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There are passages in St. Isaac that seem less like theology and more like glimpses through an opened door into the Kingdom. These words are among them. He speaks of a table around which those who fast, keep vigil, and labor in the Lord gather. Yet he is not describing merely an ascetical fellowship or a pious community of like-minded people. Something infinitely greater is taking place. The Beloved Himself reclines in their midst. The angels overshadow them. The bitterness of their struggles is transformed into ineffable sweetness. Earth and Heaven become one. How impoverished our understanding of communion often is. We think of fellowship as friendship, conversation, common interests, or shared projects. St. Isaac speaks of something far more profound. Communion arises when hearts are turned together toward God. It is born of a shared hunger. It comes into being when men and women desire the Lord above all things and seek Him with simplicity of heart. Such souls begin, as it were, to breathe the same air. The desert fathers understood this deeply. The bond between them was not built primarily upon personality or affinity. They recognized in one another a common thirst for God. Their love arose from seeing another soul struggling toward the same Kingdom, carrying the same burden, shedding the same tears, and longing for the same Face. This is why the company of the saints becomes so sweet. One can sit in silence with such souls and experience a communion deeper than many conversations. One can eat their frugal bread and feel nourished. One can hear a few simple words from their lips and depart inwardly changed. Their very presence becomes sacramental because their hearts have become places of divine habitation. Indeed, St. Isaac dares to say that their table is sweeter than musk and precious perfumes. Why? Because Christ Himself is there. Perhaps many of us have tasted something of this together as fellow pilgrims sitting at the feet of the fathers. Though separated by thousands of miles and unknown to one another in ordinary ways, there has emerged a real communion among us. We have breathed the same air. We have sat before the same elders. We have listened to the same words of Abba Isaac, Abba Arsenius, and the great company of witnesses. We have found ourselves drawn toward the same beauty and compelled toward the same repentance. This communion cannot be explained by sociology or common interests. It is born from a shared turning toward God. And this is why our reading of the fathers must never become merely informational. One can know every saying of the desert and remain untouched. One can quote Isaac and remain hard of heart. One can speak eloquently about prayer while never having prayed. The fathers are not information to be mastered. They are witnesses before whom we sit as children. We come to them as disciples. We come to them docile and teachable. We suspend judgment and lay aside the need to be experts. We allow ourselves to be questioned, exposed, and gradually transformed by what we hear. We sit quietly before these saints because they themselves are sitting quietly before Christ. This is where communion is born. As the heart is purified, our vision changes. We begin to perceive the image and likeness of Christ in one another with greater clarity. The other person ceases to be a rival, an annoyance, or merely a personality to be managed. He becomes mystery. She becomes icon. Every human being becomes one for whom Christ died and one in whom the hidden beauty of God waits to be revealed. This is the reality we must foster in our homes, our monasteries, our parishes, and our friendships. Not mere association. Not the exchange of religious information. Not even activity done in God's name. Rather, we must cultivate together a common hunger for God. For where men and women gather with hearts turned toward Him, desiring Him above all things, the Beloved still reclines in their midst. The angels still draw near. The waters of life still well up from within. And those who have learned to breathe the same air already begin, even now, to partake of the life of the Kingdom. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:02:05 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://www.philokaliaministries.org/post/nazareth-and-the-hidden-life 00:02:27 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 207 paragraph 14 00:19:39 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 207, #14, third paragraph on page 00:32:29 John ‘Jack': I have/had a dear freind who has a great love of cinema, action movies in particular, I had to tell him at one point that I found all the violence disheartening, he understood, we no longer share much time in common, as he is my former pastor 00:33:27 John ‘Jack': It was the superhero movies

Our Spiritual Growth (1) (audio) David Eells – 6/3/26 Glory of a Child Peter - 03/04/2008 (David's notes in red) In a dream, I found myself sitting at the side of a road, on the curb, and it was gloomy and dark. There were two gray wolves or beast-like creatures with massive fangs that subtly approached me from behind. (The beasts or wolves represent wicked men: (Luk.10:3)... I send you forth as lambs in the midst of wolves. (Ecc.3:18)... It is because of the sons of men, that God may prove them, and that they may see that they themselves are but as beasts.) They tried attacking me, but I don't remember if I tried to fight them off. What I do remember is that I ran into a dull red mini caravan, which so happened to be on the road, for protection and safety. (The van may represent a means of mobility having protection and safety. The dull red color represents the blood of Jesus.) As I was shutting the passenger door, one of the beasts lunged at me, but I managed to slam the door on it. (Enclosed in the blood) As a large portion of its body was caught in between the closed door, it suddenly morphed into a naked man inside the van (I could only see the upper body). This man had streams of blood running down from all over his body. (The persecutors wear as their works the blood of the saints. Eze.22:4 Thou art become guilty in thy blood that thou hast shed, and art defiled in thine idols which thou hast made.) During the entire time, I was panicking and fearful for my life and trying to survive. (David: As I have meditated on this dream, I see that the first man above is the natural man who is in total fear of losing his old life at the hands of the wicked. His reactions are natural but not based on the Word. The man below is the spiritual man, who is 'Christ in you' and whose actions are based in the Spirit and faith in the blood of Jesus. Together these make up who we are. We can choose to be led by either man, but the latter preserves life and promotes the Kingdom of God in and around us, making us safe. A confirmation that these two men are Peter, is that they are both sitting upon the curb.) Then my attention was suddenly drawn outside the van to a child who was sitting on the curb. (Mar.10:15) Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall in no wise enter therein.) He had a large volume of golden curly hair. (Golden hair represents submission to the Lord [1Co.11:3-16] which strengthens us and sets a crown of glory upon us. (Jdg.16:17)... if I be shaven, then my strength will go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man. The blessings of the Lord, riches, honor and life [Pro.22:4] are set upon His people as a crown of fine gold [Psa.21:3]. The child was sitting curled up in a ball (Representing humility and weakness; (2 Cor.12:9)...my power is made perfect in weakness.... (Jer.13:18)... Humble yourselves, sit down...), with his arms wrapped around his knees and with only his eyes to be seen. His eyes were emphasized, and I believe they were large and beautiful. (This represents spiritual eyes. (Son.4:1) Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; Thine eyes are [as] doves behind thy veil... Doves represent seeing as the Holy Spirit does. We must see that we have been saved and sanctified. (2Pe.1:3) seeing that his divine power hath granted unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that called us by his own glory and virtue). The lower part of his face (chin, mouth, nose) was tucked in behind his knees. (When attacked, we are not to defend ourselves by speaking foolishly. (Ecc.5:2) Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. (Isa.7:4)...Take heed, and be quiet; fear not.) He was innocent and harmless. He was clean. (He represents Christ in you, the spiritual man.) After I had finished observing, I noticed the same two beasts sneaking up behind him. At this point, there was no awareness of the man being in the van. (The spiritual man is not in danger and gives us a good example that we should not be in fear.) As I was still locked in the van for my own protection, I was filled with fear, yelling and screaming from the top of my lungs, trying to warn the child that he may run into the van. (Fear and anxiety, both a reflection of unbelief, only locked or bound me in the van. I was without any peace; I only had uncontrollable fear and anxiety. We must give in to the spiritual man and hold fast to the Gospel). I was hitting the window of the van to get his attention. He acknowledged me but didn't make the slightest movement, just sitting very still. (Exo.14:13)... Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you to-day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to-day, ye shall see them again no more for ever.) The beasts lunged at him, and there was still no movement on his part. The beasts were trying to bite him, but they couldn't get a grip. Their teeth were sliding off him. The beasts swung their claws at him, but there was no critical damage, only tiny scratches on the child, which were brought to my attention. (Innocence and submission to the Lord are his defense. (Pro.10:2)... righteousness delivereth from death.) Again, I was aware that I was still in the van, but I was also outside in the child's presence. The child still remained in the same sitting position as I had described and remained still for the entire time. He said nothing and didn't react in any way to defend himself. The beasts couldn't harm him. (Mat.5:39) ...resist not him that is evil: but whosoever smiteth thee on thy right cheek, turn to him the other also.) Suddenly, I looked behind this scene, and I noticed in the distance a small white house on a green grassy mount. (The house the spiritual man lives in is Christ [Heb.3:6]. We are to abide in Him, the Word, the secret place of the Most High.) In front of this house, there was a woman in a white robe inviting me, or beckoning, to partake of something. (The Bride's invitation to partake of the protection of resting in the (Psa.91) Passover by abiding in Christ.) The dream ends. I had the impression, maybe during or after the dream, that this lady looked like my Godmother (I come from an Orthodox Christian religion). Peter's Interpretation The woman in the white garment/robe who resembled my Godmother may very well be reflected by: (Pro.6:20) My son, keep the commandment of thy father, And forsake not the law of thy mother. The commandments of the Father, based on the New Testament, are life eternal (Joh.12:50), to believe in the name (meaning in Greek: “nature, authority, and character”) of Jesus Christ and love one another (1Jn.3:23). (Of course, the Word defines the steps of love.) I find that these commandments are united to be the same with one another. The law of the mother, based on the New Testament, is the law of faith (Rom.3:27), law of the Spirit of life (Rom.8:2), and the law of Christ (Gal.6:2). Like the commandments, these laws are the same with one another and can be united. Based on the order of events of the dream, I believe the child represents a manifestation and the fruit of the law of faith, of the Spirit, and of the commandments of the Father. All of these are certainly Christ. The child's characteristics and nature reveal the principles of living by faith and the Spirit of life in Christ, which are one with the commandments of the Father. If we submit to the Lord, remain humble, restrain our tongue, and see through our spiritual eyes or senses, we will be walking in Christ, fulfilling the spiritual laws (of faith and of the Spirit of life) and the commandments of the Father. All these spiritual laws are represented by the woman in the white robe who appeared to be my Godmother. She is associated with the white house on the grassy hill or mount. It may have seemed she was inviting me to partake of what was in the house, which is Christ. Just as that little child is associated with the woman, he must have been partaking from that house as well. If the woman represents all the spiritual laws and the commandments of the Father, she must also represent the spotless, blemishless Bride who is in perfect obedience to the laws and commandments of the Father. The Bride is the Word of God, who has manifested Jesus Christ. Her white robe must represent the righteous acts of the saints (Rev.19:8). The righteous acts are works of faith -- walking in the Spirit and not in the flesh. The child and the Bride are one nature because they manifest the wisdom of God, the Word of God; hence, Jesus Christ. Only as a 'child' can we enter the kingdom (Mar.10:15) and only those who walk in the Spirit. Those who are likened unto a child walk in the Spirit. One verse can describe this dream: (Exo.14:13) And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you to-day: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to-day, ye shall see them again no more for ever. Whenever we are in tribulation or trial of any form, we should fear not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord. Use our imagination, see it spiritually, believe what the Word says about you. Rest. He has already saved you. Humble yourself, and He shall never forsake you because He is your Father. A father never forsakes his child (Psa.18:2; 94:12-14). (Mat.7:11) If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father who is in heaven give good things to them that ask him? Thank you, Father, for Your grace and love! I pray that this dream has helped you renew your mind and imagination of who we truly are in Christ. May God bless you all.   Fighting the Old Man Eric - 10/11/2006 (David's notes in red) In a dream, I was in a classroom, and an old man was teaching the class. (We can't let the old man teach, which in Christianity is most often the case. The class includes ourselves and all who associate with us.) He said to the class, “I don't like that Eric guy. I'm going to challenge him to a wrestling match.” (If we let the old man speak through us, he will gain confidence and strength against us and he will bring us under the curse.) Then he got up and came over to my desk and, looking down on me, said a second time, “I challenge you to a wrestling match”. He was about 7 feet tall, so I followed him outside. (The giant of our old life will challenge us and lead us into battle.) I noticed that nobody in my class was interested in watching the fight. (Most onlookers don't even know the battle between the spirit and flesh is going on inside us.) When I got outside, everything seemed deserted like a ghost town so we walked over to a playground. (As far as man is concerned, we are all alone in this battle.) We began to fight, and he threw a wild right swing at me and missed. (The right side symbolizes spirit, and the arm symbolizes power. This is a fight of spiritual power; the evil spirits in our flesh against the power of the Holy Spirit within us, joining together with our spirit.) I swung back with an uppercut, but missed his jaw because of his height. Then he got me in a headlock but I broke free and grabbed him in a headlock, and he also broke free. (The flesh and spirit taking turns controlling the mind is a double-minded life.) Then we separated and began to circle each other like two wrestlers. We cried out as warriors would cry in a battle and smashed into each other as two sumo wrestlers, but being equally matched in strength, we were both unable to get an advantage. We wrestled like this for what seemed like an hour, and finally we disengaged from each other, very exhausted. (In order to win this battle we must repent of our sins and confess them, which conquers the old fleshly man. 1Jn 1:9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Then we must believe the promises of our crucifixion and life in Christ, which strengthens the spiritual man. Without this, there will be no spiritual victory, only exhaustion. (Gal.2:20) I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me...) Looking over, he said to me, “I think this is a draw”. Replying, I said, “I think you are right”, so we both proceeded back to the class, and he announced to them that the battle was a draw. (We can't afford to believe or speak that there is a draw for this leaves us unevenly yoked to the old man in a lukewarm life.) He then said arrogantly, “Eric stood up to me, but I have friends in high places, and I'm going to bring trouble for Eric; you wait and see!” (Gal.5:17) For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are contrary the one to the other; that ye may not do the things that ye would.) Suddenly, I found myself walking in a city I've never seen before. Somehow, I understood I was walking to my house. I remember the whole city was white, both buildings and cars, but the people walking around were dressed in black. (The unseen “kingdom of God has come nigh” but the people are walking in darkness.) When I arrived at my house, police lines were blocking my way. All manner of law enforcement officers were there. (If we don't beat the old man but leave him in control of the class, we break God's law and have to pay the penalty.) One who appeared to be in charge came up to me and asked, “Are you Eric?” I answered, “Yes, I am, but sometimes I'm not sure”. (We never really know who we are until the old man is dead.) He then said, “You are evicted, and you have to walk around in the street”. (The carnal man has taken over our house.) So then I looked toward heaven and cried out, “Lord, what am I to do without a house?” Then the dream ended. (This is a good teaching the Lord has given to us through Eric. We either put to death the old man, or we eventually lose controlling interest in this house we call a body, and maybe even the house we call a home. A more primitive lifestyle, enforced by the beast, is coming to the Church as a whole because of this lukewarm draw.)   In Weakness We Win M.W.- 10/14/2008 (David's notes in red) In a dream, I was at a football game. I was part of a team. We were wearing white jerseys, and my teammates were younger kids, for the most part. I remember thinking when I saw my younger teammates, We are going to get killed! The field was on a hill, and it seemed like we were at a higher elevation. As we approached the field, I saw a sign that had the opposing team's name on it. The sign read “ASU”, which is Arizona State University, but during the dream, I didn't think about that; I just noticed “ASU”. If you look up their mascot, you will find that it is the Sun Devils; it is a picture of a devil with a pitchfork. So it was us versus the ASU Sun Devils. Right before the kickoff, I remember being very anxious and again thinking that this might not go well. At first, the field was muddy because I remember our uniforms having some mud on them. We received the ball first and, on a series of plays, marched down to the end of the field of the Sun Devils. I remember that as we moved toward their goal line, it seemed like I was a lot bigger than the ASU players. On the last play that scored the touchdown, I remember thinking, 'Should I play quarterback and maybe throw the ball?' Instead, it was a running play, and I was running just ahead of the running back blocking. It was interesting because I was a grown man, and it was like I was blocking little kids. I blocked several opposing players during the last play, and we scored. It started raining about then, and the Sun Devils forfeited the game. The score was 7-0. After we scored, we were so excited, and it was disappointing to see them forfeit, but it was a relief in a way. I remember watching the last van loaded with gear pull away in the rain and head down the hill. Many are wondering just before the big tribulation game against Satan's fearsome team, how such a small, weak, and immature-looking bunch on God's side could possibly survive, much less win. God's “power is made perfect in weakness.” “Not by might and not by power but by my spirit, saith the Lord.” It is “by my Spirit,” or another way to say it, it is the rain, the Latter Rain, and our weakness that will cause the enemy to forfeit the game. Remember Gideon's army, which God whittled down to 300 men so that in their weakness they would take on an army that was said to be, “like locusts for multitude; and their camels were without number, as the sand which is upon the sea-shore for multitude.” And what was God's reasoning? (Jdg.7:2) And Jehovah said unto Gideon, The people that are with thee are too many for me to give the Midianites into their hand, lest Israel vaunt themselves against me, saying, Mine own hand hath saved me. (3) Now therefore proclaim in the ears of the people, saying, Whosoever is fearful and trembling, let him return and depart from mount Gilead. So, children are the best to go against the enemy like little David went before Goliath. (Mat.18:3) and said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye turn, and become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven. (4) Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. We must be children in our own strength but wise beyond our years in God's strength. (1 Cor.14:20) Brethren, be not children in mind: yet in malice be ye babes, but in mind be men. (Eph.6:10) Finally, be strong in the Lord, and in the strength of his might. (11) Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. (12) For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual [hosts] of wickedness in the heavenly [places]. (13) Wherefore take up the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and, having done all, to stand. (14) Stand therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, (15) and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; (16) withal taking up the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil [one]. (17) And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: (18) with all prayer and supplication praying at all seasons in the Spirit, and watching thereunto in all perseverance and supplication for all the saints. The Battle begins... My daughter had a dream, too. She and her grandmother were on a big roller coaster ride, which, in the natural, is scary and goes up and down, which represents the conditions many are about to endure. In the dream, I went up into a tower that overlooked a city. (Zion is called “the tower of the flock” and represents the Bride who will be over the rest of the people of God, as in Esther.) She said that I had a very serious look on my face. I was watching over the city, which I was charged to do by the military. (God's Generals will set watchmen for the enemy.) She joined me in the tower, but later she did go back to the roller coaster. The people in her dream were barefoot. (The Church will return to her primitive roots by not departing from the original Word given. Like Moses, they will take off their shoes to not be separated from Holy Ground.)   The Lord Shows His New Models Amos Scaggs - 12/07/2008 (David's notes in red) In a dream, I was in a large showroom of a national car company. They were planning and redecorating for a promotion that would be so spectacular it would top any that had been done in the past, and it would keep escalating once it started. (The Lord is about to come out with His new models to show everyone what they, too, can drive. I believe the first-fruits Man-child ministry will be this demonstration. Jesus appeared to show what regeneration looked like.) I had my work done and books organized on my shelves, waiting to see what was going to transpire from this. (We've done the studying and put it in order. Now we are waiting to see what the Lord will show.) I knew it was going to be the biggest thing the world had ever seen, and it was only the first part of the year. I thought, since this is so early in the year, what will the end of the year look like? (The words, “What will the end of the year look like?” implies that something great will grow from this. The baby is born but matures quickly. Many models will be duplicates, symbolizing a revival. In Revelation chapters 12 & 14 the 144,000 man-child body will be duplicates of Jesus to do the greater works He spoke of.) As I was wondering what to do next, I met the Governor, whom I knew. (Jesus will govern from the throne in His earthly body of end-time Davids in a repetition of His-story. (Isa.9:6) For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (7) Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from henceforth even forever. The zeal of Jehovah of hosts will perform this.) As I was concerned about what to do next, the Governor said, “Don't worry about a thing. Watch me and you will be doing the same things as I do very soon.” (The Governor is a role model and is coming in His Man-child company to be a role model for others to follow in His same steps. (1Jn.2:5) but whoso keepeth his word, in him verily hath the love of God been perfected. Hereby we know that we are in him: (6) he that saith he abideth in him ought himself also to walk even as he walked. The Governor said, “This is what I have planned; this is the beginning”. (The words, “this is the beginning,” imply many vehicles will be produced like these models, meaning a revival will spread from here.) I also thought I had something to do with the Buick showroom. David Buick was an inventor and also formed the Buick Mfg. Co. He and William Durant formed the Buick Motor Co., which is now known as General Motors. Durant was a productionist, and Buick was a perfectionist. Buick left the company in 1906 (because it fell short of his expectations) and died broke in 1929. Had Buick been able to keep his shares in 1921, he would have been worth $10 million and today it would be incalculable. Kind of reminds me of Jesus. (He was also a perfectionist, desiring quality not just quantity in His models. He was disappointed in the direction the early Church took and lost His shares in it. He lost out to the productionist's assembly line Christianity mentality.) Buick was quite the ingenious type who had it all but died broke and still formed a new thing that no one had seen before (but we will see Jesus' new thing again very soon :0).   Invincibility in Jesus G. W. - 11/20/2010 (David's notes in red) I was in a dream where David Eells and I were in the same house. He was explaining to me that we can get into a car crash and nothing will hurt us. I understood him to be teaching about faith. He then said, “Let's go down this hill to try it out”. We both agreed that we would get into this white truck. It began rolling violently down from the top of the hill. We both were outside of the truck cab in the bed -- I was in the front, and David was toward the back. All of a sudden, we both flipped off. David went backward, and I went forward. As it approached me, the nose of it was facing the ground while the bed of the truck was in the air. I knew that the back section was coming right at me, but I had plenty of time to get out of the way. Instead, I just lay there and watched this disaster come toward me. The whole weight of the truck came crashing down on my midsection. As I looked down, I wondered if this truck had cut me in two, but I felt no pain. David came over and pulled me out from underneath. I stood upon my feet, completely whole. David said, “It can't hurt your rib cage”. Naturally speaking, this seemed impossible; however, I realized that I never felt fear as the disaster unraveled. I had been given a dream very similar to this about invincibility a couple of years ago. Jesus and the Two Witnesses had this gift until it was their time to go. Jesus said, “No man takes my life; I lay it down”. We truly have God's protection if we abide in Him, just as Psalm 91 says. So this is not just a gift to the Man-child but something the Davids, as Man-childs, will teach to the saints, as the dream above appears to say. Some will enjoy this until the Lord comes. This invincibility can take many forms. Around the time of this dream, I was driving home from a meeting at night. I wasn't particularly sleepy, just slightly. As I got close to my house, I suddenly found myself waking up out of a sound sleep, seeing headlights bright in my face. Without thinking, I jerked the wheel to the right and swerved quickly into my own lane, just in time to miss the oncoming car. I was amazed that I could have been asleep at the wheel because I didn't even remember feeling tired enough to have to fight it off. I realized that this was supernatural and that the Lord had shown me that He would protect me without my even knowing about it. It was seconds before it would have been too late to miss a head-on collision. I also noticed, as G.W. did, that I never felt fear. After receiving G. W.'s dream, my daughter, Deborah, and I were on the porch swing talking. It was a common bench-type steel swing. It had a chain coming down from a wooden frame on each end of the bench to an S-hook. From there, a chain went to the front bottom of the bench, and another went to the back top of the bench on each end. As we spoke, I was suddenly thrown backward on my back on the deck, but my head slammed into the metal top of the AC unit, which was off the deck, but the top stuck up about six inches higher than the deck. It was with such force and noise that one would have thought my neck would have broken or my head crushed. On my side of the bench, as one chain held the front bottom, the other that held the back came out of the S-hook. This caused my side of the bench to flip violently backward. My daughter was holding on to her side with her legs wrapped around the bench seat. When she heard the noise and saw me down there, she asked, with big eyes and loudly, “Are you all right?” As I reached up to brace her, I was surprised to be able to say, “I'm just fine”. I then laughingly said, “The Lord said He would give His angels charge over me, lest I dash my foot against a stone, but He didn't say anything about my head”. She asked again, “Are you sure you're alright?” I said, “I'm sure”, as I reached back to feel the back of my head and felt no pain nor even a bruise. As I stood up, I realized that indeed the angels had perfectly protected my head and neck, which easily could have been broken. I never felt any fear, just joy. My daughter said, “There is no blood on the back of your head”. I said, “There isn't even a bruise”. As I began to examine the bench and chain, I saw something even more supernatural. The chain that came loose was in perfect shape, like new, with no wear and no broken links. It was the kind of chain most often used on swings. Each link had a partner, and they were stitched in the middle so that if one link broke, it was still tied to one more link. I was amazed to see there was no broken link. Naturally speaking, this would mean the chain had to come out of the S-hook. However, I examined the S-hook, and it was still closed in the S where the chain was missing. “WOW”, I said, “this is supernatural”. The chain could not be put back in the S because it was still closed up, so I grabbed a screwdriver to spread it open so the chain could be reinserted, but I could not pry it open at all; it was too thick to bend. So I put the S next to the post that held the swing and hammered the screwdriver into the S to spread it so I could put the chain in it. I had to drive it in about 3/4” to get it open enough. How did the chain get out of the S-hook? Only supernaturally! I thought, either the devil just tried to kill me and failed due to Father's faithfulness, or the Lord was just showing me He was keeping me safe. I am sure both were true. I indeed had been in a crash, and the Father kept me perfectly. PTL! By the grace of my God, I have been shot at, at close range by a professional assassin, but my angel slapped the bullet down as he told me. The one who sent the assassin confirmed this. In a wreck, I was thrown from a car going 70 mph, slid about 70 feet on concrete without a scratch, with witnesses. My tractor flipped on the side of our mountain and was going to roll, but impossibly straightened back up with me still in the seat. I believe in Father's guardian angels! More recently, Michael and I were unhitching a back blade, a heavy piece of steel, from the tractor. I got off the tractor and was standing about 15 feet from the blade. Michael was on the other side releasing it, and supernaturally it came flying very fast straight at my head. It hit me right on my nose with force and knocked me back another 10 feet to the ground. Michael said he knew I was dead, but to his surprise, I jumped to my feet like nothing had happened. I told him that what I felt was a finger on my nose pushing me to the ground very fast. My angel, no doubt. In the natural, because of the speed at which it came at me, I would have been dead anyway, but I never felt any pain or incurred any damage. Some of this was because the faction had come together to throw witchcraft at me, but failed. Many of them are dead now. Do you find it hard to believe that spiritual powers, good or bad, can take authority over the natural laws, as seen with this S-hook, my head and neck? Many have been learning that they have authority over physical laws concerning the body and laws of nature, through faith and the spoken Word. In the testimony section of our site are multitudes of testimonies of the saints' healing machinery, bodies, cars, and other physical things, changing weather, changing minds, etc. Jesus taught His disciples to take authority over the laws of nature and to teach others to do so because they are not under the curse. (Gal.3:13) Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: (14) that upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (Mar.11:23) Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall say unto this mountain, Be thou taken up and cast into the sea; and shall not doubt in his heart, but shall believe that what he saith cometh to pass; he shall have it. (24) Therefore I say unto you, All things whatsoever ye pray and ask for, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. (And repent of any sin so you will have power.) (25) And whensoever ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any one; that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. (26) [But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your trespasses.] Jesus commanded His disciples to make disciples of all the nations and teach them to obey all things He taught them, even unto the end. (Mat.28:19) Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations ... (20) teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Now we, as His disciples, must teach disciples to obey all the teachings of Jesus and take authority over the physical laws of the curse to proclaim the Gospel. Amen.

This week, we tackle the alarming rise in financial scams targeting retirees and their hard-earned savings. With insights straight from the FBI and real-world examples of scam attempts, I break down the key tactics used by fraudsters and reveal the subtle ways they can gain access to your retirement accounts. From sophisticated account takeovers to fake invoice emails, you'll learn the warning signs to watch for—and, most importantly, practical strategies to protect yourself and your financial future.    You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in... [00:00] How financial scams work and what listeners can do to protect themselves [03:27] Recognizing scam tactics and risks [09:38] Recognizing fake invoice scams [10:36] Email scams and malware threats [16:30] Adding verbal passwords for security [17:28] Avoiding financial scams   Why Retirees Are in Scammers' Crosshairs Retirees often represent an attractive target to scammers, thanks to years of diligent saving and sometimes less familiarity with new scam techniques. With the Federal Bureau of Investigation noting a surge in financial fraud, understanding the mechanics of modern scams is essential. Scammers rely on a proven formula: Use of a trusted-looking sender Creation of a sense of urgency Sufficient believable details to seem legitimate   When you recognize these methods, retirees and their families can more easily spot fraud attempts and prevent the devastating loss of hard-earned assets.   Four Scams Every Retiree Needs to Know 1. The Account Takeover Arguably, the most damaging scam involves fraudsters masquerading as your bank or investment firm. It starts innocuously: a text asks if you authorized a transaction. Replying prompts a phone call from a supposed representative. Thanks to massive data breaches, these scammers may already know your personal details — they just need one missing piece. They'll convince you to read out a "security code" sent by your institution. Handing over this code gives the scammer direct account access, allowing them to transfer funds instantly. Importantly, because you authorized the transaction, financial institutions like Charles Schwab often won't reimburse the loss.    2. The Debt Collector Text Message Here, you get a text from a "debt collector" referencing a fictitious account, amount, or government agency. Designed to provoke fear and haste, these messages trick recipients into calling the number provided or clicking a link — both of which compromise your security or lead to unauthorized payments.   3. The Unpaid Toll Notification You receive an alert for a small, believable toll charge. With such a trivial amount, many people click the link and pay without thinking, handing over payment info to scammers who make larger, unauthorized withdrawals.   4. The Fake Invoice Email Sophisticated emails may claim to be from reputable companies like Microsoft, complete with realistic logos and urgent language about an outstanding invoice. The danger here is twofold: opening the attachment can load malware or ransomware onto your device, or responding to the invoice sends money straight to a crook. Always verify the sender before clicking links or attachments.   Great Habits for Scam Prevention This is my seven-point toolkit to keep you one step ahead of scammers. Practice these habits consistently to stay safe:   Slow Down: Scammers exploit urgency. Pause, breathe, and verify requests. Don't Answer Unknown Numbers: Let unfamiliar calls go to voicemail, especially those spoofing local area codes. Avoid Clicking Suspicious Links: Always visit official websites or use verified contact numbers when responding to alerts or billing issues. Guard Your Personal Information: Never share sensitive info like PINs, passwords, or codes unless you started the interaction. Use Authenticator Apps: These offer extra security beyond SMS-based codes, which can be intercepted. Add Verbal Passwords to Accounts: Financial institutions often allow this as an additional security measure. Assume It's a Scam: When in doubt, err on the side of caution and reach out to institutions through official channels.   Diligence is Your Best Defense Scams will continue to evolve, but the best protection comes from vigilance and skepticism. Always vet instructions that involve your money, pause before acting, and confirm legitimacy through direct contact. Your savings represent a lifetime of work; protect them fiercely so they'll serve you for years to come.   Resources Mentioned Retirement Readiness Review Subscribe to the Retire with Ryan YouTube Channel Download my entire book for FREE  Charles Schwab Fidelity Vanguard EPIC - Equifax Data Breach    Connect With Morrissey Wealth Management  www.MorrisseyWealthManagement.com/contact Subscribe to Retire With Ryan  

There is something almost incomprehensible in this passage from St. Anastasios and St. Maximos because it reveals just how surrounded we are by mercy while continuing to behave as though condemnation were wisdom. The Fathers do not merely tell us not to judge. They overwhelm us with reasons not to judge. They show us a universe saturated with the patience of God, the intercession of angels, the prayers of saints, the tears of repentance, the mystery of hidden transformation, the power of baptism, the healing of affliction, the medicine of chastisement, the compassion of Christ, and the joy of Heaven itself over the salvation of even one sinner. And still we condemn. That is the horror. We condemn while standing inside the greatest revelation of mercy the world has ever known. St. Anastasios says plainly: you do not know what has happened between God and that soul after the moment you witnessed his sin. Not five years later. Not tomorrow. Ten steps later. That is how quickly grace can act. A man may fall publicly and repent secretly. A woman may appear outwardly shattered while inwardly clinging to God with tears unknown to the world. A soul everyone has dismissed may already be visited by the Holy Spirit. And the Fathers insist that we understand this: we know almost nothing. We see fragments and imagine ourselves judges of the whole human being. We see behavior but not wounds. Actions but not warfare. Falls but not repentance. Scandal but not tears. Weakness but not humility. Temptation but not hidden prayer. Worst of all, we do not see what God Himself is doing inside another person. The Fathers say there are souls purified through illness. Souls purified through humiliation. Souls purified through temptation. Souls purified through demonic assault endured with thanksgiving. Souls saved through the prayers of others. Souls restored in their final moments. Souls secretly reconciled to God before death. How then dare we speak so confidently about anyone? The terrifying thing is that we do this while calling ourselves Christians. Christians. Those who claim to worship the God who became man for sinners. The Incarnation alone should silence every condemning tongue forever. The angels themselves longed to behold this mystery: that God would unite Himself to fallen humanity. Not to idealized humanity. Not to polished humanity. Fallen humanity. Christ assumed the very flesh we despise in one another. He entered the human condition completely apart from sin so that no sinner could ever again say: “God does not know what I am.” He knows. He entered it willingly. And Heaven never ceased rejoicing over this mystery. St. Anastasios says the angels love mankind precisely because they beheld God become man. Imagine that. The bodiless powers who never fell into flesh are astonished by what humanity has become through Christ. Meanwhile we, who were baptized into Him, often despise one another mercilessly. The Fathers remind us that every baptized person has been entrusted to an angel. Every baptized person has been sealed by the Spirit. Every baptized person has become the object of heavenly concern. The angels themselves plead for us. Think of that. While we gossip about one another, the angels intercede for one another. While we expose each other's failures, Heaven labors for each other's salvation. While we speak words that crush souls, the saints and angels beg God to heal them. And still we continue as though condemnation were normal. St. Maximos says Heaven is astonished at this. Astounded. The earth quakes. But we are “insensible and unabashed.” Insensible because we no longer perceive the mystery of redemption correctly. Unabashed because we condemn others without trembling. The saints trembled before judging another human being because they knew that judgment belongs to Christ alone. To judge another is not merely to commit a moral fault. St. Anastasios says it is to usurp the office of the Lord Himself. This is why the Fathers speak so fiercely. The judging heart has forgotten the Gospel. It has forgotten the thief entering Paradise in a single moment. It has forgotten Rahab the harlot. It has forgotten the Publican justified by a sigh. It has forgotten Manasses forgiven after decades of horror. It has forgotten Peter restored after denial. It has forgotten that Judas stood among the Apostles while the thief hung among murderers, and yet by evening their places were reversed. The saints understood something we resist with all our strength: human beings are not static creatures. A single moment of real repentance can alter eternity. And because of this, the saints became exceedingly merciful. Not naïve about evil. Not indifferent to sin. But deeply aware that every person stands inside a battle for salvation surrounded by mysteries unseen to human eyes. The demons accuse. Christ heals. The demons reduce persons to failures. Christ beholds the image buried beneath the ruin. The demons delight in exposure. Christ covers nakedness. And the terrible thing is how often religious people unknowingly participate in the work of accusation while imagining themselves defenders of righteousness. The Fathers knew better. This is why the holiest among them became gentlest toward sinners and harshest toward themselves. Because the closer one comes to God, the more clearly one sees that he himself survives only by mercy. And once a man truly knows this, condemnation becomes impossible. He no longer stands above humanity. He stands beside it, beating his breast, praying: “To You, O Lord, belongs mercy.” --- Text of chat during the group: 00:02:05 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://www.philokaliaministries.org/post/nazareth-and-the-hidden-life 00:34:49 Julie: It feels like there is no rest 00:35:43 Julie: With the senses I mean, to cut the thought straight away 00:36:19 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 18 paragraph 1 00:36:31 Nypaver Clan: Reacted to "P. 18 paragraph 1" with

Hellooo Mossies - we now pronounce you Friday & weekend because another Moment of Silence is officially LIVE. As if this BOILING HOT WEATHER straight from the pits of hell wasn't enough, we're here to scald you with some BURNING HOT TAKES straight from the minds and mouths of Sakshi & Naina. That's right, this week we're diving deep into some good-ol'-hopefully-won't-set-an-internet-mob-after-us-but-probably-will above average temperature hot takes!We begin with a debate on what makes a take HOT? Is it the waistline or style of delivery? A short discussion on the ultra lameness of lame instagram takes, and then - are wedding videos actually war crimes on wedding guests? Is politeness the ultimate get-out-of-jail-free card? Do voice notes deserve a lifetime ban? Is Arjun Kapoor a good actor actually? All this plus a few specially hot takes from our MOS live studio audience (our lovely but insane crew) and one very hot take from a MOS listener who had a take that truly called for a moment of reflection & silence. P.S: Our hot take to end all hot takes is that anyone who doesn't subscribe to MOS is going to face some very bad luck this month. Subscribe now and send this to 10 people to avoid an attack of buri nazar.Go watch like comment share subscribe and tell your nearest human about this podcast!Chaptering: 00:05 – Replying to every WhatsApp message01:19 – Sharing our hot takes (don't get offended)04:26 – Body positivity… until someone gets abs06:31 – Is travelling really a hobby?08:18 – The evolution of a hot take11:25 – Sakshi's MMA coach story (in shudh Hindi)12:36 – Delhi vs Mumbai food: the endless war19:55 – Borrowing money from friends23:44 – Wedding films: cringe or cute?26:20 – When your bestie becomes your therapist30:23 – The pressure to reply to every WhatsApp message35:43 – Is world peace actually attainable?36:33 – Are expiry dates just consumerism?39:22 – What does being in love even mean?43:12 – Talking about men (sensitive territory)55:50 – Pursuing your dreams vs playing safe 01:00:04- subscribe, let's make it 100k Follow MoS on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/momentofsilencepod/reels/?hl=enCredits:Naina Bhan - Co-host and certified overthinkerhttps://www.instagram.com/nainabee?ig...Sakshi Shivdasani - Co-host, balancing out Naina's overthinking with a healthy dose of not thinkinghttps://www.instagram.com/sakshishivdasani/?hl=enSenior Producer- Amruta P. https://www.linkedin.com/in/amruta-bandivdekar-01879925Produced by "Vertical by Handmade" - Our personal cheering squad https://www.instagram.com/verticalbyhandmade?igsh=NG1vdXd5bWdsdWI3Creative direction by Tinkre, Keeper of MoS' signature “Pookie” energy Natascha Mehrahttps://www.instagram.com/tinkre.in/?hl=enhttps://www.instagram.com/natascha.zip/?hl=en Researched by our very own curiosity engineer - Aashna Sharma https://www.linkedin.com/in/aashna-sharma-913146179Reel Editor - Yug Vermahttps://www.instagram.com/bass_abhiyug?igsh=MnlibHdsbG56MjNl&utm_source=qrDisclaimer: This is a comedy podcast made in good humor. Some sensitive topics may be discussed, and listener discretion is advised. The views expressed are for entertainment purposes only and do not necessarily reflect those of the hosts, production team, or affiliated brands. We don't claim to be experts — just two people with Wi-Fi and feelings. If any sentiments are unintentionally hurt, we apologize.

What does it actually take to back Africa's most consequential companies — and what does it cost you personally to get there? Kola Aina is the founder and managing partner of Ventures Platform, the fund behind Paystack, Piggyvest, Moniepoint, Lemfi, Omni Retail, Raenest, Verto, and over 90 other startups. Over a decade, the firm has supported more than 140 founders and helped drive over $1 billion in follow-on capital. But this conversation is not about the portfolio. It is about the judgment, the values, the failures, and the philosophy that made all of it possible.Kola opens with something most investors never say out loud: he did not come from nothing. He grew up in a comfortable, entrepreneurial family, had a driver and an official car in his early 20s, and was effectively in line to take over a sizable family business with 200 employees. He walked away. That decision — and the painful months that followed, including a period of deep unhappiness and a father who had to find a way to forgive him — is where his real story begins.He talks about what it meant to prove he could do it on his own. The six months he spent in the DMV area in the US networking at events just to find a co-founder. The hundreds of rejections he got trying to raise equity and debt for his enterprise technology company Emergent Platforms. The moment he decided to start Ventures Platform in 2016 — not with a grand plan, but as an experiment, funded entirely by his own family's nest egg because he had gotten so many no's from the world and wanted to prove that you could invest in young people and they could build great things.He breaks down the three common traits he has seen in every successful African business he has backed. First, market-creating innovation — businesses that convert non-consumers into consumers, because the vast majority of people in Africa cannot access the standard version of goods and services. Second, communal business models — the ones where multiple stakeholders benefit, not just the company. The Moniepoint example here is striking. Third, deep local context — the kind you cannot replicate from a desk in the Valley.He also explains why picking great companies is not actually the secret to Ventures Platform's success. The real edge, he says, is in what happens after the check is written. Being the investor that founders call when things go wrong. Replying emails. Showing up when the business is struggling, not just when there is a term sheet on the table. He calls it retention versus acquisition — and it is the reason the best deals keep coming to them.He is brutally honest about the mistakes. He compromised his own principles twice — backing founders he knew were not good people because the traction was too compelling. Both investments blew up. Both companies failed not because they ran out of money or missed product-market fit, but because of what he calls founder suicide. That lesson is now non-negotiable at the firm.He talks about how to find a co-founder, what a prenup for business partnerships actually looks like, why the Nigerian demographic of 250 million people is one of the most dangerous numbers in African tech, and why staying in the game across vintages matters more than being the best picker in any single year.And he closes with the one lesson he would pass on to anyone: in Yoruba, they say "eniyan ni aṣọ mi" meaning people are my cover. He does not believe he can ever be poor. Not because of money, but because of the depth of the relationships he has built and invested in over 20 years.This is one of the most substantive, honest conversations about African venture capital and long-term institution building that we have had on Founders Connect. Whether you are a founder, an operator, an investor, or someone trying to understand how Africa's tech ecosystem actually works — this is essential listening.

Ive been podcasting for seven years and have over 1,500 episodes under my belt, yet I still get hit with generic pitches from people promising to help me "build a consistent podcast." If you did even five minutes of research, you'd know that consistency is not my problem.The reason so many of you are struggling in business and getting ghosted is that your marketing and sales are completely tone-deaf.You sit down with your creative teams to build beautiful, general proposals, but you totally disregard what the prospect actually told you they needed. I tell people my biggest problem is leveraging my podcast for paid speaking and coaching engagements, but instead of addressing that, they send me a "flash discount" on video productioneven though I've repeatedly said I dont do video.If you want to close more deals, you need to make it a habit to only show people exactly what they asked for. In sales, we call this qualification and discovery. Stop guessing and start listening. If you don't have what they want, step out of the way or refer them to someone who does.Also, a quick word on those "April only" discounts that somehow always get extended: stop it. If you say a deal ends on Friday, let it end. Otherwise, you're just training your customers to realize your scarcity is artificial, and theyll never take your deadlines seriously again.And unless you have massive inventory like Marks & Spencer, stop discounting your services. If you bring someone in at half price, they aren't going to magically want to pay full price later; they are "half-price" customers.Listen, discover, and deliver exactly what was requested. Try it for a few months and watch your bank account change.

Have you ever had the words in your mind… but your mouth just wouldn't move? Maybe you're afraid of being judged, afraid of slowing people down, or afraid your “real personality” won't come through in English. If that's you, this episode is for you.In today's lesson, we're going to name the fear that keeps so many English learners quiet—and walk through 7 real-life situations where that fear shows up the strongest. You'll learn the mindset shifts that help you stop shrinking in the moment, and you'll get practical phrases and simple preparation strategies you can use immediately.This isn't about having perfect grammar. It's about taking your voice back—one situation at a time—so you can speak with more confidence in real life.What You'll Learn:Why fear shows up even when you know the wordsThe hidden “spotlight fear” that makes one mistake feel like proofHow to stop interpreting “What?” as “My English is bad”How to answer small talk without overthinkingHow to speak up without needing the “perfect sentence”How to use preparation (without sounding robotic)The confidence-building power of one honest sentenceHow to tell stories even when vocabulary is missingKey Moments / Segment Breakdown:Ordering food without freezing under pressureAnswering “How are you?” honestly (in one simple sentence)Replying in group chats without fear of ruining the vibeAsking the doctor to repeat or clarify with confidenceHandling cashier small talk with one detail (not a full story)Repeating yourself louder when someone says “What?”Telling stories without the perfect word—still landing the feelingMindset Shifts:“I'm holding up the line” → “Taking a moment is normal”“My real answer is too much” → “One honest sentence is enough”“If it's not perfect, don't send it” → “Showing up matters more”“Asking again makes me look slow” → “Clarity is confidence”“‘What?' means I failed” → “‘What?' means repeat it louder”“I need the perfect word” → “I can describe what I mean”Practical Takeaways:Choose one buy-time phrase and practice it: “Give me one second.”Create three one-line honest answers for “How are you?”In one group chat, commit to 3 low-bar replies/day for one week.Before appointments, bring a short question list + one clarifying phrase.Build a mini bank of one-detail small talk answers (weekend, day, plans).Train this rule: Repeat louder + slower, not quieter.Use a rescue phrase: “You know that thing that…” then describe it.Listener Reflection Questions:Where do I freeze the most—in public, at work, or with friends?What am I afraid people will think about me in English?What's one situation where I can practice a new response this week?Do I shrink (get quiet) when I need to repeat myself?What would change if I focused on connection instead of perfection?If you want to sign up for the free English email newsletter, go to https://speakenglishwithtiffani.com/newsletter

There is a humility that we speak about. And there is a humility that is given. The first is clean. Understandable. Manageable. The second is devastating. Saint Isaac does not speak of an idea. He speaks of a man who has seen something in himself, not once, but repeatedly, until illusion collapses. “A man who has reached this in truth and not in fancy…” This is the dividing line. Most of what we call humility is still fantasy. A posture. A tone. A self-perception. But true humility is born only when a man has been brought face to face with his own instability, his own powerlessness, his own inability to sustain even the smallest good without God. Not conceptually. Existentially. ⸻ This is why Isaac says that everything begins with the recognition of one's weakness. Not as an idea. But as a state of being. A man comes to see that he cannot hold himself together. He cannot secure his own heart. He cannot even pray without distraction, without resistance, without collapse. And from this recognition, something begins to cry out. Not beautifully. Not eloquently. But desperately. Out of need. Out of poverty. Out of a knowledge that if God does not draw near, he will fall apart. This is the beginning of real prayer. Not devotion. Dependence. ⸻ And yet here is the scandal. God does not always respond as we expect. He draws near . . . yes. But not always by removing the trial. Not always by granting the request. Sometimes He withholds. Not out of indifference, but out of wisdom. Because the very delay becomes the means by which the soul is held near Him. Isaac dares to say that God defers His help so that the man will not depart. So that he will remain in prayer. Remain in need. Remain in proximity. This is not cruelty. It is a love that refuses to let the soul return to self-sufficiency. ⸻ And more troubling still: God permits temptation. Not always. But at times. The assault comes. The fire burns. The instability is exposed again. And the man cries out: Why? Why does God not remove this? Why does He allow this struggle to continue? Isaac answers with a severity we would rather avoid: So that you may learn war. So that you may be instructed. So that you may know. Not in theory, but in experience; that without Him, you are nothing. ⸻ This is where humility is forged. Not in peace. But in exposure. Not in success. But in repeated failure. Not in clarity. But in the confusion of being unable to sustain oneself. The man who does not know this, Isaac says, walks on a razor's edge. He may appear stable. Even virtuous. But he stands near the lion. The demon of pride. Because without the knowledge of one's weakness, the soul inevitably attributes its stability to itself. And this is the beginning of the fall. ⸻ Humility cannot be acquired directly. It cannot be chosen as a virtue. It must be given through conditions that undo the illusion of strength. Through delay. Through struggle. Through temptation. Through the repeated discovery that one is not what one thought. This is why Isaac says that humility is acquired only by humility's own means. Which is to say: By being brought low. By being shown the truth. By having the inner architecture of conceit quietly dismantled. ⸻ And here the most piercing word emerges. Without humility, a man's work is not perfected. Even if it appears good. Even if it appears fruitful. It does not rise above fear. It is not sealed by the Spirit. It remains within the realm of the self. Unstable. Vulnerable. Unfounded. Because only humility forms the foundation that cannot be shaken. A city built on humility stands. A life built on anything else trembles. ⸻ And so we must ask: What if the very things we are trying to escape, the delay, the dryness, the temptation, the instability, are the very means by which God is drawing us near? What if the unanswered prayer is the mercy? What if the struggle that does not cease is the protection? What if the exposure of our weakness is the only way we will ever become real? ⸻ We want relief. God desires communion. We want stability. God gives us Himself. And He will not allow us to possess Him as long as we believe we can stand without Him. ⸻ The widow cries out before the unjust judge. Relentlessly. Without dignity. Without restraint. Because she knows she has no other hope. Isaac places this image before us for a reason. This is the posture of the humble man. Not composed. Not self-contained. But persistent. Needy. Unashamed. Because he has seen the truth. ⸻ In the end, humility is not thinking less of oneself. It is knowing, without illusion, that one cannot live without God. And not merely knowing it, but remaining there. In prayer. In need. In trembling. Afraid not of punishment, but of losing the nearness of God. ⸻ This is the paradox. The man who is weak becomes unshakable. Because his life is no longer founded on himself. But on the One who draws near to the broken. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:01:00 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 186 para 5 00:07:13 Bob Čihák, AZ: P 186, #5, second paragraph 00:07:51 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://mailchi.mp/f5f7aa457031/bb0iyi082g 00:08:20 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Registration link for retreat 00:13:56 John ‘Jack': Will join you in spirit Father 00:14:32 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: https://mailchi.mp/f5f7aa457031/bb0iyi082g 00:17:51 Bob Čihák, AZ: P 186, #5, second paragraph 00:19:32 Eleana Urrego: Page? 00:20:15 Eleana Urrego: please 00:20:28 David Swiderski, WI: P 186, #5, second paragraph 00:21:35 Eleana Urrego: Replying to "P 186, #5, second pa..." Thank you! 00:30:15 Ben: Anna: Father, in theory I understand not seeking out distractions and being present in the reality, but what about when one's reality is unbearable?  When we're exhausted, sick, unable to read or think deeply and even vocal prayer is heavy?  How does one direct that restlessness towards God? 00:30:21 Adam Paige: Speaking of repentance and uprooting the passions.. a very blessed feast of Saint Mary of Egypt to all ☦️ 00:44:32 Jessica McHale: Reacted to "Speaking of repent..." with ❤️ 00:45:28 John ‘Jack': When folks  ask “how are you” lately rather than saying a half hearted “good.” I say “better today than yesterday, better tomorrow than today” I catches them delightfully off guard and opens some wonderful conversations 00:45:39 David Swiderski, WI: This reminds me of a story common in Latin America and not far from the truth of many humble and simple people I encountered in churches which always inspires me. 00:45:49 David Swiderski, WI: A priest was walking through the church at noon. Passing the altar, he decided to stay nearby to see who came to pray. The door opened and he frowned as a man walked down the aisle—unshaven, wearing a torn shirt and a worn‑out coat with frayed edges. The man knelt briefly, bowed his head, then left. For several days, always at noon, the same man entered, knelt for a moment, and walked out. The priest, uneasy, began to suspect he might be a thief. One day he stopped him and asked what he was doing. The man explained he worked nearby and had only a short lunch break, so he came to pray. “I only stay a moment,” he said. “The factory is far, so I kneel and say: ‘Lord, I just came again to tell you, Jesus, how happy I am when you free me from my sins. I don't know how to pray well, but I think of you every day. So Jesus, this is Jaime reporting.'” 00:58:49 John ‘Jack': I've recently heard (Ren; in one your older conferences, sorry Father

In ep 167 of “How Do You Say That?!” sponsored by britishvoiceover.co.uk, Kate De Quidt joins Sam and Mark to talk about why classic explainer scripts need to have real human emotion... A script that makes Sam anxious and gets her heart pounding... and How to approach a medical tongue-twister without tripping over.We discuss one area of voice work where the clients aren't rushing towards AI, and another area that's awash with our artificial enemy. In the wildcards, a tetchy student teacher, a cameraman on set, and a wizard making a spell with intricate ingredients!Our VO question this week is all about what you bring to the mic from previous jobs you may have had... and how an understanding of what brands go through to get a script ready for the voice actor ,can make you a lot more chilled out in the booth during a live directed session.Get involved! Have you got a Wildcard suggestion that we should try or an idea for the show? Send it to us via Mark or Sam's social media or email it directly to podcast@britishvoiceover.co.ukScript 1Alex believes multitasking helps get more done.Right now Alex is:• Replying to emails• Updating a report• Answering chat messages• Listening in a meetingAlex thinks:“I'm doing four things at once — I'm getting more stuff done!”But constant task switching can actually slow us down and increase mistakes.Mini DecisionAlex has a report due in 30 minutes but keeps getting chat notifications.What should Alex do?Script 2Targeted therapies are currently used for relapse and refractory multiple myeloma. These may work intracellularly by protein regulation and/or by targeting cell surface components.Surface-targeting immunotherapies include anti-CD38 mono-clonal antibodies, agents targeting C-cell maturation antigen (or BCMA), and agents targeting the [G protein-coupled receptor, class C, group 5, member D] - or GPRC-5D.We'd love your feedback - and if you listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, hit the follow button today!**Listen to all of our podcasts here - you can also watch on YouTube, or say to your smart speaker "Play How Do You Say That?!"About our guest: Kate is an award winning seasoned London-based voiceover artist with a versatile and captivating voice. Described as nurturing, relatable, and intelligent, she effortlessly adapts to a range of roles—from the warm and trustworthy mum next door to the authoritative leader, the engaging friend, the refined voice of luxury, and even the chilling villainess.Specialising in gaming, commercial, corporate, and medical voiceover, Kate is passionate about bringing scripts to life and helping brands forge meaningful connections with their audiences.Kate's Website@kate.dequidt on InstagramKate on YouTubeResources: Click here for the Wildcard Generator and don't forget to think of an action your character can be doing!About your hosts:With over 40 years representing major international clients such as Google, Emirates and HSBC; Mark Ryes has been trusted to be the voice for some of the world's biggest brands. If your business needs a fresh voice to represent you, then make it Mark's British voice. As a voiceover, TV presenter, podcaster or product demonstrator - Mark makes your brand truly sparkle!Mark's demos & contact details: https://linktr.ee/britishvoiceovermarkElegantly British with an intelligent, warm and seductive voice, Samantha Boffin helps creatives and production companies create great audio that really connects with their audience. BBC-trained and with over 20 years of broadcast experience on both sides of the mic, she's created award-winning promos, narration and commercials for companies all around the globe, including the BBC, Sky, Games Workshop, John Lewis, Audible and Penguin Random House.Samantha's demos & contact details: https://linktr.ee/samanthaboffin

Nifty posts worst FY26 close as West Asia war enters week five, Rupee bleeds past 95 Markets ended the final session of FY2026 sharply lower on Monday, with the Nifty 50 falling 488 points or 2.14 per cent — marking a loss of 5.05 per cent for the full financial year — as the US-Iran conflict entered its fifth week without any credible pathway to resolution, and crude oil holding above $100 a barrel. It was the worst monthly decline for equities in six years while the Nifty50 ended nearly at a one-year low and the Sensex at a 2-year low. The Sensex fell 1,636 points. India VIX surged to an intraday high of 28.79 before settling near 30. The Nifty opened gap-down at 22,549, briefly touched 22,714, then slid to a session low of 22,283. This was the eighth session in the March expiry series where the index closed with losses exceeding 1 per cent. India 10-year bond yield tops 7%, sees biggest monthly surge in 9 years Indian government bonds slumped on Monday, closing out a rough financial year, with the 10-year ​benchmark bond yield posting its biggest monthly spike in nine years, on ‌bets that a protracted Middle East war would upend the ​government's fiscal plans and as the rupee plunged past ⁠95 per dollar. The 10-year bond yield breached the 7% level for the first time since July 2024 and ended 9 basis points higher ‌at 7.0345%, its highest since May 2024. The yield jumped 37 bps in March, the biggest such move since ‌February 2017. The rupee plunged to a low of 95.21 ‌against ⁠the dollar on Monday, while stocks also tanked. Bonds were caught ⁠in a sharp selloff across the country's markets that included surging swap rates as investors weighed the risks of the Middle East war escalating further, which ​could hurt growth and stoke inflation ‌for net energy importer India. Fertilizer sales spike in March, surpassing monthly estimates and previous year totals Farmers appear to be stockpiling fertilizers as government sales data for March shows a sharp spike in demand. By March 23, the volume of crop nutrients purchased had already overtaken the estimated demand for the full month and surpassed sales from the same period last year. As much as 20.21 lt of urea was sold during February 28-March 23, as against 16.2 lt in the whole of March 2025 and against estimated demand of 14.96 lt for the month. Similarly, 4.78 lt of DAP was sold between February 28 and March 23, against an estimated demand of 2.43 lt for the whole of March 2026, while 1.58 lt of MOP was sold against 1.8 lt of estimated demand, and 7.22 lt of complex was sold against 7.05 lt of estimated demand, reports Prabhudatta Mishra. Committee of Creditors to record reasons for selection of successful resolution applicant under IBC The amended Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) framework sharpens transparency norms by requiring the Committee of Creditors (CoC) to record detailed reasons for selecting the successful resolution applicant, a move Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said would strengthen accountability in the resolution process and reduce litigation over bid selection. The provision forms part of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2025, passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday after being reworked in line with the recommendations of a Select Committee. Replying to the debate, Sitharaman said the government had accepted all 11 recommendations of the committee and added an additional transparency clause of its own, reports Shishir Sinha.

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ഹലോ ഗയ്‌സ്! എല്ലാവർക്കും FNSA SPOT-ലേക്ക് വീണ്ടും സ്വാഗതം! ഞാൻ നിങ്ങളുടെ സ്വന്തം ഹോസ്റ്റ് ഫൻസ. നമ്മുടെ കഴിഞ്ഞ എപ്പിസോഡുകൾക്ക് നിങ്ങൾ നൽകിയ സപ്പോർട്ടിനും കമന്റുകൾക്കും ആദ്യം തന്നെ ഒരു വലിയ താങ്ക്സ്!അതിനിടയിൽ ഞാൻ വളരെ ഇൻട്രസ്റ്റിങ് ആയ ഒരു കമന്റ് കണ്ടു.....

“The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.” Psalm 13 A man stole two sheep and thought he could seal the theft with holy words. He walked toward the monastery with perjury already formed in his mouth. He believed that if he spoke boldly enough before the relics, heaven would remain silent. This is how sin matures. Not in ignorance, but in presumption. He did not merely lie. He invoked God as witness to his lie. We imagine that oaths make us strong. In truth they expose our pride. The man who swears lightly believes he commands reality. The fathers say it is better not to swear at all. Even truth becomes dangerous when uttered without trembling. Kyriakos feared losing two sheep more than losing his soul. And so the mercy of God came to him as blows. We recoil at the severity. But what is more severe. A body struck in the night or a conscience hardened forever. The vision stripped him of speech. That is the beginning of repentance. The tongue that dared to manipulate God fell silent before Him. And then we are told something equally sharp. Another man swore not to forgive. He placed hatred beneath the Cross and called it fidelity. How often do we do the same. We baptize resentment with pious language. We defend our implacability as righteousness. We call stubbornness integrity. The elder smiled because he saw the absurdity. To swear by Christ in order to disobey Christ is madness. Repentance broke the oath. Mercy broke pride. Reconciliation restored life. Then the mothers and fathers speak of something quieter but just as deadly. Calumny. We think murder requires blood. The desert says it begins with a whisper. To listen to slander is already to participate in it. The ear becomes the accomplice of the tongue. The heart is kneaded with yeast that does not belong to it. St Synkletike says some people feed on this. It is recreation. We leave prayer and feed on stories about others. We speak of faults not to heal but to taste superiority. When we do this, prayer rots. The face of our brother becomes distorted. We no longer see an icon. We see an accusation. The fathers tell us to become as one who hears not. This is harder than speaking. Silence requires humility. It requires the refusal to be entertained by another's fall. The man who guards his tongue guards his soul. The man who refuses to swear lightly refuses to command God. The man who will not receive a vain report protects Paradise at the gate of his ear. We want refined spirituality. The desert gives us something simpler. Fear God. Guard your mouth. Refuse the whisper. Break the oath of hatred. And if you have dared to lie before Him, fall silent quickly. Better a bruised pride than a hardened heart. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:01:44 Bob Čihák, AZ: P 360, Hypothesis 48, A 00:10:52 Anna Lalonde: Hey Fr Charbel! I signed up for Saturday and I haven't gotten any emails so don't have time or zoom link. 00:11:34 Anna Lalonde: Yes I checked junk mail 00:14:56 kristy: I found it the way it was thank you! 00:16:39 Joan Chakonas: I just search under philokalia ministeries and it pops up everytime 00:17:09 Anna Lalonde: robertandannalalonde@gmail.comh 00:17:38 Bob Čihák, AZ: P 360, Hypothesis 48, A 00:22:25 Anna Lalonde: The emails from "Fr. Charbel Abernethy" are going to my Gmail "Promotions" box not my "Inbox" so I miss them. The emails from "Father Charbel" for weekly meetings come in my inbox. 00:35:07 Anthony: Kriakos must have been very serious to be carried by an ass, clip-clop what I presume are rough roads in his condition. I was hoping for a different ending. 00:40:28 John ‘Jack': I was told years ago during  confession that “thoughts are not sins” that never set well with me, what are your thoughts on this ? 00:42:46 John ‘Jack': Reacted to "I was told years ago…" with

We speak because we are afraid to be still. We speak because silence exposes us. We speak because when the mouth closes the heart begins to make noise and that noise is often unbearable. The Fathers knew this long before psychology gave it names. They knew that speech is not neutral. It is not just communication. It is an outflow of what is ruling the inner world. Every word carries the weight of the heart behind it. This is why Abba Pambo could stand at death and say that he had not repented of a single word and yet also say that he had not even begun to serve God. He knew what speech costs. He knew how easily a careless phrase can wound another, harden the self or invite the demons into the space between people. He did not trust his own clarity. He waited. He let months pass rather than speak a word that was not born from God. That kind of restraint feels almost inhuman to us. We live in a world that rewards immediacy. We are trained to answer quickly, react quickly, express quickly, post quickly, correct quickly. But speed is not truth. Speed is often panic wearing a clever face. The monk who waits to speak is not slow. He is standing before God inside himself. He is listening for something that is not his own. The Elder says that a man can be silent with his lips and loud with his heart. That is the most damning line in this whole section. You can say nothing and still be screaming. You can be quiet and still be condemning everyone around you. You can appear peaceful while your mind is devouring your brothers. Another man can speak all day and yet remain silent because he refuses to let his words become weapons, judgments or self display. Silence is not a style. It is a spiritual state. Idle talk is not mostly obscene or stupid. It is unnecessary. It is speech that does not serve salvation. It is talk that fills the space so we do not have to face what is happening inside. We speak about bodies and opinions and events and annoyances and plans because these are safer than the truth of our hearts. The moment we speak about what is good we discover how quickly evil slips in. Pride sneaks into holy words. Comparison sneaks into spiritual conversation. The self sneaks into everything. This is why the Elder answers the brother who wants a word to be saved with something that sounds almost trivial. Do not hasten to speak before you consider what you are going to say. That is not etiquette. That is warfare. To pause before speaking is to interrupt the automatic rule of the ego. It is to refuse to let the tongue be driven by irritation, hunger for recognition or the need to be right. It is to create a small space where God might enter. Most of what we say is not meant to help anyone. It is meant to regulate ourselves. We speak to soothe anxiety. We speak to discharge frustration. We speak to draw attention. We speak to feel real. We speak to avoid the ache of not being in control. The mouth becomes a narcotic. The more we use it the less we notice how enslaved we are to it. This is why the Fathers are so severe. They are not moralizing. They are diagnosing a sickness. The soul that cannot keep watch over its words cannot keep watch over its thoughts. The heart that pours itself out through constant speech cannot remain gathered before God. It leaks. It disperses. It becomes weak. The tragedy is that we confuse expression with honesty. We think that saying what we feel is the same as bringing it to God. It is not. Most of the time it just feeds the feeling. It strengthens the pattern. It builds a little kingdom around the self. We call it authenticity but it is often captivity. The monk learns slowly and painfully that every word either bends him toward God or bends him toward himself. There is no neutral speech. Either it deepens prayer or it corrodes it. Either it builds communion or it sows division. Either it creates space for grace or it fills the room with ego. This is why the saint waits. This is why the Elder warns. This is why the Fathers tremble before idle talk. They have seen what words do to the heart. They have watched souls unravel because the mouth was never taught to kneel. To learn silence is not to become mute. It is to become true. It is to let God have the first and last word inside you. And until that happens every sentence we speak is a small gamble with our soul. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:00:31 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 353 00:01:32 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Hypothesis XLVII page 353 concerning speech and silence 00:06:10 Catherine Opie: Without mosquitoes we would have no frogs or bats 00:11:38 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 353 A Hypothesis 47 00:12:10 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "P. 353 A Hypothesis ..." with

Amassing military forces and bolstered by Iran's perceived vulnerability, President Donald Trump says “time is running out.” Replying with threats of its own, the Islamic Republic is trying to restore its deterrence and survive what it realizes is an existential challenge. Also: today's stories, including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's appearance at the Monitor Breakfast; how members of the public and lawmakers are investigating use of force by local and federal law enforcement in the U.S.; and whether President Donald Trump's energy policy cedes the future of energy production to China Join the Monitor's Audrey Thibert for today's news.

There's a lot of noise right now about AI replacing creators, automating everything, and turning content into something fast, polished, and forgettable. In this episode, I sit down with Paul Gowder to talk about why the opposite shift is happening, creators are leaning more human, more personal, and more real, not less.Paul has spent decades building community online, long before algorithms and AI tools were part of the conversation. We talk about why raw content is starting to outperform polished feeds, why people are craving connection over perfection, and how things like live video, email, and community spaces are becoming trust signals again. This conversation is about relationships, not reach, and why creators who embrace their full personality, interests, and stories are the ones who will stand out as AI continues to flood the internet with generic content.Key TakeawaysPolished content isn't the advantage it used to be: Raw, imperfect posts signal that a real human is behind the content.People connect to people, not niches: Sharing parts of your life and interests builds trust faster than one-dimensional posting.Community is not a platform: Your community includes everyone who feels connected to your content, even if they never comment.Live video creates shared experience: Real-time interaction builds deeper bonds than edited content alone.Email is still one of the strongest trust channels: Writing like a person, not a brand, creates real connection.Stories beat surface-level tips: Teaching what something meant to you matters more than explaining how to do it.Doing the “unscalable” work sets you apart: Replying to emails, asking questions, and engaging directly builds loyalty.Creators should stop chasing vanity metrics: Replies, conversations, and feedback are stronger signals than views alone.Offline relationships still matter: Conferences, meetups, and face-to-face interactions strengthen online trust.AI can support creators, but it can't replace humanity: Personal experience, mistakes, and perspective are irreplaceable.ResourcesPaul Gowder: www.paulgowder.comOn The Way Community: www.onthewaycommunity.comPowWows.com: www.powwows.com/powwow101----------------------Ecamm - Your go-to solution for crafting outstanding live...

Welcome to Weird News, where the bizarre becomes an everyday narrative. This episode, sponsored by Elite Billiards and Alehouse, uncovers the hidden dangers of the seemingly simple act of replying to spam texts. As these unsolicited messages continue to invade our phones, Steve Stevens provides essential strategies to combat them. Avoid the pitfalls of interaction with these nuisances and learn how to use your smartphone's blocking features to their full potential. Don't miss out on a deep dive into the nuances of handling spam with ease and confidence.

Patrick tells you why replying at all, brings on more texts

At 15 years old, Taylor Swift understood something most brands still miss. "Half your time writing material. Half your time talking to fans."She spent 10-15 years doing this EVERY night. On MySpace. On Bebo. On Tumblr. Replying to fans. Showing her world. Building connection. The result? A brand so powerful that fans get her lyrics tattooed on their bodies."Taylor Swift doesn't sell music. She sells belonging," explains behavioral scientist Ken Hughes.Your brand doesn't need better product. It needs better connection. In this podcast Ken Hughes talks about his book "TAYLORMAKING", a strategic playbook for building customer loyalty, brand intimacy, and emotional resonance.Jagged with Jasravee is facilitated by Jasravee Kaur Chandra. Jasravee has over 25 years experience as a Strategic Brand Builder, Communications Leader and Entrepreneur. Please visit Jasravee at https://jasravee.com/Connect with Jasravee on Linkedin at https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasravee/ Email Jasravee at jasravee@gmail.com

In this true creepy story, we hear about the campgrounds that Jacob's family inherited. A place that was made to unplug and relax soon turned into a grounds where the unexplained lingers. Experiences regarding mimics (and potential doppelgängers) from out in the dark woods.Also in this episode, I go through the comments left for us from our last story. Thank you all for your replies and comments. It really means a lot.Episode edited and sound designed by Sarah Vorhees Wendel of VW Sound. Additional production by me, Edwin Covarrubias and the Scary FM team.Send your story at TrueScaryStory.com and you can find me on TikTok, Facebook, and Instagram as @edwincov

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12-16 Dirty Work Hour 4: What do you want in an owner? We address Joe Lacob replying to emails, plus a sound soiree featuring the incredible Hank AzariaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Join hosts Jeff Steadman and Jim McDonald for a special live episode recorded on location at Identiverse DC! In this interactive session, Jeff and Jim host a game of "Majority Rules," where the audience competes not to answer correctly, but to guess the most popular answer in the room.The game covers a wide range of topics, from the trivial (worst conference swag and the official uniform of an IAM architect) to the technical (securing API keys, the biggest bottlenecks in IGA, and the primary causes of role explosion).Things get intense halfway through with the introduction of the Battle Royale rules, where picking the minority answer sends a player's score back to zero. Watch to see who survives the explosions and takes home the grand prize.Connect with us on LinkedIn:Jim McDonald: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimmcdonaldpmp/Jeff Steadman: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffsteadman/Visit the show on the web at http://idacpodcast.comChapter Timestamps00:00 Intro to Identity at the Center Live00:36 Explaining the Rules of Majority Rules04:25 Question 1: The Worst Conference Swag06:00 Question 2: Replying to Access Denied07:05 Question 3: AI in Identity Management08:40 Question 4: Favorite MFA Method10:12 Question 5: Least Favorite Auth Factor11:15 Turning up the Heat: Battle Royale Mode12:10 Question 6: Why RBAC is Difficult at Scale13:30 Question 7: The IAM Architect Uniform14:50 Question 8: Best Place to Hide a Secret16:15 Question 9: Protocols You Secretly Miss17:25 Question 10: Most Hated Specialized Key18:40 Question 11: Conference Responsibilities20:00 Question 12: Securing API Keys21:20 Question 13: Secrets to Surviving Keynotes22:55 Question 14: The Biggest Bottleneck in IGA24:45 Question 15: Causes of Role Explosion25:50 Question 16: What Breaks First After a Schema Update26:40 Final Question: Fastest Way to Confuse a User27:40 Crowning the WinnerKeywordsIDAC, Identity at the Center, Jeff Steadman, Jim McDonald, Identiverse, Identiverse DC, IAM, Identity and Access Management, Cybersecurity, InfoSec Game Show, Live Podcast, Majority Rules, MFA, IGA, API Security, RBAC, Role Explosion, Tech Humor, Cyberrisk Alliance

12-16 Dirty Work Hour 4: What do you want in an owner? We address Joe Lacob replying to emails, plus a sound soiree featuring the incredible Hank AzariaSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Trent got butt hurt over an old video, so we will revisit the issue and cover more recent papal critiques from X that went unanswered because of the absolute inability to think at a system level. RC's and Thomists are so locked into an evidentialist box they can't even restate hypotheticals like Muslims. Send Superchats at any time here: https://streamlabs.com/jaydyer/tip Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnt7Iy8GlmdPwy_Tzyx93bA/join Order New Book Available here: https://jaysanalysis.com/product/esoteric-hollywood-3-sex-cults-apocalypse-in-films/ Get started with Bitcoin here: https://www.swanbitcoin.com/jaydyer/ The New Philosophy Course is here: https://marketplace.autonomyagora.com/philosophy101 Set up recurring Choq subscription with the discount code JAY60LIFE for 60% off now https://choq.com Subscribe to my site here: https://jaysanalysis.com/membership-account/membership-levels/ Follow me on R0kfin here: https://rokfin.com/jaydyer Music by Dr Evo the Producer, Jay Dyer and Amid the Ruins 1453 https://www.youtube.com/@amidtheruinsOVERHAUL Join this channel to get access to perks: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnt7Iy8GlmdPwy_Tzyx93bA/join #entertainment #podcast #comedyBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/jay-sanalysis--1423846/support.

Today, I want to talk about something that sounds too simple to matter — but the data says otherwise. Replying to your comments.At Sircle, we always say that community management is the most important — though maybe the least sexy — part of any social media strategy.And now, the numbers back that up. According to Buffer's latest engagement study, replying to comments can increase engagement anywhere from 5% to 42%, depending on the platform.I want to zero in on one of those platforms today: Instagram.Buffer analyzed over 700,000 Instagram posts from nearly 70,000 profiles, and the finding was crystal clear. When creators or brands reply to their comments, their posts perform better — by about 21% on average.The study controlled for things like account size, audience niche, and even whether a post had comments at all.When you engage back, your posts outperform your usual baseline.I think this is one of those moments where the data just reinforces what good social media managers already know: If you want engagement, do engagement.It's not about tricking the algorithm or replying with emojis just to check a box. It's about showing up — making your audience feel seen and heard.That one reply might spark another comment, which signals activity to Instagram, which bumps your post in the feed, which gets you in front of more people.And here's the best part — this isn't just true on Instagram.Buffer found the same trend across multiple platforms — Threads, LinkedIn, Facebook, and X — each one showing an engagement lift when creators replied to comments.If you want to see the full breakdown by platform, check out Buffer's engagement report.So next time you post something, don't just wait for the likes to roll in — jump into the comments. Because that one small action could boost your engagement by 21% — and probably a lot more in terms of community trust and connection.And this is something our Social Media Managers at Sircle Media already do every day — in fact, they execute community management three times a day, per platform, to make sure no comment goes unanswered.

just wanna start by saying, that i'm so sorry for being this late on my podcast, but i've been wanting and waiting for so long to talk on this, because the hate is too much, i do not own anyone, anything, if you hate me, go heal yourself, and try to watch this episode fully until the end to get the message, now i can move on with my life freely, and i can go back to my podcast, youtube, and routines. also for people that always supported me i wanna thank you so much

Tempted to hit "reply" and tell spammers to knock it off? Don't. Here's why replying makes things worse, and what you can do to keep spam under control.

*5:00am: Couples Sitting On Same Side Of The Booth *6:00am: What Distracted You While Driving, Answering Work Emails After Hours *7:00am: Phobias You Can Trace Back *8:00am: NV Energy Email *9:00am: Scientists Say These 3 Things Make Your Relationship Happier & Healthier

St. Isaac's words reveal that communion with God requires remoteness from distraction and a renunciation of whatever disquiets the heart. This is not something reserved for monks alone, though they live it most radically, but it is a law of the Christian life as a whole. For Isaac, the fruits of renunciation are not abstract but very real: tears, compunction, a fountain of sweetness welling up from the heart, light dawning within. These are given not to the distracted soul but to the one who bows like a convict before the Cross, empty-handed and intent upon nothing else. Renunciation is not simply turning away from sin but from every movement that agitates the mind. He calls it a kind of death, both of the outer man in worldly deeds and occupations, and of the inner man in thoughts, passions, and self-will. It is this dying that makes room for the Spirit to raise one into true life. For the monk, this call is lived in visible and total form: silence, enclosure, vigils, fasting, the cutting away of unnecessary speech and activity. Leaving behind the noise of the world, the monk learns to dwell continually before God. For them Isaac's words are direct and literal, for one cannot hold onto worldly cares and at the same time enter into the madness of divine love. Stillness is the path by which grace rushes into the heart. For those living in the world, this teaching does not mean the rejection of responsibilities, but rather the careful discernment of what is indispensable and what is merely disquieting. Isaac himself acknowledges that not all can practice stillness in its fullness, but warns that one should not abandon the path altogether. Instead, there are ways of living the same spirit in daily life: simplicity, which renounces excess possessions, amusements, and chatter that scatter the heart; sobriety of senses, which guards against overindulgence and constant stimulation; interior watchfulness, which makes room for compunction and prayer in the ordinary rhythms of the day; trust in God's providence, which loosens the grip of anxiety over outcomes. For the layperson, renunciation looks like choosing silence over noise, prayer over distraction, mercy over greed, humility over self-exaltation. In these small dyings the heart is opened to the same fountain of sweetness, even if not in the same intensity as in the solitary monk. Isaac reminds us that whoever does not voluntarily withdraw from the causes of the passions will be carried away by them in the end. Whether monk or layperson, if the heart is constantly fed on the world's noise, possessions, and anxieties, it will inevitably be drawn off course. But if one begins to renounce even in small ways, the Spirit quickly comes to give aid, comforting the soul and granting grace. The lesson is clear: every Christian is called to some measure of renunciation, not as loss, but as the doorway to joy and divine consolation. The monk may live it to the depths, but each person in Christ is summoned to taste it in their own measure. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:14:30 jonathan: started trying practising paustinia every Wednesday and Friday. Its been far harder trying to abstain from all forms of entertainment than it is from food. Like fr said, the noon day demon feels heavy. 00:16:55 Catherine Opie: Ave Maria> What page are we on? 00:17:10 Myles Davidson: Replying to "Ave Maria> What page..." P. 152, last full paragraph on page 00:18:27 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "P. 152, last full pa..." with

St. Isaac does not flatter us with easy consolations. He sets before the monk the radical alternative: almsgiving is like the rearing of children, but stillness is the summit of perfection. One can pour out possessions, but if one's senses remain open to the world, unbarred gates, then the enemy will always find a way in. It is not enough to scatter coins if the mind is still scattered; the true work is to gather the heart into stillness, where God alone becomes its horizon. Isaac shows us the two wars. The first is fought outside: through sight and hearing, through eating and speech, through the ceaseless tangle of affairs. This “exterior warfare” is exhausting and subtle, for it draws the soul outward, dispersing its strength. But there is another war, fought within. Only when the gates of the senses are shut can one turn inward to confront the deeper enemy: thoughts, passions, memories, and the hidden demons that assault the heart. To reach the “rest in God,” the monk must first cease from unnecessary noise without, in order to learn serenity within. The blessedness of stillness, Isaac tells us, is to translate all one's activity into the work of prayer. A man who can remain in his cell, moving from divine service to divine service with nothing added, will never lack for what is necessary, because he has made God his sole concern. Even manual work, though permitted, is an accommodation for the weak. The more perfect path is prayer and compunction; prostrations before the Cross, like a convict bound, crying out for mercy without ceasing. It is this interior life and the divine rest the comes through it that St. Isaac will describe for us next week. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:05:45 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 151 mid paragraph 30 00:23:40 Rebecca Thérèse: Once the robber knows he has everything, he won't be back to bother you again. There's nothing else to steal and he has no further means of threatening or manipulating you. 00:29:31 Bob Čihák, AZ: P. 151, paragraph 31 at bottom of page 00:30:15 Julie: Reacted to "P. 151, paragraph 31…" with

St. Isaac the Syrian leads us into a subtle yet decisive truth about the spiritual life: to taste of God rightly, one must be weaned from the world—not only from its visible distractions and passions, but also from the premature grasping of spiritual visions and insights. Renunciation, for Isaac, is not merely the abandonment of external goods; it is the letting go of everything that agitates, excites, or exceeds the soul's present capacity. Like a child given honey before it can digest it, the soul that seeks lofty knowledge or noetic vision without purification risks sickness and collapse. This is why Isaac insists that silence and stillness are the true companions of renunciation. The soul must be emptied and simplified, freed from the clutter of worldly images, memories, and concerns. Only then can she begin to perceive, not in phantasy, but in the true theoria that God bestows upon the humble and pure of heart. Silence, for Isaac, is the protection of this delicate work. It guards the soul from shameless curiosity about mysteries that surpass her strength, and it teaches her to receive revelation with reverence, not presumption. Stillness, likewise, is the arena where renunciation becomes fruitful. By cutting off the “exterior war” of the senses—sight, hearing, chatter, possessions—the soul is fortified against the subtler inner warfare of thoughts. In this solitude, prayer and Scripture reading form the new conversation of the heart, replacing worldly recollections with the remembrance of God. Thus renunciation is not negative but deeply positive: it creates space for mercy, for purity, for true prayer, and for the divine astonishment that halts the soul in stillness before the mysteries of God. Isaac reminds us that almsgiving and voluntary poverty open the heart to boldness before God, but stillness is the summit—where the soul is no longer divided, tossed about, or burdened, but rests in the radiant quiet of God's presence. Renunciation, then, is not escape but transfiguration. It severs us from the false sweetness of the world and teaches us to taste, in measure, the true sweetness of God. It bids us to be content with what is given, to wait in silence for the moment when grace itself will lift us beyond our measure, and to remain always in the humility by which mysteries are revealed. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:05:39 Bob Čihák, AZ: Our current book is “The Ascetical Homilies of Saint Isaac the Syrian, revised 2nd Edition” 2011, published by Holy Transfiguration Monastery, https://www.bostonmonks.com/product_info.php/products_id/635 . This hard-covered book is on the expensive side but of very high quality. 00:12:38 Bob Čihák, AZ: P 147, halfway down page 00:26:41 carolnypaver: Page # ? 00:26:51 Andrew Adams: 148 00:26:59 carolnypaver: Reacted to "148" with

Hits And Misses Of The Hot Mess Summer Of 2025 (Ep. 311) Episode Summary This week on That Solo Life, hosts Karen Swim, APR, and Michelle Kane unpack this“Hot Mess Summer”—the surprising, cringey, and cautionary moments that shaped the season for PR and communications pros. From return-to-office whiplash and AI overpromises to social media pile-ons, brand missteps, and the pursuit of excellence in a rush-first culture, they offer candid insights and practical takeaways for solo practitioners navigating constant change. Episode Highlights 00:12–01:08 | Welcome back: Setting up the “Hot Mess Summer” theme for PR and marketing pros  01:29–02:32 | The world of work: RTO mandates, hiring freezes, and overestimating AI's impact  02:33–03:41 | Planning in uncertainty: How economic jitters ripple through day-to-day comms work  03:53–05:04 | Social media fatigue: Declining nuance, instant outrage, and what it means for brands  05:04–06:22 | The vigilante effect: Why some users treat negativity as a hobby—and how to respond  06:32–07:17 | Slowing down to get it right: Replying with care in a rush-first culture  07:48–09:10 | Over-curation vs. authenticity: Balancing audience feedback with sound business decisions  09:16–10:12 | People-pleasing pitfalls: You can't please everyone—stay true to mission and values  09:31–10:11 | Event aesthetics vs. meaning: Designing for impact, not just Instagram  10:12–11:05 | Community pile-ons: Why “take it to the business first” matters  11:05–12:08 | Complication creep: Tech, AI, and unnecessary hurdles for communicators  11:46–12:46 | Excellence still matters: How quality elevates audience experience  12:47–14:05 | Brand name changes gone sideways: Lessons from high-profile rebrands  14:39–15:53 | Risk hygiene: The case against bringing blankets to the movies (and other practical worries)  16:00–16:22 | Looking ahead: Manifesting a calmer, more prosperous fall for solos  16:19–16:35 | Join the convo: How to share your Hot Mess Summer stories Related Episodes & Additional Information Episode 300: How To Manage Sticky Situations In PR Entrepreneur: How to Set Boundaries With Your Clients Without Losing Business Host & Show Info That Solo Life is a podcast created for public relations, communication, and marketing professionals who work as independent and small practitioners. Hosted by Karen Swim, APR, founder of Words For Hire and President of Solo PR, and Michelle Kane, Principal of Voice Matters, the show delivers expert insights, encouragement, and advice for solo PR pros navigating today's dynamic professional landscape. Share and Subscribe! If this episode made you nod, laugh, or rethink your approach, don't keep it to yourself—follow That Solo Life in your favorite podcast app, leave a 5-star review to help other solo pros find us, and share Episode 311 with a colleague. Got your own “Hot Mess Summer” story or a topic you want us to tackle? Send it to us at soloprpro.com. Your story might be featured in an upcoming episode!

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⭐ Download FREE lesson PDF: https://espressoenglish.lpages.co/free-pdf-reply-to-good-and-bad-news/  ❤️ Everyday English Speaking Course: https://espressoenglish.lpages.co/everyday-english-speaking-course/  Do you ever hear good news in English… and you're not sure how to respond? Don't just say ‘okay' or ‘nice' - use one of the natural and expressive phrases from this lesson!  When someone shares their good news, your response matters—and the right phrase shows that you're friendly, confident, and fluent. So let's learn the best English phrases for reacting to good news in a natural way.  You can download a free guide full of phrases for responding to both good and bad news by clicking here. Enter your e-mail address and I'll send you that free PDF guide right away.  Now you know how to respond to many types of good news confidently in English! Make sure to download your free guide to review today's phrases and learn how to reply to bad news as well. And if you want to learn how to speak English more fluently in many more everyday situations, check out my Everyday English Speaking Course! It will teach you exactly what to say when traveling, shopping, socializing, and lots more - so you can live your life with confidence. 

“Plans are of little importance, but planning is essential” That quote from Winston Churchill perfectly captures the dilemma we face when it comes to planning.  You can subscribe to this podcast on:  Podbean | Apple Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify | TUNEIN Links: Email Me | Twitter | Facebook | Website | Linkedin The Time-Based Productivity Course Get Your Copy Of Your Time, Your Way: Time Well Managed, Life Well Lived The Time Sector System 5th Year Anniversary The Working With… Weekly Newsletter Carl Pullein Learning Centre Carl's YouTube Channel Carl Pullein Coaching Programmes Subscribe to my Substack  The Working With… Podcast Previous episodes page Script | 379 Hello, and welcome to episode 379 of the Your Time, Your Way Podcast. A podcast to answer all your questions about productivity, time management, self-development, and goal planning. My name is Carl Pullein, and I am your host of this show. Planning and organising have their place. Yet, there is a danger of taking them too far and using them as an excuse or as a way to procrastinate.  Ultimately, whatever you are planning to do will eventually need to be done. The goal, therefore, is to get to the doing part as quickly as possible.  One of the dangers of David Allen's Getting Things Done book, is the emphasis on organising and doing the weekly review. It's a procrastinators heaven. An authority in the the productivity space giving you “permission” to spend two to four hours a week planning and reviewing and another large proportion of your time organising and reorganising your lists.  Don't get me wrong. Both planning and organising have their place and as Winston Churchill says, “planning is essential”, but it's a thin line between helpful and unhelpful planning and organising. In today's episode, I will share with you some ideas that you can use to ensure that you are following some sound principles with your planning and reviewing.  So, that means it's time to hand you over to the Mystery Podcast Voice for this week's question. This week's question comes from Sally. Sally asks, hi Carl, I'm struggling to get myself organised. I have so many things on my desk and on my computer's desktop I don't know where to start. I feel like all I do all day is plan what to do and tidy up my lists. How do you avoid over planning and organising?  Hi Sally, thank you for your question. Firstly, I must admit I have been down this road of over-planning and organising.  I read Getting Things Done in 2009 and loved it. I ditched my Franklin Planner, the “tool” I had been using consistently for over fifteen years, bought myself a nice Quo Vadis notebook (the paper quality was better than Moleskine) and spent a whole weekend setting up the notebook as a GTD tool.  I also printed out the GTD weekly review checklist from David Allen's website and stuck that into the back go my planner and became a GTDer.  It took me seven years to realise that I wasn't getting anything significant done. I had a lot of ideas, plans and goals, yet all I seemed to be doing was reviewing, planning and doing the easy things from my context lists.  Replying to emails was much easier than sitting down to write the first chapter of the book I wanted to write. Spending more time mind mapping the presentation I had to give on Friday seemed more important than opening up Keynote and designing the presentation.  Yet, ironically, it was an end of year review that forced me to face up to reality and see that while I was excellent at planning and reviewing, I had become terrible at doing the work.  And this is one of the most common problem areas I see with many of my coaching clients. The fixation on having everything perfectly organised and planned.  You see, the problem here is not that everything is neatly organised and you have the plans to do whatever it is you want to do. The problem is nothing is being done to do those plans.  While I was working on my recent Time-Based Productivity course, the project note I had for it was a mess. I had a lot of notes, ideas and thoughts. Yet, I maintained a strict next actions list at the top of the project note as well as links to the documents I was working on.  It didn't matter that below those items was a horror show of ill-thought out ideas and random thoughts. They were there in case I got stuck somewhere. What mattered was the important information was clear and at the top of the note.  The note was designed so that the work got done. It was not designed to look pretty.  I've seen clients with thirty page Word documents detailing their department's plans for the year. It's written in some vague management language that leaves a lot to interpretation. It's as Winston Churchill once said of a similar document from the government's treasury department: “This paper, by its very length, defends itself from ever being read.” You can spend hours going through a document like that, and nothing will ever get done.  What matters is knowing what the department's objectives are and what needs to be done to accomplish them.  That does not need thirty pages. That can be summarised on one page, at most.  If you're working in an organisation that loves using management speak to communicate their ill-thought through ideas, one of the best ways to navigate these documents is to establish what the ultimate goal is.  What are the targets, or in management speak “KPI's” (Key Performance Indicators)? Once you know how you or your department will be measured, you can use your own experience and knowledge to put in place a plan to achieve those targets.  Ultimately, your boss, and their boss, are concerned about your targets. How you achieve those targets are less important, although they should always be achieved legally, of course.  In many ways translating these verbose annual planning documents is the role of the departmental managers. This means translating them into actionable items so that everyone in the team clearly understands what they are aiming for. This then reduces the necessity of further planning meetings and everyone can get on and achieve the objectives.  And this is the same for individuals.  When we plan things out we are exploring options, considering best ways to do things and perhaps thinking of potential outcomes.  While these exercises do have their place, they cannot replace doing the work.  The objective, therefore, is to figure out as quickly as possible what you need to do to get the work completed.  My wife bought me a new iron and ironing board for my birthday. I love ironing, I find it relaxing. I've learnt that no matter how big the pile of ironing is, the pile is not going to diminish by more planning and strategising. The only way the pile of ironing will shrink is for me to plug my iron in, set up my ironing board and get started.  Now years of ironing has taught me to begin with the clothes that require a cooler setting and finish with clothes that require a hotter setting such as linen shirts. That's experience, although, I remember being taught that one by my grandmother many many years ago.  The final part of this is choosing when to do the ironing. For me, I find ironing after I've been sat down for a long time works best. I'm stood up and have to move around to hang my shirts up after they're ironed. So, doing the ironing in the afternoon or early evening works best for me.  Given that I generally do the ironing once a week, all I need to decide is when. When will I do it? That's the only planning I need to do with something I routinely do.  When it comes to organising, I'm always surprised how so many people have missed one of the best features of computers and technology. It's not so you can sit and stare at a screen for hours on end. It's the speed at which a computer can organise your files.  You can choose to organise your files by date created, date modified, title, type of document or by size. The only thing you need to do is to put the file into a folder.  If you were to keep things as simple as possible, two folders one for your personal life and one for your professional life would work. (And I know a lot of people who do just that and can find anything they need with the use of a keyboard shortcut or a few typed letters.  While travelling last month, I had all my flight confirmation emails and car hire documents stored in Evernote in its own notebook. Before we set off, I made sure this notebook was downloaded to my phone so that no matter where I was in the world, I was not going to be relying on flakey internet.  This meant, when we finally reached the car hire desk at 11 p.m. At Dublin Airport, all I needed to do was open Evernote, type Europcar in the search and all my details we instantly on my screen ready to show the assistant.  Most notes apps people are using today have incredibly powerful search features built in. Evernote was build on its search features. I'm frequently amazed at how quickly Evernote can find something I vaguely think might be in there.  I remember my wife trying to sort something out for me on a Korean website while we were sitting in cafe. She asked me if I remembered my password for a particular website I had not used for over ten years.  I opened up Evernote and typed in the name of the website and in less than second the login and password details were there. My brain cannot work that fast when trying to recall something from ten years ago.  What this means is you do not need to spend days or months trying to come up with a “perfect” notes organisation system. You could quite easily operate on a simple professional and personal folder system.  You'd still be able to find anything you were looking for, and all you would need to do is to learn how to use the search features.  So, Sally, if you want to get things organised, let your computer do the work for you. Start by creating a simple folder structure of personal and work, and organise your documents there first.  As you're doing this I would add that you ensure the title of the documents and files are clear. Sometimes we download something from the internet and we end up with a jumble of letters and numbers. While your computer will be able to tell you when you downloaded it and what the file type is, it won't be able to tell you what it is. That part of the organising process is on you.  If you wish to have a little more structure than simply personal and professional you can modify things later. The goal here is to begin the cleaning up process.  And don't forget the delete key. It's your best friend when cleaning up.  Once you've tidied everything up and you know where everything is, when it comes to what to do next will naturally follow.  This organising may take you a weekend to do. Yet, that investment in time will be well worth it. You'll feel less anxious, lighter and will have begun developing confidence in your system. That's a very nice place to be.  I hope that has helped, Sally. Thank you for your question and thank you to you too for listening. It just remains for me to wish you a very very productive week.   

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What does it really look like to break free from the grind? And how can shifting just a few beliefs at work lead to life-changing results everywhere else, too? In this inspiring client success episode, Amelia sits down with Catherine—an in-house counsel who turned chronic overwhelm into confidence, clarity, and sustainable success.In this episode: ✅ How Catherine redefined overwhelm and reclaimed control of her workday. ✅ The surprising ways coaching impacted her personal life during a difficult year. ✅ Why asking for help was the most powerful and pride-breaking decision of her career.Enroll in BFG: Want to eliminate stress, self-doubt, and overworking to be more effective, feel better, and create sustainable success in your demanding corporate career? Schedule a free consult here to find out how you can get started in my Breaking Free from the Grind 1:1 coaching program.Take the BFG Quiz: Want to know the biggest reason you're feeling overworked and overwhelmed at work right now, and how you can start feeling better today?Take the 3-minute BFG quiz here to find out which mindset - Overachiever, Overthinker, People Pleaser, Impostor, or Perfectionist - is preventing you from creating sustainable success at work. About CatherineCatherine is in-house counsel to a global life sciences company.About AmeliaAmelia Noel is a Master Certified Coach, podcast host, corporate workshop facilitator, and creator of the Breaking Free from the Grind coaching program. After spending over a decade of her career working on Wall Street at a top investment bank and as a global strategy consultant to Fortune 100 companies, Amelia now helps professionals working demanding corporate careers eliminate stress, self-doubt, and overworking so they can break free from the grind and create sustainable success in their careers.Connect with Ameliawww.amelianoelcoaching.comIG: @breakingfreefromthegrindLinkedIn: Amelia Noel

Series 4, Episode 4: P and I read out two emails from listeners on two different topics and give our perspectives on both. One is about the ripple effect of infidelity affecting wider family members and in-laws. The other one is about the book "Leave A Cheater, Gain A Life" by Tracy Shorn. We're not experts and don't claim to solve anyone's problems, but speak from our own experiences.

In this episode Trent replies to Redeemed Zoomer's recent critiques of Catholicism and shows off his retro video game skills at the same time. Teaching With Authority by Jimmy Akin: https://shop.catholic.com/teaching-with-authority/

The experience of reading Saint Isaac the Syrian is something like being caught up in a vortex; not a linear explanation of the spiritual life or spiritual practices, but rather being drawn by the Holy Spirit that blows wherever It wills. It is not as though Isaac's thought lacks cohesiveness, but rather he presents the life of faith and life in Christ to us as an artist painting with broad strokes. This is especially true in the first six homilies that speak of the discipline of virtue. Isaac seems to be more concerned about our breathing the same air as the Saints. He wants us to be swept up by our desire for God and in our gratitude for His love and mercy. Our life is not simply following a series of teachings or a moral code, but rather embodying very life of Christ. We are to love and console others as we have been loved and consoled by the Lord. If our spiritual disciplines do not remove the impediments to our capacity to be loved and to love others, then they are sorely lacking.  In every way, our lives should be a reflection of Christ and the manner that we walk along the path of our lives should be reflective of His mindset and desire. In other words, we should desire to do the will of God and to love Him above all things, including our own lives. We are to die to self and sin and have a willingness to trust in the Providence of God that leads our hearts to desire to take up the cross daily and follow him. We begin to see affliction as something that not only shapes are virtue and deepens our faith, but that is a participation in the reality of redemption. We are drawn into something that is Divine and Saint Isaac would not have us make it something common. The Cross will always be a stumbling block when gazed upon or experienced on a purely natural level. But for those who have faith, we begin to see and experience the sweetness of God's love and intimacy with him precisely through affliction. Isaac would have us know that joy in all of its fullness. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:10:51 Catherine Opie: Hi there, where are we in the text? 00:12:03 Lori Hatala: pg 122 Cover a sinner... 00:13:10 Catherine Opie: Reacted to "pg 122 Cover a sinne..." with

This week on the Retirement Quick Tips Podcast, I'm talking about how to spot and stop financial scams.  Today, I want to talk about the most important common sense response to any unsolicited request - pause before responding.

Hello loves!Listen to Evyenia's music: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5HWJXz6CkzVPb9Z02zeULa?si=Ha3rQSeSRsGHg4X7N107qgIt's one heck of an ep. Thanks for listenin!!! Have a great week.(0:00) - Banter(34:09) - AITA for not replying to a message when we have a date planned?(45:16) - AITA for telling my friends my date's mom called 5 times during our date?(53:25) - AITA for wearing yoga pants to a first date?BEST way to Submit a sitch or comment: https://www.reddit.com/r/AITApod/Email - amitheahole@gmail.com Join Patreon! https://patreon.com/aitapodWhat's on Patreon?- 200+ Bonus eps- NO ADS and accurate timestamps- Discord with awesome communityTikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@aitapodInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/aita_pod/

Today we're going to talk about review deletions. In other words, you kill yourself to get great reviews for your business or your products and services and they get deleted. Well, let's talk about why that happens today. Screw The Commute Podcast Show Notes Episode 981 How To Automate Your Business - https://screwthecommute.com/automatefree/ Internet Marketing Training Center - https://imtcva.org/ Higher Education Webinar – https://screwthecommute.com/webinars See Tom's Stuff – https://linktr.ee/antionandassociates 00:23 Tom's introduction to Review Deletions 01:23 Google and Amazon are removing 5 star reviews 04:32 Replying to your reviews will help 07:48 Deletions are based on the reviewer's reputation 09:01 What you can do about it Entrepreneurial Resources Mentioned in This Podcast Higher Education Webinar - https://screwthecommute.com/webinars Screw The Commute - https://screwthecommute.com/ Screw The Commute Podcast App - https://screwthecommute.com/app/ College Ripoff Quiz - https://imtcva.org/quiz Know a young person for our Youth Episode Series? Send an email to Tom! - orders@antion.com Have a Roku box? Find Tom's Public Speaking Channel there! - https://channelstore.roku.com/details/267358/the-public-speaking-channel How To Automate Your Business - https://screwthecommute.com/automatefree/ Internet Marketing Retreat and Joint Venture Program - https://greatinternetmarketingtraining.com/ KickStartCart - http://www.kickstartcart.com/ Copywriting901 - https://copywriting901.com/ Become a Great Podcast Guest - https://screwthecommute.com/greatpodcastguest Training - https://screwthecommute.com/training Disabilities Page - https://imtcva.org/disabilities/ Tom's Patreon Page - https://screwthecommute.com/patreon/ Tom on TikTok - https://tiktok.com/@digitalmultimillionaire/ Google deletes 5 star reviews - https://gmbapi.com/news/google-deletes-5-star-reviews/ Email Tom: Tom@ScrewTheCommute.com Internet Marketing Training Center - https://imtcva.org/ Related Episodes Nix SEO - https://screwthecommute.com/980/ More Entrepreneurial Resources for Home Based Business, Lifestyle Business, Passive Income, Professional Speaking and Online Business I discovered a great new headline / subject line / subheading generator that will actually analyze which headlines and subject lines are best for your market. I negotiated a deal with the developer of this revolutionary and inexpensive software. Oh, and it's good on Mac and PC. Go here: http://jvz1.com/c/41743/183906 The Wordpress Ecourse. Learn how to Make World Class Websites for $20 or less. https://screwthecommute.com/wordpressecourse/ Join our Private Facebook Group! One week trial for only a buck and then $37 a month, or save a ton with one payment of $297 for a year. Click the image to see all the details and sign up or go to https://www.greatinternetmarketing.com/screwthecommute/ After you sign up, check your email for instructions on getting in the group.

Visit us at shapedbydog.com    Recently, dog training advocate Zak George asked me about crossover dog trainers, and framed the question in such a different way that it inspired replying with a podcast episode. When I crossed over from balanced training to reinforcement based training in 1996, many people asked me why and told me it would not work. I'm sharing my start in dog training, pivotal moments, people and dogs that led me to change my approach, what I learned about myself along the way, and the reasons I never went back.    In this episode, you'll hear:   • About my transition to becoming a crossover dog trainer. • The question from Zak George that inspired this episode. • When I decided to leave balanced training behind. • What I learned from my terrier puppy, Shelby. • The book that changed my thinking - Don't Shoot the Dog! by Karen Pryor. • When I first saw true autonomy in dog training and how choice transformed my approach. • About my "Shaping Badly" era. • How learning from Bob and Marian Bailey helped me refine my training with clarity and intention. • The shift to shaping with success. • Why judgment holds trainers back. • That change is possible. • Reasons trainers resist crossing over to a positive reinforcement approach. • A special offer for podcast listeners who want to be coached by me and my team.   Special Discounts to Join or Gift our Online Programs Check out our 300TH Episode & 5th Anniversary Celebration Page - https://dogsthat.com/celebration-central/   Resources:   1. Zak George - https://www.youtube.com/@zakgeorge 2. Podcast Episode 146: Balanced Dog Training: Does It Really Exist? - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/146/ 3. Book: Don't Shoot The Dog! By Karen Pryor - https://shop.clickertraining.com/en-ca/products/dont-shoot-the-dog-karen-pryor?srsltid=AfmBOoqkL4DLKYAPB1xQMDtJGYDwa1AR0r-AdPOhXo5LFMYe2REoECS7&variant=33778264965258 4. Podcast Episode 34: Time Outs for Dogs: Does Your Dog Need One? - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/34/ 5. Bob and Marian Bailey: Behavior by Bailey - http://www.behavior1.com/ 6. Podcast Episode 245: Make Dog Training Easy! Quick Guide To Antecedent Arrangements - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/245/ 7. Podcast Episode 71: Pro Dog Trainer's Secret to Help Your Naughty Dog - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/71/ 8. Podcast Episode 295: Fear Of Criticism? Why Facing The Camera Is The First Step To Becoming A Better Dog Trainer - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/295/ 9. The American Veterinary Society of Animal Behavior - https://avsab.org/ 10. The International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants - https://iaabc.org/ 11. Podcast Episode 297: Why In 2025 We Still Have Dog Trainers Who Believe “Reinforcement Dog Training Doesn't Work” - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/297/ 12. Podcast Episode 290: The Red Flag Of Dominance Based Training: Why It's Hurting Your Dog And What To Do Instead - https://dogsthat.com/podcast/290/ 13. DogsThat YouTube Channel - https://www.youtube.com/@DogsThat 14. DogsThat YouTube Playlists - https://www.youtube.com/@DogsThat/playlists 15. Watch this Episode of Shaped by Dog on YouTube - https://youtu.be/rajGh9u8gkw

Once again, we are blessed by the practical counsel of the fathers in regard to the struggle with the passion of lust and fornication. What becomes evident is that the struggle is primarily with the thoughts and how we address them in our lives. The origin of such thoughts may be from ourselves and our own memories, what we experience with our senses in the present moment or from demonic provocation. Whatever their origin, our asceticism must be such that we are willing to lay all such thoughts aside in preference for remaining in stillness with our focus set upon Christ.  It is always best not to engage the thoughts that rush upon us understanding that we will be overwhelmed, especially if their origin is from the demons. We are not to argue or wrestle with the thoughts but rather call upon the holy name of our Lord and to plead for his help and strength.  This is the source of our healing, even in ways that we do not comprehend. The more we call upon the Lord, the deeper the healing becomes and the more free we become from our attachment to the things of this world. The Jesus Prayer in particular can be used as a gentle weapon to cut away the thoughts as they come upon us. When we are able, it is beneficial to say the prayer in an audible fashion making use of multiple senses. Having a chotki in hand as we say the Prayer and making prostrations repeatedly involves the whole self in the spiritual battle. When we humble ourselves in mind and body before God, He rushes to our aid.  Thus, humility, vigilance and constancy of prayer must be the foundation of our ascetic practice. Furthermore, we must be simple and not count ourselves as clever in this battle. The wiles of the evil one can turn even our conversations about piety into instruments that agitate and stir up the heart. Let us examine our hearts well as we approach the Great Fast and ask the Lord to be our strength. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:11:46 Niño: Have a nice day everybody

Tonight we follow the thought of Saint Isaiah, the Solitary and St. John Cassian on the struggle with the passion of lust and fornication. One things stands out clearly: we must be fully engaged in the formation of the mind and the heart in virtue - for the devil is fully engaged in seeking to provoke us to sin. Therefore, we must guard all of the senses with great attentiveness. With this particular passion, we must engage in the battle both physically and spiritually. Thus, we must be attentive to both prayer and fasting; that is, humbling the mind and the body in such a way that we turn to God for our nourishment and strength. In shaping the habit of virtue, we must study the scriptures, engage in fervent prayer, and labor with our hands; in other words, we must keep our focus simple in order that we might be aware of what is going on within the heart.  Cassian makes it clear that the heart is the place where the disease is hidden – the depths of the soul. Yet, it is also here that the remedy is found. We must open our heart fully to God by guarding the senses and directing all of our energies towards the formation of virtue and the love of the things of the kingdom.  Humility is the foundation of all of these pursuits. In it, we recognize our poverty and so cling to God. As we cling to him, we experienced that he alone can bring not only healing where there has only been sin but also fill the heart with the love that he alone can satisfy. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:02:12 Anna Lalonde: Hello! We missed last week due to sickness. Glad to hear Father Charbel you've gained 11 new brothers in the monastery! 00:20:51 Joseph Muir: What page are we on? 00:21:07 Bob Cihak: P. 207 E 00:22:00 Joseph Muir: Reacted to "P. 207 E" with

Ever find yourself staring at a text or missed call, fully intending to respond… but you don't? Or maybe you're unsure how to say what you really want to say? In this episode, Sean and Ewan dive deep into the modern-day phenomenon of ghosting—why we do it, how it affects us, and, most importantly, how to break the habit for good. Drawing from personal experiences, they share practical, bulletproof strategies to help you overcome procrastination, anxiety, and the fear of disappointing others. By the end of this conversation, you'll walk away with a renewed sense of confidence, a stronger self-identity, and the tools to take control of your communication once and for all. It's time to level up—let's dig in!   Level Up + Live Website (Business Coaching and Mastermind Group): Level Up + Live (levelupandlive.com)    Additional FREE Resources: Make it happen in 2025: Get your FREE New Year's resolution planner now! Link below! Free Resources — Level Up + Live (levelupandlive.com) 

Russian trolls have sought engagement with Elon Musk, Donald Trump Jr. and other influential accounts on X. Officials say there may be more of this in the leadup to the U.S. election in November. WSJ reporter Alexa Corse joins host Zoe Thomas to explain tactics of the bots and their potential impact. Plus, owners of Tesla's Cybertruck say their new pickups are being delivered dirty. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices