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Carey Jaros joined GOJO in 2014 as a board member, later taking on executive roles as Chief Strategy Officer—where she oversaw Marketing, Product Management, and Innovation—and as Chief Operating Officer, before becoming President and CEO in January 2020.Our conversation today covers Carey's call to lead—shaped by a lifelong passion for solving problems and telling stories—her reflections on leadership and decision-making, GOJO's extraordinary legacy, and its ongoing commitment to innovation. We discuss GOJO's origins, founded by Goldie and Jerry Lippman in 1946 to address the real human problem of safely cleaning workers' hands in Akron's rubber factories. Carey shares how GOJO has evolved from those roots into a global leader in hygiene, skincare, and well-being, driven by an unwavering commitment to safety, efficacy, and sustainability.We also delve into the critical moments Carey faced stepping into her role at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the bold strategic investments GOJO made during this unprecedented time, and how the company balances legacy with innovation. Carey offers insights into the importance of culture, rigorous debate, and continuous learning as cornerstones of her leadership approach.As an operator, investor, and board member, Carey has worked with more than 50 organizations throughout her career. Prior to GOJO, she was President of Walnut Ridge Strategic Management Company and served as a Vice President at Dealer Tire, a large privately held tire distributor based in Cleveland. She spent the first 12 years of her career as a management consultant at Bain & Company.Today, Carey is a Board Director of Grocery Outlet, a publicly traded NASDAQ corporation, and an Advisory Board Member of Aunt Flow, a venture-backed menstrual products startup. She also serves on the Boards of The Cleveland Foundation, University Hospitals, and Laurel School.Carey is a fantastic storyteller, and this conversation is filled with insightful anecdotes and practical wisdom on business and entrepreneurship—so please enjoy!00:00:00 - Reflecting on Career Paths 00:06:51 - Journey to GOJO Industries 00:11:27 - Transitioning to Leadership 00:16:36 - Understanding GOJO's Origins 00:24:48 - Balancing Legacy and Innovation 00:28:27 - Leading Through the Pandemic 00:30:32 - Navigating Unprecedented Challenges 00:32:49 - Strategic Leadership in Crisis 00:35:27 - Investing for the Future 00:37:49 - The Power of Brand Promise 00:40:01 - Defining Success Through Purpose 00:42:55 - Personal Reflections on Success 00:45:15 - The Importance of Health and Wellbeing 00:47:11 - Common Sense in Hygiene Practices 00:49:05 - Legacy and Impact of GOJO 00:51:45 - Community and Identity in Northeast Ohio 00:55:22 - Fostering Productive Debate 00:58:50 - Hidden Gem-----LINKS:https://www.gojo.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/careyjaros/-----SPONSOR:Roundstone InsuranceRoundstone Insurance is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. Founder and CEO, Michael Schroeder, has committed full-year support for the podcast, recognizing its alignment with the company's passion for entrepreneurship, innovation, and community leadership.Headquartered in Rocky River, Ohio, Roundstone was founded in 2005 with a vision to deliver better healthcare outcomes at a more affordable cost. To bring that vision to life, the company pioneered the group medical captive model — a self-funded health insurance solution that provides small and mid-sized businesses with greater control and significant savings.Over the past two decades, Roundstone has grown rapidly, creating nearly 200 jobs in Northeast Ohio. The company works closely with employers and benefits advisors to navigate the complexities of commercial health insurance and build custom plans that prioritize employee well-being over shareholder returns. By focusing on aligned incentives and better health outcomes, Roundstone is helping businesses save thousands in Per Employee Per Year healthcare costs.Roundstone Insurance — Built for entrepreneurs. Backed by innovation. Committed to Cleveland.-----Stay up to date by signing up for Lay of The Land's weekly newsletter — sign up here.Past guests include Justin Bibb (Mayor of Cleveland), Pat Conway (Great Lakes Brewing), Steve Potash (OverDrive), Umberto P. Fedeli (The Fedeli Group), Lila Mills (Signal Cleveland), Stewart Kohl (The Riverside Company), Mitch Kroll (Findaway — Acquired by Spotify), and over 200 other Cleveland Entrepreneurs.Connect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypstern/Follow Lay of The Land on X @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/
LESSON 170There Is No Cruelty In God And None In Me.No one attacks without intent to hurt. This can have no exception. When you think that you attack in self-defense, you mean that to be cruel is protection; you are safe because of cruelty. You mean that you believe to hurt another brings you freedom. And you mean that to attack is to exchange the state in which you are for something better, safer, more secure from dangerous invasion and from fear.How thoroughly insane is the idea that to defend from fear is to attack! For here is fear begot and fed with blood, to make it grow and swell and rage. And thus is fear protected, not escaped. Today we learn a lesson which can save you more delay and needless misery than you can possibly imagine. It is this:You make what you defend against,and by your own defense against it is it real and inescapable.Lay down your arms, and only then do you perceive it false.It seems to be the enemy without that you attack. Yet your defense sets up an enemy within; an alien thought at war with you, depriving you of peace, splitting your mind into two camps which seem wholly irreconcilable. For love now has an “enemy,” an opposite; and fear, the alien, now needs your defense against the threat of what you really are.If you consider carefully the means by which your fancied self-defense proceeds on its imagined way, you will perceive the premises on which the idea stands. First, it is obvious ideas must leave their source, for it is you who make attack, and must have first conceived of it. Yet you attack outside yourself, and separate your mind from him who is to be attacked, with perfect faith the split you made is real.Next, are the attributes of love bestowed upon its “enemy.” For fear becomes your safety and protector of your peace, to which you turn for solace and escape from doubts about your strength, and hope of rest in dreamless quiet. And as love is shorn of what belongs to it and it alone, love is endowed with attributes of fear. For love would ask you lay down all defense as merely foolish. And your arms indeed would crumble into dust. For such they are.With love as enemy, must cruelty become a god. And gods demand that those who worship them obey their dictates, and refuse to question them. Harsh punishment is meted out relentlessly to those who ask if the demands are sensible or even sane. It is their enemies who are unreasonable and insane, while they are always merciful and just.Today we look upon this cruel god dispassionately. And we note that though his lips are smeared with blood, and fire seems to flame from him, he is but made of stone. He can do nothing. We need not defy his power. He has none. And those who see in him their safety have no guardian, no strength to call upon in danger, and no mighty warrior to fight for them.This moment can be terrible. But it can also be the time of your release from abject slavery. You make a choice, standing before this idol, seeing him exactly as he is. Will you restore to love what you have sought to wrest from it and lay before this mindless piece of stone? Or will you make another idol to replace it? For the god of cruelty takes many forms. Another can be found.Yet do not think that fear is the escape from fear. Let us remember what the text has stressed about the obstacles to peace. The final one, the hardest to believe is nothing, and a seeming obstacle with the appearance of a solid block, impenetrable, fearful and beyond surmounting, is the fear of God Himself. Here is the basic premise which enthrones the thought of fear as god. For fear is loved by those who worship it, and love appears to be invested now with cruelty.Where does the totally insane belief in gods of vengeance come from? Love has not confused its attributes with those of fear. Yet must the worshippers of fear perceive their own confusion in fear's “enemy”; its cruelty as now a part of love. And what becomes more fearful than the Heart of Love Itself? The blood appears to be upon His Lips; the fire comes from Him. And He is terrible above all else, cruel beyond conception, striking down all who acknowledge Him to be their God.The choice you make today is certain. For you look for the last time upon this bit of carven stone you made, and call it god no longer. You have reached this place before, but you have chosen that this cruel god remain with you in still another form. And so the fear of God returned with you. This time you leave it there. And you return to a new world, unburdened by its weight; beheld not in its sightless eyes, but in the vision that your choice restored to you.Now do your eyes belong to Christ, and He looks through them. Now your voice belongs to God and echoes His. And now your heart remains at peace forever. You have chosen Him in place of idols, and your attributes, given by your Creator, are restored to you at last. The Call for God is heard and answered. Now has fear made way for love, as God Himself replaces cruelty.Father, we are like You. No cruelty abides in us, for there is none in You. Your peace is ours. And we bless the world with what we have received from You alone. We choose again, and make our choice for all our brothers, knowing they are one with us. We bring them Your salvation as we have received it now. And we give thanks for them who render us complete. In them we see Your glory, and in them we find our peace. Holy are we because Your holiness has set us free. And we give thanks. Amen.- Jesus Christ in ACIM
INTRO (00:23): Kathleen opens the show drinking a Lager For The Lakes American Lager from Bell's Brewing in Kalamazoo, MI. She reviews her weekend with family in Missouri, playing with her sister's dog and grilling for her brother-in-law on Father's Day. TOUR NEWS: See Kathleen live on her “Day Drinking Tour.” COURT NEWS (18:13): Kathleen shares news announcing that Dolly's new Nashville hotel will open Spring 2026, Post Malone & Jelly Roll cause a giant traffic jam in Southern Missouri, Stevie Nicks releases new Fall concert dates, and Cher's son Eligah is hospitalized again. TASTING MENU (2:33): Kathleen samples Lesser Evil Organic Cheddar Popcorn, Lay's Wavy Magic Masala chips, Hidden Valley Jalapeno Ranch dressing, and Weber Grilling Fireball whiskey flavored seasoning. UPDATES (23:44): Kathleen shares updates on Baby Reindeer's Fiona Harvey, the Florida Panthers win the 2025 Stanley Cup, the first Millennial saint gets his canonization date, Brooke Shields' podcast interview criticizing Meghan Markle quietly disappears, a Kentucky man is arrested for releasing a raccoon in a bar, and the 2025 NBA Finals ratings are the lowest in 27 years. HOLY SHIT THEY FOUND IT (42:43): Kathleen reveals that Oklahoma is now producing Mountain Lions, and Captain James Cook's lost ship “The Endeavor” has been found in a Rhode Island harbor. FRONT PAGE PUB NEWS (57:13) : Kathleen shares articles on the Louvre staff shutting the museum to protest overuse, the Bonnaroo Music Festival is cancelled due to extreme weather, Anderson Cooper's CNN contract is up for renewal, the 10,000-step exercise concept is derived from “Japanese Walking,” Red Lobster unveils a new menu, the Beach Boys' Brian Wilson dies aged 82, Country Music just got a Grammy update, Atlanta could get another NHL team, and the best fast food French fries are revealed. STUPID TOURIST STORIES (46:25): Kathleen reads about a New Jersey tourist who is gored by a bison in Yellowstone, and a tourist crushes a priceless Van Gogh chair while taking a photo. SAINT OF THE WEEK (1:19:22): Kathleen reads about Saint Fiacre. WHAT ARE WE WATCHING (37:13): Kathleen recommends skipping “The Mortician” on Max, and “Titan: The OceanGate Disaster” on Netflix.
PWTorch editor Wade Keller presents the Tuesday Flagship edition of the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Podcast with guest co-host Rich Fann, a PWTorch columnist and podcaster. They cover these topics:Lay of the land in the Queen of the Ring and King of the Ring tournaments including the return of AsukaGoldberg's return and being gifted a title shot against Gunther including how WWE could have made that more palatable and credibleDoes it seem C.M. Punk is flustered lately - including his interactions with John Cena on TV - with the social media backlash against him going to Saudi Arabia and are his critics relishing calling him a hypocrite?The latest with R-Truth and Ron KillingsA look at the state of TNA as Rich is heading to TNA tapings this weekendThoughts on streaming overtaking broadcast and cable as the main way people consume programming nowThe latest with WBD and the changes in the corporate structureTidbits and thoughts on recent podcast highlights with Cody Rhodes, Undertaker, and the BellasThe new AEW Unified Title and where it could all be headedA review of the Becky Lynch-Bayley exchange on Raw this weekPaul Levesque steps on rakes again when it comes to making political appearances and commentsClosing thoughts on the battle of the Mall of America compared to Canada's mega-man in EdmontonBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/wade-keller-pro-wrestling-podcast--3076978/support.
Willie Nelson says that he no longer smokes pot..."My lungs have already said don't do that...", Lay's announces winner of the 'Do Us a Flavor' chip competition: Bacon grilled cheese, 6-foot alligator spotted lurking outside motel room...in Virginia
"Three Things You Need to Know"...Senator Fetterman calling out fellow Democrats...Heart tickets giveaway...did Lay's get it wrong...more people streaming...people leaving US out number people coming into USSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Esteemed Colleague Ava needs a vacation! Today's episode is a step-by-step breakdown of what it takes to get out of the office as an EA. Join the newsletter if you're feeling fancy: askanassistant.substack.com I always love to hear from you: askanassistant.com Book a 1:1 with me: jesslindgren.com/coaching Lay your comments, questions, thoughts, and concerns on me. Have an awesome week! xo Jess Want a note from me and my IBM Selectric II typewriter? Write to me here and I'll type back soon: Jess Lindgren 4465 E Genesee Street STE 114 Syracuse, NY 13214
Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. Today's shout-out goes to Mark Glover from Fulshear, TX. Thank you for partnering with us through Project23. Your commitment helps us bring God's Word to those hungry for truth. This one's for you. Our text today is Mark 7:9-13: And he said to them, “You have a fine way of rejecting the commandment of God in order to establish your tradition! For Moses said, ‘Honor your father and your mother'; and, ‘Whoever reviles father or mother must surely die.' But you say, ‘If a man tells his father or his mother, “Whatever you would have gained from me is Corban”' (that is, given to God)—then you no longer permit him to do anything for his father or mother, thus making void the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And many such things you do.” — Mark 7:9-13 Jesus confronts the religious leaders for turning God's commands into suggestions—and their preferences into law. The example he gives is a legal loophole they created to avoid caring for their parents. They'd declare their resources “Corban”—a word meaning “dedicated to God.” It sounded spiritual. But it was a smokescreen. They used it to avoid honoring their father and mother, a clear command from God. Here's the point: They used religion to excuse disobedience. They twisted the truth to protect and preserve their selfish way of life. And Jesus calls it what it is: "rejection of God's Word." This kind of thing still happens today. It's when we explain away obedience because it's too costly. When we spiritualize selfishness. When we hold to personal ideologies while ignoring biblical commands. When we protect our preferences to avoid making true spiritual sacrifices. Sometimes, we'd rather defend our tradition than deny ourselves. But in doing so, we trade God's authority for our own comfort. Have you built spiritual loopholes? Have you ever disguised disobedience with spiritual language? Are you submitting to God's Word—or just adjusting it to suit you? Guess what? Jesus doesn't want your spiritual gymnastics. He wants surrendered obedience. Father, show me where I've traded your commands for my comfort. Help me surrender my preferences so I can live in full obedience. Amen. #ObeyTheWord, #NoSpiritualLoopholes, #JesusOverTradition ASK THIS: Where am I tempted to explain away hard commands in Scripture? What personal traditions might be limiting my obedience? How do I use spiritual language to justify selfish decisions? What does it look like to honor God's Word fully this week? DO THIS: Identify one area where you're clinging to a personal preference over a biblical principle. Lay it down—and recommit to obeying God's Word without excuse. PRAY THIS: Father, show me where I've traded your commands for my comfort. Help me surrender my preferences so I can live in full obedience. Amen. PLAY THIS: “Here's My Heart” – David Crowder.
There is no greater weapon, no stronger shield, and no more powerful ministry than a parent who prays. When you cover your family in prayer, you're not just speaking words—you're building walls of protection, opening doors of favor, and aligning your home with the will of God. God hears every whisper, every tear, every cry that comes from a parent who stands in the gap.Our springboard for today's discussion is:"All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children." — Isaiah 54:13You don't have to control everything in your child's life. You won't always be there to guard every decision, every friendship, or every circumstance. But you can stand before God every single day on their behalf.Praying for your family means you're calling down heaven into their lives:* Pray protection over their minds, their hearts, and their purity.* Pray purpose over their callings, gifts, and futures.* Pray peace over your home, especially in moments of tension.* Pray wisdom over your parenting decisions, even when clarity feels far away.Start calling out their names before God each morning. Declare His Word over them—because prayer mixed with Scripture is warfare. Lay hands on their doors. Speak life into your spouse. Cover your home in the authority Christ has given you.Prayer isn't a backup plan. It's your first line of defense.And even when you feel weak, tired, or unsure—God sees your prayers as incense before His throne. He is moved by the intercession of a mother, a father, a grandparent who refuses to give up.Question of the Day:What specific area of your family needs prayer covering today?Mini Call to Action:Write a 3-line prayer today—one sentence for your spouse, one for your children, one for yourself. Speak it aloud and repeat it every day this week.Let's Pray:Lord, teach me to cover my family with prayer. Help me to be faithful in intercession, bold in declaring Your promises, and strong in trusting You with those I love most. In Jesus' name, amen.Let's Get To Work!Your prayers may be silent to the world—but they roar in heaven.Support MyR2B Ministries:MyR2B Ministries is our full-time ministry. Your paid subscription helps sustain this work and expand our ministry outreach.My Reasons To Believe is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myr2b.substack.com/subscribe
There is no greater weapon, no stronger shield, and no more powerful ministry than a parent who prays. When you cover your family in prayer, you're not just speaking words—you're building walls of protection, opening doors of favor, and aligning your home with the will of God. God hears every whisper, every tear, every cry that comes from a parent who stands in the gap.Our springboard for today's discussion is:"All your children shall be taught by the Lord, and great shall be the peace of your children." — Isaiah 54:13You don't have to control everything in your child's life. You won't always be there to guard every decision, every friendship, or every circumstance. But you can stand before God every single day on their behalf.Praying for your family means you're calling down heaven into their lives:* Pray protection over their minds, their hearts, and their purity.* Pray purpose over their callings, gifts, and futures.* Pray peace over your home, especially in moments of tension.* Pray wisdom over your parenting decisions, even when clarity feels far away.Start calling out their names before God each morning. Declare His Word over them—because prayer mixed with Scripture is warfare. Lay hands on their doors. Speak life into your spouse. Cover your home in the authority Christ has given you.Prayer isn't a backup plan. It's your first line of defense.And even when you feel weak, tired, or unsure—God sees your prayers as incense before His throne. He is moved by the intercession of a mother, a father, a grandparent who refuses to give up.Question of the Day:What specific area of your family needs prayer covering today?Mini Call to Action:Write a 3-line prayer today—one sentence for your spouse, one for your children, one for yourself. Speak it aloud and repeat it every day this week.Let's Pray:Lord, teach me to cover my family with prayer. Help me to be faithful in intercession, bold in declaring Your promises, and strong in trusting You with those I love most. In Jesus' name, amen.Let's Get To Work!Your prayers may be silent to the world—but they roar in heaven.Support MyR2B Ministries:MyR2B Ministries is our full-time ministry. Your paid subscription helps sustain this work and expand our ministry outreach.My Reasons To Believe is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit myr2b.substack.com/subscribe
Today, we're picking up with the second part of my conversation with Jodi Berg, the former President & CEO of Vitamix.In Part 1, we explored Jodi's career, the history, evolution, and family legacy of Vitamix, and her leadership journey in growing the company into the global brand it is today.In Part 2, we continue with her reflections on stepping away from the business—and dive deeper into her philosophy of purpose, the DANCE framework she's developing to help others lead more intentional lives, and the wisdom she's distilled from decades of research, teaching, and hands-on leadership and entrepreneurial experience.It's a wide-ranging, deeply thoughtful conversation about what it means to live and lead with purpose—not to mention, a lot of fun. I'm so excited to share it with you.00:00:00 - Reflecting on Leadership and Culture 00:04:25 - Succession Planning in Family Businesses 00:06:56 - Navigating Leadership Transitions 00:13:44 - The Importance of Purpose 00:15:18 - Personal Experiences Shaping Purpose 00:19:34 - Helping Others Find Their Wings 00:26:33 - The Dual Nature of Purpose 00:35:23 - Impact of Personal Purpose on Company Culture 00:41:26 - The Impact of Personal Purpose 00:46:51 - Understanding and Helping Others 00:47:27 - Writing a Purpose-Driven Book 00:48:39 - The DANCE Framework for Decision-Making 00:56:20 - The Importance of Purpose in Decision-Making 01:02:42 - Discovering Superpowers and Purpose 01:03:26 - Innovating the Blender: A New Approach 01:10:05 - Technology and Purpose in Business 01:14:53 - Hidden Gem-----LINKS:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodilberg/https://www.vitamix.com/us/en_us/Original Vitamix Infomercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rm5IzzGPzQA-----SPONSOR:Roundstone InsuranceRoundstone Insurance is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. Founder and CEO, Michael Schroeder, has committed full-year support for the podcast, recognizing its alignment with the company's passion for entrepreneurship, innovation, and community leadership.Headquartered in Rocky River, Ohio, Roundstone was founded in 2005 with a vision to deliver better healthcare outcomes at a more affordable cost. To bring that vision to life, the company pioneered the group medical captive model — a self-funded health insurance solution that provides small and mid-sized businesses with greater control and significant savings.Over the past two decades, Roundstone has grown rapidly, creating nearly 200 jobs in Northeast Ohio. The company works closely with employers and benefits advisors to navigate the complexities of commercial health insurance and build custom plans that prioritize employee well-being over shareholder returns. By focusing on aligned incentives and better health outcomes, Roundstone is helping businesses save thousands in Per Employee Per Year healthcare costs.Roundstone Insurance — Built for entrepreneurs. Backed by innovation. Committed to Cleveland.-----Stay up to date by signing up for Lay of The Land's weekly newsletter — sign up here.Past guests include Justin Bibb (Mayor of Cleveland), Pat Conway (Great Lakes Brewing), Steve Potash (OverDrive), Umberto P. Fedeli (The Fedeli Group), Lila Mills (Signal Cleveland), Stewart Kohl (The Riverside Company), Mitch Kroll (Findaway — Acquired by Spotify), and over 200 other Cleveland Entrepreneurs.Connect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypstern/Follow Lay of The Land on X @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/
The Ready Heart: Living Fully Surrendered to God Walter Colace delivers a Spirit-led, heart-searching message about what it means to be ready for God's presence. Drawing from Scripture and a lifetime of faithful ministry, he calls us to examine our hearts, lay down our pride, and allow the Holy Spirit to prepare us for a move of God.
Real Men Connect with Dr. Joe Martin - Christian Men Podcast
Frederic Gray is a national speaker, author, and the founder of the Fathers of Faith and Daughters of Excellence Retreat in Tampa, Florida. He's a husband and a father of five (5) (2 boys, 3 girls, from ages 12 to 1) with one more on the way, and he's passionate about teaching fathers how to win the hearts of their children. He's also the author of “How to Win Your Children's Heart Using God's Word.” To connect with Frederic Gray, you can visit his websites at either: http://www.FredericGray.com or http://wwww.FatherDaughterRetreat.com. Here are the steps Frederic outlined for us: When to spank: When they clearly understand the rules they broke and your expectations of them. Make sure they understand that the most important thing to do is obey God. Find a private place to spank them. Speak super gentle to them and without anger. Have them tell you what they were supposed to do, but didn't. Ask them: "Did you obey Daddy?" Ask them: "Did you obey God?" Share a verse from the Bible on discipline (Ex. Prov. 13:24). Ask them: "What is God telling me to do?" (child: to spank me) Ask them: "If I don't spank you, am I obeying God?" Tell them: "I want to obey God, because I love you and I love God." Ask them (again):"Do you know why I'm going to give you a spanking?" Pray with them BEFORE you spank them (while holding them close). Use the rod/paddle (NOT your hand) when spanking your child. Hit them only on the bottom (let it hurt, but don't damage them). Lay with them afterwards to comfort them and affirm them. --------------------------------- If you want to help us transform the lives of even MORE MEN for God's glory, please take a minute to leave us a helpful REVIEW and SHARE this podcast with any man you know who's in need of help and hope and is hurting.” And to make sure you don't miss a podcast episode, as well as contest give-a-ways, special announcements, and much more, make sure you "Stay Connected" by visiting us at https://station.page/realmen to join our online community of podcast listeners. Talk with Dr. Joe 1-on-1: Are you tired and stuck? Want to go to get your faith, marriage, family, career and finances back on track? Then maybe it's time you got a coach. Every CHAMPION has one. Schedule an appointment to chat with Dr. Joe on how we can help you spiritually love and lead your family better and become the hero of your home. Dr. Joe takes on only a few Breakthrough Calls each week to help you with your faith, marriage, work, and financial challenges. The call is FREE, but slots are limited to ONE call only. NO RESCHEDULES. Just click on the link below and select the BREAKTHROUGH CALL option to set up an appointment: http://TalkwithDrJoe.com If no slots are available, please check back in a week. Also join us on: Online Podcast Community (on Station): https://station.page/realmen Facebook: @realdrjoemartin YouTube: http://www.RealMenTraining.com Instagram: @realdrjoemartin Twitter: @professormartin Website: https://RealMenConnect.com
"You can't scale on bad data. If marketers don't learn to be data stewards and systems thinkers, no amount of AI or automation will save them.” Kim Tran In this episode of Revenue Boost: A Marketing Podcast, titled Data Chaos to Clarity: How Smart Marketers Turn Metrics into GTM Momentum, Kerry Curran welcomes back Kim Tran, Head of Marketing and Business Development at Gimmal, for a deep dive into one of the most critical and overlooked challenges in modern B2B marketing: dirty, disjointed, and disconnected data. Kim shares her firsthand experience navigating data chaos, aligning stakeholders, and building the systems and skills needed to transform flawed inputs into strategic growth. From Salesforce nightmares to AI hallucinations, she reveals how smart marketers can become better data stewards and why your business outcomes depend on it. You'll learn how to: Translate data into decisions that drive pipeline, not panic Align marketing metrics with stakeholder language and executive priorities Spot cognitive biases and survivorship gaps in your analysis Lay the groundwork for accurate AI-driven insights by fixing your foundation Whether you're wrangling your CRM or trying to prove ROI in an AI world, this episode will help you take your data and your strategy from messy to meaningful.
Le Sénégal est un pays maritime, dont plus de 700 km de côte sont largement tournés vers l'océan. Plus qu'un paysage ou une ressource dont on vit, la mer est aussi l'objet de croyances, et source de foi. De notre correspondante à Dakar, De l'eau jusqu'aux cuisses, brosse et savon à la main, Moustapha lave soigneusement un mouton dans l'eau turquoise de l'océan sur les plages du Sénégal. Un rituel tout ce qu'il y a de plus banal pour ce pêcheur de 23 ans. « On est en train de préparer la tabaski, on lave les moutons pour la fête. La mer, ça les protège des bactéries », explique-t-il. Moustapha, qui est né et a grandi dans le village de Ngor, a toujours eu la plage pour jardin, la mer pour horizon et l'océan systématiquement présent pour accompagner les grandes fêtes. « C'est une forme de tradition. Depuis qu'on est tout petit, notre père et notre grand-père faisaient cela avant nous. On met du lait concentré sur la mer pour nos ancêtres », témoigne-t-il. Parmi ces actes sacrés : laver les moutons, verser du lait ou sacrifier un animal dans la mer pour demander la bénédiction de l'océan, entité sacrée, source de vie et de subsistance pour la communauté Lebou qui peuple les côtes sénégalaises. C'est aussi ce qui explique que la confrérie soufie des Layènes, tournée vers les flots, est née ici, sur la péninsule dans laquelle se trouve Dakar. « Même en prière, si on vous dit si vous êtes en prière quelque part et que vous avez la mer devant vous, tournez-vous vers la mer, c'est l'origine de tout ! », selon Serigne Abo, le conservateur d'un des sites où les Layènes viennent se recueillir. Une grotte, véritable fente dans la falaise, ouverte sur l'océan et dans laquelle on peut descendre : « La grotte fait face à la mer. Le puits où on s'altère se trouve au bord de la mer. » Il confirme ce lien spirituel fort entre le fondateur de la confrérie, Seydina Limamou Laye et la mer. « L'océan est indéniablement le compagnon de notre communauté. Seydina Limamou Laye est né dans un village complètement entouré par l'océan Atlantique, au nord, à l'ouest et au sud. Il fait partie d'un peuple qu'on nomme le peuple Lébou. On les appelle les gens de la mer, car leur tout c'est la mer. À part les champs à cultiver, la mer occupe 60 à 70% de leurs besoins », raconte-t-il. Aujourd'hui, les fidèles Layènes continuent de croire et d'espérer que leur mausolée et leurs lieux saints qui bordent l'océan sont protégées de la montée des eaux du fait de ce lien fort qui existe entre leur spiritualité et la mer. À lire aussiTabaski en Afrique de l'Ouest: entre traditions, préparatifs et partage familial
Quaranteam – Book 1: Part 4 A pandemic survivor's harem continues to thrive amidst chaos.. Based on a post by CorruptingPower, in 25 parts. Listen to the Podcast at Explicit Novels. Chapter 11 For the next hour or so, Andy explored the house on his own while the girls moved things from the car into the house, as well as letting the cats loose into their new environment. He wasn't sure who was more overwhelmed, himself or the cats. The building was immense, feeling both warm and alien all at the same time. Mostly, though, the space felt incomplete. It was a home that had been decorated by a real estate agent, not by someone looking to live in it. Everything was arranged for show not for actual use. He wandered into the gym first and found it stocked with free weights, resistance machines and a small aerobics area, all the machines in pristine condition, never used. Looking at himself in the mirror, he wasn't even sure he recognized himself in this new home. Andy strolled out of the gym and found himself in one of the three living rooms, with a wet bar off to one side. There were several couches arranged around the middle, as well as a handful of lounge chairs. Without warning, Muninn, his Russian blue cat, hopped up from behind one of the couches onto the back of it, which startled the hell out of Andy. As soon as the cat saw him, however, he sauntered over Andy's direction. Andy moved closer and pet the cat, who gave a healthy purr in response. "Yeah, I know, Mun, it's weird for me too. But we live here now, so explore away." "Are ya freaked out?" Aisling said to him as she moved into the room. "It's just a home." "That's just it, Ash," he sighed. "It's a home, but it's not my home, not our home. Not yet. I'm sure I'll get there at some point, but for right now, it's just reinforcing how weird all of this is. I mean, yesterday, there were seven of us crammed into that little tiny condo, and now Eric lives down the street, and we live, here. In the kind of place I never even dreamed about." Aisling moved over, a soft sympathetic smile on her face, as she wrapped her arms around him and held him in an inviting hug for a long moment. "The world's changing, and we have to change with it, Andy. That means we're all going to be a bit out of our comfort zones now and then, but think of it this way, you can make one of these bedrooms into a full on study, and line the walls with bookshelves, like you said you'd always wanted to do. We'll put your desk in there, and you can turn it into a writer's cozy, a space where you can go and work on your next book and nobody'll bother you. What's wrong with that?" "There's nothing wrong with that, Ash. There's nothing wrong with any of this, except for the fact that I didn't really earn any of it." "Luv," she said to him, "most of the people who get lucky in life, it was right place right time, and all they did was have the good sense not to muck it up. That's what you're doing here. You were in the right place at the right time, and you had the good sense to let me into your bed. And I've been good to you, haven't I?" "Oh god, Ash, you and Lauren and Niko have all been amazing, far better than I deserve,” "There'll be none of that, mister," she scolded, slapping his shoulder. "You've been grand to all of us, and you've helped Eric and Lily get their shit sorted out. I know Jenny doesn't have her head sorted out yet, but when she does, I'm sure she'll thank you. You could've been a right shite about alla this, but instead you've been a stand-up guy. So take a deep breath." Andy stopped and took a deep breath. "It didn't help much." "It helped a little." "Okay, it helped a little." "Are you more bothered by the house, the staff or the fact that there's going to be a lot more women moving into our lives?" "It's a lot of women, Ash." "It will be a lot of women, Andy. Yes, that's absolutely true, but we'll manage it. Besides, the house is nice isn't it?" "Understating things a bit, aren't you Ash?" "Fine," she said with a wry grin, rolling her eyes in his direction. "It's a bloody magnificent place. Just in the tour alone, I wanted to strip down to my knickers and socks and play 'Risky Business' so if you hear 'Old Time Rock'n'Roll' blaring from the hi fi, look both ways when walking through the hallways." "You're changing the subject." "It'll be fine, Andy. Just stop worrying and enjoy this." She moved to sit down in the couch, and picked up a remote control from the coffee table in front of it. She looked around the room for a moment before she finally just pressed the power button on it, to see what happened. From a small overhang across the room, a giant television dropped down and turned on, as concealed speakers all around the room hummed to life. "That is hell of a television." Andy moved to slump down onto the couch next to her, throwing an arm around her shoulders. "And just think, this isn't even the theater room. Let's just relax for a little bit and watch some TV." Apparently whoever had set up their house had given them a deluxe cable package, with every optional channel Andy could think of, and loads he'd never even heard of. They settled on SpikeTV, which was in the middle of a James Bond marathon. They were showing "Goldeneye" and they'd had the luck to turn on right at the beginning. "I've always loved Brosnan as Bond," Aisling said to him a few hours later, as the movie was over. "I don't know that he's the best Bond, but he's my Bond. You?" "He was great, but I've always been a Connery man myself." "You Americans, you all have your own Bond, much like those of us across the pond have our own Doctor. You a fan of Doctor Who, luv?" Andy smirked wryly. "Tom Baker, but if I'm honest, I could watch David Tennant in anything. I watched "Good Omens" last year at least three times. I'm guessing you're a Capaldi girl." "Chris Eccleston's my Doctor," Aisling said. "But I'm glad you didn't say I should be a Matt Smith girl, just because he had a ginger companion." Andy shook his head. "So did Tennant, but neither of them were Irish. Catherine Tate's British and Karen Gillan's Scottish. I'm not an idiot, love." "Bless, Andy," she whispered, as she kissed his cheek. "It's so strange. I feel like I'm missing time, what with all the holidays we've basically skipped over. I was getting my first injections on July 4th, but I didn't even hear any crackers in the sky. Were there any?" "None that I could see, Ash. Halloween's just around the corner. Maybe now that we're in a gated community we'll get trick or treaters." "You think there's children in the estates?" "No idea. I'm not really sure what to expect here. We've barely seen the house, much less the small town that's formed up around it." "That's going to be just as strange, people we can sit and talk with, restaurants we can go and have dinner in, a movie theater filled with people, guaranteed not sick people. It all sounds so wonderful." "I'll talk to Eric, maybe we can get a Halloween costume party together." Aisling cooed at him. "That sounds wonderful." She glanced over his shoulder. "Looks like your maid in here." Andy looked back over his shoulder and saw Yvette standing there, nervously shifting back and forth, before he chuckled and curled a finger in her direction. "C'mon, Yvette. You look like you've got something you want to say." "Simply a request Master. I and the rest of your staff, well, we are having trouble keeping our heads clear. We do not wish to pressure you, naturally, but the longer you wait before imprinting us, the more difficulty we will have executing our responsibilities around the home. It is getting hard to focus." He removed his arm from around Aisling and rose to his feet, a wry smile on his face. "I'll say. I can't help but think about something Groucho Marx once said to his brother Chico." "I'm sorry, I don't know who those people are, Master." "Comedians. Groucho is the one with the bushy eyebrows and greasepaint mustache. Chico used to pretend to be Italian. Groucho would occasionally say to him, 'Chico, I think your accent is slipping.'" Andy grinned as he approached her. "Is your name really Yvette?" The maid visibly blanched. "Am I trouble?" "Answer the question," Aisling said, getting off the couch, heading to join them. "No, ma'am. It's Nicolette." "Are you actually French?" Andy asked. "Second generation, but I was putting on a show. Mr. Marcos seemed to think you might enjoy it." Andy shook his head and laughed. "Fucking Phil." "So you're not angry, sir?" "You don't have to lie to me, Nicolette." He gestured to the maid's outfit. "Do you really enjoy this kind of thing?" She smiled, almost coquettishly, and nodded. "I do, Master. I'm naturally submissive, and this is what I wanted to do in the new world." "Are you bisexual, Nicolette?" Aisling said. "I am, madam, if that's alright." Aisling leaned over and grabbed the girl by her mane of hair and pulled her into a firm, intense kiss that made Andy's breath catch a little. Nicolette seemed caught off guard only for a moment, before she leaned into the kiss, and pressed her busty body against the Irish girl. After they made out for a minute or so, Aisling pulled back and grinned at Andy. "Well, we should make sure the girl gets what she needs, but mama has needs too." Aisling pulled Nicolette with her over towards one of couches. She reached up beneath her skirt and pulled down her panties before stepping out of them. Then she laid back onto the couch and spread her legs, exposing that ginger cunt to Nicolette. "Tell you what. You lick my cunt, and I'll make sure he fucks you good." "Yes madam," Nicolette said as she moved down onto her knees, before Aisling pulled over a footstool. "Thank you madam." The maid moved up to kneel down on the footstool, her hands pressed on the couch, as she moved her lips down to press against Aisling's exposed snatch. Andy walked over towards them as he watched Aisling's fingertips move to get lost in the girl's thick blonde curls, rocking her hips up against the maid's mouth. "Shit, Andy, she's fucking good at this." "Umm, it certainly looks that way, but what if I wanted to see if those titanic tits of hers were real, hmm?" He unbuttoned his jeans, slowly unzipping them. "Oh, I can fix that," Aisling said with a laugh. She pushed Nicolette's face back. "Lay down and turn over. Are those enhanced or natural?" Nicolette rolled over, laying on her back on the footstool before she pulled the top off one shoulder then the other, tugging it down to her waist so her massive tits spilled free, thick and curvy. "All natural, madam. Any excess weight I put on seems to go straight to my tits or my ass and nowhere else." She curved her fingertips around her left tit and pulled it upward, bringing it up so she could lick her large pink nipple while Andy watched. Then she reached down and dragged her skirt upwards, as she moved to push her head onto the couch while Aisling moved up onto her knees, straddling the girl's face. "Come on, Andy, don't keep the poor slut waiting." Andy tugged his jeans and boxers down enough for him to fish his cock out, moving to step out, rubbing the tip of his cock across the maid's twat, finding it was still soaked. "Remember when I told you I never showed my cock to anyone I hadn't kissed, Ash?" "She doesn't want you to show her a good time, love. She's only got one thing on her mind, don't you whore?" "Yes madam," the maid said between licks at Aisling's cunt. "And what is that?" Aisling's question caught the maid off guard. "Ma'am?" "What is the one thing you've got on your mind?" "Being imprinted, ma'am." Aisling reached down and pinched one of Nicolette's nipples hard enough to make the maid yip audibly. "The master likes a dirty mouth on his girls, Nicolette. Maybe Phil didn't tell you that, but as Andy's first girl, it's my job to make sure everyone in the house knows exactly what he likes. So let me ask you again, what's the one thing you've got on your mind?" "Getting the Master to fuck me, ma'am." "Why?" "So I can be imprinted, to be owned, to belong to him, and be part of his house." "Then tell him." "Yes ma'am." Nicolette pulled her head back for a moment to look up at Andy, and the look on her face was one he was starting to get quite familiar with, a heady mix of need and lust. "Sir, let me offer you my body, my drenched holes for your use. I need to be fucked to belong to you, to feel your jizz blasting inside of my cunt or asshole, marking me as yours, imprinting me, claiming me. Take me, sir. Own me. Fuck my tight young snatch and brand me as your slut, your maid, your little French fucktoy. It hurts, sir, aches. I can't think straight. I'm a rutting bitch in heat, needy for a cock to clear her head. Can I serve you, Master? Will you grant me that privilege? Fuck me, sir. Do it." "Put your mouth back to work, Nicolette, and I will," Andy said, as he pushed his cock along her cunt, feeling her shiver, her body instinctively trying to line it up so his wood would penetrate her. "Yes, Master. Of course, Master." Nicolette slid her head back between Aisling's thighs, pressing her face up against the redhead's cunt, her tongue pushing into the girl. Aisling leaned forward a little bit, reaching a hand forward to grab Andy's face, pulling him closer, kissing him as Andy pushed his cock inside of Nicolette's cunt. Beneath her, Aisling could feel the girl already lost in the throes of her first orgasm, muffling the scream by pressing her hips down against the maid's face. "How is she?" "I think I might have killed the poor girl." One of Nicolette's hands lifted and offered a thumb up gesture to them, which made Andy and Aisling both laugh until Aisling kissed Andy hard again. She reached down and grabbed Andy's hip to pull him hard into Nicolette, slamming his cock hilt deep into the French maid with enough force to make those heavy tits of hers jiggle and bounce. "That's it, Andy. Just rail the girl." "You're trying to make me cum inside of her, aren't you?" "It's working, isn't it?" Aisling giggled a little bit. "I'm giving up my load for the day to her. I want you to fill her cunt so full of cum that there's enough for me to lick a little bit out of her gash when you're done. You'd like that, wouldn't you?" Andy groaned a little bit. "You're wicked, Ash." " Umm, just like you want me to be. I have to admit, I'm a little addicted to it, seeing a new slut fuckdrunk on your spunk for the first time, her eyes rolled back in her head, the orgasm so intense that she's trembling like she's been struck by lightning. It make you seem so powerful." "I don't think I can last long," he mumbled. "She's fucking tight." "Then why wait? She wants your jizz. I want you to jizz inside of her. You want to jizz inside of her." She kissed his cheek and then moved nibble on his earlobe. "Go on. Give your newest slut her nut. Fill her up with that hot spunk and claim her. Your girlfriend is telling you to do it. Cream her up. In your house. Make her your slut, your maid, your personal fuckhole. Give to us. Please Master, she fucking needs it. I need it. Cum for us. Flood the little bitch with your cum. Show her who the lord of the house is." Aisling licked her tongue along the shell of his ear, then breathed hot onto his flesh, before whispering, "Own her. Cum!" Nicolette's heels pressed into the small of his back as he pushed his cock hilt deep inside of her cunt and began to erupt inside of her. As soon as the first blast of his jism hit the back of her cunt, Nicolette began to thrash, her heels lifting off his skin as her legs pointed straight up into the air and began to practically vibrate, quaking like she had her own personal earthquake. Eventually Andy's release ebbed back, and Aisling leaned to kiss him once more, her hand reaching up to brush sweat from his face. "Another one bites the dust," she giggled against his mouth before he pulled his hips back, letting his cock slide out from Nicolette's snatch as the girl's legs moved to slump down on the footstool, her whole body lying ragdoll limp, her lips very quietly mumbling that familiar word over and over again. Aisling lifted her hips up and moved back to her feet, shifting Nicolette to move the maid's entire body up onto the couch, cradling the girl's head against the pillow on the armrest. Andy was starting to adjust to tuck his cock away before he felt Aisling's hand stop him. "Just wait there, mister." The Irish girl grabbed a blanket and moved to lay it over Nicolette's unconscious form, covering her up, making sure the maid looked cozy. After Nicolette was properly tucked in, she turned around and kneeled down to lick his cock clean. It had still been glistening with a bit of his cum, as well as juices from Nicolette's cunt, but Aisling gave it a spit shine. Andy could feel himself struggling to get hard again, but as soon as Aisling had his cock clean, she tucked it away. "Tomorrow you can take care of the gardener and the cook." "Fucking this many people is exhausting, Ash." "Awww. Poor baby. Do you know how much sympathy I have for you, half a dozen women craving your cum so much they'll fling themselves at you?" "Very little?" "Not even that much." Andy chuckled, helping Aisling to her feet. "Yeah, I guess that's fair." Chapter 12 Andy awoke the next morning much earlier than he normally did. It was the fact that the bed beneath him was new to him. New bed, new house, but the house itself didn't change as much of his perspective as the bed did. Sure, the four of them had fit in his old bed back at the condo, but the new bed had plenty of room for them to sprawl out if they wanted, and yet, he still awoke with all the girls basically pressing up against him, Aisling and Niko on either side of him, and Lauren mostly draped over Aisling. The cats were nowhere to be seen, although he wouldn't be surprised if they wandered across the bed several times during the night. He did his best to extricate one arm free so he could look at his watch, only to find it was actually nearly nine a.m., far later than he'd expected. The girls remained zonked, and he had to admit, they'd all been up a bit late into the wee hours of the morning just wandering around and exploring the house. He still felt like he didn't have a great handle on the layout of the place, but he figured that would come in time. Determined not to wake anyone, he wriggled his way downward, disentangling the gilded cage of arms and legs he found himself wrapped in. Once free, he was pleased to see that he hadn't woken any of the trio, so he headed into the closet to grab a change of clothes. Immediately, he feared he might have made a terrible mistake, as the walk in closet was larger than the old condo's living room, but thankfully, most of his t shirts were hanging on clothes hangers directly in front of him, and a dresser there seemed to have his pants, boxers and socks. In fact, as he glanced at the walk in closet, he was a little amused to see how little of what he saw was actually his own clothes. Sure, all of his clothes were there, but they took up a fraction of the amount of space the walk in closet had on offer. Each of the girls had carved up their own section of the closet space, although if the Major was to be believed, this wouldn't be enough room eventually. The Major had even suggested each partner consider taking one of the bedrooms of the manor as their own, simply to have their own space, and their own place to keep their clothes. "Personal space is going to be important," she had told them yesterday. Andy had immediately decided it was advice worth heeding. He grabbed a change of clothes and headed towards the bathroom. After stepping foot inside of the bathroom, he closed the door behind him, doing his best to keep the noise volume down, so as to not wake anyone. He imagined the girls would be up any minute now, but saw no reason to get anyone up before they awoke naturally. Some nights they all wore pajamas, but last night, they'd all just piled in one naked mess into the new bed, so the only thing Andy had to take off before he got into the shower was his watch and glasses, setting both on the counter next to his clothes. The shower space was just about the same size as the bathroom in the old condo, but it was a thing Andy had decided he was just going to have to come to terms with. Everything in the new home was going to be bigger, because it had more people to accommodate. It did, however, give him plenty of room to maneuver as he attempted to get the water's temperature to a level he was comfortable with. He hadn't even thought to ask how the utilities of the new home were going to be paid for. He made a mental note to ask someone about it as he stepped under the soothing warm water. Ten minutes later, he'd finished the shower, dried himself off and gotten dressed. As he passed through the bedroom, he could see that while none of the girls were awake yet, they had shifted to make up for his absence, now lined up like three little spoons, with Niko's ass pressed against Aisling's hips, and Aisling's ass against Lauren's hips. The cats had also joined them on the bed, sitting at either corner of it, almost like they were on guard duty. Andy reached down to pet Huginn, and the black cat leaned his head up to lean into Andy's touch. He smirked as the cat slowly pulled away from Andy's hand, but it was only to roll onto his back, exposing his belly, hoping Andy would give it a rub. He patted the plump cat's tummy briefly, but not long enough so that Huginn would think it was a game of Attack The Hand. He didn't want to remain long enough to wake the girls, so he grabbed his phone from the charger on the nightstand, moved to the door of the bedroom and slipped out, closing it shut behind him as he moved into the hallway. The layout of the house was still fuzzy in his head, but he knew for certain that if he wanted to grab some breakfast, he needed to head downstairs. As he wandered downstairs, the cook, Jennifer, he thought her name was, awaited him. She still had on the same apron from the day before, but the clothes she had on beneath it had changed to warmer colors. The t shirt was a light green and the slacks a cream color. "Good morning, sir. Would you like some breakfast?" she asked, a smile beaming at him. She was fidgeting, he noticed, and he was certain that the effects of the vaccine were starting to claw at her. He would have to make sure to take care of both her and the gardener today. "Sure, Jennifer, that'd be nice. Is it Jennifer, or do you prefer Jen or Jenny?" he asked her, as she started to lead him towards the dining room. "Whatever you'd like, sir," she said, demurely. "No," he chuckled, "I'm asking you what you prefer to be called. I don't mind being in charge of the house and all that, but I'm not about to go around deciding what people are called. What do you prefer to be called?" "Jenny, sir," she giggled. "Sorry, sir. What would you like for breakfast today?" "Just, like, a croissant or a bagel with egg, cheese and ham on it? I don't need anything special." "Give me five minutes and I'll whip something up for you." Andy moved to sit down at the dining room table. The chairs were aimed at a much more formal environment, something he was going to have to make sure got corrected. He felt a little bit like Michael Keaton as Batman, sitting at a massively empty table all by himself. He opened his friend group's Discord chat channel and typed in a message to Eric “ you okay in your new place, man? “ but he saw that Eric was off line and didn't respond, so he figured he'd hear back from him later in the day. Phil was up, though, and the two chatted for a little bit while Andy waited for breakfast to arrive. Jenny poked her head in. "Did you want juice or milk, or should I make coffee?" "God, the girls made drink coffee, but I can't fucking stand it. So it wouldn't hurt to put a pot on, but none for me, thanks. I'll just have some orange juice or pineapple juice or whatever." "Got it," she said, dipping back into the kitchen, the swinging door closed behind her. Phil was in good spirits, and let Andy know that he would be behind the wall in the gated community before the end of the week, which meant they could all hang out again. Phil insisted that on Saturday, they should all get together and play poker while the new families intermingled, something Andy agreed to immediately, and suspected Eric wouldn't have any problem with. "Sir, can I talk to you for a minute?" Jenny said, as she brought out a tray with a bagel filled exactly as he'd asked and a glass of orange juice on it. "I don't mean to be rude or impatient, but,” "No no, Jenny, I know. You're having trouble thinking clearly, and would like to get imprinted as soon as possible. Let me eat my breakfast, and then we can go take care of it if you like." "I would like, sir, but that's not it." The girl looked at her hands as she wrung them together nervously before she looked up at him. "May I speak freely, sir?" "Jenny, you're now and forever under orders to always speak freely in the house, okay? What is it?" "It's my partner, sir, Katie." "What about her?" "Well, she, ah, she lied on her forms. Sir." "About, what exactly, Jenny?" Andy wanted to know what was going on, but he was also famished, so he took a bite from his breakfast sandwich, as if encouraging the girl to continue speaking. "It's, well, it's a bit embarrassing, sir, but, you know that Katie and I are partners, right?" Andy swallowed his mouthful and took a sip from his orange juice before he spoke again. "You did mention it yesterday when you introduced yourselves." He gestured to a chair across the table from him. "Sit, sit. Now tell me what's up?" Jenny looked at the chair like it might bite her, but then nervously moved to sit down, her hands still folded together on top of the table. "So, uh, while I'm bisexual, Katie isn't. Sir. She's strictly a lesbian." Andy tried to keep his face blank. "Alright." "So while she's going to need to intake your jism regularly, she's, uh,” "She's going to be a pain in the ass about it," Katie said, moving into the room, clearly sounding cross. "Is that what you were going to say, Jen?" Katie was dressed in work clothes, having been outside working in the gardens, and had dirt on her knees, although she'd been careful not to drag any loose dirt into the house. "We're so fucked." "Baby, no! I just wanted to explain,” "You just wanted to explain that I wasn't going to do my job to our new boss. That's just great, Jenny! Now we're going to get hauled out of here and thrown in jail!" "Katie, please!" "We're fucked. We're so fucked, just because you had to grow a fucking conscience! I could've faked it! I could've pretended and just gotten through it, but no, you had to,” "Ah Hem!" Andy said, loudly clearing his throat to get both of them to settle down. "Can I interject into this, or do you two want to go on arguing about what I'm going to do without actually knowing anything?" Katie moved to nervously sit down in a chair next to Jenny, looking a little taken aback. "Sorry, sir." "Sorry, sir," Jenny echoed. "Thank you." Andy took another bite from his sandwich, which was delicious, while he let the two women sit in silence a moment, as if almost daring them to start arguing again. They made it past him finishing the sandwich without speaking again, but he was on his last sip of orange juice when Katie, the Hispanic girl, couldn't help herself and spoke again. "I love my wife, sir, and I want to remain faithful to her. And you seem like a nice enough man, but I'm just not attracted to you in any way. Sorry, sir." Andy smiled and shook his head a little bit. "Good lord, they barely told me anything, and somehow I still know more about all of this than you two do. Jenny, are you bisexual, or are you also lesbian?" "Bisexual, sir, but I'm married. To Katie." He nodded. "Look, I get that. So here's your options. If you want, I can tell the army you've changed your mind, and you can go back there, but if you've already been given the vaccination, you're unfortunately going to have to get paired up with some man." "That part's actually true?" Andy nodded. "I'm sure you're already feeling it, that unfamiliar blaze in your body. It'll get worse, a lot worse, until it's harder and harder to think, and you're just a raw, rutting creature, yearning for male sperm of some kind." "How horrible," Jenny whispered. "Better than the disease, Jenny," Katie said, patting her arm. "So what are our other options?" "The obvious one is, naturally, that you both continue to be here, do your jobs, and I simply provide sperm for you to consume. I mean, I could just bring you in towards the end of a session with me and one of my partners, or with Nicolette,” "Who?" Katie asked. "He knows," Nicolette said, standing in the door, leaning against the doorframe. She was wearing another maid's outfit, but it was subtly different than the one she'd worn yesterday. "And he wasn't mad. He even thought the whole Yvette thing was funny." "Or I could just agree to always use the two of you together, but the only person I touch would be Jenny, and Katie could touch Jenny. It's not strictly what you had in mind, but,” "But it would satisfy Katie's insistence that she remain faithful," Jenny said. "Would you be okay with that, baby?" "Okay?" Katie said, rolling her eyes. "Well, I might be able to get to okay eventually, if that's okay with you. Sir." "Come on," Andy said, rising to his feet. "Take me to your room and we'll get you both imprinted." "I'd, I'd rather you not come into our room, sir," Katie said. "If that's okay, sir. I'd like that to be just our special place, mine and Jenny's." "That's fine, but we'll need to have some place to lay you both down once you're done." "I did just fine on one of the couches, Master," Nicolette giggled. "Maybe we should use one of the living room spaces again." "Alright, but let's use one more off to the side." "There's always the lounge out in the pool house," Katie suggested. "I have a pool house? Y'know what, forget I asked. Of course I have a pool house. Fine, let's go out to the pool house. Nicolette, if the girls wake up, let them know I'll be back in a little bit, okay?" "Of course Master," she said with a curtsey, as Katie put her arm around Jenny's waist, and the two started to lead him to the back yard. "I don't mean to sound ungrateful, sir," Katie said, as they walked past the pool. Sure enough, on the other side, there was a small house, which Andy could see had showers, a sauna, bathrooms, a small bedroom, and a little lounge. Hell, by itself, it was bigger than the old condo, and clearly this was a little guest house. "But I don't think your sperm is going to do anything for me." "Mentally, sure, probably not, Katie. But on a biological level, you'll find this whole thing is a little surreal. When you meet Niko, you'll get to know what sort of state she was in when she came into my life. She'll tell you the story herself, I'm sure, but from my point of view, she practically assaulted me before I even got her name." Jenny grinned impishly, as she closed the door behind Andy. The lounge had three couches in a U shape pointing towards a massive television, with a picture window on the side wall facing the pool. "I have to admit, that sounds kinda hot." "It was," Andy said, as the two girls pushed him to sit down in the middle of the couch. "A little terrifying, but kinda hot. So how do you want to do this?" Katie leaned up and pressed her lips against Jenny's, as Jenny's hand smoothed down her wife's hip. The kiss intensified and Andy could see the tongues dancing together, as Katie's hand moved to cup one of Jenny's plump tits through the apron before reaching behind her to untie it, pulling it up and over her head, tossing it aside. "I'm thinking Jenny here'll blow you, and I'll just share it at the end, so you have to tell us when you're close. If that's okay. Sir." "That's fine, Katie. If you always want to do it this way, that's fine, or if you want to switch it up now and again, we can do that too." Katie nodded, and reached down to pull Jenny's t shirt up and over her head, exposing the brunette's overabundance of titflesh that had actually been quite concealed by the apron. "We, uh,” She blushed a little bit before continuing, pushing Jenny down to her knees. "We've had threesomes before. I don't mind if Jenny gets a little cock now and then, as long as I'm always there, but it's hard to get men to understand I don't want any. They usually try to pressure me to join in." "Well I won't ever do that, Katie," Andy said. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to do, although,” Jenny had unbuttoned his jeans, and unzipped them, as the other two continued to talk. Katie smirked, rolling her eyes a little. "As long as you don't care if I say no, you can always ask, sir." "I was just wondering if you wouldn't mind taking your top off as well, so we're all at least a little exposed here." "No, I can do that," she said, unzipping the top of the worksuit. "My tits aren't anywhere near as nice as Jenny's, though." She peeled the top down to her waist, exposing a perky caramel colored pair of tits, capped with darker tan nipples. "You've got excellent tits, Katie," Andy said to her, as she tied the arms of the top around her waist to tie it in place. "And don't you ever take shit from anyone who says otherwise." "Aw, you're sweet, Andy," she said before looking down at her wife. "How's it look, hon? Something you can work with?" Jenny nodded, having fished out Andy's cock, her fingertips stroking up and down it slowly. "It's a good size. I may want to have a ride on it now and again, if that's okay, baby." "Let's take it all one step at a time, okay?" Katie said. She moved to sit down on the couch next to Andy, laughing softly. "She's always been over eager. But I'll probably let you fuck her now and again. And I know she's a very good cocksucker. Her old boyfriend used to brag about it all the time." "Pig," Jenny said, before she wrapped her lips around the head of his cock, letting her tongue brush over it slowly, evoking a shiver from Andy. "Oh! Not you, sir, him." "I figured that one out, Jenny." Andy glanced over at Katie. "So are you both really submissive? Did you really want to do this, be a gardener and a cook?" "Jenny's mostly submissive, and I'm a switch," the Hispanic woman said. "And these were the jobs we had in the before times, just at different places. I was the gardener for some tech millionaire, and Jenny worked in the kitchen at the S F O airport Marriott, so we'll do our jobs well, and the other thing reasonably well." "I just want to make sure I'm not forcing anyone to do anything they don't want to." "We will be sure to tell if you're pushing it. Sir." She laughed slightly at herself, as if chiding herself not to forget to call him that. "Remember, you're going to have to tell us when you're close, sir," Katie said. "I'm a man of my word, Katie." "I hope so." Jenny pushed her head down onto his cock, sliding her lips down a few inches before pulling her head back up. "Oh, if you're going to do it, just fucking do it, Jen." Katie took her hand and pushed on the back of Jenny's head, forcing her face down hard into Andy's lap, until he could feel the girl's lips around the base of his cock, her throat twitching as she was struggling not to gag. Katie leaned in to whisper into Andy's ear. "She fucking loves shit like this." After a few seconds, Katie pulled Jenny's head back, and the girl coughed, laughing throatily, spit dripping from her mouth onto his cock, tears running down her eyes, a crazy smile on her face. "Oh god, I think I fucking came when you did that, Kat." "Well, not to take credit for it, but that was my precum. You're starting the imprinting process now." "I call bullshit," Katie said. "Prove it." Andy decided the best way to do this was to mostly remain out of it, so he took Jenny's arm by the wrist, rubbing her palm over the tip of his cock, which oozed out a little bit of precum, then lifted it up towards Katie, palm facing her face. "Lick. Prove me wrong." Katie cocked an eyebrow at him, then leaned forward to run her tongue along Jenny's palm. As soon as her tongue slurped in that precum, she leaned back suddenly against the back of the couch, pulling up her knees to her chest, her face scrunched tightly as she spasmed violently. Andy was fairly certain that Katie's panties were drenched, but didn't want to embarrass the girl by looking. After a few seconds, Katie's eyes opened again, and she groaned, a sultry wanton sound. "Oh you utter bastard," she moaned. "I know that's all physiological, but fuck was that good,” "You're going to get that same sensation each time you get any of my cum. Both of you. Ash's been with me the longest, about two months now, and she says it's never gotten any less intense, and from time to time, it's even way more intense than that." Katie pushed Jenny's head back down into Andy's lap, forcing her mouth back onto his shaft, as she wriggled in her seat. "How often do we have to have it?" "We've experimented around a little bit with trying to wean a girl off of it, but after about a week or so, it starts impairing logic. Not a lot, at first, but a little bit. It's harder to think clearly, you find sex popping into your head unwarranted more than usual. And by ten days, it's like a painful gnawing hunger. Lauren wanted to try and go two full weeks without, but on day eleven, ah,” Katie laughed softly. "Go on. You said we have no secrets here." Andy nodded with a slight shrug. "She, uh, when I went to take my shower in the morning, she followed me in and forced me to fuck her by trapping me between the wall and the sink. She bent over the sink and braced her hands against it and pinned me. I mostly just stood there, my ass pressed against the wallpaper while she thrust back against me hard and fast. She's, ah, she's a lot stronger than I am." Both girls laughed, although Jenny's laugh was a bit muffled, as she still had most of his cock in her mouth. "I think once a week or so is something we can make work," Katie said, brushing her hand along the back of Jenny's neck. "See? I told you she was good." "Fuck, her tongue keeps teasing against the bottom of my balls. I'm not going to last long like this. You may want to,” "Sure," Katie said, sliding off the couch and onto her knees, off to the side of Andy's right leg. "I know how we can do this." She pulled Jenny's head up and free of his cock before pushing her over to the other side of Andy's legs, his legs pressed together. "C'mere, babe." Katie pulled Jenny close, and then the two women kissed with the length of his cock between them, blocking their lips from reaching each other until they both slid up and kissed with the head of his cock between them. Jenny reached down to fondle his balls, and he felt a second hand join, a little surprised that it was Katie's, as the two tongues danced against each other, and over the head of his cock, and he couldn't resist any longer, his body tensing up as he had a hand resting on either of their shoulders. When that release hit him, he could see Katie's other hand on the back of Jenny's neck, as if holding her in place, as he saw Jenny suddenly reach up and do the same, helping each other to stay locked in place around the tip of his cock, as he blasted a hot load of spunk into their mouths. He felt like he gave at least a few pumps of jizz into each of their mouths, and certainly they were both affected, as each of them began to tremble, the clasp of hands and necks keeping them all in place, as both of them swallowed mouthfuls until finally they could resist no longer and both girls slumped their heads back and to the side, the full weight of their unconscious bodies pressed into the couch. Each of them trembled and vibrated a little, the aftershocks of the process clearly still coursing through their veins. Both girls were quietly murmuring that familiar word, imprinting, over and over again. It took Andy a few seconds to regain his composure, but once he finally did, he tucked his cock away beneath his boxers and jeans, zipping them up and rebuttoning them before he stood up and extracted himself from between them. He moved to lift Katie up onto the couch first, laying the girl out on it, before picking up Jenny, pushing her onto the couch with Katie, draping one arm over the Hispanic girl. Then he picked up an afghan laying in the room and covered them both up, for warmth as much as modesty. It wasn't freezing cold, but Halloween was next week, and California in October could get cold. He assumed the guest house had heating, but didn't even have the slightest idea how to turn it on. He was about to leave, then decided to scout the pool house out a little more. Sure enough, he found a thermostat, and noticed it was set to off, so he set the temperature to 70F and turned it from Off to Auto, hearing a heater kick on along the far side of the building. His work done, he decided to head back inside. He stopped to look at the pool, marveling the fact that he had his very own swimming pool, something southern Californians might have in spades, but certainly came at a premium in the northern California area, where real estate was a scarcity. He'd had dreams of his works being optioned, turned into movies or some such, and hoped that they would make him oodles of money, but the books hadn't developed a big enough audience where Andy would've felt comfortable enough letting someone adapt his works while remaining faithful to what he'd written. A producer had once offered him ten grand for the rights in perpetuity for everything, offering Andy no creative influence, no backend profits and no altering of the deal if things performed well. Andy had, in response, made a Berry Gordy joke that he was sure went over the producer's head, then politely declined. He'd jokingly referred to it to his friends as the "you'll take our money, shut your mouth and like it" deal. But he didn't, he wouldn't and so he didn't have to. In the end, he'd still ended up with a pool. He continued heading towards the house, seeing Niko, wearing just one of his over sized t shirts, although he suspected she probably had panties on underneath. Her arms were crossed over her chest, so he couldn't be sure, but he thought that it was one of his Catherine Wheel t shirts. It looked like the orange corners of the "Ferment" album cover peeking around her arms. "Morning, sleepyhead," he said, as he walked up towards her. "Everyone else up?" "Ash was toweling off when I came downstairs and Lauren was just heading into the shower, so she should be down in a little bit," Niko said to him. If Aisling had fallen into the role of his girlfriend, Niko had worked herself into becoming his right hand woman. Aisling took care of him emotionally, and Niko seemed to enjoy making sure everything was humming along. She'd been the one to structure their packing, and made sure Andy didn't forget anything he would regret leaving behind. Sure, all of that stuff was being brought over, but Niko had made certain that Andy hadn't left anything truly important to other people. "Also, your newest girl is here. She's waiting in the living room. Well, the front living room. One of the front living rooms. The one closest to the door. I signed for her, figured you wouldn't mind. That's her car parked out front, and the Uhaul attached to it has the rest of the stuff from the condo." "Nice." Andy was surprised another girl had arrived so soon, but the Major had made it clear that they would be coming at a steady rate until he was at capacity, which meant at least another nine or so, maybe even as many as thirteen more, although Andy had stressed to the Major that stopping early was absolutely fine. The Major had seemed to think that was funny. They'd walked inside of the house and headed towards the front living room. "What's her name?" "Her name is,” "Taylor!" Lauren's voice shouted as Andy and Niko walked into the room. Sitting on the couch was a young blonde, barely five feet tall, in a white muscle t shirt that didn't cover all of her toned stomach, and a pair of jeans that looked like they were practically painted on. A denim jacket was draped over the back of the couch. The girl's hair was platinum blonde, bordering on white, clearly dyed or bleached, but had dark eyebrows, and Andy could see dark hair down at the roots. She had a gold belly ring and heavy Doc Martin shoes. Small diamond earrings adorned her ears, and around her right wrist was a gold bangle bracelet. Her lipstick was a bright pink. In fact, it was clear that the girl, who looked like she was in her early twenties, had spent a decent amount of time on both her outfit and her makeup, like she wanted to make a good first impression. It was also worth noting that she was more than a little buxom for her small height, the top strained over her large tits enough that Andy could make out a white bra on underneath it. If not for the dark roots, she almost reminded him a little of a smaller version of Lauren. Both girls had a bit of that 'I'm showing off for Instagram' vibe to them, although Andy would never have said it that way to Lauren. "Andy, no fucking way! I do not want that bitch in this house!" The girl on the couch looked like she was about ready to break down crying, as Lauren loomed over her. His Aussie partner had put on a bit more than Niko, in that she was wearing yoga pants and a sports bra. "I'm sorry, Lauren," the girl, Taylor, said. "I'm so, so sorry, baby." "Don't fucking 'baby' me, you whore!" Lauren shouted, turning to walk towards Andy. "This is intolerable! Figure it out!" Lauren kept walking right past him and headed towards the stairs, each step heavy, almost like she was trying to stomp her anger out. "Figure It Out!" she shouted from upstairs, just before he heard the bedroom door slam loud enough to rattle the house. "I take it you know her?" Niko said to Taylor. "Yeah," Taylor mumbled. "I'm her ex girlfriend." Chapter 13 Andy looked at Niko, then at Taylor, then back to Niko, unsure of what to say to anyone. "Look, Niko, can you figure out her side of the story?" he said, gesturing to Taylor. "I'm going to go talk to Lauren and find out what the hell is going on." "Good luck, babe," Niko said, kissing his cheek. "Tell her," Taylor said before stopping, biting her bottom lip in a pout, then starting again. "Tell her if she'll let me, I'll spend the rest of my life apologizing to her." Andy didn't know what to say to that, so he walked out of the room and started heading to the stairs, trying to follow the sound he'd heard a minute or so ago of Lauren stomping off. Clearly there was bad blood here, but talking to Taylor first would only hurt Lauren's feelings, so he needed to check on his partner. Once he got to the top of the stairs, he saw Aisling leaning against the outside of the master bedroom door, which was closed. "What's all this then?" she said, jerking her finger to the door. "Lauren stormed in here crying a minute ago and told me to go away." "We just had a new girl show up, and apparently she used to be Lauren's girlfriend. I'm going to go talk to Lauren about it right now." Ash raised her hand. "Are you sure about this, Andy?" He shook his head with a sigh. "No, but I'm not going to sit around and do nothing, so I'm going in there." "You want me to go in with you?" Andy shook his head again. "No, better let me go in on my own." "Don't have to tell me twice. Who's keeping an eye on the ex?" "Niko's down talking to her. You're welcome to join her." "I'll do that," she said, moving to kiss his cheek, much as Niko had done. "You're a good man, Andy Rook. I'm sure you'll figure it out." "I think my spaceship knows which way to go. Tell,” "She knows," Aisling giggled, as she strolled past him and headed to the stairs. Andy moved to the bedroom door and considered knocking, but decided that it would only encourage Lauren to tell him to go away, so he simply opened the door and stepped in, closing the door behind him. He saw his Aussie partner sitting on the bed, her knees drawn up to her chest, her arms folded atop of them, her face buried against her arms. "Okay, Laur, tell me the whole story," he said, moving over to sit down on the bed. "Taylor and I dated for about a year. She was even living with me for a few months, until one day I came home from work early and found her banging some guy in our,” She paused, wiping her eyes. "She was fucking some fella in my bed. I threw her out that night, and told her to pick her shit up the next day. I packed it up and left it in the hallway for her so I didn't even have to look at her. I haven't even seen her since." "Okay. What do you want me to do here?" "Do?" She curled her fingers together into fists before forcing herself to relax them. "What I want you to do is throw the bitch out on her ass and leave her to rot in the sun." "I somehow think the Air Force will come pick her up and take her back, if that's what you want." "She deserves a lot worse." "Well, she's already been injected with the vaccine, so the urge for male cum is probably eating away at her pretty badly right now, and you know what that's like." Lauren's face scrunched up. "It's a need, but it's not punishment." "And if I send her away, I'm pretty sure the Air Force is just going to give her to someone else in New Eden, so it's not like I can make her just disappear," he said, sighing softly. "But you're the one with the history here. So you tell me what you want. Should I throw her out? Is that what you want?" "What I want? What I want is for her to be punished and learn some fucking loyalty." "Do you want to be the one to do that?" Lauren rubbed her eyes again, then reached to take one of Andy's hands that had been resting atop of her knee. "What do you mean?" "Phil told me that if a woman partakes of the cum of a man other than the one she's imprinted to, it can have, consequences. Dire consequences. Which means she's going to have to be loyal to our family, if you want her to be a part of it." "She can't just come in without some retribution, Andy," Lauren said, shaking her head. "I won't let her just walk all over me like that." "Lauren. Love. At this point, you have the upper hand. You hold all the power right now. Your ex is here, and more than anything she wants to stay here, it looks like. Right before I came up here, she said she'd do everything she could to spend the rest of her life apologizing to you, to try and make it up to you. Have you talked to her at all since you threw her out?" "I didn't even talk to her when I threw her out, Andy!" Lauren said, tossing her
Get ready for your summer vacation and future travel with these expert packing tips! From carry-on to checked bags, here are some things to keep in mind when packing for your next trip. Episode Highlights: Use a packing list! It helps you not forget critical items. Start creating your packing list early in your Notes app Kim has an outfit planner that you can sign up for on Stuffed Suitcase Pay attention to your itinerary to figure out what you need to bring for each activity Also pay attention to the weather forecast for your destination Try to minimize the number of shoes that you bring on a trip Try on your outfits while packing and take a picture of yourself so that you remember what you put together (with shoes, accessories, etc.) You can also put the picture into your notes app with notes about what day you were going to wear it to remember Packing cubes with compression can be great for saving space You can pack the cubes by destination/stop on the trip or daily outfits or just pack all your pants together, all your shirts together, etc. If you are flying on an international carrier, make sure to look up their baggage rules to understand the size and weight of carry on and personal items Even domestic carriers have different weight limits If you are buying new luggage, buy the matching packing cubes that fit perfectly Look for packing cubes that zip to a rectangle and not lumpy Gonex and Eagle Creek can be great brands to try Lay flat bags are great for toiletry bags Travelon makes a good organizer for your electronics Vodka in a spray bottle can help refresh clothes Bring a travel scale to check baggage weights Related Episodes Packing tips for family travel
Esteemed Colleague Kathy asked for some tips when it comes to working from home with pets. My thoughts may (or may not) surprise you. :) Join the newsletter if you're feeling fancy: askanassistant.substack.com I always love to hear from you: askanassistant.com Book a 1:1 with me: jesslindgren.com/coaching Lay your comments, questions, thoughts, and concerns on me. Have an awesome week! xo Jess Want a note from me and my IBM Selectric II typewriter? Write to me here and I'll type back soon: Jess Lindgren 4465 E Genesee Street STE 114 Syracuse, NY 13214
Lay back, open wide, and let the tingles take over
Toute cette semaine, la ville de Nice dans le sud de la France accueille la troisième conférence des Nations unies sur l'océan. L'océan, qui occupe 70 % de notre planète, est sous pression du changement climatique et malmené par l'activité humaine. Au point, parfois, de ne plus offrir aux populations des littoraux les ressources nécessaires. C'est le cas en Afrique de l'Ouest, où les communautés de pêcheurs ont été très fragilisées ces dernières années. Plusieurs reporters de RFI sont allés à leur rencontre en Guinée, en Sierra Leone, au Ghana et au Sénégal. La lourde embarcation, poussée, tirée, glisse sur cette plage. Les cris des pêcheurs en plein effort percent le grondement des vagues. Les pirogues qui partent et reviennent ont cousu ensemble, au fil des siècles, l'histoire de la communauté Lébou et l'océan. L'océan est tellement au cœur de la vie Lébou qu'une confrérie soufie, tournée vers les flots, est née ici : les Layènes.Yoff. Une commune de Dakar, Sénégal. Le vendredi, un haut-parleur diffuse dans les rues, à 100 mètres de la plage, la prière du vendredi. Face à l'océan, Seydina Diop, un érudit layène, évoque l'histoire du fondateur de la confrérie, Seydina Limamou Laye (1843-1909). Et son lien avec la mer. « C'est, explique-t-il, comme si l'océan avait signé un pacte avec Seydina Limamou Laye et sa famille. Tôt après la prière du matin, il s'est dirigé vers la mer en compagnie de ceux qui priaient derrière lui. Arrivé à la mer, il lui intime l'ordre de reculer. Et la mer recule comme une natte sur plusieurs dizaines de mètres. Il a dit, "j'espère que ça suffit ici pour installer ma maison ici". Et s'adressant à ses compagnons : "Vous, vous ne me connaissez pas, mais la mer me connaît, connaît ma dimension et respectera mes ordres". » Depuis l'époque du fondateur, les vagues ont épargné le sanctuaire Layène. Mais Seydina Diop en convient, ailleurs dans le pays, l'océan n'est plus tout à fait le même. « C'est comme si effectivement la mer était en colère. Cette côte va passer par le village de Kayar, une zone poissonneuse, et les gens sont très inquiets. Vous continuez à Thiaroye c'est la même situation, vous continuez à Mbao c'est la même situation. Donc pourquoi ? »De plus en plus loin pour trouver du poissonKayar, aux eaux réputées poissonneuses… Le quai de pêche est bondé de monde, mais la localité, située à une soixantaine de kilomètres de Dakar, se nourrit de plus en plus difficilement de l'océan. Les sécheuses de poisson se plaignent d'attendre de plus en plus longtemps l'arrivée de la matière première : « Comme vous le voyez, nous sommes assises ici à discuter, explique l'une d'elles, Khoudia Touré, installée sous un parasol. Cela veut dire qu'il n'y a pas de poissons ; il arrive parfois que nous passons des journées entières sans aucune activité parce qu'il n'y a pas de poisson, alors que c'est notre matière première et qu'on a des commandes à honorer. Quand les pêcheurs partent en mer, ils restent plusieurs jours d'affilée, car il n'y plus rien. »À lire aussiDix choses à savoir sur la surpêche, fléau des océans au fil des sièclesLes conséquences se font également sentir au Ghana, à Tema, le plus gros marché de pêche artisanale du pays. Une femme, vendeuse depuis 28 ans, regrette les bacs de poisson qu'elle vendait par le passé : « Quand j'ai commencé à travailler, dit-elle, les revenus étaient bons, mais aujourd'hui ce n'est plus le cas. On ne reçoit plus beaucoup de poissons. Quand on recevait beaucoup de poissons, nous avions de l'argent pour mettre nos enfants à l'école. Maintenant, vu que les pêcheurs n'en ramènent plus, nous n'avons plus grand-chose à vendre. Nous n'avons plus d'argent, nous sommes fatigués. »Même chose en Sierra Leone. Tombo, à une cinquantaine de la capitale, Freetown, était autrefois un port de pêche prospère. La ville est aujourd'hui en déclin. Les pêcheurs y sont de plus en plus nombreux, les poissons de plus en plus rares, et les conditions de travail de plus en plus difficiles. « Nous avons beaucoup de soucis aujourd'hui, confie Chernor Bah, le capitaine du port de Tombo. Mais surtout, il n'y a plus de poisson et nous avons du mal à survivre. Maintenant, pour trouver du poisson, on est obligé de brûler beaucoup d'essence. On part tôt le matin, mais ce n'est pas avant 10 heures ou 11 heures qu'on arrive à trouver un endroit avec du poisson... Autrefois, on dépensait peut-être 20 litres, 30 litres d'essence pour aller attraper du poisson... C'était possible de faire des affaires. Mais aujourd'hui, il faut peut-être utiliser 100 litres... 150 litres de carburant pour arriver au même résultat. » La raréfaction du poisson menace, selon certaines études, la sécurité alimentaire de la Sierra Leone. Les produits de la mer représentent en effet 80 % des apports en protéines dans le pays.Toute la région est concernée par l'épuisement de la ressource. Boulbinet est l'un des principaux ports de pêche artisanale de Conakry, la capitale guinéenne. Les prises sont versées à même le sol, sur des bâches tendues sur la digue. Les pêcheurs guinéens doivent, eux aussi, aller de plus en plus loin. Prendre de plus en plus de risques pour trouver le poisson. « Vous savez que cette pêche-là, ça représente un danger, indique Abdoulaye Camara, membre de l'Union des pêcheurs artisanaux, parce que, vous savez, la mer a sa façon de faire. Même le temps où il n'y a pas de pluie, la mer peut s'agiter elle-même. Au fur et à mesure que l'embarcation va très loin, c'est là qu'elle se retrouve en danger. Parce que la mer, c'est la mer. Cette méthode d'aller pêcher loin, c'est pas parce qu'ils veulent aller loin, mais le poisson est un peu éloigné maintenant. »Soumah Seny, alias « Tozo », a une cinquantaine d'années. Il est responsable de l'association des doradiers de Boulbinet. Avec la chute des prises, il explique que de nombreux pêcheurs connaissent une situation financière difficile : « Si vous sortez faire quatre à cinq, six jours, sixième jour vous rentrez. Si vous enlevez la dépense, tu peux te retrouver avec 50 000 dans ta main. Ça permet difficilement de pourvoir aux dépenses de la maison ! Les pêcheurs ne gagnent pas beaucoup d'argent. On peut faire un an sans acheter de viande, parce qu'on n'a pas d'argent pour en acheter. Le prix d'un sac de riz, quand tu reviens de la mer, des fois, tu ne peux même pas gagner ça. » À lire aussiConférence de l'ONU sur l'océan 2025 : l'Afrique particulièrement concernée par ses enjeuxEffondrement de la ressourceCette raréfaction de la ressource, constatée en mer par les pêcheurs, a été documentée par des recherches de l'IRD, l'Institut de recherche pour le développement. « On a étudié un peu les quantités débarquées dans chaque pays au fil des années, explique Timothée Brochiet, chercheur à l'IRD. On s'est rendus compte que pour le Sénégal, les quantités maximales qui ont été débarquées étaient tombées en 2011. Et on s'est rendus compte qu'à partir de 2019, on tombe en dessous de 10 % de cette quantité-là. Et selon une définition qui a été donnée en halieutique, on peut parler d'un stock "écroulé" quand, après quatre années d'affilée, les quantités débarquées sont inférieures à 10 % du maximum. » La situation est à ce point alarmante qu'une mobilisation se met en place pour propager la voix des communautés menacées.Ce jour-là, à Ngor au Sénégal, il s'agit de faire entendre le cœur de l'océan aux jeunes générations, grâce à un enregistrement sous-marin, réalisé avec un hydrophone. Fabrice Monteiro, photographe engagé, participe ce jour-là à l'animation. « Ça m'évoque le pouls de la planète, qu'on partage tous un monde commun et que même sous l'eau, il y a toute une vie, il y a des échanges, il y a des tas de choses auxquelles on pense pas parce qu'on nous a expliqué qu'on pouvait disposer de tout et que finalement la vie comptait pour très peu si ce n'est la nôtre. » Pour cet artiste, l'humanité doit « changer de logiciel ». Et le photographe dit vouloir utiliser ses images pour participer à cette conversation.Comment expliquer ces difficultés croissantes à trouver du poisson ? Les pêcheurs artisanaux mettent régulièrement en cause la pêche industrielle. Une critique partagée par le chercheur sierra-léonais Salieu Kabba Sankho : « Quand nous avons commencé la lutte contre la pêche illégale, de nombreux navires sont venus s'enregistrer. Mais cela a fait augmenter de manière conséquente le nombre de bateaux de pêche industriels. Ces navires achètent un permis qui correspond à la taille du bateau, pas au nombre de poissons qu'ils pêchent. Cela va peut-être couter 15 ou 20 000 euros par an, pour un permis qui permet de pêcher 365 jours sur une année et autant de poissons que vous pouvez en attraper. C'est comme un chèque en blanc pour les industriels. Il y a un gros risque de surpêche et d'effondrement des réserves de poissons. »À lire aussiConférence sur l'Océan : « L'Afrique s'attend à » avoir « plus de poids dans la discussion », dit Foga AgbetossouTrop de bateaux de pêche ?Mais le problème semble aller au-delà de la pêche industrielle : trop de bateaux cherchent désormais à puiser les ressources de l'océan. Cette surexploitation a conduit à une véritable bataille du poisson entre pêcheurs industriels et artisanaux, mais aussi entre pêcheurs artisanaux de nationalités différentes. « Les pêcheurs industriels, comme les pêcheurs artisanaux, sont coresponsables de la baisse des réserves de poissons, indique Thomas Turay, le président d'un syndicat de pêcheurs sierra-léonais qui essaie de promouvoir des pratiques plus respectueuses de l'océan. Il y a vingt ans, ici même, dans ce bureau, on avait 75 000 pêcheurs enregistrés et maintenant, on compte 150 000 personnes qui dépendent de la pêche... Il y a beaucoup de chômage, donc les gens viennent ici pour devenir pêcheurs. La fermeture des mines a aussi joué un rôle. Avant, on voyait des "mango fish", c'est-à-dire des espèces de poissons qui apparaissaient au début de la saison des mangues, qui précède la saison des pluies. Mais aujourd'hui, on ne voit plus ça. C'est quand il pleut seulement qu'on comprend que c'est le début de la saison des pluies. »Dans ce contexte de compétition, les règles sont de moins en moins respectées. « Il y a le problème des chalutiers, poursuit Thomas Turay, qui viennent pêcher jusque dans la Zone d'exclusion côtière, qui nous est réservée, plutôt que d'aller au large, dans la Zone économique exclusive où ils sont autorisés à pêcher. Et puis, il y a des braconniers ! Et notre marine n'est pas équipée pour surveiller la mer pendant toute une journée. Donc, dès que la marine s'en va, les braconniers viennent depuis la Guinée ou le Sénégal. À cela s'ajoute la corruption. Des étrangers viennent et enregistrent leurs bateaux comme s'ils étaient des Sierra-Léonais. Ils paient une commission, c'est tout. »À cette compétition pour la ressource s'ajoute le dérèglement climatique, qui provoque le réchauffement des océans. Ces changements de températures provoquent la migration de certaines espèces vers des eaux plus froides. Le chercheur ghanéen John Kusimi, professeur associé de géographie physique au département de géographie et développement des ressources à l'Université du Ghana, a travaillé sur le phénomène. « Au cours des dernières décennies, indique-t-il, la température à la surface de la mer dans le golfe de Guinée a augmenté de 0,2 à 0,4 degré Celsius. Cette augmentation de la température a poussé les petits poissons pélagiques, ceux que pêchent les pêcheurs artisanaux, à migrer des eaux tropicales vers des mers plus tempérées, où l'eau est plus froide. Cela a également eu pour effet de pousser ces poissons, qui ont le sang-froid, à plonger dans les profondeurs des mers tropicales pour réguler leur chaleur corporelle, les rendant souvent inaccessibles aux pêcheurs traditionnels. Donc tout cela, en ajoutant d'autres facteurs humains, a provoqué un déclin de 60 à 80 % de la population de poissons pélagiques depuis les années 90 jusqu'à aujourd'hui. »Un phénomène chimique menace également la biodiversité de l'océan : son acidification, le fait que sa composition chimique devienne de plus en plus acide. Les premières mesures ont été faites au large des côtes californiennes, mais le professeur Malick Diouf, de biologie animale à l'université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar, craint que le phénomène n'en vienne à se répandre : « S'il y a acidité, ça veut dire que tous ceux qui ont une coquille calcaire ont leur vie qui va être hypothéquée, parce que le calcaire est attaqué par l'acide. Et si on regarde les animaux qui ont un test calcaire, aussi bien unicellulaires que pluricellulaires, il y en a des masses. On va vers une perte drastique de la biodiversité. »À écouter aussiSommet des océans à Nice : l'acidification de l'eau menace la biodiversité marineMieux contrôler qui pêche quoiQue faire face à l'effondrement en cours et aux menaces futures ? Depuis ses bureaux de Dakar, l'ONG Greenpeace appelle les autorités à mieux contrôler qui pêche quoi… Le Dr Aliou Ba est responsable de la campagne « Océans » pour Greenpeace Afrique. « La majeure partie de nos pêcheries sont en situation d'accès libre. L'accès libre conduit à la surpêche, à la surexploitation des ressources. Donc, pour parer à cela, il faudrait que l'on contrôle la capacité de pêche dans ces pêcheries, mais aussi accentuer la surveillance pour baisser vraiment ce qu'on appelle la pêche INLA. » Greenpeace essaie aussi d'obtenir une régulation des usines de farine de poisson qui sont à terre et qui sont en concurrence avec le marché local.Reprendre le contrôle ? Les gouvernements de la région disent qu'ils ne cherchent pas autre chose. Le ministère des Ressources maritimes et de la Pêche sierra-léonais est installé au Youyi building, le grand immeuble gouvernemental de la capitale, Freetown. Sheku Sei reçoit à la sortie d'un entretien avec la ministre. Il est responsable de l'aquaculture et de la pêche artisanale au ministère : « Nous avons en tant que pays commencé à mettre en place un système de "saison fermée", durant laquelle les pêcheurs artisanaux ne peuvent plus aller en mer – et au mois d'avril, nous faisons la même chose pour la pêche industrielle. L'idée, c'est qu'il y ait une période de repos biologique pour que les poissons puissent grossir et que la population cesse de décliner, comme ça, on aura plus de poissons dans nos eaux et on pourra produire plus de nourriture. Car un des objectifs, c'est de garantir la sécurité alimentaire et la nutrition. Donc, la fermeture saisonnière de la pêche, les aires marines protégées, mais aussi, nous aimerions avoir plus de fonds pour opérer des patrouilles de surveillance de nos côtes. Donc, nous allons prendre des contacts pendant la conférence de Nice. Nous allons aussi voir si l'on peut améliorer notre système de surveillance à distance, le moderniser, pour pouvoir suivre les opérations des navires en mer, sans avoir à nous déplacer. »À écouter aussiPourquoi les forêts de mangrove sont importantes pour la biodiversité ? Certaines solutions dorment également aux portes de l'océan, dans ces zones charnière que constituent les mangroves. Malmenées par les exploitants miniers, surexploitées par les communautés locales, elles sont pourtant essentielles. En Guinée, des associations s'activent pour les défendre, comme Guinée écologie. Aboubacar Soumah, l'un de ses cadres, guide le visiteur sur un débarcadère de Dubreka. Ici, les communautés pratiquent la pêche artisanale, mais également la riziculture, et elles mènent des activités de reboisement de la mangrove.Aboubacar Soumah longe la digue d'une aire de riziculture abandonnée. À gauche, des terres en friche. À droite, les terres en cours de restauration. Les jeunes pousses de mangrove pointent déjà vers le ciel et le militant écologiste espère que, d'ici à quelques années, cet espace redeviendra propice pour la reproduction des poissons. À marée basse, l'eau s'engouffre dans un petit chenal. Quand la marée monte, l'océan inonde la mangrove et emmène avec lui les poissons, qui y trouvent un milieu favorable pour se reproduire. « Restaurer la mangrove, dit Aboubacar Soumah, ça a beaucoup d'avantages. C'est un espace vital pour les poissons juvéniles. C'est dans ces milieux, dans les zones de mangrove, les zones ombragées, que les gros poissons viennent pondre les œufs. C'est dans cet espace aussi que les juvéniles grandissent jusqu'à atteindre un certain stade de maturité avant de migrer en mer. »Les mangroves grouillent encore de vie, de crabes et d'insectes, dans des sols riches de nutriments et de minéraux charriés depuis l'amont, un écosystème fixé par les racines des palétuviers. Les mangroves sont de véritables incubateurs de vie marine. Leur restauration, explique Aboubacar Soumah, est indispensable pour protéger l'avenir des communautés de pêcheurs.À écouter aussiEn Gambie, des pêcheurs dans une mauvaise passe
Your Nightly Prayer
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1 My son, keep my words. Lay up my commandments within you. 2 Keep my commandments and live! Guard my teaching as the apple of your eye. 3 Bind them on your fingers. Write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 Tell wisdom, "You are my sister." Call understanding your relative, 5 that they may keep you from the strange woman, from the foreigner who flatters with her words. 6 For at the window of my house, I looked out through my lattice. 7 I saw among the simple ones. I discerned among the youths a young man void of understanding, 8 passing through the street near her corner, he went the way to her house, 9 in the twilight, in the evening of the day, in the middle of the night and in the darkness. 10 Behold, there a woman met him with the attire of a prostitute, and with crafty intent. 11 She is loud and defiant. Her feet don't stay in her house. 12 Now she is in the streets, now in the squares, and lurking at every corner. 13 So she caught him, and kissed him. With an impudent face she said to him: 14 "Sacrifices of peace offerings are with me. Today I have paid my vows. 15 Therefore I came out to meet you, to diligently seek your face, and I have found you. 16 I have spread my couch with carpets of tapestry, with striped cloths of the yarn of Egypt. 17 I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon. 18 Come, let's take our fill of loving until the morning. Let's solace ourselves with loving. 19 For my husband isn't at home. He has gone on a long journey. 20 He has taken a bag of money with him. He will come home at the full moon." 21 With persuasive words, she led him astray. With the flattering of her lips, she seduced him. 22 He followed her immediately, as an ox goes to the slaughter, as a fool stepping into a noose. 23 Until an arrow strikes through his liver, as a bird hurries to the snare, and doesn't know that it will cost his life. 24 Now therefore, sons, listen to me. Pay attention to the words of my mouth. 25 Don't let your heart turn to her ways. Don't go astray in her paths, 26 for she has thrown down many wounded. Yes, all her slain are a mighty army. 27 Her house is the way to Sheol,* going down to the rooms of death. Listen Donate Subscribe: Proverbs Daily Podcast Psalms Daily Podcast
Our final passage for this week is a familiar one, but has so many great applications for our lives to encourage us to seize the day … Philippians 3:12-16 … I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. Let all who are spiritually mature agree on these things. If you disagree on some point, I believe God will make it plain to you. But we must hold on to the progress we have already made. (NLT) Let's focus on what Paul said he focused on … this one thing … forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. When we move on, but are constantly looking backwards, something is wrong. Remember—Paul had a lot of horrible violence in his past, all done in the name of religion. He had a lot to forget, but he stated exactly how he had to choose to move forward into what Christ had for his life. Great advice … Listen to this passage once again in The Message Bible … I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back. So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you'll see it yet! Now that we're on the right track, let's stay on it.What has God shown you this week?What has He called you to let go of … for the last time? Lay it down and never turn back?What has He called you to take on and never let go of?We pray you have found some healing and health this week. That's always our goal, to connect you to Christ.Let's pray together: “Heavenly Father, today, I need to, for the final time, let go of what You have told me to let go of. I need to listen to You and take up what You have called me to take up. As above, so below.”
Sydney Sweeney just dropped a soap made from her actual bathwater? Yes, really. In this episode, Matt and Mike break down the bizarre Dr. Squatch collab that has the internet spiraling. Genius marketing or the weirdest celeb merch yet?We dive into strange celebrity products (used tissues, candles, even coffins), plus review Lay's new Bacon Grilled Cheese Chips. There's also hot takes on Stranger Things Season 5, Taylor Swift owning her masters (again), and how a casino almost baited us with “free” slot play.This one's packed with laughs, wild stories, and internet chaos you won't believe.Don't forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more weekly episodes about viral news, internet trends, and everything pop culture.00:00 Intro02:42 Sydney Sweeney is selling soap that contains her actual bathwater16:21 Buy Or Sell31:22 Outro and AdviceMERCH: https://funnybusinesspod-shop.fourthwall.com/FOLLOW USBeacons: https://beacons.ai/funnybusinesspodFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/funnybusinesspodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/funnybusinesspod/Twitter: https://twitter.com/funnybusinesspodTwitch: https://www.twitch.tv/funnybusinesspodYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwA7LU4-jps613RuewhWWDg/featuredNote: The opinions expressed in this show are the hosts' views and not necessarily those of any business or organization. The podcast hosts are solely responsible for the content of this show.FUNNY BUSINESSA podcast where Mike and Matt share internet stories or news that should be important to you. You'll hear about strange news and personal experiences, and every once in a while, Mike will quiz Matt on some of the oddest things he can find. We'll also dive into some of our original segments, like describing some of our strangest stories, debating if soccer is more boring than golf, and even talking about our feelings, as every man should. Funny Business is a podcast run by Mike and Matt, two friends who met at college and decided to start this project during the pandemic of 2020.
227: Pt. 2 Reset Your Marketing Mindset | Dr. Dave JonesInThis part two Dr. Dave, the hockey-player-turned-high-performance-coach, shares his proven strategy to rock your marketing…and your business & life.Be sure to catch his story in part one if you missed it.We dove into everything from mindsets to marketing to miracles, and I came out with my hair blown back (in the best way). Dr. Dave dropped his powerful R7 Framework, a game-changing process for success. Vision, strategy, branding—it's all there.Our convo was rich, real, and ridiculously practical. Whether you're launching a business, a ministry, or just trying to make sense of your next move—grab a pen, and let's go!BIO RECAP:Dave is a sports consultant who coaches CEOs, executives, professional athletes to help achieve their vision, by executing and developing mental skills training, and enhancing thought blocking techniques.He works with organization leaders on their strategy, execution and communication, and managing the gaps between employees and management.As a thought leader and highly motivated individualDave engages executive teams by consulting on analytics, oversight of talent initiatives, and one-on-one coaching. He helps leaders improve the effectiveness of their organizations, by utilizing practices such as strategic planning, mental skills training, organizational assessment, and team interventions.HIGHLIGHTS:1.Growth mindset = God's setup for breakthroughDr. Dave breaks it down: if you're not open to learning and growing, you're basically blocking the upgrade God wants to give you. A growth mindset says, “There's more!” A fixed mindset says, “I've arrived.” Spoiler alert: God loves working with people who still think there's more to discover.2. Reset your people, reset your pathThis one hits deep—if you don't like where you're headed, it might be time to check your circle. You're the average of your top three friends. Want to level up? Surround yourself with folks who are spiritually and financially rich, who think bigger and dream Kingdom-sized dreams.3. R7 is the roadmap for real resultsDr. Dave's “R7” framework isn't just a snappy name—it's a powerhouse process that includes steps like Reset, Destiny, Vision, Strategy, Brand, Communication, Prayer, and Action. It's doing the work of digging that ends up with a rock-solid foundation for your life and business.4. Biblical principles are baked into the blueprintProverbs 15:10, “In the multitude of counsel there is wisdom,” isn't just good advice—it's part of the strategy. Dr. Dave works with Christian leaders and makes sure God's Word is woven into the work. Pride is out, humility and wise counsel are in.5. Don't Skip the Strategy—Creative Alone Won't Cut ItJumping straight into branding and creative assets without first locking in your vision and strategy is like lighting a match in a windstorm. It flares up fast... and burns out just as quick. Want long-term impact? Slow burn with a solid strategy.6. Want to Cut Through the Noise? Use Hero vs. VillainWe're swimming in 17,000+ impressions a day (yikes), and our attention span is toast. To break through, create a clear narrative. People connect emotionally when there's a hero and a villain. Bonus tip: the hero doesn't need to be perfect, but the villain better be memorable.7. Your Brand Isn't What You Say—It's What They FeelYour brand isn't just your logo or color palette. It's every touchpoint—email, website, tone of voice—all rolled into one emotional experience. People either feel a connection... or they don't. The goal? Be intentional, or your brand will still say something, just maybe not what you want.8. Make Them the Hero—You're the GuideMajor mindset shift: You are not the hero of your brand story. Your audience is. Whether it's a customer, donor, or guest—they need to feel like the center of the journey. Your job? Be their guide. Think Yoda, not Luke. Be the Obi-Wan of your niche.9. Pray, Think, and Taste-Test Your VisionDon't just slap your mission, vision, and brand together and call it done. Like chili, it might look good in the pot, but does it taste right? Take a step back, pray over it, reflect, and ask, “Lord, is this really what You want me to cook up?” (Bonus: Ask yourself—should I start, stop, or continue?)10. God Might Pull the Plug—and That's OkayEven after investing time and money, sometimes God just says “Nope.” Dr. Dave reminds us: that's not failure—it's divine redirection. You're not alone if a seemingly great opportunity gets shut down. It happens to the best of us.11. Ask the Big 5-Year QuestionBefore jumping in, ask God: “Is this what I'm supposed to be doing for the next 5 years?” This isn't just a weekend project. If you're going to commit, make sure heaven's backing it.12. Don't Just Dream—Test It OutA/B testing isn't just for marketers. Send your ideas into the wild—get feedback, observe reactions, tweak and repeat. Whether it's formal surveys or just gauging real responses, testing brings clarity.13. Take Action (But Not First!)Action is step 7, not step 1. Don't jump the gun. Lay the foundation first, then move. Faith isn't passive—yes, you've got to move—but not without preparation. God can move a parked car, but He'd rather you turn the ignition.LINKS for DR. DAVE:-Connect with Dr. Dave and hire his team: https://misgood.com/Check out the R7 Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNymoCsuTXqOuaLQH08GglTouuDJ91qYyLINKS for BRALYNN:– Get Clarity on your PURPOSE! FREE Masterclass: Purpose & Passion: Overcoming the 3 Biggest Challenges to Living Fully Alive and Fully Alignedhttps://academy.spiritcenteredbusiness.com/p&p– Coaching for Business and Breakthrough Encounters: http://SpiritCenteredBusiness.comCopyright 2025 - Bralynn Newby Int'l, LLC. All rights reserved.
Jodi Berg, PhD recently retired as the fourth-generation President and CEO of Vitamix, having joined the family business in 1997 with the directive to lead the company's overseas expansion, later serving as director of international, household and commercial divisions, and then ultimately as Executive Vice President in 2007, President in 2009, and CEO in 2011.Under her leadership, Jodi built on the 100+ year history and legacy of her family's business, — founded in 1921 and headquartered in Olmsted Township in the greater Cleveland area — to grow the iconic and beloved brand to what it is today, with expanded distribution to over 130 countries and over 400% organic growth during her tenure.As many are familiar with — Vitamix manufactures high-performance blending equipment for home and commercial use, with millions of consumers around the world who use Vitamix products to help achieve their personal health and culinary goals. The company's commercial customer list reads like a “Who's Who” of major restaurant chains, and gourmet chefs regard their Vitamix machines in the same light and improtance as they regards their knives.The company has an incredible history of innovation and invention and developed the first true commercial blender in the early 1990s, which ignited the smoothie movement, and has been named the Best-in-Class Overall beverage blender for decades by readers of Foodservice Equipment & Supplies magazine.As you'll hear in our conversation, Jodi developed a highly intentional approach to leadership — centered on purpose and employee engagement — which she formalized, researched and earned a PhD in management from Case Western Reserve University's Weatherhead School of Management and ultimatley leveraged to transform the organizational structure of Vitamix and its corporate vision, mission and culture.This was such a fun and unforgettable conversation — we actually got into such depth and breadth here that I'm breaking the episode into two parts that will cover Vitamix and Leadership across growing up in the family business and the familial lessons passed on, the evolution of Vitamix over the generations and the corresponding ingredients required order to thrive for over a century, balancing family legacy with innovation, lessons learned in hospitality and working at The Ritz Carlton, many personal stories and historical anecdotes about Vitamix that shaped her understanding of purpose and how it drives engagement and fulfillment in both personal and professional contexts, synthesizing her earned leadership wisdom into her upcoming book, why Vitamix is headquartered in Cleveland, helping people find their superpowers and a whole lot more… Jodi is an incredibly thoughtful teacher and operator and this really felt like a master class in all things business, leadership, and purpose. 00:00:00 - Introduction and Background 00:04:56 - Journey to Vitamix: A Family Legacy 00:19:23 - The Ritz-Carlton Experience and Lessons Learned 00:24:57 - Returning to Vitamix: Merging Passions and Purpose 00:25:27 - Family Legacy and Personal Growth 00:30:05 - The Evolution of Vitamix 00:36:43 - Balancing Legacy with Strategic Growth 00:42:53 - Changing Perspectives on Food and Health 00:51:00 - Creating a Community Around Food 00:58:02 - The Impact of Authentic Marketing-----LINKS:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jodilberg/https://www.vitamix.com/us/en_us/Original Vitamix Infomercial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rm5IzzGPzQA-----SPONSOR:Roundstone InsuranceRoundstone Insurance is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. Founder and CEO, Michael Schroeder, has committed full-year support for the podcast, recognizing its alignment with the company's passion for entrepreneurship, innovation, and community leadership.Headquartered in Rocky River, Ohio, Roundstone was founded in 2005 with a vision to deliver better healthcare outcomes at a more affordable cost. To bring that vision to life, the company pioneered the group medical captive model — a self-funded health insurance solution that provides small and mid-sized businesses with greater control and significant savings.Over the past two decades, Roundstone has grown rapidly, creating nearly 200 jobs in Northeast Ohio. The company works closely with employers and benefits advisors to navigate the complexities of commercial health insurance and build custom plans that prioritize employee well-being over shareholder returns. By focusing on aligned incentives and better health outcomes, Roundstone is helping businesses save thousands in Per Employee Per Year healthcare costs.Roundstone Insurance — Built for entrepreneurs. Backed by innovation. Committed to Cleveland.-----Stay up to date by signing up for Lay of The Land's weekly newsletter — sign up here.Past guests include Justin Bibb (Mayor of Cleveland), Pat Conway (Great Lakes Brewing), Steve Potash (OverDrive), Umberto P. Fedeli (The Fedeli Group), Lila Mills (Signal Cleveland), Stewart Kohl (The Riverside Company), Mitch Kroll (Findaway — Acquired by Spotify), and over 200 other Cleveland Entrepreneurs.Connect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypstern/Follow Lay of The Land on X @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/
Esteemed Colleague Meredith wrote in with a question about celebrating milestones at work. Let's discuss! I'm celebrating a milestone at work today with my exec - his new book pubilshes today! You can find out more at leanlearningbook.com while we kick back and enjoy the day. I always love to hear from you: askanassistant.com Book a 1:1 with me: jesslindgren.com/coaching Lay your comments, questions, thoughts, and concerns on me. Have an awesome week! xo Jess Want a note from me and my IBM Selectric II typewriter? Write to me here and I'll type back soon: Jess Lindgren 4465 E Genesee Street STE 114 Syracuse, NY 13214
9 And when you shall hear of wars and seditions, be not terrified: these things must first come to pass; but the end is not yet presently.Cum autem audieritis praelia et seditiones, nolite terreri : oportet primum haec fieri, sed nondum statim finis. 10 Then he said to them: Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.Tunc dicebat illis : Surget gens contra gentem, et regnum adversus regnum. 11 And there shall be great earthquakes in divers places, and pestilences, and famines, and terrors from heaven; and there shall be great signs.Et terraemotus magni erunt per loca, et pestilentiae, et fames, terroresque de caelo, et signa magna erunt. 12 But before all these things, they will lay their hands upon you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and into prisons, dragging you before kings and governors, for my name's sake.Sed ante haec omnia injicient vobis manus suas, et persequentur tradentes in synagogas et custodias, trahentes ad reges et praesides propter nomen meum : 13 And it shall happen unto you for a testimony.continget autem vobis in testimonium. 14 Lay it up therefore into your hearts, not to meditate before how you shall answer:Ponite ergo in cordibus vestris non praemeditari quemadmodum respondeatis : 15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to resist and gainsay.ego enim dabo vobis os et sapientiam, cui non poterunt resistere et contradicere omnes adversarii vestri. 16 And you shall be betrayed by your parents and brethren, and kinsmen and friends; and some of you they will put to death.Trademini autem a parentibus, et fratribus, et cognatis, et amicis, et morte afficient ex vobis : 17 And you shall be hated by all men for my name's sake.et eritis odio omnibus propter nomen meum : 18 But a hair of your head shall not perish.et capillus de capite vestro non peribit. 19 In your patience you shall possess your souls.In patientia vestra possidebitis animas vestras.St Marcellinus, and Priest, and Peter, a young exorcist, were beheaded after fearful torments A.D. 302. The Bishop Erasmus was martyred A.D. 303.
Psalm 137 ESV How Shall We Sing the Lord's Song? By the waters of Babylon, there we sat down and wept, when we remembered Zion.2 On the willows[a] there we hung up our lyres.3 For there our captors required of us songs,and our tormentors, mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”4 How shall we sing the Lord's song in a foreign land?5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its skill!6 Let my tongue stick to the roof of my mouth, if I do not remember you,if I do not set Jerusalem above my highest joy!7 Remember, O Lord, against the Edomites the day of Jerusalem,how they said, “Lay it bare, lay it bare, down to its foundations!”8 O daughter of Babylon, doomed to be destroyed, blessed shall he be who repays you with what you have done to us!9 Blessed shall he be who takes your little ones and dashes them against the rock! For more information about Redeemer Church Lubbock visit our website at redeemerlubbock.org.
April 25, 2025 - Equipped 2025 - Day 2 - 3:30PM Session Rick addresses the ability of Isaiah to predict events in the future to significant detail while being a significant number of years (700) before the events would come to pass. Isaiah 48-53 - Israel Refined for God's Glory 48 “Hear this, O house of Jacob, Who are called by the name of Israel, And have come forth from the wellsprings of Judah; Who swear by the name of the Lord, And make mention of the God of Israel, But not in truth or in righteousness; 2 For they call themselves after the holy city, And lean on the God of Israel; The Lord of hosts is His name: 3 “I have declared the former things from the beginning; They went forth from My mouth, and I caused them to hear it. Suddenly I did them, and they came to pass. 4 Because I knew that you were obstinate, And your neck was an iron sinew, And your brow bronze, 5 Even from the beginning I have declared it to you; Before it came to pass I proclaimed it to you, Lest you should say, ‘My idol has done them, And my carved image and my molded image Have commanded them.' 6 “You have heard; See all this. And will you not declare it? I have made you hear new things from this time, Even hidden things, and you did not know them. 7 They are created now and not from the beginning; And before this day you have not heard them, Lest you should say, ‘Of course I knew them.' 8 Surely you did not hear, Surely you did not know; Surely from long ago your ear was not opened. For I knew that you would deal very treacherously, And were called a transgressor from the womb. 9 “For My name's sake I will defer My anger, And for My praise I will restrain it from you, So that I do not cut you off. 10 Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. 11 For My own sake, for My own sake, I will do it; For how should My name be profaned? And I will not give My glory to another. God's Ancient Plan to Redeem Israel 12 “Listen to Me, O Jacob, And Israel, My called: I am He, I am the First, I am also the Last. 13 Indeed My hand has laid the foundation of the earth, And My right hand has stretched out the heavens; When I call to them, They stand up together. 14 “All of you, assemble yourselves, and hear! Who among them has declared these things? The Lord loves him; He shall do His pleasure on Babylon, And His arm shall be against the Chaldeans. 15 I, even I, have spoken; Yes, I have called him, I have brought him, and his way will prosper. 16 “Come near to Me, hear this: I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; From the time that it was, I was there. And now the Lord God and His Spirit Have sent Me.” 17 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, The Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, Who teaches you to profit, Who leads you by the way you should go. 18 Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, And your righteousness like the waves of the sea. 19 Your descendants also would have been like the sand, And the offspring of your body like the grains of sand; His name would not have been cut off Nor destroyed from before Me.” 20 Go forth from Babylon! Flee from the Chaldeans! With a voice of singing, Declare, proclaim this, Utter it to the end of the earth; Say, “The Lord has redeemed His servant Jacob!” 21 And they did not thirst When He led them through the deserts; He caused the waters to flow from the rock for them; He also split the rock, and the waters gushed out. 22 “There is no peace,” says the Lord, “for the wicked.” The Servant, the Light to the Gentiles 49 “Listen, O coastlands, to Me, And take heed, you peoples from afar! The Lord has called Me from the womb; From the matrix of My mother He has made mention of My name. 2 And He has made My mouth like a sharp sword; In the shadow of His hand He has hidden Me, And made Me a polished shaft; In His quiver He has hidden Me.” 3 “And He said to me, ‘You are My servant, O Israel, In whom I will be glorified.' 4 Then I said, ‘I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and in vain; Yet surely my just reward is with the Lord, And my work with my God.' ” 5 “And now the Lord says, Who formed Me from the womb to be His Servant, To bring Jacob back to Him, So that Israel is gathered to Him (For I shall be glorious in the eyes of the Lord, And My God shall be My strength), 6 Indeed He says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob, And to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, That You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.' ” 7 Thus says the Lord, The Redeemer of Israel, their Holy One, To Him whom man despises, To Him whom the nation abhors, To the Servant of rulers: “Kings shall see and arise, Princes also shall worship, Because of the Lord who is faithful, The Holy One of Israel; And He has chosen You.” 8 Thus says the Lord: “In an acceptable time I have heard You, And in the day of salvation I have helped You; I will preserve You and give You As a covenant to the people, To restore the earth, To cause them to inherit the desolate heritages; 9 That You may say to the prisoners, ‘Go forth,' To those who are in darkness, ‘Show yourselves.' “They shall feed along the roads, And their pastures shall be on all desolate heights. 10 They shall neither hunger nor thirst, Neither heat nor sun shall strike them; For He who has mercy on them will lead them, Even by the springs of water He will guide them. 11 I will make each of My mountains a road, And My highways shall be elevated. 12 Surely these shall come from afar; Look! Those from the north and the west, And these from the land of Sinim.” 13 Sing, O heavens! Be joyful, O earth! And break out in singing, O mountains! For the Lord has comforted His people, And will have mercy on His afflicted. God Will Remember Zion 14 But Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me, And my Lord has forgotten me.” 15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child, And not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, Yet I will not forget you. 16 See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands; Your walls are continually before Me. 17 Your sons shall make haste; Your destroyers and those who laid you waste Shall go away from you. 18 Lift up your eyes, look around and see; All these gather together and come to you. As I live,” says the Lord, “You shall surely clothe yourselves with them all as an ornament, And bind them on you as a bride does. 19 “For your waste and desolate places, And the land of your destruction, Will even now be too small for the inhabitants; And those who swallowed you up will be far away. 20 The children you will have, After you have lost the others, Will say again in your ears, ‘The place is too small for me; Give me a place where I may dwell.' 21 Then you will say in your heart, ‘Who has begotten these for me, Since I have lost my children and am desolate, A captive, and wandering to and fro? And who has brought these up? There I was, left alone; But these, where were they?' ” 22 Thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I will lift My hand in an oath to the nations, And set up My standard for the peoples; They shall bring your sons in their arms, And your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders; 23 Kings shall be your foster fathers, And their queens your nursing mothers; They shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth, And lick up the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord, For they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me.” 24 Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, Or the captives of the righteous be delivered? 25 But thus says the Lord: “Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, And the prey of the terrible be delivered; For I will contend with him who contends with you, And I will save your children. 26 I will feed those who oppress you with their own flesh, And they shall be drunk with their own blood as with sweet wine. All flesh shall know That I, the Lord, am your Savior, And your Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob.” The Servant, Israel's Hope 50 Thus says the Lord: “Where is the certificate of your mother's divorce, Whom I have put away? Or which of My creditors is it to whom I have sold you? For your iniquities you have sold yourselves, And for your transgressions your mother has been put away. 2 Why, when I came, was there no man? Why, when I called, was there none to answer? Is My hand shortened at all that it cannot redeem? Or have I no power to deliver? Indeed with My rebuke I dry up the sea, I make the rivers a wilderness; Their fish stink because there is no water, And die of thirst. 3 I clothe the heavens with blackness, And I make sackcloth their covering.” 4 “The Lord God has given Me The tongue of the learned, That I should know how to speak A word in season to him who is weary. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear To hear as the learned. 5 The Lord God has opened My ear; And I was not rebellious, Nor did I turn away. 6 I gave My back to those who struck Me, And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting. 7 “For the Lord God will help Me; Therefore I will not be disgraced; Therefore I have set My face like a flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed. 8 He is near who justifies Me; Who will contend with Me? Let us stand together. Who is My adversary? Let him come near Me. 9 Surely the Lord God will help Me; Who is he who will condemn Me? Indeed they will all grow old like a garment; The moth will eat them up. 10 “Who among you fears the Lord? Who obeys the voice of His Servant? Who walks in darkness And has no light? Let him trust in the name of the Lord And rely upon his God. 11 Look, all you who kindle a fire, Who encircle yourselves with sparks: Walk in the light of your fire and in the sparks you have kindled— This you shall have from My hand: You shall lie down in torment. The Lord Comforts Zion 51 “Listen to Me, you who follow after righteousness, You who seek the Lord: Look to the rock from which you were hewn, And to the hole of the pit from which you were dug. 2 Look to Abraham your father, And to Sarah who bore you; For I called him alone, And blessed him and increased him.” 3 For the Lord will comfort Zion, He will comfort all her waste places; He will make her wilderness like Eden, And her desert like the garden of the Lord; Joy and gladness will be found in it, Thanksgiving and the voice of melody. 4 “Listen to Me, My people; And give ear to Me, O My nation: For law will proceed from Me, And I will make My justice rest As a light of the peoples. 5 My righteousness is near, My salvation has gone forth, And My arms will judge the peoples; The coastlands will wait upon Me, And on My arm they will trust. 6 Lift up your eyes to the heavens, And look on the earth beneath. For the heavens will vanish away like smoke, The earth will grow old like a garment, And those who dwell in it will die in like manner; But My salvation will be forever, And My righteousness will not be abolished. 7 “Listen to Me, you who know righteousness, You people in whose heart is My law: Do not fear the reproach of men, Nor be afraid of their insults. 8 For the moth will eat them up like a garment, And the worm will eat them like wool; But My righteousness will be forever, And My salvation from generation to generation.” 9 Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the Lord! Awake as in the ancient days, In the generations of old. Are You not the arm that cut Rahab apart, And wounded the serpent? 10 Are You not the One who dried up the sea, The waters of the great deep; That made the depths of the sea a road For the redeemed to cross over? 11 So the ransomed of the Lord shall return, And come to Zion with singing, With everlasting joy on their heads. They shall obtain joy and gladness; Sorrow and sighing shall flee away. 12 “I, even I, am He who comforts you. Who are you that you should be afraid Of a man who will die, And of the son of a man who will be made like grass? 13 And you forget the Lord your Maker, Who stretched out the heavens And laid the foundations of the earth; You have feared continually every day Because of the fury of the oppressor, When he has prepared to destroy. And where is the fury of the oppressor? 14 The captive exile hastens, that he may be loosed, That he should not die in the pit, And that his bread should not fail. 15 But I am the Lord your God, Who divided the sea whose waves roared— The Lord of hosts is His name. 16 And I have put My words in your mouth; I have covered you with the shadow of My hand, That I may plant the heavens, Lay the foundations of the earth, And say to Zion, ‘You are My people.' ” God's Fury Removed 17 Awake, awake! Stand up, O Jerusalem, You who have drunk at the hand of the Lord The cup of His fury; You have drunk the dregs of the cup of trembling, And drained it out. 18 There is no one to guide her Among all the sons she has brought forth; Nor is there any who takes her by the hand Among all the sons she has brought up. 19 These two things have come to you; Who will be sorry for you?— Desolation and destruction, famine and sword— By whom will I comfort you? 20 Your sons have fainted, They lie at the head of all the streets, Like an antelope in a net; They are full of the fury of the Lord, The rebuke of your God. 21 Therefore please hear this, you afflicted, And drunk but not with wine. 22 Thus says your Lord, The Lord and your God, Who pleads the cause of His people: “See, I have taken out of your hand The cup of trembling, The dregs of the cup of My fury; You shall no longer drink it. 23 But I will put it into the hand of those who afflict you, Who have said to you, ‘Lie down, that we may walk over you.' And you have laid your body like the ground, And as the street, for those who walk over.” God Redeems Jerusalem 52 Awake, awake! Put on your strength, O Zion; Put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city! For the uncircumcised and the unclean Shall no longer come to you. 2 Shake yourself from the dust, arise; Sit down, O Jerusalem! Loose yourself from the bonds of your neck, O captive daughter of Zion! 3 For thus says the Lord: “You have sold yourselves for nothing, And you shall be redeemed without money.” 4 For thus says the Lord God: “My people went down at first Into Egypt to dwell there; Then the Assyrian oppressed them without cause. 5 Now therefore, what have I here,” says the Lord, “That My people are taken away for nothing? Those who rule over them Make them wail,” says the Lord, “And My name is blasphemed continually every day. 6 Therefore My people shall know My name; Therefore they shall know in that day That I am He who speaks: ‘Behold, it is I.' ” 7 How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” 8 Your watchmen shall lift up their voices, With their voices they shall sing together; For they shall see eye to eye When the Lord brings back Zion. 9 Break forth into joy, sing together, You waste places of Jerusalem! For the Lord has comforted His people, He has redeemed Jerusalem. 10 The Lord has made bare His holy arm In the eyes of all the nations; And all the ends of the earth shall see The salvation of our God. 11 Depart! Depart! Go out from there, Touch no unclean thing; Go out from the midst of her, Be clean, You who bear the vessels of the Lord. 12 For you shall not go out with haste, Nor go by flight; For the Lord will go before you, And the God of Israel will be your rear guard. The Sin-Bearing Servant 13 Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. 14 Just as many were astonished at you, So His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men; 15 So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; For what had not been told them they shall see, And what they had not heard they shall consider. The Sin-Bearing Messiah 53 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him. 3 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. 4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth. 8 He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken. 9 And they made His grave with the wicked— But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor was any deceit in His mouth. 10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. 11 He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors. Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnGl00h-CJo Duration 37:06
Welcome to The Daily, where we study the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter, every day. And today's shout-out goes to William Hanson from Bagley, MN. William, thank you for your support of Project23. I pray this study will give you peace in your storm today. Our text today is Mark 4:35-41: On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” And leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. And other boats were with him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves were breaking into the boat, so that the boat was already filling. But he was in the stern, asleep on the cushion. And they woke him and said to him, “Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing?” And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” And they were filled with great fear and said to one another, “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?” — Mark 4:35-41 It started as a simple boat ride across the lake. But halfway through, everything changed. A sudden storm. Water crashing in. Panic is setting in. And where's Jesus? Peacefully asleep—on a cushion. That image alone speaks volumes: Jesus, undisturbed, while chaos rages. The disciples, frantic, ask the question many of us whisper when life gets hard: “Do you not care?” But Jesus does more than care—he commands. He stands up, rebukes the wind, and speaks peace over the storm: “Peace! Be still!” And just like that, the elements of life obey. The storm stops. Here's the kicker: the storm outside wasn't the biggest one. The real storm was inside them—fear, doubt, forgetfulness. And Jesus quiets that, too, with a question that echoes into our own lives: “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?” The storms of life are inevitable. But panic is optional when Jesus is in your boat. Because the One who commands the sea also calms the soul. And the more we walk with him, the more we learn: Jesus may not always stop the storm before it hits—but he always brings peace in the middle of it. Lay the storm in your soul on the cushion of Jesus. You know you can't control your present storm. But he can. #FaithInTheStorm, #PeaceBeStill, #Mark43541 ASK THIS: What fears rise in you when life feels out of control? How have you seen Jesus bring peace in past storms? Why do you think Jesus asked, “Have you still no faith?” What does it mean for you to rest like Jesus—even in chaos? DO THIS: Speak the words “Peace, be still” over one area of your life today—and trust Jesus to meet you in it. PRAY THIS: Jesus, when fear fills my heart, remind me that you are present and powerful in every storm. Help me trust your peace more than I fear the waves. Amen. PLAY THIS: Still.
This week, the Queens are fulfilling their civic duty by casting their votes in the annual Lay's Do Us a Flavor Contest. Will this year's candidates rise to the crispy crunchy occasion?
Max Pennington is the Co-Founder & CEO of CLEANR, an innovative company that uses filters to prevent microplastics from entering water streams. Max graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Chemical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University, where he co-developed CLEANR's innovative VORTX filtration technologyb. Inspired by nature, VORTX biomimcry is capable of removing over 90% of microplastics from washing machine wastewater. Microplastics pollution is a severe and growing environmental crisis, with trillions of tiny plastic particles contaminating ecosystems worldwide, affecting marine life, human health, and the overall environmental balance. Under Max's leadership, CLEANR has garnered significant recognition, including the American Filtration and Separation Society's New Product of the Year Award for 2024, and has raised approximately $7 million in funding, positioning it at the forefront of the fight against microplastics pollutionWith washing machines identified as the #1 source of microplastic pollution, CLEANR's biomimicry filtration solutions are not only essential but increasingly requisite. The company is actively partnering with major universities and sustainability organizations, implementing their retrofit filters at campuses nationwide and is collaborating closely with leading global washing machine manufacturers to integrate VORTX directly into new appliances, aiming to make sustainability an effortless choice for consumers.I came away from this conversation inspired as Max exudes passion for solving this problem and has been incredibly impressive organize to that end. Please enjoy this awesome conversation with Max Pennington00:00:00 - The Invisible Crisis of Microplastics 00:08:51 - The ThinkBox: A Hub for Innovation 00:15:14 - Engineering Solutions: The Vortex Filter 00:22:52 - Cleaner: A Filtration Technology Company 00:29:43 - Navigating Market Strategies and Regulations 00:36:16 - Understanding the Challenge of Selling Solutions 00:38:55 - Fundraising and Vision for Cleaner 00:42:17 - Iterative Design and Prototyping Process 00:45:55 - Differentiation and Competitive Strategy 00:48:20 - Excitement for Market Launch and Consumer Impact 00:51:28 - Leadership Lessons from the Entrepreneurial Journey 00:54:45 - Overcoming Challenges in Product Development 00:58:03 - Radical Ideas for Addressing Microplastic Pollution 01:02:25 - Cleveland's Role in the Fight Against Microplastics 01:03:55 - Hidden Gem-----LINKS:https://www.cleanr.life/https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-t-pennington/-----SPONSOR:Roundstone InsuranceRoundstone Insurance is proud to sponsor Lay of The Land. Founder and CEO, Michael Schroeder, has committed full-year support for the podcast, recognizing its alignment with the company's passion for entrepreneurship, innovation, and community leadership.Headquartered in Rocky River, Ohio, Roundstone was founded in 2005 with a vision to deliver better healthcare outcomes at a more affordable cost. To bring that vision to life, the company pioneered the group medical captive model — a self-funded health insurance solution that provides small and mid-sized businesses with greater control and significant savings.Over the past two decades, Roundstone has grown rapidly, creating nearly 200 jobs in Northeast Ohio. The company works closely with employers and benefits advisors to navigate the complexities of commercial health insurance and build custom plans that prioritize employee well-being over shareholder returns. By focusing on aligned incentives and better health outcomes, Roundstone is helping businesses save thousands in Per Employee Per Year healthcare costs.Roundstone Insurance — Built for entrepreneurs. Backed by innovation. Committed to Cleveland.-----Stay up to date by signing up for Lay of The Land's weekly newsletter — sign up here.Past guests include Justin Bibb (Mayor of Cleveland), Pat Conway (Great Lakes Brewing), Steve Potash (OverDrive), Umberto P. Fedeli (The Fedeli Group), Lila Mills (Signal Cleveland), Stewart Kohl (The Riverside Company), Mitch Kroll (Findaway — Acquired by Spotify), and over 200 other Cleveland Entrepreneurs.Connect with Jeffrey Stern on LinkedIn — https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffreypstern/Follow Lay of The Land on X @podlayofthelandhttps://www.jeffreys.page/
It's Episode 287 of the I'm Fat Podcast. This week, the fellas discuss Labriola Ristorante, the new Melted Ice Pop Bubly, a new variety of Lay's, and much more! YOUTUBE: youtube.com/c/imfatpodcastMERCH: imfatmerch.comSPONSORS: Frato's Culinary Kitchen (use code IMFAT to save 10% on online orders), Mazda of Orland Park, Nik and Ivy Brewing Co. in LockportSUPPORT: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/im-fat-podcast/support
5:1 Rebuke not an elder, but intreat him as a father; and the younger men as brethren; 5:2 The elder women as mothers; the younger as sisters, with all purity. 5:3 Honour widows that are widows indeed. 5:4 But if any widow have children or nephews, let them learn first to shew piety at home, and to requite their parents: for that is good and acceptable before God. 5:5 Now she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day. 5:6 But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth. 5:7 And these things give in charge, that they may be blameless. 5:8 But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel. 5:9 Let not a widow be taken into the number under threescore years old, having been the wife of one man. 5:10 Well reported of for good works; if she have brought up children, if she have lodged strangers, if she have washed the saints' feet, if she have relieved the afflicted, if she have diligently followed every good work. 5:11 But the younger widows refuse: for when they have begun to wax wanton against Christ, they will marry; 5:12 Having damnation, because they have cast off their first faith. 5:13 And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. 5:14 I will therefore that the younger women marry, bear children, guide the house, give none occasion to the adversary to speak reproachfully. 5:15 For some are already turned aside after Satan. 5:16 If any man or woman that believeth have widows, let them relieve them, and let not the church be charged; that it may relieve them that are widows indeed. 5:17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine. 5:18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward. 5:19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses. 5:20 Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear. 5:21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality. 5:22 Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure. 5:23 Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach's sake and thine often infirmities. 5:24 Some men's sins are open beforehand, going before to judgment; and some men they follow after. 5:25 Likewise also the good works of some are manifest beforehand; and they that are otherwise cannot be hid. 6:1 Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour, that the name of God and his doctrine be not blasphemed. 6:2 And they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren; but rather do them service, because they are faithful and beloved, partakers of the benefit. These things teach and exhort.
Ben Mills is the Vice President of Sales at Carden & Associates, one of the largest crop insurance agencies in the nation. With decades of experience working directly with farmers and ranchers across the Southeast, Ben brings a grounded perspective on the challenges and opportunities within agricultural risk management. Hosted by Trent Saunders, Senior Advisor at Saunders Land, this episode covers how crop insurance can apply to various operations, including citrus, tomatoes, peppers, row crops like corn, cotton, soybeans, and peanuts, and even livestock. Ben shares practical strategies for managing weather-related risks, explains how recent Farm Bill changes affect coverage, and clears up common misconceptions around eligibility, actual production history (APH), and the complexity of crop insurance policies. Carden & Associates is an event sponsor of the Lay of the Land Georgia Conference on August 21, 2025 in Thomasville. Register today at: SaundersLand.com/Georgia-Conference. Learn more at SaundersRealEstate.com and CardenInsurance.com.
It's Episode 287 of the I'm Fat Podcast. This week, the fellas discuss Labriola Ristorante, the new Melted Ice Pop Bubly, a new variety of Lay's, and much more! YOUTUBE: youtube.com/c/imfatpodcastMERCH: imfatmerch.comSPONSORS: Frato's Culinary Kitchen (use code IMFAT to save 10% on online orders), Mazda of Orland Park, Nik and Ivy Brewing Co. in LockportSUPPORT: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/im-fat-podcast/support
Over the years, I've spent lots of time in hospitals as we navigate keeping Craig healthy despite his genetic heart issues. This past week was another week spent in the hospital for us and even though we've done this so many more times than we would like… Every time I come out with a new perspective in someway or a new thoughts on really how to keep your health as the highest priority in life and what I think is the best way to keep all your records and information organized and how to advocate for yourself. One of my favorite things about podcasting and connecting with friends is sharing experiences because we're all in different situations every day so we learn different things. I'm grateful to have the opportunity to share our journey and the tips and lessons from being in such extreme situation at times and the take-aways that I think are most valuable to everyone. We're talking about keeping good notes, showing gratitude to those helping you, staying calm and not letting overwhelming emotions take over and prioritizing the entire family when anyone is going through something hard. -Email for health records -Notes on your phone for each person- one for overall history and one more meds/supplements -Book with everything printed -Being realistic but optimistic -Caring for whole family (Craig kept telling me to go be with the kids) -Letting people know whats going on in your world so you get the extra support -Stay strong minded and not weak - people help you more -Ask questions and take notes -Know people's names, show gratitude in anyway you can -Keep loving & doing normal feeling things through it -Even if nobody has issues - keep good records as you go -Even if you have so many years so go through - loop in doctors to help you -Push for doctors to connect with each other -Consider concierge if you need it -Get your team of doctors going before you really need it -Keep health a top priority by reminding yourself that it is a top priority - on your weekly list of things to do -Don't wait when you feel like something is off -Don't eat hospital food - it's not good enough for when you're healing -Do your own research for little things that can help- and ask doctors - juicing, supplements etc. -Lay out clearly who you are the health quarterback for, then do all of this for them. It's your most important job. CHEERS to us, the health quarterbacks!
In this episode of Building the Base, Hondo Geurts and Lauren Bedula are joined by James Parker and Chris Lay, co-founding partners of Leonid Capital Partners, a private credit fund supporting the US national security ecosystem. Drawing from their unique backgrounds in astrophysics and neuroscience, Parker and Lay discuss how their innovative lending approach fills a critical gap in defense tech financing, offering credit facilities based on government contracts rather than traditional equity investments.Five key takeaways from today's episode:Traditional banks won't lend against government contracts due to 30-day cancellation clauses, creating a significant financing gap that specialized credit funds like Leonid can fill by lending 50-60% of contract values at set interest rates rather than taking equity stakes.Trusted capital is essential for national security, with clean funding sources becoming increasingly important as private investment surges into defense tech, requiring deliberate vetting to avoid potential foreign influence or undue investor pressure.Mission-driven business models can accelerate growth, with Leonid's commitment to donate 50% of profits creating competitive advantages through stronger relationships, advisory connections, and credibility with service-disabled veteran-owned businesses.Policy changes could unlock more private investment in national security, particularly through preferential tax treatment for investors in critical defense initiatives while potentially removing tax advantages for investments in adversarial economies.Cross-sector talent recruitment requires both patriotic appeal and economic incentives, with successful defense tech companies like Palantir and Anduril demonstrating that technical talent will engage with national security missions when there's potential for both meaningful impact and financial success.
In this episode of Hurt to Healing, Pandora is joined by writer and filmmaker Rebecca Frayn, who opens up about her battle with chronic illness, debilitating anxiety, and the harrowing experience of Xanax withdrawal.Rebecca shares how a severe health crisis triggered a cascade of physical and mental struggles, culminating in a full nervous system collapse during the pandemic. She speaks candidly about the reality of waking up with "a gun to the head" kind of fear, the quiet shame of high-functioning breakdowns, and the difficult decision to enter rehab for a short-term prescription addiction that turned into something far more gripping.Together, Pandora and Rebecca explore:What extreme anxiety really feels like behind closed doorsThe hidden risks of benzodiazepine dependency — even in short-term useThe power of honesty, vulnerability, and telling people: “I'm not okay”How regenerative farming and nature became a vital part of her recoveryNavigating eco-grief and finding hope in a world on fireThe daily rituals that helped her slowly rebuild her mental healthNow thriving after what she calls the most transformative year of her life, Rebecca offers a message of hope to anyone feeling like they can't go on: Start small. Lay a single brick. And know that it all adds up.This is a conversation about resilience, self-compassion, and the quiet power of starting over—at any age.Find Rebecca:Website: https://www.rebeccafrayn.com/Stay Connected with Hurt to Healing:Instagram: instagram.com/hurttohealingpodTikTok: tiktok.com/@hurttohealingpodLinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/hurt-to-healingSubstack: substack.com/@hurttohealingWebsite: hurttohealing.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Let's talk about the importance of language when it comes to the word SHOULD. I always love to hear from you: askanassistant.com Book a 1:1 with me: jesslindgren.com/coaching Lay your comments, questions, thoughts, and concerns on me. Have an awesome week! xo Jess Want a note from me and my IBM Selectric II typewriter? Write to me here and I'll type back soon: Jess Lindgren 4465 E Genesee Street STE 114 Syracuse, NY 13214
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1-2 NLTSet apart for the gospel of God. Romans 1:1 CSBThose who live a life faithful to God must see themselves as set apart for His mission. 1) Set aside your time and attention for relationship with God.From the beginning of the mission the disciples were told the priority and gifted the promise of nearness.Be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Matthew 28:20 NLTIt was Moses' practice to take the Tent of Meeting and set it up some distance from the camp. Everyone who wanted to make a request of the LORD would go to the Tent of Meeting outside the camp. Exodus 33:7 NLTAfterward Moses would return to the camp, but the young man who assisted him, Joshua son of Nun, would remain behind in the Tent of Meeting. Exodus 33:11 NLT Specific time set aside, plus an all day everyday intentional attentiveness to Holy Spirit's presence, are both key to a life lived set apart for relationship with God.Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! 1 Chronicles 16:11ESV2) Lay aside the sin and weight! I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1 NLTTherefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1 ESVCarrying unrepentant sin and rebellion will wear you out no matter how great you effort to do good for God. But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods. Daniel 1:8 NLTAt the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king. Daniel 1:15 NLTA life set apart for mission start's with consecrated choosing and God's best wisdom for personal growth and freedom! That means you must not give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives. Don't give it the time of day. Don't even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life. Throw yourselves in wholeheartedly and full-time, and remember, you've been raised from the dead, into God's way of doing things. Sin can't tell you how to live. After all, you're not living under that old tyranny any longer. You're living in the freedom of God. Romans 6:12-14 MSG3) Lay down your life for God And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will. Mark 14:35-36 ESVHe has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8 ESVPride has always been the enemies greatest weapon against those that would be warriors on mission with God.He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:30 ESVI appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1 NLTLife's greatest joy is found in giving who you are completely to God and His mission.
I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1-2 NLTSet apart for the gospel of God. Romans 1:1 CSBThose who live a life faithful to God must see themselves as set apart for His mission. 1) Set aside your time and attention for relationship with God.From the beginning of the mission the disciples were told the priority and gifted the promise of nearness.Be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Matthew 28:20 NLTIt was Moses' practice to take the Tent of Meeting and set it up some distance from the camp. Everyone who wanted to make a request of the LORD would go to the Tent of Meeting outside the camp. Exodus 33:7 NLTAfterward Moses would return to the camp, but the young man who assisted him, Joshua son of Nun, would remain behind in the Tent of Meeting. Exodus 33:11 NLT Specific time set aside, plus an all day everyday intentional attentiveness to Holy Spirit's presence, are both key to a life lived set apart for relationship with God.Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! 1 Chronicles 16:11ESV2) Lay aside the sin and weight! I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1 NLTTherefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us. Hebrews 12:1 ESVCarrying unrepentant sin and rebellion will wear you out no matter how great you effort to do good for God. But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods. Daniel 1:8 NLTAt the end of the ten days, Daniel and his three friends looked healthier and better nourished than the young men who had been eating the food assigned by the king. Daniel 1:15 NLTA life set apart for mission start's with consecrated choosing and God's best wisdom for personal growth and freedom! That means you must not give sin a vote in the way you conduct your lives. Don't give it the time of day. Don't even run little errands that are connected with that old way of life. Throw yourselves in wholeheartedly and full-time, and remember, you've been raised from the dead, into God's way of doing things. Sin can't tell you how to live. After all, you're not living under that old tyranny any longer. You're living in the freedom of God. Romans 6:12-14 MSG3) Lay down your life for God And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will. Mark 14:35-36 ESVHe has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8 ESVPride has always been the enemies greatest weapon against those that would be warriors on mission with God.He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:30 ESVI appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1 NLTLife's greatest joy is found in giving who you are completely to God and His mission.
Join hosts Josh and Kendrick on Where There's A Willis There's A Way - A Bruce Willis Podcast as they dive into the lively rom-com caper Lay the Favorite, starring Bruce Willis, Rebecca Hall, and Vince Vaughn. In this episode, we break down how this quirky film, rooted in a real-life memoir, holds up today. From Bruce's charismatic performance to the high-energy antics, we explore the movie's charm, its place in Willis' iconic career, and whether it delivers the goods. Perfect for Bruce Willis fans and rom-com lovers alike! Tune in for laughs, insights, and our signature deep dive into all things WillisCheck us out at: williswaypod.comJosh's Ranking of Bruce Willis Films: https://letterboxd.com/cosmicjosh/list/bruce-willis-ranked/Kendrick's Ranking of Bruce Willis Films: https://letterboxd.com/special_k/list/bruce-willis-ranked/Email us: williswaypod@gmail.comDiscord link: https://discord.gg/W4AjJeU7WH
The Great Barrier Reef is the largest reef system in the world. Covering an area of 135,000 square miles, it is bigger than the United Kingdom, Holland and Switzerland combined. Lay it out across Europe and it would reach from London to Moscow, making it is the largest living structure in the world and the only one visible from outer space. Today, we're going to the best place in the world to experience it: Tropical North Queensland. And we're in good company with Dr Eric Fisher, a marine biologist who specializes in the Great Barrier Reef. This is a conversation is about one of the great wonders of the natural world, and what it's like to see it first-hand. But it's also about something special that Eric has introduced: Dreamtime Dives. Most experiences on the reef tell its story from a western viewpoint. Eric has developed a new program where you can explore it from an indigenous perspective too. Guided by Aboriginal Sea Rangers, whose connection to the reef stretches back over 60,000 years, it's an opportunity to see the reef from a new perspective, and in doing so perhaps learn things about the reef we never knew before. FIND OUT MORE Thanks again to Down Under Endeavours for partnering with us on this episode. They are the Tropical North Queensland experts and helped to connect us with the awesome guest you heard from today. If the Great Barrier Reef is on your bucket list, head over to DownUnderEndeavours.com/Armchair to find out how you can see it for yourself. They've got lots of great ideas, and you book with them you'll get $500 off your next trip. It's a great way to support the show. (and please note my American friends, ‘endeavour' is spelt the proper British way with a U at the end ) CONNECT WITH TODAY'S GUEST Experience Dreamtime Dive & Snorkel at ReefUnlimited.com Find out more about Eric's research and conservation work at gbrbiology.com If you're into real stories of epic places told by the people who've lived them, make sure to subscribe—that way you choose the adventure, not the algorithm. Instagram: @armchairexplorerpodcast ____________________________________________________________________________ Presented by: Aaron Millar Audio & Sound Design: Charles Tyrie Produced by: Armchair Productions Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Send us a message! We love hearing from our listeners.In the poignant episode, hosts Ashley and CJ delve into a heartfelt conversation with Heather about the devastating loss of her 11-year-old daughter, Parker, to a rare pediatric cancer. Heather recounts Parker's journey, diagnosed at nine, filled with hope and struggles, and the aftermath of navigating life without her.Heather shares the profound impact of grief on her family, transitioning from five to four members, and how each copes differently. She emphasizes the importance of keeping Parker's memory alive, integrating her spirit into daily life, and learning to live with a new family dynamic. Heather discusses grief misconceptions, noting that time alone doesn't heal and underscores the necessity of actively processing grief alongside supportive individuals willing to discuss and remember Parker.A yoga teacher, Heather finds solace in teaching and channels her energy into the Little P Project, a nonprofit founded in Parker's memory. The organization advocates for better research, treatments, and vital support for children fighting cancer and their families, reflecting Heather's commitment to creating meaning from loss.The episode also critiques the language surrounding cancer, highlighting the challenges of living with the disease beyond survival. Personal stories shared by Heather and CJ underscore the hidden struggles and traumas experienced in the shadow of illness.Ultimately, Heather's journey is one of resilience and enduring love, offering listeners insights into the complexities of grief and the courage to honor loved ones in moving forward. Her story conveys a powerful message of strength, hope, and the significance of community and remembrance in the healing journey.--A personal note from the hosts: After much reflection, we've decided that this season of "The Day After" will be our final one. It has been a profound honor to share this journey through grief with all of you. As CJ steps back to focus on other ventures, we want to express our deepest gratitude for your support, your stories, and your willingness to navigate these difficult conversations alongside us. Though the podcast is ending, we hope the conversations about grief and loss continue, and that our episodes remain a resource for those who need them. If you've found comfort in our discussions, Ashley and Liz will continue Sit, Lay, Rest - our pet grief podcast - you can follow them on Instagram at @sitlayrest. Thank you for being part of our community. Music by Servidio Music
What if the very thing you thought disqualified you from grace was the story God would use to set others free? In this raw and redemptive conversation, Pastors Josh Howerton and Carlos Erazo sit down with special guest Joshua Broome, a former adult film actor turned passionate advocate for Jesus, to explore the power of healing, identity, and spiritual transformation. From tackling the porn epidemic to reclaiming biblical intimacy, this dialogue offers hope for anyone feeling trapped in shame or stuck in silence. Whether you're walking through brokenness or walking alongside someone who is, this conversation points to the freedom found only in Christ. Let's talk about the kind of grace that doesn't flinch at your past—and the kind of God who doesn't leave you there.
For this episode, we're going back to episode 1431, featuring my chat with Ollie Whitfield. He shares how you can use LinkedIn features to your advantage. Listen to learn how to use LinkedIn voice messages and videos to schedule more appointments.Using LinkedIn Voice Messages for Effective AppointmentsThe LinkedIn voice message is something new and not many people have seen it before. That's why many are prompted to open it and listen to it.LinkedIn voice messages show that you're giving effort; it's a slightly elevated way of showing your desire to build a connection with others.Showing your face or letting other people hear your voice improves your outreach. A mere text cannot convey your body language or your tone.A video message allows the prospects to see your mannerisms and that helps in building trust between people and implores them to do business with you.Improving Your Video Messages or Voice Messages on LinkedInThink of it as a very targeted approach. You can't send video messages or voice messages to everyone. Pick the right people to send the messages to.Instead of going through all the other channels, take it directly to the decision-makers and have a great chat with them.Make it a seamless conversation. Make sure not to send a voice message right off the bat. Set the expectation first. You can send a written message first, a heads up that you're sending a voice note on a certain subject.Lay the foundation first before sending the voice or video message so that they know what's coming their way.Ollie also curates content and posts it on LinkedIn. He takes note of the people who engage with his posts, lists the names of the people who engaged and fall under his ideal client profile, and then connects with them. Following up with these people with a video makes the outreach personalizedResearch the people you're going to send videos to. Don't jump into doing videos right away. Do your research and think of what you're going to say before you make the video.“LinkedIn voice messages show more effort and wanting to make a human-to-human connection instead of just sending a regular message.” - Ollie Whitfield.ResourcesFollow Ollie Whitfield on LinkedIn. Sponsorship OffersThis episode is brought to you in part by Hubspot.With HubSpot sales hubs, your data tools and teams join a single platform to close deals and turn prospects into pipelines. Try it for yourself at hubspot.com/sales.This episode is brought to you in part by LinkedIn.Are you tired of prospective clients not responding to your emails? Sign up for a free 60-day trial of LinkedIn Sales Navigator at linkedin.com/tse.This episode is brought to you in part by the TSE Sales Foundation.Improve your connection on LinkedIn and land three or five appointments with our LinkedIn prospecting course. Go to the salesevangelist.com/linkedin.CreditsAs one of our podcast listeners, we value your opinion and always want to improve the quality of our show. Complete our two-minute survey here:
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