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Artificial intelligence is becoming a bigger part of genealogy, and one of the newest examples is MyHeritage's Scribe AI. This tool is designed to help researchers work through old family history items that can be difficult to read, difficult to understand, or difficult to use well. For anyone who has stared at a faded letter, a handwritten church record, a worn gravestone, or an old family photo with little identification, that gets your attention quickly. Genealogy has always required patience. It takes time to search for records, compare evidence, study names, sort out dates, and decide whether two people with the same name are really the same person. It also takes time just to read what is already in front of you. That is one reason this tool stands out. It is aimed at one of the most frustrating parts of family history research, getting useful information out of old material that is hard to read or hard to interpret. MyHeritage says Scribe AI can transcribe, translate, and interpret historical materials. That means it is not only trying to turn old text into readable words. It is also trying to explain what a document or image may contain, point out clues, and help a researcher see what deserves a closer look. That places it in a different category from a basic scanning tool or plain text recognition program. For genealogists, that raises an important question. What can this actually do for real family history research? Not just in a product announcement and not only in a polished demonstration, but in the everyday work of studying old records, sorting through inherited papers, and trying to find one clue that moves the research forward. That is where Scribe AI becomes especially interesting... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/myheritage-scribe-ai-genealogy/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
How can a normal person feel assurance? How can I know Jesus is my Savior, I am one with him, and the abundant life is truly mine? Join us as we explore the main topics of the Alpha Course.The sermon today is titled "How Can I Have Faith?" This sermon is the fourth installment in our series "Asking For A Friend: Finding Answers To Big Questions." The Scripture reading is from 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on March 8, 2026. All lessons fit under one of 6 broad categories: Begin, Instill, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Serve. This sermon is filed under GROW: Dealing with Faith and Doubt.Click here if you would like to watch the sermon or read a transcript.Podcast Notes (resources used or referenced):See the Alpha Course Guide for more.I'd love to connect with you!Watch sermons and find transcripts at nathanguy.com.Follow along each Sunday through YouTube livestream and find a study guide on the sermon notes page.Follow me @nathanpguy (facebook/instagram/twitter)Subscribe to my email newsletter on substack.
St. Patrick's Day has a way of turning people's thoughts toward Ireland. Even those who do not spend much time looking into family history often start wondering where their people came from, what part of Ireland they once called home, and how much of that story still lives on in the family today. For some, it begins with a surname. For others, it begins with an old photo, a church record, a recipe, or a story passed down through the years. That is one reason St. Patrick's Day is such a good time for genealogy. It is more than a holiday on the calendar. It is a chance to pause and remember the people who came before us. It gives us a reason to look back with care and ask questions that may have been sitting quietly in the background for a long time. Who were the Irish men and women in our family? Where did they live? Why did they leave? What did they bring with them besides a suitcase and a surname? For many families, the Irish line is now just one part of a much larger story. Over time, names changed. Details were lost. Accents faded. Traditions blended into everyday life. A few stories survived, while others slipped away. That is why a day like St. Patrick's Day can be so valuable. It brings that side of the family back into view and gives you a natural reason to honor it. The good news is that honoring your Irish ancestors does not require a large event, a big budget, or years of research experience. You do not have to know everything about your Irish line to do something meaningful. In family history, one small step often leads to the next. It may begin with one name, one document, one recipe card, one gravestone, or one conversation with a relative who remembers a little more than anyone else. If you have Irish ancestors, or even think you might, St. Patrick's Day is the perfect time to bring them into the present in a personal way. There are many ways to do that, and most of them begin with what you already have... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/honor-irish-ancestors-st-patricks-day/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
Why do we move the clocks forward in spring and back in fall? In this episode, we trace the history of Daylight Saving Time from its early ideas to its wartime use and the debates that still surround it today. It's a story shaped by energy concerns, business pressure, health questions, and the ongoing fight over whether the clock changes should stay or go. Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/history-of-daylight-savings-time/ Here are three well-regarded books available that delve into the history and controversies surrounding Daylight Saving Time: "Spring Forward: The Annual Madness of Daylight Saving Time" by Michael Downing https://amzn.to/3AxvIjm "Seize the Daylight: The Curious and Contentious Story of Daylight Saving Time" by David Prerau https://amzn.to/3NOwqvI "The Great Daylight Saving Time Controversy" by Chris Pearce https://amzn.to/3AxvVDa Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
March is a month of change. Winter begins to loosen its grip, the days grow longer, and it starts to feel like it is time to get moving again. For genealogists, this makes March a great month to take on projects that may have been sitting quietly during the colder season. It is a good time to revisit outdoor research, organize your materials, and begin fresh work on family lines that need attention. Genealogy often follows the seasons. Some months are better for staying inside and digging through records, books, and databases. Other months are better for cemetery visits, local history trips, and reconnecting with people who may have information to share. March gives you a little of both. You can still enjoy productive research time indoors while also preparing for the busier spring months ahead. It is also a natural month for catching up. You may have a family history chapter you meant to write, a cemetery you wanted to visit, a historical society you have been meaning to explore, or a stack of records waiting to be organized. March is the right time to start. Here are 10 genealogy projects worth doing this month... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/genealogy-projects-for-march/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
Welcome to the twelfth episode of this epic journey in Revisiting The X Files.Through 11 seasons, two movies and several stand alone novels, these podcast episodes will be a discussion and revisitation of the series from the very beginning, exploring the good and the bad of every episode, and eventually coming to the point where every piece of the X Files puzzle has been set in place.So please join me over the coming months and, dare I say it, years, as we dive into The X Files.Today's thirteenth episode explores a summation of the parts of Season Two of The X Files, discussing the series plot, the characters and their interactions, the direction and writers, as well as offering my own rankings of the episodes.You can contact the podcast and leave feedback at the following locations:Email: billiscricket@hotmail.comTwitter: @realmetalkevinBluesky: @metalkevin.bsky.socialInstagram: @westkiamaPatreon: @RealMetalKevinChapters00:00 Introduction to Season Two Wrap-Up02:10 Bill's Summation of Season Two - the Highs and Lows10:21 The Mulder and Scully Relationship15:04 The Arrival of X17:51 Skinner and The Smoking Man21:15 The Great Alex Krycek23:40 Writing and Directing Changes26:09 Bill's Episode Rankings for Season 236:08 Podcast Notes and Contacts
Most family historians spend a lot of time thinking about what they still have left to find. There is always another record to track down, another county to search, another family story to check, and another ancestor who refuses to come into focus. That is part of what keeps genealogy interesting. There is always one more question waiting. But in the middle of all that searching, many people miss something important. They miss how much they have learned. That is worth noticing. Genealogy is not only about collecting names, adding dates, and filling a chart. It is also about learning how to think like a researcher. It is about learning how to ask better questions, how to study records more carefully, and how to tell the difference between a clue and a conclusion. Those skills do not appear all at once. They grow over time, often so gradually that you do not realize how much stronger you have become. You may still have hard lines in your tree. You may still have problems that seem impossible. You may still stare at a record and wonder what you are supposed to do with it. None of that means you are not growing. In many cases, it means you are deeper into the work than you used to be. It means you have moved past the early excitement of grabbing every new name and have started learning what good genealogy really looks like. That shift is important... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/genealogy-skills-are-growing/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
By the middle of the nineteenth century, the United States had reached a point where a simple decade-by-decade household tally no longer satisfied federal goals. The country was larger, more complex, and more mobile. Economic life was shifting quickly. Immigration and internal movement were reshaping regions. New kinds of public questions were becoming national questions. The census, which began as a constitutional count tied to representation, became one of the government's most important instruments for measuring the nation. The turning point is 1850. Beginning that year, the census starts listing free people as individuals rather than compressing most households into age and sex categories under a single head of household name. From that point forward, the census becomes less like a broad headcount and more like a structured national inventory. It is still a snapshot taken at intervals and collected by human beings in local settings, but it represents a new level of governmental ambition in what is recorded, how it is standardized, and what the federal government expects it can learn from the results. This part of the series follows the historical logic behind that shift. It focuses on what the federal government gained by naming individuals, why questions expanded, why schedules are not consistent from decade to decade, and how the census became a long-running system for national measurement... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/us-census-records-1790-1840-government-purpose/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
Digital photography, as we know it, has only been around for about two decades. In truth, however, its origins go much deeper than that. The 1990s saw the first commercially available digital cameras, but the technology that we so often take for granted – with its unlimited storage space, live view displays, and other conveniences – actually first came into being during the 1950s. It all started with the first videotape recorders that were developed in 1952. These were the first devices to use something other than film (a coded signal on tape) as a recording medium. With a tape player, people could convert the code into a picture... Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/history-digital-photography/ Photography Clips Podcast: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/podcast/ Music From the Doctor's Office: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/music-from-the-doctors-office/
The first six U.S. federal censuses, from 1790 through 1840, were created primarily for government purposes. They were designed to measure population for representation, to support national administration, and to answer practical questions about the country's capacity and direction. If you read these early schedules expecting modern biography-style detail, they can feel thin. If you read them as a national tool that was still being shaped, they become far more meaningful. These decades show the United States learning how to count, what to count, and how to use those counts. The categories change because the nation changes, and because federal priorities change with it. Genealogists can still get real value from these early censuses, but the clearest way to use them is to understand why the government asked each question in the first place... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/us-census-records-1790-1840-government-purpose/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
When working with color photographs, it's easy to simply choose a dominant color or a color cast without thinking too much about why certain colors work and how they affect our perception of an image. However, when used skillfully, color can transform a dull image into something more dynamic. Color doesn't just set the mood. It creates a visually attractive image or makes certain elements within the image stand out more than others. Instead, when the right shades are chosen, a great color photograph is full of life and emotion. I'll show you three of the things that I consider as I create color images... Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/3-essential-principles-color-photography/ Photography Clips Podcast: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/podcast/ Music From the Doctor's Office: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/music-from-the-doctors-office/
Who would anyone want to kill Jesus? What is the historical answer? What is the theological answer? Join us as we explore the main topics of the Alpha Course.The sermon today is titled "Why Did Jesus Die?" This sermon is the third installment in our series "Asking For A Friend: Finding Answers To Big Questions." The Scripture reading is from Galatians 2:20 (NIV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on February 22, 2026. All lessons fit under one of 6 broad categories: Begin, Instill, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Serve. This sermon is filed under BEGIN: A Loving Christ.Click here if you would like to watch the sermon or read a transcript.Podcast Notes (resources used or referenced):See the Alpha Course Guide for more.I'd love to connect with you!Watch sermons and find transcripts at nathanguy.com.Follow along each Sunday through YouTube livestream and find a study guide on the sermon notes page.Follow me @nathanpguy (facebook/instagram/twitter)Subscribe to my email newsletter on substack.
If your genealogy research feels stuck, the problem may not be missing records. It may be that you are asking the right questions in the wrong direction. Some of the most revealing information about your ancestors does not appear in their own records at all, but in the lives of the people who lived beside them. Learning to research sideways can change how you read records you already have and open paths you may not have considered before... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/the-sideways-search-method-that-breaks-brick-walls/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
In this day and age, digital photography is by far more popular than film. I must admit that I prefer digital photography for most of my work, too. However, that doesn't mean that film is without its advantages. I believe that every photographer should try film at least once. Here are the reasons why! Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/7-reasons-experiment-film-photography/ Photography Clips Podcast: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/podcast/ Music From the Doctor's Office: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/music-from-the-doctors-office/
Andrew Humberman BioSnap a weekly updated Biography.Andrew Huberman, the Stanford neuroscientist and podcast powerhouse, has been buzzing in the health optimization scene over the past week with fresh podcast drops and ripple effects across media. On February 18, his Huberman Lab episode featuring Dr. Lauren Colenso-Semple dissected whether women should train differently from men, challenging fitness industry hype with PhD-level exercise physiology insights, as detailed on Podcast Notes. Just days earlier, on February 17, a teaser for mastering brain performance and longevity highlighted top neuroscience takeaways from his ongoing series. And on February 11, he unpacked the science of love, desire, and attachment, tying childhood styles to adult bonds in a must-listen essential.Rapamycin News spotlighted a recent transcript where Huberman hyped peptides like Epitalon as game-changers for sleep and longevity, blending conservative tips like social media lockboxes with edgier endorsements of Tadalafil for men over 40 and next-gen obesity drugs like Retatrutide, though he slightly overstated Phase 2 trial losses at one-third body weight per NEJM data. Fast Life Hacks updated his supplement stack in February 2026, confirming daily staples like 400mg Tongkat Ali, Fadogia Agrestis, and omega-3s that boosted his testosterone from 600 to the high 700s ng/dL.Off-podcast, a Minneapolis news piece from February 15 credited Huberman's YouTube sobriety talks alongside Joe Rogan for inspiring a man's Damp January success, quoting his takedown of alcohol's cultural stranglehold. PsyPost nodded to his chat with Kathryn Paige Harden on genetics fueling the seven deadly sins from the womb, while Mueller Memorial invoked his wisdom on movement as the quickest mind-changer for grief. No public appearances or business moves popped, but his premium podcast model funds research sans early episode access. Social mentions lean inspirational, no scandals—just Huberman fueling the self-optimizers. Word on the street: he's the unlikely sobriety guru for coastal liberals.Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
If you use United States census records often, you notice that the questions change when the country changes. The format changes when technology changes. The people being counted change when laws and social structures change. That story does not begin in 1790. It reaches back through colonial recordkeeping and deep into Europe, because authorities have been counting people, households, and property for a long time. For genealogists, this is practical. When there is no single national census, you can still find census style information, but it is often filed under labels that do not say "census." Once you understand why earlier authorities counted people, you can often predict what kind of list might exist, what it might contain, and where it might be kept. This article starts in Europe, steps into the colonial world, and ends at the doorstep of the first federal census. It is not a catalog of every record set. It is a guide to motives, methods, and the paperwork those methods produced... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/pre-1790-census-records/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
When you look around at photography, whether it is printed or digital, your work or someone else's, you'll see that most prints are one of the common standard sizes or aspect ratios, and nearly all of them are rectangular, either horizontal or vertical. Those certainly aren't shapes that we are limited to, so why is it that prints nearly always come in these sizes? Let's examine some of the reasons, starting with a brief lesson on how some of the most common print sizes or aspect ratios came to be... Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/must-photos-always-rectangular/ Photography Clips Podcast: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/podcast/ Music From the Doctor's Office: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/music-from-the-doctors-office/
Someone asked me a hard question once, and I think a lot of people have asked it in their own minds, even if they never say it out loud. They said, "Is genealogy really worth doing? After you die, hardly anybody will remember you anyway. Your friends will be gone. Their friends will be gone. Your family might not even care. You can give your research to your kids, but what if they don't keep it? What if you donate it to a museum and they discard it, or the building burns down? Is this just a hobby to keep you busy, or is it a waste of time?" That question hits two fears at once. The first is that we will be forgotten. The second is that our work will disappear. Both fears are real because time does erase things. Papers get lost. Hard drives fail. Families scatter. Institutions change. Sometimes, the people who come after us do not value what we valued. So, is genealogy worth it? Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/is-genealogy-worth-it/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
Who Is Jesus Christ? Who is the Jesus of history? Who is the Jesus of the Gospels? Who is Jesus...to you? Join us as we explore the main topics of the Alpha Course.The sermon today is titled "Who Is Jesus?" This sermon is the second installment in our series "Asking For A Friend: Finding Answers To Big Questions." The Scripture reading is from John 6:35 (NIV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on February 15, 2026. All lessons fit under one of 6 broad categories: Begin, Instill, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Serve. This sermon is filed under BEGIN: A Loving Christ.Click here if you would like to watch the sermon or read a transcript.Podcast Notes (resources used or referenced):See the Alpha Course Guide for more.I'd love to connect with you!Watch sermons and find transcripts at nathanguy.com.Follow along each Sunday through YouTube livestream and find a study guide on the sermon notes page.Follow me @nathanpguy (facebook/instagram/twitter)Subscribe to my email newsletter on substack.
As a photographer, you'll never stop learning. However, finding new places or people to learn from is sometimes challenging. That is doubly true if you're unsure where to find quality photographs. The Internet is filled with websites and galleries open to everyone – Flickr.com is one example. Because anyone can post images, you'll soon find it difficult to sift the snapshots and amateur images from the works of art. So, where do you turn to advance your knowledge of fine art photography? I'll show you a few of my favorite places! Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/learning-masters-look-fine-art-photographs/ Photography Clips Podcast: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/podcast/ Music From the Doctor's Office: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/music-from-the-doctors-office/
Rosemary Wang and Michael Kosir (developer advocates at HashiCorp, an IBM Company) discuss what's new in HCP Terraform, Terraform, Vault, and the Vault ecosystem including remote state sharing across projects, ephemeral resources in the Vault provider, and a sneak peek at the deprecated attribute in Terraform. Podcast Notes - https://developer.hashicorp.com/terraform/cloud-docs/workspaces/settings#remote-state-sharing - https://github.com/hashicorp/terraform/blob/v1.15.0-alpha20260204/CHANGELOG.md - https://github.com/hashicorp/terraform-provider-vault/releases/tag/v5.7.0 - https://github.com/hashicorp/vault/releases/tag/v1.21.2 - https://github.com/hashicorp/vault-helm/releases/tag/v0.32.0 - https://github.com/hashicorp/vault-secrets-operator/releases/tag/v1.2.0
By the time you reach the modern era, birth records feel straightforward. You search an index, order a certificate, attach it to your tree, and move on. In real research, modern systems still create plenty of confusion: privacy restrictions block access, jurisdictions do not match the family story, indexes hide key details, and late or amended records complicate what you think you found. The difference now is that there are more paths to the answer. If you know how modern birth record systems are built, and you approach them with a proof mindset, you can usually get to solid birth evidence even when the official certificate is not available to you. This article pulls the whole series together. The first article explained why birth documentation began in families, faith communities, and local record books. The second article traced how parish systems and early civil registration overlapped and why coverage varies so much. Now the focus is practical: how to find modern birth records, how to work within restrictions, how to use substitutes, and how to turn what you find into a conclusion you can trust... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/birth-records-through-time-part-3-find-and-prove-birth-evidence/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
Is this all there is? What if I told you the God I see in Jesus Christ offers the answers to your deepest longings? Join us as we explore the main topics of the Alpha Course.The sermon today is titled "Is There More To Life Than This?" This sermon is the first installment in our series "Asking For A Friend: Finding Answers To Big Questions." The Scripture reading is from John 14:6 (NIV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on February 8, 2026. All lessons fit under one of 6 broad categories: Begin, Instill, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Serve. This sermon is filed under BEGIN: A Satisfying Faith.Click here if you would like to watch the sermon or read a transcript.Podcast Notes (resources used or referenced):Kandinsky, Composition VIISongs: Peggy Lee, "Is That All There Is?" (1969); Green Day, "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" (2004); Harry Styles, "Sign of the Times" (2017).NYT: Average suicide rate rose 35% at the turn of the century.Jim Carrey quote: Everyone should get rich and famous.C. S. Lewis quote: If Christianity is true.I'd love to connect with you!Watch sermons and find transcripts at nathanguy.com.Follow along each Sunday through YouTube livestream and find a study guide on the sermon notes page.Follow me @nathanpguy (facebook/instagram/twitter)Subscribe to my email newsletter on substack.
Last time, I talked about the idea that another revolution in photography is coming. This thought is based on my observations across the history of photography. Every few decades—sometimes sooner—some new thing comes out that completely revolutionizes the way we do things—everything from 35mm cameras to color film to the advent of digital photography. There's no doubt we've seen a lot of these shakeups, and that's why I think we're due for another... So what will it be? Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/what-is-the-next-revolution/ Photography Clips Podcast: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/podcast/ Music From the Doctor's Office: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/music-from-the-doctors-office/
Since Valentine's Day falls in February, it is a good time to explore how our ancestors celebrated the day of love and how their traditions can help us learn more about them, their lives, and who they were as people. One way our more recent ancestors celebrated Valentine's Day, similar to what we do today, was by exchanging cards. This tradition began sometime in the early to mid-1700s in England and eventually spread to the United States. Here is what you need to know about our ancestors and Valentine's Day cards. The first Valentine's Day cards on record were from at least the mid-1700s, and possibly earlier, in Great Britain, and they were hand-made. Some families still have these early cards in their possession among their heirlooms, and the handmade, hand-written cards provide deep insight into who their ancestors were as people, and how they expressed love to different people in their lives, from family to lovers... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/valentines-day-and-our-ancestors/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
Birth records did not shift from "nothing" to modern certificates overnight. For centuries, most births were documented through churches, town clerks, and community systems that varied widely from place to place. Even when governments began requiring civil registration, compliance was uneven, and older religious systems often continued alongside the new civil system. That long transition is why you can have one ancestor with a clean birth certificate, a sibling with only a baptism entry, and another relative with nothing obvious at all, even though they were born in the same region. The purpose of this article is to help you understand the middle chapter of the story. This is the period when record-keeping became more systematic, but not yet standardized everywhere. When you understand how and why that happened, you can predict what records should exist for an ancestor's time and place, and you can avoid wasting time searching in the wrong jurisdiction or the wrong record type... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/birth-records-through-time-part-2-parish-to-civil-registration/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
Birth records can feel like a modern invention because we usually meet them as government certificates, neatly formatted and easy to file. The truth is older and more uneven. People have always needed ways to preserve the fact of a birth, who a child belonged to, when that child arrived, and where the family stood in the community. Long before standardized certificates existed, births were tracked through household memory, religious records, and local record-keeping. Knowing history helps you research better today because it explains why birth records look so different from one place to the next and why an official certificate may not exist for an ancestor you are trying to document. Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/birth-records-through-time-genealogy/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
Photography is due for another revolution—and most likely, sooner rather than later. In fact, it may already be underway, and we don't quite see it yet. Why do I think that a revolution is coming? Well, the short answer is because history repeats itself. You see, if you look back over history, photography has gone through several very definitive growth stages. The first camera obscuras were made millennia ago, with the earliest historical mention of them dating to China around 500 BC. Leonardo da Vinci improved on the technology with designs for lenses. Early film creation began in the 17th century, and it was again revolutionized when Niepce created the first photograph using sheet metal and photographic chemicals in 1827... Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/when-is-the-next-revolution/ Photography Clips Podcast: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/podcast/ Music From the Doctor's Office: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/music-from-the-doctors-office/
Same name ancestors can fool even careful researchers because the records are close enough to look convincing. The county fits. The time period fits. The ages are close. The hints line up. It can feel like you have a match when you really have a blend. This last article is about the step that keeps your work clean long term. You stop collecting only "supporting" records, and you build a proof case. A proof case is a short, organized argument that answers one identity question and shows, with evidence, why one candidate fits and the others do not. If you can build a proof case, you can defend your conclusion later, and you can hand the work to someone else without it falling apart... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/same-name-ancestors-proof-case-method/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
In the beginning, photography was very scientific. Photographers and scientists came together, experimenting with light and chemistry in ways never before imagined. However, over time, creative thinkers adopted this new method of capturing light and turned it into one of history's greatest artistic media. There is no one photographer who is directly responsible for taking this science and turning it into an art form. There are, however, a few historical photographers whose work embodies the way photography evolved from a science to an art... Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/science-becomes-art-three-historic-photographers-show-photography-evolved/ Photography Clips Podcast: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/podcast/ Music From the Doctor's Office: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/music-from-the-doctors-office/
Same name problems rarely get solved because you find one perfect record that settles everything. More often, the break comes when you stop staring at your ancestor's name and start paying attention to the names surrounding it. That's because a name like John Smith or William Jones can appear dozens of times in the same county. In that situation, the main name in a record is almost useless by itself. The separating clues are usually the witnesses, the bondsmen, the sureties, the neighbors, the appraisers, the administrators, and the other people who keep showing up with one candidate and not the other. This method is one of the most practical tools you can learn. It works if you are brand new and only have a handful of records. It also works if you have years of experience and you're digging into deeper court and probate material. The process stays the same. You collect the surrounding names, you track them in a structured way, and you let repetition build proof... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/same-name-ancestors-use-witnesses-bondsmen/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
How does one define the abstract? That's a question that artists have struggled with for centuries. In its purest form, an abstract photograph's subject is often unrecognizable. The beauty derives not from the subject itself, but from its shapes, textures or colors. The work of Henry Holmes Smith is a great example of this – many of his images are mysterious studies in light. Others – like this image on the right – focus purely on lines, shapes, and patterns rather than portraying a subject as a whole... Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/beauty-abstract-photography/ Photography Clips Podcast: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/podcast/ Music From the Doctor's Office: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/music-from-the-doctors-office/
Same-name problems are one of the biggest sources of bad trees. You find a record for a name that fits the right county and the right time period, you attach it, and then hints do the rest. A spouse appears. Parents appear. Children appear. In five minutes, a whole family is "built." Then a year later, you notice something that doesn't fit. A second household with the same name. A land sale that conflicts with your person's location. A probate file that names different heirs. Now you're stuck trying to untangle a knot you didn't mean to tie. The best way to prevent this is to stop relying on single records to prove identity. Most identity problems are solved by building a pattern across time. The tool that forces that pattern to show itself is a full timeline that includes every candidate and every record, even the ones you wish did not exist. This method is not complicated, but it does require discipline. It also works in almost every place and time, even when the surviving record set is thin. The goal is simple. You build two separate, internally consistent timelines that cannot belong to the same person, and you document why each record belongs where it belongs. Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/same-name-ancestors-prove-identity/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
Helen Levitt is one of my favorite street photographers. As a pioneer in photography, she had a natural propensity for capturing the essence of her subjects. Wonder, grace, joy, anguish, hope, and love are inscribed on the faces of her subjects, as clearly as if penned on paper. This raw emotion is the inspiration that transforms a photograph from a mere snapshot to a work of art, and this is the lesson that every photographer should take from Levitt... Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/portraying-raw-emotion-photography-lesson-helen-levitt/ Photography Clips Podcast: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/podcast/ Music From the Doctor's Office: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/music-from-the-doctors-office/
I'm Done Being Mad I didn't wake up calm. I woke up tired. Tired of being irritated at ink. Tired of being annoyed at paper. Tired of holding grudges against people who have been dead longer than electricity has existed. That's what this is about. Not traffic. Not politics. Not people on the internet... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/im-done-being-mad-at-genealogy/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
Why is it that we are driven to create art? Of course, there are hundreds, thousands, probably millions of reasons to create art – anything from personal motivations to causes that the artist supports or statements that need to be made. But there is one broad umbrella that most, if not all art falls under, I think. At its heart, art is made so that it can be enjoyed by others. Now, there is a problem with that, the enjoyment of others. And that problem is that we don't always make that connection with our audience at large. We work and we work until we have created things that we are personally proud of but when we show it to the world, it falls flat. Not an uncommon experience among photographers or artists of any kind – we all face rejection! Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/differences-photographic-public-perception/ Photography Clips Podcast: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/podcast/ Music From the Doctor's Office: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/music-from-the-doctors-office/
Every family tree is built as much from absence as it is from presence. Names, dates, places, and relationships draw most of our attention, but they are not the whole structure. What often shapes a tree more than anything else is what is missing. Blank space. Not the kind created by neglect or incomplete work, but the kind that remains even after careful searching. The empty boxes. The unconnected lines. The generations that refuse to attach themselves to anything solid. That blank space is genealogy's most honest element... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/power-of-i-dont-know-genealogy/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #IDontKnow
In this special podcast we go deep into the darkness that has descended upon the Kurdish ethnic minority in northern Syria. The massacre of civilians and brutality is reminiscent of ISIS. In fact, the Syrian state army is comprised of many former jihadists - some still openly wearing ISIS patches on their uniforms. The Kurds, of course, led the military force that led the assault on ISIS and its eventual retreat and defeat. But with the anointment of former al Qaeda man, Ahmed al Sharaa, as President of Syria…..violent Islamism has enjoyed something of a resurgence.Absolute hell has been visited upon the Syrian Kurds while the west and the world are distracted by chaos in the Islamic Republic of Iran. But the massacre of Syrian Kurds has barely been noticed. We feature interviews with four experts on the Syrian Kurds. (Their photos and bios are set out below in the Podcast Notes.) Each one brings a very deep understanding of the complexity of this situation. In order to assist as you work your way through this we have provided time stamps so that you may skip to particular bits that interest you more.In addition to the experts featured here we spoke to many others. I am grateful to all for their time and generosity in sharing their expertise and insight. I would like to draw particular attention to Noor Dahri, a devout Muslim living in the UK and originally from Pakistan. I learned so much from Noor and hope to share part of our interview in the near future. Editing such rich material is not easy. So thanks, Noor, for helping me to better understand the forces that are driving fanatical Islamism in the Middle East and the west.And to our loyal listeners, this episode is being made available to all subscribers in full. Consider it our contribution to doing whatever is possible to amplify awareness of the Kurdish plight.There are some graphic videos included in this podcast. If you prefer not to view them we provide advance notice so that you may skip over them.Timestamps:Introduction with video clips: 00:00Interview with Dr. Qanta A. Ahmed: 05:53Al Jazeera report on the release of ISIS prisoners in Al Hol Detention Camp in northern Syria: 36:41Interview with Ateret Shmuel: 39:22Interview with Dr. Jan Ilhan Kizilhan: 51:54Interview with Ahmad Sharawi: 01:02:15Conclusion: 1:19:08Show your support for STLV at buymeacoffee.com/stateoftelavivPodcast Notes:* Maps referred to and shown in the podcast introduction:* X post of U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, Tom Barrack, on January 20, 2026:Full text of this post: The greatest opportunity for the Kurds in Syria right now lies in the post-Assad transition under the new government led by President Ahmed al-Sharaa. This moment offers a pathway to full integration into a unified Syrian state with citizenship rights, cultural protections, and political participation— long denied under Bashar al-Assad's regime, where many Kurds faced statelessness, language restrictions, and systemic discrimination.Historically, the US military presence in northeastern Syria was justified primarily as a counter-ISIS partnership. The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), led by Kurds, proved the most effective ground partner in defeating ISIS's territorial caliphate by 2019, detaining thousands of ISIS fighters and family members in prisons and camps like al-Hol and al-Shaddadi. At that time, there was no functioning central Syrian state to partner with—the Assad regime was weakened, contested, and not a viable partner against ISIS due to its alliances with Iran and Russia.Today, the situation has fundamentally changed. Syria now has an acknowledged central government that has joined the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS (as its 90th member in late 2025), signaling a westward pivot and cooperation with the US on counterterrorism. This shifts the rationale for the US-SDF partnership: the original purpose of the SDF as the primary anti-ISIS force on the ground has largely expired, as Damascus is now both willing and positioned to take over security responsibilities, including control of ISIS detention facilities and camps.Recent developments show the US actively facilitating this transition, rather than prolonging a separate SDF role:• We have engaged extensively with the Syrian Government and SDF leadership to secure an integration agreement, signed on January 18, and to set a clear pathway for timely and peaceful implementation.• The deal integrates SDF fighters into the national military (as individuals, which remains among the most contentious issues), hand over key infrastructure (oil fields, dams, border crossings), and cede control of ISIS prisons and camps to Damascus.• The US has no interest in long-term military presence; it prioritizes defeating ISIS remnants, supporting reconciliation, and advancing national unity without endorsing separatism or federalism.This creates a unique window for the Kurds: integration into the new Syrian state offers full citizenship rights (including for those previously stateless), recognition as an integral part of Syria, constitutional protections for Kurdish language and culture (e.g., teaching in Kurdish, celebrating Nawruz as a national holiday), and participation in governance—far beyond the semi-autonomy the SDF held amid civil war chaos.While risks remain (e.g., fragile ceasefires, occasional clashes, concerns over hardliners, or the desire of some actors to relitigate past grievances), the United States is pushing for safeguards on Kurdish rights and counter-ISIS cooperation. The alternative—prolonged separation—could invite instability or ISIS resurgence. This integration, backed by US diplomacy, represents the strongest chance yet for Kurds to secure enduring rights and security within a recognized Syrian nation-state.In Syria, the United States is focused on: 1) ensuring the security of prison facilities holding ISIS prisoners, currently guarded by the SDF; and 2) facilitating talks between the SDF and the Syrian Government to allow for the peaceful integration of the SDF and the political inclusion of Syria's Kurdish population into a historic full Syrian citizenship.* Dr. Qanta A. AhmedDr. Ahmed is a physician, non-fiction author and broadcast media commentator. Her first book, In the Land of Invisible Women (Sourcebooks 2008) details her experience of living and working in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and has been published internationally in 14 countries. She is also a prolific opinion journalist and contributor to the American, British, Australian, Pakistani and Israeli media. Dr.Ahmad has been recognized for her work as a physician, researcher, journalist and advocate. She lives and works in New York City.* Ateret Shmuel Ateret Shmuel lives with her two children in Jerusalem and is the founder of the not-for profit organization Indigenous Bridges and has worked with Kurdish communities and organizations in the Middle East for more than 20 years. https://www.indigenousbridges.com/* Jan Ilhan KizilhanDr. Jan Ilhan Kizilhan is a psychologist, psychotherapist, trauma expert, orientalist, author and publisher. He is also the Director of the Institute for Health Science the State University in Baden-Württemberg, Germany and the chief psychologist of the Special-Quota Project, a programme funded by the State Government of Baden Württemberg. The project brought 1,100 women and children who were in IS captivity to Germany for medical treatment. He is the Founding Dean of the Institute for Psychotherapy and Psychotraumatology at the University of Duhok/Northern Iraq.* Ahmad SharawiAhmad Sharawi is a senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, focusing on Middle East affairs, specifically the Levant, Iraq, and Iranian intervention in Arab affairs, as well as U.S. foreign policy toward the region. Previously, Sharawi worked at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, where he focused mainly on Hezbollah. He created a map visualizing the border clashes on the Israeli-Lebanese frontier and authored articles on Jordan and Morocco. Ahmad previously worked at the International Finance Corporation and S&P Global. He holds a B.A. in international relations from King's College London and an M.A. from Georgetown University's School of Foreign Service.State of Tel Aviv is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.stateoftelaviv.com/subscribe
When you think of creativity, it feels like it should be something random and spontaneous, something that is born out of a moment's inspiration. And, there are times when random creativity leads to groundbreaking art. I would argue, however, that the majority of creativity comes not from spontaneity, but from structure. You see, a lack of structure leads to things like uncertainty, wasted time and other issues that are detrimental to productivity. Here's a brief list of the problems and questions that arise when you have not structured your art... Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/structure-necessary-creativity/ Photography Clips Podcast: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/podcast/ Music From the Doctor's Office: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/music-from-the-doctors-office/
Divorce Records Are a Genealogy Goldmine Divorce records are one of the most overlooked sources in family history research. Many people assume their ancestors never divorced, or they assume that if a divorce happened, it would be obvious and easy to locate. In reality, divorce existed far earlier than most researchers expect, and the records connected to it often contain more personal detail than marriage records ever did. These records document conflict, separation, property, children, and movement in ways few other sources can. Divorce research matters because it explains gaps. It explains why a spouse disappears from a household, why children appear in unexpected places, or why property changes hands without explanation. When other records fall silent, divorce records often speak clearly... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/divorce-records-and-what-they-reveal-about-your-ancestors/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
Before welfare offices and Social Security checks, there was something older and far more personal. There was each other. When I look at my own ancestors, this shows up clearly. They lived on farms where the nearest neighbor might be a mile away. Today, that sounds distant. In their world, it was close enough to matter. That mile represented connection, not isolation. It meant someone could walk over if they had to. It meant help was available, even if it took effort to reach it. Those neighbors mattered because life demanded cooperation. Weather did not wait. Crops did not pause. Illness did not schedule itself conveniently. When something went wrong, there was no hotline to call and no agency to apply to. What existed instead were people who knew each other's land, habits, and circumstances... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/before-safety-nets-there-was-each-other/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
In the world of early American photography, few names carry the elegance and influence of Gertrude Käsebier (1852–1934). She is often hailed as one of the first American photographers to elevate portraiture to an art form. Her best-known works, particularly images of mothers and children, embody a tenderness and depth that was revolutionary for her time. Through her lens, she captured the emotional bond between her subjects with unique sensitivity, helping to pave the way for what would later be known as the pictorialist movement—a style focused on creating painterly, atmospheric photos. Her work is a reminder of the quiet power of the photograph to convey feelings that words might struggle to capture... Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/gertrude-kasebiers-tender-lens/ Photography Clips Podcast: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/podcast/ Music From the Doctor's Office: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/music-from-the-doctors-office/
Photography has this rare ability to tell a story, to let us glimpse into worlds we might otherwise never see. And few photographers did that quite like Lewis W. Hine. For anyone who loves photography, Hine's work is a testament to how powerful an image can be. He wasn't just taking pictures; he was documenting history, sparking reform, and, most importantly, giving a voice to people who were often invisible in society. His images of immigrants, child laborers, and industrial workers helped change laws and inspired generations of photographers to use their craft for something greater... Podcast Notes: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/lewis-w-hine-the-compassionate-lens-behind-change/ Photography Clips Podcast: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/podcast/ Music From the Doctor's Office: https://www.moneymakerphotography.com/music-from-the-doctors-office/
here comes a point in genealogy when you sit back, stare at the screen, and realize you are not moving forward anymore. You are still working, still searching, still opening records, but nothing new is coming in. You have been here before. Most people who research family history long enough eventually find themselves in this same spot. It usually happens quietly. You open a database you have already searched dozens of times. You adjust a date by a year or two. You change the spelling of a surname that you already know has been searched every reasonable way. You click through the results with a small sense of hope, even though deep down you know what you are going to see. Nothing. Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/when-to-call-it-quits/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
There is a moment in almost every genealogy project when temptation shows up. It does not usually sound reckless. It sounds reasonable. It sounds efficient. It often arrives as one simple sentence, "This must be the same person." That sentence has damaged more family trees than missing records ever could, because it pushes the story forward without proof, and it does it in a way that feels productive. Assumptions feel helpful because they fill the quiet places. When the paper trail goes thin, your mind wants to keep moving. You want to connect the last solid record to the next solid record, and you want the line between them to be clean. The trouble is that assumptions do not age well. They harden into "facts" through repetition, and once other conclusions are built on top of them, the mistake becomes difficult to remove without rebuilding the whole section of the tree... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/temptation-to-assume-genealogy/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
Are we ready for when outsiders start coming in? This is part of a year-long focus on the heart of the Christian faith so that we can share with our neighbors the faith of a Christian heart.The sermon today is titled "What Outsiders Need To Hear." This sermon is the second third and final installment in our series "Back To The Basics." The Scripture reading is from 1 Corinthians 14:22-25 and Acts 15:19 (NIV). Originally preached at the West Side Church of Christ (Searcy, AR) on January 18, 2026. All lessons fit under one of 6 broad categories: Begin, Instill, Discover, Grow, Learn, and Serve. This sermon is filed under SERVE: Announcing The Kingdom.Click here if you would like to watch the sermon or read a transcript.Podcast Notes (resources used or referenced):For background on 1 Cor 14 and the unbeliever, see especially:C. K. Barrett, The First Epistle to the Corinthians. Harper's New Testament Commentaries, 1968.Craig L. Blomberg, 1 Corinthians. NIV Application Commentary.David E. Garland, 1 Corinthians. Baker Exegetical Commentary on the NT. Paul Gardner, 1 Corinthians. Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament.For material on creating a welcoming environment to the unchurched, see the following:Andy Stanley, Deep & Wide: Creating Churches Unchurched People Love to Attend (Zondervan, 2012, 2016).Jonathan Storment, “Local Church Outreach.” Dear Church Podcast with Chris McCurley, Episode #254. Matt Chandler, “Preaching to the Unchurched,” New Churches Nov 17, 2023.Matt Smethurst, “How To Become an Evangelist: 7 Ways To Be Evangelism Ready.” The Gospel Coalition. August 4, 2021. Thom Rainer Interview. “Is This the Real Difference Between Growing and Declining Churches? Thom Rainer on What Reaches The Anxious Generation.” Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast, Episode 765. Shauna Pilgreen interview. Carey Nieuwhof Leadership Podcast, Episode 640.I'd love to connect with you!Watch sermons and find transcripts at nathanguy.com.Follow along each Sunday through YouTube livestream and find a study guide on the sermon notes page.Follow me @nathanpguy (facebook/instagram/twitter)Subscribe to my email newsletter on substack.
Coming Back to the Paper Trail Last time, we stood inside a gap, ten years of a man's life with no clear paper trail. No neat answers. No satisfying explanation. Just silence, the kind that shows up in family history more often than most people expect. Today, we return to the records, not to force a conclusion, but to listen again. Because sometimes the past does not speak louder. It simply speaks later, and when it does, it changes the work you need to do. When Samuel Carter reappears in the 1860 census, the shift is immediate. He is no longer a young laborer living in someone else's household. He is a husband, a father, and a farmer. The census does not tell us how he got there, but it does tell us that he got there, and that difference matters. In genealogy, a reappearance is not a clean ending to the mystery, it is a new starting point. It gives you fresh facts that can be used to tighten the timeline, refine the geography, and test the theories that might have been tempting during the silent years... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/when-the-records-begin-speaking-again/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
There are times in genealogy when the records speak clearly. Names line up, dates behave, and places make sense. You can follow a life forward with little resistance. Then there are times when the trail stops. Not with a dramatic ending. Not with a warning. Just silence. That silence is not rare. It shows up in nearly every serious family history project, and it is where many family trees start to drift away from evidence. This story sits inside that silence. It is about a man named Samuel Carter, a name common enough to create its own challenge. When a name is shared by many people, it becomes easier to attach the wrong records to the right person, especially when there is a gap and you want to close it quickly. The goal here is not to invent what happened in the missing years. The goal is to learn how to handle missing years without turning guesses into facts... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/between-the-lines-missing-years-genealogy-records/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
Genealogy has ruined me in the best way. I can be perfectly content all day, and then I see a hint, a record index, a cemetery photo, or a single line in a probate packet, and my brain flips a switch. Next thing I know, I am down a rabbit hole, zooming in on handwriting that looks like it was written during an earthquake, trying to decide whether that squiggle is an "S" or a "J." I have learned to accept this about myself. I am a genealogist, which means I do something most people only do once in a while, and I do it on purpose. I chase names. I follow families across counties and decades. I compare sources that disagree with each other like they are arguing relatives. I build timelines, map migrations, and try to figure out why somebody disappeared from the records in 1900 and reappeared in 1910 with a different first name and the same three children. And when I get it right, when the evidence stacks up, and the puzzle clicks into place, it gives me a kind of satisfaction I do not get anywhere else... Podcast Notes: https://ancestralfindings.com/why-i-love-genealogy/ Ancestral Findings Podcast: https://ancestralfindings.com/podcast This Week's Free Genealogy Lookups: https://ancestralfindings.com/lookups Genealogy Giveaway: https://ancestralfindings.com/giveaway Genealogy eBooks: https://ancestralfindings.com/ebooks Follow Along: https://www.facebook.com/AncestralFindings https://www.instagram.com/ancestralfindings https://www.youtube.com/ancestralfindings Support Ancestral Findings: https://ancestralfindings.com/support https://ancestralfindings.com/paypal #Genealogy #AncestralFindings #GenealogyClips
A new year brings a fresh calendar, but for many leaders, it also brings pressure, fatigue, and the fear that this year might just look like the last one. In this episode of the GrowLeader Podcast, Pastor Chris Hodges helps leaders reset their lives and leadership so 2026 doesn't become a rerun of 2025. This conversation goes far beyond goal setting. Pastor Chris walks through a powerful, practical framework built on reflection and planning, showing leaders how to work on their lives, not just in them. Drawing from decades of ministry leadership, personal rhythms, and spiritual disciplines, he explains why clarity comes from review and traction comes from intentional planning. If you're a pastor, church leader, or organizational leader who wants to grow personally, lead intentionally, and start the year with clarity and purpose, this episode will give you a roadmap to lead yourself well, and lead others better. Episode Resources: Pastor Chris's Podcast Notes: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1R7zq4gKJgtBk3XY9wHpVumubXNexQO1g/view?usp=sharing 21 Days of Prayer: https://21days.churchofthehighlands.com/ 21 Days of Prayer Resources: https://21days.churchofthehighlands.com/resources https://youtu.be/RPTUuKGTy3s?si=gJdV1V8zYJbl36Hn https://youtu.be/x-kdUjOqThA?si=EXUeqPVQ0-rc0Hem https://youtu.be/8jqXLeB-T38?si=VaeGLszNJvCa54MW https://youtu.be/-utE_JsuMnY?si=OapCI4YDDjcjpNo9 All Things GrowLeader: Register for GrowLeader Conference 2026: https://www.growleader.com/conference Join Monthly Mentoring with Pastor Chris: https://www.growleader.com/monthlymentoring Access FREE church resources: https://www.churchofthehighlands.com/resources Develop a Kingdom Builders or Legacy Team: https://www.growleader.com/kbvirtualintensive Watch more episodes: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyCNQpi3YxaOeQAIdSpbeVw Follow along on Socials: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/growleader/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/growleader