Podcasts about sparrows

The birds don't gather into barns. The lilies don't spin their own clothing. Yet Jesus says both have something to teach us about trust. Financial fear often begins when we realize how much we cannot control. We can plan wisely, save diligently, and prepare carefully—but tomorrow still belongs to God. That's why Jesus' words in Matthew 6 offer such deep comfort for anxious hearts. When Worry Feels Heavy In Matthew 6, Jesus says, “Do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on.” Later, He adds, “Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself.” For anyone who has struggled with financial fear, those words can feel heavy. You may think, I know I shouldn't worry—but I do. You worry about the bills. You worry about your job. You worry about the market, retirement, your children, or what happens if the car breaks down, the medical bill comes in, or the paycheck doesn't stretch far enough. And then, on top of the worry, you may feel guilty for worrying. But Jesus is not standing over anxious people simply saying, “Stop it.” Instead, He draws near and says, “Look.” Look at the Birds. Consider the Lilies. Jesus invites us to look at the birds of the air and the lilies of the field. He points us to a world that does not revolve around our control, our striving, our spreadsheets, or our ability to predict every outcome. “The birds of the air” do not sow or reap or gather into barns, and yet our heavenly Father feeds them. The lilies do not toil or spin, and yet not even Solomon in all his glory was clothed like one of them. Jesus is not saying planning is wrong. Scripture encourages wise preparation and faithful stewardship. But He is exposing the illusion that we are in control. Anxiety often grows in the gap between what we can manage and what we cannot guarantee. We can make a budget, but we cannot control tomorrow. We can save wisely, but we cannot control the economy. We can work faithfully, but we cannot control every outcome. And when we begin to believe everything depends on us, stewardship becomes a crushing burden. Planning turns into panic. Saving turns into hoarding. Responsibility turns into fear. Your Father Knows That's why Jesus tells us to look beyond ourselves. The birds are a sermon in the sky. The flowers are a testimony in the field. Creation itself is preaching the care of God. And Jesus' point is not merely “Don't worry.” His deeper point is this: Your Father knows. Your Father knows what you need. Your Father sees what burdens you. Your Father understands the bills, the uncertainty, the decisions, the pressure, and the fear that wakes you up at night. And if He feeds the birds—creatures that do not bear His image—how much more will He care for you, His beloved child? That does not mean every financial difficulty disappears. Jesus never promises a life without trouble. In fact, He says, “Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” There are real burdens in this life. There are real needs. There are real moments of uncertainty. But Jesus invites us to face today's trouble with today's grace. Today's Trouble, Today's Grace “Do not be anxious about tomorrow” is not a cold command. It is a tender invitation. Jesus is reminding us that we do not have to live as though the future rests on our shoulders. We do not have to secure our own universe. We do not have to hold everything together. Our Father is already there. So what do we do with financial anxiety? We bring it honestly to God. We name the fears we are carrying. We ask for wisdom where action is needed. We seek wise counsel when decisions feel too heavy. And then, with open hands, we release what we cannot control. We do the next faithful thing today. Our Security Is in God As we do, we remember that our security is not ultimately in our income. It is not in our investments. It is not in our plans. It is not in our ability to foresee tomorrow. Our security is in God—the One who knows what we need, invites us to look at the sparrows, and gives us the grace to trust Him one day at a time. If financial fear and anxiety are weighing on your heart, we'd love to help you explore these truths more deeply through our 21-day devotional, Look at the Sparrows. You can order your copy at FaithFi.com/Shop. And if you'd like to go through it with your church or small group, bulk orders and bulk discounts are available there as well. On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions: I haven't filed my tax returns for a few years, and I want to make things right. I've heard about the IRS “Fresh Start” program. Should I work with a tax relief company, hire a CPA, or contact the IRS directly through my local office? My husband and I are in our mid-60s, and our business is winding down. We have roughly $900,000 to $1 million in real estate, including our home, business building, and another property, plus about $700,000 in stocks and bonds with an advisor. Is real estate considered aggressive or conservative in our overall portfolio? And at our age, how should our investments be allocated? I'm 64 and want to set up a trust to help my assets avoid probate. Should I place only titled assets, like my home, in the trust, or should investment accounts be included too? Could retitling investment accounts into a trust trigger taxes? I also owe about $115,000 on my home. One of my children would like to live there with his kids, and I'd like my grandchildren to have a home if something happens to me. Should the trust pay off the mortgage from my assets, or should I consider life insurance or mortgage protection to cover it? Resources Mentioned: Faithful Steward: FaithFi's Quarterly Magazine (Become a FaithFi Partner) Our Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful Stewardship by Rob West Wisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on Money Look At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and Anxiety Rich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich Fool Find a Certified Kingdom Advisor® (CKA) FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every weekday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God's resources. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mao's War on Sparrows and Australia's Emu Conflict Guest: Stephen Moss Book Title: Ten Birds That Changed the World In 1958, Mao Zedong ordered the eradication of the tree sparrow as part of his "Four Pests" campaign, believing it would save grain. The mass slaughter — carried out by citizens banging pots until birds dropped dead from exhaustion — caused an ecological disaster. Without sparrows to eat them, insect populations exploded and consumed the harvests, leading to a famine that killed up to 50 million people. Scientists like Tso-hsin Cheng who tried to warn Mao were persecuted, and China was eventually forced to import sparrows from the Soviet Union to restore the ecosystem. In a lighter but equally revealing tale, Moss recounts Australia's 1932 Emu War, where the military failed to cull 20,000 emus with machine guns. The emus used tactical "guerrilla" maneuvers to outwit the soldiers, proving that human attempts to militarily intervene in nature often end in humiliation or catastrophe. (7)1914 EMPEROR PENGUIN

Saturday of the Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time

Big Thunder Topic from Trammin' Episode 307Imagineering just showed off its treasured new animatronic. A pirate with a changing face and a recursive curse! It's a cool technology for sure, but what does this mean for Pirates of the Caribbean? It's changed so much throughout the years. Much has been added, some has been taken away. Sparrows, and barrels, and red-haired girls... it's hard to keep track of it all! So join Captain Kirk & Long John Silver as they search for buried treasure on a cursed new episode of Trammin' - A Disneyland Podcast!Listen to full episodes every other Windsday and topic-only uploads on Big Thunder Thursdays!InstagramTrammin' - https://instagram.com/TramminPodcastChristian Rainwater - https://instagram.com/imrainwaterKirk - https://instagram.com/tramminkirkMusicLocal Forecast - Elevator Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Trammin' - The Disneylanders, Addy DaddyUsed with permission.Character Art & AnimationNadia Dar - https://nadsdardraws.carrd.co/Trammin.comTrammin' is written without the use of Artificial Intelligence.©Trammin' - A Disneyland Podcast

This week we discuss our June book club pick, Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell. We had a lot of mixed feelings on this book as well as the movie. Micaela still isn't loving the classics but Hannah and Kyleigh did enjoy this one! We also go through some recent book news and share our thoughts on the F1 season so far.    If you haven't heard yet, we're reading The Poet Empress by Shen Tao for our July Book Club. Grab your copy and join us next month!   Currently Reading: The Poet Empress by Shen Tao Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry The Burning Side by Sarah Damoff The Someday Garden by Ashley Poston Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten Joyland by Stephen King  

Imagineering just showed off its treasured new animatronic. A pirate with a changing face and a recursive curse! It's a cool technology for sure, but what does this mean for Pirates of the Caribbean? It's changed so much throughout the years. Much has been added, some has been taken away. Sparrows, and barrels, and red-haired girls... it's hard to keep track of it all! So join Captain Kirk & Long John Silver as they search for buried treasure on a cursed new episode of Trammin' - A Disneyland Podcast!Listen to full episodes every other Windsday and topic-only uploads on Big Thunder Thursdays!InstagramTrammin' - https://instagram.com/TramminPodcastChristian Rainwater - https://instagram.com/imrainwaterKirk - https://instagram.com/tramminkirkMusicLocal Forecast - Elevator Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 Licensehttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ Trammin' - The Disneylanders, Addy DaddyUsed with permission.Character Art & AnimationNadia Dar - https://nadsdardraws.carrd.co/Trammin.comTrammin' is written without the use of Artificial Intelligence.©Trammin' - A Disneyland Podcast

There is so much happening right above our heads that we never even notice. In this conversation with pastor and author Kevin Burrell, we talk about why Jesus told us to consider the birds and what we're missing when we don't. From crows that bring gifts to families that keep bird lists together, this conversation is full of fascinating stories, but it's really about something much bigger: paying attention. It turns out wisdom isn't found by rushing through life. Sometimes it begins with simply looking up. Learn more at ornitheology.com and grab a copy of the lovely book Considering Sparrows Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/family-devotions/20260626fam.mp3 Listen to Devotion Read: Matthew 10:5a,21-33 [Jesus said] Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father's care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. Matthew 10:29-33 Safe in God's Care In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Imagine you saw a job description that read something like this: WANTED: Someone willing to work long hours for little pay. You won't see your family as much. Some people won't like you. Some may even be angry with you. You might have to leave your home and travel to new places. Your job will never end. Would you want that job? That doesn't sound very exciting, does it? It's not so different from what Jesus told his disciples when he sent them out to tell others about him. Jesus wanted them to know that sharing God’s Word would not always be easy. And Jesus doesn’t just send pastors and missionaries. He sends all of us to tell others about him. Sometimes people don’t want to hear about Jesus. Sometimes they disagree with what God says. Sometimes they may even make fun of Christians. That happened to Jesus' disciples. All of them suffered. Most of them gave their lives for their faith because they shared the good news about Jesus. But Jesus didn’t tell those things to scare them. He told them something better. Jesus said: “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care” (verse 29). Sparrows are tiny birds. Most people barely notice them. But God notices every single one. “Even the very hairs of your head are all numbered” (verse 30). God knows everything about you. He knows your name. He knows your thoughts. He knows your joys and your fears. And because he loves you so much, Jesus says: “Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows” (verse 31). What a promise! When Jesus sends us to share our faith, he doesn’t send us alone. He walks beside us. He watches over us. He cares for us every day. So, imagine reading this instead: WANTED: Someone to see God’s love every day. You’ll walk side-by-side with a Savior who never leaves you. There will be challenges, but you never need to be afraid. God will care for you so closely that he even knows how many hairs are on your head. And one day you’ll live with him forever in heaven. You don’t have to imagine it. That’s exactly the life Jesus has given you. Prayer: Jesus, help me see the beautiful, challenging, wonderful, grace-filled life you've called me to, and let me speak your Word faithfully here until you bring me faithfully home to heaven. Amen. The questions below are to help families discuss this devotion. The questions are divided by age group as suggestions, but anyone could reflect on any of the questions as they desire. Questions for Younger Children Why do you think Jesus talked about sparrows? What does it mean that God knows even how many hairs are on your head? Questions for Elementary Age Children Why can you be brave when you talk about Jesus or share your faith? Who is someone you know that shares Jesus with others? Pray for them together. Questions for Middle School and Above Jesus says that following him can sometimes be hard. If nobody has ever given you a hard time because you’re a Christian, does that mean you aren’t sharing your faith well? Why or why not? What does Jesus promise to do for those who acknowledge him before others? (see verse 32) Download Family Devotions Family Devotions are brought to you by WELS Discipleship. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

https://wels2.blob.core.windows.net/daily-devotions/20260624dev.mp3 Listen to Devotion [Jesus said] “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:29-31 You Are Worth More Than Sparrows Sparrows are easy to overlook. They are small, common, and inexpensive. In Jesus’ time, two sparrows could be bought for just one penny. No one built monuments for sparrows. No one wrote headlines about them. Most people barely noticed them at all. Yet, God noticed. Jesus tells us that not one sparrow falls to the ground outside the Father’s care. Then he turns to you and says, “So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.” That does not mean your life will be painless. Jesus spoke these words while warning his disciples that following him would bring hardship. Some people would reject them. Some would hate them. Some would even persecute them. Still, they did not need to be afraid. Why? Because their Father saw them, knew them, and treasured them. That is true for you, too. There may be days when you feel small and forgotten. You may wonder if anyone sees what you are carrying on your heart. You may feel like your prayers are too ordinary, your problems too common, your fears too small for God to notice. But Jesus says your Father knows even the hairs of your head. He knows your name. He knows your needs. He knows your weaknesses. Most of all, he knows the price paid for you, not pennies, not silver or gold, but the holy, precious blood of his Son. You are not forgotten, and you are not cheap. You are not outside your Father’s care. So do not be afraid. The God who watches over sparrows is certainly watching over you. Prayer: Father, when I feel small or afraid, remind me that I am precious to you through Jesus. Help me trust your care today. Amen. Daily Devotions is brought to you by WELS. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Please consider writing Fr. Bob a card on his retirement or participating in a tribute video. Cards can be sent or dropped off to the parish office by July 10, 2026. Letters can be mailed to: Fr. Bob Cedolia, 81 S. 13th Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15203. Please also consider participating in a tribute video for Fr. Bob. You can share a picture, a message of gratitude or a story with Fr. Bob. The deadline to submit is June 24, 2026. type in the link below. https://www.tribute.co/fr-bobs-retirement/?invite=link Opening: #633 For the Beauty of the Earth Psalm 169: Lord, in your great love, answer me (Mayernik) Presentation: #588 I Have Loved You Closing: #685 How Can I Keep from Singing Organist: Bill Brinzer Celebrants: Father Bob Cedolia and Deacon Frank Szemanski Today's readings (via USCCB): bible.usccb.org/daily-bible-reading For more information, visit our parish website at MaryQueenofPeacePGH.org.

We're going to start off talking about Christian coffee mugs. Have you noticed that most that fit this criterion are pretty specific types of Bible verses? Yeah, there are definitely some passages that don't end up on a mug, or a t-shirt. Like the passage we're reading today. Some of the things Jesus says here are hard to digest. They don't necessarily fit the image we have of a gentle prophet and shepherd inviting us to join him. They're a bit harsher and direct. Do not be afraid. Jesus says it three times in this little section of teaching. We'll hang here for a few moments. Fear shrinks us. Fear makes us want to hide. Fear tells us to be quiet, to not shake things up or else we're going to lose people; real relationships might disappear. He's trying to tell it like it is, trying to prepare them. Following Jesus is costly. You will be afraid. Then he says the thing about the student not being above the teacher. In other words, Jesus is saying, "If they misunderstand me, they'll misunderstand you. If they mock me, they'll mock you. If they call me evil, they'll call you all sorts of things." We spend way too much time and energy trying to make people like us. But there's a weird kind of freedom that comes when we stop trying to get everyone's approval. We're then free to get down to the business of actually loving people. Then he says the thing about what he tells them in the dark they should speak in the daytime. Faith often grows in the dark. They've been listening to Jesus privately for some months. Now it's time to live it in public. What could that look like? Then he says the thing about not bringing peace, but a sword. We're not talking about a sharp metal thing. We're talking about the truth Jesus brings. It brings division. Not because Jesus enjoys division, people just respond to truth differently. When people give their loyalty to Jesus above all others, even families don't understand. It's why he says the thing about fathers and mothers. Then he says the thing about taking up a cross and following him. The disciples aren't hearing jewelry that they could wear around their neck. They're hearing death. We ought to hear death, too. The death of self. The death of ego. The death of always having to be right. Little deaths everyday until resurrection is possible. We could be afraid. Or we could remember the thing Jesus says about the sparrows. Easily overlooked. Ordinary. But God sees them. And we're worth more than many sparrows. We are known and loved and held by the divine. Sometimes knowing that gives us all the courage we need to follow Jesus. Speaker: Aaron Vis Scripture: Matthew 10:24-39 http://bible.com/events/49626856

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Jesus is saying it very plainly— He's laying it right out there—that His messengers, His apostles, should expect persecution. Jesus even goes as far to say that His apostles should expect being flogged. Should we expect persecution as modern-day followers of Jesus? Join us as we look at a passage in Matthew 10, and along the way we also think about what it means to pledge our allegience to Christ.

4th Sunday after Pentecost Gospel Reading- Matthew 10: 24-39

Twelfth Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)

Matthew 10:16-33

We worship together in-person and stream our service each week. If you would like to watch the entire worship service, it is available to view on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@WPCRICHMOND/streams.This morning, we welcome Rev. Anna C. GheenScripture: Matthew 10:24-39

Year A – Pentecost 4; Lectionary 12 – June 21, 2026 Pastor Megan Floyd Matthew 10:24-39 Grace and peace to you from God, our Creator, from the Holy Spirit, our Sustainer, and from Jesus Christ, to whom we belong. Amen. Year A – Pentecost 4; Lectionary 12 – June 21, 2026 Pastor Megan Floyd               Matthew 10:24-39 Grace and peace to you from God, our Creator, from the Holy Spirit, our Sustainer, and from Jesus Christ, to whom we belong. Amen. *** Happy Father's Day! …this is not the text I would have chosen for this day, but that is the beauty and challenge of following the lectionary. …we don't get to shy away from the hard texts. …and we trust that even the hard truths carry good news. So here we are… following Jesus will cause division, even among families. It is uncomfortable… but I think we all know that it is true… and perhaps, I am sure… some of us have experienced this in our own lives. Discipleship will cost us all something, but it never costs us God's love. That is also true. Our text today is the very next lines from the same missionary discourse we began reading last week. Jesus is sending his disciples out to share the good news that the kingdom of heaven has come near… sending them out with compassion to bring peace and healing. And yet, Jesus is honest… he is sending them out like sheep among wolves. Not all will accept this invitation of love and light. This mission is not without tension. It wasn't then… and it isn't now. Jesus states it plainly… following him will create conflict in our lives. Even if you are blessed with a family that all follows the way of Christ together, you are still at odds with much of our culture today. Following the way of Christ means to honor and cherish the inherent value and worth of every living thing… while our culture teaches that greed and personal wants and needs supersede the needs of others, and that some people are disposable… unwanted… and unwelcome. Following the way of Christ and bringing close the kingdom of heaven means we are to be especially compassionate for those who are pushed down and exploited by our systems, while also working to break those systems… and yet… our culture celebrates systems of exploitation where one person can become a trillionaire while millions are starving. Remember what God said in Isaiah 58:6-7… "Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them and not to hide yourself from your own kin?" …your own kin. This is the way of Christ… to recognize that the other person, no matter how different… is your own kin. This is the way that puts us at odds with our culture because it disrupts systems of power… …it can put us at odds with our families because it places God and love for others as our priority… Jesus isn't glorifying division or the power of the sword… he is saying that sometimes faithfulness has consequences. This is the way of Christ… it is contrary to the powers of empire… contrary to the powers of domination… this is the way of living that landed Jesus on that cross. I think it's pretty rational to look at Jesus on the cross and say… nope… no thank you. I understand… when some turn away in despair… and say it is too hard… it costs… too much. Going against the grain is not easy… it is not irrational to be afraid of the consequences, but Jesus names that fear out loud… and up front… Fear becomes powerful when it stays hidden, but Jesus names the cost of following him so that fear can lose some of its grip… so that the disciples can go… and share the good news that the kingdom of heaven has come near in the person of Jesus. But… it is Father's Day… and this message does not wrap us in cozy familial images… so I want to say this clearly… Jesus is not attacking family. He is, however, reordering our lives… and our priorities. No family, however loving, can ultimately bear the weight of being our deepest source of identity. Our children do not complete us… our salvation does not come from our parents… and no earthly relationship can tell us what only God can tell us… who we are… and whose we are. Jesus has just laid out the hard truth, but in his compassion, he reminds them… he reminds us… that God has his eye on the sparrow, and yet, we are more valuable to God than many sparrows. In the ancient world, sparrows were nearly worthless in the marketplace. They were the cheapest meat the poor could buy. And yet, Jesus says that not one of them escapes God's attention. So do not be afraid… you are a child of God, and loved beyond measure. After September 11, attorney Kenneth Feinberg led the fund that compensated victims' families. Formulas were used – income, age, earning potential. Some lives were assigned values many times larger than others." Later, he reflected that his legal training collided with something growing in him… the conviction that all lives carry equal worth. But our world still measures people that way… measures productivity and achievement… income and status… usefulness to others. Even on a day like today, we measure ourselves as parents… children… providers… Am I successful enough? …Did I do enough? …and I enough? But Jesus has an entirely different system of measurement. Simply put… we have value because we are creatures… just like sparrows… we belong to God. We matter because God made us… and loves us… and because we bear God's image. Our value is not earned… it can never be earned… it simply… is. We are valuable and beloved to God. And because we have God's attention, we will never be abandoned… for even the hairs of your head are all counted. Notice… however… that despite God's attention, Jesus doesn't promise safety… he doesn't claim that discipleship will never come with pain. He is up front about the cost. He says, "Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it." (Matt. 10:39) What Jesus promises… is holy attention… divine presence in our lives… he promises that, in a world where no one can ever possibly, fully know another person completely… that God does… God fully knows you better than you know yourself… right down to the number of hairs on your head. And Jesus promises that there is nothing in our lives that falls outside of the circle of God's care… not our joys… not our grief… our failures or our fears. Not even the small, sparrow-sized things… God cares about it all. For God has spoken to us before we could speak ourselves… and claimed us as God's beloved children. Before we could prove anything… earn anything… fail or succeed at anything… God said, "You are mine, and I love you." So, when we know that our Creator holds us so closely in love, then we can venture out with courage into a difficult world. We can remain faithful disciples, even when it costs us something… we can carry crosses. We can lean into the way of Christ when the path would have us go another way… even if that causes strain on our relationships. Because discipleship will, indeed, cost us all something, but it never costs us God's love… God's love is assured. Sparrows and disciples alike – we know God watches us, and in God's sight, there are no unimportant lives. Amen.  

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Of More Value than Sparrows, Matthew 10.16-33, Romans 5.15-19 In light of being sent by Jesus out to proclaim the kingdom, Jesus warns his apostles of the difficulties they will face amongst the people they go to. This warning extends far beyond the immediate mission they are going on, but expands to include all of church history. There is persecution and mockery faced Christians of all ages. Why does this happen? How are we to respond to these hardships? Jesus reminds us that even in the midst of persecution, we are more valuable than the sparrows and hairs upon our heads, things which God the Father does care about, yet not as much as he cares for us.Image: Sparrows, photo taken by hedera_baltica, license CC BY-SA 2.0. No changes made. Image location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/hedera_baltica/23727592494/in/photostream/

Subscribe to the Better Part podcast today! Gospel reflection for 3-6 year olds for the 12th Sunday in Ordinary Time, year A.

In this episode, Jesus prepares his disciples for a hard truth: the Gospel often provokes conflict, not comfort, and a sword, not worldly peace. Yet woven through these warnings is a repeated promise—“Do not be afraid”—because the kingdom of God does not depend on your strength, your courage, or your ability to hold on to Christ. The same Lord who knows every sparrow and every hair on your head sends his people into a hostile world with one message worth proclaiming from the rooftops: sinners are forgiven, and Christ's mercy refuses to stay behind closed doors.GOSPEL Matthew 10:24-3924 “A disciple is not above the teacher, nor a slave above the master; 25 it is enough for the disciple to be like the teacher, and the slave like the master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more will they malign those of his household!26 “So have no fear of them; for nothing is covered up that will not be uncovered, and nothing secret that will not become known. 27 What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops. 28 Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30 And even the hairs of your head are all counted. 31 So do not be afraid; you are of more value than many sparrows.32 “Everyone therefore who acknowledges me before others, I also will acknowledge before my Father in heaven; 33 but whoever denies me before others, I also will deny before my Father in heaven.34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; 36  and one's foes will be members of one's own household. 37 Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38 and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it."Support the showInterested in sponsoring an episode of Scripture First?Email Sarah at sarah@lhos.org or visit our donation page: lutherhouseofstudy.org/donate

We're bringing back our episode with Dr. Chris Moorman on the use of prescribed fire during the nesting season.    Resources: Kilburg, Eric L., et al. "Wild turkey nest survival and nest‐site selection in the presence of growing‐season prescribed fire." The Journal of Wildlife Management 78.6 (2014): 1033-1039. Kilburg, Eric L., et al. "Wild turkey prenesting-resource selection in a landscape managed with frequent prescribed fire." Southeastern Naturalist 14.1 (2015): 137-146. Kroeger, Anthony J., et al. "Northern bobwhite non‐breeding habitat selection in a longleaf pine woodland." The Journal of Wildlife Management 84.7 (2020): 1348-1360. Winiarski, Jason M., et al. "Nest-site selection and nest survival of Bachman's Sparrows in two longleaf pine communities." The Condor: Ornithological Applications 119.3 (2017): 361-374.   Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab   We've launched our second online wild turkey course  ! Enroll in  Wild Turkey Manager: Biology, History & Habitat to learn about the principal biology, mating, behavior, food selection, human dimensions, hunter interactions, and historical context of wild turkeys. This course is accredited by the Society of American Foresters as a Category 2 course worth 7 Continuing Forestry Education credits. Participants can also earn up to 5 CEUs in Category I of The Wildlife Society's Certified Wildlife Biologist Program. Enroll now: https://tinyurl.com/WildTurkeyManagerBio   Be sure to check out our first comprehensive online wild turkey course featuring experts across multiple institutions that specialize in habitat management and population management for wild turkeys. Earn up to 20.5 CFE hours! Enroll Now!    Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow  UF Game Lab @ufgamelab, YouTube   Want to help wild turkey conservation? Please take our quick survey to take part in our research!   Do you have a topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com!   Watch these podcasts on YouTube   Please help us by taking our (quick) listener survey - Thank you!    Check out the DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube   Want to help support the podcast? Our friends at Grounded Brand have an option to donate directly to Wild Turkey Science at checkout. Thank you in advance for your support!   Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear!   This podcast is made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow, a grassroots organization dedicated to the wild turkey. To learn more about TFT, go to turkeysfortomorrow.org.    Music by Artlist.io Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak

We're bringing back our episode with Dr. Chris Moorman on the use of prescribed fire during the nesting season.    Resources: Kilburg, Eric L., et al. "Wild turkey nest survival and nest‐site selection in the presence of growing‐season prescribed fire." The Journal of Wildlife Management 78.6 (2014): 1033-1039. Kilburg, Eric L., et al. "Wild turkey prenesting-resource selection in a landscape managed with frequent prescribed fire." Southeastern Naturalist 14.1 (2015): 137-146. Kroeger, Anthony J., et al. "Northern bobwhite non‐breeding habitat selection in a longleaf pine woodland." The Journal of Wildlife Management 84.7 (2020): 1348-1360. Winiarski, Jason M., et al. "Nest-site selection and nest survival of Bachman's Sparrows in two longleaf pine communities." The Condor: Ornithological Applications 119.3 (2017): 361-374.   Our lab is primarily funded by donations. If you would like to help support our work, please donate here: http://UFgive.to/UFGameLab   We've launched our second online wild turkey course  ! Enroll in  Wild Turkey Manager: Biology, History & Habitat to learn about the principal biology, mating, behavior, food selection, human dimensions, hunter interactions, and historical context of wild turkeys. This course is accredited by the Society of American Foresters as a Category 2 course worth 7 Continuing Forestry Education credits. Participants can also earn up to 5 CEUs in Category I of The Wildlife Society's Certified Wildlife Biologist Program. Enroll now: https://tinyurl.com/WildTurkeyManagerBio   Be sure to check out our first comprehensive online wild turkey course featuring experts across multiple institutions that specialize in habitat management and population management for wild turkeys. Earn up to 20.5 CFE hours! Enroll Now!    Dr. Marcus Lashley @DrDisturbance, Publications Dr. Will Gulsby @dr_will_gulsby, Publications Turkeys for Tomorrow @turkeysfortomorrow  UF Game Lab @ufgamelab, YouTube   Want to help wild turkey conservation? Please take our quick survey to take part in our research!   Do you have a topic you'd like us to cover? Leave us a review or send us an email at wildturkeyscience@gmail.com!   Watch these podcasts on YouTube   Please help us by taking our (quick) listener survey - Thank you!    Check out the DrDisturbance YouTube channel! DrDisturbance YouTube   Want to help support the podcast? Our friends at Grounded Brand have an option to donate directly to Wild Turkey Science at checkout. Thank you in advance for your support!   Leave a podcast rating for a chance to win free gear!   This podcast is made possible by Turkeys for Tomorrow, a grassroots organization dedicated to the wild turkey. To learn more about TFT, go to turkeysfortomorrow.org.    Music by Artlist.io Produced & edited by Charlotte Nowak

In this episode of Book Talks Podcast, we're sharing everything we read in May and what we're hoping to read in June!We discuss our thoughts on Shield of Sparrows, Golden Son, The Shippers, and the surprise books that completely took over Kayla's reading month. Kayla dives into her newfound obsession with Maggie Gates, why Our Perfect Storm might be her favorite book of the year, and why she's ready to reread some all-time favorite romances. Meanwhile, Marisa shares her honest thoughts on The Nightingale, discusses a disappointing thriller read, and talks about balancing a never-ending TBR.We also chat about:✨ The pregnancy trope debate✨ Why some authors become auto-buy authors✨ June reading goals and anticipated releases✨ Off Campus and Elle Kennedy obsession✨ Morning Star predictions and Red Rising theories✨ Summer reading plans and Kindle Unlimited recommendationsBooks Mentioned:Shield of Sparrows by Devney PerryThe Shippers by E.J. SchultzGolden Son by Pierce BrownDust Storm by Maggie GatesFire Line by Maggie GatesPoker Face by Maggie GatesOur Perfect Storm by Carley FortuneEvery Summer After by Carley FortuneCold World by Alicia ThompsonOn Wings of Blood by Briar BoleynBonds That Burn by Briar BoleynThe Nightingale by Kristin HannahIt's Not Her by Mary KubicaThe Deal by Elle KennedyMorning Star by Pierce BrownBlue Jeans Summer by Maggie GatesFirst and Forever by Eve DangerfieldFever Dream by Elsie SilverFollow us on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and Fable: @BookTalksPodcast

In today's BookTalks Podcast episode, we're reviewing Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry and discussing whether this new fantasy romance has what it takes to become the next massive fantasy series.From the worldbuilding and characters to the romance, plot twists, and overall reading experience, we're breaking down everything we loved, what surprised us, and whether we think Shield of Sparrows deserves all the attention it's been getting.Could this be the next fantasy obsession for readers who loved Fourth Wing, romantasy, and epic fantasy adventures? Join us as we share our full thoughts and recommendations.Have you read Shield of Sparrows? Let us know your rating in the comments!Subscribe for weekly book reviews, reading vlogs, fantasy discussions, and BookTalks Podcast episodes.#ShieldOfSparrows #DevneyPerry #FantasyBooks #BookReview #Romantasy

Bridget, Caitlin, and Hilda conclude their coverage of "Rites of the Starling," book 2 in Devney Perry's Shield of Sparrows series. So if you listened to part 1, then you know there were questions about the timelines between Caspia and Odessa, and we promise that we got answers to how they're connected so listen now. But SPOILER WARNING: There may be tears involved.  Join our Patreon for exclusive behind-the-scenes content and let's be friends!Instagram > @Booktokmademe_podTikTok > @BooktokMadeMe

We start talking about Remarkably Bright Creatures (with spoilers) around the 22 minute mark. This week we're talking about our March Book Club pick: Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt! We had very differing opinions about the book but all really loved the movie! We talk about the movie and book at the same time throughout the episode so make sure you are caught up before listening. We do cover some book news at the start and have to talk about the incredible Michael movie and F1 at the end so there's plenty to enjoy outside of the book chats!   Currently Reading: Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry A Hard Row to Hoe by blessedtoaster Pines by Blake Crouch Fury Bound by Sable Sorensen

Send us Fan MailRites of the Starling, Rites of the Starling, Rites of the Starling…if you say it three times, does The Guardian appear?

Three years of It Gets Good means it's finally time for the ultimate starter pack episode. We're breaking down the books that define our reading taste, the episodes new listeners should start with, our most unhinged opinions and recurring podcast lore, and the moments that somehow became core memories. Whether you've been here since day one or just found us, this is your guide to everything that makes It Gets Good what it is. Consider this your official orientation into the chaos. Currently Reading: A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry Hidden Valley Road by Robert Kolker Dire Bound by Sable Sorensen  

Bridget, Caitlin, and Hilda give you part 1 of "Rites of the Starling," book 2 in Devney Perry's Shield of Sparrows series, one of their favorite books from 2025. Book 2 in the trilogy does give us new main character POV chapters, so the biggest question our hosts have is how does Caspia's timeline fit with Odessa's? And are they able to figure this out by reading the first 50% of the book ... or will they hae to wait until part 2 to figure it out?  Join our Patreon for exclusive behind-the-scenes content and let's be friends!Instagram > @Booktokmademe_podTikTok > @BooktokMadeMe

This episode starts with fantasy books and somehow ends with us questioning an entire city rebrand.We talk about our newest obsession, Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry, why everyone at The Book Burrow suddenly became obsessed with the series, and what makes a fantasy book actually work for casual readers.Then we dive into the controversy surrounding Lebanon, Missouri's new logo after reports claimed the city spent $75,000 on a rebrand. As local small business owners… we have questions.We also get into bookstore updates, weird internet trends, dangerous cave diving videos, kindergarten graduations, and why your husband probably isn't actually your best friend.Normal podcast behavior, honestly.

Send us Fan MailSo what happened in Shield of Sparrows? Well, we will tell ya! We're not sure about you, but we know that when we love a book… like five star love… infinity star obsession-level love… we forget absolutely everything that happened. It's a black out phenomenon that cannot be explained. Which is exactly what we both experienced last year when we read Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry for the first time. Go check out our live Besties & the Book Club playback (linked below) and our ongoing Fable chats for even more SOS content!So here we are almost a year later after a full reread, and this time we're prepared! Because we want to help all of you recap this amazing book in preparation for our deep dive into the second installment (out now!) Rites of the Starling, which drops in just one week! And eventually we'll need to look back when book three comes out next year… boy are these NOT the books to go into without thorough recaps!Today we'll give our spoiler free star and spice ratings and then get into a full spoiler-y recap, notable characters, creatures, places, lore, and Easter eggs so you have an easy go-to guide to prepare. Then of course we dive into tropes, characters, reviews, the audiobook, and even fancasting! Because, why not? It's becoming a movie after all! We're bringing you all of this, plus a weekly fave and fail and a bear related smash or pass!Don't be shy, subscribe! New Podcasts every Tuesday!! (And sometimes Friday!…)Shop our Merch line | *  https://besties-and-the-books-shop.fourthwall.comCheck out these narrator interviews? ⬇️Anthony Palmini gives us the lowdown on what it's like to voice act Rhysand, Kingfisher, AND Slade Ravinger! https://youtu.be/zcCyrlZ5Jcc?si=2k7ULbRPgZl_5pUJCheck out these author interviews? ⬇️We interviewed Callie Hart all about her NYT Bestseller Quicksilver! Watch it here! https://youtu.be/CED5s7qDBdQ?si=8xtIRO1IzX6Rsld4Check the official Follow Up Author Interview with Lindsay Straube of the Split or Swallow Universe all about Between Two Kings! https://youtu.be/OW1cxXTVcTc?si=oOxVIzbIheET_bNE____Shop Bookish Merch we are wearing:Ashley is wearing a tye dye Skelton Peace Sign Hoodie from @Etsy | * https://go.magik.ly/ml/3rhwa/Liz is wearing a light grey “WIFE”? sweaterAny link with an * is an affiliate link through the service Magic Links and is eligible for a commission to us with no extra cost to you. Thank you for helping support our podcast!Support the showYouTube | TikTok | Instagram | Podcast Platforms@BestiesandtheBooksPodcast Besties and the Book Club on Fable!https://fable.co/bestiesandthebookclub-474863489358Liz Instagram | TikTok@TheRealLifeVeganWife AshleyInstagram | TikTok@AshleyEllix

In today's episode, we are reading one star reviews of some of our recent reads. We did this last year and had fun reading through all the hilarious reviews so we decided to bring it back! Overall we found some really good reviews and tried our best to guess what book they were about. We also had to recap the fantastic F1 weekend in Miami - finally feels like we're back!!   Currently Reading: The Good Parts by Evann Normandin Want to Know a Secret by Frieda McFadden A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry

This episode we're discussing Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry. This is the sequel to Shield of Sparrows. Odessa and Evie have been separated from Ransom. They plan to meet up with him in Quentis, but encounter quite a few issues along the way. When they do finally arrive, it is not a warm welcome, they are attacked on multiple occasions and even framed for crimes. It all seems connected to the Vosters. Will Odessa, Evie, and Ransom be able to survive the journey and figure out the secret behind the Vosters magic before the Lyssa overtakes Ransom?A new character is also introduced - Caspia. She is from a different continent and is traveling to avenge her sister's death. However, when she meets Andreas and falls in love, her plans must change. Will she be able to complete her quest? Or will the responsibility fall on Andreas?

Book Besties Season 10 Episode 14: Shield of SparrowsWelcome back, Besties! In the penultimate episode of Book Besties Podcast, the Besties talk about the viral romantasy sensation Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry. Join them as they talk world building, originality of text, and hypothesize about what the next book will bring.Things talked about in this episode: Book April Recommends: https://bit.ly/4eEMAXmJ. Penner: https://jpennerauthor.com/ Correction: the fourth member of the Now and Then cast was Meanie Griffith https://bit.ly/4eDR68y Meet Molly and April, they bonded over books and became Book Besties. So, what do you do when you find your book bestie? Start a podcast of course. Hang out with April and Molly as they talk about everything they love and hate about books. Follow the Book Besties on Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, and YouTube. If you'd like to contact the Book Besties, please email us at bookbestiespod@gmail.com or visit our website bookbestiespodcast.com. This episode is sponsored by Carpe Librium: Bookish Things for Bookish People. Use the code NEWTHINGS2026 to save $5 off of your order of $25 or more at https://beawesomereadbooks.com.

A freebie Patreon episode to give you a taste of what we do over there.Henry tells Mike and Ben three stories by the Brothers Grimm.www.patreon.com/threebeansalad

Between 1959 and 1961, between thirty and forty million people starved to death in China. The Great Famine had many causes, and one of them was a campaign to eradicate sparrows.Shaoda Wang of the University of Chicago tells Tim Phillips about Mao Zedong's 1958 Four Pests Campaign, which led to the mass killing of sparrows, set off a chain of consequences that scientists had warned about, but political pressure had silenced. Sparrows eat crops, but they also eat the locusts and other insects that destroy the crops. Remove the sparrows and the pests go unchecked. Wang and his co-authors estimate the eradication cut national grain yields by 8-9%, accounting for roughly a fifth of the total agricultural decline during the famine.The research behind this episode:Frank, Eyal G., Qinyun Wang, Shaoda Wang, Xuebin Wang, and Yang You. 2024. "Campaigning for Extinction: Eradication of Sparrows and the Great Famine in China." NBER Working Paper 34087.To cite this episode:Phillips, Tim, and Shaoda Wang. 2025. "How killing sparrows contributed to the Great Chinese Famine.” VoxDev Talk (podcast). Assign this as extra listening. The citation above is formatted and ready for a reading list or VLE.About Shaoda WangShaoda Wang is an assistant professor at the Harris School of Public Policy, University of Chicago. His research spans environmental economics, political economy and development, with a focus on how state capacity and political incentives shape environmental and health outcomes in China and other developing countries.Research cited in this episodeThe Four Pests Campaign (1958). Launched as part of Mao Zedong's Great Leap Forward, the campaign targeted rats, flies, mosquitoes and sparrows. Sparrows were included on the grounds that they ate grain and reduced agricultural yields. Several prominent Chinese scientists warned at the time that removing sparrows would destabilise the food chain by eliminating a key predator of crop pests, particularly locusts. Their advice was ignored. The campaign resulted in the killing of an estimated two billion sparrows.County gazetteers as a data source. Official harvest data reported by local governments to the central government during the Great Leap Forward was heavily inflated; local officials faced strong political incentives to overstate output, and those exaggerated figures contributed to the famine by masking food shortages from central planners. Wang and his co-authors instead use county gazetteers: records compiled by local elites through a bottom-up process with no link to the political reward structures that distorted official reporting. Comparison between the two sources reveals the scale of over-reporting in the official data.Sparrow habitat suitability index. Rather than relying on reported sparrow kill counts, which were distorted by local officials seeking to demonstrate compliance with campaign targets, the paper constructs an index of how suitable each county's climate and ecological conditions are for sparrow habitation. Counties with high sparrow suitability were more exposed to the shock of eradication; comparing their crop yield and mortality trajectories against low-suitability counties before and after the campaign provides the causal identification strategy. The two groups followed similar trajectories before the campaign; divergence afterwards is attributed to the eradication.State food procurement as a famine amplifier. The Great Famine was not simply a production shortfall. The central government continued to export food during the famine years because inflated harvest reports gave it no signal of the actual crisis. State procurement quotas extracted grain from rural communities at a time when households were already facing starvation; the political system that caused the sparrow eradication was also the mechanism that amplified its consequences.More VoxDev Talks on this topicThe economics of ecosystems: How nature and economies interact. Eyal Frank of the University of Chicago — a co-author of the sparrows paper — on how to measure the economic value of biodiversity. His research on bats and white-nose syndrome, and on desert locusts, shows what happens when natural pest control collapses; the sparrows episode is the historical counterpart.Related reading on VoxDevThe political economy of policy learning: Evidence from China, a VoxDev article on how misaligned incentives across China's political hierarchy distort policy experimentation and produce systematically exaggerated signals — the same dynamic that inflated both the sparrow kill counts and the harvest figures during the Great Leap Forward.Autocratic rule and social capital: Evidence from Imperial China, a VoxDev article on the long-run effects of political persecution under autocratic rule in China, and how the suppression of dissent shapes economic and social behaviour across generations.The economics of conservation in low- and middle-income countries, a VoxDev article surveying the evidence on maintaining natural ecosystems, the role of governance, and the costs of losing species whose economic value is not yet understood.

Remember how Danelle and I lost our minds about Shield of Sparrows? Well…that was child's play compared to how utterly ruined we are after reading Rites of the Starling. Is it worth the hype? You betcha!

God can speak through a donkey, so why not birds? This week, the Etcetera gang enjoys a winsome and thought-provoking conversation with pastor/author/birder Kevin Burrell about powerful lessons we can learn from our feathered friends. The post Kevin Burrell | Considering Sparrows | Steve Brown, Etc. appeared first on Key Life.

I'm not an avid bird watcher, but I've long been interested in the way birds intervene in our lives, our stories, our cultural myths. Think about the story of the raven and the dove in the Genesis account of the flood. Or the use of the dove as a symbol of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. Jesus said that the foxes have their dens and the birds have their nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head to rest. He commanded us to consider the sparrows if we are to learn about the Kingdom of God. One of the most famous stories in western literature is a story told by the Venerable Bede more than a thousand years ago. He tells the story of a bird fleeing a storm and darkness by flying into a great hall. The bird then flies out the other side. The Venerable Bede says that the time the bird spent in the hall was like the span of our lives. Short, and surrounded by mystery. But the Christian story tells us what is beyond the boundaries of our lives, This story is credited with playing a major role in the Christianization of England. The lessons of birds have concerned Pastor Kevin Burrell for years. And he has written a new book about his adventures with theology and with birds. Considering Sparrows: What Birds Teach us About Who We Are, Where We Are Going, and the Joy of Following Jesus. I love this book, and I am delighted to have Kevin on the program to talk about it. Kevin Burrell is the co-lead Pastor of StoneBridge Church Community in Charlotte, North Carolina. An avid birder, Kevin's pastoral heart and avian interests united with the formation of his blog, Ornitheology, where he utilizes birds as illustrations of the Christian life. He lives in Charlotte with his wife Beverly, three children, and five birdfeeders. The producer for today's program is Jeff McIntosh. Until next time, may God bless you.

Spoilers for Shield of Sparrows and Rites of The Starling in Part 2!In this episode, Lexi and Nicole share their reactions to Rites of the Starling by Devney Perry! Part 1 of this episode is spoiler free for Rites of the Starling BUT contains spoilers for Shield of Sparrows. In part 2, LOTS of spoilers for BOTH books as the Fangirls share their favorite moments, the most important things they learned, and allllll the questions they still have for book 3! You don't want to miss this! CHECK OUT THE FANTASY FANFELLAS PODCAST FEED: https://open.spotify.com/show/2JVloDSbL0b6NSeztH88PA?si=cb02cb48bd0e4f7fCHECK OUT THE FANTASY FANREADS PODCAST FEED: https://open.spotify.com/show/5Mb1aFjzrH35xHWfWQHpCM?si=6dbaf579009d4961Check out our recent sponsors: https://www.fantasyfangirls.com/sponsorsJoin the FanClub: https://fantasyfangirls.com/fanclubShop our merch: https://fantasyfangirls.myshopify.com/Support the show through our Amazon Shop: https://www.amazon.com/shop/fantasyfangirlspodcastNewsletter: https://fantasyfangirls.com/newsletterWebsite: https://www.fantasyfangirls.com/ Upcoming events:* FFG Live Show Tour Tickets go on sale THIS FRIDAY 4/24 (Wed 4/22 for the FanClub)Chicago, IL 9/9 https://lh-st.com/shows/09-09-2026-fantasy-fangirlsCharlotte, NC 9/24 https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/2D006490B4914F06NYC, NY 9/27 https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0000648FD7F4EB72Ballad Release Party Denver, CO - https://events.humanitix.com/ballad-release-partyThe Dragon Gauntlet - Chapter 3: Use code FFG15 at checkout to get $15 OFF!LandCon in Edinburgh, Scotland - https://thelandcon.com/land-con-in-scotland-2/*For all Event Discounts - go to https://fantasyfangirls.supercast.com/subscriber_v2/posts/6891Listen now:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/24KydMMzrYfVpDggkFZx4j?si=fd7dc956393041b8Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fantasy-fangirls/id1706179464YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@fantasyfangirlsFollow us:Instagram: @fantasyfangirlspod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@fantasyfangirlspod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Fantasy FanFellas: @fantasyfanfellasFantasy FanReads: @fantasyfanreads Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we talk through all of the books we read in March! Micaela read a whopping 5 books which everyone was very excited for, and Kyleigh and Hannah had a very successful reading month. We also deep dive into all of the Summer House drama because we have to give our thoughts on it, as well as touch on some F1 updates.    Currently Reading: Shield of Sparrows by Devney Perry The Night We Met by Abby Jimenez The One by Kiera Cass This Story Might Save your Life by Tiffany Crum

SPOILERS FOR SHIELD OF SPARROWSNicole & Lexi walk through everythingggg you need to know about Shield of Sparrows in preparation for the sequel, Rites of the Starling, on April 7th! This episode walks you through the basic world building and main characters, along with the magic systems and monsters found within this story. To prepare you for the sequel, we have a brief recap of Shield of Sparrows and discuss where the story leaves off. And as always, we wrap up with our theories for the next book! We hope this gets you ready for the next book – we know we can't wait!!!CHECK OUT THE FANTASY FANFELLAS PODCAST FEED: https://open.spotify.com/show/2JVloDSbL0b6NSeztH88PA?si=cb02cb48bd0e4f7fArt of the Monsters in Shield of Sparrows: https://www.instagram.com/p/DIT0FNbxZox/?img_index=5Check out our recent sponsors: https://www.fantasyfangirls.com/sponsorsJoin the FanClub: https://fantasyfangirls.com/fanclubShop our merch: https://fantasyfangirls.myshopify.com/Support the show through our Amazon Shop: https://www.amazon.com/shop/fantasyfangirlspodcastNewsletter: https://fantasyfangirls.com/newsletterWebsite: https://www.fantasyfangirls.com/ Upcoming events:* Denver Nuggets Forth Wing Night Denver, CO - Sold OutFFG Live Show in Seattle, WA- https://www.ticketmaster.com/event/0F006425E9997A20?brand=neptuneseattleBallad Release Party Denver, CO - https://events.humanitix.com/ballad-release-partyThe Dragon Gauntlet - Chapter 3: Use code FFG15 at checkout to get $15 OFF!*For all Event Discounts - go to https://fantasyfangirls.supercast.com/subscriber_v2/posts/6891Listen now:Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/24KydMMzrYfVpDggkFZx4j?si=fd7dc956393041b8Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fantasy-fangirls/id1706179464YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@fantasyfangirlsFollow us:Instagram: @fantasyfangirlspod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@fantasyfangirlspod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.” (Matthew 10:29) This fascinating bit of first-century pricing information, seeming... More...

In this lively episode of Beyond the Shelves, the hosts dive deep into Wuthering Heights—the novel, the new film adaptation, and the passionate discourse surrounding both. After a quick roundup of upcoming author events and current reads, the conversation shifts to Emily Brontë's legacy, the novel's complicated publication history, and why this famously chaotic story continues to captivate readers nearly 200 years later. SHOW NOTES What We're Reading Evil Genius by Claire Ohshetsky (also mentioned Chouette by Claire Ohshetsky) Heap Earth Upon It by Chole Michele Howarth  Tough Guy by Rachel Reid The Fine Print by Lauren Asher Shield of Sparrows by Deveny Perry To Be Read The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali The Stationary Shop by Marjan Kamali If an Egyptian Cannot Speak English by Noor Naga You Better Believe I'm Gonna Talk About It by Lisa Rinna  Once There Were Wolves by Charlotte McConaghy Roots of Darkness by Demi Winters Dawn of the North by Demi Winters This Kingdom will not Kill me by Ilona Andrews Wuthering Heights Links: Emily Brontë in Her Smut Era: The Romance Rebranding of "Wuthering Heights" by Shawna Lipton Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights is a Deranged, Half-Assed Bodice-Ripper That Entirely Misses the Point Book Bulletin Spotify Partners With Bookshop.org and Debuts Page Match Feature to Bridge Physical, E-book, and Audio Formats Can AI Chatbots Write Emotional Rich Romances? Nationwide Book Banning bill introduced Iowa Library Association Bill Tracker  Man breaks up with woman due to library card American Girl, Samantha: The Next Chapter

In the Gospel of Matthew 10:24–31 Jesus prepares His followers for opposition—and then tells them three times not to fear. Why? Because the God who notices every sparrow also knows and values every one of His children. Steve Coleman

Zzz . . . Drift off while Otis reads this Hans Christian Andersen short story – "The Roses and the Sparrows" zzz For an ad-free version of Sleepy, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/sleepyradio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and donate $2! Or click the blue Sleepy logo on the banner of this Spotify page.  Awesome Sleepy sponsor deals: Avocado: AvacadoGreenMattress.com/SLEEPY for 15% off.  Quince: Go to Quince.com/sleepy for free shipping and 365-day returns BetterHelp: Visit BetterHelp.com/SLEEPY today to get 10% off your first month. GreenChef: GreenChef.com/50SLEEPYGRAZA and use code "SLEEPYGRAZA" to get started with 50% off Green Chef + FREE Graza Olive  Oil Set in your 2nd and 3rd boxes. ButcherBox: Sign up at butcherbox.com/sleepy and use code "sleepy" OneSkin: Get 15% off OneSkin with the code SLEEPY at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.oneskin.co/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ #oneskinpod GhostBed: Go to GhostBed.com/sleepy and use promo code “SLEEPY” at checkout for 50% off! Shopify: Sign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial period at Shopify.com/otis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Freedom Friday, we wrapped up our weekly “Ask the Experts” theme with Rob West, who gave biblical financial advice. Rob is the host of the nationally syndicated radio program Faith and Finance LIVE, which airs weekday afternoons at 3 pm on 90.1 FM. He is also the host of the Faith and Finance podcast and the FaithFi App. He is also the CEO of Kingdom Advisors, a community of financial professionals specializing in delivering biblically wise financial advice. Rob’s latest book is a 21-day devotional called “Look at the Sparrows.”Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/morningshowSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The world is loud, life is fast, and wonder is slipping through the cracks. But Jesus gave a simple command—consider the birds. This week on The Land and the Book, you’ll learn how birds illustrate timeless truths found in Philippians. You’ll see birds—and the Lord Himself—in a fresh new light. Here’s your invitation to slow down, look up, and rediscover the Gospel written in the wings of creation. The Land and the Book.Donate to Moody Radio: http://moodyradio.org/donateto/landandthebookSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Counterfeits are dangerous precisely because they look convincing. The same is true of spiritual sayings that sound biblical but quietly distort how we think about God, stewardship, and money.Many believers can quote phrases that feel deeply spiritual—comforting even—but when placed under the light of Scripture, they don't actually appear there at all. Or worse, they twist what Scripture truly says. These “counterfeit verses” often shape how we view success, risk, provision, and dependence on God without us even realizing it.To explore this issue, we sat down with Taylor Standridge, Production Manager of FaithFi and a regular contributor to Faithful Steward. Taylor is also the lead writer behind Look at the Sparrows and Our Ultimate Treasure. In his recent article, Counterfeit Verses: How to Spot The Sayings That Aren't in the Bible, Taylor traces this problem all the way back to the beginning.“Did God Really Say?”—The First CounterfeitTaylor begins in Genesis 3, when the serpent approaches Eve with a deceptively subtle question: “Did God really say…?” (Genesis 3:1).This moment is critical because the enemy doesn't begin with an outright lie. Instead, he distorts what God has said and, in doing so, undermines God's character. The implication isn't merely that the command is questionable—but that God Himself may be withholding something good.Once Adam and Eve doubt God's goodness, disobedience follows naturally.That same pattern persists today. Many modern financial lies—whether cultural narratives or counterfeit verses—aren't blatant falsehoods. They're half-truths. They sound wise. They feel spiritual. And because they're close enough to the truth, they feel safe.Like a ship that veers off course by only one degree, the deviation seems harmless at first. But over time, it leads somewhere very different from what was intended.At the heart of every counterfeit is the same ancient question: Can God really be trusted?Counterfeit verses don't come with warning labels. They borrow biblical language, appeal to our emotions, and speak to real desires—hope, comfort, identity, and security.Sometimes they even quote Scripture, but rip it out of context.The danger isn't familiarity with Scripture—it's fragmented familiarity. When we know verses as slogans rather than as part of God's larger story, we become vulnerable to subtle distortions. The goal, however, isn't suspicion or cynicism. It's discernment—learning to recognize when a truth has been nudged just slightly off course.Studying the Real Thing: A Lesson from Counterfeit CurrencyTaylor uses a powerful illustration from the film Catch Me If You Can. Frank Abagnale Jr. succeeds as a forger not by inventing fake money from scratch, but by studying the real thing in obsessive detail—down to the ink, paper, and watermarks.Ironically, that expertise later makes him invaluable to the FBI.Banks don't train tellers by showing them every possible fake. They train them by handing them genuine currency until authenticity becomes instinctive.The same is true of Scripture. Discernment doesn't come from memorizing every error—it comes from knowing God's Word so deeply that when something sounds “almost right,” you can feel that it isn't.Common Counterfeit Verses That Shape Our View of Money“Money is the Root of All Evil”This misquote radically reshapes our theology of money. If money itself is evil, then wealth becomes suspicious, and stewardship feels compromising.But Scripture says something far more searching: “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils” (1 Timothy 6:10).The issue isn't possession—it's devotion. Scripture doesn't demonize money; it disciples our hearts.“God Helps Those Who Help Themselves”This phrase flips the gospel upside down. It places self-sufficiency at the center and turns God into a backup plan.Biblically, grace always comes first. God meets us in our need, not our strength. Stewardship, then, isn't self-rescue—it's dependence. Jesus says it plainly: “Apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).“God Won't Give You More Than You Can Handle”This saying sounds comforting, but it places the burden of endurance squarely on our shoulders.Paul tells a different story: “We were so utterly burdened beyond our strength… so that we would not rely on ourselves but on God” (2 Corinthians 1:8–9).God often allows what we cannot handle so that we learn to rely on Him.“Let Go and Let God”This phrase requires nuance. Scripture does call us to trust—but never to passive disengagement.Faith and obedience always move together. Noah builds. Abraham goes. Ruth works. Grace empowers action; it doesn't replace it. As J. I. Packer once said, the Christian motto isn't “Let go and let God,” but “Trust God and get going.”Growing in Discernment Without FearDiscernment begins with familiarity. Counterfeits thrive when Scripture is reduced to slogans. But when we immerse ourselves in the full story of God's Word, we learn to recognize the Shepherd's voice (John 10:4).Community matters too. God designed us to learn truth together—through teaching, correction, and shared wisdom.The goal isn't paranoia. It's confidence. We don't spend our lives studying counterfeits—we anchor ourselves in truth, trusting the Spirit of God to alert us when something isn't from Him.If we want to steward money wisely, we must first steward God's truth faithfully. Because when we know what God has truly said, we're finally free to live—and steward—with clarity, confidence, and trust.———————————————————————————————————————Taylor Standridge's article “Counterfeit Verses: How to Spot The Sayings That Aren't in the Bible” appears in the latest issue of Faithful Steward, our quarterly magazine for FaithFi Partners. To receive your copy and enjoy additional partner benefits, visit FaithFi.com/Partner.On Today's Program, Rob Answers Listener Questions:I'm considering a reverse mortgage for retirement. My home is worth about $370,000, and I owe $104,000 at 3.5%. How do reverse mortgages work? Would this help me in retirement, and what kind of interest rate should I expect compared to my current loan?I've been offered an investment where $10,000 could return 250%. I know the person personally, and there's paperwork and an attorney involved, but how can I properly vet this to be sure it's legitimate—especially since it involves real estate?Resources Mentioned:Faithful Steward: FaithFi's Quarterly Magazine (Become a FaithFi Partner)Counterfeit Verses: How to Spot The Sayings That Aren't in the Bible (Article by Taylor Standridge in Issue 4 of Faithful Steward Magazine)Movement MortgageOur Ultimate Treasure: A 21-Day Journey to Faithful StewardshipWisdom Over Wealth: 12 Lessons from Ecclesiastes on MoneyLook At The Sparrows: A 21-Day Devotional on Financial Fear and AnxietyRich Toward God: A Study on the Parable of the Rich FoolFind a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA)FaithFi App Remember, you can call in to ask your questions every workday at (800) 525-7000. Faith & Finance is also available on Moody Radio Network and American Family Radio. You can also visit FaithFi.com to connect with our online community and partner with us as we help more people live as faithful stewards of God's resources. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.