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Episode 289WTB WoodworkingCheck out WTBwoodworking.com for all your woodworking needs! In store specials, Giveaways, custom wood milling, and more!Huntingdon Valley PA Store now open!Enter the giveaway by going to:https://www.wtbwoodworking.com/giveaway Sign up for Patreon for Early access, and special Patreon-only content:https://www.patreon.com/anotherwoodshoppodcastPATREON GIVEAWAY!Donate to Maker's For St. JudeEvery $5 earns you an extra entry in the Patreon Giveaway (Paid Patrons Only)https://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR?px=8679481&fr_id=134326&pg=personal Whats on our bench:
In todays show we talk with former maker and Stevens Point basketball player Seth MironToday we have a great conversation with Caleb Frazer Northern Iowa football player and former Maker.TOPICS COVERED1. Caleb talks about how he fell in love with football and realized he wanted to play in college.1. Seth discusses the biggest adjustment from high school to college come to an end.2. Seth talks about balancing multiple sports3. Seth talks about D3 sports and why athletes shouldn't think this level is below them.4 We discuss how losing a key player during the season impacts the team.5 Seth gives his get your edge advice.If you enjoy the podcast please share it with your athletes- teachers- parents and other coaches.Help us grow our GET YOUR EDGE community and share the podcast.#chop-itGET YOUR EDGE PODCASTInstagram and X- @getyouredgepodDean Contactwww.foxvalleythrowsclub.comInstagram and X- @foxvalleythrowsBrian Contactwww.sportsadvantedge.comInstagram- @sportsadvantedge / @brianbott23X- @botter23 / @sportadvantedgeEmail- Brian@sportsadvantedge.comGraphics and Logo- Bailey MarashInstagram and X- @bmarasch13#foxvalleythrows #getyouredge #sportsadvantedge #hardwork #athlete #makernation #foxvalley #fireit #feedthecats #loadthedawgs #dynamicfitness
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260314dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8 Live Today in Confidence This isn’t an easy part of the Bible to read. It says some very uncomfortable things about us. Here, the apostle Paul describes us as “ungodly” and “sinners.” Those aren’t pleasant descriptors. But unfortunately, they are accurate. And, because of our ungodly ways and our sinful thoughts, words and actions, our Maker could have let us die in those sins and be separated from him forever. It is what we would have deserved. But instead, God chose to love us! Yes, in an amazing act of HIS will, he determined that he would come to this earth for you and me and all people, would live for us, would die for us. In an amazing act of his will, he determined to save us. In an amazing act of love, Christ came and died in our place. God has chosen to love us with the most amazing love ever. So, you can live today in confidence, knowing that God is on your side, knowing that God loves you dearly! Prayer: Assure me that you have chosen to love me, dear Savior. Fill me with peace because of it. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260314dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:6-8 Live Today in Confidence This isn’t an easy part of the Bible to read. It says some very uncomfortable things about us. Here, the apostle Paul describes us as “ungodly” and “sinners.” Those aren’t pleasant descriptors. But unfortunately, they are accurate. And, because of our ungodly ways and our sinful thoughts, words and actions, our Maker could have let us die in those sins and be separated from him forever. It is what we would have deserved. But instead, God chose to love us! Yes, in an amazing act of HIS will, he determined that he would come to this earth for you and me and all people, would live for us, would die for us. In an amazing act of his will, he determined to save us. In an amazing act of love, Christ came and died in our place. God has chosen to love us with the most amazing love ever. So, you can live today in confidence, knowing that God is on your side, knowing that God loves you dearly! Prayer: Assure me that you have chosen to love me, dear Savior. Fill me with peace because of it. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
It's This Week in Bourbon for March 13th 2026. Buffalo Trace Tried doing a new online bottle release system, Uncle Nearest is back in the news with hiding a $20M loan, and Maker's Mark launches its Wood Finishing Series: The Stewards Release.Show Notes: Five Southern Glazer's executives indicted for eight-year bribery and shelf-placement scheme Farm Credit Mid-America alleges Uncle Nearest funneled $20M loan to hide assets Sazerac takes control of Garrard County Distilling Co. after purchasing $26M debt Give 270 receives $11,350 grant from Karis Management Group for community support National Bourbon Week returns to Bardstown June 14–21 with 10 partner distilleries Milam & Greene launches Bluebonnet Bourbon benefiting Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center New Riff debuts 2026 Silver Grove series featuring six-year Bourbon and Rye Kentucky Senator honors Jim Bunning with seventh small batch release aged 8.5 years Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What Is Your Rock? The Danger of Trusting Wealth Instead of God What is your rock? In a world where investments, real estate, and retirement accounts are rising faster than ever, it's easy for our hearts to slowly shift from trusting God to trusting our wealth. In this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast, Rob explores the powerful warning from Psalm 62:10: "Though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them." Financial growth isn't the problem. The real danger is when our hearts begin to rest in money instead of God. King David understood this tension well. Though he was incredibly wealthy, his peace and security didn't come from his kingdom, armies, or possessions. His confidence came from God alone. David declared: "Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken." (Psalm 62) In today's world of market surges, investment growth, and financial success, this message is more relevant than ever. As wealth increases, faith can sometimes decrease. In this episode, Rob challenges us to examine a critical question: Where is your heart really anchored? Is your confidence in the market—or in the Master? In This Episode You'll Learn • Why wealth can quietly pull our hearts away from God • The difference between using money and trusting money • Why the Bible warns about the deceitfulness of wealth • How King David modeled generosity even in great success • Why retirement should never become spiritual retirement • How to use your blessings to build something that lasts eternally A Powerful Question to Ask Yourself What or who is your rock right now? Are you trusting in markets or in your Maker? God never intended wealth to be the foundation of your life. It's meant to be a tool for eternal impact. Scripture Featured Psalm 62:10 Psalm 62:1–2 Resources Mentioned
But we also have confirmation on PC gems coming to Xbox and a more immersive Google Maps experience.Starring Tom Merritt and Huyen Tue Dao.Show notes can be found here. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260312dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Psalm 95:6-7 Under His Care Imagine a shepherd who takes care of sheep. However, he is only concerned about making sure that they have food to eat. As long as the grass is growing in the field, nothing else matters. Or he only thinks about providing shelter. As long as the barn or the sheep pen is in good repair, he thinks he’s done his job. Such a shepherd won’t be a shepherd for long. The sheep may be well fed but have no protection from wolves that want to attack. They may have shelter but lack the basic food and water they need to survive. No, that would be unthinkable. A shepherd needs to attend to all the needs of his sheep. Today’s Bible verse invites us to worship the Lord because he is our Maker. Reflecting on all that we are and all that we have from the Lord who made heaven and earth leads us to joyful worship. But then he adds another even greater reason to worship. “He is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.” The God who made us is the Shepherd who cares for us. Who better to care for us than he? He knows our needs, inside and out. He knows the diseases that threaten our bodies and our souls. He sees the wolves that want to attack and destroy us. He knows the nourishment our hearts need not only to survive but to thrive. With his innocent life and death, Jesus crushed Satan’s power to accuse and destroy us, no matter what we've done. With the nourishing food of his Word, he feeds our faith to receive forgiveness and the life he won at the cross. No, not a single need escapes his notice. Not a single need is beyond his care. He consistently, lovingly, and perfectly provides for all our needs. And he blesses us every day with one goal in mind—to bring us safely into his eternal pastures, where we will praise him forever. Prayer: God, my Maker and my Shepherd, I worship and praise you for your perfect love and care for me. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
One of the greatest responsibilities at home is to share your faith with your family. If you have children in your life, how do you pass your faith down to them? The Center for Faith and Family at Olivet Nazarene University exists to help parents and guardians do just that, and Leon and Lindsey from the organization (also co-hosts of the “Faith Together” podcast), join Megan in the studio to share some of those practical things to families can do at home.
On this week's Bourbon Bytes Podcast, we're covering some of the biggest whiskey news stories of the week before diving into a cult-favorite bourbon review. Topics include:
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260312dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Psalm 95:6-7 Under His Care Imagine a shepherd who takes care of sheep. However, he is only concerned about making sure that they have food to eat. As long as the grass is growing in the field, nothing else matters. Or he only thinks about providing shelter. As long as the barn or the sheep pen is in good repair, he thinks he’s done his job. Such a shepherd won’t be a shepherd for long. The sheep may be well fed but have no protection from wolves that want to attack. They may have shelter but lack the basic food and water they need to survive. No, that would be unthinkable. A shepherd needs to attend to all the needs of his sheep. Today’s Bible verse invites us to worship the Lord because he is our Maker. Reflecting on all that we are and all that we have from the Lord who made heaven and earth leads us to joyful worship. But then he adds another even greater reason to worship. “He is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.” The God who made us is the Shepherd who cares for us. Who better to care for us than he? He knows our needs, inside and out. He knows the diseases that threaten our bodies and our souls. He sees the wolves that want to attack and destroy us. He knows the nourishment our hearts need not only to survive but to thrive. With his innocent life and death, Jesus crushed Satan’s power to accuse and destroy us, no matter what we've done. With the nourishing food of his Word, he feeds our faith to receive forgiveness and the life he won at the cross. No, not a single need escapes his notice. Not a single need is beyond his care. He consistently, lovingly, and perfectly provides for all our needs. And he blesses us every day with one goal in mind—to bring us safely into his eternal pastures, where we will praise him forever. Prayer: God, my Maker and my Shepherd, I worship and praise you for your perfect love and care for me. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
No other tools but a CNC!!!! Listen as they talk crazy, do we even need other tools?!?
https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260312dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker; for he is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care. Psalm 95:6-7 Under His Care Imagine a shepherd who takes care of sheep. However, he is only concerned about making sure that they have food to eat. As long as the grass is growing in the field, nothing else matters. Or he only thinks about providing shelter. As long as the barn or the sheep pen is in good repair, he thinks he’s done his job. Such a shepherd won’t be a shepherd for long. The sheep may be well fed but have no protection from wolves that want to attack. They may have shelter but lack the basic food and water they need to survive. No, that would be unthinkable. A shepherd needs to attend to all the needs of his sheep. Today’s Bible verse invites us to worship the Lord because he is our Maker. Reflecting on all that we are and all that we have from the Lord who made heaven and earth leads us to joyful worship. But then he adds another even greater reason to worship. “He is our God and we are the people of his pasture, the flock under his care.” The God who made us is the Shepherd who cares for us. Who better to care for us than he? He knows our needs, inside and out. He knows the diseases that threaten our bodies and our souls. He sees the wolves that want to attack and destroy us. He knows the nourishment our hearts need not only to survive but to thrive. With his innocent life and death, Jesus crushed Satan’s power to accuse and destroy us, no matter what we've done. With the nourishing food of his Word, he feeds our faith to receive forgiveness and the life he won at the cross. No, not a single need escapes his notice. Not a single need is beyond his care. He consistently, lovingly, and perfectly provides for all our needs. And he blesses us every day with one goal in mind—to bring us safely into his eternal pastures, where we will praise him forever. Prayer: God, my Maker and my Shepherd, I worship and praise you for your perfect love and care for me. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
Join us for a memorable conversation with Greg Laurie, a nationally best-selling author and pastor who will draw lessons of hope and transformation in the perils of excess, the agonies of repentance, and the wonder of redemption found in the life stories of several icons of pop music and rock and roll. Join us as Greg traces the journeys, rise, fall, and sometimes the redemption of famous entertainers who were brought to their knees—a great place to look up and finally meet their Maker.Become a Parshall Partner: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/inthemarket/partnersSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tonight on The Pipes Magazine Radio Show, we welcome back pipe maker Nate King for the second installment of our recurring segment, "The State of Nate." Nate has been making pipes since 2005 and holds an honorary Master of Pipes degree from the Chicagoland Pipe Collectors Club. He is also a member of the prestigious Confrérie des Maîtres Pipiers de Saint-Claude. In this episode, Brian and Nate will talk about pipe shapes and trends. They'll also discuss the Muletown Pipe Show, which took place last weekend at BriarWorks, and share some observations from the event and the broader pipe community.
Send a textFoam might not be the flashiest material in gear making, but it's responsible for some of the biggest performance upgrades in your packs and bags. In this episode, we break down how experienced makers actually use foam. Covering real techniques, hard-earned lessons, and the small tricks that make projects come out better. In This Episode, We Cover:When and why to add foam to a project—from shoulder straps and back panels to laptop sleeves and structured bags How thickness, density, and foam type change comfort, structure, and sewability in real builds Practical techniques for cutting, shaping, ventilating, and installing foam cleanly in your projects Maker-tested tips for working with foam on home machines, avoiding common mistakes, and getting better results the first time If you've ever struggled with straps, structure, or padding in your projects, this episode will change the way you do your next build.Guests: Ryan Campbell from the Wandering GoatMatt Evans from Red Paw Packs Products: New X-Pac® Fabrics New Challenge ULTRA 200X ColorsXLPE FoamFind Us on Social Media
What do you do when life takes a devastating turn and God doesn't seem to be helping you? In today’s episode of Faith Over Fear, Jennifer Slattery sits down with retired Air Force brigadier general, chaplain, pastor, and author Bob Page to talk about trusting God in seasons of hardship and uncertainty. Bob shares the powerful story of a life-threatening accident that left him in intensive care while his young family faced an uncertain future. To outside observers, it might have looked as if God had abandoned them. But as Bob reflects on that season, he now sees unmistakable evidence of God’s presence and provision—from a nurse who comforted his injured daughter to unexpected financial provision that sustained his family. Through decades of ministry and personal experience, Bob has learned a profound truth: even when we cannot see or understand God’s ways, we can trust His heart. In this conversation, Jennifer and Bob discuss: Why hardship does not mean God has abandoned us How to speak honestly with God about fear, anger, and confusion The importance of remembering God’s faithfulness in the past How God uses painful seasons to shape our purpose Practical steps to help retrain our minds to see God’s presence Drawing from Scripture, personal stories, and insights from Bob’s book God Is Still for You: 10 Reasons You Can Be Sure When Life Is Hard, this episode offers encouragement for anyone walking through difficult circumstances and uncertainty. Key Scripture Mentioned Psalm 121:1–2 “I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Proverbs 3:5–6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding…” Psalm 9:10 “Those who know your name trust in you…” Lamentations 3:21–23 “Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed…” In This Episode You'll Learn: Why feeling abandoned by God is a common experience during hardship How honest prayer can deepen your relationship with God Why remembering God’s faithfulness strengthens faith How God often prepares us through experiences that seem like detours Practical ways to speak truth to fear Resource referenced: God Is Still For You: Ten Reasons You Can Be Sure Even When Life Is Hard by Bob Page Additional (free) resource you might find helpful: When Fear Strikes: a 7-Day Reset for Anxious Hearts Discussion/Reflective Questions: Have you ever experienced a season when circumstances made you feel as if God had abandoned you? What emotions surfaced during that time? Looking back, can you identify ways God may have been present in that situation—even if you didn’t recognize it at the time? Bob talked about the importance of remembering God’s past faithfulness.What are two or three moments in your life when you clearly saw God provide or guide you? When fear or uncertainty rises, what truths from Scripture help anchor your heart? Bob encouraged listeners to speak honestly with God about their emotions.What might it look like for you to bring your fears or frustrations openly before Him? Is there a situation in your life right now where you’re struggling to trust God’s purposes? How might your perspective shift if you asked God to help you see that situation through the eyes of faith? Connect with Bob Page On his website Find Jennifer Slattery: On her website Instagram Facebook Amazon Subscribe to her free newsletter Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
In one of the biggest BDS victories in Canada to date, Scotiabank no longer holds any shares in the Israeli weapons maker Elbit Systems, according to its latest financial statements released in February. The coalition No Arms in the Arts was centrally involved in the divestment campaign. We speak with Michael DeForge, an author and a cartoonist and an organizer with No Arms in the Arts.
Livestream the Abundance Summit: https://www.abundance360.com/livestream The hosts dive into OpenClaw's explosion—unleashing autonomous local agents on Mac minis that code, create content, and self-evolve 24/7—featuring expert Alex Finn's workflows, org charts of AI "employees," and visions for trillion-dollar agent economies. Get access to metatrends 10+ years before anyone else - https://qr.diamandis.com/metatrends Alex Finn is the Founder/CEO of Creator Buddy & AI-app Maker. He is widely known as a powerhouse in AI coding Peter H. Diamandis, MD, is the Founder of XPRIZE, Singularity University, ZeroG, and A360 Salim Ismail is the founder of OpenExO Dave Blundin is the founder & GP of Link Ventures Dr. Alexander Wissner-Gross is a computer scientist and founder of Reified – My companies: Apply to Dave's and my new fund:https://qr.diamandis.com/linkventureslanding Go to Blitzy to book a free demo and start building today: https://qr.diamandis.com/blitzy Your body is incredibly good at hiding disease. Schedule a call with Fountain Life to add healthy decades to your life, and to learn more about their Memberships: www.fountainlife.com/peter _ Connect with Alex Finn X Linkedin Learn about Creator Buddy Connect with Peter: X Instagram Connect with Dave: X LinkedIn Connect with Salim: X Join Salim's Workshop to build your ExO Connect with Alex Website LinkedIn X Email Substack Spotify Threads Listen to MOONSHOTS: Apple YouTube – *Recorded on February 27th, 2026 *The views expressed by me and all guests are personal opinions and do not constitute Financial, Medical, or Legal advice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This chapter highlights the command that all created things should praise their Maker.
Episode 288Special Guest:Evan Sklarhttps://www.instagram.com/evans_workshophttps://www.youtube.com/@intheshopwithevanOnefinity CNC:The industry standard for at home production CNCs. Ball screw and linear rail construction - No beltsCompatible with all popular software, 15 minute setup, infinitely upgradable, and world class tech support!And its made in Canada. Which means Maple Glazed Rails!One Machine - Infinite possibilitiesUse the link below to order:https://www.onefinitycnc.com/?ref=AWP Sign up for Patreon for Early access, and special Patreon-only content:https://www.patreon.com/anotherwoodshoppodcastPATREON GIVEAWAY!Donate to Maker's For St. JudeEvery $5 earns you an extra entry in the Patreon Giveaway (Paid Patrons Only)https://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR?px=8679481&fr_id=134326&pg=personal Whats on our bench:
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Third Sunday in Lent Old Testament: Exodus 17:1-7 1From the wilderness of Sin the whole congregation of the Israelites journeyed by stages, as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2The people quarreled with Moses, and said, "Give us water to drink." Moses said to them, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?" 3But the people thirsted there for water; and the people complained against Moses and said, "Why did you bring us out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and livestock with thirst?" 4So Moses cried out to the Lord, "What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me." 5The Lord said to Moses, "Go on ahead of the people, and take some of the elders of Israel with you; take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6I will be standing there in front of you on the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it, so that the people may drink." Moses did so, in the sight of the elders of Israel. 7He called the place Massah and Meribah, because the Israelites quarreled and tested the Lord, saying, "Is the Lord among us or not?" Psalm: Psalm 95 1 Come, let us sing to the Lord; * let us shout for joy to the Rock of our salvation. 2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving * and raise a loud shout to him with psalms. 3 For the Lord is a great God, * and a great King above all gods. 4 In his hand are the caverns of the earth, * and the heights of the hills are his also. 5 The sea is his, for he made it, * and his hands have molded the dry land. 6 Come, let us bow down, and bend the knee, * and kneel before the Lord our Maker. 7 For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture and the sheep of his hand. * Oh, that today you would hearken to his voice! 8 Harden not your hearts, as your forebears did in the wilderness, * at Meribah, and on that day at Massah, when they tempted me. 9 They put me to the test, * though they had seen my works. 10 Forty years long I detested that generation and said, * "This people are wayward in their hearts; they do not know my ways." 11 So I swore in my wrath, * "They shall not enter into my rest." Epistle: Romans 5:1-11 1Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. 6For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. 8But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.9Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. 10For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life.11But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Gospel: John 4:5-42 5So he came to a Samaritan city called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by the well. It was about noon.7A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, "Give me a drink." 8(His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) 9The Samaritan woman said to him, "How is it that you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?" (Jews do not share things in common with Samaritans.) 10Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, 'Give me a drink,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water." 11The woman said to him, "Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?" 13Jesus said to her, "Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life." 15The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water." 16Jesus said to her, "Go, call your husband, and come back." 17The woman answered him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You are right in saying, 'I have no husband'; 18for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband. What you have said is true!"19The woman said to him, "Sir, I see that you are a prophet. 20Our ancestors worshiped on this mountain, but you say that the place where people must worship is in Jerusalem." 21Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. 22You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father seeks such as these to worship him. 24God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth." 25The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming" (who is called Christ). "When he comes, he will proclaim all things to us."26Jesus said to her, "I am he, the one who is speaking to you." 27Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking with a woman, but no one said, "What do you want?" or, "Why are you speaking with her?" 28Then the woman left her water jar and went back to the city. She said to the people, 29"Come and see a man who told me everything I have ever done! He cannot be the Messiah, can he?" 30They left the city and were on their way to him. 31Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, "Rabbi, eat something." 32But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." 33So the disciples said to one another, "Surely no one has brought him something to eat?" 34Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to complete his work. 35Do you not say, 'Four months more, then comes the harvest'? But I tell you, look around you, and see how the fields are ripe for harvesting. 36The reaper is already receiving wages and is gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. 37For here the saying holds true, 'One sows and another reaps.' 38I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor." 39Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I have ever done." 40So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. 41And many more believed because of his word. 42They said to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is truly the Savior of the world."
Sometimes you just need to chill. Sometimes you need chili. Thats what this Episode is all about. We go deep into the whole in's and out's of how to make chili and Going to Andalusia Whiskey co. Hope you enjoy. Be BlessedAndalusiawhiskey.comPatreon.con/offtopicwhiskeyBadmotivatorbarrels.com/shop/?aff=3https://www.instagram.com/zsmithwhiskeyandmixology?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==Chili and whiskey make a great pair because they share bold, complex flavors that can either complement or balance each other through chemistry and taste profiles.Scientific & Sensory ReasonsCapsaicin Solubility: Capsaicin, the compound that makes chili peppers hot, is soluble in alcohol. A sip of whiskey can "pick up" the capsaicin, providing temporary relief before redistributing the heat, which can lead to an "explosion of flavor" as it releases aromatic oils from the spices.Flavor Amplification: Higher alcohol content (ABV) acts as a flavor carrier, intensifying the perception of heat and making the spicy sensation last longer on the palate.The "Burn" Synergy: Both chili and whiskey provide a "warming" sensation. The heat from the peppers and the "burn" from the alcohol can create a combined sensory experience that many find satisfying.Pairing StrategiesBourbon for Balance: The natural sweetness, caramel, and vanilla notes in bourbon help temper the heat of a spicy chili, acting as a counterweight to the spice.Rye for Intensity: Rye whiskey often has its own peppery, spicy profile, which can be used to "double down" on the heat of a very spicy chili.Scotch for Smokiness: Peated Scotches have a smoky, earthy character that pairs well with the charred flavors of roasted peppers or smoked meats often found in chili.Irish Whiskey for Smoothness: The smoothness of Irish whiskey makes it an excellent partner for milder, bean-forward, or even creamy white chilies.Cooking BenefitsMany people also add whiskey directly to their chili recipes.Deglazing: Using whiskey to deglaze the pan releases caramelized sugars from the meat and vegetables, adding depth and preventing burnt flavors.Finishing Touch: Adding a splash of whiskey near the end of cooking provides a "spark and a lift," maintaining the spirit's character and adding unique depth to the stew.Here is a robust recipe for Bourbon Beef Chili that uses whiskey to deglaze the pan and add deep, complex flavor.Bourbon Beef ChiliPrep time: 15 mins | Cook time: ~1.5 to 2 hoursServings: 6–8IngredientsMeat: 1.5 lbs ground beef (80/20) and 1/2 lb ground pork or Italian sausage.Aromatics: 1 large onion (diced), 4 cloves garlic (minced), 1 bell pepper, and 1–2 jalapeños (seeded and diced).Liquid: 1/2 cup Bourbon (e.g., Buffalo Trace or Maker's Mark), 1 cup beef broth, and 12 oz dark beer (optional).Base: 28 oz crushed tomatoes, 2 tbsp tomato paste, and 2 cans (15 oz) kidney or pinto beans (rinsed).Spices: 3 tbsp chili powder, 1 tbsp cumin, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp oregano, and 1–2 tbsp brown sugar.The "Secret" Boosters: 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder and 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce..
Host Jeff Goldsmith talks to screenwriter Colby Day about his latest film, In the Blink of an Eye. Download my podcast here Copyright © Unlikely Films, Inc. 2026. All rights reserved. For more great content check out Backstory Magazine @ Backstory.net
On this episode of Today In Space, we discuss the recent changes to the #ArtemisProgram by the new NASA administrator, bringing a variety of reactions among space advocates and fans. We dive into my perspective as an Aerospace Engineer, Maker, and someone who has been covering Artemis at its beginning! Why is it good that #ArtemisII mission is delayed for now and what the new Artemis III and IV mean for the old way of doing things for our #returnToTheMoon. Even if you've only been following along recently - this episode should help transform your understanding on why an engineer/maker likes this REMIXED NASA Artemis mission plan - even though some engineers may not. Timestamps: 00:00 NASA's Artemis Mission Remix: Introduction and Personal Perspective 01:21 Impact of Mission Change on Aerospace Employees 02:48 Evolution of Space Missions and Industry Changes 04:41 Rapid Iteration and the Advantages of 3D Printing 07:18 Challenges and Opportunities in the New Artemis Plan 11:55 Support for NASA and the Future of Space Exploration NASA Announcement of Artemis Program Remix: https://www.nasa.gov/news-release/nasa-adds-mission-to-artemis-lunar-program-updates-architecture/ Video of NASA Administrator Announcing New Artemis Program Infrastructure changes: https://x.com/NASAAdmin/status/2027460193919827997?s=20 We'd like to thank our sponsors: AG3D Printing (go to ag3d-printing.com to learn more & start 3D printing today!) Support the podcast: • Buy a 3D printed gift from our shop - http://ag3dprinting.etsy.com Today In Space Merch: James Webb Space Telescope Model (3DPrinted) https://ag3dprinting.etsy.com/listing/1839142903 SpaceX Starship-Inspired Rocket Pen (3DPrinted) https://ag3dprinting.etsy.com/listing/1602850640 • Get a free quote on your next 3D printing project at http://ag3d-printing.com • Donate at todayinspace.net
THE MAGAZINE OF THE MONTH CLUB — One of the things I've learned while hosting this podcast is that there are a lot of magazines out there. More than I imagined. Meaning there was never a “death of the magazine,” simply a realignment of dollars and attention. If anything, there are more magazines being published than ever. But, and it's a big but, they are harder and harder to find. There are fewer magazine stores. There are almost no newsstands, at least in North America. And bookstores, well, ok, go to your local bookstore and good luck. Which brings us to Steve Watson. He worked in the industry and he lived what was happening to it. And so he created Stack which is, essentially, a discovery system. Or a club. Call it The Magazine of the Month Club. Join it and you receive random independent magazines from around the world, chosen by Steve—or curated, let's use the word—curated by Steve, and if you like the magazine, great, go out and subscribe to it, and you've just expanded your world. I asked Steve about the changes in the industry, how he builds community and what the future of magazines might be. He's an optimist. And that makes me feel good about things. — This episode is made possible by our friends at Freeport Press. A production of Magazeum LLC ©2021–2025
Concrete is a craft best learned shoulder to shoulder. In this episode of The Concrete Podcast, Brandon Gore and Jon Schuler announce the upcoming Concrete Heroes Quest workshop in Napa, California, a three day hands on training for makers working with concrete countertops, GFRC, and decorative concrete. The goal is simple: bring the concrete community together, because we get better faster when we learn together. From there, the conversation moves into real questions coming from the decorative concrete world. They break down the difference between true patina and sealer failure, why white concrete countertop samples can look completely different depending on exposure, and why professional grade mixes outperform DIY bagged materials. Brandon also explains his method for casting seamless waterfall concrete countertops using SCC GFRC and why proper mix design is critical for success. The episode also includes an update to Kodiak Pro Maker Mix. After refining one of the raw materials with the manufacturer, the mix now delivers improved flowability and consistency, along with updated guidance for water and TBP plasticizer. If you work with concrete countertops, concrete sinks, or decorative concrete furniture, this episode offers practical insights to help you avoid costly mistakes and produce better results. Because in the end, the goal is not just better concrete. It is a stronger community of makers. #concretecountertops #GFRCcountertops #decorativeconcrete #concretecountertopmix #DIYconcretecountertops #concretecountertopsealer #GFRCmixdesign #concretefurniture #kodiakpro #makermix
F.A.F.O. - Meet Your Maker - A Hip-Hop Mix by KDP - 2026 Tracklist Coming Soon:
Welcome to Day 2810 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2810 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 118:1-9 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2810 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day 2810 of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The title for today's Wisdom-Trek is: The Eternal Refuge – Stepping into the Wide-Open Spaces In our previous trek, we stood on the mountaintop of Psalm One Hundred Seventeen. We explored the shortest chapter in the entire Bible, and yet, we saw how it held the largest possible stage. It was a cosmic megaphone, calling all the disinherited nations, and all the diverse people groups of the earth, to return to their Creator. It reminded us that God's unfailing love is a prevailing flood, capable of washing over every cultural and geographical boundary. Today, we take our next momentous step. We are crossing the threshold into Psalm One Hundred Eighteen, and we will be focusing our attention on the first movement of this incredible song, covering verses one through nine, in the New Living Translation. This is a milestone moment in our journey. Psalm One Hundred Eighteen is the grand finale, the sweeping crescendo, of the Egyptian Hallel. This is the very last of the Passover psalms. When you picture Jesus and His disciples in the Upper Room, finishing the Last Supper, the Gospel of Matthew tells us that they sang a hymn before heading out to the Mount of Olives. This was that hymn. These were the very words that filled the mind of the Messiah, as He walked deliberately toward the darkness of Gethsemane, and the agony of the cross. As we read this psalm, we hear the sound of a massive, festive procession. We hear a worship leader crying out to the congregation, and we hear a deeply personal testimony of a leader who was surrounded by enemies, yet rescued by the overwhelming power of Yahweh. So, let us join the procession, and listen to the opening chorus. The first segment is: The Chorus of Unfailing Love. Psalm One Hundred Eighteen: verses one through four. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. Let all Israel repeat: "His faithful love endures forever." Let Aaron's descendants, the priests, repeat: "His faithful love endures forever." Let all who fear the Lord repeat: "His faithful love endures forever." The psalm erupts with a joyful, booming command: "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!" But this is not just a solo performance. The worship leader is actively conducting a massive, multi-part choir, stationed within the temple courts. He calls out to three specific, distinct groups, demanding that they lift their voices and repeat the core thesis of the entire biblical narrative: "His faithful love endures forever." If this grouping sounds familiar, it should! We saw this exact same three-part division back in Psalm One Hundred Fifteen. First, the leader calls out to all Israel. These are the covenant people, the physical descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They are the ones who experienced the Exodus, the parting of the Red Sea, and the provision of manna in the wilderness. They, of all people, have the historical evidence to shout that God's faithful love endures. Next, he turns to Aaron's descendants, the priests. These are the spiritual leaders, the men who mediated between the holy God and the flawed nation. They worked the sacrifices; they saw the blood on the altar. They understood, intimately, the cost of forgiveness. They are commanded to publicly declare that the sacrificial system is upheld not by mechanics, but by God's enduring love. Finally, the leader casts a wide net to all who fear the Lord. This encompasses the Gentile converts, the foreigners, and the strangers from those diverse nations we talked about in Psalm One Hundred Seventeen. God's love is not geographically restricted. If you fear Yahweh, if you revere the Creator of the universe, you are invited into the choir. You are given a voice in the congregation. And what is the lyric they are all singing? It is the Hebrew word Hesed. This is God's loyal, stubborn, covenant-keeping affection. It is a love that does not quit when we fail. It is a love that outlasts empires, survives the darkness of the grave, and, as the psalm says, "endures forever." When Jesus walked toward the cross, He was holding onto this exact promise. The physical pain would be temporary, but the Hesed of the Father would be eternal. The second segment is: The Cry from the Narrow Place. Psalm One Hundred Eighteen: verse five. In my distress I prayed to the Lord, and the Lord answered me and set me free. Suddenly, the perspective shifts. The sweeping, panoramic view of the massive choir fades into the background, and a single, solitary voice steps up to the microphone. The worship leader—perhaps the King, or perhaps a representation of the Messiah—shares a deeply personal testimony. "In my distress, I prayed to the Lord." The Hebrew word translated as "distress" is metsar. It literally means a narrow, tight, or constricted place. It paints a vivid, suffocating picture. Have you ever felt trapped? Have you ever felt like the walls of your life—your finances, your health, your relationships—were closing in on you, squeezing the very breath out of your lungs? That is the metsar. It is the spiritual claustrophobia of a crisis. The psalmist was pushed into a corner with no human escape route. But in that tight, suffocating space, he did the only thing left to do. He prayed. He cried out to Yahweh. And the response of God is breathtaking: "The Lord answered me and set me free." The literal Hebrew translation is incredibly poetic. It says, "The Lord answered me in a broad place," or "in a spacious place." God did not just pluck him out of the tight squeeze; God completely changed his environment. He moved him from the suffocating, narrow gorge of distress, and planted his feet in a wide, expansive, sunlit meadow of freedom. This is what Yahweh does. He takes our claustrophobic anxieties and replaces them with the wide-open spaces of His grace. He gives us room to breathe again. The third segment is: The Fearless Stance of the Redeemed. Psalm One Hundred Eighteen: verses six through seven. The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me? Yes, the Lord is for me; he will help me. I will look in triumph at those who hate me. Because the psalmist has experienced this miraculous transfer from the narrow place to the spacious place, his entire psychological posture has changed. He stands tall, squares his shoulders, and makes a bold, defiant declaration: "The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear." This is the ultimate antidote to anxiety. If the Maker of heaven and earth, the Commander of the Divine Council, is actively standing on your side, fear becomes logically obsolete. He asks a rhetorical question: "What can mere people do to me?" When we look at this through the lens of the Ancient Israelite worldview, we understand that "mere people" are often pawns. Behind hostile human armies and corrupt human politicians, there are often dark, rebellious spiritual forces at work. The psalmist knows that he is not just fighting flesh and blood. But even so, if the Most High God—the uncreated Creator—is his helper, then the rebel gods and their human puppets are entirely powerless to change his eternal destiny. "What can mere people do to me?" They might insult me. They might steal my property. They might even, as Jesus knew, destroy my physical body. But they cannot touch my soul, and they cannot alter the enduring, forever nature of God's Hesed toward me. He repeats the truth to let it sink in deep: "Yes, the Lord is for me; he will help me." The word for "help" here means to actively assist in battle. God is not a passive observer; He is a fellow warrior in the trenches. Because of this divine alliance, the psalmist is certain of the outcome: "I will look in triumph at those who hate me." He doesn't say he will seek bitter, petty revenge. He says he will look in triumph. He will stand in the wide-open space of God's deliverance, and he will see the hostile, chaotic forces of his enemies completely neutralized. The Fourth Segment is: The Superiority of the Divine Refuge. Psalm One Hundred Eighteen: verses eight through nine. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in people. It is better to take refuge in the...
Send a textTurn your expertise into income after 50. Retirement looks different now. With more women exploring second acts - whether driven by economic shifts, changing timelines, or simply a desire for more - many are asking: Where do I start? The answer may already be in you.In this episode of the Ageless Glamour Girls™ Podcast, we explore how seasoned professionals can reposition decades of experience into authority, income, and impact. Roz Miller-Choice, founder of The Expert Maker® and author of Know It. Share It. Profit., joins us to discuss:• Why experience may be your greatest untapped asset • Moving from employee thinking to expert positioning • Mindset shifts required to monetize what you know • Why your expertise was never meant to be a best-kept secretIf you're navigating midlife reinvention, career repositioning, or building income after 50, this conversation is for you. Cheers to healthy aging and joyful living, Luvvies!ABOUT OUR GUEST: Roz Miller-Choice - The Expert Maker® is a personal brand strategist, TEDx speaker, author, and award-winning TV host who helps professionals turn knowledge into credible, profitable brands — earning her the name The Expert Maker®. A former TV anchor, reporter, and producer with CNN, CBS, NBC, and FOX, Roz combines decades of media experience with entrepreneurship training from Cornell University and Harvard Business School. She is the author of the upcoming book Know It. Share It. Profit.: The 3-Step Branding and Marketing Plan to Turn Your Expertise into Profit and leads a creative team that helps experts build visible, authority-driven brands.Her television series The Expert Maker TV is a winner of the 43rd Annual Telly Awards for branding excellence. Guest Links: Pre-Order Book: https://ksp-book.com/Course: knowitshareitprofit.com TEDx Talk: https://youtu.be/fWcK5itKSSYSpecial thanks to our sponsor, Bricker Labs - makers of Liquid Vitamin B12 Blast and Folic Acid, supporting energy and focus in this season. Visit BrickerLabs.com and use our AGG savings code: AGG10. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.Support the showSupport Ageless Glamour Girls™: www.agelessglamourgirls.com www.linkedin.com/in/marqueetacurtishaynes https://www.shopltk.com/explore/AgelessGlamourGirls https://www.youtube.com/@agelessglamourgirls Instagram @agelessglamourgirls Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/agelessglamourgirls Private (AGG) FB Group: The Ageless Café: https://www.facebook.com/groups/theagelesscafe TikTok: @agelessglamourgirls Podcast Producers: Ageless Glamour Girls™ and Purple Tulip Media, LLC
When you look at Jesus, what do you see?It is a question that refuses to sit quietly in the corner of the mind. It presses forward. For to look at Jesus is not merely to observe a figure in history, nor to admire a moral teacher whose sayings decorate greeting cards. It is to stand before a Person who demands to be reckoned with.Some see only a carpenter's son: a man of dusty roads and rough hands, who spoke kindly to children and sternly to hypocrites. They see compassion, certainly; courage, perhaps; even genius. But nothing more. He becomes, in their sight, an admirable chap, someone nice and maybe wise.But if you look longer, if you allow the Gospels to speak without interruption, you begin to notice something unsettling. The authority in His voice is not borrowed. He does not argue as though piecing together secondhand truths; He speaks as though Truth were His native tongue. He forgives sins as though they were committed against Himself. He commands storms as one might quiet a restless dog. He speaks of God not merely as Father, but as His Father, in a manner that places Him on the very side of the throne.And then there is His humility.Here lies the great stumbling block and the great splendor. For if He were merely divine in the sense of distant and untouchable, we might admire Him from afar and remain unchanged. But this is a divinity wrapped in swaddling clothes, kneeling to wash feet, sweating blood in a garden. It is a majesty that stoops. A glory that bleeds. If this is not God, it is blasphemy of the highest order. If it is God, then we are looking at the very heart of reality.Can you see His divinity?It is not always visible in the way lightning is visible. Often it is more like the sun behind a veil of clouds, perceived not by staring at it directly, but by the way everything else is illuminated. Stand near Him long enough and you begin to see yourself more clearly: your pride, your hunger, your longing for a love you cannot manufacture. His presence exposes and heals in the same breath.To see His divinity is not merely to conclude that He is God. Even the demons, we are told, reached that conclusion. It is to behold in Him the startling claim that the Author of all things has written Himself into the story. That the Maker of the stars allowed nails to fasten Him to wood He Himself designed.When you look at Jesus, you are not simply looking at an example. You are looking at an invasion—heaven breaking into earth, mercy interrupting rebellion, love refusing to remain abstract.And here is the quiet wonder: the more clearly you see His divinity, the less crushed you feel by it. For this is not a cold omnipotence, but a wounded one. Not a tyrant's power, but a shepherd's. His divinity does not diminish His tenderness; it guarantees it.So I ask again: when you look at Jesus, what do you see?If you see only a teacher, you may admire Him. If you see only a martyr, you may pity Him. But if you see God—God with scars—then you will do something far more dangerous and far more glorious. You will worship. --- Help Spread the Good News --- Father Brian's homilies are shared freely thanks to generous listeners like you. If his words have blessed you, consider supporting this volunteer effort. Every gift helps us continue recording and sharing the hope of Jesus—one homily at a time. Give Here: https://frbriansoliven.org/give
Learn about the latest in local public affairs in about the time it takes for a coffee break! Brian Callanan of Seattle Channel and David Kroman of the Seattle Times discuss a fast-approach maximum levy limit for the City of Seattle, Mayor Katie Wilson's call for budget cuts, the City Council's potential reversal of a controversial affordable housing decision after a legal clash with the Port of Seattle, a new transportation hub planned for Westlake Park, and concerns over transportation accessibility during World Cup matches in Seattle this summer. If you like this podcast, please support it on Patreon!This episode of Seattle News, Views & Brews is presented by Phillips Law Firm. Injured? Their Seattle personal injury lawyers will fight for what you really deserve.
Host Jeff Goldsmith interviews writers Clint Bentley, Robert Kaplow and Will Tracy about their Oscar® nominated screenplays. Download my podcast here Copyright © Unlikely Films, Inc. 2026. All rights reserved. For more great content check out Backstory Magazine @ Backstory.net
Welcome to Day 2808 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2808 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 117:1-2 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2808 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand eight hundred eight of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title for Today's Wisdom-Trek is: The Shortest Song with the Largest Stage – Calling the Nations Home Today, we are undertaking a fascinating and entirely unique stage of our journey. We are stepping into the absolute center of the Bible to explore Psalm One Hundred Seventeen, covering its entirety—which is just verses one through two, in the New Living Translation. This is a milestone for a couple of reasons. First, Psalm One Hundred Seventeen holds the distinct title of being the shortest chapter in the entire Bible. It consists of only two verses and, in the original Hebrew, a mere seventeen words. Second, it is widely considered the middle chapter of the Protestant Bible. But do not let its brevity fool you. What this psalm lacks in word count, it makes up for in cosmic, earth-shaking theology. In our previous trek through Psalm One Hundred Sixteen, we listened to an intensely personal, intimate testimony. We heard the voice of a single, desperate individual who had been wrapped in the terrifying cords of death. We saw Yahweh, the Most High God, stoop down from heaven to listen to one man's whispered cry for help. It was a beautiful picture of individual salvation, ending with the psalmist paying his vows in the temple courts of Jerusalem. Today, the camera pans out. We move from the microscopic to the macroscopic. The single voice of the rescued individual in Psalm One Hundred Sixteen suddenly turns into a megaphone, broadcasting a summons to the entire planet. Psalm One Hundred Seventeen is still part of the "Egyptian Hallel," the songs sung during the Passover festival. But here, the focus breaks completely out of the borders of Israel. It is a trumpet blast directed at the pagan world. It is a declaration of cosmic warfare, and a radical invitation of grace. So, let us unpack these two massive, monumental verses together. The First Segment is: The Cosmic Summons: Reclaiming the Disinherited. Psalm One Hundred Seventeen: verse one. Praise the Lord, all you nations. Praise him, all you people of the earth. The psalm explodes right out of the gate with a command: "Praise the Lord, all you nations." To modern ears, this sounds like a standard, generic call to worship. But to the Ancient Israelite, singing this in the courts of the temple, this was a jaw-dropping, radical statement. It requires us to look through the lens of the Ancient Israelite Divine Council worldview, as taught by scholars like Dr. Michael S. Heiser. We must go all the way back to Genesis Chapter Eleven and the Tower of Babel. At Babel, humanity rebelled against Yahweh, refusing to spread out and fill the earth. In response, God judged the nations. But He didn't just confuse their languages; He disinherited them. According to Deuteronomy Chapter Thirty-two, verses eight through nine, God divided the nations and placed them under the authority of lesser spiritual beings—the "sons of God," or the divine council. Yahweh then stepped back and started over with one man, Abraham, to create His own special portion: Israel. From that moment on, the "nations" (the goyim) were viewed as foreign territory. They were under the jurisdiction of rebel gods, hostile principalities, and dark spiritual forces. They worshipped idols of wood and stone, which we saw mocked so thoroughly back in Psalm One Hundred Fifteen. So, when the psalmist stands up and shouts, "Praise Yahweh, all you nations!" he is doing something incredibly audacious. He is crossing enemy lines. He is essentially serving an eviction notice to the rebel gods. He is looking at the people of Egypt, Babylon, Philistia, and Assyria, and he is saying, "Your gods have failed you. They are dead. The time of your exile from the Creator is coming to an end. Yahweh is calling you back!" The parallel phrase, "Praise him, all you people of the earth," uses the Hebrew word ummim, which refers to tribes, clans, and people groups. The psalmist leaves no one out. The invitation is universal. God is not content to simply be the local deity of a small strip of land in the Middle East. He is the Maker of Heaven and Earth, and He demands, and invites, the adoration of every human being on the planet. This is why the Apostle Paul quotes this exact verse in Romans Chapter Fifteen, verse eleven. Paul uses Psalm One Hundred Seventeen to prove to the early church that the inclusion of the Gentiles—the non-Jewish people—was not a New Testament "Plan B." It was God's plan all along. The ultimate goal of choosing Israel was to create a beacon of light that would eventually draw all the disinherited nations back into the family of God. The Second Segment is: The Gravity of Grace: Why the Nations Should Sing. Psalm One Hundred Seventeen: verse two. For his unfailing love for us is powerful; the Lord's faithfulness endures forever. Praise the Lord! If verse one is the Command, verse two provides the Reason. Why should the pagan nations, who have spent centuries worshipping other gods, suddenly turn and praise Yahweh? The psalmist gives two reasons, rooted in two of the most important words in the Hebrew Bible: Unfailing Love (Hesed) and Faithfulness (Emet). Let us look closely at the first phrase: "For his unfailing love for us is powerful." Hesed is God's loyal, covenant-keeping, relentless love. But notice the direction of this love. The psalmist says His love for "us" is powerful. "Us" refers to Israel. This raises a fascinating question. Why should the nations praise God for the love He showed to Israel? If you are a Babylonian, why do you care that God loves the Jewish people? The answer lies in the promise given to Abraham in Genesis Chapter Twelve: "I will bless you... and all the families on earth will be blessed through you." Israel was never meant to be a reservoir of God's grace; they were meant to be a river. God's Hesed toward Israel—rescuing them from Egypt, giving them the law, protecting them from enemies, and bearing patiently with their constant rebellion—was the vehicle through which salvation would reach the rest of the world. When the nations look at how Yahweh treated Israel, they see a God who keeps His promises. They see a God who does not annihilate His people when they mess up. And they realize, "If this God is that intensely loyal and loving to Israel, maybe there is hope for us, too. Maybe we can be grafted into that same covenant." Furthermore, the word translated as "powerful" (gabar) is an incredibly muscular word. It means to prevail, to be mighty, or to overwhelm. It is the same word used in the story of Noah's Ark, when the floodwaters "prevailed" over the tops of the highest mountains. The psalmist is saying that God's unfailing love is a flood. It cannot be contained by the borders of Israel. It prevails over human sin. It prevails over the rebellious spiritual principalities of the Divine Council. It overtops the highest mountains of human resistance, and spills out to cover the entire globe. The Third Segment is: The Eternal Echo: Truth That Outlasts Time. The second half of the reason is just as anchoring: "...the Lord's faithfulness endures forever." The word for faithfulness is Emet, which means truth, reliability, and stability. In a world governed by chaotic pagan gods who were unpredictable, petty, and easily angered, the concept of a God whose truth "endures forever" was revolutionary. The gods of the nations rose and fell with their empires. Where is Marduk today? Where is Baal? They are buried in the dust of history, remembered only in museums and archaeological digs. But the faithfulness of Yahweh remains. His truth does not have an expiration date. Because His love is overwhelmingly powerful, and His truth is eternally stable, the nations have a solid rock upon which to stand. They are invited to leave the shifting sands of the world's chaos, and step into the eternal security of the Creator's household. The psalm concludes with the great bookend of the Hallel: "Praise the Lord!" Or, Hallelujah! When Jesus sang this psalm with His disciples on the night of the Last Supper, He knew exactly what He was about to do. He was about to walk to the cross to demonstrate the ultimate, prevailing power of God's Hesed. He was...
1 Timothy 4:8 NIV “For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” *Transcription Below* Brian Smith, author of The Christian Athlete: Glorifying God in Sports, is a staff member with Athletes in Action and a cross-country coach at Lowell High School. A former collegiate runner at Wake Forest University, he earned a BA in Communications and Journalism before completing his MA in Theology and Sports Studies at Baylor University's Truett Theological Seminary. Brian lives in Lowell, MI with his wife and three children. You can find him on Twitter @BrianSmithAIA. Ed Uszynski is an author, speaker, and sports minister with over three decades' experience discipling college and professional athletes. With a heart for reconciliation and justice, he also works as a racial literacy consultant and marriage conference speaker, blending Biblical wisdom with practical living in the midst of complex cultural realities. He has two theological degrees from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School and a PhD in American Culture Studies from Bowling Green State University. He and his wife Amy have four children and live in Xenia, Ohio. The Christian Athlete Website Thank You to Our Sponsor: Sam Leman Eureka Questions and Topics We Cover: What is one of kids' greatest game day complaints? Is it true that young athletic success is a predictor of adult athletic success? What are a few tips for instilling a heart of gratitude in our young athlete, rather than entitlement? Related Savvy Sauce Episode: 230 Intentional Parenting in All The Stages with Dr. Rob Rienow Connect with The Savvy Sauce on Facebook or Instagram or Our Website Gospel Scripture: (all NIV) Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” Romans 3:24 “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:25 (a) “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.” Hebrews 9:22 (b) “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:11 “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” Luke 15:10 says “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” Ephesians 1:13–14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of his glory.” Ephesians 1:15–23 “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.” Ephesians 2:8–10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God‘s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.“ Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.“ Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” *Transcription* Music: (0:00 – 0:11) Laura Dugger: (0:12 - 1:51) Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, where we have practical chats for intentional living. I'm your host, Laura Dugger, and I'm so glad you're here. The principles of honesty and integrity that Sam Leman founded his business on continue today, over 55 years later, at Sam Leman Chevrolet Eureka. Owned and operated by the Bertschi family, Sam Leman and Eureka appreciates the support they've received from their customers all over Central Illinois and beyond. Visit them today at lemangm.com. Brian Smith and Ed Uszynski are my guests for today. They are co-authors of this recent amazing book entitled, A Way Game, A Christian Parents Guide to Navigating Youth Sports. And from the very beginning, I was captivated, even with one of the endorsements from Matt Martens, who's the president and CEO of Awana, and he summed it up this way, A Way Game provides a much needed perspective shift on one of the most sacred idols in our culture, youth sports. So, Brian and Ed are all for youth sports, and yet you're going to hear there's a different way to approach it than what we've been trained in culture. And they're going to share some wonderful and very practical insights. I can't wait to share this with you. Here's our chat. Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, Ed and Brian. Ed Uszynski & Brian Smith: (1:51 - 1:54) Thanks for having us, Laura. Yeah, good to be here, Laura. Laura Dugger: (1:54 - 2:04) So, excited about this chat. And will the two of you just start us off by sharing your family's stage of life and your involvement in sports? Brian Smith: (2:05 - 3:29) Yeah, there could be a lot on the back end of that question. I'll start with sports, then get into family. I've been involved in sports my entire life, played every sport imaginable growing up, got cut from just about every single sport my freshman year of high school, ended up running track and cross country because it was the only sports that you could not get cut from at my high school. And I ended up being pretty good at it by the time I was a senior, won some state championships, ended up getting a scholarship to run at Wake Forest University. So, I did that for four years right out of college. I coached a little bit collegiately. Soon after that, I joined staff with a sports ministry called Athletes in Action that Ed and I have a combined 50 years with Athletes in Action. And really, that's been my life ever since. I've been ministering to college and pro athletes, discipling them, helping them figure out what does that actually look like to integrate faith in sport. Even today, I live in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I coach high school cross country while I'm still on staff with Athletes in Action. I have a middle school Bible study that I run on Wednesday mornings. Been married to my wife, who I actually met in high school. She was a distance runner too, and she ran at Wisconsin. So, we've been married for 20 years. We have three kids, a high schooler, a middle schooler, and an elementary schooler who are all involved in sport at some level, some way, shape, or form. Laura Dugger: (3:30 - 3:34) Wow, that's incredible. Thank you, Brian. And Ed, what about you? Ed Uszynski: (3:34 - 5:04) Well, my story is very parallel to Brian's, just different sports and some different numbers. Just tack on 15 years. Yeah, I was a basketball player. Grew up on the west side of Cleveland with a high school football coach. My dad was, but I was a basketball player. I played at high levels all the way through my 20s, got to play overseas. I mean, this was a long time ago, but I got everything I could out of that sport. And as soon as I graduated from college, though, I started to work with that Athletes in Action ministry that Brian mentioned. So, I've been working with college and professional athletes for 34 years now. And same, coached at different levels, have four kids. Amy and I have been married for 26 years. We have four kids, three are in college, and one's in ninth grade, who has a game this afternoon, actually. So, we've just been going to games and have been involved in going to sports stuff for the last 20 years with our kids. And really what happened with Brian, and I is that we looked up a decade ago and realized this youth sports thing was a fast train that was moving in directions that we weren't used to ourselves, even though we've been around sports our whole life. It's like, there's something different happening now. And then thinking about it as Christians, like, how do we do this well as Christ followers? We don't want to separate from it. We don't want to just go for the ride. How do we do this as Christian people? And that's what got us talking about it and eventually led to this book. Laura Dugger: (5:05 - 5:23) Well, the book was easy to read and incredible. And I'd like to start there where you begin, even where you go back before going forward. So, when you're looking back, what are the factors at play that changed youth sports over time? Ed Uszynski: (5:26 - 6:17) Well, I'll say this and then Brian, maybe you jump in and throw a couple of them out there. I mean, youth sports is a $40 billion industry today, which is wild to think about. It's four times how much money gets spent on the NFL, which is just staggering. I can't even hardly believe that that's true, but it is. And it's really just in the last 20 years that that's happened. I mean, 50 years ago, you couldn't have had the youth sport industrial complex, as we refer to it. You couldn't have had it. There were a bunch of things that had to happen culturally, as is true with any new movement or any paradigm shift that happens in culture. You've got to have certain things be true all at the same time that make it possible. So, Brian, what were a couple of those? Again, I'll throw it over to you. There's six of them that we talk about in the book. And I think it's really fascinating because I'm a history guy. Brian Smith: (6:18 - 8:40) Yeah. And we can obviously double click on any of these, Laura, that you want to, but we talk about how the college admissions process became an avenue where youth sports parents saw, man, if we can get our kids involved in some extracurriculars and kind of tag on high level athlete to their resume, it actually helps with the college admissions process. And so even the idea of college scholarships became an opportunity for youth sports parents to get their kids involved. And then, yeah, maybe sports can actually get them into college. We talk about the economic shifts that happen, the rise of safetyism and helicopter parenting. ESPN was a massive one in 1979. This thing called ESPN starts, and we get 24-7 coverage of sports, which they started exploring even early on. What does it look like to give coverage to something like Little League World Series and saw that it didn't really matter how young the sport was, it's going to draw a national audience. And so, we've almost been discipled by ESPN really over the last 50 years with this consistent coverage. We talk about the rise of the sports complex. This one to me is like the most fascinating out of all of them. In 1997, Disney decided to try to get more people to come to their parks. They built a sports complex, just a massive sports complex. The idea was, are the older kids getting sick of the Buzz Lightyear ride and the Disney princesses? So, let's build a sports complex and maybe it'll be something else that will draw this older crowd too. And what happened was, I mean, a lot of people started coming to it, but kind of the stake in the ground game changer was when 9-11 hit. In the months and years after that, they saw a lot less people go to their parks, but population actually doubled going to the sports complex, which is wild to think that people were afraid to go to theme parks for a vacation, but they were willing to travel across state lines to play sports at the Disney complex. So other cities and municipalities took notice of that. Today, there's over 30,000 sports complexes like Disney's, which again, this is all adding to the system of the youth sports industrial complex. Did I miss any, Ed? Ed Uszynski: (8:41 - 10:47) Well, no, and that's good. And the reason why we even put all that on the table, again, everybody kind of intuitively knows if you're involved, you know, something's not right. But I think it's important to say this is not normal what's happening. It's a new normal that's been manufactured by a bunch of cultural trends, by a bunch of entrepreneurs that are doing what entrepreneurs do, and they're taking advantage of the moment, and they are generating lots of money around it. So, it should be encouraging. If it's not normal, that means actually there's a counter way of going about this. There really can be reformation. But when all this money gets involved, the two biggest consequences that come out of that is our kids start getting treated like commodities, which they are, and we could talk the whole time even just about what that means. But maybe even more importantly, or what comes out of that is that beyond their physical development, most coaches and clubs are not paying any attention to their emotional development, their psychological development, their spiritual development, all the different aspects of what it means to be human that, frankly, used to be paid quite a bit more attention to in youth leagues when I was growing up. I'm 58 now, so I was playing in the 70s and the 80s. And it used to be expected, at least at some level, even among non-Christian people, that you would take those aspects of a kid's life seriously. And now those just aren't prioritized. And so, what do we do about that? Again, that's kind of our whole point is, well, as Christian people, we're really supposed to be our kid's first discipler anyways. And part of that role and part of taking on that identity is that we would be asking, what is God trying to do in the wholeness of their life, the entirety of their life, even in the context of sports? So again, I don't want to get ahead of myself here, but that's why we're trying to poke into that to say, oh, we could actually make change. We may not change the whole system. In fact, we won't. Most of us won't be expected to do that, but we can make significant change in our corner of the bleachers and what happens with our kids. Laura Dugger: (10:48 - 11:05) That's good. And just like you said, to double-click on a few places, first of all, real quick, the 30,000 number, I remember that shocking me in the book, but I'm forgetting now, is that worldwide, the amount of sports complexes or is that just in America? Brian Smith: (11:05 - 11:06) That's domestically in the US. Laura Dugger: (11:07 - 11:52) Yeah. That is staggering. And then one other piece, all of this history was new to me as you brought it all together, but it was also fascinated. This is from page 32. I'll just read your quote. The American youth sports ball began rolling when a British movement fusing spiritual development with physical activity made its way across the Atlantic Ocean at the turn of the last century. And Ed, that's kind of what you were touching on, that they were mixing, I'm sure, spiritual, psychological discipleship, physical. Can you elaborate more on what was happening and where it originated? Because we've come very far from our origins. Ed Uszynski: (11:53 - 13:18) Yeah. And there's been a bunch of really great books written about this topic called muscular Christianity. This idea, like you just said, Laura, of wedding physical activity through sports with our spiritual development and expecting and anticipating that somebody that was taking care of their body and that was engaging in sport activity, that was the closest thing to godliness. That opened up the door for you to also be developing spiritually. And there was an expectation that both of those are going on at the same time. A bunch of criticism about that movement, but it was taken seriously. The YMCA is actually a huge byproduct of the muscular Christianity movement. The Young Men's Christian Association created space for sports and for athletic activity to take place under the banner of you're also going to grow spiritually as you're doing this. So again, that was a hundred years ago. And that's not really what AAU stands for today. The different clubs and leagues that we get involved in just don't talk that way anymore. Of course, culture just in general has shifted away from sort of a Judeo-Christian ethic guiding a North Star for us. Even if we're not Christian people, that used to be more of a North Star. That's gone now. And so, it really is not expected in sports anymore. Brian Smith: (13:18 - 13:55) And what we're saying is we cannot expect organizations to own that process for our kids. We can't outsource the discipleship of our kids to the youth sports industrial complex or the YMCA or the AAU. It really does start with us as Christian parents to be the primary discipler of our kids. And there is a way to take what's happening on the field or the court or the pool and turn it into really amazing discipleship opportunities. But it means, and Ed is starting to tease this out, it means we need to change our perspective as parents when we sit in the bleachers or on the sidelines of what we're looking for and even the conversations we have with our kids on the back end. Laura Dugger: (13:57 - 15:29) And now a brief message from our sponsor. Sam Leman Chevrolet Eureka has been owned and operated by the Bertschi family for over 25 years. A lot has changed in the car business since Sam and Stephen's grandfather, Sam Leman, opened his first Chevrolet dealership over 55 years ago. If you visit their dealership today though, you'll find that not everything has changed. They still operate their dealership like their grandfather did, with honesty and integrity. Sam and Stephen understand that you have many different choices in where you buy or service your vehicle. This is why they do everything they can to make the car buying process as easy and hassle-free as possible. They are thankful for the many lasting friendships that began with a simple welcome to Sam Leman's. Their customers keep coming back because they experience something different. I've known Sam and Stephen and their wives my entire life and I can vouch for their character and integrity, which makes it easy to highly recommend you check them out today. Your car buying process doesn't have to be something you dread, so come see for yourself at Sam Leman Chevrolet in Eureka. Sam and Stephen would love to see you and they appreciate your business. Learn more at their website, LemanEureka.com or visit them on Facebook by searching for Sam Leman Eureka. You can also call them on 309-467-2351. Thanks for your sponsorship. Laura Dugger: (15:30 - 15:31) And I want to continue getting into more of those practicals. Do you want to give us just a taste or an example or story of what that might look like? Brian Smith: (15:32 - 16:54) We keep saying, we keep talking about the importance of the car ride home that it's tempting for us and not us broadly in the U.S., tempting for us, Ed and I, as people who have done this for 50 plus years and who should know better, it's tempting for us as discipled by an ESPN over analyzing everything culture and want to talk about sports to get in the car ride home with our kids and all we want to talk about is how game went, what they did right, what they did wrong, what they could fix next time. Maybe instead of passing to Tim, they should take the shot next time because they're wide open. They just hit three in a row. So, and what our kids need from us in those moments is less coaching, less criticizing, less critiquing, and they just need us to connect with them. The stats on kids quitting youth sports is crazy right now. Its 70 percent are quitting before the age of 13, in large part because it's not fun, and a lot of kids are attaching this idea of it not being fun to the car ride home with their parents who, let's say this too, most of us are well-intentioned parents. We're not trying to screw our kids up. We want what's best for our kids, but the data and the research and the lived experience continues to tell us what our kids need from us is just to take a deep breath, connect with them, less coaching. Ed keeps saying less coaching, more slurpees. Laura Dugger: (16:55 - 17:07) I like that. And that ties in. Is it called the peak-end principle that you discovered why kids are resisting that critique on the way home? Brian Smith: (17:07 - 18:17) Yeah, absolutely. The peak-end rule in psychology is known as this: we, just as humans in general, not just kids, we largely remember things in our lives based on the peak moment of that event, but also how the event ends. And so, the peak moment in sport can be anything from something that goes really well, like they scored a goal or made a basket or something that did not go well, just like a massive event that took place that they're going to remember. But then it's also married to how that event ends. So, if you think for kids, how does every youth sport experience end? It ends with the car ride home. So, if they're experiencing the car ride home as I did not live up to mom and dad's standards, or there's fear getting into the car because they don't know what their parents are going to say, how are they remembering the totality of their youth sport experience? It is, I didn't, I didn't measure up. I wasn't enough. It felt like sports was a place that I needed to perform for my parents or my coach. And I always feel a little bit short. We want to help parents see like there's a different path forward that can be more joyful for you, but hopefully more joyful for your kid as well. Ed Uszynski: (18:17 - 21:37) Well, and, and I'll just, let me keep going with that, Brian. I thought you really articulated all that so well. I can just imagine a parent maybe thinking, was there never a time to correct? Is there never a time to give input? And we would say, well, of course there, there is, they need far less of it from us than we think they need when it comes to their sport. And again, we can talk about that. They need far less of that from us. They need us to be their parents, not to be their coaches. Even if we are their coach, they need us to be more their parents. But there is a time to do it. We're just saying the car ride home is the worst time to do it. And that's usually the time that most of us, you know, we've got two hours of stuff to download with them. And that's just, it's not a good time. But the other thing that Brian and I keep talking about is how about, what if we had some different metrics that we were even trying to measure? So, most of the time our metrics have to do with their performance. Like what, what are we grading them on? Again, depending on what the sport is, there's these different things that we're looking for to say, how you did today is based on whether you did this or you didn't do that and whatnot. And we're saying as parents, and again, starting with us, we needed some other metrics that were actually more concerned about what was going on in their soul. So again, I'm sure we'll talk more about this, but the virtues, how did love show up in the way they competed today? Where that usually is tied to them noticing somebody else. Do I, am I even asking them any questions about that? Are they experiencing peace in the midst of all this chaos and anxiety that shows up at every game? How do we teach them to experience peace? How do they become other-centered instead of just self-centered all the time in a culture, a sport culture that's teaching them to always be the center of attention and try to be? So, we just have needed to exchange some of what we had on that performance list, like tamper that down a little bit and maybe expand the list of categories that we're looking for that actually will matter when they're 25. And we keep saying this, our goal is that they'd come home for Thanksgiving when they're 25. And so, we need to stay relationally connected to them and how we act on the car ride home day after day after day after day, year after year is doing something to our relationship. But we also are recognizing that it's really not going to matter whether Trey finishes with his left hand at the game today when he's 25, it's not going to matter. It's not going to matter probably a year from now, but how he goes through the handshake line after the game and the way he addresses other people, and whether or not he's learning to submit to authority, whether or not he's learning to embrace other people's humanity. Yes, even in the context of sports, that's really going to matter when he's 25. It's going to matter when he's married. Those are the things that will matter. And we say that as people who are older and have been involved in ministry and have worked with college athletes and see what happens in their lives even after they're finished, and they have no idea who they are anymore. And this thing that's dominated their life has not actually prepared them well to do life. And that's a problem that we say, let's start changing that when they're six and not hope they're figuring it out when they're 22. Laura Dugger: (21:38 - 22:11) I love that because that's such a theme throughout those virtues that you talked about, but discipleship and sports are a tool or a way that we can disciple our kids. I also love that you give various questions throughout the book and even quick phrases. So to close that conversation on the car ride home, if we say, okay, that's what I've been coaching the whole way home, what is a question we could ask our child afterwards and a statement we could say and leave it at that and do it a better way? Brian Smith: (22:12 - 23:56) The question I have consistently asked my kids after learning that I've been doing this the wrong way for a long time, I tweet my question to they get in the car and I say, is there anything that happened today from the game that you want to talk about? And it's frustrating to me because 99% of the time they say, no, can we listen to the radio? And we listen to the radio, or they play a on my phone, but I'm respecting their desire that they're done with what just happened and they're ready to move on to the next thing, even though I really want to talk about what just happened. And then the statement that I want to make sure that I'm consistently saying that they're hearing is I love you and I'm proud of you. So, game didn't go well. Yeah, you did play well today. That's okay. Hey, I love you and I'm proud of you. Game went well today. Awesome. Great job. Hey, I love you and I'm proud of you. So I want that to be the consistent theme that they're hearing for me, which is hopefully going to help them better understand the gospel later in life, that as they get older and older, hopefully they'll begin to realize it seemed like the way that my mom and dad interacted with me when I was performing in sport, but their love was not attached to my performance. That seems really similar to what I'm learning more and more that Jesus does for me, that I'm trying to do all these things that are good. But from what I'm understanding about the gospel, it seems like Jesus loves me in spite of what I do. He loves me just because He's connected to me, that God loves me because I'm a son or daughter, not because I'm performing as a son or a daughter. So, in a very real way, I really am hoping that I'm giving a good teaser for my kids now for when they fully experience the gospel as they go through the life. Ed Uszynski: (23:56 - 24:47) Another really good connecting question. I love how you said all that, Brian, is if they don't want to talk about the game, is it okay, did you have fun today? And they can only go in one of two directions. No. Well, tell me about that. Why not? And it opens up the door to talk about, well, because I didn't get to play or because something bad happened. And again, tell me more about that. Tell me more about that. Or they say, yes, great. What happened that was fun? And it creates a very different conversation in the car. And it opens up, again, relational possibilities that go way beyond, why do you keep passing it when you should be shooting it? Wow. And just all the different ways that that comes out of us, depending on sport, depending on their age. But those are great questions. Go ahead, Brian. Brian Smith: (24:47 - 25:41) I just asked my son this morning. He's a freshman. His wrestling season is almost done. And I just asked, like, what has been most fun for you in wrestling this year? And his first thing was, I feel like I'm learning a lot. And that's really fun for me, which he's on a really good team. He's had a lot of success. He's made a lot of good friends. But even that gave me a window into his characters. My son enjoys and I knew this is true about him. But my son enjoys learning, which means he enjoys the process of getting better and better and better, which can happen in school, it can happen doing stuff in the yard, it can it can also happen in sport. But for me to remember moving forward, yeah, he he's probably going to have a different metric for what's fun in sport than I often do for him. Yeah, like I wanted to learn. I want him to win though, too. He's happy with learning right now. So, I need to be happy with that for him. Ed Uszynski: (25:41 - 26:34) If I can say this, too, again, I don't want to be vulnerable on your behalf. But then knowing this, he's lost a lot this year to really good kids. Yeah. And so much of the learning has been in the context of losing. So, you as a dad, actually, you could be crushing him because of those losses and what he needs to do to fix that and what he needs to do so that that doesn't happen again. And it's like he's already committed to learning. How do you just how do you celebrate the loss? Like he took the risk to try something new in this movie. He tried to survive an extra period. That's a process when and it's we just need to get better at that. Like you genuinely can celebrate that. That's not just a that's not like a participation trophy. It's acknowledging now, do you're taking you're taking the right steps that are actually making you a winner, even if you don't have more points at the end of the game right now. Laura Dugger: (26:34 - 26:54) Yeah. Yeah. And that long term win that you're talking about, even with character and you've talked about fun and asking them about fun. Is it true that that's the main reason kids are dropping out of sports at such a rapid rate before age 13 is that it's just not fun anymore? Ed Uszynski: (26:55 - 28:58) Yeah. Yeah. And why is it not fun? And again, this is where Brian and I are always getting in each other's business. And we know that this conversation gets in all of our business as adults. But why is it not fun? It's not fun because of the coaches and it's not fun because of the parents. We are creating stress. We are creating again collectively because we're all in different places on the on the spectrum on this in terms of what we're actually doing when we show up at games. But if you even just go to any soccer game and you be quiet and just listen to what's happening and everybody's shouting and screaming things and there's contradictory messages being sent and there's angst at every turn and there's an incredible celebration because this eight year old was able to get the ball to go across the line for another goal. And what that's doing inside the kids is it is creating a not fun atmosphere. Let's just say it like that. That's a not fun atmosphere when you're eight, when you're 10, when you're trying to figure out how to make your body work. You're trying to learn the game that you're unfamiliar with and you're trying to do what this coach is telling you to do. And you're also trying to do what all the parents are telling you what to do. And if it's a team sport, you're trying to interact and play with other kids who are all in that same state of disarray, which is very stressful and frustrating. And we're just adding to it. So instead of removing it, instead of playing a role that says, we're going to keep diffusing that stress. And again, I'll speak for myself. Too often, I have been the one that's actually adding to it. And so, kids are just like, why would I do this? Why would I want to get in that car again with you? It's not fun. This is a game. And so, there's a million other things that I can do with my time where I don't have everybody yelling at me and I don't have to listen to you correct me for two hours. Laura Dugger: (29:00 - 29:21) Well, and one other thing that surprised me, maybe why kids are dropping out, you share on page 47, a quote that research reveals a strange correlation. The more we spend, the less our kids actually enjoy their sport. So, did you have any more insight into that? Brian Smith: (29:21 - 30:50) Yeah, this was a real study that was done at Utah State. Researchers found that the more money parents are spending, again, let's say well-intentioned parents, the more we're spending in sports, the less our kids are enjoying. And the more they have dug into it, they're finding, and intuitively it makes sense. If you buy your kid a $600 baseball bat, what's the expectation that they're supposed to do with this really expensive bat? When they swing, they better hit the ball, and they better get on base. If we're going to buy you this expensive of a bat, you can't just have process goals with it. You better swing and hit it. And that's causing stress for kids. If you travel across state lines and you go to Disney to play at their sports complex, you're not there for vacation. You're there to perform. So even if parents are saying we're trying to have fun, kids know when you're traveling and you're getting all this good equipment and you're on the elite team and you're receiving the best of the best stuff, they know it comes with some sort of an expectation. College athletes can barely handle that type of pressure and expectations, but we've placed this professional on youth sports from fifth five-year-olds to 15-year-olds, and it's just crushing them. It's crushing them. Again, college athletes and professional athletes can barely handle it. They need mental health coaches for sports, but we're expecting that our five-year-olds can handle it, and they can't. Ed Uszynski: (30:51 - 31:19) And they may not even be able to articulate it. So that's the other thing. They may not be able to identify what's actually going on inside and put it into words. So again, that's why we're trying to sound the alarm for ourselves and for others who are listening, because we can do it different. Again, just to even keep spinning it back in an encouraging direction, we can do this different. We can change this this week in our corner of the bleachers. We can start over again. Laura Dugger: (31:21 - 31:48) Absolutely and make a difference. And before we talk about even more of the pros with sports, I think it's also necessary to reflect and maybe even grieve a few things. So, what would you say are some things families are missing out on when they choose youth sports to overfill their calendar, that that's all that they make time for? What do you think they're missing out on? Brian Smith: (31:51 - 33:16) Yeah, I think a couple that come to mind are family dinners are a big one. That's big for us in the Smith house, is just having the ability after a long day to sit at the dinner table together, to eat food together, and to process the day and be with one another. But when my kids' practice goes late, it means we're either eating almost towards bedtime or we're eating in different shifts. And so that's something that we grieve. I think for me, when my schedule is full, I'm tempted to adopt the mindset that what's happening on the wrestling mat or on the track matters more than it actually does. And it robs me of the ability to just take a deep breath and smile and enjoy watching my kids play sports. That without an intervention or a pregame devotional in the car for myself, I risk sitting in the stands or being on the sidelines, being stressed out and putting pressure on myself and pressure on my kids and gossiping about why the coach didn't put this kid into the people next to me, instead of just enjoying the gift that is sports and watching my kid try and succeed and try and fail. That is a gift available to me as a dad to watch my kid do that. But the busyness often robs me of that perspective. Ed Uszynski: (33:17 - 36:06) Well, and the busyness robs, again, if you're married, that busyness eventually wears away at your relationship. And it's not just sports. I mean, busyness, we can fill our schedule, overfill our schedules with any number of things. We can overfill our schedules with church stuff to a point where it becomes detrimental to our relationship. If we don't set boundaries so that we're making sure we're doing what we need to do to be face-to-face and to be going to areas beneath the surface with each other in our relationship and being able to do that with our kids as well, eventually there's negative consequences to that. It may not happen right away, but I've definitely experienced that. We've experienced that in our home where it's easy to maybe chase one kid around for a while, but what happens when you add three into the mix and you haven't really done a time budget or paid attention to the fact that when we sign up for all these things, you get a month into it and you realize, oh, we have to be in different places at the same time. So, we're not even watching stuff together anymore. We're just running. I can endure anything for a season, but what youth sports wants now in every sport from the youngest ages is that it becomes a year-round commitment. So, you're not even signing up to play a season anymore. You're signing up for a year in most cases because after the games, then they're going to have training. They're going to have this other thing going on. And so again, can we say, well, we'll play the actual season, but then we're not going to do the additional training over these next three months. Again, we want to give parents' permission that you can say no to that. Well, we paid for it. Well, it's okay. If you want your kid to be on that team and you like this club or whatever, then you pay the money and you just say, we're going to sit those three months out and we're going to use those three months actually to have people over our house for dinner. Again, whatever's on the list, Laura, that you said about being more holistic and not letting sport operate like an idol in our life where it's taken on, it's washed out everything else in our life. We can get back in control of that by just saying no a little bit. You can go to church on Sunday. Even if there's tournament games going on on Sunday, you can go to the coach early and say, hey, we just, in our family, we just don't want to be available before 12. Are you okay with that? And most of the time coaches will be. The kid might have to sit extra maybe for not being, whatever. Okay. That's not going to be the end of the world that they had to sit out an extra game or had to sit out a half because they weren't available on Sunday morning. It might actually make a huge difference that they weren't at church for two and a half years in the most formative time of their life. Laura Dugger: (36:07 - 37:36) And a lot of times the way of wisdom includes reflection, getting alone with the Lord and asking, have we overstuffed our schedule this conversation today? Let's talk specifically with youth sports. Is that trumping everything else? Because what if we're putting it in a place it was never intended to be as an idol where we sacrifice hospitality or discipleship or community or even just a more biblical way of life? I think we have to bring wisdom into the conversation for what you've mentioned. Whether it's worth it, if they're even enjoying it, how much we're spending on it, and do we have the budget to allocate our finances that way and evaluating the time just to see and make sure that it's rightly ordered. Did you know you could receive a free email with monthly encouragement, practical tips, and plenty of questions to ask to take your conversation a level deeper, whether that's in parenting or on date nights? Make sure you access all of this at thesavvysauce.com by clicking the button that says join our email list so that you can follow the prompts and begin receiving these emails at the beginning of each month. Enjoy! But if we flip that to if youth sports are rightly ordered, then what are some things that we can celebrate or reasons that you would want families to give this a try? Brian Smith: (37:37 - 40:09) The massive positive that we keep coming back to is we have a front row seat to see our kids go through every possible emotion in sport, the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. And then if we have the right perspective, we are armed with awesome opportunities and awesome information that we're seeing. We get to see what our kids are really good at. We get to see their character gaps. And then we get to be the ones who, again, who are their primary response, primary disciplers. It really goes back to like, are we trusting youth sports for too little in our kids' lives? Like many of us are trusting that our investment is going to get them a spot on a team, or maybe they get an opportunity in high school, maybe in college. And what we're saying is, yeah, that maybe. And that's not a bad end goal. But if that's everything that you're investing into youth sports, it's not enough. Like what you have available to you every single day is to ask your kid if they showed somebody else's dignity on the field. You don't know if your kid's going to hit a home run today. That may not be available to them their entire life. What's available to them every single day is to ask a question to their teammate, to see somebody and show dignity to them. And that's really, it's like, it's almost the opportunity of a lifetime for us as parents who, when our kids get home from school, we really don't know what happened most of the day. We asked them how it went and we get the one-word answer. In sports, we don't have to guess. We get to see everything that happens. And again, if we are actually trusting youth sports for discipleship investment, that's a good ROI. That's a good return on our investment. But we need a consistent intervention almost daily to say, no, this is why they're in sports. Yes, I want to see them get better. I want to see them have fun, but Holy Spirit, would you help me see things today that I normally don't see? Holy Spirit, would you put them in circumstances and relationships today and in the season that's going to help them look more and more like Jesus by the time the season's done? Holy Spirit, would you convict me in the moment when I am being a little too mouthy and saying things that I shouldn't? Would you help me to repent? And God, in those moments where I'm actually doing wrong on behalf of my kid, would you help me to humble myself and apologize to them? And God, would you repair our relationship that way? So again, all of these options are available just because our kid's shooting a ball or they're on the field with somebody else tackling other people. We're trusting youth sports for too little. Ed Uszynski: (40:10 - 41:10) That's all big boy and big girl stuff. It just is. I don't normally naturally do any of that. I have to be coached into that. I have to be discipled myself. I have to work through my own issues, my own baggage, my own fears about the future, my own idolatrous holding onto this imagined future that I have for my kid, irrespective of what God may or may not want. I've got my own resentment. I've got my own regrets from the past. I wish things had gone differently for me, so I'm going to make sure they go different for you when it comes to sports. And it's hard to look in the mirror and admit that I have anger issues. I mean, youth sports create a great opportunity for me to get up all my pent-up frustration from the day. We've given ourselves permission to do that, in most cases, to just yell and yell at refs and gripe about coaches and yell at kids. Brian Smith: (41:10 - 41:31) Because that's what we do at the TV, right? When our favorite team is playing, we've conditioned ourselves to say, awful call, that was terrible. Then we get on social media and we complain about it. We are discipling ourselves to this is how it's normative to respond within the context of sports. Then we carry all that baggage to our six-year-old soccer game. Laura Dugger: (41:33 - 42:02) Well, I love how you keep pointing it back toward character and discipleship. You clearly state throughout the book, sports don't develop character, people do. But could you maybe elaborate on that a little bit more and share more now that we've listed pros and cons, you still list a completely different way that we can meaningfully participate while also pushing back? Brian Smith: (42:04 - 43:49) I'll start with the first part, and then you can answer the second. We use the handshake line as a great example of why character needs to be taught to our kids. If you just watch a normal handshake line left without coaching, the kids are going through it, especially the ones who lose with their head down, they have limp hands, there's no eye contact, and they're mumbling good game, good game. Sometimes they don't even say it, they'll say GG stands for good game. They don't just learn character by going through the handshake line. If anything, that's going through it like that without any sort of intervention or coaching, that's malforming their character. That's teaching them when things don't go well, that it's okay for them not to be a big boy or a big girl and look somebody in the eye and congratulate them. What needs to happen? An adult needs to step in and say, hey, as we go through the handshake line, whether you win or lose, here's how we do it with class. We shake somebody's hand, we look them in the eye, and we say good game. Even if in those moments we don't actually mean it, we still show them dignity and honor. And then when we're done going through the handshake line, guess what we're going to do? We're going to run down the refs who are trying to get in their car and get out of here, and we're going to give them a high five and say, thank you so much for reffing today. That stuff needs to be taught. Our kids don't just come out of the womb knowing how to do that. We have to teach them how to do it. Sometimes good coaches will do that, but the more and more we get sucked up into the sports industrial complex, we're getting well-intentioned coaches, but we're getting coaches who care more about the big W, the win, than the character formation stuff that happens. Ed Uszynski: (43:49 - 45:27) They need to keep hearing it over and over again. I have a ninth grade Bible study in my house the other day with athletes and a whole bunch of my son's basketball team. Exactly what Brian just said, I actually was like, wow, I've got them here. There was a big blow up at a game the other day, and we wound up talking about it. I said, I'm going to take this opportunity actually to say what Brian just said. When you go through a handshake line, this is how you go through it. I watched what happened in the game a couple days later. Basically, they did the exact opposite of what I told them to do, and they lost. It was just what Brian said. They went through limp handed. They didn't look anybody in the face, and they weren't even saying anything. I just chuckled to myself, and you know how this is as a parent. They may or may not do it. Of course, those aren't my kids. I have more stewardship over my child, who actually, he is doing what I've asked him to do because I've re-emphasized it across time now. It's not a failure because they didn't do what I said. Again, the pouty side of me wants to be like, forget it. I'm just not even going to try anymore. It's like, no, they're kids. That was the first time they've heard that. They're going to do what their patterns have, the muscle memory that's been created by their patterns, just like we do as adults. The next time I have a chance to bring that up again, I'm not going to shame them. I'm just going to go over it again with them. Here's how we do it. It's super hard to do this, guys, when you just want to be violent with people or you want to cry. You got to pull yourself together. That's what big men do. That's what big women do in life. They pull themselves together in those moments and do the right thing. Brian Smith: (45:28 - 46:01) You don't know whether the fifth time you say it is going to stick or the 50th time. Your responsibility as the Christ-following parent is to do it the sixth time and the seventh time and the seventh time and trust that God is going to take those moments and do what he does. We're ultimately not responsible for our kids' behavior. We're responsible for pointing them in the right direction, and then hopefully, yeah, the Holy Spirit steps in and transforms and changes and convicts in those moments, but it might take some time. Ed Uszynski: (46:02 - 47:47) Tom Bilyeu So that's how you push back, Laura. You were asking that. How do we push back without being just completely involved in it or going for the same ride that everybody else is going for? There's just little moments like that scattered throughout. Literally, every day that my kids are involved in youth sports, the car ride over, what happens on the way home, how we talk about it, what happens during the game and what we wind up talking about out of that, the side conversations that happen that just get brought up apart from games of how we interact with people and so-and-so looks like they're struggling. What do you know about that? That's how we push back, that in our corner of the bleachers, oh, how we interact with other parents. We haven't even talked about that yet, that I can take an interest in more than just my own kid in the bleachers and spend way more energy actually in cheering for other kids and just trying to give them confidence and spend way less time trying to direct that at my own child who knows that I'm there. In fact, my side kid has said he doesn't want to hear my voice during the game. It distracts him. He's like, I'd much rather that you cheer for other people. It's like, okay. Having questions ready for other parents during timeouts and as you sit there for hours together, what do you talk about? Well, I could be the one that actually initiates substantive conversations over time with them and asks them about what's going on in different parts of their life. And in having done that, people want to talk. They want a safe place actually to share what's going on in their So let me be the sports minister. Let me take on that identity and actually care about other people. Laura Dugger: (47:49 - 49:47) I love that. Even that practical idea of just coming to each game, maybe with a different question, ready to open up those conversations. And I'll share a quick story as well. Our two oldest daughters recently just gave cheerleading a try at a local Christian school that allows homeschool kids to participate. And this is an overt way that somebody chooses the different way. So, it's the coach of the basketball team. His name is Cole. And at the end of every game, we saw him consistently throughout this season when it was a home game, whether their team won or lost, he would ask them, okay, shut off the scoreboard. It's all blank. He gathers both teams. As soon as the game is over teams, cheerleaders, the stands stay filled with all the parents. And he says, this is not our identity. The world and Satan, our enemy, who's very real. He wants us to put our identity here, but it's not here. You made us better tonight by the way that you played and you were able to shine Jesus. And we're going to go a step further and we're going to do what we call attaways. So, he's like, all right, boys, you open it up. And his team is trained. They say to the other team, Hey, number 23, what's your name? I loved how you pushed me so much harder tonight and says, my name's Ben. And so, their Attaway is, Hey, Ben. And everybody goes, Hey, Ben. Yeah, Ben. Yeah, Ben Attaway. And everybody just erupts in clapping. And the other team is always blown away and they are just grinning, whether they just lost. So, the boys go through that for a while and then they open it up to the other team and they start sharing Attaways. And then they open it up to the crowd and the parents are able to say, I see the way you modeled Jesus by being selfless with the ball or whatever it is. So, Cole said that his college coach did that many years ago and he's passed that on. And I love that's one way to redeem the game. Ed Uszynski: (49:47 - 51:39) Wow. Beautiful. Beautiful. Yeah. That's amazing. And, you know, I, so Brian and I talk about this too. And I coached at a Christian school. So, we, we think that it's really important if you're going to play sports and you're going to be a Christian coach that you actually take the game seriously. And that we actually are here to compete and we are here to try to win. There's nothing wrong with that. And we're going to pursue excellence when we show up with our bodies, and we train for this sport and we're going to try to win. Cause I think sometimes we end up kind of going all or nothing, especially within our Christian circles. We're uncomfortable with that. And it's like, yes, do that. And on the backside of that to do what that coach did is amazing. It's that, that is, that is exactly what we're saying. We're also going to try to form our souls in the midst of this. We're going to try to win on the scoreboard. Okay. The game's over, we lost, we won, whatever. There's more going on here than just that. And can we access that together? And again, that's so rare. Probably everybody listening has never even heard of anything like what you just said. It would be amazing if a bunch of people did, but that's what we're saying. Let's do more of that. Let's find ways to have more of those conversations in our sphere of influence. Maybe we're not the coach, but we can do that in our car. We can do that when we're at dinners with the other, with other players and other team, you know, we, we can do that. We can take that kind of initiative. If we have those categories in our mind, instead of just being frustrated that my kid didn't get to play as much tonight. And I'm that bugs me. It's like, okay, it can bug you. And now I gotta, I gotta be a big boy and get more out of this than just being frustrated that he or she didn't get to play as much. It's hard. Laura Dugger: (51:40 - 52:11) Absolutely. Well, and like you guys are doing having Bible studies outside of the, the team that you can instill values in that way and share scripture that they're memorizing to go out there with excellence for the Lord. So, I love all of that. And I've got just a few quick questions, just kind of for perspective. I want to draw out something from the book. Is it true that young athletic success predicts adult athletic success? Brian Smith: (52:13 - 53:51) It is not true. This is, this is not a hot take. This is researched back more and more research they're doing on this. And they're finding that there's not a direct correlation between a young elite athlete and them continuing that up into the right trajectory and being an elite athlete later in life in large part, because when puberty hits, like everything is a game changer. So, this is, I found this fascinating and this is probably going to be new to you too. This just came out today. At the time we're doing this podcast, the winter Olympics is going on in Norway. It's just like, they're killing it. Nor Norway's youth sports system. This is wild. They give participation trophies for all the kids. They don't keep score until 13 years old. They don't do any national travel competitions, no posting youth sports results online. So, there's no online presence of youth sport results. And their country motto is joy of sport for all. And they're, they're killing it right now in the Olympics. So, like, that's not to say, like you got to follow their model and then you're going to win all these gold medals, but it is, there is something to just let the kids have fun. And the longer they play sport, because it's fun, the better opportunity you're actually going to have to see them blossom and develop some of these God-given gifts that they might have. Don't expect it to come out before they're 13. Even if it does, there's no guarantee that it's going to continue on until they're 23. Just let them have fun. Ed Uszynski: (53:52 - 55:55) Brian, we, Brian and I got to speak at a church the other day about this topic. And there was a couple that came up afterwards and they asked the question of what, so when do you think we should let our kids play organized sports or structured sports? And so again, Brian and I are careful. Like I, there's no, there's no one size fits all answer to that. We would suggest as late as possible, wait as long as possible. Because once you start doing structured sport where there's a coach and you have to be at practices and the games are structured and there's reps, it just cuts away all the possibility they have to just play and just to go up to the YMCA and just play for three hours at whatever it is that they like to do. And they said, well, it's encouraging to hear that they said, because we, we actually are way more into just developing their bodies physically. And so, we do dance with them, and we do rock climbing and they were kind of outdoorsy people, and they just started listing off all these things they do because we want them to become strong in their bodies, and learn to love activity like that. And I just thought, again, that's, that probably would cause a lot of people to freak out to hear that, that they have eight, nine-year-olds that aren't on teams yet. They're just, they're training their bodies to appreciate physicality and to become coordinated and to, you know, to get better at movement. And it's like, what sport is that not going to be super helpful in five years from now, even when they're 12, 13 years old. And now they really do want to play one sport, and they do want to be on a team. They're going to be way ahead of the kids actually that just sat on benches or stood in the outfield, you know, day after day after day at practices. Again, that's maybe hard to hear, but maybe there's some adjustments that need to be made again; to give ourselves permission to say, we don't have to get on that train right now. You don't have to, your kid's not going to be behind. They actually could be ahead. If you do the kinds of things we just talked about. Laura Dugger: (55:56 - 56:11) I love that. And even that example with what it looks like played out with Norway and also, do you have any other quick tips just for instilling and cultivating a heart of gratitude and youth sports rather than entitlement? Brian Smith: (56:13 - 57:33) I'm a high school cross country and track coach, and I have kids on my team who want to get faster at running, but instead of running, they want to lift weights and they want to do plier metrics. So, there's, yes, there's a spot for that. But the way you get better at running is to run. You got to run more miles and more miles. And I think gratitude is similar. That gratitude, part of it is a, it's a feeling, but it's also a muscle that we can flex even if we don't feel it. And so, I would encourage parents who are trying to instill gratitude into their kids to give them practical things like, hey, after practice, just go shake your coach's hand or give them a fist bump and tell them, thanks for practice today, coach. That that's a disciplined way to practice gratitude that will hopefully build the muscle where they're, they're using it later in life. After a game, I taught my kids this when they were young and they still do it today. Go shake a ref's hand. I mentioned this earlier, just a really, really practical way to show thankfulness and gratitude to somebody who really doesn't get a whole lot of gratitude pointed at them during a game or after a game. If anything, they have people chasing them through the parking lot for other reasons. I want my kids to be chasing them down to give them a fist bump or a high five. And so, gratitude is something that we can just practice practically. And hopefully the discipline practice will lead to a delight and actually doing it. Ed Uszynski: (57:34 - 59:39) And how do we cultivate an inner posture? Cause I tend to be a cup half empty type person. I'm a, I'm a whiner by nature and a continuous improvement. There's always something wrong. And I'm, it's easy for me to find those things just as a person. I'm not even saying that as a dad or a coach or anything. And it's been super helpful to me in the last decade, even to just like, I can choose to shift that. There, there is, there's a list of things that are broke, but there is always a list of things that are good. There's always something good here to be found. And even as I've tried to like, again, tip the scales more in that direction, I can keep pushing that out of my kids. So, so this, you know, my ninth-grade son tends to just like, he doesn't like a whole bunch of what's going on in basketball right now. So, I keep asking him if he's having fun. He says, no, like, why not? Or like, who did, why did you not have fun today? So, it's just the same thing every day. I'm like, okay, who did you enjoy even being with today? Nobody. And I'm like, dude, I don't believe that actually. I just, I don't believe that. There was somebody that you had some moment with today that you enjoyed, or you wouldn't want to keep going back up there because, and he does. So, give me a name. Okay. Lenny. What happened with Lenny that was fun? And I make him name it. Like I'm, I'm, I'm trying to coach him through it. And sure enough, he does have some sentences of what was fun today. And it's like, good, let's, let's at least hold onto that in the midst of all the other stuff that's not right. Let's choose to see the thing that was good and that you enjoyed and that we could be thankful for. Not everybody got to have that today. Again, I have to have my, I have to be the parent. I have to be the discipler. I have to be in, you know, in charge of my own soul that wants to be negative all the time and say, nope, we're going to, we're going to choose gratitude today because the Bible tells us to do that. There's something about that posture that opens the door for the gospel to be expressed through us. So, let's practice. Laura Dugger: (59:40 - 59:50) Well said, and there's so much we could continue learning from both of you. Where can we go after this chat to learn more from each one of you? Brian Smith: (59:52 - 1:00:14) Yeah, we do a lot of our writing online at thechristianathlete.com. And so, if you go there, you can see articles that are specifically written for parents, for coaches, for athletes, all around this idea of what does it look like to integrate faith and sport together? So, the
John presents Christ as divine Creator; do you recognize Him as your Maker? Pastor Lance lays out how a true Christian responds to and remembers their Creator. Text: John 1:1-5. For more messages and resources, visit us at www.ccc-online.org.
Jeff and Brian are joined by director Rod Blackhurst about his forthcoming independent horror film Dolly, releasing in theaters only on March 6, 2026. Blackhurst explains how horror can produce joy by confronting internal dread—identity loss, isolation, and moral extremity—through a cinematic language that bypasses reason and provokes visceral response. He describes Dolly as an extreme, unrelenting film rooted in a real person's fears about inheriting a “monster” mother's traits, and as a collision between opposing views of motherhood and family. Dolls function as uncanny stand-ins for children and chosen family, with a larger, partially withheld mythology. Blackhurst discusses casting, including Sean William Scott's dramatic role and Fabianne Therese's demanding lead performance, emphasizing actor safety, and he rejects “torture porn” as his aim. He also reflects on gatekeeping, genre labels, influences like Barbarian, and using proof-of-concept shorts (Baby Girl, Night Swim) to get features made.
Kevin, Grayson, and The Chief decide if Saturdays loss to Minnesota was worth freaking out about, and if the 2025 impression was just an early season fluke or a sign of things to come. And why not examine the goal and decide if it really should have stood or not? In Part Two it's a lovely little chat with Shwy from Jim Trace and Maker's about the 10th Annual Rock 'N' Revival For The Cure featuring live music from across the city and even Kevin's brother. Then in Part Three it's listener questions debating ideal pets and terrible concerts. Timestamps: (24:09) - Minnesota United Review and Reactions (1:16:22) - Jim Trace and the Makers's Shwy! (1:52:00) - Listener Questions! Links: 10th Annual Rock 'N' Revival For The Cure Looking for an MLS podcast? Check out The World's GAM Visit our friends at Streetside Brewery Check out The Post at www.thepostcincy.com Music by Jim Trace and the Makers Join the Discord Server and jump into the conversation Follow us on BlueSky, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube Support us on Patreon https://www.patreon.com/ThePostCincy
Hey daar lieve luisteraar, Lou hier, sámen met mijn zus Marieke, aka Tika, voor de laatste keer live vanuit Costa Rica
Episode 287WTB WoodworkingCheck out WTBwoodworking.com for all your woodworking needs! In store specials, Giveaways, custom wood milling, and more!Huntingdon Valley PA Store now open!Enter the giveaway by going to:https://www.wtbwoodworking.com/giveaway Sign up for Patreon for Early access, and special Patreon-only content:https://www.patreon.com/anotherwoodshoppodcastPATREON GIVEAWAY!Donate to Maker's For St. JudeEvery $5 earns you an extra entry in the Patreon Giveaway (Paid Patrons Only)https://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR?px=8679481&fr_id=134326&pg=personal Whats on our bench:
Have you ever felt like the more you learn about music production, the harder it actually gets to finish a song? You aren't alone. In this episode, I'm sharing the 5 biggest mental blocks I've faced, from "tutorial paralysis" to the crushing weight of trying to be a "Great Artist," and the practical shifts I used to break through them. After 6 years of the Jamuary challenge, I've learned that the secret to finishing more music isn't a new plugin or more music theory; it's about moving from a romanticized "Artist" identity to a prolific "Maker" mindset. In this episode, we discuss: The "Quantity Over Quality" Hack: Why having a routine allows you to fail safely. The Skills of Finishing: Why completing "bad" music is the only way to prepare for your best work. Learning by Doing: How to escape the "Tutorial Junkie" cycle and get your hands dirty. Killing the "Artist" Label: Why viewing your work as a "body of work" is more freeing than chasing a single masterpiece. Stop overthinking, start creating, and let's get those ideas out of your DAW and into the world. Listen on Apple, Spotify, YouTube Links: Brian Funk Website - https://brianfunk.com Music Production Club - https://brianfunk.com/mpc 5-Minute Music Producer - https://brianfunk.com/book Intro Music Made with 16-Bit Ableton Live Pack - https://brianfunk.com/blog/16-bit Music Production Podcast - https://brianfunk.com/podcast Save 25% on Ableton Live Packs at my store with the code: PODCAST - https://brianfunk.com/store Thank you for listening. Please review the Music Production Podcast on your favorite podcast provider! And don't forget to visit my site https://BrianFunk.com for music production tutorials, videos, and sound packs. Brian Funk
Have you ever wondered what true, transformative worship looks like? In this powerful final message of his worship series, Pastor Dave reveals how authentic praise isn't just singing songs – it's a full-body, whole-hearted response to God's goodness. Drawing from King David's example, he unpacks the Hebrew word "Shabbat," showing how biblical worship involves triumphant shouting, dancing, and celebrating even before we see the victory. Through personal stories and Scripture from Psalms, Pastor Dave challenges us to move beyond spectating to active participation – whether through lifted hands, joyful dancing, or unashamed praise. His core message? When we truly grasp what God has done in saving us from darkness, bringing us into light, and working all things for our good, we can't help but worship with everything we have. The sermon culminates in a powerful altar call where lives are transformed, demonstrating that authentic worship leads to real life change. If you're ready to break free from religious constraints and enter into genuine, biblical worship, this message will revolutionize your understanding of praise.Psalms 63:3 Because Your lovingkindness is better than life,My lips shall praise You.Psalms 106:47 Save us, O Lord our God,And gather us from among the Gentiles,To give thanks to Your holy name,To triumph in Your praise.Psalm 145:4 One generation shall praise shaback Your works to another,And shall declare Your mighty acts.Psalm 95:6 Oh come, let us worship and bow down;Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.Psalms 47:1 Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples!Shout to God with the voice of triumph!Psalms 134:2 Lift up your hands in the sanctuary,And bless the Lord.Psalms 63:4 Thus I will bless You while I live;I will lift up my hands in Your name.Psalms 66:1-2 Make a joyful shout to God, all the earth!2 Sing out the honor of His name;Make His praise glorious.Psalms 34:1 I will bless the Lord at all times;His praise shall continually be in my mouth.Romans 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.2 Samuel 6:14 Then David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. 15 So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet. 16 Now as the ark of the Lord came into the City of David, Michal, Saul's daughter, looked through a window and saw King David leaping and whirling before the Lord; and she despised him in her heart.20 Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, “How glorious was the king of Israel today, uncovering himself today in the eyes of the maids of his servants, as one of the base fellows shamelessly uncovers himself!”21 So David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me instead of your father and all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the Lord, over Israel. Therefore I will play music before the Lord.
Have you ever felt like your creative self (your inner Maker) and your get-it-done, logistical self (your inner Manager) are constantly battling it out? We all need both of these energies to create a sustainable, joyful life—but getting them to play nicely together is the real trick. In this episode, I dive deep into the Maker vs. Manager dynamic, including my own recent creative block, and share four practical ways to finally get them working in sync. Learn how to reorient your inner Manager to become an enthusiastic Artist Manager—someone who is dedicated to creating the perfect conditions for your inner artist to thrive. Links Become a Joyster (Paid Supporter) on Patreon: Get access to hours of creative discovery and recovery content, including the monthly Joyster meet-up from Friday, Feb 13th, Filling the Well Leave a review on Apple Podcasts Tell me what you think of this episode via IG @artistsforjoy or via email hello@artistsforjoy.org Pre-order Art Is How God Loves Us and read the latest sample chapter on Substack now!
Ever have one of those days you’d gladly return for a refund? Maybe it starts with something small — and inconvenient. Then another thing piles on. And another. Before long, you’re wondering if staying in bed would’ve been the wiser spiritual decision. In this episode, we talk about how to handle the days that hit hard — the ones filled with disappointment, frustration, or unexpected blows. Psalm 118 doesn’t give us an escape clause. It doesn’t say, “Rejoice when it’s going well.” It simply says: this is the day the Lord has made. Even this one. So what does it actually look like to rejoice when the day feels anything but joyful? What We Discuss Why bad days feel so overwhelming The difference between denial and biblical rejoicing How perspective shifts emotional response The role of humor in spiritual resilience Choosing gratitude when circumstances don’t cooperate Letting God shape us through daily frustrations This episode is sponsored by Trinity Debt Management. If you are struggling with debt call Trinity today. Trinity's counselors have the knowledge and resources to make a difference. Our intention is to help people become debt-free, and most importantly, remain debt-free for keeps!" If your debt has you down, we should talk. Call us at 1-800-793-8548 | https://trinitycredit.org TrinityCredit – Call us at 1-800-793-8548. Whether we're helping people pay off their unsecured debt or offering assistance to those behind in their mortgage payments. https://trinitycredit.org Full Transcript Below: When It's One of Those DaysBy Cindi McMenamin Bible Reading: "This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalm 118:24 ESV). Do you know what it’s like to have one of those days you wish you could do over? My friend Holly recalls that her day like that started at 4:30 a.m. when she opened the door of her house to pick up the newspaper, which was usually on her welcome mat waiting for her. But as she opened the door, and before she even had a chance to look down on her welcome mat…Thunk! The newspaper delivery person, unknowingly, chucked that newspaper through the early morning still-dark air, and it pelted her right in the chest. She never even saw it coming! Stumbling over a bit, she regained her composure and just stood there. Nice aim, she thought, sarcastically, and turned around and closed the door. The rest of the day didn’t get much better. One disappointing situation after another. Until pretty soon, she wished she hadn’t even gotten out of bed that morning. Fortunately for Holly, she kept her sense of humor and laughed about it with several women in her exercise class at the end of the day. We all have days when we get pelted with something right in the chest. A stinging insult. An action by a co-worker or friend that leaves us shocked. Some news that causes us to stumble or double over. Sometimes it’s from someone, unknowingly, chucking something through the air that happens to hit us. And other times it’s a direct hit from someone with a pretty good aim! Whether it’s one incident after another that seems to be giving you a bad day or circumstances in which you are the one who is clearly messing up, there is a way to get through it. God's Word gives us simple instructions for handling the “bad days.” "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it," the psalmist said. But how can we rejoice? That word creates a picture in my mind of a person jumping up in the air and shouting for joy. Are we to do that when we’re having one of those days? Evidently so. It’s interesting that God’s Word doesn’t say: “This is the day the Lord accidentally let slip through the heavens; let us tolerate it and be done with it.” Rather, God’s Word specifically states that this day—even the one in which you get plunked right in the chest—is a day that He has made and therefore it is one worth rejoicing in. Intersecting Faith & Life: I suppose God wants us to realize that even when uncomfortable or hurtful or downright disastrous things happen, it is still a day in which we live, breathe, and exist. It is still a day in which we can choose to see the brighter side of things and acknowledge that He’s in control. It’s still a day in which we can, like Holly, keep a sense of humor and laugh at the day’s events by sundown. There is still something in this day worth rejoicing about because it is a day given to us by the Maker of Heaven and Earth. Can you, my friend, find something in this day worth rejoicing about? If not, then simply rejoice. This is the day the Lord has made—for you to live it with Him and become the kind of person He desires you to be. Rejoice in it, my friend. And see if it doesn’t change your outlook—and your day. Thank You, Lord, for this day—regardless of what it brings or has already brought my way. Today is a day that I live and breathe and exist. May I do so with a song in my heart simply because You have given me life. And may You be pleased by my attitude, my gratitude, and my praise. Thank You that You can grow me, mature me, sharpen me, and shape me through whatever comes my way. I surrender it all to You, Lord Jesus. In Your name, I pray this. Amen. Further Reading:1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 For daily perspective and reasons to praise, see Cindi’s book, The New Loneliness Devotional: 50 Days to a Closer Connection with God. Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.
Welcome to Day 2805 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom. Day 2805 – Wisdom Nuggets – Psalm 114:1-14 – Daily Wisdom Wisdom-Trek Podcast Script - Day 2805 Welcome to Wisdom-Trek with Gramps! I am Guthrie Chamberlain, and we are on Day two thousand eight hundred five of our Trek. The Purpose of Wisdom-Trek is to create a legacy of wisdom, to seek out discernment and insights, and to boldly grow where few have chosen to grow before. The Title for Today's Wisdom-Trek is: The Cup of Salvation – Rescued from the Cords of Death Today, we are continuing our profound journey through the Egyptian Hallel. This is the collection of praise songs, sung by the Jewish people during the Passover festival, commemorating their deliverance from slavery. We are stepping into the deeply personal territory of Psalm One Hundred Sixteen, covering verses one through fourteen, in the New Living Translation. To fully appreciate where we are standing today, we must look back at the trail we just hiked in Psalm One Hundred Fifteen. In that previous trek, we stood amidst the great, living choir of Israel. We heard the worship leader call out to the nation, the priests, and all who fear the Lord, commanding them to trust in the Maker of heaven and earth. We learned that the heavens belong to Yahweh, but the earth has been given to humanity, as His authorized representatives. The psalm ended with a stark reminder: the dead cannot sing praises; therefore, we must praise the Lord while we still have breath in our lungs. Psalm One Hundred Sixteen takes that final thought about life, death, and praise, and turns it into a vivid, first-hand testimony. If Psalm One Hundred Fifteen was a massive, public choir singing about the theology of God, Psalm One Hundred Sixteen is a single, trembling voice, singing about the intimacy of God. The psalmist has just survived a near-death experience. He was standing on the absolute brink of the grave, staring into the abyss, and God reached down and pulled him back. As we read this, remember that this was sung by Jesus and His disciples on the very night He was betrayed. Jesus sang these words about the "snares of death," knowing that within hours, He would be facing the cross. So, let us walk closely with the psalmist, and discover what it means to lift the cup of salvation. The first segment is: Psalm One Hundred Sixteen: verses one through four I love the Lord because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy. Because he bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath! Death wrapped its ropes around me; the terrors of the grave overtook me. I saw only trouble and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the Lord: "Please, Lord, save me!" The psalm begins with a raw, unfiltered declaration of affection: "I love the Lord." It is actually quite rare in the Psalms for the writer to begin with such a blunt, personal statement of love. But why does he love God? "Because he hears my voice and my prayer for mercy." Notice the beautiful, physical imagery the psalmist uses to describe God's attentiveness:...
Tales of a Red Clay Rambler: A pottery and ceramic art podcast
This week on the podcast we return to our series More than a Maker, which focuses on the intersection of mental health and creativity. Today's guest Mike Griffin is based in Naples, NY where he has dual careers as a golf pro and ceramic artist. In our interview we talk about his hand building process, the ways creativity counter balances ADHD, and dealing with self-doubt in the studio. Mike is also the host of Between Two Ewers, a video podcast where he interviews ceramic artists while they make work together. Today's episode is brought to you by the following sponsors: Monkey Stuff www.monkeystuff.com The Rosenfield Collection of Functional Ceramic Art www.Rosenfieldcollection.com Snow Farm: The New England Craft Program www.snowfarm.org
Jesse Jackson died yesterday, at the age of 84. He was hailed at his passing for being a civil rights icon, but this brings up a delicate issue. Jackson has now gone to meet his Maker, but the definition of “rights” that he fought so hard to establish——and in many ways successfully—was a truly destructive view of rights. One of the very best things we could possibly do for everyone—blacks especially—is repeal the 1964 Civil Rights Act. For more from Doug, subscribe to Canon+: https://canonplus.com/
BRUTAL is a show that I do with Jack Luna that is only available on Patreon. It typically involves cases that are absolutely disgusting, vile, and what could be considered...."Too much"This episode, however...is Brutal for a completely different reason. You'll see.By the way...this is a gimmick. It's a gimmick to get you to come to Patreon so that you can listen to all the other Brutals.Just so we're clear.