Podcasts about Prayer

Turn Up The Volume on Praise—Thank God & Worship Him Daily | Blessed Morning Prayer To Start The Day With GodSUBSCRIBE to catch all the latest prayers uploaded to the Daily Effective Prayer™ Podcast!For more powerful daily prayers and to connect with the ministry visit:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org© Copyright Daily Effective Prayer™ SUPPORT THE MINISTRY:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/donate/ DO YOU NEED PRAYER? Send us a prayer request right now:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/prayer-request-online/ CONNECT WITH US:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/connectYouTubeX / TwitterInstagram ThreadsInstagramFacebook Daily Effective Prayer™

Psalm 91 Revelation 22:4-5 Prayer Requests to psp@sqpn.com

Psalm 118 Galatians 6:7b-8 Prayer Requests to psp@sqpn.com

Jeremiah 49-50

Jeremiah 49-50

In this solo episode with coach Myrna, discover how prayer not only connects you with God but also rewires your brain for greater focus, empathy, and emotional resilience.  Through insights from neuroscientist Dr. Andrew Nubert, learn about prayer's impact on stress relief and neuroplasticity, empowering you to transform life's challenges into opportunities for growth. Whether you're new to prayer or looking to deepen your practice, find out how to harness its transformative power of prayer to reshape your mind and life.Key Takeaways:Prayer and the Brain: Prayer is revealed to activate the prefrontal cortex, enhancing focus and empathy while calming the amygdala, reducing fear and stress.Neuroplasticity: Consistent prayer invokes neuroplastic changes, reinforcing qualities like emotional resilience and self-regulation in the brain's structure.Power of Vocal Prayer: Speaking prayers aloud engages multiple senses, enhancing focus and embedding intentions deeply within the brain.Stress Relief: Prayer effectively lowers cortisol levels, bringing clarity and calm through surrendering challenges to a higher power.Faith and Visualization: Visualizing desired outcomes through prayer makes the brain perceive them as real, engaging the law of attraction to manifest goals.Notable Quotes:"Prayer is the master key to all our earthly problems, starting with faith and speaking into the atmosphere."Follow Coach Myrna on Twitter and InstagramSponsors of this podcast"Protect your business. Protect your community. Call Alpha Security Bureau today at 1-817-383-9098 or visit AlphaSecurityBureau.com MINT Mobile Get this new customer offer and your 3-month Unlimited wireless plan for just 15 bucks a month at MINT MOBILE.com/TRANSFORM.Shopify Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at SHOPIFY.COM/transform To advertise on our podcast, visit https://advertising.libsyn.com/TransformyourMindor email kriti@youngandprofiting.com See this video on The Transform Your Mind YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@MyhelpsUs/videosTo see a transcripts of this audio as well as links to all the advertisers on the show page https://myhelps.us/Follow Transform Your Mind on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/myrnamyoung/Follow Transform Your mind on Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063738390977Please leave a rating and review on iTunes https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/transform-your-mind/id1144973094 https://podcast.feedspot.com/personal_development_podcasts/

Patrick Madrid takes a call from Matt in Huntington Beach, who asks a very relatable question: How do I keep prayer intentional when I have so many intentions that it feels like a checklist? Patrick admits right away that he’s not speaking as a prayer “expert,” but as a fellow traveler who wrestles with the same distractions. He encourages you to pray at times and in places where the noise of life is quieter -- whether that’s at home in the early morning or during a visit to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. But he also affirms that prayer doesn’t have to be limited to those moments; it can happen anywhere -- in the car, at the grocery store, or in the middle of a busy day. What matters most, Patrick says, is not the absence of distractions but what you do with them. He suggests offering those distractions to God directly: “Lord, I’m trying to pray, but my mind is scattered. I give you these distractions too.” That effort, he says, is pleasing to God because it shows love and persistence. Patrick also draws on Ignatian spirituality, recommending a prayer method that involves putting yourself into the scene of Scripture or the mysteries of the Rosary. For example, while praying the Sorrowful Mysteries, you can imagine yourself standing at the pillar as Jesus is scourged, which helps stir gratitude and deepen prayer. He goes on to outline the stages of prayer: -Discursive prayer -- the “shallow end,” made up of spontaneous prayers or rote prayers like the Our Father -Meditation -- a deeper form, where the mind and heart actively engage with the truths of the Faith -Contemplation -- the “deep end” of prayer, described by saints like Teresa of Avila as gazing on God with love, much like beholding a beautiful sunset in awe On the specific problem of prayer becoming a long “laundry list,” Patrick introduces the idea of virtual intentions. Instead of naming every single person or need individually each time, you can entrust categories of people or petitions to God: “Lord, I pray for all those I promised to pray for” or “I pray for all who have died.” This way, prayer remains heartfelt without being mechanical. Finally, Patrick recommends two spiritual classics to grow in prayer: Introduction to the Devout Life by St. Francis de Sales and The Interior Castle by St. Teresa of Avila. Both provide wisdom on moving from simple, everyday prayer to deeper intimacy with God. Patrick reminds you: the key is not perfection, but intention. As long as you’re sincerely engaging with God rather than just “clickety clacking” through words, your prayer life will bear fruit.

We would love to pray for you! Please send us your requests here. --------Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible. Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org. Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

Pastor Dru highlights the Transfiguration where Jesus' divine glory shines, fulfilling the Law and the Prophets, and points to his suffering, resurrection, and the indwelling presence of God in believers. He calls us to listen to Jesus and live from his radiance.

Jess here! A while back, Sarina and KJ talked about how much they enjoyed Tess Gerritsen's novel, The Spy Coast, and Sarina reassured KJ she'd enjoy book two of the series even more. I had never read a Tess Gerritsen novel, and while I'd heard her name before and vaguely understood she wrote thrillers, I was starting from square one when I downloaded the audio version of The Spy Coast. Now, I'm not an international spy thriller kind of gal. In the abstract, I understand the allure of books like Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy or Six Days of the Condor. Spies! Intrigue! International [almost exclusively men] of mystery! But they have never really floated my proverbial boat. That said, I loved Tess Gerritsen's spies and the world they inhabit. There's a sense of place - nay, a downright LOVE of place - and a retiring, rural New England domesticity that spoke to this retiring, rural New England reader. Book two, The Summer Guests, is even more rooted in Maine, on its history and the social dynamics of its natives and its summer people. Once I tore through those first two books, I went back to Gerritsen's first book, The Surgeon, one of Time Magazine's top 100 thriller/mystery books of all time and the first in the Rizzoli & Isles series, consequently made into a long-running television series. Gerritsen has a fascinating career trajectory, lots to talk about regarding pantsing and plotting, where the ideas come from, and lots of other geeky details about the writing life. I hope you enjoy it as much as we did. Find Tess at Tessgerritsen.com, or on Bluesky, @TessGerritsen Transcript below!EPISODE 462 - TRANSCRIPTJennie NashHey everyone, it's Jennie Nash, founder and CEO of Author Accelerator, the company I started more than 10 years ago to lead the emerging book coaching industry. In October, we'll be enrolling a new cohort of certification students who will be going through programs in either fiction, nonfiction, or memoir, and learning the editorial, emotional, and entrepreneurial skills that you need to be a successful book coach. If you've been curious about book coaching and thinking that it might be something you want to do for your next career move, I'd love to teach you more about it, you can go to bookcoaches.com/waitlist to check out the free training I have—that's bookcoaches.com/waitlist. The training is all about how to make money, meaning, and joy out of serving writers. Fall is always a great time to start something new. So if you're feeling called to do this, go check out our training and see if this might be right for you. We'd love to have you join us.Multiple SpeakersIs it recording? Now it's recording, yay. Go ahead. This is the part where I stare blankly at the microphone. I don't remember what I'm supposed to be doing. All right, let's start over. Awkward pause. I'm going to rustle some papers. Okay, now—one, two, three.Jess LaheyHey, this is Jess Lahey, and this is the Hashtag AmWriting Podcast. This is the podcast about writing all the things—short things, long things, poetry, prose, narrative nonfiction, fiction, creative nonfiction, queries, proposals. This is the podcast about writing all the things. More than anything else, this is the podcast about the writing life and about getting the work done. I am Jess Lahey. I'm the author of The Gift of Failure and The Addiction Inoculation. And you can find my journalism at The Atlantic and The Washington Post, and my bi-weekly (formerly bi-weekly) column at The New York Times, The Parent-Teacher Conference, ran for about three years I am joined today by Sarina Bowen, who has written 50-odd books. She has written lots and lots of romance, and her most recent addition to the world of publishing has been her thrillers, Dying to Meet You and The Five Year Lie. And she has a book coming out this fall called Thrown for a Loop. The reason I am recording this intro on my own—which, as you may know if you've been listening, is highly unusual for us—is because I know myself. And I know when I'm really excited to talk to someone on the podcast; I'm going to flub the intro. I'm going to forget something. I'm going to forget to introduce them altogether. So today, I'm doing that first, so I don't mess it up. A while ago on the podcast, you may have heard Sarina and KJ read some books by an author named Tess Gerritsen. I had heard of Tess Gerritsen, but I had never read any of her books. I just hadn't yet. I haven't read Nora Roberts yet. I haven't read—there are lots of authors I haven't read yet. And sometimes you don't even know where to start. So when Sarina and KJ recommended Tess Gerritsen's new series set in Maine—the first one being The Spy Coast and the second one being The Summer Guests—I figured I had a good place to start. And you know, as a New Englander, I love a good book about New England, and that was the start of my interest in Tess Gerritsen's work. I have gone back to the beginning and started with her book The Surgeon, which was her first book in the series that became the Rizzoli and Isles Series, as well as a television show. Tess Gerritsen has a—she's written through 33 books at this point. And as I now know, she has also directed a documentary called Magnificent Beast about pigs, which I listened to this morning while I was vacuuming the house. I loved it. She also—she has a lot to say about genre, about publishing, about second careers, about a writing place, and about process. So let's just jump right into it. I am so excited to introduce to you today, Tess Gerritsen. So from the perspective of what our listeners love—this podcast, the Hashtag AmWriting Podcast —is super geek. People who love the nuts and bolts and the dorky details of the writing life. Sarina has a past life in finance, and so she tends to be, like, our “no, but let's talk about the numbers” kind of person. I'm just the research super dork, which is why I spent my morning watching your documentary about pigs.Tess GerritsenOh my god! (Laughing)Jess LaheyMagnificent Beast. I—I've joked in the past that if I could, I would probably just research things in—in, you know, maybe there'll be a book out there, maybe there won't, but I would research things and—and just learn as much as I could. And so I loved—loved—your Magnificent Beast documentary. I thought it was fantastic. But one of the reasons that we wanted to talk to you, just from the very beginning, is that we feel like you do some pretty incredible world-building and relationship-building with your places and your characters. And so I just—I would love to start there, mainly with the idea of starting with the real nuts and bolts stuff, which is, like, what does an average writing day look like for you? And how do you, sort of—how do you set that up? What does it look like, if you have an average writing day? Maybe you don't.Tess GerritsenWell, it's hard to describe an average writing day, because every day is—there are days when you sit at your desk and you just, you know, pull your hair. And there are days when you get distracted by the news. And there are many days when I just do not want to write. But when I'm writing, the good days are when my characters are alive and talking to me. And it's—it's—you talked about world-building and character-building. That is really key to me. What are they saying to me? Can I hear their voices? And it sounds a little—a little crazy, because I am hearing voices. But it's those voices that really make characters come alive.Jess LaheyI—You have said in other interviews that you are very much—sorry to those of you who hate the terms—that you are very much a pantser. And you are sitting on this interview with a consummate plotter. Sarina is our consummate plotter. So could you talk a little bit about how those character—how those voices—influence, you know, the pantsing of the—of the book, and—and how that works for you?Tess GerritsenWell, I mean, it is weird that I am a pantser. And it's funny—I think that people who are plotters tend to be people who are in finance or in law, because they're used to having their ducks lined up, you know. They—they want everything set up ahead of time, and it makes them feel comfortable. And I think a large part of becoming a pantser is learning to be comfortable with unpredictability. Learning to just let things happen, and know you're going to take wrong turns, know you're going to end up in blind alleys—and yet just keep on forging ahead and change direction. So I suppose that what helps me become a pantser, as I said, is hearing a character's voice. If, for instance, when I wrote The Spy Coast, the first thing I heard about that book was Maggie Bird's voice. And she just said, “I'm not the woman I used to be.” And that's an opening there, right? Because you want to find out, Maggie, who did you used to be? And why do you sound so sad? So a lot of it was just—just getting into her head and letting her talk about what a day-to-day life is, which is, you know, raising chickens and collecting eggs and becoming—and being—a farmer. And then she does something surprising in that very first chapter. There's a fox that's killing her chickens, so she grabs her rifle and kills it with one shot. And that opens up another thing, like—how are you, a 62-year-old woman, able to take out a rifle and kill a fox with one shot? So it's—it's those things. It's those revelations of character. When they come out and they tell you something, or they show you they—they have a skill that you weren't aware of, you want to dig deeper and find out, you know, where did they get that skill?Sarina BowenAnd that is a really fun way to show it. I mean, you're talking today with two people who have also kept chickens.Multiple Speakers(All laughing)Jess LaheyAnd had foxes take their chickens, actually.Sarina BowenOh yes, because the two go together.Tess GerritsenYes.Sarina BowenBut yes, I admit I have never shot a fox, and maybe wouldn't.Jess LaheyI have yelled very loudly at a fox, and he actually—I have to say—really mad respect for the fox, because he took one look at me—he did drop the chicken that I was yelling at him for grabbing—and then he went across the street, around the neighbor's house, around the back of the other neighbor's house, and came at the exact same chicken from the other side of the house, where I couldn't see him out the window.Tess GerritsenOh, they are so smart. They are so smart.Jess LaheySo smart. Sarina, it sounded like you had something— you had something you wanted to add, and I interrupted you when we were talking about pantsing and we were talking about world-building and characters speaking to you.Sarina BowenWell, I just had thought that it was a lovely moment to explain why I was so excited to read this book after I heard Tess speak at Thriller Fest 2024, in a packed room where there was nowhere to sit except on the floor. You told the audience a little bit of a story from your real life that—that made you want to write that book. And I wonder if you could tell us what that was, because for me—I mean, we were only five minutes into your talk, and I'm like, oh, I'm—I'm going to download that tonight.Tess GerritsenWell, yes, it was. A lot of my books come from ideas that I've been stewing over for years. I have a folder called the ideas folder. It's an actual physical manila folder. And if I see something in an article or a newspaper or a magazine, I'll just rip it out and stick it in there, and it sometimes takes a long time before I know how to turn this into a book. So the idea for The Spy Coast is a little bit of obscure knowledge that I learned 35 years ago, when I first moved to Maine. My husband is a medical doctor. He opened up a practice, and when he would bring in new patients, he would always get an occupational history. And he used to get this answer—this very strange answer—from his new patients. They would say, “I used to work for the government, but I can't talk about it.” And after he heard that three times, he thought, what town did we land in? And who are these people? And we later found out that on our very short street, on one side of us was a retired OSS person, and on the other side was retired CIA. A realtor told us that our town was full of CIA retirees. So, I mean, of course you want to ask, why did they get here? What are they doing here? What are their lives like? I knew there was a book in there, but I didn't know what that book was. I needed 35 years to come up with the idea. And what I really needed to do was become old and—and realize that as you get older, especially women, we become invisible. People don't pay attention to us. We are over the hill. You know, everybody looks at the young, pretty chicks, but once you start getting gray hair, you fade into the background. And with that experience myself; I began to think more and more about what it's like to be retired. What is it like to be retired from a job that was maybe dangerous, or exciting, or something that you really risked your life to—to achieve? So that was—that was the beginning of The Spy Coast. What happens to CIA retirees—especially women—who are now invisible? But that makes them the best spies of all.Jess LaheyYeah, and we have—we did this really cool thing, this really fun thing for us on the Hashtag AmWriting Podcast. It's like a supporter-only thing, where we call First Pages, where very brave authors—very brave writers—submit their first page to us, and we talk about it and decide whether or not we'd want to turn the page. And you have an incredible skill on your first pages. You're very, very good at first pages. And I was thinking about The Summer Guests, that you had this wonderful line that I'm going to read now:Purity, Maine, 1972. On the last day of his life, Purity police officer Randy Pelletier ordered a blueberry muffin and a cup of coffee at the Marigold Café,Which immediately reminded me of my very, very favorite line from all of literature—my very favorite first line—which is Irving's first line from A Prayer for Owen Meany, in which he ruins the story for you right there in the first line:I am doomed to remember a boy with a wrecked voice—not because of his voice, or because he was the smallest person I ever knew, or even because he was the instrument of my mother's death, but because he is the reason I believe in God.There is this incredible power to first lines. And I'm sort of wondering where—how first lines happen for you. Do they happen first? Do they happen last? Do they happen along the way?Tess GerritsenFirst lines usually happen last. I—it's—I will write the whole book, and I'll think, something's missing in that first chapter. How do I open this up? And, you know, there are things that make lines immediately hypnotic, and one of those things is an inherent contradiction—something that makes you think, wait, okay, you start off this way, but then all of a sudden, the meaning of that line switches. So, yeah, it starts off with, you know, this guy's going to die. But on that last day of his life, he does something very ordinary. He just orders coffee at the local café. So I think it's that contradiction that makes us want to read more. It's also a way to end chapters. I think that—that if you leave your reader with a sense of unease—something is about to go wrong, but they don't know what it is yet—or leave them with an unanswered question, or leave them with, as I said, a contradiction—that is what's page-turning. I think that a lot of thriller writers in particular mistake action for—for being—for being interesting. A car chase on the page is really very boring. But what's interesting is something that—you could feel that tension building, but you don't know why.Sarina BowenI have joked sometimes that when I get stuck on a plot, sometimes I will talk at my husband and—and say, “you know, I'm stuck here.” And he always says, “And then a giant squid attacked.” And it—of course I don't write books that take place where this is possible, so—but it never fails to remind me that, like, external action can sometimes be just, you know, totally pointless. And that if you're stuck, it's because one of your dominoes isn't leaning, you know, in the right spot. So...Tess GerritsenYeah, it's—it's not as much fun seeing that domino fall as seeing it go slowly tilting over. You know, I really learned this when I was watching a James Bond movie. And it starts off—you know, the usual James Bonds have their cold open to those action and chasing and death-defying acts. I found that—I find that really, in that movie anyway—I was like, Ho hum. Can we get to the story? And I found the time when I was leaning forward in my theater seat, watching every moment, was really a very quiet conversation aboard a train between him and this woman who was going to become his lover. That was fascinating to me. So I think that that transfers to book writing as well. Action is boring.Jess LaheyYou and Sarina do something that I feel, as a writer; I would probably not be very good at, which is creating that unease. I—Sarina in particular does this thing... I've read every one of Sarina's books, as a good friend is supposed to do. And I text her, and I say, Why don't they just talk about it and just deal? Get it out in the open! And she's like, you know, we just got to make these people uncomfortable. And you both have this incredible talent for helping—keeping the reader, uh, along with you, simply because there is this sense of unease. We're slightly off-kilter the whole time. And yet in me, as a people pleaser, that makes me very uncomfortable. I want people to be happy with each other. So how do you—if you get to a place where you feel like maybe things aren't off-kilter enough, or things aren't off-balance enough—how do you introduce a little bit of unease into your—into your story?Tess GerritsenWell, I think it comes down to very small points of conflict—little bits of tension. Like, we call it micro-tension. And I think those occur in everyday life all the time. For instance, you know, things that happen that really don't have any big consequence, but are still irritating. We will stew about those for—for a while. And, you know, I used to write romance as well, so I understand entirely what Sarina is doing, because romance is really about courtship and conflict. And it's the conflict that makes us keep reading. We just—we know this is the courtship. So there's always that sense of it's not quite there, because once the characters are happy, the story is over, right?Sarina BowenYeah.Multiple Speakers(All laughing)Sarina BowenAlso, writing the ends of romance novels is the least interesting part. Like, what...? Once the conflict is resolved, like, I cannot wait to get out of there.Tess GerritsenRight, exactly. You know, I—I pay attention to my feelings when I'm reading a book, and I've noticed that the books that I remember are not the books with happy endings, because happiness is so fleeting. You know, you can be happy one second, and then something terrible will happen. You'll be unhappy. What lasts for us is sadness, or the sense of bittersweet. So when I read a book that ends with a bittersweet ending—such as, you know, Larry McMurtry Lonesome Dove—I ended up crying at the end of that book, and I have never forgotten that ending. Now, if everybody had been happy and there had been nobody to drag all those miles at the end, I would have forgotten that book very quickly. So I think—I try—I always try to leave the end of the book either bittersweet—I mean, you want to resolve all the major plot points—but also leave that sense of unease, because people remember that. And it also helps you, if you have a sequel.Sarina BowenThat's so interesting you've just brought up a couple of really interesting points, because there is a thriller—I actually write suspense now—and one of the books that so captured my attention about five years ago was killing it on the charts. And I thought it was actually a terrible book, but it nailed the bittersweet ending. Like, the premise was solid, and then the bittersweet ending was perfect, and the everything between the first chapter and the last chapter was a hot mess, but—but—um, that ending really stuck with me. And I remember carrying it around with me, like, Wow, they really nailed that ending. You know, and—and maybe that has, like, legs in terms of, like, talking about it. And, you know, if it—if—if it's irritating enough, like, the tension is still there—enough to, like, make people talk about it—it could actually affect the performance of that book. But also, um, one thing that I really love about this series—you have—what is the series title for the...?Tess GerritsenMartini—The Martini Club.Sarina BowenThe Martini Club, right? So The Martini Club is two books now. I inhaled the first one last summer, and I inhaled the second one this summer. And The Martini Club refers to this group of friends—these retired spies. And of course, there are two completely different mysteries in book one and book two. And I noticed a couple of things about the difference between those mysteries that was really fun. So in the first case—or in one of the two cases, let's see—in one of them, the thing that happens in their town is actually, like, related to them. And in the other one, it's kind of not. So to me, that felt like a boundary expansion of your world and your system. But also, I just love the way you leaned into the relationship of these people and their town in such a way. And how did you know to do that? Like, how—what does your toolbox say about how to get that expansiveness in your character set? Like, you know, to—to find all the limits of it?Tess GerritsenThat—you know, so much is like—it's like asking a pole-vaulter how they do it. They just—they have just—I guess its muscle memory. You don't really know how you're doing it, but what I did know was—with age, and because I love these characters so much—it really became about them and about what is going to deepen their friendship? What kind of a challenge is going to make them lean into each other—lean on each other? That's really what I was writing about, I think, was this circle of friends, and—and what you will do, how much you will sacrifice, to make sure your friends are safe. No, you're right—the second book is much more of a classic mystery. Yeah—a girl disappears. I mean, there was—there were—there were CIA undertones in that, because that becomes an important part of the book. But I think that what people are—when people say they love this book—they really talk about the characters and that friendship. And we all want friends like this, where we can go and—and—and have martinis together, and then if we—one of us needs to—we'll go help them bury a body.Multiple Speakers(All laughing)Tess GerritsenThat's—they all have shovels, and they're willing to do it. That's the kind of friendship—friends—we want.Jess LaheyWell, and that's funny you mention that—I had an entire question—it wasn't even a question, it was a statement—in here about friendships and being grateful to you for the reminder about the importance of relationships. And this entire podcast was born out of the fact that we were talking writing all the time, and we just wanted an official way to sit down once a week and actually talk about the work. And your work is suffused with just these incredible relationships—whether that's the Rizzoli and Isles—you know, in your first—in the one of your other series—and I'm just—I'm very grateful for that, because we—especially—I think I re—I really crave books about female relationships, especially about older female relationships. And I have been loving your books, and I've—like, as I may have mentioned to you in my initial email—I had—I'm so sorry—never read your books before. And I admitted in the introduction that there are lots of very, very famous authors whose books I have never read. And it's always so exciting to me to dive into someone's series and realize, oh, this person really touches on themes that mean a lot to me, and I can already tell that I'm going to be enjoying a lot of their books to come forward. So thank you for all of the great descriptions of relationships and how we do rely on each other for various aspects of just how we get through all of this stuff.Tess GerritsenYeah—get through life. But you know what's funny about it is that it didn't start that way. For instance, let's go back to Rizzoli and Isles. The very first time they both appear in a book is in The Apprentice. And they don't start off being friends. They start off being—they're so different. As the TV producer once said, “you've really written about Captain Kirk and Mr. Spock.” That's okay—they are—in the books. They are not natural friends. But like real-life friendships, sometimes—just kind of develop slowly, and—and they have their ups and downs. So there are times when—when Jane and Maura are barely speaking to each other because of conflicts they have. But by the time book twelve comes around—or maybe book seven comes around—you know that they would risk their lives for each other. So I think that if you're writing a series like Rizzoli and Isles, or like The Martini Club, it really helps to develop the friendship on the fly and see how they react to certain stresses. The next book, which I just turned in, called The Shadow Friends—it even put—pushes them even further, and it really—it really strains a marriage, because it's—it's more about Ingrid, and an old lover comes back into her life. She used to—they were both spies—and he is, like, hot, hot, hot—Antonio Banderas kind of guy. And here's Ingrid, married to Lloyd, you know, who's just a sweet analyst who cooks dinner for her every night. And I—when I was coming up with that story, I thought, I want to write a book about their marriage. So it wasn't—the plot wasn't about, oh, you know, international assassinations, even though that does occur in the book. It's really about the story of a marriage.Jess LaheyAnd it gives you, it gives you added unease. You know, if you have your two characters not speaking to each other, and you know your readers love those characters and crave those characters to be getting along at some point, then that's just another reason that we're following along. I was just thinking about, uh, Michael Connelly, uh, book the other day, because I really, really like the series he did with Renée Ballard and her relationship with the Bosch character, and how that series is totally about crime, but yet it's also very much about the relationship. And I think I follow—I continue to read those because of the relationship between those two human beings, and less so because of the murder mystery sort of stuff.Tess GerritsenI think it really becomes important if you're dealing also with Hollywood television series. I still remember what the producer first said when he called me up about Rizzoli and Isles. He said, "I love your girls, and I think they belong on TV.” He didn't say, I love your plots. He didn't say, I love your mysteries, you know, all your intricate ups and downs. It was really about the girls. So if you hope to sell to a television series, really, it's about characters again.Jess LaheyAbsolutely.Sarina BowenI was going to ask about longevity, because you have so many books, and you're so obviously still invigorated by the process, or there wouldn't be a book three that you just turned in. So how have you been able to avoid just being sick to death of—of writing suspense novel after suspense novel?Tess GerritsenI refused. That's what it is. You know, I—I don't—I guess I could say that I have a little bit of ADHD when it comes to—to the books I write. I cannot—after 13 books of Rizzoli and Isles, I just had a different idea. And it takes—it takes a certain amount of backbone to say no to your publisher, to your editor, to people who are going, well, when's the next one in this series coming out? And to be able to say, I need a break. I need to do something completely different. So over—how many years I've been a writer—almost 40 now—I've written science fiction and historicals and a ghost story and romantic suspense and spy novels and medical thrillers and crime novels. I've been all over the place, but each one of those books that took me out of what I was expected to do was so invigorating. It was a book that I needed to write. As an example, I wrote a book called Playing with Fire. Nobody wanted that book. Nobody expected that book. It was a historical about World War II, and about music—about the power of music—and having to do with the death camps. I remember my publisher going, "What are you doing?" And, you know, it's—it's true—they're—they—they are marketers, and they understood that that book would not sell as well, and it didn't. But it still remains one of my favorite books. And when you want to write a book, you need to write that book. That's all—even—even if nobody wants it.Jess LaheyI actually was—I'm so pleased that this came up, because that was actually going to be my question, because both you and Sarina have done this—done, you know, 90 degrees—whether it's out of, you know, one genre into another—and that, to me, requires an enormous amount of courage. Because you know you have people expecting things from you. And you in particular, Tess, have people saying, "No, I want the next one. I love this relationship. I want the next one." And—and dealing—you're not just dealing with the disappointment of whether it's an agent or an editor, but the disappointment of fans. And that's a pressure as well. So when I used to do journalism, I remember a question I asked of another journalist was, "How do you continue to write without fear of the comment section?" And essentially, for us, that's our—you know, those are our readers. So how do you find that thing within yourself to say, no, this really is the thing that I need to be writing now?Tess GerritsenWell, that is a really—it's a really tough decision to buck the trend or buck what everybody's expecting, because there's a thing in publishing called the death spiral. And if your book does not sell well, they will print fewer copies for the next one. And then that won't sell well. So you start—your career starts to go down the drain. And that is a danger every time you step out of your tried and true series and do something out of—you know, completely out of the ordinary. I think the reason I did it was that I really didn't give a damn. It was—it was like, Okay, maybe this will kill my career, but I've got to write this book. And it was always with the idea that if my publisher did not want that, I would just self-publish. I would just, you know, find another way to get it out there. And I—I was warned, rightly so, that your sales will not be good for this book, and that will—it will hurt the next contract. And I understood that. But it was the only way I could keep my career going. Once you get bored, and you're—you're trapped in a drawer, I think it shows up in your writing.Jess LaheyI had this very conversation with my agent. The—my first book did well. And so then, you know, the expectation is, I'll write like part two of that, or I'll write something for that exact same audience again. And when I told my agent—I said, "You know, this book on substance use prevention and kids—I—it's—I have to write it. And I'm going to write it even, you know, if I have to go out there and sell it out of the trunk of my car." And she said, "Okay, then I guess we're doing this." And yes...Tess Gerritsen(Laughing) They had their best wishes at heart.Jess LaheyAnd honestly, I love—I loved my book that did well. But The Addiction Inoculation is the book I'm most proud of. And, you know, that's—yeah, that's been very important to me.Tess GerritsenI often hear from writers that the book that sold the fewest copies was one that was—were their favorites. Those are the ones that they took a risk on, that they—I mean, they put their heart and soul into it. And maybe those hurt their careers, but those are the ones that we end up being proud of.Jess LaheyI like to remind Sarina of that, because I do remember we text each other constantly. We have a little group, the three of us, a little group text all day long. And there was—I remember when she first wrote a male-male romance, she was scared. She was really scared that this was going to be too different for her readers. And it ended up being, I think, my favorite book that she's ever written, and also a very important book for her in terms of her career development and growth, and what she loves about the work that she does. And so I like to remind her every once in a while, remember when you said that really scared you and you weren't sure how your readers were going to handle it?Sarina BowenRight? Well, I also did that in the middle of a series, and I went looking for confirmation that that is a thing that people did sometimes, and it was not findable. You know, that was...Jess LaheyWhat? Change things up in terms of—change things up in the middle of a series?Sarina BowenIn the middle of a series. And anyway, that book still sells.Tess GerritsenThat is a great act of courage, but it's also an act of confidence in yourself as a writer. There are ways to do it. I think some writers will just adopt a different pen name for something that's way out there.Jess LaheyIt's funny you should say... it's funny you should say that.Sarina BowenWell, no, and I never have done that, but, um—but anyway, yeah, that's hard. I, uh...Jess LaheyYeah.Sarina BowenIt's hard to know. Sometimes...Jess LaheyWe entertain it all the time. We do talk about that as an option all the time. Shouldn't we just pick up and do something completely different? One of the things that I also—I mentioned at the top of the podcast about, you know, you went off—not only have you done lots of different things in terms of your writing—but you went off and you did an entire documentary about pigs. I have—I have to ask you where on earth that came from and why. And it is a total delight, as I mentioned, and I have already recommended it to two people that I know also love the topic. But, you know, to go off—and especially when you usually, as some of us have experienced—our agents saying, so when am I going to see more pages? or when am I going to see the next book? And you say, I'm really sorry, but I have to go off and film this documentary about pigs.Tess GerritsenYes. Well, you know, I was an anthropology major in college, and I've always been interested in the pig taboo. You know, back then, everybody just assumed it was because, yeah, it was disease or they're dirty animals—that's why they're forbidden food. It never quite convinced me, because I'm Chinese-American. Asia—you know, Asia loves pork. Why aren't they worried about all that? So I was in Istanbul for a book tour once, and I remember I really wanted bacon, and, you know, I couldn't get bacon. And then I thought, okay, I really need to find out why pork is forbidden. This is a—this is a cultural and historical mystery that never made sense to me. The explanations just never made sense to me. It cannot be trichinosis. So I told my son that—my son is—he does—he's a filmmaker as well. And he just said, "Well, let's do it. Let's—we will pose it as a mystery," because it is a mystery. So it took us probably two years to go and—you know, we interviewed anthropologists and pet pig owners and archaeologists, actually, just to find out, what do they say? What is the answer to this? And to us, the answer really just came down to this cultural desire for every—every tribe—to define us versus them. You know, they eat pigs. They're not us, so therefore they're the enemy. And it was fascinating because we—we ended up finding out more about pigs than I was expecting, and also finding out that people who have pet pigs can sometimes be a little unusual.Jess LaheyAnd the people who purchase the clothes for the pigs are also crazy.Tess GerritsenYes. Sew outfits for their pigs and sleep with their pigs. And there was—there was one woman who had—she slept on the second floor of her house, so she had an elevator for her pig who couldn't make it up the stairs, and, you know, ramps to get up onto the bed because they've gotten so fat—they've been overfed. But it was—for me, at the heart of it was a mystery.Jess LaheyAs a nonfiction author whose whole entire reason for being is, "I don't know—let's find out," I think that's just the most delightful thing. And I loved your framing as, "I don't know, we have this question, let's go out there and just ask people about it and find the experts." And that's—oh, I could just live on that stuff. So...Tess GerritsenSo could I. You know, research is so enticing. It's enticing. It is—it can get you into trouble because you never write your book. Some of us just love to do the research.Jess LaheySarina actually has taken skating lessons, done glass blowing—what else have you done? Yoga classes and all—all kinds of things in the pursuit of knowledge for her characters. And I think that's a delight.Sarina BowenYes. If you can sign up for a class as part of your research, like, that is just the best day. Like, you know, oh, I must take these ice skating lessons twice a day for five months, because—yeah—or twice a week, but still.Tess GerritsenYou must be a good ice skater then.Sarina BowenI'm getting better.Tess GerritsenSo you never gave them up, I see.Jess LaheyWell, it's fun because she usually writes about hockey, but she has a figure skater coming up in this book that's coming out this fall. And she's like, "Well, I guess I'm just going to have to learn how to figure skate."Tess GerritsenYeah.Sarina BowenI also—one time I went to see Rebecca Skloot speak about her big nonfiction The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks.Tess GerritsenOh, okay.Sarina BowenAnd she said that all her best ideas had come from moments in her life when she went, "Wait, what?!"Tess GerritsenYes. Yep.Sarina BowenIncluding for The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Like, she learned about the cells in high school—she was in high school biology class—and the teacher said, like, "This woman died in the '60s, but we're still using her cells," and she said, "Wait, what?!" And that's—that's what you made me think of with the pigs. Like, I think...Jess LaheyWell, and also your folder of ideas. I mean, I immediately texted Sarina after listening to a podcast where I heard an ad, and the ad made me go, "Oh that could be creepy." And then I'm like, "Okay, this is—this is a plot. This is going in the folder somewhere." And so you have to just think about how those things could unfold over time. And I love the idea of—and even in journalism—there are articles that I've written where I said, this just isn't their time. And then, like, five years later, I'll hear something out there, and I'm like, okay, finally, it's the time for this thing. And there's a reason you put that article in your idea—in your paper—manila folder of ideas.Tess GerritsenWell, I think writers are—we have to be curious. We have to be engaged in what's going on around us, because the ideas are everywhere. And I have this—I like to say I have a formula. It's called "two plus two equals five." And what that means is, sometimes you'll have a—you'll have a piece of information that, you know, there's a book here, but you haven't figured out what to do with it. And you wait for another piece of information from some completely different source, and you put them together, and they end up being like nuclear fusion—bigger than the…Sarina BowenYes!Jess LaheyYes!Tess GerritsenSome of the parts.Sarina BowenMost every book I've ever written works like that. Like, I have one idea that I drag around for, like, five years, and then I have this other idea, and one day I'm like, oh, those two things go together.Tess GerritsenYep.Jess LaheyYeah, absolutely. I think Stephen King mentioned that about Carrie. I think it was like, telekinesis, and that usually starts about the time of menstruation, and it was like, boom, there was Carrie. You know, those two things came together. I love that so much. So you mentioned that you have just handed in your next book, and we don't—we do not, as a rule, ask about what's next for an author, because I find that to be an incredibly intimidating and horrifying question to be asked. But I would love to hear; you know, is this—is this series one that you hope to continue working on? The main series, mainly because we have quite fallen in love with your little town in Maine—in Purity, Maine. Fantastic name for your town, by the way. It's really lovely. It creates such a nice dichotomy for these people who have seen and heard things during their careers that maybe are quite dark, and then they retire to a place called Purity. Is this a place where we can hopefully spend a little bit of time?Tess GerritsenWell, I am thinking about book number four now. I have an idea. You know, it always starts with—it starts with an idea and doodling around and trying to figure out what—you know, you start with this horrible situation, and then you have to explain it. So that's where I am now. I have this horrible situation, I have to explain it. So, yeah, I'm thinking about book four. I don't know how—you never know how long a series is going to go. It's a little tough because I have my characters who are internationally based—I mean, they've been around the world—but then I can't leave behind my local cop who is also a part of this group as well. So I have to keep an eye out on Maine being the center of most of the action.Sarina BowenRight, because how many international plots can you give Purity, Maine?Tess GerritsenThat's right, exactly. Well, luckily…Jess LaheyLook, Murder, She Wrote—how many things happened to that woman in that small town?Tess GerritsenExactly, exactly. Well, luckily, because I have so many CIA retirees up here, the international world comes to us. Like the next book, The Shadow Friends, is about a global security conference where one of the speakers gets murdered. And it turns out we have a global security conference right here in our town that was started by CIA 40 years ago. So I'm just—I'm just piggybacking on reality here. And—not that the spies up here think that's very amusing.Sarina BowenThat is fantastic, because, you know, the essential problem of writing a suspense novel is that you have to ground it in a reality that everyone is super familiar with, and you have to bring in this explosive bit of action that is unlikely to happen near any of us. And those two things have to fit together correctly. So by, um, by putting your retired spies in this tiny town, you have sort of, like, gifted yourself with that, you know, precise problem solver.Tess GerritsenYeah, reminding us.Sarina BowenYeah.Tess GerritsenBut there's only so far I can take that. I'm not sure what the limits... I think book four is going to take them all overseas, because my local cop, Jo, she's never been out of the country—except for Canada—and it's time for her dad to drag her over to Italy and say, "Your dead mom wanted to come to Italy, so I'm taking you." And, of course, things go wrong in Italy for Jo.Jess LaheyOf course, of course. Well, we're going to keep just banging on about how much we love these books. I think we've already mentioned it in three podcast episodes so far in our “What have you been reading lately that you've really loved?” So we're—we're big fans. And thank you so much for sitting down to talk with us and to—you know, one of the whole points of our podcast is to flatten the learning curve for other authors, so we hope that that's done a little bit of that for our listeners. And again, thank you so much. Where can people find you and your work if they want to learn a little bit more about Tess Gerritsen—her work?Tess GerritsenYou can go to TessGerritsen.com, and I try to post as much information there as I can. But I'm also at Bluesky, @TessGerritsen, and what is now called “X”—a legacy person on X—@TessGerritsen, yes.Jess LaheyThank you so, so much again. And for everyone out there listening, keep your butt in the chair and your head in the game.The Hashtag AmWriting Podcast is produced by Andrew Perella. Our intro music—aptly titled Unemployed Monday—was written and played by Max Cohen. Andrew and Max were paid for their time and their creative output, because everyone deserves to be paid for their work. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amwriting.substack.com/subscribe

Join us every day at https://BruceDownes.org/Rosary where you can request prayer from us as well as find all of the prayers and mysteries for you to pray along with us.  Get your free Rosary Prayer Guide at https://BruceDownes.org/PrayTheRosaryConnect With Bruce At:► Website: https://BruceDownes.org ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheCatholicGuyBruceDownes ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecatholicguy ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/thecatholicguy ► Online Store: https://brucedownes.org/store Listen to Bruce Downes' Daily Devotional on these popular podcast services:► Apple Pod Casts   - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bruce-downes-daily-devotional/id1606668155► Spotify Pod Casts - https://open.spotify.com/show/0gh58yAkcGJhm9EgIs160H?si=102cb235a289433bConsider Becoming a Faith Builders Partner:Everyone who donates to Bruce Downes Catholic Ministries is what we call a Faith Builder. The team are working to build the faith of every person we connect with whether they are powerful or weak, rich or poor, young or old, in whatever city, town, village and country they are in. ►https://brucedownes.org/giving/ ★ Support this podcast ★

Why do anxious thoughts seem to follow us into each new day? In today's episode, we'll reflect together on the words of Jesus in Matthew 6 and explore how seeking God's kingdom first can free us from worry about tomorrow. Drawing inspiration from Richelle Alessi's honest journey of deepening her understanding of Scripture, we'll consider practical ways to read the Bible, pray for our daily needs, and prioritize God's presence—no matter where we are in our faith.Join our community as we pray for peace and focus, trusting God with our anxieties and committing to seek Him together in daily devotion.Want to get resources related to this episode? Enter your info at https://www.mymorningdevo.co/newsletter/ and we'll send it to your inbox!Tap HERE to send us a text! BECOME A FOUNDING "MY MORNING DEVOTIONAL" MEMBERIf you enjoy your 5 minute daily dose of heaven, we would appreciate your support, and we have a fun way for you to partner with the MMD community! We've launched our "Buy Me a Coffee" membership where you can buy us a latte, OR become a founding member and get monthly bonus video episodes! To donate, go to mymorningdevo.co/join! Support the showNEW TO MY MORNING DEVOTIONAL? We're so glad you're here! We're the Alessis, a ministry family working together in a church in Miami, FL, and we're so blessed to partner with the My Morning Devotional community and continue the great work done by the show's creator and our friend, Alison Delamota.Join our Community Subscribe to the show on this app Share this with a friend Join our newsletter and get additional resources Follow Us on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠Facebook⁠ ⁠Leave a review Support Our Friends and Family Connect with the original host of MMD Alison Delamota Follow our family podcast The Family Business with The Alessis Check out our Worship Music Hear the new music project "Praise the Lord EP" from Metro Life Worship and Mary AlessiListen on SpotifyWatch on YouTube

We're back with the 3rd of our 4 Back to School sessions, featuring young ladies making a powerful impact in the Kingdom of God. This week, Jamie sits down with Lydia Varnum to discuss how to maintain a mindset of prayer.Lydia, a high school senior, opens her heart about discovering the mind of God through prayer. She encourages us all to build a daily prayer life—no matter our age. When you align with the mindset of God, you gain His purpose, His will, and His strength to reach souls. Lydia shares inspiring stories of outreach, practical ways to carve out time for prayer, and a heartfelt challenge to do more for His Kingdom.Follow Lydia and her art here: https://www.instagram.com/_artbylydia?igsh=dnN5d3U2aGdkb210 (https://www.instagram.com/_artbylydia?igsh=dnN5d3U2aGdkb210)

Psalm 4 Psalm 134 Deuteronomy 6:4-7 Prayer Requests to psp@sqpn.com

Psalm 119:169-176 Psalm 45 Romans 15:5-7 Prayer Requests to psp@sqpn.com

Jeremiah 46-48

SummaryMountains don't move without power. In this sermon from Matthew 17, we see Jesus teach His disciples why some breakthroughs never come—because this kind only comes out by prayer and fasting. Pastor Chris preaches on demonic strongholds, the devil's strategies, and the supernatural resistance we face in prayer. More importantly, he shows the key to overcoming: faith, prayer, fasting, and desperate dependence on God.If you need breakthrough in salvation, finances, healing, or fruitfulness, this message will challenge you to seek God until mountains move.Chapters0:00 – Intro: Next Gen Friday0:35 – Scripture Reading (Matthew 17)2:26 – The Mountains We Face: Salvation, Finances, Healing4:46 – Demonic Strongholds Explained7:06 – Hierarchy of Demonic Powers9:21 – Facing “This Kind” of Demon11:20 – Daniel's Prayer and Delayed Answer13:30 – Angels, Resistance, and Spiritual Warfare15:56 – Don't Give Up Too Soon in Prayer17:51 – The Devil's Devices and Strategy20:09 – Resistance Always Follows Breakthrough21:42 – Posture of Resistance: Be Militant in Prayer24:01 – Why “This Kind” Requires Prayer and Fasting26:05 – The Power of Desperation27:35 – Fasting: Struggles and Reality Check29:09 – Testimonies of Breakthrough Through Fasting31:21 – Desperation That Leads to Salvation33:33 – Why Fasting Must Be a Lifestyle35:45 – Faith Like a Mustard Seed Moves Mountains36:58 – The Finger of God Flicks Away Demons39:00 – Connected to God's Power Through Fasting41:00 – Lifestyle vs. Ritual Fasting42:00 – Closing Call: Conquering Mountains in PrayerShow NotesALL PROCEEDS GO TO WORLD EVANGELISMLocate a CFM Church near you: https://cfmmap.orgWe need five-star reviews! Tell the world what you think about this podcast at: • Apple Podcasts: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://apple.co/3vy1s5b • Podchaser: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/taking-the-land-cfm-sermon-pod-43369

Sleep better and Stress Less— with Abide, a Christian meditation app that provides a biblically grounded place to experience peace and progress in your relationship with Christ. We hope this biblical sleep meditation, narrated by Keaver Brenai, helps your body relax and your mind rest on the truth found in scripture. “He who began a good work in you will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.” Let this peaceful sleep story lead you into deep rest as you trust God’s good work in you. For a 30 day free trial of our premium ad-free content, your trusted friend for better sleep is right here: https://abide.com/peaceDiscover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us

Worship Leader Taylor Cummings urges honest, unfiltered prayer with God, pointing to Psalm 22 and Jesus' warning in Matthew 7 that real relationship means being truly known by Him. He encourages voicing every emotion so God can break down barriers and bring healing, leading us back to praise.

Trust God & Step Into the Life He Has for You (DON'T SETTLE) | Blessed Daily Effective Prayer For TodaySUBSCRIBE to catch all the latest prayers uploaded to the Daily Effective Prayer™ Podcast!For more powerful daily prayers and to connect with the ministry visit:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org© Copyright Daily Effective Prayer™ SUPPORT THE MINISTRY:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/donate/ DO YOU NEED PRAYER? Send us a prayer request right now:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/prayer-request-online/ CONNECT WITH US:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/connectYouTubeX / TwitterInstagram ThreadsInstagramFacebook Daily Effective Prayer™

Join us every day at https://BruceDownes.org/Rosary where you can request prayer from us as well as find all of the prayers and mysteries for you to pray along with us.  Get your free Rosary Prayer Guide at https://BruceDownes.org/PrayTheRosaryConnect With Bruce At:► Website: https://BruceDownes.org ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheCatholicGuyBruceDownes ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecatholicguy ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/thecatholicguy ► Online Store: https://brucedownes.org/store Listen to Bruce Downes' Daily Devotional on these popular podcast services:► Apple Pod Casts   - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bruce-downes-daily-devotional/id1606668155► Spotify Pod Casts - https://open.spotify.com/show/0gh58yAkcGJhm9EgIs160H?si=102cb235a289433bConsider Becoming a Faith Builders Partner:Everyone who donates to Bruce Downes Catholic Ministries is what we call a Faith Builder. The team are working to build the faith of every person we connect with whether they are powerful or weak, rich or poor, young or old, in whatever city, town, village and country they are in. ►https://brucedownes.org/giving/ ★ Support this podcast ★

When it's time to pray, do you struggle to find the right words?  In today's episode, host Richelle Alessi invites us to explore the simple and powerful ways we can approach prayer, drawing wisdom from Jesus' own words in Matthew 6. Together, we'll unpack how to move past overthinking, embrace humility, and find comfort in daily conversations with God—especially on those days when words are hard to find.Join our community as we lean into the prayer Jesus taught His disciples, strengthening our devotional lives and lifting each other up as we learn to pray together. Let's pause, reflect, and allow God's presence to guide us today—one prayer at a time.Want to get resources related to this episode? Enter your info at https://www.mymorningdevo.co/newsletter/ and we'll send it to your inbox!Tap HERE to send us a text! BECOME A FOUNDING "MY MORNING DEVOTIONAL" MEMBERIf you enjoy your 5 minute daily dose of heaven, we would appreciate your support, and we have a fun way for you to partner with the MMD community! We've launched our "Buy Me a Coffee" membership where you can buy us a latte, OR become a founding member and get monthly bonus video episodes! To donate, go to mymorningdevo.co/join! Support the showNEW TO MY MORNING DEVOTIONAL? We're so glad you're here! We're the Alessis, a ministry family working together in a church in Miami, FL, and we're so blessed to partner with the My Morning Devotional community and continue the great work done by the show's creator and our friend, Alison Delamota.Join our Community Subscribe to the show on this app Share this with a friend Join our newsletter and get additional resources Follow Us on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠Facebook⁠ ⁠Leave a review Support Our Friends and Family Connect with the original host of MMD Alison Delamota Follow our family podcast The Family Business with The Alessis Check out our Worship Music Hear the new music project "Praise the Lord EP" from Metro Life Worship and Mary AlessiListen on SpotifyWatch on YouTube

Psalm 88 Jeremiah 14:9a Prayer Requests to psp@sqpn.com

Psalm 119:161-168 Psalm 133 Psalm 140:1-9,13-14 1 John 3:16 Prayer Requests to psp@sqpn.com

Jeremiah 41-45

Jeremiah 41-45

Register for ILLUMINATION: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://kingdomillumination.org/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Donate to Orbis⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://subsplash.com/orbisministries/give⁠⁠Sign Up for Prayer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://orbisprayer.org/Episode Summary:In this conversation between Ken Fish and Marc Dupont, they delve deep into the spiritual dynamics of revival—both the authentic and the counterfeit. Drawing from decades of firsthand experience in revival movements across the globe, they share wisdom on discerning spiritual authenticity, the role of repentance, and how the Church should engage with controversial moves of God.Together, Ken and Marc explore practical and theological insights around anointing, stewardship, spiritual warfare, and the importance of Christ-centered focus in any revival atmosphere. This conversation is an essential guide for pastors, leaders, and believers seeking a sustainable and holy move of God in their communities.How to Engage with Orbis:- Check out Ken's book,⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ On the Road with the Holy Spirit⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: https://a.co/d/0OVIIA0- ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Partner with Orbis Financially⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://subsplash.com/orbisministries/give⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠- Download the app: https://subsplash.com/orbisministries/app-⁠⁠⁠⁠ Are you interested in learning about Holy Spirit-led ministry? Visit Orbis School of Ministry at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://orbissm.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or email our Registrar, Jo McKay, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠jo@orbisminstries.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠-⁠⁠⁠⁠ Upcoming Orbis Ministries overseas ministry trips are posted on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠orbisministries.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ under the Train tab- Join an International Ministry Trip link behind the registration/login portal.- Do you want to join Ken's private Facebook discussion group, "God is not a Theory?" Please send a Facebook Direct Message to Bryan Orbis and a friend request to be added to it.

prayer set. 08.19.25 by Home Church

We would love to pray for you! Please send us your requests here. --------Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible. Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org. Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (08/20/25), Hank answers the following questions:Is there a correlation between the Word of Faith movement and the Church of God in Christ? Jonathan - Wichita, KS (1:00)Was Antipas martyred during the reign of Domitian? If so, how does this affect the dating of Revelation? Steven - Grand Rapids, MI (2:25)Do we pay for the sins of our fathers? Jason - St. Clair, MO (7:37)Is it okay to file a restraining order against a family member? Peggy - Oklahoma City, OK (8:39)Do you know anything about Project Blue Beam? Babet - Fresno, CA (15:40)What are your thoughts on The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins? I found this book in my granddaughter's room. Linda - Seattle, WA (16:58)What do Mormons see as wrong with historic Christianity? Why would they want to convert me? David - Springfield, MO (22:13)Do you have any information on Mike Bickle and the International House of Prayer? Rick - Bloomington, IL (25:28)

Join us every day at https://BruceDownes.org/Rosary where you can request prayer from us as well as find all of the prayers and mysteries for you to pray along with us.  Get your free Rosary Prayer Guide at https://BruceDownes.org/PrayTheRosaryConnect With Bruce At:► Website: https://BruceDownes.org ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheCatholicGuyBruceDownes ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecatholicguy ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/thecatholicguy ► Online Store: https://brucedownes.org/store Listen to Bruce Downes' Daily Devotional on these popular podcast services:► Apple Pod Casts   - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bruce-downes-daily-devotional/id1606668155► Spotify Pod Casts - https://open.spotify.com/show/0gh58yAkcGJhm9EgIs160H?si=102cb235a289433bConsider Becoming a Faith Builders Partner:Everyone who donates to Bruce Downes Catholic Ministries is what we call a Faith Builder. The team are working to build the faith of every person we connect with whether they are powerful or weak, rich or poor, young or old, in whatever city, town, village and country they are in. ►https://brucedownes.org/giving/ ★ Support this podcast ★

What does it look like to truly thrive in the place where you're rooted? In today's episode, host Rochelle invites us to reflect on Psalm 1:3 and challenges our community to ask, “Where am I planted?” Together, we'll explore what it means to be intentionally rooted in faith, how our surroundings impact the fruit we bear, and why stewardship matters when God brings blessings into our lives. We'll consider practical ways to sow into our church, community, and personal spiritual growth, ensuring that when the time for harvest comes, we're ready to flourish and give back.Join us for this thoughtful devotional as we come together in prayer, asking God to guide our hearts and help us remain firmly planted in His purpose. Let's grow in faith as a community, seeking strength and wisdom for today.Want to get resources related to this episode? Enter your info at https://www.mymorningdevo.co/newsletter/ and we'll send it to your inbox!Tap HERE to send us a text! BECOME A FOUNDING "MY MORNING DEVOTIONAL" MEMBERIf you enjoy your 5 minute daily dose of heaven, we would appreciate your support, and we have a fun way for you to partner with the MMD community! We've launched our "Buy Me a Coffee" membership where you can buy us a latte, OR become a founding member and get monthly bonus video episodes! To donate, go to mymorningdevo.co/join! Support the showNEW TO MY MORNING DEVOTIONAL? We're so glad you're here! We're the Alessis, a ministry family working together in a church in Miami, FL, and we're so blessed to partner with the My Morning Devotional community and continue the great work done by the show's creator and our friend, Alison Delamota.Join our Community Subscribe to the show on this app Share this with a friend Join our newsletter and get additional resources Follow Us on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠Facebook⁠ ⁠Leave a review Support Our Friends and Family Connect with the original host of MMD Alison Delamota Follow our family podcast The Family Business with The Alessis Check out our Worship Music Hear the new music project "Praise the Lord EP" from Metro Life Worship and Mary AlessiListen on SpotifyWatch on YouTube

Psalm 16 1 Thessalonians 5:23 Prayer Requests to psp@sqpn.com

Psalm 119:153-160 Psalm 128 Psalm 129 Wisdom 1:1-2 Prayer Requests to psp@sqpn.com

Habakkuk 1-3

Shownotes for DruidCast Episode 217 Prayer to the Year - Liz Over - https://www.lizovers.com/ The Talky Bit - Interview with the new Pendragon of the Order, Matt McCabe. Threads of the Fae - D'Raven Ashly Cruz -https://www.facebook.com/people/DRaven-Ashly-Cruz/61568480556933/?_rdr Kent Magical Market and Faerie Ball - https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/thealex/fantasy-ball/e-pqybjv Prayer for the Plight of the Trees - Kerry Dawes, Kim Ora Rose and Richard Hick DruidCast theme - Hills they are Hollow - Damh the Bard - https://www.paganmusic.co.uk/ For more information about the Druid tradition - https://druidry.org/

Has prayer ever felt pointless to you? Or if not that, at least a boring religious exercise...even one done in futility? Ben and David explore this topic with a message that will bring refreshment into the heart of every follower of Jesus, regardless of where you are in your journey of prayer.----------------------Ben has completely revised and updated his powerful book, Jesus in the Secular World: Reaching a Culture in Crisis—a must-read guide for anyone longing to reach those who may never step foot in a church. Packed with real-world insights and practical strategies, this book could be the breakthrough you've been searching for.Don't wait—get your copy today!Click HERE to check it out on Amazon.For more information, go to: jesusinthesecularworld.com------------------------Questions, comments, or feedback? We'd love to hear what you think! Send them to provokeandinspire@steiger.org, or send us a message on Instagram.Click HERE to receive news, thought-provoking articles, and stories directly in your inbox from Ben, David, Luke, and Chad!Click below to follow the regulars on Instagram!Ben PierceDavid PierceChad JohnsonLuke GreenwoodSend us a text

In today's Gospel Spice lesson, Stephanie Rousselle takes us on a historical journey to frame the Old and the New Testaments, the 400 years between Malachi's time until the arrival of John the Baptist. This period, often referred to as the "intertestamental period," spans remarkable historical developments that are essential to understanding the world Jesus was born into. Imagine living in our day and age, but having no idea of what happened to our country, world, and culture in the last 400 years. Imagine that the latest “news” you have date back from the 1620's or so. Would this affect our understanding of our day? In the same way, we cannot cut 400 years of Jewish history, and assume we lose nothing. Malachi delivered his message around 420BC; John the Baptist. Malachi's successor called to “make a highway in the wilderness” to proclaim the arrival of Messiah, came onto the Judean scene in the 20's AD. But Scripture is silent about this span of time. These "400 years of silence," as they are often called, were not so silent politically, religiously, and socially. By studying the events during this time, we gain insight into how the world was meticulously prepared for Jesus's arrival. While these events are not recorded in the Bible, they hold much significance to know Christ more. Beginning with Alexander the Great's conquest in 333 BC, the world saw Greek culture and language take hold, influencing many aspects of life, including the translation of the Hebrew Old Testament into Greek, known as the Septuagint. This was pivotal, as it allowed for greater access to the Scriptures and laid the foundation for the New Testament to reference these texts. The era is ripe with hostile dynamics between the Hellenistic influences from Greece and the resistance that arose from the Jews, who sought to preserve their traditions. This tension is encapsulated in the Maccabean Revolt led by Judas Maccabeus, a significant event that ultimately led to the celebration of Hanukkah. Another important theme from this period is the rise of different Jewish sects, such as the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes. These groups played crucial roles in the religious landscape of Israel and were directly involved in the societal structure during Jesus's time. These historical layers formed a backdrop against which God chose to reveal His Son. The development of Greek as a universal language and Roman infrastructure, like roads facilitating trade and communication, enabled the rapid spread of the Gospel. Our historical exploration ties to biblical prophecy, specifically how this time fits into Daniel's prophecy of seventy weeks. This provides an eschatological perspective to the discussion. Understanding these details, as part of grasping the broader biblical narrative, challenges the modern tendency to focus solely on personal applicability of Scripture without considering its historical and theological context. Our lesson is an invitation to (re)discover this rich tapestry of history. We encourage you to use the Gospel Spice workbook and additional resources provided to further explore this period's influence on Jesus's earthly ministry and its legacy in the New Testament church. DISCOVER THE GOSPEL SPICE MINISTRIES The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of a larger range of tools given to you by Gospel Spice Ministries. In a nutshell, we exist to inspire Christ-followers to delight in God. In more details: we provide resources to empower Christian leaders across generational, social, ethnic and geographical boundaries towards more intimacy with Jesus Christ and discipleship effectiveness through a Biblical Christocentric foundation. The Gospel-Spice Ministries provide a safe environment for spiritual and community growth empowering people to know Christ more intimately, serve one another more powerfully, and reach the world for Jesus. PLAY IT FORWARD by SHARING the link with friends and family. PRAY IT FORWARD by praying for us and those you share it with! PAY IT FORWARD!! Would you consider supporting this show today to help others enjoy it for free? It comes to you completely free, but is labor-intensive to produce, and we want to keep putting it in the ears of people! Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Your donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. All donations above our minimal operating costs go to Christian organizations fighting human trafficking. Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog (*ListenNotes ranking, 2023) You are invited to join us on the Gospel Spice Prayer Bible Study, titled "The heart behind prayer" starting September 20, 2025! Details and registration here: https://www.gospelspice.com/prayer  There are a few things in our Christian life that we know we should do more, or at least better – and prayer just might top the list. Prayer is a mystery. Why would a conversation with a human have any influence on God's eternal, sovereign plan? It defies logic, and beckons love. How can God, the Almighty Lord of Hosts, be this close, this personal? It defies understanding, and beckons involvement. But, lack of time, inspiration, and discipline, combined with the ruthless tyranny of our busy lives, push prayer to the periphery, to the “one day I'll get to it” pile. And yet, we can excel at what we endeavor to undertake. So, why isn't prayer more of a spiritual priority? Could we develop a mindset around prayer that made it attractive, inspiring, even maybe delightful? What if we attuned our spiritual ears to listen to God, and our spiritual eyes to see His provision? As an unassuming student, I'm going to humbly offer to share the little I have learned from others about the joy of prayer. I will give us theology, practical tips, and useful resources, sharing what works for me as we, together, learn to pray. If you find prayer intimidating, or if your lack of prayer makes you feel guilty or “less than,” then this is the place for you! If you have been a student of prayer for many years, this is the place for you too! If you have breath in your lungs, then prayer can become one of the deepest joys of your day. Don't miss out! A PERSPECTIVE ABOUT PRAYER To pray is to believe that God not only hears, but that He responds. It is to stand in the gap for a broken world, wielding the authority of Christ, empowered by the Spirit, and trusting in the goodness of the Father. The question is not whether prayer works, but whether we are willing to pray the kinds of prayers that invite God's Kingdom into the darkest places of the earth—and of our own hearts. We may never fully understand the mechanics of prayer, or how it intersects with God's sovereignty, but we are not called to understand everything. We are called to be faithful. And faithfulness means showing up—in prayer, in persistence, in expectation. So today, let us pray not only for the comfort of our hearts, but for the transformation of the world. Let us take our place as image-bearers, co-laborers, and co-heirs. Let us believe that God is still listening—and still acting. Because He is. There's only one way to find out what might happen when we truly pray like this. Let's begin. THE MINDSET BEHIND THIS COURSE Before we begin, let me tell you the obvious: I don't really know how to pray. I'm a humble student and absolute beginner at the holy endeavor that is prayer. So, this course isn't really about what I've learned, or any wisdom I might have gathered. But, I've sat at the feet of many prayer warriors over the decades, through books and teachings. So, I'll share what I learned from them. Humility is going to be our primary heart posture! With each lesson, I will offer a few thoughts, practices, and ideas – with much humility, and not taking myself too seriously. I will also share her favorite books and resources about prayer. FInally, I will introduce you to some of the most influential prayer warriors of our history as the Body of Christ. Most importantly, I will invite YOU to pray! Learning to pray comes from praying. Our humble ambition is to inspire you to pray, and to give you a few tips on how to do that. Then, it's up to you! Prayer is a lifelong endeavor. Let's make it delightful together! So, let's get started. Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Your Words Are Prophecy—What You Speak Today, You Will Harvest Tomorrow | Blessed Morning Prayer To Start Your Day With GodSUBSCRIBE to catch all the latest prayers uploaded to the Daily Effective Prayer™ Podcast!For more powerful daily prayers and to connect with the ministry visit:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org© Copyright Daily Effective Prayer™ SUPPORT THE MINISTRY:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/donate/ DO YOU NEED PRAYER? Send us a prayer request right now:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/prayer-request-online/ CONNECT WITH US:https://www.dailyeffectiveprayer.org/connectYouTubeX / TwitterInstagram ThreadsInstagramFacebook Daily Effective Prayer™

Join us every day at https://BruceDownes.org/Rosary where you can request prayer from us as well as find all of the prayers and mysteries for you to pray along with us.  Get your free Rosary Prayer Guide at https://BruceDownes.org/PrayTheRosaryConnect With Bruce At:► Website: https://BruceDownes.org ► Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheCatholicGuyBruceDownes ► Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecatholicguy ► Twitter: https://twitter.com/thecatholicguy ► Online Store: https://brucedownes.org/store Listen to Bruce Downes' Daily Devotional on these popular podcast services:► Apple Pod Casts   - https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/bruce-downes-daily-devotional/id1606668155► Spotify Pod Casts - https://open.spotify.com/show/0gh58yAkcGJhm9EgIs160H?si=102cb235a289433bConsider Becoming a Faith Builders Partner:Everyone who donates to Bruce Downes Catholic Ministries is what we call a Faith Builder. The team are working to build the faith of every person we connect with whether they are powerful or weak, rich or poor, young or old, in whatever city, town, village and country they are in. ►https://brucedownes.org/giving/ ★ Support this podcast ★

What does it truly look like to trust God with every part of our lives? In today's episode, hosts Richelle Alessi invite us into a heartfelt reflection on one of the Bible's most beloved proverbs: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.” Together, we'll explore why trusting God can often be the hardest thing to do, especially when life's decisions and uncertainties pile up. Through real-life stories and encouragement, we'll learn to pause, seek God's guidance, and rely on faith even when the answers aren't clear.Join our community in prayer and devotion as we encourage one another to trust God fully, align our plans with His wisdom, and experience the peace that comes from acknowledging Him in all our ways.Want to get resources related to this episode? Enter your info at https://www.mymorningdevo.co/newsletter/ and we'll send it to your inbox!Tap HERE to send us a text! BECOME A FOUNDING "MY MORNING DEVOTIONAL" MEMBERIf you enjoy your 5 minute daily dose of heaven, we would appreciate your support, and we have a fun way for you to partner with the MMD community! We've launched our "Buy Me a Coffee" membership where you can buy us a latte, OR become a founding member and get monthly bonus video episodes! To donate, go to mymorningdevo.co/join! Support the showNEW TO MY MORNING DEVOTIONAL? We're so glad you're here! We're the Alessis, a ministry family working together in a church in Miami, FL, and we're so blessed to partner with the My Morning Devotional community and continue the great work done by the show's creator and our friend, Alison Delamota.Join our Community Subscribe to the show on this app Share this with a friend Join our newsletter and get additional resources Follow Us on ⁠Instagram⁠ and ⁠Facebook⁠ ⁠Leave a review Support Our Friends and Family Connect with the original host of MMD Alison Delamota Follow our family podcast The Family Business with The Alessis Check out our Worship Music Hear the new music project "Praise the Lord EP" from Metro Life Worship and Mary AlessiListen on SpotifyWatch on YouTube

Psalm 119:145-152 Psalm 94 Colossians 3:17 Prayer Requests to psp@sqpn.com

Psalm 31:1-6 Psalm 130 Ephesians 4:26-27 Prayer Requests to psp@sqpn.com

2 Kings 24-25, 2 Chronicles 36

Have you ever wondered, Does God really hear me? Does He truly see me? This week on The Love Offering Podcast, I had the joy of talking with Vivian Mabuni, co-host of the God Hears Her Podcast and author, speaker, and Bible teacher. Together, we unpack what it means to be fully known, fully loved, and deeply heard by the God who never overlooks us. Vivian vulnerably shares her own story of wrestling with God’s voice, navigating seasons of disappointment, and discovering that even when God says “no,” His love for us doesn’t change. If you’ve ever felt unseen, unheard, or unloved, this conversation will remind you of the tender truth that God hears you. I can’t wait for you to be encouraged by this powerful reminder of God’s faithfulness. Share it with a friend who needs to be reminded today: She is seen. She is heard. She is loved. With love,Rachael Read the Show Notes: https://rachaelkadams.com/writing/ Support the Show: https://rachaelkadams.com/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Cole Taylor's journey from small-town Georgia to Nashville success story perfectly captures the dreams that bring so many songwriters to Music City. Within just nine months of arriving in Nashville, Taylor landed a publishing deal that would launch a career filled with chart-topping hits for country music's biggest stars.Growing up immersed in a rich musical tapestry—from Alan Jackson's storytelling to Lynyrd Skynyrd's southern rock—Taylor developed a versatile songwriting approach that makes him a sought-after collaborator. "My head is just a burnt CD of just anything and everything," he explains, describing how his diverse influences allow him to adapt to any writing room situation.The stories behind Taylor's biggest hits reveal both his craftsmanship and the serendipitous moments that define songwriting. His first number one, "Sippin' on Fire" with Florida Georgia Line, came from a writing session with Matt Dragstrom that later received input from veteran songwriter Rodney Clawson. Taylor received the life-changing news while turkey hunting back home in Georgia—a fitting full-circle moment for the small-town songwriter making it big.Taylor's catalog includes standout duets like "Home Alone Tonight" (Luke Bryan and Karen Fairchild) and "You Me and Whiskey" (Justin Moore and Priscilla Block), showcasing his ability to create musical conversations that resonate with listeners. His thoughtful approach to songwriting balances commercial appeal with genuine emotion, as evidenced in songs like "Good News Sold" and "Can't Kill a Prayer."Beyond his songwriting success, Taylor gives back through "Playing Through," a company he co-founded that combines his passions for golf and music while raising money for charities. This entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to community reflect the values that have guided his career from the beginning.For aspiring songwriters, Taylor's advice is refreshingly straightforward: "Keep showing up" and "Get through the bad songs, find the great ones." His journey proves that with talent, persistence, and the right connections, those Nashville dreams can absolutely come true.

Sleep better and Stress Less— with Abide, a Christian meditation app that provides a biblically grounded place to experience peace and progress in your relationship with Christ. We hope this biblical sleep meditation, narrated by James Seawood, helps your body relax and your mind rest on the truth found in scripture. Take a peaceful journey through God's Word and the hope it brings. Listen as God's people anticipate a world without tears - a world where strife and stress and sorrow are no more. For a 30 day free trial of our premium ad-free content, your trusted friend for better sleep is right here: https://abide.com/peaceDiscover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us

A new memo from the Office of Personnel Management claims to protect religious expression in the federal workplace, but it explicitly permits proselytizing, allowing federal employees to attempt to convert coworkers. While it insists these efforts "must not be harassing," the practical reality of defining and reporting harassment—especially when your boss is involved—is a bureaucratic nightmare. This performative stance suggests a solution to a non-existent problem, as religious speech was already permitted. The memo's real aim appears to be to champion specific religious overreach, carving out special protections for "religious beliefs" while conveniently ignoring other deeply held "social, political, or economic philosophies." It's a transparent, and frankly, unnecessary move for a progressive, secular audience.News Source:New memo lets government workers push Christianity on colleagues even if they're the bossBy Hemant Mehta for The Friendly AtheistJuly 28, 2025

Drawing from Romans 7:18–8:1, Nicole tackles a deeply relatable struggle: the disappointment we feel when we fall short of our own standards. In this episode, she walks listeners through the Apostle Paul’s admission of this struggle—wanting to do right but failing to do so—and points to Jesus as the ultimate answer. Rather than gritting our teeth and trying harder, we are invited to fix our eyes on Christ, who offers forgiveness, removes condemnation, and gives us the Holy Spirit to guide us toward life and peace. Want to be a part of our community Bible Study? Sign up for our Fall Study on Daniel at nicoleunice.com/daniel Main Takeaways You’re not alone in your struggle.Even Paul—the great church planter and author of much of the New Testament—wrestled with doing what he didn’t want to do. The Christian life isn’t about “getting better” at religion.As we draw closer to God’s holiness, we become more aware of our sin—but also more dependent on His grace. Shame hides us from God, grace draws us near.Sin’s power is not just in the act but in the shame that follows, which keeps us from God’s healing presence. The Holy Spirit is a gentle force.He moves into every corner of our lives, shining light on what needs healing—not to condemn, but to restore. Fix your eyes on your Savior, not your sin.Victory is already won in Christ; your identity is secure as a beloved child of God.

Are distractions, doubt, or comparison keeping you stuck? In this episode of Chosen By Jesus—a top Christian podcast 2025 with Kelley & Taylor Tyan—you'll learn how to shift your focus from what's missing to what God has already placed in your hands. We'll unpack biblical stories from Adam & Eve, Peter walking on water, and Gideon, showing how mindset shapes destiny. This episode will help you refocus, root yourself in faith, and stop letting distraction derail your purpose.   ⸻   Journal Prompts What have I been fixating on that is keeping me stuck? What distractions do I need to surrender to God? Where is God calling me that I've been avoiding? How can I practice gratitude for what I do have this week?   ⸻   Key Scriptures Genesis 3 (Adam & Eve and the Fall) Matthew 14:28–31 (Peter Walking on Water) Judges 6:11–16 (Gideon's Calling)   ⸻   Want to go deeper? We coach women who are ready to rise in faith, walk in identity, and stand strong no matter the season.  DM us on Instagram or visit www.chosenbyjesus.co to learn more about 1:1 coaching, group mentorship, or speaking inquiries. ______   From your hosts: Kelley & Taylor Tyan, a mother-daughter duo reminding you who you are and whose you are. Follow us on Instagram: @chosenbyjesuscbj   ______   Need prayer? Send us a message—we'd be honored to pray for you.   ______   Follow Kelley & Taylor Instagram: @chosenbyjesuscbj   Subscribe to the podcast and never miss a new episode. Share this with a friend who needs to know: they are chosen too.   ______   I Can Do Hard Things, Unqualified Trust God Anyway, Christian Leadership, Practice What You Preach, Walk The Talk, Lead With Integrity, Live Your Faith, Faith And Business, Christian Leaders, Biblical Integrity, Christian Podcast, Spiritual Consistency, Kelley Tyan, Taylor Tyan, Chosen By Jesus Podcast, Christian Entrepreneur, Faith In Action, Women Of Faith, Christian Influencers, Whoa That's Good, The Grove, Back Porch Theology, Jamie Ivey Podcast, Equip And Empower, Christian Women Leadership, Prayer, Inspiration, God, Hope, Philippians 4:13, Christian coaching for women, breast cancer survivor story