure out who we are in this new stage. For me, doing this perimenopause, Exploration is a little bit like a chance to redo puberty, like reparenting myself, giving myself the gift of doing puberty again in the way that I would want to do it for myself. [00:07:53] And my hope is that if you're going through these massive changes, that you take some comfort in having a friend. Our friends to share your journey with. And so that's where we are. And I'm actually gonna start by telling a, a little bit of a personal experience, which is that I feel so weird. This is a recurring thing. [00:08:18] This is, this is not new that I feel weird. I generally embrace being my weird ass self, but this feeling. Of feeling like I'm different from other people in ways that are sometimes uncomfortable. It happened in puberty too, right? It's a feeling of I feel like what I'm going through is what nobody else is going through. [00:08:46] And then you get on the internet and you may find something about it, but nobody's really talking about it, right? And there are also hot buttoned things that people do talk about that get a lot of attention, which is great because it probably means that a lot of people are experiencing them. But then if you have a side effect of, let's say, perimenopause that other people don't experience, it can make you feel even more alienated. [00:09:17] For example, hot flashes are the big thing. All the jokes are about hot flashes, even though it's not really funny. It's something that we've chosen to laugh about. I mean, I get that gallows humor. I get it. I sort of feel like it's okay for people who have hot flashes to joke about hot flashes, but if you don't have hot flashes, it ain't your joke to tell because sometimes it feels like we're laughing at instead of laughing with, and that's something I'd really like to shift. [00:09:45] I digress. So many people have these hot flashes, but I don't have them. I have something else entirely. What I have are cold flashes. I get cold, I get like shivers to my spine, like I can't get warm, and it seems to happen a lot like hot flashes happen for other people. I'm still having a cycle, a menstrual cycle, and it typically happens in the eight to 10 days before menstruation begins. [00:10:17] So I get waves of being freezing cold no matter what. Actually, my wonderful stepmother, Leslie, thank you, Leslie gave me this device that I've been covering for a long, long time, which is called the Bon Charge Sauna Blanket. There's no kickback for this. I do not have an affiliate with bond charge. But I have their sauna blanket. [00:10:45] It's kind of amazing. And I get in that thing. Even now, it's summertime, so it's June, and I get in that thing and it is awesome. I love it. If you like saunas, it's a great way to get that heat at home. It's portable. You can take it with you if you're going on a road trip somewhere, and you can really get that feeling of getting warm to the core. [00:11:12] If you're a cold person like I am, you know what I mean? So I'll be in this sauna of blanket and I'll have it heated up to 164 degrees Fahrenheit, and I'll be feeling good. And then all of a sudden I'll just start shivering. I'm, I'm cold. So cold. And. It's not just nervous, shivering, it's cold, and no matter how warm the blanket is, my body just can't get warm for a little while. [00:11:43] Typically, that lasts for just a few minutes at a time. It happens in waves, but I just wanted to let you all know that because I don't know anybody else who has cold flashes. But I thought it was kind of cool. So I looked it up to see if cold flashes might be, you know, a thing. And when I was looking it up, I started to compile all of the side effects of perimenopause. [00:12:13] This is not a comprehensive list, but it's a lot. And some of them were ones that I didn't know, so take a listen. And if you are feeling any of these or experiencing any of these, just know that we will probably be covering it at some point on this podcast. And if you have. Um, menopause experience or a perimenopause experience that I have not listed here, let me know because I wanna keep adding to this list. [00:12:50] I want to add to it so that people don't feel alone. If you have. Any side effects of perimenopause. I don't want you to feel lonely in your experience. Let us get into the side effects of perimenopause, number one, irregular periods. I mean, that seems pretty obvious, right? Most people are technically in menopause. [00:13:17] At the point of 12 months after their final menstruation. So I say most people because some people have a sudden onset of menopause because of something like removal of the uterus and ovaries or some kind of trauma or medical intervention. But in general, people who menstruate go through a period of five to 10 years when our periods get irregular. [00:13:43] It can be as much as 15. I don't wanna scare you, and I'm sure some people are under five, but in general, we're looking at five to 10 years. When we are experiencing some irregularity in our periods now, I used to think that that meant that our periods just sort of got further and further apart, but for some people it doesn't have to mean that some people have heavier periods or more frequent periods. [00:14:09] For a while, I had a period that lasted for 28 days during a time of really high stress, and then it completely went back to regular. Periods are telling y'all. I will say this though, if you have reached menopause. Meaning you've gone for a year without menstruating and then you start bleeding again. Get that checked out please. [00:14:34] I am not a doctor. I'm just a know-it-all, but I do know that that is an abnormal sign that requires attention. Number two, hot flashes. About 75% of perimenopausal people experience hot flashes. They are immensely uncomfortable and disturbing to so many people related to hot flashes, night sweats, that's when you have hot flashes at night, and that often is part of number four sleep disturbances. [00:15:08] Now sleep disturbances don't just have to be night sweats. The insomnia is pretty frequent for a lot of people in midlife that can be having a harder time falling asleep or staying asleep or just not getting quality sleep or waking up too early. Number five, mood changes and irritability. Y'all, you are not crazy. [00:15:33] And I would love to eliminate the shame spiral around emotional liability in general, but especially in midlife. Our hormones are surging. Our culture is judging us, ignoring us. Our brains are completely restructuring. We are going through some stuff. We know that adolescents are gonna get moody and we accept that and try to support them through that process. [00:16:04] Let's do the same for ourselves. Number six, vaginal dryness, which often goes hand in hand with number seven, decreased libido. But I will say for some people, para menopause. There is also number eight, increased libido, and often it can vary greatly because of hormone surges and dips. So you may have. A time where you have a very high libido and a period of time when you have a very low libido, all part of the process. [00:16:40] Number nine, difficulty concentrating. 60% of people impair menopause report having. Enough trouble concentrating that it has an effect on their work. And although this number is scary, I want you to know that for most people, this, like so many other side effects of this massive restructuring does get better after menopause. [00:17:06] Number 10, memory lapses and brain fog again, it does get better after menopause for most folks. Number 11, bone loss or osteoporosis. That does not get better after menopause, but there are medical interventions to help with this. We'll talk about that another time. Number 12, skin changes. Some people get a resurgence of acne impair menopause, which feels like a double whammy. [00:17:37] When you compare that with the loss of collagen and elastin, that makes our skin more supple and luminous, it happens. Number 13, weight gain. Number 14, bloating. Number 15, breast soreness. Especially for people who have breast soreness as a symptom of P M s, they're more likely to experience it impair menopause as well. [00:18:02] Number 16, itchiness in specific areas like the face or the neck or genitals. I'm really itchy right now. I can't tell if it's one of those things. I don't know if any of you had lice as a kid, but now if I even think about. Lice. It makes my head itch. And that's what this, that's what talking about this particular side effect does to me. [00:18:27] It's making my neck itch like crazy. Number 17, tingling or crawling sensations in your extremities. Some people also experience this in their arms, and it can feel like something is crawling under your skin. Pretty weird. It's called paraesthesia. Number 18, dental problems. Oh gosh. You know what? I still have a baby tooth. [00:18:53] It was meant to last for about eight years, maybe. It bodes well for the rest of me, but it's still in there. It's gonna come out at some point, and I'm like, oh man. Para menopause is gonna be the time. It's gonna be the time that that thing comes out. I'll keep you posted. Number 19, joint pain number 20, muscle tension and aches. [00:19:15] Number 21, burning mouth syndrome. Like you've taken a sip of McDonald's coffee when it's still scalding hot, but you haven't. Number 22 Electric shock Sensations. Uh, they say that's like having a rubber band snapped across your arm and these sensations, the burning mouth syndrome and the electric shock sensations are probably neurological and often fly under the radar. [00:19:44] People don't talk about them. Number 23. Thinning hair. Number 24, brittle nails, number 25, digestive changes, which can include constipation, loose stools, more gas, more indigestion. You know, I think a lot of us actually have digestive discomfort throughout our adult lives that we never discuss. Well, let's start now. [00:20:12] Let's not be uncomfortable anymore than we have to be. How about that 26 irregular heartbeat. Sometimes that can also come with dizziness. Number 27, headaches and Migraines. I have such a distinct childhood memory of my grandmother, Mimi, who has been referenced in many episodes of Pause to Go of her getting migraines. [00:20:39] She was definitely in para menopause at that time and she had terrible migraines, and she would go to bed for a couple of days and I will say this. They got better. She got better. She had a long, wonderful life and was not plagued by migraines for all of it. Number 28, new allergies. Isn't that fun? Number 29. [00:21:05] Loss of bladder control or incontinence affects the majority of people with vaginas. 30 a change in body odor. 31, fatigue or chronic exhaustion, 32 depression, 33, anxiety or panic disorder. I mean, after hearing all of these potential side effects, that totally makes sense to me. And then y'all, I found it cold flashes. [00:21:40] So I'm not alone. So why do I share all of these? Well, because these are the things that people are writing about and finally researching. And we usually hear about weight gain, dry badges, hot flashes, and irritability. But if you are experiencing the other side effects, you are not alone. And there are so many things we can do to mitigate or alleviate some of these discomforts. [00:22:10] I also really wanna say this. It's not all bad. It sounds so bad. I'm feeling guilty bringing up all of these side effects in this one episode. Let me start with the worst stuff, but I can also say that midlife is great for me so far. I cry at pretty much anything, but I'm also finding fresh ways of relating to the world and to myself, new ways that are wonderful for my career, for my friendships, for my family, and for me. [00:22:45] Also, the majority of people that I have talked to who have gone through this. Say something to the effect of, there were some hard times in there, but it gets better, so let's pause to go and make the most of our midlife adventures. Oh, also, if you know anyone who is going through the change or is struggling with midlife or maybe. [00:23:17] Isn't struggling and you feel like these episodes or this podcast would be good to share with them. Please do. This is all about connecting with folks, and the best way to do that is to share our stories. Here's my call to action for this episode. That's what they call it when I'm trying to get you. To do something, I want you to do something, and that is to share your story. [00:23:43] So if you would like to share an experience of your midlife, delights, agony, or just plain humor, you can leave me a voice memo on my new website, pause to Go podcast.com. There's a tab on the right side of the website that says something like, leave me a voice memo, and you can. You can just record a voice memo for me right there, and I'll get it. [00:24:06] And if you feel comfortable having me share your voice on the pod, then I can share that with everyone. It's so nice to hear other people's voices, but if you don't feel comfortable having me share your voice, I can just anonymously share your story. It'll be great to have your stories on the Pause To Go podcast. [00:24:30] All right. Stay curious y'all. Thank you for listening to the Pause to Go podcast. Special thanks to code-based co-working and W T J U Radio for their support. This has been an awkward sage production.

Are you aware of the alarming rise in censorship and book bans in the United States? This episode features an eye-opening conversation with Kasey Meehan, the Read Program Director at PEN America, who shares her insights on how her organization is fighting to protect free expression and access to diverse and inclusive literature for all. Join us as Kasey walks us through the challenges and trends in book banning, and how PEN America is leading the charge against this growing threat.Kasey highlights the prevalence of book bans in states such as Florida, Texas, Missouri, Utah, South Carolina, and Michigan, revealing that a small but vocal minority is responsible for most book challenges across the country. We discuss the targeted censorship of best-selling authors like Jodi Picoult and books that tackle subjects such as gender identity, race and racism, and school shootings. Listen in as we explore some of the most commonly challenged books, including 13 Reasons Why and The Hate U Give, and examine the broader implications of this censorship trend.As we uncover the magnitude of book banning and its impact on our society, we also discuss the crucial role organizations like PEN America play in pushing back against these bans. We emphasize the importance of preserving the First Amendment and student freedom to read, and encourage listeners to get involved and challenge the evil of censorship. Don't miss this vital conversation about the future of censorship and the collective vision we must create for a world that values free expression and access to literature.For more information about PEN America or how to donate to their cause please go to their website https://pen.org/ Please support us with a monthly PATREON subscription and get a quarterly live  Q&A with Ellen and Tish.Obsessions - Tish and Ellen are obsessed with PEN America and ask for you to donate at the link above. What we talk about in this episode:  First Amendment Rights, censorship, Jodi Piccolt, Amanda Gorman, PEN America, American Library Association, 13 Reasons Why, Judy Bloom, Are You There God, It's Me, Margaret, Forever, The Hate U Give, Jamie Gregory, Milk & Honey.  Give us a review... Click hereWant to start podcasting?  Click here to let Buzzsprout know we sent you, this gets you a $20 Amazon gift card if you sign up for a paid plan, and help support our show Support the show

Judy Bloom’s 1970 coming of age novel finally gets the big screen treatment. Abby Ryder Fortson (“Ant-Man and the Wasp”) takes the title role, supported by Kathy Bates (“Richard Jewell”) […] The post Take Two: “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” (PG-13) appeared first on KKFI.

We don't have a new episode this week for one very good reason! Cate and I are hitting the road for an epic road trip adventure to the home of all things GenX. Yep, I'm talking about Seattle, WA!  We're going to try to podcast on the road (so stay tuned for that), but in the meantime, in honor of the theatrical release of Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret., we'd like to offer a very special encore presentation of our Season 1 episode where Cate and I cover this Judy Bloom classic, while sharing our own coming to terms with coming of age. It's all bras and periods and hormones, so take special care while listening! Because this 1970 literary classic holds a special place in the heart of nearly every GenX woman, they'll explore the book's timeless themes involving friendship, puberty, and the hard questions we dare ask while taking those brave first steps toward self-discovery. And yes, the besties spill their secret sisterhood stories involving their first "menstroo-ation", first kisses, and first bras, along with their earliest sex ed memories and the wild wondering of what it all means. Sugar Calling: Cheryl Strayed interview with Judy Blume The Secret Sisters - "Late Bloomer" [Official Video] K.I.T. www.theuntitledgenxpodcast.com Support the pod on Patreon! Instagram.com/theuntitledgenxpodcast Facebook.com/theuntitledgenxpodcast

The Mandys relive their youth with Judy Bloom as they dive into the film adaptation of the classic "Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret.” Along the way, they dig into the latest Miscast performance, diagnose Mandy's nearly irrational sexual obsession with Succession, and find a way to, together, be completely wrong about the musical Beetlejuice. (00:00) - Welcome to The Mandcave (01:15) - This is the part in which the Mandys are wrong about Beetlejuice, the Musical (02:23) - Succession Sex (04:44) - Fans of Miscast: Singing Not Always Appropriate (07:59) - Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret (36:11) - Suppor the Show! Become a Fandy! https://mandcave.com (38:07) - Games! (49:10) - Coming Attractions: The Rise and Fall of LuLaRoe

Episode 118 Notes: A pant-load of stories, plus a summary of the Tennessee Williams super plot, Veruca Salt, the concept of a “Mind Tummy”, Judy Bloom, and other such nonsense. We hint at a new topic (TSS Play List). If you have a song, send it to us and We'll add it. This will get pushed in the next few. Music featured in Episode 118: “Psychic Dance Routine” – Scowl “Hail Mary” – Skating Polly We also talk about The new Shana Cleveland album (Manzanita….it's great) the first new Speedy Ortiz song in 5 years, and tease Boygenius (which causes Jaime to go a bit nuts). Links to those gems are on Trashsouthstreet.com Find us at: www.trashsouthstreet.com trashsouthstreet@gmail.com Facebook.com/TSS Apple Music Amazon Podcasts

Over 50 years ago, Judy Blume wrote a classic coming-of-age novel about a nice girl who was simultaneously facing a move to New Jersey, sixth grade, puberty, and questions about God and religion. They say good things come to those who wait…the multi-hyphenate host of The JV Club, Janet  Varney, joins us to weigh in on if this adaptation was one of those things. Plus, a lot of good and informative strike talk, and a few more ideas for childhood classics to adapt. What's GoodDrea - A View of the World from Fifth AvenueJanet - feeling fired up about equityIfy - ripped-off sleeves to show off the guns; big union meetingITIDICWGA on Strike!Re: Unions Coming TogetherRe: Productions put on holdBurger King is Launching a New Spider-Man BurgerStaff PicksJanet - A Walk on the MoonDrea - The Starling Girl, Girl Flu.Ify - Mobile Suit Gundam 1, 2, and 3We're sponsored this week by HelloFresh! Go to HelloFresh.com/maxfilm16 to get 16 free meals plus free shipping!WithIfy NwadiweDrea ClarkJanet VarneyProduced by Marissa FlaxbartSr. Producer Laura Swisher

Welcome back to Backstage - the TV and film podcast from Sky News.Joining Sky's entertainment reporter Claire Gregory this week is TV and film reviewer Stevie Wong, and Sky arts and entertainment correspondent Katie Spencer.This week the team is joined by Rachel McAdams and Abby Ryder Fortson who tell us the importance of their new film, Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret, based on the classic 1970 novel by Judy Bloom.There are mixed reviews for Air, the star-studded film with Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Viola Davis and Jason Bateman about Nike's 1980s collaboration with Michael Jordan.Plus, Patricia Arquette and Matt Dillon tell us about their new comedy series High Desert, and hear the team's thoughts on the UK's first gay dating show, I Kissed A Boy.Producer: Jim FarthingEditor: Paul Stanworth

SEVEN, yes SEVEN movies to cover this week: SISU [4:20] is, for at least one Movie Master, a hotly anticipated movie about seeking solace and peace via mining for gold in solitude, only to be forcibly drawn back into the business of killing ever last Nazi possible. Hear about all the inventive ways to go about it. POLITE SOCIETY [23:48], an English-Pakastani powerhouse of a film, came in and universally rocked the gang as one of 2023's biggest surprises so far. Hear why you need to catch this one ASAP. ARE YOU THERE GOD. IT'S ME MARGARET [36:15] could only draw in two adult male Movie Masters, who had to watch the entire film in an auditorium with the intended Judy Bloom audience: children. GUY RITCHIE'S THE COVENANT [46:15] is the second Guy Ritchie movie to hit theaters within mere weeks of the last. Was this strategy logical and/or effective? SOMEWHERE IN QUEENS [1:00:03] is a Ray Romano joint, leaving one Movie Master to ponder: are we on the cusp of the New Wave of Television Comedian Directors (Jordan Peele, Zach Cregger, Bob Odenkirk)? BLACK DEMON [1:10:02] is more bait and switch fare, this time teasing ocean/nature terror in the form of a Megalodon shark... only for it to be a clunky indictment of Big Oil. Mercifully, this was a solo mission and no other Movie Masters were harmed. And finally, the gang reflects on the experience of attending a 40th Anniversary screening of 1983's RETURN OF THE JEDI [1:20:36]. The controversial Lucasfilm additions are discussed, a Movie Master is pressed to name more than one Ewok, and heaps of fandom ensue. As always: moviemasters760@gmail.com for all questions, concerns, comments, and movie recommendations. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/rmmu/support

Brittany is in and our Weekend Claims to Fame! Judy Bloom gave us some tremendous tid bits about her book 'Are You There God, It's Me Margaret'. RIP Len Goodman. Let's look back at his remarkable life. We also lost the great comedian Dame Edna. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Brittany is in and our Weekend Claims to Fame! Judy Bloom gave us some tremendous tid bits about her book 'Are You There God, It's Me Margaret'. RIP Len Goodman. Let's look back at his remarkable life. We also lost the great comedian Dame Edna. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Judy Bloom's classic, 'Are you There, God? It's me, Margaret' in movie form coming soon; Desiigner, the singer famous for the Panda song, has a mental health crisis and is open about it; Food Porn! The Coronation Quiche made by Colleen! Celebrity blind item account, DeuxMoi on Harry Styles and Olivia Wilde Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Judy Bloom's classic, 'Are you There, God? It's me, Margaret' in movie form coming soon; Desiigner, the singer famous for the Panda song, has a mental health crisis and is open about it; Food Porn! The Coronation Quiche made by Colleen! Celebrity blind item account, DeuxMoi on Harry Styles and Olivia Wilde Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

No. Learning Does NOT stop when school ends. In Fact that is when Real Learning Starts. Book A Workshop - AswandC.com

In this edition of the Next Reads podcast, Erin reads the first chapter of Starfish by Lisa Fipps. Read-alikes include: The List of Things that will not Change by Rebecca Stead Nat Enough by Maria Scrivan Can You See Me? by Libby Scott It all begins with Jelly Beans by Nova Weetman Blubber by Judy Bloom (but this is not a body positivity book - provides good context for how many of us over a certain age were raised to think about bodies)

When it comes to making a big career transition to work you love (and get paid well for), there's always tiny clues over and over again. Sometimes, long before college - sometimes even childhood. While Liz McLean experienced some success in her early careers, a bit of self-reflection opened her eyes to what she should be spending her time doing. She learned to draw from her younger self (including her Judy Bloom home library) and past experience to find a career where she could help people through coaching.   To binge-listen to more career happiness success stories, find all the podcasts at https://happentoyourcareer.com/podcast Want to know high-performers discover their ideal career and find meaningful, well-paid work without starting over https://www.happentoyourcareer.com/career-change-advice-guide-backed-by-research/  Email Scott@happentoyourcareer.com 

Today, I sit down with my friend Amy, who is a licensed psychotherapist with a specialty in postpartum, and my sister in law Kottie who experienced postpartum. We talk about the different kinds of postpartum, baby blues, medication, anger, guilt, anxiety, tips for treating postpartum, and much more!    Visit http://www.postpartum.net for support groups, therapy, and more.   If you are experiencing postpartum symptoms, ask your doctor to screen you.   Our next book club's will be “Forever” by Judy Bloom and “The Gift” by Julie Garwood   Check out the new Wife of the Party Facebook groups here: http://www.facebook.com/pg/wifeotp/gr...     I have WOTP merch! You can buy a brand new Wife of the Party mug, shirt, or a tote bag at http://www.wifeotp.com     If you have any questions you would like me to answer on the podcast feel free to email me from my website at http://www.wifeotp.com     Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast!

Today, I sit down with Dr. Drew and his daughter, Paulina Pinsky. We talk about the book they wrote “It Doesn't Have to Be Awkward: Dealing with Relationships, Consent, and Other Hard-to-Talk-About Stuff” in detail. We also talk about anxiety, boundaries, Prom, drugs/alcohol, celebrity rehab, and much more!    Dr. Drew & Paulina's Book: https://www.amazon.com/Doesnt-Have-Awkward-Hard-Talk-About/dp/0358396034    This episode is brought to you by Manscaped. Go to http://www.manscaped.com/wotp and use the code “WOTP” for 20% off plus free shipping!    Our next book club's will be “Forever” by Judy Bloom and “The Gift” by Julie Garwood   Check out the new Wife of the Party Facebook groups here: http://www.facebook.com/pg/wifeotp/gr...     I have WOTP merch! You can buy a brand new Wife of the Party mug, shirt, or a tote bag at http://www.wifeotp.com     If you have any questions you would like me to answer on the podcast feel free to email me from my website at http://www.wifeotp.com     Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast!

Today, I sit down with my friends Jeanne and Margaret to talk about sending our kids off to college. Jeanne and Margaret have already sent their kids off so I wanted to chat with them before my kids go to college. We talk about how the family dynamic changes, how their husbands feel, feeling happy and sad at the same time, changing careers, and much more!    Our next book club's will be “Forever” by Judy Bloom and “The Gift” by Julie Garwood   Check out the new Wife of the Party Facebook groups here: http://www.facebook.com/pg/wifeotp/gr...     I have WOTP merch! You can buy a brand new Wife of the Party mug, shirt, or a tote bag at http://www.wifeotp.com     If you have any questions you would like me to answer on the podcast feel free to email me from my website at http://www.wifeotp.com     Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast!

Today, I sit down with Kristin MacDermott, who is a therapist that specializes in resilience based parenting and Jocelyn Baker, who is an accomplished ghost writer. We talk about attachment theory, the 3 kinds of care givers, eating dirt, whole body listening, and much more!     You can check out their Resilience Based Parenting Program at http://www.Macdermottmethod.com    Wife of the Party is sponsoring a Resilience Based Parenting program. You can go to http://www.Macdermottmethod.com/wotp to apply    Our next book club's will be “Forever” by Judy Bloom and “The Gift” by Julie Garwood   Check out the new Wife of the Party Facebook groups here: http://www.facebook.com/pg/wifeotp/gr...     I have WOTP merch! You can buy a brand new Wife of the Party mug, shirt, or a tote bag at http://www.wifeotp.com     If you have any questions you would like me to answer on the podcast feel free to email me from my website at http://www.wifeotp.com     Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast!

Today, I sit down with my friend's Kirsten and Cathy to book club the book “Daisy Jones & The Six” by Taylor Jenkins Reid. We also talk about romance novels, Stephen King, our kids going to prom, and much more!         Our next book club's will be “Forever” by Judy Bloom and “The Gift” by Julie Garwood   Check out the new Wife of the Party Facebook groups here: http://www.facebook.com/pg/wifeotp/gr...     I have WOTP merch! You can buy a brand new Wife of the Party mug, shirt, or a tote bag at http://www.wifeotp.com     If you have any questions you would like me to answer on the podcast feel free to email me from my website at http://www.wifeotp.com     Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review the podcast!

Today's Bible reading for January 12 is Genesis 13, Nehemiah 2, Matthew 12 and Acts 12. Our focus passage will be Matthew 12, and we are asking a big Bible question today: What is the Blasphemy of the Spirit, the unforgivable sin? SHOUT OUT TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE COMMENTED AND LEFT REVIEWS!!! On Apple Podcasts: Monte O, Kerri P, Cortney and Angel. And also people who have commented on the blog that they were listening: Angie from Knoxville, Og from Salinas, Cortney J. from Birmingham and Ms. Judy Bloom from parts unknown. THANK YOU! So - let's read our first chapter, and then get into our discussion. What is the Unforgivable sin??  It's a terrifying reality: Jesus warned His disciples and the Pharisees that there was a sin that could be committed that was unpardonable – unforgivable for all eternity. People have speculated and worried about this teaching of Jesus for hundreds of years. What precisely is the unpardonable sin? How can we know whether or not we've done it? Let's dive in! The Didache First century – RIGHT after the NT: Now concerning the apostles and prophets, deal with them as follows in accordance with the rule of the gospel. (4) Let every apostle who comes to you be welcomed as if he were the Lord. (5) But he is not to stay for more than one day, unless there is need, in which case he may stay another. But if he stays three days, he is a false prophet. (6) And when the apostle leaves, he is to take nothing except bread until he finds his next night's lodging. But if he asks for money, he is a false prophet. (7) Also, do not test or evaluate any prophet who speaks in the spirit, for every sin will be forgiven, but this sin will not be forgiven.35 Michael William Holmes, The Apostolic Fathers: Greek Texts and English Translations, Updated ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1999), 263–265. ANDREAS Andreas of Caesarea (Greek: Ἀνδρέας Καισαρείας; 563 – 637) : It is the sin of heresy, or of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which leads to death. If one man sins against another, pray for him. But if he sins against God, who is there who can pray on his behalf? And if even after all this, our opponents are still unwilling to learn and still unable to understand, they should at least stop speaking evil. They should not divide the Trinity lest they be divided from life.82 They should not classify the Holy Spirit with the creatures, lest, like the Pharisees of old who ascribed the works of the Spirit to Beelzebul,83 they too, on account of equal audacity, incur along with them the punishment which is unpardonable both now and in the future. Athanasius Works on the Spirit: Athanasius's Letters to Serapion on the Holy Spirit,  Grave-robbing, or the opening of graves, is divided into two kinds too, like theft, according to the present Canon, to wit, into pardonable and into unpardonable grave-robbing. For if the fellow opening the grave does not denude the dead person's body, thus refraining from dishonoring (for that is what is meant by the expression “sparing devoutness”) the dead, but only takes the stones found in the grave, in order to use them in the building of any other work that is preferable and more beneficial to the community, though this too is by no means anything to be praised, yet custom has made it pardonable.2 St. Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain – 1700s, Greek Orthodox church.  Swearing is a dreadful and harmful thing; it is a destructive drug, a bane and a danger, a hidden wound, a sore unseen, an obscure ulcer spreading its poison in the soul; it is an arrow of Satan, a flaming javelin, a two-edged sword, a sharp-honed scimitar, an unpardonable sin, an indefensible transgression, a deep gulf, a precipitous crag, a strong trap, a taut-stretched net, a fetter that cannot be broken, a noose from which no one escapes. 19. Are these enough, and do you believe that swearing is a dreadful thing and the most harmful of all sins? Believe me, I beg you, believe me! But if someone does not believe me, I now offer proof. This sin has what no other sin possesses. If we do not violate the other commandments, we escape punishment; on the other hand, in the matter of oaths, we are punished just the same both when we guard against transgressing and when we transgress. St. John Chrysostom, 300s AD St. John Chrysostom: Baptismal Instructions,  Hilary of Poitiers actually points us in a more biblical direction, in discussing the unpardonable sin: Every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven to men, but blasphemy of the Spirit will not be forgiven.67 With a very grave qualification, he condemns the view of the Pharisees and the perversion of those who also think like them. He promises pardon of all sins but refuses pardon for blasphemy of the Spirit. While other words and deeds are treated with a generous pardon, there is no mercy if it is denied that God is in Christ. 68 And in whatever way one sins without pardon, he is gracious to us and reminds us again that sins of every kind can be completely forgiven, though blasphemy against the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven. For who is so completely beyond pardon as one who denies that Christ is of God, or repudiates that the substance of the Spirit of the Father resides in him Hilary of Poitiers, Commentary on Matthew, ed.  Spurgeon – Nobody knows what that sin is. I believe that even God's Word does not tell us, and it is very proper that it does not. As I have often said, it is like the notice we sometimes see put up, “Man-traps and spring gun set here.” We do not know whereabouts the traps and guns are, but we have no business over the hedge at all. So, “there is a sin unto death;” we are not told what that sin is, but we have no business to go over the hedge into any transgression at all. That “sin unto death” may be different in different people; but, whoever commits it, from that very moment, loses all spiritual desires. He has no wish to be saved, no care to repent, no longing after Christ; so dreadful is the spiritual death that comes over the man who has committed it that he never craves eternal life. C. H. Spurgeon, Pictures from Pilgrim's Progress: A Commentary on Portions of John Bunyan's Immortal Allegory (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009), 73–74. Billy Graham:   The sin of the religious leaders, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, was a refusal to accept the witness of the Holy Spirit to who Jesus was and what He had come to do, and then submit their lives to Him… Once again, the unpardonable sin is not some particularly grievous sin committed by a Christian before or after accepting Christ, nor is it thinking or saying something terrible about the Holy Spirit. Rather, it is deliberately resisting the Holy Spirit's witness and invitation to turn to Jesus until death ends all opportunity. Billy Graham is echoing the Augustinian (300s AD) view: Now the man who, not believing that sins are remitted in the Church, despises this great gift of God's mercy, and persists to the last day of his life in his obstinacy of heart, is guilty of the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost, in whom Christ forgives sins. Augustine of Hippo, “The Enchiridion,” in St. Augustin: On the Holy Trinity, Doctrinal Treatises, Moral Treatises, ed.  Augustine was reflecting the Origen view (early 300s): The Spirit dwells in those who live by faith. But those who once having been counted worthy to share in the Holy Spirit and then having finally and decisively turned their backs from grace are by this act said to have blasphemed against the Holy Spirit (ORIGEN  Who, then, is not amazed at the exceeding majesty of the Holy Spirit when he hears that he who speaks a word against the Son of man may hope for forgiveness, but that he who is guilty of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit has no forgiveness—either in the present world or in that which is to come. Origen What then is it? The unforgivable sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is an act of resistance which belittles the Holy Spirit so grievously that he withdraws forever with his convicting power so that we are never able to repent and be forgiven. – John Piper.  Lee ann penick MODERN: There is only one “unpardonable sin” that can separate us from God for eternity. It is the ongoing, willful refusal to accept Christ as Lord and Savior and the forgiveness He offers. Jacob Arminius defined it as “the rejection and refusing of Jesus Christ through determined malice and hatred against Christ”. Nancy Hardesty  “Ultimately the refusal to allow women to fully use their gifts in the church and in the world is a form of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.”   Pope John Paul II writes “‘blasphemy' does not properly consist in offending against the Holy Spirit in words; it consists rather in the refusal to accept the salvation which God offers to man through the Holy Spirit, working through the power of the Cross”, and “If Jesus says that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven either in this life or in the next, it is because this “non-forgiveness” is linked, as to its cause, to “non-repentance,” in other words to the radical refusal to be converted. This means the refusal to come to the sources of Redemption, which nevertheless remain “always” open in the economy of salvation in which the mission of the Holy Spirit is accomplished. SO – What is The unforgivable sin?? – is it, as Origen, Augustine, Billy Graham, Pope John Paul 2 Lee Ann Penick suggest – the rejection of the Holy Spirit/not becoming a follower of Jesus?? Is it, as John Chrysostom claimed, swearing oaths?  Is it the robbing of graves in a thieving manner? Is it not letting women use their spiritual gifts in the church? Is it Heresy? Is it, as Athanasius and many other church fathers declared, being wrong on the Trinity and calling the Holy Spirit a created being, rather than God Himself?  Is it testing prophetic utterances of prophets?? (NO! – 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 Don't stifle the Spirit. 20 Don't despise prophecies, 21 but test all things. Hold on to what is good.) Confused? You should be!! People talk about this issue all of the time, but it doesn't appear that all of them get their views from the Bible, so let's begin there in seeking our answer.  Matthew 12:24 24 When the Pharisees heard this, they said, “The man drives out demons only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” 25 Knowing their thoughts, He told them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, who is it your sons drive them out by? For this reason they will be your judges. 28 If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you. 29 How can someone enter a strong man's house and steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house. 30 Anyone who is not with Me is against Me, and anyone who does not gather with Me scatters.31 Because of this, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the one to come. Mark 3: 22 The scribes who had come down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul in Him!” and, “He drives out demons by the ruler of the demons!” 23 So He summoned them and spoke to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan rebels against himself and is divided, he cannot stand but is finished! 27 “On the other hand, no one can enter a strong man's house and rob his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he will rob his house. 28 I assure you: People will be forgiven for all sins and whatever blasphemies they may blaspheme. 29 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— 30 because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.” Luke 12: 8 “And I say to you, anyone who acknowledges Me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God, 9 but whoever denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.10 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven,but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. So, I see two major ways we need to answer this question. Contextually and grammatically.  What does the CONTEXT of the usage of ‘unpardonable sin' tell us, and what does the grammar/word meanings tell us?   We find a massively important clue in Mark 3:30, where Mark tells us precisely WHY Jesus warned the Pharisees and Scribes about this sin. “Because they were saying, He has an unclean spirit.”   The exact same situation is described in Matthew 12:31 “31 Because of this, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven”  The scribes and pharisees are accusing Jesus of doing miraculous things – specifically driving out demons – by the power of Beelzebul rather than by the power of God.  Therefore, we know at least this: Ascribing something like an exorcism that is factually done by the power of God and His Holy Spirit to Demonic influence is AT BEST dangerously close to Blaspheming the Holy Spirit, and could, in fact, be blaspheming the Holy Spirit. (Jesus does not make it crystal clear that the scribes and pharisees were actually committing this sin, or merely getting close to committing it. It would seem like the latter is the best option.)  Practically speaking, what does this mean?? It means we need to be extremely careful about stating confident opinions on spiritual matters that we don't have 100 percent clarity from Scripture on. Let me give a couple of examples:  Pushed over at Brownsville.  Charles Carrin praying for us at GVAG.  Flamboyant preachers on tv wadding up their coats and throwing them on people, who pass out. Blowing on people, who pass out. Etc.  Most of this is probably fraudulent, some of it horribly so. BUT – we should be incredibly careful about pronouncing opinions on what God's spirit would do, and wouldn't do.   For instance, there was a revival going on in the 90s that became very well known and reached a lot of people. I heard about some of the things going on at that revival that were disturbing, and sounded – quite frankly – ridiculous. So, I assumed that the movement wasn't of God, but was just flaky people doing flaky things – at best. HOWEVER…a few years later, I met the leader of the movement, and spent some time with him. He struck me as a genuine follower of God – a man who loved Jesus, and who was humble.  I still don't know what to think about that revival. God does, and I leave it to Him. It's outside of my realm of influence. According to Jesus – there is grave danger in ascribing the works of the Holy Spirit to Satan. You better be 100 percent sure you're right before doing such thing…and you'd better ask the question – HOW Do i Know FOR SURE that my opinion is right on this matter? If you can't answer that question with extreme clarity, then be careful saying what the Holy Spirit will or will not do, and be careful saying whether or not something is of Satan, or not. Contextually, that is at least a large part of what blaspheming the Holy Spirit is about.  What is blasphemy, exactly? More on that in a moment…. Side question – is Beelzebul = Satan?? It's a great question, and I have a fairly lame answer…'maybe.'  Beelzebub (“Lord of the flies”) and Beelzebul (“Lord of the skies/heavenly realms”) both refer to the same entity.  In the Testament of Solomon, 1st century, non-Scripture, pseudoepigraphic text.  Beelzebul (not Beelzebub) appears as prince of the demons and says (6.2) that he was formerly a leading heavenly angel who was (6.7) associated with the star Hesperus (which is the normal Greek name for the planet Venus (Αφροδíτη) as evening star). Seemingly, Beelzebul here is synonymous with Lucifer. the text describes how Solomon was enabled to build his temple by commanding demons by means of a magical ringthat was entrusted to him by the archangel Michael.  The Bible reference comes from 2 Kings 1: 1 After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel. 2 Ahaziah had fallen through the latticed window of his upper room in Samaria and was injured. So he sent messengers instructing them: “Go inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, if I will recover from this injury.” 3 But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?' 4 Therefore, this is what the Lord says: ‘You will not get up from your sickbed—you will certainly die.'” Then Elijah left.The name also appears in Luke 11, where we can see the clearest connection between Beelzebul and Satan: Luke 11:14 Now He was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon came out, the man who had been mute, spoke, and the crowds were amazed. 15 But some of them said, “He drives out demons by Beelzebul,the ruler of the demons!” 16 And others, as a test, were demanding of Him a sign from heaven. 17 Knowing their thoughts, He told them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and a house divided against itself falls.18 If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say I drive out demons by Beelzebul. 19 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, who is it your sons drive them out by? For this reason they will be your judges. 20 If I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you. So, Jesus mentions Satan and Beelzebul in the same context, but not in a way that indicates that they are the same entities.  My best guess is that Beelzebul is a separate entity from Satan, but I confess that I do not know, and my guess is based on the fact that the Bible never clearly identifies the two as the same entity.  What exactly is Blasphemy?  Luke 12:10 points us in the right direction – anyone who ‘speaks a word against the son of man will be forgiven.' but the one who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. Matthew 12:32 makes it even more clear: 32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the one to come. Similarly: Isaiah 37:23 Isaiah 37:23 Who is it you have mocked and blasphemed? Who have you raised your voice against and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel! The Word itself, Greek Blasphemos, is a combo of two words. Blaptō, which means, ‘to HURT' and Pheemay, which means fame, report, or something like ‘reputation.' So, etymologically, the word  has a root meaning of injuring somebody's fame, or good name. The word can mean ‘defame' or ‘revile' and isn't always used of a deity. Paul speaks of being ‘defamed' or blasphemed by people for being an apostle. Paul commands the church in Titus 3:2 not to slander/Speak evil of (or BLASPHEME) any person, which is a command that Christians would do well to take far more seriously than we do.  2 Peter 2:10 and Jude vs 8 both warn against blaspheming angels, demons, and other spiritual beings.  So- blasphemy is speaking evil of someone. Hurting them with your words, harming their reputation. Thus, blaspheming the Holy Spirit is speaking evil of Him, reviling Him, defaming Him, seeking to harm His reputation. The Pharisees and Scribes were doing that – or coming dangerously close – when they said that it was Satan/Beelzebul empowering Jesus, when it was factually the Spirit of God Himself.  R.C. Sproul: Their statements were directed against Jesus. So, He said to them: “You can blaspheme Me and be forgiven, but when you question the work of the Spirit, you are coming perilously close to the unforgivable sin. You are right at the line. You are looking down into the abyss of hell. One more step and there will be no hope for you.” He was warning them to be very careful not to insult or mock the Spirit. Is it really unforgivable, and WHAT IF I HAVE COMMITTED IT?!  AUGUSTINE: It is not that this was a blasphemy which under no circumstances could be forgiven, for even this shall be forgiven if right repentance follows it Thomas C. Oden and Christopher A. Hall, eds., Mark, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2005), 48. I'm worried that I have committed the unforgivable sin??  Graham: Many Christians have heard that there is an unpardonable sin and live in dread that something grave they have done before or after conversion might be that sin. Their fears are unfounded. While there is an unforgivable sin, it is not one that a true believer in Jesus Christ can commit. Sproul:  Humanly speaking, everyone who is a Christian is capable of committing the unforgivable sin. However, I believe that the Lord of glory who has saved us and sealed us in the Holy Spirit will never let us commit that sin. I do not believe that any Christians in the history of the church have blasphemed the Spirit. As for those who are not sure they are saved and are worried they may have committed the unpardonable sin, I would say that worrying about it is one of the clearest evidences that they have not committed this sin, for those who commit it are so hardened in their hearts they do not care that they commit it. Thanks be to God that the sin that is unpardonable is not a sin He allows His people to commit. I don't share Graham and Sproul's assurances, though I respect them both deeply. The Bible NEVER says a believer is unable to commit the unpardonable sin. Jesus NEVER indicates that, and I see no other passage that promises such…just a sober warning.  I think Piper strikes a better balance when talking about it:  Piper: The fact that there is an unforgivable sin — that there comes a point in a life of sin after which the Holy Spirit will no longer grant repentance — that fact should drive us from sin with fear and trembling. None of us knows when our toying with sin will pass over into irrevocable hardness of heart. Very few people feel how serious sin is. Very few people are on the same wavelength with Jesus when he said in Mark 9:43, “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.” Instead, many professing Christians today have such a sentimental view of God's justice that they never feel terror and horror at the thought of being utterly forsaken by God because of their persistence in sin. They have the naïve notion that God's patience has no end and that they can always return from any length and depth of sin, forgetting that there is a point of resistance which belittles the Holy Spirit so grievously that he withdraws forever with his convicting power, leaving them never able to repent and be forgiven. They are like the buzzard who spots a carcass on a piece of ice floating in the river. He lands and begins to eat. He knows it is dangerous because the falls are just ahead. But he looks at his wings and says to himself, “I can fly to safety in an instant.” And he goes on eating. Just before the ice goes over the falls he spreads his wings to fly but his claws are frozen in the ice and there is no escape — neither in this age nor the age to come. The Spirit of holiness has forsaken the arrogant sinner forever. Another of the devil's fiery darts is this, “You have committed the unpardonable sin.” Ah! this arrow has rankled in many a heart, and it is very difficult to deal with such cases. The only way in which I argue with a person thus assailed is to say, “I am quite certain that, if you desire salvation, you have not committed the unpardonable sin, and I am absolutely sure that, if you will now come and trust Christ, you have not committed that sin, for every soul that trusts Christ is forgiven, according to God's Word, and therefore you cannot have committed that sin.” C. H. Spurgeon, Pictures from Pilgrim's Progress:  My close – God the Holy Spirit is all powerful. Tremble:  I don't want to blunt the warnings of Jesus with false assurance. It is likely that – if you are worried you've committed the unpardonable sin, that you haven't because only the Spirit's work in your life would make you fear the Lord. But the way that Jesus addressed this is with the highest level of seriousness…so must we. This passage RIGHTLY inspires fear in us, and that's ok, it should. It is obviously recorded in the Scripture for that purpose.  Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline. Proverbs 2:5 you will understand the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God. Proverbs 10:27 The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked are cut short. Rev 14:6  6 Then I saw another angel flying high overhead,(I) having the eternal gospel to announce to the inhabitants of the earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and people.(J)7 He spoke with a loud voice: “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.” The word for fear there has the same meaning as our word fear. It means FEAR.   Luke 12: In the same breath that Jesus speaks about the unpardonable sin, He says this:  4 “And I say to you, My friends, don't fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more. 5 But I will show you the One to fear: Fear Him who has authority to throw people into hell after death. Yes, I say to you, this is the One to fear! 6 Aren't five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God's sight. 7 Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows! Treat the Holy Spirit with great – remarkable sobriety – fear and wisdom. Fear the Lord, as Jesus said, and don't be afraid to trust Him – He who knows all of the sparrows and numbers our hairs, counts us as of great worth and Loves the World enough to send His son to rescue it.  Here's the good news: GREEAR: False gods mutilate us; the true God mutilated himself for us. The prophets of Ba'al begin by dancing around their altar. They end by slashing at themselves until their blood runs (1 Kings 18:28). False gods always push us toward destruction: “Work harder. Do better. Obtain more. You still aren't getting my attention. Slash yourself!” So we slash at our bodies by going through crash diets to attain that perfect figure. We slash at our families by overworking to make extra money. We slash at our souls by compromising our integrity to get someone's affection. False gods push us to mutilate ourselves, because we desperately want to win their approval. But only one God was ever mutilated for us—Jesus Christ. This story ends with a magnificent fire coming from heaven, but as Jesus himself points out to his first disciples, the fire was not intended for sinful humanity (Luke 9:51–56). It was ultimately intended for him: of all the characters in this story, Jesus is not Elijah, calling down fire; he is the sacrifice who receives the fire of judgment. At the cross, Jesus took into his body the fire of God's justice so that we could take into our lives the fire of God's love. Other gods demand dancing, slashing, mutilation. But Jesus Christ is the only God who was slashed and mutilated for us. As Tim Keller has said, “Every other god will make your blood run; only the true God bleeds for you.”

Today's Bible reading for January 12 is Genesis 13, Nehemiah 2, Matthew 12 and Acts 12. Our focus passage will be Matthew 12, and we are asking a big Bible question today: What is the Blasphemy of the Spirit, the unforgivable sin? SHOUT OUT TO THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE COMMENTED AND LEFT REVIEWS!!! On Apple Podcasts: Monte O, Kerri P, Cortney and Angel. And also people who have commented on the blog that they were listening: Angie from Knoxville, Og from Salinas, Cortney J. from Birmingham and Ms. Judy Bloom from parts unknown. THANK YOU! So - let's read our first chapter, and then get into our discussion. What is the Unforgivable sin??  It's a terrifying reality: Jesus warned His disciples and the Pharisees that there was a sin that could be committed that was unpardonable – unforgivable for all eternity. People have speculated and worried about this teaching of Jesus for hundreds of years. What precisely is the unpardonable sin? How can we know whether or not we've done it? Let's dive in! The Didache First century – RIGHT after the NT: Now concerning the apostles and prophets, deal with them as follows in accordance with the rule of the gospel. (4) Let every apostle who comes to you be welcomed as if he were the Lord. (5) But he is not to stay for more than one day, unless there is need, in which case he may stay another. But if he stays three days, he is a false prophet. (6) And when the apostle leaves, he is to take nothing except bread until he finds his next night's lodging. But if he asks for money, he is a false prophet. (7) Also, do not test or evaluate any prophet who speaks in the spirit, for every sin will be forgiven, but this sin will not be forgiven.35 Michael William Holmes, The Apostolic Fathers: Greek Texts and English Translations, Updated ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1999), 263–265. ANDREAS Andreas of Caesarea (Greek: Ἀνδρέας Καισαρείας; 563 – 637) : It is the sin of heresy, or of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which leads to death. If one man sins against another, pray for him. But if he sins against God, who is there who can pray on his behalf? And if even after all this, our opponents are still unwilling to learn and still unable to understand, they should at least stop speaking evil. They should not divide the Trinity lest they be divided from life.82 They should not classify the Holy Spirit with the creatures, lest, like the Pharisees of old who ascribed the works of the Spirit to Beelzebul,83 they too, on account of equal audacity, incur along with them the punishment which is unpardonable both now and in the future. Athanasius Works on the Spirit: Athanasius's Letters to Serapion on the Holy Spirit,  Grave-robbing, or the opening of graves, is divided into two kinds too, like theft, according to the present Canon, to wit, into pardonable and into unpardonable grave-robbing. For if the fellow opening the grave does not denude the dead person's body, thus refraining from dishonoring (for that is what is meant by the expression “sparing devoutness”) the dead, but only takes the stones found in the grave, in order to use them in the building of any other work that is preferable and more beneficial to the community, though this too is by no means anything to be praised, yet custom has made it pardonable.2 St. Nicodemus of the Holy Mountain – 1700s, Greek Orthodox church.  Swearing is a dreadful and harmful thing; it is a destructive drug, a bane and a danger, a hidden wound, a sore unseen, an obscure ulcer spreading its poison in the soul; it is an arrow of Satan, a flaming javelin, a two-edged sword, a sharp-honed scimitar, an unpardonable sin, an indefensible transgression, a deep gulf, a precipitous crag, a strong trap, a taut-stretched net, a fetter that cannot be broken, a noose from which no one escapes. 19. Are these enough, and do you believe that swearing is a dreadful thing and the most harmful of all sins? Believe me, I beg you, believe me! But if someone does not believe me, I now offer proof. This sin has what no other sin possesses. If we do not violate the other commandments, we escape punishment; on the other hand, in the matter of oaths, we are punished just the same both when we guard against transgressing and when we transgress. St. John Chrysostom, 300s AD St. John Chrysostom: Baptismal Instructions,  Hilary of Poitiers actually points us in a more biblical direction, in discussing the unpardonable sin: Every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven to men, but blasphemy of the Spirit will not be forgiven.67 With a very grave qualification, he condemns the view of the Pharisees and the perversion of those who also think like them. He promises pardon of all sins but refuses pardon for blasphemy of the Spirit. While other words and deeds are treated with a generous pardon, there is no mercy if it is denied that God is in Christ. 68 And in whatever way one sins without pardon, he is gracious to us and reminds us again that sins of every kind can be completely forgiven, though blasphemy against the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven. For who is so completely beyond pardon as one who denies that Christ is of God, or repudiates that the substance of the Spirit of the Father resides in him Hilary of Poitiers, Commentary on Matthew, ed.  Spurgeon – Nobody knows what that sin is. I believe that even God's Word does not tell us, and it is very proper that it does not. As I have often said, it is like the notice we sometimes see put up, “Man-traps and spring gun set here.” We do not know whereabouts the traps and guns are, but we have no business over the hedge at all. So, “there is a sin unto death;” we are not told what that sin is, but we have no business to go over the hedge into any transgression at all. That “sin unto death” may be different in different people; but, whoever commits it, from that very moment, loses all spiritual desires. He has no wish to be saved, no care to repent, no longing after Christ; so dreadful is the spiritual death that comes over the man who has committed it that he never craves eternal life. C. H. Spurgeon, Pictures from Pilgrim's Progress: A Commentary on Portions of John Bunyan's Immortal Allegory (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2009), 73–74. Billy Graham:   The sin of the religious leaders, blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, was a refusal to accept the witness of the Holy Spirit to who Jesus was and what He had come to do, and then submit their lives to Him… Once again, the unpardonable sin is not some particularly grievous sin committed by a Christian before or after accepting Christ, nor is it thinking or saying something terrible about the Holy Spirit. Rather, it is deliberately resisting the Holy Spirit's witness and invitation to turn to Jesus until death ends all opportunity. Billy Graham is echoing the Augustinian (300s AD) view: Now the man who, not believing that sins are remitted in the Church, despises this great gift of God's mercy, and persists to the last day of his life in his obstinacy of heart, is guilty of the unpardonable sin against the Holy Ghost, in whom Christ forgives sins. Augustine of Hippo, “The Enchiridion,” in St. Augustin: On the Holy Trinity, Doctrinal Treatises, Moral Treatises, ed.  Augustine was reflecting the Origen view (early 300s): The Spirit dwells in those who live by faith. But those who once having been counted worthy to share in the Holy Spirit and then having finally and decisively turned their backs from grace are by this act said to have blasphemed against the Holy Spirit (ORIGEN  Who, then, is not amazed at the exceeding majesty of the Holy Spirit when he hears that he who speaks a word against the Son of man may hope for forgiveness, but that he who is guilty of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit has no forgiveness—either in the present world or in that which is to come. Origen What then is it? The unforgivable sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is an act of resistance which belittles the Holy Spirit so grievously that he withdraws forever with his convicting power so that we are never able to repent and be forgiven. – John Piper.  Lee ann penick MODERN: There is only one “unpardonable sin” that can separate us from God for eternity. It is the ongoing, willful refusal to accept Christ as Lord and Savior and the forgiveness He offers. Jacob Arminius defined it as “the rejection and refusing of Jesus Christ through determined malice and hatred against Christ”. Nancy Hardesty  “Ultimately the refusal to allow women to fully use their gifts in the church and in the world is a form of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.”   Pope John Paul II writes “‘blasphemy' does not properly consist in offending against the Holy Spirit in words; it consists rather in the refusal to accept the salvation which God offers to man through the Holy Spirit, working through the power of the Cross”, and “If Jesus says that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit cannot be forgiven either in this life or in the next, it is because this “non-forgiveness” is linked, as to its cause, to “non-repentance,” in other words to the radical refusal to be converted. This means the refusal to come to the sources of Redemption, which nevertheless remain “always” open in the economy of salvation in which the mission of the Holy Spirit is accomplished. SO – What is The unforgivable sin?? – is it, as Origen, Augustine, Billy Graham, Pope John Paul 2 Lee Ann Penick suggest – the rejection of the Holy Spirit/not becoming a follower of Jesus?? Is it, as John Chrysostom claimed, swearing oaths?  Is it the robbing of graves in a thieving manner? Is it not letting women use their spiritual gifts in the church? Is it Heresy? Is it, as Athanasius and many other church fathers declared, being wrong on the Trinity and calling the Holy Spirit a created being, rather than God Himself?  Is it testing prophetic utterances of prophets?? (NO! – 1 Thessalonians 5:19-21 Don't stifle the Spirit. 20 Don't despise prophecies, 21 but test all things. Hold on to what is good.) Confused? You should be!! People talk about this issue all of the time, but it doesn't appear that all of them get their views from the Bible, so let's begin there in seeking our answer.  Matthew 12:24 24 When the Pharisees heard this, they said, “The man drives out demons only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.” 25 Knowing their thoughts, He told them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, who is it your sons drive them out by? For this reason they will be your judges. 28 If I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you. 29 How can someone enter a strong man's house and steal his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house. 30 Anyone who is not with Me is against Me, and anyone who does not gather with Me scatters.31 Because of this, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven.32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the one to come. Mark 3: 22 The scribes who had come down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul in Him!” and, “He drives out demons by the ruler of the demons!” 23 So He summoned them and spoke to them in parables: “How can Satan drive out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand. 26 And if Satan rebels against himself and is divided, he cannot stand but is finished! 27 “On the other hand, no one can enter a strong man's house and rob his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man. Then he will rob his house. 28 I assure you: People will be forgiven for all sins and whatever blasphemies they may blaspheme. 29 But whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— 30 because they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.” Luke 12: 8 “And I say to you, anyone who acknowledges Me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God, 9 but whoever denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.10 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven,but the one who blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. So, I see two major ways we need to answer this question. Contextually and grammatically.  What does the CONTEXT of the usage of ‘unpardonable sin' tell us, and what does the grammar/word meanings tell us?   We find a massively important clue in Mark 3:30, where Mark tells us precisely WHY Jesus warned the Pharisees and Scribes about this sin. “Because they were saying, He has an unclean spirit.”   The exact same situation is described in Matthew 12:31 “31 Because of this, I tell you, people will be forgiven every sin and blasphemy, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven”  The scribes and pharisees are accusing Jesus of doing miraculous things – specifically driving out demons – by the power of Beelzebul rather than by the power of God.  Therefore, we know at least this: Ascribing something like an exorcism that is factually done by the power of God and His Holy Spirit to Demonic influence is AT BEST dangerously close to Blaspheming the Holy Spirit, and could, in fact, be blaspheming the Holy Spirit. (Jesus does not make it crystal clear that the scribes and pharisees were actually committing this sin, or merely getting close to committing it. It would seem like the latter is the best option.)  Practically speaking, what does this mean?? It means we need to be extremely careful about stating confident opinions on spiritual matters that we don't have 100 percent clarity from Scripture on. Let me give a couple of examples:  Pushed over at Brownsville.  Charles Carrin praying for us at GVAG.  Flamboyant preachers on tv wadding up their coats and throwing them on people, who pass out. Blowing on people, who pass out. Etc.  Most of this is probably fraudulent, some of it horribly so. BUT – we should be incredibly careful about pronouncing opinions on what God's spirit would do, and wouldn't do.   For instance, there was a revival going on in the 90s that became very well known and reached a lot of people. I heard about some of the things going on at that revival that were disturbing, and sounded – quite frankly – ridiculous. So, I assumed that the movement wasn't of God, but was just flaky people doing flaky things – at best. HOWEVER…a few years later, I met the leader of the movement, and spent some time with him. He struck me as a genuine follower of God – a man who loved Jesus, and who was humble.  I still don't know what to think about that revival. God does, and I leave it to Him. It's outside of my realm of influence. According to Jesus – there is grave danger in ascribing the works of the Holy Spirit to Satan. You better be 100 percent sure you're right before doing such thing…and you'd better ask the question – HOW Do i Know FOR SURE that my opinion is right on this matter? If you can't answer that question with extreme clarity, then be careful saying what the Holy Spirit will or will not do, and be careful saying whether or not something is of Satan, or not. Contextually, that is at least a large part of what blaspheming the Holy Spirit is about.  What is blasphemy, exactly? More on that in a moment…. Side question – is Beelzebul = Satan?? It's a great question, and I have a fairly lame answer…'maybe.'  Beelzebub (“Lord of the flies”) and Beelzebul (“Lord of the skies/heavenly realms”) both refer to the same entity.  In the Testament of Solomon, 1st century, non-Scripture, pseudoepigraphic text.  Beelzebul (not Beelzebub) appears as prince of the demons and says (6.2) that he was formerly a leading heavenly angel who was (6.7) associated with the star Hesperus (which is the normal Greek name for the planet Venus (Αφροδíτη) as evening star). Seemingly, Beelzebul here is synonymous with Lucifer. the text describes how Solomon was enabled to build his temple by commanding demons by means of a magical ringthat was entrusted to him by the archangel Michael.  The Bible reference comes from 2 Kings 1: 1 After the death of Ahab, Moab rebelled against Israel. 2 Ahaziah had fallen through the latticed window of his upper room in Samaria and was injured. So he sent messengers instructing them: “Go inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron, if I will recover from this injury.” 3 But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, “Go and meet the messengers of the king of Samaria and ask them, ‘Is it because there is no God in Israel that you are going to inquire of Baal-zebub, the god of Ekron?' 4 Therefore, this is what the Lord says: ‘You will not get up from your sickbed—you will certainly die.'” Then Elijah left.The name also appears in Luke 11, where we can see the clearest connection between Beelzebul and Satan: Luke 11:14 Now He was driving out a demon that was mute. When the demon came out, the man who had been mute, spoke, and the crowds were amazed. 15 But some of them said, “He drives out demons by Beelzebul,the ruler of the demons!” 16 And others, as a test, were demanding of Him a sign from heaven. 17 Knowing their thoughts, He told them: “Every kingdom divided against itself is headed for destruction, and a house divided against itself falls.18 If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say I drive out demons by Beelzebul. 19 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, who is it your sons drive them out by? For this reason they will be your judges. 20 If I drive out demons by the finger of God, then the kingdom of God has come to you. So, Jesus mentions Satan and Beelzebul in the same context, but not in a way that indicates that they are the same entities.  My best guess is that Beelzebul is a separate entity from Satan, but I confess that I do not know, and my guess is based on the fact that the Bible never clearly identifies the two as the same entity.  What exactly is Blasphemy?  Luke 12:10 points us in the right direction – anyone who ‘speaks a word against the son of man will be forgiven.' but the one who blasphemes the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. Matthew 12:32 makes it even more clear: 32 Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him. But whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the one to come. Similarly: Isaiah 37:23 Isaiah 37:23 Who is it you have mocked and blasphemed? Who have you raised your voice against and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of Israel! The Word itself, Greek Blasphemos, is a combo of two words. Blaptō, which means, ‘to HURT' and Pheemay, which means fame, report, or something like ‘reputation.' So, etymologically, the word  has a root meaning of injuring somebody's fame, or good name. The word can mean ‘defame' or ‘revile' and isn't always used of a deity. Paul speaks of being ‘defamed' or blasphemed by people for being an apostle. Paul commands the church in Titus 3:2 not to slander/Speak evil of (or BLASPHEME) any person, which is a command that Christians would do well to take far more seriously than we do.  2 Peter 2:10 and Jude vs 8 both warn against blaspheming angels, demons, and other spiritual beings.  So- blasphemy is speaking evil of someone. Hurting them with your words, harming their reputation. Thus, blaspheming the Holy Spirit is speaking evil of Him, reviling Him, defaming Him, seeking to harm His reputation. The Pharisees and Scribes were doing that – or coming dangerously close – when they said that it was Satan/Beelzebul empowering Jesus, when it was factually the Spirit of God Himself.  R.C. Sproul: Their statements were directed against Jesus. So, He said to them: “You can blaspheme Me and be forgiven, but when you question the work of the Spirit, you are coming perilously close to the unforgivable sin. You are right at the line. You are looking down into the abyss of hell. One more step and there will be no hope for you.” He was warning them to be very careful not to insult or mock the Spirit. Is it really unforgivable, and WHAT IF I HAVE COMMITTED IT?!  AUGUSTINE: It is not that this was a blasphemy which under no circumstances could be forgiven, for even this shall be forgiven if right repentance follows it Thomas C. Oden and Christopher A. Hall, eds., Mark, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2005), 48. I'm worried that I have committed the unforgivable sin??  Graham: Many Christians have heard that there is an unpardonable sin and live in dread that something grave they have done before or after conversion might be that sin. Their fears are unfounded. While there is an unforgivable sin, it is not one that a true believer in Jesus Christ can commit. Sproul:  Humanly speaking, everyone who is a Christian is capable of committing the unforgivable sin. However, I believe that the Lord of glory who has saved us and sealed us in the Holy Spirit will never let us commit that sin. I do not believe that any Christians in the history of the church have blasphemed the Spirit. As for those who are not sure they are saved and are worried they may have committed the unpardonable sin, I would say that worrying about it is one of the clearest evidences that they have not committed this sin, for those who commit it are so hardened in their hearts they do not care that they commit it. Thanks be to God that the sin that is unpardonable is not a sin He allows His people to commit. I don't share Graham and Sproul's assurances, though I respect them both deeply. The Bible NEVER says a believer is unable to commit the unpardonable sin. Jesus NEVER indicates that, and I see no other passage that promises such…just a sober warning.  I think Piper strikes a better balance when talking about it:  Piper: The fact that there is an unforgivable sin — that there comes a point in a life of sin after which the Holy Spirit will no longer grant repentance — that fact should drive us from sin with fear and trembling. None of us knows when our toying with sin will pass over into irrevocable hardness of heart. Very few people feel how serious sin is. Very few people are on the same wavelength with Jesus when he said in Mark 9:43, “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go to hell, to the unquenchable fire.” Instead, many professing Christians today have such a sentimental view of God's justice that they never feel terror and horror at the thought of being utterly forsaken by God because of their persistence in sin. They have the naïve notion that God's patience has no end and that they can always return from any length and depth of sin, forgetting that there is a point of resistance which belittles the Holy Spirit so grievously that he withdraws forever with his convicting power, leaving them never able to repent and be forgiven. They are like the buzzard who spots a carcass on a piece of ice floating in the river. He lands and begins to eat. He knows it is dangerous because the falls are just ahead. But he looks at his wings and says to himself, “I can fly to safety in an instant.” And he goes on eating. Just before the ice goes over the falls he spreads his wings to fly but his claws are frozen in the ice and there is no escape — neither in this age nor the age to come. The Spirit of holiness has forsaken the arrogant sinner forever. Another of the devil's fiery darts is this, “You have committed the unpardonable sin.” Ah! this arrow has rankled in many a heart, and it is very difficult to deal with such cases. The only way in which I argue with a person thus assailed is to say, “I am quite certain that, if you desire salvation, you have not committed the unpardonable sin, and I am absolutely sure that, if you will now come and trust Christ, you have not committed that sin, for every soul that trusts Christ is forgiven, according to God's Word, and therefore you cannot have committed that sin.” C. H. Spurgeon, Pictures from Pilgrim's Progress:  My close – God the Holy Spirit is all powerful. Tremble:  I don't want to blunt the warnings of Jesus with false assurance. It is likely that – if you are worried you've committed the unpardonable sin, that you haven't because only the Spirit's work in your life would make you fear the Lord. But the way that Jesus addressed this is with the highest level of seriousness…so must we. This passage RIGHTLY inspires fear in us, and that's ok, it should. It is obviously recorded in the Scripture for that purpose.  Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline. Proverbs 2:5 you will understand the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God. Proverbs 10:27 The fear of the Lord prolongs life, but the years of the wicked are cut short. Rev 14:6  6 Then I saw another angel flying high overhead,(I) having the eternal gospel to announce to the inhabitants of the earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and people.(J)7 He spoke with a loud voice: “Fear God and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come. Worship the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.” The word for fear there has the same meaning as our word fear. It means FEAR.   Luke 12: In the same breath that Jesus speaks about the unpardonable sin, He says this:  4 “And I say to you, My friends, don't fear those who kill the body, and after that can do nothing more. 5 But I will show you the One to fear: Fear Him who has authority to throw people into hell after death. Yes, I say to you, this is the One to fear! 6 Aren't five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God's sight. 7 Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted. Don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows! Treat the Holy Spirit with great – remarkable sobriety – fear and wisdom. Fear the Lord, as Jesus said, and don't be afraid to trust Him – He who knows all of the sparrows and numbers our hairs, counts us as of great worth and Loves the World enough to send His son to rescue it.  Here's the good news: GREEAR: False gods mutilate us; the true God mutilated himself for us. The prophets of Ba'al begin by dancing around their altar. They end by slashing at themselves until their blood runs (1 Kings 18:28). False gods always push us toward destruction: “Work harder. Do better. Obtain more. You still aren't getting my attention. Slash yourself!” So we slash at our bodies by going through crash diets to attain that perfect figure. We slash at our families by overworking to make extra money. We slash at our souls by compromising our integrity to get someone's affection. False gods push us to mutilate ourselves, because we desperately want to win their approval. But only one God was ever mutilated for us—Jesus Christ. This story ends with a magnificent fire coming from heaven, but as Jesus himself points out to his first disciples, the fire was not intended for sinful humanity (Luke 9:51–56). It was ultimately intended for him: of all the characters in this story, Jesus is not Elijah, calling down fire; he is the sacrifice who receives the fire of judgment. At the cross, Jesus took into his body the fire of God's justice so that we could take into our lives the fire of God's love. Other gods demand dancing, slashing, mutilation. But Jesus Christ is the only God who was slashed and mutilated for us. As Tim Keller has said, “Every other god will make your blood run; only the true God bleeds for you.”

  How to Put a "Twist" in Your Brand with Julie Cottineau (Archive) Julie Cottineau is the Founder and CEO of BrandTwist, a brand consultancy group that helps entrepreneurs and corporations build stronger, more profitable brands. Prior to launching her own business, she was the VP of Brand at Richard Branson's Virgin Group, overseeing branding strategy for new and established Virgin companies in North America. About the Interview: Ever wonder how Richard Branson manages to shake things up every time, in so many different industries? Julie Cottineau, spent 5 years as the VP of Brand for Virgin in North America helping to grow this iconic brand. Now the best-selling author of TWIST: How Fresh Perspectives Build Breakthrough Brands (Panoma Press 2016), Founder & CEO of BrandTwist will show you how TWIST your non profit's brand  for maximum impact. Fresh ideas come from looking at old problems from new perspectives. In this podcast, Julie will teach you how to: Go beyond “me-too” marketing, and get stand out Make the most of every brand touch-point – large and small Connect with target more deeply to create loyal brand ambassadors Walk away with tangible new ideas for your organization Why nonprofits should care about brand A unique, compelling brand can make or break even the strongest, most worthy enterprise. Once you understand the true nature of your brand, you achieve clarity and focus. You are in a much better position to serve the cause and the people you're really passionate about. Literally, it can change a life. Your charity, church or synagogue needs a strong brand – one with a TWIST. The TWIST is your unique story that will help you stand out, get the attention your good work deserves and build a loyal community of followers, donors, and volunteers.   Read the Interview Transcript Hugh Ballou: Welcome to The Nonprofit Exchange. It's Hugh Ballou and Russell David Dennis. Russell, how are you out there in Denver, mile high Colorado? Russell Dennis: The sun is shining, but you step outside and it's very cold. I'm having Northern Maine flashbacks with these single digit temperatures here. Hugh: We are recording in the wintertime. People listen at all places. It might be warm in the other hemisphere, and it might be summer in the northern hemisphere when you listen to it. But the message is that we give you the techniques and strategies and information. It doesn't have a season. It's stuff you can use any time. This is a real important topic today, like all of them, but we tend to skip over this thing of branding. We tend to think it's a picture, a logo. We got a brand, we got a logo. We are going to explore the different facets of branding and give you a top level view of what it looks like and what it is. One of the best people I know has this great book out called Twist. Julie Cottineau. Did I say it right, Julie? Julie Cottineau: Close enough. Hugh: I have a good memory, but it's short. Thank you for being our guest today. Tell the people listening a little bit about you and a little bit about brand twist. Julie: I think I have been branding since I was eight years old. When I was a little girl growing up in Massachusetts, my parents wouldn't let me have a pet because my brother was allergic. I went out in my garden and took a rock and put it in a Cool Whip container. I poked holes in it so it would be able to breathe. I invented the pet rock. Two years later, some guy named Gary Dahl in San Francisco invented the official pet rock because he was also fed up with regular pets. He was in a bar after work, he worked in advertising, and all his friends were leaving to feed their cats and walk their dogs. He said there has to be a pet with no hassle, so he created the official pet rock for no hassle. I created the non-allergic pet rock. Ever since then, I have been creating solutions with a twist from a different angle. Hugh: Twist. How did that name come about? Julie: That's another story. I was working as a branding consultant for Interbrand, a large branding agency. I was traveling all over the country. I was at Newark Airport one day. I looked out of the window and saw this 747 with these golden arches on the tailspin. I stopped in my tracks and thought, That would be a really interesting airline. It would be different than all these other airlines that had the same color seats and stewardesses and the same experience. A McDonalds airline, maybe I could buy a regular economy seat and supersize it to a premium seat. I looked up again and realized that it was a mirage. It was actually the reflection of the food court sign on the window, and there happened to be a plane. You following me? It was a hallucination. But it started me thinking, if you are in the airline business and want to break through, stop worrying about your other airline competitors and twist with other brands. Find brands that you admire that are doing cool things outside of your category, and twist those lessons with your brand. That started it all. Hugh: We put a snazzy title for this. The top mistakes. What are some of the things that people do that you wish they wouldn't do? Julie: We put the top three mistakes; it was hard to keep it to three. Hugh: I'll bet. Julie: You can grow to four. These were mistakes nonprofits are making. The first one is what we were just talking about: not really understanding what a brand is. In fact, confusing your branding with your marketing. That is a big mistake. Your marketing is how you get your message out there, but your branding is your fundamental story. What are you about? Why should people care? All great stories, if we think about our favorite movies and books, they have a twist. They have something unexpected in the plot. The number one mistake is stop saying if I only had ten times the marketing budget, I could build my nonprofit. Well, I could throw 20 times the marketing budget at you, but if your brand isn't in shape, your fundamental story of who you are, who you serve, and what's different about you, then it's a waste of money. Hugh: It's a waste of money. What happens when- I guess one of the fundamental branding issues with a nonprofit is the word “nonprofit.” It really puts us in a negative twist of scarcity thinking and nonprofit, we gotta have profit to be able to run this church or synagogue or community charity. How do we start out on this journey of creating our brand? Talk about brand image, brand promise, brand identity. There is a lot of facets to this besides the logo. Julie: Your brand is not your logo. Your brand is fundamentally your story, and your logo and name should help reflect that. I think a very unique challenge of nonprofits is the second mistake. They really try to welcome everybody. People who work in the nonprofit world are attracted to it because there is this inclusive instinct. Branding is actually about choices. If you have a page of your website that tries to tell everybody about everything that you do, you will connect with no one. It's like the twist on AT&T: reach out and touch someone. It's like reach out and touch no one. What I say the most important thing about branding is be clear on who you want to serve and the issues you want to promote. Be very choiceful. Narrow them down. Most nonprofit websites look like someone threw spaghetti up on the website and wanted to see what sticks. Branding is like an onion. Just tell me a little bit for me to get to know you, and then I will keep peeling the layers back to continue to get to know you. Less is more. Particularly in nonprofit branding. Hugh: Russell, we see lots of funky things, don't we? Russell: Yeah, it gets really interesting. If your target is everyone, you're marketing to no one. What it's about is really having people understand what it is that you do. A confused mind always says no. From a perspective of nonprofit, what is it precisely that a brand should do for a nonprofit? What is that main benefit that they get? I don't think people always understand the benefit in taking time to actually build a brand. What is that main benefit, and how does that really empower nonprofits? Julie: The main benefit is your brand promise. Getting clear on your brand promise. Getting specific on your brand promise. It's not we want to help people, or we want to make everyone feel included, or we want to make life better. Those brand promises are not gonna stick because not that they're not valid, but they're just so overused. It's like when Charlie Brown hears the teacher talk, and all he hears is “wah wah wah.” When I work with nonprofit clients, what problem are we trying to solve? Can we get really specific on that problem? Not that we want to give people shelter or help homeless people, but keep digging deeper. We want to help people feel at home. We want to help people feel that they can realize who they are in their minds versus how other people are seeing them. We keep digging. We get to one brand promise. The main thing we do with that brand promise is we don't validate it by looking at all the other nonprofits in our space, and we don't create it by committee, which is hard for nonprofits. Nonprofits love committees. What we try to do is say if there is a leader of the nonprofit, whether it's the president of the board or head of marketing, they need to own the brand. Everybody else can contribute their ideas, but at some point, someone needs to make a decision and get everybody on board. Versus we need a direction that everybody can live with, but no one hates. That is the definition of weak branding, when you go to the lowest common denominator. Hugh: She has good sound bites here, doesn't she, Russ? Russell: Brilliant. It's quite a field. I have done some marketing myself. I started out working in market research and sold some advertising on television and in print. But that doesn't really speak to brand. I was just fascinated by why people do some things. Describe to us what attracted you to the career of helping others build brands. How did that particular piece of marketing expertise jump out at you? Julie: I've always liked storytelling. I studied communications and creative writing. When I was little, my rockstar was Judy Bloom. I won a contest at the library to go hear her speak. To me, that was winning the Super Bowl. I was so excited by it. I've always been interested in storytelling. Branding is a very unique way to tell your story. I am in my office. I like to use all the different tools that I have. My brand is purple because it's the twist of red and blue. I tell my story not just in words, but also in images. You will never see me on stage without some purple on. The walls of the office are purple. The cover on my book is a twist of pink and purple. Nonprofits, one of the mistakes I see them making is they use stock photography because it's cheap, and I understand that. But they build websites. Don't invest a lot of money in them, but build them with a lot of images. The minute they set up their nonprofit, they are saying we're just like everybody else. There are inexpensive ways to take stock photography but frame it differently, treat it with a different color. We learn those lessons by looking at brands like Tiffany's. Tiffany's is a great brand to twist with. If someone gives you a blue Tiffany's box, I say to my husband, it almost doesn't matter what's in the box. The blue is their brand. Tiffany's robin egg blue. It sets up this expectation of an experience. I think that nonprofits should look at things like that, like owning a color. As soon as you see the red Target ad, you know right away, even if you don't hear the name and only see a slice of the logo, you know right away it's a Target ad. Hugh: It's funny you bring that up. They are changing their colors in Lynchburg to white. I don't know where I am. I was so into the red. The doors are still red, and people still wear the red and khaki. You were vice president of Richard Branson's Virgin. What are some of the important things you learned from that experience? That's powerful. Julie: It was an amazing experience. I think the biggest thing that I learned from Richard is not to be afraid to fail. He has an expression, “Fail harder.” Another one he has that is hopefully ok for this podcast, and is the title of one of his books is, “Screw it, let's do it.” If you have a good idea, and it feels like it's going to make an impact, don't test it to death, don't run it through 10 different committees, just try it. It might be successful, and it might not be. We know that we learn the most from the things that go wrong. It really opened me up to being more adventurous. I came home from my corporate job. I had been there five years, and I was having a great time. I said to my husband, “Screw it, let's do it. I am going to start my own company.” He said, “I don't think that's what that means. We have two children to put through college.” I said, “No, that's exactly what that means. I have an idea to create a branding consultancy and a book and a learning program, and I'm going to do it. If it's successful, great. If it's not, I am going to learn a lot.” That's what I did seven years ago actually. Hugh: Wow, you're still there doing it. Your book is called Twist: How Fresh Perspectives Build Breakthrough Brands. I remember you kindly sent me a copy to preview it. I think I did a respectable interview a couple years ago on the Orchestrating Success podcast for business leaders. This is a wholly different focus today. Really it's not. Good branding, good leadership, good marketing is probably the same. We do have a lot of hang-ups when we are working for a nonprofit that we shouldn't have. Where can people get your book? Julie: You can get it on Amazon. The easiest place. Hugh: And the color makes it stand out. I was amazed, Russell, that she finds a way to twist that word “twist” into pretty much every page of that book. It's phenomenal how this plays out. Before Russ goes into another question, I want to ask you. You do board retreats. There is a tension between different perspectives and an apparent contrast. When you have this side and this side, when you start looking at the intersection, there is some real finite truth or wisdom. We have a different outcome, but we also have ownership at some level. When you do a board retreat, I would assume it's a branding retreat, talk about the dynamics of how the board plays into the decision and how it goes from the retreat to the final decision. That is where a lot of us get stuck. Julie: Board retreats are interesting dynamics. The first thing I do is get everybody out of whatever the location is, whether it's the church or synagogue, into a relaxed atmosphere where they can think differently, to use the apple. I also get them to start thinking about other brands. We don't think about our organization as a brand, as a story, as something unique. We get bogged down into that won't work, we tried that, I'm not sure about that. We have to remember that the people we are trying to engage, whether it's members, donors, or volunteers, they don't live in this box with only our brand. They live in the wider world with a wider brandscape. I ask the board members ahead of time, “What brands do you admire, and why?” If you admire Starbucks because it customizes your order or Nike because it motivates you or Uber because it helps you get around when you are on a business trip, why wouldn't you bring some of those qualities to your organization? Why wouldn't you twist some of those things? Why shouldn't our church or synagogue or nonprofit also be customized and seamless to use and have clever impactful messaging? When I get them to think beyond their nonprofit to his larger brandscape and twist those ideas, then it breaks through. We come up in a short amount of time with solutions we hadn't had for months and months of board meetings. The second part of your question is the trickier part, which is how do you move it forward? That is where I would say it shouldn't be a democracy. The president of the board or the head of the nonprofit should get the input of everybody. If they are in a position of leadership, they have to take the leadership and say, “I have listened to everybody. This is what we're going to do. You don't have to agree with it 100%, but you have to understand why we're doing it and help us tell the story to a larger group.” Russell: That's an interesting perspective. There is a tricky balance to strike as far as getting by it. Obviously, you want your people to go with that. Who exactly is brand twisting for? With nonprofits, you have multiple audiences. You have multiple constituencies. You have your board, volunteers, donors, other people who fund your work, staff. How do you make that marriage work for all of those different audiences? Who is twisting specifically for? How do you do that? Julie: I like to work in brand development committees. I just rebranded a school system. We created a brand development committee that had the superintendent as the leader. Ultimately, she is the leader of that brand. She had to buy into it. We had two members of the board represented, not all 12, just two. We had a few practitioners represented, so some principals and teachers. We had some staff, the people, if we were going to change the website, on a daily basis, who are going to have to program it, and things like that. We had a committee of about 8 or 10 people. We worked in that committee and got through surveys and other strategic planning input from the community, parents and students. You can pull in input as data points, but don't make your committee 30 people sitting around a table. You're not going to get anything done. The 8-10 people worked on the branding solutions. We led them through the process. We committed as a group with the superintendent's opinion counting the most to the one recommendation we were going to go back to the school board and make, with a lot of great rationale of how we got through the journey. It worked because we had a process. We had representation. Ultimately, we went with a recommendation and a clear rationale on that recommendation. Russell: When it comes to communication, eight people is about the span of control. Once you get beyond eight, the wheels start to come off the wagon. Julie: What we did was when we rebranded, we didn't ask everybody, “Do you like this?” Branding is like naming your kids. You never tell anybody your intended names until the birth announcement comes out because all those opinions won't be helpful. It's your opinion as the parent that really counts. We named the new logo and gave it a story. We created a video that explained the change. We launched internally first so all the teachers beyond the committee got the preview first. Then we went out to the larger group. It wasn't like the brand launch was overnight. It wasn't just throwing up a logo and saying, “What do you think?” It was a really carefully crafted story that we told over and over for about a year until everybody understood it and got it and got behind it. Russell: One of the things that you mentioned in the book is that people have blinders on around branding. What is it that you mean by blinders? How do we work around these? Julie: It's like a horse, if you're trying to lead a racehorse out and put the blinders on so they can't see anything beyond them, it keeps them going forward. But the downside of that in branding is we work in nonprofit that has to do with cancer. We spend all our time looking at nonprofits that have to do with cancer and we worry about being seen as legitimate. Because we worry about being seen as legitimate, we end up being very safe but also using the same words and images as everybody else. That is what I mean by brand blinders, is only thinking in your category. If you lift your head up, I mean honestly your next board meeting, have it in a Starbucks. That would be a good use of everybody's time, or your favorite restaurant, or your favorite brand experience. Say, Look around. Why are we spending twice as much on a coup of coffee? Why is this an experience that we all come to? Why is everybody else hanging out here? What are they doing? Look how they are naming the baristas. Look how they are using the color green. Look how they are creating an atmosphere of welcome. What are the specific things that they're doing to make us feel like this is not just a cup of coffee, but an engaging experience? How can we twist those with our nonprofit? Russell: What do you think are some of the more common mistakes that nonprofit leaders have? I imagine that these blinders have a lot to do with it. But what are the most common ones? Julie: Sticking within the category is a really common one. Another thing is taking too much input, trying to do too many things, like I mentioned. Most nonprofit websites, the front page will give you a headache because they are talking about everything. Setting a clear vision and using that as a funnel. I would say there is some overlooked brand touchpoints that nonprofits should think about. In my book, I talk about these vomit bag moments, which came from Virgin Atlantic, which was one of the brands that I looked after as part of Virgin Management. Virgin Atlantic did a very clever thing. They had these air sickness bags, which they had to provide anyway. It's an FAA requirement. They have to be in every seat pocket for every flight over six hours, I think. Most airlines, well, what color are they for most airlines? Hugh: White? Julie: White, plain, no message. What Virgin Atlantic did was brand them. They made them red, which was the brand color, and they wrote a little story on them about how flying used to be fun, people used to get dressed up, and what happened to flying in terms of taking away all the peanuts. They twisted it back to a story about on how Virgin Atlantic, you will always feel great flying. I say to for-profit and nonprofit clients is: What are your vomit bag moments? What are the things you're doing anyway as part of your brand experience, but you could add a twist? Whether it's an invoice that you send, whether it's a thank-you note, whether it's a gift, on-hold music. If you have a phone calling as part of your nonprofit. Those are the little moments where you could add something that supports the brand and stands out. Hugh: When did this word “twist” come in your present thinking? How did that get so deeply embedded in your being? Julie: I think it was that airline experience. The McDonalds airline, I needed to look in a different way. I needed to look at things from a different angle. The more I started using it, the more people played it back to me as something that was helpful to them. Hugh: I like how she uses it instead of other words and twisting ideas into something that is unique. Part of what you all are talking about is back when you started this interview today, who do we serve? It's our avatar, so to speak. Russell talked about marketing. We have to have a target. We want to attract certain people. We tend to think everyone needs us. How do you help your clients narrow down to that specific person that they want to attract? Julie: We create brand avatars. We look at up to three targets, and we create personas for each of them. Instead of saying, if you're a medical nonprofit, it's health care practitioners, we will say it's Dr. Bob, and we will give Bob a backstory, and what keeps him up at night, and who lives in his household, creating a character in a novel. We will do that up to three times. What we're looking for though is to turn this target into real people with real problems we can help solve. Hugh: When we're talking to a specific person, we're talking to the person who is sitting in the community nonprofit trying to figure out how to attract donors and volunteers and the next board member. Russell hit on it earlier, he says a confused mind says no. How many times have we had people ask for donations and board and all they get is excuses because all that person sees is I'm going to get sucked into this vortex? Russell: Endless time commitment and bottomless blank checks. People aren't clear. The brand is important. The one question I have about brand is is a brand what you make it, is a brand forever? Are there appropriate times to look at it to see what you have is outdated or not working? Julie: That's a great question. I think you do need to update your story every once in a while, or at least take a look at it. I do a lot of rebranding, if organizations merge, when there are major changes in the segment that organization serves, when there is new leadership. I think it's a very worthwhile exercise every five years or so to check in and say, “Is that story we're telling now relevant to the people we're trying to serve? Is it relevant to who we are at this moment? Have we become something different?” Even if you go through one of those exercises and don't change anything with the outwardly facing part of your brand, you will have validation that you're telling the right story. I think that's a really important exercise to do. I would say if you look at great brands in the for-profit world, like Coca-Cola for example, their core brand promise has always been about happiness. But every once in a while, they will update their advertising. “We'd like to teach the world to sing,” or “Open a Coke and a smile,” or “Happiness.” The fundamentals are there, but there is a bit of a refresh. People get excited about the refresh. People pay attention to brand refreshes or rebranding. It's a great opportunity to get out in front of your targets and your donors and say, “Let us tell you what's new. You might have noticed we made some changes. It's not because we just needed cosmetic changes, but our vision is evolving. We wanted the brand to reflect that vision.” Hugh: We've talked around these terms. Let's clarify. You've used the phrase “brand promise” a few times. There is a brand image, brand identity, brand promise. There are different facets. How do you segment the different parts of a brand? Julie: Your brand identity is everything. It's the way you show up, the way you present yourself to the world, not just in your logo and website, but in the way your people behave, etc. I look at it as a house. The brand promise is the roof. That is the main thing you stand for. There is a diagram in my book of the roof of a house. That is what you enable. If you look at Nike, for example, they sell sneakers, but their brand promise is “Just do it.” Supporting that roof, you have three brand pillars. Those are your values. Why should I believe that you're someone who can help me just do it? You have three pillars that support that. Hugh: When we're doing strategy, we nail down the problem we're solving. Why do we exist? What is our solution? What is our unique value proposition? What do we do that's different from others? Is that the building block to a brand? How does that fit into the branding that you do? Julie: Yeah, I think your unique value proposition is your brand twist. That is your brand promise. When I do it, I like to make them succinct and easy to remember. I'm not a big believer in mission, vision, values, 10 layers of the brand. When I do it, I answer four questions. The first is “Who are we trying to serve?” and dig into that psychographic. What are we promising them? That is your brand promise or your unique value proposition. Why should they believe us? That is your brand values. Who, what, why? The last question I answer is how, how do I bring it to life? What is my website? What is my tagline? What is the way I dress? What are the cuts of people I hire? One of the biggest mistakes I see for nonprofits and for-profits is they say, “We want to update our website.” If you are creating a new nonprofit, they are creating a new website. They go right to the how, how are we going to bring this to life? But they don't do the who, what, and why. They don't have a strategy. They spend hours and hours on versions of websites and logos, and they waste a ton of money. They think they'll just know it when I see it. It's not a great way to create a brand. You have to have a strategy. Once you have a strategy, the execution is actually pretty easy. Hugh: That's so common. Russ and I see that a lot. We had David Corbin on here a while back. David has a book called Brand Slaughter. We have seen that happen with another airline; we won't mention their name, but their initials are United. That one person destroyed the brand. It's happened a few times. But there are other companies where one person acted in a way that violated the way the company wanted to represent their value proposition and brand identity. What we do, we do values and principles. Part of that is how do we behave in the culture? How do we make decisions? Talk a minute about taking this brand promise we have and how to get people who are volunteers, board members, committee members represent that brand. We can violate that brand with our behavior, can't we? Julie: Yeah. You asked me what I learned from Richard Branson. That's the second biggest lesson besides taking chances. Your employees are the ambassadors of your brand. They bring the brand to life in their behavior. I do a lot of internal brand activation, meaning I train employees on the brand. I train them how to behave based on the brand. If our brand stands for teamwork, we actually look at all of our systems and evaluate where we are acting as a team and where we are breaking down. I had one client who was standing for teamwork, but we realized their office had an open plan with lots of cubicles. There were no nameplates. Somebody new to the team, it was taking them months to learn everybody's name. That's not a way to create a team. They'd see each other in the cafeteria, and they were embarrassed because they didn't know each other's names. Something as little as that. Definitely hiring. I use my brand values, even if I am hiring an intern. I ask them questions. Tell me a time that you twisted. Tell me about a time that you solved a problem from a different angle. Hiring, training, and rewarding on brand. Don't keep your brand values in a notebook somewhere. People will start really paying attention to them if they know their compensation or advancement is tied to them. Hugh: I just remembered when I was in high school, the twist was a dance. Russell, rescue me, will you? Russell: Thank god for the power of good video editors and sound editors. The first couple of months, I was co-hosting. This is Hugh, and old what's-his-name in Colorado somewhere. But it's important for people in the organization to have all the tools. If your organization is firing on all cylinders, even the person that comes in and sweeps the floor at night can talk to you about what that organization does and how it works. We have had good discussions. The brands that stick out in our minds are large, a lot of them larger than life. A lot of small nonprofits are resource-starved. They are listening to this, thinking, this is all well and good if you have 100 grand to throw at your marketing. But if you are like us, you're small and don't have a lot of resources, how do we build a brand? How do we bring this about with limited resources? Julie: Having a strong brand is even more important if you have limited resources. If you have limited resources, you can't afford to have things that don't tell a really tight story. I work with a lot of small businesses and nonprofits, 1-3-people sized companies. We spend that time on the brand promise and the brand pillars because that allows you to use every tool in the toolbox to tell the same story. Branding is harder, but more important, when you're smaller. It allows everything to work together. When I worked at Virgin, we actually spent way less than all of our competition on advertising. Way less. Virgin Atlantic spends way less than British Airways. But those ads would stand out, and they would create a loyal following. They would punch above their weight because they were very clear about who they were going after. The twist was very clear. What was different about the experience was very clear. Russell: What are some of the tools as a bare minimum that someone in the nonprofit should have to be able to talk about their organization in a compelling way? Are there one or two tools that you would say are absolutely essential? How important is it that these are simple and easy to use? Julie: I think your website is probably the biggest tool. For good or for bad, people come in, even if they are going to meet you in person, they will look at your website. Your brand walks in the room for you, and it sticks around after you're gone. I think having a smaller website, one or two pages, that are just super clear and really visually engaging, is important. The same thing for business cards. As you said, a confused mind doesn't remember anything. Keep it really simple, really streamlined. Your website, your business card, and your presentation. You can do a lot with live presentations. But talk on your elevator pitch. Have your elevator pitch be concise. Help people understand what you do in three floors, not in 35 floors. That comes from being clear on your brand and practicing it. I was telling Hugh at the beginning that I have done a lot of work lately with personal branding. I am teaching a class at Stanford with Tyra Banks who has built a huge personal brand as an entrepreneur and model. I think that nonprofit leaders need to embody their personal brands, and show up as their brands, whether that is wearing a color, a tie, or a pin. Don't go around saying your nonprofit is caring or innovative and not acting that way. One reason Richard Branson has been so successful is his business brand is about shaking things up, but his personal brand is about shaking things up. He spends a lot of time- he is the most followed executive on Twitter. He tweets about business and also life. He is frustrated about things, and is finding new ways to solve old problems. Russell: I follow Richard Branson on LinkedIn. He has a lot of interesting things to say. A lot of people think about them. I think most of us have interesting things to say. A lot of people who may not be clear on how interesting the stuff they have to say is, or how to put it together. We talked about the people of stories. How do you work with people who are having difficulty finding their voice, what it is they stand for, what it is they want to communicate? Julie: The first thing I do is offer brand health checks. These are the best place to start. You wouldn't go into your doctor and say, hey, help me fix everything. You go in once a year and say, “These are the things I feel good about. Here are some of the things I think need attention.” We offer these brand health checks through the website. What we do is spend some time asking you some questions. We look at your materials, whether it is your LinkedIn profile or your website. We will triage: What are the areas you need to look at? Maybe your brand promise is pretty good, but you are not expressing it right. Maybe your targeting is all over the place. Maybe you need to use social media in a slightly different way, or colors in a slightly different way. These brand health checks are a great place to start. Hugh: In your book, you talk about brand blinders. Can you say more about that? Julie: Sure. Those are when you are looking in your category and not outside of your category for inspiration. Taking off your brand blinders means that you are looking beyond your segment to the larger world for inspiration. Hugh: We want to make sure you highlight this offer. You say you work with a lot of individuals on personal branding, small businesses, and nonprofits. We have probably a mixture of all of those that follow us and listen to us and watch this. Where do they go first off for this brand checkup? Julie: We have two diagnostic products. One is a brand health check. That is 60 minutes. That is if you want to talk about your overall nonprofit. Go to BrandTwist.com. Get Started. Brand Health Check. If you are interested just in your personal brand, we have a personal brand plan call. That is half an hour. That is very similar, but we will ask you more personal questions. That is great for people who want help with their leadership, who are changing careers, who are job seekers. We talk a lot to recent graduates who want to get into the nonprofit or another space. That is for people who want to focus on their personal brand. But all roads lead to BrandTwist.com. We will have a special promotion for your listeners. Hugh: You are? Behind your head, it says Brand School. What is that? Julie: Brand School is our online school that we offer a few times a year for small businesses and nonprofits. It's a 10-week program. We get you all of the consulting that a big company would get, but we do it in groups of 10-12 students at a time. More heavy lifting on your side. It becomes more affordable and also creates a community of entrepreneurs. Hugh: Do you have a blog or podcast or anything people can tune into to get more of Julie? Julie: Yeah. If you go to BrandTwist.com, we have a blog that we update all the time. I am pretty active on Twitter as well. @JCottin on Twitter. You can Google Twist. We have good branding. There is lots of information that comes up. Hugh: Yay. Russell, why don't you have another question? He's got one cooking, I'm sure. Russell: All those wrinkles in my forehead are just common creases. They don't have any particular significance. For those of you who are watching this now, there is a branding twist school coming up. A semester in a couple weeks. If this is something of interest to you, look at it. One of the things I saw as I was looking through this website, which has a wealth of information, there were some things we didn't talk about. Julie says there are three mission-critical reasons why you should have a twist. I'd like for her to share those if she could. Julie: The first is a twist will help you stand out. I think it's really hard to stand out today in the competition. The second is bringing a twist to your business means you will have more fun. It's hard work. We should be having fun and doing things differently. I would say the third thing is think about your personal twist. Many of us will change careers or work for different nonprofits over the course of our lives. Paying attention to your personal and professional twists will always serve you. A lot of us are serial entrepreneurs or serial nonprofit professionals. You want to build not just a reputation for your nonprofit, but also your own reputation. Hugh: We talked about the symphony a little bit. There is a composite here. Maybe that's the wrong word. But you have the symphony, which needs a brand. We have 750 orchestras in this country. I bet you most of them want to play classics, so they want people to come. They complain they are not attracting millennials at all. There is a real interest in millennials for authentic historical church and culture. The orchestra has its identity, but the conductor also has an identity. That is the person that shapes the sound of the orchestra and is the figurehead for the orchestra, even though there is a huge culture. Is that a contrast or a conflict? Is there a synergy? There are lots of examples, but I tend to know a little bit about this one. Julie: I think there should be a synergy. I think it's great that you have an organization that has its identity. They don't have to be identical, but there should be a synergy between the face of the organization and the group. The other thing I would say is that orchestra who is looking to attract millennials, this is a great example. Take off your brand blinders. Stop looking at what other orchestras are doing. Look at brands that are attracting millennials. Twist those lessons. Hugh: Whoa. What do you think of that, Russ? Russell: I think that she is absolutely spot-on. Only Virgin Airways can be Virgin Airways. Everybody can't be exactly the same. When you are focused on what everybody else is doing, you are probably leaving your own unique talents on the table. It helps to go through a process. We lead people through a process with our own success framework, and brand twisting will help you do that as well. It's looking through that unique lens of what you bring to the table. Hugh: Our SynerVision brand is based on creating synergy through the common vision. We know who we are. We know where we're going. We know who we want to influence. It not only builds the synergy on our team, but it's building the synergistic interaction with our audience, our supporters. *Sponsor message from SynerVision's Community for Community Builders* We are going to let Julie give you a final thought or challenge or tip as we close out this really helpful interview. Julie, thank you for such great information. Julie: My pleasure. I would say if you feel that your brand isn't as healthy as it should be because you should build the brand that your business deserves, then I'd love to talk to anybody listening to this. You can go to BrandTwist.com and look at our brand health check or personal brand plan. If you put in the code SVLF, then you will get 15% off any of our products, and you will go to the top of the queue in getting something scheduled. I would love to check up your health and support your community however I can. My final thought is your brand is your business, whether your business is for-profit or nonprofit. You can't separate the two. You can't say, I'm working on building the business over here, and the brand over there. Strong brands are connected. Your brand is your business. Make it a priority. Russell: Great. If you haven't visited this website, go check it out. BrandTwist.com. There are cool tools here. Don't think you have to trip over half a million dollars to do something about your brand. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week I get to talk with Kim Harrington, the author of books like Clarity, Forget Me, and The Gamer Squad series. We talk about Spooky Season traditions, classic horror books, and how to ramp up tension in a manuscript.Be sure to check out Kim's newest book THE REVEGE OF THE RED CLUB a MG period mystery (uterus, not historical!)You can follow her on Instagram @kimharringtonauthor or go to her website www.kimharringtonbooks.comwww.ktliterary.comhttps://twitter.com/ktliterary@ktliterary on Instagram

For Episode 7 we go back for the second half of Episode 5's interview with Emily Gherard, which begs the question "just which episode is this anyway?" (which sounds like a failed Judy Bloom novel for young adults). In this episode (whichever number it is) we talk about Emily's experience as an art instructor, our mutual social awkwardness, and chronic bridesmaid's syndrome.