Podcasts about our summer

Friend of the Show Wade Hymel makes his triumphant return to the podcast, and he's brought with him I Love You, Man (2009).   So what's up with men, huh? With their man caves, and their jam seshes, and their pizza pies. Can't live with ‘em, can't help but love ‘em, am I right?   And how do adults make friends anyway? It's pretty weird. Somebody should make a movie about it.   Oh, that's what this movie is.   Hear Wade's amazing album WHO SAID THAT? on Apple Music (https://bit.ly/4kinkpJ), Spotify (https://spoti.fi/3SoQnM3), or wherever else music is streamed. Or you can purchase the album from Bandcamp (https://bit.ly/3I2Syje).   Bonus video: Matt unpacks the story of The Black Cauldron, Disney's biggest ever flop. Watch it on YouTube: https://youtu.be/rHeypRjToic    Next week: We're off. Our Summer of (redacted) miniseries begins the following Friday (June 13) with an episode about (redacted… listen to the episode to learn what it is!).   Subscribe to our Patreon, Load Bearing Beams: Collector's Edition for $5 a month to get two extra episodes! patreon.com/loadbearingbeams    Time stamps: 00:01:45 — Our MAJOR summer miniseries announcement 00:06:08 — Summer miniseries theme song debut 00:10:15 — Our personal histories with I Love You, Man  00:18:20 — History segment: The Male Loneliness epidemic — why is it so hard for men to make friends? We definitively answer the question. Then we talk about the origins of this movie under original screenwriter Larry Levin in the 1990s, and how it was finally brought to life by director John Hamburg in 2009 00:32:00 — In-depth movie discussion 01:59:35 — Final thoughts and star ratings   Sources: “Younger Men in the U.S. Among the Loneliest in West” by Benedict Vigers | Gallup (2025) - https://bit.ly/4kGZcgk  “John Hamburg Says I Love You, Man” by Edward Douglas | ComingSoon.net (2009) - https://bit.ly/3HeoyUo    Artwork by Laci Roth.   Music by Rural Route Nine. Listen to their album The Joy of Averages on Spotify (https://bit.ly/48WBtUa), Apple Music (https://bit.ly/3Q6kOVC), or YouTube (https://bit.ly/3MbU6tC).   Songs by Rural Route Nine in this episode: “Summer of Rock” - https://youtu.be/dvRY72jNIEE  “Winston-Salem” - https://youtu.be/-acMutUf8IM “Snake Drama” - https://youtu.be/xrzz8_2Mqkg “The Bible Towers of Bluebonnet” - https://youtu.be/k7wlxTGGEIQ   Follow the show! Twitter: @LoadBearingPod | @MattStokes9 | @LRothConcepts Instagram: @loadbearingbeams TikTok: @load.bearing.beams | @mattstokes9 Letterboxd: @loadbearinglaci | @mattstokes9 Bluesky: @loadbearingbeams.bsky.social

Kirsten Dirksen, An Unexpected Career as a YouTube Home & Lifestyle Content Creator Show Notes: Kirsten Dirksen majored in economics and math, but found creative writing to be her passion. She decided to become a magazine writer and interned at the NBC affiliate in San Francisco, where she worked for free for about nine months. Working at NBC and Moving a Women's Network After her internship, she went to work with the NBC elite, which was the old chronicle enterprise. Kirsten became the music person, interviewing bands and creating unique stories for interviews. She eventually moved to New York City to work for Oxygen, a women's network. She then worked freelance in New York City and for other networks, including MTV, where she did music-themed stories. She worked freelance for a while, and the Sundance Channel took her to Spain to do an interview with Javier Bardem. She later met her husband in Barcelona. Reality T.V. and Early YouTube Videos Throughout her career, Kirsten has been passionate about storytelling and experimenting with different topics. She started working with an old Oxygen producer in Spain to film weddings for a reality show called The Knot. They traveled to various locations, and Kirsten edited the shows which took around five weeks to complete. However, when her husband started a website about environmental sustainability, together they made videos and put them on YouTube. The first viral video was about a  micro apartment in New York. The video was picked up and shared on La Republica's homepage. This led to the story being picked up by Good Morning, America. We the Tiny House People and 20 Million Views After videos going viral in 2009, Kirsten and her husband continued posting YouTube videos. Since then she has done about five or six documentaries, with one being a taste-style documentary about the tiny house movement. The other two are family-based, chronicling the tiny house movement and the summer of family love. She has also done documentaries on homelessness, focusing on the experiences of homeless people in California. Kirsten's videos have gained popularity, with her first one being called We the Tiny House People, chronicling the tiny house movement. The second one, Our Summer of Family Love,  was a road trip across the Pacific Northwest and West for the summer. Her other documentaries have focused on homelessness, focusing on solutions and solutions for those living in small homes. Her videos have gained attention and have been viewed over 20 million times on YouTube. She has also been a guest on the show The Tiny House People,  where she shares her experiences with tiny house movements and the challenges faced by homeless people. From Documentarian to Author Kirsten  began in a formal documentary unit in San Francisco and has since focused on documentaries and tours of tiny homes. Her book, Life-Changing Homes, is titled after these homes, which she believes sum up the stories they tell. The books are categorized into 10 chapters, each with a theme that focuses on simplicity, slowness, impermanence, elevation, restoration, underground survival, resurrection, and future. The book covers a variety of houses, from simple to large, and features thought-provoking chapter headings that cover two or three different houses that fit that theme. Each chapter covers about two or three different houses that fit that theme, and Kirsten interviews the owner. The focus is not on a specific category or type of house, but rather on the story itself. Kirsten's work has been praised for its stunning photos and focus on eco-friendly designs, making it an attractive resource for those interested in living in tiny homes. The book is expected to be a valuable resource for those interested in exploring these unique and sustainable living options. The People Who Live in Non-Traditional Dwellings Kirsten discusses the experiences of interviewing people in non-traditional dwellings, such as those in Ontario and California. She highlights the importance of considering what one truly needs out of a home and what skills they have. Some examples include a widow who built a dome home in Ontario, where she had a refrigerator that pops up like a gadget in Willy Wonka's factory. Another example is a chiropractor who bought land near the border of Oregon and started building a tree house and an earth ship along the way. He has a community of people living there. She also mentions the chief architect for Apple who has a small, open home in Sonoma County. He lived on the land first, but then went camping to find the best place to live. He bought two prefabs and kept everything small, with only the bathroom having a bit of a door. His wife and kids enjoyed the openness and connection to the surroundings. Kirsten emphasizes that it's not just about affordability, but also about making the most sense of the space. Sometimes too big houses can be worse than not having the views or being in touch with the surroundings. This is why she came back to the idea of living in a small, open space. The Importance of Simplicity  The conversation turns to Thoreau and his way of thinking about time in nature, simplicity, and well-being. Kirsten discusses the importance of simplicity in her life and how it can impact her content creation. She also mentions a couple who live in the woods called the innermost house, which they call a place to reflect and experiment in simplicity. She talks about the connection between simplicity and high thinking, as seen in a woman who lived in a tiny house in her backyard in Santa Rosa, California back at a time when it was rebellious to live in a tiny, mobile home. Kirsten mentions how the woman found too many possessions cluttered her mind.  Viral Videos and Duds Kirsten shares her experiences with videos that go viral and which ones are more of a dud. One example is a story with a young architect living in a 12th-century mansion in Spain. Another example is a video with Special Operations, a flying car from an off-grid home, which has had 700,000 views in a week. The title of the video is "Special Operations," which is about a special operations vet who lives on land at the top of a mountain and works as a rescue mission and firefighters. Kirsten shares her experience of becoming a content creator and how it has changed her outlook on life and making a living. It wasn't something she planned; however, it has given her a lot of freedom and afforded her an income that allows her to make a living. Plain Living and High Thinking The conversation turns to the process of making a video, including filming, editing, and producing the perfect thumbnail. Kirsten and her husband usually spend two to three hours at a house or location.  The couple also film themselves during their stay, going on runs and shooting in the morning. Kirsten shares stories from many of the productions and the diverse and interesting people she has met along the way. She talks about what motivates and inspires these people to think and live differently. Influential Harvard Professors and Courses Kirsten discusses her experience with Verlyn Klinkenborg whose direction inspired her work back then and today.  Timestamps: 02:22 Internship at NBC and Early Career in Television  06:26: Transition to Freelancing and YouTube  11:03: Growth of YouTube Channel and Documentary Work  11:14: Discovering Unique Homes and Themes for Documentaries  11:36: Impact of Unique Living Spaces on Individuals  30:59: Challenges and Surprises in Content Creation  42:58: Balancing Work and Personal Life  43:09: Influence of Harvard Professors and Writing  Links: Book: https://www.abramsbooks.com/product/life-changing-homes_9781419771897/ Press page: https://faircompanies.com/media-kit/ Channel https://youtube.com/kirstendirksen Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kirsten.dirksen/ YouTube: Summer of (Family) Love https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Iti4JU5ObU We the Tiny House People https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDcVrVA4bSQ Trapped in paradise: how we got the homeless situation (part 1) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5XIljwl5hI     Featured Non-profit: The featured non-profit of this episode of The 92 Report is recommended by Eleanor Stafford who reports: “Hi. I'm Eleanor Stafford, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is Literacy Volunteers of Massachusetts. LVM is a statewide organization that trains volunteers to provide free, confidential and individualized tutoring to adults in basic literacy and or ESL. I have been the lead basic literacy volunteer trainer for about 20 years now, and have managed the Boston affiliate for the past two years. You can learn more about LVM's work at lvm.org and now here is Will Bachmann for this week's episode.” To learn more about their work, visit: www.lvm.org.

Glen kicks off the 2025 BIGCast season with Bancography President Steve Reider and a deep dive into branch dynamics. We all know the number of branches is declining but a close look at the data reveals several intriguing subplots (psst… it's not the credit unions downsizing). Plus the return of BIGCast move reviews!   Links related to this episode:   Bancography: https://bancography.com/ Bancography's Best of Show winning Finovate demo: https://finovate.com/videos/finovatefall-2024-bancography/ The Bancology research journal- see in particular articles in Volumes 79, 80, 84, 85: https://bancography.com/bancology/  Wallace & Gromit's AI takedown (sort of): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wallace_%26_Gromit:_Vengeance_Most_Fowl The original Bank of Dave: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/bank_of_dave Our Summer 2023 review of the original Bank of Dave: https://www.big-fintech.com/Media?p=loyal-but-open-to-persuasion   Here's a great 2025 Resolution- Join the Innovation Club, an ideal way to stretch your credit union's limited R&D dollars and stay on top of the latest technology trends. Find out if your CU qualifies: https://www.big-fintech.com/Innovation-Club/Technology   Find us on BlueSky at @bigfintech, @jbfintech and @154Advisors You can also follow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/best-innovation-group/   https://www.linkedin.com/in/jbfintech/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/glensarvady/

It's bad boy time! Our Summer of Brat mini-series rolls on to cover the sex tapes and legitimate work of Rob Lowe, one time hot boy and current TV heartthrob. Is he actually a good actor? Let's get down to business with some erotic thrillers, sad boner jam comedies, and a minor Francis Ford Coppola masterwork.

Have you ever been on one of those long family road trips? Everyone brought their suitcases down, Dad played a Jenga game trying to figure out how to make everything fit, Mom packed a bag full of snacks, kids with their games ready in the back seat. Pulling out of the driveway was so exciting, but the thrill waned quickly as boredom and whining took over in the car. Somewhere in the journey the family pulled out a playlist of songs and belted them out together. But after hours in the car and maybe a night or two in hotels along the way, the anticipation builds again as the family started counting down the miles and seeing landmarks near the destination. Nothing beats that feeling of pulling in to the destination and the thrill of arriving. Our Summer journey through the Psalms of Ascent is coming to a close. For the travelers, this song was the song of arrival—they had made it to Jerusalem! Let the celebration begin! The songs for the journey have helped the travelers along the way. We need the Psalms! These ancient poems, prayers, and songs are for our journey. They are God’s kind gift to remind us that in the ups and downs, difficulties and joys, our God is with us all the way and He will get us to our destination. So, we join the song of blessing and celebration. Even though our sermon series journey ends today, the book of Psalms is a treasure that we should return to often.

We started our adventure into this branch of Marvel allllllllllll the way back in March of this year! And here we are now, 21 episodes later! Thank you so much for taking this ride with us. This block has been in the works for nearly two years over here at Geeks Unleashed, and it's a little bittersweet that it's come to a close. Our "Summer of X" has lasted almost half the year and we couldn't be more thrilled to truly end on a bang with the BILLION DOLLAR film, Deadpool & Wolverine. Not only did we take it back to Generation X, we also threw some Daredevil: Director's Cut and Elektra in for good measure. From Patrick Stewart to James McAvoy and every character in between, we've had a blast. Now here's the first film of 2024 that BOTH Geeks saw in theaters! TRACKLIST: 1:20 - Geek of the Week: Jasmin - Revenger (2023, Crunchyroll); Mark - Twisters (2024) 9:20 - A small 2024 podcast recap! 12:09 - Film summary and fun facts 24:50 - Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) review 1:24:57 - Mark and Jasmin have an announcement!   You can follow us on X, Facebook and Instagram or if you would like to support us you can donate to our KoFi.

Our Summer of Failed Franchises (mercifully?) comes to an end with perhaps the most flagrant franchise bait yet, Stephen Sommer's 2004 monster mash up Van Helsing. That's right, at long last you can be chilled by terrifying imagery such as Dracula cosplaying as Gerard Way, Hugh Jackman with nightmarishly bad extensions, and a Frankenstein's monster with a plasma globe jammed into his chest. Listen in as Leigh, Brendan, and Chris try to make sense of these choices, along with topics such as "what the hell is going on with this world building?" and "why do werewolves keeps regenerating tattered modesty pants upon transforming back into humans?" Fittingly, we also enjoy a light summer cocktail as red and bitter as Dracula's heart. (AHHHHHH if only he had one!) Continue reading →

Our Summer in the Woods series continues as we crank up the “Dueling Banjos” and trust in Burt to get us down the river safe and sound. Everything should go fine, right? Right? TIMESTAMPS :11 Intro and Remembering Charles Cyphers 10:52 The Time Machine July 30th, 1972 17:06 Deliverance Discussion

Episode 151: *BONUS EPISODE* Struggling Readers, with Shawna Wingert [Episode 151] Our Summer 2024 Poolside Professional Development Series for Moms has been an absolute hit! Each time we aired an episode of the series, we'd receive a slew of emails, and all of them essentially said the same thing: More Shawna, please! Here at The Homeschool Sisters Podcast, we aim to please. You ask, and we love to answer. This week, we have a BONUS episode for you. Shawna is back on the pod discussing one of the biggest pain points for homeschool parents: struggling readers. View show notes: - Episode 151: *BONUS EPISODE* Struggling Readers, with Shawna Wingert [Episode 151]

Our Summer of the Planet of the Apes reaches its exciting conclusion with “War for the Planet of the Apes,” which starts out as a war movie but continues mutating into different genres as it goes. We really enjoyed our walk through this underrated trilogy of 2010s action movies, and we hope you did too! Jason Snell with Brian Warren, John Moltz, Annette Wierstra and David J. Loehr.

Our Summer of the Planet of the Apes reaches its exciting conclusion with “War for the Planet of the Apes,” which starts out as a war movie but continues mutating into different genres as it goes. We really enjoyed our walk through this underrated trilogy of 2010s action movies, and we hope you did too! Jason Snell with Brian Warren, John Moltz, Annette Wierstra and David J. Loehr.

Our Summer in the Psalms sermon series will continue this Sunday. Psalm 16 will be our focus and how Jesus is our ultimate source of joy.

Our Summer in the Psalms sermon series begins this Sunday! We'll take some time to examine various psalms in the weeks to come, beginning with Psalm 91 this weekend.

Thanks for joining us! Today we welcome Pamela Tanner Boll an artist, filmmaker, writer as well as the Director and Executive Producer of several films including To Which We Belong. She is also the Founder and CEO of Mystic Artists Film Productions. We're excited to explore her vision as she worked to, in her words, “shine a light on the amazing possibilities for restoring our lands. And how we could fix our water problems and our climate issues.” She loves farmers and all of that was what brought her to this film. We think you'll be inspired as you listen to the stories and vision not only from the film but from the possibilities and hopes we have to address the challenges in agriculture we are facing today. Pamela is the Co-Executive Producer of the Academy Award-winning documentary, Born into Brothels. Pamela has executive produced the following film projects: Living in Emergency: True Stories of Doctors Without Borders; In a Dream; Connected: A Declaration of Interdependence; Our Summer in Tehran; Strange Powers: Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic Fields; Close to the Fire; She's Beautiful When She's Angry; E-Team; Teen Press; Obit; Navajo Nation; and Storm Lake. Pamela directed and produced Who Does She Think She Is?, a feature-length documentary film that follows five women who are mothers and artists. Pamela also directed A Small Good Thing, a film that asks the question, how can we live in a better way? She is currently working on a new film project, To Which We Belong, highlighting farmers and ranchers who are improving the health of their land with regenerative practices and helping to reverse climate change. Pamela grew up in Parkersburg, WV. She received a BA in English from Middlebury College and a Masters in Interdisciplinary Studies from Lesley University. Pamela raised three sons in Winchester, Massachusetts, and now lives in Boulder, Colorado. https://www.towhichwebelong.com/ Got questions you want answered? Send them our way and we'll do our best to research and find answers. Know someone you think would be great on the AgEmerge stage or podcast? Send your questions or suggestions to kim@asn.farm we'd love to hear from you.

Interview with James Sykes, President & CEO of Baselode Energy Corp.Recording date: 29th November 2023Promising Drill Results Position Baseload Energy to Unlock District-Scale Potential as Uranium Bull Market AcceleratesJunior explorer Baseload Energy believes it has barely scratched the surface of its ACKIO project's upside potential. Located in the world's highest-grade uranium jurisdiction, recent promising drill results at ACKIO have CEO James Sykes confident that larger-scale discoveries are in the offing.“We hit better holes in many different areas on many different pods than we thought previously,” said Sygo, speaking at a recent industry conference. “It just shows that ACKIO has still some room to grow and still needs to be interpreted a little bit better."The most recent highlight hole at ACKIO intersected high-grade uranium mineralization over 8 meters, demonstrating continuity of the deposit's structure and alteration. Importantly, this intercept remains open for expansion in all directions.Earlier drilling was focused on infill drilling for initial resource categorization. However, Baseload Energy has now pivoted to step-out drilling aimed at discovery.“Our Summer's drill program to try and complete an NI 43101 resource...that's still our focus moving forward but it's not so much of what we didn't learn not to do,” remarked Sykes. “I think it was more successful on the front that we answered a lot of questions but we also, we hit better holes in many different areas.”The company also sees clear evidence that the depth potential of ACKIO's uranium-bearing structure remains untested.Sykes explained: “We were hitting better grades at depth...so there's the plumbing system is there and we haven't fully investigated the depth potentially yet.”Such high-grade discovery opportunities are arising just as sentiment and momentum continues accelerating across the wider uranium market. With the uranium spot price up 60% over the past year to $80 per pound, investors are taking notice.Rather than rest on its drilling success, Baseload Energy is crunching the numbers to assess viability of fast-tracking ACKIO into production. The existence of nearby infrastructure and supportive mining policies enhances the asset's prospects.“We've started things like mineralogy studies and leachability studies because we want to move this,” Sykes said. “We do believe this is a deposit that can be extracted.”Even while evaluating development potential, the company remains singularly focused on systematic exploration. A fully funded 2024 drill campaign aims to expand ACKIO's resources while testing new targets across Baseload's regional land package.“Next year is nothing but drilling. We hope to be drilling on all four projects,” remarked Sykes. “Make another discovery — that's what we're all about.”With drilling having now validated district-scale mineralization, Baseload Energy looks positioned to thrive in an accelerating bull market for uranium.—Learn more: https://cruxinvestor.comSign up for Crux Investor: https://cruxinvestor.com

Welcome to The Nonlinear Library, where we use Text-to-Speech software to convert the best writing from the Rationalist and EA communities into audio. This is: What Has the CEA Uni Groups Team Been Up To? - Our Summer 2023 Review, published by Joris P on September 30, 2023 on The Effective Altruism Forum. TLDR CEA's University Groups Team worked on a wide range of projects this summer We wrapped up a round of UGAP and OSP (our programs supporting university group organizers with digital resources, mentorship, training, and for UGAP a stipend) and launched a new one. Both rounds had over 100 people participating across both programs We ran a summit for relatively experienced group organizers, had four interns join us (who worked on projects like updating the Groups Resource Centre and setting up residencies), and continued to give out (relatively small) group support grants, to cover operational costs for university groups We're excited about potential future projects, like supporting more 'top' universities and/or seeding more support for AIS groups, but continue to reflect on what projects would be most valuable Intro CEA's University Groups Team is working on supporting university groups focused on EA ideas, and their organizers. We wrote more about our mission and vision last year here - note it is slightly outdated. Our team currently consists of Jessica McCurdy (team lead), Jake McKinnon, and Joris Pijpers. In this post we share what we've been working on this summer, including launching new rounds of UGAP & OSP, a summit, an internship program, and more. We won't touch much upon what we did in spring '23 (but have a retrospective of UGAP fall '22 here), and have also chosen to not expand in detail on why we are focusing on these programs and not others, in favor of getting the post out sooner. Additionally, we are still in the process of deeper impact analysis. We hope to publish more details on these in the future. Overall, we are pretty happy with what we were able to achieve this summer and are excited about future directions. Why university groups? We think university groups have the potential to be especially promising places to introduce people to EA ideas, and then help them learn more about and act on them: University group members (and organizers in particular) have a strong track record of making significant contributions to EA priorities, both in and beyond meta work Students are usually in the process of thinking through their priorities for their careers and lives. In this process, they are often open to exploring new ideas and communities, and have time to do so Universities are places where people build communities and social networks. These in-person social ties are important for people being more likely to take significant action on EA ideas Universities can have high concentrations of pre-screened talent Universities are a very large source of new EAs each year, which means that student groups might have an outsized influence on the development of EA culture and movement priorities. Setting norms of good epistemics through advice and content aspirationally may improve that of EA A note on which universities we focus on We think top universities, such as those previously listed as focus universities, have a high concentration of top talent. That means that we extend higher touch support to top universities and have some programming focused on them specifically (like our summit and residencies). However, the majority of talented, altruistic and greatly influential people do not come from top universities. Therefore we think scalable support (like UGAP & OSP) which includes both top and non-top universities is also worthwhile. We have many examples of people who are doing work that we think is really important, who did not come from top universities, and might have not gotten involved with EA ideas if it wasn't for their university group. We also think people that we help from these universities tend to...

Our Summer of Chaos winds down with an 80s fantasy classic, Legend!  To pair, we enjoy some delicious white Bordeaux.

On this episode of Gospel Spice, Stephanie welcomes Laura Acuña to dive deep into the world of body image issues. They discuss Laura's personal story of how God set her free from her negative relationship with food, negative body image, and a pattern of yo-yo dieting. They also explore how the accumulation of little traumas can have a significant impact on a person's life. The episode emphasizes the importance of stewarding our bodies well, self-compassion, and allowing God's grace to come into our lives. Laura affirms that shame doesn't come from God and offers a prayer for listeners, asking God to help them understand their true relationship with their bodies, remove shame from their lives, and replace lies about beauty and body image with truth. Stephanie and Laura talk about: - Laura's own story of gaining one hundred pounds as an eleven-year-old and finally being set free fifty years later. - How to re-think your thinking regarding food, body image and dieting through the lens of self-compassion, God's grace and His word. - The surprising truth that you can be free from food and body image issues before ever losing a pound. - Why so many women who struggle with these strongholds need to recover their voice. - The importance of to learning to show up as your true female self and being comfortable in your own skin. - How to walk away from what has never worked and embrace the important mind-shift of accepting you need God's healing instead of relying on dieting to fix what is broken inside. - Why rejecting shame in all of its forms is crucial for healing and peace. - The importance of stopping legalism (fire the food police!) regarding what you eat and how you treat your body. - Our culture's negative view of a woman's aging body and how, as Christians, we can resist falling for this toxic and impossible standard. In her 31-day devotional, Still Becoming, Laura shares her personal experience of struggling with body image and dieting for almost 50 years until she found freedom. We learn about how disordered eating and body image issues are often responses to the broken parts inside us, and people often use food to numb, distract, or hide their emotions. We also address how the dieting mindset can lead to shame and legalism. Laura emphasizes the importance of giving ourselves self-compassion and allowing God's grace to come into our lives. Additionally, we discuss the importance of stewarding our bodies well for maintaining mobility and allowing us to do the things we want to do, regardless of our physical appearance. We also dive into the cultural obsession with youth and beauty, and how Christians can embrace aging as a virtue. So sit back and enjoy as we explore how to overcome body image issues with God's help. BONUS - QUESTIONS TO GO DEEPER (ON YOUR OWN OR WITH A FRIEND) 1. How does Laura Acuna's personal story impact the way you view body image and dieting? 2. Do you believe that emotional eating and body image issues are often responses to broken parts within us? Why or why not? 3. What are some of the traumas in your life that you might have been using food to numb, distract, or hide? 4. Have you ever struggled with legalism or shame when it comes to dieting or fitness? How can you break free from that mindset? 5. What are some small steps that you can take to take better care of your body on a day-to-day basis? 6. Do you believe that the aging process is an underestimated virtue in our culture? Why or why not? 7. How can we as a society work to shift the focus away from the physical appearance and towards other qualities like wisdom and character? 8. In what ways can we show love to others regardless of their physical appearance or status? 9. How does scripture help us replace lies about beauty and body image with truth from God's word? 10. How can we support the men in our lives who may not understand or know how to support women who struggle with body image issues? MEET LAURA ACUNA Laura Acuña is a speaker, author, Bible teacher, and coach. She's served as a women's ministry leader for over 22 years. A graduate of Liberty University, she earned a degree in Christian Counseling and a minor in Biblical Studies. She's the co-founder of Sisters In Faith Ministries, a non-profit ministry to women in the Damascus, Maryland, area. Married to Pat, the two are the parents of three sons, and one daughter-in-love. They became first-time grandparents to Evelyn Grace (finally a girl!) in July 2021. Laura challenges her sisters to grow up to become spiritually and emotionally mature. Her new book Still Becoming: Hope, Help and Healing for the Diet-Weary Soul was published in December 2022. Laura Acuna's life changed drastically when she was just 11 years old and experienced a significant weight gain, leading to yo-yo dieting and a negative body image. She struggled with disordered eating and shame for years until a series of tragic events - the sudden loss of her mother and best friend - led her to seek help from a therapist. Through years of therapy and her faith, Laura learned about trauma and its impact on her mental health, including how little T traumas can accumulate and have just as much of an impact as larger ones. With this knowledge, she was able to overcome her disordered eating and negative body image and use her experience to help others through her book. Fina Laura at https://laura-acuna.com/ We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Or, of course, you can start at the beginning with episode 1.  Season 1: the gospel of Matthew like you've never experienced it https://www.podcastics.com/episode/3280/link/ Season 2: Experience Jesus through the Psalms https://www.podcastics.com/episode/33755/link/ Season 3: the gospel of Luke, faith in action https://www.podcastics.com/episode/40838/link/ Season 4: Proverbs spiced with wisdom https://www.podcastics.com/episode/68112/link/ Season 5: Identity in the battle | Ephesians https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/ Season 6: Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/ Season 7: Shades of Red | Against human oppression https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/ Season 8: God's glory, our delight |  https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/   We invite you to enjoy a Christ-centered summer by experiencing Jesus through the lens of the body of Christ. We bring you a diversity of viewpoints on several issues, and invite you to discover Jesus through their own journey with Him. Our Summer series invite you to ponder important topics for daily living. Stephanie and her occasional guests tell us about the importance of our definition of success, the key elements of leadership roles, the traps of comparison, the importance of theology, and much more! These stand-along episodes are meant to encourage you and challenge you to experience deeper fruitfulness in your various roles and ministries, in all the relationships and areas of your life. The topics we discuss are eternal and apply to both genders, across time and space and culture and age. So, join us for deep conversations with inspiring Christ-followers, conversations that will flavor your summer with the Gospel. Conversations about culture, leadership, success, dating, gender, and struggles with comparison, pride, and more: that is your Gospel Spice summer! We are spending one whole month having conversations with inspiring guests about parenting at different stages of life - from newborns to adult children, and every stage in between! And then, we spend another whole month discussing essentials of physical, mental, and emotional wellness with a wide range of Christ-centered experts.  Support us on PayPal!

Our Summer of Chaos continues with Black Sheep! To read my full review of the movie, click here! To see our wine of the week, click here!

Our Summer of Chaos hits a high point with an all-time classic:  Jaws.  This is one of my all time favorites, and we have a great discussion on it. As with every flick in this series, we pair this movie with a completely random type of alcohol.  This time, we spun the wheel and it landed on rum.  To learn a little more about the rum we sampled, click right here.  

Our Summer of Purpose has a different focus in August, and this month we are looking for people to care, listen, love, honor, and share life with our community’s most forgotten population; the elderly living in care centers. No matter what time of year, there are those who feel forgotten, and just feel like they need a friend. On Wednesday's Mornings with Eric and Brigitte, Juan Gallo, CEO and Executive Director of Heart 2 Heart Ministries joins us to share why it is so important to reach out to those in care centers who would otherwise have received little or no visits from family and friends. Moody Radio South Florida Summer of Purpose - AugustSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

- The theme of the week of the month is heat. Thank the good Lord for the air conditioning. If you can stay in the mid 70s, you're doing all right. - Our Summer of Hope program has been our focus during the summer. It focuses on areas within our community that are at high risk for violence or considered at risk. Public safety is an ongoing issue that mayors across America will continue to work on. - Mayor: It's not about me, It's about us and our city. I look for partners who want to help join the team of lifting Baton Rouge. If we can get enough people to stop saying negative things, we can make a difference. - Baton Rouge Community Connect is a technology integrated into our Baton Rouge Fire Department. Residents and business owners can put in information about their homes, their residence, and their business. It gives the fire department an opportunity to respond more quickly and safely to emergencies. - One of our initiatives with the movie BR that's taking place. College Drive, through our design process in the Movie BR program, will use best practices in access management to modernize the street. There will be some temporary discomfort when the work starts, but we must remember the long-term gain. - Besides the College Drive Movie BR project, we are completing our 14th project with the Florida Street ADA Compliance project. Public and private partnerships equal a lot of possibilities for our community. We need to know Baton Rouge is good.

"It's going to be a summer to remember!" Our "Summer at the Cinema Series" continues as we discuss the 1984 summer drama 'The Flamingo Kid' starring Matt Dillon, Richard Crenna, Hector Elizondo and Janet Jones. Directed by Garry Marshall.The Flamingo Kid - IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087265/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_3_tt_8_nm_0_q_flamingoThe Flamingo Kid - Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/flamingo_kidBill's Letterboxd Ratings: https://letterboxd.com/bill_b/list/bills-all-80s-movies-podcast-ratings/Jason's Letterboxd Ratings: https://letterboxd.com/jasonmasek/list/jasons-all-80s-movies-podcast-ratings/Website: http://www.all80smoviespodcast.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/podcastAll80sFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100030791216864TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@all80smoviespodcast

Our Summer of Chaos continues with 10 Things I Hate About You!  This episode is an add-in for my wife Jo, in honor of her birthday.

Our Summer of (Self) Love Challenge starts Monday!  Join the FREE 5-day challenge (July 31 – Aug 4) to grow in self-compassion and support your nervous system.  Sign up at the link below! __ Are you having a hard time falling asleep (or staying asleep)? In order for our body to get its best rest, our nervous system needs to be in a parasympathetic state – feeling safe and calm.    We all have habits that impact the state of our nervous system, and thus the quality of our sleep.    In today's episode, I coach on 4 things you need to STOP doing if stress, anxiety, or racing thoughts are keeping you up at night (and what to do instead).   SIGN UP FOR THE SUMMER OF (SELF) LOVE CHALLENGE!!   TAKE THE PERSONALITY PATTERN QUIZ!    BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE CALL WITH MICHELLE    FB COMMUNITY: The Calm Mom Collective    JOIN ME ON INSTAGRAM: @michellegrosser.coach   “I love The Calm Mom Podcast!” ← if that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing our show!  This helps us support more women, just like you, on their motherhood journey.  Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.”  Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!  

"A week in the woods with Roman and Chet: This is no holiday...this is war!" Our "Summer at the Cinema" series returns as we kick things off with 'The Great Outdoors'. This summer comedy stars John Candy, Dan Aykroyd, Stephanie Faracy, Annette Bening and Chris Young. Written by John Hughes, this movie was directed by Howard Deutch.The Great Outdoors - IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0095253/?ref_=tttg_ovThe Great Outdoors - Rotten Tomatoes: https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/great_outdoorsBill's Letterboxd Ratings: https://letterboxd.com/bill_b/list/bills-all-80s-movies-podcast-ratings/Jason's Letterboxd Ratings: https://letterboxd.com/jasonmasek/list/jasons-all-80s-movies-podcast-ratings/Website: http://www.all80smoviespodcast.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/podcastAll80sFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100030791216864TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@all80smoviespodcast

Our Summer of Chaos continues with an 80s classic, Clue! To read my full review, click here!

Our Summer of (Self) Love Challenge starts in one week!  Join the FREE 5-day challenge (July 31 – Aug 4) to grow in self-compassion and support your nervous system.  Sign up at the link below! __ Our habits create our life, right?  We are the sum of what we repeatedly do.  And the same is true for our nervous system – if our habits nourish a regulated nervous system, we'll reduce anxiety.    But sometimes we have habits – things we've been doing forever without really thinking much about it – that are causing stress and dysregulation in our nervous system which can lead to anxiety.   In today's episode, I coach on 3 habits that are likely making your anxiety worse, and then we'll talk about 3 habits that help calm your mind and body.   SIGN UP FOR THE SUMMER OF (SELF) LOVE CHALLENGE!!   TAKE THE PERSONALITY PATTERN QUIZ!    BOOK A FREE 30-MINUTE CALL WITH MICHELLE   FB COMMUNITY: The Calm Mom Collective    JOIN ME ON INSTAGRAM: @michellegrosser.coach   “I love The Calm Mom Podcast!” ← if that sounds like you, please consider rating and reviewing our show!  This helps us support more women, just like you, on their motherhood journey.  Click here, scroll to the bottom, tap to rate with five stars, and select “Write a Review.”  Then be sure to let me know what you loved most about the episode!  

Our Summer of Chaos series continues with The Iron Giant!  This is a 90s cult classic, and one of us has never seen it, so the discussion gets lively. To pair, the Random Wheel picked cheap reds, which I rebranded into affordable reds.  So, I chose the a Pinot Noir from New Zealand, Matua.  It's fuller and a little more earthy than its American counterparts, and it's under $15! To read my full review on The Iron Giant, click right here! Next up, an all-star 80s flick, based on a board game.  

Our Summer of Chaos gets back on schedule with The Negotiator!  This 90s chestnut features Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey headlining a propulsive action thriller.  The Wheel of Chaos selected an expensive red, so I went with the Rancher Red from Saddleback Vineyard.  It's a bold, elegant, fruit-forward red in the $40-50 range, and we enjoyed it very much.

Better late than never!  Our Summer of Chaos continues with 21 Grams!  As with everything else in this series, we're pairing random booze with this episode.  Literally, we load booze into a digital wheel and give it a spin.  This time, the wheel chose session beers.  These are easy-drinking, low alcohol beers.  You can make a session out of drinking them! To see what we drank with this episode, click here!  To read my full review of 21 Grams, click here!

Our Summer tradition is back - playing games we don't like. Find out if we changed our minds or got any clarity on Rising Run Railroads, 18VA, Chicago & Northwestern, and Iberian Gauge. Enjoy the show! 0:00 - Intro 1:58 - Listener Feedback 2:20 - Breaking News 10:50 - Quad Jumps - Worst Company Logo 15:42 - 18Va Live Auction 26:25 - Recent Plays 38:14 - Main Topic - CCC Plays Games They Don't Like 47:45 - Rising Sun Railroads 1:03:35 - 18VA 1:18:34 - Chicago & Northwestern 1:30:55 - Iberian Gauge 1:48:15 - Wrap Up http://www.dadsonamap.com https://www.youtube.com/@thechoochoocrew7615 Support the Show - Patreon: http://www.patreon.com/dadsonamap Twitter - @dadsonamap Instagram - @choo_choo_crew_podcast

This is the second part of our Summer of Adventure Series...because when we start talking about things we're passionate about it always ends up as a series...EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.Our Summer of Adventure is a concept that we came up with to invite our kids into imagination, growth, and experiences while making memories and keeping summer rolling smoothly without burning all our money or sanity. Today we're digging into thoughts and logistics for when you're on the go during your adventures.If you're planning a summer of adventure save this podcast and send it to a friend so together you can plan your OWN summer of adventure! *rate the podcast…pretty please*You are doing beautiful work momma!  

…It was when I first met the idea that my car could REALLY serve me……We're coming back today talking about Our Summer of Adventure. It's a concept that we came up with to invite our kids into imagination, growth, and experiences while making memories and keeping summer rolling smoothly without burning all our money or sanity. Planning (01:05)Ideas (04:43)Ground Rules (09:45)Prep Your Vehicle (25:45)Takeaways (35:47)f you're planning a summer of adventure save this podcast and send it to a friend so you can plan your OWN summer of adventure! *rate the podcast…pretty please*Remember momma…You are doing beautiful work!  

Hey guys! I wanna start sharing monthly life updates and I had so many of you say YES when I put it out there on Instagram last week. So here we are. In June's life update, I'm digging into: The tragedy and beauty of grief. And the lessons grief has taught me this year Our Summer of fun and adventures - and our next holiday plans! A major exciting (and kinda scary) house update - and a riff on expanding into your next level even when it feels like a stretch DM me on Instagram to let me know you're vibing with these life updates! https://www.instagram.com/kat_horrocks/ LINKS

Our Summer of Chaos continues with The Neverending Story!  We had planned on discussing 21 Grams this week, but as Taylor is off this week, we called an audible and subbed in this 80s classic.  This was a huge nostalgia flick for Travis and I, while Sean had never seen it!  We have strong opinions on this cult classic. As always, we're pairing random wines with the Summer of Chaos.  This week, bubbly is the random vino du jour.  I went with a Cinemavino classic, Raventos Blanc, a delicious Spanish sparkling wine. Next week, we get back on track with 21 Grams!

Our Summer's Journey series is currently focusing on the topic of Baptism. As I was preparing for upcoming messages, I came across this episode of Everyday Truth by Kurt Skelly. I found it to be a great summary of the subject and thought it would be helpful to recommend it. If you're looking for more to listen to, this podcast is definitely worth checking out! (It's longer than ours, so this will cover us for the rest of the week) https://faithva.org/podcasts/

The sweaty misery of summer is finally upon us, and what better way to forget our reality than the comforting escapism that only murder can provide? (We see you, Albert Camus's The Stranger!) Our Summer of Murder Mystery kicks off with the forgotten 1994 mystery / slapstick comedy / farce / comedy of remarriage / so much other crap, Radioland Murders, straight from the minds that brought you American Graffiti (and Howard the Duck). Leigh, Brendan, and Chris dive into this exhausting mess of over-the-top shtick and antics, attempting to make some sense of what the hell this movie was supposed to even be. Truly, there's something for everyone here (provided you are a baby boomer who loves old radio programs and farcical comedy), including an appropriately old-timey cocktail accompaniment, so heck, give it a watch and you'll probably find SOMEthing that works for you. Continue reading →

The sweaty misery of summer is finally upon us, and what better way to forget our reality than the comforting escapism that only murder can provide? (We see you, Albert Camus's The Stranger!) Our Summer of Murder Mystery kicks off with the forgotten 1994 mystery / slapstick comedy / farce / comedy of remarriage / so much other crap, Radioland Murders, straight from the minds that brought you American Graffiti (and Howard the Duck). Leigh, Brendan, and Chris dive into this exhausting mess of over-the-top shtick and antics, attempting to make some sense of what the hell this movie was supposed to even be. Truly, there's something for everyone here (provided you are a baby boomer who loves old radio programs and farcical comedy), including an appropriately old-timey cocktail accompaniment, so heck, give it a watch and you'll probably find SOMEthing that works for you. Continue reading →

Our Summer of Chaos continues with one of the worst movies ever made:  Holmes and Watson.  On the plus side, our discussion is lively, and we enjoy some delicious Syrah from Washington.  Enjoy! If you'd like to read my full review of this godforsaken movie, click here!  

BESTIES!!!!Our Summer break is almost here! From July 3rd-July 9th we will be taking a bit of a break from our regular posting schedule to take some time to reflect on the past six months!In December we took a very similar break & recorded an episode ALL about our experience on that break. If you haven't listened to the episode, definitely check it out! We talk about about why decided to  make this pivot in our business & how it helped us as entrepreneurs! 54. [Hello 2023] How SLOWING DOWN helps you REALIGN with your business & with YOURSELFhttps://www.buzzsprout.com/2014878/episodes/12023791Taking this break every six months was NOT an easy decision for us to make but we truly feel aligned with it & we KNOW how beneficial it will be not only for us but for you Besties as well, when we come back with BIG ideas for you all & LOTS of new content! In this episode we really get transparent with you Besties!This past week we experienced some INCREDIBLE highs as entrepreneurs! In this episode we take you through what it was like to experience those highs in the moment & some unexpected emotions that came along with it. We always tell you Besties that we are taking you on this journey with us & this episode along with the topics discussed on it, are truly a testament to that. The biggest lesson we have learned through entrepreneurship is that it truly is a never-ending journey. As an entrepreneur, you will ALWAYS be learning, growing & evolving. Even though within the past week we have had some SUPER exciting moments as entrepreneurs. Maybe even some of our FAVORITE moments on our journeys, as entrepreneurs thus far,  we KNOW it doesn't mean we have learned EVERYTHING about being an entrepreneur. We KNOW, we still have a LOT left we will discover. One of the biggest things that has TRULY helped us on this journey is creating a STRONG foundation & mindset. We truly try to work on our mindset DAILY as entrepreneurs & we even created a course to help YOU work on your mindset as well! The MINDSET MINI COURSE! It was DESIGNED for the entrepreneur who is READY to know themselves deeply & cultivate a strong mindset, so that they can create a life & business that they LOVE.Check out the course at the link below:https://www.bestiesandbusiness.com/offers/88FPuybQA HUGE shoutout to The Curvy Bride for being one of our sponsors for our Brews, Besties & Business Networking Event on June 12th! Listen in to the episode to learn more about The Curvy Bride! Besties.....we truly love you ALL & we are so grateful to every single one of you! Come be our bestie over on instagram! @besties_and_business @heyimjessjacobs @stepherhardIf you REALLY LOVED what we had to say, please don't hesitate to leave a review on Apple Podcast or Spotify! When you share that info with either of those platforms, we are able to meet more Besties! It's a ripple affect! If we are able to inspire you & you share that with others, you'll be able to help inspire them too!We LOVE you Besties! We just want to say THANK YOU SO MUCH again for being our Bestie & letting us show up for you every week!We truly are so grateful to each & everyone of you & we can't wait to spend MORE time with you & bring more INCREDIBLE content with you!

Our Summer of Chaos continues with Conan the Barbarian! To read my full review, click here!

Our Summer of Chaos continues with Rambo III!

Our Summer of Chaos begins with a 90s classic, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves!  The chaos extends to our booze--our wheel randomizer paired us with rye whiskey.  Embrace the craziness and enjoy. To read my full review of this film, click here!

In this episode, we sat down with Pamela Tanner Boll, the director and executive producer of the popular documentary, To Which We Belong. Pamela shares exactly what's happening to the earth's climate and how grazing animals and healthy ecosystems are the solution. We chat about tilling, water cycles, carbon sinks, ocean farming, grazing animals, photosynthesis, and so much more. If you've ever wondered what to believe about climate change and agriculture, this episode is for you. Watch To Which We BelongMore about Pamela:Pamela Tanner Boll is an artist, filmmaker, writer, and activist. She is the Founder and CEO of Mystic Artists Film Productions.  She is the Co-Executive Producer of the Academy Award-winning documentary, Born into Brothels. Pamela has executive produced the following film projects: Living in Emergency: True Stories of Doctors Without Borders; In a Dream; Connected: A Declaration of Interdependence; Our Summer in Tehran; Strange Powers: Stephin Merritt and the Magnetic Fields; Close to the Fire; She's Beautiful When She's Angry; E-Team; Teen Press; Obit; Navajo Nation; and Storm Lake. Pamela directed and produced Who Does She Think She Is?, a feature-length documentary film that follows five women who are mothers and artists. Pamela also directed A Small Good Thing, a film that asks the question how can we live in a better way. She is currently working on a new film project, To Which We Belong, highlighting farmers and ranchers who are improving the health of their land with regenerative practices and helping to reverse climate change.Pamela grew up in Parkersburg, WV.  She received a BA in English from Middlebury College and a Masters in Interdisciplinary Studies from Lesley University. Pamela raised three sons in Winchester, Massachusetts and now lives in Boulder, Colorado.Social Links:Instagram // @towhichwebelongInstagram // @Homegrown_education, @lizhaselmayer, @joeyhaselmayer

Stephanie welcomes like-minded soul sister Nicole Jacobsmeyer for a raw, deep conversation about pain, suffering, God's role in it, and ours. Though they just met over this conversation, they clicked in deep ways. Throughout a decade of trials—from assault and depression to miscarriage and cancer— Nicole Jacobsmeyer really began to wonder: Is God giving me more than I can handle? Nicole's books is indirectly a powerful answer to the problem of evil and suffering in the world. While it is not a book for Christian apologetics, stephanie highly recommends it for anyone who seeks to answer these questions for themselves or for a loved one. In Take Back Your Joy, Nicole shares her story of questioning God - but falling more in love with Him than ever. Without sugarcoating her own struggles or yours, she equips you in your darkest moments to: ·      Embrace a clear sense of purpose. ·      Stay grounded in God's Word. ·      Serve others with gratitude. ·      Choose forgiveness—again and again. ·      Discover the freedom of giving up control…and more! Nicole says, “We are not defined by the trials we face, and you are not alone in your suffering, doubts, and questions. I've been there. Take Back Your Joy invites you to see your life through a fresh lens as you glimpse the big picture of God's work. Because I honestly believe that sometimes one of the greatest gifts is to have more than we can handle—so we can find a deeper joy in Christ who can handle it all.” Nicole wrote this book for you if... You're wondering where is God in your pain You're struggling to find hope and joy You're questioning your faith You've experienced deep pain and suffering that doesn't make sense with what you read in the Bible You've lost your sense of purpose in life So join Stephanie and Nicole today for a hard but powerful conversation about God's sovereignty in our trials. MEET NICOLE JACOBSMEYER Hi! I'm Nicole and I am so happy you found my little space on the internet. Make sure you find me on Instagram or drop a comment here so I can get to know you! A little bit about me… Besides my relationship with Christ, the most important people in my life are: my husband Andrew, my three sons Wesley, Reid and Nate, and our newest bundle of love, Maddie! I love people, comfy clothes, chocolate chips cookies, babies in diapers, watching my kids play sports, writing, and a good glass of red wine. Since becoming a mom almost 8 years ago, my life mantra has been: Embrace the Chaos! With a husband in the medical field, four kids under 8, and lots of moves in between, I needed an outlet to write. The Embracing Chaos blog was started in 2016. Four years later, I launched nicolejacobsmeyer.com as my author hub. When it comes to ministry outside of the home, I have a passion for helping women walk in victory, joy, and faith in the face of trials, sorrow, and suffering. I want to help women understand that God is good no matter what life brings and that it's possible to find lasting joy in Him. In other HUGE news, my first book is coming out October 4th, 2022, and I'd LOVE to have you be a part of the launch team. Stay tuned! https://www.nicolejacobsmeyer.com/ https://www.instagram.com/nicole.jacobsmeyer/ https://www.facebook.com/nicole.jacobsmeyer1 ABOUT THIS EPISODE This conversation is part of 3-episode Gospel Spice Summer Inspirations with partner David C Cook. Go to https://davidccook.org/ and https://davidccook.org/esther-press/ for more   We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Or, of course, you can start at the beginning with episode 1.  Season 1: the gospel of Matthew like you've never experienced it Season 2: Experience Jesus through the Psalms Season 3: the gospel of Luke, faith in action Season 4: Proverbs spiced with wisdom Season 5: Identity in the battle | Ephesians Season 6: Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience Season 7: Shades of Red | Against human oppression Season 8: God's glory, our delight |    We invite you to enjoy a Christ-centered summer by experiencing Jesus through the lens of the body of Christ. We bring you a diversity of viewpoints on several issues, and invite you to discover Jesus through their own journey with Him. Our Summer series invite you to ponder important topics for daily living. Stephanie and her occasional guests tell us about the importance of our definition of success, the key elements of leadership roles, the traps of comparison, the importance of theology, and much more! These stand-along episodes are meant to encourage you and challenge you to experience deeper fruitfulness in your various roles and ministries, in all the relationships and areas of your life. The topics we discuss are eternal and apply to both genders, across time and space and culture and age. So, join us for deep conversations with inspiring Christ-followers, conversations that will flavor your summer with the Gospel. Conversations about culture, leadership, success, dating, gender, and struggles with comparison, pride, and more: that is your Gospel Spice summer! Support us!

As part of the Summer inspiration Series with publisher David C Cook and Esther Press, Stephanie welcomes Amanda Pittman to Gospel Spice today to discuss our identity in Christ and how to stand in confidence through the trials of life. We discuss standing strong in God, in humility and truth. Amanda says, "the moment we think we are self-strong, we are in danger." How true! Women are bombarded with narratives about how they should look, behave and live. Relentless and opposing expectations pour 24/7 from social media feeds, entertainment, and peer groups. No woman could possibly meet all these shifting expectations, yet many pour endless energy into the pursuit. And eventually insecurity sets in as she questions everything about herself, including her own worth. Amanda Pittman, author of Stand in Confidence: From Sinking in Insecurity to Rising in Your God-Given Identity (September 6, 2022), has spent her adult life confronting our culture's epidemic of insecurity and self-doubt. In this new book, Amanda unpacks her own journey toward self-confidence rooted in Christ. She offers readers concrete tools for moving forward into wholeness, confidence and God-given purpose. “Society has conditioned us to believe false narratives about who we're supposed to be,” Amanda Pittman explains. “But the rules are always changing, and insecurity drives us to people-please, downplay, settle, and perform. Rather than standing confidently in our identity as daughters of God and co-heirs with Christ, we sink in insecurity. Isn't it time to live in freedom instead?” Stand in Confidence challenges false narratives and offers the tools needed to write a new story. Drawing on her own story of leaving insecurity behind, Amanda Pittman helps readers apply the Four Components of Confidence to their lives: • Clarity – Embrace their identity and define their design • Connection – Connect with God and connect with others • Competency – Develop their ability and expand their capacity • Conviction – Know their responsibility and use their authority Amanda openly recounts how insecurity kept her in relationships she never should have entertained and kept her away from opportunities she should have explored. She describes how difficult it was to exit a highly dysfunctional relationship with her high school boyfriend – and how the unhealth of that longtime relationship convinced her that love was transactional. It took time to restore Amanda's view of herself, reconstruct her view of God, and renew her view of love. But even as she was still recovering and growing, Amanda found an honest, loving relationship with Michael Pittman (now her husband). MORE ABOUT AMANDA PITTMAN Amanda and Michael began sharing their faith and relationship journey via YouTube and social media, and thousands of followers responded enthusiastically to their honest posts. Amanda founded Confident Woman Co. to help women establish their confidence in Christ. Today the ministry offers faith-based content, products, curriculum, retreats, conferences, podcasts, and courses – all designed to empower women to live boldly and confidently for Christ. “Being confident in Christ doesn't mean that you'll never feel moments of insecurity,” Amanda explains in her new book. “Your confidence will be demonstrated not in whether those negative feelings arise, but in how you respond when they do.” Stand in Confidence will be the first title published under the Esther Press imprint (David C Cook), which equips women to walk courageously in the light of God's truth. Marketing plans for this title include national publicity and advertising campaigns. Amanda Pittman is a wife and mother, author, speaker, and entrepreneur. She is the founder of Confident Woman Co., a ministry that equips women to stand confidently upon the finished work of Jesus. Through Confident Woman Co., Amanda hosts retreats, conferences, online events, podcasts, videos and more. She is the author of four books including Stand in Confidence (Sept. 2022). Amanda and Michael Pittman live in Dallas with their children Elijah and Lily. IG: amandapittman YouTube: AmandaPittman Podcast: Confident Woman MORE ABOUT DAVID C COOK AND ESTHER PRESS Esther Press, an imprint of David C Cook, publishes biblical resources by and for courageous women. With a focus on transformation, Esther Press encourages and equips women to walk courageously in the light of God's truth for such a time as this. Esther Press partners with ministries around the world to equip, encourage, and disciple women. Learn more at www.estherpress.com. David C Cook is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to equipping the global church with leadership, discipleship, and worship resources to help Christians grow in faith and pass it along to the next generation. Read more about David C Cook and its global ministry outreach at www.davidccook.org. We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Or, of course, you can start at the beginning with episode 1.  Season 1: the gospel of Matthew like you've never experienced it Season 2: Experience Jesus through the Psalms Season 3: the gospel of Luke, faith in action Season 4: Proverbs spiced with wisdom Season 5: Identity in the battle | Ephesians Season 6: Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience Season 7: Shades of Red | Against human oppression Season 8: God's glory, our delight |    We invite you to enjoy a Christ-centered summer by experiencing Jesus through the lens of the body of Christ. We bring you a diversity of viewpoints on several issues, and invite you to discover Jesus through their own journey with Him. Our Summer series invite you to ponder important topics for daily living. Stephanie and her occasional guests tell us about the importance of our definition of success, the key elements of leadership roles, the traps of comparison, the importance of theology, and much more! These stand-along episodes are meant to encourage you and challenge you to experience deeper fruitfulness in your various roles and ministries, in all the relationships and areas of your life. The topics we discuss are eternal and apply to both genders, across time and space and culture and age. So, join us for deep conversations with inspiring Christ-followers, conversations that will flavor your summer with the Gospel. Conversations about culture, leadership, success, dating, gender, and struggles with comparison, pride, and more: that is your Gospel Spice summer! Support us!

Stephanie welcomes Ainsley Britain to discuss teen and college dating. This conversation also welcomes anyone who plays an active role in the life of a teen or college girl--parents, mentors, friends, youth group leaders! In this Gospel Spice episode of our "Summer Inspirations with publisher David C Cook”, Ainsley explains that many young women enter or stay in relationships out of fear of being alone, shame, or insecurity which may cause them to lower their standards or expectations. What they find are men they normally would never have tolerated. Men they would have told their friends to avoid. What they find are BooBoo Dudes. While the term BooBoo Dude might be light-hearted, the concept behind them and the damage they cause women is serious. This term describes a man who portrays narcissistic and abusive behavior, which leads to confusion, shame, and eventual isolation. In her book, Ainsley describes red flags and also green flags - what to identify as harmful behavior, and what to look for in a healthy dating relationship. She explains to her teen and college-aged readers that they are worth fighting for--she connects them to Jesus in authentic, deep ways and challenges them to work through their pain towards wholesome healing. She and Stephanie also discuss the lies that these dear girls believe, and how being deeply rooted in our identity in Christ is the key to fulfilled living. Finally, Ainsley invites her audience to lend a hand and help someone else through their pain. She paints a stunning picture of grace and the purpose and power of a Christ-sized vision for her girls. She describes what dating can be, and gives advice to mentors of all ages! Before Ainsley ends the conversation by praying a beautiful blessing over you as you listen, she ends with practical tips to mentor teens and young adults: - establish the rules: trust is key! - ask the question WHY - be open to flexible conversations! - know the resources available to you - sometimes, go to the professionals! - warn them that you will disappoint them, and remind them that anything good is not from you as the leader, but from the Lord! Related through Ainsley's humorous and vulnerable personal experiences, in the book you'll learn about: - the often-unbelievable behaviors of BooBoo Dudes - how to exit a futureless relationship with higher standards - keeping or restoring your identity through Jesus - and reaching others trapped with BooBoo Dudes With wisdom rooted in the gospel, Ainsley tenderly brings the reader along her own journey toward confidence found only in Jesus. She embraced her identity and left BooBoo Dudes behind. Every woman can do the same. CONNECT WITH AINSLEY BRITAIN: Ainsley Britain has helped thousands of young adults embrace their confidence, date healthy, and discover their identity in Christ through her written words, podcast, and speaking engagements. Through extensive training from Belmont University, She Speaks Studio, Youth Speaker University, Compel Training, and more, she has advanced her God-given mission to help young adults all over the country. She is an Enneagram Coach through YourEnneagramCoach.com and is as real as one can get when it comes to talking about hard topics and fighting for oneself. Ainsley and her husband travel often and currently live in her home state of Louisiana. buy the book: "Don't Date a Booboo Dude" on Amazon website: http://www.ainsleybritain.com/ Facebook: Media and Parents Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/MediaAndParents Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ainsleyb/ We invite you to enjoy a Christ-centered summer by experiencing Jesus through the lens of the body of Christ. We bring you a diversity of viewpoints on several issues, and invite you to discover Jesus through their own journey with Him. Our Summer series invite you to ponder important topics for daily living. Stephanie and her occasional guests tell us about the importance of our definition of success, the key elements of leadership roles, the traps of comparison, the importance of theology, and much more! These stand-along episodes are meant to encourage you and challenge you to experience deeper fruitfulness in your various roles and ministries, in all the relationships and areas of your life. The topics we discuss are eternal and apply to both genders, across time and space and culture and age. So, join us for deep conversations with inspiring Christ-followers, conversations that will flavor your summer with the Gospel. Conversations about culture, leadership, success, dating, gender, and struggles with comparison, pride, and more: that is your Gospel Spice summer! Support us!

Get ready for an out-of-the-ordinary conversation today! Stephanie is joined by dear friend and fellow Gospel Spice team member Roslyn Evans to discuss all things Jesus and Gospel Spice. This conversation is like a family reunion, and you are invited! They start off with a fun digression into the world of summer living, apologetics and personal passions, and then also raising kids, laundry lists and more. Then Stephanie gets pretty vulnerable and transparent as Ros asks her all the questions on her mind. A smattering: What are the concerns you see in the coming year for our world? How are you getting ready? And what is your advice for us? How are you doing personally? Give us an update on you and your family. For those of our listeners who are relatively new to Gospel Spice, can you give us your backstory from atheism to faith? And how did you end up in the US anyway? What is your heart for Gospel Spice this year? Stephanie and Ros end with an invitation to YOU our beloved audience, to connect with us because, as Stephanie says, it makes her day! We invite you to enjoy a Christ-centered summer by experiencing Jesus through the lens of the body of Christ. We bring you a diversity of viewpoints on several issues, and invite you to discover Jesus through their own journey with Him. Our Summer series invite you to ponder important topics for daily living. Stephanie and her occasional guests tell us about the importance of our definition of success, the key elements of leadership roles, the traps of comparison, the importance of theology, and much more! These stand-along episodes are meant to encourage you and challenge you to experience deeper fruitfulness in your various roles and ministries, in all the relationships and areas of your life. The topics we discuss are eternal and apply to both genders, across time and space and culture and age. So, join us for deep conversations with inspiring Christ-followers, conversations that will flavor your summer with the Gospel. Conversations about culture, leadership, success, dating, gender, and struggles with comparison, pride, and more: that is your Gospel Spice summer! This month we are celebrating the anniversary of Gospel Spice! We launched our first episode in 2019, we we faithfully and haltingly followed God's pretty clear directions! Would you please take a moment to celebrate with us? There is a very simple way to do that, and it would truly mean the world to us. Would you please invest 3 to 5 minutes of your time, maybe even right now!, to leave a COMMENT on a very instrumental ranking website for podcasts? It would truly be so helpful, and such a lovely birthday gift for us! 3 simple steps to do it: 1- go to listennotes.com and create a user profile, using the top right corner LOGIN. There are 4 easy ways to do that: you can use either your facebook, twitter or google account, or otherwise provide a valid email. It will then send you a verification email so it needs to be a valid email. That is the most time consuming part! You are almost there already. 2- Once you have created your profile, then please find Gospel Spice (using the search bar at the top - or click here directly); 3- Please LEAVE A COMMENT in the comments section. It will truly be instrumental in making Gospel Spice more discoverable among the more than 2.5 million podcasts out there.  If this seems too complicated... please try clicking HERE (which should take you straight to the COMMENTS section for the Gospel Spice Podcast) and create your user profile from there. Once you are done, feel free to UNSUBSCRIBE from the website Listennotes, and you will never hear from them again, while having given us a free birthday present! MERCI!   Support us!

Have you recently wondered if you are going crazy, or if it is the world around us that has gone mad? Today, Stephanie welcomes dear friend and Gospel Spice team member Lindsay, who is a Christian psychotherapist with over 20 years of professional experience helping believers and non-believers through the struggles of life. Lindsay shares that she is seeing a greater than ever proportion of patients who struggle with anxiety, depression, and/or boundary concerns, and a lot of teenagers too. So, she describes for us some of the symptoms of these presentations in order to help each one of us assess if we are experiencing some form of anxiety or depression, or go to the root of some of our relational tensions. She then takes us to the origin of the problem in Genesis 3 before she offers simple, practical DIY tips to overcome early stages of anxiety, depression and relational boundary issues. You will leave this conversation, having identified if you are even mildly struggling with these issues, and having practical, daily tips to start or continue the journey out of these difficult struggles. Lindsay gives us permission to struggle, and hope to know it is only temporary. She reminds us of our deep identity IN CHRIST, in the great I AM in whose strength we rest. She reminds us of our role to be ambassadors and stand-ins for God to one another as image bearers. So, if you or a loved one are struggling with any of these descriptions, you will be encouraged as you are reminded of you true and deepest identity. The seemingly simple choices that Lindsay offers as practical solutions are indeed simple - but the key is in their daily, consistent implementation. It is simple, but not necessarily easy - which is why we need community with one another and most of all, with God Himself. We will discover once again that it all boils down to who we know and experience God to be. Lindsay referenced a most useful book, BOUNDARIES by Cloud and Townsend. In August 2022, it is on sale at Christianbook.com for $5!!! So grab it now. Otherwise, here is also an amazon link to purchase it: https://www.amazon.com/Boundaries-Updated-Expanded-When-Control/dp/0310351804/ --------------------------------------------------- Disclaimer - you may need professional help, and we warmly encourage you to seek it if you need it! We invite you to enjoy a Christ-centered summer by experiencing Jesus through the lens of the body of Christ. We bring you a diversity of viewpoints on several issues, and invite you to discover Jesus through their own journey with Him. Our Summer series invite you to ponder important topics for daily living. Stephanie and her occasional guests tell us about the importance of our definition of success, the key elements of leadership roles, the traps of comparison, the importance of theology, and much more! These stand-along episodes are meant to encourage you and challenge you to experience deeper fruitfulness in your various roles and ministries, in all the relationships and areas of your life. The topics we discuss are eternal and apply to both genders, across time and space and culture and age. So, join us for deep conversations with inspiring Christ-followers, conversations that will flavor your summer with the Gospel. Conversations about culture, leadership, success, dating, gender, and struggles with comparison, pride, and more: that is your Gospel Spice summer! Support us!