Podcasts about nlv

Send us Fan MailJakobus 1:19-20 My geliefde broers en susters, wees altyd gou om te luister, nie te gou om te praat nie, en nie te gou om kwaad te word nie. As jy kwaad is, kan jy nie doen wat God wil hê. (NLV) Terwyl daar soveel verdeeldheid in die samelewing is, voel jy soms dat almal praat, maar niemand luister nie. En, kom ons vra mekaar om eerlik te wees: doen jy nie dikwels dieselfde ding nie? Die enigste rede waarom ons stilbly, is net om te dink aan wat om volgende te sê, nie om te luister nie, en ook nie om te probeer verstaan wat die ander persoon sê nie. Pleit jy skuldig?Jane Addams was gedurende die 19de en vroeë 20ste eeue 'n pionier van sosiale hervorming in Chicago. Sy het haar daarop toegespits om brûe tussen die rykes en die armes te bou. In 'n tyd van intense arbeidsonrus en klassekonflik het sy besluit om nie dadelik kant te kies nie. In plaas daarvan het sy saam met industriële werkers en welgestelde sakeleiers gesit en aandagtig na albei groepe se standpunte geluister, selfs toe beide kante haar wantrou het.Sy het geglo dat wanneer ‘n mens ernstig en opreg luister, jy die siklusse van geweld en wraakgevoelens kon breek. Alhoewel sy nie al die geweld kon stop nie, het haar benadering genesing en blywende verandering in plaaslike gemeenskappe gebring. Sy het 'n vredemaker geword deur stadig te wees om te praat en vinnig om te luister, en mense se opinie en hul menswaardigheid te respekteer.Jakobus 1:19 - 20 My geliefde broers en susters, wees altyd gou om te luister, nie te gou om te praat nie, en nie te gou om kwaad te word nie. As jy kwaad is, kan jy nie doen wat God wil hê. (NLV)‘n Mens hoef nie geniaal wees om dit te verstaan nie, nè? Soos die kliniese sielkundige en skrywer, dr. Henry Cloud, dit stel: soveel konflik verdwyn wanneer iemand voel dat hy “gehoor” word. Julle moet ander mense 'n kans gee om te sê wat hulle op die hart het. Luister rustig na hulle sonder om hulle te wil doodpraat, sodat die storm stilgemaak kan word voordat dit selfs begin.Wees gou om te luister, stadig om te praat en stadig om toornig te word. Moenie jou vererg nie, want as jy jou humeur verloor, kan jy mos nie meer daarop ingestel wees om te doen wat God wil hê nie!Dis God se Woord. Vars ... vir jou ... vandag.Support the showEnjoying The Content?For the price of a cup of coffee each month, you can enable Christianityworks to reach 10,000+ people with a message about the love of Jesus!DONATE R50 MONTHLY

NEW PODCAST EPISODE Knights lead the Ducks 2-3; Two Official Watch Parties on 5/14 NLV & Henderson! #vgkvsana Stone, Lauzon, McNabb are OUT; Marner, Dorofeyev, Eichel, Hart are on FIRE! HBD Captain Stone, Carl Lindbom + Coach Bruce Cassidy #beattheducks and more listen now! #forgedingold #vegasborn Vegas Hockey Girls Podcast is created and recorded by hockey loving sisters Colleen and Mandy. The girls team up in their hometown of Las Vegas, NV and attend as many hockey games as possible! They were introduced to the NHL when Vegas was awarded the expansion team and have been fans since day effing one! Listen to be caught up with all things VGK and NHL in 15 minutes or less with a new pod after every VGK game!Vegas Golden Knights hockey talk! We love hockey pod's but they are SO LONG! We want to bring to you everything you need to know between games, in 15 minutes or less! We cover the last game, the upcoming game, upcoming events, a hockey tip/rule/lingo and a VGK player profile! Check us out please! Women run and have lots of fun (and serious), thank you!Find us on social media:https://www.instagram.com/hockeygirlspod/https://twitter.com/HockeyGirlsPod⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/vegashockeygirlspodcast⁠Mandy can be found on socials: as VGK GOALIE GIRLReach out! Talk to us by leaving a voice message on SPOTIFY! If you ever hear an error, mistake, or something missing in our pod please email us: ⁠vegashockeygirls@gmail.com⁠We are fans, we are not affiliated and do not speak for the VGK Organization. Thanks!

The Ultimate Guide for Americans Moving to Spain: Visas, Taxes, and Cross-Border Financial Planning By AIO Financial — Fee-Only Fiduciary Financial Planners Spain has quietly become one of the most popular destinations for Americans relocating abroad. The lifestyle is compelling — long lunches, walkable cities, world-class healthcare, sunshine, and a cost of living that, in many regions, runs 20–30% below comparable U.S. cities. But behind that lifestyle is a tax and regulatory system that can blindside Americans who move without proper planning. We work with U.S. expats every week at AIO Financial, and the same patterns keep showing up. People sell investments at exactly the wrong moment. They convert Roth IRAs and trigger Spanish tax bills they didn’t know existed. They open European brokerage accounts and accidentally buy PFICs. They miss the six-month window for the Beckham Law and lose six figures of potential tax savings. None of this is necessary. Almost every cross-border financial mistake we see is preventable with planning that starts twelve to eighteen months before the move — not after the boxes are unpacked in Valencia. This guide walks through what we believe every American family should understand before moving to Spain: the visa landscape after the Golden Visa was eliminated, how Spain actually taxes Americans (including the surprising treatment of Roth IRAs), what to do with your investments before you become a Spanish tax resident, and how to think about banking, currency, and cash transfers across borders. None of this is legal or tax advice for your specific situation, but it should give you a real working framework before you sit down with a cross-border specialist. Why Americans Are Moving to Spain Right Now The reasons people give us are remarkably consistent. They want better work-life balance. They want their kids to grow up bilingual. They’ve watched U.S. healthcare costs spiral and want a system that just works. They’re approaching retirement and the math on living in coastal Spain versus coastal Florida is hard to argue with. A few are motivated by political concerns; many simply want to live somewhere that feels less hurried. What makes Spain particularly attractive compared to other European destinations is the combination of a well-functioning Digital Nomad Visa, a meaningful (if imperfect) tax treaty with the United States, and a cost-of-living advantage that still holds up despite recent inflation. A single person can live comfortably in mid-sized Spanish cities like Valencia, Granada, or Málaga on roughly €1,600–€1,900 per month. Madrid and Barcelona cost more, but still less than San Francisco, Boston, or Seattle. The catch — and this is the part most relocation guides skip — is that Spain has a wealth tax, taxes worldwide income for residents, does not respect the U.S. tax-free status of Roth IRAs, and uses a fiscal-year structure that can leave new arrivals exposed to a full calendar year of Spanish taxation if they cross the 183-day threshold without realizing it. Done well, moving to Spain can be one of the best financial and lifestyle decisions a family makes. Done poorly, it can be a multi-year tax mess. Visa Pathways: What’s Available in 2026 Before any tax planning matters, you need legal residency. Spain offers several pathways for non-EU citizens, and the right one depends on whether you’re working, retired, or have substantial passive income. The Digital Nomad Visa (DNV) The Digital Nomad Visa, introduced under Spain’s 2023 Startup Act, has become the most popular route for working-age Americans. It allows non-EU remote workers — both employees of foreign companies and self-employed freelancers — to live legally in Spain while working for non-Spanish employers or clients. As of 2026, the income threshold is set at 200% of Spain’s Minimum Interprofessional Salary, which works out to approximately €2,850 per month, or roughly €34,200 per year. Most Spanish consulates recommend showing at least €3,000 monthly to account for currency fluctuations. If you’re applying with family, the income requirement increases. You’ll need to demonstrate an additional 75% of the SMI (about €1,035 per month) for your first dependent — typically a spouse — and 25% for each additional family member. A family of four moving together generally needs to show somewhere around €4,400 per month in qualifying income. The DNV initially issues a residence authorization valid for up to three years if applied for from within Spain, or a one-year visa if applied for through a Spanish consulate abroad. It can be renewed for additional periods, allowing total stays of up to five years, after which permanent residency becomes available. Citizenship is generally available after ten years of legal residency for U.S. nationals (two years for citizens of Latin American countries, the Philippines, Andorra, and a handful of others). Other key requirements include having worked with your current employer or clients for at least three months before applying, holding either a relevant university degree or three years of professional experience in your field, working for a company that has been in operation for at least one year, and earning no more than 20% of your income from Spanish sources. The application process typically takes four to five months. One important wrinkle for Americans: the U.S.–Spain Totalization Agreement does not currently cover remote work in the way that some other bilateral agreements do, so the U.S. Social Security Administration rarely issues Certificates of Coverage for DNV applicants. Most U.S. W-2 employees need to either get their employer to set up a Spanish “shadow payroll” arrangement, switch to 1099 contractor status and register as an autónomo (self-employed) in Spain, or accept that they’ll be paying into the Spanish social security system. This is a frequent friction point and is best resolved before the move, not after. The Non-Lucrative Visa (NLV) The Non-Lucrative Visa is the traditional retiree route — and increasingly used by Americans of any age with sufficient passive income. It explicitly does not permit working in Spain or remotely for any employer, which is its main limitation. As of 2026, applicants need to show approximately €2,400 per month (around €28,800 per year) in passive income or savings, with additional financial requirements for dependents. For genuinely retired Americans drawing Social Security, pension income, or living off investment portfolios, this is often the cleanest path. It comes with one substantial caveat that we’ll return to in the tax section: NLV holders are not eligible for the Beckham Law, so they pay full progressive Spanish tax rates on worldwide income from day one. The Golden Visa Is Gone If you’ve been planning around Spain’s Golden Visa — the residency-by-investment program that previously offered residency in exchange for a €500,000 real estate investment — that program ended in April 2025 as part of housing market reforms. New applications are no longer accepted. Existing Golden Visa holders retain their residency, but anyone considering this route now needs to look at alternative visas, or alternative countries (Portugal and Greece still operate similar programs, though Portugal’s no longer accepts real estate). The Highly Qualified Professional Visa For Americans being recruited by Spanish companies for skilled positions, the Highly Qualified Professional (HQP) Visa provides a path tied to a specific job offer. It’s typically valid for two years and renewable, and it qualifies the holder for the Beckham Law tax regime. This is less common for traditional relocation but matters for executives and engineers being hired into Spanish operations. Choosing Among Them In practice, most Americans we work with end up on either the DNV (if working remotely) or the NLV (if retired or financially independent). The choice has significant tax implications down the line, particularly around eligibility for the Beckham Law, which we’ll cover next. The Spanish Tax System: What Americans Actually Pay This is where most pre-move planning gets serious. Spain taxes its tax residents on worldwide income — meaning your U.S. dividends, your rental income from a property in Texas, your capital gains from selling Apple stock, all of it can be subject to Spanish tax. The U.S.–Spain tax treaty and the Foreign Tax Credit prevent most cases of literal double taxation, but the interaction between the two systems creates real planning challenges. When You Become a Tax Resident Spain considers you a tax resident if any one of three things is true: you spend more than 183 days in Spain during a calendar year, your “center of economic interests” is in Spain (meaning your primary income or main assets are there), or your spouse and minor children habitually live in Spain (a rebuttable presumption). The 183-day rule is the most common trigger, and importantly, sporadic absences count toward the total unless you can prove tax residency in another country. This matters because Spanish tax residency is binary and applies to the full calendar year. If you arrive in Spain on July 1 and stay through year-end, you’ve spent 184 days there and you’re a tax resident for the entire year — including January through June, when you were still living in the U.S. Smart timing of the move can save substantial tax. We often recommend arriving after July 2 in a given year, which keeps you under the 183-day threshold for that year and pushes Spanish tax residency to year two. Income Tax Brackets Spanish income tax (IRPF) is progressive and combines a national portion with a regional portion that varies by autonomous community. For 2026, the combined general rates run roughly: Up to €12,450: about 19% €12,451 to €20,200: about 24% €20,201 to €35,200: about 30% €35,201 to €60,000: about 37% €60,001 to €300,000: about 45% Over €300,000: about 47% Investment income — dividends, interest, capital gains, and rental income from investments — is taxed on a separate “savings” schedule: Up to €6,000: 19% €6,001 to €50,000: 21% €50,001 to €200,000: 23% €200,001 to €300,000: 27% Over €300,000: 30% For most American expats earning between €40,000 and €80,000 per year, the effective Spanish tax rate is about 25–33%, which is comparable to or slightly lower than combined U.S. federal and state taxes for the same income. The pain points aren’t usually the standard rates — they’re the wealth tax, the lack of Roth recognition, and Modelo 720 reporting. The Beckham Law: A Major Opportunity Spain’s “Beckham Law” — named for the soccer player who was its early high-profile beneficiary — allows qualifying newcomers to be taxed as non-residents for up to six years, despite physically living in Spain. Under this regime, you pay a flat 24% on Spanish-source employment income up to €600,000 per year (47% on amounts above that), and your foreign income is generally exempt from Spanish taxation. For an American earning €100,000 per year on a Digital Nomad Visa with an employment contract, the Beckham Law saves roughly €10,000 annually compared to standard progressive rates — and the savings grow rapidly at higher income levels. For someone earning €250,000, the savings can exceed €40,000 per year. The Beckham Law has strict requirements. You generally must not have been a Spanish tax resident in the previous five years, you must move to Spain because of an employment contract or to take on a directorship, and — critically — you must elect into the regime within six months of registering with Spanish Social Security. Miss that six-month window and you cannot opt in later. We’ve seen this mistake destroy tens of thousands of euros of potential tax savings. The regime is available to W-2 employees and DNV holders with employment contracts. It is not available to self-employed autónomos in most circumstances, nor to Non-Lucrative Visa holders. This is why your visa choice has such significant tax implications. The Wealth Tax This is the tax that most surprises Americans. Spain’s wealth tax (Impuesto sobre el Patrimonio) is an annual levy on net worth as of December 31 each year. Spanish tax residents pay on their worldwide assets; non-residents only pay on Spanish-located assets. The structure includes a national tax-free allowance of €700,000 per person (which means €1.4 million for a married couple holding assets jointly), plus an additional €300,000 exemption for your primary residence in Spain. Above those thresholds, rates run progressively from 0.2% to 3.5%, depending on total assets and the autonomous community where you reside. Regional variation matters enormously here. Madrid and Andalucía effectively eliminate the wealth tax through 100% regional bonifications, though the national-level Solidarity Tax on Large Fortunes still applies above €3 million in those regions. Catalonia, by contrast, applies the tax in full. If wealth tax exposure is a serious concern for your situation, the autonomous community you choose to live in becomes a meaningful planning variable. There’s also a Solidarity Tax on Large Fortunes, introduced in 2023, that applies to net wealth above €3 million and adds an additional 1.7% to 3.5% on assets above that threshold. It coordinates with regional wealth tax relief to provide a national floor, so even residents of Madrid pay it on assets above €3 million. Roth IRAs in Spain: A Critical Issue Here is one of the most important things for Americans to understand before moving: Spain does not respect the tax-free status of Roth IRAs. Under U.S. law, qualified Roth IRA distributions are entirely tax-free, since contributions were made with after-tax dollars. Spain doesn’t see it that way. The Spanish tax authority (Hacienda) classifies Roth IRA distributions as investment income — specifically, as income from movable capital — and taxes them at savings rates. The taxable portion is generally the gain (the increase in value over your contributions), not the entire distribution, but this still represents a substantial loss of the Roth’s core benefit. A 2022 binding consultation (V1291-22) clarified this treatment, and the same ruling generally requires Roth IRAs to be reported on Modelo 720 and included in wealth tax calculations. The strategic implications are significant. If you have a large Roth IRA and you’re moving to Spain, you may want to consider taking distributions before establishing Spanish tax residency, while distributions are still tax-free in both countries. After becoming a tax resident, every Roth IRA distribution will likely face Spanish tax on the embedded gains. The same applies to any Roth conversions you might be considering — generally you want these completed before the move, not after. Traditional 401(k) and IRA distributions are treated more conventionally as pension or general income in Spain, and they’re taxable in both countries with foreign tax credits relieving most of the double taxation. The U.S.–Spain treaty was updated by a protocol that entered into force in November 2019, and it improves the treatment of cross-border pensions in several ways, though it does not solve the Roth issue. Capital Gains and Investment Income For Spanish tax residents, capital gains on the sale of most U.S. securities (like stocks held in a brokerage account) are taxable in Spain at savings rates of 19% to 30%. Under the U.S.–Spain treaty, gains on the sale of shares are generally taxed only in the country of residence, with limited exceptions for real estate and substantial shareholdings, so the planning here is relatively clean: if you sell while a U.S. resident, you owe U.S. tax; if you sell while a Spanish resident, you owe Spanish tax. This creates a major pre-move planning opportunity. If you have substantial unrealized gains in your taxable investment accounts, the year before your move is a powerful window. You can harvest gains at U.S. long-term capital gains rates — which top out at 23.8% including the Net Investment Income Tax — rather than at Spanish savings tax rates that run as high as 30% above €300,000 in gains. For a portfolio with $500,000 in unrealized long-term gains, the difference can be tens of thousands of dollars. This is one of the most common planning moves we recommend for clients moving to Spain with appreciated portfolios. The strategy isn’t always to harvest. If you’re moving to a non-Beckham regime and your overall income will push you into Spain’s higher capital gains brackets later, harvesting now may be valuable. If you have low income in Spain and modest gains, the Spanish tax may actually be lower than your U.S. rate. The right answer depends on your specific numbers — which is exactly the kind of cross-border modeling a fee-only planner is well-positioned to do without bias. The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion and Foreign Tax Credit U.S. citizens are taxed on worldwide income regardless of where they live, so you’ll continue filing U.S. returns from Spain. Two main mechanisms prevent literal double taxation. The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (FEIE), claimed on Form 2555, allows you to exclude up to $130,000 of foreign earned income from U.S. taxation for the 2025 tax year (the limit adjusts for inflation each year). Qualifying requires either the bona fide residence test or the physical presence test (330 full days outside the U.S. in any 12-month period). Importantly, the FEIE only covers earned income — wages and self-employment income — not investment income. The Foreign Tax Credit (FTC), claimed on Form 1116, gives you a dollar-for-dollar credit against U.S. taxes for income taxes paid to Spain. Because Spanish rates often exceed U.S. rates at higher income levels, most expats earning above the FEIE threshold find the FTC works better. Excess credits can be carried back one year and forward ten years. The choice between FEIE and FTC has secondary effects worth understanding. The FEIE can disqualify you from making Roth IRA contributions if it pushes your taxable U.S. income low enough. The FTC preserves earned income for IRA contribution purposes. For families with college-age children, the FEIE can also affect the calculation of education credits. Reporting Obligations: Modelo 720 and FBAR Spanish tax residents must file Modelo 720 each year, declaring foreign accounts, securities, and real estate that exceed €50,000 in any of three categories. The form is informational, not a tax return, but penalties for non-filing have historically been severe (though the European Court of Justice forced Spain to substantially soften them in 2022). The filing window is January 1 through March 31 each year for the prior year’s data. On the U.S. side, you’ll continue to file: FBAR (FinCEN Form 114): required when total foreign accounts exceed $10,000 at any point during the year. Form 8938 (FATCA): required when foreign financial assets exceed $200,000 at year-end or $300,000 at any point during the year for single filers living abroad ($400,000/$600,000 for married filing jointly). Form 8621: required for any PFIC holdings — more on this below. Form 8833: to disclose treaty positions. The reporting load is real but manageable with the right preparer. What gets people in trouble isn’t usually the difficulty of any single form — it’s not knowing the forms exist. Investments: What to Do Before You Become a Spanish Tax Resident This is the single most consequential financial planning area for Americans moving to Spain, and the area where pre-move action matters most. Once you’re a Spanish tax resident, your options narrow considerably. The window before that happens is when most of the high-leverage decisions get made. The Brokerage Account Problem A wave of U.S. brokerage firms — including Vanguard, Fidelity, Morgan Stanley, Merrill Lynch, Edward Jones, Ameriprise, TIAA, USAA, and others — have been restricting or closing accounts of U.S. citizens who update their address to a foreign country. The pace accelerated sharply in 2024 and 2025 as firms tightened compliance with anti-money-laundering and FATCA-related requirements. Some firms close accounts outright; others restrict trading to liquidating positions only; some allow continued holdings but block new purchases. The practical implications for someone planning to move to Spain are: Don’t update your address until you have a plan. Once your firm sees a Spanish address, you may have 30 to 60 days to make decisions under significant time pressure. Identify expat-friendly custodians in advance. Charles Schwab International and Interactive Brokers continue to serve U.S. expats in Spain with relatively few restrictions, and a handful of independent advisory firms maintain relationships with custodians who will hold accounts for U.S. citizens abroad — typically when those accounts are managed by the advisory firm rather than self-directed. Transfer assets in-kind, don’t liquidate. If you’re forced to move accounts, transferring securities directly between custodians avoids creating a tax event. Liquidating into cash can trigger massive unintended capital gains. We spend considerable time at AIO Financial helping clients structure their accounts to remain compliant and accessible from abroad. The best time to do this work is before the move. Why Local European Brokerages Are a Trap for Americans The natural instinct, once you’ve moved to Spain, is to open a Spanish or European brokerage account and invest locally. For non-Americans, this is fine. For U.S. citizens, it’s a tax catastrophe — because of the Passive Foreign Investment Company (PFIC) rules. Under U.S. tax law, virtually any non-U.S. pooled investment vehicle — every European mutual fund, every UCITS ETF, every European-domiciled index fund — is classified as a PFIC. The IRS designed PFIC rules to discourage Americans from investing in foreign funds that the IRS cannot easily audit, and the punishment is severe: PFICs are taxed at the highest ordinary income rates (currently up to 37%) on gains, with interest charges layered on top, and require an annual Form 8621 filing that can take a tax preparer several hours per fund to complete. There’s a Qualified Electing Fund (QEF) election that can avoid the worst of these rules, but it requires the foreign fund to provide an annual PFIC statement with very specific information. Almost no European fund managers produce these for retail investors, so QEF elections are theoretically available but practically impossible. The bottom line is straightforward: as a U.S. citizen living in Spain, you generally need to invest through a U.S. brokerage in U.S.-domiciled funds and ETFs. Buying European funds — even excellent, low-cost European index funds — turns a clean financial picture into a tax disaster. There’s a complicating wrinkle: EU MiFID II regulations restrict EU-resident investors from buying many U.S.-domiciled ETFs, because U.S. fund providers haven’t produced the EU-required Key Information Documents. Most U.S. expats in Europe end up holding individual stocks, ETFs purchased through expat-friendly U.S. brokerages, and pre-existing fund positions. Some use options strategies or structured workarounds. Working with a cross-border advisor who understands which products remain accessible matters here. Pre-Move Investment Moves to Consider Twelve to eighteen months before your move, the following are typically worth analyzing: Harvesting long-term capital gains. As discussed above, U.S. long-term gains rates often beat Spanish savings rates, and once you’re a Spanish resident, every sale potentially triggers Spanish tax. Strategically selling and rebuying appreciated positions in your final U.S. year can lock in U.S. tax treatment. Roth conversions. If you have meaningful traditional IRA balances and you’re not in a high U.S. tax bracket, completing Roth conversions before the move means the conversion is taxed at U.S. rates only. After the move, conversions get more complicated (and the resulting Roth doesn’t get U.S.-style tax-free treatment in Spain anyway). Roth distributions. For older clients with substantial Roth balances who plan to draw on them in retirement, taking distributions before becoming a Spanish tax resident captures the full Roth benefit. Once in Spain, the gain portion of every distribution is taxable. HSA decisions. Health Savings Accounts are not recognized by Spain. The income inside them is potentially taxable annually for Spanish tax residents. Some clients draw down HSAs before the move; others maintain them with the understanding that ongoing reporting and tax will apply. 529 plans. Similar issues. 529 plans aren’t recognized as tax-advantaged in Spain, and depending on the structure, may create ongoing Spanish tax liability. Drawing down 529s for U.S. educational use before the move, or restructuring them, is often part of the plan. Real estate decisions. Selling a U.S. primary residence before the move keeps the Section 121 exclusion ($250,000 single / $500,000 married) cleanly available under U.S. rules. Selling after the move adds Spanish tax considerations and can complicate the exclusion. Renting out the U.S. home while abroad creates ongoing reporting in both countries but can be the right answer for those who plan to return. Trust and estate review. U.S. revocable living trusts are not recognized as transparent in Spain — Spanish tax authorities may treat them as opaque foreign entities, which can create unexpected tax consequences. Estate plans drafted under U.S. assumptions often need substantial revision before a move. Should You Keep Investments in the U.S. or Move Them Abroad? For almost every American citizen moving to Spain, the answer is: keep your investments in the U.S. The combination of PFIC rules, EU MiFID II restrictions on U.S. ETFs, and the comparatively higher costs and lower transparency of European retail investing means that a U.S.-domiciled portfolio held at an expat-friendly U.S. brokerage is almost always the right structure. The exception is if you renounce U.S. citizenship — but that’s a separate, much larger conversation. What changes is what you hold and how you manage it. U.S.-domiciled ETFs and individual stocks remain the foundation. You may need to adjust around currency exposure (more on this below), tax-efficiency rules that differ between the two countries, and the loss of access to certain U.S. mutual funds that don’t allow non-resident purchases. Asset location — what you hold in Roth versus traditional versus taxable accounts — also looks different through a cross-border lens. Currency Considerations One question we get often: should you convert to euros once you move? The honest answer is “it depends on your time horizon and liabilities.” Most retirees and long-term residents in Spain end up with euro-denominated living expenses but dollar-denominated investments. Over time, this creates currency exposure: a 10% drop in the dollar means your investment portfolio buys 10% less in Spain. There are a few approaches we use with clients: Hold a euro cash reserve sufficient to cover 1–2 years of living expenses. This protects against short-term currency movements forcing investment sales at bad prices. Don’t try to time currency markets. Strategic currency hedging at the portfolio level is rarely worth the cost for individual investors. For larger portfolios, consider modest direct euro exposure through ETFs that hold European equities or international developed-market funds. Don’t overdo it — global diversification is good; concentrated currency bets are not. Moving Cash: How to Actually Get Money to Spain Getting funds across the Atlantic has gotten easier in recent years but still has friction points worth understanding. Wire Transfers vs. Money Service Providers Traditional bank wires from a U.S. bank to a Spanish bank work but are typically expensive — fees commonly run $25–$50 per outbound wire from the U.S. side, plus a poor exchange rate that often costs another 1–3% of the amount transferred. For a $100,000 transfer, that’s potentially $3,000+ in spread costs. Specialized providers like Wise (formerly TransferWise), OFX, and Revolut typically offer mid-market exchange rates with much lower fees, often under 0.5% all-in. For larger transfers, a foreign exchange broker can negotiate even better rates, sometimes with a forward contract that locks in the exchange rate for a specific future date — useful when you’re closing on a Spanish property and want to know exactly how many dollars the euro purchase price will cost. For most cross-Atlantic transfers under $250,000, Wise is the simplest and lowest-cost option. Above that, dedicated FX brokers start to make sense. Spanish Bank Accounts You’ll need a Spanish bank account for daily living. The traditional banks (CaixaBank, BBVA, Santander) all offer non-resident accounts you can open before establishing residency, though increasingly they want to see your NIE (Spanish foreigner identification number) or your visa. Newer digital banks like N26 and Revolut are popular with expats for their lower fees and English-language interfaces, though some Spanish landlords and employers still prefer traditional banks. A common approach: open a basic non-resident account at a major Spanish bank for housing transactions and government payments, plus a Wise multicurrency account for receiving USD income and converting to EUR efficiently. Reporting Large Transfers Both U.S. and Spanish authorities track large cross-border transfers. On the U.S. side, transfers over $10,000 are reported automatically by your bank to FinCEN. On the Spanish side, banks report incoming international transfers to the Banco de España and tax authorities. None of this is illegal or problematic — but if you’re moving $400,000 to buy a house in Valencia, expect both sides to know, and don’t structure transfers in ways that look like you’re trying to avoid reporting (which is itself a U.S. federal crime). Cash Buffer for the First Year We typically recommend clients have at least six months — preferably twelve months — of Spanish living expenses available in liquid form before the move, in addition to their long-term investment portfolio. The first year in Spain comes with surprise costs: temporary housing, deposits, immigration fees, legal and tax advisor fees, furniture, car purchases, healthcare deposits. Having a cash buffer means none of this requires selling investments at a bad time or running up debt at unfavorable rates. Healthcare, Insurance, and Social Security Spain has one of the better healthcare systems in the developed world, but accessing it as a new arrival requires planning. Most visa categories require private health insurance during the application process and typically through the first year of residency. Standard policies from companies like Adeslas, Sanitas, and Asisa run €60–€150 per month per person depending on age and coverage level. After establishing residency and (for those working in Spain) contributing to Spanish Social Security, you become eligible for the public system, which is generally excellent. For Americans on Medicare, Medicare does not cover care received in Spain. Some retirees maintain Medicare and pay the Part B premiums in case they return to the U.S.; others let it lapse. Reactivation comes with late-enrollment penalties, so this decision deserves careful thought before it’s made. U.S. Social Security retirement benefits continue to be paid to U.S. citizens living in Spain, and the U.S.–Spain Totalization Agreement helps prevent dual social security taxation for many work situations. Working in Spain also generates Spanish social security credits that may eventually qualify you for Spanish retirement benefits, though qualification typically requires fifteen or more years of contributions. Estate Planning Across Borders This is the area most often deferred — and most often regretted. U.S. estate plans drafted assuming U.S. residence rarely work cleanly in Spain. Spain has its own inheritance and gift tax (Impuesto sobre Sucesiones y Donaciones) that applies to Spanish residents and to inheritances of Spanish-located assets. National rates run from 7.65% to 34%, with multipliers based on the relationship between the deceased and the beneficiary. Autonomous communities have wide latitude to set their own rates and bonifications, so effective rates vary enormously: in Madrid, Andalucía, and several other regions, close family members pay almost nothing; in others, rates approach the national maximum. Spanish forced heirship rules also differ from U.S. rules. Spain reserves a legitimate portion of an estate for certain heirs (typically children), which can override testamentary wishes expressed in a U.S. will. EU Regulation 650/2012 allows you to elect U.S. (or your nationality’s) law to govern your succession, but this election generally must be made explicitly in your will and is not automatic. Revocable living trusts, the workhorse of U.S. estate planning, are not transparent in Spain. The Spanish tax authority may treat the trust as a separate opaque entity, which can create unexpected income tax during life and complicate inheritance treatment at death. Many cross-border families need to revise or replace their trust structure before the move. Practical recommendations: consult a Spanish abogado experienced in cross-border estate planning before the move. Have a Spanish will (separate from your U.S. will) covering Spanish-located assets. Make explicit choice-of-law elections under EU Regulation 650/2012. Review beneficiary designations on all U.S. accounts to ensure they still make sense. Lifestyle Costs: What Spain Actually Costs in 2026 A rough framework for Spanish living costs in 2026, by region: Mid-sized cities (Valencia, Granada, Málaga, Seville, Zaragoza): A comfortable lifestyle for a single person runs €1,800–€2,500 per month including rent for a one-bedroom in a desirable neighborhood. A couple typically lives well on €3,000–€4,500 per month. Madrid and Barcelona: Add 30–50% to the above. A nice one-bedroom in central Madrid runs €1,400–€2,000 per month; in Barcelona, €1,500–€2,200. Total monthly costs for a single person comfortably range €2,800–€4,000. Coastal premium areas (Marbella, Ibiza, parts of Mallorca): Closer to U.S. coastal city costs, especially in summer months. Expect €4,000+ monthly for comfortable single living, often €6,000+ for couples. Rural and smaller towns: Substantially lower. Many Americans report living comfortably in Spanish villages or small cities for €1,500–€2,000 monthly per person, including rent. These figures cover housing, food, utilities, transport, basic entertainment, and private health insurance. They don’t include big-ticket items like a car purchase, international travel, or major medical events. A Practical Pre-Move Timeline For a hypothetical move twelve to eighteen months in the future, here’s the timeline we generally recommend: T-18 to T-12 months: Strategic planning. Engage a U.S.-side cross-border financial planner and a Spanish abogado/tax specialist. Decide on visa pathway. Begin tax-projection modeling. Identify which U.S. accounts will move and which custodians can serve you abroad. Begin Spanish language study if you haven’t already. T-12 to T-9 months: Big financial moves. If indicated, complete Roth conversions. Begin strategic gain harvesting in taxable accounts. Review 529 and HSA balances for pre-move decisions. Decide on U.S. real estate (sell, rent, or hold). Update estate documents. T-9 to T-6 months: Visa application. Gather documents, get FBI background check apostilled, prepare income documentation, file the visa application. (Application processing typically takes 4–5 months.) T-6 to T-3 months: Logistics. Arrange international moving company. Begin planning what to ship versus sell versus store. Open expat-friendly U.S. brokerage account if needed. Open Spanish non-resident bank account if possible. Identify Spanish housing for the first 3–6 months. T-3 months to move date: Execution. Final tax planning moves. Cancel U.S. utilities, services, insurance. Notify employer if working remotely. Confirm all Spanish appointments (NIE, padrón, visa pickup). Time the actual move date for tax efficiency — generally after July 2 in any given calendar year if circumstances permit. T-0 to T+6 months in Spain: Settling in. Register with local padrón. Apply for Tarjeta de Identidad de Extranjero (TIE). Set up Spanish utilities, internet, healthcare. Critically: file Beckham Law election within 6 months of Social Security registration if eligible. Begin Spanish tax registration with AEAT. T+12 months: First Spanish tax return. File first IRPF return for the partial year (if applicable). Review and adjust ongoing tax strategy based on actual income realized. How AIO Financial Works With Cross-Border Clients At AIO Financial, our work with Americans moving to Spain is fundamentally about reducing the cost of bad surprises. We are a fee-only fiduciary firm — meaning we receive no commissions, no kickbacks, no revenue from any product we recommend. Our clients pay us directly, and we work only for them. That structure matters especially for international moves, where the financial services industry’s commission-based incentives often push expats into expensive insurance products and PFIC-laden offshore structures that primarily benefit the salesperson. Our typical engagement with a Spain-bound client involves an initial deep planning phase eight to twelve months before the move, then transition support during the move itself, then ongoing investment management and annual planning review once settled. We coordinate with Spanish tax counsel and U.S. expat tax preparers — we don’t replace them, but we make sure all the pieces fit together. We help clients maintain compliant U.S. brokerage relationships from abroad through our institutional arrangements. We don’t claim to be everything. We’re not Spanish lawyers or accountants. We don’t handle Spanish tax filings ourselves. Spain’s gestores and Spanish tax advisors handle that side of the picture. Our role is the U.S.-side planning and the cross-border coordination — making sure the two systems work together rather than against each other for our clients. The Bottom Line Moving to Spain can be one of the best financial and lifestyle decisions an American family makes. It can also be one of the most expensive, depending on how the planning goes. The difference is rarely about how much money you have — it’s about how much advance planning you do. The tax rates aren’t usually the killer. Spain isn’t dramatically more expensive than the U.S. on income tax for most middle-income families. What costs people money is the avoidable mistakes: missing the Beckham Law deadline, holding the wrong type of investments, triggering U.S. capital gains in Spain when they could have been harvested at home, getting blindsided by Modelo 720 reporting, ending up in a high-wealth-tax region without realizing it. Almost all of these are preventable. The work to prevent them mostly happens twelve to eighteen months before the plane takes off, not after. If you’re seriously considering Spain, the time to start the financial planning conversation is now. AIO Financial is a fee-only fiduciary financial planning firm registered with the SEC, headquartered in Tucson, Arizona, and serving clients virtually across the United States and abroad. We specialize in expat financial planning, sustainable and impact investing, retirement planning, and tax-aware investment management. We earn no commissions, sell no products, and are compensated only by our clients. To discuss your situation, visit aiofinancial.com or contact us at 520-325-0769. This guide is for educational purposes only and is not legal, tax, or investment advice. Tax laws and visa rules change frequently. The figures, thresholds, and rates cited reflect our understanding as of early 2026 and are subject to change. Please consult qualified U.S. and Spanish professionals about your specific situation before making cross-border financial or relocation decisions.

Daily Word Everyone has a place in the Body of Christ. However, to know where you fit, you need to understand how the Body of Christ functions. In today's message, I present a parable (analogy) that paints a picture of the Body of Christ to help you see how it works.     __________ Ephesians 4:11–16 KJV, 1 Corinthians 12:12–27 NLV, 1 Corinthians 12:28 KJV __________ Partner with Us: https://churchforentrepreneurs.com/partner Connect with Us: https://churchforentrepreneurs.com Leave a Comment: https://churchforentrepreneurs.com/comments __________    

Daily Word Because we live in a world where people often get sick and sometimes die from those sicknesses, we are conditioned to accept being sick. However, sickness is not something we have to accept; we can choose not to be sick. This is important because sickness not only weakens your body, but your mind as well, which stops the faith you need to succeed in your calling. Listen to today's message to learn more about this important concept.   __________ Luke 8:14 MSG, Deuteronomy 30:19 KJV, Isaiah 53:5 KJV, 1 Peter 2:24 KJV, Isaiah 38:1–5 NLV, Mark 5:25–29 NLV, Mark 11:24 KJV, Proverbs 23:7 KJV, Mark 10:46–52 CEV __________ Partner with Us: https://churchforentrepreneurs.com/partner Connect with Us: https://churchforentrepreneurs.com Leave a Comment: https://churchforentrepreneurs.com/comments __________    

Send a textSo get rid of all evil behavior.  Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech - 1 Peter 2:1 NLV.  Let's hear from you via email at Rlwmsmedia@gmail.com or visit our website at www.hisredeeminglove.com3 Ways to Support the Ministry:GIVE ONLINE AT HISREDEEMINGLOVE.COMGIVE VIA THE RLWM APP AT 'MY CHURCH HOME' IN THE GOOGLE/APPLE STORETEXT ‘GIVE' TO (336) 360-0443

Our words matter. In “Detoxing Words That Poison Your Soul", Pastor Carey Robinson from The Movement Church is visiting! Our words and thoughts carry tremendous power, and we live in a generation where everyone has a microphone but few have filters, which leads to careless speech that damages relationshipsIf you want to contribute to support the ministry of CONVO Church, you can give securely online at http://convochurch.com/give​​​​​Scripture References | ESVProverbs 18, verse 21 (NLV & MSG)Proverbs 27, verse 3 (NASB)Luke 6, verse 452 Corinthians 12, verse 92 Corinthians 5, verse 17James 1, verses 19-20Psalms 141, verse 3CONVO Church is led by Pastors Craig & Cara Dyson. We exist to lead people in becoming passionate Jesus followers bringing the love, grace, and truth of God into everyday convos, influencing every sphere of life. We are here to Inspire Purpose, Encourage Life, and Build Faith in you.

Send us a text1 Petrus 1:1-2 Hierdie brief kom van Petrus, 'n apostel van Jesus Christus. Ek skryf aan God se uitverkore volk wat as uitlanders verstrooid leef in Pontus, Galasië, Kappadosië, die provinsie Asië en Bitinië. God die Vader het julle lank gelede al uitgekies en deur die Gees aan Homself toegewy. Die gevolg is dat julle gehoorsaam is aan Hom en deur die bloed van Jesus Christus skoongemaak is. Mag God se genade en vrede steeds meer en meer julle deel wees. (NLV) Dit is glad nie ongewoon vir mense om te voel asof hulle nie deel van die lewe is nie. Hulle voel asof hulle nie op die plek is waar hulle veronderstel is om te wees nie. Iets is nie heeltemal reg nie. Hulle ervaar ‘n onwerklike gevoel van ontworteling. Het jy al ooit so gevoel?Volgens die Verenigde Nasies se vlugtelingsagentskap, is daar vandag 44 miljoen vlugtelinge in die wêreld. En dit is net 'n deel van 'n groter ontwortelingskrisis. Daar is ook meer as 122 miljoen mense wêreldwyd wat gedwing word om weens rampe, vervolging, konflik en geweld uit hul huise te vlug. Stel jou net voor dat jy een van daardie vlugtelinge is: jy's totaal ontwortel; jy is sonder jou huis, jou gemeenskap en jou veiligheid.Maar vandag praat ons nie slegs van hierdie fisiese ontwortelde mense nie; ons weet die lyding van daardie mense is verskriklik, maar ons praat van gewone mense soos ek en jy. Mense wat in veilige huise sonder die geweld van oorlog leef, wat ten spyte hiervan, ontwortel en verlore voel; mense wie se fondamente van hul wêreld wankel. Kyk na hierdie 1ste-eeuse brief van die apostel Petrus wat vandag nog soveel troos bring:1 Petrus 1:1-2 Hierdie brief kom van Petrus, 'n apostel van Jesus Christus. Ek skryf aan God se uitverkore volk wat as uitlanders verstrooid leef in Pontus, Galasië, Kappadosië, die provinsie Asië en Bitinië. God die Vader het julle lank gelede al uitgekies en deur die Gees aan Homself toegewy. Die gevolg is dat julle gehoorsaam is aan Hom en deur die bloed van Jesus Christus skoongemaak is. Mag God se genade en vrede steeds meer en meer julle deel wees. (NLV).Wanneer jy soos 'n vlugteling voel, soos 'n balling, is dit maklik om te dink dat God jou verlaat het. Petrus skryf hier aan God se uitverkore volk wat fisies wyd en syd versprei is en bid sy genade en vrede oor hulle.My vriend, God sal jou nooit verlaat nie. Nooit nie! Hou daaraan vas.Want dit is Sy Woord. Vars ... vir jou ... vandag. Support the showEnjoying The Content?For the price of a cup of coffee each month, you can enable Christianityworks to reach 10,000+ people with a message about the love of Jesus!DONATE R50 MONTHLY

Send us a textPsalm 27:10 Selfs al sou my pa en ma my verlaat, die Here sal my styf vashou. (NLV) 'n Baie slegte ding wat met jou kan gebeur, is as iemand op wie jy staatmaak, jou in die steek laat. Daar is baie mense in hierdie wêreld wat deur hul ouers versaak is. Ons sien ook soms hoe baie intieme verhoudings verbreek word, waar die een party, op pad na groener weivelde, sy sielsgenoot weggooi. Om verwerp te word, is 'n verskriklike ding. Jy kan selfs omring wees deur mense wat oënskynlik goeie voornemens het en steeds heeltemal alleen voel.Josephine Bakhita is in 1869 in Soedan gebore. Sy is as kind ontvoer en as ‘n slaaf verkoop. Verlate en geskei van haar gesin, het sy geweldige lyding verduur. Sy is toe later op ‘n wonderbaarlike wyse, deur 'n goeie, godvresende familie gered.Dit is waar sy Christus ontmoet het en sy het die res van haar lewe daaraan gewy om ander te dien. Op een of ander manier het God haar pyn gedurende daardie traumatiese jare in ‘n kragtige getuienis van vergifnis, veerkragtigheid en onwrikbare geloof omskep.Psalm 27:10 Selfs al sou my pa en ma my verlaat, die Here sal my styf vashou. (NLV)Dawid het meer as 3 000 jaar gelede hierdie Psalm geskryf. Hy het, deur die lewensgevaarlike tye waarin hy baie gely het, eerstehands geweet dat God altyd daar sal wees vir hom.Dit is moeilik om enigiets meer desperaat of gevaarliks voor te stel as 'n kind wat deur sy ouers verlaat word. Tog, soos in Josephine se geval, het God die manier om sulke verskriklike omstandighede te neem en dit ten goede te laat uitwerk.Dit was soortgelyk aan die ervaring wat ek deurgemaak het toe my eerste vrou my meer as 30 jaar gelede vir 'n ander man verlaat het. En ek kan getuig, dat toe ek my in daardie verskriklike tyd tot God gewend het, het Hy wonderlike dinge gedoen – Hy doen steeds wonderwerke. Hy kan slegte dinge in goeie dinge verander.Selfs al verlaat ander mense jou; sal God jou altyd styf vashou.Dit is Sy Woord. Vars … vir jou … vandag.Support the showEnjoying The Content?For the price of a cup of coffee each month, you can enable Christianityworks to reach 10,000+ people with a message about the love of Jesus!DONATE R50 MONTHLY

People can lose their temper when things don't go their way, or don't happen in the time they want. That is when character testing starts. Many times, trials reveal the heart. As the saying goes: “the heart of the matter is the matter of the heart”   Over the past few weeks we have been learning about how to be a grown-up Christian, how to mature in our faith, and move to a new level of understanding (James 1:2-5). Through the Bible we find many characters that experienced this theme of patience in their lives, like Abraham, Moses, Joseph, David, and of course Jesus.   1. A grown-up Christian will learn to be patient (Galatians 6:9; Hebrews 6:12; James 1:3; Hebrews 12:1-2; Romans 12:12) 2. A grown-up Christian will practice discernment (Ephesians 4:14 NLV; Acts 17:11) 3. A grown-up Christian will persist (Philippians 2:12; Colossians 1:23; Acts 13:43, 28:14) Apply  1. A grown-up Christian will learn to be patient Immaturity – impatient: An immature Christian will be impatient, they like instant answers to their prayers. Everything must be done immediately. Many people say: "God, you told me you are going to bless me, I want everything you have shown me to happen today.” Charles Spurgeon said: “The waiting itself is beneficial to us: it tries faith, exercises patience, trains submission, and endears the blessing when it comes.” When we look at the Bible, the translation of the word Patience from the original Hebrew means: slow to anger. So, patience is not only waiting, it is waiting with a good attitude (Galatians 6:9). Can you imagine a farmer sowing seeds and then checking the ground that same hour for the fruit? It's not logical. In the same way, we need to develop patience. We need to be slow to anger and to practice self-control. Patience is trusting God's timing, enduring trials without bitterness, and responding to others with grace (Hebrews 6:12). Maturity – patient: What are the testings in your life producing today (James 1:3)? It may be anger, frustration, sadness, hopelessness, disappointment, indifference, or even a sense of “I deserve this” which is condemnation. However, a Mature Christian will say “God, this is temporary, my eyes are fixed on you” (Hebrews 12:1-2). A mature Christian will see that patience is not just passive waiting, it is active endurance (Romans 12:12). Jesus was patient with His disciples when they didn't get it. Also, He was patient with sinners when they were lost and broken. The disciples were told to wait for the Holy Spirit. There were many questions, but as they waited and prayed, the Holy Spirit came.  2. A grown-up Christian will practice discernment Immaturity - easily influenced and a sucker for the spectacular: Immature Christians can be like children who are open to strangers, especially strangers who smile and gave sweets. That is why we tell our children "Don't talk to strangers". Why? Because they can easily be led astray. This is not new; this was a constant problem in the New Testament. False teachers arose who led the spiritually immature away. Today we see many people following the same pattern, looking for the next big trend, the next big event, the excitement. Children like noise and bright colours. Some Christians only really come alive when the circus comes to town. The bigger the build ups, the greater the hype, the more outrageous the claims, the happier some people are. All that glitters, however, is not necessary gold. Maturity - can discern between good and evil: Discernment is not human cleverness, it is Holy Spirit-given. It is distinguishing the voice of Christ from the voices of culture. When we become a mature Christian “Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won't be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth” (Ephesians 4:14 NLV). With countless YouTube sermons, TikTok reels, and Spotify podcasts, it's easy to believe whatever sounds inspiring. But be watchful of what you feed your mind with, be careful of what you see, hear and believe. This is very important. We read that the Bereans were eager to learn and were discerning so they opened the scrolls, compared the apostle Paul's teaching with the Old Testament, and checked carefully (Acts 17:11). Not to contradict what Paul was teaching, but they did this because of their desire to grow in faith and to be rooted in the Word of God. Discernment is not about being clever; it's about being close to Christ, the Good Shepherd, whose sheep know His voice. When you spend time in His Word, you learn to recognise His voice above the noise. 3. A grown-up Christian will persist Immaturity - easily discouraged and put down: Sometimes we can be discouraged when we don't see the fruit we dream of. Perseverance is not a virtue always seen in young children.  Maturity - not just consistent but persistent: One of the big words to the early church was 'continue' (Philippians 2:12; Colossians 1:23; Acts 13:43; Acts 28:14). Sometimes growth feels slow, but in Christ, every step of endurance is moving us toward maturity and victory (see William Wilberforce, John Wycliffe, William Tyndale). As mature Christians, we need the determination and to make the decision to not turn back, but to persist, insist and resist for the cause of Christ.  

People can lose their temper when things don't go their way, or don't happen in the time they want. That is when character testing starts. Many times, trials reveal the heart. As the saying goes: “the heart of the matter is the matter of the heart”   Over the past few weeks we have been learning about how to be a grown-up Christian, how to mature in our faith, and move to a new level of understanding (James 1:2-5). Through the Bible we find many characters that experienced this theme of patience in their lives, like Abraham, Moses, Joseph, David, and of course Jesus.   1. A grown-up Christian will learn to be patient (Galatians 6:9; Hebrews 6:12; James 1:3; Hebrews 12:1-2; Romans 12:12) 2. A grown-up Christian will practice discernment (Ephesians 4:14 NLV; Acts 17:11) 3. A grown-up Christian will persist (Philippians 2:12; Colossians 1:23; Acts 13:43, 28:14) Apply  1. A grown-up Christian will learn to be patient Immaturity – impatient: An immature Christian will be impatient, they like instant answers to their prayers. Everything must be done immediately. Many people say: "God, you told me you are going to bless me, I want everything you have shown me to happen today.” Charles Spurgeon said: “The waiting itself is beneficial to us: it tries faith, exercises patience, trains submission, and endears the blessing when it comes.” When we look at the Bible, the translation of the word Patience from the original Hebrew means: slow to anger. So, patience is not only waiting, it is waiting with a good attitude (Galatians 6:9). Can you imagine a farmer sowing seeds and then checking the ground that same hour for the fruit? It's not logical. In the same way, we need to develop patience. We need to be slow to anger and to practice self-control. Patience is trusting God's timing, enduring trials without bitterness, and responding to others with grace (Hebrews 6:12). Maturity – patient: What are the testings in your life producing today (James 1:3)? It may be anger, frustration, sadness, hopelessness, disappointment, indifference, or even a sense of “I deserve this” which is condemnation. However, a Mature Christian will say “God, this is temporary, my eyes are fixed on you” (Hebrews 12:1-2). A mature Christian will see that patience is not just passive waiting, it is active endurance (Romans 12:12). Jesus was patient with His disciples when they didn't get it. Also, He was patient with sinners when they were lost and broken. The disciples were told to wait for the Holy Spirit. There were many questions, but as they waited and prayed, the Holy Spirit came.  2. A grown-up Christian will practice discernment Immaturity - easily influenced and a sucker for the spectacular: Immature Christians can be like children who are open to strangers, especially strangers who smile and gave sweets. That is why we tell our children "Don't talk to strangers". Why? Because they can easily be led astray. This is not new; this was a constant problem in the New Testament. False teachers arose who led the spiritually immature away. Today we see many people following the same pattern, looking for the next big trend, the next big event, the excitement. Children like noise and bright colours. Some Christians only really come alive when the circus comes to town. The bigger the build ups, the greater the hype, the more outrageous the claims, the happier some people are. All that glitters, however, is not necessary gold. Maturity - can discern between good and evil: Discernment is not human cleverness, it is Holy Spirit-given. It is distinguishing the voice of Christ from the voices of culture. When we become a mature Christian “Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won't be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth” (Ephesians 4:14 NLV). With countless YouTube sermons, TikTok reels, and Spotify podcasts, it's easy to believe whatever sounds inspiring. But be watchful of what you feed your mind with, be careful of what you see, hear and believe. This is very important. We read that the Bereans were eager to learn and were discerning so they opened the scrolls, compared the apostle Paul's teaching with the Old Testament, and checked carefully (Acts 17:11). Not to contradict what Paul was teaching, but they did this because of their desire to grow in faith and to be rooted in the Word of God. Discernment is not about being clever; it's about being close to Christ, the Good Shepherd, whose sheep know His voice. When you spend time in His Word, you learn to recognise His voice above the noise. 3. A grown-up Christian will persist Immaturity - easily discouraged and put down: Sometimes we can be discouraged when we don't see the fruit we dream of. Perseverance is not a virtue always seen in young children.  Maturity - not just consistent but persistent: One of the big words to the early church was 'continue' (Philippians 2:12; Colossians 1:23; Acts 13:43; Acts 28:14). Sometimes growth feels slow, but in Christ, every step of endurance is moving us toward maturity and victory (see William Wilberforce, John Wycliffe, William Tyndale). As mature Christians, we need the determination and to make the decision to not turn back, but to persist, insist and resist for the cause of Christ.  

Send us a textLukas 2:49, 50 “Maar hoekom was dit nodig om te soek?” het Hy gevra. “Julle moes geweet het Ek sou in my Vader se huis wees.” Maar hulle het nie verstaan wat Hy bedoel nie. (NLV) Mag ek jou vandag vra: Wat is jou doel in die lewe? Wat gee betekenis aan jou bestaan? Is dit net om jouself gelukkig te maak? Want, 'n lewe wat daarop gerig is om slegs jou eie begeertes te bevredig, en om jouself gelukkig te maak, is een van die leegste, mees onbevredigende lewens wat jy jouself ooit kan voorstel.So, laat ek weer vra, Wat is jou doel? Wat doen jy vir ander mense deur jou unieke, Godgegewe gawes en vermoëns te gebruik om hul lewens te seën en te verryk?Op twaalfjarige ouderdom het Jesus in Jerusalem soek geraak. Stel jou Josef en Maria se paniek voor: "Ons het die Verlosser van die wêreld verloor. En wat sal God sê as Hy sien dat ons hierdie een verantwoordelikheid wat Hy vir ons gegee het, nie nagekom het nie? Maar toe hulle Hom uiteindelik kry, ...Lukas 2:49 “Maar hoekom was dit nodig om te soek?” het Hy gevra. “Julle moes geweet het Ek sou in my Vader se huis wees.” Maar hulle het nie verstaan wat Hy bedoel nie. (NLV).Reeds van 'n baie jong ouderdom af het Jesus baie duidelik geweet wat sy doel in die lewe was en Hy het nie vir ‘n oomblik daaroor getwyfel nie. Wat 'n rolmodel!C.S. Lewis het eenkeer gesê: Die wêreld kan binne tien minute tot ‘n einde kom; intussen moet ons voortgaan om ons plig te doen. Die grootste ding is om as 'n kind van God op jou pos te wees; elke dag te leef asof dit jou laaste is, maar om terselfdertyd te beplan asof die wêreld nog 'n honderd jaar lank gaan voortbestaan.Dis ‘n groot versoeking om ons lewens te leef asof óns die middelpunt van die heelal is; en dat ál wat tel: óns gemak, óns behoeftes en óns toekoms is. Maar my vriend, dis beslis nie waarvoor ons op hierdie aarde geplaas is nie. God het jou geskep, jou geseën en jou geroep om iets unieks te doen en tot seën vir ander te wees. Spring in en doen dit!Dit is God se Woord. Vars … vir jou … vandag. Support the showEnjoying The Content?For the price of a cup of coffee each month, you can enable Christianityworks to reach 10,000+ people with a message about the love of Jesus!DONATE R50 MONTHLY

Send us a textHebreërs 3:13 Julle moet mekaar van dag tot dag aanspoor, ja, so lank as wat die “vandag” nog bestaan, om te keer dat een van julle deur die verleidelikheid van die sonde verhard word. (NLV) ‘n Mens hou nie daarvan om ander mense te etiketteer nie, maar kom ons wees eerlik, sommige mense is sommer net onaangenaam. Jy ken hulle, ek ken hulle … maar die vraag is, ontmoet jy elke oggend een wanneer jy in die spieël kyk?‘n New Yorkse eiendomsmagnaat en hoteleienaar, Leona Helmsley, het in die vorige eeu die reputasie as een van die onaangenaamste openbare figure van haar tyd ontwikkel. Saam met haar man het sy 'n groot hotelindustrie ontwikkel.Leona was veral bekend vir haar genadelose sakevernuf, die manier waarop sy haar werknemers mishandel het en haar bekende neerhalende houding. Haar ondergang het gekom toe sy in 1989 aan belastingontduiking skuldig bevind is. Tydens haar verhoor het een van haar voormalige werknemers getuig dat sy gesê het: "Ons betaal nie belasting nie. Net die gewone onbelangrike klein mensies betaal belasting." Sjoe! Dis darem neerhalend, nè?Daar word gesê dat elkeen van ons die mag het om iemand anders gelukkig te maak. Sommige doen dit deur die kamer binne te kom, ander deur dit te verlaat. Die vraag wat ons onsself redelik gereeld moet afvra, is watter een is ek?Terwyl jy daaroor nadink, kyk hierna; dit is goed, baie goed.Hebreërs 3:13 Julle moet mekaar van dag tot dag aanspoor, ja, so lank as wat die “vandag” nog bestaan, om te keer dat een van julle deur die verleidelikheid van die sonde verhard word. (NLV)Wanneer iemand ander persone aanmoedig, is dit ‘n teken van ‘n goeie hart, 'n goeie mens. Die soort mens wat mense gelukkig maak wanneer hulle by die kamer instap. Deur ‘n ander persoon te help … bied jy 'n kragtige teenvoeter vir die onaangename een. Dit is God se Woord. Vars … vir jou … vandag. Support the showEnjoying The Content?For the price of a cup of coffee each month, you can enable Christianityworks to reach 10,000+ people with a message about the love of Jesus!DONATE R50 MONTHLY

Bible Reading: Psalm 23:1-6Madison's dog nuzzled up against her hand, whining anxiously. Madison closed her history textbook and looked down. "What's wrong, Buddy?" she asked, even though she knew Buddy couldn't answer. Then she heard thunder booming in the distance. Buddy perked up his ears, then whined again. Madison looked out the window at the dark clouds piling high as rain began hitting the glass. A bolt of lightning flashed across the sky. Madison bent down to stroke Buddy's head. "It's okay," she said. "It's just a storm. You're safe inside."Buddy whined some more. Madison sighed. She needed to study for her big test tomorrow. Her heart beat faster just thinking about it. "Come on, Buddy, you're fine." Madison picked up her book again, feeling sick to her stomach. She always had trouble remembering all the dates and places, then she'd panic, which made it even harder to think. She hoped she wouldn't forget everything she studied.Mom walked into the room. "What's wrong?" she asked.Madison sighed again. "Buddy's scared of the storm, but I need to finish my homework."Mom nodded. "Buddy's always been scared of storms." She thought for a minute. "What are some things that scare you, Madison?"Madison looked up, surprised. "I'm scared of heights. Remember when Dad wanted me to go down that big water slide, but I couldn't even make it up the stairs?" She paused. "And sometimes I'm scared to take tests. I worry I won't remember everything and will get a bad grade.""So who do you go to for help?" asked Mom."Well, sometimes you and Dad. You help me study.""And that's good. But there's someone else you can also go to." Mom reached down and patted Buddy's head. "Isn't it interesting that Buddy knows to come to you for comfort? That's how Jesus wants us to think about Him. He wants to be our first option for peace and comfort. When we come to Him with our fears, He comforts us and reminds us that He's in control and will always love us and be with us no matter what happens.""So, since I'm worried about my test, I should pray about it?" Madison asked.Mom nodded. "I think that's a great idea." –Abigail SingreyHow About You?What scares you? Is it spiders, the dark, or meeting new kids at church or school? Maybe you freeze up with fear, or maybe you get a funny feeling in your stomach. Whatever worries you have, you can bring them to Jesus. He won't think they're silly. When we pray to God about whatever is troubling us, He will calm our worries and let us know He's with us.Today's Key Verse:Give all your worries to Him because He cares for you. (NLV) (1 Peter 5:7 )Today's Key Thought:Pray about your problems

364 NLV 2025   This year in Austin Texas February 10th and 11th is the eighth annual NLV Summit hosted by Sarah Elkins. A meeting of great minds, incredible opportunities, and a sharing of impactful stories. In today's episode Sarah reminisces on many of these stories from the previous several NLV Summits and how they have helped her shape her path going forward.   Highlights Gaining perspective on life, especially when you feel hopeless.  Incorporating the lessons your friends and peers don't even realize they're teaching you. Continuing to strive for the dream you want to build.   Quotes “Something that continues to shape my work is something Melissa Hughes said when she hosted her session. She said; Sometimes you have to get up to the cheap seats. And she was using the metaphor for those high seats in the bleachers at a baseball game. So that we can gain perspective by getting to a higher view. To look at the bigger picture when we feel stuck.” “What is it? What does it do? Why does it matter?” About Sarah "Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision." In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I've realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don't realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they're sharing them with. My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home. The audiobook, Your Stories Don't Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available! Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana. Be sure to check out the Storytelling For Professionals Course as well to make sure you nail that next interview!  

Romans 4:13-14 NIVIt was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless Key #1 - KNOW THEMGenesis 17:1-4 NLTWhen Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.' Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. 2 I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.” At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Then God said to him, 4 “This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations!Genesis 17:5 NLTWhat's more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you are the father of many nations.Genesis 18:10-12 NIVThen the LORD said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.” Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. Abraham and Sarah were already old and well advanced in years, and Sarah was far past the age of childbearing. So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and old, and my master is old, will I now have the pleasure of having a child?” Genesis 18:13-14 NIVThen the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?' Is anything too hard for the LORD? I WILL return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah WILL have a son.”Genesis 18:15 NIVSarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.” But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”Hebrews 11:11“By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised..” Key #2 - TEST THEMGenesis 22:5 NIVHe said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.” Key #3 - TRUST THEM1 Thessalonians 5:24 NLVThe One Who called you is faithful and will do what He promised.Hebrews 11:8 TLBAbraham trusted God, and when God told him to leave home and go far away to another land that he promised to give him, Abraham obeyed. Away he went, not even knowing where he was going.

Romans 4:13-14 NIVIt was not through the law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. 14 For if those who depend on the law are heirs, faith means nothing and the promise is worthless Key #1 - KNOW THEMGenesis 17:1-4 NLTWhen Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am El-Shaddai—‘God Almighty.' Serve me faithfully and live a blameless life. 2 I will make a covenant with you, by which I will guarantee to give you countless descendants.” At this, Abram fell face down on the ground. Then God said to him, 4 “This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations!Genesis 17:5 NLTWhat's more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you are the father of many nations.Genesis 18:10-12 NIVThen the LORD said, “I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son.” Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. Abraham and Sarah were already old and well advanced in years, and Sarah was far past the age of childbearing. So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, “After I am worn out and old, and my master is old, will I now have the pleasure of having a child?” Genesis 18:13-14 NIVThen the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?' Is anything too hard for the LORD? I WILL return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah WILL have a son.”Genesis 18:15 NIVSarah was afraid, so she lied and said, “I did not laugh.” But he said, “Yes, you did laugh.”Hebrews 11:11“By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised..” Key #2 - TEST THEMGenesis 22:5 NIVHe said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.” Key #3 - TRUST THEM1 Thessalonians 5:24 NLVThe One Who called you is faithful and will do what He promised.Hebrews 11:8 TLBAbraham trusted God, and when God told him to leave home and go far away to another land that he promised to give him, Abraham obeyed. Away he went, not even knowing where he was going.

Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:13; James 1:12-15Carter helped his older brother Nate pull and heave their boat to the water's edge. Then Nate looked over the items in the boat. "Fishing poles, net, tackle box. I think we're ready." The boys jumped in the boat and headed for the other side of the lake."What color lure should I use?" asked Carter as he looked at the rows of colorful fishing lures in the tackle box. "There's green, pink, blue, and yellow twisty tales. I'll try this bright pink one. I want to catch a big trout."Carter cast out his line in hopes of a bite. He settled back in his seat, enjoying the rocking of the boat."I have a fish!" he yelled a while later. He started reeling his line. The fish fought and struggled, but Carter soon had his first fish in the boat."Look at that big trout!" said Nate. "Pink must be the color to use."Carter grinned and threw his line back in. A few minutes later his pole jerked again. "It's another one," he said excitedly, scooting to the edge of his seat. He reeled his line as fast as he could, but this time he heard a sickening snap."My line broke!" he wailed. "It was a big one too. Maybe I can still get it."Soon his line was back in the water with another pink twisty tale. Both boys sat quietly and waited."You know," said Nate, breaking the silence. "Fishing reminds me of our spiritual lives. We use bright colors hoping the fish will notice our lures and bite. The fish think it's a tasty worm, but it's really only a plastic lure with a hook. They don't know there's a hook until they bite, and then it's too late.""Unless the line breaks," Carter said with a laugh.Nate grinned. "That's how sin is. It looks attractive, but once we bite, we find out how much of a mess it makes. That's why we need to remember that Jesus freed us from sin and trust Him to help us resist its bright lure."Carter nodded thoughtfully. "That's a good lesson." Then, with a twinkle in his eye, he said, "Now I just need to give you a lesson on how to catch fish!" –Kristi YutzyHow About You?Has something ever looked good to you, even though you knew it would be wrong? Cheating to get a good grade, stealing money to buy something nice, or lying so you don't get in trouble are some of sin's bright lures that tempt us. Don't believe those lies. Sin is always harmful--that's why Jesus died to free us from its hold over us. Trust Him to help you resist sin's temptation.Today's Key Verse:God is faithful…when you are tempted, He will make a way for you to keep from falling into sin. (NLV) (1 Corinthians 10:13)Today's Key Thought:Be aware of sin's bright lures


Bible Reading: 1 Corinthians 10:13; James 1:12-15Carter helped his older brother Nate pull and heave their boat to the water's edge. Then Nate looked over the items in the boat. "Fishing poles, net, tackle box. I think we're ready." The boys jumped in the boat and headed for the other side of the lake."What color lure should I use?" asked Carter as he looked at the rows of colorful fishing lures in the tackle box. "There's green, pink, blue, and yellow twisty tales. I'll try this bright pink one. I want to catch a big trout."Carter cast out his line in hopes of a bite. He settled back in his seat, enjoying the rocking of the boat."I have a fish!" he yelled a while later. He started reeling his line. The fish fought and struggled, but Carter soon had his first fish in the boat."Look at that big trout!" said Nate. "Pink must be the color to use."Carter grinned and threw his line back in. A few minutes later his pole jerked again. "It's another one," he said excitedly, scooting to the edge of his seat. He reeled his line as fast as he could, but this time he heard a sickening snap."My line broke!" he wailed. "It was a big one too. Maybe I can still get it."Soon his line was back in the water with another pink twisty tale. Both boys sat quietly and waited."You know," said Nate, breaking the silence. "Fishing reminds me of our spiritual lives. We use bright colors hoping the fish will notice our lures and bite. The fish think it's a tasty worm, but it's really only a plastic lure with a hook. They don't know there's a hook until they bite, and then it's too late.""Unless the line breaks," Carter said with a laugh.Nate grinned. "That's how sin is. It looks attractive, but once we bite, we find out how much of a mess it makes. That's why we need to remember that Jesus freed us from sin and trust Him to help us resist its bright lure."Carter nodded thoughtfully. "That's a good lesson." Then, with a twinkle in his eye, he said, "Now I just need to give you a lesson on how to catch fish!" –Kristi YutzyHow About You?Has something ever looked good to you, even though you knew it would be wrong? Cheating to get a good grade, stealing money to buy something nice, or lying so you don't get in trouble are some of sin's bright lures that tempt us. Don't believe those lies. Sin is always harmful--that's why Jesus died to free us from its hold over us. Trust Him to help you resist sin's temptation.Today's Key Verse:God is faithful…when you are tempted, He will make a way for you to keep from falling into sin. (NLV) (1 Corinthians 10:13)Today's Key Thought:Be aware of sin's bright lures


Send us a textDeut. 1:6-7 (NLV) says, "You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Get ready to travel now..."Support the show

Send us a textDeut. 1:6-7 (NLV) says, "You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Get ready to travel now..."Support the show

Send us a textDeut. 1:6-7 (NLV) says, "You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Get ready to travel now..."Support the show

Twin towers proposal south of Fontainebleau wins county approval, NLV police release shooting details and say teen shot at them first, a 15-year-old boy killed in Las Vegas shooting ID'd by coroner's office and more on 7@7.

Send us a textDeut. 1:6-7 (NLV) says, "You have stayed long enough at this mountain.       Get ready to travel now..."Support the show

John 5:19 NLT“I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. Key #1 - Lock Your FOCUSProverbs 4:25-27 NLTLook straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. 26 Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. 27 Don't get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil. Key #2 - Fix the FrameHebrews 12:1 NLVAll these many people who have had faith in God are around us like a cloud. Let us put everything out of our lives that keeps us from doing what we should. Let us keep running in the race that God has planned for us. Key #3 - Let it DevelopPsalm 27:14 NLTWait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord. Key #4 - Whose in the Picture?Matthew 22:19-21 NLTHere, show me the coin used for the tax.” When they handed him a Roman coin, 20 he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?” 21 “Caesar's,” they replied. “Well, then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”

John 5:19 NLT“I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. Key #1 - Lock Your FOCUSProverbs 4:25-27 NLTLook straight ahead, and fix your eyes on what lies before you. 26 Mark out a straight path for your feet; stay on the safe path. 27 Don't get sidetracked; keep your feet from following evil. Key #2 - Fix the FrameHebrews 12:1 NLVAll these many people who have had faith in God are around us like a cloud. Let us put everything out of our lives that keeps us from doing what we should. Let us keep running in the race that God has planned for us. Key #3 - Let it DevelopPsalm 27:14 NLTWait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord. Key #4 - Whose in the Picture?Matthew 22:19-21 NLTHere, show me the coin used for the tax.” When they handed him a Roman coin, 20 he asked, “Whose picture and title are stamped on it?” 21 “Caesar's,” they replied. “Well, then,” he said, “give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.”

Man sentenced in 11-year-old girl's killing in shooting of mistaken NLV house, Former Raiders standout opens up about short marriage to Kelsey Plum, Las Vegas blisters all-time record high, hits 120 degrees and more on 7@7.

Luke 19:30-36 NLVHe said, “Go into the town ahead of you. There you will find a young donkey tied. No man has ever sat on it. Let it loose and bring it to Me. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you letting it loose?' say to him, ‘Because the Lord needs it.'”32 Those who were sent found everything as Jesus had told them. 33 As they were letting the young donkey loose, the owners said to them, “Why are you letting the young donkey loose?” 34 They answered, “The Lord needs it.” 35 Then they brought it to Jesus. They put their coats on the donkey and they put Jesus on it.36 As Jesus was going, they put their coats down on the road. Key #1 - Cast your Cares1 Peter 5:7 NLTGive all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.Matthew 6:25-27 NIV“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? Key #2 - No OffenseProverbs 19:11 ESVGood sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.1 Corinthians 13:5 AMPC“Love . . . takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]”  Key #3 - Your Attitude sets your AltitudeEphesians 4:22-23 NLTThrow off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Key #4 - Don't make Things a ThingMark 10:21-22 NLTLooking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven't done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man's face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Luke 19:30-36 NLVHe said, “Go into the town ahead of you. There you will find a young donkey tied. No man has ever sat on it. Let it loose and bring it to Me. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you letting it loose?' say to him, ‘Because the Lord needs it.'”32 Those who were sent found everything as Jesus had told them. 33 As they were letting the young donkey loose, the owners said to them, “Why are you letting the young donkey loose?” 34 They answered, “The Lord needs it.” 35 Then they brought it to Jesus. They put their coats on the donkey and they put Jesus on it.36 As Jesus was going, they put their coats down on the road. Key #1 - Cast your Cares1 Peter 5:7 NLTGive all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.Matthew 6:25-27 NIV“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? Key #2 - No OffenseProverbs 19:11 ESVGood sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.1 Corinthians 13:5 AMPC“Love . . . takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]”  Key #3 - Your Attitude sets your AltitudeEphesians 4:22-23 NLTThrow off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Key #4 - Don't make Things a ThingMark 10:21-22 NLTLooking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven't done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” 22 At this the man's face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.

Your DAMAGE does not DEFINE you. God put HIMSELF within YOU.  Romans 8:11 NIV And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you. Your DAMAGE does NOT define you. JESUS defines you!  THE LIE: The more BROKEN you are, the less VALUABLE you are.  2 Corinthians 10:5 NIV We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. THE TRUTH: Your VALUE remains despite your PAIN!  Psalm 147:3 He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. 2 Samuel 9:1-4 NLV Then David said, “Is there anyone left of the family of Saul, to whom I may show kindness because of Jonathan?” 2 Now there was a servant in Saul's house whose name was Ziba. They called him to David, and the king said to him, “Are you Ziba?” And he said, “I am your servant.” 3 The king said, “Is there not still someone of the family of Saul to whom I may show the kindness of God?” And Ziba said to the king, “There is still a son of Jonathan who cannot walk because of his feet.” 4 So the king said to him, “Where is he?” Ziba answered the king, “See, he is in the family of Machir the son of Ammiel in Lo-debar.” 5 Then King David sent men to bring him from the family of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar.  You can't allow your ISSUE to become your IDENTITY.  2 Samuel 4:4 GNT  Another descendant of Saul was Jonathan's son Mephibosheth, who was five years old when Saul and Jonathan were killed. When the news about their death came from the city of Jezreel, his nurse picked him up and fled; but she was in such a hurry that she dropped him, and he became crippled. It's OKAY to not be okay, but it's not okay to STAY that way.  1. ADMIT you're damaged. 2. God does His BEST work with DAMAGED people! 3. God wants to use your DAMAGE to REDEFINE your DESTINY! 2 Samuel 9:5-7 NLV 5 Then King David sent men to bring him from the family of Machir the son of Ammiel, from Lo-debar. 6 Mephibosheth the son of Saul's son Jonathan came to David and fell on his face to the ground in respect. David said, “Mephibosheth.” And he answered, “Here is your servant!” 7 David said to him, “Do not be afraid. For I will be sure to show kindness to you because of your father Jonathan. I will return to you all the land of your grandfather Saul. And you will eat at my table always.” Isaiah 41:9-10 NIV 9 I took you from the ends of the earth, from its farthest corners I called you. I said, ‘You are my servant'; I have chosen you and have not rejected you. 10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/coastalchurch/message

Transcript Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 18-20 NLV, Ch. 21-22 CEB Podcast Introduction Today is Prophecy Friday. We'll the prophetic books with chapters 18-22 of the last book in the Bible, the book of Revelation. There's a new voicemail that I think you'll find interesting, and as I promised to... The post Revelation 18-22: The Final Chapters first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Filmmaker and acting coach Christina Zorich talks about her new documentary and how it can help us identify solutions to human trafficking. Proverbs 31:8“Open your mouth for those who cannot speak, and for the rights of those who are left without help.” (NLV) https://livesteadyon.com/Email Angie at: steadyonpodcast@gmail.comFacebook: @livesteadyonInstagram: @angiebaughman421 Looking for something not listed? It's probably here: https://linktr.ee/livesteadyon https://thenewabolitionistsdoc.com/ Facebook: @thenewabolitionists Instagram: @thenewabolitionistsThe New Abolitionist Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brtSme5MUps THE NEW ABOLITIONISTS, was directed by Christina Zorich and produced by Zorich, Oscar-winner Olympia Dukakis, and Susannah Julien Barnes, and features the participation of Olympia Dukakis, Christina Zorich, Eng Veng, Annie Dieselberg, Daniel Vaupel, and Andrea Aasen. https://www.christinazorich.net/ Christina mentioned:Book, “For Their Tears I Died: Stories of Extreme Suffering and Extravagant Redemption in Human Trafficking and Social Injustice” by Patricia King et al. The Unlikely Heroes organization, https://unlikelyheroes.com/ Sound Effecttransition base by Cristian_Changing Theme music:Heartwarming by Kevin MacLeodLink: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3864-heartwarmingLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ The details for the Steady On University beta team can be found here: https://livesteadyon.com/sou-beta/Preroll music: Tomorrow Comes Soon by Dreamlamp

I'm Rob Skinner and this is the Rob Skinner Podcast.  In this episode, I share what I gained from trying to learn the “Secret of Happiness.”  I spent 30 days trying to imitate Paul's example of being happy in all circumstances.   I want to let you know how my “Secret of Happiness” campaign went and what I learned.    I have learned to be happy with whatever I have. 12 I know how to get along with little and how to live when I have much. I have learned the secret of being happy at all times. If I am full of food and have all I need, I am happy. If I am hungry and need more, I am happy. 13 I can do all things because Christ gives me the strength.  Philippians 4:11-13, NLV

Proverbs 19:21 NLV“There are many plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's plan that will stand.” Key #1 - Get the Right RecipeHebrews 11:6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.Romans 10:17So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.Romans 1:12When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yoursJames 1:3Your faith will be tested. You know that when this happens it will produce in you the strength to continue. Key #2 - Begin the PreparationJames 2:14What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions? Key #3 - Don't be a PICKY EATERJeremiah 15:16 NIRVWhen I received your words, I ate them. They filled me with joy. My heart took delight in them. Key #4 - Become a FeederJohn 21:15 NIVWhen they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

Proverbs 19:21 NLV“There are many plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's plan that will stand.” Key #1 - Get the Right RecipeHebrews 11:6And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.Romans 10:17So faith comes from hearing, that is, hearing the Good News about Christ.Romans 1:12When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yoursJames 1:3Your faith will be tested. You know that when this happens it will produce in you the strength to continue. Key #2 - Begin the PreparationJames 2:14What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions? Key #3 - Don't be a PICKY EATERJeremiah 15:16 NIRVWhen I received your words, I ate them. They filled me with joy. My heart took delight in them. Key #4 - Become a FeederJohn 21:15 NIVWhen they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

Transcript Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 7 NLV; Ch. 8 GWT Executive Producer Anonymous Associate Producer Michael Haner Podcast Introduction It's Gospels Saturday, and we'll read Acts 7-8. I'm calling this episode “Boldness in Faith.“ Summary In Acts 7, Stephen courageously spoke the truth and became the first Christian martyr.... The post Acts 7-8: Boldness in Faith first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Transcript Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 25 NLV, Ch. 26 NET, Ch. 27 HCSB, Ch. 28 GWT Associate Producer James in Norway Podcast Introduction It's the Law Monday, and we'll read Numbers 25-28 here on the Lifespring One Year Bible. I'm calling this episode “Immorality and the Decline of a... The post Numbers 25-28: Immorality and the Decline of a Nation first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Transcript Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 16 NLV; Ch. 17 ESV; Ch. 18 HCSB Podcast Introduction It's Gospels Saturday, and we'll read John 16-18. I'm calling this episode “Jesus' Prayer for You.“ Summary In John 17, before His crucifixion, Jesus prayed for all believers. He asked for unity among His... The post John 16-18: Jesus' Prayer for You first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Transcript Today’s Bible Translation Bible translation used in today’s episode: Ch. 9 NLV; Ch. 10 NET; Ch. 11 NKJV; Ch. 12 GWT Podcast Introduction Today is  the Law Monday. We'll read Numbers 9-12. I'm calling this episode “Sibling Rivalry.” Summary Numbers 12 provides an intriguing account of Miriam and Aaron’s criticism of Moses, particularly regarding... The post Numbers 9-12: Sibling Rivalry first appeared on Lifespring! Media.

Bible Reading: Acts 26:26-29"Hey, Sawyer!" Cameron called down the hallway to his friend. Sawyer opened his locker and waited as Cameron hurried to talk to him. "I've been meaning to ask you--do you want to play ball with my church team?""Some other guys asked me to play with them," Sawyer said, pulling books from his locker. "I'm gonna be the pitcher on their team.""But you should play on my team!" said Cameron. "We're friends. The guys from church really want you to play with us too."Sawyer slammed the locker shut. "Yeah, and if I do, they'll want me to come to church with them," he grumbled. "To tell you the truth, that's why I'd rather play with the other guys. I don't want to hear about all that church and Jesus stuff!"As he spoke, a noisy group of boys rushed down the hall toward Cameron and Sawyer. "Hey, Cameron," called the tall boy in the lead. "Sawyer here is going to be on our baseball team. Want to play with us too? We joined a Sunday morning league. How about it?""Thanks," said Cameron, "but I, uh…""He goes to church on Sunday mornings," Sawyer interjected."Cameron goes to church? Now isn't that sweet?" said a boy in a blue shirt, and the others began to laugh as they turned to leave.Cameron swallowed hard. "C'mon, Sawyer. Play with our team. Please? I think you'd enjoy getting to know some of the guys I go to church with."Sawyer shook his head. "This is my big chance to pitch. It might be the only chance I'll ever get.""Come on. Let's go!" called one of the boys. Sawyer pulled his baseball cap on and joined the others heading for the exit, laughing and joking.As Cameron stood in the quiet hallway, Sawyer's words rang in his ears like a loud echo: It might be the only chance I'll ever get. Cameron turned and started home. Dear Jesus, he prayed, I was hoping this would be my big chance to help Sawyer meet more Christians who could help him see what You're like, but it didn't work. Please give me more opportunities to help Sawyer know more about You and how much You love him. Please give him another chance to trust in You. -Susan I. ZampichHow About You?Have you trusted in Jesus? He invites you to do that today. You've been given a chance to know Him as your Savior. Will you take advantage of it? He is patient and often gives people many opportunities to trust in Him, but you don't know what will happen from one day--or one moment--to the next. Don't miss this chance to come to Jesus. Trust Him as your Savior today. (To learn more, click the "Good News!" button in the right column of this page.)Today's Key Verse:Now is the right time! See! Now is the day to be saved. (NLV) (2 Corinthians 6:2 )Today's Key Thought:Trust in Jesus now

To download the free guide that goes with this episode visit www.magicintheroom.com.   Danny Langloss has been a police officer and chief. He is currently a city manager. In this Magic in the Room episode, he joins Hannah and Luke to give a blueprint for high performance based on his experience leading through crisis and change. Listen for several key strategies, including inviting feedback, giving people ownership of the organization's vision, and increasing employee engagement.  Find Danny on LInkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/dannylangloss/  or www.dannylangloss.com.  Credits:   This episode of Magic in the Room was recorded onsite in Chicago during the NLV conference.  Music by evangrimmusic.com 

Joshua 1:1-4 NIV 1 After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Mediterranean Sea in the west. 1. Courage always involves an ASSIGNMENT (mission) Joshua 1:2 NIV 2 “Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 2. Courage requires ASSURANCE (trusting fully in the Lord) Joshua 1:5,9 NIV 5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” 3. Courage grows through ADHERENCE (commitment) Joshua 1:6-7,9 NIV 6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them. 7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” 4. Courage matures through APPLICATION (of the Word of God) REINFORCEMENT: strengthen or support an object or substance, especially with additional material. Psalm 56:3-4 (NLV) 3 When I am afraid, I will trust in You. 4 I praise the Word of God. I have put my trust in God. I will not be afraid. What can only a man do to me? Joshua 1:7-8 NIV 7 “Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. QUESTIONS 1) Courage always requires an assignment. Have you experienced this in your life? Describe a scenario where you felt stronger and more courageous after completing a mission. 2) What does it look like for you to fully trust in the Lord? What areas of your life require you to emphasize this even more. 3) What verses in Scripture encourage you to be stronger? How has God's Word made you a more courageous person?

To download the free guide that goes with this episode go to www.magicintheroom.com.    In this episode of Magic in the Room, Kimberly Davis, the founder of Brave Leadership University, joins Hannah and Luke to continue our exploration of Intentional Leadership. Kimberly helps us understand that we can be brave by connecting to our “super objective,” which is the impact we want to have. She defines bravery as “being my best, most authentic and powerful self,” which is critical for Intentional Leadership.   Find Kimberlly on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/kimberlydavisonstage/ or at braveleadershipuniversity.com  Brave Leadership University founder, Kimberly Davis is an expert on authentic leadership, and shares her inspirational  message of personal power, responsibility and impact with organizations  across the country and teaches leadership programs world-wide.   Kimberly teaches for SMU Cox School of Business' Executive Education Program and their Latino Leadership Initiative; as well as for the Bush Institute's WE Lead program (empowering female leaders from the middle east). Kimberly is a TEDx speaker and her award-winning book, Brave Leadership: Unleash Your Most Confident, Authentic, and Powerful Self to Get the Results You Need was named the #1 book to read on Inc. Magazine's “The most impactful books to read in 2018.”       Credits:   This episode of Magic in the Room was recorded during the 2023 NLV conference in Chicago, Illinois.     Music by evangrimmusic.com 

In today's episode, Neil shares his new year message and explores the opportunity to learn more about leveraging technology to make lasting connections. Then, Sarah Elkins, the founder of the No Longer Virtual (NLV) Conference, shares her insights on how to use technology to create meaningful connections. Through her inspiring stories and lessons learned, Sarah provides tips on how to benefit from stories to shape personal growth and development. She also discusses the importance of pushing oneself beyond fear and taking risks, as well as her favorite song, Hang On Little Tomato, by Pink Martini. Sarah shares how to use technology to create meaningful connections and build relationships. She also shares her motivation for creating the NLV conference and how the stories we tell ourselves that shape our perception of the world. Listen in as Sarah offers advice on how to push ourselves beyond our fears and encourages us to open ourselves up to the opportunities that technology can provide.

256 The Marathon of Life   In life we are rarely if ever handed our dreams and aspirations, oftentimes we must work our fingers to the bones and burn the midnight oil just to be able to stand at the starting line. In the end or maybe even halfway through we realize that all our perseverance and determination was worth it.  In this episode Sarah Elkins and the venerable Pauline Joseph discuss the importance of staying true to one's self despite all trials, because we know we can offer the world something amazing.    Highlights Finding the perfect moment for You. It's okay to take pride in your hard work. Leading the way for others.   Quotes “With that one decision came other little decisions but I definitely made the right decision.” “Chances are if I was a different shade and a different gender you'd have a different conversation.” “I need to be happy and I have to be okay with that.”   About Pauline I'm passionate about telling compelling stories that meaningfully connect brands with their audiences. Stories that ignite the imagination to make people think, laugh, click and engage. My business has a global mindset and outreach, but with a Caribbean heart and soul. As the founder of AC Marketing Caribbean, I manage and motivate a team that creates lead- generating content for international companies in emerging Caribbean markets. Whether it's getting our videos on primetime local news or tapping into the networking power of LinkedIn, my imaginative strategies work. Harnessing my tech experience at Microsoft, I built a digital infrastructure for my remote working team that fosters productivity for my clients. My data-driven approach means that I create powerful, cost-effective solutions for my clients. I'm obsessed with live streaming. When I bought my first camera three years ago, little did I know how my rookie exploration into the video universe would unfold. Today, I'm the host of the LinkedIn Local Caribbean, which allows LinkedIn users to network via free events, and the ACMLive show, which has its finger on the pulse of digital marketing in the Caribbean. From creating a live show for the Bankers Association of Trinidad and Tobago, to giving a platform to local entrepreneurs on my shows, by embracing video, I've been able to transform and elevate the profiles of my clients in the Caribbean.   Connect with Pauline on her Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn!   About Sarah "Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision." In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I've realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don't realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they're sharing them with. My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home. The audiobook, Your Stories Don't Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available! Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana. Interested in NLV? Sign up here!   Be sure to check out the videos and links mentioned in this episode! 868 Triathlon AC Marketing Caribbean Show Notes by Chinook Bromlie

The Impact We Bring How do you impact others? How do you think you are perceived by those people? These questions are explored in today's episode with incredible insight and the emotional intelligence of people who have also asked themselves these questions and decided that they wanted to leave a positive legacy. In this episode Sarah Elkins and Neetal Parekh discuss the importance of our impact on those around us, from the home to the workplace and even to our digital footprint. Viewed through the lens of self reflection and acceptance of how -or if- we impact the people around us, this episode is sure to bring awareness to our impact on others as well as the impact they have on ourselves. Highlights Warmth brings people out of their shells. Your impact on others can change them so make it a good one.  Acknowledge the people who've changed you.  We don't know how we're being perceived until someone speaks up.  The more you do something the less awkward it will be and the more you will learn. Quotes “You have to learn to surrender. You'll never know the thousands of people listening, you'll never be able to know all of them because we have no way to know. But all of these people that are listening to your voice or hearing something you said and it may impact how they go about their day or go about their life.” “As a creator you would never know if and how it impacted people.” “When we really own that strength, it actually draws people that make it happen.” About Neetal Parekh Neetal Parekh is an attorney and founder/CEO of Innov8social, which builds content, tools, and programs to make social entrepreneurship more accessible, actionable, and transformative. She is a passionate advocate for social impact ecosystem-building who believes that this field empowers us to creatively re-imagine how businesses and individuals can create meaningful impact and lasting value. Neetal is the author of Amazon bestselling book, 51 Questions on Social Entrepreneurship, host of The Impact Podcast by Innov8social, and convener of Impactathon®. She is currently working on a series of children's books to introduce a problem solving mindset to young learners.    Connect with Neetal on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram! And be sure to check out her websites Innov8 Social, Impactathon, and be sure to go to 51 Questions to get her amazing book! About Sarah Elkins "Uncovering the right stories for the right audiences so executives, leaders, public speakers, and job seekers can clearly and actively demonstrate their character, values, and vision." In my work with coaching clients, I guide people to improve their communication using storytelling as the foundation of our work together. What I've realized over years of coaching and podcasting is that the majority of people don't realize the impact of the stories they share - on their internal messages, and on the people they're sharing them with. My work with leaders and people who aspire to be leaders follows a similar path to the interviews on my podcast, uncovering pivotal moments in their lives and learning how to share them to connect more authentically with others, to make their presentations and speaking more engaging, to reveal patterns that have kept them stuck or moved them forward, and to improve their relationships at work and at home. The audiobook, Your Stories Don't Define You, How You Tell Them Will is now available! Included with your purchase are two bonus tracks, songs recorded by Sarah's band, Spare Change, in her living room in Montana.   Interested in NLV? Sign up here! Mentioned in this podcast Thinx  The Go-Giver She Raises Capital Show Notes by Chinook Bromlie

Bible Reading: 1 Peter 2:21-22; 1 John 2:3-6"Mom, why do we do devotions every day?" asked Bo as she picked up a book with colorful illustrations of birds and flowers. "It seems like we get enough Bible teaching by going to church every week." As she spoke, she thumbed through the book she was holding. She studied a picture of a beautiful red cardinal. "I'd sure like this picture for my bird project," Bo said. "Can I cut it out?""That would ruin the book. Why don't you trace it?" suggested Mom."Good idea." Bo jumped up and found some tracing paper.Mom watched as Bo worked. "Why do you put the paper right on top of the picture?" Mom asked."It's tracing paper," replied Bo, surprised at her mother's question. "I put it on top of the picture so I can see the lines through the paper and trace them.""But you just saw the picture a minute ago," said Mom. "Why not put the paper to the side and look back at the picture every now and then?""Mom! I'm tracing it, not copying it," said Bo. "When you trace, the paper has to touch the picture." She looked at her mother suspiciously.Mom nodded. "You're right. I'm thinking of your question about having devotions every day. The Bible says our lives should look like that of Jesus--we should follow in His steps and love others the way He does.""And you're comparing that to tracing a picture?" asked Bo."Yes, because in order for you to trace that bird, your tracing paper needs to be right there on the picture, and in order for us to be like Jesus, we need to know what He's like. The Bible is His story--it shows us who He is. As we read and study the Bible--at church and on our own--we learn more about Jesus, and the Holy Spirit helps us apply what we learn to our lives. It's one of the ways He shapes us to be more like Jesus.""You mean, it's like He's tracing us over Jesus?" Bo lifted the tracing paper and looked at it, then put it back on the picture. "Okay," she said as she traced more lines. "As soon as I'm done with this, let's do our family devotions!" -Hazel W. MarettHow About You?Do you live the way Jesus lived? He lived a perfect life that none of us ever could, but with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can follow in His steps. One way to do that is to spend time reading the Bible so you can learn more about Jesus. It's important to read and study God's Word with other people at church, but it's also good to do it on your own. Learn what Jesus did and said, and then follow in His steps.Today's Key Verse:The one who says he belongs to Christ should live the same kind of life Christ lived. (NLV) (1 John 2:6)Today's Key Thought:Follow in Jesus's steps

Bible Reading: 2 Peter 1:2-9Jack wiggled impatiently as his Sunday school teacher tied a blindfold over his eyes. A big picture of a donkey without a tail was tacked on the wall, and it was Jack's turn to be blindfolded and turned around a few times before walking to the donkey and attaching a tail. This will be easy, he thought. He had noticed that the donkey was just a little to his left and about as high as his shoulders. When he was ready, Jack took a few wobbly steps, reached out and…there! He snatched off his blindfold and couldn't believe his eyes. There stood the donkey with a tail growing right out of its nose! Jack joined in the laughter as Mrs. Gates blindfolded another boy who was ready to try.After the game, Mrs. Gates had the kids sit down on the floor. She pointed to the donkey, which was still in place on the wall. "It would be easy to go right now and pin the tail in the right place," she said. "What made it hard during the game?""We were blindfolded," said one of the girls, "and we were dizzy from being turned around.""That's right," said Mrs. Gates. "Do you know that Christians are sometimes like that too? Attitudes that keep us from doing the right thing and showing God's love to others are like spiritual blindfolds. What do you think some of those might be?"Jack's hand shot up. "Selfishness," he suggested."Or being jealous of other kids," said another boy."Or thinking you're better than other people," offered one of the girls.Mrs. Gates nodded. "Things that are like spiritual blindfolds to us do not belong in our lives. When we trusted Jesus as our Savior, He set us free from sin and gave us everything we need to live godly lives for Him." She opened her Bible. "The book of Second Peter tells us some of the qualities that show others our lives have been changed by Jesus. When we lack these things because we're holding on to sinful attitudes, it says we become shortsighted--as though we're wearing a blindfold. When you notice a spiritual blindfold in your life, don't let it stay there--confess it to Jesus and trust Him to remove it."-Hazel W. MarettHow About You?Are there spiritual blindfolds in your life--sinful attitudes that keep you from showing others God's love? Are you quick to point out others' faults? Do you always insist on having your own way? If you know Jesus, He has given you all you need to live a godly life. Confess any sinful attitudes to Him. Then trust Him to help you see others the way He does so you can show them His love.Today's Key Verse:If you do not have these things [godly qualities], you are blind and cannot see far. You forget God saved you from your old life of sin. (NLV) (2 Peter 1:9)Today's Key Thought:Get rid of spiritual blindfolds